• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2023

Objective: This study identifies the difference among the heights of a chair's backrest (High, Mid, No), the biomechanical changes chair users undergo over time, and the variables that can measure musculoskeletal disorders, eventually providing information on the appropriate type of backrest. Method: Eleven healthy subjects in their 20s and 30s who had no experience with musculoskeletal disorders or surgical operations within the last 6 months participated in this study. Computer typing tasks were randomly designated and performed according to the type of chair backrest, and evaluation was performed for Flexion-Relaxation Ratio (FRR) analysis after the computer typing tasks. This study used eight infrared cameras (sampling rate: 100 Hz) and nine-channel electromyography (sampling rate: 1,000 Hz). ANOVA with repeated measures was conducted to verify the results, with the statistical significance level being α = .05. Results: Although there was no significant difference in craniovertebral angle (CVA), this study showed time and interaction effects depending on the height of the backrest (p<.05). When working without the backrest, the head-spine angle was lower compared to the chairs with backrest, based on the computer work. As for the head angle, the higher the back of the chair was, the less the head flexion and the body angle became, whereas the body flexion became less when there was a backrest. In addition, the body flexion increased over time in all types of backrests (p<.05). The muscle activity of the upper body tended to be high in the high backrest chair. On the other hand, a lower muscle activity was found with a low backrest. Conclusion: These results show that a chair is more ergonomic when the body angle is correctly set without bending and when it is supported by a low backrest. Accordingly, this study determines that the backrest affects shoulder and neck musculoskeletal disorders during typing and that medium-height backrest chairs can help prevent musculoskeletal disorders, contrary to the expectation that high-backrest chairs are preferable.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.512-519
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential of a novel tissue engineering approach to regenerate intervertebral disc. In this study, thermosensitive scaffold (chitosan-Pluronic hydrogel) and nanofiber were used to replace the nucleus pulposus (NP) and annulus fibrosus of a degenerated intervertebral disc, leading to an eventual regeneration of the disc using the minimally invasive surgical procedure and organ culture. In preliminary study, disc cells were seeded into the scaffolds and cellular responses were assessed by MTT assay and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Based on these results, we could know that tissue engineered scaffolds might provide favorable environments for the regeneration of tissues. Organ culture was performed in fresh porcine spinal motion segments with endplates on both sides. These spinal motion segments were classified into three groups: control (Intact), injured NP (Defect), and inserting tissue engineered scaffolds (Insert). The specimens were cultivated for 7 days, subsequently structural stability, cell proliferation and morphological changes were evaluated by the relaxation time, quantity of DNA, GAG and histological examination. In these results, inserting group showed higher relaxation time, reduced decrement of DNA contents, and accumulated GAG amount. Consequently, the tissue engineered scaffolds used in this study seen to be a promising base scaffolds for regenerative intervertebral disc due to its capacity to absorb external dynamic loading and the possible ideal environment provided for disc cell growing.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.190-200
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• 1991

Certain structural components are exposed to high temperatures. At high temperature, under thermal and mechanical loading, metal components exhibit both creep and plastic behavior. The unified constitutive theory is to model both the time-dependent behavior(creep) and the time-independent behavior(plasticity) in one set of equations. Microscopically both creep and plasticity are controlled by the motion of dislocations. A finite element method is presented encorporating a unified constitutive model for the transient analysis of viscoplastic behavior of structures exposed to high temperature.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.803-806
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• 2011

1 mol% $Li_2O$ excess $0.9(Na_{0.52}K_{0.48})NbO_3-0.1LiTaO_3$ lead-free piezoelectric multilayer ceramic actuators were investigated to determine their aging properties. To reduce the thermal aging behavior, we applied a rectified unipolar electric field of 5 kV/mm to the specimen to accelerate the electric aging behavior. By employing a rectified unipolar electric field for the piezoelectric actuators, we could remove undesirable heating from the relaxation current in the motion of the ferroelectric domain. To accelerate the aging test, the applied electric fields had a frequency of 900 Hz. To have enough time for charging and discharging, we employed an accurate time constant to design the equivalent circuit model for the aging tester. To extract exact aging behavior, we measured the pseudo-piezoelectric coefficient before and after the aging process. We also measured the electro-mechanical coupling coefficient, the frequency-dependent dielectric permittivity, and the impedance to compare with fresh and aged specimen.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.85-98
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• 1993

A method of analysis for the material and geometric nonlinear analysis of planar prestressed concrete cable-stayed bridges including the time-dependent effects due to load history, creep, shrinkage, aging of concrete and relaxation of prestress is described. The analysis procedure, based on the finite element method, is capable of predicting the response of these structures through elastic, cracking, inelastic and ultimate ranges. The nonlinear formulation for the description of motion is based on the updated Lagrangian approach. To account for the material nonlinearity, nonlinear stress-strain relationship and cracking of concrete, nonlinear stress-strain relationships of reinforcing steel, prestressing steel, and cable, including load reversal are given. Results from a numerical examples on ultimate analyses of cable-stayed bridges are presented to illustrate the analysis method.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2014

Objectives: In this study, the meditation programs (${\alpha}$ version), which are properly coordinated according to the motion, breathing, and relaxation, are evaluated and researched upon to have positive effects on stress and in the area of psychology. Methods: Approved by the Clinical Trials Deliberation Committee in Oriental Medicine, Dongguk University, Ilsan Hospital, this study collected data according to the applicant's consents, demographic information and anthropometry for the Sasang Constitutional diagnosis. Sasang Constitutional diagnosis measured the beta tools by Institute of Oriental Medicine and a decision tree was made for the Sasang Constitutional questionnaires. The STAI, STAXI, BDI, and HRV were measured before and after the meditation in order to compare the effects of meditation according to Sasang Constitution. The HRV was used as a ProComP KM Tech (co). Results: 1) The positive changes available in the Time-domain analysis of heart rate variability assessment showed that the peace of mind is increased. By analyzing the Sasang constitution, So-eum In's peace of mind included a physical stability of the autonomic nervous system. 2) According to the psychological scale evaluation, each depression scale, trait anger, anger-in, state anxiety and trait anxiety index proved significantly positive effects. By analyzing the Sasang constitution, Eun-In which involved So-eum In and Tae-eum In, had positive effects. 3) The psychological scale changed the group of diagnosed depression or anxiety, it did not mean that the psychological scale changes in the depression group, but the index of the anxiety group had been significantly reduced. This program had clinical effects for anxious patients and Eum-In which involved Tae-eum In and So-eum In according to the analysis of Sasang constitution. 4) Correlations between the gender of each psychological scale showed that women have overall low correlations, but, there were no significant changes. Conclusions: The meditation program developed by adequately mixing Action, relaxation and breathing shows that it is effective for overall Eum-in physical and mental relaxation and concentration. In the future, It will have to be developed Meditation program to show the same effect for all people.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.26 no.5C
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• pp.359-368
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• 2006

After construction, time-variant seepage and long-term underground motion are representative factors to understand the abnormal behavior of tunnels. In this study, numerical models have been developed to analyze the behavior of tunnels associated with seepage and long-term underground motion. Possible scenarios have been investigated to establish causes-and-results mechanisms. Various parameters such as permeability of tunnel filter, seepage condition, water table, long-term rock mass load, size of damaged zone due to excessive blasting have been investigated. These are divided into two sub-parts depending on the tunnel type and major loading mechanisms depending on the types. For the soft ground tunnels, the behavior associated with seepage conditions has been studied and the effect of permeability change in tunnel-filter and the effect of water-table change which are seldom measurable are investigated in detail. For the rock mass tunnels, tunnel behavior associated with the visco-plastic behavior of rock mass has been studied and the long-term rock mass loads as a result of relaxation and creep have been considered.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.312-326
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• 2012

This paper considers a fully coupled 3D BEM-FEM analysis for the ship structural hydroelasticity problem in waves. Fluid flows and structural responses are analyzed by using a 3D Rankine panel method and a 3D finite element method, respectively. The two methods are fully coupled in the time domain using a fixed-point iteration scheme, and a relaxation scheme is applied for improve convergence. In order to validate the developed method, numerical tests are carried out for a barge model. The computed natural frequency, motion responses, and time histories of stress are compared with the results of the beam-based hydroelasticity program, WISH-FLEX, which was thoroughly validated in previous studies. This study extends to a real-ship application, particularly the springing analysis for a 6500 TEU containership. Based on this study, it is found that the present method provides reliable solutions to the ship hydroelasticity problems.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.11 no.11
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• pp.4346-4353
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to estimate the cervical range of motion and the effects of massage and static stretching in their 20s of normal adult. One hundred participants(massage=50, stretching=50) with no musculoskeletal and nervous system problems volunteered for this study. Massage and static stretching were applied to sternocleidomstoid, scalenes, trapezius, semispinalis, splenius, suboccipital, multifidi and rotatores. Both groups received intervention for 3 times in a week. The time the intervention was applied was for 10minutes. Effleurage, petrissage and stripping technique was applied to massage group and static stretching technique was applied to stretching group. The cervical range of motion (CROM) instrument was used to measure eight cervical motions (suboccipital flexion, suboccipital extension, neck flexion and extension, and left and right lateral flexion, left and right rotation). As a result of making a statistical analysis of the data, the following findings were given: First, normal cervical range of motion revealed; suboccipital flexion($2.39^{\circ}$) and extension($38.36^{\circ}$), flexion($54.11^{\circ}$) and extension($69.39^{\circ}$), lateral flexion on left($43.50^{\circ}$) and right($41.28^{\circ}$), rotation on left($66.39^{\circ}$) and right($65.94^{\circ}$) in male and suboccipital flexion($5.14^{\circ}$) and extension($36.47^{\circ}$), flexion($55.92^{\circ}$) and extension($71.22^{\circ}$), lateral flexion on left($43.34^{\circ}$) and right($41.06^{\circ}$), rotation on left($69.38^{\circ}$) and right($68.63^{\circ}$) in female. Second, women had greater range of motions than men in suboccipital flexion, left and right rotation(p<0.05). Third, it showed significantly increasing cervical range of motion in all directions within groups following treatments but not between groups(p<0.05). Our results suggest that massage and static stretching are an appropriate intervention to increase cervical range of motion by muscle relaxation and stretching and may be provided a basis for future studies investigating the cervical range of motion.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.145-150
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• 2020

Forward head posture is one of the most recognized types of poor head and neck alignment. Poor head and neck alignment posture is a major contributor to compromised balance and neck pain, due to abnormal joint position sense and proprioception. Kinesio taping is an intervention method used clinically for the management of pain. Kinesio taping may produce its effects through pain reduction, stimulation of blood circulation, induction of muscle relaxation which provides correction of joint position, and providing stability to the muscles and joints without limiting the range of motion. Many studies have proved that kinesio taping has positive effects on the reduction of pain and improves alignment, on the other hand, some studies have not found. Kinesio taping may provide immediate pain relief and improved alignment following the application, but there is insufficient evidence to support sustained relief beyond that time and they recommended future studies to examine the benefits of kinesio taping as this would have a greater value in clinical practice. Therefore, this study is to investigate the effects of kinesio taping on the alignment of head posture and dynamic balance ability in people with forward head posture.