• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.58 no.6
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• pp.571-577
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• 2015

Direct removal of beak-type ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament at thoracic spine (T-OPLL) is a challenging surgical technique due to the potential risk of neural injury. Slipping off the cutting surface of a high-speed drill may result in entrapment in neural structures, leading to serious complications. Removal of T-OPLL with an ultrasonic osteotome, utilizing back and forth micro-motion of a blade rather than rotatory-motion of drill, may reduce such complications. We have applied the ultrasonic osteotome for posterior circumferential decompression of T-OPLL for three consecutive patients with beak-type OPLL and have described the surgical techniques and patient outcomes. The preoperative chief complaint was gait disturbance in all patients. Japanese orthopedic association scores (JOA) was used for functional assessment. Scores measured 2/11, 5/11, 2/11, and 4/11 for each patient. The ventral T-OPLL mass was exposed after posterior midline approach, laminotomy and transeversectomy. The T-OPLL mass was directly removed with an ultrasonic osteotome and instrumented segmental fixation was performed. The surgeries were uneventful. Detailed surgical techniques were presented. Gait disturbance was improved in all patients. Dural tear occurred in one patient without squeal. Postoperative JOA was 6/11, 10/11, 8/11, and 8/11 (recovery rate; 44%, 83%, 67%, and 43%) respectively at 18, 18, 10, and 1 months postoperative. T-OPLL was completely removed in all patients as confirmed with computed tomography scan. We hope that surgical difficulties in direct removal of T-OPLL might be reduced by utilizing ultrasonic osteotome.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.60 no.5
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• pp.550-559
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• 2017

Objective : Subsidence is a frequent complication of anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Postoperative segmental micromotion, thought to be a causative factor of subsidence, has been speculated to increase with uncinate process resection area (UPR). To evaluate the effect of UPR on micro-motion, we designed a method to measure UPR area based on pre- and postoperative computed tomography images and analyzed the relationship between UPR and subsidence as a proxy of micro-motion. Methods : We retrospectively collected clinical and radiological data from January 2011 to June 2016. A total of 38 patients (53 segments) were included. All procedures included bilateral UPR and anterior plate fixation. UPR area was evaluated with reformatted coronal computer tomography images. To reduce level-related bias, we converted UPR area to the proportion of UPR to the pre-operative UP area (pUPR). Results : Subsidence occurred in 18 segments (34%) and positively correlated with right-side pUPR, left-side pUPR, and the sum of bilateral pUPR (sum pUPR) (R=0.310, 301, 364; p=0.024, 0.029, 0.007, respectively). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that subsidence could be estimated with the following formula : $subsidence=1.522+2.7{\times}sum\;pUPR$($R^2=0.133$, p=0.007). Receiver-operating characteristic analysis determined that sum $pUPR{\geq}0.38$ could serve as a threshold for significantly increased risk of subsidence (p=0.005, area under curve=0.737, sensitivity=94%, specificity=51%). This threshold was confirmed by logistic regression analysis for subsidence (p=0.009, odds ratio=8.471). Conclusion : The UPR measurement method confirmed that UPR was correlated with subsidence. Particularly when the sum of pUPR is ${\geq}38%$, the possibility of subsidence increased.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.2101-2112
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• 1994

A two-dimensional biomechanical model was developed in order to calculated the lower extremity kinematics and kinetics during level walking. This model consists of three segments : the thigh, calf, and foot. Each segment was assumed to be a rigid body ; its motion to be planar in the sagittal plane. Five young males were involved in the gait experiment and their anthropometric data were measured for the calculation of segmental masses and moments of inertial. Six markers were used to obtain the kinematic data of the right lower extremity for at least three trials of walking at 1.0m/s, and simultaneously a Kistler force plate was used to obtain the foot-floor reaction data. Based on the experimental data acquired for the stance phase of the right foot, calculated vertical joint forces reached up to 0.91, 1.05, and 1.11 BW(body weight) at the hip, the knee, the ankle joints, respectively. The flexion-extension moments reached up to 69.7, 52.3, and 98.8 Nm in magnitude at the corresponding three joints. It was found that the calculated joint loadings of a subject were statistically the same for all his three trials, but not the same for all five subjects involved in the gait study.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1992.07b
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• pp.879-882
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• 1992

In order to study electrical properties of epoxy composites with various additives rates and curing conditions, dielectric measurements have been performed over a frequency range from 30 [Hz] to 3 [MHz] and a temperature range of 20[$^{\circ}C$]$\sim$180[$^{\circ}C$] The observed higher values of dielectric permittivity and loss In the case of filled epoxy are attributed to MWS polarization effect. The low temperature peak assigned to the $\beta$-relaxation process is attributed to the enhenced rotation of the methyl group attached to the main chain and the presence of filler. And the high temperature peak ($\alpha$-relaxation process)is associated with the segmental motion or glass transition process.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.316-321
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• 1994

Rate of mixing of Cu particles to polyimide substrate at interfaces under different thermal treatments was analyzed by Rutherford Backscattering spectroscopy using 2.0 MeV He+ ions. T he mixing rate was a function of annealing temperature and time and was constant at afioxed temperature. The amount of mixing increased linearly with time and the mixing rate increased with temperature. The activation energy for interface mixing between Cu and polyimide was 2.6 kcal/mol. The X-ray studies showed the Cu(111) plane peak changed with annealing time at fixed temperature. The mixing of Cu to polyimide was explained with segmental motion of PI chain and with interaction between functional group of the chain and metal electron donor. The comparisons were made bewteen the mixing induced by ion irradiation and by thermal treatment. The various factors affecting the interface mixing are discussed.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.71-79
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to analyze the presence of ipsilesional movement deficit, with segmental performance in each proximal or distal upper extremity. The visuoperceptual complex task of the ipsilesional upper extremity was investigated in patients with unilateral brain damage and a control group of healthy sex-age-matched controls. Tracking movements were tested in the proximal and distal upper extremities. Movements were measured by the accuracy index, which was normalized to each subject's own range of motion and took into account any differences between subjects in the excursion of the tracking target. The findings revealed that stroke patients experienced difficulties with tracking movement of both proximal and distal segments in the upper extremities on the so-called "non-affected side", irrespectively of the extent of patient's age, time since onset, or severity of contralateral upper extremity. Therefore, the unilateral brain damage affected ipsilateral motor function of the proximal and distal upper limbs in the performance of complex motor tasks, requiring central processing and the higher order cognitive function in the integrity of both hemispheres.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.4E
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• pp.155-160
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• 2003

Both ultrasonic velocity at 3 MHz and absorption coefficient for the frequency range of 0.2-2 MHz were measured in an aqueous solution of polyacrylamide for the concentration range of 0.5% to 2.5% by weight. Pulse echo overlap method was taken for measuring the ultrasonic velocity over the temperature range of 10-90℃ and the high-Q ultrasonic resonator method was used for the absorption coefficient at 30℃. The velocity exhibited a maximum value at approximately 70℃, 71℃, 72℃, 73℃ and 74℃ in 2.5%, 2.0%, 1.5%, 1.0%, and 0.5% solutions, respectively. The velocity increased with the concentration at a given temperature. The ultrasonic absorption (a/f²) at a given temperature increased linearly with the concentration for the concentration below 1.5%, but suddenly increased for the concentration above 1.5% concentration. The value of a/f² at 1MHz was entirely due to the classical Stoke's viscous effect. The ultrasonic relaxation in polyacrylamide aqueous solutions, which may be the result of structural fluctuations of polymer molecules such as the segmental motion of the polymer chains, was observed, and at 2.5%, the value of a/f² was found to suddenly increase as frequency decreased.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.645-651
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• 2009

Previous studies have introduced the technique of spinous process osteotomy to decompress spinal stenosis, a procedure which aims to afford excellent visualization while minimizing destruction of tissues not directly involved in the pathologic process. However, biomechanically it has not been investigated whether the sacrifice of posterior spinous process might have potential risk of spinal instability or not, even though supra-spinous and inter-spinous ligaments are preserved. Therefore the aim of this study is to evaluate the biomechanical properties after spinous process osteotomy, using finite element analysis. The model of spinous process osteotomy exhibited no significant increase in disc stress or change in segmental range of motion. It is due to the fact that the instability of lumbar spine has been maintained by the two-types of ligaments compared with the prior surgical technique. Therefore, according to the finite element result on this study, this osotetomy was considered to be a clinically safe surgical procedure and could not cause the instability of the lumbar spine.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.19-23
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• 2019

The PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate)/clay nanocomposites were synthesized by in situ radical polymerizations with different clay contents (3 and 7 wt%) using microwave heating. The nanostructure, optical, and thermal properties of the synthesized PMMA/clay nanocomposites were measured by XRD, TEM, AFM, UV-vis, and TGA. It was found that the intercalated- or exfoliated structure of PMMA/clay nanocomposites was strongly dependent on the content of clay. Thus, the imposition of microwave-assisted polymerization facilitated a delamination process of layered silicates to achieve exfoliation state of interlayer distance. The PMMA/3 wt% C10A nanocomposite with well-dispersed and exfoliated clay nano-layers showed the good optical transparency similar to pure PMMA in this study. The thermal decomposition rates of the PMMA/clay nanocomposites become to be lower compared to that of the pure PMMA, indicating the intercalated- or exfoliated inorganic silicate has high thermal stability. A possible reason is that the thermally segmental motion of PMMA polymer into inorganic silicate interlayer spacing has increased the thermal stability of the PMMA/clay nanocomposites.

• Neurospine
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.296-305
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• 2018

Cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA), or total disc replacement, has emerged as an option in the past two decades for the management of 1- and 2-level cervical disc herniation and spondylosis causing radiculopathy, myelopathy, or both. Multiple prospective randomized controlled trials have demonstrated CDA to be as safe and effective as anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, which has been the standard of care for decades. Moreover, CDA successfully preserved segmental mobility in the majority of surgical levels for 5-10 years. Although CDA has been suggested to have long-term efficacy for the reduction of adjacent segment disease in some studies, more data are needed on this topic. Surgery for CDA is more demanding for decompression, because indirect decompression by placement of a tall bone graft is not possible in CDA. The artificial discs should be properly sized, centered, and installed to allow movement of the vertebrae, and are commonly 6 mm high or less in most patients. The key to successful CDA surgery includes strict patient selection, generous decompression of the neural elements, accurate sizing of the device, and appropriately centered implant placement.