The purpose of this study was to investigate the dynamic balance and activity of internal oblique muscle, multifidus muscle, gluteus maximus muscle, biceps femoris muscle during the Y balance test following the wearing of pelvic compression belt. Forty healthy adults were recruited for this test. The dynamic balance score was estimated as the following: (anterior+posteromdial+posterolateral)/(3×leg length)×100. The electromyography signals were measured through %reference voluntary contraction, which was normalized by reference voluntary contraction of Y balance test without wearing the pelvic compression belt. The paired t-test was carried out to compare the dynamic balance score and the activity of the trunk and hip extensor with and without the wearing of pelvic compression belt. The dynamic balance score of the Y balance test when wearing pelvic compression belt was significantly than when measured without wearing the pelvic compression belt (p<.05). The muscle activity of the internal oblique and the multifidus was significantly decreased when wearing pelvic compression belt (p<.05). The muscle activity of the gluteus maximus was significantly increased when wearing pelvic compression belt (p<.05). However, there was no significant difference in hamstring muscle activity, with or without wearing the belt (p>.05). In conclusion, this study shows that the wearing of pelvic compression belt affects trunk muscle and hip extensor muscle activity related to the pelvic mobility and stability and increases dynamic balance and also contributes to the stabilization of the external pelvic stabilization.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) and abdominal expansion maneuver (AEM) on trunk stabilization, as well as trunk muscle activities and differences in quadruple visual analogue scale, Korean Oswestry Disability Index, and Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire scores, in patients with chronic low back pain and lumbar spine instability. To increase intra-abdominal pressure during the trunk stabilization exercise, the technique of pushing the abdomen out using diaphragmatic abdominal breathing suggested by Pavel Koral was used, which we termed the AEM. Fifty patients who tested positive on more than three of the five lumbar spine instability tests were separated from 138 patients with chronic low back pain of these patients, 16 were placed in the control group (trunk stabilization exercise), 17 were placed in the ADIM group (trunk stabilization exercise with ADIM), and 17 were placed in the AEM group (trunk stabilization exercise with AEM). Each group participated in the study for 30 minutes three times weekly for 4 weeks. Surface electromyography was used to measure the trunk muscle activities during the kneeling forward and supine bridging positions, and one-way repeated analysis of variance was used to determine the statistical significance of the trunk muscle activities in the rectus abdominis, internal oblique (IO), erector spinae, and multifidus (MF) muscles. The ADIM and AEM groups showed relatively larger improvements in psychosocial and functional disability level than control group. There were significant changes among the three groups, those from the measured values of the AEM group was significantly higher than the other two groups in changes in IO and MF trunk muscle activities (p＜05). This finding demonstrates that trunk stabilization exercises with AEM is more effective than ADIM for increasing trunk deep muscle activity of chronic low back pain patients with lumbar spine instability.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between the ankle dorsiflexion passive range of motion (DF PROM) under a non-weight bearing condition and the normalized reach distance in three directions of the Y-Balance Test (YBT). Sixty-one healthy adults (32 males and 29 females, age: 23.0±3.0 years, height: 169.3±8.9 ㎝, weight: 61.9±5.4 ㎏) participated in this study. The ankle DF PROM was measured using a goniometer. To assess dynamic balance, all subjects performed three trials to determine the maximum lower extremity reach in the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions of the YBT. The relationship between the ankle DF PROM and both the normalized reach distance in each direction and the composite score of the YBT were analyzed using the Pearson correlation. Only the normalized reach distance in the anterior direction of the YBT was significantly related to the ankle DF PROM measured under a non-weight bearing condition (r=.50, p＜.001). Neither the normalized reach distances in the posterior directions nor the composite score of the YBT were significantly correlated with the ankle DF PROM measured under a non-weight bearing condition. These findings suggest that ankle DF PROM does not affect the overall dynamic balance of the lower extremity, with only the anterior dynamic balance affected among the three directions.

Impaired respiratory function is common in patients with stroke. The purpose of this study were to investigate the effectiveness of exercises and to assess forced vital capacity and peak cough flow after completion of neck stabilizing and respiratory reeducation exercises (combining diaphragmatic breathing and pursed-lip breathing exercises). The 45 participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group 1 (n1=15), experimental group 2 (n2=15), and a control group (n3=15). All subjects performed conservative physical therapy for 30 minutes. Experimental group 1 undertook the neck stabilizing exercise and the respiratory reeducation exercise. Experimental group 2 undertook the respiratory reeducation exercise. Additional exercise did not exceed 30 minutes, five times a week for six weeks. The subjects were assessed for deep neck flexor thickness and breathing function (forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume at one second, forced expiratory volume at one second/forced vital capacity, peak expiratory flow, and manual assisted peak cough flow) at pre-post value. The results of this study were as follows. Experimental group 1 showed a significant increase only in deep neck flexor thickness change rate (p<.05). All groups showed significant increases in forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume at one second, and peak expiratory flow in pre-post measurement (p<.05). Experimental groups 1 and 2 showed an increase in manual assisted peak cough flow in pre-post measurement (p<.05). There was no significant difference between experimental group 1 and experimental group 2, but experimental group 1 improved more than experimental group 2 in respiratory function as a whole. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the neck stabilizing exercise in combination with the respiratory reeducation exercise can improve forced vital capacity and peak cough flow in patients with stroke.

This study aimed to compare the characteristics of breast cancer surgery and shoulder surgery patients on the shoulder range of motion (ROM), degree of pain and dysfunction, and scapular position. This study was carried out with a total of 90 women: a breast cancer surgery group (BS, n1=30), a shoulder surgery group (SS, n2=30) and a control group (n3=30). Shoulder ROM, the Quadruple Visual Analogue Scale (QVAS), the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), and the Scapular Index (SI) were used to assess shoulder function. Statistical analyses were performed using a one-way analysis of variance, crosstab test, and independent sample t-test. Post-hoc testing was carried out with Bonferroni test. There were significant differences in shoulder ROM when the BS and the SS were compared with the control group. However, there was no significant difference in ROM between the BS and SS. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in shoulder pain between both surgery groups, and there was greater shoulder dysfunction in the SS than in the BS. There was also a significant difference in upper extremity posture when the BS and the SS were compared to the control group. Finally, there was no significant difference in upper extremity posture between the BS and the SS. This study compared shoulder ROM, pain, dysfunction, and upper extremity postures between the BS and SS. While there were no significant differences in shoulder ROM, pain, and upper extremity posture between both surgery groups, the level of dysfunction was found to be significantly different. Therefore, health professionals managing for breast cancer surgery or shoulder surgery patients should consider these outcomes.

The purpose of this study was to compare the change in electromyography (EMG) activity in the gluteus maximus (G-max) and the gluteus medius (G-med) in subjects with and without chronic ankle instability (CAI) during three functional postures. Twenty four females were recruited for this study. Subjects were assigned into two groups: with CAI (n1=12) and without CAI (n2=12). The assessment postures were rotational squat, one leg stand above a gradient and crossed leg-sway. Electromyographic activities of the G-max and the G-med were recorded using surface EMG and was normalized using the maximal voluntary isometric contraction elicited using a manual muscle testing. Independent t-test was used to determine the statistical differences between two groups during the three functional postures. The comparisons of the three posture between two groups were performed using a one-way repeated analysis of variance. A Bonferroni adjustment used for post hoc analysis. The activation of EMG on G-max performing the one leg stand above a gradient and crossed leg-sway in subjects with CAI is significantly higher than normal group (p<.05). The activation of EMG on the G-max during the rotational squat was significantly increased, compared to those of the one leg stand above a gradient and crossed leg-sway (p<.05). The activation of EMG on G-med performing three exercise at CAI is significantly higher than normal group (p<.05). The activation of EMG on the G-med during the crossed leg-sway was significantly increased, compared to the rotational squat (p<.05). This study provides valuable information for clinician who research CAI.

The oxide films formed on etched aluminum foils play an important role as dielectric layers in aluminum electrolytic capacitors. Y2O3-doped ZrO2 (YZ) films were coated on the etched aluminum foils by sol-gel dip coating, and the electrical properties of YZ-coated Al foils were characterized. YZ films annealed at 450 oC were crystallized into a cubic phase, and as the Y2O3 doping content increased, the unit cell of ZrO2 expanded and the grain size decreased. The etch pits of Al foils were filled by YZ sol when it dried at atmospheric pressure after repeating for several times, but this step could essentially be avoided when being dried in a vacuum. YZ-coated foils indicated that the specific capacitance and dissipation factor were 2-2.5 μF/cm2 and 2-4 at 1 kHz, respectively, and the leakage current and withstanding voltage of films approximately 200 nm thick were 5 × 10−4A at 21 V and 22 V, respectively. After being anodized at 500 V, the foils exhibited a specific capacitance and dissipation factor of 0.6-0.7 μF/cm2 and 0.1-0.2, respectively, at 1 kHz, while the leakage current and withstanding voltage were 2 × 10−4 - 3 × 10−5 A at 400 V and 420-450 V, respectively. This suggests that YZ film is a promising dielectric that can be used in high voltage Al electrolytic capacitors.

Plasma properties of dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) at atmospheric pressure were measured and characterized using optical emission spectroscopy. Optical emissions were measured from argon, nitrogen, or air discharges generated at 5- 9 kV using 20 kHz power supply. Emissions from nitrogen molecules were markedly measured, irrespective of discharge gases. The intensity of emission peaks was increased with applied voltage and electrode gap. The short wavelength peaks (315.9 nm and 337.1 nm) measured at the middle of DBDs were significantly increased with applied voltage. The optical emission from DBDs decreased with the addition of oxygen gas, which was especially significant in argon discharge. Emission from oxygen molecules cannot be measured from air discharge and argon discharge with 4.8% oxygen. The emission intensity at 337.1 nm and 357.7 nm related with nitrogen molecule was sensitively changed with electrode types and discharge voltages. However, the pattern of argon emission spectrum was nearly the same, irrespective of electrode type, oxygen content, and discharge voltage.

NiAl2O4 nanoparticle was synthesized by a reverse micelle processing for inorganic pigment. N (NO3)2·6H2O and Al(NO3)3·9H2O were used for the precursor in order to synthesize NiAl2O4 nanoparticles. The aqueous solution, which consisted of a mixing molar ratio of Ni/Al, was 1:2 and heat treated at 800~1100 oC for 2h. The average size and distribution of synthesized NiAl2O4 powders are in the range of 10-20 nm and narrow, respectively. The average size of the synthesized NiAl2O4 powders increased with an increasing water-to-surfactant molar ratio and heating temperature. The crystallinity of synthesized NiAl2O4 powder increased with an increasing heating temperature. The synthesized NiAl2O4 powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis(XRD), a field emission scanning electron microscop (FE-SEM), and a color spectrophotometer. The properties of synthesized powders were affected as a function such as a molar ratio and heating temperature. Results indicate that synthesis using a reverse miclle processing is a favorable process to obtain NiAl2O4 spinels at low temperatures. The procedure performed suggests that this new synthesis route for producing these oxides has the advantage of being fast and simple. Colorimetric coordinates indicate that the pigments obtained exhibit blue colors.

We prepared 8 samples of non-silver and silver-added master alloys containing silicon to confirm the existence of nickel-silicides. We then prepared products made of 14K and 18K white gold by using the prepared master alloys containing 0.25, 0.35, and 0.50 wt% silicon to check for nickel release. We then employed the EN 1811 testing standard to investigate the nickel release of the white gold products, and we also confirmed the color of the white gold products with an UV-VISNIR- color meter. We observed NiSix residue in all master alloys containing more than 0.50 wt% Si with EDS-nitric acid etching. For the white gold products, we could not confirm the existence of NiSix through XRD after aqua regia etching. In the EN 1811 test, only the white gold products with 0.25 wt% silicon master alloys successfully passed the nickel release regulations. Moreover, we confirmed that our white gold products showed excellent Lab indices as compared to those of commercial white gold ones, and the silver-added master alloys offered a larger L index. Our results indicate that employing 0.25 wt% silicon master alloys might be suitable for white gold products without nickel-silicide defects and nickel release problems.

A strain-gradient crystal plasticity constitutive model was developed in order to predict the Hall Petch behavior of a Ni-base polycrystalline superalloy. The constitutive model involves statistically stored dislocation and geometrically necessary dislocation densities, which were incorporated into the Bailey-Hirsch type flow stress equation with six strength interaction coefficients. A strain-gradient term (called slip-system lattice incompatibility) developed by Acharya was used to calculate the geometrically necessary dislocation density. The description of Kocks-Argon-Ashby type thermally activated strain rate was also used to represent the shear rate of an individual slip system. The constitutive model was implemented in a user material subroutine for crystal plasticity finite element method simulations. The grain size dependence of the flow stress (viz., the Hall- Petch behavior) was predicted for a Ni-base polycrystalline superalloy NIMONIC PE16. Simulation results showed that the present constitutive model fairly reasonably predicts 0.2%-offset yield stresses in a limited range of the grain size.

The carbon dioxide(CO2) released while producing building materials is substantial and has been targeted as a leading contributor to global climate change. One of the most typical method to reducing CO2 for building materials is the addition of slag and fly ash, like pozzolan material, while another method is reducing CO2 production by carbon negative cement development. The MgO-based cement was from the low-temperature calcination of magnesite required less energy and emitted less CO2 than the manufacturing of Portland cements. It is also believed that adding reactive MgO to Portland-pozzolan cements could improve their performance and also increase their capacity to absorb atmospheric CO2. In this study, the basic research for magnesia cement using MgCO3 and magnesium silicate ore (serpentine) as main starting materials, as well as silica fume, fly ash and blast furnace slag for the mineral admixture, were carried out for industrial waste material recycling. In order to increase the hydration activity, MgCl2 was also added. To improve hydration activity, MgCO3 and serpentinite were fired at 700 oC and autoclave treatment was conducted. In the case of MgCO3 as starting material, hydration activity was the highest at firing temperature of 700 oC. This MgCO3 was completely transferred to MgO after firing. This occurred after the hydration reaction with water MgO was transferred completely to Mg(OH)2 as a hydration product. In the case of using only MgCO3, the compressive strength was 3.5MPa at 28 days. The addition of silica fume enhanced compressive strength to 5.5 MPa. In the composition of MgCO3-serpentine, the addition of pozzolanic materials such as silica fume increased the compression strength. In particular, the addition of MgCl2 compressive strength was increased to 80 MPa.

The porous Mg3Sb2 based compounds with 60~70% of relative density were prepared by powder compaction at room temperature and reactive liquid phase sintering at 1023 K for 4hrs. The stoichiometric Mg3Sb2 compounds were synthesized from elemental Sb and Mg powder in the mixing range of 61~63 at% Mg. The increased scattering effect due to the micro-pores reduced the mobility of the charge carrier and the phonon, which caused the electrical conductivity and the thermal conductivity to decrease, respectively. But the scattering effect was greater for the electrical conductivity than for the thermal conductivity. Excess Mg alloyed in the Mg3Sb2 compounds decreased the electrical conductivity, but had no effect on the thermal conductivity. On the other hand, the large increase of the Seebeck coefficient was the result of a decrease in the charge carrier density due to the excess Mg. Dimensionless figure of merit of the porous Mg3Sb2 compound reached a maximum value of 0.28 at 61 at% Mg. The obtained value was similar to that of Mg3Sb2 compounds having little pores.

Fe2O3 coated plate mica(Fe2O3/mica) for infrared reflectance red pigment was prepared under hydrothermal treatment. Fe2O3 was perfectly coated on mica via the difference of surface charge between Fe2O3 and mica particles at pH 3. Fe2O3/mica was then calcined at 800 oC to stabilize the coated layer on mica. The infrare (IR) reflectance pigments were characterized by X-ray diffraction, FE-SEM, zeta potential, and a UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer. In particular, the CIE color coordinate and IR reflectance properties of Fe2O3/mica pigments were investigated in relation to the thickness variation of the Fe2O3 layer coated on mica of various lateral sizes. The isolation-heat red paints containing the pigments were prepared and optimized with a thinner, settling agent, and dispersant. Then, the films were made. The thermal property of isolation-heat on these films was observed through the relationship of the IR reflectance value, which was based on the variation of the Fe2O3 layer’s thickness coated on mica and mica’s lateral size as IR reflectance pigment. With an increase in IR reflectance on these films, the thermal property of isolation-heat was effectively enhanced.

Glancing angle deposition (GLAD) is a powerful technique to control the morphology and microstructure of thin film prepared by physical vapor deposition. Chromium (Cr) thin films were deposited on a polymer substrate by a sputtering technique using GLAD. The change in thickness and Vickers microhardness for the samples was observed with a change in the glancing angle. The adhesion properties of the critical load (Lc) by a scratch tester for the samples were also measured with varying the glancing angle. The critical load, thickness and Vickers microhardness for the samples decreased with an increase in the glancing angle. However, the thickness of the Cr thin film prepared at a 90o glancing angle showed a relatively large value of 50 % compared to that of the sample prepared at 0o. The results of X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that the effect of GLAD on the microstructure of samples prepared by sputter technique was not as remarkable as the samples prepared by evaporation technique. The relatively small change in thickness and microstructure of the Cr thin film is due to the superior step-coverage properties of the sputter technique.

TiH2 nanopowder was made by high energy ball milling. The milled TiH2 and CNT powders were then simultaneously synthesized and consolidated using pulsed current activated sintering (PCAS) within one minute under an applied pressure of 80 MPa. The milling did not induce any reaction between the constituent powders. Meanwhile, PCAS of the TiH2-CNT mixture produced a Ti-TiC composite according to the reaction (0.92TiH2 + 0.08CNT→0.84Ti + 0.08TiC + 0.92H2, 0.84TiH2 + 0.16CNT→0.68Ti + 0.16TiC + 0.84H2). Highly dense nanocrystalline Ti-TiC composites with a relative density of up to 99.7% were obtained. The hardness and fracture toughness of the dense Ti-8 mole% TiC and Ti-16 mole% TiC produced by PCAS were also investigated. The hardness of the Ti-8 mole% TiC and Ti-16 mole% TiC composites was higher than that of Ti. The hardness value of the Ti-16 mole% TiC composite was higher than that of the Ti-8 mole% TiC composite without a decrease in fracture toughness.

Zn(BH4)2 was prepared by milling ZnCl2 and NaBH4 in a planetary ball mill in an Ar atmosphere, and XRD analysis, SEM observation, FT-IR analysis, DTA, and TGA were performed for synthesized Z (BH4)2 samples. 90 wt% MgH2+ 1.67 wt% Zn(BH4)2(+NaCl)+5 wt% Ni+1.67 wt% Ti+1.67 wt% Fe (named 90MgH2+1.67Zn(BH4) (+NaCl)+5Ni+1.67Ti+1.67Fe) samples were also prepared by milling in a planetary ball mill in an H2 atmosphere. The gas absorption and release properties of the Zn(BH4)2(+NaCl) and 90MgH2+1.67Zn(BH4)2(+NaCl)+5Ni+1.67Ti+1.67Fe samples were investigated. An FT-IR analysis showed that Zn(BH4)2 formed in the Zn(BH4)2(+NaCl) samples prepared by milling ZnCl2 and NaBH4. At the first cycle at 320 oC, 90MgH2+1.67Zn(BH4)2(+NaCl)+5Ni+1.67Ti+1.67Fe absorbed 2.95 wt% H for 2.5 min and 4.93 wt% H for 60 min under 12 bar H2, and released 1.46 wt% H for 10 min and 4.57 wt% H for 60 min under 1.0 bar H2.

The effect of sintering temperature on the microstructure, electrical and dielectric properties of (V, Mn, Co, Dy, Bi)- codoped zinc oxide ceramics was investigated in this study. An increase in the sintering temperature increased the average grain size from 4.7 to 10.4 μm and decreased the sintered density from 5.47 to 5.37 g/cm3. As the sintering temperature increased, the breakdown field decreased greatly from 6027 to 1659 V/cm. The ceramics sintered at 900 oC were characterized by the highest nonlinear coefficient (36.2) and the lowest low leakage current density (36.4 μA/cm2). When the sintering temperature increased, the donor concentration of the semiconducting grain increased from 2.49 × 1017 to 6.16 × 1017/cm3, and the density of interface state increased from 1.34 × 1012 to 1.99 × 1012/cm2. The dielectric constant increased greatly from 412.3 to 1234.8 with increasing sintering temperature.

Hot rolling of Mg-6Zn-0.6Zr-0.4Ag-0.2Ca-(0, 8 wt%)Li powder was conducted at the temperature of 300 oC by putting the powder into the Cu pipe. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the samples were observed. Mg-6Zn- 0.6Zr-0.4Ag-0.2Ca without Li element was consisted of α phase and precipitates. The microstructure of the 8 wt%Li containing alloy consisted of two phases (α-Mg phase and β-Li phase). In addition, Mg2Zn3Li was formed in 8%Li added Mg-6Zn-0.6Zr- 0.4Ag-0.2Ca alloy. By addition of the Li element, the non-basal planes were expanded to the rolling direction, which was different from the based Mg alloy without Li. The tensile strength was gradually decreased from 357.1 MPa to 264 MPa with increasing Li addition from 0% to 8%Li. However, the elongation of the alloys was remarkably increased from 10 % to 21% by addition of the Li element to 8%. It is clearly considered that the non-basal texture and β phase contribute to the increase of elongation and formability.

This paper proposes a novel way of fabricating aligned porous Sn by freeze-drying of camphene slurry with stannic oxide (SnO2) coated Sn powders. The SnO2 coated Sn powders were prepared by surface oxidation of the initial and ball-milled Sn powders, as well as heat treatment of tin chloride coated Cu powders. Camphene slurries with 10 vol% solid powders were prepared by mixing at 50 oC with a small amount of oligomeric polyester dispersant. Freezing the slurry was done in a Teflon cylinder attached to a copper bottom plate cooled at −25 oC. Improved dispersion stability of camphene slurry and the homogeneous frozen body was achieved using the oxidized Sn powder at 670 oC in air after ball milling. The porous Sn specimen, prepared by freeze-drying of the camphene slurry with oxidized Sn powder from the heat-treated Sn/tin chloride mixture and sintering at 1100 oC for 1 h in a hydrogen atmosphere, showed large pores of about 200 μm, which were aligned parallel to the camphene growth direction, and small pores in their internal walls. However, 100 μm spherical particles were observed in the bottom part of the specimen due to the melting of the Sn powder during sintering of the green compact.