Few studies address the use of manual muscle stretching to improve spinal active range of motion(AROM). There is evidence that‘ Hold-Relax’(HR) is effective for increasing ROM in the extremities, which leads the researchers to anticipate similar benefits in the spine. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of HR(trunk flexors) and active thoracic flexion and extension on thoracic mobility, specifically flexion and extension in healthy individuals. A convenience sample of 30 physical therapy students(22-38 years) were randomly assigned to intervention sequence ‘A-B’ or ‘B-A’, with at least 7 days between interventions. Intervention‘ A’ consisted of HR of the ventral trunk musculature while ‘B’ consisted of thoracic flexionextension AROM. Thoracic flexion and extension AROM were measured before and after each intervention using the double inclinometer method. Paired t-tests were used to compare AROM pre and post-intervention for both groups, and to test for carry-over and learning effects. There was a statistically significant increase(mean=3° ; p=0.006) in thoracic extension following HR of the trunk flexors. There were no significant changes in thoracic flexion following HR, or in flexion or extension following the AROM intervention. No carryover or learning effects were identified. HR may be an effective tool for improving AROM in the thoracic spine in pain free individuals. Further investigation is warranted with symptomatic populations and to define the minimal clinical difference(MCD) for thoracic spine mobility.

Geopolymer cements and geopolymer resins are newly advanced mineral binders that are used in order to reducethe carbon dioxide generation that accompanies cement production. The effect of additives on the compressive strength ofgeopolymerized class-F fly ash was investigated. Blast furnace slag, calcium hydroxide(Ca(OH)2), and silica fume powders wereadded to fly ash. A geopolymeric reaction was initiated by adding a solution of water glass and sodium hydroxide(NaOH) tothe powder mixtures. The compressive strength of pure fly ash cured at room temperature for 28 days was found to be as lowas 291kgf/cm−2, which was not a suitable value for use in engineering materials. On the contrary, addition of 20wt% and40wt% of blast furnace slag powders to fly ash increased the compressive strength to 458kgf/cm−2 and 750kgf/cm−2,respectively. 5wt% addition of Ca(OH)2 increased the compressive strength up to 640kgf/cm−2; further addition of Ca(OH)2further increased the compressive strength. When 2wt% of silica fume was added, the compressive strength increased to 577kgf/cm−2; the maximum strength was obtained at 6wt% addition of silica fume. It was confirmed that the addition of CaO andSiO2 to the fly ash powders was effective at increasing the compressive strength of geopolymerized fly ash.

Green phosphors K2BaW2O8:Tb3+(1.0mol%) were synthesized by solid state reaction method. Differential thermalanalysis was applied to trace the reaction processes. Three endothermic values of 95, 706, and 1055oC correspond to the lossof absorbed water, the release of carbon dioxide, and the beginning of the melting point, respectively. The phase purity of thepowders was examined using powder X-ray diffraction(XRD). Two strong excitation bands in the wavelength region of 200-310nm were found to be due to the WO42− exciton transition and the 4f-5d transition of Tb3+ in K2BaW2O8. The excitationspectrum presents several lines in the range of 310-380nm; these are assigned to the 4f-4f transitions of the Tb3+ ion. The strongemission line at around 550nm, due to the 5D4→7F5 transition, is observed together with weak lines of the 5D4→7FJ(J=3,4, and 6) transitions. A broad emission band peaking at 530nm is observed at 10K, while it disappears at room temperature.The decay times of Tb3+ 5D4→7F5 emission are estimated to be 4.8 and 1.4ms, respectively, at 10 and 295 K; those of theWO42− exciton emissions are 22 and 0.92µs at 10 and 200K, respectively.

To fabricate a precise micro metal mold, the electrochemical etching process has been researched. We investigated the electrochemical etching process numerically and experimentally to determine the etching tendency of the process, focusing on the current density, which is a major parameter of the process. The finite element method, a kind of numerical analysis, was used to determine the current density distribution on the workpiece. Stainless steel(SS304) substrate with various sized square and circular array patterns as an anode and copper(Cu) plate as a cathode were used for the electrochemical experiments. A mixture of H2SO4, H3PO4, and DIW was used as an electrolyte. In this paper, comparison of the results from the experiment and the numerical simulation is presented, including the current density distribution and line profile from the simulation, and the etching profile and surface morphology from the experiment. Etching profile and surface morphology were characterized using a 3D-profiler and FE-SEM measurement. From a comparison of the data, it was confirmed that the current density distribution and the line profile of the simulation were similar to the surface morphology and the etching profile of the experiment, respectively. The current density is more concentrated at the vertex of the square pattern and circumference of the circular pattern. And, the depth of the etched area is proportional to the current density.

Among the various roll-to-roll printing technologies such as gravure, gravure-offset, and reverse offset printing,reverse offset printing has the advantage of fine patterning, with less than 5µm line width. However, it involves complexprocesses, consisting of 1) the coating process, 2) the off process, 3) the patterning process, and 4) the set process of the ink.Each process demands various ink properties, including viscosity, surface tension, stickiness, and adhesion with substrate orcliché; these properties are critical factors for the printing quality of fine patterning. In this study, Ag nano ink was developedfor reverse offset printing and the effect of polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP), used as a capping agent of Ag nano particles, on theprinting quality was investigated. Ag nano particles with a diameter of ~60nm were synthesized using the conventional polyolsynthesis process. Ethanol and ethylene glycol monopropyl ether(EGPE) were used together as the main solvent in order tocontrol the drying and absorption of the solvents during the printing process. The rheological behavior, especially ink adhesionand stickiness, was controlled with washing processes that have an effect on the offset process and that played a critical rolein the fine patterning. The electrical and thermal behaviors were analyzed according to the content of PVP in the Ag ink. Finally,an Ag mesh pattern with a line width of 10µm was printed using reverse offset printing; this printing showed an electricalresistivity of 36µΩ·cm after sintering at 200oC.

La1-xSrxMnO3(LSM,0≤x≤0.5) powders as the air electrode for solid oxide fuel cell were synthesized by a glycine-nitrate combustion process. The powders were then examined by X-ray diffraction(XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The as-formed powders were composed of very fine ash particles linked together in chains. X-ray maps of the LSM powders milled for 1.5 h showed that the metallic elements are homogeneously distributed inside each grain and in the different grains. The powder XRD patterns of the LSM with x< 0.3 showed a rhombohedral phase; the phase changes to the cubic phase at higher compositions(x≥0.3) calcined in air at 1200˚C for 4 h. Also, the SEM micrographs showed that the average grain size decreases as Sr content increases. Composite air electrodes made of 50/50 vol% of the resulting LSM powders and yttria stabilized zirconia(YSZ) powders were prepared by colloidal deposition technique. The electrodes were studied by ac impedance spectroscopy in order to improve the performance of a solid oxide fuel cell(SOFC). Reproducible impedance spectra were confirmed using the improved cell, which consisted of LSM-YSZ/YSZ. The composite electrode of LSM and YSZ was found to yield a lower cathodic resistivity than that of the non-composite one. Also, the addition of YSZ to the La1-xSrxMnO3 (0.1≤x≤0.2) electrode led to a pronounced, large decrease in the cathodic resistivity of the LSM-YSZ composite electrodes.

This paper focuses on the after synthesis of CdTe quantum dots(QDs) in aqueous solution. CdTe nanoparticles were prepared in aqueous solution using mercaptocarboxylic acid or thioglycolic acid(TGA) as stabilizing agents. QDs emit light smaller than the nano size. The contents of the mercaptocarboxylic acid, and a kind of raw material, were revealed for a period of time. We succeeded in synthesizing a very high quality QDs solution; we discussed how to make QDs better and to keep them stabilized. TGA is known as one of the best stabilizing agents. Many papers have mentioned that TGA is a good stabilizing agent. We dramatically confirmed the state of QDs after the experiments. The QDs solution can be influenced by several factors. Different content of TGA can influence the stability of the CdTe solution. Most papers deal with the synthesis of CdTe, so we decided to discuss the after synthesis process for the stability of the CdTe solution.

We investigated cleaning effects using NH4OH solution on the surface of Cu film. A 20 nm Cu film was deposited on Ti / p-Si (100) by sputter deposition and was exposed to air for growth of the native Cu oxide. In order to remove the Cu native oxide, an NH4OH cleaning process with and without TS-40A pre-treatment was carried out. After the NH4OH cleaning without TS-40A pretreatment, the sheet resistance Rs of the Cu film and the surface morphology changed slightly(δRs:~10mΩ/sq.). On the other hand, after NH4OH cleaning with TS-40A pretreatment, the Rs of the Cu film changed abruptly (δRs:till~700mΩ/sq.); in addition, cracks showed on the surface of the Cu film. According to XPS results, Si ingredient was detected on the surface of all Cu films pretreated with TS-40A. This Si ingredient(a kind of silicate) may result from the TS-40A solution, because sodium metasilicate is included in TS-40A as an alkaline degreasing agent. Finally, we found that the NH4OH cleaning process without pretreatment using an alkaline cleanser containing a silicate ingredient is more useful at removing Cu oxides on Cu film. In addition, we found that in the NH4OH cleaning process, an alkaline cleanser like Metex TS-40A, containing sodium metasilicate, can cause cracks on the surface of Cu film.

Various adhesive materials are used in flip chip packaging for electrical interconnection and structural reinforcement. In cases of COF(chip on film) packages, low temperature bonding adhesive is currently needed for the utilization of low thermal resistance substrate films, such as PEN(polyethylene naphthalate) and PET(polyethylene terephthalate). In this study, the effects of anhydride and dihydrazide hardeners on the low-temperature snap cure behavior of epoxy based non-conductive pastes(NCPs) were investigated to reduce flip chip bonding temperature. Dynamic DSC(differential scanning calorimetry) and isothermal DEA(dielectric analysis) results showed that the curing rate of MHHPA(hexahydro-4-methylphthalic anhydride) at 160˚C was faster than that of ADH(adipic dihydrazide) when considering the onset and peak curing temperatures. In a die shear test performed after flip chip bonding, however, ADH-containing formulations indicated faster trends in reaching saturated bond strength values due to the post curing effect. More enhanced HAST(highly accelerated stress test) reliability could be achieved in an assembly having a higher initial bond strength and, thus, MHHPA is considered to be a more effective hardener than ADH for low temperature snap cure NCPs.

In crystalline solar cells, the substrate itself constitutes a large portion of the fabrication cost as it is derived fromsemiconductor ingots grown in costly high temperature processes. Thinner wafer substrates allow some cost saving as morewafers can be sliced from a given ingot, although technological limitations in slicing or sawing of wafers off an ingot, as wellas the physical strength of the sliced wafers, put a lower limit on the substrate thickness. Complementary to these economicaland techno-physical points of view, a device operation point of view of the substrate thickness would be useful. With this inmind, BC-BJ Si and GaAs solar cells are compared one to one by means of the Medici device simulation, with a particularemphasis on the substrate thickness. Under ideal conditions of 0.6µm photons entering the 10µm-wide BC-BJ solar cells atthe normal incident angle (θ=90o), GaAs is about 2.3 times more efficient than Si in terms of peak cell power output:42.3mW·cm−2 vs. 18.2mW·cm−2. This strong performance of GaAs, though only under ideal conditions, gives a strongindication that this material could stand competitively against Si, despite its known high material and process costs. Within thelimitation of the minority carrier recombination lifetime value of 5×10−5 sec used in the device simulation, the solar cell poweris known to be only weakly dependent on the substrate thickness, particularly under about 100µm, for both Si and GaAs.Though the optimum substrate thickness is about 100µm or less, the reduction in the power output is less than 10% from thepeak values even when the substrate thickness is increased to 190µm. Thus, for crystalline Si and GaAs with a relatively longrecombination lifetime, extra efforts to be spent on thinning the substrate should be weighed against the expected actual gainin the solar cell output power.

We investigate the effects of redox reaction on preparation of high purity α-alumina from selectively ground aluminum dross. Preparation procedure of the α-alumina from the aluminum dross has four steps: i) selective crushing and grinding, ii) leaching process, iii) redox reaction, and iv) precipitation reaction under controlled pH. Aluminum dross supplied from a smelter was ground to separate metallic aluminum. After the separation, the recovered particles were treated with hydrochloric acid(HCl) to leach aluminum as aluminum chloride solution. Then, the aluminum chloride solution was applied to a redox reaction with hydrogen peroxide(H2O2). The pH value of the solution was controlled by addition of ammonia to obtain aluminum hydroxide and to remove other impurities. Then, the obtained aluminum hydroxide was dried at 60˚C and heat-treated at 1300˚C to form α-alumina. Aluminum dross was found to contain a complex mixture of aluminum metal, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, and spinel compounds. Regardless of introduction of the redox reaction, both of the sintered products are composed mainly of α-alumina. There were fewer impurities in the solution subject to the redox reaction than there were in the solution that was not subject to the redox reaction. The impurities were precipitated by pH control with ammonia solution, and then removed. We can obtain aluminum hydroxide with high purity through control of pH after the redox reaction. Thus, pH control brings a synthesis of α-alumina with fewer impurities after the redox reaction. Consequently, high purity α-alumina from aluminum dross can be fabricated through the process by redox reaction.

A 10-year-old intact female Cocker Spaniel weighing 15.3 kg presented with dysbasia. The dog had hyperglycemia and glucosuria at presentation. Neurological examination and magnetic resonance imaging on the following day indicated the onset of cervical disk disease. Four days later, the patient returned due to sudden vomiting and anorexia with severe dehydration. Abnormal laboratory findings included severe hyperglycemia with ketonuria. Plasma progesterone concentration was very high at presentation. She was hospitalized for critical care, and insulin administration with fluid therapy was initiated. Mean blood glucose concentration showed a gradual decline, and hyperglycemia with glucosuria disappeared four days after initiation of insulin therapy. This case demonstrated that high plasma progesterone concentration during diestrus can contribute to development of diabetes mellitus in intact female dogs.

A five-month-old female pomeranian dog (weighing 0.95 kg) with a history of cyanosis, exercise intolerance, and delayed growth presented to Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Gyeongsang National University. Findings on diagnostic imaging studies showed a dextropositioned and over-riding aorta, pulmonic stenosis, ventricular septal defect, right ventricular hypertrophy, and atrial septal defect. Based on the diagnostic findings, the dog was diagnosed as a case of tetralogy of Fallot with atrial septal defect (pentalogy of Fallot).

Competitive ELISA methods were used to measure the level of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) from urine in 1008 Korean adults. Subjects were selected by random sampling in all areas of Korea, except Cheju-do. The recovery rate of AFM1 using this method was 105% (73-124%). The geometric mean of urinary AFM1 in all subjects was 3.43 pg/mL (3.67 ng/g creatinine). The level of AFM1 in males was statistically higher, compared with female subjects. However, the levels of AFM1 did not differ according to age. Subjects in Chungbuk-do showed the highest urinary AFM1 concentration, whereas subjects in Kyeongnam-do showed the lowest concentration. Assuming an excretion rate of 5%, this AFM1 excretion corresponds to approximately 0.1 microgram/day in Korean adults.

Proteinuric conditions demonstrate structural and compositional changes of the foot processes and slit diaphragms between podocytes. β-Catenin in podocytes serves as an adapter protein anchoring P-cadherin of slit diaphragms to actin filaments of the podocyte cytoskeleton. To investigate the effect of ginseng total saponin (GTS) on pathologic changes of podocyte P-cadherin/β-catenin unit induced by diabetic conditions, we cultured mouse podocytes under: 1) normal glucose (5 mM, = control); 2) high glucose (HG, 30 mM); 3) advanced glycosylation end products (AGE)-added; or 4) HG plus AGE-added conditions and treated with GTS. In confocal imaging, β-catenin colocalized with P-cadherin predominantly at intercellular junction area. However, diabetic conditions relocalized and concentrated both molecules at perinuclear cytoplasmic area. In Western blotting, diabetic conditions, especially HG plus AGE-added condition, also decreased cellular β-catenin protein levels at 6, 24, and 48 hours. GTS improved such quantitative and qualitative changes of β-catenin. These findings imply that HG plus AGE have an influence on the redistribution and amount of P-cadherin/ β-catenin unit of podocytes, which can be reversed by GTS.

Expression of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) in the early phase of hepatocarcinogenesis induced by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) was investigated. At 14 days of age, 60 ICR mice were divided into two groups and treated with saline (group 1) or DEN (group 2, 10 mg/kg of body weight, i.p. injection), and were sacrificed at 6 h and 1, 2, 3, 7, and 28 days after treatment with saline or DEN. During necropsy, half of the liver from saline- or DEN-treated mice was processed for histopathological examination and immunohistochemical staining of EpCAM and apoptosis. The remaining liver tissue was snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen for RNA extraction and analysis of EpCAM mRNA expression. Immunohistochemical examination showed that EpCAM expression was detected only in a small number of hepatocytes from saline-treated mice and its expression was detected in bile duct cells and round cells around portal areas, as well as hepatocytes in the livers of DEN-treated mice. In addition, multiple apoptotic cells were found in the livers of mice treated with DEN. EpCAM mRNA expression was significantly higher in DEN-treated mice at 1, 7, and 28 days compared to saline-treated mice at 6 h (P<0.01). Taken together, EpCAM expression and apoptosis were increased in liver by DEN treatment.

Probiotics, enzymes, organic acids, oligosaccharides, antioxidants, and other functional materials are actively being explored as alternatives to antibiotics. Probiotics include live beneficial microorganisms that colonize the intestinal tract and competitively inhibit attachment and growth of harmful microbes. Probiotics also increase feed efficiency by assisting in nutrient absorption and digestion. The current study was conducted in order to evaluate the effect of a new probiotic, CS-A, as a dietary supplement of a fermented product on growth performance, feed intake, and feed conversion efficiency in broiler chickens, and to evaluate its value as an alternative for antibiotics used as a feed additive. Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of CS-A were investigated in vitro and the in vivo effects of a constant concentration of supplemented CS-A on growth rate and feed efficiency were evaluated. In addition, the safety of CS-A was assessed by examination of common symptoms and mortality. Determination of minimal inhibitory concentration revealed an excellent antibacterial effect of CS-A. Cytotoxicity was low and anti-inflammatory effects were achieved at the effective concentration of CS-A. Supplementation with 0.1% CS-A resulted in a feed efficiency score of 1.84 in broilers, compared to 2.00 in the control group. There were no adverse clinical findings, necropsy findings, hematology, and altered serum biochemistry parameters, and no mortality. Thus, it is concluded that CS-A is safe and effective as a feed additive.

This study was performed to investigate the anti-obesity and anti-lipidemic ability of linalool (LL) in ApoE deficient mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Mice were divided into four experimental groups of eight each. Mice in the control group received a basic diet and oral repeated dose of the vehicle only for 12 weeks; mice in the HFD group received a HFD and oral repeated dose of the vehicle only for 12 weeks; and the HFD&LL25 and HFD&LL50 groups received a HFD and oral repeated dose of LL 25 and 50 mg/kg/day for 12 weeks, respectively. Mice in the HFD group showed a significant increase in body weight, spleen weight, and adipose tissue weight, compared with the control group. An increase in the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activities, total cholesterol (T-CHO), triglyceride (TG), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol was also observed in the HFD group. Histopathological examinations showed severe liver injuries, characterized by extensive fatty changes and hepatocyte degeneration/necrosis. On the contrary, oral administration with LL resulted in significantly improved HFD-induced obesity and hyperlipidemia, indicated by a decrease in adipose tissue weight, T-CHO, TG, and histopathological lesions. The results indicate that LL suppressed HFD-induced obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, and hepatic steatosis, suggesting that LL might be a promising adjuvant therapy for treatment of these metabolic disorders related to corpulence.

The aim of this study was to investigate the morphological development of fungiform papillae in native Korean goats by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Tongues were removed from fetuses on days 120 and 150 of gestation and from juveniles on days 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 after birth. The sizes of fungiform papillae in the newborn were 225.0-250.0 μm, the weaning period of 60-day-old goats was 271-294 μm and the maturing period of 180-day-old goats was 385-398 μm, respectively. The primordia of fungiform papillae had the typical feature of a mushroom shape in a 120-day-old fetus. In a 150-day-old fetus (neonate), fungiform papillae had features similar to those of the adult form and showed a gradual increase in size with slight morphological changes until 150-day-old goats. Microridges, microplicae, and micropits were well developed on the epithelial surface of lingual papillae from 60 to 150-day-old goats. The results obtained in this study might provide some basic data on the mechanisms that control the morphogenesis and development of the lingual papillae in ruminants.

Inter-breed and individual variations in thoracic conformation often resulted in incorrect diagnosis during interpretation of canine thoracic radiographs. Therefore, it may be helpful to build a collection of normal thoracic radiographs of different breeds for useful reference. The aim of this study is to establish a normal canine thoracic radiograph database according to breed, age, and body weight. Medical records and thoracic radiographs of Veterinary Medical Center, Chungbuk National University were reviewed retrospectively. Normal thoracic radiographs of 170 dogs out of 640 patients who had thoracic radiographs were obtained. In 170 normal dogs, Maltese, Shih-tzu, Yorkshire Terriers, and Miniature Poodle were the most prevalent breeds, with 90 dogs. In this study, the normal canine thoracic radiograph database was established in the four breeds; it can be used as normal references for interpretation of canine thoracic radiographs.