Background: In the treatment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, the goals of traditional physical therapy are not only to reduce the inflammatory process leading to pain, but also to decrease joint overload and muscle hyperactivity. To achieve those goals, physical therapists generally use a photo-therapy, joint mobilization, and massage. Objects: To examine the impact of an unloading technique using non-elastic taping on the pain, opening mouth, functional level, and quality of life in patients with TMJ disorder. Method: Twenty patients with TMJ disorder were included in this study and randomly divided into the experimental (n1=10), and control (n2=10) groups. Traditional physical therapy including massage and stretching for 30 min was performed in both groups. Non-elastic taping was performed in the experimental group after traditional physical therapy, and they were recommended to keep the tape attached for 12 hours. Outcomes for pain, functional level, and quality of life were measured using a survey. The opening mouth was measured using a general ruler. Result: Significant differences were observed in the pain level, opening mouth, functional level, and quality of life after the intervention and on follow-up in both groups. However, we found that while the levels of all parameters were maintained throughout the follow-up period in the experimental group, the functional status level was not maintained throughout the follow-up period in the control group. Conclusion: Our unloading technique using non-elastic tape results comparable to those achieved by traditional physical therapy in the treatment of TMJ. However, the unloading taping method using non-elastic tape is more effective than traditional physical therapy in maintaining the impact of intervention

It has been well known that excitatory amino acids, primarily glutamate, are involved in the transmission of nociception in pathological and physiological conditions in the spinal and brainstem level. Recently, peripheral glutamate also play a critical role in the peripheral nociceptive transmissions. The present study investigated the role of N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) or non-NMDA ionotropic glutamate receptors in formalin-induced TMJ pain. Experiments were carried out on male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 220-280 g. Intra-articular injection was performed under halothane anesthesia. Under anesthesia, AP-7 (10, 100μM, 1mM/20 μL), a NMDA receptor antagonist, or CNQX disodium salt (0.5, 5, 50, 500 μM/20 μL), a non-NMDA receptor antagonist, were administered intra-articularly 10 min prior to the application of 5% formalin. For each animal, the number of behavioral responses, such as rubbing and/or scratching the TMJ region, was recorded for nine successive 5-min intervals. Intra-articular pretreatment with 1 mM of AP-7 or 50 μM CNQX significantly decreased the formalin-induced scratching behavioral responses during the second phase. Intra-articular pretreatment with 500μM of CNQX significantly decreased the formalin-induced scratching behavior during both the first and the second phase. These results indicate that the intra-articular administration of NMDA or non-NMDA receptor antagonists inhibit formalin-induced TMJ nociception, and peripheral ionotropic glutamate receptors may play an important role in the TMJ nociception.

Earthquake resistant design was introduced to Korea in 1988 for tall buildings, in 1992 for highway bridges and even earlier than that for nuclear power plants. The apartments designed by large unit housing planning was constructed by tunnel form method for the construction convenient in 1980. As a results, many structures without any seismic resistance capacity were built during the 80’s. In this paper, to improve the seismic capacity in wall-slab joint, experiments which improve and retrofit a seismic capacity by steel reinforcing, unequal angle bracing, carbon sheet attachment are carried out. These methods also are economic and simple in mitigating seismic hazard, improving earthquake-resistance performance, and reducing the risk level of building occupants. Consequently these methods were confirmed its effectiveness in improving the seismic performance were confirmed its effectiveness.

기계식 신축이음장치는 온도변화, 크리프 등에 의한 상부구조 수평변위를 수용하고 불연속면을 연속화시켜 차량의 주행을 원활하게 하는 교량부속장치이다. 하지만 윤하중의 직접재하 및 제설제 등에 노출되어 신축이음장치의 파손, 후타콘크리트 균열 및 탈락 등 많은 문제를 동반하고 있다. 이러한 신축이음장치는 교량 공용기간 중 약 10년 주기로 교체 공사가 필요한 소모성 구조부재이며 매년 동일한 수준의 국가 예산이 지출되고 있는 실정이다. 이에 본 연구에서는 기존의 신축이음 교체 공사 시 기존 교량에 무조인트 교량 시스템을 도입하여 유지관리 비용을 저감할 수 있도록 하였다.

본 논문은 기존 RC 보강방법인 철골프레임 적용방법의 단점을 보완하고자, 접합철물을 최소화하고 팽창형 모르타르를 사용하여 H형강 프레임을 기존 RC 골조에 보강하고자 하였다. 철골프레임 적용 유․무를 변수로 RC 골조에 대한 반복가력실험을 실시하여 내진성능을 평가하였다. 철골프레임을 적용한 RC 골조의 최대내력이 기존 RC 골조에 비해 약 1.4배 향상되었으며, 등가점성감쇠비 평가결과 또한 평균 2.4% 향상되어 에너지 소산능력이 개선되었다. 유한요소해석결과 해당 실험결과가 신뢰성을 가질 수 있는 것으로 판단된다.