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Mobilization with movement (MWM) and myofascial release (MFR) are treatment techniques that increase ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (DFROM). Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) facilitates waste drainage and improves soft tissue tension in peripheral tissues. To date, no studies have investigated how the combination of MLD, MWM, and MFR influences the human body. The purpose of this study is to determine how the combination of MLD, MWM, and MFR affects DFROM and balance ability. We randomly assigned 16 individuals (26 feet) to one of three groups: MWM-MFR (MR), MWM-MLD (MD), or MWM-MFR-MLD (MRD) intervention. To confirm the intervention effect of each group, DFROM was assessed using a modified lunge test, and dynamic balance was measured using a modified star excursion balance test. In the results, differences were found between the MR and MRD groups in PL and mGCM activities in the 1 section (p = 0.008, p = 0.036) and between the MD and MRD groups in mGCM activity in the 4 and 5 sections (p = 0.049, p = 0.004). We suggest that the application of MRD is the most effective intervention for increasing muscle activation of the PL and mGCM during the modified star excursion balance test.

Background: Osteoarthritis is a common condition with an increasing prevalence and is a common cause of disability. Osteoarthritic pain decreases the quality of life, and simple gait training is used to alleviate it. Knee osteoarthritis limits joint motion in the sagittal and lateral directions. Although many recent studies have activated orthotic research to increase knee joint stabilization, no study has used patellar tendon straps to treat knee osteoarthritis. Objects: This study aimed to determine the effects of patellar tendon straps on kinematic, mechanical, and electromyographic activation in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Methods: Patients with knee osteoarthritis were selected. After creating the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), leg length difference, Q-angle, and thumb side flexion angle of the foot were measured. Kinematic, kinetic, and muscle activation data during walking before and after wearing the orthosis were viewed. Results: After wearing the patellar tendon straps, hip adduction from the terminal stance phase, knee flexion from the terminal swing phase, and ankle plantar flexion angle increased during the pre-swing and initial swing phases. The cadence of spatiotemporal parameters and velocity increased, and step time, stride time, and foot force duration decreased. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, the increase in plantar flexion after strap wearing is inferred by an increase due to neurological mechanisms, and adduction at the hip joint is inferred by an increase in adduction due to increased velocity. The increase in cadence and velocity and the decrease in gait speed and foot pressure duration may be due to joint stabilization. It can be inferred that joint stabilization is increased by wearing knee straps. Thus, wearing a patellar tendon strap during gait in patients with knee osteoarthritis influences kinematic changes in the sagittal plane of the joint.

Residual stress, a factor affecting the fatigue and fracture characteristics of rails, is formed during the processes of fabrication and heat treatment, and is also generated by shrinkage/tension due to the temperature differences and vertical loads on wheels due to the weight of vehicles. Moreover, damage to rails tends to accelerate due to residual stress caused by the continuous increase in the number of passes and the high speed of passing vehicles. Because this can have a direct effect on safety accidents on railroad rails, having a technique to evaluate and analyse the residual stresses in rails accurately is very important. In this paper, firstly, residual stresses applied in rails were evaluated using longitudinal critically refracted (LCR) wave. Non-destructive stress measurement using ultrasonic techniques is based on calculation of the acoustoelastic coefficient obtained from the relationship between material stress and LCR wave velocity. This is because LCR waves exhibit a relatively large change in flight time in relation to a change in stress compared to other ultrasonic modes. Barkhausen noise technique is also very suitable for measuring residual stresses on railway rails, which are ferromagnetic materials. Tensile and compression tests were performed with the specimens extracted from the inspection object, and the difference between the ultrasonic speed and the magnetization amplitude according to the applied stress was measured. Then, the feasibility of calculating the internal stresses in railway rails using the reference data obtained from the extracted specimens was determined, and the reliability of each method was verified. Furthermore, based on these results, the difference in the results for the loads asymmetrically applied according to the wheel shape was analysed by measuring for each part of new and used rails.

Background: For the elderly, masticatory function is one of the most important oral func-tions and the masticatory ability is related to the wearing of dentures. Many older people wear dentures for their masticatory function, but a significant number of older people who use dentures have found that they feel uncomfortable when performing their daily activities, such as performing masticating functions or talking.Objects: The purpose of this study is to investigate how the forward head posture (FHP), respiratory function and thickness of masseter (MS), and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) are af-fected by the presence or absence of dentures in the elderly, and what kind of correlation there is between these variables.Methods: The study was conducted on 11 patients in the normal group and 13 in the denture group. The participant’s cognitive ability was evaluated using Mini-Mental State Ex-amination Korean (MMSE-K), and the FHP was evaluated by measuring the craniovertebral angle (CVA). The thickness of the MS and SCM muscles were measured using ultrasound, and respiration was measured with a spirometry. As for the statistical method, the correlation of each variable was investigated using Spearman’s correlation coefficient.Results: In the normal group, there was a significant correlation between forced vital capac-ity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) (p < 0.001), and in the denture group, FVC and FEV1 (p < 0.001), maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) (p < 0.001), CVA and Lt. MS (p = 0.012).Conclusion: CVA and Lt. MS of the denture group have a high negative correlation, it is related that the thickness of MS may be thick when the elderly wearing dentures are FHP.

Background: Individuals with calf muscle shortening may have decreased dynamic balance. Objects: This study aimed to investigate the effect of mobilization with movement (MWM) and myofascial release (MFR) on kinematic changes in dynamic balance in individuals with calf muscle shortening. Methods: Thirteen participants were randomly assigned to the MWM or the mobilization with movement added myofascial release (MWM-MFR) group. The MWM group received treatment with only MWM, whereas the MWM-MFR group was treated with MWM and MFR. Pre- and post-intervention passive range of motion (PROM), maximum reaching lengths, and modified star excursion balance test (MSEBT) results were compared for all participants. Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for statistical analysis. Results: The results showed significant within-group differences in ankle PROM, but no significant between-group differences. The maximum reaching length in the MWM-MFR group in the posterolateral direction was significantly different before and after the intervention (p = 0.005). This group also showed significantly reduced ankle abduction in MSEBT during the posteromedial direction section 3 (p = 0.007) and posterolateral direction section 5 (p = 0.049) compared with the MWM group. Conclusion: Combined MWM and MFR intervention improves ankle stability in the coronal plane during the posteromedial and posterolateral forward movement in dynamic balance compared with only MWM in individuals with calf shortening.

Background: Recently, some adverse effects of moxibustion has been reported such as burns, smoke, allergies, and so on. To overcome the adverse effects of traditional moxibustion, an ultrasonic moxibustion device (UMD) was designed, simulated, fabricated, and tested. The objective of this study is to provide detailed information about the main design parameters, simulation outcome, and performance-test results. Methods: The main components of the UMD are a 1-MHz ultrasonic transducer (UT) with concave lens, and its applicator. The acoustic pressure and temperature distribution of the UT was simulated and described graphically using COMSOL software, which is based on the finite element method (FEM). Experimental verification of the temperature distribution was performed on the skin of pork. The temperature-change profiles of pork in relation to increase of therapy time were obtained at an unfocused point (2 mm) and at a focal distance of 13 mm. For the performance test, moxibustion therapy was conducted on the abdominal skin of mice for 120 min using the new UMD and its histological images were acquired to analyze the skin-tissue damage. Results: The FEM simulation of temperature distribution and acoustic pressure agreed with the experimental outcome. Histological images showed that there was no skin-tissue damage to the mouse abdomens after therapy. The results clearly show that the newly developed UMD can overcome the disadvantages of traditional moxibustion therapy and achieve the proposed design parameters. Conclusion: The FEM simulation and performance tests provided valuable information about developing future UMDs. In addition, its performance can be compared with traditional moxibustion therapy for future study.

Liquefied hydrogen storage vessels (LHSVs) are vulnerable to surface-crack initiation, propagation, and fracture on their surfaces because they are under high-pressure, low-temperature conditions. Defects can also occur in the coatings of the storage containers used to prevent hydrogen permeation, and these lead to surface defects such as pitting corrosions. Together, these increase the probability of liquid hydrogen leaks and can cause serious accidents. Therefore, it is important to detect surface defects during periodic surface inspections of LHSVs. Among the candidate non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques, testing using guided waves (GWs) is effective for detecting surface defects. Because of the ability of GWs to travel long distances without significant acoustic attenuation, GW testing has attracted much attention as a promising structural monitoring technique for LHSVs. In this study, an ultrasonic NDE method was designed for detecting surface defects of 304SS plate, which is the main material used for fabricating LHSVs. It involves the use of linear discriminant analysis (LDA) based on short-time Fourier transform (STFT) pixel information produced from GW data. To accomplish this, the differences in the number of STFT pixels between sound and defective specimens were used as a major factor in distinguishing the two groups. Consequently, surface defects could be detected and classified with 97% accuracy by the newly developed pixel-based mapping method. This indicates that the newly developed NDE method with LDA can be used to detect defects and classify LHSVs as either sound or defective.

Lithium-ion batteries, which have high energy density, are the most suitable batteries for use in high-tech electromechanical applications requiring high performance. Because one of the important components that determines the efficiency of lithium-ion batteries is the electrode, the manufacturing process for this junction plays an important role in the entire production process. In particular, the process related to the resistance spot welding of the electrode is very important, directly affecting the safety of users, and greatly affecting the performance of the batteries. However, because the electrode tab is spot-welded onto the inner surface of the case, it is impossible to verify with visual testing (using the naked eye) whether the junction is well bonded. Therefore, it is very important to perform quality evaluation of the resistance welding of electrodes after completing the manufacturing process, using non-destructive testing methods. In this paper, a non-destructive ultrasonic testing technique was applied to examine the quality of lithium-ion batteries in which the negative electrode tabs were welded to the inner surface of the cell cans. The status of resistance spot welding between the electrode and the can was verified using deep-learning techniques with the experimentally acquired ultrasonic signal database.

Longitudinal critically refracted (LCR) waves are considered bulk longitudinal waves and penetrate into an effective depth beneath the surface parallel to the material surface. Such LCR waves can be employed to measure residual stresses because the acoustoelastic effect is the basis for ultrasonic residual stress measurements. This effect is described by the relationship between change of wave travel time and stress applied when such waves propagate in a stressed medium. In this paper, stresses applied in a rail were evaluated by using a developed LCR probe. With this transducer, it was verified how the difference in the arrival times of the LCR waves showed a trend as the tensile stresses increased. The acoustoelastic coefficients were calculated using the relationship between the stresses and the travel times, and the residual stresses of the used rails were measured using these coefficients. In addition, the difference in residual stress distribution according to the characteristics of the wheel-rail contact surface was analyzed from the obtained residual stress value. It was concluded that this non-destructive evaluation technique using LCR waves could be employed for accurate stress measurement of rails because differences in stress applied to the rail can be detected.

This study explores the home language practice (HLP) of Korean-American mothers with children who have developmental disabilities, including autism spectrum disorder. Data was collected from an online forum where these mothers discussed their experiences and decision-making processes following their child's diagnosis. Thematic analysis was conducted on the collected data to identify and develop themes related to their experiences. The study's framework is based on family-centered practices, emphasizing the importance of equal partnerships, cultural responsiveness, and information sharing between families and early intervention and early childhood special education (EI/ECSE) professionals. Factors that influence HLP decisions include mothers' perceptions of disabilities, professional advice, and children's intervention progress. The study highlights the vital role of EI/ECSE professionals in sharing current research findings, their experiences with culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) families, and the long-term outcomes of families that chose bilingual or single-language environments. By offering this information, professionals can assist parents in making informed decisions about their child's HLP. Furthermore, the study emphasizes the value of online communities for CLD parents and the need for professionals to engage with these communities to provide accurate information on bilingualism for children with disabilities. Collaborating with ethnolinguistic communities and establishing parent support groups can create a nurturing environment for parents navigating EI/ECSE services for their children.

Residual stress, a factor affecting the fatigue and fracture characteristics of rails, is formed during the processes of fabrication and heat treatment, and is also generated by vertical loads on wheels due to the weight of vehicles. Moreover, damage to rails tends to accelerate due to the continuous increase in the number of passes and to the high speed of passing vehicles. Because this can have a direct effect on safety accidents, having a technique to evaluate and analyze the residual stresses in rails accurately is very important. In this study, stresses due to tensile loads applied to new rails and residual stresses remaining in used rails were measured by using magnetic Barkhausen noise method. First, a magnetization frequency and noise band suitable for the rails were selected. Moreover, by applying tensile loads to specimens and comparing the difference in magnetization amplitudes for each load, the stresses applied to the rails by using the magnetic Barkhausen noise method were measured, and the analysis of the results was verified. Based on these results, the difference in the results for the loads asymmetrically applied according to the wheel shape was analyzed by measuring for the head parts of used rails.

Ultrasonic inspection of welds joining dissimilar metals in nuclear power plants has proven to be a challenge, because the ultrasonic waves are subject to diffraction, distortion, scattering, and noise. These perturbations are due to their interactions with coarse-grained microstructures having anisotropic and heterogeneous metallurgical properties that can promote ultrasonic attenuation. In this paper, to improve the reliability of ultrasonic testing for dissimilar-metal welds (DMWs), ultrasonic beam characteristics for DMWs with a buttering layer were investigated in order to analyze the beam distortion phenomenon caused by inhomogeneous anisotropic properties and coarse grains. Ultrasonic testing was performed on DMW specimens using single ultrasonic transducers to investigate the behavior of the ultrasonic beam in the welds. According to the anisotropic and heterogeneous properties, when passing through the weld and the buttering layer of the DMW, ultrasonic waves were distorted and attenuation was high. In particular, in the case of using angular incidence that passed through the weld and the buttering layer in turn, the received ultrasonic data did not contain accurate internal information. From this, it was verified that internal defects may be detected by transmitting ultrasonic waves in different directions. Finally, the existing limitations on the application of non-destructive ultrasonic testing to dissimilar-metal welds were verified, and a solution to the measurement method was proposed.

Abstract REBa $$_2$$ 2 Cu $$_3$$ 3 O $$_{7-\text {x}}$$ 7 - x (REBCO, RE = rare earth)-coated conductor is a competitive option in terms of current-carrying capacity and high-stress durability in developing high-field magnets for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) research. Meanwhile, a technical challenge in utilizing a stand-alone REBCO NMR magnet is an unexpected difference in the field uniformity between the designed and measured values after being constructed and charged, i.e., harmonic errors. Bortot et al., and Li et al., reported analytic evidence of the related issue. However, sufficient research has not yet been conducted, so evidence should be supplemented further. Here we report harmonic errors due to screening current and inconsistent conductor thickness, confirmed by a 400 MHz 1H NMR magnet development project. The magnet was first charged up to its operating current, and then multiple overcharge-discharge cycles were applied, which was an empirically optimized operation protocol. A field mapping device obtained magnetic fields at designated locations in the room-temperature bore. The result showed over 100 ppm field uniformity difference between designed and measured values. A simulation model was developed considering screening current and inconsistent conductor thickness for reproducing the field distribution. Comparison of voltages and fields between simulation and measurement validated the model. Further analysis of the overcharge-discharge effect on harmonic errors demonstrated that even and odd-order harmonics are mainly attributed to screening current and geometric inconsistency while confirming the limitation of the screening current mitigation effect. Hence, we concluded that the desirable requirement of the sub-ppm level field uniformity generation might be barely possible with the current REBCO NMR magnet design approach.

Climate change, driven by the natural process of global warming, is a worldwide issue of significant concern because of its adverse effects on livestock output. The increasing trend of environmental temperature surging has drastically affected meat production and meat product quality, hence result in economic losses for the worldwide livestock business. Due to the increasing greenhouse gas emissions, the situation would get prolonged, and heat exposure-related stress is expected to worsen. Heat exposure causes metabolic and physiological disruptions in livestock. Ruminants and monogastric animals are very sensitive to heat stress due to their rate of metabolism, development, and higher production levels. Before slaughter, intense hot weather triggers muscle glycogen breakdown, producing pale, mushy, and exudative meat with less water-holding capacity. Animals exposed to prolonged high temperatures experience a decrease in their muscle glycogen reserves, producing dry, dark, and complex meat with elevated final pH and increased water-holding capacity. Furthermore, heat stress also causes oxidative stresses, especially secondary metabolites from lipid oxidation, severely affects the functionality of proteins, oxidation of proteins, decreasing shelf life, and food safety by promoting exfoliation and bacterial growth. Addressing the heat-related issues to retain the sustainability of the meat sector is an essential task that deserves an inclusive and comprehensive approach. Considering the intensity of the heat stress effects, this review has been designed primarily to examine the consequences of hot environment temperatures and related stresses on the quality and safety of meat and secondarily focus on cutting edge technology to reduce or alleviate the situational impact.

The world's population is proliferating, and the growing population needs more food resources. Meat is one of the essential dietary components for humans, but the available meat resources are insufficient to fulfill consumers' demands. In this scenario, the meat alternative could be a sustainable resource for fulfilling the meat demand. Cultured meat is one of the best meat alternatives and also has the potential to fulfill the meat demand of the growing population. Cultured meat is produced by cultivating animal stem cells and allowing them to undergo a growth and division process that closely mimics the natural cellular development inside living organisms. The primary reasons behind cultured meat production are to minimize the environmental effect by reducing methane emissions, to minimize the meat cost so it will be economical for the consumer, and to provide antibiotic-free meat. This review explains cultured meat production and new technologies being introduced to create opportunities to improve the overall production of cultured meat. It also explores the cultured meat sector's market opportunities and challenges to the cultured meat industry.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive and common malignant and CNS tumor, accounting for 47.7% of total cases. Glioblastoma has an incidence rate of 3.21 cases per 100,000 people. The regulation of autophagy, a conserved cellular process involved in the degradation and recycling of cellular components, has been found to play an important role in GBM pathogenesis and response to therapy. Autophagy plays a dual role in promoting tumor survival and apoptosis, and here we discuss the complex interplay between autophagy and GBM. We summarize the mechanisms underlying autophagy dysregulation in GBM, including PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling, which is most active in brain tumors, and EGFR and mutant EGFRvIII. We also review potential therapeutic strategies that target autophagy for the treatment of GBM, such as autophagy inhibitors used in combination with the standard of care, TMZ. We discuss our current understanding of how autophagy is involved in TMZ resistance and its role in glioblastoma development and survival.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed healthcare systems around the world. Medical personnel concentrated on infectious disease management and treatments for non-emergency diseases and scheduled surgeries were delayed. We aimed to investigate the change in the severity of thyroid cancer before and after the outbreak of COVID-19 in Korea. We collected three years of data (2019, 2020, and 2021) on patients who received thyroid surgery in a university hospital in South Korea and grouped them as “Before COVID-19”, “After COVID-19 1-year” and “After COVID-19 2-years”. The total number of annual outpatients declined significantly after the outbreak of COVID-19 in both new (1303, 939, and 1098 patients) and follow-up patients (5584, 4609, and 4739 patients). Clinical characteristics, including age, sex, BMI, preoperative cytology results, surgical extent, and final pathologic diagnosis, were not significantly changed after the outbreak of COVID-19. However, the number of days from the first visit to surgery was significantly increased (38.3 ± 32.2, 58.3 ± 105.2, 47.8 ± 124.7 days, p = 0.027). Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients showed increased proportions of extrathyroidal extension, lymphatic invasion, vascular invasion, and cervical lymph node metastasis. Increased tumor size was observed in patients with follicular tumor (3.5 ± 2.2, 4.0 ± 1.9, 4.3 ± 2.3 cm, p = 0.019). After the COVID-19 outbreak, poor prognostic factors for thyroid cancer increased, and an increase in the size of follicular tumors was observed. Due to our study being confined to a single tertiary institution in Incheon city, Korea, nationwide studies that include primary clinics should be required to identify the actual impact of COVID-19 on thyroid disease treatment.

Silicon is a worthy substitute anode material for lithium-ion batteries because it offers high theoretical capacity and low working potentials vs. Li+/Li. However, immense volume changes and the low intrinsic conductivity of Si hampers its practical applications. In this study, nano/micro silicon particles are achieved by ball milling silicon mesh powder as a scalable process. Subsequent metal (Cu/Fe/Mn) doping into nano/micro silicon by low-temperature annealing, followed by high-temperature annealing with graphite, gives a metal-doped silicon/graphite composite. The obtained composites were studied as anodes for Li-ion batteries, and they delivered high reversible capacities of more than 1000 mAh g−1 with improved Li+ diffusion properties. The full cells from these composite anodes vs. LiCoO2 cathodes delivered suitable energy densities for Li+ storage applications. The enhanced electrochemical properties are accredited to the synergistic effect of metal doping and graphite addition to silicon and exhibit potential for suitable Li+ energy storage applications.