• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.447-456
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• 2014

The use of electrical stimulation (ES) as a management tool to improve meat quality and efficiency of meat processing is reviewed. The basis of the efficacy of ES is its ability to fast track postmortem glycolysis, which in turn stimulates myriad histological, physical, biochemical, biophysical and physiological changes in the postmortem muscle. Electrical stimulation hastens the onset and resolution of rigor mortis thereby reducing processing time and labor and plays a vital role in improving meat tenderness and other meat quality traits. However, ES may have negative impacts on some meat quality traits such as color stability and water holding capacity in some animals. Electrical stimulation is not an end in itself. In order to achieve the desired benefits from its application, the technique must be properly used in conjunction with various intricate antemortem, perimortem and postmortem management practices. Despite extensive research on ES, the fundamental mechanisms and the appropriate commercial applications remained obscured. In addition, muscles differ in their response to ES. Thus, elementary knowledge of the various alterations with respect to muscle type is needed in order to optimize the effectiveness of ES in the improvement of meat quality.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.87-92
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of electrical stimulation (ES) on the wound closure rate, collagen deposition, and TGF-${\beta}$1 mRNA expression in skin wound of rat. Methods: Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats (222~271 g) were randomly divided into ES (n=10) and control group (n=10). The ES group received a cathodal stimulation with 50 V at 100 pps for 30 minutes for 7 days, while the control group was not given electrical stimulation. The wound closure rate, collagen density and TGF-${\beta}$1 mRNA ratio were measured. Results: The mean wound closure rates in the ES and control groups were $83.79{\pm}16.35$% and $51.57{\pm}17.76$%, respectively (p<0.001). The collagen density in the ES and control groups were $46.67{\pm}10.68$% and $25.03{\pm}13.09$%, respectively (p<0.001). The TGF-${\beta}$1 mRNA ratio in the ES and control groups were $1.35{\pm}0.60$ and $0.63{\pm}0.30$, respectively at 6 hours post-wound (p<0.01) and $1.69{\pm}0.47$ and $1.32{\pm}0.28$, respectively, at 7 days post-wound (p<0.05). Conclusions: ES accelerated the wound closure rate of skin incision wounds and was accompanied by an increase in collagen deposition in the regenerating dermis. In addition, ES increased TGF-${\beta}$1 mRNA expression during wound healing process. These findings suggest that ES may activate TGF-${\beta}$1 expression, and may increase synthesis activities of fibroblasts in regenerating skin wounds in rats.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.63-70
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• 2019

PURPOSE: While electrical stimulation (ES) is known to be a safe and flexible tool in rehabilitation therapy, it has had limited adoption in muscle regeneration. This study was performed to investigate whether ES can induce myogenic differentiation and to clarify the mechanism underlying the effects of ES on myogenic differentiation. METHODS: This study used rat L6 cell lines as myoblasts for myogenic differentiation. Electric stimulation was applied to the cells using a C-Pace EP culture pacer (IonOptix, Westwood, Ma, USA). The gene expressions of myogenic markers were examined using qPCR and immunochemistry. RESULTS: Our study showed that ES increased the thickness and length of myotubes during myogenic differentiation. It was found that ES increased the expression of myogenic markers, such as MyoD and Myogenin, and also activated the fusion of the myoblast cells. In addition, ES suppressed the expression of small GTPases, which can explain why ES promotes myogenic differentiation. CONCLUSION: We found that ES induced myogenic differentiation by suppressing small GTPases, inhibiting cell division. We suggest that ES-based therapies can contribute to the development of safe and efficient muscle regeneration.

• International Neurourology Journal
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.295-304
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• 2018

Purpose: To compare the effects of intra-anal biofeedback (BF) and intra-anal electrical stimulation (ES) on pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) activity, nocturnal bladder capacity, and frequency of wet night episodes in children with refractory primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (PMNE). Methods: Ninety children of both sexes aged 8-12 years with refractory PMNE participated in this study. They were randomly assigned to 3 groups of equal number: control group (CON) that underwent behavioral therapy and PFM training, and 2 study groups (BF and ES) that underwent the same program in addition to intra-anal BF training and intra-anal ES, respectively. PFMs activity was assessed using electromyography, nocturnal bladder capacity was evaluated by measuring the first morning voided volume, and a nocturnal enuresis diary was used for documenting wet night episodes before treatment and after 3 months of treatment. Results: After training, all groups showed statistically significant improvements in all measured outcomes compared to their pretreatment findings. The ES group showed significantly greater improvements in all measured outcomes than the CON and BF groups. Conclusions: Both intra-anal BF training and ES combined with behavioral therapy and PFMs training were effective in the treatment of PMNE, with intra-anal ES being superior to BF training.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.263-273
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• 1997

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of electrical stimulation on vestibular compensation following ULX in rats. Electrical stimulation (ES) with square pulse ($100{\sim}300uA$, 1.0 ms, 100 Hz) was applied to ampullary portion bilaterally for 6 and 24 hours in rats receiving ULX. After ES, animals that showed the recovery of vestibular symptoms by counting and comparing the number of spontaneous nystagmus were selected for recording resting activity of type I, II neurons in the medial vestibular nuclei (MVN) of the lesioned side. And then the dynamic neuronal activities were recorded during sinusoidal rotation at a frequency of 0.1 Hz and 0.2 Hz. The number of spontaneous nystagmus was significantly different 24 hours (p<0.01, n=10), but not 6 hours after ULX+ES. As reported by others, the great reduction of resting activity only in the type I neurons ipsilateral to lesioned side was observed 6, 24 hours after ULX compared to that of intact labyrinthine animal. However, the significant elevation (p<0.01) of type I and reduction (p<0.01) of type II neuronal activity were seen 24 hours after ULX+ES. Interestingly, gain, expressed as maximum neuronal activity(spikes/sec)/maximum rotational velocity(deg/sec), was increased in type I cells and decreased in type II cells 24 hours after ULX+ES in response to sinusoidal rotation at frequencies of both 0.1 Hz and 0.2 Hz. This result suggests that accompanying the behavioral recovery, the electrical stimulation after ULX has beneficial effects on vestibular compensation, especially static symptoms (spontaneous nystagmus), by enhancing resting activity of type I neurons and reducing that of type II neurons.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.9 no.12
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• pp.691-698
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation(LFES) during hindlimb suspension on weight and function of rat hindlimb muscles. Sprague-Dawley rats(body weight 300-350g) were randomly assigned to five groups: a HLS(n=5) that were hindlimb suspended for 14 days, a WB(n=5) that kept as control, a ES14 that were hind limb suspended for 14days with pre-application of LFES for 14 days, ES11 that were hindlimb suspended for 14 days with pre-application of LFES for 11 days, a LFES 7 that were hindlimb suspended for 14 days with pre-application of LFES for 7 days. Gastrocnemius muscle weight, stride length were significantly decreased and toe out angle were significantly increased in HLS and ES7 groups, whereas muscle weight, stride length, toe out angle were maintained in ES14, ES11. this indicated that LFES for 14 days, LFES for 11 days could prevent muscle atrophy and retain function.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.159-166
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• 1992

The present study was designed to evaluate effects of intermittent electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve on the atrophic response of antigravity muscles, such as the soleus (slow m.) and medial gastrocnemius (fast m.) muscles. Rats (Sprague-Dawley, 245-255g) were subjected to a hindlimb suspension and divided into three groups : one was with hindlimb suspension (MS) and another with hindlimb suspension plus intermittent electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve (HS ES). Control group (CONT) was kept free without strain of the hindlimb. After 7 days of hindlimb suspension, the soleus and medial gastrocnemius muscles were cut at their insertion sites, and were then connected to the force transducer to observe their mechanical properties. Optimal pulse width and frequency of electrical stimulation were 0.2ms, 20Hz for the soleus muscle and 0.3ms, 40Hz for the medial gastrocnemius muscle under supramaximal stimulation. Body weight and circumference of the hindlimb were significantly decreased in HS and HS-ES groups compared with the control group. In HS-ES group, however, the weight of the soleus muscle was not different from that in the control group while the weight of the medial gastrocnemius muscle was lower than that in the control group. In HS group, mechanical properties of muscle contraction including contraction time, half relaxation time, twitch tension, tetanic tension, and fatigue index of both muscles were significantly decreased compared with the control group except for twitch tension and tetanic tension of medial gastrocnemius muscle. The degree of atrophy of the soleus muscle in HS group was more prominent than that of the medial gastrocnemius muscle. Twitch tension and fatigue index of the soleus muscle and fatigue index of the medial gastrocnemius muscle in HS-ES group were not different from those of the control group. While mechanical properties of the soleus muscle examined were all significantly increased in HS-ES group compared with HS group, only contraction time and fatigue index of the medial gastrocnemius muscle were significantly increased in HS-ES group. These data indicate that intermittent electrical stimulation may be useful in prevention of muscle atrophy.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.1763-1768
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• 2001

The combined effects of low voltage electrical stimulation (ES) and early short-term temperature conditioning on meat quality of Hanwoo beef (Korean native cattle) during storage were investigated. Shear force was influenced by ES and aging. Combination of ES and the $30^{\circ}C$ conditioning resulted in higher myofibril fragmentation index and improved lightness. There was no substantial difference in drip loss among treatments but ES samples showed higher cooking loss than control. Negative effect on shelf-life was not found by early short-term high temperature conditioning. Therefore, the meat quality of Korean native cattle was effectively improved by the combination of ES and the $30^{\circ}C$ conditioning.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.282-286
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• 2013

Many manufacturing processes damage the structure of meat products and this often contributes to lipid oxidation which could influence warmed-over flavor (WOF) in precooked beef that is reheated beef. Electrical stimulation causes contraction of muscles and improves tissue tenderization. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the rate of lipid oxidation or warmed-over flavor that could be affected by electrical stimulation of precooked roast beef after refrigerated storage and reheating. The results show that there was no significant difference between chemical compositions and cooking yields when comparing non-electrically stimulated and electrically stimulated roast beef. Moreover, electrical stimulation had no significant effect on oxidative stability and off-flavor problems of precooked roast beef as evaluated by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and sensory test (warmed-over aroma and warmed-over flavor). However, there was an increased undesirable WOF and a decrease in tenderness for both ES and Non-ES treatments over refrigerated storage time. Electrical stimulation did cause reactions of amino acids or other compounds to decrease the desirable beef flavor in re-cooked meat.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.9-15
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• 2006

Skeletal muscle injury occurs frequently in sports medicine and is the most general form of injury followed by physical impact. There are growth factors which conduct proliferation, differentiation, and synthesis of myogenic prodromal cells and regulate vascular generation for the continued survival of myocytes. The purpose of the present study was to confirm the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and electrical stimulation (ES) on muscle recovery processes according to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. Eighteen Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into 2 experimental groups and a controlled group. All animals had suffered from crush damage in the extensor digitorum longus for 30 seconds and were killed 1, 3, and 7 days after injury. 30 Hz and 1 mA impulsion for 15 minutes was applied to the EA experimental groups Zusanli (ST36) and Taichong (LR3) using electroacupuncture and the same stimulation was applied to the ES group using an electrical node. Hematoxyline-Eosin staining and VEGF immunohistochemistry were used to ascertain the resulting muscle recovery. There were few morphological differences between the EA and ES groups, and both groups were observed to have tendencies to decrease atrophy as time passed. In the controlled group, gradually diminishing atrophy could be observed, but their forms were mostly disheveled. There were few differences in VEGF expression between the EA and ES groups, and tendencies to have an increased quantity of VEGF with the lapse of time were observed in both groups. In the controlled group, a little VEGF expression could be observed merely 7 days after injury. In conclusion, EA and ES contributed to muscle recovery processes and could be used for the treatment of muscle injury.