• PNF and Movement
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2004

Purpose : The purpose of this article is to summarize the characteristics of isotonic combination. Method : Some studies of the motor unit activation patterns during isometric, concentric, and eccentric actions, neural strategies in the control of muscle force, and concentric versus combined concentric-eccentric training were reviewed. Results & Conclusions : Eccentric torque may be relatively higher than concentric torque for two potential reasons: 1) stretch responses in the antagonist are not elicited to restrain the motion as can occur concentrically and 2) stretch responses in the agonist may augment eccentric torque production. Concentric-eccentric training has a greater influence on functional capacity than that of concentric training. Both maximal force and average force throughout the motion were significantly higher when the dynamic action was started with preactivation as compared to the mode without preactivation. The peak torques observed during the concentric phase of the eccentric-concentric muscle actions were higher than those noted in the pure concentric contraction.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.12-15
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• 2002

Background : Changes in firing pattern and in the recruitment order of single motor unit(MU) have been claimed to be characteristic of central motor lesions, and a reduced firing rate was found in upper motor neuron lesions. But these findings have been rarely studied before in Korea, so we studied initial MU recruitment pattern in stroke patients with hemiparesis. Methods : We studied six patients(3 men and 3 women) whose mean age was $60.6{\pm}7.4$ years. A mean $20.6{\pm}16.2$ months had elapsed since the stroke. To compare the initial MU activation patterns in proximal and distal segments of paretic limb with their contalateral unaffected counterparts, we studied the onset and recruitment intervals in biceps brachii(BB) and first dorsal interossei(FDI) muscles in paretic and healthy arms. In a single muscle we examined from 5 to 10 individual MUs. And in a single motor unit, both the onset interval and the recruitment interval was examined. Results : The mean onset interval in paretic limb was significantly(p<0.05) longer than unaffected limb at proximal and distal location: BB $118.5{\pm}17.8$ msec vs $96.1{\pm}8.3$ msec(n=58); FDI $125.8{\pm}16.7$ msec vs $101.5{\pm}17.2$ msec(n=38). The mean recruitment interval in paretic limb was also significantly(p<0.05) longer than unaffected limb: BB $87.7{\pm}14.9$ msec vs $73.4{\pm}11.5$ msec(n=53); FDI $96.3{\pm}16.4$ msec vs $87.7{\pm}14.1$ msec(n=38). Conclusion : The first recruited MU had a lower baseline firing rate and the second recruited motor unit potential appeared earlier in paretic than in healthy muscles. And these findings may explain one of the reasons for paresis in patients with stroke.

• Proceedings of the KSMRM Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.111-111
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• 2001

목적： To evaluate the feasibility of the event-related functional MR study using power grip studying the hand motor system 대상 및 방법： Event-related functional MRI was performed on a 1.5T MR unit in seven norm volunteers (man=7, right-handedness=2, left-handedness=5, mean age： 25 years). A single-shot GRE-EPI sequence (TR/TE/flip angle： 1000ms/40ms/90, FOV = 240 mm matrix= 64$\times$64, slice thickness/gap = 5mm/0mm, 7 true axial slices) was used for functiona MR images. A flow-sensitive conventional gradient echo sequence (TR/TE/flip angl 50ms/4ms/60) was used for high-resolution anatomical images. To minimize the gross hea motion, neck-holders (MJ-200, USA) were used. A series of MR images were obtained in axial planes covering motor areas. To exclude motion-corrupted images, all MR images wer surveyed in a movie procedure and evaluated using the estimation of center of mass of ima signal intensities. Power grip task consisted of the powerful grip of all right fingers and hand movement ta used very fast right finger tapping at a speed of 3 per 1 second. All tasks were visual-guid by LCD projector (SHARP, Japan). Two tasks consisted of 134 phases including 7 activatio and 8 rest periods. Active stimulations were performed during 2 seconds and rest period were 15 seconds and total scan time per one task was 2 min 14 sec. Statistical maps we obtained using cross-correlation method. Reference vector was time-shifted by 4 seconds an Gaussian convolution with a FWHM of 4 seconds was applied to it. The threshold in p val for the activation sites was set to be 0.001. All mapping procedures were peformed usin homemade program an IDL (Research Systems Inc., USA) platform. We evaluated the activation patterns of the motor system of power grip compared to hand movement in t event-related functional MRI.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.109-113
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• 1997

Purpose: To evaluate the differences of functional imaging patterns between conventional spoiled gradient echo (SPGR) and echo planar imaging (EPI) methods in cerebral motor cortex activation. Materials and Methods: Functional MR imaging of cerebral motor cortex activation was examined on a 1.5T MR unit with SPGR (TRfrE/flip angle=50ms/4Oms/$30^{\circ}$, FOV=300mm, matrix $size=256{\times}256$, slice thickness=5mm) and an interleaved single shot gradient echo EPI (TRfrE/flip angle = 3000ms/40ms/$90^{\circ}$, FOV=300mm, matrix $size=128{\times}128$, slice thickness=5mm) techniques in five male healthy volunteers. A total of 160 images in one slice and 960 images in 6 slices were obtained with SPGR and EPI, respectively. A right finger movement was accomplished with a paradigm of an 8 activation/ 8 rest periods. The cross-correlation was used for a statistical mapping algorithm. We evaluated any differences of the time series and the signal intensity changes between the rest and activation periods obtained with two techniques. Also, the locations and areas of the activation sites were compared between two techniques. Results: The activation sites in the motor cortex were accurately localized with both methods. In the signal intensity changes between the rest and activation periods at the activation regions, no significant differences were found between EPI and SPGR. Signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the time series data was higher in EPI than in SPGR by two folds. Also, larger pixels were distributed over small p-values at the activation sites in EPI. Conclusions: Good quality functional MR imaging of the cerebral motor cortex activation could be obtained with both SPGR and EPI. However, EPI is preferable because it provides more precise information on hemodynamics related to neural activities than SPGR due to high sensitivity.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.357-364
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• 2010

This study proposes a lower-limb exoskeleton system that is controlled by a wearer's muscle activity. This system is designed by following procedure. First, analyze the muscle activation patterns of human leg while walking. Second, select the adequate actuator to support the human walking based on calculation of required force of knee joint for step walking. Third, unit type knee and ankle orthotics are integrated with selected actuator. Finally, using this knee-assistive system (KAS) and developed muscle stiffness sensors (MSS), the muscle activity pattern of the subject is analyzed while he is walking on the stair. This study proposes an operating algorithm of KAS based on command signal of MSS which is generated by motion intent of human. A healthy and normal subject walked while wearing the developed powered-knee exoskeleton on his/her knees, and measured effectively assisted plantar flexor strength of the subject's knees and those neighboring muscles. Finally, capabilities and feasibility of the KAS are evaluated by testing the adapted motor pattern and the EMG signal variance while walking with exoskeleton. These results shows that developed exoskeleton which controlled by muscle activity could help human's walking acceptably.