• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.10 no.6
• /
• pp.2413-2419
• /
• 2015

Core spinal muscles are related to trunk stability and assume the main role of stabilizing the spine during daily activities; strengthening of core muscles around the spine can therefore reduce the chance of back pain. The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of core muscle strengthening in the spine during spine stabilization exercise using a whole body tilt device. To achieve this, a validated musculoskeletal (MS) model of the whole body was used to replicate the input motion from the whole body tilting exercise. An inverse dynamics analysis was executed to estimate spine loads and muscle forces depending on the tilting angles of the exercise device. The activation of long and superficial back muscles such as the erector spinae (iliocostalis and longissimus) were mainly affected by the forward direction (-40°) of the tilt, while the front muscles (psoas major, quadratus lumborum, and external and internal obliques) were mainly affected by the backward tilting direction (40°). Deep muscles such as the multifidi and short muscles were activated in most directions of the rotation and tilt. The backward directions of the tilt using this device could be carefully applied for the elderly and for rehabilitation patients who are expected to have less muscle strength. In this study, it was shown that the spine stabilization exercise device can provide considerable muscle exercise effect.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.371-377
• /
• 2017

Muscle atrophy is characterized by a decrease in the mass of the muscle. With an increase in life expectancy and chronic illnesses, the incidence of muscle atrophy is increasing and the quality of life of patients is decreasing. Thus, reducing muscle atrophy is of high clinical and socio-economic importance. Mistletoe is a semi-parasitic plant that has been used as a traditional medicine in many countries to treat various human illnesses. It has been reported that Korean mistletoe extract (KME) has diverse biological functions including anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity properties, and extension of lifespan. Especially, we have recently reported that KME improves exercise endurance in mice, indicating its beneficial roles in enhancing the capacity of skeletal muscle. In this study, we investigated whether KME could activate the signaling pathway related to protein synthesis in a mouse model of muscle atrophy. Interestingly, KME efficiently activated the Akt/mTOR pathway, and Akt and mTOR are important signaling hub molecules for the acceleration of protein synthesis in muscle cells. In addition, KME also increased the activity of S6 kinase which is involved in the regulation of muscle cell size. Moreover, the ERK activity, required for transcription of ribosomal RNA for protein synthesis, was also enhanced in KME-treated mouse muscle. These data support the idea that KME increases muscle mass via increased protein synthesis. Our findings also suggest that Korean mistletoe might be a promising candidate for the development of functional foods that are beneficial for preventing muscle atrophy.

• Herbal Formula Science
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.269-280
• /
• 2022

Objectives : In this study, it was investigated the effects of solid-phase fermentation extraction with Phellinus linteus of discarded Schisandra chinensis extract (PS) and its action mechanism on dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy in mice. Methods : In mice, muscle atrophy model was induced by dexamethasone (5 mg/kg, I.p) once daily for 2 weeks and with PS extract administration (100 and 300 mg/kg, p.o.) as treatment groups. The changes in body weights, grip strength, Treadmill test, muscle weights, and the expression of atrophy-related genes were measured in muscle atrophy mice. The histological changes of gastrocnemius tissues were also observed by H&E staining with measurement of myofiber size. Results : The administration of PS extract increased significantly body weights, grip strength, treadmill test and muscle weights in muscle atrophy mice. PS extract administration increased significantly the area of myofibers and inhibited structural damages of muscle and increased significantly the expression of myogenin and decreased significantly the expression of MuRF1, Atrogin1 and phosphorylation of AMPK and PGC1α in muscle tissues of muscle atrophy mice. Conclusions : These results indicate that PS extract has a improvement effects on muscle atrophy with stimulation of myogenic differentiation and inhibition of mRNA degradation that could be related with the activation of AMPK and PGC1α signaling pathways in muscle. This suggests that PS extract can apply to treat muscle atrophy in clinics.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.223-231
• /
• 2010

Purpose : The Purpose of this study was to compare muscle activation and foot pressure on baby carrier and sling for baby care. Methods : Thirty one women subjects (mean age 23.2 years) participated in four static conditions : unloaded quite standing, carrying an anterior baby carrier, carrying a posterior baby carrier, and sling. The baby carrier and sling were loaded with baby model that filled 7.6kg loads. Surface electromyography was used to measure activity in the internal oblique, T4, L3, L5 paraspinal muscle, vastus medialis, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius for four conditions. And foot pressure was measured by using MatScan system(Tekscan, USA). Results : The activation of Biceps femoris, T4, L3, and L5 paraspinal muscle were significant differences(p<.05), but other muscles were no significant differences in four conditions(p>.05). Right foot contact area and peak pressure of right mid foot area were significant differences in four conditions(p<.05). Conclusion : The results of this study indicate that the use of baby carrier of sling for baby care were influenced postural responses of young women. Further work is recommended to find out the influences of various assistive devices for baby care.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.307-313
• /
• 1994

Cutaneous stimulation has had a long history as a method of pain control. While there is general agreement that modern techniques such as electrical stimulation and massage often provide relief from acute pain and may in some cases significantly affect chronic pain, the mechanism by which these techniques affect pain remain unclear. Significant attention has been focused on the effects of stimulation on the autonomic nervous system(ANS) along with the increasing evidence of important ANS modulation of nociceptive activity throughout the pain pathway. However, inconsistent results on the presence and direction of ANS changes from cutaneous stimulation characterize the recent literature. The present study investigated a non-electrical cutaneous stimulation device, the Dermapoints massage roller, as well as an active placebo massage. The results indicate that the Dermapoints massage roller has both general effects associated with simple skin stimulation (such as increased skin temperature), as well as specific effects from increased stimulation by the tooth design of the roller. These specific effects include decreased muscle tension (at least for some muscle sites) and increased sympathetic activation. The results are consistent with a model of activation of Pacinian receptors as a possible mechanism for the antinociceptive properties of cutaneous stimulation.

• Herbal Formula Science
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.45-55
• /
• 2021

Objectives : This study was conducted to evaluate the anti-atrophic effect of polycan in dexamethasone-induced skeletal muscle atrophy in vitro model. Methods : C2C12 myoblast were differentiated into myotube by 2% horese serum medium for 6 days, and then treated polycan extract at different concentrations for 24h. The effect of dexamethasone on the induction of muscle atrophy and expression of atrophy-related genes in differentiated C2C12 myotubes using a GSH, ROS, real-time PCR, western blots analysis. Results : The results showed that Treatment with polycan (100 and 200 ㎍/㎖) noncytotoxic levels on both myoblast and myotube. Polycan decreased the ROS level overproduced with dexamethasone and improved the depletion of GSH level. Dexamethasone showed a decrease in myotube diameter, which was associated with up-regulation muscle-specific ubiquitin ligases markers, such as atrogin-1, FoxO3, myostatin and muscle RING finger-1 (MuRF1), and down-regulation of myogenin, MEF2, Myogenic regulatory factor 5, 6 and MyoD. The results showed that polycan treatment significantly dose-dependently inhibited it. Furthermore, decreased expressions of PI3K/Akt signal pathway by dexamethasone were reversed by treatment with polycan. Conclusions : Thus, polycan suppresses dexamethasone induced muscle atrophy in C2C12 myotube in vitro model through activation of PI3K/Akt pathway and protective effect of improve skeletal muscle function.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
• /
• v.1997 no.05
• /
• pp.150-155
• /
• 1997

Modelling and Simulation of the activation process for the myocardium is meaningful to understand special excitation conduction system in the heart and to study cardiac functions. In this paper, we propose two dimensional cellular automata model for the activation process of the myocardium and simulated by means of discrete time and discrete event algorithm. In the model, cells are classified into anatomically similar characteristic parts of heart; SA node, internodal tracks, AV node, His bundle, bundle branch and four layers of the ventricular muscle, each of which has a set of cells with preassigned properties, that is, activation time, refractory duration and conduction time between neighbor cell. Each cell in this model has state variables to represent the state of the cell and has some simple state transition rules to change values of state variables executed by state transition function. Simulation results are as follows. First, simulation of the normal and abnormal activation process for the myocardium has been done with discrete time and discrete event formalism. Next, we show that the simulation results of discrete time and discrete event cell space model is the same. Finally, we compare the simulation time of discrete event myocardium model with discrete time myocardium models and show that the discrete event myocardium model spends much less simulation time than discrete time myocardium model and conclude the discrete event simulation method Is excellent in the simulation time aspect if the interval deviation of event time is large.

• Herbal Formula Science
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.29-39
• /
• 2020

Objectives : Glucoraphanin is one of the well-known natural glucosinolates found in cruciferous plants. In the present study, we investigated the effects and molecular mechanism of glucoraphanin in dexamethasone-induced skeletal muscle atrophy in vitro model. Methods : The cytotoxic effects of glucoraphanin on C2C12 myoblasts or myotubes were evaluated by MTT assay. The glucoraphanin was evaluated effects in dexamethasone-induced skeletal muscle atrophy in C2C12 myotubes using a real-time PCR, western blots analysis, and immunofluorescence staining of myosin heavy chain. Result : Glucoraphanin had no cytotoxicity on both C2C12 myoblasts or myotubes. Dexamethasone markedly induced muscle atrophy by up-regulating muscle-specific ubiquitin E3 ligase markers, atrogin-1 and MuRF1, and down-regulating MyoD, a myogenic regulatory factor whereas co-treatment of glucoraphanin and dexamethasone dose-dependently inhibited it. Furthermore, decreased expressions of p-Akt, p-FOXO1, and p-FOXO3a induced by dexamethasone were reversed by co-treatment with glucoraphanin and dexamethasone. In addition, dexamethasone obviously reduced myotube diameters, while co-treatment of glucoraphanin and dexamethasone increased those to a similar level as control. Conclusions : These results show that glucoraphanin suppresses dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy in C2C12 myotubes through activation of Akt/FOXO signaling pathway.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.31-36
• /
• 2007

To elucidate a potential molecular link between diabetes and atherosclerosis, we investigated the role of Janus tyrosine kinase(JAK) for NAD(P)H oxidase-derived superoxide generation in the enhanced proliferative capacity of vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMC) of Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty(OLETF) rat, an animal model of type 2 diabetes. An enhanced proliferative response to 10% fetal bovine serum(FBS) and superoxide generation with an increased NAD(P)H oxidase activity were observed in diabetic(OLETF) VSMC. Both the enhanced proliferation and superoxide generation in diabetic VSMC were significantly attenuated by AG490, JAK2 inhibitor, and PP2, Src kinase inhibitor. Tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins in diabetic VSMC, especially JAK2, was increased compared to control VSMC. Furthermore, the enhanced NAD(P)H oxidase activity in diabetic VSMC was significantly attenuated by AG490 in a dose-dependent manner. Together, these results indicate that the signal pathway which leads to diabetes-associated activation of Src kinase/JAK is critically involved in the diabetic VSMC proliferation through NAD(P)H oxidase activation and superoxide generation.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
• /
• 2015.07a
• /
• pp.1425-1426
• /
• 2015

Core spine muscle are related are associated with trunk stability and play a main role for the prevention of low back pain. In this study, it was investigated the effect of spine stabilization exercise device on core spinal muscles using a musculoskeletal model The forward direction of the tilt mainly induced the activation of long and superficial back muscles and the backward affected the front muscles. It was shown that spine stabilization exercise device can induce significant core muscle exercise effect.