• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 2010

Purpose: We tested whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) improved recovery following spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats with transplantation of adipose tissue-derived stromal cells (ATSCs). Methods: Twenty Sprague-Dawley rats (200-250 g, female) were used. Moderate spinal cord injury was induced at the T9 level by a New York University (NYU) impactor. The rat ATSCs (approximately $5{\times}10^5$ cells) were injected into the perilesional area at 9 days after SCI. Starting four days after transplantation, rTMS (25 Hz, 0.1 Tesla, pulse width=$370{\mu}s$, on/off time=3 sec/3 sec) was applied daily for 7 weeks. Functional recovery was assessed using the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor rating scale as well as pain responses for thermal and cold stimuli. Results: Both groups showed similar, gradual improvement of locomotor function. rTMS stimulation decreased thermal and cold hyperalgesia after 7 weeks, but sham stimulation did not. Conclusion: rTMS after transplantation of ATSCs in an SCI model may reduce thermal hyperalgesia and cold allodynia, and may be an adjuvant therapeutic tool for pain control after stem cell therapy in SCI.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers C
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• v.48 no.11
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• pp.748-754
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• 1999

Micromirrors supported by S-shape girders were fabricated and their angular deflections were measured using a laser-based system. A micromirror consists of a $50\mum\times50\mum$ aluminum plate, posts and an S-shape girder. Two electrodes were deposited on two corners of the substrate beneath the mirror plate. $50\times50$micromirror array were fabricated using the Al-MEMS process. The electrostatic force caused by the voltage difference between the mirror plate and one of the electrodes causes the mirror plate to tilt until the girder touches the substrate. Bial voltage of the mirror plate is between 25~35V and signal pulse voltage on both electrodes is $\pm5V$. A laser-based system capable of real-time two-dimensional angular deflection measurement of the micromirror was developed. The operation of the system is based on measuring the displacement of a HeNe laser beam reflecting off the micromirror. The resonant frequency of the micromirror is 50kHz when the girder touches the substrate and it is 25 when the micromirror goes back to flat position, since the moving mass is about twice of the former case. The measurement results also revealed that the micromirror slants to the other direction even after the girder touches the substrate.

• Proceedings of the KSRS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.229-234
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• 2002

Under the hostile influence of the extreme space environmental conditions due to the deep space and direct solar flux, the thermal control in space applications is especially of major importance. There are tight temperature range restrictions for electro-optical elements while on the other hand there are low power consumption requirements due to the limited energy sources on the spacecraft. So, we usually have strong requirement of thermal and power control module in space applications. In this paper, the design concept of a thermal and power control module in the MSC(Multi-Spectral Camera) system which will be a payload on KOMPSATII is described in terms of H/W & S/W. This thermal and power control module, called THTM(Thermal and Telemetry Module) in MSC, resides inside the PMU(Payload Management Unit) which is responsible for the proper management of the MSC payload for controlling and monitoring the temperature insides the EOS(Electro-Optic System) and gathering all the analog telemetry from all the MSC sub-units, etc. Particularly, the designed heater controller has the special mode of "duty cycle" in addition to normal closed loop control mode as usual. THTM controls heaters in open loop according to on/off set time designed through analysis in duty cycle mode in case of all thermistor failure whereas it controls heaters by comparing the thermistor value to temperature based on closed loop in normal mode. And a designed THTM provides a checking and protection method against the failure in thermal control command using the test pulse in command itself.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.5-14
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• 2003

Principles of a novel pulse growing method are described. The method realized in the crystal growing on a seed from melts under raw melt feeding provided a more reliable control of the crystallization process when producing large alkali halide crystals. The slow natural convection of the melt in the crucible at a constant melt level is intensified by rotating the crucible, while the crystal rotation favors a more symmetrical distribution of thermal stresses over the crystal cross-section. Optimum rotation parameters for the crucible and crystal have been determined. The spatial position oi the solid/liquid phase interface relatively to the melt surface, heaters and the crucible elements are considered. Basing on that consideration, a novel criterion is stated, that is, the immersion extent of the crystallization front (CF) convex toward the melt. When the crystal grows at a <> CF immersion, the raised CF may tear off from the melt partially or completely due to its weight. This results in avoid formation in the crystal. Experimental data on the radial crystal growth speed are discussed. This speed defines the formation of a gas phase layer at the crystal surface. The layer thickness il a function of time a temperature at specific values of pressure in the furnace and the free melt surface dimensions in the gap between the crystal and crucible wall. Analytical expressions have been derived for the impurity component mass transfer at the steady-state growth stage describing two independent processes, the impurity mass transfer along the <> path and its transit along the <> one. The heater (and thus the melt) temperature variation is inherent in any control system. It has been shown that when random temperature changes occur causing its lowering at a rate exceeding $0.5^{\circ}C/min$, a kind of the CF decoration by foreign impurities or by gas bubbles takes place. Short-term temperature changes at one heater or both result in local (i.e., at the front) redistribution of the preset axial growth speed.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.233-240
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• 2003

This study was conducted to examine the effects of oocyte maturation period, phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P) treatment and activation agent on the enucleation, fusion, activation or in vitro development of bovine nuclear transfer embryos. Bovine oocytes were enucleated at 16∼24 h of in vitro maturation (IVM). Adult ear skin cells treated or non-treated with PHA-P were transferred into enucleated oocytes. Reconstituted oocytes treated or non-treated with PHA-P were fused by a pulse of 1.5 kV/cm for 30 $\mu$sec. Fused oocytes were activated with a combination of calcium ionophore (A23187) and cycloheximide (CHXM) or dimethylaminopurine (DMAP), and cultured in vitro for 7∼9 days. Enucleation rate was significantly increased when oocytes were matured for 16∼18 h (70.2∼92.3%, P<0.05) compared to that of oocytes were matured for 20∼24 h (44.3∼53.4%). The location of metaphase-II plate was far off from the 1st polar body as maturation time was increased. PHA-P treatment of donor cells or reconstituted oocytes significantly improved fusion rate (P<0.05). Cleavage and blastocyst formation rates were significantly increased after activation with a combination of A23187 and DMAP (78.6% and 32.9%, respectively) compared to those of embryos activated with a combination of A23l87 and CHXM (48.5 and 15.2%, respectively). From the present result, it is suggested that high enucleation efficiency can obtained by using oocytes matured for 18 h. It also shows that PHA-P treatment can improve the fusion rate, and activation with a combination of A23187 and DMAP can enhance the embryo development.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2007

Purpose: To acquire high-resolution spiral-scan images at higher magnetic field, high homogeneous magnetic field is needed. Field inhomogeneity mapping and in-vivo shimming are important for rapid imaging such as spiral-scan imaging. The rapid scanning sequences are very susceptible to inhomogeneity. In this paper, we proposed a higher-order shimming method to obtain homogeneous magnetic field. Materials and Methods: To reduce measurement time for field inhomogeneity mapping, simultaneous axial/ sagittal, and coronal acquisitions are done using multi-slice based Fast Spin echo sequence. Acquired field inhomogeneity map is analyzed using the spherical harmonic functions, and shim currents are obtained by the multiplication of the pseudo-inverse of the field pattern with the inhomogeneity map. Results: Since the field inhomogeneity is increasing in proportion to the magnetic field, higher order shimming to reduce the inhomogeneity becomes more important in high field imaging. The shimming technique in which axial, sagittal, and coronal section inhomogeneity maps are obtained in one scan is developed, and the shimming method based on the analysis of spherical harmonics of the imhomogenity map is applied. The proposed technique is applicable to a localized shimming as well. High resolution spiral-scan imaging was successfully obtained with the proposed higher order shimming. Conclusion: Proposed pulse sequence for rapid measurement of inhomogeneity map and higher order shimming based on the inhomogeneity map work very well at 3 Tesla MRI system. With the proposed higher order shimming and localized higher order shimming techniques, high resolution spiral-scan images are successfully obtained at 3 T MRI system.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.69-80
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• 1998

This research was designed to investigate how the exercise program affects paraplegic standing and walking employing functional electrical stimulation(FES). Emphasis was also given to fatigue of major lower extremity muscles induced by different types of electrical stimulation. We applied continuous and intermittent rectangular pulse trains to quadriceps of 10 normal subjects and 4 complete paraplegic patients. The frequencies were 20Hz and 80Hz, and the knee angle was fixed at 90$^{\circ}$and 150$^{\circ}$to investigate how muscle fatigue is related to muscle length. The knee extensor torque was measured and monitored. We have been training quadriceps and gastrocnemius of a male paraplegic patient by means of electrical stimulation for the past two year. FES standing was initiated when the knee extensors became strong enough to support the body weight, and then the patient started FES walking utilizing parallel bars and a walker. We used an 8-channel constant-voltage stimulator and surface electrodes. The experimental results indicated that paralyzed muscles fatigued rapidly around the optimal length contrary to normal muscles and confirmed that low frequency and intermittent stimulation delayed fatigue. Our exercise program increased muscle force by approximately 10 folds and decreased the fatigue index to half of the initial value. In addition, the exercise enabled the patient to voluntarily lift each leg up to 10cm, which was of great help to the swing phase of FES walking. Both muscle force and resistance to fatigue were significantly enhanced right after the exercise was applied every day instead of 6 days a week. Up to date, the patient can walk for more than two and half minutes at 10m/min while controlling the on/off time of the stimulator by pushing the toggle switch attached to the walker handle.