• PNF and Movement
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.143-150
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• 2014

Purpose: The corticospinal tract (CST) is known to be an important pyramidal tract for walking and motor function. However, very little is known about the functional role of the CST in the recovery of motor function. In the current study, we investigated the relation between the CST and motor function in chronic hemiparetic stroke patients. Methods: Fifty-four patients and 20 normal subjects were recruited. The Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) was used in measurement of the walking ability. We classified patients into three groups according to the ability to walk independently: group A, patients who could not walk independently (FAC: 0-2); group B, patients who could walk independently (FAC: 3); and group C, patd walk functionally (stairs and uneven surfaces, FAC 4-5). The Motricity Index (MI) was used to measure the motor function of the affected upper and lower extremities (maximum score: 100). The fractional anisotropy (FA) value, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value, and fiber volume of the CST were used for the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters. Results: In terms of the CST of the unaffected hemisphere, the FA value of group A was significantly lower than that of normal controls (p <0.05). The fiber volume of group C was significantly higher than that of normal controls (p <0.05). In contrast, the ADC values of all patient groups and the control group did not show any difference (p >0.05). In terms of lower MI and total MI, significant differences were observed between all patient groups (p <0.05). In addition, significant differences in terms of the upper MI scores were observed between groups A and C and between groups B and C (p <0.05); however, no significant difference was observed between groups A and B (p>0.05). Conclusion: The increased fiber volume of the CST in the unaffected hemisphere appears to be related to functional walking ability in chronic stroke patients. This result would be useful for elucidation of the neural recovery mechanism of walking and the investigation of new modalities for the recovery of walking following a stroke with CST injury.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.157-161
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• 2010

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are specifically induced by various forms of stress. Hsp70.1, a member of the hsp70 family is known to play an important role in cytoprotection from stressful insults. However, the functional role of Hsp70 in motor function after spinal cord injury (SCI) is still unclear. To study the role of hsp70.1 in motor recovery following SCI, we assessed locomotor function in hsp70.1 knockout (KO) mice and their wild-type (WT) mice via the Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor rating scale, before and after spinal hemisection at T13 level. We also examined lesion size in the spinal cord using Luxol fast blue/cresyl violet staining. One day after injury, KO and WT mice showed no significant difference in the motor function due to complete paralysis following spinal hemisection. However, when it compared to WT mice, KO mice had significantly delayed and decreased functional outcomes from 4 days up to 21 days after SCI. KO mice also showed significantly greater lesion size in the spinal cord than WT mice showed at 21 days after spinal hemisection. These results suggest that Hsp70 has a protective effect against traumatic SCI and the manipulation of the hsp70.1 gene may help improve the recovery of motor function, thereby enhancing neuroprotection after SCI.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.556-561
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• 2008

ChongMyeong-Tang (CMT) have been used clinically to treat patient with amnesia and dementia. In addition, CMT have been also used for examinee to improve learning ability in Korea. This study was designed to investigate the effects of Gagam-ChongMeong-Tang (GCMT) on cognitive dysfunction recovery after ischemic brain injury in rats. Rats were divided into three groups; (1) normal, (2) commercial diet after ischemic brain injury (control), (3) CMT diet after ischemic brain injury (experiment). In our study, we carried out Morris water maze test for cognitive motor behavior test and immunohistochemistry study through the change BDNF in the hippocampus($7^{th},\;14^{th}\;day$). In Morris water maze test, cognitive motor function recovery was significantly increased in the experiment group as compared with control group on $7^{th}\;and\;14^{th}\;day$ day (p<0.01). In immunohistochemistric response of BDNF in the hippocampus, more immune reaction was investigated in the experiment group as compared with control group on $7^{th}\;and\;14^{th}\;day$. Especially more immune reaction was experimented $14^{th}$ day. These results imply that GCMT can play a role in facilitating recovery of cognitive function after ischemic brain injury in rats.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2004

Mast cells and goblet cells have the ability to protect against parasites by increasing mucus production that traps and excludes worms and prevents their intimate contact with the gut mucosa in the host. In this study, we investigated the function of mast cells and goblet cells for the rejection of Echinostoma hortense (E. hortense). In addition, we used both C3H/HeN and BALB/c mice in order to examine whether mast cells and goblet cells function differentially according to the strains of mice. After an oral infection with 30 E. hortense metacercariae, the number of mucosal mast cells and goblet cells, as well as worm recovery rate, were observed in experimentally infected mice between 1 week and 8 weeks post-infection (PI). Worm recovery rates in C3H/HeN and BALB/c mice were 65.7％ and 23％, respectively, in week 1 P.I., indicating that worm expulsion in C3H/HeN mice was higher than in BALB/c mice. Our results demonstrate that the period (week 3 P.I.) in which worm recovery falls rapidly is the same period that the number of goblet cells and mast cells reaches a peak. These results indicate that worm recovery significantly correlates with the growth rate of goblet cells and mast cells (P=0.0482). However, worm expulsion is not associated with goblet cells or mast cells in BALB/c mice.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.153-161
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• 2007

Stroke is the second most significant disease leading to death in Korea. The conventional therapeutic approach is mainly based on physical training, however, it usually provides the limited degree of recovery of the normal brain function. The electric stimulation therapy is a novel and candidate approach with high potential for stroke recovery. The feasibility was validated by preliminary rat experiments in which the motor function was recovered up to 80% of the normal performance level. It is thought to improve the neural plasticity of the nerve tissues around the diseased area in the stroked brain. However, there are not so much research achievements in the electric stimulation for stroke recovery as for the Parkinson's disease or Epilepsy. This study aims at the developments of a wireless variable pulse generator using ZigBee communication for future implantation into human brain. ZigBee is widely used in wireless personal area network (WPAN) and home network applications due to its low power consumption and simplicity. The developed wireless pulse generator controlled by ZigBee can generate various electric stimulations without any distortion. The electric stimulation includes monophasic and biphasic pulse with the variation of shape parameters, which can affect the level of recovery. The developed system can be used for the telerehabilitation of stroke patient by remote control of brain stimulation via ZigBee and internet. Furthermore, the ZigBee connection used in this study provides the potential neural signal transmission method for the Brain-Machine Interface (BMI).

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.42-55
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• 2021

[Purpose] This study investigated the effects of marine phytoplankton supplementation (Oceanix®, Tetraselmis chuii) on 1) maximal isometric strength and immune function in healthy humans following a oneweek high-intensity resistance-training program and 2) the proinflammatory cytokine response to exercise in a rat model. [Methods] In the human trial, 22 healthy male and female participants were randomly divided into marine phytoplankton and placebo groups. Following baseline testing, participants underwent a 14-day supplement loading phase before completing five consecutive days of intense resistance training. In the rat model, rats were randomly divided into four groups (n=7 per condition): (i) control, (ii) exercise, (iii) exercise + marine phytoplankton (2.55 mg/kg/day), or (iv) exercise + marine phytoplankton (5.1 mg/kg/day). Rats in the exercising groups performed treadmill exercise 5 days per week for 6 weeks. [Results] In the human model, marine phytoplankton prevented significant declines in the isometric peak rate of force development compared to placebo. Additionally, salivary immunoglobulin A concentration was significantly lower following the resistance training protocol in the placebo group but not in the marine phytoplankton group. Marine phytoplankton in exercising rats decreased intramuscular levels and serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and intramuscular concentrations of malondialdehyde. [Conclusion] Marine phytoplankton prevented decrements in indices of functional exercise recovery and immune function. Mechanistically, these outcomes could be prompted by modulating the oxidative stress and proinflammatory cytokine response to exercise.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.315-324
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• 1994

The energy recovery efficiency(ERE) of an aquifer thermal energy storage system was calculated using curvilinear coordinate. The results of the calculation were compared with the experimental results, and agreed within 11% of the discrepancy. The variation of ERE was investigated as a function of the underground water natural velocity, the amount of the stored energy, and period of the energy recovery. The slower the natural velocity and shorter the recovery period, the higher ERE was yielded. Also it was found that increase in the amount of energy storage yields higher ERE, and carries out less influential ERE to the natural velocity. Reiterative usage of the aquifer as a thermal storage tends to gradually increase ERE. The result of this study implements that the aquifer thermal energy storage system is suitable for large cooling/heating loads, such as district cooling/heating.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.1-13
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• 2008

Background: This study had been carried out with 18 ischemic stroke patients as its object for about eight months from October, 2006 to May, 2007 in order to observe the recovery of motor function and the change of important blood factors according to the different quantitative exercises. Methods: Subjects were assigned randomly either experimental group (n＝19) or the control group (n＝19), when the study began the halfway on this study dropout 20 patients, and final subjects remained experimental group's 9 patients and control group's 9 patients. Both groups received thermotherapy and functional electrical stimulation (FES), also taken different quantitative exercise therapy (experimental group 180 minutes, control group 80 minutes). Subjects were assessed for upper and lower extremities motor function Fugl－Meyer Scale; FMS), blood test (white blood count; WBC, low density lipoprotein －cholesterol; LDL-C, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol; HDL-C, Troponin) during pretest, after 2 months, after 3 months. Results: The results of this study were as follows; 1. FMS has no statistically significant difference with intergroup(p>.05). But there was a statistically significant difference with each groups (p<.05). 2. WBC has no statistically significant difference with intergroup (p>.05). But there was a statistically significant difference in control group (p<.05), without experimental group (p>.05). 3. LDL-C has no statistically significant difference with intergroup (p>.05). But there was a statistically significant difference in control group (p<.05), without experimental group (p>.05). 4. HDL-C has no statistically significant difference with intergroup (p<.05). But there was a statistically significant difference with each groups (p>.05). 5. Troponin Ⅰ has no statistically significant difference with intergroup (p>.05). Also there was no statistically significant difference with each groups (p>.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that different quantitative exercises has no effect on FMS, LDL-C, HDL-C, WBC, Troponin Ⅰ with ischemic stroke patients. But the treatment period that there's less correlation between the recovery of motor function and the different quantitative exercise, also less correlation between the change of important blood factors and the different quantitative exercises with ischemic stroke patients.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.2295-2301
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• 2021

Background: Physical therapy applied to stroke patients is recognized as a treatment that promotes function recovery, and it is a widely known fact that constant exercise should be performed. However, there are insufficient studies on exercise intensity and exercise time that can minimize side effects and maximize function recovery for exercise therapy. Objectives: To determine the effect of exercise variables on CPK generation during aerobic exercise in stroke patients and to discover how to use appropriate exercise intensity and time when conducting an exercise for function recovery in stroke patients. Design: Quasi-experimental research. Methods: This study classified subjects into three groups (low-intensity exercise group: LIE, moderate-intensity exercise group: MIE and high-intensity exercise group: HIE) according to exercise intensity, and was further classified into two groups (10-minute exercise group: 10MG and 20-minute exercise group: 20MG) according to exercise time variables within each exercise intensity group. After, the change in CPK according to exercise intensity and time was confirmed through hematological analysis. Results: In LIE and MIE, the CPK blood concentrations before and after exercise were increased in 10MG and 20MG, which was not statistically significant (P>.05). In HIE, the CPK blood concentrations before and after exercise were increased in 10MG, and it was statistically significant (P<.05). In HIE, the CPK blood concentrations before and after exercise were increased in 20MG, and it was statistically significant (P<.01). In 10MG and 20MG, the CPK blood concentrations before and after exercises were increased in all intensity group, and there was a statistically significant difference only in HIE. Conclusion: From the results of this study, considering CPK, it will be helpful to recover and improve function if the exercise intensity setting is applied in the type of moderate intensity exercise during physical therapy interventions in stroke patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1090-1106
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• 1990

This study was undertaken to investigate whether adenosine administered during cardioplegic arrest could enhance myocardial protection and improve recovery of function after ischemia. Isolated Langendorff-perfused rat hearts were subjected to 40 minutes of normothermic [37oC] ischemia. Control hearts [n=10] received modified St. Thomas’ cardioplegic solution, and the remaining hearts received modified St. Thomas’ cardioplegic solution with either 20 \ulcornerM [n=10], 200 \ulcornerM [n=10] adenosine. After ischemia of 40 minutes and 30 minutes of reperfusion, left ventricular contractility was superior in all groups of adenosine-treated hearts compared with control hearts. Furthermore, there was a significant incremental increase in functional recovery with increasing dose of adenosine. Post-ischemic diastolic stiffness was significantly better in all adenosine groups compared with controls. No differences were noted in coronary flow or myocardial water content between adenosine-treated and control hearts. These data demonstrate that adenosine administered in these concentrations provides myocardial protection, preservation of myocardial ATP and creatine phosphokinase and improved post-ischemic functional hemodynamic recovery after normothermic ischemia, presumably metabolically by reducing depletion of adenosine triphosphate, inducing rapid cardiac arrest and enabling improved post-ischemic recovery.