• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-4
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was designed to determine the quantitative changes of the numbers of the mechanoreceptors in the experimentally tenotomized Achilles tendon of rabbits as compared with short-term immobilization and long-term immobilization. Materials and Methods: 14 white rabbits were used. After tenotomizing the right Achilles tendon, the subjects were divided into 2 groups according to the periods of immobilizaton. The left side of each Achilles tendon of the rabbits were used as controls. The tendons were stained with a modified gold-chloride method. Results: The number of mechanoreceptor was significantly decreased in the tenotomized Achilles tendon group than the control group (p<0.01). There was no statistical difference between the two experimental groups in the numbers of the mechanoreceptors (p>0.01). Conclusion: The injured Achilles tendons may more vulnerable to injury because of the decreased numbers of mechanoreceptors, but no difference between the periods of immobilization. It may suggest that post-operative immobilization period may not affect on the outcome of operative treatment from the viewpoint of mechanoreceptors.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.12-18
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• 2003

Proprioception can be defined as a specialized variation of touch that encompasses the sensation of joint movement(kinesthesia) and joint position(static joint position sense). Several types of joint and muscular mechanoreceptors provide proprioceptive information for joint stability. Joint mechanoreceptors have been classified into four types based of activation characteristics : Ruffini endings, Pacinian corpuscles, Golgi tendon organlike endings, free nerve endings. The paper review the morphology, distrubution, function of mechanoreceptors in shoulder joint.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.191-196
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• 2011

Purpose: We investigated the effects of group III mechanoreceptors to cardiovascular responses in both pre-menopausal woman and post-menopausal woman during passive ankle dorsiflexion (PAD). Methods: Twenty healthy volunteers (10 post-menopausal women and 10 pre-menopausal women) were recruited for this study. Stroke volume (SV), heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO), and total vascular conductances (TVC) were measured continuously throughout the experiment. To stimulate the group III mechanoreceptors, PAD was performed for one minute. Results: The results showed that mean arterial pressure (MAP) mediated by the mechanoreflex activation was significantly increased in both groups. However, this pressor response was significantly higher in post-menopausal women. This reflex significantly increased both SV and CO in pre-menopausal women, while there were no differences in post-menopausal women. There was no difference in HR in either group. The mechanoreflex significantly decreased TVC in post-menopausal woman, while there was no difference in pre-menopausal woman. Conclusion: The results indicate that the excessive pressor response mediated by the mechanoreflex occurs due to overactivity of group III mechanorecptors and the mechanism is produced mainly via peripheral vasoconstriction in post-menopausal women.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.277.2-277.2
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• 2014

For next-generation electronic applications, human-machine interface devices have recently been demonstrated such as the wearable computer as well as the electronic skin (e-skin). For integration of those systems, it is essential to develop many kinds of components including displays, energy generators and sensors. In particular, flexible sensing devices to detect some stimuli like strain, pressure, light, temperature, gase and humidity have been investigated for last few decades. Among many condidates, a pressure sensing device based on organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) is one of interesting structure in flexible touch displays, bio-monitoring and e-skin because of their flexibility. In this study, we have investigated a flexible e-skin based on highly sensitive, pressure-responsive OFETs using microstructured ferroelectric gate dielectrics, which simulates both rapidly adapting (RA) and slowly adatping (SA) mechanoreceptors in human skin. In SA-type static pressure, furthermore, we also demonstrate that the FET array can detect thermal stimuli for thermoreception through decoupling of the input signals from simultaneously applied pressure. The microstructured highly crystalline poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) possessing piezoelectric-pyroelectric properties in OFETs allowed monitoring RA- and SA-mode responses in dyanamic and static pressurizing conditions, which enables to apply the e-skin to bio-monitoring of human and robotics.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.97-104
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• 2009

Optimal treatment of the torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) remains controversial. The complexity of surgically reproducing the natural biomechanical and anatomical function of the ACL has led to a diversity of reconstructive procedures. Controversy continues to exist regarding the best reconstructive procedure for the ACL deficient knee, but currently, there is no ideal method. Because of the increased frequency of ACL injury and the functional impairment resulting from that, the role of mechanoreceptors in the ACL recently has attracted considerable attention. Proper reconstruction of the ruptured ACL does not always have good results. Success after operation may depend not only on the mechanical stability but also on the quality of recovery of proprioception. It is well known that most ACL are ruptured in proximal half and most mechanoreceptors have been reported to be located in the subsynovial layer and near the tibial insertion of the ACL. Expected roles of tibial remnant is to enhance the revascularization and cellular proliferation of the graft, to preserve proprioceptive function, and to be able to acquire anatomical placement of the graft without roof impingement. The remnant of the ruptured ACL has been removed to clearly visualize the ACL footprint or decrease the risk of impingement and Cyclops lesion in most current techniques for ACL reconstruction. Therefore it seems reasonable to assume that preserving the tibial remnant as much as possible as a source of reinnervation, if technically possible without causing impingement, would be of potential benefit to the patient. In addition, it will facilitate the vascular ingrowth and ligamentization of the grafted ACL.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.429-440
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of knee joint position sense following local and general load protocols in 25 healthy male subjects. Proprioception of the knee joint was evaluated by measuring absolute angular errors at matching angles before, after and between 2 different types of load protocols. Proprioception tests(on the dominant knee) were performed in which proprioception of the passivepassive reproduced and active-active reproduced knee position was measured. Local load was provided with maximum isokinetic knee extension-flexion on the isokinetic dynamometer(Cybex), and general load was 10 minutes running on a treadmill. Peak torque(knee extension and flexion) and heart rate(beats per minute) was evaluated as an indicator of local and general fatigue during load protocols. The results were as follows: 1. For pasive-pasive reproduced knee position test, significant difference in absolute angular errors after general load protocol was detected compared with that before general load protocol(P<.05), significant difference in absolute angular errors after local load protocol was detected compared with that before local load protocol(P<.05). However, no significant difference in absolute angular errors of general load protocol was detected compared with that of local load protocol (P>.05), no significant difference in absolute angular errors of local load protocol was detected compared with that of general load protocol(P>.05). 2. For active-active reproduced knee position test, significant difference in absolute angular errors after general load protocol was detected compared with that before general load protocol(P<.05), significant difference in absolute angular errors after local load protocol was detected compared with that before local load protocol (P<.05). Also, significant difference in absolute angular errors of general load protocol was detected compared with that of local load protocol(P<.05), significant difference in absolute angular errors of local load protocol was detected compared with that of general load protocol(P<.05). 3. A significant decrease of peak torque of knee extensors and flexors was seen after local load, although heart rate was significantly increased(P<.05). No significant change of peak torque of knee extensors and flexors was seen after general load(P>.05), although heart rate was also significantly increased(P<.05). The previous study revealed that knee proprioception is significantly altered when the muscle mechanoreceptors are dysfunctional due to muscle fatigue, although the joint mechanoreceptors have no significantly effect on knee proprioception when the presence of knee muscle fatigue. However, the results of this study are different from those of the previous study in that muscle weakness of the knee could not be seen after general load. This study shows that general load may diminish motor control by the central nervous system. Proprioceptional decline without muscle weakness of knee after general load suggests a change in the proprioceptional pathway without influence from muscle mechanoreceptors.

• Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Sports Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.55-60
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• 2002

Purpose : To assess the change in the number of mechanoreceptors of posterior cruciate ligament(PCL) after transecting posterior cruciate ligament of the rabbit. Materials and Methods : We selected 10 skeletally-matured New Zealand white rabbits and one of the two posterior cruciate ligaments was transected and the other underwent sham-operation on each rabbit. Afterward, PCLs with synovium were obtained at femoral attach area in both knees in 20 weeks postoperatively, but in one of the cases, the transected PCL did not heal and had to be excluded from this study. Consequently, histologic examination of the ligament for the remaining 9 cases was done after being prepared with modified gold chloride stain. Results : The study showed a little bit more decrease in the number of mechanoreceptors in the transected group compared with that in the sham-operated group, but the number was statistically negligible. Conclusions : It is considered that the knee joint with injured PCL may still maintain proprioception since the decrease in the number of mechanoreceptors is not considerable, but further study on biomechanical role and function of mechanoreceptor of healed PCL is required.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.34-42
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• 2009

Rodents, specially rats, can recognize distance and shape of an object and also pattern of the textures by using their whiskers. Mechanoreceptors surrounding the root of whisker in their follicle measure deflection of the whisker. Rats can move their whisker back and forth freely. This ability, called active whisking or active sensing, is one of characteristics of rat behaviours. Many researches based on the mechanism have been progressed. In this paper, we test a simple and accurate method based on deflection of the whisker: we designed biomimetic whiskers modeling after a structure of follicle using the microphone. The microphone sensor measures a mechanical vibration. Attaching an artificial whisker beam to the microphone membrane, we can detect a vibration of whisker and this can show the deflection amount of whisker indirectly.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
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• 2008.06a
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• pp.1061-1062
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• 2008

Rodents demonstrate an outstanding capability for tactile perceptions using their whiskers. The mechanoreceptors in the whisker follicles are responsive to the deflections or vibrations of the whisker beams. It is believed that the sensor processing can determine the location of an object in touch, that is, the angular position and direction of the object. We designed artificial whiskers modelling the real whiskers and tested tactile localization. The robotic system needs to adjust its position against an object to help the shape recognition. We show a robotic adjustment of position based on tactile localization. The behaviour uses deflection curves of the whisker sensors for every sweep of whiskers and estimates the location of a target object.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.139-152
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• 2009

Globally, civil infrastructures are deteriorating at an alarming rate caused by overuse, overloading, aging, damage or failure due to natural or man-made hazards. With such a vast network of deteriorating infrastructure, there is a growing interest in continuous monitoring technologies. In order to provide a true distributed sensor and control system for civil structures, we are developing a Structural Nervous System that mimics key attributes of a human nervous system. This nervous system is made up of building blocks that are designed based on mechanoreceptors as a fundamentally new approach for the development of a structural health monitoring and diagnostic system that utilizes the recently developed piezo-fibers capable of sensing and actuation. In particular, our research has been focused on producing a sensory nervous system for civil structures by using piezo-fibers as sensory receptors, nerve fibers, neuronal pools, and spinocervical tract to the nodal and central processing units. This paper presents up to date results of our research, including the design and analysis of the structural nervous system.