• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2000

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of microamperage electrical stimulation on the number of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer region (AgNOR) in rat skin. Twenty four male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into electrical stimulation and control group. Bach animals hair on the back was removed. The electrical stimulation group received an positive rectangular positive electrical stimulation with $500{\mu}A$, while the control group was given the same treatment without electricity. The rats were sacrificed at 4 and 7 day of stimulation, respectively. The biopsy specimens were fixed in formalin, embedded in paraffin and stained with silver nitrate. The AgNOR were counted using a light microscope and computerized image analysis system and calculated as the mean number of AgNOR per nucleus in the epidermal keratinocyte. In control skin, the mean AgNOR count of epidermal keratinocyte at 4 and 7 day were 1.67 and 1.72, whereas electrical stimulated rat had mean AgNOR counts of 2.0 and 2.14, respectively. A Student's t-test showed a significantly higher mean AgNOR number at 4 ana 7 day in the electrical stimulated rats than control rats (p<0.05). The microamperage electric current stimulation increased the epidermal AgMOR expression in incisional wound skin. These results suggest that the microamperage electrical stimulation may promote migration and proliferative activity of epidermal keratinocyte in surgical wound.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.12-23
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• 1996

High Voltage Pulsed Current Stimulation(HVPCS) and Microcurrent Electrical Neuromuscular Stimulation(MENS) have been used to promote the healing of decubitus ulcer and surgical wounds. The benefits of HVPCS and MENS are thought to include an inhibitive effect on bacterial growth. The purpose of this study was to compare the inhibitive effect of two different electrical stimulation techniques growth in vitro. Using agarose-based media, the two bacterial species Staphylococcus aureus, Esherichia coli - which are commonly isolated from open wounds were incubated in an incubator for 24 hours following exposure to HVPCS(400 V, 120 pps, $70{\mu}s$) and MENS($100{\mu}A$, 0.3 Hz). We then measured the zone of inhibition around each electrode. Both HVPCS and MENS produced an inhibitive effect on bacterial growth in this vitro study. However MENS was more effective than HVPCS.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 1995

The silver cation has broad-spectrum antibiotic activity toward Gram-positive, Gram-negative, fungal. aerobic and anerobic micro-organisms. Silver has been used to care of infected wound. pyogenic arthritis, and chronic osteomyelitis. The purpose of this study was to determine whether pure silver wire iontophoresis using milliamperage direct current has an inhibitory effect on growth in vitro of 3 different species of bacteria-Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Using agarose based media, silver iontophoresis performed at 0, 1, 2, 4, 8 mA for 15 minutes. All experiments were performed in triplicate. Following iontophoresis, inhibition zone width of bacterial growth was measured with calliper. The inhibition of bacterial growth occured at the anodal silver electrode. Inhibition zone width of bacterial growth was significantly increased in all three bacterial species (p<0.05). Between bacterial species, inhibition zone width was not significantly different. Inhibition gone and amperage showed a highly significant positive linear relationship (p<0.001). The result of this study showed that pure silver wire iontophoresis with milliamperage direct current, as well as microamperage direct current, can inhibit bacterial growth in vivo.