• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.50-58
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• 2023

Background: This study was carried out to determine whether non-face-to-face physical therapy would have similar exercise effects to face-to-face physical therapy. Hence, we developed an approach for patients, unable to visit hospitals due to circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic, to conduct physical therapy comfortably at home. Objects: This study aimed to compare the effects of a face-to-face and a non-face-to-face physical therapy treatment on improving a rounded shoulder posture. Methods: The participants with rounded shoulders were randomly divided into a face-toface group (n = 15) and a non-face-to-face group (n = 15), and each group performed exercises for four weeks. The exercise program consisted of the bare hands exercise, Thera-Band exercise, and foam roller exercise. The participants in the face-to-face group came to a designated place to perform their exercises, and those in the non-face-to-face group performed the exercises at their own home using Google Meet (Google). Acromial height, total scapular distance (TSD), shoulder pain and dysfunction index (SPADI), and pectoralis minor thickness were measured. Data analysis was performed using the R Statistical Software (R Core Team), and a normality test was performed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Results: There were no significant differences between the face-to-face and the non-face-toface groups (p > 0.05). When comparing the differences before and after the exercises, both the face-to-face and the non-face-to-face groups showed significant differences in acromial height, SPADI, and pectoralis minor thickness (p < 0.05), and both groups showed no significant difference in TSD before and after the exercises (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study support the results of previous studies reporting that shoulder stabilization exercise and pectoralis minor stretching training improves round shoulders. In addition, this study revealed that both the face-to-face and the non-face-to-face physical therapy treatments had therapeutic effects.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.128-135
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• 2023

Background: Despite the fact that aquatic exercise is one of the most popular alternative treatment methods for children with cerebral palsy (CP), there are few research regarding its effectiveness. Objects: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of aquatic exercise on upper extremity function and postural control during reaching in children with CP. Methods: Ten participants (eight males and two females; 4-10 years; Gross Motor Function Classification System levels II-IV) with spastic diplegia were recruited to this study. The aquatic exercise program consisted of four modified movements that were selected from the Halliwick 10-point program to enhance upper extremity and trunk movements. The participants attended treatment two times a week for 6 weeks, averaging 35 minutes each session. The Box and Block Test (BBT), transferring pennies in the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test (BOT), and pediatric reaching test (PRT) scores were used as clinical measures. Three-dimensional motion analysis system was used to collect and analyze kinematic data. Differences in BBT and BOT values among pre-treatment, post-treatment, and retention (after 3 weeks) were analyzed using a Friedman test. In addition, the PRT scores and variables (movement time, hand velocity, straightness ratio, and number of movement units) from the three-dimensional motion analysis were tested using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The significance level was established at p < 0.05. When the results appeared to be statistically significant, a post-hoc test for multiple comparisons was performed with the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: All clinical measures, which included BBT, transferring pennies of BOT, and PRT, were significantly increased between pre-intervention and post-intervention scores and between pre-intervention and retention scores after treatment (p = 0.001). Three-dimensional motion analysis mostly were significantly improved after treatment (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Aquatic exercise may help to improve body function, activity, and participation in children with varying types of physical disabilities.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.117-123
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• 2022

Background: Push-up are effective exercises for shoulder stability. Previous studies have documented the effects of support plane and hand position and width on muscle activities during a push-up. Objects: This study aimed to investigate the changes in muscle activities in the upper extremity when performing the standard and the knee-flexed push-up with different hand shapes. Methods: A total of twenty-six healthy males participated in this study. Three different hand shapes (finger abduction, finger adduction, and fists) and two types of push-up posture (standard and knee-flexed push-up) were set as the independent variables. Electrograms were used to measure the muscle activity of the upper trapezius (UT), triceps brachii (TB), pectoralis major (PM), and serratus anterior (SA). Each participant performed the randomly assigned push-up to the sound of the metronome. The mixed-effect linear regression model was used to detect the changes in muscle activities after changing the hand shape and push-up posture. Statistical significance was set at α = 0.05. Results: The UT muscle activity was statistically significantly higher when performing push-up with fists than finger abduction (p = 0.035) or finger adduction (p = 0.044). During the standard push-up, the muscle activity in all muscles was that the push-up with fists showed the highest muscle activity compared to the finger abduction (p < 0.01) and finger adduction (p < 0.01). Regardless of the shape of the hand, UT had the lowest muscle activity compared to other muscles (p < 0.001). In contrast, the SA muscle had the highest muscle activity among four muscles during the standard push-up. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, we suggest hand shape is related to the difficulty level of push-up either in the standard or the knee-flexed push-up, especially in the push-up with fists. In addition, knee push-up can be recommended as shoulder muscle-strengthening exercises for individuals with low shoulder muscle strength.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.9
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• pp.1340-1350
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• 2022

Objective: Luxi Black Head sheep (LBH) is the first crossbreed specialized for meat production and was developed by crossbreeding Black Head Dorper sheep (DP) and Small Tailed Han sheep (STH) in the farming areas of northern China. Research on the genomic variations and selection signatures of LBH caused by continuous artificial selection is of great significance for identifying the genetic mechanisms of important traits of sheep and for the continuous breeding of LBH. Methods: We explored the genetic relationships of LBH, DP, and several Mongolian sheep breeds by constructing phylogenetic tree, principal component analysis and linkage disequilibrium analysis. In addition, we analysed 29 whole genomes of sheep. The genome-wide selection signatures have been scanned with four methods: heterozygosity (H_P), fixation index (F_ST), cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity (XP-EHH) and the nucleotide diversity (𝜃_π) ratio. Results: The genetic relationships analysis showed that LBH appeared to be an independent cluster closer to DP. The candidate signatures of positive selection in sheep genome revealed candidate genes for developmental process (HoxA gene cluster, BCL2L11, TSHR), immunity (CXCL6, CXCL1, SKAP2, PTK6, MST1R), growth (PDGFD, FGF18, SRF, SOCS2), and reproduction (BCAS3, TRIM24, ASTL, FNDC3A). Moreover, two signalling pathways closely related to reproduction, the thyroid hormone signalling pathway and the oxytocin signalling pathway, were detected. Conclusion: The selective sweep analysis of LBH genome revealed candidate genes and signalling pathways associated with developmental process, immunity, growth, and reproduction. Our findings provide a valuable resource for sheep breeding and insight into the mechanisms of artificial selection.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.306-314
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• 2003

Purpose : In our Previous study, we have shown the main cel1 death pattern Induced by irradiation or protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitors in K562 human myeiogenous leukemic cell line. Death of the cells treated with irradiation alone was characterized by mitotic catastrophe and typical radiation-induced apoptosis was accelerated by herblmycin A (HMA). Both types of cell death were inhibited by genistein. In this study, we investigated the effects of HMA and genistein on cell cycle regulation and its correlation with the alterations of radiation-induced cell death. Materials and Methods: K562 cells In exponential growth phase were used for this study. The cells were Irradiated with 10 Gy using 6 MeV Linac (200-300 cGy/min). Immediately after irradiation, cells were treated with 250 nM of HMA or 25 $\mu$N of genistein. The distributions of cell cycle, the expressions of cell cycle-related protein, the activities of cyclin-dependent kinase, and the yield of senescence and differentiation were analyzed. Results: X-irradiated cells were arrested In the G2 phase of the cell cycle but unlike the p53-positive cells, they were not able to sustain the cell cycle arrest. An accumulation of cells in G2 phase of first ceil-cycle post-treatment and an increase of cyclin Bl were correlated with spontaneous, premature, chromosome condensation and mitotic catastrophe. HMA induced rapid G2 checkpoint abrogation and concomitant p53-independent Gl accumulation. HMA-induced cell cycle modifications correlated with the increase of CDK2 kinase activity, the decrease of the expressions of cyclins I and A and of CDK2 kinase activity, and the enhancement of radiation-induced apoptosis. Genistein maintained cells that were arrested in the G2-phase, decreased the expressions of cyclin Bl and cdc25c and cdc25C kinase activity, increased the expression of pl6, and sustained senescence and megakaryocytic differentiation. Conclusion: The effects of HMA and genistein on the radiation-induced cell death of KS62 cells were closely related to the cell cycle regulatory activities. In this study, we present a unique and reproducible model in which for investigating the mechanisms of various, radiation-induced, cancer cell death patterns. Further evaluation by using this model will provide a potent target for a new strategy of radiotherapy.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.43-49
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• 2012

Stimulation of mast cells through the high affinity IgE receptor (Fc${\varepsilon}$RI) induces degranulation, lipid mediator release, and cytokine secretion leading to allergic reactions. Although various signaling pathways have been characterized to be involved in the Fc${\varepsilon}$RI-mediated responses, little is known about the precious mechanism for the expression of tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) in mast cells. Here, we report that rapamycin, a specific inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), reduces the expression of TNF-${\alpha}$ in rat basophilic leukemia (RBL-2H3) cells. IgE or specific antigen stimulation of RBL-2H3 cells increases the expression of TNF-${\alpha}$ and activates various signaling molecules including S6K1, Akt and p38 MAPK. Rapamycin specifically inhibits antigeninduced TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA level, while other kinase inhibitors have no effect on TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA level. These data indicate that mTOR signaling pathway is the main regulation mechanism for antigen-induced TNF-${\alpha}$ expression. TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA stability analysis using reporter construct containing TNF-${\alpha}$ adenylate/uridylate-rich elements (AREs) shows that rapamycin destabilizes TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA via regulating the AU-rich element of TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA. The antigen-induced activation of S6K1 is inhibited by specific kinase inhibitors including mTOR, PI3K, PKC and $Ca^{2+}$chelator inhibitor, while TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA level is reduced only by rapamycin treatment. These data suggest that the effects of rapamycin on the expression of TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA are not mediated by S6K1 but regulated by mTOR. Taken together, our results reveal that mTOR signaling pathway is a novel regulation mechanism for antigen-induced TNF-${\alpha}$ expression in RBL-2H3 cells.