• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
• /
• v.33 no.9
• /
• pp.753-760
• /
• 2016

This study was undertaken to develop a bed-type cycling system of lower limbs for rehabilitation. This system consists of two modes of cycling: active and passive. Different velocity and loads are provided for improving the muscle function recovery and increasing the muscular strength. To analyze the muscle activity pattern, we measured muscular activity of lower limbs in the rectus femoris (RF), biceps femoris (BF), tibialis anterior (TA), medial gastrocnemius (MG), and soleus (SOL), while cycling in the supine position, and based on the pedaling direction. A total of 18 young and 23 elderly, healthy subjects participated in this study. Muscle activity of MG muscles was significantly different in the two age groups. This study could provide the reference data to develop cycling exercises for lower limbs during rehabilitation of the elderly patients.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.149-169
• /
• 2018

Purpose : This study was to develop a strategy for modeling future workforce projections to serve as a basis for analyzing annual supply of and demand for physical therapists across the South Korea into 2030. Methods : In-and-out movement model was used to project the supply of physical therapists. The demand was projected according to the demand-based method which consists of four-stages such as estimation of the utilization rate of the base year, forecasting of health care utilization of the target years, forecasting of the requirements of clinical physical therapists and non-clinical physical therapists based on the projected physical therapists. Results : Based on the current productivity standards, there will be oversupply of 39,007 to 40,875 physical therapists under the demand scenario of average rate in 2030, undersupply of 44,663 to 49,885 under the demand scenario of logistic model, oversupply of 16,378 to 19,100 under the demand scenario of logarithm, and oversupply of 18,185 to 20,839 under the demand scenario of auto-regressive moving average (ARIMA) model in 2030. Conclusion : The result of this projection suggests that the direction and degree of supply of and demand for physical therapists varied depending on physical therapists productivity and utilization growth scenarios. However, the need for introduction of a professional physical therapist system and the need to provide long-term care rehabilitation services are actively being discussed in entering the aging society. If community rehabilitation programs for rehabilitation of disabled people and the elderly are activated, the demand of physical therapists will increase, especially for elderly people. Therefore, healthcare policy should focus on establishing rehabilitation service infrastructure suitable for an aging society, providing high-quality physical therapy services, and effective utilization of physical therapists.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.45 no.6
• /
• pp.376-387
• /
• 2022

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play an essential role in the communication between cells and the tumor microenvironment. However, the effect of tumor-derived EVs on the growth and metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains to be explored. This study aimed to elucidate the role of miR-153-3p-EVs in the invasion and migration capabilities of LUAD cells and explore its mechanism through in vivo and in vitro experiments. We found that miR-153-3p was specifically and highly expressed in LUAD and its secreted EVs. Furthermore, the expression of BANCR was negatively regulated by miR-153-3p and identified as a target gene of miR-153-3p using luciferase reporter assays. Through further investigation, we found that the downregulation of BANCR activates the PI3K/AKT pathway and accelerates the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which ultimately leads to the aggravation of LUAD. The orthotopic xenograft mouse model was established to illustrate the effect of miR-153-3p-EVs on LUAD. Animal studies showed that miR-153-3p-EVs accelerated tumor growth in mice. Besides, we found that miR-153-3p-EVs could damage the respiratory ability of mice and produce a mass of inflammatory cells around the lung tissue of mice. Nevertheless, antagomir-153-3p treatment could inhibit the deterioration of respiratory function and inhibit the growth of lung tumors in mice. In conclusion, our study reveals the potential molecular mechanism of miR-153-3p-EVs in the development of LUAD and provides a potential strategy for the treatment of LUAD.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.55 no.10
• /
• pp.512-517
• /
• 2022

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is brain damage which is caused by the impact of external mechanical forces. TBI can lead to the temporary or permanent impairment of physical and cognitive abilities, resulting in abnormal behavior. We recently observed that a single session of early exercise in animals with TBI improved their behavioral performance in the absence of other cognitive abnormalities. In the present study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of continuous exercise during the early stages of TBI in rats. We found that continuous low-intensity exercise in early-stage improves the locomotion recovery in the TBI of animal models; however, it does not significantly enhance short-term memory capabilities. Moreover, continuous early exercise not only reduces the protein expression of cerebral damage-related markers, such as Glial Fibrillary Acid Protein (GFAP), Neuron-Specific Enolase (NSE), S100β, Protein Gene Products 9.5 (PGP9.5), and Heat Shock Protein 70 (HSP70), but it also decreases the expression of apoptosis-related protein BAX and cleaved caspase 3. Furthermore, exercise training in animals with TBI decreases the microglia activation and the expression of inflammatory cytokines in the serum, such as CCL20, IL-13, IL-1α, and IL-1β. These findings thus demonstrate that early exercise therapy for TBI may be an effective strategy in improving physiological function, and that serum protein levels are useful biomarkers for the predicition of the effectiveness of early exercise therapy.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.48 no.2
• /
• pp.68-76
• /
• 2023

Background: In the process of discussion on the possibility of using radionuclide-contaminated soil and debris generated by radiation disasters, a strategy for the proper management of radiation exposure protection while considering the source of the contaminated materials is necessary. Materials and Methods: The radiological protection criteria that are likely to be applied to the source-related approach based on the International Commission on Radiological Protection recommendations and the International Atomic Energy Agency safety standards are summarized. We proposed five interpretations of radiation protection to contribute to the promotion of discussion on the possibility of using a part of low-level-radionuclide-contaminated soil and debris in the post-accident rehabilitation. Interpretations I to III are based on the idea of "using a reference level to protect the public in post-accident rehabilitation," whereas IV and V are based on the idea of "using the dose constraint to protect the public in the post-accident rehabilitation when the sources are handled in a planned activity." The former idea is subdivided into three based on the definition of the source, which is managed by the reference level, and the latter idea is divided into two depending on whether or not additional dose from using contaminated materials is deemed acceptable. Results and Discussion: To confirm the applicability of the five interpretations presented, we suggested the concrete values of protection criteria via two feasible cases. In this case study, we proposed radiation protection by the dose constraint based on the Interpretation IV and chose 1 mSv/yr for the public and 20 mSv/yr for workers dealing with radionuclide-contaminated materials. Conclusion: We concretely and systematically demonstrated how the concept of radiation protection can be applied to the process of discussion on the possibility of using radionuclide-contaminated materials within the framework of an international system of protection. This study's findings can provide necessary information to discuss the possibility of using radionuclide-contaminated materials as an alternative option for recovery and reconstruction after a radiation disaster from the viewpoint of radiation protection.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.10-17
• /
• 2024

In Korea, the common remedial process for reclamation of agricultural soils nearby abandoned mines involves chemical soil stabilization followed by covering with clean soil. This study investigated the chemical properties of cover soils and the validity of HCl extraction method in assessing the degree of As and heavy metal stabilization in stabilized soils collected from 14 plots where mine reclamation had been completed. The results revealed there were no major differences in contaminants extraction rate between the stabilized soils and contaminated soils, suggesting HCl extraction procedure is a less feasible method to determine the efficiency of the stabilization. Soil quality indicators including OM, SiO₂, P₂O₅, etc. of the land-covering soils were generally lower than those of stabilized soils that used to be the cultivation layer before the stabilization. Nonetheless, the value of those indicators didn't meet the regulatry limits of agricultural soil. Therefore, future strategy for mine reclamation should concentrate not only on contaminant concentration but also on soil quality parameters for agricultural use of the reclaimed soil.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.108-122
• /
• 2005

The gait training strategy in very important things for central nervous system(CNS) injury patients. There are many method and strategy for regaining of the gait who had CNS injury. A human being has central pattern generator(CPG) is spinal CPG for locomotion. It is a neural network which make the cyclical patterns and rhythmical activities for walking. Sensory input from loading and hip position is essential for CPG stimulation that makes the central neural rhythm and pattern generating structure. From sensory input, the proprioceptive information facilitate proximal muscles that controlled in voluntarily from cortical level and visual and / or acoustical information facilitate distal muscles that controlled voluntarily from subcortical level. Gait training method can classify that is functional level and structural level. Functional level includ level surface gait, going up and down the stair. It is important to facilitate a guide tempo in order to activate the central pattern generators. During the functional test or functional activities, can point out the poor period in gait that have to be facilitate in structural level. There are many access methods with patient position and potentiality. The methods are using of rhythmic initiation, replication and combination of isotonic with standing position. Clinically using it on weight transfer onto the stance leg, loading response, loading response and pre-swing, terminal stance, up and downwards stairs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.19-28
• /
• 2017

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe the Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) Intervention strategy applied International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) Tool about strength, range of motion, scapular stability, pain and function of shoulder for patients with adhesive capsulitis. METHODS: The data was collected by patient with adhesive capsulitis. The patient was a 50-year-old male diagnosed with right shoulder with adhesive capsulitis. We applied the PNF Intervention strategy applied ICF Tool to patient with adhesive capsulitis. PNF interventions were consisting of such as combination of isotonic and stabilizing reversal technique and various positions. PNF interventions were applied, such as those aiming at decreasing pain and disability and increasing range of motion and function for the four weeks. Parameters of result were collected for strength, range of motion, scapular stability, pain and function of shoulder using the hand held dynamometer, goniometer, lateral scapula slide test, and shoulder pain and disability index, respectively. RESULTS: Clinical benefits were observed the patient with adhesive capsulitis for strength, range of motion, scapular stability, pain, and function of shoulder. The patient with adhesive capsulitis improved strength, range of motion, scapular stability, pain, and function of shoulder. CONCLUSION: Patient reported improved strength, range of motion, scapular stability, pain, and function of shoulder after intervention.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.30 no.6
• /
• pp.495-502
• /
• 2009

This paper investigated the effects of dynamic postural control for maintaining upright standing on a support surface during continuous sinusoidal horizontal translation in anterior-posterior direction. 15 healthy young subjects participated in this experiment. The analysis of body movement was analyzed using Ariel Performance Analysis System. Motion pattern was analyzed by seven markers on subject's body. Position of markers were head, chest, hip, right knee, left knee, right ankle and left ankle. Seven different frequencies of support surface were employed ; 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5 and 2Hz at 2cm of moving path of motionbase. The experiments were performed dynamic postural reponses at the condition of eye open. The results showed that median frequency of the knee, ankle were increased in all frequency bands. Following the frequency of perturbation increased, postural control strategy was changed from ankle strategy to combined strategy. The experiment results could be applied to the dynamic postural training for the elderly and the rehabilitation training for the patients to improving the ability of postural control.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.79-93
• /
• 2020

Objectives While sciatic neuropathy is one of the common symptoms which have the lifetime incidence of 13~40%, still there is no consensus about the standardized and the most effective conservative treatment. In addition, the importance of systematic review and meta-analysis of preclinical are growing as they could suggest possible effective treatment strategy for future studies. Therefore, we conducted systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate analgesic effect of acupuncture on sciatica in rat models. Methods Systematic search was conducted for all controlled comparative preclinical trials which assessed analgesic effect of acupuncture in sciatica rat models. Database of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CNKI and 6 Korean databases were used. The primary outcome was pain, which is evaluated by stimulus behavior tests in rat models. We assessed the methodological quality with Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation's risk of bias tool. RevMan 5.3 was used for meta-analysis and subgroup analysis was conducted according to treatment site, acupuncture point, treatment period and frequency used in electroacupuncture. Results 14 studies were finally included following our inclusion criteria. The data from meta-analysis indicated that the acupuncture significantly improved the result values of behavior tests for pain evaluation, compared to no-treatment control group in animal models (standardized mean difference=4.43, 95% confidence interval 3.16 to 5.69, Z=6.84, p<0.00001; χ²=68.02, p<0.00001; I²=82%). The results of subgroup analysis indicate that acupuncture treatment of unilateral site, distal acupoints, longer treatment period and applying 2/100 Hz frequency in electroacupuncture could be more effective. Conclusions Systematic review and meta-analysis of animal studies are getting important for the future clinical studies and the improvement of heatlh care. Therefore the results of the study would provide evidence and better design for the forthcoming studies.