• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제22권5호
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• pp.103-108
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• 2010

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate whether motor cortex excitability by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over primary motor cortex (M1) affects motor performance of serial reaction task. Methods: Cathodal, anodal and sham tDCS (1 mA) are applied over right M1 of 24 subjects for 30 minutes including 11minutes for task period time. We applied two electrodes at the same position to both an experimental group and a sham-controlled group, and we made 2 groups recognize to be applicated of stimulation. Flexion, extension of wrist and thumb flexion are carried out following colors of arrows on the monitor. Serial reaction time task was applied to confirm the difference of the reaction time between 2 groups. Results: Reaction time is decreased in both tDCS-group and Sham-controlled tDCS group, and the degree of reduction is much greater in the post-test than pre-test. Reduction of reaction time between groupsis statistically significant. Conclusion: We consider that anodal tDCS increased the cortical excitability of the underlying motor cortex and it can be helpful to modulate motor performance. It seems that tDCS is an effective modality to modulate brain function, and it will be great help to mediate strategy for the brain injury patients.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제32권4호
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• pp.305-311
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• 2011

For effective stimulation with tDCS, spatial focality of induced electrical field(EF) and current density(CD) is one of the important factors to be considered. Recently, there have been some studies to improve the spatial focality via different types of electrodes and their new configurations: some improvements using ring electrodes were reported over the conventional pad electrodes. However, most of these studies assumed isotropic conductivities in the head. In this work, we have investigated the effect of tissue anisotropy on the spatial focality of tDCS with the 4 + 1 ring electrode configuration via a 3-D high-resolution finite element(FE) head model with anisotropic conductivities in the skull and white matter. By examining the profiles of the induced EF from the head models with isotropic and anisotropic conductivities respectively, we found that the spatial focality of the induced EF significantly drops and get diffused due to tissue anisotropy. Our analysis suggests that it is critical to incorporate tissue anisotropy in the effective stimulation of the brain via tDCS.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.117-122
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of the present randomized controlled clinical study was to evaluate the short-term outcomes of micro-current electrical neuromuscular stimulation (MENS) as an adjunct method to nonsurgical periodontal therapy. Methods: Twenty patients with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis were recruited into the study and randomly treated with either nonsurgical periodontal therapy followed by 5 MENS treatments with a micro current device or by nonsurgical periodontal therapy alone. Periodontal parameters were measured at baseline and 6 weeks following therapy, and included the plaque index, bleeding on probing, probing depth, and clinical attachment level (CAL). Results: All measured values were reduced at the time of re-evaluation. The amount of inflammation was significantly reduced in both the test (P=0.002) and control group (P=0.015). The test group demonstrated a significant CAL gain at 6 weeks following therapy, including non-molar (P=0.009) and molar teeth (P=0.028). In comparison with the control group, the test group showed statistically significant differences in the CAL on both molar (P=0.027) and non-molar teeth (P=0.031). Conclusions: In conclusion, the short-term results of the study indicate that MENS could be a suitable adjunctive method in the treatment of chronic periodontitis.

• 한국정보통신학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국해양정보통신학회 2011년도 추계학술대회
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• pp.331-334
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• 2011

본 연구는 근육의 기능을 조절하는 신경말단에 전기적인 자극을 가하여 신경의 반응 정도를 측정하는 플랫폼 구현에 관란 연구로써, 전기 자극에 대한 신경반응이 가해지는 전류량, 가해진느 전류지속시간, 전극위치에 따른 반응을 측정하였다. 신경자극의 전극 위치는 표면 말단에 운동신경이면 어느 신경이든지 가능하고, 신경자극 양식에는 단순연축자극, 사연속자극, 두 집단 발사자극이 있다. 임베디드 시스템기반으로 가기위한 저전력 MCU를 선정하고, 기본적인 신경자극반응 측정 센서의 민감도를 알아보기 위해 센서 인터페이스를 구성하여 반응정도를 측정해야 한다. 그리고 측정된 Data의 정확도를 높이기 위해 고성능의 AD Convertor 선정하여 플랫폼을 구현하였다. 또한 본 논문의 플랫폼은 의료기기용으로 개발되었기 때문에 시스템 이용자의 안전을 고려하여 전원회로 구성 시 전원 Isolation를 고려하여 설계하였다.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제36권1호
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• pp.39-44
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• 2024

Purpose: Cybersickness is a type of motion sickness induced by virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR) environments that presents symptoms including nausea, dizziness, and headaches. This study aimed to investigate how cathodal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) alleviates motion sickness symptoms and modulates brain activity in individuals experiencing cybersickness after exposure to a VR environment. Methods: This study was performed on two groups of healthy adults with cybersickness symptoms. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive either cathodal tDCS intervention or sham tDCS intervention. Brain activity during VR stimulation was measured by 38-channel functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). tDCS was administered to the right temporoparietal junction (TPJ) for 20 minutes at an intensity of 2mA, and the severity of cybersickness was assessed pre- and post-intervention using a simulator sickness questionnaire (SSQ). Result: Following the experiment, cybersickness symptoms in subjects who received cathodal tDCS intervention were reduced based on SSQ scores, whereas those who received sham tDCS showed no significant change. fNIRS analysis revealed that tDCS significantly diminished cortical activity in subjects with high activity in temporal and parietal lobes, whereas high cortical activity was maintained in these regions after intervention in subjects who received sham tDCS. Conclusion: These findings suggest that cathodal tDCS applied to the right TPJ region in young adults experiencing cybersickness effectively reduces motion sickness induced by VR environments.

• 대한물리치료과학회지
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.15-23
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Interferential current stimulation therapy(ICT) on pain, balance, and walking ability of elderly patients with chronic low back pain. Methods: Twenty participants were randomly assigned to ICT group (2 males and 8 females) and placebo ICT group (3 males and 7 females). Participants were ICT and placebo ICT for 20 minutes, and the pre- and post-VAS, TUG and postural balance were measured. Results: The ICT group showed significantly decreased pain scores in the elderly patients with chronic low back pain (p<.05) than the placebo ICT group. The postural fluctuation with eyes opened and closed was significantly lower than the placebo ICT group(p<.05), and the ICT group showed remarkable improvement (p<.05). Conclusion: ICT was expected to improve decrease pain, improve postureal sway and walking ability remarkably. Therefore, It was expected that the application or ICT would be an effective method for elderly patients with Chronic Low Back Pain.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제4권4호
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• pp.311-318
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• 2000

We cultured the rabbit inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) cells as monolayers on collagen-coated membrane filters, and investigated distribution of the P2Y receptors by analyzing nucleotide-induced short circuit current $(I_{sc})$ responses. Exposure to different nucleotides of either the apical or basolateral surface of cell monolayers stimulated $I_{sc}.$ Dose-response relationship and cross-desensitization studies suggested that at least 3 distinct P2Y receptors are expressed asymmetrically on the apical and basolateral membranes. A $P2Y_2-like$ receptor, which responds to UTP and ATP, is expressed on both the apical and basolateral membranes. In addition, a uracil nucleotide receptor, which responds to UDP and UTP, but not ATP, is expressed predominantly on the apical membrane. In contrast, a $P2Y_1-like$ receptor, which responds to ADP and 2-methylthio-ATP, is expressed predominantly on the basolateral membrane. These nucleotides stimulated intracellular cAMP production with an asymmetrical profile, which was comparable to that in the stimulation of $I_{sc}.$ Our results suggest that the adenine and uracil nucleotides can interact with different P2Y nucleotide receptors that are expressed asymmetrically on the apical and basolateral membranes of the rabbit IMCD cells, and that both cAMP- and $Ca^{2+}-dependent$ signaling mechanisms underlie the stimulation of $I_{sc}$.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제27권6호
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• pp.343-350
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• 2006

Medical magnetic stimulator generates strong magnetic field pulses. Clinical applications of the magnetic pulse are the stimulation of nervous system and the contraction of muscle. The unique source of the strong magnetic pulse is a capacitor-inductor resonator and this inductor generates a strong sinusoidal magnetic pulse by discharging the capacitor with high initial voltage. Continuous muscle contraction needs sequential generation of the magnetic pulses. However, to keep the magnitude of sequential pulses identical, an expensive high-voltage power supply have to support voltage drop of the capacitor between the pulses. A protection circuit between the supply and the resonator is necessary to protect the supply from reverse current caused by capacitor voltage reversal. In this paper, a new circuit structure of the magnetic stimulator adopting a low-frequency fly-back switching is proposed. The new circuit supports sequential pulse generation and allows the reverse current without damage. Performance of the new circuit is examined and a low-cost magnetic stimulator for urinary incontinence therapy is being developed using the presented method.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 제어로봇시스템학회 2005년도 ICCAS
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• pp.145-150
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• 2005

This paper presents an Electrotactile Display System (ETCS). One of the most important human sensory systems for human computer interaction is the sense of touch, which can be displayed to human through tactile output devices. To realize the sense of touch, electrotactile display produces controlled, localized touch sensation on the skin by passing small electric current. In electrotactile stimulation, the mechanoreceptors in the skin may be stimulated individually in order to display the sense of vibration, touch, itch, tingle, pressure etc. on the finger, palm, arm or any suitable location of the body by using appropriate electrodes and waveforms. We developed an ETCS and investigated effectiveness of the proposed system in terms of the perception of roughness of a surface by stimulating the palmar side of hand with different waveforms and the perception of direction and location information through forearm. Positive and negative pulse trains were tested with different current intensities and electrode switching times on the forearm or finger of the user with an electrode-embedded armband in order to investigate how subjects recognize displayed patterns and directions of stimulation.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.65-69
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• 2006

In murine gastrointestinal myocytes muscarinic stimulation activates nonselective cation channels via a G-protein and $Ca^{2+}$-dependent pathway. We recorded inward cationic currents following application of carbachol ($I_{CCh}$) to murine gastric myocytes held at -60 mV, using the whole-cell patch-clamp method. The properties of the inward cationic currents were similar to those of the nonselective cation channels activated by muscarinic stimulation in other gastrointestinal smooth muscle cells. CCh-induced $I_{CCh}$ and spontaneous decay of $I_{CCh}$ (desensitization of $I_{CCh}$) occurred. Unlike the situation in guinea pig gastric myocytes, desensitization was not affected by varying $[EGTA]_i$. Pretreatment with the PLC inhibitor (U73122) blocked the activation of $I_{CCh}$, and desensitization of $I_{CCh}$ was attenuated in PLC ${\beta}_1$ knock-out mice. These results suggest that the desensitization of $I_{CCh}$ in murine gastric myocytes is not due to a pathway dependent on intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ but to the PLC ${\beta}_1$ pathway.