• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.155-163
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• 1998

The purpose of present study was to compare the effects of somatostatin (SOM) and morphine (Mor) on the responses of wide dynamic range (WDR) cells to peripheral noxious stimulation. Single neuronal activity was recorded with a carbon-filament electrode at the lumbosacral enlargement of cat spinal cord. After identifying WDR cells, their responses to peripheral noxious mechanical or thermal stimuli were characterized and the effects of SOM and Mor, applied either iontophoretically or intrathecally, were studied. In most cells SOM and Mor suppressed noxious stimulus-evoked WDR neuronal activity, though a few WDR neurons showed no change or were excited by SOM and Mor. Systemically applied naloxone, a non-specific opioid antagonist, always reversed the Mor induced suppression of neuronal activity evoked by noxious mechanical stimuli, but did not always reverse the suppression of neuronal activity elicited by SOM. The suppressive effect of Mor on thermal stimulus-evoked neuronal activity was partially reversed by naloxone, while that of SOM were not reversed at all. The above results suggest that both Mor and SOM exert an inhibitory effect on thermal and mechanical stimulus-evoked WDR neuronal activity in cat spinal dorsal horn, but the mechanisms are dependent upon the functional populations of dorsal horn nociceptive neurons.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2013

This paper experimentally deals with the excitation by functional electrical stimulus(FES) and the response of electromyo-potential at the muscles of antebrachial joint in a human body. The excitation of FES, which results in the contraction of the muscles and thus the flection of the joint, shows that the flection angle of the joint is proportional to the magnitude of the stimulus current. The response of electromyo-potential measured according to the FES shows the linearly-proportional relation between the joint torque and the electromyo-potential. The results can be used for active motion of joint rehabilitation.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.169-176
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• 2010

The hyperosmotic stimulus is regarded as a mechanical factor for bone remodeling. However, whether the hyperosmotic stimulus affects $1{\alpha}$, 25-dihydroxyvitamin $D_3$ ($1{\alpha},25(OH)_2D_3$)-induced osteoclastogenesis is not clear. In the present study, the effect of the hyperosmotic stimulus on $1{\alpha},25(OH)_2D_3$-induced osteoclastogenesis was investigated in an osteoblast-preosteoclast co-culture system. Serial doses of sucrose were applied as a mechanical force. These hyperosmotic stimuli significantly evoked a reduced number of $1{\alpha},25(OH)_2D_3$-induced tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive multinucleated cells and $1{\alpha},25(OH)_2D_3$-induced bone-resorbing pit area in a co-culture system. In osteoblastic cells, receptor activator of nuclear factor ${\kappa}B$ ligand (RANKL) and Runx2 expressions were down-regulated in response to $1{\alpha},25(OH)_2D_3$. Knockdown of Runx2 inhibited $1{\alpha},25(OH)_2D_3$-induced RANKL expression in osteoblastic cells. Finally, the hyperosmotic stimulus induced the overexpression of TonEBP in osteoblastic cells. These results suggest that hyperosmolarity leads to the down-regulation of $1{\alpha},25(OH)_2D_3$-induced osteoclastogenesis, suppressing Runx2 and RANKL expression due to the TonEBP overexpression in osteoblastic cells.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.151-167
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• 1989

The present study was undertaken to investigate modification in electrophysiological characteristics of cat dorsal horn cells resulting from carrageenin-induced inflammation. The followings were studied; 1) the time-course of changes in responses of the WDR (wide dynamic range) cell 1-3h after subcutaneous injection of carrageenin in its receptive field; 2) the responses of the same dorsal hern cells before and after induction of inflammation; 3) the effect of inflammation on the responsiveness of dorsal horn neurons to algogens (bradykinin & potassium); and 4) the effect of inflammation on the activity of WDR cell following administration of indomethacin and clonidine. Though responses of WDR neuron were increased dramatically during first 1h, the maximal enhancement was observed 3h after induction of inflammation especially by repetitive light tactile stimulus. Following carrageenin injection the majority of WDR neurons (10/15 units) showed enhanced responses to all the mechanical stimuli while in 3 cases responsiveness were intensified during activation by one tactile stimulus (brush or pressure). One cell was unaffected by inflammation and in another case the response was enhanced only to noxious stimulus. Five of 9 cells that could initially be driven by noxious stimulus were activated more strongly by same stimulus and even by tactile stimulus (pressure) following inflammation. In 2 cases neurons were sensitized only to noxious stimulus whereas in another 2 cells that did not show enhanced responses to noxious stimulus responses to light tactile stimulus (pressure) appeared after inflammation. Of 16 LT cells tested 6 responded to squeeze while 4 showed the characteristics of WDR cell following inflammation. No modification in responsiveness was recognized in 3 cells whereas response to only brush was enhanced in another 3 neurons. Following carrageenin injection responses of LT cell to bradykinin or $K^{+}$ were not altered whereas those of WOR neurons to bradykinin or $K^{+}$ were suppressed in 22.2% and 33.3% of cases, respectively. In two of 8 activity of HT cells were inhibited by bradykinin while in five of 8 responsiveness to $K^{+}$ were rather enhanced by inflammation. In the rest inflammation was ineffective. In inflammation-induced animal the receptive field of LT cell was not changed whereas those of WDR cell and HT cell were tremendously expanded. The enhanced responses of WDR neurons to mechanical stimuli resulted from inflammation were suppressed by intravenously injected indomethacin and clonidine suggesting that postaglandin is involved in inflammation-induced sensitization of these cells. The involvement of peripheral and central mechanisms in the modification in responsiveness of dorsal horn cells in the carrageenin-induced inflammation was discussed.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.1103-1109
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• 2003

An adaptive bone remodeling is simulated by using the cellular automata (CA) method. It is assumed that bone tissue consist of bone marrow, osteoclast, osteoblast cell or osteoprogenitor cell. Two types of local rule are adopted; those are the metabolism rule and adaptive bone formation rule. The metabolism rule is based on the interactions of cells and the bone formation rule is based on the adaptation against the mechanical stimulus. The history of load and memory of mechanical stimulus are also considered in the local rules. As a result, the pattern of distribution of the bone tissue is dynamically adequate and it is similar to intact cancellous bone.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.429-438
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• 1994

An electrical stimulator was designed to induce locomotion for paraplegic patients caused by central nervous system injury. Optimal stimulus parameters, which can minimize muscle fatigue and can achieve effective muscle contraction were determined in slow and fast muscles in Sprague-Dawley rats. Stimulus patterns of our stimulator were designed to simulate eleclromyographic activity monitored during locomotion of normal subjects. Muscle types of the lower extremity were classified according to their mechanical property of contraction, which are slow muscle (msoleus m.) and fast muscle (medial gastrocnemius m., rectus femoris m., vastus lateralis m.). Optimal parameters of electrical stimulation for slow muscles were 20 Hz, 0.2 ms square pulse. For fast muscle, 40 Hz, 0.3 ms square pulse was optimal to produce repeated contraction. Higher'stimulus intensity was required when synergistic muscles were stimulated simultaneously than when they were stimulated individually. Electrical stimulation for each muscle was designed to generate bipedal locomotion, so that individual muscles alternate contraction and relaxation to simulate stance and swing phases. Portable electrical stimulator with 16 channels built in microprocessor was constructed and applied to paraplegic patients due to lumbar cord injury. The electrical slimulator restored partially gait function in paraplegic patients.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.27-32
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• 2008

Bone is a self-assembly material. It is known that the low amplitude and high frequency mechanical stimulus, which is much less amplitude but higher frequency than those induced by the normal activity, can induce new bone formation. The vibrating resonance is employed to elucidate why new bone is formed by this kind of mechanical stimulus. For example, as 30 Hz and $5{\mu}{\epsilon}$ mechanical stimulus is applied at the wall of canaliculus (the tiny tube type pathway of bone fluid flow and the diameter of canaliculus is less than 200nm), the osteocytic cell membrane experiences $1,000{\mu}{\epsilon}$ strain due to the vibrating resonance. Two experiments will follow after this pilot study; (1) observing the MAPK pathway of osteocytes by using in-vitro cell culture and (2) visualizing the actin filament network in the osteocytes by using the imaging technique, such as confocal laser scanning microscope.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.109-111
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• 1989

An electrical stimulator was designed to induce locomotion for paraplegic patients caused by central nervous system injury. Optimal stimulus parameters, which can minimize muscle fatigue and can achieve effective muscle contraction were determined in slow and fast muscles in Sprague-Dawley rats. Stimulus patterns of our stimulator were designed to simulate electromyographic activity monitored during locomotion of normal subjects. Muscle types of the lower extremity were classified according to their mechanical property of contraction, which are slow muscle (msoleus m.) and fast muscle (medial gastrocneminus m., rectus femoris m., vastus lateralis m.). Optimal parameters of electrical stimulation for slow muscles were 20 Hz, 0.2 ms square pulse. For fast muscle, 40 Hz, 0.3 ms square pulse was optimal to produce repeated contraction. Higher stimulus intensity was required when synergistic muscles were stimulated simultaneously than when they were stimulated individually. Electrical stimulation for each muscle was designed to generate bipedal locomotion, so that individual muscles alternate contraction and relaxation to simulate stance and swing phases. Portable electrical stimulator with 16 channels built in microprocessor was constructed and applied to paraplegic patients due to lumbar cord injury. The electrical stimulator restored partially gait function in paraplegic patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Visualization
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.22-27
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• 2015

Caenorhabditis elegans (C.elegans) has various interesting behavioral properties, such as chemotaxis, thermotaxis, and electrotaxis. However, most previous research were only focused on single-stimulus for studying its behavioral properties. In this paper, we propose a simple and effective device for analyzing the behavior of C.elegans with combined stimuli, electric field and temperature. We compared and analyzed wild type worms (N2) and four mutant worms (tax-4, ttx-7, unc-54, unc-6). We analyzed the reaction of worms to certain stimulus and identified that this device is effective to apply a combined stimulus.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.162-167
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• 2020

The skin-inspired multimodal soft sensors have been developed through multidisciplinary approaches to mimic the sensing ability with high sensitivity and mechanical durability of human skin. For practical application, although the stimulus discriminability against a complex stimulus composed of various mechanical and thermal stimuli experienced in daily life is essential, it still shows a low level actually. In this paper, we first introduce the operating mechanisms and representative studies of the unimodal soft sensor, and then discuss the recent research trend in the multimodal soft sensors and the stimulus discriminability.