No abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Little is known about the detailed anatomic location and somatotopic arrangement at the CP. Using DTT with FSL tools, we conducted an investigation of the anatomic location and somatotopic arrangement of the CST at the CP in the human brain.

The present study purposed to measure the BCG (Ballistocardiogram) of subjects on a wheelchair using a noncontact electro-mechanical film sensor (EMFi sensor) and detect the respiratory rate from BCG in real-time while the subjects are moving. In order to measure wirelessly the BCG of subjects moving on a wheelchair, we made a seat-type noncontact EMFi sensor and developed a transmitter and a receiver using Zigbee wireless RF communication technology. The sensor is embedded with a 3-axis accelerometer to remove the noise of wheelchair vibration from BCG signal. Signal obtained from each sensor goes through the A/D converter and is recorded in the SD (Secure Digital) card in PDA (Personal Digital Assistance) with a receiving part. We also developed a PC (Personal Computer) data analysis program, analyzed data recorded in the SD card using the program, and presented the results in graph. Lastly, this study demonstrated that a warning message can be sent from PDA to the remote server via a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) network in case the person on wheelchair falls in emergency. Our experiment was carried out with healthy male and female adults in their 20s who volunteered to help this research. The results of analyzing collected data will show that the respiratory rate can be measured in real-time on a moving wheelchair.

Background and Objectives: Bromelain is a mixture of protease obtained from pineapple fruits or stems. Even though the biological mechanism of action of bromelain has not been completely understood, it is well known that bromelain possesses anticancer, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of bromelain on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced human dental pulp cells (hDPCs). Materials and Methods: Cell viability after bromelain treatment was measured using WST-1 assay. We exposed hDPCs to 5 µg/mL of LPS with 2.5 or 5 µg/mL of bromelain. We performed reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and interleukin-8 levels. Western blots were used to detect intercellular adhesion molecules-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecules-1 (VCAM-1) levels. Immunofluorescence staining and Western blots were used to determine bromelain’s anti-inflammatory mechanism. We also performed alkaline phosphatase and Alizarin red staining to verify mineralization nodule formation. Results: Bromelain at 2.5, 5, 10, or 20 µg/mL did not affect the viability of hDPCs significantly. LPS increased interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression in hDPCs. Bromelain significantly decreased interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1 levels in hDPCs, which were stimulated by LPS. Bromelain treatment significantly reduced p65 phosphorylation in the cytoplasm and the nucleus. It also significantly decreased phosphorylation levels of extracellular signal-related kinases (ERK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38). Bromelain also promoted ALP activity and mineralized nodule formation. Conclusions: Bromelain inhibits the expression of inflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated hDPCs. The inhibitory effect of bromelain on inflammatory mediators is related to decreased NF-κB and the MAPK pathway. Therefore, bromelain might have the potential to be used for regenerative endodontics, including vital pulp therapy.

In this paper, reduction of the radiated sound from a vibrating rectangular plate is studied using the Acoustic Prediction Filter to estimate the radiated sound using the acceleration signals of the plate. A piezoceramic transducer (PZT) is used as an actuator to reduce the vibration and the radiated sound. To maximize the control performance, each PZT actuator is located at the position that has the largest control sensitivity of the plate bending moment in the direction of x and y coordinates and the optimal PZT location is validated experimentally. To find the acoustic prediction filter accurately, two accelerometers are located at the positions that have the largest radiation efficiencies of the plate, and the proposed locations are validated by simulation using the Rayleigh integral. The multichannel filtered-x LMS algorithm is introduced to control a complex 2-D structural vibration mode. The control system using the acoustic prediction filter is presented and validated by experiments using a real time control system.

BACKGROUND: Trunk stability has been identified as an important prerequisite of functional movement. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of core muscle contraction training on abdominal muscle thickness, balance, and gait ability in stroke patients. METHODS: Thirty patients with stroke were randomly assigned to two experimental groups and a control group. All groups received conventional therapeutic exercise program for six weeks. The experimental groups additionally trained trunk stability exercise with abdominal hollowing or bracing maneuvers within training time. Primary outcome measures were evaluated abdominal muscle thickness using the sonography. Secondary outcome measures were evaluated by the Functional Reach Test (FRT), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), 10-meter walk test (10MWT), and Timed Up and Go test (TUG). RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the effect of trunk stability training for the experimental groups on the abdominal muscles thickness change was observed (p <  0.05). The values in balance and gait measures, BBS, FRT, 10MWT, and TUG, showed significant improvement after the intervention periods (p <  0.05), although no significant differences were found in scores of gait and balance scales among groups. CONCLUSIONS: Trunk stability training with selective abdominal muscles activation has beneficial effects on abdominal muscles, balance, and mobility in stroke patients. Our findings might provide support for introducing stroke rehabilitation.

The concept of ubiquitous healthcare service, which emerged as one of measures to solve healthcare problems in aged society, means that patients can receive services such as prevention, diagnosis, therapy and prognosis management at any time and in any place with the help of advanced information and communication technology. This service requires not only biomedical digital assistant that can monitor continuously the patients' health condition regardless of time and place, but also wired and wireless communication devices and telemedicine servers that provide doctors with data on patients' present health condition. In order to implement a biomedical digital assistant that is portable and wearable to patients, the present study developed a device that minimizes size, weight and power consumption, measures ECG and PPG signals, and even monitors moving patients' state. The biomedical sensor with the function of wireless communication was designed to be highly portable and wearable, to be operable 24 hours with small-size batteries, and to monitor the subject's heart rate, step count and respiratory rate in his daily life. The biomedical signal receiving device was implemented in two forms, PDA and cellular phone. The movement monitoring device embedded in the battery pack of a cellular phone does not have any problem in operating 24 hours, but the real-time biomedical signal receiving device implemented with PDA operated up to 6 hours due to the limited battery capacity of PDA. This problem is expected to be solved by reducing wireless communication load through improving the processing and storage functions of the sensor. The developed device can transmit a message on the patient's emergency to the remote server through the cellular phone network, and is expected to play crucial roles in the health management of chronic-aged patients in their daily life.

The application of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) enhances muscle weakness and static balance by muscle fatigue. It was said that TENS affects decrease of the postural sway. On the other hand, the applications of TENS to separate dorsi-plantar flexor and the comparison with and without visual input have not been studied. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of TENS on fatigued dorsi-plantar flexor with and without visual input. 13 healthy adult males and 12 females were recruited and agreed to participate as the subject (mean age 20.5 ± 1.4, total 25) in this study after a preliminary research. This experiment was a single group repeated measurements design in three days. The first day, after exercise-induced fatigue, the standing position was maintained for 30 minutes and then the postural sway was measured on eyes open(EO) and eyes closed(EC). The second, TENS was applied to dorsi flexor in standing position for 30 minutes after conducting exercise-induced fatigue. On the last day, plantar flexor applied by TENS was measured to the postural sway on EO and EC after same exercise-induced fatigue. The visual input was not statistically difference between the groups. However, when compared of dorsi-plantar flexor after applied to TENS without visual input, the postural sway of plantar flexor was lower than the dorsi flexor (p < 0.05). As the result, the application of TENS in GCM clinically decreases the postural sway with visual input it helps to stable posture control and prevent to falling down.