The purpose of the present study was to investigate the combined effect of electrical stimulation (ES) and eccentric contraction to prevent disuse atrophy in rat deep portion of calf muscles. Rats were randomly divided into the control, hindlimb unloading for 2 weeks (HU), and HU plus ES combined concentric (HU+cES), isometric (HU+iES), eccentric (HU+eES) contraction groups. The animals in the ES groups were stimulated electrically using middle frequency current twice a day during the unloading period. Animals undergoing HU for 2 weeks exhibited the significant loss of muscle mass, decreased cross-sectional area of muscle fibers, and increased expression of ubiquitinated proteins in the soleus muscles compared with the control animals. HU+eES inhibited the loss of muscle mass, decreased cross-sectional area of muscle fibers in the soleus muscles. In addition, the HU+eES inhibited the HU-induced increase in ubiquitinated protein expression in the soleus muscles. Furthermore, the HU+eES inhibited the loss of muscle mass, decreased cross-sectional area of muscle fibers in the soleus muscles, and the increase in ubiquitinated protein expression in the soleus muscles compared with ES combined using other types of contraction groups. Our previous study showed middle frequency current could contract in the deep muscle of hindlimbs. Additionally, eccentric contraction caused larger generated tension in muscle fibers than other types of contraction. The combination of electrical stimulation with eccentric contraction might cause higher preventive effects on muscle atrophy in the deep portion of calf muscle.

The main aim of this research is to investigate whether electrical nerve stimulation or vibratory muscle stimulation differently affect the activity of spinal reflex circuits. We measured soleus H-reflex in eleven healthy subjects. The subjects received electrical nerve stimulation and vibratory muscle stimulation for 15 minutes. Electrical stimulation was applied on common peroneal nerve every 1sec (100 Hz-5 train) at motor threshold intensity of tibialis anterior muscle. Vibratory stimulation was applied over muscle belly of tibialis anterior at 100 Hz (2 mm stroke). The degree of reciprocal Ia inhibition, presynaptic inhibition, Hmax/Mmax were assessed before, immediately after, 15 minutes after and 30 minutes after of the intervention. The degree of reciprocal Ia inhibition significantly increased at the end of electrical nerve stimulation. On the other hand, Hmax/Mmax significantly decreased after vibratory muscle stimulation, and it remained for 15 minutes. Presynaptic inhibition did not show any changes after electrical nerve stimulation or vibratory muscle stimulation. Our results suggested that electrical nerve stimulation and vibratory muscle stimulation have different effects on spinal reflex circuits.

The aim of the present study was to investigate in healthy volunteers the neurophysiological mechanism of motor cortical excitability by the application of static magnetic fields stimulation exposure. This stimulation was obtained using cylindrical NdFeB magnets. Transmagnetic stimulation (TMS) to test the changes of cortical excitability was measured in 9 healthy volunteers. The static magnetic stimulation was applied over the primary motor cortex for 20 minutes as an intervention, and TMS measurements were performed before, 0 min, 10 min, 20 min and 30 min after the intervention. We observed an average reduction of motor cortex excitability of up to 20% immediately after the intervention, as revealed by TMS. The rest motor threshold was also significantly increased. Moreover, it showed the increase of short intracortical inhibitory, which is mediated by Gamma Amino Butyric Acid (GABA) receptors. These results revealed that cortical excitability changes have origin at the cortical level, and suggested that these changes by static magnetic stimulation might be due to enhancement of the inhibitory systems via GABA system as well as the increase of the membrane excitability threshold.

Objective: This study investigated effects of sensory level neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in patients after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Design: A pilot, quasi randomized single-blind trial. Methods: 16 women patients after total knee arthroplasty were randomly assigned to receive either standard rehabilitation programs plus sensory level NMES applied to the quadriceps of the involved legs (NMES group) or standard rehabilitation programs (Control group). The NMES was applied for 2 weeks (symmetrical biphasic current of 100 Hz, pulse width 1000 µsec, 45 min/day, 5 days/week, at 3 weeks after surgery) at the sensory level intensity. The data for quadriceps Maximum Voluntary Isometric Contraction (MVIC), Leg Skeletal Muscle Mass (LSMM) using multiple frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis, and Timed Up and Go test (TUG), 2 Minutes Walk Test (2MWT), Stair Climbing Test (SCT), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Japan Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM) were measured preoperatively, and at 2, 4, and 8 weeks (follow up) after surgery respectively. Results: All participants completed the study with no adverse events. MVIC and 2MWT in the NMES group were achieved significantly better results at 4 weeks after surgery compared with the control groups (p＜.05). Conclusion: Sensory level NMES may leads to better muscle strength and functional performance outcomes compared to an only rehabilitation program for patients after TKA.

Sonoporation of molecule delivery into the cell by ultrasound has been used for gene inductions. We reported the antifibrogenic effects of short chain fatty acids which regulate gene transcription via acetylation of histone in the nucleus. In the present study, we investigated the effects of ultrasound (US) irradiation on antifibrogenic action by butyrate of short chain fatty acids. Ear lobe keloid fibroblasts were treated with butyrate (4 or 16 mM) for 48 h. US irradiations were conducted at 0 h and 24 h after butyrate administration. Pulse (20%) and continuous mode US of 0.5 W/cm2 was applied. mRNA expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and a-smooth muscle actin (a-SMA) were evaluated after butyrate treatments. Whereas butyrate of 4 mM did not inhibit TGF-β1 and a-SMA expressions, butyrate combined with pulse or continuous mode US significantly inhibited TGF-β1 (p＜0.01). Butyrate of 16 mM strongly inhibited TGF-β1 and a-SMA expression, and a combination of butyrate and US did not promote those effects. These results suggest promotional effects of US irradiation on the physiological action of butyrate.

Objective: To investigated influence that combination treatment of Peripheral Sensory Nerve Stimulation (PSS) of the tibial nerve and task-oriented training gave to plantar flexion strength and gait ability of patients with acute stroke. Methods: Fourteen inpatients with acute stroke hemiplegia were assined into two groups, performed PSS group (PSS group, n=7) and paste electrode only, did not perform PSS group (placebo group, n=7). Both groups went with task-oriented exercise for thirty minutes. Outcome measures were Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), maximum gait speed, plantar flexion strength. All patients were evaluated before and after training. Results: MAS did not change in both group. PSS group showed significantly improvement in maximum gait speed and plantar flexion strength after intervention. Conclusion: PSS of the tibial nerve and task-oriented training in combined treatment suggested that immediately improved maximum gait speed and plantar flexion strength in acute stroke patients.