OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the balance training effects of balance system in hemiplegic stroke patients. METHOD: The study consisted of 14 male and 6 female hemiplegic patients, aged 48 to 70 years, time postattack ranged from 6 to 17 months. Balance training was done by conventional method (control group) and using balance system (Chattanooga Group, Inc., training group) and the effect were evaluated by balance system. RESULTS: Body sway index and moving target accuracy rate were not significantly different between training group and control group before training, but were significantly different after training. Training group showed significantly decreased sway index and increased moving target accuracy rate at four weeks after training compared to the status before training. CONCLUSION: The hemiplegic patients trained by balance system showed significantly improved static and dynamic postural balance control. Therefore, the balance system is considered to be a valuable training modalitiy for the hemiplegic patients.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Postural Balance ; Stroke

OBJECTIVE: To compare the change of oxygen consumption and heart rate between walking and running at the same condition of treadmill in healthy male college students. METHOD: Twenty healthy male college students completed steady-state treadmill test at 3 mph and 5 mph, separately, by walking and running. During the each 6 minutes treadmill test, oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (H.R), oxygen consumption ratio of maximal oxygen consumption (% VO2max), and heart rate ratio of maximal heart rate (% HR) were measured each minute. RESULTS: The showed that mean heart rate were 123.40+/-4.62 beats/min and oxygen consumption were 12.84+/-1.94 ml/kg/min, in 3 mph walking. The mean heart rate were 139.90+/-6.80 beats/min and oxygen consumption were 16.51+/-1.78 ml/kg/min in 5 mph walking. The running showed that mean heart rate were 187.55+/-6.74 beats/min and oxygen consumption were 26.45+/-3.11 ml/kg/min in 3 mph walking. The mean heart rate were 168.45+/-13.34 beats/min and oxygen consumption were 21.05+/-2.00 ml/kg/min in 5 mph walking. There were significant differences (p<0.05) in mean heart rate, VO2 between the 3 mph walking and running, the 5 mph walking and running. CONCLUSION: We concluded that 3 mph walking and running and 5 mph running were an effective exercise to promote health in healthy college students.
Exercise Test ; Heart Rate* ; Heart* ; Humans ; Male ; Oxygen Consumption* ; Oxygen* ; Running* ; Walking*

We examined 16 patients with unilateral tongue deviation using magnetic stimulator in order to evaluate central hypoglossal nerve palsy following brain injury. Surface recording electrodes were placed at the apex and anterolateral one thirds of tongue. Magnetic stimulation was performed at vertex and occiput. On occiput stimulation, the mean latency was 3.77+/-0.36 msec in affected side and 3.89+/-0.47 msec in sound side for male patients, and 3.9+/-0.61 msec, 3.90+/-0.55 msec respectively for female patients. The mean amplitude was 0.85+/-0.63 mV in affected side and 2.64+/-2.32 mV in sound side for male patients and 1.00. 8273;0.23 mV, 3.56+/-0.40 mV respectively for female patients. There was significant difference between affected side and sound side for amplitude. On vertex stimulation, the mean latency was 8.61+/-0.83 msec in affected side and 7.50+/-0.80 msec in sound side for male patients, and 9.66+/-1.14 msec, 6.48+/-0.44 msec respectively for female patients. The mean amplitude was 0.77+/-0.59 mV in affected side and 1.23?1.08 mV in sound side for male patients and 0.52+/-0.23 mV, 1.15+/-0.64 mV respectively for female patients. There was significant difference between affected side and sound side for latency and amplitude.
Brain Injuries ; Brain* ; Electrodes ; Female ; Humans ; Hypoglossal Nerve Diseases ; Hypoglossal Nerve* ; Male ; Tongue

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Premature ventricular contraction (PVC) or ventricular tachycardia (VT) that originates from the aortic cusp (AC) has a similar left bundle branch block (LBBB) pattern with a inferior axis as those LBBB patterns originating from the right ventricular outflow tract, but the electrocardiogram (ECG) characteristics are distinct. We sought to characterize the ECG morphology of PVCs or VTs from the AC and to assess whether these foci exit out to the surrounding epicardium by preferential conduction, resulting in an ECG with epicardial foci. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study subjects were ten patients (M:F=6:4, 40.9+/-11.6 years old) with VTs or PVCs that originated from the AC and they underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA). We performed simultaneous activation mapping at the AC, the anterior interventricular vein (AIV) and the anterior mitral annulus (AMA). The conduction velocities (CV) between the successful ablation site to the epicardium in the AIV, and the endocardial earliest activation (EA) site at the AMA were calculated by triangular algebra at right anterior oblique (RAO) 35degrees and left anterior oblique (LAO) 35degrees, respectively. RESULTS: Successful ablation sites were above the left coronary cusp (LCC) in 7 patients, above and beneath the right coronary cusp (RCC) in 1 patient each, respectively, and beneath the LCC in 1 patient. The QRS width was 149.2+/-19.9 ms, the maximal depolarization time (MDT) was 88.9+/-14.9 ms and the ratio of the MDT to the QRS was 59.5+/-5.7%. The PVC from the LCC had rS or S waves in lead I and R or RS waves in V1, whereas those from the RCC had R waves in lead I and an rS wave in V1. The CV between the successful ablation site at the AC to the epicardial EA site (1.7+/-0.8 m/s) was faster than that to the endocardial EA site (0.8+/-0.4 m/s, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Most of the PVC/VTs from the AC originated from the above LCC and they displayed a faster CV to the epicardial side of the AIV than that to the endocardial side of the AMA. This suggests the existence of preferential conduction from the AC to the left ventricle (LV) epicardium.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Bundle-Branch Block ; Catheter Ablation ; Electrocardiography* ; Heart Ventricles ; Humans ; Pericardium ; Sinus of Valsalva ; Tachycardia, Ventricular* ; Veins ; Ventricular Premature Complexes*