Rat Model for the Study of Penile Erection: Pharmacologic and Electrical-Stimulation Parameters

1994 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Martinez-Piñerio ◽  
Gerald Brock ◽  
Flavio Trigo-Rocha ◽  
Geng Hsu ◽  
Tom F. Lue ◽  
...  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Da-an Wang ◽  
Qing-zheng Li ◽  
Dong-ming Jia

The capability of regeneration for skeletal muscle after injury depends on the differentiation and proliferation ability of the resident stem cells called satellite cells. It has been reported that electrical stimulation was widely used in clinical conditions to facilitate muscle regeneration after injury, but the characterization of satellite cell responses to the context of low-frequency electrical stimulation in early-phase muscle strain conditions has not been fully clarified. In this study, we aim to investigate the effects of low-frequency electrical stimulation (frequency: 20 Hz; duration: 30 minutes, twice daily) on satellite cell activities in a rat model for the early phase of muscle strain. Firstly, we adopted our previously developed rat model to mimic the early phase of muscle strain in human. After then, we examined the effects of low-frequency electrical stimulation on histopathological changes of the muscle fiber by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Finally, we investigated the effects of low-frequency electrical stimulation on satellite cell proliferation and differentiation by quantification of the expression level of the specific proteins using western blot analyses. The muscle strain in biceps femoris muscles of rats can be induced by high-speed rotation from knee flexion 50° to full knee extension at 960°·s-1 angular velocity during its tetany by activating the sciatic nerve, as evidenced by a widening of the interstitial space between fibers, and more edema or necrosis fibers were detected in the model rats without treatment than in control rats. After treatment with low-frequency electrical stimulation (frequency: 20 Hz; duration: 30 minutes, twice daily), the acute strained biceps femoris muscles of rats showed obvious improvement of histomorphology as indicated by more mature muscle fibers with well-ordered formation with clear boundaries. Consistently, the expression levels of the MyoD and myogenin were marked higher than those in the rats in the animal model group, indicating increased satellite cell proliferating and differentiating activities by low-frequency electrical stimulation. This study shows that low-frequency electrical stimulation provides an effective stimulus to upregulate the protein expression of MyoD/myogenin and accelerate the restoration of structure during the early phase of muscle strain. This may have significance for clinical practice. Optimization of low-frequency electrical stimulation parameters may enhance the therapeutic outcome in patients.


2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (7) ◽  
pp. 967
Author(s):  
E. C. Webb ◽  
B. Agbeniga

Context The present study investigated the effects of several electrical-stimulation parameters with conventional chilling of heavy- and light-grade carcasses from commercial feedlot cattle on selected meat-quality attributes. Aims The aim was to determine the combination of electrical-stimulation parameters that produced the most desirable results in terms of meat quality, which will serve as a guide to processors seeking to enact best processes in the meat industry. Methods Low-voltage electrical stimulation (110 V peak, 17 pulses/s, 5-ms pulse width) was applied either early post-mortem (PM) at 7 min or late PM at 45 min, for either 30 or 60 s on steer carcasses (n = 98) divided into two weight categories (light (≤260 kg) and heavy (≥290 kg) grades). The Longissimus lumborum muscle was evaluated for sarcomere length, myofibril fragment length (MFL), calpain-1, calpastatin, shear force and drip loss (3 and 14 days PM). Key results There were no significant differences in sarcomere length and no sarcomere shortening was observed. There were minor inconsistencies where early stimulation coincided with marginally longer MFL at 3 and 14 days PM, while late stimulation produced the shortest MFL at 14 days PM. Higher decline in calpain-1 concentration (mean 36.2%) was recorded in the early stimulated carcasses compared with the late stimulated carcasses (mean 29.7%) from 1 to 24 h PM, while calpastatin concentration decreased at a similar rate (mean 24%). Early stimulation resulted in lower shear force (P < 0.05) at 3 days PM, especially in the heavier carcasses, indicating that higher initial temperature did accelerate tenderisation. At 14 days PM, there were no significant differences in shear force as regards stimulation time or carcass weight. Higher drip loss was however recorded in the early stimulated carcasses. Conclusions Early application of low-voltage electrical stimulation produced faster tenderisation early PM, due to higher rigor temperature, but, after aging for 14 days, all meat was acceptably tender with a lower variability, regardless of the stimulation time and carcass weight. Higher drip loss was associated with higher tenderness, which is normal and not a defect. Implications The use of low-voltage electrical stimulation should be encouraged for its ability to reduce variability in meat quality due to carcass-weight differences, especially in the current feedlot systems.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. e39526 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinghui Huang ◽  
Lei Lu ◽  
Jianbin Zhang ◽  
Xueyu Hu ◽  
Yongguang Zhang ◽  
...  

2009 ◽  
Vol 89 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex R Ward

Transcutaneous electrical stimulation using kilohertz-frequency alternating current (AC) became popular in the 1950s with the introduction of “interferential currents,” promoted as a means of producing depth-efficient stimulation of nerve and muscle. Later, “Russian current” was adopted as a means of muscle strengthening. This article reviews some clinically relevant, laboratory-based studies that offer an insight into the mechanism of action of kilohertz-frequency AC. It provides some answers to the question: “What are the optimal stimulus parameters for eliciting forceful, yet comfortable, electrically induced muscle contractions?” It is concluded that the stimulation parameters commonly used clinically (Russian and interferential currents) are suboptimal for achieving their stated goals and that greater benefit would be obtained using short-duration (2–4 millisecond), rectangular bursts of kilohertz-frequency AC with a frequency chosen to maximize the desired outcome.


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