Development of musculoskeletal walking simulator for analysis of human walking and rehabilitation

In the field of rehabilitation, the explanation of walking motion, called ‘Rocker function\u27, is one of the practical benchmarks for the facilitation of human walking in clinical settings. If this explanation is true, we can reconstruct it by artificial materials. In this study, we tried to develop the musculoskeletal walking simulator, which can actually reproduce bipedal walking according to the rocker function. Muscles and tendons including biarticular arrangements were represented by springs and cables. In this report, 3 muscles were actuated by servomotors. The simulator reproduced the human musculoskeletal walking motion generated from its intellectual structure in nature. The results would support the insight of the explanation of the rocker function in the rehabilitative treatments.The 2022 International Conference on Artificial Life and Robotics (ICAROB 2022), January 20-23, 2022, on line, Oita, Japa

Probing the molecular mechanisms of neuronal degeneration: importance of mitochondrial dysfunction and calcineurin activation

Cerebral injury is a critical aspect of the management of patients in intensive care. Pathological conditions induced by cerebral ischemia, hypoxia, head trauma, and seizure activity can result in marked residual impairment of cerebral function. We have investigated the potential mechanisms leading to neuronal cell death in pathological conditions, with the aim of discovering therapeutic targets and methods to minimize neuronal damage resulting from insults directed at the central nervous system (CNS). Over the years, deeper understanding of the mechanisms of neuronal cell death has indeed evolved, enabling clinical critical care management to salvage neurons that are at the brink of degeneration and to support recovery of brain function. However, no substantial breakthrough has been achieved in the quest to develop effective pharmacological neuroprotective therapy directed at tissues of the CNS. The current situation is unacceptable, and preservation of function and protection of the brain from terminal impairment will be a vital medical issue in the twenty-first century. To achieve this goal, it is critical to clarify the key mechanisms leading to neuronal cell death. Here, we discuss the importance of the calcineurin/immunophilin signal transduction pathway and mitochondrial involvement in the detrimental chain of events leading to neuronal degeneration