• Integrative Medicine Research
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.95-102
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• 2018

Background: Hypertension is a major cause of cardiovascular disease and associated mortality, and postmenopausal women are at a high risk of hypertension. We aim to investigate the hypotensive effect and safety of acupuncture, focusing on postmenopausal women with prehypertension and stage 1 hypertension. In addition, we aim to investigate whether the effect of acupuncture treatment differed, depending on Sasang Constitution and cold-heat pattern. Methods: This study is designed as an intervention cohort study. Two hundred postmenopausal women aged <65 years with prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension living in Daejeon city in Korea will be recruited, and randomly assigned to either an acupuncture or no-treatment control group. The intervention will consist of four sessions; one session will include acupuncture performed 10 times for 4 weeks. There will be a 20-week observation period after each session, and the total study duration will be 96 weeks. Acupuncture will be applied at the bilateral Fengchi (GB20), Quchi (LI11), Zusanli (ST36), and Sameumgyo (SP6) acupoints. The effect of acupuncture will be evaluated by comparing the change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure between the acupuncture and control groups every 4 weeks until the end of the study. Discussion: To evaluate the success of blood pressure management, long-term observation is required, but no long-term studies have been conducted to evaluate the effect of acupuncture on blood pressure in postmenopausal women. To our knowledge, this study will be the first long-term study to investigate this issue for more than 6-8 weeks.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• 제45권4호
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• pp.97-109
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• 2020

Purpose: Cervicogenic headache (CGH) is pain referred to the head/ face from the structures in vicinity of upper cervical spinal nerves via trigeminocervical pathway. Ponticulus Posticus (PP) and Elongated Styloid Process (ESP) are anatomical structures that cause compression of vasculature present around upper cervical nerve plexus. Recently, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has shown to play an essential role in identification of these high-pressure zones in the brain. The aim of this research is to study the association of ESP and PP in patients with CGH and to develop a hypothesis by CFD to analyse vertebrobasilar insufficiency as a contributing factor in occurrence of CGH. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 4500 full skull CBCT scans was done for the presence of partial or complete PP and length of Styloid Process (SP). Research was divided into two phases; In first Preliminary Phase, 150 scans that showed the presence of PP and ESP were analysed, and only 134 patients gave consent to fill the questionnaire containing 96 question items pertaining to symptoms associated with CGH. In the second phase, simulation of Vertebral and Carotid Artery was done using Fluent 14.5 Software and by CFD, pressure distribution on arteries was obtained that helped to identify high pressure regions. Results: Both PP and ESP showed a statistically significant association with CGH (p<0.001). By CFD analysis, both steady and transient phases of simulation showed drop in pressure due to constriction of internal carotid and vertebral artery by ESP and PP respectively and were found to decrease the volume of blood reaching the brain, 0.12 /0.13 mL and 0.06 mL respectively. Conclusions: Our analysis proves ESP and PP as contributing factors towards CGH. Hence for proper diagnosis and management of headache disorders, clinicians should have adequate knowledge about these anatomical structures and their resulting clinical symptoms.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• 제44권4호
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• pp.222-228
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• 2020

Background: Parthenium hysterophorus is a noxious invasive weed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, including Nepal. Among 11 species of biological control agents released to control P. hysterophorus in Ausrtalia, winter rust Puccina abrupta var. partheniicola arrived fortuitously and has established in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, nearly a decade back. However, the prevalence and effectiveness of this rust as a biological control agent in Kathmandu remain unknown. To address this knowledge gap, a roadside survey was done at an interval of 2 ± 0.25 km in Kathmandu Valley to assess the P. abrupta var. partheniicola incidence and its impacts on P. hysterophorus. Infested individuals of P. hysterophorus were further divided into four severity classes (very low, low, medium, and high), and rust incidence was calculated. The impact of the winter rust on the growth of P. hysterophorus was assessed by comparing biomass and seed output of infested and non-infested individuals. Results: Among 81 locations where P. hysterophorus was present in the Kathmandu Valley, winter rust infestation was observed at 98% locations. At some locations within Kathmandu Valley such as Tinkune, Kirtipur, Chabahil, Buddha Chowk, and Dhobighat, the impacts of the rust on P. hysterophorus were medium to high. Aboveground biomass and seed output of P. hysterophorus were reduced by 47% and 73%, respectively, due to winter rust infestation. The study indicates that winter rust incidence is widespread in Kathmandu Valley with very low to high levels of damages to P. hysterophorus depending on the localities. Conclusion: The rust has, therefore, a potential to reduce the growth performance of P. hysterophorus, and it can be used as a component of integrated management of P. hysterophorus by introducing to other suitable areas in Nepal.

• 한국콘텐츠학회논문지
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.438-447
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• 2015

기업들이 지식경영을 표방하면서 비공식적으로 운영되던 CoP가 공식화되면서 CoP에 대한 관심이 높아지게 되었다. 이와 함께 2000년도 초반부터 CoP에 대한 연구들이 활발하게 이루어지고 있다. CoP에 대한 연구가 10년 정도 이루어진 이 시점에서 CoP에 대한 연구의 동향과 핵심 연구 주제 및 성공 요인에 대해서 성찰해 보는 것도 매우 의미 있는 일이라고 판단된다. 이에 본 연구에서는 CoP에 대한 연구 동향에 대해서 분석하였고, 선행연구들이 제시하는 성공요인을 분석하였다. 자료 수집 대상은 학술재단 등재지에 한에서 수집하였다. 그 결과 CoP에 대한 연구는 2000년도에 시작되어서 2012년까지 총 37편의 연구가 수행되었고, 연구의 유형으로는 사례연구 15건, CoP를 종속변인으로 사용한 연구 11건, CoP를 독립변인으로 사용한 연구 4건, 이론적인 담론을 다룬 연구 2건, CoP와 관련된 프로그램 개발 연구 4건이다. 사례 연구 가운데 CoP 성공요인을 제시한 연구는 7건이며, 이 연구들이 제시한 성공요인은 14가지이며, CoP의 성과에 가장 많은 영향을 주는 요인은 공동체 외부에서 주어지는 지원이었다. CoP에 영향을 미치는 변인을 탐색한 연구는 모두 11건이었으며, 이 연구들이 제시한 성공요인은 13가지 이었다. 그리고 CoP의 성공에 가장 많은 영향을 미치는 요인은 팀효과성이었다.