• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.132-141
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• 2022

Objectives : Some acupoints are commonly utilized to treat a variety of diseases. The acupoints appear to have a wide range of effects caused by several mechanisms. The purpose of this study is to investigate into the potential role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the multipotent effects of individual acupoint stimulation. Methods : We examined the miRNA expressions in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of neuropathic or inflammatory pain rats following ST36 and GB34 electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation. Neuropathic pain was induced by L5 spinal nerve ligation. Inflammatory pain was induced by knee joint injection of Complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). EA was given under gaseous anesthesia with the same parameters (1mA, 2Hz, 30 min) in 5 consecutive days. Pain behaviors and miRNA expressions were analyzed. Results : In rats with neuropathic and inflammatory pain, EA treatments significantly enhanced the paw withdrawal threshold and weight-bearing force. After nerve injury, 36 miRNAs were upregulated in the DRG of neuropathic rats, while EA downregulated 10 of them. Furthermore, 14 miRNAs were downregulated following nerve damage, while one was increased by EA. 15 miRNAs were increased in the DRG of inflammatory rats following CFA injection, while 5 were downregulated by EA. Furthermore, 17 miRNAs were downregulated following CFA injection, while 7 were increased by EA. The miRNAs rno-miR-335, rno-miR-381-5p, rno-miR-1306-3p, and rno-miR-1839-3p were regulated by EA in both models. Conclusions : In two pain models, EA applied to ST36 and GB34 regulated miRNA expression differently. There appeared to be both acupoint-specific and non-specific miRNAs, and miRNA regulation of differential protein expression may modulate a variety of EA mechanisms.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.272-275
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• 2009

Carbon finance is the investment in Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission reduction projects in developing countries and countries with economies in transition within the framework of the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) or Joint Implementation (JI) and with creation of financial instruments, i.e., carbon credits, which are tradable in carbon market. The additional revenue generated from carbon credits will increase the bankability of projects by reducing the risks of commercial lending or grant finance. Meantime, it has also demonstrated numerous opportunities for collaborating across sectors, and has served as a catalyst in bringing climate issues to bear in projects relating to rural electrification, renewable energy, energy efficiency, urban infrastructure, waste management, pollution abatement, forestry, and water resource management. Establishing additionality is essential for successful CDM project development. One of the key steps is the investment analysis. As guided by UNFCCC, financial indicators such as IRR, NPV, DSCR etc are most commonly used in both Option II & Option III. However, economic indicator such as Economic Internal Rate of Return(EIRR) are often overlooked in Option III even it might be more suitable for the project. This could be due to the difficulties in economic analysis. Although Asian Development Bank(ADB) has given guidelines in evaluating EIRR, there are still large amount of works have to be carried out in estimating the economic, financial, social and environmental benefits in the host country. This paper will present a case study of a CDM development of a 18 MW hydro power plant with carbon finance option in central Vietnam. The estimation of respective factors in EIRR, such as Willingness to Pay(WTP), shadow price etc, will be addressed with the adjustment to Vietnam local provincial factors. The significance of carbon finance to Vietnam renewable energy development will also be addressed.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.79-100
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• 2023

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to analyze the market power of the Korea Container Shipping Market (Intra Asia, Korea-Europe, and Korea-U.S.) to verify the existence of collusion empirically, and to answer whether the joint actions of liner market participants in Korea have formed market dominance for each route. Precisely, it will be verified through the Lerner index as to whether the regional market of Asia is a monopoly, oligopoly, or perfect competition. Design/methodology - This study used a Lerner index adjusted with elasticity presented in the New Imperial Organization (NEIO) studies. NEIO refers to a series of empirical studies that estimate parameters to judge market power from industrial data. This study uses B-L empirical models by Bresnahan (1982) and Lau (1982). In addition, NEIO research data statistically contain self-regression and stability problems as price and time series data. A dynamic model following Steen and Salvanes' Error Correction Model was used to solve this problem. Findings - The empirical results are as follows. First, λ, representing market power, is nearly zero in all three markets. Second, the Korean shipping market shows low demand elasticity on average. Nevertheless, the markup is low, a characteristic that is difficult to see in other industries. Third, the Korean shipping market generally remains close to perfect competition from 2014 to 2022, but extreme market power appears in a specific period, such as COVID-19. Fourth, there was no market power in the Intra Asia market from 2008 to 2014. Originality/value - Doubts about perfect competition in the liner market continued, but there were few empirical cases. This paper confirmed that the Korea liner market is a perfect competition market. This paper is the first to implement dynamics using ECM and recursive regression to demonstrate market power in the Korean liner market by dividing the shipping market into Deep Sea and Intra Asia separately. It is also the first to prove the most controversial problems in the current shipping industry numerically and academically.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.18-25
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• 2024

Background: The Discovery Elbow System (DES) utilizes a polyethylene bearing within the ulnar component. An exchange bearing requires preoperative freezing and implantation within 2 minutes of freezer removal to allow insertion. We report our outcomes and experience using this technique. Methods: This was an analysis of a two-surgeon consecutive series of DES bearing exchange. Inclusion criteria included patients in which exchange was attempted with a minimum 1-year follow-up. Clinical and radiographic review was performed 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 and 10 years postoperative. Outcome measures included range of movement, Oxford Elbow Score (OES), Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS), complications and requirement for revision surgery. Results: Eleven DESs in 10 patients were included. Indications were bearing wear encountered during humeral component revision (n=5); bearing failure (n=4); and infection treated with debridement, antibiotics and implant retention (DAIR; n=2). Bearing exchange was conducted on the first attempt in 10 cases. One case required a second attempt. One patient developed infection postoperatively managed with two-stage revision. Mean follow-up of the bearing exchange DES was 3 years. No further surgery was required, with no infection recurrence in DAIR cases. Mean elbow flexion-extension and pronosupination arcs were 107°(±22°) and 140° (±26°). Mean OES was 36/48 (±12) and MEPS was 83/100 (±19). Conclusions: Our results support the use of DES bearing exchange in cases of bearing wear with well-fixed stems or acute infection. This series provides surgeons managing DES arthroplasty with management principles, successful and reproducible surgical techniques and expected clinical outcomes in performing DES polyethylene bearing exchange. Level of evidence: IV.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.227-234
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• 2024

In patients with unilateral mandibular condyle hyperplasia, whether to perform condylectomy and orthognathic surgical procedures at the same time or orthognathic surgery in two stages for remains controversial. Reported here is a case of facial asymmetry with mandibular condyle hyperplasia, for which condylectomy and orthognathic surgery procedures were performed at the same time. A 28-year-old woman was presented to our department with chief complaints of left deviation of the mandible and right temporomandibular joint (TMJ) noise. Findings obtained in several imaging examinations led to a diagnosis of facial asymmetry associated with right mandibular condyle hyperplasia. Following 3 months of preoperative orthodontic treatment, in October 2018 under general anesthesia the patient underwent a right mandibular condylectomy, Le Fort I osteotomy, right mandibular sagittal split ramus osteotomy, and left mandibular inverted L ramus osteotomy. In examinations up to 3 years after surgery, good results were noted. For this case of severe facial asymmetry with mandibular condyle hyperplasia, early surgery and condylectomy were performed simultaneously to significantly shorten the total treatment time. The effectiveness of a surgery-early approach was confirmed by no postoperative findings indicating abnormalities in the TMJ or retroversion.

• Journal of the Korean Arthroscopy Society
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.178-183
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• 2006

Purpose: We reported the results and efficiency of arthroscopic treatment in a state of the lateral traction about the degenerative arthris of elbow Materials and Methods: Twenty one elbows with the degenerative arthritis who were followed up for at 12 months were enrolled in this study. Male were 15 cases, female were 6 cases, the mean age was 47 years and right dominant hand was 14 cases. In all cases, during arthroscopic treatment under the traction of 10 pounds, we had done synovectomy, excision of loose body and anteroposterior spur. After operation, immobilization was done in the full extension state, and then continuous passive motion (CPM) was started two day Results: The average preoperative ROM of the elbow joint was $30{\sim}l15$ degree and the average postoperative ROM of the elbow joint was $5{\sim}130$ degree. The increasement of ROM was totally 41 degree in extension 25 degree and flexion 16 degree. The decrement of VAS in pain was from 7.5 into 2.3 and the increasement of the satisfactory function was from 1.8 into 9.0. Complication was in two cases. One was paresthesia of ulnar nerve, but resolved. The other was bullae formation around the elbow joint, but cured. Conclusion: Regarding degenerative arthritis of elbow, arthroscopic treatment showed excellent result in recovery of range of motion and relief of pain. We could obtain good visual field with distraction in lateral position.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.131-144
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• 2005

Objective : The aim of this study is to observe the effect of Herbal-acupuncture(HA) with Luffae Fructus Retinervus Herbal-Acupuncture Solution(LFR-HAS) at ST36(Joksamni) on Collagen Ⅱ -induced arthritis(CIA) in mice. Methods : DBA1/J mice were immunized with bovine type Ⅱ collagen(CⅡ) on days 0 and 21 to induce an arthritis. The mice were divided into 5 groups. They were Normal group(wild type), Control group(CIA), Saline group(CIA +saline injection), Needle Prick group(CIA +single Prick with an injection needle) and LFR-HA group(CIA +LFR-HA treatment). The saline injection, needle prick and LFR-HA were made on the right ST36(Joksamni) of mice for 5 weeks, 3 times a week beginning 4 weeks after the booster immunization. Results : 1. The highest synovial rate of lung fibroblasts was measured in the 1% LFR-HAS. 2. TNF-${\alpha}$ expression of survival cells from CIA mouse joint was significantly reduced in the 1% LFR-HAS. 3. The incidence of arthritis and the spleen weight of CIA mouse were significantly reduced by the Luffae Fructus Retinervus Herbal-Acupuncture (LFR-HA) at ST36. 4. The concentrations of IL-6, INF-${\alpha}$, INF-${\alpha}$, IgG, IgM, and anti-collagen Ⅱ in the CIA mouse serum were significantly reduced by the LFR-HA at ST36. 5. The histological examination showed that, in the LFR-HA group, the cartilage destruction and the synoviocyte proliferation in the CIA mouse joint were not significant compared to the control group, and the collagen fiber was similarly expressed as the normal group. 6. In the LFR-HA group, the ratio of CD3e+ to CD19+ cell, and the ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ cell in the lymph node were similarly maintained as those of the normal group. 7. CD69+/CD3e+ and CD11a+/CD19+ cells in the CIA mouse lymph node were significantly reduced by the LFR-HA at ST36. 8. CD11b+/Gr-1+ cells in the CIA mouse joint were significantly reduced by the LFR-HA at ST36. Conclusions : These results indicate that Luffae Fructus Retinervus Herbal-Acupuncture (LFR-HA) at ST36 may regulate the immune system and have a therapeutic effect on Collagen-induced arthritis(CIA) in mice.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.61-72
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• 2012

Temporomandibular disorder(TMD) is relatively prevalent disease, and quality of life may be impaired in TMD patients. Like general population, dental hospital workers are also exposed to the risk of TMD. But, many of them tend to overlook or tolerate their symptoms for lack of time and interest. Therefore, problems may become more serious, causing interference of performing task and decrease of quality of life. The aim of this study were to obtain data for TMD prevalence in dental hospital workers and to evaluate quality of life according to TMD symptoms. Subjects were recruited from Wonkwang University Dental Hospital. After consent, subjects completed quality of life questionnaire and were evaluated for subjective and objective signs and symptoms of TMD. Subjects were classified into 4 groups : (1) normal group (2) joint disorder group, (3) local myalgia group, and (4) myofascial pain group. The result of the study indicated that TMD negatively influences the quality of life in dental hospital worker. TMD symptoms can deteriorate quality of life in dental hospital worker. Future effort to make protocol for proper management is needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.8
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• pp.1183-1189
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• 2013

We investigated the effects of oyster shell extract (OSE) on papain-induced osteoarthritis in C57BL/6J mice. Osteoarthritis was induced in mice by a papain injection into the knee joint. The mice were divided into a total of five groups (n=8). The normal group was untreated, whereas the papain group (negative control) was induced with osteoarthritis and treated with water daily. The papain+DS group (positive control) was treated with diclofenac sodium. Papain+OSE groups were treated with OSE concentrations of 100 and 200 mg/kg/bw for 20 days. Proteoglycan content in articular cartilage was analyzed through safranine-O fast green staining and H&E staining. The histopathological changes in cartilage were measured by the Rudolphi score approach. The contents of tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, and IL-6 in plasma were analyzed by the ELISA method. After experiments, body weights of the treated groups were not significantly different compared with the normal group. Cartilage loss and joint instability significantly improved in a dose-dependent manner in the OSE-treated group compared with the papain group (P<0.05). Proteoglycan content was significantly higher in the OSE-treated group than the papain group (P<0.05). Osteoarthritis scores of the OSE-treated group were significantly decreased compared with the papain group (P<0.05). TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, and IL-6 content in the plasma of the papain+OSE treated groups significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner compared with the papain group (P<0.05). These results suggest that OSE treatment might have anti-arthritic effects on papain-induced osteoarthritis in C57BL/6J mice.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.37 no.7
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• pp.875-881
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• 2013

The failure of a bolted joint owing to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) has been considered one of the most important structural integrity issues in a nuclear power plant. In this study, the failure possibility of bolting, which is used to support the steam generator of a pressurized water reactor, owing to SCC and brittle fracture was evaluated in accordance with guidelines proposed by the Electric Power Research Institute, which are called the Reference Flaw Factor method. For this evaluation, first, detailed finite element stress analyses were conducted to obtain the actual nominal stresses of bolting in which either service loads or bolt preloads were considered. Based on these nominal stresses, the structural integrity of bolting was addressed from the viewpoints of SCC and toughness. In addition, the accuracy of the EPRI Reference Flaw Factor for assessing bolting failure was investigated using finite element fracture mechanics analyses.