The Relative Effectiveness of the Kurapunctur and Point Local Abdomen Acupuncture Therapy in the Reduction of Waist Circumference in Obese Patients

Background: Obesity is a pathological state as a result of the consumption of food that is far exceeding the needs (psychobiological cues for eating) so there is hoarding an excessive fat than is necessary for bodily functions. Obesity can raise cholesterol level, triglyceride level, insulin resistance, and the risk of high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, ischemic stroke, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Acupuncture therapy may be an option to handle problems related to obesity, one with abdominal acupuncture techniques. This study aimed to determinethe effectiveness of kurapunctur and point local abdomen acupuncture therapy accompanied by a low calorie and fat diet in the reduction of waist circumference in obese patients. Subjects and Method: This was a quasi experiment conducted at Kusuma Husada clinic, Surakarta, Central Java, from July to August 2017. A sample of 32 obesity patients was allocated into two groups: (1) The experiment group who received kurapuncture therapy, (2) The control group who received acupuncture therapy in the local point of the abdomen. Acupuncture therapy was carried out for 10 times. All of the study subjects received low calories and low fat diet. The dependent variable was waist circumference. The independent variable was abdominal acupuncture therapy. Waist circumference was measured by measuring tape. The data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney test. Results: The reduction in waist circumference is greater in the experiment group (mean= 22.9) than in the control group (mean= 10.1) with p< 0.001. Conclusion: Kurapuncture therapy is more effective than acupuncture therapy in the local point of the abdomen in reducing waist circumference in obese patients. Keywords: kurapuncture, waist circumference, obesit

The Effectiveness of Acupuncture Therapy in Reducing Melasma in an Indonesian Female Population

Background: Melasma is a common facial skin disorder seen in women.It is an acquired hypermelanosis of sun-exposed areas of the skin. Melasma is a chronic skin disorder that results in symmetrical, blotchy, and brownish facial pigmentation. Studies have shown thatmanual acupuncture (MA) is widely used alone or in combination with conventional treatment for melasma. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy in reducing melasma in an Indonesian female population. Subjects and Method: This was a randomized control trial study. The study was conducted at Kismoyo village, Ngemplak, Boyolali, Central Java, from June to September 2016. A sample of 30 women was selected for this study by simple random sampling and divided into two groups. The experimental group (15 women) received acupuncture therapy in melasma area and the control group (15 women) received sham acupuncture therapy. Acupuncture therapy is given 12 times every 2 weeks. The dependent variable was melasma (including grade of melasma darkness, hyperpigmentation, and melasma involvement). The independent variable was acupuncture therapy. The data of melasma were measured by melasma area severity index (MASI) and analyzed by Mann-Whitney test. Results: Darkness area of melasma in the control group before acupuncture (mean= 16.43) was higher than after treatment (mean= 14.57), but statistically was not significant (p= 0.502). Darkness area of melasma in treatment group before acupuncture (mean= 19.93) was higher than after treatment (mean= 11.07) and statistically significant (p= 0.004). Hyper­pigmentasi grade in control group before acupuncture (mean= 17.43) was higher than after treatment (mean= 13.57), but statistically was not significant (p= 0.121). Hyperpigmentasi grade in treatment group before acupuncture (mean= 17.07) was higher than after treatment (mean= 13.93), but statistically was not significant (p= 0.293). Melasma area in control group before acupuncture (mean= 16.27) was higher than after treatment (mean= 14.73) but statistically was not significant (p= 0.605). Melasma area in treatment group before acupuncture (mean= 20.43) was higher than after treatment (mean= 10.57) and statistically significant (p= 0.001). Conclusion: Acupuncture is effective to reduce melasma, particularly in narrowing melasma area and reducing the darkness the affected area. Keywords: melasma, acupuncture therap

The Revista de Educación of Buenos Aires during the government of A.Fresco (1936–1940). About the “uses of the past” in educational and practices

El presente trabajo indaga en los “usos del pasado” en los discursos y prácticas escolares, a partir de la lectura de la Revista de Educación, organismo gráfico de la Dirección General de Escuelas. El período analizado es el que transcurre entre los años 1936 y 1940 durante el gobierno bonaerense de Manuel Fresco. En el análisis que ponemos a consideración se pretende, especialmente, encontrar los puntos de tensión y complejidad subyacentes, dentro de una lectura de la historia que casi siempre se pensó —tanto por sus suscriptores, como por quienes se oponían a ella— como simple y monolítica. En tanto dicha mirada contemporánea de homogeneidad fue heredada posteriormente, en gran medida, por la interpretación historiográfica, creemos interesante realizar —a partir de los materiales provistos por la fuente— un juego de contraposiciones que desarme la lógica normalizadora predominante en los discursos recabados y se acerque a las encrucijadas que se les presentaban a los individuos, en momentos en que la experiencia política en la que participaban se encontraba todavía abierta a las inclemencias de la época.This article searches into the “uses of the past” through the analysis of speeches and practices in school. The main source of research will be the Revista de Educación, the journal of the Dirección General de Escuelas. The chosen period is 1936–1940, during the provincial government of Manuel Fresco. This text explores the existing tension and complex points inside the fresquista vision of history that have often been shown (by its defenders and its opponents) as simple and monolithic. Contrasting the historiographical approach that has inherit this image, we consider interesting to dismount that normalizing logic in order to approach the contrasting thoughts of the concrete persons that lived those turbulent days during the fresquista political experience.Fil: Bisso, Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación. Instituto de Investigaciones en Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales; Argentin