• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.41-52
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• 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate recent trends in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the treatment of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and analyze the results for the activation of COVID-19 Korean medicine research. Methods: We searched for RCTs published from December 2019 to October 2021 in the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database (CNKI). The investigation focused on the type of study, the purpose of the study, and the treatment methods. Results: A total of 8 RCTs were selected and analyzed from the 447 searched studies. All studies attempted to observe the effects of herbal medicine. Herbal medicine included granules, decoctions, and intravenous injections. The most frequently used herb type was drugs for clearing away heat and detoxification and releasing the exterior syndrome. In most studies, the effectiveness of TCM treatment of COVID-19 was significantly high. Conclusions: Although more quality studies are needed to support these results, TCM treatment for COVID-19 has been effective. Therefore, we hope that Korean medicine studies on infectious diseases will be actively conducted like TCM and contribute to national health.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.293-307
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• 2023

This study uses bibliometric methods to analyze publications regarding the use of acupuncture in osteoarthritis over the past 20 years and presents an overview of global research trends. Publications related to acupuncture in osteoarthritis from 2003 to 2022 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection Database. An analysis of the extracted records was conducted according to their publication year, research area, journal title, country, organization, author, and keywords. The VOSviewer program was used to visualize the research trends on acupuncture in osteoarthritis. An analysis of 380 articles indicated a consistent increase in the use of acupuncture for osteoarthritis treatment over the past 20 years. Many articles have been published in research areas such as "integrative complementary medicine" and "general internal medicine." The most prolific journal was Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. In terms of article publication, the most productive country and research organization were China and the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, respectively. The most frequently occurring keywords were "acupuncture," "knee osteoarthritis," and "pain." This study used a bibliometric analysis to provide an overview of global research trends on acupuncture in osteoarthritis. These findings may suggest the future direction of research on the treatment of acupuncture in osteoarthritis.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.389-404
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• 2018

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate acupuncture therapy for post-stroke cognitive disorder to suggest the methods of a study about acupuncture therapy. Methods: Several academic databases were used in this study, including National Digital Science Library (NDSL), National Assembly Library of Korea, Korean Traditional Knowledge Portal, Research Information Sharing Service (RISS), Korean studies Information Service System (KISS), Korean Medical Database (KMBASE), Korea Med, Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System (OASIS), PubMed, MEDLINE with Full Text, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Keywords used were "중풍", "뇌졸중", "인지장애", "침", "acupuncture", and "cognitive disorder". Results: Ultimately, 28 papers were investigated. that were mainly published in 2012 and 2016. Of these, More than two-thirds received a score of one or less on the Jadad scale. Acupuncture points such as GV20, GV24, PC6, EX-HN1, SP6, and GV26 were most frequently used. The treatment duration was mostly 30 minutes or less, and the treatment cycle was mostly for four weeks. Dilatational wave was generally used in pulse wave form, and amplitude of electricity was increased until patients were able to endure. G6805 was generally used in electric acupuncture apparatus. According to results of acupuncture treatment, assessments such as the MMSE (Mini Mental State Examination) and the Montreal Cognitive Function Assessment Scale (MoCA) showed statistically significant improvements in 28 studies. Conclusions: Future research is needed to standardize the treatment of acupuncture, and more diversified high quality papers should be published to help clarify the therapeutic effects of acupuncture and the mechanisms of cognitive disorder post-stroke.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.11-24
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• 2020

Objective : Radiodermatitis is a common sequelae in 95% of patients receiving radiation therapy, which is important to be well managed as it can affect the patient's quality of life as well as the cancer treatment schedule. The aim of this study is to review and summarize the interventions available for the treatment of acute radiodermatitis, including traditional Korean medicine, and to propose treatment algorithms for clinicians. Methods : To collect studies about managements for radiodermatitis, domestic and foreign database were used such as Korean journal of traditional knowledge portal (KTKP), Korean studies information service system (KISS), national discovery or science leaders (NDSL), and oriental medicine advance searching integrated system (OASIS), Pubmed, Google scholar and Scopus. Results : Thirty-two studies were selected. There were nine studies on usual care and dressing, eleven studies on chemical agents, two studies on biological preparations, and ten studies on herbal medicines. Conclusion : Hygienic options and dressings have proved to be useful in the management of radiodermatitis. Chemical agents such as corticosteroid, statin, and topical antibiotic agent have proved to alleviate symptoms and severity, regenerate damaged skin, and prevent secondary infection. In biological preparations, EGF (epidermal growth factor) and GM-CSF (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor) could be used to protect skin and prevent radiodermatitis. For herbal medicines, Calendula, catechin, β-sitosterol, and Jaungo (紫雲膏) may be effective for symptoms including pain, itching, and burning sensation induced by radiation therapy. Because of some research with conflicting results, further studies are needed to propose an algorithm for more optimal treatments.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.2165-2170
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• 2016

Background: The survival of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients is usually low due to late diagnosis. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital as the largest tertiary referral hospital in Indonesia, has recently improved its modalities for advanced HCC management, but there has not been any evaluation on any improvement in HCC patient survival. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis on 114 HCC patients in 2013-2014 were conducted and compared with the database for 77 HCC patients in 1998-1999. Clinical characteristics and treatment received were recorded and the survival of both groups was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Results: The percentage of HBV positive patients had increased after fifteen years from 32.5% to 67.5%. Only two patients (1.8%) in 2013-2014 were diagnosed with HCC during surveillance program. Proportions of Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer A, B, C, and D in 2013-2014 were 1.8%, 42%, 28.1%, and 28.1%, respectively. There was an increase in the use of potentially curative treatment, such as surgical resection or combination of loco-regional therapies. The one-year survival rate increased from 24.1% in 1998-1999 to 29.4% in 2013-2014, while the median survival decreased from 146 days to 138 days, but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.913). Conclusions: There was no improvement in the median survival of HCC patients after fifteen years because most continued to present at late stages. There is an urgent need for a nationwide implementation of a hepatitis screening program and HCC surveillance education.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.362-413
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this research is to examine the recent clinical research trends on the efficiency of traditional herb medicine (THM) on gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and to provide clinical evidence of herbal medicine, Banhasasin-tang or Banxiexin decoction by using a systemic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials (RCTs). Methods: In this study, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included that verified effects of traditional herbal medicine (THM), including a Banxia-xiexin-tang decoction, as a treatment for GERD. A study of the literature in Chinese and Korean databases was performed for papers published from January 1, 2010, to January 1, 2020. The selected literature was assessed by Cochrane's risk of bias (RoB). Results: A total of 90 RCTs met the inclusion criteria. Except for four RCT studies, all studies identified the effect of a Banxia-xiexin-tang decoction in the treatment of GERD. The effectiveness of treatment was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group, as shown through various evaluation indicators, including the reflux disease diagnostic questionnaire (RDQ). Adverse effects were reported in 22 articles (24.44%). Conclusions: Treatment with Banhasasin-tang, or a Banxia-xiexin-tang decoction, was found to be effective in treating GERD. However, due to the low quality of available studies, the significance of this conclusion is somewhat limited. This study could serve as a foundation for further clinical studies on the development of diagnosis and treatment methods for GERD based on Korean medicine.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.1119-1140
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• 2020

Objective: The purpose of this study was to review Chinese clinical studies of the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with herbal medicine including Pinellia ternata. Methods: We searched the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database for clinical studies on herbal treatments including Pinellia ternata for GERD, from January 1st, 2015 to September 30th, 2019. We evaluated the risk of bias using Cochrane's risk of bias to confirm the quality of the 37 selected documents. Results: The 37 papers included high-dose and middle-dose Pinellia ternata groups. The outcome measures included treatment effectiveness rate, symptom comparisons, and endoscopy effectiveness rates or scores. In both groups, most studies showed significant improvement in the treatment group compared with the control group. The meta-analysis revealed a higher treatment effectiveness rate and a lower recurrence rate in the treatment group than in the control group. Conclusions: Comparing the treatment effect between the two groups was difficult due to the low quality of most studies. However, the results suggest that herbal remedies including Pinellia ternata showed statistically significant improvement in GERD compared to control groups.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.993-1014
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• 2020

Objective: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease. Antioxidant stress and inflammatory reactions are important causes of neurodegenerative diseases and are major causes of PD. Many animal experiments have been aimed at treating PD using the antioxidant effects of various traditional medicines and dietary supplements. This review reports the research investigating the antioxidant effects of herbs in in vivo PD models. Methods: The study consisted of a database search for articles related to PD and herbal treatments using the OASIS, NDSL, KTKP, Korean KISS, PubMed, Science Direct, CNKI, Wanfang, and J-STAGE databases. The search period was limited from the start of the search engine application to November 14, 2019. Studies were selected to confirm the antioxidant effects of herbal medicines in an in vivo PD model. Results: Eighty-two studies were summarized for plant species, extracts (or compounds), animal models, neurotoxins, and functional results. The most frequently used herbal materials were Bacopa monnieri, Camellia sinensis, Centella asiatica, and Withania somnifera. MPTP and 6-OHDA were the most commonly used neurotoxins for inducing PD. Most studies confirmed an increased expression and activation of antioxidant enzymes and a decrease in oxidative stress. Herbal materials showed their antioxidant effects regardless of the order of treatment and confirmed their possible use as treatments for the prevention and treatment of neurodegeneration. Conclusion: Many herbal medicines have antioxidant effects and are likely to be effective in delaying neurodegenerative damage by inhibiting or reducing oxidative stress by expression of antioxidant enzymes.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.194-210
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• 2022

Human milk contains a number of nutritional and bioactive molecules including microorganisms that constitute the so-called "Human Milk Microbiota (HMM)". Recent studies have shown that not only bacterial but also viral, fungal, and archaeal components are present in the HMM. Previous research has established, a "core" microbiome, consisting of Firmicutes (i.e., Streptococcus, Staphylococcus), Proteobacteria (i.e., Serratia, Pseudomonas, Ralstonia, Sphingomonas, Bradyrhizobium), and Actinobacteria (i.e., Propionibacterium, Corynebacterium). This review aims to summarize the main characteristics of HMM and the role it plays in shaping a child's health. We reviewed the most recent literature on the topic (2019-2021), using the PubMed database. The main sources of HMM origin were identified as the retrograde flow and the entero-mammary pathway. Several factors can influence its composition, such as maternal body mass index and diet, use of antibiotics, time and type of delivery, and mode of breastfeeding. The COVID-19 pandemic, by altering the mother-infant dyad and modifying many of our previous habits, has emerged as a new risk factor for the modification of HMM. HMM is an important contributor to gastrointestinal colonization in children and therefore, it is fundamental to avoid any form of perturbation in the HMM that can alter the microbial equilibrium, especially in the first 100 days of life. Microbial dysbiosis can be a trigger point for the development of necrotizing enterocolitis, especially in preterm infants, and for onset of chronic diseases, such as asthma and obesity, later in life.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.182-190
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• 2016

Purpose: This study aimed to establish a large-scale database of patients with gastric cancer to facilitate the development of a nationalcancer management system and a comprehensive cancer control policy. Materials and Methods: An observational prospective cohort study on gastric cancer was initiated in 2010. A total of 14 cancer centers throughout the country and 152 researchers were involved in this study. Patient enrollment began in January 2011, and data regarding clinicopathological characteristics, life style-related factors, quality of life, as well as diet diaries were collected. Results: In total, 4,963 patients were enrolled until December 2014, and approximately 5% of all Korean patients with gastric cancer annually were included. The mean age was $58.2{\pm}11.5$ years, and 68.2% were men. The number of patients in each stage was as follows: 3,394 patients (68.4%) were in stage IA/B; 514 patients (10.4%), in stage IIA/B; 469 patients (9.5%), in stage IIIA/B/C; and 127 patients (2.6%), in stage IV. Surgical treatment was performed in 3,958 patients (79.8%), endoscopic resection was performed in 700 patients (14.1%), and 167 patients (3.4%) received palliative chemotherapy. The response rate for the questionnaire on the quality of life was 95%; however, diet diaries were only collected for 27% of patients. Conclusions: To provide comprehensive information on gastric cancer for patients, physicians, and government officials, a large-scale database of Korean patients with gastric cancer was established. Based on the findings of this cohort study, an effective cancer management system and national cancer control policy could be developed.