• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.23 no.12
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• pp.1290-1300
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• 2022

Objective: "Diagnostic yield," also referred to as the detection rate, is a parameter positioned between diagnostic accuracy and diagnosis-related patient outcomes in research studies that assess diagnostic tests. Unfamiliarity with the term may lead to incorrect usage and delivery of information. Herein, we evaluate the level of proper use of the term "diagnostic yield" and its related parameters in articles published in Radiology and Korean Journal of Radiology (KJR). Materials and Methods: Potentially relevant articles published since 2012 in these journals were identified using MEDLINE and PubMed Central databases. The initial search yielded 239 articles. We evaluated whether the correct definition and study setting of "diagnostic yield" or "detection rate" were used and whether the articles also reported companion parameters for false-positive results. We calculated the proportion of articles that correctly used these parameters and evaluated whether the proportion increased with time (2012-2016 vs. 2017-2022). Results: Among 39 eligible articles (19 from Radiology and 20 from KJR), 17 (43.6%; 11 from Radiology and 6 from KJR) correctly defined "diagnostic yield" or "detection rate." The remaining 22 articles used "diagnostic yield" or "detection rate" with incorrect meanings such as "diagnostic performance" or "sensitivity." The proportion of correctly used diagnostic terms was higher in the studies published in Radiology than in those published in KJR (57.9% vs. 30.0%). The proportion improved with time in Radiology (33.3% vs. 80.0%), whereas no improvement was observed in KJR over time (33.3% vs. 27.3%). The proportion of studies reporting companion parameters was similar between journals (72.7% vs. 66.7%), and no considerable improvement was observed over time. Conclusion: Overall, a minority of articles accurately used "diagnostic yield" or "detection rate." Incorrect usage of the terms was more frequent without improvement over time in KJR than in Radiology. Therefore, improvements are required in the use and reporting of these parameters.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.347-357
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• 2023

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic turned biological hazards in the working environment into a global concern. This systematized review of published reviews aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the specific jobs and categories of workers exposed to biological hazards with the related prevention. Methods: We extracted reviews published in English and French in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Two authors, working independently, subsequently screened the potentially relevant titles and abstracts recovered (step 1) and then examined relevant full texts (step 2). Disagreements were resolved by consensus. We built tables summarizing populations of exposed workers, types of hazards, types of outcomes (types of health issues, means of prevention), and routes of transmission. Results: Of 1426 studies initially identified, 79 studies by authors from every continent were selected, mostly published after 2010 (n = 63, 79.7%). About half of the reviews dealt with infectious hazards alone (n = 38, 48.1%). The industrial sectors identified involved healthcare alone (n = 16), laboratories (n = 10), agriculture (including the animal, vegetable, and grain sectors, n = 32), waste (n = 10), in addition of 11 studies without specific sectors. The results also highlighted a range of hazards (infectious and noninfectious agents, endotoxins, bioaerosols, organic dust, and emerging agents). Conclusion: This systematized overview allowed to list the populations of workers exposed to biological hazards and underlined how prevention measures in the healthcare and laboratory sectors were usually well defined and controlled, although this was not the case in the agriculture and waste sectors. Further studies are necessary to quantify these risks and implement prevention measures that can be applied in every country.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.1-16
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• 2024

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness and safety of herbal medicine treatment for acute pharyngitis. Methods : 2 databases(Wangfang Med Online, CNKI) were used to search Randomized Controlled Trials(RCTs) that used herbal medicine treatment for acute pharyngitis, which were published from January 2007 until April 2024. Results : 9 RCTs were selected in this study, and all studies compared herbal medicine alone treatment with western medicine alone treatment. The most frequently used medicine was Toxin-removing medicinal(淸熱解毒藥). Platycodonis Radix(桔梗) was the most frequently used herb. Meta-analysis of nine studies showed that the Total Effective Rate(TER) of treatment group was statistically higher than that of control group(RR:1.12, 95% CI:1.06 to 1.19, p<0.00001, I²=22%). Meta-analysis of 3 studies showed that the total symptom score of treatment group statistically improved than that of control group(MD: -1.00, 95% CI: -1.30 to -0.71, p<0.00001, I²=0%). Mild adverse events such as anorexia were identified in 4 RCTs, but no serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion : Using herbal medicine alone can be more effective and safe in improving acute pharyngitis than using western medicine. But further well-designed studies are needed because heterogeneity between studies existed and the quality of the reports needs to be improved.

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.588-593
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• 2022

In the highly contagious coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) are associated with high-risk of transmission. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is a procedure with the potential to cause dissemination of bodily fluids. At present, there is no consensus that endoscopy is defined as an AGP. This review discusses the current evidence on this topic with additional management. Prevailing publications on coronavirus related to upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and aerosolization from the PubMed and Scopus databases were searched and reviewed. Comparative quantitative analyses showed a significant elevation of particle numbers, implying that aerosols were generated by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. The associated source events have also been reported. To reduce the dispersion, certain protective measures have been developed. Endoscopic unit protocols are recommended for the concerned personnel. Therefore, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy should be classified as an AGP. Proper practices should be adopted by healthcare workers and patients.

• Clinics in Shoulder and Elbow
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.247-253
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• 2024

Acromioclavicular (AC) joint dislocations frequently co-occur with intra-articular glenohumeral pathologies. Few comprehensive studies have focused on labral tears specifically associated with AC joint trauma. This systematic review will address this gap. A comprehensive electronic search was conducted across PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar (pages 1-20) spanning from 1976 to May 19, 2023. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria for this systematic review, consisting of three retrospective studies and four case series. These studies collectively involved 1,044 patients, of whom 282 had concomitant labral lesions. The pooled prevalence of intra-articular labral injuries associated with acute AC joint dislocation was 27%. The prevalence of these labral lesions varied significantly between studies, ranging from 13.9% to 84.0% of patients, depending on the study and the grade of AC joint dislocation. Various types of labral tears were reported, with superior labrum anterior to posterior (SLAP) lesions being the most common. The prevalence of SLAP lesions ranged from 7.2% to 77.4%, with higher grades of AC joint dislocations often associated with a higher prevalence of SLAP tears. Moreover, grade V dislocations exhibited a complete correlation with SLAP tears. The studies yielded contradictory findings regarding older age and higher grades of AC joint dislocation as risk factors for concurrent labral lesions. This review underscores the frequent association between labral lesions and AC joint dislocations, particularly in cases of lower-grade injuries. Notably, SLAP lesions emerged as the predominant type of labral tear.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.710-725
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• 2024

Purpose: A scoping review was conducted to assess the toxicity and safety of Ganoderma lucidum. Methods: A literature search was conducted in several medical databases (EMBASE, Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane Library, ScieneON, and RISS) to identify studies related to G. lucidum. We extracted clinical manifestations of adverse events described in the included studies and analyzed whether the incidence of each adverse event was higher in the G. lucidum group compared to the placebo group. Results: An initial search yielded 1,409 studies, of which 31 studies met the criteria and included in the final analysis (7 randomized controlled trials, 5 nonrandomized studies, and 19 case reports). Several gastrointestinal, respiratory, neurological, and dermatological manifestations were reported as adverse events in the included literature. However, no serious adverse events with a causal relationship to G. lucidum were reported in studies other than case reports, and no statistically significant differences in the incidence of any adverse events were observed between the G. lucidum group and the placebo group (p>0.05). Conclusion: Our findings do not seem to support the claim that G. lucidum poses a safety risk when consumed as food or as an ingredient in food. However, given the existence of some adverse events where a causal link to G. lucidum cannot be entirely ruled out, further research and ongoing monitoring are still warranted.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.544-551
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• 2020

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a simultaneous analytical method for berberine and palmatine, which are representative substances of Phellodendron amurense, and to evaluate the antioxidant activity. We evaluated the specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ) of analytical methods for berberine and palmatine using high-performance liquid chromatography. Our result showed that the correlation coefficients of the calibration curve for berberine and palmatine exhibited 0.9999. The LODs for berberine and palmatine were 0.32 to 0.35 µg/mL and the LOQs were 0.97 to 1.06 µg/mL, respectively. The inter-day and intra-day precision values for berberine and palmatine were from 0.12 to 1.93 and 0.19 to 2.89%, respectively. The inter-day and intra-day accuracies were 98.43-101.45% and 92.39-100.60%, respectively. In addition, the simultaneous analytical method was validated for the detection of berberine and palmatine. Moreover, we conducted FRAP and NaNO2 scavenging activity assays to measure the antioxidant activities of berberine and palmatine, and both showed antioxidant activity. These results suggest that P.amurense could be a potential natural resource for antioxidant activity and that the efficacy can be confirmed by investigating the content of the berberine and palmatine.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.335-341
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• 2024

Objectives: Patients with cancer eventually fail to respond to therapy when malignant cells develop effective ways to evade immunosurveillance. Conventional cancer treatments, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy, aim to cure the disease or prolong the patient's life. However, the toxicity and side effects of conventional treatments limit their efficacy. Herbal medicine is a typical complementary and integrative form of medicine for cancer treatment in Asia. This protocol evaluates the effectiveness of herbal medicines in improving the immune function of patients with cancer. Methods: The following electronic databases will be searched: MEDLINE via PubMed, EMBASE via Elsevier, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Korean databases including Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS), National Digital Science Library (NDSL), and Oriental Medicine Advanced Searching Integrated System (OASIS). Additionally, prospective randomized controlled trials that evaluate the effectiveness of herbal medicines on immune function in patients with cancer will be included in this review. All outcomes related to the immune function of patients with cancer (e.g., CD3, CD4, CD8, CD4/CD8 ratio, CD19 (B cells), dendritic cells (CD11), CD56 (NK cells), and macrophages) will be included in this review. Results: This review is expected to provide data on the effectiveness of herbal medicines on improving immune functions in patients with cancers. Conclusion: This systematic review will help patients and clinicians establish new management options for cancer treatment.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.38 no.5 s.250
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• pp.323-334
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• 2005

Background: Gene therapy is a new and promising option for the treatment of severe myocardial ischemia by therapeutic angiogenesis. The goal of this study was to elucidate the efficacy of therapeutic angiogenesis by using VEGF165 in large animals. Material and Method: Twenty-one pigs that underwent ligation of the distal left anterior descending coronary artery were randomly allocated to one of two treatments: intramyocardial injection of pCK-VEGF (VEGF) or intramyocardial injection of pCK-Null (Control). Injections were administered 30 days after ligation. Seven pigs died during the trial, but eight pigs from VEGF and six from Control survived. Echo-cardiography was performed on day 0 (preoperative) and on days 30 and 60 following coronary ligation. Gated myocardial single photon emission computed tomography imaging (SPECT) with $^{99m}Tc-labeled$ sestamibi was performed on days 30 and 60. Myocardial perfusion was assessed from the uptake of $^{99m}Tc-labeled$ sestamibi at rest. Global and regional myocardial function as well as post-infarction left ventricular remodeling were assessed from segmental wall thickening; left ventricular ejection fraction (EF); end systolic volume (ESV); and end diastolic volume (EDV) using gated SPECT and echocardiography. Myocardium of the ischemic border zone into which pCK plasmid vector had been injected was also sampled to assess micro-capillary density. Result: Micro-capillary density was significantly higher in the VEGF than in Control ($386\pm110/mm^{2}\;vs.\;291\pm127/mm^{2};\;p<0.001$). Segmental perfusion increased significantly from day 30 to day 60 after intramyocardial injection of plasmid vector in VEGF ($48.4\pm15.2\%\;vs.\;53.8\pm19.6\%;\;p<0.001$), while no significant change was observed in the Control ($45.1\pm17.0\%\;vs.\;43.4\pm17.7\%;\;p=0.186$). This resulted in a significant difference in the percentage changes between the two groups ($11.4\pm27.0\%\;increase\;vs.\;2.7\pm19.0\%\;decrease;\;p=0.003$). Segmental wall thickening increased significantly from day 30 to day 60 in both groups; the increments did not differ between groups. ESV measured using echocardiography increased significantly from day 0 to day 30 in VEGF ($22.9\pm9.9\;mL\;vs.\;32.3\pm9.1\;mL;\; p=0.006$) and in Control ($26.3\pm12.0\;mL\;vs.\;36.8\pm9.7\;mL;\;p=0.046$). EF decreased significantly in VEGF ($52.0\pm7.7\%\;vs.\;46.5\pm7.4\%;\;p=0.004$) and in Control ($48.2\pm9.2\%\;vs.\;41.6\pm10.0\%;\;p=0.028$). There was no significant change in EDV. The interval changes (days $30\~60$) of EF, ESV, and EDV did not differ significantly between groups both by gated SPECT and by echocardiography. Conclusion: Intramyocardial injection of pCK-VEGF165 induced therapeutic angiogenesis and improved myocardial perfusion. However, post-infarction remodeling and global myocardial function were not improved.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.517-526
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to provide convenience to the senior center staff and policy makers through a research of "Life satisfaction" in the senior centers with a systematic review and meta-analysis of the considerations of the elderly, published in foreign journals for the past 10 years. We searched published studies in the Medline Complete, Pub-med central and Scopus databases from January 2007 to November 2017. The main key words used "Elderly AND(And OR aged) AND Personal Satisfaction/ or life satisfaction" and out of 595 searched articles a total of 6 studies were selected. After qualitative analysis of the contents of the study, meta - analyzes were conducted for factors with more than three quantitative values. The factors affecting life satisfaction of the elderly were physical health (pooled effect size 0.582, p = .000), mental health (pooled effect size 0.423, p = .000), economic problems (r = .51, p =. 001), social activities, and daily living. It is expected that this study which provides an understanding of life satisfaction of the elderly would contribute to provide general information for developing social consensus on the employment in the super aging society should help improve the quality of welfare facilities for senior citizens in the future.