• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.89-105
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• 2010

Research methodology on Traditional Medicine in East Asia refers to logical thinking system, empirical positivism system and methodology of developing these knowledge systems. Logical thinking system of abstract concepts such as analogy or abduction and positivism system of reasonable explanation such as the five elements and their characteristic theory have been used in various ways empirically or in the form of humanities and knowledge system was developed through parallel structure of empirical positivism and exegetical studies. After the 16th century, evidence was required along with the tradition of putting emphasis on rationality, logicality and empirical positivism and characteristics of medical humanities can be found in emphasizing on medical ethics. Data that can be considered as structural review paper or meta analysis from original data of research on Traditional East Asian Medicine should be evaluated as historical evidence which is equivalent to specialist opinion, descriptive disease research, single case report or case series. Historical evidence based medicine is a research method using Historical evidence to selectively support data that are faithful to traditional theory with higher possibility to be used in future traditional east Asian medicine that links between traditional knowledge and scientific research methodology. Moreover, historical evidence based medicine tries to re-evaluate the value of traditional knowledge and ultimately, guides the direction of development of traditional medicine through scientific rationality based on history and culture.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.11-21
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• 2015

Objectives : The cancer incidence and cancer burden is increasing. In addition, the use of botanical agents in cancer care is increasing. This article aims to review a research strategy for botanical agents. Methods : The clinical studies of anticancer botanical agents and the papers about clinical research methodology of botanical agents were reviewed. Results : In phase I study, safety confirmation, optimal dose determination and drug interaction study are important. Most botanical agents have low toxicity and some have non-monotone dose response. Therefore, dose-response curve must be evaluated separately from the dose-toxicity curve to determine optimal dose. Although anticancer botanical agents can't shrink tumor size rapidly, they do extend survival. So, in phase II study, response should be evaluated by the survival. Conclusions : Clinical research of botanical agents in cancer is different from traditional methods and strategies. Considering the characteristics of botanical agents and experimental mechanism is necessary in conducting botanical based clinical trials.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.39-62
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• 2010

Background : I investigated clinical research methodology of Traditional Korean Medicine(TKM) for treatment of lung cancer with Evidence Based Medicine(EBM) approach. Methods : I conducted the internet search of National Central Library, the National Assembly Library, Korea Education & Research Information Service, Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information for Korean theses and papers, and MEDLINE for the outside articles. Conclusion : In addition to outcomes of clinical trial, abundant clinician's experience and patients' preference are also considered. Pragmatic trials and quasi-experimental trials are better than clinical trials to plan clinical design of TKM for lung cancer and appropriate endpoints includes overall survival, disease-free survival, patient reporting outcome.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.151-161
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• 2021

Traditional Korean medicine (TKM) takes a holistic view that emphasizes the balance between the elements constituting the human body or between the human body and the external environment. To investigate the holistic properties of TKM, here we propose to apply the methodology of complexity science to the TKM research. Complexity science is a discipline for studying complex systems with interactions between components that raise the behaviour as a whole which can be more than the sum of their parts. We first provide an introduction to the complexity science and its research methods, particularly focusing on network science and data science approaches. Next, we briefly present the current status of TKM research employing these methods. Finally, we provide suggestions for future research elucidating the underlying mechanism of TKM, both in terms of biomedicine and humanities.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.11-18
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• 2015

Objectives: Systems biology is a novel subject in the field of life science that aims at a systems' level understanding of biological systems. Because of the significant progress in high-throughput technologies and molecular biology, systems biology occupies an important place in research during the post-genome era. Methods: The characteristics of systems biology and its applicability to traditional medicine research have been discussed from three points of view: data and databases, network analysis and inference, and modeling and systems prediction. Results: The existing databases are mostly associated with medicinal herbs and their activities, but new databases reflecting clinical situations and platforms to extract, visualize and analyze data easily need to be constructed. Network pharmacology is a key element of systems biology, so addressing the multi-component, multi-target aspect of pharmacology is important. Studies of network pharmacology highlight the drug target network and network target. Mathematical modeling and simulation are just in their infancy, but mathematical modeling of dynamic biological processes is a central aspect of systems biology. Computational simulations allow structured systems and their functional properties to be understood and the effects of herbal medicines in clinical situations to be predicted. Conclusion: Systems biology based on a holistic approach is a pivotal research methodology for understanding the mechanisms of traditional medicine. If systems biology is to be incorporated into traditional medicine, computational technologies and holistic insights need to be integrated.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.105-116
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• 2009

The use of acupuncutre has been increased worldwide, and large number of researches on acupuncture with improved quality has been conducted. Nevertheless, results of acupuncture treatment in those research tend to show mixed results, while many patients continuously seek acupuncture treatment as an adjuvant or alternatives for their health. Researchers and clinicians relevant to acupuncture are faced at this problematic discrepancy between the results of acupuncture in clinical trial including an randomized controlled trial and those of day-to-day clinical practice. The methodology of pragmatic clinical trial seems to be one of the promising research tools administering this problem especially in the area of complementary alternative medicine and traditional Korean medicine. In this study we first reviewed articles on the pragmatic clinical trial, summarized the essential concepts of 'explanatory' clinical trial 'pragmatic' clinical trial and then presented recent recommendations and arguments on this issue. We also analyzed and compared two similar pragmatic clinical trial protocols to show the readers the complexity of research designing. We hope more researchers in traditional Korean medicine will be interested in the methodology of pragmatic clinical trials and this study will serve to produce various high-quality clinical trials.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.84-96
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• 2011

Objectives: Sample surveys have been increasingly used by Korean medical doctors for many studies. We present how to conduct higher quality sample surveys in Korea. Methods: According to the 11 principal steps for sample surveys, the concrete issues that academic researchers tend to overlook are illustrated and a variety of methods for improving survey quality are discussed. Results: The survey statistics produced by some researchers could be subject to large errors. This would be mainly due to misunderstandings about the system of principles called survey methodology. The best strategy for avoiding these errors will be to follow the suggested guidelines. Conclusions: For the development of traditional Korean medicine, the role of survey studies is important. Conducting surveys of a better quality based on survey methodology will be beneficial to researchers.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.35-44
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• 2007

Recently, Despite improvements of therapeutic methods on malignancy, the need of modalities on the treatment of cancer have been increasing nowadays and Traditional Oriental Medicine have been considered as alternatives and the uses of it have continued to increase in cancer therapy. The aims of this paper is to analysis of approach modality of experts for the research and treatment on cancer and study of clinical research methodology in Korean Medicine.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.284-293
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• 2017

Thread embedding therapy is used increasingly for various disease including neck pain. However, the evidence of thread embedding therapy on neck pain and the assessment of their methodology are still limited. This study aimed to investigate the clinical research methodology using thread embedding therapy on neck pain. Thread embedding therapy is used increasingly for various disease including neck pain. However, the evidence of thread embedding therapy on neck pain and the assessment of their methodology are still limited. This study aimed to investigate the clinical research methodology using thread embedding therapy on neck pain. Total 31 studies were included in analysis. Thread embedding therapy usually was used once a week(32.3%), once per 10days(29.0%), once per two weeks (25.8%). The most common concurrent treatment used with thread embedding therapy was Chinese medicine. Among acupuncture points, EX-B2 (61.3%) was most commonly used, followed by GV14(45.2%), GB20(29.0%), GB21(22.6%). For control group, acupuncture were most commonly used(58.1%). All studies reported that the effect of thread embedding therapy was more effective compared to control group. and 11 studies reported side effects. Only 13 studies(41.9%) reported the appropriate randomization method, and the mean Jadad score of included studies was 1.52. Previous clinical trials included in this study showed the effect of thread embedding therapy for neck pain. However, the quality of the studies was not high. Further rigorous clinical trials are need to assess the effect of thread embedding therapy.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.85-94
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• 2011

Objectives: This pilot study was carried out with the purpose of suggesting a methodology on mapping and registering Korean medicinal material concepts at 2011AB of the UMLS. Methods: 411 medicinal material concepts were mapped to biomedical terminology within the metathesaurus of the UMLS. Based on the forms of listing on the UMLS and thesauri information, the medicinal material concepts were classified into three groups and mapped. Results: 76 concepts in Group 1 which English CUIs have Chinese AUIs were mapped considering scientific names and Chinese strings. 259 concepts in Group 2 that have CUIs in the form of 'botanical name/Chinese pinyin' were mapped with the information of Korean and Chinese Pharmacopoeias. Groups 3, 76 concepts of English names in the Korean Pharmacopoeia are matched considering their botanic names and used parts. Conclusion: This study suggested a methodology to map Korean medicinal material concepts to international standard terminology, which will help ensure interoperability and compatibility between traditional medicine terminology and the UMLS.