Global research trends in acupuncture for cancer pain: A bibliometric analysis.

Background: In recent years, acupuncture has gained popularity in the management of cancer-related pain (CRP). This study aims to use bibliometric analysis to investigate the historical development, recent hotspots and research trends in this field.

Methods: The Web of Science Core Collection database was selected as the data source for this study to retrieve and obtain literature related to acupuncture and CRP.

Ginseng for Erectile Dysfunction: A Cochrane Systematic Review.

The objectives of this study were to assess the effects of ginseng on erectile dysfunction. We searched multiple electronic databases from their inceptions to 30 January 2021 without restrictions by language. We included randomized or quasirandomized controlled trials that evaluated the use of any type of ginseng as a treatment for erectile dysfunction compared to placebo or conventional treatment.

Ginseng for erectile dysfunction.

Background: Dietary supplements with ginseng, or ginseng alone, are widely used for a broad range of conditions, including erectile dysfunction. Ginseng is particularly popular in Asian countries. Individual studies assessing its effects are mostly small, of uneven methodological quality and have unclear results.

Investigating the mechanisms of acupuncture on neural excitability in healthy adults.

Acupuncture is gaining interest as a potential treatment modality for various neurological conditions. Yet, the underlying mechanisms and efficacy on brain function are not well understood. Therefore, this study investigated the previously proposed hypothesis that acupuncture suppresses motor cortex excitability using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in healthy adults.

A Novel Approach to Describing Traditional Chinese Medical Patterns: The "Traditional Chinese Medical Diagnostic Descriptor".

In the first of a series of three articles by the present authors, diagnostic agreement between Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) practitioners was found to be low. This was the first time that TCM diagnoses had been evaluated with an open population of patients and this result is a cause of concern. In the second article, incorrect statistics were shown to have often been used to calculate chance-removed inter-rater agreement, and appropriate statistics such as Gwet's Agreement Coefficient 2 (AC2) was recommended for future studies.

Accreditation Standard Guideline Initiative for Tai Chi and Qigong Instructors and Training Institutions.

Evidence of the health and wellbeing benefits of (TQ) have emerged in the past two decades, but TQ is underutilized in modern health care in Western countries due to lack of promotion and the availability of professionally qualified TQ instructors. To date, there are no government regulations for TQ instructors or for training institutions in China and Western countries, even though TQ is considered to be a part of Traditional Chinese medicine that has the potential to manage many chronic diseases. Based on an integrative health care approach, the accreditation standard guideline initiative for TQ instructors and training institutions was developed in collaboration with health professionals, integrative medicine academics, Tai Chi and Qigong master instructors and consumers including public safety officers from several countries, such as Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Italy, Korea, Sweden and USA.

Appropriate Statistics for Determining Chance-Removed Interpractitioner Agreement.

Fleiss' Kappa (FK) has been commonly, but incorrectly, employed as the "standard" for evaluating chance-removed inter-rater agreement with ordinal data. This practice may lead to misleading conclusions in inter-rater agreement research. An example is presented that demonstrates the conditions where FK produces inappropriate results, compared with Gwet's AC2, which is proposed as a more appropriate statistic.

Consensus in Traditional Chinese Medical Diagnosis in Open Populations.

An acceptable level of diagnostic agreement is a prerequisite for consistent administration of treatment. It is critical for investigating effectiveness of different treatment approaches using multiple practitioners. To the best of our knowledge, no previous investigation of diagnostic consensus using open populations in Chinese medicine (CM) has been reported.

Health and well-being benefits of spending time in forests: systematic review.

Background: Numerous studies have reported that spending time in nature is associated with the improvement of various health outcomes and well-being. This review evaluated the physical and psychological benefits of a specific type of exposure to nature, forest therapy.

Method: A literature search was carried out using MEDLINE, PubMed, ScienceDirect, EMBASE, and ProQuest databases and manual searches from inception up to December 2016.

Acupuncture in Oncology: The Effectiveness of Acupuncture May Not Depend on Needle Retention Duration.

Background: Guidelines surrounding optimum needle retention duration in acupuncture have not been established, despite a growing evidence base for acupuncture over recent decades. This retrospective study explored the effect of varying acupuncture needle retention durations in cancer patients.

Method: Patients received either 2 (n = 35), 10 (n = 53), or 20 minutes (n = 54) of acupuncture once a week for 6 weeks.

Development of a Novel Questionnaire for the Traditional Chinese Medicine Pattern Diagnosis of Stress.

Currently, there is no definitive diagnosis or list of signs and symptoms for "stress" in either modern biomedicine or Chinese medicine (CM). While modern theories on stress relate to the neurological interaction of a stressor or stimuli on the autonomic nervous system, it is generally regarded as subjective in nature and as such each individual will likely present varying somatic or cognitive signs and symptoms. A questionnaire was therefore developed, based on textual research, that incorporated both general as well as gender specific signs and symptom responses to determine the most common CM patterns associated with individuals who report as feeling stressed.

The Effects of Twelve Weeks of Tai Chi Practice on Anxiety in Stressed But Healthy People Compared to Exercise and Wait-List Groups-A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: This randomized controlled trial was undertaken to determine whether 12 weeks of Tai Chi (TC) practice can reduce anxiety in healthy but stressed people.

Method: Fifty participants were randomized into TC (n=17), exercise (n=17), and wait-list (WL) groups (n=16). Outcome measures used were State Trait Anxiety Inventory, Perceived Stress Scale 14 (PSS14), blood pressure and heart rate variability, visual analogue scale (VAS), and Short Form 36.

Protocol: Testing the Relevance of Acupuncture Theory in the Treatment of Myofascial Pain in the Upper Trapezius Muscle.

A protocol for a prospective single-blind parallel four-arm randomized placebo-controlled trial with repeated measures was designed to test the effects of various acupuncture methods compared with sham. Eighty self-selected participants with myofascial pain in the upper trapezius muscle were randomized into four groups. Group 1 received acupuncture to a myofascial trigger point (MTrP) in the upper trapezius.

Pattern Differentiation of Lateral Elbow Pain in Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Systematic Review.

Background: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) uses a sophisticated diagnostic system called pattern differentiation, which allows for the tailor-made treatment of individuals.

Objective: This study aimed to identify the commonly used TCM patterns for lateral elbow pain (LEP), as well as the clinical features associated with these patterns.

Method: Journal literature in 15 major Chinese and English databases and textbooks from five medical libraries as well as Chinamaxx were reviewed.

Medical student attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in medical education: a critical review.

Background This paper aims to remedy a gap in the knowledge by presenting the first critical review of the literature on major themes relating to medical students perceptions and attitudes towards the exponentially growing field of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). MethodsAfter a comprehensive database search of the literature, 21 papers were chosen as suitable for the review. The results from these papers were tabled and discussed.

Comparison of traditional Chinese medicine education between mainland China and Australia-a case study.

Objective: To analyze and compare the curriculum and delivery of a Chinese and Australian university-level Chinese medicine program.

Methods: A review of PubMed and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure for relevant educational papers was undertaken. Online and paper documents available at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and the Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (CDUTCM) were read and analyzed.

Reliability of Manual Pulse Diagnosis Methods in Traditional East Asian Medicine: A Systematic Narrative Literature Review.

Background/objective: Little evidence shows the reliability of Chinese medicine pulse diagnosis. Regularly used in modern practice, it is believed to gather important diagnostic information. However, in the current evidence-based healthcare system, basing clinical decisions on unproven methods is problematic and obviously questions the relevancy of the procedure.

A randomised cross-over pilot study investigating the use of acupuncture to promote weight loss and mental health in overweight and obese individuals participating in a weight loss program.

Background: Acupuncture is widely used as an alternative modality for weight loss. Despite its increasing use, few acupuncture studies have evaluated the effect of a weight loss program on the mental health of obese/overweight participants and none have looked at the effect on those with eating, weight and shape concerns.

Objectives: To investigate the feasibility of conducting an acupuncture study involving overweight or obese individuals undertaking a weight loss program with particular reference to those with eating concerns.

Standardization and future directions in pattern identification research: International brainstorming session.

An international brainstorming session on standardizing pattern identification (PI) was held at the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine on October 1, 2013 in Daejeon, South Korea. This brainstorming session was convened to gather insights from international traditional East Asian medicine specialists regarding PI standardization. With eight presentations and discussion sessions, the meeting allowed participants to discuss research methods and diagnostic systems used in traditional medicine for PI.

Current research and future directions in pattern identification: Results of an international symposium.

A symposium on pattern identification (PI) was held at the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM) on October 2, 2013, in Daejeon, South Korea. This symposium was convened to provide information on the current research in PI as well as suggest future research directions. The participants discussed the nature of PI, possible research questions, strategies and future international collaborations in pattern research.

Protocol: the effect of 12 weeks of Tai Chi practice on anxiety in healthy but stressed people compared to exercise and wait-list comparison groups: a randomized controlled trial.

Stress is a major problem in today's fast-paced society and can lead to serious psychosomatic complications. The ancient Chinese mind-body exercise of Tai Chi may provide an alternative and self-sustaining option to pharmaceutical medication for stressed individuals to improve their coping mechanisms. The protocol of this study is designed to evaluate whether Tai Chi practice is equivalent to standard exercise and whether the Tai Chi group is superior to a wait-list control group in improving stress coping levels.

Acupuncture and moxibustion for lateral elbow pain: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Acupuncture and moxibustion have widely been used to treat lateral elbow pain (LEP). A comprehensive systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) including both English and Chinese databases was conducted to assess the efficacy of acupuncture and moxibustion in the treatment of LEP.

Methods: Revised STRICTA (2010) criteria were used to appraise the acupuncture procedures, the Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the methodological quality of the studies.

Contemporary Chinese pulse diagnosis: a modern interpretation of an ancient and traditional method.

Contemporary Chinese pulse diagnosis™ (CCPD) is a system of pulse diagnosis utilized by Dr. John He Feng Shen, OMD, and documented by Dr. Leon Hammer, MD, in the book Chinese Pulse Diagnosis, A Contemporary Approach.

Development of a Chinese medicine pattern severity index for understanding eating disorders.

Introduction: Eating disorders commonly affect young girls and women. Four eating disorders are analyzed in this study: anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), eating disorders not otherwise specified (EDNOS), and binge eating disorder (BED). Eating disorders are a modern concept and as such there is no critically appraised research on how Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) conceptualizes of or treats eating disorders.