• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.51-65
• /
• 2003

Objectives： To examine the regional mortality differences in The Republic of Korea according to geographic location. Methods： All 232 administrative districts of the Republic of Korea in 1998 were studied according to their geographic locations by dividing each district into three categories； "metropolis," "urban," and "rural". Crude mortality rates for doth sexes from total deaths as well as the three major causes of death in Korea (cardiovascular disease, cancer, and external causes) were calculated with raw data from the "1998 report on the causes of death statistics" and resident registration data. Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were calculated using the indirect standardization method. Poisson regression analyses were performed to examine the effects of geographic locations on the risk of death. To correct for the socioeconomic differences of each region, the percentage of old ($\geq$ 65 years old) population, the number of privately owned cars per 100 population, and per capita manufacturing production industries were included in the model. Results： Most SMRs were the lowest in the metropolis and the highest in the rural areas. These differences were more prominent in men and in deaths from external causes. In deaths from cancer in women, the rural region showed the lowest SMR. In Poisson regression analysis after correcting for regional socioeconomic differences, the risk of death from all causes significantly increased in both urban (OR＝1.111) and rural (OR＝1.100) regions, except for rural women, compared to the metropolis region. In men, the rural region showed higher risk (OR＝1.180) than the urban region (OR＝1.l51). For cardiovascular disease and cancer, significant differences were not found between geographic locations, except in urban women for cardiovascular disease (OR＝1.151) and in rural women for cancer (OR＝0.887), compared to metropolis women. In deaths from external causes, the risk ratios significantly increased in both urban and rural regions and an increasing tendency from the metropolis to the rural region was clearly observed in both sexes. Conclusions： Regional mortality differences according to geographic location exist in The Republic of Korea and further research and policy approaches to reduce these differences are needed. to reduce these differences are needed.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.241-247
• /
• 2014

Sudden cardiac death (SCD), which is primarily caused by lethal heart disorders resulting in structural and arrhythmogenic abnormalities, is one of the prevalent modes of death in most developed countries. Myocardial ischemia, mainly due to coronary artery disease, is the most common type of heart disease leading to SCD. However, postmortem diagnosis of SCD is frequently complicated by obscure histological evidence. Here, we show that certain mRNA species, namely those encoding hemoglobin A1/2 and B (Hba1/2 and Hbb, respectively) as well as pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (Pdk4), exhibit distinct postmortem expression patterns in the left ventricular free wall of SCD subjects when compared with their expression patterns in the corresponding tissues from control subjects with non-cardiac causes of death. Hba1/2 and Hbb mRNA expression levels were higher in ischemic SCD cases with acute myocardial infarction or ischemic heart disease without recent infarction, and even in cardiac death subjects without apparent pathological signs of heart injuries, than control subjects. By contrast, Pdk4 mRNA was expressed at lower levels in SCD subjects. In conclusion, we found that altered myocardial Hba1/2, Hbb, and Pdk4 mRNA expression patterns can be employed as molecular signatures of fatal cardiac dysfunction to forensically implicate SCD as the primary cause of death.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
• /
• v.25 no.11
• /
• pp.179-185
• /
• 2020

In this paper, we propose impact factors and validity of blood variables on death of COVID-19 patients. The clinical-epidemiological data of 5628 COVID-19 patients, provided from Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency as day of 30th April 2020, were used. As results, impact factors of death were dementia, older age, high lymphocyte, cancer, dyspnea, COPD, change of consciousness, heart disease, high platelets, abnormal diastolic pressure and fever. The validities of blood variables for death were high in the order of lymphocyte, hemoglobin, hematocrit, platelet and WBC. Therefore, risk factors such as initial clinical characteristics, underlying disease and blood test results, could be regarded for efficient management of COVID-19 patients.

• Journal of forensic and investigative science
• /
• v.1 no.2
• /
• pp.44-56
• /
• 2006

The reform necessity of medicolegal death investigation system is continuously issued. The problems from the current death investigation system are discussed, specially on the professionalism of the involved personnel such as policemen, doctors, prosecutors. Death investigation exists not only to prosecute the criminals but also primarily to protect the general public's health, safety, and welfare. The reform proposals of death investigation system are followed as below. Statutes require that the prosecutor be notified of certain deaths. All deaths that may reasonably result from anything other than natural disease should be investigated. A death certificate is a legal document which authenticate a death, therefore it is issued by the doctor. The postmortem examination must be rearranged on the university base and performed by the qualified doctors who are trained at least in pathology. The police officer specified in death investigation and forensic identification should be encouraged to keep doing their special work in many ways.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.37 no.5
• /
• pp.494-501
• /
• 2021

Pseudomonas cichorii secretes effectors that suppress defense mechanisms in host plants. However, the function of these effectors, including avirulence protein E1 (AvrE1), in the pathogenicity of P. cichorii, remains unexplored. In this study, to investigate the function of avrE1 in P. cichorii JBC1 (PcJBC1), we created an avrE1-deficient mutant (JBC1^ΔavrE1) using CRISPR/Cas9. The disease severity caused by JBC1^ΔavrE1 in tomato plants significantly decreased by reducing water soaking during early infection stage, as evidenced by the electrolyte leakage in infected leaves. The disease symptoms caused by JBC1^ΔavrE1 in the cabbage midrib were light-brown spots compared to the dark-colored ones caused by PcJBC1, which indicates the role of AvrE1 in cell lysis. The avrE1-deficient mutant failed to elicit cell death in non-host tobacco plants. Disease severity and cell death caused by JBC1^ΔavrE1 in host and non-host plants were restored through heterologous complementation with avrE1 from Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (PstDC3000). Overall, our results indicate that avrE1 contributes to cell death during early infection, which consequently increases disease development in host plants. The roles of PcJBC1 AvrE1 in host cells remain to be elucidated.

• Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.430-441
• /
• 2018

The adverse health impact of air pollution is becoming more serious. The purpose of this study is twofold: One is to analyze the effect of air pollution and temperatures on human health by analyzing the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease in Seoul, Korea; the other is to determine what impact the location of a monitoring site has on the results of a health study. For this latter purpose, air pollution and temperature monitors are sited at three locations termed green, public, and residential. Then, a decision tree model is used to analyze factors linked with deaths occurring at each monitoring site. The results show that the environmental temperatures before death and the $PM_{2.5}$ concentrations on the day of death are highly linked with the number of deaths regardless of the monitoring location. However, results are most accurate with residential data. The results of this study can be used as base data for a similar analysis and ultimately, as a guide to minimize the health impact of air pollution.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.167-173
• /
• 1980

From 1976 through June 1980, 75 patients underwent Open heart operation at Korea University Hospital.Of the 75 patients, 39 were congenital heart cases and 36 were acquired heart disease cases. 39 cases of congenital heart disease were consisting of 16 T.O.F.,4 A.S.D., 10 V.S.D., 3 P.S., 1 P.D.A., 1 V.S.D. + Mi, 1 Truncus arteriosus, 1 Ebstein, 1 D.C.R.V., 1 Single ventricle. Among 36 valvular replacement cases, 18 cases of MVR, 3 cases of AVR, 6 cases of Double valve replacement, and 10 cases of Open Mitral commissurotomy, were performed. Postoperative mortality rate of congenital heart disease was 25.6% and that of acquired heart disease was 8.3%. Overall mortality rate of open heart surgery was 17.3%. Among 16 cases of postoperative death cases, 5 cases of autopsy were performed. Postoperative cause of death of our series were intracranial bleeding, pacemaker failure, low output syndrome, protamine anaphylaxis, bleeding, prosthetic valve embolism, C V A, miliary tuberculosis, hypothermia due to pump failure.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.50-58
• /
• 1989

The emergence and expansion of cardiac surgery over the past decade has resulted in an increasing number of patients undergoing cardiac operations but many kinds of heart surgery was realized only palliative, resulting in increasing numbers of secondary cardiac procedures. From 1978 to 1988, 10 cases of various congenital heart diseases and 17 cases of acquired heart diseases were reoperated at Hanyang University Hospital. The leading indication of second operation was residual shunt or valvular malfunction due to technical failure in congenital heart disease and primary valve failure, endocarditis, paravalvular leakage were for acquired heart disease. The mortality of reoperation was 0% for congenital heart disease and 11.7%[2 death among the 17 patients] for acquired heart disease. The leading causes of death were myocardial failure, sepsis with endocarditis, acute renal failure and congestive heart failure.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.11 no.5
• /
• pp.171-174
• /
• 2007

Neuronal death is a common characteristic hallmark of a variety of neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. However, there have been no effective drugs to successfully prevent neuronal death in those diseases, whereas oriental medicinal plants have to possess valuable therapeutic potentials to treat neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, in an attempt to provide neuroprotective agents from natural plants, 80% methanol extracts of a wide range of medicinal plants, which are native to Jeju Island in Korea, were prepared and their protective effects on hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptotic cell death were examined. Among those tested, extracts from Smilax china and Saururus chinesis significantly decreased hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptotic cell death. The extracts attenuated hydrogen peroxide($H_2O_2$)-induced caspase-3 activation in a dose-dependent manner. Further, plant extracts restored $H_2O_2$-induced depletion of intracellular glutathione, a major endogenous antioxidant. The data suggest that Jeju native medicinal plants could potentially be used as therapeutic agents for treating or preventing neurodegenerative diseases in which oxidative stress is implicated.

• Korea journal of population studies
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.46-67
• /
• 1985

In this paper, an attempt has been made to examine the pattern of mortality in Korea during 1970~80. By applying the age-sex specific mortality rates quoted from 1978~79 life tables for Korea published by NBOS, EPB to those of the West pattern of regional model life tables and the far eastern pattern of model life tables for developing countries, life expectancy at birth were calculated. Also the author reviewed the trends of death rates, life expectancy and cause of death using vital registration data and other materials. Summarized results are as follows; 1. Crude death rates in Korea was reduced to one fifth in the 1983 compared to that in 1920's. Life expectancy also improved to almost double in 1985 compared to 1920's. But the difference in the life expectancy between male and female increased during that period and it was recorded as 6.4 years in 1985. This discrepancy was mainly due to the different tempo of decreasing in mortality level by sex, particularly, for the age 40 and above. 2. For the pattern of mortality in Korea, it showed that female mortality could accounted closer to the West pattern model life tables. There were high similarity between actual pattern prevalent in Korea and West pattern. And its coefficient of variance was also very low. However for the case of male, it was difficult to find the exact model life tables for explaining the actual situation on the male mortality pattern which means exist considerable dissimilarity in older ages. The Far eastern pattern of U.N. model life tables show better results than West pattern, however, the deviation of the pattern to actual was severe. Also in Far eastern pattern, high coefficient of variance was existed. Furthermore it was found in the paper that the mortality level of Korean male for the age 40 and above were much higher than that of Far eastern pattern which was reflected the high mortality of the male adult in Far east region. 3. The analysis of cause of death showed that circulatory disease such as cerebrovascular disease and hypertensive disease accounted for the leading cause of death in Korea for the age 40 and above. There should he paid special attention to chronic retrogressive diseases for the older age groups. For younger age groups, injury and poisoning were reported as important cause of death.