• Journal of forensic and investigative science
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.11-30
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• 2006

The preliminary investigative activities by the police officer play a critical role in identifying the cause of death in unnatural death investigations. The failure to secure the crime scene leads to the destruction of significant evidence, which results in the difficulty or impossibility to identify the cause of death. In order to prevent this jeopardizing crucial evidence, and to identify the level of preliminary investigation on the scene, this research is conducted and analyzed with questionnaires of 300 police first responders and 100 detectives. As a result, it was disclosed that there is a possibility for first responders to fail to ensure scene security, scene observation, and canvass interviews. Besides, when medical personnel have no choice but to contaminate the crime scene in order to save lives, it is necessary for them to take photos and to take proper actions before they enter the scene. The importance of scene-control education cannot be emphasized enough in order to prevent media from entering and destroying the evidence. Through research of actual conditions of unnatural death cases which occurred in Kyongbook Province for last five years, the statistics regarding a few different types of death were analyzed as follows. Evidence that homicide, suicide, accidental death, and disaster deaths have increased year by year. Therefore, it is deemed necessary for the government to take multilateral policies to reduce them, and for police to reinforce their investigative skills. Further, the insufficient number of autopsy facilities and forensic pathologists, only 13% of the deceased (1,237 cases) have had an autopsy conducted to identify the cause of death for last five years. The other, 87.3% (8,496 cases) of the deceased, were handled through simple postmortem examination. The significance of this percentage is that there is still the possibility not revealing the cause of unjust deaths. Therefore, it is necessary to furnish police agency with the reasonable amount of funding for autopsies and maintaining enough forensic pathologists.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.209-221
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• 2014

Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify the effects of area-based health promotion initiatives with community participation and partnerships conducted in Sabong-Myeon, Jinju City for three years. Methods: We used data from the '2008 Sabong-Myeon Health Survey' and the '2011 Health Plus Happiness Plus Community Health Survey'. The study comprised 520 systematically sampled individuals, composed of 300 adults in 2008 and 200 adults in 2011. We compared some health behavior and mental health indicators as well as social capital levels between these two surveys. Results: The prevalences of smoking and walking exercise in 2011 were significantly higher than those in 2008. The prevalences of high risk alcohol consumption in men, stress perception, depressive symptoms experience, and suicide ideation were significantly lower than those in 2008. The proportion of people having a high level of social capital in 2011 was significantly higher than that in 2008, regardless of sex or marital status. However, the difference in the proportion was not statistically significant among people with a high educational background. Conclusions: This study suggested that the 3 years' implementation of area-based health promotion initiatives conducted in Sabong-Myeon might help to improve the mental health and social capital level of this community. The long-term health effects of area-based health promotion initiatives with community participation and partnerships need to be studied further, and lessons from these initiatives can be obtained by adapting proper evaluation methods.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.57-63
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• 2015

Background and Objectives: Internet addiction is an increasing problem in Korea. The previous studies in this area have targeted adolescents and young adults. This study was conducted to examine the risk of internet addiction in Korean adults and the effect of internet addiction on circadian rhythm. Materials and Methods: For this study, 508 subjects were chosen through population proportional sampling to represent the adult population in Korea, 325 of whom were included based on the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-Korea (Audit-K), Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), drug use in the past year, and suicide attempts. In these subjects, sociodemographic factors including age, gender, and residential area were analyzed, and Young's Internet Addiction Scale (IAS), Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ), and an online survey examining sleep onset time on weekdays and weekends, wake-up time, and caffeinated drink intake were executed. Results: Of the 325 subjects, 136 (41.8%) belonged to a high-risk internet addiction group ($IAS{\geq}40$), and 189 (58.2%) belonged to a normal group (IAS < 40). There was a high proportion of male subjects (p = 0.03) in the high-risk group compared to the normal group. There was a high proportion of younger subjects (p = 0.055) in the high-risk group compared to the normal group, but this difference was not statistically significant. Compared to the normal group, there was a high proportion of the evening type ($MEQ{\leq}41$) in the high-risk group (p = 0.024), who also showed a high proportion of caffeinated drink intake (p < 0.001). Also, the high-risk group was found to go to bed and wake up late, but there was no statistically significant difference with the normal group. Conclusion: This study showed that many adults have a high-risk of internet addiction, and there was a significant correlation between internet addiction and sleep in adult, as has been found in adolescents and early adults. In the future, a longitudinal study will be needed to verify the causal relationship between internet addiction and morningness-eveningness.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.376-387
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• 1999

Purpose : To provide fundamental data to present further direction of education on Nursing Ethics by investigating the status of Nursing Ethics education performed at 4-year-Colleges of Nursing. Korea. Methods : A descriptive survey study The data collected from 28 universities through a questionnaire to examine the status of Nursing Ethics education in Korea. Results : I. Teaching Nursing Ethics class as a independent subject-6(21.4%) universities. 1) The average of 23.67 hours(2 credits) in the total educational hours. 2) Teaching method-theoretical class, discussion of case study, discussion of related issues, presentation of video tapes and discussion, team education, role play, and submission of reports. 3) Education contents-Nursing profession and ethics, the dignity of human life, necessity of bioethics, ethical theory and refutation, code for nurses, ethical issues between nurses and patients, nurses and co-workers, and nurses and nurses 6 universities 4) 5 universities-Included ethical decision making, artificial insemination, external insemination, artificial abortion, organ transplantation, brain death, human subject of study suicide, and euthanasia. II. Teaching Nursing Ethics as an inclusive theme in other subjects-22 (78.57%) universities. 1) Educated in Introduction of Nursing (14 universities), Nursing Management, Nursing Ethics and Philosophy, Special Nursing, Nursing and Law, and Professional Nursing. 2) Educational course-Taught in freshman level at 14 universities, average 9.32 education hours. Conclusion: Showed not only that universities, not operating Nursing Ethics as a independent class, unreasonably operate and assign too many contents in comparing with its education hours and are likely to become only a cramming education but also professors whose major is not Nursing Ethics presently in charge need to take a chance to supplement their knowledge and teaching method.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.229-240
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• 1999

Background: The impact of the immune response on cancer gene therapy using viral vectors to deliver a "suicide gene" is currently unclear. A vigrous immune response targeted at viral proteins or transgene may enhance the efficacy of tumor destruction and even augment responses to tumor antigens. These responses may involve the release of cytokines and stimulation of tumor specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes that enhance therapeutic efficacy. On the other hand, a vigorous rapid cellular immune response may destroy cells expressing the therapeutic gene and attenuate the response to therapy. Furthermore, development of neutralizing antibody responses may prevent readministration of virus, a potentially significant limitation. Evaluating the significance of these limitations in animal models and developing solutions are therefore of obvious importance. Methods: After retroviral transduction of mouse mesothelioma cell line(AB12) with Herpes Simplex Virus thymidine kinase (HSVtk) gene in vitro, subcutaneous flank tumors were established. To study the effect of intact immune system on efficacy of tumor erradication, the ability of the HSVtk/ganciclovir system to inhibit tumor growth was compared among normal Balb/c mice, immunodeficient Balb/c-nude and SCID mice, and Balb/c mice immunosuppressed with cyclosporin. Results: Ganciclovir treatment resulted in greater inhibition of tumor growth in Balb/c mice compared with immunodeficient Balb/c-nude mice and SCID mice(in immunodeficient mice, there were no growth inhibition by ganciclovir treatment). Ganciclovir treatment resulted in greater inhibition of tumor growth in noncyclosporin (CSA) treated Balb/c mice compared with CSA treated Balb/c mice. On day 8, mean ganciclovir-treated tumor volume were 65% of control tumor volume in Balb/c mice versus 77% control tumor volume in CSA-treated Balb/c mice. This effect was still evident during therapy (day 11 and 13). On day 13, non-CSA treated tumor volume was 35% of control tumor volume versus 60% of control tumor volume in CSA treated Balb/c mice. Duration of expression of HSVtk was not affected by the immunosuppression with CSA. Conclusion: These results indicate that the immune responses against retrovirally transduced cells enhance the efficacy of the HSVtk/ganciclovir system. These findings have important implications for clinical trials using currently available retrovirus vectors as well as for future vector design.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.245-263
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• 2000

This study was conducted to provide the basic data about the health effects of pesticide exposure among farmers for agricultural health study. We analyzed 412 self-administered questionnaires collected from the male farmers who spray pesticides in Kyoung-ju area, Korea. Survey questions were about chronic symptoms, acute symptoms while pesticide spraying, pesticide intoxication accident, safety rules, protective equipments etc. The correlations among the variables related to pesticide exposure and the factors in acute pesticide poisoning and chronic symptoms of farmers were also analyzed. For chronic symptoms, the prevalence of 'tiredness and languor', 'lumbago', 'nocturia', 'shoulder pain', 'numbness', and, for acute symptoms while pesticide spraying, the experience rate of 'itching sense of skin', 'dizziness/headache', 'fatigue', 'eye glaring' were high compared with other symptoms. For 'experience of intoxication accident by pesticide in family', 7.1% of the subjects experienced the accident and the causes were pesticide spraying, food contamination by pesticide, suicide etc. Among safety rules, 'take a bath after spraying', 'change clothes after spraying' were kept relatively well, and, for protective equipments, hat, boots, mask, gloves, protective clothes(lower) were put on relatively well. The factors associated with acute pesticide poisoning were the extent of keeping safety rules, spraying time, orchard cultivation, agricultural area and spraying days per year etc. And the factors associated with chronic symptoms were acute symptoms while pesticide spraying, agricultural area, farming career, extent of keeping safety rules, extent of agricultural work and the pesticide exposure index etc. From these results, it is suggested that to reduce the health effects by pesticide exposure among farmers, the education to promote to keep safety rules and wear protective equipments, and information services should be recommended. And further studies on the long term health effects of pesticide exposure among farmers are required.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.20 no.1 s.21
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• pp.10-39
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• 1987

Mortality rate and causes of death are regarded as an index of strength as well as level of development of a country. However, there is no accurate data for the causes of death in Korea due to lack of systematic vital data collection system. The objective of this study was to define the causes of death of the school teachers, its changing pattern, cause-specific mortality rate, and geographic variation. The study population included all of the teachers in primary school, middle and high schools, and college who joined in Korean Teachers' Union between 1968 and 1985 that provided a total of 1,972, 069 person-years to observe (1,384,911 man-years, 587,158 woman-years). There were 3,678 deaths in this period (3,377 males, 301 females). The most common cause of death was neoplasm which was followed by the diseases of circulatory system. The proportion of death of neoplasm was 1.5 times higher than that of the general population. Causes of death were classified into 5 major groups (neoplasm, diseases of circulatory system, accidents and poisoning, diseases of liver, and all others). The mortality rates of diseases of circulatory system and all others for general population were 4 to S times higher than those for the teachers. However, mortality rates of neoplasm and diseases of liver were only about 2 times higher than those for teachers. Mortality rate of liver cancer for teachers was higher than gastric cancer mortality rate which is the reverse in general population. The crude death rate was 2.12 per 1,000 person-years for male and 1.00 for female which is one-third of the crude death rate of general population. Crude death rate of study population was higher in rural area than in urban area. However, mortality rate of neoplasm for male was higher in urban area than in rural area while mortality rates of all other causes were higher in rural area. For female, mortality rates of neoplasm and diseases of circulatory system were higher in urban area and the rates for all other causes were higher in rural area. Crude death rate was lowest in Gyeongin area and highest in Yeongnam area. The mortality of neoplasm for male accounted the highest proportion of all death in Gyeongin, Chungcheong and Yeoungnam areas while the mortality of neoplasm and mortality of circulatory system accounted the same proportion in Jeonra area. For female, the mortality of disease of circulatory system accounted the highest proportion in Gyeongin and Yeoungnam and Jeonra areas. Proportion of death due to accidents and poisoning was high in Chungcheong area and death due to all other causes was high in Yeoungnam area. The most common cause of death for male by city and province was neoplasm in Seoul, Busan, Daegu, Gyeonggi, Chungnam, Chungbuk, Gyeongnam and Gyeongbuk. Diseases of circulatory system was the leading cause of death in the rest of city and provinces. The leading cause of death for female was diseases of circulatory system in Seoul, Incheon, Chungbuk, Chungnam, and Gyeongbuk, neoplasm in Busan, and accident and poisons in all other cities and provinces. The mortality rates of male were above 2 per 1,000 person-years in Jeju, Gyeongbuk, Gyeongnam, Daegu, and Chungbuk, and it was below 1.5/l,000 in Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi. The mortality rate of female was above 1.2/1,000 person-years in Gyeongnam and Incheon while it was below 0.5/l,000 in Daegu, Geonggi Chungbuk and Jeju. The leading cause for male by school of employment was neoplasm in all levels of school with a remarkably higher rate in the professors of college. Leading cause of death for female was disease of circulatory system in primary schools, high schools and college but neoplasm in middle schools. There was no death due to liver diseases in middle and high school teachers and college professors and no death due to all other category in high school teachers and college professors, in females. High school teachers and the highest mortality rate and college professors showed the lowest mortality rate. Temporal trend of mortality was examined in three periods; period I ($1968{\sim}1974$), period II ($1975{\sim}1979$), and period III ($1980{\sim}1985$). The leading cause of death for male was diseases of circulatory system in period I and II but neoplasm in period III. Such trend of decreasing diseases of circulatory system and increasing neoplasm was observed in female. Overall mortality rate was decreased over the 3 periods. The mortality rates of diseases of circulatory system, liver disease and all others were decreased in male but the mortality rates of neoplasm and accident and posions was increased. Female showed a similar trend to male but the mortality rate of liver diseases was increased. Mortality rates of diseases of circulatory system, neoplasm and liver diseases increased with age of teachers up to 50 years of age but decreased in 60 years of age. Mean age at death due to each cause was higher in male than female by $4{\sim}10$ years. However, the mean age at death of the teachers was $2{\sim}5$ years lower than that of the general population in all causes of death and the sex difference in the mean a2e at death was smaller ($2{\sim}3$ years) in general population. In sex ratio of mortality, male was higher than female in almost all diseases except suicide and maintained a high ratio. The general population showed universally high ratio in male like teachers, and more or less did regular patterns in mortality with ratio smaller.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.298-309
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• 2000

Background : The antitumor effects of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) and ganciclovir (GCV) strategies for cancer gene therapy have a the following advantages : 1) a direct cytotoxicity to HSV-tk modified cancer cells by GCV 2) a cell death by the local transfer of toxic metabolites from the HSV-tk modified cells to nearby unmodified tumor cells (bystander effect), and 3) in vivo bystander effect such as antitumor-immunity. Retroviral and adenoviral sequences can silence transgene expression in cells and mice. In this study, we investigated the above described advantages of HSV-tk/GCV strategy in Lewis lung cell and mouse lung cancer model using retroviral vector and adenoviral vector. Also, we observed whether the expression of a silenced gene can be reactivated by treating cells with butyrate. Methods : Retrovirus-HSV-tk and adenovirus-HSV-tk vectors were used for the transduction of Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells. The change of HSV-tk expression by butyrate was measured by Western blol The antitumor activities containing bystander effect were observed in vivo (by MTT assay) and in vivo tumor models of various combinations of LLC and LLC-tk. Results : 1. Butyrate induced the enhancement of HSV-tk expression from adenovirally transduced cells but not from retrovirally transduced cells. 2. Both retrovirus-HSV-tk and adenovirus-HSV-tk vectors with GCV treatment were effective for killing of tumor cell in vitro and suppression of LLC tumorigenicity. Bystander effect was responsible for killing of mixture of LLC-tk and LLC in vitro and in vivo-tumorigenicity model. Conclusion : Butyrate could augment adenovirus-mediated HSV -tk gene expression. Cancer gene therapy with HSV-tk suicide gene by retroviral and adenoviral vector seems to be an effective approach for lung cancer therapy.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.37-51
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• 2001

This study is aimed at examining the ethical values of EMT students. The results below are based on the revised questionnaires, which can be applicable to EMT from the original questionnaires developed by Lee(1990), with a sample of 124 students consisting of 63 first and 61 second year students, conducted November 2-8, 2001. Data were analyzed using SPSS in terms of means, standard deviations, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient. The results are as follows: 1. In the area of Human life, all subjects showed utilitarian disposition. All respondents perceived the item "When patients recognizing there is no hope for survival ask for euthanasia, it is ethically right to accommodate their opinions." as the most utilitarian item, whereas they perceived the item "When an hopeless patient is on cardiac arrest, it is ethically right to do CPR as the most deontoogical item. 2. In the area of patient relationship, all students of two groups took on deontoogical characteristics, but there were no statistically significant differences between two groups. All students perceived an item "EMT have to keep it secret if patients disclose their suicide intentions and ask for absolute secrecy" the most utilitarian item, whereas they perceived an item "Even though patients act and speak in a very rude manner, EMT people should do their best to provide care for patients." as the most deontoogical item. 3. In the area of task relationship, first year students perceived an item "Given time limitations, it is ethically right to give priority to the patients who can be rehabilitated over the patients who can't be fully recovered." as the most utilitarian item, whereas second year students perceived an item "Under no circumstances should any placebo be administered to patients." as the most utilitarian item. All students perceived an item "When EMT students see an unconscious person lying in the street, they have to give him/her emergency treatment." as the most deontoogical item. 4. In the area of coworker relationship, all students of two groups took on deontoogical disposition, but there were no significant differences between two groups. All students of two groups perceived an item "Suppose you are regarded as the person who would be promoted. However, you think that your coworker is more competent than you. In that case you should tell your supervisor about your coworker." as the most utilitarian item. First year students perceived an item, whereas second year students perceived an item "When you observe coworkers' misconduct at work, it is ethically right to ignore their misdeeds." as the most deontoogical item. 5. This study demonstrated that for the first year students, there is a correlational relationship between areas of human life and task relationship, and between areas of task relationship and coworker relationship, whereas for the second year students, there is a correlational relationship between areas of human life and task relationship. 6. In areas of human life and task relationship, there are significant differences according to attitudes toward EMT and attendance at ethics training sessions. In the area of coworker relationship, there are significant differences according to religion, attendance at ethics training sessions, and a code of ethics. Recommendations for future research, 1. Sample items to measure ethical values and the instrument tailored to the needs of EMT should be developed. 2. A longitudinal study to track ethical value changes according to the amount of work experience is needed. 3. A code of ethics and/or ethics training, which could apply in actual situations, should be implemented.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.519-529
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of food insecurity in Korean elderly and to analyze the health status as well as food and nutrient intakes according to food insecurity status. Methods: A total of 939 elderly subjects (over 65 years old) were used in our analysis from the fifth 2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V-1). The variables consisted of general characteristics, physical and mental health, nutrient intake, rate of deficient intake of energy and nutrients compared with Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans (KDRIs) and food quality and diversity according to the status of food insecurity. Food insecurity status was measured using a self-reported food security questionnaire on the dietary situation in the previous year, and participants were classified according to three groups: food secure group, mildly food insecure group, and moderately/severely food insecure group. Results: The proportion of the food insecure group was approximately 67% and the food insecure group had lower income and educational status than the food secure group. Food insecurity was associated with worse physical and mental health status after adjusting potentially confounding variables. The results showed that food insecurity in Korean elderly significantly affected mental health (including stress cognition, depression experience, and suicide thoughts) which exceeded stages of physical health. In addition, food insecurity showed significant association with low nutrient intake and high rate of deficient intakes of energy and nutrients compared with KDRIs, and a reduction of dietary quality and diversity was indicated in the food insecure group. Conclusion: This study concludes that the prevalence of food insecurity may affect the physical and mental health as well as dietary intake of the elderly Korean population. Therefore, food insecurity should be considered as an important public health issue in Korea.