• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.36-40
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• 2015

Equine colic is a major concern in equine industry due to high morbidity and mortality rates. The purpose of this study was to establish mortality rates during medically and surgically treated colic and to identify potential prognostic indicators for mortality of equine colic in Korea. The overall mortality rate was 18/119 (15%). The 93 cases (78%) were treated medically and 26 cases (22%) surgically out of the 119 records reviewed. The mortality rate in small intestinal lesion was 7/9 (78%) and strangulating lesion was 10/11 (91%). The significance between individual factors and prognosis of equine colic was not valid but high frequency rate was found in ${\leq}3$ years age (59%) and male (50%). In dead group showed higher, rectal temperature and heart rate than those of survived group. The mortality rate was significantly high in the pale mucous membrane color and severe pain and decreased intestinal motility. In laboratory factors, dead group showed lower level of platelet than survived group, and had higher values of RBC, hemoglobin, PCV with significance (P < 0.05). Group with increased enzyme activity of CK, LDH, glucose showed poor prognosis.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.157-162
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• 2013

Purpose: Abdominal trauma rarely causes injuries involving duodenum. But, it is associated with higher rate of the complication and mortality than other abdominal injuries. There are many options for the management of duodenal injuries. Herein we are to review our experiences and find out the risk factors related to the morbidity and the mortality in traumatic duodenal injuries. Methods: The medical records of total 25 patients who managed by surgical managements and survive more than 48 hours were conducted from January 2006 to December 2012. The clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes are reviewed. Results: Among 25 patients, most of them (n=17, 68.0%) were managed by the pyloric exclusion and the gastrojejunostomy. The $3^{rd}$ portion is the most injured site (n=15, 60.0%), and the majority exhibited grade 2 severity (n=14, 56.0%). Most of patients had blunt abdominal traumas (n=23, 92.0%) so that many of them (n=14, 56.0%) had other combined abdominal injuries. The mean ISS is $11.5{\pm}6.2$. The surgery related mortality rate was 28.0%. There was no statistical significance between each factors and the mortality except leakage (p=0.012). But, we could find some trends about traumatic duodenal injuries in this study. The mortality rates of them who older than 55 years were higher than others. And, all 3 patients who delayed the operation more than 24 hours after the trauma had some complications or died. Also, the patients who had the $2^{nd}$ portion injury, grade 3 injury, or combined abdominal injury were less survived. Conclusion: Duodenal injury is related to high rate of morbidity(47.8%) and mortality(28.0%). Age, portion of injury, OIS grade, ISS>15, combined intra-abdominal operation, and trauma to operation time over 24 hrs have some trend with attribution to mortality. Especially leakage of duodenal injury is related to mortality.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.71-75
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• 2014

Ambient air pollution (AAP) and particulate matters (PM) have been closely associated with adverse health effects such as respiratory disease and cardiovascular diseases. Previous studies have examined the adverse health effects associated with short- and long-term exposure to AAP and outdoor PM on respiratory disease. However, the effect of PM size ($PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{10}$) on cardiovascular disease has not been well studied. Thus, it remains unclear how the size of the inhalable particles (coarse, fine, or ultrafine) affects mortality and morbidity. Airborne PM concentrations are commonly used for ambient air quality management worldwide, owing to the known effects on cardiorespiratory health. In this article, we assess the relationship between cardiovascular diseases and PM, with a particular focus on PM size. We discuss the association of $PM_{2.5}$ and $PM_{10}$, nitrogen dioxide ($NO_2$), and elemental carbon with mortality and morbidity due to cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and altered blood pressure, based on epidemiological studies. In addition, we provide evidence that the adverse health effects of AAP and PM are more pronounced among the elderly, children, and people with preexisting cardiovascular and respiratory conditions. Finally, we critically summarize the literature pertaining to cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and stroke, and introduce potential studies to better understand the health significance of AAP and PM on cardiovascular disease.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.117-124
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• 2005

Before twentieth centuries and during early twentieth centuries, communicable diseases were the major cause of morbidity and mortality in Korea. But reliable data are not available. After 1975, the overall morbidity and mortality from communicable diseases, rapidly declined. Recently many new pathogenic microbes were recognized: L. monocytogenes, Hantaan virus, Y. pseudotuberculosis, P. multocida, L. pneumophilia, Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), G. seoi, H. capsulatum, C. burnetii, V. cholerae O139, C. parvum, F. tularensis, E. coli O157:H7, B. burgdorferi, S. Typhimurium DT104, Rotavirus, hepatitis C virus and so on. Since the first HIV infection recognized in 1985, the reported cases of infection and deaths from HIV/AIDS have been steady increased each year. Legionnaire's disease, E. coli O157:H7 colitis, listeriosis and crytosporidiasis have been occurring just sporadically among immunocompromized cases. Many re-emerging communicable diseases were occurred in Korea: leptospirosis, malaria, endemic typhus, cholera, tsutsugamushi disease, salmonellosis, hepatitis A, shigellosis, mumps, measles, acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis, brucellosis and so on. Leptospirosis and tsutsugamushi diseases have been noticed as major public health problems since 1980s. The malaria that had been virtually disappeared for a decade has reappeared from 1993 with striking increase of patients in recent 3-4 years. The distributions of salmonella and shigella serotypes have been changed a lot in recent few decades. Furthermore rapid emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains induces more difficult and complex problems in control of communicable diseases. We must recognize on the importance of environment and ecosystem conservation and careful prescription of anti-microbial agent in order to prevent communicable diseases.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Rural Health Nursing
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2006

Purpose: To compare of health inequalities between rural and urban areas in term of health status, health behaviors and medical care utilization by using national-wide data. Method: The data came from the 2000 and 2005 census data, 2004 death certification statistics and 2001 national health and nutrition survey. The health indicators used in this study were mortality, perceived health status, health related behaviors, morbidity, accidents and suicides, mental health-related factors, health care accessibility. Korean rural areas have been experiencing a rapid aging process and there are demographic differences between rural and urban populations. Thus, both of crude rates and age-adjusted rates were compared. Result: Although the degrees decreased after adjustment for age, health inequalities between areas still existed. The people who lived in rural areas suffer from higher mortality, morbidity and unhealthy behavior compared to people in urban areas. Especially, regional health inequalities for women were significant. Health care accessibility in rural areas was also lower and medical indirect costs for rural residents were higher than those of urban residents. Conclusion: To reduce health inequalities between geographical areas, political efforts to tackle health inequalities in the rural areas are required.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.356-361
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• 1983

Pulmonary tuberculosis is still one of unsolved problems in Korea due to increased number of far-advanced and drug-resistant patients, who have poor pulmonary function. We have analyzed 1332 operated Gases during the period of 1958-1981. Annual incidence of the disease decreased from 110 [1960] to 21 [1980]. The ratio between male and female was 7:3 and the age of peak incidence was in the 3rd and 4th decades. Recently, patients below the age of 20 years were slightly decreased, but above 50 years were slightly increased. The patients consisted of far-advanced case in 60% and moderately-advanced in 39% in 1980, as compared with 40% and 59% correspondingly in 1965. Preoperative sputum positively decreased from 91% [1958-1963] to 43.8% [ 1974-1981 ]. Medically treated patients for more than 3 years increased from 16% [1958-1963] to 51% [1974-1981]. From the view of surgical indication, totally destroyed hung increased from 27% [1958-1963] to 4396 [1974-1981 ]. Therefore, pneumonectomy occupied 53.8% of total surgical management recently. Mode of surgical treatment showed that thoracoplasty [33%], resection [57%] in 1958-1963 and thoracoplasty [2%], resection [98%] in 1974-1981. As Semb`s thoracoplasty was the first choice of treatment until 1960, thereafter resection became the choice. Postoperative mortality increased from 1.6-2.096 to 396 recently as well as morbidity. It was mainly due to increased number of poor pulmonary function and postoperative spread of disease. On the basis of our experience, far-advanced and drug-resistant patients increased in number recently, whose pulmonary function was poor. So postoperative mortality and morbidity increased. Proper surgical intervention should be considered before the appearance of resistance for all chemotherapeutic drugs.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.12
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• pp.519-522
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• 2013

Timely diagnosis of hyponatremia is important for preventing potential morbidity and mortality as it is often an indicator of underlying disease. The most common cause of eurvolemic hyponatremia is the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) secretion. Recent studies have demonstrated that proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL) $1{\beta}$ and IL-6 are involved in the development of hyponatremia, a condition that is associated with severe inflammation and is related to antidiuretic hormone (ADH) secretion. Serum sodium levels in hyponatremia are inversely correlated with the percentage of neutrophils, C-reactive protein, and N-terminal-pro brain type natriuretic peptide. Additionally, elevated levels of serum IL-6 and IL-$1{\beta}$ are found in inflammatory diseases, and their levels are higher in patients with hyponatremia. Because it is significantly correlated with the degree of inflammation in children, hyponatremia could be used as a diagnostic marker of pediatric inflammatory diseases. Based on available evidence, we hypothesize that hyponatremia may be associated with inflammatory diseases in general. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for augmented ADH secretion during inflammation, monitoring patient sodium levels, and selecting the appropriate intravenous fluid treatment are important components that may lower the morbidity and mortality of patients in a critical condition.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.71-75
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• 2022

Trauma care is evolving throughout the world to meet the demand resulting from rapidly increasing rates of mortality and morbidity related to external injuries. The State Major Trauma Service was designated to Royal Perth Hospital in 2004 to provide comprehensive care for trauma patients in Western Australia (WA), which is the largest state by area in the country. The State Major Trauma Unit, which was established in 2008, functions as a level I center and admits over 1,000 major trauma patients per year, making it the second busiest trauma center in Australia. The importance of recording data related to trauma was identified by the trauma service in WA to inspire higher standards of patient care and injury prevention. In 1994, the service established a trauma registry, which has undergone significant changes over the last two decades. The current State Trauma Registry is linked to a statewide database called the Data Linkage System. The linked data are available for policy development, quality assurance, and research. This article discusses the evolution of the trauma service and the registry database in the WA health system. The State Trauma Registry has enormous potential to contribute to research and quality improvement studies along with its ability to link with other databases.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.81-87
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• 2006

A lot of studies have investigated the role of psychosocial and behavioral risk factors in the etiology and pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. On the basis of prospective population studies that found a relationship between Type A behavior and cardiac morbidity and mortality independent of traditional risk factors, Type A behavior was declared a risk factor for the development of coronary heart disease. Additionally, recently proposed, a new personality construct, Type D personality have been reported to be associated with the increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In Korea, however, there were few studies about these issues. This article attempts to provide an overview of accumulating evidences on the Type A behavioral pattern and Type D personality related with cardiovascular disease to offer new directions for research.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.3369-3373
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• 2013

Oral cancer is a global health burden with high mortality and morbidity. Advances in treatment have failed to improve the relatively poor survival rate due to late-stage diagnosis. Early detection and screening have been shown to be effective in reducing mortality and morbidity of most common cancers. Several studies have evaluated the effectiveness of oral cancer screening programs but clear results were not obtained. This narrative commentary aimed to give a critical insight into the dilemma of oral cancer screening and to suggest recommendations for future trends. Conventional oral examination still constitutes the gold standard screening tool for potentially malignant oral lesions and cancer. Interestingly, the findings of the most lasting (15-year) randomized controlled trial on oral cancer screening using visual examination (Kerala) supported the introduction of a screening program in high-risk individuals. Several screening adjuncts exist but are still not at the introduction stage. Further research to find an appropriate adjunct reliable tool for oral cancer screening is needed. In conclusion, oral cancer fulfills most of the essential principles of cancer screening but still many points need to be clarified. Therefore, there is a striking need to establish a global consortium on oral cancer screening that will oversee research and provide recommendations for health authorities at regular intervals.