In this study, we analyzed the healthcare system of North Korea using Kleczkowski's model which categorizes national healthcare infrastructure into five components: health resources, organization, healthcare delivery system, economic support, and management. It was found that the healthcare system in North Korea, which provides clinical medicine, Koryo medicine and preventive medicine, is constituted of a physician system of independent geographic sectors and centralized delivery system while maintaining free universal health coverage. These systems are all managed by the government and the People's Committee Party. However, North Korea has been confronted with severe economic difficulties since the 1990s, such that we question whether the healthcare system has been able to function properly despite of the lack of resources in general throughout the country.
Clinical Medicine ; Collodion ; Delivery of Health Care ; Democratic People's Republic of Korea ; Health Resources ; Preventive Medicine

The incidence and mortality rate of cancer continues to gradually increase, although considerable research effort has been directed at elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying biomarkers responsible for tumorigenesis. Accumulated evidence indicates that the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are transcribed but not translated into functional proteins, contribute to cancer development. Recently, linc00152 (an lncRNA) was identified as a potent oncogene in various cancer types, and shown to be involved in cancer cell proliferation, invasiveness, and motility by sponging tumor-suppressive microRNAs acting as a competing endogenous RNA, binding to gene promoters acting as a transcriptional regulator, and binding to functional proteins. In this review, we focus on the oncogenic role of linc00152 in tumorigenesis and provided an overview of recent clinical studies on the effects of linc00152 expression in human cancers.
Biomarkers ; Carcinogenesis ; Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; Incidence ; MicroRNAs ; Mortality ; Oncogenes ; RNA ; RNA, Long Noncoding

Since lung cancer is a major causative for cancer-related deaths, the investigations for discovering biomarkers to diagnose at an early stage and to apply therapeutic strategies have been continuously conducted. Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are being exponentially studied as promising biomarkers of lung cancer. Moreover, supportive evidence provides the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network between lncRNAs and miRNAs participating in lung tumorigenesis. This review introduced the oncogenic or tumor-suppressive roles of lncRNAs and miRNAs in lung cancer cells and summarized the involvement of the lncRNA/miRNA ceRNA networks in carcinogenesis and therapeutic resistance of lung cancer.

Since lung cancer is a major causative for cancer-related deaths, the investigations for discovering biomarkers to diagnose at an early stage and to apply therapeutic strategies have been continuously conducted. Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) are being exponentially studied as promising biomarkers of lung cancer. Moreover, supportive evidence provides the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network between lncRNAs and miRNAs participating in lung tumorigenesis. This review introduced the oncogenic or tumor-suppressive roles of lncRNAs and miRNAs in lung cancer cells and summarized the involvement of the lncRNA/miRNA ceRNA networks in carcinogenesis and therapeutic resistance of lung cancer.

The incidence and mortality rate of cancer continues to gradually increase, although considerable research effort has been directed at elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying biomarkers responsible for tumorigenesis. Accumulated evidence indicates that the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are transcribed but not translated into functional proteins, contribute to cancer development. Recently, linc00152 (an lncRNA) was identified as a potent oncogene in various cancer types, and shown to be involved in cancer cell proliferation, invasiveness, and motility by sponging tumor-suppressive microRNAs acting as a competing endogenous RNA, binding to gene promoters acting as a transcriptional regulator, and binding to functional proteins. In this review, we focus on the oncogenic role of linc00152 in tumorigenesis and provided an overview of recent clinical studies on the effects of linc00152 expression in human cancers.

Systems thinking, a linking domain of health systems science (HSS), is an approach that investigates specific problems from a holistic perspective. It supports improving patients’ health, fulfilling their health needs, and anticipating issues that threaten patient safety within the healthcare system. It also helps solve problems through critical thinking and reflection. This study aimed to develop an curriculum on systems thinking, explore the effectiveness of the course, and investigate the applicability of HSS education at individual universities. In this study, the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation) model was utilized to design, develop, implement, and evaluate an elective course on systems thinking. In the design process, learning outcomes and goals were developed, and educational content, teaching-learning methods, and student evaluation methods were linked. In the development process, class materials and evaluation materials were prepared. In the implementation process, the course was implemented, and the evaluation process analyzed the results of learning performance and curriculum assessments. The evaluation found the following results. First, the students in the study realized the importance of systems thinking and experienced the need for systems thinking through non-medical and medical situations. Second, the students were very satisfied with the learning activities in the course (mean=4.84), and the results of the self-competence evaluation, conducted before and after the course, also showed a significant improvement. This study confirmed the effectiveness of the elective course, and its results can serve as a reference for developing an HSS curriculum .

Purpose: Pregnant women with diabetes mellitus (DM) and their babies are affected by complications and congenital abnormalities during pregnancy. This study aimed to examine the risk factors for cardiac anomalies and the characteristics of pregestational DM and GDM in mothers and babies in Korea. Methods: This retrospective study used medical records from Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital between January 2013 and July 2021. We studied 1983 infants, with 335 neonates from mothers with DM. Results: Body weight and body mass index were high in mothers with pregestational DM at delivery (p<0.005). The rate of preterm births was lower in the pregestational DM group than in the GDM group. Furthermore, the cardiac anomaly rate was high in the pregestational DM group (p<0.001). The rate of hyperbilirubinemia in the DM group was higher than that in the control group (p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed no significant risk factors for congenital heart disease. Conclusion DM in pregnant women is associated with congenital anomalies. Therefore, the appropriate management of mothers with DM is important for the prognosis of their neonates.

Purpose: Pregnant women with diabetes mellitus (DM) and their babies are affected by complications and congenital abnormalities during pregnancy. This study aimed to examine the risk factors for cardiac anomalies and the characteristics of pregestational DM and GDM in mothers and babies in Korea. Methods: This retrospective study used medical records from Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital between January 2013 and July 2021. We studied 1983 infants, with 335 neonates from mothers with DM. Results: Body weight and body mass index were high in mothers with pregestational DM at delivery (p<0.005). The rate of preterm births was lower in the pregestational DM group than in the GDM group. Furthermore, the cardiac anomaly rate was high in the pregestational DM group (p<0.001). The rate of hyperbilirubinemia in the DM group was higher than that in the control group (p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed no significant risk factors for congenital heart disease. Conclusion DM in pregnant women is associated with congenital anomalies. Therefore, the appropriate management of mothers with DM is important for the prognosis of their neonates.

Purpose: Pregnant women with diabetes mellitus (DM) and their babies are affected by complications and congenital abnormalities during pregnancy. This study aimed to examine the risk factors for cardiac anomalies and the characteristics of pregestational DM and GDM in mothers and babies in Korea. Methods: This retrospective study used medical records from Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital between January 2013 and July 2021. We studied 1983 infants, with 335 neonates from mothers with DM. Results: Body weight and body mass index were high in mothers with pregestational DM at delivery (p<0.005). The rate of preterm births was lower in the pregestational DM group than in the GDM group. Furthermore, the cardiac anomaly rate was high in the pregestational DM group (p<0.001). The rate of hyperbilirubinemia in the DM group was higher than that in the control group (p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed no significant risk factors for congenital heart disease. Conclusion DM in pregnant women is associated with congenital anomalies. Therefore, the appropriate management of mothers with DM is important for the prognosis of their neonates.

Purpose: Pregnant women with diabetes mellitus (DM) and their babies are affected by complications and congenital abnormalities during pregnancy. This study aimed to examine the risk factors for cardiac anomalies and the characteristics of pregestational DM and GDM in mothers and babies in Korea. Methods: This retrospective study used medical records from Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital between January 2013 and July 2021. We studied 1983 infants, with 335 neonates from mothers with DM. Results: Body weight and body mass index were high in mothers with pregestational DM at delivery (p<0.005). The rate of preterm births was lower in the pregestational DM group than in the GDM group. Furthermore, the cardiac anomaly rate was high in the pregestational DM group (p<0.001). The rate of hyperbilirubinemia in the DM group was higher than that in the control group (p<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed no significant risk factors for congenital heart disease. Conclusion DM in pregnant women is associated with congenital anomalies. Therefore, the appropriate management of mothers with DM is important for the prognosis of their neonates.