Medicolegal autopsy is divided into judicial autopsy and administrative autopsy in Korea and Japan. Recently a new concept of "consented autopsy" has been developed in Japan. Consented autopsy is a kind of administrative autopsy which performed by informed consent of the bereaved of the dead. In Japan, all medicolegal autopsies are strictly divided into judicial autopsy and administrative autopsy. The latter is called to consented autopsy in the most prefectures of Japan except the five cities that have Japanese medical examiner system. Consented autopsy is a procedure that enhances people's recognition of legal medicine in the society and universities. Author introduce the peculiar procedures of consented autopsy in the Department of Legal Medicine, Kitasato University and Kyushu University in Japan. We can expect that the universities and other organs in Korea will establish our own methods of medicolegal activities in the future referring to the Japan's consented autopsy system.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Autopsy ; Coroners and Medical Examiners ; Forensic Medicine ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Japan ; Korea

Authors measured the length of the auricle of both sides, and the length of face to know the medicolegal significance of them in 265 medicolegal autopsy cases. The data were analyzed by anthropometric study method to gain the ear-face height index (auricular length x 100/facial length). The results were as follows: 1. The relationship between the ear-face height indices of the length of life is statistically significant (r=0.34; p<0.001). 2. The relationship between the ear-face height indices of the length of life is higher than in females than males (males: r=0.28, females: r=0.51). 3. In the natural deaths and homicide cases, the relationship between the ear-face height indices of the length of life is higher than the accidental deaths and suicide cases, however, the natural death cases only show statistically significant relationship between the ear-face height indices of the length of life (p<0.05).
Anthropometry ; Autopsy* ; Ear* ; Female ; Homicide ; Humans ; Longevity ; Male ; Suicide

Hypoxia, a common consequence of solid tumor growth in breast cancer or other cancers, serves to propagate a cascade of molecular pathways which include angiogenesis, glycolysis, and various cellcycle control proteins. As we have shown previously, hypoxia activates STAT5 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 5) and increases its binding activity to the GAS element in mammary epithelial cells. In this study we attempted to elucidate the mechanism by which cyclin D1 is regulated by the STAT5 protein under hypoxic conditions. Our data demonstrate that hypoxia (2% O2) or desferrioxamine (DFO) induces tyrosine and serine phosphorylation of STAT5 in human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and mammary epithelial cells (HC11). Imunoprecipitation and subsequent Western analysis showed that Jak2 leads to the tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of STAT5a or STAT5b under hypoxic conditions. Using a transfected COS-7 cell model system, we demonstrate that the activity of a cyclin D1 promoter-luciferase construct increased under hypoxic conditions or DFO treatment. The activity of the STAT5b/cyclin D1 promoter increased significantly by 12 h of hypoxia, whereas the activity of the STAT5a/cyclin D1 promoter was unaffected under hypoxic conditions. These increases in promoter activity are predominantly mediated by the Jak2/ STAT5b signaling pathway. We have shown by EMSA that hypoxia induces STAT5 to bind to the cyclin D1 promoter (GAS-1) in MCF-7 and HC11 cells. These data suggest that STAT5b may mediate the transcriptional activation of cyclin D1 after hypoxic stimulation.
Anaerobiosis/genetics ; Animals ; Breast Neoplasms/*genetics/metabolism ; COS Cells ; Cell Hypoxia/genetics ; Cercopithecus aethiops ; Cyclin D1/*genetics ; Deferoxamine/pharmacology ; Female ; *Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Phosphorylation/drug effects ; Promoter Regions (Genetics) ; Protein-Tyrosine Kinase/*metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins/*metabolism ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Serine/metabolism ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Tyrosine/metabolism

A 38-year-old female dead body was found in extremely abnormal posture on a chair at an inn. The posture of the dead body was in a state of hyperextension and rotation of the head. The postmortem investigation revealed no evidence of homicide or struggle. The external examination showed facial excoriations formed by pressure with wall. The judicial autopsy revealed liquid heart blood, a few petechia on epicardium and congestion of internal organs. Author supposed two ways of possibility that the dead body's posture. One is due to sudden loss of consciousness by acute heart failure. The other is due to slip of both hands from elbowrest of armchair to move his position. The possibility favors the latter to the former. Author reproduced similar posture with the dead body to explain the mechanism of the death. Conclusion was as follows: the death was due to respiratory insufficiency by phrenic nerve damage, compressional damage of cervical vertebrae and pain shock etc.
Adult ; Autopsy ; Cervical Vertebrae ; Estrogens, Conjugated (USP) ; Female ; Hand ; Head ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; Homicide ; Humans ; Pericardium ; Phrenic Nerve ; Posture* ; Respiratory Insufficiency ; Shock ; Unconsciousness

Ninety forensic (judicial) autopsies were performed in Chungju and Eomseong provinces during 3 years (1998-2000). On the other hand, postmortem external examinations for administrative purposes were done in only 2 bodies during the same period. In this paper the reasons for small proportion of the postmortem external examination for administrative purposes compared with that for judicial autopsies were discussed. The following results might offer us significant suggestions for improving the postmortem investigation and examination system in Korea. 1. Reconsideration on the importance of postmortem external examination. 2. Reestablishment of the definitions and a guiding principle in postmortem investigation system for judicial and administrative purposes. 3. Education on the necessity for augmentation of medicolegal autopsy rate among postmortem investigation cases for administrative purposes.
Autopsy ; Chungcheongbuk-do* ; Education ; Hand ; Korea

Spirochetes were isolated from the midgut of Ixodes persulcatus ticks captured at Chungju, Korea and identified as Borrelia afzelii strains by polymerase chain reaction. To determine the pathogenicity of the B. afzelii strains isolated in Korea, the microbiological and pathological features of Lyme disease were observed in C3H/He mice after intraperitoneal inoculation of the fresh isolate of B. afzelii strain. The results are summarized as follows 1) The Borrelia were detected in the tissues of heart, spleen, kidney, urinary bladder and knee joint within 7 days after inoculation of infection by dark field microscopic examination. The isolation rate from heart, urinary bladder and joint was significantly higher than the rate from spleen, kidney, and blood samples. 2) The Borrelia was detected in heart muscle by indirect immunofluorescent antibody test. 3) Antibody to the Borrelia was detected as early as one week after inoculation. 4) The marked tropism of the Borrelia was observed in myocardial, urinary tract and joint tissue. The main pathological features are inflammation in tissues of heart, kidney, joint and urinary bladder. From these results, the Borrelia afzelii strain isolated in Korea were determined as pathogenic strain.
Animals ; Borrelia burgdorferi Group* ; Borrelia burgdorferi* ; Borrelia* ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Heart ; Inflammation ; Ixodes ; Joints ; Kidney ; Knee Joint ; Korea* ; Lyme Disease ; Mice ; Myocardium ; Pathology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Spirochaetales ; Spleen ; Ticks ; Tropism ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Tract ; Virulence*

Doxylamine is common over-the-counter sleep preparations & frequently involved in overdoses. The clinical course is dominated by the anticholinergic effects, including central nervous system & autonomic effects. We report 4 cases of suicide attempts in adults where ingestion of the doxylamines were complicated by rhabdomyolysis. They ingested doxylamines variable amount & were carried to emergency department. They complained gastrointestinal or central nervous system symptoms. Gastric lavages & administrations of activated charcoal were done. Creatine phosphok inase levels were normal or markedly elevated on arrival, but peaked several days later. Serum creatinine levels were normal. 99mTc-MDP bone scans were showed increased muscle labelling at the regions of muscle injury. They were treated with hydration, urine alkalinization, & supportive measures in hospital. On considering cause of rhabdomyolysis, our patients did not show any evidence of viral illness or coingestion of other potential myopathic toxins to support a secondary cause of rhabdomyolysis. The mechanism of rhabdomyolysis in cases of doxylamine overdose seems to be a direct toxic effect of the drug on striated muscle, but the exact mechanism is not clear. In all cases where such overdoses are suspected, consideration should be given to obtaining a urinalysis & a creatine phosphokinase level on arrival & creatine phosphokinase levels are carefully followed. Primary detoxication included gastric lavage & administration of activated charcoal. The patient's urine output & renal function should be closely monitored.
Adult ; Autonomic Agents ; Central Nervous System ; Charcoal ; Creatine ; Creatine Kinase ; Creatinine ; Doxylamine* ; Eating ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Gastric Lavage ; Humans ; Muscle, Striated ; Rhabdomyolysis* ; Suicide ; Technetium Tc 99m Medronate ; Urinalysis

The gray vibrissae of Korean males(n =189) between 15 and 75 years old and females(n =111) between-15 and 74 years old who visited the department of otorhinolaryngology, Konkuk university Chungju hospital during 1996 to 1998, were counted for the purpose of estimating approximate age range in individuals of unknown age . The lowest age appearing gray hairs in both sexes was 15-year-old. The Pearson's correlation coefficient in both sexes was 0.490 (p<0.01). The age appearing gray vibrissae in females was slightly earlier than that of males, however, the differences between right and left sides of nasal cavity were insignificant. This method of counting gray vibrissae would be useful to estimate age range in personal identification together with other methods available until now.
Adolescent ; Aged ; Chungcheongbuk-do ; Female ; Hair* ; Humans ; Male ; Nasal Cavity ; Otolaryngology ; Vibrissae*

To know the value of the solubilization method using tissue solubilizer Soluene-350 in diagnosis of drowning, mice (ICR) were drowned artificially with the fresh water of Chungju district. Chlorophyta (or green algae), such as Oocystis and Eudorina, as well as diatoms, such as Diatoma, Synedra and Cyclotella were detected with other algae including Microcystis, Oscillatoria, Trachlomonas, Altenaria and Cephalodella in the water of Daeje-ji(Dae-je pond). This method is useful in detection of green algae and other kinds of algae for diagnosis of drowning in submerged bodies among legal autopsy cases.
Animals ; Autopsy ; Chlorophyta* ; Chungcheongbuk-do* ; Diagnosis* ; Diatoms ; Drowning* ; Fresh Water ; Mice ; Microcystis ; Oscillatoria ; Rivers* ; Water

Recently, the numbers of medical dispute in cosmetic surgery are increasing according to the increasing demand of this surgery. The 5 judicial decisions of Korea and the 7 those of Japan are introduced, and three points of problems about cosmetic surgery are proposed in this paper as follows: 1. whether cosmetic surgery is one of medical practice or not 2. Misusage of cosmetic surgery in wrongful directions 3. The proposals for prevention of medical disputes in cosmetic surgery
Dissent and Disputes ; Japan ; Korea ; Surgery, Plastic*