{"title":"Bacteria as Normal Flora in Postmortem Body Fluid Samples","authors":"Joo-Young Na, Ji Hye Park, Soo-Hong Kim, J. Park","doi":"10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.4.87","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.4.87","url":null,"abstract":"Bacterial culture and identification are useful in the clinical and forensic field [1], although there are many concerns regarding postmortem bacterial culture and identification. Furthermore, there are no specific guidelines, recommendations, or checklists that address the standards for performing that type of testing [1]. The Human Microbiome Project has revealed that an adult body contains approximately ten times more microbial cells than human cells [2], although it is unclear what happens to these microbial cells after a person dies. During the antemortem period, the immune system ensures that bacteria are not present in most internal organs and body fluids (e.g., the blood and cerebrospinal fluid). However, the immune system fails Korean J Leg Med 2017;41:87-93 https://doi.org/10.7580/kjlm.2017.41.4.87","PeriodicalId":401663,"journal":{"name":"The Korean journal of legal medicine","volume":"4 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124021526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Discrepancy of the Cause of Death in Autopsy Cases of Cardiovascular Disease with a Focus on Cause of Death Statistics","authors":"Joo-Young Na, J. Park, Lee Bw, Bo-Young Lee","doi":"10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.4.100","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.4.100","url":null,"abstract":"Determining an individual’s cause of death (COD) is a difficult, yet very important task. On an individual level, determining the COD represents the final decision of death, whereas from a social perspective, determining the COD in individual cases can provide basic data for establishing social policies concerning public health and social safety. Hospital autopsy rates are decreasing worldwide, but autopsies remain useful [1]. Most autopsies performed in Korea are forensic autopsies and the autopsy rate in Korea is very low [2]. An autopsy is recognized as the gold standard procedure for investigating death, including the determination of COD [3]. Therefore, it is very difficult for countries with low autopsy rates, such as Korea, to establish accurate Korean J Leg Med 2017;41:100-106 https://doi.org/10.7580/kjlm.2017.41.4.100","PeriodicalId":401663,"journal":{"name":"The Korean journal of legal medicine","volume":"11 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123865608","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sungyeon Hwang, Jonghyuk Choi, Mikyung Lyu, Sunbum Kim, Kiseong Kim, Jinhyeong Ahn
{"title":"Quantitative Electroencephalogram Abnormalities in Methamphetamine Dependence in Forensic Evaluation: Case Control Study","authors":"Sungyeon Hwang, Jonghyuk Choi, Mikyung Lyu, Sunbum Kim, Kiseong Kim, Jinhyeong Ahn","doi":"10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.4.122","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.4.122","url":null,"abstract":"In this study, we analyzed the quantitative electroencephalograms (EEGs) of forty-eight subjects (18 with methamphetamine dependence and 30 non-methamphetamine users as controls). Immediately following data collection, all personally identifying information was replaced with random numbers to prevent bias and protect privacy. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20.0 for MS Windows. To investigate the general characteristics of the demographic background of the study subjects, frequency and technical analyses were conducted. Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to determine the difference in quantitative EEGs between methamphetamine users and non-methamphetamine users. Methamphetamine users demonstrated quantitative EEG abnormalities that were consistent with generalized encephalopathy.","PeriodicalId":401663,"journal":{"name":"The Korean journal of legal medicine","volume":"12 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116512922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Neonate Deaths in the Toilets","authors":"Binnari Kim, Sohyung Park, Hongil Ha","doi":"10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.4.145","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.4.145","url":null,"abstract":"Investigating neonatal deaths in the toilets is challenging for forensic pathologists. During the postmortem examination, they should evaluate whether the baby was alive or a stillbirth and determine any causes of death, such as prenatal cause, infection, anatomical abnormalities, birth or other blunt force injury, drowning, and asphyxia. We retrieved two cases of neonatal deaths in the toilets and reviewed their autopsy findings and circumstances. However, findings from the postmortem examination were insignificant. Their lung examinations revealed non-expanded alveoli, and hydrostatic tests were negative. However, the cases cannot be confirmed as stillbirths because of the possibility that they might be alive for a short period of time after birth and then exposed into the water in the toilet or to accidental or non-accidental asphyxia or that they might have died because of neglect. These cases illustrate that the death scene and the associated circumstances should be meticulously and carefully investigated.","PeriodicalId":401663,"journal":{"name":"The Korean journal of legal medicine","volume":"4 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122454163","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jeong-Hwa Kwon, Misun Choi, Hongil Ha, Sohyung Park
{"title":"Maternal Death due to Acute Fatty Liver of Pregnancy","authors":"Jeong-Hwa Kwon, Misun Choi, Hongil Ha, Sohyung Park","doi":"10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.4.141","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.4.141","url":null,"abstract":"A pregnant woman has to adapt to various physiologic changes which follows growing and delivering a baby. In other words, a serious complication can occur in physiologic changes that may give a rise to maternal or fetal mortality if these physiologic changes are maladjusted. Maternal mortality can be an important issue in forensic pathology as well as in public health because, if an unexpected maternal death occurs despite prenatal care having been performed, it may be embroiled in a medicolegal dispute. Acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP) is a characteristic liver disease associated with pregnancy that can cause death in both mother and fetus [1]. The diagnosis of AFLP usually should be based on clinical presentation with consistent laboratory results and imaging studies. However, if the mother doesn’t show any significant symptoms related to AFLP, or if AFLP is not clinically suspicious and as a result no further evaluation are performed, the diagnosis is not easy to make. In addition, the maternal mortality of AFLP was reported as approximately 18% [1] but lethal cases of AFLP are not well known. In this case report, we illustrated a sudden death case of maternal death of AFLP and we reviewed postmortem findings with literature. Korean J Leg Med 2017;40:141-144 https://doi.org/10.7580/kjlm.2017.41.4.141","PeriodicalId":401663,"journal":{"name":"The Korean journal of legal medicine","volume":"41 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130142976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Death from Naphthalene Poisoning Manifesting as Toxic Hepatitis: An Autopsy Case","authors":"Jinhyuk Choi, Seong Hwan Park, M. Park, Jeon Sh","doi":"10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.4.137","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.4.137","url":null,"abstract":"Naphthalene is a bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (C10H8). Although the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies naphthalene as a group 2B carcinogen (possibly carcinogenic to humans), it is commonly used in mothballs in developing countries [1]. Because mothballs look like candy or sugar cubes, there have been cases of accidental ingestion in children [2,3]. Moreover, suicide through naphthalene ingestion is rare. Acute symptoms of naphthalene poisoning include headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. Naphthalene poisoning typically induces prolonged hemolytic anemia and hemoglobinuria [4-6]. In literature, case reports of death following naphthalene poisoning are uncommon. In this case report, we describe an exceptional case of death resulting from naphthalene poisoning without hemolytic anemia.","PeriodicalId":401663,"journal":{"name":"The Korean journal of legal medicine","volume":"11 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121772016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Statistical Analysis of Legal Autopsy Cases Performed in the Jeollabuk-do Province of Korea in 2016","authors":"S. Yoo, H. Lee, Sang Jae Noh","doi":"10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.4.107","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.4.107","url":null,"abstract":"This study aimed to obtain basic regional data of legal autopsy cases observed in the Jeollabuk-do province concerning causes and manner of death. We investigated 170 autopsy cases (114 males [67.0%] and 56 females [33%]) performed at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School, in 2016. Of these, seven (4.1%) were children aged <10 years. Regarding the manner of death, there were 95 unnatural deaths (55.9%), 69 natural deaths (40.6%), and six deaths from unknown causes (3.5%). Among the 95 unnatural deaths, 29 suicides (30.5%), 10 homicides (10.5%), 52 accidental deaths (54.7%), and four undetermined deaths (4.2%) were recorded. Concerning causes of unnatural death, there were 39 traumatic injury-related deaths (41.2%), 10 asphyxiations (10.5%), 25 poisonings (26.3%), 13 thermal injury-related deaths (13.7%), and eight deaths due to drowning (8.4%). The most common cause of unnatural death was injury from falls (n=15), followed by agrochemical poisoning (n=12), traffic injury (n=12), and death from fire (n=11). Of 69 natural deaths, 31 were from cardiac diseases (44.9%), eight from cerebral or vascular diseases (11.6%), 12 from digestive system diseases (17.4%), one from respiratory system disease (1.4%), five from endocrine/metabolic/nutritional disorders (7.2%), and nine due to causes of unknown origin (including sudden manhood and sudden infant death syndromes) (13.1%).","PeriodicalId":401663,"journal":{"name":"The Korean journal of legal medicine","volume":"11 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115493466","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Analysis of Death Certificate Errors of a University Hospital Emergency Room","authors":"Sunghyun Yoon, Ranseon Kim, Choong-Sik Lee","doi":"10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.3.61","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.3.61","url":null,"abstract":"eISSN 2383-5710 cCopyright 2017 by the Korean Society for Legal Medicine This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 61 Korean J Leg Med 2017;41:61-66 https://doi.org/10.7580/kjlm.2017.41.3.61","PeriodicalId":401663,"journal":{"name":"The Korean journal of legal medicine","volume":"95 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-08-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124625862","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tae-young Lee, Hyun-do Park, Yonghan Jung, Jung-Hyuk Kim, Hongil Ha
{"title":"Drowning with Bound Wrists: Report of Two Autopsy Cases","authors":"Tae-young Lee, Hyun-do Park, Yonghan Jung, Jung-Hyuk Kim, Hongil Ha","doi":"10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.3.78","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.3.78","url":null,"abstract":"Drowned bodies with bound wrists are occasionally observed in forensic practice. Suicidal victims may bind their hands or feet with a rope to ensure success of the suicide attempt, but the possibility of homicidal drowning cannot be excluded. We report on two autopsy cases of drowning with bound wrists. A 51-year-old man (case 1) was found in the bathroom beside the bathtub, with his head under the water in the bathtub. His wrists were tied with a green bath towel. An 83-year-old man (case 2) was found dead in a reservoir. His wrists were loosely bound with blue nylon traps on the back, and both ankles were loosely tied with socks, with a simple knot on the left ankle. At autopsy, the lungs were hyperinflated, and foamy fluid was exuded from the bronchi in both cases.","PeriodicalId":401663,"journal":{"name":"The Korean journal of legal medicine","volume":"141 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132145192","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
You-jin Won, Jeong-woo Park, Seung-gyu Choi, Nahyun Aum, Dong-yeong Kim, W. Seo, Seung-woo Choi, Min-je Lee, Miyoung Yu, Jong-Pil Park, Minsung Choi, S. Kim, Sookyoung Lee, Woong-jae Yun, Yu-Hoon Kim, Yi-Suk Kim, Seong Hwan Park, Kim Jh, S. H. Yoo, S. Lee, Jae-yong Gim, Kyung-moo Yang, Han-Young Lee, Y. Choi
{"title":"The Statistical Analysis on the Postmortem Inspection Cases of National Forensic Service Seoul Institute in 2016","authors":"You-jin Won, Jeong-woo Park, Seung-gyu Choi, Nahyun Aum, Dong-yeong Kim, W. Seo, Seung-woo Choi, Min-je Lee, Miyoung Yu, Jong-Pil Park, Minsung Choi, S. Kim, Sookyoung Lee, Woong-jae Yun, Yu-Hoon Kim, Yi-Suk Kim, Seong Hwan Park, Kim Jh, S. H. Yoo, S. Lee, Jae-yong Gim, Kyung-moo Yang, Han-Young Lee, Y. Choi","doi":"10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.3.67","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.7580/KJLM.2017.41.3.67","url":null,"abstract":"eISSN 2383-5710 cCopyright 2017 by the Korean Society for Legal Medicine This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by-nc/3.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. 67 Korean J Leg Med 2017;41:67-72 https://doi.org/10.7580/kjlm.2017.41.3.67","PeriodicalId":401663,"journal":{"name":"The Korean journal of legal medicine","volume":"29 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2017-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127543311","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}