North Korean Refugees in Northeast China

The current crisis in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has resulted in an explosive increase in the illegal migration of North Koreans to Northeast China. The refugees' presence is seen as a nuisance by all sides involved, but their experience is increasingly influencing domestic policy in North Korea

Soviet Influence on the North Korean Education System and Educational Practice

1998All students of North Korean history are well aware of the important influence of Soviet patterns on institutions in the Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea (hereafter, the DPRK). In Particular, this influence is evident to a Russian who has spent the greater part of his life as a citizen of the Soviet Union and who is familiar with Soviet institutions. This knowledge of the Soviet Union is especially useful for understanding the historical roots of many North Korean traditions, historical roots that are sometimes overlooked by both Western and South Korean scholars. The aim of this article is to describe the nature of the influence of Soviet patterns on the North Korean education systems, its institutions, as well as educational practices. Historians in every country have their favorite topics which for some reasons are especially popular in a particular historical tradition. The history of education happens to be one such favorite topic among Korean scholars. Though until recently South Korean academics had not paid much attention to many aspects of North Korean history, the education is an obvious exception and one can find a plenty of Korean-language studies dedicated to the history and present position of education in the DPR

North Korea: Fading Totalitarianism in the 'Hermit Kingdom'

North Korea is perceived by many as one of the most totalitarian societies of modern time. But in the wake of the economic collapse of the 1990s, North Korean totalitarianism has grappled with new conditions. This paper examines how the countrys totalitarian character has been upheld through the institutional changes instigated by the economic collapse and subsequent famine in the country. It strives to answer whether todays North Korea should still be characterized as a totalitarian society, and, if not, what system then governs the country

North Korea’s human rights insecurity : state image management in the post-UN COI era

The 2014 report of the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea marked a watershed moment in international awareness and action on North Korea's human rights problem. It sparked widespread international condemnation, and prompted anxiety and insecurity on the part of North Korea, evident in the North's immediate response. This included a verbal counter‐offensive, some surprising willingness to engage with UN mechanisms, and a range of diplomatic engagement. I argue that contrary to the popular perception of North Korea as impervious to external criticism, when viewed through the conceptual lens of ontological security, the North's response to the UN COI revealed a desire to defend and secure its image in the eyes of the international community. While acknowledging continuing obstacles to a genuine normative transition in its approach to human rights, the article supports a deeper understanding of North Korea's self‐identity to guide measures to bring about change

СОВРЕМЕННЫЙ ВЗГЛЯД НА ОПТИМАЛЬНЫЕ СПОСОБЫ ПОДГОТОВКИ ТОЛСТОЙ КИШКИ ПЕРЕД ПЛАНОВЫМИ КОЛОРЕКТАЛЬНЫМИ ОПЕРАЦИЯМИ

Purpose: to assess current data on the effect of different approaches to preoperative bowel preparation before elective colorectal surgery on short-term treatment outcomes.Material and Methods. Online system PubMed of U.S. National Library of Medicine was used to find articles with key words “mechanical bowel preparation”, “surgical site infection”, “oral antibiotics”. A total of 226 articles were reviewed. 31 articles were selected for final review. Furthermore, ClinicalTrials.gov site was used to find actual and recruiting trials.Results. Mechanical bowel preparation (MBP) used to be a standard procedure for a long time. Nowadays, routine use of MBP seems to be debatable. Alternative approaches, e.g. absolutely no preparation or the use of MBP in combination with oral antibiotics, are considered. Data on performing different kinds of bowel preparation is reviewed in this article.Conclusion. Optimal approach of preoperative bowel preparation is still questionable. Combination of mechanical bowel preparation and oral antibiotics seems to be a preferable method. However, there is not enough evidence to exclude anothertechniques. It’s required to conduct additional randomized controlled trials.Цель исследования – обобщение имеющихся данных по влиянию применения разных подходов предоперационной подготовки кишки на непосредственные результаты при плановых операциях на толстой кишке.Материал и методы. С помощью электронной системы американской национальной медицинской библиотеки PubMed проводился поиск статей по ключевым словам: mechanical bowel preparation, surgical site infection, oral antibiotics. В ходе анализа изучено 226 статей, 31 из которых отобрана для окончательного обзора. Также для поиска текущих исследований использовалась электронная база ClinicalTrials.gov.Результаты. Применение механической подготовки кишки при операциях на толстой кишке считалось стандартом в течение многих лет. В настоящее время целесообразность механической подготовки кишки подвергается сомнению, в связи с чем рассматривается возможность полного отказа от механической подготовки кишки либо, напротив, дополнение механической подготовки кишки пероральными антибиотиками. В обзоре представлены данные литературы по влиянию применения разных подходов предоперационной подготовки кишки на непосредственные результаты.Заключение. Оптимальный способ предоперационной подготовки кишки остается предметом дискуссии в хирургическом сообществе. В настоящее время наиболее предпочтительным способом следует считать комбинацию MBP и пероральных антибиотиков. Однако данная область изучена недостаточно и требует проведения дополнительных рандомизированных исследований

Characteristics of Early-Onset vs Late-Onset Colorectal Cancer: A Review.

The incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer (younger than 50 years) is rising globally, the reasons for which are unclear. It appears to represent a unique disease process with different clinical, pathological, and molecular characteristics compared with late-onset colorectal cancer. Data on oncological outcomes are limited, and sensitivity to conventional neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy regimens appear to be unknown. The purpose of this review is to summarize the available literature on early-onset colorectal cancer. Within the next decade, it is estimated that 1 in 10 colon cancers and 1 in 4 rectal cancers will be diagnosed in adults younger than 50 years. Potential risk factors include a Westernized diet, obesity, antibiotic usage, and alterations in the gut microbiome. Although genetic predisposition plays a role, most cases are sporadic. The full spectrum of germline and somatic sequence variations implicated remains unknown. Younger patients typically present with descending colonic or rectal cancer, advanced disease stage, and unfavorable histopathological features. Despite being more likely to receive neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy, patients with early-onset disease demonstrate comparable oncological outcomes with their older counterparts. The clinicopathological features, underlying molecular profiles, and drivers of early-onset colorectal cancer differ from those of late-onset disease. Standardized, age-specific preventive, screening, diagnostic, and therapeutic strategies are required to optimize outcomes

Post-Operative Functional Outcomes in Early Age Onset Rectal Cancer

Background: Impairment of bowel, urogenital and fertility-related function in patients treated for rectal cancer is common. While the rate of rectal cancer in the young (<50 years) is rising, there is little data on functional outcomes in this group. Methods: The REACCT international collaborative database was reviewed and data on eligible patients analysed. Inclusion criteria comprised patients with a histologically confirmed rectal cancer, <50 years of age at time of diagnosis and with documented follow-up including functional outcomes. Results: A total of 1428 (n=1428) patients met the eligibility criteria and were included in the final analysis. Metastatic disease was present at diagnosis in 13%. Of these, 40% received neoadjuvant therapy and 50% adjuvant chemotherapy. The incidence of post-operative major morbidity was 10%. A defunctioning stoma was placed for 621 patients (43%); 534 of these proceeded to elective restoration of bowel continuity. The median follow-up time was 42 months. Of this cohort, a total of 415 (29%) reported persistent impairment of functional outcomes, the most frequent of which was bowel dysfunction (16%), followed by bladder dysfunction (7%), sexual dysfunction (4.5%) and infertility (1%). Conclusion: A substantial proportion of patients with early-onset rectal cancer who undergo surgery report persistent impairment of functional status. Patients should be involved in the discussion regarding their treatment options and potential impact on quality of life. Functional outcomes should be routinely recorded as part of follow up alongside oncological parameters