Development and validation of the Kidney Transplantation and Quality of Life, a Korean questionnaire to assess the general quality of life and other health issues associated with medication change in kidney transplant recipients.

Background: This study aimed to develop and validate the Kidney Transplantation and Quality of Life (KTQoL) questionnaire to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) in Korean kidney transplantation (KT) patients. During the validation, the KTQoL was used to compare the QoL of KT patients before and after conversion from twice-daily to a once-daily regimen of tacrolimus.

Methods: Construct and content validity of the 24-item KTQoL was evaluated using factor analysis and a panel of experts, respectively.

Chemical characteristics of fine particulate matters measured during severe winter haze events in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.

In order to investigate the chemical characteristics of atmospheric aerosol measured during a severe winter haze event, 12-hr PM2.5 (particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter < or = 2.5 microm) samples were collected at an urban site in Ulaanbaatar Mongolia, from January 9 to February 17, 2008.

Observed chemical characteristics of long-range transported particles at a marine background site in Korea.

Deokjeok Island is located off the west coast of the Korean Peninsula and is a suitable place to monitor the long-range transport of air pollutants from the Asian continent. In addition to pollutants, Asian dust particles are also transported to the island during long-range transport events. Episodic transport of dust and secondary particles was observed during intensive measurements in the spring (March 31-April 11) and fall (October 13-26) of 2009.