Associations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and heavy metals with blood lipid profiles in a representative sample of Korean adolescents.

Background: Previous studies on the associations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and heavy metals with lipid profiles among adolescents have been scarce. We sought to investigate the associations of PFASs and heavy metals with blood lipid levels in a representative sample of Korean adolescents.

Methods: Data from the Korean National Environmental Health Survey (2018-2020) were used.

Design of multi-modal antenna arrays for microwave hyperthermia and 1H/1⁹F MRI monitoring of drug release.

This simulation-based study presented a novel hybrid RF antenna array designed for neck cancer treatment within a 7T MRI system. The proposed design aimed to provide microwave hyperthermia to release 19F-labeled anticancer drugs from thermosensitive liposomes, facilitating drug concentration monitoring through 19F imaging and enabling 1H anatomical imaging and MR thermometry for temperature control. The design featured a bidirectional microstrip for generating the magnetic |B1|-fields required for 1H and 19F MR imaging, along with a patch antenna for localized RF heating.

Modification of the association between cold spells and cardiovascular disease by changes in natural gas prices: A nationwide time-series study.

Background: Although the association between low ambient temperature and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is well-established, the effect of winter energy prices on this association remains unknown.

Aim: This ecological study aimed to investigate whether changes in natural gas prices (NGP), which account for a significant portion of winter energy prices in Korea, affect the association of cold spells with hospital admissions and mortality due to CVD.

Methods: Data from the National Health Insurance Service and Statistics Korea were used to determine the daily number of hospital admissions and mortality rates associated with CVD.

Associations between short-term exposure to air pollution and thyroid function in a representative sample of the Korean population.

Background: Disruption of thyroid function can profoundly affect various organ systems. However, studies on the association between air pollution and thyroid function are relatively scarce and most studies have focused on the long-term effects of air pollution among pregnant women.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the associations between short-term exposure to air pollution and thyroid function in the general population.

Association Between Instant Coffee Consumption and the Development of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Results From a Community-Based Prospective Cohort.

Background: A poor diet is a risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The interaction between dietary factors and cigarette smoking in the development of COPD is unclear. We investigated the interactions between dietary patterns and smoking status on COPD-related outcomes.

Association Between Eight Autoimmune Diseases and Thyroid Cancer: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

It has often been reported that thyroid-specific autoimmune diseases (ADs), such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis and Graves' disease, could increase the risk of thyroid cancer, but the association between other ADs beyond thyroid and thyroid cancer has not been well investigated. This study aimed to examine the risk of thyroid cancer in patients with eight ADs compared with those without ADs. This nationwide retrospective matched cohort study was conducted to investigate the relationship of eight ADs (Hashimoto's thyroiditis, Graves' disease, type 1 diabetes mellitus, Sjogren's disease, inflammatory bowel disease [IBD], vitiligo, systemic lupus erythematosus, and rheumatoid arthritis [RA]) with the risk of incident thyroid cancer using the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort.

Association of Infant Feeding Characteristics With Dietary Patterns and Obesity in Korean Childhood.

Objectives: Young children's feeding characteristics can play an important role in eating habits and health during later childhood. This study was conducted to examine the associations of feeding characteristics with dietary patterns and obesity in children.

Methods: This study utilized data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 2013 and 2017.

Sex-specific Associations between Body Mass Index and Thyroid Cancer Incidence among Korean Adults.

Background: The potential differences by sex in the association between body mass index (BMI) and thyroid cancer risk remain unconfirmed.

Methods: Data from the National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort (NHIS-HEALS; 2002-2015; population size = 510,619) and the Korean Multi-center Cancer Cohort (KMCC) data (1993-2015; population size = 19,026) were used. We constructed Cox regression models, adjusted for potential confounders, to evaluate the association between BMI and thyroid cancer incidence in each cohort, and assessed the consistency of the results.

Use of machine learning to improve the estimation of conductivity and permittivity based on longitudinal relaxation time T1 in magnetic resonance at 7 T.

Electrical property tomography (EPT) is a noninvasive method that uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to estimate the conductivity and permittivity of tissues, and hence, can be used as a biomarker. One branch of EPT is based on the correlation of water and relaxation time T1 with the conductivity and permittivity of tissues. This correlation was applied to a curve-fitting function to estimate electrical properties, it was found to have a high correlation between permittivity and T1 however the computation of conductivity based on T1 requires to estimate the water content.

Urinary Phthalate Metabolites and Slow Walking Speed in the Korean Elderly Environmental Panel II Study.

Background: Previous epidemiological studies have suggested that phthalate exposure may contribute to neurocognitive and neurobehavioral disorders and decreased muscle strength and bone mass, all of which may be associated with reduced physical performance. Walking speed is a reliable assessment tool for measuring physical performance in adults age 60 y and older.

Objective: We investigated associations between urinary phthalate metabolites and slowness of walking speed in community-dwelling adults ages 60-98 y.

Feeding characteristics in infancy affect fruit and vegetable consumption and dietary variety in early childhood.

Background/objectives: Previous studies have shown an association between breastfeeding and higher fruit and vegetable consumption and the level of dietary variety in children. However, few studies have reported this association on the feeding characteristics. Therefore, this study examined the association of the feeding characteristics with the consumption of fruit and vegetable and dietary variety in children.

Association between long-term air pollution exposure and development of diabetes among community-dwelling adults: Modification of the associations by dietary nutrients.

Background: Studies on the modifying effects of dietary factors on the association between air pollution and diabetes-related outcomes are limited. We examined whether dietary nutrients could modify the association between long-term air pollution exposure and the development of diabetes.

Methods: We used data from the Cardiovascular Disease Association Study, which enrolled adults aged 40-69 years in Korea between 2005 and 2011 and followed them up until 2016 (n = 14,667).

Can individual protective measures safeguard cardiopulmonary health from air pollution? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Evidence supporting the effect of individual protective measures (IPMs) on air pollution is relatively scarce. In this study, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the effects of air purifiers, air-purifying respirators, and cookstove changes on cardiopulmonary health outcomes. We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science until December 31, 2022, 90 articles and 39,760 participants were included.

Associations of cold exposure with hospital admission and mortality due to acute kidney injury: A nationwide time-series study in Korea.

Background: Emerging evidence supports an association between heat exposure and acute kidney injury (AKI). However, there is a paucity of studies on the association between cold exposure and AKI.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the associations of cold exposure with hospital admission and mortality due to AKI and to explore whether these associations were influenced by age and sex.

Study on the Effect of Non-Symmetrical Current Distribution Controlled by Capacitor Placement in Radio-Frequency Coils for 7T MRI.

In this paper, we present a study on the effects of varying the position of a single tuning capacitor in a circular loop coil as a mechanism to control and produce non-symmetric current distribution, such that could be used for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) operating at ultra-high frequency (UHF). This study aims to demonstrate that the position of the tuning capacitor of a circular loop could improve the coupling between adjacent coils, used to optimize transmission field uniformity or intensity, improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) or specific absorption rate (SAR). A typical loop coil used in MRI consists of symmetrically distributed capacitors along the coil; this design is able to produce uniform current distributions inside the coil.

Effects of short-term exposure to air pollution on hospital admissions for autism spectrum disorder in Korean school-aged children: a nationwide time-series study.

Objectives: This study explored the effects of short-term exposure to air pollution on hospital admissions for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a proxy for symptom aggravation, among Korean children aged 5-14 years.

Design: Time-series study.

Setting, Participants And Outcome Measures: We used data from the National Health Insurance Service (2011-2015).

Correlation analysis between the complex electrical permittivity and relaxation time of tissue mimicking phantoms in 7 T MRI.

Dielectric relaxation theory describes the complex permittivity of a material in an alternating field; in particular, Debye theory relates the time it takes for an applied field to achieve the maximum polarization and the electrical properties of the material. Although, Debye's equations were proposed for electrical polarization, in this study, we investigate the correlation between the magnetic longitudinal relaxation time T1 and the complex electrical permittivity of tissue-mimicking phantoms using a 7 T magnetic resonance scanner. We created phantoms that mimicked several human tissues with specific electrical properties.

Association between Blood Glucose Control and Subjective Cognitive Decline in Korean Patients with Diabetes Aged over 50 Years.

This study aimed to investigate the association between blood glucose control and subjective cognitive decline in adult patients with diabetes. Using the 2018 data from the community health survey, we included 18,789 patients with diabetes aged ≥50 years who had complete responses recorded. Blood glucose control was the independent variable, and subjective cognitive decline was the dependent variable.

Associations between cold spells and hospital admission and mortality due to diabetes: A nationwide multi-region time-series study in Korea.

Background: Climate change is predicted to increase the frequency, intensity, and duration of extreme cold events in the mid-latitudes. However, although diabetes is one of the most critical metabolic diseases due to its high and increasing prevalence worldwide, few studies have investigated the short-term association between cold exposure and diabetes-related outcomes.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the associations between cold spells and their characteristics (intensity, duration, and seasonal timing) and hospital admission and mortality due to diabetes.

Long-term exposure to air pollution and the blood lipid levels of healthy young men.

Background: There is insufficient evidence of an association between long-term exposure to air pollution and changes in blood lipid levels, and assessments may be influenced by residual confounding factors, such as socioeconomic status.

Objectives: To investigate the associations between long-term exposure to air pollution and blood lipid profiles while controlling for the risk of residual confounding factors.

Methods: We conducted a study involving conscripted Korean soldiers to assess the associations between air pollution and blood lipid levels.

Age-specific effects of ozone on pneumonia in Korean children and adolescents: a nationwide time-series study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate the age-specific effects of 8-hour maximum ozone levels on pneumonia in children and adolescents.

Methods: We performed quasi-Poisson regression analyses for individuals of 0-4 years, 5-9 years, 10-14 years, and 15-19 years of age using nationwide time-series data from the Korea (2011-2015). We constructed distributed lag linear models employing a generalized difference-in-differences method and controlling for other air pollutants.

Prevalence and Premature Mortality Statistics of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children in Korea: A Nationwide Population-Based Birth Cohort Study.

Background: The aim of this study was to estimate the 8-year prevalence and mortality statistics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to birth year (2002-2012).

Methods: We used the National Health Insurance Service database with 4,989,351 children born from 2002 to 2012 including 35,529 children diagnosed with ASD until 8 years of age. The 8-year cumulative prevalence of ASD was calculated annually (2010-2020) with 8 years of follow-up.