Blood lead concentration and exposure related factors in Korea from the National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) II (2012-2014).

This study evaluated lead concentrations in blood and related factors among the South Korean population based on data from the Korea National Environmental Health Survey (KoNEHS) II (2012-2014) conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Research and the Ministry of Environment. Personal data were obtained from non-institutionalized civilian Korean individuals in an interview with trained community surveyors using a structured questionnaire (n = 6,455, aged 19 or older, mean age 49.7 years).

Association of current phthalate exposure with neurobehavioral development in a national sample.

Background: Previous studies have indicated that phthalate exposure may influence the development of children, but the current data are limited, and controversy remains regarding the sex-specific and age-specific effects of phthalate exposure.

Methods: We investigated the sex- and age-specific associations of current phthalate exposure with neurobehavioral development scores in a nationally representative sample of 6-18-year-olds participating in the Korean Environmental Health Survey in Children and Adolescents (KorEHS-C). Neurobehavioral development was assessed using the Korean Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL, N=1723) and the Korean Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale (ARS, N=867).

Decrease in the urine cotinine concentrations of Korean non-smokers between 2009 and 2011 following implementation of stricter smoking regulations.

This study aimed to determine if there was an association between the implementation of smoking regulation policies and the urine cotinine concentrations of Korean non-smokers. The subjects of this study were 4612 non-smoking Korean citizens (aged 19 or older) selected from the first stage of the Korean National Environmental Health Survey conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Research from 2009 to 2011. Cotinine concentrations in urine were measured by GC-MS (limit of detection: 0.

3D intra-stacked CoO/carbon nanocomposites welded by Ag nanoparticles for high-capacity, reversible lithium storage.

A wet-chemical, facile strategy is proposed for forming three-dimensional intra-structured nanocomposites to facilitate the development of high performance anodes for lithium ion batteries. The nanocomposites are composed of cobalt oxide nanoparticles, reduced graphene oxides, and Ag nanoparticles, and all the constituent materials are incorporated homogenously in a layer-by-layer structured geometry by a simple sono-chemical hybridizing process in a single, one-pot batch. Herein, it is revealed that the homogenously intra-stacked oxide, carbon, and metallic phases play critical roles in determining electrochemical performance (i.

Superior lithium storage performance using sequentially stacked MnO2/reduced graphene oxide composite electrodes.

Hybrid nanostructures based on graphene and metal oxides hold great potential for use in high-performance electrode materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries. Herein, a new strategy to fabricate sequentially stacked α-MnO2 /reduced graphene oxide composites driven by surface-charge-induced mutual electrostatic interactions is proposed. The resultant composite anode exhibits an excellent reversible charge/discharge capacity as high as 1100 mA h g(-1) without any traceable capacity fading, even after 100 cycles, which leads to a high rate capability electrode performance for lithium ion batteries.

Color tuning and thermal quenching of different sensitizer ion, Mn2+ or Ce3+, doped Ba2Mg(BO3)2:Eu2+ phosphor.

Ba2Mg(BO3)2:Eu2+ phosphors incorporated with two different sensitizers, Mn2+ or Ce3+, were prepared and their emission properties, especially for color purity and thermal stability, were investigated thoroughly. The overall emission property induced by the Eu2+ ion and the resultant thermal behavior were strongly dependent on the type of codoped sensitizer ions, Mn2+ or Ce3+. Intense red emission peaking at 620 nm was obtained upon 370 nm excitation of the Mn2+-sensitized phosphor and the resultant light-emitting diode lamps using the given phosphor exhibited a more reddish emission with chromaticity coordinates of (0.

Mesoporous silica-assisted carbon free Li2MnSiO4 cathode nanoparticles for high capacity Li rechargeable batteries.

Porous and spherical Li2MnSiO4 nanoparticles have been synthesized through a facile sol-gel route via a mesoporous silica template. Galvanostatic charge-discharge of the resultant Li2MnSiO4 cathode exhibits enhanced charge-discharge capacity relative to that of particles prepared by the conventional sol-gel process, up to 25% in discharge capacity, even without any particulate process such as milling with conductive agents. The standout electrochemical performance could be attributed to the unique high surface-to-volume ratio, porous geometry and improved accommodation of transformation strains during the electrochemical lithiation-delithiation process.

Thermally stable white-emitting single composition Na(Sr,Ba)PO4:Eu2+, Mn2+ phosphor for near-ultraviolet-pumped light-emitting diodes.

Eu(2+) and Mn(2+) codoped, white-emitting Na(Sr,Ba)PO(4) phosphors are prepared, and their emission properties, especially for thermal stability, are thoroughly investigated. The thermal quenching and Eu(2+)/Mn(2+) energy transfer efficiency are totally different in the ratio of alkaline earth metals in host composition, NaBaPO(4), Na(Sr(0.5)Ba(0.

Long-term outcome of preoperative transarterial chemoembolization and hepatic resection in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background/aims: Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) improves the survival of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and has been recommended as a first-line therapy for nonsurgical patients with large or multifocal HCC. The long-term outcome of HCC patients receiving TACE prior to hepatic resection is uncertain.

Methods: Between January 1997 and December 2007, 1,530 patients underwent hepatic resection for HCC at our center.

Prediction of complete necrosis of hepatocellular carcinoma treated with transarterial chemoembolization prior to liver transplantation.

Background/aims: Compact lipiodol uptake without enhancement on multiphasic helical computed tomography (CT) has been suggested as a radiologic response criterion in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients treated with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and subsequent partial hepatectomy. However, its usefulness has not been fully investigated in the explanted liver.

Methods: Between 1998 and 2007, 81 patients with HCC underwent 1-9 sessions of TACE followed by liver transplantation (LT).

Difference between proximal and distal microsatellite-unstable sporadic colorectal cancers: analysis of clinicopathological and molecular features and prognoses.

Background: Distal microsatellite instability (MSI)-high colorectal cancers (CRCs) have been investigated by few studies and are generally regarded as having similar features to proximal MSI-high CRCs. In the present study, we aimed to elucidate whether distal sporadic MSI-high CRCs displayed distinguished clinicopathological and molecular features from proximal MSI-high CRCs.

Methods: All patients who underwent their first surgical resections for stage I-IV sporadic CRCs between August 2003 and August 2006 were initially considered for enrollment, and their MSI data were prospectively collected.

Sporadic colorectal carcinomas with low-level microsatellite instability in Korea: do they form a distinct subgroup with distinguished clinicopathological features?

Background: The biologic significance of low-level microsatellite instability (MSI) in colorectal cancers (CRCs) remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate whether sporadic MSI-low CRCs in Korea displayed distinguished clinicopathological characteristics from microsatellite stable (MSS) and MSI-high CRCs.

Methods: We consecutively enrolled 657 patients who underwent their first surgical resections for stage I-IV sporadic CRCs and compared their clinicopathological features and prognosis after resection according to MSI status (574 MSS, 30 MSI-low and 53 MSI-high CRCs).