Which Group Should be Vaccinated First?: A Systematic Review.

Background: Since the supply of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines will be limited worldwide, it is essential to prioritize vaccination based on scientific evidence. Although several frameworks and studies on vaccine distribution have been published, no published systematic review has evaluated the prioritization of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Materials And Methods: We searched 4 different databases, PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and EMBASE for articles published between January 2019 and December 31, 2020.

Association of Serum Alkaline Phosphatase with the TG/HDL Ratio and TyG Index in Korean Adults.

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) has long been considered a marker of hepatobiliary and bone disorders, but recent studies have shown that increased ALP activity is correlated with various cardio-metabolic diseases. Thus, we investigated the association of serum ALP level with surrogate markers of insulin resistance such as triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (TG/HDL-C ratio) and triglyceride and glucose (TyG) index in the general population. The study included 12,868 men and women aged 19 years and older.

Association between community deprivation and practising health behaviours among South Korean adults: a survey-based cross-sectional study.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the association between community deprivation and poor health behaviours among South Korean adults.

Design: This was a survey-based cross-sectional study.

Setting And Participants: Data of 224 552 participants from 244 communities were collected from the Korea Community Health Survey, conducted in 2015.

Is time-to-treatment associated with higher mortality in Korean elderly lung cancer patients?

Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in many countries, including South Korea. As treatment delays after diagnosis may correlate with survival, this study aimed to investigate the association between time-to-treatment and one-and five-year overall mortality in patients aged 60 years or above. Survival analysis using the Cox proportional hazard model were conducted after controlling for all independent variables.

The effect of body fatness on regional brain imaging markers and cognitive function in healthy elderly mediated by impaired glucose metabolism.

Brain atrophy is related to vascular risk factors and can increase cognitive dysfunction risk. This community-based, cross-sectional study investigated whether glucose metabolic disorders due to body fatness are linked to regional changes in brain structure and a decline in neuropsychological function in cognitively healthy older adults. From 2016 to 2019, 429 participants underwent measurements for cortical thickness and subcortical volume using 3 T magnetic resonance imaging and for cognitive function using the neuropsychological screening battery.

Association between social network structure and physical activity in middle-aged Korean adults.

Purpose: Evidence suggests that physical activity participation is shaped through a myriad of structural aspects of social relationships. We examined the relationship between social network structure based on egocentric social network and physical activity.

Methods: From 6799 middle-aged Korean adults, we assessed the social network density and proportion of closed triads, using the name generator module.

Association between sleep duration and augmentation index in post-menopausal women: A moderating role of depressive symptoms.

Objectives: Physiological and psychological changes, including sleep disturbance and mood changes, frequently occur in post-menopausal women. We explored associations between sleep duration/quality and arterial stiffness, as well as the moderating role of depressive symptoms, in post-menopausal women.

Study Design: This cross-sectional study utilized data obtained from 1687 post-menopausal women in the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Etiology Research Center cohort study.

Dyslipidemia Fact Sheets in Korea 2020: an Analysis of Nationwide Population-based Data.

Objective: The Korean Society of Lipid and Atherosclerosis (KSoLA) has published the Dyslipidemia Fact Sheets in Korea 2020 to provide an overview of magnitude and management status of dyslipidemia and their recent trends therein.

Methods: The Fact Sheets were based on the analyses of Korean adults aged 20 years or older of the 2007-2018 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) and the 2002-2018 National Health Insurance Big Data (NHI-BD).

Results: Between 2007 and 2018, the crude prevalence of hypercholesterolemia increased from 9.

Introduction to Mediation Analysis and Examples of Its Application to Real-world Data.

Traditional epidemiological assessments, which mainly focused on evaluating the statistical association between two major components-the exposure and outcome-have recently evolved to ascertain the in-between process, which can explain the underlying causal pathway. Mediation analysis has emerged as a compelling method to disentangle the complex nature of these pathways. The statistical method of mediation analysis has evolved from simple regression analysis to causal mediation analysis, and each amendment refined the underlying mathematical theory and required assumptions.

Factors influencing the perceived health status of older adults living alone based on the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016-2018).

Purpose: Older adults living alone have a lower level of health due to functional degradation and social isolation, and hence, it is important to assess their health condition and health-related factors. In this study we intended to evaluate the factors influencing the perceived health status of older adults living alone in Korea.

Materials And Methods: Data from the 7th (2016-2018) Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) were used.

Association between traffic inflow and COVID-19 prevalence at the provincial level in South Korea.

Objectives: To analyze the relationship between traffic inflow and COVID-19 prevalence in South Korea for formulating prevention policies for novel infections.

Methods: We evaluated traffic inflow and new COVID-19 cases in 8 regions of Korea from January 1, 2020, to January 31, 2021. The toll collection system (TCS) traffic volume for 2019-2020 and traffic inflow trends were analyzed using independent samples t-test and nonlinear regression, respectively.

Bone Radiomics Score Derived From DXA Hip Images Enhances Hip Fracture Prediction in Older Women.

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-based bone mineral density testing is standard to diagnose osteoporosis to detect individuals at high risk of fracture. A radiomics approach to extract quantifiable texture features from DXA hip images may improve hip fracture prediction without additional costs. Here, we investigated whether bone radiomics scores from DXA hip images could improve hip fracture prediction in a community-based cohort of older women.

Genome-wide association study identifies TNFSF15 associated with childhood asthma.

Background: Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of asthma have identified several risk alleles and loci, but most have been conducted in individuals with European-ancestry. Studies in Asians, especially children, are still lacking. We aimed to identify susceptibility loci by performing the first GWAS of asthma in Korean children with persistent asthma.

The association between psychological resilience and cognitive function in longitudinal data: Results from the community follow-up survey.

Background: The present study aimed to investigate the association between resilience and cognitive function of middle-aged Koreans in a longitudinal setting.

Methods: We utilized the baseline and 5-year follow-up data from the Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases Etiology Research Center study. The final number of participants included in the analysis was 397 (108 men, 289 women, mean age 55.

Concurrent smoking and alcohol consumers had higher triglyceride glucose indices than either only smokers or alcohol consumers: a cross-sectional study in Korea.

Background: The triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is a noninsulin-based marker for insulin resistance (IR) in general practice. Although smoking and heavy drinking have been regarded as major risk factors for various chronic diseases, there is limited evidence regarding the combined effects of smoking and alcohol consumption on IR. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the TyG index and smoking and alcohol consumption using two Korean population-based datasets.

Gender role stereotypes, patriarchal attitudes, and cognitive function in the elderly rural Korean population: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: We analyzed whether gender role stereotypes (GRS) and patriarchal attitudes are associated with cognitive function in an elderly community.

Methods: We analyzed data from 580 people enrolled in the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. The degrees to which respondents held stereotypical beliefs about gender roles and had patriarchal mindsets were measured using a questionnaire.

Thirty-six Year Trends in Mortality from Diseases of Circulatory System in Korea.

Background And Objectives: Understanding the trends in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality is important for developing burden reduction strategies. Based on the Cause of Death Statistics, we examined the changing patterns of CVD mortality in Korea between 1983 and 2018.

Methods: Causes of death were coded according to the International Classification of Disease, 10th revision.

Sensitive label-free imaging of brain samples using FxClear-based tissue clearing technique.

Optical clearing has emerged as a powerful tool for volume imaging. Although volume imaging with immunostaining have been successful in many protocols, yet obtaining homogeneously stained thick samples remains challenging. Here, we propose a method for label-free imaging of brain slices by enhancing the regional heterogeneity of the optical properties using the tissue clearing principle.

Investigation of PRDM10 and PRDM13 Expression in Developing Mouse Embryos by an Optimized PACT-Based Embryo Clearing Method.

Recent developments in tissue clearing methods have significantly advanced the three-dimensional analysis of biological structures in whole, intact tissue, providing a greater understanding of spatial relationships and biological circuits. Nonetheless, studies have reported issues with maintaining structural integrity and preventing tissue disintegration, limiting the wide application of these techniques to fragile tissues such as developing embryos. Here, we present an optimized passive tissue clearing technique (PACT)-based embryo clearing method, initial embedding PACT (IMPACT)-Basic, that improves tissue rigidity without compromising optical transparency.

Clinical Course of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis according to Initial Symptoms: An Analysis of 500 Cases.

Purpose: One obstacle in early diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is its vague initial presentation, which is generally classified into limb- and bulbar-dominant types and may be mistaken for other musculoskeletal conditions. We analyzed clinical data from patients in relation to their initial presentation and prognosis from symptom onset to diagnosis.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients with ALS who were admitted for pulmonary rehabilitation between January 2007 and December 2019.