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In the study, crop residue burning (CRB) emissions were estimated based on field surveys and combustion experiments to assess the impact of the CRB on particulate matter over South Korea. The estimates of CRB emissions over South Korea are 9514, 8089, 4002, 2010, 172,407, 7675, 33, and 5053 Mg year−1 for PM10, PM2.5, OC, EC, CO, NOx, SO2, and NH3, respectively. Compared with another study, our estimates in the magnitudes of CRB emissions were not significantly different. When the CRB emissions are additionally considered in the simulation, the monthly mean differences in PM2.5 (i.e., △PM2.5) were marginal between 0.07 and 0.55 μg m−3 over South Korea. Those corresponded to 0.6–4.3% in relative differences. Additionally, the △PM10 was 0.07–0.60 μg m−3 over South Korea. In the spatial and temporal aspects, the increases in PM10 and PM2.5 were high in Gyeongbuk (GB) and Gyeongnam (GN) provinces in June, October, November, and December. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is a major concern when starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) in patients with advanced HIV infection. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and risk factors of IRIS in HIV‐infected Koreans initiating ART, and whether integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) treatment increases the risk of IRIS. Methods: This retrospective analysis included adults living with HIV, seen at four university‐affiliated hospitals in South Korea, who were naïve to ART and had a CD4 T‐cell count < 200 cells/μL between January 2004 and May 2019. IRIS was determined through a medical record review within 6 months of ART initiation. Propensity score‐matched case–control study between the non‐INSTI and INSTI groups was performed. Results: The study included 501 patients; 192 were assigned to the INSTI group, who started ART based on INSTIs as the initial treatment. There were opportunistic infections (OIs) in 253 (50.5%) cases before ART initiation. The three most common OIs were Pneumocystisjirovecii pneumonia, candidiasis and tuberculosis (TB). We identified 47 cases of IRIS; TB‐IRIS was the most common type. The incidence of IRIS within 6 months of ART initiation was 9.4%, and there were no significant differences in baseline characteristics and incidence of IRIS between the matched groups. The risk factors for IRIS were pre‐ART CD4 T‐cell count (< 30 cells/μL), higher pre‐ART viral load (≥ 75 000 copies/mL), and TB‐OI. Conclusions: The incidence of IRIS was 9.4% in Korean HIV patients. The INSTI regimen was not related to IRIS occurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: To examine the effects of diabetes, low income and their combination on mortality in the Korean population. Methods: We analysed a total of 505 677 people (53.9% male) aged 40–79 years old from the National Health Insurance Service‐National Health Screening (NHIS‐HEALS) cohort. Ten levels of household income were used as indicators of economic status. Diabetes was defined as elevated fasting blood glucose (≥ 6.9 mmol/l) and/or use of glucose‐lowering drugs or insulin. Covariates of age, sex, BMI, smoking and Charlson Comorbidity Index were determined at baseline. Outcomes were total and cause‐specific mortality over 12 years. Cox's proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for mortality according to the presence of diabetes, household income and their combination. Results: Lower household income was associated with higher mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and non‐cancer non‐cardiovascular causes. Excessive mortality due to low incomes was observed in both people with and without diabetes. In men, the adjusted HR [95% confidence interval (CI)] of mortality was 1.38 (1.34 to 1.42) for low‐income only, 1.48 (1.42 to 1.55) for diabetes only and 1.95 (1.86 to 2.05) for diabetes and low‐income combined, relative to the normal glucose and high income group. Corresponding HR (95% CI) in women were 1.19 (1.14 to 1.24), 1.54 (1.44 to 1.64) and 1.87 (1.75 to 2.01), respectively. Conclusion: Both low household income and the presence of diabetes independently increase the risk of mortality, but their combined effects on mortality may be different between men and women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: To evaluate a possible correlation between bone mineral density (BMD) and age at menarche, the present study used the BMD dataset of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV-V (KNHANES IV-V). Age at menarche had a small but significant association with BMD of the lumbar spine in premenopausal Korean females, aged 20-50 years. Introduction: To investigate any correlation between bone mineral density (BMD) and age at menarche in Korean females using data from the fourth and fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV-V; 2008-2011). Methods: In total, 37,753 individuals participated in health examination surveys between 2008 and 2011. A total of 5032 premenopausal females aged 20-50 years were eligible. Age, height, weight, and age at menarche were assessed. Results: Results from the univariate linear regression and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) indicated that age (per 1 year), height (per 1 cm), weight (per 1 kg), exercise (per 1 day/week), familial osteoporosis history (yes), parity ( n = 0 to ≥4), and menarche age distribution were associated with BMD of the total femur, femur neck, and lumbar spine. After stratifying the bone area and adjusting for age, parity, alcohol intake, smoking, exercise, and familial osteoporosis history, no effect was seen for the total femur or femur neck. Age at menarche 16~17 and ≥18 years groups were associated with BMD of the lumbar spine only. Conclusions: Age at menarche had a small but significant association with BMD of the lumbar spine in premenopausal Korean females, aged 20-50 years. Females with late menarche may achieve lower peak bone mass at some skeletal sites, which may put them at greater risk for osteoporosis in later life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a navigation program for patients with thyroid cancer. The navigation program was developed following an analysis of the unmet needs of patients who underwent surgery for thyroid cancer. Ninety-nine patients in the control group received usual care, and 95 in the navigation group were managed with a navigation program during the perioperative period. The effectiveness of the navigation program was assessed by administering a questionnaire to both groups. Overall satisfaction scores were significantly higher in the navigation than in the control group ( p = .025), as were satisfaction scores on the continuity of information ( p < .001), the continuity of management ( p = .002), the continuity of relationships with healthcare providers ( p<.001), and patient empowerment ( p < .001). The newly developed navigation program for patients with thyroid cancer was effective in raising satisfaction levels and in actively managing the disease during the perioperative period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The disruption of routine treatment, including the interruption of medication, might be deteriorating chronic conditions during disasters such as the COVID-19 epidemic. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of patient-centered measures for patients with chronic diseases during the COVID-19 epidemic. Method This was a cross-sectional study to analyze the effectiveness of chronic disease prescriptions issued by hospital-based clinicians, prescription refilling rate, the utilization rate of reservation for picking-up medicine, and the rate of returning to the hospital for refilling prescriptions as scheduled at a tertiary care hospital in Taiwan by using chi-square test. The enrolled outpatients received managed care from January to June of 2019 and 2020. The SAS (v8.2) statistical software was used for analysis. Results The percentage of chronic disease prescriptions issued by physicians out of a total number of outpatient visits increased to 66.0% significantly, and the rate of patients who returned to the hospital to refill chronic disease prescriptions decreased to 52.4%. The utilization rate of reservation service for prescription refills increased significantly from 3.9% to 10.5%. There is a significant difference in age groups and specialties visited by patients who made prescription refill reservations. The top five specialties are cardiovascular medicine, metabolic diseases, and endocrinology, neurology, urology, orthopedics, and rehabilitation. The specialties with the highest increase in reservation rate are psychiatry, gastroenterology, gynecology and pediatrics, and rheumatology. Discussion Most of the chronic disease continuous prescription users are the elderly, but the elderly are at high risk of severe COVID-19. Adopted patient-centered measures for preparedness to go out with medication such as outdoor drug dispensing counters, walk- or drive-through pharmacies and online reservations for prescription refilling were effective, which can help elderly with the stable chronic disease obtain medication on schedule and reduce the risk of coronavirus exposure. National Health Insurance Administration should add the prescription refilling records to health insurance cards for further evaluating medicine adherence when prescriptions are revised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public water supply service is to provide certain guaranteed level of quantity and quality in any given circumstances. In this regard, public water supply service treated as public goods that either central or state authority governs for good intentions. Growing concerns about water scarcity in national level due to its vulnerability on climate change lead public to suppress economic burden. In fact, Korean government has had a similar concern bringing to construct 16 weirs in the four major rivers. This construction was launched under the name of green growth mega project in 2008 and consumed almost 17 billion dollars up to today for improving water quality and quantity. In this research, six different models were applied to calculate willingness to pay (WTP) for the future water scarcity. If we allow that the mega project lasts for 30 years without any maintenance, the maximum WTP becomes approximately 320 million dollars in 3% discount rate. In addition, if we assume that the Korean economic growth rate becomes much lower than anticipated, the maximum WTP will be about 416 million dollars. None of these numbers is higher than the total construction cost of this mega project under the given conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Summary: We evaluated the relationship between sagittal spinopelvic parameters and the occurrence of adjacent vertebral fractures (AVF) and determined the possible risk factor. The most important factors for AVFs are the degree of osteoporosis and altered biomechanics due to the spinopelvic imbalance in the fractured area of the spine. Introduction: We intend to evaluate the relationship between sagittal spinopelvic parameters and the occurrence of adjacent vertebral fractures following the initial compression fracture and to determine the possible dominant risk factor associated with new compression fractures. Methods: From March 2010 to May 2012, 240 consecutive patients with painful vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) were enrolled in a retrospective study. Ninety-one patients with VCFs underwent percutaneous vertebroplasty (VP) at 112 levels. The sagittal vertical axis (SVA), thoracic kyphosis (TK), lumbar lordosis (LL), sacral slope (SS), pelvic tilt (PT), pelvic incidence (PI), and segmental kyphotic angle on sagittal standing radiographs were used to evaluate radiologic outcomes. Results: In 2 years, 15 out of 134 patients (11.1 %) treated with conservative treatment, and 12 out of 91 patients (13.1 %) treated with VP sustained adjacent level fracture. More patients with the BMD higher or equal to 3.0 experienced a new fracture than those with a BMD less than 3.0 ( p = 0.019), and the risk for adjacent level fractures decreased significantly when segmental kyphotic angle was less than 11° ( p = 0.001), SVA was less than 6 cm ( p = 0.001), SS was higher or equal to 25° ( p = 0.004), and LL was higher or equal to 25° ( p = 0.020). Conclusions: The most important factors for new VCFs after the initial compression fractures are the degree of osteoporosis and altered biomechanics due to the spinopelvic imbalance in the fractured area of the spine. Regarding the spinopelvic alignment to investigate the relationship with a subsequent AVF, segmental kyphotic angle, SS, LL, and SVA may be a potential predictor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and study aims: It is critical that the risk of lymph node metastasis (LNM) is evaluated for determining the suitability of endoscopic resection for T1 colorectal cancer (CRC). Reported risk factors for LNM in completely resected T1 CRC are deep submucosal invasion, grade 3, an-giolymphatic invasion, and budding. The aim of the present study was to identify the histopatho-logic factors associated with LNM in T1 CRC Patients and methods: The study involved 435 patients with T1 CRC treated by endoscopic or surgical resection between January 2001 and April 2010 at the National Cancer Center, Korea. The 435 patients were classified into two groups - those undergoing surgical resection (n=324) and those undergoing endoscopic resection (n=111). In the surgically resected group, details regarding depth of submucosal invasion, angiolymphatic invasion, tumor grade, budding, and background adenoma (BGA) were evaluated with respect to presence or absence of LNM. In the endoscopically resected group, the results of follow-ups and additional salvage surgeries were studied. Results: In the surgically resected group, LNM was detected in 42 patients (13.0%). Grade 3, angiolymphatic invasion, budding, and the absence of BGA were identified as factors associated with LNM in univariate and multivariate analyses (P<0.05). Among the 50 patients in the en-doscopically resected group with high risk, three were diagnosed as being LNM-positive during the follow-up period. There was no LNM in the endoscopically resected group with low risk. Conclusions: Grade 3, angiolymphatic invasion, budding, and the absence of BGA are the risk factors that predict LNM in patients with T1 CRC. In cases where endoscopically resected T1 CRC has no risk factor, cautious follow-up could be recommended. However, if the tumor has any risk factor, additional surgical resection should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Measurements of size-resolved particle number concentrations during the Asian Pacific Regional Aerosol Characterization Experiment (ACE-Asia) field campaign were made at the Gosan super-site, South Korea. In East Asia, dust and precipitation phenomena play a crucial role in atmospheric environment and climate studies because they are major sources and sinks of atmospheric aerosols, especially in the springtime. Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) Aerosol Index and backward trajectories are analyzed to investigate the spatial and temporal evolution of dust storms. The size distributions between dust and non-dust periods and times with and without precipitation are compared. In order to understand the temporal evolution of the aerosol size distribution during dust and precipitation events, a simple aerosol dynamics model is employed. The model predicted and observed size distributions are compared with the measured data. The results show that the coarse mode particle number concentrations increase by a factor of 10–16 during dust events. During precipitation, however, particles in the coarse mode are scavenged by impaction mechanism. It is found that the larger particles are more efficiently scavenged. The degree of scavenged particle varies depending on the rainfall rate, raindrop size distribution and aerosol size distribution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses a study which examined the factors that influence the quality of water at the Han River in South Korea using multivariate statistical analysis. The river is a source of drinking water in Seoul and surrounding areas. Water samples were collected from two main stems and their tributaries. Water temperature, electrical conductivity and hydrogen-ion concentration were measured. The following elements were analyzed: sodium, magnesium, silicon, potassium, calcium, strontium, aluminum, manganese, copper, nickel, zinc, molybdenum and barium.

This study has evaluated the main hydrogeochemical characteristics that affect the quality of shallow groundwater in the coastal area at Kimje in South Korea. In this area, the chemical composition of groundwater is mostly classified into Na+-Cl- and Ca2++Mg2+-NO3-+Cl- types. These types are affected by three major factors: seawater intrusion, fertilizers and redox processes. The Na+-Cl- type, which is generally localized in the coastal area, shows typical characteristics of groundwater affected not only by modern seawater but also by old seawater residing in the reclaimed land. In contrast, the Ca2++Mg2+-NO3-+Cl- type, which is usually found inland, is very contaminated by fertilizers. As groundwater flows from the inland area to the coast, the redox condition changes from an oxic condition to a suboxic/anoxic condition. In addition, the reclamation has caused a large amount of underlying organic matter. These effects provide optimum conditions for the occurrence of redox processes in the coastal area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]