Multiple assessment methods of prenatal exposure to radio frequency radiation from telecommunication in the Mothers and Children’s Environmental Health (MOCEH) study

Objectives: To evaluate prenatal exposure to radiofrequency radiation (RFR) from telecommunication using a mobile phone questionnaire, operator data logs of mobile phone use and a personal exposure meter (PEM). Material and Methods: The study included 1228 mother–infants pairs from the Mothers and Children’s Environmental Health (MOCEH) study – a multicenter prospective cohort study ongoing since 2006, in which participants were enrolled at ≤ 20 weeks of pregnancy, with a follow-up of a child birth and growth to assess the association between prenatal environmental exposure and children’s health. The questionnaire included the average calling frequency per day and the average calling time per day. An EME Spy 100 PEM was used to measure RFR among 269 pregnant women from November 2007 to August 2010. The operators’ log data were obtained from 21 participants. The Spearman’s correlation test was performed to evaluate correlation coefficient and 95% confidence intervals between the mobile phone use information from the questionnaire, operators’ log data, and data recorded by the PEM. Results: The operators’ log data and information from the self-reported questionnaire showed significantly high correlations in the average calling frequency per day (ρ = 0.6, p = 0.004) and average calling time per day (ρ = 0.5, p = 0.02). The correlation between information on the mobile phone use in the self-reported questionnaire and exposure index recorded by the PEM was poor. But correlation between the information of the operators’ log data and exposure index for transmission of mobile communication was significantly high: correlation coefficient (p-value) was 0.44 (0.07) for calling frequency per day, and it was 0.49 (0.04) for calling time per day. Conclusions: The questionnaire information on the mobile phone use showed moderate to high quality. Using multiple methods for exposure assessment might be better than using only one method. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2016;29(6):959–97

Representative levels of blood lead, mercury, and urinary cadmium in youth: Korean Environmental Health Survey in Children and Adolescents (KorEHS-C), 2012–2014

AbstractBackgroundThis study examined levels of blood lead and mercury, and urinary cadmium, and associated sociodemographic factors in 3–18 year-old Korean children and adolescents.Materials and methodsWe used the nationally representative Korean Environmental Health Survey in Children and Adolescents data for 2012–2014 and identified 2388 children and adolescents aged 3–18 years. The median and 95th percentile exposure biomarker levels with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Multivariate regression analyses were performed on log transformed exposure biomarker levels adjusted for age, sex, area, household income, and father’s education level. The median exposure biomarker levels were compared with data from Germany, the US, and Canada, as well as the levels of Korean children measured at different times.ResultsThe median levels of blood lead and mercury, as well as urinary cadmium were 1.23μg/dL, 1.80μg/L, and 0.40μg/L (95% CIs, 1.21–1.25, 1.77–1.83, and 0.39–0.41, respectively). The blood lead levels were significantly higher in boys and younger children (p<0.0001) and children with less educated fathers (p=0.004) after adjusting for covariates. Urinary cadmium level increased with age (p<0.0001). The median levels of blood mercury and urinary cadmium were much higher in Korean children and adolescents than those in their peers in Germany, the US, and Canada. Blood lead levels tended to decrease with increasing age and divergence between the sexes, particularly in the early teen years. Median levels of blood lead and urinary cadmium decreased since 2010.ConclusionSociodemographic factors, including age, sex, and father’s education level were associated with environmental exposure to heavy metals in Korean children and adolescents. These biomonitoring data are valuable for ongoing surveillance of environmental exposure in this vulnerable population

New Records of Two Zooxanthellate Scleractinian Corals (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Scleractinia) from Korea

The two zooxanthellate scleractinian corals are newly recorded in Korea: Psammocora albopicta Benzoni, 2006 of the family Psammocoridae and Oulastrea crispata (Lamarck, 1816) of the family Faviidae. These families are also newly recorded in Korea. Specimens were collected from the subtidal zones of Jeju-do Island, Korea by SCUBA diving from 1999 to 2014. Two scleractinians are described based on the morphological characters of skeletal structures. Psammocora albopicta is distinguished by its encrusting cerioid growth form, high density of corallites, small calicular diameter, single styliform columella, and fewer rows of enclosed septa. Oulastrea crispata is characterized by its encrusting plocoid growth form, polygonal calicular shape, irregular paliform lobes, and papillose columella

A review of work–family research in Confucian Asia

The objective of this chapter is to review work-family research conducted in Confucian Asia. Confucianism is a school of philosophy that is based on the ideas of Confucius, an ancient Chinese social philosopher. Confucianism has had profound impact on the culture in East and Southeast Asian societies (Neville, 2000). As a code of conduct, Confucian values have shaped various aspects of individual and social lives of people in the region. In this chapter, Confucian Asia refers to China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan. We begin by highlighting some aspects of Confucianism that are deemed important for the work-family interface. First, Confucianism emphasizes five principal relationships that define the role and proper social position for each individual; fulfilling the responsibilities and duties for one’s position is important to achieve social hierarchy and maintain harmony (Confucius, 1983). Of relevance, the husband and wife are prescribed to have a separate function in a family such that the husband is primarily responsible for financial support whereas the wife is responsible for tending the home and children. Second, Confucianism views a family, rather than an individual, as the fundamental unit of society; family is an interdependent unit, in which members are highly involved with each other’s life. The centrality of family positions fulfilling family responsibility at the center of everyone's social and economic roles. As a means to financially support family, work is often viewed as more important than leisure and as instrumental to family welfare (Redding, 1990). Lastly, Confucianism values diligence, persistence, and loyalty (Chan, 1996). The work ethic imbued with Confucianism is manifested in expectations for long work hours (Kang & Matusik, 2014) and performance evaluation practice that emphasize face-time (Won, 2005).Accepted versio

Four New Records of Two Genera Balanophyllia and Cladopsammia (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia: Scleractinia: Dendrophylliidae) from Korea

The four species of the family Dendrophylliidae are newly recorded in Korea: Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) cumingii Milne Edwards and Haime, 1848, Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) vanderhorsti Cairns, 2001, Cladopsammia eguchii (Wells, 1982), and Cladopsammia gracilis (Milne Edwards and Haime, 1848). The two genera of Balanophyllia and Cladopsammia, to which the four species belong, are newly recorded in Korea. They were collected from the subtidal zones in Jeju-do Island, Korea by SCUBA diving from 1987 to 2012. This study aims to identify the four dendrophyllid species based on external and internal morphological characters including growth form, size, budding, and color of colonies, shape and size of corallites, columella, theca, and septa. Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) cumingii is distinguished by its solitary growth form, small and low subturbinate corallite with enlarged calice, and expanded basal part, exsert first and second septa, and Pourtal$\acute{e}$ 수식 이미지s plan. Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) vanderhorsti is characterized by its quasi-colonial growth form, subturbinate corallites with compressed calice, thick theca, and Pourtal$\acute{e}$ 수식 이미지s plan. Cladopsammia eguchii is characterized by its phaceloid growth form of compressed corallites basally united with common coenosteum, flat spongy columella, thick theca, and Pourtal$\acute{e}$ 수식 이미지s plan. Cladopsammia gracilis is distinguished by its phaceloid growth form of corallites basally united with common coenosteum, and pronounced Pourtal$\acute{e}$ 수식 이미지s plan forming flower patterns

Biophysical Model Including a Potentially Lethal Damage Repair Parameter in Fractionated Carbon Beam

The amount of potentially lethal damage repair (PLDR) is a significant factor in the process of modeling the survival curves of cells irradiated with fractionated carbon beams. Because the amount of PLDR generally depends on the features of the cells and the linear energy transfer (LET), the amount of PLDR of cells irradiated with fractionated carbon beams shows distinct differences from that of cells irradiated with X-rays. This study considered a new parameter dependent on the correlation between the PLDR trait (T) of the cells over a time interval (Δ) at the fractionated carbon beam irradiation. The survival curves of the cells irradiated with fractionated carbon beams n times were predicted using the ζ and the Ψ values from the delay assay. This study aims to overcome the barriers of traditional methods by developing a new survival curve model with new parameters based on an analysis of the PLDR traits of cells over time interval in fractionated carbon beam irradiation and to suggest a model that produces results significantly closer to the experimental data

Enhanced Solubilization of Fluoranthene by Hydroxypropyl β-Cyclodextrin Oligomer for Bioremediation

Fluoranthene (FT) is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), consisting of naphthalene and benzene rings connected by a five-member ring. It is widespread in the environment. The hydrophobicity of FT limits its availability for biological uptake and degradation. In this study, hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrin oligomers (HP-β-CD-ol) were synthesized with epichlorohydrin (EP), while the solubility enhancement of FT by HP-β-CD-ol was investigated in water. The synthesized HP-β-CD-ol was characterized by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MS), 1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The solubility of FT increased 178-fold due to the complex formation with HP-β-CD oligomers. The inclusion complexes of FT/HP-β-CD-ol were analyzed using Fourier-Transform Infrared (FT-IR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and Nuclear Overhauser Effect Spectroscopy Nuclear magnetic resonance (NOESY NMR) spectroscopy. On the basis of these results, HP-β-CD-ol is recommended as a potential solubilizer for the development of PAH removal systems

Calling as a predictor of life satisfaction : the roles of psychological capital, work–family enrichment, and boundary management strategy

The current study examined the mediating role of psychological capital and work–family enrichment in the relation between calling and life satisfaction. Moreover, the moderating role of boundary management strategy, the tactics individuals utilize to manage role boundaries, in the relation between calling and work–family enrichment was investigated. Cross-sectional survey data were collected from members of the South Korean navy (N = 195). As hypothesized, people who have a calling obtained more psychological capital (hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism) from their work experience, which in turn positively related to work-to-family enrichment and life satisfaction. Although a statistically significant moderating effect of boundary management strategy was found, the pattern of the interaction was different from our original prediction; the positive relation between calling and work-to-family enrichment was stronger among those who strive to separate the work and family domains (i.e., separators) than among those who aim to integrate the two domains (i.e., integrators). The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.Accepted versio