• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
• /
• 제2권2호
• /
• pp.75-80
• /
• 2006

Biomarkers identify various stages and interactions on the pathway from exposure to disease. The three categories of biomarkers are those measuring susceptibility, exposure and effect. Susceptibility biomarkers are identifiable genetic variations affecting absorption, metabolism or response to environmental agents. Biomarkers of exposure indicate the amount of a foreign compound that is absorbed into the body. Biological measurements performed on human tissues are vastly expanding the capabilities of classical epidemiology, which has relied primarily on estimates of human exposure derived form chemical levels in the air, water, and other exposure routes. Biomarkers of exposure indicate the amount of a foreign compound that is absorbed into the body. Biological measurements performed on human tissues are vastly expanding the capabilities of classical epidemiology, which has relied primarily on estimates of human exposure derived form chemical levels in the air, water, and other exposure routes. The biomarker response is typical of chemical pollution by specific classes of compound, such as (i) heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, lead, zinc), responsible for the induction of metallothionein synthesis, and (ii) organochlorinated pollutants (PCBs, dioxins, DDT congeners) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which induce the mixed function oxygenase (MFO) involved in their bio transformations and elimination. Currently genomic researches are developed in human cDNA clone subarrays oriented toward the expression of genes involved in responses to xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes, cell cycle components, oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes, DNA repair genes, estrogen-responsive genes, oxidative stress genes, and genes known to be involved in apoptotic cell death. Several research laboratories in Korea for kicking off these Environmental Genomics were summarized.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제15권13호
• /
• pp.5299-5303
• /
• 2014

Background: To explore etiology for providing scientific clues for the prevention of lung cancer. Materials and Methods: Data for lung cancer incidence and meteorological geographic factors from 25 counties in Zhejiang province of China during 2011 were studied. Stepwise multiple regression and correlation analysis were performed to analyze the geographic distribution and epidemiology of lung cancer. Results: 8,291 new cases (5,998 in males and 2,293 females) of lung cancer during 2011 in Zhejiang province were reported in the 25 studied counties. Reported and standardized incidence rates for lung cancer were 58.0 and 47.0 per 100,000 population, respectively. The incidence of lung cancer increased with age. Geographic distribution analysis shows that the standardized incidence rates of lung cancer in northeastern Zhejiang province were higher than in the southwestern part, such as in Nanhu, Fuyang, Wuxing and Yuyao counties, where the rates were more than 50 per 100,000 population. In the southwestern Zhejiang province, for instance, in Yueqing, Xianju and Jiande counties, the standardized incidence rates of lung cancer were lower than 37 per 100,000 population. Spearman correlation tests showed that forest coverage rate, air quality index (AQI), and annual precipitation level are associated with the incidence of lung cancer. Conclusions: Lung cancer in Zhejiang province shows obvious regional differences. High incidence appears associated with low forest coverage rate, poor air quality and low annual precipitation. Therefore, increasing the forest coverage rate and controlling air pollution may play an important role in lung cancer prevention.

• 한국환경보건학회지
• /
• 제33권5호
• /
• pp.365-371
• /
• 2007

To evaluate the effect of air pollution on respiratory health in children, We conducted a longitudinal study in which children were asked to record their daily levels of Peak Expiratory Flow Rate(PEFR) using potable peak flow meter(mini-Wright) for 4 weeks. The relationship between daily PEFR and ambient air particle levels was analyzed using a mixed linear regression models including gender, age in year, weight, the presence of respiratory symptoms, and relative humidity as an extraneous variable. The daily mean concentrations of $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ over the study period were $64.9{\mu}g/m^3$ and $46.1{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. The range of daily measured PEFR in this study was $182{\sim}481\;l/min$. Daily mean PEFR was regressed with the 24-hour average $PM_{10}(or\;PM_{2.5})$ levels, weather information such as air temperature and relative humidity, and individual characteristics including sex, weight, and respiratory symptoms. The analysis showed that the increase of air particle concentrations was negatively associated with the variability in PEFR. We estimated that the IQR increment of $PM_{10}$ or $PM_{2.5}$ were associated with 1.5 l/min (95% Confidence intervals -3.1, 0.1) and 0.8 l/min(95% CI -1.8, 0.1) decline in PEFR. Even though this study showed negative findings on the relationship between respiratory function and air particles, it was worth noting that the findings must be interpreted cautiously because exposure measurement based on monitoring of ambient air likely resulted in misclassification of true exposure levels and this was the first Korean study that $PM_{2.5}$ measurement was applied as an index of air quality.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• 제32권2호
• /
• pp.177-182
• /
• 1999

유럽과 미국을 비롯한 선진 산업국가에서 1930년에서 1950대 사이에 발생하였던 일련의 대기오염사건을 경험한 이후, 대기오염과 인체건강영향과의 상관성을 평가하려는 체계적인 연구수행이 있어왔다. 국내에서도 최근 2-3년 동안 단면적 연구 설계에서 벗어나 시계열적 분석방법을 적용한 연구결과들이 발표되었으며, 외국에서의 결과와 유사하게 현재 수준의 대기오염도에서도 인체건강영향 특히 조기사망발생과 유의한 상관성이 있음이 제시되었다. 특히 서울시를 대상으로 한 일련의 연구결과가 대기오염도와 일별사망과에 유의한 상관관계가 있음을 보이고 있어 이에 대한 보다 정밀한 연구수행 필요성이 제기되었다. 따라서 본 연구는 메타분석적 방법론을 적용하여 서울시내의 구별분석 결과를 통합하여 기존의 연구결과와 비교함으로써 대기오염과 인체건강영향의 원인적 상관성을 규명하는 보조적 자료를 제공하기 위하여 수행되었다. 대기오염 자동측정기가 설치된 서울시 내 총 18개 구를 대상으로 대기오염도와 사망과의 상관관계를 추정하는 구별 예측치를 산출하였다. 이렇게 산출된 각 개별 예측치는 전체로서 총괄되는 가중평균 예측치를 계산하기 위하여 사용되었으며 이 때 모수효과 모형 또는 랜덤효과 모형을 적용하여 가중평균 예측치를 산출하였다. 지역별 또는 구별 예측치간의 변이차를 검정하는 동질성 검정의 결과 세 오염물질의 경우 모두 지역간 변이가 큰 것으로 평가되었으며 따라서 랜덤효과 모형의 결과를 최종결과로 선정하여 제시하였다. 랜덤효과 모형의 결과를 보면 총부유분진과 아황산가스의 경우 일별사망과 유의한 상관관계가 있는 것으로 평가되었으나 오존의 경우는 그렇지 않았다. 또한 메타분석 결과가 기존의 연구결과와 비교할 때 유사하게 평가된 점으로 미루어 현재 수준의 대기오염도와 일별사망 또는 인체건강영향과 밀접한 상관관계가 있음을 알 수 있다. 메타분석 방법을 적용하였어도 직접적 개인노출평가가 이루어지지 않았다는 점에서 정보편견의 가능성을 제외할 수 없다. 그러나 이러한 메타분석 방법이 기존의 연구(서울시 전체를 대상으로 하는)에 비하여 정보편견을 어느정도 줄여줄 수 있을 것으로 기대되었으며, 분석결과 기존 연구에서 제시하는 것과 매우 유사함을 알 수 있다. 결론적으로 대기오염 역학 연구에 있어서 이와 같은 메타분석적 방법이 유용하며, 본 연구결과도 기존의 연구에서와 같이 현재 수준의 대기오염도가 인체 건강에 위해한 영향을 미칠 수 있음을 보여 준다는 점에서 향후 보다 강화된 대기오염관리 방안 마련의 필요성을 제기한다고 하겠다. 이를 위하여 대기 오염기준치의 강화뿐 아니라 대기오염에 민감한 인구집단, 즉 어린이나 노약자 등에 대한 각별한 감시와 연구수행이 필요시 된다.

• 한국환경보건학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국환경보건학회 2005년도 Proceedings of KSEH.Minamata Forum
• /
• pp.115-117
• /
• 2005

In this study, the methods were developed to measure polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) in the air, metabolites of pyrene and benzo(a)pyrene via human urine, genetic polymorphisms in human buccal cell for evaluation of the health effects about environmental pollution. We have also performed a preliminary molecular epidemiology study on residents in the metropolitan area and workers in workplace for these method applications.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 대한예방의학회 2005년도 제57차 추계 학술대회 연제집
• /
• pp.362-362
• /
• 2005

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 대한예방의학회 2005년도 제57차 추계 학술대회 연제집
• /
• pp.399-399
• /
• 2005

• 대한의사협회지
• /
• 제61권12호
• /
• pp.749-755
• /
• 2018

Particulate matter is an air pollutant emitted from both natural and anthropogenic sources, and its adverse health effects have been well documented in time-series analyses and cohort studies. The effect size of particulate matter exposure-a roughly 0.5% increase in mortality for each $10{\mu}g/m^3$ increment of short-term exposure to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ${\leq}10{\mu}m$ and approximately a 10% increase for each $10{\mu}g/m^3$ increment of long-term exposure to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ${\leq}2.5{\mu}m$-is small compared to other risk factors, but the exposure is involuntary and affects the entire population, which makes particulate matter pollution an important public health issue. The World Health Organization and Korean government have both established guidelines for particulate matter concentrations, but the Korean guideline is less stringent than that of the World Health Organization. The annual mean concentration of particulate matter in Korea is decreasing, but the trend seems to be slowing. In addition to policy efforts to reduce particulate matter emission, personal approaches such as the use of face masks and air purifiers have been recommended. Personal approaches may not solve the fundamental problem, but can provide temporary mitigation until efforts to reduce emission make progress.

• 한국대기환경학회지
• /
• 제17권5호
• /
• pp.425-437
• /
• 2001

This study is based on the uses meta-analysis methodology to examine the statistical consistency and importance of random variation among results of epidemiologic studies between air pollutants exposure and childhood asthma. Studies for this meta-analysis were conducted by reviewing previous results and by asking researcher active in this field for recommendations. Overall, 10 cases of air pollutants exposures and childhood asthma were reviewed. A variety of statistical methods for meta-analysis have been used to assess the combined effects, to identify heterogeneity, and to provide a single summary risk estimate based on a set of simiar epidemiologic studies. In this study, classification of exposure metircs on air environmental epidemiologic studies are reported for (1) aggravation of childhood asthma by a 50 ppb increase SO$_2$(6 individual studies); (2) aggravation of childhood asthma by a 50 ppb increase NO$_2$(5 individual studies); (3) aggravation of childhood asthma by a 50 ppb increase $O_3$(7 individual studies); (4) aggravation of childhood asthma by a 10$\mu\textrm{g}$/m$^3$increase PM$_{10}$ (4 individual studies); (5) aggravation of childhood asthma by a 1 ppm increase CO (2 individual studies); and (6) comparison of results between a Korean study results and this meta-analytic study. Results of this study indicated that an inverse-variance weighted pooling of the hospital admission risk at a 1ppm increment of CO levels was 1.12% (95% CI : 1.01 ~ 1.24). The hospital admission risk was estimated to increase 5% (95% CI : 1.02~1.08), 6%(95% CI : 1.04~1.09), and 5% (95% CI : 1.02~1.09) with each 50ppb increase of SO$_2$, NO$_2$, and $O_3$, respectively. In addition, our results lead to a small but significant elevation in risk of 2% (RR = 1.02, 95% CI = 1.01~1.04) with each 10$\mu\textrm{g}$/m$^3$increase of PM$_{10}$ among 4 individual studies. We found a small elevation in risk of childhood asthma, and pooled results of 10 epidemiologic studies of childhood asthma using increase a cut-off-point levels of air pollutants showed a few pieces of evidence. The results of this meta-analysis suggested that air pollution associated with an increased incidence of childhood asthma. According to this study, relationship between exposure to air pollutants and childhood asthma in Korea seem to be high than results of this meta-analysis.sis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• 제64권11호
• /
• pp.588-595
• /
• 2021

Background: Acute respiratory infections (ARIs), especially pneumonia, remain a major cause of infant mortality worldwide. In Indonesia, pneumonia is the second most common cause of infant and toddler deaths. Exclusive breastfeeding and basic immunization can protect infants and children from contracting pneumonia. Purpose: Our goal was to assess the risk factors for childhood pneumonia in regions with a high prevalence of pneumonia in Indonesia. Methods: This case-control study was conducted between March and April 2019. A total of 176 infants and toddlers aged 10-59 months were enrolled and selected from among patients who visited the community health center. Cases of pneumonia were diagnosed clinically based on the World Health Organization guidelines, and the control was nonpneumonia. Results: The risk factors for the diagnosis of pneumonia included no or nonexclusive breastfeeding (odds ratio [OR], 7.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.52-17.94), incomplete basic immunizations (OR, 4.47; 95% CI, 2.22-8.99), indoor air pollution (OR, 7.12; 95% CI, 3.03-16.70), low birth weight (OR, 3.27; 95% CI, 1.19-8.92), and a high degree of wasting (OR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.06-7.17). Other variables such as nutritional status (height-for-age z score), age, sex, and educational status of the mother were not risk factors for pneumonia. Conclusion: No or nonexclusive breastfeeding, incomplete basic immunizations, indoor air pollution, a history of low birth weight, and severe malnutrition were risk factors for childhood pneumonia. Breastfeeding was the dominant factor, while sex modified the relationship between exclusive breastfeeding and the incidence of pneumonia.