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1. Introduction In early September 2022, tropical cyclone (TC) Hinnamnor struck South Korea, resulting in 12 fatalities and tremendous socioeconomic damages. (1) Hinnamnor was the first super typhoon (lifetime maximum [...]

CMIP6 simulations showed a weak human contribution to 2022-like Central Andes spring droughts, due to compensating impacts between anthropogenic greenhouse gases and aerosols. The Central Andes is a semiarid mountainous [...]

To assess the anthropogenic influence on the summer 2013 heat wave in Korea, this study employed a fraction of attributable risk (FAR) approach to three Atmospheric General Circulation Models (AGCMs) with a large ensemble simulation, participating in the C20C+ Detection and Attribution Project. Monthly and daily temperatures were compared between two experiments. The real world (ALL) experiments were simulated under the observed variations in sea surface temperature, sea ice, greenhouse gas, and aerosol concentrations, while the counterfactual world (NAT) experiments were performed under adjusted boundary conditions by removing anthropogenic warming and with preindustrial levels of greenhouse gases and aerosols. Results from the three AGCMs consistently show that anthropogenic influences had an important role in the extreme heat event over Korea, increasing the chance of the occurrence of extreme warming in summer mean temperature as observed in 2013 by at least 20 times, which supports results from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) coupled GCMs (CGCMs). A comparison of individual CMIP5 CGCMs suggests that inter-model difference in FAR values is highly correlated with the amplitude of surface warming centered over Korea, which is also supported by the three AGCMs. Further analysis of individual forcing experiments suggests that the inter-model difference in the regional surface warming is closely linked to the model's response to the aerosol forcing, with stronger influence than that of greenhouse gas forcing. Anthropogenic influences also result in a 5–6 times greater likelihood of extreme daily heat events as observed in 2013, which supports a robust mean-extreme relation in the attribution of extreme heat waves. Generally good agreement between AGCM and CGCM results increases the robustness of the conclusion of anthropogenic influences on the summer 2013 Korean heat wave.

Background: Pancreatic cancer (PC), a highly malignant cancer with a poor diagnosis, may be influenced by diet-related inflammation. This study examined the association between dietary inflammatory index (DII) scores and the incidence and prognosis of PC in Korea. Methods: A total of 55 patients with PC were matched with 280 healthy controls (HCs) by age and sex. We also analyzed the combined effects of DII scores and fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels or smoking status on the risk of PC and performed a survival analysis using the Cox proportional hazards method. Results: The DII scores were higher in the patients with PC than those in HCs (odds ratio [OR] = 3.36, confidence interval [CI] = 1.16–9.73, p = 0.03), and the effect was larger in women (OR = 6.13, CI = 1.11–33.82, p = 0.04). A high DII score was jointly associated with FBG ≥ 126 mg/dL in raising PC risk [OR = 32.5, relative excess risk due to interaction/synergy (RERI/S) index = 24.2/4.34, p-interaction = 0.04], indicating a multiplicative interaction. A high DII score combined with ex/current smoker status increased PC risk through an additive interaction (RERI/S = 1.01/1.54, p-interaction = 0.76). However, DII scores did not influence disease-free survival. Conclusions: The consumption of an anti-inflammatory diet, coupled with maintaining normal FBG levels and abstaining from smoking, may help reduce the risk of PC by mitigating pancreatic inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to develop a clinical model to predict late-onset fetal growth restriction (FGR). Methods: This retrospective study included seven hospitals and was conducted between January 2009 and December 2020. Two sets of variables from the first trimester until 13 weeks (E1) and the early third trimester until 28 weeks (T1) were used to develop the FGR prediction models using a machine learning algorithm. The dataset was randomly divided into training and test sets (7:3 ratio). A simplified prediction model using variables with XGBoost's embedded feature selection was developed and validated. Results: Precisely 32,301 patients met the eligibility criteria. In the prediction model for the whole cohort, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.73 at E1 and 0.78 at T1 and the area under the precision-recall curve (AUPR) was 0.23 at E1 and 0.31 at T1 in the training set, while an AUC of 0.62 at E1 and 0.73 at T1 and an AUPR if 0.13 at E1, and 0.24 at T1 were obtained in the test set. The simplified prediction model performed similarly to the original model. Conclusions: A simplified machine learning model for predicting late FGR may be useful for evaluating individual risks in the early third trimester. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

East Asia has been identified as a key area at risk of precipitation increases resulting from global warming. East Asian summer monsoon has distinct spatiotemporal characteristics and the simulation characteristics of global climate models therefore needs to be evaluated closely to obtain a reliable projection of future precipitation patterns and associated extreme events. Using metrics for the spatiotemporal variability of monsoon precipitation over East Asia, this study evaluated the performance of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models and analyzed future projections and uncertainty factors. Spatiotemporal precipitation patterns were simulated reasonably well by CMIP6 models but with weaker rainfall amplitudes. CMIP6 models simulated more intense precipitation than the predecessor CMIP5 ones and captured observations better. In future projections, an overall precipitation increase occurs during both the northward migration of the rain band and during peak monsoon time over East Asia and the three subregions, with stronger changes under higher emission scenarios. This increase was mainly ascribed to a thermodynamic response due to increased moisture availability. Internal climate variability and model uncertainty dominated future precipitation uncertainties. Dynamic terms explained a large portion of model uncertainty due to circulation changes, and thermodynamic terms were significantly related to scenario uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Choline alfoscerate, a cholinergic precursor, is widely used in Korea for dementia‐related symptoms and is covered by national health insurance (NHI). This study investigates the utilization trends and factors influencing choline alfoscerate prescription in newly diagnosed Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients using real‐world data. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) for patients aged 60 years and older who were newly diagnosed with AD between 2012 and 2019. Patients with prescriptions for acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) or memantine within 60 days of diagnosis were included. Choline alfoscerate utilization was defined as prescriptions within 60 days of initial diagnosis. Factors influencing its use were identified through multiple logistic regression analyses, and trends over time were assessed using the Cochran–Armitage Trend test. RESULTS: Among the 330,326 study participants, 99,845 (33.08%) were prescribed choline alfoscerate, with usage increasing from 15.96% in 2012 to 47.65% in 2019. Factors positively associated with its use included male sex, MedAid insurance, and osteoarthritis. Conversely, usage decreased with comorbidities such as hypertension, congestive heart failure, stroke/transient ischemic attack, chronic kidney disease, and depression. CONCLUSION: Choline alfoscerate usage in Korea has significantly increased, partly due to its national insurance coverage and the absence of disease‐modifying therapies for AD. Given the uncertain efficacy and potential risks of choline alfoscerate, continuous monitoring and rigorous evaluation of its long‐term benefits and safety are essential. Further research is necessary to establish definitive evidence for its effectiveness and guide its therapeutic use in AD management. Highlights: Choline alfoscerate usage among newly diagnosed AD patients in Korea increased from 15.96% in 2012 to 47.65% in 2019.Male sex (OR = 1.05) and MedAid insurance coverage (OR = 1.07) were associated with higher odds of choline alfoscerate usage.Usage was more likely in patients with osteoarthritis (OR = 1.05) and less likely among those with hypertension (OR = 0.96), stroke/TIA (OR = 0.80), chronic kidney disease (OR = 0.80), and depression (OR = 0.93).Patients in rural areas had higher odds of using choline alfoscerate (OR = 1.28) compared to those in metropolitan areas (OR = 1.00).Despite limited evidence of efficacy, the extensive use of choline alfoscerate highlights the need for continuous monitoring and rigorous evaluation to ensure its safety and therapeutic value in AD management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During summer 2018, South Korea experienced the strongest and longest heat wave since 1973 (the beginning of the observations from 45 stations). The July-August (JA) mean daily maximum temperature ([T.sub.max]) [...]