BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Vitamin K (VK) plays a key role in regulating calcium homeostasis in bone and soft tissues and may be associated with physical function (PF), handgrip strength (HGS), and mortality; however, nationally-representative studies are scarce. SUBJECTS/METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the association of VK intake with PF, HGS, and mortality in adults aged 50 and older using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2016 (n = 4,950). VK intake was assessed using two 24-h dietary recalls and dietary supplement use questionnaires and categorized as < or ≥ the Adequate Intake (AI). Self-reported PF was categorized into 5 activities (activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living [IADL], lower extremity mobility [LEM], general physical activities, and leisure and social activities). HGS was measured using a grip strength dynamometer. Linear models, odds ratios, and Cox proportional hazards analyses were performed. All analytical models were adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: VK intake meeting the AI was associated with a 0.60-fold (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43–0.84) and 0.64-fold (95% CI, 0.47–0.89) decrease in the odds of IADL and LEM difficulty, respectively. When stratified by sex, these associations were significant only in males. However, VK intake was not associated with HGS or mortality. CONCLUSION VK intake meeting the AI is associated with lower odds of impaired IADL and LEM, especially in males.

Purpose: This study assessed the validity of the hospital standardized mortality ratio (HSMR) risk-adjusted model by comparing models that include clinical information and the current model based on administrative information in South Korea. Materials and Methods: The data of 53976 inpatients were analyzed. The current HSMR risk-adjusted model (Model 1) adjusts for sex, age, health coverage, emergency hospitalization status, main diagnosis, surgery status, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) using administrative data. As candidate variables, among clinical information, the American Society of Anesthesiologists score, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II, Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) 3, present on admission CCI, and cancer stage were collected. Surgery status, intensive care in the intensive care unit, and CCI were selected as proxy variables among administrative data. In-hospital death was defined as the dependent variable, and a logistic regression analysis was performed. The statistical performance of each model was compared using C-index values. Results: There was a strong correlation between variables in the administrative data and those in the medical records. The C-index of the existing model (Model 1) was 0.785; Model 2, which included all clinical data, had a higher C-index of 0.857. In Model 4, in which APACHE II and SAPS 3 were replaced with variables recorded in the administrative data from Model 2, the C-index further increased to 0.863. Conclusion The HSMR assessment model improved when clinical data were adjusted. Simultaneously, the validity of the evaluation method could be secured even if some of the clinical information was replaced with the information in the administrative data.

Purpose: This study assessed the validity of the hospital standardized mortality ratio (HSMR) risk-adjusted model by comparing models that include clinical information and the current model based on administrative information in South Korea. Materials and Methods: The data of 53976 inpatients were analyzed. The current HSMR risk-adjusted model (Model 1) adjusts for sex, age, health coverage, emergency hospitalization status, main diagnosis, surgery status, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) using administrative data. As candidate variables, among clinical information, the American Society of Anesthesiologists score, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II, Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) 3, present on admission CCI, and cancer stage were collected. Surgery status, intensive care in the intensive care unit, and CCI were selected as proxy variables among administrative data. In-hospital death was defined as the dependent variable, and a logistic regression analysis was performed. The statistical performance of each model was compared using C-index values. Results: There was a strong correlation between variables in the administrative data and those in the medical records. The C-index of the existing model (Model 1) was 0.785; Model 2, which included all clinical data, had a higher C-index of 0.857. In Model 4, in which APACHE II and SAPS 3 were replaced with variables recorded in the administrative data from Model 2, the C-index further increased to 0.863. Conclusion The HSMR assessment model improved when clinical data were adjusted. Simultaneously, the validity of the evaluation method could be secured even if some of the clinical information was replaced with the information in the administrative data.

Purpose: This study assessed the validity of the hospital standardized mortality ratio (HSMR) risk-adjusted model by comparing models that include clinical information and the current model based on administrative information in South Korea. Materials and Methods: The data of 53976 inpatients were analyzed. The current HSMR risk-adjusted model (Model 1) adjusts for sex, age, health coverage, emergency hospitalization status, main diagnosis, surgery status, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) using administrative data. As candidate variables, among clinical information, the American Society of Anesthesiologists score, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II, Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) 3, present on admission CCI, and cancer stage were collected. Surgery status, intensive care in the intensive care unit, and CCI were selected as proxy variables among administrative data. In-hospital death was defined as the dependent variable, and a logistic regression analysis was performed. The statistical performance of each model was compared using C-index values. Results: There was a strong correlation between variables in the administrative data and those in the medical records. The C-index of the existing model (Model 1) was 0.785; Model 2, which included all clinical data, had a higher C-index of 0.857. In Model 4, in which APACHE II and SAPS 3 were replaced with variables recorded in the administrative data from Model 2, the C-index further increased to 0.863. Conclusion The HSMR assessment model improved when clinical data were adjusted. Simultaneously, the validity of the evaluation method could be secured even if some of the clinical information was replaced with the information in the administrative data.

Objectives: Although diet quality is known to be associated with environment and individuals’ characteristics, these have not been studied together. We determined the association of diet quality with regional factors stratified by individuals’ sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: This study used nationally representative survey data on regional factors (2010–2020) and the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data on individuals’ sociodemographic characteristics (2013–2018). Community-dwelling Koreans aged ≥ 20 were included (n = 26,853). Regions were categorized into metropolitan cities or provinces and subsequently according to regional factors (level of educational attainment, income per capita, food security status, physical activity facilities, time to the nearest large retailer, and internet use of the region). Individuals’ sociodemographic characteristics included age, education status, income, and number of household members. Diet quality was assessed using the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI). Results: In the entire population, education status of metropolitan cities was positively associated with the KHEI. Shorter time to retailers and higher internet use were positively associated with the KHEI in metropolitan residents with higher income levels but negatively associated with the KHEI in those with lower income status. Among provincial residents with a low education status or income, regional physical activity facilities were positively associated with the KHEI. Conclusion The association between diet quality and regional factors varied depending on the resident’s sociodemographic characteristics. Both regional and individual sociodemographic factors must be considered to address gaps in nutritional equity.

Background: The association between diet quality (DQ) and osteoarthritis (OA) among the Asian population is unclear. Even within this population, the associations between DQ and OA may differ by region. We examined the relationship between DQ and radiologic knee OA (RKOA) among Koreans, stratifying participants by residential area. Methods: This cross-sectional study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted in 2013. A total of 2,222 participants aged 50 years old and older with available data on RKOA and DQ were analyzed. DQ was evaluated using the Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI). RKOA was diagnosed via radiography and defined as having a Kellgren-Lawrence grade ≥2 in the knee. Participants were categorized by residential region: metropolitan cities, small to medium-sized cities, or rural areas. The odds ratios for RKOA across the three regions were analyzed using multiple logistic regression, adjusting for confounding factors. Results: High KHEI scores were associated with lower odds of RKOA (P for trend=0.03). This association was primarily observed in residents of metropolitan cities, particularly among men (P for trend=0.02). Conclusions Better DQ is associated with reduced odds of RKOA in older Korean adults living in metropolitan areas.

Purpose: This study assessed the validity of the hospital standardized mortality ratio (HSMR) risk-adjusted model by comparing models that include clinical information and the current model based on administrative information in South Korea. Materials and Methods: The data of 53976 inpatients were analyzed. The current HSMR risk-adjusted model (Model 1) adjusts for sex, age, health coverage, emergency hospitalization status, main diagnosis, surgery status, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) using administrative data. As candidate variables, among clinical information, the American Society of Anesthesiologists score, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II, Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) 3, present on admission CCI, and cancer stage were collected. Surgery status, intensive care in the intensive care unit, and CCI were selected as proxy variables among administrative data. In-hospital death was defined as the dependent variable, and a logistic regression analysis was performed. The statistical performance of each model was compared using C-index values. Results: There was a strong correlation between variables in the administrative data and those in the medical records. The C-index of the existing model (Model 1) was 0.785; Model 2, which included all clinical data, had a higher C-index of 0.857. In Model 4, in which APACHE II and SAPS 3 were replaced with variables recorded in the administrative data from Model 2, the C-index further increased to 0.863. Conclusion The HSMR assessment model improved when clinical data were adjusted. Simultaneously, the validity of the evaluation method could be secured even if some of the clinical information was replaced with the information in the administrative data.

Purpose: This study assessed the validity of the hospital standardized mortality ratio (HSMR) risk-adjusted model by comparing models that include clinical information and the current model based on administrative information in South Korea. Materials and Methods: The data of 53976 inpatients were analyzed. The current HSMR risk-adjusted model (Model 1) adjusts for sex, age, health coverage, emergency hospitalization status, main diagnosis, surgery status, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) using administrative data. As candidate variables, among clinical information, the American Society of Anesthesiologists score, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II, Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) 3, present on admission CCI, and cancer stage were collected. Surgery status, intensive care in the intensive care unit, and CCI were selected as proxy variables among administrative data. In-hospital death was defined as the dependent variable, and a logistic regression analysis was performed. The statistical performance of each model was compared using C-index values. Results: There was a strong correlation between variables in the administrative data and those in the medical records. The C-index of the existing model (Model 1) was 0.785; Model 2, which included all clinical data, had a higher C-index of 0.857. In Model 4, in which APACHE II and SAPS 3 were replaced with variables recorded in the administrative data from Model 2, the C-index further increased to 0.863. Conclusion The HSMR assessment model improved when clinical data were adjusted. Simultaneously, the validity of the evaluation method could be secured even if some of the clinical information was replaced with the information in the administrative data.

Background: This study investigates the hypothesis that the red, doughnut-shaped discs in Gustav Klimt’s iconic painting ‘The Kiss’ represent red blood cells (RBCs). The purpose is to explore the artistic and anatomical significance of these elements, examining how Klimt may have integrated contemporary scientific discoveries into his work to convey deeper symbolic meanings. Methods: This interdisciplinary study employed a combination of medical and art history approaches, including biographical analysis, literature review and a questionnaire survey to assess viewer’s perceptions of the red discs in ‘The Kiss.’ The survey compared responses to the original painting with those to an experimentally altered version, where the red discs were removed, with the objective of determining the significance of these red discs in the artwork. The survey was conducted among 300 visitors at the Ulsan International Art Fair.Among the visitors, 69.3% of the participants were female, and the most common age group was 30–49 years old. Results: Historical research and literature analysis revealed that the red disc-shaped patterns on the woman’s dress in Klimt’s painting closely resemble RBCs as depicted in early 20thcentury scientific literature and encyclopedias. This suggests that Klimt, likely influenced by his interactions with medical scientists, intentionally incorporated contemporary scientific imagery into his artwork. The survey results indicated that 86.7% of participants recognized the painting as ‘The Kiss,’ demonstrating high familiarity with the piece. Comparisons between the original and altered versions of the painting revealed that viewers perceived notable differences in feeling, color perception, mood, and lighting. Conclusion This study demonstrates that Klimt intentionally incorporated RBC-like motifs into his paintings, using them not only to convey anatomical symbolism and emotional depth but also as dynamic elements within a mosaic pattern. These red elements energize not only the female figure in ‘The Kiss’ but the entire composition. Klimt’s work reveals his skill in merging scientific concepts with visual and emotional expression, showcasing an innovative approach to embedding complex medical and emotional meanings through the use of symbolic imagery.

Background: This study investigates the hypothesis that the red, doughnut-shaped discs in Gustav Klimt’s iconic painting ‘The Kiss’ represent red blood cells (RBCs). The purpose is to explore the artistic and anatomical significance of these elements, examining how Klimt may have integrated contemporary scientific discoveries into his work to convey deeper symbolic meanings. Methods: This interdisciplinary study employed a combination of medical and art history approaches, including biographical analysis, literature review and a questionnaire survey to assess viewer’s perceptions of the red discs in ‘The Kiss.’ The survey compared responses to the original painting with those to an experimentally altered version, where the red discs were removed, with the objective of determining the significance of these red discs in the artwork. The survey was conducted among 300 visitors at the Ulsan International Art Fair.Among the visitors, 69.3% of the participants were female, and the most common age group was 30–49 years old. Results: Historical research and literature analysis revealed that the red disc-shaped patterns on the woman’s dress in Klimt’s painting closely resemble RBCs as depicted in early 20thcentury scientific literature and encyclopedias. This suggests that Klimt, likely influenced by his interactions with medical scientists, intentionally incorporated contemporary scientific imagery into his artwork. The survey results indicated that 86.7% of participants recognized the painting as ‘The Kiss,’ demonstrating high familiarity with the piece. Comparisons between the original and altered versions of the painting revealed that viewers perceived notable differences in feeling, color perception, mood, and lighting. Conclusion This study demonstrates that Klimt intentionally incorporated RBC-like motifs into his paintings, using them not only to convey anatomical symbolism and emotional depth but also as dynamic elements within a mosaic pattern. These red elements energize not only the female figure in ‘The Kiss’ but the entire composition. Klimt’s work reveals his skill in merging scientific concepts with visual and emotional expression, showcasing an innovative approach to embedding complex medical and emotional meanings through the use of symbolic imagery.