This study explores the development, roles, and key initiatives of the Regional Environmental Health Centers in Korea, detailing their evolution through four distinct phases and their impact on environmental health policy and local governance. It chronicles the establishment and transformation of these centers from their inception in May 2007, through four developmental stages. Originally named Environmental Disease Research Centers, they were subsequently renamed Environmental Health Centers following legislative changes. The analysis includes the expansion in the number of centers, the transfer of responsibilities to local governments, and the launch of significant projects such as the Korean Children’s Environmental Health Study (Ko-CHENS ). During the initial phase (May 2007–February 2009), the 10 centers concentrated on research-driven activities, shifting from a media-centered to a receptor-centered approach. In the second phase, prompted by the enactment of the Environmental Health Act, six additional centers were established, broadening their scope to address national environmental health issues. The third phase introduced Ko-CHENS, a 20-year national cohort project designed to influence environmental health policy by integrating research findings into policy frameworks. The fourth phase marked a decentralization of authority, empowering local governments and redefining the centers' roles to focus on regional environmental health challenges. The Regional Environmental Health Centers have significantly evolved and now play a crucial role in addressing local environmental health issues and supporting local government policies. Their capacity to adapt and respond to region-specific challenges is essential for the effective implementation of environmental health policies, reflecting geographical, socioeconomic, and demographic differences.

Excessive wear of the teeth, which causes functional, aesthetic problems, or sensitivity symptoms, is referred to as pathological wear. If this leads to the collapse of occlusion, extensive restoration is necessary to restore function and aesthetics.When restoring pathologically worn dentition, it is essential to identify the cause of the wear before determining treatment plan to get a favorable prognosis. In this case, a patient exhibited severe tooth wear with decreased vertical dimension and clinical, radiographic examination, and medical history indicated the pathological wear caused by a combination of factors. Consequently, full-mouth rehabilitation was indicated and the vertical occlusal height was determined considering the appropriate restorative space. Based on the causes of the wear, the restoration method, materials, and occlusal pattern were selected and successfully restored to normal occlusal state through full-mouth rehabilitation with zirconia full-veneered crowns.

Purpose: . The purpose of this study is to analyze the biomechanical differences in rotation angle-torque according to the type of implant and to compare the effects of contamination and sandblasting on the removal torque value (RTV) of abutment screws. Materials and methods: . For this study, an automated device for tightening and loosening implant screws was developed, and each 15 implant-abutment complexes of external and internal connection type were prepared, divided into three groups according to the surface treatment of the screw:control group (no treatment), experimental group-1 (artificial saliva contamination and chlorhexidine (CHX) rinsing), and experimental group-2 (artificial saliva contamination, CHX rinsing, and subsequent 50 µm Al 2 O 3 sandblasting). FirstRTV was measured for each group, followed by different post-treatment procedures for the screws, and then Second-RTV was measured. During the procedure, the removal torque value and rotation angle vs. time were recorded at a 20 data/s.A standardized protocol was followed for all the tightening and loosening procedures: screw was tightened with 30 Ncm torque and maintained for 5 s, and then rotated in the reverse direction until the torque value reached 0 Ncm. After 10min of rest period, the screws were loosened to initial point. Results: . Statistical analysis of measured data revealed that the internal connection type showed significantly higher First-RTV compared to the external connection type, however, no significant differences in Second-RTV were found. Both experimental groups 1and 2 showed a decrease in RTVs for both implant types, while the control group showed a decrease in RTV only for the internal type. The internal connection type required a significantly larger rotation angle during the tightening and loosening process. Conclusion . Within the limitations of this study, both artificial saliva contamination and CHX cleansing, as well as sandblasting, decreased RTV in both internal and external connection types. Internal connections were more susceptible to the effects of contaminants.

The occlusal collapse resulting from loss of posterior tooth support and attrition necessitates treatment aimed at restoring normal function and aesthetics.Particularly in cases where there is insufficient space for restoration, full mouth rehabilitation accompanied by increased vertical dimension is necessary. This case report presents a complete mouth rehabilitation of a patient with inadequate anterior restoration space due to loss of posterior tooth support, utilizing guided implant surgery, facial scan, virtual articulator, and jaw motion tracker.

There are sex-related differences in the pathophysiology and phenotype of heart failure (HF) as well as the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs between women and men due to biological differences, such as heart and vessel size, response to blood volume and pressure, body water and muscle compositions, and dominant sex hormones. Therefore, target drug doses required to achieve the same clinical effect differ between the sexes, while there may also be sex-related differences in side effects of a given drug at the same dose. These biological differences have been reflected in the results of clinical trials. Moreover, women have been underrepresented in pharmacological therapy trials as well as having lower device implantation rates than men. Therefore, the currently recommended target doses of medications based on clinical trials may not be appropriate for women. Although guidelines for HF have been standardized since the last major revision in 2021, most do not differentiate by sex. This review focuses on evidence regarding sex-related differences in multiple aspects of HF, including epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical features, treatment, and prognosis, highlighting the need for sex-specific treatment guidelines.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of impacted teeth (ITs) in orthodontic patients at university dental hospitals in Korea. Methods: This study included 14,774 patients who visited the Department of Orthodontics at 10 university dental hospitals in Korea between 2020 and 2022 and underwent orthodontic diagnosis. The prevalence and characteristics of ITs were investigated using orthodontic diagnostic records, radiographs, and diagnostic casts. Results: The prevalence of ITs, excluding third molar impaction, in Korean orthodontic patients was 13.6% (n = 2,014).The prevalence of ITs in pediatric orthodontic patients was 24.5% (n = 1,614).Of these patients, 68.2% had one IT, 27.5% had two ITs, 24.3% had bilateral IT, and 75.7% had unilateral IT. The most frequent IT was the maxillary canine (50.1%), followed by the mandibular second molar (11.7%), and maxillary second premolar (9.6%). An abnormal eruption path (46.5%) was the most frequent etiology. Orthodontic traction after surgical exposure (70.6%) was the most frequent treatment option. Among the patients with ITs, 29.8% had other dental anomalies, such as tooth agenesis (8.7%), microdontia (8.0%), and supernumerary teeth (5.1%). Furthermore, 50.8% had complications such as cystic lesions (18.3%), transposition (17.7%), and root resorption (14.8%).Among the patients with maxillary canine impaction, 62.2% had labial maxillary canine impaction and 21.1% had palatal maxillary canine impaction. Conclusions The prevalence of ITs in Korean orthodontic patients at university dental hospitals was high, particularly in pediatric orthodontic patients.

Objective: To quantitatively analyze and compare the forces and moments generated by thermoformed polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) and direct-printed TC-85 clear aligners (CAs), with various margin designs, during premolar rotation. Methods: In total, 132 CAs were fabricated and divided into four groups (n = 33 per group). Group C consisted of thermoformed PETG aligners with a 2 mm gingival margin. Group E comprised direct-printed TC-85 aligners with equi-gingival margin, whereas Group G utilized direct-printed TC-85 aligners with 2 mm gingival margins.Finally, Group T featured direct-printed TC-85 aligners with an additional 1 mm thickness at the mesial embrasure. The forces and moments were measured using a 6-axis force/moment transducer at 2°, 3°, and 4° of rotation. All measurements were conducted at 37°C to simulate intraoral conditions. Forces were measured in the buccolingual, anteroposterior, and vertical directions, while moments were measured in the mesiodistal, buccolingual, and rotational planes. Results: The PETG aligners (Group C) showed significantly increased buccal and posterior force across the rotation angles (P < 0.05), whereas the intrusive force remained consistent. In contrast, the TC-85 aligners maintained consistent forces across all rotation angles.Direct-printed aligners demonstrated significantly lower intrusive forces than PETG aligners (P < 0.001). Group T exhibited reduced unwanted forces while maintaining effective rotational moments. Furthermore, all direct-printed aligners showed more predictable force delivery patterns than thermoformed aligners. Conclusions Direct-printed TC-85 aligners demonstrated superior force consistency and reduced unwanted side effects compared with traditional PETG aligners. Although marginal design modifications did not significantly improve rotational efficiency, they effectively reduced unwanted intrusive forces.

Background: Histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6), belonging to class IIb of histone deacetylases, regulates theacetylation of the cytoplasmic protein α-tubulin. The overexpression of HDAC6 is linked to the development oftumors, and inhibiting HDAC6 is known to trigger apoptosis in multiple myeloma cells. In addition to its application in cancer treatment, bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor, is widely used in managing multiple myeloma and has shown effectiveness in patients with both newly diagnosed and relapsed disease. However, the treatment regimen may be delayed or discontinued due to the risk of peripheral neuropathy, a significant non-hematologic side effect. Methods: Animal models of peripheral neuropathy induced by various anti-cancer drugs were established, confirming the potential of HDAC6 inhibitors as a treatment for this condition. Six- to eight-week-old male Sprague Dawley rats were utilized to create these models. Mechanical allodynia and electron microscopy served as indicators of peripheral neuropathy. The HDAC6 inhibitor CKD-011 was administered at doses of 5, 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg. Results: In an animal model of bortezomib-induced peripheral neuropathy, CKD-011, an HDAC6 inhibitor, effectively ameliorated peripheral neuropathy. Similarly, CKD-011 administration demonstrated recovery from peripheral neuropathy in models induced with oxaliplatin, paclitaxel, and cisplatin. Conclusions These findings suggest that HDAC6 inhibitors have the potential to mitigate peripheral neuropathy induced by chemotherapeutic agents.

Reliable preclinical models for assessing drug-induced cardiotoxicity are essential to reduce the high rate of drug withdrawals during development. Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) have emerged as a promising platform for such assessments due to their expression of cardiacspecific ion channels and electrophysiological properties. In this study, we investigated the effects of eight arrhythmogenic drugs—E4031, nifedipine, mexiletine, JNJ303, flecainide, moxifloxacin, quinidine, and ranolazine—on hiPSC-CMs derived from both healthy individuals and a long QT syndrome (LQTS) patient using multielectrode array systems. The results demonstrated dose-dependent changes in field potential duration and arrhythmogenic risk, with LQTS-derived hiPSC-CMs showing increased sensitivity to hERG channel blockers such as E4031. Furthermore, the study highlights the potential of hiPSC-CMs to model disease-specific cardiac responses, providing insights into genetic predispositions and personalized drug responses.Despite challenges related to the immaturity of hiPSC-CMs, their ability to recapitulate human cardiac electrophysiology makes them a valuable tool for preclinical cardiotoxicity assessments. This study underscores the utility of integrating patientderived hiPSC-CMs with advanced analytical platforms, such as multi-electrode array systems, to evaluate drug-induced electrophysiological changes. These findings reinforce the role of hiPSC-CMs in drug development, facilitating safer and more efficient screening methods while supporting precision medicine applications.

Neurosteroids play an important role as endogenous neuromodulators that are locally produced in the central nervous system and rapidly change the excitability of neurons and the activation of microglial cells and astrocytes. Here we review the mechanisms of synthesis, metabolism, and actions of neurosteroids in the central nervous system. Neurosteroids are able to play a variety of roles in the central nervous system under physiological conditions by binding to membrane ion channels and receptors such as gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptors, Nmethyl-D-aspartate receptors, L- and T-type calcium channels, and sigma-1 receptors. In addition, numerous neurological disorders, including persistent neuropathic pain, multiple sclerosis, and seizures, have altered the levels of neurosteroids in the central nervous system. Thus, we review how local synthesis and metabolism of neurosteroids are modulated in the central nervous system and describe the role of neurosteroids under pathological conditions. Furthermore, we discuss whether neurosteroids may play a role as a new therapeutic for the treatment of neurological disorders.