With recent developments in medical technology and the introduction of various types of lasers, the role of fiberoptic laryngeal laser surgery (FLS) in laryngology has been significantly expanded. FLS are typically performed under local anesthesia, and patients may return to normal activities immediately after the procedure. This corresponds to the current trend of minimally invasive surgery and may limit unnecessary general anesthesia, reduce medical costs, and increase patient compliances. Main indications of FLS procedure were vocal polyp, recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, vocal fold granuloma and vocal fold dysplasia. In this review, we discuss practical tips and unique value of FLS.
Anesthesia, General ; Anesthesia, Local ; Granuloma ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; Otolaryngology ; Papilloma ; Polyps ; Vocal Cords

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between dental school students’admission scores and their grade point average (GPA) after admission, as well as the relationship between student admission scores at dental school and continuation into the residency program. Methods: This study analyzed data collected from students who entered dental school between 2013 and 2017. The outcome variables were dental school GPA and continuation into residency program. Explanatory variables included admission type (early decision admission/regular admission), academic achievements (undergraduate GPA, Dental Education Eligibility Test [DEET], Test of English Proficiency [TEPS], screening by document review, and in-depth interview score), age, sex, college alma mater, high school alma mater, college major, as well as students’ academic performance in dental school. Regression analysis was performed to determine which factors relating to dental school admissions score had an influence on academic performance in dental school, whereas logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the students’ decision to pursue a residency. Results: Students who were foreign college graduates, majored in health sciences, accepted on the basis of early decision admission, female, or had a higher college GPA showed higher dental school GPA with statistical significance. Additionally, the likelihood of students pursuing residency was found to be higher in students who were female, of younger age, college graduates in Jeolla Provinces, or who had a higher dental school GPA. Conclusions To ensure regional equality of dental service quality, it is essential that high quality students pursue residency training. For further improvement of dental school, this study’s results can be used as a reference to make students coming from other regions pursue the residency program and contribute to the regional community.

Background: While individuals exposed to radiation in hospitals are typically registered as radiation workers, with regulated exposure levels, many interns and residents who are not registered as radiation workers are occupationally exposed to radiation. This study aimed to assess the current status and awareness of radiation exposure and related protective practices among interns and residents. Methods: An online survey was conducted nationwide from June 3 to June 16, 2023, engaging 262 interns and 799 residents. Descriptive analyses were conducted to summarize the status of occupational radiation exposure and radiation protection practices. Results: Approximately 6% of interns and 18% of residents reported receiving personal dosimeters, and 6% and 20%, respectively, were registered as radiation workers. In contrast, compliance with personal radiation protection equipment, such as lead aprons and thyroid shields, exceeded 85% during tasks involving radiation exposure. On average, interns spent 7 months (standard deviation [SD], 2.1) and residents 8.1 months (SD, 4.8) in main departments with potential radiation exposure. While overall safety performance showed improvement, the provision of personal dosimeters and radiation worker registration remained low (14.7%, 16.6%). Conclusion Despite improvements in radiation protection education and the provision of personal protective equipment, the registration rate for radiation workers among interns and residents remains low. Ensuring these medical professionals are registered and managed as radiation workers is crucial for prioritizing their safety and well-being.

OBJECTIVES: We analyzed Korea's data privacy regime in the context of protecting and utilizing health and medical big data and tried to draw policy implications from the analyses. METHODS: We conducted comparative analyses of the legal and regulatory environments governing health and medical big data with a view to drawing policy implications for Korea. The legal and regulatory regimes considered include the following: the European Union, the United Kingdom, France, the United States, and Japan. We reviewed relevant statutory materials as well as various non-statutory materials and guidelines issued by public authorities. Where available, we also examined policy measures implemented by government agencies. RESULTS: In this study, we investigated how various jurisdictions deal with legal and regulatory issues that may arise from the use of health and medical information with regard to the protection of data subjects' rights and the protection of personal information. We compared and analyzed various forms of legislation in various jurisdictions and also considered technical methods, such as de-identification. The main findings include the following: there is a need to streamline the relationship between the general data privacy regime and the regulatory regime governing health and medical big data; the regulatory and institutional structure for data governance should be more clearly delineated; and regulation should encourage the development of suitable methodologies for the de-identification of data and, in doing so, a principle-based and risk-based approach should be taken. CONCLUSIONS: Following our comparative legal analyses, implications were drawn. The main conclusion is that the relationship between the legal requirements imposed for purposes of personal information protection and the regulatory requirements governing the use of health and medical data is complicated and multi-faceted and, as such, their relationship should be more clearly streamlined and delineated.
Computer Security ; European Union ; France ; Government Agencies ; Great Britain ; Humans ; Japan ; Korea ; Privacy ; United States

Laryngomalacia, the most common cause of stridor in infants, is characterized by the inward collapse of soft and immature upper laryngeal cartilages during inspiration, resulting in airway obstruction at the supraglottic level. Acquired laryngomalacia is a rare condition that mainly occurs following significant neurological dysfunctions associated with cerebrovascular disease, head and neck surgery, or cervical trauma. We present a case of acquired idiopathic laryngomalacia in a 12-year-old adolescent caused by the prolapse of redundant arytenoid mucosa. The patient exhibited no neurological dysfunctions or laryngeal deformities. However, he had allergic rhinitis accompanied by high serum immunoglobulin E levels. His symptoms worsened after being infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Furthermore, allergic rhinitis or SARS-CoV-2 infection may have worsened preexisting asymptomatic congenital or acquired laryngomalacia through neurological damage. Acquired idiopathic laryngomalacia is rale in children. In cases where children and adolescents present with a sudden onset of inspiratory stridor, it is essential to perform a laryngoscopic examination for identifying potential cases of acquired laryngomalacia.

Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) can produce all kind of blood lineage cells, and gut microbiota that consists of various species of microbe affects development and maturation of the host immune system including gut lymphoid cells and tissues. However, the effect of altered gut microbiota composition on homeostasis of HSPCs remains unclear. Here we show that compositional change of gut microbiota affects homeostasis of HSPCs using Rag1(-/-) mice which represent lymphopenic condition. The number and proportions of HSPCs in Rag1(-/-) mice are lower compared to those of wild types. However, the number and proportions of HSPCs in Rag1(-/-) mice are restored as the level of wild types through alteration of gut microbiota diversity via transferring feces from wild types. Gut microbiota composition of Rag1(-/-) mice treated with feces from wild types shows larger proportions of family Prevotellaceae and Helicobacterceae whereas lower proportions of family Lachnospiraceae compared to unmanipulated Rag1(-/-) mice. In conclusion, gut microbiota composition of lymphopenic Rag1(-/-) mice is different to that of wild type, which may lead to altered homeostasis of HSPCs.
Animals ; Feces ; Homeostasis* ; Humans ; Immune System ; Lymphocytes ; Mice* ; Microbiota* ; Stem Cells*

A full-length translational product of the trophinin gene, KIAA1114, is a distinctive marker of cancer stem cells in human hepatocellular carcinoma, and a mAb, Kiatomab, is specific to KIAA1114 antigen. In this study, we addressed the therapeutic potential of Kiatomab for treating both metastatic and solid tumors in mouse models. Kiatomab recognizes the linear epitope of KIAA1114, which is expressed on cell surfaces of various murine cancer cell lines. Kiatomab treatment induced potent antitumor responses in pulmonary metastasis models. Antitumor activity was mediated by the fragment crystallizable portion of Kiatomab and dependent on the host immune system. The use of Kiatomab alone as an antitumor therapy was ineffective in solid tumor models. However, in combination with cyclophosphamide, or by switching the isotype of the mAb, improved antitumor effects of Kiatomab were observed. These results suggest that Kiatomab can be used as a novel mAb for cancer immunotherapy.
Animals ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Cell Line ; Cyclophosphamide ; Humans ; Immune System ; Immunotherapy ; Mice ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neoplastic Stem Cells

Objectives: ：Chronic alcohol ingestion is associated with structural alterations in the brain. In patients with alcohol dependence, thalamic volume is frequently diminished, commensurate with the amount of alcohol consumption, duration of illness, and cognitive impairment. Since the thalamus is composed of histologically and functionally distinct nuclei, we aimed to investigate volumetric changes of these nuclei in patients with alcohol dependence. Methods: ：Twenty-three participants with alcohol dependence who had abstained from drinking for at least 3 months (alcohol group) and 21 age-matched healthy controls (control group) underwent 3T magnetic resonance imaging. The volumes of 50 individual thalamic nuclei were reconstructed using FreeSurfer 6.0.0. We compared normalized volumes of thalamic nuclei between the two groups using analysis of covariance, controlling for age. The p-values were corrected using False Discovery Rate (p<0.05). Results: ：The alcohol group demonstrated atrophy of the whole thalamus and nuclei in the anterior, ventral, intralaminar, and medial thalamus. However, the volumes of bilateral lateral geniculate, medial geniculate, suprageniculatelimitans, pulvinar lateral, and right pulvinar inferior nuclei which are included in posterior thalamus, were not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusion ：In the alcohol group, atrophy of most thalamic nuclei which are associated with language processing, visuospatial memory, autobiographical memory, executive function and attention were not normalized after 3 months of sobriety. Furthermore, thalamic nuclei volumes, which are associated with visual and auditory information processing, were not significantly different compared to controls. We suggest that this could be microstructural evidence of relatively preserved visual attention and auditory startle response in patients with alcohol dependence.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the demographic characteristics, responses to negative emotions, and difficulties in emotion regulation between self-harming adolescents and control individuals aged 12–14 years from the community. Methods: Data were collected from adolescents in Chungcheong Province, South Korea, between September 2021 and November 2022.Demographic characteristics and responses to the Depressed Mood Questionnaire and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale-16 (DERS-16) were compared between the self-harm and control groups. Results: The self-harm group exhibited a higher prevalence of child abuse (odds ratio [OR]=4.787, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.591– 14.409, p=0.005) and school bullying victimization (OR=4.495, 95% CI=2.353–8.588, p<0.001) than those in the control group. The selfharm group displayed higher levels of rumination (t=7.88, p<0.001) and reduced distraction responses (reverse score t=2.25, p=0.025) than those of the control group. Additionally, the self-harm group scored higher on all subscales and the total DERS-16 score (t=7.61, p<0.001). Conclusion Interventions for self-harming adolescents should address child abuse and bullying victimization. Prevention programs for self-harming adolescents should focus on reducing rumination responses, increasing distractive responses, and addressing difficulties in emotion regulation using dialectical behavior therapy-skill training.