Purpose: To propose improvements for promoting eyeball donation and managing donated corneas, this study analyzed the current system in Korea and reviewed relevant Korean laws, international standards, and foreign practices. Methods: To understand the current situation in Korea, annual reports published by the Korean Network for Organ Sharing and existing Korean laws were examined. For the international context, references were made to the National Organ Transplant Act, 21 CFR Part 1271 (Code of Federal Regulations Title 21 Part 1271), Current Good Tissue Practice guidelines of the Food and Drug Administration, and the Medical Standards of the Eye Bank Association of America in the United States. Opinions on promoting eyeball donation, improving the monitoring system for donated corneas and revising laws related to cornea management were gathered. The perspectives of 31 experts affiliated with the Korea Cornea Society were collected through a survey. Results: Currently, there are no laws or regulations that can be appropriately applied to the cornea which has properties of both organs and tissue. Additionally, there is no law regulating imported corneas. Therefore, there is a need to legislate or revise the current law; all experts who conducted the survey agreed on this. Furthermore, the current system faces limitations in the efficient procurement, stable supply, and management of donor corneas, as well as in donation promotion. To address these issues, the establishment of independent legislation for managing donated corneas and a National Central Eye Bank was proposed. This central body would oversee continuous personnel training, education, and monitoring, along with ensuring stable procurement, processing, and supply of corneas within a structured management system. Sixty-eight percent of the surveyed experts agreed with this proposal. Conclusions To establish a safe and efficient Korean corneal supply and demand system, it is imperative to enact cornea-specific laws, including the establishment of a National Central Eye Bank.

Background: Various strategies are being explored to improve outcomes in advanced ovarian cancer. This study evaluated the survival outcomes of a sequential treatment strategy comprising dose-dense weekly chemotherapy, selective adjuvant radiotherapy, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor maintenance following primary debulking surgery. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 12 patients with newly diagnosed advanced high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) who underwent a sequential treatment strategy (debulking surgery followed by dose-dense chemotherapy, selective adjuvant radiotherapy, and PARP inhibitor maintenance) at Kosin University Gospel Hospital between December 2019 and March 2023. Survival outcomes were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and treatment-related adverse effects were evaluated. Results: All 12 patients achieved complete remission after the sequential treatment strategy. At the cutoff date (June 20, 2025), all patients were alive, with a median follow-up duration of 48.1 months (range, 28.7–66.5 months). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 43.8 months. Acute toxicities, including bone marrow suppression and alopecia, were transient and manageable. Peripheral neuropathy and extremity edema were observed as persistent late toxicities. Conclusions This study highlights promising outcomes with a multimodal sequential treatment strategy in newly diagnosed advanced HGSOC. All patients remained alive at the time of analysis, and the median PFS reached 43.8 months, suggesting a potential benefit of this sequential approach compared with conventional treatment strategies. Prospective studies are warranted to validate these findings.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Dietary supplement use is common among breast cancer survivors, but studies on Asian populations remain limited. This study investigated dietary supplement use among Korean breast cancer survivors, distinguishing between vitamin/ mineral (VM) and non-vitaminon-mineral (NVNM) supplements. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 1,136 stage I–III breast cancer survivors from 12 Korean hospitals, who survived more than 6 mon post-surgery. The participants completed a questionnaire on post-diagnostic dietary supplement use. Stepwise logistic regression was applied, calculating odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to identify the demographic and clinical factors associated with VM and NVNM use. RESULTS: Seventy percent of survivors reported supplement use, with 25% using a single product. The most common VM supplements were multivitamins/minerals, vitamin D, and vitamin C, while the most common NVNM supplements included omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics, and ginseng. Survivors with higher education and greater physical activity were more likely to use VM supplements (ORs [95% CIs], 2.74 [1.76–4.25] for college graduates or above vs. middle school or below; 1.38 [1.02–1.88] for the most active group vs. the least active group). NVNM use was associated with higher education, greater physical activity levels, and a history of smoking (ORs [95% CIs], 2.29 [1.46–3.58] for college graduates or above vs. middle school or below; 1.52 [1.13–2.06] for the most active group vs. the least active group; 2.00 [1.23–3.25] for ever smokers vs. never smokers). Survivors who had undergone chemotherapy were also more likely to use NVNM supplements than those who had not (OR [95% CI], 1.37 [1.02–1.84]). CONCLUSION Seventy percent of Korean breast cancer survivors used dietary supplements in this study. VM use was associated with higher education and physical activity, while higher NVNM use was associated with higher education, greater physical activity, a history of smoking, and chemotherapy.

Background: A systematic evaluation of potential living liver donors is essential to ensure donor safety and optimize recipient outcomes in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). This study aimed to assess donor acceptance rates and reasons for disqualification among individuals evaluated for LDLT at a high-volume transplant center over a one-year period. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 1,087 potential living liver donors who presented for LDLT evaluation in 2023. Of these, 991 candidates advanced beyond the initial screening (Stage 1) and underwent comprehensive clinical, imaging, and pathological assessments (Stages 2 and 3). Candidates who discontinued after Stage 1 were excluded due to the absence of documented reasons for non-progression. Results: Among the 991 candidates who proceeded beyond initial screening, 473 (47.7%) completed the full donor evaluation, of whom 466 were judged to be suitable donors. Among suitable donors, 384 (82.4%) proceeded to donor hepatectomy, whereas 82 did not, primarily due to recipient-related factors such as clinical deterioration or withdrawal of consent. Donor ineligibility was determined in 422 candidates (42.6%), most commonly due to inadequate remnant liver volume (52.8%), hepatic steatosis (20.6%), and insufficient graft size (10.2%). Among candidates undergoing Stage 2 evaluation, 162 (16.3%) failed to meet steatosis criteria; 126 were excluded solely for steatosis and advised weight reduction, and 39 subsequently became eligible and successfully donated. Conclusion In this high-volume LDLT center, donor disqualification was primarily driven by remnant liver volume and hepatic steatosis. Targeted interventions such as weight reduction enabled successful donation in a subset of initially ineligible candidates, underscoring the importance of individualized donor evaluation and pre-donation optimization.

Chrysoeriol, a flavonoid naturally found in several plants, including Danggui Susan, a traditional herbal medicine, exhibits promising anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Its potential to prevent cardiovascular diseases, primarily through inhibiting platelet activation and aggregation, has attracted significant interest. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the antiplatelet effects of chrysoeriol. The compound effectively suppressed collagen-induced platelet aggregation without inducing cytotoxicity. Chrysoeriol elevated intracellular levels of cyclic AMP (cAMP) and cyclic GMP (cGMP), enhanced inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP 3R) phosphorylation, and reduced cytosolic calcium (Ca2+ ) mobilization, all of which contributed to its antiplatelet action. Furthermore, chrysoeriol inhibited the phosphorylation of PI3K, Akt, JNK, and p38 MAPK, pathways involved in the activation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA 2) and thromboxane A2 (TXA2) production. These effects were accompanied by reduced TXA2 production and secretion of dense granules (ATP and serotonin). Chrysoeriol also impaired thrombin-induced clot retraction, further suggesting its capacity to regulate platelet responses and cytoskeletal rearrangements. These findings highlight chrysoeriol’s multi-target mechanisms, including modulation of cyclic nucleotides, kinase pathways, and platelet function, offering potential as a therapeutic agent to prevent thrombotic cardiovascular events.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by progressive cognitive deterioration and significant depression. However, the mechanisms linking depression to AD pathology remain unclear. Here, we investigated whether Notch2 signaling mediates depressionlike behaviors in presenilin-2 (PS2) N141I mutant mice, an early-onset AD model. PS2 wild-type (WT) and mutant (MT) mice aged 12-15 months were subjected to unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) for 4 weeks, followed by sucrose preference, tail-hanging, and forced swimming tests. Behavioral assessments showed that UCMS exacerbated anhedonia and immobility only in PS2 MT mice. Molecular analysis revealed concomitant increases in plasma corticosterone, hippocampal γ-secretase activity, and Notch2 expression, and elevated total and phosphorylated glucocorticoid receptor levels in PS2 MT-UCMS mice. Gene expression profiling of human hippocampal datasets confirmed upregulation of NOTCH2 in Alzheimer’s disease and depression.Pharmacological inhibition of γ-secretase and Notch signaling with DAPT normalizes depressive behavior, reduces corticosterone release, attenuates GR phosphorylation, and inhibits Notch2 signaling in PS2 MT mice. These findings identify Notch2 as a pivotal mediator linking chronic stress to molecular changes associated with depression and AD, and suggest that targeting Notch2 signaling may provide therapeutic benefits for comorbid mood and neurodegenerative disorders.

Purpose: This study aimed to report the real-world outcomes of intravesical gemcitabine for bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG)–unresponsive, high-risk, non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer (HR-NMIBC) in Korean patients who were unable or unwilling to undergo radical cystectomy (RC). Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 131 patients (median age, 69 years; 88.5% men) treated with intravesical gemcitabine for BCG-unresponsive HR-NMIBC at nine centers between May 2019 and April 2022. The primary endpoint was 1-year recurrence-free survival (RFS). The secondary endpoints included factors influencing RFS, progression-free survival (PFS), cystectomy- free survival, cancer-specific survival (CSS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, and risk factors for recurrence were assessed using Cox regression models. Results: Patients were followed up for a median duration of 25 months, with carcinoma in situ (CIS) in 41.9% of the patients. The 1-year and 2-year RFS rates were 68% and 42%, while the 1-year and 2-year PFS rates were 87% and 77%, respectively. No significant factors influencing RFS were identified. Seventeen patients underwent RC during a median follow-up of 16 months, with the condition in three patients progressing to muscle-invasive disease on final pathological analysis. The 2-year CSS and OS rates were 98% and 97%, respectively. Intravesical gemcitabine was well-tolerated, with only seven patients (5.3%) unable to complete the full induction course. Conclusion Our research highlights the potential of intravesical gemcitabine as a viable bladder-sparing treatment option for BCG-unresponsive HR-NMIBC, providing real-world evidence on its safety, efficacy, and tolerability.

Purpose: Accumulating evidence has clarified that gut dysbiosis is involved in lung cancer development and progression. Although the relationship between tumors and gut microbiota has been extensively studied using clinical samples, no studies have examined the association between mutant epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)–induced lung carcinogenesis and dysbiosis in gut microbiota. Therefore, we investigated the gut microbiota profiles in stool samples from human lung-specific conditional EGFR-mutant transgenic mice during lung tumor carcinogenesis. Materials and Methods: Stool samples were collected before tamoxifen treatment (V1) and at each time point following mutant EGFR expression in lung tissue (V2) and lung tumor appearance (V3). Fecal 16S rRNA taxonomy was analyzed to assess microbial diversity, composition, and dynamic changes at each time point. Results: We found that microbiota richness and diversity were significantly elevated when tumors developed and grew in the lung. Phylogenetic analysis of the microbial community revealed that Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, Porphyromonadaceae, Rhodospirillaceae, Odoribacteraceae, and Desulfovibrionaceae showed a significant increase at the V3 stage compared to the V1 stage at the family level. In contrast, Lactobacillaceae, Bacteroidaceae, Muribaculaceae, Coriobacteriaceae, and Rikenellaceae significantly decreased at the V3 stage compared to the V1 stage. Furthermore, Lactobacillus species, also known as short chain fatty acid-producing bacteria, were relatively abundant at the V1 stage but were depleted with the occurrence of lung tumors at the V3 stage. Conclusion Changes in gut microbiota, such as Lactobacillus species, may be a predictive factor for the emergence and progression of tumors in an animal model of lung adenocarcinoma induced by mutant EGFR.

Background: and Purpose Although blood pressure (BP) elevation is common in acute ischemic stroke, and guidelines recommend reducing systolic BP to <185 mm Hg prior to reperfusion therapy, the safety and efficacy of active BP lowering in the hyperacute phase before endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) remain uncertain. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of a prospective hospital-based registry that included consecutive patients with anterior circulation large-vessel occlusion who underwent EVT between 2016 and 2024. Patients were categorized into the active BP lowering in the emergency department (ED) group or the absence of BP lowering in the ED group based on whether they received intravenous antihypertensive treatment prior to EVT. The primary outcome was the distribution of the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores at 3 months. Propensity score matching and multivariable regression analyses were also performed. Results: Of the 492 included patients, 53 (10.8%) received active BP lowering in the ED. After propensity score matching, patients who underwent active BP lowering showed a worse distribution of 3-month mRS scores compared with those who did not receive BP lowering (adjusted odds ratio, 0.38; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.18 to 0.80; p=0.013). The active BP lowering group exhibited greater infarct volume growth (adjusted β coefficient, 33.4; 95% CI, 18.2 to 48.7; p<0.001), whereas the incidence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage did not differ between groups. Conclusions Active BP lowering in the ED before EVT was associated with worse functional outcomes and increased infarct growth without a corresponding reduction in the occurrence of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage. These findings highlight the need for caution in initiating antihypertensive therapy before reperfusion and support further investigations to define optimal pre-EVT BP management.

Objective: To classify life stages for companion dogs and cats by identifying clusters in age-specific disease proportions derived from medical records, providing a data-driven foundation for health examination programs. Methods: We collected 505,667 medical records from 82 veterinary facilities in South Korea between 2020 and 2023. Diagnoses were standardized using GPT-4o and S-BioBERT. Following preprocessing, data from 27 facilities yielded 222,706 canine and 39,910 feline records for the final analysis. Principal component analysis and K-means clustering (K = 4) were applied to age-specific disease proportions to identify life stages.The 10 most highest-proportion diagnoses diseases were determined for each cluster. Results: Canine life stages were classified as ≤ 1 year, 2–5 years, 6–10 years, and 11–15+ years.Feline life stages were 1–2 years, 3–8 years, 9–12 years, and 13–15+ years. In dogs, developmental diseases were common in the youngest age group, while chronic diseases were more prevalent in older groups. In cats, oral and urinary diseases were high-ranking, conjunctivitis was most common in the early stage, and chronic diseases increased with age. Conclusions and Relevance: Age-specific diagnosis patterns support four practical life stages for dogs and cats in South Korea. These boundaries can inform evidence-based preventive examination schedules, animal health policy, and pet insurance product design.