Purpose: This study analyzed the characteristics of pediatric patients’ (≤ 18 years) intentional injury-related visits to the emergency department (ED) using National Emergency Department Information System data from January 1 through December 31, 2023, providing foundational evidence for prevention strategies and policy development. Methods: The injuries were categorized into unintentional and intentional, and relevant characteristics were compared between the 2 categories. The intentional injuries were further divided into self-harm and violence. Percentages were calculated for each variable and compared using the chi-square or Fisher exact tests. Results: Among 301,852 pediatric patients, those with intentional injuries showed higher proportions of girls, adolescents, visits in the wee hours, visits via firehouse ambulances, injuries by collision, by penetration, or by poisoning, hospitalization, Korean Triage and Acuity Scale levels 1-3, an ED length of stay of 2 hours or longer, and primary care by psychiatrists, than those with unintentional injuries. The pediatric patients with self-harm injuries showed higher proportions of girls, adolescents, visits in the wee or morning hours, visits via firehouse ambulances, injuries by collision, by penetration, or by poisoning, hospitalization or inter-facility transfer, Korean Triage and Acuity Scale levels 1-3, an ED length of stay of 2 hours or longer, and primary care by psychiatrists as well as by orthopedic surgeons or pediatricians, than those with violence injuries. Conclusion This study highlights the need to develop strategies per age and sex for preventing self-harm among pediatric patients, and to ensure safe and effective psychiatric care in EDs. In addition, the prevention of child abuse requires a multidisciplinary approach that includes preventive education programs, mandatory reporting in EDs, and the adoption of screening tools such as the Finding Instrument for Non-accidental Deeds.

The growing demand for physiologically relevant human liver models has driven significant progress in generating hepatic cells and organoids derived from pluripotent stem cells. These regenerative cell sources serve as powerful platforms for elucidating the mechanisms underlying liver diseases and for evaluating drug responses under human-relevant conditions. Moreover, they hold tremendous promise as cell-based therapeutics for various hepatic disorders. The utility of these regenerative cell technologies is further expanded when combined with gene-editing techniques, which enable precise modeling of pathogenic variants and targeted correction of disease-associated mutations. Gene editing can also be leveraged to enhance the functionality and therapeutic potential of regenerative hepatocyte products. In this review, we summarize recent advances at the interface of gene editing and hepatic cell regeneration, emphasizing their applications in genetic disease modeling, therapeutic gene correction, drug testing, and cell-based therapies for liver disorders. We also provide an overview of major gene-editing tools and practical guidance for implementing them in pluripotent stem cells-based regenerative workflows, concluding with future perspectives on the integration of gene editing and regenerative hepatocyte technologies.

Background: and Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. However, long-term population-based evidence across a broad range of cardiovascular outcomes, particularly conduction system disorders, remains limited. We investigated the 15-year cardiovascular outcomes in patients with OSA using a large-scale nationwide cohort. Methods: This retrospective cohort study used the Korean National Health Insurance Service database, including 547,749 patients diagnosed with OSA and 2,282,415 matched controls between 2002 and 2020. Following exclusion criteria and 1:1 propensity score matching, 541,812 individuals were included in each group. The primary outcomes were incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF), premature beats, ventricular arrhythmias, atrioventricular (AV) block, sinus node dysfunction, heart failure, ischemic heart disease (IHD), and stroke. Cumulative incidence was assessed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for relevant covariates. Results: Over a 15-year follow-up period, the OSA group exhibited significantly higher incidence rates for all cardiovascular outcomes than controls. In the matched cohort, adjusted HR were elevated for AF (1.82 [1.77–1.87]), premature beats (2.25 [2.17–2.34]), ventricular arrhythmias (1.81 [1.64–1.99]), AV block (1.81 [1.64–1.99]), sinus node dysfunction (2.22 [1.96–2.50]), heart failure (1.43 [1.39–1.48]), IHD (1.54 [1.52–1.56]), and stroke (1.20 [1.18–1.22]) (all P < 0.0001). Conclusions OSA was independently associated with an increased long-term risk of various cardiovascular outcomes, including arrhythmias, ischemic events, and conduction system disorders. This supports the importance of early identification and longitudinal management of cardiovascular risk in this population.

Epidermal cyst is a benign lesion which is commonly encountered in practice, and malignant transformation of it is rare. There are few case reports in the literature about malignant transformation of an epidermal cyst into a squamous cell carcinoma. We present a case of squamous cell carcinoma arising from a 3-year epidermal cyst in the right temporal area of a 68-year-old man. The epidermal cyst was initially identified as a spot and treated with laser therapy. However, it recurred, leading to three surgical interventions at a different surgical clinic. Despite these procedures, the cyst persisted, leading to presenting to our department of plastic and reconstructive surgery. He presented with a 2.5cm sized subcutaneous mass with skin ulcerative lesion. After excision, histopathological examination confirmed squamous cell carcinoma from a ruptured epidermal cyst, with clear resection margins. This case underscores the importance of routine histological examinations in excision of epidermal cysts.

We analyzed the manner and cause of death in 1,193 forensic autopsies from the Jungbu province (central part of South Korea) conducted by the National Forensic Service Daejeon Institute in 2022. Analysis of the manner of deaths revealed that 43.1% (514/1,193 cases) were natural deaths; 42.8% (511/1,193 cases) were unnatural deaths; and 14.1% (168/1,193 cases) were unknown. Among the unnatural deaths, the major manner of death was 44.6% (228/511 cases) by accidents, 34.1% (174/511 cases) by suicide, 13.5% (69/511 cases) undetermined, and 7.8% (40/511 cases) by homicide. Among the unnatural deaths, the major causes of death was 38.4% (196/511 cases) by trauma, 20.4% (104/511 cases) by poisoning, and 17.6% (90/511 cases) by asphyxia. Falling was the major cause of death by trauma (58.7%, 115/196 cases), and strangulation was the major cause of death by asphyxia (75.6%, 68/90 cases). Among the natural deaths, heart disease was the major cause (46.7%, 240/514 cases), followed by endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (14.0%, 72/514 cases). A time-series statistical analysis and comparison of the manner and cause of deaths in this province may facilitate more advanced interpretations relating to both public safety and healthcare in the future.

Purpose: To assess risk factors of disease progression after salvage radiation therapy (SRT) with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in case of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) persistence after radical prostatectomy (RP). Materials and Methods: We analyzed 57 patients who received SRT with ADT between 2013 and 2019 due to PSA persistence after RP. The endpoint was disease progression defined by biochemical recurrence or clinical recurrence. Age, Pre-RP PSA level, Gleason score, pathologic stage, presence of pelvic lymph node dissection, surgical margins, and PSA at 6-8 weeks after RP were analyzed as predictive factors for disease progression. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression models were used for data analysis. Results: At a median follow-up of 38 months (interquartile range, 26–61), 17 patients had disease progression. Pathologic T stage (pT3b vs. pT3a or lower; hazard ratio [HR] = 9.20; p = 0.035) and PSA level at 6-8 weeks after RP (≥2.04 vs. <2.04 ng/mL; HR = 5.85; p = 0.002) were predictors of disease progression. The 5-year disease progression-free survival rate was 46.7% in pT3b group as compared to 92.9 % in pT3a or lower group, and 18.4% for PSA ≥2.04 ng/mL after RP as compared to 79.2% for PSA <2.04 ng/mL. Conclusion Pathological T stage (pT3b) and post RP PSA ≥2.04 ng/mL are independent risk factors of disease progression after SRT with ADT in patients with PSA persistence after RP.

Epidermal cyst is a benign lesion which is commonly encountered in practice, and malignant transformation of it is rare. There are few case reports in the literature about malignant transformation of an epidermal cyst into a squamous cell carcinoma. We present a case of squamous cell carcinoma arising from a 3-year epidermal cyst in the right temporal area of a 68-year-old man. The epidermal cyst was initially identified as a spot and treated with laser therapy. However, it recurred, leading to three surgical interventions at a different surgical clinic. Despite these procedures, the cyst persisted, leading to presenting to our department of plastic and reconstructive surgery. He presented with a 2.5cm sized subcutaneous mass with skin ulcerative lesion. After excision, histopathological examination confirmed squamous cell carcinoma from a ruptured epidermal cyst, with clear resection margins. This case underscores the importance of routine histological examinations in excision of epidermal cysts.

We analyzed the manner and cause of death in 1,193 forensic autopsies from the Jungbu province (central part of South Korea) conducted by the National Forensic Service Daejeon Institute in 2022. Analysis of the manner of deaths revealed that 43.1% (514/1,193 cases) were natural deaths; 42.8% (511/1,193 cases) were unnatural deaths; and 14.1% (168/1,193 cases) were unknown. Among the unnatural deaths, the major manner of death was 44.6% (228/511 cases) by accidents, 34.1% (174/511 cases) by suicide, 13.5% (69/511 cases) undetermined, and 7.8% (40/511 cases) by homicide. Among the unnatural deaths, the major causes of death was 38.4% (196/511 cases) by trauma, 20.4% (104/511 cases) by poisoning, and 17.6% (90/511 cases) by asphyxia. Falling was the major cause of death by trauma (58.7%, 115/196 cases), and strangulation was the major cause of death by asphyxia (75.6%, 68/90 cases). Among the natural deaths, heart disease was the major cause (46.7%, 240/514 cases), followed by endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (14.0%, 72/514 cases). A time-series statistical analysis and comparison of the manner and cause of deaths in this province may facilitate more advanced interpretations relating to both public safety and healthcare in the future.

Longevity genes and senescence-related signaling proteins are crucial targets in aging research, which aims to enhance the healthy period and quality of life. Identifying these target proteins remains challenging because of the need for precise categorization and validation methods. Our multifaceted approach combined bioinformatics with transcriptomic data to identify collagen as a key element associated with the lifespan of the model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans. By analyzing transcriptomic data from long-lived mutants that involved mechanisms such as antioxidation, dietary restriction, and genetic background, we identified collagen as a common longevity-associated gene. We validated these findings by confirming that collagen peptides positively affect lifespan, thereby strengthening the validity of the target. Further verification through healthspan factors in C. elegans and functional assays in skin fibroblasts provided additional evidence of the role of collagen in organismal aging. Specifically, our study revealed that collagen type VII is a significant target protein for mitigating age-related decline. By validating these findings across different aging models and cell-based studies, we present compelling evidence for the anti-aging effects of collagen type VII, highlighting its potential as a target for promoting healthy aging. This study proposes that collagen not only serves as an indicative marker of organismal longevity across various senescence-related signaling pathways, but also offers a mechanistic understanding of skin degeneration. Consequently, collagen is an effective target for interventions aimed at mitigating skin aging.This study underscores the potential of collagen type VII (bonding collagen T7) as a therapeutic target for enhancing skin health and overall longevity.

Background: Sarcopenia is a muscle-wasting condition that affects older individuals. It can lead to changes in movement patterns, which can increase the risk of falls and other injuries. Methods: Older women participants aged ≥65 years who could walk independently were recruited and classified into two groups based on knee extension strength (KES). Participants with low KES scores were assigned to the possible sarcopenia group (PSG; n=7) and an 8-week exercise intervention was implemented. Healthy seniors with high KES scores were classified as the reference group (RG; n=4), and a 3-week exercise intervention was conducted. Kinematic movement data were recorded during the intervention period. All participants' exercise repetitions were used in the data analysis (number of data points=1,128). Results: The PSG showed significantly larger movement patterns in knee rotation during wide squats compared to the RG, attributed to weakened lower limb strength. The voting classifier, trained on the movement patterns from wide squats, determined that significant differences in overall movement patterns between the two groups persisted until the end of the exercise intervention. However, after the exercise intervention, significant improvements in lower limb strength in the PSG resulted in reduced knee rotation range of motion and max, thereby stabilizing movements and eliminating significant differences with the RG. Conclusion This study suggests that exercise interventions can modify the movement patterns in older individuals with possible sarcopenia. These findings provide fundamental data for developing an exercise management system that remotely tracks and monitors the movement patterns of older adults during exercise activities.