Background: Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) is essential for assessing osteoporosis and monitoring spinal deformities. “Clari-QCT,” a software that uses artificial intelligence to analyze conventional computed tomography (CT) scans and produce QCTequivalent reports. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Clari-QCT by comparing its results with traditional QCT, with the goal of validating new diagnostic tools for spinal deformities. Methods: The study analyzed dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, CT, and QCT data from 18 patients at Inha University Hospital. Clari-QCT software was evaluated for its ability to generate QCT-equivalent reports from CT images. The software processes abdomen CT images, calculates bone density in designated slices, and provides bone mineral density (BMD), T-score, and Z-score values. Patients were classified into normal, mild, and severe spinal deformity groups. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analysis was used to measure the agreement between actual and predicted BMD values. Results: The study included participants with an average age of 64 and a mean body mass index of 24.88. The average BMD was 94.7 g/cm³ by QCT and 122.5 g/cm³ by Clari- QCT, with individual differences ranging from 4.9 to 61.8. T-score discrepancies ranged from 0.16 to 6.86. ICC analysis showed moderate to high agreement between methods, with ICC1 values of 0.597, ICC2 of 0.64, ICC3 of 0.81, and ICC1k, ICC2k, ICC3k values ranging from 0.748 to 0.895. Conclusions Clari-QCT demonstrates good agreement with actual QCT measurements in normal and severe spinal deformity groups but shows reduced accuracy in patients with mild deformities. If the limitations are addressed, it could become a useful tool for monitoring bone health in patients with spinal deformities.

Background: and Purpose To determine the clinical phenotypes, relapse timing, treatment responses, and outcomes of children with relapsing myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD). Methods: We collected the demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological data of patients aged <18 years who had been diagnosed with MOGAD at Seoul National University Children’s Hospital between January 2010 and January 2022; 100 were identified as positive for MOG antibodies, 43 of whom experienced relapse. Results: The median age at onset was 7 years (range 2–16 years). The median number of relapses was 2 (range 1–8), and patients were followed up for a median of 65 months (range 5–214 months). The first relapse was experienced before 3 months from onset by 15 patients (34.9%). The most-common initial phenotypes were acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (n=17, 39.5%) and optic neuritis (ON; n=11, 25.6%). The most-common relapse phenotypes were neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (n=9, 20.9%), relapsing ON (n=6, 14.0%), and multiphasic disseminated encephalomyelitis (n=6, 14.0%). Many of the patients (n=18, 41.9%) were not specifically categorized. A high proportion of these patients had non-acute disseminated encephalomyelitis encephalitis. Atypical phenotypes such as prolonged fever or hemiplegic migraine-like episodes were also noted. Mycophenolate mofetil and cyclic immunoglobulin treatment significantly reduced the annual relapse rates. Conclusions Our 43 pediatric patients with relapsing MOGAD showed a tendency toward early relapse and various relapse phenotypes. The overall prognoses of these patients were good regardless of phenotype or response to second-line immunosuppressant treatment.

We updated the Korean Society of Gynecologic Oncology (KSGO) practice guideline for the management of ovarian cancer as version 5.1. The ovarian cancer guideline team of the KSGO published announced the fifth version (version 5.0) of its clinical practice guidelines for the management of ovarian cancer in December 2023. In version 5.0, the selection of the key questions and the systematic reviews were based on the data available up to December 2022.Therefore, we updated the guidelines version 5.0 with newly accumulated clinical data and added 5 new key questions reflecting the latest insights in the field of ovarian cancer between 2023 and 2024. For each question, recommendation was provided together with corresponding level of evidence and grade of recommendation, all established through expert consensus.

RESULTS: Resveratrol significantly reduced cardiac hypertrophy and remodeling in aging hearts. In addition, resveratrol significantly ameliorated aging-induced mitochondrial dysfunction (e.g., decreased oxygen respiration and increased hydrogen peroxide emission) and mitochondria-dependent apoptotic signaling (the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, mitochondrial permeability transition pore opening sensitivity, and cleaved caspase-3 protein levels).Resveratrol also significantly attenuated aging-induced apoptosis (determined via cleaved caspase-3 staining and TUNEL-positive myonuclei) in cardiac muscles. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that resveratrol treatment has a beneficial effect on aging-induced cardiac remodeling by ameliorating mitochondrial dysfunction and inhibiting mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in the heart.

This review examines the challenges associated with occupational disease surveillance in Korea, particularly emphasizing the limitations of current data sources such as the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance (IACI) statistics and special health examinations. The IACI system undercounts cases due to its emphasis on severe diseases and restrictions on approvals. Special health examinations, although they cover a broad workforce, are constrained by their annual scheduling, which leads to missed acute illnesses and subclinical conditions. The paper also explores the history of occupational disease surveillance in Korea, highlighting the fragmented and disease-specific approach of earlier systems. The authors introduce the newly established Korea Occupational Disease Surveillance Center (KODSC), a comprehensive nationwide system designed to gather, analyze, and interpret data on occupational diseases through a network of regional centers. By incorporating hospital-based surveillance and focusing on acute poisonings and other sentinel events, the KODSC aims to overcome the limitations of previous systems and promote collaboration with various agencies. Although it is still in the early stages of implementation, the KODSC demonstrates potential for improving data accuracy and contributing valuable insights for public health policy.

As research on the unique effects of space environment, especially microgravity and cosmic radiation, on the cardiovascular system is being conducted, research on the development of cardiovascular therapeutics using the space environment is attracting attention. This review comprehensively analyzes the current status and prospects of cardiovascular therapeutics development research utilizing space environment.Microgravity environment has been shown to have a positive effect on the proliferation and differentiation of cardiac progenitor cells and induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardio myocytes. Cardiac tissue culture and organoid technology have enabled more effective drug screening and disease modeling than on the ground, and changes in gene expression such as Aquaporin-4 have been found to play an important role in cardiac function. Cosmic radiation can cause myocardial remodeling, fibrosis, and vascular endothelial dysfunction, and the underlying mechanisms of these effects include increased oxidative stress, promotion of inflammatory responses, deoxyribo nucleic acid damage, and cell death. Currently, the development of drugs that can prevent or treat cardiovascular damage caused by the space environment is in the early stages, and future research is expected to focus on developing personalized treatments and exploring the potential applications of space medicine research results to terrestrial medicine.

Purpose: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a condition in which multiple risk factors interact in a complex manner. Considerable attention has been directed towards the potential genetic contributions to its diverse mechanisms. Understanding these contributions is essential for reducing MetS and other chronic diseases and developing effective prevention strategies.Therefore, this study analyzed the research trends in academic papers exploring genetic factors related to MetS and its components in Koreans and attempted to identify areas requiring additional research. Methods: The scoping review method was used to evaluate studies that utilized the secondary data sets comprising the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study. Articles published over the past 15 years were identified using the Research Information Sharing Service, Korean Studies Information Service System, DBpia, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases. Results: Forty-seven published articles from 2010 to 2024 were included in the review.Research on the genetic factors linked to MetS has expanded since 2019, indicating significant advances in the field. The research included 18 studies on the polygenic risk score (PRS)/genetic risk score (GRS), 17 studies on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), six studies on two or more genes, four studies on DNA methylation, and two studies on copy number variations (CNVs). In PRS/GRS research, seven studies focused on the genes related to diseases. In SNP research, four studies examined the FTO gene. Studies on two or more genes included two studies, each on the genes associated with diabetes and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. For DNA methylation, three studies focused on the TXNIP gene. Finally, in CNV research, one study was conducted on the LEPR gene and one on genes for hypertension. Conclusion The relatively low proportion of studies on DNA methylation and CNV presents limitations in understanding their associations with MetS. Expanded research utilizing diverse approaches and genetic variables is needed to overcome these limitations.

Background and Objectives: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been associated with an increased risk of cancer in various organs. OSA is also linked to chronic inflammation in the biliary tract and pancreas, a well-established risk factor for carcinogenesis in these organs. However, its relationship with biliary tract and pancreatic cancers remains unclear and has been rarely investigated. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate whether OSA serves as an independent risk factor for these malignancies by analyzing a nationwide healthcare claims database in South Korea. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Korean National Health Insurance Service (KNHIS) database. Adults aged ≥20 years who were newly diagnosed with OSA (ICD-10: G47.30) between 2007 and 2014 were identified and propensity score-matched (1:5) with controls based on age, sex, and comorbidities. Individuals with pre-existing cancer diagnoses were excluded. The primary endpoints were the incidence of overall cancer, biliary tract cancer (C23–C24), and pancreatic cancer (C25). Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs), adjusting for demographic and clinical factors. Results: A total of 1,191,444 individuals were included, comprising 198,574 patients diagnosed with OSA and 992,870 matched controls. OSA was associated with an increased overall cancer incidence (HR, 1.132; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.097–1.169); however, it was not significantly associated with pancreatic cancer (HR, 0.941; 95% CI, 0.823–1.072) or biliary tract cancer (HR, 0.931; 95% CI, 0.751–1.142). Subgroup analyses stratified by sex and age revealed no statistically significant associations across these groups. Conclusion Our findings do not support OSA as an independent risk factor for biliary tract or pancreatic cancers.

Cavernous lymphangiomas, characterized by the cystic enlargement of lymphatic vessels in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue, are rarely reported in the scalp. We present the case of a 6-month-old male infant with occipital scalp swelling, whose ultrasonographic examination identified a multiseptated hypoechoic mass in the subcutaneous layer. Histologically, the tumor exhibited irregular, dilated spaces lined with a single layer of endothelial cells, showing D2-40 positivity. This represents a rare case of pediatric cavernous lymphangioma of the scalp, accompanied by a literature review.

Background: Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) is essential for assessing osteoporosis and monitoring spinal deformities. “Clari-QCT,” a software that uses artificial intelligence to analyze conventional computed tomography (CT) scans and produce QCTequivalent reports. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Clari-QCT by comparing its results with traditional QCT, with the goal of validating new diagnostic tools for spinal deformities. Methods: The study analyzed dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, CT, and QCT data from 18 patients at Inha University Hospital. Clari-QCT software was evaluated for its ability to generate QCT-equivalent reports from CT images. The software processes abdomen CT images, calculates bone density in designated slices, and provides bone mineral density (BMD), T-score, and Z-score values. Patients were classified into normal, mild, and severe spinal deformity groups. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analysis was used to measure the agreement between actual and predicted BMD values. Results: The study included participants with an average age of 64 and a mean body mass index of 24.88. The average BMD was 94.7 g/cm³ by QCT and 122.5 g/cm³ by Clari- QCT, with individual differences ranging from 4.9 to 61.8. T-score discrepancies ranged from 0.16 to 6.86. ICC analysis showed moderate to high agreement between methods, with ICC1 values of 0.597, ICC2 of 0.64, ICC3 of 0.81, and ICC1k, ICC2k, ICC3k values ranging from 0.748 to 0.895. Conclusions Clari-QCT demonstrates good agreement with actual QCT measurements in normal and severe spinal deformity groups but shows reduced accuracy in patients with mild deformities. If the limitations are addressed, it could become a useful tool for monitoring bone health in patients with spinal deformities.