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.

Objectives: . We aimed to investigate the effects of preoperative auditory rehabilitation using hearing aids in patients with prolonged hearing deprivation. Methods: . We retrospectively enrolled 204 patients who underwent cochlear implantation surgery at age >60 years using a single university hospital database. In total, 135 patients with a duration of deafness (DoD) >10 years were divided into three groups according to perioperative hearing aid use: unaided (n=22, 16.3%), aided (n=92, 68.1%; comprising 22 ipsilateral hearing aid users and 70 bilateral hearing aid users), and contralateral-only aided (n=21, 15.5%). We identified the highest postoperative sentence recognition score (Max_S) and compared this measure across groups. Results: . Max_S was significantly higher in the DoD <10 years group than in the DoD ≥10 years group (72.38±25.74 vs. 64.09±32.29, P=0.048). Among patients with DoD ≥10 years, the aided group had significantly better Max_S than the unaided group (69.84±28.72 vs. 47.86±37.14, P=0.015). After one-to-two propensity score matching, Max_S remained significantly better in the aided group than in the unaided group (73.64±29.10 vs. 47.86±37.14, P=0.007). Conclusion . Our study demonstrated the need for hearing rehabilitation during the period of hearing deprivation, including on the ear to be implanted, regardless of whether it produced immediate improvement in hearing levels.

Background/Aims: Cold snare polypectomy (CSP) is recommended for colorectal polyps <10 mm; however, the impact of snare size on clinical outcomes remains unclear. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of 10-mm and 15-mm snares for CSP of small colorectal polyps. Methods: In this prospective multicenter study, patients with 4–10 mm non-pedunculated polyps underwent CSP with either a 10-mm or 15-mm snare. Both snares had identical wire thickness and hexagonal loop design. The primary outcome was histological complete resection rate (CRR). Secondary outcomes included adverse events and technical parameters. Results: In total, 182 patients were enrolled (10-mm group: n = 92; 15-mm group: n = 90). Baseline characteristics, including age, sex, polyp size, morphology, location, and pathology, were comparable between groups. Histological CRRs were 90.2% in the 10-mm group and 91.1% in the 15-mm group (P= 0.483). No significant differences were observed in the presence of submucosal tissue within specimens (P= 0.523), iatrogenic ulcer size (P= 0.532), hematoma occurrence (P= 0.391), or intraprocedural bleeding requiring hemostasis (6.5% vs. 5.6%; P= 0.974). No cases of delayed bleeding or perforation were reported. Logistic regression analysis identified iatrogenic ulcer size > 8 mm as an independent predictor of complete resection (odds ratio, 3.89; 95% confidence interval, 1.15–13.21; P= 0.029); snare size was not significantly associated with CRR (P= 0.519). Conclusions CSP using either a 10-mm or a 15-mm snare for 4–10 mm non-pedunculated colorectal polyps showed no significant difference in complete resection or safety outcomes within this size range. (Clinical Research Information Service [CRIS], KCT0005031)

PURPOSE: . The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate how variations in scan body geometry, specifically body height and the length of the flat indexing surface (FIS), affect linear and angular accuracy when combined with truncated or full-geometry library files. MATERIALS AND METHODS: . Nine scan body geometries were fabricated by combining three body heights (4, 5, and 6 mm) with three FIS lengths (1, 2, and 3 mm). Digital impressions were superimposed onto truncated or full-geometry library files. Linear deviation (ΔD) and angular deviation (ΔA) were calculated by comparing aligned scan bodies with coordinate measuring machine references. Linear and angular deviations were compared between library types using the Mann–Whitney U test, and differences among body heights and FIS lengths were evaluated using the Kruskal–Wallis test with Dunn’s post-hoc test (α = .05). RESULTS: . Linear deviation remained within a comparable range, and most geometry–library comparisons did not show a significant difference from body height, FIS length, or library morphology (P > .05). Angular deviation demonstrated geometry-dependent behavior, increasing only in the 4-mm body paired with larger FIS lengths, particularly when fullgeometry libraries were used. No significant angular differences were observed in the 5-mm or 6-mm body groups. CONCLUSION . Digital implant registration remained stable across most configurations. Shortened scan bodies performed reliably when FIS dimensions were preserved. Angular accuracy was more sensitive to geometry-library interactions, with truncated libraries improving stability.

Purpose: The aerial parts of Dracocephalum moldavica L. (DM) have been widely used as traditional herbal medicine for cardiovascular diseases and skin problems in Central Asia and Europe. This study evaluated the photoprotective effects of three different DM seed (DMS) extracts against ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced photoaging in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) and human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells). Methods: DMS extracts were prepared using supercritical fluid (SC-oil), ethanol (EE), and aqueous (AE) methods. Their ability to regulate the extracellular matrix (ECM) components, including procollagen type I (PC1), matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), and elastase-1, which are key biomarkers of photoaging, was evaluated. Results: All extracts restored procollagen synthesis, reduced MMP-1 and elastase-1 production and activity, and upregulated PC1 mRNA expression while downregulating the MMP-1 and elastase-1 mRNA levels in UVB-irradiated cells. SC-oil (0.0001%) and AE (0.125 mg/mL) reversed the PC1 mRNA levels most effectively in HDFs and HaCaT cells, respectively.In addition, SC-oil had the strongest suppressive effect on MMP-1 secretion in HDFs, while EE and AE were more effective in HaCaT cells. The elastase-1 activity and mRNA levels in both cell types were comparable to those treated with L-ascorbic acid, a positive control. Conclusion These findings suggest that DMS extracts, rich in bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, phytosterols, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, have significant potential as natural anti-aging agents. By protecting collagen and elastin integrity and modulating ECM biomarkers, DMS extracts may effectively prevent UVB-induced photoaging and improve skin resiliency.

Purpose: The aerial parts of Dracocephalum moldavica L. (DM) have been widely used as traditional herbal medicine for cardiovascular diseases and skin problems in Central Asia and Europe. This study evaluated the photoprotective effects of three different DM seed (DMS) extracts against ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced photoaging in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) and human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells). Methods: DMS extracts were prepared using supercritical fluid (SC-oil), ethanol (EE), and aqueous (AE) methods. Their ability to regulate the extracellular matrix (ECM) components, including procollagen type I (PC1), matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), and elastase-1, which are key biomarkers of photoaging, was evaluated. Results: All extracts restored procollagen synthesis, reduced MMP-1 and elastase-1 production and activity, and upregulated PC1 mRNA expression while downregulating the MMP-1 and elastase-1 mRNA levels in UVB-irradiated cells. SC-oil (0.0001%) and AE (0.125 mg/mL) reversed the PC1 mRNA levels most effectively in HDFs and HaCaT cells, respectively.In addition, SC-oil had the strongest suppressive effect on MMP-1 secretion in HDFs, while EE and AE were more effective in HaCaT cells. The elastase-1 activity and mRNA levels in both cell types were comparable to those treated with L-ascorbic acid, a positive control. Conclusion These findings suggest that DMS extracts, rich in bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, phytosterols, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, have significant potential as natural anti-aging agents. By protecting collagen and elastin integrity and modulating ECM biomarkers, DMS extracts may effectively prevent UVB-induced photoaging and improve skin resiliency.

Background: Latency in transferring patients from intensive care units (ICUs) to general wards impedes the optimal allocation of ICU resources, underscoring the urgency of initiatives to reduce it. This study evaluates the extent of ICU transfer latency and assesses the potential benefits of minimizing it. Methods: Transfer latency was measured as the time between the first transfer request and the actual ICU discharge at a single-center tertiary hospital in 2021. Computer-based simulations and cost analyses were performed to examine how reducing transfer latency could affect average hourly ICU bed occupancy, the proportion of time ICU occupancy exceeds 80%, and hospital costs. The first analysis evaluated all ICU admissions, and the second analysis targeted a subset of ICU admissions with longer transfer latency, those requiring infectious precautions. Results: A total of 7,623 ICU admissions were analyzed, and the median transfer latency was 5.7 hours. Eliminating transfer latency for all ICU admissions would have resulted in a 32.8% point decrease in the proportion of time ICU occupancy exceeded 80%, and a potential annual savings of $6.18 million. Eliminating transfer latency for patients under infectious precautions would have decreased the time ICU occupancy exceeded 80% by 13.5% points, and reduced annual costs by a potential $1.26 million. Conclusions Transfer latency from ICUs to general wards might contribute to high ICU occupancy. Efforts to minimize latency for all admissions, or even for a subset of admissions with particularly long transfer latency, could enable more efficient use of ICU resources.

Purpose: The aerial parts of Dracocephalum moldavica L. (DM) have been widely used as traditional herbal medicine for cardiovascular diseases and skin problems in Central Asia and Europe. This study evaluated the photoprotective effects of three different DM seed (DMS) extracts against ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced photoaging in human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) and human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells). Methods: DMS extracts were prepared using supercritical fluid (SC-oil), ethanol (EE), and aqueous (AE) methods. Their ability to regulate the extracellular matrix (ECM) components, including procollagen type I (PC1), matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1), and elastase-1, which are key biomarkers of photoaging, was evaluated. Results: All extracts restored procollagen synthesis, reduced MMP-1 and elastase-1 production and activity, and upregulated PC1 mRNA expression while downregulating the MMP-1 and elastase-1 mRNA levels in UVB-irradiated cells. SC-oil (0.0001%) and AE (0.125 mg/mL) reversed the PC1 mRNA levels most effectively in HDFs and HaCaT cells, respectively.In addition, SC-oil had the strongest suppressive effect on MMP-1 secretion in HDFs, while EE and AE were more effective in HaCaT cells. The elastase-1 activity and mRNA levels in both cell types were comparable to those treated with L-ascorbic acid, a positive control. Conclusion These findings suggest that DMS extracts, rich in bioactive compounds such as polyphenols, phytosterols, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, have significant potential as natural anti-aging agents. By protecting collagen and elastin integrity and modulating ECM biomarkers, DMS extracts may effectively prevent UVB-induced photoaging and improve skin resiliency.

Purpose: To investigate changes in corneal endothelial cell (CEC) by cumulative dissipated energy (CDE) during phacoemulsification. Methods: Based on the degree of nucleus sclerosis (NS), changes in CECs were compared preoperatively and at 1 and 3 months postoperatively in 67 eyes that underwent phacoemulsification. Results: The mean CDE used during surgery was 4.30 ± 2.31. A comparison of the surgical measurements before and 1 month after surgery revealed significant differences in the cell density (CD) and coefficient of variation (CV) (p < 0.001, 0.011, respectively). The CD showed significant differences among NS grades 2–6 (p < 0.001). The CDE increased significantly with higher NS grades (r = 0.809, p < 0.001). Within the same NS grade, there was a positive correlation between higher CDE and greater CEC loss (r = 0.559, p = 0.001). CD changes were significantly associated with increasing CDE (r = 0.612, p < 0.001). The CD loss also increased significantly from NS2 to NS6 (p < 0.001). At 3 months postoperatively, surgical measurements revealed a significant decrease in CD with increasing NS grade (p = 0.010). Conclusions CDE increased with higher NS grades and there was a positive correlation between CDE and CEC loss. Therefore, surgeons should plan surgical techniques preoperatively to minimize CDE as NS increases. Additionally, it is important to assess CEC damage postoperatively based on surgical measurements in patients with high intraoperative CDE.