This study examined the inhibitory effects of pluviatolide, a lignan derived from Podophyllum hexandrum, on mast cell activation and IgE-mediated type I hypersensitivity, focusing on FcεRI-dependent and calcium-mediated pathways. Using bone marrowderived mast cells (BMMCs) and rat basophilic leukemia (RBL)-2H3 cells, we found that pluviatolide significantly decreased β-hexosaminidase release and suppressed the expression and secretion of TNF-α and IL-6 in a concentration-dependent manner, without causing cytotoxicity. While we initially hypothesized that it would selectively modulate antigen-specific FcεRI signaling, pluviatolide also inhibited degranulation induced by calcium ionophore and thapsigargin, indicating its effects extend to receptorindependent, Ca2+-dependent activation mechanisms. Immunoblot analyses revealed decreased phosphorylation of proximal kinases (Lyn, Syk), adaptor proteins (LAT, PLCγ1), MAPKs (ERK1/2, JNK, p38), and NF-κB p65. In a passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) mouse model, oral administration of pluviatolide significantly reduced Evans blue extravasation and mast cell degranulation in ear tissues. These findings demonstrate that pluviatolide suppresses both early and late-phase mast cell responses through multi-nodal inhibition of activation pathways, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic candidate for both IgE-mediated and non-IgE-mediated allergic disorders.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to compare the detection ability of quality of life (QoL) changes and responsiveness of the KOrean QUality of life in Stomach cancer patients Study group (KOQUSS)-40 and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ). Materials and Methods: A multicenter prospective observational study was conducted to evaluate QoL changes after various gastrectomies between January 2021 and April 2022. Participants were instructed to complete the KOQUSS-40 and EORTC QLQ-C30/STO22 preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. QoL changes over time and QoL responsiveness were assessed for each questionnaire. Results: Data from 491 patients who underwent curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer at 22 institutions were analyzed. The summary scores of the KOQUSS-40 and EORTC QLQ-STO22 showed significant differences between the total and proximal gastrectomy groups (p=0.044 and p=0.038, respectively), but no difference was observed for the EORTC QLQ-C30. Dysphagia on the KOQUSS-40 was significantly different between the total and proximal gastrectomy groups (p=0.031); however, dysphagia on the EORTC QLQ-STO22 did not differ. The responsiveness of the KOQUSS-40 was similar to that of the EORTC QLQ in patients who experienced ≥ 10% body weight loss, but approximately 10% less in patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy than the EORTC QLQ. Conclusion KOQUSS-40 has several advantages over EORTC QLQ-C30/STO22 when comparing QoL between the total and proximal gastrectomy groups. The findings provide information for researchers investigating the QoL of patients who have undergone curative gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Objectives: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a chronic inflammation of the nasal mucosa triggered by environmental allergens. Although its pathophysiology has been extensively investigated, the influence of environmental aggravating factors—particularly combined pollutant exposure—remains insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to assess the impact of coexposure to PM2.5, formaldehyde, and Zn on allergic inflammation in a murine AR model and to delineate the associated immunological and histopathological responses. Methods: Female BALB/c mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) and challenged intranasally to induce AR. On days 21–24, the mice were exposed to PM2.5, formaldehyde, and Zn, either individually or in combination with OVA. Allergic symptoms were evaluated through behavioral observation, while immune responses were assessed by analyzing nasal and bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (NALF and BALF), serum immunoglobulin levels, nasal histopathology, and cytokine profiles. Results: Combined exposure to PM2.5, formaldehyde, and Zn significantly intensified allergic inflammation compared with single exposures. Coexposure to PM2.5 and Zn led to synergistic increases in total and OVA-specific immunoglobulin E levels, eosinophilic infiltration, nasal rubbing, sneezing, and Th2/Th17 cytokine levels in NALF and BALF. Histological analysis demonstrated epithelial thickening and goblet cell hyperplasia after combined exposure. Other combinations, including PM2.5 with formaldehyde, also produced additive or modestly amplified inflammatory responses. Conclusions Coexposure to PM2.5, formaldehyde, and Zn aggravated allergic inflammation in an OVA-induced murine model, with PM2.5+Zn yielding the strongest synergistic effects. These findings emphasize the role of pollutant–pollutant interactions in allergic airway diseases and highlight the need for further research to clarify long-term health effects and relevance to human disease.

Metaverse-based mental health interventions have recently emerged as an extension of telepsychiatry, digital therapeutics (DTx), and virtual reality (VR)–based treatments for children and adolescents. The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic accelerated the adoption of remote psychological assessment and intervention, raising critical questions regarding their clinical validity, developmental appropriateness, and long-term applicability in youth populations. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that remote assessments and internet-based interventions can achieve clinical outcomes comparable to face-to-face approaches in selected domains, particularly anxiety, depression, and social communication difficulties. In parallel, immersive technologies such as VR and metaverse-based platforms have been applied to exposure-based interventions, social skills training, and emotion regulation in controlled and repeatable environments. This narrative review examined 48 empirical and review studies on telepsychiatry, internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy, DTx, VR, and metaverse-based interventions for children and adolescents. Neurobiological mechanisms relevant to fear extinction, executive function, emotion regulation, and social cognition were critically reviewed. In addition, real-world implementation experiences from a hospital-based Wee Center in Korea were integrated to evaluate feasibility within school-linked mental health services. The findings suggested that metaverse-based counseling should not be conceptualized as a stand-alone replacement for face-to-face treatment, but rather as a complementary, hybrid platform linking remote screening, structured digital intervention, and in-person clinical care. While current evidence supported feasibility and conditional clinical utility, further longitudinal, controlled, and cost-effectiveness studies were required to establish its role in pediatric mental health.

Background: Current guidelines recommend factor IIa- or Xa-specific inhibitors over warfarin analogs for preventing thromboembolic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF).However, their plasma concentrations in Korean patients are not well understood. Methods: We conducted a single-center laboratory study to determine the distribution ranges of peak and trough concentrations of three factor Xa inhibitors (apixaban, edoxaban, and rivaroxaban) prescribed for preventing strokes in patients with AF. Patients receiving one of these drugs and undergoing blood specimen collection for laboratory tests were screened. Blood specimens were obtained from patients who had adhered to the prescribed drug regimen consistently for at least 1 week. Drug plasma concentrations were measured using heparin liquid-reagent technology-based anti-Xa chromogenic assays. Results: We selected 459 patients who were taking standard or on-label-reduced doses of apixaban (N = 252), edoxaban (N = 182), or rivaroxaban (N = 25). The 5th–95th percentile ranges of the peak concentrations were 84–414 ng/mL (apixaban), 72–424 ng/mL (edoxaban), and 97–517 ng/mL (rivaroxaban). The respective 5th–95th percentile ranges of the trough concentrations were 44–237 ng/mL, 23–93 ng/mL, and 13–219 ng/mL. Approximately 19.6% (apixaban), 33.3% (edoxaban), and 64.0% (rivaroxaban) of patients in each group had peak concentrations out of the predicted distribution ranges based on pharmacokinetic data. Approximately 7.3%, 52.8%, and 8.3% of patients had trough concentrations out of the predicted distribution ranges. Conclusions A considerable proportion of Korean patients with AF taking factor Xa inhibitors may require population-specific reference ranges to guide therapeutic monitoring.

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.

Gastric leaks after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy are serious complications with mortality rates of up to 10%. Conventional self-expanding metal stents exhibit high migration rates (up to 58%), limiting their efficacy. Large, fully covered megastents that reduce migration rates are poorly tolerated and associated with traumatic ulcers and discomfort. We present two cases of successful endoscopic management of persistent gastric leaks following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy using long, fully covered Gastro-Seal stents (240 mm) after failed surgical re-exploration. These patients achieved complete fistula closure without stent migration or traumatic ulceration within 26 days and 45 days, respectively. The extended length and round-ended design of the Gastro-Seal stent effectively addressed the key limitations of both conventional and mega-stents. Long, fully covered gastroseal stents may thus be an effective treatment option for managing persistent post-bariatric leaks.

Background: and Purpose The National Brain Biobank of Korea (NBBK) is a brain bank consortium supported by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Korea National Institute of Health, and was launched in 2015 to support research into neurodegenerative disease dementia (NDD). This study aimed to introduce the NBBK and describes clinicopathological correlations based on analyses of data collected from the NBBK. Methods: Four hospital-based brain banks have been established in South Korea: Samsung Medical Center Brain Bank (SMCBB), Seoul National University Hospital Brain Bank (SNUHBB), Pusan National University Hospital Brain Bank (PNUHBB), and Myongji Hospital Brain Bank (MJHBB). Clinical and pathological data were collected from these brain banks using standardized protocols. The prevalence rates of clinical and pathological diagnoses were analyzed in order to characterize the clinicopathological correlations. Results: Between August 2016 and December 2023, 185 brain specimens were collected and pathologically evaluated (SNUHBB: 117; PNUHBB: 27; SMCBB: 34; MJHBB: 7). The age at consent was 70.8±12.6 years, and the age at autopsy was 71.7±12.4 years. The four-most-common clinical diagnoses were Alzheimer’s disease (AD) dementia (20.0%), idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (15.1%), unspecified dementia (11.9%), and cognitively unimpaired (CU) (11.4%).Most cases of unspecified dementia had a pathological diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) vasculopathy (31.8%) or AD (31.8%). Remarkably, only 14.2% of CU cases had normal pathological findings. The three-most-common pathological diagnoses were AD (26.5%), CNS vasculopathy (14.1%), and Lewy body disease (13.5%). Conclusions These clinical and neuropathological findings provide a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying NDD in South Korea.

Purpose: This study evaluated the postoperative quality of life (QoL) after various types of gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: A multicenter prospective observational study was conducted in Korea using the Korean Quality of Life in Stomach Cancer Patients Study (KOQUSS)-40, a new QoL assessment tool focusing on postgastrectomy syndrome. Overall, 496 patients with gastric cancer were enrolled, and QoL was assessed at 5 time points: preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Results: Distal gastrectomy (DG) and pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG) showed significantly better outcomes than total gastrectomy (TG) and proximal gastrectomy (PG) with regard to total score, indigestion, and dysphagia. DG, PPG, and TG also showed significantly better outcomes than PG in terms of dumping syndrome and worry about cancer. Postoperative QoL did not differ significantly according to anastomosis type in DG, except for Billroth I anastomosis, which achieved better bowel habit change scores than the others. No domains differed significantly when comparing double tract reconstruction and esophagogastrostomy after PG. The total QoL score correlated significantly with postoperative body weight loss (more than 10%) and extent of resection (P<0.05 for both).Reflux as assessed by KOQUSS-40 did not correlate significantly with reflux observed on gastroscopy 1 year postoperatively (P=0.064). Conclusions Our prospective observation using KOQUSS-40 revealed that DG and PPG lead to better QoL than TG and PG. Further study is needed to compare postoperative QoL according to anastomosis type in DG and PG.

Background: We evaluated severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)-specific humoral and cellular responses for up to 6 months after the 3rd dose of ancestral coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination in people living with HIV (PLWH) and healthy controls (HCs) who were not infected with COVID-19. Methods: Anti-spike receptor-binding domain IgG (anti-RBD IgG) concentrations using chemiluminescence immunoassay and neutralizing antibodies using focus reduction neutralization test (FRNT) were assessed at 1 week after each dose of vaccination, and 3 and 6 months after the 3rd dose in 62 PLWH and 25 HCs. T-cell responses using intracellular cytokine stain were evaluated at 1 week before, and 1 week and 6 months after the 3rd dose. Results: At 1 week after the 3rd dose, adequate anti-RBD IgG (> 300 binding antibody unit /mL) was elicited in all PLWH except for one patient with 36 CD4 T-cell count/mm3 . The geometric mean titers of 50% FRNT against wild type (WT) and omicron BA.5 strains of SARS-CoV-2 in PLWH with CD4 T-cell count ≥ 500 cells/mm3(high CD4 recovery, HCDR) were comparable to HC, but they were significantly decreased in PLWH with CD4 T-cell count < 500/mm3 (low CD4 recovery, LCDR). After adjusting for age, gender, viral suppression, and number of preexisting comorbidities, CD4 T-cell counts < 500/mm3 significantly predicted a poor magnitude of neutralizing antibodies against WT, omicron BA.5, and XBB 1.5 strains among PLWH. Multivariable linear regression adjusting for age and gender revealed that LCDR was associated with reduced neutralizing activity (P = 0.017) and interferon-γ-producing T-cell responses (P = 0.049 for CD T-cell; P = 0.014 for CD8 T-cell) against WT, and strongly associated with more decreased cross-neutralization against omicron BA.5 strains (P < 0.001). Conclusion HCDR demonstrated robust humoral and cell-mediated immune responses after a booster dose of ancestral SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, whereas LCDR showed diminished immune responses against WT virus and more impaired cross-neutralization against omicron BA.5 strain.