Background: Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are environmental pollutants that may impair maternal and fetal health by disrupting hormonal systems, including the thyroid. Both iodine deficiency and excess are associated with thyroid dysfunction and adverse obstetrical outcomes. However, the combined impacts of EDCs and iodine exposure on maternal-fetal thyroid homeostasis remain undetermined. We established the Investigating Birth and Thyroid Outcomes of Maternal-Fetal Environmental Exposures (IBM-E) cohort to prospectively assess the effects of maternal exposures to dietary iodine and EDCs on thyroid function, pregnancy complications, and offspring growth and development. Methods: In this prospective observational study, we aim to enroll 556 pregnant women between 2024 and 2027 at a tertiary hospital in Korea. Maternal blood and urine samples will be collected at six time points, spanning from early pregnancy through 15 months postpartum, with infant samples collected at three time points. EDCs will be quantified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Thyroid function and urinary iodine concentration will be measured in both mothers and infants. Results: As of the current interim analyses of 193 mothers and 229 neonates, 15.0% of mothers had thyroid dysfunction and 11.4% developed preeclampsia. Preterm birth occurred in 23.8% of cases, and 16.6% of neonates were small for gestational age. Conclusion The IBM-E cohort is designed to enable the longitudinal assessment of gestational environmental exposures and their potential impacts on maternal and fetal thyroid function, as well as pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. The findings of this study may inform preventive strategies and guide policy development in perinatal environmental health.

The occlusal treatment including prosthetic treatment should be considered when the pathologic symptom was observed with the excessive discrepancy between the centric relation occlusion (CRO) and the maximum intercuspal position (MIP). Through careful diagnosis, the malocclusion and interarch relationship can be analyzed, and occlusal adjustment, restorative treatment, orthodontic therapy, or orthognathic surgery can be performed depending on the degree of disharmony. The patient in this case report complained the unstable occlusion and loss of masticatory function that had been occurring for several years. At the time of the visit, the patient showed severe occlusal disharmony, with only the upper right second molar contacting the lower jaw at the maximum intercuspal position. Based on the analysis of the occlusion, it was difficult to solve the problem with just occlusal adjustment or restorative treatment. In addition, the patient had the skeletal class II malocclusion between the upper and lower jaws. Therefore, for resolving the severe skeletal class II malocclusion, pre- and post-orthodontic treatment, bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy (BSSRO) was performed. After that, the occlusal adjustment was performed for stable occlusion, and the missing teeth area was restored with dental implants. During the follow-up period, a periodic follow-up visits and additional occlusal adjustments were performed to achieve a stable centric occlusion and harmonious anterior and lateral guidance. As a result, the final prosthodontic treatment was completed, and the patient’s masticatory function was restored.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ex vivo activated and expanded natural killer (NK) cell therapy (SNK01) plus pembrolizumab in a randomized phase I/IIa clinical trial. Materials and Methods: Overall, 18 patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and a programmed death ligand 1 tumor proportion score of 1% or greater who had a history of failed frontline platinum-based therapy were randomized (2:1) to receive pembrolizumab every 3 weeks +/– 6 weekly infusions of SNK01 at either 2×109 or 4×109 cells per infusion (pembrolizumab monotherapy vs. SNK01 combination). The primary endpoint was safety, whereas the secondary endpoints were the objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival, and quality of life. Results: Since no dose-limiting toxicity was observed, the maximum tolerated dose was determined as SNK01 4×109 cells/dose. The safety data did not show any new safety signals when SNK01 was combined with pembrolizumab. The ORR and the 1-year survival rate in the NK combination group were higher than those in patients who underwent pembrolizumab monotherapy (ORR, 41.7% vs. 0%; 1-year survival rate, 66.7% vs. 50.0%). Furthermore, the median PFS was higher in the SNK01 combination group (6.2 months vs. 1.6 months, p=0.001). Conclusion Based on the findings of this study, the NK cell combination therapy may consider as a safe treatment method for stage IV NSCLC patients who had a history of failed platinum-based therapy without an increase in adverse events.

A perilymphatic fistula (PLF) is an abnormal leakage of the perilymph from the inner ear into the middle ear. A PLF may be trauma-induced or may occur with unknown causes. PLF repair should be considered when patients present with sudden or progressive sensorineural hearing loss with positional nystagmus. Although the leakage of perilymph is not always found during the exploration surgery, both hearing loss and dizziness tend to improve immediately after PLF repair. However, about 24% of patients who underwent PLF repair reportedly have experienced recurrent vestibular symptoms, suggesting the possibility of PLF recurrence or other vertigo causes. In this PLF patient, dizziness completely subsided after the PLF repair. However, several months later, the disabling paroxysmal positional vertigo developed, which was diagnosed as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Reported herein, with a review of the relevant literature, is a case of paroxysmal positional vertigo several months after PLF repair, where successful vertigo subsidence was finally achieved.

Nasal valve collapse is one of the causes of nasal obstruction and must be considered in patients with nasal obstruction. There are several surgical procedures available to treat nasal valve collapse. Spreader grafts can be used in the treatment of nasal valve collapse by widening the internal nasal valve angle and maintaining the widened angle. However, this procedure requires sufficient amount of cartilage harvested from the nasal septum. Especially, in cases of secondary rhinoplasty or some primary nasal surgery with thin septal cartilage, it is difficult to harvest an appropriate amount of cartilage from the septum. Here, we describe an effective technique for using septal cartilage and TnR Nasal Mesh® (T&R Biofab Co., Ltd) for spreader grafts with appropriate thickness in nasal valve collapse.

The correct identification of filamentous fungi is challenging. We evaluated the performance of the VITEK MS v3.0 system (bioMérieux, Marcy-l’Étoile, France) for the identification of a wide spectrum of clinically relevant filamentous fungi using a Korean collection. Strains that were added to the upgraded v3.2 database were additionally identified by the VITEK MS v3.2 system. Of the 105 tested isolates, including 37 Aspergillus (nine species), 41 dermatophytes (seven species), and 27 other molds (17 species), 43 (41.0%) showed “no identification” or “multiple species identification” results at the initial VITEK MS testing; these isolates were retested using the same method. Compared with sequence-based identification, the correct identification rate using VITEK MS for Aspergillus, dermatophytes, other molds, and total mold isolates was 67.6%, 56.1%, 48.1%, and 58.1% at the initial testing and 94.6%, 78.0%, 55.6%, and 78.1% with retesting, respectively. Following retesting, 19 (18.1%) and two (1.9%) isolates showed “no identification” and “misidentification” results, respectively. VITEK MS reliably identified various filamentous fungi recovered in Korea, with a very low rate of misidentification

Based on rapid improvement in digital fields, many advanced digital technologies are utilized in prosthodontic treatment. Especially, intraoral scanners and 3D printing technology are commonly used, and facial scanning technology is recently being attempted to be part of these digital routines. This case report aims to introduce a digital procedure using the intraoral scanner, facial scanner, and 3D printing technology to create definitive restorations, which are esthetic and harmonious with patient’s face. From thoroughly evaluated full-mouth provisional restoration which was manufactured and fitted conventionally, definitive prostheses were fabricated using various digital technique. Stable occlusion with functionally and aesthetically satisfying results were achieved.

Secretory carcinoma of salivary gland origin is a recently described tumor that harbors a characteristic ETV6-NTRK3 translocation that is identical to secretory carcinoma of the breast. The majority of tumors were located in the parotid gland and other major salivary glands, while the minority occurred in a minor salivary gland. We present a case of a 71-year-old female who was diagnosed with low-grade salivary gland cancer presenting in the soft palate accompanying lymph node metastasis. Peroral wide excision, selective neck dissection, reconstruction with radial forearm free flap was performed. The final pathology report indicated secretory carcinoma of the soft palate. The patient was followed-up without evidence of recurrence for one year. At present, it is difficult to accurately assess prognosis and treatment for the secretory carcinoma of the minor salivary gland origin. Continuous follow-up with various cases is needed further.

Secretory carcinoma of salivary gland origin is a recently described tumor that harbors a characteristic ETV6-NTRK3 translocation that is identical to secretory carcinoma of the breast. The majority of tumors were located in the parotid gland and other major salivary glands, while the minority occurred in a minor salivary gland. We present a case of a 71-year-old female who was diagnosed with low-grade salivary gland cancer presenting in the soft palate accompanying lymph node metastasis. Peroral wide excision, selective neck dissection, reconstruction with radial forearm free flap was performed. The final pathology report indicated secretory carcinoma of the soft palate. The patient was followed-up without evidence of recurrence for one year. At present, it is difficult to accurately assess prognosis and treatment for the secretory carcinoma of the minor salivary gland origin. Continuous follow-up with various cases is needed further.