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.

Rectal cancer, which accounts for approximately 40% of colorectal cancers, remains a major clinical concern. Recent advances in diagnostic imaging, surgical techniques, radiotherapy, and systemic treatment have steadily improved rectal cancer outcomes. Considering this, the Korean Rectal Cancer Multidisciplinary (KRCM) Committee has aimed to provide clinicians and policymakers with up-to-date, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to support optimal decision-making, reflecting current evidence, the Korean healthcare context, and patient values and preferences. The Clinical Practice Guidelines for Rectal Cancer version 2.0 were developed through multidisciplinary collaboration with related academic societies, building upon and updating the KRCM Clinical Practice Guidelines version 1.0 (titled “Multidisciplinary guidelines for the management of rectal cancer”). These consensus guidelines of the KRCM were established based on a comprehensive literature review, evidence synthesis, with recommendation development guided by the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) methodology, and consideration of applicability in real-world clinical practice under the national health insurance system. Each recommendation has been presented with its strength and level of evidence.

Purpose: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has become a standard minimally invasive treatment for selected patients with early gastric cancer (EGC). This study presents the first nationwide survey of patients with EGC treated with ESD in 2023, conducted by the Korean College of Helicobacter and Upper Gastrointestinal Research. Materials and Methods: Data were retrospectively collected from participating referral centers across Korea using a standardized case report form covering patient characteristics, tumor features, procedural details, histopathological findings, and clinical outcomes.Descriptive and comparative analyses were conducted to summarize nationwide ESD practice patterns and outcomes. Results: Data from 5,460 ESD cases from 5,250 patients across 27 institutions were analyzed. The mean age was 67.4 years, with 74.1% males. Multiple synchronous lesions were identified in 3.7%. Most lesions were located in the lower third of the stomach (64.0%), and differentiated-type adenocarcinomas accounted for 87.8%. The en bloc and complete resection rates were 99.2% and 91.4%, respectively. Curative resection was achieved in 80.5%, whereas local non-curative resection (L-NCR) and surgical non-curative resection (S-NCR) were identified in 2.8% and 16.7%, respectively. Additional surgery was performed more frequently in patients with S-NCR than in those with L-NCR (59.3% vs. 24.7%). The bleeding and perforation rates were 3.6% and 0.9%, respectively, and were mostly managed conservatively or endoscopically. The median length of hospitalization was 4.0 days. Conclusions This first nationwide survey provides a comprehensive overview of the current practice of EGC treatment using ESD in Korea, demonstrating high technical success and safety, and establishing a baseline dataset for future longitudinal research.

Purpose: This study was conducted to revise the Nutrition Quotient for Preschool children (NQ-P), a tool for evaluating the overall dietary quality and eating behavior among Korean preschool-aged children. Methods: At the first stage, 20 items for assessing dietary behavior were selected based on the previous NQ-P checklist, incorporating the results of the Seventh Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, national nutrition policies, dietary guidelines, and recent literature reviews. A pilot study was conducted with 100 preschool children residing in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, using an 18-item checklist. After exploratory factor analysis and expert consultation, 15 items were finalized for use in nationwide survey checklists. The nationwide survey was conducted with a stratified sample of 800 preschool children across six metropolitan cities. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to revise the NQ-P 2021 and make it suitable for the structural equation model. Results: The NQ-P 2021 was developed using 15 checklist items organized into three factors:balance (7 items), moderation (4 items), and practice (4 items). The standardized path coefficients were used as item weights to determine the nutrition quotients. The weights of balance, moderation, and practice were 0.40, 0.15, and 0.45, respectively. In the nationwide survey, the mean NQ-P 2021 score was 59.67. The average scores for balance, moderation, and practice were 51.00, 62.45, and 66.46, respectively. Conclusion The revised NQ-P 2021 provides a validated and practical tool for assessing the dietary quality and eating behaviors of preschool children in Korea.

Background: The taxonomic status of house mice (Mus musculus) on the Korean Peninsula has long been debated due to conflicting morphological classifications and limited genetic evidence. Historically, three subspecies (M. m.molossinus, M. m. utsuryonis, and M. m. yamashinai) have been proposed based on external traits, although the validity of these proposals remains uncertain. Thus, this study aimed to integrate genetic and morphological analyses to clarify the phylogenetic relationships of Korean mice relative to the well-known primary M. musculus subspecies and evaluate the taxonomic distinctiveness. Results: Genetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA (cytb gene) from mice across Korea, including islands, mountains, and agricultural fields, confirmed that these mice belong to the Eurasian M. m. musculus lineage. Morphologically, Korean mice exhibited tail ratios consistent with previously assigned subspecies, suggesting these traits represent intraspecific variation within M. m. musculus. Craniometric analyses revealed distinctive features, such as a shorter, narrower premaxillary tooth-patch width and a longer maxillary tooth-row length, thereby distinguishing these mice from laboratory strains derived from M. m. domesticus. These cranial configurations, visualized via three-dimensional micro-computed tomography scans, further supported the morphological divergence of these mice from other subspecies. Conclusions Our findings indicate that Korean house mice belong to a single subspecific group within M. m.musculus, with observed morphological variations reflecting local adaptation rather than distinct taxonomic divisions.The Korean Peninsula likely served as an ecological bridge, facilitating the spatiotemporal diversification of M. m.musculus across East Eurasia. This study resolves longstanding taxonomic ambiguities and underscores the subspecific status of Korean house mice within M. m. musculus. These insights provide a foundation for understanding the biogeographic history of human commensal species and future biomedical research utilizing wild-derived mouse models.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Dietary supplement use is common among breast cancer survivors, but studies on Asian populations remain limited. This study investigated dietary supplement use among Korean breast cancer survivors, distinguishing between vitamin/ mineral (VM) and non-vitaminon-mineral (NVNM) supplements. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 1,136 stage I–III breast cancer survivors from 12 Korean hospitals, who survived more than 6 mon post-surgery. The participants completed a questionnaire on post-diagnostic dietary supplement use. Stepwise logistic regression was applied, calculating odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to identify the demographic and clinical factors associated with VM and NVNM use. RESULTS: Seventy percent of survivors reported supplement use, with 25% using a single product. The most common VM supplements were multivitamins/minerals, vitamin D, and vitamin C, while the most common NVNM supplements included omega-3 fatty acids, probiotics, and ginseng. Survivors with higher education and greater physical activity were more likely to use VM supplements (ORs [95% CIs], 2.74 [1.76–4.25] for college graduates or above vs. middle school or below; 1.38 [1.02–1.88] for the most active group vs. the least active group). NVNM use was associated with higher education, greater physical activity levels, and a history of smoking (ORs [95% CIs], 2.29 [1.46–3.58] for college graduates or above vs. middle school or below; 1.52 [1.13–2.06] for the most active group vs. the least active group; 2.00 [1.23–3.25] for ever smokers vs. never smokers). Survivors who had undergone chemotherapy were also more likely to use NVNM supplements than those who had not (OR [95% CI], 1.37 [1.02–1.84]). CONCLUSION Seventy percent of Korean breast cancer survivors used dietary supplements in this study. VM use was associated with higher education and physical activity, while higher NVNM use was associated with higher education, greater physical activity, a history of smoking, and chemotherapy.

Background: A systematic evaluation of potential living liver donors is essential to ensure donor safety and optimize recipient outcomes in living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). This study aimed to assess donor acceptance rates and reasons for disqualification among individuals evaluated for LDLT at a high-volume transplant center over a one-year period. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 1,087 potential living liver donors who presented for LDLT evaluation in 2023. Of these, 991 candidates advanced beyond the initial screening (Stage 1) and underwent comprehensive clinical, imaging, and pathological assessments (Stages 2 and 3). Candidates who discontinued after Stage 1 were excluded due to the absence of documented reasons for non-progression. Results: Among the 991 candidates who proceeded beyond initial screening, 473 (47.7%) completed the full donor evaluation, of whom 466 were judged to be suitable donors. Among suitable donors, 384 (82.4%) proceeded to donor hepatectomy, whereas 82 did not, primarily due to recipient-related factors such as clinical deterioration or withdrawal of consent. Donor ineligibility was determined in 422 candidates (42.6%), most commonly due to inadequate remnant liver volume (52.8%), hepatic steatosis (20.6%), and insufficient graft size (10.2%). Among candidates undergoing Stage 2 evaluation, 162 (16.3%) failed to meet steatosis criteria; 126 were excluded solely for steatosis and advised weight reduction, and 39 subsequently became eligible and successfully donated. Conclusion In this high-volume LDLT center, donor disqualification was primarily driven by remnant liver volume and hepatic steatosis. Targeted interventions such as weight reduction enabled successful donation in a subset of initially ineligible candidates, underscoring the importance of individualized donor evaluation and pre-donation optimization.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by progressive cognitive deterioration and significant depression. However, the mechanisms linking depression to AD pathology remain unclear. Here, we investigated whether Notch2 signaling mediates depressionlike behaviors in presenilin-2 (PS2) N141I mutant mice, an early-onset AD model. PS2 wild-type (WT) and mutant (MT) mice aged 12-15 months were subjected to unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) for 4 weeks, followed by sucrose preference, tail-hanging, and forced swimming tests. Behavioral assessments showed that UCMS exacerbated anhedonia and immobility only in PS2 MT mice. Molecular analysis revealed concomitant increases in plasma corticosterone, hippocampal γ-secretase activity, and Notch2 expression, and elevated total and phosphorylated glucocorticoid receptor levels in PS2 MT-UCMS mice. Gene expression profiling of human hippocampal datasets confirmed upregulation of NOTCH2 in Alzheimer’s disease and depression.Pharmacological inhibition of γ-secretase and Notch signaling with DAPT normalizes depressive behavior, reduces corticosterone release, attenuates GR phosphorylation, and inhibits Notch2 signaling in PS2 MT mice. These findings identify Notch2 as a pivotal mediator linking chronic stress to molecular changes associated with depression and AD, and suggest that targeting Notch2 signaling may provide therapeutic benefits for comorbid mood and neurodegenerative disorders.

Purpose: Oncologic and surgical outcomes of robot-assisted nipple-sparing mastectomy (RNSM) compared to conventional nipple-sparing mastectomy (CNSM) is under investigation. This study compared the clinical outcomes of recurrence-free survival and postoperative complication after RNSM and CNSM. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data of 401 patients who underwent da Vinci Si/Xi/SP-assisted RNSM or CNSM with immediate reconstruction between November 2016 and November 2020 at a single institute. Oncological outcomes were collected until March 2022. Primary endpoints were long-term outcomes, such as local recurrence, distant metastasis, disease-free survival, overall survival, and postoperative complications, while secondary endpoints were pathology results, and oncological outcomes. Results: Patients underwent RNSM (n=162) or CNSM (n=239). Of RNSM cases, 9 (5.6%) were performed using the da Vinci Si System, 96 (59.3%) using the da Vinci Xi System, and 57 (35.2%) using the da Vinci SP System. No significant difference in recurrence-free survival was found between the RNSM and CNSM group, and both groups had a median follow-up of 37 months. The recurrence rate in RNSM patients after a median follow-up of 24.5 months was 3.8%, compared with 5.9% in CNSM patients after a median follow-up of 42 months. No difference in recurrence was seen among RNSM patients with respect to surgical systems (multiport vs. SP, p =0.136). In addition, grade III postoperative complication rate was lower in patients with RNSM than in those with CNSM. Transfusion was only applied in 6.2% of patients. Conclusion Robot-assisted surgical systems can be safely used to perform nipple-sparing mastectomy in patients with early breast cancer.