Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) poses a significant threat to infants and young children in Korea and globally.Current preventive measures, such as palivizumab, have limitations, necessitating the exploration of new strategies.Nirsevimab, a long-acting monoclonal antibody, has emerged as a promising option for protecting all infants from RSV. Clinical trials and real-world evidence support its effectiveness in reducing RSV-related hospitalizations.The economic burden of RSV infection in Korea underscores the need for cost-effective interventions. While several RSV vaccines are under development, none are currently available in Korea. Maternal immunization programs and vaccines for older infants offer potential avenues for expanding protection. This review highlights the evolving landscape of RSV prevention, with a shift towards nirsevimab and future vaccines. Further research is crucial to understand the long-term consequences of RSV infection and develop comprehensive prevention strategies tailored to the Korean population.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of patients with failed initial Kasai portoenterostomy (KP) and to compare the long-term prognosis of redo-KP with that of liver transplantation (LT) in these patients. Methods: The medical records of patients with biliary atresia (BA) who failed initial KP from 2010 to 2021 at a single center were retrospectively analyzed. KP failure was defined as persistent jaundice (total bilirubin concentration, ≥2.0 mg/dL) after KP or the performance of LT. Results: During the study period, 32 patients experienced initial KP failure, with 10 undergoing redo-KP and 22 undergoing LT. Redo-KP was successful in a minority of patients with failed initial KP, but the complications, particularly cholangitis, were more frequent in the redo-KP group. The long-term prognosis of redo-KP compared to LT showed that while some patients benefited from native liver survival after redo-KP, LT remains the more definitive solution for sustained liver function and survival in patients with BA. Conclusion The only factor differing significantly between patients who underwent redo-KP and LT after failed initial KP was complications of cholangitis. Redo-KP was successful in 4 of 10 patients with failed initial KP, suggesting that redo-KP may be a treatment option in patients with BA and failed initial KP.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of patients with failed initial Kasai portoenterostomy (KP) and to compare the long-term prognosis of redo-KP with that of liver transplantation (LT) in these patients. Methods: The medical records of patients with biliary atresia (BA) who failed initial KP from 2010 to 2021 at a single center were retrospectively analyzed. KP failure was defined as persistent jaundice (total bilirubin concentration, ≥2.0 mg/dL) after KP or the performance of LT. Results: During the study period, 32 patients experienced initial KP failure, with 10 undergoing redo-KP and 22 undergoing LT. Redo-KP was successful in a minority of patients with failed initial KP, but the complications, particularly cholangitis, were more frequent in the redo-KP group. The long-term prognosis of redo-KP compared to LT showed that while some patients benefited from native liver survival after redo-KP, LT remains the more definitive solution for sustained liver function and survival in patients with BA. Conclusion The only factor differing significantly between patients who underwent redo-KP and LT after failed initial KP was complications of cholangitis. Redo-KP was successful in 4 of 10 patients with failed initial KP, suggesting that redo-KP may be a treatment option in patients with BA and failed initial KP.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) poses a significant threat to infants and young children in Korea and globally.Current preventive measures, such as palivizumab, have limitations, necessitating the exploration of new strategies.Nirsevimab, a long-acting monoclonal antibody, has emerged as a promising option for protecting all infants from RSV. Clinical trials and real-world evidence support its effectiveness in reducing RSV-related hospitalizations.The economic burden of RSV infection in Korea underscores the need for cost-effective interventions. While several RSV vaccines are under development, none are currently available in Korea. Maternal immunization programs and vaccines for older infants offer potential avenues for expanding protection. This review highlights the evolving landscape of RSV prevention, with a shift towards nirsevimab and future vaccines. Further research is crucial to understand the long-term consequences of RSV infection and develop comprehensive prevention strategies tailored to the Korean population.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of patients with failed initial Kasai portoenterostomy (KP) and to compare the long-term prognosis of redo-KP with that of liver transplantation (LT) in these patients. Methods: The medical records of patients with biliary atresia (BA) who failed initial KP from 2010 to 2021 at a single center were retrospectively analyzed. KP failure was defined as persistent jaundice (total bilirubin concentration, ≥2.0 mg/dL) after KP or the performance of LT. Results: During the study period, 32 patients experienced initial KP failure, with 10 undergoing redo-KP and 22 undergoing LT. Redo-KP was successful in a minority of patients with failed initial KP, but the complications, particularly cholangitis, were more frequent in the redo-KP group. The long-term prognosis of redo-KP compared to LT showed that while some patients benefited from native liver survival after redo-KP, LT remains the more definitive solution for sustained liver function and survival in patients with BA. Conclusion The only factor differing significantly between patients who underwent redo-KP and LT after failed initial KP was complications of cholangitis. Redo-KP was successful in 4 of 10 patients with failed initial KP, suggesting that redo-KP may be a treatment option in patients with BA and failed initial KP.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) poses a significant threat to infants and young children in Korea and globally.Current preventive measures, such as palivizumab, have limitations, necessitating the exploration of new strategies.Nirsevimab, a long-acting monoclonal antibody, has emerged as a promising option for protecting all infants from RSV. Clinical trials and real-world evidence support its effectiveness in reducing RSV-related hospitalizations.The economic burden of RSV infection in Korea underscores the need for cost-effective interventions. While several RSV vaccines are under development, none are currently available in Korea. Maternal immunization programs and vaccines for older infants offer potential avenues for expanding protection. This review highlights the evolving landscape of RSV prevention, with a shift towards nirsevimab and future vaccines. Further research is crucial to understand the long-term consequences of RSV infection and develop comprehensive prevention strategies tailored to the Korean population.

Background: Genetic alterations play a pivotal role in multiple myeloma (MM) development and therapeutic resistance. Traditionally, the genetic profiling of MM requires invasive bone marrow (BM) procedures; however, these procedures are associated with patient discomfort and cannot fully capture the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of the disease.Therefore, we investigated the clinical implications of liquid biopsy using targeted deep sequencing. Methods: We analyzed the genetic profiles of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) by targeted deep sequencing from 102 patients, including those with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS, N = 7), smoldering MM (N = 6), and symptomatic MM (N = 89). Results: The number of ctDNA mutations increased with disease progression from MGUS to MM, with averages of 1.0 mutations in MGUS, 1.8 mutations in smoldering MM, and 1.9 mutations in MM, respectively. Shared mutations between BM and ctDNA were more prevalent in MM (68.9%) than in MGUS (25.0%). RAS/RAF and TP53 mutations were significantly enriched in MM ctDNA. Specific mutations were associated with clinical features in patients with MM: hypercalcemia and TET2 (P = 0.006), renal insufficiency and NRAS (P = 0.012), paramedullary myeloma and TP53(P = 0.02), and extramedullary myeloma and NRAS (P = 0.007). TET2 mutations significantly affected 2-yr progression-free survival (hazard ratio = 7.11, P = 0.003). Serial ctDNA profiling accurately predicted treatment response in patients with MM. Conclusions Our findings highlight the potential of liquid biopsy for understanding MM progression and prognosis utilizing a minimally invasive approach, paving the way for its integration into personalized treatment strategies and real-time disease monitoring.

Replacement of the retrohepatic inferior vena cava (IVC) after concurrent resection of IVC and tumor-bearing liver is regarded as a feasible living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) technique to cope with tumors around the IVC. This method can make the resection extent of LDLT comparable to that of deceased-donor liver transplantation. We present one pediatric LDLT case with IVC replacement using an enlarged iliac vein conduit to treat advanced hepatoblastoma. The patient was a 33-monthold and 12 kg-weighing girl suffering from large multiple hepatoblastomas invading the retrohepatic IVC. At 2-month waiting after deciding LDLT, we obtained a coldstored iliac vein graft and LDLT was performed with the father’s left lateral section graft. A 1.3 cm-wide and 10 cm-long iliac vein was transformed to be a 2 cm-wide and 5 cm-long vein graft through a double-barrel unification venoplasty. The left lateral section graft was implanted along the standard procedure of LDLT. The patient recovered uneventfully and is undergoing scheduled adjuvant chemotherapy. IVC replacement with vein homograft is a feasible option for LDLT in pediatric patients with advanced liver malignancy.

Purpose: In this study, we aimed to classify an implant system by comparing the types of implant thread shapes shown on radiographs using various Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), particularly Xception, InceptionV3, ResNet50V2, and ResNet101V2. The accuracy of the CNN based on the implant site was compared. Materials and Methods: A total of 1000 radiographic images, consisting of eight types of implants, were preprocessed by resizing and CLAHE filtering, and then augmented. CNNs were trained and validated for implant thread shape prediction. Grad-CAM was used to visualize class activation maps (CAM) on the implant threads shown within the radiographic image. Results: Averaged over 10 validation folds, each model achieved an AUC of over 0.96: AUC of 0.961 (95% CI 0.952–0.970) with Xception, 0.973 (95% CI 0.966-0.980) with InceptionV3, 0.980 (95% CI 0.974-0.988) with ResNet50V2, and 0.983 (95% CI 0.975-0.992) with ResNet101V2. Accuracy was higher in the posterior region than in the anterior area in all four models. Most CAMs highlighted the implant surface where the threads were present; however, some showed responses in other areas. Conclusion The CNN models accurately classified implants in all areas of the oral cavity according to the thread shape, using radiographic images.

Purpose: In this study, we aimed to classify an implant system by comparing the types of implant thread shapes shown on radiographs using various Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), particularly Xception, InceptionV3, ResNet50V2, and ResNet101V2. The accuracy of the CNN based on the implant site was compared. Materials and Methods: A total of 1000 radiographic images, consisting of eight types of implants, were preprocessed by resizing and CLAHE filtering, and then augmented. CNNs were trained and validated for implant thread shape prediction. Grad-CAM was used to visualize class activation maps (CAM) on the implant threads shown within the radiographic image. Results: Averaged over 10 validation folds, each model achieved an AUC of over 0.96: AUC of 0.961 (95% CI 0.952–0.970) with Xception, 0.973 (95% CI 0.966-0.980) with InceptionV3, 0.980 (95% CI 0.974-0.988) with ResNet50V2, and 0.983 (95% CI 0.975-0.992) with ResNet101V2. Accuracy was higher in the posterior region than in the anterior area in all four models. Most CAMs highlighted the implant surface where the threads were present; however, some showed responses in other areas. Conclusion The CNN models accurately classified implants in all areas of the oral cavity according to the thread shape, using radiographic images.