Objective: Phototherapy is a widely used treatment for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, but the potential risks in early preterm infants are not well known. So it seems to be necessary to find out which parameters should be carefully observed during phototherapy. In this study, we analyzed blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and body temperature (BT) in preterm infants under 32 weeks of gestational age before and after phototherapy. Methods: In this study, we analyzed the medical records of 103 early preterm infants with gestational age <32 weeks and birth weight >1,000 g admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit, treated with and without phototherapy, at Wonju Severance Christian Hospital, a tertiary center in Korea. Changes in BP, HR, and BT were analyzed before and after treatment. Results: A total of 91 patients taking phototherapy and 12 control subjects were enrolled. In the phototherapy group (PT group), PT was started on the second day after birth and lasted for 74 hours.In between-group analysis, HR was higher in the PT group after starting phototherapy (at 48 hours;median of differences 8 bpm, P=0.005, at 56 hours; median of differences 9 bpm, P=0.001), while there was no significant difference in BP. The rate of BP increase was lowered and HR was increased after phototherapy, in the PT group analysis. Conclusion After starting phototherapy in preterm infants less than 32 weeks of gestational age, the increasing trend in BP was ceased and the HR was increased.

Lecanemab and donanemab have received full U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, and subsequently, lecanemab has been approved by the Korean FDA and it has recently entered commercial use in Korea. This has increased interest in anti-amyloid immunotherapy for Alzheimer’s disease. Anti-amyloid immunotherapy has shown potential to modify the progression of the disease by specifically binding to amyloid β, a key pathological product in Alzheimer’s disease, and eliminating accumulated amyloid plaques in the brain. However, this treatment can be accompanied by a side-effect, amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA), which requires periodic monitoring by MRI. It is crucial to detect ARIA and accurately assess the severity by radiology. The role of the radiologist is important in this context, requiring proficiency in basic knowledge of ARIA, and in diagnosing/evaluating ARIA. This review aims to comprehensively cover aspects of ARIA, including its definition, pathophysiology, incidence, risk factors, assessment of severity by radiology, differential diagnosis, and management.

Primary breast lymphoma is a rare malignant breast tumor, accounting for <1% of all breast cancers. Among them, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is the most common histologic subtype.However, primary mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma is less common and more indolent than diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and primary MALT lymphoma of the breast is extremely rare. We report a case of bilateral breast cancer in a 62-year-old woman with primary MALT lymphoma in right braest and contralateral invasive breast cancer in left breast. The patient presented with a palpable right breast lump, which appeared as a noncalcified mass on mammography and an indistinct irregular hypoechoic mass with internal vascularity on breast ultrasonography. The mass was pathologically confirmed by excisional biopsy as primary MALT lymphoma. The patient underwent dynamic contrast-enhanced breast MRI, which additionally detected a small suspicious mass in the left breast. This was a clinically and mammographically occult breast cancer diagnosed as invasive ductal carcinoma.

To ensure high-quality bioresources and standardize biobanks, there is an urgent need to develop and disseminate educational training programs in accordance with ISO 20387, which was developed in 2018. The standardization of biobank education programs is also required to train biobank experts. The subdivision of categories and levels of education is necessary for jobs such as operations manager (bank president), quality manager, practitioner, and administrator. Essential training includes programs tailored for beginner, intermediate, and advanced practitioners, along with customized training for operations managers. We reviewed and studied ways to develop an appropriate range of education and training opportunities for standard biobanking education and the training of experts based on KS J ISO 20387. We propose more systematic and professional biobanking training programs in accordance with ISO 20387, in addition to the certification programs of the National Biobank and the Korean Laboratory Accreditation System. We suggest various training programs appropriate to a student’s affiliation or work, such as university biobanking specialized education, short-term job training at unit biobanks, biobank research institute symposiums by the Korean Society of Pathologists, and education programs for biobankers and researchers. Through these various education programs, we expect that Korean biobanks will satisfy global standards, meet the needs of users and researchers, and contribute to the advancement of science.

Purpose: Methacholine bronchial provocation tests (MBPTs) are commonly used to assess airway hyperresponsiveness, but some patients show no significant response. This study aimed to compare the clinical characteristics of asthmatic patients based on their sensitivity to MBPTs. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study involving adult asthmatic patients from 6 university hospitals in South Korea. Patients were categorized into 2 groups: those with MBPT sensitivity (the provocative concentration of methacholine that leads to a 20% reduction in forced expiratory volume in 1 second [PC20]≤ 16 mg/mL) and those with lower sensitivity (PC 20 > 16 mg/mL). Clinical characteristics were compared between the 2 groups. Results: Among 346 patients, 213 had PC 20 ≤ 16 mg/mL and 133 had PC 20 > 16 mg/mL. The PC20> 16 mg/mL group had a higher prevalence of late-onset asthma (P= 0.024) and obesity (P= 0.045). While no significant differences in immunoglobulin E (≥ 200 IU/mL) were found, the PC 20 ≤ 16 mg/mL group had greater T2-high inflammation, such as elevated eosinophil counts and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (P< 0.001 and P= 0.004, respectively). Asthma exacerbations requiring emergency visits or hospitalizations were more frequent in the PC 20 > 16 mg/mL group, despite a lower proportion of patients on higher-step treatments according to Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines. Conclusion Asthmatic patients with PC 20 > 16 mg/mL tend to present with late-onset asthma, less T2-high inflammation, and higher rates of asthma exacerbations. Further studies are needed to clarify the clinical features of asthma patients with PC 20 > 16 mg/mL and assess the long-term significance of these findings.

Previous studies have shown that testosterone activates the GPRC6A-Duox1 axis, resulting in the production of H 2O 2 which leads to the apoptosis of keratinocytes and ultimately hair loss. Here, we elucidated a molecular mechanism by which the non-genomic action of testosterone regulates cellular redox status in androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Building upon this molecular understanding, we conducted a high-throughput screening assay of Nox inhibitors from a natural compounds library. This screening identified diterpenoid compounds, specifically Tanshinone I, Tanshinone IIA, Tanshinone IIB, and Cryptotanshinone, derived from Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix. The IC50 values for Nox isozymes were found to be 2.6-12.9 μM for Tanshinone I, 1.9-7.2 μM for Tanshinone IIA, 5.2-11.9 μM for Tanshinone IIB, and 2.1-7.9 μM for Cryptotanshinone. Furthermore, 3D computational docking analysis confirmed the structural basis by which Tanshinone compounds inhibit Nox activity. These compounds were observed to substitute for NADPH at the π-π bond site between NADPH and FAD, leading to the suppression of Nox activity. Notably, Tanshinone I and Tanshinone IIA effectively inhibited Nox activity heightened by testosterone, consequently reducing the production of intracellular H2O2 and preventing cell apoptosis. In an animal study involving the application of testosterone to the back skin of 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice to inhibit hair growth, subsequent treatment with Tanshinone I or Tanshinone IIA alongside testosterone resulted in a substantial increase in hair follicle length compared to testosterone treatment alone. These findings underscore the potential efficacy of Tanshinone I and Tanshinone IIA as therapeutic agents for AGA by inhibiting Nox activity.