Air pollution is a widespread environmental issue, with substantial global implications for human health. Recent epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to air pollution exacerbates various inflammatory skin conditions, including atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, or acne. Furthermore, air pollutants are associated with accelerated skin aging, hair loss, and skin cancer. The aim of this review is to elucidate the current understanding of the impact of air pollution on skin health, emphasizing the underlying mechanisms involved and existing therapeutic and cosmetic interventions available to prevent or mitigate these effects. A pivotal factor in the harmful effects of air pollution is the formation of reactive oxygen species and the resulting oxidative stress. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling pathway also substantially contributes to mediating the effects of air pollutants on various skin conditions. Moreover, air pollutants can disrupt the skin barrier function and trigger inflammation. Consequently, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory therapies, along with treatments designed to restore the skin barrier function, have the potential to mitigate the adverse effects of air pollutants on skin health.

Background: Deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) and living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) are employed to address highly urgent patients, including those with acute liver failure (ALF), acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), or critical cirrhosis. This study compares outcomes between LDLT and DDLT patients with ALF, ACLF, or critical cirrhosis in highly urgent LDLT (HU-LDLT) applications. Methods: This study conducted a retrospective analysis of the Korean Network for Organ Sharing (KONOS) data, which included 391 consecutive HU-LDLT applications from 2017 to 2021. Results: The proportion of DDLT was 15.1% (n=59) within the cohort of HU-LDLT applications. The prevalence of hepatorenal syndrome, duration of pre-transplant intensive care unit (ICU) care, incidence of pre-transplant continuous renal replacement therapy, and median model for end-stage liver disease scores were significantly greater and prolonged in DDLT patients compared to LDLT patients. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in postoperative complications or overall survival between the two groups. In the multivariate analysis, only pre-transplant ventilator care emerged as a significant predisposing factor for mortality. Conclusion The present study indicates that LDLT is a viable option, yielding comparable perioperative and long-term outcomes to DDLT for HU patients, which can encourage living liver donation to overcome organ shortages in HU patients.

Acne is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting the sebaceous glands, with approximately 80% of individuals experiencing it at some point in their lives. Among adolescents, the incidence is reported to exceed 85%. The disease can significantly impact both physical and emotional aspects of a person’s quality of life, leading to permanent scarring, poor self-image, depression, and anxiety. The standard first-line treatment for acne vulgaris includes conventional pharmacological approaches such as keratolytics, topical or oral antibiotics, retinoids, and hormonal agents. However, these treatments are not universally effective due to patient noncompliance, adverse drug effects, and the emergence of antibiotic resistance in Cutibacterium acnes, often resulting in high rates of recurrence. Consequently, non-pharmacological therapies have been developed as safe and effective alternatives or supplements to pharmacological treatment. These non-pharmacological approaches can serve as standalone treatment modalities, adjuncts to pharmacological therapy, or maintenance treatments. Current literature lacks comprehensive data on the classification of these non-pharmacological treatment options. This paper aims to provide a brief overview of recent research on the practical applications and potential mechanisms of nonpharmacological therapies for both acne and acne scars. Through elucidating the distinct mechanisms and therapeutic roles of these treatments, we aim to assist dermatologists and other healthcare providers in formulating more effective disease management strategies, thereby encouraging further research in this area.

Acne is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting the sebaceous glands, with approximately 80% of individuals experiencing it at some point in their lives. Among adolescents, the incidence is reported to exceed 85%. The disease can significantly impact both physical and emotional aspects of a person’s quality of life, leading to permanent scarring, poor self-image, depression, and anxiety. The standard first-line treatment for acne vulgaris includes conventional pharmacological approaches such as keratolytics, topical or oral antibiotics, retinoids, and hormonal agents. However, these treatments are not universally effective due to patient noncompliance, adverse drug effects, and the emergence of antibiotic resistance in Cutibacterium acnes, often resulting in high rates of recurrence. Consequently, non-pharmacological therapies have been developed as safe and effective alternatives or supplements to pharmacological treatment. These non-pharmacological approaches can serve as standalone treatment modalities, adjuncts to pharmacological therapy, or maintenance treatments. Current literature lacks comprehensive data on the classification of these non-pharmacological treatment options. This paper aims to provide a brief overview of recent research on the practical applications and potential mechanisms of nonpharmacological therapies for both acne and acne scars. Through elucidating the distinct mechanisms and therapeutic roles of these treatments, we aim to assist dermatologists and other healthcare providers in formulating more effective disease management strategies, thereby encouraging further research in this area.

Purpose: Since 1995, the Korean Gastric Cancer Association (KGCA) has been periodically conducting nationwide surveys on patients with surgically treated gastric cancer. This study details the results of the survey conducted in 2023. Materials and Methods: The survey was conducted from March to December 2024 using a standardized case report form. Data were collected on 86 items, including patient demographics, tumor characteristics, surgical procedures, and surgical outcomes. The results of the 2023 survey were compared with those of previous surveys. Results: Data from 12,751 cases were collected from 66 institutions. The mean patient age was 64.6 years, and the proportion of patients aged ≥71 years increased from 9.1% in 1995 to 31.7% in 2023. The proportion of upper-third tumors slightly decreased to 16.8% compared to 20.9% in 2019. Early gastric cancer accounted for 63.1% of cases in 2023.Regarding operative procedures, a totally laparoscopic approach was most frequently applied (63.2%) in 2023, while robotic gastrectomy steadily increased to 9.5% from 2.1% in 2014.The most common anastomotic method was the Billroth II procedure (48.8%) after distal gastrectomy and double-tract reconstruction (51.9%) after proximal gastrectomy in 2023.However, the proportion of esophago-gastrostomy with anti-reflux procedures increased to 30.9%. The rates of post-operative mortality and overall complications were 1.0% and 15.3%, respectively. Conclusions The results of the 2023 nationwide survey demonstrate the current status of gastric cancer treatment in Korea. This information will provide a basis for future gastric cancer research.

Background/Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) 3.0 for predicting mortality and liver-related complications compared with the Child-Pugh classification, albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade, the MELD, and the MELD sodium (MELDNa) score. Methods: We evaluated a multicenter retrospective cohort of incorporated patients with cirrhosis between 2013 and 2019. We conducted comparisons of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of the MELD3.0 and other models for predicting 3-month mortality. Additionally, we assessed the risk of cirrhosis-related complications according to the MELD3.0 score. Results: A total of 3,314 patients were included. The mean age was 55.9±11.3 years, and 70.2% of the patients were male. Within the initial 3 months, 220 patients (6.6%) died, and the MELD3.0had the best predictive performance among the tested models, with an AUROC of 0.851, outperforming the Child-Pugh classification, ALBI grade, MELD, and MELDNa. A high MELD3.0score was associated with an increased risk of mortality. Compared with that of the group with a MELD3.0 score <10 points, the adjusted hazard ratio of the group with a score of 10–20 pointswas 2.176, and that for the group with a score of ≥20 points was 4.892. Each 1-point increase inthe MELD3.0 score increased the risk of cirrhosis-related complications by 1.033-fold. The risk of hepatorenal syndrome showed the highest increase, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.149, followed by hepatic encephalopathy and ascites. Conclusions The MELD3.0 demonstrated robust prognostic performance in predicting mortality in patients with cirrhosis. Moreover, the MELD3.0 score was linked to cirrhosis-related complications, particularly those involving kidney function, such as hepatorenal syndrome and ascites.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a severe condition characterized by extensive lung inflammation and increased alveolar-capillary permeability, often triggered by infections or systemic inflammatory responses. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-based therapy holds promise for treating ARDS, as MSCs manifest immunomodulatory and regenerative properties that mitigate inflammation and enhance tissue repair. Primed MSCs, modified to augment specific functionalities, demonstrate superior therapeutic efficacy in targeted therapies compared to naive MSCs. This study explored the immunomodulatory potential of MSCs using mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) assays and co-culture experiments with M1/M2 macrophages. Additionally, RNA sequencing was employed to identify alterations in immune and inflammation-related factors in primed MSCs. The therapeutic effects of primed MSCs were assessed in an LPS-induced ARDS mouse model, and the underlying mechanisms were investigated through spatial transcriptomics analysis. The study revealed that MSCs primed with IFN-γ and IL-1β significantly enhanced the suppression of T cell activity compared to naive MSCs, concurrently inhibiting TNF-α while increasing IL-10 production in macrophages. Notably, combined treatment with these two cytokines resulted in a significant upregulation of immune and inflammation-regulating factors. Furthermore, our analyses elucidated the mechanisms behind the therapeutic effects of primed MSCs, including the inhibition of inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue, modulation of immune and inflammatory responses, and enhancement of elastin fiber formation. Signaling pathway analysis confirmed that efficacy could be enhanced by modulating NFκB and TNF-α signaling. In conclusion, in early-phase ARDS, primed MSCs displayed enhanced homing capabilities, improved lung function, and reduced inflammation.

Background/Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) 3.0 for predicting mortality and liver-related complications compared with the Child-Pugh classification, albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade, the MELD, and the MELD sodium (MELDNa) score. Methods: We evaluated a multicenter retrospective cohort of incorporated patients with cirrhosis between 2013 and 2019. We conducted comparisons of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of the MELD3.0 and other models for predicting 3-month mortality. Additionally, we assessed the risk of cirrhosis-related complications according to the MELD3.0 score. Results: A total of 3,314 patients were included. The mean age was 55.9±11.3 years, and 70.2% of the patients were male. Within the initial 3 months, 220 patients (6.6%) died, and the MELD3.0had the best predictive performance among the tested models, with an AUROC of 0.851, outperforming the Child-Pugh classification, ALBI grade, MELD, and MELDNa. A high MELD3.0score was associated with an increased risk of mortality. Compared with that of the group with a MELD3.0 score <10 points, the adjusted hazard ratio of the group with a score of 10–20 pointswas 2.176, and that for the group with a score of ≥20 points was 4.892. Each 1-point increase inthe MELD3.0 score increased the risk of cirrhosis-related complications by 1.033-fold. The risk of hepatorenal syndrome showed the highest increase, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.149, followed by hepatic encephalopathy and ascites. Conclusions The MELD3.0 demonstrated robust prognostic performance in predicting mortality in patients with cirrhosis. Moreover, the MELD3.0 score was linked to cirrhosis-related complications, particularly those involving kidney function, such as hepatorenal syndrome and ascites.