Background and Objectives: Inconsistencies in nasal nitric oxide (nNO) values, due to anatomical variations and comorbidities, challenge the accurate assessment of upper airway inflammation severity. We hypothesized that changes in nNO levels following treatment for chronic rhinitis would be consistent and provide relative value. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between changes in nNO levels and symptomatic improvements following treatment for chronic rhinitis. Methods: This prospective observational study included 46 participants diagnosed with chronic rhinitis between December 2021 and November 2023. nNO measurements, evaluations of four nasal and two ocular symptoms, and quality of life questionnaires were conducted at baseline and after one month of treatment. Baseline laboratory tests included serum total immunoglobulin E levels, blood eosinophil percentages, and skin prick tests. Results: The Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS), TNSS with ocular symptoms (TNSS eye), and Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) scores significantly decreased following treatment (all p<0.001). nNO levels also decreased significantly after treatment (p=0.036). Moreover, changes in nNO were significantly correlated with changes in TNSS, TNSS eye, and RQLQ scores (p=0.047, r=0.294; p=0.021, r=0.340; and p=0.004, r=0.419, respectively). Conclusion In patients with chronic rhinitis, changes in TNSS, TNSS eye, and RQLQ scores were correlated with changes in nNO levels after treatment. nNO may serve as a potential objective evaluation tool for chronic rhinitis, particularly in patients who have difficulty reporting symptoms.

Basal cell adenocarcinoma, considered to be the malignant counterpart of basal cell adenoma, is a rare, low-grade malignant tumor of the salivary glands, accounting for 1-2% of salivary gland malignancies. It predominantly affects the parotid gland, while involvement of the minor salivary glands is exceptionally rare. This report presented a case of basal cell adenocarcinoma involving the left retromolar trigone in a 54-year-old woman. The initial provisional diagnosis suggested a benign or low-grade malignant salivary tumor. Advanced magnetic resonance imagingtechniques, including diffusion-weighted imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient analysis, aided in the preoperative prediction of malignancy, and an incisional biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of basal cell adenocarcinoma. This caseunderscored the challenge of distinguishing basal cell adenocarcinoma from benign salivary tumors, as clinical and imaging features often overlap. Surgical excision remains the primary treatment, yielding favorable outcomes;however, long-term follow-up is crucial due to the risk of recurrence.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare maternal outcomes and the home environment between non‑vulnerable families with children under 2 receiving universal home visiting services and vulnerable families receiving sustained home visiting services. METHODS: This study was conducted in Seoul, Korea, where the country’s first nurse‑led early childhood home visiting program was introduced. A total of 551 mother‑child dyads participated in cross‑sectional surveys conducted at various child ages (6±2 weeks, 6±1 months, 12±1 months, and 24±1 months). Universal home visiting services were provided within six weeks postpartum to non‑vulnerable families, while vulnerable families received sustained services consisting of 25 visits over 24 months. Maternal knowledge of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and childcare, maternal distress, and the Korean Infant‑Toddler Home Observation for Measurement of Environment (K‑IT‑HOME) were assessed. RESULTS: Overall, the universal home visitation group demonstrated higher levels of maternal knowledge regarding SIDS and childcare compared to the sustained home visitation group (all p-values <0.05), while the sustained home visitation group reported higher levels of maternal distress (p<0.001). The total K‑IT‑HOME score was 1.47 points higher in the universal home visitation group than in the sustained home visitation group (p<0.001). No significant differences were observed in the acceptance, organization, or involvement subscales of the K‑IT‑HOME (all p-values >0.05). CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that disparities in maternal outcomes and home environments persisted in early childhood between the sustained and universal home visitation groups.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in intestinal failure (IF) patients after different modes of intestinal rehabilitation. Methods: HRQoL was assessed using the generic 36-item Short Form Survey (SF-36, ver. 2) and visual analogue scale (VAS) in 6 different areas: diet, sleep, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, diarrhea, musculoskeletal pain, and other symptoms. Results: Twenty-two patients completed the questionnaires, of which 7 had received intestinal transplant (ITx), 9 were continuing home total parenteral nutrition (HPN), and 6 had tapered off total parenteral nutrition (TPN). SF-36 physical component summary scores were highest in the ITx group (median, 65.6; interquartile range [IQR], 31.6–80.3) compared to the HPN (median, 48.4; IQR, 44.7–66.3) or tapered group (median, 54.2; IQR, 45.2–61.6). Mental component summary scores were lowest in the ITx group (median, 48.8; IQR, 37.1–63.6), compared to the TPN (median, 60.2; IQR, 41.6–78.5) or tapered group (median, 51.0; IQR, 48.8–56.0). Differences were not significant in all items of the SF-36. VAS scores showed that patients in the ITx group showed the best results in diet (0.9), gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms (1.4), and musculoskeletal pain (2.4). There was a significant difference in sleep (P = 0.036), with the ITx (1.43) and HPN groups (1.33) showing better outcomes compared with the tapered group (4.67). Patients in the tapered group showed the least favorable results in all performance areas, except GI symptoms. Conclusion SF-36 did not show a significant difference between the ITx, HPN, and tapered groups, but VAS showed a significant difference in sleep between groups. Further studies, including serial data, will allow a better understanding of the effects of different modes of intestinal rehabilitation.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop an approach to alleviate the discomfort caused by sandbag compression after a bone marrow examination. This research examined the effects of applying a pressure hemostasis band on bleeding, pain, and discomfort at the bone marrow examination site. Methods: This study was conducted with a nonequivalent control group non-synchronized design. For 74 patients under evaluation who underwent bone marrow examination, sandbag compression was applied to the examination site in the control group (n=37), and a pressure hemostasis band was applied to the intervention group (n=37). In both groups, absolute bed rest was performed for two hours, and bleeding, pain, and discomfort at the examination site were measured. Results: After two hours of the bone marrow examination, there was no difference in bleeding on the gauze between the two groups (F=0.59, p=.444). Bleeding occurred in three patients in the intervention group and six in the control group (χ 2 =1.14, p=.479), with no cases of hematoma detected in either group. One hour post-examination, the control group experienced significantly higher pain (F=5.45, p=.022) and discomfort (F=5.68, p=.020) than the intervention group. However, pain and discomfort levels were similar between groups after two hours. Conclusion Compared to the sandbag compression group, the band application group showed no difference in bleeding and experienced less pain and discomfort at the examination site. This confirms that the pressure hemostasis band is a suitable alternative to sandbag compression in post-examination care.

Objective: To establish local diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for pediatric neck CT based on age, weight, and water-equivalent diameter (WED) across multiple university hospitals in South Korea. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study analyzed pediatric neck CT examinations from nine university hospitals, involving patients aged 0–18 years. Data were categorized by age, weight, and WED, and radiation dose metrics, including volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) and dose length product, were recorded. Data retrieval and analysis were conducted using a commercially available dose-management system (Radimetrics, Bayer Healthcare). Local DRLs were established following the International Commission on Radiological Protection guidelines, using the 75th percentile as the reference value. Results: A total of 1159 CT examinations were analyzed, including 169 scans from Institution 1, 132 from Institution 2, 126 from Institution 3, 129 from Institution 4, 128 from Institution 5, 105 from Institution 6, 162 from Institution 7, 127 from Institution 8, and 81 from Institution 9. Radiation dose metrics increased with age, weight, and WED, showing significant variability both within and across institutions. For patients weighing less than 10 kg, the DRL for CTDIvol was 5.2 mGy. In the 10–19 kg group, the DRL was 5.8 mGy; in the 20–39 kg group, 7.6 mGy; in the 40–59 kg group, 11.0 mGy; and for patients weighing 60 kg or more, 16.2 mGy. DRLs for CTDIvol by age groups were as follows: 5.3 mGy for infants under 1 year, 5.7 mGy for children aged 1–4 years, 7.6 mGy for ages 5–9 years, 11.2 mGy for ages 10–14 years, and 15.6 mGy for patients 15 years or older. Conclusion Local DRLs for pediatric neck CT were established based on age, weight, and WED across nine university hospitals in South Korea.

Objective: To prospectively evaluate the effect of accelerated deep learning-based reconstruction (Accel-DL) on improving brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) quality and reducing scan time compared to that in conventional MRI. Materials and Methods: This study included 150 participants (51 male; mean age 57.3 ± 16.2 years). Each group of 50 participants was scanned using one of three 3T scanners from three different vendors. Conventional and Accel-DL MRI images were obtained from each participant and compared using 2D T1- and T2-weighted and 3D gradient-echo sequences. Accel-DL acquisition was achieved using optimized scan parameters to reduce the scan time, with the acquired images reconstructed using U-Net-based software to transform low-quality, undersampled k-space data into high-quality images. The scan times of Accel-DL and conventional MRI methods were compared. Four neuroradiologists assessed the overall image quality, structural delineation, and artifacts using Likert scale (5- and 3-point scales). Inter-reader agreement was assessed using Fleiss’ kappa coefficient. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) were calculated, and volumetric quantification of regional structures and white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) was performed. Results: Accel-DL showed a mean scan time reduction of 39.4% (range, 24.2%–51.3%). Accel-DL improved overall image quality (3.78 ± 0.71 vs. 3.36 ± 0.61, P < 0.001), structure delineation (2.47 ± 0.61 vs. 2.35 ± 0.62, P < 0.001), and artifacts (3.73 ± 0.72 vs. 3.71 ± 0.69, P = 0.016). Inter-reader agreement was fair to substantial (κ = 0.34–0.50). SNR and CNR increased in Accel-DL (82.0 ± 23.1 vs. 31.4 ± 10.8, P = 0.02; 12.4 ± 4.1 vs. 4.4 ± 11.2, P = 0.02). Bland-Altman plots revealed no significant differences in the volumetric measurements of 98.2% of the relevant regions, except in the deep gray matter, including the thalamus. Five of the six lesion categories showed no significant differences in WMH segmentation, except for leukocortical lesions (r = 0.64 ± 0.29). Conclusion Accel-DL substantially reduced the scan time and improved the quality of brain MRI in both spin-echo and gradientecho sequences without compromising volumetry, including lesion quantification.

Synthetic data, generated using advanced artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, replicates the statistical properties of real-world datasets while excluding identifiable information.Although synthetic data does not consist of actual data points, it is derived from original datasets, thereby enabling analyses that yield results comparable to those obtained with real data. Synthetic datasets are evaluated based on their utility—a measure of how effectively they mirror real data for analytical purposes. This paper presents the generation of synthetic datasets through the Healthcare Big Data Showcase Project (2019–2023). The original dataset comprises comprehensive multi-omics data from 400 individuals, including cancer survivors, chronic disease patients, and healthy participants. Synthetic data facilitates efficient access and robust analyses, serving as a practical tool for research and education. It addresses privacy concerns, supports AI research, and provides a foundation for innovative applications across diverse fields, such as public health and precision medicine.