Purpose: To identify the childbearing intentions of young adults in South Korea and examine the factors influencing them using a social-ecological model (SEM). Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. Unmarried employed men and women (n=181) aged 25–40 years completed an online survey. The data included socio-demographic characteristics and responses at four levels: (1) intrapersonal (perception of parenthood and fertility knowledge), (2) interpersonal (quality of family relationships), (3) institutional (work-family culture), and (4) community and public policy (adequacy of government policies and social support systems). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and multiple logistic regression. Results: Approximately 77% of the participants planned to have children, and more than 60% wanted to have two or more children. Among the four levels of SEM, only intrapersonal factors, including intention to marry, fertility knowledge, and attitudes toward parenthood, were statistically significant in influencing childbearing intentions. The model explaining the intention to have a child demonstrated an explanatory power of 59.6%, incorporating factors such as marital intention, perceptions of parenthood, and fertility knowledge. Conclusion A noticeable gap exists between childbearing intentions and childbirth in South Korea. These findings provide insights into the nursing educational content needed for delivering family planning education to young adults. Targeted interventions such as counseling services and community education should be integrated into nursing practice. Moreover, nursing curricula should discuss factors influencing childbearing intentions to equip future nurses better to support young adults' family planning decisions.

Background: and Purpose To determine the clinical phenotypes, relapse timing, treatment responses, and outcomes of children with relapsing myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD). Methods: We collected the demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological data of patients aged <18 years who had been diagnosed with MOGAD at Seoul National University Children’s Hospital between January 2010 and January 2022; 100 were identified as positive for MOG antibodies, 43 of whom experienced relapse. Results: The median age at onset was 7 years (range 2–16 years). The median number of relapses was 2 (range 1–8), and patients were followed up for a median of 65 months (range 5–214 months). The first relapse was experienced before 3 months from onset by 15 patients (34.9%). The most-common initial phenotypes were acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (n=17, 39.5%) and optic neuritis (ON; n=11, 25.6%). The most-common relapse phenotypes were neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (n=9, 20.9%), relapsing ON (n=6, 14.0%), and multiphasic disseminated encephalomyelitis (n=6, 14.0%). Many of the patients (n=18, 41.9%) were not specifically categorized. A high proportion of these patients had non-acute disseminated encephalomyelitis encephalitis. Atypical phenotypes such as prolonged fever or hemiplegic migraine-like episodes were also noted. Mycophenolate mofetil and cyclic immunoglobulin treatment significantly reduced the annual relapse rates. Conclusions Our 43 pediatric patients with relapsing MOGAD showed a tendency toward early relapse and various relapse phenotypes. The overall prognoses of these patients were good regardless of phenotype or response to second-line immunosuppressant treatment.

Purpose: To identify the childbearing intentions of young adults in South Korea and examine the factors influencing them using a social-ecological model (SEM). Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. Unmarried employed men and women (n=181) aged 25–40 years completed an online survey. The data included socio-demographic characteristics and responses at four levels: (1) intrapersonal (perception of parenthood and fertility knowledge), (2) interpersonal (quality of family relationships), (3) institutional (work-family culture), and (4) community and public policy (adequacy of government policies and social support systems). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and multiple logistic regression. Results: Approximately 77% of the participants planned to have children, and more than 60% wanted to have two or more children. Among the four levels of SEM, only intrapersonal factors, including intention to marry, fertility knowledge, and attitudes toward parenthood, were statistically significant in influencing childbearing intentions. The model explaining the intention to have a child demonstrated an explanatory power of 59.6%, incorporating factors such as marital intention, perceptions of parenthood, and fertility knowledge. Conclusion A noticeable gap exists between childbearing intentions and childbirth in South Korea. These findings provide insights into the nursing educational content needed for delivering family planning education to young adults. Targeted interventions such as counseling services and community education should be integrated into nursing practice. Moreover, nursing curricula should discuss factors influencing childbearing intentions to equip future nurses better to support young adults' family planning decisions.

Background: and Purpose To determine the clinical phenotypes, relapse timing, treatment responses, and outcomes of children with relapsing myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD). Methods: We collected the demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological data of patients aged <18 years who had been diagnosed with MOGAD at Seoul National University Children’s Hospital between January 2010 and January 2022; 100 were identified as positive for MOG antibodies, 43 of whom experienced relapse. Results: The median age at onset was 7 years (range 2–16 years). The median number of relapses was 2 (range 1–8), and patients were followed up for a median of 65 months (range 5–214 months). The first relapse was experienced before 3 months from onset by 15 patients (34.9%). The most-common initial phenotypes were acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (n=17, 39.5%) and optic neuritis (ON; n=11, 25.6%). The most-common relapse phenotypes were neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (n=9, 20.9%), relapsing ON (n=6, 14.0%), and multiphasic disseminated encephalomyelitis (n=6, 14.0%). Many of the patients (n=18, 41.9%) were not specifically categorized. A high proportion of these patients had non-acute disseminated encephalomyelitis encephalitis. Atypical phenotypes such as prolonged fever or hemiplegic migraine-like episodes were also noted. Mycophenolate mofetil and cyclic immunoglobulin treatment significantly reduced the annual relapse rates. Conclusions Our 43 pediatric patients with relapsing MOGAD showed a tendency toward early relapse and various relapse phenotypes. The overall prognoses of these patients were good regardless of phenotype or response to second-line immunosuppressant treatment.

Purpose: To identify the childbearing intentions of young adults in South Korea and examine the factors influencing them using a social-ecological model (SEM). Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. Unmarried employed men and women (n=181) aged 25–40 years completed an online survey. The data included socio-demographic characteristics and responses at four levels: (1) intrapersonal (perception of parenthood and fertility knowledge), (2) interpersonal (quality of family relationships), (3) institutional (work-family culture), and (4) community and public policy (adequacy of government policies and social support systems). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and multiple logistic regression. Results: Approximately 77% of the participants planned to have children, and more than 60% wanted to have two or more children. Among the four levels of SEM, only intrapersonal factors, including intention to marry, fertility knowledge, and attitudes toward parenthood, were statistically significant in influencing childbearing intentions. The model explaining the intention to have a child demonstrated an explanatory power of 59.6%, incorporating factors such as marital intention, perceptions of parenthood, and fertility knowledge. Conclusion A noticeable gap exists between childbearing intentions and childbirth in South Korea. These findings provide insights into the nursing educational content needed for delivering family planning education to young adults. Targeted interventions such as counseling services and community education should be integrated into nursing practice. Moreover, nursing curricula should discuss factors influencing childbearing intentions to equip future nurses better to support young adults' family planning decisions.

Background: and Purpose To determine the clinical phenotypes, relapse timing, treatment responses, and outcomes of children with relapsing myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD). Methods: We collected the demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological data of patients aged <18 years who had been diagnosed with MOGAD at Seoul National University Children’s Hospital between January 2010 and January 2022; 100 were identified as positive for MOG antibodies, 43 of whom experienced relapse. Results: The median age at onset was 7 years (range 2–16 years). The median number of relapses was 2 (range 1–8), and patients were followed up for a median of 65 months (range 5–214 months). The first relapse was experienced before 3 months from onset by 15 patients (34.9%). The most-common initial phenotypes were acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (n=17, 39.5%) and optic neuritis (ON; n=11, 25.6%). The most-common relapse phenotypes were neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (n=9, 20.9%), relapsing ON (n=6, 14.0%), and multiphasic disseminated encephalomyelitis (n=6, 14.0%). Many of the patients (n=18, 41.9%) were not specifically categorized. A high proportion of these patients had non-acute disseminated encephalomyelitis encephalitis. Atypical phenotypes such as prolonged fever or hemiplegic migraine-like episodes were also noted. Mycophenolate mofetil and cyclic immunoglobulin treatment significantly reduced the annual relapse rates. Conclusions Our 43 pediatric patients with relapsing MOGAD showed a tendency toward early relapse and various relapse phenotypes. The overall prognoses of these patients were good regardless of phenotype or response to second-line immunosuppressant treatment.

In February 2024, the Korean government introduced the “Essential Medical Package,” along with an increase in medical school admissions of 2,000 students, resulting in a total annual intake of 5,058 for the beginning of 2025. This sudden policy shift precipitated significant turmoil within the medical sector, prompting many resident doctors to resign and medical students to take leaves of absence. Despite numerous appeals for the revision of these policies, the government has widely disregarded these concerns and adopted more restrictive measures, thereby exacerbating tensions within the healthcare community.Current Concepts: Despite Korea’s doctor-to-population ratio being lower than the OECD average, Korea demonstrates remarkable positive health indicators, including low avoidable mortality rates and high life expectancy. Nevertheless, critical specialties, particularly obstetrics and gynecology, are facing significant challenges. These challenges are compounded by policies that offer public health services such as complementary prenatal screenings, which reduce revenue for private clinics. Nevertheless, critical specialties, particularly obstetrics and gynecology, are facing significant challenges, compounded by policies that offer public health services, such as complementary prenatal screenings, which reduce revenue for private clinics. Consequently, this situation has exacerbated the decline of private obstetric services, placing additional strain on the healthcare system.Discussion and Conclusion: To effectively address the challenges facing the Korean healthcare system, it is imperative to implement targeted reforms that prioritize increasing compensation and mitigating legal risks for high-risk specialties, rather than merely expanding medical school admissions indiscriminately. Furthermore, transparent and data-driven workforce planning is essential to foster sustainable improvements that support the efficiency and accessibility of healthcare services in Korea. Without these reforms, there is a significant risk that the quality of medical services will continue to decline, thereby adversely affecting future generations’ access to essential healthcare.

Aplastic anemia, mental retardation, and dwarfism (AMeD) syndrome, also known as aldehyde degradation deficiency (ADD) syndrome, is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the ALDH2 and ADH5 genes, leading to decreased activity of the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) and alcohol dehydrogenase 5 (ADH5) enzymes, subsequently triggering enhanced cellular levels of formaldehyde and diverse multisystem manifestations. Herein, we present the case of a 7-year-old girl with AMeD syndrome, characterized by pancytopenia, developmental delay, microcephaly, epilepsy, and myelodysplastic syndrome. Whole-exome sequencing revealed compound heterozygous variants (c.832G＞C and c.678delA) in the ADH5 gene and a heterozygous pathogenic variant (c.1510G＞A) in the ALDH2 gene. This case underscores the complexity of AMeD syndrome, emphasizing the importance of genetic testing to ensure diagnosis and aid in the development of potential targeted therapeutic approaches.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy, which has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in hematologic malignancies, is being extended to the treatment of refractory solid tumors, including brain tumors. Lymphodepletion (LD) is an essential preconditioning process that enhances CAR-T efficacy by promoting CAR-T cell expansion and persistence in the body, and has become a standard regimen for hematologic cancers. Recent clinical results of CAR-T therapy for solid tumors, including brain tumors, have shown that cyclophosphamide/fludarabine-based preconditioning has potential benefits and is gradually becoming adopted in solid tumor CAR-T trials. Furthermore, some CAR-T trials for solid tumors are attempting to develop LD regimens optimized specifically for solid tumors, distinct from the standard LD regimens used in hematologic cancers. In contrast, CAR-T therapy targeting brain tumors frequently employs locoregionally repeated administration in tumors or cerebrospinal fluid, resulting in less frequent use of LD compared to other solid tumors. Nevertheless, several clinical studies suggest that LD may still provide potential benefits for CAR-T expansion and improvement in clinical responses in systemic CAR-T administration. The studies presented in this review suggest that while LD can be beneficial for enhancing CAR-T efficacy, considerations must be made regarding its compatibility with the CAR-T administration route, potential excessive activation based on CAR-T structural characteristics, and target expression in normal organs. Additionally, given the unique characteristics of brain tumors, optimized selection of LD agents, as well as dosing and regimens, may be required, highlighting the need for further research.

Aplastic anemia, mental retardation, and dwarfism (AMeD) syndrome, also known as aldehyde degradation deficiency (ADD) syndrome, is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the ALDH2 and ADH5 genes, leading to decreased activity of the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) and alcohol dehydrogenase 5 (ADH5) enzymes, subsequently triggering enhanced cellular levels of formaldehyde and diverse multisystem manifestations. Herein, we present the case of a 7-year-old girl with AMeD syndrome, characterized by pancytopenia, developmental delay, microcephaly, epilepsy, and myelodysplastic syndrome. Whole-exome sequencing revealed compound heterozygous variants (c.832G＞C and c.678delA) in the ADH5 gene and a heterozygous pathogenic variant (c.1510G＞A) in the ALDH2 gene. This case underscores the complexity of AMeD syndrome, emphasizing the importance of genetic testing to ensure diagnosis and aid in the development of potential targeted therapeutic approaches.