Background/Aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is characterized by fat accumulation in the liver. MASLD encompasses both steatosis and MASH. Since MASH can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer, steatosis and MASH must be distinguished during patient treatment. Here, we investigate the genomes, epigenomes, and transcriptomes of MASLD patients to identify signature gene set for more accurate tracking of MASLD progression. Methods: Biopsy-tissue and blood samples from patients with 134 MASLD, comprising 60 steatosis and 74 MASH patients were performed omics analysis. SVM learning algorithm were used to calculate most predictive features. Linear regression was applied to find signature gene set that distinguish the stage of MASLD and to validate their application into independent cohort of MASLD. Results: After performing WGS, WES, WGBS, and total RNA-seq on 134 biopsy samples from confirmed MASLD patients, we provided 1,955 MASLD-associated features, out of 3,176 somatic variant callings, 58 DMRs, and 1,393 DEGs that track MASLD progression. Then, we used a SVM learning algorithm to analyze the data and select the most predictive features. Using linear regression, we identified a signature gene set capable of differentiating the various stages of MASLD and verified it in different independent cohorts of MASLD and a liver cancer cohort. Conclusions We identified a signature gene set (i.e., CAPG, HYAL3, WIPI1, TREM2, SPP1, and RNASE6) with strong potential as a panel of diagnostic genes of MASLD-associated disease.

Purpose: Firefighting duties range from field roles such as suppression, rescue, and emergency medical services (EMS) to various administrative tasks. Despite these differences, they face uniform fitness standards in Korea. This study seeks to define distinct fitness needs for each duty and provide data for customized standards. Methods: One hundred seventy-six Korean male firefighters participated, categorized into suppression (n=76), rescue (n=22), administrative (n=27), and EMS (n=51) roles. All underwent maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) tests for aerobic capacity, with body composition measured using bioelectrical impedance and height recorded with a stadiometer. Results: The VO2 max (mL/kg/min) among Korean male firefighters varied across different job duties: suppression (39.96±5.84), rescue (44.84±4.85), administration (40.27±7.01), and EMS (40.51±6.75). Rescue had the highest VO2 max, which was significantly higher (p=0.013). The body mass index (BMI, kg/m2 ) values were as follows: suppression (25.07±2.55), rescue (24.95±1.71), EMS (24.33±3.21), and administration (25.10±2.48). There was no statistically significant difference in BMI values (p=0.464). Conclusion This study evaluated the VO2 max and BMI of South Korean male firefighters according to their job duties. It found that 54.5% did not meet the recommended VO2 max standard of 42 mL/kg/min for their activities, and 77.5% had a BMI indicating overweight or higher. However, it is important to note that not every firefighting duty requires high fitness levels. The key is ensuring firefighters possess the fitness necessary for their specific roles to maintain safety and efficiency. The study aims to provide data for creating fitness management guidelines tailored to the diverse duties of firefighters.

Background: Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare hematologic disorder characterized by uncontrolled terminal complement activation. Eculizumab, a monoclonal antibody C5 inhibitor was introduced in Korea in 2009 and has been the standard treatment option for PNH. Methods: This study assessed the long-term efficacy/safety of eculizumab in PNH using real-world data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Eighty patients who initiated eculizumab from 2009–2020 were enrolled. Results: At eculizumab initiation, the median age was 51.5 years, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) 6.8 × upper limit of normal, and granulocyte clone size 93.0%. All patients had at least one PNH-related complication before eculizumab initiation, including renal failure (n = 36), smooth muscle spasm (n = 24), thromboembolism (n = 20), and pulmonary hypertension (n = 15). The median (range) duration of eculizumab treatment was 52.7 (1.0, 127.3) months (338.6 total treated patient-years). Despite high disease activity in the study population before treatment initiation, overall survival was 96.2% and LDH levels were stabilized in most patients during treatment. PNH-related complications at treatment initiation were resolved in 44.4% of patients with renal failure, 95.8% with smooth muscle spasm, 70.0% with thromboembolism, and 26.7% with pulmonary hypertension. Extravascular hemolysis occurred in 28.8% of patients (n = 23; 0.09 per patient-year) and breakthrough hemolysis in 18.8% (n = 15; 0.06 per patient-year). No treatment discontinuation cases related to eculizumab were observed. Conclusion These data provided evidence for the long-term efficacy and safety of eculizumab in Korean PNH patients with high disease burdens.

Purpose: This study investigated the ultrasound (US) features of malignancy in patients with Hürthle cell neoplasms (HCNs) of the thyroid gland. Methods: The present study included 139 HCNs that had undergone surgical excision at a single institution from 1996 to 2020 and had preoperative US images. The sonographic characteristics of HCNs were correlated with their pathological results. The US findings associated with malignancy were explored using logistic regression analysis, and the diagnostic performance and cutoff were assessed using receiver operating characteristic analysis. Results: The most common US findings of HCNs were a solid content (76.3%), oval to round shape (100%), hypoechogenicity (70.5%), a smooth margin (95.0%), the halo sign (90.6%), and no calcifications (93.5%). HCNs were commonly smaller in pathologic measurements than in US measurements (smaller, same, and greater than US measurements in 60.4%, 21.6%, and 18.0% of HCNs, respectively; P<0.001). On US, malignant nodules were significantly larger than benign nodules (3.4±1.6 cm vs. 2.2±1.2 cm, P<0.001). Multiple logistic regression showed that the US tumor size was an independent predictor of malignancy (P=0.001; odds ratio, 1.730 for a 1-cm increase [95% confidence interval, 1.258 to 2.375]). The best cutoff US tumor size for predicting malignancy was 3.35 cm (sensitivity, 53.1%; specificity, 87.9%). Conclusion The US tumor size was found to be an independent predictor of malignancy in HCNs, and a US tumor size >3.35 cm might be used as a criterion to suggest malignancy. The size of HCNs often showed discrepancies between US and pathologic measurements.

Background: This study investigated the longitudinal associations between the degrees of positive and negative spillover in work–life balance (WLB) at baseline and reports of depressive mood at a 2-year follow-up in Korean women employees. Methods: We used a panel study design data of 1386 women employees who participated in the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families in both 2014 and 2016. Depressive mood was measured using the “10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale.” Associations between the positive and negative spillover in WLB at baseline and reports of new incidence of depressive mood at 2-year follow-up were explored using a multivariate logistic regression model. Results: Negative spillover in WLB at baseline showed a significant linear association with reports of depressive mood at 2-yearfollow-up after adjusting for age, education level, marital status, number of children, and positive spillover (P = 0.014). The highest scoring group in negative spillover (fourth quartile) showed a significant higher odds ratio of 1.95 compared with the lowest scoring group (first quartile; P = 0.036). Conclusion Positive spillover in WLB showed a U-shaped association with depression. The degrees of positive and negative spillover in WLB among Korean women employees at baseline were associated with new incidence of depressive mood within 2 years. To prevent depression of female workers, more discrete and differentiated policies on how to maintain healthy WLB are required.

Objective: The current study examined the differential empathic capacity, post-traumatic symptoms, and coping strategies in healthcare workers (HCWs) according to the exposure of verbal or physical workplace violence (WPV). Methods: Using online survey, a total of 422 HCWs employed at a training general hospital of South Korea participated and completed self-reporting questionnaires including the WPV questionnaire with coping strategy, the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy. Results: Those who experienced either only verbal violence or both physical and verbal violence had lower Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy scores (p<0.05). Posttraumatic stress symptom severity was higher among people who experienced verbal violence than physical violence. HCWs’ exposure to verbal violence was associated with severe posttraumatic symptoms and a low level of empathy with patients (p<0.05). More than half of the victims of verbal violence responded that they did not take any action, receive organizational protection, or peer support, while most physically-abused HCWs received institutional intervention or help from others. Conclusion Our findings highlight the critical importance of reducing verbal violence, which may represent a larger psychological burden compared to physical violence, by actively implementing effective strategies and policies at the institutional level.

Background: This study investigated the longitudinal associations between the degrees of positive and negative spillover in work–life balance (WLB) at baseline and reports of depressive mood at a 2-year follow-up in Korean women employees. Methods: We used a panel study design data of 1386 women employees who participated in the Korean Longitudinal Survey of Women and Families in both 2014 and 2016. Depressive mood was measured using the “10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale.” Associations between the positive and negative spillover in WLB at baseline and reports of new incidence of depressive mood at 2-year follow-up were explored using a multivariate logistic regression model. Results: Negative spillover in WLB at baseline showed a significant linear association with reports of depressive mood at 2-yearfollow-up after adjusting for age, education level, marital status, number of children, and positive spillover (P = 0.014). The highest scoring group in negative spillover (fourth quartile) showed a significant higher odds ratio of 1.95 compared with the lowest scoring group (first quartile; P = 0.036). Conclusion Positive spillover in WLB showed a U-shaped association with depression. The degrees of positive and negative spillover in WLB among Korean women employees at baseline were associated with new incidence of depressive mood within 2 years. To prevent depression of female workers, more discrete and differentiated policies on how to maintain healthy WLB are required.

Objective: The current study examined the differential empathic capacity, post-traumatic symptoms, and coping strategies in healthcare workers (HCWs) according to the exposure of verbal or physical workplace violence (WPV). Methods: Using online survey, a total of 422 HCWs employed at a training general hospital of South Korea participated and completed self-reporting questionnaires including the WPV questionnaire with coping strategy, the Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy. Results: Those who experienced either only verbal violence or both physical and verbal violence had lower Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy scores (p<0.05). Posttraumatic stress symptom severity was higher among people who experienced verbal violence than physical violence. HCWs’ exposure to verbal violence was associated with severe posttraumatic symptoms and a low level of empathy with patients (p<0.05). More than half of the victims of verbal violence responded that they did not take any action, receive organizational protection, or peer support, while most physically-abused HCWs received institutional intervention or help from others. Conclusion Our findings highlight the critical importance of reducing verbal violence, which may represent a larger psychological burden compared to physical violence, by actively implementing effective strategies and policies at the institutional level.

Objective: This cross-sectional study aimed to 1) explore the relationships among work-life balance (WLB), burnout, and empathy and 2) investigate the roles of the subtypes of burnout relating to WLB and empathy. Methods: A total of 105 health care professionals from a general hospital in Seoul were assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy, and a one-sentence-question on subjective WLB. Multiple questions on psychiatric problems, including sleep problems, anxiety, depressive symptom, and alcohol problems, were also included. Results: In the mediation analyses, personal achievement was considered as a potential mediating variable between WLB and empathy. The direct effect (β=3.93, 95% CI: 1.21–6.64) and the indirect effect (β=1.95, 95% CI: 0.52–3.76) of WLB on empathy were also significant. Conclusion Interventions encouraging personal achievement may help mitigate burnout of health professionals.

For the success of complete denture, three essential requirements such as retention, stability and support are needed. Moreover, due to the absorption of residual ridge and scarring due to the surgery, when making a complete denture, which is difficult to form the mandibular lingual margins, various considerations such as the arrangement of the Non-anatomical dl non-anatomical teeth, the polished surface impression, the internally weighted metal framework and the use of the denture adhesive cream are necessary. In this case report, the patient has a severely resorbed edentulous ridge from severe periodontitis and has some soft tissue problems after the glossectomy due to tongue cancer. To obtain additional retention and stability, some trials such as polished surface impression taking, internally weighted metal insertion and minimal pressure impression were done for the better result. Moreover To make a metal framework that precisely shapes the desired three-dimensional shape and reduces the complicated process, minimal pressure impression method and direct metal laser sintering technique were used.
Absorption ; Adhesives ; Cicatrix ; Denture, Complete ; Dentures ; Glossectomy ; Humans ; Methods ; Periodontitis ; Tongue Neoplasms ; Tooth