Recommendation for use of a long-acting monoclonal antibody to prevent respiratory syncytial virus infection in infants and young children.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a leading cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) in infants and young children. In April 2024, the Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety approved nirsevimab (Beyfortus), a long-acting monoclonal antibody, as a passive immunization to prevent RSV-associated LRTI among infants and young children. Nirsevimab was launched in Korea in February 2025.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Serological Tests for Infections in Children with Pneumonia, Based on Symptom Onset.

Background: is a major cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in children, with a rising incidence of macrolide resistance. Early diagnosis is crucial for reducing the disease burden; however, current diagnostic tools have limitations. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of serological assays and their performance based on symptom onset in children with CAP.

A rare case report of epithelioid hemangioendothelioma of the left buttock: Challenges in diagnosis and management.

Rationale: Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare vascular malignancy which poses significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to its variable course and lack of standardized treatment protocols. In this case, the lesion's benign appearance and ambiguous histology delayed definitive diagnosis.

Patient Concerns: A 46-year-old woman presented with a recurrent soft tissue mass in the left buttock.

Loss of PCAF in proximal tubular cells exacerbates renal fibrosis by promoting partial epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

Renal fibrosis is a consequence of chronic kidney disease, which is estimated to affect 10-14% of the global population. The molecular mechanisms in the pathogenesis of renal fibrosis are still unclear, and there is a lack of effective therapies. Here we identified decreased levels of p300/CBP-associated factor (PCAF) in kidney tissues with fibrosis and demonstrated that PCAF-specific knockout in proximal tubular cells accelerates renal fibrosis in both unilateral ureteral obstruction surgery and folic acid-induced models.

Proportion of histologic component predicts lymph node metastasis risk in undifferentiated-type mucosal and submucosal gastric cancers.

Undifferentiated-type (UD-type) gastric cancer is associated with a high frequency of lymph node metastasis (LNM); however, recent reports indicate that LNM frequency varies according to specific histologic components. We conducted a multicenter study to define criteria for distinguishing low- and high-risk histology groups for LNM in UD-type gastric cancers. Histologic components were classified into four types: poorly cohesive signet ring cells (SRC), poorly cohesive non-signet ring cells (non-SRCs), poorly differentiated tubular (PD), and differentiated-type (D-type).

Increase of α-Synuclein in the Peripheral Blood of Subjects with Methamphetamine Use Disorder.

Objective: Methamphetamine (MA) use has created significant public health problems worldwide. Its chronic abuse causes neurotoxicity resulting in disruption of neural plasticity and early onset of neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, there is need for a biomarker to evaluate the neurotoxicity caused by MA.

Impact of a computed tomography-based artificial intelligence software on radiologists' workflow for detecting acute intracranial hemorrhage.

Purpose: To assess the impact of a commercially available computed tomography (CT)-based artificial intelligence (AI) software for detecting acute intracranial hemorrhage (AIH) on radiologists' diagnostic performance and workflow in a real-world clinical setting.

Methods: This retrospective study included a total of 956 non-contrast brain CT scans obtained over a 70-day period, interpreted independently by 2 board-certified general radiologists. Of these, 541 scans were interpreted during the initial 35 days before the implementation of AI software, and the remaining 415 scans were interpreted during the subsequent 35 days, with reference to AIH probability scores generated by the software.

Elevated triglyceride-glucose index, a surrogate marker of insulin resistance, is associated with a high risk of obstructive sleep apnea.

This study aimed to investigate the association between representative Insulin resistance (IR) surrogates and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The study consisted of 8606 adults from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2019-2021), a nationwide population-based database. The STOP-Bang questionnaire was used for assessing the risk of OSA.

Risk Factors for Unfavorable Angiographic Outcomes after Reconstructive Endovascular Treatments of Unruptured Vertebral Artery Dissecting Aneurysms.

Objective: To investigate the clinical and radiological features of unruptured vertebral artery dissecting aneurysms (uVADAs) treated with reconstructive endovascular techniques and to evaluate the risk factors associated with unfavorable radiological outcomes while focusing on the flow diversion effect.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 86 patients with uVADAs treated at a single tertiary center between January 2009 and December 2022. The patients were categorized into the flow diversion group (patients with uVADAs treated with a flow diverter or multiple stents) and the non-flow diversion group (patients with less than a single stent insertion).

Apoptotic Pathway in Intervertebral Disc Degeneration: From Molecular Pathways to Clinical Interventions.

Apoptosis plays a crucial role in the progression of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD), a significant cause of chronic low back pain. This review explores disc cell apoptosis's cellular and molecular mechanisms, focusing on nucleus pulposus, annulus fibrosus, and cartilage endplates cells. Apoptotic pathways-intrinsic (mitochondrial), extrinsic (death receptor-mediated), ER stress-mediated, and autophagy-related-are activated by oxidative stress, inflammation, mechanical load, and metabolic disturbances like hyperglycemia.

FloWise Flow Diverter for Treatment of Unruptured Wide-Neck Intracranial Aneurysms: A Prospective, Multicenter, Single-Arm, Open-Label, Pivotal Study.

Objective: We evaluated the safety and efficacy of a new flow diverter in the treatment of unruptured wide-neck aneurysms.

Materials And Methods: Patients who had unruptured intracranial aneurysms with a neck diameter ≥4 mm or dome-to-neck ratio <2 and who met other eligibility criteria were enrolled from seven institutions. The patients were treated with a new flow diverter (FloWise; Taewoong Medical, Seoul, Korea) and followed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment.

Association Between Cochlear Implants and Dementia in Severe-to-Profound Hearing Loss Patients: Results From the National Insurance Service Survey 2010-2020.

Objective: This study aims to investigate whether restoring hearing through a cochlear implant (CI) influences the risk of dementia development, using data obtained from the South Korea's National Health Information Database.

Study Design: A longitudinal follow-up study.

Setting: Data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service.

Cumulative in-hospital radiation dose in patients with acute ruptured intracranial aneurysm: a comparative analysis evaluating the effect of radiation dose reducing efforts.

Background: The cumulative impact of radiation dose reduction strategies in acute hospital settings remains underreported. This study quantifies and compares cumulative radiation exposure in patients with ruptured intracranial aneurysms before and after implementing dose reduction strategies.

Methods: This retrospective study included 166 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) due to ruptured intracranial aneurysms, comparing two time periods: pre-adjustment (July 2012-March 2013) and post-adjustment (January 2017-March 2022) of dose reduction strategies.

Cervical Pyogenic Spondylitis: A Comprehensive Review of Diagnosis and Treatment Strategy.

Cervical pyogenic spondylitis (CPS) is a rare but serious spinal infection with a high risk of neurological compromise due to the cervical spine's narrow canal and proximity to critical neurovascular structures. Early diagnosis relies on a high index of suspicion supported by MRI, inflammatory markers, blood cultures, and tissue biopsy. Empirical intravenous antibiotics remain the cornerstone of initial treatment, followed by pathogen-specific therapy.

Corneal hysteresis as a biomarker in glaucoma development among patients with myopia: a prospective study based on the UK Biobank.

Background/aims: We investigated the impact of potential risk factors on the development of incident glaucoma in individuals with myopia.

Methods: This prospective cohort study investigated participants aged 40-69 years from the UK Biobank. Participants were classified based on the degree of myopia: non-myopic (spherical equivalent (SE)≤-0.

Socioeconomic Inequalities in Intention to Quit Smoking Plan Among Korean Adults, 2016-2021.

Smoking is the largest preventable cause of cancer morbidity and mortality; however, the smoking prevalence in Korea remains high. Several studies have shown that health behaviors vary by socioeconomic status, indicating that similar inequalities would be found in smoking behavior. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the disparities in smoking cessation intention according to socioeconomic status.

Choosing the right treatment for degenerative cervical myelopathy.

Degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is a progressive degenerative disorder of the spinal cord that can lead to significant and irreversible neurological deficits if left untreated. Determining the most appropriate treatment strategy requires a thorough assessment of disease severity, patient-specific factors, and comparative benefits of surgical versus non-surgical interventions. Conservative treatment, including physical therapy, pharmacological treatment, and lifestyle modifications, might be considered for patients with mild symptoms and those deemed unsuitable for surgery.

Whole slide image-level classification of malignant effusion cytology using clustering-constrained attention multiple instance learning.

Background: Cytological diagnosis of pleural effusion plays an important role in the early detection and diagnosis of lung cancers. Recently, attempts have been made to overcome low diagnostic accuracy and interobserver variability using artificial intelligence-based image analysis. However, such analysis is primarily performed at the image-patch level and not at the whole-slide image (WSI) level.

Pain Lateralization in Cluster Headache and Associated Clinical Factors.

Background And Purpose: The pain lateralization in cluster headache (CH) may be related to the asymmetry in the functions of the brain hemispheres. The right-sided dominance of pain in CH has been found inconsistently across studies, and so we aimed to characterize this and identify the factors influencing pain lateralization during current and previous bouts.

Methods: This study enrolled 227 patients from the Korean Cluster Headache Registry between October 2018 and December 2020.

Treatment Strategy for Subaxial Minimal Facet/Lateral Mass Fractures: A Comprehensive Clinical Review.

Minimal facet and lateral mass fractures of the subaxial cervical spine (C3-C7) are a distinct subset of spinal injuries that present diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. These fractures often result from low-energy trauma or hyperextension mechanisms. They are frequently stable.

A Comparison of the Safety and Efficacy of Remimazolam and Dexmedetomidine for Sedation in Surgical Patients Under Regional Anesthesia: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

: This meta-analysis compares the safety and efficacy of remimazolam and dexmedetomidine for sedation during regional anesthesia, focusing on respiratory and hemodynamic outcomes. : A systematic search of CENTRAL, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science up to November 2024 identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing remimazolam with dexmedetomidine. Outcomes included respiratory depression (primary outcome), bradycardia, hypotension, hypertension, respiratory and heart rates, mean arterial pressure, sedation onset time, emergence time, and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV).

Comparison of the Safety and Efficacy of Remimazolam and Propofol for Sedation in Adults Undergoing Colonoscopy: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

: This meta-analysis evaluates the safety and efficacy of remimazolam versus propofol for sedation during colonoscopy, focusing on hemodynamic and respiratory outcomes. : A comprehensive search of CENTRAL, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science up to January 2025 identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Outcomes included hypotension (primary outcome), bradycardia, respiratory depression, injection pain, sedation onset time, emergence time, procedure success rate, and recovery room stay.

Competency-Based Neurosurgical Residency Training Program in Korea.

A proposed program for competency-based neurosurgery training was presented for adaptation to a specialized project. The core of this training program is to reflect the contents of medicine that develop in the ordinary competency course necessary during the training period of residency and to systematize the training curriculum focused on competency. For that, the Development project of the competency-based training program for neurosurgical residency was conducted under the leadership of the Training Education Committee (TEC) under the Korean Neurosurgical Society (KNS), with the support of the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

GPT-4 generated psychological reports in psychodynamic perspective: a pilot study on quality, risk of hallucination and client satisfaction.

Background: Recently, there have been active proposals on how to utilize large language models (LLMs) in the fields of psychiatry and counseling. It would be interesting to develop programs with LLMs that generate psychodynamic assessments to help individuals gain insights about themselves, and to evaluate the features of such services. However, studies on this subject are rare.

Reoperation Strategy for Failure of Cervical Disc Arthroplasty at Index and Adjacent Levels.

Cervical disc arthroplasty (CDA) is a motion-preserving alternative to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) for cervical degenerative disease, reducing adjacent segment degenerative disease (ASD). Despite its benefits, some patients experience CDA failure due to prosthesis-related complications, heterotopic ossification, segmental kyphosis, ASD, or facet joint degeneration, necessitating revision surgery. Reoperation strategies depend on the failure mechanism, instability, sagittal malalignment, and neural compression.