Huntington’s disease (HD) has become a target of the first clinical trials for gene therapy among movement disorders with a genetic origin. More than 100 clinical trials regarding HD have been tried, but all failed, although there were some improvements limited to symptomatic support. Compared to other neurogenetic disorders, HD is known to have a single genetic target. Thus, this is an advantage and its cure is more feasible than any other movement disorder with heterogeneous genetic causes. In this review paper, the authors attempt to cover the characteristics of HD itself while providing an overview of the gene transfer methods currently being researched, and will introduce an experimental trial with a preclinical model of HD followed by an update on the ongoing clinical trials for patients with HD.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to examine the differences in food literacy between adults and older adults and the association of food literacy with food group intake. METHODS: In total, 4,039 participants from the 2021 Survey for Food Consumption in Seoul were included in this study. The intake of whole grains, high-protein foods, total vegetables, vegetables excluding kimchi and pickles, fresh fruits, and milk and dairy products was assessed using a simple food frequency questionnaire. Food literacy was measured using a food literacy measurement questionnaire. RESULTS: With the exception of milk and dairy, adults had a significantly higher proportion of insufficient food intake than older adults (p<0.001). Both adults and older adults with sufficient food group consumption had higher food literacy scores. Notably, the difference in food literacy scores by level of food intake was highest for fresh fruits (p<0.001). After adjusting for confounding factors affecting food literacy scores, a higher score was associated with a lower probability of having insufficient food intake in all food groups for both adults and older adults. Specifically, those in the highest food literacy score quartile were less likely to have insufficient intake of vegetables (odds ratio [OR], 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28 to 0.43) and fresh fruits (OR, 0.32; 95% CI, 0.24 to 0.43), compared to the lowest quartile. CONCLUSIONS Improving food literacy is an important factor for promoting healthy food intake in older adults as well as adults. Therefore, it is necessary to develop intervention programs to work toward this goal.

Severe portopulmonary hypertension (PPHT) is considered a contraindication for liver transplantation (LT) because of the associated high mortality and poor prognosis. We report the case of a 57-year-old cirrhotic woman with severe PPHT (mean pulmonary artery pressure [mPAP] > 65 mmHg), who underwent a successful living donor LT. Intra-operative use of inhaled iloprost, milrinone, dobutamine, and postoperative use of inhaled nitric oxide and oral sildenafil failed to lower the pulmonary artery pressure (PAP). The patient responded only to nitroglycerin and drainage of massive ascites. Meticulous intra-operative volume control, which included minimizing blood loss and subsequent transfusion, was carried out. The use of vasopressors, which may have elevated the PAP, was strictly restricted. Intra-operative PAP did not show an increase, and the hemodynamics was maintained within relatively normal range, compared to the preoperative state. The patient was discharged without any complications or related symptoms.
Ascites ; Dobutamine ; Drainage ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Iloprost ; Liver Transplantation* ; Living Donors ; Middle Aged ; Milrinone ; Mortality ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitroglycerin ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Artery ; Reference Values ; Sildenafil Citrate

Purpose: Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) play a significant role in modern diets but are associated with various health risks, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.This study examined the consumption patterns of UPFs among middle-aged adults, older adults, and the oldest older adults in South Korea to identify the key food sources contributing to UPF intake using the Korean NOVA classification system. Methods: Data from the 2016–2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed for 13,396 participants aged 40 years and older. Individuals with extreme energy intakes, serious diseases, or incomplete dietary records were excluded. The UPF intake levels were categorized into quartiles (Q1–Q4) based on the proportion of energy derived from UPFs, excluding individuals who did not consume UPFs. Results: In all age groups, the group with a high proportion of UPF consumption tended to have higher energy and macronutrient intake but lower micronutrient intake. The UPFs contributing significantly to energy intake were primarily alcohol and grain-based products.On the other hand, the energy contribution from UPFs based on legumes, milk, and dairy products tended to increase as the level of UPF consumption increased, and this trend was more significant with increasing age. Conclusion This study identified the differences in UPF consumption patterns across age groups and highlighted the importance of selective consumption based on the types of UPFs.

Purpose: Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) play a significant role in modern diets but are associated with various health risks, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.This study examined the consumption patterns of UPFs among middle-aged adults, older adults, and the oldest older adults in South Korea to identify the key food sources contributing to UPF intake using the Korean NOVA classification system. Methods: Data from the 2016–2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed for 13,396 participants aged 40 years and older. Individuals with extreme energy intakes, serious diseases, or incomplete dietary records were excluded. The UPF intake levels were categorized into quartiles (Q1–Q4) based on the proportion of energy derived from UPFs, excluding individuals who did not consume UPFs. Results: In all age groups, the group with a high proportion of UPF consumption tended to have higher energy and macronutrient intake but lower micronutrient intake. The UPFs contributing significantly to energy intake were primarily alcohol and grain-based products.On the other hand, the energy contribution from UPFs based on legumes, milk, and dairy products tended to increase as the level of UPF consumption increased, and this trend was more significant with increasing age. Conclusion This study identified the differences in UPF consumption patterns across age groups and highlighted the importance of selective consumption based on the types of UPFs.

Purpose: Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) play a significant role in modern diets but are associated with various health risks, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.This study examined the consumption patterns of UPFs among middle-aged adults, older adults, and the oldest older adults in South Korea to identify the key food sources contributing to UPF intake using the Korean NOVA classification system. Methods: Data from the 2016–2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed for 13,396 participants aged 40 years and older. Individuals with extreme energy intakes, serious diseases, or incomplete dietary records were excluded. The UPF intake levels were categorized into quartiles (Q1–Q4) based on the proportion of energy derived from UPFs, excluding individuals who did not consume UPFs. Results: In all age groups, the group with a high proportion of UPF consumption tended to have higher energy and macronutrient intake but lower micronutrient intake. The UPFs contributing significantly to energy intake were primarily alcohol and grain-based products.On the other hand, the energy contribution from UPFs based on legumes, milk, and dairy products tended to increase as the level of UPF consumption increased, and this trend was more significant with increasing age. Conclusion This study identified the differences in UPF consumption patterns across age groups and highlighted the importance of selective consumption based on the types of UPFs.

A 13-year-old, Maltese dog presented with syncope and lethargy. Abdominal ultrasonography demonstrated anechoic peritoneal effusion and hepatic congestion. A focal echogenic round mass compressing the right ventricle and atrium was observed on echocardiography. Cardiac tamponade and right ventricular outflow tract obstruction occurred. On computed tomography, a homogeneous soft-tissue structure compressing the right chamber without contrast enhancement, suspected to be loculated pericardial effusion. During pericardiocentesis, cardiac tamponade was resolved, and irregular pericardial thickening was noted. Pericardial effusion was exudate and gram-positive bacterial colonies were observed on cytology. A diagnosis of fibrinous pericarditis secondary to bacterial infection was established.

With increasing prevalence of thyroid nodules, clinicians are increasingly impelled to identify the optimal predictor of thyroid cancer, with the goal of guiding management based on assessed risk. Fine-needle aspiration cytology is the gold standard diagnostic method for thyroid nodules. However, fine-needle aspiration cytology is not perfect and adjuncts which might complement its predictive value are being investigated from several innovative perspectives. For these vigorous efforts, remarkable advances have been achieved in understanding several major biologic areas of thyroid cancer, including the molecular alterations for loss of radioiodine avidity of thyroid cancer, the pathogenic role of the MAP kinase and PI3K/Akt pathways and their related genetic alterations in thyroid tumorigenesis and pathogenesis. These exciting advances provide unprecedented opportunities for development of molecular-based novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for thyroid cancer. The common somatic genetic changes in thyroid cancer of follicular cell origin (RET/PTC, NTRK, RAS, BRAF, PAX8-PPARgamma) are generally mutually exclusive, with distinct genotype-histologic subtype associations of thyroid cancer. Mutation analysis in fine needle aspiration samples has been applied to improve the diagnostic accuracy. In studies regarding gene expression profiling, aberrant gene methylation and miRNA have shown significant progress toward identification of biomarkers that could improve the accuracy of fine needle aspiration cytology in the evaluation of patients with thyroid nodule and prediction of disease aggressiveness. Future clinical trials evaluating the accuracy and cost-effectiveness of applying these biomarkers in the management of thyroid neoplasm should be considered.
Biomarkers ; Biopsy, Fine-Needle ; Carcinogenesis ; Complement System Proteins ; Diagnosis* ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Humans ; Methylation ; MicroRNAs ; Phosphotransferases ; Prevalence ; Thyroid Gland* ; Thyroid Neoplasms* ; Thyroid Nodule

A 14-year-old, spayed female, poodle was presented with dysuria and hematuria. A mass that appeared hypoechoic on ultrasound and hypoattenuating on computed tomography (CT) extended from the bladder neck to the urethra. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed the mass invading the muscular layer of the bladder, urethra, and prostate with distinct margins. Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) was confirmed with the CADET-BRAF test. This study describes the CT and MRI features of suspected TCC lesions involving the bladder, prostate, and urethra. MRI showed superior soft tissue contrast resolution, enabling evaluation of invasion of the muscular layer of the bladder and urethra.