Objective: Cognitive impairment is common in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), and few pharmacological options are available for treating this condition. We evaluated the effects of a digital cognitive training program (SUPERBRAIN), which was previously shown to be effective in populations at risk of Alzheimer’s disease, on cognitive function in individuals with PD. Methods: Twenty-three individuals with PD and mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) from four clinics were randomized to the intervention (n=16) or control (n=7) groups. The intervention group completed a 12-week, home-based, tablet-based cognitive training program (25–30 min/day, 7 days/week). Cognitive outcomes were assessed using the Seoul Neuropsychological Screening Battery pre- and post-intervention. Results: The adherence rate was 79.36%. The intervention group showed significant improvements in the Seoul Verbal Learning Test (SVLT) delayed recall and the Controlled Oral Word Association Test, while no changes were observed in the control group. Analysis of covariance confirmed greater SVLT improvement in the intervention group (F statistic=7.15, p=0.015, partial η2=0.28). Conclusion SUPERBRAIN is feasible and can improve cognitive function in individuals with PD-MCI.

Purpose: Even though pazopanib, a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been approved for refractory soft tissue sarcoma (STS), little is known about the molecular determinants of the response to pazopanib. We performed integrative molecular characterization to identify potential predictors of pazopanib efficacy. Materials and Methods: We obtained fresh pre-treatment tumor tissue from 35 patients with advanced STS receiving pazopanib-based treatment. Among those, 18 (51.4%) received pazopanib monotherapy, and the remaining 17 (48.6%) received pazopanib in combination with durvalumab, programmed death-ligand 1 blockade. Whole-exome and transcriptome sequencing were performed for each tumor and patient germline DNA. Results: Of the 35 patients receiving pazopanib-based treatment, nine achieved a partial response (PR), resulting in an objective response rate (ORR) of 27.3%, and the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 6.0 months. Patients with CDK4 amplification (copy ratio tumor to normal > 2) exhibited shorter PFS (3.7 vs. 7.9 months, p=2.09×10–4) and a poorer response (ORR; 0% vs. 33.3%) compared to those without a gene amplification (copy ratio ≤ 2). Moreover, non-responders demonstrated transcriptional activation of CDK4 via DNA amplification, resulting in cell cycle activation. In the durvalumab combination cohort, seven of the 17 patients (41.2%) achieved a PR, and gene expression analysis revealed that durvalumab responders exhibited high immune/stromal cell infiltration, mainly comprising natural killer cells, compared to non-responders as well as increased expression of CD19, a B-cell marker. Conclusion Despite the limitation of heterogeneity in the study population and treatment, we identified possible molecular predictors of pazopanib efficacy that can be employed in future clinical trials aimed at evaluating therapeutic strategies.

Background: Since prediabetes is a risk factor for metabolic syndromes, it is important to promote a healthy lifestyle to prevent prediabetes. This study aimed to determine the effects of green coffee (GC), chlorogenic acid (CGA) intake, and exercise training (EX) on hepatic lipid metabolism in prediabetes male C57BL/6 mice. Methods: Forty-nine mice were randomly divided into two groups feeding with a normal diet (n=7) or a high-fat diet (HFD, n=42) for 12 weeks. Then, HFD mice were further divided into six groups (n=7/group): control (pre-D), GC, CGA, EX, GC+EX, and CGA+EX. After additional 10 weeks under the same diet, plasma, and liver samples were obtained. Results: HFD-induced prediabetes conditions with increases in body weight, glucose, insulin, insulin resistance, and lipid profiles were alleviated in all treatment groups. Acsl3, a candidate gene identified through an in silico approach, was lowered in the pre-D group, while treatments partly restored it. HFD induced adverse alterations of de novo lipogenesis- and β oxidation-associated molecules in the liver. However, GC and CGA supplementation and EX reversed or ameliorated these changes. In most cases, GC or CGA supplementation combined with EX has no synergistic effect and the GC group had similar results to the CGA group. Conclusion These findings suggest that regular exercise is an effective non-therapeutic approach for prediabetes, and CGA supplementation could be an alternative to partially mimic the beneficial effects of exercise on prediabetes.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for approximately 30% of all deaths worldwide and its prevalence is constantly increasing despite advancements in medical treatments. Cardiac remodeling and dysfunction are independent risk factors for CVD. Recent studies have demonstrated that cardiac structure and function are genetically influenced, suggesting that understanding the genetic basis for cardiac structure and function could provide new insights into developing novel therapeutic targets for CVD. Regular exercise has long been considered a robust nontherapeutic method of treating or preventing CVD. However, recent studies also indicate that there is inter-individual variation in response to exercise. Nevertheless, the genetic basis for cardiac structure and function as well as their responses to exercise training have yet to be fully elucidated. Therefore, this review summarizes accumulated evidence supporting the genetic contribution to these traits, including findings from population-based studies and unbiased large genomic-scale studies in humans.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for approximately 30% of all deaths worldwide and its prevalence is constantly increasing despite advancements in medical treatments. Cardiac remodeling and dysfunction are independent risk factors for CVD. Recent studies have demonstrated that cardiac structure and function are genetically influenced, suggesting that understanding the genetic basis for cardiac structure and function could provide new insights into developing novel therapeutic targets for CVD. Regular exercise has long been considered a robust nontherapeutic method of treating or preventing CVD. However, recent studies also indicate that there is inter-individual variation in response to exercise. Nevertheless, the genetic basis for cardiac structure and function as well as their responses to exercise training have yet to be fully elucidated. Therefore, this review summarizes accumulated evidence supporting the genetic contribution to these traits, including findings from population-based studies and unbiased large genomic-scale studies in humans.

The purpose of this study was to characterize the genetic contribution to endothelial adaptation to exercise training. Vasoreactivity was assessed in aortas from four inbred mouse strains (129S1, B6, NON, and SJL) after 4 weeks of moderate intensity continuous exercise training (MOD), high intensity interval training (HIT) or in sedentary controls (SED). Intrinsic variations in endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation (EDR) to acetylcholine (ACh) as well as vasocontractile responses were observed across SED groups. For responses to exercise training, there was a significant interaction between mouse strain and training intensity on EDR. Exercise training had no effect on EDR in aortas from 129S1 and B6 mice. In NON, EDR was improved in aortas from MOD and HIT compared with respective SED, accompanied by diminished responses to PE in those groups. Interestingly, EDR was impaired in aorta from SJL HIT compared with SED. The transcriptional activation of endothelial genes was also influenced by the interaction between mouse strain and training intensity. The number of genes altered by HIT was greater than MOD, and there was little overlap between genes altered by HIT and MOD. HIT was associated with gene pathways for inflammatory responses. NON MOD genes showed enrichment for vessel growth pathways. These findings indicate that exercise training has non-uniform effects on endothelial function and transcriptional activation of endothelial genes depending on the interaction between genetic background and training intensity.
Acetylcholine ; Animals ; Aorta ; Endothelium ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Genetic Background ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred Strains ; Transcriptional Activation ; Vasodilation

PURPOSE: Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are a rare subtype of sarcoma that occur spontaneously or in association with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1). This study aimed to clinically differentiate these types of MPNSTs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study reviewed 95 patients diagnosed with and treated for MPNST at Yonsei University Health System, Seoul, Korea over a 27-year period. The clinical characteristics, prognostic factors, and treatment outcomes of sporadic MPNST (sMPNST) and NF-1 associated MPNST (NF-MPNST) cases were compared. RESULTS: Patients with NF-MPNST had a significantly lower median age (32 years vs. 45 years for sMPNST, p=0.012), significantly larger median tumor size (8.2 cm vs. 5.0 cm for sMPNST, p < 0.001), and significantly larger numbers of imaging studies and surgeries (p=0.004 and p < 0.001, respectively). The 10-year overall survival (OS) rate of the patients with MPNST was 52±6%. Among the patients with localized MPNST, patients with NF-MPNST had a significantly lower 10-year OS rate (45±11% vs. 60±8% for sMPNST, p=0.046). Univariate analysis revealed the resection margin, pathology grade, and metastasis to be significant factors affecting the OS (p=0.001, p=0.020, and p < 0.001, respectively). Multivariate analysis of the patients with localized MPNST identified R2 resection and G1 as significant prognostic factors for OS. CONCLUSION: NF-MPNST has different clinical features from sMPNST and requires more careful management. Further study will be needed to develop specific management plans for NF-MPNST.
Humans ; Korea ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Neurilemmoma* ; Neurofibromatoses* ; Neurofibromatosis 1* ; Pathology ; Sarcoma ; Seoul

Extramammary Paget disease (EMPD) is a rare cutaneous neoplasm. Perianal Paget disease (PPD) is a subset of EMPD manifesting perianal lesions. Two cases of PPD in Severance Hospital are described in this article. A 65-year-old female and 78-year-old male patients visited our institution because of an unhealed perianal skin lesion despite treatment for a long period with topical agents. PPD was diagnosed by skin biopsies in both cases, and the patients underwent surgical treatment. Clinical manifestations, preoperative work-ups, and surgical treatments including different reconstruction methods are described in detail. As only sporadic PPD cases have been reported and no standard treatment has been established, we hope that our experience could contribute to improving the diagnosis and treatment of PPD patients.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Hope ; Humans ; Male ; Paget Disease, Extramammary ; Skin

Extramammary Paget disease (EMPD) is a rare cutaneous neoplasm. Perianal Paget disease (PPD) is a subset of EMPD manifesting perianal lesions. Two cases of PPD in Severance Hospital are described in this article. A 65-year-old female and 78-year-old male patients visited our institution because of an unhealed perianal skin lesion despite treatment for a long period with topical agents. PPD was diagnosed by skin biopsies in both cases, and the patients underwent surgical treatment. Clinical manifestations, preoperative work-ups, and surgical treatments including different reconstruction methods are described in detail. As only sporadic PPD cases have been reported and no standard treatment has been established, we hope that our experience could contribute to improving the diagnosis and treatment of PPD patients.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Hope ; Humans ; Male ; Paget Disease, Extramammary ; Skin

PURPOSE: Previous studies have shown the role of Sal-like protein 4 (SALL4) as a biomarker in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and some studies have shown the relationship between SALL4 and prognosis. Given the debates in study groups differences in terms of etiologic causes between Western and Asian HCC and detection methods, we attempted to verify the features of SALL4 immunoreactivity and its clinical correlation in Korean HCC patients. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining of SALL4 of tissue microarrays (TMAs) consisting of 213 surgically resected HCC patients' tissue were scored in a semiquantitative scoring system with immunoreactive score and the results analyzed with clinical outcome, in addition to general demographics and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: SALL4 immunoreactivity was expressed in 50 cases. Relevance between SALL4 and α-FP correlated significantly (P = 0.002). Also, the SALL4-positive patients had considerably higher tumor grade (P < 0.001). The survival analysis showed negative correlation with SALL4 immunoreactivity in all HCC patient groups, but SALL4 immunoreactivity in T3 and T4 HCC correlated with poor prognosis. CONCLUSION: Here, we found that positive immunostaining of SALL4 is correlated with poor patient survival outcome in large and undifferentiated Korean HCC. SALL4 expression showed close relationship with clinical outcomes of HCCs in Korean patients.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Demography ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Microarray Analysis ; Prognosis