Hypoxia-induced increase in sphingomyelin synthase 2 aggravates ischemic skeletal muscle inflammation.

Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is the most advanced stage of peripheral arterial disease, posing a high risk of mortality. Sphingomyelin, a sphingolipid synthesized by sphingomyelin synthases (SMSs) 1 and 2, plays an essential role in signal transduction as a component of lipid rafts. However, the role of sphingomyelin in the inflammation of ischemic skeletal muscles remains unclear.

Association of interstitial lung abnormalities with cytotoxic agent-induced pneumonitis in patients with malignancy.

Background And Objective: The association between interstitial lung abnormalities (ILA) and various conditions and diseases, including drug-related pneumonitis (DRP), has been reported. However, the association of the presence of ILA with developing DRP in patients undergoing cytotoxic agent-based chemotherapy, one of the standard treatments for malignancies, remains unclear. This warrants urgent investigation.

Association between the HAL score and the development of progressive pulmonary fibrosis in idiopathic interstitial pneumonia: A prospective observational study.

Background: Progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) is a critical concern in interstitial lung disease (ILD) management. The HAL score, which incorporates honeycombing (H), age >75 years (A), and serum lactate dehydrogenase >222 U/L (L), can predict acute exacerbations in patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia (IIP). This study aims to evaluate the predictive utility of the HAL score for PPF development.

Early administration of anamorelin improves cancer cachexia in gastrointestinal cancer patients: an observational study.

To report the efficacy of anamorelin in patients with colorectal and gastric cancer with cachexia and in those receiving systemic chemotherapy. We retrospectively collected real-world data from patients diagnosed with colorectal and gastric cancers experiencing cachexia who were treated with anamorelin. We evaluated the efficacy of treatment by measuring the improvements in appetite and body weight (BW) gain.

USP2 Mitigates Reactive Oxygen Species-Induced Mitochondrial Damage via UCP2 Expression in Myoblasts.

Ubiquitin-specific protease 2 (USP2) maintains mitochondrial integrity in culture myoblasts. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the protective role of USP2 in mitochondria. The knockout (KO) of the gene or the chemical inhibition of USP2 induced a robust accumulation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), accompanied by defects in mitochondrial membrane potential, in C2C12 myoblasts.