Protective effects of 10 °C preservation on donor lungs with lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury.

Objectives: Hypothermic lung preservation at 10 °C has been recently shown to enhance quality of healthy donor lungs during ischemia. This study aims to show generalizability of the 10 °C lung preservation using an endotoxin-induced lung injury with specific focus on the benefits of post-transplant lung function and mitochondrial preservation.

Methods: Lipopolysaccharide (3 mg/kg) was injected intratracheally in rats to induce lung injury.

Metabolomic studies reveal an organ-protective hibernation state in donor lungs preserved at 10 °C.

Objective: Previous reports showed enhanced graft function in both healthy and injured porcine lungs after preservation at 10 °C. The objective of the study is to elucidate the mechanism of lung protection by 10 °C and identify potential therapeutic targets to improve organ preservation.

Methods: Metabolomics data were analyzed from healthy and injured porcine lungs that underwent extended hypothermic preservation on ice and at 10 °C.

Effectiveness of transabdominal ultrasonography in predicting clinical relapse of Crohn's disease.

Background/aims: Transabdominal ultrasonography (US) helps evaluate Crohn's disease (CD) activity. We investigated whether the US could predict subsequent adverse outcomes for patients with CD in clinical remission.

Methods: This single-center retrospective study included patients with CD in clinical remission who underwent US between April 2011 and April 2021, focusing on the predictability of subsequent adverse outcomes within 5 years.

Establishment of an Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion Rat Model for Translational Insights in Lung Transplantation.

Since the establishment of lung transplantation as a therapeutic strategy for advanced lung diseases, the scientific community is faced with the problem of a low number of lungs considered viable for the donation process. In recent decades, however, this scenario has been positively changed, given the development of ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) as a strategy for evaluating and reconditioning marginal lungs. The establishment of EVLP in large transplant centers has favored an increase in the number of lung transplants, both by increasing the diagnostic accuracy of lung function and by constituting an effective platform for the reconditioning of lung grafts.

Organization of atrial fibrillation using a pure sodium channel blocker: Implications of rotor ablation therapy.

Background: Rotors are the source of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the ablation of rotors for persistent AF is challenging. The purpose of this study was to identify the dominant rotor by accelerating the organization of AF using a sodium channel blocker and detecting the rotor's preferential area that governs AF.

Reduction of donor mononuclear phagocytes with clodronate-liposome during ex vivo lung perfusion attenuates ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Objectives: Clodronate-liposome is used for depleting mononuclear phagocytes associated with ischemia-reperfusion injury. We hypothesized that administration of clodronate-liposome into the perfusate during ex vivo lung perfusion could reduce mononuclear phagocytes and attenuate ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Methods: First, the number of mononuclear phagocytes in flushed grafts (minimum cold ischemic time, 6-hour cold ischemic time, 15-hour cold ischemic time, and 18-hour cold ischemic time; n = 6 each) was determined using flow cytometry.

Prognostic role of preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen level in part-solid lung adenocarcinoma.

Background: Part-solid lung adenocarcinoma appears as a heterogeneous subgroup, and its surgical management is controversial. This study aimed to elucidate whether preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen, a time-honored tumor marker, can be used as a prognostic factor that contributes to its management.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients with clinical-T1a-cN0M0 part-solid adenocarcinoma who underwent surgical resection between January 2011 and December 2015 at two institutions.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor prevents skeletal muscle fibrosis in diabetic mice.

New Findings: What is the central question of this study? We questioned whether an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor prevents skeletal muscle fibrosis in diabetic mice. What is the main finding and its importance? Administration of ACE inhibitor prevents the increase in skeletal muscle fibrosis during the early phase after induction of diabetes by streptozotocin. Our findings might provide a new therapeutic target for skeletal muscle abnormalities in diabetes.

Living-Donor Lung Transplantation for Dyskeratosis Congenita.

This report describes 2 cases of dyskeratosis congenita in patients with progressive pulmonary diseases who required urgent living-donor lung transplantations. In the first case, a 13-year-old boy underwent bone marrow transplantation for aplastic anemia at age of 6 years. Severe pulmonary right-to-left shunting and fibrosis developed, and his condition deteriorated with acute fibrosis exacerbation and increased intrapulmonary shunt.

Clinical Impact and Associated Factors of Delayed Ambulation in Patients With Acute Heart Failure.

In heart failure (HF) management, early ambulation is recommended to prevent physical deconditioning. The effects of delayed ambulation on later clinical outcomes and the factors linked to delayed ambulation in hospitalized HF patients, however, remain unestablished. We retrospectively investigated 101 patients (mean age, 66±17 years) who were hospitalized for acute decompensated HF.

Crohn's Disease Activity Evaluation by Transabdominal Ultrasonography: Correlation with Double-Balloon Endoscopy.

Objectives: Transabdominal ultrasonography (US) has been reported as a useful tool for evaluating Crohn's disease (CD) activity. Endoscopic findings and Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI) are currently considered the gold standard for assessing CD activity. We assessed the correlation between US and double-balloon endoscopy (DBE), and CDAI for evaluating CD activity.

A case of immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated gastroenteritis detected by ultrasonography.

While immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have antitumor effects, they also have characteristic side effects, including colitis. However, gastritis has rarely been reported. We report a case of a patient with lung adenocarcinoma who presented with epigastric pain and diarrhea following pembrolizumab administration.

Effectiveness of administering zinc acetate hydrate to patients with inflammatory bowel disease and zinc deficiency: a retrospective observational two-center study.

Background/aims: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients frequently have zinc deficiency. IBD patients with zinc deficiency have higher risks of IBD-related hospitalization, complications, and requiring surgery. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of zinc acetate hydrate (ZAH; Nobelzin) in IBD patients with zinc deficiency.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced enteritis assessed using capsule endoscopy.

We performed capsule endoscopy for a patient with immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced enteritis and found multiple erosions or small ulcers in the small intestine. No reports demonstrated the effectiveness of capsule endoscopy for immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced gastrointestinal adverse events, and our case suggests that capsule endoscopy may be useful to evaluate immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced enteritis.

Chronic Diarrhea as the Presenting Feature of Amyloidosis with Multiple Myeloma: A Case Report Diagnosed by a Myocardial Biopsy.

A 73-year-old woman with a history of diarrhea for one year and other various symptoms was admitted to our hospital. Gastrointestinal endoscopy that included enteroscopy with multiple biopsies was performed. However, no significant findings were observed.

Updated long-term outcomes of salvage surgery after stereotactic body radiotherapy for early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer.

There is dearth of data regarding the long-term survival outcomes of salvage surgery after stereotactic body radiotherapy for early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer, as previous studies have included a short follow-up period. There is also scarce information on the management of re-relapse in previous studies. This study examined the long-term survival outcomes of patients who underwent salvage surgery for isolated local relapse (LR).

Type 2 diabetes is an independent predictor of lowered peak aerobic capacity in heart failure patients with non-reduced or reduced left ventricular ejection fraction.

Background: Although type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the most frequent comorbidities in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), the effects of T2DM on the exercise capacity of CHF patients are fully unknown. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the coexistence of T2DM lowers CHF patients' peak aerobic capacity.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the cases of 275 Japanese CHF patients with non-reduced ejection fraction (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] ≥ 40%) or reduced EF (LVEF < 40%) who underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

Inhibition of xanthine oxidase in the acute phase of myocardial infarction prevents skeletal muscle abnormalities and exercise intolerance.

Aims: Exercise intolerance in patients with heart failure (HF) is partly attributed to skeletal muscle abnormalities. We have shown that reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a crucial role in skeletal muscle abnormalities, but the pathogenic mechanism remains unclear. Xanthine oxidase (XO) is reported to be an important mediator of ROS overproduction in ischaemic tissue.

Survival outcomes of resection for pulmonary malignancies including non-small cell lung cancer and pulmonary metastasis after esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma.

Objectives: This study investigated survival outcomes of resection for pulmonary malignancies after esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma, comparing non-small cell lung cancer and pulmonary metastases.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients who underwent resection for pulmonary malignancies after esophagectomy for esophageal carcinoma between 2009 and 2018. The overall survival and relapse-free survival rate were assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis.

Branched-chain amino acid supplementation ameliorates angiotensin II-induced skeletal muscle atrophy.

Aims: Sarcopenia is characterized by muscle mass and strength loss and reduced physical activity. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) were recently described as an activator of protein synthesis via mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling for muscle atrophy. In cardiovascular diseases, excessive activation of the renin-angiotensin system may induce an imbalance of protein synthesis and degradation, and this plays a crucial role in muscle atrophy.

Serum Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels Are Associated with Skeletal Muscle Function but Not with Muscle Mass in Patients with Heart Failure.

Heart failure (HF) is associated with aberrant skeletal muscle impairments, which are closely linked to the severity of HF. A low level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a myokine produced in the skeletal muscle, is known to be involved in reduced exercise capacity and poor prognosis in HF. However, little is known about the factors or conditions of skeletal muscle associated with BDNF levels.

Empagliflozin restores lowered exercise endurance capacity via the activation of skeletal muscle fatty acid oxidation in a murine model of heart failure.

Decreased exercise capacity, which is an independent predictor of the poor prognosis of patients with heart failure (HF), is attributed to markedly impaired skeletal muscle mitochondrial function and fatty acid oxidation. Previous studies reported that the administration of an inhibitor of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) increases ketone body production and fat utilization in type 2 diabetic mice. In this study, we investigated the effects of SGLT2 inhibitor administration on exercise endurance and skeletal muscle mitochondrial function with fatty acid oxidation in a murine model of HF after the induction of myocardial infarction (MI).

Prognostic factors related to postoperative survival in the newly classified clinical T4 lung cancer.

Objectives: T4 lung cancer has become a more heterogeneous group since the 8th edition of tumour, node, metastasis classification. The aim of this study was to identify predictive factors related to post-surgical survival in patients with clinical T4 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), based on the 8th edition of the classification.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients with clinical T4 NSCLC who underwent resection between January 2006 and December 2016, to identify factors associated with overall survival.

Enhanced Echo Intensity of Skeletal Muscle Is Associated With Exercise Intolerance in Patients With Heart Failure.

Background: Skeletal muscle is quantitatively and qualitatively impaired in patients with heart failure (HF), which is closely linked to lowered exercise capacity. Ultrasonography (US) for skeletal muscle has emerged as a useful, noninvasive tool to evaluate muscle quality and quantity. Here we investigated whether muscle quality based on US-derived echo intensity (EI) is associated with exercise capacity in patients with HF.