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J Endocr Soc 2022 Aug 29;6(8):bvac084. Epub 2022 May 29.

Department of Pharmacology, College of Dentistry and Research Institute of Oral Science, Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangwondo 25457, Republic of Korea.

Undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOCN) has been considered to be an important endocrine factor, especially to regulate bone and energy metabolism. Even with the mounting evidence showing the consistent inverse correlation of ucOCN levels in chronic inflammatory diseases, however, the mechanism underlying the involvement of ucOCN in the muscular inflammation has not been fully understood. In the present study, we explored 1) the endocrine role of ucOCN in the regulation of inflammation in C2C12 myoblasts and primary myoblasts and the underlying intracellular signaling mechanisms, and 2) whether G protein-coupled receptor family C group 6 member A (GPRC6A) is the ucOCN-sensing receptor associated with the ucOCN-mediated anti-inflammatory signaling pathway in myoblasts. Read More

Metabolites 2022 Apr 29;12(5). Epub 2022 Apr 29.

Laboratory of Endocrine Physiology and Physical Exercise, Department of Physiological Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos 13565-905, São Paulo, Brazil.

A deficit of estrogen is associated with energy substrate imbalance, raising the risk of metabolic diseases. Physical training (PT) is a potent metabolic regulator through oxidation and storage of substrates transported by GLUT4 and FAT CD36 in skeletal muscle. However, little is known about the effects of PT on these carriers in an estrogen-deficit scenario. Read More

Environ Sci Technol 2022 May 26. Epub 2022 May 26.

Institute of Quality Standard and Testing Technology for Agro-Products, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100098, People's Republic of China.

The central nervous system (CNS) is a sensitive target for endocrine-disrupting chemicals, such as bisphenol analogues. Bisphenol A (BPA) usage is associated with the occurrence of many neurological diseases. With the restricted use of BPA, bisphenol F (BPF) has been greatly introduced for industrial manufacture and brings new hazards to public CNS health. Read More

Mol Genet Genomics 2022 May 25. Epub 2022 May 25.

Department of Paediatric Endocrinology/Genetics, Xinhua Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.

The survival of motor neuron (SMN) genes, SMN1 and SMN2, are two highly homologous genes related to spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). Different patterns of alternative splicing have been observed in the SMN genes. In this study, the long-read sequencing technique for distinguishing SMN1 and SMN2 without any assembly were developed and applied to reveal multiple alternative splicing patterns and to comprehensively identify transcript variants of the SMN genes. Read More

J Ethnopharmacol 2022 Sep 19;295:115352. Epub 2022 May 19.

College of Pharmacy, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dalian, 116600, China. Electronic address:

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Fatigue is a kind of subhealth status and people paid much more attention on it. Ginseng is used to treating fatigue as a kind of qi -tonifying drug in Chinese medicine. In the traditional applications, there is a viewpoint that ginseng could not be used with semen raphani and supposed that semen raphani is a kind of qi regulating drug, which will reduce the qi invigorating effect of ginseng. Read More

Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022 04 28;19(9). Epub 2022 Apr 28.

Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy.

The aim of this case series was to evaluate the effectiveness of a dry-land home-training program conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic period in Paralympic swimmers. Previous evidence showed the importance of muscular strength and power training for Paralympic swimmers due to the positive relationship between severity of impairment, swimming technique and biomechanics parameters. Specifically, we aimed to analyze: (i) the effects of a customized training regime conducted pre, during and post restrictions on upper-body muscular strength and power (one repetition maximum, mean propulsive velocity, and mean relative propulsive power) compared to a regular gym-based program; (ii) the associations between mean propulsive velocity and load during two upper body exercises in order to estimate the one repetition maximum. Read More

Rev Med Suisse 2022 Apr;18(779):785-788

Service de neurologie, Département des neurosciences cliniques, Hôpitaux universitaires de Genève, 1211 Genève 14.

Muscle cramps are very common and can reduce quality of life. There are multiple causes, including some physiological conditions, metabolic, endocrine, vascular disorders or neuromuscular diseases. Adequate management first requires differentiating cramps from other muscular phenomena. Read More

Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2022 06 27;322(6):C1068-C1084. Epub 2022 Apr 27.

Exercise Metabolism Research Group, Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Decreased skeletal muscle contractile activity (disuse) or unloading leads to muscle mass loss, also known as muscle atrophy. The balance between muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and muscle protein breakdown (MPB) is the primary determinant of skeletal muscle mass. A reduced mechanical load on skeletal muscle is one of the main external factors leading to muscle atrophy. Read More

Cell Physiol Biochem 2022 Apr;56(2):180-208

Cancer Pharmacology Division, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, CSIR, Jammu, India.

Cancer is a chaos of uncontrolled cell proliferation that has consistently invented new circuitry programs to operate inside the cell machinery. Globally, cancer statistics account for 65% of mortality worldwide, mainly due to the adoption of lifestyle behaviours. In 2020, FDA approved 40 new drugs, out of which 16 (40%) were approved as cancer drugs. Read More

Vet Parasitol 2022 May 26;305:109700. Epub 2022 Mar 26.

Animal Pathology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Agrifood Institute of Aragón (IA2), University of Zaragoza-CITA, Zaragoza, Spain.

Leishmaniosis is a zoonotic disease with a very complex pathogenesis modulated by the interaction between the parasite, the vector and the host. Although the pathological characteristics have been extensively studied in the typically affected organs, some locations such as muscles and reproductive organs have been less studied. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of lesions in the temporal muscle and the male reproductive organs (testicle and epididymis) and correlate their characteristics with the presence of the parasite and with the clinical status of the dogs. Read More

J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 2022 Jun 20;13(3):1785-1799. Epub 2022 Mar 20.

Department of Medical Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea.

Background: Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) is a critical regulator of skeletal muscle mass and function. Although muscle atrophy due to mitochondrial dysfunction is closely associated with bone loss, the biological characteristics of the relationship between muscle and bone remain obscure. We showed that muscle atrophy caused by skeletal muscle-specific CR6-interacting factor 1 knockout (MKO) modulates the bone marrow (BM) inflammatory response, leading to low bone mass. Read More

Clin Orthop Relat Res 2022 06 17;480(6):1061-1074. Epub 2022 Mar 17.

Faculty of Health and Education, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK.

Background: Corticosteroid injection is a common treatment for individuals experiencing musculoskeletal pain, and it is part of the management of numerous orthopaedic conditions. However, there is concern about offering corticosteroid injections for musculoskeletal pain because of the possibility of secondary adrenal insufficiency.

Questions/purposes: In this systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies, we asked: (1) Are corticosteroid injections associated with secondary adrenal insufficiency as measured by 7-day morning serum cortisol? (2) Does this association differ depending on whether the shot was administered in the spine or the appendicular skeleton?

Methods: We searched the Allied and Complementary Medicine (AMED), Embase, EmCare, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Web of Science from inception to January 22, 2021. Read More

Andrology 2022 05 29;10(4):749-757. Epub 2022 Mar 29.

Institute of Reproductive Health/Center of Reproductive Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.

Background: Differential diagnosis of men with subtypes of non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA) is important for their treatment. Many genes are transcripted during meiosis. We hypothesized that some of these genes can be detected in cell-free seminal message RNA (mRNAs) (cfs-mRNA) and be developed as non-invasive biomarkers for diagnosing NOA subtypes. Read More

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022 17;13:801133. Epub 2022 Feb 17.

Unit of Radiology, IRCCS San Raffaele Institute, Milan, Italy.

Background: acute illnesses, like COVID-19, can act as a catabolic stimulus on muscles. So far, no study has evaluated muscle mass and quality through limb ultrasound in post-COVID-19 patients.

Methods: cross sectional observational study, including patients seen one month after hospital discharge for SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. Read More

BMC Res Notes 2022 Feb 24;15(1):83. Epub 2022 Feb 24.

Department of General Practice, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo-Building B222, PL100, 33014, Tampere, Finland.

Objective: From previous studies, it is known that the association between fibromyalgia and thyroid autoimmunity diseases exists. On the other hand, it was recently suggested that in many cases thyroid hormone treatment might be unnecessary. The aim of our study is to explore the thyroid hormone treatment among primary health care fibromyalgia patients. Read More

Phys Ther 2022 05;102(5)

THRIVE Physiotherapy, St Martins, Guernsey, UK.

Explaining the onset and maintenance of pain can be challenging in many clinical presentations. Allostasis encompasses the mechanisms through which humans adapt to stressors to maintain physiological stability. Due to related neuro-endocrine-immune system effects, allostasis and allostatic load (the cumulative effects on the brain and body that develop through the maintenance of physiological stability) offer the potential to explain the development and maintenance of musculoskeletal pain in certain cases. Read More

Orphanet J Rare Dis 2022 02 23;17(1):79. Epub 2022 Feb 23.

Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.

Background: Myotonic dystrophy (DM) is a rare, inherited disorder with multi-systemic effects that impact the skeletal muscles, eyes, heart, skin and gastrointestinal, endocrine, respiratory, and central nervous systems. DM is divided into two subtypes: DM1 can present from early childhood through adulthood and also has a congenital form (cDM) while DM2 typically manifests during mid-adulthood. Both forms are progressive with no approved treatments, and unmet need for disease-modifying therapies remains high. Read More

Pediatr Int 2022 Jan;64(1):e14974

Department of Surgery, Saitama Children's Medical Center, Saitama, Japan.

PLoS One 2022 9;17(2):e0263772. Epub 2022 Feb 9.

A-STEM College of Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom.

The 24 h responses to professional female netball-specific training were examined. British Superleague players (n = 14) undertook a 90-min on-court training session incorporating key movement, technical, and scenario-specific match-play drills. Perceptual (mood, fatigue, soreness), neuromuscular (countermovement jump peak power output [PPO], PPO relative to mass [PPOrel], jump height [JH]), endocrine (salivary cortisol [C], testosterone [T] concentrations) and biochemical (creatine kinase concentrations [CK]) markers were assessed at baseline (immediately before; Pre), and immediately, two and 24 hours after (+0h, +2h, +24h) training. Read More

J Diabetes Complications 2022 03 27;36(3):108111. Epub 2021 Dec 27.

Kowloon West Cluster Laboratory Genetic Service, Department of Pathology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong. Electronic address:

Introduction: m.3243A>G-related disease has multi-systemic manifestations including diabetes mellitus. It is uncertain whether metformin would trigger neurological manifestations of this disease. Read More

J Endocrinol Invest 2022 Jul 5;45(7):1289-1295. Epub 2022 Feb 5.

Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University Foro Italico of Roma, Piazza Lauro De Bosis 6, 00195, Roma, Italy.

Background: Hypoparathyroidism (HypoP) is a rare endocrine condition characterized by hypocalcaemia and hyperphosphatemia, as a consequence of absent or improperly low parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels. Patients affected by HypoP have a clinical condition often characterized by paresthesias and muscle spasms, as well as long-term consequences as nephrolithiasis, extraskeletal calcification, and fractures. In the literature, likely due to these symptoms, few data exist regarding the appropriate physical activity (PA) in subjects suffering from HypoP. Read More

Sci Adv 2022 01 28;8(4):eabh4423. Epub 2022 Jan 28.

Laboratory of Integrative Systems Physiology, École Polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the most common muscular dystrophy, is a severe muscle disorder, causing muscle weakness, loss of independence, and premature death. Here, we establish the link between sphingolipids and muscular dystrophy. Transcripts of sphingolipid de novo biosynthesis pathway are up-regulated in skeletal muscle of patients with DMD and other muscular dystrophies, which is accompanied by accumulation of metabolites of the sphingolipid pathway in muscle and plasma. Read More

Muscle Nerve 2022 05 9;65(5):574-580. Epub 2022 Feb 9.

Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.

Introduction/aims: The multidisciplinary Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) Care Considerations were developed to standardize care and improve outcomes. We provide cumulative cost estimates for selected key preventive (ie, excluding new molecular therapies and acute care) elements of the care considerations in eight domains (neuromuscular, rehabilitation, respiratory, cardiac, orthopedic, gastrointestinal, endocrine, psychosocial management) independent of completeness of uptake or provision of nonpreventive care.

Methods: We used de-identified insurance claims data from a large midwestern commercial health insurer during 2018. Read More

Front Immunol 2021 3;12:628741. Epub 2022 Jan 3.

Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a neglected, debilitating multi-systemic disease without diagnostic marker or therapy. Despite evidence for neurological, immunological, infectious, muscular and endocrine pathophysiological abnormalities, the etiology and a clear pathophysiology remains unclear. The gut microbiome gained much attention in the last decade with manifold implications in health and disease. Read More

Nihon Yakurigaku Zasshi 2022 ;157(1):23-25

Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University.

Skeletal muscle is the largest organ in our body, consisting of bundles of multinuclear cells called myofibers. Skeletal muscle is responsible for locomotion, metabolism, and life activities such as swallowing and respiration, and is also attracting attention as an endocrine organ. Skeletal muscle has two abilities, regeneration and adaptation, and the understanding of these mechanisms is expected to contribute to the development of therapies for muscle diseases such as muscular dystrophies and muscle atrophy. Read More

J Equine Vet Sci 2022 03 20;110:103771. Epub 2021 Sep 20.

MARS EQUESTRIAN Research Fellow, M. H. Gluck Equine Research Center, Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky.

Loss of skeletal muscle mass likely compromises performance and welfare in horses and thus routine monitoring would be valuable. Currently available methods to assess muscle mass require expert knowledge and are often expensive. To provide a simple method, a muscle atrophy scoring system (MASS) was created and tested by three evaluators (raters) in 38 horses of varying age, breed, and health status. Read More

BMJ Case Rep 2021 Dec 31;14(12). Epub 2021 Dec 31.

General Internal Medicine, East Surrey Hospital, Redhill, UK.

We present here an interesting case of a 67-year-old man with 3 weeks history of lethargy, loss of appetite, generalised weakness and weight loss. Following thorough investigations, occult malignancy was ruled out. Hyponatraemia was a consistent finding which needed further classification. Read More

J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle 2022 02 30;13(1):355-367. Epub 2021 Dec 30.

Research Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Chungnam National University Hospital, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, Korea.

Background: Thyroid hormone excess induces protein energy wasting, which in turn promotes muscle weakness and bone loss in patients with Graves' disease. Although most studies have confirmed a relationship between thyrotoxicosis and muscle dysfunction, few have measured changes in plasma metabolites and immune cells during the development and recovery from thyrotoxic myopathy. The aim of this study was to identify specific plasma metabolites and T-cell subsets that predict thyrotoxic myopathy recovery in patients with Graves' disease. Read More

Zhen Ci Yan Jiu 2021 Nov;46(11):980-4

Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450046, China.

Acupuncture therapy is effective in the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and has its own unique advantages. In the present paper, we reviewed the progress of experimental researches on the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture treatment of CFS in recent 10 years from: 1) regulating the immune system including the peripheral immune organ, immune cells and immune cytokines, proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and lowering the increase of positive rate of multiple mycoplasma infection; 2) regulating the neuroendocrine system including the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and stress hormones, monoamine neurotransmitters, and opioid peptides; 3)raising the anti- oxidative stress ability by reducing malondiadehyde, and upregulating activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase; and 4) regulating multiple cellular molecule signaling pathways revealed by genomic and proteomic technologies. In conclusion, acupuncture can relieve CFS through multiple ways and systems, which may provide some ideas for further studies on the biological mechanisms. Read More

Mol Genet Metab 2021 12 14;134(4):301-308. Epub 2021 Nov 14.

Mitochondrial Medicine Center, Neurosciences Institute, 9500 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44195, United States of America. Electronic address:

There is a limited understanding of system-level clinical outcomes and interventions associated with single large-scale mitochondrial DNA deletion syndromes (SLSMDS). Additionally, no research exists that describes patient reported outcomes (PROs) of children with SLSMDS. A global and observational registry was established to understand the multi-systemic course of SLSMDS and track clinical outcomes. Read More