YokoCo

Osteoarthritis (OA) is driven by chronic low-grade inflammation and subsequent cartilage degradation. OA is the most prevalent degenerative joint disease worldwide, and its treatment remains a challenge. The aim of this study was to explore the potential effects and mechanism underlying the anti-OA properties of ginkgolide C (GC). Protective effects of GC on hydrogen peroxide (HO)-treated rat chondrocytes were evaluated using ELISA, qPCR, western blot analysis, flow cytometry, ROS detection and immunofluorescence . Ameliorating effects of GC on cartilage degeneration in rats were evaluated through behavioral assays, microcomputed tomography, histopathological analysis, western blot analysis and ELISA . , GC treatment inhibited the release of pro-apoptotic factors induced by HO and promoted the release of the anti-apoptotic proteins. In addition, GC decreased the expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP3 and MMP13), thrombospondin motifs 4 (ADAMTS4), and inflammatory mediators inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX-2), and SOX9 thereby inhibiting extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. Mechanistically, GC exerts its anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects by upregulating the oxidative stress signaling Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and preventing p65 from binding to DNA. Similarly, In a rat model with post-traumatic OA (PTOA) induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT), GC inhibited joint pain, cartilage destruction, and abnormal bone remodeling of subchondral bone. GC inhibited HO-induced chondrocyte apoptosis through Nrf2/HO-1 and NF-κB axis, exerted anti-inflammatory effects, and inhibited cartilage degeneration in rat OA. Our findings advanced the concept that GC may contribute to cartilage metabolism through anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects, and the identified GC is a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment of OA.

Chronic pain can be difficult to predict and a challenge to treat. Biomarkers for chronic pain signal an opportunity for advancements in both management and prevention, and through their research and development offer new insights into the complex processes at play. This review considers the latest research in chronic pain biomarker development and considers how close we are to bringing these from bench to bedside. While some headway has been made that offers efficiencies in patient selection, it is unlikely that a single test will encompass the variety of chronic pain phenotypes. We offer some insights for the near future in biomarker development and areas of continued unmet need.

Minimizing acute postsurgical pain (APSP) remains a challenge, despite extensive research about it. This study comprehensively analyzed the literature on APSP to assess how the field has developed and where it may go in the future.

To evaluate the efficacy of different non-pharmacologic therapies (NPTs) on relieving depressive symptoms and pain intensity in individuals living with chronic low back pain (LBP) and associated depression.

To evaluate the effects of injectable platelet-rich fibrin (i-PRF) produced by a simple twice-centrifugation method combined with vacuum sealing drainage on wound inflammation and scar formation in chronic refractory wounds (CRW). A total of sixty-eight patients with CRW who were admitted to our hospital were enrolled in this study. They were then randomly divided into the study group ( = 34) with being treated using negative pressure sealing and drainage technology, and the control group ( = 34) with being treated using injectable platelet-rich fibrin in conjunction with negative pressure sealing and drainage technology. The following were the primary outcomes: scar conditions at 1 and 3 months after the wound was fully healed, wound healing time, hospitalization time, wound healing rate, incidence of adverse reactions, serum inflammatory indices, and pain levels were assessed 1 day before treatment and 14 days after treatment. The secondary outcomes were determined by comparing the proportion of positive bacterial cultures in the two groups on the day before therapy, as well as on the seventh and fourteenth days after treatment. The wound healing time and hospital stay in the study group were significantly lower than that in the control group (all < 0.001). The wound healing rate of the study group was significantly higher than that of the control group on the 14th day and 28th day after treatment (all < 0.001). On the 14th day after treatment, the levels of WBC, CRP, and IL-6 in the study group were lower than those in the control group (all < 0.001). The positive rate of bacterial culture in the study group was significantly lower than that in the control group on the 7th and 14th day after treatment (all < 0.05). At 1 month and 3 months after treatment, the VSS score in the study group was lower than that in the control group (all < 0.001). The total defect rate of the study group was also significantly lower than that of the control group (5.88% vs. 29.41%, = 0.011). The i-PRF produced by simple twice-centrifugation method combined with VSD could reduce wound inflammation and improve scar formation in patients with CRW.

Livedoid vasculopathy is a rare, chronic, and recurrent disease with limited effective treatments. Its etiopathogenesis remains incompletely understood. Baricitinib, a selective Janus kinase 1 and 2 inhibitor, has been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and could reduce the disease severity in patients with livedoid vasculopathy.

Locoregional interventional therapy including transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and ablation are the current standard of treatment for early-to-mid-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, questions remain unanswered regarding the management of recurrence after locoregional treatment. PD-1 inhibitors can block inhibitory signals of T-cell activation and proliferation to reduce the recurrence. We conducted a single-arm phase 2 trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PD-1 inhibitors following locoregional interventional therapy in HCC patients with high recurrence risk guided by our novel scoring system.

Chronic constipation is common in children and often requires prolonged laxative treatment. Preliminary studies suggest that the probiotic () may be useful in treating constipation in children, but these preliminary results need to be replicated. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of in infants and young children with chronic functional constipation.

Stroke seriously endangers human well-being and brings a severe burden to family and society. Different post-stroke dysfunctions result in an impaired ability to perform activities of daily living. Standard rehabilitative therapies may not meet the requirements for functional improvement after a stroke; thus, alternative approaches need to be proposed. Currently, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is clinically applied for the treatment of epilepsy, depression, cluster headache and migraine, while its treatment of various dysfunctions after an ischemic stroke is still in the clinical research stage. Recent studies have confirmed that VNS has neuroprotective effects in animal models of transient and permanent focal cerebral ischemia, and that its combination with rehabilitative training significantly improves upper limb motor dysfunction and dysphagia. In addition, vagus-related anatomical structures and neurotransmitters are closely implicated in memory-cognition enhancement processes, suggesting that VNS is promising as a potential treatment for cognitive dysfunction after an ischemic stroke. In this review, we outline the current status of the application of VNS (invasive and non-invasive) in diverse functional impairments after an ischemic stroke, followed by an in-depth discussion of the underlying mechanisms of its mediated neuroprotective effects. Finally, we summarize the current clinical implementation challenges and adverse events of VNS and put forward some suggestions for its future research direction. Research on VNS for ischemic stroke has reached a critical stage. Determining how to achieve the clinical transformation of this technology safely and effectively is important, and more animal and clinical studies are needed to clarify its therapeutic mechanism.

Comorbidities like glaucoma and migraine are often observed among middle-aged individuals, especially women. Herein, we report a rare case of a patient who underwent automated perimetry during a migraine attack. A 52-year-old woman with a 1-year history of blurred vision in the nasal field of her right eye visited Miyoshi Eye Clinic. The intraocular pressures of the right and left eyes were 22 and 24 mm Hg, respectively. Retinal imaging revealed a retinal nerve fiber defect in the temporal superior macula with corresponding thinning of the superior ganglion cell complex in the right eye. The left eye appeared normal. Primary open-angle glaucoma was suspected, and the patient underwent a visual field examination on the same day. Perimetry showed that the mean deviations in the right and left eyes were -5.00 and -7.68 dB, respectively. A visual field defect in the inferior nasal aspect of the right eye corresponded to the retinal nerve fiber defect. However, right-sided homonymous hemianopia-like visual field defects were observed in both eyes. After the examination, the patient stated that a migraine attack had started 5 min before the examination and continued till after its end (attack duration was ∼20 min). In the follow-up examinations without migraine, homonymous hemianopia-like visual field defects disappeared, and only a glaucomatous visual field defect in the right eye was observed. Hence, the initial visual field examination findings reflected the effects of a migraine attack alongside glaucoma. Detailed interviews with patients may be beneficial for understanding visual field findings and preventing their untimely examination.