Rejected

A burning sensation on eating spicy foods purportedly supports the role of capsaicin, an active component of chili peppers, in the etiology of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF). Although the mast cell mediators and activated P2X receptors induce a constant burning sensation through an ATP-dependent mechanism, it is the activation of the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV-1) receptor by capsaicin that aggravates it. The molecular basis for the burning pain in OSF is thus attributable to the activation of TRPV1. There is overwhelming evidence that confirms capsaicin has more of a protective role in attenuating fibrosis and is potentially therapeutic in reversing conditions linked to collagen accumulation. The activation of TRPV-1 by capsaicin increases intracellular calcium ([Ca]), upregulates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and Sirtuin-1 (SIRT-1), to enrich endothelium-dependent vasodilation via endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). The induction of vasodilation induces antifibrotic effects by alleviating hypoxia. The antifibrotic effects of capsaicin are mediated through the upregulation of antioxidant enzymes, downregulation of inflammatory genes and suppression of new collagen fibril formation. Capsaicin also demonstrates an anticarcinogenic effect by upregulating the cytotoxic T cells and downregulating regulatory T cells through the inhibition of angiogenesis and promotion of apoptosis. Judicious administration of capsaicin with an appropriate delivery mechanism may have therapeutic benefits in reducing pain sensation, rendering antifibrotic effects, and preventing the malignant transformation of OSF. This paper provides an overview of the molecular basis of capsaicin and its therapeutic application as an antifibrotic and anticarcinogenic agent for the treatment of OSF.

Chronic pain can lead to economic instability, decreased job productivity, and poor mental health. Therefore, reliable identification and quantification of chronic pain is important for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis is a rare and severe form of chronic pyelonephritis. Spontaneous pyeloduodenal fistula is an extremely rare complication of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis. We present a rare case of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis complicated by a complex pyeloduodenal and ureteromuscular fistulae with a cutaneous opening. A 57-year-old male patient presented with chronic right flank pain and cutaneous discharge at the right lower quadrant. Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis was suspected on preoperative computed tomographic urography owing to the presence of fat deposits and complex pyeloduodenal and ureteromuscular fistulae. Open nephrectomy and fistula closure were performed and the patient recovered uneventfully. Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis was confirmed pathologically.

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV), a highly infectious agent that causes varicella (chickenpox), can also cause zoster (shingles), a disorder that is frequently associated with severe neuralgia. A reliable serological VZV diagnostic assay would be useful for identifying unprotected individuals and for surveilling post-vaccination immunoprotection status. Toward this goal, VZV membrane glycoprotein E (gE), the immunodominant VZV protein, served as target antigen in an indirect ELISA kit developed here to detect anti-VZV antibodies in clinical samples. For target antigen preparation, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were modified to express and secrete the VZV gE ectodomain, which was subsequently purified and used as coating antigen in an indirect ELISA. Ultimately, the optimal purified gE coating antigen concentration was determined to be 2 μg.ml and the OD detection cutoff value was 0.286. The coefficient of variation (CV) of intra-assay and inter-assay were <10 and 15%, respectively. A comparative test of 66 clinical samples showed that the coincidence rate was 93.9% between the indirect ELISA and a commercial varicella-zoster virus IgG ELISA kit. Thus, the indirect ELISA kit developed here may be useful for achieving rapid, sensitive, and specific detection of anti-VZV antibodies.

Bone marrow harvesting is associated with significant postoperative pain that may have potential negative consequences for the patient and health care system. In the current absence of uniform guidelines, there exists considerable variability amongst providers with respect to perioperative analgesia, especially opioid administration. In this initiative, we explored the potential for preoperative bilateral quadratus lumborum blocks in combination with a standardized perioperative analgesic protocol to manage pain with the goal of reducing perioperative narcotic usage and thereby improving opioid stewardship.

Migraineurs often exhibited abnormalities in cognition, emotion, and resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC), whereas patients with tension-type headache (TTH) rarely exhibited these abnormalities. The aim of this study is to explore whether rsFC alterations in brain regions related to cognition and emotion could be used to distinguish patients with migraine from patients with TTH.

This study is to explore key immune markers and changes of immune microenvironment in neuropathic pain (NeuP).

Lidocaine has been gradually used in general anesthesia. This study was designed to investigate the effect of systemic lidocaine on postoperative quality of recovery (QoR) in patients undergoing supratentorial tumor resection, and to explore its brain-injury alleviation effect in neurosurgical anesthesia.

Rehabilitation of patients after total knee arthroplasty is still a challenge for modern medicine. At the same time, there are few publications in the medical literature on rehabilitation programs for patients after total knee arthroplasty. Available scientific studies have proven the effectiveness of low-intensity laser therapy and a pulsed low-frequency electrostatic field (PLFEF) in tissue repair by modulating the inflammatory process and relieving pain.

Strongylodiasis may be asymptomatic or cause mild gastrointestinal symptoms, and may be a fatal disseminated disease or hyperinfection syndrome. Non-specific clinical manifestations, such as pneumonia and gastroenteritis, pose a diagnostic dilemma.