Rejected

This is a comprehensive review of the most recent literature on glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN), a relatively rare form of neuropathic facial pain. It covers the epidemiology, risk factors, pathophysiology, and differential diagnosis given that glossopharyngeal neuralgia can often be confused with other facial pain syndromes. Finally, we extensively review recent findings regarding medical or conservative measures, minimally invasive, and surgical options for potentially treating and managing glossopharyngeal neuralgia.

Posterior tarsal tunnel syndrome (PTTS) is an entrapment neuropathy due to compression of the tibial nerve or one of its terminal branches within the tarsal tunnel in the medial ankle. The tarsal tunnel is formed by the flexor retinaculum, while the floor is composed of the distal tibia, talus, and calcaneal bones. The tarsal tunnel contains a number of significant structures, including the tendons of 3 muscles as well as the posterior tibial artery, vein, and nerve. Focal compressive neuropathy of PTTS can originate from anything that physically restricts the volume of the tarsal tunnel. The variety of etiologies includes distinct movements of the foot, trauma, vascular disorders, soft tissue inflammation, diabetes mellitus, compression lesions, bony lesions, masses, lower extremity edema, and postoperative injury. Generally, compression of the posterior tibial nerve results in clinical findings consisting of numbness, burning, and painful paresthesia in the heel, medial ankle, and plantar surface of the foot. Diagnosis of PTTS can be made with the presence of a positive Tinel sign in combination with the physical symptoms of pain and numbness along the plantar and medial surfaces of the foot. Initially, patients are treated conservatively unless there are signs of muscle atrophy or motor nerve involvement. Conservative treatment includes activity modification, heat, cryotherapy, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroid injections, opioids, GABA analog medications, tricyclic antidepressants, vitamin B-complex supplements, physical therapy, and custom orthotics. If PTTS is recalcitrant to conservative treatment, standard open surgical decompression of the flexor retinaculum is indicated. In recent years, a number of alternative minimally invasive treatment options have been investigated, but these studies have small sample sizes or were conducted on cadaveric models.

Low back pain occupies one of the leading places among pain syndromes and is an urgent medical, social, and economic problem of our time. A review of modern domestic and foreign literature data on the features of diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of chronic dorsalgia in patients with comorbid pathology was carried out. The article reflects the main etiological factors, describes the types of back pain: non-specific (musculoskeletal), radiculopathy, pain associated with potentially dangerous diseases, in addition, issues of the pathogenesis of pain syndromes are highlighted with an indication of nociceptive, neuropathic, psychogenic components. The most common comorbidity in patients with chronic pain in the lower back is characterized. Diagnostic algorithms for the problem under study, measures of drug and non-drug therapy, the possibility of practicing yoga for chronic lower back pain from the standpoint of evidence-based medicine are considered. It was stated that the treatment of chronic pain in the lower back should be individual, with an impact on different links in the pathogenesis of the pathological process. At the same time, the practice of yoga allows you to comprehensively influence the body at various levels: physical, psychological, mental. However, further research is required in this area.

Two Mn coordination polymers (CPs) with the scientific terms of {[Mn(TTPA)·(HO)]·HO} () and {[Mn(TTPA)·(HTTPA)]·2DMSO} () were favorably created on the basis of multidentate linking organic ligand 2,5-bis-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)-terephthalic acid (HTTPA) in the conditions of solvent-presupposed thermal reaction. To measure the influence of two Mn coordination polymers with novel structures, the ELISA assay and real-time RT-PCR assay were conducted in this present research. First of all, the ELISA assay was conducted to measure the content of inflammatory cytokines released into the hippocampal tissue. In addition to this, the relative expression of the TAU protein in the brain was further determined with real-time RT-PCR assay.

Quality of life (QoL), mental wellbeing, and physical function are often diminished among people with chronic disease. Tai Chi is a moderate form of exercise that may be effective in improving chronic disease management. This protocol paper outlines a trial to determine the therapeutic effects of a Tai Chi program on chronic disease management.

The present study compared three scabicidal agents alone or with combination, the currently considered medicine of choice permethrin, oral ivermectin, and gamma benzene hexachloride in the local population of India. A total of 120 patients were studied. They were randomly divided into four groups -Group A, Group B, Group C, and Group D. Group A received topical 5% permethrin and oral placebo. Group B was given topical placebo cream and oral ivermectin in two dose regimen. Group C received topical 1% gamma benzene hexachloride with oral placebo, and Group D was given topical 5% permethrin and oral ivermectin. The improvement of lesions and pruritus were assessed in the next three follow-ups, i.e., on the 7th day, 14th day, and 28th day along with any adverse drug reactions (ADRs). It was found that Group A had 83%, 90%, 97%, and Group B had 70%, 81%, and 91% improvement of lesions in the three follow-ups respectively. Group C showed 57%, 70%, 86%, and Group D had 82%, 90%, 97% efficiency to decrease lesion count (p>0.05) respectively. Again, Group A observed 77%, 88%, and 94% improvement in pruritus in subsequent follow-ups, while for Group B it was 63%, 76%, and 86%. Group C had 55%, 71%, 85% efficiency, and Group D had recorded 77%, 88%, and 94% improvement to decrease pruritus (p>0.05). The incidence of adverse effects was found to be less in Group B, Group C, and Group D when compared to Group A.

The association of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in a single patient is a rarely described phenomenon. AS and RA are conditions that can have a high impact on the morbidity and mortality of patients.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) was reported to be the third most used monotherapy in livedoid vasculopathy (LV). There is currently a lack of randomized controlled clinical trials and no standardized therapeutic regimen for IVIG therapy in LV.

Due to the chronic nature of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) self-management is considered an essential part of therapy to improve physical function, activity, pain and quality of life (QoL). Web-based rehabilitation may be a potential innovative mode of patient' training to guide management compared to usual care, especially with the current restrictions pandemic imposed. Moreover, in order to alter KOA patients' behavior towards physical activity (PA), it may be more attractive and motivating to combine within their rehabilitation program, outdoor real life local activity that could feasible to be sustained in the future. Aim of the current study is to evaluate the effects of a blended web-based rehabilitation compared with structured PA alone in patients with KOA. This is a randomized multi-center study with two prospective arms. Fifty-six eligible participants with KOA will be recruited from the West Attica region (considered as structurally weak areas). After a comprehensive face-to face training session, participants will follow a 6-week web-based rehabilitation program, consisting of exercise, advice material enhanced outdoor structured PA. The control group will be encouraged to follow the outdoor structured PA alone. Baseline, 6-week and 12-week follow up assessments will be performed. The primary outcome is self-reported physical function as measured by the Knee Injury Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). Secondary measures include pain, function (Timed Up and Go Test, Sit to Stand test), PA levels (Lower Extremity Activity Scale, Baecke Scale and pedometer), psychological perspective (Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia) and health-related QoL (Short-Form 12). Baseline-adjusted Analysis of Variance will be used to test for group differences in the primary and secondary outcomes. The study will evaluate the blended web-based exercise and advice material, enhanced with outdoor PA in many respects compared to the outdoor PA alone so as to promote self-management care programs for KOA patients. Trial registration: Prospectively registered ISRCTN12950684 (27-09-2020).

Acupoint is the key area for needling treatment, but its physiology is not yet understood. Nociceptors, one of the responders in acupoints, are responsible for acupuncture manipulation and delivering acupuncture signals to the spinal or supraspinal level. Recent evidence has shown that various diseases led to sensory hypersensitivity and functional plasticity in sensitized acupoints, namely, acupoint sensitization. Neurogenic inflammation is the predominant pathological characteristic for sensitized acupoints; however, the underlying mechanism in acupoint sensitization remains unclear. Recent studies have reported that silent C-nociceptors (SNs), a subtype of C nociceptors, can be "awakened" by inflammatory substances released by sensory terminals and immune cells under tissue injury or visceral dysfunction. SNs can transform from mechano-insensitive nociceptors in a healthy state to mechanosensitive nociceptors. Activated SNs play a vital role in sensory and pain modulation and can amplify sensory inputs from the injured tissue and then mediate sensory hyperalgesia. Whether activated SNs is involved in the mechanism of acupoint sensitization and contributes to the delivery of mechanical signals from needling manipulation remains unclear? In this review, we discuss the known functions of cutaneous C nociceptors and SNs and focus on recent studies highlighting the role of activated SNs in acupoint functional plasticity.