Rejected

The genetic testing of hereditary ataxias includes screening for CAG-repeat expansions as well as pathogenic variants and nontranslated oligonucleotide expansion, which can cause spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA). Genotype-phenotype correlations of several SCA subtypes are difficult to establish, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we report a 58-year-old male patient who presented with severe generalized ataxia, horizontal gaze-evoked nystagmus, cognitive impairment and a positive family history of gait difficulties. Genetic panel diagnostics revealed a new nonsense pathogenic variant in the CACNA1A gene (c.2983G>T; p. Glu995*) that segregated with the phenotype in three clinically affected family members. This gene is related to SCA type 6 (SCA6), episodic ataxia type 2, familial hemiplegic migraine type 1, among others. When it is supported by the clinical findings and family history, additional DNA sequencing beyond fragment length analysis should be performed.

Chronic low back pain affects a significant portion of patients worldwide and is a major contributor to patient disability; however, it is a difficult problem to diagnose and treat. The prevailing model of chronic low back pain has presumed to follow a discogenic model, but recent studies have shown a vertebrogenic model that involves the basivertebral nerve (BVN). Radiofrequency ablation of the BVN has emerged as a possible nonsurgical therapy for vertebrogenic low back pain. The objective of this manuscript is to provide a comprehensive review of vertebrogenic pain diagnosis and our current understanding of BVN ablation as treatment.

To observe the therapeutic effect of electro-acupuncture on tendon healing and functional recovery of rotator cuff injury in rats and explore the therapeutic mechanism of electro-acupuncture.

The aim of the study was to compare the therapeutic efficacy of topical hyperbaric oxygen therapy alone versus a combination of physical methods including topical hyperbaric oxygen therapy, magnetotherapy and low-energy light therapy in the treatment of venous leg ulcers. Thirty six patients were treated with topical oxygen hyperbaria and twenty nine patients were treated with a combination of physical methods. The assessment of ulcer surface area with use of a planimetric method, pain intensity with use of Laitinen scale and quality of life by means of EuroQol scale were performed. In both groups a statistically significant (p<0.05) reduction of ulcer surface area has been obtained, but in patients treated with combined physical therapy average percentage reduction of ulcer surface area (36.44%±11.04%) was statistically significantly (p=0.00001) bigger as compared to other group (13.65%±8.32%). In both groups of patients statistically significant (p<0.05) reduction of frequency and intensity of pain, reduced intake of analgesic drugs and reduction of limitations of physical activity, as well as statistically significant improvement of quality of life have been observed, but in patients treated with combined physical therapy an average increase in the score in EuroQoL scale (61.03±7.14) was statistically significantly (p=0.00001) bigger as compared to other group (25.27±8.16). It was concluded that topical hyperbaric oxygen therapy alone and a combination of physical methods cause significant reduction of ulcer surface area, reduction of pain intensity, as well as improvement of the quality of life, but a combination of physical methods is more efficient. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The known seven mammalian receptor (R) subunits (P2X1-7) form cationic channels gated by ATP. Three subunits compose a receptor-channel. Each subunit is a polypeptide consisting of two transmembrane regions (TM1, TM2), intracellular N- and C-termini, and a bulky extracellular loop. Crystallization allowed the identification of the 3D-structure and gating cycle of P2XRs. The agonist binding pocket is located at the intersection of two neighboring subunits. In addition to the mammalian P2XRs their primitive ligand-gated counterparts with little structural similarity have also been cloned. Selective agonists for P2XR subtypes are not available, but medicinal chemistry supplied a range of subtype selective antagonists, as well as positive and negative allosteric modulators. Knockout mice and selective antagonists helped to identify pathological functions due to defective P2XRs, such as male infertility (P2X1), hearing loss (P2X2), pain/cough (P2X3), neuropathic pain (P2X4), inflammatory bone loss (P2X5), and faulty immune reactions (P2X7).

Spontaneous atrophic scarring is characterised by an idiopathic, non-inflammatory macular atrophy that typically occurs on the face and presents as shallow atrophic scars having sharp margins and may be linear, rectangular or varioliform.

Despite the prevalence of pain in patients with serious illness, recent guidelines for opioid prescribing practices have largely excluded palliative care patients. In lieu of such guidelines, many have recommended adapting risk mitigation strategies from the chronic pain arena for palliative care and oncology populations. Teaching interventions are needed to demonstrate how these methods can be applied to patients with serious illness.

To perform an updated review of the literature on the neurological manifestations of COVID-19-infected patients METHODS: A PRISMA-guideline-based systematic review was conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, and SCOPUS. Series reporting neurological manifestations of COVID-19 patients were studied.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a global health crisis of our time. The disease arises from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that binds to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors on host cells for its internalization. COVID-19 has a wide range of respiratory symptoms from mild to severe and affects several other organs, increasing the complexity of the treatment. There is accumulating evidence to suggest that SARS-CoV-2 can target the nervous system. In this review, we provide an account of the COVID-19 central nervous system (CNS) manifestations.

To characterize the safety, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of vericiguat in healthy males.