Rejected

Chronic neuropathic pain poses a significant health problem worldwide, for which effective treatment is lacking. The current work aimed to investigate the potential analgesic effect of isoliquiritin, a flavonoid from Glycyrrhiza uralensis, against neuropathic pain and elucidate mechanisms. Male C57BL/6J mice were subjected to chronic constriction injury (CCI) by loose ligation of their sciatic nerves. Following CCI surgery, the neuropathic mice developed pain-like behaviors, as shown by thermal (heat) hyperalgesia in the Hargreaves test and tactile allodynia in the von Frey test. Repetitive treatment of CCI mice with isoliquiritin (p.o., twice per day for two weeks) ameliorated behavioral hyperalgesia to thermal (heat) stimuli and allodynia to tactile stimuli in a dose-dependent fashion (5, 15 and 45 mg/kg). The isoliquiritin-triggered analgesia seems serotonergically dependent, since its antihyperalgesic and antiallodynic actions were totally abolished by chemical depletion of spinal serotonin by p-chlorophenylalanine, whereas potentiated by 5-HTP (a precursor of 5-HT). Consistently, isoliquiritin-treated neuropathic mice showed escalated levels of spinal monoamines especially 5-HT, with depressed monoamine oxidase activity. Moreover, isoliquiritin-evoked antihyperalgesia and antiallodynia were preferentially counteracted by the 5-HT receptor antagonist WAY-100635 delivered systematically or spinally. Of notable benefit, isoliquiritin was able to correct co-morbid behavioral symptoms of depression and anxiety evoked by neuropathic pain. Collectively, these findings demonstrate, for the first time, the therapeutic efficacy of isoliquiritin on neuropathic hypersensitivity, and this effect is dependent on the spinal serotonergic system and 5-HT receptors.

To investigate the application of endoscopic injection of human fibrin sealant in treatment of patients with intrathoracic anastomotic leakage after esophagectomy.

Netrin-1 is an axon guidance protein, which can inhibit inflammatory reaction and stabilize the blood-brain barrier to protect against experimental brain injury. We evaluated the concentration of netrin-1 in acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients and explored whether netrin-1 is a potential prognostic biomarker for ICH.

To study the prevalence of herpes zoster infection in patients with biopsy-confirmed lupus nephritis undergoing immunosuppressive therapies.

The aim of this study was to determine whether patients undergoing thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy have similar postoperative pain if managed with an opioid-sparing regimen versus an opioid-containing regimen. We hypothesized that an opioid-sparing regimen would provide equivalent analgesia.

Federal, state, and educational policy, as well as public and professional initiatives, should influence how care is delivered to veterans from non-Veteran Health Administration (VHA) advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) located in civilian health care facilities. Due to the MISSION Act, more veterans are receiving care outside the VHA, but little is known about the readiness of APRNs to address the needs of this population. This mixed-methods study describes the perceptions of 340 non-VHA APRNs concerning practice, clinical needs, and challenges they face while delivering care to veterans. Survey results show only 8% of APRNs consistently asked about military service; less than 1% asked if the patient has a family member with military history; and only 25% applied research by inquiring into military history when patients presented with conditions like chronic pain, interpersonal violence, or insomnia. Technology use via mobile application was minimally reported (<1%). "Missing in Action," the overarching theme from qualitative data, included three subthemes: (a) absence facilitated collaboration with VHA, (b) concerns regarding personal competency in the care of the military person, and (c) lack of recognition of the significance of the need to know about military status. Practice implications proffered include implementation of mandatory inquiry into military service and enactment of APRN veteran-centric nursing competencies. Education actions involve updating graduate nursing programs to include veteran health content and increased policy awareness. Future research should encompass replication of this study in specific APRN roles and consist of ongoing evaluation of veteran care by the civilian sector as the MISSION Act is implemented.

The COVID-19 pandemic has given rise to the need for changes in clinical practice, with new strategies to enable integrated care for patients with headache and neuralgia.

The leukotrienes are inflammatory mediators. In the present study, the analgesic role of local montelukast, a cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist, and the possible involvement of L-arginine/NO/cGMP/K channel pathway and PPARγ receptors was assessed in the formalin test in rats. The local administration of montelukast into the hind paw produced dose-related analgesia during both phases of formalin test. Furthermore, pre-treatment with L-NAME, methylene blue, and glibenclamide prevented montelukast (10 μg/paw)-induced antinociception in both early and late phases of the test. Moreover, the local L-arginine and diazoxide before the sub-effective dose of montelukast (3 μg/paw) produced an analgesic effect. Also, local GW-9662 blocked antinociception induced by montelukast plus pioglitazone (10 μg/paw). In conclusion, montelukast produced a peripheral analgesia through PPARγ receptors and activation of the L-arginine/NO/cGMP/K channel pathway, with potential for a new topical analgesic drug.

Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) treatment remains a therapeutic challenge. Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) resembles a safe and efficient for STS treatment. The first data on electronic-IORT (eIORT) using low-energy photons is herein presented.

Subacute thyroiditis (SAT) is an inflammatory thyroid disease that manifests with severe pain. The presence of the vitamin D receptor in immune system cells shows that vitamin D deficiency can trigger inflammatory diseases. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in SAT patients, and the relationship between vitamin D level and permanent hypothyroidism and recurrence rate. In this retrospective study, 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels of 170 SAT patients and 86 control subjects were compared. The 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower in the SAT patients, and there was no seasonal difference. A negative correlation was determined between ESR and 25(0H)D, but no significant relationship was found between vitamin D level and prognosis. As a result of this study, it was shown that vitamin D levels in subacute thyroiditis patients were significantly lower than in the healthy control group. Although there is no relationship between vitamin D level and disease prognosis, vitamin D deficiency may increase the rate of respiratory tract infections (especially, influenza, coxsackievirus, measles, adenovirus, retroviruses) and eventually SAT development. .