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Canine olfactory diagnosis and its relevance for you to healthcare recognition.
2020 Abigail Kusi Amponsah et al.Knee osteoarthritis is a common painful degenerative condition affecting the aging Canadian population. In addition to pain and disability, osteoarthritis is associated with depression, comorbid conditions such as diabetes, and increased caregiver burden. It is predicted to cost the Canadian healthcare system $7.6 billion dollars by 2031. Despite its high cost and prevalence, controversy persists in the medical community regarding optimal therapies to treat knee osteoarthritis. A variety of medications like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories and opioids can cause severe side effects with limited benefits. Total knee arthroplasty, although a definitive management, comes with risk such as postoperative infections, revisions, and chronic pain. Newer injectable therapies are gaining attention as alternatives to medications because of a safer side effect profile and are much less invasive than a joint replacement. Platelet-rich plasma is beginning to replace the more common injectable therapies of intra-articular corticosteroids and hyaluronic acid, but larger trials are needed to confirm this effect. Small studies have examined prolotherapy and stem cell therapy and demonstrate some benefits. Trials involving genicular nerve block procedures have been successful. As treatments evolve, injectable therapies may offer a safe and effective pathway for patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis. Copyright © 2020 Lisa M. Billesberger et al.One previous study indicated the significance of trait self-compassion in psychological well-being and adjustment in people with chronic pain. Higher-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) was found to be closely associated with self-compassion and pain coping. The current study was therefore designed to investigate the relationship between self-compassion and experimental pain as well as the impact of HF-HRV. Sixty healthy participants provided self-reported self-compassion and underwent a cold pain protocol during which HF-HRV was evaluated. Results demonstrated a dual relationship between self-compassion and pain, dependent on the level of HF-HRV during pain exposure. Specifically, self-compassion was associated with lower pain in the condition of higher HF-HRV, while there was an inverse relationship between self-compassion and pain when HF-HRV was lower. Our data indicate the significance of HF-HRV in moderating the association between self-compassion and experimental pain. Copyright © 2020 Shuxiang Tian et al.Background Neuropathic pain (NP) is a type of chronic pain which lacks predictable, effective, and safe therapeutic options. We investigated the role of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) in expression of FUN14 domain-containing 1 (FUNDC1), which is associated with DNA methylation. Methods We randomly divided rats into four groups sham operation (S), S + HBO, chronic constriction injury (CCI), and CCI + HBO. Lumbar (L)4 and L5 dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) were used to assess expression of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT)1, DNMT3a, and DNMT3b by western blotting and RT-PCR. Pain-related behaviors were evaluated using mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal withdrawal latency analysis. Western blotting was also used to assess expression of FUNDC1, BCL2, and adenovirus E1B19 kDa-interacting protein 3-like (NIX) and BCL2 and adenovirus E1B19 kDa-interacting protein3 (BNIP3). And we also examined the changes of FUNDC1 with immunofluorescence. Nonnucleoside DNA methyltransferase inhibitor RG108 was administered prior to CCI. The pain-related behavior and western blotting changes were examined in all groups. Results DNMT3a expression was higher on day 14 after CCI. HBO downregulated DNMT3a mRNA and protein expression, but not those of DNMT1 and DNMT3b. HBO increased pain-related behavior significantly, while it was down-regulated by RG108. In HBO groups, FUNDC1, NIX, and BNIP3 expression was upregulated more significantly than in the CCI group. In addition, FUNDC1 protein colocalized with NeuN and rarely with glutamine synthetase. However, expression was reduced when RG108 was administered. Immunofluorescence showed that FUNDC1 was upregulated after HBO treatment. Conclusion Our findings suggest that DNA methylation is involved in the analgesic effect of HBO via the regulation of FUNDC1. Copyright © 2020 Kun Liu et al.Purpose With immunosuppressants being widely used, Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) has been increasing and could be life-threatening among HIV-negative patients. This study aimed at identifying prognostic factors of PCP in patients with nephrotic syndrome. Methods We retrospectively investigated patients with nephrotic syndrome who were diagnosed with PCP. The diagnosis of PCP was based on clinical manifestations, radiological findings, and microbiological confirmatory tests. Predictors of outcome were determined with multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results A total of 57 patients were included in this study. The PCP mortality was 33.3%, which increased to 48.6% if ICU admission was required and to 60% when mechanical ventilation was needed. The T lymphocyte count and CD4/CD8 ratio independently predicted the outcome of PCP, so did the CD4+ T lymphocyte count (OR, 0.981; 95% CI, 0.967-0.996; p=0.001). The cut-off value of 71 cells/μl for the CD4+ T lymphocyte count was determined to identify patients with poor prognosis. No association was found between PCP mortality and the type of immunosuppressant used. Conclusions PCP is a fatal complication among nephrotic syndrome patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy. The CD4+ T lymphocyte count is suggested as an independent predictor of prognosis, which can be used clinically to identify patients with high risk of unfavorable outcomes. Copyright © 2020 Yang Liu et al.The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a three-strain yogurt formulation in slow-transit constipation (STC) patients. Itacnosertib Each individual in both treatment groups consumed 250 mL of the formulated yogurt daily for a week (7 days), and fecal samples were collected for gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) analyses. A significant increase in the defection frequency (p less then 0.001) and bacterial diversity (p=0.027) at the 100% sequence homology level and a decrease in the concentrations of acetic acid (p=0.014), propionic acid (p=0.019), and butanoic acid (p=0.005) were observed after the STC patients consumed three-strain yogurt formulation. In addition, the consumption of the three-strain yogurt formulation significantly altered the composition of the intestinal bacteria in the STC patients. The relative abundances of 23 genera in the top dominating genera were altered significantly after the STC patients consumed the yogurt. In summary, the consumption of 250 mL day- the three-strain yogurt formulation described in this study can play a role in improving the symptoms of STC.
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