Immunomorphogenesis in Degenerative Disc Disease: The Role of Proinflammatory Cytokines and Angiogenesis Factors.

Back pain (BP) due to degenerative disc disease (DDD) is a severe, often disabling condition. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the expression level of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17), angiogenesis markers (VEGF-A and CD31) in intervertebral disc (IVD) tissue and IVD degeneration in young people with discogenic BP. In patients who underwent discectomy for a disc herniation, a clinical examination, magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine, histological and immunohistochemical analyses of these factors in IVD were performed in comparison with the parameters of healthy group samples (controls).

Multiple increase in the radiative efficiency of 1060-nm laser diodes based on heterostructures with tunnel-coupled injection and a single waveguide mode.

An approach aimed at increasing the radiative efficiency in heterostructures operating in a single vertical mode at 1060 nm has been studied. Two types of heterostructures-the STJH (single tunnel junction heterostructure) and DTJH (double tunnel junction heterostructure)-have been developed to obtain the operation of a single waveguide mode of the first and second order, respectively. A multiple increase in the injection efficiency is realized by using tunnel junctions (TJs) embedded in the wide-gap barriers and placed between the active regions.