Binding and Activation of LRP1-Dependent Cell Signaling in Schwann Cells Using a Peptide Derived from the Hemopexin Domain of MMP-9.

Schwann cells (SCs) undergo phenotypic transformation and then orchestrate nerve repair following a peripheral nervous system injury. The low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP1) is significantly upregulated in SCs in response to acute injury, activating cJun and promoting SC survival. Matrix-metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is an LRP1 ligand that binds LRP1 through its hemopexin domain (PEX) and activates SC survival signaling and migration.

Axon-derived PACSIN1 binds to the Schwann cell survival receptor, LRP1, and transactivates TrkC to promote gliatrophic activities.

Schwann cells (SCs) undergo phenotypic transformation and then orchestrate nerve repair following PNS injury. The ligands and receptors that activate and sustain SC transformation remain incompletely understood. Proteins released by injured axons represent important candidates for activating the SC Repair Program.

Quantitative evaluation of the lumbar ligamentum flavum using MRI T2-mapping: Efficacy of its clinical application in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.

Obejective: To perform a magnetic resonance imaging T2-mapping of the ligamentum flavum in healthy individuals and patients with lumbar spinal stenosis scheduled for surgery and compare the T2 relaxation times.

Subjects And Methods: The T2 relaxation time of the ligamentum flavum was compared among 3 groups, healthy young individuals (H group (age< 50)), healthy middle-aged and older individuals (H group (age≥50)), and patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (L group). Additionally, the thickness of the ligament was measured in the axial image plane, and the occupied area ratio of each fiber was measured by staining the surgically obtained ligament, and each was correlated with the T2 relaxation time.

Lateral shift of the femoral condyle after total knee arthroplasty: simulation using 2D-templates of the medial pivot design on knee radiographs of young Japanese patients.

Background: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an established surgical treatment for advanced knee osteoarthritis by which patients can expect improvement of knee pain and function. Although many surgeons have investigated limb alignment after TKA, changes in coronal positional relation between the femur and tibia are not known well.

Methods: Radiographs of 105 knees of young Japanese patients between 20 and 49 years-old (60 men and 45 women) without osteoarthritic changes who received arthroscopic surgeries at our hospital were used in this study.

Comparison of pain and discomfort in supine and lateral positions after surgery for lumbar degenerative disease: A prospective randomized controlled study.

Introduction: To compare postoperative pain and discomfort between supine and lateral positions after lumbar surgery, a prospective randomized controlled study was performed.

Methods: Forty-three patients with lumbar degenerative disease, treated by decompression (n = 23) or fusion surgery (n = 20), were randomly assigned to be placed in either the supine (supine group: n = 21) or lateral (lateral group: n = 22) position postoperatively, and asked to maintain their position until a day after the surgery. Postoperative back pain and discomfort (visual analog scale [VAS], 0-100 mm) and the number of patients who could maintain their position were examined.

Changes in lumbar lordosis and predicted minimum 5-year surgical outcomes after short-segment transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.

Although most patients who undergo transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) show favorable surgical results, some still have unfavorable results for various reasons. This study aimed to investigate the influence of differences in lumbar lordosis (LL) between the standing and supine positions (DiLL: supine LL-standing LL) on minimum 5-year surgical outcomes after short-segment TLIF. Ninety-one patients with lumbar degenerative disease who underwent short-segment TLIF (1-2 levels) were categorized based on preoperative differences in LL as DiLL (+) and DiLL (-).

Efficacy and Safety of Condoliase Disc Administration as a New Treatment for Lumbar Disc Herniation.

Introduction: Condoliase is a newly approved drug that improves symptoms associated with lumbar disk herniation (LDH) by intradiscal administration. This study aimed to evaluate the mid-term outcomes of condoliase injection, examine the adverse events, including cases that required surgery after condoliase administration, and verify cases in which condoliase could be effective.

Methods: We enrolled patients with LDH who were treated conservatively for at least six weeks and received condoliase.

Association Between the Accumulation of Pentosidine at the Sciatic Nerve and Cutaneous Hindpaw Hypersensitivity in a Rat Ovariectomy Model.

Introduction Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) have the potential to serve as biomarkers of aging and metabolic diseases; however, how their expression relates to clinical symptoms is not well defined. In this study, we sought to determine whether the accumulation of pentosidine, one type of AGE, at the peripheral nerve is associated with cutaneous pain or hypersensitivity caused by ovariectomy (OVX). Methods We assigned 12-week-old female Sprague Dawley rats into either the OVX group (n = 6) or the sham group (n = 6).

Nerve Growth Factor in Breast Cancer Cells Promotes Axonal Growth and Expression of Calcitonin Gene-related Peptide in a Rat Model of Spinal Metastasis.

Background/aim: Bone metastasis commonly causes severe pain. Nerve growth factor (NGF) contributes to pain, and promotes the production of pain-associated neuropeptides, such as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), from sensory nerve endings. We hypothesized that breast cancer cells have NGF levels that promote axonal growth from dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) neurons, and increase their CGRP production associated with pain from spinal metastases.

Postoperative change in lumbopelvic alignment after short-segment transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion is related to preoperative postural difference in lumbar lordosis.

Background: Postoperative changes in lumbar lordosis (LL) after transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) and the related factors are not well-understood. Recently, the preoperative difference in LL between standing and supine positions (DiLL) was proposed as a factor for predicting postoperative radiologic outcomes after short-segment TLIF. This study investigated the influence of DiLL on mid-term radiological outcomes after short-segment TLIF.

Serum Reactive Oxygen Metabolites as a Predictor of Clinical Disease Activity Index, Simplified Disease Activity Index, and Boolean Remissions in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Treated With Biologic Agents.

Introduction Reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs) are metabolite hydroperoxides in the blood, and their serum levels were associated with the disease activity score 28 (DAS28) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study, we aimed to investigate whether ROMs would be predictive of the clinical disease activity index (CDAI) remission, simplified disease activity index (SDAI) remission, or Boolean remission. Materials and methods Fifty-one biologic agents (BA)-naïve RA patients were included in this observational study.

Effects of the difference between lumbar lordosis in the supine and standing positions on the clinical outcomes of decompression surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis.

Objective: The authors sought to evaluate the relationship between the difference in lumbar lordosis (DiLL) in the preoperative supine and standing positions and spinal sagittal alignment in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and to determine whether this difference affects the clinical outcome of laminectomy.

Methods: Sixty patients who underwent single-level unilateral laminectomy for bilateral decompression of LSS were evaluated. Spinopelvic parameters in the supine and standing positions were measured preoperatively and at 3 months and 2 years postoperatively.

Early mobilization reduces the medical care cost and the risk of disuse syndrome in patients with acute osteoporotic vertebral fractures.

Study Design: A retrospective observational study.

Purpose: To compare two conservative treatments for acute osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVFs).

Overview Of Literature: Several studies have reported conservative treatments for OVFs in terms of using a brace, rehabilitation, and bed rest.

An Injectable Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogel Promotes Intervertebral Disc Repair in a Rabbit Model.

Study Design: An in vivo model to study the effect of an injectable hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogel following puncture-induced lumbar disc injury in rabbits.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of an injectable HA hydrogel to maintain disc height and tissue hydration, promote structural repair, and attenuate inflammation and innervation in the lumbar discs.

Summary Of Background Data: Previously, we have demonstrated that HA hydrogel alleviated inflammation, innervation, and pain to promote disc repair.

Improvements in Intractable Lumbar and LowerExtremity Symptoms after Systemic Administration of Tocilizumab, an Anti-interleukin-6 Receptor Antibody.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study (open-label, single-arm, and non-blinded).

Purpose: This study aims to determine the effects of systemic administration of tocilizumab, an anti-interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor antibody on refractory low back pain and leg symptoms.

Overview Of Literature: IL-6 overexpression is associated with neuropathic pain pathogenesis, which is potentially followed by chronic low back pain, including leg pain and numbness.

Usefulness of Simultaneous Magnetic Resonance Neurography and Apparent T2 Mapping for the Diagnosis of Cervical Radiculopathy.

Study Design: Retrospective observational study.

Purpose: We investigated the correlation between T2 relaxation times and clinical symptoms in patients with cervical radiculopathy caused by cervical disk herniation.

Overview Of Literature: There are currently no imaging modalities that can assess the affected cervical nerve roots quantitatively.

Skip decompression surgeries in the treatment of holospinal epidural abscess: a case report.

Introduction: Holospinal epidural abscess (HEA) extending from the cervical to the lumbosacral spine is an extremely rare condition. Surgical treatment of HEA, which involves extensive decompression of the spinal lesion is difficult in emergency settings. However, the authors successfully treated a case of HEA in critical condition with severe neurological deficits through a combination of skip decompression surgeries and catheter irrigation.

Background factors for chronic low back pain resistant to cognitive behavioral therapy.

This study examined the factors that inhibit the therapeutic effects of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and clarify the adaptation judgment criteria of CBT. We included patients with chronic low back pain and allocated them to the adaptation (with visual analog scale [VAS] improvement) or non-adaptation group (without VAS improvement). The patients were analyzed using various psychological tests.

Three-year clinical and radiological results of a cruciate-retaining type of the knee prosthesis with anatomical geometry developed in Japan.

Background: The FINE total knee was developed in Japan and clinical use began in 2001. It has unique design features, including an oblique 3 femorotibial joint line that reproduces anatomical geometry. Although 20 years have passed since the FINE knee was clinically used for the first time in Japan, a formal clinical evaluation including patient-reported and radiographic outcomes has not been undertaken.

Percutaneously-quantified advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) accumulation associates with low back pain and lower extremity symptoms in middle-aged low back pain patients.

Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) have been reported as a possible biomarker of ageing and metabolic diseases; however, its role in the clinical progression of these diseases remains unclear. We aimed to evaluate how AGEs are associated with clinical symptoms and comorbidities in lower back pain (LBP) patients. This prospective cohort study enrolled 636 LBP patients.

Frequency of Adverse Drug Reactions and Analgesic Effects of Mirogabalin during Treatment of Peripheral Neuropathic Pain: A Retrospective Clinical Investigation.

Introduction: Mirogabalin should be equivalent to pregabalin, but with fewer incidences of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). To verify these benefits in actual clinical trials, our study investigated the frequency of ADRs and mirogabalin's analgesic effects during treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain.

Methods: This study included 74 patients with lower limb pain.