Metalloproteinase-2 in failed back surgery syndrome caused by epidural fibrosis: can it play a role in persistent pain?

Purpose: Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS) occurs in 10-40% of patients treated surgically due to disk herniation (DH). There are several factors that can cause a predisposition to FBSS, but the exact pathomechanism has not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate Metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) activities in a homogeneous group of FBSS patients with epidural fibrosis in comparison to its activity in patients with surgically treated DH.

Melatonin: A Potential Candidate for the Treatment of Experimental and Clinical Perinatal Asphyxia.

Perinatal asphyxia is considered to be one of the major causes of brain neurodegeneration in full-term newborns. The worst consequence of perinatal asphyxia is neurodegenerative brain damage, also known as hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy is the leading cause of mortality in term newborns.

VAS and NRS, Same or Different? Are Visual Analog Scale Values and Numerical Rating Scale Equally Viable Tools for Assessing Patients after Microdiscectomy?

Objectives: To compare the viability of the numerical rating scale (NRS) and the visual analogue scale (VAS) as a pain assessment tools among a large cohort of patients who underwent microdiscectomy. . The pain intensity (PI) reduction is a parameter of surgical treatment efficacy.

Ring Opening of Triflates Derived from Benzophospholan-3-one Oxides by Aryl Grignard Reagents as a Route to 2-Ethynylphenyl(diaryl)phosphine Oxides.

A new simple method for the synthesis of 2-ethynylphenyl(diaryl)phosphine oxides via ring opening of benzophosphol-3-yl triflates has been developed. This process occurs via nucleophilic attack of a Grignard reagent at the phosphorus center, which results in ring opening and cleavage of a leaving group. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions and, within 15-60 min, leads to a library of previously unavailable 2-ethynylphenylphosphine oxides in yields up to 98%.

IFN- Correlations with Pain Assessment, Radiological Findings, and Clinical Intercourse in Patient after Lumbar Microdiscectomy: Preliminary Study.

Objectives: We investigated the influence of pain decrease after lumbar microdiscectomy on the interferon gamma (IFN-) serum level in patients with lumbar disc herniations. The study challenges the mechanism of sciatica pain and the role of IFN- in radicular pain development. .

[1,3]/[1,4]-Sulfur atom migration in β-hydroxyalkylphosphine sulfides.

β-Hydroxyalkylphosphine sulfides undergo [1,3]- or [1,4]-sulfur atom phosphorus-to-carbon migration in the presence of Lewis or Brønsted acids. The direction of sulfur atom migration depends on the type of acid used for the reaction. In the presence of a Brønsted acid, mainly [1,3]-rearrangement is observed, whereas a Lewis acid catalyzes the [1,4]-sulfur migration.

Pd-catalyzed intramolecular addition of active methylene compounds to alkynes with subsequent cross-coupling with (hetero)aryl halides.

We report an efficient protocol for tandem Pd-catalyzed intramolecular addition of active methylene compounds to alkynes, followed by subsequent cross-coupling with (hetero)aryl bromides and chlorides. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions, providing excellent functional group tolerance, including unprotected OH, NH groups, enolizable ketones, or a variety of heterocycles. Mechanistic studies point towards a catalytic cycle involving oxidative addition, intramolecular nucleophilic addition to the Pd(ii)-activated alkyne, and reductive elimination, with 5- cyclization being the rate limiting step.

Meat Proteins as Dipeptidyl Peptidase IV Inhibitors and Glucose Uptake Stimulating Peptides for the Management of a Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In Silico Study.

Diabetes mellitus is a non-communicable disease entity currently constituting one of the most significant health problems. The development of effective therapeutic strategies for the prevention and/or treatment of diabetes mellitus based on the selection of methods to restore and maintain blood glucose homeostasis is still in progress. Among the different courses of action, inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) can improve blood glucose control in diabetic patients.

The impact of changes in serum levels of metalloproteinase-2 and metalloproteinase-9 on pain perception in patients with disc herniation before and after surgery.

The aim of our research was to investigate the link between serum levels of metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9, and the degree of pain experienced before and 1 and 3 months after microdiscectomy in 70 patients with disc herniation (DH). The control group (group C) consisted of 70 healthy subjects and the DH group consisted of 70 patients with sciatica pain caused by lumbar DH. Before (DH0) and 1 and 3 months after surgery, the patients were assessed in terms of the following biochemical parameters: MMP-2, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2), MMP-2/TIMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and MMP-9/TIMP1, and the following clinical parameters: Numeric Rating Scale for the back (NRS-B) and the leg (NRS-L) and the Pain Rating Index (PRI) and Present Pain Intensity (PPI) of the McGill Pain Questionnaire.

The Elevated Serum Level of IFN- in Patients with Failed Back Surgery Syndrome Remains Unchanged after Spinal Cord Stimulation.

Objectives: We investigated the influence of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) on IFN-, IL-1, IL-6, TNF-, IL-10, and TGF- serum levels in failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) patients. The study will try to give new insights into the mechanism of SCS action and the role of IFN- and other cytokines in neuropathic pain (NP) development.

Materials And Methods: Clinical and biochemical assessment was conducted in four groups of patients: consisted of 24 FBSS patients qualified to SCS therapy, included 17 patients who were one month after implantation, featured 12 patients who were 3 months after the implantation, and (the control group) with no NP.

Serum Level of Metalloproteinase-2 but not Metalloproteinase-9 Rises in Patients With Failed Back Surgery Syndrome After Spinal Cord Stimulation.

Objectives: The impact of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) on serum levels of metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) was assessed in a group of patients with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS). The study was to give new insights into the SCS mechanism of action and the role of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the development of NP.

Material And Methods: Clinical assessments were performed and biochemical markers were determined in two groups of patients: the control group (24 individuals) and the FBSS group (24 patients).

Worse Neurological State During Acute Ischemic Stroke is Associated with a Decrease in Serum Albumin Levels.

High serum albumin levels during ischemic stroke (IS) decrease the risk of a poor outcome. This study aimed to determine whether serum albumin levels within the first days after IS correlate with radiological and biochemical markers of brain tissue damage. Fifty-six IS patients were enrolled into the study.

'Theory of incomprehensibility'--the social and biological determinants of mental disorders.

Karl Jaspers' theory on the incomprehensibility of psychotic disorders has become the reference point for many critical studies in the field of contemporary psychopathology. According to Jaspers, it is impossible to understand any of the serious mental disorders often referred to as 'psychosis' because of their unreasonableness, a truth that is revealed when one attempts to empathize with the mental states of patients afflicted with a particular mental disorder. These elements are psychologically inaccessible and closed to any form of empathy.