"Platelet-Rich Plasma" epidural injection an emerging strategy in lumbar disc herniation: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Lumbar herniated disc (HNP) is mainly treated by conservative management. Epidural steroid injection (ESI) has been an option to treat failed cases prior to surgery. Triamcinolone has been widely used due to its efficacy in bringing about pain reduction for up to three months. However, several reports have shown some severe adverse events. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is made from blood through centrifugation. Several studies supported the potential short to long-term effects, and safety of PRP injection in treating HNP. The study objective was to evaluate the efficacy of PRP in treatment of single-level lumbar HNP in comparison to triamcinolone. METHODS: Thirty patients were treated by transforaminal epidural injections. PRP was obtained from 24 ml venous blood through standardized double-spin protocol. Participants included fifteen patients each being in triamcinolone and PRP groups. The same postoperative protocols and medications were applied. The visual analogue scale of leg (LegVAS), collected at baseline, 2, 6, 12, and 24 weeks, was the primary outcome. The BackVAS, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), adverse event, and treatment failure were the secondary endpoints. RESULTS: Platelet ratio of PRP in fifteen patients was 2.86 ± 0.85. Patients treated by PRP injections showed statistically and clinically significant reduction in LegVAS at 6, 12, and 24 weeks, and in ODI at 24 weeks. It demonstrated comparable results on other aspects. No adverse event occurred in either group. CONCLUSION: Noncommercial epidural double-spin PRP yielded superior results to triamcinolone. Due to its efficacy and safety, the procedure is recommended in treating single level lumbar HNP. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT, NCT05234840. Registered 1 January 2019, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT05234840 .

Molecular and Morphological Evidence of Hepatotoxicity after Silver Nanoparticle Exposure: A Systematic Review, In Silico, and Ultrastructure Investigation.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been widely used in a variety of applications in innovative development; consequently, people are more exposed to this particle. Growing concern about toxicity from AgNP exposure has attracted greater attention, while questions about nanosilver-responsive genes and consequences for human health remain unanswered. By considering early detection and prevention of nanotoxicology at the genetic level, this study aimed to identify 1) changes in gene expression levels that could be potential indicators for AgNP toxicity and 2) morphological phenotypes correlating to toxicity of HepG2 cells. To detect possible nanosilver-responsive genes in xenogenic targeted organs, a comprehensive systematic literature review of changes in gene expression in HepG2 cells after AgNP exposure and in silico method, connection up- and down-regulation expression analysis of microarrays (CU-DREAM), were performed. In addition, cells were extracted and processed for transmission electron microscopy to examine ultrastructural alterations. From the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) Series database, we selected genes that were up- and down-regulated in AgNPs, but not up- and down-regulated in silver ion exposed cells, as nanosilver-responsive genes. HepG2 cells in the AgNP-treated group showed distinct ultrastructural alterations. Our results suggested potential representative gene data after AgNPs exposure provide insight into assessment and prediction of toxicity from nanosilver exposure.

Cardiovascular manifestations of renovascular hypertension in diabetic mice.

Purpose. Type 2 diabetes is the leading cause of end stage renal disease in the United States. Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis is commonly observed in diabetic patients and impacts the rate of renal and cardiovascular disease progression. We sought to test the hypothesis that renovascular hypertension, induced by unilateral renal artery stenosis, exacerbates cardiac remodeling in leptin-deficient (db/db) mice, which serves as a model of human type II diabetes. Methods. We employed a murine model of renovascular hypertension through placement of a polytetrafluoroethylene cuff on the right renal artery in db/db mice. We studied 109 wild-type (non-diabetic, WT) and 95 db/db mice subjected to renal artery stenosis (RAS) or sham surgery studied at 1, 2, 4, and 6+ weeks following surgery. Cardiac remodeling was assessed by quantitative analysis of the percent of myocardial surface area occupied by interstitial fibrosis tissue, as delineated by trichrome stained slides. Aortic pathology was assessed by histologic sampling of grossly apparent structural abnormalities or by section of ascending aorta of vessels without apparent abnormalities. Results. We noted an increased mortality in db/db mice subjected to RAS. The mortality rate of db/db RAS mice was about 23.5%, whereas the mortality rate of WT RAS mice was only 1.5%. Over 60% of mortality in the db/db mice occurred in the first two weeks following RAS surgery. Necropsy showed massive intrathoracic hemorrhage associated with aortic dissection, predominantly in the ascending aorta and proximal descending aorta. Aortas from db/db RAS mice showed more smooth muscle dropout, loss of alpha smooth muscle actin expression, medial disruption, and hemorrhage than aortas from WT mice with RAS. Cardiac tissue from db/db RAS mice had more fibrosis than did cardiac tissue from WT RAS mice. Conclusions. db/db mice subjected to RAS are prone to develop fatal aortic dissection, which is not observed in WT mice with RAS. The db/db RAS model provides the basis for future studies directed towards defining basic mechanisms underlying the interaction of hypertension and diabetes on the development of aortic lesions.