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Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a notorious neuropathic pain featuring persistent profound mechanical hyperalgesia with significant negative impact on patients' life quality. CDDO can regulate inflammatory response and programmed cell death. Its derivative also protects neurons from damages by modulating microglia activities. As a consequence of central and peripheral sensitization, applying neural blocks may benefit to minimize the risk of PHN. This study aimed to explore whether CDDO could generate analgesic action in a PHN‐rats' model. The behavioural test was determined by calibrated forceps testing. The number of apoptotic neurons and degree of glial cell reaction were assessed by immunofluorescence assay. Activation of PKC‐δ and the phosphorylation of Akt were measured by western blots. CDDO improved PHN by decreasing TRPV1‐positive nociceptive neurons, the apoptotic neurons, and reversed glial cell reaction in adult rats. It also suppressed the enhanced PKC‐δ and p‐Akt signalling in the sciatic nerve, dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal dorsal horn. Our research is the promising report demonstrating the analgesic and neuroprotective action of CDDO in a PHN‐rat's model by regulating central and peripheral sensitization targeting TRPV1, PKC‐δ and p‐Akt. It also is the first study to elucidate the role of oligodendrocyte in PHN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Treating postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), which is characterized with a long‐lasting lancinating mechanical allodynia or hyperalgesia, is a big challenge as it is hard to achieve complete resolution. A synthetic triterpenoid, CDDO (2‐cyano‐3,12‐dioxoolean‐1,9‐dien‐28‐oic acid) can exert pleiotropic effects including anti‐inflammation and neuroprotective activities. Nevertheless, the antinociceptive effect of CDDO and its derivatives remains unknown. Resiniferatoxin (RTX) is easily feasible, and an RTX‐treated rodent model can mimic the PHN‐like symptoms. Therefore, RTX‐treated rats were used to serve as a PHN rats' model in the study to elucidate whether a synthetic triterpenoid, CDDO, can improve mechanical allodynia in RTX‐treated rats. Methods: The antinociceptive effects of CDDO were assessed by behavioral tests, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Paw withdrawal mechanical threshold was determined using calibrated forceps. Results: Administration of RTX led to mechanical allodynia, neuronal cell death, and glial cell activation in the spinal cord of RTX‐treated rats. A synthetic triterpenoid, CDDO, blocked RTX‐induced mechanical allodynia, rescued neuronal cell death, and inhibited glial cell activation in the spinal cord of RTX‐treated rats. Conclusions: Our study provides a novel result that a synthetic triterpenoid, CDDO, can interfere neuronal cell death and glial cell activation in the spinal cord of RTX‐treated rats. Hence, CDDO is an alternative therapeutic choice for PHN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoporosis is a systemic bone‐resorbing disease that easily causes subsequent risk of fracture. Hence, the substantial physical burden of osteoporosis makes it an important public health issue. Seborrheic dermatitis (SD) is a chronic, recurrent, inflammatory skin disease. Despite the advances in medication for treating osteoporosis, identifying undiagnosed osteoporosis patients is still challenging. Since osteoporosis and SD share a similar pathobiology, e.g. inflammation and hormonal imbalance, we aimed to investigate whether the existence of SD increases osteoporosis risk by using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. A total of 7831 patients aged 18–50 years with SD and a control group of 31 324 patients without SD matched by age, gender, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and index date at a ratio of 1:4 during 1996–2010 were recruited in the study. To measure the cumulative incidence and compare the hazard ratios of osteoporosis between each group, the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazard regression models were utilized. It was found that 0.98% of SD patients had osteoporosis. Compared to the non‐SD group, the SD group had a 5.95‐fold higher osteoporosis risk after adjustment for variables. The impact of SD on osteoporosis risk was largest in the female and young age groups. In addition, the presence of hyperlipidemia, hyperthyroidism, and epilepsy synergistically increased osteoporosis incidence in the SD group. This first large cohort study demonstrated an association between SD and osteoporosis. Since the effect on bone health in SD patients with concomitant diseases is largest in early life, diet or lifestyle recommendations as well as regular bone examinations are advised during follow‐up of SD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel degradable crosslinker, N, N′-bis(acryloyl) cystamine (BACy), was synthesized with cystamine dihydrochloride (Cy) and acryloyl chloride. Then three series of degradable thermosensitive hydrogels with different crosslinker contents were prepared from N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAAm), BACy (Bx-series) or N, N′-methylene-bis-acrylamide (NMBA)(Nx-series) or equimolar BACy and NMBA (BNx-series) as crosslinker, and diethoxyacetophenone (DEAP) as photoinitiator under UV-irradiation polymerization. The effect of crosslinker content on the properties of the hydrogels such as swelling behavior and mechanical properties was investigated. At the same time, their degradabilities were investigated by dissolving them into different concentrations of cysteine solution. The results show that the swelling ratios for the Bx-series hydrogels are lower than those for the Nx-series hydrogels. But, after degradation in the cysteine solution, the swelling ratios for the Bx-series hydrogels were greater than those for the Nx-series hydrogels. When the crosslinker content was increased, all values of shear stress (τ), shear modulus (G), and effective crosslinking density (ρX) increased. But, the ρX values for the reduced Bx series and BNx series hydrogels were lower than those for original hydrogels. Results also showed that the ρX values for the Nx series hydrogel were not affected by cysteine. The disulfide bonds of BACy in these novel hydrogels were decomposed (reduced) in the cysteine solution and converted into thiol group. These thiol groups could be used to absorb some metal ions such as silver ion. Hence, the absorption of silver ion for the hydrogel with thiol group was also investigated in this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the case of a 78-year-old man who had an acquired digital fibrokeratoma (ADFK) of the finger. The patient presented with a nodule protruding from the medial side of the left second finger, which was successfully removed by liquid nitrogen cryotherapy. The types of ADFK as an uncommon tumor are also discussed.