The influence of pain sensitivity on the treatment outcome of transforaminal epidural steroid injection in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of individual pain sensitivity on the results of transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) for the patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Seventy-seven patients with LSS were included in this study. Prospectively planned evaluations were performed twice consecutively before and 2 months after TFESI. These included a detailed medical history, a physical examination, and completion of a series of questionnaires, including pain sensitivity questionnaire (PSQ), Oswestry disability index (ODI), and visual analog scale (VAS) for back and leg pain. The correlations were analyzed among variables between total PSQ/PSQ-moderate/PSQ-minor and pain and disability level measured by VAS for back/leg pain and ODI both before and 2 months after TFESI. Two months after TFESI, there were significant decreases in VAS for back/leg pain and ODI compared with those before injection. Before injection, VAS for back pain and leg pain was highly associated with the PSQ scores including total PSQ and PSQ subscores after adjustment for age, BMI, and grade of canal stenosis. However, any subscores of PSQ and total PSQ scores were not correlated with either VAS for back pain/leg pain or ODI 2 months after TFESI with adjustment made to age, BMI, gender, and grade of canal stenosis. This study highlights that individual pain sensitivity does not influence the outcomes of TFESI treatment in patients with LSS, even though pain sensitivity has a significant negative correlation with symptom severity of LSS.

Changes in Functionality of Tenebrio molitor Larvae Fermented by Cordyceps militaris Mycelia.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has been estimating the potential of insects as human food since 2010, and for this reason, Tenebrio molitor larvae, also called mealworms, have been explored as an alternative protein source for various foods. In this study, in order to increase nutrient contents and improve preference as an alternative protein source, we fermented the T. molitor larvae by Cordyceps militaris mycelia. T. molitor larvae were prepared at optimal conditions for fermentation and fermented with C. militaris mycelia, and we analyzed T. molitor larvae change in functionality with proximate composition, ß-glucan, cordycepin, adenosine, and free amino acids content. T. molitor larvae fermented by C. militaris mycelia showed higher total protein, total fiber, and ß-glucan content than the unfermented larvae. In addition, the highest cordycepin content (13.75 mg/g) was observed in shaded dried T. molitor larvae fermented by C. militaris mycelia. Additionally, the isolated cordycepin from fermented T. molitor larvae showed similar cytotoxicity as standard cordycepin when treated with PC-9 cells. Therefore, we report that the optimized methods of T. molitor larvae fermented by C. militaris mycelia increase total protein, total fiber, ß-glucan and produce the amount of cordycepin content, which can be contributed to healthy food and increase T. molitor larvae utilization.

The effect of poloxamer 407-based hydrogel on the osteoinductivity of demineralized bone matrix.

BACKGROUND: Demineralized bone matrix (DBM) is used for bone healing due to its osteoinductivity, but it requires a carrier for clinical application. Here, we report the effects on the osteoinductivity of DBM by use of a poloxamer 407-based hydrogel as the carrier, compared to sterile water. METHODS: DBM-W and DBM-H represent 27 wt% of DBM with sterile water and DBM with a poloxamer 407-based hydrogel, respectively. Both of the compositions were applied to human mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) cultures, and monitored for alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and ALP activity. Six 10-week-old athymic nude rats were used for abdominal muscle grafting with either DBM-W or DBM-H, and were tested by plane radiography, microfocus X-ray computed tomography (CT), and decalcified histology to evaluate ectopic bone formation. RESULTS: The DBM-W group showed stronger ALP staining at 7, 14, and 21 days of treatment, and significantly higher ALP activity at 7 and 14 days of treatment, compared to the DBM-H group. Plane radiography could not confirm the radio-opaque lesions in the rat ectopic bone formulation model. However, ectopic bone formation was observed in both groups by micro-CT. Compared to the DBM-H group, the DBM-W group showed higher bone volume, percent bone volume and trabecular number, and the difference in percent bone volume was statistically significant. Decalcified histology found bony tissue with lamellation in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that poloxamer 407-based hydrogel has efficacy as a DBM carrier since it shows ectopic bone formation, but its effects on the quality and quantity of osteoblastic differentiation in rat abdominal ectopic bone and MSC are considered negative.