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Neurosurgery Mar 2017Intervertebral disk (IVD) degeneration is a natural progression of the aging process. Degenerative disk disease (DDD) is a pathologic condition associated with IVD that... (Review)
Review
Intervertebral disk (IVD) degeneration is a natural progression of the aging process. Degenerative disk disease (DDD) is a pathologic condition associated with IVD that has been associated with chronic back pain. There are a variety of different mechanisms of DDD (genetic, mechanical, exposure). Each of these pathways leads to a final common result of unbalancing the anabolic and catabolic environment of the extracellular matrix in favor of catabolism. Attempts have been made to gain an understanding of the process of IVD degeneration with in Vitro studies. These models help our understanding of the disease process, but are limited as they do not come close to replicating the complexities that exist with an in Vivo model. Animal models have been developed to help us gain further understanding of the degenerative cascade of IVD degeneration In Vivo and test experimental treatment modalities to either prevent or reverse the process of DDD. Many modalities for treatment of DDD have been developed including therapeutic protein injections, stem cell injections, gene therapy, and tissue engineering. These interventions have had promising outcomes in animal models. Several of these modalities have been attempted in human trials, with early outcomes having promising results. Further, increasing our understanding of the degenerative process is essential to the development of new therapeutic interventions and the optimization of existing treatment protocols. Despite limited data, biological therapies are a promising treatment modality for DDD that could impact our future management of low back pain.
Topics: Animals; Biological Therapy; Extracellular Matrix; Genetic Therapy; Humans; Intervertebral Disc Degeneration; Low Back Pain; Tissue Engineering
PubMed: 28350945
DOI: 10.1093/neuros/nyw078 -
Frontiers in Physiology 2023The sarcomere is the smallest functional unit of muscle contraction. It is delineated by a protein-rich structure known as the Z-disk, alternating with M-bands. The... (Review)
Review
The sarcomere is the smallest functional unit of muscle contraction. It is delineated by a protein-rich structure known as the Z-disk, alternating with M-bands. The Z-disk anchors the actin-rich thin filaments and plays a crucial role in maintaining the mechanical stability of the cardiac muscle. A multitude of proteins interact with each other at the Z-disk and they regulate the mechanical properties of the thin filaments. Over the past 2 decades, the role of the Z-disk in cardiac muscle contraction has been assessed widely, however, the impact of genetic variants in Z-disk proteins has still not been fully elucidated. This review discusses the various Z-disk proteins (alpha-actinin, filamin C, titin, muscle LIM protein, telethonin, myopalladin, nebulette, and nexilin) and Z-disk-associated proteins (desmin, and obscurin) and their role in cardiac structural stability and intracellular signaling. This review further explores how genetic variants of Z-disk proteins are linked to inherited cardiac conditions termed cardiomyopathies.
PubMed: 36935760
DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1143858 -
Indian Journal of Ophthalmology Aug 2023
Topics: Humans; Retina; Optic Disk Drusen
PubMed: 37530259
DOI: 10.4103/IJO.IJO_3019_22 -
Scientific Reports Mar 2016Waveguide-coupled silicon ring or disk resonators have been used for optical signal processing and sensing. Large-scale integration of optical devices demands continuous...
Waveguide-coupled silicon ring or disk resonators have been used for optical signal processing and sensing. Large-scale integration of optical devices demands continuous reduction in their footprints, and ultimately they need to be replaced by silicon-based plasmonic resonators. However, few waveguide-coupled silicon-based plasmonic resonators have been realized until now. Moreover, fluid cannot interact effectively with them since their resonance modes are strongly confined in solid regions. To solve this problem, this paper reports realized plasmofluidic disk resonators (PDRs). The PDR consists of a submicrometer radius silicon disk and metal laterally surrounding the disk with a 30-nm-wide channel in between. The channel is filled with fluid, and the resonance mode of the PDR is strongly confined in the fluid. The PDR coupled to a metal-insulator-silicon-insulator-metal waveguide is implemented by using standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology. If the refractive index of the fluid increases by 0.141, the transmission spectrum of the waveguide coupled to the PDR of radius 0.9 μm red-shifts by 30 nm. The PDR can be used as a refractive index sensor requiring a very small amount of analyte. Plus, the PDR filled with liquid crystal may be an ultracompact intensity modulator which is effectively controlled by small driving voltage.
PubMed: 26979929
DOI: 10.1038/srep23149 -
Annals of the Academy of Medicine,... Feb 2020
Topics: Glaucoma; Humans; Optic Disk
PubMed: 32246705
DOI: No ID Found -
Survey of Ophthalmology 2016Optic disk drusen occur in 0.4% of children and consist of acellular intracellular and extracellular deposits that often become calcified over time. They are typically... (Review)
Review
Optic disk drusen occur in 0.4% of children and consist of acellular intracellular and extracellular deposits that often become calcified over time. They are typically buried early in life and generally become superficial, and therefore visible, later in childhood, at the average age of 12 years. Their main clinical significance lies in the ability of optic disk drusen, particularly when buried, to simulate true optic disk edema. Misdiagnosing drusen as true disk edema may lead to an invasive and unnecessary workup for elevated intracranial pressure. Ancillary testing, including ultrasonography, fluorescein angiography, fundus autofluorescence, and optical coherence tomography, may aid in the correct diagnosis of optic disk drusen. Complications of optic disk drusen in children include visual field defects, hemorrhages, choroidal neovascular membrane, nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, and retinal vascular occlusions. Treatment options for these complications include ocular hypotensive agents for visual field defects and intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents for choroidal neovascular membranes. In most cases, however, children with optic disk drusen can be managed by observation with serial examinations and visual field testing once true optic disk edema has been excluded.
Topics: Child; Fluorescein Angiography; Fundus Oculi; Global Health; Humans; Incidence; Optic Disk; Optic Disk Drusen; Tomography, Optical Coherence; Visual Acuity; Visual Fields
PubMed: 27033945
DOI: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2016.03.007 -
Indian Journal of Ophthalmology Dec 2019Melanocytoma is a deeply pigmented variant of melanocytic nevus that classically occurs in the optic disk, sometimes with contiguous involvement of the adjacent retina... (Review)
Review
Melanocytoma is a deeply pigmented variant of melanocytic nevus that classically occurs in the optic disk, sometimes with contiguous involvement of the adjacent retina or choroid. Historically, this tumor was often confused with malignant melanoma both clinically and histopathologically. Today, however, it is generally recognized by its typical clinical features that differ from most melanomas and erroneous enucleation is rarely done. Histopathologically, melanocytoma is composed of intensely pigmented round to oval nevus cells with benign features. Although traditionally believed to be a relatively stationary lesion, it is now known to exhibit minor enlargement in 10--15% of cases and can cause minor visual loss by a variety of mechanisms. In rare instance, it can induce severe visual loss due to spontaneous necrosis of the lesion or compressive optic neuropathy. More importantly, it can exhibit malignant transformation into melanoma in 1--2% of cases. Ophthalmologists should be familiar with melanocytoma of the optic disk and affected patients should be followed periodically.
Topics: Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; Humans; Melanoma; Nevus, Pigmented; Optic Disk; Optic Nerve Neoplasms
PubMed: 31755427
DOI: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_2039_19