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Chen HH, Mohsin M, Ge JY, Feng YT, Wang JG, Ou YS, Jiang ZJ, Hu BY, Liu XJ. Optogenetic Activation of Peripheral Somatosensory Neurons in Transgenic Mice as a Neuropathic Pain Model for Assessing the Therapeutic Efficacy of Analgesics. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2024; 7:236-248. [PMID: 38230281 PMCID: PMC10789130 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.3c00254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Optogenetics is a novel biotechnology widely used to precisely manipulate a specific peripheral sensory neuron or neural circuit. However, the use of optogenetics to assess the therapeutic efficacy of analgesics is elusive. In this study, we generated a transgenic mouse stain in which all primary somatosensory neurons can be optogenetically activated to mimic neuronal hyperactivation in the neuropathic pain state for the assessment of analgesic effects of drugs. A transgenic mouse was generated using the advillin-Cre line mated with the Ai32 strain, in which channelrhodopsin-2 fused to enhanced yellow fluorescence protein (ChR2-EYFP) was conditionally expressed in all types of primary somatosensory neurons (advillincre/ChR2+/+). Immunofluorescence and transdermal photostimulation on the hindpaws were used to verify the transgenic mice. Optical stimulation to evoke pain-like paw withdrawal latency was used to assess the analgesic effects of a series of drugs. Injury- and pain-related molecular biomarkers were investigated with immunohistofluorescence. We found that the expression of ChR2-EYFP was observed in many primary afferents of paw skin and sciatic nerves and in primary sensory neurons and laminae I and II of the spinal dorsal horns in advillincre/ChR2+/+ mice. Transdermal blue light stimulation of the transgenic mouse hindpaw evoked nocifensive paw withdrawal behavior. Treatment with gabapentin, some channel blockers, and local anesthetics, but not opioids or COX-1/2 inhibitors, prolonged the paw withdrawal latency in the transgenic mice. The analgesic effect of gabapentin was also verified by the decreased expression of injury- and pain-related molecular biomarkers. These optogenetic mice provide a promising model for assessing the therapeutic efficacy of analgesics in neuropathic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao-Hao Chen
- School
of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province 226001, China
- Pain
and Related Diseases Research Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong Province 515041, China
| | - Muhammad Mohsin
- Pain
and Related Diseases Research Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong Province 515041, China
| | - Jia-Yi Ge
- School
of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province 226001, China
| | - Yu-Ting Feng
- School
of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province 226001, China
| | - Jing-Ge Wang
- School
of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province 226001, China
| | - Yu-Sen Ou
- Pain
and Related Diseases Research Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong Province 515041, China
| | - Zuo-Jie Jiang
- Pain
and Related Diseases Research Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong Province 515041, China
| | - Bo-Ya Hu
- Pain
and Related Diseases Research Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong Province 515041, China
| | - Xing-Jun Liu
- School
of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu Province 226001, China
- Pain
and Related Diseases Research Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong Province 515041, China
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Zhang FM, Wang B, Hu H, Zhang YY, Chen HH, Jiang ZJ, Zeng MX, Liu XJ. Transcriptional profiles of TGF-β superfamily members in the lumbar DRGs and the effects of activins A and C on inflammatory pain in rats. J Physiol Biochem 2023:10.1007/s13105-022-00943-z. [PMID: 36696051 DOI: 10.1007/s13105-022-00943-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Signaling by the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β superfamily is necessary for proper neural development and is involved in pain processing under both physiological and pathological conditions. Sensory neurons that reside in the dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) initially begin to perceive noxious signaling from their innervating peripheral target tissues and further convey pain signaling to the central nervous system. However, the transcriptional profile of the TGF-β superfamily members in DRGs during chronic inflammatory pain remains elusive. We developed a custom microarray to screen for transcriptional changes in members of the TGF-β superfamily in lumbar DRGs of rats with chronic inflammatory pain and found that the transcription of the TGF-β superfamily members tends to be downregulated. Among them, signaling of the activin/inhibin and bone morphogenetic protein/growth and differentiation factor (BMP/GDF) families dramatically decreased. In addition, peripherally pre-local administration of activins A and C worsened formalin-induced acute inflammatory pain, whereas activin C, but not activin A, improved formalin-induced persistent inflammatory pain by inhibiting the activation of astrocytes. This is the first report of the TGF-β superfamily transcriptional profiles in lumbar DRGs under chronic inflammatory pain conditions, in which transcriptional changes in cytokines or pathway components were found to contribute to, or be involved in, inflammatory pain processing. Our data will provide more targets for pain research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng-Ming Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Jiangsu Province, 226001, Nantong, China
- Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, Jiangsu Province, China
- Pain and Related Disease Research Lab, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Bing Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Jiangsu Province, 226001, Nantong, China
| | - Han Hu
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 1 Beigou Xiangshan, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Ying-Ying Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Jiangsu Province, 226001, Nantong, China
| | - Hao-Hao Chen
- Pain and Related Disease Research Lab, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Zuo-Jie Jiang
- Pain and Related Disease Research Lab, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Mei-Xing Zeng
- Pain and Related Disease Research Lab, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Xing-Jun Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Nantong University, Jiangsu Province, 226001, Nantong, China.
- Pain and Related Disease Research Lab, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong Province, China.
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Molecular Changes in the Dorsal Root Ganglion during the Late Phase of Peripheral Nerve Injury-induced Pain in Rodents: A Systematic Review. Anesthesiology 2021; 136:362-388. [PMID: 34965284 DOI: 10.1097/aln.0000000000004092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
The dorsal root ganglion is widely recognized as a potential target to treat chronic pain. A fundamental understanding of quantitative molecular and genomic changes during the late phase of pain is therefore indispensable. The authors performed a systematic literature review on injury-induced pain in rodent dorsal root ganglions at minimally 3 weeks after injury. So far, slightly more than 300 molecules were quantified on the protein or messenger RNA level, of which about 60 were in more than one study. Only nine individual sequencing studies were performed in which the most up- or downregulated genes varied due to heterogeneity in study design. Neuropeptide Y and galanin were found to be consistently upregulated on both the gene and protein levels. The current knowledge regarding molecular changes in the dorsal root ganglion during the late phase of pain is limited. General conclusions are difficult to draw, making it hard to select specific molecules as a focus for treatment.
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Jiang ZJ, Li QY, Zhang YY, Zeng MX, Hu H, Zhang FM, Bi LB, Gu JH, Liu XJ. Deletion of MyD88 adaptor in nociceptor alleviates low-dose formalin-induced acute pain and persistent pain in mice. Neuroreport 2021; 32:378-385. [PMID: 33661805 DOI: 10.1097/wnr.0000000000001608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) adaptor mediates signaling by Toll-like receptors and some interleukins (ILs) in neural and non-neuronal cells. Recently, MyD88 protein was found to express in primary sensory neurons and be involved in the maintenance of persistent pain induced by complete Freund's adjuvant, chronic constriction injury and chemotherapy treatment in rodents. However, whether MyD88 in nociceptive neurons contributes to persistent pain induced by intraplantar injection of formalin remains elusive. Here, using conditional knockout (CKO) mice, we found that selective deletion of Myd88 in Nav1.8-expressing primary nociceptive neurons led to reduced pain response in the recovery phase of 1% formalin-induced mechanical pain and impaired the persistent thermal pain. Moreover, CKO mice exhibited reduced phase II pain response in 1%, but not 5%, formalin-induced acute inflammatory pain. Finally, nociceptor MyD88 deletion resulted in less neuronal c-Fos activation in spinal dorsal horns following 1% formalin stimulation. These data suggest that MyD88 in nociceptive neurons is not only involved in persistent mechanical pain but also promotes the transition from acute inflammatory pain to persistent thermal hyperalgesia induced by low-dose formalin stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuo-Jie Jiang
- Pain and Related Disease Research Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong Province
| | - Qing-Yi Li
- Pain and Related Disease Research Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong Province
| | - Ying-Ying Zhang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing
| | - Mei-Xing Zeng
- Pain and Related Disease Research Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong Province
| | - Han Hu
- Institute of Apicultural Research/Key Laboratory of Pollinating Insect Biology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 1 Beigou Xiangshan, Beijing, China
| | - Feng-Ming Zhang
- Pain and Related Disease Research Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong Province
| | - Ling-Bo Bi
- Pain and Related Disease Research Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong Province
| | - Jia-Hui Gu
- Pain and Related Disease Research Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong Province
| | - Xing-Jun Liu
- Pain and Related Disease Research Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong Province
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Huang Y, Lu Y, Zhao X, Zhang J, Zhang F, Chen Y, Bi L, Gu J, Jiang Z, Wu X, Li Q, Liu Y, Shen J, Liu X. Cytokine activin C ameliorates chronic neuropathic pain in peripheral nerve injury rodents by modulating the TRPV1 channel. Br J Pharmacol 2020; 177:5642-5657. [PMID: 33095918 PMCID: PMC7707095 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The cytokine activin C is mainly expressed in small-diameter dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons and suppresses inflammatory pain. However, the effects of activin C in neuropathic pain remain elusive. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Male rats and wild-type and TRPV1 knockout mice with peripheral nerve injury - sciatic nerve axotomy and spinal nerve ligation in rats; chronic constriction injury (CCI) in mice - provided models of chronic neuropathic pain. Ipsilateral lumbar (L)4-5 DRGs were assayed for activin C expression. Chronic neuropathic pain animals were treated with intrathecal or locally pre-administered activin C or the vehicle. Nociceptive behaviours and pain-related markers in L4-5 DRGs and spinal cord were evaluated. TRPV1 channel modulation by activin C was measured. KEY RESULTS Following peripheral nerve injury, expression of activin βC subunit mRNA and activin C protein was markedly up-regulated in L4-5 DRGs of animals with axotomy, SNL or CCI. [Correction added on 26 November 2020, after first online publication: The preceding sentence has been corrected in this current version.] Intrathecal activin C dose-dependently inhibited neuropathic pain in spinal nerve ligated rats. Local pre-administration of activin C decreased neuropathic pain, macrophage infiltration into ipsilateral L4-5 DRGs and microglial reaction in L4-5 spinal cords of mice with CCI. In rat DRG neurons, activin C enhanced capsaicin-induced TRPV1 currents. Pre-treatment with activin C reduced capsaicin-evoked acute hyperalgesia and normalized capsaicin-evoked persistent hypothermia in mice. Finally, the analgesic effect of activin C was abolished in TRPV1 knockout mice with CCI. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Activin C inhibits neuropathic pain by modulating TRPV1 channels, revealing potential analgesic applications in chronic neuropathic pain therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya‐Kun Huang
- School of PharmacyNantong UniversityNantongChina
- Pain and Related Diseases Research LaboratoryShantou University Medical CollegeShantouChina
| | - Yu‐Gang Lu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanghai Pulmonary HospitalTongji University School of MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Xin Zhao
- Department of GeriatricsRenji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Jing‐Bing Zhang
- Pain and Related Diseases Research LaboratoryShantou University Medical CollegeShantouChina
| | | | - Yong Chen
- School of PharmacyNantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Ling‐Bo Bi
- School of PharmacyNantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Jia‐Hui Gu
- School of PharmacyNantong UniversityNantongChina
| | - Zuo‐Jie Jiang
- Pain and Related Diseases Research LaboratoryShantou University Medical CollegeShantouChina
| | - Xiao‐Man Wu
- Pain and Related Diseases Research LaboratoryShantou University Medical CollegeShantouChina
| | - Qing‐Yi Li
- Pain and Related Diseases Research LaboratoryShantou University Medical CollegeShantouChina
| | - Yanli Liu
- College of Pharmaceutical ScienceSoochow UniversitySuzhouChina
| | - Jian‐Xin Shen
- Pain and Related Diseases Research LaboratoryShantou University Medical CollegeShantouChina
| | - Xing‐Jun Liu
- School of PharmacyNantong UniversityNantongChina
- Pain and Related Diseases Research LaboratoryShantou University Medical CollegeShantouChina
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Visa A, Shaikh S, Alza L, Herreros J, Cantí C. The Hard-To-Close Window of T-Type Calcium Channels. Trends Mol Med 2019; 25:571-584. [PMID: 31031178 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2019.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
T-Type calcium channels (TTCCs) are key regulators of membrane excitability, which is the reason why TTCC pharmacology is subject to intensive research in the neurological and cardiovascular fields. TTCCs also play a role in cancer physiology, and pharmacological blockers such as tetralols and dihydroquinazolines (DHQs) reduce the viability of cancer cells in vitro and slow tumor growth in murine xenografts. However, the available compounds are better suited to blocking TTCCs in excitable membranes rather than TTCCs contributing window currents at steady potentials. Consistently, tetralols and dihydroquinazolines exhibit cytostatic/cytotoxic activities at higher concentrations than those required for TTCC blockade, which may involve off-target effects. Gene silencing experiments highlight the targetability of TTCCs, but further pharmacological research is required for TTCC blockade to become a chemotherapeutic option.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Visa
- Laboratory of Calcium Cell Signaling, IRBLleida-Universitat de Lleida, Rovira Roure, 80, 25198-Lleida, Spain
| | - Soni Shaikh
- Laboratory of Calcium Cell Signaling, IRBLleida-Universitat de Lleida, Rovira Roure, 80, 25198-Lleida, Spain
| | - Lía Alza
- Laboratory of Calcium Cell Signaling, IRBLleida-Universitat de Lleida, Rovira Roure, 80, 25198-Lleida, Spain
| | - Judit Herreros
- Laboratory of Calcium Cell Signaling, IRBLleida-Universitat de Lleida, Rovira Roure, 80, 25198-Lleida, Spain
| | - Carles Cantí
- Laboratory of Calcium Cell Signaling, IRBLleida-Universitat de Lleida, Rovira Roure, 80, 25198-Lleida, Spain.
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Cheng XE, Ma LX, Feng XJ, Zhu MY, Zhang DY, Xu LL, Liu T. Antigen retrieval pre-treatment causes a different expression pattern of Cav3.2 in rat and mouse spinal dorsal horn. Eur J Histochem 2019; 63. [PMID: 30678436 PMCID: PMC6346256 DOI: 10.4081/ejh.2019.2988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cav3 channels consist of three isoforms, Cav3.1 (α1G), Cav3.2 (α1H), and Cav3.3 (α1I), which produce low-threshold spikes that trigger burst firings in nociceptive neurons of the spinal dorsal horn (SDH) and dorsal root ganglion (DRG). Although Cav3.2 plays a crucial role in pathological pain, it is distribution in SDH still remains controversial. One study showed that Cav3.2 is ubiquitously expressed in neurons, but another study implied that Cav3.2 is expressed restricted to astrocytes. To unravel these discrepancies, we used methods of immunohistochemistry either with or without antigen retrieval (AR) pre-treatment to detect Cav3 in SDH and DRG from both rats and mice. Moreover, Cav3.2 mRNA was detected in mice SDH using in situ hybridization. We found that the expression pattern of Cav3.2 but not Cav3.1 and Cav3.3 in SDH were largely different with or without AR pre-treatment, which showed a neuron- like and an astrocyte-like appearance, respectively. Double staining further demonstrated that Cav3.2 was mainly costained with the neuronal marker NeuN in the presence of AR but was with glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP, marker for astrocytes) in the absence of AR pre-treatment. Importantly, Cav3.2 mRNA was mainly colocalized with Cav3.2 but not GFAP. Together, our findings indicate that AR pretreatment or not impacts the expression pattern of Cav3.2, which may make a significant contribution to the future study of Cav3.2 in SDH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao E Cheng
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Center for Experimental Medicine.
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Xu J, Casserly E, Yin Y, Cheng J. A Systematic Review of Growth Hormone in Pain Medicine: From Rodents to Humans. PAIN MEDICINE 2019; 21:21-31. [PMID: 30615177 DOI: 10.1093/pm/pny280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Objective
Growth hormone (GH) and GH-related signaling molecules play an important role in nociception and development of chronic pain. This review aims to examine the potential molecular mechanisms through which GH-related signaling modulates sensory hypersensitivity in rodents, the clinical pharmacology of GH, and the clinical evidence of GH treatment for several common pain syndromes.
Methods
A search was conducted using the PUBMED/MEDLINE database, Scopus, and the Cochrane library for all reports published in English on GH in pain management from inception through May 2018. A critical review was performed on the mechanisms of GH-related signaling and the pharmacology of GH. The levels of clinical evidence and implications for recommendations of all of the included studies were graded.
Results
The search yielded 379 articles, of which 201 articles were deemed irrelevant by reading the titles. There were 53 reports deemed relevant after reading abstracts. All of these 53 articles were retrieved for the analysis and discussion.
Conclusions
Dysfunction of the GH/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)/ghrelin axis was linked to hyperalgesia and several common clinical pain syndromes. Low levels of GH and IGF-1 were linked to pain hypersensitivity, whereas ghrelin appeared to provide analgesic effects. Pretreatment of GH reversed mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity in an animal model of inflammatory pain. Clinical trials support GH treatment in a subgroup of patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (level of evidence: 1B+) or chronic lower back pain syndrome (level of evidence: 2C+).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jijun Xu
- Department of Pain Management, Anesthesiology Institute
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | | | - Yan Yin
- Department of Pain Management, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jianguo Cheng
- Department of Pain Management, Anesthesiology Institute
- Department of Neurosciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Lin SF, Wang B, Zhang FM, Fei YH, Gu JH, Li J, Bi LB, Liu XJ. T-type calcium channels, but not Cav3.2, in the peripheral sensory afferents are involved in acute itch in mice. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2017; 487:801-806. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.04.127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Accepted: 04/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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