Postoperative early initiation of sequential exercise program in preventing persistent spinal pain syndrome type-2 after modified transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion: a prospective randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: This prospective randomized controlled trial aimed to investigate the impact of early postoperative sequential motor control (starting first day post-operatively) and core stabilization training (starting fifth week post-operatively) compared to conventional exercise (starting fifth weeks post-operatively) on the risk of developing persistent spinal pain syndrome type-2 (PSPS-T2). METHODS: 395 patients with lumbar degenerative diseases (LDDs) undergoing modified transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion and a 12-week postoperative exercise program (sequential vs. conventional exercise: 214 vs. 181) were evaluated for low back pain (LBP) intensity, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), pressure pain threshold (PPT), temporal summation (TS), fatty infiltration of paraspinal muscles, transversus abdominis (TrA) activation capacity and Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ) pre-operatively, 3 months post-operatively, and 1 year post-operatively. RESULTS: At 3-month postoperative assessment, LBP in sequential exercise group were lower than those in conventional exercise group (P < 0.05), and sequential-exercise patients had greater local-area PPTs, lower TS, lower TrA activation capacities and less fatty infiltration of erector spinae than did the conventional-exercise patients (P < 0.05). At 1-year postoperative assessment, fewer sequential-exercise patients had PSPS-T2 compared with conventional-exercise patients (11/214 vs. 20/181; P < 0.05). LBP at rest and FABQ were lower in sequential-exercise patients than conventional-exercise patients (P < 0.05). Furthermore, both PPT and TS at 1-year postoperative assessment were associated with these measurements at 3-month postoperative assessment in patients with PSPS-T2 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative sequential exercise has more positive effects to avoid PSPS-T2 than conventional exercise in patients with LDDs possibly because of its advantages in improving central and peripheral sensitization.

A Study on Interobserver and Intraobserver Reliability of the Huashan Radiologic Classification System for Cervical Spinal Cord Injury Without Fracture and Dislocation.

STUDY DESIGN: Observational study. OBJECTIVE: To assess the reproducibility and reliability of the system. BACKGROUND: The Huashan radiologic classification system for cervical spinal cord injury without fracture and dislocation (CSCIWFD) was recently proposed and found useful for clinical practice. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients diagnosed with CSCIWFD between 2015 and 2021 were recruited. Six spine surgeons from different institutions, three experienced and other inexperienced respectively, were trained as observers of the system, and these surgeons classified the recruited patients using the system. Then, 8 weeks later, they repeated the classification on the same patients in a different order. The interobserver and intraobserver agreement between the results was analyzed using percentage agreement, weighted kappa, and Cohen kappa (κ) statistics. RESULTS: A total of 60 patients were included in the analysis. Type I was the most frequent type (29 cases, 48.3%), followed by type II (13 cases, 21.7%), type III (12 cases, 20%), and type IV (6 cases, 10%). For all the observers, experienced observers, and inexperienced observers, the overall agreement percentages were 77.6% (κ = 0.78), 84.4% (κ = 0.84), and 72.8% (κ = 0.74), respectively, indicating substantial to nearly perfect interobserver reproducibility. A higher level of agreement was found for differentiating type I from other types, with the percentage agreement ranging from 87.8% to 94.4% (κ= 0.74-0.88). For distinguishing compression on the spinal cord (types I and II vs types III and IV) among the different groups of observers, the percentage agreement was 97.8% (κ = 0.94), indicating nearly perfect reproducibility. As for intraobserver agreement, the percentage agreement ranged from 86.7% to 96.7% (κ = 0.78-0.95), indicating at least substantial reliability. CONCLUSIONS: The Huashan radiologic classification system for CSCIWFD was easy to learn and apply in a clinical environment, showing excellent reproducibility and reliability. Therefore, it would be promising to apply and promote this system for the precise evaluation and personalized treatment strategy.

Altered central pain processing in patients with degenerative lumbar diseases and its association with low physical activity levels after lumbar spinal surgeries: a retrospective cohort analysis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the occurrence of altered central pain modulation in patients with degenerative lumbar diseases (DLDs) and to analyze its association with physical activity (PA) 3 years after lumbar decompression and fusion. METHODS: Preoperative assessments of pressure pain thresholds (PPTs), temporal summation (TS), conditioned pain modulation (CPM) and pain were, respectively, recorded in 304 patients. These patients further underwent International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and both pain-related and psychological assessments 3 years post-operation. RESULTS: Preoperatively, the patients had lower PPTs in both local pain and pain-free areas and lower CPM and higher TS in pain-free areas than healthy subjects (P < 0.05). Postoperatively, 53.9% (164/304) patients showed PA below healthy-related thresholds (< 600 MET min/w). Low PA group showed a greater postoperative weight gain and bone loss and a higher postoperative prevalence of both moderate anxiety and marginal depression than high PA group (P < 0.05). All covariates with differences between the high and low PA groups were subjected to multivariate logistic regression, and long preoperative disease duration, low preoperative PPT in pain-free area, high preoperative TS, revision surgery, severe postoperative low back pain and significant postoperative pain catastrophizing thought were independently associated with low postoperative PA (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the existence of central sensitization (CS) caused by abnormal central pain modulation in DLDs. Pre-existing CS in these patients may be associated with low PA after lumbar surgeries, and this low-activity lifestyle may predispose patients to multiple adverse health outcomes. Preoperative dynamic quantitative sensory testing may provide information for the identification of at-risk patients.

Epidemiological and Molecular Study on Tick-Borne Pathogens in Argun Port Area Near the Chinese-Russian Border.

Objective: We aim to investigate the species composition of ticks and the pathogen characteristics they carry in the Argun port area of the China-Russia border. Materials and Methods: Ticks were collected in surrounding grassland, mixed forest land, and other different habitats around the Argun port area at the Sino-Russian Border of Inner Mongolia in China in April 2019. The presence of 16 potential pathogens, including Yersinia Pestis, Francisella tularensis, Coxiella burnetii (Cb), Anaplasma sp. (Ap), spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFG Rk), Borrelia sp. (Bl), Leptospira, Bartonella spp., Babesia, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus, tick-borne encephalitis virus, Bhanja virus, West Nile Virus, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome bunyavirus, Hantaan virus, and bocavirus (boca) was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction. The DNA and amino acid sequences of tick-borne pathogens were compared for homology, and the phylogenetic trees were constructed by using Mega and Lasergene software. Results: A total of 210 ticks were collected and they belonged to three species: Dermacentor nuttalli, Ixodes persulcatus, and Haemaphysalis verticalis. Among them, 165 (78.57%) ticks tested positive for 5 pathogens, namely Ap, SFG Rk, Cb, Bl, and boca. Fifteen (7.14%) ticks were detected coinfection with two pathogens, and none were coinfected with three or more pathogens. Conclusion: This study shows the prevalence of at least five tick-borne pathogens in Argun, and there is a risk of coinfection by two pathogens in one tick. This study reveals the great importance of controlling tick-borne diseases in this region.

Complete chloroplast genomes of three wild perennial Hordeum species from Central Asia: genome structure, mutation hotspot, phylogenetic relationships, and comparative analysis.

Hordeum L. is widely distributed in mountain or plateau of subtropical and warm temperate regions around the world. Three wild perennial Hordeum species, including H. bogdanii, H. brevisubulatum, and H. violaceum, have been used as forage and for grassland ecological restoration in high-altitude areas in recent years. To date, the degree of interspecies sequence variation in the three Hordeum species within existing gene pools is still not well-defined. Herein, we sequenced and assembled chloroplast (cp) genomes of the three species. The results revealed that the cp genome of H. bogdanii showed certain sequence variations compared with the cp genomes of the other two species (H. brevisubulatum and H. violaceum), and the latter two were characterized by a higher relative affinity. Parity rule 2 plot (PR2) analysis illuminated that most genes of all ten Hordeum species were concentrated in nucleotide T and G. Numerous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and insertion/deletion (In/Del) events were detected in the three Hordeum species. A series of hotspots regions (tRNA-GGU ~ tRNA-GCA, tRNA-UGU ~ ndhJ, psbE ~ rps18, ndhF ~ tRNA-UAG, etc.) were identified by mVISTA procedures, and the five highly polymorphic genes (tRNA-UGC, tRNA-UAA, tRNA-UUU, tRNA-UAC, and ndhA) were proved by the nucleotide diversity (Pi). Although the distribution and existence of cp simple sequence repeats (cpSSRs) were predicted in the three Hordeum cp genomes, no rearrangement was found between them. A similar phenomenon has been found in the cp genome of the other seven Hordeum species, which has been published so far. In addition, evolutionary relationships were reappraised based on the currently reported cp genome of Hordeum L. This study offers a framework for gaining a better understanding of the evolutionary history of Hordeum species through the re-examination of their cp genomes, and by identifying highly polymorphic genes and hotspot regions that could provide important insights into the genetic diversity and differentiation of these species.

Study on the action mechanism of Buyang Huanwu Decoction against ischemic stroke based on S1P/S1PR1/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ischemic stroke is a common and frequent clinical disease. Recent studies have demonstrated that sphingolipid plays an important role in the pathological process of ischemic stroke. PI3K-Akt is a classic protective signaling pathway of cerebral ischemic injury. After acting on the S1P receptor, S1P can activate the downstream PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and play an anti-cerebral ischemia role. Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BHD) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula used to treat ischemic stroke. However, the mechanisms of BHD on ischemic stroke remain unclear based on S1P/S1PR1/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study is intended to investigate the action mechanism of BHD on ischemic stroke based on the S1P/S1PR1/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway from multiple perspectives. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The BHD lyophilized product was prepared by vacuum freeze-drying method, of which the chemical composition was determined by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS. The mouse permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) model was established by the suture-occluded method. Male KM mice were randomly divided into seven groups: sham group, model group, FTY720 (positive control) group, BHD group, BHD + W146 (selective S1PR1 inhibitor) group, SEW2871 (selective S1PR1 agonist) group, and Calycosin group. Each group was administered continuously for 14 days and evaluated with modified neurological severity score (mNSS) and cerebral infarct volume on the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 14th days. The SphK1, SphK2, S1PR1, PI3K, Akt, and p-Akt protein in the prefrontal lobe, hippocampus, and striatum was quantified by Western blot and immunohistochemical (IHC) experiment respectively. The qRT-PCR method was employed to evaluate SphK1, SphK2, and S1PR1 mRNA expression in the above tissue. RESULTS: BHD and Calycosin both effectively improved mNSS scores with smaller infarct volumes. The SphK1 level in the prefrontal lobe, hippocampus, and striatum of mice in the BHD group was significantly lower, and SphK2, PI3K, and p-Akt in the hippocampus and striatum were significantly higher than those in the model group. BHD significantly decreased SphK1 mRNA expression in the prefrontal lobe, hippocampus, and striatum, and significantly up-regulated SphK2 mRNA and S1PR1 mRNA expression. Additionally, SphK1 protein expression levels of the prefrontal lobe, hippocampus, and striatum in the BHD group was significantly lower than model group, and SphK2, S1PR1, PI3K, Akt, and p-Akt protein expressions levels were increased obviously. Furthermore, SEW2871 can increase S1PR1 and Akt expression, and up-regulate SphK2 and S1PR1 mRNA expression. The effect of BHD on the expression of S1P/S1PR1/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway-related proteins and mRNA were weakened by BHD + W146. CONCLUSION: BHD and Calycosin significantly improved the symptoms of neurological deficits in pMCAO mice, reduced the cerebral infarction volume, up-regulated SphK2 and S1PR1 mRNA levels, enhanced SphK2, S1PR1, PI3K, Akt, p-Akt protein expression of the prefrontal lobe, hippocampus and striatum, and down-regulated SphK1 mRNA and protein expression, which may be helpful to clarify the mechanism of BHD through S1P/S1PR1/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway to protect against cerebral ischemic injury.

Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Nanospheres with Hydrophilic Shells for Efficient Molecular Recognition of Heterocyclic Aromatic Amines in Aqueous Solution.

Heterocyclic aromatic amine molecularly imprinted polymer nanospheres with surface-bound dithioester groups (haa-MIP) were firstly synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) precipitation polymerization. Then, a series of core-shell structural heterocyclic aromatic amine molecularly imprinted polymer nanospheres with hydrophilic shells (MIP-HSs) were subsequently prepared by grafting the hydrophilic shells on the surface of haa-MIP via on-particle RAFT polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), itaconic acid (IA), and diethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA). The haa-MIP nanospheres showed high affinity and specific recognition toward harmine and its structural analogs in organic solution of acetonitrile, but lost the specific binding ability in aqueous solution. However, after the grafting of the hydrophilic shells on the haa-MIP particles, the surface hydrophilicity and water dispersion stability of the polymer particles of MIP-HSs greatly improved. The binding of harmine by MIP-HSs with hydrophilic shells in aqueous solutions is about two times higher than that of NIP-HSs, showing an efficient molecular recognition of heterocyclic aromatic amines in aqueous solution. The effect of hydrophilic shell structure on the molecular recognition property of MIP-HSs was further compared. MIP-PIA with carboxyl groups containing hydrophilic shells showed the highest selective molecular recognition ability to heterocyclic aromatic amines in aqueous solution.

Determination of endogenous sphingolipid content in stroke rats and HT22 cells subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation by LC‒MS/MS.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is the leading cause of death in humans worldwide, and its incidence increases every year. It is well documented that lipids are closely related to stroke. Analyzing the changes in lipid content in the stroke model after absolute quantification and investigating whether changes in lipid content can predict stroke severity provides a basis for the combination of clinical stroke and quantitative lipid indicators. METHODS: This paper establishes a rapid, sensitive, and reliable LC‒MS/MS analytical method for the detection of endogenous sphingolipids in rat serum and brain tissue and HT22 cells and quantifies the changes in sphingolipid content in the serum and brain tissue of rats from the normal and pMCAO groups and in cells from the normal and OGD/R groups. Using sphingosine (d17:1) as the internal standard, a chloroform: methanol (9:1) mixed system was used for protein precipitation and lipid extraction, followed by analysis by reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Based on absolute quantitative analysis of lipids in multiple biological samples, our results show that compared with those in the normal group, the contents of sphinganine (d16:0), sphinganine (d18:0), and phytosphingosine were significantly increased in the model group, except sphingosine-1-phosphate, which was decreased in various biological samples. The levels of each sphingolipid component in serum fluctuate with time. CONCLUSION: This isotope-free and derivatization-free LC‒MS/MS method can achieve absolute quantification of sphingolipids in biological samples, which may also help identify lipid biomarkers of cerebral ischemia.

Preparation of Functionalized Zr-Based MOFs and MOFs/GO for Efficient Removal of 1,3-Butadiene from Cigarette Smoke.

Removal of 1,3-butadiene from cigarette smoke plays an important role in human health and environmental protection. Herein, a series of UiO-66 X% containing different ratios of the -NH2 group was synthesized via the solvothermal method by using terephthalic acid (H2BDC) and 2-aminoterephthalic acid (NH2-BDC) as ligands. Using GO as support, a series of UiO-66-NH2/GO Y% were prepared by controlling the ratio of UiO-66-NH2 and GO. The effects of -NH2 and GO contents on the structure and composition of MOFs were investigated. Finally, the different -NH2 contents of UiO-66 X% and the different GO contents of UiO-66-NH2/GO Y% were applied in 1,3-butadiene removal from cigarette smoke. The results showed that UiO-66 X% with the higher contents of -NH2 showed a higher rate of 1,3-butadiene removal, and UiO-66-NH2/GO Y% with the GO contents of 5% showed the highest removal rate of about 33.85%, which was 25.54% higher than that of activated carbon. In addition, the saturation capacity of the adsorbent materials for 1,3-butadiene was as high as 210.01-239.54 mg/g, showing great potential in reducing harmful components in cigarette smoke and environmental protection.

Efficacy of Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion for Female Patients with Hirayama Disease.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the preoperative and postoperative hand function and radiographic parameters in female patients with Hirayama disease (HD). METHODS: Consecutive female patients with HD undergoing anterior cervical discectomy and fusion were followed up. The postoperative hand functional data were obtained from the last follow-up, whereas the postoperative radiographic data were obtained from the examinations in 3- or 6-month follow-up after surgical treatments. The preoperative and postoperative data of hand functional and radiographic assessments were collected and compared between them. Logistic regression analysis was used to clear potential risk factors for surgical treatment. RESULTS: In all, 15 female patients with HD were included in the follow-up study over 9 years. Significant differences were found in total scores (P < 0.001) and all 6 dimensions, including function (P = 0.003), activities of daily life (P = 0.002), work (P = 0.003), satisfaction (P = 0.002), appearance (P = 0.005), and HD-specific hand symptoms (P = 0.001) in hand functional assessment. The comparison of C2-C7 Cobb angle was statistically different (P = 0.042) in radiographic assessments. The course of illness was of marginal significance (P = 0.065) with curative effect of surgical treatment in logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion is an effective way to treat female patients with HD, and the course of illness may be correlated with the efficacy of surgery. For some female patients with HD with a clear diagnosis, early surgical treatment is worthy of clinical consideration.

Early surgical intervention alleviates sensory symptoms following acute traumatic central cord syndrome.

PURPOSE: To investigate the impact of early versus delayed surgery on sensory abnormalities in acute traumatic central cord syndrome (ATCCS). METHODS: Pressure pain threshold (PPT), temporal summation (TS), conditioned pain modulation (CPM) and pain assessments were performed in 72 ATCCS patients (early vs. delayed surgical treatment: 32 vs. 40) and 72 healthy subjects in this ambispective cohort study. These examinations, along with mechanical detection threshold (MDT) and disabilities of arm, shoulder and hand (DASH), were assessed at 2 years postoperatively. RESULTS: Preoperatively, more delayed surgical patients had neuropathic pain below level compared with early surgical patients (P < 0.05). Both early and delayed surgical patients showed reduced PPT in common painful areas and increased TS, while reduced CPM only existed in the latter (P < 0.05). Reduced PPT in all tested areas, along with abnormalities in TS and CPM, was observed in patients with durations over 3 months. Both incidences and intensities of pain and pain sensitivities in common painful areas were reduced in both treatment groups postoperatively, but only early surgical treatment improved the CPM and TS. Follow-up analysis demonstrated a higher MDT and lower PPT in hand, greater TS, greater DASH, lower pain intensities and higher incidence of dissatisfaction involving sensory symptoms in delayed surgical patients than in early surgical patients (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Central hypersensitivity may be involved in the persistence of sensory symptoms in ATCCS, and this augmented central processing may commence in the early stage. Early surgical treatment may reverse dysfunction of endogenous pain modulation, thus reducing the risk of central sensitization and alleviating sensory symptoms.

Development and Validation of a Modified QuEChERS Method for Simultaneous Analysis of 250 Flavor Constituents in Tobacco by Gas Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

BACKGROUND: Flavor constituents play an important role in the flavor characteristics of tobacco leaves and cigarettes. Sensitive, selective, and high-throughput multi-analyte analytical methods are needed to satisfy the demand for analyzing trace-level flavor constituents in tobacco. However, trace analysis of multi-targets in a complex tobacco matrix is significantly challenging. OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to develop and validate a fast, selective, sensitive, and accurate GC-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous analysis of 250 flavor constituents in tobacco using a modified QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe) extraction procedure and backflushing technique. METHODS: The samples were extracted with a mixture of acetonitrile and phosphate buffer. GC-MS/MS served as a reliable tool to quantify the flavor constituents due to its high sensitivity, selectivity, and good repeatability. RESULTS: Our evaluation showed that 243 flavor constituents presented good linearity. Average recoveries of 216 target compounds in tobacco ranged from 70 to 120% with RSDs less than 20% at three fortification levels. The limits of quantitation of 225 and 25 compounds were in the range of 2-50 and 51-112 µg/kg, respectively. This method was then successfully applied to the analysis of 15 commercial cigarette samples with different style characteristics. CONCLUSION: The modified QuEChERS method worked very well for a wide range of flavor constituents that have not been reported by QuEChERS pretreatment previously, and the use of concurrent backflushing offered significant increase in system robustness and sample throughput. The method greatly improved the detection performance and the range of the flavor constituents, and proved to be more accurate, sensitive, selective, convenient, and practical than the reported method, and thus, can be applied in routine analysis. HIGHLIGHTS: A validated QuEChERS-based GC-MS/MS method for multiple flavor constituents analysis in tobacco was reported for the first time. The use of concurrent backflushing markedly improved the instrument robustness and sample throughput.

Comparative study on brain pharmacokinetics of Buyang Huanwu Decoction in normal and cerebral ischemia rats using brain microdialysis combined with LC-MS/MS.

Objective: To conduct a comparative study on the brain pharmacokinetics of seven ingredients (i. e. senkyunolide A, ferulic acid, formononetin, calycosin, ononin, calycosin-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside, and paeoniflorin), which were the compounds of Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BHD), in normal and cerebral ischemia rats administrated intragastrically with BHD. Methods: The samples of normal and permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (pMCAO) rats were collected by using brain microdialysis technique. The concentrations of seven ingredients were determined by the HPLC-MS/MS method. After the BHD were administrated intragastrically to the rats for seven consecutive days, brain microdialysis probes were inserted into the hippocampus of rats, and then the brain microdialysates were collected at 20 min time intervals for 5 h. The separation of the seven ingredients and internal standard (IS) was carried out on an ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 (2.1 mm × 100 mm, 1.7 µm) chromatographic column, using a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile (containing 0.1% formic acid) and water (containing 0.1% formic acid) for gradient elution within 13 min. The ionization was conducted using an ESI source in positive ion mode. Multiple reaction monitoring mode was used for quantification of ingredients in BHD. Results: Linearity, accuracy, precision, matrix effect and stability of LC-MS/MS method were all satisfactory, successfully applied to compare the pharmacokinetics of the analytes between normal and model rats after intragastric administration of BHD. Compared with the normal group, the model group after the administration of the BHD showed that T 1/2 of formononetin and ononin were longer, and except for calycosin-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (P < 0.01), there was no significant difference between the normal group and the model group. The C max of senkyunolide A and calycosin of model group were increased, while the T max of senkyunolide A was decreased, and except for the T max of PF, the differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P < 0.01). Conclusion: The LC-MS/MS method combined with microdialysis was successfully applied to the comparative study of brain pharmacokinetics of seven ingredients in BHD. After intragastric administration of BHD, there were differences in the pharmacokinetics of seven ingredients in the brain hippocampus between normal rats and model rats, probably related to the characteristics of the ingredients and the effects of cerebral ischemia on the absorption and distribution of the ingredients.

Just-in-Time Learning-Integrated Partial Least-Squares Strategy for Accurately Predicting 71 Chemical Constituents in Chinese Tobacco by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

Near-infrared spectroscopy has been widely used to characterize the chemical composition of tobacco because it is fast, economical, and nondestructive. However, few predictive models perform ideally when applied to large spectral libraries of tobacco and its various chemical indicators. In this study, the just-in-time learning-integrated partial least-squares (JIT-PLS) modeling strategy was applied for the first time to quantitatively analyze 71 chemical components in Chinese tobacco. Approximately 18000 tobacco samples from China were analyzed to find appropriately similar measurements and propose suitable and flexible similar subsets from the calibration for each test sample. In total, 879 representative aged tobacco leaf samples and 816 cigarette samples were used as external instances to evaluate the practical predicting ability of the proposed method. The most suitable similar subsets for each test sample could be selected by limiting the Euclidean distance and number of similar subsets to 0-3.0 × 10-9 and 10-300, respectively. The majority of the JIT-PLS models performed significantly better than traditional PLS models. Specifically, using JIT-PLS instead of traditional PLS models increased the R 2 values from 0.347-0.984 to 0.763-0.996, and from 0.179-0.981 to 0.506-0.989 for the prediction of 67 and 71 components in aged tobacco leaf and cigarette samples, respectively. Good prediction ability was demonstrated for routine chemical components, polyphenolic compounds, organic acids, and other compounds, with the mean ratios of prediction to deviation (RPDmean) being 7.74, 4.39, 4.05, and 5.48, respectively). The proposed methodology could simultaneously determine 67 major components in large and complicated tobacco spectral libraries with high precision and accuracy, which will assist tobacco and cigarette quality control in collecting as well as processing stages.

Altered central pain processing assessed by quantitative sensory testing in patients with failed back surgery syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the presence of altered central pain processing in patients with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) using quantitative sensory testing (QST). METHODS: This study included 34 patients with FBSS, 102 patients post-lumbar surgery without low back pain (LBP), and 102 healthy subjects. All subjects underwent both pressure pain threshold (PPT) and conditioned pain modulation (CPM) in both local and remote pain-free areas, as well as temporal summation (TS) in a remote pain-free area. All patient subjects were assessed using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Index (BDI), Numeric rating pain scale (NRS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). RESULTS: Compared with both control groups, FBSS patients showed a reduction in both PPT and CPM in both tested areas, along with increased TS in a pain-free area (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the patients with FBSS had a significantly higher prevalence of anxiety, depression and pain catastrophizing thoughts than the patient controls (P < 0.05). In the FBSS patients, there was a significant correlation between LBP at rest and both CPM and TS in the pain-free areas, and QST measurements were also associated with the ODI, PCS and BAI (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings support the existence of augmented central pain processing in patients with FBSS, which may be caused by dysfunction of endogenous pain facilitation and inhibition. This central amplification of pain may contribute to both LBP intensity and disability in FBSS patients. Therefore, treatment efforts should take into account functional alterations in the central nervous system of FBSS patients.

Comparison of time-dependent resistance isometric exercise and active range of motion exercise in alleviating the sensitization of postoperative axial pain after cervical laminoplasty.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative axial pain (PAP) is a significant complication after cervical laminoplasty. OBJECTIVE: To investigate pain sensitization in PAP patients and effects of time-dependent resistance isometric exercise compared to active range-of-motion exercise on PAP. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort analysis. METHODS: 211 patients undergoing postoperative 12-week exercises were evaluated for pressure pain threshold (PPT), temporal summation (TS) and both cross-sectional area and fatty infiltration of paraspinal muscles preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively. There patients underwent Numeric rating pain scale (NRS) and neck disability index (NDI) 3 and 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: At postoperative 3-month assessments, fewer patients undergoing isometric exercise showed PAP compared to range-of-motion exercise group (14/98 vs. 34/113; P = 0.006), and pain-related assessments in the former were lower than the latter (NRS at rest: 0.3 ± 0.8 vs. 0.7 ± 1.4, P = 0.014; NRS with movements: 0.4 ± 1.0 vs. 1.0 ± 1.7, P = 0.015; NDI: 2.4 ± 6.3 vs. 6.7 ± 10.9, P = 0.002). Postoperative cross-sectional area was smaller in isometric exercise group (603.5 ± 190.2) than in range-of-motion exercise group (678.7 ± 215.5) (P = 0.033), and the former showed higher local-area PPT and lower TS than the latter (PPT: 3.9 ± 1.8 vs. 3.1 ± 1.6, P = 0.002; TS: 1.8 ± 0.9 vs. 2.2 ± 1.0, P = 0.003). PAP patients showed lower local-area PPT and greater TS than those without PAP in both isometric (PPT: 2.8 ± 0.7 vs. 4.0 ± 1.9, P = 0.019; TS: 2.4 ± 0.6 vs. 1.7 ± 0.9, P = 0.011) and range-of-motion (PPT: 2.2 ± 0.9 vs. 3.6 ± 1.7, P < 0.001; TS: 2.8 ± 0.8 vs. 1.9 ± 0.9, P < 0.001) exercise groups. CONCLUSIONS: Both peripheral and central sensitization are involved in PAP. Time-dependent isometric exercise has more positive effects on PAP than range-of-motion exercise because of its advantages in improving pain sensitization.

Evaluation of sensory and safety quality characteristics of "high mountain tea".

High mountain tea (HT) is widely acknowledged as an essential resource of high-quality tea due to its adaptation to superior ecological environments. In this study, the sensory (aroma and taste) and safety (heavy metals and pesticide residues) characteristics of HT were characterized through sensory evaluation, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), flavor activity value, and risk factor analysis. The results elucidated that the aroma sensory characteristics of HT were tender and green, accompanied by sweet and slight chestnut. A total of 8 aroma compounds were identified as the primary substances contributing to the unique aroma characteristics; the difference in the ratio of "green substances" and "chestnut substances" might be the reason for different aroma characteristics in HT and LT (low mountain tea). The taste sensory characteristics of HT were high in freshness and sweetness but low in bitterness and astringency. The high content of soluble sugar (SS), nonester catechins, sweet free amino acids, and low content of caffeine and tea polyphenols were the primary reasons for its taste characteristics. Low temperature stress might be the most fundamental reason for flavor characteristics formation in HT. Furthermore, the pollution risks of 5 heavy metals and 50 pesticide residues in HT were less than 1. The complex ecosystem and low chemical control level were speculated to be the primary reasons for the high safety quality of HT. Overall, these findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of quality characteristics and their formation mechanisms in HT.

Analysis of retinal vasculature changes in indirect traumatic optic neuropathy using optic coherence tomography angiography.

AIM: To assess the retinal vasculature alterations in indirect traumatic optic neuropathy (ITON) patients following craniofacial trauma by optic coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). METHODS: Patients diagnosed of monocular ITON were recruited from August 2016 to May 2020. OCTA was performed using the AngioVue OCT-A system for two cube scans centered at the optic nerve head and fovea. OCTA data included thicknesses of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and macular ganglion cell complex (GCC), as well as proportion of capillary perfusion and data were analyzed for correlation with post-injury timepoints: within 7, 8-30, 31-90, and 91-365d. RESULTS: A total of 73 ITON patients were studied. Significant thinning of RNFL and GCC layers and attenuation of microvascular perfusion were observed in ITON eyes as compared to contralateral unaffected eyes (for most of the analyzed sectors and quadrants, P<0.05). Without respect to surgical intervention and vision recovery, the decrease in retinal layer thicknesses and microvascular perfusion was time-dependent, and most significant within three months (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: ITON presents with time-dependent thinning of retinal layers and attenuation of microvasculature, indicating possible degeneration of retinal ganglion cells due to reduced retinal blood supply.

The radiological and electrophysiological characteristics of Hirayama disease with proximal involvement: A retrospective study.

Purpose: Hirayama disease (HD) has been largely believed to affect only distal muscles. However, the proximal upper extremities have been affected in some cases, which can be confused with motor neuron diseases. Methods: Baseline data, deep tendon reflex, Hoffmann sign, cervical curvature, sagittal Cobb angle, atrophied spinal cord, high signal intensity, loss of attachment, and affected muscles and segments on electromyography (EMG) were retrospectively obtained and compared between patients with HD with proximal involvement and patients with simple distal HD in one center from September 2007 to April 2022. Results: In this study, fifteen patients with proximal HD and 30 patients with simple distal HD were included. The proximal group had a larger proportion of patients with decreased biceps reflex, decreased triceps reflex, brisk or hyperactive knee reflex, positive Hoffmann sign, and cervical kyphosis. The curvatures of the upper part of the cervical spine (C2-4) were lost to a greater degree in the proximal group. More affected segments were observed on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electromyography in the proximal group. Conclusion: The injured segments were longer and the upper curvature of the cervical spine was poorer in patients with HD with proximal involvement. These findings indicated that proximal involvement may indicate more serious HD.

Are organic acids really related to the sour taste difference between Chinese black tea and green tea?

Sour is an important taste in some foods, beers, and teas; organic acids, in particular, are thought to play a key role in the formation of the sour taste of beer. It has been generally thought that organic acids also contribute to some teas tasting sour. In this study, through sensory evaluation experiments with black tea (BT) and green tea (GT), the difference in the sour taste of BT and GT was quantitatively characterized. Then the organic acids in the two types of tea were identified and quantified via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with taste activity value (TAV) analysis. The results showed that both teas had 12 identical common organic acids (including 11 taste-active components), but the results of the TAV analysis were not consistent with those of the sensory evaluation. Therefore, there is no direct relationship between organic acids and the acidity in BT and GT. It is related to the interaction between organic acids and other substances, pH value, or other sour substances in tea infusions. The mechanism of the disappearance of sourness in tea infusions was also discussed. These results help us to understand the correlation between tastes in teas.