Comparison of Different Drying Methods for Asparagus [Asparagus cochinchinensis (Lour.) Merr.] Root Volatile Compounds as Revealed Using Gas Chromatography Ion Mobility Spectrometry.

Asparagus [Asparagus cochinchinensis (Lour.) Merr.] is a traditional herbal medicine plant commonly used to nourish yin, moisten dryness, and clear fire cough symptoms. Drying is an excellent option to conserve food materials, i.e., grains, fruits, vegetables, and herbs, reducing the raw materials volume and weight. This study aims to evaluate different drying approaches that could increase the value of asparagus, particularly as an ingredient in fast foods or as nutraceutical byproducts. The volatile components of asparagus roots were analyzed by using headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectroscopy under different drying conditions, i.e., natural drying (ND) at ambient air temperature in the dark, well-ventilated room, temperature range 28-32°C, blast or oven drying at 50°C, heat pump or hot-air drying at temperature 50°C and air velocity at 1.5 ms-1 and vacuum freeze-drying at the temperature of -45°C and vacuum pressure of 10-30 Pa for 24 h. The findings revealed that the various drying processes had multiple effects on the color, odor index, and volatile compounds of the asparagus roots. As a result of the investigations, multiple characteristics of components, therefore, exploitation and comparison of various flavors; a total of 22 compounds were identified, such as alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, acids, esters, heterocyclic, and terpene. The present findings may help understand the flavor of the processed asparagus roots and find a better option for drying and processing.

Effects of recombinant human erythropoietin on neuropathic pain and cerebral expressions of cytokines and nuclear factor-kappa B.

PURPOSE: The effect of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO) on neuropathic pain remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the effects of preemptive administration of rhEPO on the behavioural changes and neuroinflammatory responses in a rat model of neuropathic pain. METHODS: Fifty rats were randomly allocated into five groups, sham-operation treated with saline and L5 spinal nerve transection treated with different doses of rhEPO (0 [saline], 1000, 3000, or 5000 U x kg(-1), respectively). The rats were intraperitoneally treated from 1 day before surgery to post-surgery day 7. The mechanical (paw pressure thresholds, PPT) and thermal thresholds (paw withdrawal latencies, PWL) were measured on post-surgery days 1, 3, and 7. The contralateral brain was obtained on post-surgery day 7 to determine the expressions of tumour necrosis factor (TNF-alpha), interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, L-10, and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) activity. RESULTS: There were significant decreases in PPT and PWL after L5 spinal nerve transection (P < 0.001). Compared with the saline group, the rhEPO 3000 and 5000 U x kg(-1) groups resulted in significant increases in PPT and PWL (P < 0.001) and reduced the cerebral expressions of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, and NF-kappaB activity associated with the increase in IL-10 (rhEPO3000 group, P < 0.05, and rhEPO5000 group, P < 0.001, respectively). Administration of rhEPO 1000 U x kg(-1) had no significant effects on these variables. CONCLUSIONS: Preemptive rhEPO dose-dependently attenuated the mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in L5 spinal nerve transection rats, which correlated with the decreased cerebral expressions of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6 via downregulating NF-kappaB activity and the increased expression of IL-10.

Effects of epidural preemptive analgesia on stress reaction in retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy surgery: a randomized controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of general anesthesia combined with epidural preemptive analgesia with general anesthesia on stress reaction in the retroperitoneal laparoscopic surgery. METHODS: Forty patients with adrenal tumors undergoing retroperitoneal laparoscopic surgeries were randomly assigned into general anesthesia combined with epidural preemptive analgesia group (GE) and general anesthesia group (G). Each group had 20 cases. In the GE group, before the induction of general anesthesia, T10-T11 epidural puncture was performed and 0.2% bupivacaine 5-10 ml was injected to maintain the anesthesia level at T4. In the G group, normal saline was injected as control. After entry into the operation room (X0), before surgery (X1), 30 min after pneumoperitoneum (X2), 60 min after pneumoperitoneum (X3), 10 min after extubation (X4), the mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded. The concentration of plasma endothelin (ET) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) were detected. Meanwhile, isoflurane inhalation MAC and intervention situations were recorded. RESULTS: At X1-X3, MAP in the GE group was significantly lower than that in the G group (P < 0.05). At X2-X4 HR in two groups was significantly faster than at X1 (P < 0.05). At X4 HR in the GE group was significantly lower than that in the G group (P < 0.05). At X3 and X4, ET and CGRP were significantly lower than those in the G group (P < 0.05). At X2 and X3, ET in the GE group was significantly higher than that at X1 (P < 0.05). At X3, CGRP in the GE group was significantly higher than that at X1 (P < 0.05). At X2, X3 and before pneumoperitoneum, isoflurane MAC in the GE group was significantly lower than that in the G group (P < 0.05). At X2 and X3, isoflurane MAC in two groups was significantly higher than that during pneumoperitoneum (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with general anesthesia, general anesthesia combined with epidural preemptive analgesia can effectively alleviate patients' stress reaction under retroperitoneal laparoscopic surgery.

Comparison of vestibular function between large cerebellopontine angle meningioma and schwannoma.

CONCLUSION: Abnormal caloric and vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) responses are frequently encountered with a large cerebellopontine angle (CPA) schwannoma, while normal caloric responses and abnormal VEMPs are noted with a large CPA meningioma. This difference may possibly exist because schwannoma causes vestibular deficits via parenchymal involvement, while vestibular deficits in the meningioma are mostly due to compression neuropathy. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the tumor characteristics in relation to vestibular function, i.e. caloric and VEMP responses, between large-sized (>2.5 cm) meningioma and schwannoma in the CPA. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Five patients with large CPA meningioma and nine patients with large CPA schwannoma were enrolled in this study. Each patient underwent a battery of tests including audiometry, caloric test, VEMP test, and MRI study. RESULTS: The meningioma group showed 20% caloric abnormality and 75% VEMP abnormality, while the schwannoma group revealed 100% caloric and 100% VEMP abnormalities. A significant difference existed in relation to caloric abnormality between the two groups, but not in relation to VEMP abnormality.