The Early Effects of Longus Colli Muscle and Anterior Longitudinal Ligament Reconstructions on Swallowing Function after Anterior Cervical Surgery: A Six-Month Follow-Up Study.

BACKGROUND: Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is the gold standard surgery used to treat cervical degenerative disease. Dysphagia and hoarseness are the two most common complications that occur after anterior cervical surgery (ACS). In this study, we aim to evaluate the early effects of longus colli muscle (LCM) and anterior longitudinal ligament (ALL) reconstructions on swallowing function after ACS. METHODS: We recruited 91 patients (35 males and 56 females; mean age: 49.41 ± 8.60 years [range: 26-72 years]) who have undergone either ACDF or anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF) between August 2019 and October 2021. Patients were divided into LCM and ALL suture group (Group A), and LCM and ALL non-suture group (Group B). Assessments of the incidence of dysphagia and the swallowing quality of life (SWAL-QOL) were completed in 2 days, 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after surgery. Average prevertebral soft tissue thickness (APSTT) were measured on lateral cervical spine radiographs taken with X-rays 2 days, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after surgery. RESULTS: In the 2-day, 1-week and 1-month postoperative follow-up, the incidence of dysphagia in group A was significantly lower than that in group B (p < 0.05), and the SWAL-QOL scores of group A were significantly higher than those of group B (p < 0.05). In the 3-month and 6-month postoperative follow-up, no significant differences were found between groups A and B in terms of the incidence of dysphagia (p > 0.05). In the 6-month postoperative follow-up, no significant differences were found between the groups in terms of SWAL-QOL scores (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences in APSTT between groups during postoperative follow-up (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The reconstructions of LCM and ALL in ACS can effectively improve short-term postoperative swallowing function.

Early Intensified Rehabilitation Training with Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Improves Functional Disorders and Prognosis of Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury.

Objective: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a global public health problem. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy may be beneficial for TBI because it improves cerebral blood flow into tissues exhibiting low blood flow. This was done to observe the clinical therapeutic effect of different intensities of rehabilitation training and HBO therapy in early stages of TBI. Approach: In this multicenter, randomized, stratified case-controlled prospective clinical trial, we selected 158 patients with moderate-severe TBI and assigned them into (1) a control group receiving routine once-daily (1/d) rehabilitation training without HBO, (2) study group A receiving routine 1/d rehabilitation training with HBO, (3) study group B receiving twice-daily (2/d) intensified rehabilitation training with HBO, and (4) study group C receiving 2/d intensified rehabilitation training without HBO, all for 3 months. The cognitive ability, activities of daily life (ADL), and movement ability were assessed before and after training with the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Modified Barthel Index (MBI), and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Results: FIM, FMA, MBI, and MMSE scores were improved significantly after 1-, 2-, and 3-month rehabilitation training in all TBI patients (p < 0.01), and this improvement was especially remarkable in patients who received 2/d intensified rehabilitation training with HBO (p < 0.01). Innovation: With extensive and intensive research on TBI rehabilitation, it was proved that TBI rehabilitation intervention should be initiated as early as possible. Conclusion: Early intensified rehabilitation training in combination with HBO is more beneficial to the recovery of cognitive, ADL, and movement abilities of TBI patients.

Effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen on Neurologic Sequelae and All-Cause Mortality in Patients with Carbon Monoxide Poisoning: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) is used in patients with carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning to prevent the occurrence of delayed neurological sequelae. However, inconsistent results were obtained regarding the treatment effects of HBO. Therefore, the current meta-analysis was conducted based on published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to determine the effect of HBO on neurologic sequelae and all-cause mortality in patients with CO poisoning. MATERIAL AND METHODS Electronic databases MedLine, EmBase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for relevant RCTs from inception to March 1, 2019. The pooled relative risks (RRs) and weighted mean differences (WMDs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the outcomes by using a random-effects model. Sensitivity, subgroup, and publication bias analyses were also conducted. RESULTS Seven RCTs, including 9 cohorts and a total of 2023 patients with CO poisoning, were enrolled in this study. The summary results revealed that HBO showed an association with lower risk of memory impairment compared to patients receiving normobaric oxygen (NBO), whereas 2 sessions of HBO showed an association with higher risk of memory impairment compared to those who received 1 session of HBO. Moreover, HBO was associated with increased neuropsychologic scores of block design and trail making when compared with NBO. No other significant differences regarding the treatment effects of HBO were observed. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that HBO therapy significantly reduces the risk of memory impairment compared to NBO, but 2 sessions of HBO might not be better for memory impairment than 1 session of HBO.

Novel porous ß-cyclodextrin/pillar[5]arene copolymer for rapid removal of organic pollutants from water.

A novel porous ß-cyclodextrin/pillar[5]arene copolymer was prepared using tetrafluoroterephthalonitrile as cross-linker for rapid removal of variety of organic pollutants. The copolymer was characterized by water contact angle, scanning electron microscope, FT-IR spectrum, solid-state 13C NMR spectrum, thermo-gravimetric analysis, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, and elemental analysis. Results showed that the co-polymer had good water immersibility, co-existing micro-/meso-pores, and a large specific surface area (BET) of 479 m2/g. The copolymer presented high adsorption capacity with the maximum adsorption capacity of 258 mg/g for bisphenol A and good reusability and reproducibility. It also showed fast binding kinetics with the apparent second-order rate constants of 0.109-0.179 g/mg·min and simultaneously rapid removal ability with removal efficiencies of 74-90% within 30 s for variety of organic pollutants. The new copolymer can be potentially used as adsorbent for rapidly removing a wide range of organic pollutants in wastewater.

Novel microporous ß-cyclodextrin polymer as sorbent for solid-phase extraction of bisphenols in water samples and orange juice.

A new microporous ß-cyclodextrin polymer (MP-CDP) was prepared for the simultaneous solid-phase extraction (SPE) of bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol AF (BPAF). The MP-CDP was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, solid-phase 13C nuclear magnetic resonance, thermo-gravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption and desorption analysis. Results indicated that the MP-CDP had micron-level particle size, microporous structure, a high BET surface area, and a high product yield. Adsorption tests showed that the MP-CDP sorbent had high adsorption ability and fast binding kinetics for bisphenols. Moreover, the MP-CDP presented high extraction efficiencies, high enrichment factor, good reusability and good batch-to-batch reproducibility for SPE of bisphenols. Based on the MP-CDP sorbent, a SPE-HPLC-UV method was developed and successfully applied to simultaneously detect three bisphenols in water samples and orange juice with the recoveries of 95.7-106.3% (RSD = 2.0-5.2%) for BPF, 92.9-107.0% (RSD = 1.5-5.1%) for BPA, and 96.0-103.5% (RSD = 1.7-5.0%) for BPAF, respectively. The limit of detection (S/N = 3) and the limit of quantification (S/N = 10) for all bisphenols in these samples were 0.15 ng/mL and 0.5 ng/mL, respectively. The new MP-CDP can be potentially utilized as a good sorbent for simultaneous SPE of trace bisphenols in environmental water samples and beverages.