Comparison of the Severity of Zoster-Associated Pain and Incidence of Postherpetic Neuralgia in Patients with and without Pre-Existing Spinal Disorders at the Same Spinal Nerve Level: A Retrospective Multicenter Study.

The incidences of herpes zoster (HZ) and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) are significantly influenced by age. As individuals age, the occurrence of spinal disorders increases, thereby raising the likelihood of HZ and PHN coexistence. Considering this, our study aimed to explore the potential impact of pre-existing spinal disorders at the nerve level where HZ developed, on the severity of zoster-associated pain (ZAP) and the incidence of PHN. For our investigation, we retrospectively analyzed a total of 237 patients who presented with HZ and ZAP at various sensory levels (cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacral) with or without pre-existing spinal disorders. The presence or absence of spinal disorders at the sensory level affected by HZ was determined using computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Our study results revealed that the group with spinal disorders at the sensory level where HZ developed did not exhibit an increased incidence of PHN. However, 3-6 months after HZ onset, this same group showed significantly higher ZAP scores compared to the group without spinal disorders. It implies a need for heightened pain management, as the coexistence of these conditions can increase pain severity. This study furnishes an initial standpoint to delve into intricate interactions between two diseases.

Evaluation of lung function and clinical features of interlaminar cervical epidural steroid injections: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Interlaminar cervical epidural steroid injections (ICESIs) are commonly used to treat axial neck pain and cervical radicular pain. However, local anesthetics can spread to and block the phrenic nerve and upper segments of the thoracic spinal cord where the sympathetic innervation of the lungs emerges. Therefore, changes in lung function may occur following ICESIs. METHODS: The primary outcome measure was the pulmonary function test (PFT) result 30 minutes before and after ICESI with ropivacaine (0.1875% or 0.25%). The secondary outcome measure was the comparison of the pain scores and functional disability between the two concentrations of ropivacaine 4 weeks after the ICESIs. RESULTS: Fifty patients were randomly assigned to either the R1 (0.1875% ropivacaine) or R2 (0.25% ropivacaine) group. No significant difference was observed between the pre-ICESI and 30-minute post-ICESI PFT results within each group, and no difference was observed between the two groups. After 4 weeks of treatment, both groups showed a significant decrease in pain scores and functional disability; however, no significant differences were observed between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed no significant change in lung function after ICESIs in either group and no local anesthetic concentration-based difference in the clinical efficacy of the ICESIs.

Enhancement of aerobic biodegradation in an oxygen-limiting environment using a saponin-based microbubble suspension.

This study investigated the ability of a saponin-based microbubble suspension to enhance aerobic biodegradation of phenanthrene by subsurface delivery. As the microbubble suspension flowed through a sand column pressure buildup and release was repeatedly observed, which delivered oxygen to the less permeable regions. Burkholderia cepacia RPH1, a phenanthrene-degrading bacterium, was mainly transported in a suspended form in the microbubble suspension. When three pore volumes of the microbubble suspension containing B. cepacia RPH1 was introduced into a column contaminated with phenanthrene (100 mg/kg), the oxygen content declined to 5% from an initial value of 20% within 5 days and correspondingly, 34.4% of initial phenanthrene was removed in 8 days. The addition of two further three pore volumes enhanced the biodegradation efficiency by a factor of 2.2. Our data suggest that a saponin-based microbubble suspension could be a potential carrier for enhancing the aerobic biodegradation under an oxygen-limiting environment.

Microbubble suspension as a carrier of oxygen and acclimated bacteria for phenanthrene biodegradation.

The applicability of microbubble suspension made of saponin as a biodegradation-enhancing carrier where oxygen and pollutant-degraders are limited was studied. The saponin-microbubble suspension was used to deliver phenanthrene-degrading bacteria, inorganic nutrients, and oxygen. Bench-scale study was carried out to determine the physical properties of the microbubble suspension and to verify whether the delivered bacteria and oxygen were effectively used to degrade phenanthrene. A concentration of 2g saponin/L H(2)O generated stable microbubble suspension with a long half-drainage time and a high gas hold-up, and the addition of phenanthrene-degraders and inorganic salts to the saponin solution did not affect such properties. The flow of the microbubble suspension through a heterogeneous sand/clay-packed column occurred in two phases, with the liquid front advancing faster and the retarded gas front. The retarded gas front provided oxygen with bacteria, which enables phenanthrene biodegradation. Approximately 30% of the spiked phenanthrene was degraded in 21 days when one pore volume of 2.0 g/L saponin-microbubble suspension was applied whereas no phenanthrene decrease was observed following the application of the same saponin solution without microbubble generation. The decrease mainly occurred at the lower part of the column where the supply of oxygen by the microbubble was concentrated.