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To investigate the impact of early versus delayed surgery on sensory abnormalities in acute traumatic central cord syndrome (ATCCS).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.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).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.

To investigate the presence of altered central pain processing in patients with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) using quantitative sensory testing (QST).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).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).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.

Study design Diagnostic accuracy study. Objectives Previous studies have reported the clinical application of the Vertebral Bone Quality (VBQ) scores for assessing bone density in operative lumbar spine patients. We aim to explore whether the method could be modified and applicable for patients undergoing cervical spine surgery. Methods Adult patients receiving cervical spine surgery for degenerative diseases between September 2020 and March 2022 with non-contrast T1-weighted MRI and DEXA were included. Correlation between cervical VBQ scores and DEXA T-scores was analyzed using Pearson’s correlation. Student’s t test was used to present the discrepancy between the VBQ of patients with normal bone density (T ≥ -1.0) and patients with osteopenia/osteoporosis (T < -1.0). Statistical significance was set at P < .05. Results Eighty-three patients (20 patients with T ≥ -1.0 vs 63 patients with T < -1.0 ) were included. Significant difference was found between the cervical VBQ between groups (2.99 ± .79 vs 3.80 ± .81, P < .001). Interclass correlation coefficient for inter-rater reliability was .82 (95% CI: .70-.93) and .91(95% CI: .84-.97) for intra-rater reliability. The area under the ROC curve was .78 (95% CI: .65-.90). The DEXA T-score of the femoral neck, total hip and the lowest DEXA T-score were found to be significantly correlated with the cervical VBQ score according to Pearson correlation analysis ( P < .001). Conclusions This is the first study to apply the VBQ method to assess the bone density in preoperative cervical spine patients. Cervical VBQ scores were significantly correlated with DEXA T-score. With an overall accuracy of .78, the radiation-free and cost-effective method could be a potential tool for screening patients with osteopenia and osteoporosis before surgery.

To assess the feasibility of motor unit number index (MUNIX) in quantitatively evaluating Hirayama disease (HD) with proximal involvement and to identify the effectiveness of anterior cervical fusion (ACF) in treating atypical HD with proximal involvement.This study included 28 atypical HD patients with proximal involvement (proximal-distal vs. distal-proximal groups: 5 vs. 23) and 41 healthy controls. All patients underwent pre- and postoperative 1-year MUNIX tests on abductor pollicis brevis (APB), abductor digiti minimi (ADM), biceps brachii (BB) and deltoid (Del). The disabilities of arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) and Medical Research Council (MRC) scales were also performed in these patients before and one year after operation.Preoperatively, the patients in the distal-proximal group showed reduced compound muscle action potential (CMAP), decreased MUNIX and increased motor unit size index (MUSIX) in bilateral distal muscles and symptomatic-side proximal muscles (P 0.05), and similar abnormalities were also observed in ADM, BB and Del on the symptomatic side in the proximal-distal groups (P 0.05). Postoperative follow-up analysis identified increased MUNIX in the symptomatic-side proximal muscles with improved motor function in the proximal-distal groups (P 0.05), and distal-proximal group patients showed an increase in both CMAP and MUSIX in the symptomatic-side proximal muscles (P 0.05).MUNIX may serve as an available supplementary test to quantitatively evaluate the motor dysfunction and treatment outcome in HD with proximal involvement. ACF procedures can effectively treat these atypical HD patients, especially for those whose symptoms started in proximal muscles.

To investigate the impact of early vs. delayed surgical decompression on peripheral motor axonal dysfunction following acute traumatic central cord syndrome (ATCCS).Both axonal excitability testing and motor unit number estimation (MUNE) were performed in 30 ATCCS patients (early- vs. delayed-surgical treatment: 12 vs. 18) before operation and 28 healthy subjects. Axonal excitability testing was repeated 3-5 days and 1-year after operation, and MUNE was re-evaluated 1-year after operation.Preoperatively, an obvious modification in membrane potentials was observed in ATCCS patients that mostly coincided with depolarization-like features, and MUNE further revealed reduced motor units in tested muscles (P 0.05). Unlike delayed-surgical cases, early-surgical cases showed recoveries of most measurements of axonal excitabilities soon after operation (P 0.05). Postoperative one-year follow-up demonstrated that greater motor unit numbers in tested muscles were obtained in early-surgical cases than in delayed-surgical cases (P 0.05).ATCCS has adverse downstream effects on peripheral nervous system, even in the early stage of ATCCS. Early surgical treatment can ameliorate both excitability abnormalities and motor unit loss in distal motor axons.Optimizing axonal excitability in the early phases of ATCCS may alleviate peripheral nerve injury secondary to lesions of upper motor neuron and improve clinical outcomes.

Surgical treatment is widely used to treat patients with Hirayama disease (HD). However, postoperative follow-up with abundant samples is still scarce. This study investigated short-term to midterm clinical outcomes after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) among patients with HD.We enrolled 115 patients with HD who had undergone ACDF. Radiographic parameters included cervical lordosis (CL), sagittal vertical axis, segment lordosis (SL), T1 slope (T1S), T1S minus CL, range of motion (ROM), upper/lower adjacent segment ROM, and upper adjacent SL. Electrophysiologic parameters included the maximal compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) of abductor digit minimi and abductor pollicis brevis, the latency of the ulnar nerve F reaction, and abnormal spontaneous action potentials. Clinical assessment included the selected brief-Michigan Hand Questionnaire and Odom scale.The average age was 19.5 ± 4.5 years. The mean follow-up time was 16.35 ± 9.21 months. CL, SL, and T1S increased, whereas sagittal vertical axis and ROM decreased at the final follow-up (P0.001). Upper adjacent SL, upper adjacent ROM, and lower adjacent ROM were stable after ACDF (P0.05). The maximal CMAPs of abductor digit minimi and the latency of the ulnar nerve F reaction improved bilaterally (P0.05), whereas there was no significance in the maximal CMAPs of abductor pollicis brevis (P0.05). Abnormal spontaneous action potentials reduced remarkably. The selected brief-Michigan Hand Questionnaire score increased after surgery (P0.001). The Odom scale showed a ratio of 79.1% (excellent and good ratio).This study showed favorable radiologic, electrophysiologic, and clinical outcomes after ACDF among patients with HD.

Background Knowledge concerning the curvature of the vertebrae through the transverse section is of clinical significance. However, relevant reports are scarce. This study investigated the features based on the cross-sections of lumbar vertebral endplates to provide information for clinical practice. Methods Computed tomography images of 78 subjects were retrospectively reviewed. The geometric morphometrics was performed, and the curvature of the vertebral endplates was calculated by the self-written MATLAB algorithm. The principal component analysis, the canonical variate analysis, the discriminant function analysis, and the Mann-Whitney U test were performed. Statistical significance was set at P Results No gender difference was found. In contrast, a morphologic difference was found between the superior and inferior lumbar vertebral endplates and between different segments. More specifically, the shape of the endplates gradually changes from the renal shape at superior L1 to the shell-like shape at inferior L5. The mean curvature values of the lateral anterior border were all around 0.60 cm−1, whereas the mean curvature values of the lateral posterior borders range from 0.66 to 1.09 cm−1 from L1 to L5. From L1 to L3, the mean and maximum curvature of the lateral posterior superior vertebral endplates decrease. The trend could also be found on the lateral posterior border of the inferior endplates from L1 to L3. Conclusions The current study described morphologic variations and curvature of the lumbar vertebral endplates, which have not been reported previously. The different curvature distribution could provide important information for surgeons and manufacturers.

To investigate the feasibility of both needle electromyography (EMG) and proximal nerve conduction studies (NCS) in predicting C5 palsy after posterior cervical decompression. This study included 192 patients with cervical myelopathy undergoing laminoplasty or laminectomy. Preoperatively, all patients accepted bilateral needle EMG detection and proximal NCS that consisted of supramaximally stimulating Erb’s point and recording compound muscle action potential (CMAP) from bilateral deltoid. In the present study, 11 (11/192, 5.7%) patients developed unilateral C5 palsy after operation, and more patients with C5 palsy showed abnormal spontaneous activity in C5-innervated muscles compared to those without C5 palsy (8/11 vs. 16/181, p

Study design Animal experimental study with intervention. Objective To investigate the effect of melatonin on rat radiculopathy model and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells, and to elucidate the underlying mechanism. Summary of background data Melatonin has a well-documented efficacy in intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) and low back pain. IVDD can also lead to other complications such as disc herniation which will cause radiculopathy. Herniated nucleus pulposus (NP) induced apoptosis and NLR pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) activation in DRG. However, the effect and underlying mechanism of melatonin on radiculopathy and DRG cells are still unclear. Methods Rat radiculopathy model was induced by implanting NP tissue from the tail disc of the same rat into the left L4/5 inter-laminar space near the left DRG. Melatonin was injected intraperitoneally in the treated group to test its function. Apoptosis was determined by Tunnel staining and flow cytometry. NLRP3 inflammasome activation was determined by levels of NLRP3, ASC, GSMDM-N, IL-1β, and Caspase-1. Mitophagy was determined by levels of Parkin, Beclin-1, p62, and LCB-II. Mitophagy was blocked by treatment with Parkin-si or cyclosporine A (CsA). Results NLRP3 was significantly upregulated in DRG of rat radiculopathy model; moreover, melatonin markedly decreased pain behavior in rat radiculopathy model. Furthermore, melatonin treatment decreases the incidence of apoptosis in DRG cells. Melatonin also promotes mitophagy and inhibits NLRP3 inflammasomes in DRG cells. In addition, mitophagy was blocked by treatment with Parkin-si and CsA. Both Parkin-si and CsA attenuated melatonin's inhibitory effect on apoptosis and the NLRP3 inflammasome, indicating that the beneficial effects of melatonin in DRG cells are mediated through the Parkin-mediated mitophagy. Conclusion Melatonin alleviates radiculopathy against apoptosis and NLRP3 inflammasomes by promoting Parkin-mediated mitophagy, which may help us provide a potential target for the treatment of radiculopathy.Level of Evidence: N/A.

Val‐Val‐Tyr‐Pro (VVYP) peptide is one of the main active components of Globin digest (GD). Our previous studies indicated that VVYP could protect against acetaminophen and carbon tetrachloride‐induced acute liver failure in mice and decrease blood lipid level. However, the effects and underlying mechanisms of VVYP in the treatment of non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) have not been discovered. Our present study was designed to investigate the preventive effect of VVYP on NASH and its underlying specific mechanisms. We found that VVYP inhibited the cytotoxicity and lipid accumulation in L‐02 cells that were exposed to a mixture of free fatty acid (FFA). VVYP effectively alleviated the liver injury induced by methionine‐choline‐deficient (MCD) diet, demonstrated by reducing the levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT)/aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/triglycerides (TG)/non‐esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and improving liver histology. VVYP decreased expression levels of lipid synthesis‐related genes and reduced levels of the proinflammation cytokines in the liver of mice fed by MCD diet. Moreover, VVYP inhibited the increased level of LPS and reversed the liver mitochondria dysfunction induced by MCD diet. Meanwhile, VVYP significantly increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Eubacteriaceae, coriobacteriacease, Desulfovibrionaceae, S24‐7 and Bacteroidia in high‐fat diet (HFD)‐fed mice, however, VVYP reduced the abundance of Lactobacillus. Moreover, VVYP conferred the protective effect of intestinal barrier via promoting the expression of the mucins and tight junction (TJ)‐associated genes and inhibited subsequent liver inflammatory responses. These results indicated that the protective role of VVYP on NASH is mediated by modulating gut microbiota imbalance and related gut‐liver axis activation. VVYP might be a promising drug candidate for NASH.

Postoperative axial pain (PAP) is a significant complication after cervical laminoplasty.To investigate pain sensitization in PAP patients and effects of time-dependent resistance isometric exercise compared to active range-of-motion exercise on PAP.Retrospective cohort analysis.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.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.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.

The pathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is complex, and a better understanding of IDD pathogenesis may provide a better method for the treatment of IDD. Exosomes are 40–100 nm nanosized vesicles that are released from many cell types into the extracellular space. We speculated that exosome-transported circular RNAs (circRNAs) could regulate IDD. Exosomes from different degenerative grades were isolated and added to nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs), and indicators of proliferation and apoptosis were detected. Based on the previous circRNA microarray results, the top 10 circRNAs were selected. PCR was performed to determine the circRNA with the maximum upregulation. Competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) analysis was carried out, and the sponged microRNA (miRNA) was identified. Further functional verification of the selected circRNA was carried out in vivo and in vitro. NPCs of different degenerative grades secreted exosomes, which could regulate IDD. circRNA_0000253 was selected as having the maximum upregulation in degenerative NPC exosomes. ceRNA analysis showed that circRNA_0000253 could adsorb miRNA-141-5p to downregulate SIRT1. circRNA_0000253 was confirmed to increase IDD by adsorbing miRNA-141-5p and downregulating SIRT1 in vivo and in vitro. Exosomal circRNA_0000253 owns the maximum upregulation in degenerative NPC exosomes and could promote IDD by adsorbing miRNA-141-5p and downregulating SIRT1., Graphical Abstract, Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) disease may cause substantial medical costs. Song et al. report that circRNA_0000253 could adsorb microRNA-141-5p to downregulate SIRT1, which may increase IDD. The study provides insight into the IDD and great help to prevent the occurrence of IDD.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) may lead to severe motor and sensory dysfunction, causing high mortality and disability rates. Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (ADSCs), especially hypoxia-pretreated ADSCs, represent an effective therapy for SCI by promoting the secretion of exosomes (Exos). Here, we investigated the therapeutic efficacy of exosomes secreted by ADSCs under hypoxia (HExos) and explored potential target molecules. We utilized nanoparticle tracking analysis, electron microscopy, qRT-PCR, and western blotting to analyze differences between HExos and Exos groups. The expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) was examined by high-throughput sequencing. The therapeutic effects of different Exos treatments were compared in vitro and in an SCI model in vivo. The interaction between lncRNAs, microRNAs, and mRNA was examined by luciferase reporter experiments. We employed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunofluorescence to measure inflammatory factor expression and microglial polarization. The results showed that HExos was more effective than Exos for repairing SCI by suppressing inflammatory factor expression, promoting functional recovery, and shifting microglia from M1 to M2 polarization. High-throughput sequencing showed that LncGm37494 expression was significantly higher in HExos than Exos, and its upregulation promoted microglial M1/M2 polarization by inhibiting miR-130b-3p and promoting PPARγ expression, as shown by luciferase reporter experiments. Exos from lncGm37494 overexpressing ADSCs showed a similar therapeutic effect than HExos. The results indicated that HExos repair SCI by delivering lncGm37494, advising that lncGm3749 functions importantly in microenvironmental regulation and shows possibility for SCI treatments.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious affliction that can lead to insufficient blood supply to the spinal cord, resulting in nutrient and energy deficiency in nerve cells such as neurons. In the present study, a spinal cord injury mouse model was constructed using wild-type (WT) and ecto-5'-nucleotidase (CD73)-/- mice. The results of TUNEL and immunofluorescence assays indicated that the apoptosis of neurons in CD73-/- mice was increased after spinal cord injury. Dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons from WT and CD73-/- mice were cultured in low glucose and hypoxic conditions to simulate the effects of spinal cord injury on neurons. Subsequently, a western blot assay was used to detect the expression of CD73, caspase-3 and Bcl-2. Flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis and the corresponding kits were used to detect changes in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and cell activity. The results revealed that the apoptosis level of CD73-overexpressing DRG neurons was decreased under anoxia and glucose deficiency. The release of LDH, MDA and the production of ROS in CD73 DRG neurons was decreased, while the synthesis of ATP, the activity of SOD and cell activity increased after hypoxia-hypoglycemia treatment. Additional cellular studies demonstrated that blocking the expression and hydrolase activity of CD73 with α,β-methylene ADP (APCP) could counteract the protective effect of CD73 on neuronal apoptosis, while adenosine (Ado) could rescue the increased apoptosis caused by CD73 deletion. In addition, the cAMP/ protein kinase A (PKA)/cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) signaling pathway was also positively regulated by CD73 and Ado. In conclusion, CD73 could inhibit DRG neuronal apoptosis by promoting the Ado/cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway.

Background Postoperative delirium (PD), as an acute brain failure, is widely reported as a very common postoperative complication, and it is closely associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Recently, malnutrition is reported as one of the risk factors for PD. The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is a simple method for nutritional evaluation. However, few studies have discussed the effectiveness of PNI as a nutritional assessment in predicting PD after primary total joint arthroplasty (TJA). The aim of this study is to investigate potential risk factors including PNI for PD following primary TJA. Methods A retrospective analysis of 994 patients was performed to identify risk factors associated with PD after primary TJA by using univariate and multivariate analyses. A receiver operating characteristic curve and the area under the curve were applied to evaluate the significant results of the multivariate analysis and the optimal cutoff value (CV). Results Postoperatively, sixty-seven patients (67/994, 6.7 %) experienced PD. Univariate analysis demonstrated that operative time, duration of anesthesia, age, hypertension, serum albumin, and PNI differed between the PD and non-PD groups (P P Conclusions A low preoperative PNI associated with malnutrition was demonstrated to be an independent risk factor for PD following primary TJA. Patients with preoperative low PNI should be cautioned and provided with adequate nutritional intervention to reduce postoperative PD.

BACKGROUND: Vascular injury to the lumbar segmental arteries is a devastating complication in minimally invasive lumbar interbody fusion. Previous studies on the anatomy of the lumbar segmental arteries are limited. This prospective cross-sectional study aims to quantitatively describe the brief trajectory of the lumbar segmental arteries on the left side (SegAL) and to discuss its clinical significance. METHODS: One hundred and two asymptomatic volunteers were prospectively enrolled and underwent computed tomography angiography (CTA). Anatomical parameters including the existence rate, relative positions and directions of SegAL were measured. Mann-Whitney U tests were performed, and statistical significance was set at P

STUDY DESIGN A retrospective cohort analysis. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of piecemeal versus en bloc laminectomies on spinal cord in thoracic ossification of ligamentum flavum (TOLF) through intraoperative changes of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) and somatosensory-evoked potentials (SEPs). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Surgical treatment is indicated for symptomatic TOLF, and both piecemeal and en bloc laminectomies are commonly used methods. However, few studies compared both intraoperative interference and prognostic impact of these two laminectomies on spinal cord in TOLF patients. METHODS MEPs were recorded from abductor hallucis (AH) and tibialis anterior, and SEPs were performed on tibial nerve in 55 TOLF patients (piecemeal vs. en bloc: 23 vs. 32). Patients were categorized based on MEP/SEP improvement, deterioration, and no change, and MEP/SEP improvement rates were measured in the improvement group. Additionally, all patients were assessed by American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) scores, Ashworth scores, and modified Japanese Orthopedic association (mJOA) scores before and after operation. RESULTS The incidences of both MEP/SEP improvement and deterioration were similar between the two laminectomy groups (P > 0.05), and no significant difference is noted in both MEP and SEP amplitudes between the baseline and different critical manipulations in both laminectomy groups (P > 0.05). In the improvement group, patients receiving en bloc laminectomy exhibited increased improvement rates of both MEPs in bilateral AH and left-side SEPs compared to piecemeal laminectomy (P

To investigate and compare split-hand phenomenon quantified by motor unit number index (MUNIX) between patients with cervical spondylotic amyotrophy (CSA) and those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).MUNIX was performed on abductor pollicis brevis (APB), abductor digiti minimi (ADM) and first dorsal interosseous (FDI) in 46 CSA patients, 39 ALS patients and 41 healthy subjects. Split-hand measurements including split-hand index (SHI=ABP×FDI/ADM), ratio of APB to ADM (AA), ratio of FDI to ADM (FA) were measured by compound muscle action potential (CMAP) and MUNIX.There was a significant difference in both AA and SHI measured by two different methods between ALS and CSA patients (P0.05). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and logistic regression analysis demonstrated good differential diagnostic accuracy for AA, SHI and their combination between ALS and CSA. A larger area under the curve (AUC) was observed in these measurements calculated by MUNIX than those measured by CMAP (AA: 0.885 vs. 0.700, SHI: 0.865 vs. 0.703, Combination: 0.925 vs. 0.750; P0.05). Sub-group analysis of ROC curves revealed an AUC of 0.893 for AABoth AA and SHI measured by two different methods are useful in distinguishing ALS from CSA, and those quantified by MUNIX may be a better differential diagnostic marker to provide an accurate and noninvasive additional test for distinguishing CSA from ALS, even in their early stages.

Various neuropeptides related to the energy equilibrium affect bone growth in humans and animals. Neuropeptides W (NPW) are identical in the internal ligands of the two G‐protein receptors (GPRs) included in subtypes 7 and 8. Neuropeptides W inhibits proliferation in the cultivated rat calvarial osteoblast‐like (ROB) cells. This study examines the expression of NPW and GPR7 in murine chondrocyte and their function. An immunohistochemical analysis showed that NPW and GPR7 were expressed in the proliferative chondrocytes of the growth plates in the hind limbs of mice. The NPW mRNA quickly elevated in the early differentiation (7‐14 days) of ATDC5 cells, while NPW and GPR7 mRNA were reduced during the late stage (14‐21 days) of differentiation. Neuropeptide W‐23 (NPW‐23) promoted the proliferation of ATDC5 cells, which was attenuated by inhibiting the GPR7, protein kinase A (PKA), protein kinase C (PKC) and ERK1/2 pathways. Neuropeptide W‐23 enhanced the early cell differentiation, as evaluated by collagen type II and the aggrecan gene expression, which was unaffected by inhibiting the ERK1/2 pathway, but significantly decreased by inhibiting the PKA, PKC and p38 MAPK pathways. In contrast, NPW‐23 was not involved in the terminal differentiation of the chondrocytes, as evaluated by the mineralization of the chondrocytes and the activity of the alkaline phosphatase. Neuropeptides W stimulated the PKA, PKC, p38 MAPK and ERK1/2 activities in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner in the ATDC5 cells. These results show that NPW promotes the proliferation and early differentiation of murine chondrocyte via GPR7 activation, as well as PKA and PKC‐dependent signalling cascades, which may be involved in endochondral bone formation.

Total removal of spinal schwannomas is ideal but it sometimes requires tumor-involved root resection, which increases the risk of postoperative motor deterioration (PMD). Therefore, it is important for clinicians to predict the impact of tumor-involved root resection on motor function in spinal schwannomas.To investigate the role of intraoperative electromyographic (EMG) techniques in decision-making of tumor-involved root resection for treating spinal schwannomas.A retrospective analysis PATIENT SAMPLE: Sixty-eight patients with spinal schwannomas arising from C5-T1 or L3-S1 roots underwent total resection of schwannoma, including tumoral root.Nerve root activation threshold, free-running EMG signals, visual analogue scale, and American Spinal Injury Association scale.During evoked EMG, nerve root activation threshold for tumoral root stimulation was recorded from muscles anatomically corresponding to tumoral root. During free-running EMG, abnormal EMG signals were identified as irregularly recurrent, monomorphic signals, low frequency (5 Hz) or absent discharges recorded from muscles innervated by tumoral root. Clinical assessments were performed before, 3 to 5 day's and six months' after operation.Sixteen (16 of 68, 23.5%) patients showed PMD, and muscle strength improved or was not affected in the other 52 patients. Absent myogenic responses were observed in 19 patients with non-PMD, and nerve root activation threshold in non-PMD group was higher than that in PMD group (p.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve revealed that cut-off value of nerve root activation threshold for distinguishing functional and nonfunctional roots was 11.8 mA. A larger number of patients without PMD than with PMD showed abnormal free-running EMG signals (p.05). At postoperative 6-months' follow-up, ten patients with muscle weakness after tumor-involved root resection showed functional recovery (full vs. partial recovery: 5 vs. 5), and intraoperative nerve root activation threshold in these patients was higher than that in the other patients without functional recovery (p.05). Furthermore, there is negative relationship between the duration for full recovery and nerve root activation threshold (p.05).Both evoked and free-running EMG can be used as supplementary tests for differentiating functional and nonfunctional tumoral roots in spinal schwannomas, and nerve root activation threshold may be also related to prognosis of patients with muscle weakness caused by tumor-involved root resection. Therefore, intraoperative EMG techniques may provide additional references in decision-making of tumor-involved root resection.

Electrophysiological tests, especially, electromyogram (EMG) and nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test are commonly used in clinical practice for diagnosis of muscle and nerve diseases. Report-writing of these tests can be problematic for under-experienced physicians and time-consuming for experienced physicians. In this paper, we apply several neural based natural language generation (NLG) methods to automatically generate diagnosis reports, a first attempt in this domain. Specifically, we use tabular diagnostic records of electrophysiological tests to generate Findings & Impression, which together constitute the diagnostic report. We further use gram-based metrics to evaluate our models and conduct a case study for the result.

Background:Malnutrition is reported as one of the risk factors for surgical site infection (SSI). The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is a simple method for nutritional evaluation. However, few studies have discussed the effectiveness of PNI as a nutritional assessment in predicting SSI after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between SSI and malnutrition as identified by the PNI scores following TKA. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 483 patients (SSI vs. non-SSI group: 19 vs. 464; follow-up period: at least 1 year) was performed to confirm the risk factors, including the PNI, associated with SSI after primary TKA using both univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Postoperatively, nineteen patients (19/483, 3.9%) experienced SSI (deep vs. superficial SSI: 12 vs. 7), and periprosthetic joint infection was observed in all deep SSI cases. Univariate analysis showed that male sex, body weight, body mass index (BMI), diabetes mellitus, steroid usage, operative time and PNI differed between the SSI and non-SSI groups (PConclusions: A low preoperative PNI associated with malnutrition was demonstrated to be an independent risk factor for SSI following primary TKA. Patients with preoperative low PNI should be cautioned and provided with adequate nutritional intervention to reduce postoperative SSI.

Surgical treatment is indicated for symptomatic thoracic ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL), and circumferential decompression (CD) is a promising option. However, the risk of postoperative paralysis in ventral decompression of CD is as high as 30%. Therefore, it is important to balance surgical outcomes and safety of ventral decompression.To investigate the role of intraoperative motor-evoked potential (MEP) changes in decision-making of one-staged CD via posterior approach for treating thoracic OPLL.A retrospective cohort analysis PATIENT SAMPLE: Twenty-five thoracic OPLL patients in this study underwent posterior decompression (PD) alone, and the other 21 patients accepted CD.Intraoperative MEP monitoring from both abductor hallucis and tibialis anterior, and modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) scores.MEPs were recorded in all patients before and after PD, and patients accepting CD underwent further MEP recordings after ventral decompression. According to MEP changes after PD, patients were divided into MEP improvement, MEP deterioration and no MEP change. Postoperative MEP improvement rates were measured in all tested muscles. Additionally, all patients accepted mJOA scores before and 2 years after operation.Patients in both CD and PD groups exhibited improved mJOA scores after operation (p.05), and both mJOA and MEP improvement rates were similar between these two groups (p.05). In no MEP change group, patients accepting CD exhibited increased mJOA improvement rates compared with those accepting PD (p.05). In MEP deterioration group, higher mJOA improvement rates were observed in PD group than in CD group (p.05). In MEP improvement group, mJOA improvement rates were similar between CD and PD groups (p.05).Both CD and PD can effectively treat thoracic OPLL, and which of these two strategies can achieve better functional recovery may be related to different MEP changes after PD. Therefore, monitoring MEP changes may provide additional references in decision-making of one-staged CD for treating thoracic OPLL.

STUDY DESIGN An ambispective cohort analysis. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of early (≤2 weeks) versus delayed (>2 weeks) surgical intervention on the spinal motor neurons at and distal to injury site in acute traumatic central cord syndrome (ATCCS). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Accumulating evidence demonstrated degeneration in distal lower motor neurons (LMNs) following spinal cord injury, and this secondary degeneration may exacerbate motor impairments and limit spontaneous motor recovery. However, few studies involved this pathological process in ATCCS. METHODS Motor unit number estimation (MUNE) was performed on both abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and extensor digitorum brevis (EDB) in 69 ATCCS patients (early vs. delayed surgical-treatment: 29 vs. 35) and 42 healthy subjects. All patients were assessed by American spinal injury association and Medical Research Council scales. These examinations and disabilities of arm, shoulder, and hand (c) questionnaire were administered approximately 21 months after operation in 65 of these patients. RESULTS Preoperatively, MUNE values were lower in cervical-innervated muscles of ATCCS patients than in those of controls, and reduced motor units were observed in lumbosacral-innervated muscles in ATCCS patients with preoperative duration over 6 months (P

BackgroundLarge population-based studies of risk factor for lung metastases at the presentation with primary osseous neoplasms are lacking and necessary. We aim to examine potential risk factors of lung metastases at presentation with primary osseous neoplasms using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database tool.MethodsWe collected patients diagnosed with primary osseous neoplasms between 2010 and 2015 from the SEER database. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with lung metastases or patients without lung metastases. Patient characteristics such as age, sex, race, tumor size, histologic types, histologic grade, and lung metastasis were collected. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied to determine which characteristics were risk factors for lung metastasis at diagnosis.ResultsA total of 4459 patients were collected, and 507 patients had lung metastases at presentation. Data on age, race, gender, primary site, grade, tumor size, and histology types were enrolled into the multivariate logistic analysis. Higher grade (OR = 5.197, 95% CI 3.328 to 8.117), histology type (Ewing sarcoma: OR = 1.432, 95% CI 1.020 to 2.009; osteosarcoma: OR = 1.597, 95% CI, 1.073 to 2.377), and larger tumor size (≥ 5 cm: OR = 3.528, 95% CI 2.370 to 5.251) were associated with an increased risk of lung metastasis at presentation.ConclusionHistology types (osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma) were related to a higher risk of lung metastases in primary osseous neoplasms patients. Patients with osteosarcoma and lager tumors or higher tumor grade were associated with higher possibility of lung metastases. Patients with Ewing sarcoma and larger tumors have more tendency of lung metastases. These patients are supposed to receive chest CT scans at the presentation with primary osseous neoplasms.

To clarify the effectiveness of anterior cervical fusion (ACF) in the treatment of Hirayama disease (HD).Sixty-nine HD patients who accepted ACF procedures underwent dynamic F-waves before and soon after operation, and 36 of the 69 patients underwent pre- and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Motor unit number estimation, handgrip strength (HGS) and disabilities of arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) were performed in these 36 HD patients and in the other 24 patients who accepted neither neck-collar support nor operation, and these tests were reassessed about one year after initial test.Postoperatively, dynamic F-wave abnormalities were observed in fewer HD cases (2/69 vs. 25/69), and neck-flexion MRI abnormalities decreased significantly (P 0.05). Compared with motor unit loss in patients who were untreated, follow-up analysis demonstrated no differences in motor unit, HGS or DASH in HD patients who underwent operation (P 0.05), and mild recovery of motor units was observed in patients with preoperative abnormal dynamic F-waves (P 0.05).ACF procedures can immediately remove neck-flexion abnormalities and prevent or delay the progression of HD.ACF procedures may provide effective, reliable and alternative methods for the treatment of HD, especially in HD patients with functional evidence of neck-flexion abnormalities.

Background Atlantoaxial spine surgery is a challenge to spinal surgeons because of its proximity to neurovascular structures. This study aimed to identify and analyze the scientific publications in atlantoaxial spine surgery from different countries and institutions. Methods Clarivate Analytics Web of Science was used to search all articles for information on atlantoaxial spine surgery. The annual research, countries, journals, authors, institutions, citation frequency, and journal metrics were extracted. These results from countries and hotspots (keywords in publications) were subjected to co-occurrence analysis using VOSviewer, after which the top 100 most-cited articles were analyzed further. Results A total of 3161 articles were included. A trend toward an increasing number of publications on atlantoaxial spine surgery in recent years was evident. Among all countries, the United States contributed the most publications. Seth Gordhandas Sundarda Medical College had the highest number of publications among institutions. Among all research categories, fixation and fusion were the most common areas discussed. The screw-rod system described in the most-cited article (cited 823 times) appeared to be the most popular fixation method. With the development of C1 and C2 screw technology, the screw-rod system is becoming increasingly popular. Conclusions The atlantoaxial spine surgery literature has grown continuously in recent years. The United States is the largest contributor in this field. Fixation and fusion are the most common areas, and fixation-related studies should be closely followed. The screw-rod fixation system is becoming increasingly popular.

To investigate F-wave as a method to identify a specific root lesion of L5 or S1 and to quantitatively evaluate the severity and progression of motor root lesions in lumbosacral radiculopathies (LR). Both peroneal and tibial F-waves were performed bilaterally in 142 patients with unilateral L5 or S1 radiculopathies and 37 controls along with Medical Research Council (MRC) evaluation, and soleus H-reflexes were tested bilaterally in 78 of these 142 cases. Both F-wave and MRC were re-evaluated approximately 1 year after initial examination in 65 patients. Abnormal peroneal F-waves were found in 34 patients with L5 radiculopathy (34/67, 50.7%) along with normal tibial F-waves and soleus H-reflexes in all tested cases. By contrast, 27 patients with S1 radiculopathy presented abnormal tibial F-waves (27/76, 36.0%) along with normal peroneal F-waves in all 76 cases and abnormal soleus H-reflexes in 38 of 47 (80.9%) cases. There were significant differences in involved side F-duration among different MRC scales in both radiculopathy groups (P

Objective To investigate changes in soleus H-reflex tests in patients with Hirayama disease (HD) and to analyse correlations between these changes and forward-shifting of the cervical cord during neck flexion. Methods The amplitude of the soleus H-reflex with and without vibration on the Achilles tendon was recorded bilaterally in 81 HD patients and 34 controls to measure both the vibratory inhibition index (VII) and the H max / M max ratio. The maximum forward-shifting degree of cervical cord during neck flexion was measured using dynamic magnetic resonance imaging in all HD patients. Results Significantly higher VII was recorded in 6/81 (7.4%) HD patients, along with abnormal H max / M max ratios in 5 of 6 cases. Compared to illness duration ( r = 0.29–0.36, p H max / M max ratio ( r = 0.51–0.81, p Conclusions HD patients may develop cervical spinal cord injury with disease progression, and these lesions may be more likely to occur in cases with relatively severe cervical-flexion structural abnormalities even during early stages. Significance More caution should be taken when managing HD patients with severe cervical-flexion abnormalities because of the possible early occurrence of upper motor neuron lesions.

To identify and compare the features of compound muscle action potential (CMAP) decrements in repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS) in patients with cervical spondylotic amyotrophy (CSA) and in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).The cohort consisted of 43 CSA (distal-type to proximal-type ratio: 27-16) and 35 ALS patients. Five muscles, including abductor pollicis brevis (APB), abductor digiti minimi (ADM), biceps brachii (BB), middle deltoid (Del), and upper trapezius (Trap), were tested by 3-Hz RNS. Decrements greater than cutoff values (APB 5.8%; ADM 4.8%; BB 5.2%; Del 6%; Trap 5.1%) determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were defined as abnormal, and the conventional criterion (≥10%) was also considered.A significant CMAP decrement (cutoff values) was recorded from at least one tested muscle in 91.4% of ALS patients, and was most common in the proximal muscle, a finding that differed significantly from CSA patients (32.6%, P 0.05). The application of cutoff values greatly improved the sensitivity of RNS over the conventional criterion (≥10%) for the detection of ALS (P 0.05). The specificity of this technique remained higher when performing RNS in the proximal muscles, especially in the upper trapezius (AUC = 0.864, sensitivity = 0.643, and specificity = 1.000). The decrement percentages were significantly greater in the proximal muscles of ALS patients than in those of the CSA patients (P 0.05). In addition, illness duration was not correlated with decrement percentage in either patient group, and no difference in the frequency of decrement among different ALS diagnostic categories was observed (P 0.05).The application of RNS, especially in proximal muscles, may provide a simple accurate and noninvasive supplementary test for distinguishing CSA from ALS, even in the early stage of these diseases. A combination of RNS, needle EMG, clinical features and cervical magnetic resonance imaging may yield sufficient diagnostic information to differentiate CSA and ALS.

To compare repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS) between Hirayama disease (HD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).The 3-Hz RNS test was performed on bilateral abductor pollicis brevis, abductor digiti minimi, middle deltoid, and upper trapezius muscles in 33 HD patients and 37 ALS patients.In HD patients, none of tested muscles showed any abnormal decrements (≥10%). Significant decrements were observed in 73% of the ALS patients, and decrements were more frequently observed in proximal muscles (deltoid: 70.3%; trapezius: 48.6%). Illness duration did not correlate with decrement percentage in either patient group, and there was no relationship between decrement incidence and ALS diagnostic category (P0.05).The significantly different RNS results between ALS and HD patients support the application of RNS, especially performing RNS in proximal muscles, as a supplementary test in distinguishing these two diseases, even in the early stages. These results may also imply a difference in underlying pathophysiology between ALS and HD.

To assess the effect of chronic cervical spinal cord compression upon remote motor unit function in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM).Fifty-three CSM patients and 47 healthy subjects were included. Bilateral motor unit number estimations (MUNEs) were recorded from both abductor digiti minimi and abductor pollicis brevis, and bilateral flexor carpi radialis (FCR) H-reflexes were examined in all subjects along with the nine-hole peg test (NHPT). The main outcome measures included the number of motor units, the average single motor unit potential (SMUP) area, the FCR Hmax/Mmax ratios and the NHPT time.Statistically significant results compared to healthy controls included increased average SMUP area, increased FCR Hmax/Mmax ratio and increased NHPT time (p0.05). Abnormal SMUP was observed in 10/53 (18.9%) CSM patients along with reduced motor units in 3 of these 10 patients, while the FCR Hmax/Mmax ratios in the CSM patients with abnormal MUNE were higher than those in others (p0.05). There was a positive correlation between the NHPT time and the average SMUP area, and a negative correlation was noted between the NHPT time and the number of motor units (p0.05).In CSM patients, the motor units below the level of compression may exhibit dysfunction, which is likely a result of trans-synaptic degeneration. Both cervical spinal cord compressive injury and this trans-synaptic degeneration contribute to the impairment of fine motor ability in CSM patients. Therefore, treatment and rehabilitation efforts should account for these two dysfunctions.

Background: SBP of spine is a primary spinal malignant tumor. Risk factors for progression of solitary plasmacytoma of bone (SBP) to multiple myeloma in spine remains controversial. We aimed to analysis the risk factors for progression of solitary plasmacytoma of bone (SBP) to multiple myeloma in spine. Methods: A total of 1543 patients diagnosed with SBP of spine in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 1992 to 2013 were included in the study. Factors associated of progression to multiple myeloma (MM) were assessed with univariate and multivariate methods. Results: 1543 patients with SBP of spine were collected and 659 patients progressed to MM. The overall rate of progression to MM was 42.51%, Age, race, gender, and chemotherapy were found to be associated with disease progression to MM in the univariate analysis, greater age (45-59: OR=2.017, 95%CI, 1.287 to 3.159; 60-74: OR=2.940, 95%CI, 1.891 to 4.570; 75-89: OR=3.180, 95%CI, 1.976 to 5.118; >89: OR=5.524, 95%CI, 1.965 to 15.526), patients of white race (OR = 2.032, 95% CI, 1.079 to 3.826), female patients (OR = 1.272, 95% CI, 1.027 to 1.576), and patients received chemotherapy (OR = 1.593, 95%CI, 1.243 to 2.042) was identified as independent risk factors for SBP of spine progression to MM in the multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Greater age, white race, female and chemotherapy was identified as independent risk factors for SBP of spine progression to MM.