Abstract Objectives The differentiation between Vestibular Migraine (VM) and Meniere's Disease (MD) is difficult because of overlapping symptoms. The study aimed to compare the clinical characteristics and vestibular function test results between VM and MD patients. Methods Seventy-one patients with definite VM and 31 patients with definite unilateral MD were included. All patients received Caloric Test (CT), Video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) and Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP) test within 7 days after visiting the hospital. Results of these tests were compared between groups. Results Most VM patients (64.0%) experienced spontaneous internal vertigo, while most MD patients (66.7%) experienced spontaneous external vertigo. MD patients had more severe vestibular symptoms and autonomic responses compared to VM patients during attacks (p= 0.03, p= 0.00, respectively). The nystagmus intensity of CT-induced was greater in VM patients than in MD patients (p= 0.003). More VM patients had CT intolerance and Central Positional Nystagmus (CPN) compared to MD patients (p= 0.002, p = 0.006, respectively). More MD patients had CT(+) and vHIT saccades wave compared to VM patients (p< 0.001, p= 0.002, respectively). The non-elicitation rate of cervical VEMP was higher, and the ocular VEMP amplitudes were lower in MD patients than in VM patients (p = 0.002, p= 0.018). Conclusions Vestibular symptoms during attacks combined with the results of vestibular function tests may be used to differentiate between VM and MD. The diverse nature of vestibular symptoms (especially internal vertigo), history of motion sickness and CT intolerance may provide clues to the diagnosis of VM, whereas spontaneous external vertigo, CT(+) with vHIT(-), and the presence of saccades may provide clues to the diagnosis of MD. Level of evidence: 4.

Abstract Objective To compare the clinical features, risk factors, distribution of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) subtypes, and effectiveness of canalith repositioning between geriatric and non-geriatric patients with BPPV. Methods A total of 400 patients with BPPV were enrolled. Canalith repositioning was performed according to the semicircular canals involved. Patients were divided by age into a geriatric group (≥60 years) and a non-geriatric group (20-59 years). Clinical characteristics, potential age-related risk factors, distribution of subtypes, and effectiveness of canalith repositioning were compared between the groups. Results Female sex was significantly more common in all age groups, with a peak female-to-male ratio of 5.1:1 in the group aged 50-59 years. There was a higher proportion of men in the geriatric group. A history of disease associated with atherosclerosis was significantly more common in the geriatric group (p< 0.05). Migraine was significantly more common in the non-geriatric group (p= 0.018), as was posterior canal BPPV. The horizontal canal BPPV (especially horizontal canal BPPV-cupulolithiasis), and multicanal BPPV subtypes were more common in the geriatric group, whereas anterior canal BPPV was more common in the non-geriatric group. Two canalith repositioning sessions were effective in 58.0% of the geriatric cases and in 72.6% of the non-geriatric cases (p= 0.002). There was a tendency for the effectiveness of canalith repositioning to decrease with increasing age. Conclusion BPPV was more common in women. However, the proportion of men with BPPV increased with age. Elderly patients often had a history of diseases associated with atherosclerosis (i.e., hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia). The horizontal canal BPPV (particularly horizontal canal BPPV-cupulolithiasis) and multicanal BPPV subtypes were more common and the anterior canal BPPV subtype was less common in elderly patients. The effectiveness of canalith repositioning may decrease with age. Therefore, older patients should receive more comprehensive medical treatment. Level of evidence: 4.

Abstract Objective: To investigate the clinical features of patients with definite vestibular migraine (dVM). Methods: A total of 91 patients with vestibular symptoms accompanied by migraines/migrainelike symptoms were enrolled and diagnosed according to the criteria of the Bárány Society and the International Headache Society. Baseline data were collected. Videonystagmography and immune-related laboratory tests were performed. Results: Among the 91 patients, 62 (68.1%) had dVM (11 men, 51 women). Among dVM patients, migraine occurred earlier than vestibular symptoms in 42 (67.7%) patients. Spontaneous vertigo occurred in 41 (66.1%) patients. Induced vertigo occurred in 21 (33.9%) patients. Motion sickness occurred in 33 (53.2%) patients. Central oculomotor dysfunction was observed in 11 (17.7%) patients. Caloric test revealed unilateral horizontal semicircular canal dysfunction in 12 (19.4%) patients. Severe intolerance during the test occurred in 44 (71.0%) patients with dVM. 12 (19.4%) patients showed abnormal immune-related indicators. Conclusion: dVM is more common in women. The onset of migraine precedes that of vestibular symptoms, which are often accompanied by photophobia and phonophobia. Motion sickness and severe caloric test intolerance can contribute to the diagnosis of dVM. Immunological indicators are abnormal in some patients with dVM, dVM may be secondary or an accompanying disorder, but the causal relationship needs further investigation. Level of evidence: IV.

Resumo Introdução A vertigem posicional paroxística benigna multicanal é considerada um tipo raro e controverso nas novas diretrizes de diagnóstico da Bárány Society, porque o nistagmo é mais complicado ou atípico, o que é digno de mais estudos. Objetivo Com base nos critérios diagnósticos para a vertigem posicional paroxística benigna multicanal proposta pela International Bárány Society, o estudo teve como objetivo investigar as características clínicas, o diagnóstico e o tratamento da vertigem posicional paroxística benigna multicanal. Método Foram incluídos 41 pacientes com vertigem posicional paroxística benigna multicanal e diagnosticados pelo teste de Dix-Hallpike, roll test ou e teste straight head hanging A redução manual foi feita de acordo com o envolvimento dos canais semicirculares. Resultados Entre os 41 casos, 19 (46,3%) pacientes apresentaram nistagmo de batimento ascendente vertical com ou sem componente de torção e nistagmo horizontal apogeotrópico e geotrópico e foram diagnosticados com vertigem posicional paroxística benigna de canal horizontal-posterior. Onze (26,8%) pacientes apresentaram nistagmo vertical de batimento ascendente com componente de torção de um lado e nistagmo vertical de batimento descendente com ou sem componente de torção do outro lado durante o teste de Dix-Hallpike ou teste straight head hanging e foram diagnosticados com vertigem posicional paroxística benigna do canal posterior-anterior. Nove (26,8%) pacientes apresentaram nistagmo vertical com batimento descendente com ou sem componente de torção e nistagmo horizontal apogeotrópico e geotrópico e foram diagnosticados com vertigem posicional paroxística benigna de canal anterior-horizontal. Dois (4,9%) pacientes apresentaram nistagmo de torção geotrópico vertical de batimento ascendente em ambos os lados e foram diagnosticados com vertigem posicional paroxística benigna de canal posterior bilateral. Foi revelada alta correlação entre os lados com função vestibular reduzida ou perda auditiva e o lado afetado pela vertigem posicional paroxística benigna multicanal (coeficiente de contingência = 0,602, p = 0,010). Durante o seguimento de uma semana, o nistagmo/vertigem foi significativamente aliviado ou desapareceu em 87,8% (36/41) dos pacientes. Conclusões A vertigem posicional paroxística benigna de canal horizontal e posterior foi o tipo mais comum. A vertigem posicional paroxística benigna multicanal que envolveu canal anterior também não foi incomum. Testes calóricos e audiometria tonal pura podem ajudar na determinação do lado afetado. A redução manual foi eficaz na maioria dos pacientes com vertigem posicional paroxística benigna multicanal.

Abstract Introduction Multi-canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo is considered to be a rare and controversial type in the new diagnostic guidelines of Bárány because the nystagmus is more complicated or atypical, which is worthy of further study. Objective Based on the diagnostic criteria for multi-canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo proposed by International Bárány Society, the study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment of multi-canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Methods A total of 41 patients with multi-canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo were included and diagnosed by Roll, Dix-Hallpike and straight head hanging tests. Manual reduction was performed according to the involvement of semicircular canals. Results Among the 41 cases, 19 (46.3%) patients showed vertical up-beating nystagmus with or without torsional component and geotropic, apogeotropic horizontal nystagmus, and were diagnosed with posterior-horizontal canal. 11 (26.8%) patients showed vertical up-beating nystagmus with torsional component on one side and vertical down-beating nystagmus with or without torsional component on the other side during Dix-Hallpike test or straight head hanging test and were diagnosed with posterior-anterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo 9 (26.8%) patients showed vertical down-beating nystagmus with or without torsional component and geotropic, apogeotropic horizontal nystagmus, and were diagnosed with anterior-horizontal canal 2 (4.9%) patients showed vertical geotropic torsional up-beating nystagmus on both sides and were diagnosed with bilateral posterior canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. High correlation between the sides with reduced vestibular function or hearing loss and the side affected by Multi-canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo was revealed (contingency coefficient = 0.602, p = 0.010). During one-week follow up, nystagmus/vertigo has been significantly alleviated or disappeared in 87.8% (36/41) patients. Conclusion Posterior-horizontal canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo was the most common type. Multi-canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo involving anterior canal was also not uncommon. Caloric tests and pure tone audiometry may help in the determination of the affected side. Manual reduction was effective in most of Multi-canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo patients.

ABSTRACT Effective microorganism biochar-based fertilizer (EMBF) can improve the physiological properties of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) In this study, the irrigation and EMBF rates were applied as factors that influence the photosynthetic characteristics and chlorophyll content of tobacco. The experiment involved 12 treatments: CK1-CK3, T1-T3, T4-T6, and T7-T9; these four groups represented 0, 100, 300, and 600 g EMBF pot-1, respectively. Each group was irrigated at rates of 40, 80, and 120 L pot-1. When comparing with the control treatment CK, results showed that net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), transpiration rate (Tr), and soil plant analysis development (SPAD) increased by 8.21%-107.03%, 18.78%-118.27%, 18.78%-118.27%, 7.24%-104.15%, and 3.47%-69.09%, respectively, after EMBF application. The Pn, gs, Ci, and Tr at the growth and maturity stages were highly significant (P < 0.01) and positively correlated with EMBF application. The Pn, gs, and Tr were significant (P < 0.05) and positively correlated with irrigation, and Ci was less affected by irrigation (P > 0.05). The SPAD value of flue-cured tobacco at three growing stages was highly significant (P < 0.01) and positively correlated with the irrigation and fertilization rates. The SPAD values at the growth and maturity stages were higher than those at the rooting stage by 46.73%-79.2% and 2.21%- 46.17%, respectively. Furthermore, the 80 L pot-1 irrigation rate combined with 300 g EMBF pot-1 is the best water and fertilizer combination. The results of this study might provide theoretical and practical guidance for growing flue-cured tobacco in production areas.

Understanding how nitrogen concentrations respond to biochar amendment in different types of soils is important for agricultural management. Here, we analyzed the effects of amendment with rice hull biochar on sandy soil, red soil, and alkaline soil (coastal solonchak) over 13 months, focusing on factors such as ammonium (NH4+-N) and nitrate (NO3−-N) cumulative leachate losses, pH, cumulative volumes of leachates, NH4+-N and NO3−-N abundance of soils, soil dehydrogenase, and nitrogen-related soil enzyme activities. Our results indicated that biochar amendment increased the pH of red soil but decreased the pH of both sandy and coastal solonchak soils; promoted the retention of NH4+-N in red and sandy soils, but not in coastal solonchak; and reduced the loss of NO3−-N during the early stages of leaching but accelerated losses during subsequent leaching stages. Soil nitrogen supply capacity (NH4+-N + NO3−-N) greatly increased over the short term, with significant differences between treatments. Further, biochar enhanced concentrations of NH4+-N and NO3−-N in soils, and the addition of biochar stimulated the enzymatic and microbial activities in soil, which may increase the abundance of NH4+-N and NO3−-N. Finally, we found that the response of NH4+-N and NO3−-N to biochar addition varied among the different soil types.