Incidence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes of acute brain swelling associated with traumatic acute subdural hematoma: a retrospective study utilizing novel diagnostic criteria.

Background: Post-traumatic acute brain swelling (ABS) is a major cause of elevated intracranial pressure and thus mortality. The current definition of post-traumatic ABS has certain limitations, and there is limited information available regarding ABS associated with traumatic acute subdural hematoma (ASDH). Objectives: To investigate the incidence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes of ABS associated with traumatic ASDH. Design: Retrospective study. Methods: Data for 161 patients diagnosed with traumatic ASDH were retrospectively collected. Novel computed tomography-based criteria were proposed for diagnosing ABS in patients with ASDH and determining its incidence. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the risk factors of post-traumatic ABS. The Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score, mortality, and functional prognosis of all patients at discharge and the proportion of intraoperative malignant brain bulge in surgical patients were taken as clinical outcome measures. Results: A total of 45 (28%) patients experienced post-traumatic ABS, exhibiting significantly lower Glasgow Coma Scale scores on admission (p < 0.001). The incidence of hemispheric and whole-brain swelling was 8.1% and 19.9%, respectively. Risk factors independently associated with post-traumatic ABS were: (1) age [odds ratio (OR) = 0.917, p < 0.001]; (2) platelet to white blood cell ratio (PWR) (OR = 0.887, p = 0.012); and (3) traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) (OR = 4.346, p = 0.005). The ABS cohort had a lower GOS score [2 (1-3) versus 4 (3-5); p < 0.001], higher mortality (46.7% versus 6.9%; p < 0.001), and higher proportion of unfavorable functional prognosis (75.6% versus 34.5%; p < 0.001) upon discharge compared to the no ABS cohort, along with higher proportion of intraoperative malignant brain bulge (43.8% versus 0%; p < 0.001). Conclusion: The incidence of ABS associated with ASDH is significantly high overall. Patients with ASDH who have young age, low PWR, and traumatic SAH are at an increased risk of developing post-traumatic ABS, and therefore of poor clinical outcomes.

[Retrospective review of airway obstruction in 19 infants with pharyngeal cysts].

Objective:To discuss the clinical characteristic and treatment of laryngeal cysts in infants. Methods:The clinical data of 19 patients diagnosed with laryngeal cysts in Department of Otolaryngology, Sichuan Provincial Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital from November 2017 to April 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Results:All of the 19 patients were diagnosed as laryngeal cysts, with clinical manifestations included respiratory distress, inspiratory dyspnea, difficulty in feeding and low and weak crying, etc. All of them were cured after surgical treatment. Conclusion:Misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis of laryngeal cysts are prone to occur in infants and young children. After diagnosis, patients should undergo early surgical treatment to remove airway obstruction and improve ventilation.

Risk factors of prognosis in older patients with severe brain injury after surgical intervention.

BACKGROUND: Older patients (aged ≥ 60 years) with severe brain injury have a high mortality and disability rate. The objective of this retrospective study was to assess the clinical risk factors of prognosis in older patients with severe brain injury after surgical intervention and to analyze the prognosis of the surviving group of patients 1 year after discharge. METHODS: Clinical data of older patients with severe brain injury who were admitted to two neurosurgical centers between January 2010 and December 2020 were collected. Patient age, sex, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score at admission, underlying disease, mechanisms of injury, abnormal pupillary reflex, head computed tomography imaging findings (such as hematoma type),intraoperative brain swelling and other factors were reviewed. All the patients were categorized into a good prognosis (survival) group and a poor prognosis (death) group by the Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS); also, the related factors affecting the prognosis were screened and the independent risk factors were identified by the Binary logistic regression analysis. GOS was used to evaluate the prognosis of the surviving group of patients 1 year after discharge. RESULTS: Out of 269 patients, 171 (63.6%) survived, and 98 (36.4%) died during hospitalization. Univariate analysis showed that age, GCS score at admission, underlying diseases, abnormal pupillary reflex, the disappearance of ambient cistern, the midline structure shift, intraoperative brain swelling, oxygen saturation < 90%, and cerebral hernia were risk factors for the prognosis of older patients with severe brain injury after surgical intervention. Multivariate analysis showed that age, underlying diseases, disappearance of ambient cistern, Oxygen saturation < 90% and intraoperative brain swelling were independent risk factors of the prognosis in the population. The effect of surgical intervention differed among various age groups at 1-year follow-up after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this retrospective study confirmed that age, underlying diseases, disappearance of ambient cistern, intraoperative brain swelling, and oxygen saturation < 90% are associated with poor prognosis in older postoperative patients with severe brain injury. Surgical intervention may improve prognosis and reduce mortality in older patients (age < 75 years). But for those patients (age ≥ 75 years), the prognosis was poor after surgical intervention.

Whole-genome sequencing and functional annotation of pathogenic Paraconiothyrium brasiliense causing human cellulitis.

BACKGROUND: A pathogenic filamentous fungus causing eyelid cellulitis was isolated from the secretion from a patient's left eyelid, and a phylogenetic analysis based on the rDNA internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and single-copy gene families identified the isolated strain as Paraconiothyrium brasiliense. The genus Paraconiothyrium contains the major plant pathogenic fungi, and in our study, P. brasiliense was identified for the first time as causing human infection. To comprehensively analyze the pathogenicity, and proteomics of the isolated strain from a genetic perspective, whole-genome sequencing was performed with the Illumina NovaSeq and Oxford Nanopore Technologies platforms, and a bioinformatics analysis was performed with BLAST against genome sequences in various publicly available databases. RESULTS: The genome of P. brasiliense GGX 413 is 39.49 Mb in length, with a 51.2% GC content, and encodes 13,057 protein-coding genes and 181 noncoding RNAs. Functional annotation showed that 592 genes encode virulence factors that are involved in human disease, including 61 lethal virulence factors and 30 hypervirulence factors. Fifty-four of these 592 virulence genes are related to carbohydrate-active enzymes, including 46 genes encoding secretory CAZymes, and 119 associated with peptidases, including 70 genes encoding secretory peptidases, and 27 are involved in secondary metabolite synthesis, including four that are associated with terpenoid metabolism. CONCLUSIONS: This study establishes the genomic resources of P. brasiliense and provides a theoretical basis for future studies of the pathogenic mechanism of its infection of humans, the treatment of the diseases caused, and related research.

Electrospun polyvinyl alcohol-chitosan dressing stimulates infected diabetic wound healing with combined reactive oxygen species scavenging and antibacterial abilities.

Diabetic wounds (DW) are constantly challenged by excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and susceptibility to bacterial contamination. Therefore, the elimination of ROS in the immediate vicinity and the eradication of local bacteria are critical to stimulating the efficient healing of diabetic wounds. In the current study, we encapsulated mupirocin (MP) and cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeNPs) into a polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan (PVA/CS) polymer, and then a PVA/chitosan nanofiber membrane wound dressing was fabricated using electrostatic spinning, which is a simple and efficient method for fabricating membrane materials. The PVA/chitosan nanofiber dressing provided a controlled release of MP, which produced rapid and long-lasting bactericidal activity against both methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains. Simultaneously, the CeNPs embedded in the membrane exhibited the desired ROS scavenging capacity to maintain the local ROS at a normal physiological level. Moreover, the biocompatibility of the multifunctional dressing was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, PVA-CS-CeNPs-MP integrated the desirable features of a wound dressing, including rapid and broad-spectrum antimicrobial and ROS scavenging activities, easy application, and good biocompatibility. The results validated the effectiveness of our PVA/chitosan nanofiber dressing, highlighting its promising translational potential in the treatment of diabetic wounds.

[Application of radial artery in total arterial coronary revascularization in elderly patients].

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the application experience and clinical effect of radial artery in total arterial coronary revascularization (TAR) in elderly patients. METHODS: Retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients who underwent TAR at the University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Hospital from July 1, 2020 to May 30, 2022. Patients were divided into ≥ 65-year-old group and < 65-year-old group according to age. The radial artery blood flow, diameter, intimal integrity and Allen test were evaluated by ultrasound before operation. The distal ends of radial artery were collected for pathological examination during operation. Coronary artery CT angiography (CTA) was examined postoperatively and follow up. The safety and reliability of ultrasonic assessment of radial artery and application of radial artery in elderly patients with TAR were summarized and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 101 patients received TAR, including 35 cases aged ≥ 65 years old, 66 cases aged < 65 years old; 78 cases used bilateral radial arteries, and 23 cases used unilateral radial arteries. 4 cases of bilateral internal mammary arteries. All the proximal ends of the radial artery were anastomosed to the proximal end of the ascending aorta, 34 cases were performed of "Y" grafts, and 4 cases were sequential anastomoses. There was no in-hospital death and perioperative cardiovascular events. Perioperative cerebral infarction occurred in 3 patients. 1 patients was reoperated for bleeding. Intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) assistance was used in 21 patients. Poor wound healing occurred in 2 cases and healed well after debridement. Follow-up of 2 to 20 months after discharge showed no internal mammary artery occlusion and 4 radial artery occlusions; no major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) occurred, and the survival rate was 100%. There was no significant difference in the above perioperative complications and follow-up endpoints between the two age groups. CONCLUSIONS: By adjusting the order of bypass anastomosis and optimizing the preoperative evaluation method, radial artery combined with internal mammary artery can obtain better outcome early in TAR, and can be safely and reliably applied to elderly patients.

Identification of 14 glutathione S-transferase genes from Lasioderma serricorne and characterization of LsGSTe1 involved in lambda-cyhalothrin detoxification.

In insects, glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) play a pivotal role in the detoxification of a wide range of pesticides. The cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne, is an economically important pest insect of stored products. Recently, pyrethroid insecticides have been used to control this pest. However, little is known concerning the responses and functions of GSTs in L. serricorne under pyrethroid exposure. In this study, transcriptome sequencing was performed on L. serricorne, and a total of 14 GSTs were identified by retrieving the unigene dataset. Of these, 13 predicted GSTs fell into six cytosolic classes, namely, delta, epsilon, omega, sigma, theta, and zeta, and one was assigned to an "unclassified" group. The GST genes were differentially expressed in various larval tissues and at different developmental stages. Exposure to the pyrethroid insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin (LCT) caused oxidative stress in L. serricorne larvae and led to significantly elevated expression levels of six genes, among which LsGSTe1 was the most upregulated. Recombinant LsGSTE1 protein displayed LCT-metabolizing activity. Furthermore, LsGSTE1 protects cells against oxidative stress. Moreover, knockdown of LsGSTe1 by RNA interference dramatically increased the susceptibility of L. serricorne larvae to LCT treatment. The results from this study provide sequence resources and expression data for GST genes in L. serricorne. Our findings indicate that LsGSTE1 plays a dual role in LCT detoxification by metabolizing the pesticide and by preventing LCT-induced oxidative stress. Thus, the LsGSTe1 gene could be used as a potential target for sustainable management of the cigarette beetle.

Fabrication of a lamellar alginate-based aerogel decorated with carbon quantum dots for controlled fluorescence behaviors.

This study aimed to construct an alginate aerogel doped with carbon quantum dots and investigate the fluorescence properties of the composites. The carbon quantum dots with the highest fluorescence intensity were obtained using a methanol-water ratio of 1 : 1, a reaction time of 90 minutes, and a reaction temperature of 160 °C. The fluorescent carbon quantum dot sodium alginate-based aerogel (FCSA) obtained by compounding alginate and carbon quantum dots exhibited excellent fluorescence properties when the concentration of nano-carbon quantum dot solution was 10.0 vol%. By incorporating nano-carbon quantum dots, the fluorescence properties of the lamellar alginate aerogel can be easily and efficiently adjusted. The alginate aerogel decorated with nano-carbon quantum dots exhibits promising potential in biomedical applications due to its biodegradable, biocompatible, and sustainable properties.

Efficacy of endovascular repair in the treatment of retrograde ascending aortic intramural haematoma.

BACKGROUND: The current treatment for retrograde ascending aortic intramural hematoma (RAIMH) remains challenging. This study aims to summarize the short-term results of endovascular repair in the treatment of retrograde ascending aortic intramural hematoma. METHODS: Between June 2019 and June 2021, 21 patients (16 males and 5 females) with a retrograde ascending aortic intramural hematoma, aged 53 ± 14years, received an endovascular repair in our hospital. All cases involved an ascending aortic or aortic arch intramural hematoma. 15 patients had an ulcer on the descending aorta combined with an intramural hematoma in the ascending aorta and 6 patients had typical dissection changes on the descending aorta combined with an intramural hematoma in the ascending aorta. All patients had a successful endovascular stent-graft repair, with 10 cases operated on in the acute phase (<14 days) and 11 cases in the chronic phase (14-35 days). RESULTS: A single-branched aortic stent graft system was implanted in 10 cases, a straight stent in 2 cases, and a fenestrated stent in 9 cases. All surgeries were technically successful. One of the patients developed a new rupture 2 weeks after surgery and was converted to a total arch replacement. No perioperative stroke, paraplegia, stent fracture or displacement, limb or abdominal organ ischemia occurred. The intramural hematomas started being absorbed on CT angiography images before discharge. There was no incidence of postoperative 30-day mortality, and the intramural hematomas in the ascending aorta and aortic arch were fully or partly absorbed. CONCLUSION: Endovascular repair of retrograde ascending aortic intramural hematoma was shown to be safe and effective, and correlated with favorable short-term results.

TMT-based comparative proteomic analysis of Dezhou donkey spermatozoa related to freezability.

The freezability difference between donkey ejaculates is a limiting factor of sperm cryopreservation. Our recent study shows that the freezability of donkey semen is related to the seminal plasma proteome. In this study, we aimed to identify the different abundance sperm proteins in good freezability ejaculates (GFEs) and poor freezability ejaculates (PFEs) using a Tandem Mass Tag (TMT) peptide labeling coupled with LC-MS/MS approach. A total of 2682 proteins were identified, among which 58 were significantly up-regulated in GFEs and 16 were down-regulated compared with PFEs. Bioinformatic analysis results revealed that the majority of different abundance proteins (DAPs) participated in copper and calcium binding, regulation of RNA biosynthetic process, positive regulation of innate immune response, and negative regulation of programmed cell death. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed the up-regulated proteins in GF group were mainly involved in N-Glycan biosynthesis and protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum. Our study was the first to analyze the proteome of sperm from donkey ejaculates with different freezabilities. The identified candidate proteins might be used to explore the molecular mechanism related to donkey sperm cryotolerance and might improve the screening of jacks with good sperm freezability. SIGNIFICANCE: Cryopreserved semen has been widely used in assisted reproductive technology. However, semen cryopreservation is a damaging process, which can cause oxidative stress, reduce sperm motility and motility. There are differences in sperm freezability reported to exist between or within breeds, and even between fractions coming from the same ejaculate. The freezability difference between donkey ejaculates is a limiting factor of sperm cryopreservation. The mechanisms that affect the freezing difference in sperm quality remain to be investigated, and freezability differences was found to be related to protein composition of spermatozoa. Some protein markers that can indicate good freezability or poor freezability semen have been identified in mammals. Until now, there is no information about the relationship between donkey spermatozoa proteome and freezability. Additional novel biomarkers of semen freezability in donkey spermatozoa are also needed. The identified candidate proteins might be used to explore the molecular mechanism related to donkey sperm cryotolerance and might improve the screening of jacks with good sperm freezability.

TNF-α Impairs Pericyte-Mediated Cerebral Microcirculation via the NF-κB/iNOS Axis after Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury.

Secondary structural and functional abnormalities of the neurovascular unit are important pathological mechanisms following traumatic brain injury (TBI). The neurovascular unit maintains blood-brain barrier and vascular integrity through interactions among glial cells, pericytes and endothelial cells. Trauma-induced neuroinflammation and oxidative stress may act as initiating factors for pathological damage after TBI, which in turn impairs cerebral microcirculatory function. Studies have shown that the tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway regulates inflammation and oxidative damage, but its role in pericyte-mediated cerebral microcirculation are currently unknown. Herein, we assessed TNF-α/NF-κB signaling and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and the effects of the TNF-α inhibitor infliximab after TBI. Whether pericyte damage is dependent on the TNF-α/NF-κB/iNOS axis was also evaluated to explore the mechanisms underlying disturbances in the microcirculation after TBI. Microglia are activated after TBI to promote inflammatory factors and free radical release, and upregulate NF-κB and iNOS expression. After lipopolysaccharide treatment, the activity of TNF-α/NF-κB/iNOS in BV2 cells was also upregulated. Inhibition of TNF-α using infliximab reduced NF-κB phosphorylation and nuclear translocation and downregulated iNOS expression, which attenuated the inflammation and oxidative damage. Meanwhile, inhibition of TNF-α reversed pericyte marker loss, and improved pericyte function and microcirculation perfusion after TBI. In conclusion, our study suggests that microglia released TNF-α after TBI, which promoted neuroinflammation and oxidative stress by activating downstream NF-κB/iNOS signals, and this led to pericyte-mediated disturbance of the cerebral microcirculation.

Metabolic changes before and after weaning in Dezhou donkey foals in relation to gut microbiota.

Weaning is undoubtedly one of the most crucial stages in the growth and development of all mammalian animals, including donkey foals. Weaning is a dynamic and coordinated process of the body, which is closely associated with the health, nutrition, and metabolism of the host. Many studies have shown that the intestinal microbiota and serum metabolites of mammals exhibit different changes during lactation, weaning, and postweaning. However, the alterations in serum metabolites in donkey foals before and postweaning and the correlation between serum metabolites and intestinal microbiota are largely unknown. This study is based on the fecal 16S rRNA and serum metabolomes of Dezhou donkey foals. In total, 10 samples (fecal and serum) were collected during the following three stages: before weaning (F.M.1), during weaning (F.M.3), and postweaning (F.M.6). To study the alterations in intestinal microflora, serum metabolites, and their correlation before and postweaning. We found that with the growth and weaning progress of donkey foals, the intestinal microbiota of donkey foals underwent obvious changes, and the diversity of fecal bacteria increased (Chao1 and Shannon indexes). The main intestinal microbial flora of donkey foals include Bacteroides and Firmicutes. We found many microbiota that are associated with immunity and digestion in the postweaning group, such as Verrucomicrobiales, Clostridia, Oscillospiraceae, Akkermansia, and Rikenellaceae, which can be considered microbial markers for the transition from liquid milk to solid pellet feed. Clostridia and Oscillospiraceae can produce organic acids, including butyric acid and acetic acid, which are crucial for regulating the intestinal microecological balance of donkeys. Furthermore, the metabolome showed that the serum metabolites enriched before and postweaning were mainly related to arachidonic acid metabolism and riboflavin metabolism. Riboflavin was associated with the development of the small intestine and affected the absorption of the small intestine. We also found that the changes in the gut microbiome of the foals were significantly correlated with changes in serum metabolites, including lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC; 12,0) and positively correlated with Lachnoclostridium and Roseburia. To summarize, this study provides theoretical data for the changes in the intestinal microbiome and serum metabolism during the entire weaning period of donkey foals.

Using a degradable three-layer sandwich-type coating to prevent titanium implant infection with the combined efficient bactericidal ability and fast immune remodeling property.

Titanium (Ti) implant-associated infections are a challenge in orthopedic surgery, for which a series of antibacterial coatings have been designed and fabricated to reduce the risk of bacterial contamination. Herein, we created a degradable three-layer sandwich-type coating to achieve long-term antibacterial effects while simultaneously reconstructing the local immune microenvironment. The vancomycin (Van)-loaded vaterite coating constitutes the outer and inner layers, whereas Interleukin-12 (IL-12)-containing liposomes embedded in sodium alginate constitutes the middle layer. Van, released from the vaterite, demonstrated a favorable and rapid bactericidal ability against the representative methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains. The released IL-12 exhibited the desired immune reconstitution abilities, actively facilitating defenses against subsequent bacterial invasions. Furthermore, the biocompatibility and cell-binding feature of the multifunctional coating was beneficial for achieving solid interface intergradation. Overall, the benefits of the three-layer sandwich-type coating, including the convenient fabrication process, efficient antimicrobial activity, fast immune remodeling property, fine cell-binding feature, and biodegradability, highlight its promising translational potential in preventing implant infection. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: To prevent titanium implant infections, researchers have designed various antibacterial coatings. However, most of these coatings focused only on killing the invading bacteria over a limited postoperative period. However, the local immune microenvironment is compromised during surgery. Local immune deflection impedes the ability of the local immune defenses to clear bacteria and limits immune memory building from active defense against long-term subsequent bacterial invasions. Furthermore, these coatings are usually nondegradable and differ substantially from bone components, thereby impairing the integration of the coating and bone interface and generating concerns about implant stability and bacterial contamination. In this work, we synthesized a degradable coating that provides sustained antibacterial activity, promotes immune reconstitution, and simultaneously achieves solid bone integration.

Complications of primary total hip arthroplasty among patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and primary osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Limited information exists comparing the perioperative complications of the different inflammatory arthropathies (IAs) after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Our study was aimed to (1) compare perioperative complications and (2) determine the most common complications between the different IA subtypes compared with patients with primary osteoarthritis (OA) undergoing primary THA and (3) find whether the difference in postoperative complications also exists between different IA after THA. METHODS: The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) was used to identify patients with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and primary OA undergoing unilateral THA between 2005 and 2014. Preoperative diagnosis, comorbidities, and postoperative complications were determined using the International Classification of Disease Clinical Modification version 9 codes. The prevalence of perioperative complications was compared between patients with IA and primary OA and between patients with different IA. RESULTS: When compared with patients with primary OA, patients with RA had significantly more postoperative surgical and medical complications. Yet there are just several medical complications differences exist between PA and primary OA or AS and primary OA, including stroke and acute renal failure for psoriatic arthritis and urinary tract infection and pneumonia for AS. What is more, there were also several differences in perioperative medical complications seen in patients with different IA. CONCLUSION: Except for patients with RA, the differences in perioperative complications was small between patients with IA and primary OA and between patients with different types of IA.

Proteomic analysis of donkey sperm reveals changes in acrosome enzymes and redox regulation during cryopreservation.

Sperm cryoinjuries caused by cryopreservation restrict the application of donkey frozen semen in artificial insemination (AI). Identification of differentially represented proteins in fresh and frozen-thawed spermatozoa is of great significance to optimize the cryopreservation process and modify the component of cryopreservation extender. In this study, protein samples prepared from fresh (F) and frozen-thawed (FT) donkey spermatozoa were compared. 2682 proteins were quantitatively identified by tandem mass spectrometry (TMT) polypeptide labeling technique and LC-MS/MS method, of which 28 were more abundant in thawed samples and 147 in fresh spermatozoa. The differential abundant proteins (DAPs) were analyzed by bioinformatics. Most of the DAPs in intensive bioinformatic analysis were involved in the process of regulation of biological process and metabolism. Functional protein analysis showed that DAPs process mainly protein hydrolase activity and oxidoreductase activity. Cellular Component analysis showed that DAPs were related to vesicle transport and membrane system. This is the first analysis and study on differential proteomics of donkey sperm proteins before and after cryopreservation, which has a certain guiding significance for studying the mechanism of sperm damage caused by cryopreservation and improving the freezing and thawing procedure. SIGNIFICANCE: In recent years, the commercial value of donkey products has been discovered. Improving the breeding efficiency of donkeys can save the stock of donkeys which is decreasing rapidly, and allow people to continuously benefit from the nutritional value brought by donkey milk. Sperm cryopreservation technology has laid the foundation for encouraging the spread of artificial insemination in donkey reproduction, but the freezing and thawing process causes damage to sperm, which dramatically reducing the viability of frozen sperm and leading to low fertility. At present, the mechanism of damage to donkey sperm caused by cryopreservation is still unclear, and studying this mechanism can provide a direction for improving the quality of frozen semen. Protein is a potential key factor affecting sperm cryopreservation activity. Studying changes in the sperm proteome during cryopreservation can provide promising evidence for revealing sperm cryopreservation damage, which is of great significance for optimizing the cryopreservation process, improving the composition of cryopreservation extender, and seeking directions for improving the quality of frozen semen.

The Impact of Ethical Leadership on Employees' Green Innovation Behavior: A Mediating-Moderating Model.

To enhance environmental protection and sustainable development, green innovation (GI) is an inevitable choice for enterprises. This study incorporates social identity theory and social learning theory to explore the impact of ethical leadership on employee GI behavior. In addition, this study also examines the mediating effects of green organizational identity (GOI) and the moderating role of strategic flexibility (SF). Using the structural equation modeling, an empirical survey was conducted among 300 Chinese manufacturing companies. The study found that ethical leadership (EL) positively affects employees' GI behavior (EGIB). It also positively impacts the GOI, which led to EGIB. In addition, the study also confirmed that GOI played a mediating role in the relationship between EL and EGIB. The results further indicated that SF positively enhanced the effect of GOI on EGIB. The findings have important contributions to theory and practice in the current research context.

Chitin/corn stalk pith sponge stimulated hemostasis with erythrocyte absorption, platelet activation, and Ca2+-binding capabilities.

Chitin (CT) is widely used as a hemostatic material in surgical sponges, although its efficacy needs improvement to promote the clotting process. In this study, another green biomass, corn stalk pith (CSP), was incorporated into CT through ball milling to fabricate CT-CSP composite hemostatic sponges to enhance erythrocyte absorption, platelet activation, and clotting factor accumulation (Ca2+). In vitro hemostatic analysis indicated that CSP incorporation greatly promoted the coagulation process, with a much lower blood clot index and higher blood clot stability. In addition, the composite sponge promoted more platelet adhesion and activation, and the composite sponge demonstrated a greater ability to bind clotting factors (Ca2+). Consistently, it achieved complete hemostasis with less blood loss and a shorter hemostatic time in a rat liver injury-model. This composite hemostatic sponge is sustainable, cost-efficient, and biocompatible, which highlight the excellent translational potential in clinical settings.

Application of mNGS in the Etiological Analysis of Lower Respiratory Tract Infections and the Prediction of Drug Resistance.

Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) have high morbidity and mortality rates. However, traditional etiological detection methods have not been able to meet the needs for the clinical diagnosis and prognosis of LRTIs. The rapid development of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) provides new insights for the diagnosis and treatment of LRTIs; however, little is known about how to interpret the application of mNGS results in LRTIs. In this study, lower respiratory tract specimens from 46 patients with suspected LRTIs were tested simultaneously using conventional microbiological detection methods and mNGS. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the performance of the logarithm of reads per kilobase per million mapped reads [lg(RPKM)], genomic coverage, and relative abundance of the organism in predicting the true-positive pathogenic bacteria. True-positive viruses were identified according to the lg(RPKM) threshold of bacteria. We also evaluated the ability to predict drug resistance genes using mNGS. Compared to that using conventional detection methods, the false-positive detection rate of pathogenic bacteria was significantly higher using mNGS. It was concluded from the ROC curves that the lg(RPKM) and genomic coverage contributed to the identification of pathogenic bacteria, with the performance of lg(RPKM) being the best (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.99). The corresponding lg(RPKM) threshold for identifying the pathogenic bacteria was -1.35. Thirty-five strains of true-positive virus were identified based on the lg(RPKM) threshold of bacteria, with the detection of human gammaherpesvirus 4 being the highest and prone to coinfection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests (AST) revealed the resistance of bacteria containing drug resistance genes (detected by mNGS). However, the drug resistance genes of some multidrug-resistant bacteria were not detected. As an emerging technology, mNGS has shown many advantages for the unbiased etiological detection and the prediction of antibiotic resistance. However, a correct understanding of mNGS results is a prerequisite for its clinical application, especially for LRTIs. IMPORTANCE LRTIs are caused by hundreds of pathogens, and they have become a great threat to human health due to the limitations of traditional etiological detection methods. As an unbiased approach to detect pathogens, mNGS overcomes such etiological diagnostic challenges. However, there is no unified standard on how to use mNGS indicators (the sequencing reads, genomic coverage, and relative abundance of each organism) to distinguish between pathogens and colonizing microorganisms or contaminant microorganisms. Here, we selected the mNGS indicator with the best identification performance and established a cutoff value for the identification of pathogens in LRTIs using ROC curves. In addition, we also evaluated the accuracy of antibiotic resistance prediction using mNGS.

Metabolomic profiling of Dezhou donkey sperm associated with freezability.

The cryopreservation technology of sperm has promoted the popularization of artificial insemination in the reproductive process of donkeys to a certain extent, but the freezing-thawing process would bring damage to the sperm, and the vitality of the sperm would be greatly reduced after freezing. Sperm metabolites play an important role in the process of sperm freezing, and also have an important impact on the vitality and fertilization rate of sperm after freezing-thawing. In this study, the LC-MS/MS analysis method was used to compare the metabolic profiles of high freezability (HF) and low freezability (LF) male donkey sperm after freezing-thawing. We identified 1323 metabolites in total, of which 17 metabolites are significantly different between the two groups. Most of these metabolites belong to fatty acids and phospholipids, including phosphatidylcholine, stearic acid and so on. These different metabolites are mostly related to the plasma membrane fatty acids of sperm and oxidative stress. Our results illustrate several metabolites related to sperm freezability and provide corresponding biomarkers.

Analysis of changes in the volume of edema around brain contusions and the influencing factors: A single-center, retrospective, observational study.

ABSTRACT: Traumatic brain injury (TBI), a common neurosurgical condition, has well-known treatment guidelines. However, the mechanisms underlying the varying severity of brain edema secondary to TBI are largely unknown, leading to controversial treatments.This study seeks to measure edema volumes around brain contusions in different regions, analyze factors related to differences in edema volume and provide a theoretical basis for brain edema treatment.Data from 113 brain contusion patients treated at the Department of Neurosurgery of Fuzhou General Hospital from January 2017 to November 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. Based on computed tomography (CT) data, the patients were divided into the venous group (brain contusion in regions with large cortical veins, n = 47) and the nonvenous group (brain contusions in other regions, n = 66). Here, 3D Slicer software was used to calculate the brain contusion volume on the first CT obtained after injury and the brain contusion volume and its surrounding edema on the 5th day after injury. The brain contusion volume to surrounding edema volume ratio was calculated, and the number of patients who showed brain contusion progression requiring surgery was determined. Hematocrit (Hct), fibrinogen (Fg), and d-dimer levels within 6 hours and on the 5th day after admission were also compared.Patients in the venous group had a significantly increased percentage of area with edema around the brain contusion compared with patients in the nonvenous group (P < .05), and the 2 groups showed no significant difference in the number of patients with brain contusion progression or surgical treatment (P > .05) or Hct, Fg, or d-dimer (D-D) levels. For all patients, Hct, Fg, and D-D levels within 6 hours after admission were significantly different from those on the 5th day (P < .05 for all).Cortical venous obstruction may be the most important factor influencing edema around brain contusions. The Fg level decreased slightly, and the D-D level increased to its peak rapidly after mild-moderate TBI. This change was followed by a gradual increase in the former and a gradual decrease in the latter.