Enhancing Functional Recovery Through Intralesional Application of Extracellular Vesicles in a Rat Model of Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury

Local inflammation plays a pivotal role in the process of secondary damage after spinal cord injury. We recently reported that acute intravenous application of extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cells dampens the induction of inflammatory processes following traumatic spinal cord injury. However, systemic application of EVs is associated with delayed delivery to the site of injury and the necessity for high doses to reach therapeutic levels locally. To resolve these two constraints, we injected EVs directly at the lesion site acutely after spinal cord injury. We report here that intralesional application of EVs resulted in a more robust improvement of motor recovery, assessed with the BBB score and sub-score, as compared to the intravenous delivery. Moreover, the intralesional application was more potent in reducing inflammation and scarring after spinal cord injury than intravenous administration. Hence, the development of EV-based therapy for spinal cord injury should aim at an early application of vesicles close to the lesion.

A Review of Recent Advances in Flexible Wearable Sensors for Wound Detection Based on Optical and Electrical Sensing

Chronic wounds that are difficult to heal can cause persistent physical pain and significant medical costs for millions of patients each year. However, traditional wound care methods based on passive bandages cannot accurately assess the wound and may cause secondary damage during frequent replacement. With advances in materials science and smart sensing technology, flexible wearable sensors for wound condition assessment have been developed that can accurately detect physiological markers in wounds and provide the necessary information for treatment decisions. The sensors can implement the sensing of biochemical markers and physical parameters that can reflect the infection and healing process of the wound, as well as transmit vital physiological information to the mobile device through optical or electrical signals. Most reviews focused on the applicability of flexible composites in the wound environment or drug delivery devices. This paper summarizes typical biochemical markers and physical parameters in wounds and their physiological significance, reviews recent advances in flexible wearable sensors for wound detection based on optical and electrical sensing principles in the last 5 years, and discusses the challenges faced and future development. This paper provides a comprehensive overview for researchers in the development of flexible wearable sensors for wound detection.

Study on Improvement of Lightning Damage Detection Model for Wind Turbine Blade

There have been many reports of damage to wind turbine blades caused by lightning strikes in Japan. In some of these cases, the blades struck by lightning continue to rotate, causing more serious secondary damage. To prevent such accidents, it is a requirement that a lightning detection system is installed on the wind turbine in areas where winter lightning occurs in Japan. This immediately stops the wind turbine if the system detects a lightning strike. Normally, these wind turbines are restarted after confirming soundness of the blade through visual inspection. However, it is often difficult to confirm the soundness of the blade visually for reasons such as bad weather. This process prolongs the time taken to restart, and it is one of the causes that reduces the availability of the wind turbines. In this research, we constructed a damage detection model for wind turbine blades using machine learning based on SCADA system data and, thereby, considered whether the technology automatically confirms the soundness of wind turbine blades.

Human Tracking of a Crawler Robot in Climbing Stairs

There are many reports of secondary damage to crews during firefighting operations. One way to support and enhance their activities is to get robots to track them and carry supplies. In this paper, we propose a localization method for stairs that includes scene detection. The proposed method allows a robot to track a person across stairs. First, the scene detection autonomously detects that the person is climbing the stairs. Then, the linear model representing the first step of the staircase is combined with the person’s trajectory for localization. The method uses omnidirectional imaging and point clouds, and the localization and scene detection are available from any posture around the stairs. Finally, using the localization result, the robot automatically navigates to a posture where it can climb the stairs. Verification confirmed the accuracy and real-time capability of the method and demonstrated that the actual crawler robot autonomously chooses a posture that is ready for climbing.

Pathways of Renal Involvement in COVID-19 Infection

The causative agent of the highly infectious pandemic COVID-19 is SARS-CoV-2. According to WHO, as of August 18th 2020, the number of confirmed cases was and confirmed deaths was 771,635 from 216 countries. The most affected organ system in COVID-19 is the respiratory system. Later studies proved that the virus caused multiorgan infections. Several studies shows that SARS-CoV-2 causes damage to the renal system and; critically ill patients with associated renal damage show a higher mortality rate as compared to those patients with an unaffected renal system .This review article aims at updating the knowledge about associated kidney failure in covid-19 cases and its impact on the morbidity and mortality. The virus damages the renal system through two different mechanisms: Direct and Indirect pathway. The direct pathway explains how the virus damages the renal system by directly acting upon the target cells in the kidney.SARS-CoV-2 gains its entry by binding to the ACE2 receptors on the target cell. The SARS-CoV-2 progresses its journey and extensively spread the infection, damaging the kidneys leading to the failure of the renal system. The indirect pathway of damage speaks about the secondary damage caused to the renal system due to cytokine release syndrome caused by SARS-CoV-2.This pathway also points out the formation of microthrombi in the glomerular capillaries and also kidney hypoperfusion. AKI in covid-19 patients can occur secondary to multiorgan failure. This review aims to build a foundation concerning the direct pathway and indirect pathway by means of which SARS-Cov-2 infects the kidneys by summarizing the numerous researches carried out till date to update the knowledge gained thus far to aid in building better protocols for covid-19 management and decrease morbidity caused due to renal damage.

Neurological disorders in patients with long COVID syndrome and cell therapy methods for their correction a literature review

The review presents the current understanding of the incidence and nature of neurological disorders in patients with the so-called long COVID syndrome. Symptoms, putative pathophysiological mechanisms, risk factors, search for methods of treatment and rehabilitation of patients using the patient's own hematopoietic cells are discussed. A search was carried out for scientific articles, including those published in peer-reviewed journals indexed in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and RSCI. The inclusion of stem cells (SC) in rehabilitation programs for patients with various injuries and diseases of the central nervous system (CNS) is a promising area of research. The mechanisms of CNS damage therapy based on the use of adult-type pluripotent stem cells, including CD34+, consist of many aspects. On the background of SC transplantation, damaged nerve cells and surrounding tissues, including neurons and glial cells, can be restored, which helps to ensure the integrity of the nerve conduction pathway and, thus, restore nerve function. SC therapy can suppress genes involved in inflammation and apoptosis, as well as activate genes with neuroprotective action, thereby protecting spinal neurons from secondary damage. This line of cell therapy can be used to treat long COVID syndrome.

Prevalence of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Among University Students After the COVID-19 First Wave in Pakistan

COVID-19, the worst public health emergency in a decade, has had a profound impact on people's mental health. Universities in Pakistan have reopened, although it is uncertain how to prevent secondary damage to students as a result of the reopening. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety and stress among students following the reopening of universities after the COVID-19 first wave. Furthermore, gender differences in depression, anxiety, and stress were also investigated, as well as the predictive value of CGPA in depression, anxiety, and stress. The sample was (N=360) university students. Data was collected from the two cites of Pakistan. The DASS-21 was used to assess levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among students (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995). SPSS version 21 was used to analyze the data. Results indicated that the level of psychological distress has increased among university students due to the reopening of universities. Findings revealed significant differences in depression and anxiety levels based on the three academic disciplines. In addition, male students showed significantly higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress than female students and CGPA significantly and negatively predicted depression and stress. Based on the findings of this study, it is suggested that thorough and targeted psychological interventions for students' mental health should be established, particularly in high-risk cities and during the COVID-19 pandemic late phases.

Management of Acute Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury: A Review of the Literature

Traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) is a debilitating disease that poses significant functional and economic burden on both the individual and societal levels. Prognosis is dependent on the extent of the spinal injury and the severity of neurological dysfunction. If not treated rapidly, patients with TSCI can suffer further secondary damage and experience escalating disability and complications. It is important to quickly assess the patient to identify the location and severity of injury to make a decision to pursue a surgical and/or conservative management. However, there are many conditions that factor into the management of TSCI patients, ranging from the initial presentation of the patient to long-term care for optimal recovery. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the etiologies of spinal cord injury and the complications that may arise, and present an algorithm to aid in the management of TSCI.

Credibility of the Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Count Ratio in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The consequences of a TBI generate the activation and accumulation of inflammatory cells. The peak number of neutrophils entering into an injured brain is observed after 24 h; however, cells infiltrate within 5 min of closed brain injury. Neutrophils release toxic molecules including free radicals, proinflammatory cytokines, and proteases that advance secondary damage. Regulatory T cells impair T cell infiltration into the central nervous system and elevate reactive astrogliosis and interferon-γ gene expression, probably inducing the process of healing. Therefore, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may be a low-cost, objective, and available predictor of inflammation as well as a marker of secondary injury associated with neutrophil activation. Recent studies have documented that an NLR value on admission might be effective for predicting outcome and mortality in severe brain injury patients.