Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, becoming a heavy burden to the family and society. However, the complexity of the brain and the existence of blood-brain barrier (BBB) do limit most therapeutics effects through simple intravascular injection. Hence, an effective therapy promoting neurological recovery is urgently required. Although limited spontaneous recovery of function post-TBI does occur, increasing evidence indicates that exosomes derived from stem cells promote these endogenous processes. The advantages of hydrogels for transporting drugs and stem cells to target injured sites have been discussed in multitudinous studies. Therefore, the combined employment of hydrogels and exosomes for TBI is worthy of further study. Herein, we review current research associated with the application of hydrogels and exosomes for TBI. We also discuss the possibilities and advantages of exosomes and hydrogels co-therapies after TBI.

The spectral evolution of a filament formed by femtosecond laser pulses in fused silica is experimentally investigated. It is found that the evolution of the supercontinuum (SC) spectrum along the single filament is closely related with its intensity and length. The energy conversion efficiency of fundamental laser pulse to SC generation increases monotonically with different rates as the filament length increases, showing an accumulating effect along the filament. The results also show that the short-wavelength cutoff of the SC spectra is more sensitive to the intensity of the filament than the conversion efficiency of the SC, which is contributed mainly by the efficiently ionized zone of the filament.

BackgroundHealthcare seeking behavior has been widely impacted due to the restricted movements of individuals during the Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aims to perform risk stratification in patients requiring timely intervention during the recovery periods.MethodsOperation notes of acute appendicitis (AA) patients within a hospital were analyzed during three six-month periods (23 January-23 July in 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively). Patient data were collected retrospectively including demographics, pre-emergency status, perioperative information, postoperative outcomes, and follow-up results.Results321 patients were included in this study, with 111, 86, and 124 patients in 2019, 2020, and 2021 groups, respectively. The median age of patients decreased by 4 years in 2020 as compared to that in 2019. The proportion of pre-hospitalization symptoms duration of more than 48 h in the 2020 group was higher (36.05% in 2020 vs. 22.52% in 2019). Length of hospital stay (LOS) in 2020 was shorter than it was during the same period in 2019 (4.77 vs. 5.64) and LOS in 2021 was shorter than in 2019 (4.13 vs. 5.64). Compared to the lockdown period, the proportion of patients with recurrent AA was higher in the post-lockdown period (15.1% vs. 27.4%). The median age was 34 years (vaccinated) vs. 37 years (unvaccinated). Logistic regression suggests that elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) (OR = 1.018, CI = 1.010–1.028), white cell count (WBC) (OR = 1.207, CI = 1.079–1.350), female (OR = 2.958, CI = 1.286–6.802), recurrent (OR = 3.865, CI = 1.149–12.997), and fecalith (OR = 2.308, CI = 1.007–5.289) were associated with complicated appendicitis (CA).ConclusionThe lockdown measures during the COVID-19 epidemic are shown to be correlated with a reduction in the proportion of AA patients who underwent surgery, particularly in older adults. Risk factors for CA include elevated CRP, WBC, female, recurrent, and fecalith.

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