Skin Wound Research Articles

NF-κB-Signaling-Targeted Immunomodulatory Nanoparticle with Photothermal and Quorum-Sensing Inhibition Effects for Efficient Healing of Biofilm-Infected Wounds.

The development of therapeutics with high antimicrobial activity and immunomodulatory effects is urgently needed for the treatment of infected wounds due to the increasing danger posed by recalcitrant-infected wounds. In this study, we developed light-controlled antibacterial, photothermal, and immunomodulatory biomimetic N/hPDA@M nanoparticles (NPs). This nanoplatform was developed by loading flavonoid naringenin onto hollow mesoporous polydopamine NPs in a π-π-stacked configuration and encasing them with macrophage membranes. First, our N/hPDA@M NPs efficiently neutralized inflammatory factors present within the wound microenvironment by the integration of macrophage membranes. Afterward, the N/hPDA@M NPs effectively dismantled bacterial biofilms through a combination of the photothermal properties of PDA and the quorum sensing inhibitory effects of naringenin. It is worth noting that N/hPDA@M NPs near-infrared-enhanced release of naringenin exhibited specificity toward the NF-κB-signaling pathway, effectively mitigating the inflammatory response. This innovative design not only conferred remarkable antibacterial properties upon the N/hPDA@M NPs but also endowed them with the capacity to modulate inflammatory responses, curbing excessive inflammation and steering macrophage polarization toward the M2 phenotype. As a result, this multifaceted approach significantly contributes to expediting the healing process of infected skin wounds.

Versatile Biomass‐Based Injectable Photothermal Hydrogel for Integrated Regenerative Wound Healing and Skin Bioelectronics

AbstractThe continuously growing utilization of wound healing materials and skin bioelectronics urges the development of flexible hydrogels for personal therapy and health management. Versatile conductive hydrogels prepared from natural biomass are ideal candidates as one of the promising solutions for chronic wound management. Here, the study proposes a kind of robust (strain: 1560.8%), adhesive, self‐healing, injectable, antibacterial (sterilization rate: 99%), near‐infrared (NIR) photothermal responsive, biocompatible, and conductive hydrogel (CPPFe@TA) composed of carboxymethyl cellulose and tannic acid/iron ion complex (TA@Fe3+), featuring rapid self‐assembly and tunable crosslinking time. TA@Fe3+ facilitated the self‐catalysis of the polymerization reaction, and the crosslinking time could be controlled by adjusting Fe3+ concentration. Under NIR irradiation, the hydrogel exhibited remarkable photothermal antibacterial performance. In the full‐thickness skin defect repair experiment on mice, the prepared hydrogel dressing significantly enhanced wound healing. After 14 days, the wound healing rate (95.49%) of CPPFe@TA3 hydrogel + NIR treatment greatly exceeded that of commercial dressings. Meanwhile, the hydrogels has good electrical conductivity and thermo‐responsiveness, making them promising for skin bioelectronics in physiological signal monitoring and rehabilitation exercise management. This work therefore offers a promising strategy for developing versatile biomass‐based hydrogels, which is expected to be applicable to integrated regenerative wound healing and skin bioelectronics.

Enhanced Mechanical Strength and Sustained Drug Release in Carrier-Free Silver-coordinated Anthraquinone Natural Antibacterial Anti-inflammatory Hydrogel for Infectious Wound Healing.

The persistent challenge of healing infectious wounds and the rise of bacterial resistance represent significant hurdles in contemporary medicine. In this study, based on the natural small molecule drug Rhein self-assembly to form hydrogels and coordinate assembly with silver ions (Ag+), a sustained-release carrier-free hydrogel with compact structure was constructed to promote the repair of bacterial-infected wounds. As a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent, Ag+ can avoid the problem of bacterial resistance caused by the abuse of traditional antibiotics. In addition, due to the slow-release properties of Rhein hydrogel, continuous effective concentration of Ag+ at the wound site can be ensured. The assembly of Ag+ and Rhein made the hydrogel system with enhanced mechanical stability. More importantly, we found that Rhein effectively promoted skin tissue regeneration and wound healing by reprogramming M1 macrophages into M2 macrophages. Further mechanism studies showed that Rhein realized its powerful anti-inflammatory activity through NRF2/HO-1 activation and NF-κB inhibition. Thus, the hydrogel system combines the excellent antibacterial properties of Ag+ with the excellent anti-inflammatory and tissue regeneration ability of Rhein, providing a new strategy for wound management with dual roles. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

High-Intensity Blue Light (450-460 nm) Phototherapy for Pseudomonas aeruginosa-Infected Wounds.

Background: Nosocomial wound infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is a serious complication often responsible for septic mortality of burn patients. High-intensity antimicrobial blue light (aBL) treatment may represent an alternative therapy for PA infections. Methods: Antibacterial effects of an light-emitting diode (LED) array (450-460 nm; 300 mW/cm2; 15/30 min; 270/540J/cm2) against PA were determined by suspension assay, biofilm assay, and a human skin wound model and compared with 15-min topically applied 3% citric acid (CA) and wound irrigation solution (Prontosan®; PRT). Results: The aBL reduced the bacterial number (2.51-3.56 log10 CFU/mL), whereas PRT or CA treatment achieved a 4.64 or 6.60 log10 CFU/mL reduction in suspension assays. The aBL reduced biofilm formation by 60%-66%. PRT or CA treatment showed reductions by 25% or 13%. In this study, aBL reduced bacterial number in biofilms (1.30-1.64 log10 CFU), but to a lower extent than PRT (2.41 log10 CFU) or CA (2.48 log10 CFU). In the wound skin model, aBL (2.21-2.33 log10 CFU) showed a bacterial reduction of the same magnitude as PRT (2.26 log10 CFU) and CA (2.30 log10 CFU). Conclusions: The aBL showed a significant antibacterial efficacy against PA and biofilm formation in a short time. However, a clinical application of aBL in wound therapy requires effective active skin cooling and eye protection, which in turn may limit clinical implementation.

CircCDK13-loaded small extracellular vesicles accelerate healing in preclinical diabetic wound models

Chronic wounds are a major complication in patients with diabetes. Here, we identify a therapeutic circRNA and load it into small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) to treat diabetic wounds in preclinical models. We show that circCDK13 can stimulate the proliferation and migration of human dermal fibroblasts and human epidermal keratinocytes by interacting with insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 3 in an N6-Methyladenosine-dependent manner to enhance CD44 and c-MYC expression. We engineered sEVs that overexpress circCDK13 and show that local subcutaneous injection into male db/db diabetic mouse wounds and wounds of streptozotocin-induced type I male diabetic rats could accelerate wound healing and skin appendage regeneration. Our study demonstrates that the delivery of circCDK13 in sEVs may present an option for diabetic wound treatment.

An in vitro and in vivo study of electrospun polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan/sildenafil citrate mat on 3D-printed polycaprolactone membrane as a double layer wound dressing

Double-layer dermal substitutes (DS) generally provide more effective therapeutic outcomes than single-layer substitutes. The architectural design of DS incorporates an outer layer to protect against bacterial invasions and maintain wound hydration, thereby reducing the risk of infection and the frequency of dressing changes. Moreover, the outer layer is a mechanical support for the wound, preventing undue tension in the affected area. A 3D-printed polycaprolactone (PCL) membrane was utilized as the outer layer to fabricate DS wound dressing. Simultaneously, a polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan/sildenafil citrate (PVA/CS/SC) scaffold was electrospun onto the PCL membrane to facilitate cellular adhesion and proliferation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the PCL filaments revealed a consistent cross-sectional surface and structure, with an average diameter of 562.72 ± 29.15 μm. SEM results also demonstrated uniform morphology and beadless structure for the PVA/CS/SC scaffold, with an average fiber diameter of 366.77 ± 1.81 nm for PVA/CS. The addition of SC led to an increase in fiber diameter while resulting in a reduction in tensile strength. However, drug release analysis indicated that the SC release from the sample can last up to 72 h. Animal experimentation confirmed that DS wound dressing positively accelerated wound closure and collagen deposition in the Wistar rat skin wound model.

Efficacy of Superselective Intra-arterial Recanalization of Embolized Arteries Resulting from Facial Hyaluronic Acid Injection.

Arterial embolism is a rare complication caused by hyaluronic acid (HA) injection. However, it is one of the most serious complications. Once it happens, the complication would have a great and long-term impact on patients. Intra-arterial recanalization has been reported for recovering the visual acuity in patients with visual loss caused by hyaluronic acid. There is little report about the benefits of superselective intra-arterial recanalization therapy for skin wounds caused by hyaluronic acid vascular embolization. Eight patients who had received the superselective intra-arterial recanalization therapy were retrospectively reviewed. Hyaluronidasewasinjected into the facialartery by superselective intra-arterial recanalization therapy, followed by symptomatic treatment. The facial artery recanalization was successfully performed and no interventional procedure-related adverse events happened. Arterial embolization accompanies by the interruption or reduction of blood supply, followed by ochrodermia, pain, numbness, swelling, yellowish white secreta and even necrosis on skin wound area. Early detection of skin blood supply disorders and early recovery of blood supply areverycritical to treatfacial artery embolization caused byHA. After superselective intra-arterial recanalization therapy, the blood supply to facial skin was restored and skin wounds recovered in all patients. Only 1 patient was left with small and superficial scars. Superselective intra-arterial recanalization therapy is an effective and safe methodthat can alleviateskin wounds caused by HA vascular embolization. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Peptide-AIE Nanofibers Functionalized Sutures with Antimicrobial Activity and Subcutaneous Traceability.

As one of the most widely used medical device, sutures face challenges related to surgical site infections (SSIs) and lack of subcutaneous traceability. In the present study, we have developed a facile and effective approach using peptide-AIE nanofibers (NFs-K18) to create fluorescent-traceable antimicrobial sutures, which have been applied to four commercially available sutures. The functionalized sutures of PGAS-NFs-K18 and PGLAS-NFs-K18 exhibited fluorescence with excellent penetration from 4mm chicken breasts. They also demonstrated remarkable stability after 24h of white light illumination and threading through chicken breasts 10 times. These sutures efficiently generated ROS, resulting in a significant suppression of four clinical bacteria, with the highest antimicrobial rate of nearly 100%. Moreover, the sutures exhibited favorable hemocompatibility and biocompatibility. In vivo experiments demonstrated that the optimized PGLAS-NFs-K18 suture displayed potent antimicrobial activity against MRSA, effectively inhibiting inflammation and promoting tissue healing in both skin wound and abdominal wall wound models, outperforming the commercially available Coated VICRYL® Plus Antibacterial suture. Importantly, PGLAS-NFs-K18 exhibited sensitive subcutaneous traceability, allowing for accurate in situ monitoring of its degradation. We believe that this straightforward strategy offers a new pathway for inhibiting SSIs and monitoring the status of sutures. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Critical Portions of a Foot or Ankle Surgical Procedure From Patient and Surgeon Perspectives

Background: Over the past decade, overlapping procedures in orthopaedic surgery have come under increased public scrutiny. Central to this discussion is what should constitute a “critical portion” of any surgical procedure—a definition which may differ between patients and surgeons. This study therefore aimed to assess which components of three common foot and ankle procedures are considered “critical” from both the patient and surgeon perspectives. Methods: For this survey-based study, questionnaires were administered to patients who presented to an orthopaedic foot and ankle clinic and separately administered to foot and ankle surgeons through e-mail. The questionnaires broached all steps involved in three common foot and ankle procedures: open reduction and internal fixation of ankle fracture, Achilles tendon repair, and ankle arthroscopy. Respondents were asked to characterize each step as “always critical,” “often critical,” sometimes critical,” rarely critical,” or “never critical.” A combined “always critical” and “often critical” response rate of greater than 50% was used to define a step as genuinely critical. Patient and surgeon responses were thereafter compared using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests (P-value <0.05 was considered significant). Results: Notably, both patients and surgeons considered informed consent, preoperative marking of the surgical site, preoperative time-out, surgical soft-tissue dissection, and certain procedure-specific steps (critical portions) of these procedures. By contrast, only patients considered skin incision and wound closure to be critical steps. Conclusion: Patients and surgeons were largely in agreement as to what should comprise the critical portions of several common foot and ankle procedures. Certain discrepancies did exist, however, such as skin incision and closure, and both groups were also in general agreement regarding what was not considered a critical component of these operations. Such findings highlight a potential opportunity for improved preoperative patient education and patient-physician communication. Level of evidence: Level IV: Evidence from well-designed case-control or cohort studies.

Ambient Synthesis of Porphyrin-Based Fe-Covalent Organic Frameworks for Efficient Infected Skin Wound Healing.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have emerged as a promising treatment option for antibacterial and biofilm eradication. However, their therapeutic efficacy is significantly hampered by the unique microenvironments of diabetic wounds. In this study, we designed and synthesized porphyrin-based Fe covalent organic frameworks (Fe-COF) through a Schiff base condensation reaction. Subsequently, Fe-COF were encapsulated with hyaluronic acid (HA) through electrostatic adsorption, resulting in a novel formulation named HA-Fe-COF for diabetic wound healing. HA-Fe-COF were engineered to respond to hyaluronidase in the infected wound, leading to the controlled release of Fe-COF. Those released Fe-COF served a dual role as photosensitizers, generating singlet oxygen and localized heating when exposed to dual light sources. Additionally, they acted as peroxidase-like nanozymes, facilitating the production of ROS through enzymatic reactions. This innovative approach enabled a synergistic therapeutic effect combining photodynamic, photothermal, and chemodynamic modalities. Furthermore, the sustained release of HA from HA-Fe-COF promoted angiogenesis, collagen deposition, and re-epithelialization during the diabetic wound healing process. This "all-in-one" strategy offers a novel approach for the development of antimicrobial and biofilm eradication strategies that minimize damage to healthy tissues in vivo.

Biomimetic Materials for Skin Tissue Regeneration and Electronic Skin

Biomimetic materials have become a promising alternative in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine to address critical challenges in wound healing and skin regeneration. Skin-mimetic materials have enormous potential to improve wound healing outcomes and enable innovative diagnostic and sensor applications. Human skin, with its complex structure and diverse functions, serves as an excellent model for designing biomaterials. Creating effective wound coverings requires mimicking the unique extracellular matrix composition, mechanical properties, and biochemical cues. Additionally, integrating electronic functionality into these materials presents exciting possibilities for real-time monitoring, diagnostics, and personalized healthcare. This review examines biomimetic skin materials and their role in regenerative wound healing, as well as their integration with electronic skin technologies. It discusses recent advances, challenges, and future directions in this rapidly evolving field.

Deep Red Light Driven Hydrogen Evolution by Heterojunction Polymer Dots for Diabetic Wound Healing

Deep Red Light Driven Hydrogen Evolution by Heterojunction Polymer Dots for Diabetic Wound Healing

Bacteriophage-cocktail hydrogel dressing to prevent multiple bacterial infections and heal diabetic ulcers in mice.

Bacteriophage (phage) has been reported to reduce the bacterial infection in delayed-healing wounds and, as a result, aiding in the healing of said wounds. In this study we investigated whether the presence of phage itself could help repair delayed-healing wounds in diabetic mice. Three strains of phage that target Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were used. To prevent the phage liquid from running off the wound, the mixture of phage (phage-cocktail) was encapsulated in a porous hydrogel dressing made with three-dimensional printing. The phage-cocktail dressing was tested for its phage preservation and release efficacy, bacterial reduction, cytotoxicity with 3T3 fibroblast, and performance in repairing a sterile full-thickness skin wound in diabetic mice. The phage-cocktail dressing released 1.7%-5.7% of the phages embedded in 24 h, and reduced between 37%-79% of the surface bacteria compared with the blank dressing (p <.05). The phage-cocktail dressing exhibited no sign of cytotoxicity after 3 days (p <.05). In vivo studies showed that 14 days after incision, the full-thickness wound treated with a phage-cocktail dressing had a higher wound healing ratio compared with the blank dressing and control (p <.01). Histological analysis showed that the structure of the skin layers in the group treated with phage-cocktail dressing was restored in an orderly fashion. Compared with the blank dressing and control, the repaired tissue in the phage-cocktail dressing group had new capillary vessels and no sign of inflammation in its dermis, and its epidermis had a higher degree of re-epithelialization (p <.05). The slow-released phage has demonstrated positive effects in repairing diabetic skin wounds.

Deep Red Light Driven Hydrogen Evolution by Heterojunction Polymer Dots for Diabetic Wound Healing.

We describe small heterojunction polymer dots (Pdots) with deep-red light catalyzed H2 generation for diabetic skin wound healing. The Pdots with donor/acceptor heterojunctions showed remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activity as compared to the donor or acceptor nanoparticles alone. We encapsulate the Pdots and ascorbic acid into liposomes to form Lipo-Pdots nanoreactors, which selectively scavenge •OH radicals in live cells and tissues under 650 nm light illumination. The antioxidant capacity of the heterojunction Pdots is ~10 times higher than that of the single-component Pdots described previously. Under a total light dose of 360 J/cm2, the Lipo-Pdots nanoreactors effectively scavenged •OH radicals and suppressed the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in skin tissues, thereby accelerating the healing of skin wounds in diabetic mice. This study provides a feasible solution for safe and effective treatment of diabetic foot ulcers.

Clinical outcomes of female external urine wicking devices as alternatives to indwelling catheters: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Female patients using indwelling urinary catheters (IUCs) are disproportionately at risk for developing catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) compared to males. Female external urine wicking devices (FEUWDs) have emerged as potential alternatives to IUCs for incontinence management. To assess the clinical risks and benefits of FEUWDs as alternatives to IUCs. Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, CINAHL Complete, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from inception to July 10, 2023. Included studies used FEUWDs as an intervention and reported measures of urinary tract infections and secondary outcomes related to incontinence management. Of 2,580 returned records, 50 were systematically reviewed. Meta-analyses assessed rates of indwelling CAUTIs and IUC utilization. Following FEUWD implementation, IUC utilization rates decreased 14% (RR = 0.86, 95% CI=[0.76, 0.97]) and indwelling CAUTI rates nonsignificantly decreased up to 32% (IRR = 0.68, 95% CI=[0.39, 1.17]). Limited only to studies that described protocols for implementation, the incidence rate of indwelling CAUTIs decreased significantly up to 54% (IRR = 0.46, 95% CI=[0.32, 0.66]). Secondary outcomes were reported less routinely. Overall, FEUWDs nonsignificantly reduced indwelling CAUTI rates, though reductions were significant among studies describing FEUWD implementation protocols. We recommend developing standard definitions for consistent reporting of non-indwelling CAUTI complications such as FEUWD-associated UTIs, skin injuries, and mobility-related complications.

Electrowriting patterns and electric field harness directional cell migration for skin wound healing

Directional cell migration is a crucial step in wound healing, influenced by electrical and topographic stimulations. However, the underlying mechanism and the combined effects of these two factors on cell migration remain unclear. This study explores cell migration under various combinations of guided straight line (SL) spacing, conductivity, and the relative direction of electric field (EF) and SL. Electrowriting is employed to fabricate conductive (multiwalled carbon nanotube/polycaprolactone (PCL)) and nonconductive (PCL) SL, with narrow (50 μm) and wide (400 μm) spacing that controls the topographic stimulation strength. Results show that various combinations of electrical and topographic stimulation yield significantly distinct effects on cell migration direction and speed; cells migrate fastest with the most directivity in the case of conductive, narrow-spacing SL parallel to EF. A physical model based on intercellular interactions is developed to capture the underlying mechanism of cell migration under SL and EF stimulations, in agreement with experimental observations. In vivo skin wound healing assay further confirmed that the combination of EF (1 V cm−1) and parallelly aligned conductive fibers accelerated the wound healing process. This study presents a promising approach to direct cell migration and enhance wound healing by optimizing synergistic electrical and topographic stimulations.

A Comprehensive Review of a particular Skin Injury: Pathogenesis, triggers, and current Treatment Options

By definition, an open injury is any severe break in the continuity of the skin and deep tissue. Because contusions are healed injuries, the term given above does not apply to them. The classification of injuries is essential for both therapeutic and medico-legal purposes. Burn injuries are comparable to other injuries in that they require the same basic principles for healing and care, but they differ in that they have a greater impact on the patient's overall health and are essential to the patient's eventual survival, the development of deformity, and rehabilitation. Treatment of burn injuries has always been the responsibility of burn specialists. Both local and systemic therapy have long been advised for treating burn injuries and minimizing burn scars. This review summarizes the treatment of burn injuries brought on by a variety of physical and chemical agents requires unique regimens that are completely different from those used to treat any other traumatic injuries. Other acute injuries that undergo entire blood loss result in shock, but major burns that experience significant plasma loss due to increased capillary permeability result in distress. Burn injuries are initially sterile compared to the majority of other injuries, however, due to the immunocompromised state of burn patients and injury infection frequently ends in death in serious burns. We have discussed the pathophysiology, primary care therapies, nanomaterials used in injury healing therapy and various nanoparticles in injury healing process for burn injuries in this review.

274 Socialization of piglets during suckling enhanced feed intake after weaning but did not alter their response to dietary amino acid concentration

Abstract The present study hypothesized that pre-weaning socialized piglets would reduce damaging behavior and when fed an increased dietary standardized ileal digestible (SID) Lys (and amino acids) to net energy (NE) ratio post-weaning would increase early post weaning feed intake (FI) and growth performance, and in nursery pigs. Socializing included two groups of five sows and their litters for which farrowing pen walls were removed allowing piglets to co-mingle for 10 d before weaning (S) whereas traditionally housed piglets pertained to housing a single sow with her litter (T; n = 15). At weaning, 120 mixed-gender piglets [7.2 ± 0.7 kg body weight (BW)] were allocated based on litter origin, sow parity, and piglet BW to 12 pens equipped with single-space electronic feeding stations with 10 pigs/pen for a 41-d study. In this 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, factors were litter background (socialized vs. traditional) and dietary SID Lys: NE (High 1.32 vs. Low 1.15 SID Lys:NE MJ/kg). Daily individual FI and BW and skin injuries at different timepoints after weaning were determined. Wheat-barley based diets were isoenergetic (10.6 MJ/kg) and offered in two phases (i.e., d 0-14 and d 14-41). The day after weaning, socializing reduced the proportion of piglets with more than five skin injuries from 45.7% to 3.0% compared with traditional housing (P &amp;lt; 0.05). Early post-weaning, daily FI was 50% greater for S-LowLys:NE pigs than S-HighLys:NE on d1, then, T-LowLys:NE was greatest (~25% above other treatments) during d 3-6 (all P &amp;lt; 0.05). The trend maintained during d 6-8 with T-LowLys:NE and S-HighLys:NE being similar each other (P &amp;gt; 0.05). The average number of visits per day during the first 10 d was greater (P &amp;lt; 0.01) for S-HighLys:NE and T-LowLys:NE (33 visits each) compared with T-HighLys:NE (24 visits). Overall, S-HighLys:NE pigs tended (P &amp;lt; 0.10) to have a greater end BW (23.8 vs. 22.1 kg) and a greater d 0-41 average daily gain (ADG) than T-HighLys:NE (530 vs. 472 g/d). For d22-29, the average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and feed efficiency (FE), were greater for S-HighLys:NE and T-LowLys:NE compared with S-LowLys:NE and T-HighLys:NE (P &amp;lt; 0.05). No other meaningful interactions were observed between socializing and Lys:NE on growth performance. However, looking at main factors, socializing increased ADG during d 29-41 by 9% (P = 0.01) coinciding with a 4% greater FE (P = 0.09). The data suggest that traditionally housed piglets fed a HighLys:NE diet post-weaning had lower daily FI and growth performance compared with T-LowLys:NE and socialized piglets irrespective of the Lys:NE contrast. In conclusion, the present study led to a better understanding of nutritional requirements and FI in situations with different pre-weaning housing schemes of piglets. In the present conditions, pre-weaning socialization of pigs may stimulate feed intake earlier post-weaning and allow a better transition independently from the Lys (and amino acid) to NE ratio.

240 Impact of structural traits on semen collection training and lesion characteristics in Duroc boars

Abstract Rising incidence of lameness in boar stud contributes to increased morbidity and mortality, affecting longevity and likely semen output. Lameness is not unique to the boar and affects the swine industry as a whole, contributing to millions of dollars in losses every year. Hypothesized contributors to lameness incidence are body, feet, and leg structure. In the boar stud lameness affects the ability of the boar to mount the dummy and can cause pain-related stress which can impact reproductive function. Lameness is also often accompanied by skin lesions or wounds which can lead to infection and further semen production. Our objectives were to evaluate the relationship between boar structural traits and semen collection training traits and determine if structural traits influence presence and severity of skin lesions. Structural traits of developing Duroc boars (n = 82; 190 ± 10.3 d of age) were assessed at arrival to the stud and 6 wk later. Structural traits assessed included front and rear leg set, foot shape, chest width, and hip width (1 = poor; 5 = ideal). An overall structure score for each boar was determined by adding all structural trait scores. Lesions were assessed on a zero to three scale (0 = no lesions; 3 = severe lesions). Based on overall structure score, boars were categorized into one of three groups (poor, intermediate, or ideal) to determine if structural traits affected the presence and severity of lesions. All boars were subjected to semen collection training 1 wk after arriving at the stud and considered trained when successful mounting and ejaculation occurred. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were determined between total structure score, lesion severity, and semen collection training characteristics. The GLIMMIX procedure of SAS was used to assess lesion presence differences between structure groups. Structure score and lesion severity were not significantly correlated (-0.017; P = 0.91) with number of attempts to train, time to mount, or time to collection of ejaculates. Upon arrival at the stud, boars in the poor structure group displayed a greater (P &amp;lt; 0.01) incidence of lesions than intermediate and Ideal structure groups but did not have greater lesion severity (P = 0.74). After 6 wk in the boar stud, there were no differences (P = 0.83) in lesion presence or severity between structure groups, suggesting the lameness issues are more likely caused by housing environment or other factors than structural traits.

Improvement of skin wound healing by giant salamander skin mucus gel wrapped with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells via affecting integrin family molecules.

Traditional bandages, gauze, and cotton balls are increasingly insufficient for addressing complex war injuries characterized by severe bleeding and diverse wound conditions. The giant salamander, a species of high medical value, secretes a unique mucus when stimulated, which has potential applications in wound care. Giant salamander skin mucus gel dressing wrapped with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs-GSSM-gel) was prepared and validated. Skin wound injury of rabbit and mouse models were established. Hematoxylin and Eosin, Masson's trichrome, and Sirius red staining were performed. The platelet aggregation rate and coagulation items were measured. Transcriptome sequencing was performed to find potential differential expression genes. Preparation and characterization of BMSCs-GSSM-gel were performed, and BMSCs-GSSM-gel particles with a diameter of about 200 nm were obtained. BMSCs-GSSM-gel accelerated wound healing in both rabbit and mouse models. BMSCs-GSSM-gel significantly promoted hemostasis via increasing platelet aggregation rate and fibrinogen, but decreasing activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, and prothrombin time. BMSCs-GSSM-gel treatment significantly impacted several genes associated with cell adhesion, inflammatory response, collagen-containing extracellular matrix, and the positive regulation of cell migration based on Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. Integrin Subunit Beta 4 (ITGB4), Integrin Subunit Alpha 3 (ITGA3), and Laminin Subunit Beta 3 (LAMB3) might be involved in the wound healing process by BMSCs-GSSM-gel. We proved the BMSCs-GSSM-gel greatly improved the skin wound healing, and it might play a crucial role in the application fields of skin damage repair.