Search

Background: Patient blood management (PBM) programmes minimise red blood cell (RBC) transfusion and improve patient outcomes worldwide. This study evaluated the effect of a multidisciplinary, collaborative PBM programme on the appropriateness of RBC transfusion in medical and surgical departments at a hospital level. Methods/Materials: In 2018, the revised PBM programme was launched at the Korea University Anam Hospital, a tertiary hospital with 1048 hospital beds and the first Asian institution where a new computer PBM programme was implemented. Monthly RBC usage and adequacy were analysed from January 2018 to December 2019. The trend of adequacy over time was assessed. Results: A total of 2 201 021 patients were hospitalised and visited an outpatient clinic. The number of RBC units transfused per 10 000 patients decreased from 139.8 for 2018 to 137.3 for 2019. The proportion of patients with Hb <7 g/dL receiving RBC transfusion increased significantly: 29.1%, 34.5%, 40.4% and 40.6% for periods 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively (p < 0.001). The appropriateness of RBC transfusion significantly increased for medical (35.2%, 41.5%, 49.6% and 74.3% for periods 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively [p < 0.001]) and surgical (37.8%, 33.3%, 45.5% and 71.1% for periods 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively [p < 0.001]) departments. Conclusion: Implementation of a PBM programme through a multidisciplinary clinical community approach increased the appropriateness of RBC transfusion in medical and surgical departments. Therefore, expanding publicity and PBM education to health care providers is important to maintain the appropriateness of blood transfusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In most mammalian cells, the primary cilium is a microtubule‐enriched protrusion of the plasma membrane and acts as a key coordinator of signaling pathways during development and tissue homeostasis. The primary cilium is generated from the basal body, and cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (CIP2A), the overexpression of which stabilizes c‐MYC to support the malignant growth of tumor cells, is localized in the centrosome. Here, we show that CIP2A overexpression induces primary cilia disassembly through the activation of Aurora A kinase, and CIP2A depletion increases ciliated cells and cilia length in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE1) cells. CIP2A depletion also shifts metabolism toward the glycolytic pathway by altering the expression of metabolic genes related to glycolysis. However, glycolytic activation in CIP2A‐depleted cells does not depend on cilia assembly, even though enhanced cilia assembly alone activates glycolytic metabolism. Collectively, these data suggest that CIP2A promotes primary cilia disassembly and that CIP2A depletion induces metabolic reprogramming independent of primary cilia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ruthenium oxide/cobalt oxide composite nanowires (RuO2/Co3O4 NWs) have been synthesized through a simple and efficient electrospinning method for use as bifunctional electrocatalysts in rechargeable lithium-oxygen (Li-O2) battery cathodes. The as-prepared NWs have been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. The intrinsic activities of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) over the obtained composite NWs are studied using a rotating-disk electrode technique. The RuO2/Co3O4 NWs exhibit superior bifunctional electrocatalytic activities for both the ORR and the OER if compared to the activities of the Co3O4 NWs and only Ketjenblack (KB). If the RuO2/Co3O4 NWs are employed as cathode catalysts in Li-O2 cells, great improvements in terms of the discharge capacity, coulombic efficiency, and cycle stability with low discharge-charge overpotentials are achieved. These can be attributed to the high bifunctional catalytic activities of the RuO2/Co3O4 composite NWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease ( ADPKD) is a highly prevalent inherited disorder and results in the progressive development of cysts in both kidneys. In recent studies, several cytokines and growth factors secreted by the cyst-lining epithelia were identified to be upregulated and promote cyst growth. According to our previous study, chemokines with a similar amino acid sequence as human interleukin-8 ( IL-8) are highly expressed in a rodent model with renal cysts. Therefore, in this study, we focused on whether IL-8 signalling is associated with renal cyst formation, and tested the possibility of IL-8 as a new therapeutic target for ADPKD. Methods Expression of IL-8 and its receptor were screened either by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay ( ELISA) or Western blot. Inhibited IL-8 signalling by antagonist for IL-8 receptor or gene silencing was tested in molecular levels, mainly through Western blot. And cell proliferation was measured by XTT assays. Finally, a three-dimensional culture was performed to understand how IL-8 affected cyst formation, in vitro. Results Interleukin-8 secretion and expression of its receptor highly increased in two different human ADPKD cell lines ( WT9-7 and WT9-12), compared to normal human renal cortical epithelial cell line. Cell proliferation, which is mediated by IL-8 signal, was inhibited either by an antagonist or siRNA targeting for IL-8 receptor. Finally, a three-dimensional culture showed an alleviation of cystogenesis in vitro, after blocking the IL-8 receptor signals. Conclusion These results suggest that IL-8 and its signalling molecules could be new biomarkers and a therapeutic target of ADPKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Synovial osteochondromatosis is an idiopathic benign metaplasia of the synovial membrane rarely found in an extra-articular bursa. We describe the case of a 55-year-old woman with synovial osteochondromatosis in the subacromial bursa mimicking calcific tendinitis. Plain radiographs showed a radiopaque mass over the middle facet of the greater tuberosity, suggesting calcific tendinitis. Sonography, however, showed a loose body in the subacromial bursa, and no evidence of calcification inside the rotator cuff. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 42:237-240, 2014 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A form of photoelectrode architecture suitable for inorganic semiconductor solar cells is reported. The developed architecture consists of hierarchically organized TiO2 nanostructures with several tens of nanometer-sized particles that have a large surface area and open channels with several hundred-nanometer-gaps perpendicular to the substrate. These are tailored by controlling the kinetic energy of the ablated species during pulsed laser deposition (PLD). To fabricate the solar cells, CdS and CdSe inorganic sensitizers are assembled onto the architecture by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction and polysulfide solution is used as an electrolyte with lead sulfide counter-electrodes. The inorganic semiconductor solar cells using the developed architecture (PLD-TiO2) show high energy conversion efficiencies of 5.57% compared to a conventional mesoporous TiO2 film(NP-TiO2) (3.84%) with an optical mask at 1 sun of illumination. The improved cell performance of PLD-TiO2 is attributed to greater light-harvesting ability, which results in the enhancement of the Jsc value. PLD-TiO2 absorbs more CdS/CdSe because of its larger surface area and excellent adhesion properties with fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates. Additionally, due to its unique channel-shaped architecture, PLD-TiO2 has a longer electron lifetime compared to NP-TiO2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a facile method for the preparation of porous gelatin beads with uniform pore sizes using a simple fluidic device and their application as supporting materials for cell culture. An aqueous gelatin droplet containing many uniform toluene droplets, produced in the fluidic device, is dropped into liquid nitrogen for instant freezing and the small toluene droplets evolve into pores in the gelatin beads after removal of toluene and then freeze-drying. The porous gelatin beads exhibit a uniform pore size and monodisperse diameter as well as large open pores at the surface. Fluorescence microscopy images of fibroblast-loaded gelatin beads confirm the attachment and proliferation of the cells throughout the porous gelatin beads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the enhanced mechanical properties of the polyelectrolyte multilayer nanocoated electrospun fiber mats with different number of layers. It discusses the assembly of polyelectrolyte multilayers on electrospun nylon 6 fibers. The morphology of the electrospun nylon 6 nanofiber mats was observed using scanning electron microscopy.

ABSTRACT Methamphetamine (MAP) is a commonly used, addictive drug, and a powerful stimulant that dramatically affects the central nervous system. In this study, we used the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm in order to study the reinforcing properties of MAP and the herewith associated changes in proteins within the mesolimbic dopamine system. A CPP was induced by MAP after three intermittent intraperitoneal injections (1 mg/kg) in rats and protein profiles in the nucleus accumbens, striatum, prefrontal cortex, cingulate cortex and hippocampus were compared with a saline-treated control group. In addition, a group of animals was run through extinction and protein profiles were compared with a non-extinguished group. Protein screening was conducted using two-dimensional electrophoresis analysis which identified 27 proteins in the group that showed MAP-induced CPP. Some of the proteins were confirmed by Western lot analysis. Identified proteins had functions related to the cytoskeleton, transport/endocytosis or exocytosis (e.g. profilin-2 and syntaxin-binding protein), and signal transduction, among others.