Background
Whole blood (WB) has been used in combat since World War I as it is readily available and replaces every element of shed blood. Component therapy has become standard; however, recent ...military successes with WB resuscitation have revived the debate regarding wider WB use. Characterization of optimal WB storage is needed. We hypothesized that refrigeration preserves WB function and that a pathogen reduction technology (PRT) based on riboflavin and ultraviolet light has no deleterious effect over 21 days of storage.
Study Design and Methods
WB units were stored for 21 days either at 4°C or 22°C. Half of each temperature group underwent PRT, yielding four final treatment groups (n = 8 each): CON 4 (WB at 4°C); CON 22 (WB at 22°C); PRT 4 (PRT WB at 4°C); and PRT 22 (PRT WB at 22°C). Testing was at baseline, Days 1‐7, 10, 14, and 21. Assays included coagulation factors; platelet activation, aggregation, and adhesion; and thromboelastography (TEG).
Results
Prothrombin time (PT) and partial thromboplastin time increased over time; refrigeration attenuated the effects on PT (p ≤ 0.009). Aggregation decreased over time (p ≤ 0.001); losses were attenuated by refrigeration (p ≤ 0.001). Refrigeration preserved TEG parameters (p ≤ 0.001) and PRT 4 samples remained within normal limits throughout the study. Refrigeration in combination with PRT inhibited fibrinolysis (p ≤ 0.001) and microparticle formation (p ≤ 0.031). Cold storage increased shear‐induced platelet aggregation and ristocetin‐induced platelet agglutination (p ≥ 0.032), as well as GPIb‐expressing platelets (p ≤ 0.009).
Conclusion
The in vitro hemostatic function of WB is largely unaffected by PRT treatment and better preserved by cold storage over 21 days. Refrigerated PRT WB may be suitable for trauma resuscitation. Clinical studies are warranted.
Abstract Objective Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) derived from dietary fiber fermentation by gut microbiota have been identified as one of the mechanisms behind the association between habitual ...whole-grain intake and a lower risk of cardiometabolic diseases. The aims of the present work are: (1) to evaluate whether a whole-grain wheat-based diet may increase SCFAs concentration, and (2) to identify possible associations between SCFAs and metabolic changes observed after the nutritional intervention. Methods Fifty-four subjects participated in the trial. They underwent a 12-wk dietary intervention based on whole-grain or refined cereal products. At baseline and after the intervention, glucose, insulin, triacylglycerol, inflammatory markers (hs-CRP, IL-1 ra, IL-6, and TNF-α), and SCFAs plasma concentrations were evaluated. Results After the intervention, in the whole-grain group fasting plasma propionate concentrations were higher than at baseline, whereas a reduction was detected in the control group. The absolute changes (end of trial minus baseline) in fasting plasma propionate concentrations were significantly different between the two groups ( P = 0.048). The absolute changes of fasting propionate correlated with cereal fiber intake (r = 0.358, P = 0.023), but no significant correlations with clinical outcomes were found. However, postprandial insulin was significantly decreased in the group having the absolute changes of fasting propionate concentration above the median value ( P = 0.022 versus subjects with fasting propionate changes below the median value). Conclusions A 12-wk whole-grain wheat-based diet increases fasting plasma propionate. This increase correlates with the cereal fiber intake and is associated with lower postprandial insulin concentrations.
New fundamentals in hemostasis Versteeg, Henri H; Heemskerk, Johan W M; Levi, Marcel ...
Physiological reviews
93, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Hemostasis encompasses the tightly regulated processes of blood clotting, platelet activation, and vascular repair. After wounding, the hemostatic system engages a plethora of vascular and ...extravascular receptors that act in concert with blood components to seal off the damage inflicted to the vasculature and the surrounding tissue. The first important component that contributes to hemostasis is the coagulation system, while the second important component starts with platelet activation, which not only contributes to the hemostatic plug, but also accelerates the coagulation system. Eventually, coagulation and platelet activation are switched off by blood-borne inhibitors and proteolytic feedback loops. This review summarizes new concepts of activation of proteases that regulate coagulation and anticoagulation, to give rise to transient thrombin generation and fibrin clot formation. It further speculates on the (patho)physiological roles of intra- and extravascular receptors that operate in response to these proteases. Furthermore, this review provides a new framework for understanding how signaling and adhesive interactions between endothelial cells, leukocytes, and platelets can regulate thrombus formation and modulate the coagulation process. Now that the key molecular players of coagulation and platelet activation have become clear, and their complex interactions with the vessel wall have been mapped out, we can also better speculate on the causes of thrombosis-related angiopathies.
Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder (MDD) have all been associated with aberrant blood cytokine levels; however, neither the pattern of cytokine alterations nor the impact ...of clinical status have been compared across disorders. We performed a meta-analysis of blood cytokines in acutely and chronically ill patients with these major psychiatric disorders. Articles were identified by searching the PubMed, PsycInfo and Web of Science, and the reference lists of these studies. Sixty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria (40 schizophrenia, 10 bipolar disorder and 18 MDD) for acutely ill patients. Forty-six studies met the inclusion criteria (18 schizophrenia, 16 bipolar disorder and 12 MDD) for chronically ill patients. Levels of two cytokines (interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)), one soluble cytokine receptor (sIL-2R), and one cytokine receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) were significantly increased in acutely ill patients with schizophrenia, bipolar mania and MDD compared with controls (P<0.01). Following treatment of the acute illness, IL-6 levels significantly decreased in both schizophrenia and MDD (P<0.01); sIL-2R levels increased in schizophrenia; and IL-1RA levels in bipolar mania decreased. In chronically ill patients, the levels of IL-6 were significantly increased in schizophrenia, euthymic (but not depressed) bipolar disorder and MDD compared with controls (P<0.01). The levels of IL-1β and sIL-2R were significantly increased in both chronic schizophrenia and euthymic bipolar disorder. Overall, there were similarities in the pattern of cytokine alterations in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and MDD during acute and chronic phases of illness, raising the possibility of common underlying pathways for immune dysfunction. Effects of treatment on cytokines were more robust for schizophrenia and MDD, but were more frequently studied than for acute mania. These findings have important implications for our understanding of the pathophysiology and treatment of major psychiatric disorders.
BACKGROUND: Coffee consumption is associated with a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes. Suggested mechanisms underlying the association have included attenuation of subclinical inflammation and a ...reduction in oxidative stress. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to investigate the effects of daily coffee consumption on biomarkers of coffee intake, subclinical inflammation, oxidative stress, glucose, and lipid metabolism. DESIGN: Habitual coffee drinkers (n = 47) refrained for 1 mo from coffee drinking; in the second month they consumed 4 cups of filtered coffee/d and in the third month 8 cups of filtered coffee/d (150 mL/cup). Blood samples were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, bead-based multiplex technology, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, or immunonephelometry. RESULTS: Coffee consumption led to an increase in coffee-derived compounds, mainly serum caffeine, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid metabolites. Significant changes were also observed for serum concentrations of interleukin-18, 8-isoprostane, and adiponectin (medians: -8%, -16%, and 6%, respectively; consumption of 8 compared with 0 cups coffee/d). Serum concentrations of total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and apolipoprotein A-I increased significantly by 12%, 7%, and 4%, respectively, whereas the ratios of LDL to HDL cholesterol and of apolipoprotein B to apolipoprotein A-I decreased significantly by 8% and 9%, respectively (8 compared with 0 cups coffee/d). No changes were seen for markers of glucose metabolism in an oral-glucose-tolerance test. CONCLUSIONS: Coffee consumption appears to have beneficial effects on subclinical inflammation and HDL cholesterol, whereas no changes in glucose metabolism were found in our study. Furthermore, many coffee-derived methylxanthines and caffeic acid metabolites appear to be useful as biomarkers of coffee intake.
Wheat gluten and related proteins can trigger an autoimmune enteropathy, known as coeliac disease, in people with genetic susceptibility. However, some individuals experience a range of symptoms in ...response to wheat ingestion, without the characteristic serological or histological evidence of coeliac disease. The aetiology and mechanism of these symptoms are unknown, and no biomarkers have been identified. We aimed to determine if sensitivity to wheat in the absence of coeliac disease is associated with systemic immune activation that may be linked to an enteropathy.
Study participants included individuals who reported symptoms in response to wheat intake and in whom coeliac disease and wheat allergy were ruled out, patients with coeliac disease and healthy controls. Sera were analysed for markers of intestinal cell damage and systemic immune response to microbial components.
Individuals with wheat sensitivity had significantly increased serum levels of soluble CD14 and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding protein, as well as antibody reactivity to bacterial LPS and flagellin. Circulating levels of fatty acid-binding protein 2 (FABP2), a marker of intestinal epithelial cell damage, were significantly elevated in the affected individuals and correlated with the immune responses to microbial products. There was a significant change towards normalisation of the levels of FABP2 and immune activation markers in a subgroup of individuals with wheat sensitivity who observed a diet excluding wheat and related cereals.
These findings reveal a state of systemic immune activation in conjunction with a compromised intestinal epithelium affecting a subset of individuals who experience sensitivity to wheat in the absence of coeliac disease.
Summary
Despite the significance of red blood cell (RBC) alloimmunization, the lack of standardized registries in the US has prevented the completion of large studies. Data from 3·5 years of the ...Recipient Epidemiology and Donor Evaluation Study‐III (REDS‐III) recipient database, containing information from 12 hospitals, were studied. A RBC alloantibody responder had an antibody identified at any point during the study, and a non‐responder had a negative antibody screen at least 15 days post‐RBC transfusion. Demographics, blood type, ICD9/10 codes, and other potential correlates were evaluated. Of 319 177 (2·07%) screened patients, 6597 had a total of 8892 clinically significant RBC alloantibodies identified, with 75% being in the Rh or Kell families. Alloimmunization was more common in females (2·38%) than males (1·68%), and in RhD negative (2·82%) than RhD positive (1·94%) patients. Age, sex, RhD status and race were associated with being a responder, and certain diagnoses (including sickle cell disease or trait, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and myelodysplastic syndrome) were more common among responders than non‐responders. Data collected in this multi‐centre recipient database provide the largest RBC alloimmunized patient cohort studied in the US, with previously known demographic and disease associations of responder status confirmed, and new associations identified.
Background and Objectives
A worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) has affected millions of people. A ‘closed‐off management’ protocol has been launched nationwide in China to cope ...with this major public health emergency. However, these procedures may cause a crisis for blood donation and blood supply. In this study, we assessed the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on blood donation and supply in Zhejiang province, which could provide reference and insight for developing countermeasures in other countries.
Materials and Methods
Blood donor and supply information from 38 blood centres during the Spring Festival of 2019 and 2020 were reviewed. A self‐administered questionnaire was carried out.
Results
Due to the COVID‐19 pandemic, the number of whole blood donors dropped by 67%. The success rate of recruitment for donations dropped by 60%. Most respondents (81·2%) were worried about the ‘possibility of acquiring COVID‐19 during blood donation’. The total amount of RBCs supply dropped by 65%. In the first week of the outbreak, the weekly amount of issued RBC units (10171·5 u) was almost six times higher than the collected units (1347·5 u). The mean haemoglobin value for RBCs transfusion was about 6·3 g/dl. About 4% of RBCs and 2·8% of frozen plasma were used in COVID‐19 patients.
Conclusion
The secondary consequences of the COVID‐19 pandemic are blood shortages caused by the unavailability of blood donors, and this is likely to be replicated in many countries with high burdens of COVID‐19. Practical actions to broaden sources and reduce use for the global crisis must be taken proactively.
Evidence suggests that the hormonal milieu of pregnancy is an important determinant of subsequent cancer and other chronic diseases in both the mother and the offspring. Many of the existing ...maternity and birth cohorts include specimens drawn only once during pregnancy. How well a single blood specimen collected during a pregnancy characterizes exposure to these hormones throughout gestation, and also in subsequent pregnancies, is not well understood.
We used serial serum samples from 71 pregnant women (25 primiparous, 25 multiparous, and 21 with two consecutive pregnancies) with natural, complication-free pregnancies and a healthy offspring at term who participated in a population-based screening trial for congenital infections in Finland between January 1st, 1988 and June 30, 1989 and provided a blood sample in each trimester.
Hormone levels were more strongly correlated between consecutive trimesters of a pregnancy than between the 1st and 3rd trimester (e.g., estradiol, rT1 vs. T2 = 0.51 and rT2 vs. T3 = 0.60, p < 0.01; rT1 vs. T3 = 0.32, p < 0.05). Concentrations of sRANKL remained stable throughout gestation, whereas estradiol, estrone, progesterone, testosterone, prolactin, and osteoprotegerin increased throughout pregnancy. First trimester hormone concentrations explained less of the variation in the third trimester on their own than second trimester hormone levels (e.g. estradiol R(2) T1 = 16 % and R(2) T2 = 42 %). Addition of maternal (e.g., smoking) and/or child characteristics (e.g., sex) improved the accuracy of the 3rd trimester estimates for some of the hormones.
One hormone measurement in early pregnancy, in conjunction with maternal and fetal characteristics, permits estimation of 3rd trimester hormone concentrations. Therefore, single hormone measurements available from maternity cohorts are suitable to quantify hormone exposure during pregnancy. To our knowledge, we provide the first data on correlations between hormone concentrations both across trimesters of a single pregnancy, as well as between two subsequent pregnancies.
Oxidative stress plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. Anthocyanin, a natural antioxidant, has been reported to reduce oxidative stress and to attenuate insulin resistance ...and diabetes in animal models; however, the translation of these observations to humans has not been fully tested.
This study was designed to investigate the effects of purified anthocyanins on dyslipidemia, oxidative status, and insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes.
A total of 58 diabetic patients were given 160 mg of anthocyanins twice daily or placebo (n = 29/group) for 24 wk in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. Participants and investigators were masked to treatment allocation.
Anthocyanin supplementation significantly decreased serum LDL cholesterol (by 7.9%; P < 0.05), triglycerides (by 23.0%; P < 0.01), apolipoprotein (apo) B-48 (by 16.5%; P < 0.05), and apo C-III (by 11.0%; P < 0.01) and increased HDL cholesterol (by 19.4%; P < 0.05) compared with placebo after the 24-wk intervention. In addition, patients in the anthocyanin group showed higher total radical-trapping antioxidant parameter and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power values than did patients in the placebo group (both P < 0.05). Serum concentrations of 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α, 13-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid, and carbonylated proteins in patients in the anthocyanin group were significantly less than in patients in the placebo group (23.4%, 25.8%; P < 0.01 and 20%; P = 0.022, respectively). Furthermore, supplementation with anthocyanin lowered fasting plasma glucose (by 8.5%; P < 0.05) and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance index (by 13%; P < 0.05), and elevated serum adiponectin (by 23.4%; P < 0.01) and β-hydroxybutyrate (by 42.4%; P = 0.01) concentrations compared with placebo supplementation.
These findings demonstrate that anthocyanin supplementation exerts beneficial metabolic effects in subjects with type 2 diabetes by improving dyslipidemia, enhancing antioxidant capacity, and preventing insulin resistance. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02317211.
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