Sufficient blood, safe blood: can we have both?

The decision in September 2011 in the UK to accept blood donations from non-practicing men who have sex with men (MSM) has received significant public attention. Will this rule change substantially boost the number of blood donations or will it make our blood less safe? Clearly, most European countries have a blood procurement problem. Fewer young people are donating, while the population is aging and more invasive therapies are requiring more blood. Yet if that was the reason for allowing non-practicing MSM to donate, clearly re-admission of some other, much larger populations that are currently deferred from donation should likewise be considered. As far as risks for blood safety are concerned, evidence has been provided that the current quality of infectious disease marker testing significantly mitigates against, although does not completely eradicate, risks associated with admission of donors with a high risk of carrying certain blood-transmissible agents. However, it could be argued that more effective recruitment of the non-donor pool, which is substantially larger than the group of currently ineligible donors, would be a better strategy. Recruitment of this group will benefit the availability of blood without jeopardizing the current excellent safety profile of blood

High-levelexpression of functional recombinant human coagulation factor VII in insect cells

Abstract: Recombinant coagulation factor VII (FVII) is used as a potential therapeutic intervention in hemophilia patients who produce antibodies against the coagulation factors. Mammalian cell lines provide low levels of expression, however, the Spodoptera frugiperda Sf9 cell line and baculovirus expression system are powerful systems for high-level expression of recombinant proteins, but due to the lack of endogenous vitamin K-dependent carboxylase, expression of functional FVII using this system is impossible. In the present study, we report a simple but versatile method to overcome the defect for high-level expression of the functional recombinant coagulation FVII in Sf9 cells. This method involves simultaneous expression of both human γ-carboxylase (hGC) and human FVII genes in the host. It may be possible to express other vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors using this method in the future. Keywords: Baculovirus; γ-carboxylase; Coagulation FVII; Factor VII; Insect cel

Emerging pharmacotherapy of tinnitus

Tinnitus, the perception of sound in the absence of an auditory stimulus, is perceived by about 1 in 10 adults, and for at least 1 in 100, tinnitus severely affects their quality of life. Because tinnitus is frequently associated with irritability, agitation, stress, insomnia, anxiety and depression, the social and economic burdens of tinnitus can be enormous. No curative treatments are available. However, tinnitus symptoms can be alleviated to some extent. The most widespread management therapies consist of auditory stimulation and cognitive behavioral treatment, aiming at improving habituation and coping strategies. Available clinical trials vary in methodological rigor and have been performed for a considerable number of different drugs. None of the investigated drugs have demonstrated providing replicable long-term reduction of tinnitus impact in the majority of patients in excess of placebo effects. Accordingly, there are no FDA or European Medicines Agency approved drugs for the treatment of tinnitus. However, in spite of the lack of evidence, a large variety of different compounds are prescribed off-label. Therefore, more effective pharmacotherapies for this huge and still growing market are desperately needed and even a drug that produces only a small but significant effect would have an enormous therapeutic impact. This review describes current and emerging pharmacotherapies with current difficulties and limitations. In addition, it provides an estimate of the tinnitus market. Finally, it describes recent advances in the tinnitus field which may help overcome obstacles faced in the pharmacological treatment of tinnitus. These include incomplete knowledge of tinnitus pathophysiology, lack of well-established animal models, heterogeneity of different forms of tinnitus, difficulties in tinnitus assessment and outcome measurement and variability in clinical trial methodology. © 2009 Informa UK Ltd.Fil: Langguth, Berthold. Universitat Regensburg; AlemaniaFil: Salvi, Richard. State University of New York; Estados UnidosFil: Elgoyhen, Ana Belen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; Argentin

In-street wind direction variability in the vicinity of a busy intersection in central London

We present results from fast-response wind measurements within and above a busy intersection between two street canyons (Marylebone Road and Gloucester Place) in Westminster, London taken as part of the DAPPLE (Dispersion of Air Pollution and Penetration into the Local Environment; www.dapple.org.uk) 2007 field campaign. The data reported here were collected using ultrasonic anemometers on the roof-top of a building adjacent to the intersection and at two heights on a pair of lamp-posts on opposite sides of the intersection. Site characteristics, data analysis and the variation of intersection flow with the above-roof wind direction (θref) are discussed. Evidence of both flow channelling and recirculation was identified within the canyon, only a few metres from the intersection for along-street and across-street roof-top winds respectively. Results also indicate that for oblique rooftop flows, the intersection flow is a complex combination of bifurcated channelled flows, recirculation and corner vortices. Asymmetries in local building geometry around the intersection and small changes in the background wind direction (changes in 15-min mean θref of 5–10 degrees) were also observed to have profound influences on the behaviour of intersection flow patterns. Consequently, short time-scale variability in the background flow direction can lead to highly scattered in-street mean flow angles masking the true multi-modal features of the flow and thus further complicating modelling challenges

A case report and brief review of the literature on bilateral retinal infarction following cardiopulmonary bypass for coronary artery bypass grafting

Postoperative visual loss is a devastating perioperative complication. The commonest aetiologies are anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (AION), posterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (PION), and central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO). These appear to be related to certain types of operation, most commonly spinal and cardiac bypass procedures; with the rest divided between: major trauma causing excessive blood loss; head/neck and nasal or sinus surgery; major vascular procedures (aortic aneurysm repair, aorto-bifemoral bypass); general surgery; urology; gynaecology; liposuction; liver transplantation and duration of surgery. The non-surgical risk factors are multifactorial: advanced age, prolonged postoperative anaemia, positioning (supine v prone), alteration of venous drainage of the retina, hypertension, smoking, atherosclerosis, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes, hypercoagulability, hypotension, blood loss and large volume resuscitation. Other important cardiac causes are septic emboli from bacterial endocarditis and emboli caused by atrial myxomata. The majority of AION cases occur during CPB followed by head/neck surgery and prone spine surgery. CPB is used to allow coronary artery bypass grafting on a motionless heart. It has many side-effects and complications associated with its use and we report here a case of bilateral retinal infarction during routine coronary artery bypass grafting in a young male patient with multiple risk factors for developing this complication despite steps to minimise its occurrence

Islands Containing Slowly Hydrolyzable GTP Analogs Promote Microtubule Rescues

Microtubules are dynamic polymers of GTP- and GDP-tubulin that undergo stochastic transitions between growing and shrinking phases. Rescues, the conversion from shrinking to growing, have recently been proposed to be to the result of regrowth at GTP-tubulin islands within the lattice of growing microtubules. By introducing mixed GTP/GDP/GMPCPP (GXP) regions within the lattice of dynamic microtubules, we reconstituted GXP islands in vitro (GMPCPP is the slowly hydrolyzable GTP analog guanosine-5′-[(α,β)-methyleno]triphosphate). We found that such islands could reproducibly induce rescues and that the probability of rescue correlated with both the size of the island and the percentage of GMPCPP-tubulin within the island. The islands slowed the depolymerization rate of shortening microtubules and promoted regrowth more readily than GMPCPP seeds. Together, these findings provide new mechanistic insights supporting the possibility that rescues could be triggered by enriched GTP-tubulin regions and present a new tool for studying such rescue events in vitro

Effects of retinoic acid on compensatory lung growth

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We investigated the effect of Retinoic acid in the growth of contralateral lung after pneumonectomy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twentyone adult male Wistar albino rats from the same colony were used. They were divided into three groups (Group A, B and C). Group A undergone only left posterolateral thoracotomy. In Group B and C, the rats were subjected to left posterolateral thoracotomy and left pneumonectomy. In Group C, rats were given intraperitoneal Retinoic acid during the operation and continued to be given everyday postoperatively. Rats were sacrificed on the 10^thday and their total body, right lung weights and right lung volumes were measured.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The volume and weight indices of the lung were found to be higher in Group C. In histopathological examination, there was a reduction in the mean number of alveoli in Group B and C. A significant rise in the mean dimension and average wall thickness of the alveolar structure were determined in Group C.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Retinoic acid contributes to the compensatory growth of the residual lung tissue.</p