Current Issue : April - June Volume : 2013 Issue Number : 2 Articles : 6 Articles
Background. The explosive growth of Hispanics in the US makes this population a significant and untapped source for blood\r\ndonation. Methods. A cross-sectional study was performed to evaluate blood donation behaviors and demographics of foreignborn\r\nand US-born Hispanic donors between 2006 and 2009 in metropolitan Atlanta, GA, USA. Bivariate analyses andmultivariate\r\nlogistic regression were used to assess factors associated with foreign-born donors. Results. 5,119 foreign-born and 11,841 USborn\r\nHispanics donated blood. Foreign-born Hispanic donors were more likely than US-born donors to be blood group O (57.6%\r\nversus 52.0%; P < .001) and more frequent donors (2.2 versus 2.0; P < .001). Cuban-born donors had the highest rates of return\r\ndonation (63.2%). In contrast, Mexicans, the most prevalent subpopulation among foreign-born Hispanic donors (31.8%), had\r\nthe lowest rates of return donation (42.0%). Conclusions. The heterogeneity found among Hispanic donors in this study is valuable\r\nfor the design of recruitment strategies to increase blood donations....
During Gram-negative sepsis, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activates toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 and induces complex responses of\r\nimmune system and coagulation. However, the underlying LPS signalling mechanism on coagulation activation remains complex.\r\nTo determine the role of the intracellular signalling factors p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor-kappa\r\nB (NF-?B), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in the procoagulant response to LPS, coagulation process of human whole\r\nblood exposed to specific inhibitors was measured by thrombelastography. Samples were stimulated with LPS (100 �µg/mL) after\r\npreincubation with BAY117082 (specific NF-?B inhibitor), SP600125 (specific JNK inhibitor), SB203580 (specific p38 MAPK\r\ninhibitor), or vehicle. SB203580 strongly inhibited LPS-induced coagulation activation, whereas BAY117082 and SP600125 showed\r\nno significant effect. Activation of p38 MAPK, NF-?B, and JNK and respective inhibitory effects were confirmed by Multi-Target\r\nSandwich ELISA. In conclusion, activation of p38 MAPK is crucial for early LPS-induced activation of coagulation....
Protein Z is a plasma protein functioning as a carrier for ZPI. Protein Z also accelerates inhibitory effect of ZPI on factor Xa by 1000-\r\nfold. Inhibition of coagulation cascade via FXa by ZPI and other serpins is very important safety factor for normal homeostasis\r\nprotecting human life against unwanted thrombosis. In the present work using native structure of PZ, ZPI, FXa and in a dynamic\r\nsimulation, using NAMD software, the ternary complex was studied in an up to 10 nanoseconds protocol. Rely on trajectory\r\nanalyses, we postulated that PZ binds ZPI by using its SP-like domain and through noncovalent forces. PZ then transfers ZPI\r\nthrough-out the blood, and by using its GLA domain and a bivalent cation of calcium, PZ binds to phospholipid bilayers (e.g.,\r\nplatelet) where the FXa is preallocated. In case of PZ-ZPI binding to plasma membrane, a series of complementary interactions\r\ntake place between FXa, and PZ-ZPI complex including interactions between RCL loop of ZPI and catalytic site of FXa and some\r\ntake place between long arm of PZ (composed of GLA, EGF1, and EGF2 domains) and GLA domain of FXa. In our claim these\r\ncomplementary interactions lead PZ to bind correctly to prelocated FXa....
Despite advances in the fields of prevention, medical intervention and surgical therapy, cardiovascular disease remains a major\r\npublic healthcare issue. A promising area of research is the potential application of regenerative therapies with pluripotential\r\nstem cells to reduce the burden of heart disease and its sequelae. Umbilical cord blood, a rich source of multiple populations\r\nof nonembryonic stem cells, will be a valuable resource and has the potential to advance therapeutic options for patients with\r\nacquired and congenital heart disease....
Voluntary donation is a key issue in transfusion medicine. To ensure the safety of blood transfusions, careful donor selection is\r\nimportant. Although new approaches to blood safety have dramatically reduced the risks for infectious contamination of blood\r\ncomponents, the quality and the availability of blood components depend on the willingness to donate and the reliability of the\r\ninformation given by the donors about their own health, including risk behavior. As donors who are deferred by the blood bank\r\nwill be less motivated to return for donation, it is important to reduce the number of deferrals. The aims of the present study were\r\nto investigate the reasons for deferral of registered donors coming to the blood bank for donation, in order to identify areas of\r\nimportance for donor educationââ?¬â?as these deferrals potentially could be avoided by better donor comprehension. Deferral related\r\nto testing of donors is not included in this study as these deferrals are dependent on laboratory results and cannot be indentified by\r\nquestionnaire or interview. Data were collected from all blood donors in a period for 18 months who came for blood donation at\r\na large university hospital in Norway. 1 163 of the 29 787 regular donors, who showed up for donation, were deferred (3.9%). The\r\nmain reasons were intercurrent illness (n = 182) (15.6%), skin ulcers (n = 170) (14.6%), and risk behaviour (n = 127) (10.9%).\r\nIn a community, intercurrent illnesses, skin ulcers, and potential risk behavior are the most frequent reasons for deferral of regular\r\ndonors. Strategized effort on donor education is needed, as ââ?¬Å?failure to donateââ?¬Â reduces donor motivation...
Both genetic and epigenetic factors are important regulators of the immune system. There is an increasing body of evidence\r\nattesting to epigenetic modifications that influence the development of distinct innate and adaptive immune response cells.\r\nChromatin remodelling via acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination of histone proteins as well as DNA,\r\nmethylation is epigenetic mechanisms by which immune gene expression can be controlled. In this paper, we will discuss the role\r\nof epigenetics in the regulation of host immunity, with particular emphasis on histone deacetylase inhibitors. In particular, the role\r\nof HDAC inhibitors as a new class of immunomodulatory therapeutics will also be reviewed....
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