Loss of secreted frizzled-related protein 4 correlates with an aggressive phenotype and predicts poor outcome in ovarian cancer patients.

Background: Activation of the Wnt signaling pathway is implicated in aberrant cellular proliferation in various cancers. In 40% of endometrioid ovarian cancers, constitutive activation of the pathway is due to oncogenic mutations in β-catenin or other inactivating mutations in key negative regulators. Secreted frizzled-related protein 4 (SFRP4) has been proposed to have inhibitory activity through binding and sequestering Wnt ligands.

Predictors of transfusion requirements for cardiac surgical procedures at a blood conservation center.

Background: Previous studies defining perioperative risk factors for allogeneic transfusion requirements in cardiac surgery were limited to highly selected cardiac surgery populations or were associated with high transfusion rates. The purpose of this study was to determine perioperative risk factors and create a formula to predict transfusion requirements for major cardiac surgical procedures in a center that practices a multimodality approach to blood conservation.

Methods: We performed an observational study on 307 consecutive patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, valve, and combined (coronary artery bypass grafting and valve) procedures.