Non-ionizing 405 nm Light as a Potential Bactericidal Technology for Platelet Safety: Evaluation of Bacterial Inactivation and Platelet Recovery in Severe Combined Immunodeficient Mice.

Bacterial contamination of stored platelets is a cause of transfusion-transmitted infection. Violet-blue 405 nm light has recently demonstrated efficacy in reducing the bacterial burden in blood plasma, and its operational benefits such as non-ionizing nature, penetrability, and non-requirement for photosensitizing agents, provide a unique opportunity to develop this treatment for treatment of stored platelets as a tool for bacterial reduction. Sealed bags of platelet concentrates, seeded with low-level contamination, were 405 nm light-treated (3-10 mWcm) up to 8 h.

Analysis of Argonaute 2-microRNA complexes in ex vivo stored red blood cells.

Background: Human enucleated mature red blood cells (RBCs) contain both mature microRNAs (miRNAs) and mRNAs, and we have previously correlated RBC storage lesion processes such as eryptosis, adenosine 5'-triphosphate loss, and RBC indices with differentially expressed miRNAs. Here we have characterized Argonaute 2 (AGO2)-miRNA complexes in stored mature RBCs as a first step toward understanding their role, if any.

Study Design And Methods: In this report AGO2-bound miRNAs in mature RBCs isolated from RBCs collected from three different healthy donors and stored for 24 hours at 4 to 6°C were identified by anti-AGO2 immunoprecipitation (IP) followed by next-generation sequencing of the RNA isolated from the IP.

miR-570 interacts with mitochondrial ATPase subunit g (ATP5L) encoding mRNA in stored platelets.

Loss of platelet quality during ex vivo storage is a major concern in the transfusion medicine field and it has been known that platelet mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with storage time. In the last decade, small noncoding RNAs also known as microRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to regulate key cellular processes through their target sequence interactions with selected mRNAs. In this study, we focused on understanding the mechanisms of platelet mitochondrial dysfunction during storage through miRNA regulation of mRNAs.

A prospective study on the immunophenotypic characterization of limb girdle muscular dystrophies 2 in India.

Objective: In this prospective study conducted over 2 years, 300 nonconsecutive cases of autosomal recessive limb girdle muscular dystrophies (AR-LGMD) were characterized, based on phenotypic features, biochemical findings, electrophysiological studies, muscle immunohistochemistry (IHC), and western blot (WB) analysis.

Methods: Muscle biopsy was performed in 280 index cases. 226 biopsies were subjected for IHC, and, 176 of these for WB analysis.

Evaluation of small noncoding RNAs in ex vivo stored human mature red blood cells: changes in noncoding RNA levels correlate with storage lesion events.

Background: While biomarkers of storage lesions (SLs) for red blood cells (RBCs) abound, the physiologic consequences of SLs and associated important events are poorly understood. Previously we have identified differentially expressed regulatory small noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) in stored RBCs, suggesting their role in the RBC SL process and their potential as quality biomarkers of stored RBCs.

Study Design And Methods: Comprehensive ncRNA expression analysis of RBCs stored for up to 56 days was performed on RNAs collected from enriched mature RBCs on Days 0, 7, 14, 28, 42, and 56.

Lutembacher's syndrome.

The definition of Lutembacher's syndrome has undergone many changes. It refers to combination of congenital Atrial Septal Defect with acquired mitral stenosis. Lutembacher's syndrome is a very rare disease and in the past, it has been either overdiagnosed or misdiagnosed.

Omic approaches to quality biomarkers for stored platelets: are we there yet?

At present, there is no single biomarker that serves as the "gold standard" predictive of the quality of stored platelets used for transfusion. Some of the measurable features of platelets such as morphology, biochemical status, physiologic response to osmotic stress and agonist-induced changes, and measurement of process-associated activation indicators of platelets are considered useful in assessing the in vitro quality of stored platelets. Such in vitro measurements combined with in vivo survival estimations using radiolabeled platelets in healthy volunteers provide reasonable estimates of in vivo platelet function after transfusion.

Membrane array-based differential profiling of platelets during storage for 52 miRNAs associated with apoptosis.

Background: Enucleated platelets (PLTs) utilize posttranscriptional gene (mRNA) regulation (PTGR) for their normal morphologic and physiologic functions, which are altered in their ex vivo storage, also collectively referred to as storage lesions. While cellular micro-RNAs (miRNAs) play a significant role in posttranscriptional gene (mRNA) regulation by binding to their target mRNAs, comprehensive analysis of apoptosis-associated miRNAs and global changes in their profiles during PLT storage have not been evaluated to date.

Study Design And Methods: In this report room temperature-stored PLTs of Days 0, 2, and 9 were analyzed by differential profiling for 52 apoptosis-associated human miRNAs.

c-Jun N-terminal kinase negatively regulates dsRNA and RSV induction of tumor necrosis factor- alpha transcription in human epithelial cells.

Secretion of inflammatory cytokines is the initial step of the immune response to viral infections. This innate immune response is mediated by the expression of a variety of cytokines, exemplified by tumor necrosis factor- alpha (TNF-alpha). The presence of dsRNA during viral infections is a key step in activation of several signaling pathways, including protein kinase R (PKR), toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), activator protein-1 (AP-1), interferon regulatory factors (IRFs), and NF-kappaB pathways, which are all relevant in the expression of inflammatory cytokines.

Bluetongue virus and double-stranded RNA increase human vascular permeability: role of p38 MAPK.

Endothelial cell (EC) involvement in viral hemorrhagic fevers has been clearly established. However, virally activated mechanisms leading to endothelial activation and dysfunction are not well understood. Several different potential mechanisms such as direct viral infection, alterations in procoagulant/anticoagulant balance, and increased cytokine production have been suggested.

Microbiological evaluation of various parameters in ophthalmic operating rooms. The need to establish guidelines.

Purpose: Postoperative infections can be caused by a contaminated environment, unsterile equipment, contaminated surfaces, and infected personnel as well as contaminated disinfectants. In order to establish guidelines for microbiological monitoring, a detailed microbiological surveillance was carried out in an ophthalmic hospital.

Method: Over a period of 21 months, we assessed environmental Bacteria Carrying Particle(BCP) load and surface samples weekly (n = 276); the autoclaving system once a month and repeated whenever the process failed (n = 24); the air conditioning filters for fungal growth once in four months (n = 15), and the disinfectant solution for contamination once in two months (n = 10).

A human vaccine strain of lamb rotavirus (Chinese) NSP4 gene: complete nucleotide sequence and phylogenetic analyses.

A lamb strain of rotavirus has recently been licensed for use in China as a live vaccine to prevent rotavirus diarrhea in children. As rotavirus NSP4, especially the cytotoxic domain alone is considered to be associated with diarrhea, we sequenced gene segment 10, which encodes NSP4, of lamb rotavirus. Comparative analyses was performed to identify differences from human rotavirus strains, that might be associated with attenuation, and to ascertain whether the lamb rotavirus gene fits among the NSP4 of other sequenced rotavirus strains.