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Cell Units (cell + unit)
Selected AbstractsDay case management of sickle pain: 3 years experience in a UK sickle cell unitBRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 6 2004J. Wright Summary A day centre was established to determine whether an alternative approach to the management of uncomplicated sickle pain would improve the quality of care and reduce hospital admissions in patients with sickle cell disease. Since the centre opened there has been a 43% decrease in hospital admissions and 49% decrease in occupied bed days. In the third year, 84% of patients treated for severe sickle pain were managed without the need for hospital admission. A centre offering day case management of painful crisis reduced unnecessary hospital admissions for uncomplicated pain. This approach is safe and cost-effective. [source] Cadmium accumulation and binding characteristics in intact Sertoli/germ cell units, and associated effects on stage-specific functions in vitro: insights from a shark testis modelJOURNAL OF APPLIED TOXICOLOGY, Issue 2 2008Leon M. McClusky Abstract The increased human use of cadmium (Cd) and its increased occurrence in the environment is of concern. The testis is sensitive to Cd because of the steroid-mediated regulation of spermatogenesis, high levels of DNA synthesis and gene transcription, all of which varies in a stage-related manner. Validated techniques (acridine orange vital staining to detect apoptosis and dextran-rhodamine exclusion to assess blood,testis barrier function) were recently developed and the shark testis was proposed as an alternative model for assessing stage-specific functions in living testicular tissue and to study toxicant actions on spermatogenesis. The present paper shows that 109Cd accumulation and binding in vitro was stage-dependent (premeiotic, PrM > meiotic, M > postmeiotic, PoM), rapid and persisted in spermatocysts (intact germ cell/Sertoli cell units) 49 h after washout. In competitive binding analyses of all three spermatocyst stages, Hg, but not Zn, could replace bound 109Cd, suggesting that Cd binding was specific. These findings were associated with a biphasic apoptotic response in the PrM spermatocysts, which was maximal at 10 µm CdCl2 and 1 µm CdCl2 after 2 and 4 days in culture, respectively. Although Cd uptake in PoM cysts was more than 2-fold less than uptake in PrM cysts, the percentage dextran-rhodamine permeant PoM cysts was ,8-fold greater than in controls in the presence of both 10 µm CdCl2 and 30 µm CdCl2 after 4 days culture, indicating that blood,testis barrier function in PoM spermatocysts was compromised. These findings demonstrate that this model has utility for use in screening assays of environmental toxicants. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Effect of antibiotic prophylaxis on the risk of surgical site infection in orthotopic liver transplant,LIVER TRANSPLANTATION, Issue 6 2008Angel Asensio Surgical site infections are common bacterial infections in orthotopic liver transplantation. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence, timing, location, and risk factors, specifically antibiotic prophylaxis, for surgical site infections. A prospective study was performed that included a population of 1222 consecutive patients (73.0% males) who underwent liver transplantation in Spanish hospitals belonging to the Red de Estudio de la Infección en el Trasplante research network. One hundred seven patients developed surgical site infections. The predominant infection sites were incisional wound (53 episodes) and peritonitis (40 episodes). The timing of the organ/space surgical site infections was slightly delayed in comparison with incisional surgical site infections. Enterococcus spp., Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Acinetobacter baumannii were the predominant pathogens. Choledochojejunal or hepaticojejunal reconstruction (odds ratio, 4.2; 95% confidence interval, 1.6,10.7), previous liver or kidney transplant (odds ratio, 2.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.1,6.3), and more than 4 red blood cell units transfused (odds ratio, 2.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.1,3.4) were independently associated with the development of surgical site infections. Biliary reconstruction by choledochojejunostomy or hepaticojejunostomy increases the risk of surgical site infections. Liver Transpl 14:799,805, 2008. © 2008 AASLD. [source] Membrane reformer PEM cogeneration systems for residential applications,Part A: full load and partial load simulationASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 3 2009Stefano Campanari Abstract This two-part paper investigates the performances and economic potential benefits of a fuel cell cogeneration system based on a membrane reformer (MREF), using polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells, applied to residential cogeneration. Part A of this work focuses on the thermodynamic analysis and simulation of the system at full and partial load conditions, discussing its performance by means of a sensitivity analysis carried out under different operating conditions. Part B presents the technoeconomic analysis of the proposed system integrated into a real residential application, dealing with the energy savings and the economic balances, and proposes a preliminary design of the cogeneration unit. The system is based upon a PEM fuel cell, integrated with a membrane reformer (MREF) to form a small-scale, highly efficient cogeneration unit, potentially suitable for application to distributed generation in the residential field. The high purity hydrogen fuel required by the PEM fuel cell is produced in the membrane reformer through hydrogen selective membranes based on a Pd-Ag alloy. The analysis is carried out aiming to define the system energy balances in all the conditions occurring under real operation, including the influence of ambient temperature and of the expected fuel cell efficiency decay with time. The discussion reveals the relevant potential advantages of the MREF solution with respect to fuel cell units based on steam reforming (SR) or auto-thermal reforming (ATR): when compared to these solutions, MREF exhibits a 10% points higher electrical efficiency and requires a much simpler plant layout. These results are the basis for the detailed system technoeconomic analysis carried out in Part B of the work. Copyright © 2009 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Measures of blood loss and red cell transfusion targets for caesarean delivery complicated by placenta praeviaAUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY, Issue 3 2010Rhonda K. BOYLE Objective:, The objective of this study was to assess the association between transfusion, per cent drop in haemoglobin (Hb), and estimated blood loss during the delivery and the first postoperative week following caesarean delivery for placenta praevia. Clinical data predictive of an objective laboratory test for risk of haemorrhage and the need for transfusion were investigated. Transfusions outside national Guidelines were noted. Design:, Retrospective observational study of patients with placenta praevia, who were delivered consecutively by caesarean section at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital from 1999 to 2005. Setting:, University-affiliated tertiary hospital. All caesareans were performed by one or more consultant obstetricians, gynaecology oncology surgeons and registrar assistants. Results:, Seventy-one (28.9%) of 246 patients with placenta praevia were transfused, with 45 of these receiving three or more red cell units. The antenatal Hb fell by a mean of 20.2% (SD 13.5). The average operative haemorrhage was estimated as 1225 mL (SD 996). No patient or surgical factors were significantly associated with changes in Hb. There was a significant association between per cent fall in antenatal Hb and both transfusion P < 0.001 and estimated loss P = 0.002. After transfusion, the Hb of 19 patients was higher than that recommended by Guidelines. Conclusions:, Whether transfusion is necessary, but not the number of red cell units, can be planned by the effect of haemorrhage on antenatal Hb during delivery by caesarean section complicated by placenta praevia. [source] | |||||||||||||