Search Results (69)

Red blood cell (RBC) concentrates remain at risk of bacterial contamination during cold storage. Although infrequent, Yersinia enterocolitica poses a significant blood safety risk. This study aimed to assess Y. enterocolitica bioserotype growth in RBC concentrates, serum sensitivity, and genetic diversity including iron metabolism genes. Ten Y. enterocolitica isolates from bioserotypes 1A, 1B/O:8, 4/O:3, and 2/O:9 were incubated in RBC concentrates and counted on days 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28. After incubation, the isolates were tested in human serum (NHS). Eight genomes were sequenced, analyzed using cgMLST, and screened for iron metabolism genes. The isolates formed two clusters, with 186dz (1A) and Ye8 (1B/O:8) as singletons. After 28 days in the RBC concentrates, the bacterial counts ranged from 1.98 × 10⁵ to 1.2 × 10⁹ CFU/mL, with Ye8 (1B/O:8) achieving the highest growth and one 4/O:3 isolate showing the lowest. All isolates survived 15–30 min in NHS, but the 28s isolate did not survive at 60 min. Serum sensitivity increased in two isolates, decreased in three, and remained unchanged in five. Isolates contained 27–42 iron metabolism genes with multiple allelic variants. The iron metabolism gene content or variants may influence the growth of Y. enterocolitica in RBC. Full article

Background: Tooth bleaching can compromise the color match between dental tissues and restorations. Single-shade resin-based composites (RBCs) have been developed to simplify shade matching; however, their performance after dental bleaching remains uncertain. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the ability of single-shade RBCs to adapt to the color of the dental substrate after dental bleaching. Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO. Searches were performed in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus (December 2024). In vitro studies were selected based on the PICOS criteria (P: human or bovine teeth; I: teeth restored with single-shade RBCs and bleached; C: bleached dental tissue; O: color match; S: in vitro studies). Two reviewers (kappa = 0.90) applied eligibility criteria, extracted the data, and assessed the risk of bias using the RoBDEMAT tool. Results: Eight studies involving 362 restorations were included. Most studies indicated that single-shade RBCs achieved an acceptable color match after tooth bleaching. Study quality was generally moderate to low, with most evaluations rated as “sufficiently reported or adequate”. Conclusions: Single-shade RBCs demonstrated the ability to match bleached dental tissue in vitro, although effectiveness may vary depending on bleaching duration and storage conditions. Full article

Novel strategies to prevent the “storage lesions” of red blood cells (RBCs) are needed to prevent the risk of adverse effects after blood transfusion. One option could be the supplementation of stored blood bags with natural compounds that may increase the basal load of antioxidant protection and the shelf life of RBCs. In this pilot study, we investigated for the first time potential synergistic effects of a triple combination of well-known anti-oxidant compounds curcumin (curc), vitamin E (vit E), and vitamin C (vit C). Briefly, we established an ex vivo model of H₂O₂-induced oxidative stress and measured the hemolysis ratio (HR) (%) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels in RBCs with or without pre-exposure for 30 min with increasing concentrations of curc, vit E, and vit C and then exposed to 10 mM H₂O_2. for 60 min. Exposure of RBCs to a triple combination of curc, vit E, and vit C at the highest concentration (100 µM) completely prevented H₂O₂-induced hemolysis. Surprisingly, we found that pre-treatment of RBCs with curc 100 µM alone completely prevented hemolysis as compared to vit E and vit C alone or in combination at the same concentration. On the other hand, pre-treatment with the triple combination of curc, vit E, and vit C 100 µM was required to totally prevent lipid peroxidation, as compared to curc 100 µM alone, supporting their synergistic effects in preventing RBCs membrane peroxidation. Further experiments are ongoing to investigate the anti-aging effects of the triple combination of curc, vit E, and vit C on cold-stored bags. Full article

Nature equipped red blood cells (RBCs) with diverse mechanical properties, which makes it possible to examine blood with different RBC properties (size, shape, aggregability, deformability). We investigated whether the shelf life of cow blood (stiff RBCs, low aggregability) is longer compared with pig blood (deformability/aggregability comparable to human) due to a delay in RBC clustering and decomposition. Blood was drawn from conscious pigs and cows in their familiar environment to reduce stress and stored 30 days at +7 °C. RBCs remained intact in cow samples whereas pig samples became hemolytic after day 20. White blood cells and platelets decreased with similar percentages in both species. Hematocrit (HCT) decreased due to RBC shrinking in bovine samples and due to RBC decay in porcine samples. Blood viscosity increased in both species although HCT decreased. In porcine samples, shear thinning decreased progressively, indicating a gradual loss of sample cohesion with storage. Yield stress and storage modulus decreased with hemolysis. In HCT-native cow samples, shear thinning, yield stress, and storage modulus showed high intraindividual variability, but the mean values did not change over the time course. In HCT-adjusted (38%) cow samples, solidification occurred after day 7, followed by a reduction in cohesion and shear thinning until the end of storage. Full article

Primary themes in intergenerational justice are a healthy environment, the perpetuation of Earth’s biodiversity, and the sustainable management of the biosphere. However, the current rate of species declines globally, ecosystem collapses driven by accelerating and catastrophic global heating, and a plethora of other threats preclude the ability of habitat protection alone to prevent a cascade of amphibian and other species mass extinctions. Reproduction and advanced biotechnologies, biobanking of germplasm and somatic cells, and conservation breeding programs (RBCs) offer a transformative change in biodiversity management. This change can economically and reliably perpetuate species irrespective of environmental targets and extend to satisfy humanity’s future needs as the biosphere expands into space. Currently applied RBCs include the hormonal stimulation of reproduction, the collection and refrigerated storage of sperm and oocytes, sperm cryopreservation, in vitro fertilization, and biobanking of germplasm and somatic cells. The benefits of advanced biotechnologies in development, such as assisted evolution and cloning for species adaptation or restoration, have yet to be fully realized. We broaden our discussion to include genetic management, political and cultural engagement, and future applications, including the extension of the biosphere through humanity’s interplanetary and interstellar colonization. The development and application of RBCs raise intriguing ethical, theological, and philosophical issues. We address these themes with amphibian models to introduce the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute Special Issue, The Sixth Mass Extinction and Species Sustainability through Reproduction Biotechnologies, Biobanking, and Conservation Breeding Programs. Full article

Transfusion guidelines worldwide include recommendations regarding the storage length, irradiation, or even donor cytomegalovirus serostatus of red blood cell (RBC) units for anemic neonates. Nevertheless, it is totally overlooked that RBCs of these patients fundamentally differ from those of older children and adults. These differences vary from size, shape, hemoglobin composition, and oxygen transport to membrane characteristics, cellular metabolism, and lifespan. Due to these profound dissimilarities, repeated transfusions of adult RBCs in neonates deeply modify the physiology of circulating RBC populations. Unsurprisingly, the number of RBC transfusions in preterm neonates, particularly if born before 28 weeks of gestation, predicts morbidity and mortality. This review provides a comprehensive description of the biological properties of fetal, cord blood, and neonatal RBCs, including the implications that neonatal RBCs, and their replacement by adult RBCs, may have for perinatal disease pathophysiology. Full article

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of silane treatment of a resin-coated resin-based composite (RBC) base material on its microtensile bond strength (μTBS) to a computer aided-design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) ceramic restorative material. RBC blocks (4 mm × 7 mm × 10 mm) were prepared, and the adherend surfaces were prepared as follows: no resin coating + no silane treatment (Group I), no resin coating + silane treatment (Group II), resin coating only (Group III), and resin coating + silane treatment (Group IV). The resin coating was applied with Clearfil SE Bond and flowable RBC to the adherend surface. Each treated sample was bonded to a ceramic block using Panavia V5. After storage in 37 °C water for 1 week, microspecimens were fabricated, and the μTBS was tested. The failure mode of each specimen was determined using stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The µTBS of Group II (20.2 ± 4.0 MPa) was not significantly different from that of Group I (17.6 ± 5.9 MPa) (p > 0.05), and the µTBS of Group I was significantly smaller than that of Group III (21.3 ± 7.2 MPa) (p < 0.05). The µTBS of Group IV (24.9 ± 3.8 MPa) was significantly greater than that of Group III (p < 0.05). Our findings indicate that silane treatment of the resin-coated surface can enhance the µTBS. Silane treatment of RBC base material was not effective when prepared without resin coating. Full article

The regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in red blood cells (RBCs) is crucial for maintaining functionality and lifespan. Indeed, dysregulated ROS occurs in haematological diseases such as sickle cell disease and β-thalassaemia. In order to combat this, RBCs possess high levels of protective antioxidant enzymes. We aimed to further boost RBC antioxidant capacity by overexpressing peroxiredoxin (Prxs) and glutathione peroxidase (GPxs) enzymes. Multiple antioxidant enzyme cDNAs were individually overexpressed in expanding immortalised erythroblasts using lentivirus, including Prx isoforms 1, 2, and 6 and GPx isoforms 1 and 4. Enhancing Prx protein expression proved straightforward, but GPx overexpression required modifications. For GPx4, these modifications included adding a SECIS element in the 3’UTR, the removal of a mitochondrial-targeting sequence, and removing putative ubiquitination sites. Culture-derived reticulocytes exhibiting enhanced levels of Prx and GPx antioxidant proteins were successfully engineered, demonstrating a novel approach to improve RBC resilience to oxidative stress. Further work is needed to explore the activity of these proteins and their impact on RBC metabolism, but this strategy shows promise for improving RBC function in physiological and pathological contexts and during storage for transfusion. Enhancing the antioxidant capacity of reticulocytes has exciting promise for developing culture-derived RBCs with enhanced resistance to oxidative damage and offers new therapeutic interventions in diseases with elevated oxidative stress. Full article

Euonymus koopmannii is a rare and protected species in Kazakhstan, valued for its ecological role in soil stabilization and its ornamental properties. This study presents the first use of micropropagation and phylogenetic analysis for the endemic plant E. koopmannii. Seedlings of E. koopmannii proved to be more effective than internodes as primary explants for plant micropropagation of in vitro culture, with a multiplication coefficient of 28.5 from seedlings and 6.1 from internodes. On MSR I medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L IBA and 0.05 mg/L IAA, a higher success rate of 67% was achieved for root formation of test tube-grown E. koopmannii plants. Using mannitol as an osmotic agent at a concentration of 8 mg/L prolonged the storage time of E. koopmannii under slow growth conditions when compared to CCC and abscisic acid. Phylogenetic relationships and species identification were analyzed using four DNA-barcoding markers, comparing E. koopmannii with species from NCBI. All candidate barcoding markers showed sufficient levels of interspecific genetic variation among Euonymus species. In addition, ITS region and rbcL gene sequences effectively distinguished E. koopmannii from other species. These results provide fundamental information that will be valuable for future biotechnological and molecular studies. Full article

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of additional silane treatment on the immediate and aged microtensile bond strength (µTBS) between resin-based composite (RBC) post-and-core build-up material and an RBC CAD/CAM block. Twelve sample blocks (12 mm × 14 mm × 9 mm) were prepared using RBC post-and-core build-up material and were divided into six groups: Kerr Silane Primer (Sil) + OptiBond eXTRa Universal adhesive (EXA); OptiBond eXTRa Universal Primer (EXP) + EXA; Sil + OptiBond Universal (OBU); OBU; Sil + OptiBond Solo Plus (OSP); and OSP. Each treated sample was luted to a CAD/CAM block using an NX3 Nexus Third-Generation instrument. After storage in 37 °C water for 1 week, microspecimens were fabricated, and μTBS was tested immediately or after further immersion in water at 37 °C for 6 months. The failure mode of each specimen was determined using stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. For the immediate groups, no significant difference in µTBS was found between specimens with or without silane treatment for each adhesive (p > 0.05). For the aged groups, silane treatment significantly decreased µTBS for OptiBond eXTRa Universal (p < 0.05). Our findings indicate that additional silane treatment prior to the application of adhesive did not enhance µTBS. Full article

Red blood cell (RBC) storage solutions have evolved significantly over the past decades to optimize the preservation of cell viability and functionality during hypothermic storage. This comprehensive review provides an in-depth analysis of the effects of various storage solutions and conditions on critical RBC parameters during refrigerated preservation. A wide range of solutions, from basic formulations such as phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), to advanced additive solutions (ASs), like AS-7 and phosphate, adenine, glucose, guanosine, saline, and mannitol (PAGGSM), are systematically compared in terms of their ability to maintain key indicators of RBC integrity, including adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels, morphology, and hemolysis. Optimal RBC storage requires a delicate balance of pH buffering, metabolic support, oxidative damage prevention, and osmotic regulation. While the latest alkaline solutions enable up to 8 weeks of storage, some degree of metabolic and morphological deterioration remains inevitable. The impacts of critical storage conditions, such as the holding temperature, oxygenation, anticoagulants, irradiation, and processing methods, on the accumulation of storage lesions are also thoroughly investigated. Personalized RBC storage solutions, tailored to individual donor characteristics, represent a promising avenue for minimizing storage lesions and enhancing transfusion outcomes. Further research integrating omics profiling with customized preservation media is necessary to maximize post-transfusion RBC survival and functions. The continued optimization of RBC storage practices will not only enhance transfusion efficacy but also enable blood banking to better meet evolving clinical needs. Full article

The deformability of red blood cells (RBCs), expressing their ability to change their shape as a function of flow-induced shear stress, allows them to optimize oxygen delivery to the tissues and minimize their resistance to flow, especially in microcirculation. During physiological aging and blood storage, or under external stimulations, RBCs undergo metabolic and structural alterations, one of which is hemoglobin (Hb) redistribution between the cytosol and the membrane. Consequently, part of the Hb may attach to the cell membrane, and although this process is reversible, the increase in membrane-bound Hb (MBHb) can affect the cell’s mechanical properties and deformability in particular. In the present study, we examined the correlation between the MBHb levels, determined by mass spectroscopy, and the cell deformability, determined by image analysis. Six hemoglobin subunits were found attached to the RBC membranes. The cell deformability was negatively correlated with the level of four subunits, with a highly significant inter-correlation between them. These data suggest that the decrease in RBC deformability results from Hb redistribution between the cytosol and the cell membrane and the respective Hb interaction with the cell membrane. Full article

Intergenerational justice entitles the maximum retention of Earth’s biodiversity. The 2022 United Nations COP 15, “Ecological Civilisation: Building a Shared Future for All Life on Earth”, is committed to protecting 30% of Earth’s terrestrial environments and, through COP 28, to mitigate the effects of the climate catastrophe on the biosphere. We focused this review on three core themes: the need and potential of reproduction biotechnologies, biobanks, and conservation breeding programs (RBCs) to satisfy sustainability goals; the technical state and current application of RBCs; and how to achieve the future potentials of RBCs in a rapidly evolving environmental and cultural landscape. RBCs include the hormonal stimulation of reproduction, the collection and storage of sperm and oocytes, and artificial fertilisation. Emerging technologies promise the perpetuation of species solely from biobanked biomaterials stored for perpetuity. Despite significant global declines and extinctions of amphibians, and predictions of a disastrous future for most biodiversity, practical support for amphibian RBCs remains limited mainly to a few limited projects in wealthy Western countries. We discuss the potential of amphibian RBCs to perpetuate amphibian diversity and prevent extinctions within multipolar geopolitical, cultural, and economic frameworks. We argue that a democratic, globally inclusive organisation is needed to focus RBCs on regions with the highest amphibian diversity. Prioritisation should include regional and international collaborations, community engagement, and support for RBC facilities ranging from zoos and other institutions to those of private carers. We tabulate a standard terminology for field programs associated with RBCs for publication and media consistency. Full article

The implementation of energy storage system (ESS) technology with an appropriate control system can enhance the resilience and economic performance of power systems. However, none of the storage options available today can perform at their best in every situation. As a matter of fact, an isolated storage solution’s energy and power density, lifespan, cost, and response time are its primary performance constraints. Batteries are the essential energy storage component used in electric mobility, industries, and household applications nowadays. In general, the battery energy storage systems (BESS) currently available on the market are based on a homogeneous type of electrochemical battery. However, a hybrid energy storage system (HESS) based on a mixture of various types of electrochemical batteries can potentially provide a better option for high-performance electric cars, heavy-duty electric vehicles, industries, and residential purposes. A hybrid energy storage system combines two or more electrochemical energy storage systems to provide a more reliable and efficient energy storage solution. At the same time, the integration of multiple energy storage systems in an HESS requires advanced control strategies to ensure optimal performance and longevity of the system. This review paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the control systems used in HESSs for a wide range of applications. An overview of the various control strategies used in HESSs is offered, including traditional control methods such as proportional–integral–derivative (PID) control, and advanced control methods such as model predictive control (MPC), droop control (DC), sliding mode control (SMC), rule-based control (RBC), fuzzy logic control (FLC), and artificial neural network (ANN) control are discussed. The paper also highlights the recent developments in HESS control systems, including the use of machine learning techniques such as deep reinforcement learning (DRL) and genetic algorithms (GA). The paper provides not only a description and classification of various control approaches but also a comparison between control strategies from the evaluation of performance point of view. The review concludes by summarizing the key findings and future research directions for HESS control systems, which is directly linked to the research on machine learning and the mix of different control type strategies. Full article

Xenon, an inert gas commonly used in medicine, has been considered as a potential option for prolonged preservation of donor packed red blood cells (pRBCs) under hypoxic conditions. This study aimed to investigate how xenon affects erythrocyte parameters under prolonged storage. In vitro model experiments were performed using two methods to create hypoxic conditions. In the first method, xenon was introduced into bags of pRBCs which were then stored for 42 days, while in the second method, xenon was added to samples in glass tubes. The results of our experiment showed that the presence of xenon resulted in notable alterations in erythrocyte morphology, similar to those observed under standard storage conditions. For pRBC bags, hemolysis during storage with xenon exceeded the acceptable limit by a factor of six, whereas the closed-glass-tube experiment showed minimal hemolysis in samples exposed to xenon. Notably, the production of deoxyhemoglobin was specific to xenon exposure in both cell suspension and hemolysate. However, this study did not provide evidence for the purported protective properties of xenon. Full article