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Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis :... Mar 2021The calibration of thrombin products relies on the World Health Organization (WHO) 2nd International Standard (IS) for Thrombin (01/580) which defines the international...
An international collaborative study to establish the WHO 3rd International Standard for Thrombin: Communication from the ISTH SSC subcommittee on factor XIII and fibrinogen.
The calibration of thrombin products relies on the World Health Organization (WHO) 2nd International Standard (IS) for Thrombin (01/580) which defines the international unit (IU) for thrombin potency. With stocks of the 2nd IS (01/580) running low, an international collaborative study was organized to calibrate a replacement. Twenty laboratories from 13 countries took part in the study and measured the potency of two candidate replacement standards (coded 01/578 and 19/188) relative to the 2nd IS. In total, 111 valid assays were returned, which were a combination of plasma/fibrinogen clotting assays and chromogenic assays. Variation between and within laboratories was low, with inter- and intra-laboratory geometric coefficient of variation (GCV) generally <5% for all assay methods and substrates. For 01/578, potency estimates by clotting assays (101.1 IU/ampoule) were significantly lower than estimates by chromogenic assays (111.5 IU/ampoule). Mean potency estimates for 19/188 were 90.4 IU/ampoule by clotting assay and 88.1 IU/ampoule by chromogenic assay, which was not a statistically significant difference. The close ratio between clotting and chromogenic assay potency estimates for 19/188 suggests it has a higher α-thrombin content than 01/578 and is equivalent to the current IS (01/580). Accelerated degradation studies predicted excellent long-term stability profiles for preparations 01/580, 01/578, and 19/188. Based on the results of this study, the WHO Expert Committee on Biological Standardization established 19/188 as the 3rd IS for Thrombin with a potency of 90 IU/ampoule in August 2020.
Topics: Communication; Factor XIII; Fibrinogen; Humans; Reference Standards; Reproducibility of Results; Thrombin; World Health Organization
PubMed: 33650255
DOI: 10.1111/jth.15207 -
Materials (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2022In recent years, interest in the liquid-phase exfoliation (LPE) of layered crystals has been growing due to the efficiency and scalability of the method, as well as the...
In recent years, interest in the liquid-phase exfoliation (LPE) of layered crystals has been growing due to the efficiency and scalability of the method, as well as the wide range of practical applications of the obtained dispersions based on two-dimensional flakes. In this paper, we present a comparative study of as-grown and liquid-phase exfoliated GaSeS flakes. Bulk GaSeS crystals with x ~ 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1 were synthesized by melting stoichiometric amounts of gallium, selenium, and sulfur particles in evacuated ampoules. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the crystal structure does not change considerably after LPE, while the analysis of the Raman spectra revealed that, after liquid-phase processing in IPA, an additional peak associated with amorphous selenium is observed in selenium-rich GaSeS compounds. Nevertheless, the direct and indirect transition energies determined from the Kubelka-Munk function for LPE crystals correlate with the band gap of the as-grown bulk GaSeS crystals. This finding is also confirmed by comparison with the data on the positions of the photoluminescence peak.
PubMed: 36295149
DOI: 10.3390/ma15207080 -
Acta Crystallographica. Section E,... Jan 2022Single crystals of CsSnSiO, dicaesium tin(IV) hexa-silicate, were serendipitously obtained from a CsCl/NaCl flux at 923 K, starting from mixtures of CaO, SnO and TeO...
Single crystals of CsSnSiO, dicaesium tin(IV) hexa-silicate, were serendipitously obtained from a CsCl/NaCl flux at 923 K, starting from mixtures of CaO, SnO and TeO in a closed silica ampoule. The crystal structure of CsSnSiO is constructed from {SiO} layers extending parallel to (101), and Cs cations with a coordination number of eleven as well as isolated [SnO] octa-hedra situated between the silicate layers. Each of the nine different SiO tetra-hedra in the silicate layer has a connectedness of (three bridging and one terminal O atom), which leads to the formation of five- and eight-membered rings. The same type of silicate layer is found in the crystal structure of the mineral zeravshanite. Comparison with other silicates of the type Cs SiO ( = Ti, Zr, Th, U) revealed a group-subgroup relationship of index 2 between CsZrSiO ( = 6, space group 2/) and CsSnSiO ( = 12, space group 2/).
PubMed: 35145734
DOI: 10.1107/S2056989021013554 -
Acta Crystallographica. Section E,... Feb 2023Quaternary (Sn,Pb,Bi)Pt was synthesized by melting of the elements in an evacuated silica glass ampoule. The crystal structure was established by single-crystal X-ray...
Quaternary (Sn,Pb,Bi)Pt was synthesized by melting of the elements in an evacuated silica glass ampoule. The crystal structure was established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and adopts an atomic arrangement of the NiAs type with additional occupation of the voids. Decisive for the refinement was the composition of the crystals as determined by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), resulting in a formula of (SnPbBi)Pt.
PubMed: 36909991
DOI: 10.1107/S2056989023000956 -
Clinical Biochemistry Sep 2019Replacements are required for the WHO International Standards (IS) for free PSA, coded 96/668 and total PSA (90:10), coded 96/670, which were established in 1999 to...
OBJECTIVES
Replacements are required for the WHO International Standards (IS) for free PSA, coded 96/668 and total PSA (90:10), coded 96/670, which were established in 1999 to support efforts to harmonise PSA assays and address non-equimolarity. An important consideration is that the introduction of the replacements should have minimal impact on PSA measurements.
DESIGN AND METHODS
We report the development of a replacement strategy, informed by field assessment of preparations through an external quality assessment scheme and the subsequent evaluation of the candidate ISs in worldwide collaborative studies.
RESULTS
By immunoassay, data from participants confirmed the value assigned to the current standards. Robust geometric mean estimates of the free PSA content of the candidate replacement for 96/668 coded 17/102 was 0.533 μg/ampoule (n = 21). The ratio of the content estimates of 17/102:96/668 was 0.516 (GCV 12.5%, n = 21). Robust geometric mean estimates of the total PSA content of the candidate replacement for 96/670, coded 17/100, was 0.505 μg/ampoule (n = 22). The ratio of the content estimates of 17/100:96/670 was 0.490 (GCV 5.3%, n = 22). Through concomitant measurement of a panel of 15 representative patient samples, the candidate ISs were shown to exhibit commutability with patient samples that was comparable with that of the current ISs.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of these results, the preparations coded 17/102 and 17/100 were established by the WHO Expert Committee on Biological Standardization as the 2nd ISs for free and total PSA (PSA-ACT+free PSA) respectively, with assigned contents of 0.53 μg/ampoule and 0.50 μg/ampoule.
Topics: Humans; Prostate-Specific Antigen; Reference Standards; World Health Organization
PubMed: 31295477
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2019.07.007 -
International Journal of Environmental... Sep 2022Sharp injuries are a serious issue among healthcare workers (HCWs). The aim of the study was to examine the frequency of sharps injuries among nurses (who have the most...
Sharp injuries are a serious issue among healthcare workers (HCWs). The aim of the study was to examine the frequency of sharps injuries among nurses (who have the most frequent contact with infectious material) when using devices with and without safety features, then to analyse the factors associated with such injuries and to compare the risk of injuries with safety engineered devices (SEDs) and non-safety engineered devices (non-SEDs). An online cross-sectional survey was completed between October 2021 and March 2022 by 280 nurses. The incidence of exposure to sharp injury during their professional life was 51.4%. The percentage of nurses experiencing a sharp injury in the year preceding the study was 29% and 9.6% for superficially and deep injury, respectively. Ampoules and conventional hollow-bore needles caused the most injuries (25.92% and 22.64% of nurses in the last year). Factors including sex (males), age and seniority (elderly), education (higher), work exhaustion and being left-handed were associated with the occurrence of conventional hollow-bore needle injuries. In the case of SEDs: age, seniority and right/left-handed were the most frequent risk factors associated with the occurrence of sharp injuries. SEDs injuries were much less frequent than non-SEDs. There was a significant difference between the risk of injuries with safety and non-safety needles, central cannulas and ampoules. Fisher's exact test (-value = 0.000) and positive Spearman's rho statistics (0.2319, -value = 0.0001) confirmed that in accredited hospitals, the availability of safety needles was higher. Almost half of the nurses ( = 115, 41.07%) stated that staff had little influence on the type of medical sharp instruments supplied. To reduce the risk of nurse injuries, access to medical devices with safe protection mechanisms should be ensured, the use of sharp instruments should be limited where possible, managers should consult nurses regarding the choice of safe devices, and training programs on the proper use of SEDs should be available.
Topics: Aged; Cross-Sectional Studies; Disease Susceptibility; Health Personnel; Humans; Male; Needlestick Injuries; Poland; Protective Devices
PubMed: 36141587
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191811315 -
Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland) May 2021This study investigated the effects of an aronia juice-based food supplement on background and total DNA strand breaks in whole blood, and on HO-induced DNA strand...
BACKGROUND
This study investigated the effects of an aronia juice-based food supplement on background and total DNA strand breaks in whole blood, and on HO-induced DNA strand breaks in isolated peripheral blood lymphocytes.
METHODS
Ninety-one healthy volunteers were randomly selected to consume either the food supplement (2 × 25 mL drinking ampules, = 45) or no supplement ( = 46) daily for eight weeks.
RESULTS
Background DNA strand breaks decreased significantly after four and eight weeks of supplement consumption, compared to baseline ( < 0.05), but the overall effect was low, and neither group showed a decrease in total DNA strand breaks. Conversely, supplement consumption clearly reduced HO-induced DNA strand breaks ex vivo ( < 0.001), with statistically significant reductions after four and eight weeks, compared to the control group ( < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
Thus, although consuming antioxidant supplements might produce only marginal immediate benefits under healthy conditions, potential preventive effects warrant further investigation.
PubMed: 34071817
DOI: 10.3390/antiox10060857 -
Toxins Jul 2021Despite recent reviews of best practice for the treatment of Australian venomous bites and stings, there is controversy about some aspects of care, particularly the use...
Despite recent reviews of best practice for the treatment of Australian venomous bites and stings, there is controversy about some aspects of care, particularly the use of antivenom. Our aim was to understand current attitudes and practice in the management of suspected snake envenoming. A single-stage, cross-sectional survey of Australian emergency care physicians who had treated snake envenomation in the previous 36 months was conducted. Hospital pharmacists were also invited to complete a survey about antivenom availability, usage, and wastage in Australian hospitals. The survey was available between 5 March and 16 June 2019. A total of 121 snake envenoming cases were reported, and more than a third (44.6%) of patients were not treated with antivenom. For those treated with antivenom ( = 67), 29 patients (43%) received more than one ampoule. Nearly a quarter of respondents (21%) identified that antivenom availability was, or could be, a barrier to manage snake envenoming, while cost was identified as the least important factor. Adverse reactions following antivenom use were described in 11.9% of cases ( = 8). The majority of patients with suspected envenoming did not receive antivenom. We noted variation in dosage, sources of information, beliefs, and approaches to the care of the envenomed patient.
Topics: Animals; Antivenins; Attitude; Australia; Cross-Sectional Studies; Elapid Venoms; Elapidae; Humans; Snake Bites; Snake Venoms; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 34357954
DOI: 10.3390/toxins13070482 -
Journal of Thermal Analysis and... 2023This study involves isothermal kinetic simulation to evaluate the parameters of inhibition conditions for () and () of high-risk pathogens. This is because the new...
This study involves isothermal kinetic simulation to evaluate the parameters of inhibition conditions for () and () of high-risk pathogens. This is because the new type of the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is continuously spreading and the importance of public health issues. Environmental disinfection and personal wearing of masks have become important epidemic prevention measures. Selection of concentration kinetics could be estimated best for and of pathogens, 2.74 × 10 and 10 and 2.44 × 10 and 10 colony-forming units (CFU mL), by isothermal micro-calorimeter (TAM Air) tests, respectively. Comparisons were made of different doses of 0-70 ppm (in 20 mL test ampoule) hypochlorous acid treatment for conducting th-order and autocatalytic reaction simulation to evaluate the inhibition reaction parameters, which determined the autocatalytic kinetic model that was beneficially applied on the and . We developed the inhibition reaction parameters of the pathogens, which included the activation energy ( ), the natural logarithm of pre-exponential factor (ln ), the enthalpy of inhibition microbial growth reaction (), inhibition microbial growth, and the inhibition growth analysis. Overall, we conducted isothermal kinetic simulation to understand the antimicrobial activity effects of electrolytically generated hypochlorous acid-treated pathogenic microorganisms, which will provide reference for public health and medical-related fields for SDG3, and can contribute to ensuring human health and hygiene.
PubMed: 36338804
DOI: 10.1007/s10973-022-11727-4 -
Cureus Jan 2020Human factors and systems factors can affect surgical performance, including the operating room (OR) environment, teamwork and communication, technology and equipment,...
Human factors and systems factors can affect surgical performance, including the operating room (OR) environment, teamwork and communication, technology and equipment, tasks and workload factors, and organizational variables. Patient safety is a new healthcare discipline that emphasizes the reporting, analysis, and prevention of medical errors that often lead to adverse healthcare events. We are highlighting a potential error and hazardous situation, which may occur due to the difficulty in reading the embossed letters of some ampoules because of the typeface of these ampoules. This problem is particularly important in the ORs, which require special sterile conditions. We are adding a simple step to help in the differentiation between plastic, embossed ampoules. This simple and easy-to-do step makes it possible for accurate and correct identification, without jeopardizing the safety of the patients and health care professionals.
PubMed: 31929959
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.6592