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Sci Rep 2019 Jan 11;9(1):72. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Krakow Centre for Medical Research and Technology, John Paul II Hospital, Krakow, Poland.

It is unclear whether thrombus location in pulmonary arteries is associated with particular clot characteristics. We assessed 156 patients following either central or peripheral pulmonary embolism (PE). Plasma clot lysis time, the rate of D-dimer release from plasma clots (D-D) with the maximum D-dimer concentration achieved (D-D), as well as fibrin formation on turbidimetry, plasma clot permeation, thrombin generation, and fibrinolytic parameters were measured 3-6 months after PE. Read More

Semin Thromb Hemost 2019 Jan 10. Epub 2019 Jan 10.

Department of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, School of Allied Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Congenital factor XIII (FXIII) deficiency is an extremely rare hemorrhagic disorder characterized by a deficiency of FXIII and associated with a high rate of morbidity and mortality. The disorder is more frequent in Iran, especially in Khash, a city in the southeast of the country. As identified in the current report, the prevalence of FXIII deficiency in this city is 1 homozygote per approximately 500 population (which is ∼4,000 times higher than the worldwide prevalence) with 3. Read More

FASEB J 2019 Jan;33(1):3-12

Molecular Cardiology and Biophysics Division, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia.

In humans, 9 members of the transglutaminase (TG) family have been identified, of which 8 [factor XIII (FXIII)A and TG1-TG7] catalyze post-translational protein-modifying reactions, and 1 does not (protein 4.2). The TG enzymatic activities considered in our discussion of human disease include deamidation of glutamine (Gln) residues, amine incorporation into Gln residues, and protein crosslinking. Read More

Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018 12 24;12:CD010649. Epub 2018 Dec 24.

John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK, OX3 9DU.

Background: Some hospital patients may be at risk of or may present with major bleeding. Abnormalities of clotting (coagulation) are often recorded in these people, and the traditional management has been with transfusions of blood components, either to prevent bleeding (prophylactic) or to treat bleeding (therapeutic). There is growing interest in the use of targeted therapies with specific pro-coagulant haemostatic (causing bleeding to stop and to keep blood within a damaged blood vessel) factor concentrates in place of plasma. Read More

Int J Lab Hematol 2018 Dec 22. Epub 2018 Dec 22.

Iranian Comprehensive Hemophilia Care Centre (ICHCC), Tehran, Iran.

Blood 2018 Dec 17. Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Universita degli Studi di Milano, Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Milan, Italy

The deficiency of fibrinogen, prothrombin, factor V, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI and XIII, called rare coagulation disorders (RCDs), may result in coagulopathies leading to spontaneous or post-trauma and post-surgery hemorrhages. RCDs are characterized by a wide variety of symptoms, from mild to severe, which can vary significantly from one disease to another and from one patient to another. The most typical symptoms of all RCDs are mucosal bleedings and bleeding at the time of invasive procedures, while other life-threatening symptoms such as central nervous system bleeding and hemarthroses are mostly present only in some deficiencies (afibrinogenemia, FX and FXIII). Read More

Clin Lab 2018 Oct;64(11)

In addition to its important functions in angiogenesis, wound healing, bone biology, immunology, pregnancy, and adipogenesis, transglutaminase factor XIII is an outstanding determinant of clot characteristics. Factor XIII mediates clot stability by covalent cross-linking of fibrin-fibrils and inhibition of fibrinolysis. For decades it was assumed that factor XIII mediates the formation of a 3-dimensional net structure of the clot. Read More

Med Sci (Basel) 2018 Dec 11;6(4). Epub 2018 Dec 11.

Division of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 0C7, Canada.

Macrophages are key players in various inflammatory disorders and pathological conditions via phagocytosis and orchestrating immune responses. They are highly heterogeneous in terms of their phenotypes and functions by adaptation to different organs and tissue environments. Upon damage or infection, monocytes are rapidly recruited to tissues and differentiate into macrophages. Read More

Am J Rhinol Allergy 2018 Dec 6:1945892418816015. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

3 Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Background: Dysregulation of the coagulation cascade and fibrinolysis system may play an etiologic role in many diseases. Allergic diseases such as bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis, and conjunctivitis are also associated with fibrin accumulation caused by a change in hemostasis. However, only a few studies have dealt with the relationship between allergic rhinitis (AR) and the coagulation system. Read More

Langenbecks Arch Surg 2018 Dec 30;403(8):933-940. Epub 2018 Nov 30.

Department of Hepatobiliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, Cancer Institute Hospital, 3-8-31 Ariake, Koto-ku, Tokyo, 135-8550, Japan.

Purpose: The administration of exogenous factor XIII (FXIII) is reportedly effective for fistula closure in patients with a low plasma FXIII level. This study was performed to analyze the effect of early administration of exogenous FXIII on postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF).

Methods: A single-center randomized controlled, open-label, parallel group, superiority trial was conducted from October 2015 to August 2016 in Japan. Read More

Eur J Epidemiol 2018 Dec 5. Epub 2018 Dec 5.

Haemophilia Treatment Centre, APHM, Children Hospital La Timone, Aix Marseille University, INSERM, INRA, C2VN, Marseille, France.

FranceCoag is an ongoing open prospective multicentre cohort project aimed at improving epidemiological knowledge about inherited bleeding disorders in France. The main objective of this article was to evaluate the project's progress as of the 30th December 2016. Between 1994 and this date, of the 10,047 patients included in the study, 384 (3. Read More

BMC Res Notes 2018 Dec 4;11(1):853. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Practice for Digestive and Metabolic Diseases, Nordstr. 21, 04105, Leipzig, Germany.

Objective: Coagulation factor XIII plays a key role in fibrin clot stabilization and epithelial healing. Under chronic inflammatory conditions involving bleeding and an activation of the coagulation cascade, the FXIIIa inversely correlate with disease activity. We assumed that FXIIIa could be a predictor of severity in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Read More

Arch Gynecol Obstet 2018 Dec 3. Epub 2018 Dec 3.

Department of Obstetrics, Charité-University Medical Center, Augustenburger Platz 1, 13353, Berlin, Germany.

Purpose: Postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is a leading cause of maternal mortality and morbidity. Our aim was to investigate the relationships between antenatal factor XIII (FXIII), fibrinogen levels, and blood loss at childbirth.

Methods: This prospective observational study evaluated an unselected cohort of pregnant women admitted for intended vaginal deliveries of singletons at term. Read More

Ir Med J 2018 May 10;111(5):757. Epub 2018 May 10.

National Coagulation Centre, St. James’s Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

Factor XIII (FXIII) is a plasma clotting protein involved in clot stabilization. Severe FXIII deficiency may present with severe, even fatal bleeding. Critically however, routine coagulation assays may be normal and only specific FXIII assays will detect the abnormality. Read More

J Thromb Haemost 2019 Jan;17(1):19-30

Aberdeen Cardiovascular & Diabetes Centre, School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.

Essentials Plasma Factor XIII, a heterodimer of A and B subunits FXIIIA B , is a transglutaminase enzyme with a well-established role in haemostasis. Cells of bone marrow and mesenchymal lineage express the FXIII-A gene (F13A1) that encodes the cellular form of the transglutaminase, a homodimer of the A subunits, FXIII-A. FXIII-A was presumed to function intracellularly, however, several lines of evidence now indicate that FXIII-A is externalised by an as yet unknown mechanism This review describes the mounting evidence that FXIII-A is a diverse transglutaminase with many intracellular and extracellular substrates that can participate in an array of biological processes SUMMARY: Factor XIII is a tranglutaminase enzyme that catalyzes the formation of ε-(γ-glutamyl)lysyl isopeptide bonds in protein substrates. Read More

Transfus Apher Sci 2018 Dec 30;57(6):713-716. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Memorial University of Newfoundland Primary Healthcare Research Unit, Health Sciences Centre, 300 Prince Philip Dr., St. John's, NL A1B 3 V6, Canada. Electronic address:

Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), the most eastern province of Canada, is characterized by a unique topography and pattern of settlement. The current population is descended from a small founding population of indigenous Innu, Inuit and Mi'kmaq and an estimated 28,000 settlers. These settlers originated from Southwest England and Southeast Ireland and came to invest and work in one of the world's richest fisheries. Read More

Thromb Haemost 2018 Dec 19;118(12):2053-2063. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

EA4609-Hemostase et Cancer, Universite Claude Bernard Lyon I, Lyon, France.

Prophylaxis is currently considered the optimal care for severe haemophilia. For patients and their families one of the major difficulties with prophylaxis is the need for frequent venipunctures. The half-life of standard factor IX (FIX) concentrates is approximately 18 hours, which requires 2 or 3 intravenous infusions per week to achieve bleeding prevention in patients with severe haemophilia B. Read More

Chemosphere 2019 Feb 12;217:695-705. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Sustainable Use, Management and Reclamation of Soil and Water Research Group, Universidad Politecnica de Cartagena, Paseo Alfonso XIII, 48, 30203, Cartagena, Murcia, Spain. Electronic address:

Street dust and soil are important materials for evaluating the contaminants level in industrial areas. Detailed size-resolved distribution of metal(loid)s in street dusts and soils influenced by industrial activities has rarely been investigated. This study was carried out to understand how industrialization might affect the size distribution of metal(loid)s concentration and contamination level in the street dust and soil from Murcia, southern Spain. Read More

Int J Hematol 2018 Nov 16. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

Japanese Collaborative Research Group on Autoimmune Coagulation Factor Deficiencies (JCRG supported by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare), Yamagata, Japan.

An 87-year-old man with diabetes mellitus was admitted to control recurrent bleeding from hemodialysis puncture sites. He was a smoker and had been diagnosed with arteriosclerosis obliterans. His PT and APTT were markedly prolonged, and all coagulation factors were markedly decreased (factor V [FV] activity < 1%) or below the measurement threshold, with the exception of fibrinogen and factor XIII. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 Nov 16;8(1):16916. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

Department of Morphology, Surgery & Experimental Medicine, University of Ferrara and Vascular Diseases Centre, Unit of Translational Surgery, University-Hospital of Ferrara, via Aldo Moro 8, 44124, Cona-Ferrara, Italy.

Abdominal adhesions (AA) account for the most common complication of peritoneal surgery with bowel obstruction being the severest problem in the absence of effective predicting biomarkers. Anti-AA-barriers or adhesiolysis did not completely prevent bowel obstruction, although there is evidence they might reduce related complications requiring reoperation. In addition, gender-related predispositions have not been adequately investigated. Read More

Transfus Apher Sci 2018 Dec 30;57(6):724-730. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

St. Michael's Hospital, Room 2-007G Core Lab, 30 Bond Street, Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada. Electronic address:

Acquired factor XIII (FXIII) deficiency is a rare bleeding disorder that can manifest with spontaneous or delayed life-threatening hemorrhage. Causes of acquired deficiency include immune-mediated inhibition, as well as non-immune FXIII hyperconsumption or hyposynthesis. The occurrence of acquired FXIII deficiency can be idiopathic or may be associated with comorbidities, such as malignancies or autoimmune disorders. Read More

Transfusion 2018 Nov 15. Epub 2018 Nov 15.

Velico Medical, Inc., Beverly, Massachusetts.

Background: Dried plasma is logistically superior for hemostasis management because it can be transported and stored under nonfrozen conditions and quickly reconstituted at the point of care, enabling prehospital administration. Velico Medical has developed a spray-drying system to be integrated into routine blood center work streams for spray drying single donor plasma units. This study compared the quality of the spray-dried plasma (on-demand plasma [ODP]) with fresh frozen plasma (FFP). Read More

Thromb Haemost 2018 Dec 12;118(12):2037-2045. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Experimental Haemostasis Group, Department for BioMedical Research, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.

The activation peptide of blood coagulation factor XIII (AP-FXIII) has important functions in stabilizing the FXIII-A dimer and regulating FXIII activation. Contributions of many of its 37 amino acids to these functions have been described. However, the role of proline 36, which is adjacent to the thrombin cleavage site at Arg37, has not yet been studied in detail. Read More

J Thromb Haemost 2019 Jan 10;17(1):113-125. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.

Essentials Fibrin clots are often implicated in the progression of liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis was induced in transgenic mice with defects in clot formation or stabilization. Liver fibrosis and fibrin(ogen) deposition do not require fibrin polymerization or factor XIIIa. Read More

J Thromb Haemost 2019 Jan 10;17(1):110-112. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Surgical Research Laboratory and Section of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation, Department of Surgery, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.

J Biol Chem 2019 Jan 8;294(2):390-396. Epub 2018 Nov 8.

From the Michael Smith Laboratories, and Centre for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z4,

In cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), the amyloid β (Aβ) peptide deposits along the vascular lumen, leading to degeneration and dysfunction of surrounding tissues. Activated coagulation factor XIIIa (FXIIIa) covalently cross-links proteins in blood and vasculature, such as in blood clots and on the extracellular matrix. Although FXIIIa co-localizes with Aβ in CAA, the ability of FXIIIa to cross-link Aβ has not been demonstrated. Read More

Cold Spring Harb Mol Case Stud 2018 Dec 17;4(6). Epub 2018 Dec 17.

Rady Children's Institute of Genomic Medicine, University of California, San Diego, California 92123, USA.

Pediatric stroke can be either hemorrhagic or ischemic, with ∼5% of hemorrhagic strokes being caused by genetic coagulopathies. We report an 8 mo old presenting with a hemorrhagic stroke caused by severe Factor XIII deficiency (OMIM # 613225) in whom rapid whole-genome sequencing identified a novel variant in the gene c.1352_1353delAT (p. Read More

Transfus Apher Sci 2018 Dec 30;57(6):705-712. Epub 2018 Oct 30.

Bleeding Disorders and Thrombosis Program, Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York and Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, United States.

Rare bleeding disorders (RBDs) comprise inherited deficiencies of factors I (fibrinogen), II (prothrombin), V, VII, X, XI, and XIII as well as combined factor V + VIII and vitamin K-dependent factors. They represent 3-5% of all congenital bleeding disorders and are usually transmitted as autosomal recessive traits. These disorders often manifest during childhood and have varied clinical presentations from mucocutaneous bleeding to life-threatening symptoms such as central nervous system and gastrointestinal bleeding. Read More

Adv Exp Med Biol 2018 ;1071:75-82

Department of Pediatrics, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.

During vertebrate development, the neural networks underlying air-breathing undergo changes in connectivity and functionality, allowing lung ventilation to emerge. Yet, the factors regulating development of these critical homeostatic networks remain unresolved. In amphibians, air-breathing occurs sporadically prior to metamorphosis. Read More

J Gynecol Obstet Hum Reprod 2019 Jan 22;48(1):19-24. Epub 2018 Oct 22.

Department of Reproductive Medicine and Fertility Preservation, Hôpital Antoine Béclère, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris Sud, Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris, Clamart 92140, France; Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris Saclay, Le Kremlin Bicêtre 94276, France; Inserm U1133 Université Paris Diderot, Paris 75013, France. Electronic address:

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), known for its role during sexual differentiation, is a dimeric glycoprotein that belongs to the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) family. AMH has recently been identified as a reliable marker of ovarian reserve that can help predict early ovarian follicle loss and menopause onset. AMH levels also reflect the effects of damaging gynecologic surgeries or gonadotoxic treatments such as chemotherapy on ovarian reserve. Read More

Ann Transl Med 2018 Sep;6(17):331

Italian National Blood Centre, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy.

The rare congenital bleeding disorders are a heterogeneous group of diseases which include deficiencies of fibrinogen, prothrombin and factors V, V + VIII, VII, X, XI and XIII. They are usually transmitted as autosomal recessive disorders, and the prevalence of the severe forms ranges from one case in 500,000 for factor VII up to one in 2,000,000 for factor XIII in the general population. Patients with rare congenital bleeding disorders may have a broad spectrum of clinical symptoms, ranging from mucocutaneous bleeding to life-threatening haemorrhages, such as those occurring in the central nervous system. Read More

Clin Appl Thromb Hemost 2018 Oct 10:1076029618804078. Epub 2018 Oct 10.

5 Department of Disaster and Emergency Medicine. Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Hyogo, Japan.

Complication of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a determinant of the prognosis for patients with sepsis. The purpose of this study was to find DIC-related peptides in blood for prediction and early diagnosis of DIC in patients with sepsis. The participants were 20 patients with sepsis (age: 68. Read More

Haematologica 2018 Sep 27. Epub 2018 Sep 27.

Division of Angiology and Haemostasis, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.

Appl Radiat Isot 2018 Dec 15;142:1-7. Epub 2018 Sep 15.

Eduardo Torroja Institute for Construction Sciences, IETcc-CSIC, Madrid, Spain.

The γ-radiation emitted by building materials is calculated from the activity indices for Th, Ra and K and expressed as the activity concentration index (ACI). Gamma spectroscopy is a non-destructive technique frequently used to simultaneously determine the indices for several radionuclides. Spectral interpretation poses a number of challenges, including identification of γ-lines subject to summing-in effects, interference from other γ-ray emitting radionuclides and the time required to reach secular equilibrium. Read More

Case Rep Gastrointest Med 2018 29;2018:6360543. Epub 2018 Aug 29.

Hospital Leforte, Department of Critical Care, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Liver disease has been considered the prototype of hemorrhagic disease. Disorder in any component of coagulation system can lead to hemorrhage. Deficiency of factor XIII may impair clot strength and clot stabilization and can be accessed by thromboelastometry. Read More

Int J Mol Sci 2018 Sep 14;19(9). Epub 2018 Sep 14.

Centre of Haemostasis & Thrombosis, Department of Biomedical and Specialty Surgical Sciences, Section of Medical Biochemistry, Molecular Biology & Genetics, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy.

Factor XIIIA (FXIIIA) levels are independent predictors of early prognosis after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and the Valine-to-Leucine (V34L) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) seems associated with lower AMI risk. Since the long-term AMI prognosis merits deeper investigation, we performed an observational study evaluating relationships between FXIIIA residual levels, cardiovascular risk-factors, and inherited genetic predispositions. FXIIIA V34L was genotyped in 333 AMI patients and a five-year follow-up was performed. Read More

Adv Mater 2018 Oct 10;30(43):e1801621. Epub 2018 Sep 10.

Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zürich, Otto-Stern-Weg 7, 8093, Zürich, Switzerland.

Epithelial organoids are simplified models of organs grown in vitro from embryonic and adult stem cells. They are widely used to study organ development and disease, and enable drug screening in patient-derived primary tissues. Current protocols, however, rely on animal- and tumor-derived basement membrane extract (BME) as a 3D scaffold, which limits possible applications in regenerative medicine. Read More

Clin Appl Thromb Hemost 2018 Sep 9:1076029618797472. Epub 2018 Sep 9.

2 Department of Cardiac Surgery, Halle-Wittenberg University, Halle, Germany.

We aimed to detect alterations and deficits in hemostasis during cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) using point-of-care-supported coagulation analysis (rotational thromboelastometry, impedance aggregometry), in addition to single factor assays for the measurement of fibrinogen (FI) and factor XIII (FXIII) levels. Forty-one patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery with CPB were enrolled in this observational study. Perioperative measurement (pre-, postheparin, 30-minutes before the end of bypass, 1-hourpostoperatively) of standard laboratory variables, additional rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM; International GmbH, Munich, Germany), Multiplate analysis (Roche, Switzerland), and an assay of FXIII activity were performed as well as the collection of epidemiological data and blood loss. Read More

BMC Med Genet 2018 Sep 5;19(1):159. Epub 2018 Sep 5.

Department of Human Genetics, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore, Karnataka, 560029, India.

Background: The rupture of a brain aneurysm causes bleeding in the subarachnoid space and is known as aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH). In our study, we evaluated the association of factor XIII polymorphism and the risk of Aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH) in South Indian population.

Methods: The study was performed in 200 subjects with aSAH and 205 healthy control subjects. Read More

Korean J Physiol Pharmacol 2018 Sep 27;22(5):513-523. Epub 2018 Aug 27.

Division of Premedical Science, College of Medicine, Chosun University, Gwangju 61501, Korea.

The tumor microenvironment greatly influences cancer cell characteristics, and acidic extracellular pH has been implicated as an essential factor in tumor malignancy and the induction of drug resistance. Here, we examined the characteristics of gastric carcinoma (GC) cells under conditions of extracellular acidity and attempted to identify a means of enhancing treatment efficacy. Acidic conditions caused several changes in GC cells adversely affecting chemotherapeutic treatment. Read More

Pediatr Neurosurg 2018 3;53(6):413-415. Epub 2018 Sep 3.

Department of Neurosurgery, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakir, Turkey.

Factor XIII deficiency is a rare hemorrhagic disorder that can cause spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage and bleeding after surgery. The diagnosis of factor XIII deficiency is difficult before surgical interventions, because coagulation parameters are normal in these patients. Important clinical findings are postsurgical bleeding and recurrent spontaneous intracranial hematomas. Read More

J Biomed Mater Res A 2018 Dec 27;106(12):3135-3142. Epub 2018 Aug 27.

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been widely studied for tissue engineering and treating diseases in laboratories, clinical trials, and clinics. Fibrin matrices are often used to culture MSCs or increase the retention of MSCs at the injection site. However, fibrins made with the human plasma derived fibrinogen have high cost and risk of human pathogen transmission. Read More

MethodsX 2018 3;5:881-889. Epub 2018 Aug 3.

Cancyte Technologies Pvt. Ltd, Rangadore Memorial Hospital, 1st Cross, Shankarapuram, Bangalore 560004, India.

Genomic DNA (gDNA) obtained from whole blood samples is a critical element for genomic research and clinical diagnosis. PCR efficiencies of the targeted genes like HLA-A, -B, -C, DPB1 and DRB1 using such isolated gDNAs were variable in spite of having similar amounts of gDNA taken for PCR. We addressed such PCR variabilities by normalizing the gDNA's using an internal control of human coagulation factor XIII that was found to be variable with all samples and did not correlate with the observed A nm readings. Read More

Haemophilia 2018 Nov 24;24(6):e417-e420. Epub 2018 Aug 24.

Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Transfus Med Rev 2018 10 12;32(4):237-243. Epub 2018 Jul 12.

Bloodworks Northwest, Seattle, WA; Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Electronic address:

Inherited bleeding disorders increase the risk of bleeding in the obstetric patient. Randomized controlled trials to compare prophylactic or therapeutic interventions are rare, and guidance documents rely heavily on expert opinion. Here we report the results of a systematic review of the literature for the treatment and prevention of peripartum bleeding in women with an inherited bleeding disorder. Read More

Transfus Apher Sci 2018 Dec 4;57(6):700-704. Epub 2018 Aug 4.

Nationwide Children's Hospital, Division of Hematology/Oncology/Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Columbus, OH, United States; The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Center for Clinical & Translational Research, Columbus, OH, United States; The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Columbus, OH, United States.

Factor XIII, a heterotetrameric proenzyme, is converted to an activated transglutaminase by thrombin and calcium in the final phases of coagulation. Factor XIII catalyzes the formation of crosslinks between fibrin monomers and between α2-antiplasmin and fibrin. These crosslinks mechanically stabilize fibrin against shear stress, enable red cell retention within the clot, and protect the clot from premature degradation. Read More

J Thromb Haemost 2018 Sep 3;16(9):1887-1890. Epub 2018 Aug 3.

Faculty of Medicine, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.

Acta Biomater 2018 Sep 10;77:182-190. Epub 2018 Jul 10.

Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zürich, Switzerland. Electronic address:

The bacterial ligase Sortase A (SA) and its mutated variants have become increasingly popular over the last years for post-translational protein modifications due to their unparalleled specificity and efficiency. The aim of this work was to study SA as a cross-linking enzyme for hydrogel-based tissue engineering. For this, we optimized SA pentamutant production and purification from E. Read More

Curr Opin Hematol 2018 Sep;25(5):358-364

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.

Purpose Of Review: In spite of significant morbidity and mortality associated with venous thromboembolism, the underlying pathogenesis remains poorly understood.

Recent Findings: Clues to operant pathogenic mechanisms are found in the unique morphology and composition of these thrombi, which have substantial red blood cell and fibrin content. Recent studies have revealed biochemical and biophysical mechanisms that dictate fibrin structure in venous thrombi and promote retention of red blood cells within the contracted clots. Read More

PLoS One 2018 10;13(7):e0199240. Epub 2018 Jul 10.

Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.

Objectives: Coagulation factor XIII (FXIII) plays a key role in fibrin clot stabilization-an essential process for wound healing following cardiothoracic surgery. However, FXIII deficiency as a risk for post-operative bleeding in pediatric cardiac surgery involving cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for congenital heart disease (CHD) is controversially discussed. Thus, as primary outcome measures, we analyzed the association of pre-operative FXIII activity and post-operative chest tube drainage (CTD) loss with transfusion requirements post-operatively. Read More