Peripheral Nucleated Red Blood Cells and Mortality in Critically Ill Children.

The present retrospective cohort study examines whether there is an association between circulating nucleated red blood cells (nRBCs) and mortality in critically ill children. nRBCs are erythropoietic progenitor cells not found in peripheral blood of healthy adults and children beyond the neonatal period. The presence of circulating nRBCs is associated with poor prognosis in adults and neonates, though little is known about their significance in children.

Hydroxocobalamin interference in routine laboratory tests: Development of a protocol for identifying samples and reporting results from patients treated with Cyanokit.

Objectives: Hydroxocobalamin (OHCob) is an antidote for cyanide poisoning in patients rescued from house fires and is known to cause interference with certain laboratory tests. Consensus is lacking on the extent of this interference and on how to handle these samples. The objectives of this study were to characterize OHCob interference across a wide range of laboratory tests and to develop protocols for identifying and reporting these samples.

Day 14 Bone Marrow Evaluation During Acute Myeloid Leukemia Induction in a Real-world Canadian Cohort.

Introduction: The 2017 National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines for acute myeloid leukemia have recommended performing bone marrow (BM) aspiration and BM trephine biopsy (BMTB) 14 to 21 days after starting induction therapy (commonly referred to as "day 14 [D14] marrow"). Those who do not achieve a hypoplastic marrow, with cellularity < 20% and blasts < 5%, are recommended to undergo 2-cycle induction (2CI). We performed a retrospective analysis to determine the impact of D14 BM characteristics in predicting for remission, association with overall survival (OS), and the effect of 2CI according to the D14 BM results.

Crystals and Fatty Acid Abnormalities Are Not Present in Circulating Cells From Choroideremia Patients.

Purpose: To confirm whether choroideremia (CHM) is a systemic disease characterized by blood lipid abnormalities and crystals found in, or associated with, circulating peripheral blood cells of patients.

Methods: Peripheral blood samples obtained from three subjects with confirmed mutations in the CHM gene and three age-matched normal controls were processed for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Fatty acids from plasma of nine male CHM subjects were analyzed and compared to reference values for a sample from a Canadian population.

Persistent cytogenetic abnormalities in patients undergoing intensive chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia.

We evaluated the impact of bone marrow sample characteristics on the detection of persistent cytogenetic abnormalities (PCA) following induction chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). PCA's were identified in 20.4% of patients and were more common with complete remission without count recovery (CRi) vs.

A high-throughput sequencing test for diagnosing inherited bleeding, thrombotic, and platelet disorders.

Inherited bleeding, thrombotic, and platelet disorders (BPDs) are diseases that affect ∼300 individuals per million births. With the exception of hemophilia and von Willebrand disease patients, a molecular analysis for patients with a BPD is often unavailable. Many specialized tests are usually required to reach a putative diagnosis and they are typically performed in a step-wise manner to control costs.

Dabigatran assessment in patients with acute complications using routine coagulation assays.

Complications while on dabigatran therapy, particularly bleeding and thrombosis, are occurring, and require laboratory assessment. The utility of routine coagulation assays has been previously evaluated in stable patients, but not those with acute complications. The purpose of this study was to determine how to employ routine coagulation assays to assess dabigatran in patients with acute complications.

Proposed approach to thrombolysis in dabigatran-treated patients presenting with ischemic stroke.

Background: Acute ischemic stroke thrombolysis in patients taking dabigatran is controversial because of a presumed increased risk of symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation. Using data from our local hematopathology laboratory, we developed a thrombolysis protocol for acute ischemic stroke patients taking dabigatran.

Methods: A local thrombin time (TT)-dabigatran concentration relationship was calculated using dabigatran calibrators.

The role of bestrophin in airway epithelial ion transport.

The purpose of this study was to identify Cl- channels in the basolateral membrane of airway epithelial cells at the molecular level. We have focused on a new family of Cl- channels, bestrophins, which have previously been identified in retinal pigment epithelium. RT-PCR, Western blot and confocal microscopy studies revealed the presence of bestrophin in airway epithelial cells.

The role of the basolateral outwardly rectifying chloride channel in human airway epithelial anion secretion.

The purpose of this study was to characterize basolateral anion channels in Calu-3 and normal human bronchial epithelial cells, and their role in anion secretion. Patch clamp studies identified an outwardly rectifying Cl- channel (ORCC), which could be activated by the adenosine receptor agonist 5'-(N-ethylcarboxamido)adenosine (NECA). Short-circuit current measurements revealed that NECA activates a basolateral, but not an apical, anion conductance sensitive to 4,4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2, 2'-disulfonic acid, and to 9-anthracenecarboxylic acid, but not to 4,4'-dinitrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid.

Regulation of Cl- secretion by alpha2-adrenergic receptors in mouse colonic epithelium.

Previous studies have shown that alpha2 adrenoceptor (alpha2AR) agonists inhibit electrolyte secretion in colonic epithelia, but little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved in this process. In this study we examined the effect of alpha2AR activation on transepithelial anion secretion across isolated murine colonic epithelium. We found that alpha2AR agonists, UK 14,304, clonidine and medetomidine were potent inhibitors of anion secretion, especially in the proximal colon.