Publications by authors named "Brian Adkins"

Article processing charges are increasingly being levied on authors via publication fees to provide open access to readers. These charges may impose challenges to early career physicians seeking to publish research but pathology journal article processing charges have not been investigated to date. We aimed to quantify pathology journal article processing charges and investigate the potential associated factors.

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Objectives: Inadequate laboratory infrastructure and testing capabilities are a major impediment to addressing the infectious disease burden in Africa. Therefore, the aims of this study were to characterize the clinical microbiology/infectious disease laboratory capabilities among countries in Africa.

Methods: A survey to assess the microbiological testing capabilities at hospitals, government laboratories, and free-standing public and private laboratories in African countries was developed by subject matter experts.

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Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a disorder characterized by hypogammaglobulinemia resulting in recurrent infections. While autoimmune disorders are common in patients with CVID, no association has been reported between CVID and immune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP), a disorder most often caused by autoantibodies that compromise the activity of the enzyme ADAMTS13. Reduced ADAMTS13 activity results in the accumulation of large von Willebrand factor multimers that can consume platelets and cause microvascular thrombosis and organ injury, ultimately resulting in mortality in most cases of untreated iTTP.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Hyperhemolysis syndrome (HHS) is a severe condition that leads to anemia by destroying both donor and patient red blood cells, primarily occurring after blood transfusions, and can have serious health consequences.
  • - A team from Transfusion Medicine and Hematology developed a consensus protocol for diagnosing and managing HHS, which includes specific diagnostic criteria like recent transfusion history, hemoglobin drop, and laboratory signs of hemolysis.
  • - The study emphasizes a detailed management strategy aimed at improving blood cell production while reducing the immune response to enhance patient outcomes based on current research and clinical practices.
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  • - The neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) plays a key role in transporting and protecting IgG antibodies, and researchers are exploring the potential of FcRn inhibitors to treat various immune-related diseases.
  • - Studies indicate that FcRn inhibitors can effectively lower total IgG levels without affecting its production or the levels of other antibody types, showing promise as a safer alternative to existing immunosuppressive therapies.
  • - More extensive clinical trials with diverse patient groups are needed to confirm the effectiveness and safety of FcRn inhibitors before they can become standard treatment options for hematologic conditions related to IgG antibodies.
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  • Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) results from maternal antibodies attacking the fetal red blood cells, but current clinical monitoring practices for it are inconsistent across institutions.
  • A survey of 103 US institutions revealed that while most conduct maternal antibody testing, methods and follow-up practices vary significantly, with only 27% employing cell-free fetal DNA testing to assess fetal risk.
  • The findings indicate a need for standardization in laboratory testing and improved cooperation between blood banks and maternal-fetal medicine services to better manage HDFN risk.
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Background: Trauma remains the leading cause of pediatric mortality in the United States. Although use of massive transfusion protocols (MTPs) in this population is widespread, optimal pediatric resuscitation is not well established. We sought to assess contemporary pediatric MTP practice in the United States.

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Prior studies have suggested that immune thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (iTTP) may display seasonal variation; however, methodologic limitations and sample sizes have diminished the ability to perform a rigorous assessment. This 5-year retrospective study assessed the epidemiology of iTTP and determined whether it displays a seasonal pattern. Patients with both initial and relapsed iTTP (defined as a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin type motifs 13 activity <10%) from 24 tertiary centers in Australia, Canada, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, and the US were included.

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Article Synopsis
  • A study evaluated apheresis practices in the US through a national survey involving 22 academic medical institutions to identify trends and challenges.
  • The survey revealed that therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is the most common procedure, with issues in staffing exacerbated by COVID-19 affecting service delivery.
  • Findings emphasized the importance of apheresis in cellular therapies and the need for innovative staffing solutions in the context of ongoing medical advancements and challenges.
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Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a cornerstone of modern medical practice, and can only be performed safely and effectively with appropriate transfusion medicine support. Patients undergoing HSCT often develop therapy-related cytopenia, necessitating differing blood product requirements in the pre-, peri-, and post-transplant periods. Moreover, ensuring optimal management for patients alloimmunized to human leukocyte antigens (HLA) and/or red blood cell (RBC) antigens, as well as for patients receiving ABO-incompatible transplants, requires close collaboration with transfusion medicine and blood bank professionals.

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Gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO) is a CD33 monoclonal antibody-drug conjugate currently in use to treat myeloid malignancies. A unique adverse effect of this medication is destruction of CD33 positive macrophages resulting in reduced clearance of free hemoglobin leading to grossly red plasma. This build-up of free hemoglobin can potentially lead to end organ damage and prevent performance of clinically necessary laboratory evaluation.

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Background And Objectives: Promotion in academic medicine requires evidence of the creation and dissemination of scholarly output, primarily through peer-reviewed publications. Studies demonstrate that scholarly activity and impact are lower for women physicians than for men physicians, especially during the early stages of their academic careers. This report reviewed physicians' academic productivity after passing their Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine (BBTM) subspecialty exam to determine if gender discrepancies exist.

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Objectives: Gender equity studies have shown that women are underrepresented in journal editor in chief positions, which confer major professional opportunities and influence. We sought to systematically investigate editor in chief gender and journal attributes within pathology.

Methods: We constructed a journal data set using the Scimago Journal & Country Rank and Clarivate Journal Citation Reports databases.

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