A Preliminary Study on Coagulation Parameters and Sterility of Thawed Refrozen Fresh Frozen Plasma.

Thawed fresh frozen plasma (FFP) if not used within 6 h, may have to be discarded due to the risk of contamination and uncertainty about its quality. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the levels of coagulation Factor II (FII), Factor VIII (FVIII), fibrinogen and bacterial growth in thawed refrozen FFP. Thirty FFP samples were collected from healthy donors.

Systematic Review of Normal Subjects Harbouring BCR-ABL1 Fusion Gene.

The treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) requires quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to monitor BCR-ABL1 in International Scale (IS). Some normal subjects were found to harbour BCR-ABL1. We performed a systematic review on normal subjects harbouring BCR-ABL1.

Correction to: Systematic review of pre-clinical chronic myeloid leukaemia.

The author would like to correct the error in the publication of the original article. The corrected detail is given below for your reading.

Systematic review of pre-clinical chronic myeloid leukaemia.

Background: Studies of a provisional entity pre-clinical chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML), which precedes chronic phase (CP) without leucocytosis or blood/marrow feature of CML CP, has been increasing.

Objective: To perform a systematic review of pre-clinical CML and analysis the data relevant to disease progression to CML CP.

Method: We performed a literature search on 16 July 2017 using EBSCOhost Research Databases interface and Western Pacific Region Index Medicus.

Importance of extended blood group genotyping in multiply transfused patients.

Blood group antigen systems are not limited to the ABO blood groups. There is increasing interest in the detection of extended blood group systems on the red cell surface. The conventional method used to determine extended blood group antigens or red cell phenotype is by serological testing, which is based on the detection of visible haemagglutination or the presence of haemolysis.

Anti-G with concomitant anti-C and anti-D: A case report in a pregnant woman.

The G antigen of Rh blood group system is present in almost all D-positive or C-positive red cells but absent from red cells lacking D and C antigens. The differentiation of anti-D and anti-C from anti-G is not necessary for routine transfusion; however, during pregnancy, it is important because anti-G can masquerade as anti-D and anti-C with initial antibody testing. The false presence of anti-D will exclude the patient from receiving anti-D immunoglobulin (RhIG) when the patient actually is a candidate for RhIG prophylaxis.

Double Philadelphia chromosome-positive B acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in an elderly patient.

A rare case of double Philadelphia chromosome-positive B Acute lymphoblastic Leukaemia (B-ALL) is reported here. A 60-year-old lady presented with one month history of fever, submandibular lymphadenopathy, loss of appetite and weight loss. Physical examination revealed multiple palpable cervical lymph nodes.

Small interfering RNA silencing of interleukin-6 in mesenchymal stromal cells inhibits multiple myeloma cell growth.

Studies demonstrated that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) from bone marrow stroma produced high concentration of interleukin-6 (IL-6) that promoted multiple myeloma cell growth. In view of the failure of IL-6 monoclonal antibody therapy to demonstrate substantial clinical responses in early clinical trials, more effective methods are needed in order to disrupt the favourable microenvironment provided by the bone marrow stroma. In this study, we evaluated the short interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated silencing of IL-6 in MSC and the efficacy of these genetically modified MSC, with IL-6 suppression, on inhibition of U266 multiple myeloma cell growth.

Comparison of Abtectcell III and Diamed red cell antibody screening kit for detection of clinically significant red cells alloantibody.

Antibody screening is important for the antenatal screening and pre-transfusion tests. This study aimed to compare the MUT/Mur kodecytesAbtectcell III (CSL Abtectcell III) red cell antibody screening kit with DiaMed ID-Dia Cell I-II-III Asia that was then used in our laboratory. In this study, 125 samples were randomly chosen, with 67 samples of known antibody specificities and 58 samples identified as negative for antibody, as the negative control.

Gamma irradiation and red cell haemolysis: a study at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre.

Gamma-irradiation of blood components is regarded a safe procedure used for prevention of transfusion associated graft-versus-host disease. However, reports showed that irradiation can cause erythrocyte haemolysis and damage to the RBC membrane. In University Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre (UKMMC), a number of suspected transfusion reactions (TR) featured unusual isolated episodes of red-coloured-urine or haemoglobinuria among paediatric patients without clinical features of acute haemolytic TR.

A rare case of anti-jk3 antibody detected on pre-transfusion investigation.

We report a 47-year-old Malay lady, para 4 + 1, with known medical history of hypertension whom presented at Emergency Department with severe anaemia, most likely secondary to menorrhagia caused by uterine fibroids. Her haemoglobin was 5.5 g/dl and she was transfused with three units of packed cell without any adverse reaction, her haemoglobin level increased to 9.

Incidence of Red Cell Alloantibody among the Transfusion Recipients of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre.

Red blood cell alloimmunization is a common complication among the transfusion recipients. In Malaysia, multiple ethnicity causes genetic heterogeneity among the population which in turn can cause a wide variation of antibody. The objective of this study was to analyse the red cell alloantibody detected during the pre-transfusion testing.

Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn caused by anti-D and anti-S alloantibodies: a case report.

Introduction: Hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn is most commonly caused by anti-D alloantibody. It is usually seen in Rhesus D (RhD)-negative mothers that have been previously sensitized. We report here a case of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn in a newborn baby caused by anti-D and anti-S alloantibodies, born to a mother who was RhD negative, but with no previous serological evidence of RhD alloimmunization.

Observation of dendritic cell morphology under light, phase-contrast or confocal laser scanning microscopy.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen presenting cells of the immune system. They can be generated in vitro from peripheral blood monocytes supplemented with GM-CSF, IL-4 and TNF alpha. During induction, DCs will increase in size and acquire multiple cytoplasmic projections when compared to their precursor cells such as monocytes or haematopoietic stem cells which are usually round or spherical.

Transfected human mesenchymal stem cells do not lose their surface markers and differentiation properties.

In this study, we evaluated the biological properties of human mesenchymal stem cells transfected (hMSC) with a plasmid vector expressing human cytokine interleukin-12 (IL-12). Surface markers were analysed by immunophenotyping using flow cytometry. Differentiation capability was evaluated towards adipogenesis and osteogenesis.

Molecular responses during chemotherapy in acute myeloid leukemias in predicting poor-response to standard chemotherapy.

Signal transduction pathways are constitutively expressed in leukaemic cells resulting in aberrant survival of the cells. It is postulated that in cells of chemo-sensitive patients, chemotherapy induces apoptotic signals leading to cell death while survival signals are maintained in cells of chemo-resistant patients. There is very little information currently, on the expression of these mediators in patients immediately after chemotherapy initiation.

Experimental production of clinical-grade dendritic cell vaccine for acute myeloid leukemia.

Dendritic cells (DC) are professional antigen presenting cells of the immune system. Through the use of DC vaccines (DC after exposure to tumour antigens), cryopreserved in single-use aliquots, an attractive and novel immunotherapeutic strategy is available as an option for treatment. In this paper we describe an in vitro attempt to scale-up production of clinical-grade DC vaccines from leukemic cells.

Cell viability of acute myeloid leukaemia blasts in culture correlates with treatment outcome.

Despite the advances in understanding the pathophysiology of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), the cure rate for acute myeloid leukaemia patients remains low. Cytogenetic abnormalities and age are the prognostic factors that guide treatment decisions. However, many AML patients still die.

Differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells into mesangial cells in post-glomerular injury murine model.

Aims: Adult human bone marrow contains a population of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) that contributes to the regeneration of tissues such as bone, cartilage, muscle, tendon, and fat. In recent years, it has been shown that functional stem cells exist in the adult bone marrow, and they can contribute to renal remodelling or reconstitution of injured renal glomeruli, especially mesangial cells. The purpose of this study is to examine the ability of MSC isolated from human bone marrow to differentiate into mesangial cells in glomerular injured athymic mice.

Extensive myelofibrosis responsive to treatment for acute erythroblastic leukaemia.

Intense myelofibrosis is rarely associated with de novo acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) except in acute megakaryoblastic leukaemia (AML-M7) where there is diffuse marrow fibrosis as a consequence of proliferation of neoplastic myeloid cells. AML associated with significant myelofibrosis developing both de novo or secondary to primary (idiopathic) myelofibrosis is characterised by a fulminant course and extremely poor prognosis, primarily due to treatment-resistant disease. The prognostic value of degree of marrow fibrosis in de novo AML has been poorly investigated.

Epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) or MUC1 expression in monocytes and monoblasts.

Aims: Epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) or MUC1 belongs to a heterogeneous group of heavily glycosylated proteins and is expressed in most normal and epithelial neoplastic cells. EMA is also expressed in plasma cells, anaplastic large cell lymphoma (Ki-1 antigen), malignant histiocytosis and erythroleukaemia. In 1996, Cheong et al.