Lack of cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific cell-mediated immune response using QuantiFERON-CMV assay in CMV-seropositive healthy volunteers: fact not artifact.

The QuantiFERON-CMV (QF) assay measures cell-mediated immunity against cytomegalovirus (CMV-CMI), which is particularly useful in individuals susceptible to CMV infection such as transplant patients. A positive QF result identifies patients that are better protected against CMV infection. However, the significance of a negative QF result in CMV-seropositive individuals needs to be clarified.

Noninvasive prenatal diagnosis by cell-free DNA screening for fetomaternal HPA-1a platelet incompatibility.

Background: The development of new noninvasive approaches for the diagnosis of human platelet antigen (HPA)-1 fetomaternal incompatibility has become of great interest. These approaches allow determination of whether the fetus is incompatible or not with the mother and a decision on antenatal therapy to avoid fetal or neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT). The objective of this work was to perform rapid, noninvasive prenatal test for HPA-1ab fetal antigen detection after the detection of an HPA-1-homozygous mother by using plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA).

Incompleteness and not just right experiences in the explanation of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

In the past decade, not just right experiences (NJRE) and incompleteness (INC) have attracted renewed interest as putative motivators of symptoms in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), beyond harm avoidance (HA). This study examines, in 267 non-clinical undergraduates and 47 OCD patients, the differential contributions of HA, INC, and NJRE to the different OCD symptom dimensions and the propensity to have the disorder. The results indicate that although both the NJRE and INC range from normality to OCD, their number and intensity significantly increase as the obsessional tendencies increase, which suggests that they are vulnerability markers for OCD.

Flex center method versus center method for endothelial corneal evaluation in eye banking: a comparative analysis.

Specular microscopy can provide a non-invasive morphological analysis of the cornea endothelial cell layer. A variety of analysis programs are available to determine corneal endothelial quality. The flex-center endothelial analysis method (Konan Inc) is a newer technique including the outermost digitized cells and thus increases the number of cells for analysis.

In vitro susceptibility of high virulence microorganisms isolated in heart valve banking.

Storage preparation of human heart valves for implants generally includes incubation in an antimicrobial disinfection solution and cryopreservation. Changes in patterns of microorganisms susceptibility to antibiotics is a variable process of that promote its inefficiency. The aim of this study has been an evaluation of in vitro susceptibility of high virulence microorganisms isolated in our tissue bank for 14 years in order to evaluate the efficiency, and to promote changes for further antibiotics mixtures as well.

Evaluation of tissue discards after implementation of anti-HBc test in a tissue bank in Spain.

The recent introduction as a minimum test required in The Guide to Safety and Quality Assurance for Organs, Tissues and Cells (Council Europe) and the Directive 2004/23/EC applied to donation, procurement, testing, processing, preservation, storage and distribution of human cells and tissues make necessary the implementation of these markers in all European Tissue Establishments. In this study we have analyzed the impact in tissues discard by introducing anti-HBc in a European Tissue Establishment in a country with a high prevalence of HBV infection. The adoption of this exclusion criteria in this region results in acceptably rejection rates among tissue donors, although some studies are needed on basis a risk assessment to determine the eligibility for clinical use.

Evaluation and utility of new CE marked containers (CELLFLEX-MacoPharma) for bone bank.

In order to guarantee the required level of quality for our Bone &Tissue Banking, we evaluated a new CE marked container (CELLFLEX MacoPharma), for packing, transport, processing and storage of bones for therapeutic use. The use of CE marked containers is mandatory for organ and tissue containers (Medical Device Directive 93/42). We carried out a three-phase study: (1)Evaluation, (2) Implementation, (3)Audit The product was evaluated for the following criteria:Dash mechanical resistance, Dash air tightness, Dash fragility, Dash capacity.

Implementation of a Quality Plan (ISO 9002) In a Regional Tissue Bank.

Quality control and standardized preservation methods are essential in the field of transplantation. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has established a common set of manufacturing, trade and communications standards that are applicable worldwide and that provide the basis of a quality plan for Tissuebreak Banks.The Sectorial Tissue Banking (STB) of the Regional Blood Transfusion Center (RBTC) of Córdoba (Spain) is a non-profit-making tissue bank, established in 1992 to provide tissues for surgical procedures to the hospitals in a regional area.

Acute Chagas' disease in a recipient of a bone marrow transplant in Spain: case report.

Chagas' disease (American trypanosomiasis) is a very uncommon disease in non-endemic areas. A few cases in immunosuppressed patients have been reported in America. This report describes, to our knowledge, the first fatal case of acute Chagas' disease in Europe following bone marrow transplantation.

Handicraft or interactional groups: a comparative outcome study of neurotic inpatients.

A comparative outcome study of 2 contrasting activity-based groups with 80 hospitalized nonpsychotic patients is described. One group focused on activities designed to evoke emotional or interpersonal reactions followed by a subsequent reflection. The other focused on handicrafts and non-emotionally challenging activities.

Clinical results of TBI for bone marrow transplantation at Sevilla.

We report on a series on 81 patients affected with acute leukemia undergoing TBI prior to BMT. An analysis of the achieved results is given, emphasizing the limited incidence of interstitial pneumonitis in our patients (3.7%).

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation versus chemotherapy in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in second complete remission.

Seventy-six patients between the ages of 2 and 17 years with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) achieved a second complete remission induced by polychemotherapy. Twenty-one had an HLA-identical donor and underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) after conditioning with total body irradiation and cyclophosphamide. The remaining 55 patients lacked a suitable donor and received intensive chemotherapy as treatment.

[Bone marrow necrosis as a manifestation of leukemic relapse in a patient with bone marrow transplant].

A case of bone marrow necrosis (BMN) in transplanted acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is presented. The propositus is a 16 year-old boy with L-2 type ALL on whom allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) had been performed after the second relapse. He was admitted to hospital at 415 after BMT with fever, malaise and hip pain.

Cyclosporin A versus methotrexate, followed by rescue with folinic acid as prophylaxis of acute graft-versus-host disease after bone marrow transplantation.

Fifty-seven patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation were randomly assigned to receive either cyclosporin A (CsA, n = 26) or methotrexate, followed by rescue with folinic acid (MTX + FA, n = 31) as prophylaxis for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). All patients but one receiving CsA had evidence of sustained engraftment, and there was no difference between the two groups on the day in which marrow engraftment was documented. Oropharyngeal mucositis was of similar incidence and severity in the two groups.