Determination of age-dependent bone marrow normocellularity.

Objectives: Determination of bone marrow cellularity is a key part of bone marrow examination because it provides a small window into a patient's current state of hematopoietic well-being. Traditionally, bone marrow cellularity is estimated semiquantitatively through microscopic examination of core biopsy specimens harvested from the iliac crest of the pelvic bone. Bone marrow cellularity is then designated as hypercellular, normocellular, or hypocellular based on the patient's age.

Antibacterial and Biofilm Degradation Effects of Hungarian Honeys Linked With Botanical Origin, Antioxidant Capacity and Mineral Content.

The aim of the study was to assess the impact of four unifloral honeys on the food-borne pathogens and , by analyzing the honeys' antibacterial and biofilm degradation effects, as well as their antioxidant activity and element content. Linden and milkweed honeys represented light colored honeys, while goldenrod and chestnut honeys the darker ones. The botanical origin of the honeys and the relative frequency of their pollen types were established with melissopalynological analysis.

Bone Marrow Collection: Comparison of Unassisted vs Assisted Bedside Collections by a Laboratory Technologist.

Objectives: Bone marrow collections are often difficult, and creating quality smears and touch preparations at the bedside can prove challenging. The objective of this study is to compare the quality of bone marrow specimens between unassisted and assisted bone marrow collections by a bone marrow technologist.

Methods: Data for this study were collected from 422 hematopathology reports over 14 months.

Inhibition of interleukin-1 signaling enhances elimination of tyrosine kinase inhibitor-treated CML stem cells.

Treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) with BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) fails to eliminate leukemia stem cells (LSC). Patients remain at risk for relapse, and additional approaches to deplete CML LSC are needed to enhance the possibility of discontinuing TKI treatment. We have previously reported that expression of the pivotal proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) is increased in CML bone marrow.

Dasatinib-Induced Colitis after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation for Philadelphia Chromosome-Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

The tyrosine kinase inhibitor dasatinib is often used after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation to treat minimal residual disease in Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Colitis, sometimes hemorrhagic, has occasionally been described with the use of dasatinib for both chronic myeloid leukemia and Ph+ ALL. The pathogenesis of dasatinib-induced colitis is unclear but may be related to effects of dasatinib on immune function.

High-density lipopoprotein antioxidant capacity, subpopulation distribution and paraoxonase-1 activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: The causes of increased cardiovascular risk in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are not understood thoroughly, although presence of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and disease-specific agents were also proposed. In this study, we investigated the quantitative changes in the lipid profile, as well as qualitative characteristics of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and markers of inflammation and disease activity in SLE patients.

Methods: Lipoprotein levels were determined in 51 SLE patients and 49 healthy controls, matched in age and gender.

Strong correlations between circulating chemerin levels and lipoprotein subfractions in nondiabetic obese and nonobese subjects.

Objective: Chemerin is a recently described adipokine expressed primarily in the white adipose tissue. Compared with lean subjects, circulating chemerin levels are significantly elevated in obese individuals and correlate positively with the prevalence of various cardiovascular risk factors including altered lipoprotein levels. To date, the impact of chemerin on lipoprotein subfractions and its role in atherosclerotic processes are still unclear.

Characterization of bone marrow mast cells in acute myeloid leukemia with t(8;21) (q22;q22); RUNX1-RUNX1T1.

Mast cells are often increased in AML with t(8;21). We analyzed characteristics of mast cells to elucidate their relationship with leukemic blasts. In 31 cases in which the results of KIT mutation analysis were available, five cases showed mutations.

Pediatric mast cell sarcoma of temporal bone with novel L799F (2395 C>T) KIT mutation, mimicking histiocytic neoplasm.

Mast cell sarcoma (MCS) is an extremely rare neoplasm with a clinically aggressive course. Because of its rarity, its morphologic and molecular characteristics are still not well defined. We report a case of a 15-year-old girl with MCS of the temporal bone extending into the posterior fossa creating a mass effect.

Characterization of a novel high-density lipoprotein antioxidant capacity assay and its application to high-density lipoprotein fractions.

Objectives: High-density lipoprotein (HDL) inhibits low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation therefore it is involved in the prevention of atherogenesis. HDL particles originating from different persons possess different antioxidant activities. Our aim was to establish a method for the measurement of HDL antioxidant capacity, which is suitable for testing the antioxidant activity of HDL samples in a wide range and produces data relevant to in vivo HDL-LDL interactions.

Deviations in circulating TNFα levels and TNFα production by mononuclear cells in healthy human populations.

Objectives: Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) plays a pivotal role in the inflammatory host response. The serum-level of TNFα and the production of TNFα by lympho/monocytes, however, seem to show high individual variations. The goal of the present study was to investigate the variations and inducibility of TNFα-activity in two age-groups of healthy volunteers.

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant for peripheral T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma results in long-term disease control.

The study analyzed outcomes of a consecutive case series of 37 patients with peripheral T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, from related and unrelated donors, using allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (allo-HCT), between the years 2000 and 2007. All patients were pretreated; the majority had either relapsed or progressive disease (n = 25, 68%), 13 had cutaneous histologies (CTCL), and all were ineligible for autologous transplant. Fully ablative conditioning regimens were used in 13 patients while 24 patients underwent reduced intensity conditioning (RIC).

High-dose therapy and autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation in peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL): analysis of prognostic factors.

Patients with peripheral T cell lymphoma (PTCL) have a poor prognosis with current treatment approaches. We examined the outcomes of high-dose therapy (HDT) and autologous hematopoietic cell transplant (AHCT) on the treatment of PTCL and the impact of patient/disease features on long-term outcome. Sixty-seven patients with PTCL-not otherwise specified (n = 30), anaplastic large cell lymphoma (n = 30), and angioimmunoblastic T cell lymphoma (n = 7) underwent HDT/AHCT at the City of Hope.

Evaluation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia by BAC-based microarray analysis.

Background: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a highly variable disease with life expectancies ranging from months to decades. Cytogenetic findings play an integral role in defining the prognostic significance and treatment for individual patients.

Results: We have evaluated 25 clinical cases from a tertiary cancer center that have an established diagnosis of CLL and for which there was prior cytogenetic and/or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) data.

Assessing karyotype precision by microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization in the myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative syndromes.

Background: Recent genome-wide microarray-based research investigations have revealed a high frequency of submicroscopic copy number alterations (CNAs) in the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), suggesting microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) has the potential to detect new clinically relevant genomic markers in a diagnostic laboratory.

Results: We performed an exploratory study on 30 cases of MDS, myeloproliferative neoplasia (MPN) or evolving acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (% bone marrow blasts ≤ 30%, range 0-30%, median, 8%) by aCGH, using a genome-wide bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) microarray. The sample data were compared to corresponding cytogenetics, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and clinical-pathological findings.

Immune monitoring with iTAg MHC Tetramers for prediction of recurrent or persistent cytomegalovirus infection or disease in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients: a prospective multicenter study.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients despite the introduction of posttransplantation viral monitoring and preemptive antiviral therapy. We evaluated the use of HLA class I tetramers in monitoring CMV-specific T-cell recovery to predict patients at risk for CMV-related complications. This prospective multicenter clinical trial obtained nearly 1400 tetramer/allele results in more than 800 biweekly blood samples from 83 patients monitored for 1 year after transplantation.

Therapy-related acute lymphoblastic leukemia without 11q23 abnormality: report of six cases and a literature review.

Therapy-related acute lymphoblastic leukemia (t-ALL) is a rare secondary leukemia following chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy for primary malignancies. Chromosomal 11q23 abnormality, frequently detected in therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia, is the most common cytogenetic alteration in t-ALL. However, t-ALL cases without 11q23 abnormality have been rarely described.

Improved outcomes using tacrolimus/sirolimus for graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis with a reduced-intensity conditioning regimen for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant as treatment of myelofibrosis.

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) using reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimens is a potentially curative treatment for patients (patients) with myelofibrosis (MF), as we and others have reported. Nonrelapse mortality (NRM) from graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and other complications has limited the success of this approach. As part of an ongoing prospective research study at City of Hope, a combination of tacrolimus/sirolimus +/- methotrexate (MTX) for GVHD prophylaxis has become the standard treatment for our allogeneic HCT patients.

Does MDS with der(1;7)(q10;p10) constitute a distinct risk group? A retrospective single institutional analysis of clinical/pathologic features compared to -7/del(7q) MDS.

The der(1;7)(q10;p10) aberration is observed in about 1-3% of the myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and less commonly in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and the myeloproliferative disorders. This unbalanced translocation is considered a "variant" of the del(7q)/-7 subgroup and has been assigned a poor risk karyotype score in the MDS International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS). Recent reports suggest der(1;7) MDS should be considered a discrete MDS subgroup with an intermediate, not poor, karyotype score.

Malignant hemangiopericytoma arising in neurofibromatosis: a case report with histological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies.

Subject. A 27-year-old Hispanic male with clinical manifestation of neurofibromatosis type 1 developed chronic constipation and urination difficulty along with recently increased abdominal bloating and anorexia. He also noted 40 lbs weight loss over period of 1 year.

Aberrant expression of CD7 in myeloblasts is highly associated with de novo acute myeloid leukemias with FLT3/ITD mutation.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with normal cytogenetics represents approximately 40% to 50% of de novo AML. This heterogeneous AML subgroup constitutes the single largest cytogenetic group with an intermediate prognosis. Previous studies have suggested that the Fms-like tyrosine kinase-3 internal tandem duplication (FLT3/ITD) mutation-positive de novo AML may represent a distinctive subgroup of AML.

Impact of graft cell dose on transplant outcomes following unrelated donor allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation: higher CD34+ cell doses are associated with decreased relapse rates.

Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) have been increasingly used in the matched unrelated donor (MUD) transplant setting, but the impact of CD34(+) cell dose on outcomes in this setting have not been well characterized. We analyzed 181 consecutive patients who underwent MUD-PBSC transplantation at the City of Hope between August 2000 to December 2004. Patients were conditioned with either full-intensity regimen or reduced-intensity regimen.