Pharmacogenetics of Warfarin in a Diverse Patient Population.

Introduction: Many warfarin-related genotypes have shown to impact the average daily warfarin (ADW) dose requirements; however, information in non-Caucasian populations is limited.

Objectives: To identify the frequencies of 4 warfarin-related gene polymorphisms in an ethnically diverse patient population and to examine their impact with other clinical variables on ADW dose requirements.

Methods: Patients were recruited from 2 anticoagulation clinics in the Los Angeles area.

Assessment of Urinary Inhibitor or Promoter Activity in Uric Acid Nephrolithiasis.

Purpose: We assessed decreased inhibitor activity or increased promoter activity in the urine of idiopathic uric acid stone formers compared to nonstone formers independent of urinary pH.

Materials And Methods: A total of 30 idiopathic uric acid stone formers, and 9 obese and 12 lean nonstone formers collected 24-hour urine while on a metabolic diet. Three urine aliquots per subject were used to assess spontaneous nucleation (de novo crystal formation), crystal growth using a 0.

Basal levels of CD34 positive cells in peripheral blood differ between individuals and are stable for 18 months.

Background: Detection of basal levels of CD34 progenitor cells is a rare event analysis enumerating cells down to 1 cell/μl. A reproducible analytic approach was used in three independent clinical trials in which multiple sequential assays were obtained from the same individual.

Methods: A 4 color panel combining, HLA-DR, CD34, CD45, and CD11b was used in a dual platform analysis to quantify CD34 progenitor cells in peripheral blood, with quality control focused at the lowest measurements (i.

Effects of the renin angiotensin system on vasculogenesis-related progenitor cells.

The current concept is that there are both cells that integrate into the vasculature, true endothelial progenitor cells (EPC), and cells with hematopoietic markers that support neovascularisation. As identification of the EPC is controversial and studies refer cells that might fall into either pools, we will use the term, vasculogenesis-related progenitor cells (VRPC), for this review. VRPC are considered to be an important target for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

Comparison of semi-empirical and computer derived methods for estimating urinary saturation of calcium oxalate.

Purpose: Estimating calcium oxalate saturation in human urine is critical for nephrolithiasis clinical research and practice. The Joint Expert Speciation System (Mayhem Unit Trust and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa) computer program has questioned the validity of the widely used EQUIL 2 program in estimating calcium oxalate urinary saturation. To attempt resolution the computer model based supersaturation index (by the Joint Expert Speciation System) and the relative saturation ratio (by EQUIL 2) were compared with the experimentally derived activity product ratio, that is the ratio of activity products before and after incubating urine with synthetic calcium oxalate.

Angiotensin-(1-7) stimulates hematopoietic progenitor cells in vitro and in vivo.

Effects of angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7), an AngII metabolite, on bone marrow-derived hematopoietic cells were studied. We identified Ang-(1-7) to stimulate proliferation of human CD34(+) and mononuclear cells in vitro. Under in vivo conditions, we monitored proliferation and differentiation of human cord blood mononuclear cells in NOD/SCID mice.

New methods of assessing crystal growth and saturation of brushite in whole urine: effect of pH, calcium and citrate.

Purpose: Brushite crystallization might be important in stone formation and prevention. To explore this question new methods for the saturation and crystal growth of brushite were devised that are applicable to whole urine without any computer program.

Materials And Methods: The saturation value (concentration-to-product ratio) was determined by dividing the molar concentration product of Ca ([Ca]) and phosphate ([P]), that is [Ca] x [P], of original urine by the steady state solubility obtained after incubating with an excess of brushite (10 mg/ml) for 5 hours.