Peripheral blood (PB) CD34+ cells enumeration is currently the most reliable method to guide the timing of stem cell harvest. However, its usage is restricted by being technically challenging, costly, and time-consuming. Immature reticulocyte fraction (IRF) determination, which is simpler and cheaper and has a faster turn-around time, has been proposed for a similar purpose. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the value of IRF in guiding stem cell harvest and examine the correlation between IRF and PB CD34+ cells count. Daily pre-harvest tests, i.e. PB CD34+ cells and IRF from 21 patients scheduled for autologous PBSC transplant were assessed. Stem cells harvests were commenced when the PB CD34+ cell count were more than 10 cell/ul. A total of 205 pre-harvest tests were analysed. Following stem cell mobilisations, both the IRF and PB CD 34+ cell counts rose with a variable pattern. In this study, we observed that the IRF peaks preceded the PB CD34+ count by 2 days. On the day of stem cell harvest, all the peak IRF values were >0.3. The PB CD34+ cell counts correlated with the harvested stem cell yield, whereby r2 = 0.77, p < 0.021. In autologous stem cell mobilisation, we believe that IRF is a useful screening tool to predict the rise of the PB CD34+ cell counts as it is a simple, fast and less costly. An IRF of > 0.3 may be used as a cut-off value for the initiation of PB CD34+ quantification prior to stem cell harvest.
Atherosclerosis is initiated by damage to the endothelium followed by accumulation of inflammation tissue, foam cell formation, migration and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cell and rupture of the plaque causing formation of thrombus. The study aims to determine the anti-atherogenic or inflammatory effect of BVFCE and its underlying mechanism in in vivo model. Five groups of four rabbits were treated with normal diet (Group I), Berberis vulgaris fruit aqueous extract [25mg/kg(group II), 50mg/kg (group III) bodyweight], aspirin 30mg/kg bodyweight (group IV) and cholesterol 2% (group V) for 10 weeks of treatments. At the end of the study, the rabbits blood were collected and aorta harvested post euthanized. Serum of the blood tested for cytokines (interleukin- 6 and tumour necrosis factor – alpha while aortic plaque composition of intimal and medial cell population in aorta was assessed by macrophages specific antibody called monoclonal mouse antibody directed against RAM-11 using immunohistology-staining techniques. The fatty streak lesion were analysed macroscopically by Sudan IV and microscopically by using the Olympus Cell ^F Imaging software and served to compute intimal area. The total macrophage-rich (RAM-11-positive) area measured using a manual contrast-based, area analysis function of the Olympus Cell ^F Imaging software. Macrophage density calculated as the ratio between macrophage and intimal areas. The RAM-11– positive were cells identified by brown staining, were divided by the total number of intimal and medial cells. Macrophage infiltration into the aorta wall showed dose dependent inhibition RAM11- positive cells in the vessel wall from 1.1 ± 1.2% of total cells with Berberis vulgaris 25mg/kg to 0.58 ±1.8% with Berberis vulgaris extract (50mg/kg) while positive control showed 1.9 ± 1.1%. This study demonstrates that Berberis vulgaris fruit aqueous extract is associated with changes in rabbit aorta plaque composition that favor lesion stability, by a reduction in lipid content and inflammation, in this case, interleukin -6 and macrophages, which gave an effect of anti -inflammation.
Introduction: This is a preliminary result of an on-going randomised cross-over trial to
compare the effects of consuming yellowstripe scad (YSS) and salmon, both rich in omega-3
fatty acids, on lipid profile, fasting glucose, body weight status, and blood pressure among
healthy overweight adults.
Methods: Fifty healthy overweight Malaysians aged 21-55 years
were recruited voluntarily through advertisements. During the first period of intervention,
subjects were randomised equally to receive eight weeks of either steamed whole YSS fish
(YSS group) or salmon fillet (salmon group), three days per week, obtaining approximately
7000 mg EPA+DHA per week. The diets were switched after an eight-week washout
period. Lipid profile, fasting glucose, body mass index, and blood pressure were evaluated
before and after each intervention period.
Results: The mean ages of YSS group (n=25)
and salmon (n=25) group were 30.6±9.1 and 27.9±7.1 years respectively. Both groups had
no statistically significant differences on socio-demographic characteristics (p>0.05). After
the first intervention period, there was a significant increase in total cholesterol within
the YSS group (p0.05). Both YSS and salmon
groups had significantly higher HDL-cholesterol levels after 8 weeks compared to baseline
(p0.05). However, there was a significant effect of time on
diastolic blood pressure (p
HbA1c is an established index of glycaemic control and correlates strongly with risk of chronic diabetic complications. However, the accuracy of HbA1c measurement can be affected by many factors, among which is the presence of haemoglobin (Hb) variants. The aim of the study was to determine the percentage of Hb variant detected during HbA1c monitoring in Hospital Kuala Lumpur. The study also analysed non-reportable HbA1c results in the presence of Hb variants. A cross-sectional study using retrospective data of HbA1c results over five months’ period was analysed on Biorad Variant II Turbo, a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay. The Hb variants were grouped either as HbS, HbC, others (Hb variant apart from HbS or C), and a combination of HbS or C with Others. A total of 11,904 patients were included. Only 2.3% (273) had Hb variants; HbS trait (10.3%), others (89%), and the combination of HbS trait with others (0.7%). No patient with HbC variant or its combination was found. Only 2.2% of those with Hb variant had non-reportable HbA1c. Although the percentage of Hb variants detected during HbA1c analysis and non-reportable HbA1c results were low, their presence should be noted.