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Cytoplasmic FMR1-interacting protein 2 (CYFIP2) is an evolutionarily conserved protein with a critical role in brain development and function. As a key component of the WAVE regulatory complex, CYFIP2 regulates actin cytoskeleton dynamics, essential for maintaining proper neuronal morphology and circuit formation. Recent studies have also shown that CYFIP2 interacts with various RNA-binding proteins, suggesting its involvement in mRNA processing and translation in neurons. Since 2018, de novo CYFIP2 variants have been identified in patients with neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly developmental and epileptic encephalopathy and West syndrome, characterized by early-onset intractable seizures, intellectual disability, microcephaly, and developmental delay. This review summarizes these CYFIP2 variants and examines their potential impact on the molecular functions of CYFIP2, focusing on its roles in regulating actin dynamics and mRNA processing/translation. Additionally, we review various Cyfip2 mouse models, highlighting the insights they offer into CYFIP2 function, dysfunction, and clinical relevance. Finally, we discuss future research directions aimed at better understanding CYFIP2-associated neurodevelopmental disorders and potential therapeutic strategies., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate whether a 2-week period of daily isoagglutinin titer testing after ABO-incompatible kidney transplantation (ABOi-KT) is sufficient to ensure successful engraftment and to advocate for an extension of the monitoring duration in specific situations., Methods: We reviewed patients from January 2022 to December 2023 at Asan Medical Center who underwent therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) due to elevated ABO antibody titers and suspected acute antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) after ABOi-KT. Data collected included pre- and posttransplantation laboratory results, clinical and procedural information, imaging studies, and needle biopsy results of the renal graft., Results: We encountered 3 cases of acute AMR 2 weeks after transplantation. All cases exhibited simultaneous increases in anti-ABO antibody isoagglutinin titers, creatinine, and C-reactive protein levels. Clinical signs, including fever, suggested possible infection, and renal graft biopsy, confirmed AMR in all cases. Two cases underwent graftectomy, while the third recovered renal function after conservative treatment, including TPE., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that a 2-week monitoring period for isoagglutinin titers after ABOi-KT may not be sufficient to detect late AMR. Extending the monitoring duration and considering lifelong fresh-frozen plasma transfusion with graft-compatible blood types, along with periodic isoagglutinin titer testing in cases of suspected AMR, may improve long-term graft outcomes., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of American Society for Clinical Pathology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Spin-orbit interactions arise whenever the bulk inversion symmetry and/or structural inversion symmetry of a crystal is broken providing a bridge between a qubit's spin and orbital degree of freedom. While strong interactions can facilitate fast qubit operations by all-electrical control, they also provide a mechanism to couple charge noise thereby limiting qubit lifetimes. Previously believed to be negligible in bulk silicon, recent silicon nano-electronic devices have shown larger than bulk spin-orbit coupling strengths from Dresselhaus and Rashba couplings. Here, it is shown that with precision placement of phosphorus atoms in silicon along the [110] direction (without inversion symmetry) or [111] direction (with inversion symmetry), a wide range of Dresselhaus and Rashba coupling strength can be achieved from zero to 1113 × 10 -13 eV-cm. It is shown that with precision placement of phosphorus atoms, the local symmetry (C 2v , D 2d , and D 3d ) can be changed to engineer spin-orbit interactions. Since spin-orbit interactions affect both qubit operation and lifetimes, understanding their impact is essential for quantum processor design., (© 2024 Silicon Quantum Computing Pty Ltd. Advanced Materials published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Background and Objectives: The Writing Committee of American Society for Apheresis released the ninth edition of guidelines for therapeutic apheresis in 2023. Categories have been a part of the guidelines since the first edition, and the grading system was introduced in the fifth edition, with updates in every new edition. In this study, we investigated the category and grade change trends through the latest five editions, focusing on therapeutic plasma exchange, to suggest future directions as part of evidence-based medicine., Materials and Methods: Categories and grades for therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) were collected and analysed from the fifth through ninth editions. We aligned classification changes to the ninth edition's clinical context and compared its categories and grades with those introduced in the guideline., Results: Among 166 total indications in the ninth edition, 118 included TPE procedure, either as a sole treatment or as one of the therapeutic apheresis techniques. The total number of indications changed, but Category III remained predominant throughout the editions. Similarly, Grade 2C consistently emerged as the most prevalent grade. Notably, 24 cases had grade changes. Of the 16 cases with evidence quality changes, the quality weakened in six and improved in 10. Evidence levels were not improved throughout the study period for 102 clinical conditions., Conclusion: To address gaps in evidence quality, international collaboration is imperative to establish comprehensive large-scale studies or randomized controlled trials. This will refine the use of therapeutic apheresis, including TPE, to foster evidence-based advancements in clinical practice., (© 2024 International Society of Blood Transfusion.)

Universal quantum computing requires fast single- and two-qubit gates with individual qubit addressability to minimize decoherence errors during processor operation. Electron spin qubits using individual phosphorus donor atoms in silicon have demonstrated long coherence times with high fidelities, providing an attractive platform for scalable quantum computing. While individual qubit addressability has been demonstrated by controlling the hyperfine interaction between the electron and nuclear wave function in a global magnetic field, the small hyperfine Stark coefficient of 0.34 MHz/MV m -1 achieved to date has limited the speed of single quantum gates to ∼42 μs to avoid rotating neighboring qubits due to power broadening from the antenna. The use of molecular 2P qubits with more than one donor atom has not only demonstrated fast (0.8 ns) two-qubit SWAP gates and long spin relaxation times of ∼30 s but provides an alternate way to achieve high selectivity of the qubit resonance frequency. Here, we show in two different devices that by placing the donors with comparable interatomic spacings (∼0.8 nm) but along different crystallographic axes, either the [110] or [310] orientations using STM lithography, we can engineer the hyperfine Stark shift from 1 MHz/MV m -1 to 11.2 MHz/MV m -1 , respectively, a factor of 10 difference. NEMO atomistic calculations show that larger hyperfine Stark coefficients of up to ∼70 MHz/MV m -1 can be achieved within 2P molecules by placing the donors ≥5 nm apart. When combined with Gaussian pulse shaping, we show that fast single qubit gates with 2π rotation times of 10 ns and ∼99% fidelity single qubit operations are feasible without affecting neighboring qubits. By increasing the single qubit gate time to ∼550 ns, two orders of magnitude faster than previously measured, our simulations confirm that >99.99% single qubit control fidelities are achievable.

Background: Accurate determination of microsatellite instability (MSI) status is critical for optimal treatment in cancer patients. Conventional MSI markers can sometimes display subtle shifts that are difficult to interpret, especially in non-colorectal cases. We evaluated an experimental eight marker-panel including long mononucleotide repeat (LMR) markers for detection of MSI., Methods: The eight marker-panel was comprised of five conventional markers (BAT-25, BAT-26, NR-21, NR-24, and NR-27) and three LMR markers (BAT-52, BAT-59 and BAT-62). MSI testing was performed against 300 specimens of colorectal, gastric, and endometrial cancers through PCR followed by capillary electrophoresis length analysis., Results: The MSI testing with eight marker-panel showed 99.3% (295/297) concordance with IHC analysis excluding 3 MMR-focal deficient cases. The sensitivity of BAT-59 and BAT-62 was higher than or comparable to that of conventional markers in gastric and endometrial cancer. The mean shift size was larger in LMR markers compared to conventional markers for gastric and endometrial cancers., Conclusions: The MSI testing with eight maker-panel showed comparable performance with IHC analysis. The LMR markers, especially BAT-59 and BAT-62, showed high sensitivity and large shifts which can contribute to increased confidence in MSI classification, especially in gastric and endometrial cancers. Further study is needed with large number of samples for the validation of these LMR markers., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Introduction: The unexpected antibody test is an essential for ensuring the safety of blood transfusions. In infants, different pre-transfusion tests and transfusion strategies are needed due to their immature antigen/antibody system. This study aims to analyze the pattern of unexpected antibodies and their clinical significance in infants., Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the results of unexpected antibody identification tests performed on infants under one year of age at Asan Medical Center from 1999 to 2022. Patients' unexpected antibody identification test results and clinical information were investigated. The results of unexpected antibody identification and phenotype of each patient's mother were collected., Results: 45 cases of antibody results were studied. 25 cases were found in infants under 4 months of age, and 18 cases (76%) were associated with hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). The most common unexpected antibody in infants was anti-M (17 cases). There was one case of severe HDFN caused by anti-M. In 10 cases, anti-E and anti-c were found together, and 9 of these cases were associated with HDFN. There were four cases with a history of previous transfusion., Conclusions: Non-ABO antibodies found in infants showed a different pattern compared to adults. Interpreting unexpected antibody tests in infants, it is important to consider the clinical status of the infant and the test results of the mother, due to possibility of HDFN. To our knowledge, this is the first study to reveal the distribution and clinical significances of unexpected antibodies found in infants in Korea., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Previous studies on the immunogenicity of blood group antigens have utilized a formula incorporating antigen frequencies and relative frequencies of unexpected antibodies to the corresponding antigens. This study was aimed at investigating other variables potentially affecting the estimation of immunogenicity using this formula. We examined the effect of multiple transfusions, as there are more chance for a recipient to receive repeated transfusions rather than only once; the effect of antigen density, which may vary depending on homozygote/heterozygote; and the effect of unreliability of the observed frequency of rare antibodies and antigens. For multiple transfusions, the expected antibody frequency increased as the number of transfusions increased. For antigen density, the immunogenicity was falsely low for the low-prevalence antigen, and this tendency intensified as the effect of antigen density increased. Expected antibody frequencies were significantly affected by the uncertainties caused by estimation of small numbers. This study showed that the effects of various factors on the immunogenicity of blood group antigens depended on the antigen frequency. Estimating the immunogenicity of blood group antigens requires acknowledging the diverse factors that can affect it and interpreting the findings with caution., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: The immunogenicity of a blood group antigen is a measure of its likelihood of inducing alloantibodies. Although the immunogenicity of blood group antigens has been analyzed in Caucasian populations, immunogenicity to date has not been analyzed in Asian subjects. The present study therefore evaluated the relative immunogenicity of blood group antigens in a Korean population., Study Design and Methods: All available data of unexpected antibody identification tests performed at Asan Medical Center between 1997 and 2021 were analyzed. The relative immunogenicity of a blood group antigen relative to K antigen was calculated based on relative numbers of alloantibodies and the probabilities of antigen-negative recipients receiving antigen-positive RBC units., Results: A total of 3898 antibody identification results were included, with 1632 (41.9 %) from male patients. The ranking of antigen immunogenicity was: E > c > e > C > K > Jk(a) > Lu(a) > S > Fy(a) > Fy(b) > Jk(b) > Di(b) > Di(a) in the total population and E > c > e > C > Jk(a) > Fy(a) > Fy(b) > S > K > Lu(a) > Jk(b) > Di(b) > Di(a) in male patients., Discussion: The rank order of immunogenicity for blood group antigens in this study provides information about relative immunogenecity in Koreans. These findings also provide supporting evidence regarding antigen selection for extended antigen-matched transfusions in recipients of multiple transfusions., Competing Interests: Conflict of interests None., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

ABO antibodies occur naturally and usually exist as alloantibodies. They are the most clinically significant in cases of transfusions. However, there are very few reports on auto-anti-A or B. A 58-year-old man visited our hospital for evaluation of an inguinal mass. Blood typing was performed, while preparing the patient for an excisional biopsy. Forward and reverse typing showed a typical AB and A pattern. Results of the direct antiglobulin and unexpected antibody screening tests were negative. The serum did not react with AB3 cells. The biopsy revealed a diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. After completing four cycles of R-CHOP chemotherapy, the patient achieved complete remission. There were no anti-B antibodies found on repeat ABO typing. This report shares our experience on unexpected anti-B antibody findings in a patient with an A1B blood type. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of anti-B antibodies in a patient with an A1B blood type in Korea., Competing Interests: Conflict of interests All authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest relevant to this manuscript submitted to the journal., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

State preparation and measurement of single-electron spin qubits typically rely on spin-to-charge conversion where a spin-dependent charge transition of the electron is detected by a coupled charge sensor. For high-fidelity, fast readout, this process requires that the qubit energy is much larger than the temperature of the system limiting the temperature range for measurements. Here, we demonstrate an initialization and measurement technique that involves voltage ramps rather than static voltages allowing us to achieve state-to-charge readout fidelities above 99% for qubit energies almost half that required by traditional methods. This previously unidentified measurement technique is highly relevant for achieving high-fidelity electron spin readout at higher temperature operation and offers a number of pragmatic benefits compared to traditional energy-selective readout such as real-time dynamic feedback and minimal alignment procedures.

Objective: We compared the clinical outcomes of recipients of ABO-incompatible (ABOi) kidney transplantation (KT) according to the blood group of the plasma transfused., Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 60 recipients of ABOi-KT with blood type O and A or B donors. Demographic and clinical characteristics were compared between 2 groups of recipients: 1 group received AB plasma regardless of the donor's blood type (n = 30), and the other group received donor-type plasma (n = 30)., Results: There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of demographic characteristics. Transfusion of donor-type plasma was noninferior to transfusion of type AB plasma in terms of both rejection-free survival and rejection rate (P = .455, P = .335)., Conclusion: There was no significant prognostic difference between the 2 groups. In terms of blood supply and inventory management, we suggest that the blood group of the plasma should match the donor's type., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of American Society for Clinical Pathology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The accurate measurement of ABO antibodies is essential for successful ABO-incompatible solid organ transplantation. Titration using two-fold dilution is considered a standard method and is applied in most laboratories. However, this titration method has inherent limitations, including differences in methods between laboratories, a lack of standardization, its semiquantitative nature, and the difficulty of considering the results to be representative of the in vivo activity of ABO antibodies. Various measurement methods other than titration have been developed, and new methods continue to be introduced. Physicians and laboratory specialists who are involved in ABO-incompatible solid organ transplantation need to fully understand these methods for optimal patient management., (Copyright © 2022 The Korean Society for Transplantation.)

Background and objectives: The ABO antibody (Ab) titration tests are used in monitoring in ABO-incompatible (ABOi) solid organ transplantation (SOT). However, currently developed ABO Ab tests show Ab binding reactions. This study attempted to measure ABO Ab level using complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC). Materials and methods: We studied 93 blood group O serum samples from patients who underwent ABOi SOT from January 2019 to May 2021. Patients’ sera were incubated with A1 or B cells and added to a human complement solution. Supernatants were collected after centrifugation, and free hemoglobin (Hb) was measured by spectrophotometry. We converted plasma Hb value to hemolysis (%), which were compared with ABO Ab titer. Results: We found a mild correlation between hemolysis and ABO Ab titers. In simple regression analysis, the correlation coefficients were within 0.3660−0.4968 (p < 0.0001) before transplantation. In multiple linear regression analysis, anti-A hemolysis (%) was higher in immunoglobulin M (IgM) (β = 12.9) than in immunoglobulin G (IgG) (β = −3.4) (R2 = 0.5216). Anti-B hemolysis was higher in IgM (β = 8.7) than in IgG (β = 0.0) (R2 = 0.5114). There was a large variation in hemolysis within the same Ab titer. Conclusions: CDC can be used in a new trial for ABO Ab measurement. Furthermore, IgM rather than IgG seems to play a significant role in vivo activity, consistent with previous knowledge. Thus, this study may help in the development of the ABO Ab titration supplement test for post-transplant treatment policy establishment and pre-transplant desensitization.

Objective: We designed a study to compare the efficacy of cryoprecipitate-reduced plasma (CRP) and fresh frozen plasma (FFP), at the level of individual sessions, for treating refractory thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) with therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE)., Materials and Methods: Platelet counts (× 10³/μL) and lactate dehydrogenase (LD; IU/L) levels were measured before and after each session. We compared the mean-percentage and absolute changes in platelet count and LD after each TPE session., Results: The data from 33 patients treated for TMA between 2009 and 2018 were collected for this study. Both absolute and percentage increases in the platelet count were statistically significant (P = .003 and P = .011, respectively) when CRP was used. However, when patients were divided into subgroups according to specific diagnosis, no significant differences were found among the groups, except in terms of the absolute platelet count increase in the thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura group (P <.001)., Conclusion: The platelet count increase was higher when patients received CRP than when they received FFP. We found that CRP may be a rescue option for patients with refractory TMA., (© American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2021. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: To ensure safe red blood cell (RBC) transfusion practice, it is important to comply with storage and transport requirements of RBC units. We conducted a comprehensive survey on the practice of RBC transport and storage to explore the awareness of and compliance with the 30-minute rule, the current status of RBC unit transport, and possible utility of temperature indicators (TIs) to reduce RBC wastage., Methods: From June to August of 2019, 64 blood bank physicians (14 questions) in 64 secondary- and tertiary-care hospitals and 673 nurses (13 questions) in 42 tertiary-care hospitals replied to a questionnaire survey. The results of the survey were analyzed with descriptive statistics., Results: Among the physicians surveyed, 97.0% (N=62) of hospitals had transfusion guidelines in place. The RBC wastage in 2018 ranged from less than five units to more than 200 units. Among the nurses surveyed, 99.4% (N=669) were aware of and complied with the 30-minute rule; 13.5% (N=91) of the nurses had experience of RBC wastage due to violation of the 30-minute rule. Both physicians (67%, N=43) and nurses (83.1%, N=559) responded that TIs would help reduce RBC wastage., Conclusions: This is the first survey on the practices related to RBC transport and storage in Korea. This study provides fundamental data on current practice for the blood cold chain, insights into RBC wastage, and highlights the utility of TIs.

The reticulocyte hemoglobin content and hypochromic erythrocyte percentage offer advantages in evaluation of iron deficiency, especially in inflammatory conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation of reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr, Ret-He) and hypochromic erythrocyte percentage (%HYPO, Hypo-He) between two automated hematologic analyzers. The CHr and %HYPO values were determined using the Advia 2021i (Siemens), while the Ret-He and Hypo-He levels were assessed using the XN-3000 (Sysmex). Data from a total of 971 cases and 834 patients were collected. For reticulocyte hemoglobin content, there was a good linear correlation between CHr and Ret-He (r = 0.857, p < 0.001). For percentage of hypochromic erythrocytes, there was a better correlation between the two measures when using a second-degree polynomial equation (Hypo-He* = 0.4818 - 0.0218 x %HYPO + 0.0069 x %HYPO2) (r = 0.786, p < 0.001).

Background and Objectives: Temperature indicators (TIs) are used to monitor the surface temperature of red blood cell (RBC) units. We compared the utility of a newly developed time-temperature indicator (TTI) prototype, Freshzone TTI (FZTTI) (Freshzone, Seoul, South Korea) and two US Food and Drug Administration-approved TIs, Safe-T-Vue 10 (STV10; Temptime Corporation, Morris Plains, NJ) and Blood Temp 10 (BT10; Timestrip UK Ltd, Cambridge, UK)., Materials and Methods: FZTTI, STV10 and BT10 were attached to 91 RBC units after issue (including eight units that were stored in refrigerators in the ward before transfusion). The time for colour change (CC) was monitored based on the 30-min rule. The CC of FZTTI indicated the total time elapsed since the temperature of RBC units exceeded 10°C, and the CC of STV10 and BT10 indicated that the temperature of RBC units exceeded 10°C., Results: In 83 units, the median time for CC differed significantly between FZTTI and the TIs (51.4 min in FZTTI vs. 13.9 min in STV10 and 10.5 min in BT10, both at p < 0.001). In addition, 95.2% (n = 79) of FZTTI tags changed colour after 30 min of issue, whereas 96.4% (n = 80) of STV10 and 98.8% (n = 82) of BT10 changed colour within 30 min of issue. In the eight units stored in refrigerators, the time for CC between the TTI and TIs was significantly different., Conclusion: FZTTI outperformed the TIs, indicating that it is a feasible option for use in transfusion practice., (© 2021 International Society of Blood Transfusion.)

The number of ABO-incompatible solid organ transplantations (ABOi SOTs) has markedly increased worldwide since the early 2000s. We investigated the choice of ABO group for blood component transfusion in ABOi SOT. We conducted a survey by e-mailing a questionnaire to blood bank specialists at 77 major hospitals in Korea, among whom 34 responded to the survey. In major ABOi SOT, for red blood cells (RBCs), the recipient's type (70.6%) was the most common choice, followed by group O (29.4%); for platelets, group AB (50.0%) was the most common choice, followed by the donor type (38.2%); for plasma, group AB (55.9%) was the most common choice, followed by the donor type (32.4%). In bidirectional ABOi SOT, for RBCs, the recipient's type (55.9%) was the most common choice, followed by group O (44.1%); for platelets and plasma, group AB was the most common choice (94.1% and 97.1%, respectively). The policies for transfusion in ABOi SOT were diverse. We suggest a guideline on the choice of ABO group for transfusion in ABOi SOT to secure patient health and enable an efficient use of blood components.

Multiplex nucleic acid amplification assays that simultaneously detect multiple respiratory pathogens in a single nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) specimen are widely used for rapid clinical diagnostics. We evaluated Allplex Respiratory Panel (RP) 1, 2, 3, and the BioFire FilmArray RP assay for detecting respiratory pathogens from NPS specimens. In all, 181 NPS specimens obtained from patients suspected of having respiratory infections during the non-influenza season (August-December 2019) were included. The Allplex RP 1, 2, and 3 detected 154 samples positive for respiratory viruses, whereas the BioFire FilmArray detected viruses in 98 samples. Co-infection with two or more viruses was detected in 41 and 17 NPS specimens by Allplex RP and the BioFire FilmArray RP, respectively. For adenoviruses, Allplex RP 1 detected 31 specimens, compared to 34 by the BioFire FilmArray. In all, 64 NPS specimens were positive for human enterovirus (HEV) and human rhinovirus (HRV) on the Allplex RP, in contrast to 39 HEV/HRV on the BioFire FilmArray. The parainfluenza virus (PIV-1-4) detection rate differed between the two systems. Most discrepant results were observed for NPS specimens with high cycle threshold values obtained by Allplex RP. This study showed concordant performance of the Allplex RP 1, 2, 3, and the BioFire FilmArray RP for the simultaneous detection of multiple respiratory viruses.

A requirement for quantum information processors is the in situ tunability of the tunnel rates and the exchange interaction energy within the device. The large energy level separation for atom qubits in silicon is well suited for qubit operation but limits device tunability using in-plane gate architectures, requiring vertically separated top-gates to control tunnelling within the device. In this paper, we address control of the simplest tunnelling device in Si:P, the tunnel junction. Here we demonstrate that we can tune its conductance by using a vertically separated top-gate aligned with ±5 nm precision to the junction. We show that a monolithic 3D epitaxial top-gate increases the capacitive coupling by a factor of 3 compared to in-plane gates, resulting in a tunnel barrier height tunability of 0-186 meV. By combining multiple gated junctions in series we extend our monolithic 3D gating technology to implement nanoscale logic circuits including AND and OR gates.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has been widely used for microbial identification, because of its speed and accuracy, since its introduction to clinical microbiology laboratories. In this study, we evaluated the performance of ASTA MicroIDSys, a newly developed MALDI-TOF, and compared it with the widely used Bruker Biotyper. Microbial identification with the Bruker Biotyper system was performed by using a direct smear method and the Bruker Biotyper database (reference library version 6.0.0.0). The isolates were also tested in parallel, using the ASTA MicroIDSys system with a direct smear method and the MicroIDSys database, CoreDB v1.26. A total of 914 clinical isolates were recovered from the clinical specimens. Identical results with confidence scores (≥2.0, for the Bruker Biotyper) and acceptable scores (≥140 for the ASTA MicroIDSys) were obtained for 840 (91.9%) isolates. The minor errors were defined as misidentification at the species level, and the rate was 1.1% (9/792) for Bruker Biotyper and 1.6% (13/792) for ASTA MicroIDSys. Major errors were defined as misidentification at the genus level, and the rate was 0.3% (2/792) for both Bruker Biotyper and ASTA MicroIDSys. ASTA MicroIDSys showed reliable performance for microbial identification, which was comparable to that of the Bruker Biotyper. Therefore, ASTA MicroIDSys can be applied for the identification of microorganisms in clinical microbiology laboratories.

Background: Criteria for selection of FFP blood type has not been clearly established and use of group AB plasma is preferred by numerous transplantation protocols., Aims: This study assesses the safety and efficacy of alternative group A or B plasma in ABO incompatible solid organ transplantation., Materials & Methods: Alternative use of group A or B plasma (incompatible plasma) was inevitable during the shortage of group AB plasma. Experience from select number of patients during the period of extreme group AB plasma shortage is described., Results: The result of alternative use of group A or B plasma was within expectation, showing effective reduction of isoagglutinin titers for pre-operative desensitization and efficacy for treatment of post-operative patients. No immediate hemolytic transfusion reaction was reported., Discussion: While validation in a larger cohort of patients is necessary, our limited experience have shown satisfactory clinical outcomes without adverse events., Conclusions: Use of incompatible group A or B plasma is a viable option when group AB plasma is limited., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Donor spins in silicon provide a promising material platform for large scale quantum computing. Excellent electron spin coherence times of [Formula: see text] μs with fidelities of 99.9% have been demonstrated for isolated phosphorus donors in isotopically pure 28 Si, where donors are local-area-implanted in a nanoscale MOS device. Despite robust single qubit gates, realising two-qubit exchange gates using this technique is challenging due to the statistical nature of the dopant implant and placement process. In parallel a precision scanning probe lithography route has been developed to place single donors and donor molecules on one atomic plane of silicon with high accuracy aligned to heavily phosphorus doped silicon in-plane gates. Recent results using this technique have demonstrated a fast (0.8 ns) two-qubit gate with two P donor molecules placed 13 nm apart in nat Si. In this paper we demonstrate a single qubit gate with coherent oscillations of the electron spin on a P donor molecule in nat Si patterned by scanning tunneling microscope (STM) lithography. The electron spin exhibits excellent coherence properties, with a [Formula: see text] decoherence time of 298 ± 30 μs, and [Formula: see text] dephasing time of 295 ± 23 ns.

Introduction: Autologous peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation has become a standard treatment option for many oncology patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of two cell separators, Spectra Optia (Terumo BCT, Japan) and Amicus (Fresenius-Kabi) for autologous PBSC collection., Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 56 apheresis by Spectra Optia with Continuous Mononuclear Cell Collection (cMNC) from 20 patients, and 50 apheresis by Amicus from 27 patients between December 2018 and December 2019. CD34+ collection efficiency (CE2) and platelet (PLT) loss were evaluated., Results: There was no significant difference in CD34+ CE2 between Spectra Optia with cMNC (median, 28.8%) and Amicus (median, 33.1%; P = 0.537). PLT loss was significantly lower in Amicus (median, 28.6%) than in Spectra Optia with cMNC (median, 37.8%; P = 0.009)., Conclusion: CD34+ CE2 was comparable between Spectra Optia and Amicus, and PLT loss was significantly lower in Amicus. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report comparing autologous PBSC collection of the Spectra Optia and Amicus. These results may provide general guidance with regard to device selection to apheresis clinics that use both separators for optimal outcomes depending on each patient's characteristics., (© 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Anti-blood group antibody titers (ABTs) reported in titer values are variable depending on the testing method used. The introduction of new test methods such as automated methods requires proper method comparison. In this study, the automated blood bank system and manual tube method for ABT were compared using a log-transformed dataset to evaluate the alternative statistical approach., Methods: ABT was conducted using specimens referred for solid organ transplantation. Methods for comparison were conventional manual tube method and IH-500 automated blood bank system using column agglutination (CAT). Criteria for agreement were exact match and 1-titer match. Measured titer values were log-transformed into interval scale for Deming regression analysis., Results: From the comparison of the tube and CAT methods using titer values and the two criteria, the exact and 1-titer match were 15.9-41.5 % and 65.9-97.6 %, respectively. Deming regression was used to demonstrate the presence of both proportional and constant difference between the two methods., Conclusion: The method comparison using conventional statistical approaches had limits due to the semi-quantitative value of the test. Log-transformed interval scale values for comparison were useful for interpretation of method comparison datasets. This alternative statistical approach could contribute to a more accurate comparison between assays and standardization of ABT testing., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Angiogenesis is important for the proliferation and survival of multiple myeloma (MM) cells. Bone marrow (BM) microvessel density (MVD) is a useful marker of angiogenesis and an increase in MVD can be used as a marker of poor prognosis in MM patients. We developed an automated image analyzer to assess MVD from images of BM biopsies stained with anti-CD34 antibodies using two color models. MVD was calculated by merging images from the red and hue channels after eliminating non-microvessels. The analyzer results were compared with those obtained by two experienced hematopathologists in a blinded manner using the 84 BM samples of MM patients. Manual assessment of the MVD by two hematopathologists yielded mean±SD values of 19.4±11.8 and 20.0±11.8. The analyzer generated a mean±SD of 19.5±11.2. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman plot of the MVD results demonstrated very good agreement between the automated image analyzer and both hematopathologists (ICC=0.893 [0.840-0.929] and ICC=0.906 [0.859-0.938]). This automated analyzer can provide time- and labor-saving benefits with more objective results in hematology laboratories., Competing Interests: No potential conflicts of interest relevant to this article are reported., (© The Korean Society for Laboratory Medicine.)

Background: Exchange transfusion (ET) is an established, efficacious, and reliable practice for severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, hemolytic disease of the newborn, and neonatal sepsis. This study assessed the indications and clinical outcomes of ET performed in a tertiary hospital in Korea., Materials and Methods: We studied 64 ET sessions performed on 23 neonates between March 1999 and March 2018. ET was performed based on estimated double volume exchange transfusion using fresh red blood cells and fresh frozen plasma. Patients' clinical information, including demographic data and ET indication, and laboratory data were collected pre- and post-ET., Results: The most common ET indication was hyperbilirubinemia with hemolytic anemia due to non-ABO maternal blood group discrepancies. In three preterm babies, ETs were performed for severe anemia, leukocytosis, and hyperkalemia cases. Before ET, the patients showed slightly high WBC counts, low hemoglobin levels, and low platelet counts. After ET, blood examination revealed normal WBC counts, increased hemoglobin levels, and decreased platelet counts (all P < 0.001). Bilirubin levels decreased immediately after ET (P < 0.001). Electrolyte and C-reactive protein levels showed no significant changes after ETs. Adverse events occurred in 11 (47.8 %) patients; the most common were hypoxemia and hypotension. One infant experienced cardiorespiratory arrest due to hypercalcemia and was successfully resuscitated. No one died within 24 h of ET. However, five infants showed hyperbilirubinemia aggravation., Conclusions: ET is an effective treatment modality for leukocytosis and hyperbilirubinemia with low mortality but involves common adverse events post-ET. This report provides an overview of current ET practices in Korea., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) that evolves into acute leukemia with blasts of mixed phenotypes has rarely been reported and has no distinct diagnostic category. Herein, we describe a 79-year-old Korean female patient with MDS-excess blasts (MDS-EB) that evolved into acute leukemia; the blasts simultaneously expressed B-lymphoid and myeloid antigens. The patient was diagnosed with MDS-EB with blasts of myeloid lineage coexpressing a few B-lymphoid antigens with 7q and 20q abnormalities. The disease progressed to acute leukemia with blasts carrying more B-lymphoid antigens, which was immunophenotypically compatible with B-lymphoid/myeloid acute leukemia. Unlike previously reported patients whose blast populations are bilineal, our patient is the first with biphenotypic acute leukemia that progressed from MDS. The diagnosis of our patient introduces the possibility that many other types of biphenotypic acute leukemia may have gone undiagnosed and encourages hematologists to designate a specific diagnostic category for this type of disease, so that it can more readily be detected and studied in the future., (© American Society for Clinical Pathology 2019. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Chlamydia trachomatis is the leading cause of bacterial sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) world-wide. The aim of this study was to characterize the C. trachomatis genetic profiles of clinical isolates in the Korean population by sequence analysis of the ompA gene., Methods: Endocervical specimens from patients who were confirmed as C. trachomatis infection by real-time PCR were used for ompA sequencing. The individual sequences (about 890 nucleotides) were determined by comparison with those from known C. trachomatis strains using the BLAST search tool. Sequence variations were analyzed by comparing them with sequences from prototype strains., Results: Sequence analysis using BLAST similarity search of the ompA gene from the 106 clinical isolates revealed that the most prevalent genotype corresponded to E (n = 28, 26.2%), followed by F (n = 20, 18.9%), D (n = 16, 15.1%), J (n = 16, 15.1%), G (n = 9, 8.5%), H (n = 8, 7.5%), K (n = 5, 4.7%), B (n = 2, 1.9%), and I (n = 2, 1.9%). Detailed sequence analysis based on comparison with each prototype revealed that there are sequence differences in 44 specimens (41.5%)., Conclusions: This study is the update on the distribution of C. trachomatis ompA genotypes in Korea in more than a decade. The genotypes have become more diversified, with genotypes K, B, and I being newly detected. C. trachomatis genotyping is crucial for regional and global epidemiological studies, as well as for vaccine development.

Objectives: We reanalyzed the data from proficiency testing (PT) to assess the effect of the geometric mean in the statistical analysis of immunohematologic data., Methods: Using the five most recent anti-blood group antibody titer participant summary results, the geometric mean (GM) ±2 × geometric standard deviation (GSD) was used as the comparative consensus criterion to mode ±2 titers., Results: Using the PT evaluation criterion of mode ±2 titers, the mean percentages of participants with acceptable results were 97.5% and 97.8% for anti-A and anti-D, respectively. When applying GM ±2 GSD, the mean percentages of acceptable results were 96.1% (anti-A) and 96.1% (anti-D). The percentages of responses included in each consensus criterion were lower using GM ±2 GSD, with a few exceptions., Conclusions: Geometric means are more robust and precise in visualizing the central tendency. This method can improve the statistical robustness of PT evaluations., (© American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2019. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The long-distance quantum transfer between electron-spin qubits in semiconductors is important for realising large-scale quantum computing circuits. Electron-spin to photon-polarisation conversion is a promising technology for achieving free-space or fibre-coupled quantum transfer. In this work, using only regular lithography techniques on a conventional 15 nm GaAs quantum well, we demonstrate acoustically-driven generation of single photons from single electrons, without the need for a self-assembled quantum dot. In this device, a single electron is carried in a potential minimum of a surface acoustic wave (SAW) and is transported to a region of holes to form an exciton. The exciton then decays and creates a single optical photon within 100 ps. This SAW-driven electroluminescence, without optimisation, yields photon antibunching with g (2) (0) = 0.39 ± 0.05 in the single-electron limit (g (2) (0) = 0.63 ± 0.03 in the raw histogram). Our work marks the first step towards electron-to-photon (spin-to-polarisation) qubit conversion for scaleable quantum computing architectures.

The Jr a antigen of the JR blood group system is a highly prevalent red blood cell antigen. Although anti-Jr a -associated hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) is generally considered mild-to-moderate, a rare fatal case was recently reported. We report the third example of HDFN-related anti-Jr a with fatal outcomes. The clinical significance of anti-Jr a antibody as a cause of HDFN should be reassessed., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of oral iron supplementation in frequent donors in Korea, based solely on donation history., Study Design: The hemoglobin (Hb) level, ferritin level, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), and transferrin saturation of frequent donors at high risk for iron deficiency were compared to those of first donors. The frequent donors took iron supplements for 4 weeks and the same tests were repeated after 2 and 4 weeks to evaluate their effects., Result: A total of 53 male and 57 female frequent donors were recruited. After 4-week iron supplementation, among the men, the prevalence of a: low Hb level (<13.0 g/dL) decreased from 25% to 2%; low ferritin level (<15.0 ng/mL) decreased from 58% to 4%; iron deficient erythropoiesis (IDE) (log(sTfR/ferritin) ≥ 2.07) decreased from 77% to 33%. Among the women, the percentage of a: low Hb level (<12.0 g/dL) decreased from 44% to 9%; low ferritin level decreased from 79% to 11%; IDE decreased from 95% to 47%. In total, 15 male (28.3%) and 29 female (56.9%) blood donors reported undesirable side effects related to iron supplementation. No serious adverse events were reported., Conclusion: Ferritin level, a reliable indicator of iron status, increased and IDE decreased significantly after four-week iron supplementation in the female, but not in the male, donor group, compared to those of control donors. Four-week oral iron supplement was not enough to restore iron storage level in the male donor group., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The performance of BACT/ALERT FA and FN PLUS (FA PLUS and FN PLUS) blood culture bottles with the BACT/ALERT VIRTUO (bioMérieux, Inc., Durham, NC) and BD BACTEC Plus Aerobic and Anaerobic (BD Aerobic and BD Anaerobic) blood culture bottles with the BD BACTEC FX (BD Diagnostics, Sparks, MD) for antimicrobial neutralization at peak serum concentration was evaluated. The following antibiotic agents and microbial strains were used: ampicillin, cefepime, cefotaxime, gentamicin, levofloxacin, meropenem, piperacillin-tazobactam, and vancomycin; methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacteroides fragilis. The detection rate of FA PLUS bottles was 69.1% (259/375) and that of BD Aerobic bottles was 75.5% (283/375) (p = 0.050). In the case of anaerobic culture, the overall detection rate of FN PLUS bottles was 77.0% (231/300) and that of BD Anaerobic bottles was 71.3% (214/300) (p = 0.113). The time to detection (TTD) from aerobic culture was 2.8 h shorter in FA PLUS bottles (12.4 h) compared to BD Aerobic bottles (15.2 h) (p < 0.001). And the TTD from anaerobic culture was 1.6 h shorter in FN PLUS bottles (18.1 h) compared to BD Anaerobic bottles (19.7 h) (p = 0.061). The FA PLUS bottles exhibited a lower detection rate compared to BD Aerobic bottles, while FN PLUS bottles showed a higher detection rate compared to BD Anaerobic bottles. The BACT/ALERT VIRTUO system exhibited shorter TTD compared to the BD BACTEC FX system for both aerobic and anaerobic cultures.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a serious pathogen in clinical settings and early detection is critical. Here, we investigated the MRSA discrimination potential of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) using 320 clinical S. aureus isolates obtained in 2005-2014 and 181 isolates obtained in 2018. We conducted polymerase chain reactions (PCR) for staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCC mec ) typing and MALDI-TOF MS to find specific markers for methicillin resistance. We identified 21 peaks with significant differences between MRSA and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), as determined by mecA and SCC mec types. Each specific peak was sufficient to discriminate MRSA. We developed two methods for simple discrimination according to these peaks. First, a decision tree for MRSA based on six MRSA-specific peaks, three MSSA-specific peaks, and two SCC mec type IV peaks showed a sensitivity of 96.5%. Second, simple discrimination based on four MRSA-specific peaks and one MSSA peak had a maximum sensitivity of 88.3%. The decision tree applied to 181 S. aureus isolates from 2018 had a sensitivity of 87.6%. In conclusion, we used specific peaks to develop sensitive MRSA identification methods. This rapid and easy MALDI-TOF MS approach can improve patient management., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

The prognostic significances of the germinal center B-cell-like (GCB) and non-germinal center B-cell-like (non-GCB) types of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) have been reported to be different. We analyzed the effect of the cell of origin (COO) of bone marrow (BM) involvement in patients with DLBCL who were treated with rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R-CHOP) in a single institute.The subtype of BM involvement was evaluated in 633 patients who were diagnosed with primary DLBCL and had been treated with R-CHOP. BM trephine biopsies were analyzed, and immunohistochemical staining of CD20, CD79a, and CD3 was performed. Additional staining of CD10, Bcl-6, and MUM1 was performed to determine the COO based on a previously reported algorithm.BM involvement was present in 81 patients (12.8%). Among them, 30 patients (37.0%) had GCB-type BM involvement and 51 (63.0%) showed non-GCB-type involvement. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the non-GCB type had the worst progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) (P <.001). In multivariate analysis controlled for the International Prognostic Index (IPI) score, non-GCB type was an independent predictor of PFS (P <.004) and OS (P =.042), whereas GCB type was not a prognostic factor independent of the IPI score.Further prognostication based on the COO of BM involvement is a useful indicator of PFS, independent of IPI score. Accurate staging based on the COO should be included in the examination of BM in DLBCL.

Objectives: This study was conducted to establish the Korean national registry, to evaluate the distribution of unexpected antibodies, and to determine the frequencies of specific antigen-negative blood units., Methods: Data added to the Korean national registry between July 2013 and April 2016 were analyzed. The distribution of unexpected antibodies and frequencies of specific antigen-negative blood units were estimated., Results: In total, 3,513 cases from 22 institutes were registered. The most common single alloantibodies were anti-E, anti-Lea, and anti-M. The most common multiple alloantibodies were anti-E with anti-c, anti-C with anti-e, and anti-Lea with anti-Leb. The frequencies of E-, Lea-, and M-negative units were 42.3%, 56.9%, and 20.2%, respectively., Conclusions: The distribution of unexpected antibodies and frequencies of specific antigen-negative blood units were investigated using data from the Korean national registry. The results provide useful data to predict the number of blood units to be tested to obtain compatible blood units.

Urine erythrocyte (Ery) and leukocyte (Leu) dipstick tests are essential for detecting microhematuria and urinary tract infection. Currently, there is no suggestion for establishing the cut-off limits in an ordinal scale test. This study aimed to establish the cut-off limits for urine Ery and Leu dipstick tests via probit regression. From 1 January 2016 to 30 June 2016, laboratory data were collected from patients at one teaching hospital whose specimen had analytical results from both a urine dipstick test and an automated urine particle analyzer. Probit regression was used to estimate the probability of positive urine dipstick results as a function of log-transformed urine Ery and Leu concentrations. Based on the analysis of 22,122 specimens, the estimated concentration that yields 50% positive results (C 50 ) of the Ery weak+, 1+, 2+, 3+, and 4 + dipstick results were 14.6, 40.4, 51.6, 136.3 and 219.0 × 10 6 /L, respectively. The estimated C 50 of the Leu 1+, 2+ and 3 + dipstick results were 22.7, 67.9 and 283.9 × 10 6 /L, respectively. The estimated values were different from arbitrary concentrations provided for each dipstick category by the manufacturer. If a quantitative comparison method/procedure is available, the cut-off limits of an ordinal scale test can be established using probit regression. Each laboratory should investigate the transferability of the arbitrary concentrations provided by the manufacturer, and if necessary, determine its own cut-off limits of urine Ery and Leu dipstick tests.

Study Objective: At our hospital, although >90% of nulliparous parturients eventually choose epidural analgesia for labor, many delay its initiation, experiencing considerable pain in the interim. This survey probed parturients' views about the timing of initiation of epidural labor analgesia., Design: Single-center, nonrandomized quantitative survey., Setting: Labor and delivery suite in a large tertiary academic medical center., Patients: Two hundred laboring nulliparous women admitted to the labor and delivery suite., Interventions: After their pain was relieved, parturients completed a questionnaire regarding their decision to request labor epidural analgesia., Measurements: A variety of factors regarding epidural use were assessed including the influence of painful contractions and of childbirth education class attendance on the decision to request epidural analgesia, and parturients' perception of the timing of epidural initiation on the progress and outcome of labor., Main Results: Analysis revealed that the desire of parturients to use epidural analgesia was increased from 27.9% before the onset of painful contractions to 48.2% after (p<0.01). Two-thirds of participants attended a non-physician taught childbirth education class. An antepartum plan to definitely forgo an epidural was 1.8 times more likely among women who attended a childbirth class when compared to those who did not attend. (OR=1.8; 95%CI:1.1-3.1; p=0.04). The most common views affecting decision-making were that epidural analgesia should not be administered "too early" (67.5%), and that it would slow labor (68.5%). Both of these views were more likely to be held if the parturient had attended a childbirth class, OR=2.0 (95%CI:1.1-3.8; p=0.03) and OR=2.0 (95% CI: 1.1 to 3.7; p=0.03), respectively., Conclusions: We found that nulliparous parturients have misconceptions about epidurals, which are not supported by evidence-based medicine. Moreover, we found that attendance at childbirth education classes was associated with believing these misconceptions., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

It is often difficult for standard blood banks in Korea to supply adequate amounts of blood for patients with rare phenotype. Moreover, the definition of a blood in need is ambiguous, and much remains to be learned. In this study, we determined the prevalence of various red blood cell (RBC) antigens from a donor viewpoint and estimated the demand for specific antigen-negative blood from a patient viewpoint. Our data will aid the establishment of a Rare Blood Program in Korea (KRBP). RBC genotyping of 419 blood donors was performed using a Lifecodes RBC/RBC-R typing kit (Immucor, Norcross, GA). A national recipient registry website has been established. Each hospital-based blood bank voluntarily enters data on antibodies detected and identified and the outcomes of specific antigen testing. We calculated the availabilities of specific antigen-negative blood components based on these registry data and predicted the prevalence of RBC antigens via RBC genotyping. The prevalences of various RBC antigens in the D-negative population were determined for the first time, and the Cartwright, Scianna, Dombrock, Colton, Landsteiner-Wiener, Cromer, and Knops blood group systems were identified. The availabilities of specific antigen-negative units differed when calculations were based on serotyping or genotyping, especially in the D-negative group. Data on the prevalences of various blood antigens are essential for estimating the availabilities of blood components that are appropriate for use by patients expressing relevant antibodies. Then, blood banks would be able to efficiently supply safe blood products.