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Abstract Aim To reach a consensus on question items for early identification of unmet psychosocial needs of school‐aged siblings of children with cancer and blood disease. Design Modified Delphi method. Methods Twenty‐three studies were reviewed to extract question items, which were classified into seven categories. A total of 39 question items were selected for this study. The selected question items were carefully considered using the modified Delphi method. The participants were 28 medical staff from a childhood cancer hub hospital and 20 sibling support group staff members. The first round consisted of a questionnaire (n = 48); the second, a focus group interview (n = 8) and the third, another questionnaire (n = 8). The first and third rounds used a 5‐point Likert scale. This survey was conducted from July to October 2021. Results A total of 38, 26, and 24 question items were included in the first, second, and third rounds respectively. A total of 24 question items were extracted using the modified Delphi method to identify siblings' unmet psychosocial needs: relationship with family members, 3; daily life issues, 4; stress, 6; emotions, 3; information, 3; relationships with medical staff, 1 and social and medical resources, 4. Seven categories and 24 question items were confirmed as items for identifying the unmet psychosocial needs of school‐aged siblings of children with cancer and blood disease.

This paper reports the first case of myelodysplastic syndromes combined with myeloid sarcoma for which the department of radiotherapy used total marrow and lymphoid irradiation (TMLI) to assist in myeloablating. Radiotherapy localization and target area delineation were carried out before treatment and the entire process of TMLI treatment was designed using the TOMO therapy. Radiotherapy was performed successfully for targeted irradiation of the total bone marrow and lymph nodes. The patient felt comfortable during the treatment process and good pretreatment effects were achieved. The treatment time (45 min-1 h per session) was significantly shorter than that during total body irradiation (TBI)(3-4 h per session), the irradiation dose rate (800 cGy/min) was significantly increased compared to TBI (5-30 cGy/min), and oral mucosal inflammation and gastrointestinal reactions were mild after treatment. This article discusses the treatment process of this case and TMLI technology, to provide reference for the whole process design and important parameters for further treatment of more patients.

Aim: To reach a consensus on question items for early identification of unmet psychosocial needs of school‐aged siblings of children with cancer and blood disease. Design: Modified Delphi method. Methods: Twenty‐three studies were reviewed to extract question items, which were classified into seven categories. A total of 39 question items were selected for this study. The selected question items were carefully considered using the modified Delphi method. The participants were 28 medical staff from a childhood cancer hub hospital and 20 sibling support group staff members. The first round consisted of a questionnaire (n = 48); the second, a focus group interview (n = 8) and the third, another questionnaire (n = 8). The first and third rounds used a 5‐point Likert scale. This survey was conducted from July to October 2021. Results: A total of 38, 26, and 24 question items were included in the first, second, and third rounds respectively. A total of 24 question items were extracted using the modified Delphi method to identify siblings' unmet psychosocial needs: relationship with family members, 3; daily life issues, 4; stress, 6; emotions, 3; information, 3; relationships with medical staff, 1 and social and medical resources, 4. Seven categories and 24 question items were confirmed as items for identifying the unmet psychosocial needs of school‐aged siblings of children with cancer and blood disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Banana blood disease (BBD), caused by Ralstonia syzygii subsp. celebesensis (Rsc), is a major threat to banana production in Southeast Asia. This study aimed to assess the resistance of cultivated and wild banana accessions to Rsc and investigate the expression of pathogenesis-related (PR) protein genes, namely PR3 and PR10, in disease-resistant bananas. Bacterial isolates were isolated from infected bananas in Yala Province, Thailand, and their pathogenicity and phylotype were confirmed, along with Rsc-specific PCR. Rsc-resistance banana screening was conducted on 16 banana accessions, including cultivated and wild types, using representative Rsc isolates. 'Khai Kasetsart 2' exhibited resistance (R), followed by 'Raksa' with moderate resistance (MR). The expression of PR3 and PR10 genes was analyzed in the resistant 'Khai Kasetsart 2' and susceptible 'Hin' bananas, revealing distinct expression patterns. PR3 showed rapid upregulation on day 1 after inoculation (DAI), while PR10 exhibited sustained upregulation from 1 to 7 DAI in the resistant cultivar. These findings indicate the involvement of PR proteins in the defense response against Rsc and hold promise for future breeding and disease management strategies in bananas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Serious infections are characterized by rapid progression, poor prognosis, and difficulty in diagnosis. Recently, a new technique known as nanopore-targeted sequencing (NTS) was developed that facilitates the rapid and accurate detection of pathogenic microorganisms and is extremely suitable for patients with serious infections. The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical application of NTS in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with serious infections. We developed an NTS technology that could detect microorganisms within a 6-h window based on the amplification of the 16S rRNA gene of bacteria, the internal transcribed spacer region of fungi, and the rpoB gene of Mycobacterium. The NTS detection results were compared with those of blood cultures and anal swabs from 50 patients with blood diseases suffering serious infections. The patient’s condition before and after NTS was compared. The response rate and the infection-related mortality after the adjustment of antibiotics based on NTS were calculated. The positivity rate of pathogens was highest in NTS (90%), followed by blood culture (32.6%) and anal swabs (14.6%). After adjusting antibiotics for bacteria and fungi detected by NTS, the patients’ condition improved significantly. Moreover, the response rate of anti-infective treatment based on NTS was 93.02% (40/43), and infection-related mortality was reduced to 0. NTS is an effective method to identify pathogens in the blood specimens of patients with serious infections and can guide anti-infection treatment and reduce infection-related mortality. IMPORTANCE We introduce the application of NTS in blood samples of patients with serious infections and expound the efficiency and accuracy of NTS in detecting pathogenic microorganisms. Our work builds on the considerable interest of the scientific community in the management of serious infection. This issue is becoming more pressing, especially since the incidence of blood diseases is increasing year by year and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been widely used in benign and malignant blood diseases in recent years. The infection progression of these patients is faster, and the study further demonstrates the effectiveness of NTS in guiding the diagnosis and treatment of patients with severe infections. We firmly believe that this method will guide clinicians to adjust anti-infection strategies and bring significant benefits to patients, and our study will have implications for the future clinical application of NTS in all kinds of patients with serious infections.

Environment and climate change have caused a rise in a wide range of diseases and infections. In countries where overpopulation is a problem, many infections spread severely. The main focus of this paper is the detection and identification of blood diseases. An automated system that examines all potential diseases using patient information and data is needed to deal with unpredictable circumstances. Having an automated and intelligent system that evaluates the reports and counsels doctors in any other area or nation is a demand of the time. The same solutions can be identified by the proposed system. To apply the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) and related techniques to predict chronic diseases early, the authors have gone through various existing models and case studies on diabetics and other patients. The proposed approach, called S-ANFIS which is using the hybrid approach, is based on ANFIS and includes content curation and intelligence analysis in addition to comparison with current models. As a result, the suggested model outperforms other approaches in terms of disease prediction accuracy, with a score of 88.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is usually transmitted through respiratory tract, but can also be received through blood transfusion. This study evaluated the seroprevalence, DNA existence, and circulating genotypes of B19V in hemophilia patients. Materials and Methods: Serum samples of cases and controls were analyzed for B19V using ELISA and real-time PCR. Finally, obtained sequences were used for genotyping. Results: Among cases, 3% were anti-B19V IgM positive and 47% were anti-B19V IgG positive and B19V DNA was detected in 16% of them. However, among controls, 38% were anti-B19V IgG positive (P>0.05) and 5% were B19V DNA positive (P= 0.019). Also ~13% of cases were positive and all of controls were negative for IgG avidity test (P= 0.029). Viral load in case group was higher than control group (P = 0.037). Conclusion: Since hemophilia patients receive large amounts of blood factors, prevalence of B19V in these patients might be higher than normal subjects.- [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Parvovirus B19 (B19V) is usually transmitted through respiratory tract, but can also be received through blood transfusion. This study evaluated the seroprevalence, DNA existence, and circulating genotypes of B19V in hemophilia patients. Materials and Methods: Serum samples of cases and controls were analyzed for B19V using ELISA and real-time PCR. Finally, obtained sequences were used for genotyping. Results: Among cases, 3% were anti-B19V IgM positive and 47% were anti-B19V IgG positive and B19V DNA was detected in 16% of them. However, among controls, 38% were anti-B19V IgG positive (P>0.05) and 5% were B19V DNA positive (P= 0.019). Also ~13% of cases were positive and all of controls were negative for IgG avidity test (P= 0.029). Viral load in case group was higher than control group (P = 0.037). Conclusion: Since hemophilia patients receive large amounts of blood factors, prevalence of B19V in these patients might be higher than normal subjects.

The major causes of rare extracranial carotid artery aneurysms are arteriosclerosis, trauma, and radiation therapy. Here, we describe a patient with an extracranial carotid artery aneurysm caused by a myeloproliferative neoplasm. A 67-year-old woman underwent excision of an irregularly shaped aneurysm in the left common carotid artery and a saphenous vein graft without major complications. The pathologic findings revealed abscess formation and atypical megakaryocyte infiltration, which was also seen in her bone marrow, indicating that the aneurysm was caused by a myeloproliferative neoplasm.

Thalassemia is an inherited disease that causes the production of damaged hemoglobin chains. Patients are diagnosed with thalassemia major due to major clinical signs and deep anemia. This study aimed to examine the major thalassemia and psychosocial aspect of it, which is such an important issue, to serve as a roadmap for better handling these patients and to contribute to the literature. The method used in this study was narrative review. A literature review was conducted by searching the materials published in databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar search engine from 2001 to 2020. Besides WHO website was searched. Thalassemia major damages the heart, liver, lungs and endocrine organs due to anemia and iron accumulation. In addition, the patient may experience mental and social problems due to the congenital nature of the disease and its lifelong duration. The psychosocial problems and treatment burdens of thalassemia patients are very high. There are many studies about the prevalence and physical consequences of thalassemia. However, there are not enough articles and researches describing the psychosocial effects of thalassemia on patients and what can be done about these effects. For this reason, this paper focuses on the process of thalassemia and the psychosocial problems it creates to contribute to the literature and to be a roadmap for better handling these patients.

Efforts have been made to study the behavior of complex materials in micrometer dimensions with various techniques. One of these methods is the use of optical tweezers for biophysical applications. Red blood cells, as the most abundant blood-forming cells, play an important role in the life of living organisms, and their unique mechanical properties are important. In this report, the study of soft materials is done using light tweezers. This work investigates micrometer particle movements in the optical trap and also, when they are connected to a red blood cell. The tweezers allow the Newtonian fluid viscosity, such as water and glycerin, to measure the mechanical properties of viscoelastic materials, such as red blood cells.

Background. Children and adolescents undergoing treatment in the hospital for blood diseases are at risk of thrombotic complications. However, to date no major studies of the prevalence of thrombosis in this category of patients have been conducted in Russia. The objective: to determine the incidence of symptomatic and asymptomatic deep vein thrombosis (DVT), as well as their distribution by gender and age in children with various blood disorders. Materials and methods. Medical records of 1962 patients, aged from 0 to 17 years, were retrospectively analyzed. All DVT cases were confirmed by visualization methods. The presence of thrombosis clinical signs detected during physical examination, allowed identifying symptomatic DVT. Results. DVT was diagnosed in 429 patients; the symptomatic (n = 110) and asymptomatic (n = 337) DVT were considered as two independent groups with cases of thrombosis. The highest incidence of thrombotic complications was found in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) – 30.77 %, non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas – 22.58 %, other malignant blood disorders – 18.75 %, myeloid leukemia – 15.63 %, Hodgkin’s lymphoma – 16.50 %, histiocytosis – 12.5 %, aplastic anemia – 7.94 %, other leukemia – 7.14 %. Symptomatic episodes were more common in patients with lymphomas, especially non-Hodgkin’s, and ALL, while asymptomatic DVT were more common among children with ALL. Conclusion. The DVT prevalence in children with blood disorders exceeds 20 %, most of them are asymptomatic thrombosis, while symptomatic DVT are much less common. Patients receiving treatment for lymphomas and ALL have the highest number of venous thrombotic complications. Further research is needed to address the need for primary thrombotic prophylaxis in children with blood disorders.

Liquid smoke is reported to be effective to inhibit some bacteria. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of liquid smoke (LS) from coconut shell (CS-LS), pinecone (P-LS), and oil palm branch (OPB-LS) on the incidences of blood disease, induced resistance to Ralstonia syzygii subsp. celebesensis, and plant growth. Two days after banana seedlings were treated with LS, ethylene, auxin, lignin, activities of the enzymes of peroxidase (POD) and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) on the root of the banana seedlings were measured. Then, the seedlings were inoculated by R. syzygii subsp. celebesensis. The plant growth and incidence of blood diseases were observed daily and the 31st day after the application of LS and this bacteria inoculation. The results showed that the CS-LS, P-LS, and OPB-LS at all tested concentration could suppress the incidence of blood diseases up to 100 %, induce resistance of banana seedlings to the R. syzygii subsp. celebesensis with increased levels of ethylene, auxin, lignin, activities of POD and PAL, and plant growth, significantly. Based on the effectiveness of this bacterial control and the ability to promote the growth of banana seedlings test, it is recommended that the most effective treatment is P-LS 0.5 %.

Background: A considerable amount of research has been put into the explanation of the origin of the vampire myth by focussing on possible symptoms of the vampire; however, very little attention has been given to the victims. Aims: To elucidate whether the myth of vampire victims follows the course of disease of acute leukaemia. Method: We studied three classical vampire novels published 1819–1897, focusing on 8 victims and their symptoms. The novels were chosen based on their iconic status in classic vampire literature, which defined the vampire genre and the symptoms of the victims for many years. The symptoms and course of disease following vampire attacks described in these novels were then compared with symptoms commonly seen in untreated acute leukaemia and other contemporary disorders. Results: The earliest novel (1819) did not provide a sufficient description of any symptoms in detail; however, the later novels (1872 and 1897) both provided elaborate portrayals of symptoms and course of the disease. The patients studied were all factitious—explaining the variation in symptoms; however, they share common features. One case, a young woman named Lucy Westenra, described by Bram Stoker, 1897, mirrors a textbook example of an acute leukaemia patient—despite being described before the time of common acknowledgment of the diagnosis. Conclusion: Victims in the gothic vampire novels from the nineteenth century could very likely be inspired by real-life acute leukaemia patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method is described for the electrochemical determination of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) antigen, and by testing the effect of 30 nm gold nanoparticles (GNPs). Three comparative studies were performed in the presence and absence of GNPs, and with agglomerated GNPs. The divalent ion Ca(II) was used to induce a strong agglomeration of GNPs, as confirmed by colorimetry and voltammetry. Herein, colorimetry was used to test the best amount of salt needed to aggregate the GNPs. Despite, voltammetry was used to determine the status of biomolecules on the sensor. The topography of the surface of ZnO-coated interdigitated electrodes was analyzed by using 3D-nano profilometry, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and high-power microscopy. The interaction between SCC antigen and antibody trigger vibrations on the sensor and cause dipole moment, which was measured using a picoammeter with a linear sweep from 0 to 2 V at 0.01 V step voltage. The sensitivity level was 10 fM by 3σ calculation for the dispersed GNP-conjugated antigen. This indicates a 100-fold enhancement compared to the condition without GNP conjugation. However, the sensitivity level for agglomerated GNPs conjugated antibody was not significant with 100 fM sensitivity. Specificity was tested for other proteins in serum, namely blood clotting factor IX, C-reactive protein, and serum albumin. The SCC antigen was quantified in spiked serum and gave recoveries that ranged between 80 and 90%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communications between cells is involved in regulating life activities such as cell proliferation, maturation, differentiation, and apoptosis. When abnormal communication occurs between cells, metabolic disorders, immune disorders and tumors can be caused. Signals of many cytokines including interleukins, interferons, granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor, erythropoietin and thrombocytopenia are conducted by an ancient signaling pathway called the JAK-STAT(Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription) signaling pathway. Studies have shown that the JAK-STAT pathway is closely related to blood diseases such as erythrocytosis, thrombocytosis, leukemia and bone marrow fibrosis, and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, lupus erythematosus and psoriasis. Therefore, the JAK-STAT signaling pathway has become an important target for a variety of blood diseases and autoimmune diseases. This article will elaborate on the principle, clinical significance and progress of drug development of JAK-STAT signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method for the sampling and off-site analysis of hemoglobin variants by mass spectrometry is reported. This technique uses a nonporous polyurethane membrane as the collection device and transportation medium of a blood sample for analysis. The same membrane is then used as the MALDI-TOF MS sample support for mass spectrometric analysis. Minimal invasive sample collection is afforded by collecting less than 1 microL of blood using a common lancet device. MALDI-TOF MS is performed directly on the membrane, after washing off the interfering plasma components, followed by the addition of matrix. This reduces the time of analysis and prevents sample loss. Enzymatic digestion can be performed directly on the membrane, using in this case trypsin, allowing for further characterization of the sample. The method is much less invasive compared to drawing blood with a syringe. The sample may be transported to the laboratory by regular mail, and thus the method can serve remote locations. We demonstrate the procedure by characterizing the Hb Shepherds Bush hemoglobin variant, b74-(E18)Gly-->Asp.

Liquid smoke is reported to be effective to inhibit some bacteria. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of liquid smoke (LS) from coconut shell (CS-LS), pinecone (P-LS), and oil palm branch (OPB-LS) on the incidences of blood disease, induced resistance to Ralstonia syzygii subsp. celebesensis, and plant growth. Two days after banana seedlings were treated with LS, ethylene, auxin, lignin, activities of the enzymes of peroxidase (POD) and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) on the root of the banana seedlings were measured. Then, the seedlings were inoculated by R. syzygii subsp. celebesensis. The plant growth and incidence of blood diseases were observed daily and the 31st day after the application of LS and this bacteria inoculation. The results showed that the CS-LS, P-LS, and OPB-LS at all tested concentration could suppress the incidence of blood diseases up to 100 %, induce resistance of banana seedlings to the R. syzygii subsp. celebesensis with increased levels of ethylene, auxin, lignin, activities of POD and PAL, and plant growth, significantly. Based on the effectiveness of this bacterial control and the ability to promote the growth of banana seedlings test, it is recommended that the most effective treatment is P-LS 0.5 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored the association between the HLA-II gene polymorphisms and the occurrence of leukemia. For this study, we selected 53 patients with leukemia treated at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from February 2014 to September 2015 and 46 healthy patients as the control group. We used polymerase chain reaction with sequence specific primers for DNA typing which was carried out to analyze the patients HLA-A/B gene polymorphism. We also used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blotting method to measure the protein expression of different genotypes and activity. Compared to the control group, HLA-A04, B08 gene frequencies were significantly lower than those of HLA-A04, B08 gene frequencies of the observation group; results were statistically significant (χ2=16.28, P<0.05; χ2=16.47, P<0.05). However, in the control group, the frequency of HLA-A09 gene was significantly higher than that of the observation group; there was a significant difference between the two groups (χ2=15.28, P<0.05). Through the measurement of the protein expression levels of the different genotypes in the control group and the observation group, it was found that in the observation group, HLA-A04, B08 protein contents (4.6 and 3.2 μg/l) were significantly higher than those of the control group (0.13 and 0.1 μg/l). While the control group HLA-A09 genotype protein content (3.7 μg/l) was significantly higher than that of the observation group (0.2 μg/l); there were significant differences between both (P<0.05). Therefore, there is a significant correlation between HLA-II gene polymorphism and leukemia that is higher than HLA-A04 and B08 gene frequency and can help promote the occurrence of leukemia. The higher frequency of HLA-A09 gene can help to suppress the occurrence of leukemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are small membrane vesicles released from many different cell types by the exocytic budding of the plasma membrane in response to cellular activation or apoptosis. EVs disseminate various bioactive effectors originating from the parent cells and transfer functional RNA and protein between cells, enabling them to alter vascular function and induce biological responses involved in vascular homeostasis. Although most EVs in human blood originate from platelets, EVs are also released from leukocytes, erythrocytes, endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and cancer cells. EVs were initially thought to be small particles with procoagulant activity; however, they can also evoke cellular responses in the immediate microenvironments and transport microRNAs (miRNA) into target cells. In this review, we summarize the recent literature relevant to EVs, including a growing list of clinical disorders that are associated with elevated EV levels. These studies suggest that EVs play roles in various blood diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blood disease is one of the important diseases of banana in Indonesia. Endophytic bacteria have potencies as candidates of biocontrol agents to blood disease, because the bacteria colonized the same ecological niche with the plant pathogens. This research was conducted to isolate endophytic bacteria from banana root, and study their disease suppression ability to blood disease on banana. Ninety isolates of endophytic bacteria have been isolated from the root of banana. Average population densities of bacteria varied between 6,0 x 103 and 4,2 x 105 cfu/g fresh weight of root. Twenty seven isolates positively produced inhibition zone toward blood disease bacterium. Based on plant growth and disease suppression test, ten isolates promoted the growth of banana plant and four isolates suppressed the incidence of blood disease with ranged from 66,67 to 83,33%.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant, multi-system, neurocutaneous disorder that predisposes to the development of benign and malignant tumors with a birth incidence rate of 1 in 2500–3000. 50% of cases are sporadic. The diagnosis is exclusively based on clinical assessment with clinical diagnostic criteria such as café-au-lait spots, neurofibromas, axillary or groin freckling, Lisch nodules, optic pathway glioma, bony dysplasia and first-degree relative with NF1. We report a family with NF1 in which two members presented atypical clinical features in addition to the classical diagnostic criteria. Three relatives affected by NF1, a father and two of his three sons, are described. The clinical diagnosis was originally worn in all three cases, with the association many spots café-au –lait over the entire body and some axillary freckling as well as first-degree relative. One case presented an Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) type 2 at 10 years of age diagnosed before the revelation of bicytopenia associated pallor and isolated asthenia. A second case presented a nephrotic syndrome at 4 years of age due to the association of hydrops with headache and asthenia. Direct sequencing of NF1 led to identify the familial mutation, a previously unreported heterozygous missense mutation c.3443C > A, p.Ala1148Glu in exon 20 which segregated with all three affected patients. The family described in this report confirms the high clinical variability of NF1, even intrafamilial, and raises the question as to whether rare features such as AML and nephrotic syndrome are associated with NF1. Some NF1 patients presenting glomerular diseases or AML have rarely been reported, but due to the small number of cases described the mechanisms underlying these associations are poorly understood. However, it seems important to be aware of the possible occurrence of nephritic syndrome and/or malignant blood diseases in NF1 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]