AIMS The National Pathology Alliance benchmarking review has completed five years of data collection and analysis of the workload and organisation of haematology laboratories in the UK. This study analyses variation in practice in how laboratories respond to a request to determine whether or not a patient has folate deficiency. METHODS A three year analysis of workload data on the number of s...

haemoplasmas contain eperythrozoon and haemobartonella species, which are widespread causes of animal and human infections. these obligatory cell parasites were previously known as hemobartonella; now hemotropic mycoplasmas. these bacteria are identified by the lack of cell wall and their small genome. the usual diameter is between 0.3 and1μm. mycoplasmasarepolymorphic and seen in circular or b...

The purpose of this study was to investigate red blood cell (RBC) behavior during an increase in local cerebral blood flow (LCBF). We measured changes in RBC behavior by using laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF) in alpha-chloralose-anesthetized rats. An increase in LCBF was carried out by approximately 2.5 and 4.0% CO(2) inhalation and activation of the somatosensory cortex. The activation of the cor...

BACKGROUND Erythrocyte cholinesterase (RBC-ChE) activities serve as useful and sensitive biomarkers to monitor exposure to cholinesterase-inhibiting substances, such as chemical warfare nerve agents and pesticides. Although the interindividual variation of RBC-ChE is well characterized, the magnitude of intraindividual variation for RBC-ChE remains controversial. An accurate measure of intraind...

BACKGROUND This study aimed at assessing the number of red blood cell (RBC) units transfused at different types of medical institution and examining the characteristics of transfusion recipients. METHODS We calculated and compared the number of transfusion recipients, total RBC units transfused, and RBC units transfused per recipient. Study data were extracted from insurance benefits reimburs...

Folate is important for multiple metabolic processes such as nucleic acid synthesis and interconversions, and cell division. Folate deficiency may be a risk factor for several pathologies, such as neural tube birth defects, dementia, and cardiovascular diseases. The objectives of this study were to estimate folate intakes and plasma concentrations of young children living in Kwangju, Korea. Thr...

The volume of red blood cells (V(RBC)) is used routinely in the diagnostic workup of polycythemia, in assessing the efficacy of erythropoietin administration, and to study factors affecting oxygen transport. However, errors of various methods of measurement of V(RBC) and related parameters are not well characterized. We meta-analyzed 346 estimates of error of measurement of V(RBC) for technique...

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES The purposes of the study were to investigate folate intakes and plasma folate concentrations as well as estimate folate status in Korean healthy adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS A total of 254 healthy 19- to 64-year-old adults (68 men and 186 women) living in Seoul metropolitan area, Gumi, and Kwangju, Korea participated. Three consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls, information o...

BACKGROUND The storage of red blood cells (RBC) is associated with impairment of their properties that can induce a circulatory risk to recipients. In a preceding study (2009), we reported that post-storage rejuvenation (RJ) of stored RBC (St-RBC) efficiently reduced the storage-induced RBC/endothelial cell interaction, while only partially reversing the level of intracellular Ca(2+), reactive ...

BACKGROUND Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is a lifesaving therapy, the logistic implementation of which requires RBC storage. However, stored RBCs exhibit substantial donor variability in multiple characteristics, including hemolysis in vitro and RBC recovery in vivo. The basis of donor variability is poorly understood. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS We applied a murine model of RBC storage and t...