Bedside filtration for white celI(WBC) reduction of red cell concentrates(RBCs) has been performed to reduce the workload of blood bank personnel. However, a high incidence of filtration failure with bedside filters was recognized by several investigators. We therefore evaluated the efficiency of the bedside filter under various conditions that might be important variables such as temperature of the blood units, flow rate and possibly, filtration techniques performed. We used 29 bedside filters(RCXL2, Pall Corporation, USA) and total of 58 units of CPDA-1 RBCs for this study. Thirty eight refrigerated RBCs were filtered at fast flow with or without mixing the blood cells in a bag to resuspend the possible blood cell aggregates. And another 20 units were filtered at slow flow(2 hours) with or without mixing after 1 hour incubation at room temperature. Pre-, intra-, and post-filtration blood samples were collected and residual white cells were counted using Nageotte hemocytometer. A higher contamination of white cells was found in the units filtered after mixing at slow flow(mean 2.99 x 105/unit) than at fast flow(mean 1.31 x 10S/unit) and in the units filtered at slow flow without mixing(mean 6.11 x 10S/unit) than with mixing(mean 2.46x 10S/unit). Our data suggested that filtration at slow flow decrease the efficiency of WBC reduction, especially after omitting the mixing process before filtration.
Blood Banks ; Blood Cells ; Filtration* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Leukocytes* ; Research Personnel

Thawing fresh frozen plasma(FFP) by waterbath(WB) requires about 30 minutes, which is too slow in emergency situations and carries the risk of bacterial contamination of FFP. To solve these problems, a new thawing method using a microwave oven(MWO) has been developed. Twenty units of equally divided plasma from 10 units of plasma were frozen, stored at -55 degrees C, and thawed in parallel using microwave oven or waterbath. Coagulation factors, plasma proteins and thawing time were measured. Except for antithrombin III(MWO: 85.2+/-6.94%, WB : 90.8+/-9.14%, p<0.05), no significant differences were observed in the 18 other coagulation parameters and the plasma proteins studied. Mean thawing time by MWO was 5.9 minutes per 1 unit, 10.4 minutes per 2 units and 12.5 minutes per 3 units; by WB, it was 19.0, 20.0 and 22.0 minutes, respectively. In conclusion, FFP can be thawed faster using a microwave oven than using 37 degrees C waterbath and the thawed plasma proteins were generally equivalent to those of FFP thawed by waterbath.
Blood Coagulation Factors ; Blood Proteins ; Emergencies ; Microwaves* ; Plasma*

No abstract available.
Alcoholics* ; Erythrocyte Indices* ; Humans

To investigate the effect of additional factor XIII on the rate of cross-linked fibrin formation in fibrin glue, we prepared concentrated fibrinogen as a source of fibrin glue using thaw -syphon method from fresh frozen plasma, purified human factor XIII from plasma, and performed biochemical analysis of the fibrin glue formed with or without additional factor XIII. It was concluded that additional factor XIII promoted rapid formation of cross-linked fibrin (gamma-gamma dimer and a-polymer) which would be essential to clinically effective fibrin glue.
Factor XIII* ; Fibrin Tissue Adhesive* ; Fibrin* ; Fibrinogen ; Humans ; Plasma

The ultimate goal of blood donor screening for anti-hepatitis C virus(HCV) antibodies is the specific exclusion of vital carriers from the blood donor population. Recently, a third-generation anti-HCV screening (Lucky HCD 3.0) and immunoblot assay (Lucky Confirm) using antigens derived from the core and different nonstructural regioris (NS3, NS4 and NS5) of the HCV vital genome were developed. To evaluate the usefulness of these assays, anti-HCV reaction patterns of the RIBA-2 and the presence of HCV-RNA detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) were examined in 180 sera, which were repeatedly positive in Abbott EIA-2, and HCV seroconversion panel sera. The reaction intensity of HCD 3.0 was higher than that of HCD 2.0. The sensitivity and positive predictive value for vital carrier state of HCD 3.0 were 98.4% and 85.4%, respectively. HCD 3.0 assay enabled the detection of the antibody response 2 weeks earlier than did other second-generation EIAs. RT-PCR testing of sera with RIBA-2-indetermihate results showed that 33.3%(10/30) had evidence of HCV-RNA. However, all of nine Lucky Confirm-indeterminate cases were negative for HCV-RNA. The sensitivity and specificity of Lucky Confirm test were 99.2% and 76.4%, respectively, and the positive and negative predictive values were 90.5% and 97.7%, respectively.
Antibodies ; Antibody Formation ; Blood Donors ; Carrier State ; Genome ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques* ; Mass Screening ; Sensitivity and Specificity

We describe a case of an acute heart transplant rejection treated with triple immunosuppression and plasmapheresis, resulting in evidence of improved clinical manifestation and hemodynamics. This case suggests that plasmapheresis may be useful in the treatment of possible acute humoral(vascular) rejection in heart transplantation.
Graft Rejection* ; Heart Transplantation ; Heart* ; Hemodynamics ; Immunosuppression ; Plasmapheresis*

No abstract available.
Leukocytes*

No abstract available.

Tinea pedis is frequently found in those people with poor hygine and in hot and humid environments. The authors investigated the clinical, epidemiologicol a id mycological characteristics of tinea pedis in 138 sewerage workers attending a sewerage plant in Seoul. Tinea pedis was found in 82, with a prevalence of 59.4%. The prevalence of tinea pedis increased with age and the period working at sewerage plant, however, there was no statistical significance. Also there was no difference in the prevalence of tinea pedis between the clerical workers and the field workers. Positive rate for KOH smear was 73.2%, and culture positive rates were 42.7%, producing 35 strains of dermatophytes. Twertyeight strains of Trichophyton Rubrum and 7 strains of Trichophyton mentagrophytes were isolated. Twentyseven yeast-form colonies were isolated, and Trichosporon beigelii was foungl in 19 samples. Most of the yeast forms were found mixed with dermatophytes and moulcis, However, 6 were isolated from direct smear positive cases and yieIded pure colonies of yeast. These included 4 cases of T. beigelii, 1 case of Candida parapsilosis, and 1 case of Candida hormicola. In view of the recent report of these fungi as pathogenic organism, these isolates, rspecially T. beigelii, were considered as a causative agent of tinea pedis in certain groups like sewerage workers.
Arthrodermataceae ; Candida ; Fungi ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Plants ; Prevalence ; Seoul ; Tinea Pedis* ; Tinea* ; Trichophyton ; Trichosporon ; Yeasts

No abstract available.
Erythrocytes*