Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Hong Kong

This journal suppl. is conference proceedings of the 2009 Chinese Blood & Marrow Transplantation Forum by Hong Kong Society of Haematology (HKSH) and Chinese Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (CSBMT)The first case of haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) was performed at the Bone Marrow Transplant Center, Queen Mary Hospital (QMH) in 1990. Since then three more transplant centres have been established: Prince of Wales Hospital (1991) mainly in paediatric transplant, Queen Elizabeth Hospital (1995) and Tuen Mun Hospital (2006) in adult autologous transplant. Up to the end of 2008, a little over 2000 transplants have been performed in Hong Kong, and QMH takes up about 85% of the total number of cases. A unified HSCT registry in Hong Kong is desirable and is yet to be established. At QMH, by the end of 2008, a total of 1708 transplant procedures have been performed with 83% (1417) being first-time transplants and the rest (291, 17%) are repeat transplants mostly for relapsed patients. The numbers of male and female patients are 955 and 753, respectively. The median age is 35.4 years (range, 3 months to 67 years) with 85.8% of the transplants performed in adults (>18 years). The type of donor includes 34% autologous, 1% syngeneic, 38% related allogeneic and 27% unrelated allogeneic. The top five indications of the first-time transplants are acute myeloid leukaemia (25.8%), chronic myeloid leukaemia (15.9%), lymphoma (14.6%), acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (14.5%), and myeloma (8.6%). With the development of peripheral blood stem cell collection, in recent years it is performed in 50% of the allogeneic and 80% of the autologous cases. Bone marrow harvest in autologous cases is only for patients who fail peripheral blood stem cell mobilisation. Transplant outcomes are reported to the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research and long-term survivals are in general comparable to international standard.published_or_final_versionThe 2009 Chinese Blood & Marrow Transplantation Forum, Hong Kong, 27-28 February 2009. In Hong Kong Medical Journal, 2009, v. 15, suppl. 3, p. 17-2

Psychometric properties of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale in a Hong Kong Chinese community sample

This study evaluated the psychometric properties of a widely used self-report anxiety scale-the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) and the associated parent-report version (PSCAS)-in a Hong Kong Chinese community sample. While good psychometric properties of SCAS and PSCAS had been documented in Western cultural contexts (e.g., Australia), no systematic psychometric evaluation of the Chinese-translated SCAS and PSCAS has been published. In this study, psychometric properties of SCAS and PSCAS were examined with respect to four criteria: (a) factor structure, (b) descriptive statistics, (c) convergent validity with an anxiety cognition measure, and (d) internal consistency. Psychometric properties of SCAS and PSCAS for a Chinese community sample were found to be highly comparable with those published on Australian samples, thus providing a solid conceptual foundation for use of the Chinese version of SCAS and PSCAS. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.postprin

Derivative chromosome 9 deletions in chronic myeloid leukaemia: Interpretation of atypical D-FISH pattern

Background/Aims: New molecular cytogenetic techniques are increasingly applied as a routine investigative tool in haematological malignancies, both at diagnosis and subsequent monitoring. This report describes the interpretation of atypical signal patterns encountered using BCR-ABL dual colour dual fusion fluorescence in situ hybridisation (D-FISH) translocation probes in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML). Methods: Interphase FISH experiments were carried out using BCR-ABL D-FISH probes in 46 patients with CML at diagnosis and during subsequent disease monitoring. Atypical hybridisation signal patterns were characterised by molecular cytogenetic techniques and correlated with conventional karyotyping. Results: Two patients showed atypical interphase D-FISH patterns with one orange, one green, and one fusion (1O1G1F) signal. The presence of BCR-ABL gene fusion was documented by a dual colour single fusion (S-FISH) probe. The submicroscopic deletion of the ABL-BCR fusion gene on the derivative chromosome 9 in these cases was subsequently characterised by metaphase FISH on relocated G banded metaphases. Conclusions: Atypical interphase D-FISH patterns should not be interpreted in isolation and should be considered in conjunction with other cytogenetic or molecular genetic investigations.published_or_final_versio

Effectiveness of group cognitive-behavioral treatment for childhood anxiety in community clinics

This study evaluated the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral treatment for childhood anxiety in a community clinic setting in Hong Kong, China. Forty-five clinically-referred children (age 6-11 years) were randomly assigned to either a cognitive-behavioral treatment program or a waitlist-control condition. Children in the treatment condition showed significant reduction in anxiety symptoms-both statistically and clinically-whereas children in the waitlist condition did not. After the waitlist period was over, the control group also received the treatment program and showed a similar reduction in symptoms. For the full sample of 45 children, the effectiveness of the intervention was significant immediately after treatment and in 3- and 6-month follow-ups. In addition, children's anxiety cognition and their ability to cope with anxiety-provoking situations fully mediated the treatment gains. These results offer empirical support for cognitive-behavioral treatment programs in a non-Western cultural context and plausible mediators for how cognitive-behavioral therapy works. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.postprin

Concomitant plasmacytoma and B cell lymphoma with discordant light chain expression but clonal identity

Letter to the editorpublished_or_final_versionSpringer Open Choice, 25 May 201

Enucleation of painful blind eye for refractory intraocular lymphoma after dose-limiting chemotherapy and radiotherapy

published_or_final_versionSpringer Open Choice, 25 May 201

Sustained and repeated response of relapsed acute promyelocytic leukaemia to intravenous or oral arsenic trioxide

published_or_final_versio

Examining Factor Structure of the Chinese Version of the PIRLS 2011 Home Questionnaire

The home questionnaire of the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS-HQ 2011) was designed to gather information from parents or primary caregivers of fourth-grade pupils on their reading literacy development related to aspects of pupils’ home lives across countries/districts. The questionnaire was translated into different languages for international comparison and research purposes. This study aims to assess the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the PIRLS 2011 home questionnaire (PIRLS-HQCV 2011) and identify the underlying factor structure using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) among Chinese fourth-grade pupils in Hong Kong. A 7-factor structure model has been identified by EFA and confirmed to resemble much to the original PIRLS structure by CFA. Additional conceptually important domains have been identified which add further insights into the inconclusive results in the literature regarding the relationship between home factors and reading achievement. Implications for further studies are discussed.published_or_final_versio

Elemental and mineralogical composition of metal-bearing neutralisation sludges, and zinc speciation – A review

Zinc (Zn) in sludges from neutralisation of acidic emissions is a potential environmental pollutant and an element of interest for recovery. Findings regarding the elemental and mineralogical composition of such wastes were aggregated from the literature and examined together for a better understanding of management options, with a focus on Zn. Zn concentrations ranged from 0.006-22% in 46 acid mine drainage sludges, 0.009%-43% in 72 metal-finishing sludges, 0.024%-11.5% in 32 pyrometallurgical sludges, and 1.71-55.7% in 14 Zn production sludges. The main mineralogical characterization technique was X-ray diffraction, which found the dominant minerals to be calcite, gypsum, quartz, and iron oxides, but could not identify considerable proportions of amorphous phases. More than 60 mineral phases were observed. Crystalline Zn compounds identified included oxides, hydroxides, sulfates, sulfides, and metallic Zn; spinel, olivine and carbonate dominated in pyrometallurgical sludges. Zn may also be present in crystalline phases of low concentration, solid solution, and/or amorphous phases, which could be identified and characterised in more detail using other techniques. Overall, it is concluded that Zn occurs in high concentrations and includes phases that have high potential environmental mobility. Zn recovery seems feasible and would also enable harmless disposal of the residual

Unmanipulated bone marrow transplantation from one-Hla antigen mismatched siblings carries high transplant-related mortality compared with the Hla-identical counterparts

published_or_final_versio