“The Lolelaplap (Marshall Islands) in Us: Sailing West to East (Ralik→Ratak) to These Our Atolls (Aelon Kein Ad) Ad Jolet Jen Anij (Our Blessed Inheritance from God)”

This paper discusses the expansion of Oceania through a Marshallese indigenous lens as a focal point. It explains that decolonizing methodologies allows reclaiming of space for mental liberation and reassurement of constitutional rights. It highlights similar occurrences of decolonization practices meeting resistance in the 21st century all while strengthening the human right argument that no human deserves any less than their fellow human brothers and sisters. It argues that an indigenous imagery can only be viewed through an indigenous lens where the researches’ level of purity is retained and unfiltered. It nevertheless argues that Marshallese ethnolinguistics reveal the same cultural practices in America, Judeo-Christianity, and Oceania thus dictating the reality that “we are the same not withstanding one stays here and one there (Bedbedjin Bedbedjen, Bedbedjinma wot Kwe)”. It further explains the importance in these similarities and how Marshallese spirituality predates introduced American Judeo-Christianity despite the latter attempting to marginalize the former. It concludes by stating that Marshallese contributions on the global stage are rooted in that culture of love (IaKwe) which is echoed by the custom(s) revealing the significance of Marshallese validation academically, spiritually, economically, & socially to prevent institutionalized discrimination. This paper ends stating that the agency to know one’s self and how one should fit in the world, is a human right in itself and Marshallese are entitled to this sense of self worth through knowing thy self by thy self where real thinking takes place in one’s own mind as we all live our own lives

A Case of Hodgkin Transformation of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Richter’s transformation is a serious complication of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. We present a patient with Hodgkin transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. This patient was admitted to our clinic with the complaints of weakness and fatigue. She had palpable axillary and cervical lymphadenomegaly. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography scans with fluorodeoxyglucose revealed multiple cervical axillary lymph nodes in the right axilla and the right side of the neck with minimally increased fluorodeoxyglucose uptake and paraaortic, pancreaticoduodenal, aortocaval lymph nodes with intense fluorodeoxyglucose uptake (SUVmax: 10.86). Excisional biopsy of the intraabdominal lymph node was performed which revealed classical Hodgkin disease. Combined chemotherapy was started. She died because of pneumonia after two cycles of the therapy

Prognostic Significance of Antithrombin Activity in Patients with Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever

Objective: Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is a tick-borne viral hemorrhagic fever. Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is an important complication of this disease, especially in severe and fatal cases. Antithrombin (AT) acts as an anticoagulant by inactivating thrombin, Factor IX, Factor X and Factor XI. We conducted this study to investigate the AT levels and their prognostic value in CCHF.Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight confirmed CCHF patients were included in this study. Diagnosis of the disease was made by CCHF IgM and/or PCR positivity. Patients were grouped based on the severity criteria described previously. The patients with platelet counts 10x109 cell/L, prothrombin times >60 seconds, aspartate aminotransferase levels >700 IU/L or alanine aminotransferase levels >900 IU/L were accepted as severe cases. Patients whose illnesses were self-limited and who did not require blood component replacement were accepted as mild cases, and patients who improved but required blood component replacement were accepted as moderate cases. Blood samples were obtained on the day that the patient had the lowest platelet count and before any thrombocyte replacement. The antithrombin activity was measured using a chromogenic substrate test (Diagnostica Stago STA Compact) at a research laboratory.Results: Twenty-two (78.6%) of the cases were mild, 3 (10.7%) were moderate, and 3 were (10.7%) severe. The mean AT value was 101% for mild cases, 116.6 % for moderate cases, and 88 % for severe cases (p>0.05). Although there were no statistically significant differences between the AT values, the mean AT activity was lower in severe CCHF cases.Conclusion: The AT activity may have been decreased in severe CCHF cases. Further studies with greater numbers of patients are required to determine the level of AT activity and its correlation with disease severity and the prognosis of CCHF

Relationship Between Von Willebrand Factor Activity And Therapeutic Success Of Thrombolytic Therapy In Patients With Myocardial Infarction

Aim: Von Willebrand Factor is a glycoprotein, which plays role in primary hemostasis, mainly acts getting platelets to adhere onto the subendothelial tissue and carrying Factor VIII. Although vWF deficient animals had been shown to be resistant to atherosclerosis and thrombotic events, it had not been proven in humans. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether a relationship exists between VWF activity and therapeutic success of thrombolysis. Methods: The study was carried out on 40 patients who were administered thrombolytic therapy due to myocardial infarction and 30 healthy controls. Von Willebrand Factor activity was measured in plasma samples which were taken before the procedure. The results were compared between therapy effective and ineffective patients and controls. Results: Average vWF activity was 131.0±64.0% in patients whereas 113.9±47.7% in controls (p>0.05). On the other hand, mean VWF activities of 24 patients who achieved therapeutic success and 16 therapy failed patients were 103.9±58.9% and 171.7±49.0% respectively (p<0.01). Conclusion: In this study; we found that plasma vWF activity is among the factors affecting the outcome of thrombolytic therapy in patients with myocardial infarction so, it may be used to predict the therapeutic success of thrombolysis

Lichenoid Drug Eruption Associated With Imatinib Mesylate: Two Cases

Imatinib mesylate (STI571) is a new therapeutic agent which inhibits the tyrosine kinase of the BCR-ABL, c-kit and platelet derived growth factor oncogenes. It is used for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia, Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia and gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Although, cutaneous side effects of this drug is common, lichenoid eruption is exceptional. We report two cases of disseminated lichenoid cutaneous reaction, which developed in two patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia treated with imatinib mesylate

Association Of Mean Platelet Volume With The Degree Of Retinopathy In Patients With Diabetes Mellitus

Aim: We investigated the association of mean platelet volume (MPV) with the degree of retinopathy in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods: Ninety patients with diabetic retinopathy (DRP) and 30 healthy individuals were included in the study. Diabetic patients included 30 background, 30 non-proliferative and 30 proliferative diabetic retinopathy cases. Complete blood count, intra- and intergroup comparisons of MPV values were performed. Results: Mean values for MPV in patients with background, nonproliferative and proliferative DRP were 7.76±0.72 fL, 7.94±0.61 fL and 8.18±0.89 fL, respectively. MPV values of patients with background DRP was not significantly different from that of the control group and patients with non-proliferative and proliferative DRP as well. However, MPV values of patients with proliferative DRP were significantly higher than the values of control group (p< 0.05). A significant correlation was found between the degree of retinopathy and mean values of MPV in diabetic patients (r= 0.214, p< 0.05). Conclusions: We found an association between the degree of retinopathy and mean values of MPV. This finding suggests a role for platelets in the pathogenesis of vascular complications and that mean platelet volume would be useful in monitoring the disease progression

Effects of Imatinib, Nilotinib, Dasatinib on VEGF and VEGFR-1 Levels in Patients with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

Objective: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a protein that binding to VEGF receptors 1 (VEGFR-1) and accelerates angiogenesis. The relationship between angiogenesis and progression of tumors were observed in both solid and hematologic cancers. Monoclonal antibodies capable of inhibiting angiogenesis, tyrosine kinase inhibitors use for haematological cancer treatment. In this study; we investigated the effects of Imatinib mesylate (STI-571; Gleevec), Nilotinib (AMN107; Tasigna) and Dasatinib (BMS-354825; Sprycell) on serum levels of VEGF and VEGFR-1, in patients with chronic phase of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Method: Serum levels of VEGF and VEGFR-1 were measured in 65 patients with chronic phase of CML. Serum VEGF and VEGFR-1 levels were determined using quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique according to the manufacturers' instructions. Results: There were 33 (51%) male and 32 (49%) female patients in this study. 38 of 65 patients were using Imatinib, 15 Nilotinib, 12 Dasatinib. Mean serum VEGF and VEGFR-1 levels for the 65 patients with CML were 172.21+/-127.46 pg/mL and 199.62+/-122.22 pg/mL, respectively. In Dasatinib and Imatinib group, serum VEGF and VEGFR-1 levels were significantly higher than in control group (p= 0.008, p< 0.0001, and p< 0.0001, p< 0.0001). In Nilotinib group, serum VEGF levels were higher than control group, but; it was not statistically significant (p= 0.06) while. VEGFR-1 levels were significantly higher than those of controls (p< 0.0001). Conclusion: Imatinib, Nilotinib and Dasatinib were not superior to each other regarding to serum VEGF and VEGFR-1, but it may be said that Nilotinib may has slightly more effect on inhibition of anjiogenesis

Autologous hematopoietic progenitor cell mobilization and collection in adult patients presenting with multiple myeloma and lymphoma: A position-statement from the Turkish Society of Apheresis (TSA)

WOS: 000423246100017PubMed ID: 29153306Autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) is a routinely used procedure in the treatment of adult patients presenting with multiple myeloma (MM), Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and various subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in upfront and relapsed/refractory settings. Successful hematopoietic progenitor cell mobilization (HPCM) and collection are the rate limiting first steps for application of AHCT. In 2015, alinost 1700 AHCT procedures have been performed for MM, HL and NHL in Turkey. Although there are recently published consensus guidelines addressing critical issues regarding autologous HPCM, there is a tremendous heterogeneity in terms of mobilization strategies of transplant centers across the world. In order to pave the way to a more standardized HPCM approach in Turkey, Turkish Society of Apheresis (TSA) assembled a working group consisting of experts in the field. Here we report the position statement of TSA regarding autologous HPCM mobilization strategies in adult patients presenting with MM and lymphoma. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

A multicenter experience of thrombotic microangiopathies in Turkey: The Turkish Hematology Research and Education Group (ThREG)-TMA01 study

Thrombotic microangiopathies (TMAs) are rare, but life-threatening disorders characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and thrombocytopenia (MAHAT) associated with multiorgan dysfunction as a result of microvascular thrombosis and tissue ischemia. The differentiation of the etiology is of utmost importance as the pathophysiological basis will dictate the choice of appropriate treatment