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BACKGROUND: Compared to ISBT128 code labels, radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags have incomparable advantages and gradually applied in blood management system. However, there is no global standard for the uses of RFID frequency. Even though ISBT recommended high-frequency RFID with 13.56 MHz, 820- to 960-MHz ultrahigh frequency (UHF) RFID technology in many ways has even more advantages. For this reason, we studied the effect of UHF RFID tags with 820- to 960-MHz exposure on storage quality of red blood cells (RBCs) and platelets (PLTs). STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Thirty units of collected and prepared suspended RBCs (sRBCs) and PLTs were divided into two bags, one each for the test and control groups. The sRBCs were stored in 4 ± 2°C refrigerator and the PLTs in a 22 ± 2°C rocking box. The test groups were exposed to RF reader continuously during storage. Sampling at different time points and biologic changes were tested. RESULTS: As the extension of storage and the pH and chlorine levels in the supernatant of sRBCs were reduced, free hemoglobin, potassium, and sodium increased, but were not significant between test and control groups (p > 0.05). During the storage period, the pH levels, PLT count, and PLT aggregation rate were decreased in both test and control groups, but were not significant (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: When exposed to 820- to 960-MHz RF, the biologic and biochemical indexes are not found to be exacerbated during 35 days of storage for sRBCs and 5 days for PLTs, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family belongs to type I receptor tyrosine kinases. Overexpression or mutation of EGFR/ErbB1 gene has been detected in a large number of human solid tumours. According to some previous report, this gene is not expressed in hematological malignancies. However, two recent clinical case reports showed that erlotinib caused complete remission of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)-M1 in patients who had both AML-M1 and non-small-cell lung cancer. These results are supported by preclinical studies in which EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors have anti-proliferative effects on AML. These findings prompted us to determine whether EGFR is expressed in human AML, through a large-scale screening of both leukaemic cell lines and clinical samples. Our results show that EGFR is expressed by about 33% of human AML (containing M1 to M7 subtypes) and by some human leukaemia cell lines (K562, MEG-01, CEM and SKO-007). Its expression is not limited to certain AML types but has been detected in many leukaemic cells. In addition, EGFR expression was intimately associated with the poor clinical outcomes. Finally, we find that only EGFR-positive leukaemic cells respond to antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity of cetuximab, the monoclonal antibodies against EGFR. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]