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Purpose@#Cancer is the leading cause of death in Koreans, with breast cancer being the most common among women. Breast cancer readily metastasizes, and the existing treatment processes impose a significant burden on patients. This study examined whether pomegranate-derived exosome-like nanovesicles (PNVs) have anti-cancer effects by inhibiting cell infiltration and metastasis while increasing apoptosis on breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. @*Methods@#Initially, exosome-like nanovesicles were isolated from pomegranate using ultracentrifugation. Subsequently, the size range of these nanovesicles was confirmed using nanoparticle tracking analysis. The ability of breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells to internalize these natural nanovesicles was assessed with flourescence microscope. The anti-cancer effects of the PNVs were confirmed by applying various concentrations of PNVs (10, 50, 100 μg/mL) to MDA-MB-231 cells and systematically assessing their impact on cell viability and migration. @*Results@#The round shape of the lipid bilayer in the PNVs was confirmed, providing crucial insights into their structural properties. We demonstrate that PNVs-associated DiD dye can be efficiently internalized by the MDA-MB-231 cells. The data showed that the PNVs inhibited cell viability, invasion rates, and migration in MDA-MB-231 cells. In addition, PNVs were absorbed into the MDA-MB-231 cells, leading to an increased expression of apoptosis proteins, such as cleaved caspase-3 and phosphorus-JNK, in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, a reduction in cell infiltration and decreased expression of the transition markers MMP-2 and MMP-9 proteins were observed. @*Conclusion@#For the first time, this study suggests that PNVs may be useful in the prevention or treatment of breast cancer by inhibiting the infiltration and metastasis of MDA-MB-231 cells and inducing apoptosis.
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Purpose@#Margin-negative surgery is very important in surgical oncology. Considering margin-negative pancreatectomy is known to be essential for cure of the pancreatic cancer, pancreatoduodenectomy with combined venous vascular or arterial resection can be a potential option for margin-negative resection, especially, in era of neoadjuvant treatment with potent systemic chemotherapy. To the contrary, special attention was not paid on combined colonic resection during PD. In this article, safe surgical technique for PD with combined colonic resection is introduced, under the name of PD with “colon-last” approach. @*Methods@#At Severance Hospital (Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea), between 2014 and 2021, a total of six patients underwent PD with “colon-last” approach. The surgical technique and surgical outcome are reviewed. @*Results@#All patients recovered without major complications (Clavien-Dindo classification grade ≥ III) after surgery, and most of them recovered after conservative treatment with postoperative pancreatic fistula biochemical leak. None of the patients were readmitted. Only the first and second cases represent cancer-related mortality, and the other patients are still alive and are being followed up. @*Conclusion@#It is hoped that the present technique, PD with colon-last approach, could be helpful enhance the procedural safety in treating advanced cancer requiring PD with combined colon resection. However, its technical safety and oncologic role should be validated by many pancreatic surgeons’ collaborative studies in the near future.
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Purpose@#Numerous robot-assisted pancreatic surgery are being performed worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of the Revo-i robot system (Meerecompany, Seoul, Republic of Korea) for advanced pancreatic surgery, and also compare this new system with the existing da Vinci TM robot system (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) in the context of robot-assisted pancreaticoduodenectomy (RPD). @*Materials and Methods@#This study was a one-armed prospective clinical trial that assessed the Revo-i robot system for advanced pancreatic surgery. Ten patients aged 30 to 73 years were enrolled between December 2019 and August 2020. Postoperative outcomes were retrospectively compared with those of the da VinciTM surgical system. From March 2017 to August 2020, a total of 47 patients who underwent RPD were analyzed retrospectively. @*Results@#In the prospective clinical trial, pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed in nine patients and one patient underwent central pancreatectomy. Among the 10 study participants, the incidence of major complications was 0% in hospital stay. There were eight postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) biochemical leaks (80%). In the retrospective analysis that compared the Revo-i and da VinciTM robotic systems, 10 patients underwent Revo-i RPD and 37 patients underwent da VinciTM RPD, with no significant differences in complication or POPF incidence rates between the two groups (p=0.695, p=0.317). @*Conclusion@#In this single-arm prospective study with short-term follow-up at a single institution, the Revo-i robotic surgical system was safe and effective for advanced pancreatic surgery. Revo-i RPD is comparable to the da VinciTM RPD and is expected to have wide clinical application.
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Purpose@#The favorable clinical efficacies of intramuscular injection of autologous blood in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and intramuscular injection of autologous serum in patients with chronic urticaria have been demonstrated by randomized clinical trials. In this study, we assessed the clinical effectiveness and safety of the intramuscular injection of autologous serum in patients with AD. @*Materials and Methods@#In this randomized, placebo-controlled, and double-blind trial, 23 adolescent and adult patients with moderate-to-severe AD were enrolled. The patients were randomized to receive eight intramuscular injections of 5 mL of autologous serum (n=11) or saline (n=12) over 4 weeks, and were followed up until week 8. Changes in the clinical severity scores of AD assessed by SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD), patient-reported Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) score, and incidence of adverse events were assessed from baseline to week 8. @*Results@#One patient in the treatment group and two patients in the placebo group were lost to follow-up before week 8. The intramuscular administration of autologous serum, compared with saline, decreased the SCORAD clinical severity score (-14.8% vs. 10.7%, p=0.006) and improved the DLQI score (-32.6% vs. 19.5%, p=0.01) from baseline to week 8. Serious adverse events were not observed. @*Conclusion@#Intramuscular injection of autologous serum may be effective in treating AD. Further studies are needed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of this intervention for AD (KCT0001969).
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Purpose@#Since patients on hemodialysis (HD) are known to be vulnerable to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many studies were conducted regarding the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine in HD patients in Western countries. Here, we assessed antibody response of HD patients for 6 months post-vaccination to identify the duration and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine in the Asian population. @*Materials and Methods@#We compared antibody response of the COVID-19 vaccine in HD patients with healthy volunteers. Patient and control groups had two doses of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and mRNA-1273, respectively. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) was measured before vaccination, 2 weeks after the first dose, 2 and 4 weeks, 3 and 6 months after the second dose. Neutralizing antibody was measured before vaccination and at 2 weeks, 3 and 6 months after second dose.Since the third dose was started in the middle of the study, we analyzed the effect of the third dose as well. @*Results@#Although antibody production was weaker than the control group (n=22), the patient group (n=39) showed an increase in IgG and neutralizing antibody after two doses. And, 21/39 patients and 14/22 participants had a third dose (BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 in the patient group, mRNA-1273 in the control group), and it did not affect antibody response in both group. Trend analysis showed IgG and neutralizing antibody did not decrease over time. Age, sex, and HD vintage did not affect antibody production in HD patients. Patients with higher body mass index displayed better seroresponse, while those on immunosuppressants showed poor seroresponse. @*Conclusion@#Two doses of vaccination led to significant antibody response in HD patients, and the antibody did not wane until 6 months.
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Background@#Palmoplantar pustulosis (PPP) is initiated from the acrosyringium. However, it is unclear whether PPP should be considered a distinct entity or should be classified into the spectrum of pustular psoriasis, also known as palmoplantar pustular psoriasis (PPPP). @*Objective@#We evaluated the differences in immunohistochemical staining in patients with PPP to determine whether they can be classified into two groups based on psoriatic properties or acrosyringeal properties. @*Methods@#Nineteen punch biopsy specimens diagnosed with PPP were collected. Antibodies were chosen for identifying the acrosyringeal properties of α-3-nicotine acetylcholine receptors (α-3-nAChR), psoriatic properties of interleukin (IL)-23 and IL-36R, inflammatory cell properties of human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide 18/LL-37, IL-8, lipocalin-2 (LCN2), and CD3. The degree of staining of the epidermis was evaluated using the ordinal scale (0~3). The principal component analysis was used to derive principal components (PCs) of common variation between the stains, and the two groups were divided using PCs and cluster analysis. @*Results@#Three main PCs explained 64% of the total variance in PPP. PC1 (pustular psoriasis properties) showed a higher correlation with IL-36R. PC2 (acrosyringeal/inflammatory properties) showed a higher correlation with α-3-nAChR, IL-8, LCN2, and CD3. PC3 (psoriasis properties) showed a higher correlation with IL-23. PC1 showed a statistically significant difference (p=0.0284) between the two groups. We identified three PCs associated with the pathomechanisms of PPP. @*Conclusion@#Although PC1 showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups, we did not identify differential protein expression related to the pathogenesis between PPP and PPPP.
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We describe four cases of feline progressive histiocytosis (FPH) including three females (one intact, two spayed) and one castrated male cat, with a mean age of 5.95 years at diagnosis. Masses were found under the skin of head, lip, neck, and vulva. Histologically, proliferative round cells had ovoid nuclei, foamy eosinophilic cytoplasm, distinct cytoplasmic processes, and mitotic figures. Immunohistochemically, all cases were positive for Iba1 and MHC II (Dako). One case showed cytoplasmic positive staining for E-cadherin. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first documented report of FPH in Korea.
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Purpose@#To evaluate the risk factors and effects of fluctuations in oxygen saturation on the occurrence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). @*Methods@#From January 1, 2013 to January 31, 2020, 260 patients hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit of Ajou University Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. @*Results@#Sixty-six patients (25%) were diagnosed with ROP; of them 39 required treatment. In the multivariate regression analysis of ROP severity, the odds ratio (OR) of gestational age was 0.32 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.22 to 0.47; P<0.0001). The OR of saturation of peripheral oxygen (SpO2) fluctuations at the 4th week after birth was 1.02 (95% CI, 1.02 to 1.12; P=0.041). @*Conclusion@#SpO2 fluctuations in premature infants younger than 30 weeks’ gestational age affects ROP severity, especially at the 4th week of life.
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Purpose@#To evaluate the risk factors and effects of fluctuations in oxygen saturation on the occurrence and severity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). @*Methods@#From January 1, 2013 to January 31, 2020, 260 patients hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit of Ajou University Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. @*Results@#Sixty-six patients (25%) were diagnosed with ROP; of them 39 required treatment. In the multivariate regression analysis of ROP severity, the odds ratio (OR) of gestational age was 0.32 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.22 to 0.47; P<0.0001). The OR of saturation of peripheral oxygen (SpO2) fluctuations at the 4th week after birth was 1.02 (95% CI, 1.02 to 1.12; P=0.041). @*Conclusion@#SpO2 fluctuations in premature infants younger than 30 weeks’ gestational age affects ROP severity, especially at the 4th week of life.
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Purpose@#This study was done to investigate the experience of physical and emotional safety in nursing students during fundamentals of nursing practicum. @*Methods@#A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted from March to September 2019. A total of 553 nursing students, who had completed fundamental nursing laboratories, participated in this study. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires which included questions about general characteristics, physical and emotional safety during fundamental nursing laboratories along with an informed consent given prior to the practicum. @*Results@#Of the students, 26 experienced physical safety accidents, and 18 reported emotional safety accidents. Students' mean stress score for physical safety was 1.95, and the mean score for emotional safety was 1.92. Of the students, more than 59.1% agreed to volunteer as practice models in certain nursing procedures’ training. Of the students, 55.8% were satisfied with using their bodies to train fundamental nursing skills. 61.8% of students reported that informed consent was obtained during the nursing laboratory, and 88.6% of students thought that informed consent needs to be obtained. @*Conclusion@#To prevent safety accidents during the fundamentals of nursing practicum and systematically manage accidents, standardized safety guidelines for nursing practicum should be developed. Establishing various training strategies using advanced models or simulators to increase education efficiency and satisfaction is necessary.
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Due to the inconsistent fluctuation of blood supply for transfusion, much attention has been paid to the development of artificial blood using other animals. Although mini-pigs are candidate animals, contamination of mini-pig T cells in artificial blood may cause a major safety concern. Therefore, it is important to analyze the cross-reactivity of IL-7, the major survival factor for T lymphocytes, between human, mouse, and mini-pig. Thus, we compared the protein sequences of IL-7 and found that porcine IL-7 was evolutionarily different from human IL-7. We also observed that when porcine T cells were cultured with either human or mouse IL-7, these cells did not increase the survival or proliferation compared to negative controls. These results suggest that porcine T cells do not recognize human or mouse IL-7 as their survival factor.
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Due to the inconsistent fluctuation of blood supply for transfusion, much attention has been paid to the development of artificial blood using other animals. Although mini-pigs are candidate animals, contamination of mini-pig T cells in artificial blood may cause a major safety concern. Therefore, it is important to analyze the cross-reactivity of IL-7, the major survival factor for T lymphocytes, between human, mouse, and mini-pig. Thus, we compared the protein sequences of IL-7 and found that porcine IL-7 was evolutionarily different from human IL-7. We also observed that when porcine T cells were cultured with either human or mouse IL-7, these cells did not increase the survival or proliferation compared to negative controls. These results suggest that porcine T cells do not recognize human or mouse IL-7 as their survival factor.
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PURPOSE: Osteoarthritis (OA) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) elicits cartilage and subchondral bone defects. Growth hormone (GH) promotes chondrocyte growth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of intra-articular injections of GH to treat TMJ-OA.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) was used to induce OA in the TMJs of rats. After confirming the induction of OA, recombinant human GH was injected into the articular cavities of rats. Concentrations of GH and IGF-1 were measured in the blood and synovial fluid, and OA grades of cartilage and subchondral bone degradation were recorded by histological examination and micro-computed tomography.RESULTS: MIA-induced OA in the rat TMJ upregulated insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) rather than GH levels. GH and IGF-1 concentrations were increased after local injection of GH, compared with controls. Locally injected GH lowered osteoarthritic scores in the cartilage and subchondral bone of the TMJ.CONCLUSION: Intra-articular injection of GH improved OA scores in rat TMJs in both cartilage and subchondral bone of the condyles without affecting condylar bone growth. These results suggest that intra-articular injection of human GH could be a suitable treatment option for TMJ-OA patients in the future.
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Purpose@#The purposes of this study were to analyze and compare the textbooks of fundamentals of nursing and practice in order to standardize them for medication administration, infection control, and pressure injury. @*Methods@#The current study is a literature review of the ten textbooks published after 2013. Ten textbooks were the ones selected by the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute as major textbooks. Three items were reviewed: medication administration, infection control, and pressure injury, with a focus on differences in numbers, range, direction, and others. @*Results@#For medication administration, there were some discrepancies in the size of needle and syringe, maximum dosage depending on injection methods, replacement period of catheter and infusion set, depth of insertion for vaginal medication administration. For infection control, items with discrepancies included length of time for hand washing, concentration of chemical sterilant, frequency of ventilation to prevent airborne disease, distance to prevent droplet-borne infection, the latent period of infectious disease, and methods to treat medical wastes. For pressure injury, the discrepancies were exhibited in the degree and duration of pressure for pressure injuries, range of scores for risks in pressure injury assessment tools, and temperature of the solution to irrigate pressure injuries. @*Conclusion@#Standardized textbooks for these three parts will be useful teaching aide for students and nurses to carry out consistent and professional nursing for patients’ safety.
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Objective: To evaluate the effect of different extracts of Diospyros lotus leaves in atopic dermatitis Methods: Diospyros lotus leaves were extracted in ethanol and treated with or without hydrochloric acid or α-rhamnosidase to obtain three different extracts-ethanol, acid-hydrolyzed, and enzyme-hydrolyzed leaf extracts of date plum. The myricitrin content in all samples was measured using HPLC analysis. In vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of the extracts were determined by measuring DPPH radical scavenging activities and nitric oxide production in RAW264.7 cells, respectively. Seven-week-old male hairless mice were used to evaluate the anti-atopic dermatitis effects of three extracts in vivo. Splenocytes and mast cells were used to further determine the anti-atopic dermatitis effects of the major compound in the ethanol leaf extract. Results: Enzyme-hydrolyzed leaf extract showed significant in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, and attenuated atopic dermatitis-like skin symptoms and clinical signs more significantly than ethanol and acid-hydrolyzed leaf extracts in 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and house dust mite antigen-treated hairless mice. Enzyme-hydrolyzed leaf extract also suppressed the serum level of immunoglobulin E, interleukin (IL)-4, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, thymic stromal lymphopoietin, and thymus and activation-regulated chemokine in mice with atopic dermatitis. Furthermore, histological analysis revealed that enzyme-hydrolyzed leaf extract suppressed the increased epidermal thickness, dermal infiltration of inflammatory cells, and infiltration and degranulation of mast cells more markedly than the other two extracts in atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions. In addition, this extract effectively inhibited the production of IFN-γ, IL-4,and thymus and activation-regulated chemokine compared with the other two extracts in concanavalin A-stimulated splenocytes. Myricitrin, a major compound of enzyme-hydrolyzed leaf extract, suppressed atopic dermatitis biomarkers in stimulated mouse splenocytes and HMC-1 human mast cells. Conclusions: These results suggest that enzyme-hydrolyzed leaf extract might be a potential candidate to treat atopic dermatitis.
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The function of microglia/macrophages after ischemic stroke is poorly understood. This study examines the role of microglia/macrophages in the focal infarct area after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rhesus monkeys. We measured infarct volume and neurological function by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and non-human primate stroke scale (NHPSS), respectively, to assess temporal changes following MCAO. Activated phagocytic microglia/macrophages were examined by immunohistochemistry in post-mortem brains (n=6 MCAO, n=2 controls) at 3 and 24 hours (acute stage), 2 and 4 weeks (subacute stage), and 4, and 20 months (chronic stage) following MCAO. We found that the infarct volume progressively decreased between 1 and 4 weeks following MCAO, in parallel with the neurological recovery. Greater presence of cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68)-expressing microglia/macrophages was detected in the infarct lesion in the subacute and chronic stage, compared to the acute stage. Surprisingly, 98~99% of transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) was found colocalized with CD68-expressing cells. CD68-expressing microglia/macrophages, rather than CD206⁺ cells, may exert anti-inflammatory effects by secreting TGFβ after the subacute stage of ischemic stroke. CD68⁺ microglia/macrophages can therefore be used as a potential therapeutic target.
Subject(s)
Brain , Haplorhini , Immunohistochemistry , Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery , Inflammation , Macaca mulatta , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Microglia , Middle Cerebral Artery , Primates , Stroke , Transforming Growth Factor betaABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Proficient differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into specific lineages is required for applications in regenerative medicine. A growing amount of evidences had implicated hormones and hormone-like molecules as critical regulators of proliferation and lineage specification during in vivo development. Therefore, a deeper understanding of the hormones and hormone-like molecules involved in cell fate decisions is critical for efficient and controlled differentiation of hPSCs into specific lineages. Thus, we functionally and quantitatively compared the effects of diverse hormones (estradiol 17-β (E2), progesterone (P4), and dexamethasone (DM)) and a hormone-like molecule (retinoic acid (RA)) on the regulation of hematopoietic and neural lineage specification. METHODS AND RESULTS: We used 10 nM E2, 3 μM P4, 10 nM DM, and 10 nM RA based on their functional in vivo developmental potential. The sex hormone E2 enhanced functional activity of hematopoietic progenitors compared to P4 and DM, whereas RA impaired hematopoietic differentiation. In addition, E2 increased CD34⁺CD45⁺ cells with progenitor functions, even in the CD43⁻ population, a well-known hemogenic marker. RA exhibited lineage-biased potential, preferentially committing hPSCs toward the neural lineage while restricting the hematopoietic fate decision. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal unique cell fate potentials of E2 and RA treatment and provide valuable differentiation information that is essential for hPSC applications.
Subject(s)
Humans , Dexamethasone , Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells , Pluripotent Stem Cells , Progesterone , Regenerative Medicine , TretinoinABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the safety of nursing students during fundamentals of nursing practicum in Korea. METHODS: This study used a descriptive design. A total of 106 nursing instructors teaching fundamentals of nursing longer than one year participated in this study. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires from July 24 to August 28, 2018. The questionnaires consisted of general characteristics, characteristics of fundamentals of nursing course, physical and emotional safety issues during fundamentals of nursing practicum, and obtaining an informed consent prior to practicum. RESULTS: The average number of physical safety accidents during practicum of fundamentals of nursing in the past 5 years was 1.12±2.44. The most common safety accident was punctured wound. The mean score of the participants' stress on physical safety accidents was 3.53±1.12 out of 5. The average number of emotional safety accidents of fundamentals of nursing practicum in the past 5 years was 1.05±2.72. The mean score of stress on emotional safety accident was 3.00±1.09 out of 5. We found that 47.2% of the participants obtained an oral consent or a written consent for safety of fundamentals of nursing practicum. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that it is necessary to establish safety strategies for fundamentals of nursing practicum for nursing students.
Subject(s)
Humans , Human Body , Informed Consent , Korea , Nursing , Students, Nursing , Wounds and InjuriesABSTRACT
The final degrees of education for the third and fourth authors were mutually misplaced.
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Nonhuman primate models are valuable in biomedical research. However, reference data for clinical pathology parameters in cynomolgus and rhesus monkeys are limited. In the present study, we established hematologic and biochemical reference intervals for healthy cynomolgus and rhesus monkeys anesthetized with ketamine hydrochloride. A total of 142 cynomolgus monkeys (28 males and 114 females) and 42 rhesus monkeys (22 males and 20 females) were selected and analyzed in order to examine reference intervals of 20 hematological and 16 biochemical parameters. The effects of sex were also investigated. Reference intervals for hematological and biochemical parameters were separately established by species (cynomolgus and rhesus) and sex (male and female). No sex-related differences were determined in erythrocyte-related parameters for cynomolgus and rhesus monkey housed in indoor laboratory conditions. Alkaline phosphatase and gamma glutamyltransferase were significantly lower in females than males in both cynomolgus and rhesus monkeys aged 48–96 months. The reference values for hematological and biochemical parameters established herein might provide valuable information for researchers using cynomolgus and rhesus monkeys in experimental conditions for biomedical studies.