Page 50«..1020..49505152..6070..»

Archive for the ‘Bone Marrow Stem Cells’ Category

Effect of ultraviolet treatment on bacterial attachment and osteogenic activity to alkali-treated titanium with … – Dove Medical Press

Honghao Zhang,1,2 Satoshi Komasa,1 Chiho Mashimo,3 Tohru Sekino,4 Joji Okazaki1

1Department of Removable Prosthodontics and Occlusion, Osaka Dental University, Hirakata, Osaka, Japan; 2Department of Stomatology, Nanfang Hospital and College of Stomatology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China; 3Department of Bacteriology, Osaka Dental University, Hirakata, 4The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan

Purpose: Alkali-treated titanium with nanonetwork structures (TNS) possesses good osteogenic activity; however, the resistance of this material to bacterial contamination remains inadequate. As such, TNS implants are prone to postoperative infection. In this work, we attempted to alter the biological properties of TNS by treatment with short-duration high-intensity ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Methods: TNS discs were treated with UV light (wavelength =254 nm, strength =100 mW/cm2) for 15 minutes using a UV-irradiation machine. We carried out a surface characterization and evaluated the discs for bacterial film formation, protein adsorption, and osteogenic features. Results: The superhydrophilicity and surface hydrocarbon elimination exhibited by the treated material (UV-treated titanium with a nanonetwork structure [UV-TNS]) revealed that this treatment effectively changed the surface characteristics of TNS. Notably, UV-TNS also showed reduced colonization by Actinomyces oris during an initial attachment period and inhibition of biofilm formation for up to 6 hours. Moreover, compared to conventional TNS, UV-TNS showed superior osteogenic activity as indicated by increased levels of adhesion, proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity, osteogenic factor production, and osteogenesis-related gene expression by rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMMSCs). This inverse relationship between bacterial attachment and cell adhesion could be due to the presence of electronhole pairs induced by high-intensity UV treatment. Conclusion: We suggest that simple UV treatment has great clinical potential for TNS implants, as it promotes the osseointegration of the TNS while reducing bacterial contamination, and can be conducted chair-side immediately prior to implantation.

Keywords: implant, nanonetwork, postoperative infection, UV treatment, superhydrophilicity, osteointegration

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

Visit link:
Effect of ultraviolet treatment on bacterial attachment and osteogenic activity to alkali-treated titanium with ... - Dove Medical Press

Glimmer of hope in Avery’s heartbreaking cancer battle – The Sunshine Coast Daily

AVERY Beal has seen more suffering in her three short years than many people see in a lifetime.

The plucky toddler was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in August 2014 and has been fighting for her life ever since.

In the last three years, she has lived through chemotherapy, stem cell transplants, and bone marrow transplants.

It's been a rough few years on the rest of the family too.

Avery's mum Jen has spent the last two and a half years living in between the Beal family home on the Sunshine Coast and Lady Cilento's Children Hospital in Brisbane to care for Avery's medical needs.

Dad David has cared for the couple's other five children on the Coast, working to support them while home schooling their autistic twins.

To top it all off, Mr Beal said the family was recently given no choice but to move house after their lease ended.

Despite the tumultuous last few years, the ordeal might finally be over for Avery - although she's still very high risk, doctors have deemed her well enough to come home.

"Avery's been doing really good," Mr Beal said.

"She managed to get transplant stem cells from a baby's (umbilical) cord from another country.

"She managed to get to day 100 after the transplant, which at that stage doctors were happy for Jen and Avery to come home."

Avery had a second bone marrow transplant in March after her first one failed to stimulate Avery's blood cells to create healthy cells instead of cancerous ones.

"We're feeling good but the challenge is that she's still so high risk," Mr Beal said.

"With children, they'll generally speaking only do two bone marrow transplants.

"If it does come back there is literally nothing they can do. They would just make her comfortable.

"At the moment, we have tests done on her bone marrow every month so see that she's still cancer free."

Yesterday Avery had her central line - a long, thin, flexible tube used to give medicines, fluids, nutrients, or blood transfusions -removed for the first time since her diagnosis in 2014.

The bubbly three-year-old will finally be able to go swimming - an experience that Avery has missed out on living on the Sunshine Coast.

Although the spritely tot has an 85% chance of relapsing, the family are confident that this is a good sign.

Despite all life has thrown at her, Avery is a happy child that lights up the lives of those around her.

"She's just incredible," Mr Beal said.

"It just amazes me over and over again how amazing she is on top of the treatments and the drugs; I think she's on eight different meds every morning and evening."

Mr Beal said the biggest hurdle the family currently face is the cost of Avery's multiple medications.

"She had a number on different things to get her body to a place for the transplant she's had in march," he said.

"Since then she's been on lots of different meds to make sure her body doesn't reject the transplant.

"For us finances are the biggest thing.

"Now that Avery is out of hospital we have to pay for medication and Jen's still having to do trips to Brisbane every week or fortnight"

To help the Beals visit http://www.facebook.com/averysupport.

Follow this link:
Glimmer of hope in Avery's heartbreaking cancer battle - The Sunshine Coast Daily

U team discovers ‘powerhouse’ new treatment in fight against deadly skin disease – Southernminn.com

Jonathan Pitre is a teenager who loves to write science fiction as an escape from the painful disease that causes his body to be coated with wounds.

But the breakthrough bone-marrow transplant he just received at the University of Minnesota is anything but fantasy.

A decade after performing the worlds first bone marrow transplants to treat epidermolysis bullosa a rare and potentially fatal skin disease university researchers believe they have discovered a powerhouse new formula that advances their research, helps the body grow new skin and will allow patients such as Pitre, 17, to live longer, less painful lives.

Its really not miraculous. It certainly isnt science fiction, said Dr. Jakub Tolar, director of the Us stem cell institute and the world leader in transplant therapies for EB. Its based on the hard work of our predecessors. You accomplish something and then you use that knowledge to enhance the next step and the next step.

When they conducted the first transplants using donor bone marrow and umbilical cord blood in 2007, Tolar and colleagues were trying to produce a collagen that binds skin together and is lacking in EB patients. But they had little certainty about the types of cells that would work best.

Since then, research discoveries have allowed them to home in on mesenchymal stem cells, which they believe are uniquely good at bullying their way into the body and producing the missing collagen.

This is the first time ever, that I know of, when you are infusing them with the goal that these cells will stay, Tolar said. They will graft into the skin, set up shop there. Its as if these mesenchymal stem cells are coming home.

The doctors have also focused on transplants involving bone marrow from relatives, which is more familiar to the body and less likely to be rejected by the recipients.

A transplant like Jonathans occurs in a one-two punch. After receiving radiation and chemotherapy treatments to suppress the immune system, the patient receives an infusion of hematopoietic blood stem cells from a donor. Their job in this procedure is to give the patient a new immune system that wont reject the donors mesenchymal cells when they are transplanted later.

Since the U received federal approval last fall to offer the treatment experimentally, seven patients have undergone the procedure.

Tolar said all seven are progressing though Jonathan needed a second transplant this spring because the first one failed to knock out his old immune system.

Jonathan suffered an infection after his most recent transplant, which forced him to return to the hospital this month with high fevers and blisters on his face and mouth. Even so, Jonathans mother, Tina Boileau, said she has been taking pictures since the latest transplant to document the progress for her son, whose back is covered with wounds but for a healthy spot on his right shoulder blade.

Theyre actually in scabs, a sign of healing, said Boileau, who was the bone marrow donor for her sons transplant. Which Ive never seen before.

10 patients died

EB afflicts about one in every 30,000 to 50,000 people, though some forms are more severe than others. While it is known largely for the grotesque skin wounds it causes, the disease is often fatal because it leads to severe infections or skin cancers. It can also create internal wounds to the patients digestive tract, which impairs eating.

The desperation of children with the disorder and their families compelled the first transplants at the university in 2007. Even using the old approach, about two-thirds of patients saw improvements, but 10 of the first 30 recipients died from their diseases or complications of treatment.

The Us latest success with mesenchymal stem cells might end up being an incremental step. Earlier this year, Tolar and his colleagues published research showing success in an even more advanced therapy: laboratory testing using gene editing that can reprogram the patients cells to produce healthy skin cells and tissue.

Further successes could lead to clinical trials in which a patients own dysfunctional cells would be reprogrammed, preventing the need for chemotherapy and the replacement of their immune systems.

Before they came to the U, Boileau said, her son had run out of options. Managing his pain, once possible with over-the-counter Advil, had come to require opioid painkillers such as methadone. That made him groggy and complicated his already awkward life at school back home in Ottawa. Jonathan wasnt even able to eat lunch in the school cafeteria for fear of being accidentally bumped and suffering fresh wounds.

Then the Canadian government approved funding to make him his countrys first recipient of an experimental bone marrow transplant for EB. And his home community rallied to support the family. Among other things, he has visited with pro hockey players from the Ottawa Senators, which also issued a contract adding him to their scout staff.

After seeing the pain her son has endured, Boileau said shell never complain about a blister from new shoes. She marvels at his optimism and his use of science fiction reading and writing to escape.

Inspired by the success of Christopher Paolini, who wrote the acclaimed Eragon science fiction novel as a teen, Jonathan has resolved to write his own science fiction book about a teen who develops the ability to overcome EB. The project resulted in long visits and e-mail exchanges between Tolar and his patient about medicine and physics, because Jonathan wants his story grounded in reality.

Theyre almost soul mates, Boileau said.

Tolar said he enjoys the intellectual relationship and that his patient is providing an example of hope and teaching others about the disease: He may be the only person [who] can bring this kind of view to others, Tolar said.

Excerpt from:
U team discovers 'powerhouse' new treatment in fight against deadly skin disease - Southernminn.com

Adult Stem Cells Save Woman Ravaged by Lupus, Now She Can be … – LifeNews.com

Today the Charlotte Lozier Institute announced the release of its latest testimonial video at StemCellResearchFacts.org, a project of the Washington, D.C.-based research and policy group. The video revisits Jackie Stollfus, a lupus survivor whose story was first told in a video released in 2014.

Diagnosed at the age of 21 with systemic lupus, an autoimmune disease with no known cure, Stollfus endured years of debilitating symptoms that did not respond to medication before undergoing a transplant of her own bone marrow stem cells. Seven years later, she is healthy, active, and has been able to start a family. Adult stem cells saved my life, gave me a chance to have a life, gave me that chance to be a mom, she says.

Dr. David Prentice, Vice President and Research Director of the Charlotte Lozier Institute and an international expert on stem cells, hailed the new video, saying:

Follow LifeNews.com on Instagram for pro-life pictures.

Autoimmune diseases are notoriously challenging to treat, which makes Jackie Stollfuss recovery that much more striking. As this video shows, adult stem cells are the gold standard for stem cells when it comes to patient-centered science. Jackies story is only the latest example of innovation using adult stem cells. These non-controversial cells have led to validated healing in FDA-approved studies and peer-reviewed publications for patients with various diseases and conditions. Derived from bone marrow, umbilical cord blood, and other ethical sources, they have already been used to help over one million suffering patients around the globe.

Charlotte Lozier Institute President Chuck Donovan praised Congressional efforts to prioritize NIH funding for the most promising research:

The initial successes for these innovative therapies must be followed up with expanded resources to bring more treatments to the clinic and the bedside. The bipartisan, aptly-named Patients First Act (H.R. 2918) introduced by Rep. Jim Banks and Rep. Dan Lipinski is a good example of how policymakers can advance cutting-edge medicine. It directs resources for stem cells where they will do the most good for patients.

StemCellResearchFacts.org, a project of the Charlotte Lozier Institute, was established in 2009 to facilitate and form a worldwide community dedicated to helping individuals, patients and families discover, learn and share the latest advances in adult stem cell research. To that end, the website has published 16 video testimonials backed by peer-reviewed published science. These testimonials feature patients who have undergone successful therapies for a variety of conditions including autoimmune diseases, cancer, spinal cord injury, heart disease, and more using adult stem cells. They also convey the testimony of doctors and researchers on the merits of these treatments.

Read the original:
Adult Stem Cells Save Woman Ravaged by Lupus, Now She Can be ... - LifeNews.com

Bone Therapeutics receives Intent to Grant Notice from European Patent Office for allogeneic bone cell therapy platform – OrthoSpineNews

Share this story with your network

Gosselies, Belgium,26 June 2017; 7am CEST BONE THERAPEUTICS (Euronext Brussels and Paris: BOTHE), the bone cell therapy company addressing high unmet medical needs in orthopaedics and bone diseases, today announces that the European Patent Office (EPO) has notified the Company of its intention to grant a key patent covering its first-in-class allogeneic cell therapy technology.

Once granted, the patent titled, Osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stem cells and mesenchymal stem cells using a combination of growth factors, will provide legal protection to Bone Therapeutics both for the manufacturing methods and for the distinct cell type used in its allogeneic cell therapy technology. Specifically, the patent covers methods to manufacture differentiated and biologically active osteoblastic (bone-forming) cells from bone marrow stem cells, using a specific combination of growth factors, and also covers a new class of osteoblastic cells suitable for allogeneic administration to the patient.

Bone Therapeutics will now validate the patent in several countries in the European Union, potentially allowing IP protection for its allogeneic bone cell therapy platform until 2029. Patents from the same patent family have already been granted in Japan, Australia and Singapore and applications are pending in the USA, Canada, India and South Korea. ALLOB, Bone Therapeutics most advanced allogeneic bone cell therapy product, is currently being evaluated in Phase I/IIA clinical trials for delayed-union fractures and spinal fusion, for which interim results are expected in the third quarter this year.

Thomas Lienard, Chief Executive Officer of Bone Therapeutics, commented: This notice from the European Patent Office confirms our allogeneic bone cell therapy technology is both innovative and distinctive. When granted, this European patent will significantly strengthen our IP position in the field of bone cell therapy, giving us further validation for the scientific and commercial development of our cell therapy products whilst also enhancing our position with respect to new partnerships.

Dr. Miguel Forte, Chief Medical Officer of Bone Therapeutics, further noted: Obtaining this patent is an important step in the development of our allogeneic bone cell therapy technology. It will provide a solid IP protection for our current work and for future technological advances, allowing us to continue our efforts to create patient-centric and commercially interesting bone cell therapy solutions.

About Bone Therapeutics

Bone Therapeutics is a leading cell therapy company addressing high unmet needs in orthopaedics and bone diseases. Based in Gosselies, Belgium, the Company has a broad, diversified portfolio of bone cell therapy products in clinical development across a number of disease areas targeting markets with large unmet medical needs and limited innovation. Our technology is based on a unique, proprietary approach to bone regeneration which turns undifferentiated stem cells into osteoblastic, or bone-forming cells. These cells can be administered via a minimally invasive procedure, avoiding the need for invasive surgery. Our primary clinical focus is ALLOB, an allogeneic off-the-shelf cell therapy product derived from stem cells of healthy donors, which is in Phase II studies for the treatment of delayed-union fractures and spinal fusion. The Company also has an autologous bone cell therapy product, PREOB, obtained from patients own bone marrow and currently in Phase III development for osteonecrosis and non-union fractures.

Bone Therapeutics cell therapy products are manufactured to the highest GMP standards and are protected by a rich IP estate coveringnine patent families. Further information is available at: http://www.bonetherapeutics.com.

Certain statements, beliefs and opinions in this press release are forward-looking, which reflect the Company or, as appropriate, the Company directors current expectations and projections about future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. A multitude of factors including, but not limited to, changes in demand, competition and technology, can cause actual events, performance or results to differ significantly from any anticipated development. Forward looking statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. As a result, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any update or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release as a result of any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which these forward-looking statements are based. Neither the Company nor its advisers or representatives nor any of its subsidiary undertakings or any such persons officers or employees guarantees that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does either accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in thispress release or the actual occurrence of the forecasted developments. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

Josh Sandberg has been an executive search consultant focused exclusively on orthopedic and spine start-ups since 2004. He has had a tremendous impact in helping his clients avoid costly hiring mistakes by his deep industry knowledge and network. In 2010, Josh co-founded Ortho Spine Companies, which is the parent company of Ortho Spine Distributors (OSD), Surg.io and Ortho Sales Partners (OSP). OSD a searchable database that helps ease the frustration of finding orthopedic distributors throughout the country. Surg.io is the ultimate distributor toolkit that offers distributors the tools necessary to build the foundation of a scalable and highly functioning sales organization. OSP is an end-to-end solution that helps companies approach the Global Market in a cost efficient way. Our team has hundreds of years of experience and can help you navigate the many challenges present in bringing new technologies to the market.

Read more here:
Bone Therapeutics receives Intent to Grant Notice from European Patent Office for allogeneic bone cell therapy platform - OrthoSpineNews

‘He was a fighter’ says father after toddler dies of leukemia – CBC.ca

A Winnipeg toddlerwith acute myeloid leukemia has passed away after hundreds came forward to register as donors in an effort to help him.

After being diagnosed with the disease on Oct. 25, 2016, 20-month-old Tegveer Minhaswasforced to go through two rounds of chemotherapy, losing his hair and a lot of weight.

During that time, his family put out calls to the public to come forward and register bone marrow and stem cell information, in hopes that someone would be a match.

Hundreds of people in Manitoba, Ontario and Alberta were swabbed, and Tegveer was able to receive a stem cell donation, but Minhas said it didn't work.

"After 8 months of struggle, he passed away on June 18th, early in the morning at 6 a.m.," said his dad,Sukhbir Minhas.

Minhas saidhis family is trying to stay strong, but he admits they are having a hard time.

"He was a happy soul, he loved to go out, we took him to Clear Lake on June 4th, and I wish I knew that he would love it so much, we were planning to go back again," Minhas said.

The hundreds of strangers who registered as donors, prayed for and even phoned the family to offer supportmeant the world to Minhas and his wife, he said.

"There was a time in the hospital, it was in January I think, we were so sure that my son's going to be all right, because it's just not me and my wife, it's thousands of other people who are praying for him," he said.

He urged people, especially young people aged 18 to 35, to register as donors to help other families like his.

"I respect every person from the bottom of my heart who went and got themselves swabbed, and even those who just had a thought of going and get themselves swabbed. That means they care for my son as I and my wife," he said.

"It feels a little better than if there was nobody for us."

Follow this link:
'He was a fighter' says father after toddler dies of leukemia - CBC.ca

Jonathan Pitre still ailing as doctors search for answers – Ottawa Sun


Ottawa Sun
Jonathan Pitre still ailing as doctors search for answers
Ottawa Sun
Pitre checked back into hospital earlier this month just three days after being released following a stem cell transplant that had successfully taken root in his bone marrow. Bone marrow stem cells produce most of the body's blood cells, and are ...

and more »

Link:
Jonathan Pitre still ailing as doctors search for answers - Ottawa Sun

Brave Aimee delighted to be back at Barrow school after months in hospital – NW Evening Mail

A BRAVE Barrow girl is delighted to be back at school after eight months away fighting leukaemia and recovering from complications following a stem cell transplant.

Bubbly Aimee Robinson returned to St James' CE Junior School this week to a warm welcome from her friends and teachers, who have all missed having her at the Barrow primary.

The eleven-year-old last attended the Blake Street school for three weeks in September as she is a patient at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, where she has battled leukaemia.

Following aggressive chemotherapy, Aimee had a stem cell transplant using umbilical cord blood. She did well following the transplant and spent time in isolation. But she later developed graft versus host disease. This is when particular types of white blood cell in the donated bone marrow or stem cells attack a body's own cells.

Aimee had to spend further time in isolation as she recovered from GVHD.

Aimee, who was first diagnosed with leukaemia in January 2016, is now in remission and the treatment for GVHD is also working. She was eventually allowed home to Barrow last month, but she has treatment at the Manchester hospital every fortnight.

Medics then gave her the OK to return to school this week to complete her final year of primary school, Year Six, before she prepares to attend Furness Academy in September.

Aimee, who is a house captain and school council member at St James' school, said: "It feels great to be at school with my friends. St James' is the best school ever."

Her great friend, Abbie Gelling, 11, said it is really great to have Aimee back, as they had to keep in touch through FaceTime, texts and letters.

Angela Rawlinson, the headteacher at St James' CE Junior School, said: "We are so thrilled to have Aimee back at school. It's such great news. Aimee loves school and learning.

"It was very important for Aimee to get back to school before they all move on to secondary school."

The St James' school community raised 3,000 to help Aimee and her family who have spent so much time away from home. The community also fundraised to support the pupil.

Aimee has been doing her schooling in hospital with input from St James' school.

Aimee's mum, Joanne Robinson, said: "Aimee has been raring to get back to school, she missed all her friends and teachers. She wanted to go back as soon as possible.

"Nothing bothers Aimee, she just gets on with it. She is a superstar.

"There is no sign of the leukaemia now, her bone marrow is working brilliantly."

Mrs Robinson thanked all the medics, the St James' community and the wider community.

She said: "Thank you to everyone for the love and support they have given our family over the past 18 months and for the support we continue to receive."

Continued here:
Brave Aimee delighted to be back at Barrow school after months in hospital - NW Evening Mail

Despite A Volatile Trading Week, Bellicum’s EHA Presentation Merits A Second Look – Benzinga

Bellicum Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: BLCM) was at its volatile best all this week. After a 14-percent gain Monday, the stock pulled back slightly Tuesday and retreated by less than 2 percent Wednesday.

It rallied over 10 percent Thursday, only to slip by about 7 percent Friday amid the Bellicum's presentation at the European Hematology Association conference, in Spain.

Bellicum Pharma is into the business of developing cellular immunotherapies for various forms of cancer, including both hematological and solid tumors, as well as orphan inherited blood disorder.

Following Bellicum's update at the EHA meeting, Cantor Fitzgerald said the company announced additional data from its ongoing phase 1/2 study with BPX-501 in patients receiving blood stem cell transplant due to malignant and non-malignant blood diseases. The data provided in the update was from 98 patients at 180-days of follow up or greater, as opposed to the 81 number reported previously in the abstract.

Giving the key takeaways, analysts Elemer Piros and Justin Kim said:

GvHD occurs after the transplant of a bone marrow or stem cell belonging to another individual, as the transplanted cells treat the recipient's body as foreign and attack it.

Detailing the data, Cantor Fitzgerald said BPX-501 treatment led to a 5-percent rate of transplant-related mortality, with a 3-percent non-relapse mortality and 15-percent disease relapse rate among malignant disease patients. The performance of the patients, according to the firm, was well above historical matched unrelated donor, or MUD, publications. The results of the study showed 6878 percent 1-year overall survival.

Source: Bellicum Pharma

The firm reminded that the E.U. primary endpoint of the study would assess event-free survival composite of death, GvHD and infection at six months compared with approximately 40 matched MUD patients.

"We expect the observation MUD study, which is in the process of being initiated, to provide relevant context for BPX-501," the firm said.

The firm estimates that an additional $100 million in capital is required to reach commercialization, which it thinks could be sourced from potential licensing fees or from issuing new equity.

A such, Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated its Overweight rating on the shares of Bellicum and the $35 price target it has for its shares.

At time of writing, Bellicum shares were down a steep 7.33 percent at $12.95.

Related Links:

Tracking The Busy June PDUFA Calendar

2 Reasons Vertex Pharmaceuticals Just Got Upgraded

View More Analyst Ratings for BLCM View the Latest Analyst Ratings

Posted-In: Analyst Color Biotech Long Ideas News Reiteration Events Analyst Ratings Movers Best of Benzinga

2017 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

See the original post here:
Despite A Volatile Trading Week, Bellicum's EHA Presentation Merits A Second Look - Benzinga

An LAPD officer needs a bone marrow transplant. His ethnicity limits his chances of getting one – Los Angeles Times

Matthew Medinas doctors diagnosed him with a rare blood disease a few months ago and told him he would probably die without a bone marrow transplant.

With that prognosis came another: The 40-year-old Los Angeles police officer had a less than 50% chance of finding a donor because he is not white.

Most successful matches for bone marrow transplants involve a donor and patient of the same ethnicity. But the majority of the 25 million registered donors nationwide are white, and Medina is Filipino. So far, no match has been found.

Youre basically looking for a genetic twin, said Athena Mari Asklipiadis, who runs Mixed Marrow, an L.A.-based organization that is trying to increase diversity in the bone marrow donor registry. Its not like we have more of a chance we would get a disease, or that were harder to match, its just that theres not representation in the national registry.

Its a familiar problem for any nonwhite person who has needed a bone marrow transplant.

A white American of European descent has a 75% chance of finding a perfect match in the national donor registry, compared with a 40% chance for Filipinos. Few Filipinos in the U.S. have signed up as potential donors, and there is no registry in the Philippines.

Researchers are experimenting with ways to perform bone marrow transplants on people who cant find matches. But while those treatments are being perfected, thousands of people are diagnosed every year with leukemia, lymphomas and other blood diseases whose only hope for a cure is a marrow transplant. And for them, it can come down to ethnicity.

Medinas wife, Angelee, has watched dozens of people at sign-up events across Southern California, particularly in the Filipino community, volunteer to donate bone marrow with the hope of curing her husband. Were very thankful for that, she said. Were hoping something comes up.

For now, Medina is being kept alive with transfusions.

All you want is for that loved one to have a chance, said Officer Dante Pagulayan, Medinas partner at the LAPD and a childhood friend. Thats what were praying for.

Medina went to the doctor in March because he had a rash. His blood work revealed something far more dangerous.

Medina was diagnosed with aplastic anemia, a disease in which the bone marrow stops working. Bone marrow is spongy material inside bones that produces the essential components of blood white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets.

Between 600 and 900 Americans are diagnosed with aplastic anemia each year, according to the Aplastic Anemia and MDS International Foundation. The disease can be caused by exposure to toxic chemicals or a virus, but most cases, including Medinas, are unexplained.

One day he wakes up and the doctor tells him he has this. It could happen to anyone, said Pagulayan, who went to high school and Cal State Long Beach with Medina and now works alongside him in the gang unit in the LAPDs Harbor Division.

Blood transfusions can sustain Medina for now, but the only possible cure for aplastic anemia is a transplant, said Dr. Len Farol, a bone marrow transplant specialist at City of Hope National Medical Center and one of Medinas physicians.

Medina is quarantined at his home in Bellflower, where he lives with his wife and two young daughters. But he needs a transplant soon because his immune system is so weakened from his disease that exposure to a common virus could kill him, Farol said.

Doctors checked to see if Medinas sister could be a match, but she wasnt siblings provide a match only about 25% of the time. They started combing through the registry, but trying to find a donor there can be like finding a needle in a haystack, Farol said.

Doctors look to see if the patient and potential donor share eight cell markers called human leukocyte antigens, or HLA. All eight have to match, but thats rare because there are thousands of possibilities for each marker, experts say.

There could be billions of combinations, said Stephen Spellman, director of immunobiology and observational research for the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research. Within any group, finding a match for HLA is difficult.

Spellman said that people whose ancestors are from the same place tend to have the same markers because they evolved over time in response to different pathogens and diseases that were present in their environment.

According to a 2014 report in the New England Journal of Medicine, a person of white European descent has the highest chance of finding a perfect match eight out of eight HLA markers in the national registry of any ethnic group.

What's your chance of finding a perfect match? If you're...

Source: HLA Match Likelihoods for Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Grafts in the U.S. Registry, New England Journal of Medicine, 2014

Pagulayan, who is also Filipino, said neither he nor Medina knew ethnicity would affect his chances of being cured. Finding out that less than 1% of people in the registry were Filipino was very disheartening, he said.

There are international registries, but the vast majority of people worldwide whove signed up to donate bone marrow are from the U.S and Europe.

Plus, nonwhite populations in general tend to have more genetic diversity. African Americans, for example, have highly diverse genetics because of mixing with other groups since arriving in the United States, experts say. Filipinos are also very diverse because of the countrys long history of colonization.

Still, experts say that everyone who wants to help Medina should sign up for the registry, regardless of ethnicity.

Matches often break down along ethnic lines, but not always. Sometimes markers in one population also appear in another, or people dont know their lineage.

Maya Chamberlin, who is half Indian and half white, had two bone marrow transplants after she was diagnosed with a rare blood disease called HLH in 2009 when she was 4.

Mayas first donor was half Japanese and half Latino, and her second was half Japanese and half Filipino.

So you never know how this works until you get on the registry, said her mother, Mina Chamberlin, who lived in Torrance when Maya was diagnosed but has since relocated to Cincinnati to be closer to physicians who specialize in her daughters disease. You just never know.

Angelee Medina canceled her familys vacation to Mexico scheduled for this summer. Shed been commuting to a job as a graphic designer 20 miles from home when Matt was diagnosed, but found a closer place to work so she could take care of the kids and be near her husband.

It was very, very overwhelming in the beginning, she said. With all the support were getting from everyone around us, it feels hopeful.

More than 1,000 people have signed up to donate bone marrow over the past few months through dozens of drives for Medina, said Chris Chen, a recruitment coordinator for Little Tokyo-based nonprofit A3M, which focuses on getting more Asians to sign up for the Be the Match registry to donate bone marrow.

Potential donors submit cell samples by having the inside of their cheek swabbed. The cells are then analyzed to determine their HLA markers.

About 70% of transplants employ a process called peripheral blood stem cell donation, which is similar to a blood donation but can take several hours. In the other 30% of cases, donors are admitted to the hospital and anesthetized so doctors can remove marrow from their pelvic bone with a needle.

Ayumi Nagata, recruitment manager for A3M, knows that asking people to volunteer for a medical procedure they dont need themselves can be a hard sell. But she tries to impress upon them how they could be the cure for someones cancer or other disease and save their life.

How often do we have that kind of opportunity? Nagata said.

The Medinas 8-year-old daughter, Cassiah, made a sticker thats distributed at donor drives that says, Keep calm and help our daddy fight! When Angelee picked up Cassiah from day care recently, she found out that her daughter had been asking the other kids parents: Did you get swabbed? Have you gotten swabbed yet?

Doctors are testing ways to perform transplants on patients who cant find a bone marrow match. Some are using umbilical cord blood, donated by mothers whove just given birth, which scientists say has a lower chance of rejection even if its not a complete match.

Haploidentical transplants, in which the donor and patient share only half of the eight markers, have also been successful in clinical trials, Spellman said.

Medinas doctors think his best shot is still a perfect match for a bone marrow transplant, his wife said.

Thats just what were waiting for, she said. I remind him one day soon, hopefully everything will be better.

What to know about joining the bone marrow registry

ALSO

Health officials urge meningitis vaccination amid L.A. Pride festival

You know CPR. Now firefighters want you to treat shooting and bombing victims

The amputation rate for diabetics in poor areas is high. This Boyle Heights clinic is trying to change that

See original here:
An LAPD officer needs a bone marrow transplant. His ethnicity limits his chances of getting one - Los Angeles Times

‘Little Frankenstein’ is now a happy teenager – Minneapolis Star Tribune

Richard Sennott - Star Tribune file During a family portrait in 2000, Molly Nash gives her 4-week-old brother Adam a kiss. Molly Nash received some umbilical blood from her brother, saving her from a fatal genetic disease.

Adam Nash was dubbed Little Frankenstein by the New York Post in 2000 because he was conceived via in vitro fertilization specifically so doctors at the University of Minnesota could collect stem cells from his umbilical cord blood to save his sister, Molly.

Today, back home in Colorado, Adam has a drivers license and helps disabled children ski. His sister once weeks from death due to a condition called Fanconi anemia is debating whether to focus on oceanography or graphic design in college. And IVF to produce an ideal child for a siblings stem cell transplant is common, albeit with lingering ethics concerns.

A squirrelly trio of teens is vindication for Adams mother, Lisa Nash, who felt the weight of the ethical questions when the Us Dr. John Wagner suggested IVF in 1995.

See the original post here:
'Little Frankenstein' is now a happy teenager - Minneapolis Star Tribune

How LifeCell became the most accredited stem cell bank in India – Financial Express

Founded in 2004, LifeCcell has technological collaboration with the US-based Cryo-Cell Internationalthe worlds first private stem cell bank with over 25 years of experience. (PTI)

Chennai-based LifeCell, the provider of preventive healthcare services for family wellness, is the worlds second-largest provider of umbilical cord stem cells. Founded in 2004, the company has technological collaboration with the US-based Cryo-Cell Internationalthe worlds first private stem cell bank with over 25 years of experience. As many as 2 lakh Indian parents have chosen to trust their newborns umbilical cords to LifeCell through its umbilical cord banking service BabyCord. The company has a 60% share in the Indian market.Stem cells are mother cells that have the potential to become any type of cell in the body. One of the main characteristics of stem cells is their ability to self-renew or multiply, while maintaining the potential to develop into other types of cells. These cells can repair and rebuild damaged tissue. The uses of stem cells are still being researched. In fact, stem cell tissues have proved effective in cancer treatment too. The applications have been steadily increasing in the last few years. They have been used for treating wound healing, including diabetic foot ulcers. In a country where concepts like bone marrow donations and stem cell banking are still not widely known, Mayur Abhaya, the CEO and managing director of the company, is betting on these treatments of the future.

The company is the most accredited stem cell bank in the country, with certifications from national and international organisations for standards. It is also the only player in the industry providing comprehensive stem cell solutions, including menstrual stem cell banking, R&D and point-of-care stem cell therapy for orthopaedic and vascular specialities.Mayur has been heading LifeCell since 2008. He comes from the family that set up Shasun Group of companiesthe provider of contract pharmaceutical manufacturing services for global companies. Mayur studied biotechnology in India and the US, and then worked in the US for a year. Before moving to LifeCell, he worked for many years at Shasun Pharmaceuticals, where he led their new product development, intellectual property and licensing initiatives. In 2013, LifeCell International got an investment of Rs35 crore from Helion Venture Partners, an India-focused venture fund, to support its plans of increasing market penetration of stem cell banking in India and enabling the development of novel cell-based therapies.

Also Watch: Mayur says LifeCell currently operates in 150 cities, employing more than 1,500 people. We have given an opportunity to our sales people to become their own bosses. They remain on company rolls and get to enjoy all the company benefit plans, such as insurance and welfare schemes. They grow with the company and also have the opportunity to explore and add non-conflicting products or services to their distribution network and enhance their earnings. These internal franchisees bring 50% of our revenue and it is growing. More than 50 such entrepreneurs have been created.LifeCell recently bought over the stake held by Helion Ventures with borrowings from family-owned firms. Three months ago, it changed its business model. We are introducing an on-demand model for sharing cord blood cells, Mayur says. Parents can let the company know if their babies cord blood cells can be used for other needy patients. Cancer patients cannot be treated with their own stem cells. Patients usually do not have much time. Cord cells can be used even if all the six parameters that are required to transplant tissues do not match. By letting their stem cells be used by others, parents and their children get access to cord blood cellsof the entire cord blood cell bankwhen they are in need. So far, stem cells were banked only for the baby from whom these were removed.

Our inventory will come to the aid of people who do not have babies. We will refund the amount paid for having their babys stem cell stored. The processing fee is Rs17,000 and the storage fee each year is Rs4,000. Mayur says that the worlds largest birthing country has a long way to go to create a viable stem cell bank. We are going to follow the blood bank model and hope to bank 2,50,000 cords, which is the critical amount, he adds. We hope to contribute significantly to the ever-developing scope of transplant medicine. Currently, India is importing cord cells, which are prohibitively expensive. With scale, prices will come down in the country. Parents in India will have higher future access to stem cells than even those enjoyed by patients in advanced countries such as the US. We will have a linkage with global inventory. Earlier this month, LifeCell was invited by AABB (formerly American Association of Blood Banks) to present the concept of Community Stem Cell Banking at the 15th International Cord Blood Symposium held in San Diego, US. In 15 years, it is the only second stem cell bank to present its innovation at such a prestigious global platform.

With a turnover of Rs126 crore, LifeCell is operationally profitable. It has enough cash to run its business, but is yet to make net profits. However, Mayur believes very soon LifeCell will turn profitable, and that this year the number of stem cells brought into the labs will be higher by at least 30%. Mayur has extended LifeCells services to introduce and popularise the concept of essential preventive diagnostics for mothers and babies. BabyShield has been introduced to bring down infant mortality ratio. Addressing gaps in marketplace and with innovative business models, it has established market leadership in newborn screening. It has also acquired a prenatal screening service provider. In India, only 2% babies go through prenatal and newborn screening. Nobody has focused on this. We will also be providing diagnostic medication. Doing this can prevent so many false positives. We are building all this together as a package and are offering it at an affordable price, he says.

Read more:
How LifeCell became the most accredited stem cell bank in India - Financial Express

BC woman in need of bone marrow transplant pleas for more donors of African descent – Globalnews.ca

Elizabeth Nega knows that time is not on her side.

The Vancouver mom was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in February and she needs a bone marrow transplant.

Finding a suitable donor has been difficult.

Im very lucky if I get that person who [is a] match to me, she said. My brother and my sister didnt match. If somebody matches, thats a miracle.

She has been undergoing regular chemotherapy treatments since her diagnosis.

The first time they told me if I get 90 per cent remission, they will treat it for two years with chemotherapy, then I will be fine, Nega said. Unfortunately, it didnt show 90 per cent remission.

Nega, who goes by the name Elsa, and her family set up a website and social media channels to help in the search for a donor.

READ MORE: I need a man: Ethnic donors desperately needed for bone marrow registry

Nega, who was born in Ethiopia, needs a match from someone of African descent, which could prove to be a challenge.

Ethnic diversity in the stem cell donor bank is woefully limited, according to Trudi Goels of Canadian Blood Services.

Our registry is about 69 per cent Caucasian, which is huge and it doesnt really reflect the diversity in Canada accurately, she said.

So what we really want to encourage is people who are of African descent to come forward and register to support Elsa.

The ideal candidate is between 17 and 35 years of age. Men are preferred, but women are just as welcome.

Nega hopes a candidate can be found quickly. Her doctor said she can only do about two more chemotherapy treatments before theyll have to stop.

If I get bone marrow transplant, that means another chance to survive, she said. A second chance in my life. If I get that I will survive. Thats my thinking, thats my hope.

2017Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

See the original post here:
BC woman in need of bone marrow transplant pleas for more donors of African descent - Globalnews.ca

You could be a hero for this family – Shreveport Times

The Allums family is looking for a bone marrow match for their oldest son. The same match could later help their youngest daughter, who shares the same rare form of anemia as her brother. Courtesy Cole Prine

Caroline, 11, Elizabeth, 3, Jon Thomas, 13 and James Christopher Allums, 20, do everything as a family. James Christopher and Elizabeth both have a rare medical condition. Their mother, Ellen Allums, said they all go through the process together and support each other with faith and love.(Photo: Courtesy)

Chris Allums was raised in Shreveport. He attended Captain Shreve High, and his family still visits his mother there. He said the community is special to his family.

He and his wife Ellen have four childrenJames Christopher, 20;Jon Thomas, 13;Caroline,11;andElizabeth, 3.

James Christopher and Elizabeth have Fanconi anemia, a disease that affects the bone marrow's ability to produce blood. Bone marrow or blood stem cell transplants are considered the best treatments, andthey have not found a match for either child.

The disease is genetic. According to theNational Organization for Rare Disorders, the incidence rate is 1 in 136,000 births. Ellen said her children are two ofsix in Louisiana affected by FA.It has a variety of symptoms such as fatigueand can lead to bone marrow or organ failure. Ellen and Chris said FA patients are 500 times more likely to develop some cancers, such as leukemia.

James Christopher was diagnosed 12 years ago and told he had about 18 monthsto live. The family was told he must received a bone marrow transplant. He is subject to constant screenings to monitor his blood and check for cancers.

Ellen said they immediately started praying for a miracle. They planned to grow their faith and help as many families as they can along the way until a match is found.

More than 16,000 people have been added to the worldwide bone marrow registry as a result of drives held on behalf of the Allums. Ellen said they know of at least 41 lives that have been saved because of those efforts, and they're asking more people to commit to donate.

From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 24, Tiger Rock Martial Arts of Shreveport, 1409 E. 70th St., Shreveport, will host a bone marrow drive to help the Allums find a match.

Want to go?

Ellen said the process to donate blood stem cells, which is the most common donation method, involves a needle in each arm for four to six hours.

"It's not even a surgery. It's not like giving a kidney or a lung or a heart, even, but the benefits are that strong. It can truly save a life, but yet all you have to do is like giving blood," Ellen said.

To test for a match, she said, it's less of a commitment. It takes about five minutes to fill out paperwork and provide a swab from inside the cheek. Anyone 18-55 in good health can register. A month after testing, people will get a phone call to confirm their position on the registry.

A bone marrow transplant won't cure someone with FA, but it can help prolong life.

One donor, once found, could help both children.Elizabeth's blood counts have been OK, but doctors have said James Christopher has an immediate need for a transplant. DNA needs to be close to an exact match, and many families find a relative who can donate.Elizabeth is a 100 percent match, but she's ineligible because of her FA.

James Christopher Allums, 20, holds his sister Elizabeth Allums, 3. The siblings both have a rare medical condition called Fanconi anemia.(Photo: Courtesy)

If a match is found, the entire family would move to New York for six to eight months. The couple did their homework on hospitals that specialize in the disease and settled on Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital's cancer center. It had the best survival rates, and they've been going for 12 years.

Ellen said the a bone marrow recipient with FA will have to go through chemotherapy for two weeks to kill off the patient's natural bone marrow.

"When the cells are dead, then they receive someone else's bone marrow. It's a liquid, it looks just like an IV, and they lie there and you just pray to God that it's going to take," she said.

After the transplant, the patient is in isolation for 30-40 days. They stay at the transplant hospital for six to eight months and keep a medical mask on for one year. Chris said you hope graph vs. host disease isn't an issue.

Chris said it's important for people to get registers and commit to helping if a match for anyone is found. He said the life you end up saving might be your own. They know of at least one woman who found a quick match when she needed a donor because she had already registered.

FA patients can require blood and platelet transfusions, after which they may become dependent and need additional rounds, which would require a bone marrow transplant quickly.

James Christopher received his first blood transfusion earlier this year. Chris was the donor.

A few weeks ago, James Christopher's counts came back dangerously low. The family had to skip travel to a relative's wedding in Colorado, but Chris said they dressed up, bought a wedding cake and arranged a viewing via Skype. They made lemonade out of lemons, he said.

Chris can donate again in three week, and James Christopher is opting not have his counts check for now.

Want to register?

Order a testing kit online atdkms.orgorbethematch.org.

Online

CheckThe Friends of James Christopher and Elizabeth Allumson Facebook or visitcaringbridge.organd searchJames Christopher Allums.

Read or Share this story: http://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/local/2017/06/20/family-hopes-community-can-help-save/404311001/

Original post:
You could be a hero for this family - Shreveport Times

Bone Marrow Transplant Market Figures and Analytical Insights 2016 2026 – LANews By Abhishek Budholiya (press release) (blog)

Bone marrow transplantation, also referred as hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the process of replacing diseased or damaged bone marrow or bone marrow stem cells with healthy tissue. Bone marrow is a soft vascular tissue present in the interior of long bones, which is primarily responsible for hematopoiesis (formation of blood cells), production of lymphocytes, and storage of a fat. Bone marrow transplantation procedure is recommended to treat severe stages of leukemia, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas, multiple myeloma, aplastic and sickle cell anemia, thalassemia etc. In 2015, more than 75,000 bone marrow transplants were performed globally and the count is expected to increase by approximately 25% by the end of 2020. Depending on the source of bone marrow or stem cells, bone marrow transplant procedures are classified as peripheral stem cell transplant (PSCT) or conventional bone marrow transplant. The high potential of the bone marrow transplants and the ongoing researches in the field to reduce the risks and side effects of the procedure will take the market to a new high and provide better healthcare to millions of people in the world.

Bone Marrow Transplant Market: Drivers and Restraints, Segmentation, Overview, Region wise Overview and Key Players

Increasing worldwide prevalence of cancers and anemia is the major driver for the growth of global bone marrow transplant market. Moreover, advances in technology, improving healthcare infrastructure, emerging indications of bone marrow transplant for heart and neuronal disorders, growing investment in logistic services, increasing per capita healthcare expenditure are some other factors expected to flourish the global bone marrow transplantation market. However, tremendous cost of the treatment, scarcity of bone marrow donors and uncertainty of reimbursement in several countries are some major restraints for the growth of global bone marrow transplantation market,

The global bone marrow transplant market has been classified on the basis of transplant type, disease indication, end user and geography. Based on transplant type, the global bone marrow transplant market is divided into following: Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant, Allogeneic Bone marrow Transplant; Based on the disease indication, the global bone marrow transplant market is divided into following: Leukemia, Lymphoma, Myeloma, Others (anemia, thalassemia etc.); Based on the end user type, the global bone marrow transplant market is divided into following: Hospitals, Multispecialty Clinics, Ambulatory Surgical Centers

Autologous bone marrow transplant segment of transplant type is expected to hold the major share in the global bone marrow transplant market owing to low treatment cost and high success rate. Leukemia being the most potential disease eligible for bone marrow transplant, is anticipated to contribute highest share in the global bone marrow transplant market. Hospital end user segment contributes major market share in global bone marrow transplant market owing to the requirement for advanced healthcare infrastructure for the procedure. Commercialization of stem cell therapies and expansion of them for clinical use is anticipated to cause surge in global bone marrow transplant market over the forecast period of 2016-2026.

Geographically, global bone marrow transplant market is classified into regions namely, North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Middle East and Africa.Europe will continue to lead the global bone marrow transplant market due to high density of bone marrow transplant centers and expanding bone marrow registries. Latin America is anticipated to witness rapid increase in volume of bone marrow transplant market owing to high number of potential candidates for the procedure. Increasing number of bone marrow transplant teams in North America is foreseen to boost the bone marrow transplant market in the region.

Some of the key players in global bone marrow transplant market are Lonza Group Ltd., Merck Millipore Corporation, Sanofi-Aventis LLC., AllCells LLC., STEMCELL Technologies, ATCC Inc., Hemacare Corporation, Cellular Dynamics International, ReachBio LLC., Conversant Bio, abm Inc., PromoCell GmbH, Cruline Human biospecime PRO, Lifeline Cell Technology, Mesoblast Ltd. and others.

Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1354

Market Intelligence Report Small Animal Imaging, 2016 to 2026

Anticonvulsants Market Latest Innovations, Drivers and Industry Key Events 2016 2026

Link:
Bone Marrow Transplant Market Figures and Analytical Insights 2016 2026 - LANews By Abhishek Budholiya (press release) (blog)

School, nonprofit team up to register blood disease donors – C&G Newspapers

By Nick Mordowanec

Kathy Gianotti talks with Ottawa Elementary teacher Brad Everett about becoming a donor June 6 at Cheyenne Elementary School. (Photo by Donna Agusti)

Posted June 20, 2017

click to enlarge

Michelle Habedank, a kindergarten teacher at Cheyenne Elementary, finishes swabbing. (Photo by Donna Agusti)

Michelle Habedank, a kindergarten teacher at Cheyenne Elementary, finishes swabbing. (Photo by Donna Agusti)

MACOMB TOWNSHIP Its as simple as a cheek swab.

On June 6, Cheyenne Elementary School, of Chippewa Valley Schools, partnered with international nonprofit organization DKMS to host a bone marrow registration drive to catalog potential lifesaving donors.

A reported 70 individuals were registered during the drive, which lasted five hours.

Kelly Gianotti, a third-grade teacher at the school, helped bring the first drive of its kind to Cheyenne after experiencing firsthand the whirlwind of emotions that comes from essentially saving another persons life.

In 2013, Gianotti was in her local gym when she saw a flyer about a local high school student who needed a donor. She was so intrigued in the prospect of helping someone else that she registered almost immediately.

The process was easy, she said. She registered by swabbing her cheek with a Q-tip-like device, which entered her into a national database of potential donors. Whenever a patient is diagnosed with a blood disease but whose body rejects treatment, the bone marrow database may be the intermediary between life and death.

Its a timed process, Gianotti explained, as patients receiving bone marrow must first go through chemotherapy.

The actual donation portion of the marrow takes place in one of two ways.

One way is through the peripheral blood stem cell, which essentially takes blood out of one arm, a machine extracts the stem cells, and blood is inserted back into the other arm to regenerate the healthy marrow in the body. It has about a 75 percent success rate.

The other method involves extracting marrow from the hip bone, which is a longer procedure that requires general anesthesia and will lead to more physical soreness. That method is usually suggested for patients under 3 years old.

About one year after swabbing her cheek, Gianotti was found to be a match for a woman in her early 60s from Boston. After completing blood work and getting a physical, Gianotti was able to donate by giving stem cells via her arms.

It cured her blood disease that she had, so it saved her life and gave her extra years, Gianotti said.

Amanda Schamper, recruitment coordinator for DKMS, said there are 7.4 million donors in the DKMS database. The organization, which was founded about 25 years ago, has offices in the United States, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom and more.

Schamper said that 170,000 Americans are diagnosed with blood cancer every year, with nearly 14,000 of those people requiring bone marrow or stem cell transplants. Less than half cant get the transplant, though, because there arent enough donors. Only four in 10 individuals find a match.

A donor could realistically alter the effects of blood cancer and approximately 70 other different types of diseases.

Only about 2 percent of the U.S. population is part of the registry a number that has stayed stagnant, though awareness is increasing. A lot of it has to do with ethnicity, she said, as the same ancestries tend to find better matches. For example, Caucasians tend to find more matches because there are more Caucasians on the registry. Its admittedly not very diverse.

In order to be a donor, DKMS first looks at eligibility requirements such as if a person is healthy, and if he or she understands the donation process.

As you can imagine, it would be devastating for a patient and family if someone backs out at the last minute, Schamper said. That actually does happen.

Once the 30-second cheek swab is complete, a person is added in the database and stays there until the age of 61. People between 18 and 55 years old are eligible to register.

Success rates are then acknowledged on personal levels. The cutoff of 61 years is due to the health and safety of the donor, as mutations occur in DNA and pose a greater risk of complications afterward. Also, the safety and urgency of the patient is essential.

To summarize, donors offer healthy stem cells to patients whose stem cells are abnormal in the bone marrow and cease to function. It affects the immune system, along with white and red blood cells.

Like Gianotti, Schamper has her own personal story. While pregnant with her third child, a boy, and working as a registered nurse in Illinois, Schamper was diagnosed with leukemia.

Her sisters blood wasnt a match, which wasnt a big surprise as only 30 percent of patients can find familial matches. She was given blood from a donor, which saved her life and inspired her own mission to help others.

My donor saved my life, she said. Im very lucky they were able to find one.

Gianotti said she would donate again in a heartbeat. Whether or not Cheyenne will hold another drive next year is unknown, but the fact that 70 people were added to a database in one evening gives her encouragement.

To me, its just important because its a very easy procedure and an easy process, Gianotti said. People always have something on their bucket (list), like, I want to save a life or Do something for someone else. This is a simple way to do that.

Its a rewarding experience, and I talk to (the Boston patients) family and theyre so appreciative of it. I always say to treat people like you want to be treated.

To learn how to become a donor, visit http://www.dkms.org.

About the author

Nick Mordowanec covers Fraser, Clinton Township, Fraser Public Schools, Clintondale Community Schools and Baker College for the Fraser-Clinton Chronicle. Nick, a graduate of Michigan State University, has worked for C & G Newspapers since 2013 and has won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists Detroit Chapter and the Michigan Press Association. He has slight obsessions with Seinfeld and Led Zeppelin.

Full bio and more articles by this reporter

For more local news coverage, see the following newspapers:

Read more here:
School, nonprofit team up to register blood disease donors - C&G Newspapers

Hospital unit where lives have been changed set for massive expansion – WalesOnline

For two decades it has been helping to change the lives of hundreds of patients.

Now the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Singleton Hospital is marking its 20th anniversary with an 800,000 expansion.

The unit was established after a campaign from patients who previously had to travel to Cardiff for treatment and in 2011 it came together with Cardiff to allow more people in Swansea to receive bone marrow transplants than ever before.

There were fewer than ten transplants taking place a year in Swansea in 1997 but since 2011 this has risen to 30 a year.

The Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee, which commissions the BMT service, has now approved increasing this to 50 a year.

It also approved a 793,000 investment for an expansion of the Singleton BMT unit, which will include new facilities such as extra cubicles as well as additional specialist staff.

Dr Al-Ismail said: It started as very much a local service for Swansea and Neath Port Talbot and has now moved to a regional service, which means we can treat more people than ever before.

Among the almost 300 patients who have been cared for in the BMT unit is Keith Pearman from Llanelli .

Keith was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in February 1994, just 15 months after tying the knot with wife Karen.

He underwent several courses of chemotherapy in Singleton Hospital and had periods of remission over the following six years.

But in 2001 the disease returned with a vengeance, requiring aggressive chemotherapy followed by bone marrow transplant using Keiths bone marrow stem cells, which had been harvested and frozen years before.

During a celebration to mark the Singleton units 20th anniversary, Keith said: The fact that Im here talking to you now is testament to the unit and all the staff involved.

It cannot be an easy place to work. All the staff there, every single person involved, I cannot praise them or thank them enough. They saved my life.

A stem cell (bone marrow) transplant involves replacing damaged blood cells with healthy ones. Its used to treat a range of conditions affecting blood cells such as lymphoma and leukaemia.

The high-dose chemotherapy damages the bone marrow, leaving the patient highly vulnerable to infection until the transplanted stem cells have had time to repair this damage.

Stem cell harvesting is done in Cardiff in one day but the transplants take place in the Singleton unit, which has all the necessary facilities, involving an inpatient stay of around three weeks.

But pre-1997, patients from Swansea and South West Wales not only had the harvesting but the transplant carried out in Cardiff.

Since starting in 1997, the unit has treated hundreds of and some of them, along with past and present staff and others involved in the services development, attended a special anniversary lunch.

Consultant haematologist Dr Saad Al-Ismail, who leads the service at Singleton , said: Patients couldnt understand why they had to spend three weeks in Cardiff. We were already treating the diseases. We had the nursing and medical expertise. So adding bone marrow transplantation was not a big undertaking.

Meanwhile, Cardiff was struggling to meet the demand from across South Wales. Patients were waiting for beds to have transplants, and often their condition deteriorated while they were waiting.

Dr Al-Ismail said: The demand was for the service to expand. But Cardiff could not expand so Swansea was the obvious choice.

Visit link:
Hospital unit where lives have been changed set for massive expansion - WalesOnline

Ex-Hadassah head of bone-marrow transplants loses license for 6 months – The Jerusalem Post


The Jerusalem Post
Ex-Hadassah head of bone-marrow transplants loses license for 6 months
The Jerusalem Post
The Health Ministry suspended for at least six months the license of Prof. Shimon Slavin, the much-celebratad former head of bone-marrow transplantation at Hadassah University Medical Center, who retired in 2007 and set up a private clinic in Tel Aviv.

Go here to see the original:
Ex-Hadassah head of bone-marrow transplants loses license for 6 months - The Jerusalem Post

Awesome Dawson: The legacy an 8-year-old boy who battled leukemia leaves behind – ABC10

Frances Wang, KXTV 12:07 AM. PDT June 18, 2017

Dawson Deschaine, 8, of Nevada County, passed away after a long battle with leukemia. His family hopes to bring the 'Beads of Courage' program into more hospitals as part of Dawson's legacy.

While most kids try to earn gold stars for their work, Dawson Deschainefelt a little pride every time he earned a bead.

"The Beads of Courage program is these beads that [represent] every poke, every hospital stay, every bone marrow biopsy, every chemotherapy," said Breanna Deschaine, Dawson's mother.

Dawson was diagnosed with leukemia in January 2015 at just 6-years-old. The battle would last two-and-a-half years. It was all Dawson ever knew.

"He mostly knew nurses, doctors, family," said Jason Deschaine, Dawson's father. "He had a lot more adult conversations than kid ones."

Breanna said he was an old soul. He even drank a cup of coffee every morning (decaf, of course).

"They accidentally sent him coffee [instead of hot chocolate] to his room one day," said Breanna.

Dawson's mom said he was an old soul. After getting coffee instead of hot chocolate, that's what he drank every morning (decaf, of course). pic.twitter.com/eYx7Ed57XX

Dawson battled leukemia for 2-and-a half years. Smiled through it all. Chemo, stem cell transplanted, bone marrow biopsies... pic.twitter.com/NN5NoFSFLI

Now you know an infectious smile like Dawson's comes with some pretty funny stories.

Last August, Nevada County made Dawson an honorary firefighter. They called it 'Dawson Day' with a ceremony and all.

Sweet Dawson passed away this Sat. after battling leukemia. He was only 8 years old. Last yr, he became an honorary Nevada Co. firefighter. pic.twitter.com/RkVOY0WGhD

Dawson was given a badge, his own turnouts, and boots. He even got to respond to an injured biker.

"He kept telling the EMTs how to wrap the leg!" said Breanna.

And his firefighter card, he never took for granted.

"He was getting ready to go to clinic one day," said Jason. "He comes back running in the house saying 'I need my ID Card!'...'No no, I need it. Just in case mom gets pulled over, [I can say police officer,] I am with the fire department.

It's reminiscing and laughing about stories like this that keep his family strong and smiling even when it hurts.

"People always ask how we're doing. As you can tell we smile. Dawson would never let us cry in the room," said Breanna.

Dawson's community made sure his last months in this world was full of adventure. Sadly, he got too sick for his Make-A-Wish: to go to Hawaii and swim with dolphins.

Dawson had plenty of adventures his last 6 months. Sadly, he never got to swim with dolphins in Hawaii... it was his dream . pic.twitter.com/UQeAqIwzW3

On June 10th at 6:05 AM, with his parents and his sister by his side, Dawson passed away.

Even up until his very last moment, he gave his family a thumbs up.

"He couldn't talk very much. Just the thumbs up that he was still good. He was Awesome Dawson," said Breanna, through tears. "It was his signature. No matter what...I told him 'It's OK Dawson. You fought the hardest battle and you won.'"

"You're not supposed to cry!" said Melody, Dawson's grandmother. "He's watching you."

And if Dawson was watching, what would they say?

"I would say thank you, for the opportunity...you pulled our community together and made our family so strong," said Melody. "We all love him very, very much. And miss him."

Breanna said she would read to him again from his favorite book 'Love You Forever.'

"His favorite saying from his favorite book: 'I love you forever. I like you for always. As long as I'm living, my baby you'll be," said Breanna.

Dawson's family hopes to continue his legacy by bringing the Beads of Courage program that got him through his darkest days into more hospitals.

Donations can be made on the Beads of Couragewebsite, under Dawson's name.

And until they see Dawson again, the family says they'll live by this motto: 'Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.'

That is what Dawson would've wanted.

2017 KXTV-TV

See the rest here:
Awesome Dawson: The legacy an 8-year-old boy who battled leukemia leaves behind - ABC10

Filipina urgently needs bone marrow donor – Asianjournal.com

Asian American Donor Program encourages minorities and mixed heritage to join national registry

Oakland Lisa Marie Evangelista, a 31-year-old Filipina woman who lives in Sacramento, is in a literal fight for her life. Lisa is a speech language pathologist and works at the U.C. Davis Medical Center.

On Dec. 27, 2016, she was diagnosed with Chronic Myelomonocytic Leukemia, a rare and aggressive blood cancer. She needs a bone marrow transplant to survive. Lisas sister is a 5/10 or half match. However, doctors prefer Lisa find a 10/10-donor match. To find a perfect match, Lisa needs a stranger to step forward and help save her life.

Lisa has partnered with the Asian American Donor Program to find a donor similar to her genetic makeup. A bone marrow transplant, which is needed soon, is Lisas only hope for her long-term survival. A committed 10/10 marrow-matching donor must be located to have a successful transplant. Since Lisa is of Filipino, a matching donor will also need to be of Filipino or Asian descent.

More about Lisa

Lisa learned about her diagnosis just nine months after her father died of a blood cancer. Family and friends note how she brings laughter, joy, warmth, and kindness to each day. Lisa is a speech-language pathologist and board certified specialist in swallowing and swallowing disorders. Her clinical interests include the evaluation and treatment of dysphagia resulting from radiation and chemotherapy treatments to the head and neck. She works directly with patients diagnosed with throat cancer. Lisa has lectured at the regional and national levels on pulmonary health and ethical considerations in dysphagia management. Lisa is described by her colleagues as a brilliant clinician and scientific thinker who is devoted to helping her patients. Lisas hobbies include traveling, hiking, and dancing.

Lisa grew up in Laguna Hills in Orange County, California. She attended Laguna Hills High School. From California State University, FresnoLisa received abachelors degree in 2007 and a masters degree in 2009. Lisa received her clinical science doctorate in medical speech-language pathology from the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA in 2014.

Whats the solution?

Minorities are more likely to die of leukemia and other blood cancers because there is a shortage of ethnic and mixed-ethnic donors on the Be The Match national registry. It is vital to expand and build a more diverse registry so everyone has an equal opportunity to survive blood cancers.

Encouraging more people of ethnically diverse backgrounds and those of mixed heritage to be committed and join the Registry, potentially saving a life. Each of us can Be TheOne to Save a Life!

The Asian American Donor Program (AADP,www.aadp.org) is a 27-year-old nonprofit organization, based in Alameda, CA, that works to educate community members about the shortage of ethnic marrow donors and the importance of joining the Be The Match national registry. It is the oldest nonprofit of its kind in the country. AADP staffis dedicated to increasing the availability of potential stem cell donors for patients with life threatening diseases curable by a blood stem cell or marrow transplant.AADP is an official recruitment center for Be The Match.

There is a shortage of committed non-Caucasians on the Be The Match national registry, says Carol Gillespie, the AADP executive director. We need everyone of mixed race ancestry to step forward and join the Registry.When a marrow match is not readily available, patients have to wait longer than is ideal to find a match.Once a match has been found, their disease may have progressed to the point that they are no longer eligible for a transplant.

Shortage of ethnic/multi-ethnic donors

Approximately every three minutes one person in the United States is diagnosed with a blood cancer. An estimated combined total of 172,910 people in the US are expected to be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma in 2017. New cases of leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma are expected to account for 10.2 percent of the estimated 1,688,780 new cancer cases diagnosed in the U.S. in 2017. (From:http://www.lls.org/http%3A/llsorg.prod.acquia-sites.com/facts-and-statistics/facts-and-statistics-overview/facts-and-statistics)

Of the approximately 816,000 Asians on the Be the Match registry, .5 percent are Filipinos, while Filipino Americans constitute 19.7 percent of Asian Americans (Source: 2010 Census). The Be The Match registry recruits hundreds of thousands of donors each year through an extensive network of more than 155 local and regional Community Engagement Representatives and organizations. You only need to join the Be The Match registry once.

Finding a marrow/stem cell match can be like finding a needle in a haystack, says Gillespie. Multi-racial patients face the worst odds. Those diagnosed with a blood disease need a marrow/stem cell transplant as soon as possible. Building the Registry with committed donors is what patients need. You could potentially match anyone in the world, this is truly a global effort.

Marrow/stem cell matches are very different than blood type matches. Just as we inherit our eyes, hair, and skin color, we inherit our marrow and stem cell tissue type.

For thousands of severely ill blood cancer patients, there is a cure, Gillespie says. You could be the cure. Those whose marrow/stem cells are not a match for a patient in need now may be a match for someone else down the road, anywhere in the world. I encourage multi-ethnic individuals to commit to registering. It is simple to register just a swab of the inside of your cheek.

How you can commit to help

Find a registration drive in your area. Go tohttp://www.aadp.org/drive/.

Register on line here:https://join.bethematch.org/lisa.

You must be 18 to 44 years old and meet general health requirements

Fill out a consent form and do a cheek swab.

Be committed. Be ready to donate to any patient in need.

Contact friends/family and encourage them to go to a registration drive or register online.

Set up a drive in your area or for more information, call AADP at 1-800-593-6667 or visit our websitehttp://www.aadp.org.

Volunteer to help at registration drives.

Please take a few minutes of your time to learn more about how you can help save a life and register as a marrow donor.

Upcoming registration drive

Soy and Tofu Festival, Saturday, June 17 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Open to the public at Saint Marys Cathedral,1111 Gough St., San Francisco, CA 94109.

Malayan SF Outdoor Festival, Philippine Independence Day, Sunday, June 18 from noon to 8 p.m. at Union Square, 333 Post St., San Francisco, 94102.

More about the Asian American Donor Program (AADP)

The Asian American Donor Program (AADP), with its offices in the San Francisco Bay Area,is dedicated to increasing the availability of potential stem cell donors for patients with life threatening diseases curable by a blood stem cell or marrow transplant.

AADP is a community-based nonprofit for social benefit (5013) organization and specializes in conducting outreach and donor registration drives in and with diverse communities. AADP is an official recruitment center of the Be TheMatchregistry.

To learn more about scheduled upcoming marrow drives, visithttp://www.aadp.org/drive/.

Here is the original post:
Filipina urgently needs bone marrow donor - Asianjournal.com

In a first, Mumbai doctors use dad’s cells to fight blood disorder – Times of India

MUMBAI: Three-year-old Kinaya Shah was diagnosed with thalassemia at the tender age of three months and has been undergoing regular blood transfusions ever since. The only cure for thalassemia is a bone marrow transplant (BMT), a form of stem cell therapy. Typically, the donor of the stem cells would be a sibling of the patient such that the stem cells of the donor are a near perfect match to those of the patient. The only complication was that Kinaya was a lone child.

So, city doctors in a first used stem cells donated by Kinaya's father - who was only a half or haploidentical match - to cure the child of the blood disorder. "We went to Vellore, Bangalore and Pune but no one was willing to do the transplant without a full match donor," said Kinaya's parents, Aneri and Shripal Shah. They approached Dr Santanu Sen at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Andheri, in October of 2016, after reading about a similar surgery that he had performed.

While haploidentical bone marrow transplants are carried out to cure leukaemia, it has only been done about half a dozen times for thalassemia in a couple of Indian cities. ``Haploidentical transplants are gradually increasing because of better techniques,'' said Dr Sen.

Dr Sen has completed 36 BMTs in the last two years, of which 12 were haploidentical donors. ``But this is the first time that a haploidentical transplant has been done in western India to cure thalassemia,'' he said.

Chennai-based haematologist Dr Revathy Raja said that there is a 85% chance of cure in thalassemia with a fully matched donor. ``The success rate falls to 70% with a half-match or haploidentical donor. We have hence not started it at our Chennai centre. Hopefully, techniques will further improve in the coming years,'' she said.

In order to perform the surgery, Dr Sen conditioned Kinaya's immune system over three months, with slight chemotherapy, to increase the chances of her body accepting the graft. "We found that her father's stem cells were a 70% match through genetic tests and decided to use them for the transplant. In the case that the graft was rejected we froze a couple of Kinaya's stem cells as insurance. The positive is that children have lower rejection rates for foreign cells as they have barely developed any active immunity," said Dr Sen. "BMT is the most viable treatment to cure thalassemia, the only barrier thus far was the necessity of a full match donor," he added.

However, Vinay Shetty of NGO Think Foundation, which works for thalassemia patients, said that it would be prudent to wait for a statistically significant number of successful halploidentical transplants before recommending it to all patients.

Post the three months of conditioning, stem cells were collected from her father's bone marrow and the transplant was performed on May 10, 2017. After several tests to confirm that the graft was accepted, Kinaya was finally discharged from the hospital on June 13.

"The future of thalassemia treatment probably lies in gene therapy, but at the moment, haploidentical transplants have made BMT much more accessible," said Dr Sen, adding that he has two more cases such as Kinaya lined up. Kinaya is expected to be completely independent of medication and any trace of thalassemia in the coming six months.

What is Thalassemia?

Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder when the body produces abnormal hemoglobin. Patients require regular blood transplant and well as dietary control to ensure that blood irons level stay suppressed.

Read more here:
In a first, Mumbai doctors use dad's cells to fight blood disorder - Times of India

Cell Harvesting Systems Market Analysis, Segments, Growth and Value Chain 2016-2026 – LANews By Abhishek Budholiya (press release) (blog)

Cell harvesting is a technique of collecting stem cells for regenerate, transplant or repair the damaged organ with healthy functioning ones. Cell harvesting is considered as an important step in biopharmaceutical manufacturing industry that can directly affect the product quality and related downstream processes. Stem cells harvesting helps in treating with diseases namely cancers, blood disorders, immune deficiency diseases and various injuries. This therapy is also beneficial for burn victims which help them in grafting new skin cells as a replacement for damaged ones. Many companies are focusing on regeneration of myocardial tissue by injection of cell graft consist of adult stem cells from the patients for manufacturing regenerating medicines. For the treatment of eye diseases new healthy cells are also be grown. For harvesting bone marrow a companies are manufacturing devices with passive flexible drilling unit and suction mechanism which will help in reducing the invasiveness of bone marrow transplantation. Cell harvesting system helps in reducing the invasiveness of bone marrow aspiration from the iliac bone with less punctures. Moreover, helps in reducing procedure time and contamination by T-cells.

Cell Harvesting Systems Market:Drivers and Restraints, Segmentation, Overview, Region-wise Outlook and Key Players

Cell Harvesting Systems Market are witnessing maximum growth owing to increase bone marrow transplantation procedures attributed to high prevalence of blood cancer and anemia. Moreover, improving healthcare expenditure, survival rate after treatment, increasing investment in logistic services, expansion bone marrow transplant registry for heart along with neuronal disorders and growing per capita healthcare expenditure. However, high cost of cumbersome treatment, lack of reimbursement policies, immunological rejection, viable cell density, and identification of stem cells in adult tissues, and complications during cell harvesting and inadequate number of HSCs cells for transplantation is a major barrier to the cell harvesting systems market.

The cell harvesting systems market has been classified on the basis of techniques, application and end user. Based on techniques, the cell harvesting systems market is segmented into the following: Altered Nuclear Transfer, Blastomere Extraction; Based on application, the cell harvesting systems market is segmented into the following: Bone Marrow, Peripheral Blood, Umbilical Cord Blood, Adipose Tissue; Based on end-user, the cell harvesting systems market is segmented into the following: Research Centers, Academics Institutes, Diagnostic Labs, Hospitals

Cell harvesting systems market witnessed substantial growth owing to equipment efficacy and accuracy during stem cells harvest. By application type, bone marrow aspiration is anticipated to hold the major share in the cell harvesting systems market owing to less process error, safe and simple procedure and less side effects. People suffering from Leukemia eligible for bone marrow transplant, is expected to contribute highest share in the global cell harvesting systems market. Cell harvesting systems helps in enhancing proper pigmentation in scar reconstruction which encourage companies for continuous technology advancement in both cell isolation techniques and downstream purification processes.

Depending on geographic region, cell harvesting systems marketis segmented into seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Asia Pacific dominates the cell harvesting systems marketfollowed by Europe, Japan and North America owing to high concentration of bone marrow stem cells harvesting centers and registries along with skilled doctors for the process of harvesting stem cells in these regions. Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa hold huge potential and shows substantial growth in terms of wide acceptance of new technologyowing to awareness among population, increasing healthcare expenditure along with high number of potential candidate for the procedure.

Key players of cell harvesting systems market are PerkinElmer Inc.Tomtec, Bertin Technologies, TERUMO BCT, INC., hynoDent AG, Avita Medical, Argos Technologies, Inc., SP Scienceware, Teleflex Incorporated., Arthrex, Inc., Thomas Scientific, BRAND GMBH

Request Report Sample@ http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1754

Blood Fluid Warming System Market Volume Forecast and Value Chain Analysis 2016-2026

Aptamers Market Dynamics, Forecast, Analysis and Supply Demand 2016-2026

Read the original here:
Cell Harvesting Systems Market Analysis, Segments, Growth and Value Chain 2016-2026 - LANews By Abhishek Budholiya (press release) (blog)

Researchers Discover Body’s Stem Cell Army Hits a Wall When Responding to an ACL Injury – Newswise (press release)

Newswise You might think stem cells only exist inside a fetus, but your adult body has a stockpile of stem cells, armed and ready to respond. These remarkable cells can develop into any other type of cell, like muscle or bone or nerve cells.

Researchers know heart attacks and strokes summon these cells. They flock to your heart or brain from all over your body to help you stay alive.

But, scientists did not realize other injuries, like a torn ACL of the knee, could command the army of stem cells to deploy.

Kevin Baker, Ph.D., Beaumont director of Orthopedic Research, conducted a study with Beaumont orthopedic surgeon Kyle Anderson, M.D., and others that revealed ACL tears send a signal to stem cells throughout our body.

After an ACL tear, Dr. Baker and his colleagues found a six-fold increase in stem cells circulating around the knee, similar to the bodys response to a major, life-threatening event like a stroke or heart attack.

However, when the stem cells arrive to help regenerate and repair the injured ligament, they get stuck. They cant get through the thick membrane that surrounds the knee joint.

We think this discovery will help us to understand how the body responds to an ACL injury, and also how post-traumatic osteoarthritis develops after a joint injury, Dr. Anderson said.

Post-traumatic osteoarthritis is a form of arthritis that develops after a knee injury. Its a common injury that affects veterans, athletes and anyone who puts stress and strain on their knees. But, until now, little was known about how the body attempts to heal these injuries.

As we age, the number of stem cells in our body declines. This could explain why your knee joint doesnt heal as well after a trauma when you are older, Dr. Baker said.

Osteoarthritis affects more than 30 million adults in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and many of these cases occur after trauma to a joint. Its also a leading cause of disability.

The next step of our research will be finding methods to get the stem cells inside the joint. If the stem cells can get through the membrane around the knee, they could help speed up the healing process and perhaps delay or prevent arthritis, Dr. Baker added.

The study, funded in part by the American Orthopedic Society of Sports Medicine, is entitled, Acute mobilization and migration of bone marrow-derived stem cells following anterior cruciate ligament rupture. The authors believe it is the first study of its kind to reveal the bodys systemic stem cell response to an ACL injury.

Dr. Baker and Dr. Andersons research will appear in an upcoming edition of the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. Other members of the research team are Perry Altman, M.D., Beaumont orthopaedic surgery resident, as well as Asheesh Bedi, M.D., and Tristan Maerz, Ph.D., of the University of Michigan.

View original post here:
Researchers Discover Body's Stem Cell Army Hits a Wall When Responding to an ACL Injury - Newswise (press release)

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell repair of cyclophosphamide-induced ovarian insufficiency in a mouse model – Dove Medical Press

Back to Browse Journals International Journal of Women's Health Volume 9

Ahmed Badawy,1 Mohamed A Sobh,2 Mohamed Ahdy,3 Mohamed Sayed Abdelhafez1

1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2Department of Internal Medicine, 3Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt

Objective: Attempting in vivo healing of cyclophosphamide-induced ovarian insufficiency in a mouse model using bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs). Methods: Female BALB/c white mice were used to prepare a model for premature ovarian failure by single intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide (80 mg/kg). Ten mice were injected with BMMSCs and then sacrificed after 21 days for morphometric evaluation of the ovaries. Hormonal profile was evaluated while mice were being sacrificed. Another 10 mice were left for natural breeding with male mice, and 5 of these were injected with BMMSCs. Oocyte-like structures were obtained from 3 mice and were subjected to in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Results: Morphometric analysis of the ovaries demonstrated the presence of newly formed primordial follicles. Contribution of MSCs to the formation of these follicles was proven by a labeling technique. There was a drop in estradiol and rise in follicle-stimulating hormone levels, followed by resumption of the hormonal levels to near normal 21 days after MSCs therapy. The 5 mice that were injected with MSCs became pregnant after natural breeding. Fertilization and further division was reported in 5 oocytes subjected to intracytoplasmic sperm injection, but division did not continue. Conclusion: From this proof-of-concept trial, we can say that healing of damaged ovaries after chemotherapy in mice is possible using in vivo therapy with BMMSCs. This should open the gate for a series of animal studies that test the possibility of in vitro maturation of germinal epithelium of the ovary into mature oocytes.

Keywords: cyclophosphamide, stem cell, POF, ovarian insufficiency

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License. By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

Go here to read the rest:
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell repair of cyclophosphamide-induced ovarian insufficiency in a mouse model - Dove Medical Press

TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH: ‘Myelodysplastic syndrome’ covers a range of diseases – Prescott Daily Courier

Dr. Keith Roach, Syndicated Columnist

DEAR DR. ROACH: I hope you can answer some questions about myelodysplastic syndrome. What does it do to your body? Is there a known cause or cure? What is the prognosis? P.B. ANSWER: The myelodysplastic syndromes are a group of similar diseases, specific types of blood cancers, that prevent your bone marrow from working properly. They also can transform into acute leukemia. These are uncommon cancers, with perhaps 30,000 cases per year in the U.S. The specific myelodysplastic syndromes are now categorized by appearance, genetic abnormalities of the cells, and condition of the bone marrow.

MDS may arise from damage to DNA, such as from radiation or other toxic exposures. However, many cases have no known cause, and its likely that these are spontaneous mutations in the bone marrow cells.

Because MDS is a group of related diseases, the treatment and prognosis vary among the different subtypes. However, supporting the bone marrow with transfusions of red blood cells and platelets often is necessary. Medications to stimulate both red and white blood cell production can be used. A few people will be recommended for bone marrow (stem cell) transplant, but the decision to consider this treatment must be made cautiously, as many people who get MDS will not benefit from this treatment due to age or other medical conditions.

The prognosis depends on the age of the person affected and their specific MDS. A person younger than 60 with a low-risk MDS has a median survival (based on data published in 1997) of about 12 years. However, high-risk MDS has a much worse outcome: Half of people succumb within six months. Advances in treatment since these data were published have improved these results, but not as much as hoped.

DEAR DR. ROACH: My 89-year-old mother suffers from fluttering in her heart. She saw an expert in cardiac arrhythmias, who diagnosed her with tachy-brady syndrome and sick sinus syndrome. A nurse also said she has PVCs. She is taking metoprolol, but still has episodes of fluttering. What are these conditions? Are there other medications she could take to correct this heart condition? M.D.P.

ANSWER: Tachy-brady syndrome (from the Greek roots for fast and slow) and sick sinus syndrome are the same thing. The sinus in sick sinus syndrome refers to the sino-atrial node of the heart, which is the hearts natural pacemaker. It is where every beat normally starts. This part of the heart can become diseased, and the heart can beat both too quickly (tachycardia) and, at other times, too slowly (bradycardia). Sick sinus syndrome can come from many different conditions and, rarely, from medications.

Medications are sometimes used for sick sinus syndrome. Beta blockers, like the metoprolol your mother is taking, are given to slow down the tachycardic component of sick sinus, but it can make the bradycardia worse. Most often, the treatment for sick sinus syndrome is a permanent pacemaker. Not everyone needs it, but Im sure your mothers cardiologist is monitoring her and will recommend a pacemaker if needed. If one is necessary, 89 years old is not too old to put in a pacemaker.

PVCs are very common and do not usually indicate disease in the heart, although they are more common in people with heart disease, especially poor blood flow to the heart. Premature ventricular contractions themselves seldom need treatment.

See the original post:
TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH: 'Myelodysplastic syndrome' covers a range of diseases - Prescott Daily Courier

Archives