The potential therapeutic use of cord blood in autologous transplants or in special patients: a review and update

Umbilical Cord Blood is a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells widely used as a substitute of bone marrow (BM) in transplants. Cells from umbilical cord blood present advantages over BM cells, mainly as they are younger and a have higher proliferative rate. Besides hematopoietic stem cells, umbilical cord blood contains endothelial and mesenchymal progenitor cells, suggesting their possible application in cell therapy protocols for different tissues. In this paper, we discuss the importance of autologous umbilical cord blood storage and the research on stem cell transplantation for degenerative diseases.O sangue de cordão umbilical e placentário (SCUP) é uma rica fonte de células-tronco (CT) hematopoéticas e é amplamente utilizado como substituto da medula óssea em casos de transplante. As células do SCUP possuem vantagens sobre as células da medula óssea (MO), principalmente por serem mais jovens e apresentarem maior taxa proliferativa. Além dos progenitores hematopoéticos, o sangue de cordão umbilical contém progenitores endoteliais e mesenquimais, sugerindo sua possível aplicação nos novos protocolos de terapia celular para diferentes tecidos. Na presente revisão, discutimos a importância do armazenamento do sangue de cordão umbilical autólogo e as pesquisas desenvolvidas para a sua aplicação em doenças degenerativas.Cryopraxis Criobiologia LtdaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM)Instituto de Traumato-ortopediaSanta Casa de São PauloHospital Samaritano de São PauloUFRJ HUCFFHospital Central do ExércitoUFRJ IPPMGUFRJCollege of Medicine Department of Neurosurgery Center of Excellence for Aging & Brain RepairUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

The Raman optical activity of β-D-xylose: where experiment and theory meet

Besides its applications in bioenergy and biosynthesis, β-D-xylose is a very simple monosaccharide that exhibits relatively high rigidity. As such, it provides the best basis to study the impact of different solvation shell radii on the computation of its Raman optical activity (ROA) spectrum. Indeed, this chiroptical spectroscopic technique provides exquisite sensitivity to stereochemistry, and benefits much from theoretical support for interpretation. Our simulation approach combines density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) in order to efficiently account for the crucial hydration effects in the simulation of carbohydrates and their spectroscopic response predictions. Excellent agreement between the simulated spectrum and the experiment was obtained with a solvation radius of 10 Å. Vibrational bands have been resolved from the computed ROA data, and compared with previous results on different monosaccharides in order to identify specific structure–spectrum relationships and to investigate the effect of the solvation environment on the conformational dynamics of small sugars. From the comparison with ROA analytical results, a shortcoming of the classical force field used for the MD simulations has been identified and overcome, again highlighting the complementary role of experiment and theory in the structural characterisation of complex biomolecules. Indeed, due to unphysical puckering, a spurious ring conformation initially led to erroneous conformer ratios, which are used as weights for the averaging of the spectral average, and only by removing this contribution was near perfect comparison between theory and experiment achieved

Calculation of Raman optical activity spectra for vibrational analysis

By looking back on the history of Raman Optical Activity (ROA), the present article shows that the success of this analytical technique was for a long time hindered, paradoxically, by the deep level of detail and wealth of structural information it can provide. Basic principles of the underlying theory are discussed, to illustrate the technique's sensitivity due to its physical origins in the delicate response of molecular vibrations to electromagnetic properties. Following a short review of significant advances in the application of ROA by UK researchers, we dedicate two extensive sections to the technical and theoretical difficulties that were overcome to eventually provide predictive power to computational simulations in terms of ROA spectral calculation. In the last sections, we focus on a new modelling strategy that has been successful in coping with the dramatic impact of solvent effects on ROA analyses. This work emphasises the role of complementarity between experiment and theory for analysing the conformations and dynamics of biomolecules, so providing new perspectives for methodological improvements and molecular modelling development. For the latter, an example of a next-generation force-field for more accurate simulations and analysis of molecular behaviour is presented. By improving the accuracy of computational modelling, the analytical capabilities of ROA spectroscopy will be further developed so generating new insights into the complex behaviour of molecules

OISTER optical and near-infrared monitoring observations of peculiar radio-loud active galactic nucleus SDSS J110006.07+442144.3

We present monitoring campaign observations at optical and near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths for a radio-loud active galactic nucleus (AGN) at z = 0.840, SDSS J110006.07+442144.3 (hereafter, J1100+4421), which was identified during a flare phase in late 2014 February. The campaigns consist of three intensive observing runs from the discovery to 2015 March, mostly within the scheme of the OISTER collaboration. Optical-NIR light curves and simultaneous spectral energy distributions (SEDs) are obtained. Our measurements show the strongest brightening in 2015 March. We found that the optical-NIR SEDs of J1100+4421 show an almost steady shape despite the large and rapid intranight variability. This constant SED shape is confirmed to extend to ∼5 μm in the observed frame using the archival WISE data. Given the lack of absorption lines and the steep power-law spectrum of α ν ∼ -1.4, where fνναν, synchrotron radiation by a relativistic jet with no or small contributions from the host galaxy and the accretion disk seems most plausible as an optical-NIR emission mechanism. The steep optical-NIR spectral shape and the large amplitude of variability are consistent with this object being a low ν peak jet-dominated AGN. In addition, sub-arcsecond resolution optical imaging data taken with Subaru Hyper Suprime-Cam does not show a clear extended component and the spatial scales are significantly smaller than the large extensions detected at radio wavelengths. The optical spectrum of a possible faint companion galaxy does not show any emission lines at the same redshift, and hence a merging hypothesis for this AGN-related activity is not supported by our observations. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Astronomical Society of Japan. All rights reserved

Nucleolus organizer regions (NORs) in metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma

The metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma of the salivary glands is a rare variant of pleomorphic adenoma with a benign microscopical appearance, but malignant biological behaviour and production of metastasis. The histopathological study with the routine techniques is not enough for disclosing the nature of these tumors and they are most of the times underdiagnosed as benign. The correct diagnosis, almost always too late, is evident after several recurrences and the detection of metastatic foci. The number of nucleolar organizing regions (NORs) detected with the silver colloid method can be used in histopathology to determine the degree of cell activity. We report the findings in a case of metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma of the submandibular gland. This technique demonstrated to be useful for the diagnosis and characterization of the metabolism of these tumors.</p

Nucleolus organizer regions (NORs) in metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma

The metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma of the salivary glands is a rare variant of pleomorphic adenoma with a benign microscopical appearance, but malignant biological behaviour and production of metastasis. The histopathological study with the routine techniques is not enough for disclosing the nature of these tumors and they are most of the times underdiagnosed as benign. The correct diagnosis, almost always too late, is evident after several recurrences and the detection of metastatic foci. The number of nucleolar organizing regions (NORs) detected with the silver colloid method can be used in histopathology to determine the degree of cell activity. We report the findings in a case of metastasizing pleomorphic adenoma of the submandibular gland. This technique demonstrated to be useful for the diagnosis and characterization of the metabolism of these tumors.</p

High-dose Sequential Chemotherapy Versus A Less Intensive Regimen Followed By Peripheral Blood Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation As Salvage Treatment In Relapsed And Refractory Hodgkin's Disease

Background and Objective. High-dose sequential chemotherapy (HDS) has been given to patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) before autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), but its effectiveness has not been evaluated in comparison with less-aggressive regimens. In this study we compared HDS with a less-aggressive regimen as preparation to autologous HSCT in patients with HD. Design and Methods. Retrospective non-randomized comparison between patients receiving HDS (group 1, n=52) or a less-aggressive regimen (group 2, n=60). HDS consisted of the sequential administration of cyclophosphamide (7 g/m 2) and G-CSF (300 μg/day) with stem cell collection, methotrexate (8 g/m2) plus vincristine (1.4 mg/m2), and etoposide (2 g/m2). Group 2 patients received of 2 cycles of DHAP, followed by cyclophosphamide (1.5 g/m2) plus G-CSF and stem cell collection. Results. Group 1 patients were more likely to have stage IV (40% vs. 13%, p=0.001) and bulky disease (62% vs. 39%, p=0.02) at diagnosis. Disease status after chemotherapy improved in 59% in group 1 and 8% in group 2 (p&lt;0.001), mostly in patients with disease progression (DP): 50% in group 1 (4 CR and 12 PR) and none in group 2 (p&lt;0.001). Treatment-related toxicity occurred in 5/32 patients with DP in group 1, and 0/28 patients in group 2 (p=0.01). Overall survival was 49% in group 1 and 59% in group 2 (p=0.098). Interpretation and Conclusions. HDS seems to be useful in patients with DP, whereas patients with CR do well with less-intensive chemotherapy.278185Canellos, G.P., Anderson, J.R., Propert, K.J., Nissen, N., Cooper, M.R., Henderson, E.S., Chemotherapy of advanced Hodgkin's disease with MOPP, ABVD, or MOPP alternating with ABVD (1992) N Engl J Med, 327, pp. 1478-1484Connors, J.M., State-of-the-art therapeutics: Hodgkin's lymphoma (2005) J Clin Oncol, 23, pp. 6400-6408Lister, T.A., Crowther, D., Sutcliffe, S.B., Glatstein, E., Canellos, G.P., Young, R.C., Report of a committee convened to discuss the evaluation and staging of patients with Hodgkin's disease: Cotswolds meeting (1989) J Clin Oncol, 7, pp. 1630-1636Hasenclever, D., Diehl, V., A prognostic score for advanced Hodgkin's disease. International Prognostic Factors Project on Advanced Hodgkin's Disease (1998) N Engl J Med, 339, pp. 1506-1514Loureiro, M., Morais, J.C., Milito, C.B., Portugal, R.D., Pulcheri, W., Spector, N., Expression of Epstein-Barr virus in patients with Hodgkin's disease: Report of 64 cases from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2004) J Bras Patol Med Lab, 40, pp. 37-40de Souza, C.A., Vassallo, J., Lorand-Metze, I., Hodgkin's disease in Brazil: A clinicopathologic study (1997) Haematologica, 82, pp. 127-128Spector, N., Nucci, M., Oliveira De Morais, J.C., Maiolino, A., Portugal, R.D., Costa, M.A., Clinical factors predictive of bone marrow involvement in Hodgkin's disease (1997) Leuk Lymphoma, 26, pp. 171-176Canellos, G.P., Niedzwiecki, D., Long-term follow-up of Hodgkin's disease trial (2002) N Engl J Med, 346, pp. 1417-1418Spector, N., Costa, M.A., Morais, J.C., Biasoli, I., Solza, C., De Fatima, G.M., Intensified ABVP chemotherapy for the primary treatment of Hodgkin's disease (2002) Oncol Rep, 9, pp. 439-442Linch, D.C., Winfield, D., Goldstone, A.H., Moir, D., Hancock, B., McMillan, A., Dose intensification with autologous bone-marrow transplantation in relapsed and resistant Hodgkin's disease: Results of a BNLI randomised trial (1993) Lancet, 341, pp. 1051-1054Schmitz, N., Pfistner, B., Sextro, M., Sieber, M., Carella, A.M., Haenel, M., Aggressive conventional chemotherapy compared with high-dose chemotherapy with autologous haemopoietic stem-cell transplantation for relapsed chemosensitive Hodgkin's disease: A randomised trial (2002) Lancet, 359, pp. 2065-2071Reece, D.E., Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Hodgkin disease (2002) Curr Opin Oncol, 14, pp. 165-170Baldissera, R.C., Aranha, J.F., Oliveira, G.B., Vigorito, A.C., Eid, K.A., Miranda, E.C., High-dose cyclophosphamide followed by autologous peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation improves the salvage treatment for persistent or sensitive relapsed malignant lymphoma (2002) Braz J Med Biol Res, 35, pp. 49-57Ferme, C., Mounier, N., Divine, M., Brice, P., Stamatoullas, A., Reman, O., Intensive salvage therapy with high-dose chemotherapy for patients with advanced Hodgkin's disease in relapse or failure after initial chemotherapy: Results of the Groupe d'Etudes des Lymphomes de l'Adulte H89 Trial (2002) J Clin Oncol, 20, pp. 467-475Tarella, C., Cuttica, A., Vitolo, U., Liberati, M., Di, N.M., Cortelazzo, S., High-dose sequential chemotherapy and peripheral blood progenitor cell autografting in patients with refractory and/or recurrent Hodgkin lymphoma: A multicenter study of the intergruppo Italiano Linfomi showing prolonged disease free survival in patients treated at first recurrence (2003) Cancer, 97, pp. 2748-2759Josting, A., Rudolph, C., Mapara, M., Glossmann, J.P., Sienawski, M., Sieber, M., Cologne high-dose sequential chemotherapy in relapsed and refractory Hodgkin lymphoma: Results of a large multicenter study of the German Hodgkin Lymphoma Study Group (GHSG) (2005) Ann Oncol, 16, pp. 116-123Josting, A., Autologous transplantation in relapsed and refractory Hodgkin's disease (2005) Eur J Haematol Suppl, 66, pp. 141-14

A Markov Process Using Curvature for Filtering Curve Images

A Markov process model for contour curvature is introduced via a stochastic differential equation. We analyze the distribution of such curves, and show that its mode is the Euler spiral, a curve minimizing changes in curvature. To probabilistically enhance noisy and low contrast curve images (e.g., edge and line operator responses), we combine this curvature process with the curve indicator random eld, which is a prior for ideal curve images. In particular, we provide an expression for a nonlinear, minimum mean square error lter that requires the solution of two elliptic partial differential equations. Initial computations are reported, highlighting how the filter is curvature-selective, even when curvature is absent in the input