Search results for " STEM"
showing 10 items of 2170 documents
Abnormal BAEP and internal auditory canal MRI in intracranial hypotension
2017
Intracranial hypotension (IH) is a treatable condition due to cerebrospinal fluid leak, characterised by variable clinical and MRI findings.1 Positional headache, neck stiffness, hearing changes with subdural fluid collection, enhancement of meninges, engorgement of venous structures and brain sagging are among the most frequent clinical and MRI findings. Typical abnormalities are found in 68%–85% of patients1. Hearing alterations (ranging from misperception to severe hearing loss) are known clinical symptoms of IH.1 The mechanism involves secondary perilymph depression due to patency of the cochlear aqueduct, inducing a compensatory expansion of the endolymphatic compartment, decreasing ba…
Successful treatment of resistant thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura/hemolytic uremic syndrome with autologous peripheral blood stem and progenitor …
1999
The first-line treatment of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura-hemolytic uremic syndrome (TTP-HUS syndrome) induces a response and survival rate of approximately 85%, even if a considerable number of patients relapse; nevertheless, a number of these patients are resistant to conventional management. Immunoablation followed by stem cell transplantation has been shown to be capable of inducing remissions in a large spectrum of experimental autoimmune disorders. We report here the case of a 20-year-old male patient with the TTP-HUS syndrome who was resistant to conventional treatment and was transplanted with autologous immunoselected CD34+ PBPC after conditioning with cyclosphosphamide, anti…
Effect of Age and Lipoperoxidation in Rat and Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells
2020
A wide range of clinical applications in regenerative medicine were opened decades ago with the discovery of adult stem cells. Highly promising adult stem cells are mesenchymal stem/stromal cells derived from adipose tissue (ADSCs), primarily because of their abundance and accessibility. These cells have multipotent properties and have been used extensively to carry out autologous transplants. However, the biology of these cells is not entirely understood. Among other factors, the regeneration capacity of these cells will depend on both their capacity of proliferation/differentiation and the robustness of the biochemical pathways that allow them to survive under adverse conditions like thos…
Differential up-regulation of circulating soluble selectins and endothelial adhesion molecules in Sicilian patients with Boutonneuse fever
1999
SUMMARYIn 150 patients with Boutonneuse fever (BF), caused by Rickettsia conorii, we studied the plasma levels of soluble l-selectin (s l-selectin), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and E-selectin (sE-selectin) in various phases of disease to clarify their role in disease evolution. Results indicate that during the acute phase of BF there is a significant increase in the serum levels of s l-selectin, sE-selectin, sVCAM-1 and sICAM-1. s l-selectin and sVCAM-1 returned to normal levels in the third week of disease, whereas sE-selectin and sICAM-1 persisted at significantly high levels even after the third week. The secretion of these sol…
Separate and Combined Effects of a Benzodiazepine (Alprazolam) and Noise on Auditory Brainstem Responses in Man
1999
Auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were recorded in 60 male or female, anxious or anxiety-free university students, before and after separated or simultaneous intake of alprazolam and exposure to noise. A significant increase of the latencies of the ABRs was found when subjects took alprazolam. This effect is consistent with the presence of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), one of the neurotransmitters at terminals of cochlear efferent fibres A significant increase of the latencies was observed after noise alone. In subjects taking alprazolam when they are exposed to noise, the effect of noise on the ABR latencies is reduced, but not abolished. The effects of alprazolam on the ABR are consis…
CD52‐negative T cells predict acute graft‐versus‐host disease after an alemtuzumab‐based conditioning regimen
2020
Allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) after a reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) regimen with fludarabine, melphalan and alemtuzmab is an effective therapy for haematological malignancies. Alemtuzumab, a monoclonal antibody against CD52, a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchor-bound surface protein on lymphocytes, depletes T cells to prevent graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Despite this, acute and chronic GVHD (a/cGVHD) remain life-threatening complications after HSCT. The aim of the present study was to identify parameters to predict GVHD. In 69 patients after HSCT, T-cell subsets were functionally analysed. Reconstitution of CD52neg T cells and CD52neg regulatory T c…
Assessment of brainstem function in Chiari II malformation utilizing brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP), blink reflex and masseter reflex
2000
Brainstem dysfunction was evaluated in 67 patients with myelomeningocele and Chiari II malformation using brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP), blink reflex (BR) and masseter reflex (MR). Signs and symptoms related to Chiari II malformation were observed in 18 patients while 49 patients had normal brainstem findings. BAEP and BR showed a higher sensitivity of brainstem involvement than MR (BAEP=1.0, BR=0.83, MR=0.50). BR, and in particular, MR were of higher accuracy (BR=0.52, MR=0.72) than BAEP (0.39) in separating patients with brainstem signs and symptoms related to Chiari II malformation. We feel that this is due to anatomic and physiologic peculiarities of the brainstem structur…
Quantification of DNA in Plasma by an Automated Real-Time PCR Assay (Cytomegalovirus PCR Kit) for Surveillance of Active Cytomegalovirus Infection an…
2008
ABSTRACT The performance of a plasma real-time PCR (cytomegalovirus [CMV] PCR kit; Abbott Diagnostics) was compared with that of the antigenemia assay for the surveillance of active CMV infection in 42 allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Allo-SCT) recipients. A total of 1,156 samples were analyzed by the two assays. Concordance between the two assays was 82.2%. Plasma DNA levels correlated with the number of pp65-positive cells, particularly prior to the initiation of preemptive therapy. Fifty-seven episodes of active CMV infection were detected in 37 patients: 18 were defined solely by the PCR assay and four were defined on the basis of the antigenemia assay. Either a cutof…
Randomized Study of Early versus Late Immunization with Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation
2009
BACKGROUND: Invasive pneumococcal disease is a life-threatening complication after allogeneic stem cell transplantation, and at least 20% of cases occur within 1 year after transplantation. The 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV23) has limited efficacy, especially during the first year after transplantation. The immune response to the conjugated vaccines is expected to be better than that to the polysaccharide vaccine, but the optimal timing of vaccination is not defined. Our objective was to show that a 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7; Prevnar) was not inferior when first given 3 months after transplantation, compared with when first given 9 months after trans…
Mycobacterial Infection: A Difficult and Late Diagnosis in Stem Cell Transplant Recipients
2004
The Infectious Diseases Working Party of the European Blood and Marrow Transplant Group conducted a survey to obtain information about the frequency, presentation, and treatment of mycobacterial infection (MBI) in stem cell transplant (SCT) recipients. Among 29 centers, MBI was diagnosed in 0.79% of 1513 allogeneic and 0.23% of 3012 autologous SCT recipients during 1994-1998 a median of 160 days after transplantation. The mean interval between first symptoms and diagnosis was 29 days and was still longer for patients with atypical MBI or recipients of corticosteroid therapy. The prevalence of MBI was highest among those who received matched unrelated or mismatched STCs from related donors. …