An open-label phase 1 clinical trial of the allogeneic side population adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in SMA type 1 patients

Neurological Sciences - Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder of alpha motor neurons of spinal cord associated with progressive muscle weakness and...     

The effects of low-level laser irradiation on breast tumor in mice and the expression of Let-7a,miR-155, miR-21, miR125, and miR376b

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is a form of photon therapy which can be a non-invasive therapeutic procedure in cancer therapy using low-intensity light in the range of 450–800 nm. One of the main functional features of laser therapy is the photobiostimulation effects of low-level lasers on various biological systems including altering DNA synthesis and modifying gene expression, and stopping cellular proliferation. This study investigated the effects of LLLT on mice mammary tumor and the expression of Let-7a, miR155, miR21, miR125, and miR376b in the plasma and tumor samples. Sixteen mice were equally divided into four groups including control, and blue, green, and red lasers at wavelengths of 405, 532, and 632 nm, respectively. Weber Medical Applied Laser irradiation was carried out with a low power of 1–3 mW and a series of 10 treatments at three times a week after tumor establishment. Tumor volume was weekly measured by a digital vernier caliper, and qRT-PCR assays were performed to accomplish the study. Depending on the number of groups and the p value of the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test of normality, a t test, a one-way ANOVA, or a non-parametric test was used for data analyses, and p?<?0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. The average tumor volume was significantly less in the treated blue group than the control group on at days 21, 28, and 35 after cancerous cell injection. Our data also showed an increase of Let-7a and miR125a expression and a decrease of miR155, miR21, and miR376b expression after LLLT with the blue laser both the plasma and tumor samples compared to other groups. It seems that the non-invasive nature of laser bio-stimulation can make LLLT an attractive alternative therapeutic tool.     

Infections and neutrophils in the pathogenesis of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome in children after allogeneic stem cell transplantation

It is plausible that infections post‐hematopoietic SCT play a role in the pathogenesis of BOS. A prospective study for children with history, questionnaire, examination, PFTs, and blood counts at one, three, six, nine, 12, 18, and 24 months post‐SCT was conducted. Between September 2009 and September 2011 (n = 39), six developed BOS at 200 days (range 94–282), three patients had probable clinical respiratory infection, and all six had higher neutrophil count compared to non‐BOS patients (4.7 vs. 2.4 at three months and 6.3 vs. 2.9 at six months ×10⁹/L, p = 0.03). Contribution of clinical and subclinical infection needs to be considered in the pathogenesis of BOS.     

Median nerve compression by a large cephalic vein aneurysm—a case report

The term aneurysm is derived from the Greek word aneurysma, meaning “a widening.” In current vascular surgery practice, an aneurysm is defined as a permanent localized dilatation of any vessel, having at least a 50 % increase in diameter compared with the expected normal diameter (Suggested standards for reporting on arterial aneurysms; Johnston et al., J Vasc Surg, 13: 452–458, 1991). Generally, this term is used for arteries as it is more common in them, but it can also be used for veins which are extremely rare presentation. In our case, a middle-aged female presented with complaints of swelling over the right mid-forearm flexor aspect with difficulty in flexing her wrist and paraesthesia over the right index finger and thumb. The patient was examined and diagnosed as a case of cephalic vein aneurysm compressing the median nerve. She underwent surgical resection of the involved segment of the cephalic vein. Venous aneurysm is a rare disorder and till date only few cases have been reported in English literature; however, its possibility should be kept when dealing with a subcutaneous mass in upper limb.