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Crew Studies Biology and Works in Dragon as Station Turns 25 – NASA Blogs

By adminNovember 25, 2023Stem Cell Doctors

The space station is pictured from the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour during its departure and flyaround on Nov. 8, 2021.

Space biology and Dragon work were the top duties at the beginning of the week for the Expedition 70 crew. The International Space Station also turned 25 years old today with its first module having orbited Earth since 1998.

Eye scans were on the biomedical research schedule for four astronauts on Monday afternoon. Commander Andreas Mogensen kicked off the exams activating the Ultrasound 2 device then setting up communications gear allowing doctors on the ground to remotely monitor the activities. Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency) then took turns with flight engineers Loral OHara, Jasmin Moghbeli, and Satoshi Furukawa in the Columbus laboratory module participating in the regularly scheduled eye exams.

Mogensen partnered with Moghbeli from NASA at the end of the day and practiced SpaceX Dragon Endurance undocking and landing procedures on the crew spacecrafts computers. Mogensen earlier unpacked medical supply kits from Endurance and stowed them inside the orbital outpost. OHara from NASA and Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) worked inside Endurance as well configuring orbital plumbing gear in the vehicle that has been docked to the station since Aug. 27.

OHara later worked on a space botany study to promote STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education among tribal members. Five varieties of seeds provided by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma are exposed to microgravity for several months then returned to Earth and planted next to the same seeds left on Earth for comparison. Furukawa turned off a microscope in the Kibo laboratory module and removed samples for a study that was observing how cells sense gravity or the lack gravity. He then stayed in Kibo setting up research hardware and connecting an incubator for an upcoming experiment to observe stem cell growth that may support regenerative medicine technology.

In the Roscosmos segment of the space station, veteran cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko spent the day inside the Nauka science module checking its airlock, ventilation, and docking systems. Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub attached sensors to himself monitoring his cardiac activity then cleaned air ducts inside the Nauka and Poisk modules. Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov wore a sensor-packed cap that recorded his responses while practicing futuristic planetary and robotic piloting techniques on a computer.

On Nov. 20, the International Space Station passes 25 years since the first module launched into orbit. The Zarya module lifted off in November 1998 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan and would shortly be joined by the Unity module less than a month later. Through this global endeavor, 273 people from 21 countries now have visited the unique microgravity laboratory that has hosted more than 3,000 research and educational investigations from people in 108 countries and areas.

Learn more about station activities by following thespace station blog,@space_stationand@ISS_Researchon X, as well as theISS FacebookandISS Instagramaccounts.

Get weekly video highlights at:https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

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Wall thickness analysis method for judging the degree of lower … – Nature.com

By adminNovember 25, 2023Stem Cell Doctors

Patients

The institutional review board of our hospital approved this study (Number 20150129). All patients provided written informed consent. From April 2014 to October 2019, patients with complete follow-up data who underwent internal fixation surgery for lower extremity fractures at our hospital were recruited. The follow-up data included X-ray and CT data 9months after surgery. Two senior orthopedic doctors and an imaging physician judged the degree of fracture healing in the patients according to the patients X-ray, CT and clinical data. According to the above criteria, the status was judged as bone healing, poor bone healing and bone nonunion. If the diagnosis was inconsistent among the three doctors, the same result provided by two of the doctors was taken, and if the results of the three doctors were not the same, the case was excluded. A total of 79 patients were included in the study. A total of 112 CT scans were performed, 49 of the scans were judged to show bone healing (group A), 37 were judged to show poor bone healing (group B), and 26 were judged to show nonunion (group C). There were 21 females in group A, with an average age of 46.712.4years and a follow-up time of 18.73.4months. There were 12 cases of femoral fracture, 37 cases of tibial fracture, 15 cases of intramedullary nail fixation, and 34 cases of plate screw fixation in group A. There were 15 females in group B, with an average age of 51.214.5years and an average follow-up time of 14.73.8months. There were 9 cases of femoral fracture, 28 cases of tibial fracture, 24 cases of plate fixation, and 13 cases of intramedullary nail fixation in group B. There were 15 females in group C, with an average age of 49.213.5years and an average follow-up time of 15.74.4months. There were 8 cases of femoral fracture, 18 cases of tibial fracture, 17 cases of plate fixation, and 9 cases of intramedullary nail fixation in group C (Table1). The fractures of the samples were diaphyseal and metaphyseal, not intra-articular fractures.

Hardware: GE 64-row spiral CT machine (Light Speed spiral CT, GE, USA). Dell high-performance computer (CPU: E3-1225 V2 3.20GHz, memory: 16GB, graphics card: NVIDIA Quadro K4200, operating system: Windows 10, 64-bit).

Software: Mimics Research 20.0, 3-matic Research 12.0 (Materialise, Belgium), provided by Sandi Tribe (Shanghai) Technology Co., Ltd.

The lower limbs of the patients were placed in parallel with the toes up, and a full-length scan was performed. The CT scan interval was 0.625mm, and the matrix size was 512512 pixels. The scan voltage was 140kV, the exposure was 100 mAs, and the screw pitch was 0.625mm (GE 64-slice spiral CT machine with automatic tube current control system with the same scan parameters on both sides). The obtained general DICOM 3.0 standard format data were stored.

Mimics 20.0 software was used to directly read the CT images in DICOM 3.0 format. Three-dimensional geometric models were established under the same threshold conditions for the affected side with internal fixation, the affected side without internal fixation and the unaffected side, and the average CT data of the models were recorded.

The three sets of data from the models of the healthy side, the affected side with internal fixation, and the affected side without internal fixation were imported into 3-matic Research 12.0. An adaptive triangle mesh was applied, and the side length was set to 1mm to optimize the details of the model. The detailed characteristics of the model were retained, and the maximum wall thickness threshold was set to 10,000mm during wall thickness analysis.

To interpret the weak areas of the cortical bone in terms of the wall thickness and the transformation in terms of the relationship between the density and stiffness of the material, the median wall thickness of the unaffected limb and the affected limb with and without internal fixation was measured. The analysis was performed as follows: in the Analyze tab, the Create Wall Thickness Analysis button was clicked, and then Cortical As Entity was selected. The threshold was set to 10,000.0mm. A histogram with the wall thickness distribution was displayed, and a series of colors was visualized on the Cortical 3D object, with green representing thinner structures and red corresponding to thicker areas.

We performed three-dimensional reconstruction of the CT data of the healthy and affected segments under the same conditions, resulting in wall thickness graphs corresponding to the basic phase and the target phase, respectively. Three-dimensional reconstruction of the CT data of the affected limb with simulated removal of the internal fixation was performed, yielding a wall thickness graph corresponding to the simulated phase (Fig.1).

Three phases of wall thickness analysis: the basic phase (A), the target phase (B), and the simulated phase (C).

The ratio of the median wall thickness and the average CT value in the simulated phase to the corresponding values in the basic phase was calculated to obtain the ratios R2 and R4: R2=median wall thickness of the simulated phase/median wall thickness of the basic phase; R4=average CT value of the simulated phase/average CT value of the basic phase. The product of the average CT value and the median wall thickness was defined as the healing index (HI), and R5=simulated phase HI/basic phase HI.

The fracture healing state was evaluated through imaging and clinical examinations at 9months after surgery. The bone healing of patients was observed for half a year after removal of the internal fixation to monitor for refracture. In the case that nonunion continued to be observed, bone grafting and internal fixation were performed again. Patients with poor bone healing were further observed. If there were no signs of healing, bone grafting was performed.

The criteria for bone healing were as follows: X-ray images showed blurring of the fracture line and a continuous callus passing through the fracture line11; additionally, upon the release of external fixation, the patient does not have any tenderness at the fracture site, can walk with weight, and has no longitudinal pain in the fractured limb on percussion12.

The criteria for bone nonunion were as follows: Nonunion was defined by pain and abnormal activity at the fracture site, persistent light-transmitting bands on X-ray examination, and no progress in the formation of the callus at 12weeks after treatment13.

Poor bone healing was defined as a healing state between that of bone healing and bone nonunion.

Measurement data are expressed as the meanstandard deviation or median, and Pearson or Spearman correlation analysis was performed. One-way ANOVA was conducted to analyze differences between multiple groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed for the diagnostic analysis, and the critical point of diagnosis was analyzed by the maximum Youden index method. P<0.05 was set as statistically significant, and all data analyses were performed by SPSS (version 20.0; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).

Informed consent was obtained from all the patients and the study was approved by Biomedical Ethics Committee of Anhui Medical University (reference number 20150129). The study has been performed in accordance with the ethical standards of the Declaration of Helsinki in 1964.

A national strategy for CAR-T therapies urgently needed – Irish Medical Times

By adminNovember 25, 2023Stem Cell Doctors

In a decade, CAR-T cell treatment might be the first step for many cancer patients

Around this time last year, the staff at Irish Medical Times were getting ready to host the Irish Healthcare Awards, and, in particular, preparing to give an award to Prof Larry Bacon (representing a wider team of doctors and healthcare staff at St Jamess Hospital) for conducting the first Irish cell treatment for lymphoma, the first time that a Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell (CAR-T) had been used in Ireland.

Previous to this, any patient who could benefit from this personalised therapy had to travel to the UK to receive the treatment. The job of preparing a patient for this treatment is a complex one involving collecting the patients own T cells, which were then prepared for transport to the UK in the hospitals on-site stem cell laboratory.

When these cells were sent overseas and re-engineered to target cancer cells, they were then sent back to St Jamess stem cell lab for qualification, before they were re-infused into the patient. The patient would receive three days of lymphodepleting chemotherapy before infusion. It was a serious operation, and a cause for celebration that we could do this kind of complex work here.

This CAR-T therapy which uses modified cells from a persons own body to fight cancer, is potentially life-saving for some patients diagnosed with certain types of blood cancers lymphoma, leukaemia and myeloma.

Emerging research also suggests that such therapies could have the potential to treat other types of cancers in the future including some solid tumours, and that could change the paradigm in cancer treatment in Ireland. It would be a huge shift in how we treat cancer, and the potential for improved treatment and cure rates is obvious.

This whole area of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) is a hugely exciting and promising area in the world of medicine. These medicines based on tissue, genes or cells have the potential to provide ground-breaking opportunities for treating disease and injury.

Its exciting, but we cant say exactly how this might change things. Using your own T cells to fight cancer might surpass current methods by a good margin. Or not. Certainly, were not going to stop with the current technology its simply going to get better.

In a decade, CAR-T cell treatment might be the first step for many cancer patients. We dont know. Or, at least, this was what we presumed that CAR-T therapy was here, was working, and was here to stay.

However, a new report on the progress of CAR-T therapy in Irelandhas pointed out that in Ireland, it is likely that it will be too expensive to provide these therapies at a significant scale under the current commercial routes through which they are available.

The current health and manufacturing systems are also likely not adequately equipped, resourced or structured currently to develop or deliver CAR-T or other cancer immunotherapies alongside existing health services at the larger scale that could potentially benefit patients in the future here.

This poses a fundamental and existential problem for the Irish health service and the HSE. Science is pointless without application; there is no point in being able to do CAR-T cell therapy and not being able to do CAR-T cell therapy (because you dont have the money). If we dont have the money to implement a system so that it saves lives, what, after all, was the point of all the research?

The report, which was developed by a team of researchers in Maynooth University in collaboration with Breakthrough Cancer Research, calls on the Government and the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) to urgently consider and develop a national strategy for Ireland around the provision of cellular therapies, including CAR-T therapies.

It is vital that such a strategy would consider how to achieve more sustainable mechanisms to develop, and deliver, new and available treatments to patients, at a cost that is more affordable to the national public health system.

The report outlines ten policy recommendations which seek to recognise and address patients current needs and sets out key components that need to be considered under such a national strategy.

I wont bore you with a list of the recommendations, except to point out that politically, the easiest thing to do here is to do what we always do ignore this problem while it is still a relatively small one that affects very few people.

But since the technology is always moving, and we would reasonably expect a lot more people to become suitable candidates for CAR-T therapy, it makes sense now to plan to be able to afford the treatment for everybody.

Obviously, ATMPs offer huge hope for the future treatment of cancers, and the fear would be that in anticipation of that cost, the Irish government stalls and delays in its bureaucratic manner kicking the can of medicine down the road until some later time when we can afford it.

That would be a huge mistake, a fatal error. A negation of our will to control our destiny. We can and we should invest in this technology and reduce cancer deaths just cause. Just because we can and because it is a just cause. We can save people and we can show others how to do it. We should welcome this challenge, invest in it, and demonstrate the point of economic success. And we should lead, where possible certainly in the area of investment.

We need to move in the direction of the light. There are problems to be solved relating to cost, but these problems will come anyway. Investing now will save money later, because, lets face it, were not going to let people die if we have their actual cure.

We would and have shown we are capable of letting people die if we dont get to them on time. And often the bureaucratic behemoth seems to move very slowly. Almost deliberately slowly.

We need to move quickly and enthusiastically on this. Its an opportunity to do great good for science and medicine in this country. And save lives. As Mathew Perry would have said: Could there be more noble goals?

The question for us now is whether we want to embrace the future of medical innovation and technology, or whether we want to remain the country with the health service that has the best excuses in the world for failure.

The time has come to be know for something else, something that is a powerful force in medicine strategic forward planning to improve services of the future. Services not even imagined yet.

We could do that by embracing and pushing ATMPs because their role in medicine is only going to grow.

See more here:
A national strategy for CAR-T therapies urgently needed - Irish Medical Times

UC San Diego Researchers Receive Close to $10M from California … – University of California San Diego

By adminNovember 25, 2023Stem Cell Clinic

Two researchers at the University of California San Diego received close to $10 million in grants from the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine, the agency announced.

Eric Adler, MD, cardiologist and director of the Strauss-Wilson Center for Cardiomyopathy at UC San Diego Health, received $5.2 million to advance his research in modified stem cells to help treat Danon Disease. Danon is a rare condition, which, when left untreated, results in death as early as age 20.

Karen Christman, a professor in the Shu Chien-Gene Lay Department of Bioengineering at UC San Diego, received $4.6 million to advance her work on biomaterials that can repair damage to muscle after a heart attack. The biomaterials her research team developed can be injected into the bloodstream when a patient is in the catheterization lab undergoing an angioplasty and stent placement.

The goal of CIRMs translational program is to support promising stem cell-based or gene projects that accelerate completion of translational stage activities necessary for advancement to clinical study or broad end use. Those can include therapeutic candidates, diagnostic methods or devices and novel tools that address critical bottlenecks in research.

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UC San Diego Researchers Receive Close to $10M from California ... - University of California San Diego

60 years after its first organ transplant, Mayo Clinic looks to the future – Star Tribune

By adminNovember 25, 2023Stem Cell Clinic

ROCHESTER - Sheila Maines didn't know if she'd live long enough to get a new kidney.

The 58-year-old Oklahoma woman felt crushed after doctors in that state refused her for a transplant, citing her medical history and a number of afflictions including lupus. They recommended the Mayo Clinic as her last hope.

She entered treatment at Mayo in March, where doctors told her with certainty she qualified for a transplant operation. Maines knew she could wait up to six years for a donor, but a 2 a.m. call on Nov. 18 and a hurried flight to Rochester led to surgery at noon that day.

Maines spent the last week recovering at Gift of Life Transplant House in Rochester. "It's a godsend," she said, choking up.

Saturday marks the 60th anniversary of the first kidney transplant at Mayo Clinic, and almost 70 years since the first long-term successful kidney transplant. Medical technology has advanced greatly since Mayo's first transplant, but researchers there say U.S. patients still face too many hurdles to receiving an organ transplant.

Wait lists are too long. Operations aren't successful enough. And too many new organs fail people in need. Mayo researchers hope several key projects will contribute to ongoing research around the globe to improve organ transplantation.

"Our primary goal is making sure more patients can access transplants ... and developing new treatments to address all these problems," said Dr. Julie Heimbach, head of Mayo's transplant center in Rochester.

More than 150,000 people received an organ transplant worldwide last year, according to data from the World Health Organization. In the U.S., the nonprofit United Network for Organ Sharing tracked almost 43,000 organ transplants in 2022. The majority of transplant organs come from deceased donors.

Despite record-setting numbers of organ transplants across the board, there aren't enough supplies to go around. About 3 in 10 donated kidneys go unused each year, according to the National Kidney Foundation, either from miscommunication between medical systems or long transportation times.

Patients often can't wait. About 1 in 4 or 5 patients are removed from organ transplant wait lists across the U.S. either because they've died or become too sick for successful surgery, Heimbach said.

Medical researchers across the globe are working on potential solutions, from using pig organs for transplants to 3-D printing makeshift organs and, maybe one day, growing human organs from scratch.

Mayo researchers say they're focused on several new projects that could bear results sooner.

Mayo performed its first robot-operated kidney transplant last month, following similar types of machine-assisted surgeries across the country. Mayo is also exploring how to use a type of double surgery for weight loss and liver transplants for kidney surgeries by far the most prevalent organ in need among ailing patients. And a study started at the beginning of the year could help patients better accept new organs and cut down on chronic organ failure.

That study involves using a type of stem cell to mimic the body's natural immunity responses, quelling rejection from a person's immune system. It's still in the early stages and isn't ready for human trials, but Mayo officials say the idea is promising based on previous research efforts.

"We know there is a good safety profile," said Dr. Timucin Taner, the study's lead researcher. "We're very hopeful that this will be a better option for a lot of patients."

Human trials could begin in 2024.

These kinds of studies are a far cry from the first long-term successful kidney transplant, done in Boston in 1954. Doctors there used identical twins in the surgery sterilization and anti-rejection drugs hadn't yet advanced to the point where patients could accept new organs, so the doctors thought a kidney donated from a twin would work better.

Mayo made its own history on Nov. 25, 1963, where doctors performed a transplant using a solid kidney from a live donor. Mayo's achievement was overshadowed by the news of the day: the aftermath of President John F. Kennedy's assassination.

Retired Mayo surgeon Dr. Sylvester Sterioff noted that transplantation had a 35% to 50% success rate until anti-rejection drugs got much better in the 1980s. For Sterioff, progress can't come fast enough.

"There are 100,000 people in the U.S. waiting for organs," Sterioff said. "Some of them will die while waiting."

Most patients wait three to five years for an organ. Others, like Maines, are lucky. She's had kidney issues for about 25 years because of an autoimmune disorder. The pain, combined with other issues, led her to quit her job as a medical assistant about eight years ago.

There were days she was so tired, she simply couldn't get out of bed or off the couch.

"I couldn't do anything," she said. "I couldn't wash a dish."

Before her surgery, her kidneys were operating at only about 20% of capacity. Maines faced dialysis or worse problems until last week, when a deceased donor's kidney proved a "perfect match," according to her doctors.

Now she can't praise her doctors enough.

Read this article:
60 years after its first organ transplant, Mayo Clinic looks to the future - Star Tribune

Getting a Transformative, Low-Priced Hair Transplant in Turkey – OK!

By adminNovember 25, 2023Stem Cell Clinic

Nov. 24 2023, Published 2:20 a.m. ET

Getting a hair transplant in Turkey has become so popular that the buzzword has reached nearly every household worldwide. Everyone knows hair transplants are a bargain in Turkey, helping people restore their youthful appearance and confidence.

The question is, are they worth it? Is there a catch, or do you genuinely get high-quality, natural-looking results at a fraction of the cost?

Weve dug deeper into the matter and were pleasantly surprised. Learn about hair transplant costs below and discover one reputable Turkish clinic where men and women can restore their hair without paying a small fortune.

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Medart Hair is a renowned hair clinic in Istanbul, Turkey, with a highly-skilled medical team of surgeons, doctors, anesthesiologists, and other physicians. They had earned their MDs and undergone extensive training across Turkey and beyond before assembling at the clinic to change peoples lives. Over 15,000 successful hair transplant operations highlight their achievements.

Dr Tuna Tantan Williams is the clinics lead hair transplant surgeon, holding an MD from the Faculty of Medicine at Tbilisi State University.

Besides hair transplants and dermatological applications, she has a pharmaceutical background and combines her experience and expertise to provide the best treatments. She also has certifications for regenerative stem cell surgery and mesotherapy.

Medart Hair is famous as a DHI hair transplant clinic in Turkey. Direct Hair Implantation (DHI) is the most cutting-edge hair restoration method (more on that shortly). It does offer other treatments, but it stands out for this one.

Another feature differentiating Medart Hair from others is personalised treatments. Everyone says they tailor hair transplants to patients needs, but this clinic takes it one step further.

When performing a physical exam during an initial consultation, its experts use micro cameras to uncover potential hair loss and devise a prevention plan accordingly. Therefore, they address the current problem and ensure it doesnt worsen in the future.

Hair transplant surgery costs an arm and a leg in the UK. Do you want to transplant 3,000 hair grafts? Ensure you have 7,50015,000 in your bank account. How about 4,000 grafts? Prepare to pay 10,00020,000 or up to 30,000 at some high-end clinics.

Who knew restoring your hair would set you back that much money? The price depends on many factors, including the number of grafts, the hair transplantation technique, the surgeons expertise, and the hair transplant area. Still, its too much for many, who eventually turn to Turkey to save thousands of pounds.

Turkish hair transplants are unbelievably more affordable. They cost between 1,500 and 6,700, although most treatments dont surpass 3,000. Thats only 10% of the highest price tag in the UK.

To answer your most burning question: theres no catch. Turkish hair transplant specialists are famous for exceptional skills, a thirst for innovation, and outstanding results. Thats why Turkey is a cosmetic surgery hub. However, it has a weak economy and a devalued currency, ultimately impacting the prices.

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Now that you know how much you can save with a hair transplant in Istanbul, its time to see what you can get. Spoiler alert: it isnt only the surgery.

Turkish hair clinics, including Medart Hair, offer all-inclusive deals. Astronomical hospital fees and other charges awaiting you in post-op? Forget about it. You pay for your chosen package, and thats it.

Here are hair transplant packages at Medart Hair:

Initial online consultation with hair analysis;

34 nights at a five-star hotel;

Private transfers (airport-hotel-clinic);

Language interpretation for international patients;

Physical examination with micro cameras before the surgery;

Pre-op blood work;

Hair transplant procedure under local anesthesia;

Dressing removal one day after the hair transplant;

Professional hair wash the following day;

Aftercare meds and hair care kit;

At least 12-month follow-up meetings.

These packages differ slightly among clinics, but most include hotel accommodation, transfer, the procedure, a blood test, post-op medications, hair products, and follow-ups varying in length. Check before scheduling the surgery.

Lab-Grown Brain Blood Vessels Show New Ways to Prevent Stroke … – HealthDay

By adminNovember 25, 2023Stem Cell Clinic

MONDAY, Nov. 20, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- Lab-grown blood vessels are providing new insight into how damage to the tiny vessels in the brain can cause them to leak, contributing to dementia and stroke.

Even better, this research has identified a drug target that could plug these leaks and potentially reduce a persons risk of brain-damaging blood vessel leaks.

Antibiotic and anti-cancer drugs that inhibit a class of biochemical called metalloproteinases (MMPs) reversed damage occurring in the lab-grown blood vessels and stopped leakages.

These particular drugs come with potentially significant side effects, so wouldnt in themselves be viable to treat small vessel disease, said study author Dr. Alessandra Granata, of the department of clinical neurosciences at the University of Cambridge in England.

But they show that in theory, targeting MMPs could stop the disease, Granata added in a university news release. Our model could be scaled up relatively easily to test the viability of future potential drugs.

Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) contributes to almost half (45%) of dementia cases worldwide, researchers said in background notes.

It is also responsible for about one in five (20%) ischemic strokes, which occur when a blood clot blocks blood flow to the brain. Most cases are associated with chronic illnesses like high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes, and they typically affect people in middle age.

For this study, Cambridge researchers gathered cells from skin biopsies of patients with a rare genetic form of small vessel disease, which is caused by a mutation in a gene called COL4.

The research team reprogrammed the skin cells into stem cells, which have the capacity to develop into nearly any type of cell within the body.

They then used these stem cells to generate brain blood vessels, creating a model that mimics the defects seen in patients with small vessel disease.

Despite the number of people affected worldwide by small vessel disease, we have little in the way of treatments because we dont fully understand what damages the blood vessels and causes the disease, Granata explained.

Most of what we know about the underlying causes tends to come from animal studies, but they are limited in what they can tell us, she noted. Thats why we turned to stem cells to generate cells of the brain blood vessels and create a disease model in a dish that mimics what we see in patients.

Blood vessels are built around a scaffolding called an extracellular matrix, which lines and supports the tiny vessels in the brain. The COL4 gene is important for the health of this matrix.

Researchers found that disruption of this matrix leads to small blood vessels becoming leaky.

Further, researchers identified MMPs as playing a key role in this damage. MMPs typically are important for maintaining the matrix, but if too many are produced they can damage the structure.

The new study was published Nov. 16 in the journal Stem Cell Reports.

More information

The Cleveland Clinic has more about cerebral small vessel disease.

SOURCE: University of Cambridge, news release, Nov. 16, 2023

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Lab-Grown Brain Blood Vessels Show New Ways to Prevent Stroke ... - HealthDay

KYV-101 found safe, effective for woman with severe gMG – Myasthenia Gravis News

By adminNovember 25, 2023Stem Cell Clinic

Kyverna Therapeutics investigational cell therapy KYV-101 safely and effectively improved muscle strength and reduced fatigue in a woman with severe, hard-to-treat generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), according to a case report.

The patient was treated based on an individual case evaluation and outside of a clinical trial.

This groundbreaking case report rewards and reinforces our commitment to provide potentially paradigm-shifting therapeutic options to patients suffering from autoimmune diseases, Peter Maag, PhD, Kyvernas CEO, said in a company press release. We want to commend patients and their medical care teams that are helping advance the field of treatment options for B cell-driven autoimmune diseases.

After receiving the green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last week, the company will launch a multicenter Phase 2 clinical trial called KYSA-6 to test the therapy in MG patients.

The case study, Anti-CD19 CAR T cells for refractory myasthenia gravis, was published in the journal The Lancet Neurology.

In MG, self-reactive antibodies disrupt the communication between nerves and muscles, leading to muscle weakness and other MG symptoms. Antibodies are proteins produced by immune B-cells to help fight infections, but they can also mistakenly target healthy tissues and drive autoimmune disorders like MG.

KYV-101 is a CAR T-cell therapy designed to destroy such disease-causing B-cells by targeting CD19, a cell surface protein found at high levels in plasma cells, the matured form of B-cells that produce high amounts of antibodies.

It involves collecting a patients immune T-cells and modifying them in the lab to produce a chimeric antigen receptor, or CAR, that selectively binds to CD19. Modified T-cells are then infused back into the patient, where they are expected to eliminate CD19-positive B-cells.

In this report, researchers in Germany and at Kyverna described the first successful use of anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy in a person with severe and refractory, or treatment-resistant, gMG the most common type of MG which is characterized by widespread muscle weakness and fatigue.

We believe this case report provides compelling evidence for the potential of anti-CD19 CAR T-cell-mediated deep B cell depletion in inducing remission and improving symptoms in severe, treatment-refractory MG, said Aiden Haghikia, MD, the studys first author and director of the department of neurology at Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, in Germany.

A 33-year-old woman was diagnosed with gMG in 2012 and tested positive for self-reactive antibodies against the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) protein, the most common target of MG-driving antibodies.

From 2021 to 2023, she experienced difficulties in breathing, swallowing, and walking without mobility aids. She also had several myasthenic crises, or sudden worsening of symptoms, requiring invasive breathing support during five hospitalizations at the researchers institution.

She tried several approved MG treatments, including the B-cell-depleting therapy rituximab, but none stabilized her disease, which was classified as severe. Between March and May 2023, her disease progressed despite treatment with standard immunosuppressive drugs and corticosteroids.

Given the refractory nature of the disorder, and following successful use of anti-CD19 CAR T cells in autoimmune rheumatic diseases, we decided to treat her with a rationally designed CAR T approach, the researchers wrote.

She was given a single infusion of KYV-101 using her own T-cells. Consistent with previous results in treated people with other conditions, CAR T-cells in her bloodstream reached their peak growth 16 days after infusion, and were still detectable after about two months.

CD19-positive B-cells, which were already reduced due to prior treatments, were eliminated from her bloodstream after eight days and remained undetectable after about two months. At the same time, the levels of anti-AChR antibodies fell by 70%, while those of protective antibodies associated with vaccinations remained unchanged.

These findings indicate most disease-causing antibodies were produced by short-lived plasma cells positive for CD19, which are targeted by KYV-101, the researchers noted.

By contrast, protective antibodies produced by long-lived plasma cells in the bone marrow that do not have CD19 are shielded from the effects of CD19 CAR T cells, the team wrote.

In addition, the patients muscle strength and fatigue improved during the first two months after treatment. She was able to hold out her arm horizontally for longer, walk without supportive devices, and had lower scores for disease activity and severity, as assessed by validated measures.

Notably, rituximab targets CD20, a protein found at high levels on the surface of B-cells across their several stages of maturation, but at lower levels on plasma cells. This may explain why KYV-101 was successful in this patient when rituximab was not.

Additionally, the observed clinical improvements occurred despite very reduced exposure to corticosteroids and the MG therapy Mestinon (pyridostigmine bromide), both of which were to be stopped in the coming months.

The woman experienced no adverse events associated with CAR T-cell therapies, such as excessive immune responses, immune cell-related neurological damage, or deficient levels of overall antibodies.

However, she had a mild increase in liver enzymes, suggesting liver injury, that resolved without treatment.

We are extremely happy with the outcome so far, which suggests that a different CAR T-cell approach targeting CD19 with a stably expressed CAR has the potential to be safe and effective in severe and refractory MG, said Dimitrios Mougiakakos, MD, the studys senior author and director of the clinic of hematology, oncology, and stem cell transplantation at the university.

Kyverna is developing KYV-101 as a potential treatment for various other autoimmune diseases driven by B-cells, including lupus, scleroderma, and multiple sclerosis.

The rest is here:
KYV-101 found safe, effective for woman with severe gMG - Myasthenia Gravis News

Music To Sit on The Sidelines To – Ransom Note

By adminNovember 25, 2023Stem Cell Clinic

Drama has been curating the Music To Cut Hair To column on Ransom Note for some time now, and just two short years ago, this shimmering star was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Since then, her life has changed dramatically with a capital D.

On the 3rd of December Londons club scene comes together for Dance For Drama, an event to drive the fundraiser to raise 60K for Victoria to get some pioneering, life-changing, stem cell treatment in a state of the art clinic in Mexico.

Where are you this moment Drama and how are you spending the day?

Im at home in Earls Court. I spend pretty much every day managing this condition and its restrictions on my life.

How much has life changed?

Everything has changed. I still cant get my head round it. I never thought about my ability before.

What has been the hardest part for you?

Not being able to walk has been the hardest part.

What is MS exactly?

Multiple Sclerosis essentially, is your body attacking itself. It affects the brain and nerves.

What are the daily challenges you face?

Seeing, walking, no driving, slurred voice, standing, falling over, prepping for the smallest tasks as my fatigue is off the charts.

What is the prognosis of this disease without treatment?

Having HSCT should put the disease into remission, without it, Im facing a future that is hard work, probably a wheelchair, loss of my independence.

How have you been passing the days?

I read books and listen to podcasts. I havent been able to listen to music, not sure if it is the wrong PH balance or a trigger of a much- missed previous life.

What do you miss most about your life?

EVERYTHING.

What is your next step in your war on MS?

Ive spent the last two years surrounding myself with other MS sufferers. It has changed my view on life with a chronic illness. Its hard work making yourself heard and its very expensive. Somethings can help you to manage but there is no cure.MS is totally individual to each person.

When are you going to Mexico and what will happen while youre there?

I leave on the 6th of January. I spend a month in hospital receiving the stem cell treatment. I will return to the UK one month later to isolate for 2-3 months to give my immunity time to grow again.

Haematopoietic Stem cell transplantation is a chemotherapy treatment for MS that aims to reset the immune system by wiping it out and regrowing it, using the patients own stem cells. The idea is that it stops the immune system from attacking the protective layer around the nerves.

What do you hope to happen after the treatment?

After seeing the fantastic results, I hope to walk again unaided. Lets start small.

Tell us a bit about the funds you need to raise?

I need to raise 60k. Ive had to borrow the money. Not something I am comfortable with, but this will be my last stab at life.

The surgery is quite major. If you want to understand more watch Discovering Selma documentary.

Tell us about the fundraiser?

3rd December is the day for Dance for Drama at the Star of Liverpool St. My Fundraising Team have held my hand as being centre of attention is the furthest thing for my mind at the moment.

Who is on the line up?

Justin Robertson, Sophie Lloyd, Terry Farley, Dani Moore (Crazy P) Heidi, PBR Streetgang, Nancy Noise, Steve Lee, Lisa Loud, Stu Patterson, Tayo, Simon & Antony Phonica. Dave Jarvis, Orin Afronaut, Andy Taylor and the Size Doesnt Matter Crew, the list goes on and is epic. Not forgetting one of my chief Fundraisers Dave Harvey who has a special place in my heart.

What can we do to help?

Dig deep if you can. Every little counts. We have some really great things coming, a raffle, an art auction, the disco. Debbie Smith has offered to take over a karaoke room and you can pay her to get off. Ha!

There is also a raffle so if anyone has anything to throw into the tombola, please contact Rob Star rob@electricstarpubs.co.uk

Whats your message others with MS?

Thank you for welcoming me with open arms. I was told I am part of a gang that I didnt want to be part of. I am never going to offer any advice, as I know too well how awkward that be sometimes. But know I will never let go of your hand, and I will always have time for you. I have met some truly inspirational people.

What keeps you fighting?

The strength that I already have. I never fully acknowledged it before. My closest friends for picking me up when I am down. Family. And Benny.

Please visit the Crowdfunder HERE.

Below is a collection of music curated by Drama:

Excerpt from:
Music To Sit on The Sidelines To - Ransom Note

Health Beat: A possible solution for sickle cell disease – 69News WFMZ-TV

By adminNovember 25, 2023Stem Cell Clinic

CLEVELAND, Oh. - Danielle Lees adventurous spirt shines through, but behind the smiles of this aspiring actress is an unimaginable pain.

I went from like screaming, crying, please don't let me die to I just wanted the pain to be over. It is very sharp pain most of the time, to the point where holding my cell phone can hurt, Danielle painfully recalled.

Danielle was diagnosed before birth with sickle cell disease, where abnormal hemoglobin makes red blood cells rigid and shaped like sickles. These cells die early, leading to a chronic shortage of healthy red blood cells which are essential for carrying oxygen throughout the body.

The blood, basically, doesnt go to where it should be. So, the oxygen doesn't go to potential parts of the body, explained Dr. Rabi Hanna, pediatric oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic.

Sickle cell causes severe pain in the bones and can impact a patients heart, lungs, eyes and even cause strokes.

Dr. Hanna says medications can relieve some of the symptoms. Chemo also helps. Bone marrow transplants work when theyre not rejected.

But now, a one-time gene editing cell therapy is able to modify a patients own blood-forming stem cells to correct the mutation responsible for sickle cell disease.

We attach the patient to apheresis machine that's able to separate the stem cell from the red blood cells from the plasma, Dr. Hanna said.

Once the stem cells are collected and sent to the lab for gene editing, patients undergo chemo to destroy their remaining bone marrow, then the edited stem cells are infused back into their body.

The cells, they can go to their bone marrow and they start to build their house that will produce new white blood cells, new red blood cells, Dr. Hanna further explained.

Results have shown new white blood cells in patients at four weeks with no severe adverse effects.

The patients have also been free of sickle cell diseases pain attacks for an entire year. Danielle was one of the first in the CRISPR gene editing clinical trial.

I have so much more energy, thank God, Danielle said with relief.

The average life of a sickle cell patient is mid-forties. Doctors hope the CRISPR gene editing technology will change that and allow patients to live a long, pain-free life.

The Ruby clinical trial aims to enroll 40 more patients ages 18 to 50 with severe sickle cell disease.

More information is available at clinicaltrials.gov

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Health Beat: A possible solution for sickle cell disease - 69News WFMZ-TV