Peripheral blood-derived autologous stem cell therapy for the treatment of patients with late-stage peripheral artery disease—results of the short- and long-term follow-up

Background aimsRegeneration of the occluded peripheral arteries by autologous stem cell therapy is an emerging treatment modality for no-option patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). The purpose of this study was to assess safety and efficacy of in vitro–expanded, peripheral blood-derived, autologous stem cells (VesCell) in no-option patients with PAD.MethodsA phase II, open-label, randomized clinical study was performed on 20 patients to investigate the safety and efficacy of VesCell therapy at 1 and 3 months of follow-up. The long-term (2 years) efficacy of the therapy was also evaluated.ResultsNo side effects of VesCell therapy were found. During the 3 month follow-up in the control group, one death occurred and six major amputations were performed; in the treated group, there were no deaths or major amputations. The difference of limb loss is significant between the two groups. At 2-year follow-up in the control group, two deaths and six major amputations occurred; in the treated group, there were three major amputations. At 3-month follow-up, the change in hemodynamic parameters showed a significant increase in the treated group over the control group; in the treated group, further improvement was detected at 2 years. As the result of the VesCell treatment, change in pain score, wound healing and walking ability test showed an improvement compared with the control group; at 2 years, incremental improvement was observed.ConclusionsPeripheral blood-derived, in vitro–expanded autologous angiogenic precursor therapy appears to be a safe, promising and effective adjuvant therapy for PAD patients.     

Individualizing breast cancer treatment—The dawn of personalized medicine

Identification of breast cancer not being a single disease but backed by multiple heterogeneous oncogenic subpopulations is of growing interest in developing personalized therapies to provide optimal outcomes. Through this review, we bring attention to evolution of tumor and microenvironment heterogeneity as a predominant challenge in stratifying therapies. Establishment of a ‘precancer niche’ serves as a prerequisite for genetically initiated cells to survive and promote neoplastic evolution towards clinically established cancer through development of tumor and its microenvironment. Additionally, continuous evolutionary interplay between tumor and recruited stromal cells along with many other components in the tumor microenvironment adds up to further complexity in developing targeted therapies. However, through continued excellence in developing high throughput technologies including the advent of single-nucleus sequencing, which makes it possible to sequence individual tumor cells, leads to improved abilities in decoding the heterogenic perturbations through reconstruction of tumor evolutionary lineages. Furthermore, simple liquid-biopsies in form of enumeration/characterization of circulating tumor cells and tumor microvesicles found in peripheral circulation, shed from distinct tumor lesions, show great promise as prospective biomarkers towards better prognosis in tailoring individualized therapies to breast cancer patients. Lastly, by means of network medicinal approaches, it is seemingly possible to develop a map of the cell's intricate wiring network, helping to identify appropriate interconnected protein networks through which the disease spreads, offering a more patient-specific outcome. Although these therapeutic interventions through designing personalized oncology-based trials are promising, owing to continuous tumor evolution, targeting genome instability survival pathways might become an economically viable alternative.     

抗菌肽临床应用前景分析

抗菌肽是生物天然免疫的重要组成部分,几乎存在于所有种类的生物中。目前已发现的抗菌肽超过2 000种。抗菌肽具有广谱抗菌活性,对大多数革兰氏阳性菌、革兰氏阴性菌和真菌具有强大的抑制作用（包括多药物耐受微生物）,而且这种作用具有较好的选择性。这些特点使抗菌肽具有成为抗感染药物的重大潜力;但抗菌肽的临床应用也面临着一些困难,如抗菌肽大量生产、体内稳定性、微生物耐受等。对抗菌肽临床应用面临的问题及正在进行临床研究和临床前研究的抗菌肽做一简要综述。     

Patient ratings of chewing ability from a randomised crossover trial: lingualised vs. first premolar/canine-guided occlusion for complete dentures

Background: Complex procedures involving a facebow transfer and the use of lingualised teeth are deemed to have a positive influence on the chewing ability with complete dentures. Objectives: To determine if patients’ ratings of their ability to chew depend on the method of complete denture fabrication. Methods: Edentulous patients (n = 20) participated in a within‐subject crossover trial. Each patient received two sets of new complete dentures. One pair was manufactured based on intraoral tracing of centric relation and facebow transfer; semi‐anatomical teeth with lingualised occlusion denture (LOD) were chosen. The second pair was made using a simplified procedure without facebow transfer; jaw relations were recorded with wax occlusion rims, and anatomical teeth with a first premolar/canine‐guidance (CGD) were selected. The dentures were delivered in randomised order, and each was worn for 3 months. Three months after delivery, patients’ ratings of each new prosthesis were recorded on visual analogue scales for their ability to chew seven index foods. Repeated measurements analysis of variance was performed to investigate possible carry‐over effects accounting for confounding by treatment period. Results: When comparing the two treatments, participants rated their ability to chew in general, to masticate carrots, hard sausage, steak and raw apple in particular, was significantly better with the CGD (anatomical teeth) than with the LOD (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Comprehensive methods for the fabrication of complete dentures including semi‐anatomical lingualised teeth and a full registration do not seem to influence the perceived chewing ability, when compared with more simple procedures. Chewing ability for tough foods appears to benefit from the use of anatomical teeth.     

Stem cell therapies and regenerative medicine in China

Stem cells are the core of tissue repair and regeneration,and a promising cell source for novel therapies.In recent years,research into stem cell therapies has been particularly exciting in China.The remarkable advancements in basic stem cell research and clinically effective trials have led to fresh insights into regenerative medicine,such as treatments for sweat gland injury after burns,diabetes,and liver injury.High hopes have inspired numerous experimental and clinical trials.At the same time,government investment and policy support of research continues to increase markedly.However,numerous challenges must be overcome before novel stem cell therapies can achieve meaningful clinical outcomes.     

The survey on cellular and tissue-engineered therapies in Europe and neighboring Eurasian countries in 2014 and 2015

Background aims

With the support of five established scientific organizations, this report, the seventh of its kind, describes activity in Europe for the years 2014 and 2015 in the area of cellular and tissue-engineered therapies, excluding hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) treatments for the reconstitution of hematopoiesis.

脑血管病所致癫痫发作的临床分析

目的 研究脑血管病后癫痫发作病人的临床分型及其与原发病和病灶的关系,评价脑电图、CT、MRI对癫痫的诊断价值以及治疗效果。方法 收集门诊病房几年来治疗的脑血管病合并癫癫发作的病人85例。按癫痫发作发生的时间和临床表现分型,每例病人均做CT、MRI和EEG。将数据进行统计学处理。结果 本组资料中,早期型癫痫26例（31％）,迟发型癫痫59例（69％）。癫痫发作类型以额叶癫痫最常见。脑梗死及多发病灶患者占比例大。药物治疗控制发作效果较好。脑电图能反映病情变化,病情控制后,服电图也逐渐好转。而CT、MRI地病灶的定位不能反映癫痫的类型。结论 多发病灶易致癫痫发作,额叶癫痫最常见。脑电图对癫痫的诊断和判断癫痫的控制很有帮助。CT、MRI无助于癫痫的诊断和评价。药物治疗效果较好。     

Association between high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T and future cardiovascular incidence in a general Japanese population: results from the Tohoku medical megabank project

Purpose: Elevation of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This study determined whether hs-cTnT was detectable with N-terminal pro-b-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and related to CV risk factors in a general Japanese population.

Materials and methods: The Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization pooled individual participant data for a population-based cohort study in the Iwate prefecture (n?=?30,193, age = 60.2?±?11.5?year).

Results: Hs-cTnT levels were higher in participants with hypertension, diabetes mellitus than in participants without these conditions (all ps < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that NT-proBNP was strongly associated with elevation of hs-cTnT (OR = 3.35, 95% CI = 2.90–3.89, p?<?0.001). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that hs-cTnT was one of useful biomarker for the differentiation of high risk for CVD (the Suita score ≥ 56) from a general population. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated hs-cTnT levels were related to the CVD high risk group (OR = 2.67, 95% CI = 2.28–3.14, p?<?0.001).

Conclusions: Hs-cTnT levels are associated with elevation of NT-proBNP and high Suita score, which suggests that elevated hs-cTnT is related to subclinical myocardial damage and indicates CV risk.