WorldWideScience

Sample records for cord blood serum

  1. Serum selenium concentration in maternal and umbilical cord blood. Relation to course and outcome of pregnancy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bro, S; Berendtsen, H; Nørgaard, J

    1988-01-01

    The present knowledge of the role of selenium in human fetal and neonatal development is sparse. In this study we measured serum selenium concentrations in maternal and umbilical cord blood from 500 Danish mothers at delivery, looking for a relationship between various maternal and fetal complica......The present knowledge of the role of selenium in human fetal and neonatal development is sparse. In this study we measured serum selenium concentrations in maternal and umbilical cord blood from 500 Danish mothers at delivery, looking for a relationship between various maternal and fetal...... complications and selenium values. In mothers with uncomplicated pregnancies and deliveries serum selenium concentrations were 0.84 +/- 0.19 mumol/l (mean +/- SD), whereas in cord blood from full-term babies born adequate for gestational age and with no malformations serum selenium concentrations were 0...

  2. Comparison between human cord blood serum and platelet-rich plasma supplementation for Human Wharton's Jelly Stem Cells and dermal fibroblasts culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hashemi SS

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available We carried out a side-by-side comparison of the effects of Human cord blood serum (HcbS versus embryonic PRP on Human Wharton's Jelly Stem Cells(hWMSCand dermal fibroblasts proliferation. Human umbilical cord blood was collected to prepare activated serum (HCS and platelet-rich plasma (CPRP.Wharton's Jelly Stem Cells and dermal fibroblasts were cultured in complete medium with10% CPRP, 10%HCSor 10% fetal bovine serumand control (serum-free media.The efficiency of the protocols was evaluated in terms of the number of adherent cells and their expansion and Cell proliferation. We showed that proliferation of fibroblasts and mesenchymal stem cells in the presence of cord blood serum and platelet-rich plasma significantly more than the control group (p≤0/05. As an alternative to FBS, cord blood serum has been proved as an effective component in cell tissue culture applications and embraced a vast future in clinical applications of regenerative medicine. However, there is still a need to explore the potential of HCS and its safe applications in humanized cell therapy or tissue engineering.

  3. Concentrations of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Organochlorine Pesticides in Umbilical Cord Blood Serum of Newborns in Kingston, Jamaica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad H. Rahbar

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available To date much of the biomonitoring related to exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs and organochlorine (OC pesticides is from middle to high income countries, including the U.S., Canada and Europe, but such data are lacking for the majority of low to middle income countries. Using data from 64 pregnant mothers who were enrolled in 2011, we aimed to assess the concentrations of the aforementioned toxins in umbilical cord blood serum of 67 Jamaican newborns. For 97 of the 100 PCB congeners and 16 of the 17 OC pesticides, all (100% concentrations were below their respective limits of detection (LOD. Mean (standard deviation (SD lipid-adjusted concentrations in cord blood serum for congeners PCB-153, PCB-180, PCB-206 and total PCB were 14.25 (3.21, 7.16 (1.71, 7.30 (1.74 and 28.15 (6.03 ng/g-lipid, respectively. The means (SD for the 4,4′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE-hexane fraction and total-DDE were 61.61 (70.78 and 61.60 (70.76 ng/g-lipid, respectively. Compared to the U.S. and Canada, the concentrations of these toxins were lower in cord-blood serum of Jamaican newborns. We discuss that these differences could be partly due to differences in dietary patterns in these countries. Despite limitations in our dataset, our results provide information on the investigated toxins in cord blood serum that could serve as a reference for Jamaican newborns.

  4. Cord Blood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saeed Abroun

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available   Stem cells are naïve or master cells. This means they can transform into special 200 cell types as needed by body, and each of these cells has just one function. Stem cells are found in many parts of the human body, although some sources have richer concentrations than others. Some excellent sources of stem cells, such as bone marrow, peripheral blood, cord blood, other tissue stem cells and human embryos, which last one are controversial and their use can be illegal in some countries. Cord blood is a sample of blood taken from a newborn baby's umbilical cord. It is a rich source of stem cells, umbilical cord blood and tissue are collected from material that normally has no use following a child’s birth. Umbilical cord blood and tissue cells are rich sources of stem cells, which have been used in the treatment of over 80 diseases including leukemia, lymphoma and anemia as bone marrow stem cell potency.  The most common disease category has been leukemia. The next largest group is inherited diseases. Patients with lymphoma, myelodysplasia and severe aplastic anemia have also been successfully transplanted with cord blood. Cord blood is obtained by syringing out the placenta through the umbilical cord at the time of childbirth, after the cord has been detached from the newborn. Collecting stem cells from umbilical blood and tissue is ethical, pain-free, safe and simple. When they are needed to treat your child later in life, there will be no rejection or incompatibility issues, as the procedure will be using their own cells. In contrast, stem cells from donors do have these potential problems. By consider about cord blood potency, cord blood banks (familial or public were established. In IRAN, four cord blood banks has activity, Shariati BMT center cord blood bank, Royan familial cord blood banks, Royan public cord blood banks and Iranian Blood Transfusion Organ cord blood banks. Despite 50,000 sample which storage in these banks, but the

  5. Evaluation of blood and serum markers in spinal cord injured patients with pressure sores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gurcay, Eda; Bal, Ajda; Gurcay, Ahmet G; Cakci, Aytul

    2009-03-01

    To evaluate blood and serum markers in traumatic spinal cord injured (SCI) patients, with and without pressure sores. This cross-sectional study was performed at the Ministry of Health Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit, and Numune Education and Research Hospitals, Ankara, Turkey, from 2006-2008. A total of 23 SCI patients with pressure sores (group I) and a control group of 25 SCI patients without pressure sores (group II) were evaluated. Characteristics of sores were examined with respect to duration, location, grade, tissue types, surface area, and exudate amount. Recorded laboratory parameters included erythrocyte sedimentation rates (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Htc), lymphocytes, white blood cells (WBC), red blood cells (RBC), serum iron, transferrin, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), ferritin, total protein, albumin, vitamin B12, and zinc. The most common pressure sore location was the sacrum (38%). Compared to the control group, the patients with pressure sores showed anemia with reduced serum iron, transferrin, TIBC, and increased ferritin. They also had increased ESR, CRP, and WBC and reduced lymphocytes, total protein, albumin and zinc. Statistically significant correlations were found between CRP, Hb, Htc, lymphocytes, RBC, WBC, and serum protein levels, and grade of pressure sores. Clinicians should regularly screen patients with respect to blood and serum markers, in order to determine any risks for pressure sores, and they should perform immediate preventive measures based on the patient's condition.

  6. Spinal cord injury in rats: inability of nimodipine or anti-neutrophil serum to improve spinal cord blood flow or neurologic status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holtz, A.; Nystroem, B.; Gerdin, B.

    1989-01-01

    The role of a calcium-mediated increase in vascular resistance and of vascular damage caused by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNLs) in the development of neurologic deficit and disturbance of spinal cord circulation following spinal cord compression was studied in the rat. Spinal cord injury was induced by 5 min of compression with a load of 35 g on a 2.2 x 5.0 mm compression plate. This caused transient paraparesis. The rats received either the calcium receptor antagonist nimodipine or an anti-rat neutrophil serum (ANS). Nimodipine was infused i.v. for 4 h in an amount of 1.5 μg/kg/min starting 60 min after trauma. The number of circulating PMNLs was depleted by intraperiotoneal injection of an ANS raised in sheep given 12 h before trauma. This caused a reduction to about 2% of the pre-ANS value. Controls received saline or normal sheep serum. The motor performance was assessed daily on the inclined plane. On day one, the day after injury, the capacity angle had decreased from about 63 deg. preoperatively to close to 32 deg. in the experimental groups. There was then a slow improvement in both the control and experimental groups and on day 4 the capacity angle was close to 43 deg. in all 3 groups. Spinal cord blood flow, as measured with the 14 C-iodoantipyrine autoradiography method, was similar in all groups on day 4. As neither the neurologic dysfunction nor the spinal cord blood flow was affected by post-trauma treatment with nimodipine or pretreatment with ANS, the possibility that calcium-mediated vasoconstriction or PMNLs play a role in the development of posttraumatic neuroligic disability was not supported by this study. (author)

  7. [Expression and significance of adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein in placenta, serum and umbilical cord blood in preeclampsia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Jian-Ying; Wang, Xiao-Juan

    2010-12-01

    To investigate the change of adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (FABP4) in maternal serum and umbilical cord blood and FABP4 mRNA placental expression in patients with preeclampsia (PE). A total of 60 women with PE and 60 normal pregnant women as control participated in this study.All are admitted to Fujian Maternity and Children Health Hospital for delivery from December 2008 to October 2009. Patients with PE were divided into early-onset group (n = 30, presented at ≤ 34 weeks of gestation) and late-onset group (n = 30, presented at > 34 weeks of gestation), with 30 normal pregnant women as early control group (≤ 34 weeks of gestation) and 30 as late control group (> 34 weeks of gestation). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect FABP4, fasting serum glucose, fasting insulin (FINS) in maternal serum and FABP4 in umbilical cord blood. Real-time fluorescent quantitative reverse transcription PCR was used to detect placental FABP4 mRNA expression. Furthermore, clinical and biochemical parameters were recorded, such as body mass index (BMI), systolic pressure (SP), diastolic pressure (DP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), creatinine (Cr), uric acid (UA), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), 24 hours urine protein in pregnant women and neonatal weight. (1) Maternal serum FABP4 was (176 ± 9) ng/L in early-onset PE group and (170 ± 9) ng/L in late-onset PE group, significantly elevated as compared to (81 ± 13) ng/L in early control group and (94 ± 15) ng/L in late control group. (2) Mean maternal FINS, homeostasis model of assessment for insulin resistence index (HOMA-IR) were significantly elevated in the early-onset PE group and late-onset PE group as compared to control groups, respectively. (3) Mean placental FABP4 mRNA expression were significantly elevated in the early-onset PE group and late-onset PE group as compared to late control

  8. Cord Blood and Transplants

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... donate their baby’s umbilical cord blood to a public cord blood bank. We have more than 249,000 cord blood ... stored as a cord blood unit at a public cord blood bank for future use. It can then be listed ...

  9. Serum Albumin Predicts Long-Term Neurological Outcomes After Acute Spinal Cord Injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tong, Bobo; Jutzeler, Catherine R; Cragg, Jacquelyn J; Grassner, Lukas; Schwab, Jan M; Casha, Steve; Geisler, Fred; Kramer, John L K

    2018-01-01

    There is a need to identify reliable biomarkers of spinal cord injury recovery for clinical practice and clinical trials. Our objective was to correlate serum albumin levels with spinal cord injury neurological outcomes. We performed a secondary analysis of patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (n = 591) participating in the Sygen clinical trial. Serum albumin concentrations were obtained as part of routine blood chemistry analysis, at trial entry (24-72 hours), 1, 2, and 4 weeks after injury. The primary outcomes were "marked recovery" and lower extremity motor scores, derived from the International Standards for the Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury. Data were analyzed with multivariable logistic and linear regression to adjust for potential confounders. Serum albumin was significantly associated with spinal cord injury neurological outcomes. Higher serum albumin concentrations at 1, 2, and 4 weeks were associated with higher 52-week lower extremity motor score. Similarly, the odds of achieving "marked neurological recovery" was greater for individuals with higher serum albumin concentrations. The association between serum albumin concentrations and neurological outcomes was independent of initial injury severity, treatment with GM-1, and polytrauma. In spinal cord injury, serum albumin is an independent marker of long-term neurological outcomes. Serum albumin could serve as a feasible biomarker for prognosis at the time of injury and stratification in clinical trials.

  10. Prediction of allergy from family history and cord blood IgE levels. A follow-up at the age of 5 years. Cord blood IgE. IV

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, L G; Halken, S; Høst, A

    1993-01-01

    was not influenced by cord blood IgE levels or atopic predisposition. Cord blood IgE levels had a low sensitivity as a predictor of atopic disease. A statistically significant correlation between serum levels of IgE at birth and at 5 years was however found (p ... with elevated cord blood IgE levels developed allergic disease before 5 years of age (p 63 kU/l (geometric mean + 1 SD) at the age of 5 years can be regarded as being an elevated level. A cord...... blood IgE level > or = 0.3 kU/l in combination with atopic predisposition was predictive of allergic disease, especially allergic bronchial asthma. With regard to allergic disease, the positive predictive value was 26%, the sensitivity 33% and the rate ratio for development of allergic disease 4...

  11. Serum zinc and copper concentrations in maternal and umbilical cord blood. Relation to course and outcome of pregnancy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bro, S; Berendtsen, H; Nørgaard, J

    1988-01-01

    serum zinc and copper concentrations in maternal and umbilical cord blood from 500 Danish mothers at delivery, looking for an association between serum zinc and copper levels and various maternal and foetal complications. Preterm infants (n = 30) had significantly lower serum copper concentrations than...... reference infants (n = 346) (p = 0.01), whereas there was no difference in serum zinc concentrations. Mothers of preterm infants (n = 34) did not differ in serum zinc or copper concentrations from reference mothers (n = 220). Small for date infants (n = 37) and mothers of small for date infants (n = 47) had...... higher serum copper levels than reference infants and mothers (p = 0.02 and p = 0.04, respectively), whereas there was no difference in serum zinc concentrations. Serum zinc and copper concentrations in malformed infants (n = 14) and their mothers (n = 17) did not differ from concentrations in reference...

  12. Insulin-like factor 3 levels in cord blood and serum from children: effects of age, postnatal hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis activation, and cryptorchidism

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bay, Katrine; Virtanen, Helena E; Hartung, Stefan

    2007-01-01

    The Leydig cell hormone insulin-like factor 3 (INSL3) is important for testicular descent. Currently INSL3 levels in cord blood, in serum throughout childhood, and in relation to congenital cryptorchidism are unknown....

  13. Umbilical cord blood glucose levels in full-term newborns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. L. Karpova

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the investigation was to determine the umbilical cord venous blood level of glucose in full-term newborns and its relationship to the mode of delivery. The investigation included 102 full-term newborn infants, including 33 and 69 babies born via cesar-ean and vaginal delivery, respectively. Umbilical cord serum glucose levels were determined by the glucose oxidase test using a Sap-phire-400 biochemical analyzer. In healthy full-term newborns, the mean umbilical cord blood glucose levels were 4,29±0,88 mmol/1 (minimum, 2,9 mmol/1 and maximum, 5,9 mmol/1. In the babies born via cesarean delivery, the umbilical cord blood concentration of glucose was ascertained to be significantly lower than in those born vaginally (3,84+0,71 mmol/1 versus 4,51+0,87 mmol/1; /><0,0001. Abdominal delivery can be apparently considered to be a risk factor for hypoglycemia in neonatal infants.

  14. Evaluation of CF/CM, concentration ratios for elements in fetus to mother, using cord blood and maternal blood

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Watanabe, Y.; Yukawa, M.; Kim, H.S.; Nishimura, Y.; Osada, H.; Sekiya, S.

    2000-01-01

    ICRP recommends age-dependent dose evaluation for intakes of radionuclides by inhalation and ingestion, and gave age-specific biokinetic models and dose coefficients (doses per unit intake) for infants, children and adults in the publications. Dose coefficients are also needed for the assessment of exposures received in utero and after birth by the offspring of the woman who has received intakes of radionuclides. In the model that has been adopted by ICRP, the doses to the developing fetus are calculated using CF/CM values, concentration ratios for radionuclides in the fetus and the maternal tissues. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the CF/CM of each radionuclide by the measurement of element concentration in cord blood and maternal blood. Blood samples were obtained from 35 mothers who delivered in Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of Chiba University. Just after the delivery, unbiblical cord blood was sampled. Maternal blood was also obtained from the arm vein within 30 minutes after the delivery. The serum was separated from the blood sample with centrifugation. About 50 mg of freezer-dried whole blood and serum were digested with 0.5 ml of 65% ultra-pure nitric acid and 0.2 ml of 30% hydrogen peroxide in a microwave digester. The diluted solutions were used for the determination of elements by ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry) and ICP-AES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry). The elements determined in these samples included Mg, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, Sr and Cs. The concentration of Cu was higher in the maternal blood than in the cord blood in both whole blood and serum. On the other hand, Mn and Fe were higher in the cord blood. The differences of concentration ratios among elements and the differences among tissues will be discussed. (author)

  15. Cord blood buffy coat DNA methylation is comparable to whole cord blood methylation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dou, John; Schmidt, Rebecca J; Benke, Kelly S; Newschaffer, Craig; Hertz-Picciotto, Irva; Croen, Lisa A; Iosif, Ana-Maria; LaSalle, Janine M; Fallin, M Daniele; Bakulski, Kelly M

    2018-01-01

    Cord blood DNA methylation is associated with numerous health outcomes and environmental exposures. Whole cord blood DNA reflects all nucleated blood cell types, while centrifuging whole blood separates red blood cells, generating a white blood cell buffy coat. Both sample types are used in DNA methylation studies. Cell types have unique methylation patterns and processing can impact cell distributions, which may influence comparability. We evaluated differences in cell composition and DNA methylation between cord blood buffy coat and whole cord blood samples. Cord blood DNA methylation was measured with the Infinium EPIC BeadChip (Illumina) in eight individuals, each contributing buffy coat and whole blood samples. We analyzed principal components (PC) of methylation, performed hierarchical clustering, and computed correlations of mean-centered methylation between pairs. We conducted moderated t-tests on single sites and estimated cell composition. DNA methylation PCs were associated with individual (P PC1 = 1.4 × 10 -9 ; P PC2 = 2.9 × 10 -5 ; P PC3 = 3.8 × 10 -5 ; P PC4 = 4.2 × 10 -6 ; P PC5 = 9.9 × 10 -13 , P PC6 = 1.3 × 10 -11 ) and not with sample type (P PC1-6 >0.7). Samples hierarchically clustered by individual. Pearson correlations of mean-centered methylation between paired samples ranged from r = 0.66 to r = 0.87. No individual site significantly differed between buffy coat and whole cord blood when adjusting for multiple comparisons (five sites had unadjusted Pcoat and whole cord blood are much lower than inter-individual variation, demonstrating that both sample preparation types can be analytically combined and compared.

  16. Significance of determination of insulin, glucagon and cortisol levels in maternal and umbilical cord blood

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Chun; Li Runhao; Yan Songqin

    2006-01-01

    Objective: To determine the insulin (INS), glucagon (GLUC) and cortisol (COR) levels in maternal and umbilical cord blood for appropriate gestational age (AGA) neonates and to explore the correlation among the body weight of AGA neonates and body mass index (BMI) of pregnant woman, serum INS, GLUC, COR levels of maternal as well as umbilical cord blood. Methods: Neonates fell into lower-than-normal body weight group ( group A n=9) and higher-than-normal body weight group (group B n =17); serum INS, GLUC and COR levels were measured with radioimmunoassay in 26 pairs of mothers and neonates with uneventful delivery. Results: The body weight of neonate was positively correlated with the BMI of pregnant women, the BMI of pregnant women in group B were significantly higher than those in group A (P<0.05). The maternal serum GLUC and COR levels were significantly higher than those in cord blood (P<0.05, P<0.01). Cord blood COR contents in group B were significantly higher than those in group A (P<0.01), the reverse was true for GLUC (P<0.05). Conclusion: Fetal growth is closely related to the BMI of pregnant women and serum INS, GLUC and COR levels indicating that maternal nutritional condition would directly affect the birth weight of the neonates. (authors)

  17. Optimal method for collection of umbilical cord blood: an Egyptian trial for a public cord blood bank.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bassiouny, M R; El-Chennawi, F; Mansour, A K; Yahia, S; Darwish, A

    2015-06-01

    Umbilical cord blood (UCB) contains stem cells and can be used as an alternative to bone marrow transplantation. Engraftment is dependent on the total nucleated cell (TNC) and CD34+ cell counts of the cord blood units. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of the method of collection of the UCB on the yield of the cord blood units. Informed consent was obtained from 100 eligible mothers for donation of cord blood. Both in utero and ex utero methods were used for collection. The cord blood volume was measured. The TNC and the CD34+ cell counts were enumerated. We have found that in utero collection gave significantly larger volumes of cord blood and higher TNC counts than ex utero collection. There was no significant difference between both methods regarding the CD34+ cell counts. This study revealed a significant correlation between the volume of the collected cord blood and both TNC and CD34+ cell counts. It is better to collect cord blood in utero before placental delivery to optimize the quality of the cord blood unit. © 2015 AABB.

  18. Early predictive value of cord blood bilirubin and dynamic monitoring of transcutaneous bilirubin for hyperbilirubinemia of newborns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haishan Guan

    2017-12-01

    Conclusions: The increase of cord blood bilirubin effectively predict the occurrence of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. There is a good correlation between levels of transcutaneous bilirubin and serum bilirubin. Moreover, combined detection of transcutaneous bilirubin and cord blood bilirubin can significantly improve the prediction accuracy of hyperbilirubinemia.

  19. Mechanism of low GVHD incidence in umbilical cord blood transplantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Zhanying; Zhu Xuezhen; Zhang Lansheng; Zhu Shoupeng

    2000-01-01

    Objective: To compare the immunological function between umbilical cord blood (UCB) and peripheral blood, and to explore the mechanism of low incidence of graft-versus host disease (GVHD) in UCB transplantation. Methods: The proliferation assay, NK cell killing activity assay and immunologic fluorescence double label technique were used to study four sear effect on T cell immunologic function. Results: UCB serum could reduce K 562 cell activity, compared to that of adult serum. Furthermore, adult serum will enhanced the percentage of HLA-DR expression of T cells on PHA-stimulated PBMC, whereas fetal serum has no such effect. Both adult and fetal serum enhanced mitogen-specific T cell proliferation, the peak proliferative response could be reached with adult serum but not with fetal serum. Conclusion: There must be some soluble factors secreted into serum, which play a role in T cell activation and associate with the incidence of GVHD

  20. Cord Blood Banking for Potential Future Transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shearer, William T; Lubin, Bertram H; Cairo, Mitchell S; Notarangelo, Luigi D

    2017-11-01

    This policy statement is intended to provide information to guide pediatricians, obstetricians, and other medical specialists and health care providers in responding to parents' questions about cord blood donation and banking as well as the types (public versus private) and quality of cord blood banks. Cord blood is an excellent source of stem cells for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children with some fatal diseases. Cord blood transplantation offers another method of definitive therapy for infants, children, and adults with certain hematologic malignancies, hemoglobinopathies, severe forms of T-lymphocyte and other immunodeficiencies, and metabolic diseases. The development of universal screening for severe immunodeficiency assay in a growing number of states is likely to increase the number of cord blood transplants. Both public and private cord blood banks worldwide hold hundreds of thousands of cord blood units designated for the treatment of fatal or debilitating illnesses. The procurement, characterization, and cryopreservation of cord blood is free for families who choose public banking. However, the family cost for private banking is significant and not covered by insurance, and the unit may never be used. Quality-assessment reviews by several national and international accrediting bodies show private cord blood banks to be underused for treatment, less regulated for quality control, and more expensive for the family than public cord blood banks. There is an unquestionable need to study the use of cord blood banking to make new and important alternative means of reconstituting the hematopoietic blood system in patients with malignancies and blood disorders and possibly regenerating tissue systems in the future. Recommendations regarding appropriate ethical and operational standards (including informed consent policies, financial disclosures, and conflict-of-interest policies) are provided for physicians, institutions, and organizations that

  1. Patterns of Biomarkers in Cord Blood During Pregnancy and Preeclampsia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kharb, S; Nanda, S

    2017-01-01

    Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is in contact with all the fetal tissues and can reflect the state of fetus and UCB can be compared with maternal blood. Inflammatory, metabolic and immunological disorders during pregnancy can affect the environment in which the fetus is developing and may produce various alterations. To analyze different biochemical parameters in maternal venous blood and new born umbilical cord blood from healthy normotensive pregnant and preeclamptic women. Homocysteine, folate, B12, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), endoglin, leptin, cholinesterase, IGF-1, Apo A, lipoproteins, TSH, fT3, fT4 were analyzed in maternal sera and venous umbilical cord sera of newborns of twenty five preeclamptics (group II) and twenty five normotensive pregnant women (group I). Homocysteine, folic acid, vitamin B12, Apo A I & II, TSH, fT3, fT4 levels were estimated by competitive immunoassay using direct chemiluminiscence technology. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), endoglin, leptin, cholinesterase, IGF-1 were analyzed by ELISA. Maternal and cord blood levels of homocysteine, folic acid, lipid profile (namely, total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C, VLDL-C and HDL-C), TSH, heme oxygenase 1, were higher in preeclamptic women as compared to normotensive pregnant women. Endoglin levels were significantly lower in cord blood of preeclamptic mother as compared to normotensive mothers. Serum and cord blood vitamin B12, Apo A-I and Apo B l, cholinesterase, leptin levels, IGF-I were lower in preeclamptic women as compared to normotensive pregnant. Findings of the present study suggest that biochemical alterations occur in mothers and fetuses and modifications of uterine environment (in terms of thyroxine and folate and vitamin B12 supplementation) can be of help. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  2. Relationship between cord blood IGF-I, IGFBP-3 levels and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Suqing; Chu Kaiqiu; Chen Shengjie

    2008-01-01

    Objective: To study the cord blood insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and its binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) levels in neonates with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). Methods: Cord serum IGF-I (with RIA) and IGFBP-3 (with IRMA) levels were measured in 22 neonates with IUGR and 64 neonates with appropriate gestational age (AGA). Results: Cord blood IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels in IUGR neonates were significantly lower than those in AGA neonates (P<0.001). Among the 86 neonates studied in this article, 44 were born pre-term and 42 were born full term. From the data, we could see that the cord blood IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels in pre-term neonates were significantly lower than those in full-term neonates (P also <0.001). IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels were mutually positively correlated (P<0.01). Conclusion: Cord blood IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels were useful indicator of neonates growth. (authors)

  3. Maternal and Cord Blood Levels of Serum Amyloid A, C-Reactive Protein, Tumor Necrosis Factor-α, Interleukin -1β, and Interleukin-8 During and After Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luciane Marzzullo Cicarelli

    2005-01-01

    after delivery and try to correlate these proteins with tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin -1β, and interleukin-8. Acute-phase proteins and cytokines were measured by ELISA in 24 healthy pregnant women undergoing vaginal delivery or Cesarean section. Cord blood samples in addition to maternal blood were collected. SAA and CRP reached the maximum maternal serum levels 24 hours after delivery, while cytokines remained constant over time. SAA and CRP were significantly higher in maternal serum than in newborn's (P<.001 at the moment of delivery. SAA and CRP, regardless of the type of delivery, reproduce the common pattern observed in most inflammatory conditions. Proinflammatory cytokine serum levels do not mirror the increase in SAA and CRP levels.

  4. Increased Cord Blood Betatrophin Levels in the Offspring of Mothers with Gestational Diabetes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Shimin; Zhao, Yue; Du, Caiqi; Yuan, Guandou; Ning, Qin; McCormick, Kenneth; Luo, Xiaoping

    2016-01-01

    Aim Exposing a fetus to hyperglycemia can increase the risk for later-life metabolic disorders. Betatrophin has been proposed as a key regulator of pancreatic beta cell proliferation and lipid regulation. Highly responsive to nutritional signals, serum betatrophin concentrations have been found to be altered by various physiological and pathological conditions. We hypothesized that betatrophin levels are increased in the cord blood in offspring exposed to intrauterine hyperglycemia. Methods This was a cross-sectional study including 54 mothers who underwent uncomplicated Cesarean delivery in a university hospital. Maternal gestational glucose concentration was determined at 24–48 weeks gestation after a 75-g OGTT. Cord blood and placental tissue was collected immediately post delivery. Metabolic parameters were determined in the Clinical Laboratory. Cord blood betatrophin levels were assayed using a commercially available ELISA kit. Placental mitochondrial content was determined by real-time PCR. Results Cord blood betatrophin levels were increased in the gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) group compared with the normoglycemic group. Furthermore, betatrophin levels were positively correlated with maternal gestational 2h post-OGTT glucose, cord blood insulin, HOMA-IR, and inversely correlated with placental mitochondrial content. Conclusions Cord blood betatrophin may function as a potential biomarker of maternal intrauterine hyperglycemia and fetal insulin resistance, which may presage for long-term metabolic impact of GDM on offspring. PMID:27196053

  5. Umbilical cord blood for unrelated bone marrow replacement; Asia bank and Japan cord blood bank network update.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mugishima, Hideo; Takahashi, Tuneo; Nagamura, Tokiko; Asano, Sigetaka; Saito, Hidehiko

    2002-08-01

    Cord blood offers many advantages including a high concentration of hematopoietic stem cells, a large number of potential donors, and ease of harvest. Furthermore, since there is no risk for either the mother or baby, few people refuse to donate. There is thought to be a low risk for virus contamination and also probably a low incidence and severity of GVHD. Cord blood can be obtained quickly without the assistance of a coordinator and one or 2 locus-mismatched HLA is usually acceptable. In Japan, there are 10 cord blood banks supported by the government. Between 1996 and June 2002, 9,500 units were registered with the Japan cord blood bank network (JCBBN). 630 units were delivered and most of these were transplanted. The status of registered cord blood units worldwide is shown. 59,081 units have been registered by NETCORD. The Japan cord blood bank network accounts for 13% of these units. I will discuss the Tokyo cord blood tank (TCBB). The bank at Tokyo, to which we belong, is one of the largest banks in Japan. We helped to establish Asia CORD in 2000 and have held annual conferences and meetings in Tokyo to exchange information. So far, China, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Viet Nam and Japan have participated. We accepted three trainees from the Ho Chi Minh City Blood Transfusion and Hematology Center for training in cord blood transplantation in May 2001. In January 2002, a patient with ALL received cord blood and was successfully engrafted at Ho Chi Minh City Blood Transfusion and Hematology Center. We present here the clinical outcome of these patients through Tokyo cord blood bank and Japan cord blood bank network. First, the number of CB units stored and registered at JCBBN and TCBB has increased rapidly over the past two years. Second, the survival rate of acute leukemia patients in release was significantly lower than that in patients in CR. Third, the engraftment rate in patients with metabolic disease (50%) was lower than that in patients with leukemia

  6. Umbilical Cord Blood: Counselling, Collection, and Banking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Armson, B Anthony; Allan, David S; Casper, Robert F

    2015-09-01

    To review current evidence regarding umbilical cord blood counselling, collection, and banking and to provide guidelines for Canadian health care professionals regarding patient education, informed consent, procedural aspects, and options for cord blood banking in Canada. Selective or routine collection and banking of umbilical cord blood for future stem cell transplantation for autologous (self) or allogeneic (related or unrelated) treatment of malignant and non-malignant disorders in children and adults. Cord blood can be collected using in utero or ex utero techniques. Umbilical cord blood counselling, collection, and banking, education of health care professionals, indications for cord blood collection, short- and long-term risk and benefits, maternal and perinatal morbidity, parental satisfaction, and health care costs. Published literature was retrieved through searches of Medline and PubMed beginning in September 2013 using appropriate controlled MeSH vocabulary (fetal blood, pregnancy, transplantation, ethics) and key words (umbilical cord blood, banking, collection, pregnancy, transplantation, ethics, public, private). Results were restricted to systematic reviews, randomized control trials/controlled clinical trials, and observational studies. There were no date limits, but results were limited to English or French language materials. Searches were updated on a regular basis and incorporated in the guideline to September 2014. Grey (unpublished) literature was identified through searching the websites of health technology assessment and health technology-related agencies, clinical practice guideline collections, and national and international medical specialty societies. The quality of evidence in this document was rated using the criteria described in the Report of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (Table 1). Umbilical cord blood is a readily available source of hematopoetic stem cells used with increasing frequency as an alternative to

  7. Family-directed umbilical cord blood banking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gluckman, Eliane; Ruggeri, Annalisa; Rocha, Vanderson; Baudoux, Etienne; Boo, Michael; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Welte, Kathy; Navarrete, Cristina; van Walraven, Suzanna M

    2011-11-01

    Umbilical cord blood transplantation from HLA-identical siblings provides good results in children. These results support targeted efforts to bank family cord blood units that can be used for a sibling diagnosed with a disease which can be cured by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or for research that investigates the use of allogeneic or autologous cord blood cells. Over 500 patients transplanted with related cord blood units have been reported to the Eurocord registry with a 4-year overall survival of 91% for patients with non-malignant diseases and 56% for patients with malignant diseases. Main hematologic indications in children are leukemia, hemoglobinopathies or inherited hematologic, immunological or metabolic disorders. However, family-directed cord blood banking is not widely promoted; many cord blood units used in sibling transplantation have been obtained from private banks that do not meet the necessary criteria required to store these units. Marketing by private banks who predominantly store autologous cord blood units has created public confusion. There are very few current validated indications for autologous storage but some new indications might appear in the future. Little effort is devoted to provide unbiased information and to educate the public as to the distinction between the different types of banking, economic models and standards involved in such programs. In order to provide a better service for families in need, directed-family cord blood banking activities should be encouraged and closely monitored with common standards, and better information on current and future indications should be made available.

  8. Birth Weight, Cord Blood Lipoprotein and Apolipoprotein Levels in Indian Newborns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simmi Kharb

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Primordial prevention of chronic disease is of clinical andpublic health importance. Considering the fetal onset of atherosclerosis,we aimed to determine the cord blood level of lipoproteins andapolipoproteins as well as their correlation with birth weight and gestationalage.Methods: This cross-sectional study comprised 100 healthy Indiannewborns. Ten ml. of cord blood was collected from placental end ofumbilical vein. Serum was separated by centrifugation and analyzed onthe same day for lipid profile including total cholesterol (TC, triglycerides(TG, high density lipoprotein- cholesterol (HDL-C, very lowdensity lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL and low density lipoproteincholesterol(LDL-C, apolipoproteins A-I and B (ApoA-I, ApoB.Atherogenic index (AI was calculated as the ratio of ApoB to ApoA-I.Results: Cord blood of female newborns had higher TC, HDL-C,LDL-C, Apo A-I, Apo B and AI as compared to male newborns,whereas TG and VLDL-C were higher in male than in female newborns.Significant positive correlation was observed between cordblood Apo A-I and HDL-C (r= 0.45, p0.05.Conclusions: These findings are another confirmatory evidence forthe association of prenatal factors with cord blood lipid profile, andcan serve as starting point for studying lipid transport system changesduring early life.

  9. Directly measuring spinal cord blood flow and spinal cord perfusion pressure via the collateral network: correlations with changes in systemic blood pressure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kise, Yuya; Kuniyoshi, Yukio; Inafuku, Hitoshi; Nagano, Takaaki; Hirayasu, Tsuneo; Yamashiro, Satoshi

    2015-01-01

    During thoracoabdominal surgery in which segmental arteries are sacrificed over a large area, blood supply routes from collateral networks have received attention as a means of avoiding spinal cord injury. The aim of this study was to investigate spinal cord blood supply through a collateral network by directly measuring spinal cord blood flow and spinal cord perfusion pressure experimentally. In beagle dogs (n = 8), the thoracoabdominal aorta and segmental arteries L1-L7 were exposed, and a temporary bypass was created for distal perfusion. Next, a laser blood flow meter was placed on the spinal dura mater in the L5 region to measure the spinal cord blood flow. The following were measured simultaneously when the direct blood supply from segmental arteries L2-L7 to the spinal cord was stopped: mean systemic blood pressure, spinal cord perfusion pressure (blood pressure within the aortic clamp site), and spinal cord blood flow supplied via the collateral network. These variables were then investigated for evidence of correlations. Positive correlations were observed between mean systemic blood pressure and spinal cord blood flow during interruption of segmental artery flow both with (r = 0.844, P flow with and without distal perfusion (r = 0.803, P network from outside the interrupted segmental arteries, and high systemic blood pressure (∼1.33-fold higher) was needed to obtain the preclamping spinal cord blood flow, whereas 1.68-fold higher systemic blood pressure was needed when distal perfusion was halted. Spinal cord blood flow is positively correlated with mean systemic blood pressure and spinal cord perfusion pressure under spinal cord ischemia caused by clamping a wide range of segmental arteries. In open and endovascular thoracic and thoracoabdominal surgery, elevating mean systemic blood pressure is a simple and effective means of increasing spinal cord blood flow, and measuring spinal cord perfusion pressure seems to be useful for monitoring

  10. Cost-effectiveness of private umbilical cord blood banking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaimal, Anjali J; Smith, Catherine C; Laros, Russell K; Caughey, Aaron B; Cheng, Yvonne W

    2009-10-01

    To investigate the cost-effectiveness of private umbilical cord blood banking. A decision-analytic model was designed comparing private umbilical cord blood banking with no umbilical cord blood banking. Baseline assumptions included a cost of $3,620 for umbilical cord blood banking and storage for 20 years, a 0.04% chance of requiring an autologous stem cell transplant, a 0.07% chance of a sibling requiring an allogenic stem cell transplant, and a 50% reduction in risk of graft-versus-host disease if a sibling uses banked umbilical cord blood. Private cord blood banking is not cost-effective because it cost an additional $1,374,246 per life-year gained. In sensitivity analysis, if the cost of umbilical cord blood banking is less than $262 or the likelihood of a child needing a stem cell transplant is greater than 1 in 110, private umbilical cord blood banking becomes cost-effective. Currently, private umbilical cord blood banking is cost-effective only for children with a very high likelihood of needing a stem cell transplant. Patients considering private blood banking should be informed of the remote likelihood that a unit will be used for a child or another family member. III.

  11. Cord serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and risk of early childhood transient wheezing and atopic dermatitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baïz, Nour; Dargent-Molina, Patricia; Wark, John D; Souberbielle, Jean-Claude; Annesi-Maesano, Isabella

    2014-01-01

    There is increasing evidence of the effect of maternal vitamin D intake during pregnancy on the risk of asthma and allergic outcomes in offspring. However, studies on the relationship between cord levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) and asthma and allergic diseases are very few. Our aim was to investigate the associations between cord serum 25(OH)D levels and asthma, wheezing, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis in the offspring from birth to 5 years. Cord blood samples were collected at birth and analyzed for 25(OH)D levels in 239 newborns from the Etude des Déterminants pré et post natals du développement et de la santé de l'Enfant (EDEN) birth cohort. The children were followed up until age 5 years by using International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood-based symptom questionnaires. The median cord serum level of 25(OH)D was 17.8 ng/mL (interquartile range, 15.1 ng/mL). By using multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models, a significant inverse association was observed between cord serum 25(OH)D levels and risk of transient early wheezing and early- and late-onset atopic dermatitis, as well as atopic dermatitis, by the ages of 1, 2, 3, and 5 years. We found no association between cord serum 25(OH)D levels and asthma and allergic rhinitis at age 5 years. Cord serum 25(OH)D levels were inversely associated with the risk of transient early wheezing and atopic dermatitis by the age of 5 years, but no association was found with asthma and allergic rhinitis. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Pressure sores and blood and serum dysmetabolism in spinal cord injury patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scivoletto, G; Fuoco, U; Morganti, B; Cosentino, E; Molinari, M

    2004-08-01

    Spinal cord injury (SCI) patients with pressure sores were studied before and after surgical intervention for ulcer healing and compared with matched SCI patients without sores and with patients with pressure sores and other diseases. To analyse the relationship between pressure sores and anaemia and serum protein alteration in SCI patients. To study the pathogenesis of these alterations and suggest appropriate therapy. Spinal cord unit in Rome, Italy. A total of 13 SCI patients with pressure sores, 13 comparable patients without pressure sores and four patients with other diseases and pressure sores. Haematochemical parameters. Patients with pressure sore showed significant decreased red cells, decreased haemoglobin and haematocrit, increased white cells and ferritin and decreased transferrin and transferrin saturation; total hypoproteinemia and hypoalbuminemia with increased Alfa-1 and gamma globulins increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein were also present. The alterations returned to normal after surgical intervention for pressure sore healing. Patients with pressure sores suffer from anaemia and serum protein alteration that fells within the range of metabolic alteration of chronic disorders and neoplastic diseases. The alterations depend on a decreased utilisation of iron stores in the reticuloendothelial system and on inhibition of the hepatic synthesis of albumin. With regard to treatment, iron treatment should be avoided because of the risk of haemochromatosis.

  13. Correlation of VCAM-1 expression in serum, cord blood, and placental tissue with gestational hypertension associated with fetal growth restriction in women from Xingtai Hebei, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, H G; Guo, W; Gu, H F; Chen, S B; Wang, J Q; Qiao, Z X; Ma, H S; Geng, S X

    2016-08-26

    The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of vascular adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 in the maternal serum, cord blood, and placental tissue of pregnant women from Xingtai, Hebei, with gestational hypertension (GH) combined with fetal growth restriction (FGR). A total of 108 patients with GH combined with FGR (GH-FGR), 60 patients with GH alone (GH), and 50 healthy pregnant women (control) were recruited to this study. VCAM- 1 expression was detected in the maternal serum and cord blood by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and in the placental tissue by immunohistochemistry. VCAM-1 expression was significantly higher in the maternal serum of patients with GH-FGR (164.38 ± 60.35) and GH alone (103.85 ± 54.47) than in the serum of the control population (46.70 ± 21.79; P 0.05). Moreover, the VCAM-1 expression rates were significantly higher and lower in the vascular endothelial and trophoblastic cells of the placenta of patients with GH-FGR (74.71 and 56.1%) and GH (72.98 and 55.36%), respectively, compared to those in the control subjects (46.48 and 95.11%). Therefore, we concluded that VCAM- 1 plays an important role in the development and generation of GH. Additionally, the low VCAM-1 expression in the trophoblastic cell could be correlated to the pathogenesis and progression of GH.

  14. Religious perspectives on umbilical cord blood banking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jordens, Christopher F C; O'Connor, Michelle A C; Kerridge, Ian H; Stewart, Cameron; Cameron, Andrew; Keown, Damien; Lawrence, Rabbi Jeremy; McGarrity, Andrew; Sachedina, Abdulaziz; Tobin, Bernadette

    2012-03-01

    Umbilical cord blood is a valuable source of haematopoietic stem cells. There is little information about whether religious affiliations have any bearing on attitudes to and decisions about its collection, donation and storage. The authors provided information about umbilical cord blood banking to expert commentators from six major world religions (Catholicism, Anglicanism, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism) and asked them to address a specific set of questions in a commentary. The commentaries suggest there is considerable support for umbilical cord blood banking in these religions. Four commentaries provide moral grounds for favouring public donation over private storage. None attach any particular religious significance to the umbilical cord or to the blood within it, nor place restrictions on the ethnicity or religion of donors and recipients. Views on ownership of umbilical cord blood vary. The authors offer a series of general points for those who seek a better understanding of religious perspectives on umbilical cord blood banking.

  15. Banking on cord blood stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sullivan, Michael J

    2008-07-01

    Umbilical cord blood gifted to non-profit public cord blood banks is now routinely used as an alternative source of haematopoietic stem cells for allogeneic transplantation for children and adults with cancer, bone marrow failure syndromes, haemoglobinopathies and many genetic metabolic disorders. Because of the success and outcomes of public cord banking, many companies now provide private cord banking services. However, in the absence of any published transplant evidence to support autologous and non-directed family banking, commercial cord banks currently offer a superfluous service.

  16. Clinical Use and Patentability of Cord Blood

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavusoglu, Turker; Kilic, Kubilay Dogan; Yigitturk, Gurkan; Tomruk, Canberk; Turgut, Mehmet; Uyanikgil, Yigit

    2018-03-14

    The blood in the umbilical cord that provides the connection between mother and fetus during pregnancy is called cord blood. The blood of umbilical cord which is usually got rid of following birth, is a very rich stem cell source. Cord blood collection gives no harm to the mother and baby. Besides, its allogeneic and au-tologous usage, the most important disadvantage is that the number of cells is insufficient in adults. Today, it is predominantly used for therapeutic purposes for many diseases. The aim of this review is giving a detailed information about groups of stem cells in cord blood and determining the point of clinical use. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  17. Cord blood banking and transplantation: advances and controversies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoder, Mervin C

    2014-04-01

    A review of articles published since January 2012 on the topic of cord blood banking and cord blood stem cell transplantation was conducted for this the 25th anniversary year of the first cord blood transplant performed in a human. Cord blood banking is performed throughout the world. Umbilical cord blood (UCB) transplantation is recognized as an acceptable alternative stem cell source for paediatric and adults requiring a haematopoietic transplant, particularly for patients of racial and ethnic minorities. To further advance the use of UCB, methods to enhance UCB stem cell expansion, engraftment and maintenance may be required. Controversy on the most effective and economically sustainable model for banking and storing an optimal UCB product continues to persist. Cord blood banking and transplantation of cord blood stem cells has advanced rapidly over the initial 25 years, as more than 30 ,000 patients have benefited from the therapy. New concepts on the use of methods to expand UCB stem cells for transplantation and use for nonhaematopoietic indications may increase demand for UCB over the next few decades.

  18. Human Umbilical Cord Blood Serum Has Higher Potential in Inducing Proliferation of Fibroblast than Fetal Bovine Serum

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ferry Sandra

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Cytokines and growth factors were reported to play an important role in stimulating fibroblast proliferation. In vitro culture, fibroblast is mostly culture in medium containing fetal bovine serum (FBS.  Human umbilical cord blood (hUCB has been reported to have low immunogenic property and potential in wound healing, so therefore hUCB serum (hUCBS could be potential and were investigated in current study. Materials and Methods: Five hUCBs were collected from healthy volunteers with normal delivering procedure. hUCB was ex utero immediately collected from umbilical vein in vacutainers and processed. NIH3T3 cells were cultured in DMEM with 10% FBS or 5-20% hUCBS for 48 hours. Cells were then quantified using MTT assay. Protein concentration of FBS and hUCBS were quantified using Bradford assay. Results: NIH3T3 cells density grown in DMEM with 10% FBS was the lowest. NIH3T3 cells densities were increased along with the increment of hUCBS concentrations. MTT results showed that average number of NIH3T3 cells grown in DMEM with 10% FBS was 6,185±1,243. Meanwhile average numbers of NIH3T3 cells grown in DMEM with 5%, 10% and 20% hUCBS were 8,126±628, 9,685±313 and 12,200±304, respectively. Average numbers of NIH3T3 cells grown in DMEM with 5% hUCBS were significantly higher than the ones with 10% FBS (p=0.000. Bradford results showed that concentration of hUCBS was significantly higher than the one of FBS (p=0.000. Conclusion: hUCBS could induce higher proliferation rate of NIH3T3 cells than FBS. Hence hUCBS could be suggested as an alternate of FBS in inducing fibroblast. Keywords: NIH3T3, fibroblast, UCB, serum, FBS, proliferation

  19. Isolation of mesenchymal stem cells from equine umbilical cord blood

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Koch, Thomas Gadegaard; Heerkens, Tammy; Thomsen, Preben Dybdahl

    2007-01-01

    . The hypothesis of this study was that equine MSCs could be isolated from fresh whole equine cord blood. Results: Cord blood was collected from 7 foals immediately after foaling. The mononuclear cell fraction was isolated by Ficoll density centrifugation and cultured in a DMEM low glucose based media at 38.5o......Background: There are no published studies on stem cells from equine cord blood although commercial storage of equine cord blood for future autologous stem cell transplantations is available. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have been isolated from fresh umbilical cord blood of humans collected non......-invasively at the time of birth and from sheep cord blood collected invasively by a surgical intrauterine approach. Mesenchymal stem cells isolation percentage from frozen-thawed human cord blood is low and the future isolation percentage of MSCs from cryopreserved equine cord blood is therefore expectedly low...

  20. Cord Blood Acute Phase Reactants Predict Early Onset Neonatal Sepsis in Preterm Infants.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leena B Mithal

    Full Text Available Early onset sepsis (EOS is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants, yet diagnosis remains inadequate resulting in missed cases or prolonged empiric antibiotics with adverse consequences. Evaluation of acute phase reactant (APR biomarkers in umbilical cord blood at birth may improve EOS detection in preterm infants with intrauterine infection.In this nested case-control study, infants (29.7 weeks gestation, IQR: 27.7-32.2 were identified from a longitudinal cohort with archived cord blood and placental histopathology. Patients were categorized using culture, laboratory, clinical, and antibiotic treatment data into sepsis groups: confirmed sepsis (cEOS, n = 12; presumed sepsis (PS, n = 30; and no sepsis (controls, n = 30. Nine APRs were measured in duplicate from cord blood using commercially available multiplex immunoassays (Bio-Plex Pro™. In addition, placental histopathologic data were linked to biomarker results.cEOS organisms were Escherichia coli, Streptococcus agalactiae, Proteus mirabilis, Haemophilus influenzae and Listeria monocytogenes. C-reactive protein (CRP, serum amyloid A (SAA, haptoglobin (Hp, serum amyloid P and ferritin were significantly elevated in cEOS compared to controls (p<0.01. SAA, CRP, and Hp were elevated in cEOS but not in PS (p<0.01 and had AUCs of 99%, 96%, and 95% respectively in predicting cEOS. Regression analysis revealed robust associations of SAA, CRP, and Hp with EOS after adjustment for covariates. Procalcitonin, fibrinogen, α-2-macroglobulin and tissue plasminogen activator were not significantly different across groups. Placental acute inflammation was associated with APR elevation and was present in all cEOS, 9 PS, and 17 control infants.This study shows that certain APRs are elevated in cord blood of premature infants with EOS of intrauterine origin. SAA, CRP, and Hp at birth have potential diagnostic utility for risk stratification and identification of infants with EOS.

  1. [Allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with unrelated cord blood: report of three cases from the Chilean cord blood bank].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barriga, Francisco; Wietstruck, Angélica; Rojas, Nicolás; Bertin, Pablo; Pizarro, Isabel; Carmona, Amanda; Guilof, Alejandro; Rojas, Iván; Oyarzún, Enrique

    2013-08-01

    Public cord blood banks are a source of hematopoietic stem cells for patients with hematological diseases who lack a family donor and need allogeneic transplantation. In June 2007 we started a cord blood bank with units donated in three maternity wards in Santiago, Chile. We report the first three transplants done with cord blood units form this bank. Cord blood units were obtained by intrauterine collection at delivery. They were depleted of plasma and red cells and frozen in liquid nitrogen. Tests for total nucleated cells, CD34 cell content, viral serology, bacterial cultures and HLA A, B and DRB1 were done. Six hundred cord blood units were stored by March 2012. Three patients received allogeneic transplant with cord blood from our bank, two with high risk lymphoblastic leukemia and one with severe congenital anemia. They received conditioning regimens according to their disease and usual supportive care for unrelated donor transplantation until full hematopoietic and immune reconstitution was achieved. The three patients had early engraftment of neutrophils and platelets. The child corrected his anemia and the leukemia patients remain in complete remission. The post-transplant course was complicated with Epstein Barr virus, cytomegalovirus and BK virus infection. Two patients are fully functional 24 and 33 months after transplant, the third is still receiving immunosuppression.

  2. Apolipoprotein E in umbilical cord blood plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forte, T.M.; Davis, P.A.; Blum, C.B.

    1983-01-01

    Adolipoprotein E (apo E), with a molecular weight of approximately 37,000 daltons, is a minor apolipoprotein constituent in adult plasma lipoproteins. This apolipoprotein, like apolipoprotein B, is a ligand recognized by specific lipoprotein receptor sites (B-E receptors) on cell surfaces. We have recently shown that a pronounced apo E band appears in umbilical cord blood low-density (LDL) lipoproteins and also in high density (HDL) lipoproteins. Densitometric scans of Coomassie blue G-250 stained polyacrylamide gels suggested that apo E was probably elevated in cord blood lipoproteins. To pursue this suggestion, apo E in cord blood was quantitated by radioimmunoassay and correlated with cord blood lipid levels. In addition, apo E levels in 20 normal adult volunteers were also examined

  3. Cord blood transplantation: can we make it better?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leland eMetheny

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Umbilical cord blood is an established source of hematopoietic stem cells for transplantation. It enjoys several advantages over bone marrow or peripheral blood, including increased tolerance for Human Leukocyte Antigen mismatches, decreased incidence of graft-versus-host disease, and easy availability. Unrelated cord blood does have limitations, however, especially in the treatment of adults. In the 24 years since the first umbilical cord blood transplant was performed, significant progress has been made, but delayed hematopoietic engraftment and increased treatment related mortality remain obstacles to widespread use. Here we summarize the latest results of unrelated cord blood transplants, and review strategies under investigation to improve clinical outcomes.

  4. Cord Blood Chimerism And Relapse After Haplo-Cord Transplantation

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Besien, Koen; Koshy, Nebu; Gergis, Usama; Mayer, Sebastian; Cushing, Melissa; Rennert, Hannah; Slotky, Ronit; Mark, Tomer; Pearse, Roger; Rossi, Adriana; Phillips, Adrienne; Vasovic, Liljana; Ferrante, Rosanna; Hsu, Michael; Shore, Tsiporah

    2018-01-01

    Haplo-cord stem cell transplantation combines the infusion of CD34 selected hematopoietic progenitors from a haplo-identical donor with an umbilical cord blood graft from an unrelated donor and allows faster count recovery, with low rates of disease recurrence and chronic GVHD. But the contribution of the umbilical cord blood graft to long-term transplant outcome remains unclear. We analyzed 39 recipients of haplo-cord transplants with AML and MDS, engrafted and in remission at 2 months. Median age was 66 (18-72) and all had intermediate, high, or very high risk disease. Less than 20% UCB chimerism in the CD33 lineage was associated with an increased rate of disease recurrence (54% vs 11% Pdisease recurrence (46% vs 12%, P=0.007) Persistent haplo-chimerism in the CD3 lineage was associated with an increased rate of disease recurrence (40% vs 15%, P=0.009) Chimerism did not predict for treatment related mortality. The cumulative incidence of acute GVHD by day 100 was 43%. The cumulative incidence of moderate/severe chronic GVHD was only 5%. Engraftment of the umbilical cord blood grafts provides powerful GVL effects which protect against disease recurrence and is associated with low risk of chronic GVHD. Engraftment of CD34 selected haplo-identical cells can lead to rapid development of circulating T-cells, but when these cells dominate, GVL-effects are limited and rates of disease recurrence are high. PMID:27333804

  5. Thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI in cord blood.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krzysztof Góralczyk

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available Thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI is a plasma zymogene (procarboxypeptidase B which can decrease fibrinolysis and thus act as a haemostatic factor. TAFI is now extensively studied in many complications as well as in physiological and complicated pregnancy. The question we posed in the present study was whether TAFI antigen is present in cord blood plasma. The study group consisted of 38 parturient women, 26 primiparous and 12 multiparous with normal course of pregnancy and delivery. The cord blood was sampled from the cord vein, and the mother's blood from the antecubital vein. 3.2% sodium citrate was used as an anticoagulant. TAFIa/ai antigen was measured by ELISA method. TAFIa/ai antigen was identified in all samples of cord blood plasma. Its level was 91.50 ng/ml (range: 71.76 - 160.77 ng/ml vs. 55.46 ng/ml (range: 39.77 - 68.54 ng/ml in the mother's blood, which means that the level of TAFIa/ai antigen was significantly higher in fetal blood than in maternal blood (p<0.00001. TAFIa/ai antigen is an integral component of cord blood plasma. The concentration of TAFIa/ai antigen is about two times higher in fetal blood than in maternal blood.

  6. Cord lactate, pH, and blood gases from healthy neonates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shirey, T; St Pierre, J; Winkelman, J

    1996-01-01

    Lactate, pH, pO2, and pCO2 were determined in arterial, venous, and free-flowing mixed umbilical cord blood obtained from deliveries of apparently healthy neonates. The goals of this study were to establish reference ranges for lactate and pH against which results in cases of high-risk labor and delivery could be compared, to see how the gases correlated with these values, and to determine whether easily accessible mixed umbilical cord blood can serve as the sample in lieu of cord arterial or cord venous blood. Arterial and venous cord lactates were 2.98 mmol/l (+/- 1.40) and 2.80 mmol/l (+/- 1.35), respectively, from 85 cords obtained from vaginal and cesarean deliveries. Mixed cord blood lactate, obtained on 48 cords, was 2.72 mmol/l (+/- 1.28) versus 3.14 and 2.97 mmol/l for the arterial and venous samples from those cords, respectively, and correlated quite well with lactate from the venous specimens (r = 0.97). Differences of > 0.5 mmol/l occurred between mixed and arterial cord bloods in 21 patients, and between mixed and venous cord bloods in 6 of the 48 patients, respectively. We conclude that (1) less than 2.5% of deliveries of apparently healthy neonates have arterial, venous, or mixed cord lactates > or = 7.0 mmol/l and pH pO2 nor pCO2 correlate well with cord venous lactate, and (3) readily available mixed cord blood is a satisfactory specimen for the measurement of venous cord latate.

  7. Maternal obesity and vitamin D sufficiency are associated with cord blood vitamin D insufficiency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Josefson, Jami L; Feinglass, Joseph; Rademaker, Alfred W; Metzger, Boyd E; Zeiss, Dinah M; Price, Heather E; Langman, Craig B

    2013-01-01

    An inverse relationship between total serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH D) and increased adiposity has been established in children, adolescents, and adults. However, the relationship between neonatal adiposity and vitamin D status has not been reported. Both maternal obesity and vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy are common and are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between vitamin D levels in mothers and newborns, as influenced by maternal obesity, and evaluate these associations with neonatal adiposity. Sixty-one maternal-neonatal pairs participated in this cross-sectional study at an academic medical center. Mothers had a prepregnancy body mass index that was normal or obese. Maternal and cord blood sera were assayed for 25-OH D, and neonatal body composition was measured by air displacement plethysmography. Mothers had similar and sufficient levels of 25-OH D when measured at 36-38 wk gestation, irrespective of body mass index category (normal weight, 46.05, vs. obese, 49.84 ng/ml; P = not significant). However, cord blood 25-OH D was higher in neonates of normal-weight mothers compared to neonates of obese mothers (27.45 vs. 20.81 ng/ml; P = 0.02). The variance in cord blood 25-OH D was explained by four factors: maternal 25-OH D level, the presence of maternal obesity, maternal age, and neonatal adiposity (r(2) = 0.66). Obese women transfer less 25-OH D to offspring than normal-weight women, despite similar serum levels. Cord blood 25-OH D levels directly correlate to neonatal percentage body fat. These novel findings underscore the evolving relationships between maternal obesity, vitamin D nutritional status, and adiposity in the neonatal period that may influence subsequent childhood and adulthood vitamin D-dependent processes.

  8. Distributions of heavy metals in maternal and cord blood and the association with infant birth weight in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Xiaobin; Zheng, Tongzhang; Cheng, Yibin; Holford, Theodore; Lin, Shaobin; Leaderer, Brian; Qiu, Jie; Bassig, Bryan A; Shi, Kunchong; Zhang, Yawei; Niu, Jianjun; Zhu, Yong; Li, Yonghong; Guo, Huan; Chen, Qiong; Zhang, Jianqing; Xu, Shunqing; Jin, Yinlong

    2015-01-01

    To measure serum levels of heavy metals in Chinese pregnant women and their newborns, and to evaluate the association of these metals with infant birth weight. We measured serum concentrations of lead (Pb), thallium (Tl), cadmium (Cd), selenium (Se), arsenic (As), nickle (Ni), vanadium (V), cobalt (Co), and mercury (Hg) in 81 mother-infant pairs using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry method. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations of these heavy metals with infant birth weight. Se, Pb, As, and Cd showed the highest detection rates (98.8%) in both the maternal and cord blood, followed by Tl, which was detected in 79.0% and 71.6% of the maternal and cord blood samples, respectively. Pb had the highest concentrations in both the maternal and cord blood samples of all toxic metals detected, with concentrations of 23.1 ng/g and 22.0 ng/g, respectively. No significant associations were observed between any heavy metals and birth weight. However, Tl in the maternal and cord blood was most notably inversely associated with birth weight. Se intake was low in Chinese women and their newborns, whereas Pb had the highest concentrations in both the maternal and cord blood samples of all toxic metals detected. Tl was a unique pollution source in this population, and Tl levels were shown to have the largest effect on decreasing infant birth weight in this pilot study. Further research incorporating larger sample sizes is needed to investigate the effects of prenatal exposure to heavy metals--especially Tl and Pb--on birth outcome in Chinese infants.

  9. Cord-Blood Banking

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... cord blood mainly because of the promise that stem cell research holds for the future. Most of us would have little use for stem cells now, but research into using them to treat diseases is ongoing — ...

  10. Cure of beta-thalassaemia major by umbilical cord blood transplantation--a case report of Malaysia's first cord blood transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chan, L L; Lin, H P

    1999-08-01

    A 25-month-old boy with beta-thalassaemia major was presented with an opportunity for umbilical cord blood transplantation when his unborn sibling was diagnosed in utero to be a beta-thalassaemia carrier and also human leucocyte antigen compatible. A barely adequate amount of cord blood was collected at the birth of his sibling and infused into the patient after appropriate chemo-conditioning. Engraftment occurred without major complications. The subject is now alive and well 9 months post-transplant, thus marking our first success in umbilical cord blood transplantation.

  11. Real-time direct measurement of spinal cord blood flow at the site of compression: relationship between blood flow recovery and motor deficiency in spinal cord injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamamoto, Yuichiro; Ogata, Tadanori; Morino, Tadao; Hino, Masayuki; Yamamoto, Haruyasu

    2007-08-15

    An in vivo study to measure rat spinal cord blood flow in real-time at the site of compression using a newly developed device. To evaluate the change in thoracic spinal cord blood flow by compression force and to clarify the association between blood flow recovery and motor deficiency after a spinal cord compression injury. Until now, no real-time measurement of spinal cord blood flow at the site of compression has been conducted. In addition, it has not been clearly determined whether blood flow recovery is related to motor function after a spinal cord injury. Our blood flow measurement system was a combination of a noncontact type laser Doppler system and a spinal cord compression device. The rat thoracic spinal cord was exposed at the 11th vertebra and spinal cord blood flow at the site of compression was continuously measured before, during, and after the compression. The functioning of the animal's hind-limbs was evaluated by the Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan scoring scale and the frequency of voluntary standing. Histologic changes such as permeability of blood-spinal cord barrier, microglia proliferation, and apoptotic cell death were examined in compressed spinal cord tissue. The spinal blood flow decreased on each increase in the compression force. After applying a 5-g weight, the blood flow decreased to compression), while no significant difference was observed between the 20-minute ischemia group and the sham group. In the 20-minute ischemia group, the rats whose spinal cord blood flow recovery was incomplete showed significant motor function loss compared with rats that completely recovered blood flow. Extensive breakdown of blood-spinal cord barrier integrity and the following microglia proliferation and apoptotic cell death were detected in the 40-minute complete ischemia group. Duration of ischemia/compression and blood flow recovery of the spinal cord are important factors in the recovery of motor function after a spinal cord injury.

  12. Low serum hdl-c levels: a hidden threat to patients with spinal cord injury

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ali, S.; Ayyub, A.

    2014-01-01

    To determine the serum lipid profile in patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) of duration >1 year and to compare the serum HDL-c levels of SCI patients undergoing regular physiotherapy for >60 minutes daily with those who did not Undergo physiotherapy. Study Design: Cross-sectional, comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: Spinal Cord Injury Department, AFIRM Rawalpindi and Department of Chemical Pathology, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, from January 2013 to June 2013. Patients and Methods: Forty six patients suffering from traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) were included. After recording the detailed medical history, fasting blood samples were obtained and analyzed for serum lipid profile. Dyslipidemias were assessed using guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Project Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III). Serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c)< 0.9 mmol/l (40mg/dl) was considered as low HDL-c level. Results: Out of total 46 patients, 33 (71.7%) were male and 13 (28.3%) were females with mean age of 34.9+- 9.55 years. Low levels of serum HDL-c were found in 21 (45.7%) SCI patients (mean serum HDL-clevels: 0.97+-0.23). SCI patients were further categorized in two groups depending upon the status of regular physiotherapy. Statistically significant difference was found in mean serum HDL-c levels of 22 (47.82%) SCI patients undergoing regular physiotherapy as compared to 24 (52.18%) SCI patients who did not underwent physiotherapy (p<0.05). Conclusion: Patients with SCI have decreased levels of serum HDL-c, imparting an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in these disabled persons. SCI individuals following regular physiotherapy, have better serum HDL-c levels as compared to bed-ridden SCI patients, suggesting the physical activity as an important factor to elevate the serum HDL-c in such patients. Knowledge of relative risk of CVD in persons with SCI is important for appropriate intervention alstrategies

  13. Umbilical cord blood banking ethico-legal issues: review article ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The recent discovery that umbilical cord blood has a high concentration of haematopoeitic stem cells has led to cord blood being used to treat a variety of disorders. Collection of cord blood is easy, non-invasive and generally does not interfere with the delivery process. However, there are various ethical and logistical ...

  14. Evaluation of three high abundance protein depletion kits for umbilical cord serum proteomics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nie Jing

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background High abundance protein depletion is a major challenge in the study of serum/plasma proteomics. Prior to this study, most commercially available kits for depletion of highly abundant proteins had only been tested and evaluated in adult serum/plasma, while the depletion efficiency on umbilical cord serum/plasma had not been clarified. Structural differences between some adult and fetal proteins (such as albumin make it likely that depletion approaches for adult and umbilical cord serum/plasma will be variable. Therefore, the primary purposes of the present study are to investigate the efficiencies of several commonly-used commercial kits during high abundance protein depletion from umbilical cord serum and to determine which kit yields the most effective and reproducible results for further proteomics research on umbilical cord serum. Results The immunoaffinity based kits (PROTIA-Sigma and 5185-Agilent displayed higher depletion efficiency than the immobilized dye based kit (PROTBA-Sigma in umbilical cord serum samples. Both the PROTIA-Sigma and 5185-Agilent kit maintained high depletion efficiency when used three consecutive times. Depletion by the PROTIA-Sigma Kit improved 2DE gel quality by reducing smeared bands produced by the presence of high abundance proteins and increasing the intensity of other protein spots. During image analysis using the identical detection parameters, 411 ± 18 spots were detected in crude serum gels, while 757 ± 43 spots were detected in depleted serum gels. Eight spots unique to depleted serum gels were identified by MALDI- TOF/TOF MS, seven of which were low abundance proteins. Conclusions The immunoaffinity based kits exceeded the immobilized dye based kit in high abundance protein depletion of umbilical cord serum samples and dramatically improved 2DE gel quality for detection of trace biomarkers.

  15. Beneficial effects of non-matched allogeneic cord blood mononuclear cells upon patients with idiopathic osteoporosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Jun

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Immunological arguments and historical examples have shown that treatment with cord blood for non-hematopoietic activities, such as growth factor production and stimulation of angiogenesis, may not require matching or immune suppression. Methods To study the benefit of blood mononuclear cell therapy, 8 patients with idiopathic osteoporosis were given intermittent treatments with non-matched allogeneic cord blood mononuclear cells for 3 months. Morning fasting samples were collected for measuring urine N telopeptide of type-1 collagen, serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, and insulin-like growth factor 1 during one-year study. Results Clinical response was striking. Serum insulin-like growth factor 1 significantly increased in all patients at 3 months compared with baseline values, from 264.1 ± 107.0 to 384.4 ± 63.1 ng/mL (P = 0.002, with a tendency to return to baseline values at 12 months (312.9 ± 75.5 ng/mL, P = 0.083. In contrast, differences in serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and urine N telopeptide of type-1 collagen were not significant at 3 (P = 0.765, P = 0.057 or 12 months (P = 0.889, P = 0.122. A beneficial effect on bone density was observed in all patients at the lumbar spine. The mean bone mineral density calculated during therapy (0.6811 ± 0.1442 g/cm2 tended higher than baseline values (0.6239 ± 0.1362 g/cm2, P  Conclusions The findings indicate that for these patients with idiopathic osteoporosis, treatment with cord blood mononuclear cells led to a significant increase in insulin-like growth factor 1 levels, which favors the increase in bone mineral density.

  16. Ethical considerations in umbilical cord blood banking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fox, Nathan S; Chervenak, Frank A; McCullough, Laurence B

    2008-01-01

    Pregnant patients have the option at delivery of having their cord blood collected and stored for future use. At many hospitals, they have the option of donating their cord blood to the public banking system for future use by anyone who is an appropriate match (public banking). Patients also have the option of having their cord blood stored for a fee with a commercial/private company for future use within their family (private banking). Currently, private banking is not recommended by major obstetric and pediatric professional organizations. We applied current evidence of the risks and benefits of private and public cord blood banking and accepted ethical principles to answer the following two related questions: 1) Do obstetricians have an ethical obligation to comply with a request for private banking? and 2) Do obstetricians have an ethical obligation to routinely offer private banking to women who do not request it? The only situation where there is a known benefit to private banking is when public banking is not available and the patient currently has an affected family member who may benefit from cord blood therapy. We conclude that when presented with a request for private banking, obstetricians have an ethical obligation to explain the lack of proven benefit of this procedure. If the patient still requests private banking, it would be appropriate to comply, because there is minimal or no risk to the procedure. However, obstetricians are not ethically obligated to offer private banking, even when public banking is not available, except in the limited circumstance when the patient currently has an affected family member who may benefit from cord blood therapy.

  17. Barriers and motivators to blood and cord blood donations in young African-American women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grossman, Brenda; Watkins, Andre R; Fleming, Faye; Debaun, Michael R

    2005-03-01

    The primary aim of this study was to assess potential barriers and motivators to blood and cord blood donation among African-American women. A telephone survey of African-American women, ages 18-30 years, in the St. Louis metropolitan area was performed. The survey was administered by trained telemarketing personnel using a Computer-Assisted Direct Interview (CADI) system. One hundred sixty-two women were surveyed. Common barriers to blood donation were inconvenience of donor sites (19%), fear of needles (16%), and too much time required to donate (15%). Potential motivators were increasing awareness of need for blood (43%), increasing the number of convenient donor locations (19%), and encouragement by spiritual leaders to have blood drives at their church (17%). Lack of awareness was the only identified barrier to cord blood donation. Most women surveyed (88%) indicated that they definitely or probably would donate cord blood. Strategies to increase the proportion of African-American blood and cord blood donations may include educating potential donors about the process and benefits of donation to particular patient populations and engaging church leadership in supporting blood and cord blood donations.

  18. Evaluation of Peripheral Blood and Cord Blood Platelet Lysates in Isolation and Expansion of Multipotent Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ioanna Christou

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Background: Multipotent Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs are used in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The in vitro isolation and expansion of MSCs involve the use of foetal bovine serum (FBS. However, many concerns have been raised regarding the safety of this product. In this study, alternative additives derived either from peripheral or cord blood were tested as an FBS replacement. Methods: Platelet lysates (PL from peripheral and cord blood were used for the expansion of MSCs. The levels of growth factors in peripheral blood (PB and cord blood (CB PLs were determined using the Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM. Finally, the cell doubling time (CDT, tri-lineage differentiation and phenotypic characterization of the MSCs expanded with FBS and PLs were determined. Results: MSCs treated with culture media containing FBS and PB-PL, were successfully isolated and expanded, whereas MSCs treated with CB-PL could not be maintained in culture. Furthermore, the MRM analysis yielded differences in growth factor levels between PB-PL and CB-PL. In addition, the MSCs were successfully expanded with FBS and PB-PL and exhibited tri-lineage differentiation and stable phenotypic characteristics. Conclusion: PB-PL could be used as an alternative additive for the production of MSCs culture medium applied to xenogeneic-free expansion and maintenance of MSCs in large scale clinical studies.

  19. Infusion of megakaryocytic progenitor products generated from cord blood hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells: results of the phase 1 study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiafei Xi

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Currently, a constant shortage in the supply of platelets has become an important medical and society challenge, especially in developing country, and the in vitro production of megakaryocytic progenitor cells (MPs from cord blood could represent an effective platelet substitute. In the present study, our objective was to determine the safety and feasibility of ex vivo generated MPs in patients. METHODS AND FINDINGS: MPs were produced and characterized from cord blood mononuclear cells under a serum free medium with cytokines. We investigated the feasibility of expansion and infusion of cord blood-derived MPs in 24 patients with advanced hematological malignancies. The primary end point was the safety and tolerability of the infusion of cord blood-derived MPs. No adverse effects were observed in patients who received ex vivo-generated cells at concentrations of up to a median value of 5.45 × 10(6cells/kg of body weight. With one year follow-up, acute and chronic GVHD had not been observed among patients who received MPs infusion, even without ABO blood group and HLA typing matching. CONCLUSIONS: These initial results in patients are very encouraging. They suggest that infusion of cord blood-derived MPs appears safe and feasible for treatment of thrombocytopenia.

  20. Stem cells of umbilical blood cord – therapeutic use

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beata Bielec

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available For many years, the transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells has been used to treat some diseases of the hematopoietic system. For a very long time, only bone marrow was used as a source of hematopoietic stem cells for this method of treatment. However, to comply with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, an antigenically compatible donor is necessary. Transplantations from unrelated donors are associated with increased risk of a graft-versus-host reaction, transplant rejection and, consequently, increased mortality. Many years ago, it was found that umbilical cord blood as well as bone marrow and peripheral blood contains hematopoietic stem cells and mesenchymal cells able to differentiate into different cell types and that the umbilical cord blood can be a source of stem cells for transplantation. Following this discovery, numerous attempts were made for its potential use in the treatment of hematologic diseases, metabolic diseases as well as regenerative medicine. Umbilical cord blood stem cells exhibit intermediate characteristics between embryonic and adult stem cells. They are distinguished from the latter by telomere length, telomerase activity, and lower risk of accumulation of DNA mutations or chromosomal aberrations. The only transplantation limitation appears to be the amount of cord blood collected, which on average is sufficient for transplantation in a 40-50 kg child. Collection of cord blood is a simple, short-lasting treatment, not causing any danger for a newborn or the mother. Umbilical cord blood is obtained during labor, and then frozen and stored at cord blood banks all over the world.

  1. Histamine release from cord blood basophils

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Bent Windelborg; Damsgaard, Tine Engberg; Herlin, Troels

    1990-01-01

    The histamine release (HR) after challenge with anti-IgE, concanavalin A, N-formyl-met-leu-phe and the calcium ionophore A23187 from 97 cord blood samples was determined by a microfiber-based assay. Maximum HR with anti-IgE showed great inter-individual variation (median: 20.5; range: 1-104 ng...... of less than 0.5 IU/ml, although sensitivity to anti-IgE was universally increased. Preincubation with pharmacologic agents modulating the IgE-mediated HR produced effects generally similar to previous findings in adult blood. However, the effects of inhibiting the cyclooxygenase pathway in cord blood...

  2. Arrest—Individual Treatment with Cord Blood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Jensen

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Each year, thousands of children incur brain damage that results in lifelong sequelae. Therefore, based on experimental evidence, we explored the therapeutic potential of human cord blood, known to contain stem cells, to examine the functional neuroregeneration in a child with cerebral palsy after cardiac arrest. The boy, whose cord blood was stored at birth, was 2.5 years old and normally developed when global ischemic brain damage occurred resulting in a persistent vegetative state. Nine weeks later, he received autologous cord blood (91.7 mL, cryopreserved, 5.75×10e8 mononuclear cells intravenously. Active rehabilitation (physio- and ergotherapy was provided daily, follow-up at 2, 5, 12, 24, 30, and 40 months. At 2-months follow-up the boy’s motor control improved, spastic paresis was largely reduced, and eyesight was recovered, as did the electroencephalogram. He smiled when played with, was able to sit and to speak simple words. At 40 months, independent eating, walking in gait trainer, crawling, and moving from prone position to free sitting were possible, and there was significantly improved receptive and expressive speech competence (four-word sentences, 200 words. This remarkable functional neuroregeneration is difficult to explain by intense active rehabilitation alone and suggests that autologous cord blood transplantation may be an additional and causative treatment of pediatric cerebral palsy after brain damage.

  3. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and thyroid hormones in cord blood

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ding, Guodong; Yu, Jing; Chen, Limei; Wang, Caifeng; Zhou, Yijun; Hu, Yi; Shi, Rong; Zhang, Yan; Cui, Chang; Gao, Yu; Tian, Ying; Liu, Fang

    2017-01-01

    Human exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) has been increasing over the last three decades in China and around the world. Animal studies suggest that PBDEs could reduce blood levels of thyroid hormones, but it is unclear whether PBDEs disrupt thyroid function in humans. We used data from a prospective birth cohort of 123 pregnant women who were enrolled between September 2010 and March 2011 in Shandong, China. We measured the concentrations of eight PBDE congeners (n = 106) and five thyroid hormones (n = 107) in cord serum samples. We examined the relationship between prenatal exposure to PBDEs and thyroid function (n = 90). Median concentrations of BDEs 47, 99, 100, and 153 (detection frequencies > 75%) were 3.96, 8.27, 3.31, and 1.89 ng/g lipid, respectively. A 10-fold increase in BDE-99 and Σ 4 PBDEs (the sum of BDEs 47, 99, 100, and 153) concentrations was associated with a 0.41 μg/dL (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.10 to 0.72) and 0.37 μg/dL (95% CI: 0.06 to 0.68) increase in total thyroxine levels (TT 4 ), respectively. No associations were found between other individual congeners and any of the five thyroid hormones. Our study suggests that prenatal exposure to PBDEs may be associated with higher TT 4 in cord blood. Given the inconsistent findings across existing studies, our results need to be confirmed in additional studies. - Highlights: • Human exposure to PBDEs has been increased over recent decades in China. • PBDEs reduce thyroid hormones in animal studies, but it is unclear in humans. • We examined the relation of PBDE levels with thyroid hormones in cord blood. • Prenatal exposure to PBDEs is associated with higher total thyroxine levels. • The findings may have implications for fetal development. - Exposure to PBDEs is associated with higher total thyroxine levels in cord blood, and the findings may have implications for fetal development.

  4. The meanings of consent to the donation of cord blood stem cells: perspectives from an interview-based study of a public cord blood bank in England.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Busby, Helen

    2010-03-01

    This paper explores the perspectives of women who have agreed that their umbilical cord blood may be collected for a public 'cord blood bank', for use in transplant medicine or research. Drawing on interview data from 27 mothers who agreed to the collection and use of their umbilical cord blood, these choices and the informed consent process are explored. It is shown that the needs of sick children requiring transplants are prominent in narrative accounts of cord blood banking, together with high expectations for future applications of stem cells. Given this dynamic, a concern arises that the complex and multiple uses of tissues and related data might be oversimplified in the consent process. In conclusion, the positive finding of a commitment to mutuality in cord blood banking among these women is underlined, and its implications for the wider debate on cord blood banking are discussed.

  5. Private Cord Blood Banking: Experiences And Views Of Pediatric Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Physicians

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thornley, Ian; Eapen, Mary; Sung, Lillian; Lee, Stephanie J.; Davies, Stella M.; Joffe, Steven

    2011-01-01

    Objective Private cord blood banks are for-profit companies that facilitate storage of umbilical cord blood for personal or family use. Pediatric hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) physicians are currently best situated to use cord blood therapeutically. We sought to describe the experiences and views of these physicians regarding private cord blood banking. Participants and Methods Emailed cross-sectional survey of pediatric HCT physicians in the United States and Canada. 93/152 potentially eligible physicians (93/130 confirmed survey recipients) from 57 centers responded. Questions addressed the number of transplants performed using privately banked cord blood, willingness to use banked autologous cord blood in specific clinical settings, and recommendations to parents regarding private cord blood banking. Results Respondents reported having performed 9 autologous and 41 allogeneic transplants using privately banked cord blood. In 36/40 allogeneic cases for which data were available, the cord blood had been collected because of a known indication in the recipient. Few respondents would choose autologous cord blood over alternative stem cell sources for treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in second remission. In contrast, 55% would choose autologous cord blood to treat high-risk neuroblastoma, or to treat severe aplastic anemia in the absence of an available sibling donor. No respondent would recommend private cord blood banking for a newborn with one healthy sibling when both parents were of Northern European descent; 11% would recommend banking when parents were of different minority ethnicities. Conclusions Few transplants have been performed using cord blood stored in the absence of a known indication in the recipient. Willingness to use banked autologous cord blood varies depending on disease and availability of alternative stem cell sources. Few pediatric HCT physicians endorse private cord blood banking in the absence of an identified recipient

  6. The meanings of consent to the donation of cord blood stem cells: perspectives from an interview-based study of a public cord blood bank in England

    OpenAIRE

    Busby, Helen

    2010-01-01

    This paper explores the perspectives of women who have agreed that their umbilical cord blood may be collected for a public ‘cord blood bank’, for use in transplant medicine or research. Drawing on interview data from 27 mothers who agreed to the collection and use of their umbilical cord blood, these choices and the informed consent process are explored. It is shown that the needs of sick children requiring transplants are prominent in narrative accounts of cord blood banking, together with ...

  7. Umbilical Cord Blood Platelet Lysate as Serum Substitute in Expansion of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shirzad, Negin; Bordbar, Sima; Goodarzi, Alireza; Mohammad, Monire; Khosravani, Pardis; Sayahpour, Froughazam; Baghaban Eslaminejad, Mohamadreza; Ebrahimi, Marzieh

    2017-10-01

    The diverse clinical applications for human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) in cellular therapy and regenerative medicine warrant increased focus on developing adequate culture supplements devoid of animal-derived products. In the present study, we have investigated the feasibility of umbilical cord blood-platelet lysate (UCB-PL) as a standard substitute for fetal bovine serum (FBS) and human peripheral blood-PL (PB-PL). In this experimental study, platelet concentrates (PC) from UCB and human PB donors were frozen, melted, and sterilized to obtain PL. Quality control included platelet cell counts, sterility testing (viral and microbial), total protein concentrations, growth factor levels, and PL stability. The effects of UCB-PL and PB-PL on hMSCs proliferation and differentiation into osteocytes, chondrocytes, and adipocytes were studied and the results compared with FBS. UCB-PL contained high levels of protein content, platelet-derived growth factor- AB (PDGF-AB), and transforming growth factor (TGF) compared to PB-PL. All growth factors were stable for at least nine months post-storage at -70˚C. hMSCs proliferation enhanced following treatment with UCB-PL. With all three supplements, hMSCs could differentiate into all three lineages. PB-PL and UCB-PL both were potent in hMSCs proliferation. However, PB promoted osteoblastic differentiation and UCB-PL induced chondrogenic differentiation. Because of availability, ease of use and feasible standardization of UCB-PL, we have suggested that UCB-PL be used as an alternative to FBS and PB-PL for the cultivation and expansion of hMSCs in cellular therapy. Copyright© by Royan Institute. All rights reserved.

  8. Surfactant Protein D Levels in Umbilical Cord Blood and Capillary Blood of Premature Infants

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dahl, Marianne; Holmskov, Uffe; Husby, Steffen

    2006-01-01

    of SP-D in capillary blood day 1 was 1,466 ng/mL (range 410-5,051 ng/mL), with lowest values in infants born with ROM and delivered vaginally. High SP-D levels in umbilical cord blood and capillary blood on day 1 were found to be more likely in infants in need for respiratory support or surfactant...... treatment and susceptibility to infections. We conclude that SP-D concentrations in umbilical cord blood and capillary blood in premature infants are twice as high as in mature infants and depend on several perinatal conditions. High SP-D levels in umbilical cord blood and capillary blood on day 1 were...... found to be related to increased risk of RDS and infections....

  9. Optimization of the culturing conditions of human umbilical cord blood-derived endothelial colony-forming cells under xeno-free conditions applying a transcriptomic approach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zeisberger, Steffen M.; Zoller, Stefan; Riegel, Mariluce; Chen, Shuhua; Krenning, Guido; Harmsen, Martin C.; Sachinidis, Agapios; Zisch, Andreas H.

    Establishment of fetal bovine serum (FBS)-free cell culture conditions is essential for transplantation therapies. Blood-derived endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) are potential candidates for regenerative medicine applications. ECFCs were isolated from term umbilical cord blood units and

  10. Age, Sex, and Religious Beliefs Impact the Attitude towards Cord Blood Banking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sundell, Inger Birgitta; Setzer, Teddi J

    2015-01-01

    In this study, a self-administered questionnaire was used to assess opinions about stem cell research and cord blood banking. Three attitudes were examined: willingness to accept cord blood banking, willingness to accept embryonic stem cell research, and religious belief system. A total of 90 Wayne State University students enrolled in the study in response to an invitation posted on a web page for the university. Sex distribution among study participants was 79 females and eight males; three declined to state their sex. Support for cord blood banking was high (> 70%) among students. Students over the age of 25 years of age were more (85%) positive than students 18 to 24 years old (57%). They prefered a public cord blood bank over a private cord blood bank. Atheist/agnostic or spiritual/not religious students (> 90%), Catholic students (78%) and Christian students (58%) support cord blood banking. Age, sex and religion seems influence the student's attitude towards stem cell research and cord blood banking.

  11. Can routine commercial cord blood banking be scientifically and ethically justified?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicholas M Fisk

    2005-02-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND TO THE DEBATE: Umbilical cord blood--the blood that remains in the placenta after birth--can be collected and stored frozen for years. A well-accepted use of cord blood is as an alternative to bone marrow as a source of hematopoietic stem cells for allogeneic transplantation to siblings or to unrelated recipients; women can donate cord blood for unrelated recipients to public banks. However, private banks are now open that offer expectant parents the option to pay a fee for the chance to store cord blood for possible future use by that same child (autologous transplantation.

  12. Motivating Cord Blood Donation with Information and Behavioral Nudges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grieco, Daniela; Lacetera, Nicola; Macis, Mario; Di Martino, Daniela

    2018-01-10

    Umbilical cord blood is a source of hematopoietic stem cells essential to treat life-threatening diseases, such as leukemia and lymphoma. However, only a very small percentage of parents donate upon delivery. The decision to donate the cord blood occurs at a very specific time and when parents likely experience emotional, informational, and decisional overloads; these features of cord blood donation make it different from other pro-social activities. In collaboration with an OB-GYN clinic in Milan, Italy, we conducted the first randomized controlled trial that applies tools from behavioral science to foster cord blood donation, and quantified the gains that informational and behavioral "nudges" can achieve. We found that information and "soft" commitments increased donations; approaching expecting parents closer to the delivery date and providing them with multiple reminders, moreover, had the strongest impact. However, a significant portion of women who expressed consent to donate could not do so because of organizational constraints. We conclude that simple, non-invasive behavioral interventions that address information gaps and procrastination, and that increase the salience of the activity can substantially enhance altruistic donations of cord blood, especially when coupled with organizational support.

  13. Arterial Blood Supply to the Spinal Cord in Animal Models of Spinal Cord Injury. A Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazensky, David; Flesarova, Slavka; Sulla, Igor

    2017-12-01

    Animal models are used to examine the results of experimental spinal cord injury. Alterations in spinal cord blood supply caused by complex spinal cord injuries contribute significantly to the diversity and severity of the spinal cord damage, particularly ischemic changes. However, the literature has not completely clarified our knowledge of anatomy of the complex three-dimensional arterial system of the spinal cord in experimental animals, which can impede the translation of experimental results to human clinical applications. As the literary sources dealing with the spinal cord arterial blood supply in experimental animals are limited and scattered, the authors performed a review of the anatomy of the arterial blood supply to the spinal cord in several experimental animals, including pigs, dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, and mice and created a coherent format discussing the interspecies differences. This provides researchers with a valuable tool for the selection of the most suitable animal model for their experiments in the study of spinal cord ischemia and provides clinicians with a basis for the appropriate translation of research work to their clinical applications. Anat Rec, 300:2091-2106, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Impaired T-lymphocyte colony formation by cord blood mononuclear cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Herrod, H.G.; Valenski, W.R.

    1982-01-01

    When compared to adult mononuclear cells, cord blood mononuclear cells demonstrated significantly decreased T-lymphocyte colony formation (1351 +/- 643 vs 592 +/- 862, P less than 0.01). This diminished colony-forming activity did not appear to be associated with impaired responsiveness to the stimulant phytohemagglutinin or with excessive suppressor-cell activity. Irradiation reduced the colony-forming capacity of cord blood mononuclear cells more than it did that of adult mononuclear cells. Depletion of adherent cells reduced cord blood mononuclear-cell colony-forming capacity by 40%, while similar treatment reduced adult colony formation by 10%. Lymphocyte proliferation in liquid culture of cord and adult cells was minimally affected by these procedures. The colony-forming capacity of cord blood could be enhanced by the addition of irradiated adult cells (284 +/- 72 vs 752 +/- 78, P less than 0.01). This enhancement was demonstrated to be due to a soluble factor produced by a population of irradiated adult cells depleted of the OKT8+ subpopulation of lymphocytes. These results indicate that the progenitor cells of T-lymphocyte colonies in cord blood have distinct biologic characteristics when compared to colony progenitors present in adult blood. This assay may prove to be useful in our efforts to understand the differentiation of T-cell function in man

  15. Complete blood count reference values of cord blood in Taiwan and the influence of gender and delivery route on them.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Yu-Hsun; Yang, Shang-Hsien; Wang, Tso-Fu; Lin, Teng-Yi; Yang, Kuo-Liang; Chen, Shu-Huey

    2011-06-01

    Cord blood banking has become more popular in recent years. Checking cord blood complete blood count (CBC) and white blood cell (WBC) differential counts (DCs) is essential before cryopreserving the cord blood units. Therefore, establishing the normal reference values of cord blood CBC and WBC DC is important in clinical practice and research. To obtain a large-scale population-based normal CBC and WBC DC reference values of healthy neonates' cord blood from a public cord blood bank and to investigate the influence of the gender and delivery route. From September 2001 to November 2006, the cord blood of healthy Taiwanese neonates with gestational age 36 weeks and more were collected by Tzu Chi Cord Blood Bank with written informed consents. All cord blood samples were analyzed by Sysmex XE2100 automated hematology analyzer (Sysmex Corporation, Kobe, Japan) to obtain the CBC. The WBC DC was calculated by manual method. We used Student's t test and Mann-Whitney U test for investigating the influences of gender and delivery route on the CBC and WBC DC reference values. The results were presented by mean±standard deviation or 2.5-97.5th percentiles. In the study period, totally 5602 cord blood samples were collected eligibly for analysis. The cord blood CBC and WBC DC normal reference values were calculated. The female neonates had significantly higher mean corpuscular volume, platelet count, and WBC count, but lower red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit, and mean corpuscular Hb concentration values (pTaiwan. Gender and delivery routes were important confounding factors that influenced the cord blood CBC and WBC DC values. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  16. ACOG committee opinion number 399, February 2008: umbilical cord blood banking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2008-02-01

    Two types of banks have emerged for the collection and storage of umbilical cord blood--public banks and private banks. Public banks promote allogenic (related or unrelated) donation, analogous to the current collection of whole blood units in the United States. Private banks were initially developed to store stem cells from umbilical cord blood for autologous use (taken from an individual for subsequent use by the same individual) by a child if the child develops disease later in life. If a patient requests information on umbilical cord blood banking, balanced and accurate information regarding the advantages and disadvantages of public versus private banking should be provided. The remote chance of an autologous unit of umbilical cord blood being used for a child or a family member (approximately 1 in 2,700 individuals) should be disclosed. The collection should not alter routine practice for the timing of umbilical cord clamping. Physicians or other professionals who recruit pregnant women and their families for for-profit umbilical cord blood banking should disclose any financial interests or other potential conflicts of interest.

  17. Predictive value of C-reactive protein in serum of maternal and cord blood in cases with premature rupture of membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Awara, A M; Marei, S K; Elghorab, N M; Elnewahy, M A; Aboulenin, A A

    1992-02-01

    Physicians compared clinical history, examination, and laboratory data on 10 pregnant women at various gestational ages with intact membranes till labor began (controls) with data on 25 pregnant women also at various gestational ages who experienced premature rupture of membranes (PROM) (cases) to determine the value of C-reactive protein (CRP) in maternal and cord blood as a predictor of chorioamnionitis in women with PROM. 32% of cases had clinical chorioamnionitis and 44% histopathological chorioamnionitis. The maternal serum level of CRP in cases with and without chorioamnionitis at delivery was statistically higher than that of the controls (45.82 CRP mg/L and 9.71 CRP mg/L vs. 6.6 CRP mg/l; P.05). Further the CRP level in cord blood of cases with chorioamnionitis also stood much higher than that of the controls (p.001). In addition, the total leukocytic count (TLC) for cases with chorioamnionitis at delivery was much higher than it was for the control group at delivery (12,510 TLC/cubic mm vs. 18,231 TLC/cubic mm; p.05). A significant difference also existed between the temperature of the cases with chorioamnionitis and that of the controls (37.11 degrees Celsius vs. 63.97 degrees Celsius; p.05). Sensitivity and specificity tests showed that CRP 24 mg/L was the most reliable predictor of chorioamnionitis (100% and 93.3% respectively) followed by TLC (77.8% and 92.8% respectively) then temperature (55.6% and 78.6% respectively). Thus CRP can be used to predict premature delivery and simultaneously reduces unnecessary premature delivery of many PROM cases which occur due to fear of developing infections in both the mother and the fetus.

  18. Maternal malaria status and metabolic profiles in pregnancy and in cord blood: relationships with birth size in Nigerian infants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayoola Omolola O

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Malaria is more common in pregnant than in non-pregnant Nigerian women, and is associated with small birth size and the attendant short- and long-term health risks. The influence of malaria on maternal metabolic status in pregnancy and in cord blood and how this relates to birth size has not been studied. The study objective was to define relationships between maternal and cord serum metabolic markers, maternal malaria status and birth size. Methods During pregnancy, anthropometric measurements, blood film for malaria parasites and assays for lipids, glucose, insulin and TNF were obtained from 467 mothers and these analytes and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I were obtained from cord blood of 187 babies. Results Overall prevalence of maternal malaria was 52%, associated with younger age, anaemia and smaller infant birth size. Mothers with malaria had significantly lower cholesterol (total, HDL and LDL and higher TNF, but no difference in triglyceride. In contrast, there was no effect of maternal malaria on cord blood lipids, but the median (range cord IGF-I was significantly lower in babies whose mothers had malaria: 60.4 (24,145μg/L, versus no malaria: 76.5 (24, 150μg/L, p = 0.03. On regression analysis, the key determinants of birth weight included maternal total cholesterol, malarial status and cord insulin and IGF-I. Conclusions Malaria in pregnancy was common and associated with reduced birth size, lower maternal lipids and higher TNF. In the setting of endemic malaria, maternal total cholesterol during pregnancy and cord blood insulin and IGF-I levels are potential biomarkers of foetal growth and birth size.

  19. Certain Red Blood Cell Indices of Maternal and Umbilical Cord ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Uche

    Background: Umbilical cord blood analysis may give a clue to the state of health of both pregnant mothers and their neonates. However ... Keywords: Umbilical cord blood; maternal blood; haemoglobin concentration; packed cell volume; red cell indices. Received on .... The packed cell volume was measured using the.

  20. ASSOCIATION OF BIRTH ASPHYXIA WITH CORD BLOOD NUCLEATED RED BLOOD CELL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Poornima Shankar

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Asphyxia can lead to severe hypoxic ischaemic organ damage in new-borns which may cause postnatal manifestation of hypoxicischaemic encephalopathy. Studies have found that the Apgar score failed to predict specific neurologic outcomes of the infants. Increased cord blood nucleated red blood cell in term neonates is an indicator of chronic intrauterine hypoxia. We set out to assess the role of nucleated RBC as a non-invasive, easy, cheap and at the same time early biochemical means of asphyxia diagnosis in our clinical setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS All inborn babies with Apgar scores <7 at 1 and 5 minutes of life were reviewed. Relevant information from mother case sheet were obtained. Cord blood samples was drawn and sent for blood gas analysis and number of NRBCs/100 white blood cells (WBC was determined using Leishman stain. RESULTS Our study proves the relevance of increase nucleated RBC in terms of early detection of birth asphyxia. Most common cause of birth asphyxia found was meconium aspiration. No co-relation was found with chorioamnionitis or maternal obstetrical history. CONCLUSION Many specific biomarkers are being investigated now a day for early detection of birth asphyxia. Umbilical cord pH is costly and may be underestimated in birth asphyxia. In our study, the elevated cord blood nRBC count was shown to be a good predictor of perinatal asphyxia. Since, it is cost-effective and does not require any special expertise or any high-tech facilities, it may be a useful, reliable, inexpensive and easily available marker to evaluate perinatal asphyxia. Hence, increase nucleated RBC has an important role in diagnosing and predicting the outcome of perinatal asphyxia.

  1. The in Vitro Assessment of Biochemical Factors in Hepatocyte like Cells Derived from Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A KHoramroodi

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Introduction & Objective: Umbilical cord blood (UCB is a source of Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSC and progenitor cells that can reconstitute the hematopoietic system in patients with malignant and nonmalignant disorders. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived from umbilical cord blood (UCB have been differentiated to some kind of cells, such as osteobblast, adipoblast and chondroblast in Vitro. This study examined the differentiation of Umbilical Cord Blood (UCB derived stem cells to functional hepatocytes. Materials & Methods: The present study was an experimental study which was carried out in the Payam-e-Noor University of Tehran in cooperation with Hamedan University of Medical Sciences in 2008. Umbilical cord blood (UCB was obtained from Fatemieh hospital (Hamadan, Iran. Stem cells were isolated from the cord blood by combining density gradient centrifugation with plastic adherence. When the isolated cells reached 80% confluence, they differentiated to hepatocyte like cells. The medium which was used was consists of DMEM and 10% Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS supplemented with 20 ng/mL Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF, 10 ng/mL basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (bFGF and 20 ng/mL Oncostatin M (OSM.The medium was changed every 3 days and stored for Albumin (ALB, Alpha Fetoprotein (AFP, Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP, and urea assay. Finally PAS stain was done to study Glycogen storage in the differentiated cell. Results: Measurement of biochemical factors in different days showed that concentration of albumin (ALB, alpha fetoprotein (AFP, alkaline phosphatase (ALP, and Urea gradually increased. Also, PAS staining showed the storage of glycogen in these cells. Conclusion: Stem cell-derived from human umbilical cord blood (HUCB is a new source of cell types for cell transplantation therapy of hepatic diseases and under certain conditions these cells can differentiate into liver cells.

  2. Awareness of cord blood banking among pregnant women in semi urban area

    OpenAIRE

    Poomalar G. K.; Jayasree M.

    2016-01-01

    Background: Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are multipotent stem cells, derived from bone marrow, peripheral blood and umbilical cord. These HSC are accepted method of treatment for various disorders. Cord blood can be stored either in private or public bank. Awareness about cord blood banking among semi urban and rural population is less compared to urban population. The aim of our study is to evaluate the awareness of cord blood banking among pregnant women in semi urban area and to evaluat...

  3. Thyroid Stimulating Hormone values from cord blood in neonates ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Objectives: To determine thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels from cord blood in neonates and to establish the practice for possible application of congenital hypothyroidism screening in Ethiopia. Methods: TSH was measured from cord blood of 1207 consecutive new-borns in the maternal wards of St. Paul, Ghandi ...

  4. A new strategy for umbilical cord blood collection developed at the first Colombian public cord blood bank increases total nucleated cell content.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanegas, Diana; Triviño, Lady; Galindo, Cristian; Franco, Leidy; Salguero, Gustavo; Camacho, Bernardo; Perdomo-Arciniegas, Ana-María

    2017-09-01

    The total nucleated cell dosage of umbilical cord blood (UCB) is an important factor in determining successful allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation after a minimum human leukocyte antigen donor-recipient match. The northern South American population is in need of a new-generation cord blood bank that cryopreserves only units with high total nucleated cell content, thereby increasing the likelihood of use. Colombia set up a public cord blood bank in 2014; and, as a result of its research for improving high total nucleated cell content, a new strategy for UCB collection was developed. Data from 2933 collected and 759 cryopreserved cord blood units between 2014 and 2015 were analyzed. The correlation of donor and collection variables with cellularity was evaluated. Moreover, blood volume, cell content, CD34+ count, clonogenic capacity, and microbial contamination were assessed comparing the new method, which combines in utero and ex utero techniques, with the conventional strategies. Multivariate analysis confirmed a correlation between neonatal birth weight and cell content. The new collection method increased total nucleated cell content in approximately 26% and did not alter pre-cryopreservation and post-thaw cell recovery, viability, or clonogenic ability. Furthermore, it showed a remarkably low microbial contamination rate (1.2%). The strategy for UCB collection developed at the first Colombian public cord blood bank increases total nucleated cell content and does not affect unit quality. The existence of this bank is a remarkable breakthrough for Latin-American patients in need of this kind of transplantation. © 2017 The Authors Transfusion published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of AABB.

  5. Feasibility of trialling cord blood stem cell treatments for cerebral palsy in Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crompton, Kylie E; Elwood, Ngaire; Kirkland, Mark; Clark, Pamela; Novak, Iona; Reddihough, Dinah

    2014-07-01

    Umbilical cord blood may have therapeutic benefit in children with cerebral palsy (CP), but further studies are required. On first appearance it seems that Australia is well placed for such a trial because we have excellence in CP research backed by extensive CP registers, and both public and private cord blood banks. We aimed to examine the possibilities of conducting a trial of autologous umbilical cord blood cells (UCBCs) as a treatment for children with CP in Australia. Data linkages between CP registers and cord blood banks were used to estimate potential participant numbers for a trial of autologous UCBCs for children with CP. As of early 2013, one Victorian child with CP had cord blood stored in the public bank, and between 1 and 3 children had their cord blood stored at Cell Care Australia (private cord blood bank). In New South Wales, we counted two children on the CP register who had their stored cord blood available in early 2013. We estimate that there are between 10 and 24 children with CP of any type who have autologous cord blood available across Australia. In nations with small populations like Australia, combined with Australia's relatively low per capita cord blood storage to date, it is not currently feasible to conduct trials of autologous UCBCs for children with CP. Other options must be explored, such as allogeneic UCBCs or prospective trials for neonates at risk of CP. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health © 2014 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  6. Cost effectiveness of cord blood versus bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Bart

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Thomas BartSwiss Blood Stem Cells, Bern, SwitzerlandAbstract: Umbilical cord blood (CB has become, since its first successful use more than two decades ago, an increasingly important source of blood stem cells. In this light, an overview of current usage of CB in the field of unrelated hematopoietic blood stem cell transplantation (HSCT is given. The three main sources of hematopoietic stem cells: bone marrow (BM, peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC, and cord blood (CB are compared as regards their current quantitative usage in HSCT. A cost analysis of the named three hematopoietic blood stem cell (HSC sources, taking into account various factors, is undertaken. The health economical comparison shows significant differences between CB on the one side, and BM and PBSC on the other. The consequences for the public health side and propositions for a possible health care policy, especially regarding future resource allocation towards the different choices for HSCT products, are discussed. An outlook on the possible future usage of BM, PBSC, and CB and its implications on health systems, donor registries, and CB banks is given.Keywords: health economy, cord blood, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

  7. Concepts, Utility and Limitations of Cord Blood Banking: What Clinicians Need to Know.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narayanan, Dhanya Lakshmi; Phadke, Shubha R

    2018-03-20

    Stem cell transplantation and cord blood banking have received much popularity among general public and medical professionals in the recent past. But information about the scientific aspects, its utility and limitations is incomplete amongst laypersons as well as many medical practitioners. Stem cells differ from all other types of cells in the human body because of their ability to multiply in order to self perpetuate and differentiate into specialized cells. Stems cells could be totipotent, multipotent, pluripotent, oligopotent or unipotent depending on the type of cells that can arise or differentiate from them. Umbilical cord blood serves as a potent source of hematopoeitic stem cells and is being used to treat various disorders like blood cancers, hemoglobinopathies and immunodeficiency disorders for which hematological stem cell transplantation is the standard of care. Cord blood can be collected at ease, without any major complications and has a lower incidence of graft vs. host reaction compared to bone marrow cells or peripheral blood cells. Both public and private banks have been established for collection and storage of umbilical cord blood. However, false claims and misleading commercial advertisements about the use of umbilical cord blood stem cells for the treatment of a variety of conditions ranging from neuromuscular disorders to cosmetic benefits are widespread and create unrealistic expectations in laypersons and clinicians. Many clinicians and laypersons are unaware of the limitations of cord blood banking, as in treating a genetic disorder by autologous cord blood transplant. Knowledge and awareness about the scientific indications of cord blood stem cell transplantation and realistic expectations about the utility of cord blood among medical practitioners are essential for providing accurate information to laypersons before they decide to preserve umbilical cord blood in private banks and thus prevent malpractice.

  8. Total and antigen-specific Ige levels in umbilical cord blood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sybilski AJ

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The present study was conducted to learn whether the perinatal and environmental factors could influence the total and antigen-specific IgE levels in umbilical cord blood. Retrospective data were obtained from 173 mother-infant pairs. Total and specific (for children's food, wheat/grass and house dust mite-HDM cord blood IgE levels were determined using the immunoassay test. The total cord blood IgE was between 0.0-23.08 IU/ml (mean 0.55 ± 2.07 IU/ml; median 0.16 IU/ml. Total IgE levels were significantly higher in boys compared with girls (OR = 2.2; P = 0.007, and in newborns with complicated pregnancy (OR = 2.7; P = 0.003. A greater number of siblings correlated with increases in the total cord blood IgE (P

  9. Optimization of informed consent for umbilical cord blood banking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugarman, Jeremy; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Box, Tamara L; Horner, Ronnie D

    2002-12-01

    The purpose of this project was to evaluate the informed consent process for donation to a public umbilical cord blood bank. Telephone interviews were conducted with 170 women who had given consent to donate their newborn infants' umbilical cord blood. Of the 170 women who were contacted, 96.8% of the women reported that all their questions had been answered. Nevertheless, approximately one third of the respondents did not consider themselves to be in research, and almost one quarter of the respondents did not know how to contact the umbilical cord blood bank if they or their infant became seriously ill. Further, a substantial proportion of the respondents did not understand the full range of alternatives to donation and incorrectly endorsed potential benefits. Informed consent could be optimized by (1) having those personnel who obtain consent emphasize that banking involves research and to explain the true benefits of donation, (2) ensuring that parents know how and when to contact the umbilical cord blood bank after donation, and (3) using phone surveys to continue assessments and to monitor changes in the process.

  10. A Study on the Correlation between Cord Blood Glucose Level and the Apgar Score.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Kalyan; Saha, Ashis Ranjan

    2013-02-01

    The study of the biochemical parameters of cord blood acts as a mirror, which usually reflects the neonatal status. The widely used system for the evaluation of a neonate is the Apgar score. There is no comprehensive published data which has established the association between the cord blood glucose level and the Apgar score. Similarly, there is also no well accepted reference range of the cord blood glucose level. The main objectives of the present study was to ascertain any adverse effects of an abnormal cord blood glucose level on the neonatal status and to find out a standard reference level of glucose in cord blood. The cord blood glucose estimation was done by using the glucose oxidase peroxidase method and the statistical analysis was performed by using the SPSS, version 16 software. In the present study, the cord blood glucose level was found to have no correlation with the Apgar scores which were calculated at both one minute and five minutes after birth. It was also found that for the foetus to be free from any obvious complication, the cord blood glucose level had to be around 87 mg/dl. The fluctuations in the maternal glucose levels are weakly associated with the glucose level in the cord blood.

  11. Acceptance of Umbilical Cord Blood as an Alternative to Adult Blood ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Inadequate supply of safe blood has been a source of worry to health facilities in Nigeria. One way of addressing this is problem is to consider the use of Umbilical Cord Blood (UCB) as an alternative to adult blood for the purpose of blood transfusion. This will only be possible if we accept this alternative.

  12. One-unit versus two-unit cord-blood transplantation for hematologic cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, John E; Eapen, Mary; Carter, Shelly; Wang, Yanli; Schultz, Kirk R; Wall, Donna A; Bunin, Nancy; Delaney, Colleen; Haut, Paul; Margolis, David; Peres, Edward; Verneris, Michael R; Walters, Mark; Horowitz, Mary M; Kurtzberg, Joanne

    2014-10-30

    Umbilical-cord blood has been used as the source of hematopoietic stem cells in an estimated 30,000 transplants. The limited number of hematopoietic cells in a single cord-blood unit prevents its use in recipients with larger body mass and results in delayed hematopoietic recovery and higher mortality. Therefore, we hypothesized that the greater numbers of hematopoietic cells in two units of cord blood would be associated with improved outcomes after transplantation. Between December 1, 2006, and February 24, 2012, a total of 224 patients 1 to 21 years of age with hematologic cancer were randomly assigned to undergo double-unit (111 patients) or single-unit (113 patients) cord-blood transplantation after a uniform myeloablative conditioning regimen and immunoprophylaxis for graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). The primary end point was 1-year overall survival. Treatment groups were matched for age, sex, self-reported race (white vs. nonwhite), performance status, degree of donor-recipient HLA matching, and disease type and status at transplantation. The 1-year overall survival rate was 65% (95% confidence interval [CI], 56 to 74) and 73% (95% CI, 63 to 80) among recipients of double and single cord-blood units, respectively (P=0.17). Similar outcomes in the two groups were also observed with respect to the rates of disease-free survival, neutrophil recovery, transplantation-related death, relapse, infections, immunologic reconstitution, and grade II-IV acute GVHD. However, improved platelet recovery and lower incidences of grade III and IV acute and extensive chronic GVHD were observed among recipients of a single cord-blood unit. We found that among children and adolescents with hematologic cancer, survival rates were similar after single-unit and double-unit cord-blood transplantation; however, a single-unit cord-blood transplant was associated with better platelet recovery and a lower risk of GVHD. (Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the

  13. Integrated analysis of halogenated organic pollutants in sub-millilitre volumes of venous and umbilical cord blood sera

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grimalt, Joan O.; Carrizo, Daniel; Otero, Raquel; Vizcaino, Esther [Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAeA-CSIC), Department of Environmental Chemistry, Barcelona, Catalonia (Spain); Howsam, Mike [Universite de Lille 2, Centre Universitaire de Mesure et d' Analyse, Faculte de Pharmacie, Lille (France); Rodrigues de Marchi, Mary Rosa [Institute of Chemistry UNESP, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Araraquara, SP (Brazil)

    2010-03-15

    A rapid, robust and economical method for the analysis of persistent halogenated organic compounds in small volumes of human serum and umbilical cord blood is described. The pollutants studied cover a broad range of molecules of contemporary epidemiological and legislative concern, including polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), polychlorobenzenes (CBs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), DDTs, polychlorostyrenes (PCSs) and polybromodiphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Extraction and clean-up with n-hexane and concentrated sulphuric acid was followed with analysis by gas chromatography coupled to electron capture (GC-ECD) and GC coupled to negative ion chemical ionisation mass spectrometry (GC-NICI-MS). The advantages of this method rest in the broad range of analytes and its simplicity and robustness, while the use of concentrated sulphuric acid extraction/clean-up destroys viruses that may be present in the samples. Small volumes of reference serum between 50 and 1000{mu}L were extracted and the limits of detection/quantification and repeatability were determined. Recoveries of spiked compounds for the extraction of small volumes ({>=}300 {mu}L) of the spiked reference serum were between 90% and 120%. The coefficients of variation of repeatability ranged from 0.1-14%, depending on the compound. Samples of 4-year-old serum and umbilical cord blood (n=73 and 40, respectively) from a population inhabiting a village near a chloro-alkali plant were screened for the above-mentioned halogenated pollutants using this method and the results are briefly described. (orig.)

  14. US public cord blood banking practices: recruitment, donation, and the timing of consent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Broder, Sherri M; Ponsaran, Roselle S; Goldenberg, Aaron J

    2013-03-01

    Cord blood has moved rapidly from an experimental stem cell source to an accepted and important source of hematopoietic stem cells. There has been no comprehensive assessment of US public cord blood banking practices since the Institute of Medicine study in 2005. Of 34 US public cord blood banks identified, 16 participated in our qualitative survey of public cord blood banking practices. Participants took part in in-depth telephone interviews in which they were asked structured and open-ended questions regarding recruitment, donation, and the informed consent process at these banks. Thirteen of 16 participants reported a variably high percentage of women who consented to public cord blood donation. Fifteen banks offered donor registration at the time of hospital admission for labor and delivery. Seven obtained full informed consent and medical history during early labor and eight conducted some form of phased consent and/or phased medical screening and history. Nine participants identified initial selection of the collection site location as the chief mode by which they recruited minority donors. Since 2005, more public banks offer cord blood donor registration at the time of admission for labor and delivery. That and the targeted location of cord blood collection sites are the main methods used to increase access to donation and HLA diversity of banked units. Currently, the ability to collect and process donations, rather than donor willingness, is the major barrier to public cord blood banking. © 2012 American Association of Blood Banks.

  15. Effects of maternal smoking and exposure to methylmercury on brain-derived neurotrophic factor concentrations in umbilical cord serum

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Spulber, Stefan; Rantamäki, Tomi; Nikkilä, Outi

    2010-01-01

    . The cohort consisted of 395 singleton births (206 boys and 189 girls), gestational age ranging from 38 to 42 weeks. Serum BDNF was measured by sandwich ELISA. Maternal smoking habits and other relevant factors were obtained by interviewing the mothers. The exposure to MeHg was estimated from Hg...... concentrations in cord blood, whereas exposure to PCB was estimated based on maternal serum concentrations. Only MeHg exposure affected the serum BDNF, which decreased in a concentration-dependent manner in girls born to nonsmoking mothers. Maternal smoking significantly increased BNDF in girls but not in boys....... For further statistical analyses, we used the serum BDNF concentration as a continuous outcome variable in supervised regression models. Serum BDNF concentration increased with gestational age, increased by maternal smoking, decreased slightly with MeHg exposure, and maternal smoking enhanced the decrease...

  16. Excluding Anti-cytomegalovirus Immunoglobulin M-Positive Cord Blood Units Has a Minimal Impact on the Korean Public Cord Blood Bank Inventory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Sue; Roh, Eun Youn; Oh, Sohee; Song, Eun Young; Kim, Eui Chong; Yoon, Jong Hyun

    2017-01-24

    Cord blood units (CBUs) for transplantation should be free of communicable disease and must contain a specific amount of total nucleated cells and CD34+ cells. Although posttransplantation cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections are from latent infection in patients, ensuring CMV-free CBUs by performing CMV-specific IgM and nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT) is one of the mandatory procedures for the safety of CBUs. However, the exclusion policies (based on these test results) vary among nations and institutions. We tested 28,000 processed CBUs between May 2006 and June 2014. The cord blood leukocytes from CMV IgM-positive samples were then subjected to NAT. The total nucleated cell and CD34+ cell counts were measured for each CBU, and the results were compared to the CMV IgM and IgG results. The seroprevalence of CMV among pregnant women was 98.1% (18,459/18,818) for IgG and 1.7% (441/25,293) for IgM. The concentration and the total number of CD34+ cells were significantly higher in CBUs from IgM-negative mothers compared to those from IgM-positive mothers (72.4/μl vs. 57.2/μl, respectively, p < 0.0001; 1.45 × 106/unit vs. 1.15 × 106/unit, respectively, p < 0.0001). Among CBUs with positive CMV IgM in their mothers' plasma or cord blood plasma, only 0.58% of the samples (3/517) had a positive NAT. The number of excluded CBUs from inventory due to positive CMV IgM in the cord blood was 54 of 18,326 (0.3%). For inventory purposes, it is appropriate to remove CBUs with positive cord blood CMV IgM findings irrespective of the NAT status as well as positive maternal CMV IgM in South Korea.

  17. Prospect for application of umbilical cord blood to clinical treatment of radiation sickness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jia Tingzhen; Ke Xiaoyan

    1998-01-01

    Objective: To look forward to the prospect for application of umbilical cord blood to clinical treatment of radiation sickness by analyzing the results using umbilical cord blood in laboratory experiments and clinical research. Method: The data on umbilical cord blood published in literature are reviewed. Results: The umbilical blood is rich in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, low in immunological activity of lymphocytes, expanded significantly ex vivo under selected culture condition readily available and collected easily. Conclusion: With the above advantages, the prospect for application of umbilical cord blood is encouraging, particularly in the clinical treatment of radiation sickness

  18. Different strategies to improve the use of the umbilical cord and cord blood for hematopoietic and other regenerative cell therapies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Garde, Mark Paul van der

    2016-01-01

    The umbilical cord and cord blood contain stem cells that can be used for regenerative cell therapies such as hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. However, the application of cord blood is hindered by the slow engraftment of the cells and delayed immune reconstitution compared to stem cells of

  19. Good practices in collecting umbilical cord and placental blood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lauren Auer Lopes

    Full Text Available Abstract Objective: to identify the factors related to the quality of umbilical cord and placental blood specimens, and define best practices for their collection in a government bank of umbilical cord and placental blood. Method: this was a descriptive study, quantitative approach, performed at a government umbilical cord and placental blood bank, in two steps: 1 verification of the obstetric, neonatal and operational factors, using a specific tool for gathering data as non-participant observers; 2 definition of best practices by grouping non-conformities observed before, during and after blood collection. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and the following statistical software: Statistica(r and R(r. Results: while there was a correlation with obstetrical and neonatal factors, there was a larger correlation with operational factors, resulting in the need to adjust the professional practices of the nursing staff and obstetrical team involved in collecting this type of blood. Based on these non-conformities we defined best practices for nurses before, during and after blood collection. Conclusion: the best practices defined in this study are an important management tool for the work of nurses in obtaining blood specimens of high cell quality.

  20. US Public Cord Blood Banking Practices: Recruitment, Donation, and the Timing of Consent

    Science.gov (United States)

    Broder, Sherri; Ponsaran, Roselle; Goldenberg, Aaron

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND Cord blood has moved rapidly from an experimental stem cell source to an accepted and important source of hematopoietic stem cells. There has been no comprehensive assessment of US public cord blood banking practices since the Institute of Medicine study in 2005. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Of 34 US public cord blood banks identified, 16 participated in our qualitative survey of public cord blood banking practices. Participants took part in in-depth telephone interviews in which they were asked structured and open-ended questions regarding recruitment, donation, and the informed consent process at these banks. RESULTS 13 of 16 participants reported a variably high percentage of women who consented to public cord blood donation. 15 banks offered donor registration at the time of hospital admission for labor and delivery. 7 obtained full informed consent and medical history during early labor and 8 conducted some form of phased consent and/or phased medical screening and history. 9 participants identified initial selection of the collection site location as the chief mode by which they recruited minority donors. CONCLUSION Since 2005, more public banks offer cord blood donor registration at the time of admission for labor and delivery. That, and the targeted location of cord blood collection sites, are the main methods used to increase access to donation and HLA diversity of banked units. Currently, the ability to collect and process donations, rather than donor willingness, is the major barrier to public cord blood banking. PMID:22803637

  1. Decreased cord-blood phospholipids in young age-at-onset type 1 diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    La Torre, Daria; Seppänen-Laakso, Tuulikki; Larsson, Helena E; Hyötyläinen, Tuulia; Ivarsson, Sten A; Lernmark, Ake; Oresic, Matej

    2013-11-01

    Children developing type 1 diabetes may have risk markers already in their umbilical cord blood. It is hypothesized that the risk for type 1 diabetes at an early age may be increased by a pathogenic pregnancy and be reflected in altered cord-blood composition. This study used metabolomics to test if the cord-blood lipidome was affected in children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes before 8 years of age. The present case-control study of 76 index children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes before 8 years of age and 76 healthy control subjects matched for HLA risk, sex, and date of birth, as well as the mother's age and gestational age, revealed that cord-blood phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamines were significantly decreased in children diagnosed with type 1 diabetes before 4 years of age. Reduced levels of triglycerides correlated to gestational age in index and control children and to age at diagnosis only in the index children. Finally, gestational infection during the first trimester was associated with lower cord-blood total lysophosphatidylcholines in index and control children. In conclusion, metabolomics of umbilical cord blood may identify children at increased risk for type 1 diabetes. Low phospholipid levels at birth may represent key mediators of the immune system and contribute to early induction of islet autoimmunity.

  2. Family cord blood banking for sickle cell disease: a twenty-year experience in two dedicated public cord blood banks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rafii, Hanadi; Bernaudin, Françoise; Rouard, Helene; Vanneaux, Valérie; Ruggeri, Annalisa; Cavazzana, Marina; Gauthereau, Valerie; Stanislas, Aurélie; Benkerrou, Malika; De Montalembert, Mariane; Ferry, Christele; Girot, Robert; Arnaud, Cecile; Kamdem, Annie; Gour, Joelle; Touboul, Claudine; Cras, Audrey; Kuentz, Mathieu; Rieux, Claire; Volt, Fernanda; Cappelli, Barbara; Maio, Karina T; Paviglianiti, Annalisa; Kenzey, Chantal; Larghero, Jerome; Gluckman, Eliane

    2017-06-01

    Efforts to implement family cord blood banking have been developed in the past decades for siblings requiring stem cell transplantation for conditions such as sickle cell disease. However, public banks are faced with challenging decisions about the units to be stored, discarded, or used for other endeavors. We report here 20 years of experience in family cord blood banking for sickle cell disease in two dedicated public banks. Participants were pregnant women who had a previous child diagnosed with homozygous sickle cell disease. Participation was voluntary and free of charge. All mothers underwent mandatory serological screening. Cord blood units were collected in different hospitals, but processed and stored in two public banks. A total of 338 units were stored for 302 families. Median recipient age was six years (11 months-15 years). Median collected volume and total nucleated cell count were 91 mL (range 23-230) and 8.6×10 8 (range 0.7-75×10 8 ), respectively. Microbial contamination was observed in 3.5% (n=12), positive hepatitis B serology in 25% (n=84), and homozygous sickle cell disease in 11% (n=37) of the collections. Forty-four units were HLA-identical to the intended recipient, and 28 units were released for transplantation either alone (n=23) or in combination with the bone marrow from the same donor (n=5), reflecting a utilization rate of 8%. Engraftment rate was 96% with 100% survival. Family cord blood banking yields good quality units for sibling transplantation. More comprehensive banking based on close collaboration among banks, clinical and transplant teams is recommended to optimize the use of these units. Copyright© Ferrata Storti Foundation.

  3. Umbilical Cord Blood Lead Levels and Neonatal Behaviour

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. L. de Cáceres

    1995-01-01

    Full Text Available Negative correlations have been found between cord blood lead levels and scores on the Brazelton Neonatal Behaviour Assessment in 30 otherwise healthy newborns. Items in the Habituation, Orientation and Regulation of state clusters, particularly those items related to self-regulatory, self-quieting and auditory habituation, showed lower scores (worse performance in those newborns with higher cord blood lead levels. These disturbances are potentially important since this type of behavior may interfere with the normal process of adaptation to their environment, leading to a less than optimal bonding between newborns and their carers.

  4. Congenital hypothyroidism screening in term neonates using umbilical cord blood TSH values

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ravi Bhatia

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Congenital hypothyroidism remains one of the most common preventable causes of mental retardation among children. Screening for congenital hypothyroidism remains one of the most cost-effective tools to prevent mental retardation in the population. Umbilical cord blood thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH levels remain an attractive and a practical step for screening for congenital hypothyroidism. The aims of this study were as follows: (1 to find normative values of cord blood TSH for the study group and (2 to use cord blood TSH levels as a marker for screening of congenital hypothyroidism. Cord blood of 1824 neonates who were of term gestation, weighed >2.5 kg at birth, whose mothers were off thyroid medication were a part of the study group. Umbilical cord blood was collected at the time of delivery and TSH was estimated. All babies who had a cord blood TSH value of >20 mIU/L were called bay on day 7 of life for a full thyroid profile. Cord blood samples of 1824 neonates were tested for TSH. Male–female ratio was 979:845 = 1.15:1. The birth weights ranged between 2.5 and 4.5 kg with an average birth weight of 2.811 kg. Mean (standard deviation TSH value was 7.725 (8.99. TSH values ranged between 1.2 and 100 mIU/ml. TSH values corresponding to the 3rd, 10th, 25th, 50th, 90th, 95th, and 97th percentile were 2.32, 4.05, 5.67, 7.5, 12, 20.63, and 30.88, respectively. Out of the 88 babies recalled for repeat testing, 80 babies only turned up; eventually one turned out to be hypothyroid on repeat testing. The incidence of congenital hypothyroidism in our study was 1 in 1824. To conclude, we can safely use a cutoff of cord blood TSH value of >20 mIU/L for the purpose of screening for congenital hypothyroidism. For logistic angles, a higher cutoff of >30 mIU/L can be used. Large population-based studies are required to establish normative values for cord blood TSH in our country.

  5. Spinal cord blood flow measured by 14C-iodoantipyrine autoradiography during and after graded spinal cord compression in rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holtz, A.; Nystroem, B.G.; Gerdin, B.

    1989-01-01

    The relations between degree of thoracic spinal cord compression causing myelographic block, reversible paraparesis, and extinction of the sensory evoked potential on one hand, and spinal cord blood flow on the other, were investigated. This was done in rats using the blocking weight-technique and 14 C-iodoantipyrine autoradiography. A load of 9 g caused myelographic block. Five minutes of compression with that load caused a reduction of spinal cord blood flow to about 25%, but 5 and 60 minutes after the compression spinal cord blood flow was restored to 60% of the pretrauma value. A load of 35 g for 5 minutes caused transient paraparesis. Recovery to about 30% was observed 5 and 60 minutes thereafter. During compression at a load of 55 g, which caused almost total extinction of sensory evoked potential and irreversible paraplegia, spinal cord blood flow under the load ceased. The results indicate that myelographic block occurs at a load which does not cause irreversible paraparesis and that a load which permits sensory evoked potential to be elicited results in potentially salvageable damage

  6. Prenatal exposure to lead in Spain: Cord blood levels and associated factors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Llop, Sabrina, E-mail: llop_sab@gva.es [Centre of Public Health Research (CSISP), Av Catalunya 21, 46020, Valencia (Spain); Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), 20220 Majadahonda, Madrid (Spain); CIBER de Epidemiologia y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Doctor Aiguader 88, 8003 Barcelona (Spain); Aguinagalde, Xabier [Public Health Laboratory of Alava, Direccion de Salud Publica, Gobierno Vasco, Santiago 11, 01002, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Basque Country (Spain); Vioque, Jesus [CIBER de Epidemiologia y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Doctor Aiguader 88, 8003 Barcelona (Spain); Universidad Miguel Hernandez, Av de Alicante KM 87, 03550, Sant Joan d' Alacant (Spain); Ibarluzea, Jesus [CIBER de Epidemiologia y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Doctor Aiguader 88, 8003 Barcelona (Spain); Departamento de Sanidad Gobierno Vasco, Subdireccion de Salud Publica de Gipuzkoa, Avenida de Navarra 4, 20013 San Sebastian (Spain); Biodonostia, Instituto de Investigacion Biomedica, San Sebastian (Spain); Guxens, Monica [CIBER de Epidemiologia y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Doctor Aiguader 88, 8003 Barcelona (Spain); Centre for Research of Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Doctor Aiguader 88, 8003 Barcelona (Spain); Municipal Institute of Medical Research (IMIM-Hospital del Mar), Doctor Aiguader 88, 8003 Barcelona (Spain); Casas, Maribel [Centre for Research of Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Doctor Aiguader 88, 8003 Barcelona (Spain); Municipal Institute of Medical Research (IMIM-Hospital del Mar), Doctor Aiguader 88, 8003 Barcelona (Spain); Murcia, Mario [Centre of Public Health Research (CSISP), Av Catalunya 21, 46020, Valencia (Spain); CIBER de Epidemiologia y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Doctor Aiguader 88, 8003 Barcelona (Spain); Ruiz, Maria [Centre for Research of Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Doctor Aiguader 88, 8003 Barcelona (Spain); Municipal Institute of Medical Research (IMIM-Hospital del Mar), Doctor Aiguader 88, 8003 Barcelona (Spain); and others

    2011-05-01

    Introduction and Objective: Lead is a known neurotoxic. Fetuses and infants are very vulnerable to lead exposure, since their blood-brain barrier is not completely formed. Hence, there is an importance for monitoring of blood lead levels prenatally and during early infancy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prenatal exposure to lead and its association with maternal factors in four population based mother-child cohorts in Spain. The present research was carried out within the framework of the INMA project INfancia y Medio Ambiente (Environment and Childhood). Methods: A total of 1462 pregnant women were recruited between 2004 and 2008. Lead was analyzed in a sample of cord blood by thermal decomposition, amalgation, and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Maternal sociodemographic, lifestyle and dietary factors were obtained by questionnaires during pregnancy. A multivariate logistic regression model was constructed. The dependent variable was a dichotomous lead level variable (detected vs no detected, i.e. {>=} vs < 2 {mu}g/dL). Results: A low percentage of cord blood samples with lead levels {>=} 2 {mu}g/dL were found (5.9%). Geometric mean and maximum were 1.06 {mu}g/dL and 19 {mu}g/dL, respectively. Smoking at the beginning of pregnancy, age, social class, weight gain during pregnancy, gravidity, and place of residence were the maternal factors associated with detectable cord blood lead levels. Mother's diet does not appear to be a determining factor of lead exposure. Nevertheless, daily intake of iron and zinc may act as a protective factor against having cord blood lead levels {>=} 2 {mu}g/dL. Conclusion: In the different regions of Spain taking part in this study, lead levels to which newborns are exposed are low. Mobilization of lead from bones may be the main contributor to the cord blood levels. - Research Highlights: {yields} Pb is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant with harmful effects on neurodevelopment. {yields} Cord blood Pb levels in

  7. Prenatal exposure to lead in Spain: Cord blood levels and associated factors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Llop, Sabrina; Aguinagalde, Xabier; Vioque, Jesus; Ibarluzea, Jesus; Guxens, Monica; Casas, Maribel; Murcia, Mario; Ruiz, Maria

    2011-01-01

    Introduction and Objective: Lead is a known neurotoxic. Fetuses and infants are very vulnerable to lead exposure, since their blood-brain barrier is not completely formed. Hence, there is an importance for monitoring of blood lead levels prenatally and during early infancy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prenatal exposure to lead and its association with maternal factors in four population based mother-child cohorts in Spain. The present research was carried out within the framework of the INMA project INfancia y Medio Ambiente (Environment and Childhood). Methods: A total of 1462 pregnant women were recruited between 2004 and 2008. Lead was analyzed in a sample of cord blood by thermal decomposition, amalgation, and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Maternal sociodemographic, lifestyle and dietary factors were obtained by questionnaires during pregnancy. A multivariate logistic regression model was constructed. The dependent variable was a dichotomous lead level variable (detected vs no detected, i.e. ≥ vs < 2 μg/dL). Results: A low percentage of cord blood samples with lead levels ≥ 2 μg/dL were found (5.9%). Geometric mean and maximum were 1.06 μg/dL and 19 μg/dL, respectively. Smoking at the beginning of pregnancy, age, social class, weight gain during pregnancy, gravidity, and place of residence were the maternal factors associated with detectable cord blood lead levels. Mother's diet does not appear to be a determining factor of lead exposure. Nevertheless, daily intake of iron and zinc may act as a protective factor against having cord blood lead levels ≥ 2 μg/dL. Conclusion: In the different regions of Spain taking part in this study, lead levels to which newborns are exposed are low. Mobilization of lead from bones may be the main contributor to the cord blood levels. - Research Highlights: → Pb is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant with harmful effects on neurodevelopment. → Cord blood Pb levels in Spanish newborn are low in

  8. Mercury concentration in maternal serum, cord blood, and placenta in patients with amalgam dental fillings: effects on fetal biometric measurements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bedir Findik, Rahime; Celik, Huseyin Tugrul; Ersoy, Ali Ozgur; Tasci, Yasemin; Moraloglu, Ozlem; Karakaya, Jale

    2016-11-01

    We aimed to determine the extent to which mercury is transmitted from the mother to fetus via the umbilical cord in patients with amalgam dental fillings, and its effect on fetal biometric measurements. Twenty-eight patients as the study group with amalgam fillings, and 32 of them as the control group were included in this prospective case-control study. The mercury levels were measured in the maternal and cord venous sera, and the placental samples. Two groups were compared in terms of these and the fetal/neonatal biometric measurements. In the study group, the maternal and umbilical cord mercury levels were found to be significantly higher than those from the control group (p = 0.006 and p = 0.010, respectively). These high levels did not affect the fetal biometric measurements. The presence of high serum mercury levels in pregnant women with amalgam fillings is important, and warrants further long-term studies in order to investigate the fetal neurological effects as well.

  9. Transplante de sangue de cordão umbilical - SCU Umbilical cord blood transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Celso A. Rodrigues

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available A frequente utilização de sangue de cordão umbilical - SCU como fonte de células- tronco hematopoéticas - CTH, tanto em crianças, como em adultos, que não dispõem de doador na família, tem levado ao estabelecimento da padronização de critérios em sua seleção, objetivando a obtenção de melhores resultados. A escolha da unidade de SCU deve basear-se no número total de células nucleadas e no número de diferenças de antígenos leucocitários humanos (HLA. Diante de uma unidade com celularidade mínima, deve-se considerar a possibilidade da utilização de duplo cordão. Frente a mais de uma unidade com características semelhantes, a realização da contagem de células CD34 e da compatibilidade ABO, assim como a qualidade e a rapidez para obtenção da unidade, podem definir a escolha.The frequent use of umbilical cord blood as the source of hematopoietic stem cells, both in children and adults who do not have related donors, has led to the establishment of a better standardization of selection criteria aiming at improving the results. The choice of the umbilical cord blood unit should be based on the total number of nucleated cells and the number of differences in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA system. When a unit has minimal cellularity, the use of a double cord blood transplant should be considered. When two or more units have similar characteristics, the choice may be determined by the CD34 count, ABO compatibility and the quality and speed to obtain the unit.

  10. Differential gene expresison in umbilical cord blood and maternal peripheral blood

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Merkerová, M.; Vasiková, A.; Bruchová, H.; Líbalová, Helena; Topinka, Jan; Balaščak, I.; Šrám, Radim; Brdička, R.

    2009-01-01

    Roč. 83, č. 3 (2009), s. 183-190 ISSN 0902-4441 R&D Projects: GA MŠk 2B06088 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50390512 Keywords : gene expression * umbilical cord blood * peripheral blood Subject RIV: DN - Health Impact of the Environment Quality Impact factor: 2.345, year: 2009

  11. Effects of transforming growth factor-beta on long-term human cord blood monocyte cultures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Orcel, P.; Bielakoff, J.; De Vernejoul, M.C.

    1990-01-01

    Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) modulates growth and differentiation in many cell types and is abundant in bone matrix. We recently showed that human cord blood monocytes cultured in the presence of 1,25(OH)2D3 acquire some features of osteoclast precursors. Since TGF-beta has been shown to influence bone resorption in organ culture, we have studied the effect of TGF-beta (1-1,000 pg/ml) on cord blood monocyte cultures. These cells were cultured on plastic substrate during 3 weeks in the presence of 20% horse serum and 10(-9) M 1,25(OH)2D3. TGF-beta, from a concentration of 10 pg/ml in the culture medium, decreased in a dose dependent manner the formation of multinucleated cells. At a concentration of TGF-beta of 1 ng/ml, the multinucleated cells were reduced to 2.1% +/- 0.3%, compared to 19.3% +/- 1.5% in control cultures. TGF-beta inhibited in a dose-dependent manner the proliferation of cord blood monocytes as assessed by 3H-thymidine incorporation at 7 and 14 days of culture. The fusion index was also decreased by 3 weeks of treatment with TGF-beta. Indomethacin did not reverse the inhibitory effects of TGF-beta. The expression of the osteoclastic phenotype was assessed using two different antibodies: 23C6, a monoclonal antibody directed against the vitronectin receptor, which is highly expressed by osteoclasts but not by adult monocytes, and an antibody to HLA-DR, which is not present on osteoclast. TGF-beta decreased the expression of HLA-DR and increased in a dose-dependent manner the proportion of 23C6-labeled cells; these results suggest that TGF-beta could modulate a differentiation effect to the osteoclastic phenotype. However, when cord blood monocytes were cultured on devitalized rat calvariae prelabeled with 45Ca, TGF-beta did not induce any 45Ca release from bone cultured with monocytes

  12. Placental and cord blood brain derived neurotrophic factor levels are decreased in nondiabetic macrosomia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Qian-Ying; Zhang, Heng-Xin; Wang, Chen-Chen; Sun, Hao; Sun, Shu-Qiang; Wang, Yu-Huan; Yan, Hong-Tao; Yang, Xin-Jun

    2017-08-01

    To measure levels of placental brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene expression and umbilical cord blood BDNF in neonates with nondiabetic macrosomia and determine associations between these levels and macrosomia. This case-control study included 58 nondiabetic macrosomic and 59 normal birth weight mother-infant pairs. Data were collected from interviews and our hospital's database. BDNF gene expression was quantified in placental tissues using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (n = 117). Umbilical cord blood BDNF levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (n = 90). Multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations between BDNF levels and macrosomia. Placental BDNF gene expression (P = 0.026) and cord blood BDNF (P = 0.008) were lower in neonates with nondiabetic macrosomia than in normal birth weight controls. Cord blood BDNF was significantly lower in vaginally delivered macrosomic neonates than vaginally delivered controls (P = 0.014), but cord BDNF did not differ between vaginal and cesarean section delivery modes in macrosomic neonates. Cord blood BDNF was positively associated with gestational age in control neonates (r = 0.496, P BDNF was positively associated with placental BDNF relative expression (r s  = 0.245, P = 0.02) in the total group. Higher cord blood BDNF levels were independently associated with protection against nondiabetic macrosomia (adjusted odds ratio 0.992; 95% confidence interval 0.986-0.998). Both placental BDNF gene expression and cord blood BDNF were downregulated in neonates with nondiabetic macrosomia compared with normal birth weight neonates. Cord BDNF may partly derive from BDNF secreted by the placenta. Higher cord plasma BDNF levels protected against nondiabetic macrosomia.

  13. Correlation of routine haematological parameters between normal maternal blood and the cord blood of healthy newborns in selected hospitals of karachi

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qaiser, D.H.; Ghori, G.M.; Sandila, M.P.; Omair, A.

    2013-01-01

    Objective: To determine any significant correlation between the routine haematological parameters of maternal blood and umbilical cord blood of their respective newborns. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at four public and private hospitals of Karachi including Sindh Government Qatar Hospital, Sindh Government Hospital, Liaquatabad, Ziauddin University Hospital and Chinniot Maternity and Child Hospital, respectively from July 2006 to April 2008. Methodology: Three milliliters venous blood was collected in EDTA containing tube for complete blood count of mothers before delivery. Five milliliters cord blood was collected from the umbilical cord of the babies immediately after delivery by clamping and cutting the babies' end of the cord. For haematological parameters a standard coultergram was done including haemoglobin, RBCs count, haematocrit (HCT), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), white blood cell count, differential leukocyte count and platelet count. Pearson's correlation co-efficient was used to determine an association between the maternal and cord blood parameters. Results: A total of 404 maternal and umbilical cord blood samples were analyzed. All the blood parameters including haemoglobin, RBCs count, HCT, MCV, MCH, white blood cell count, differential leukocyte count and platelet count were found to be high in cord blood as compared to the maternal blood, but they showed a very weak to negligible correlation. Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), showed a moderate correlation. Conclusion: Routine haematological parameters of newborns are independent of maternal routine haematological parameters. (author)

  14. Cord Blood-Derived Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells: Current Challenges in Engraftment, Infection, and Ex Vivo Expansion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katsuhiro Kita

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Umbilical cord blood has served as an alternative to bone marrow for hematopoietic transplantation since the late 1980s. Numerous clinical studies have proven the efficacy of umbilical cord blood. Moreover, the possible immaturity of cells in umbilical cord blood gives more options to recipients with HLA mismatch and allows for the use of umbilical cord blood from unrelated donors. However, morbidity and mortality rates associated with hematopoietic malignancies still remain relatively high, even after cord blood transplantation. Infections and relapse are the major causes of death after cord blood transplantation in patients with hematopoietic diseases. Recently, new strategies have been introduced to improve these major problems. Establishing better protocols for simple isolation of primitive cells and ex vivo expansion will also be very important. In this short review, we discuss several recent promising findings related to the technical improvement of cord blood transplantation.

  15. Transient spontaneous engraftment of CD34 hematopoietic cord blood stem cells as seen in peripheral blood: treatment of leprosy patients with anemia by placental umbilical cord whole blood transfusion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharya, N

    2006-01-01

    Cord blood, because of its rich mix of fetal and adult hemoglobin, high platelet and white blood cell (WBC) counts, and a plasma filled with cytokine and growth factors, as well as its hypoantigenic nature and altered metabolic profile, has all the potential of a real and safe alternative to adult blood transfusion. Our experience of 74 units (50 ml-146 ml mean, 86 ml +/- 7.6 ml SD, median 80 ml, mean packed cell volume 48 +/- 4.1 SD, mean percent hemoglobin concentration 16.2 g/dl +/- 1.8 g/dl of placental umbilical cord whole blood collection (from 1 April 1999) after lower uterine cesarean section (LUCS) from consenting mothers and transfusion of the same to 16 informed, consenting patients with percent plasma hemoglobin 8 g/dl or less, is presented here. After collection the blood was immediately preserved in the refrigerator and transfused within 72 hours of collection. Fifteen males and one female, aged 12-72 yrs (mean 48.4 yrs) participated: five cases were pausibacillary type (PB) and 11 cases were multibacillary type (MB). The clinical spectrum of the cases varied widely from the tuberculoid to the lepromatous type and one patient presented with gangrene of the leg preceding an auto amputation which was infested with maggots. Each case was approved by the institutional ethical committee and received two to eight units of freshly collected placental umbilical cord blood in one transfusion without encountering any clinical, immunological or non-immunological reaction. Seven days after completion of the placental umbilical cord blood transfusion, the peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell (CD34) estimation revealed a rise from the pretransfusion base level (.09%), varying from 3.6% to 16.2%, in 75% of the cases, without provoking any clinical graft vs host reaction in any of the leprosy victims. This value returned to normal within three months in most cases.

  16. Propitious Therapeutic Modulators to Prevent Blood-Spinal Cord Barrier Disruption in Spinal Cord Injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Hemant; Ropper, Alexander E; Lee, Soo-Hong; Han, Inbo

    2017-07-01

    The blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) is a specialized protective barrier that regulates the movement of molecules between blood vessels and the spinal cord parenchyma. Analogous to the blood-brain barrier (BBB), the BSCB plays a crucial role in maintaining the homeostasis and internal environmental stability of the central nervous system (CNS). After spinal cord injury (SCI), BSCB disruption leads to inflammatory cell invasion such as neutrophils and macrophages, contributing to permanent neurological disability. In this review, we focus on the major proteins mediating the BSCB disruption or BSCB repair after SCI. This review is composed of three parts. Section 1. SCI and the BSCB of the review describes critical events involved in the pathophysiology of SCI and their correlation with BSCB integrity/disruption. Section 2. Major proteins involved in BSCB disruption in SCI focuses on the actions of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), angiopoietins (Angs), bradykinin, nitric oxide (NO), and endothelins (ETs) in BSCB disruption and repair. Section 3. Therapeutic approaches discusses the major therapeutic compounds utilized to date for the prevention of BSCB disruption in animal model of SCI through modulation of several proteins.

  17. Therapeutic potential of umbilical cord blood cells for type 1 diabetes mellitus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Binbin; Li, Xia; Yu, Haibo; Zhou, Zhiguang

    2015-11-01

    Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a chronic disorder that results from autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic islet β-cells. However, to date, no conventional intervention has successfully treated the disease. The optimal therapeutic method for T1DM should effectively control the autoimmunity, restore immune homeostasis, preserve residual β-cells, reverse β-cell destruction, and protect the regenerated insulin-producing cells against re-attack. Umbilical cord blood is rich in regulatory T (T(reg)) cells and multiple types of stem cells that exhibit immunomodulating potential and hold promise in their ability to restore peripheral tolerance towards pancreatic islet β-cells through remodeling of immune responses and suppression of autoreactive T cells. Recently, reinfusion of autologous umbilical cord blood or immune cells from cord blood has been proposed as a novel therapy for T1DM, with the advantages of no risk to the donors, minimal ethical concerns, a low incidence of graft-versus-host disease and easy accessibility. In this review, we revisit the role of autologous umbilical cord blood or immune cells from cord blood-based applications for the treatment of T1DM. © 2015 Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  18. Impairment of T-regulatory cells in cord blood of atopic mothers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaub, Bianca; Liu, Jing; Höppler, Sabine; Haug, Severine; Sattler, Christine; Lluis, Anna; Illi, Sabina; von Mutius, Erika

    2008-06-01

    Maternal atopy is a strong predictor for the development of childhood allergic diseases. The underlying mechanisms are ill defined, yet regulatory T (Treg) and T(H)17 cells may play a key role potentially shaping the early immune system toward a proallergic or antiallergic immune regulation. We examined T(H)1/T(H)2, Treg, and T(H)17 cell responses to innate (lipid A/peptidoglycan) and mitogen/adaptive (phytohemagglutinin/Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus 1) immune stimulation in cord blood from offspring of atopic/nonatopic mothers. Cord blood mononuclear cells from 161 healthy neonates (59% nonatopic, 41% atopic mothers) were investigated regarding Treg and T(H)17 cells (mRNA/surface markers), suppressive function, and proliferation/cytokine secretion. Cord blood from offspring of atopic mothers showed fewer innate-induced Treg cells (CD4(+)CD25(+)high), lower mRNA expression of associated markers (glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor-related protein/lymphocyte activation gene 3; P cell function was impaired in mitogen-induced suppression of T effector cells in cord blood of offspring from atopic mothers (P = .03). Furthermore, IL-10 and IFN-gamma secretion were decreased in innate-stimulated cord blood of offspring from atopic mothers (P = .04/.05). Innate-induced IL-17 was independent of maternal atopy and highly correlated with IL-13 secretion. In offspring of atopic mothers, Treg cell numbers, expression, and function were impaired at birth. T(H)17 cells were correlated with T(H)2 cells, independently of maternal atopy.

  19. The effect of the colostral cells on gene expression of cytokines in cord blood cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hrdý, Jiří; Novotná, Olga; Kocourková, Ingrid; Prokešová, Ludmila

    2017-11-01

    Beneficial effect of maternal milk is acknowledged, but there is still question whether maternal milk from allergic mother is as good as from healthy one. In our study, we have assayed the effect of cells from colostrum of healthy and allergic mothers on gene expression of cytokines in cord blood cells of newborns of healthy and allergic mothers. Cytokines typical for Th1 (IL-2, IFN-gamma), Th2 (IL-4, IL-13), Tregs (IL-10, TGF-beta), and IL-8 were followed. We were not able to detect significant influence of colostral cells on gene expression of cytokines in cord blood after 2-day coculture using Transwell system. There was no difference in gene expression of cytokines in nonstimulated cord blood cells of newborns of healthy and allergic mothers, but generally increased gene expression of cytokines except IL-10 and TGF-beta after polyclonal stimulation was detected in cord blood cells of children of allergic mothers. There was no difference in IL-10 expression in stimulated cord blood cells of children of healthy and allergic mothers. Gene expression of TGF-beta was even decreased in stimulated cord blood cells of children of allergic mothers in comparison to healthy ones. We have not observed difference in the capacity of colostral cells of healthy and allergic mothers to influence gene expression of cytokines in cord blood cells, but we have described difference in the reactivity of cord blood cells between children of allergic and healthy mothers.

  20. The relationship between cord blood immunoglobulin E levels and allergy-related outcomes in young adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Purvee S; Wegienka, Ganesa; Havstad, Suzanne; Johnson, Christine Cole; Ownby, Dennis R; Zoratti, Edward M

    2011-03-01

    Elevated cord blood IgE may be associated with a higher risk of allergic disease. To determine whether cord blood IgE is associated with allergic biomarkers or allergic disorders in young adults. Data was collected from 670 subjects 18-21 years of age that were among 835 original participants in the Detroit Childhood Allergy Study, a general risk, population-based birth cohort. Cord blood IgE was assessed in relation to biomarkers associated with allergy and asthma including total IgE, allergen-specific IgE, blood eosinophilia, and spirometry. Cord blood IgE was also analyzed for associations to subsequent allergic disease including atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, and asthma. Cord blood IgE, analyzed as a continuous measure, was modestly correlated with total IgE (r = 0.18, P Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Fostering public cord blood banking and research in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isasi, Rosario; Dalpe, Gratien; Knoppers, Bartha M

    2013-12-01

    In June 2013, Canadian Blood Services (CBS) established the National Public Cord Blood Bank (NPCBB) accessible to Canadian and international patients and researchers. The NPCBB promotes efforts that contribute to research and improved clinical care by making units not suitable for banking or transplantation available for research. In the context of the NPCBB of the CBS, this article will focus on the practical tools (e.g., consent protocols) developed to optimize umbilical cord blood (UCB) banking and research while enabling ethical provenance of UCB stem cells. The Canadian approach represents an ideal model for comparison as it is a country in which the national public bank (and other regional/provincial public banks) coexists with private companies.

  2. Evaluation of the impact of banking umbilical cord blood units with high cell dose for ethnically diverse patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stritesky, Gretta; Wadsworth, Kimberly; Duffy, Merry; Buck, Kelly; Dehn, Jason

    2018-02-01

    Umbilical cord blood units provide an important stem cell source for transplantation, particularly for patients of ethnic diversity who may not have suitably matched available, adult-unrelated donors. However, with the cost of cord blood unit acquisition from public banks significantly higher than that for adult-unrelated donors, attention is focused on decreasing cost yet still providing cord blood units to patients in need. Historical practices of banking units with low total nucleated cell counts, including units with approximately 90 × 10 7 total nucleated cells, indicates that most banked cord blood units have much lower total nucleated cell counts than are required for transplant. The objective of this study was to determine the impact on the ability to identify suitable cord blood units for transplantation if the minimum total nucleated cell count for banking were increased from 90 × 10 7 to 124 or 149 × 10 7 . We analyzed ethnically diverse patients (median age, 3 years) who underwent transplantation of a single cord blood unit in 2005 to 2016. A cord blood unit search was evaluated to identify units with equal or greater human leukocyte antigen matching and a greater total nucleated cell count than that of the transplanted cord blood unit (the replacement cord blood unit). If the minimum total nucleated cell count for banking increased to 124 or 149 × 10 7 , then from 75 to 80% of patients would still have at least 1 replacement cord blood unit in the current (2016) cord blood unit inventory. The best replacement cord blood units were often found among cords with the same ethnic background as the patient. The current data suggest that, if the minimum total nucleated cell count were increased for banking, then it would likely lead to an inventory of more desirable cord blood units while having minimal impact on the identification of suitable cord blood units for transplantation. © 2017 AABB.

  3. Arterial cord blood lactate at birth correlates with duration of pushing efforts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dessolle, Lionel; Lebrec, Jeremie; Daraï, Emile

    2010-01-01

    To evaluate the impact of the duration of pushing efforts on arterial cord blood lactate values. This was a prospective observational study of 124 consecutive normal vaginal deliveries in a tertiary teaching hospital. Arterial cord blood lactate was determined immediately at birth with a test strip method. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to check for clinical determinants of lactate levels. The main measure was lactate according to the duration of pushing efforts. Arterial cord lactates increased significantly and were strongly correlated with the duration of pushing efforts, independent of gestational age and birthweight. Women pushing for more than 20 min had higher arterial cord blood lactates (4.9 +/- 1.4 vs. 3.3 +/- 1.16 mM, respectively) and a higher rate of lactates >6 mM (18 vs. 3%) than those pushing for less than 20 min. At normal delivery, arterial cord blood lactates increase significantly with the duration of pushing efforts. Pushing for more than 20 min is associated with an increased risk of metabolic acidosis in the neonate. Further studies are required to evaluate the clinical significance of these observations. 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  4. Quantitation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in dried blood spots by 2D LC-MS/MS without derivatization and correlation with serum in adult and pediatric studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jensen, Berit P; Saraf, Rajneeta; Ma, Jing; Berry, Sarah; Grant, Cameron C; Camargo, Carlos A; Sies, Christiaan W

    2018-06-01

    Demand for measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) is growing and dried blood spot (DBS) sampling is attractive as samples are easier to collect, transport and store. A 2D LC-MS/MS assay without derivatization was developed. DBS punches (3.2 mm) were ultrasonicated with d 6 -25OHD 3 in 70% methanol followed by hexane extraction, dry-down and reconstitution. The assay was validated and applied to two studies comparing whole blood adult DBS with serum samples (n = 40) and neonatal whole blood DBS with cord serum samples (n = 80). The assay was validated in whole blood DBS over the range 13-106 nmol/L 25OHD 3 and 11-91 nmol/L 25OHD 2 with a limit of detection of 3 nmol/L. Intra- and inter-day imprecision was <13% CV and bias <12%. The assay had high recovery and minimal matrix effects. Triplicate DBS study samples had a mean CV of ≤13% for 25OHD 3. No 25OHD 2 was detected. DBS calculated serum 25OHD 3 concentrations correlated strongly with serum concentrations in the adult DBS/serum study (r = 0.94) and moderately in the neonatal DBS/cord serum study (r = 0.69). Direct quantitation of 25OHD in DBS by 2D LC-MS/MS without derivatization was found to be an alternative to serum quantitation applicable to clinical research studies on adult DBS samples. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Determine Multiple Elements Simultaneously in the Sera of Umbilical Cord Blood Samples-a Very Simple Method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Chunmei; Li, Zhijuan; Xia, Xun; Wang, Qunan; Tao, Ruiwen; Tao, Yiran; Xiang, Haiyun; Tong, Shilu; Tao, Fangbiao

    2017-05-01

    Analyzing the concentrations of heavy metals in the sera of umbilical cord blood samples can provide useful information about prenatal exposure to environmental agents. An analytical method based on ICP-MS to simultaneously determine multiple elements in umbilical cord blood samples was developed for assessing the in utero exposure to metallic and metalloid elements. The method only required as little as 100 μL of serum diluted 1:25 for direct analysis. Matrix-matched protocol was used to eliminate mass matrix interference and kinetic energy discrimination mode was used to eliminate the polyatomic ion interference. The assay was completed on average within 4 min with the detection limits ranging from 0.0002 to 44.4 μg/L for all the targeted elements. The detection rates for most of elements were 100 % other than cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg). The testing results of the certified reference materials were ideal. The method is simple and sensitive, so it is suitable for the monitoring of large quantities of samples.

  6. Cord blood full blood count parameters in Lagos, Nigeria | Adewumi ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Due to its usefulness in the assessment of health status of individuals, its parameters in cord blood, a major source of haemopoietic stem cell transplantation and an ideal source for laboratory investigations for newborns were determined to provide a useful guide to local neonatologists and stem cell transplant physicians.

  7. Comparison of the Blood Level OF Leptin in Umbilical Cord of Newborns of Mothers With Gestational Diabetes and Normal Mothers and Its Relationship With Growth Indices of Newborns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aramesh

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Background Diabetes is defined as an abnormal increase in blood glucose levels and is the most common disease that can complicate pregnancy. Leptin, a hormone produced mainly in adipose tissue, plays an important role in preventing fat accumulation in tissues such as skeletal muscle and myocardium and can be used to evaluate changes in lipid levels effectively. Leptin cannot cross the placental barrier, and its level in the umbilical cord is of fetal origin. Objectives Due to the lack of similar studies in Ahvaz, we aimed to determine the relationship between umbilical blood levels of this hormone with growth indices of newborns with normal mothers and mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM. Materials and Methods After delivery and using the aseptic method, 5 mL of blood from the umbilical vein was taken immediately by staffs to separate serum and was then stored at −20°C. Serum level of leptin was measured using the Elisa method in two groups: “case” and “control.” All information collected in the questionnaires was analyzed using SPSS-19 software as well as other statistical methods. Results Serum leptin levels in the cord blood of mothers with GDM were significantly higher than in normal mothers. There was a significant relationship between serum leptin levels and birth weight in infants with diabetic mothers. In this study, no significant correlation was observed between cord leptin levels and other growth indices. Conclusions Changes in neonatal leptin levels can reflect changes in the body fat tissue and neonatal birth weight and could be effective in predicting weight gain in newborns with mothers who have gestational diabetes and may reduce birth trauma or future complications.

  8. Fetal Serum Metabolites Are Independently Associated with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yong-Ping Lu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Gestational diabetes (GDM might be associated with alterations in the metabolomic profile of affected mothers and their offspring. Until now, there is a paucity of studies that investigated both, the maternal and the fetal serum metabolome in the setting of GDM. Mounting evidence suggests that the fetus is not just passively affected by gestational disease but might play an active role in it. Metabolomic studies performed in maternal blood and fetal cord blood could help to better discern distinct fetal from maternal disease interactions. Methods: At the time of birth, serum samples from mothers and newborns (cord blood samples were collected and screened for 163 metabolites utilizing tandem mass spectrometry. The cohort consisted of 412 mother/child pairs, including 31 cases of maternal GDM. Results: An initial non-adjusted analysis showed that eight metabolites in the maternal blood and 54 metabolites in the cord blood were associated with GDM. After Benjamini-Hochberg (BH procedure and adjustment for confounding factors for GDM, fetal phosphatidylcholine acyl-alkyl C 32: 1 and proline still showed an independent association with GDM. Conclusions: This study found metabolites in cord blood which were associated with GDM, even after adjustment for established risk factors of GDM. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study demonstrating an independent association between fetal serum metabolites and maternal GDM. Our findings might suggest a potential effect of the fetal metabolome on maternal GDM.

  9. Umbilical cord blood lactate: a valuable tool in the assessment of fetal metabolic acidosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gjerris, Anne Cathrine Roslev; Staer-Jensen, Jette; Jørgensen, Jan Stener

    2008-01-01

    The aim of the present study was (1) to evaluate the relationship between umbilical cord arterial blood lactate and pH, standard base excess (SBE), and actual base excess (ABE) at delivery and (2) to suggest a cut-off level of umbilical cord arterial blood lactate in predicting fetal asphyxia usi...... ROC-curves, where an ABE value less than -12 was used as "gold standard" for significant intrapartum asphyxia.......The aim of the present study was (1) to evaluate the relationship between umbilical cord arterial blood lactate and pH, standard base excess (SBE), and actual base excess (ABE) at delivery and (2) to suggest a cut-off level of umbilical cord arterial blood lactate in predicting fetal asphyxia using...

  10. Banking or Bankrupting: Strategies for Sustaining the Economic Future of Public Cord Blood Banks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magalon, Jeremy; Maiers, Martin; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Navarrete, Cristina; Rubinstein, Pablo; Brown, Colin; Schramm, Catherine; Larghero, Jérome; Katsahian, Sandrine; Chabannon, Christian; Picard, Christophe; Platz, Alexander; Schmidt, Alexander; Katz, Gregory

    2015-01-01

    Cord blood is an important source of stem cells. However, nearly 90% of public cord blood banks have declared that they are struggling to maintain their financial sustainability and avoid bankruptcy. The objective of this study is to evaluate how characteristics of cord blood units influence their utilization, then use this information to model the economic viability and therapeutic value of different banking strategies. Retrospective analysis of cord blood data registered between January 1st, 2009 and December 31st, 2011 in Bone Marrow Donor Worldwide. Data were collected from four public banks in France, Germany and the USA. Samples were eligible for inclusion in the analysis if data on cord blood and maternal HLA typing and biological characteristics after processing were available (total nucleated and CD34+ cell counts). 9,396 banked cord blood units were analyzed, of which 5,815 were Caucasian in origin. A multivariate logistic regression model assessed the influence of three parameters on the CBU utilization rate: ethnic background, total nucleated and CD34+ cell counts. From this model, we elaborated a Utilization Score reflecting the probability of transplantation for each cord blood unit. We stratified three Utilization Score thresholds representing four different banking strategies, from the least selective (scenario A) to the most selective (scenario D). We measured the cost-effectiveness ratio for each strategy by comparing performance in terms of number of transplanted cord blood units and level of financial deficit. When comparing inputs and outputs over three years, Scenario A represented the most extreme case as it delivered the highest therapeutic value for patients (284 CBUs transplanted) along with the highest financial deficit (USD 5.89 million). We found that scenario C resulted in 219 CBUs transplanted with a limited deficit (USD 0.98 million) that charities and public health could realistically finance over the long term. We also found that

  11. Banking or Bankrupting: Strategies for Sustaining the Economic Future of Public Cord Blood Banks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magalon, Jeremy; Maiers, Martin; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Navarrete, Cristina; Rubinstein, Pablo; Brown, Colin; Schramm, Catherine; Larghero, Jérome; Katsahian, Sandrine; Chabannon, Christian; Picard, Christophe; Platz, Alexander; Schmidt, Alexander; Katz, Gregory

    2015-01-01

    Background Cord blood is an important source of stem cells. However, nearly 90% of public cord blood banks have declared that they are struggling to maintain their financial sustainability and avoid bankruptcy. The objective of this study is to evaluate how characteristics of cord blood units influence their utilization, then use this information to model the economic viability and therapeutic value of different banking strategies. Methods Retrospective analysis of cord blood data registered between January 1st, 2009 and December 31st, 2011 in Bone Marrow Donor Worldwide. Data were collected from four public banks in France, Germany and the USA. Samples were eligible for inclusion in the analysis if data on cord blood and maternal HLA typing and biological characteristics after processing were available (total nucleated and CD34+ cell counts). 9,396 banked cord blood units were analyzed, of which 5,815 were Caucasian in origin. A multivariate logistic regression model assessed the influence of three parameters on the CBU utilization rate: ethnic background, total nucleated and CD34+ cell counts. From this model, we elaborated a Utilization Score reflecting the probability of transplantation for each cord blood unit. We stratified three Utilization Score thresholds representing four different banking strategies, from the least selective (scenario A) to the most selective (scenario D). We measured the cost-effectiveness ratio for each strategy by comparing performance in terms of number of transplanted cord blood units and level of financial deficit. Results When comparing inputs and outputs over three years, Scenario A represented the most extreme case as it delivered the highest therapeutic value for patients (284 CBUs transplanted) along with the highest financial deficit (USD 5.89 million). We found that scenario C resulted in 219 CBUs transplanted with a limited deficit (USD 0.98 million) that charities and public health could realistically finance over the long

  12. Banking or Bankrupting: Strategies for Sustaining the Economic Future of Public Cord Blood Banks.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeremy Magalon

    Full Text Available Cord blood is an important source of stem cells. However, nearly 90% of public cord blood banks have declared that they are struggling to maintain their financial sustainability and avoid bankruptcy. The objective of this study is to evaluate how characteristics of cord blood units influence their utilization, then use this information to model the economic viability and therapeutic value of different banking strategies.Retrospective analysis of cord blood data registered between January 1st, 2009 and December 31st, 2011 in Bone Marrow Donor Worldwide. Data were collected from four public banks in France, Germany and the USA. Samples were eligible for inclusion in the analysis if data on cord blood and maternal HLA typing and biological characteristics after processing were available (total nucleated and CD34+ cell counts. 9,396 banked cord blood units were analyzed, of which 5,815 were Caucasian in origin. A multivariate logistic regression model assessed the influence of three parameters on the CBU utilization rate: ethnic background, total nucleated and CD34+ cell counts. From this model, we elaborated a Utilization Score reflecting the probability of transplantation for each cord blood unit. We stratified three Utilization Score thresholds representing four different banking strategies, from the least selective (scenario A to the most selective (scenario D. We measured the cost-effectiveness ratio for each strategy by comparing performance in terms of number of transplanted cord blood units and level of financial deficit.When comparing inputs and outputs over three years, Scenario A represented the most extreme case as it delivered the highest therapeutic value for patients (284 CBUs transplanted along with the highest financial deficit (USD 5.89 million. We found that scenario C resulted in 219 CBUs transplanted with a limited deficit (USD 0.98 million that charities and public health could realistically finance over the long term. We also

  13. Umbilical Cord Blood-Derived Mononuclear Cells Exhibit Pericyte-Like Phenotype and Support Network Formation of Endothelial Progenitor Cells In Vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peters, Erica B; Liu, Betty; Christoforou, Nicolas; West, Jennifer L; Truskey, George A

    2015-10-01

    Umbilical cord blood represents a promising cell source for pro-angiogenic therapies. The present study examined the potential of mononuclear cells (MNCs) from umbilical cord blood to support endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) microvessel formation. MNCs were isolated from the cord blood of 20 separate donors and selected for further characterization based upon their proliferation potential and morphological resemblance to human vascular pericytes (HVPs). MNCs were screened for their ability to support EPC network formation using an in vitro assay (Matrigel™) as well as a reductionist, coculture system consisting of no additional angiogenic cytokines beyond those present in serum. In less than 15% of the isolations, we identified a population of highly proliferative MNCs that phenotypically resembled HVPs as assessed by expression of PDGFR-β, NG2, α-SMA, and ephrin-B2. Within a Matrigel™ system, MNCs demonstrated pericyte-like function through colocalization to EPC networks and similar effects as HVPs upon total EPC tubule length (p = 0.95) and number of branch points (p = 0.93). In a reductionist coculture system, MNCs served as pro-angiogenic mural cells by supporting EPC network formation to a significantly greater extent than HVP cocultures, by day 14 of coculture, as evidenced through EPC total tubule length (p < 0.0001) and number of branch points (p < 0.0001). Our findings are significant as we demonstrate mural cell progenitors can be isolated from umbilical cord blood and develop culture conditions to support their use in microvascular tissue engineering applications.

  14. [Diagnostic significance of serum free DNA human telomerase reverse transcriptase quantitative determination on spinal cord injury].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, M K; Tang, J; Xiang, Z; Zhang, X; Wang, J; Li, Z; Li, Y; Sheng, W B

    2018-02-06

    Objective: To investigate the relationship between the content of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) and its clinical features in serum free DNA in patients with different degree of spinal cord injury. Methods: From December 2013 to December 2016, inpatients of the Central Hospital of Bazhong, Sichuan Province were enrolledand divided into the experimental group, the disease control group and the negative control group. For the experimental group: 46 patients with spinal cord injury were graded according to the criteria of the American Association of Spinal Cord Injury (ASIA), including 12 cases of grade A, 10 cases of grade B, 10 cases of grade C, 7 cases of grade D and 7 cases of grade E; for the disease control group: 15 patients with spinal fractures (without spinal cord injury) at the same period were included; and for the negative control group: 20 healthy adult volunteers aged 18-50 years were selected.Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and immunoblotting were performed to detect the content of hTERT in serum free DNA both in patients and healthy controls and to compare the difference between them. The results of the somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) of all patients were compared and analyzed.The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the diagnostic value of hTERT content in serum free DNA in patients with spinal cord injury. Results: Comparison of serum free DNA hTERT content: in the experimental group, the serum free DNA hTERT content of grade A, B, C, D, E was (99.63±8.23), (76.24±4.37), (46.07±5.43), (16.30±0.95) and (15.74±1.12)μg/L, respectively.While it was (15.01±1.39)μg/L in the disease control group and (14.54±1.03)μg/L in the negative control group. The total difference was statistically significant between patients of each group and the control group ( F =857.917, P spinal cord injury has a certain guiding significance for the diagnosis of spinal cord injury and the degree of injury.

  15. Complete Blood Count Reference Values of Cord Blood in Taiwan and the Influence of Gender and Delivery Route on Them

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu-Hsun Chang

    2011-06-01

    Conclusion: We successfully obtained the normal CBC and WBC DC reference values of the cord blood in Taiwan. Gender and delivery routes were important confounding factors that influenced the cord blood CBC and WBC DC values.

  16. [THE USE AND STORAGE OF STEM CELLS AND CORD BLOOD: FRENCH AND ENGLISH LAW COMPARATIVE APPROACH].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madanamoothoo, Allane

    2015-07-01

    Becoming parents is one of the greatest wishes of a lot of couples. When their dreams come true, prior to the birth of the child, parents have to face several points: the choice of the name, place of delivery, breast or bottle feeding, etc. Recently, they have to face the issues of cord blood stem cells. Researchers and cord blood banks are also interested in those cells. In many countries a lot of advertising is made around umbilical cord blood stem cells. In France as in England, the use and preservation of cord blood are regulated by the legislators without necessarily having the same approach. The objective of this paper is to present English and French law approaches' on cord blood stem cells.

  17. Association of serum uric acid with blood urea and serum creatinine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haq, A.U.; Ahmad, Z.; Rehman, J.U.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Hyperuricemia can cause serious health problems including renal insufficiency. Hyperuricemia is associated with many diseases including Hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertriglyceridemia and Obesity. Objective of the present study was to study the Association of Serum Uric Acid with Blood Urea and Serum Creatinine. Methods: Eighty subjects, aged above 40, having blood urea more than 40 mg/dl and serum Creatinine more than 1.3 mg/dl were selected. 52.5 % subjects were male. Eighty subjects were selected as control group matching the age and sex with study group with normal blood urea and serum Creatinine. Results: Serum Uric Acid was found to be raised in 33 patients. Mean Serum Uric Acid value was 6.98+-2.021 in males (p<0.05) and 5.054+-2.324 in females (p<0.05). Conclusion: Serum Uric Acid is raised in patients with impaired renal function (p<0.05). Levels of increased Serum Uric Acid were not significantly associated with the cause of renal disease. (author)

  18. Effect of intrauterine resuscitation on umbilical cord blood parameters of full-term fetal distress and evaluation of neonatal nerve function

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mei-Hao Luo

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To study the effect of intrauterine resuscitation on umbilical cord blood parameters of fullterm fetal distress and neonatal nerve function. Methods: A total of 74 cases of women who gave birth in Gynecology and Obstetrics Department of our hospital and had fetal distress during labor from February 2008 to October 2010 were selected for study and randomly divided into two groups, observation group received intrauterine resuscitation, control group received conventional treatment, and then contents of umbilical arterial blood gas parameters and cytokines of two groups of patients, contents of serum nerve injury molecules of neonates as well as neonatal asphyxia condition and nerve function were compared. Results: pH value, PO2 and HCO3- in umbilical cord blood of observation group were higher than those of control group, and PCO2 and BE absolute value were lower than those of control group; IL-6, IL-8 and IFN-γ contents in umbilical arterial blood and umbilical venous blood of observation group of patients were significantly lower than those of control group; 1 d, 3 d, 5 d and 7 d after birth, serum NSE and S-100 protein contents of observation group of neonates were significantly lower than those of control group; neonatal asphyxia condition and nerve function were better than those of control group. Conclusion: Intrauterine resuscitation can improve intrauterine fetal anoxia and reduce acidosis while reduce neonatal nerve function injury and prevent neonatal asphyxia, and it is an ideal method to treat full-term fetal distress.

  19. Inflammatory markers in umbilical cord blood from small-for-gestational-age newborns

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lausten-Thomsen, Ulrik; Olsen, Marianne; Greisen, Gorm

    2014-01-01

    This study investigates the role of inflammation in intrauterine growth retardation by exploring the levels of inflammatory markers in umbilical cord blood from neonates who were born small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and comparing them to neonates who were born appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA...... of elevated inflammatory markers in the cord blood from SGA infants compared to AGA infants, and consequently the results suggest an inflammatory component in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).......This study investigates the role of inflammation in intrauterine growth retardation by exploring the levels of inflammatory markers in umbilical cord blood from neonates who were born small-for-gestational-age (SGA) and comparing them to neonates who were born appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA...

  20. Survival of cord blood haematopoietic stem cells in a hyaluronan hydrogel for ex vivo biomimicry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demange, Elise; Kassim, Yusra; Petit, Cyrille; Buquet, Catherine; Dulong, Virginie; Cerf, Didier Le; Buchonnet, Gérard; Vannier, Jean-Pierre

    2013-11-01

    Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and haematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) grow in a specified niche in close association with the microenvironment, the so-called 'haematopoietic niche'. Scaffolds have been introduced to overcome the liquid culture limitations, mimicking the presence of the extracellular matrix (ECM). In the present study the hyaluronic acid scaffold, already developed in the laboratory, has been used for the first time to maintain long-term cultures of CD34⁺ haematopoietic cells obtained from human cord blood. One parameter investigated was the impact on ex vivo survival of CD34⁺ cord blood cells (CBCs) on the hyaluronic acid surface, immobilized with peptides containing the RGD motif. This peptide was conjugated by coating the hyaluronan hydrogel and cultured in serum-free liquid phase complemented with stem cell factor (SCF), a commonly indispensable cytokine for haematopoiesis. Our work demonstrated that these hyaluronan hydrogels were superior to traditional liquid cultures by maintaining and expanding the HPCs without the need for additional cytokines, and a colonization of 280-fold increment in the hydrogel compared with liquid culture after 28 days of ex vivo expansion. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  1. Incorporating placental tissue in cord blood banking for stem cell transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teofili, Luciana; Silini, Antonietta R; Bianchi, Maria; Valentini, Caterina Giovanna; Parolini, Ornella

    2018-06-01

    Human term placenta is comprised of various tissues from which different cell populations can be obtained, including hematopoietic stem cells and mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs). Areas covered: This review will discuss the possibility to incorporate placental tissue cells in cord blood banking. It will discuss general features of human placenta, with a brief review of the immune cells at the fetal-maternal interface and the different cell populations isolated from placenta, with a particular focus on MSCs. It will address the question as to why placenta-derived MSCs should be banked with their hematopoietic counterparts. It will discuss clinical trials which are studying safety and efficacy of placenta tissue-derived MSCs in selected diseases, and preclinical studies which have proven their therapeutic properties in other diseases. It will discuss banking of umbilical cord blood and raise several issues for improvement, and the applications of cord blood cells in non-malignant disorders. Expert Commentary: Umbilical cord blood banking saves lives worldwide. The concomitant banking of non-hematopoietic cells from placenta, which could be applied therapeutically in the future, alone or in combination to their hematopoietic counterparts, could exploit current banking processes while laying the foundation for clinical trials exploring placenta-derived cell therapies in regenerative medicine.

  2. Pregnant women's knowledge and attitudes about stem cells and cord blood banking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dinç, H; Sahin, N H

    2009-06-01

    This study was to determine pregnant women's knowledge and attitudes towards stem cells and cord blood banking in Istanbul, Turkey. Stem cell research is one of the most important and, at the same time, the most controversial topics of science and technology today. Nurses need to understand stem cell research so they can enter the debate on this issue. They can become important sources of information in order to help parents understand the issues. This exploratory descriptive study was conducted in two antenatal outpatient clinics in Istanbul. The sample consisted of 334 pregnant women during routine prenatal visits. Data were collected in interviews by using an interview form developed by the researchers according to the literature. The form included demographic characteristics of participants and 20 questions about stem cells, storing cord blood and banking and 10 independent attitude statements. The majority of the participants had a lack of knowledge about stem cells and cord blood banking and wanted more information. Before pregnancy, they received some information through the media (newspaper, Internet, television, etc.), but unintentionally. It was determined that they wanted information before becoming pregnant, more from their obstetrician but also from nurses and midwives. The majority also wanted to store their infants' cord blood and stated that they would be more likely to choose a public cord blood bank. Those giving ante- and perinatal care need to offer accurate and scientific counselling services on this subject to parents who need to be informed.

  3. Angiogenic Factors in Cord Blood of Preterm Infants Predicts Subsequently Developing Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wen-Chien Yang

    2015-12-01

    Conclusion: Cord blood level of PlGF, rather than VEGF or sFlt-1, was significantly increased in the BPD group. Consistent with our previous report, cord blood level of PlGF may be considered as a biomarker to predict subsequently developing BPD in preterm infants.

  4. Tuberculin purified protein derivative-reactive T cells in cord blood lymphocytes.

    OpenAIRE

    Shiratsuchi, H; Tsuyuguchi, I

    1981-01-01

    Lymphocytes obtained from cord blood of newborn babies who were born of healthy mothers were studied in vitro for their responsiveness to purified protein derivative (PPD) of tuberculin. Cord blood lymphocytes proliferated in vitro by stimulation with PPD, despite wide variations in the results. Studies with fractionated lymphocytes revealed that PPD-responding cells belonged to E-rosetting, nylon wool-nonadherent T lymphocytes. Non-E-rosetting B lymphocytes alone did not proliferate at all a...

  5. Transplantation of mononuclear cells from human umbilical cord blood promotes functional recovery after traumatic spinal cord injury in Wistar rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodrigues, L.P.; Iglesias, D.; Nicola, F.C.; Steffens, D.; Valentim, L.; Witczak, A.; Zanatta, G.; Achaval, M.; Pranke, P.; Netto, C.A.

    2011-01-01

    Cell transplantation is a promising experimental treatment for spinal cord injury. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of mononuclear cells from human umbilical cord blood in promoting functional recovery when transplanted after a contusion spinal cord injury. Female Wistar rats (12 weeks old) were submitted to spinal injury with a MASCIS impactor and divided into 4 groups: control, surgical control, spinal cord injury, and one cell-treated lesion group. Mononuclear cells from umbilical cord blood of human male neonates were transplanted in two experiments: a) 1 h after surgery, into the injury site at a concentration of 5 x 10 6 cells diluted in 10 µL 0.9% NaCl (N = 8-10 per group); b) into the cisterna magna, 9 days after lesion at a concentration of 5 x 10 6 cells diluted in 150 µL 0.9% NaCl (N = 12-14 per group). The transplanted animals were immunosuppressed with cyclosporin-A (10 mg/kg per day). The BBB scale was used to evaluate motor behavior and the injury site was analyzed with immunofluorescent markers to label human transplanted cells, oligodendrocytes, neurons, and astrocytes. Spinal cord injury rats had 25% loss of cord tissue and cell treatment did not affect lesion extension. Transplanted cells survived in the injured area for 6 weeks after the procedure and both transplanted groups showed better motor recovery than the untreated ones (P < 0.05). The transplantation of mononuclear cells from human umbilical cord blood promoted functional recovery with no evidence of cell differentiation

  6. Transplantation of mononuclear cells from human umbilical cord blood promotes functional recovery after traumatic spinal cord injury in Wistar rats

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rodrigues, L.P. [Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Iglesias, D. [Laboratório de Hematologia e Células-Tronco, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Nicola, F.C. [Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Steffens, D. [Laboratório de Hematologia e Células-Tronco, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Valentim, L.; Witczak, A.; Zanatta, G. [Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Achaval, M. [Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Pranke, P. [Laboratório de Hematologia e Células-Tronco, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Netto, C.A. [Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil)

    2011-12-23

    Cell transplantation is a promising experimental treatment for spinal cord injury. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of mononuclear cells from human umbilical cord blood in promoting functional recovery when transplanted after a contusion spinal cord injury. Female Wistar rats (12 weeks old) were submitted to spinal injury with a MASCIS impactor and divided into 4 groups: control, surgical control, spinal cord injury, and one cell-treated lesion group. Mononuclear cells from umbilical cord blood of human male neonates were transplanted in two experiments: a) 1 h after surgery, into the injury site at a concentration of 5 x 10{sup 6} cells diluted in 10 µL 0.9% NaCl (N = 8-10 per group); b) into the cisterna magna, 9 days after lesion at a concentration of 5 x 10{sup 6} cells diluted in 150 µL 0.9% NaCl (N = 12-14 per group). The transplanted animals were immunosuppressed with cyclosporin-A (10 mg/kg per day). The BBB scale was used to evaluate motor behavior and the injury site was analyzed with immunofluorescent markers to label human transplanted cells, oligodendrocytes, neurons, and astrocytes. Spinal cord injury rats had 25% loss of cord tissue and cell treatment did not affect lesion extension. Transplanted cells survived in the injured area for 6 weeks after the procedure and both transplanted groups showed better motor recovery than the untreated ones (P < 0.05). The transplantation of mononuclear cells from human umbilical cord blood promoted functional recovery with no evidence of cell differentiation.

  7. Cord Blood Metabolome Is Highly Associated with Birth Weight, but Less Predictive for Later Weight Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian Hellmuth

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Fetal metabolism may be changed by the exposure to maternal factors, and the route to obesity may already set in utero. Cord blood metabolites might predict growth patterns and later obesity. We aimed to characterize associations of cord blood with birth weight, postnatal weight gain, and BMI in adolescence. Methods: Over 700 cord blood samples were collected from infants participating in the German birth cohort study LISAplus. Glycerophospholipid fatty acids (GPL-FA, polar lipids, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA, and amino acids were analyzed with a targeted, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry based metabolomics platform. Cord blood metabolites were related to growth factors by linear regression models adjusted for confounding variables. Results: Cord blood metabolites were highly associated with birth weight. Lysophosphatidylcholines C16:1, C18:1, C20:3, C18:2, C20:4, C14:0, C16:0, C18:3, GPL-FA C20:3n-9, and GPL-FA C22:5n-6 were positively related to birth weight, while higher cord blood concentrations of NEFA C22:6, NEFA C20:5, GPL-FA C18:3n-3, and PCe C38:0 were associated with lower birth weight. Postnatal weight gain and BMI z-scores in adolescents were not significantly associated with cord blood metabolites after adjustment for multiple testing. Conclusion: Potential long-term programming effects of the intrauterine environment and metabolism on later health cannot be predicted with profiling of the cord blood metabolome.

  8. Prenatal exposure to lead in Spain: cord blood levels and associated factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Llop, Sabrina; Aguinagalde, Xabier; Vioque, Jesus; Ibarluzea, Jesús; Guxens, Mònica; Casas, Maribel; Murcia, Mario; Ruiz, María; Amurrio, Ascensión; Rebagliato, Marisa; Marina, Loreto Santa; Fernandez-Somoano, Ana; Tardon, Adonina; Ballester, Ferran

    2011-05-01

    Lead is a known neurotoxic. Fetuses and infants are very vulnerable to lead exposure, since their blood-brain barrier is not completely formed. Hence, there is an importance for monitoring of blood lead levels prenatally and during early infancy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prenatal exposure to lead and its association with maternal factors in four population based mother-child cohorts in Spain. The present research was carried out within the framework of the INMA project INfancia y Medio Ambiente (Environment and Childhood). A total of 1462 pregnant women were recruited between 2004 and 2008. Lead was analyzed in a sample of cord blood by thermal decomposition, amalgation, and Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. Maternal sociodemographic, lifestyle and dietary factors were obtained by questionnaires during pregnancy. A multivariate logistic regression model was constructed. The dependent variable was a dichotomous lead level variable (detected vs no detected, i.e. ≥ vs < 2μg/dL). A low percentage of cord blood samples with lead levels ≥ 2μg/dL were found (5.9%). Geometric mean and maximum were 1.06μg/dL and 19μg/dL, respectively. Smoking at the beginning of pregnancy, age, social class, weight gain during pregnancy, gravidity, and place of residence were the maternal factors associated with detectable cord blood lead levels. Mother's diet does not appear to be a determining factor of lead exposure. Nevertheless, daily intake of iron and zinc may act as a protective factor against having cord blood lead levels ≥ 2μg/dL. In the different regions of Spain taking part in this study, lead levels to which newborns are exposed are low. Mobilization of lead from bones may be the main contributor to the cord blood levels. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Mesenchymal stem cells from the Wharton's jelly of umbilical cord segments provide stromal support for the maintenance of cord blood hematopoietic stem cells during long-term ex vivo culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakhshi, Tiki; Zabriskie, Ryan C; Bodie, Shamanique; Kidd, Shannon; Ramin, Susan; Paganessi, Laura A; Gregory, Stephanie A; Fung, Henry C; Christopherson, Kent W

    2008-12-01

    Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are routinely obtained from marrow, mobilized peripheral blood, and umbilical cord blood. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are traditionally isolated from marrow. Bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) have previously demonstrated their ability to act as a feeder layer in support of ex vivo cord blood expansion. However, the use of BM-MSCs to support the growth, differentiation, and engraftment of cord blood may not be ideal for transplant purposes. Therefore, the potential of MSCs from a novel source, the Wharton's jelly of umbilical cords, to act as stromal support for the long-term culture of cord blood HSC was evaluated. Umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UC-MSCs) were cultured from the Wharton's jelly of umbilical cord segments. The UC-MSCs were then profiled for expression of 12 cell surface receptors and tested for their ability to support cord blood HSCs in a long-term culture-initiating cell (LTC-IC) assay. Upon culture, UC-MSCs express a defined set of cell surface markers (CD29, CD44, CD73, CD90, CD105, CD166, and HLA-A) and lack other markers (CD45, CD34, CD38, CD117, and HLA-DR) similar to BM-MSCs. Like BM-MSCs, UC-MSCs effectively support the growth of CD34+ cord blood cells in LTC-IC assays. These data suggest the potential therapeutic application of Wharton's jelly-derived UC-MSCs to provide stromal support structure for the long-term culture of cord blood HSCs as well as the possibility of cotransplantation of genetically identical, HLA-matched, or unmatched cord blood HSCs and UC-MSCs in the setting of HSC transplantation.

  10. Reasons for exclusion of 6820 umbilical cord blood donations in a public cord blood bank.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Tso-Fu; Wen, Shu-Hui; Yang, Kuo-Liang; Yang, Shang-Hsien; Yang, Yun-Fan; Chang, Chu-Yu; Wu, Yi-Feng; Chen, Shu-Huey

    2014-01-01

    To provide information for umbilical cord blood (UCB) banks to adopt optimal collection strategies and to make UCB banks operate efficiently, we investigated the reasons for exclusion of UCB units in a 3-year recruitment period. We analyzed records of the reasons for exclusion of the potential UCB donation from 2004 to 2006 in the Tzu-Chi Cord Blood Bank and compared the results over 3 years. We grouped these reasons for exclusion into five phases, before collection, during delivery, before processing, during processing, and after freezing according to the time sequence and analyzed the reasons at each phase. Between 2004 and 2006, there were 10,685 deliveries with the intention of UCB donation. In total, 41.2% of the UCB units were considered eligible for transplantation. The exclusion rates were 93.1, 48.4, and 54.1% in 2004, 2005, and 2006, respectively. We excluded 612 donations from women before their child birth, 133 UCB units during delivery, 80 units before processing, 5010 units during processing, and 421 units after freezing. There were 24 UCB units with unknown reasons of ineligibility. Low UCB weight and low cell count were the first two leading causes of exclusion (48.6 and 30.9%). The prevalence of artificial errors, holiday or transportation problem, low weight, and infant problems decreased year after year. The exclusion rate was high at the beginning of our study as in previous studies. Understanding the reasons for UCB exclusion may help to improve the efficiency of UCB banking programs in the future. © 2013 American Association of Blood Banks.

  11. Improved isolation protocol for equine cord blood-derived mesenchymal stromal cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Koch, Thomas Gadegaard; Thomsen, Preben Dybdahl; Betts, Dean H.

    2009-01-01

      BACKGROUND AIMS: A robust methodology for the isolation of cord blood-derived multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (CB-MSCs) from fresh umbilical cord blood has not been reported in any species. The objective of this study was to improve the isolation procedure for equine CB-MSCs. METHODS: Pre......-culture separation of red and white blood cells was done using either PrepaCyte?-EQ medium or Ficoll-Paque? PREMIUM density medium. Regular FBS and MSC-qualified FBS were compared for their ability to support the establishment of putative primary MSC colonies. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that Prepa...

  12. Optimising methods of red cell sedimentation from cord blood to maximise nucleated cell recovery prior to cryopreservation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madkaikar, M; Gupta, M; Ghosh, K; Swaminathan, S; Sonawane, L; Mohanty, D

    2007-01-01

    Human cord blood is now an established source of stem cells for haematopoietic reconstitution. Red blood cell (RBC) depletion is required to reduce the cord blood unit volume for commercial banking. Red cell sedimentation using hydroxy ethyl starch (HES) is a standard procedure in most cord blood banks. However, while standardising the procedure for cord blood banking, a significant loss of nucleated cells (NC) may be encountered during standard HES sedimentation protocols. This study compares four procedures for cord blood processing to obtain optimal yield of nucleated cells. Gelatin, dextran, 6% HES and 6% HES with an equal volume of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) were compared for RBC depletion and NC recovery. Dilution of the cord blood unit with an equal volume of PBS prior to sedimentation with HES resulted in maximum NC recovery (99% [99.5 +/- 1.3%]). Although standard procedures using 6% HES are well established in Western countries, they may not be applicable in India, as a variety of factors that can affect RBC sedimentation (e.g., iron deficiency, hypoalbuminaemia, thalassaemia trait, etc.) may reduce RBC sedimentation and thus reduce NC recovery. While diluting cord blood with an equal volume of PBS is a simple method to improve the NC recovery, it does involve an additional processing step.

  13. Banking cord blood stem cells: attitude and knowledge of pregnant women in five European countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katz, Gregory; Mills, Antonia; Garcia, Joan; Hooper, Karen; McGuckin, Colin; Platz, Alexander; Rebulla, Paolo; Salvaterra, Elena; Schmidt, Alexander H; Torrabadella, Marta

    2011-03-01

    This study explores pregnant women's awareness of cord blood stem cells and their attitude regarding banking options in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK. Questionnaires were distributed in six maternities. This anonymous and self-completed questionnaire included 29 multiple-choice questions based on: 1) sociodemographic factors, 2) awareness and access to information about cord blood banking, 3) banking option preferences, and 4) donating cord blood units (CBUs) to research. A total of 79% of pregnant women had little awareness of cord blood banking (n = 1620). A total of 58% of women had heard of the therapeutic benefits of cord blood, of which 21% received information from midwives and obstetricians. A total of 89% of respondents would opt to store CBUs. Among them, 76% would choose to donate CBUs to a public bank to benefit any patient in need of a cord blood transplant. Twelve percent would choose a mixed bank, and 12%, a private bank. A total of 92% would donate their child's CBU to research when it is not suitable for transplantation. The study reveals a strong preference for public banking in all five countries, based on converging values such as solidarity. Attitudes of pregnant women are not an obstacle to the rapid expansion of allogeneic banking in these EU countries. Banking choices do not appear to be correlated with household income. The extent of commercial marketing of cord blood banks in mass media highlights the importance for obstetric providers to play a central role in raising women's awareness early during their pregnancy with evidence-based medical information about banking options. © 2010 American Association of Blood Banks.

  14. Irisin Maternal Plasma and Cord Blood Levels in Mothers with Spontaneous Preterm and Term Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tereza Pavlova

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Irisin, an adipomyokine identified in 2012, has been investigated in association with common pregnancy complications, including gestational diabetes mellitus, preeclampsia, and intrauterine growth restriction. The objective of this study is to examine the potential role of irisin in preterm birth (PTB by comparing its level between mothers with term and preterm labor. Maternal peripheral blood and cord blood samples were collected from 30 mothers who delivered prematurely and from 35 mothers who delivered at term. Irisin concentrations were measured in all samples using ELISA, and four common single nucleotide polymorphisms in the irisin gene were determined (rs16835198, rs726344, rs3480, and rs1746661. Univariable and multivariable regression modeling was applied to evaluate maternal and cord blood irisin concentrations in relation to preterm/term labor. Irisin concentration in umbilical cord blood was found to be associated with PTB in the univariable model (p=0.046. On the other hand, no differences in maternal blood irisin levels between mothers with preterm and term deliveries were established. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study determining irisin levels in term and preterm deliveries in maternal peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood. Our study shows a possible association between cord blood irisin concentration and PTB occurrence.

  15. Immunitary bioeconomy: the economisation of life in the international cord blood market.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Nik; Machin, Laura; McLeod, Danae

    2011-04-01

    This paper examines an emerging bioeconomy centred on the international banking and trade in cord blood. Since the late 1980s cord blood has been used in an expanding range of treatments and as an alternative to the use of bone marrow stem cells. This is particularly the case in treating ethnic minority populations who have historically been under-represented in bone marrow registries. The paper explores the mobilisation and commercialisation of an increasingly important bioeconomic resource with cord blood units trading internationally at high prices. This is a market mediated through a sophisticated global network of immunologically typed and matched bodily matter in which immunity has become a form of 'corporeal currency'. Based on recent international figures we reflect upon the balance of trade between imports and exports across the world's cord blood bioeconomy. Theoretically, this case is, we suggest, an extension of what Roberto Esposito (2008) has termed an 'immunitary paradigm' in which immunity has become the basis for new forms of bioeconomic flow, circulation and exchange. Esposito (2008). Bios: Biopolitics and Philosophy. Minnesota, MN: University of Minnesota Press. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Cord blood IgE. I. IgE screening in 2814 newborn children

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, L G; Høst, A; Halken, S

    1992-01-01

    Screening of total IgE in 2814 cord blood samples was analysed by Phadebas IgE PRIST in 2 1-year birth cohorts (1983-1984 and 1985-1986) in Denmark (n = 1189 + 1625). 48.6% of the sera contained less IgE than the detection limit 0.1 kU/l. Cord blood IgE values greater than or equal to 0.5 kU/l we...

  17. [Systematic umbilical cord blood analysis at birth: feasibility and reliability in a French labour ward].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ernst, D; Clerc, J; Decullier, E; Gavanier, G; Dupuis, O

    2012-10-01

    At birth, evaluation of neonatal well-being is crucial. It is though important to perform umbilical cord blood gas analysis, and then to analyze the samples. We wanted to establish the feasibility and reliability of systematic umbilical cord blood sampling in a French labour ward. Study of systematic umbilical cord blood gas analysis was realized retrospectively from 1000 consecutive deliveries. We first established the feasibility of the samples. Feasibility was defined by the ratio of complete cord acid-base data on the number of deliveries from alive newborns. Afterwards, we established the reliability on the remaining cord samples. Reliability was the ratio of samples that fulfilled quality criteria defined by Westgate et al. and revised by Kro et al., on the number of complete samples from alive newborns. At last, we looked for factors that would influence these results. The systematic umbilical cord blood sample feasibility reached 91.6%, and the reliability reached 80.7%. About the delivery mode, 38.6% of emergency caesarians (IC 95% [30.8-46.3]; Panalysis were significantly less validated during emergency caesarians. Realization of systematic cord blood gas analysis was followed by 8.4% of incomplete samples, and by 19.3% that were uninterpretable. Training sessions should be organized to improve the feasibility and reliability, especially during emergency caesarians. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  18. Comparison of blood lead levels of mothers and cord blood in intrauterine growth retarded neonates and normal term neonates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iranpour, R.; Besharati, Amir A.; Nasseri, F.; Hashemipour, M.; Kelishadi, R.; Balali-Mood, M.

    2007-01-01

    Objective was to compare the blood lead levels of mothers and cord blood in intrauterine growth retarded (IUGR) neonates and normal term neonates. From April 2005, we carried out a cross-sectional, prospective study in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Blood lead levels were measured in the umbilical cord and maternal venous blood samples in the 32 mother-infant pairs with IUGR full term neonates and 34 mother-infant pairs with normal full term neonates. Blood-lead levels were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry. The mean lead concentration in neonates of IUGR and normal groups was not significantly different (107.47+- 16.75 versus 113.08+-19.08 ug/L, p=0.2). The mean lead concentration in mothers of IUGR group was lower than normal groups, but this difference was not significant (124.56+-19.71 versus 135.26+-26.91 ug/L, p=0.07). Maternal lead levels were strongly related with related with cord blood in both IUGR and normal groups (r=0.8, p 100ug/L by the centers for disease control; however, this was not statistically different between the groups. Our results indicate that the mean lead level was not higher in IUGR neonates, and the whole blood lead was not related to the birth weight. In addition, maternal and cord blood lead levels were strongly correlated, and there were remarkable lead burdens on both the mothers and their neonates in this industrial area. (author)

  19. Umbilical cord blood units for public storage donors screening for markers of infectious agents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. B. Smolyaninov

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The screening of 3515 cord blood samples which had entered bank for public use for presence of markers of infectious agents was carried out. It was established that majority of cord blood units contain markers of cytomegalovirus and Toxoplasma (81% that is not a contraindication for storage and subsequent use of these samples. In 4.6% of cases umbilical cord blood units were subjected to disposal because of identification of viral hepatitis B and C, as well as Tr. pallidum markers, moreover, the largest share of the discarded units contained antibodies to HbscorAg – 71,3%. Inclusion of analysis on the presence of Anti-HBcor in the required laboratory screening of mothers-donors CB was proposed in order to reduce the percentage of discarded umbilical cord blood units for the public inventory.

  20. Hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) in placenta and umbilical cord blood and dietary intake for women in Beijing, China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Yanxin; Wang, Bin; Wang, Xilong; Wang, Rong; Wang, Wentao; Shen, Guofeng; Shen, Huizhong; Li, Wei; Wong, Minghong; Liu, Wenxin; Tao, Shu

    2013-01-01

    Placenta and umbilical cord blood are important media for investigating maternal–fetal exposure to environmental pollutants. Historically hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) were once widely-used in China. In this study, residues of HCHs were measured in placenta and umbilical cord blood samples for 40 women from Beijing. The measured median values of HCHs were 62.0 and 68.8 ng/g fat in placenta and umbilical cord blood, respectively. Concentrations of HCHs in placenta and umbilical cord blood of urban cohort were higher than those of rural group due to enhanced consumption of fish, meat, and milk. Residues of HCHs in placenta were significantly correlated with total food consumption, dietary intake, and maternal age, and could be predicted using the parameters dependent upon ingestion of meat and milk. The transplacental exposure of fetuses to HCHs was revealed by a close association between the residual levels in the paired placenta and the paired umbilical cord blood samples. -- Highlights: •Medians of HCH in placenta and umbilical cord blood of 40 puerperal women from Beijing were 62.0 and 68.8 ng/g⋅fat. •HCHs in placenta and umbilical cord blood of urban cohort were higher than those of rural one. •HCH residues in placenta were significantly correlated with total food consumption, daily dietary intake, and maternal age. •The transplacental exposure of fetus to HCHs was revealed. -- HCHs in placenta of women in Beijing were significantly correlated with total food consumption, dietary intake, and maternal age

  1. Cord Blood Leptin Levels in Gestational Diabetes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Özlem Şengül

    2010-08-01

    CONCLUSION: In this study there is a minimal clinical effect of cord blood leptin on macrosomia in women with GD, although it is increased in GD and associated with birthweight. Therefore overgrowth may be a result of direct anabolic effect of insulin, rather than indirect effect via leptin.

  2. Umbilical cord blood lactate: a valuable tool in the assessment of fetal metabolic acidosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gjerris, A.C.; Staer-Jensen, J.; Jorgensen, J.S.

    2008-01-01

    asphyxia using ROC-curves, where an ABE value less than -12 was used as "gold standard" for significant intrapartum asphyxia. STUDY DESIGN: This is a descriptive study of umbilical cord arterial blood samples from 2554 singleton deliveries. The deliveries took place at the Department of Obstetrics......OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was (1) to evaluate the relationship between umbilical cord arterial blood lactate and pH, standard base excess (SBE), and actual base excess (ABE) at delivery and (2) to suggest a cut-off level of umbilical cord arterial blood lactate in predicting fetal...

  3. Good practices in collecting umbilical cord and placental blood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopes, Lauren Auer; Bernardino, Elizabeth; Crozeta, Karla; Guimarães, Paulo Ricardo Bittencourt

    2016-08-18

    to identify the factors related to the quality of umbilical cord and placental blood specimens, and define best practices for their collection in a government bank of umbilical cord and placental blood. this was a descriptive study, quantitative approach, performed at a government umbilical cord and placental blood bank, in two steps: 1) verification of the obstetric, neonatal and operational factors, using a specific tool for gathering data as non-participant observers; 2) definition of best practices by grouping non-conformities observed before, during and after blood collection. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and the following statistical software: Statistica(r) and R(r). while there was a correlation with obstetrical and neonatal factors, there was a larger correlation with operational factors, resulting in the need to adjust the professional practices of the nursing staff and obstetrical team involved in collecting this type of blood. Based on these non-conformities we defined best practices for nurses before, during and after blood collection. the best practices defined in this study are an important management tool for the work of nurses in obtaining blood specimens of high cell quality. identificar fatores relacionados à qualidade das amostras do sangue de cordão umbilical e placentário e definir boas práticas para sua coleta em um banco público de sangue de cordão umbilical e placentário. pesquisa descritiva, abordagem quantitativa, realizada em um banco público de sangue de cordão umbilical e placentário, desenvolvida em duas etapas: 1) verificação dos fatores obstétricos, neonatais e operacionais, obtidos por coleta em instrumento próprio e observação não participante; 2) definição das boas práticas, por meio do agrupamento de não-conformidades observadas antes, durante e após a coleta do sangue. Os dados foram analisados por meio da estatística descritiva, utilizando-se dos softwares Statistica(r) e R(r). houve

  4. [Freezing umbilical-cord blood and bone marrow for one's own use: present-day quackery?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Braat, D.D.M.; Mummery, C.L.; Schattenberg, A.V.M.B.; Borst-Eilers, E.

    2006-01-01

    In the Netherlands, the practice of private freezing and banking of umbilical-cord blood is increasing. In a questionnaire, Dutch midwives and gynaecologists were asked about their attitude towards cord-blood collection if asked to perform this after delivery. The response rate was 35% (125/356) and

  5. Reference Values for Umbilical Cord Blood Gases of Newborns Delivered by Elective Cesarean Section.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manomayangkul, Kattiya; Siriussawakul, Arunotai; Nimmannit, Akarin; Yuyen, Thassayu; Ngerncham, Sopapan; Reesukumal, Kanit

    2016-05-01

    Umbilical cord blood gas values are better indicators of perinatal asphyxia than Apgar scores. Many studies have reported normal ranges of umbilical cord blood gases, which vary greatly due to many factors. This study aimed to establish the reference values of umbilical cord blood gases of normal cesarean newborns in a university hospital setting. Blood samples from the umbilical artery and vein were collected from 160 newborns delivered by elective cesarean section. The indications for caesarean section were not due to fetal distress, intrauterine growth retardation, or non-reassuring fetal heart rate. The blood samples were collected immediately after birth in the operating room and then sent for blood-gas analysis. The blood-gas values were statistically analyzed and reported. The cord blood collected from 160 newborns was analyzed in this study. Seventy-eight percent (115) of the parturients were hypotensive before delivery. All Apgar scores at one and five minutes after delivery were at least 7. The calculated reference range of the umbilical arterial pH was 7.18-7.42, of pO₂was 6.43-29.43 mmHg, of pCO₂was 33.44-66.56 mmHg, and of HCO₃was 15.60-30.70 mEq/L. The reference range obtained for the umbilical venous pH was 7.28-7.44,for pO₂was 13.97-37.13 mmHg, for pCO₂was 30.70-57.0 mmHg, and for HCO₃was 18.50-29.90 mEq/L. The study determined normal reference values as a result of umbilical cord blood gas analyses.

  6. Cord Blood Cells Responses to IL2, IL7 and IL15 Cytokines for mTOR Expression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anahita Mohammadian

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTORis important in hematopoiesis and affect cell growth,differentiation and survival. Although previous studies were identified the effect of cytokines on the mononuclear cells development however the cytokines effect on mTOR in cord blood mononuclear cells was unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate mTOR expression in cord blood mononuclear and cord blood stem cells (CD34+ cells in culture conditions for lymphoid cell development. Methods: Isolation of The mononuclear cells (MNCs from umbilical cord blood were done with use of Ficollpaque density gradient. We evaluated cultured cord blood mononuclear and CD34+ cells in presece of IL2, IL7 and IL15 at distinct time points during 21 days by using flow cytometry. In this study, we presented the role of IL2, IL7 and IL15 on the expression of mTOR in cord blood cells. Results: mTOR expression were increased in peresence of IL2, IL7 and IL15 in day 14 and afterword reduced. However in persence of IL2 and IL15 expression of mTOR significantly reduced. mTOR expression in CD34+ cells decreased significantly from day7 to day 21 in culture. Conclusion: cytokines play important role in mTOR expression during hematopoiesis and development of cord blood mononuclear cells.

  7. Knowledge and attitudes of pregnant women with regard to collection, testing and banking of cord blood stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandez, Conrad V; Gordon, Kevin; Van den Hof, Michiel; Taweel, Shaureen; Baylis, Françoise

    2003-03-18

    Umbilical cord blood is used as a source of hematopoietic stem cells for bone marrow transplantation in the treatment of malignant and nonmalignant disease. We sought to examine pregnant women's knowledge and attitudes regarding cord blood banking, as their support is crucial to the success of cord blood transplant programs. A questionnaire examining sociodemographic factors and women's attitudes to cord blood banking was developed on the basis of findings from 2 focus groups and a pilot study. The questionnaire was distributed to 650 women attending antenatal clinics at a regional women's hospital between April and July 2001. A total of 443 women (68%) responded. More than half of the women (307/438 or 70% [95% confidence interval, CI, 66% to 74%]) reported poor or very poor knowledge about cord blood banking. Many of the respondents (299/441 or 68% [95% CI 63% to 72%]) thought that physicians should talk to pregnant women about the collection of cord blood, and they wanted to receive information about this topic from health care professionals (290/441 or 66% [95% CI 61% to 70%]) or prenatal classes (308/441 or 70% [95% CI 65% to 74%]). Most of the women (379/442 or 86% [95% CI 82% to 89%]) would elect to store cord blood in a public bank, many citing altruism as the reason for this choice. A much smaller proportion (63/442 or 14% [95% CI 11% to 18%]) would elect private banking, indicating that this would be a good investment or that they would feel guilty if the blood had not been stored. Additional acceptable uses for cord blood included research (mentioned by 294/436 women or 67% [95% CI 63% to 72%]) and gene therapy (mentioned by 169/437 women or 39% [95% CI 34% to 43%]). Most of the women in this study supported the donation of cord blood to public cord blood banks for potential transplantation and research.

  8. Transfer of maternal IgE can be a common cause of increased IgE levels in cord blood

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bønnelykke, Klaus; Pipper, Christian Bressen; Bisgaard, Hans

    2010-01-01

    IgE in cord blood is thought to be a product of the fetus. A high level of total IgE is therefore used as a measure of atopic propensity in the newborn. We recently found strong evidence that allergen-specific IgE in cord blood was the result of transfer of maternal IgE to fetal blood or cord blood...

  9. Awareness of cord blood collection and the impact on banking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhandari, Rusha; Lindley, Amy; Bhatla, Deepika; Babic, Aleksandar; Mueckl, Kathy; Rao, Rakesh; Brooks, Paula; Geiler, Vicki; Gross, Gilad; Al-Hosni, Mohamad; Shenoy, Shalini

    2017-07-01

    Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is an important source of hematopoietic stem cells for transplantation especially in minority populations with limited chances of finding a histocompatible volunteer donor in the registry. UCB has the advantages of early availability, successful outcomes despite some histocompatibility mismatch, and low incidence of chronic graft-versus-host disease. Public cord blood banks that disseminate UCB products for transplant depend on voluntary donation at participating hospitals and obstetrical providers for collection. Using survey questionnaires, we evaluated attitudes toward UCB donation, the frequency of donation, and provider opinions on UCB collection in the greater St. Louis metropolitan area that caters to minority ethnicities in significant numbers. Our data suggest that nervousness and lack of information regarding the donation and utility of the product were ubiquitous reasons for not donating. Additionally, irrespective of age or level of education, women relied on healthcare providers for information regarding UCB donation. Providers reported primarily time constraints to discussing UCB donation at prenatal visits (54%). Of the interviewees, 62% donated UCB. Fallout due to refusal or preferring private banking was miniscule. These results suggest that dedicated personnel focused on disseminating information, obtaining consent, and collecting the UCB product at major hospitals can enrich cord blood banks especially with minority cords. Sustained and focused efforts could improve upon a relatively high wastage rate and ensure a robust supply of UCB products at local public banks. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Determinants of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in umbilical cord and maternal serum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flöck, A; Weber, S K; Ferrari, N; Fietz, C; Graf, C; Fimmers, R; Gembruch, U; Merz, W M

    2016-01-01

    Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a fundamental role in brain development; additionally, it is involved in various aspects of cerebral function, including neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases. Involvement of BDNF in parturition has not been investigated. The aim of our study was to analyze determinants of umbilical cord BDNF (UC-BDNF) concentrations of healthy, term newborns and their respective mothers. This cross-sectional prospective study was performed at a tertiary referral center. Maternal venous blood samples were taken on admission to labor ward; newborn venous blood samples were drawn from the umbilical cord (UC), before delivery of the placenta. Analysis was performed with a commercially available immunoassay. Univariate analyses and stepwise multivariate regression models were applied. 120 patients were recruited. UC-BDNF levels were lower than maternal serum concentrations (median 641 ng/mL, IQR 506 vs. median 780 ng/mL, IQR 602). Correlation between UC- and maternal BDNF was low (R=0.251, p=0.01). In univariate analysis, mode of delivery (MoD), gestational age (GA), body mass index at delivery, and gestational diabetes were determinants of UC-BDNF (MoD and smoking for maternal BDNF, respectively). Stepwise multivariate regression analysis revealed a model with MoD and GA as determinants for UC-BDNF (MoD for maternal BDNF). MoD and GA at delivery are determinants of circulating BDNF in the mother and newborn. We hypothesize that BDNF, like other neuroendocrine factors, is involved in the neuroendocrine cascade of delivery. Timing and mode of delivery may exert BDNF-induced effects on the cerebral function of newborns and their mothers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Relationship between Serum Iron Profile and Blood Groups among the Voluntary Blood Donors of Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoque, M M; Adnan, S D; Karim, S; Al-Mamun, M A; Faruki, M A; Islam, K; Nandy, S

    2016-04-01

    Blood donation results in a substantial iron loss and subsequent mobilization from body stores. Chronic iron deficiency is a well-recognized complication of regular blood donation. The present study conducted to compare the level of serum ferritin, serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and percentage transferrin saturation in different ABO and Rhesus type blood groups among the voluntary blood donors of Bangladesh. The present prospective study included 100 healthy voluntary donors attending at Department of Blood Transfusion, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka between the periods of July 2013 to Jun 2014. From each donor 10mL venous blood sample was taken and divided into heparinized and non-heparinized tubes for determination of hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), serum iron (SI), total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and serum ferritin by standard laboratory methods. Percentage of transferrin saturation (TS) calculated from serum iron and TIBC. Data were analyzed with SPSS (version 16) software and comparisons between groups were made using student's t-test and one way ANOVA. In the present study mean±SD of age of the respondents was 27.2±6.5 years with a range of 18 to 49 years and 81.0% were male and 19.0% were female. Among the donors 18.0% had blood group A, 35.0% had blood group B, 14.0% had blood group AB and 33.0% had blood group O. Among the donors 91.0% had rhesus positive and 9.0% had rhesus negative. Donors with blood group O had lowest haemoglobin, serum iron and transferring saturation levels. Donors with blood group A had highest TIBC level. Donors with blood group B had lowest serum ferritin level. An independent samples 't' test showed statistically significant difference in serum ferritin and percentage transferrin saturation between blood group AB and blood group O and in percentage transferrin saturation between blood group B and blood group O. One way ANOVA showed that there is no significant difference in haemoglobin, serum iron, serum

  12. Umbilical Cord Blood Banking for Transplantation in Morocco: Problems and opportunities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mazini L

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Since the success of the first umbilical cord blood (UCB transplantation in a child with Fanconi anaemia in 1989, great interests have emerged for this source of stem cells. UCB provides an unlimited source of ethnically diverse stem cells and is an alternative for bone marrow (BM and peripheral blood (PB heamatopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT. Thus, UCB and manipulated stem cells are now collected and banked according to international accreditation standards for listing on registries allowing rapid search and accessibility worldwide. This work aims to identify problems limiting the creation of a Moroccan cord blood bank and to highlight opportunities and issues of a new legislation promoting additional applications of cell therapy.

  13. Anthroposophic lifestyle influences the concentration of metals in placenta and cord blood

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fagerstedt, Sara; Kippler, Maria; Scheynius, Annika; Gutzeit, Cindy; Mie, Axel; Alm, Johan; Vahter, Marie

    2015-01-01

    Allergic diseases develop in genetically susceptible individuals in a complex interplay with the environment, usually early in life. We have previously shown that the anthroposophic lifestyle is associated with reduced risk of allergic disease in children, but details on the influencing environmental factors are largely unknown. This study aims to elucidate if anthroposophic lifestyle influences fetal exposure to selected toxic and essential elements. Randomly selected non-smoking mothers with (n=40) and without (n=40) anthroposophic lifestyle from the prospective birth cohort ALADDIN were included. Concentrations of 12 toxic and essential elements were analyzed in full term placentas and in the erythrocyte fractions of maternal peripheral blood and of umbilical cord blood, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Cadmium concentrations in maternal blood and placenta were significantly higher in mothers with an anthroposophic lifestyle (p<0.001), while concentrations in cord blood were generally low, irrespective of lifestyle. Cobalt concentrations were higher in both maternal blood, placenta and cord blood in the anthroposophic group. Lead concentrations were higher in maternal blood and cord blood, but not placenta, of mothers with anthroposophic lifestyle. Analysis of covariance, including lifestyle, parity, maternal age, gestational age, vegetarian diet, use of herbal medicine and occupation in the model, showed that mainly the anthroposophic lifestyle was significantly associated with cadmium concentrations. In conclusion, women with an anthroposophic lifestyle had higher concentrations of cadmium, cobalt and lead concentrations. Cadmium concentrations might have been influenced by a diet rich in vegetables and/or low iron status of the mothers. - Highlights: • Toxic elements in mother–newborn pairs in relation to anthroposophic lifestyle. • Anthroposophic lifestyle was associated with higher levels of cadmium, cobalt and lead. • A diet rich

  14. Anthroposophic lifestyle influences the concentration of metals in placenta and cord blood

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fagerstedt, Sara [The Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Sweden); Kippler, Maria [Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Box 210, 171 77 Stockholm (Sweden); Scheynius, Annika; Gutzeit, Cindy [Department of Medicine Solna, Translational Immunology Unit, Karolinska Institutet and University Hospital, Stockholm (Sweden); Mie, Axel [The Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Sweden); Alm, Johan [The Department of Clinical Science and Education, Södersjukhuset, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm (Sweden); Sachs' Children and Youth Hospital, Södersjukhuset, Stockholm (Sweden); Vahter, Marie, E-mail: marie.vahter@ki.se [Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Box 210, 171 77 Stockholm (Sweden)

    2015-01-15

    Allergic diseases develop in genetically susceptible individuals in a complex interplay with the environment, usually early in life. We have previously shown that the anthroposophic lifestyle is associated with reduced risk of allergic disease in children, but details on the influencing environmental factors are largely unknown. This study aims to elucidate if anthroposophic lifestyle influences fetal exposure to selected toxic and essential elements. Randomly selected non-smoking mothers with (n=40) and without (n=40) anthroposophic lifestyle from the prospective birth cohort ALADDIN were included. Concentrations of 12 toxic and essential elements were analyzed in full term placentas and in the erythrocyte fractions of maternal peripheral blood and of umbilical cord blood, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Cadmium concentrations in maternal blood and placenta were significantly higher in mothers with an anthroposophic lifestyle (p<0.001), while concentrations in cord blood were generally low, irrespective of lifestyle. Cobalt concentrations were higher in both maternal blood, placenta and cord blood in the anthroposophic group. Lead concentrations were higher in maternal blood and cord blood, but not placenta, of mothers with anthroposophic lifestyle. Analysis of covariance, including lifestyle, parity, maternal age, gestational age, vegetarian diet, use of herbal medicine and occupation in the model, showed that mainly the anthroposophic lifestyle was significantly associated with cadmium concentrations. In conclusion, women with an anthroposophic lifestyle had higher concentrations of cadmium, cobalt and lead concentrations. Cadmium concentrations might have been influenced by a diet rich in vegetables and/or low iron status of the mothers. - Highlights: • Toxic elements in mother–newborn pairs in relation to anthroposophic lifestyle. • Anthroposophic lifestyle was associated with higher levels of cadmium, cobalt and lead. • A diet rich

  15. Mesenchymal stem cells from the Wharton’s jelly of umbilical cord segments provide stromal support for the maintenance of cord blood hematopoietic stem cells during long-term ex vivo culture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakhshi, Tiki; Zabriskie, Ryan C.; Bodie, Shamanique; Kidd, Shannon; Ramin, Susan; Paganessi, Laura A.; Gregory, Stephanie A.; Fung, Henry C.; Christopherson, Kent W.

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are routinely obtained from marrow, mobilized peripheral blood, and umbilical cord blood. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are traditionally isolated from marrow. Bone marrow–derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) have previously demonstrated their ability to act as a feeder layer in support of ex vivo cord blood expansion. However, the use of BM-MSCs to support the growth, differentiation, and engraftment of cord blood may not be ideal for transplant purposes. Therefore, the potential of MSCs from a novel source, the Wharton’s jelly of umbilical cords, to act as stromal support for the long-term culture of cord blood HSC was evaluated. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Umbilical cord–derived MSCs (UC-MSCs) were cultured from the Wharton’s jelly of umbilical cord segments. The UC-MSCs were then profiled for expression of 12 cell surface receptors and tested for their ability to support cord blood HSCs in a long-term culture-initiating cell (LTC-IC) assay. RESULTS Upon culture, UC-MSCs express a defined set of cell surface markers (CD29, CD44, CD73, CD90, CD105, CD166, and HLA-A) and lack other markers (CD45, CD34, CD38, CD117, and HLA-DR) similar to BM-MSCs. Like BM-MSCs, UC-MSCs effectively support the growth of CD34+ cord blood cells in LTC-IC assays. CONCLUSION These data suggest the potential therapeutic application of Wharton’s jelly–derived UC-MSCs to provide stromal support structure for the long-term culture of cord blood HSCs as well as the possibility of cotransplantation of genetically identical, HLA-matched, or unmatched cord blood HSCs and UC-MSCs in the setting of HSC transplantation. PMID:18798803

  16. Low Maternal Vitamin B12 Status Is Associated with Lower Cord Blood HDL Cholesterol in White Caucasians Living in the UK

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonysunil Adaikalakoteswari

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Background and Aims: Studies in South Asian population show that low maternal vitamin B12 associates with insulin resistance and small for gestational age in the offspring. Low vitamin B12 status is attributed to vegetarianism in these populations. It is not known whether low B12 status is associated with metabolic risk of the offspring in whites, where the childhood metabolic disorders are increasing rapidly. Here, we studied whether maternal B12 levels associate with metabolic risk of the offspring at birth. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 91 mother-infant pairs (n = 182, of white Caucasian origin living in the UK. Blood samples were collected from white pregnant women at delivery and their newborns (cord blood. Serum vitamin B12, folate, homocysteine as well as the relevant metabolic risk factors were measured. Results: The prevalence of low serum vitamin B12 (<191 ng/L and folate (<4.6 μg/L were 40% and 11%, respectively. Maternal B12 was inversely associated with offspring’s Homeostasis Model Assessment 2-Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR, triglycerides, homocysteine and positively with HDL-cholesterol after adjusting for age and BMI. In regression analysis, after adjusting for likely confounders, maternal B12 is independently associated with neonatal HDL-cholesterol and homocysteine but not triglycerides or HOMA-IR. Conclusions: Our study shows that low B12 status is common in white women and is independently associated with adverse cord blood cholesterol.

  17. Manganese concentration in the spinal cords and blood corpuscles of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miyata, Satoru; Toyoshima, Masanori; Otsuki, Yuzo; Nagata, Hiroshi; Nakamura, Shigenobu (Kyoto Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Medicine)

    1981-11-01

    Manganese concentration in the spinal cord tissues and the blood corpuscles from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other diseases were measured by neutron activation analysis. The mean manganese concentration in the spinal cord from ALS patients was significantly higher than that from control subjects, especially in the anterior horn of the cervical cord. In order to determine the manganese concentration in blood corpuscles by neutron activation analysis, it was necessary to subtract /sup 56/Mn derived from the /sup 56/Fe(n, p)/sup 56/Mn reaction. The mean Mn concentration in the blood corpuscles from ALS patients seems to be lower than that from patients with other diseases. Fe, Se, Rb and Zn concentrations in the blood corpuscles from ALS patients were not different from those of patients with other diseases.

  18. Manganese concentration in the spinal cords and blood corpuscles of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyata, Satoru; Toyoshima, Masanori; Otsuki, Yuzo; Nagata, Hiroshi; Nakamura, Shigenobu

    1981-01-01

    Manganese concentration in the spinal cord tissues and the blood corpuscles from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and other diseases were measured by neutron activation analysis. The mean manganese concentration in the spinal cord from ALS patients was significantly higher than that from control subjects, especially in the anterior horn of the cervical cord. In order to determine the manganese concentration in blood corpuscles by neutron activation analysis, it was necessary to subtract 56 Mn derived from the 56 Fe(n, p) 56 Mn reaction. The mean Mn concentration in the blood corpuscles from ALS patients seems to be lower than that from patients with other diseases. Fe, Se, Rb and Zn concentrations in the blood corpuscles from ALS patients were not different from those of patients with other diseases. (author)

  19. Cord blood 25(OH)-vitamin D deficiency and childhood asthma, allergy and eczema

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chawes, Bo L; Bønnelykke, Klaus; Jensen, Pia F

    2014-01-01

    on Asthma in Childhood (COPSAC2000) at-risk mother-child cohort. Troublesome lung symptoms (TROLS), asthma, respiratory infections, allergic rhinitis, and eczema, at age 0-7 yrs were diagnosed exclusively by the COPSAC pediatricians strictly adhering to predefined algorithms. Objective assessments of lung......BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies have suggested an association between maternal vitamin D dietary intake during pregnancy and risk of asthma and allergy in the offspring. However, prospective clinical studies on vitamin D measured in cord blood and development of clinical end-points are sparse....... OBJECTIVE: To investigate the interdependence of cord blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)-Vitamin D) level and investigator-diagnosed asthma- and allergy-related conditions during preschool-age. METHODS: Cord blood 25(OH)-Vitamin D level was measured in 257 children from the Copenhagen Prospective Studies...

  20. The Association of Prenatal Exposure to Perfluorinated Chemicals with Glucocorticoid and Androgenic Hormones in Cord Blood Samples: The Hokkaido Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goudarzi, Houman; Araki, Atsuko; Itoh, Sachiko; Sasaki, Seiko; Miyashita, Chihiro; Mitsui, Takahiko; Nakazawa, Hiroyuki; Nonomura, Katsuya; Kishi, Reiko

    2017-01-01

    Perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) disrupt cholesterol homeostasis. All steroid hormones are derived from cholesterol, and steroid hormones such as glucocorticoids and androgenic hormones mediate several vital physiologic functions. However, the in utero effects of PFCs exposure on the homeostasis of these steroid hormones are not well understood in humans. We examined the relationship between prenatal exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)/perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) and cord blood levels of glucocorticoid and androgenic hormones. We conducted a hospital-based birth cohort study between July 2002 and October 2005 in Sapporo, Japan (n = 514). In total, 185 mother-infant pairs were included in the present study. Prenatal PFOS and PFOA levels in maternal serum samples were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). Cord blood levels of glucocorticoid (cortisol and cortisone) and androgenic hormones [dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and androstenedione] were also measured in the same way. We found a dose-response relationship of prenatal PFOS, but not PFOA, exposure with glucocorticoid levels after adjusting for potential confounders. Cortisol and cortisone concentrations were -23.98-ng/mL (95% CI: -0.47.12, -11.99; p for trend = 0.006) and -63.21-ng/mL (95% CI: -132.56, -26.72; p for trend blood. Citation: Goudarzi H, Araki A, Itoh S, Sasaki S, Miyashita C, Mitsui T, Nakazawa H, Nonomura K, Kishi R. 2017. The association of prenatal exposure to perfluorinated chemicals with glucocorticoid and androgenic hormones in cord blood samples: the Hokkaido Study. Environ Health Perspect 125:111-118; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/EHP142.

  1. Microbial load of umbilical cord blood Ureaplasma species and Mycoplasma hominis in preterm prelabor rupture of membranes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kacerovsky, Marian; Pliskova, Lenka; Menon, Ramkumar; Kutova, Radka; Musilova, Ivana; Maly, Jan; Andrys, Ctirad

    2014-11-01

    To evaluate Ureaplasma species and M. hominis DNA in the umbilical cord blood and its correlation with its microbial load in the amniotic fluid, as a measure of microbial burden in fetal inflammatory response and neonatal outcome in pregnancies complicated by preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (pPROM). A retrospective study of 158 women with singleton pregnancies complicated by pPROM between 24(0/7) and 36(6/7) weeks was conducted. Amniotic fluid was obtained from all women by transabdominal amniocentesis, and umbilical cord blood was obtained by venipuncture from umbilical cords immediately after the delivery of the neonates. The Ureaplasma species and M. hominis DNA was quantitated using absolute quantification techniques. Ureaplasma species and M. hominis DNA was identified in 9% of the umbilical cord blood samples. No correlation between the amniotic fluid and umbilical cord blood microbial load was observed. The presence of Ureaplasma species and M. hominis DNA in the umbilical cord blood had no impact on short-term neonatal morbidity. A high microbial load of genital mycoplasma Ureaplasma species DNA in the umbilical cord in pregnancies complicated by pPROM is not associated with a high fetal inflammatory response and is therefore not associated with serious neonatal morbidity.

  2. [Influence of cattle cord blood fraction below 5 kD on biochemical parameters of blood in experimental chronic stomach ulcer in rats].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gulevskiĭ, A K; Abakumova, E S; Moiseeva, N N; Dolgikh, O L

    2008-01-01

    Influence of cattle cord blood fraction (below 5 kD) on lipid peroxidation product content and alkaline phosphatase activity-in peripheral blood was studied on the experimental subchronic stomach ulcer model in rats. It has been shown that the fraction administrations normalize thiobarbituric-active product content and alkaline phosphatase activity in blood, which testifies to decreasing inflammatory reaction in the mucous membrane of the stomach. The fraction administrations accelerate the processes of regeneration of the mucous membrane of the stomach up to complete healing of ulcer defects. Cord blood fraction below 5 kD from cattle possesses antiulcer activity which is analogous to the actovegin activity. It has been shown by gel-penetrating chromatography that the pattern of cord blood fraction low molecular substances is different from the actovegin pattern both qualitatively and quantitatively.

  3. Cord Blood Ischemia-Modified Albumin Levels in Normal and Intrauterine Growth Restricted Pregnancies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicoletta Iacovidou

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Ischemia-modified albumin (IMA is a sensitive biomarker of cardiac ischemia. Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR may imply fetal hypoxia, resulting in blood flow centralization in favour of vital organs (brain, heart, adrenals—‘‘brain sparing effect’’. Based on the latter, we hypothesized that cord blood IMA levels should not differ between IUGR and appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA full-term pregnancies. IMA was measured in blood samples from doubly-clamped umbilical cords of 110 AGA and 57 asymmetric IUGR pregnancies. No significant differences in IMA levels were documented between AGA and IUGR groups. IMA levels were elevated in cases of elective cesarean section (P = .035, and offspring of multigravidas (P = .021. In conclusion, ‘‘brain sparing effect’’ is possibly responsible for the lack of differences in cord blood IMA levels at term, between IUGR and AGA groups. Furthermore, higher oxidative stress could account for the elevated IMA levels in cases of elective cesarean section, and offspring of multigravidas.

  4. The relationship between umbilical and maternal blood leptin and it's effect in fetal growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Linqi; Guo Sheng; Yu Xin; Feng Xing

    2005-01-01

    Objective: To study the correlation of leptin between maternal serum and cord blood and to know relationship between leptin and fetal growth, and the origin of leptin. Methods: The concentration of leptin in 55 cases of maternal serum and cord arterial and venous blood were measured by ELISA assay. According to the neonatal weight and gestational age, three groups were divided into small gestational age (SGA), appropriate gestational age (AGA) and large gestational age (LGA). The nutrition status of neonatal was evaluated by index of Pondernal. The comparision was made in these groups. Results: The concentration of leptin in the cord artery, venous and maternal serum among 55 cases was 16.58 ± 8.13 ng/ml, 12.05 ± 9.87 ng/ml, 13.24 ± 10.58 ng/ml respectively; The concentration of maternal serum leptin was higher than that of cord artery. The concentration of maternal serum leptin was higher than that of venous serum leptin slightly. There was significant difference between cord artery and venous in different gestational age groups. Serum leptin levels of cord artery and venous were well correlated with the one of the weight and gestational age of neonatal. Maternal serum leptin level was not correlated with birth weight, placental weight and gestational age. Conclusions: The leptin from placenta is concerned with the adjustment of fetal growth. Cord leptin can reflect the status of fetal growth. Cord venous leptin indicate that the leptin be from placenta. Cord artery leptin demonstrates a part of placenta leptin, which acts on the fetus and then induces the fetal fat tissue to produce leptin. The maternal leptin does not adjust fetal weight directly. It only adjusts fat content itself and energy metabolism. (authors)

  5. Predicting onset of chronic lung disease using cord blood cytokines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takao, Daishi; Ibara, Satoshi; Tokuhisa, Takuya; Ishihara, Chie; Maede, Yoshinobu; Matsui, Takako; Tokumasu, Hironobu; Sato, Kyoko; Hirakawa, Eiji; Kabayama, Chika; Yamamoto, Masakatu

    2014-08-01

    Applicability of cord blood interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) as markers for early prediction of the onset of chronic lung disease (CLD) due to intrauterine infection was investigated in the present study. Eighty very low-birthweight infants with chorioamnionitis were divided into two groups: the CLD group (42 patients) and the non-CLD group (38 patients), according to the presence or absence of CLD, and the clinical background and cord blood IL-6 and IL-8 levels in each group were compared and investigated. The CLD group had significantly longer duration of mechanical ventilation and hospitalization (P CLD group. Using the receiver operating characteristic curves of CLD onset for both IL-6 and IL-8, the cut-off value of IL-6 for predicting onset of CLD was 48.0 pg/mL, and its sensitivity and specificity were 76% and 96%, respectively. The cut-off value for IL-8 was 66.0 pg/mL, and its sensitivity and specificity were 71% and 82%, respectively. The cord blood levels of both IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly higher in the CLD group, indicating that both IL-6 and IL-8 are useful predictors of onset of CLD. © 2014 Japan Pediatric Society.

  6. Cord Blood Stem Cell Procurement in Minority Donors

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Ratanatharathorn, Voravit

    2008-01-01

    ... of building minority CBU inventory. This final annual report is to give the report of the transplantation outcomes of African/American CBU recipients compared with other racial groups. This analysis is limited to those patients who have received an allogeneic cord blood stem cell transplantation at Karmanos Cancer Center.

  7. Concentration of Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Aluminum, Arsenic and Manganese in Umbilical Cord Blood of Jamaican Newborns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad H. Rahbar

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to characterize the concentrations of lead, mercury, cadmium, aluminum, and manganese in umbilical cord blood of Jamaican newborns and to explore the possible association between concentrations of these elements and certain birth outcomes. Based on data from 100 pregnant mothers and their 100 newborns who were enrolled from Jamaica in 2011, the arithmetic mean (standard deviation concentrations of cord blood lead, mercury, aluminum, and manganese were 0.8 (1.3 μg/dL, 4.4 (2.4 μg/L, 10.9 (9.2 μg/L, and 43.7 (17.7 μg/L, respectively. In univariable General Linear Models, the geometric mean cord blood aluminum concentration was higher for children whose mothers had completed their education up to high school compared to those whose mothers had any education beyond high school (12.2 μg/L vs. 6.4 μg/L; p < 0.01. After controlling for maternal education level and socio-economic status (through ownership of a family car, the cord blood lead concentration was significantly associated with head circumference (adjusted p < 0.01. Our results not only provide levels of arsenic and the aforementioned metals in cord blood that could serve as a reference for the Jamaican population, but also replicate previously reported significant associations between cord blood lead concentrations and head circumference at birth in other populations.

  8. Concentration of Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Aluminum, Arsenic and Manganese in Umbilical Cord Blood of Jamaican Newborns

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahbar, Mohammad H.; Samms-Vaughan, Maureen; Dickerson, Aisha S.; Hessabi, Manouchehr; Bressler, Jan; Coore Desai, Charlene; Shakespeare-Pellington, Sydonnie; Reece, Jody-Ann; Morgan, Renee; Loveland, Katherine A.; Grove, Megan L.; Boerwinkle, Eric

    2015-01-01

    The objective of this study was to characterize the concentrations of lead, mercury, cadmium, aluminum, and manganese in umbilical cord blood of Jamaican newborns and to explore the possible association between concentrations of these elements and certain birth outcomes. Based on data from 100 pregnant mothers and their 100 newborns who were enrolled from Jamaica in 2011, the arithmetic mean (standard deviation) concentrations of cord blood lead, mercury, aluminum, and manganese were 0.8 (1.3 μg/dL), 4.4 (2.4 μg/L), 10.9 (9.2 μg/L), and 43.7 (17.7 μg/L), respectively. In univariable General Linear Models, the geometric mean cord blood aluminum concentration was higher for children whose mothers had completed their education up to high school compared to those whose mothers had any education beyond high school (12.2 μg/L vs. 6.4 μg/L; p < 0.01). After controlling for maternal education level and socio-economic status (through ownership of a family car), the cord blood lead concentration was significantly associated with head circumference (adjusted p < 0.01). Our results not only provide levels of arsenic and the aforementioned metals in cord blood that could serve as a reference for the Jamaican population, but also replicate previously reported significant associations between cord blood lead concentrations and head circumference at birth in other populations. PMID:25915835

  9. Screening for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in neonates: a comparison between cord and peripheral blood samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    AlSaif, Saif; Ponferrada, Ma Bella; AlKhairy, Khalid; AlTawil, Khalil; Sallam, Adel; Ahmed, Ibrahim; Khawaji, Mohammed; AlHathlol, Khalid; Baylon, Beverly; AlSuhaibani, Ahmed; AlBalwi, Mohammed

    2017-07-11

    The use of cord blood in the neonatal screening for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is being done with increasing frequency but has yet to be adequately evaluated against the use of peripheral blood sample which is usually employed for confirmation. We sought to determine the incidence and gender distribution of G6PD deficiency, and compare the results of cord against peripheral blood in identifying G6PD DEFICIENCY neonates using quantitative enzyme activity assay. We carried out a retrospective and cross-sectional study employing review of primary hospital data of neonates born in a tertiary care center from January to December 2008. Among the 8139 neonates with cord blood G6PD assays, an overall incidence of 2% for G6PD deficiency was computed. 79% of these were males and 21% were females with significantly more deficient males (p blood samples (n = 1253) showed a significantly higher mean G6PD value for peripheral than cord blood (15.12 ± 4.52 U/g and 14.52 ± 4.43 U/g, respectively, p = 0.0008). However, the proportion of G6PD deficient neonates did not significantly differ in the two groups (p = 0.79). Sensitivity of cord blood in screening for G6PD deficiency, using peripheral G6PD assay as a gold standard was 98.6% with a NPV of 99.5%. There was no difference between cord and peripheral blood samples in discriminating between G6PD deficient and non-deficient neonates. A significantly higher mean peripheral G6PD assay reinforces the use of cord blood for neonatal screening since it has substantially low false negative results.

  10. DNA Methylation Patterns in Cord Blood of Neonates Across Gestational Age: Association With Cell-Type Proportions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Braid, Susan M; Okrah, Kwame; Shetty, Amol; Corrada Bravo, Hector

    A statistical methodology is available to estimate the proportion of cell types (cellular heterogeneity) in adult whole blood specimens used in epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS). However, there is no methodology to estimate the proportion of cell types in umbilical cord blood (also a heterogeneous tissue) used in EWAS. The objectives of this study were to determine whether differences in DNA methylation (DNAm) patterns in umbilical cord blood are the result of blood cell type proportion changes that typically occur across gestational age and to demonstrate the effect of cell type proportion confounding by comparing preterm infants exposed and not exposed to antenatal steroids. We obtained DNAm profiles of cord blood using the Illumina HumanMethylation27k BeadChip array for 385 neonates from the Boston Birth Cohort. We estimated cell type proportions for six cell types using the deconvolution method developed by . The cell type proportion estimates segregated into two groups that were significantly different by gestational age, indicating that gestational age was associated with cell type proportion. Among infants exposed to antenatal steroids, the number of differentially methylated CpGs dropped from 127 to 1 after controlling for cell type proportion. EWAS utilizing cord blood are confounded by cell type proportion. Careful study design including correction for cell type proportion and interpretation of results of EWAS using cord blood are critical.

  11. Study of Engraftment of human cord blood cells to rescue the sublethal radiation damage mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cao Xiangshan; Zou Zhenghui; Yu Fei; Zhang Zhilin; Lin Baojue

    1997-01-01

    To investigate alternative source of hematopoiesis stem cells to rescue the sublethal radiation damage (SRD) casualties. Human-umbilical cord blood hematopoietic cells were transplanted into SRD mice, the survival rate and the hematopoiesis reconstitution of bone marrow were assessed. The survival rate, in the mice transplanted and the untransplanted, were 90% and 10% respectively. Bone marrow and spleen of survival mice showed human leukocytic antigen CD45 + cells. Presence of multilineage engraftment, including myeloid and erythroid lineages, were found indicating that immature human cells home to the mouse bone marrow. conclusion: engraftment of umbilical cord blood cells is very useful to reconstitute hematopoiesis of SRD casualties. As cord blood has many advantages over bone marrow and peripheral blood, it is important in rescuing radiation accidental casualties

  12. Levels of micronutrients and heavy metals in cord blood and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The basis of the impact of HAP on maternal and fetal health was assessed by determining the levels of teratogenic heavy metals [Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg)] and micronutrients associated with DNA methylation [Zinc (Zn), Iodine (I), vitamins B6 and B12, folic acid and homocysteine] in cord blood of babies and maternal blood ...

  13. Screening of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency in Cord Blood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Can Acipayam

    2014-02-01

    Aim: Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency is an important factor in etiology of pathologic neonatal jaundice. The aim of this study was to indicate the significance of screening glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in the cord blood of neonates and the frequency of this deficiency in the etiology of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Material and Method: The study was performed consecutive 1015 neonates were included. Five hundred fifty six (54.8% of them were male and 459 (45.2% were female. The following parameters were recorded: Gender, birth weight, birth height, head circumference and gestational age. The glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase level of neonates were measured with quantitative method in cord blood. Also, hemoglobine, hematocrite, red blood cell count and blood group were measured. The following parameters were recorded in cases with jaundice: exchange transfusion, phototherapy, physiologic and pathologic jaundice, peak bilirubin day, maximum bilirubin level, total bilirubin level at the first day of jaundice, beginning time of jaundice. Results: Enzyme deficiency was detected in 133 (13.1% of neonates and 76 (57% of them were male, 57 (43% were female. Significant difference was detected in low glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme level with jaundice group for total bilirubin level at the first day of jaundice, maximum total bilirubin level and pathologic jaundice (p<0.05. Discussion: The ratio of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency was found in Edirne in this study and this ratio was higher than other studies conducted in our country. For this reason, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase enzyme level in cord blood of neonates should be measured routinely and high risk neonates should be followed up for hyperbilirubinemia and parents should be informed in our region.

  14. ACCUMULATION OF SELECTED METALS IN UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD OF NULLIPAROUS AND MULTIPAROUS WOMEN AND CORRELATION WITH THE NEWBORN´S PARAMETERS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iwona Kozikowska

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to determine the content of magnesium, copper, cadmium and iron in umbilical cord blood of the newborns depending on the number of pregnancies. It was established correlations between average concentrations these metals in cord blood and newborn’s parameters. The study material was collected immediately after delivery from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Bytom. The cord blood was taken from 99 women between 29-40 years old. Women were divided into two groups: nulliparous and multiparous. The concentration of metals in the cord blood was determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS. The conducted study demonstrates that magnesium, copper, cadmium and iron were noted in all tissues, both nulliparous women and multiparous mothers. The maximum concentration of cadmium in umbilical cord blood was observed among multiparous mothers (2.229 mg.kg-1 d.m.. In group of nulliparous women was observed higher concentration of Fe, Mg and Cu in umbilical cord blood than in multiparous mothers. It was noted some statistically significant correlation between iron, copper and newborn’s parameters. Parity influences the concentration of cadmium in umbilical cord blood with higher level found in multiparous women. Average content of iron in cord blood did not decrease with parity, it indicate that this element is preferentially taken up by the child.

  15. Mercury levels in cord blood and meconium of healthy newborns and venous blood of their mothers: Clinical, prospective cohort study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Unuvar, Emin [Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatrics, Istanbul (Turkey)]. E-mail: Eunuvar@superonline.com; Ahmadov, Hasan [Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatrics, Istanbul (Turkey); Kiziler, Ali Riza [Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatrics, Istanbul (Turkey); Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Biophysics, Istanbul (Turkey); Aydemir, Birsen [Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatrics, Istanbul (Turkey); Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Biophysics, Istanbul (Turkey); Toprak, Sadik [Gazi Osman Pasa University, Department of Forensic Pathology, Tokat (Turkey); Ulker, Volkan [Bakirkoy Government Hospital, Istanbul (Turkey); Ark, Cemal [Bakirkoy Government Hospital, Istanbul (Turkey)

    2007-03-01

    Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the chronic mercury intoxication in pregnant women and newborns living in Istanbul, Turkey. Methods: The research was carried out as a prospective with 143 pregnant women and their newborns. Venous blood from the mother, cord blood from the neonate, and meconium were collected for mercury analysis. Frequency of fish and vegetable-eating and the number of teeth filled were investigated. Analyses were made in cold vapor Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS, {mu}g/L). Results: Mercury levels were 0.38 {+-} 0.5 {mu}g/L (0-2.34) in venous blood of pregnant women, 0.50 {+-} 0.64 {mu}g/L (0-2.36) in umbilical cord blood and 9.45 {+-} 13.8 {mu}g/g (0-66.5) in meconium. Maternal blood mercury level was lower than the known toxic limit for humans (EPA, 5 {mu}g/L). Mercury levels of the maternal venous blood were significantly correlated with umbilical cord blood. The primary risk factors affecting mercury levels were eating fishmeals more than twice a week and having filled teeth more than five. The fact that the mother had a regular vegetable diet everyday reduced the mercury levels. Increased levels of mercury in the mother and umbilical cord blood could lead to retarded newborns' weight and height. Conclusion: Pregnant women living in Istanbul may be not under the risk of chronic mercury intoxication. Fish consumption more than twice per week and tooth-filling of mother more than five may increase mercury level. On the contrary, regular diet rich in vegetable decreases the mercury level.

  16. Mercury levels in cord blood and meconium of healthy newborns and venous blood of their mothers: Clinical, prospective cohort study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Unuvar, Emin; Ahmadov, Hasan; Kiziler, Ali Riza; Aydemir, Birsen; Toprak, Sadik; Ulker, Volkan; Ark, Cemal

    2007-01-01

    Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the chronic mercury intoxication in pregnant women and newborns living in Istanbul, Turkey. Methods: The research was carried out as a prospective with 143 pregnant women and their newborns. Venous blood from the mother, cord blood from the neonate, and meconium were collected for mercury analysis. Frequency of fish and vegetable-eating and the number of teeth filled were investigated. Analyses were made in cold vapor Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS, μg/L). Results: Mercury levels were 0.38 ± 0.5 μg/L (0-2.34) in venous blood of pregnant women, 0.50 ± 0.64 μg/L (0-2.36) in umbilical cord blood and 9.45 ± 13.8 μg/g (0-66.5) in meconium. Maternal blood mercury level was lower than the known toxic limit for humans (EPA, 5 μg/L). Mercury levels of the maternal venous blood were significantly correlated with umbilical cord blood. The primary risk factors affecting mercury levels were eating fishmeals more than twice a week and having filled teeth more than five. The fact that the mother had a regular vegetable diet everyday reduced the mercury levels. Increased levels of mercury in the mother and umbilical cord blood could lead to retarded newborns' weight and height. Conclusion: Pregnant women living in Istanbul may be not under the risk of chronic mercury intoxication. Fish consumption more than twice per week and tooth-filling of mother more than five may increase mercury level. On the contrary, regular diet rich in vegetable decreases the mercury level

  17. Systemic and Local Cytokine Profile following Spinal Cord Injury in Rats: A Multiplex Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yana O. Mukhamedshina

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Our study of the changes in cytokine profile in blood serum and in the spinal cord after traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI has shown that an inflammatory reaction and immunological response are not limited to the CNS, but widespread. This fact was confirmed by changes detected in a cytokine profile in blood serum samples [MIP-1α, interleukin 1 (IL-1 α, IL-2, IL-5, IL-1β, MCP-1, RANTES]. There were also changes in the levels of MIP-1α, IL-1α, IL-2, IL-5, IL-18, GM-colony-stimulating factor, IL-17α, IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-13, MCP-1, and GRO KC CINC-1 in samples of the rat injured spinal cord. The results underscore the complex cytokine network imbalance exhibited after SCI and show significant changes in the concentrations of 14 cytokines/chemokines with different inflammatory and immunological activities.

  18. Maternal adiposity and maternal and cord blood concentrations of vitamin D [25(OHD3

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernanda F.A. Simões

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Obesity is associated with lower concentrations of vitamin D [25(OHD3] in children, adolescents and adults, but it remains unclear whether maternal adiposity influences maternal and foetal concentrations of this vitamin. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to assess the relationship between maternal adiposity and maternal and cord blood concentrations of vitamin D. It involved 101 mother–newborn pairs from a public maternity in Sao Paulo city, Brazil. Demographic, socioeconomic and obstetric data, as well as anthropometry, physical activity and vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy, were investigated. Maternal adiposity was assessed by bioelectrical impedance. Maternal and cord blood concentrations of vitamin D were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Two multiple linear regression models that included maternal and cord blood vitamin D concentrations as outcomes and maternal adiposity as independent variable were used. No association was observed between maternal adiposity and maternal or cord blood concentrations of vitamin D. Maternal vitamin D concentration was associated with race, physical activity and vitamin D supplementation (adj. R2 = 0.74. Cord blood vitamin D concentration was associated with maternal vitamin D concentration (adj. R2 = 0.24. Although fat mass quantification is important to understand vitamin D status during all stages of life, this may not be true in pregnancy as race, vitamin D supplementation and physical activity appeared to be more relevant to vitamin D status. Understanding vitamin D metabolism in pregnancy may elucidate how or if adiposity influences maternal vitamin D status and how it impacts vitamin D transport to the foetus.

  19. Maternal insulin resistance, triglycerides and cord blood insulin in relation to post-natal weight trajectories and body composition in the offspring up to 2 years.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brunner, S; Schmid, D; Hüttinger, K; Much, D; Heimberg, E; Sedlmeier, E-M; Brüderl, M; Kratzsch, J; Bader, B L; Amann-Gassner, U; Hauner, H

    2013-12-01

    The intrauterine metabolic environment might have a programming effect on offspring body composition. We aimed to explore associations of maternal variables of glucose and lipid metabolism during pregnancy, as well as cord blood insulin, with infant growth and body composition up to 2 years post-partum. Data of pregnant women and their infants came from a randomized controlled trial designed to investigate the impact of nutritional fatty acids on adipose tissue development in the offspring. Of the 208 pregnant women enrolled, 118 infants were examined at 2 years. In the present analysis, maternal fasting plasma insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and serum triglycerides measured during pregnancy, as well as insulin in umbilical cord plasma, were related to infant growth and body composition assessed by skinfold thickness measurements and abdominal ultrasonography up to 2 years of age. Maternal homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance at the 32nd week of gestation was significantly inversely associated with infant lean body mass at birth, whereas the change in serum triglycerides during pregnancy was positively associated with ponderal index at 4 months, but not at later time points. Cord plasma insulin correlated positively with birthweight and neonatal fat mass and was inversely associated with body weight gain up to 2 years after multiple adjustments. Subsequent stratification by gender revealed that this relationship with weight gain was stronger, and significant only in girls. Cord blood insulin is inversely associated with subsequent infant weight gain up to 2 years and this seems to be more pronounced in girls. © 2013 The Authors. Diabetic Medicine © 2013 Diabetes UK.

  20. Impact of delayed umbilical cord clamping on public cord blood donations: can we help future patients and benefit infant donors?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ciubotariu, Rodica; Scaradavou, Andromachi; Ciubotariu, Ilinca; Tarnawski, Michal; Lloyd, Sara; Albano, Maria; Dobrila, Ludy; Rubinstein, Pablo; Grunebaum, Amos

    2018-03-25

    Cord blood (CB) is a widely accepted stem cell source and its clinical utilization depends, to a great extent, on its cell content. Birth-to-clamping (BTC) time of umbilical cord determines placental transfusion to the newborn, and the remaining blood that can be collected and banked. The 2017 Committee Opinion of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends a delay of "at least 30-60 seconds" before clamping the cord for all newborns to ensure adequate iron stores. The impact of delayed cord clamping (DCC) on public CB banking can be substantial. Cord blood units (CBUs) collected from 1210 mothers at one hospital were evaluated for total nucleated cells (TNCs) and weight/volume based on time to clamping. Bank staff recorded BTC time in seconds as reported by obstetricians; collections were performed ex utero. Immediate clamping was defined as BTC of less than 30 seconds, whereas DCC was defined as BTC of 30 seconds or more. Cord clamping was immediate in 903 (75%) and delayed in 307 (25%) deliveries. Successful recovery (% clinical CBUs) decreased 10-fold with DCC of more than 60 seconds (22% vs. 2.4%, p < 0.001). CBUs collected after DCC of more than 60 seconds had significantly lower TNC counts than those after DCC of less than 60 seconds (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, 38% to 46% of CBUs after DCC of more than 60 seconds had volume of less than 40 mL. Our study indicates that DCC of 30 to 60 seconds has a small negative impact on collection of high-TNC-count CBUs. However, increasing BTC to more than 60 seconds decreases significantly both TNC content and volume, reducing drastically the chances of obtaining clinically useful CBUs. © 2018 AABB.

  1. Effect of hemoglobin adjustment on the precision of mercury concentrations in maternal and cord blood

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kim, Byung Mi; Choi, Anna L.; Ha, Eun Hee

    2014-01-01

    to be less precise than suggested by laboratory quality data, we studied the interrelationships of mercury concentrations with hemoglobin in paired maternal and cord blood samples from a Faroese birth cohort (N=514) and the Mothers and Children[U+05F3]s Environmental Health study in Korea (n=797). Linear...... and cord blood for hemoglobin improved their precision, while no significant effect of the selenium concentration in maternal blood was found. Adjustment of blood-mercury concentrations for hemoglobin is therefore recommended. © 2014 Elsevier Inc....

  2. Outcome prediction value of determination of cord blood ADM concentrations in neonates with perinatal asphyxia events

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Shifa; Zhou Mingxiong; Zhang Xinlu

    2006-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the clinical value of determination of cord blood adrenomedullin (ADM) concentration for predicting development of hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in neonates suffered from perinatal asphyxia. Methods: Cord blood plasma ADM concentrations were measured with RIA in 77 full-ferm neonates with perinatal asphyxia and 30 controls. Results: In the 77 neonates with perinatal asphyxia, 32 developed clinical evidence of HIE within 7 days after birth (HIE group) and 45 didn't (non-HIE group). Cord blood plasma ADM concentrations in the HIE group (160.30 ± 41.3pg/ml) were significantly higher than those in the non-HIE group (112.26 ± 22.90 pg/ml) and controls (102.90 ± 19.43pg/ml). The cord blood plasma ADH concentrations in HIE group were also significantly positively correlated with the severity of the disease (r s = 0. 752, P < 0. 01 ). From our data, taking 117.93pg/ml as cut-off value for diagnosis of HIE would result in a sensitivity of 90.63%, specificity of 80%, and accuracy of 84.42%. Conclusion: High level of ADM in cord blood of neonates with perinatal asphyxia (≥117.93pg/ml) would predict development of HIE with a reasonable accuracy. (authors)

  3. Microbial contamination of the Tzu-Chi Cord Blood Bank from 2005 to 2006.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shu-Huey; Zheng, Ya-Jun; Yang, Shang-Hsien; Yang, Kuo-Liang; Shyr, Ming-Hwang; Ho, Yu-Huai

    2008-01-01

    In total, 4502 units of cord blood (CB) were collected during a 2-year period from 2005 to 2006 by the Buddhist Tzu-Chi Stem Cells Center. The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of microbial contamination and type of organism present in the cord blood. The clinical impact of microbial contamination on hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) grafts used for HPC transplantation is also discussed. First and second specimens were obtained for microbial assessment. These were collected in laboratory after cord blood collection and after cord blood unit manipulation, respectively. The samples were cultured and the results reviewed. The overall incidence of microbiological contamination was 1.8% (82/4502). Three CB units were contaminated with two different organisms. Infectious organisms comprised 9.4% (8/85) of total isolated microbes. These infectious microorganisms were beta-Streptococci group B, Candida tropicalis and Staphylococcus aureus which were isolated in 6, 1 and 1 of CB units respectively. Escherichia coli, Bacteroides fragilis, Lactobacillus spp., Enterococcus, beta-Streptococcus Group B, Bacteroides valgatus, Corynebacterium spp., Klebsiella pneumonia and Peptococcus spp. were the most frequently encountered microorganisms. A higher contamination rate of the CB units was noted after vaginal delivery (2.16%) compared to caesarian section (0.85%) (p bank, we use a closed system but an in utero method. Similar to other studies, most of microorganisms reported here as contaminants are non-pathogenic.

  4. Umbilical Cord Blood pH in Intrapartum Hypoxia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perveen, Fouzia; Khan, Ayesha; Ali, Tahmina; Rabia, Syeda

    2015-09-01

    To determine the association of cord arterial blood pH with neonatal outcome in cases of intrapartum fetal hypoxia. Descriptive analytical study. Gynaecology Unit-II, Civil Hospital, Karachi, from September 2011 to November 2012. All singleton cephalic fetuses at term gestation were included in the study. Those with any anomaly, malpresentation, medical disorders, maternal age 7.25, neonatal outcome measures (healthy, NICU admission or neonatal death), color of liquor and mode of delivery recorded on predesigned proforma. Statistical analysis performed by SPSS 16 by using independent-t test or chi-square test and ANOVA test as needed. A total of 204 newborns were evaluated. The mean pH level was found to be significantly different (p=0.007) in two groups. The pH value 7.25 had significant association (p 7.25. Majority (63.6%) cases needed caesarean section as compared to 31.4% controls. There is a significant association of cord arterial blood pH at birth with neonatal outcome at pH 7.25; but below the level of pH 7.25 it is still inconclusive.

  5. Risk of Exposure to Zika Virus and Impact on Cord Blood Banking and Adult Unrelated Donors in Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation: The Canadian Blood Services Experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Zachary; Morris, Gail; Campbell, Todd; Mostert, Karen; Dibdin, Nicholas; Fearon, Margaret; Elmoazzen, Heidi; Mercer, Dena; Young, Kimberly; Allan, David

    2018-04-01

    Zika virus has emerged as a potential threat to the Canadian blood supply system. Stem cell donors within Canadian Blood Services' Cord Blood Bank (CBB) and OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network (OM) now undergo screening measures designed to reduce the risk of Zika virus transmission. The impact these screening measures have on cord blood and unrelated adult stem cell donations is currently unknown. Among 146 donor workups initiated by OM between July 2016 and May 2017, 102 were completed and 44 workups were canceled. There were 17 potential donors (11.6%) with a risk of Zika virus exposure identified by the donor questionnaire (13 completed, 4 canceled workups). None of the workups involved a donor diagnosed with confirmed Zika virus within the past 6 months. Only 1 of the 44 canceled workups (and only 1 of 4 cases with a risk of Zika transmission) was canceled because of the risk of Zika transmission, and a backup donor was selected. Canadian Blood Services' CBB identified 25 of 875 cord blood units (2.9%) from women who donated their infants' cord blood and underwent screening that otherwise met the initial cell number thresholds for banking and had at least 1 risk factor for exposure to Zika virus. No women were diagnosed with Zika virus at any point of their pregnancy. All 25 units were discarded. Unrelated donors at OM have a higher incidence of a risk of exposure to Zika virus compared with cord blood donors. Only rarely did transplant centers cancel donor workups due to potential Zika virus exposure. The impact of screening for Zika virus exposure risk on cord blood banking was minor. Continued vigilance and surveillance is recommended. Copyright © 2017 The American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. [Complete blood count reference values of donated cord blood from Korean neonates].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hye Ryun; Shin, Sue; Yoon, Jong Hyun; Kim, Byoung Jae; Hwang, Kyu Ri; Kim, Jin Ju; Roh, Eun Youn

    2009-06-01

    In the public cord blood (CB) banks, only safe CB units with adequate cell doses are processed and stored. Complete blood count (CBC) of CB is crucial for estimating total nucleated cells (TNC) and screening suitable CB units without hematologic abnormalities. We analyzed CBC parameters of the donated CB from healthy Korean neonates to establish CBC reference values. A total of 2,129 Korean CB units, donated and processed during the period from August 2007 to December 2007, were enrolled. We measured hemoglobin (Hb), white blood cell (WBC) count, differential count of WBC, platelets and nucleated red blood cell (nRBC) count by XE-2100 automated hematology analyzer (Sysmex, Japan), and estimated reference value of each parameter by using parametric (Mean+/-2SD) and/or non-parametric methods (2.5-97.5 percentile). And also, we compared the result of each parameter in relation to sex of neonates and delivery method. Because the differences of CBC values among different subgroups were not remarkable, we established the reference intervals as follows without subgroup division: Hb, 9.0-14.4 g/dL; WBC count, 5.6-18.5 x 10(3)/microL; differential count of WBC (neutrophils, 40.8-72.4%; lymphocytes, 17.2-46.7%; monocytes, 4.9-12.8%; eosinophils, 0.7-7.0%; basophils, 0.0-1.6%); platelet, 130-287 x 10(3)/microL; nRBCs, 0.0-13.1/100 WBC. We established cord blood CBC reference values of healthy Korean neonates using a large-scale CB units. The established CBC reference values from our study will be useful as basic data for CBC interpretation and assessment of transplant suitability of donated CB.

  7. Effect of low dose irradiation on expression of membrane molecules of T lymphocytes in cord blood

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Chang'an; Yang Guang; Jia Tingzhen

    2001-01-01

    The membrane molecules expression of T lymphocytes of cord blood after low dose irradiation (LDI) was investigated. Freshly isolated lymphocytes from cord blood were irradiated with 62 mGy γ-ray. At different time (4 h, 12 h, 24 h) after irradiation the changes of TCR + , CD3 + , CD4 + , CD8 + cells were examined by flow cytometry with direct immunofluorescence, respectively. The experimental results showed that the proportion of CD3 + , TCR + /CD3 + , CD4 + , CD8 + cells increased significantly after LDI, with the most obvious enhancement noted in the 24 h experimental group. The ratio of CD4 to CD8 showed no significant changes. It is suggested that expedition of the maturation, activation and signal transduction of T lymphocytes from cord blood can be induced by irradiation of 62 mGy γ-ray. So the reconstruction of immune functions after cord blood transplantation can be accelerated, enhancing the graft versus leukemia (GVL) effect and preventing the tumor from relapsing

  8. Relationship of Cord Blood Immunoglobulin E and Maternal Immunoglobulin E with Birth Order and Maternal History of Allergy in Albanian Mother/Neonate Pairs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latifi-Pupovci, Hatixhe; Lokaj-Berisha, Violeta; Lumezi, Besa

    2017-10-15

    Previous studies reported that familial factors such as birth order and mothers atopy might influence cord blood levels and development of allergies. The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship of cord blood IgE and maternal IgE with birth order and mothers history of allergy in Albanian mother/neonate pairs. Study population represented 291 mother-infant pairs. Mothers were interviewed with a questionnaire for personal history of allergy and pregnancy history whereas serum IgE levels were determined using sandwich IRMA assay. The mean level of cIgE in neonates with detectable levels was 1.59 (n = 78). No significant difference in means of cIgE was found between first born and later born neonates (p = 0.232) and between neonates of mothers with a negative and positive history of allergy (p = 0.125). Also, no significant difference was found between means of mIgE by birth order, whereas there was a significant difference of mIgE between mothers with and without a history of allergy (p = 0.01). In a group of neonates with detectable cIgE levels, maternal IgE levels were moderately correlated with cIgE levels. Cord blood IgE is not affected by birth order and mothers history of allergy, whereas mothers IgE are affected by the history of allergy but not by birth order.

  9. Human umbilical cord blood-derived f-macrophages retain pluripotentiality after thrombopoietin expansion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Yong; Mazzone, Theodore

    2005-01-01

    We have previously characterized a new type of stem cell from human peripheral blood, termed fibroblast-like macrophage (f-MΦ). Here, using umbilical cord blood as a source, we identified cells with similar characteristics including expression of surface markers (CD14, CD34, CD45, CD117, and CD163), phagocytosis, and proliferative capacity. Further, thrombopoietin (TPO) significantly stimulated the proliferation of cord blood-derived f-MΦ (CB f-MΦ) at low dosage without inducing a megakaryocytic phenotype. Additional experiments demonstrated that TPO-expanded cord blood-derived f-MΦ (TCB f-MΦ) retained their surface markers and differentiation ability. Treatment with vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) gave rise to endothelial-like cells, expressing Flt-1, Flk-1, von Willebrand Factor (vWF), CD31, acetylated low density lipoprotein internalization, and the ability to form endothelial-like cell chains. In the presence of lipopolyssacharide (LPS) and 25 mM glucose, the TCB f-MΦ differentiated to express insulin mRNA, C-peptide, and insulin. In vitro functional analysis demonstrated that these insulin-positive cells could release insulin in response to glucose and other secretagogues. These findings demonstrate a potential use of CB f-MΦ and may lead to develop new therapeutic strategy for treating dominant disease

  10. Associations of maternal prenatal smoking with umbilical cord blood hormones: the Project Viva cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleisch, Abby F; Rifas-Shiman, Sheryl L; Rokoff, Lisa B; Hivert, Marie-France; Mantzoros, Christos S; Oken, Emily

    2017-07-01

    Maternal smoking during pregnancy is associated with low fetal growth and adverse cardiometabolic health in offspring. However, hormonal pathways underlying these associations are unclear. Therefore, we examined maternal smoking habits and umbilical cord blood hormone profiles in a large, prospective cohort. We studied 978 mother/infant pairs in Project Viva, a Boston-area cohort recruited 1999-2002. We categorized mothers as early pregnancy smokers, former smokers, or never smokers. Outcomes were cord blood concentrations of IGF-1, IGF-2, IGFBP-3, leptin, adiponectin, insulin, and C-peptide. We used linear regression models adjusted for maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), race/ethnicity, parity, education, and infant sex. We conducted analyses in the full cohort and stratified by infant sex. Thirteen percent of women were early pregnancy smokers, 20% former smokers, and 68% never smokers. Infants of early pregnancy smokers had lower IGF-1 adjusted for IGFBP-3 [-5.2ng/mL (95% CI: -8.6, -1.7)], with more pronounced associations in girls [-10.7ng/mL (95% CI: -18.5, -2.9) vs. -4.0ng/mL (95% CI: -8.4, 0.4) for boys]. Early pregnancy smoking was not associated with cord blood hormones other than IGF-1. Infants of former smokers had a cord blood hormone profile similar to infants of never smokers. As compared to mothers who never smoked, early pregnancy smokers had infants with lower cord blood IGF-1 which could prime adverse metabolic outcomes. This provides further reason to support smoking cessation programs in women of reproductive age. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. In vitro differentiation of human umbilical cord blood mesenchymal ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were isolated by gradient density centrifugation from umbilical cord blood. Spindle-shaped adherent cells were permitted to grow to 70% confluence in primary culture media which was reached by day 12. Induction of differentiation started by culturing cells with differentiation medium ...

  12. Generation of glucose-responsive, insulin-producing cells from human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prabakar, Kamalaveni R; Domínguez-Bendala, Juan; Molano, R Damaris; Pileggi, Antonello; Villate, Susana; Ricordi, Camillo; Inverardi, Luca

    2012-01-01

    We sought to assess the potential of human cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (CB-MSCs) to derive insulin-producing, glucose-responsive cells. We show here that differentiation protocols based on stepwise culture conditions initially described for human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) lead to differentiation of cord blood-derived precursors towards a pancreatic endocrine phenotype, as assessed by marker expression and in vitro glucose-regulated insulin secretion. Transplantation of these cells in immune-deficient animals shows human C-peptide production in response to a glucose challenge. These data suggest that human cord blood may be a promising source for regenerative medicine approaches for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

  13. Enhanced Engraftment of a Very Low-Dose Cord Blood Unit in an Adult Haemopoietic Transplant by Addition of Six Mismatched Viable Cord Units

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephen J. Proctor

    2010-01-01

    , supported by six mismatched cord blood units (one unit per 10 kg recipient weight. No adverse reaction occurred following the infusion of mismatched units and engraftment of the suboptimal-dose matched unit occurred rapidly, with no molecular evidence of engraftment of mismatched cords. Early molecular remission of ALL was demonstrated using a novel PCR for a mitochondrial DNA mutation in the leukaemic clone. The cell dose of the matched cord was well below that recommended to engraft a 70 kg recipient. We suggest that a factor or factors in the mismatched cords enhanced/supported engraftment of the matched cord.

  14. Multicentre standardisation of a clinical grade procedure for the preparation of allogeneic platelet concentrates from umbilical cord blood

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rebulla, Paolo; Pupella, Simonetta; Santodirocco, Michele; Greppi, Noemi; Villanova, Ida; Buzzi, Marina; De Fazio, Nicola; Grazzini, Giuliano

    2016-01-01

    Background In addition to a largely prevalent use for bleeding prophylaxis, platelet concentrates from adult blood have also been used for many years to prepare platelet gels for the repair of topical skin ulcers. Platelet gel can be obtained by activation of fresh, cryopreserved, autologous or allogeneic platelet concentrates with calcium gluconate, thrombin and/or batroxobin. The high content of tissue regenerative factors in cord blood platelets and the widespread availability of allogeneic cord blood units generously donated for haematopoietic transplant but unsuitable for this use solely because of low haematopoietic stem cell content prompted us to develop a national programme to standardise the production of allogeneic cryopreserved cord blood platelet concentrates (CBPC) suitable for later preparation of clinical-grade cord blood platelet gel. Materials and methods Cord blood units collected at public banks with total nucleated cell counts 150×109/L and volume >50 mL, underwent soft centrifugation within 48 hours of collection. Platelet-rich plasma was centrifuged at high speed to obtain a CBPC with target platelet concentration of 800–1,200×109/L, which was cryopreserved, without cryoprotectant, below −40 °C. Results During 14 months, 13 banks produced 1,080 CBPC with mean (± standard deviation) volume of 11.4±4.4 mL and platelet concentration of 1,003±229×109/L. Total platelet count per CBPC was 11.3±4.9×109. Platelet recovery from cord blood was 47.7±17.8%. About one-third of cord blood units donated for haematopoietic transplant could meet the requirements for preparation of CBPC. The cost of preparation was € 160.92/CBPC. About 2 hours were needed for one technician to prepare four CBPC. Discussion This study yielded valuable scientific and operational information regarding the development of clinical trials using allogeneic CBPC. PMID:26509822

  15. Validity and Reliability of Perinatal Biomarkers after Storage as Dry Blood Spots on Paper

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mihalopoulos, Nicole L.; Phillips, Terry M.; Slater, Hillarie; Thomson, J. Anne; Varner, Michael W.; Moyer-Mileur, Laurie J.

    2013-01-01

    Ojective To validate use of chip-based immunoaffinity capillary electrophoresis on dry blood spot samples (DBSS) to measure obesity-related cytokines. Methods Chip-based immunoaffinity capillary electrophoresis was used to measure adiponectin, leptin and insulin in serum and DBSS in pregnant women, cord blood, and infant heelstick at birth and 6 weeks. Concordance of measurements was determined with Pearson's correlation. Results We report high concordance between results obtained from serum and DBSS with the exception of cord blood specimens. Conclusions Ease of sample collection and storage makes DBSS an optimal method for use in studies involving neonates and young children. PMID:21735507

  16. Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells. Who has the right word?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gisela Laporta

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available In this article we analyze bioethical and legal aspects related to the cryopreservation of cord blood stem cells in Argentina. To unify definitions, the concept and variety of stem cells, together with the understanding of the means to obtain and store umbilical cord blood stem cells, are provided.  Options that arise in our country, mainly analyzing the conceptual differences underlying legal body and parts by public and private biobanks, are described. Additionally, the current Argentinean legislation and circumstances arising from a resolution which INCUCAI sought to regulate private biobanks, is analyzed. This analysis leads to thoughts on the way conflicts are solved when the health and life of people are judicialized. In this particular case, the appearance of a complex new topic which gives rise to new social and healthcare scenarios, must be further understood.

  17. Impact of C-rel inhibition of cord blood-derived B-, T-, and NK cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fallahi, Shirin; Mohammadi, Seyede Momeneh; Tayefi Nasrabadi, Hamid; Alihemmati, Alireza; Samadi, Naser; Gholami, Sanaz; Shanehbandi, Dariush; Nozad Charoudeh, Hojjatollah

    2017-12-01

    The c-Rel transcription factor is a unique member of the nuclear factor (NF)-κB family that has a role in curtailing the proliferation, differentiation, cytokine production, and overall activity of B- and T-cells. In addition, c-Rel is a key regulator of apoptosis in that it influences the expression of anti-apoptotic genes such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL; conversely, inhibition of c-Rel increases cell apoptosis. To better understand the relationship between c-Rel expression and effects on B- and T-cell expansion, the current study evaluated c-Rel expression in cord blood mononuclear cells. This particular source was selected as cord blood is an important source of cells used for transplantation and immunotherapy, primarily in treating leukemias. As stem cell factor (SCF) and FLT3 are important agents for hematopoietic stem cell expansion, and cytokines like interleukin (IL)-2, -7, and -15 are essential for T- and B- (and also NK) cell development and proliferation, the current study evaluated c-Rel expression in cord blood mononuclear cells and CD34 +  cells, as well as effects on B-, T-, and NK cells associated with alterations in c-Rel expression, using flow cytometry and PCR. The results showed c-Rel expression increased among cells cultured in the presence of SCF and FLT3 but was reduced when IL-2, IL-7, and IL-15 were used all together. Further, inhibition of c-Rel expression by siRNA reduced cord blood-derived B-, T-, and NK cell differentiation and expansion. These results indicated that with cells isolated from cord blood, c-Rel has an important role in B-, T-, and NK cell differentiation and, further, that agents (select cytokines/growth factors) that could impact on its expression might not only affect immune cell profiles in a host but could potentially also limit apoptotic activities in (non-)immune cells in that host. In the context of cancer (immuno)therapy, in particular, when cord blood is used an important source in stem cell transplantation in

  18. Organochlorine pesticide levels in umbilical cord blood of newborn in Veracruz, Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrero-Mercado, Margarita; Waliszewski, S M; Caba, M; Martínez-Valenzuela, C; Hernández-Chalate, F

    2010-10-01

    Organochlorine pesticides accumulate in lipid rich compartments of organisms. During pregnancy, the compounds pass through the placental barrier appear in cord blood. The aim of this study was to monitor the levels of organochlorine pesticides in 70 umbilical cord blood samples taken during deliveries in Veracruz in 2009. For organochlorine pesticides, only the presence β-HCH (4%, 3.9 μg/L median concentration on wet weight), pp'DDE (100%, 0.7 μg/L) and pp'DDT (4%, 1.4 μg/L) were detected. The total pool of samples divided according to sex of new born babies, showed no statistical differences among median concentrations. The number of deliveries considered as a determinant contamination factor affirmed there were no statistical differences among median concentrations; however pp'DDE levels increased from the one to two childbirth groups. Age of pregnant women as a discriminate factor manifests in a significant increase in contamination levels among first, second and third tertile. In general, umbilical cord blood samples in Veracruz contained organochlorine pesticides, especially pp'DDE, confirming the presence of these compounds in the environment and their transfer from the mother to the developing fetus.

  19. Programming of Adiposity in Childhood and Adolescence: Associations With Birth Weight and Cord Blood Adipokines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simpson, Joy; Smith, Andrew D A C; Fraser, Abigail; Sattar, Naveed; Lindsay, Robert S; Ring, Susan M; Tilling, Kate; Davey Smith, George; Lawlor, Debbie A; Nelson, Scott M

    2017-02-01

    Exposure to maternal adiposity during pregnancy is associated with higher offspring birth weight and greater adiposity through childhood and adult life. As birth weight reflects the summation of lean and fat mass, the extent to which fat mass at birth tracks into later life is unknown. To determine whether fat mass at birth is associated with child and adolescent adiposity. UK birth cohort with markers of neonatal fat mass; cord blood leptin, adiponectin, and birth weight and adiposity outcomes at age 9 (n = 2775) and 17 years (n = 2138). Offspring body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry-determined fat mass, and obesity at age 9 and 17 years. Higher cord blood leptin was associated with higher z scores of fat mass [difference in mean per 10 pg/mL: 0.03 standard deviation (SD); 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.00 to 0.06], waist circumference (0.04 SD; 95% CI, 0.00 to 0.07), and BMI (0.04 SD; 95% CI, 0.00 to 0.08) at age 9. However, by age 17 the adjusted results were attenuated to the null. Cord blood adiponectin was not associated with measures of adiposity at age 9. At age 17, cord blood adiponectin was positively associated with fat mass (0.02 SD per 10 μg/mL; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.03) and waist circumference (0.04 SD per 10 μg/mL; 95% CI, 0.03 to 0.05). Birth weight was positively associated with waist circumference (0.03 SD per 100 g; 95% CI, 0.02 to 0.04) and BMI (0.02 SD per 100 g; 95% CI, 0.00 to 0.03), but not fat mass or odds of obesity. Cord blood leptin and adiponectin were not associated with obesity at either age. Increased cord blood leptin and adiponectin, known surrogates of fetal fat mass, were weakly associated with increased fat mass in late childhood and adolescence, respectively.

  20. Relationship between maternal serum zinc, cord blood zinc and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Adequate in utero supply of zinc is essential for optimal fetal growth because of the role of zinc in cellular division, growth and differentiation. Low maternal serum zinc has been reported to be associated with low birth weight and the later is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in newborns.

  1. Dietary and supplemental maternal methyl-group donor intake and cord blood DNA methylation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pauwels, Sara; Ghosh, Manosij; Duca, Radu Corneliu; Bekaert, Bram; Freson, Kathleen; Huybrechts, Inge; A S Langie, Sabine; Koppen, Gudrun; Devlieger, Roland; Godderis, Lode

    2017-01-02

    Maternal nutrition is critically involved in the development and health of the fetus. We evaluated maternal methyl-group donor intake through diet (methionine, betaine, choline, folate) and supplementation (folic acid) before and during pregnancy in relation to global DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation and gene specific (IGF2 DMR, DNMT1, LEP, RXRA) cord blood methylation. A total of 115 mother-infant pairs were enrolled in the MAternal Nutrition and Offspring's Epigenome (MANOE) study. The intake of methyl-group donors was assessed using a food-frequency questionnaire. LC-MS/MS and pyrosequencing were used to measure global and gene specific methylation, respectively. Dietary intake of methyl-groups before and during pregnancy was associated with changes in LEP, DNMT1, and RXRA cord blood methylation. Statistically significant higher cord blood LEP methylation was observed when mothers started folic acid supplementation more than 6 months before conception compared with 3-6 months before conception (34.6 ± 6.3% vs. 30.1 ± 3.6%, P = 0.011, LEP CpG1) or no folic acid used before conception (16.2 ± 4.4% vs. 13.9 ± 3%, P = 0.036 for LEP CpG3 and 24.5 ± 3.5% vs. 22.2 ± 3.5%, P = 0.045 for LEP mean CpG). Taking folic acid supplements during the entire pregnancy resulted in statistically significantly higher cord blood RXRA methylation as compared with stopping supplementation in the second trimester (12.3 ± 1.9% vs. 11.1 ± 2%, P = 0.008 for RXRA mean CpG). To conclude, long-term folic acid use before and during pregnancy was associated with higher LEP and RXRA cord blood methylation, respectively. To date, pregnant women are advised to take a folic acid supplement of 400 µg/day from 4 weeks before until 12 weeks of pregnancy. Our results suggest significant epigenetic modifications when taking a folic acid supplement beyond the current advice.

  2. SCREENING CORD BLOOD FOR HEMOGLOBINOPATHIES AND THALASSEMIA BY HPLC

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    VANDERDIJS, FPL; VANDENBERG, GA; SCHERMER, JG; MUSKIET, FD; LANDMAN, H; MUSKIET, FAJ

    We evaluated the use of an HPLC method for screening hemoglobins in cord blood. We studied the genotype frequencies of the structural hemoglobin variants HbS and HbC and the synthesis variants alpha- and beta+-thalassemia in babies born on Curacao. During three months, 67.2% of all (748) newborns

  3. Reconstitution activity of hypoxic cultured human cord blood CD34-positive cells in NOG mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shima, Haruko; Takubo, Keiyo; Iwasaki, Hiroko; Yoshihara, Hiroki; Gomei, Yumiko; Hosokawa, Kentaro; Arai, Fumio; Takahashi, Takao; Suda, Toshio

    2009-01-01

    Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) reside in hypoxic areas of the bone marrow. However, the role of hypoxia in the maintenance of HSCs has not been fully characterized. We performed xenotransplantation of human cord blood cells cultured in hypoxic or normoxic conditions into adult NOD/SCID/IL-2Rγ null (NOG) mice. Hypoxic culture (1% O 2 ) for 6 days efficiently supported the maintenance of HSCs, although cell proliferation was suppressed compared to the normoxic culture. In contrast, hypoxia did not affect in vitro colony-forming ability. Upregulation of a cell cycle inhibitor, p21, was observed in hypoxic culture. Immunohistochemical analysis of recipient bone marrow revealed that engrafted CD34 + CD38 - cord blood HSCs were hypoxic. Taken together, these results demonstrate the significance of hypoxia in the maintenance of quiescent human cord blood HSCs.

  4. Magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused ultrasound to increase localized blood-spinal cord barrier permeability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Payne, Allison H; Hawryluk, Gregory W; Anzai, Yoshimi; Odéen, Henrik; Ostlie, Megan A; Reichert, Ethan C; Stump, Amanda J; Minoshima, Satoshi; Cross, Donna J

    2017-12-01

    Spinal cord injury (SCI) affects thousands of people every year in the USA, and most patients are left with some permanent paralysis. Therapeutic options are limited and only modestly affect outcome. To address this issue, we used magnetic resonance imaging-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) as a non-invasive approach to increase permeability in the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB). We hypothesize that localized, controlled sonoporation of the BSCB by MRgFUS will aid delivery of therapeutics to the injury. Here, we report our preliminary findings for the ability of MRgFUS to increase BSCB permeability in the thoracic spinal cord of a normal rat model. First, an excised portion of normal rat spinal column was used to characterize the acoustic field and to estimate the insertion losses that could be expected in an MRgFUS blood spinal cord barrier opening. Then, in normal rats, MRgFUS was applied in combination with intravenously administered microbubbles to the spinal cord region. Permeability of the BSCB was indicated as signal enhancement by contrast administered prior to T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and verified by Evans blue dye. Neurological testing using the Basso, Beattie, and Breshnahan scale and the ladder walk was normal in 8 of 10 rats tested. Two rats showed minor impairment indicating need for further refinement of parameters. No gross tissue damage was evident by histology. In this study, we have opened successfully the blood spinal cord barrier in the thoracic region of the normal rat spine using magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound combined with microbubbles.

  5. A Comparative Reference Study for the Validation of HLA-Matching Algorithms in the Search for Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Donors and Cord Blood Units

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-08-15

    donors and cord blood units W. Bochtler1, L. Gragert2, Z. I. Patel3, J. Robinson3,4, D. Steiner5, J. A. Hofmann6, J. Pingel6, A. Baouz7, A. Melis8, J...cord blood units for individual patients is of primary importance. This challenging search process is routinely performed in a donor registry or cord...term ‘ donor ’ to refer to donors of HSCs from bone marrow or peripheral blood and cord blood units and the term ‘ donor registry’ shall include cord blood

  6. Expansion of Human Tregs from Cryopreserved Umbilical Cord Blood for GMP-Compliant Autologous Adoptive Cell Transfer Therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Howard R. Seay

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Umbilical cord blood is a traditional and convenient source of cells for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Thymic regulatory T cells (Tregs are also present in cord blood, and there is growing interest in the use of autologous Tregs to provide a low-risk, fully human leukocyte antigen (HLA-matched cell product for treating autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes. Here, we describe a good manufacturing practice (GMP-compatible Treg expansion protocol using fluorescence-activated cell sorting, resulting in a mean 2,092-fold expansion of Tregs over a 16-day culture for a median yield of 1.26 × 109 Tregs from single-donor cryopreserved units. The resulting Tregs passed prior clinical trial release criteria for Treg purity and sterility, including additional rigorous assessments of FOXP3 and Helios expression and epigenetic analysis of the FOXP3 Treg-specific demethylated region (TSDR. Compared with expanded adult peripheral blood Tregs, expanded cord blood Tregs remained more naive, as assessed by continued expression of CD45RA, produced reduced IFN-γ following activation, and effectively inhibited responder T cell proliferation. Immunosequencing of the T cell receptor revealed a remarkably diverse receptor repertoire within cord blood Tregs that was maintained following in vitro expansion. These data support the feasibility of generating GMP-compliant Tregs from cord blood for adoptive cell transfer therapies and highlight potential advantages in terms of safety, phenotypic stability, autoantigen specificity, and tissue distribution.

  7. Methods of ex vivo expansion of human cord blood cells: challenges, successes and clinical implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baron, Frédéric; Ruggeri, Annalisa; Nagler, Arnon

    2016-03-01

    More than 40,000 unrelated cord blood transplantations (UCBT) have been performed worldwide as treatment for patients with malignant or non-malignant life threatening hematologic disorders. However, low absolute numbers of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) within a single cord blood unit has remained a limiting factor for this transplantation modality, particularly in adult recipients. Further, because UCB contains low numbers of mostly naïve T cells, immune recovery after UCBT is slow, predisposing patients to severe infections. Other causes of UCBT failure has included graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and relapse of the underlying disease. In this article, we first review the current landscape of cord blood engineering aimed at improving engraftment. This includes approaches of UCB-HSPCs expansion and methods aimed at improving UCB-HSCPs homing. We then discuss recent approaches of cord blood engineering developed to prevent infection [generation of multivirus-specific cytotoxic T cells (VSTs) from UCB], relapse [transduction of UCB-T cells with tumor-specific chimeric receptor antigens (CARs)] and GVHD (expansion of regulatory T cells from UCB). Although many of these techniques of UCB engineering remain currently technically challenging and expensive, they are likely to revolutionize the field of UCBT in the next decades.

  8. Cord blood vitamin D and the risk of acute lower respiratory infection in Indigenous infants in the Northern Territory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Binks, Michael J; Smith-Vaughan, Heidi C; Marsh, Robyn; Chang, Anne B; Andrews, Ross M

    2016-04-04

    To assess vitamin D status in Indigenous mothers and infants in the Northern Territory, and to determine whether cord blood vitamin D levels are correlated with the risk of infant hospitalisation for acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI). Within a nested cohort of 109 Indigenous mother-infant pairs recruited between 2006 and 2011, we used liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to measure vitamin D (25(OH)D3) levels in maternal blood during pregnancy (n = 33; median gestation, 32 weeks [range, 28-36 weeks]) and at birth (n = 106; median gestation, 39 weeks [range, 34-41 weeks]), in cord blood (n = 84; median gestation, 39 weeks [range, 36-41 weeks]), and in infant blood at age 7 months (n = 37; median age, 7.1 months [range, 6.6-8.1 months]). ALRI hospitalisations during the first 12 months of infancy, identified using International Classification of Diseases coding (J09-J22, A37-A37.9). Compared with mean 25(OH)D3 levels in maternal blood during pregnancy (104 nmol/L), mean levels were 23% lower in maternal blood at birth (80 nmol/L) and 48% lower in cord blood samples (54 nmol/L). The mean cord blood 25(OH)D3 concentration in seven infants subsequently hospitalised for an ALRI was 37 nmol/L (95% CI, 25-48 nmol/L), lower than the 56 nmol/L (95% CI, 51-61 nmol/L) in the 77 infants who were not hospitalised with an ALRI (P = 0.025). Cord blood 25(OH)D3 concentrations were about half those in maternal blood during the third trimester of pregnancy (about 7 weeks earlier). Most cord blood levels (80%) were classified as vitamin D insufficient (L) by existing guidelines, and were lower among infants who were subsequently hospitalised with an ALRI.

  9. How to improve cord blood engraftment?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meral eBeksac

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Various factors make cord blood (CB a significant source of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC, including ease of procurement and lack of donor attrition, with the ability to process and store the donor cells long term. Importantly, high proliferative potential of the immature HSCs allows one log less use of cells compared to bone marrow (BM or peripheral blood stem cells. As total nucleated cell (TNC and CD34 + cell content of CB grafts are correlated with engraftment rate and speed, strategies to expand HSC and homing have been developed. This chapter will focus on modalities such as intra-bone administration, fucosylation, CD26 inhibition, Prostaglandin G2 derivative or complement 3 exposure and SDF-1/CXCR4/CXCL-12 pathway interventions that have been experimented successfully. Furthermore increasing evidence in line with better recognition of CB progenitors that are involved in engraftment and homing will also be addressed.

  10. Maternal systemic or cord blood inflammation is associated with birth anthropometry in a Tanzanian prospective cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkinson, A L; Pedersen, S H; Urassa, M; Michael, D; Andreasen, A; Todd, J; Kinung'hi, S M; Changalucha, J; McDermid, J M

    2017-01-01

    HIV infection is associated with chronic systemic inflammation, with or without antiretroviral therapy. Consequences for foetal growth are not understood, particularly in settings where multiple maternal infections and malnutrition are common. The study was designed to examine maternal systemic circulating and umbilical cord blood cytokine concentrations in relation to birth anthropometry in a Tanzanian prospective cohort. A 9-plex panel of maternal plasma cytokines in HIV-positive (n = 44) and HIV-negative (n = 70) mothers and the same cytokines in umbilical cord blood collected at delivery was assayed. Linear regression modelled associations between maternal or cord blood cytokines and birth anthropometry. Health indicators (haemoglobin, mid-upper-arm circumference, body mass index) in HIV-positive mothers without considerable immunosuppression did not differ from HIV-negative women. Despite this, HIV-exposed infants had lower birthweight and length. Subgroup analyses indicated that HIV management using HAART was associated with lower plasma TNF-α, as were longer durations of any antiretroviral therapy (≥2 months). Greater maternal plasma TNF-α was associated with earlier delivery (-1.7 weeks, P = 0.039) and lower birthweights (-287 g; P = 0.020), while greater umbilical cord TNF-α (-1.43 cm; P = 0.036) and IL-12p70 (-2.4 cm; P = 0.008) were associated with shorter birth length. Birthweight was inversely associated with cord IL-12p70 (-723 g; P = 0.001) and IFN-γ (-482 g, P = 0.007). Maternal cytokines during pregnancy did not correlate with umbilical cord cytokines at delivery. Systemic inflammation identified in maternal plasma or umbilical cord blood was associated with poorer birth anthropometrics in HIV-exposed and HIV-unexposed infants. Controlling maternal and/or foetal systemic inflammation may improve birth anthropometry. © 2016 The Authors. Tropical Medicine & International Health Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Antenatal steroid exposure in the late preterm period is associated with reduced cord blood neurotrophin-3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hodyl, Nicolette A; Crawford, Tara M; McKerracher, Lorna; Lawrence, Andrew; Pitcher, Julia B; Stark, Michael J

    2016-10-01

    Neurotrophins are proteins critically involved in neural growth, survival and differentiation, and therefore important for fetal brain development. Reduced cord blood neurotrophins have been observed in very preterm infants (neurotrophin concentrations, yet studies to date have not examined whether this occurs in the late preterm infant (33-36weeks gestation), despite increasing recognition of subtle neurodevelopmental deficits in this population. To assess the impact of antenatal steroids on cord blood neurotrophins in late preterm infants following antenatal steroid exposure. Retrospective analysis. Late preterm infants (33-36weeks; n=119) and term infants (37-41weeks; n=129) born at the Women's and Children's Hospital, Adelaide. Cord blood neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), NT-4, nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations measured by ELISA. Cord blood NT-4 and NGF were increased at term compared to the late preterm period (p24h prior to delivery (p<0.01). This study identified an association between reduced cord blood NT-3 and antenatal steroid exposure in the late preterm period. The reduced NT-3 may be a consequence of steroids inducing neuronal apoptosis, thereby reducing endogenous neuronal NT3 production, or be an action of steroids on other maternal or fetal NT-3 producing cells, which may then affect neuronal growth, differentiation and survival. Regardless of the specific mechanism, a reduction in NT-3 may have long term implications for child neurodevelopment, and emphasizes the ongoing vulnerability of the fetal brain across the full preterm period. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Effect of lycopene on the blood-spinal cord barrier after spinal cord injury in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qian; Wang, Jianbo; Gu, Zhengsong; Zhang, Qing; Zheng, Hong

    2016-09-05

    The current study aimed to investigate the effect of lycopene on the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) after spinal cord injury (SCI) in a mouse model. Lycopene inhibited lipid peroxidation and oxidative DNA damage as a highly efficient antioxidant and free radical scavenger. Lycopene (4 mg/kg/d) was administrated immediately following SCI. The permeability of the BSCB and water content in the spinal cord tissue were evaluated. Additionally, levels of expression of tight junction proteins and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were determined with Western blotting. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis of spinal cord tissue homogenates was performed 48 h after SCI to evaluate the expression of inflammation-related cytokines. In addition, recovery of motor function was assessed 1 d, 2 d, 5 d, 10 d, and 15 d after SCI using the Basso Mouse Scale to score locomotion. Compared to the group with an untreated SCI, mice with an SCI treated with lycopene had significantly reduced spinal cord tissue water content and BSCB permeability. Furthermore, motor function of mice with an SCI was also greatly improved by lycopene administration. The expression of the proinflammatory factors TNF-α and NF-kB increased markedly 48 h after SCI, and their upregulation was significantly attenuated by lycopene treatment. The expression of molecules that protect tight junctions, zonula occluden-1 and claudin-5, was upregulated by lycopene treatment after SCI. Taken together, these results clearly indicate that lycopene attenuated SCI by promoting repair of the damaged BSCB, so lycopene is a novel and promising treatment for SCI in humans.

  13. Pregnancy outcome and cord blood cotinine level: A cross-sectional comparative study between secondhand smokers and non-secondhand smokers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdullah, B; Muadz, B; Norizal, M N; Ismail, N; Kornain, N K; Kutty, M

    2017-07-01

    To compare the pregnancy outcome and cord blood cotinine levels between secondhand smokers and non-secondhand smokers. This was a cross-sectional comparative study in a Malaysian tertiary obstetric hospital involving 200 non-smoking pregnant women at term, of whom 100 were secondhand smokers and 100 were non-secondhand smokers. Those with multiple pregnancies, with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 30kg/m 2 or who delivered by Caesarean section were excluded. The participants' basic demographic details, delivery details, neonatal outcome and placental weight were recorded. Umbilical cord blood samples were obtained, and cord blood cotinine levels were measured with a Cotinine ELISA kit. The primary outcomes were baby's birth weight, length, and head circumference, Apgar score at 5min and placental weight. The secondary outcome was difference in cord blood cotinine levels between the two groups and the correlation of these differences with the neonatal outcome. The secondhand smoker group had significantly lower baby weight (2.94±0.31kg vs 3.05±0.40kg), head circumference (30.87±2.35cm vs 37.13±2.36cm), length (46.58±1.95cm vs 51.53±2.05cm) and placental weight (520±73.5g vs 596±61.3g) and significantly higher cord blood cotinine levels (16.35±12.84ng/mL vs 0.56±0.22ng/mL). Cord blood cotinine levels had significant negative correlations with placental weight (r=-0.461), baby's weight (r=-0.297), baby's head circumference (r=-0.501) and baby's length (r=-0.374). Secondhand smoke increases the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes (newborns'anthropometric measurements and placental weight) and causes higher cord blood cotinine levels. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Pharmacokinetics and safety of oral glyburide in dogs with acute spinal cord injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nick Jeffery

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Background Glyburide (also known as glibenclamide is effective in reducing the severity of tissue destruction and improving functional outcome after experimental spinal cord injury in rodents and so has promise as a therapy in humans. There are many important differences between spinal cord injury in experimental animals and in human clinical cases, making it difficult to introduce new therapies into clinical practice. Spinal cord injury is also common in pet dogs and requires new effective therapies, meaning that they can act as a translational model for the human condition while also deriving direct benefits from such research. In this study we investigated the pharmacokinetics and safety of glyburide in dogs with clinical spinal cord injury. Methods We recruited dogs that had incurred an acute thoracolumbar spinal cord injury within the previous 72 h. These had become acutely non-ambulatory on the pelvic limbs and were admitted to our veterinary hospitals to undergo anesthesia, cross sectional diagnostic imaging, and surgical decompression. Oral glyburide was given to each dog at a dose of 75 mcg/kg. In five dogs, we measured blood glucose concentrations for 10 h after a single oral dose. In six dogs, we measured serum glyburide and glucose concentrations for 24 h and estimated pharmacokinetic parameters to estimate a suitable dose for use in a subsequent clinical trial in similarly affected dogs. Results No detrimental effects of glyburide administration were detected in any participating dog. Peak serum concentrations of glyburide were attained at a mean of 13 h after dosing, and mean apparent elimination half-life was approximately 7 h. Observed mean maximum plasma concentration was 31 ng/mL. At the glyburide dose administered there was no observable association between glyburide and glucose concentrations in blood. Discussion Our data suggest that glyburide can be safely administered to dogs that are undergoing anesthesia, imaging and

  15. Blood pressure and serum creatinine in obese female.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asrin, M; Nessa, A; Hasan, M I; Das, R K

    2015-01-01

    Obesity is increasing in developed as well as in developing countries. This analytical cross sectional study was carried out to document the relation between blood pressure, serum creatinine and body mass index in female and to assess potential health differences among obese female and normal weight female. This study was done in the Department of Physiology, Mymensingh Medical College, Mymensingh, Bangladesh from July 2012 to June 2013. Seventy female persons volunteered as subjects. Among them 35 were within normal weight (BMI 18.5-24.9kg/m²) and 35 were obese (BMI≥30kg/m²). Non probability purposive type of sampling technique was used to select the subjects. Measurement of body mass index and blood pressure were done as per procedure. Serum creatinine level was estimated by enzymatic colorimetric method. The results were calculated and analyzed by using SPSS (statistical package for social science, version 17.0), scientific electronic calculator and simultaneously with a computer assisted program like Microsoft excel. Unpaired 't' test was applied to find the significance of difference regarding serum creatinine and blood pressure levels in obese female. The value of p was 1% to indicate highly significant and 5% to indicate simply significant or statistically significant. The mean±SE of systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and serum creatinine levels were 135.71±1.58mmHg, 88.74±0.95mmHg and 1.03±0.01mg/dl respectively; significant at 1% level for obese group of BMI (phigh BMI is significantly related to increased levels of serum creatinine & blood pressure in obese female which indicate the obese subjects are prone to cardiovascular & metabolic risk.

  16. Human umbilical cord blood stem cells and brain-derived neurotrophic factor for optic nerve injury: a biomechanical evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhong-jun Zhang

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Treatment for optic nerve injury by brain-derived neurotrophic factor or the transplantation of human umbilical cord blood stem cells has gained progress, but analysis by biomechanical indicators is rare. Rabbit models of optic nerve injury were established by a clamp. At 7 days after injury, the vitreous body received a one-time injection of 50 μg brain-derived neurotrophic factor or 1 × 10 6 human umbilical cord blood stem cells. After 30 days, the maximum load, maximum stress, maximum strain, elastic limit load, elastic limit stress, and elastic limit strain had clearly improved in rabbit models of optical nerve injury after treatment with brain-derived neurotrophic factor or human umbilical cord blood stem cells. The damage to the ultrastructure of the optic nerve had also been reduced. These findings suggest that human umbilical cord blood stem cells and brain-derived neurotrophic factor effectively repair the injured optical nerve, improve biomechanical properties, and contribute to the recovery after injury.

  17. Allergen specific responses in cord and adult blood are differentially modulated in the presence of endotoxins

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Eiwegger, T.; Mayer, E.; Pedersen, Susanne Brix

    2008-01-01

    Background Endotoxins are common contaminants in allergen preparations and affect antigen-specific cellular responses. Distinct effects of endotoxin on cells in human umbilical cord and adult blood are poorly defined. Objectives To examine the effect of endotoxins in allergen preparations...... on cellular responses in human cord and peripheral blood (PB). Methods The endotoxin content in beta lactoglobulin (BLG), the peanut allergen Ara h 1 and the major birch pollen allergen Bet v 1 was assessed. Proliferation and cytokine response of mononuclear cells towards contaminated and lipopolysaccharide....... Results The proliferative response of cord blood (CB)-derived mononuclear cells towards allergen-preparations at day 3 was related to the level of LPS contamination. At day 7, proliferation was also detected in the absence of endotoxin. Cytokine production in CB was strongly affected by the content...

  18. Effect of Marijuana Smoking on Blood Chemistry and Serum ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The effect of marijuana smoking on blood chemistry and serum biogenic amines concentrations in humans was investigated. Eighty Marijuana addicts and twenty non- marijuana smokers were used in the study. Blood chemistry and serum biogenic amines concentrations of the marijuana addicts and controls, were ...

  19. Supplementation of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) / Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in a ratio of 1/1.3 during the last trimester of pregnancy results in EPA accumulation in cord blood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Büyükuslu, Nihal; Ovalı, Sema; Altuntaş, Şükriye Leyla; Batırel, Saime; Yiğit, Pakize; Garipağaoğlu, Muazzez

    2017-10-01

    Omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 FA), specifically DHA, are associated with fetal growth and development. We aimed to determine the levels of DHA and EPA in cord serum after n-3 FA supplementation during the last trimester of pregnancy. Among 55 women, 23 were administered daily one capsule of n-3 FA supplement, involving DHA/EPA in a ratio of 1/1.3. Twenty nine women were enrolled as control group. Blood samples were collected at 22-24 weeks of gestation and at delivery. Fatty acids were analyzed with the method of GC-MS. Cord DHA level increased and EPA level decreased in both groups between the days of 22-24 and delivery. However, decrease in cord EPA level was significant in control group (p 0.05). Supplementation of DHA/EPA in a ratio of 1/1.3 during the last trimester of pregnancy caused higher cord EPA level compared to control group indicating an accumulation in umbilical cord. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Effects of delayed cord clamping on residual placental blood volume, hemoglobin and bilirubin levels in term infants: a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mercer, J S; Erickson-Owens, D A; Collins, J; Barcelos, M O; Parker, A B; Padbury, J F

    2017-03-01

    The objective of the study was to measure the effects of a 5-min delay (DCC) versus immediate cord clamping (ICC) on residual placental blood volume (RPBV) at birth, and hemoglobin and serum bilirubin at 24 to 48 h of age. In this prospective randomized controlled trial, 73 women with term (37 to 41 weeks) singleton fetuses were randomized to DCC (⩾5 min; n=37) or ICC (protocol violations. Cord milking was the proxy for DCC (n=11) when the provider could not wait. Infants randomized to DCC compared with ICC had significantly less RPBV (20.0 versus 30.8 ml kg -1 , Phemoglobin levels (19.4 versus 17.8 g dl -1 , P=0.002) at 24 to 48 h, with no difference in bilirubin levels. Term infants had early hematological advantage of DCC without increases in hyperbilirubinemia or symptomatic polycythemia.

  1. Predictors of Cord Blood Leptin Level in Pregnancies Complicated With Preeclampsia, Fetal Growth Restriction and in Normal Pregnancies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nilgün Öztürk Doğan

    2007-04-01

    CONCLUSION: Regulation of cord blood leptin level is a complex process involving fetal gender and fetal anthropometric variables as well as cord blood cortisol, intrauterine growth and hypoxia. Leptin level is decreased in cases of placental insufficiency like IUGR but not in uncomplicated preeclampsia alone.

  2. Cord Blood Banking in the Arab World: Current Status and Future Developments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsumoto, Monica M; Dajani, Rana; Matthews, Kirstin R W

    2015-07-01

    Umbilical cord blood transplants are now used to treat numerous types of immune- and blood-related disorders and genetic diseases. Cord blood (CB) banks play an important role in these transplants by processing and storing CB units. In addition to their therapeutic potential, these banks raise ethical and regulatory questions, especially in emerging markets in the Arab world. In this article, the authors review CB banking in five countries in the region, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, selected for their different CB banking policies and initiatives. In assessing these case studies, the authors present regional trends and issues, including religious perspectives, policies, and demographic risk factors. This research suggests strong incentives for increasing the number of CB units that are collected from and available to Arab populations. In addition, the deficit in knowledge concerning public opinion and awareness in the region should be addressed to ensure educated decision-making. Copyright © 2015 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Transition of cord blood lead level, 1985-2002, in the Taipei area and its determinants after the cease of leaded gasoline use

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hwang, Y.-H.; Ko Yi; Chiang, C.-D.; Hsu, S.-P.; Lee, Y.-H.; Yu, C.-H.; Chiou, C.-H.; Wang, J.-D.; Chuang, H.-Y.

    2004-01-01

    Lead has long been of concern for its toxicity, impairment of neurobehavioral and cognitive development, and electrophysiological deficits in children, even at levels less than 10 μg/dL. The present study was conducted to elucidate the extent of cord blood lead level decline in the Taipei area from 1985 to 2002 and to explore the factors affecting the cord blood lead level after the cease of leaded gasoline use. In the current study period of 2001-2002, 184 of 1310 newborns delivered in the Taipei Municipal Women and Children Hospital between September 2001 and August 2002 were eligible and randomly selected to participate in this study. Neither of their parents had an occupational lead exposure history. At each delivery, a sample of 5-10 mL umbilical cord blood was collected for lead determination by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The cord blood lead level of the newborns in the current study period averaged 2.35±1.12 μg/dL. Together with the cord blood lead averages of 7.48±2.25 and 3.28±1.52 μg/dL obtained from two previous surveys conducted in 1985-1987 and 1990-1992, respectively, the cord blood lead level was significantly decreased (P<0.005). It is estimated that such a reduction in cord blood lead from 7.48 to 2.35 μg/dL for each year's cohort of 260,000 newborns in Taiwan might benefit the economics, ranging from US$8.9 billion to US$12.1 billion by improving the worker productivity. For the time period from 1985 to 2002, there were consistent transition patterns among the yearly fluctuations of air lead level, leaded gasoline consumption, lead content in gasoline, estimated lead amount emitted from the consumed leaded gasoline, and average cord blood lead levels of the three respective study periods. Additionally, every 0.1-g/L reduction in lead content in gasoline might lead to a lowering of cord blood lead level by 1.78 μg/dL. Furthermore, at low level of around 2 μg/dL, a multiple regression analysis demonstrated that

  4. The impact of maternal HIV infection on cord blood lymphocyte subsets and cytokine profile in exposed non-infected newborns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reis-Alves Suiellen C

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Children born to HIV+ mothers are exposed intra-utero to several drugs and cytokines that can modify the developing immune system, and influence the newborn's immune response to infections and vaccines. We analyzed the relation between the distribution of cord blood lymphocyte subsets and cytokine profile in term newborns of HIV+ mothers using HAART during pregnancy and compared them to normal newborns. Methods In a prospective, controlled study, 36 mother-child pairs from HIV+ mothers and 15 HIV-uninfected mothers were studied. Hematological features and cytokine profiles of mothers at 35 weeks of pregnancy were examined. Maternal and cord lymphocyte subsets as well as B-cell maturation in cord blood were analyzed by flow cytometry. The non-stimulated, as well as BCG- and PHA-stimulated production of IL2, IL4, IL7, IL10, IL12, IFN-γ and TNF-alpha in mononuclear cell cultures from mothers and infants were quantified using ELISA. Results After one year follow-up none of the exposed infants became seropositive for HIV. An increase in B lymphocytes, especially the CD19/CD5+ ones, was observed in cord blood of HIV-exposed newborns. Children of HIV+ hard drug using mothers had also an increase of immature B-cells. Cord blood mononuclear cells of HIV-exposed newborns produced less IL-4 and IL-7 and more IL-10 and IFN-γ in culture than those of uninfected mothers. Cytokine values in supernatants were similar in infants and their mothers except for IFN-γ and TNF-alpha that were higher in HIV+ mothers, especially in drug abusing ones. Cord blood CD19/CD5+ lymphocytes showed a positive correlation with cord IL-7 and IL-10. A higher maternal age and smoking was associated with a decrease of cord blood CD4+ cells. Conclusions in uninfected infants born to HIV+ women, several immunological abnormalities were found, related to the residual maternal immune changes induced by the HIV infection and those associated with antiretroviral

  5. Diabetes-related autoantibodies in cord blood from children of healthy mothers have disappeared by the time the child is one year old.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ludvigsson, Johnny; Wahlberg, Jeanette

    2002-04-01

    Autoantibodies found in cord blood in children who later develop diabetes might be produced by the fetus. If so, continuous autoantibody production would still be expected in these children at one year of age. We decided to determine autoantibodies in cord blood and to see whether they persisted in these children at one year. Autoantibodies against GAD65 (glutamic acid decarboxylase) and IA-2 (tyrosine phosphatase) in cord blood were determined in 2,518 randomly selected children. Forty-nine (1.95%) were positive for GAD65 antibodies, 14 (0.56%) were positive for IA-2 antibodies, and 3 of them were positive for both GAD and IA-2. Four of the mothers of children with GAD65 autoantibodies in cord blood (8.2%) had type 1 diabetes as did 5 mothers of children with IA-2 antibodies (35.7 %), but only 0.4% of the mothers had type 1 diabetes in the autoantibody-negative group (P nobody of those with positive cord blood had GAD65 or IA-2 autoantibodies. We conclude that most autoantibodies found in cord blood samples of children are probably passively transferred from mother to child. Antibody screening of cord blood cannot be used to predict diabetes in the general population. Infections during pregnancy may initiate an immune process related to diabetes development.

  6. Impact of donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies on graft failure and survival after reduced intensity conditioning-unrelated cord blood transplantation: a Eurocord, Société Francophone d'Histocompatibilité et d'Immunogénétique (SFHI) and Société Française de Greffe de Moelle et de Thérapie Cellulaire (SFGM-TC) analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruggeri, Annalisa; Rocha, Vanderson; Masson, Emeline; Labopin, Myriam; Cunha, Renato; Absi, Lena; Boudifa, Ali; Coeffic, Brigitte; Devys, Anne; De Matteis, Muriel; Dubois, Valérie; Hanau, Daniel; Hau, Françoise; Jollet, Isabelle; Masson, Dominique; Pedron, Beatrice; Perrier, Pascale; Picard, Christophe; Ramouneau-Pigot, Annie; Volt, Fernanda; Charron, Dominique; Gluckman, Eliane; Loiseau, Pascale

    2013-07-01

    Graft failure is a major complication after unrelated cord blood transplantation. Presence of HLA-antibodies before cord blood transplantation may impact graft failure. To analyze the effect of anti-HLA antibodies on unrelated cord blood transplantation outcomes, we analyzed 294 unrelated cord blood transplant recipients after reduced intensity conditioning regimen. The majority of the patients (82%) were transplanted for malignancies, 60% with double-unrelated cord blood transplant, 63% were HLA mismatched. Retrospectively, pre-unrelated cord blood transplant serum was tested for HLA-Ab using Luminex™ platform. Results were interpreted as mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) against donor-specific mismatch. Among 62 recipients (23%) who had anti-HLA antibodies before unrelated cord blood transplant, 14 patients had donor specific anti-HLA antibodies (DSA) (7 were donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies for single unrelated cord blood transplant and 7 for double unrelated cord blood transplant). Donor specific anti-HLA antibodies threshold ranged from 1620-17629 of mean fluorescence intensity (MFI). Cumulative incidence of Day-60 neutrophil engraftment was 76%: 44% for recipients with donor specific anti-HLA antibodies and 81% in those without donor specific anti-HLA antibodies (P=0.006). The cumulative incidence of 1-year transplant related mortality was 46% in patients with donor specific anti-HLA antibodies and 32% in those without antibodies (P=0.06). The presence of donor specific anti-HLA antibodies was associated with a trend for decreased survival rate (42% vs. 29%; P=0.07). Donor specific anti-HLA antibody in recipients of unrelated cord blood transplant is associated with graft failure and decreased survival. Patient's screening for donor specific anti-HLA antibodies before unrelated cord blood transplantation is recommended before choosing an HLA mismatched cord blood unit. Whenever possible it is important to avoid selecting a unit for which the patient has

  7. Levels of PAH-DNA adducts in cord blood and cord tissue and the risk of fetal neural tube defects in a Chinese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Deqing; Yuan, Yue; Jin, Lei; Zhou, Guodong; Zhu, Huiping; Finnell, Richard H; Ren, Aiguo

    2015-01-01

    Maternal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been shown to be associated with an elevated risk for neural tube defects (NTDs). In the human body, PAHs are bioactivated and the resultant reactive epoxides can covalently bind to DNA to form PAH-DNA adducts, which may, in turn, cause transcription errors, changes in gene expression or altered patterns of apoptosis. During critical developmental phases, these changes can result in abnormal morphogenesis. We aimed to examine the relationship between the levels of PAH-DNA adducts in cord blood and cord tissue and the risk of NTDs. From 2010 to 2012, 60 NTD cases and 60 healthy controls were recruited from a population-based birth defects surveillance system in five counties of Shanxi Province in Northern China, where the emission of PAHs remains one of the highest in the country and PAHs exposure is highly prevalent. PAH-DNA adducts in cord blood of 15 NTD cases and 15 control infants, and in cord tissue of 60 NTD cases and 60 control infants were measured using the (32)P-postlabeling method. PAH-DNA adduct levels in cord blood tend to be higher in the NTD group (28.5 per 10(8) nucleotides) compared with controls (19.7 per 10(8) nucleotides), although the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.377). PAH-DNA adducts in cord tissue were significantly higher in the NTD group (24.6 per 10(6) nucleotides) than in the control group (15.3 per 10(6) nucleotides), P=0.010. A positive dose-response relationship was found between levels of PAH-DNA adducts in cord tissue and the risk of NTDs (P=0.009). When the lowest tertile was used as the referent and potential confounding factors were adjusted for, a 1.03-fold (95% CI, 0.37-2.89) and 2.96-fold (95% CI, 1.16-7.58) increase in the risk of NTDs was observed for fetuses whose cord tissue PAH-DNA adduct levels were in the second and highest tertile, respectively. High levels of PAH-DNA adducts in fetal tissues were associated with increased risks of

  8. Vitamin D supplementation, cord 25-hydroxyvitamin D and birth weight

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lykkedegn, Sine; Beck-Nielsen, Signe Sparre; Sorensen, Grith Lykke

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND & AIMS: Hypovitaminosis D, defined as serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (s-25(OH)D) ... the prevalence and the risk factors of cord vitamin D deficiency (s-25(OH)D D 25-50 nmol/L) and to evaluate the association between cord s-25(OH)D levels and neonatal outcomes (BW, PW and PW/BW ratio). METHODS: Women enrolled in Odense Child Cohort, a Danish observational...... prospective population-based cohort, who gave birth to singletons and donated a blood sample for s-25(OH)D measurements were included (n = 2082). RESULTS: The prevalence of cord vitamin D deficiency was 16.7% and 41.0% for insufficiency. White skin, winter season at birth, maternal supplementation dose of

  9. TSH IRMA of dried blood spots

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tojinda, N.; Pattanachak, C.; Chongchirasiri, S.; Pattanachak, S.; Putrasreni, N.; Pleehachinda, R.; Suwanik, R.

    1990-01-01

    TSH determination is most useful for screening of neonatal hypothyroid in the population in iodine deficient areas. The NETRIA IRMA method for serum TSH was applied for blood-spot TSH. Cord blood on SS No. 903 filter paper was left dry overnight. The spot of 6 mm diameter, one/tube, was mixed with an assay buffer, diluted labelled m-anti-TSH, and diluted anti-TSH-solid phase. The mixture was rotated for 22-24 hours. After washing twice with wash buffer, it was counted for 1 minute. The standard curve with 0, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 mIU/L whole blood was obtained with the maximum binding of 25%. The precision profile was satisfactory with %CV of 0 C) or 4 0 C or -20 0 C. The correlation between serum and blood-spot TSH values (n=120) showed r of 0.9541 and y=1.6123 (BS-TSH) +1.382. The mean of normal cord blood spot TSH (n=142) was 5.27 mIU/L. The technique was found to be precise, sensitive and easy to perform. Mass screening with this developed method is underway

  10. Cord blood banking - bio-objects on the borderlands between community and immunity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Nik; Williams, Rosalind

    2015-01-01

    Umbilical cord blood (UCB) has become the focus of intense efforts to collect, screen and bank haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in hundreds of repositories around the world. UCB banking has developed through a broad spectrum of overlapping banking practices, sectors and institutional forms. Superficially at least, these sectors have been widely distinguished in bioethical and policy literature between notions of the 'public' and the 'private', the commons and the market respectively. Our purpose in this paper is to reflect more critically on these distinctions and to articulate the complex practical and hybrid nature of cord blood as a 'bio-object' that straddles binary conceptions of the blood economies. The paper draws upon Roberto Esposito's reflections on biopolitics and his attempt to transcend the dualistic polarisations of immunity and community, or the private and the public. We suggest that his thoughts on immunitary hospitality resonate with many of the actual features and realpolitik of a necessarily internationalised and globally distributed UCB 'immunitary regime'.

  11. Risk Factors and Options to Improve Engraftment in Unrelated Cord Blood Transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna D. Petropoulou

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Use of umbilical unrelated cord-blood (UCB cells as an alternative source of hematopoietic cell transplantation has been widely used mainly for patients lacking an HLA-matched donor. UCB present many advantages over bone marrow or mobilized peripheral blood from volunteer donors, such as rapid availability, absence of risk for the donor, and decreased incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease. However, a significant clinical problem is delayed engraftment that is directly correlated with the number of hematopoietic stem cells in a cord-blood unit. The identification of prognostic factors associated with engraftment that can be easily modified (e.g., strategies for donor choice and the development of new approaches including use of multiple donors, intrabone injection of UCB, ex vivo expansion, and cotransplantation with accessory cells are of crucial importance in order to circumvent the problem of delayed engraftment after UCB transplantation. Those approaches may increase the quality and availability of UCB for transplantation.

  12. Association of cord blood chemokines and other biomarkers with neonatal complications following intrauterine inflammation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoshikazu Otsubo

    Full Text Available Intrauterine inflammation has been associated with preterm birth and neonatal complications. Few reports have comprehensively investigated multiple cytokine profiles in cord blood and precisely identified surrogate markers for intrauterine inflammation.To identify the cytokines and surrogate markers associated with intrauterine inflammation and subsequent neonatal complications.We analyzed cord blood samples from 135 patients admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit at Sasebo City General Hospital. We retrospectively determined the associations between the presence of neonatal complications and cord blood cytokines, prenatal factors, and laboratory data at birth. A total of 27 cytokines in the cord blood were measured using a bead-based array sandwich immunoassay.Both Th1 and Th2 cytokine levels were low, whereas the levels of growth factors and chemokines were high. In particular, chemokines IL-8, MCP-1, and MIP-1α were significantly higher in very premature neonates when compared with more mature neonates. In addition, some have been shown to be associated with multiple neonatal complications, including patent ductus arteriosus (PDA, respiratory distress syndrome (RDS, and chronic lung disease (CLD. Similarly, the levels of N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, nucleated RBC, and urinary β2-microglobulin were associated with these complications and chemokine levels.Our results suggest the association of inflammatory chemokines IL-8, MCP-1, and MIP-1α with intrauterine inflammation, premature birth, and neonatal complications in these perinatal subjects. Furthermore, the association of the aforementioned biomarkers with PDA, RDS, and CLD may help establish early diagnostic measures to predict such neonatal complications following intrauterine inflammation.

  13. Can family history and cord blood IgE predict sensitization and allergic diseases up to adulthood?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Borrits Pagh Nissen, Susanne; Fomsgaard Kjær, Henrik; Høst, Arne

    2015-01-01

    with high NPV and specificity, but low PPV and sensitivity. CONCLUSION: Although family history and elevated CB-IgE were significantly associated with primarily atopic disease until 26 yr, none of these were strong predictors for subsequent sensitization and allergic symptoms from childhood until early......BACKGROUND: Long-term studies of the predictive value of family history and cord blood IgE level until adulthood are few, and their conclusions have been contradictory. METHODS: Screening of total IgE in 1617 cord blood samples was performed in a Danish birth cohort. All infants with cord blood Ig...... used. RESULTS: A total of 455 infants were included, 188 with CB-IgE ≥0.5 kU/l and 267 with CB-IgE history and elevated CB-IgE were significantly associated to allergic disease until 26 yr. Concerning any allergic...

  14. Exploring opinions and beliefs about cord blood donation among Hispanic and non-Hispanic black women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rucinski, Dianne; Jones, Risé; Reyes, Brenda; Tidwell, Lawon; Phillips, RoiAnn; Delves, Denise

    2010-05-01

    Despite higher birth rates among non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics, the availability of umbilical cord blood from these groups is lower due to lower donation rates than that of non-Hispanic whites. Similar racial and ethnic disparities in donation rates have been found for blood and organ donation. This study is among the first to explore beliefs and attitudes toward umbilical cord blood donation among Hispanic and non-Hispanic black women. Five focus groups composed of Hispanic and non-Hispanic black women were conducted to explore how women conceptualize information needs about umbilical cord blood donation and from whom women want to receive information about donation. Participants were adult women who had given birth within the past year or were pregnant. Lack of basic information regarding umbilical cord blood, its harvesting and use, and the steps and conditions necessary to donate were primary barriers to donation. Women expressed confusion over the differences between "donation" and "banking." The social value of donation was explicitly weighed in terms of the cost of the donation effort. Doctors were viewed as critical sources for information about donation, although women expressed skepticism about doctors' ability to convey sufficient information during short office visits. Efforts to increase donation rates among Hispanic and non-Hispanic black women should include information about both the technical aspects and the social value of donation. The specific terms "umbilical" and "donation" should be used consistently to prevent misunderstanding. Information should be provided by physicians with follow-up by other health providers.

  15. Human leukocyte antigen-A, -B, and -DRB1 haplotypes of cord blood units in the Tzu Chi Taiwan Cord Blood Bank.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, Shu-Hui; Lai, Meng-Jiun; Yang, Kuo-Liang

    2008-07-01

    Cord blood (CB) is considered an alternative resource to bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) for allogeneic stem cell transplantation. In this study, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A, -B, and -DRB1 high-resolution allele types were analyzed from a total of 710 CB units in the Tzu Chi Taiwan Cord Blood Bank. We observed 21 HLA-A alleles, 59 HLA-B alleles, and 28 HLA-DRB1 alleles, whereas 19 unique alleles were present in the CB units of 2,023 individuals selected for confirmatory testing in the Tzu Chi Taiwan Marrow Donor Registry (TCTMDR). The allelic associations between the HLA-A and -B locus were stronger than that of either the HLA-B and -DRB1 loci or the HLA-A and -DRB1 loci. The most common haplotype of CB units in the general Taiwanese population was A*3303-B*5801-DRB1*0301 (6.59%), followed by A*0207-B*4601-DRB1*0901 (3.47%) and then A*1101-B*4001-DRB1*0901 (2.11%). Moreover, two haplotypes, A*2402-B*5201-DRB1*1502 and A*0201-B*1301-DRB1*1202, existed uniquely in the CB units but were not observed in the data of TCTMDR. Although the number of CB units studied for high-resolution of HLA typing in the current study is small, we believe our data should provide useful information to increase the chances of obtaining acceptable HLA-A-, -B-, and -DRB1-matched CB units for patients.

  16. Measurement of Androgen and Estrogen Concentrations in Cord Blood: Accuracy, Biological Interpretation and Applications to Understanding Human Behavioural Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lauren P Hollier

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Accurately measuring hormone exposure during prenatal life presents a methodological challenge and there is currently no ‘gold standard’ approach. Ideally, circulating fetal hormone levels would be measured at repeated time points during pregnancy. However, it is not currently possible to obtain fetal blood samples without significant risk to the fetus, and therefore surrogate markers of fetal hormone levels must be utilized. Umbilical cord blood can be readily obtained at birth and largely reflects fetal circulation in late gestation. This review examines the accuracy and biological interpretation of the measurement of androgens and estrogens in cord blood. The use of cord blood hormones to understand and investigate human development is then discussed.

  17. Radioimmunoassay of serum β2-microglobulin in donor's blood

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yin Shihua; Song Shiyun; Li Kelin; Chen Guanglian; Liu Fengmin

    1993-01-01

    Serum β 2 -microglobulin (β 2 -MG) was tested by radioimmunoassay in 149 donors' and 54 healthy volunteers' blood. The results were 203 +- 33.0 nmol/l and 176 +- 26.2 nmol/l, respectively. There was significant difference statistically between them (P 2 -MG content. In order to increase the quality of donated blood and to keep the health of blood donor, it is suggested that the high content of serum β 2 -MG is the indicator of too frequent blood donating. The results also showed that the content of β 2 -MG in donor's blood is not a normal reference value

  18. The effects of compound danshen dripping pills and human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cell transplant after acute myocardial infarction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jun, Yi; Chunju, Yuan; Qi, Ai; Liuxia, Deng; Guolong, Yu

    2014-04-01

    The low frequency of survival of stem cells implanted in the myocardium after acute myocardial infarction may be caused by inflammation and oxidative stress in the myocardial microenvironment. We evaluated the effects of a traditional Chinese medicine, Compound Danshen Dripping Pills, on the cardiac microenvironment and cardiac function when used alone or in combination with human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cell transplant after acute myocardial infarction. After surgically induced acute myocardial infarction, rabbits were treated with Compound Danshen Dripping Pills alone or in combination with human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cell transplant. Evaluation included histology, measurement of left ventricular ejection fraction and fractional shortening, leukocyte count, count of green fluorescent protein positive cells, superoxide dismutase activity, and malondialdehyde content. Combination treatment with Compound Danshen Dripping Pills and human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cell transplant significantly increased the survival of implanted cells, inhibited cardiac cell apoptosis, decreased oxidative stress, decreased the inflammatory response, and improved cardiac function. Rabbits treated with either Compound Danshen Dripping Pills or human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells alone had improvement in these effects compared with untreated control rabbits. Combination therapy with Compound Danshen Dripping Pills and human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells may improve cardiac function and morphology after acute myocardial infarction.

  19. Cord blood Vα24-Vβ11 natural killer T cells display a Th2-chemokine receptor profile and cytokine responses.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Susanne Harner

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The fetal immune system is characterized by a Th2 bias but it is unclear how the Th2 predominance is established. Natural killer T (NKT cells are a rare subset of T cells with immune regulatory functions and are already activated in utero. To test the hypothesis that NKT cells are part of the regulatory network that sets the fetal Th2 predominance, percentages of Vα24(+Vβ11(+ NKT cells expressing Th1/Th2-related chemokine receptors (CKR were assessed in cord blood. Furthermore, IL-4 and IFN-γ secreting NKT cells were quantified within the single CKR(+ subsets. RESULTS: Cord blood NKT cells expressed the Th2-related CCR4 and CCR8 at significantly higher frequencies compared to peripheral blood NKT cells from adults, while CXCR3(+ and CCR5(+ cord blood NKT cells (Th1-related were present at lower percentages. Within CD4(negCD8(neg (DN NKT cells, the frequency of IL-4 producing NKT cells was significantly higher in cord blood, while frequencies of IFN-γ secreting DN NKT cells tended to be lower. A further subanalysis showed that the higher percentage of IL-4 secreting DN NKT cells was restricted to CCR3(+, CCR4(+, CCR5(+, CCR6(+, CCR7(+, CCR8(+ and CXCR4(+ DN subsets in cord blood. This resulted in significantly decreased IFN-γ /IL-4 ratios of CCR3(+, CCR6(+ and CCR8(+ cord blood DN NKT cells. Sequencing of VA24AJ18 T cell receptor (TCR transcripts in sorted cord blood Vα24Vβ11 cells confirmed the invariant TCR alpha-chain ruling out the possibility that these cells represent an unusual subset of conventional T cells. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the heterogeneity of cord blood NKT cells, we observed a clear Th2-bias at the phenotypic and functional level which was mainly found in the DN subset. Therefore, we speculate that NKT cells are important for the initiation and control of the fetal Th2 environment which is needed to maintain tolerance towards self-antigens as well as non-inherited maternal antigens.

  20. [Correlation analysis of the pre-pregnant body mass index, the gestational weight gain and umbilical cord blood C peptide].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, X L; Han, Y; Zhao, X M; Liu, Y; Lü, J J

    2017-01-03

    Objective: To explore the correlation among the pre-pregnant body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain (GWG) and umbilical cord blood C peptide, and to investigate the influence of maternal weight management on the incidence of baby long-term metabolic syndrome. Methods: During May to Aug.2015, 485 pregnant women in Zhejiang Taizhou first people's hospital and Taizhou Huangyan maternal &child care service centre were selected in random and divided into four groups according to pre-pregnant BMI: low body mass, normal body mass, over body mass and obese group, and also divided into two groups for getting gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) or not. According to the gestational weight gain (GWG), all the cases were divided into two groups: above the Institute Of Medicine (IMO) 2009 recommendations or not. According to the outcome, the GDM group which had received weight control treatment, was divided into successful treat group or not. At last, we tested the umbilical cord blood C peptide and birth weight of each newborn and compared the difference in all subgroups. The correlation between the umbilical cord blood C peptide and birth weight were analysed. Results: (1) In the pre-pregnant BMI groups, there were significant differences of incidence of GDM ( P 0.05). (2) Newborn birth weight and the umbilical cord blood C peptide were positively correlated ( r =0.673, P newborn birth weight in all subgroups. (4) All groups showed correlations with neonatal umbilical cord blood C peptide, the GDM mostly (β=0.58), pre-pregnant BMI secondly (β: 0.36, 0.38) , and GWG weakly (β=0.17). (5) By stratification analysis, in GDM group, low body mass was negatively correlated with umbilical cord blood C peptide ( P gestational weight gain and umbilical cord blood C peptide. Suitable maternal weight control especially pre-pregnant body mass index control will lower the baby long-term metabolic syndrome incidence.

  1. Outcomes after Unrelated Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation for Children with Osteopetrosis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chiesa, Robert; Ruggeri, Annalisa; Paviglianiti, Annalisa; Zecca, Marco; Gónzalez-Vicent, Marta; Bordon, Victoria; Stein, Jerry; Lawson, Sarah; Dupont, Sophie; Lanino, Edoardo; Abecasis, Manuel; Al-Seraihy, Amal; Kenzey, Chantal; Bierings, Marc; Locatelli, Franco; Gluckman, Eliane; Schulz, Ansgar; Gennery, Andrew; Page, Kristin; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Rocha, Vanderson

    2016-01-01

    Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is the only curative treatment for most children with osteopetrosis (OP). Timing of HSCT is critical; therefore, umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) is an attractive option. We analyzed outcomes after UCBT in 51 OP children. Median age at UCBT

  2. The idiopathic preterm delivery methylation profile in umbilical cord blood DNA

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Fernando, Febilla; Keijser, Remco; Henneman, Peter; van der Kevie-Kersemaekers, Anne-Marie F.; Mannens, Marcel Mam; van der Post, Joris Am; Afink, Gijs B.; Ris-Stalpers, Carrie

    2015-01-01

    Preterm delivery is the leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Two-thirds of preterm deliveries are idiopathic. The initiating molecular mechanisms behind spontaneous preterm delivery are unclear. Umbilical cord blood DNA samples are an easy source of material to study the neonatal state

  3. Tracking Spinal Cord Injury: Differences in Cytokine Expression of IGF-1, TGF- B1, and sCD95l Can Be Measured in Blood Samples and Correspond to Neurological Remission in a 12-Week Follow-Up.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferbert, Thomas; Child, Christopher; Graeser, Viola; Swing, Tyler; Akbar, Michael; Heller, Raban; Biglari, Bahram; Moghaddam, Arash

    2017-02-01

    Neuroinflammation presumably has an important impact on the secondary phase of spinal cord injury and is regulated by pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. We analyzed serum levels of three different cytokines (insulin-like-growth-factor [IGF]-1, tumor growth factor [TGF]-β1, and soluble CD 95 ligand [sCD95L]), in blood samples of 23 patients admitted with acute traumatic spinal cord injury between November 2010 and July 2013 with a follow-up period of 12 weeks. Quantification was performed using Human Quantikine Immunoassays, classification of neurological impairment was performed using the American Spinal Cord Injury Impairment Scale at time of admission and after 12 weeks. After an initial drop of all three cytokine serum levels, IGF-1, TGF-β1, and sCD95L showed significantly increased serum levels during the acute and sub-acute phases. For IGF-1 and sCD95L, we could also observe significantly higher serum levels in patients without neurological improvement compared with patients who had improvement after 12 weeks. In this study, we were able to show differences in cytokine serum levels in patients with different neurological outcome. Measuring the serum level patterns of IGF-1, TGF-β1, and sCD95L might be a useful tool for prognosis in patients with neurological improvement and tracking the pathophysiology in further studies. Further, our observations might link promising therapeutic efforts in numerous animal studies and future studies in human patients.

  4. A study report of 174 units of placental umbilical cord whole blood transfusion in 62 patients as a rich source of fetal hemoglobin supply in different indications of blood transfusion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharya, N; Mukherijee, K; Chettri, M K; Banerjee, T; Mani, U; Bhattacharya, S

    2001-01-01

    In the animal kingdom, even herbivorous animals swallow the placenta after the birth of the baby (for example, the cow). In the human system, we do not know about the proper utilization of the placenta and membranes although there are suggestions regarding this on the basis of research on placental umbilical cord blood stem cells as an alternative to bone marrow transplantation. In this present series of placental umbilical cord whole blood transfusions, we wanted to examine the safety aspect of other components of cord blood transfusion, e.g., fetal RBC, growth factors and cytokine filled plasma, etc., in different indications of blood transfusion, from the pediatric to the geriatric age group, in malignant and non-malignant disorders affecting our patients. One hundred and seventy-four units of umbilical cord whole blood were collected aseptically from the umbilical vein after caesarean section in standard pediatric blood transfusion bags, after the removal of the baby from the operative field and after confirming the stable condition of the mother. The volume of cord blood varied from 50 ml to 140 ml with a mean of 86 ml+/-16 ml. The cord blood was transfused immediately (within three days of collection) to 62 patients from nine years to 78 years of age, of whom 32 were suffering from varying stages and grades of malignancy from 1 April 1999 till date i.e., 11 Aug 2000, after obtaining adequate consent and following the precautions of standard blood transfusion protocol. The remaining 30 patients included patients suffering from thalassemia major, aplastic anemia, systemic lupus erythematosus, chronic renal failure, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and a geriatric group of patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy. All have tolerated the procedure without any immunological or non-immunological reactions. On the basis of our experience with 174 units of placental umbilical cord whole blood transfusion in malignant and non-malignant conditions (within

  5. Effects of cord compression on fetal blood flow distribution and O2 delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Itskovitz, J.; LaGamma, E.F.; Rudolph, A.M.

    1987-01-01

    The authors used the radionuclide microsphere technique in nine fetal lambs to examine the effect of partial cord compression on distribution of cardiac output and O 2 delivery to fetal organs and venous flow patterns. With a 50% reduction in umbilical blood flow the fraction of fetal cardiac output distributed to the brain, heart, carcass, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract increased. Pulmonary blood flow fell. O 2 delivery to the brain and myocardium was maintained but was reduced to peripheral, renal, and gastrointestinal circulations. Hepatic blood flow decreased and O 2 delivery fell by 75%. The proportion of umbilical venous blood passing through the ductus venosus increased from 43.9 to 71.8%. The preferential distribution of ductus venosus blood flow through the foramen ovale was enhanced and the proportion of O 2 delivery to upper body organs derived from the ductus venosus increased. Abdominal inferior vena caval blood flow increased, and it was also preferentially distributed through the foramen ovale and constituted the major fraction of the arterial blood supply to the upper body organs. Thus cord compression modified the distribution of cardiac output and the patterns of venous returns in the fetus. This pattern of circulatory response differs from that observed with other causes of reduced O 2 delivery

  6. A preliminary study of placental umbilical cord whole blood transfusion in under resourced patients with malaria in the background of anaemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharya, Niranjan

    2006-03-23

    Malaria is an annual killer of over one million people globally and its essential co-morbidity is anaemia. Cord blood, because of its rich mix of foetal and adult haemoglobin, high platelet and WBC counts, hypo-antigenic nature, altered metabolic profile and high affinity for oxygen as well as its anti-malarial effect, is an ideal choice in malaria with anaemia, necessitating blood transfusion. This paper presents an alternative protocol for fresh whole blood/packed cell transfusion from the hospital's biological waste resources, i.e., the placenta, after the birth of a healthy baby from a healthy mother. This collected blood was routinely transfused to patients admitted in our hospital with severe anaemia in the background of confirmed malaria. 94 units of placental umbilical cord whole blood were collected after lower uterine caesarean section (LUCS) from consenting mothers (from 1st April 1999 to April 2005), and safely transfused to 39 informed, consenting patients (age varying from 8 to 72 years). The collected volume of cord blood from each placenta (Unit) varied from 52 ml to 143 ml, with a mean packed cell volume of 48.9 +/- 4.1 SD and a mean haemoglobin concentration of 16.4 Gm percent +/- 1.6 Gm percent SD. The blood was immediately transfused after following the standard adult blood transfusion protocol of screening and cross-matching between the donor and the recipient. On occasion, the collected cord blood was preserved in the refrigerator, if no volunteer was readily available, and transfused within 72 hours of collection. Cord blood transfusion was tested on twenty two patients infected with Plasmodium falciparum and 17 patients with Plasmodium vivax. For inclusion in this study, the patient's plasma haemoglobin had to be 8 gm percent or less (the pre-transfusion haemoglobin in the malaria-infected patients in this series varied from 5.4 gm/dl to 7.9 gm/dl). The rise of haemoglobin within 72 hours of two units of freshly collected cord blood

  7. A preliminary study of placental umbilical cord whole blood transfusion in under resourced patients with malaria in the background of anaemia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bhattacharya Niranjan

    2006-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Malaria is an annual killer of over one million people globally and its essential co-morbidity is anaemia. Cord blood, because of its rich mix of foetal and adult haemoglobin, high platelet and WBC counts, hypo-antigenic nature, altered metabolic profile and high affinity for oxygen as well as its anti-malarial effect, is an ideal choice in malaria with anaemia, necessitating blood transfusion. Methods This paper presents an alternative protocol for fresh whole blood/packed cell transfusion from the hospital's biological waste resources, i.e., the placenta, after the birth of a healthy baby from a healthy mother. This collected blood was routinely transfused to patients admitted in our hospital with severe anaemia in the background of confirmed malaria. 94 units of placental umbilical cord whole blood were collected after lower uterine caesarean section (LUCS from consenting mothers (from 1st April 1999 to April 2005, and safely transfused to 39 informed, consenting patients (age varying from 8 to 72 years. The collected volume of cord blood from each placenta (Unit varied from 52 ml to 143 ml, with a mean packed cell volume of 48.9 ± 4.1 SD and a mean haemoglobin concentration of 16.4 Gm percent ± 1.6 Gm percent SD. The blood was immediately transfused after following the standard adult blood transfusion protocol of screening and cross-matching between the donor and the recipient. On occasion, the collected cord blood was preserved in the refrigerator, if no volunteer was readily available, and transfused within 72 hours of collection. Results Cord blood transfusion was tested on twenty two patients infected with Plasmodium falciparum and 17 patients with Plasmodium vivax. For inclusion in this study, the patient's plasma haemoglobin had to be 8 gm percent or less (the pre-transfusion haemoglobin in the malaria-infected patients in this series varied from 5.4 gm/dl to 7.9 gm/dl. The rise of haemoglobin within 72 hours of

  8. Vitamin K1 levels in the umbilical cord blood of neonates in Arkhangelsk

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L. G. Kiseleva

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The optimal course of biochemical processes needs adequate dietary intake of vitamins involved in the body’s metabolic reactions. The basis for the pathogenesis of neonatal hemorrhagic disease is deficiency of vitamin K, the level of which in the North-Western Region of Russia was estimated for the first time.Objective: to measure umbilical cord blood vitamin K1 levels in newborn infants.Methods. Forty full-term newborns were examined. Vitamin K1 levels were determined using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.Results. The mean umbilical blood cord level of vitamin K1 was very low and amounted to 0.05 (<0.03; 0.15 µg/l. This study revealed no relationship between the level of the above trace element and neonatal sex (p=0,854, maternal age (p=0,913, abortions (p=0,568, threatened abortion (p=0,109, smoking (p=0,923.Conclusion. The umbilical cord blood concentration of vitamin K1 in the newborns was found to be very low, which increases the risk of hemorrhagic disease and requires exogenous replenishment of the above vitamin after birth. 

  9. Marrow donor registry and cord blood bank in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Tsung Dao

    2002-08-01

    Unrelated Bone marrow transplant was initiated thirty years ago. Though there are over millions of donors registered with the bone marrow registries worldwide, Asian patients rarely find a match with all these donors. Tzu Chi Marrow Donor Registry was established to meet this need. It has become the largest Asian marrow donor registry in the world. With the introduction of high technology to test the HLA of the donors and recipients, the success rate of bone marrow transplant is greatly improved among Asian countries. 50% of blood disease Asian patients who cannot find a bone marrow matched donor will be complemented by the establishment of cord blood banks in Taiwan.

  10. Cell type specific DNA methylation in cord blood: A 450K-reference data set and cell count-based validation of estimated cell type composition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gervin, Kristina; Page, Christian Magnus; Aass, Hans Christian D; Jansen, Michelle A; Fjeldstad, Heidi Elisabeth; Andreassen, Bettina Kulle; Duijts, Liesbeth; van Meurs, Joyce B; van Zelm, Menno C; Jaddoe, Vincent W; Nordeng, Hedvig; Knudsen, Gunn Peggy; Magnus, Per; Nystad, Wenche; Staff, Anne Cathrine; Felix, Janine F; Lyle, Robert

    2016-09-01

    Epigenome-wide association studies of prenatal exposure to different environmental factors are becoming increasingly common. These studies are usually performed in umbilical cord blood. Since blood comprises multiple cell types with specific DNA methylation patterns, confounding caused by cellular heterogeneity is a major concern. This can be adjusted for using reference data consisting of DNA methylation signatures in cell types isolated from blood. However, the most commonly used reference data set is based on blood samples from adult males and is not representative of the cell type composition in neonatal cord blood. The aim of this study was to generate a reference data set from cord blood to enable correct adjustment of the cell type composition in samples collected at birth. The purity of the isolated cell types was very high for all samples (>97.1%), and clustering analyses showed distinct grouping of the cell types according to hematopoietic lineage. We explored whether this cord blood and the adult peripheral blood reference data sets impact the estimation of cell type composition in cord blood samples from an independent birth cohort (MoBa, n = 1092). This revealed significant differences for all cell types. Importantly, comparison of the cell type estimates against matched cell counts both in the cord blood reference samples (n = 11) and in another independent birth cohort (Generation R, n = 195), demonstrated moderate to high correlation of the data. This is the first cord blood reference data set with a comprehensive examination of the downstream application of the data through validation of estimated cell types against matched cell counts.

  11. Predictive value of cord blood bilirubins for hyperbilirubinemia in neonates at risk for maternal-fetal blood group incompatibility and hemolytic disease of the newborn

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calkins, Kara L.; Roy, Devika; Molchan, Lauren; Bradley, Lyndsey; Grogan, Tristan; Elashoff, David; Walker, Valencia P.

    2015-01-01

    Objective To determine the predictive ability of cord blood bilirubin (CBB) for hyperbilirubinemia in a population at risk for maternal-fetal blood group incompatibility and hemolytic disease of the newborn. Study Design This is a single center retrospective case-control study. Cases received phototherapy; controls did not. Cases were matched 1:3 to controls by gender and treating physician. Inclusion criteria included: ≥ 35 weeks gestation, CBB, and one or more total serum bilirubin (TSB) concentrations. The primary outcome was CBB. Secondary outcomes were a TSB > 75th percentile, length of stay, and neonatal intensive care unit admission. The prognostic ability of CBB for phototherapy and TSB > 75th percentile was assessed using area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine predictors for phototherapy and TSB > 75th percentile. Result When compared to controls (n=142), cases (n=54) were more likely to have a positive Coombs’ test (82% vs. 41%, p 75th percentile (85% vs. 21%, p75th percentile was 0.87±0.03 (phemolytic disease of the newborn. PMID:26518407

  12. Predictive value of cord blood bilirubin for hyperbilirubinemia in neonates at risk for maternal-fetal blood group incompatibility and hemolytic disease of the newborn.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calkins, K; Roy, D; Molchan, L; Bradley, L; Grogan, T; Elashoff, D; Walker, V

    2015-01-01

    To determine the predictive ability of cord blood bilirubin (CBB) for hyperbilirubinemia in a population at risk for maternal-fetal blood group incompatibility and hemolytic disease of the newborn. This is a single center retrospective case-control study. Cases received phototherapy; controls did not. Cases were matched 1:3 to controls by gender and treating physician. Inclusion criteria included: ≥35 weeks gestation, CBB, and one or more total serum bilirubin (TSB) concentrations. The primary outcome was CBB. Secondary outcomes were a TSB >75th percentile, length of stay, and neonatal intensive care unit admission. The prognostic ability of CBB for phototherapy and TSB >75th percentile was assessed using area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine predictors for phototherapy and TSB >75th percentile. When compared to controls (n = 142), cases (n = 54) were more likely to have a positive Coombs' test (82% vs. 41% , p 75th percentile (85% vs. 21% , p 75th percentile was 0.87 ± 0.03 (p hemolytic disease of the newborn.

  13. Changes in Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) throughout the Life Span: A Population-Based Study of 1027 Healthy Males from Birth (Cord Blood) to the Age of 69 Years

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aksglæde, Lise; Sørensen, K; Boas, M.

    2010-01-01

    , and at 3 and 12 months), n = 55] and another group through puberty [(biannual measurements), n = 83]. Main Outcome Measures: Serum AMH was determined by a sensitive immunoassay. Serum testosterone, LH, and FSH were measured, and pubertal staging was performed in boys aged 6 to 20 yr (n = 616). Results......: Serum AMH was above the detection limit in all samples with a marked variation according to age and pubertal status. The median AMH level in cord blood was 148 pmol/liter and increased significantly to the highest observed levels at 3 months (P ....0001) and remained at a relatively stable level throughout childhood until puberty, when AMH declined progressively with adults exhibiting 3-4% of infant levels. Conclusion: Based on this extensive data set, we found detectable AMH serum levels at all ages, with the highest measured levels during infancy...

  14. Modelling the endothelial blood-CNS barriers: a method for the production of robust in vitro models of the rat blood-brain barrier and blood-spinal cord barrier.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watson, P Marc D; Paterson, Judy C; Thom, George; Ginman, Ulrika; Lundquist, Stefan; Webster, Carl I

    2013-06-18

    Modelling the blood-CNS barriers of the brain and spinal cord in vitro continues to provide a considerable challenge for research studying the passage of large and small molecules in and out of the central nervous system, both within the context of basic biology and for pharmaceutical drug discovery. Although there has been considerable success over the previous two decades in establishing useful in vitro primary endothelial cell cultures from the blood-CNS barriers, no model fully mimics the high electrical resistance, low paracellular permeability and selective influx/efflux characteristics of the in vivo situation. Furthermore, such primary-derived cultures are typically labour-intensive and generate low yields of cells, limiting scope for experimental work. We thus aimed to establish protocols for the high yield isolation and culture of endothelial cells from both rat brain and spinal cord. Our aim was to optimise in vitro conditions for inducing phenotypic characteristics in these cells that were reminiscent of the in vivo situation, such that they developed into tight endothelial barriers suitable for performing investigative biology and permeability studies. Brain and spinal cord tissue was taken from the same rats and used to specifically isolate endothelial cells to reconstitute as in vitro blood-CNS barrier models. Isolated endothelial cells were cultured to expand the cellular yield and then passaged onto cell culture inserts for further investigation. Cell culture conditions were optimised using commercially available reagents and the resulting barrier-forming endothelial monolayers were characterised by functional permeability experiments and in vitro phenotyping by immunocytochemistry and western blotting. Using a combination of modified handling techniques and cell culture conditions, we have established and optimised a protocol for the in vitro culture of brain and, for the first time in rat, spinal cord endothelial cells. High yields of both CNS

  15. The effect of alpha-thalassemia on cord blood red cell indices and interaction with sickle cell gene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Quadri, Mohammad I.; Islam, Sherief I.A.M.; Nasserullah, Z.

    2000-01-01

    Alpha-thalassemia is known to be prevalent in the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia. There are no large scale reports regarding the effect of alpha-thalassemia on red cell indices of cord blood from Saudi Arabia. Similarly, there are reports regarding the interaction of alpha-thalassemia and the sickle-cell gene in relation to red cell indices in cord blood. To address these issues, we undertook a study on neonatal cold blood samples. In a prospective study, cord blood samples from 504 neonates from the Qatif area of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia were analyzed for complete blood counts (CBC) and cellulose acetate Hb electrophoresis. Hb S was confirmed by citrate agar Hb electrophoresis. There were 243 case samples with normal Hb electrophoresis (Hb A 27.2+- 7% and Hb F 72.6+-7.7%). Their mean Hb (g/dL), RBC (x10/L), Hct (%), MCV (pg), MCHC (g/dL), RDW-SD (fl) and RDW-CV (%) were 15.05+-1.6, 4.5+-0.5, 47.4+-5.3, 106+-8, 33.6+-2.3, 31.8+-1.7, 69.2+-9.5 and 17.9+-1.7, respectively. There were 136 cases with alpha-thalassemia trait (alphaTT), 57 cases with sickle cell trait (SCT) and 50 cases of sickle cell trait with alplha-thalassemia trait (SCT/ alphaTT). There were ten cases of Hb H disease (6 definite), including one with sickle cell disease (SCD) and two with SCT, Hb Bart's 23.9%-43.6%; four probable with Hb Bart's 10.9%-16.1% and one with SCT. The effect on red cell parameters in Hb H disease were most pronounced. In addition, there seven cases of SCD, four of whom had coexistent alpha-thalassemia trait (SCD/alphaTT). The prevalence of alpha-thalassemia in this cohort of Saudi population was 39.99%. Hb H disease appeared as common as SCD. Sickle cell gene was seen in 23.4% of neonatal samples. Apha-thalassemia gene significantly reduces MCH, MCV, RDW-SD, Hct, Hb and increase RBC count in both normal or sickle cell trait neonates. Generally, the variation of red cell parameters is directly proportional to the amount of Hb Bart's in the cord blood. Sickle cell

  16. 21 CFR 864.9900 - Cord blood processing system and storage container.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Cord blood processing system and storage container. 864.9900 Section 864.9900 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES HEMATOLOGY AND PATHOLOGY DEVICES Products Used In Establishments That...

  17. Maternal and umbilical cord blood levels of mercury, lead, cadmium, and essential trace elements in Arctic Canada

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Butler Walker, Jody; Houseman, Jan; Seddon, Laura; McMullen, Ed; Tofflemire, Karen; Mills, Carole; Corriveau, Andre; Weber, Jean-Philippe; LeBlanc, Alain; Walker, Mike; Donaldson, Shawn G.; Van Oostdam, Jay

    2006-01-01

    Maternal and umbilical cord blood levels of mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and the trace elements copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se) are reported for Inuit, Dene/Metis, Caucasian, and Other nonaboriginal participants from Arctic Canada. This is the first human tissue monitoring program covering the entire Northwest Territories and Nunavut for multiple contaminants and establishes a baseline upon which future comparisons can be made. Results for chlorinated organic pesticides and PCBs for these participants have been reported elsewhere. Between May 1994 and June 1999, 523 women volunteered to participate by giving their written informed consent, resulting in the collection of 386 maternal blood samples, 407 cord samples, and 351 cord:maternal paired samples. Geometric mean (GM) maternal total mercury (THg) concentrations ranged from 0.87μg/L (SD=1.95) in the Caucasian group of participants (n=134) to 3.51μg/L (SD=8.30) in the Inuit group (n=146). The GM of the Inuit group was 2.6-fold higher than that of the Dene/Metis group (1.35μg/L, SD=1.60, n=92) and significantly higher than those of all other groups (P 8 cigarettes/day) was 7.4-fold higher and 12.5-fold higher, respectively, than in nonsmokers. The high percentage of smokers among Inuit (77%) and Dene/Metis (48%) participants highlights the need for ongoing public health action directed at tobacco prevention, reduction, and cessation for women of reproductive age. Pb and THg were detected in more than 95% of all cord blood samples, with GMs of 21 μg/L and 2.7μg/L, respectively, and Cd was detected in 26% of all cord samples, with a GM of 0.08μg/L. Cord:maternal ratios from paired samples ranged from 0.44 to 4.5 for THg, from 0.5 to 10.3 for MeHg, and 0.1 to 9.0 for Pb. On average, levels of THg, MeHg, and Zn were significantly higher in cord blood than in maternal blood (P<0.0001), whereas maternal Cd, Pb, Se, and Cu levels were significantly higher than those in cord blood (P<0

  18. Maternal hemochromatosis gene H63D single-nucleotide polymorphism and lead levels of placental tissue, maternal and umbilical cord blood

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kayaalti, Zeliha, E-mail: kayaalti@ankara.edu.tr [Ankara University, Institute of Forensic Sciences, Ankara (Turkey); Kaya-Akyüzlü, Dilek [Ankara University, Institute of Forensic Sciences, Ankara (Turkey); Söylemez, Esma [Ankara University, Institute of Forensic Sciences, Ankara (Turkey); Middle Black Sea Passage Generation of Agricultural Research Station Director, Tokat (Turkey); Söylemezoğlu, Tülin [Ankara University, Institute of Forensic Sciences, Ankara (Turkey)

    2015-07-15

    Human hemochromatosis protein (HFE), a major histocompatibility complex class I-like integral membrane protein, participates in the down regulation of intestinal iron absorption by binding to transferrin receptor (TR). HFE competes with transferrin-bound iron for the TR and thus reduces uptake of iron into cells. On the other hand, a lack of HFE increases the intestinal absorption of iron similarly to iron deficiency associated with increasing in absorption and deposition of lead. During pregnancy, placenta cannot prevent transfer lead to the fetus; even low-level lead poisoning causes neurodevelopmental toxicity in children. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the maternal HFE H63D single-nucleotide polymorphism and lead levels in placental tissue, maternal blood and umbilical cord bloods. The study population comprised 93 mother–placenta pairs. Venous blood from mother was collected to investigate lead levels and HFE polymorphism that was detected by standard PCR–RFLP technique. Cord bloods and placentas were collected for lead levels which were analyzed by dual atomic absorption spectrometer system. The HFE H63D genotype frequencies of mothers were found as 75.3% homozygote typical (HH), 23.6% heterozygote (HD) and 1.1% homozygote atypical (DD). Our study results showed that the placental tissue, umbilical cord and maternal blood lead levels of mothers with HD+DD genotypes were significantly higher than those with HH genotype (p<0.05). The present study indicated for the first time that mothers with H63D gene variants have higher lead levels of their newborn's placentas and umbilical cord bloods. - Highlights: • Mothers with H63D gene variants have higher lead levels of their newborn's umbilical cord blood. • Unborn child of women with HD+DD genotypes may be at increased risk of internal exposure to lead. • Maternal HFE status may have an effect on increased placenta, maternal and cord blood lead levels.

  19. Maternal hemochromatosis gene H63D single-nucleotide polymorphism and lead levels of placental tissue, maternal and umbilical cord blood

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kayaalti, Zeliha; Kaya-Akyüzlü, Dilek; Söylemez, Esma; Söylemezoğlu, Tülin

    2015-01-01

    Human hemochromatosis protein (HFE), a major histocompatibility complex class I-like integral membrane protein, participates in the down regulation of intestinal iron absorption by binding to transferrin receptor (TR). HFE competes with transferrin-bound iron for the TR and thus reduces uptake of iron into cells. On the other hand, a lack of HFE increases the intestinal absorption of iron similarly to iron deficiency associated with increasing in absorption and deposition of lead. During pregnancy, placenta cannot prevent transfer lead to the fetus; even low-level lead poisoning causes neurodevelopmental toxicity in children. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the maternal HFE H63D single-nucleotide polymorphism and lead levels in placental tissue, maternal blood and umbilical cord bloods. The study population comprised 93 mother–placenta pairs. Venous blood from mother was collected to investigate lead levels and HFE polymorphism that was detected by standard PCR–RFLP technique. Cord bloods and placentas were collected for lead levels which were analyzed by dual atomic absorption spectrometer system. The HFE H63D genotype frequencies of mothers were found as 75.3% homozygote typical (HH), 23.6% heterozygote (HD) and 1.1% homozygote atypical (DD). Our study results showed that the placental tissue, umbilical cord and maternal blood lead levels of mothers with HD+DD genotypes were significantly higher than those with HH genotype (p<0.05). The present study indicated for the first time that mothers with H63D gene variants have higher lead levels of their newborn's placentas and umbilical cord bloods. - Highlights: • Mothers with H63D gene variants have higher lead levels of their newborn's umbilical cord blood. • Unborn child of women with HD+DD genotypes may be at increased risk of internal exposure to lead. • Maternal HFE status may have an effect on increased placenta, maternal and cord blood lead levels.

  20. Metabolic targets of endocrine disrupting chemicals assessed by cord blood transcriptome profiling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Remy, Sylvie; Govarts, Eva; Wens, Britt

    2016-01-01

    Early life exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has been frequently associated with impaired perinatal growth, an important risk factor for later onset of metabolic disorders. We analyzed whether the cord blood transcriptome showed early indications of alterations in metabolic...

  1. Foot salvage and improvement of microvascular blood flow as a result of epidural spinal cord electrical stimulation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jacobs, M. J.; Jörning, P. J.; Beckers, R. C.; Ubbink, D. T.; van Kleef, Maarten; Slaaf, D. W.; Reneman, R. S.

    1990-01-01

    Epidural spinal cord electrical stimulation has been suggested as an alternative treatment in patients with limb-threatening ischemia in whom vascular reconstructive surgery is not possible anymore. We studied the effects of epidural spinal cord electrical stimulation on microcirculatory blood flow

  2. relationship between maternal serum zinc, cord blood zinc and birth

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    FOBUR

    those obtained by Okonofua et al in Ile-Ife and. 17. Iqbal et al in Bangladesh but lower than the values. 18. 11 reported in studies in India and the United States. The similarity in the mean maternal serum zinc obtained in this study with the studies in Ife and. Bangladesh could be a reflection of the similarity among the study ...

  3. Correlation between maternal and umbilical cord blood in pregnant women of Pokhara Valley: a cross sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timilsina, Sameer; Karki, Sirisa; Gautam, Aajeevan; Bhusal, Pujan; Paudel, Gita; Sharma, Deepak

    2018-03-21

    Complete blood count is one of the routinely advised blood investigation during pregnancy. It is also utilized as a diagnostic tool for neonatal anemia, sepsis and determining hemostatic status of the newborn. The present study aims at estimating the complete blood count of maternal and umbilical cord blood at the time of delivery and to establish its correlation. This cross sectional study included 114 mothers and their healthy neonates born through normal vaginal delivery. Complete blood count of umbilical cord blood and maternal blood was estimated using automatic hematology analyzer. The mean maternal and neonatal hemoglobin concentration was 11.14 ± 1.39 g/dL and 16.34 ± 2.01 g/dL respectively. A significant positive correlation was found between maternal and fetal hemoglobin concentration (p correlation between maternal and fetal WBC, RBC and Platelet count was not statistically significant. A significant positive correlation was found between maternal and fetal MCV and MCH while PCV showed a non-significant positive correlation. There was moderately positive correlation between maternal and fetal hemoglobin, MCV and MCH. The cord blood hemoglobin was lower in babies born to anemic mothers. The decrease in hemoglobin followed the severity of anemia, however, the correlation did not exist in anemic mothers. It suggested that fetal hematological parameters are not reflective of maternal hemogram.

  4. Umbilical cord blood donation: public or private?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ballen, K K; Verter, F; Kurtzberg, J

    2015-10-01

    Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is a graft source for patients with malignant or genetic diseases who can be cured by allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), but who do not have an appropriately HLA-matched family or volunteer unrelated adult donor. Starting in the 1990s, unrelated UCB banks were established, accepting donations from term deliveries and storing UCB units for public use. An estimated 730 000 UCB units have been donated and stored to date and ~35 000 UCB transplants have been performed worldwide. Over the past 20 years, private and family banks have grown rapidly, storing ~4 million UCB units for a particular patient or family, usually charging an up-front and yearly storage fee; therefore, these banks are able to be financially sustainable without releasing UCB units. Private banks are not obligated to fulfill the same regulatory requirements of the public banks. The public banks have released ~30 times more UCB units for therapy. Some countries have transitioned to an integrated banking model, a hybrid of public and family banking. Today, pregnant women, their families, obstetrical providers and pediatricians are faced with multiple choices about the disposition of their newborn's cord blood. In this commentary, we review the progress of UCB banking technology; we also analyze the current data on pediatric and adult unrelated UCB, including the recent expansion of interest in transplantation for hemoglobinopathies, and discuss emerging studies on the use of autologous UCB for neurologic diseases and regenerative medicine. We will review worldwide approaches to UCB banking, ethical considerations, criteria for public and family banking, integrated banking ideas and future strategies for UCB banking.

  5. The High Prevalence of Vitamin D Insufficiency in Cord Blood in Calgary, Alberta (APrON-D Study).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aghajafari, Fariba; Field, Catherine J; Kaplan, Bonnie J; Maggiore, Jack A; O'Beirne, Maeve; Hanley, David A; Eliasziw, Misha; Dewey, Deborah; Ross, Sue; Rabi, Doreen

    2017-05-01

    Vitamin D is important in promoting healthy pregnancy and fetal development. We undertook this study to measure 25-hydroxyvitamin D in maternal and cord blood and to identify maternal factors related to vitamin D status in Calgary. Blood samples collected at the time of delivery from the Alberta Pregnancy Outcomes and Nutrition study cohort (ApronStudy.ca) participants were processed for plasma and assayed using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry methodology for 25(OH)D 3 . Ninety-two pairs of maternal and cord blood samples were obtained. The prevalence of 25(OH)D 3 insufficiency-25(OH)D 3 <75 nmol/L-was 38% and 80% in women and neonates, respectively. Vitamin D supplementation was the only clinical factor associated with 25(OH)D 3 sufficiency, and the odds of sufficiency were 3.75 (95% CI 1.00 to 14.07) higher for women and 5.27 (95% CI 1.37 to 20.27) when over 2000 IU/day were used. Using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, we demonstrated a very high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in cord blood and that the use of high dose vitamin D was associated with greater odds of sufficiency in pregnant women and cord blood in Alberta. Copyright © 2017 The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada/La Société des obstétriciens et gynécologues du Canada. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Association between maternal and fetal factors and quality of cord blood as a source of stem cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodrigo Dias Nunes

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To comparatively analyze maternal and fetal factors and quality markers of blood samples in a public umbilical cord blood bank. Method: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study that revisited 458 records of donations from September 2009 to March 2013 at the Hemocentro de Santa Catarina. The means of markers were used to define cutoff points for the quality of cord blood. Results: Most donations came from women with ages between 18 and 29 years (62.8%, gestational age ≥ 40 weeks (55.2%, vaginal delivery (51.3%, primiparous (41.4%, and with male newborns (54.4% weighing between 3000 and 3499 g (41.8%. The volume of the dona- tions ranged from 71.6 to 275.2 mL, the total nucleated cell count ranged from 4.77 × 108 to 31.0 × 108 cells and CD34+ cells ranged from 0.05 to 1.23%. There were statistically significant differences in the volume with respect to gestation age > 38 weeks (p-value = 0.001, cesarean section (p-value 3500 g (p-value 3500 g (p-value < 0.001. There was no statistically significant difference between the variables and the percentage of CD34+ cells. Conclusions: Delivery route and birth weight influence the volume of cord blood and the total nucleated cell count. Gestational age influences only the volume of cord blood.

  7. Comparing genotoxic signatures in cord blood cells from neonates exposed in utero to zidovudine or tenofovir.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vivanti, Alexandre; Soheili, Tayebeh S; Cuccuini, Wendy; Luce, Sonia; Mandelbrot, Laurent; Lechenadec, Jerome; Cordier, Anne-Gael; Azria, Elie; Soulier, Jean; Cavazzana, Marina; Blanche, Stéphane; André-Schmutz, Isabelle

    2015-07-17

    Zidovudine and tenofovir are the two main nucleos(t)ide analogs used to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV. In vitro, both drugs bind to and integrate into human DNA and inhibit telomerase. The objective of the present study was to assess the genotoxic effects of either zidovudine or tenofovir-based combination therapies on cord blood cells in newborns exposed in utero. We compared the aneuploid rate and the gene expression profiles in cord blood samples from newborns exposed either to zidovudine or tenofovir-based combination therapies during pregnancy and from unexposed controls (n = 8, 9, and 8, respectively). The aneuploidy rate was measured on the cord blood T-cell karyotype. Gene expression profiles of cord blood T cells and hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells were determined with microarrays, analyzed in a gene set enrichment analysis and confirmed by real-time quantitative PCRs. Aneuploidy was more frequent in the zidovudine-exposed group (26.3%) than in the tenofovir-exposed group (14.2%) or in controls (13.3%; P < 0.05 for both). The transcription of genes involved in DNA repair, telomere maintenance, nucleotide metabolism, DNA/RNA synthesis, and the cell cycle was deregulated in samples from both the zidovudine and the tenofovir-exposed groups. Although tenofovir has a lower clastogenic impact than zidovudine, gene expression profiling showed that both drugs alter the transcription of DNA repair and telomere maintenance genes.

  8. Umbilical cord cell banking-implications for the future

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gunning, Jennifer

    2005-01-01

    The first successful cord cell transplant to a sibling with Fanconi's anaemia took place 15 years ago. This proven utility of cord blood led to the establishment of cord blood banks both private and public and there are now nearly 100 cord blood banks worldwide. It is estimated that over 200,000 cord blood units (CBU) are held by the private sector and over 160,000 CBU are registered with the largest public cord blood registry. There is a tension between private cord blood banks, which store CBU for autologous or family use, and public banks, which store CBU for unrelated use and the ethics of private cord blood storage has been questioned. But more general ethical questions also arise regarding ownership, consent, confidentiality, costs and quality standards and patenting. In looking at these ethical issues one also needs to look at potential future use of cord blood stem cells. Up until now cord cells have principally been used in the treatment of paediatric blood and immune disorders. Improvements in cell expansion technology will make CBU more appropriate also for treating adults with such disorders. However, it has also been demonstrated that cord blood stem cells have the capacity to differentiate into other types of cells, neuronal, bone, epithelial and muscle which would have a future role to play in cell therapy and regenerative medicine

  9. Delayed detection of motor pathway dysfunction after selective reduction of thoracic spinal cord blood flow in pigs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lips, Jeroen; de Haan, Peter; Bouma, Gerrit J.; Jacobs, Michael J.; Kalkman, Cor J.

    2002-01-01

    Objective: Clinical monitoring of myogenic motor evoked potentials to transcranial stimulation provides rapid evaluation of motor-pathway function during surgical procedures in which spinal cord ischemia can occur. However, a severe reduction of spinal cord blood flow that remains confined to the

  10. Selenium and other elements in human maternal and umbilical serum, as determined simultaneously by proton-induced X-ray emission

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hyvoenen-Dabek, M.; Nikkinen-Vilkki, P.; Dabek, J.T.

    1984-01-01

    Using PIXE (proton-induced X-ray emission), we simultaneously determined the concentrations of Se, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn, Br, and Pb in blood serum from 56 pregnant women, 25 healthy controls, and 31 others with twin pregnancy or some complicating condition (diabetes, hypertension, epilepsy, hepatosis gravidarum, pre-eclampsia, small baby), and in cord-blood serum from 21 newborns. Pellets, pressed from the serum samples after addition of yttrium as an internal standard, mixing, and evaporating at 30 degrees C with or without reduced pressure (less than 1 kPa), were bombarded by 2.2 MeV protons from a Van de Graaff accelerator in the air and the induced X-rays collected by a Ge(Li) detector. Relative to mean Se values for early six- to 12-week pregnancy (0.045 ppm), those for 35-42 week pregnancy (0.028 ppm) were low (p less than 0.001). Umbilical cord blood serum showed even lower values (0.016 ppm, p less than 0.001)--findings in harmony with the incidence pattern of Keshan cardiomyopathy. Pb crossed the placenta; values for cord serum were not significantly different from those in pregnancy serum. Cu, Zn, Fe, and Ca showed the significant expected patterns in the different groups. Compared with the late-pregnancy controls, Fe was high in mothers of small-birth-weight babies (1.70 ppm, p less than 0.02). Br was high in pre-eclampsia (3.59 ppm, p less than 0.05) and mothers with twins (3.61 ppm, p less than 0.05)

  11. Response to intravenous allogeneic equine cord-blood-derived mesenchymal stromal cells administered from chilled or frozen state in serum and protein free media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lynn Brandon Williams

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Equine Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC are commonly transported, chilled or frozen, to veterinary clinics. These MSC must remain viable and minimally affected by culture, transport, or injection processes. The safety of two carrier solutions developed for optimal viability and excipient use were evaluated in ponies, with and without allogeneic cord blood-derived (CB MSC. We hypothesized that neither the carrier solutions nor CB-MSC would elicit measurable changes in clinical, hematological, or biochemical parameters. In 9 ponies (study 1 a bolus of HypoThermosol® FRS (HTS-FRS, CryoStor® CS10 (CS10 or saline was injected IV (n=3/treatment. Study 2, following a one week washout period 5x107 pooled allogeneic CB-MSC were administered IV in HTS-FRS following 24h simulated chilled transport. Study 3, following another one week washout period 5x107 pooled allogeneic CB-MSC were administered IV in CS10 immediately after thawing. Nine ponies received CB-MSCs in study 2 and 3 and three ponies received the cell carrier media without cells. CB-MSCs were pooled in equal numbers from five unrelated donors. In all studies ponies were monitored with physical examination, and blood collection for 7 days following injection. CD4 and CD8 lymphocyte populations were also evaluated in each blood sample.In all three studies, physical exam, complete blood cell count, serum biochemistry, and coagulation panel did not deviate from established normal ranges. Proportions of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes increased at 168h post injection in CB-MSC treatment groups regardless of the carrier solution. Decreases in CD4+/CD8+ double positive populations were observed at 24 h and 72 h in CB-MSC treated animals. There was no difference in viability between CB-MSC suspended in HTS-FRS or CS10.HTS-FRS and CS10 used for low volume excipient injection of MSC suspensions was not associated with short-term adverse reactions. HTS-FRS and CS10 both adequately maintain CB-MSC viability

  12. Effects of umbilical cord blood stem cells on healing factors for diabetic foot injuries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Çil, N; Oğuz, E O; Mete, E; Çetinkaya, A; Mete, G A

    2017-01-01

    The use of stem or progenitor cells from bone marrow, or peripheral or umbilical cord blood is becoming more common for treatment of diabetic foot problems. These cells promote neovascularization by angiogenic factors and they promote epithelium formation by stimulating cell replication and migration under certain pathological conditions. We investigated the role of CD34 + stem cells from human umbilical cord blood in wound healing using a rat model. Rats were randomly divided into a control group and two groups with diabetes induced by a single dose of 55 mg/kg intraperitoneal streptozocin. Scarred areas 5 mm in diameter were created on the feet of all rats. The diabetic rats constituted the diabetes control group and a diabetes + stem cell group with local injection into the wound site of 0.5 × 106 CD34 + stem cells from human umbilical cord blood. The newly formed skin in the foot wounds following CD34 + stem cell treatment showed significantly improvement by immunohistochemistry and TUNEL staining, and were closer to the wound healing of the control group than the untreated diabetic animals. The increase in FGF expression that accompanied the local injection of CD34 + stem cells indicates that FGF stimulation helped prevent apoptosis. Our findings suggest a promising new treatment approach to diabetic wound healing.

  13. Innate immune function in placenta and cord blood of hepatitis C--seropositive mother-infant dyads.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hurtado, Christine Waasdorp; Golden-Mason, Lucy; Brocato, Megan; Krull, Mona; Narkewicz, Michael R; Rosen, Hugo R

    2010-08-30

    Vertical transmission accounts for the majority of pediatric cases of hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection. In contrast to the adult population who develop persistent viremia in approximately 80% of cases following exposure, the rate of mother-to-child transmission (2-6%) is strikingly low. Protection from vertical transmission likely requires the coordination of multiple components of the immune system. Placenta and decidua provide a direct connection between mother and infant. We hypothesized that innate immune responses would differ across the three compartments (decidua, placenta and cord blood) and that hepatitis C exposure would modify innate immunity in these tissues. The study was comprised of HCV-infected and healthy control mother and infant pairs from whom cord blood, placenta and decidua were collected with isolation of mononuclear cells. Multiparameter flow cytometry was performed to assess the phenotype, intracellular cytokine production and cytotoxicity of the cells. In keeping with a model where the maternal-fetal interface provides antiviral protection, we found a gradient in proportional frequencies of NKT and gammadelta-T cells being higher in placenta than cord blood. Cytotoxicity of NK and NKT cells was enhanced in placenta and placental NKT cytotoxicity was further increased by HCV infection. HCV exposure had multiple effects on innate cells including a decrease in activation markers (CD69, TRAIL and NKp44) on NK cells and a decrease in plasmacytoid dendritic cells in both placenta and cord blood of exposed infants. In summary, the placenta represents an active innate immunological organ that provides antiviral protection against HCV transmission in the majority of cases; the increased incidence in preterm labor previously described in HCV-seropositive mothers may be related to enhanced cytotoxicity of NKT cells.

  14. Pancreas developing markers expressed on human mononucleated umbilical cord blood cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pessina, A.; Eletti, B.; Croera, C.; Savalli, N.; Diodovich, C.; Gribaldo, L.

    2004-01-01

    Haematopoietic system represents the main source of haematopoietic stem cells and probably of multipotential adult progenitor cells and mesenchimal stem cells at first described as colony forming unit-fibroblast. Whereas there are many studies on the gene expression profile of the different precursors along their haematopoietic differentiation, few data (sometimes conflicting) have been reported about the phenotype of the cells (present in bone marrow and possibly in cord blood) able to differentiate into non-haematopoietic cells. As both postnatal bone marrow and umbilical cord blood contain nestin positive cells able to proliferate and differentiate into the main neural phenotype (neuron, astroglia and oligodendroglia) many authors considered nestin a neuroepithelial precursor marker that seems to be essential also in multipotential progenitor cells of pancreas present both in rat and in human pancreatic islets (called nestin positive islet derived progenitors). Although the importance of nestin in these cells appears to be evident, it remains yet to clarify the number and the sequential expression of the genes coding all the transcription factors essential for beta cells differentiation and therefore the conditions able to induce the expression of many important transcription factors genes such as isl-1, pax-4, pdx-1 and ngn-3. Among them pdx-1 is a gene essential for pancreas development which is able to control ngn-3 in activating the expression of other differentiation factors for endocrine cells. Here, we describe for the first time in human umbilical cord blood cells (UCB) the pattern of expression of a panel of markers (nestin, CK-8, CK-18) and transcription factors (Isl-1, Pdx-1, Pax-4, Ngn-3) considered important for beta cells differentiation. Our data demonstrate that UCB contains a cell population having a phenotype very similar to endocrine cell precursors in transition to beta cells

  15. Quality Analysis of DNA from Cord Blood Buffy Coat: The Best Neonatal DNA Source for Epidemiological Studies?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Guangdi; Li, Qin; Huang, Lisu; Wu, Yuhang; Wu, Meiqin; Wang, Weiye C

    2016-04-01

    Umbilical cord blood is an economical and easy to obtain source of high-quality neonatal genomic DNA. However, although large numbers of cord blood samples have been collected, information on the yield and quality of the DNA extracted from cord blood is scarce. Moreover, considerable doubt still exists on the utility of the buffy coat instead of whole blood as a DNA source. We compared the sample storage and DNA extraction costs for whole blood, buffy coat, and all-cell pellet. We evaluated three different DNA purification kits and selected the most suitable one to purify 1011 buffy coat samples. We determined the DNA yield and optical density (OD) ratios and analyzed 48 single-nucleotide polymorphisms using time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF MS). We also analyzed eight possible preanalytical variables that may correlate with DNA yield or quality. Buffy coat was the most economical and least labor-intensive source for sample storage and DNA extraction. The average yield of genomic DNA from 200 μL of buffy coat sample was 16.01 ± 8.00 μg, which is sufficient for analytic experiments. The mean A260/A280 ratio and the mean A260/A230 ratio were 1.89 ± 0.09 and 1.95 ± 0.66, respectively. More than 99.5% of DNA samples passed the TOF MS test. Only hemolysis showed a strong correlation with OD ratios of DNA, but not with yield. Our findings show that cord blood buffy coat yields high-quality DNA in sufficient quantities to meet the requirements of experiments. Buffy coat was also found to be the most economic, efficient, and stable source of genomic DNA.

  16. The influence of sampling site and time upon umbilical cord blood acid-base status and PO2 in the newborn infant

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Paerregaard, A; Nickelsen, C N; Brandi, L

    1987-01-01

    Measurement of umbilical cord blood acid-base status is routinely carried out in many obstetric centers. Umbilical cord blood pH, PO2, PCO2 and SBE (standard base excess) may change between clamping of the cord and analysis due to diffusion and metabolism. It was the aim of this study to evaluate...... partum and pH, PO2 and PCO2 were measured and SBE calculated. As demonstrated in table I, the vein blood pH and PO2 values were higher and PCO2 values lower than in the artery blood. The changes over time are given in figure 1 with the 1 min values as points of reference. Changes within the first 15...... minutes were modest. A significant fall in vein pH, vein SBE and artery PO2 and a significant rise in artery PCO2 was found. Greater variation in the changes over time was found in artery than in vein blood, being most evident for the 30 min values. Although significant changes in the umbilical cord acid...

  17. Benzophenone-type UV filters in urine and blood from children, adults, and pregnant women in China: Partitioning between blood and urine as well as maternal and fetal cord blood

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Tao; Sun, Hongwen; Qin, Xiaolei; Wu, Qian; Zhang, Yanfeng; Ma, Jing; Kannan, Kurunthachalam

    2013-01-01

    Limited information exists on the exposure of benzophenone (BP)-type UV filters (i.e., sunscreen compounds) in children, adults, and pregnant women in China. In this study, we determined the concentrations of five BP derivatives, BP-1, BP-2, BP-3, BP-8, and 4OH-BP in urine (n = 101) as well as paired specimens of blood and urine (n = 24 pairs) collected from adults; in matched maternal and fetal cord blood (n = 20 pairs) collected from pregnant women; and in blood collected from children (n = 10). 4OH-BP, BP-1, and BP-3 were found in 61%, 57%, and 25%, respectively, of the urine samples analyzed. 4OH-BP was found in all blood samples; BP-3 was found more frequently in the blood of adults (83%), followed, in decreasing order, by pregnant women (35%) and children (30%). Among all adults, urinary BP-3 concentrations were significantly (p < 0.001) positively correlated with urinary BP-1 concentrations. Nevertheless, no significant correlations were found between urinary concentrations of BP-3 (or BP-1) and 4OH-BP. Our results suggest that human exposure to BP-3 and BP-1 is related, whereas 4OH-BP originates from a discrete source. Females had higher urinary concentrations of BP-3, BP-1 and 4OH-BP than males. The distribution profiles of BP-1 and its parent compound (i.e., BP-3) in urine decreased with increasing age of donors (p < 0.05). The ratio of concentrations of BP-3 between blood and urine was 0.21 in adults, which was significantly lower than that for 4OH-BP (0.36). The concentration ratio of BPs between cord blood and maternal blood was higher for 4OH-BP (0.61) than that for BP-3 (0.48), which suggested greater trans-placental transfer potential of 4OH-BP. This is the first study to document the occurrence of BPs in paired urine and blood, and in matched maternal and fetal cord blood. Highlights: • Benzophenone (BP) concentrations are determined in paired blood and urine for the first time. • BP-3 and 4OH-BP partition preferentially into urine. • Cord to

  18. Benzophenone-type UV filters in urine and blood from children, adults, and pregnant women in China: Partitioning between blood and urine as well as maternal and fetal cord blood

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Tao; Sun, Hongwen; Qin, Xiaolei [College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China); Wu, Qian [Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12201 (United States); Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY 12201 (United States); Zhang, Yanfeng [College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China); Ma, Jing [Applied Radiation Institute, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, P.O. Box 144, Shanghai 200444 (China); Kannan, Kurunthachalam, E-mail: kkannan@wadsworth.org [Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12201 (United States); Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York at Albany, Albany, NY 12201 (United States); International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances, State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090 (China)

    2013-09-01

    Limited information exists on the exposure of benzophenone (BP)-type UV filters (i.e., sunscreen compounds) in children, adults, and pregnant women in China. In this study, we determined the concentrations of five BP derivatives, BP-1, BP-2, BP-3, BP-8, and 4OH-BP in urine (n = 101) as well as paired specimens of blood and urine (n = 24 pairs) collected from adults; in matched maternal and fetal cord blood (n = 20 pairs) collected from pregnant women; and in blood collected from children (n = 10). 4OH-BP, BP-1, and BP-3 were found in 61%, 57%, and 25%, respectively, of the urine samples analyzed. 4OH-BP was found in all blood samples; BP-3 was found more frequently in the blood of adults (83%), followed, in decreasing order, by pregnant women (35%) and children (30%). Among all adults, urinary BP-3 concentrations were significantly (p < 0.001) positively correlated with urinary BP-1 concentrations. Nevertheless, no significant correlations were found between urinary concentrations of BP-3 (or BP-1) and 4OH-BP. Our results suggest that human exposure to BP-3 and BP-1 is related, whereas 4OH-BP originates from a discrete source. Females had higher urinary concentrations of BP-3, BP-1 and 4OH-BP than males. The distribution profiles of BP-1 and its parent compound (i.e., BP-3) in urine decreased with increasing age of donors (p < 0.05). The ratio of concentrations of BP-3 between blood and urine was 0.21 in adults, which was significantly lower than that for 4OH-BP (0.36). The concentration ratio of BPs between cord blood and maternal blood was higher for 4OH-BP (0.61) than that for BP-3 (0.48), which suggested greater trans-placental transfer potential of 4OH-BP. This is the first study to document the occurrence of BPs in paired urine and blood, and in matched maternal and fetal cord blood. Highlights: • Benzophenone (BP) concentrations are determined in paired blood and urine for the first time. • BP-3 and 4OH-BP partition preferentially into urine. • Cord to

  19. Altered DNA methylation and expression of PLAGL1 in cord blood from assisted reproductive technology pregnancies compared with natural conceptions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vincent, Rebecca N; Gooding, Luke D; Louie, Kenny; Chan Wong, Edgar; Ma, Sai

    2016-09-01

    To investigate DNA methylation and expression of imprinted genes and an imprinted gene network (IGN) in neonates conceived via assisted reproductive technology (ART). Case control. Research institution. Two hundred sixty-four cases of cord blood and/or placental villi from neonates (101 IVF, 81 ICSI, 82 naturally conceived). Placentas were obtained at birth for biopsy and cord blood extraction. DNA methylation and expression of imprinted genes. DNA methylation at the PLAGL1 differentially methylated region (DMR) was significantly higher in IVF cord blood (48.0%) compared with controls (46.0%). No differences were found in DNA methylation between conception modes for KvDMR1 and LINE-1 in cord blood and placenta as well as PLAGL1 and PEG10 in placenta villi. PLAGL1 expression was lower in both IVF and ICSI cord blood groups than in controls (relative quantification of 0.65, 0.74, 0.89, respectively). Analyzing the expression of 3 genes in a PLAGL1 regulated IGN revealed different expression between conception modes and a significant correlation to PLAGL1 expression in only one (KCNQ1OT1). Our results suggest a stability of DNA methylation at imprinted DMRs; however, we show PLAGL1 methylation/expression to be altered after ART. As PLAGL1 expression correlated with only one of the three IGN genes in cord blood, we propose there is a more complex mechanism of regulating the IGN that may involve other genes and epigenetic modifications in this tissue. Further research investigating IGN-implicated genes in various neonatal tissues is warranted to elucidate the full effects ART-induced alterations to PLAGL1 and the IGN may have on fetal growth/development. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Comparative Proteomic Profile of the Human Umbilical Cord Blood Exosomes between Normal and Preeclampsia Pregnancies with High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruizhe Jia

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Exosomes are extracellular vesicles that are involved in several biological processes. The roles of proteins from human umbilical cord blood exosomes in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia remains poorly understood. Methods: In this study, we used high-resolution LC-MS/MS technologies to construct a comparative proteomic profiling of human umbilical cord blood exosomes between normal and preeclamptic pregnancies. Results: A total of 221 proteins were detected in human umbilical cord blood exosomes, with 14 upregulated and 15 downregulated proteins were definitively identified between preeclamptic and control pregnancies. Further bioinformatics analysis (Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis indicated that these differentially expressed proteins correlate with enzyme regulator activity, binding, extracellular region, cell part, biological regulation, cellular process and complement and coagulation cascades occurring during pathological changes of preeclampsia. Conclusion: Our results show significantly altered expression profiles of proteins in human umbilical cord blood exosomes between normal and preeclampsia pregnancies. These proteins may be involved in the etiology of preeclampsia.

  1. Comparison of mesenchymal stem cells derived from fat, bone marrow, Wharton's jelly, and umbilical cord blood for treating spinal cord injuries in dogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryu, Hak-Hyun; Kang, Byung-Jae; Park, Sung-Su; Kim, Yongsun; Sung, Gyu-Jin; Woo, Heung-Myong; Kim, Wan Hee; Kweon, Oh-Kyeong

    2012-12-01

    Previous animal studies have shown that transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into spinal cord lesions enhances axonal regeneration and promotes functional recovery. We isolated the MSCs derived from fat, bone marrow, Wharton's jelly and umbilical cord blood (UCB) positive for MSC markers and negative for hematopoietic cell markers. Their effects on the regeneration of injured canine spinal cords were compared. Spinal cord injury was induced by balloon catheter compression. Dogs with injured spinal cords were treated with only matrigel or matrigel mixed with each type of MSCs. Olby and modified Tarlov scores, immunohistochemistry, ELISA and Western blot analysis were used to evaluate the therapeutic effects. The different MSC groups showed significant improvements in locomotion at 8 weeks after transplantation (Pin the lesion site. Compared to the control, the lesion sizes were smaller, and fewer microglia and reactive astrocytes were found in the spinal cord epicenter of all MSC groups. Although there were no significant differences in functional recovery among the MSCs groups, UCB-derived MSCs (UCSCs) induced more nerve regeneration and anti-inflammation activity (Pin the spinal cord. Our data suggest that transplantation of MSCs promotes functional recovery after SCI. Furthermore, application of UCSCs led to more nerve regeneration, neuroprotection and less inflammation compared to other MSCs.

  2. Scheduled transplantation of human umbilical cord blood to severe combined immunodeficient mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Jianqiu; Yang Yunfang; Jin Zhijun; Cai Jianming; Yang Rujun; Xiang Yingsong

    2000-01-01

    Objective: To explore a new method for developing the efficiency of human umbilical cord blood (UCB) cells engraftment, and further understand the growth characteristic of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in vivo. Methods: Sublethally irradiated severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice were transplanted i.v. with UCB cells which had been cryo-preserved at -80 degree C. The human cells in recipient mice were detected by flow cytometry and CFU-GM assay. Results: In contrast to the single transplantation, scheduled engraftment of similar numbers of UCB cells resulted in a proportionally obvious increase in the percentages of CD45 + , CD34 + cells produced in SCID mouse bone marrow (BM). When the donor cells were reduced to 20 percent, an identical reconstitution of both hematopoietic and part of immunologic functions was achieved. Conclusion: Scheduled engraftment improves the repopulating ability of HSC, which would provide a novel way for clinical cord blood engraftment in adult objects

  3. Correlation between glucose concentrations in serum, plasma, and whole blood measured by a point-of-care glucometer and serum glucose concentration measured by an automated biochemical analyzer for canine and feline blood samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tauk, Barbara S; Drobatz, Kenneth J; Wallace, Koranda A; Hess, Rebecka S

    2015-06-15

    To investigate the correlation between glucose concentrations in serum, plasma, and whole blood measured by a point-of-care glucometer (POCG) and serum glucose concentration measured by a biochemical analyzer. Prospective clinical study. 96 blood samples from 80 dogs and 90 blood samples from 65 cats. Serum, plasma, and whole blood were obtained from each blood sample. The glucose concentrations in serum, plasma, and whole blood measured by a POCG were compared with the serum glucose concentration measured by a biochemical analyzer by use of the Lin concordance correlation coefficient (ρc) and Bland-Altman plots. For both canine and feline samples, glucose concentrations in serum and plasma measured by the POCG were more strongly correlated with the serum glucose concentration measured by the biochemical analyzer (ρc, 0.98 for both canine serum and plasma; ρc, 0.99 for both feline serum and plasma) than was that in whole blood (ρc, 0.62 for canine samples; ρc, 0.90 for feline samples). The mean difference between the glucose concentrations determined by the biochemical analyzer and the POCG in serum, plasma, and whole blood was 0.4, 0.3, and 31 mg/dL, respectively, for canine samples and 7, 6, and 32 mg/dL, respectively, for feline samples. Results indicated that use of a POCG to measure glucose concentrations in serum or plasma may increase the accuracy and reliability of diagnostic and treatment decisions associated with glucose homeostasis disorders in dogs and cats.

  4. Collection, processing and testing of bone, corneas, umbilical cord blood and haematopoietic stem cells by European Blood Alliance members

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Närhi, M; Natri, O; Desbois, I

    2013-01-01

    A questionnaire study was carried out in collaboration with the European Blood Alliance (EBA) Tissues and Cells (T&C) working group. The aim was to assess the level of involvement and commonality of processes on the procurement, testing and storage of bone, corneas, umbilical cord blood (UCB......) and haematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in order to identify different practices and to explore whether recommendations can be made for harmonization....

  5. Human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cell transplantation for delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide intoxication

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gong D

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Dianrong Gong,1 Haiyan Yu,1 Weihua Wang,2 Haixin Yang,1 Fabin Han1,21Department of Neurology, 2Centre for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, Liaocheng People's Hospital, The Affiliated Liaocheng Hospital, Taishan Medical University, Shandong, People's Republic of ChinaAbstract: Stem cell transplantation is one of the potential treatments for neurological disorders. Since human umbilical cord stem cells have been shown to provide neuroprotection and promote neural regeneration, we have attempted to transplant the human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (hUCB-MNCs to treat patients with delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide intoxication (DEACOI. The hUCB-MNCs were isolated from fresh umbilical cord blood and were given to patients subarachnoidally. Physical examinations, mini-mental state examination scores, and computed tomography scans were used to evaluate the improvement of symptoms, signs, and pathological changes of the patient's brain before and after hUCB-MNC transplantation. A total of 12 patients with DEACOI were treated with hUCB-MNCs in this study. We found that most of the patients have shown significant improvements in movement, behavior, and cognitive function, and improved brain images in 1–4 months from the first transplantation of hUCB-MNCs. None of these patients have been observed to have any severe adverse effects. Our study suggests that the hUCB-MNC transplantation may be a safe and effective treatment for DEACOI. Further studies and clinical trials with more cases, using more systematic scoring methods, are needed to evaluate brain structural and functional improvements in patients with DEACOI after hUCB-MNC therapy.Keywords: human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells, transplantation, delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide intoxication, MMSE

  6. Rh antigen expression during erythropoeisis: Comparison of cord and adult derived CD34 + cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gupta Namita

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: Concentrations of O 2 and CO 2 in the fetal circulation differ to that in maternal blood. Previous studies done in algae demonstrate the functional role of Rh antigen as CO 2 transporter. As a preliminary study, it was the aim of this project to compare the expression of Rh polypeptides on cord and adult red blood cell progenitors during ex vivo proliferation and differentiation of CD34 + cells during erythropoeisis. Materials and Methods: CD34 positive hematopoeitic progenitor cells were isolated from umbilical cord blood and adult peripheral blood using an immunomagnetic system and cultured in serum free medium containing erythropoietin in order to compel them along the erythroid lineage. Cultured cells were analyzed for cell surface marker expression by flow cytometry, using monoclonal antibodies to RhAG, Glycophorin A, Rh polypeptides, CD47 and Band 3. Cytospin analysis was also done to study the morphology of cultured cells. Results: The appearance of cell surface markers analyzed on different days of culture varied slightly between samples. There was no evidence to suggest that RhAG, GPA, CD47 and Band 3 expression was any different between adult and cord derived cells. Nevertheless, the results of Rh antigenic expression suggest a reasonable difference between the two groups with adult sample derived cells showing higher and earlier expression than cord blood derived cells. These preliminary findings require further investigation. Conclusion: Comparing the expression of cell surface markers especially Rh polypeptides between adult and cord blood derived erythroid progenitors might assist in discerning their functions and could be valuable in the study of erythropoeisis.

  7. Blocking weight-induced spinal cord injury in rats: effects of TRH or naloxone on motor function recovery and spinal cord blood flow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Holtz, A.; Nystroem, B.; Gerdin, B.

    1989-01-01

    The ability of thyotropin releasing hormone (TRH) or naloxone to reduce the motor function deficit and to improve the spinal cord blood flow (SCBF) was investigated in a rat spinal cord compression injury model. Spinal cord injury was induced by compression for 5 min with a load of 35 g on a 2.2 x 5.0 mm sized compression plate causing a transient paraparesis. One group of animals was given TRH, one group naloxone and one group saline alone. Each drug was administered intravenously as a bolus dose of 2 mg/kg 60 min after injury followed by a continuous infusion of 2 mg/kg/h for 4 h. The motor performance was assessed daily on the inclined plant until Day 4, when SCBF was measured with the 14 C-iodoantipyrine autoradiographic method. It was found that neither TRH nor naloxone had promoted motor function recovery or affected SCBF 4 days after spinal cord injury. (author)

  8. Identification of sex-specific DNA methylation changes driven by specific chemicals in cord blood in a Faroese birth cohort

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Leung, Yuet-Kin; Ouyang, Bin; Niu, Liang

    2018-01-01

    Faroe islanders consume marine foods contaminated with methylmercury (MeHg), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and other toxicants associated with chronic disease risks. Differential DNA methylation at specific CpG sites in cord blood may serve as a surrogate biomarker of health impacts from...... chemical exposures. We aimed to identify key environmental chemicals in cord blood associated with DNA methylation changes in a population with elevated exposure to chemical mixtures. We studied 72 participants of a Faroese birth cohort recruited between 1986 and 1987 and followed until adulthood. The cord...... blood DNA methylome was profiled using Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChips. We determined the associations of CpG site changes with concentrations of MeHg, major PCBs, other organochlorine compounds [hexachlorobenzene (HCB), p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) and p...

  9. Immunosuppressive activity of human cord-blood lipoproteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Forte, T.M.; Davis, P.A.; Curtiss, L.K.

    1985-01-01

    It is now known that the role of plasma lipoproteins is multifunctional. More recently it has been shown that lipoproteins may regulate immune responses as well. Low-density lipoproteins carrying apolipoprotein B (apoB) are known to suppress phytohemagglutinin (PHA) activated lymphocytes by inhibiting DNA synthesis. More recently, an immunoregulatory role has been described for another apolipoprotein, apoE, which is found in low quantities in normal plasma. In these studies with human umbilical-cord blood the authors were intrigued by two factors: the low level of LDL and hence apoB, and the elevated quantity of apoE. This study examines the hypothesis that apoE may regulate lymphocyte function in the human fetus

  10. A policy of routine umbilical cord blood gas analysis decreased missing samples from high-risk births.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahlberg, M; Elvander, C; Johansson, S; Cnattingius, S; Stephansson, O

    2017-01-01

    This study compared obstetric units practicing routine or selective umbilical cord blood gas analysis, with respect to the risk of missing samples in high-risk deliveries and in infants with birth asphyxia. This was a Swedish population-based cohort study that used register data for 155 235 deliveries of live singleton infants between 2008 and 2014. Risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to estimate the association between routine and selective umbilical cord blood gas sampling strategies and the risk of missing samples. Selective sampling increased the risk ratios when routine sampling was used as the reference, with a value of 1.0, and these were significant in high-risk deliveries and birth asphyxia. The risk ratios for selective sampling were large-for-gestational age (9.07), preterm delivery at up to 36 weeks of gestation (8.24), small-for-gestational age (7.94), two or more foetal scalp blood samples (5.96), an Apgar score of less than seven at one minute (2.36), emergency Caesarean section (1.67) and instrumental vaginal delivery (1.24). Compared with routine sampling, selective umbilical cord blood gas sampling significantly increased the risks of missing samples in high-risk deliveries and in infants with birth asphyxia. ©2016 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  11. Post-test probability for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia based on umbilical cord blood bilirubin, direct antiglobulin test, and ABO compatibility results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peeters, Bart; Geerts, Inge; Van Mullem, Mia; Micalessi, Isabel; Saegeman, Veroniek; Moerman, Jan

    2016-05-01

    Many hospitals opt for early postnatal discharge of newborns with a potential risk of readmission for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Assays/algorithms with the possibility to improve prediction of significant neonatal hyperbilirubinemia are needed to optimize screening protocols and safe discharge of neonates. This study investigated the predictive value of umbilical cord blood (UCB) testing for significant hyperbilirubinemia. Neonatal UCB bilirubin, UCB direct antiglobulin test (DAT), and blood group were determined, as well as the maternal blood group and the red blood cell antibody status. Moreover, in newborns with clinically apparent jaundice after visual assessment, plasma total bilirubin (TB) was measured. Clinical factors positively associated with UCB bilirubin were ABO incompatibility, positive DAT, presence of maternal red cell antibodies, alarming visual assessment and significant hyperbilirubinemia in the first 6 days of life. UCB bilirubin performed clinically well with an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.82 (95 % CI 0.80-0.84). The combined UCB bilirubin, DAT, and blood group analysis outperformed results of these parameters considered separately to detect significant hyperbilirubinemia and correlated exponentially with hyperbilirubinemia post-test probability. Post-test probabilities for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia can be calculated using exponential functions defined by UCB bilirubin, DAT, and ABO compatibility results. • The diagnostic value of the triad umbilical cord blood bilirubin measurement, direct antiglobulin testing and blood group analysis for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia remains unclear in literature. • Currently no guideline recommends screening for hyperbilirubinemia using umbilical cord blood. What is New: • Post-test probability for hyperbilirubinemia correlated exponentially with umbilical cord blood bilirubin in different risk groups defined by direct antiglobulin test and ABO blood group

  12. Is early cord clamping, delayed cord clamping or cord milking best?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vatansever, Binay; Demirel, Gamze; Ciler Eren, Elif; Erel, Ozcan; Neselioglu, Salim; Karavar, Hande Nur; Gundogdu, Semra; Ulfer, Gozde; Bahadir, Selcen; Tastekin, Ayhan

    2018-04-01

    To compare the antioxidant status of three cord clamping procedures (early clamping, delayed clamping and milking) by analyzing the thiol-disulfide balance. This randomized controlled study enrolled 189 term infants who were divided into three groups according to the cord clamping procedure: early clamping, delayed clamping and milking. Blood samples were collected from the umbilical arteries immediately after clamping, and the thiol/disulfide homeostasis was analyzed. The native and total thiol levels were significantly (p total thiol ratio was significantly (p = .026) lower in the delayed cord clamping and milking groups compared with the early clamping groups. Early cord clamping causes the production of more disulfide bonds and lower thiol levels, indicating that oxidation reactions are increased in the early cord clamping procedure compared with the delayed cord clamping and milking procedures. The oxidant capacity is greater with early cord clamping than with delayed clamping or cord milking. Delayed cord clamping or milking are beneficial in neonatal care, and we suggest that they be performed routinely in all deliveries.

  13. Predictive Value of Nucleated Red Blood Cell Counts in Cord and Peripheral Blood of Asphyxiated Term Neonates in the First Week of Life

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B Bahman Bijari

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Increased numbers of nucleated red blood cells (NRBC circulating in the blood of neonates can be associated with relative hypoxia and adverse outcomes. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the NRBC count during the first week of life in neonates diagnosed with asphyxia as compared to healthy neonates and to determine the short-term morbidity and mortality for the affected babies. Methods: The cross-sectional study compared 15 healthy neonates with 15 neonates diagnosed with asphyxia confirmed by pH of cord blood or Apgar scores. The nucleated red blood cell (NRBC counts were calculated right after birth, and on days 3 and 7, and the hematological parameters of umbilical cord blood were also evaluated. The infants were followed for mortality and associated morbidity. Statistical analysis was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test, analysis of variance, chi-square tests, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. A p-value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: The initial NRBC counts were significantly higher in the asphyxiated group than in the control group and the difference remained significant through the end of first week. All of the umbilical cord blood parameters were significantly lower in the study group and were negatively correlated with the NRBC count. At birth, higher NRBC count correlated with higher mortality. conclution: Results show that NRBC count is a useful predictive factor for neonatal asphyxia through the end of the first week of life, although a larger study population and a longer follow up period seems to be necessary.

  14. Influence of prenatal arsenic exposure and newborn sex on global methylation of cord blood DNA.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J Richard Pilsner

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: An emerging body of evidence indicates that early-life arsenic (As exposure may influence the trajectory of health outcomes later in life. However, the mechanisms underlying these observations are unknown. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of prenatal As exposure on global methylation of cord blood DNA in a study of mother/newborn pairs in Matlab, Bangladesh. DESIGN: Maternal and cord blood DNA were available from a convenience sample of 101 mother/newborn pairs. Measures of As exposure included maternal urinary As (uAs, maternal blood As (mbAs and cord blood As (cbAs. Several measures of global DNA methylation were assessed, including the [3H]-methyl-incorporation assay and three Pyrosequencing assays: Alu, LINE-1 and LUMA. RESULTS: In the total sample, increasing quartiles of maternal uAs were associated with an increase in covariate-adjusted means of newborn global DNA methylation as measured by the [3H]-methyl-incorporation assay (quartile 1 (Q1 and Q2 vs. Q4; p = 0.06 and 0.04, respectively. Sex-specific linear regression analyses, while not reaching significance level of 0.05, indicated that the associations between As exposures and Alu, LINE-1 and LUMA were positive among male newborns (N = 58 but negative among female newborns (N = 43; tests for sex differences were borderline significant for the association of cbAs and mbAs with Alu (p = 0.05 and 0.09, respectively and for the association between maternal uAs and LINE-1 (p = 0.07. Sex-specific correlations between maternal urinary creatinine and newborn methyl-incorporation, Alu and LINE-1 were also evident (p<0.05. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that prenatal As exposure is associated with global DNA methylation in cord blood DNA, possibly in a sex-specific manner. Arsenic-induced epigenetic modifications in utero may potentially influence disease outcomes later in life. Additional studies are needed to confirm

  15. Serum leptin levels correlation with high blood pressure in adult females

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haque, Z.; Shahid, K.U.; Mazahir, I.; Lakho, G.R.; Nafees, M.

    2006-01-01

    To measure serum leptin levels and compare them in lean and obese subjects and to identify correlation between serum leptin levels, heart rate and hypertension in lean and obese subjects among adult females. Seventy female subjects with different body mass indices were selected from OPD of Jinnah Medical and Dental College Hospital (OPD), Karachi. Heart rate was counted manually; blood pressure was measured by mercury sphygmomanometer while serum leptin was measured using enzyme-linked immunoassay. The outcomes hypertension and heart rate were correlated to risk factor leptin. Mean heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and serum leptin levels of obese people were 90+-1, 142+-2, 89+-1 and 24.13+-1.7 respectively, which were significantly higher as compared to lean subjects (p<0.05). All the parameters correlated positively and significantly with increasing BMI. There was a relationship of tachycardia and hypertension with high serum leptin levels in obesity. Serum leptin levels increase with the level of obesity. Hyper-leptinemia is associated with tachycardia and increases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in obesity via complex mechanisms. (author)

  16. Amino-Terminal proB-Type Natriuretic Peptide Levels in the Umbilical Cord Blood of Neonates Differ According to the Type of Prenatally Diagnosed Congenital Heart Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bae, Jin Young; Cha, Hyun-Hwa; Seong, Won Joon

    2015-12-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate differences in amino-terminal proB-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels in the cord blood of neonates according to the type of congenital heart disease (CHD) and to evaluate the usefulness of NT-proBNP as a prognostic marker. We included 76 neonates with prenatally diagnosed CHD and 45 controls without CHD. Neonates were classified into five groups based on echocardiographic findings. The levels of NT-proBNP in the cord blood were examined and analyzed according to the neonatal outcomes. The levels of NT-proBNP were significantly elevated in the cord blood of neonates with CHD compared with that in the cord blood of controls. The levels of NT-proBNP in the group with right ventricular outflow tract obstruction without a ventricular septal defect were significantly increased compared to that in the other groups. The neonates that required acute surgical correction had higher levels of NT-proBNP in the cord blood, though they were not statistically significant. Meanwhile, NT-proBNP levels in the cord blood of neonates with functional single ventricle were significantly higher than that in the cord blood of those with functional biventricles. Significant differences in the levels of NT-proBNP between survivors and nonsurvivors were observed within 1 year of birth. In this study, we found that the levels of NT-proBNP in the cord blood of neonates with CHD were higher than the levels in controls. This finding was striking in the group with right ventricular outflow tract obstruction, and it was associated with surgery for functional single ventricle and 1-year survival.

  17. Spontaneous transient rise of CD34 cells in peripheral blood after 72 hours in patients suffering from advanced malignancy with anemia: effect and prognostic implications of treatment with placental umbilical cord whole blood transfusion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharya, N

    2006-01-01

    Cord blood, because of its rich mix of fetal and adult hemoglobin, platelet and WBC counts, and a plasma filled with cytokine and growth factors, as well as its hypoantigenic nature and altered metabolic profile, has all the potential of a real and safe alternative to adult blood during emergencies or any etiology of blood loss. In the present study transfusion-related CD34 levels of the peripheral blood from six randomly selected patients suffering from advanced clinical Stage IV malignancy were analyzed between 16 August 1999 and 16 May 2001. This study attempts to ascertain the fate of hematopoietic stem cells (CD34) after placental umbilical cord whole blood transfusion, as assessed from the peripheral blood CD34 level 72 hours after cord blood transfusion in sex- and HLA-randomized patients. Among the six cases, Case 2 (breast sarcoma) received the lowest amount of card blood (6 units), while Case 6 (breast cancer) received the largest amount (32 units). The youngest patient, suffering from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (Case 3), was a 16-year-old boy who received eight units of cord blood to combat anemia. Other patients received amounts varying from 7-15 units: Case 4 received 15 units (metachronous lymph node metastatsis), Case 1 received 14 units (breast cancer), and Case 5 received seven units (lung cancer). There was no transfusion-related clinical immunological or nonimmunological reaction. Studies of CD34 levels showed an initial rise followed by a fall in two cases, two cases registered very little effect on the CD34 level, i.e., no change from the baseline, and one case demonstrated a very slow rise from the baseline. However, one case showed a frequent steep rise up to 99% and a sustained high CD34 level. This patient is alive with clinical remission of the disease. It appears from this preliminary study that freshly collected cord blood transfusion may cause a transient transplant impact of transfused cord blood CD34 stem cells on the host without

  18. Distribution and Predictors of Pesticides in the Umbilical Cord Blood of Chinese Newborns

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monica K. Silver

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Rates of pesticide use in Chinese agriculture are five times greater than the global average, leading to high exposure via the diet. Many are neurotoxic, making prenatal pesticide exposure a concern. Previous studies of prenatal exposure in China focused almost entirely on organochlorines. Here the study goals were to characterize the exposure of Chinese newborns to all classes of pesticides and identify predictors of those exposures. Eighty-four pesticides and 12 metabolites were measured in the umbilical cord plasma of 336 infants. Composite variables were created for totals detected overall and by class. Individual pesticides were analyzed as dichotomous or continuous, based on detection rates. Relationships between demographic characteristics and pesticides were evaluated using generalized linear regression. Seventy-five pesticides were detected. The mean number of detects per sample was 15.3. Increased pesticide detects were found in the cord blood of infants born in the summer (β = 2.2, p = 0.01, particularly in July (β = 4.0, p = 0.03. Similar trends were observed for individual insecticide classes. Thus, a summer birth was the strongest predictor of pesticide evidence in cord blood. Associations were more striking for overall pesticide exposure than for individual pesticides, highlighting the importance of considering exposure to mixtures of pesticides, rather than individual agents or classes.

  19. Experimental study of capacity of the blood blow of spinal cord using radiolabelling microspbere technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu Xuan; Li Rui

    2007-01-01

    Objective In order to study the relation ship between local blood flow and neurofunction at the later stage of spinal injury. Method: Measured the capacity of the local blood flow in the spinal cord injury by the radiolabelling microsphere technique and scored the nervus function grade. Result: There are no correlation between the local blood flow and the nervus function. Conclusion: It is obvious that the increase of the local blood supply can't reflect the nervus function. (authors)

  20. Is there any reason to prefer cord blood instead of adult donors for hematopoietic stem cell transplants?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meral eBeksac

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available As cord blood (CB enables rapid access and tolerance to HLA mismatches, number of unrelated cord blood transplants have reached 30 000. Such transplant activity has been the result of international accreditation programs maintaining highly qualified CBUs reaching more than 600 000 CBUs stored worldwide. Efforts to increase stem cell content or engraftment rate of the graft by ex vivo expansion, modulation by molecules such as fucose, Prostaglandin E2 derivative, complement, CD26 inhibitors or CXCR4/CXCL12 axis have been able to accelerate engraftment speed and rate. Furthermore introduction of reduced intensity conditioning protocols, better HLA matching and recognition of the importance of HLA-C have improved CBT success by decreasing Transplant Related Mortality (TRM. Cord blood progenitor/stem cell content has been compared with adult stem cells revealing higher long-term repopulating capacity compared to BM-MSC and less oncogenic potential than Induced Progenitor Stem Cells. This chapter summarizes the advantage and disadvantages of CB compared to adult stem cells within the context of stem cell biology and transplantation.

  1. Establishment of an unrelated umbilical cord blood bank qualification program: ensuring quality while meeting Food and Drug Administration vendor qualification requirements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rabe, Fran; Kadidlo, Diane; Van Orsow, Lisa; McKenna, David

    2013-10-01

    Qualification of a cord blood bank (CBB) is a complex process that includes evaluation of multiple aspects of donor screening and testing, processing, accreditation and approval by professional cell therapy groups, and results of received cord blood units. The University of Minnesota Medical Center Cell Therapy Laboratory has established a CBB vendor qualification process to ensure the CBB meets established regulatory and quality requirements. The deployed qualification of CBBs is based on retrospective and prospective review of the CBB. Forty-one CBBs were evaluated retrospectively: seven CBBs were disqualified based on failed quality control (QC) results. Eight CBBs did not meet the criteria for retrospective qualification because fewer than 3 cord blood units were received and the CBB was not accredited. As of March 2012, three US and one non-US CBBs have been qualified prospectively. One CBB withdrew from the qualification process after successful completion of the comprehensive survey and subsequent failure of the provided QC unit to pass the minimum criteria. One CBB failed the prospective qualification process based on processing methods that were revealed during the paper portion of the evaluation. A CBB qualification process is necessary for a transplant center to manage the qualification of the large number of CBBs needed to support a umbilical cord blood transplantation program. A transplant center that has utilized cord blood for a number of years before implementation of a qualification process should use a retrospective qualification process along with a prospective process. © 2013 American Association of Blood Banks.

  2. Comparative evaluation of blood and serum samples in rapid immunochromatographic tests for visceral leishmaniasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Dinesh; Khanal, Basudha; Tiwary, Puja; Mudavath, Shyam Lal; Tiwary, Narendra K; Singh, Rupa; Koirala, Kanika; Boelaert, Marleen; Rijal, Suman; Sundar, Shyam

    2013-12-01

    Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) based on the detection of specific antibodies in serum are commonly used for the diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Several commercial kits are available, and some of them allow the use of whole-blood samples instead of serum. An RDT is much more user-friendly for blood samples than for serum samples. In this study, we examined the sensitivities and specificities of six different commercially available immunochromatographic tests for their accuracy in detecting Leishmania infection in whole blood and serum of parasitologically confirmed VL cases. This study was performed in areas of India and Nepal where VL is endemic. A total of 177 confirmed VL cases, 208 healthy controls from areas of endemicity (EHCs), 26 malaria patients (MP), and 37 tuberculosis (TB) patients were enrolled. The reproducibilities of the blood and serum results and between-reader and between-laboratory results were tested. In India, the sensitivities of all the RDTs ranged between 94.7 and 100.0%, with no significant differences between whole blood and serum. The specificities ranged between 92.4 and 100.0%, except for the specificity of the Onsite Leishmania Ab RevB kit, which was lower (33.6 to 42.0%). No differences in specificities were observed for blood and serum. In Nepal, the sensitivities of all the test kits, for whole-blood as well as serum samples, ranged between 96.3 and 100.0%, and the specificities ranged between 90.1 and 96.1%, again with the exception of that of the Onsite Leishmania Ab RevB test, which was markedly lower (48.7 to 49.3%). The diagnostic accuracies of all the tests, except for one brand, were excellent for the whole-blood and serum samples. We conclude that whole blood is an adequate alternative for serum in RDTs for VL, with sensitivities and specificities comparable to those obtained in serum samples, provided that the test kit is of overall good quality.

  3. Thyroid stimulating hormone levels in cord blood are not influenced by non-thyroidal mothers' diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Sterian Ward

    2000-09-01

    Full Text Available CONTEXT: Screening programs not only offer the opportunity to trace and treat almost all cases of congenital hypothyroidism but also mean large savings to the health system. However, carefully planned strategies are necessary to extend their benefits and reduce costs. OBJECTIVE: To determine the possible influence of maternal diseases that affect maternal-fetal placenta dynamics on primary thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH screening for congenital hypothyroidism. DESIGN: Prospective non-randomized clinical trial with at least 3 months of follow-up. SETTING: A public university referral center [CAISM/Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP]. PARTICIPANTS: 415 neonates divided into 5 groups: eighty-three infants born from cardiac mothers; 98 from mothers that had toxemia; 54 of the mothers had diabetes mellitus; 40 were HIV positive and 140 had no diseases. INTERVENTION: All newborns had cord blood samples collected on filter paper at birth. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: TSH was measured from dried blood spots using a homemade immunofluorescence assay (sensitivity in dried blood spots = 0.1 mU/L. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the mean TSH levels among the 5 groups. Moreover, TSH levels were around 5 mU/L in 48% of the newborns, indicating that our region is severely deficient in iodine. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that primary TSH screening programs using cord blood are not affected by maternal diseases. We suggest that, besides its technical advantages over heel punctures with T4 primary approaches, neonatal screening using primary cord blood TSH may also be used as a monitoring tool for evaluation and control of iodine deficiency disorders (IDD.

  4. Toxoplasmosis: Seroprevalence in pregnant women, and serological and molecular screening in neonatal umbilical cord blood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shieh, Mahshad; Didehdar, Mojtaba; Hajihossein, Reza; Ahmadi, Farzam; Eslamirad, Zahra

    2017-10-01

    Toxoplasmosis is a common zoonotic disease that can also be transmitted from the mother to the embryo, with the risk of congenital infection varying around the world. The aim of this study was to screen pregnant women and their neonates for toxoplasmosis by serologic and molecular methods and assess the impact of risk factors associated with toxoplasmosis on the rate of congenital infection. This study was conducted at a regional maternity hospital in Arak, the capital of the Markazi Province in Iran, during a period of six months. All selected pregnant women (n=261) and the corresponding cord blood samples were serologically screened for toxoplasmosis, with seropositive samples also undergoing molecular testing. Demographic data, as well as information related to the risk factors associated with the transmission of the disease, were collected from mothers and their neonates. The detection of anti-Toxoplasma antibodies and the extraction of DNA from blood samples were conducted using commercial kits. Results showed that the sera of 87 maternal blood samples (33.3%) and 40 cord blood samples (15.3%) were positive for anti-Toxoplasma antibodies (IgG and/or IgM). Molecular screening of the seropositive samples only identified one positive cord blood sample. In other words, the diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis was definitive in only one neonate. There was no significant association between the risk of parasite transmission and neonatal seropositivity (p >0.05). Therefore, the results showed that the prevalence of congenital toxoplasmosis in the studied area was consistent with the global rate and suggest that the implementation of newborn screening and follow-up testing could help reduce the disease risk. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Combination of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and cord blood mononuclear cells in the treatment of chronic thoracic spinal cord injury in 27 cases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lian-zhong WANG

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Objective To investigate and evaluate therapeutic effects of transplantation of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in conjunction with cord blood mononuclear cells for late thoracic spinal cord injury. Methods Data from 27 patients with late thoracic spinal cord injury who received transplantation of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in conjunction with cord blood mononuclear cells in Neurosurgery Department of 463rd Hospital of PLA between July 2006 and July 2008 were collected and analyzed. The full treatment course consisted of 4 consecutive injections at one week apart. Indicators for evaluation followed that of the American Spiral Injury Association (ASIA Impairment Scale (AIS grade, ASIA motor and sensory scores, ASIA visual analog score, and the Ashworth score. The follow-up period was 6 months. Evaluations were made 6 weeks and 6 months after the treatment. Results Improvement from AIS A to AIS B was found in 4 patients. In one patient, improvement from AIS A to AIS C and in one patient from AIS B to AIS C was found 6 weeks after the treatment. The AIS improvement rate was 22.2%. In one patient improvement from AIS A to AIS B was found after 6 months. The overall AIS improvement rate was 25.9%. ASIA baseline motor scores of lower extremties were 0.5±1.5, 1.7±2.9, 3.1±3.6 before the treatment, 6 weeks and 6 months after the treatment, respectively, and showed a statistically significant improvement (P < 0.05. ASIA sensory scores including light touch and pinprick were 66.6±13.7 and 67.0±13.6 respectively before treatment, and they became 68.8±14.4, 68.4±14.7 and 70.5±14.4, 70.2±14.4 six weeks and six months after the treatment. The changes were statistically significant (P < 0.05; Modified Ashworth Scale scores were 1.8±1.5, 1.6±1.2,1.1±0.8 respectively at baseline, 6 weeks and 6months after the treatment, and showed a statistically significant descending trend (P < 0.05. Conclusion Transplantation of

  6. Generation of mesenchymal stromal cells in the presence of platelet lysate: a phenotypic and functional comparison of umbilical cord blood- and bone marrow-derived progenitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avanzini, Maria Antonietta; Bernardo, Maria Ester; Cometa, Angela Maria; Perotti, Cesare; Zaffaroni, Nadia; Novara, Francesca; Visai, Livia; Moretta, Antonia; Del Fante, Claudia; Villa, Raffaella; Ball, Lynne M.; Fibbe, Willem E.; Maccario, Rita; Locatelli, Franco

    2009-01-01

    Background Mesenchymal stromal cells are employed in various different clinical settings in order to modulate immune response. However, relatively little is known about the mechanisms responsible for their immunomodulatory effects, which could be influenced by both the cell source and culture conditions. Design and Methods We tested the ability of a 5% platelet lysate-supplemented medium to support isolation and ex vivo expansion of mesenchymal stromal cells from full-term umbilical-cord blood. We also investigated the biological/functional properties of umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stromal cells, in comparison with platelet lysate-expanded bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells. Results The success rate of isolation of mesenchymal stromal cells from umbilical cord blood was in the order of 20%. These cells exhibited typical morphology, immunophenotype and differentiation capacity. Although they have a low clonogenic efficiency, umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stromal cells may possess high proliferative potential. The genetic stability of these cells from umbilical cord blood was demonstrated by a normal molecular karyotype; in addition, these cells do not express hTERT and telomerase activity, do express p16ink4a protein and do not show anchorage-independent cell growth. Concerning alloantigen-specific immune responses, umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stromal cells were able to: (i) suppress T- and NK-lymphocyte proliferation, (ii) decrease cytotoxic activity and (iii) only slightly increase interleukin-10, while decreasing interferon-γ secretion, in mixed lymphocyte culture supernatants. While an indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-specific inhibitor did not reverse mesenchymal stromal cell-induced suppressive effects, a prostaglandin E2-specific inhibitor hampered the suppressive effect of both umbilical cord blood- and bone marrow-mesenchymal stromal cells on alloantigen-induced cytotoxic activity. Mesenchymal stromal cells from both sources expressed HLA

  7. Reference interval determination of hemoglobin fractions in umbilical cord and placental blood by capillary electrophoresis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bó, Suzane Dal; de Oliveira Lemos, Fabiane Kreutz; Pedrazzani, Fabiane Spagnol; Cagliari, Cláudia Rosa; Scotti, Luciana

    2016-04-01

    Umbilical cord and placental blood (UCPB) is a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells widely used to treat diseases that did not have effective treatments until recently. Umbilical cord and placental blood banks (UCPBBs) are needed to be created to store UCPB. UCPB is collected immediately after birth, processed, and frozen until infusion. Detection of abnormal hemoglobins is one of UCPB screening tests available. The objective of the present study was to determine the reference interval for HbA, HbF, and HbA2 in UCPB using capillary electrophoresis. Methods: Observational retrospective study of UCPB samples undergoing hemoglobin electrophoresis was performed between April 2012 and May 2013. We analyzed 273 UCPB samples. All cords met the criteria of BrasilCORD. We found 19.9% (10.5–36.7%) for HbA, 80.1% (62.7–89.4%) for HbF, and 0.1% (0.0–0.6%) for HbA2. Data were expressed as median (P2.5–P97.5). Establishing specific reference intervals is the best option for most tests because such ranges reflect the status of the population in which the tests will be applied. The use of appropriate reference intervals ensures that clinical labs provide reliable information, thus enabling clinicians to correctly interpret results and choose the best approach for the target population.

  8. Air pollution exposure during critical time periods in gestation and alterations in cord blood lymphocyte distribution: a cohort of livebirths

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Herr Caroline EW

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Toxic exposures have been shown to influence maturation of the immune system during gestation. This study investigates the association between cord blood lymphocyte proportions and maternal exposure to air pollution during each gestational month. Methods Cord blood was analyzed using a FACSort flow cytometer to determine proportions of T lymphocytes (CD3+ cells and their subsets, CD4+ and CD8+, B lymphocytes (CD19+ and natural killer (NK cells. Ambient air concentrations of 12 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH and particulate matter 2.5 were measured using fixed site monitors. Arithmetic means of these pollutants, calculated for each gestational month, were used as exposure metrics. Data on covariates were obtained from medical records and questionnaires. Multivariable linear regression models were fitted to estimate associations between monthly PAH or PM2.5 and cord blood lymphocytes, adjusting for year of birth and district of residence and, in further models, gestational season and number of prior live births. Results The adjusted models show significant associations between PAHs or PM2.5 during early gestation and increases in CD3+ and CD4+ lymphocytes percentages and decreases in CD19+ and NK cell percentages in cord blood. In contrast, exposures during late gestation were associated with decreases in CD3+ and CD4+ fractions and increases in CD19+ and NK cell fractions. There was no significant association between alterations in lymphocyte distribution and air pollution exposure during the mid gestation. Conclusions PAHs and PM2.5 in ambient air may influence fetal immune development via shifts in cord blood lymphocytes distributions. Associations appear to differ by exposure in early versus late gestation.

  9. Impact of Prolonged Blood Incubation and Extended Serum Storage at Room Temperature on the Human Serum Metabolome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beate Kamlage

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Metabolomics is a powerful technology with broad applications in life science that, like other -omics approaches, requires high-quality samples to achieve reliable results and ensure reproducibility. Therefore, along with quality assurance, methods to assess sample quality regarding pre-analytical confounders are urgently needed. In this study, we analyzed the response of the human serum metabolome to pre-analytical variations comprising prolonged blood incubation and extended serum storage at room temperature by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS -based metabolomics. We found that the prolonged incubation of blood results in a statistically significant 20% increase and 4% decrease of 225 tested serum metabolites. Extended serum storage affected 21% of the analyzed metabolites (14% increased, 7% decreased. Amino acids and nucleobases showed the highest percentage of changed metabolites in both confounding conditions, whereas lipids were remarkably stable. Interestingly, the amounts of taurine and O-phosphoethanolamine, which have both been discussed as biomarkers for various diseases, were 1.8- and 2.9-fold increased after 6 h of blood incubation. Since we found that both are more stable in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA blood, EDTA plasma should be the preferred metabolomics matrix.

  10. Transcriptional activity of telomerase complex in CD34- stem cells of cord blood in dependence of preparation time.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Bojdys-Szyndlar

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the study was to determine whether the expression of telomerase subunits encoding genes changes during the process of cord blood preparation. It should establish if the commonly accepted 24 hours time interval in stem cells kriopreservation procedure significantly influences their immortalization and so decreases the "quality" of cord blood stem cells. Investigation includes 69 women. Spontaneous labour was the inclusion condition. The material was collected at birth after clamping of umbilical cord by direct vasopuncture. CD34- cells were extracted from cord blood (MACS, Miltenyi Biotec; Bisley, Surrey, UK. The expression profile of telomerase activators and inhibitors encoding genes was determined using HG_U133A oligonucleotide microarray (Affymetrix. We used a real-time quantitative RT-PCR assay to quantify the telomerase TERT, hTR and TP1 subunits mRNA copy numbers in CD34- cells in 0, 6, 12 and 24 hours after cord blood collection. We observed significant decrease of numbers of copies of TERTA+B mRNA within the successive hours of observation. Significant decrease of numbers of TERTA mRNA copies was confirmed after 24 hours. However, we observed significant increase of numbers of copies of TERTB mRNA after 6 hours of observation. Similar level was maintained during another 6h. The significantly lower number of copies of TERTB mRNA was observed after 24h. We also observed significant increase of number of copies of TERT mRNA after 6 hours. Number of copies of TERT mRNA significantly decreased after another 6h, remaining, however, on a higher then initial one. The significant lower number of copies of TERT mRNA was observed 24h after delivery. The possible explanation of those results is discussed in the paper.

  11. Newborn screening for congenital cytomegalovirus using real-time polymerase chain reaction in umbilical cord blood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barkai, Galia; Barzilai, Asher; Mendelson, Ella; Tepperberg-Oikawa, Michal; Roth, Daphne Ari-Even; Kuint, Jacob

    2013-06-01

    Congenital cytomegalovirus (C-CMV) infection affects 0.4-2% of newborn infants in Israel, most of whom are asymptomatic. Of these, 10-20% will subsequently develop hearing impairment and may have benetitted from early detection by neonatal screeing. To retrospectively anaIyze the results of a screening program for C-CMV performed at the Sheba Medical Center, Tel, Hashomer, during a 1 year period, using real-time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR) from umbilical cord blood. CMV DNA was detected by rt-PCR performed on infants' cord blood. C-CMV was confirmed by urine culture (Shell-vial). All confirmed cases were further investigated for C-CMV manifestations by head ultrasound, complete blood count, liver enzyme measurement, ophthalmology examination and hearing investigation. During the period 1 June 2009 to 31 May 2010, 11,022 infants were born at the Sheba Medical Center, of whom 8105 (74%) were screened. Twenty-three (0.28%) were positive for CMV and 22 of them (96%) were confirmed by urine culture. Two additional infants, who had not been screened, were detected after clinical suspicion. All 24 infants were further Investigated, and 3 (12.5%) had central nervous system involvement (including hearing impairment) and were offered intravenous ganciclovir for 6 weeks. Eighteen infants (82%) would not otherwise have been diagnosed. The relatively low incidence of C-CMV detected in our screening program probably reflects the low sensitivity of cord blood screening. Nevertheless, this screening program reliably detected a non-negligible number of infants who could benefit from early detection. Other screening methods using saliva should be investigated further.

  12. Knowledge and attitude of donating and using cord blood for transfusion among patients attending Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, South East Nigeria

    OpenAIRE

    Chide E Okocha; Nkiru N Ezeama; John C Aneke; Chinyere U Onubogu; Charles I Okafor; Chijioke G Egbunike

    2017-01-01

    Background: Allogeneic blood for transfusion is in short supply in most parts of the developing world. Cord blood for transfusion can be a significant source of blood supply to our health institutions. Aims: This study aims to investigate the knowledge and attitude to the donation and use of umbilical cord blood (UCB) for transfusion among the patients receiving services in a tertiary health institution in South-East Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study; an a...

  13. Comparison of Different Cytokine Conditions Reveals Resveratrol as a New Molecule for Ex Vivo Cultivation of Cord Blood-Derived Hematopoietic Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heinz, Niels; Ehrnström, Birgitta; Schambach, Axel; Schwarzer, Adrian; Modlich, Ute; Schiedlmeier, Bernhard

    2015-09-01

    Human cord blood (CB)-derived hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are an interesting source for HSC transplantation. However, the number of collected CB-HSCs is often too low for one transplantation; therefore, ex vivo expansion of CB-HSCs is desirable. Current expansion protocols are based on the use of cytokine combinations, including insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 2 (IGFBP2) and angiopoietin-like proteins, or combinations with "small molecules" such as stemregenin-1. The aim of our project was to compare the potential of different CB-HSC expansion strategies side-by-side by phenotypical analysis in vitro and serial engraftment properties in NOD/SCID/IL2rg-/- (NSG) immunodeficient mice. We further identified resveratrol, a naturally occurring polyphenol, as a new, alternative small molecule combined with cytokines to facilitate serum-free ex vivo expansion of human CB-HSCs. The cultivation in resveratrol preserved the CB-HSC phenotype in vitro most efficiently and was ∼2 times more potent than commonly used cytokine conditions (including stem cell factor, thrombopoietin, Fms-related tyrosine kinase 3 ligand, interleukin-6) and the recently established serum-free culture, including IGFBP2 and angiopoietin-like 5. Serial transplantation studies further confirmed resveratrol to support robust multilineage engraftment in primary and secondary NSG recipients. Therefore, our work proposes resveratrol as a new small molecule for improved ex vivo culture and modification of human HSCs based on an efficient ex vivo propagation of the HSC fate. Human cord blood (CB)-derived hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are an important source for HSC transplantations but restricted in their usage because of their low numbers. In gene therapy, modifications of HSCs relies on their ex vivo modification without losing their stemness properties. Therefore, ex vivo cultivation and expansion of CB-HSCs is important for their effective application in HSC transplantation and gene

  14. Ultrastructural characterization of bovine umbilical cord blood cells Caracterização ultra-estrutural das células sanguíneas do cordão umbilical bovino

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gustavo C Rodrigues

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available The umbilical cord blood (UCB is an important source of pluripotent stem cells, which motivated researches on ontogeny and transplantation. The morphological characterization of umbilical cord cells is the first step to establish subsequent experiments on these areas. Although some information on humans can be found, no data on UCB is available for bovines. Therefore, this work is the first attempt to conduct an ultrastructural characterization of bovine umbilical cord blood. Blood was collected from the umbilical cord of twenty fetuses by punction of the umbilical vein. Samples were processed for whole leucocytes observation by centrifugation and the buffy coat was collected. Cells were washed and pelleted and prepared according to the standard protocol of the transmission electron microscopy. The presence of cells with morphologic characteristics compatible with the precursors from the erythrocytic, neutrophilic, eosinophilic, basophilic, and lymphocytic lineages was observed. Atypical cells with peculiar morphological features, strongly similar to apoptotic cells, were seen. Bovine neutrophils with three types of cytoplasmic granules were also found in the blood. The ultrastructural characteristics of observed bovine UCB cells where similar to those found in other species, suggesting that bovines could possibly constitute an experimental model for approaches on UCB cells research.O sangue de cordão umbilical (SCU é uma importante fonte de células progenitoras pluripotentes, que motiva pesquisas em ontogenia e transplantes. A caracterização morfológica das células de cordão umbilical é o primeiro passo para se estabelecer experimentos subsequentes nessas áreas. Embora algumas informações sobre SCU em humanos possam ser encontradas, não existe nenhuma informação disponível sobre elas em bovinos. Portanto, este trabalho é a primeira tentativa de se conduzir uma caracterização ultra-estrutural do sangue de cordão umbilical

  15. Serum cortisol level and its correlation to serum insulin and fasting blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Jianzhong; Zhang Jun

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the change of serum cortisol levels and its correlation to blood sugar and serum insulin levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: Blood sugar with oxidase method and serum cortisol insulin levels with RIA (8 AM fasting specimen) were measured in 26 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 30 controls. Results: The serum cortisol levels in the diabetic patients were significantly higher than those in the controls (P<0.01). The cortisol levels were positively correlated to the blood sugar levels (r=0.32, p<0.01), but not correlated to insulin levels. Conclusion: There were cortisol secretion disturbances in patients with type 2 diabetes

  16. Blood serum components and serum protein test of Hybro-PG broilers of different ages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    PRL Silva

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Blood serum samples of HYBRO PG broilers were analyzed, with 30 samples collected from 21-day-old broilers (G1, 30 from 35-day-old birds (G2, and 30 from 42-day-old birds (G3, with the aim of establishing normal values of some blood serum parameters. The activities of the enzymes gamma-glutamyl-transferase (GGT, aspartate aminotransferase (AST, creatine kinase (CK, alkaline phosphatase (ALP, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, serum levels of total calcium, calcium ion, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium, chlorides, creatinine, uric acid, triglycerides, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, total and indirect and direct bilirubin, and electrophoretic profile of serum proteins in acrylamide (SDS-PAGE and agarose gel were determined. There was no influence of age on total bilirubin and albumin levels. All the other evaluated parameters presented differences in at least one age group. Protein electrophoretic profile also changed as a function of age. The obtained results can be considered as normal for the studied ages, and therefore be used as references for the interpretation of laboratory exams of broilers of this genetic line in the evaluated ages.

  17. Preterm Cord Blood Contains a Higher Proportion of Immature Hematopoietic Progenitors Compared to Term Samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Podestà, Marina; Bruschettini, Matteo; Cossu, Claudia; Sabatini, Federica; Dagnino, Monica; Romantsik, Olga; Spaggiari, Grazia Maria; Ramenghi, Luca Antonio; Frassoni, Francesco

    2015-01-01

    Cord blood contains high number of hematopoietic cells that after birth disappear. In this paper we have studied the functional properties of the umbilical cord blood progenitor cells collected from term and preterm neonates to establish whether quantitative and/or qualitative differences exist between the two groups. Our results indicate that the percentage of total CD34+ cells was significantly higher in preterm infants compared to full term: 0.61% (range 0.15-4.8) vs 0.3% (0.032-2.23) p = 0.0001 and in neonates <32 weeks of gestational age (GA) compared to those ≥32 wks GA: 0.95% (range 0.18-4.8) and 0.36% (0.15-3.2) respectively p = 0.0025. The majority of CD34+ cells co-expressed CD71 antigen (p<0.05 preterm vs term) and grew in vitro large BFU-E, mostly in the second generation. The subpopulations CD34+CD38- and CD34+CD45- resulted more represented in preterm samples compared to term, conversely, Side Population (SP) did not show any difference between the two group. The absolute number of preterm colonies (CFCs/10microL) resulted higher compared to term (p = 0.004) and these progenitors were able to grow until the third generation maintaining an higher proportion of CD34+ cells (p = 0.0017). The number of colony also inversely correlated with the gestational age (Pearson r = -0.3001 p<0.0168). We found no differences in the isolation and expansion capacity of Endothelial Colony Forming Cells (ECFCs) from cord blood of term and preterm neonates: both groups grew in vitro large number of endothelial cells until the third generation and showed a transitional phenotype between mesenchymal stem cells and endothelial progenitors (CD73, CD31, CD34 and CD144)The presence, in the cord blood of preterm babies, of high number of immature hematopoietic progenitors and endothelial/mesenchymal stem cells with high proliferative potential makes this tissue an important source of cells for developing new cells therapies.

  18. Preterm Cord Blood Contains a Higher Proportion of Immature Hematopoietic Progenitors Compared to Term Samples.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marina Podestà

    Full Text Available Cord blood contains high number of hematopoietic cells that after birth disappear. In this paper we have studied the functional properties of the umbilical cord blood progenitor cells collected from term and preterm neonates to establish whether quantitative and/or qualitative differences exist between the two groups.Our results indicate that the percentage of total CD34+ cells was significantly higher in preterm infants compared to full term: 0.61% (range 0.15-4.8 vs 0.3% (0.032-2.23 p = 0.0001 and in neonates <32 weeks of gestational age (GA compared to those ≥32 wks GA: 0.95% (range 0.18-4.8 and 0.36% (0.15-3.2 respectively p = 0.0025. The majority of CD34+ cells co-expressed CD71 antigen (p<0.05 preterm vs term and grew in vitro large BFU-E, mostly in the second generation. The subpopulations CD34+CD38- and CD34+CD45- resulted more represented in preterm samples compared to term, conversely, Side Population (SP did not show any difference between the two group. The absolute number of preterm colonies (CFCs/10microL resulted higher compared to term (p = 0.004 and these progenitors were able to grow until the third generation maintaining an higher proportion of CD34+ cells (p = 0.0017. The number of colony also inversely correlated with the gestational age (Pearson r = -0.3001 p<0.0168.We found no differences in the isolation and expansion capacity of Endothelial Colony Forming Cells (ECFCs from cord blood of term and preterm neonates: both groups grew in vitro large number of endothelial cells until the third generation and showed a transitional phenotype between mesenchymal stem cells and endothelial progenitors (CD73, CD31, CD34 and CD144The presence, in the cord blood of preterm babies, of high number of immature hematopoietic progenitors and endothelial/mesenchymal stem cells with high proliferative potential makes this tissue an important source of cells for developing new cells therapies.

  19. Protein S100B in umbilical cord blood as a potential biomarker of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy in asphyxiated newborns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaigham, Mehreen; Lundberg, Fredrik; Olofsson, Per

    2017-09-01

    Neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a devastating condition resulting from a sustained lack of oxygen during birth. The interest in identifying a relevant biomarker of HIE has thrown into limelight the role of protein S100B as a clinical diagnostic marker of hypoxic brain damage in neonates. To evaluate the diagnostic value of protein S100B, measured in umbilical cord blood immediately after birth, as a useful biomarker in the diagnosis of HIE Sarnat stages II-III as well as a marker for long-term mortality and morbidity. Protein S100B was analyzed in cord blood sampled at birth from 13 newborns later diagnosed with stage II-III HIE and compared with 21 healthy controls. S100B concentrations were related to cord artery pH, amplitude-integrated electroencephalography (aEEG), stage of HIE, and death/sequelae up to an age of 6years. Both parametric and non-parametric statistics were used with a two-sided P<0.05 considered significant. The difference in S100B concentration was marginally statistically significant between HIE cases and controls (P=0.056). Cord blood acidosis (P=0.046), aEEG pattern severity (P=0.030), HIE severity (P=0.027), and condition at 6-year follow-up (healthy/permanent sequelae/death; P=0.027) were all related to an increase in S100B concentration. Protein S100B in neonates suffering from HIE stages II-III appeared elevated in umbilical cord blood at birth. The S100B concentrations were positively associated to the severity of disease and the risk of suffering from neurodevelopmental sequelae and even death. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  20. Human umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells and brain-derived neurotrophic factor protect injured optic nerve: viscoelasticity characterization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xue-man Lv

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The optic nerve is a viscoelastic solid-like biomaterial. Its normal stress relaxation and creep properties enable the nerve to resist constant strain and protect it from injury. We hypothesized that stress relaxation and creep properties of the optic nerve change after injury. More-over, human brain-derived neurotrophic factor or umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells may restore these changes to normal. To validate this hypothesis, a rabbit model of optic nerve injury was established using a clamp approach. At 7 days after injury, the vitreous body re-ceived a one-time injection of 50 µg human brain-derived neurotrophic factor or 1 × 106 human umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells. At 30 days after injury, stress relaxation and creep properties of the optic nerve that received treatment had recovered greatly, with patho-logical changes in the injured optic nerve also noticeably improved. These results suggest that human brain-derived neurotrophic factor or umbilical cord blood-derived stem cell intervention promotes viscoelasticity recovery of injured optic nerves, and thereby contributes to nerve recovery.

  1. Determination of reference ranges for full blood count parameters in neonatal cord plasma in Hilla, Babil, Iraq

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Al-Marzoki JM

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Jasim M Al-Marzoki1, Zainab W Al-Maaroof2, Ali H Kadhum31Department of Pediatrics, 2Department of Pathology, Babylon Medical College, 3Babylon Gynecology and Pediatric Teaching Hospital, Hilla, IraqBackground: The health of an individual is known to vary in different countries, in the same country at different times, and in the same individuals at different ages. This means that the condition of individuals must be related to or compared with reference data. Determination of a reference range for the healthy term newborn is clinically important in terms of various complete blood count parameters. The purpose of this study was to establish a local reference range for full blood count parameters in neonatal cord plasma in Hilla, Babil, Iraq.Methods: A total of 220 mothers and their neonates were enrolled in this cross-sectional study from February 2011 to January 2012. Maternal inclusion criteria were age 15–45 years, an uneventful pregnancy, and hemoglobin ≥ 10 g. Neonatal inclusion criteria were full term (37–42 weeks and normal birth weight. The umbilical cord was immediately clamped after delivery of the baby; 3 mL of cord blood was then taken from the umbilical vein and collected in a tube containing ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid, its plasma was analyzed for full blood count parameters by standard Coulter gram, and the differential leukocyte count was done manually.Results: Mean neonatal hemoglobin was 13.88 ± 1.34 (range 11–17.3 g/dL and mean white cell count was 10.12 ± 2.8 (range 3.1–21.6 × 109/L. Mean platelet count was 267.63 ± 60.62 (range 152–472 × 109/L. No significant differences in red cell, white cell, or platelet counts were found between males and females, except for neutrophil count. The current study shows lower levels of hemoglobin, white cells, and red cells compared with other studies, and there is agreement with some studies and disagreement with others concerning platelet count.Conclusion: Most results

  2. Chronic mild hypoxia promotes profound vascular remodeling in spinal cord blood vessels, preferentially in white matter, via an α5β1 integrin-mediated mechanism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halder, Sebok K; Kant, Ravi; Milner, Richard

    2018-05-01

    Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to rapid destruction of neuronal tissue, resulting in devastating motor and sensory deficits. This is exacerbated by damage to spinal cord blood vessels and loss of vascular integrity. Thus, approaches that protect existing blood vessels or stimulate the growth of new blood vessels might present a novel approach to minimize loss or promote regeneration of spinal cord tissue following SCI. In light of the remarkable power of chronic mild hypoxia (CMH) to stimulate vascular remodeling in the brain, the goal of this study was to examine how CMH (8% O 2 for up to 7 days) affects blood vessel remodeling in the spinal cord. We found that CMH promoted the following: (1) endothelial proliferation and increased vascularity as a result of angiogenesis and arteriogenesis, (2) increased vascular expression of the angiogenic extracellular matrix protein fibronectin as well as concomitant increases in endothelial expression of the fibronectin receptor α5β1 integrin, (3) strongly upregulated endothelial expression of the tight junction proteins claudin-5, ZO-1 and occludin and (4) astrocyte activation. Of note, the vascular remodeling changes induced by CMH were more extensive in white matter. Interestingly, hypoxic-induced vascular remodeling in spinal cord blood vessels was markedly attenuated in mice lacking endothelial α5 integrin expression (α5-EC-KO mice). Taken together, these studies demonstrate the considerable remodeling potential of spinal cord blood vessels and highlight an important angiogenic role for the α5β1 integrin in promoting endothelial proliferation. They also imply that stimulation of the α5β1 integrin or controlled use of mild hypoxia might provide new approaches for promoting angiogenesis and improving vascular integrity in spinal cord blood vessels.

  3. A liquid chromatographic method for determination of theophylline in serum and capillary blood--a comparison.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gartzke, J; Jäger, H; Vins, I

    1991-01-01

    A simple, fast and reliable liquid chromatographic method for the determination of theophylline in serum and capillary blood after a solid phase extraction is described for therapeutic drug monitoring. The employment of capillary blood permits the determination of an individual drug profile and other pharmacokinetic studies in neonates and infants. There were no differences in venous- and capillary-blood levels but these values compared poorly with those in serum. An adjustment of the results by correction of the different volumes of serum and blood by haematocrit was unsuccessful. Differences in the binding of theophylline to erythrocytes could be an explanation for the differences in serum at blood levels of theophylline.

  4. Evidence of compromised blood-spinal cord barrier in early and late symptomatic SOD1 mice modeling ALS.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Svitlana Garbuzova-Davis

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available The blood-brain barrier (BBB, blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB, and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB control cerebral/spinal cord homeostasis by selective transport of molecules and cells from the systemic compartment. In the spinal cord and brain of both ALS patients and animal models, infiltration of T-cell lymphocytes, monocyte-derived macrophages and dendritic cells, and IgG deposits have been observed that may have a critical role in motor neuron damage. Additionally, increased levels of albumin and IgG have been found in the cerebrospinal fluid in ALS patients. These findings suggest altered barrier permeability in ALS. Recently, we showed disruption of the BBB and BSCB in areas of motor neuron degeneration in the brain and spinal cord in G93A SOD1 mice modeling ALS at both early and late stages of disease using electron microscopy. Examination of capillary ultrastructure revealed endothelial cell degeneration, which, along with astrocyte alteration, compromised the BBB and BSCB. However, the effect of these alterations upon barrier function in ALS is still unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the functional competence of the BSCB in G93A mice at different stages of disease.Evans Blue (EB dye was intravenously injected into ALS mice at early or late stage disease. Vascular leakage and the condition of basement membranes, endothelial cells, and astrocytes were investigated in cervical and lumbar spinal cords using immunohistochemistry. Results showed EB leakage in spinal cord microvessels from all G93A mice, indicating dysfunction in endothelia and basement membranes and confirming our previous ultrastructural findings on BSCB disruption. Additionally, downregulation of Glut-1 and CD146 expressions in the endothelial cells of the BSCB were found which may relate to vascular leakage.Results suggest that the BSCB is compromised in areas of motor neuron degeneration in ALS mice at both early and late stages of the disease.

  5. Biobanks between common good and private interest: the example of umbilical cord blood private biobanks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Onisto, Maurizio; Ananian, Viviana; Caenazzo, Luciana

    2011-12-01

    Storage of human biological samples and personal data associated with them is organised in Biobanks. In spite of expectation given by biobanks in medicine, their management involved some ethical questions, for example, the need for policies to regulate economic interests, potential commercial use of data (including patents), private sector financing, ownership of samples and benefit sharing. In the context of contributing to the general public interest, we can consider the act of giving biological material to biobanks as a donation, in which the donation constitutes part of a generalised form of reciprocity in which the act of donation contributes to society's common good. Starting from this perspective, we move into a different situation represented by the biobanking of umbilical cord blood for personal use. We used the example of the private biobanking of umbilical cords to demonstrate the restrictive utility of the collection and preservation of cord blood for personal use in private biobanks, in the context of society's common good. In summary, a system based on solidarity seems to be able to guarantee necessary levels of supply for the donation of biological material to biobanks.

  6. Asthma Heredity, Cord Blood IgE and Asthma-Related Symptoms and Medication in Adulthood: A Long-Term Follow-Up in a Swedish Birth Cohort.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hartmut Vogt

    Full Text Available Cord blood IgE has previously been studied as a possible predictor of asthma and allergic diseases. Results from different studies have been contradictory, and most have focused on high-risk infants and early infancy. Few studies have followed their study population into adulthood. This study assessed whether cord blood IgE levels and a family history of asthma were associated with, and could predict, asthma medication and allergy-related respiratory symptoms in adults. A follow-up was carried out in a Swedish birth cohort comprising 1,701 consecutively born children. In all, 1,661 individuals could be linked to the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register and the Medical Birth Register, and 1,227 responded to a postal questionnaire. Cord blood IgE and family history of asthma were correlated with reported respiratory symptoms and dispensed asthma medication at 32-34 years. Elevated cord blood IgE was associated with a two- to threefold increased risk of pollen-induced respiratory symptoms and dispensed anti-inflammatory asthma medication. Similarly, a family history of asthma was associated with an increased risk of pollen-induced respiratory symptoms and anti-inflammatory medication. However, only 8% of the individuals with elevated cord blood IgE or a family history of asthma in infancy could be linked to current dispensation of anti-inflammatory asthma medication at follow-up. In all, 49 out of 60 individuals with dispensed anti-inflammatory asthma medication at 32-34 years of age had not been reported having asthma at previous check-ups of the cohort during childhood. Among those, only 5% with elevated cord blood IgE and 6% with a family history of asthma in infancy could be linked to current dispensation of anti-inflammatory asthma medication as adults. Elevated cord blood IgE and a positive family history of asthma were associated with reported respiratory symptoms and dispensed asthma medication in adulthood, but their predictive power was poor

  7. Reference Ranges of Serum Blood Urea Nitrogen, Creatinine Concentration and Ultrasonographic Measurement of the Kidneys in Term Healthy Newborns in the Neonatal Period

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Şebnem Kader

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Acute kidney injury is an important problem in neonates. We conducted a cross-sectional prospective study to determine normal serum blood urea nitrogen, creatinine reference ranges and ranges of ultrasonographic measurement of kidneys in healthy term newborns. Study Design: Blood samples were collected from total 357 healthy newborns at birth (n=45, 1st (n=30, 3rd (n=61, 7th (n=34, 10th (n=132, 14th (n=36, and 28th (n=19 days of life. Renal ultrasonographic was performed by the same two radiologists on 81 newborns aged 10 days. Results: Serum blood urea nitrogen and creatinine concentrations have reached to the highest level at the first day of life and have returned to cord level at the third day of life. There were gradually decrease in serum blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels after the first day of life. There were significant difference in both right and left renal length, width, and volumes in terms of gender and these parameters were statistically higher in boys than girls (p<0.05. Birth weight of the boys (3548±539g was statistically higher than girls (3307±405 g (p=0.028. There was a positive correlation between birth weight and right (r=0.38, p=0.000 and left kidney volumes (r=0.44, p=0.000. Conclusion: Our findings showed that measured blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels changed in accordance with postnatal days and there was a positive correlation between kidney volume and birth weight of newborns. We concluded that these findings are important for evaluation of acute kidney injury and for screening of for urinary tract anomalies in neonates

  8. Safety and efficacy of allogeneic umbilical cord red blood cell transfusion for children with severe anaemia in a Kenyan hospital: an open-label single-arm trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hassall, Oliver W; Thitiri, Johnstone; Fegan, Greg; Hamid, Fauzat; Mwarumba, Salim; Denje, Douglas; Wambua, Kongo; Mandaliya, Kishor; Maitland, Kathryn; Bates, Imelda

    2015-01-01

    Summary Background In sub-Saharan Africa, children are frequently admitted with severe anaemia needing an urgent blood transfusion, but blood is often unavailable. When conventional blood supplies are inadequate, allogeneic umbilical cord blood could be a feasible alternative. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of cord blood transfusion in children with severe anaemia. Methods Between June 26, 2007, and May 20, 2008, 413 children needing an urgent blood transfusion were admitted to Kilifi District Hospital in Kenya. Of these, 87 children were eligible for our study—ie, younger than 12 years, no signs of critical illness, and haemoglobin 100 g/L or lower (if aged 3 months or younger) or 40 g/L or lower (if older than 3 months). Cord blood was donated at Coast Provincial General Hospital, Mombasa, and screened for transfusion-transmitted infections and bacterial contamination. Red blood cells were stored vertically at 2–6°C to enable sedimentation. After transfusion, children were monitored closely for adverse events and followed up for 28 days. The primary outcome measure was the frequency and nature of adverse reactions associated with the transfusion. Secondary outcomes were the changes in haemoglobin concentrations 24 h and 28 days after transfusion, compared with pretransfusion levels. This trial is registered on ISRCTN.com, number ISRCTN66687527. Findings Of the 87 children eligible for the study, cord blood was unavailable for 24, six caregivers declined consent, and two children were withdrawn before transfusion. Therefore, 55 children received umbilical cord red blood cells from 74 donations. Ten (18%) children had ten serious adverse events and 43 (78%) had 94 adverse events; the most frequent adverse events were anaemia (n=14), weight loss (n=12), and vomiting (n=10). An independent expert panel judged none of these adverse events to be probably or certainly caused by the cord blood transfusion (one-sided 97·5% CI 0–6·5

  9. Safety and efficacy of allogeneic umbilical cord red blood cell transfusion for children with severe anaemia in a Kenyan hospital: an open-label single-arm trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hassall, Oliver W; Thitiri, Johnstone; Fegan, Greg; Hamid, Fauzat; Mwarumba, Salim; Denje, Douglas; Wambua, Kongo; Mandaliya, Kishor; Maitland, Kathryn; Bates, Imelda

    2015-03-01

    In sub-Saharan Africa, children are frequently admitted with severe anaemia needing an urgent blood transfusion, but blood is often unavailable. When conventional blood supplies are inadequate, allogeneic umbilical cord blood could be a feasible alternative. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of cord blood transfusion in children with severe anaemia. Between June 26, 2007, and May 20, 2008, 413 children needing an urgent blood transfusion were admitted to Kilifi District Hospital in Kenya. Of these, 87 children were eligible for our study--ie, younger than 12 years, no signs of critical illness, and haemoglobin 100 g/L or lower (if aged 3 months or younger) or 40 g/L or lower (if older than 3 months). Cord blood was donated at Coast Provincial General Hospital, Mombasa, and screened for transfusion-transmitted infections and bacterial contamination. Red blood cells were stored vertically at 2-6°C to enable sedimentation. After transfusion, children were monitored closely for adverse events and followed up for 28 days. The primary outcome measure was the frequency and nature of adverse reactions associated with the transfusion. Secondary outcomes were the changes in haemoglobin concentrations 24 h and 28 days after transfusion, compared with pretransfusion levels. This trial is registered on ISRCTN.com, number ISRCTN66687527. Of the 87 children eligible for the study, cord blood was unavailable for 24, six caregivers declined consent, and two children were withdrawn before transfusion. Therefore, 55 children received umbilical cord red blood cells from 74 donations. Ten (18%) children had ten serious adverse events and 43 (78%) had 94 adverse events; the most frequent adverse events were anaemia (n=14), weight loss (n=12), and vomiting (n=10). An independent expert panel judged none of these adverse events to be probably or certainly caused by the cord blood transfusion (one-sided 97·5% CI 0-6·5). Haemoglobin increased by a median of 26 g

  10. A preliminary report of 123 units of placental umbilical cord whole blood transfusion in HIV-positive patients with anemia and emaciation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharya, N

    2006-01-01

    Cord blood, because of its rich mix of fetal and adult hemoglobin, high platelet and WBC counts, and a plasma filled with cytokine and growth factors, as well as its hypo antigenic nature and altered metabolic profile, has all the potential of a real and safe alternative to adult blood transfusion. Our team's experience (from 1st April 1999 to 1st July 2005) with 123 units of placental umbilical cord whole blood (62 ml-154 ml mean 85 ml +/- 8.4 ml SD, median 82 ml, mean packed cell volume 48.8 +/- 4.2 SD, mean percent hemoglobin concentration 16.3 g/dl +/- 1.6 g/dl SD; after collection the blood was immediately preserved in a refrigerator and transfused within 72 hours of collection) collected after lower uterine cesarean section (LUCS), and the transfusion to 16 consenting HIV-positive patients (12 cases had full blown AIDS) with anemia and emaciation is presented here. On the basis of our preliminary experience of cord blood transfusion, we are of the opinion that umbilical cord whole blood transfusion is safe in HIV-positive patients. This blood has the potential to carry more oxygen than adult blood and it does not trigger any clinical, immunological or non-immunological reaction after its transfusion to an adult host with a HIV-positive status. Apart from the correction of anemia, there was also definite improvement in the energy and fatigue levels in individuals with HIV, i.e., physical functioning, a sense of well-being and weight gain from two to five pounds, within three to ten months of the commencement of transfusion. There was also an immediate rise in CD34 levels of peripheral blood in the HLA-randomized host after transfusion, without any clinical graft vs host reaction.

  11. Cardiac function in offspring of women with diabetes using fetal ECG, umbilical cord blood pro-BNP, and neonatal interventricular septal thickness

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Halse, Karen; Lindegaard, Marie Louise Skakkebæk; Amer-Wahlin, Isis

    2013-01-01

    were included prospectively. Umbilical cord blood pro-BNP concentrations were measured immediately after delivery (n=68) and echocardiography was performed in the newborns (n=75). Fetal ECG in combination with cardiotocography, that is STAN technology was also performed during labor. Results......Objective: Increased pro-brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) concentrations in newborns of diabetic women are associated with fetal stress, and fetal ECG changes often occur in labor in diabetic women. These findings could reflect a degree of fetal cardiomyopathy. We aimed to explore possible relations......: The concentration of umbilical cord blood pro-BNP was associated positively with the neonatal cardiac interventricular septal thickness (P=0.025) and associated negatively with umbilical cord blood pH levels (P=0.036). Fetal ECG changes (STAN events) were recorded in 22 of 53 labors where STAN was used (42...

  12. Increased blood pressure can reduce fatigue of thenar muscles paralyzed after spinal cord injury

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Butler, JE; Ribot-Ciscar, E; Zijdewind, Inge; Thomas, CK

    The aim of this study was to evaluate whether increases in blood pressure, and presumably muscle perfusion pressure, improve the endurance of thenar muscles paralyzed chronically by cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). Resting mean arterial pressure (MAP) was low in all eight subjects (64 +/- 2 mmHg).

  13. Phytoestrogens levels determination in the cord blood from Malaysia rural and urban populations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mustafa, A.M.; Malintan, N.T.; Seelan, S.; Zhan, Z.; Mohamed, Z.; Hassan, J.; Pendek, R.; Hussain, R.; Ito, N.

    2007-01-01

    This study is a result of an analysis of free and conjugated phytoestrogens daidzein, genistein, daidzin, genistin and coumesterol in human cord blood plasma using LCMS. Cord blood was collected from urban and rural populations of Malaysia (n = 300) to establish a simple preliminary database on the levels of the analyzed compounds in the collected samples. The study also aimed to look at the levels of phytoestrogens in babies during birth as this may have a profound effect on the developmental process. The sample clean up was carried out by solid-phase extraction using C18 column and passed through DEAE sephadex gel before analysis by LCMS. The mean concentrations of total phytoestrogens were daidzein (1.4 ± 2.9 ng/ml), genistein (3.7 ± 2.8 ng/ml), daidzin (3.5 ± 3.1 ng/ml), genistin (19.5 ± 4.2 ng/ml) and coumesterol (3.3 ± 3.3 ng/ml). Distribution of phytoestrogen was found to be higher in samples collected from rural areas compared to that of urban areas

  14. PD-1/CTLA-4 Blockade Inhibits Epstein-Barr Virus-Induced Lymphoma Growth in a Cord Blood Humanized-Mouse Model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shi-Dong Ma

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Epstein-Barr virus (EBV infection causes B cell lymphomas in humanized mouse models and contributes to a variety of different types of human lymphomas. T cells directed against viral antigens play a critical role in controlling EBV infection, and EBV-positive lymphomas are particularly common in immunocompromised hosts. We previously showed that EBV induces B cell lymphomas with high frequency in a cord blood-humanized mouse model in which EBV-infected human cord blood is injected intraperitoneally into NOD/LtSz-scid/IL2Rγnull (NSG mice. Since our former studies showed that it is possible for T cells to control the tumors in another NSG mouse model engrafted with both human fetal CD34+ cells and human thymus and liver, here we investigated whether monoclonal antibodies that block the T cell inhibitory receptors, PD-1 and CTLA-4, enhance the ability of cord blood T cells to control the outgrowth of EBV-induced lymphomas in the cord-blood humanized mouse model. We demonstrate that EBV-infected lymphoma cells in this model express both the PD-L1 and PD-L2 inhibitory ligands for the PD-1 receptor, and that T cells express the PD-1 and CTLA-4 receptors. Furthermore, we show that the combination of CTLA-4 and PD-1 blockade strikingly reduces the size of lymphomas induced by a lytic EBV strain (M81 in this model, and that this anti-tumor effect requires T cells. PD-1/CTLA-4 blockade markedly increases EBV-specific T cell responses, and is associated with enhanced tumor infiltration by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. In addition, PD-1/CTLA-4 blockade decreases the number of both latently, and lytically, EBV-infected B cells. These results indicate that PD-1/CTLA-4 blockade enhances the ability of cord blood T cells to control outgrowth of EBV-induced lymphomas, and suggest that PD-1/CTLA-4 blockade might be useful for treating certain EBV-induced diseases in humans.

  15. Nanofiber mat spinal cord dressing-released glutamate impairs blood-spinal cord barrier

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dorota Sulejczak

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available An excessive glutamate level can result in excitotoxic damage and death of central nervous system (CNS cells, and is involved in the pathogenesis of many CNS diseases. It may also be related to a failure of the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB. This study was aimed at examining the effects of extended administration of monosodium glutamate on the BSCB and spinal cord cells in adult male Wistar rats. The glutamate was delivered by subarachnoidal application of glutamate-carrying electrospun nanofiber mat dressing at the lumbar enlargement level. Half of the rats with the glutamate-loaded mat application were treated systemically with the histone deacetylase inhibitor valproic acid. A group of intact rats and a rat group with subarachnoidal application of an ‘empty’ (i.e., carrying no glutamate nanofiber mat dressing served as controls. All the rats were euthanized three weeks later and lumbar fragments of their spinal cords were harvested for histological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies. The samples from controls revealed normal parenchyma and BSCB morphology, whereas those from rats with the glutamate-loaded nanofiber mat dressing showed many intraparenchymal microhemorrhages of variable sizes. The capillaries in the vicinity of the glutamate-carrying dressing (in the meninges and white matter alike were edematous and leaky, and their endothelial cells showed degenerative changes: extensive swelling, enhanced vacuo­lization and the presence of vascular intraluminal projections. However, endothelial tight junctions were generally well preserved. Some endothelial cells were dying by necrosis or apoptosis. The adjacent parenchyma showed astrogliosis with astrocytic hypertrophy and swelling of perivascular astrocytic feet. Neurons in the parenchyma revealed multiple symptoms of degeneration, including, inter alia, perikaryal, dendritic and axonal swelling, and destruction of organelles. All the damage symptoms were slightly less

  16. Determination of mercury in human serum and packed blood cells by neutron activation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Versieck, J.; Vanballenberghe, L.; Wittoek, A.; Vermeir, G.; Vandecasteele, C.

    1990-01-01

    A method is described for the determination of mercury in human blood serum and packed blood cells employing neutron activation analysis. Great attention was devoted to the collection and manipulation of the samples. The accuracy and precision of the method were tested by analyzing biological reference materials and by comparing the concentrations measured in a number of serum samples to those obtained by another, independent technique (cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry) in the same samples. The article reports the levels measured in blood serum and packed blood cells samples from 15 adult volunteers, as well as the figures determined in a open-quotes second-generationclose quotes biological reference material (freeze-dried human serum), prepared and conditioned at the University of Ghent

  17. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in maternal and cord blood plasma of several northern Canadian populations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ryan, J.J. [Bureau Chemical Safety, Health Canada, Ottawa (Canada); Oostdam, J. van [Management Toxic Substances Div., Health Canada, Ottawa (Canada)

    2004-09-15

    The Northern Contaminants Program (NCP) funded by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada has carried out a number of baseline studies in Nunavut and the North West Territories of northern Canada (figure 1) to assess the exposure of indigenous peoples to a variety of chemical classes including POPs and metals. These studies, summarized by Walker et al, have used both maternal and cord human blood plasma as the media from sampling which took place in four phases over the years 1994-1999. Small amounts of individual blood plasma have remained from these investigations. We combined these individual samples into 23 composite samples of maternal and cord blood based mainly on the region and ethnicity of the donors. These composites have been used to study the exposure of northern peoples to PBDEs and to estimate, where possible, the influence of ethnicity, region of collection, and time on such exposure. Comparison is also made between the levels in plasma from northern populations and in human milk from those inhabiting the more numerous south.

  18. The relationship between serum cortisol, adrenaline, blood glucose ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The relationship between serum cortisol, adrenaline, blood glucose and lipid profile of ..... stressor, neurons with cell bodies in the paraventricular nuclei of the ... metabolic changes that contribute to heart disease and other health problems21.

  19. Analysis of hemoglobin adducts from acrylamide, glycidamide, and ethylene oxide in paired mother/cord blood samples from Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    von Stedingk, Hans; Vikström, Anna C; Rydberg, Per

    2011-01-01

    The knowledge about fetal exposure to acrylamide/glycidamide from the maternal exposure through food is limited. Acrylamide, glycidamide, and ethylene oxide are electrophiles and form adducts with hemoglobin (Hb), which could be used for in vivo dose measurement. In this study, a method.......20-0.73) for glycidamide, and 0.43 (range 0.17-1.34) for ethylene oxide. In vitro studies with acrylamide and glycidamide showed a lower (0.38-0.48) rate of adduct formation with Hb in cord blood than with Hb in maternal blood, which is compatible with the structural differences in fetal and adult Hb. Together...... for analysis of Hb adducts by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, the adduct FIRE procedure, was applied to measurements of adducts from these compounds in maternal blood samples (n = 87) and umbilical cord blood samples (n = 219). The adduct levels from the three compounds, acrylamide, glycidamide...

  20. Evaluation of the expansion of umbilical cord blood derived from CD133+ cells on biocompatible microwells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mina Soufizomorrod

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT is a therapeutic approach for treatment of hematological malignancies and incompatibility of Bone marrow. Umbilical cord blood (UCB has known as an alternative for hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HPSC in allogeneic transplantation. The low volume of collected samples is the main hindrance in application of HPSC derived from umbilical cord blood. So, ex vivo expansion of HPSCs is the useful approach to overcome this restriction. The goal of using this system is to produce appropriate amount of hematopoietic stem cells, which have the ability of transplantation and long term haematopoiesis. Material & Methods: In current study CD133+ cells were isolated from cord blood (CB. Isolated cells were seeded on microwells. Then expanded cells proliferation rate and ability in colony formation were assessed and finally were compared with 2 Dimensional (2D culture systems. Results: Our findings demonstrated that CD133+ cells derived from UCB which were cultivated on microwells had significantly higher rate of proliferation in compared with routine cell culture systems. Conclusion: In Current study, it was shown that CD133+ cells’ proliferations which were seeded on PDMS microwells coated with collagen significantly increased. We hope that 3 dimensional (3D microenvironment which mimics the 3D structure of bone marrow can solve the problem of using UCB as an alternative source of bone marrow.

  1. Luminex® xMAP® technology is an effective strategy for high-definition human leukocyte antigen typing of cord blood units prior to listing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guarene, Marco; Badulli, Carla; Cremaschi, Anna L; Sbarsi, Ilaria; Cacciatore, Rosalia; Tinelli, Carmine; Pasi, Annamaria; Bergamaschi, Paola; Perotti, Cesare G

    2018-05-01

    Allele-level donor-recipient match at HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C and HLA-DRB1 loci impacts the outcome after cord blood transplantation for hematologic malignancies and modifies the strategy of donor selection. High definition of both class I and II HLA loci at time of listing is a way to improve the attractiveness of cord blood bank inventories, reducing the time for donor search and procurement and simplifying donor choice, in particular, for patients of non-European heritage. In 2014, Luminex ® xMAP ® technology was introduced in our laboratory practice and was applied to cord blood units typing. In this study, we evaluated the impact of this strategy in comparison with the platform in use until 2013, relying on LiPA reverse polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific oligonucleotide (revPCR-SSO) plus polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific primer (PCR-SSP). In 2014, the time for testing was shorter (141 vs 181 days on average), the number of test repetitions was lower (in particular for HLA-A locus, p = 0.026), and the cost reduced (240.7 vs 395.6 euros per unit on average) compared to 2013, demonstrating that Luminex xMAP technology is superior to the previous approach. Luminex xMAP platform has useful application in cord blood banking programs, to achieve high-definition HLA typing of cord blood units at the time of banking in a quick, accurate, and cost-effective manner.

  2. Respiratory syncytial virus neutralizing antibodies in cord blood, respiratory syncytial virus hospitalization, and recurrent wheeze

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stensballe, Lone Graff; Ravn, Henrik; Kristensen, Kim

    2008-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalization is associated with wheeze. OBJECTIVE: To examine the influence of maternally derived RSV neutralizing antibodies in cord blood on RSV hospitalization and recurrent wheeze in infancy. METHODS: Among children from the Danish National Birth...

  3. [Prenatal lead exposure related to cord blood brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and impaired neonatal neurobehavioral development].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, L H; Mu, X Y; Chen, H Y; Yang, H L; Qi, W

    2016-06-01

    To explore the relationship between umbilical cord blood brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neonatal neurobehavioral development in lead exposure infants. All infants and their mother were randomly selected during 2011 to 2012, subjects were selected according to the umbilical cord blood lead concentrations, which contcentration of lead was higher than 0.48 μmol/L were taken into high lead exposure group, about 60 subjects included. Comparing to the high lead exposure group, according to gender, weight, pregnant week, length and head circumferenece, the level of cord blood lead concentration under 0.48 μmol/L were taken into control group, 60 cases included. Lead content was determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Neonatal behavioral neurological assessment (NBNA) was used to determine the development of neonatal neuronal behavior. The content of BDNF was detected by ELISA. Comparing the BDNF and the NBNA score between two groups, and linear correlation was given on analysis the correlation between lead concentration in cord blood and BDNF, BDNF and the NBNA score. Lead content in high exposure group was (0.613±0.139) μmol/L, and higher than (0.336±0.142) μmol/L in low exposure group (t=3.21, PBDNF content in high exposure group which was (3.538±1.203) ng/ml was higher than low exposure group (2.464±0.918) ng/ml (t=7.60, PBDNF content was negatively correlated with NBNA summary score, passive muscle tension and active muscle tone score (r was -0.27, -0.29, -0.30, respectively, P values were BDNF was negatively correlated with neonatal neurodevelopment, may serve as a useful biomarker.

  4. Trace of heavy metals in maternal and umbilical cord blood samples in association with birth outcomes in Baghdad, Iraq

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasan Rhaif Al-Sahlanee, Mayyadah; Maizan Ramli, Ramzun; Abdul Hassan Ali, Miami; Fadhil Tawfiq, Nada; Zahirah Noor Azman, Nurul; Abdul Rahman, Azhar; Shahrim Mustafa, Iskandar; Noor Ashikin Nik Abdul Razak, Nik; Zakiah Yahaya, Nor; Mohammed Al-Marri, Hana; Syuhada Ayob, Nur; Zakaria, Nabela

    2017-10-01

    Trace elements are essential nutritional components in humans and inconvenient tissue content that have a significant influence on infant size. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of concentration of elements (uranium (U), lead (Pb) and iron (Fe)) and absorption of Pb and Fe on maternal and umbilical cord blood samples. The concentration and absorption of Pb and Fe in blood samples were determined by using atomic absorption spectrophotometry device, while the uranium concentration was determined by using CR-39 detector. Fifty women of age 16-44 years are involved in this study. Results show that the maximum and minimum values of both concentration and absorption in the maternal samples were for Pb and Fe, respectively. In addition, for umbilical cord, the maximum values of concentration and absorption were for Fe and the minimum concentration and absorption were for U and Pb, respectively. A significant correlation between maternal and umbilical cord blood samples was found. This indicates that the Pb, U and Fe elements can easily transfer from maternal to the fetal body which impacts the growth of fetus.

  5. Migratory capabilities of human umbilical cord blood-derived neural stem cells (HUCB-NSC) in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janowski, Miroslaw; Lukomska, Barbara; Domanska-Janik, Krystyna

    2011-01-01

    Many types of neural progenitors from various sources have been evaluated for therapy of CNS disorders. Prerequisite for success in cell therapy is the ability for transplanted cells to reach appropriate target such as stroke lesion. We have established neural stem cell line from human umbilical cord blood neural stem (HUCB-NSC). In the present study we evaluated migratory capabilities of cells (HUCB-NSC) and the presence of various migration-related receptors. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed abundant expression of CXCR4, PDGFR-alpha, PDGFR-beta, c-Met, VEGFR, IGF-1R and PSA-NCAM receptors in non-adherent population of HUCB-NSC cultured in serum free (SF) conditions (SF cells). Biological activity of selected receptors was confirmed by HUCB-NSC in vitro migration towards SDF-1 and IGF-1 ligands. Additionally, rat brain-derived homogenates have been assessed for their chemoattractive activity of HUCB-NSC. Our experiments unveiled that brain tissue was more attracted for HUCB-NSC than single ligands with higher potency of injured than intact brain. Moreover, adherent HUCB-NSC cultured in low serum (LS) conditions (LS cells) were employed to investigate an impact of different extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins on cell motility. It turned out that laminin provided most permissive microenvironment for cell migration, followed by fibronectin and gelatin. Unexpected nuclear localization of CXCR4 in SF cells prompted us to characterize intracellular pattern of this expression in relation to developmental stage of cells cultured in different conditions. Continuous culture of LS cells revealed cytoplasmatic pattern of CXCR4 expression while HUCB-NSC cultured in high serum conditions (HS cells) resulted in gradual translocation of CXCR4 from nucleus to cytoplasm and then to arising processes. Terminal differentiation of HUCB-NSC was followed by CXCR4 expression decline.

  6. Cord blood hematopoietic cells from preterm infants display altered DNA methylation patterns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Goede, Olivia M; Lavoie, Pascal M; Robinson, Wendy P

    2017-01-01

    Premature infants are highly vulnerable to infection. This is partly attributable to the preterm immune system, which differs from that of the term neonate in cell composition and function. Multiple studies have found differential DNA methylation (DNAm) between preterm and term infants' cord blood; however, interpretation of these studies is limited by the confounding factor of blood cell composition. This study evaluates the epigenetic impact of preterm birth in isolated hematopoietic cell populations, reducing the concern of cell composition differences. Genome-wide DNAm was measured using the Illumina 450K array in T cells, monocytes, granulocytes, and nucleated red blood cells (nRBCs) isolated from cord blood of 5 term and 5 preterm (blood cells (nRBCs) showed the most extensive changes in DNAm, with 9258 differentially methylated (DM) sites (FDR  0.10) discovered between preterm and term infants compared to the blood cell populations. The direction of DNAm change with gestational age at these prematurity-DM sites followed known patterns of hematopoietic differentiation, suggesting that term hematopoietic cell populations are more epigenetically mature than their preterm counterparts. Consistent shifts in DNAm between preterm and term cells were observed at 25 CpG sites, with many of these sites located in genes involved in growth and proliferation, hematopoietic lineage commitment, and the cytoskeleton. DNAm in preterm and term hematopoietic cells conformed to previously identified DNAm signatures of fetal liver and bone marrow, respectively. This study presents the first genome-wide mapping of epigenetic differences in hematopoietic cells across the late gestational period. DNAm differences in hematopoietic cells between term and <31 weeks were consistent with the hematopoietic origin of these cells during ontogeny, reflecting an important role of DNAm in their regulation. Due to the limited sample size and the high coincidence of prematurity and

  7. Mode of delivery and cord blood cytokines: a birth cohort study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    DuBois Andrea M

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The mechanisms for the association between birth by cesarean section and atopy and asthma are largely unknown. Objective To examine whether cesarean section results in neonatal secretion of cytokines that are associated with increased risk of atopy and/or asthma in childhood. To examine whether the association between mode of delivery and neonatal immune responses is explained by exposure to the maternal gut flora (a marker of the vaginal flora. Methods CBMCs were isolated from 37 neonates at delivery, and secretion of IL-13, IFN-γ, and IL-10 (at baseline and after stimulation with antigens [dust mite and cat dander allergens, phytohemagglutinin, and lipopolysaccharide] was quantified by ELISA. Total and specific microbes were quantified in maternal stool. The relation between mode of delivery and cord blood cytokines was examined by linear regression. The relation between maternal stool microbes and cord blood cytokines was examined by Spearman's correlation coefficients. Results Cesarean section was associated with increased levels of IL-13 and IFN-γ. In multivariate analyses, cesarean section was associated with an increment of 79.4 pg/ml in secretion of IL-13 by CBMCs after stimulation with dust mite allergen (P Conclusion Cesarean section is associated with increased levels of IL-13 and IFN-γ, perhaps because of lack of labor and/or reduced exposure to specific microbes (e.g., gram-positive anaerobes at birth.

  8. Feasibility of cord blood bank in high altitude Abha: preclinical impacts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandramoorthy, Harish C; Bajunaid, Abdulmajeed Mohammed; Kariri, Hussian Nasser; Al-Hakami, Ahmed; Sham, Abdullah Abu; Al-Shahrani, Misfer Bin Safer; Al-Humayed, Suliman M; Rajagopalan, Prasanna

    2018-02-19

    We explored the possibility of the cryo-storage of cord blood hematopoietic stem cells (CBHPSC) with respect to the quantity, quality and biologic efficacy of high altitude (HA) region Abha against sea level (SL) region. The results of the post-processed total nucleated cell count was 8.03 ± 0.31 × 10 7 and 8.44 ± 0.23 × 10 7 cells in the HA and SL regions respectively. The mean post processing viability of the nucleated cells was about 87.03 ± 1.39 (HA) and 88.33 ± 1.55% (SL) while post thaw cells were 85.61 ± 1.44 (HA) and 86.58 ± 1.61% (SL) after transient cryo-storage. The proliferation of CBHSCs after thawing were comparable between the HA and SL regions. The results of the colony forming unit (CFU) assays of CFU-E, CFU-GEMM, CFU-GM and BFU-E were comparable between HA and SL in both fresh and post thaw, while a declining trend with viability was significant. The differentiation capability of post thaw samples into adipocytes and osteocytes were comparable between HA and SL regions. Overall from the results, it can be evidenced that HA cord blood collection, processing or storage does not hinder the quality or biological efficacy of the CBHPSC.

  9. Interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor-I in the cord blood as predictors of chronic lung disease in premature infants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    An, Hiromi; Nishimaki, Shigeru; Ohyama, Makiko; Haruki, Atsushi; Naruto, Takuya; Kobayashi, Naoki; Sugai, Toshiyuki; Kobayashi, Yoshinori; Mori, Masaaki; Seki, Kazuo; Yokota, Shumpei

    2004-11-01

    In order to predict the late-development of chronic lung disease of prematurity (CLD), cytokines in the cord blood were assessed in this study. Eighteen premature infants with CLD were enrolled. Cord blood plasma levels of cytokines of these infants and 12 control infants without CLD were measured including interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, interferon (IFN)-gamma, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, soluble TNF receptor-I, and soluble IL-6 receptor using a cytometric bead array and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The cord blood IL-6, IL-8, and sTNFR-I levels were significantly elevated in CLD infants compared with those in control (P < .05). IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and IFN-gamma were undetectable in both groups. CLD infants with maternal chorioamnionitis had higher IL-6 than those without chorioamnionitis (P < .01). In CLD infants, IL-6 was higher in the infants who required prolonged oxygen therapy (P < .05). Elevated inflammatory cytokines in the cord blood are associated with the progression to CLD.

  10. Reduced intensity haplo plus single cord transplant compared to double cord transplant: improved engraftment and graft-versus-host disease-free, relapse-free survival

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Besien, Koen; Hari, Parameswaran; Zhang, Mei-Jie; Liu, Hong-Tao; Stock, Wendy; Godley, Lucy; Odenike, Olatoyosi; Larson, Richard; Bishop, Michael; Wickrema, Amittha; Gergis, Usama; Mayer, Sebastian; Shore, Tsiporah; Tsai, Stephanie; Rhodes, Joanna; Cushing, Melissa M.; Korman, Sandra; Artz, Andrew

    2016-01-01

    Umbilical cord blood stem cell transplants are commonly used in adults lacking HLA-identical donors. Delays in hematopoietic recovery contribute to mortality and morbidity. To hasten recovery, we used co-infusion of progenitor cells from a partially matched related donor and from an umbilical cord blood graft (haplo-cord transplant). Here we compared the outcomes of haplo-cord and double-cord transplants. A total of 97 adults underwent reduced intensity conditioning followed by haplo-cord transplant and 193 patients received reduced intensity conditioning followed by double umbilical cord blood transplantation. Patients in the haplo-cord group were more often from minority groups and had more advanced malignancy. Haplo-cord recipients received fludarabine-melphalan-anti-thymocyte globulin. Double umbilical cord blood recipients received fludarabine-cyclophosphamide and low-dose total body irradiation. In a multivariate analysis, haplo-cord had faster neutrophil (HR=1.42, P=0.007) and platelet (HR=2.54, Pdisease (HR=0.26, Pdisease (HR=0.06, Pdisease-free, relapse-free survival was superior with haplo-cord (HR 0.63, P=0.002) but not overall survival (HR=0.97, P=0.85). Haplo-cord transplantation using fludarabine-melphalan-thymoglobulin conditioning hastens hematopoietic recovery with a lower risk of relapse relative to double umbilical cord blood transplantation using the commonly used fludarabine-cyclophosphamide-low-dose total body irradiation conditioning. Graft-versus-host disease-free and relapse-free survival is significantly improved. Haplo-cord is a readily available graft source that improves outcomes and access to transplant for those lacking HLA-matched donors. Trials registered at clinicaltrials.gov identifiers 00943800 and 01810588. PMID:26869630

  11. Cord blood banking activities at a university hospital in northeast Mexico: an 8-year experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaime-Perez, Jose C; Monreal-Robles, Roberto; Colunga-Pedraza, Julia; Mancías-Guerra, Consuelo; Rodríguez-Romo, Laura; Gómez-Almaguer, David

    2012-12-01

    Umbilical cord blood (UCB) represents an alternative source of stem cells for transplantation for the treatment of hematologic malignancies and genetic disorders. There is scarce information detailing cord blood bank (CBB) collection and transplantation activities from developing countries. We documented our experience at a public university hospital in northeast Mexico. We carried out a retrospective and descriptive analysis of our CBB activity during an 8-year period from May 2002 to September 2010. Collection, processing, and cryopreservation of CB were carried out following standard operating procedures. The minimum volume and total nucleated cell (TNC) content for cryopreservation were 80 mL and 8.0 × 10(8) , respectively. A total of 1256 UCB units were collected; 428 (34%) were banked and 828 (66%) were discarded. The main reason for exclusion was biologic: low volume and/or low number of TNC accounted for 84% of the total discarded units. Cryopreserved cord blood units (CBUs) had a median volume of 113.8 mL (range, 80-213.2 mL) and 13.0 × 10(8) (range, 8 × 10(8) -36.6 × 10(8) ) TNCs. Cell viability was 99.3% (88-100%). The median CD34+ cell content was 4.0 × 10(6) (0.46 × 10(6) -19.38 × 10(6) ). Sixteen units have been released for transplantation, leading to a utilization rate of 3.7%. CBB demands considerable human and financial resources; it is then essential for centers at developing countries to share their experience, results, and databases to increase the probability of finding matching units for their patients. Efforts to create and maintain CBBs allow to offer this therapeutic option at an affordable cost. © 2012 American Association of Blood Banks.

  12. Comparison of Stored Umbilical Cord Blood and Adult Donor Blood: Transfusion Feasibility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rola Sahyoun-tokan

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the storage properties of red blood cell (RBC concentrates of umbilical cord blood (UCB and adult donor blood (ADB, and to evaluate the feasibility of UCB-RBC concentrate as an autologous source for blood transfusion in very low birth weight (VLBW preterm neonates. METHODS: In all, 30 newborn (10 preterm, 20 full term UCB and 31 ADB units were collected. RBC concentrates were stored and compared with regard to pH, potassium (K+, 2,3-biphosphoglycerate (2-3-BPG, adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP, plasma Hb, and bacterial contamination on d 1, 21, and 35 of storage. RESULTS: The K+ level increased with time and differed significantly between storage d 1 and 21, and between storage d 1 and 35 in both the UCB and ADB units. Initial and d 21 K+ levels were higher in the UCB units than in the ADB units. The 2,3-BPG level did not differ significantly between the UCB-PRC and ADB-PRC samples. After 35 d of storage both UCB-PRC and ADB-PRC samples exhibited significant differences from the initial free Hb, intracellular ATP, and pH values. Significant differences in intracellular ATP and pH were also observed between the UCB-PRC and ADB-PRC samples. CONCLUSION: The volume of harvested and prepared UCB-PRC can be used for some of the blood transfusions required during the neonatal period and thus may decrease the number of allogeneic transfusions, especially in preterm newborns. The hematological and biochemical changes that occurred in UCB during storage were comparable with those observed in ADB, and do not pose a risk to the immature metabolism of neonates. UCB-RPC prepared and stored under standard conditions can be a safe alternative RBC source for transfusions in VLBW newborns.

  13. A genetic risk factor for low serum ferritin levels in Danish blood donors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Erik; Grau, Katrine; Berg, Trine

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency is a frequent side effect of blood donation. In recent years, several studies have described genetic variants associated with iron concentrations. However, the impact of these variants on iron levels is unknown in blood donors. Knowledge of genetic variants....../or restless leg syndrome (RLS) were investigated in two groups of female blood donors. The first group had low iron stores (serum ferritin ≤ 12 µg/L, n = 657), and the second group had normal to high iron stores (serum ferritin > 30 µg/L, n = 645). Genotype distribution for each of the SNPs was compared......: A frequent polymorphism in BTBD9 was significantly associated with serum ferritin. This polymorphism has previously been associated with RLS, but not low iron stores in blood donors....

  14. Improving engraftment and immune reconstitution in umbilical cord blood transplantation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert eDanby

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Umbilical cord blood (UCB is an important source of haematopoietic stem cells (HSC for allogeneic transplantation when HLA-matched sibling and unrelated donors (MUD are unavailable. Although the overall survival rates of UCB transplantation are comparable to the results with MUD, UCB transplants are associated with slow engraftment, delayed immune reconstitution, and increased opportunistic infections. While this may be a consequence of the lower cell dose in UCB grafts, it also reflects the relative immaturity of cellular immunity within cord blood. Furthermore, the limited number of cells and the non-availability of donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI currently prevent the use of post-transplant cellular immunotherapy to boost donor-derived immunity to treat infection, mixed chimerism and disease relapse. Therefore, to further develop UCB transplantation, many strategies to enhance engraftment and immune reconstitution are currently under investigation. This review summarises our current understanding of engraftment and immune recovery following UCB transplantation and why this differs from allogeneic transplants using other sources of HSC. It also provides an comprehensive overview of the promising techniques being used to improve myeloid and lymphoid recovery, including expansion, homing, and delivery of UCB HSC; combined use of UCB with third party donors; isolation and expansion of NK cells, pathogen specific T cells, and regulatory T cells; methods to protect and/or improve thymopoiesis. As many of these strategies are now in clinical trials, it is anticipated that UCB transplantation will continue to advance, further expanding our understanding of UCB biology and HSC transplantation.

  15. A perspective on the selection of unrelated donors and cord blood units for transplantation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spellman, Stephen R.; Eapen, Mary; Logan, Brent R.; Mueller, Carlheinz; Rubinstein, Pablo; Setterholm, Michelle I.; Woolfrey, Ann E.; Confer, Dennis L.; Hurley, Carolyn K.

    2012-01-01

    Selection of a suitable graft for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation involves consideration of both donor and recipient characteristics. Of primary importance is sufficient donor-recipient HLA matching to ensure engraftment and acceptable rates of GVHD. In this Perspective, the National Marrow Donor Program and the Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research provide guidelines, based on large studies correlating graft characteristics with clinical transplantation outcomes, on appropriate typing strategies and matching criteria for unrelated adult donor and cord blood graft selection. PMID:22596257

  16. Blood Transfusion, Serum Ferritin, and Iron in Hemodialysis Patients in Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kouegnigan Rerambiah, Leonard; Essola Rerambiah, Laurence; Mbourou Etomba, Armel; Mouguiama, Rose Marlène; Issanga, Phanie Brunelle; Biyoghe, Axel Sydney; Batchilili, Batchelili; Akone Assembe, Sylvestre; Djoba Siawaya, Joel Fleury

    2015-01-01

    Background and Objectives. There is no data analyzing the outcome of blood transfusions and oral iron therapy in patients with kidneys failure in sub-Saharan Africa. The present study aimed to fill that gap and assess the value of ferritin in the diagnosis of iron overload and deficiency. Design. From January to February 2012, we prospectively studied 85 hemodialysis patients (78% of males and 22% of females aged 20 to 79 years) attending the Gabonese National Hemodialysis Centre. Results. Correlation studies showed (a) a strong positive linear relationship between the number of blood transfusions and high serum ferritin in hemodialysis patient (Spearman r : 0.74; P value: 0.0001); (b) a weak association between the number of blood transfusions and serum iron concentrations (Spearman r : 0.32; P value: 0.04); (c) a weak association between serum ferritin and serum iron (Spearman r : 0.32; P value: 0.003). Also, the strength of agreement beyond chance between the levels of ferritin and iron in the serum was poor (κ = 0.14). The prevalence of iron overload was 10.6%, whereas the prevalence of iron deficiency was 2.3%, comparing (1) patients with a maximum of one transfusion not on iron therapy; (2) patients with a maximum of one transfusion on iron therapy; (3) polytransfused patients not on iron therapy; and (4) polytransfused patients on oral iron therapy. The “Kruskal-Wallis test” showed that ferritin levels varied significantly between the groups (P value: 0.0001). Conclusion. Serum ferritin is not reliable as a marker of iron overload. For patients undergoing regular transfusion we recommend routine serum ferritin measurement and yearly measurement of LIC. PMID:25685597

  17. Therapeutic Potential of Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cells on Brain Damage of a Model of Stroke

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Reza Nikravesh

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Human cord blood-derived stem cells are a rich source of stem cells as well as precursors. With regard to the researchers have focused on the therapeutic potential of stem cell in the neurological disease such as stroke, the aim of this study was the investiga-tion of the therapeutic effects of human cord blood-derived stem cells in cerebral ischemia on rat. Methods: This study was carried out on young rats. Firstly, to create a laboratory model of ischemic stroke, carotid artery of animals was occluded for 30 minutes. Then, umbilical cord blood cells were isolated and labeled using bromodeoxyuridine and 2×105 cells were injected into the experimental group via the tail vein. Rats with hypoxic condi-tions were used as a sham group. A group of animals did not receive any injection or sur-geries were used as a control. Results: Obtained results were evaluated based on behavior-al responses and immunohistochemistry, with emphasis on areas of putamen and caudate nucleus in the control, sham and experimental groups. Our results indicated that behavioral recovery was observed in the experimental group compared to the either the sham or the control group. However, histological studies demonstrated a low percent of tissue injury in the experimental group in comparison with the sham group. Conclusion: Stem cell trans-plantation is beneficial for the brain tissue reparation after hypoxic ischemic cell death.

  18. Physiocochemical properties of blood serum proteins of coal miners

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nandakova, V N; Zemliakova, L F; Sukhanov, V V; Min' ko, L A

    1979-07-01

    Using disk electrophoresis in the polyacrylamide gel, blood serum proteins were studied in miners working under conditions of the combine (the control group) and drilling-and-blasting (the contact with carbon oxide, nitrogen oxides) driving technique under normal temperature conditions. 26 to 27 protein fractions characterized by mobility, thermolability under definite conditions of the experiment and the contitative content were obtained. It is shown that the contact with carbon oxide and nitrogen oxides causes changes in the properties of certain proteins (II3, globulins - 2 alpha 1, 3 alpha 1, 2 beta, 2 alpha 2, 5 alpha 2, 6 alpha 2, 7 alpha 2) of miners' blood serum. Some of these proteins are supposed to participate in the adaptation reactions of the organism.

  19. Establishing a public umbilical cord blood stem cell bank for South Africa: an enquiry into public acceptability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meissner-Roloff, Madelein; Pepper, Michael S

    2013-12-01

    South Africa (SA) faces a large unmet need for bone marrow (BM) transplantation, which could be alleviated in part by establishing a public umbilical cord blood stem cell bank (UCB SCB). Umbilical cord blood is an increasingly utilised source of hematopoietic stem cells for BM transplantation in addition to BM or mobilized peripheral blood stem cells. Establishing a public UCB SCB would therefore be a positive step towards improving the quality of health care in SA by providing for an important unmet need. This study takes the form of an enquiry into the acceptability of establishing a public bank through an interview with and questionnaire completed by mothers-to-be in the antenatal clinic of a large public hospital in SA. Initial results are positive, with 85 % of the participants in favour of establishing a public UCB SCB in SA. This initial probe will serve as a model for a more comprehensive national enquiry into public support and acceptability in different clinics, hospitals and provinces in SA.

  20. Spinal cord excitability is not influenced by elevated blood lactate levels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coco, Marinella; Alagona, Giovanna; Perciavalle, Valentina; Cicirata, Valentina; Perciavalle, Vincenzo

    2011-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to examine the association of high blood lactate levels, induced with a maximal cycling or with an intravenous infusion, with spinal cord excitability. The study was carried out on 17 male athletes; all the subjects performed a maximal cycling test on a mechanically braked cycloergometer, while 6 of them were submitted to the intravenous infusion of a lactate solution (3 mg/kg in 1 min). Before the exercise or the injection, also at the end as well as 5 and 10 min after the conclusion, venous blood lactate was measured and excitability of the spinal α-motoneurons was evaluated by using the H reflex technique. In both experimental conditions, it has been observed that an exhaustive exercise is associated with a strong increase of blood lactate (but not of blood glucose) and with a significant reduction of spinal excitability. Since a similar augment of blood lactate induced by an intravenous infusion, in subjects not performing any exercise, is not associated with significant changes of spinal excitability, it can be concluded that the increase of blood lactate levels during a maximal exercise is not per se capable of modifying the excitability of spinal α-motoneurons.

  1. Relationship of urinary phthalate metabolites with serum thyroid hormones in pregnant women and their newborns: a prospective birth cohort in Taiwan.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fu-Chen Kuo

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of phthalates exposure with thyroid function in pregnant women and their newborns.One hundred and forty-eight Taiwanese maternal and infant pairs were recruited from E-Da hospital in southern Taiwan between 2009 and 2010 for analysis. One-spot urine samples and blood samples in the third trimester of pregnant women and their cord blood samples at delivery were collected. Nine phthalate metabolites in urine were determined by triple quadrupole liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, whereas serum from pregnant women and their cord blood were used to measure thyroid profiles (thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH], thyroxine, free thyroxine, and triiodothyronine by radioimmunoassay.Median levels of urinary mono-n-butyl phthalate, mono-ethyl phthalate, and mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl phthalate (μg/g creatinine were the three highest phthalate metabolites, which were 37.81, 34.51, and 21.73, respectively. Using Bonferroni correction at a significance of < 0.006, we found that urinary mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP levels were significantly and negatively associated with serum TSH in cord blood (β = -2.644, p = 0.003.Maternal urinary MBzP, of which the parental compound is butylbenzyl phthalate, may affect TSH activity in newborns. The alteration of thyroid homeostasis by certain phthalates in the early life, a critical period for neurodevelopment, is an urgent concern.

  2. Autologous cord blood harvesting in North Eastern Italy: ethical questions and emerging hopes for curing diabetes and celiac disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parco S

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Sergio Parco, Fulvia VascottoInstitute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, Trieste, ItalyBackground: The Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG, a region of North Eastern Italy, has passed legislation (Decree No 2324/2010 to regulate the banking of umbilical cord blood samples for personal, autologous, or family-directed use, and to implement the Agreement of the State-Regions Permanent Conference (Decree No 62/CSR/2010. This paper aims to identify the formalities and the reasons why families collect and bank their cord blood in foreign banks for both personal and private use.Methods: To this end, at the Institute for Maternal and Child Health of Trieste (the regional capital city of the FVG, Italy, which assists about 1800 pregnant women a year, 129 questionnaires, drafted from January 2010 to December 2011 and concerning the granting of authorization to export samples, were examined.Results: The collected data showed that 75% of involved families had resorted to anonymous public collection, which is available to anyone with therapeutic needs, and provided compatibility and hematologic protocols recognized by the scientific and international community (main indications: leukemia, hemoglobinopaties, and inherited hematologic and immunologic disorders. Conversely, 25.0% requested private storage at a foreign bank for personal or family-dedicated use. The principal motivation by disease was for treatment for diabetes (22.4% and celiac disease (19.7% (a multiorgan disease for which the FVG region has provided safeguards by approving a specific law granting support to families; Decree No 561/2007. For these two types of disease we found that information was received from the internet and not from general medical physicians, with a significant difference found using the χ2 test (P < 0.01.Conclusion: The indication of treating these diseases with cord blood stem cell transplantation appears to be well grounded and encouraging, and has recently

  3. The relationship between serum cortisol, adrenaline, blood glucose ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Stress is an extremely adaptive phenomenon in human beings and cortisol is a known stress hormone. Examination has been described as a naturalistic stressor capable of affecting human health. Objectives: To estimate the relationship between serum cortisol, adrenaline, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and ...

  4. The relationship between fetal biophysical profile and cord blood PH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valadan M

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available "nBackground: The Biophysical Profile (BPP is a noninvasive test that predicts the presence or absence of fetal asphyxia and, ultimately, the risk of fetal death in the antenatal period. Intervention on the basis of an abnormal biophysical profile result has been reported to yield a significant reduction in prenatal mortality, and an association exists between biophysical profile scoring and a decreased cerebral palsy rate in a given population. The BPP evaluates five characteristics: fetal movement, tone, breathing, heart reactivity, and amniotic fluid (AF volume estimation. The purpose of study was to determine whether there are different degree of acidosis at which the biophysical activity (acute marker are affected. "nMethods: In a prospective study of 140 patients undergoing cesarean section before onset of labor, the fetal biophysical profile was performed 24h before the time of cesarean and was matched with cord arterial PH that was obtained from a cord segment (10-20cm that was double clamped after delivery of newborn. (using cord arterial PH less than 7.20 for the diagnosis of acidosis. "nResults: The fetal biophysical profile was found to have a significant relationship with umbilical blood PH. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value of fetal biophysical profile score were: 88.9%, 88.6%, 50%, 98.1%. "nConclusion: The first manifestations of fetal acidosis are nonreactive nonstress testing and fetal breathing loss; in advanced acidemia fetal movements and fetal tone are compromised. A protocol of antepartum fetal evaluation is suggested based upon the individual biophysical components rather than the score alone.

  5. Effects of blood sample handling procedures on measurable inflammatory markers in plasma, serum and dried blood spot samples

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skogstrand, K.; Thorsen, P.; Vogel, I.

    2008-01-01

    of whole blood samples at low temperatures and rapid isolation of plasma and serum. Effects of different handling procedures for all markers studied are given. DBSS proved to be a robust and convenient way to handle samples for immunoassay analysis of inflammatory markers in whole blood Udgivelsesdato......The interests in monitoring inflammation by immunoassay determination of blood inflammatory markers call for information on the stability of these markers in relation to the handling of blood samples. The increasing use of stored biobank samples for such ventures that may have been collected...... and stored for other purposes, justifies the study hereof. Blood samples were stored for 0, 4, 24, and 48 h at 4 degrees C, room temperature (RT), and at 35 degrees C, respectively, before they were separated into serum or plasma and frozen. Dried blood spot samples (DBSS) were stored for 0, 1, 2, 3, 7...

  6. Short-term, serum-free, static culture of cord blood-derived CD34+ cells: effects of FLT3-L and MIP-1alpha on in vitro expansion of hematopoietic progenitor cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Capmany, G; Querol, S; Cancelas, J A; García, J

    1999-08-01

    The use of ex vivo expanded cells has been suggested as a possible means to accelerate the speed of engraftment in cord blood (CB) transplantation. The aim of this study was to fix the optimal condition for the generation of committed progenitors without affecting the stem cell compartment. Analysis of the effects of FLT3-L and MIP-1alpha when combined with SCF, IL-3 and IL-6, in short-term (6 days), serum-free expansion cultures of CB-selected CD34+ cells. An important expansion was obtained that ranged between 8-15 times for CFU-GM, 21-51 times for the BFU-E/CFU-Mix population and 11 to 30 times for CD34+ cells assessed by flow cytometry. From the combinations tested, those in which FLT3-L was present had a significant increase in the expansion of committed progenitors, while the presence of MIP-1alpha had a detrimental effect on the generation of more differentiated cells. However, stem cell candidates assessed by week 5 CAFC assay could be maintained in culture when both MIP-1a and FLT3-L were present (up to 91% recovery). This culture system was also able to expand megakaryocytic precursors as determined by the co-expression of CD34 and CD61 antigens (45-70 times), in spite of the use of cytokines non-specific for the megakaryocytic lineage. The results obtained point to the combination of SCF, IL-3, IL-6, FLT3-L and MIP-1alpha as the best suited for a pre-clinical short-term serum-free static ex vivo expansion protocol of CB CD34+ cells, since it can generate large numbers of committed progenitor cells as well as maintaining week 5 CAFC.

  7. Determination of reference ranges for full blood count parameters in neonatal cord plasma in Hilla, Babil, Iraq

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Marzoki, Jasim M; Al-Maaroof, Zainab W; Kadhum, Ali H

    2012-01-01

    Background The health of an individual is known to vary in different countries, in the same country at different times, and in the same individuals at different ages. This means that the condition of individuals must be related to or compared with reference data. Determination of a reference range for the healthy term newborn is clinically important in terms of various complete blood count parameters. The purpose of this study was to establish a local reference range for full blood count parameters in neonatal cord plasma in Hilla, Babil, Iraq. Methods A total of 220 mothers and their neonates were enrolled in this cross-sectional study from February 2011 to January 2012. Maternal inclusion criteria were age 15–45 years, an uneventful pregnancy, and hemoglobin ≥ 10 g. Neonatal inclusion criteria were full term (37–42 weeks) and normal birth weight. The umbilical cord was immediately clamped after delivery of the baby; 3 mL of cord blood was then taken from the umbilical vein and collected in a tube containing ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid, its plasma was analyzed for full blood count parameters by standard Coulter gram, and the differential leukocyte count was done manually. Results Mean neonatal hemoglobin was 13.88 ± 1.34 (range 11–17.3) g/dL and mean white cell count was 10.12 ± 2.8 (range 3.1–21.6) × 109/L. Mean platelet count was 267.63 ± 60.62 (range 152–472) × 109/L. No significant differences in red cell, white cell, or platelet counts were found between males and females, except for neutrophil count. The current study shows lower levels of hemoglobin, white cells, and red cells compared with other studies, and there is agreement with some studies and disagreement with others concerning platelet count. Conclusion Most results in the current study were within the reference range. The hematological reference values for Iraqi neonatal cord plasma need to be confirmed by larger numbers of blood samples and by collecting samples from

  8. The Association between Newborn Regional Body Composition and Cord Blood Concentrations of C-Peptide and Insulin-Like Growth Factor I.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emma M Carlsen

    Full Text Available Third trimester fetal growth is partially regulated by C-peptide and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I. Prenatal exposures including maternal obesity and high gestational weight gain as well as high birth weight have been linked to subsequent metabolic disease. We evaluated the associations between newborn regional body composition and cord blood levels of C-peptide and IGF-I.We prospectively included obese and normal-weight mothers and their newborns; cord blood was collected and frozen. Analyses of C-peptide and IGF-I were performed simultaneously, after recruitment was completed. Newborn regional body composition was assessed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanning (DXA within 48 hours of birth.Three hundred thirty-six term infants were eligible to participate in the study; of whom 174 (52% infants had cord blood taken. Total, abdominal and arm and leg fat mass were positively associated with C-peptide (p < 0.001. Arm and leg fat mass was associated with IGF-I concentration: 28 g [95% confidence interval: 4, 53] per doubling of IGF-I. There was no association between total or abdominal fat mass and IGF-I. Fat-free mass was positively associated with both C-peptide (p < 0.001 and IGF-I (p = 0.004.Peripheral fat tissue accumulation was associated with cord blood C-peptide and IGF-I. Total and abdominal fat masses were related to C-peptide but not to IGF-I. Thus, newborn adiposity is partially mediated through C-peptide and early linear growth is associated with IGF-I.

  9. Measurement of hydroxylated PCB metabolites for Slovakia maternal blood serums

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, J.S.; Athanasiadou, M; Bergman, A. [Stockholm Univ., Stockholm (Sweden); Charles, J.; Zhao, G.; Hertz-Picciotto, I. [California Univ., Sacramento, CA (United States); Petrik, J.; Kocan, A; Trnovec, T. [Bratislava Inst. of Preventive and Clinical Medicine, Bratislava (Slovakia)

    2005-07-01

    Although it is known that polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have adverse impacts on human health, it is not clear if human health impacts are caused by the PCBs or their related hydroxylated (OH) PCB metabolite compounds. This study measured OH-PCB metabolites in the maternal blood serum specimens from the Svidnik and Michalovce areas in eastern Slovakia where PCBs were intensively produced and inadequately disposed. The aim of the study was to characterize and quantify levels of specific OH-PCB metabolites in Slovakian maternal serums exposed to high environmental PCB levels. All specimens were analyzed for PCBs, and a subset of the samples was analyzed for OH-PCB metabolites. The Wallenburg blood extraction method was adopted to separate the OH-PCBs from the blood serums. Final eluates and calibration standards were spiked with PCB209 as an injection standard before gas chromatography (GC) analysis. OH-PCBs in the samples range from 75{+-}9 per cent to 101{+-}11 per cent. Median concentrations of OH-PCB metabolites of Michalovce samples were approximately twice as high as for the Svidnik samples. Concentrations of OH-PCBs of Michalovce blood samples were comparable to samples obtained from northern Canadian female Inuit and Faroe Island females, and were considered to be among the highest OH-PCB concentrations obtained in human blood. It was concluded that further research is needed to understand the placental transfer of OH-PCBs to the fetus, as well as epidemiological approaches to determine the relationship between the exposure of OH-PCB metabolites and child development. 12 refs., 2 figs.

  10. Transplantation of cord blood mesenchymal stem cells as spheroids enhances vascularization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhang, Suk Ho; Lee, Seahyoung; Shin, Jung-Youn; Lee, Tae-Jin; Kim, Byung-Soo

    2012-10-01

    Despite promising results from the therapeutic use of stem cells for treating ischemic diseases, the poor survival of cells transplanted into ischemic regions is one of the major problems that undermine the efficacy of stem cell therapy. Cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMNCs) are an alternative source of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) without disadvantages, such as the painful and invasive harvesting procedure, of MSCs derived from bone marrow or adipose tissue. In the present study, we investigated whether the angiogenic efficacy of cord blood mesenchymal stem cells (CBMSCs) can be enhanced by grafting as spheroids in a mouse hindlimb ischemia model. Human CBMSC (hCBMSC) spheroids were prepared by using the hanging-drop method. Mouse hindlimb ischemia was induced by excising the femoral artery and its branches. After surgery, the animals were divided into no-treatment, dissociated hCBMSC, and spheroid hCBMSC groups (n=8 per group) and received corresponding hCBMSC treatments. After surgery, the ischemic hindlimbs were monitored for 4 weeks, and then, the ischemic hindlimb muscles were harvested for histological analysis. Apoptotic signaling, angiogenesis-related signal pathways, and blood vessel formation were investigated in vitro and/or in vivo. The transplantation of hCBMSCs as spheroids into mouse ischemic hindlimbs significantly improved the survival of the transplanted cells by suppressing apoptotic signaling while activating antiapoptotic signaling. Furthermore, the transplantation of hCBMSCs as spheroids significantly increased the number of microvessels and smooth muscle α-actin-positive vessels in the ischemic limbs of mice, and attenuated limb loss and necrosis. Human CBMNC can be considered an alternative source of MSC, and spheroid-based hCBMSC delivery can be considered a simple and effective strategy for enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of hCBMSCs.

  11. Selected Blood Serum Elements in Van (Turkey Cats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. Altunok

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available The Turkish Van cat originates from eastern Turkey. One of the characteristic features of Van cats is the colour of their eyes, which can be both eyes blue, both eyes amber or one eye blue and the other amber. Serum essential trace, macro and industrial element concentrations of Van cats (n = 47 according to sex, age, hair length and eye colour differences were investigated. Serum aluminium, arsenic, boron, barium, cobalt, chromium, copper, gallium, indium, iron, lead, lithium, manganese, nickel, selenium, silver, sulphur, strontium, vanadium and zinc were measured with ICP-OES plasma optical atomic emission spectrometer. In result, serum aluminium, barium, copper, manganese and strontium levels in male cats were found higher (p p p p > 0.05 found in the age and hair length groups. Our results indicate that several of the blood serum elements of Van cats may be related to their eye colours and sex differences.

  12. Effects of spinal cord stimulation on myocardial blood flow assessed by positron emission tomography in patients with refractory angina pectoris

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hautvast, RWM; Blanksma, PK; DeJongste, MJL; Pruim, J; vanderWall, EE; Vaalburg, W; Lie, KI

    1996-01-01

    Spinal cord stimulation in angina pectoris increases exercise capacity and reduces both anginal attacks and ischemic electrocardiographic signs. This suggests an anti-ischemic action, perhaps through changes in myocardial blood flow. In 9 patients, regional myocardial blood flow was studied with

  13. Serum neopterin: a potential marker for screening blood donors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ashfaq, A.; Ejaz, A.; Abbas, G.

    2017-01-01

    To determine serum neopterin levels in blood donors of local population and its association with transfusion ransmitted infections. Study Design: A cross-sectional observational study. Place and Duration of Study:Department of Physiology, Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College (LNHMC) in collaboration with Basic Medical Sciences Institute (BMSI) and Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Blood Bank, Karachi, Pakistan, from January to June 2015. Methodology: During this period, a total of 174 blood donors were selected through random sampling technique. All participants fulfilling the inclusion criteria involving apparently healthy blood donors of either gender within the age bracket of 18 - 60 years and consenting to participate were selected. The participants were screened for transfusion transmitted infections as per WHO recommendations through the standard procedures used for screening at the JPMC blood bank. The demographic profile, anthropometric measurements and vitals were recorded for every participant. Serum neopterin was measured using ELISA kits. Data was analysed on SPSS version 21. ANOVA and chi-square tests were applied as tests of significance at a p-value of <0.05. Results: The neopterin content in the sera of disease negative blood donors was 6.23 +-2.19 nmol/l as compared to disease positive blood donors, in whom the neopterin level was increased to 15.10 +-4.93 nmol/l (p =0.001). Conclusion: The neopterin assay has the potential to detect a number of transfusion transmissible viral diseases; which may, or may not be revealed by the usually employed battery of routine tests. We conclude that the risk of transfusion transmitted pathogens in our population can be reduced significantly, using neopterin assay as a routine in blood banks. (author)

  14. Regulation of human umbilical cord blood-derived multi-potent stem cells by autogenic osteoclast-based niche-like structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, Bo; Jeong, Yun-Hyeok; Jung, Ji-Won; Seo, Kwangwon; Lee, Yong-Soon; Kang, Kyung-Sun

    2007-01-01

    Stem cell niches provide the micro-environment for the development of stem cells. Under our culturing regimen, a kind of osteoclast-centralized structure supports the proliferation of MSCs, derived from human cord blood, once they reside on osteoclasts. MSCs in this structure expressed Oct4 which is a marker of embryonic stem cells. Floating daughter cells of MSCs colony showed abilities to differentiate into osteocyte, adipocyte, and neuronal progenitor cells. Compared with the easy senescence of MSCs without this niche-like structure in vitro, these results suggested that osteoclasts might play an important role the development and maintenance of Umbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived MSCs and might provide a means to expand UCB-MSCs in vitro, more easily, through a stem cell niche-like structure

  15. Evaluation of serum lysyl oxidase as a blood test for colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ward, S T; Weston, C J; Hepburn, E; Damery, S; Hejmadi, R K; Morton, D G; Middleton, G; Ismail, T; Adams, D H

    2014-06-01

    Lysyl oxidase (LOX) expression is elevated in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissue and associated with disease progression. A blood test may form a more acceptable diagnostic test for CRC although LOX has not previously been measured in the serum. We therefore sought to determine the clinical usefulness of a serum LOX test for CRC in a symptomatic population. Adult patients referred to a hospital colorectal clinic with bowel symptoms completed a questionnaire and provided a blood sample for serum LOX measurement. Associations between presenting symptoms, serum LOX concentrations and outcomes of investigations were tested by univariate and multivariate analyses to determine if serum LOX was clinically useful in the prediction of CRC. LOX expression in CRC and adjacent colon biopsies was evaluated by ELISA and immunohistochemistry. Thirty-one cases of colorectal cancer and 16 high-risk polyps were identified from a total of 962 participants. There was no association between serum LOX concentration and the presence of CRC, high-risk polyps or cancers at any site. LOX expression was significantly increased in CRC tissue compared to adjacent colon. Despite overexpression of LOX in CRC tissue, elevated serum levels could not be demonstrated. Serum LOX measurement is therefore not a clinically useful test for CRC. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Evaluation of motor neuron differentiation potential of human umbilical cord blood- derived mesenchymal stem cells, in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yousefi, Behnam; Sanooghi, Davood; Faghihi, Faezeh; Joghataei, Mohammad Taghi; Latifi, Nourahmad

    2017-04-01

    Many people suffer from spinal cord injuries annually. These deficits usually threaten the quality of life of patients. As a postpartum medically waste product, human Umbilical Cord Blood (UCB) is a rich source of stem cells with self- renewal properties and neural differentiation capacity which made it useful in regenerative medicine. Since there is no report on potential of human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells into motor neurons, we set out to evaluate the differentiation properties of these cells into motor neuron-like cells through administration of Retinoic Acid(RA), Sonic Hedgehog(Shh) and BDNF using a three- step in vitro procedure. The results were evaluated using Real-time PCR, Flowcytometry and Immunocytochemistry for two weeks. Our data showed that the cells changed into bipolar morphology and could express markers related to motor neuron; including Hb-9, Pax-6, Islet-1, NF-H, ChAT at the level of mRNA and protein. We could also quantitatively evaluate the expression of Islet-1, ChAT and NF-H at 7 and 14days post- induction using flowcytometry. It is concluded that human UCB-MSCs is potent to express motor neuron- related markers in the presence of RA, Shh and BDNF through a three- step protocol; thus it could be a suitable cell candidate for regeneration of motor neurons in spinal cord injuries. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Ten-minute umbilical cord occlusion markedly reduces cerebral blood flow and heat production in fetal sheep.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lotgering, F.K.; Bishai, J.M.; Struijk, P.C.; Blood, A.B.; Hunter, C.J.; Power, G.G.; Longo, L.D.

    2003-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: The study was undertaken to determine to what extent a 10-minute total umbilical cord occlusion affects autoregulation of cerebral blood flow and cerebral heat production in the fetus. STUDY DESIGN: In seven chronically catheterized late-gestation fetal sheep (127-131 days' gestation), we

  18. Magnetic resonance detection of CD34+ cells from umbilical cord blood using a 19F label

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    L.E. Duinhouwer (Lucia); Van Rossum, B.J.M. (Bernard J. M.); S.T. van Tiel (Sandra); R.M. van der Werf (Ramon); R.Q. Doeswijk (Ronald); J.C. Haeck (Joost); Rombouts, E.W.J.C. (Elwin W. J. C.); M.N.D. Ter Borg (Mariëtte N. D.); G. Kotek (Gyula); E. Braakman (Eric); J.J. Cornelissen (Jan); M.R. Bernsen (Monique)

    2015-01-01

    textabstractImpaired homing and delayed recovery upon hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) with hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) derived from umbilical cord blood (UCB) is a major problem. Tracking transplanted cells in vivo will be helpful to detect impaired homing at an early stage and

  19. Chromium and cobalt ion concentrations in blood and serum following various types of metal-on-metal hip arthroplasties

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jantzen, Christopher; Jørgensen, Henrik L; Duus, Benn R

    2013-01-01

    Widely different metal ion concentrations in blood and serum have been reported with metal-on-metal (MoM) implants. We reviewed the literature on blood and serum ion concentrations of chromium (Cr) and cobalt (Co) following various MoM hip arthroplasties.......Widely different metal ion concentrations in blood and serum have been reported with metal-on-metal (MoM) implants. We reviewed the literature on blood and serum ion concentrations of chromium (Cr) and cobalt (Co) following various MoM hip arthroplasties....

  20. Frequency of co-morbidities associated with spinal cord injury

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ayub, A.; Hashim, R.

    2015-01-01

    To determine the frequencies of comorbidities (dyslipidemias, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension) in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) of duration > 1 year. Study Design: Case control. Place and Duration of Study: Spinal Cord Injury Department, Armed Forces Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine (AFIRM) Rawalpindi and Department of Chemical Pathology, Army Medical College, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), from October 2013 to March 2014. Patients and Methods: Thirty six patients with complete spinal cord injury (SCI), level C5 to T12 were included by non-probability, convenience sampling. Control group consisted of age and sex matched healthy individuals. A detailed medical history was obtained. Anthropometric measurements and blood pressure were recorded. Fasting blood samples were obtained and analyzed for plasma glucose and serum lipid profile. Results: Out of thirty six patients, 31 (86.1%) were male and 5 (13.9%) were females; their mean age was 36.6 ± 11 years. Mean duration of injury was 6.04 ± 3.35 years. Among cases, dyslipidemias were detected in 25 (69.4%) patients while 7 (19.4%) patients had diabetes mellitus. Whereas in control group, frequency of dyslipidemias and diabetes mellitus were significantly lower than cases i.e 13.8% and 5.5% respectively. Also no significant difference was found between blood pressures of study group when compared with control group. Conclusion: Individuals with chronic SCI had more frequent associated co-morbid conditions like dyslipidemias and diabetes mellitus than normal individuals. Early screening is recommended in patients having SCI >6 months for better patient care and reduction in long term comorbidities in such patients. (author)

  1. Patterns of peripheral cytokine expression during pregnancy in two cohorts and associations with inflammatory markers in cord blood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, Kharah MacKenzie; Miller, Gregory; Culhane, Jennifer; Grobman, William; Simhan, Hyagriv N; Wadhwa, Pathik D; Williamson, Douglas; McDade, Thomas; Buss, Claudia; Entringer, Sonja; Adam, Emma; Qadir, Sameen; Keenan-Devlin, Lauren; Leigh, Adam K K; Borders, Ann

    2016-11-01

    Maternal inflammation undergoes adaptations during pregnancy, and excessive inflammation has been associated with adverse outcomes. One mechanism may be maternal inflammation transmission to the fetal compartment. Links between maternal pregnancy inflammation and fetal inflammation are poorly characterized. Principal components analysis was used to extract underlying inflammation components across cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-13, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α) in two pregnancy cohorts (SPAH N=87, MOMS N=539) assessed during the second and third trimesters. Links between maternal inflammation over pregnancy and fetal (cord blood) inflammation were assessed. Substantial cytokine rank-order stability was observed in both cohorts, β's range .47-.96, P's blood inflammation, P's>.04. Maternal inflammation indices over pregnancy were associated with inflammation in cord blood at birth. Results have implications for understanding pregnancy inflammatory processes and how maternal inflammation may be transmitted to fetal circulation. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Intravenous Infusion of Magnesium Chloride Improves Epicenter Blood Flow during the Acute Stage of Contusive Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muradov, Johongir M.

    2013-01-01

    Abstract Vasospasm, hemorrhage, and loss of microvessels at the site of contusive or compressive spinal cord injury lead to infarction and initiate secondary degeneration. Here, we used intravenous injection of endothelial-binding lectin followed by histology to show that the number of perfused microvessels at the injury site is decreased by 80–90% as early as 20 min following a moderate T9 contusion in adult female rats. Hemorrhage within the spinal cord also was maximal at 20 min, consistent with its vasoconstrictive actions in the central nervous system (CNS). Microvascular blood flow recovered to up to 50% of normal volume in the injury penumbra by 6 h, but not at the epicenter. A comparison with an endothelial cell marker suggested that many microvessels fail to be reperfused up to 48 h post-injury. The ischemia was probably caused by vasospasm of vessels penetrating the parenchyma, because repeated Doppler measurements over the spinal cord showed a doubling of total blood flow over the first 12 h. Moreover, intravenous infusion of magnesium chloride, used clinically to treat CNS vasospasm, greatly improved the number of perfused microvessels at 24 and 48 h. The magnesium treatment seemed safe as it did not increase hemorrhage, despite the improved parenchymal blood flow. However, the treatment did not reduce acute microvessel, motor neuron or oligodendrocyte loss, and when infused for 7 days did not affect functional recovery or spared epicenter white matter over a 4 week period. These data suggest that microvascular blood flow can be restored with a clinically relevant treatment following spinal cord injury. PMID:23302047

  3. Association between ambient air pollution and proliferation of umbilical cord blood cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Novack, L., E-mail: novack@bgu.ac.il [Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva (Israel); Yitshak-Sade, M. [Clinical Research Center, Soroka University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva (Israel); Landau, D. [Division of Neonatology, University Medical Center, Beer-Sheva (Israel); Kloog, I. [Department of Geography, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva (Israel); Sarov, B. [Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva (Israel); Karakis, I. [Environmental Epidemiology Department, Ministry of Health, Jerusalem (Israel); Ashkelon Academic College, Ashkelon (Israel)

    2016-11-15

    It has been established as a common knowledge that ambient air pollution (AAP) has an adverse effect on human health. The pathophysiological mechanism of this impact is likely to be related to the oxidative stress. In the current study we estimate the association between AAP and cell proliferation (CP) of umbilical cord blood cells, representing maternal organism most proximal to the fetal body. Blood samples were tested for proliferation in 292 enrolled Arab-Bedouin women at delivery (July 2012–March 2013). The estimates of AAP were defined by a hybrid satellite based model predicting both PM{sub 2.5} (particles<2.5 µm in diameter) and PM{sub 10} (particles<10 µm in diameter) as well as monitoring stations for gaseous air pollutants. Risk estimates of pollution exposure were adjusted to medical history, household risk factors and meteorological factors on the day of delivery or one week prior. Ambient ozone (O{sub 3}) levels on 1, 2, 3and 4 days prior to delivery were associated with lower CP (Prevalence ratio (PR)=0.92, 0.92, 0.93, 0.93, respectively). Increase in inter-quartile range (IOR) of PM{sub 2.5} one day before delivery was associated with 9% increase in CP levels (PR=1.09). The positive direction in association was changed to negative association with CP for PM{sub 2.5} levels measured at more distant time periods (PR=0.90 and 0.93 for lags 5 and 6 days, respectively). Investigation of PM{sub 10} levels indicated a similar pattern (PR=1.05 for pollution values recorded one day before delivery and 0.93 and 0.95 for lags of 5 and 6 days, respectively). Carbon monoxide (CO) levels were associated with lower CP on the day of delivery and 1 day prior (PR=0.92 and PR=0.94). To conclude, the levels of cell proliferation of umbilical cord blood cells appear to be associated with the AAP. More studies are needed to support our findings. - Highlights: • Ambient air pollutants were suggested to have an impact on cell proliferation (CP) of umbilical cord

  4. Association between ambient air pollution and proliferation of umbilical cord blood cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Novack, L.; Yitshak-Sade, M.; Landau, D.; Kloog, I.; Sarov, B.; Karakis, I.

    2016-01-01

    It has been established as a common knowledge that ambient air pollution (AAP) has an adverse effect on human health. The pathophysiological mechanism of this impact is likely to be related to the oxidative stress. In the current study we estimate the association between AAP and cell proliferation (CP) of umbilical cord blood cells, representing maternal organism most proximal to the fetal body. Blood samples were tested for proliferation in 292 enrolled Arab-Bedouin women at delivery (July 2012–March 2013). The estimates of AAP were defined by a hybrid satellite based model predicting both PM 2.5 (particles<2.5 µm in diameter) and PM 10 (particles<10 µm in diameter) as well as monitoring stations for gaseous air pollutants. Risk estimates of pollution exposure were adjusted to medical history, household risk factors and meteorological factors on the day of delivery or one week prior. Ambient ozone (O 3 ) levels on 1, 2, 3and 4 days prior to delivery were associated with lower CP (Prevalence ratio (PR)=0.92, 0.92, 0.93, 0.93, respectively). Increase in inter-quartile range (IOR) of PM 2.5 one day before delivery was associated with 9% increase in CP levels (PR=1.09). The positive direction in association was changed to negative association with CP for PM 2.5 levels measured at more distant time periods (PR=0.90 and 0.93 for lags 5 and 6 days, respectively). Investigation of PM 10 levels indicated a similar pattern (PR=1.05 for pollution values recorded one day before delivery and 0.93 and 0.95 for lags of 5 and 6 days, respectively). Carbon monoxide (CO) levels were associated with lower CP on the day of delivery and 1 day prior (PR=0.92 and PR=0.94). To conclude, the levels of cell proliferation of umbilical cord blood cells appear to be associated with the AAP. More studies are needed to support our findings. - Highlights: • Ambient air pollutants were suggested to have an impact on cell proliferation (CP) of umbilical cord blood. • Ozone (O 3 ) and

  5. Alternative allogeneic donor sources for transplantation for childhood diseases: unrelated cord blood and haploidentical family donors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cairo, Mitchell S; Rocha, Vanderson; Gluckman, Eliane; Hale, Gregory; Wagner, John

    2008-01-01

    Allogeneic stem cell transplantation has been demonstrated to be curative in a wide variety of pediatric malignant and nonmalignant diseases, and can be traced back over 50 years ago to the original report of Thomas et al. HLA matched sibling donors have been the gold standard for pediatric recipients requiring allogeneic donors for both nonmalignant and malignant conditions. However, only 25% of potential pediatric recipients possesses an HLA-matched sibling donor, and the frequency is even less in those with genetic nonmalignant conditions because of genetically affected other siblings within the family. Therefore, 75% to 90% of potential pediatric recipients require alternative allogeneic donor cells for treatment of their underlying conditions. Potential alternative allogeneic donor sources include unrelated cord blood donors, unrelated adult donors, and haploidentical family donors. In this article we review the experience of both unrelated cord blood donor and haploidentical family donor transplants in selected pediatric malignant and nonmalignant conditions.

  6. Cord blood thyrotropin screening for congenital hypothyroidism. Three years' experience on the Island of Saint Lucia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sajous, C; Goto, M; Fitzgerald, M; Anderson, C L; Craft, W; Hurley, R M; Zeller, W P

    1991-01-01

    Cord blood thyrotropin (TSH) screening for congenital primary hypothyroidism has been in effect on the island of St. Lucia for the past three years. Umbilical cord blood samples are obtained on Guthrie filter paper and then transported 3,000 miles to Loyola University of Chicago and delivered to the Illinois State Metabolic Screening Laboratory. There TSH is measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA). After three years, 1,789 newborns have been screened, and the mean value is 6.23 +/- 0.13 microIU per ml. This mean value is less than previously reported by us in 1986 (10.23 +/- 0.29 microIU per ml).13 It is concluded that this screening service continues to be possible far removed from the population under observation. No case of primary hypothyroidism has been detected. Our decreased mean TSH value is due to the new method currently used by the Illinois State Metabolic Screening Laboratory. Congenital hypothyroidism will not be missed provided internal controls are established and rigidly observed.

  7. Pregnancy Complications: Umbilical Cord Abnormalities

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Umbilical cord abnormalities Umbilical cord abnormalities Now playing: E-mail to a friend Please fill in all fields. ... blood supply) to the baby. The two arteries transport waste from the baby to the placenta (where ...

  8. Serum cadmium levels in a sample of blood donors in the Western Amazon, Brazil, 2010-2011

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andre Ricardo Maia da Costa de Faro

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the distribution of serum cadmium (Cd levels in blood donors in Rio Branco, Acre State, Brazil. Blood samples were obtained from 922 volunteer blood donors from 18 to 65 years of age at the Hemoacre blood center in 2010-2011. Mean serum Cd was 0.37µg/L (95%CI: 0.33-0.41. Increased serum Cd was associated with lower schooling; individuals with less than five years of schooling showed a mean Cd of 0.61µg/L (95%CI: 0.34-0.89, compared to 0.34µg/L (95%CI: 0.28-0.40 among those with more than nine years of schooling. Mean serum Cd was three times higher among smokers. Smoking showed a positive association with Cd level, with an OR of 12.36 (95%CI: 7.70-19.84. Meanwhile, serum Cd was lower among individuals that regularly drank tea, as compared to non-tea drinkers. Serum Cd levels were mostly below the reference value (88.3% of participants. Mean serum Cd in the current study indicates that in general the population studied here is not exposed to worrisome Cd levels.

  9. [Predictive value of interleukin 6 from the umbilical cord blood in early neonatal infection].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cosićkić, Almira; Skokić, Fahrija

    2009-01-01

    We have analyzed diagnostic value of interleukin 6 (IL-6) from the umbilical cord blood in recognition of early neonatal infection (ENI) of newborns whose mothers have obstetrical risks. The study included 120 newborns with birth weight ENI), group B (clinical signs and hematological parameters of ENI) and group C (newborns without ENI). Median of IL-6 value in group A was 48.5 pg/ml with sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic value in recognition of ENI 78%, 81% and 80%. In group B median of IL-6 was 49 pg/ml with sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic value 65%, 80% and 77%. In group C median of IL-6 was 9.7 pg/ml. We noticed significant connection between value of IL-6 and mother's urinary tract infection; group A (p=0.023), group B (p = 0.007). Also there was a remarkable relationship between mother's colpitis and level of IL-6 in newborn with ENI in group A (p=0.011) and group B (p = 0.012). High levels of IL-6 in umbilical cord blood can help us in recognition of newborns that are endangered by infection and they are clearly connected with some of mother's obstetrical risks.

  10. Umbilical cord blood banking in the worldwide hematopoietic stem cell transplantation system: perspectives for Ukraine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalynychenko, T O

    2017-09-01

    Significant progress in the promotion of procedural technologies associated with the transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells caused a rapid increase in activity. The exchange of hematopoietic stem cells for unrelated donor transplantations is now much easier due to the relevant international professional structures and organizations established to support cooperation and standard setting, as well as rules for the functioning of both national donor registries and cord blood banks. These processes are increasing every year and are contributing to the outpacing rates of development in this area. Products within their country should be regulated by the competent government authorities. This study analyzes the work of international and national levels of support for transplantation activity in the field of unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the standardization order of technologies, as well as data that justify the need to create a network of donated umbilical cord blood banks in Ukraine as a factor in the development of allogeneic transplantation. This will promote the accessibility of international standards for the treatment of serious diseases for Ukrainian citizens.

  11. Radioimmunoassay for measurement of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyonine (T3) in blood serum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chopra, I.J.

    1975-01-01

    This invention relates to a highly accurate, rapid and simple estimation of thyroxine (T 4 ) directly from blood serum and also relates to the accurate measurement of triiodo-L-thyronine (T 3 ) directly from blood serum. More specifically, the invention relates to a rapid, specific and reliable radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique for measurement of both T 4 and T 3 in unextracted serum. The method requires very small amounts of serum, e.g., 25 microliters (μl) to measure T 4 concentration in nearly all specimens representing clinical states of eu-, hypo- and hyperthyroidism, and 250 μl to measure T 3 concentrations in specimens representing most clinical states

  12. MRI in Lyme disease of the spinal cord

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mantienne, C.; Catalaa, I.; Sevely, A.; Cognard, C.; Manelfe, C. [Dept. of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Neuroradiology, Hopital Purpan, Toulouse (France); Albucher, J.F. [Dept. of Neurology, Hopital Purpan, Toulouse (France)

    2001-06-01

    We report a case of Lyme myelitis in a 31-year-old man, presenting with a conus medullaris syndrome. MRI demonstrated contrast enhancement on the pial surface of the lower thoracic cord and conus medullaris. Elevated blood immunoglobulins and IgM antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were found. Leptomeningitis may be the first stage of spinal infection in Lyme disease, preceding parenchymal infection leading to myelitis. Vasculitis is probably the major mechanism. MRI findings are nonspecific and the diagnosis is given by serum and CSF analyses. Early treatment with antibiotics and high doses steroids may result in complete recovery, as in this case. (orig.)

  13. MRI in Lyme disease of the spinal cord

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mantienne, C.; Catalaa, I.; Sevely, A.; Cognard, C.; Manelfe, C.; Albucher, J.F.

    2001-01-01

    We report a case of Lyme myelitis in a 31-year-old man, presenting with a conus medullaris syndrome. MRI demonstrated contrast enhancement on the pial surface of the lower thoracic cord and conus medullaris. Elevated blood immunoglobulins and IgM antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were found. Leptomeningitis may be the first stage of spinal infection in Lyme disease, preceding parenchymal infection leading to myelitis. Vasculitis is probably the major mechanism. MRI findings are nonspecific and the diagnosis is given by serum and CSF analyses. Early treatment with antibiotics and high doses steroids may result in complete recovery, as in this case. (orig.)

  14. Cost of umbilical cord blood units released for transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sirchia, G; Rebulla, P; Tibaldi, S; Lecchi, L

    1999-06-01

    A large number of institutions have started programs banking umbilical cord blood (UCB) for allogeneic unrelated-donor and related-donor transplantation. However, limited information is available on the financial issues surrounding these activities. The aim of this study was to determine the fee per UCB unit released for transplantation that would allow cost recovery after 10 years. Three organizational models were considered suitable to provide units for five UCB transplants per 1 million population per year, a figure that would translate into an annual need for 280 units in Italy. Models A, B, and C included, respectively, seven networked banks, each with an inventory of 1,500 units; two networked banks, each with an inventory of 5,000 units; and one bank with an inventory of 10,000 units. It was estimated that it would take 3 years to develop the cryopreserved inventory and that approximately 3 percent of the inventory could be released and replaced each year during the 7-year interval between the fourth and tenth years of activity. The data on the costs of labor, reagents and diagnostics, disposables, depreciation and maintenance, laboratory tests, and overhead, as well as the operational data used in the analysis were collected at the Milano Cord Blood Bank in 1996. Fees of US $15,061, $12,666, and $11,602 per unit released during the fourth through the tenth years of activity allow full cost recovery (principle and interest) under Models A, B, and C, respectively. Although UCB procurement costs compare favorably with those of other hematopoietic cell sources, these results and the current fee of US $15,300 used in some institutions show that UCB is an expensive resource. Therefore, judicious planning of banking programs with high quality standards is necessary to prevent economic losses. The advantages of lower fees associated with the centralized banking approach of Model C should be balanced with the more flexible collection offered by Model A.

  15. Centile values for serum lipids and blood pressure for Asian Indian adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dhingra Vibha

    2005-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Reference data for plasma lipids and blood pressure are not available for Asian Indian adolescents. This study aimed to develop representative age- and sex- specific percentile reference data for serum lipids [total cholesterol (TC, triglycerides (TG, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C, non-HDL cholesterol] and blood pressure for urban Asian Indian adolescents aged 14–18 years. The sample consisted of 680 boys and 521 girls aged 14–18 years from the cross-sectional population survey, Epidemiological Study of Adolescents and Young Adults (ESAY for whom the data for serum lipid levels and blood pressure were recorded. Smoothed age- and sex- specific 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 85th, 90th and 95th percentiles where derived using LMS regression. Results Percentile-based reference data for serum lipids and blood pressure are presented for adolescent Asian Indian boys and girls for the first time. Asian Indian adolescents had lower levels of serum TC, LDL-C and HDL-C and higher TG than their counterparts in the USA. Interesting trends in TC and HDL-C levels where observed, which might reflect changes in dietary pattern and physical activity in this age group in India. Conclusion These reference data could be used to identify adolescents with an elevated risk of developing dyslipidemia, hypertension and cardiovascular disorders, to plan and implement preventive policies, and to study temporal trends.

  16. Current and historical perspectives on methodological flaws in processing umbilical cord blood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mehrishi, J N

    2013-11-01

    Umbilical cord blood (UCB) hematopoietic stem cells (HSC-CD34+) are valuable for treating malignant or nonmalignant disease. Processing UCB by HESPAN-6% and anti-CD34-Miltenyi particles provides insufficient cells for treating adults. Physicochemical-electrokinetic studies on UCB-mononuclear cells (MNCs) under conditions of delayed processing, ice or very low temperatures, and some cell separation media identified artifacts introduced by procedures. Adsorption of biomaterials from cell damage by temperature, degradation products after using enzymes, harsh reagents, dithiothreitol, and HESPAN affect cell properties and distribution. Miltenyi particles internalized by cells could release iron that accumulating in liver or spleen would then risk toxicity. Summary topics included the effects of temperature, HESPAN (fast sedimenting agent), glycoproteases, DNase, and dithiothreitol risk affecting cell receptors in recognition, "homing," leading to possible unintended iatrogenic bioeffects should such cells be transfused into humans. The loss of undetectable and uncaptured low CD34 antigen-bearing cells by Miltenyi particles seems to occur when the current methods of isolation of CD34+ cells and other cells are critically assessed. The purpose here is to highlight and suggest avoiding the procedural flaws involved. Preventing ice temperatures avoids ice-damaged platelets releasing biomaterials that are adsorbed on cells altering UBC-MNCs/HSC properties and cell loss. Omitting the positive selection with antibody-linked Miltenyi particles obviates the use of harsh reagents to release the cells. Internalized Miltenyi particles are a toxicity hazard that needs investigations. Achieving approximately 5% yields of CD34+ cells (153 × 10(5) /110 mL cord-placenta blood) is a major advance holding great promise, for the first time increasing the prospect of stem cell therapy of 70-kg adults, using a single UCB donation (with dose of 1.5 × 10(5) cells/kg) and

  17. Effects of blood collection conditions on ovarian cancer serum markers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jason D Thorpe

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Evaluating diagnostic and early detection biomarkers requires comparing serum protein concentrations among biosamples ascertained from subjects with and without cancer. Efforts are generally made to standardize blood processing and storage conditions for cases and controls, but blood sample collection conditions cannot be completely controlled. For example, blood samples from cases are often obtained from persons aware of their diagnoses, and collected after fasting or in surgery, whereas blood samples from some controls may be obtained in different conditions, such as a clinic visit. By measuring the effects of differences in collection conditions on three different markers, we investigated the potential of these effects to bias validation studies.We analyzed serum concentrations of three previously studied putative ovarian cancer serum biomarkers-CA 125, Prolactin and MIF-in healthy women, women with ovarian cancer undergoing gynecologic surgery, women undergoing surgery for benign ovary pathology, and women undergoing surgery with pathologically normal ovaries. For women undergoing surgery, a blood sample was collected either in the clinic 1 to 39 days prior to surgery, or on the day of surgery after anesthesia was administered but prior to the surgical procedure, or both. We found that one marker, prolactin, was dramatically affected by collection conditions, while CA 125 and MIF were unaffected. Prolactin levels were not different between case and control groups after accounting for the conditions of sample collection, suggesting that sample ascertainment could explain some or all of the previously reported results about its potential as a biomarker for ovarian cancer.Biomarker validation studies should use standardized collection conditions, use multiple control groups, and/or collect samples from cases prior to influence of diagnosis whenever feasible to detect and correct for potential biases associated with sample collection.

  18. Blood gas and serum biochemical RIs for healthy newborn Murrah buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santana, André M; Silva, Daniela G; Clemente, Virna; Pizauro, Lucas J L; Bernardes, Priscila A; Santana, Clarissa H; Eckersall, Peter D; Fagliari, José J

    2018-03-01

    There is a lack of published work on RIs for newborn buffaloes. Establishing blood gas and serum biochemical RIs for newborn buffaloes is important for monitoring health. This study establishes blood gas and serum biochemical RIs of newborn buffaloes. Twenty-eight newborn buffaloes, 10-30 days old, were selected. Thirty blood biochemical variables were analyzed. The Anderson-Darling test was used to assess the normality of the distribution. The Dixon test and the Tukey test were used to identify outliers. The RI and 90% CI were determined using standard and robust methods and the Box-Cox transformation. A total of 30 RIs for healthy buffalo calves have been reported in this study. RIs for blood gas variables were reported for pH, partial pressure of oxygen (pO 2 ), partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO 2 ), saturation of O 2 (SO 2 ), bicarbonate (cHCO 3 - ), base excess (BE), total carbon dioxide (ctCO 2 ), and anion gap (AG). RIs for serum biochemical variables were reported for glucose (GLU), direct bilirubin (DB), total bilirubin (TB), AST, ALP, GGT, CK, LDH, creatinine (CREA), urea, cholesterol (CHOL), triglycerides (TG), Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, iCa, Cl, iron, total protein (TP), and albumin (ALB). This is the first reported study covering complete serum chemistry and blood gas RIs for healthy 1-month-old Murrah buffaloes. © 2018 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

  19. Autoimmune Demyelinating Polyneuropathy as a Manifestation of Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease after Adult Cord Blood Transplantation in a Patient with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fredrick Hogan

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Immune mediated demyelinating disease after allogeneic stem cell transplantation is a rare entity with unclear etiology. Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP has been reported after related and adult unrelated allogeneic stem cell transplantation but no such case has been reported after unrelated cord blood transplantation. We hereby present the first case of AIDP after double umbilical cord blood transplantation (DUCBT. A 55-year-old man with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL received a cord blood transplant for relapsed refractory disease with high risk cytogenetics. On day 221, patient presented with skin rash, tingling in both lower extremites, and ascending paralysis that progressed rapidly over the course of 2 days. The workup resulted in a diagnosis of AIDP and administration of intravenous immunoglobulins plus steroids was initiated. Motor and sensory powers were fully recovered and his chronic GVHD was managed for several months with single agent sirolimus.

  20. Trophic enrichment factors for blood serum in the European badger (Meles meles.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David J Kelly

    Full Text Available Ecologists undertaking stable isotopic analyses of animal diets require trophic enrichment factors (TEFs for the specific animal tissues that they are studying. Such basic data are available for a small number of species, so values from trophically or phylogenetically similar species are often substituted for missing values. By feeding a controlled diet to captive European badgers (Meles meles we determined TEFs for carbon and nitrogen in blood serum. TEFs for nitrogen and carbon in blood serum were +3.0 ± 0.4‰ and +0.4 ± 0.1‰ respectively. The TEFs for serum in badgers are notably different from those published for the red fox (Vulpes vulpes. There is currently no data for TEFs in the serum of other mustelid species. Our data show that species sharing similar niches (red fox do not provide adequate proxy values for TEFs of badgers. Our findings emphasise the importance of having species-specific data when undertaking trophic studies using stable isotope analysis.

  1. Correlation of the association of serum lactate, random blood sugar ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Correlation of the association of serum lactate, random blood sugar, and revised trauma score as predictors of outcome in hemodynamically unstable abdominal emergencies. E Allwell‑Brown, OO Afuwape, O Ayandipo, T Alonge ...

  2. DNA methylation patterns in cord blood DNA and body size in childhood.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caroline L Relton

    Full Text Available Epigenetic markings acquired in early life may have phenotypic consequences later in development through their role in transcriptional regulation with relevance to the developmental origins of diseases including obesity. The goal of this study was to investigate whether DNA methylation levels at birth are associated with body size later in childhood.A study design involving two birth cohorts was used to conduct transcription profiling followed by DNA methylation analysis in peripheral blood. Gene expression analysis was undertaken in 24 individuals whose biological samples and clinical data were collected at a mean ± standard deviation (SD age of 12.35 (0.95 years, the upper and lower tertiles of body mass index (BMI were compared with a mean (SD BMI difference of 9.86 (2.37 kg/m(2. This generated a panel of differentially expressed genes for DNA methylation analysis which was then undertaken in cord blood DNA in 178 individuals with body composition data prospectively collected at a mean (SD age of 9.83 (0.23 years. Twenty-nine differentially expressed genes (>1.2-fold and p<10(-4 were analysed to determine DNA methylation levels at 1-3 sites per gene. Five genes were unmethylated and DNA methylation in the remaining 24 genes was analysed using linear regression with bootstrapping. Methylation in 9 of the 24 (37.5% genes studied was associated with at least one index of body composition (BMI, fat mass, lean mass, height at age 9 years, although only one of these associations remained after correction for multiple testing (ALPL with height, p(Corrected = 0.017.DNA methylation patterns in cord blood show some association with altered gene expression, body size and composition in childhood. The observed relationship is correlative and despite suggestion of a mechanistic epigenetic link between in utero life and later phenotype, further investigation is required to establish causality.

  3. [Diagnosis of primary hyperlipoproteinemia in umbilical cord blood (author's transl)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parwaresch, M R; Radzun, H J; Mäder, C

    1977-10-01

    The aim of the present investigation was to assay the frequency of primary dyslipoproteinemia in a random sample of one hundred newborns and to describe the minimal methodical requirements for sound diagnosis. After comparison of different methods total lipids were determined by gravimetry, cholesterol and triglycerides by enzymatic methods, nonesterified fatty acids by direct colorimetry; phospholipids were estimated indirectly. All measurements were applied to umbilical cord sera and to lipoprotein fractions separated by selective precipitation. The diagnosis of hyperlipoproteinemia type IV, which is the most frequent one in adults, is highly afflicted with pitfalls in the postnatal period. A primary hyper-alpha-liproteinemia occured in one case and type II-hyperlipoproteinemia in two cases, one of the parents being involved in each case. For mass screening triglycerides should be assayed in serum and cholesterol in precipitated and resolubilized LDL-fraction, for which the minimal requirements are described.

  4. Association of serum uric acid level and blood pressure in type 2 diabetes mellitus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savira, M.; Rusdiana; Syahputra, M.

    2018-03-01

    Uric acid is an end product of purine degradation in humans and primarily excreted through urine. In adulthood, concentrations rise steadily over time and vary with height, body weight, blood pressure, renal function, and alcohol intake. Uric acid is known as anti-oxidant, it has a beneficial role in diseases. Elevated serum uric acid associated with anincreased risk of cardiovascular disease. It has been found that elevated levels of uric acid associated with high risks of acomplication of type 2 diabetes mellitus and It has astrong association between elevated uric acid levels and obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular and renal disorders. The aim of the study analyzed the association between serum uric acid level and blood pressure in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. This research is descriptive analytic research with a cross sectional design included 50 diabetic subjects aged over 40 years old. Subjects picked by consecutive sampling then we examined the weight, height, waist size, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, and serum uric acid level. Statistical analysis using chi-square found that there was no significant association between serum uric acid level and systole and diastole pressure in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients (p>0.005).

  5. Evaluation of the Role of Umbilical Cord Serum and Autologous Serum Therapy in Reepithelialization After Keratoplasty: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamble, Neha; Sharma, Namrata; Maharana, Prafulla K; Bandivadekar, Pooja; Nagpal, Ritu; Agarwal, Tushar; Velpandian, Thirumurthy; Mittal, Suneeta; Vajpayee, Rasik B

    2017-09-01

    To evaluate the role of umbilical cord serum (UCS) and autologous serum (AS) therapy in reepithelialization of corneal graft after keratoplasty in a randomized controlled trial. A total of 105 eyes with epithelial defect (ED) after keratoplasty (penetrating keratoplasty-67 and anterior lamellar keratoplasty-38) on the first postoperative day were included in the study. The eyes were randomized into three groups: UCS (n=35), AS (n=35), and artificial tears (AT) (n=35). All patients received standard postoperative medical therapy. The primary outcome measure was time to epithelialization, and secondary outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity and graft clarity. The ED healed completely in 103 eyes. The mean time for complete reepithelialization was 2.5±2.1, 3.1±2.2, and 4.5±1.4 days in UCS, AS, and AT groups, respectively. The mean percentage decrease in the size of the ED was significantly better in the UCS and AS groups as compared with the AT group (P=0.001). The rate of reepithelialization was comparable between the AS and UCS groups (P=0.3). On bivariate analysis, significant correlation was found between the mean size of postoperative ED, grade of the donor cornea (P=0.001), and the presence of preoperative ED (P=0.001). No complications were associated with the use of serum therapy. Most of the cases of postkeratoplasty corneal ED can be managed with AT only. The serum therapy (AS/UCS) helps in the faster reepithelialization of postkeratoplasty ED as compared with AT and may be considered as a treatment option for early epithelial healing.

  6. Human Cord Blood and Bone Marrow CD34+ Cells Generate Macrophages That Support Erythroid Islands.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eyayu Belay

    Full Text Available Recently, we developed a small molecule responsive hyperactive Mpl-based Cell Growth Switch (CGS that drives erythropoiesis associated with macrophages in the absence of exogenous cytokines. Here, we compare the physical, cellular and molecular interaction between the macrophages and erythroid cells in CGS expanded CD34+ cells harvested from cord blood, marrow or G-CSF-mobilized peripheral blood. Results indicated that macrophage based erythroid islands could be generated from cord blood and marrow CD34+ cells but not from G-CSF-mobilized CD34+ cells. Additional studies suggest that the deficiency resides with the G-CSF-mobilized CD34+ derived monocytes. Gene expression and proteomics studies of the in vitro generated erythroid islands detected the expression of erythroblast macrophage protein (EMP, intercellular adhesion molecule 4 (ICAM-4, CD163 and DNASE2. 78% of the erythroblasts in contact with macrophages reached the pre reticulocyte orthochromatic stage of differentiation within 14 days of culture. The addition of conditioned medium from cultures of CD146+ marrow fibroblasts resulted in a 700-fold increase in total cell number and a 90-fold increase in erythroid cell number. This novel CD34+ cell derived erythroid island may serve as a platform to explore the molecular basis of red cell maturation and production under normal, stress and pathological conditions.

  7. Identification and molecular characterization of Roseomonas genomospecies 5 isolated from Umbilical Cord Blood Unit

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J.M. Bello-López

    2017-01-01

    Conclusions: This is the first report on the isolation of Roseomonas genomospecies 5 in a UCBU for transplantation, an unusual bacteria isolated from umbilical cord blood, associated with a possible immunosuppression in the donor. Its presence in UCBU can be fatal in immunocompromised patients if it were used for transplantation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSC, due to the potential virulence of the strains and the resistance to antimicrobials commonly used.

  8. Alternative donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for mature lymphoid malignancies after reduced-intensity conditioning regimen: Similar outcomes with umbilical cord blood and unrelated donor peripheral blood

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    C.A. Rodrigues (Celso Arrais); V. Rocha (Vanderson); P. Dreger (Peter); C.G. Brunstein (Claudio); H. Sengeloev (Henrik); J. Finke (Jürgen); M. Mohty (Mohamad); B. Rio (Bernard); E. Petersen (Eefke); F. Guilhot (François); D. Niederwieser (Dietger); J.J. Cornelissen (Jan); P. Jindra (Pavel); A. Nagler (Arnon); N. Fegueux (Nathalie); H. Schoemans (Hélène); A. Ruggeri (Annelisa); S.P. Robinson (Stephen); E. Gluckman (Eliane); C. Canals (Carmen); A. Sureda (Anna)

    2014-01-01

    textabstractWe have reported encouraging results of unrelated cord blood transplantation for patients with lymphoid malignancies. Whether those outcomes are comparable to matched unrelated donor transplants remains to be defined. We studied 645 adult patients with mature lymphoid malignancies who

  9. Analysis of perfluoroalkyl substances in cord blood by turbulent flow chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Llorca, Marta; Pérez, Francisca; Farré, Marinella; Agramunt, Sílvia; Kogevinas, Manolis; Barceló, Damià

    2012-01-01

    A fast on-line analytical method based on turbulent flow chromatography (TFC) in combination with tandem mass spectrometry has been applied for the first time for the analysis of eighteen perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), in cord blood. A simple and rapid sample pre-treatment was optimised consisting on protein precipitation of 100 μL of sample with acetonitrile (1:1) followed by centrifugation during 10 min. The method was adapted to be sensitive enough and robust with minimum sample injection volume requirements (20 μL). The optimised methodology presented method limits of detection (MLOD) between 0.031 and 0.76 μg/L, detection capabilities (CCα) in the range between 0.005 and 0.99 μg/L and decision limits (CCβ) ranging from 0.006 to 1.16 μg/L. The recoveries in blank blood were calculated by spiking experiments with a mixture of 18 PFASs and established between 70 and 126% for most of compounds. Isotopic dilution was carried out for quantification of selected analytes. In-house validation of this new approach was carried out according to the requirements in the 2002/657/EC Decision. Finally the good applicability of this new approach was proved by the analysis of 60 cord blood samples from two different Mediterranean cities, Barcelona (Spain) and Heraklion (Greece). Ions perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) were found at highest concentration and the more frequently compounds were PFHxS, PFOS and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The newly developed method proved to be suitable for large-scale epidemiologic studies, and to the data on PFASs exposure during pregnancy. -- Highlights: ► An on-line method has been developed for the analysis of 18 perfluoroalkyl substances. ► The method is based on turbulent flow chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. ► The method was applied in 60 cord blood samples from 2 Mediterranean cities. ► Acidic compounds were more frequently found and the method was proved to be suitable for

  10. Analysis of perfluoroalkyl substances in cord blood by turbulent flow chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Llorca, Marta; Perez, Francisca [Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona (Spain); Farre, Marinella, E-mail: mfuqam@cid.csic.es [Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona (Spain); Agramunt, Silvia [Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona (Spain); IMIM (Hospital del Mar Research Institute), Barcelona (Spain); Kogevinas, Manolis [Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona (Spain); IMIM (Hospital del Mar Research Institute), Barcelona (Spain); CIBER Epidemiologia y Salud Publica (CIBERESP), Barcelona (Spain); National School of Public Health, Athens (Greece); Barcelo, Damia [Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona (Spain); Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), Girona (Spain); King Saud University, Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)

    2012-09-01

    A fast on-line analytical method based on turbulent flow chromatography (TFC) in combination with tandem mass spectrometry has been applied for the first time for the analysis of eighteen perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), in cord blood. A simple and rapid sample pre-treatment was optimised consisting on protein precipitation of 100 {mu}L of sample with acetonitrile (1:1) followed by centrifugation during 10 min. The method was adapted to be sensitive enough and robust with minimum sample injection volume requirements (20 {mu}L). The optimised methodology presented method limits of detection (MLOD) between 0.031 and 0.76 {mu}g/L, detection capabilities (CC{alpha}) in the range between 0.005 and 0.99 {mu}g/L and decision limits (CC{beta}) ranging from 0.006 to 1.16 {mu}g/L. The recoveries in blank blood were calculated by spiking experiments with a mixture of 18 PFASs and established between 70 and 126% for most of compounds. Isotopic dilution was carried out for quantification of selected analytes. In-house validation of this new approach was carried out according to the requirements in the 2002/657/EC Decision. Finally the good applicability of this new approach was proved by the analysis of 60 cord blood samples from two different Mediterranean cities, Barcelona (Spain) and Heraklion (Greece). Ions perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS) and perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) were found at highest concentration and the more frequently compounds were PFHxS, PFOS and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The newly developed method proved to be suitable for large-scale epidemiologic studies, and to the data on PFASs exposure during pregnancy. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer An on-line method has been developed for the analysis of 18 perfluoroalkyl substances. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The method is based on turbulent flow chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The method was applied in 60 cord blood samples from 2 Mediterranean cities

  11. Edaravone protects against oxygen-glucose-serum deprivation/restoration-induced apoptosis in spinal cord astrocytes by inhibiting integrated stress response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bin Dai

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available We previously found that oxygen-glucose-serum deprivation/restoration (OGSD/R induces apoptosis of spinal cord astrocytes, possibly via caspase-12 and the integrated stress response, which involves protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK, eukaryotic initiation factor 2-alpha (eIF2α and activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4. We hypothesized that edaravone, a low molecular weight, lipophilic free radical scavenger, would reduce OGSD/R-induced apoptosis of spinal cord astrocytes. To test this, we established primary cultures of rat astrocytes, and exposed them to 8 hours/6 hours of OGSD/R with or without edaravone (0.1, 1, 10, 100 μM treatment. We found that 100 μM of edaravone significantly suppressed astrocyte apoptosis and inhibited the release of reactive oxygen species. It also inhibited the activation of caspase-12 and caspase-3, and reduced the expression of homologous CCAAT/enhancer binding protein, phosphorylated (p-PERK, p-eIF2α, and ATF4. These results point to a new use of an established drug in the prevention of OGSD/R-mediated spinal cord astrocyte apoptosis via the integrated stress response.

  12. Association of umbilical cord blood lead with neonatal behavior at varying levels of exposure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mamtani Manju R

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In the light of the ongoing debate about lowering the cut-off for acceptable blood lead level to Methods Using Brazelton's Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS, an epidemiological approach and robust statistical techniques like multivariate linear regression, logistic regression, Poisson regression and structural equations modeling analyses we estimated the simultaneous indirect effects of umbilical cord blood lead (CBL levels and other neonatal covariates on the NBAS clusters. Results We observed that when analyzed in all study subjects, the CBL levels independently and strongly influenced autonomic stability and abnormal reflexes clusters. However, when the analysis was restricted to neonates with CBL Conclusion Our results further endorse the need to be cognizant of the detrimental effects of blood lead on neonates even at a low-dose prenatal exposure.

  13. Maternal obesity alters immune cell frequencies and responses in umbilical cord blood samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Randall M; Marshall, Nicole E; Jeske, Daniel R; Purnell, Jonathan Q; Thornburg, Kent; Messaoudi, Ilhem

    2015-06-01

    Maternal obesity is one of the several key factors thought to modulate neonatal immune system development. Data from murine studies demonstrate worse outcomes in models of infection, autoimmunity, and allergic sensitization in offspring of obese dams. In humans, children born to obese mothers are at increased risk for asthma. These findings suggest a dysregulation of immune function in the children of obese mothers; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between maternal body weight and the human neonatal immune system. Umbilical cord blood samples were collected from infants born to lean, overweight, and obese mothers. Frequency and function of major innate and adaptive immune cell populations were quantified using flow cytometry and multiplex analysis of circulating factors. Compared to babies born to lean mothers, babies of obese mothers had fewer eosinophils and CD4 T helper cells, reduced monocyte and dendritic cell responses to Toll-like receptor ligands, and increased plasma levels of IFN-α2 and IL-6 in cord blood. These results support the hypothesis that maternal obesity influences programming of the neonatal immune system, providing a potential link to increased incidence of chronic inflammatory diseases such as asthma and cardiovascular disease in the offspring. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Optical diagnosis of dengue virus infection in human blood serum using Raman spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saleem, M; Bilal, M; Anwar, S; Rehman, A; Ahmed, M

    2013-01-01

    We present the optical diagnosis of dengue virus infection in human blood serum using Raman spectroscopy. Raman spectra were acquired from 18 blood serum samples using a laser at 532 nm as the excitation source. A multivariate regression model based on partial least-squares regression is developed that uses Raman spectra to predict dengue infection with leave-one-sample-out cross validation. The prediction of dengue infection by our model yields correlation coefficient r 2 values of 0.9998 between the predicted and reference clinical results. The model was tested for six unknown human blood sera and found to be 100% accurate in accordance with the clinical results. (letter)

  15. ELISA with double antigen sandwich for screening specific serum anti-TP antibody in blood donors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Yiqing; Shi Zhixu

    2002-01-01

    Objective: To select a sensitive and specific laboratory examination suitable for screening serum anti-TP antibody in blood donors. Methods: The serum anti-TP antibody in 11271 blood donors were detected using ELISA with double antigen sandwich and the outcomes were compared with those using RPR assay. The conflicting specimen were confirmed by repeating the test with TPHA assay. Results: The positive rates of serum anti-TP antibody by ELISA with double antigen sandwich and RPR was 0.36% (41/11271) and 0.26% (29/11271), respectively. The coincidence of the detecting outcomes by ELISA with double antigen sandwich and RPR with TPHA was 97.5% (40/41) and 63.41%(26/41) respectively. Conclusion: Compared with RPR assay, ELISA with double antigen sandwich has higher sensibility and specificity for screening serum anti-TP antibody in blood donors

  16. Development of radiochemical method of analysis of binding of tritium labeled drotaverine hydrochloride with human blood serum albumin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, A.A.; Djuraeva, G.T.; Shukurov, B.V.; Mavlyanov, I.R.

    2004-01-01

    Full text: The albumin, being a basic functional linkage of numerous endogenous and exogenous substances is the most important protein of blood plasma. At the diseases connected to liver disfunction, collected in blood metabolite reduce connecting ability of albumino. The aim of the present research was a development of radiochemical method of determination of ability of albumin to bind the tritium labeled preparation drotaverine hydrochloride (no - spa). We had developed a micromethod of definition of connecting ability of albumin, allowing to analyse 20 mkl of blood serum. The method consists in incubation of tritium labeled drotaverine hydrochloride with blood serum in vitro, the following fractionation of serum proteins by gel - filtration on a microcolumn with Sephadex G-25, and direct measurement of the radioactivity connected to fraction of proteins of blood serum. The method has been tested on a series of blood serum of control group of healthy people and on a series of blood serum of patients with hepatitis B. We received quantitative characteristics of binding of drotaverine hydrochloride with albumin of patients with hepatitis B. It was preliminary established that binding ability of serum albumin of children with various forms of acute virus hepatitis tends to decrease in comparison with group of the control. Advantage of the developed radiochemical method is high precision and the high sensitivity of detection of infringement of binding ability of albumin. Application of tritium labeled drotaverine hydrochloride allows to measure directly levels of binding of a preparation with albumin

  17. Cord blood testing

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Blood culture (if an infection is suspected) Blood gases (including oxygen, carbon dioxide, and pH levels) Blood ... 2018, A.D.A.M., Inc. Duplication for commercial use must be authorized in writing by ADAM ...

  18. Few single nucleotide variations in exomes of human cord blood induced pluripotent stem cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rui-Jun Su

    Full Text Available The effect of the cellular reprogramming process per se on mutation load remains unclear. To address this issue, we performed whole exome sequencing analysis of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs reprogrammed from human cord blood (CB CD34(+ cells. Cells from a single donor and improved lentiviral vectors for high-efficiency (2-14% reprogramming were used to examine the effects of three different combinations of reprogramming factors: OCT4 and SOX2 (OS, OS and ZSCAN4 (OSZ, OS and MYC and KLF4 (OSMK. Five clones from each group were subject to whole exome sequencing analysis. We identified 14, 11, and 9 single nucleotide variations (SNVs, in exomes, including untranslated regions (UTR, in the five clones of OSMK, OS, and OSZ iPSC lines. Only 8, 7, and 4 of these, respectively, were protein-coding mutations. An average of 1.3 coding mutations per CB iPSC line is remarkably lower than previous studies using fibroblasts and low-efficiency reprogramming approaches. These data demonstrate that point nucleotide mutations during cord blood reprogramming are negligible and that the inclusion of genome stabilizers like ZSCAN4 during reprogramming may further decrease reprogramming-associated mutations. Our findings provide evidence that CB is a superior source of cells for iPSC banking.

  19. Skin Recurrence of Transformed Mycosis Fungoides Postumbilical Cord Blood Transplant despite Complete Donor Chimerism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rahul Pawar

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Allogeneic stem cell transplant is the treatment of choice for systemic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL which provides graft-versus-lymphoma effect. Herein we discuss a case of recurrence of CTCL skin lesions after cord blood transplant in a patient who continued to have 100% donor chimerism in bone marrow. Case Presentation. A 48-year-old female with history of mycosis fungoides (MF presented with biopsy proven large cell transformation of MF. PET scan revealed multiple adenopathy in abdomen and chest suspicious for lymphoma and skin biopsy showed large cell transformation. She was treated with multiple cycles of chemotherapy. Posttherapy PET scan showed resolution of lymphadenopathy. Later she underwent ablative preparative regimen followed by single cord blood transplant. Bone marrow chimerism studies at day +60 after transplant showed 100% donor cells without presence of lymphoma. However 5 months after transplant she had recurrence of MF with the same genotype as prior skin lesion. Bone marrow chimerism study continued to show 100% donor cells. Conclusion. A differential graft-versus-lymphoma effect in our case prevented lymphoma recurrence systemically but failed to do so in skin. We hypothesize that this response may be due to presence of other factors in the bone marrow and lymph node microenvironments preventing recurrence in these sites.

  20. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in matched parental and cord serum in Shandong, China

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Han, Wenchao; Gao, Yu; Yao, Qian

    2018-01-01

    survey on maternal factors and risk assessment using the hazard quotients (HQs) approach based on maternal PFASs levels was conducted. Results. Within a family, the father had the highest levels of all PFASs. Among the 10 PFASs, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was the highest, with 103.38, 42.83, and 34......Background. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) have been widely detected in different populations. However, limited data is available about exposure among family members. Objectives. To investigate the PFASs levels in parents and their newborns and to understand their correlation...... and health implications of in utero exposure to PFASs. Methods. Ten PFASs were measured in matched parental and cord serum (N = 369 families) from a birth cohort in Shandong, one of the regions seriously polluted by PFASs in China. The correlation of PFASs levels within families was examined. A questionnaire...

  1. Alfa-fetoprotein secreting ovarian sex cord-stromal tumor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kusum D Jashnani

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Ovarian sex cord-stromal tumors are relatively infrequent neoplasms that account for approximately 8% of all primary ovarian tumors. They are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms composed of cells derived from gonadal sex cords (granulosa and Sertoli cells, specialized gonadal stroma (theca and Leydig cells, and fibroblasts. They may show androgenic or estrogenic manifestations. We report such a tumor associated with markedly raised serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP levels in a young female presenting with a mass and defeminising symptoms. Serum AFP levels returned to normal on removal of tumor.

  2. Radioimmunological determination of 5a-pregnane-3,20-dione and progesterone in arterial and venous blood from the umbilical cord

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tannich, E.

    1985-01-01

    Radioimmunological investigations of arterial and venous blood from the umbilical cord for 5a-DHP and progesterone were carried out in 60 newly delivered infants using 3 H as a tracer substance. The following findings were revealed: 1) The correlation between progesterone and 5a-DHP was better in the venous blood than in the arterial blood from the umbilical cord and the concentrations measured for the two hormones were higher in the vein. 2) Both the umbilical vein and artery showed more elevated hormone levels in male infants as compared to female infants. 3) The duration of gestation, the concentration of hydrogen ions in the fetal plasma and various other maternal and fetal factors have an influence on the height of the 5a-DHP and progesterone levels in the umbilical blood. This was also concluded from the fact that the (arterial and venous) hormone concentrations measured in infants from primiparae were higher than those in infants from multiparae. The metabolisation of 5a-DHP varies between the sexes, which does not hold true for progosterone. (TRV) [de

  3. Reduction of microhemorrhages in the spinal cord of symptomatic ALS mice after intravenous human bone marrow stem cell transplantation accompanies repair of the blood-spinal cord barrier

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eve, David J.; Steiner, George; Mahendrasah, Ajay; Sanberg, Paul R.; Kurien, Crupa; Thomson, Avery; Borlongan, Cesar V.; Garbuzova-Davis, Svitlana

    2018-01-01

    Blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) alterations, including capillary rupture, have been demonstrated in animal models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and ALS patients. To date, treatment to restore BSCB in ALS is underexplored. Here, we evaluated whether intravenous transplantation of human bone marrow CD34+ (hBM34+) cells into symptomatic ALS mice leads to restoration of capillary integrity in the spinal cord as determined by detection of microhemorrhages. Three different doses of hBM34+ cells (5 × 104, 5 × 105 or 1 × 106) or media were intravenously injected into symptomatic G93A SOD1 mice at 13 weeks of age. Microhemorrhages were determined in the cervical and lumbar spinal cords of mice at 4 weeks post-treatment, as revealed by Perls’ Prussian blue staining for ferric iron. Numerous microhemorrhages were observed in the gray and white matter of the spinal cords in media-treated mice, with a greater number of capillary ruptures within the ventral horn of both segments. In cell-treated mice, microhemorrhage numbers in the cervical and lumbar spinal cords were inversely related to administered cell doses. In particular, the pervasive microvascular ruptures determined in the spinal cords in late symptomatic ALS mice were significantly decreased by the highest cell dose, suggestive of BSCB repair by grafted hBM34+ cells. The study results provide translational outcomes supporting transplantation of hBM34+ cells at an optimal dose as a potential therapeutic strategy for BSCB repair in ALS patients. PMID:29535831

  4. Reduction of microhemorrhages in the spinal cord of symptomatic ALS mice after intravenous human bone marrow stem cell transplantation accompanies repair of the blood-spinal cord barrier.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eve, David J; Steiner, George; Mahendrasah, Ajay; Sanberg, Paul R; Kurien, Crupa; Thomson, Avery; Borlongan, Cesar V; Garbuzova-Davis, Svitlana

    2018-02-13

    Blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) alterations, including capillary rupture, have been demonstrated in animal models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and ALS patients. To date, treatment to restore BSCB in ALS is underexplored. Here, we evaluated whether intravenous transplantation of human bone marrow CD34 + (hBM34 + ) cells into symptomatic ALS mice leads to restoration of capillary integrity in the spinal cord as determined by detection of microhemorrhages. Three different doses of hBM34 + cells (5 × 10 4 , 5 × 10 5 or 1 × 10 6 ) or media were intravenously injected into symptomatic G93A SOD1 mice at 13 weeks of age. Microhemorrhages were determined in the cervical and lumbar spinal cords of mice at 4 weeks post-treatment, as revealed by Perls' Prussian blue staining for ferric iron. Numerous microhemorrhages were observed in the gray and white matter of the spinal cords in media-treated mice, with a greater number of capillary ruptures within the ventral horn of both segments. In cell-treated mice, microhemorrhage numbers in the cervical and lumbar spinal cords were inversely related to administered cell doses. In particular, the pervasive microvascular ruptures determined in the spinal cords in late symptomatic ALS mice were significantly decreased by the highest cell dose, suggestive of BSCB repair by grafted hBM34 + cells. The study results provide translational outcomes supporting transplantation of hBM34 + cells at an optimal dose as a potential therapeutic strategy for BSCB repair in ALS patients.

  5. Blood and serum biochemistry of omentopexed West African Dwarf ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study investigated the blood and serum biochemistry following peritoneum sutured and not sutured techniques of laparotomy sutures in omentopexed WAD goats. Twentyfive male WAD goats were randomly divided into 5 groups (A – E). In group A, peritoneum was not sutured, while in group B, the peritoneum was ...

  6. Cord Blood Bisphenol A Levels and Reproductive and Thyroid Hormone Levels of Neonates: The Hokkaido Study on Environment and Children's Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minatoya, Machiko; Sasaki, Seiko; Araki, Atsuko; Miyashita, Chihiro; Itoh, Sachiko; Yamamoto, Jun; Matsumura, Toru; Mitsui, Takahiko; Moriya, Kimihiko; Cho, Kazutoshi; Morioka, Keita; Minakami, Hisanori; Shinohara, Nobuo; Kishi, Reiko

    2017-10-01

    Bisphenol A (BPA) is widely used and BPA exposure is nearly ubiquitous in developed countries. While animal studies have indicated adverse health effects of prenatal BPA exposure including reproductive dysfunction and thyroid function disruption possibly in a sex-specific manner, findings from epidemiologic studies have not been enough to prove these adverse effects. Given very limited research on human, the aim of this study was to investigate associations between cord blood BPA levels and reproductive and thyroid hormone levels of neonates and whether associations differed by neonate sex. The study population included 514 participants of the Hokkaido study recruited from 2002 to 2005 at one hospital in Sapporo, Japan. The BPA level in cord blood was determined by ID-LC/MS/MS, and the limit of quantification was 0.040 ng/ml. We measured nine types of reproductive hormone levels in cord blood, and thyroid hormone levels were obtained from neonate mass screening test data. There were 283 subjects, who had both BPA and hormone levels measurements, included for the final analyses. The geometric mean of cord blood BPA was 0.051 ng/ml. After adjustment, BPA level was negatively associated with prolactin (PRL) (β = -0.38). There was an interaction between infant sex and BPA levels on PRL; a weak negative association was found in boys (β = -0.12), whereas a weak positive association was found in girls (β = 0.14). BPA level showed weak positive association with testosterone, estradiol, and progesterone levels in boys. No association was found between BPA and thyroid hormone levels. Our findings suggested that fetal BPA levels might be associated with changes in certain reproductive hormone levels of neonates in a sex-specific manner, though further investigations are necessary.

  7. Pathway markers for pro-resolving lipid mediators in maternal and umbilical cord blood: A Secondary analysis of the Mothers, Omega-3, & Mental Health Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ellen L Mozurkewich

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA are precursors to immune regulatory and specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPM of inflammation termed resolvins, maresins, and protections. Evidence for lipid mediator formation in vivo can be gained through evaluation of their 5-lipoxygenase (LOX and 15-LOX metabolic pathway precursors and downstream metabolites: We performed a secondary blood sample analysis from 60 participants in the Mothers, Omega-3, and Mental Health study to determine whether SPM and SPM precursors are augmented by dietary EPA- and DHA-rich fish oil supplementation compared to soy oil placebo. We also aimed to study whether SPM and their precursors differ in early and late pregnancy or between maternal and umbilical cord blood. We found that compared to placebo supplementation, EPA- and DHA- rich fish oil supplementation increased SPM precursor 17-HDHA concentrations in maternal and umbilical cord blood (P=0.02 We found that the D-series resolvin pathway marker 17-HDHA increased significantly between enrollment and late pregnancy (P=0.049. Levels of both 14-HDHA, a maresin pathway marker, and 17-HDHA were significantly greater in umbilical cord blood than in maternal blood (P<0.001, both.

  8. The effect of amniotic membrane extract on umbilical cord blood mesenchymal stem cell expansion: is there any need to save the amniotic membrane besides the umbilical cord blood?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zahra Vojdani

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective(s: Umbilical cord blood is a good source of the mesenchymal stem cells that can be banked, expanded and used in regenerative medicine.  The objective of this study was to test whether amniotic membrane extract, as a rich source of growth factors such as basic-fibroblast growth factor, can promote the proliferation potential of the umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells. Materials and Methods: The study design was interventional. Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from voluntary healthy infants from hospitals in Shiraz, Iran, cultured in the presence of basic-fibroblast growth factor and amniotic membrane extracts (from pooled - samples, and compared with control cultures. Proliferation assay was performed and duplication number and time were calculated. The expression of stem cell’s specific markers and the differentiation capacity toward osteogenic and adipogenic lineages were evaluated. Results: Amniotic membrane extract led to a significant increase in the proliferation rate and duplication number and a decrease in the duplication time without any change in the cell morphology. Both amniotic membrane extract and basic-fibroblast growth factor altered the expressing of CD44 and CD105 in cell population. Treating basic-fibroblast growth factor but not the amniotic membrane extract favored the differentiation potential of the stem cells toward osteogenic lineage. Conclusion: The amniotic membrane extract administration accelerated cell proliferation and modified the CD marker characteristics which may be due to the induction of differentiation toward a specific lineage.  Amniotic membrane extract may enhance the proliferation rate and duplication number of the stem cell through changing the duplication time.

  9. THE EFFECT OF BLOOD AND MILK SERUM ZINC CONCENTRATION ON MILK SOMATIC CELL COUNT IN DAIRY COWS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivana Davidov

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of blood and milk zinc concentration on somatic cell count and occurrence of subclinical mastitis cases. The study was performed on thirty Holstein cows approximate same body weight, ages 3 to 5 years, with equally milk production. Blood samples were taken after the morning milking from the caudal vein and milk from all four quarters was taken before morning milking. All samples of blood and milk were taken to determined zinc, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. 37.67% (11/30 cows have blood serum zinc concentration below 7µmol/l, and 63.33% or 19/30 cows have blood serum zinc concentration higher then 13µmol/l. Also 30% (9/30 cows have somatic cell count lower then 400.000/ml which indicate absence of subclinical mastitis, but 70% (21/30 cows have somatic cell count higher then 400.000/ml which indicate subclinical mastitis. Results indicate that cows with level of zinc in blood serum higher then 13 µmol/l have lower somatic cell count. Cows with lower zinc blood serum concentration then 7 µmol/l have high somatic cell count and high incidence of subclinical mastitis. According to results in this research there is no significant effect of milk serum zinc concentration on somatic cell count in dairy cows.

  10. Determination of the therapeutic potential of human umbilical cord ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This research was conducted to evaluate the therapeutic potential of human umbilical cord blood, by determining their effect on bacterial pathogens which included: Streptobacillus sp, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, and Escherichia coli. Cord blood samples were obtained ...

  11. Alteration in Expression and Methylation of IGF2/H19 in Placenta and Umbilical Cord Blood Are Associated with Macrosomia Exposed to Intrauterine Hyperglycemia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rina Su

    Full Text Available Macrosomia is one of the most common complications in gestational diabetes mellitus. Insulin-like growth factor 2 and H19 are two of the imprinted candidate genes that are involved in fetal growth and development. Change in methylation at differentially methylated region of the insulin-like growth factor 2 and H19 has been proved to be an early event related to the programming of metabolic profile, including macrosomia and small for gestational age in offspring. Here we hypothesize that alteration in methylation at differentially methylated region of the insulin-like growth factor 2 and H19 is associated with macrosomia induced by intrauterine hyperglycemia.The expression of insulin-like growth factor 2 is significant higher in gestational diabetes mellitus group (GDM group compared to normal glucose tolerance group (NGT group both in umbilical cord blood and placenta, while the expression of H19 is significant lower in GDM group in umbilical cord blood. The expression of insulin-like growth factor 2 is significant higher in normal glucose tolerance with macrosomia group (NGT-M compared to normal glucose tolerance with normal birthweight group (NGT-NBW group both in placenta and umbilical cord blood. A model with interaction term of gene expression of IGF2 and H19 found that IGF2 and the joint action of IGF2 and H19 in placenta showed significantly relationship with GDM/NGT and GDM-NBW/NGT-NBW. A borderline significant association was seen among IGF2 and H19 in cord blood and GDM-M/NGT-M. The methylation level at different CpG sites of insulin-like growth factor 2 and H19 in umbilical cord blood was also significantly different among groups. Based on the multivariable linear regression analysis, the methylation of the insulin-like growth factor 2 / H19 is closely related to birth weight and intrauterine hyperglycemia.We confirmed the existence of alteration in DNA methylation in umbilical cord blood exposed to intrauterine hyperglycemia and

  12. Enhancing endogenous stem cells in the newbornvia delayed umbilical cord clamping

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Christopher Lawton; Sandra Acosta; Nate Watson; Chiara Gonzales-Portillo; hTeo Diamandis; Naoki Tajiri; Yuji Kaneko; Paul R. Sanberg; Cesar V. Borlongan

    2015-01-01

    There is currently no consensus among clinicians and scientists over the appropriate or optimal timing for umbilical cord clamping. However, many clinical studies have suggested that delayed cord clamping is associated with various neonatal beneifts including increased blood volume, reduced need for blood transfusion, increased cerebral oxygenation in pre-term infants, and decreased frequency of iron deifciency anemia in term infants. Human umbilical cord blood con-tains signiifcant amounts of stem and progenitor cells and is currently used in the treatment of several life-threatening diseases. We propose that delayed cord clamping be encouraged as it en-hances blood lfow from the placenta to the neonate, which is accompanied by an increase supply of valuable stem and progenitor cells, as well as may improve blood oxygenation and increase blood volume, altogether reducing the infant’s susceptibility to both neonatal and age-related diseases.

  13. PHENOTYPIC FEATURES OF ENDOMETRIAL CANCER AND MSI IN COLON AND BLOOD SERUM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. M. Kartashov

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Since the end of the last century an upward trend regarding hormone-dependent tumours of the reproductive system, including endometrial cancer (EC has been observed, with one of the trend reasons being increased number of mutations, in particular, microsatellite instability (MSI – the consequence of unpaired nucleotides repair system gene inactivation (MSH2, MSH3, MSH6, MLH1,PMS2, EXO1. This molecular genetic phenomenon may also be characteristic of certain colon cancer forms, while being detectable not only in the tumour but also in blood, which may be of clinical interest as regards either determining risk groups in terms of other localization malignant tumours development, especially colon cancer, or early diagnostics of the said diseases. However, relationship between clinical, phenotypic and molecular risk factors for EC and colon cancer needs further studying. The aim of research – to estimate MSI frequency in blood serum and colonic mucosal lining in patients with EC. Materials and methods. 342 patients with I – IV stage EC aged between 30 and 80 underwent MSI determining in tumour tissue, blood serum and colonic mucosa by means of polymerase chain reaction method using primers for microsatellite sequence (ВАТ-25, ВАТ-26. Colonic mucosal lining samples were obtained by colonoscopy prior to surgical intervention. Genomic DNA purification from blood serum was performed using DNA purification kit produced by Silex M Scientific and Production Company (Russia, in accordance with manufacturer's instructions. PCR was performed by the standard procedure using Tertsik-2 programmable thermal cycler produced by DNA – Technology LTD, Russia. The studies were carried out at Virola laboratory at Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education. Ethics and Bioethics Committee permit (minutes No.4 of 18.04.2013, Kharkiv Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education. The obtained digital study results were processed by means of conventional

  14. Cord blood is the optimal graft source for the treatment of pediatric patients with lysosomal storage diseases : Clinical outcomes and future directions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aldenhoven, Mieke; Kurtzberg, Joanne

    Initially used as an alternative hematopoietic stem cell source for patients without a human leukocyte antigen-matched bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell donor, unrelated cord blood (UCB) is now the preferred donor source when hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is used to treat

  15. Spinal cord blood flow and ischemic injury after experimental sacrifice of thoracic and abdominal segmental arteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Etz, Christian D; Homann, Tobias M; Luehr, Maximilian; Kari, Fabian A; Weisz, Donald J; Kleinman, George; Plestis, Konstadinos A; Griepp, Randall B

    2008-06-01

    Spinal cord blood flow (SCBF) after sacrifice of thoracoabdominal aortic segmental arteries (TAASA) during thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair remains poorly understood. This study explored SCBF for 72 h after sacrifice of all TAASA. Fourteen juvenile Yorkshire pigs underwent complete serial TAASA sacrifice (T4-L5). Six control pigs underwent anesthesia and cooling to 32 degrees C with no TAASA sacrifice. In the experimental animals, spinal cord function was continuously monitored using motor evoked potentials (MEPs) until 1h after clamping the last TAASA. Fluorescent microspheres enabled segmental measurement of SCBF along the entire spinal cord before, and 5 min, 1 h, 5 h, 24 h and 72 h after complete TAASA sacrifice. A modified Tarlov score was obtained for 3 days after surgery. All the pigs with complete TAASA sacrifice retained normal cord function (MEP) until 1h after TAASA ligation. Seven pigs (50%) with complete TAASA sacrifice recovered after 72 h; seven pigs suffered paraparesis or paraplegia. Intraoperatively, and until 1h postoperatively, SCBF was similar among the three groups along the entire cord. Postoperatively, SCBF did not decrease in any group, but significant hyperemia occurred at 5h in controls and recovery animals, but did not occur in pigs that developed paraparesis or paraplegia in the T8-L2 segments (p=0.0002) and L3-S segments (p=0.0007). At 24h, SCBF remained marginally lower from T8 caudally; at 72h, SCBF was similar among all groups along the entire cord. SCBF in the segments T8-L2 at 5h predicted functional recovery (p=0.003). This study suggests that critical spinal cord ischemia after complete TAASA sacrifice does not occur immediately (intraoperatively), but is delayed 1-5h or longer after clamping, and represents failure to mount a hyperemic response to rewarming and awakening. The short duration of low SCBF associated with spinal cord injury suggests that hemodynamic and metabolic manipulation lasting only 24-72 h may

  16. Gold nanoparticles-based catalysis for detection of S-nitrosothiols in blood serum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Hongying; Han, Xu; Li, Zhiwei; Tian, Qiu; Miao, Xiaoxiang; Du, Libo; Liu, Yang

    2011-09-30

    Accumulating evidence suggests that S-nitrosothiols (RSNOs) play key roles in human health and disease. To clarify their physiological functions and roles in diseases, it is necessary to promote some new techniques for quantifying RSNOs in blood and other biological fluids. Here, a new method using gold nanoparticle catalysts has been introduced for quantitative evaluation of RSNOs in blood serum. The assay involves degrading RSNOs using gold nanoparticles and detecting nitric oxide (NO) released with NO-selective electrodes. The approach displays very high sensitivity for RSNOs with a low detection limit in the picomolar concentration range (5.08 × 10(-11) mol L(-1), S/N=3) and is free from interference of some endogenous substances such as NO(2)(-) and NO(3)(-) co-existing in blood serum. A linear function of concentration in the range of (5.0-1000.0) × 10(-9) mol L(-1) has been observed with a correlation coefficient of 0.9976. The level of RSNOs in blood serum was successfully determined using the described method above. In addition, a dose-dependent effect of gold nanoparticles on the sensitivity for RSNOs detection is revealed, and thereby the approach is potentially useful to evaluate RSNOs levels in various biological fluids via varying gold nanoparticles concentration. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. The concentration of glucose, insuline, thyroxine (T4), triiodthyronine (T3) and gastrine in the maternal blood, in the umbilical cord blood of their outcomes in the neonatal blood samples

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Osuch-Jaczewska, R.; Tomala, J.; Adamska, S.; Bielecka, W.; Mikulska, M.; Kalacinska, M.; Sieron, G.

    1978-01-01

    In the blood samples collected from the mothers, from the umbilical cord of their outcomes and from these neonates after 24 hours of life following estimations were performed collaterally: The concentration of insulin in 50 mothers and their fetuses and in 34 neonates, concentration of thyroxine (T 4 ) in 70 mothers and their fetuses and in 32 neonates, triiodothyronine binding coefficient (WWT 3 ) in 60 mothers and their fetuses and neonates, concentration of gastrine in 23 mothers and their fetuses and in 5 neonates. Besides that the concentration of glucose in total blood was established in 300 mothers - their fetuses and neonates. The insuline, WWT 3 and gastrine were estimated by radioimmune techniques and T 4 by radiocompetitive technique. The glucose concentration - with the aid of o-toluidine method. Basing on the results, the paper suggests that the fetus and the newborn represent independent unit in the aspect of regulation of the glucose concentration, secretion of insuline, T 3 , T 4 and gastrine, notwithstanding the possibility of transplacental passage of these hormones exists the correlation coefficients between the maternal and fetal blood concentrations of insuline, T 4 and WWT 3 were significant. The cord-blood glucose concentration exhibits a marked correlation with the maternal glicemia. Physiologic, asymptomatic hyperinsulinemia and hyperthyreosis and an increase of gastrine concentration demonstrate the presence, in the fetal and neonatal organisms, of certain compensatory-regulating mechanisms stimulating and inhibiting with feed-back properties, which guarantee the environmental homeostasis. (author)

  18. Umbilical cord bloods hematopoietic stem cells ex vivo expansion (the literature review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. V. Shamanskaya

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Umbilical cord blood (CB is now an attractive source of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs for transplantation in pediatric and adult patients with various malignant and non-malignant diseases. However, its clinical application is limited by low cells numbers in graft, which correlates with delayed engraftment, an extension of time to platelets and neutrophils recovery and increasing risk of infectious complications. Several strategies have been suggested to overcome this limitation, one of which is obtaining a sufficient number of hematopoietic progenitor cells by ex vivo expansion. Literature review about CB HSCs expansion in given article is presented.

  19. New allergies after cord blood transplantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaughan, Leigh Ann; Vu, Mary; Sengsayadeth, Salyka; Lucid, Catherine; Clifton, Carey; McCarty, Karen; Hagaman, David; Domm, Jennifer; Kassim, Adetola; Chinratanalab, Wichai; Goodman, Stacey; Greer, John; Frangoul, Haydar; Engelhardt, Brian G; Jagasia, Madan; Savani, Bipin N

    2013-10-01

    Umbilical cord blood transplantation (CBT) is an effective treatment for benign and malignant diseases. Late effects of CBT are not well described in the literature. In the present study, we present our experience of new-onset allergies in long-term survivors after CBT. After an initial patient had a severe peanut allergic reaction after CBT, all CBT patients were prospectively followed for new allergy development. Fifty patients received CBT between March 2006 and June 2011. The median follow-up after CBT was 447 days (range, 12-2022). At the time of analysis, 30 patients were alive, with 3-year survival of 55.5%; median follow-up of surviving patients was 910 days (range, 68-2022). The allergic syndrome developed in five patients, with the cumulative incidence of new allergies at 2 years of 18.4% (95% confidence interval, 10.8-26). The median time to onset of new allergy after transplantation was 298 days (range, 250-809). Allergy development has been linked to a delayed maturation of the immune system in several studies. We present the first case series of patients who had new allergies after CBT. Further study of this novel complication as well as counseling of patients after CBT would be important. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Exposure assessment of French women and their newborn to brominated flame retardants: Determination of tri- to deca- polybromodiphenylethers (PBDE) in maternal adipose tissue, serum, breast milk and cord serum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Antignac, Jean-Philippe; Cariou, Ronan; Zalko, Daniel; Berrebi, Alain; Cravedi, Jean-Pierre; Maume, Daniel; Marchand, Philippe; Monteau, Fabrice; Riu, Anne; Andre, Francois; Le Bizec, Bruno

    2009-01-01

    In the frame of a French monitoring program, tri- to deca- polybromodiphenylethers (PBDE) have been measured in maternal and cord serum, adipose tissue, and breast milk samples, collected from 93 volunteer women during caesarean deliveries. The seven major tri- to heptaBDE (BDE-28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154, and 183) were detected in adipose tissue and breast milk with cumulated median values of 2.59 and 2.51 ng g -1 l w. Nine highly brominated octa- to decaBDE (BDE-196, 197, 201, 202, 203, 206, 207, 208 and 209) was performed in the same samples, with cumulated median values of 2.73 and 3.39 ng g -1 l w in adipose tissue and breast milk, respectively. At this opposite, median levels of octa- to decaBDE in maternal and cord serum appeared significantly higher than the levels of tri- to heptaBDE in the same matrices, i.e. 8.85 and 12.34 versus 0.98 and 0.69 ng g -1 l w, respectively. - This study provides the first data at the French level regarding the occurrence of PBDE in human, and demonstrates the exposure of both human foetus at late stage of pregnancy and newborn at early stages of life through breastfeeding with special emphasis on the presence of highly brominated compounds

  1. Exposure assessment of French women and their newborn to brominated flame retardants: Determination of tri- to deca- polybromodiphenylethers (PBDE) in maternal adipose tissue, serum, breast milk and cord serum

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Antignac, Jean-Philippe [Laboratoire d' Etude des Residus et Contaminants dans les Aliments (LABERCA), USC INRA 2013, Ecole Nationale Veterinaire de Nantes (ENVN), Route de Gachet, BP 50707, 44307 Nantes Cedex 3 (France)], E-mail: antignac@vet-nantes.fr; Cariou, Ronan [Laboratoire d' Etude des Residus et Contaminants dans les Aliments (LABERCA), USC INRA 2013, Ecole Nationale Veterinaire de Nantes (ENVN), Route de Gachet, BP 50707, 44307 Nantes Cedex 3 (France); Zalko, Daniel [UMR 1089 Xenobiotiques, INRA, 31931 Toulouse (France); Berrebi, Alain [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse, Hopital Paule de Viguier, Service de gynecologie-obstetrique, Toulouse (France); Cravedi, Jean-Pierre [UMR 1089 Xenobiotiques, INRA, 31931 Toulouse (France); Maume, Daniel; Marchand, Philippe; Monteau, Fabrice [Laboratoire d' Etude des Residus et Contaminants dans les Aliments (LABERCA), USC INRA 2013, Ecole Nationale Veterinaire de Nantes (ENVN), Route de Gachet, BP 50707, 44307 Nantes Cedex 3 (France); Riu, Anne [Unite Signalisation Hormonale, Environnement et Cancer, U824 INSERM, 34298 Montpellier Cedex 5 (France); Andre, Francois; Le Bizec, Bruno [Laboratoire d' Etude des Residus et Contaminants dans les Aliments (LABERCA), USC INRA 2013, Ecole Nationale Veterinaire de Nantes (ENVN), Route de Gachet, BP 50707, 44307 Nantes Cedex 3 (France)

    2009-01-15

    In the frame of a French monitoring program, tri- to deca- polybromodiphenylethers (PBDE) have been measured in maternal and cord serum, adipose tissue, and breast milk samples, collected from 93 volunteer women during caesarean deliveries. The seven major tri- to heptaBDE (BDE-28, 47, 99, 100, 153, 154, and 183) were detected in adipose tissue and breast milk with cumulated median values of 2.59 and 2.51 ng g{sup -1} l w. Nine highly brominated octa- to decaBDE (BDE-196, 197, 201, 202, 203, 206, 207, 208 and 209) was performed in the same samples, with cumulated median values of 2.73 and 3.39 ng g{sup -1} l w in adipose tissue and breast milk, respectively. At this opposite, median levels of octa- to decaBDE in maternal and cord serum appeared significantly higher than the levels of tri- to heptaBDE in the same matrices, i.e. 8.85 and 12.34 versus 0.98 and 0.69 ng g{sup -1} l w, respectively. - This study provides the first data at the French level regarding the occurrence of PBDE in human, and demonstrates the exposure of both human foetus at late stage of pregnancy and newborn at early stages of life through breastfeeding with special emphasis on the presence of highly brominated compounds.

  2. Proteolytic activity of IgGs from blood serum of wistar rats at experimental rheumatoid arthritis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu. Ya. Kit

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this work was to study the proteolytic activity of IgGs purified from blood serum of Wistar rats at experimental rheumatoid arthritis (ERA induced by an injection of bovine collagen of type II. Twenty rats were immunized with a preparation of bovine collagen II (Sigma-Aldrich, USA in the presence of complete Freund’s adjuvant. ERA development was determined by inflammation in limbs of treated animals. IgG preparations were isolated from blood serum of immunized and non-immunized animals by precipitation of antibodies with 33% ammonium sulfate followed by chromatography on the Protein G-Sepharose column. Human histone H1, bovine collagen II, calf thymus histones, myelin basic protein (MBP, bovine serum albumin (BSA, and bovine casein were used as substrates of the proteolytic activity of IgGs. It was found that IgG preparations from blood serum of rats with ERA were capable of cleaving histone H1 and MBP, however, they were catalytically inactive towards collagen II, casein, BSA, and core histones. IgGs from blood serum of non-immunized rats were proteolytically inactive towards all used protein substrates. Thus, we demonstrated that immunization of rats with bovine collagen II induced IgG-antibodies possessing the proteolytic activity towards histone H1 and MBP. This activity might be associated with the development of inflammatory processes in the immunized rats.

  3. Influence of promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis combined with laparoscopy on serum MCP-1, RANTES, oxidative stress and hormones in infertile patients with endometriosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiao-Sha Zhang

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To observe the influence of promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis combined with laparoscopy on serum MCP-1, RANTES, oxidative stress and hormones in infertile patients with endometriosis. Methods: A total of 60 infertile patients with endometriosis were randomly divided into observation group (30 cases and control group (30 cases. Observation group: promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis combined with laparoscopy; control group: patients were treated only by laparoscopy. Recording and comparing the levels of MCP-1, RANTES, oxidative stress and hormones before and after treatment. Results: (1 Before treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in the serum MCP-1, RANTES, AOPP, MDA, SOD, levels between the two groups. After treatment, compared with the same group before treatment, the serum RANTES, AOPP, MDA levels of the two groups were significantly lower, the serum SOD level of the two groups were significantly higher, and those levels of observation group were significantly better than the control group, there was significant difference between the two groups. (2 Before treatment, there was no statistically significant difference in the serum FSH, LH, E2, P, PRL levels between the two groups. After treatment, compared with the same group before treatment, the serum FSH, LH, P, PRL levels of the two groups were significantly higher, the serum E2 level of the two groups were significantly lower, and those levels of observation group were significantly better than the control group, there was significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion: Promoting blood circulation to remove blood stasis combined with laparoscopy for infertile patients with endometriosis can reduce the levels of serum MCP-1, RANTES, oxidative stress, hormones and be beneficial to protect their uterine function.

  4. The influence of metronidazole on free thymidine content of blood serum of irradiated mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Konov, A.V.; Ryabchenko, N.I.

    1986-01-01

    The influence of a radiosensitizer, metronidazole, on the free thymidine content of blood serum of irradiated mice was studied in aerobic and hypoxic conditions. A heated metronidazole solution (1 mg/g) was administered intraperitoneally 30 min before irradiation of animals with a dose of 3 Gy. Thymidine concentration in blood serum was determined by the radioimmunological technique. The influence of metronidazole on the level of thymidinemia was only noted in the animals exposed under hypoxic conditions

  5. Reproducibility of Serum Potassium Values in Serum From Blood Samples Stored for Increasing Times Prior to Centrifugation and Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harper, Aaron; Lu, Chuanyong; Sun, Yi; Garcia, Rafael; Rets, Anton; Alexis, Herol; Saad, Heba; Eid, Ikram; Harris, Loretta; Marshall, Barbara; Tafani, Edlira; Pincus, Matthew R

    2016-05-01

    The goal of this work was to determine if immediate versus postponed centrifugation of samples affects the levels of serum potassium. Twenty participants donated normal venous blood that was collected in four serum separator tubes per donor, each of which was analyzed at 0, 1, 2, or 4 hr on the Siemens Advia 1800 autoanalyzer. Coefficients of variation (CVs) for potassium levels ranged from 0% to 7.6% with a mean of 3 ± 2%. ANOVA testing of the means for all 20 samples showed a P-value of 0.72 (>0.05) indicating that there was no statistically significant difference between the means of the samples at the four time points. Sixteen samples were found to have CVs that were ≤5%. Two samples showed increases of potassium from the reference range to levels higher than the upper reference limit, one of which had a 4-hr value that was within the reference or normal range (3.5-5 mEq/l). Overall, most samples were found to have reproducible levels of serum potassium. Serum potassium levels from stored whole blood collected in serum separator tubes are, for the most part, stable at room temperature for at least 4 hr prior to analysis. However, some samples can exhibit significant fluctuations of values. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  6. Increased micronuclei and bulky DNA adducts in cord blood after maternal exposures to traffic-related air pollution

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, M.; Wichmann, J.; Autrup, H.

    2009-01-01

    assessed through the use of validated biomarkers in blood cells from mother-newborn pairs. A cross-sectional biomonitoring study with healthy pregnant women living in the Greater Copenhagen area, Denmark, was conducted. Bulky DNA adducts and micronuclei (MN) were measured in blood from 75 women and 69...... levels were similar and positively correlated in maternal and cord blood (1.40 vs. 1.37 n/10(8) nucleotides; r = 0.99; p cells). Adduct levels were...... highest among mother-newborn pairs who lived near medium-traffic-density (> 400-2500 vehicle km/24 h; p 2500 vehicle km/24 h) were significantly increased (p = 0.02). This trend remained after adjusting...

  7. Persistence of Yellow Fever vaccine-induced antibodies after cord blood stem cell transplant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avelino-Silva, Vivian Iida; Freire, Marcos da Silva; Rocha, Vanderson; Rodrigues, Celso Arrais; Novis, Yana Sarkis; Sabino, Ester C; Kallas, Esper Georges

    2016-04-02

    We report the case of a cord blood haematopoietic stem cell transplant recipient who was vaccinated for Yellow Fever (YF) 7 days before initiating chemotherapy and had persistent YF antibodies more than 3 years after vaccination. Since the stem cell donor was never exposed to wild YF or to the YF vaccine, and our patient was not exposed to YF or revaccinated, this finding strongly suggests the persistence of recipient immunity. We briefly discuss potential consequences of incomplete elimination of recipient's leukocytes following existing haematopoietic cancer treatments.

  8. Collection, processing and testing of bone, corneas, umbilical cord blood and haematopoietic stem cells by European Blood Alliance members.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Närhi, M; Natri, O; Desbois, I; Kinggaard Holm, D; Galea, G; Aranko, K; Korhonen, M; Nordstrom, K

    2013-11-01

    A questionnaire study was carried out in collaboration with the European Blood Alliance (EBA) Tissues and Cells (T&C) working group. The aim was to assess the level of involvement and commonality of processes on the procurement, testing and storage of bone, corneas, umbilical cord blood (UCB) and haematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in order to identify different practices and to explore whether recommendations can be made for harmonization. An online questionnaire was used for data collection in 2011, and 43 replies were received covering 71 product answers from 13 countries. Estimated percentages of tissue and cell banking covered by EBA member blood banks as a proportion of all collections of each individual country varied markedly. There were also major differences in the amounts of products collected and discarded and in proportions tissues provided for grafting. However, discarding of certain collections also reflects the practice of increasing the likelihood of the very best units being used for transplantation. Harmonization of possible practices should focus on matching supply with demand and on identifying the most efficient operators. This could allow for the development of practices for minimizing unnecessary collections. © 2013 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

  9. Bulky DNA Adducts in Cord Blood, Maternal Fruit-and-Vegetable Consumption, and Birth Weight in a European Mother-Child Study (NewGeneris)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Marie; Schoket, Bernadette; Godschalk, Roger W

    2013-01-01

    , Greece, Norway, and Spain were recruited in 2006-2010. Adduct levels were measured by the 32P-postlabeling technique in white blood cells from 229 mothers and 612 newborns. Maternal diet was examined through questionnaires.Results: Adduct levels in maternal and cord blood samples were similar...... versus lowest tertile of adducts. The negative association with birth weight was limited to births in Norway, Denmark, and England, the countries with the lowest adduct levels, and was more pronounced in births to mothers with low intake of fruits and vegetables (-248 g; 95% CI: -405, -92 g) compared......, Kleinjans JC, Segerbäck D, Kogevinas M. 2013. Bulky DNA adducts in cord blood, maternal fruit-and-vegetable consumption, and birth weight in a European mother-child study (NewGeneris). Environ Health Perspect 121:1200-1206; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1206333....

  10. Using a Microfluidic-Microelectric Device to Directly Separate Serum/Blood Cells from a Continuous Whole Bloodstream Flow

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ming-Wen; Jeng, Kuo-Shyang; Yu, Ming-Che; Su, Jui-Chih

    2012-03-01

    To make the rapid separation of serum/blood cells possible in a whole bloodstream flow without centrifugation and Pasteur pipette suction, the first step is to use a microchannel to transport the whole bloodstream into a microdevice. Subsequently, the resulting serum/blood cell is separated from the whole bloodstream by applying other technologies. Creating the serum makes this subsequent separation possible. To perform the actual separation, a microchannel with multiple symmetric curvilinear microelectrodes has been designed on a glass substrate and fabricated with micro-electromechanical system technology. The blood cells can be observed clearly by black-field microscopy imaging. A local dielectrophoretic (DEP) force, obtained from nonuniform electric fields, was used for manipulating and separating the blood cells from a continuous whole bloodstream. The experimental studies show that the blood cells incur a local dielectrophoretic field when they are suspended in a continuous flow (v = 0.02-0.1 cm/s) and exposed to AC fields at a frequency of 200 kHz. Using this device, the symmetric curvilinear microelectrodes provide a local dielectrophoretic field that is sufficiently strong for separating nearby blood cells and purifying the serum in a continuous whole bloodstream flow.

  11. Systemic treatment of focal brain injury in the rat by human umbilical cord blood cells being at different level of neural commitment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gornicka-Pawlak, El Bieta; Janowski, Miroslaw; Habich, Aleksandra; Jablonska, Anna; Drela, Katarzyna; Kozlowska, Hanna; Lukomska, Barbara; Sypecka, Joanna; Domanska-Janik, Krystyna

    2011-01-01

    The aim of the study was to evaluate therapeutic effectiveness of intra-arterial infusion of human umbilical cord blood (HUCB) derived cells at different stages of their neural conversion. Freshly isolated mononuclear cells (D-0), neurally directed progenitors (D-3) and neural-like stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood (NSC) were compared. Focal brain damage was induced in rats by stereotactic injection of ouabain into dorsolateral striatum Three days later 10(7) of different subsets of HUCB cells were infused into the right internal carotid artery. Following surgery rats were housed in enriched environment for 30 days. Behavioral assessment consisted of tests for sensorimotor deficits (walking beam, rotarod, vibrissae elicited forelimb placing, apomorphine induced rotations), cognitive impairments (habit learning and object recognition) and exploratory behavior (open field). Thirty days after surgery the lesion volume was measured and the presence of donor cells was detected in the brain at mRNA level. At the same time immunohistochemical analysis of brain tissue was performed to estimate the local tissue response of ouabain injured rats and its modulation after HUCB cells systemic treatment. Functional effects of different subsets of cord blood cells shared substantial diversity in various behavioral tests. An additional analysis showed that D-0 HUCB cells were the most effective in functional restoration and reduction of brain lesion volume. None of transplanted cord blood derived cell fractions were detected in rat's brains at 30(th) day after treatment. This may suggest that the mechanism(s) underlying positive effects of HUCB derived cell may concern the other than direct neural cell supplementation. In addition increased immunoreactivity of markers indicating local cells proliferation and migration suggests stimulation of endogenous reparative processes by HUCB D-0 cell interarterial infusion.

  12. Cell type specific DNA methylation in cord blood: A 450K-reference data set and cell count-based validation of estimated cell type composition

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gervin, K. (Kristina); Page, C.M. (Christian Magnus); H.C.D. Aass (Hans Christian Dalsbotten); M.A.E. Jansen (Michelle); Fjeldstad, H.E. (Heidi Elisabeth); B.K. Andreassen (Bettina Kulle); L. Duijts (Liesbeth); J.B.J. van Meurs (Joyce); M.C. van Zelm (Menno); V.W.V. Jaddoe (Vincent); Nordeng, H. (Hedvig); Knudsen, G.P. (Gunn Peggy); P. Magnus (Per); W. Nystad (Wenche); Staff, A.C. (Anne Cathrine); J.F. Felix (Janine); R. Lyle (Robert)

    2016-01-01

    textabstractEpigenome-wide association studies of prenatal exposure to different environmental factors are becoming increasingly common. These studies are usually performed in umbilical cord blood. Since blood comprises multiple cell types with specific DNA methylation patterns, confounding caused

  13. Is There Any Reason to Prefer Cord Blood Instead of Adult Donors for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplants?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beksac, Meral

    2015-01-01

    As cord blood (CB) enables rapid access and tolerance to HLA mismatches, a number of unrelated CB transplants have reached 30,000. Such transplant activity has been the result of international accreditation programs maintaining highly qualified cord blood units (CBUs) reaching more than 600,000 CBUs stored worldwide. Efforts to increase stem cell content or engraftment rate of the graft by ex vivo expansion, modulation by molecules such as fucose, prostaglandin E2 derivative, complement CD26 inhibitors, or CXCR4/CXCL12 axis have been able to accelerate engraftment speed and rate. Furthermore, introduction of reduced intensity conditioning protocols, better HLA matching, and recognition of the importance of HLA-C have improved CB transplants success by decreasing transplant-related mortality. CB progenitor/stem cell content has been compared with adult stem cells revealing higher long-term repopulating capacity compared to bone marrow-mesenchymal stromal cells and lesser oncogenic potential than progenitor-induced stem cells. This chapter summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of CB compared to adult stem cells within the context of stem cell biology and transplantation.

  14. Unrelated cord blood transplantation in adults with myelodysplasia or secondary acute myeloblastic leukemia: a survey on behalf of Eurocord and CLWP of EBMT

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Robin, M.; Sanz, G.F.; Ionescu, I.; Rio, B.; Sirvent, A.; Renaud, M.; Carreras, E.; Milpied, N.; Mohty, M.; Beguin, Y.; Bordigoni, P.; Witte, T.J.M. de; Picardi, A.; Purtill, D.; Gluckman, E.; Kroger, N.; Rocha, V.

    2011-01-01

    The aim of our study was to evaluate, through the Eurocord and European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) registries, outcomes and risk factors for outcomes in adult patients who underwent single or double unrelated cord blood transplantation (UCBT) for myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)

  15. Stem cell comparison : What can we learn clinically from unrelated cord blood transplantation as an alternative stem cell source?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Milano, Filippo; Boelens, Jaap Jan

    2015-01-01

    Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is an important therapeutic option for a variety of malignant and non-malignant disorders (NMD). The use of umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) has made HCT available to many more patients. The increased level of human leukocyte antigen

  16. Ethnicity, equity and public benefit: a critical evaluation of public umbilical cord blood banking in Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samuel, G N; Kerridge, I H; Vowels, M; Trickett, A; Chapman, J; Dobbins, T

    2007-10-01

    Over the past decade umbilical cord blood (UCB) has been increasingly used as a source of haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) for patients who require a HSC transplant but do not have an HLA-matched donor. It was anticipated that using UCB as an alternative source of HSCs would increase the chance of finding a donor, particularly for the otherwise underrepresented ethnic minority groups. To evaluate the effectiveness of the Australian public UCB banks to increase the ethnic diversity of available HSC donations, this paper analyses the ethnic diversity of the Sydney Cord Blood Bank (SCBB), comparing this diversity to that of the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR). It also examines the ethnic diversity of those patients who, after requesting a haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the 2-year period between 2003 and 2005, managed to find a suitably matched bone marrow or UCB donor. We show that the ethnic mix of donors to the SCBB has remained generally broad in source, is comparative to the Australian population, and is more diverse than the ABMDR. This, however, may still not be sufficient to substantially increase the likelihood of finding a donor for some ethnic minority groups.

  17. Umbilical Cord Blood-Derived Stem Cells Improve Heat Tolerance and Hypothalamic Damage in Heat Stressed Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ling-Shu Tseng

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Heatstroke is characterized by excessive hyperthermia associated with systemic inflammatory responses, which leads to multiple organ failure, in which brain disorders predominate. This definition can be almost fulfilled by a mouse model of heatstroke used in the present study. Unanesthetized mice were exposed to whole body heating (41.2°C for 1 hour and then returned to room temperature (26°C for recovery. Immediately after termination of whole body heating, heated mice displayed excessive hyperthermia (body core temperature ~42.5°C. Four hours after termination of heat stress, heated mice displayed (i systemic inflammation; (ii ischemic, hypoxic, and oxidative damage to the hypothalamus; (iii hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis impairment (reflected by plasma levels of both adrenocorticotrophic-hormone and corticosterone; (iv decreased fractional survival; and (v thermoregulatory deficits (e.g., they became hypothermia when they were exposed to room temperature. These heatstroke reactions can be significantly attenuated by human umbilical cord blood-derived CD34+ cells therapy. Our data suggest that human umbilical cord blood-derived stem cells therapy may improve outcomes of heatstroke in mice by reducing systemic inflammation as well as hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis impairment.

  18. Standardization and application of indirect ELISA for diagnosis of Mycoplasma bovis in bovine blood serum samples

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samira Moraes Cunha de Mesquita

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT. Mesquita S.M.C., Mansur F.J., Nascimento E.R., Barreto M.L. & Kimura L.M.S. [Standardization and application of indirect ELISA for diagnosis of Mycoplasma bovis in bovine blood serum samples.] Padroniza- ção e aplicação de ELISA indireto para diagnóstico de Mycoplasma bovis em amostras de soro sanguíneo bovino. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária, 37(2:101-107, 2015. Universidade Federal Fluminense, Faculdade de Veteriná- ria, Rua Vital Brazil Filho, 64, Vital Brazil, Niterói, RJ 24230-340, Brasil. E-mail: samira.veterinaria@gmail.com International researchers presented results indicating frequent involvement of Mycoplasma spp. as a causative agent of mastitis in cattle, associating its presence with significant economic losses to farmers. Mycoplasma bovis is the species most reported and relevant, because it causes more severe disease. The level of antibodies against M. bovis remains high for several months and can be detected by ELISA. The aim of this work was to develop an indirect ELISA with whole cell antigen of M. bovis (strain Donetta PG 45 with subsequent application in bovine blood serum samples for detection of antibodies against M. bovis. The immunization of cows A and B by inoculating an immunogen against M. bovis to obtain hyperimmune blood serum was the first stage of this work, then the stage of standardization of ELISA was proceeded. The concentration of 2 mg of antigen/mL for coating the microtiter plates was decided by statistical analyses. The optical density value 0,2 was determined as the limit of reactivity discrimination of samples (the cut-off point. The hyperimmune blood serum sample of the cow A (collected 30 days after immunization was chosen as the positive control and, the fetal calf serum was chosen as negative control of the assay. In addition, the ideal optimal dilutions found for blood serum samples was 1:400 and for conjugate was 1:10.000 and the substrate used was the ortho

  19. Prenatal phthalate exposure and altered patterns of DNA methylation in cord blood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solomon, Olivia; Yousefi, Paul; Huen, Karen; Gunier, Robert B; Escudero-Fung, Maria; Barcellos, Lisa F; Eskenazi, Brenda; Holland, Nina

    2017-07-01

    Epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation may be a molecular mechanism through which environmental exposures affect health. Phthalates are known endocrine disruptors with ubiquitous exposures in the general population including pregnant women, and they have been linked with a number of adverse health outcomes. We examined the association between in utero phthalate exposure and altered patterns of cord blood DNA methylation in 336 Mexican-American newborns. Concentrations of 11 phthalate metabolites were analyzed in maternal urine samples collected at 13 and 26 weeks gestation as a measure of fetal exposure. DNA methylation was assessed using the Infinium HumanMethylation 450K BeadChip adjusting for cord blood cell composition. To identify differentially methylated regions (DMRs) that may be more informative than individual CpG sites, we used two different approaches, DMRcate and comb-p. Regional assessment by both methods identified 27 distinct DMRs, the majority of which were in relation to multiple phthalate metabolites. Most of the significant DMRs (67%) were observed for later pregnancy (26 weeks gestation). Further, 51% of the significant DMRs were associated with the di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolites. Five individual CpG sites were associated with phthalate metabolite concentrations after multiple comparisons adjustment (FDR), all showing hypermethylation. Genes with DMRs were involved in inflammatory response (IRAK4 and ESM1), cancer (BRCA1 and LASP1), endocrine function (CNPY1), and male fertility (IFT140, TESC, and PRDM8). These results on differential DNA methylation in newborns with prenatal phthalate exposure provide new insights and targets to explore mechanism of adverse effects of phthalates on human health. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 58:398-410, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. A 125I-radioimmunoassay for measuring androstenedione in serum and in blood-spot samples from neonates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomson, S.; Wallace, A.M.; Cook, B.

    1989-01-01

    We developed a radioimmunoassay with a gamma-emitting radioligand to measure androstenedione in human serum and in dried blood-spot samples from newborns. Antisera were raised in rabbits against androstenedione linked to bovine serum albumin at positions 3, 6, or 11 on the steroid nucleus. Radioligands were prepared by linking [ 125 I]iodohistamine at positions 3, 6, or 11. Linkages were through either carboxymethyloxime or hemisuccinate bridges. All label and antibody combinations were examined, and the most sensitive and specific combination (antiserum raised against androstenedione-3-carboxymethyloxime-bovine serum albumin with an androstenedione-carboxymethyloxime-[ 125 I]iodohistamine label) was selected for full evaluation. We report the performance of these selected reagents in an immunoassay for androstenedione in both serum and dried blood-spot samples from neonates. We measured concentrations of androstenedione in serum under normal and pathological conditions such as congenital adrenal hyperplasia and polycystic ovarian disease. Diurnal variation in normal men was observed. Androstenedione was measured in blood spots from neonates born at term or prematurely, with respiratory distress syndrome, or with congenital adrenal hyperplasia

  1. Study on the relationship between peripheral blood red blood cells imuno-function status and serum gastrin level in patients with peptic ulcer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Qin; Fan Rong; Luo Honglai; Wang Ying; Tao Liangliang; Wang Zhenkai

    2011-01-01

    Objective: To explore the relationship between changes of peripheral blood red blood cells immuno-function status and serum gastrin level in patients with peptic ulcer. Methods: RBC immuno-function status was studied with immune methods and serum gastrin level was measured with RIA in 51 patients with peptic ulcer and compared with 35 healthy control group. Results: RBC-C3bRR percentage was significantly lower in patients with peptic ulcer than that in controls (P<0.01), while serum gastrin level was significantly higher (P<0.01). RBC-C3bRR was significantly nagatively correlated to serum gastrin (r=-0.3828, P<0.01). RBC-ICRRR percentage was prominently higher than that in healthy controls (P<0.01), and RBC-ICRRR was positively correlated to serum gastrin level (r=0.4185, P<0.01). Conclusion: There were disturbance of RBC immune-regulation with suppressed immune function and higher gastrin levels in patients with peptic ulcer. (authors)

  2. In vitro susceptibilities in lymphocytes from mothers and cord blood to the monofunctional alkylating agent EMS

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wyatt, N P; Falque-Gonzalez, C; Farrar, D

    2007-01-01

    at the Bradford Royal Infirmary collected venous blood samples from mothers at the time of birth and venous cord blood post-delivery. Lymphocytes were isolated from both blood types and examined in the alkaline comet assay using the monofunctional alkylating agent ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS). There were...... no biologically significant differences when subjects were categorized into subgroups based on lifestyle habits and physical characteristics, and overall there were no statistically significant differences in levels of DNA damage in mothers (n=22) and babies (n=22), except at the basal level (P... values in babies were always lower over the EMS dose range. Whole blood was used in the micronucleus (MN) assay, and there was a significantly (Prate of MN in mothers (n=17), per 1000 binucleates, as compared with lymphocytes from their offspring (n=17) at the basal level. This may...

  3. Comparative Analysis of Clinical Samples Showing Weak Serum Reaction on AutoVue System Causing ABO Blood Typing Discrepancies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jo, Su Yeon; Lee, Ju Mi; Kim, Hye Lim; Sin, Kyeong Hwa; Lee, Hyeon Ji; Chang, Chulhun Ludgerus; Kim, Hyung Hoi

    2017-03-01

    ABO blood typing in pre-transfusion testing is a major component of the high workload in blood banks that therefore requires automation. We often experienced discrepant results from an automated system, especially weak serum reactions. We evaluated the discrepant results by the reference manual method to confirm ABO blood typing. In total, 13,113 blood samples were tested with the AutoVue system; all samples were run in parallel with the reference manual method according to the laboratory protocol. The AutoVue system confirmed ABO blood typing of 12,816 samples (97.7%), and these results were concordant with those of the manual method. The remaining 297 samples (2.3%) showed discrepant results in the AutoVue system and were confirmed by the manual method. The discrepant results involved weak serum reactions (serum reactions, samples from patients who had received stem cell transplants, ABO subgroups, and specific system error messages. Among the 98 samples showing ≤1+ reaction grade in the AutoVue system, 70 samples (71.4%) showed a normal serum reaction (≥2+ reaction grade) with the manual method, and 28 samples (28.6%) showed weak serum reaction in both methods. ABO blood tying of 97.7% samples could be confirmed by the AutoVue system and a small proportion (2.3%) needed to be re-evaluated by the manual method. Samples with a 2+ reaction grade in serum typing do not need to be evaluated manually, while those with ≤1+ reaction grade do.

  4. HVRII of mtDNA in Cord Blood Cells of Newborn Children and in Their Saliva 10 Years Later

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Schmuczerová, Jana; Töröková, P.; Kujanová, M.; Čechová, H.; Topinka, Jan; Dostál, Miroslav; Šrám, Radim; Brdička, R.

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 56, č. 1 (2011), s. 26-29 ISSN 0015-5500 R&D Projects: GA MŽP SL/5/160/05 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50390512 Keywords : mitochondrial DNA * cord blood * saliva Subject RIV: DN - Health Impact of the Environment Quality Impact factor: 1.151, year: 2011

  5. Enhancing endogenous stem cells in the newborn via delayed umbilical cord clamping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher Lawton

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available There is currently no consensus among clinicians and scientists over the appropriate or optimal timing for umbilical cord clamping. However, many clinical studies have suggested that delayed cord clamping is associated with various neonatal benefits including increased blood volume, reduced need for blood transfusion, increased cerebral oxygenation in pre-term infants, and decreased frequency of iron deficiency anemia in term infants. Human umbilical cord blood contains significant amounts of stem and progenitor cells and is currently used in the treatment of several life-threatening diseases. We propose that delayed cord clamping be encouraged as it enhances blood flow from the placenta to the neonate, which is accompanied by an increase supply of valuable stem and progenitor cells, as well as may improve blood oxygenation and increase blood volume, altogether reducing the infant′s susceptibility to both neonatal and age-related diseases.

  6. Perfluorinated compound levels in cord blood and neurodevelopment at 2 years of age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Mei-Huei; Ha, Eun-Hee; Liao, Hua-Fang; Jeng, Suh-Fang; Su, Yi-Ning; Wen, Ting-Wen; Lien, Guang-Wen; Chen, Chia-Yang; Hsieh, Wu-Shiun; Chen, Pau-Chung

    2013-11-01

    Epidemiologic data regarding the potential neurotoxicity of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) are inconclusive. We investigated the associations between in utero exposure to perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctyl sulfonate (PFOS) and early childhood neurodevelopment. We recruited 239 mother-infant pairs in northern Taiwan from the Taiwan Birth Panel Study, which was established in 2004. We examined the association between PFCs in cord blood and children's neurodevelopment at 2 years of age, using the Comprehensive Developmental Inventory for Infants and Toddlers. This tool contains cognitive, language, motor, social, and self-help domains; test scores were further transformed into developmental quotients according to standardized norms. All multivariate regression models were adjusted for infant sex and gestational age, maternal education, family income, cord blood cotinine levels, postnatal environmental tobacco smoke exposure, and breastfeeding. Prenatal PFOS concentrations in both untransformed and natural log (Ln)-transformed values were associated with adverse performance on the whole test and the domains related to development. A dose-response relationship was observed when PFOS levels were categorized into four groups. This association was most obvious in relation to the gross-motor subdomain. Across the PFOS interquartile range, the quotients of the gross-motor subdomain decreased by 3.7 points (95% confidence interval [CI] = -6.0 to -1.5), with an increasing odds ratio of poor performance (2.4; 95% CI = 1.3 to 4.2). In contrast, measures of association between PFOA concentrations and test scores were close to null. Prenatal exposure to PFOS, but not PFOA, may affect children's development, especially gross-motor development at 2 years of age.

  7. Metabolic risks of neonates at birth following in utero exposure to HIV-ART: the amino acid profile of cord blood

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Moutloatse, Gontse P.; Schoeman, Johannes C.; Lindeque, Zander; van Reenen, Mari; Hankemeier, Thomas; Bunders, Madeleine J.; Reinecke, Carolus J.

    2017-01-01

    Introduction Untargeted metabolomics of cord blood indicated that antiretroviral therapy to HIV-infected mothers (HIV-ART) did not compromise the exposed neonates with regard to the stress of neonatal hypoglycaemia at birth. However, identified biomarkers reflected stress in their energy metabolism,

  8. Blood mercury can be a factor of elevated serum ferritin: analysis of Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES 2008-2012).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joo, Nam-Seok; Choi, Young-Hwa; Yeum, Kyung-Jin; Park, Soo-Jung; Choi, Beomhee; Kim, Young-Sang

    2015-03-01

    Serum ferritin as well as blood mercury are reported to be associated with chronic inflammation. However, the relation between serum ferritin and blood mercury has not yet been established. We utilized the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2008-2012) 10,977 subjects (5433 males and 5544 females). To evaluate the association of serum ferritin and blood mercury cross-sectionally, complex sample analysis was conducted after adjustment for the relevant variables. Serum concentrations of ferritin and blood mercury were higher in males than in females (115.7 ± 1.7 vs. 40.9 ± 0.7 ng/mL and 5.0 ± 0.1 vs. 3.6 ± 0.1 μg/L, respectively). Serum ferritin and blood mercury concentrations had significant correlations in both genders after adjustment (r = 0.062, P mercury (P = 0.007) in males. The adjusted odds ratio of having the highest tertile of serum ferritin in the top tertile of blood mercury in males was 1.52 (95 % confidence interval (CI), 1.05-2.21). Thus, the current study indicates that blood mercury concentration can be a factor for the elevated serum ferritin concentration.

  9. Relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and red blood cell indices in German adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doudin, Asmma; Becker, Andreas; Rothenberger, Aribert; Meyer, Thomas

    2018-04-01

    Since the impact of vitamin D on red blood cell formation has not been well studied, we aimed at assessing the putative link between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations and hematological markers of erythropoiesis in a large cohort of German adolescents aged 11 to 17 years. In total, 5066 participants from the population-based, nationally representative KiGGS study (Kinder- und Jugendgesundheitssurvey, German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents) were grouped into either tertiles or clinically accepted cutoff levels for serum 25(OH)D. Results demonstrated significant and inverse correlations between 25(OH)D levels and several hematological parameters including hemoglobin concentration (r = - 0.04, p = 0.003), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (r = - 0.11, p < 0.001), red blood cell count (r = - 0.04, p = 0.002), and soluble transferrin receptor (r = - 0.1, p < 0.001), whereas, in contrast, serum 25(OH)D was positively correlated to the mean corpuscular volume of erythrocytes (r = 0.08, p < 0.001). Multinomial regression models adjusted for clinically relevant confounders confirmed statistically significant differences between the two strata of 25(OH)D groups with respect to red blood cell markers (hemoglobin concentration, red blood cell count, mean corpuscular volume, and corpuscular hemoglobin, as well as iron and soluble transferrin receptor). The link between serum 25(OH)D and several important hematological parameters may point to an inhibitory role of vitamin D in the regulation of erythropoiesis in adolescents. What is Known: • The physiological effects of vitamin D on calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism have been established. • However, much less is known about the impact of circulating vitamin D on erythropoiesis. What is New: • Data from the KiGGS study in German adolescents demonstrated significant associations between serum vitamin D concentrations and red

  10. Expression of ICAM-1 in blood-spinal cord barrier disruption and CNS radiation injury

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nordal, R.A.; Li, Y.-Q.; Wong, C.S.

    2003-01-01

    Full text: Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression is increased following a number of CNS insults in association with blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption. While disruption of ICAM-1 expression reduces injury in diverse pathologies ranging from trauma to ischemia, its role in CNS radiation injury is not understood. Adult rats received 0 to 22 Gy to a 1.6 cm length of the cervical spinal cord. Expression of ICAM-1 was studied using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) disruption was detected by IHC for endogenous albumin and the BBB protein endothelial barrier antigen (EBA). To assess the role of ICAM-1 in the mechanisms of BSCB disruption, animals received IV injections of an ICAM-1-specific blocking antibody (IA-29) or vehicle control, and BSCB disruption was examined by albumin IHC. ICAM-1, albumin, and EBA staining areas were quantified by digital image analysis. ICAM-1 expression localized predominantly to endothelium in non-irradiated spinal cord sections. Some expression was also identified in astrocytes. ICAM-1 expression was increased in white matter, but not in grey matter following radiation. After 22 Gy, ICAM-1 protein increased at 24 hours, and increased again from baseline at 17-20 weeks. Induction was seen in both the total immunostained area, and in the number of ICAM-1 positive glia. A dose response was observed in ICAM-1 expression 20 weeks after 16-20 Gy. BSCB disruption also increased with doses 16-20 Gy at 20 weeks. Blocking ICAM-1 with IA-29 significantly decreased BSCB leakage of albumin at 24 hours (p=0.03). Regions with both increased ICAM-1 expression and BSCB disruption were identified in white matter. Thus the dose response and spatial distribution of increased ICAM-1 expression parallels that for BSCB disruption. These results are consistent with a role for increased ICAM-1 expression in radiation-induced BSCB disruption. The effect of blocking ICAM-1 with a neutralizing antibody suggests its

  11. Concentration of glucose, insuline, thyroxine (T/sub 4/), triiodthyronine (T/sub 3/) and gastrine in the maternal blood, in the umbilical cord blood of their outcomes in the neonatal blood samples

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Osuch-Jaczewska, R; Tomala, J; Adamska, S; Bielecka, W; Mikulska, M; Kalacinska, M; Sieron, G [Slaska Akademia Medyczna, Katowice (Poland)

    1978-01-01

    In the blood samples collected from the mothers, from the umbilical cord of their outcomes and from these neonates after 24 hours of life the following estimations were performed collaterally: The concentration of insulin in 50 mothers and their fetuses and in 34 neonates, concentration of thyroxine (T/sub 4/) in 70 mothers and their fetuses and in 32 neonates, triiodothyronine binding coefficient (WWT/sub 3/) in 60 mothers and their fetuses and neonates, concentration of gastrine in 23 mothers and their fetuses and in 5 neonates. Besides that the concentration of glucose in total blood was established in 300 mothers - their fetuses and neonates. The insuline, WWT/sub 3/ and gastrine were estimated by radioimmune techniques and T/sub 4/ by radiocompetitive technique. The glucose concentration - with the aid of o-toluidine method. Basing on the results, the paper suggests that the fetus and the newborn represent independent unit in the aspect of regulation of the glucose concentration, secretion of insuline, T/sub 3/, T/sub 4/ and gastrine, notwithstanding the possibility of transplacental passage of these hormones exists the correlation coefficients between the maternal and fetal blood concentrations of insuline, T/sub 4/ and WWT/sub 3/ were significant. The cord-blood glucose concentration exhibits a marked correlation with the maternal glicemia. Physiologic, asymptomatic hyperinsulinemia and hyperthyreosis and an increase of gastrine concentration demonstrate the presence, in the fetal and neonatal organisms, of certain compensatory-regulating mechanisms stimulating and inhibiting with feed-back properties, which guarantee the environmental homeostasis.

  12. Evaluation of maternal serum alpha-foetoprotein assay using dry blood spot samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González, C; Guerrero, J M; Elorza, F L; Molinero, P; Goberna, R

    1988-02-01

    The quantification of alpha-foetoprotein in dry blood spots from pregnant women was evaluated, using a conventional radioimmunoassay (RIA) with a monospecific antibody. The stability of alpha-foetoprotein in dry blood spots on filter paper was evaluated with respect to mailing, distances travelled, and the existence of high summer temperatures in our region. The results obtained show that the blood alpha-foetoprotein is stable on dry filter spots sent by mail and is stable for up to four weeks at 4, 25 and 37 degrees C. The analytical method used has a minimal detectable concentration of 10 +/- 1.9 international kilo-units/l. Both inter- and intra-assay variabilities are smaller than 10% and this method can provide results comparable with those of conventional serum assays. Results from dry blood spots and serum samples (the latter analysed by both RIA and two-site enzyme immunoassay) exhibited a good correlation (r = 0.98 and r = 0.97, p less than 0.001). The design of the assay and the nature of the samples make this method suitable for a screening programmes for the antenatal detection of open neural tube defects.

  13. Epstein-Barr Virus-positive T-cell Lymphoproliferative Disease Following Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation for Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yui, Shunsuke; Yamaguchi, Hiroki; Imadome, Ken-ichi; Arai, Ayako; Takahashi, Mikiko; Ohashi, Ryuji; Tamai, Hayato; Moriya, Keiichi; Nakayama, Kazutaka; Shimizu, Akira; Inokuchi, Koiti

    2016-01-01

    We report a case of the extremely rare condition Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive T-cell lymphoproliferative disease (LPD) which occurred after umbilical cord blood transplantation. A 25-year-old Japanese man underwent cord blood transplantation from a male human leukocyte antigen 4/6-matched donor due to acute myeloid leukemia with trisomy 8. Bone marrow examination on day 30 showed chimerism with at least 90% donor cells and complete hematological response. Chronic symptoms of graft-versus-host disease appeared only on the skin and were successfully treated with cyclosporine alone. Three years later, however, the patient experienced repeated cold-like symptoms and was hospitalized with liver dysfunction. A high fever developed and was followed by significant edema of the right side of the face. The EBV DNA copy number in whole peripheral blood was 2×10(4)/mL. Liver biopsy showed invasion of EBV-infected CD8-positive T cells. Southern blotting analysis of the whole peripheral blood showed that the T-cell receptor Cβ1 rearrangement was positive. On the basis of these results, EBV-positive T-cell LPD was diagnosed and treated with prednisolone, cyclosporine, and etoposide, followed by cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone. However, the patient died of cardiac function failure, pneumonia, and pulmonary hemorrhage, all of unidentified cause. Most cases of EBV-related LPD after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation consist of EBV-positive B-cell LPD, and, to our knowledge, de novo EBV-positive T-cell LPD subsequent to transplantation has not been previously reported.

  14. Prenatal exposures to persistent organic pollutants as measured in cord blood and meconium from three localities of Zhejiang, China

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhao Gaofeng [State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072 (China); State Key Laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085 (China); Xu Ying [State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072 (China)]. E-mail: xuying@ihb.ac.cn; Li Wen [State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072 (China); Han Guanggen [Zhejiang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, 310009 (China); Ling Bo [Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 100050 (China)

    2007-05-15

    Prenatal exposures to persistent organic pollutants were assessed using the levels of PCBs and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) measured in cord blood and meconium samples from Luqiao and two other localities of the Zhejiang province in China. Luqiao is a town with the largest site for disassembly of PCB-containing obsolete transformers and electrical waste in China. The other two localities Pingqiao (100 km NW of Luqiao) and Lin'an (500 km NW of Luqiao) are towns without known electronic or electrical waste sites. A total of 23 PCB congeners (including 12 dioxin-like) and 6 OCPs were measured using the traditional GC-{mu}ECD technique. Micro-EROD bioassay was additionally used to measure TCDD-based TEQ levels of the 12 dioxin-like PCBs. Significant correlations were found between the TEQs measured by the two methods, supporting the application of micro-EROD as a practical tool for complementing the chemical analysis. The data showed that {beta}-HCH, p,p'-DDE, and 6 PCB congeners (101, 138, 153, 180, 183, and 187) were the predominant pollutants, with PCB138 being the best indicator (predictor) for total PCB levels. Cord blood and meconium from Luqiao have higher levels of PCBs than those from the other two localities, suggesting that a disassembly site for electronic and electric waste would provide an environment for greater exposure to these chemicals. The cord blood or meconium levels of {beta}-HCH, though likewise considerably high, were comparable in the three localities. Similar findings were observed for p,p'-DDE. Pollution by these OCPs might have come from past use of agricultural pesticides in the three localities.

  15. Prognostic Significance of Blood, Serum, and Ascites Parameters in Patients with Malignant Peritoneal Mesothelioma or Peritoneal Carcinomatosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Shan-Shan; Zheng, Guo-Qi; Yin, Wen-Jie; Liang, Yu-Fei; Liu, Ying-Ying; Song, Hui; Sun, Ning-Ning; Yang, Yu-Xin

    2018-01-01

    To determine effects of the biochemical and cytological properties of blood, serum, and ascites on survival of patients with malignant peritoneal effusion (MPeE), including malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPeM) and peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC), we conducted a retrospective study of patients with MPeE and healthy controls. Potential prognostic factors were identified as follows: age, sex, blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), serum parameters, ascites parameters, serum-ascites albumin gradient, and the ascites-serum LDH ratio. Compared to those of the control group, serum albumin levels were significantly lower, and the NLR and serum LDH levels were significantly higher in the MPeE group. Overall survival (OS) was longer in patients with MPeM compared to that in patients with PC. Compared with patients in the MPeM, patients with PC had higher NLRs, ascites glucose levels, serum-ascites albumin gradients, and serum LDH levels. In contrast, their ascites albumin levels and ascites-serum LDH ratios were lower. Univariate analyses indicated that the NLR, serum LDH levels, ascites LDH levels, ascites coenocyte levels, and the ascites coenocyte-to-monocyte ratios affected the OS. Multivariate analyses identified only serum and ascites LDH levels as independent prognostic factors.

  16. Trace element analysis of human blood serum by neutron activation analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakahara, H.; Nagame, Y.; Yoshizawa, Y.; Oda, H.; Gotoh, S.; Murakami, Y.

    1979-01-01

    An attempt was made to determine if there is any correlation between trace element concentrations in human blood serum and some specific diseases. The serum samples of the patients suffering from cancer, Down syndrome, and Banti syndrome were analyzed by the neutron activation method and compared with the trace element concentrations observed among clinically healthy men. The cancer patients had concentrations in Rb, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Al and Se below normal. The Down syndrome patients were found to have similar deficiencies in Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Zn, Cu and Sb. (author)

  17. A sup 125 I-radioimmunoassay for measuring androstenedione in serum and in blood-spot samples from neonates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thomson, S.; Wallace, A.M.; Cook, B. (Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow (England))

    1989-08-01

    We developed a radioimmunoassay with a gamma-emitting radioligand to measure androstenedione in human serum and in dried blood-spot samples from newborns. Antisera were raised in rabbits against androstenedione linked to bovine serum albumin at positions 3, 6, or 11 on the steroid nucleus. Radioligands were prepared by linking ({sup 125}I)iodohistamine at positions 3, 6, or 11. Linkages were through either carboxymethyloxime or hemisuccinate bridges. All label and antibody combinations were examined, and the most sensitive and specific combination (antiserum raised against androstenedione-3-carboxymethyloxime-bovine serum albumin with an androstenedione-carboxymethyloxime-({sup 125}I)iodohistamine label) was selected for full evaluation. We report the performance of these selected reagents in an immunoassay for androstenedione in both serum and dried blood-spot samples from neonates. We measured concentrations of androstenedione in serum under normal and pathological conditions such as congenital adrenal hyperplasia and polycystic ovarian disease. Diurnal variation in normal men was observed. Androstenedione was measured in blood spots from neonates born at term or prematurely, with respiratory distress syndrome, or with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

  18. Proteomic Profiling of Ex Vivo Expanded CD34-Positive Haematopoetic Cells Derived from Umbilical Cord Blood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heiner Falkenberg

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Ex vivo expansion of haematopoetic cells by application of specific cytokines is one approach to overcome boundaries in cord blood transplantation due to limited numbers of haematopoetic stem cells. While many protocols describe an effective increase of total cell numbers and the amount of CD34-positive cells, it still remains unclear if and how the procedure actually affects the cells’ properties. In the presented publications, CD34-positive cells were isolated from cord blood and expanded for up to 7 days in media supplemented with stem cell factor (SCF, thrombopoietin (THPO, interleukin 6 (IL-6, and fms-related tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (FLT3lg. At days 3 and 7, expanded cells were harvested and analyzed by flow cytometry and quantitative proteomics. 2970 proteins were identified, whereof proteomic analysis showed 440 proteins significantly changed in abundance during ex vivo expansion. Despite the fact that haematopoetic cells still expressed CD34 on the surface after 3 days, major changes in regard to the protein profile were observed, while further expansion showed less effect on the proteome level. Enrichment analysis of biological processes clearly showed a proteomic change toward a protein biosynthesis phenotype already within the first three days of expression.

  19. Knowledge, beliefs, and decisions of pregnant Australian women concerning donation and storage of umbilical cord blood: a population-based survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jordens, Christopher F C; Kerridge, Ian H; Stewart, Cameron L; O'Brien, Tracey A; Samuel, Gabrielle; Porter, Maree; O'Connor, Michelle A C; Nassar, Natasha

    2014-12-01

    Many women giving birth in Australian hospitals can choose to donate their child's umbilical cord blood to a public cord blood bank or pay to store it privately. We conducted a survey to determine the proportion and characteristics of pregnant women who are aware of umbilical cord blood (UCB) banking and who have considered and decided about this option. The survey also sought to ascertain information sources, knowledge, and beliefs about UCB banking, and the effect of basic information about UCB on decisions. Researchers and hospital maternity staff distributed a survey with basic information about UCB banking to 1,873 women of at least 24 weeks' gestation who were attending antenatal classes and hospital clinics in 14 public and private maternity hospitals in New South Wales. Most respondents (70.7%) were aware of UCB banking. Their main information sources were leaflets from hospital clinics, print media, antenatal classes, TV, radio, friends, and relatives. Knowledge about UCB banking was patchy, and respondents overestimated the likelihood their child would need or benefit from UCB. Women who were undecided about UCB banking were younger, less educated, or from ethnic or rural backgrounds. After providing basic information about UCB banking, the proportion of respondents who indicated they had decided whether or not to donate or store UCB more than doubled from 30.0 to 67.7 percent. Basic information for parents about UCB banking can affect planned decisions about UCB banking. Information should be accurate and balanced, should counter misconceptions, and should target specific groups. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Maternal serum theobromine and the development of preeclampsia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klebanoff, Mark A; Zhang, Jun; Zhang, Cuilin; Levine, Richard J

    2009-09-01

    Preeclampsia, a disorder with prominent cardiovascular manifestations, is a cause of maternal, fetal, and infant morbidity and mortality. Chocolate contains compounds that may promote cardiovascular health. A recent study found chocolate consumption during pregnancy, and, particularly, increasing cord serum concentration of theobromine (the primary methylxanthine alkaloid in chocolate), to be associated with reduced occurrence of preeclampsia. We studied 2769 women who comprised the control group from a case-control study of caffeine metabolites and spontaneous abortion nested within the Collaborative Perinatal Project. These women were pregnant between 1959 and 1966, with liveborn infants of at least 28 weeks' gestation. Serum was drawn at 26 weeks' gestation, and assayed for theobromine by high-performance liquid chromatography. Odds ratios (ORs) for preeclampsia were estimated using logistic regression, and adjusted for age, education, prepregnant weight, race, parity, smoking, and gestation at blood draw. Preeclampsia occurred in 68 (2.9%) of 2105 eligible women. Adjusted ORs for preeclampsia were near unity across most third-trimester theobromine concentrations. Adjusted ORs for preeclampsia according to theobromine concentration in serum at theobromine and preeclampsia.