Frequency of brain tissue donation for research after suicide

Objectives: To describe the frequency of brain tissue donation for research purposes by families of individuals that committed suicide. Methods: All requests for brain tissue donation to a brain biorepository made to the families of individuals aged 18-60 years who had committed suicide between March 2014 and February 2016 were included. Cases presenting with brain damage due to acute trauma were excluded. Results: Fifty-six cases of suicide were reported. Of these, 24 fulfilled the exclusion criteria, and 11 others were excluded because no next of kin was found to provide informed consent. Of the 21 remaining cases, brain tissue donation was authorized in nine (tissue fragments in seven and the entire organ in two). Conclusions: Donation of brain tissue from suicide cases for research purposes is feasible. The acceptance rate of 42.8% in our sample is in accordance with international data on such donations, and similar to rates reported for neurodegenerative diseases.

Availability of olfactory bulb: experience from a British Brain Bank / Disponibilidade de bulbos olfatórios em um banco de cérebro britânico: a experiência do Queen Square Brain Bank

The olfactory bulb and tract (OB/OT) are among the earliest structures in the brain to undergo pathological changes in many neurodegenerative conditions. The availability of OB/OT samples from brain specimens in brain banks therefore assumes importance. We collected data from 5 years (2006-2010) regarding the presence or absence of OB/OT material in cases received by the Queen Square Brain Bank (QSBB) for Neurological Disorders, UCL Institute of Neurology, UK, to estimate availability of OB/OT material at the brain bank and also to look for possible associations. Of the 438 cases received, 320 had complete data regarding OB/OT and 29.4% of these had OB/OT in at least one half of the specimen. Unavailability of OB/OT was associated with larger post-mortem delays (p<0.001), suggesting that the delay might render the tissue more friable and hence lead to its loss. Brains from female donors also tended to have a higher availability in our samples.

O bulbo e o trato olfatórios (OB/OT) são algumas das estruturas cerebrais mais sensíveis a neurodegeneração. A disponibilidade deste material para estudos neuropatológicos em bancos de cérebro tem, portanto, grande relevância. Coletamos dados referentes a 5 anos (2006-2010) a respeito da presença ou ausência de OB/OT no Queen Square Brain Bank (QSBB) for Neurological Disorders, parte do UCL Institute of Neurology, Reino Unido, para estimar a disponibildade deste material em um banco de cérebro, e também para estudar fatores que influenciam essa disponibilidade. Dos 438 casos recebidos, encontramos dados referentes a presença ou ausência de OB/OT em 320, dos quais 29,4% possuiam OB/OT em pelo menos um lado. A indisponibilidade de OB/OT foi associada a maior intervalo entre a morte e a autópsia(p<0.001), sugerindo que o atraso pode deixar o material mais friável, levando aperda durante a coleta. Cérebros de doadoras femininas apresentaram maior disponibilidade de OB/OT em nossa amostra.

Tumor banks: the cornerstone of basic research in urology

PURPOSE: Tumor banks have the primary responsibility for collecting, cataloging, storing and disseminating samples of tissues, cells and fluids, which are used by researchers to identify diagnostic molecular markers, prognostic indicators and therapeutic targets. The objective of this review was to describe a simple, reliable and reproducible protocol for obtaining and storing samples of urological tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Urogenital tumor tissues were collected by the surgeons from the Urology Division of University of Sao Paulo Medical School. The obtained surgical specimens were immediately placed in liquid nitrogen, dry ice or in a tube containing RNAlater ®, and then stored by cryopreservation (-80°C). A mirror fragment was fixed in 10 percent formalin processed routinely and embedded in Paraplast®. RESULTS: We developed a protocol for the collection, cataloging, storage, conservation and use of tumor samples. During a period of one year the Urological Tumor Bank of the Urology Division stored 274 samples of prostate, bladder, kidney, penis and testicle tumors of different histological types, 74 urine and 271 serum samples. CONCLUSIONS: Having biological materials characterized and available along with the clinical patient information provides an integrated portrait of the patients and their diseases facilitating advances in molecular biology. It also promotes the development of translational research improving methods of diagnosis and cancer treatment.

Banco de osso: organizaçäo e utilizaçäo clínica no Hospital das Clínicas da FMRP/USP / Bone bank: organization and clinical use in the Hospital das Clínicas of FMRP/USP

Os autores descrevem a rotina do Banco de Osso do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicna de Ribeiräo Preto da Universidade de Säo Paulo e seus primeiros resultados utilizando enxerto ósseo homólogo congelado. Os enxertos procederam de cabeças femorais obtidas durante artroplastias de quadril, das quais foram cuidadosamente retirados os remanescentes de partes moles e cartilagem e, ap[os serem divididas em quatro pedaços, foram imersas em 200ml de soro fisiológico com um grama de Jeflin e guardados em frasco estéril,s endo estocadas no congelador a - 70 graus Celsus. No dia de sua utilizaçäo, o frasco era deixado na temperatura ambiente por algumas horas. O enxerto era reduzido a pequenos fragmentos e deixado em soro fisiológico até o momento de sua aplicaçäo. No período de 1984 a julho de 1989 foram submetidos a enxertia 41 pacientes, recebendo um deles aplicaçäo bilateral (paciente 22). Os diagnósticos iniciais foram: perdas de substância = 25(57%); pseudoartrose asséptica = 7(17%); patologias congênitas = (12%); escoliose idiopática = 1(2%). Foram submetidos aos seguintes tratamentos cirúrgicos: osteossíntese = 25(60%); alongamento = 5(12%); artrose = 4(10%); curetagem de lesäo com enxertia = 8(19%). Como critériod e avaliaçäo, usamos a itegraçäo radiológica. Preenchimento da funçäo destinada era considerado bom resultado e, como mau, a näo integraçäo radiológica com reabsorçäo e falha no tratamento. Obtivemos 36(86%) bons resultados e seis (14%) maus resultados. Destes seis maus resultados, cinco foram reoperados com uso de enxerto autólogo, resolvendo o problema. Um paciente evoluiu con infecçäo o pós-operatória, sendo submetido à cirurgia de Girdlestone, obtendo cura da infecçäo. Concluímos que o Banco de Osso, nos moldes propostos, preenche os objetivos desejados, sendo de baixo custo e de fácil montagem