The Osteogenic Role of Biomaterials Combined with HumanDerived Dental Stem Cells in Bone Tissue Regeneration

The use of stem cells in regenerative medicine had great potential for clinical applications. However, cell delivery strategies have critical importance in stimulating the differentiation of stem cells and enhancing their potential to regenerate damaged tissues. Different strategies have been used to investigate the osteogenic potential of dental stem cells in conjunction with biomaterials through in vitro and in vivo studies. Osteogenesis has a broad implication in regenerative medicine, particularly for maxillofacial defects. This review summarizes some of the most recent developments in the field of tissue engineering using dental stem cells.

Safety of autologous intramuscular platelet lysate injections in patients with critical limb ischaemia: A pilot, exploratory study.

Background & objectives: Platelet concentrate contains a rich cocktail of growth factors that support growth and proliferation of cells. The primary goal of this study was to investigate the safety of platelet lysate (PL) in patients with critical limb ischaemia (CLI) not suitable for standard revascularization. Data on the preliminary efficacy are also presented. Methods: Seven patients (18-70 yr) with CLI classified in the Rutherford grades 3-5, with history of intermittent claudication for more than eight weeks and were not suitable for standard revascularization, underwent autologous intramuscular injections of PL. These patients were examined physically alongside other parameters such as TcPO2, toe pressure, and ankle brachial index, at baseline and were followed up for 12 months. Results: The procedure was well tolerated with no serious adverse or any adverse events reported during follow up. Although not the primary aim of this report, preliminary data showed significant clinical improvement in Rutherford stage, ankle-brachial index and toe pressure which persisted for a year. Interpretation & conclusions: Intramuscular injection of PL was well tolerated with no major adverse events reported in our study participants. With the observed satisfactory safety data, preliminary efficacy data of PL should be further validated.

Regional connectivity drove bidirectional transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in the Middle East during travel restrictions

Regional connectivity and land-based travel have been identified as important drivers of SARS-CoV-2 transmission. However, the generalizability of this finding is understudied outside of well-sampled, highly connected regions such as Europe. In this study, we investigated the relative contributions of regional and intercontinental connectivity to the source-sink dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 for Jordan and the wider Middle East. By integrating genomic, epidemiological and travel data we show that the source of introductions into Jordan was dynamic across 2020, shifting from intercontinental seeding from Europe in the early pandemic to more regional seeding for the period travel restrictions were in place. We show that land-based travel, particularly freight transport, drove introduction risk during the period of travel restrictions. Consistently, high regional connectivity and land-based travel also disproportionately drove Jordans export risk to other Middle Eastern countries. Our findings emphasize regional connectedness and land-based travel as drivers of viral transmission in the Middle East. This demonstrates that strategies aiming to stop or slow the spread of viral introductions (including new variants) with travel restrictions need to prioritize risk from land-based travel alongside intercontinental air travel to be effective. HighlightsO_LIRegional connectivity drove SARS-CoV-2 introduction risk in Jordan during the period travel restrictions were in place in genomic and travel data. C_LIO_LILand-based travel rather than air travel disproportionately drove introduction risk during travel restrictions. C_LIO_LIHigh regional connectivity disproportionately drove Jordans export risk, with significant contribution from land-based travel. C_LIO_LIRegional transmission dynamics were underestimated in genomic data due to unrepresentative sampling. C_LI

Incidence, Risk Factors and Prognosis of Acute Kidney Injury Following Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The burden of acute kidney injury (AKI) has not been explored in Jordanian patients who receive hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency, risk factors, and mortality of AKI among patients who underwent HSCT. METHODS: A retrospective pilot study included 70 adult patients who received peripheral HSCT was conducted. Weekly measurement of serum creatinine (SCr) was obtained for 3 months after chemotherapy and HSCT. Then, stages of Risk, Injury, and Failure of Kidney were determined based on the Kidney Disease for Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO). RESULTS: The median follow-up was 41 months. Mortality was reported in 16 patients (23%). Out of 60 patients that had SCr values, 19 patients (31.6%) had AKI in 90 days after chemotherapy. Allogeneic HSCT, male donors, high-dose melphalan protocols and values of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were significantly higher among patients with AKI. CONCLUSIONS: Combining many nephrotoxic drugs and dosing adjustments should be considered in uniform protocols. Multidisciplinary care should be utilized to assess early kidney dysfunction that decreases adverse events and improves outcomes.

Study of HER2/neu status in Qatari women with breast carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: The study is aimed at determining the prevalence of HER2/neu overexpression in Qatari women with breast cancer and to assess the survival in patients with HER2/neu positive tumors. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of clinical data of 70 Qatari female patients diagnosed with breast cancer during the period 1991 through to 2001, at Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. We also performed a retrospective review of breast tissue sample for those patients using paraffin sections and applying immunohistochemistry staining-[Hercep test (DAKO Inc)] to determine the HER2/neu status. RESULTS: Eighteen patients (26%) were HER2/neu positive (2+ and 3+) with a mean age at diagnosis of 49.3years, and 52 (74%) were negative (0 and 1+) with mean age at diagnosis of 46.6 years. Of the patients with positive HER2/neu, 5 (28%) had a relapse of the disease and 4 (22%) died of the disease during follow up. Of the patients with HER2/neu, negative test 9 (17%) had a relapse of the disease and 10 (19%) died of the disease. The median survival function at mean of covariates for HER2/neu positive patients was 26 months, and for HER2/NEU negative patients was 28 months. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of HER2/neu over expression in Qatari female with breast cancer in this study is 26%, but due to a small sample size it may not reflect really the prevalence. Patient with HER2/neu positive were older at diagnosis than patients with HER2/neu negative, also they had higher relapse rate and mortality. Median survival function was better for HER2/neu negative patients.