Predictive factors for successful peripheral blood stem cell mobilization and collection in children.

Factors affecting the success of peripheral blood stem cell collection (SCC) in children are not well characterized. We reviewed 218 stem cell collections among 199 pediatric donors, of which 35 were from healthy sibling donors and 164 were for autologous collections. Successful SCC, defined as a CD34+ cell count of ≥2 × 106 /kg of recipient weight per intended transplant, occurred in 188 of 199 donors (94%). Ideal SCC defined ≥5 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg of recipient per intended transplant, occurred in 147 (74%) patients. Failure of collection occurred in 11 (6%) patients and was significantly associated with an autologous collection for a brain tumor diagnosis (P = .003) and a pre-apheresis peripheral blood (PB) CD34+ count <20 × 106 cells/L (P = .002). Ideal SCC was significantly associated with age < 10 years (P = .01) and pre-apheresis PB-CD34+ count ≥20 × 106 cells/L (P < .0001). Factors associated with failure of SCC may be identified in advance of the collection procedure allowing appropriate counselling of patients as well as anticipatory guidance for multiple collections or justify the preemptive use of stem cell mobilizing agents.

Polycarbonate bottle use and urinary bisphenol A concentrations.

BACKGROUND: Bisphenol A (BPA) is a high-production-volume chemical commonly used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastic. Low-level concentrations of BPA in animals and possibly in humans may cause endocrine disruption. Whether ingestion of food or beverages from polycarbonate containers increases BPA concentrations in humans has not been studied. OBJECTIVES: We examined the association between use of polycarbonate beverage containers and urinary BPA concentrations in humans. METHODS: We conducted a nonrandomized intervention of 77 Harvard College students to compare urinary BPA concentrations collected after a washout phase of 1 week to those taken after an intervention week during which most cold beverages were consumed from polycarbonate drinking bottles. Paired t-tests were used to assess the difference in urinary BPA concentrations before and after polycarbonate bottle use. RESULTS: The geometric mean urinary BPA concentration at the end of the washout phase was 1.2 microg/g creatinine, increasing to 2.0 microg/g creatinine after 1 week of polycarbonate bottle use. Urinary BPA concentrations increased by 69% after use of polycarbonate bottles (p < 0.0001). The association was stronger among participants who reported > or = 90% compliance (77% increase; p < 0.0001) than among those reporting < 90% compliance (55% increase; p = 0.03), but this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.54). CONCLUSIONS: One week of polycarbonate bottle use increased urinary BPA concentrations by two-thirds. Regular consumption of cold beverages from polycarbonate bottles is associated with a substantial increase in urinary BPA concentrations irrespective of exposure to BPA from other sources.

Pregnancy outcomes following placement of elective, urgent and emergent cerclage.

OBJECTIVE: To describe pregnancy outcomes following elective (history-indicated), urgent (ultrasound-indicated) or emergent (physical-exam indicated) cerclage placement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study design was retrospective chart review. Women with singleton gestation and cervical cerclage were categorised into: elective, urgent and emergent group. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-three women were included; 89 in elective, 26 in urgent and 18 in emergent group. Difference was detected when elective and urgent groups were compared with emergent group for: gestation at delivery (35.9 +/- 5.1 vs. 34.2 +/- 5.9 vs. 29.3 +/- 7.2 weeks, respectively, P < 0.05), delivery beyond 36 weeks, (73.9%, 57.7%vs. 23.5%, respectively, P < 0.05), neonatal death (6.8%, 9.5%vs. 43.8%, respectively, P < 0.05) and Apgar score <7 at 5 min (9.1%, 11.5%vs. 47.1%, respectively, P < 0.05). Difference was also detected between elective vs. urgent and emergent groups for: preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) (19.3%vs. 38.5%vs. 64.7%, respectively, P < 0.05) and chorioamnionitis (1.4%vs. 18.2%vs. 42.9%, respectively, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Emergent cerclage group had the poorest obstetric outcomes. The urgent cerclage group reached similar gestational age at delivery as the elective group but is more likely to have PPROM and chorioamnionitis.

Exercise reverses chronic stress-induced Bax oligomer formation in the cerebral cortex.

Chronic stress may lead to neuronal atrophy and functional impairments within the CNS, and increasing evidence indicates that exercise can protect the brain from these changes. Bax is a key protein of the B-cell lymphoma (Bcl) family that complexes within the mitochondrial membrane and forms pores to initiate cellular apoptosis. Herein, we measured cortical Bax levels following chronic and acute stress via immunoblotting. We reveal that chronic, but not acute, stress increases cortical levels of Bax oligomer 270, a complex revealed in previous studies to be associated with apoptosis. Several recent studies have revealed that physical exercise can protect rodents from neurochemical and/or behavioral changes occurring with stress. Previous studies have also revealed that voluntary exercise enhances the expression and activation of cellular proteins associated with enhanced neuronal survival. Herein, we reveal that 3 weeks of daily restraint led to increased oligomerization of Bax within the cerebral cortex, and that chronic corticosterone administration had a similar effect. Voluntary wheel running, concurrent with chronic restraint, prevented an increase in Bax oligomer 270. Analysis of subcellular fractions also revealed that the combination of exercise with chronic stress reduced the percent of total Bax localized to the mitochondria. Ours is the first study to investigate dynamic molecule complexes associated with the initiation of apoptosis with stress, and the influence of exercise upon the levels of these complexes, suggesting that exercise is an effective preventative measure that can promote neuronal survival and protect the brain against the damaging effects of chronic stress.