Vulnerable populations and the emergency ventral hernia: A retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: Ventral hernias can be repaired electively; however, many circumstances require emergency repair. The association between sociodemographic status and rate of emergency repair are unclear and the Social Vulnerability Index may be a useful tool to better understanding this association. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between Social Vulnerability Index and emergency ventral hernia repair.

A Combination of Allogeneic Stem Cells Promotes Cardiac Regeneration.

Background: The combination of autologous mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and cardiac stem cells (CSCs) synergistically reduces scar size and improves cardiac function in ischemic cardiomyopathy. Whereas allogeneic (allo-)MSCs are immunoevasive, the capacity of CSCs to similarly elude the immune system remains controversial, potentially limiting the success of allogeneic cell combination therapy (ACCT).

Objectives: This study sought to test the hypothesis that ACCT synergistically promotes cardiac regeneration without provoking immunologic reactions.

Pim1 Kinase Overexpression Enhances ckit Cardiac Stem Cell Cardiac Repair Following Myocardial Infarction in Swine.

Background: Pim1 kinase plays an important role in cell division, survival, and commitment of precursor cells towards a myocardial lineage, and overexpression of Pim1 in ckit cardiac stem cells (CSCs) enhances their cardioreparative properties.

Objectives: The authors sought to validate the effect of Pim1-modified CSCs in a translationally relevant large animal preclinical model of myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods: Human cardiac stem cells (hCSCs, n = 10), hckit CSCs overexpressing Pim1 (Pim1; n = 9), or placebo (n = 10) were delivered by intramyocardial injection to immunosuppressed Yorkshire swine (n = 29) 2 weeks after MI.

Rebuilding the Damaged Heart: Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Cell-Based Therapy, and Engineered Heart Tissue.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are broadly distributed cells that retain postnatal capacity for self-renewal and multilineage differentiation. MSCs evade immune detection, secrete an array of anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic mediators, and very importantly activate resident precursors. These properties form the basis for the strategy of clinical application of cell-based therapeutics for inflammatory and fibrotic conditions.

Rationale and design of the allogeneiC human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) in patients with aging fRAilTy via intravenoUS delivery (CRATUS) study: A phase I/II, randomized, blinded and placebo controlled trial to evaluate the safety and potential efficacy of allogeneic human mesenchymal stem cell infusion in patients with aging frailty.

Frailty is a syndrome associated with reduced physiological reserves that increases an individual's vulnerability for developing increased morbidity and/or mortality. While most clinical trials have focused on exercise, nutrition, pharmacologic agents, or a multifactorial approach for the prevention and attenuation of frailty, none have studied the use of cell-based therapies. We hypothesize that the application of allogeneic human mesenchymal stem cells (allo-hMSCs) as a therapeutic agent for individuals with frailty is safe and efficacious.

Concise Review: Review and Perspective of Cell Dosage and Routes of Administration From Preclinical and Clinical Studies of Stem Cell Therapy for Heart Disease.

An important stage in the development of any new therapeutic agent is establishment of the optimal dosage and route of administration. This can be particularly challenging when the treatment is a biologic agent that might exert its therapeutic effects via complex or poorly understood mechanisms. Multiple preclinical and clinical studies have shown paradoxical results, with inconsistent findings regarding the relationship between the cell dose and clinical benefit.

Synergistic Effects of Combined Cell Therapy for Chronic Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Both bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and c-kit(+) cardiac stem cells (CSCs) improve left ventricular remodeling in porcine models and clinical trials. Using xenogeneic (human) cells in immunosuppressed animals with acute ischemic heart disease, we previously showed that these 2 cell types act synergistically.

Objectives: To more accurately model clinical applications for heart failure, this study tested whether the combination of autologous MSCs and CSCs produce greater improvement in cardiac performance than MSCs alone in a nonimmunosuppressed porcine model of chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Growth hormone-releasing hormone agonists reduce myocardial infarct scar in swine with subacute ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Growth hormone-releasing hormone agonists (GHRH-As) stimulate cardiac repair following myocardial infarction (MI) in rats through the activation of the GHRH signaling pathway within the heart. We tested the hypothesis that the administration of GHRH-As prevents ventricular remodeling in a swine subacute MI model.

Methods And Results: Twelve female Yorkshire swine (25 to 30 kg) underwent transient occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (MI).

Local delivery of mitoxantrone for the treatment of malignant brain tumors in rats.

Object: Mitoxantrone is a drug with potent in vitro activity against malignant brain tumor cell lines; however, its effectiveness as a systemic agent has been hampered by poor central nervous system penetration and dose-limiting myelosuppression. To avoid these problems, we incorporated mitoxantrone into biodegradable polymeric wafers to be used for intracranial implantation, a strategy that has been shown to be safe and successful in the treatment of malignant gliomas. The authors investigated the release kinetics, toxicity, distribution, and efficacy of mitoxantrone delivered from intracranially implanted biodegradable wafers in the treatment of 9L gliosarcoma in Fischer 344 rats.