Efficacy and Safety of Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor Therapy in Chagas Cardiomyopathy: A Phase II Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

Aim: Previous studies showed that granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) improved heart function in a mice model of Chronic Chagas Cardiomyopathy (CCC). Herein, we report the interim results of the safety and efficacy of G-CSF therapy vs. placebo in adults with Chagas cardiomyopathy.

Lack of association between serum syndecan-4, myocardial fibrosis and ventricular dysfunction in subjects with chronic Chagas disease.

Background: Syndecan-4 is a transmembrane glycoprotein associated with inflammation and fibrosis. Increased syndecan-4 levels were previously detected after acute myocardial infarction and in subjects with heart failure. However, the levels of syndecan-4 in subjects with Chagas disease have not so far been investigated.

Image-guided percutaneous intralesional administration of mesenchymal stromal cells in subjects with chronic complete spinal cord injury: a pilot study.

Background Aims: The potential of cell therapies to improve neurological function in subjects with spinal cord injury (SCI) is currently under investigation. In this context, the choice of cell type, dose, route and administration regimen are key factors. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) can be easily obtained, expanded and are suitable for autologous transplantation.

Evaluation of Galectin-3 as a Novel Biomarker for Chagas Cardiomyopathy.

Objectives: Chagas cardiomyopathy has worse long-term outcomes than other cardiomyopathies. A biomarker strategy to refer subjects for noninvasive cardiac imaging may help in the early identification of cardiac damage in subjects with Chagas disease. Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a mediator of cardiac fibrosis shown to be upregulated in animal models of decompensated heart failure.

Optimization of oncological ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT imaging based on a multiparameter analysis.

Purpose: This paper describes a method to achieve consistent clinical image quality in (18)F-FDG scans accounting for patient habitus, dose regimen, image acquisition, and processing techniques.

Methods: Oncological PET/CT scan data for 58 subjects were evaluated retrospectively to derive analytical curves that predict image quality. Patient noise equivalent count rate and coefficient of variation (CV) were used as metrics in their analysis.

Assessment of Galectin-3 Polymorphism in Subjects with Chronic Chagas Disease.

Background: Galectin-3, a β-galactoside binding lectin, has been described as a mediator of cardiac fibrosis in experimental studies and as a risk factor associated with cardiovascular events in subjects with heart failure. Previous studies have evaluated the genetic susceptibility to Chagas disease in humans, including the polymorphisms of cytokine genes, demonstrating correlations between the genetic polymorphism and cardiomyopathy development in the chronic phase. However, the relationship between the galectin-3 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and phenotypic variations in Chagas disease has not been evaluated.

Safety and neurological assessments after autologous transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in subjects with chronic spinal cord injury.

Introduction: The administration of stem cells holds promise as a potential therapy for spinal cord injury (SCI). Mesenchymal stem cells have advantages for clinical applications, since they can be easily obtained, are suitable for autologous transplantation and have been previously shown to induce regeneration of the spinal cord in experimental settings. Here we evaluated the feasibility, safety and potential efficacy of autologous transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells in subjects with chronic complete SCI.

Transplantation of adipose tissue mesenchymal stem cells in experimental chronic chagasic cardiopathy.

Background: Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is a major cause of heart failure in Latin America. Tissue therapy has been investigated as a possible therapeutic option for patients with cardiovascular disease.

Objective: This study evaluated the effects of therapy with mesenchymal stem cells in an experimental model of chronic Chagasic cardiomyopathy.