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Bioprosthetic heart valves made from bovine pericardium (BP) and porcine pericardium (PP) preserved with glutaraldehyde (GA) are commonly used in valve surgeries but prone to calcification in many patients. In this study, we compared BP and PP preserved with GA, ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (DE), and 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-{1-[2-(glycidyloxy)ethoxy]ethyl}-d-glucopyranose (PE). We studied the stabilities of DE and PE in preservation media along with the amino acid (AA) compositions, Fourier-transform infrared spectra, mechanical properties, surface morphologies, thermal stability, calcification, and the cytocompatibility of BP and PP treated with 0.625% GA, 5% DE, 2% PE, and alternating 5% DE and 2% PE for 3 + 11 d and 10 + 10 d, respectively. Both epoxides were stable in the water-buffer solutions (pH 7.4). DE provided high linkage densities in BP and PP owing to reactions with Hyl, Lys, His, Arg, Ser, and Tyr. PE reacted weakly with these AAs but strongly with Met. High cross-linking density obtained using the 10 d + 10 d method provided satisfactory thermal stability of biomaterials. The epoxy preservations improved cytocompatibility and resistance to calcification. PE enhanced the stress/strain properties of the xenogeneic pericardia, perhaps by forming nanostructures that were clearly visualised in BP using scanning electron microscopy. The DE + PE combination, in an alternating cross-linking manner, thus constitutes a promising option for developing bioprosthetic pericardia.

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The results of controlled, retrospective clinical investigation of applying cell transplantation (CT) therapy in 38 severely head-injured patients are presented. The patients initially were in state of coma (Glasgow coma scale score 3--7), owing to their traumatic brain injuries. Cells prepared from fetal nervous and hematopoietic tissues were grafted subarachnoidally via lumbar puncture. The control group consisted of 38 patients and was clinically comparable with the trial one. From the results obtained it appears that CT treatment promoted both wakening consciousness of the patients and their following neurological rehabilitation. A death-rate in the trial and control group was 5% (two cases) and 45% (17 cases), respectively. According to a Glasgow scale, favorable (good+satisfactory) outcomes of a disease were noted in 33 (87%) cell-grafted and only in 15 (39%) control patients. Statistical analysis revealed that CT treatment generally improved the outcomes by 2.5-fold. No serious complications of CT therapy were noted. The results point out a possible rationality of applying CT therapy in severely head-injured patients as early as within acute period of a disease.

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The minimally manipulated cells from fetal nervous and hemopoietic tissues (gestational age 16-22 weeks) were subarachnoidally implanted into 15 patients (18-52 years old) with severe consequences of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) at cervical or thoracic spine level. The times after SCI were from 1 month to 6 years. Each patient underwent from one to four cell transplantations (CT) with various time intervals. In 11 of 15 cases, CT was combined with an operative partial disruption of a connective tissue cyst and with implantation into a spinal cord lesion of a spinal cord fragment together with olfactory ensheathing cells. Before CT the patients showed complete motor and sensory function disorder consistent with a grade A of SCI according to Frankel classification. With CT treatment, six patients improved their neurological status from A to C grade of SCI, exhibiting incomplete restoration of both motor and sensory function. The status of other five CT-treated patients became consistent with SCI grade B and was characterized by appearance of contracting activity in some muscles and incomplete restoration of sensitivity. The remaining four patients did not exhibit any clinical improvements. No serious complications of CT were noted. The results suggest a clinical relevance of the CT-based approach to treating severe consequences of SCI.

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In this paper we review our experimental findings concerning the capacity of bone marrow cells (BMC) to control leukemic cell growth. It has been shown that the cells isolated from normal bone marrow can provide dose dependent suppression of the proliferative activity of leukemic cells in vitro. BMC cytostatic effect is antigen non-specific and does not associate with cell death. Cytostatic BMC differ from mature macrophages, T and B lymphocytes and have the lower floating density. These cells are detected in both aggregated and non-aggregated fraction of BMC, stimulated by wheat germ agglutinin. During long-term cultivation of bone marrow the cytostatic activity was associated with the radioresistant stromal cells. Both soluble factors and cell-to-cell interactions are involved into the cytostatic process generated by BMC. Based on the obtained results, we suggest that the cytostatic activity of BMC may be increased under the influence of lymphokines, such as IL-2 and IFNgamma.