Stem Cell Use In Regenerative Medicine May Also Be Bad For Health

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Stem Cell Use In Regenerative Medicine May Also Be Bad For Health

Posted on: Friday, 13 November 2009, 07:51 CST

The use of stem cells in regenerative medicine is not always beneficial for human health, it may even be harmful according to a work done by the University of Granada and University of León. Scientists have demonstrated that transplantation of human mononuclear cells isolated from umbilical cord blood exerted a deleterious effect in rats with liver cirrhosis.

Researchers aimed to investigate whether the mononuclear cell fraction of human cord blood (HUCBM cells), which contains stem cells, might be useful in hepatic regenerative medicine. Both histological and biochemical findings obtained in this research suggest that cell transplantation did not improve the health of sick animals but it induced a hepatorenal syndrome instead.

The authors of this work are Ana I Álvarez-Mercado, María V García-Mediavilla, Sonia Sánchez-Campos, Francisco Abadía, María J Sáez-Lara, María Cabello-Donayre, Ángel Gil, Javier González-Gallego and Luis Fontana, researchers from the University of Granada and University of León.

Research in rats

In order to evaluate the regenerative potential of HUCBM cells, researchers carried out a human-to-rat xenograft. First, liver cirrhosis was induced to rats by administration of 0.3 g/L thioacetamide (TAA) in drinking water throughout 4 months. Later on, ten million HUCBM cells were injected through the portal vein. A similar transplantation experiment was done in control rats, i. e., rats that drank water, not TAA.

TAA induced nodular cirrhosis to animals. Cell therapy did not have any effect on hepatic histology, but analysis of biochemical parameters revealed that cirrhotic rats subjected to transplantation exhibited alterations in liver function (lower albumin concentration and higher bilirubin concentration in plasma compared to cirrhotic rats that did not receive HUCBM cells). Also, the group with cirrhosis that received HUCBM cells showed renal damage.

Nowadays, approximately 17% of the world population is affected by liver diseases. There is to date no specific treatment for the liver fibrosis that develops in chronic hepatic diseases, and patients receive treatment for its associated complications. In addition, the current therapy for end-stage hepatic disease, whole liver transplantation, is limited by the shortage of organ donors. Accordingly, novel therapies, such as the use of cord blood stem cells, are required to alleviate the suffering of many patients. This work, however, highlights the need of further research in the area of hepatic regenerative medicine.

The work has been funded by Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (Instituto de Salud Carlos III), FEDER, Consejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa (Junta de Andalucía), Consejería de Sanidad (Junta de Castilla y León), and Federación de Cajas de Ahorro de Castilla y León. It will appear in the November issue of the journal Cell Transplantation.

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Image Caption: This is a microscope view of the cirrhotic liver of a rat. Credit: University of Granada
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Consumption of certain fish during pregnancy associated with poorer cognitive performance

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Consumption of certain fish during pregnancy associated with poorer cognitive performance
nächste Meldung
13.11.2009
Children who eat fish more than 3 times per week show a worse performance in the general cognitive, executive and perceptual-manipulative areas. Those with higher levels of exposure to mercury show a generalised delay in cognitive, memory and verbal areas. Mercury is a contaminant found especially in oily fish and canned fish and to a lesser extent in white fish.

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This conclusion emerges from research conducted at the University of Granada, which warns of the need to assess children\’s health risk according to fish consumption, distinguishing between varieties or species they consume, especially in those areas where fish is part of the staple diet of the population.

…mehr zu:
> air pollutant > air pollutant NO2 concentrations > Consumption > environmental contaminants > environmental exposure > fish consumption > health risk > Medicine > NO2 > NO2 concentrations > radiology > tobacco smoke > white fish

The work entitled «Children\’s exposure to environmental contaminants in Granada and potential effects on health» was carried out by Carmen Freire Warden, from the Department of Radiology and Physical Medicine of the UGR, and led by professors Nicolás Olea and Marieta Fernández Serrano Cabrera.

For this study, scientists analyzed the exposure to environmental contaminants through water, air and diet, in a sample of 220 children in the geographic health care area of San Cecilio University Hospital in Granada. This study has described for the first time the extent of childhood exposure to environmental pollutants of special concern, such as trihalomethanes, NO2, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and mercury. Following the hypotheses posed, this research assessed the combination of exposure to air pollution, on the one hand, and mercury, on the other, with child neurodevelopment at 4 years of age.

Mercury concentrations

Thus, total mercury concentrations found in the hair of 4 year-old-children from Granada were between 0.04 and 6.67 g / g. Concentrations were higher than those found in other paediatric populations with a lower consumption of fish, but lower than levels found in high consuming areas.

Important factors in this exposure were the place of residence, maternal age, passive exposure to tobacco smoke and consumption of oily fish. The results suggest that fish consumption is the main source of exposure to mercury in the sample population studied.

The work carried out at the University of Granada also suggests that in Granada, children\’s health risk from exposure to trihalomethanes via drinking water can be considered to be significantly lower than in other areas of the country, and that air pollutant NO2 concentrations (measured in the external environment of the study area) were also lower than those described in other Spanish cities. Traffic of motor vehicles is the main source of emission of these pollutants in the study area.

Moreover, the research also revealed that there is a direct relationship between children\’s passive exposure to tobacco smoke and the use of gas stoves inside houses, and the presence of 1-hydroxypyrene, an indicator of exposure to damaging health air pollutants.

Researchers warn that although environmental exposure levels found in children are low enough not to cause any obvious concern, they could have an impact on child development in the long-term, only appearing as symptoms many years after first exposure. Consequently, they explain, «whatever the extent of involvement of environmental exposures in the etiology of the disease, the simple fact of acting very early in life opens the door to a transcendental field in public health: the possibility of applying early prevention measures to minimize problems.»

These research results were recently published in scientific journals such as Environmental Research, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Science of the Total Environment and Gaceta Sanitaria.

Reference: Carmen Freire Warden, Department of Radiology and Physical Medicine, University of Granada. Tel: (+34) 958 240 758. E-mail: cfreire@ugr.es
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Fish consumption linked to lower cognition

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Fish consumption linked to lower cognition
Published: Nov. 13, 2009 at 5:50 PM
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GRANADA, Spain, Nov. 13 (UPI) — Children who eat fish more than three times per week show decreased performance in cognition, researchers in Spain found.

Researcher Carmen Freire Warden, led by Professors Nicolas Olea and Marieta Fernandez Serrano Cabrera of the University of Granada, analyzed the exposure to environmental contaminants through water, air and diet in a sample of 220 children in the geographic healthcare area of San Cecilio University Hospital in Granada, Spain.

Concentrations were higher than those found in other pediatric populations with a lower consumption of fish, but lower than levels found in high-consuming areas.

Important exposure factors were: place of residence, maternal age, passive exposure to tobacco smoke and consumption of oily fish.

The findings suggest fish consumption is the main source of exposure to mercury in the sample population studied.

The research also revealed there is a direct relationship between children\’s passive exposure to tobacco smoke and the use of gas stoves inside houses.

The findings were published in Environmental Research, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Science of the Total Environment and Gaceta Sanitaria.
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Fish consumption linked to lower cognition

Escrito por

Fish consumption linked to lower cognition

GRANADA, Spain, Nov. 13 (UPI) —

Children who eat fish more than three times per week show decreased performance in cognition, researchers in Spain found.

Researcher Carmen Freire Warden, led by Professors Nicolas Olea and Marieta Fernandez Serrano Cabrera of the University of Granada, analyzed the exposure to environmental contaminants through water, air and diet in a sample of 220 children in the geographic healthcare area of San Cecilio University Hospital in Granada, Spain.

Concentrations were higher than those found in other pediatric populations with a lower consumption of fish, but lower than levels found in high-consuming areas.

Important exposure factors were: place of residence, maternal age, passive exposure to tobacco smoke and consumption of oily fish.

The findings suggest fish consumption is the main source of exposure to mercury in the sample population studied.

The research also revealed there is a direct relationship between children\’s passive exposure to tobacco smoke and the use of gas stoves inside houses.

The findings were published in Environmental Research, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Science of the Total Environment and Gaceta Sanitaria
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Ideal

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Portada: La Junta garantiza que las obras del metro del Zaidín no tendrán retraso
Pág. 6: La Junta garantiza que las obras del Barranco Hondo no supondrán un “parón” en el metro
Pág. 9: Piden que no desaparezca la titulación de Psicopedagogía
Pág. 18 – Opinión: Granada Convenio Bureau, sí
Pág. 53: Tres día de homenaje a Javier Egea con la lectura de sus poemas
Pág. 56: Detergentes contaminantes
Pág. 59 – Agenda: “Paisaje de la Sierra los Filabres” le espera |La astronomía de los libros |“Espacios de reflexión” |“Stilitas”
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Granada Hoy

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Pág. 18: Empresas con “inteligencia” web
Pág. 24: La relación de Darwin y Granada, en el Instituto Padre Suárez |Agenda: “Atrapados en el hielo”
Pág. 29: Las universitarias se adscriben al empate
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El País

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Pág. 42: Las ciencias buscan método
Pág. 43: Los préstamos para “masters” llegan con retraso para cientos de alumnos |Los videojuegos pueden mejorar el aprendizaje
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Raúl Vallés y Esteban de Manuel Jerez, conferenciantes en las “Jornadas sobre producción social de vivienda y hábitat sostenibles” de la UGR

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Raúl  Vallés y Esteban de Manuel Jerez hablarán, respectivamente, de  “Cooperativismo de vivienda y rehabilitación urbana. Proceso de acceso y permanencia de los sectores populares al área central de Montevideo” y “La gestión social del hábitat”, en las “Jornadas sobre producción social de vivienda y hábitat sostenibles” que organiza el Seminario de Medio Ambiente y Calidad de Vida–Cátedra “José Saramago”, del Secretariado de Extensión Universitaria de la UGR, los días 17 y 18 de noviembre de 2009, en el Salón de Actos de la  E.U. Arquitectura Técnica (Campus Fuente Nueva), de 19 a 21.30 horas.
Entre las actividades programadas, se desarrollará, igualmente, un taller participativo sobre “Maneras de hacer: Producción social en La Palma-Palmilla (Málaga), en la zona norte (Granada), y en Santa Adela (Zaidín-Granada)”, en el que participarán Jose María Romero, Jose Antonio Paniagua, Elena Cambril, Marta Gutiérrez Blasco, Jose María López Medina, Marta Lomas, representantes del EPS (Santa Adela-Zaidín), alumnado de las asignaturas de Proyectos 3 y monográfico de proyectos de la ETS Arquitectura de la UGR, y vecinos de los barrios.
El programa, pues, es el siguiente

Martes, 17
De 19:00  a  21:30 horas
Salón de Actos de la E.U. Arquitectura Técnica (Campus Fuente Nueva)
Conferencias
Raúl Vallés: “Cooperativismo de vivienda y rehabilitación urbana. Proceso de acceso y permanencia de los sectores populares al área central de Montevideo”.
Esteban de Manuel Jerez: “La gestión social del hábitat “.

Miércoles, 18
De 19:00  a  21:30 horas
Salón de Actos de la E.U. Arquitectura Técnica (Campus Fuente Nueva)
Taller participativo
“Maneras de hacer: Producción social en La Palma-Palmilla (Málaga), en la zona norte (Granada), y en Santa Adela (Zaidín-Granada)”.

Participan: Jose María Romero, Jose Antonio Paniagua, Elena Cambril, Marta Gutiérrez Blasco, Jose María López Medina, Marta Lomas, representantes del EPS (Santa Adela-Zaidín), Alumnado de las asignaturas de Proyectos 3 y Monográfico de Proyectos de la ETS Arquitectura de la UGR,  y vecin@s de los barrios.

Referencia
Profesor Alberto Matarán Ruiz. Director del Seminario de Medio Ambiente y Calidad de Vida–Cátedra “José Saramago”. Secretariado de Extensión Universitaria, Universidad de Granada. Tfn: 958 240447. Correo electrónico: mataran@ugr.es

Clausura del Programa de Desarrollo de Directores de Recursos Humanos en la UGR

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Mañana, martes,17 de noviembre, a las 13 h., en la Capilla  del Hospital Real, presidido por la vicerrectora de Estudiantes, Inmaculada Marrero Rocha, se celebrará el acto de clausura de la segunda edición del Programa de Desarrollo de Directores de RRHH, un ciclo de Mesas Redondas que se celebra desde el año 2005, organizado por el Centro de Promoción de Empleo y Prácticas a petición de las empresas y financiado por las mismas. Durante el acto se entregarán los Diplomas del Programa de Desarrollo de Directores de Recursos Humanos con la presencia de los participantes y ponentes.

Según explican desde el Centro de Promoción de Empleo y Prácticas de la Universidad de Granada, estas Mesas Redondas nacieron a petición de las Empresas granadinas ya que no existía en Granada ningún programa de formación y actualización para los  Directores de Recursos Humanos, quienes tenían que desplazarse a Madrid o Barcelona para actualizar sus conocimientos.

Una segunda finalidad de las Mesas Redondas era estrechar las relaciones y el conocimiento mutuo entre los distintos actores de la actividad de Recursos Humanos: jueces, inspectores de Trabajo, profesores, sindicalistas, Seguridad Social, etc. y los propios directores de RRHH.  Estas reuniones se han celebrado con una periodicidad trimestral, con formato de mesa redonda limitada a 25 participantes, con el objetivo de que sean muy participativas y enteramente financiadas por las empresas participantes.

Desde que nació este Programa, se han celebrado las siguientes Mesas Redondas: «Agotamiento de la I.T”, “Mobbing”, «Conciliación de Vida Familiar y Laboral», «Relaciones Laborales de Extranjeros”, «Negociación Colectiva», «Compensación y Encuestas Salariales”, » La reforma de SS e impacto en el sistema de pensiones”, “Ley de Igualdad: Elaboración del Plan de Igualdad”, «Art. 18.3 de la Constitución”, » El absentismo laboral,  cómo influir en él desde el Dpto. de RR. HH», y » Responsabilidad Social Corporativa”.

CONVOCATORIA:
DÍA: martes, 17 de noviembre.
HORA: 13 h.
LUGAR: Capilla del Hospital Real.