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Dear Editor, The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are clonal hematopoietic stem cell diseases that are characterized by cytopenia, dysplasia in one or more of the major myeloid cell lines, and a tendency to transform into acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Approximately, one third of MDS patients will undergo transformation into AML, which is resistant to treatment and ultimately fatal. We describe here a case of MDS in an 85-year-old male patient with transformation AML from MDS who was successfully treated with ultralow dose decitabine, amifostine, and infusion of autologous cytokineinduced killer (CIK) cells (dubbed the DAC regimen). The patient was admitted on March 11, 2010 due to pancytopenia. Past history was unremarkable except hypertension and COPD. His routine blood chemistries were as follows: white blood cell count, 2.9×10/L (neutrophils, 40 %; lymphocytes, 50 %; monocytes, 4.5 %); platelets, 67×10/L; and hemoglobin, 98 g/L. Bone marrow (BM) aspirate revealed 5.2 % blasts and trilineage dysplasia (Fig. 1a). Cytogenetic analysis demonstrated 46, XY[13]/t(7;11)(q35;q14)[10]/ del(4)(p10),t(7;11)(q35;q14)[2]/subdiploid(44)[2]. He was diagnosed with MDS-RAEB-I, IPSS intermediate-2 risk. The patient was given amifostine and erythropoietin, but hemoglobin progressively declined and he became transfusion dependent. BM aspirate on December 17, 2011 revealed 20.2 % blasts and flow cytometry demonstrated transformation AML-M4 (FAB classification) (Fig. 1b). One week later, the patient was started on the DAC regimen. Decitabine (10 mg; Chia-Tai Tianqing Pharmacy Co., Jiangsu, China) was given on d1, 3, 5, 7, and 9. Autologous CIK cells were prepared as previously described [1]. Briefly, on d0, 54 mL venous blood was collected from the median cubital vein of the patient, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated by Ficoll-Hypaque density–gradient centrifugation. PBMCs were then washed and cultured in the presence of anti-human CD3 monoclonal antibody, recombinant human interferon-γ, and recombinant human interleukin-2 for 14 days. On d14, 2–6×10 cells were infused. Amifostine (0.4 g) was given on d14–18 and d21–25. The patient received a total of three courses of the regimen. The main side effects included Bo Yang, Hai-tao Wang, Li-li Cai, Yu Zhao, Xiao-hua Chi, Hong-li Zhu, Hai-hong Ran, Yang Yang, Rui-li Yu, Song-wei Li and Xue-chun Lu contributed equally to this work.

This study was purposed to analyse the clinical efficacy of transplantation of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSC) combined with haploidentical hematopoietic stem cells (haplo-HSCT) for patients with refractory/relapsed myeloid leukemia. The clinical data of 36 patients received transplantation of UC-MSC combined with haplo-HSCT from January 2007 to June 2013 were summarized retrospectively, the engraftment, GVHD and 2 years-overall survival (OS) were analysed. The results showed that the median times of neutrophil count0.50×10(9)/L and platelet count20×10(9)/L were 12.0 days and 14.0 days, respectively. Grade III to IV aGVHD occurred in 5 out of 36 patients (13.8%). cGVHD occurred in 12 out of 32 patients (37.5%) and extensive cGVHD occurred in 2 patients. Additionally, only 3 patients (8.3%) experienced relapse. The 2-year OS rate of patients was 76.9%. It is concluded that the transplantation of UC-MSC combined with haplo-HSCT has good therapeutic efficacy for patients with refractory/relapsed myeloid leukemia, and may be served as a therapeutic method especially for patients with high risk and without well matched donor.

Dielectric properties of SiC/Ni nanocomposites prepared by a simple and facile electroless plating approach at X band are investigated. Compared to the original SiC nanoparticles (SiCP), the real part of the permittivity, ', and the dielectric loss tangent tan δe of SiC/Ni nanocomposites are clearly enhanced by about 31% and 33%, respectively. The effective equations for complex permittivity of SiC/Ni nanocomposites are proposed. We also calculate ' and tan δe of SiC/Ni nanocomposites and the calculated results are well consistent with the measured data.

We examined if transplantation of combined haploidentical hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) affected graft failure and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA). Patients with SAA-I (N = 17) received haploidentical HSCT plus MSC infusion. Stem cell grafts used a combination of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)-primed bone marrow and G-CSF-mobilized peripheral blood stem cells of haploidentical donors and the culture-expanded third-party donor-derived umbilical cord MSCs (UC-MSCs), respectively. Reduced intensity conditioning consisted of fludarabine (30 mg/m2·d)+cyclosphamide (500 mg/m2·d)+anti-human thymocyte IgG. Transplant recipients also received cyclosporin A, mycophenolatemofetil, and CD25 monoclonal antibody. A total of 16 patients achieved hematopoietic reconstitution. The median mononuclear cell and CD34 count was 9.3×10(8)/kg and 4.5×10(6)/kg. Median time to ANC was >0.5×10(9)/L and PLT count >20×10(9)/L were 12 and 14 days, respectively. Grade III-IV acute GVHD was seen in 23.5% of the cases, while moderate and severe chronic GVHD were seen in 14.2% of the cases. The 3-month and 6-month survival rates for all patients were 88.2% and 76.5%, respectively; mean survival time was 56.5 months. Combined transplantation of haploidentical HSCs and MSCs on SAA without an HLA-identical sibling donor was safe, effectively reduced the incidence of severe GVHD, and improved patient survival.

This study was purposed to investigate the efficacy and feasibility of recombinant humanized anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody for treating steroid-resistant acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD ) following allo-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) . Twenty-one cases with II-IV grade steroid-resistant aGVHD after allo-HSCT were treated by intravenous injection of recombinant humanized anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody at a dose of 1 mg/(kg·d) on days 1, 4, 8. Injection was repeated after 1 week for the patients who did not achieve CR. The results indicated that 13 cases (61.9%) got complete response (CR), 4 cases out of them have been still in disease-free survival, 8 cases have been in survival with mild cGVHD, 1 cases died from AML relapse, 6 cases (28.57%) got partial response (PR), 3 cases out of them have been in survival with mild cGVHD, 3 case died from pulmonary infection, 2 cases without response died from GVHD. Overall response rate was 90.5% and long term survival rate was 71.48%. There were no infusion-associated side-effects after treatment with recombinant humanized anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody.It is concluded that recombinant humanized anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody is effective and feasible for treatment of steroid-refractory grade II-IV aGVHD after allo-HSCT.

This study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of donor's purified CD34(+) cells for treatment of secondary poor graft function (PGF) following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) . Ten patients suffering from secondary PGF after allo-HSCT in our hospital from January 2009 to December 2011 were treated with the donor's purified and G-CSF mobilized CD34(+) cells. All the patients were observed for infusion-related complication and survival status. CliniMACS system was used to separate cells, the results of sorting purified and recovery rate were calculated and statistically analysed. The results showed that the purified of CD34(+) cells reached to (89.31 ± 1.73)%, and the recovery rate reached to (93.27 ± 8.14)%; 10 patients in the process of infusion did not suffer from seriously adverse complications, all of them obtained hematopoietic recovery, neither GVHD nor infection occurred after infusion of donor's purified CD34(+) cells. It is concluded that using CliniMACS system for donor's peripheral CD34(+) separation, both the purified and recovery of CD34(+) cells are satisfied, and the infusion of donor's purified CD34(+) cell is a safe and effective method to treat secondary PGF after allo-HSCT.

Researched on diversity of the spring leaf samples of seven different Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck varieties by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy technology, the results showed that the Fourier transform infrared spectra of seven varieties leaves was composited by the absorption band of cellulose and polysaccharide mainly, the wave number of characteristics absorption peaks were similar at their FTIR spectra. However, there were some differences in shape of peaks and relatively absorption intensity. The conspicuous difference was presented at the region between 1 500 and 700 cm(-1) by second derivative spectra. Through the hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) of second derivative spectra between 1 500 and 700 cm(-1), the results showed that the clustering of the different varieties of Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck varieties was classification according to genetic relationship. The results showed that FTIR spectroscopy combined with hierarchical cluster analysis could be used to identify and classify of citrus varieties rapidly, it was an extension method to study on early leaves of varieties orange seedlings.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of cotransplantation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) and haploidentical hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and to determine the correlation factors affecting incidence of graft versus host disease (GVHD) in patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA), twenty-four SAA patients received haploidentical HSCs and UC-MSCs co-transplantation. Grafts came from a combination of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF)-primed bone marrow and G-CSF mobilized peripheral blood stem cell of haploidentical donors, and in vitro expanded third-party donor derived UC-MSCs were employed as the cell graft. The conditioning regimens consisted of rabbit anti-human T-lymphocyte immunoglobulin (ATG), cyclophosphamide and fludarabine with or without busulfan. GVHD was prevented by using cyclosporine A (CSA), ATG, anti-CD25 monoclonal antibody and mycophenolate mofetil. All 24 patients achieved hematopoietic reconstitution. Median time to absolute neutrophil count >2 × 10(9)/L and platelet count >20 × 10(9)/L were 11 and 13 days, respectively. An incidence of 25 % on grade I-II acute GVHD was found while an incidence of 25 % of grade III-IV acute GVHD was seen. Blood type (r = 0.152, P = 0.043) and patient/donor pair (r = 0.541, P = 0.022) were significantly correlated with incidence of cGVHD. Transplantation related mortality was observed in 20.8 % of the cases. Co-transplantation of haploidentical HSCs and hUC-MSCs on SAA was an effective and safe approach in reducing GVHD and transplantation related mortality. The adequate conditioning regimen and early treatment for infection also played a critical role in the success of HSCT.