Stem Cell Bank Research Articles

Harnessing Global HLA Data for Enhanced Patient Matching in iPSC Haplobanks

Several countries have either developed or are developing national induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) banks of cell lines derived from donors with HLA homozygous genotypes (two identical haplotypes) prevalent in their local populations to provide immune matched tissues and cells to support regenerative medicine therapies. This ‘haplobank’ approach relies on knowledge of the HLA genotypes of the population to identify the most beneficial haplotypes for patient coverage, and ultimately identify donors or cord blood units carrying two copies of the target haplotype. A potentially more efficient alternative to a national bank approach is to assess the haplotypes required to provide global patient coverage and to produce a single, global haplobank. Toward that end, we have developed an algorithm to prioritize HLA haplotypes that optimize coverage across the global population.We analyzed data from eighteen countries participating in the Global Alliance for iPS Therapy (GAiT). A representative pool of HLA genotypes, reflecting the HLA of patients, was derived by sampling from each country's WMDA hematopoietic stem cell donor registry, or surrogate population. An algorithm was created based on HLA-A, -B and -DRB1 haplotype homozygous types with population HLA matching coverage defined by the absence of Host versus Graft (HvG) mismatches at these loci. HLA matching coverage was determined by iteratively selecting HLA haplotypes that provide the largest coverage against patient HLA genotypes sampled from the same population, excluding genotypes compatible with previous iterations. The top 10 haplotypes for each of the 18 countries were identified with patient coverage ranging from 19.5% in Brazil to 63.8% in Japan, with a mean coverage of 33.3%. In a ‘global’ model, utilizing the 180 most frequent haplotypes across all 18 populations (equivalent to 10 lines per country), the patient coverage ranged from 54.6% in India to 81.7% in Sweden, with a mean of 68.4%. Our findings demonstrate that global collaboration could more than double the potential for patient HLA matching coverage.Interrogation of unrelated hematopoietic stem cell donor registry and cord blood bank HLA data demonstrated that HLA-A, -B, and -DRB1 homozygous donors for the top 180 global haplotypes are widely available. These results show that a globally coordinated strategy for haplobanking would reduce redundancy and allow more patients to be treated with the same investment.

Sterility of cord blood units: Evaluation of the collection, preparation and conservation process with a view to establishing a bank of stem cells from cord blood at the Biological Resources Center of the Institut Pasteur de Côte d’Ivoire (2024)

Introduction: Cord blood stem cells are used as an alternative to bone marrow and peripheral blood cell transplantation. For this purpose, cord blood banks have been established worldwide for the collection and cryopreservation of cord blood units. These banks must implement rigorous protocols to ensure the microbiological safety of grafts. The aim of this study is to evaluate the process of selecting mothers and collecting and processing these samples developed for this purpose. Methodology: Pregnant women were enrolled in the study on the basis of selection criteria. Maternal blood and cord blood samples were collected by the in utero method. Serological analyses of maternal blood for the detection of vertically transmitted infections and microbiological examinations of cord blood units were carried out. Results: 31 women out of 46 (68.4%) were enrolled. All had negative serology for the targeted pathogens. Similarly, microbiology revealed no microbial contamination of the cord blood units. Conclusion: This work demonstrates that the procedures for selecting mothers and processing implementations are effective in ensuring the microbiological safety of cord blood units and could be suggested in the context of banking cord blood stem cells at the Institut Pasteur de Côte d’Ivoire.

From banked human cord blood to induced pluripotent stem cells: New opportunities and promise in induced pluripotent stem cell banking (Review).

Umbilical cord blood (CB) is a valuable source of haematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSCs) and is known for the therapeutic use of these cells in treating blood disorders. However, challenges such as a high running cost and the increasing availability of treatment alternatives have made the effort to sustain CB banks difficult. This prompts the need to revisit the current CB banking initiatives to retain the relevance in this ever‑changing era parallel to the fast‑pacing development of cell‑based therapeutic technology. Cellular reprogramming has shown to have successfully converted adult somatic cells into human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), which promise wider applications in regenerative medicine, personalized treatment and tissue engineering. CB is the youngest, primitive adult cell source that has not been affected by any prior, acquired disorders. Hence, using CB as a source of candidate cells for generating hiPSCs may be a new opportunity for banking, albeit with challenges. The present review summarizes the rise and fall of CB usage and banking for clinical therapy, the considerations in reprogramming CB into hiPSCs, the safety concerns regarding the use of hiPSC‑derived cells in clinical transplantation and the prospect of using CB‑derived hiPSCs.

CLINICAL APPLICATIONS OF STEM CELL THERAPY IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER

Stem cell therapy is emerging as a novel approach in the fight against cancer, with over 300 clinical trials exploring various stem cell types, including embryonic, adult, fetal, amniotic fluid, and human embryonic-like stem cells. These trials aim to treat a range of diseases, notably cancer, by leveraging the regenerative capabilities of stem cells. Cancer stem cells (CSCs), a subpopulation within tumors, are integral to tumor growth and resistance to conventional treatments due to their self-renewal properties. Innovative strategies, such as suicide gene therapy using genes like Cytosine Deaminase (CD), show promise in targeting these CSCs and enhancing treatment outcomes. This review discusses the dual role of stem cells in cancer therapy, highlighting their potential to both promote and inhibit tumor development, and underscores the need for well-characterized therapeutic stem cell banks equipped with anti-tumor genes. Future research directions and the potential of stem cell-based therapies to revolutionize cancer treatment are also explored.

Revolutionizing medicine practice using stem cells in healthcare: review article

Abstract This review delves into the transformative potential of stem cells in healthcare, particularly within regenerative medicine. With their unique ability to self-renew and differentiate into various cell types, stem cells offer groundbreaking possibilities for treating various medical conditions. The review begins by thoroughly exploring different types of stem cells, from totipotent to pluripotent, highlighting their specific capabilities. This foundational understanding sets the stage for examining the therapeutic potential of stem cells. A key focus is the practical application of stem cell-based therapies, particularly in treating conditions like epidermolysis bullosa and macular degeneration. These examples showcase how stem cell research translates into real-world treatments, helping individuals with debilitating illnesses regain functionality and improve their quality of life. The review further emphasizes advancements in clinical trials, particularly in neurodegenerative diseases and spinal cord injuries, demonstrating significant progress in these fields. Additionally, the importance of stem cell banking is underscored as an essential resource for future regenerative medicine, offering a readily available source of cells for personalized treatments. Integrating stem cell research into therapeutic applications represents a revolutionary leap in modern medicine, potentially disrupting traditional treatment paradigms and providing new hope for previously incurable diseases.

Establishing a mesenchymal stem cell bank from umbilical cord tissue for cell therapy and initial application in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis at Tam Anh general hospital

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a natural aging process of joints that often occurs as age increases. In knee osteoarthritis, the cartilage that cushions the ends of the thigh bone and shinbone within the knee joint deteriorates, leading to a loss of cushioning and flexibility. This can result in pain, swelling, and stiffness when moving the knee joint. In the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, methods often include symptom management with pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory medications, lifestyle modifications to reduce stress on the knee joint; in some cases, surgery may be considered if nonsurgical interventions are ineffective. Stem cell therapy has emerged as a promising approach for treating knee osteoarthritis. This method has been demonstrated to be safe and effective. Still, one of the most important considerations when using stem cell therapy is quality regulation and safety standards regarding cell culture. This has led to the emergence of stem cell banks, where they are manufactured, preserved and stored. In this study, we utilized stem cells derived from allogeneic umbilical cord tissue. The stem cells were expanded and administered to patients via two injections spaced one month apart, with follow-up lasting an additional six months. The initial treatment results using stem cells for patients with knee osteoarthritis have been very promising. Through assessments of mobility, pain levels (measured by the VAS), and improvement in quality of life (measured by the Lequesne index) over 6 months, the research team has demonstrated the effectiveness of using mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from umbilical cord tissue for treating knee osteoarthritis.

Stem cell therapy: Advances and future directions in regenerative medicine: A review

Stem cell treatment, an important part of regenerative medicine that may change the way many illnesses and injuries are treated in the future. This review article gives an in-depth analysis of the many kinds of stem cells, including adult, induced pluripotent, and embryonic stem cells, as well as their background, properties, and potential for differentiation. Successful hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, tissue engineering, medications for neurological illnesses, and management of autoimmune diseases are only a few of the current applications of stem cells in therapy that we explore. The report also discusses cutting-edge techniques in stem cell research, such as 3D bioprinting, the game-changing CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing approach, and the manipulation of stem cells using tiny chemicals. However, there are several obstacles on the road to stem cell treatment. We explain how ethical concerns, immunological rejection, and tumorigenicity have influenced public opinion. Future developments in stem cell therapy will be discussed, including the role of stem cell banking, tissue engineering, personalized medicine, and artificial intelligence. In conclusion, despite substantial progress, barriers still need to be eliminated before stem cell treatment can realize its promise to fundamentally alter regenerative medicine.

Knowledge and attitude on umbilical cord blood stem cell therapy among bachelor nursing students in Lalitpur Metropolitan City

Background: Stem cells are immature cells that have ability to mature into different types of functioning cells as needed by body. Umbilical cord blood is one of the richest sources of stem cells. It is vital for nurses to keep up-to-date of current advances in stem cell science and nurses can play crucial role in providing first-hand information to public about stem cell and umbilical cord blood banking. Therefore, this study is aimed to identify the knowledge and attitude regarding umbilical cord blood stem cell therapy among bachelor nursing students. Method: A descriptive cross sectional research design was used to assess the knowledge and attitude of 263 nurses studying bachelor in nursing science and post basic bachelor in nursing in different selected nursing college of Lalitpur metropolitan city. Multi stage cluster sampling was used to select respondents. Data was collected using self-developed self-administered google form questionnaire. Results: Most of the nurses had poor knowledge (49.4%) and few nurses had good knowledge (6.8%) however majority of nurses (93.9%) had favourable attitude regarding umbilical cord blood stem cell therapy. Regarding association between variable, there is no any association between knowledge level and attitude (p=0.224). Conclusion: Nurses had poor knowledge and favourable attitude regarding umbilical cord blood stem cell therapy. Keywords: Nurses,Stem cells, Umbilical cord blood

Significance of Dental Stem Cells in Dentistry and Stem Cell Banking

Dentists play a crucial role in collecting stem cells for dental treatments and the potential treatment of medical diseases. Considering dental stem cells (DSCs) in terms of their increasing potential in medicine, adequate knowledge and positive attitudes of dentists toward DSCs and their use in regenerative therapies are extremely important. The immense potential of DSCs in regenerative medicine applications for various treatments suggests their significant role in both dental treatments and innovative approaches to treating various diseases. “Dental banking” emerged as a result of DSCs’ use in medical applications and their numerous clinical advantages across regenerative medical domains. DSC banking is a service that makes it possible to store and utilize DSCs for potential medical applications. However, further clinical research is needed to advance the applications of DSCs in treatment. This review aims to summarize the current literature on dental stem cell banking applications and usage areas of DSCs in dentistry.

Umbilical Cord Blood Collection During Cesarean Section: Effect on Maternal Blood Loss and Morbidity [ID 2683610

INTRODUCTION: Umbilical cord blood collection (UCBC) for stem-cell banking is routinely performed during cesarean sections (CS). Few studies have examined the maternal effect. This study's objective is to evaluate whether UCBC during CS is associated with increased maternal blood loss and morbidity. METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective cohort study of primary CS (PCS) in 2021. Exclusion criteria were age less than 18, multifetal gestation, gestational age less than 34 weeks, emergency, and infection. Data were compared between participants with and without UCBC during PCS. Extensive demographic data was collected and compared. The primary outcome was quantitative blood loss (QBL). Secondary outcomes were operative time, hemorrhage medication usage, and blood transfusion (BT). RESULTS: Eight hundred two PCS were reviewed, and 191 were excluded. Of the remaining 611, UCBC was attempted in 151 (24.7%). The UCBC cohort had higher gestational age (39.1 versus 38.7; P=.007), were less often in labor (P=.004) or on magnesium (P=.022), and were more likely to be scheduled (P=.002). Quantitative blood loss was higher with UCBC (1,091.5 versus 1,007.5 mL; P=.075). In non-labored PCS, the QBL difference was statistically significant (941.8 versus 798 mL; P=.034). Umbilical cord blood collection was associated with increased operative time (62.4 versus 56.8 minutes; P<.001) and postoperative BT (7.2% versus 3.3%; P=.036). There were no associations between UCBC and usage of hemorrhage medications. CONCLUSION: Umbilical cord blood collection increases QBL in nonlabored PCS. Umbilical cord blood collection increases operative time and postoperative BT in PCS. Patients should be appropriately counseled and selected for UCBC based on hemorrhage risk factors.

Generation and characterization of GATA6-specific EGFP expressing human induced pluripotent stem cell line, KSCBi017-A-1, using CRISPR/Cas9

GATA6 is expressed during early embryogenesis and localizes to endoderm- and mesoderm-derived tissues during later embryogenesis. Here, we established a human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) line expressing EGFP under GATA6 gene. EGFP coding sequence was introduced into the C-terminus of GATA6 in KSCBi017-A hiPSCs through homologous recombination using CRISPR/Cas9 system. The successfully edited line, KSCBi017-A-1, was selected and confirmed by sequencing. The line had a normal karyotype and exhibited potential to differentiate into three germ layers while it expressed EGFP upon endoderm induction. KSCBi017-A-1 cells can be used to monitor the expression of GATA6 during differentiation. This cell line is available from Korea National Stem Cell Bank.

Exploring Parental Knowledge, Attitudes, and Factors Influencing Decision-Making in Stem Cell Banking: Rising the Future of Medical Treatment.

Stem cellbanking (SCB) is a promising area of modern medicine with the potential to yield innovative treatments and cures. To effectively educate parents and implement laws and regulations that address parental concerns and encourage informed decision-making, it is imperative to emphasize parental viewpoints and their consequences for future healthcare. The study aims to establish the Saudi Arabian population's level of understanding regarding SCB and to comprehend the elements influencing parental knowledge, attitudes, and SCB decision-making processes. A cross-sectional study was conducted among the population in the Makkah region of Saudi Arabia. Demographic data, knowledge levels, attitudes, and decision-making variables were gathered from 380 respondents. The study reveals a lack in their comprehension of the objectives and possible uses of SCB, together with the main sources of information on those banks and conveniently available banking choices. It showed varied results regarding attitudes about considering an SCB for their children. In addition, the majority of respondents had not made a consent decision about SCB for their children. It also illuminates the factors that could influence participants' decisions about SCBfor their children and shows that a lack of information and understanding is the main obstacle faced by parents regarding SCB. It highlights that participants were generally in favor of learning more about SCB for their children. This study broadens our understanding of parental decision-making toward SCB and clarifies the elements influencing parents' opinions and worries and offers significant ramifications for lawmakers, medical professionals, and SCB. These implications can be utilized to enhance communication strategies, create instructional programs, and ease the fears of concerned parents.

The Ethical Challenges of Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cell Banking: A Qualitative Study

Background: Umbilical cord blood serves as a potent source of hematopoietic stem cells, utilized in treating specific diseases and preserved in blood banks. Objectives: This study aims to explore the ethical issues associated with these repositories. Methods: This qualitative research involved conducting 14 interviews with experts and the families of recipients or donors of umbilical cord blood. Participants were selected purposefully from May to November 2021. Results: The investigation identified five principal ethical challenges: presentation of information, interpersonal relationships among involved parties, respect for human dignity, adherence to rules and regulations, and the handling of tissue samples. These challenges encompassed various categories and subcategories, including informed consent, communication and advertising of information, financial considerations, conflicts of interest, professional interactions, ownership rights concerning the child and parents, privacy and confidentiality issues, compliance with regulations and guidelines, and the clinical and research uses of the tissue samples. Conclusions: The study unveiled significant ethical concerns in the domain of umbilical cord blood stem cell banking. Addressing these ethical dilemmas necessitates the involvement of health policymakers and medical ethics experts, along with a comprehensive understanding of these banks' multifaceted nature by the community.

A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Programme on Level of Knowledge Regarding Menstrual Blood Stem Cell Banking among Staff Nurses Working at Selected Hospitals of Valsad District

Introduction: Menstrual blood stem cell banking allows women to store their menstrual blood under suitable conditions and preserve it for future use. Aim: This study aims to assess the effectiveness of a structured teaching program on the level of knowledge among staff nurses working at selected hospitals of the Valsad district. Methodology: Quantitative approach with a pre-experimental research design by one-group pre-test and post-test was used. A total of 100 staff nurses were selected for data collection. Self-structured questionnaires were used to assess level of knowledge and association with socio-demographic variables. After conducting a pre-test, a structured teaching program on menstrual blood stem cell banking was administered to the participants and post-test was conducted after a relapse of seven days. Results: Overall level of knowledge in Pre-test shows that 9% had average knowledge and 91% had poor knowledge and none had good knowledge. In Post-test, None of the Staff Nurse is had poor knowledge, 61% of had average knowledge and 39% had good knowledge regarding Menstrual blood stem cell banking. This present study shows the Mean of Pre-test was 6.36 and significantly improved to 17.42 in Post-test with the mean difference of 11.06. The standard deviation of Pre-test was 3.76 and Post-test was 2.4. The computed value of t= 25.04 which is greater than the table value of t= 1.645 at the level of p at 0.05. There was a significant association between the pre-test knowledge score of staff nurses and selected socio-demographic variables, including educational status and previous knowledge about menstrual blood stem cell banking by chi- square method. Conclusion: The study concluded that the structured teaching program is effective in improving the level of knowledge of staff nurses regarding menstrual blood stem cell banking.

Stem Cells in Dentistry: Knowledge among the Dental Practitioners of Nepal

Introduction: Dentists are expected to play a major role in advancing the field of stem cell research as well as directing and implementing future stem cell therapies in dentistry. Accordingly, good basic knowledge and a positive attitude toward stem cells and their potential applications are essential among the dentists. Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of knowledge on stem cell among the dental practitioners. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among the registered dental practitioners in Nepal. An online questionnaire was created with the help of Google forms between 27 October, 2021 to 22 July, 2022 after receiving ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee of a tertiary care center. The questionnaire was designed after reviewing pertinent literatures. Convenience sampling method was used. Data from Google forms were entered in Microsoft Excel version 2016 and were analysed with IBM SPSS v.20. Results: Among the total of 280 responses received, the prevalence of good knowledge about stem cells was found to be 53 (18.93%) (14.34- 23.52, 95% Confidence Interval). Majority of the respondents with good knowledge score were female 41 (77.36%). Almost all of the respondents knew about the term stem cells and its sources. But very few 68 (24.29%) of them knew about the availability of stem cell banks in Nepal. Conclusions: The prevalence of good knowledge about stem cell in dentistry was found to be less than half the sample size. Hence, there is a need to cover stem cells related information in dental curricula in Nepal.

Civil Liability of Stem Cell Banks

Objective: This research examined the civil liability of stem cell banks. It studied the phenomenon with reference to the Jordanian Civil Code, particularly in the instructions issued under the stem cell system, within the instructions for insurance of stored stem cells and its amendments of 2014.
 
 Method: The descriptive analytical approach was used through extrapolating and analyzing the legal texts regulating the obligations of stem cell banks and the terms of the agreement related to contracts for storing and preserving stem cells, and deriving civil liability provisions accordingly.
 
 Result: The Jordanian legislator did not define the contract for preserving and storing stem cells. It recognized the necessity of financial compensation for damage to stem cells. However, it did not address the obligation to compensate for material or moral damage if the bank breached its obligation to deliver stem cells for the purposes of treatment.
 
 Conclusion: Stem cells are at the forefront of research in the medical fields, as stem cells have been proven to provide solutions to incurable diseases, such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and other diseases.

Transcriptomic Features Influencing Anti-Myeloma Drug Resistance in Human Multiple Myeloma Cell Lines

Despite increasing number of new drugs, multiple myeloma (MM) remains a significant challenge in hematology. This problem primarily arises from the emergence of drug resistance, which could either result from pre-existing drug-resistant clones, or from the development of secondary genomic and phenotypic drug resistance features upon drug exposure. The use of primary MM patient-derived samples, while considered the gold standard in preclinical MM research, presents challenges due to notoriously low plasma cell yields and short ex vivo lifespan. Moreover, these cells often fail to survive cryopreservation, making them difficult to use in reproducible drug sensitivity screens. To address this issue, the MM research community has established numerous culture-adapted MM cell lines (HMCLs), representative of all cytogenetic MM subtypes and characterized by DNA and RNA sequencing. However, a comprehensive evaluation of their drug sensitivity has been lacking. In this study, we sought to bridge this gap by profiling the sensitivity of over 30 HMCLs to both established and novel drugs relevant to MM treatment. We explored the transcriptomic and genomic features that correlate with drug sensitivity of these cell lines, and investigated whether these features were associated with the outcomes of patients enrolled in the MMRF CoMMpass study. Our initial results suggest potential pathways universally implicated in MM drug resistance, which could be targeted therapeutically. We performed drug sensitivity screening in 96-well plates, testing established drugs such as proteasome inhibitors, immunomodulatory drugs, dexamethasone, and melphalan, alongside novel treatment modalities including the BCL2 inhibitor venetoclax, XPO1 inhibitor selinexor, and histone deacetylase inhibitor panobinostat. Optimal cell density and drug dilutions were ensured to capture the full spectrum of drug response. After 4 days of incubation, cell proliferation was measured using a metabolic MTS assay, and EC50 values were computed using four-parameter logistic regression. Genomic and transcriptomic data were obtained from HMCL66 dataset from the Keats laboratory. Drug sensitivity was analyzed using a log-transformed EC50 matrix, which was used for unsupervised hierarchical clustering of cell lines, revealing two primary clusters: multi-drug resistant (MDR) and multi-drug sensitive (MDS) cell lines. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that MDR cell lines showed positive enrichment for KEAP1/NFE2L2 (Figure 1A), UPR/PERK pathways, and type I interferon signaling. Negative enrichment in MDR cell lines was observed for TP53-regulated transcription of cell death genes, with the top leading edge genes being key apoptosis inducers such as BAX, BID, APAF1, and FAS. We used the obtained leading edge gene lists to assign respective pathway activation scores to the CoMMpass patients, based on their transcriptomic profile, using the ssGSEA singscore package. High activation score of KEAP1/NFE2L2 was associated with shorter overall survival (HR = 1.57, p = 0.016), irrespective of type of first-line therapy (Figure 1A). Our study represents a significant milestone in characterizing the HMCL drug sensitivity landscape, suggesting that MDR cell lines inherently exhibit transcriptional features associated with high activity of the KEAP1/NFE2L2 and PERK pathways. These pathways have been previously associated with PI and IMiD resistance, but interestingly, our findings also link these signatures with the sensitivity to a variety of other anti-MM drugs. Conversely, MDS cell lines displayed enhanced basal activity of TP53-regulated pro-apoptotic genes, which might increase their apoptotic priming and consequently increase their susceptibility to drug-induced apoptosis. With the rapid evolution of protein-protein interaction inhibitors, future exploration of KEAP1-NRF2 or MDM2-TP53 interaction inhibitors could potentially enhance myeloma cell sensitivity. In the future, our team plans to expand the drug panel used in the screen and provide this enriched dataset as a public resource, thereby facilitating wider access and collaborative advancements in the field. Study supported by National Science Centre Grants PRELUDIUM 2018/31/N/NZ5/03214, ETIUDA 2020/36/T/NZ5/00610 and Polish Stem Cell Bank ExCELLent grant.

A double encryption protection algorithm for stem cell bank privacy data based on improved AES and chaotic encryption technology.

The unique infinite self-renewal ability and multidirectional differentiation potential of stem cells provide a strong support for the clinical treatment. In light of the growing demands for stem cell storage, how to ensure personal privacy security and comply with strict ethical supervision requirements is particularly important. In order to solve the problem of low security of traditional encryption algorithm, we proposed a double encryption protection (DEP) algorithm for stem cell bank privacy data based on improved AES and chaotic encryption technology. Firstly, we presented the hash value key decomposition algorithm, through the hash value dynamic coding, cyclic shift, conversion calculation to get the key of each subsystem in the built algorithm. Secondly, DEP algorithm for privacy data is realized with two level of encryption. The first level of encryption protection algorithm used AES as the main framework, adding dynamic coding and byte filling based on DNA coding, and carries out dynamic shift of rows and simplified mixing of columns. The second level of encryption protection algorithm conducted random encoding, operation, diffusion and decoding based on the results of our proposed sequence conversion algorithm. Finally, we raised two evaluation indexes, the number of characters change rate (NCCR) and the unified average change intensity of text (UACIT) to measure the sensitivity of encryption algorithms to changes in plain information. The experimental results of using DEP shown that the average values of histogram variance, information entropy, NCCR and UACIT are116.7883, 7.6688, 32.52% and 99.67%, respectively. DEP algorithm has a large key space, high key sensitivity, and enables dynamic encryption of private data in stem cell bank. The encryption scheme provided in this study ensures the security of the private information of stem cell bank in private cloud environment, and also provides a new method for the encryption of similar high confidentiality data.

Pregnant Women' Knowledge and Attitudes toward Cord Blood Stem Cell Banking and Donation at Gharbia Governorate, Egypt

Pregnant Women' Knowledge and Attitudes toward Cord Blood Stem Cell Banking and Donation at Gharbia Governorate, Egypt

Abstract 10 Experience with Enrollments and Releases Within a Medical Needs Program at a Large U.S. Private Cord Blood Bank

Abstract Introduction Medical Needs / Directed Donor programs provide families with access to cord blood for potential future use. In situations where a diagnosis, potentially treatable with cord blood, exists in an immediate relative of the newborn, these programs often allow families to preserve newborn stem cells at little to no cost. Objectives The objective of this study was to examine indications for enrollment and unit releases in a medical needs program at a large U.S. private newborn stem cell bank. Methods Enrollment data over a 24-year period was analyzed. Data was categorized by indications for enrollment and indications for which units were released. Results There was a total of 7,034 enrollments within the specified timeframe. Most enrollments were for indications treatable by hematopoietic stem cell transplant given the program did not include experimental indications until 2019. Approximately one-third of enrollments (33.4%) for transplant indications were for various types of leukemia. The experimental indications most frequently represented in enrollments were autism (44.3%) and cerebral palsy (38.4%). For all cord blood units stored under the medical needs program, the majority (70%) of releases were intended for use in transplant medicine. The most frequently represented transplant indication for releases was hemoglobinopathies including sickle cell anemia and beta thalassemia (44.6%). Approximately one-third (36.1%) of transplant releases were related to leukemia. Autism and cerebral palsy were the two most frequently represented experimental indications for units released at 39% and 36%, respectively. Discussion Clinical indications were mostly consistent between enrollments and releases through this cohort. This suggests the structure of the program is effective in identifying families who have a higher likelihood of utilizing their cord blood unit for a transplant or experimental infusion. Cord blood banks should continue to re-evaluate the eligibility criteria for their medical needs programs in light of relevant updates in the potential utility of newborn stem cells including changes in transplant medicine indications and treatment procedures, as well as clinical trials and experimental protocols using related cord blood units. Future research related to pathways of referral to medical needs programs may inform education gaps among women’s health providers.