The Texas State Donated Skeletal Collection at the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State

The Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State (FACTS) began accepting whole-body donations for scientific research and educational purposes under the Texas Anatomical Gift Act in 2008. Research conducted with donated whole bodies involves studies in taphonomy and human decomposition, including reconstructing the postmortem interval. Following decomposition, the skeletal elements of all donors are collected, cleaned, and permanently curated into the Texas State Donated Skeletal Collection (TXSTDSC), which is used for teaching and research by faculty and students at Texas State but is also open to external researchers. To date, FACTS has received 710 donors. Fifty-eight percent of donors are male and 42% are female. Donor ages range from 21 weeks’ gestation to 103 years old at the time of death, with a mean of 66 years, and a median of 68 years. Based on self-identified or family-identified ancestry, 90% of donors are White, 4.5% are Hispanic, 3% are Black, less than 2% are of mixed ancestry, and less than 1% are Asian or Native American. Information collected about each donor includes geographic/residential history; occupational history; socioeconomic status; anthropometrics; parity status; alcohol, tobacco, and drug use history; mobility status; an overall health questionnaire; cause and manner of death.

Effect of Donor Characteristics on T Cell Replete Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplantation: Over the Last 10 Years at a Single Institution

Background: Owing in part to the development of T-cell-replete strategies such as PTCy based graft versus host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis, colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), and anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) approach, it increases donor availability for almost all patients in need, which was associated with survival outcomes comparable to those of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). So there has been a rapid expansion in Haploidentical stem cell transplantation (haplo-SCT). One of the most complex issues with haplo-SCT is donor selection, given that multiple haploidentical donors are often available for a given recipient. Methods: To develop evidence-based guidance for donor selection in the setting of ATG-based T-cell-replete haplo-SCT, we performed a prospective cohort study of 512 consecutive hematologic malignancies patients accepting haplo-SCTs at a single center to determine which donor variables were most important in favoring transplant outcomes when applied in the uniform G-CSF mobilized peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) source, myeloablative conditioning regimen, and low-dose ATG based GVHD prophylaxis. Results: In our low dosage ATG based T-cell replete Haplo-SCT and PBSC donor source protocol, increasing donor age was the only donor characteristic that influenced overall survival (OS). Donor age increasing by five years was associated with poorer OS (HR, 1.08 [1.00, 1.17; P =0.044]). Female donor to the male recipient, ABO incompatibility, increasing patient age, and HLA genotype did not influence OS in multivariable analyses. Female donor to the male recipient was significantly associated with higher non-relapse mortality (NRM) (HR, 2.05 [1.23, 3.41; P =0.006]). Increasing donor age by five years had the trend of higher NRM (HR, 1.11 [0.98, 1.25; P =0.094]). ABO incompatibility, increasing patient age, HLA genotype, disease, disease risk index (DRI) did not impact NRM. No donor-related variables had a significant influence on Relapse. Besides, increasing donor age (per 5 yr) had a higher risk for grade 3 to 4 acute GVHD (aGVHD) (HR, 1.17 [1.05, 1.30; P= 0.005]), female donor to the male recipient was associated with higher risk for grade 2 to 4 aGVHD (HR, 1.50 [1.06, 2.11; P= 0.022]). Sibling donors had superior OS(79.3% vs 63.8%, P=0.003), Disease-free survival (DFS) (76.9% vs 62.2%, P=0.009), and NRM (5.1% vs 13.8%, P=0.048) than parental donors in the group of patients age <35. However, sibling donors had higher NRM (32.4% vs. 11.1%, P=0.008) than offspring donors in the group of patients age ³35. Maternal donors appeared higher risk of developing cumulative incidence of 100-day grade 2 to 4 aGVHD than paternal donors (HR, 1.95 [1.25, 3.03; P= 0.003]). But no significant differences of OS, DFS, NRM, Relapse, 3 to 4 aGVHD, and chronic GVHD (cGVHD) were observed between maternal and paternal donors. Conclusion: We found that younger donors were associated with superior OS, lower NRM and lower risk for the cumulative incidence of grade 3 to 4 aGVHD, a female donor to a male recipient was associated with higher NRM and higher risk for the cumulative incidence of grade 2 to 4 aGVHD, sibling donors had superior outcomes than parental donors in younger recipients (yr<35), whereas offspring donors had superior results than sibling donors in older recipients (yr³35). Paternal donors are preferred than maternal donors. ABO incompatibility didn't affect transplant outcomes as PBSC derived grafts used. These data strongly suggest that a younger donor, usually a young sibling or a young offspring, generally avoid female donor to a male recipient, should be preferred when multiple haplo donors are available. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Prolonged islet allograft function is associated with female sex in patients after islet transplantation

Background Islet transplantation (ITx) has proved to be effective in preventing severe hypoglycemia and improving metabolic control in selected subjects with T1D. Long-term graft function remains a challenge. Estrogens have been shown to protect β-cells from metabolic stresses and improve revascularization of transplanted human islets in the mouse. We aimed to evaluate the influence of sex in allograft survival of ITx recipients. Methods We analyzed a retrospective cohort of ITx recipients (n=56) followed-up for up to 20 years. Allograft failure was defined as a stimulated C-peptide <0.3 ng/ml during a mixed-meal tolerance test. Subjects were divided into recipients of at least one female donor (Group 1) and recipients of male donors only (Group 2). Results Group 1 subjects (n=25) were aged 41.5 ± 8.4 years and Group 2 subjects (n=22) 45.9 ± 7.3 years (P= 0.062). Female recipient frequency was 44.8% (n=13) in Group 1 and 55.2% (n=16) in Group 2 (P=0.145). Group 2 developed graft failure earlier than Group 1 [680 (286 – 1624) vs. 1906 (756 – 3256) days, P= 0.038]. We performed additional analyses on female recipients only from each group (Group 1, n= 16, Group 2, n=20). Female recipients in Group 1 exhibited prolonged allograft function compared to Group 2, after adjustment for confounders (OR: 28.6, CI: 1.3 – 619.1; P < 0.05). Conclusion Recipients of islets from at least one female donor exhibited prolonged graft survival compared to recipients of islets from exclusively male donors. In addition, female recipients exhibited prolonged survival compared to male recipients following ITx of at least one female donor.

Adipose Tissue-Derived Microvascular Fragments From Male and Female Fat Donors Exhibit a Comparable Vascularization Capacity

Adipose tissue-derived microvascular fragments (MVF) represent effective vascularization units for tissue engineering. Most experimental studies exclusively use epididymal fat tissue of male donor mice as a source for MVF isolation. However, in future clinical practice, MVF-based approaches may be applied in both male and female patients. Therefore, we herein compared the vascularization capacity of MVF isolated from the epididymal and peri-ovarian fat tissue of male and female donor mice. Freshly isolated MVF from male and female donors did not differ in their number, length distribution, viability and cellular composition. After their assembly into spheroids, they also exhibited a comparable in vitro sprouting activity. Moreover, they could be seeded onto collagen-glycosaminoglycan matrices, which were implanted into full-thickness skin defects within mouse dorsal skinfold chambers. Repetitive intravital fluorescence microscopy as well as histological and immunohistochemical analyses revealed a comparable vascularization and incorporation of implants seeded with MVF of male and female origin. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that the vascularization capacity of MVF is not gender-specific.

The level of melatonin in the blood and follicular fluid in women with infertility in the program of assisted reproductive technologies and the effectiveness of its application

Objective was to investigate the level of melatonin in the blood and follicular fluid in women treated with infertility by ART method and evaluate the effectiveness of melatonin in their preparation for programs.Material and methods. 89 women were examined. The first (control) group included 13 healthy women oocyte donors who gave birth to their own healthy children, the second group - 33 women with infertility, who two weeks before and during ovulation stimulation were taken simultaneously at the same time before bedtime 3 mg of the drug "Vita-melatonin" produced by "Kyiv Vitamin Plant", the third group - 43 women with infertility who did not take the drug melatonin during ovulation stimulation. ELISA (Germany) reagent kits were used to determine melatonin levels. Melatonin levels were determined in blood plasma, and follicular fluid obtained during the puncture at 9:00 am.Results. The level of melatonin in the blood of female donor oocytes was 130.85 ± 16.91 pg/ml. This rate in the blood of women who used the drug melatonin before and during ovulation stimulation was significantly higher than in the blood of women who did not take the drug (respectively, 143.06 ± 14.87 pg/ml and 123.40 ± 12.65 pg / ml, p <0.05), and in the follicular fluid there was an inverse relationship: the level of melatonin in women of the first group was 97.15 ± 8.69 pg / ml, the second group - 39.46 ± 4.52 pg/ml, which is significantly less (p <0.05), the third group - 62.34 ± 3.94 pg / ml, which is almost twice more (p <0.05) compared with women who took melatonin, but less (p <0.05) compared with the first group. The frequency of pregnancy on transfer in patients of the first group was 80.0 ± 11.01%, in women of the second group probably less - 60.6 ± 8.25% (p <0.05), but also probably higher compared to women in the third group - 45.0 ± 7.62% (p <0.05). A similar pattern was observed by us on the onset of pregnancy in general: in the first group - 100.0%, in the second - 68.9 ± 8.05% (p <0.05), in the third - 60.5 ± 7.47% (p> 0.05).Conclusions. The low level of melatonin in the follicular fluid obtained by us in women who underwent ovulation stimulation in ART programs in the treatment of infertility requires further scientific interpretation. At the same time, the best results of pregnancy in women in ART programs who took melatonin in preparation are encouraging.

Why Is Human Milk Donation Absent From the Literature on Philanthropic Giving? The Invisible Female Donor and Her Invisible Gift

In this research note, we call attention to human milk donation being essentially omitted from the philanthropy literature and bodily gifting research. We focus here on human milk donations for infant feeding through nonprofit milk banks. We argue that its omission is due to two main factors: (a) the incoherence of defining human milk donation and the challenges to its regulation and (b) its consideration as care work and the characteristics of the milk donor identity. We end with avenues for future research in this area.

Impact of Various Sizing Metrics on Female Donor to Male Recipient Heart Transplant Outcomes

Background: This study evaluated the impact of various sizing metrics on outcomes of female donor to male recipient orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). Methods: We queried the United Network of Organ Sharing database to analyze all isolated, primary adult OHTs from 1/12010-3/20/2020. Patients were stratified by donor-recipient sex pairing. Logistic regression was used to investigate risk-adjusted effects of current size matching criteria (weight ratio, body mass index (BMI) ratio, predicted heart mass (pHM) ratio) on one-year post-transplant mortality. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare posttransplant survival among cohorts. Results: A total of 22,450 patients were analyzed, of which 3,019 (13.4%) underwent female-to-male transplantation. Of sex-matched pairs, female-to-male donation had the lowest proportion of undersized hearts using weight and BMI ratio metrics (10.5% and 5.2%) but had the highest proportion of undersizing using pHM metrics (48.1%) (all P<0.001). Female-to-male recipients had the lowest rate of unadjusted one-year survival (90.0%, P = 0.0169), and increased hazards of mortality after risk adjustment (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.01-1.36, P=0.034)). Undersizing using pHM (donor-recipient ratio < 0.85) was the only metric found to be associated in increased mortality after risk adjustment (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.71, P=0.035). Conclusions: Female-to-male heart transplantation has the worst survival of all sex-matching combinations. Although female donors in this cohort are appropriately sized using traditional metrics, half are under-sized using pHM. This, combined with its strong association with mortality, underscores the importance of routine pHM assessment when evaluating female donors for male recipients.