Three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models of cell culture aim to fill the gap between the standard two-dimensional cell studies and the in vivo environment. Especially for neural tissue regeneration approaches where there is little regenerative capacity, these models are important for mimicking the extracellular matrix in providing support, allowing the natural flow of oxygen, nutrients, and growth factors, and possibly favoring neural cell regrowth. We have previously demonstrated that a new self-assembling nanostructured biomaterial, based on matrigel, was able to support adult neural stem cell (NSC) culture. In this study, we developed a new 3D cell culture system that takes advantage of the nano- and microfiber assembling process, under physiologic conditions, of these biomaterials. The assembled scaffold forms an intricate and biologically active matrix that displays specifically designed functional motifs: RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp), BMHP1 (bone marrow homing peptide 1), and BMHP2, for the culture of adult NSCs. These scaffolds were prepared at different concentrations, and microscopic examination of the cell-embedded scaffolds showed that NSCs are viable and they proliferate and differentiate within the nanostructured environment of the scaffold. Such a model has the potential to be tailored to develop ad hoc designed peptides for specific cell lines.

Background: Rats are a widely accepted preclinical model for evaluating intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration and regeneration. IVD morphology is commonly assessed using histology, which forms the foundation for quantifying the state of IVD degeneration. IVD degeneration severity is evaluated using different grading systems that focus on distinct degenerative features. A standard grading system would facilitate more accurate comparison across laboratories and more robust comparisons of different models and interventions.Aims: This study aimed to develop a histology grading system to quantify IVD degeneration for different rat models.

According to the narrative approach, change in self-narratives is an important part of successful psychotherapy. In this view, several authors have highlighted the usefulness of narrating new experiences (like actions, thoughts, and stories) during therapy in contrast with maladaptive client self-narratives. These new experiences are termed here innovative moments (IMs), and different types can be specified: action, reflection, protest, reconceptualization, and performing change. With the aim of understanding which therapist skills are related to client IMs, we analyzed the association between exploration, insight, and action skills and IMs in two initial, two middle, and two final sessions of three good outcome (GO) and three poor outcome (PO) cases of emotion-focused therapy (EFT) for depression. IMs occurred more often in GO than PO cases. Furthermore, in GO more than PO cases, exploration and insight skills more often preceded action, reflection, and protest IMs in the initial and middle phases of EFT, but more often preceded reconceptualization and performing change IMs in the final phase. Action skills were more often associated with action, reflection, and protest IMs across all phases, especially in the final phase, of GO EFT.

Self-multiplicity is a widely recognized phenomenon within psychology. The study of how self-continuity emerges amidst self-multiplicity remains a crucial issue, however. Dialogical approaches are widely viewed as suitable for developing this field of study but they demand coherent methods compatible with their theoretical bases. After reviewing the available methods for the study of the dialogical self, as well as other dialogical methods for the study of psychotherapy, we conclude that we still lack a method which can be used by external observers and is devoted to the systematic tracing of the dialogical dynamics of self-positions as they unfold over time. A new method, positioning microanalysis, is described in detail as a possible way to overcome current limitations in methods focused on the dialogicality inherent in selfhood processes. Positioning microanalysis takes a genetic-developmental perspective on dialogical processes in the self and allows for the depiction of microgenetic movements of self-positions over time and the establishment of more or less stable sequences or patterns of positions. This is illustrated by its application to an emotion-focused therapy session.

Cell therapies for intervertebral disc (IVD) regeneration presently rely on transplantation of IVD cells or stem cells directly to the lesion site. Still, the harsh IVD environment, with low irrigation and high mechanical stress, challenges cell administration and survival. In this study, we addressed systemic transplantation of allogeneic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) intravenously into a rat IVD lesion model, exploring tissue regeneration via cell signaling to the lesion site. MSC transplantation was performed 24 hours after injury, in parallel with dermal fibroblasts as a control; 2 weeks after transplantation, animals were killed. Disc height index and histological grading score indicated less degeneration for the MSC‐transplanted group, with no significant changes in extracellular matrix composition. Remarkably, MSC transplantation resulted in local downregulation of the hypoxia responsive GLUT‐1 and in significantly less herniation, with higher amounts of Pax5+ B lymphocytes and no alterations in CD68+ macrophages within the hernia. The systemic immune response was analyzed in the blood, draining lymph nodes, and spleen by flow cytometry and in the plasma by cytokine array. Results suggest an immunoregulatory effect in the MSC‐transplanted animals compared with control groups, with an increase in MHC class II+ and CD4+ cells, and also upregulation of the cytokines IL‐2, IL‐4, IL‐6, and IL‐10, and downregulation of the cytokines IL‐13 and TNF‐α. Overall, our results indicate a beneficial effect of systemically transplanted MSCs on in situ IVD regeneration and highlight the complex interplay between stromal cells and cells of the immune system in achieving successful tissue regeneration. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2017;6:1029–1039