Background and Objectives
Clinical use of plasma rich in growth factors requires biochemical product control. We aimed to measure and modulate concentrations of growth factors in solutions deriving ...from platelet apheresis or whole blood.
Materials and Methods
Growth factor concentrations were measured 5’, 10’, 20’, 30’, 60’ after CaCl2 was added at 40°C to platelet‐apheresis products (n = 39) or after 60’ in platelet concentrates from whole blood (n = 13). Growth factor release was also obtained in platelet apheresis a) by incubation at 22°C or 40°C for 10’ or 30’ (n = 4); b) by repeated freeze–thaw (n = 9).
Results
Fibroblast growth factor (FGF), platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) isoforms AA and AB and transforming growth factor beta (TGF‐β) concentrations (pg/109 plt) were 25–60% higher in growth factors solutions from whole blood compared to platelet apheresis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), TGF‐β and PDGF isoforms were released early (5–10’) during incubation: TGF‐β concentration increased also at 30’. FGF and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were released only after 30’. Incubation at 40°C/10’ increased VEGF (+70%) and decreased EGF (−30%) and PDGF‐BB (−50%) versus 22°C/30’. Shock significantly increased TGF‐β (1·6‐fold), EGF (1·5‐fold), FGF (4·5‐fold) and lowered PDGF isoforms (0·2‐ to 0·5‐fold) versus prolonged incubation at 40°C.
Conclusion
Platelets from platelet apheresis and whole‐blood release all investigated growth factors. The release can be regulated controlling incubation time and/or temperature and performing cell lysis.
Peripheral blood stem cell cryopreservation is associated with cell damage and decreased viability. We evaluated the impact of up to 10 years of cryopreservation (5% DMSO) on viability of CD34+ cells ...utilizing graft samples of consecutive patients (2002–2012) with different malignancies who underwent stem cell collection and transplantation. Viability of CD34+ cells from oncohaematological patients measured after 5 weeks (97·2 ± 0·6%) or after 9–10 years of cryopreservation (95·9 ± 0·5%) was unaffected. Haemoglobin, granulocyte and platelet recovery after transplantation of long‐term cryopreserved grafts occurred within 8–13 days. CD34+ stem cells can be safely stored up to 9–10 years, without affecting cell viability and clinical effectiveness.
The prevalence of asthma increased worldwide until the 1990s, but since then there has been no clear temporal pattern. The present study aimed to assess time trends in the prevalence of current ...asthma, asthma-like symptoms and allergic rhinitis in Italian adults from 1990 to 2010. The same screening questionnaire was administered by mail or phone to random samples of the general population (age 20-44 yrs) in Italy, in the frame of three multicentre studies: the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) (1991-1993; n = 6,031); the Italian Study on Asthma in Young Adults (ISAYA) (1998-2000; n = 18,873); and the Gene Environment Interactions in Respiratory Diseases (GEIRD) study (2007-2010; n = 10,494). Time trends in prevalence were estimated using Poisson regression models in the centres that repeated the survey at different points in time. From 1991 to 2010, the median prevalence of current asthma, wheezing and allergic rhinitis increased from 4.1% to 6.6%, from 10.1% to 13.9% and from 16.8% to 25.8%, respectively. The prevalence of current asthma was stable during the 1990s and increased (relative risk 1.38, 95% CI 1.19-1.59) from 1998-2000 to 2007-2010, mainly in subjects who did not report allergic rhinitis. The prevalence of allergic rhinitis has increased continuously since 1991. The asthma epidemic is not over in Italy. During the past 20 yrs, asthma prevalence has increased by 38%, in parallel with a similar increase in asthma-like symptoms and allergic rhinitis.
Abstract What Protected Areas in Globalisation? Reflections from the Agro-Pastoral Landscapes of the Maiella National Park This paper aims to reflect on a possible interpretation of the role that ...protected areas could play in the globalization. Starting from the example of the Maiella National Park (Italy), the paper aims to highlight the role of anthropic action as a key factor that throughout history has contributed to the generation of the current forms of ecosystems, characterized in this context by high levels of biodiversity, especially from the botanical point of view. All this provides an opportunity to reflect on the constructive role played by humankind in ecological dynamics, and so to develop a critical discussion of the significance of protected areas as peculiar places of globalization, capable of conveying crucial ethical values.
We study the positive periodic solutions of a periodically perturbed second-order nonlinear equation with a singularity, related to the so-called Liebau phenomenon, which has received great deal of ...interest in the past decade. Our main contribution concerns a global theorem about the monotonicity of the period map for the equation with constant coefficients. Then, as applications, we prove new bifurcation results for periodic solutions (harmonic and subharmonic), as well as the presence of complex dynamics for some periodic coefficients which are meaningful from a physical point of view.
The present article deals with the positive solutions of a periodically perturbed Duffing type equation with singularity of the form u″−u−α=e(t) and its damped counterpart u″+cu′−u−α=e(t), for α≥1. ...Using a result on monotonicity for the period function of an associated planar autonomous system, we prove the existence of infinitely many subharmonic solutions, as well as the presence of chaotic dynamics, for some T-periodic forcing terms with negative mean value.
The next galactic core-collapse supernova (CCSN) has already exploded, and its electromagnetic (EM) waves, neutrinos, and gravitational waves (GWs) may arrive at any moment. We present an extensive ...study on the potential sensitivity of prospective detection scenarios for GWs from CCSNe within 5 Mpc, using realistic noise at the predicted sensitivity of the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors for 2015, 2017, and 2019. We quantify the detectability of GWs from CCSNe within the Milky Way and Large Magellanic Cloud, for which there will be an observed neutrino burst. We also consider extreme GW emission scenarios for more distant CCSNe with an associated EM signature. We find that a three-detector network at design sensitivity will be able to detect neutrino-driven CCSN explosions out to ~5.5kpc, while rapidly rotating core collapse will be detectable out to the Large Magellanic Cloud at 50 kpc. Of the phenomenological models for extreme GW emission scenarios considered in this study, such as long-lived bar-mode instabilities and disk fragmentation instabilities, all models considered will be detectable out to M31 at 0.77 Mpc, while the most extreme models will be detectable out to M82 at 3.52 Mpc and beyond.
We study the existence of subharmonic solutions and solutions with complicated dynamics in a Duffing-type equation which arises from the study of forced tides. This is a model which involves an ...almost enclosed basin, connected to the sea by a narrow strait. Such a basin turns out to be a nonlinear Helmholtz resonator. The proofs are based on developments of the theory of topological horseshoes in connection with some geometric features associated to linked twist maps.
The joint distribution of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has not been well described. This study aims at determining the prevalence of self-reported physician diagnoses of ...asthma, COPD and of the asthma-COPD overlap syndrome and to assess whether these conditions share a common set of risk factors.
A screening questionnaire on respiratory symptoms, diagnoses and risk factors was administered by mail or phone to random samples of the general Italian population aged 20-44 (n = 5163) 45-64 (n = 2167) and 65-84 (n = 1030) in the frame of the multicentre Gene Environment Interactions in Respiratory Diseases (GEIRD) study.
A physician diagnosis of asthma or COPD (emphysema/chronic bronchitis/COPD) was reported by 13% and 21% of subjects aged <65 and 65-84 years respectively. Aging was associated with a marked decrease in the prevalence of diagnosed asthma (from 8.2% to 1.6%) and with a marked increase in the prevalence of diagnosed COPD (from 3.3% to 13.3%). The prevalence of the overlap of asthma and COPD was 1.6% (1.3%-2.0%), 2.1% (1.5%-2.8%) and 4.5% (3.2%-5.9%) in the 20-44, 45-64 and 65-84 age groups. Subjects with both asthma and COPD diagnoses were more likely to have respiratory symptoms, physical impairment, and to report hospital admissions compared to asthma or COPD alone (p<0.01). Age, sex, education and smoking showed different and sometimes opposite associations with the three conditions.
Asthma and COPD are common in the general population, and they coexist in a substantial proportion of subjects. The asthma-COPD overlap syndrome represents an important clinical phenotype that deserves more medical attention and further research.
PDF
