Surface CD52, CD84, and PTGER2 mark mature PMN-MDSCs from cancer patients and G-CSF-treated donors.

Precise molecular characterization of circulating polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSCs) is hampered by their mixed composition of mature and immature cells and lack of specific markers. Here, we focus on mature CD66bCD10CD16CD11b PMN-MDSCs (mPMN-MDSCs) from either cancer patients or healthy donors receiving G-CSF for stem cell mobilization (GDs). By RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) experiments, we report the identification of a distinct gene signature shared by the different mPMN-MDSC populations under investigation, also validated in mPMN-MDSCs from GDs and tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs) by single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) experiments.

Transfusional Approach in Multi-Ethnic Sickle Cell Patients: Real-World Practice Data From a Multicenter Survey in Italy.

Unlabelled: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a worldwide distributed hereditary red cell disorder characterized by recurrent acute vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs and anemia). Gold standard treatments are hydroxycarbamide (HC) and/or different red blood cell (RBC) transfusion regimens to limit disease progression. Here, we report a retrospective study on 1,579 SCD patients (median age 23 years; 802 males/777 females), referring to 34 comprehensive Italian centers for hemoglobinopathies.

Mature CD10 and immature CD10 neutrophils present in G-CSF-treated donors display opposite effects on T cells.

The identification of discrete neutrophil populations, as well as the characterization of their immunoregulatory properties, is an emerging topic under extensive investigation. In such regard, the presence of circulating CD66b neutrophil populations, exerting either immunosuppressive or proinflammatory functions, has been described in several acute and chronic inflammatory conditions. However, due to the lack of specific markers, the precise phenotype and maturation status of these neutrophil populations remain unclear.

Severe maternal morbidity in a tertiary care centre of northern Italy: a 5-year review.

Objective: To assess prevalence and causes of severe acute maternal morbidity cases and evaluate their impact on feto-maternal wellbeing and on facility resources.

Study Design: Observational retrospective study adopting management-based criteria in a tertiary care public hospital during a 5-year period. Criteria adopted were: intensive care unit admission, blood transfusion ≥ 4 units, emergency peripartum hysterectomy and arterial embolization at any time during pregnancy.

The use of banked skin in the Burns Centre of Verona.

Background: The use of glycerol and subsequent research enabling the conservation of tissues over time have led to the establishment and development of tissue banks, first in the USA and then in Europe. The Verona Tissue Bank was instituted in 2003 as the Regional Centre for the storage of skin and bone, adding to the already existing Italian banks at Turin, Milan, Cesena and Siena. This retrospective study analyses the use of banked skin (autologous and allogeneic grafts) from April 2003 (date of starting activity) to December 2007, in 171 patients with burns and four with necrotising fasciitis at the Burns Centre of Verona.

Evaluation of cryopreserved donor skin viability: the experience of the regional tissue bank of Verona.

Background: Allogeneic human skin removed from cadaveric donors is the covering of choice for deep burns, since it accelerates the re-epithelialisation of autologous skin. In this study we evaluated the cellular viability of cryopreserved skin at the regional tissue bank of Verona (Italy).

Methods: From 1st June 2007 to 30th September 2007, tests of cutaneous cell viability were carried out on 21 consecutive skin donors using the MTT (tetrazolium salt) method on samples prior to freezing and on thawed samples after a period of cryopreservation.

Comparison of CT features of Aspergillus and bacterial pneumonia in severely neutropenic patients.

Purpose: To establish whether a relationship exists between computed tomography features of lung opacities in severely neutropenic patients and their Aspergillus or bacterial etiology.

Methods: Computed tomography scans of 124 patients with lung opacities larger than 5 mm occurring during severe (neutrophils <500/mm) and prolonged (>7 d) neutropenia-induced by bone marrow transplantation and/or high-dose chemotherapy for hematologic malignancies-were reviewed. Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis or bacterial pneumonia were assessed by means of bronchoalveolar lavage, bronchial washing, trans-bronchial biopsy or (for bacteria only) blood cultures.

A pilot study on the efficacy of ketorolac plus tramadol infusion combined with erythrocytapheresis in the management of acute severe vaso-occlusive crises and sickle cell pain.

One of the major causes of hospitalization for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) are vaso-occlusive crises (VOC), which are characterized by acute pain and organ damage related to the presence of dense red cells. Here we report a pilot study which combined balanced analgesia with tramadol plus ketorolac and erythrocytapheresis. Key words: sickle cell disease, therapeutic erythrocytapheresis, HbS, visual analog scale, vaso-occlusive crisis.