Exosomal-miRNas expression and growth factors released by mononuclear cells of CLAD patients in response to extracorporeal photopheresis.

Background: CLAD (Chronic Lung Allograft Dysfunction) remains a serious complication following lung transplantation. Some evidence shows that portions of Extracorporeal Photopheresis (ECP)-treated patients improve/stabilize their graft function. In spite of that, data concerning molecular mechanisms are still lacking.

Viral Metagenomic Data Analyses of Five New World Bat Species from Argentina: Identification of 35 Novel DNA Viruses.

Bats are natural reservoirs of a variety of zoonotic viruses, many of which cause severe human diseases. Characterizing viruses of bats inhabiting different geographical regions is important for understanding their viral diversity and for detecting viral spillovers between animal species. Herein, the diversity of DNA viruses of five arthropodophagous bat species from Argentina was investigated using metagenomics.

Peripheral blood stem and progenitor cell collection in pediatric candidates for gene therapy: a 10-year series.

Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC)-based gene therapy (GT) requires the collection of a large number of cells. While bone marrow (BM) is the most common source of HSPCs in pediatric donors, the collection of autologous peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) is an attractive alternative for GT. We present safety and efficacy data of a 10-year cohort of 45 pediatric patients who underwent PBSC collection for backup and/or purification of CD34 cells for gene transfer.

Photopheresis Abates the Anti-HLA Antibody Titer and Renal Failure Progression in Chronic Antibody-Mediated Rejection.

Objective: Chronic renal antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) is a common cause of allograft failure, but an effective therapy is not available. Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) has been proven successful in chronic lung and heart rejection, and graft versus host disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ECP in chronic ABMR patients.

Endothelial Progenitor Cell CD34 and CD133 Concentrations and Soluble HLA-G Concentrations During Pregnancy and in Cord Blood in Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Diseases Compared to Controls.

The objective of this study is to evaluate endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) CD34 CD133 and CD34 CD133 and soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) concentrations among undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) subjects, compared to controls, during pregnancy and in cord blood. This is a case-control study including 29 controls and 29 UCTDs. CD34 CD133, CD34 CD133, and sHLA-G concentrations were detected in maternal plasma and in cord blood.

A retrospective study assessing the characteristics of COVID-19 convalescent plasma donors and donations.

Background: Although many trials are currently investigating the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma (CP) in critically ill COVID-19 patients, there is a paucity of ongoing and published studies evaluating the CP donors' side. This retrospective study reports the first Italian experience on CP donors' selection and donations.

Methods: Patients aged 18-68 years who had recovered from COVID-19 at least 2 weeks previously were recruited between March 18 and June 30, 2020 in a study protocol at the Italian hospitals of Pavia and Mantova.

Circulating endothelial progenitor cells during pregnancy in multiple sclerosis.

Background: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been shown to increase during physiological pregnancy and are believed to play a fundamental role in the process of placentation. Reduced levels of EPCs during pregnancy have been associated with preeclampsia and miscarriage. Women with multiple sclerosis (MS) are not at increased risk of preeclampsia nor of general adverse obstetric outcome, in contrast with some other autoimmune diseases.

PhoQ is an unsaturated fatty acid receptor that fine-tunes pathogenic traits.

The PhoP/PhoQ two-component signaling system coordinates the spatiotemporal expression of key virulence factors that confer pathogenic traits. Through biochemical and structural analyses, we found that the sensor histidine kinase PhoQ acted as a receptor for long-chain unsaturated fatty acids (LCUFAs), which induced a conformational change in the periplasmic domain of the PhoQ protein. This resulted in the repression of PhoQ autokinase activity, leading to inhibition of the expression of PhoP/PhoQ-dependent genes.

A Preliminary Study of the Virome of the South American Free-Tailed Bats () and Identification of Two Novel Mammalian Viruses.

Bats provide important ecosystem services as pollinators, seed dispersers, and/or insect controllers, but they have also been found harboring different viruses with zoonotic potential. Virome studies in bats distributed in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America have increased dramatically over the past decade, whereas information on viruses infecting South American species is scarce. We explored the virome of , an insectivorous New World bat species inhabiting a maternity colony in Rosario (Argentina), by a metagenomic approach.

Automated mononuclear cell collection: a feasibility study employing a new software for extracorporeal photopheresis.

Background And Objectives: Very recently, Fresenius Kabi, improved the software (autoMNC lymphocytes, SW 04.03.08) for mononuclear cells (MNCs) collection with the aim to ameliorate the quality of harvest, employing the automated autoMNC lymphocytes software SW 04.

Intrabone hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy for adult and pediatric patients affected by transfusion-dependent ß-thalassemia.

ß-thalassemia is caused by ß-globin gene mutations resulting in reduced (β) or absent (β) hemoglobin production. Patient life expectancy has recently increased, but the need for chronic transfusions in transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) and iron chelation impairs quality of life. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation represents the curative treatment, with thalassemia-free survival exceeding 80%.

Automated red blood cell depletion in ABO incompatible grafts in the pediatric setting.

Bone marrow ABO incompatible transplantations require graft manipulation prior to infusion to avoid potentially lethal side effects. We analyzed the influence of pre-manipulation factors (temperature at arrival, transit time, time of storage at 4°C until processing and total time from collection to red blood cell depletion) on the graft quality of 21 red blood cell depletion procedures in ABO incompatible pediatric transplants. Bone marrow collections were processed using the Spectra Optia (Terumo BCT) automated device.

Primary myelofibrosis: Older age and high JAK2V617F allele burden are associated with elevated plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels and a phenotype of progressive disease.

We measured plasma levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in 526 subjects with primary myelofibrosis (PMF). Thirty-eight percent had an elevated hs-CRP level (≥0.3mg/dL).

Mild-to-moderate foeto-maternal haemorrhage in the third trimester and at term of pregnancy: quantitative determination and clinical-diagnostic evaluation.

Background: Foeto-maternal haemorrhage (FMH), a gestational event that occurs before or during delivery, consists of a loss of foetal blood into the maternal circulation. FMH occurs more frequently during the third trimester or labour both in normal and complicated pregnancies. In the case of alloimmunisation, the maternal immunological response and the severity of the resulting foetal or neonatal disease depend on the amount of foetal blood that passes into the maternal circulation.

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Background: Introduction of the endovenous laser technique for treatment of varicose veins triggered a efforts to identify an ideal wavelength, capable of producing the highest possible selective damage with the greatest safety and lowest incidence of adverse effects.

Objectives: Assess medium to long term results of 1940nm diode laser treatment of varicose veins, correlating parameters used with durability of the anatomic outcome.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of patients diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency at clinical stages CEAP C2 to C6 who underwent thermoablative treatment of trunk varicose veins using a 1940nm wavelength laser with a radial emission optical fiber, from April 2012 to July 2015.

Comparison of two automated mononuclear cell collection systems in patients undergoing extracorporeal photopheresis: a prospective crossover equivalence study.

Background: Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is an effective cell therapy employed in several diseases, including graft versus host disease (GVHD) and organ rejection. When ECP is performed using an off-line technique, mononuclear cell (MNC) collection by leukapheresis is necessary for further manipulation (addition of 8-methoxypsoralen and ultraviolet A irradiation before reinfusion to the patient). We report the results of the first crossover equivalence study on yield and purity of MNCs collected from patients undergoing ECP with two different automated systems: MNC and CMNC (working with intermittent and continuous-flow collection, respectively), released by Terumo BCT.

Increased plasma nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase is associated with a hyperproliferative phenotype and restrains disease progression in MPN-associated myelofibrosis.

Myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN)-associated myelofibrosis is a clonal, neoplastic disorder of the hematopoietic stem cells, in which inflammation and immune dysregulation play an important role. Extracellular nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (eNAMPT), also known as visfatin, is a cytokine implicated in a number of inflammatory and neoplastic diseases. Here plasma levels of eNAMPT in patients with MPN-associated myelofibrosis and their effects on disease phenotype and outcomes were examined.

Autologous immuno magnetically selected CD133+ stem cells in the treatment of no-option critical limb ischemia: clinical and contrast enhanced ultrasound assessed results in eight patients.

Objectives: Demonstrate the safety and effectiveness of highly purified CD133+ autologous stem cells in critical limb ischemia (CLI).

Design: Prospective single-center not randomized. Clinicaltrials.

Long-Term Off-Line Extracorporeal Photochemotherapy in Patients with Chronic Lung Allograft Rejection Not Responsive to Conventional Treatment: A 10-Year Single-Centre Analysis.

Background: Extracorporeal photochemotherapy (ECP) for chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD) has been reported as beneficial in a few short-term studies.

Objectives: In this retrospective cohort study on 48 CLAD patients treated by ECP (off-line technique) for a period of >8 years (compared to 58 controls), we explored potential predictors of survival and response.

Methods: Failures were defined as a decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) of >10% from ECP initiation.