High Frequency of Endothelial Colony Forming Cells Marks a Non-Active Myeloproliferative Neoplasm with High Risk of Splanchnic Vein Thrombosis

Increased mobilization of circulating endothelial progenitor cells may represent a new biological hallmark of myeloproliferative neoplasms. We measured circulating endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) in 106 patients with primary myelofibrosis, fibrotic stage, 49 with prefibrotic myelofibrosis, 59 with essential thrombocythemia or polycythemia vera, and 43 normal controls. Levels of ECFC frequency for patient's characteristics were estimated by using logistic regression in univariate and multivariate setting. The sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, and positive predictive value of increased ECFC frequency were calculated for the significantly associated characteristics. Increased frequency of ECFCs resulted independently associated with history of splanchnic vein thrombosis (adjusted odds ratio = 6.61, 95% CI = 2.54–17.16), and a summary measure of non-active disease, i.e. hemoglobin of 13.8 g/dL or lower, white blood cells count of 7.8×109/L or lower, and platelet count of 400×109/L or lower (adjusted odds ratio = 4.43, 95% CI = 1.45–13.49) Thirteen patients with splanchnic vein thrombosis non associated with myeloproliferative neoplasms were recruited as controls. We excluded a causal role of splanchnic vein thrombosis in ECFCs increase, since no control had elevated ECFCs. We concluded that increased frequency of ECFCs represents the biological hallmark of a non-active myeloproliferative neoplasm with high risk of splanchnic vein thrombosis. The recognition of this disease category copes with the phenotypic mimicry of myeloproliferative neoplasms. Due to inherent performance limitations of ECFCs assay, there is an urgent need to arrive to an acceptable standardization of ECFC assessment

The new Italian SIDAPA Baseline Series for patch testing (2023): an update according to the new regulatory pathway for contact allergens

Allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) is a common inflammatory skin disease caused by delayed hypersensitivity to chemical and biotic contact allergens. ACD significantly affects the patients' quality of life negatively impacting both occupational and non-occupational settings. Patch testing is the gold standard diagnostic in vivo test to precise the ACD etiology and to correctly perform prevention. According to the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA) legislative decree no. 178 of 29th May 1991, allergens are defined as medicines and therefore they are subject to strict regulation. In 2017, AIFA (decree no. 2130/2017) started a procedure to regulate contact allergens on the Italian market and actually the contact allergens temporarily authorized are reported in AIFA decree no. 98/2022, valid until November 2023. The availability on the market of contact allergens to diagnose ACD and continuous updating on the basis of new epidemiological trends are mandatory, jointly with the continuous update of the baseline and integrative series for patch testing. For this reason, the scientific community represented in Italy by the Skin Allergies Study Group of SIDeMaST (Italian Society of Dermatology and Venereology) and SIDAPA (Italian Society of Allergological, Occupational and Environmental Dermatology) are constantly working, in close relationship with the European scientific communities with large expertise in this important sector of the modern Dermatology. Herein, we report the setting up of regulatory legislation by AIFA and the new Italian Adult Baseline Series for patch testing

Development of an app for processing data on wildlife density in the field

It is essential to provide tools to wildlife professionals and researchers in order to facilitate data collection on wildlife density estimation following standardized protocols in the field. This is relevant for efficient harmonized data management systems, from the field to final reporting. Our main objective was to facilitate the collection of information in the field using established density estimation protocols. The specific objectives were (i) to evaluate and use already existing data registration IT tools for collecting and storing the data in the field; (ii) to make these data available in real time (cloud-based solution), and (iii) being flexible enough to incorporate new protocols and species, as methods (such as camera trap-based) and needs continuously evolves. We improved an already existing tool, Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART; https://smartconservationtools.org/). It is an open source software, which allows easily collect, visualize, store, analyze, report and act on a wide range of field data relevant for wildlife monitoring. The integration of SMART tools on EOW was successfully done for (i) distance sampling, (ii) hunting data and (iii) camera trap protocols. ENETWILD, therefore, made now available new IT functionalities to wildlife professionals and researchers to facilitate and harmonize wildlife data collection systems.EFSA-Q-2022-00044Peer reviewe

Impact of kinetic isotope effects in isotopic studies of metabolic systems

Background: Isotope labeling experiments (ILEs) are increasingly used to investigate the functioning of metabolic systems. Some enzymes are subject to kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) which modulate reaction rates depending on the isotopic composition of their substrate(s). KIEs may therefore affect both the propagation of isotopes through metabolic networks and their operation, and ultimately jeopardize the biological value of ILEs. However, the actual impact of KIEs on metabolism has never been investigated at the system level. Results: First, we developed a framework which integrates KIEs into kinetic and isotopic models of metabolism, thereby accounting for their system-wide effects on metabolite concentrations, metabolic fluxes, and isotopic patterns. Then, we applied this framework to assess the impact of KIEs on the central carbon metabolism of Escherichia coli in the context of C-13-ILEs, under different situations commonly encountered in laboratories. Results showed that the impact of KIEs strongly depends on the label input and on the variable considered but is significantly lower than expected intuitively from measurements on isolated enzymes. The global robustness of both the metabolic operation and isotopic patterns largely emerge from intrinsic properties of metabolic networks, such as the distribution of control across the network and bidirectional isotope exchange. Conclusions: These results demonstrate the necessity of investigating the impact of KIEs at the level of the entire system, contradict previous hypotheses that KIEs would have a strong effect on isotopic distributions and on flux determination, and strengthen the biological value of C-13-ILEs. The proposed modeling framework is generic and can be used to investigate the impact of all the isotopic tracers (H-2, C-13, N-15, O-18, etc.) on different isotopic datasets and metabolic systems. By allowing the integration of isotopic and metabolomics data collected under stationary and/or non-stationary conditions, it may also assist interpretations of ILEs and facilitate the development of more accurate kinetic models with improved explicative and predictive capabilities