Hub Location Problem For Optimal Vertiport Selection In Urban Air Mobility- Chicago Case Study

The research topic addressed by this work is UAM. In recent years, several improvements and big attention have been focused on this industry, claiming that the concept of shifting the mobility from traditional ground transportation towards the low-altitudes airways will disrupt the business and will help society both to solve the astonishingly increasing traffic congestion issue, and to shift to an environmentally sustainable solution. In particular, the research question of this work aims at solving the problem of the optimal location for the so called “vertiports”, namely the infrastructure needed to be designed and built in the urban environment. The problem is to find an effective way to easily obtain a starting point to work on, when dealing with this topic. Exploiting the HLP optimization problem as a reference approach, the goal has been to adapt HLP to the specific UAM service, refining the mathematical structure behind. The work will be structured like this: after an initial introduction in Chapter 1 of what UAM is, how is the current state of the art regarding aircraft, technologies and architectural design, the focus will go on the specific HLP problem and how it can be designed for a specific service, namely, an Airport Shuttling Service in the city of Chicago. In fact, based on existing literature, from Chapter 2 on the Methodology will be explained in detail, showing results and how the initial model has been improved and refined. Different comparisons and results will be showed then in Chapter 5, focusing on how the model works and change in different situations considere

Additional file 1: Table S1. of Selective proliferative response of microglia to alternative polarization signals

Oligonucleotides used in real time PCR assays. (PDF 182 kb

Additional file 4: Figure S3. of Selective proliferative response of microglia to alternative polarization signals

Cellular localization of Ki67 immunostaining in brain astrocytes. Brain sections were analyzed by immunohistochemistry for the expression of Ki67 using antibodies against Ki67 (green labeling) and GFAP (red staining) following the icv administration of 250 ng IL-4. Ki67-positive cells co-localize with GFAP-positive cells (white arrows). Scale bar, 10 Οm. (PDF 105 kb

Additional file 2: Figure S1. of Selective proliferative response of microglia to alternative polarization signals

In vitro polarization responses of microglia to IL-4 and CSF-1. A) The expression of M2 polarization genes (Arg1 and Mrc1) was analyzed in primary cultures of microglia following the treatment with vehicle (veh; open boxes), 20 ng/ml IL-4 (closed boxes) or 20 ng/ml CSF-1 (gray boxes). B) The expression of IL-4Rα was analyzed either in microglia cells obtained by immunosorting from the brain of vehicle or IL-4 icv-injected mice (ex vivo) or in primary cultures of microglia (in vitro) as specified above. Bars represent the mean ± SEM of 3 independent experiments, each performed in triplicate. Data sets for each gene were calculated using the 2-ddCt method with respect to the mean value of the vehicle group. Bars represent mean values ± SEM (n = 3). Student’s unpaired t-test, *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01; ***p < 0.001. (PDF 167 kb

image_3_Long-Term Clinical and Immunological Profile of Kidney Transplant Patients Given Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Immunotherapy.tif

<p>We report here the long-term clinical and immunological results of four living-donor kidney transplant patients given autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as part of a phase 1 study focused on the safety and feasibility of this cell therapy. According to study protocols implemented over time, based on initial early safety findings, the patients were given MSC at day 7 posttransplant (n = 2) or at day −1 pretransplant (n = 2) and received induction therapy with basiliximab and low-dose rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (RATG) or RATG alone, and were maintained on low-dose ciclosporin (CsA)/mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). All MSC-treated patients had stable graft function during the 5- to 7-year follow-up, without increased susceptibility to infections or neoplasm. In three MSC recipients, but not historical control patients, circulating memory CD8⁺ T cell percentages remained lower than basal, coupled with persistent reduction of ex vivo donor-specific cytotoxicity. Two patients showed a long-lasting increase in the regulatory T cell/memory CD8⁺ T cell ratio, paralleled by high circulating levels of naïve and transitional B cells. In one of these two patients, CsA was successfully discontinued, and currently the low-dose MMF monotherapy is on the tapering phase. The study shows that MSC therapy is safe in the long term and could promote a pro-tolerogenic environment in selected patients. Extensive immunomonitoring of MSC-treated kidney transplant recipients could help selection of patients for safe withdrawal of maintenance immunosuppressive drugs (NCT00752479 and NCT02012153).</p

image_5_Long-Term Clinical and Immunological Profile of Kidney Transplant Patients Given Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Immunotherapy.tif

<p>We report here the long-term clinical and immunological results of four living-donor kidney transplant patients given autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as part of a phase 1 study focused on the safety and feasibility of this cell therapy. According to study protocols implemented over time, based on initial early safety findings, the patients were given MSC at day 7 posttransplant (n = 2) or at day −1 pretransplant (n = 2) and received induction therapy with basiliximab and low-dose rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (RATG) or RATG alone, and were maintained on low-dose ciclosporin (CsA)/mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). All MSC-treated patients had stable graft function during the 5- to 7-year follow-up, without increased susceptibility to infections or neoplasm. In three MSC recipients, but not historical control patients, circulating memory CD8⁺ T cell percentages remained lower than basal, coupled with persistent reduction of ex vivo donor-specific cytotoxicity. Two patients showed a long-lasting increase in the regulatory T cell/memory CD8⁺ T cell ratio, paralleled by high circulating levels of naïve and transitional B cells. In one of these two patients, CsA was successfully discontinued, and currently the low-dose MMF monotherapy is on the tapering phase. The study shows that MSC therapy is safe in the long term and could promote a pro-tolerogenic environment in selected patients. Extensive immunomonitoring of MSC-treated kidney transplant recipients could help selection of patients for safe withdrawal of maintenance immunosuppressive drugs (NCT00752479 and NCT02012153).</p

table_1_Long-Term Clinical and Immunological Profile of Kidney Transplant Patients Given Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Immunotherapy.PDF

<p>We report here the long-term clinical and immunological results of four living-donor kidney transplant patients given autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as part of a phase 1 study focused on the safety and feasibility of this cell therapy. According to study protocols implemented over time, based on initial early safety findings, the patients were given MSC at day 7 posttransplant (n = 2) or at day −1 pretransplant (n = 2) and received induction therapy with basiliximab and low-dose rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (RATG) or RATG alone, and were maintained on low-dose ciclosporin (CsA)/mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). All MSC-treated patients had stable graft function during the 5- to 7-year follow-up, without increased susceptibility to infections or neoplasm. In three MSC recipients, but not historical control patients, circulating memory CD8⁺ T cell percentages remained lower than basal, coupled with persistent reduction of ex vivo donor-specific cytotoxicity. Two patients showed a long-lasting increase in the regulatory T cell/memory CD8⁺ T cell ratio, paralleled by high circulating levels of naïve and transitional B cells. In one of these two patients, CsA was successfully discontinued, and currently the low-dose MMF monotherapy is on the tapering phase. The study shows that MSC therapy is safe in the long term and could promote a pro-tolerogenic environment in selected patients. Extensive immunomonitoring of MSC-treated kidney transplant recipients could help selection of patients for safe withdrawal of maintenance immunosuppressive drugs (NCT00752479 and NCT02012153).</p

image_2_Long-Term Clinical and Immunological Profile of Kidney Transplant Patients Given Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Immunotherapy.tif

<p>We report here the long-term clinical and immunological results of four living-donor kidney transplant patients given autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as part of a phase 1 study focused on the safety and feasibility of this cell therapy. According to study protocols implemented over time, based on initial early safety findings, the patients were given MSC at day 7 posttransplant (n = 2) or at day −1 pretransplant (n = 2) and received induction therapy with basiliximab and low-dose rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (RATG) or RATG alone, and were maintained on low-dose ciclosporin (CsA)/mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). All MSC-treated patients had stable graft function during the 5- to 7-year follow-up, without increased susceptibility to infections or neoplasm. In three MSC recipients, but not historical control patients, circulating memory CD8⁺ T cell percentages remained lower than basal, coupled with persistent reduction of ex vivo donor-specific cytotoxicity. Two patients showed a long-lasting increase in the regulatory T cell/memory CD8⁺ T cell ratio, paralleled by high circulating levels of naïve and transitional B cells. In one of these two patients, CsA was successfully discontinued, and currently the low-dose MMF monotherapy is on the tapering phase. The study shows that MSC therapy is safe in the long term and could promote a pro-tolerogenic environment in selected patients. Extensive immunomonitoring of MSC-treated kidney transplant recipients could help selection of patients for safe withdrawal of maintenance immunosuppressive drugs (NCT00752479 and NCT02012153).</p

image_1_Long-Term Clinical and Immunological Profile of Kidney Transplant Patients Given Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Immunotherapy.tif

<p>We report here the long-term clinical and immunological results of four living-donor kidney transplant patients given autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as part of a phase 1 study focused on the safety and feasibility of this cell therapy. According to study protocols implemented over time, based on initial early safety findings, the patients were given MSC at day 7 posttransplant (n = 2) or at day −1 pretransplant (n = 2) and received induction therapy with basiliximab and low-dose rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (RATG) or RATG alone, and were maintained on low-dose ciclosporin (CsA)/mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). All MSC-treated patients had stable graft function during the 5- to 7-year follow-up, without increased susceptibility to infections or neoplasm. In three MSC recipients, but not historical control patients, circulating memory CD8⁺ T cell percentages remained lower than basal, coupled with persistent reduction of ex vivo donor-specific cytotoxicity. Two patients showed a long-lasting increase in the regulatory T cell/memory CD8⁺ T cell ratio, paralleled by high circulating levels of naïve and transitional B cells. In one of these two patients, CsA was successfully discontinued, and currently the low-dose MMF monotherapy is on the tapering phase. The study shows that MSC therapy is safe in the long term and could promote a pro-tolerogenic environment in selected patients. Extensive immunomonitoring of MSC-treated kidney transplant recipients could help selection of patients for safe withdrawal of maintenance immunosuppressive drugs (NCT00752479 and NCT02012153).</p

image_4_Long-Term Clinical and Immunological Profile of Kidney Transplant Patients Given Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Immunotherapy.tif

<p>We report here the long-term clinical and immunological results of four living-donor kidney transplant patients given autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as part of a phase 1 study focused on the safety and feasibility of this cell therapy. According to study protocols implemented over time, based on initial early safety findings, the patients were given MSC at day 7 posttransplant (n = 2) or at day −1 pretransplant (n = 2) and received induction therapy with basiliximab and low-dose rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (RATG) or RATG alone, and were maintained on low-dose ciclosporin (CsA)/mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). All MSC-treated patients had stable graft function during the 5- to 7-year follow-up, without increased susceptibility to infections or neoplasm. In three MSC recipients, but not historical control patients, circulating memory CD8⁺ T cell percentages remained lower than basal, coupled with persistent reduction of ex vivo donor-specific cytotoxicity. Two patients showed a long-lasting increase in the regulatory T cell/memory CD8⁺ T cell ratio, paralleled by high circulating levels of naïve and transitional B cells. In one of these two patients, CsA was successfully discontinued, and currently the low-dose MMF monotherapy is on the tapering phase. The study shows that MSC therapy is safe in the long term and could promote a pro-tolerogenic environment in selected patients. Extensive immunomonitoring of MSC-treated kidney transplant recipients could help selection of patients for safe withdrawal of maintenance immunosuppressive drugs (NCT00752479 and NCT02012153).</p