Ex vivo physiological compression of human osteoarthritis cartilage modulates cellular and matrix components

Mechanical stimulation appears to play a key role in cartilage homeostasis maintenance, but it can also contribute to osteoarthritis (OA) pathogenesis. Accumulating evidence suggests that cartilage loading in the physiological range contributes to tissue integrity maintenance, whereas excessive or reduced loading have catabolic effects. However, how mechanical stimuli can regulate joint homeostasis is still not completely elucidated and few data are available on human cartilage. We aimed at investigating human OA cartilage response to ex vivo loading at physiological intensity. Cartilage explants from ten OA patients were subjected to ex vivo controlled compression, then recovered and used for gene and protein expression analysis of cartilage homeostasis markers. Compressed samples were compared to uncompressed ones in presence or without interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) or interleukin 4 (IL-4). Cartilage explants compressed in combination with IL-4 treatment showed the best histological scores. Mechanical stimulation was able to significantly modify the expression of collagen type II (collagen 2), aggrecan, SOX9 transcription factor, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), collagen degradation marker C2C and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Conversely, ADAMTS4 metallopeptidase, interleukin 4 receptor alpha (IL4Ra), chondroitin sulfate 846 epitope (CS846), procollagen type 2 C-propeptide (CPII) and glycosaminoglycans (GAG) appeared not modulated. Our data suggest that physiological compression of OA human cartilage modulates the inflammatory milieu by differently affecting the expression of components and homeostasis regulators of the cartilage extracellular matrix

Implicating factors in the increase in cases of central precocious puberty (CPP) during the COVID-19 pandemic: Experience of a tertiary centre of pediatric endocrinology and review of the literature

Sexual development is a complex mechanism activated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Over the last one hundred years there has been a decline in the age at puberty onset in industrialised countries. Some Italian studies showed an increase in diagnoses of Central Precocious Puberty (CPP) during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is thus supposed that in this period there was an increased impact of factors that can influence pubertal development. Our retrospective monocentric study aimed to confirm the existence of this phenomenon and analysed possible related factors. We retrospectively evaluated clinical, laboratory, radiological and ultrasound (US) data of 154 girls referred to our Tertiary Centre of Paediatric Endocrinology from January 2019 to April 2021 for different forms of Precocious Puberty. We subdivided the cases into subgroups according to the final diagnosis: CPP, Early Puberty (EP), isolated thelarche and isolated pubarche. The observation period was subdivided into: Period 1, before lockdown (1 January 2019 - 8 March 2020) and Period 2, lockdown and the following months (9 March 2020 - 30 April 2021). Period 2 was further divided into "restrictive lockdown period" (Period 2.1) (March 2020 - 14 June 2020, in which the schools were closed) and "less restrictive lockdown period" (Period 2.2) (15 June 2020 - 30 April 2021). We analysed data regarding the use of electronic devices before and during lockdown in a group of girls with CPP diagnosed in Period 2 and we compared the data with that of a control group. Our data show an increase in the number of new diagnoses of CPP during lockdown and in the following months, compared with the previous period. We also detected a higher use of PCs and smartphones in girls with CPP diagnosed in Period 2, compared with the control group. The percentage of the presence of endometrial rhyme detected during the pelvic ultrasound was higher in girls with CPP in Period 2, compared with the previous period. Based on our data we assume there was an environmental effect on pubertal timing that calls our attention to factors such as food, use of electronic devices and stress. We will need further studies to better understand this data

Mechanized recovery of olive pruning residues: ash contamination and harvesting losses

Agricultural residues represent an important source of biomass for energy. Among the available biomass suitable for energy and available in Italy, pruning represents about the 20% of the total. About 1.184 million of hectares are planted with olive trees; the pruning residues coming from these plantations represent a wide source of biomass at National level. The authors tested six commercial pruning harvesters to determine harvesting losses and product contamination when recovering pruning residues. All harvesters used a mechanical pick-up to collect the residues and a shredder to reduce them into chips. Three different pick-up settings were tested and namely: 1 cm above ground level, manufacturer’s specification and 3 cm above ground level. Ash content in the shredded material was taken as a measure of contamination: the uncontaminated branch material collected directly from the trees had a value of 3.5%, whereas in shredded residues varied between 4.5% and over 5.5%, for the shortest and the longest distance between the pick-up and the soil surface, respectively. Harvesting losses were slightly, but significantly, related to pick-up setting, and mainly depended on machine type. Both machines have shown a good quality of the work performed and the results obtained indicates that the work phases could be simplified in order to reduce both the time of use and the harvesting costs

Platelet rich plasma from different preparations: effect on chondrocytes and synoviocytes of osteoarthritis patients

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Post-Acute COVID-19 Joint Pain and New Onset of Rheumatic Musculoskeletal Diseases: A Systematic Review

As the number of reports of post-acute COVID-19 musculoskeletal manifestations is rapidly rising, it is important to summarize the current available literature in order to shed light on this new and not fully understood phenomenon. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review to provide an updated picture of post-acute COVID-19 musculoskeletal manifestations of potential rheumatological interest, with a particular focus on joint pain, new onset of rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases and presence of autoantibodies related to inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies. We included 54 original papers in our systematic review. The prevalence of arthralgia was found to range from 2% to 65% within a time frame varying from 4 weeks to 12 months after acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Inflammatory arthritis was also reported with various clinical phenotypes such as symmetrical polyarthritis with RA-like pattern similar to other prototypical viral arthritis, polymyalgia-like symptoms, or acute monoarthritis and oligoarthritis of large joints resembling reactive arthritis. Moreover, high figures of post-COVID-19 patients fulfilling the classification criteria for fibromyalgia were found, ranging from 31% to 40%. Finally, the available literature about prevalence of rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies was largely inconsistent. In conclusion, manifestations of rheumatological interest such as joint pain, new-onset inflammatory arthritis and fibromyalgia are frequently reported after COVID-19, highlighting the potential role of SARS-CoV-2 as a trigger for the development of autoimmune conditions and rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases

Polyamine supplementation reduces DNA damage in adipose stem cells cultured in 3-D

According to previous research, natural polyamines exert a role in regulating cell committment and differentiation from stemness during skeletal development. In order to assess whether distinct polyamine patterns are associated with different skeletal cell types, primary cultures of stem cells, chondrocytes or osteoblasts were dedicated for HPLC analysis of intracellular polyamines. Spermine (SPM) and Spermidine (SPD) levels were higher in adipose derived stem cells (ASC) compared to mature skeletal cells, i.e. chondrocytes and osteoblasts, confirming the connection of polyamine content with stemness. To establish whether polyamines can protect ASC against oxidative DNA damage in a 3-D differentiation model, the level of gamma H2AX was measured by western blot, and found to correlate with age and BMI of patients. Addition of either polyamine to ASC was able to hinder DNA damage in the low micromolecular range, with marked reduction of gamma H2AX level at 10 mu M SPM and 5 mu M SPD. Molecular analysis of the mechanisms that might underlie the protective effect of polyamine supplementation evidences a possible involvement of autophagy. Altogether, these results support the idea that polyamines are able to manage both stem cell differentiation and cell oxidative damage, and therefore represent appealing tools for regenerative and cell based applications

Building a rheumatology biobank for reliable basic/translational research and precision medicine

Research biobanks are non-profit structures that collect, manipulate, store, analyze and distribute systematically organized biological samples and data for research and development purposes. Over the recent years, we have established a biobank, the Rheumatology BioBank (RheumaBank) headed by the Medicine and Rheumatology unit of the IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli (IOR) in Bologna, Italy for the purpose of collecting, processing, storing, and distributing biological samples and associated data obtained from patients suffering from inflammatory joint diseases. RheumaBank is a research biobank, and its main objective is to promote large-scale, high-quality basic, translational, and clinical research studies that can help elucidate pathogenetic mechanisms and improve personalization of treatment choice in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and other spondyloarthritides (SpA)

Membrane fatty acid heterogeneity of leukocyte classes is altered during in vitro cultivation but can be restored with ad-hoc lipid supplementation

Background: The cell membrane is a primary and fundamental player in most cellular processes, and fatty acids form a major structural component of cell membranes. The aim of this study was to compare the membrane fatty acid profiles of different human blood leukocytes and selected cell lines, to identify the effects of in vitro culture on fatty acid profiles, and to test medium supplements for their effect on fatty acid profiles.Methods: Different classes of leukocytes were isolated from human blood and their membrane fatty acid profiles were analysed and compared. After culturing in vitro immortalised and primary leukocytes, membrane fatty acids were analysed and compared. Finally, different lipid formulations were developed and used for supplementing leukocytes in vitro in an effort to maintain the in vivo fatty acid profile. Descriptive and analytical tests were performed to compare the obtained fatty acid profiles.Results: Membrane fatty acid profiles of primary human CD4+ T-lymphocytes, CD8+ T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes and monocytes differed. Moreover, there were differences among Jurkat, Raji and THP-1 cell lines and the corresponding primary leukocyte classes, as well as between freshly prepared and in vitro cultured primary lymphocytes. A lipid supplement was able to maintain cultured Jurkat cells with a membrane fatty acid profile almost identical to that of the primary CD4+ T-lymphocytes. Finally, variations in the lipid supplement composition enabled the development of Jurkat cells with different membrane fatty acid profiles characterising different physiological or pathological human conditions.Conclusions: Each leukocyte class has its own specific membrane fatty acid profile in vivo. Cultured primary leukocytes and immortalized leukocytic cells display different membrane fatty acid profiles when compared to their respective in vivo counterparts. The membrane fatty acid composition of cultured cells can be restored to reflect that of the corresponding in vivo condition through use of optimised lipid supplementation. Typical physiological or pathological leukocyte membrane fatty acid profiles can be obtained by tuning in vitro fatty acid supplementation.<br/

Income distribution in family networks by gender and proximity

Whereas the significance of family networks for support and well‐being has been shown in previous research, few studies have analysed the income distribution within family networks. The aim of this study is to examine income distribution within family networks and how they have changed over time for women and men in different parts of the income distribution and if the incomes are more similar in the geographically proximate family network. The analysis is based on register data and by use of ordinary least squares (OLS) and quantile regressions. The results indicate that men in the lowest income group tend to have become more similar to their family network over time. Gender differences have decreased, possibly as an effect of women's higher labour market participation rate leading to decreased income disparity. This paper contributes by highlighting how the uneven distribution of economic resources in family networks adds to individual's own resources