La Gestione dei trasporti in emergenza: attività, prodotti e risultati dell'esercitazione nazionale di Protezione Civile in Valtellina

L'articolo riporta l’esperienza maturata dal Laboratorio Mobilità e Trasporti del Politecnico di Milano in qualità di Centro di Competenza per la Gestione e la Sicurezza dei Trasporti per il Dipartimento di Protezione Civile Nazionale durante l’esercitazione nazionale di Protezione Civile in Valtellina. Le attività svolte, i prodotti realizzati e utilizzati ma soprattutto i risultati e l’esperienza emersi da una esercitazione temporalmente estesa e di estremo rilievo in ambito di Protezione Civile, si ritiene siano ancora estremamente attuali e utili come esempio per la gestione dei trasporti in caso di emergenze rilevanti

Extracellular vesicles from equine mesenchymal stem cells decrease inflammation markers in chondrocytes in vitro

Background: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been used therapeutically in equine medicine. MSCs release extracellular vesicles (EVs), which affect cell processes by inhibiting cell apoptosis and regulating inflammation. To date, little is known about equine EVs and their regenerative properties. Objectives: To characterise equine MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) and evaluate their effect on equine chondrocytes treated with pro-inflammatory cytokines in vitro. Study design: In vitro experiments with randomised complete block design.Methods: Mesenchymal stem cells from bone marrow, adipose tissue, and synovial fluid were cultured in vitro. The MSC culture medium was centrifuged and filtered. Isolated particles were analysed for size and concentration (total number of particles per mL). Transmission electron microscopy analysis was performed to evaluate the morphology and CD9 expression of the particles. Chondrocytes from healthy equines were treated with the inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and tumour necrosis factor-alpha. MSC-derived EVs from bone marrow and synovial fluid cells were added as co-treatments in vitro. Gene expression analysis by real-time PCR was performed to evaluate the effects of EVs. Results: The particles isolated from MSCs derived from different tissues did not differ significantly in size and concentration. The particles had a round-like shape and positively expressed CD9. EVs from bone marrow cells displayed reduced expression of metalloproteinase-13. Main limitations: Sample size and characterisation of the content of EVs Conclusions: EVs isolated from equine bone marrow MSCs reduced metalloproteinase 13 gene expression; this gene encodes an enzyme related to cartilage degradation in inflamed chondrocytes in vitro. EVs derived from MSCs can reduce inflammation and could potentially be used as an adjuvant treatment to improve tissue and cartilage repair in the articular pathologies

Cell cycle and lineage progression of neural progenitors in the ventricular-subventricular zones of adult mice

Proliferating neural stem cells and intermediate progenitors persist in the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ) of the adult mammalian brain. This extensive germinal layer in the walls of the lateral ventricles is the site of birth of different types of interneurons destined for the olfactory bulb. The cell cycle dynamics of stem cells (B1 cells), intermediate progenitors (C cells), and neuroblasts (A cells) in the V-SVZ and the number of times these cells divide remain unknown. Using whole mounts of the walls of the lateral ventricles of adult mice and three cell cycle analysis methods using thymidine analogs, we determined the proliferation dynamics of B1, C, and A cells in vivo. Achaete-scute complex homolog (Ascl)1(+) C cells were heterogeneous with a cell cycle length (T(C)) of 18–25 h and a long S phase length (T(S)) of 14–17 h. After C cells, Doublecortin(+) A cells were the second-most common dividing cell type in the V-SVZ and had a T(C) of 18 h and T(S) of 9 h. Human glial fibrillary acidic protein (hGFAP)::GFP(+) B1 cells had a surprisingly short Tc of 17–18 h and a T(S) of 4 h. Progenitor population analysis suggests that following the initial division of B1 cells, C cells divide three times and A cells once, possibly twice. These data provide essential information on the dynamics of adult progenitor cell proliferation in the V-SVZ and how large numbers of new neurons continue to be produced in the adult mammalian brain