A group of 100 totally or subtotally myeloperoxidase (MPO)-deficient individuals was compared to a reference population of 118 probands selected at random. Data for a protective effect of the deficiency against cardiovascular damage are presented. On the other hand, a significantly higher occurrence of severe infections and chronic inflammatory processes was noted among the deficient patients. An increased incidence of cancer among the MPO-deficient individuals was not demonstrated.

The shape and parameters of platelet size distributions were studied in 50 normal persons and 97 patients in order to test the proposed thesis that platelet size heterogeneity results mainly from aging in the circulation. This thesis was contradicted (1) by size distributions of age-homogeneous, newly-born cell populations which were lognormal with increased (instead of decreased) dispersion of volumes and (2) by the macrothrombocytosis found in some populations with normal age distribution. For these reasons, thrombocytopoiesis appeared to play the major role in determining platelet size. A model was built in which the volume variation of platelet territories due to megakaryocyte growth and membrane demarcation at each step of maturation was a random proportion of the previous value of the volume. This model explains the lognormal shape of both newborn and circulating platelet size distributions. It also implies that (1) the mean and standard deviation of platelet logvolumes depend on the rates of volume change of the individual platelet territories (growth rate minus demarcation rate) as well as on megakaryocyte maturation time; (2) platelet hyperdestruction causes an increase in the mean and dispersion of the rates of territory volume change; (3) Mediterranean macrothrombocytosis and some hereditary macrothrombocytotic thrombocytopenias or dysthrombocytopoieses reflect a diminished rate of territory demarcation, and (4) platelet size heterogeneity is caused mainly by the variations in territory growth and demarcation and not by aging in the circulation.

CD34+ cell selection, despite lower efficiency in collecting BFU-E, provides a suitable graft with hematopoietic capacity comparable to that of unmanipulated PBPCs. In both groups, all patients will eventually show hematopoietic recovery of all three lineages with 1 x 10(6) CD34+ cells per kg or 5 x 10(4) CFU-GM per kg, but a dose of 5 x 10(6) CD34+ cells or 40 x 10(4) CFU-GM per kg is critical to ensure rapid recovery.

%HYPO is a meaningful and inexpensive parameter that reflects the integrated effects of iron stores, inflammation, and erythropoietic stimulation on iron availability in hemodialyzed patients. Among iron exchange parameters, sTfR is the best predictor of %HYPO, followed by Tf saturation, SI, and ferritin.

Muscle strength imbalances and poor flexibility are frequently described as risk factors for hamstring injury. Preventive strategies include eccentric exercises, but the influence of field eccentric exercises on these risk factors remains unclear. We investigated the influence of a field hamstring eccentric program on hamstring strength and flexibility. Twenty-seven amateur athletes were randomly assigned to an intervention (n=13) or control group (n=14). In the intervention group, participants were involved in 15 sessions of four eccentric exercises. Peak torque, hamstring-to-quadriceps ratios, passive and active flexibility were analyzed. No significant modifications of strength, passive or active flexibility were observed in the control group (p>0.05). Hamstring eccentric peak torque (+7.1%) and functional hamstring-to-quadriceps ratios (9.3%) were significantly increased (p<0.05) in the intervention group, but not concentric strength (p<0.05). Passive straight leg raise was significantly increased by 11.4° (+12.7%, p<0.001), but not active flexibility (+3.1%, p>0.05). In conclusion, a 6-week eccentric program, including four field exercises for hamstring muscles, is an effective method of improving eccentric strength, functional ratios and, especially, passive flexibility. As this program may be easily implemented in a real-world context, this association of multiple eccentric exercises might be useful in an injury prevention strategy.