title: The circadecadal rhythm of oscillation of umbilical cord blood parameters correlates with geomagnetic activity - An analysis of long-term measurements (1999-2011).
abstract: Recently, we have shown that the contents of total nucleated cells (TNCs) and CD34+hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (CD34+HSPCs) as well as the cord blood volume (CBV) in umbilical cord blood (UCB) show a circadecadal (~10 years) rhythm of oscillation. This observation was based on an analysis of 17,936 cord blood donations collected during 1999-2011. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether this circadecadal rhythm of oscillation in TNCs, CD34+HSPCs and CBV is related to geomagnetic activity. For the analysis, the yearly averages of TNCs, CD34+HSPCs and CBV in UCB were correlated with geomagnetic activity (Dcx index). Our analysis revealed that (i) all three UCB parameters were statistically significantly correlated with the level of geomagnetic activity, (ii) CBV showed a linear correlation with the Dcx index (r = 0.5290), (iii) the number of TNCs and CD34+HSPCs were quadratic inversely correlated with the Dcx index (r = -0.5343 and r = -0.7749, respectively). Furthermore, (iv) CBV and the number of TNCs were not statistically significantly correlated with the number of either modest or intense geomagnetic storms per year, but (v) the number of CD34+HSPCs was statistically significantly correlated with the number of modest (r = 0.9253) as well as intense (r = 0.8683) geomagnetic storms per year. In conclusion, our study suggests that UCB parameters correlate with the state of the geomagnetic field (GMF) modulated by solar activity. Possible biophysical mechanisms underlying this observation, as well as the outcome of these findings, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: a Research Office for Complex Physical and Biological Systems (ROCoS) , Zurich , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scholkmann
authors.affiliation: b Apulia Cord Blood Bank , IRCCS "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza" , S. Giovanni Rotondo (FG) , Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miscio
authors.affiliation: c Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.|d Interinstitutional Department for Continuity of Care of Empoli, School of Medicine , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tarquini
authors.affiliation: e Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Haematology, School of Medicine , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bosi
authors.affiliation: f Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Internal Medicine and Chronobiology Unit , IRCCS "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza" , S. Giovanni Rotondo (FG) , Italy.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rubino
authors.affiliation: b Apulia Cord Blood Bank , IRCCS "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza" , S. Giovanni Rotondo (FG) , Italy.
authors.forename: Lazzaro
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: di Mauro
authors.affiliation: f Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Internal Medicine and Chronobiology Unit , IRCCS "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza" , S. Giovanni Rotondo (FG) , Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluigi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mazzoccoli
mesh_terms: D001800:Blood Specimen Collection; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000166:cytology*; D055593:Geological Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D060328:Magnetic Phenomena; D010507:Periodicity; D011247:Pregnancy; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: 11-year solar cycle; Geomagnetic activity; astrobiology; chronobiology; solar activity; stem cells; umbilical cord blood