*2.2. Blood Collection*

Blood samples were obtained from the antecubital vein after an overnight fast of 12 h and under resting conditions (at least 10 min before) in the supine position and collected in Vacutainer SST 16 mm × 100 mm tubes for serum (Becton Dickinson, NJ, USA), Vacutainer ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA K2) 13 mm × 75 mm tubes for anticoagulated whole blood, and Vacutainer lithium-heparin 16 mm × 100 mm tubes for plasma. Serum was obtained by centrifugation (4 min at 3000× *g*), aliquoted, and processed immediately. Plasma was obtained after pipetting the heparinized whole blood sample into the stimulation tubes, incubating them, and centrifuging for 10 min at 1300× *g*.
