First Record of Leea guineensis (Vitaceae) in Cuban Scientific Literature

The presence of Leea guineensis G. Don. was confirmed in Cuba. It is a widely cultivated alochtonous species used in Cuba as ornameltal plants, which had not been previously registered in the scientific literature of the country. Several botanical procedures (collections, specialized catalogs, descriptions, and scientific illustrations) were applied. It is a new taxon of the genus in the country. A key is suggested as a way to distinguish it from other genera of the Vitaceae family

First Record of Leea guineensis (Vitaceae) in Cuban Scientific Literature

The presence of Leea guineensis G. Don. was confirmed in Cuba. It is a widely cultivated alochtonous species used in Cuba as ornameltal plants, which had not been previously registered in the scientific literature of the country. Several botanical procedures (collections, specialized catalogs, descriptions, and scientific illustrations) were applied. It is a new taxon of the genus in the country. A key is suggested as a way to distinguish it from other genera of the Vitaceae family

Acetylcholinesterase Inhibition of Diversely Functionalized Quinolinones for Alzheimer's Disease Therapy

In this communication, wereport the synthesis and cholinesterase (ChE)/monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibition of 19 quinolinones (QN1-19) and 13 dihydroquinolinones (DQN1-13) designed as potential multitarget small molecules (MSM) for Alzheimer¿s disease therapy. Contrary to our expectations, none of them showed significant human recombinant MAO inhibition, but compounds QN8, QN9, and DQN7 displayed promising human recombinant acetylcholinesterase (hrAChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (hrBuChE) inhibition. In particular, molecule QN8 was found to be a potent and quite selective non-competitive inhibitor of hrAChE (IC50 = 0.29 M), with Ki value in nanomolar range (79 nM). Pertinent docking analysis confirmed this result, suggesting that this ligand is an interesting hit for further investigation.R.A., M.S., P.B., and K.M. were supported by European Regional Development Fund/European Social Fund (ERDF/ESF, project PharmaBrain, no. CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_025/0007444), University of Hradec Kralove (no. SV2113-2019, VT2019-2021), and EU COST action CA15135 MuTaLig. J.M.C. thanks Ministerio de Economía (MINECO, SAF2015-65586-R) and Universidad Camilo José Cela (UCJC, grants UCJC 2020-03, and UCJC 2020-33) for support

Inhibitory CD200R and proapoptotic CD95/CD95L molecules on innate immunity cells are modulated by cardiac surgery

INTRODUCTION: Cardiac surgery directly initiates a systemic inflammatory response with the activation of both cellular and humoral parts of the immune system. Exaggerated immune system activation is associated with a risk of life-threatening multi-organ dysfunction (MOD) and increased morbidity and mortality in the postoperative period. The immune system response is regulated and terminated by inhibitory mechanisms, including the regulatory membrane molecules, such as CD200R, CD95, CD95L and soluble sCD200R. METHODS: We measured the expression of CD95, CD95L, CD200R and sCD200R molecules in granulocyte and monocyte populations in blood samples of 30 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Samples collected before surgery, after surgery and in the postoperative period were analyzed by flow cytometry and ELISA. RESULTS: We found a significant increase in the percentage of granulocytes featuring the anti-inflammatory molecule CD200R (from 5% to 17.8%) after surgery. We presume that these cells were less susceptible to apoptosis because they rarely expressed CD95 as the CD200R(+)CD95(-) granulocyte sub-population prevailed. Only a small percentage of CD200R(+) granulocytes expressed simultaneously CD95 (from 0.5 to 2.06 %). This small population of CD200R(+)CD95(+) cells decreased expression of CD200R after surgery and, thus, was likely to be a source of increased sCD200R in serum (from 96 to 294 ng/mL). Also, the expression of CD95L on CD200R(+) granulocytes and CD95 on CD200R(+) monocytes was affected by surgery. The percentage of CD200R(+) monocytes was elevated on the 1(st) postoperative day (from 30.6 to 49.4 %) and dropped below the preoperative value on the 7(th) day after surgery (from 30.6 to 19.8 %). This population comprised mainly CD200R(+)CD95(+) monocytes in which the enhanced expression of CD95 was found. CONCLUSION: Our data show that the expression of CD200R, CD95 and CD95L was influenced by cardiac surgery and imply the role of these membrane molecules in cell regulation-inhibition and apoptosis following cardiac surgery

Antibodies against Pneumococcal Capsular Polysaccharides and Natural Anti-Galactosyl (Alpha-Gal) in Patients with Humoral Immunodeficiencies

Humoral deficiencies represent a broad group of disorders. The aim of the study was to compare the levels of antibodies against pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides (anti-PCP) and natural anti-galactosyl (anti-Gal) antibodies in (1) patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), (2) patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), and (3) a healthy population and to explore their diagnostic and prognostic potential. Serum immunoglobulin levels and levels of anti-Gal IgG, IgA, and IgM and anti-PCP IgG and IgG2 were determined in 59 CLL patients, 30 CVID patients, and 67 healthy controls. Levels of IgG, IgA, IgM, anti-Gal IgA, anti-Gal IgM, and anti-PCP IgA were lower in CLL and CVID patients than in healthy controls (p value for all parameters < 0.0001). Decrease in the levels of IgA, IgM, anti-Gal IgA, and anti-PCP IgA was less pronounced in the CLL group than in the CVID group. IgA decline, anti-Gal IgA, anti-PCP IgA, and anti-PCP IgG2 were negatively correlated with CLL stage. We devise the evaluation of anti-Gal antibodies to be a routine test in humoral immunodeficiency diagnostics, even in cases of immunoglobulin substitution therapy. Significant reductions, mainly in anti-Gal IgA, IgM, and anti-PCP IgA levels, may have prognostic importance in CLL patients

Supplementary Material for: Immunogenicity and Safety of the Spikevax® (Moderna) mRNA SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine in Patients with Primary Humoral Immunodeficiency

Introduction: Reports on the immunogenicity and efficacy of the Spikevax® vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 in immunodeficient patients are still scarce. We aimed to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the vaccine in patients with primary humoral immunodeficiency. Methods: We enrolled 46 patients, including 34 patients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), 10 patients with unclassified hypogammaglobulinemia (HypoIg), and 2 patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia. We collected the blood samples before vaccination (D 0), and 10 days (D +38) and 90 days (D +118) after the second vaccination. Further, we quantified SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell response (QuantiFERON ELISA test), serum anti-RBD IgG, and anti-RBD IgA-specific antibodies (enzyme immunoassay). Results: We found that the vaccination elicited predominantly mild adverse events, comparable to healthy population. Vaccination response negatively correlated with a value of Immune Deficiency and Dysregulation Activity in all measured parameters. D +38, seroconversion for anti-RBD IgG and anti-RBD IgA was observed in 65% and 21% CVID patients, respectively. SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell response was detected in less than 50% of CVID patients. Meanwhile, HypoIg patients had 100%, 90%, and 60% positivity rates for anti-RBD IgG, anti-RBD IgA, and T-cell response, respectively. Three months after the second vaccination, 82% of the responders remained positive for anti-RBD IgG, but only less than 50% remained positive for T-cell activity in CVIDs. Low immunogenicity was observed in patients with lung involvement and/or rituximab treatment history. No SARS-CoV-2 infection was reported within 6 months after the second vaccination. Conclusion: Spikevax® seems to be safe with satisfactory immunogenicity in patients with primary humoral immunodeficiency

Amplification of Australian Heatwaves via Local Land-Atmosphere Coupling

[eng] Antecedent land surface conditions play a role in the amplification of temperature anomalies experienced during heatwaves by modifying the local partitioning of available energy between sensible and latent heating. Most existing analyses of heatwave amplification from soil moisture anomalies have focused on exceptionally rare events and consider seasonal scale timescales. However, it is not known how much the daily evolution of land surface conditions, both before and during a heatwave, contributes to the intensity and frequency of these extremes. We examine how the daily evolution of land surface conditions preceding a heatwave event contributes to heatwave intensity. We also diagnose why the land surface contribution to Australian heatwaves is not homogeneous due to spatiotemporal variations in land‐atmosphere coupling. We identify two coupling regimes: a land‐driven regime where surface temperatures are sensitive to local variations in sensible heating and an atmosphere‐driven regime where this is not the case. Northern Australia is consistently strongly coupled, where antecedent soil moisture conditions can influence temperature anomalies up to day 4 of a heatwave. For southern Australia, heatwave temperature anomalies are not influenced by antecedent soil moisture conditions due to an atmosphere‐driven coupling regime. Therefore, antecedent land surface conditions have a role in increasing the temperature anomalies experienced during a heatwave only over regions with strong land‐driven coupling. The timescales over which antecedent land surface conditions contribute to Australian heatwaves also vary regionally. Overall, the spatiotemporal variations of land‐atmosphere interactions help determine where and when antecedent land surface conditions contribute to Australian heat extremes