Macrophage Death following Influenza Vaccination Initiates the Inflammatory Response that Promotes Dendritic Cell Function in the Draining Lymph Node

1. Download high-res image (147KB)
2. Download full-size image

     

An Impaired Inflammatory and Innate Immune Response in COVID-19

The recent appearance of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected millions of people around the world and caused a global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It has been suggested that uncontrolled, exaggerated inflammation contributes to the adverse outcomes of COVID-19. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the innate immune response elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection and the hyperinflammation that contributes to disease severity and death. We also discuss the immunological determinants behind COVID-19 severity and propose a rationale for the underlying mechanisms.     

CIGB-258, a peptide derived from human heat-shock protein 60, decreases hyperinflammation in COVID-19 patients

Hyperinflammation distinguishes COVID-19 patients who develop a slight disease or none, from those progressing to severe and critical conditions. CIGB-258 is a therapeutic option for the latter group of patients. This drug is an altered peptide ligand (APL) derived from the cellular stress protein 60 (HSP60). In preclinical models, this peptide developed anti-inflammatory effects and increased regulatory T cell (Treg) activity. Results from a phase I clinical trial with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients indicated that CIGB-258 was safe and reduced inflammation. The aim of this study was to examine specific biomarkers associated with hyperinflammation, some cytokines linked to the cytokine storm granzyme B and perforin in a cohort of COVID-19 patients treated with this peptide. All critically ill patients were under invasive mechanical ventilation and received the intravenous administration of 1 or 2 mg of CIGB-258 every 12 h. Seriously ill patients were treated with oxygen therapy receiving 1 mg of CIGB-258 every 12 h and all patients recovered from their severe condition. Biomarker levels associated with hyperinflammation, such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), granzyme B, and perforin, significantly decreased during treatment. Furthermore, we studied the ability of CIGB-258 to induce Tregs in COVID-19 patients and found that Tregs were induced in all patients studied. Altogether, these results support the therapeutic potential of CIGB-258 for diseases associated with hyperinflammation. Clinical trial registry: RPCEC00000313     

Understanding the cross-talk between mediators of infertility and COVID-19

COVID-19 is the ongoing health emergency affecting individuals of all ages around the globe. Initially, the infection was reported to affect pulmonary structures. However, recent studies have delineated the impacts of COVID-19 on the reproductive system of both men and women. Hence, the present review aims to shed light on the distribution of SARS-CoV-2 entry factors in various reproductive organs. In addition, impacts of COVID-19 mediators like disrupted renin angiotensin system, oxidative stress, cytokine storm, fever, and the mental stress on reproductive physiology have also been discussed. For the present study, various keywords were used to search literature on PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases. Articles were screened for relevancy and were studied in detail for qualitative synthesis of the review. Through our literature review, we found a multitude of effects of COVID-19 mediators on reproductive systems. Studies reported expression of receptors like ACE-2, TMPRSS2, and CD147 in the testes, epididymis, prostrate, seminal vesicles, and ovarian follicles. These proteins are known to serve as major SARS-CoV-2 entry factors. The expression of lysosomal cathepsins (CTSB/CTSL) and/ neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) are also evident in the testes, epididymis, seminal vesicles, fallopian tube, cervix, and endometrium. The binding of viral spike protein with ACE-2 was found to alter the renin-angiotensin cascade, which could invite additional infertility problems. Furthermore, COVID-19 mediated cytokine storm, oxidative stress, and elevated body temperature could be detrimental to gametogenesis, steroidogenesis, and reproductive cycles in patients. Finally, social isolation, confinement, and job insecurities have fueled mental stress and frustration that might promote glucocorticoid-mediated subnormal sperm quality in men and higher risk of miscarriage in women. Hence, the influence of COVID-19 on the alteration of reproductive health and fertility is quite apparent.     

冰雪灾害对中亚热带人工针叶林净初级生产力的影响

结合中亚热带江西千烟洲人工针叶林2005、2008和2011年3次树木清查数据以及树木相对生长方程,比较了2008年1月南方冰雪灾害前后的NPP,评价了森林生态系统灾后的恢复能力。结果表明:乡土树种马尾松(Pinus massoniana)与杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)比外来树种湿地松(Pinus elliottii)抗灾害能力强;在个体水平上,胸径(D)较大的树木抗灾害能力较差。灾后马尾松与杉木的D增长率降低,而湿地松增大。冰雪灾害导致大量碳(10.44 t C/hm2)从乔木层碳库转移到死生物量碳库,占乔木层碳储量的18.28%。灾前NPP和碳利用效率(CUE)分别为736.23 g C m-2a-1和0.41;灾后经过近4年的恢复,NPP和CUE分别为683.08 g C m-2a-1和0.38。     

Venom effects on monoaminergic systems

The monoamines, dopamine, epinephrine, histamine, norepinephrine, octopamine, serotonin and tyramine serve many functions in animals. Many different venoms have evolved to manipulate monoaminergic systems via a variety of cellular mechanisms, for both offensive and defensive purposes. One common function of monoamines present in venoms is to produce pain. Some monoamines in venoms cause immobilizing hyperexcitation which precedes venom-induced paralysis or hypokinesia. A common function of venom components that affect monoaminergic systems is to facilitate distribution of other venom components by causing vasodilation at the site of injection or by increasing heart rate. Venoms of some scorpions, spiders, fish and jellyfish contain adrenergic agonists or cause massive release of catecholamines with serious effects on the cardiovascular system, including increased heart rate. Other venom components act as agonists, antagonists or modulators at monoaminergic receptors, or affect release, reuptake or synthesis of monoamines. Most arthropod venoms have insect targets, yet, little attention has been paid to possible effects of these venoms on monoaminergic systems in insects. Further research into this area may reveal novel effects of venom components on monoaminergic systems at the cellular, systems and behavioral levels.     

New insights from an attempt to reintroduce Red‐cockaded Woodpeckers in northern Florida

Red‐cockaded Woodpeckers (Leuconotopicus borealis) were extirpated from Tall Timbers Research Station in the early 1980s. To help meet conservation goals established for this imperiled species in north Florida, we attempted to reintroduce the woodpecker to the research station by constructing artificial cavities and translocating 27 subadult woodpeckers from 2006 to 2010. Successful nesting occurred during the breeding season following the initial translocation of four male–female pairs. Translocations were suspended in 2011 when breeding groups occupied 6 of 12 available clusters of cavity trees. The population increased steadily after 2011 and, in 2015, totaled 28 adults distributed among nine breeding groups plus a single territorial male. The 2015 population included 22 individuals produced at Tall Timbers, an immigrant female, and five birds originally translocated as subadults. Seven breeding groups in 2015 also had non‐breeding helpers. New milestones documented during this reintroduction attempt included recruitment of locally produced birds into the breeding population, excavation of natural cavities, two immigration events, and natural expansion into an unoccupied area. We also documented the threat that heavy rains may pose to small populations. Expenses totaled $211,000 during the first 5 yr when translocations and cavity construction were the primary activities. After translocations were suspended, recurring management expenses were ~ $6500 annually. Because our founding population was small (N = 12), intermittent translocations will likely be needed in the future to offset the deleterious effects of inbreeding.     

How does imperviousness impact the urban rainfall-runoff process under various storm cases?

Dramatic changes in imperviousness exert significant influence on the rainfall-runoff process in urban catchments. In urban rainwater management, imperviousness is generally adopted as an effective indicator for assessing potential runoff risk. However, the effects of imperviousness on rainfall-runoff at the scale of small urbanized drainage areas have not been fully determined, particularly when various storm characteristics are considered. In this paper, a model-based analysis is conducted in a typical urban residential catchment in Beijing, China, in which 69 subareas are delineated within the catchment as the basic drainage units. Two metrics, total impervious area (TIA) and directly connected impervious area (DCIA), are employed to quantify the spatial characteristics of imperviousness of the subareas. Three runoff variables within the delineated subareas including total runoff depth (Q_t), peak runoff depth (Q_p), and lag time (T_lag) are simulated by using the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) to represent the specific rainfall-runoff characteristics. Moreover, model input storms are designated to several typical flood-induced rainfall events with varying amounts, locations of rainfall peak, and durations for holistic assessment of imperviousness. Regression analyses are conducted to explore the contributions and relative significances of impervious metrics in predicting runoff variables under various storm cases. The results indicate that the performances of imperviousness with fine spatial scale (<1 ha) and heavy rainfall conditions (>34 mm) may vary markedly according to storm conditions. Specifically, TIA rather than DCIA acts as a dominate factor affecting total runoff, and its significance maintains relatively stable with various storm conditions. In addition, the combined use of both TIA and DCIA are more effective for predicting peak runoff than that using a single impervious metric; however, rainfall amount, peak location, and duration alter the contribution gaps between TIA and DCIA and the overall performance of the regression model. Moreover, DCIA is more likely to affect runoff lag time without the contribution of TIA; however, an increase in rainfall peak ratio or duration will significantly limit its performance. These results can provide insight into the hydrologic performance of imperviousness, which is essential for landscape design and runoff regulation in small urban catchments.     

山东半岛滨海沙滩前缘的野生植物

滨海沙滩是以海水影响为基本过程的地貌类型,适应这种环境的植物类群与适生于内陆的沙地植物可能存在巨大差别。在野外调查的基础上,分析了山东半岛滨海沙滩前缘的植物种类及其种间关系。结果表明：（1）滨海沙滩前缘具有独特的优势种库,包括沙钻苔草（Carex kobomugi）、肾叶打碗花（Calystegia soldanella）、粗毛鸭嘴草（Ischaemum bartatum）、单叶蔓荆（Vitex trifolia var.simplicifolia）、矮生苔草（Carex pumila）和沙引草（Messerschmidia sibirica）等;（2）优势种库的成员都是潜在优势种,它们之间主要呈抑制效应,对库外物种几乎没有抑制效应,甚至有互补或互利效应。在进化过程中,这些潜在优势种可能已适应风暴潮的干扰,不会因受风暴潮灾害而灭亡。当植物适应风暴潮后,滨海沙滩不再是灾难环境,反而变为适宜生境。为持续利用这些物种,不仅要保护其赖以生存的天然生境,还要开展引种栽培,消除人们对野生资源的采挖动机。根据物种间的天然联系,栽培时宜将具有互利或互补关系的物种间混种植,不宜将具有抑制关系的物种间混种植。     

Variable response of three Trifolium repens ecotypes to soil flooding by seawater

Background and Aims

Despite concerns about the impact of rising sea levels and storm surge events on coastal ecosystems, there is remarkably little information on the response of terrestrial coastal plant species to seawater inundation. The aim of this study was to elucidate responses of a glycophyte (white clover, Trifolium repens) to short-duration soil flooding by seawater and recovery following leaching of salts.

Methods

Using plants cultivated from parent ecotypes collected from a natural soil salinity gradient, the impact of short-duration seawater soil flooding (8 or 24 h) on short-term changes in leaf salt ion and organic solute concentrations was examined, together with longer term impacts on plant growth (stolon elongation) and flowering.

Key Results

There was substantial Cl^– and Na⁺ accumulation in leaves, especially for plants subjected to 24 h soil flooding with seawater, but no consistent variation linked to parent plant provenance. Proline and sucrose concentrations also increased in plants following seawater flooding of the soil. Plant growth and flowering were reduced by longer soil immersion times (seawater flooding followed by drainage and freshwater inputs), but plants originating from more saline soil responded less negatively than those from lower salinity soil.

Conclusions

The accumulation of proline and sucrose indicates a potential for solute accumulation as a response to the osmotic imbalance caused by salt ions, while variation in growth and flowering responses between ecotypes points to a natural adaptive capacity for tolerance of short-duration seawater soil flooding in T. repens. Consequently, it is suggested that selection for tolerant ecotypes is possible should the predicted increase in frequency of storm surge flooding events occur.