A Q fever outbreak among visitors to a natural cave, Bizkaia, Spain, December 2020 to October 2021.

We describe a large Q fever outbreak reported in Spain, including 108 cases, 53 with pneumonia and 27 requiring hospitalisations. The first cases were detected in February 2021 among rock climbers visiting a cave in Bizkaia, and the last case was detected in October 2021. Most cases were notified after the Easter holiday (April-May 2021).

Surgical treatment for recurrent cholangiocarcinoma: a single-center series.

Purpose: The present study aims to assess the results obtained after surgical treatment of cholangiocarcinoma (CC) recurrences.

Methods: We carried out a single-center retrospective study, including all patients with recurrence of CC. The primary outcome was patient survival after surgical treatment compared with chemotherapy or best supportive care.

Association of cyclophilins and cardiovascular risk factors in coronary artery disease.

Cyclophilins are chaperone proteins that play important roles in signal transduction. Among them, cyclophilins A, B, C, and D were widely associated with inflammation and cardiovascular diseases. Cyclophilins A and C have been proposed as coronary artery disease biomarkers.

[Increase of serum cyclophilin C levels in the follow-up of coronary artery disease: A biomarker and possible clinical predictor].

Objective: This study is aimed at investigating the changes in serum CypC levels and their relationship with cardiovascular events at 12 months of follow-up in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients.

Methods: The study included a total of 125 subjects (40 patients with acute CAD, 40 patients with chronic CAD, and 45 control volunteers) and we analyzed plasma CypC levels from baseline to 6 and 12 months for a better understanding of its behavior in atherosclerosis.

Results: Serum CypC levels were shown to be gradually increased in CAD patients (30.

Analysis of environmental dust in goat and sheep farms to assess Coxiella burnetii infection in a Q fever endemic area: Geographical distribution, relationship with human cases and genotypes.

Real-time PCR analysis of environmental samples (dust and aerosols) is an easy tool to investigate the presence of Coxiella burnetii in the farm environment. The aim of this study was to assess the distribution of C. burnetii DNA in dust collected inside animal premises from 272 small ruminant farms in Bizkaia (northern Spain), a region with recent reports of human Q fever cases and outbreaks.

Cyclophilins A, B, and C Role in Human T Lymphocytes Upon Inflammatory Conditions.

Cyclophilins (Cyps) are a group of peptidyl-prolyl isomerases that play crucial roles in regulatory mechanisms of cellular physiology and pathology in several inflammatory conditions. Their receptor, CD147, also participates in the development and progression of the inflammatory response. Nevertheless, the main function of Cyps and their receptor are yet to be deciphered.

Cytotoxic Mechanism of Sphaerodactylomelol, an Uncommon Bromoditerpene Isolated from .

Marine natural products have exhibited uncommon chemical structures with relevant antitumor properties highlighting their potential to inspire the development of new anticancer agents. The goal of this work was to study the antitumor activities of the brominated diterpene sphaerodactylomelol, a rare example of the dactylomelane family. Cytotoxicity (10-100 µM; 24 h) was evaluated on tumor cells (A549, CACO-2, HCT-15, MCF-7, NCI-H226, PC-3, SH-SY5Y, SK-ML-28) and the effects estimated by MTT assay.

Crosstalk between cyclophilins and T lymphocytes in coronary artery disease.

Cardiovascular diseases and atherosclerosis are currently some of the most widespread diseases of our time. Within cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease and underlying atherosclerosis were recently linked with systemic and local inflammation. Cyclophilins participate in the initiation and progression of these inflammatory-related diseases.

Tavarua Deoxyriboside A and Jasplakinolide as Potential Neuroprotective Agents: Effects on Cellular Models of Oxidative Stress and Neuroinflammation.

The oceans harbor a great reservoir of molecules with unknown bioactivities, which could be useful for the treatment of illnesses that nowadays have no cure, such as neurodegenerative diseases. In this work, we evaluated the neuroprotective potential of the marine Fijian compounds tavarua deoxyriboside A and jasplakinolide against oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, crucial mechanisms in neurodegeneration. Both metabolites protected SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells from HO damage, improving mitochondrial function and activating the antioxidant systems of cells.

Cyclophilins in Ischemic Heart Disease: Differences Between Acute and Chronic Coronary Artery Disease Patients.

Background: Cyclophilins (Cyps) are a family of peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerases consistently involved in cardiovascular diseases through the inflammation pathway. This study aims to investigate the serum levels of Cyps (CypA, CypB, CypC and CypD) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and the correlation with clinical characteristics and inflammation parameters.

Methods: We developed an observational prospective study with a total of 125 subjects: 40 patients with acute CAD, 40 patients with chronic CAD and 45 control volunteers, in whom serum levels of Cyps (CypA, CypB, CypC and CypD), interleukins and metalloproteinases were measured.

Mobilization of Hematopoietic Stem Cells into Peripheral Blood for Autologous Transplantation Seems Less Efficacious in Poor Mobilizers with the Use of a Biosimilar of Filgrastim and Plerixafor: A Retrospective Comparative Analysis.

Introduction: Biosimilars of granulocyte colony-stimulating factors (G-CSF) have shown similar efficacy to originator filgrastim (Neupogen® [NEU]; Amgen Inc.) as prophylaxis in neutropenia and in the mobilization of stem cells in patients receiving combination chemotherapy with G-CSF.

Methods: This was a retrospective study in which the characteristics of stem cell mobilization treated with a G-CSF alone were compared in 216 patients and 56 donors.

Biological Activities of Cyclic and Acyclic B-Type Laxaphycins in SH-SY5Y Human Neuroblastoma Cells.

Laxaphycins are a family of non-ribosomal lipopeptides that have been isolated from several cyanobacteria. Some of these compounds have presented cytotoxic activities, but their mechanism of action is poorly understood. In this work, the already described laxaphycins B and B3, and acyclolaxaphycins B and B3 were isolated from the marine cyanobacteria .

Neuroprotective Effects of Apple-Derived Drinks in a Mice Model of Inflammation.

Scope: Fruit-derived drinks consumption is considered beneficial due to the antioxidant and neuroprotective effects of polyphenols separately, but studies including their total constituents are scarce. In this work, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory neuroprotective effects of apple-derived beverages are determined in a mouse model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation.

Methods And Results: Preliminary antioxidant and neuroinflammatory experiments are carried out with 15 drink polyphenolic extracts in SH-SY5Y and BV2 cells, using H O as pro-oxidant and LPS as pro-inflammatory stimulus, respectively.

A Q fever outbreak associated to courier transport of pets.

On August 3rd, 2017, a Q fever outbreak alert was issued at a courier company that in addition to urgent freight transport offered pet delivery services. The epidemiological investigation set the exposition period between June 1 and August 8. In this period, 180 workers from two operational platforms for parcel distribution located in two provinces of the Basque Country (Bizkaia and Araba) were exposed; 64 filled a questionnaire and provided blood samples for serological testing, resulting in 10 confirmed cases (15.

Gracilin-Derivatives as Lead Compounds for Anti-inflammatory Effects.

Gracilins are diterpenes derivative, isolated from the marine sponge Spongionella gracilis. Natural gracilins and synthetic derivatives have shown antioxidant, immunosuppressive, and neuroprotective capacities related to the affinity for cyclophilins. The aim of this work was to study anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive pathways modulated by gracilin L and two synthetic analogues, compound 1 and 2, on a cellular model of inflammation.

Gracilin A Derivatives Target Early Events in Alzheimer's Disease: in Vitro Effects on Neuroinflammation and Oxidative Stress.

The search for compounds capable of targeting early pathological changes of Alzheimer̀s disease (AD), such as oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, is an important challenge. Gracilin A derivatives were recently synthesized, using a pharmacophore-directed retrosynthesis (PDR) strategy, and found to possess potent neuroprotective effects. In this work, the previously described derivatives - which demonstrated mitochondrial-mediated, antioxidant effects were chosen for further study.

High Serum Cyclophilin C levels as a risk factor marker for Coronary Artery Disease.

Cyclophilins (Cyps) are ubiquitous proteins that belong to the immunophilins family consistently associated with inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases. While levels of CypA have been extensively studied, less data are available for other Cyps. The purpose of this case-control study was to determine the relationship of Cyps (A, B, C and D) with coronary artery disease (CAD) and eight inflammation markers.

Structure and biological evaluation of new cyclic and acyclic laxaphycin-A type peptides.

Five new laxaphycins were isolated and fully characterised from the bloom forming cyanobacteria Anabaena torulosa sampled from Moorea, French Polynesia: three acyclic laxaphycin A-type peptides, acyclolaxaphycin A (1), [des-Gly]acyclolaxaphycin A (2) and [des-(Leu-Gly)]acyclolaxaphycin A (3), as well as two cyclic ones, [l-Val]laxaphycin A (4) and [d-Val]laxaphycin A (5). The absolute configuration of the amino acids, established using advanced Marfey's analysis for compounds 2-5, highlights a conserved stereochemistry at the Cα carbons of the peptide ring that is characteristic of this family. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of acyclic analogues within the laxaphycin A-type peptides.

Simplified immunosuppressive and neuroprotective agents based on gracilin A.

The architecture and bioactivity of natural products frequently serve as embarkation points for the exploration of biologically relevant chemical space. Total synthesis followed by derivative synthesis has historically enabled a deeper understanding of structure-activity relationships. However, synthetic strategies towards a natural product are not always guided by hypotheses regarding the structural features required for bioactivity.

Caniferolide A, a Macrolide from Streptomyces caniferus, Attenuates Neuroinflammation, Oxidative Stress, Amyloid-Beta, and Tau Pathology in Vitro.

The macrolide caniferolide A was isolated from extracts of a culture of the marine-derived actinomycete Streptomyces caniferus, and its ability to ameliorate Alzheimer's disease (AD) hallmarks was determined. The compound reduced neuroinflammatory markers in BV2 microglial cells activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), being able to block NFκB-p65 translocation to the nucleus and to activate the Nrf2 pathway. It also produced a decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide release and inhibited iNOS, JNK, and p38 activities.

Treasures from the Deep: Characellides as Anti-Inflammatory Lipoglycotripeptides from the Sponge Characella pachastrelloides.

The chemical investigation of marine invertebrates from the deep Northeastern Atlantic revealed new lipoglycotripeptides named characellides isolated from the tetractinellid sponge Characella pachastrelloides. This new family of natural products features a central tripeptide linked to a rare sugar unit and a long alkyl chain ending with a 2,3-dimethyltetrahydropyran. The configurations of all 13 chiral centers were determined by extensive use of NMR data and circular dichroism spectra combined with calculations.