1
|
Nguyen HN, Sharp GM, Stahl-Rommel S, Velez Justiniano YA, Castro CL, Nelman-Gonzalez M, O’Rourke A, Lee MD, Williamson J, McCool C, Crucian B, Clark KW, Jain M, Castro-Wallace SL. Microbial isolation and characterization from two flex lines from the urine processor assembly onboard the international space station. Biofilm 2023; 5:100108. [PMID: 36938359 PMCID: PMC10020673 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioflm.2023.100108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Urine, humidity condensate, and other sources of non-potable water are processed onboard the International Space Station (ISS) by the Water Recovery System (WRS) yielding potable water. While some means of microbial control are in place, including a phosphoric acid/hexavalent chromium urine pretreatment solution, many areas within the WRS are not available for routine microbial monitoring. Due to refurbishment needs, two flex lines from the Urine Processor Assembly (UPA) within the WRS were removed and returned to Earth. The water from within these lines, as well as flush water, was microbially evaluated. Culture and culture-independent analysis revealed the presence of Burkholderia, Paraburkholderia, and Leifsonia. Fungal culture also identified Fusarium and Lecythophora. Hybrid de novo genome analysis of the five distinct Burkholderia isolates identified them as B. contaminans, while the two Paraburkholderia isolates were identified as P. fungorum. Chromate-resistance gene clusters were identified through pangenomic analysis that differentiated these genomes from previously studied isolates recovered from the point-of-use potable water dispenser and/or current NCBI references, indicating that unique populations exist within distinct niches in the WRS. Beyond genomic analysis, fixed samples directly from the lines were imaged by environmental scanning electron microscopy, which detailed networks of fungal-bacterial biofilms. This is the first evidence of biofilm formation within flex lines from the UPA onboard the ISS. For all bacteria isolated, biofilm potential was further characterized, with the B. contaminans isolates demonstrating the most considerable biofilm formation. Moreover, the genomes of the B. contaminans revealed secondary metabolite gene clusters associated with quorum sensing, biofilm formation, antifungal compounds, and hemolysins. The potential production of these gene cluster metabolites was phenotypically evaluated through biofilm, bacterial-fungal interaction, and hemolytic assays. Collectively, these data identify the UPA flex lines as a unique ecological niche and novel area of biofilm growth within the WRS. Further investigation of these organisms and their resistance profiles will enable engineering controls directed toward biofilm prevention in future space station water systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Aubrie O’Rourke
- Exploration Research and Technology, NASA Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, FL, USA
| | | | - Jill Williamson
- Space Systems Department, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, USA
| | | | - Brian Crucian
- Biomedical Research and Environmental Sciences Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | - Miten Jain
- Department of Bioengineering, Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sarah L. Castro-Wallace
- Biomedical Research and Environmental Sciences Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, USA
- Corresponding author.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Castro CL, Velez-Justiniano YA, Stahl-Rommel S, Nguyen HN, Almengor A, Dunbar B, McLean RJC, Sysoeva TA, Castro-Wallace SL. Genome Sequences of Bacteria Isolated from the International Space Station Water Systems. Microbiol Resour Announc 2023:e0015823. [PMID: 37284768 DOI: 10.1128/mra.00158-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
We report draft genomes of five bacteria recovered from the U.S. and Russian water systems onboard the International Space Station. The five genera include Ralstonia, Burkholderia, Cupriavidus, Methylobacterium, and Pseudomonas. These sequences will help further the understanding of water reclamation and environmental control and life support systems in space.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Yo-Ann Velez-Justiniano
- NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Robert J C McLean
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, USA
| | - Tatyana A Sysoeva
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama, USA
| | - Sarah L Castro-Wallace
- Biomedical Research and Environmental Sciences Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Stahl-Rommel S, Li D, Sung M, Li R, Vijayakumar A, Atabay KD, Bushkin GG, Castro CL, Foley KD, Copeland DS, Castro-Wallace SL, Alvarez Saavedra E, Gleason EJ, Kraves S. A CRISPR-based assay for the study of eukaryotic DNA repair onboard the International Space Station. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0253403. [PMID: 34191829 PMCID: PMC8244870 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0253403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
As we explore beyond Earth, astronauts may be at risk for harmful DNA damage caused by ionizing radiation. Double-strand breaks are a type of DNA damage that can be repaired by two major cellular pathways: non-homologous end joining, during which insertions or deletions may be added at the break site, and homologous recombination, in which the DNA sequence often remains unchanged. Previous work suggests that space conditions may impact the choice of DNA repair pathway, potentially compounding the risks of increased radiation exposure during space travel. However, our understanding of this problem has been limited by technical and safety concerns, which have prevented integral study of the DNA repair process in space. The CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system offers a model for the safe and targeted generation of double-strand breaks in eukaryotes. Here we describe a CRISPR-based assay for DNA break induction and assessment of double-strand break repair pathway choice entirely in space. As necessary steps in this process, we describe the first successful genetic transformation and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in space. These milestones represent a significant expansion of the molecular biology toolkit onboard the International Space Station.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - David Li
- Woodbury High School, Woodbury, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Michelle Sung
- Mounds View High School, Arden Hills, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Rebecca Li
- Mounds View High School, Arden Hills, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Aarthi Vijayakumar
- Mounds View High School, Arden Hills, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Kutay Deniz Atabay
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - G. Guy Bushkin
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | | | - Kevin D. Foley
- Boeing Defense, Space & Security, Berkley, Michigan, United States of America
| | - D. Scott Copeland
- Boeing Defense, Space & Security, Berkley, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Sarah L. Castro-Wallace
- Biomedical Research and Environmental Sciences Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | | | - Emily J. Gleason
- MiniPCR Bio, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail: (EJG); (SK)
| | - Sebastian Kraves
- MiniPCR Bio, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
- * E-mail: (EJG); (SK)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Stahl-Rommel S, Jain M, Nguyen HN, Arnold RR, Aunon-Chancellor SM, Sharp GM, Castro CL, John KK, Juul S, Turner DJ, Stoddart D, Paten B, Akeson M, Burton AS, Castro-Wallace SL. Real-Time Culture-Independent Microbial Profiling Onboard the International Space Station Using Nanopore Sequencing. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12010106. [PMID: 33467183 PMCID: PMC7830261 DOI: 10.3390/genes12010106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
For the past two decades, microbial monitoring of the International Space Station (ISS) has relied on culture-dependent methods that require return to Earth for analysis. This has a number of limitations, with the most significant being bias towards the detection of culturable organisms and the inherent delay between sample collection and ground-based analysis. In recent years, portable and easy-to-use molecular-based tools, such as Oxford Nanopore Technologies’ MinION™ sequencer and miniPCR bio’s miniPCR™ thermal cycler, have been validated onboard the ISS. Here, we report on the development, validation, and implementation of a swab-to-sequencer method that provides a culture-independent solution to real-time microbial profiling onboard the ISS. Method development focused on analysis of swabs collected in a low-biomass environment with limited facility resources and stringent controls on allowed processes and reagents. ISS-optimized procedures included enzymatic DNA extraction from a swab tip, bead-based purifications, altered buffers, and the use of miniPCR and the MinION. Validation was conducted through extensive ground-based assessments comparing current standard culture-dependent and newly developed culture-independent methods. Similar microbial distributions were observed between the two methods; however, as expected, the culture-independent data revealed microbial profiles with greater diversity. Protocol optimization and verification was established during NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) analog missions 21 and 22, respectively. Unique microbial profiles obtained from analog testing validated the swab-to-sequencer method in an extreme environment. Finally, four independent swab-to-sequencer experiments were conducted onboard the ISS by two crewmembers. Microorganisms identified from ISS swabs were consistent with historical culture-based data, and primarily consisted of commonly observed human-associated microbes. This simplified method has been streamlined for high ease-of-use for a non-trained crew to complete in an extreme environment, thereby enabling environmental and human health diagnostics in real-time as future missions take us beyond low-Earth orbit.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Miten Jain
- UCSC Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA; (M.J.); (B.P.); (M.A.)
| | - Hang N. Nguyen
- JES Tech, Houston, TX 77058, USA; (S.S.-R.); (H.N.N.); (C.L.C.)
| | - Richard R. Arnold
- Astronaut Office, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA; (R.R.A.); (S.M.A.-C.)
| | | | | | | | - Kristen K. John
- Project Management and Systems Engineering Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA;
| | - Sissel Juul
- Oxford Nanopore Technologies, New York, NY 10013, USA;
| | - Daniel J. Turner
- Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Oxford Science Park, Oxford OX4 4DQ, UK; (D.J.T.); (D.S.)
| | - David Stoddart
- Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Oxford Science Park, Oxford OX4 4DQ, UK; (D.J.T.); (D.S.)
| | - Benedict Paten
- UCSC Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA; (M.J.); (B.P.); (M.A.)
| | - Mark Akeson
- UCSC Genomics Institute, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA; (M.J.); (B.P.); (M.A.)
| | - Aaron S. Burton
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA;
| | - Sarah L. Castro-Wallace
- Biomedical Research and Environmental Sciences Division, NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 77058, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-281-483-7254
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Regberg AB, Castro CL, Connolly HC, Davis RE, Dworkin JP, Lauretta DS, Messenger SR, Mclain HL, McCubbin FM, Moore JL, Righter K, Stahl-Rommel S, Castro-Wallace SL. Prokaryotic and Fungal Characterization of the Facilities Used to Assemble, Test, and Launch the OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:530661. [PMID: 33250861 PMCID: PMC7676328 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.530661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
To characterize the ATLO (Assembly, Test, and Launch Operations) environment of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, we analyzed 17 aluminum witness foils and two blanks for bacterial, archaeal, fungal, and arthropod DNA. Under NASA’s Planetary Protection guidelines, OSIRIS-REx is a Category II outbound, Category V unrestricted sample return mission. As a result, it has no bioburden restrictions. However, the mission does have strict organic contamination requirements to achieve its primary objective of returning pristine carbonaceous asteroid regolith to Earth. Its target, near-Earth asteroid (101955) Bennu, is likely to contain organic compounds that are biologically available. Therefore, it is useful to understand what organisms were present during ATLO as part of the larger contamination knowledge effort—even though it is unlikely that any of the organisms will survive the multi-year deep space journey. Even though these samples of opportunity were not collected or preserved for DNA analysis, we successfully amplified bacterial and archaeal DNA (16S rRNA gene) from 16 of the 17 witness foils containing as few as 7 ± 3 cells per sample. Fungal DNA (ITS1) was detected in 12 of the 17 witness foils. Despite observing arthropods in some of the ATLO facilities, arthropod DNA (COI gene) was not detected. We observed 1,009 bacterial and archaeal sOTUs (sub-operational taxonomic units, 100% unique) and 167 fungal sOTUs across all of our samples (25–84 sOTUs per sample). The most abundant bacterial sOTU belonged to the genus Bacillus. This sOTU was present in blanks and may represent contamination during sample handling or storage. The sample collected from inside the fairing just prior to launch contained several unique bacterial and fungal sOTUs that describe previously uncharacterized potential for contamination during the final phase of ATLO. Additionally, fungal richness (number of sOTUs) negatively correlates with the number of carbon-bearing particles detected on samples. The total number of fungal sequences positively correlates with total amino acid concentration. These results demonstrate that it is possible to use samples of opportunity to characterize the microbiology of low-biomass environments while also revealing the limitations imposed by sample collection and preservation methods not specifically designed with biology in mind.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron B Regberg
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center, Houston TX, United States
| | | | - Harold C Connolly
- Department of Geology, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, United States.,Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Richard E Davis
- Jacobs@NASA/Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jason P Dworkin
- Astrochemistry Laboratory, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, United States
| | - Dante S Lauretta
- Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, United States
| | - Scott R Messenger
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center, Houston TX, United States
| | - Hannah L Mclain
- Astrochemistry Laboratory, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, United States
| | - Francis M McCubbin
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center, Houston TX, United States
| | - Jamie L Moore
- Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Littleton, CO, United States
| | - Kevin Righter
- Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Division, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center, Houston TX, United States
| | | | - Sarah L Castro-Wallace
- Biomedical Research and Environmental Sciences Division, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Araujo CG, De Souza E Silva CG, Nishijuka FA, Laukkanen JA, Franca JF, Castro CL. P640Sex differences in cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in middle-aged and older participants of a medically-supervised exercise program. Eur Heart J 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehz747.0247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Physical inactivity has been shown to be associated with all-cause mortality in both healthy and unhealthy middle-aged and older individuals. While regular exercise is equally recommended for men and women, it is virtually unknown if sex influences the long-term survival among participants of a medically-supervised exercise program (MSEP).
Purpose
To evaluate if cardiovascular and all-cause mortality differs between men and women who participates in a MSEP.
Methods
Retrospective data from an open cohort of individuals aged 36 to 85 years old (66% men) who participated in a private MSEP between March 1994 and December 2018 were analyzed. The participants were free to attend the exercise sessions anytime from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (Monday to Friday) or 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Saturday). In median, the participants completed 47 sessions (1 to 5992 sessions) and attended for 6 months. Exercise sessions last between 60–80 minutes on average and included aerobic, muscle power, flexibility and balance exercises for all participants. Depending on clinical condition, gross and fine motor coordination, inspiratory muscle and isometric handgrip training were also performed under direct supervision of a multiprofessional team. Before each exercise session, the participant was briefly assessed by the exercise physician amd the aerobic exercise part was individually prescribed based on pre-participation evaluation/previous session data. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were separately determined for men and women - cardiovascular and all-cause mortality - and statistically compared by log rank test.
Results
Men and women had identical mean ages of 62.5 years-old (p>0.99) and median follow-up was 11 years, ranging from 0.1 to 24.8 years. From a total of 2,238 participants wit different disorders (68% with coronary artery disease), 465 died (21%), with almost three times higher death rate for men (15.1%) as compared to women (5.7%) (p<0.001). Cardiovascular deaths were 27% of total and also proportionally more frequent in men than women (HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.44–0.9; p=0.012). Women had a higher long-term overall survival rate than men (83% vs. 77%, respectively, HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.55–0.80; p<0.001).
Conclusion
Long-term cardiovascular and all-cause mortality were much higher in men than women that participated in a MSEP and these differences could not be explained by age. Future studies are needed to explain these findings and to analyze if men and women in MSEP would need similar dose of exercise for better survival benefit.
Acknowledgement/Funding
CNPq/FAPERJ/Health State Secretary
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C G Araujo
- Exercise Medicine Clinic - CLINIMEX, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - F A Nishijuka
- Exercise Medicine Clinic - CLINIMEX, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - J A Laukkanen
- University of Jyvaskyla, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, Jyvaskyla, Finland
| | - J F Franca
- Exercise Medicine Clinic - CLINIMEX, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - C L Castro
- Exercise Medicine Clinic - CLINIMEX, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Castro CL, Aguiar-Nemer AS, Castro-Faria-Neto HC, Barros FR, Rocha EMS, Silva-Fonseca VA. Effect of chronic ethanol consumption in female rats subjected to experimental sepsis. Braz J Med Biol Res 2013; 46:1033-1039. [PMID: 24345912 PMCID: PMC3935275 DOI: 10.1590/1414-431x20133189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2013] [Accepted: 09/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The objective of this research was to evaluate the interference of ethanol consumption by female rats with cytokines involved in the sepsis process and its correlation with mortality, the main outcome of sepsis. Female Wistar rats in estrus phase were evaluated in three experiments. Experiment 1 (n=40) was performed to determine survival rates. Experiment 2 (n=69) was designed for biochemical analysis, measurement of cytokine and estrogen levels before and after sepsis, and experiment 3 (n=10) was performed to evaluate bacterial growth by colony counts of peritoneal fluid. In all experiments, treated animals were exposed to a 10% ethanol/water solution (v/v) as the single drinking source, while untreated animals were given tap water. After 4 weeks, sepsis was induced in the rats by ip injection of feces. In experiment 1, mortality in ethanol-exposed animals was delayed compared with those that drank water (48 h; P=0.0001). Experiment 2 showed increased tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and decreased interleukin-6 (IL-6) and macrophage migration inhibitory factor in septic animals exposed to ethanol compared to septic animals not exposed. Sepsis also increased TNF-α and IL-6 levels in both ethanol- and water-exposed groups. Biochemical analysis showed higher creatinine, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase and decreased glucose levels in septic animals that were exposed to ethanol. In experiment 3, septic animals exposed to ethanol showed decreased numbers of colony-forming units than septic animals exposed to water. These results suggest that ethanol consumption delays the mortality of female rats in estrus phase after sepsis induction. Female characteristics, most probably sex hormones, may be involved in cytokine expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C L Castro
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia, NiteróiRJ, Brasil
| | - A S Aguiar-Nemer
- Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Nutrição, Juiz de ForaMG, Brasil
| | - H C Castro-Faria-Neto
- FIOCRUZ, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Rio de JaneiroRJ, Brasil
| | - F R Barros
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia, NiteróiRJ, Brasil
| | - E M S Rocha
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Departamento de Microbiologia e Parasitologia, NiteróiRJ, Brasil
| | - V A Silva-Fonseca
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, NiteróiRJ, Brasil
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Barros FR, Castro-Faria-Neto HC, Castro CL, Aguiar Nemer AS, Rocha EMS, Silva Fonseca VA. Effects of chronic ethanol consumption in experimental sepsis. Alcohol Alcohol 2012; 47:677-82. [PMID: 22805349 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/ags081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
AIMS To evaluate the effects of chronic ethanol consumption on the development and the pathophysiology of sepsis, using an experimental model of polymicrobial peritonitis by feces i.p. injection. METHODS Forty-day-old male Wistar rats were divided into groups for two experiments: A and B. Experiment A was performed for determination of mortality rates, while experiment B was designed for biochemical analysis and measurement of cytokines before and after sepsis. In both the experiments, treated animals were exposed to a 10% ethanol solution as the single drinking source for 4 weeks, while untreated animals were exposed to tap water over the same period. Food was provided ad libitum. After this period, the animals underwent i.p. fecal injection for induction of sepsis. RESULTS Experiment A showed that higher doses of ethanol resulted in early mortality from sepsis that was correlated with the alcohol consumption (high dose = 85.7%, low dose = 14.3%, P = 0.027). In experiment B, cytokine analysis demonstrated important changes resulting from sepsis, which were further affected by ethanol exposure. In addition, glucose and creatinine levels decreased and increased, respectively, after sepsis, but a significant change occurred only in the ethanol group (P < 0.003 glucose, P < 0.01 creatinine). The levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α, increased after sepsis, but were less evident after ethanol exposure. CONCLUSION These differences may be the result of either early mortality or an increase in the severity of the septic process. Taking into account the high mortality rate and the extreme severity of sepsis after alcohol consumption, often encouraged by advertising, a caution should be given to patients with severe infections and a history of alcohol abuse.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- F R Barros
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Patologia, UFF, Niterói, RJ Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Abstract
Neonatal circumcision is a frequently performed elective surgical procedure, and is one of the oldest known surgical procedures. Neonatal circumcision may be performed for medical, cultural, or religious reasons. This article provides current information from the literature regarding the risks, benefits, and concerns about neonatal circumcision.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M W Kaufman
- Dwight David Eisenhower Medical Center, Ft. Gordon, GA 30905-5650, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Castro CL. [North and the business of drinking water in Tarapaca, 1875-1918]. Cuad Hist 2001; 21:97-117. [PMID: 18330053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
|
11
|
Araujo CG, Nobrega AC, Castro CL. Heart rate responses to deep breathing and 4-seconds of exercise before and after pharmacological blockade with atropine and propranolol. Clin Auton Res 1992; 2:35-40. [PMID: 1638103 DOI: 10.1007/bf01824209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Two autonomic tests which evaluate cardiac vagal activity, the respiratory sinus arrhythmia and the newer 4-second exercise test, have been compared. From electrocardiograph tracings, respiratory sinus arrhythmia was quantified by the ratio between the longest R-R interval during expiration and the shortest one during inspiration (E/I ratio), and the 4-second exercise test by the ratio between the last R-R interval before and the shortest one during exercise (B/C ratio). In 29 healthy subjects there was a correlation (R = 0.60, p less than 0.05) between the responses to the two tests. In a group of six healthy subjects the same tests were performed after autonomic blockade with intravenous atropine and/or propranolol. The heart rate rise during the 4-second exercise test was nearly abolished by atropine (mean +/- SD) (B/C: control = 1.53/0.33; after atropine = 1.04/0.03), whereas RSA was diminished to a lesser extent (E/I: control = 1.59/0.24; after atropine = 1.13/0.07). beta-adrenoceptor blockade did not affect the test ratios (after propranolol: B/C = 1.51/0.33 and E/I = 1.45/0.14). Successive tests during the following hour after atropine infusion showed a somewhat faster recovery of the respiratory sinus arrhythmia than the heart rate acceleration induced by the 4-second exercise test (p less than 0.05). We conclude that there may be some difference in the mechanisms which contribute to the heart rate changes in these two autonomic cardiovascular tests; these remain to be clarified. The 4-second exercise test may be an alternative to the respiratory sinus arrhythmia test in the non-invasive evaluation of cardiac parasympathetic activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C G Araujo
- Servico de Cardiologia, Hospital Universitario Clementino Fraga Filho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | | |
Collapse
|