RESUMO
The more insects there are, the more food there is for insectivores and the higher the likelihood for insect-associated ecosystem services. Yet, we lack insights into the drivers of insect biomass over space and seasons, for both tropical and temperate zones. We used 245 Malaise traps, managed by 191 volunteers and park guards, to characterize year-round flying insect biomass in a temperate (Sweden) and a tropical (Madagascar) country. Surprisingly, we found that local insect biomass was similar across zones. In Sweden, local insect biomass increased with accumulated heat and varied across habitats, while biomass in Madagascar was unrelated to the environmental predictors measured. Drivers behind seasonality partly converged: In both countries, the seasonality of insect biomass differed between warmer and colder sites, and wetter and drier sites. In Sweden, short-term deviations from expected season-specific biomass were explained by week-to-week fluctuations in accumulated heat, rainfall and soil moisture, whereas in Madagascar, weeks with higher soil moisture had higher insect biomass. Overall, our study identifies key drivers of the seasonal distribution of flying insect biomass in a temperate and a tropical climate. This knowledge is key to understanding the spatial and seasonal availability of insects-as well as predicting future scenarios of insect biomass change.
Assuntos
Biomassa , Estações do Ano , Temperatura , Clima Tropical , Animais , Suécia , Madagáscar , Insetos/fisiologia , Água , EcossistemaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Breathlessness is common in the population and can be related to a range of medical conditions. We aimed to evaluate the burden of breathlessness related to different medical conditions in a middle-aged population. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of the population-based Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study of adults aged 50-64 years. Breathlessness (modified Medical Research Council [mMRC] ≥ 2) was evaluated in relation to self-reported symptoms, stress, depression; physician-diagnosed conditions; measured body mass index (BMI), spirometry, venous haemoglobin concentration, coronary artery calcification and stenosis [computer tomography (CT) angiography], and pulmonary emphysema (high-resolution CT). For each condition, the prevalence and breathlessness population attributable fraction (PAF) were calculated, overall and by sex, smoking history, and presence/absence of self-reported cardiorespiratory disease. RESULTS: We included 25,948 people aged 57.5 ± [SD] 4.4; 51% women; 37% former and 12% current smokers; 43% overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9), 21% obese (BMI ≥ 30); 25% with respiratory disease, 14% depression, 9% cardiac disease, and 3% anemia. Breathlessness was present in 3.7%. Medical conditions most strongly related to the breathlessness prevalence were (PAF 95%CI): overweight and obesity (59.6-66.0%), stress (31.6-76.8%), respiratory disease (20.1-37.1%), depression (17.1-26.6%), cardiac disease (6.3-12.7%), anemia (0.8-3.3%), and peripheral arterial disease (0.3-0.8%). Stress was the main factor in women and current smokers. CONCLUSION: Breathlessness mainly relates to overweight/obesity and stress and to a lesser extent to comorbidities like respiratory, depressive, and cardiac disorders among middle-aged people in a high-income setting-supporting the importance of lifestyle interventions to reduce the burden of breathlessness in the population.
Assuntos
Anemia , Cardiopatias , Masculino , Adulto , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Humanos , Feminino , Sobrepeso , Estudos Transversais , Dispneia/diagnóstico , Dispneia/epidemiologia , Cardiopatias/diagnóstico , Cardiopatias/epidemiologia , ObesidadeRESUMO
Rationale: Postbronchodilator spirometry is used for the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, prebronchodilator reference values are used for spirometry interpretation. Objectives: To compare the resulting prevalence rates of abnormal spirometry and study the consequences of using pre- or postbronchodilator reference values generated within SCAPIS (Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study) when interpreting postbronchodilator spirometry in a general population. Methods: SCAPIS reference values for postbronchodilator and prebronchodilator spirometry were based on 10,156 and 1,498 never-smoking, healthy participants, respectively. We studied the associations of abnormal spirometry, defined by using pre- or postbronchodilator reference values, with respiratory burden in the SCAPIS general population (28,851 individuals). Measurements and Main Results: Bronchodilation resulted in higher predicted medians and lower limits of normal (LLNs) for FEV1/FVC ratios. The prevalence of postbronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio lower than the prebronchodilator LLN was 4.8%, and that of postbronchodilator FEV1/FVC lower than the postbronchodilator LLN was 9.9%, for the general population. An additional 5.1% were identified as having an abnormal postbronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio, and this group had more respiratory symptoms, emphysema (13.5% vs. 4.1%; P < 0.001), and self-reported physician-diagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (2.8% vs. 0.5%, P < 0.001) than subjects with a postbronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio greater than the LLN for both pre- and postbronchodilation. Conclusions: Pre- and postbronchodilator spirometry reference values differ with regard to FEV1/FVC ratio. Use of postbronchodilator reference values doubled the population prevalence of airflow obstruction; this was related to a higher respiratory burden. Using postbronchodilator reference values when interpreting postbronchodilator spirometry might enable the identification of individuals with mild disease and be clinically relevant.
Assuntos
Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica , Humanos , Valores de Referência , Volume Expiratório Forçado , Capacidade Vital , Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica/diagnóstico , Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica/epidemiologia , EspirometriaRESUMO
BackgroundThe Vibrio genus comprises several bacterial species present in the Baltic Sea region (BSR), which are known to cause human infections.AimTo provide a comprehensive retrospective analysis of Vibrio-induced infections in the BSR from 1994 to 2021, focusing on the 'big four' Vibrio species - V. alginolyticus, V. cholerae non-O1/O139, V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus - in eight European countries (Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden) bordering the Baltic Sea.MethodsOur analysis includes data on infections, Vibrio species distribution in coastal waters and environmental data received from national health agencies or extracted from scientific literature and online databases. A redundancy analysis was performed to determine the potential impact of several independent variables, such as sea surface temperature, salinity, the number of designated coastal beaches and year, on the Vibrio infection rate.ResultsFor BSR countries conducting surveillance, we observed an exponential increase in total Vibrio infections (n = 1,553) across the region over time. In Sweden and Germany, total numbers of Vibrio spp. and infections caused by V. alginolyticus and V. parahaemolyticus positively correlate with increasing sea surface temperature. Salinity emerged as a critical driver of Vibrio spp. distribution and abundance. Furthermore, our proposed statistical model reveals 12 to 20 unreported cases in Lithuania and Poland, respectively, countries with no surveillance.ConclusionsThere are discrepancies in Vibrio surveillance and monitoring among countries, emphasising the need for comprehensive monitoring programmes of these pathogens to protect human health, particularly in the context of climate change.
Assuntos
Vibrioses , Vibrio , Humanos , Estudos Retrospectivos , Vibrioses/epidemiologia , Vibrioses/microbiologia , Vibrio/isolamento & purificação , Vibrio/classificação , Países Bálticos/epidemiologia , Água do Mar/microbiologia , Europa (Continente)/epidemiologia , Oceanos e MaresRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The Living Atlas is an open source platform used to collect, visualise and analyse biodiversity data from multiple sources, and serves as the national biodiversity data hub in many countries. Although powerful, the Living Atlas has had limited functionality for species occurrence data derived from DNA sequences. As a step toward integrating this fast-growing data source into the platform, we developed the Amplicon Sequence Variant (ASV) portal: a web interface to sequence-based biodiversity observations in the Living Atlas. RESULTS: The ASV portal allows data providers to submit denoised metabarcoding output to the Living Atlas platform via an intermediary ASV database. It also enables users to search for existing ASVs and associated Living Atlas records using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool, or via filters on taxonomy and sequencing details. The ASV portal is a Python-Flask/jQuery web interface, implemented as a multi-container docker service, and is an integral part of the Swedish Biodiversity Data Infrastructure. CONCLUSION: The ASV portal is a web interface that effectively integrates biodiversity data derived from DNA sequences into the Living Atlas platform.
Assuntos
Biodiversidade , DNA , DNA/genética , Software , Código de Barras de DNA TaxonômicoRESUMO
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) kills millions of people annually and patients suffering from exacerbations of this disorder display high morbidity and mortality. The clinical course of COPD is associated with dysbiosis and infections, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Glycosylation of proteins play roles in regulating interactions between microbes and immune cells, and knowledge on airway glycans therefore contribute to the understanding of infections. Furthermore, glycans have biomarker potential for identifying smokers with enhanced risk for developing COPD as well as COPD subgroups. Here, we characterized the N-glycosylation in the lower airways of healthy never-smokers (HNS, n = 5) and long-term smokers (LTS) with (LTS+, n = 4) and without COPD (LTS-, n = 8). Using mass spectrometry, we identified 57 highly confident N-glycan structures whereof 38 oligomannose, complex, and paucimannose type glycans were common to BAL samples from HNS, LTS- and LTS+ groups. Hybrid type N-glycans were identified only in the LTS+ group. Qualitatively and quantitatively, HNS had lower inter-individual variation between samples compared to LTS- or LTS+. Cluster analysis of BAL N-glycosylation distinguished LTS from HNS. Correlation analysis with clinical parameters revealed that complex N-glycans were associated with health and absence of smoking whereas oligomannose N-glycans were associated with smoking and disease. The N-glycan profile from monocyte-derived macrophages differed from the BAL N-glycan profiles. In conclusion, long-term smokers display substantial alterations of N-glycosylation in the bronchoalveolar space, and the hybrid N-glycans identified only in long-term smokers with COPD deserve to be further studied as potential biomarkers.
Assuntos
Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica , Fumantes , Humanos , Glicosilação , Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica/metabolismo , Fumar , Biomarcadores/metabolismo , Polissacarídeos , Líquido da Lavagem Broncoalveolar/químicaRESUMO
Various authors have emphasized music's value as beneficial intervention, with few or hardly any side effects. Further studies are called for on how music-based environmental treatment in nursing homes works in practice. The aims of the study are first to explore the subjective experiences, opinions and attitudes of health personnel from nursing homes participating in the 'music-based environmental therapy programme (MB programme); and second, to examine why and how this programme impacts on patients and staff, and how it works in practice. It is the first qualitative study to evaluate the impact of the programme on health personnel's daily practice in nursing homes. The sample was strategically selected by means of convenience sampling, and consisted of 26 (n = 26) nurses, managers, physiotherapists, social workers and carers from 11 nursing homes in the south-east of Norway. Data were collected in autumn 2019 using a methodological triangulation of in-depth interviews, focus groups and passive observation, and the data were analyzed using systematic text condensation. With systematic use of music in daily activities in the nursing homes, users became calmer and less outspoken, and the use of psychotropic drugs was greatly reduced. The MB programme seems to be a successful intervention that provides a unique opportunity to improve patients' health and well-being with minimal adverse effects. This new focus on non-pharmacological approaches makes investigation of alternatives to medication vital.
Assuntos
Música , Humanos , Casas de Saúde , Pesquisa Qualitativa , Pessoal de Saúde , NoruegaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is associated with generalised airway inflammation. Few studies have addressed the relationship between CRS and chronic bronchitis (CB). METHODS: This prospective study over a five-year period aims to investigate the risk of developing CB in subjects reporting CRS at the beginning of the study. A random sample of 7393 adult subjects from Telemark County, Norway, answered a comprehensive respiratory questionnaire in 2013 and then 5 years later in 2018. Subjects reporting CB in 2013 were excluded from the analyses. New cases of CB in 2018 were analysed in relation to having CRS in 2013 or not. RESULTS: The prevalence of new-onset CB in 2018 in the group that reported CRS in 2013 was 11.8%. There was a significant increase in the odds of having CB in 2018 in subjects who reported CRS in 2013 (OR 3.8, 95% CI 2.65-5.40), adjusted for age, sex, BMI, smoking and asthma. CONCLUSION: In this large population sample, CRS was associated with increased odds of developing CB during a five-year follow-up. Physicians should be aware of chronic bronchitis in patients with CRS.
Assuntos
Asma , Bronquite Crônica , Rinite , Sinusite , Adulto , Humanos , Bronquite Crônica/epidemiologia , Estudos Prospectivos , Sinusite/complicações , Sinusite/epidemiologia , Doença Crônica , Asma/complicações , Asma/epidemiologia , Rinite/complicações , Rinite/epidemiologiaRESUMO
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with colonization by bacterial pathogens and repeated airway infections, leading to exacerbations and impaired lung function. The highly glycosylated mucins in the mucus lining the airways are an important part of the host defense against pathogens. However, mucus accumulation can contribute to COPD pathology. Here, we examined whether inflammation is associated with glycosylation changes that affect interactions between airway mucins and pathogens. We isolated mucins from lower airway samples (n = 4-9) from long-term smokers with and without COPD and from never-smokers. The most abundant terminal glycan moiety was N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) among smokers with and without COPD and N-acetyl-hexoseamine among never-smokers. Moraxella catarrhalis bound to MUC5 mucins from smokers with and without COPD. M. catarrhalis binding correlated with inflammatory parameters and Neu5Ac content. M. catarrhalis binding was abolished by enzymatic removal of Neu5Ac. Furthermore, M. catarrhalis bound to α2,6 sialyl-lactose, suggesting that α2,6 sialic acid contributes to M. catarrhalis binding to mucins. Furthermore, we detected more M. catarrhalis binding to mucins from patients with pneumonia than to those from control subjects (n = 8-13), and this binding correlated with C-reactive protein and Neu5Ac levels. These results suggest a key role of inflammation-induced Neu5Ac in the adhesion of M. catarrhalis to airway mucins. The inflammation-induced ability of MUC5 mucins to bind M. catarrhalis is likely a host defense mechanism in the healthy lung, although it cannot be excluded that impaired mucociliary clearance limits the effectiveness of this defense in patients with COPD.
Assuntos
Pulmão/metabolismo , Moraxella catarrhalis/metabolismo , Mucina-5B/metabolismo , Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica/metabolismo , Mucosa Respiratória/metabolismo , Humanos , Inflamação , Pulmão/microbiologia , Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica/microbiologia , Mucosa Respiratória/microbiologia , Ácidos Siálicos/metabolismoRESUMO
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive inflammatory lung disease with high morbidity and mortality. The IL-36 family are proinflammatory cytokines that are known to shape innate immune responses, including those critical to bacterial pneumonia. The objective of this study was to determine whether IL-36 cytokines promote a proinflammatory milieu in the lungs of long-term smokers with and without COPD. Concentrations of IL-36 cytokines were measured in plasma and BAL fluid from subjects in a pilot study (n = 23) of long-term smokers with and without COPD in vivo and from a variety of lung cells (from 3-5 donors) stimulated with bacteria or cigarette smoke components in vitro. Pulmonary macrophages were stimulated with IL-36 cytokines in vitro, and chemokine and cytokine production was assessed. IL-36α and IL-36γ are produced to varying degrees in murine and human lung cells in response to bacterial stimuli and cigarette smoke components in vitro. Moreover, whereas IL-36γ production is upregulated early after cigarette smoke stimulation and wanes over time, IL-36α production requires a longer duration of exposure. IL-36α and IL-36γ are enhanced systemically and locally in long-term smokers with and without COPD, and local IL-36α concentrations display a positive correlation with declining ventilatory lung function and increasing proinflammatory cytokine concentrations. In vitro, IL-36α and IL-36γ induce proinflammatory chemokines and cytokines in a concentration-dependent fashion that requires IL-36R and MyD88. IL-36 cytokine production is altered in long-term smokers with and without COPD and contributes to shaping a proinflammatory milieu in the lungs.
Assuntos
Citocinas/imunologia , Interleucina-1/imunologia , Pulmão/imunologia , Pneumonia/imunologia , Fumar/imunologia , Adulto , Idoso , Animais , Feminino , Humanos , Imunidade Inata/imunologia , Macrófagos Alveolares/imunologia , Masculino , Camundongos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Projetos Piloto , Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica/imunologia , FumantesRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) frequently suffer from chronic bronchitis (CB) and display steroid-resistant inflammation with increased sputum neutrophils and macrophages. Recently, a causal link between mucus hyper-concentration and disease progression of CB has been suggested. METHODS: In this study, we have evaluated the steroid sensitivity of purified, patient-derived sputum and alveolar macrophages and used a novel mechanistic cross-talk assay to examine how macrophages and bronchial epithelial cells cross-talk to regulate MUC5B production. RESULTS: We demonstrate that sputum plug macrophages isolated from COPD patients with chronic bronchitis (COPD/CB) are chronically activated and only partially respond to ex vivo corticosteroid treatment compared to alveolar macrophages isolated from lung resections. Further, we show that pseudo-stratified bronchial epithelial cells grown in air-liquid-interface are inert to direct bacterial lipopolysaccharide stimulation and that macrophages are able to relay this signal and activate the CREB/AP-1 transcription factor complex and subsequent MUC5B expression in epithelial cells through a soluble mediator. Using recombinant protein and neutralizing antibodies, we identified a key role for TNFα in this cross-talk. CONCLUSIONS: For the first time, we describe ex vivo pharmacology in purified human sputum macrophages isolated from chronic bronchitis COPD patients and identify a possible basis for the steroid resistance frequently seen in this population. Our data pinpoint a critical role for chronically activated sputum macrophages in perpetuating TNFα-dependent signals driving mucus hyper-production. Targeting the chronically activated mucus plug macrophage phenotype and interfering with aberrant macrophage-epithelial cross-talk may provide a novel strategy to resolve chronic inflammatory lung disease.
Assuntos
Bronquite Crônica/metabolismo , Resistência a Medicamentos , Glucocorticoides/farmacologia , Pulmão/patologia , Macrófagos Alveolares/metabolismo , Mucina-5B/biossíntese , Muco/metabolismo , Idoso , Biomarcadores/metabolismo , Bronquite Crônica/tratamento farmacológico , Bronquite Crônica/patologia , Progressão da Doença , Feminino , Seguimentos , Humanos , Inflamação/metabolismo , Contagem de Leucócitos , Macrófagos Alveolares/patologia , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-IdadeRESUMO
Vitamin B1 (B1 herein) is a vital enzyme cofactor required by virtually all cells, including bacterioplankton, which strongly influence aquatic biogeochemistry and productivity and modulate climate on Earth. Intriguingly, bacterioplankton can be de novo B1 synthesizers or B1 auxotrophs, which cannot synthesize B1 de novo and require exogenous B1 or B1 precursors to survive. Recent isolate-based work suggests select abundant bacterioplankton are B1 auxotrophs, but direct evidence of B1 auxotrophy among natural communities is scant. In addition, it is entirely unknown if bulk bacterioplankton growth is ever B1-limited. We show by surveying for B1-related genes in estuarine, marine, and freshwater metagenomes and metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) that most naturally occurring bacterioplankton are B1 auxotrophs. Pyrimidine B1-auxotrophic bacterioplankton numerically dominated metagenomes, but multiple other B1-auxotrophic types and distinct uptake and B1-salvaging strategies were also identified, including dual (pyrimidine and thiazole) and intact B1 auxotrophs that have received little prior consideration. Time-series metagenomes from the Baltic Sea revealed pronounced shifts in the prevalence of multiple B1-auxotrophic types and in the B1-uptake and B1-salvaging strategies over time. Complementarily, we documented B1/precursor limitation of bacterioplankton production in three of five nutrient-amendment experiments at the same time-series station, specifically when intact B1 concentrations were ≤3.7 pM, based on bioassays with a genetically engineered Vibrio anguillarum B1-auxotrophic strain. Collectively, the data presented highlight the prevalent reliance of bacterioplankton on exogenous B1/precursors and on the bioavailability of the micronutrients as an overlooked factor that could influence bacterioplankton growth and succession and thereby the cycling of nutrients and energy in aquatic systems.
Assuntos
Bactérias/metabolismo , Genômica/métodos , Tiamina/metabolismo , Bactérias/genética , Água Doce , Regulação Bacteriana da Expressão Gênica , Genoma Bacteriano , Genótipo , Plâncton , Água do Mar , TranscriptomaRESUMO
A prerequisite to improve the predictability of microbial community dynamics is to understand the mechanisms of microbial assembly. To study factors that contribute to microbial community assembly, we examined the temporal dynamics of genes in five aquatic metagenome time-series, originating from marine offshore or coastal sites and one lake. With this trait-based approach we expected to find gene-specific patterns of temporal allele variability that depended on the seasonal metacommunity size of carrier-taxa and the variability of the milieu and the substrates to which the resulting proteins were exposed. In more detail, we hypothesized that a larger seasonal metacommunity size would result in increased temporal variability of functional units (i.e., gene alleles), as shown previously for taxonomic units. We further hypothesized that multicopy genes would feature higher temporal variability than single-copy genes, as gene multiplication can result from high variability in substrate quality and quantity. Finally, we hypothesized that direct exposure of proteins to the extracellular environment would result in increased temporal variability of the respective gene compared to intracellular proteins that are less exposed to environmental fluctuations. The first two hypotheses were confirmed in all data sets, while significant effects of the subcellular location of gene products was only seen in three of the five time-series. The gene with the highest allele variability throughout all data sets was an iron transporter, also representing a target for phage infection. Previous work has emphasized the role of phage-prokaryote interactions as a major driver of microbial diversity. Our finding therefore points to a potentially important role of iron transporter-mediated phage infections for the assembly and maintenance of diversity in aquatic prokaryotes.
Assuntos
Bacteriófagos , Microbiota , Bacteriófagos/genética , Lagos , Metagenoma , MetagenômicaRESUMO
There is little information on mucins versus potential regulatory factors in the peripheral airway lumen of long-term smokers with (LTS+) and without (LTS-) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We explored these matters in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples from two study materials, both including LTS+ and LTS- with a very similar historic exposure to tobacco smoke, and healthy non-smokers (HNSs; n=4-20/group). Utilizing slot blot and immunodetection of processed (filtered and centrifuged), as well as unprocessed BAL samples from one of the materials, we compared the quantity and fraction of large complexes of mucins. All LTS displayed an enhanced (median) level of MUC5AC compared with HNS. LTS- displayed a higher level of large MUC5AC complexes than HNS while LTS+ displayed a similar trend. In all LTS, total MUC5AC correlated with blood leukocytes, BAL neutrophil elastase and net gelatinase activity. Large mucin complexes accounted for most MUC5B, without clear group differences. In all LTS, total MUC5B correlated with total MUC5AC and local bacteria. In the same groups, large MUC5B complexes correlated with serum cotinine. MUC1 was increased and correlated with BAL leukocytes in all LTS whereas MUC2 was very low and without clear group differences. Thus, the main part of MUC5AC and MUC5B is present as large complexes in the peripheral airway lumen and historic as well as current exposure to tobacco smoke emerge as potential regulatory factors, regardless of COPD per se. Bacteria, leukocytes and proteinases also constitute potential regulatory factors, of interest for future therapeutic strategies.
Assuntos
Pulmão/metabolismo , Mucina-5AC/metabolismo , Mucina-1/metabolismo , Complexos Multiproteicos/metabolismo , Fumantes , Fumar/metabolismo , Bactérias/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Lavagem Broncoalveolar , Difusão , Feminino , Gases/metabolismo , Humanos , Pulmão/microbiologia , Masculino , Viabilidade Microbiana , Mucina-2/metabolismo , Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica/metabolismo , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
PURPOSE: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with several co-morbidities and non-infectious rhinitis (NIR) has emerged as a new possible co-morbidity. The primary aim of this study is to confirm a previously reported association between NIR and COPD in a multicentre population over time. The secondary aim is to investigate the course over time of such an association through a comparison between early- and late-onset COPD. METHODS: This study is part of the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS). A random adult population from 25 centres in Europe and one in Australia was examined with spirometry and answered a respiratory questionnaire in 1998-2002 (ECRHS II) and in 2008-2013 (ECRHS III). Symptoms of non-infectious rhinitis, hay fever and asthma, and smoking habits were reported. Subjects reporting asthma were excluded. COPD was defined as a spirometry ratio of FEV1/FVC < 0.7. A total of 5901 subjects were included. RESULTS: Non-infectious rhinitis was significantly more prevalent in subjects with COPD compared with no COPD (48.9% vs 37.1%, p < 0.001) in ECRHS II (mean age 43) but not in ECHRS III (mean age 54). In the multivariable regression model adjusted for COPD, smoking, age, BMI, and gender, non-infectious rhinitis was associated with COPD in both ECRHS II and III. CONCLUSION: Non-infectious rhinitis was significantly more common in subjects with COPD at a mean age of 43. Ten years later, the association was weaker. The findings indicate that NIR could be associated with the early onset of COPD.
Assuntos
Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica , Rinite , Adulto , Austrália/epidemiologia , Europa (Continente)/epidemiologia , União Europeia , Inquéritos Epidemiológicos , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prevalência , Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica/epidemiologia , Rinite/diagnóstico , Rinite/epidemiologia , EspirometriaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Alcohol use disorders are a major but often unrecognized health problem. Alcohol markers can therefore be of great value for diagnosis, follow-up, and treatment evaluation. Phosphatidylethanol in blood (B-PEth) is an alcohol biomarker with higher clinical sensitivity and specificity than commonly used alcohol markers but has shown a considerable interindividual variation in relation to reported consumption. METHODS: An in vitro system was used to investigate factors, which may affect the formation rate of PEth or which may give rise to interindividual variation in the rate of formation. In this system, isolated erythrocytes from 31 individuals were incubated in the presence of various concentrations of ethanol (EtOH). The concentration of PEth and phosphatidylcholine (PC), the parent molecule of PEth, was determined by chromatographic methods. RESULTS: Time, EtOH, and PC concentration were major factors determining the amount of PEth formed. The interindividual variation in PEth formation rate, calculated at an EtOH concentration of 50 mmol/l, showed a coefficient of variation (CV) from 23 to 31% for the different PEth forms studied (PEth 16:0/18:2, total PEth and PEth 16:0/18:1). The concentration of PC was found to be an important determinant of this variation. The formation rate for PEth 16:0/18:2 was somewhat higher than for PEth 16:0/18:1. The formation of PEth 16:0/18:1 but not PEth 16:0/18:2 showed a positive correlation to the concentration of PEth at baseline (endogenous PEth). Calculation of enzyme kinetics for the reaction resulting in the formation of PEth 16:0/18:1 or PEth 16:0/18:2 showed an apparent Km (Michaelis constant) of approximately 160 to 170 mmol/l. CONCLUSIONS: Interindividual variation in the formation rate of PEth appears to be a significant but relatively modest source of variation in the relation between B-PEth and reported consumption. Correction for interindividual variation in PC concentrations might substantially reduce the interindividual variability in PEth formation and consequently in B-PEth.
Assuntos
Glicerofosfolipídeos/sangue , Variação Biológica da População , Biomarcadores/sangue , Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Pressão , Eritrócitos/metabolismo , Etanol/sangue , Etanol/metabolismo , Cromatografia Gasosa-Espectrometria de Massas , Glucose/metabolismo , Glicerofosfolipídeos/metabolismo , Humanos , Concentração de Íons de Hidrogênio , Fosfatidilcolinas/sangue , Fosfatidilcolinas/metabolismoRESUMO
Bacteria are major drivers of biogeochemical nutrient cycles and energy fluxes in marine environments, yet how bacterial communities respond to environmental change is not well known. Metagenomes allow examination of genetic responses of the entire microbial community to environmental change. However, it is challenging to link metagenomes directly to biogeochemical process rates. Here, we investigate metagenomic responses in natural bacterioplankton communities to simulated environmental stressors in the Baltic Sea, including increased river water input, increased nutrient concentration, and reduced oxygen level. This allowed us to identify informative prokaryotic gene markers, responding to environmental perturbation. Our results demonstrate that metagenomic and metabolic changes in bacterial communities in response to environmental stressors are influenced both by the initial community composition and by the biogeochemical factors shaping the functional response. Furthermore, the different sources of dissolved organic matter (DOM) had the largest impact on metagenomic blueprint. Most prominently, changes in DOM loads influenced specific transporter types reflecting the substrate availability and DOC assimilation and consumption pathways. The results provide new knowledge for developing models of ecosystem structure and biogeochemical cycling in future climate change scenarios and advance our exploration of the potential use of marine microorganisms as markers for environmental conditions.
Assuntos
Bactérias/classificação , Bactérias/genética , Bactérias/isolamento & purificação , Bactérias/metabolismo , Mudança Climática , Ecossistema , Água Doce/análise , Água Doce/microbiologia , Metagenoma , Metagenômica , Microbiota , Compostos Orgânicos/análise , Compostos Orgânicos/metabolismo , Oxigênio/análise , Oxigênio/metabolismo , Água do Mar/análise , Água do Mar/microbiologiaRESUMO
Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi form diverse communities and are known to influence above-ground community dynamics and biodiversity. However, the multiscale patterns and drivers of AM fungal composition and diversity are still poorly understood. We sequenced DNA markers from roots and root-associated soil from Plantago lanceolata plants collected across multiple spatial scales to allow comparison of AM fungal communities among neighbouring plants, plant subpopulations, nearby plant populations, and regions. We also measured soil nutrients, temperature, humidity, and community composition of neighbouring plants and nonAM root-associated fungi. AM fungal communities were already highly dissimilar among neighbouring plants (c. 30 cm apart), albeit with a high variation in the degree of similarity at this small spatial scale. AM fungal communities were increasingly, and more consistently, dissimilar at larger spatial scales. Spatial structure and environmental drivers explained a similar percentage of the variation, from 7% to 25%. A large fraction of the variation remained unexplained, which may be a result of unmeasured environmental variables, species interactions and stochastic processes. We conclude that AM fungal communities are highly variable among nearby plants. AM fungi may therefore play a major role in maintaining small-scale variation in community dynamics and biodiversity.
Assuntos
Micobioma , Micorrizas/fisiologia , Plantago/microbiologia , Microbiologia do Solo , Geografia , SoloRESUMO
Acute hypoxia changes the redox-state of pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). This might influence the activity of redox-sensitive voltage-gated Kâº-channels (Kv-channels) whose inhibition initiates hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV). However, the molecular mechanism of how hypoxia-or the subsequent change in the cellular redox-state-inhibits Kv-channels remains elusive. For this purpose, a new multifunctional gas-tight microfluidic system was developed enabling simultaneous single-cell Raman spectroscopic studies (to sense the redox-state under normoxic/hypoxic conditions) and patch-clamp experiments (to study the Kv-channel activity). The performance of the system was tested by optically recording the O2-content and taking Raman spectra on murine PASMCs under normoxic/hypoxic conditions or in the presence of H2O2. Oxygen sensing showed that hypoxic levels in the gas-tight microfluidic system were achieved faster, more stable and significantly lower compared to a conventional open system (1.6 ± 0.2%, respectively 6.7 ± 0.7%, n = 6, p < 0.001). Raman spectra revealed that the redistribution of biomarkers (cytochromes, FeS, myoglobin and NADH) under hypoxic/normoxic conditions were improved in the gas-tight microfluidic system (p-values from 0.00% to 16.30%) compared to the open system (p-value from 0.01% to 98.42%). In conclusion, the new redox sensor holds promise for future experiments that may elucidate the role of Kv-channels during HPV.
Assuntos
Hipóxia Celular , Gases/análise , Microfluídica/métodos , Músculo Liso Vascular/citologia , Músculo Liso Vascular/metabolismo , Artéria Pulmonar/citologia , Análise Espectral Raman/métodos , Animais , Gases/metabolismo , Peróxido de Hidrogênio/metabolismo , Camundongos , Miócitos de Músculo Liso/citologia , Miócitos de Músculo Liso/metabolismo , Oxigênio/análise , Oxigênio/metabolismoRESUMO
Metapopulation theory developed in terrestrial ecology provides applicable frameworks for interpreting the role of local and regional processes in shaping species distribution patterns. Yet, empirical testing of metapopulation models on microbial communities is essentially lacking. We determined regional bacterioplankton dynamics from monthly transect sampling in the Baltic Sea Proper using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. A strong positive trend was found between local relative abundance and occupancy of populations. Notably, the occupancy-frequency distributions were significantly bimodal with a satellite mode of rare endemic populations and a core mode of abundant cosmopolitan populations (e.g. Synechococcus, SAR11 and SAR86 clade members). Temporal changes in population distributions supported several theoretical frameworks. Still, bimodality was found among bacterioplankton communities across the entire Baltic Sea, and was also frequent in globally distributed datasets. Datasets spanning waters with widely different physicochemical characteristics or environmental gradients typically lacked significant bimodal patterns. When such datasets were divided into subsets with coherent environmental conditions, bimodal patterns emerged, highlighting the importance of positive feedbacks between local abundance and occupancy within specific biomes. Thus, metapopulation theory applied to microbial biogeography can provide novel insights into the mechanisms governing shifts in biodiversity resulting from natural or anthropogenically induced changes in the environment.