scholarly journals The effect of exposure to high altitude and low oxygen on intestinal microbial communities in mice

PLoS ONE ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. e0203701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Zhang ◽  
Lefei Jiao ◽  
Ruixin Liu ◽  
Yu Zhang ◽  
Qiaorong Ji ◽  
...  
2007 ◽  
Vol 292 (1) ◽  
pp. E272-E280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Ietta ◽  
Yuanhong Wu ◽  
Roberta Romagnoli ◽  
Nima Soleymanlou ◽  
Barbara Orsini ◽  
...  

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is an important proinflammatory cytokine involved in regulation of macrophage function. In addition, MIF may also play a role in murine and human reproduction. Although both first trimester trophoblast and decidua express MIF, the regulation and functional significance of this cytokine during human placental development remains unclear. We assessed MIF expression throughout normal human placental development, as well as in in vitro (chorionic villous explants) and in vivo (high altitude placentae) models of human placental hypoxia. Dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG), which stabilizes hypoxia inducible factor-1 under normoxic conditions, was also used to mimic the effects of hypoxia on MIF expression. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analysis showed high MIF protein and mRNA expression at 7–10 wk and lower levels at 11–12 wk until term. Exposure of villous explants to 3% O2 resulted in increased MIF expression and secretion relative to standard conditions (20% O2). DMOG treatment under 20% O2 increased MIF expression. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry showed elevated MIF expression in low oxygen-induced extravillous trophoblast cells. Finally, a significant increase in MIF transcript was observed in placental tissues from high-altitude pregnancies. Hence, three experimental models of placental hypoxia (early gestation, DMOG treatment, and high altitude) converge in stimulating increased MIF, supporting the conclusion that placental-derived MIF is an oxygen-responsive cytokine highly expressed in physiological in vivo and in in vitro low oxygen conditions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanan Yang ◽  
Haonan Yuan ◽  
Tianliang Yang ◽  
Yongqing Li ◽  
Caixia Gao ◽  
...  

To adapt to a low-oxygen environment, Tibetan pigs have developed a series of unique characteristics and can transport oxygen more effectively; however, the regulation of the associated processes in high-altitude animals remains elusive. We performed mRNA-seq and miRNA-seq, and we constructed coexpression regulatory networks of the lung tissues of Tibetan and Landrace pigs. HBB, AGT, COL1A2, and EPHX1 were identified as major regulators of hypoxia-induced genes that regulate blood pressure and circulation, and they were enriched in pathways related to signal transduction and angiogenesis, such as HIF-1, PI3K-Akt, mTOR, and AMPK. HBB may promote the combination of hemoglobin and oxygen as well as angiogenesis for high-altitude adaptation in Tibetan pigs. The expression of MMP2 showed a similar tendency of alveolar septum thickness among the four groups. These results indicated that MMP2 activity may lead to widening of the alveolar wall and septum, alveolar structure damage, and collapse of alveolar space with remarkable fibrosis. These findings provide a perspective on hypoxia-adaptive genes in the lungs in addition to insights into potential candidate genes in Tibetan pigs for further research in the field of high-altitude adaptation.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aibek E. Mirrakhimov ◽  
Kingman P. Strohl

High-altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH) affects individuals residing at altitudes of 2,500 meters and higher. Numerous pathogenic variables play a role in disease inception and progression and include low oxygen concentration in inspired air, vasculopathy, and metabolic abnormalities. Since HAPH affects only some people living at high altitude genetic factors play a significant role in its pathogenesis. The clinical presentation of HAPH is nonspecific and includes fatigue, shortness of breath, cognitive deficits, cough, and in advanced cases hepatosplenomegaly and overt right-sided heart failure. A thorough history is important and should include a search for additional risk factors for lung disease and pulmonary hypertension (PH) such as smoking, indoor air pollution, left-sided cardiac disease and sleep disordered breathing. Twelve-lead electrocardiogram, chest X-ray and echocardiography can be used as screening tools. A definitive diagnosis should be made with right-sided heart catheterization using a modified mean pulmonary artery pressure of at least 30 mm Hg, differing from the 25 mm Hg used for other types of PH. Treatment of HAPH includes descent to a lower altitude whenever possible, oxygen therapy and the use of medications such as endothelin receptor antagonists, phosphodiesterase 5 blockers, fasudil and acetazolamide. Some recent evidence suggests that iron supplementation may also be beneficial. However, it is important to note that the scientific literature lacks long-term randomized controlled data on the pharmacologic treatment of HAPH. Thus, an individualized approach to treatment and informing the patients regarding the benefits and risks of the selected treatment regimen are essential.


Author(s):  
Quanyi Liu ◽  
Wei Yao ◽  
Jiusheng Yin ◽  
Rui Yang ◽  
Hui Zhang

Airplane as one of the important transport vehicles in our life, its safety problem related to in-flight fire has attracted a wide-spread attention. The combustion behavior of the cabin fire in flight shows some special characteristics because of the high-altitude environment with low-pressure and low oxygen concentration. A low-pressure chamber of size 2 m×3 m×2 m has been built to simulate high-altitude environments, where multiple static pressures for pool fire tests can be configured in the range between standard atmospheric pressure 101.3KPa and 30KPa. Two different sizes of pool fires were tested. Then corresponding modeling were conducted by a LES code FDS V5.5 to examine the mechanism of pressure effect on the n-Heptane pool fire behavior. The burning of liquid fuel was modeled by a Clausius-Clapeyron relation based liquid pyrolysis model. The modeling data was validated against the experimental measurements. The mass burning rate of free-burning pool fire decreases with the decreasing of pressure, which was observed from the modeling to be due to the reduction of flame heat feedback to the fuel surface. Under low pressure, the fire plume temperature increases for the same burning rate. The mechanism of pressure effect on fire behavior was analyzed based on the modeling data.


2015 ◽  
Vol 118 (5) ◽  
pp. 509-519 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Luks

With the growing interest in adventure travel and the increasing ease and affordability of air, rail, and road-based transportation, increasing numbers of individuals are traveling to high altitude. The decline in barometric pressure and ambient oxygen tensions in this environment trigger a series of physiologic responses across organ systems and over a varying time frame that help the individual acclimatize to the low oxygen conditions but occasionally lead to maladaptive responses and one or several forms of acute altitude illness. The goal of this Physiology in Medicine article is to provide information that providers can use when counseling patients who present to primary care or travel medicine clinics seeking advice about how to prevent these problems. After discussing the primary physiologic responses to acute hypoxia from the organ to the molecular level in normal individuals, the review describes the main forms of acute altitude illness—acute mountain sickness, high-altitude cerebral edema, and high-altitude pulmonary edema—and the basic approaches to their prevention and treatment of these problems, with an emphasis throughout on the physiologic basis for the development of these illnesses and their management.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Romie Tignat-Perrier ◽  
Aurélien Dommergue ◽  
Alban Thollot ◽  
Christoph Keuschnig ◽  
Olivier Magand ◽  
...  

Abstract The atmosphere is an important route for transporting and disseminating microorganisms over short and long distances. Understanding how microorganisms are distributed in the atmosphere is critical due to their role in public health, meteorology and atmospheric chemistry. In order to determine the dominant processes that structure airborne microbial communities, we investigated the diversity and abundance of both bacteria and fungi from the PM10 particle size (particulate matter of 10 micrometers or less in diameter) as well as particulate matter chemistry and local meteorological characteristics over time at nine different meteorological stations around the world. The bacterial genera Bacillus and Sphingomonas as well as the fungal species Pseudotaeniolina globaosa and Cladophialophora proteae were the most abundant taxa of the dataset, although their relative abundances varied greatly based on sampling site. Bacterial and fungal concentration was the highest at the high-altitude and semi-arid plateau of Namco (China; 3.56 × 106 ± 3.01 × 106 cells/m3) and at the high-altitude and vegetated mountain peak Storm-Peak (Colorado, USA; 8.78 × 104 ± 6.49 × 104 cells/m3), respectively. Surrounding ecosystems, especially within a 50 km perimeter of our sampling stations, were the main contributors to the composition of airborne microbial communities. Temporal stability in the composition of airborne microbial communities was mainly explained by the diversity and evenness of the surrounding landscapes and the wind direction variability over time. Airborne microbial communities appear to be the result of large inputs from nearby sources with possible low and diluted inputs from distant sources.


2008 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Etain A. Tansey

Many pathological conditions exist where tissues exhibit hypoxia or low oxygen tension. Hypoxic hypoxia arises when there is a reduction in the amount of oxygen entering the blood and occurs in healthy people at high altitude. In 1946, research sponsored by the United States Navy led to the collection and subsequent publication of masses of data demonstrating the physiological consequences and adaptations of ascent to high altitude. This article describes how a figure from a 1947 paper from the American Physiological Society Legacy collection (Houston CS, Riley RL. Respiratory and circulatory changes during acclimatization to high altitude. Am J Physiol 149: 565–588) may be used to allow students to review their understanding of some of the generalized effects of hypoxia on the body. In particular, this figure summarizes some of the adaptive responses that take place in the oxygen transport system as a consequence of prolonged hypoxia.


Author(s):  
Quanyi Liu ◽  
Kewei Chen ◽  
Nan Wu ◽  
Jiusheng Yin ◽  
Rui Yang ◽  
...  

Fires at high altitude airports have attracted a lot of attention. Such fires show some special characteristics because of the coupling impact of low pressure and low oxygen levels. Some experiments, which were conducted recently at high altitude locations, such as Lhasa and in some low pressure chambers, were usually extinguished due to the limited supply of oxygen. In order to reveal the dependence of fire behavior on pressure comprehensively, a low-pressure chamber with ventilation control of 2×3×4.65m3 in volume has been developed and built, which can allow larger scale fire tests to be conducted and simulate more realistic high-altitude environment. In this study, pool fire tests using 20-cm and 30-cm-diameter pans are configured under five different static pressures, e.g. 101kPa, 75kPa, 64kPa, 38kPa and 24kPa. Each test has been repeated three times. The parameters measured include flame temperature, radiative heat flux, and mass loss etc. It is concluded that under lower pressure, mass burning rate is lower, temperature is higher, and height of the flame is higher, which demonstrated that low pressure fire is more dangerous to the buildings at high altitude airports.


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