Mechanism of Learning and Memory Impairment in Rats Exposed to Arsenic and/or Fluoride Based on Microbiome and Metabolome

Objective Arsenic(As) and fluoride(F) are two of the most common elements contaminating groundwater resources. A growing number of studies have found that As and F can cause neurotoxicity in infants and children, leading to cognitive, learning, and memory impairments. However, early biomarkers of learning and memory impairment induced by As and/or F remain unclear. In the present study, the mechanisms by which As and/or F cause learning memory impairment are explored at the multi-omics level(microbiome and metabolome).Methods We stablished an SD rats model exposed to arsenic and/or fluoride from intrauterine to adult period.Results Arsenic and/fluoride exposed groups showed reduced neurobehavioral performance and lesions in the hippocampal CA1 region. 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that As and/or F exposure significantly altered the composition and diversity of the gut microbiome, featuring the Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Ruminococcus_1, Prevotellaceae_NK3B31_group, [Eubacterium]_xylanophilum_group. Metabolome analysis showed that As and/or F-induced learning and memory impairment may be related to tryptophan, lipoic acid, glutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acidergic(GABAergic) synapse, and arachidonic acid(AA) metabolism. The gut microbiota, metabolites, and learning memory indicators were significantly correlated.Conclusion Learning memory impairment triggered by As and/or F exposure may be mediated by different gut microbes and their associated metabolites.

Prevalence of Ventilatory Function Abnormalities in Residents of Attecoube Lagune, Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire)

Introduction: Studies of abnormal ventilatory function in Côte d’Ivoire have been carried out in the workplace and in schools. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and ventilatory function abnormalities in the population of the lagoon district of Attécoubé in Abidjan. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 170 people in the municipality of Attécoubé Lagune. A questionnaire was used to collect information on sociodemographic, clinical, and environmental characteristics. A basic spirometry and a beta mimetic test were carried out on all the subjects surveyed. Data analysis was done with the stata 15.1 software. Results: The study population was composed of 103 women and 67 men with a sex ratio (M/F) of 0.65. The average age was 35.92 ± 15.28 years. The most frequent respiratory symptoms were chest tightness (29.41%), dyspnea (28.82%), sneezing (22.94%) and cough (22.35%). The prevalence of ventilatory function abnormalities was 43.24% among residents of Attécoubé Lagune and the most frequent abnormality was ventilatory restriction (35.15%) followed by obstruction (4.85%). The risk factor for ventilatory function abnormalities was heavy pollution [OR = 2.66;IC: 1.053 - 6.743;P = 0.038]. Conclusion: Residents of the Attécoubé Lagune district had many respiratory symptoms and a high prevalence of ventilatory function abnormalities. Improving air quality is urgently needed in this municipality.

Molecular Epidemiology and Clinical Features of Haemophilus influenzae among Hospitalized Children with Community-acquired Pneumonia in Chengde,China

Community-acquired pneumonia(CAP)is an acute lung infection that is caused by several different pathogens and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality.The high global incidence of CAP poses a heavy disease and economic burden to patients,especially children.Respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia and influenza are the fourth leading cause of death in China[1].The top 3 etiologic pathogens of CAP in the Asia-Pacific region are Streptococcus pneumoniae,Haemophilus influenzae(H.influenzae),and Mycoplasma pneumoniae(M.pneumoniae).

Majority of Actinobacterial Strains Isolated from Kashmir Himalaya Soil Are Rich Source of Antimicrobials and Industrially Important Biomolecules

Studies on actinobacterial diversity are immensely important research arenas as they are the major root of antimicrobial, anticancer and immunosuppressant agents. Here we have performed a community analysis and isolated about 135 morphologically different actinobacteria using five different Actinomyces-specific media from an unique unexplored site of Kashmir Himalaya, India, in order to screen different bioactive compounds specially the antimicrobials. Among these actinobacteria, 42 isolates show antimicrobial activity against a set of pathogenic organisms. Secretion of different biomolecules of industrial significance were assessed which resulted 53 xylanase producers, 57 IAA producers, and 63 isolates produce gelatinase. Pectinase, phosphatase, lipase, amylase, and cellulase producing ability have been shown by about 41, 32, 102, 92, and 83 isolates, respectively. Analysis of their 16S rRNA sequence followed by phylogenetic analysis has depicted that most of the isolates belong to the genus of Streptomyces and rests are Streptosporangium, Lentzea, Gordonia, Amycolatopsis and Lechevalieria. We have also screened the presence of secondary metabolite production pathways by PCR amplifying the biosynthetic gene of polyketide synthase (PKS-I) and non ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) from the antibiotic producing strains. Antibiotic sensitivity profile of these isolates has also been studied. The potential antimicrobial compound producing strains have further been studied in order to find their efficacy to kill bacterial and fungal pathogens. Thus the study led to a promising field of antibiotic discovery and bioprospecting actinobacteria through their metabolites of industrial potential in near future.

Prevalence of Group B Streptococcus among Pregnant Women in Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso)

Background: Group B Streptococcus (GBS) or Streptococcus agalactiae, which asymptomatically colonizes the female genital tract, is one of the leading causes of septicemia, meningitis and pneumonia in neonates. This study was conducted in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso to determine the prevalence of GBS colonization among pregnant women. Methods: Six hundred and eleven (611) pregnant women were screened for GBS colonization between July and December 2016. Vaginal swab samples were aseptically collected from the subjects after oral informed consent. Standard microbiological methods were used to isolate and identify GBS isolates. The antibiotic susceptibility profile of GBS isolates was assessed using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Results: Colonization prevalence was 6.05%. No risk factors associated with the carriage rate was statistically identified. All isolates were susceptible to Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, Cefotaxime, Levofloxacin, Vancomycin and Nitrofurantoin. Resistance to antibiotics was found for erythromycin (35.14%), lincomycin (16.22%) and penicillin G (10.81%). Conclusion: Although a low carriage (6.05%) rate and isolates were susceptible to many antibiotics found in this study, a policy of systematic screening of pregnant women at least in the third trimester must be promoted.

Investigation of an enteritis outbreak caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Aberdeen in China

Salmonella Aberdeen is a ubiquitous pathogen that can cause severe gastroenteritis and plays an important role in food-borne illness and international food-trade dispute.[1]However,the molecular biological characteristics of this organism have been rarely studied.This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and aimed to assess the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of a food-borne outbreak caused by Salmonella Aberdeen.Furthermore,the molecular biological characteristics of the outbreak isolates were detected and analyzed.From June 10 to 12,2018,an enteritis outbreak affected 75 employees in the Fushan district of Yantai,Shandong province,China,including 33 males and 42 females.The mean age of the patients was 34.2±5.3 years.

Erratum to“Impact of satellite blood culture on early diagnosis of sepsis”[Journal of Intensive Medicine volume 2(2022)56–60]

The publisher regrets the article titled“Impact of satellite blood culture on early diagnosis of sepsis,”[1]published on pages 56-60,Issue 1,Volume 2 in Journal of Intensive Medicine(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667100X21000475)contains a mistake in Abstract.The sentence in the Results“median ICU lengths of stay were 18.00 days and 23.50 days”should be“median lengths of hospital stays were 18.00 days and 23.50 days”.The publisher would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused.

Impact of satellite blood culture on early diagnosis of sepsis

Background:The aim of this study was to assess whether satellite blood culture(SBC)can improve turnaround times,antibiotic switching,and patient prognosis,relative to laboratory blood culture(LBC).Methods:Patients with sepsis treated in the intensive care units(ICUs)of Henan Provincial People’s Hospital from February 5,2018 to January 19,2019 who met the inclusion criteria were recruited to the study and divided into the SBC group and LBC group according to different blood culture methods.Patient demographics,blood culture,antibiotic adjustment,and prognosis data were collected and compared between the two groups.Results:A total of 204 blood culture sets from 52 ICU patients,including 100 from the medical microbiology LBC group and 104 from the SBC group,were analyzed in this study.There was no significant difference in the positive rates between the two groups.Time from specimen collection to incubation was significantly shorter in the SBC group than that in the LBC group(1.65 h vs.3.51 h,z=−4.09,P<0.001).The median time from specimen collection to notification of blood culture positivity was 24.83 h in the SBC group and 27.83 h in the LBC group.Median times from adjustment of antibiotics according to the first report were 26.05 h and 51.71 h in the SBC and LBC groups,respectively,while those according to the final report were 97.17 h and 111.45 h,respectively.Median ICU lengths of stay were 15.00 days and 17.00 days in the SBC and LBC groups,respectively,and median ICU lengths of stay were 18.00 days and 23.50 days,respectively.Mean hospitalization costs were 157.99 and 186.73 thousand yuan in the SBC and LBC groups,respectively.Conclusion:SBC can significantly reduce blood culture turnaround times;however,there were no significant differences between the two blood culture methods in initial reporting of positive cultures,time to adjustment of antibiotic therapy,or medical costs,despite a trend toward improvement.

Drug-resistant gene based genotyping for Acinetobacter baumannii in tracing epidemiological events and for clinical treatment within nosocomial settings

Background Acinetobacter baumannfi has emerged as an important pathogen related to serious infections and nosocomial outbreaks around the world. However, of the frequently used methods, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis （PFGE） and amplified fragment length polymorphism （AFLP） in Acinetobacter baumannfi genotyping lack the direct molecular proof of drug resistance. This study was conducted to establish a typing method based on drug resistant gene identification in contrast to traditional PFGE and AFLP in the period of nosocomial epidemic or outbreak. Methods From January 2005 to October 2005, twenty-seven strains of Acinetobacter species from Intensive Care Units, the Second Affiliated Hospital in Ningbo were isolated, including both epidemic and sporadic events. Susceptibility test, PFGE, AFLP and drug resistance gene typing （DRGT） were carried out to confirm the drug resistance and analyze the genotyping, respectively. PFGE was used as a reference to evaluate the typeability of DRGT and AFLP. Results Twenty-seven strains of Acinetobacter displayed multiple antibiotic resistance and drug resistant genes, and β-1actamase genes were detected in 85.2% strains. The result of DRGT was comparable to PFGE in Acinetobacter strains with different drug resistance though a little difference existed, and even suggested a molecular evolution course of different drug-resistant strains. AFLP showed great polymorphism between strains and had weak ability in distinguishing the drug resistance. Conclusion Compared to AFLP and PFGE, DRGT is useful to analyze localized molecular epidemiology of nosocomial infections and outbreaks, which would benefit clinical diagnosis and therapy.