AbstractAbstract• 61 million Americans have

cardiovascular diseases (ex. high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure)

• Staus has stated that there are many causes of stroke (ex. habitual smoking)

• Smoking will increase the heart rate in humans- high heart rates cause of many heart related diseases (Ikonomidis)

• Nicotine applied to heart of Daphnia shows stimulation in weaker concentrations+ inhibition in stronger ones--not reversible-- damage permanent

• Long-term cigarette smoking- major and independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity, mortality

Heart of a smoker

Dr. John Ikonomidis

NeedNeed• Quillen (1993) found that

before smoking, the artery’s diameter was an mean of 2.61 +/- .12 mm.

• After smoking, the person’s artery measured an average of 2.40 +/- .7mm.

• Arteries constricted – blood pressure increases – high chance of heart attack.

• Nicotine, from cigarette smoke has been associated with all types of sudden cardiac death in men and women (Gregory,2004).

View of a constricted vessel

Dr. Richard Gregory

Knowledge BaseKnowledge Base• Daphnia- model organisms- heart is

easily visible-anatomy similar to humans

• concentrations of 10-6 - acceleration of 6 per cent; 10-4 a 17 per cent fall; 10-3 a 35 percent fall.

• Daphnia hearts, like human hearts, are accelerated and inhibited by nicotine (Alexandrowicz, 1932; Carlson, 1904).

• If the person survives heart rate increase, wound heals- less effective- same in daphnia (Ayanian, 1993)

Dr. John Z. Ayanian

Dr. Anton J. Carlson

Literature ReviewLiterature Review• Behura(2007) stated that

Daphnia magna plays a central role in studies of evolutionary heart rate, and ecological genetics of human beings

• These organisms are easily cultured and have a short reproductive cycle, making them an ideal model system for heart rate and habitual experiments

Dr. Susanta Behura

• Acute smoking enhances adrenergic activity and is associated with changes in the cardiovascular system, including heart rate.

• In five minutes, their heart rate went up an average of 10 and their average blood pressure went up 7% due to the nicotine. (Karakaya, 2007)

Dr. Osman Karakaya

Literature ReviewLiterature Review

PurposePurpose• Therefore, the general purpose of

this experiment is to find if nicotine adversely effects the heart over different lengths of time.

HypothesisHypothesis• Null- If the Daphnia are exposed to

nicotine at various concentrations, their heart rate will increase, then decrease.

• Alternative- If the Daphnia are exposed to nicotine at various concentrations, their heart rate will increase.

MethodologyMethodology.01% Nicotine Solution N=5

.001% Nicotine Solution N=5

0% Nicotine Solution N=5

Daphnia re-exposed to equal solution daily

Fed every 3 days 1 drop Daphnia Medium

BPS and BPM recorded 4x/ group daily

The Effects of Chronic Exposure to Nicotine on Heart Rate and

Behavior in Daphnia

Means taken of each group; compared using standard deviation

BPS and BPM observed under Dissecting scope using Motic Software + Camera. Video replayed at

1/2 speed to view beats