浙江鸭跖草属植物的核型研究

本文报道了浙江二种鸭跖草属植物──饭包草ＣｏｍｍｅｌｉｎａｂｅｎｇａｌｅｎｓｉｓＬ．和鸭跖草ＣｏｍｍｅｌｉｎａｃｏｍｍｕｎｉｓＬ．的染色体数目与核型：ＣｏｍｍｅｌｉｎａｂｅｎｇａｌｅｎｓｉｓＬ．核型为Ｋ（２ｎ）＝２２＝１８ｍ＋４ｓｍＣｏｍｍｅｌｉｎａｃｏｍｍｕｎｉｓＬ．核型为Ｋ（２ｎ）＝２２＝４Ｍ＋１２ｍ＋４ｓｍ＋２ｓｔ     

骨陷窝—骨小管系统内液体的流动

基于骨陷窝和骨小管的生理结构特性,并考虑到它们内部骨细胞的存在,研究了它们内部组织液的流动。得到了它们内部压力与流量的关系式,为进一步研究密质骨内力敏（mechanosensory)问题提供了依据。     

湖南6种毛莨科植物的核型研究

本文对产于湖南的６种毛莨科植物的染色体进行了研究。裂叶星果草［Ａｓｔｅｒｏｐｙｒｕｍｃａｖａｌｅｒｉｅｉ（Ｌｅｖｌ．ｅｔＶａｎｔ）Ｄｒｕｍｍ．ｅｔＨｕｔｃｈ．）的染色体属于Ｒ型,核型公式为２ｎ＝１６＝１２ｍ＋２ｓｍ＋２ｔ,核型类型属于ＺＢ;打破碗花花（ＡｎｅｍｏｎｅｈｕｐｅｈｎｓｉｓＬｅｍ．）的核型公式为２ｎ＝１６＝１０ｍ＋４ｓｔ＋２ｔ（２ｓａｔ）,核型类型属于２Ａ;粗齿铁线莲［Ｃｌｅｍａｔｉｓａｐｉｉｆｏｌｉａｖａｒ．ａｒｇｅｎｔｉｌｕｃｉｄａ（Ｌｅｖｌ．ｅｔＶａｎｔ）Ｗ．Ｔ．Ｗａｎｇ］的核型公式为２ｎ＝１６＝１０ｍ＋２ｓｔ＋４ｔ（２ｓａｔ）或２ｎ＝１６＝１０ｍ＋２ｓｔ＋４ｔ（４ｓａｔ）随体染色体数目在居群之间有变化,核型类型属于２Ａ;扬子铁线莲［Ｃｌｅｍａｔｉｓｇａｎｉｐｉｎｉａｎａ（Ｌｅｖｌ．ｅｔＶａｎｔ）Ｔａｍｕｒａ］的核型公式为２ｎ＝１６＝１０ｍ＋２ｓｔ＋４ｔ（４ｓａｔ）,核型类型属于２Ｂ;毛莨（ＲａｎｕｎｃｕｌｕｓｃａｎｔｏｎｉｅｎｓｉｓＤＣ．）的核型公式为２ｎ＝１６＝６ｍ＋４ｓｔ＋６ｓｔ（２ｓａｔ）,核型类型属于３Ａ;毛莨（ＲａｎｕｎｃｕｌｕｓｊａｐｏｎｉｃｕｓＴｈｕｎｂ．）的核型公式为２ｎ＝?     

贻贝(Mytilus edulis)核型及染色体带型分析

本文对贻贝染色体进行了核型分析,其结果为：２ｎ＝２８,１２ｍ＋１０ｓｍ＋６ｓｔ,ＮＦ＝５０,ＴＣＬ＝ １０３．９０μｍ,ＣＬ：２．７３５－４．７７４μｍ。第１、２、４、８、１１、１２对为中部着丝粒染色体（ｍ）;第６、９、１０、１３、１４对 为亚中部着丝粒染色体（ｓｍ）;第 ３、５、７对为亚端部着丝粒染色体（ｓｔ）。对贻贝染色体的Ｇ带、Ｃ带、银 染带进行了分析。银染结果表明,贻贝细胞中有四个银染核仁组织区（Ａｇ－ＮＯＲｓ）,分布在第 ３、５对染 色体长臂末端。     

青藏高原毛茛科3种特有植物核型和进化研究

对青藏高原高山冰缘地区毛茛科３种特有植物的核型进行了分析。它们的核型公式（Ｋ）、染色体相对长度组成（Ｃ．Ｒ．Ｌ．）和核型不对称系数（Ａｓ．Ｋ％）分别为：青藏金莲花Ｔｒｏｌｉｕｓｐｕｍｉｌｕｓｖａｒ．ｔａｎｇｕｔｉｃｕｓ：Ｋ（２ｎ）＝６ｍ＋８ｓｍ（２ＳＡＴ）＋２ｓｔ,Ｃ．Ｒ．Ｌ．＝４Ｌ＋４Ｍ２＋４Ｍ１＋４Ｓ,Ａｓ．Ｋ％＝６３．５７,核型属２Ｂ型;甘青乌头Ａｃｏｎｉｔｕｍｔａｎｇｕｔｉｃｕｍ为Ｋ（２ｎ）＝６ｍ＋１０ｓｍ,Ｃ．Ｒ．Ｌ．＝４Ｌ＋８Ｍ１＋４Ｓ,Ａｓ．Ｋ％＝６２．５４,２Ｂ型;单花翠雀花Ｄｅｌｐｈｉｎｉｕｍｃａｎｄｅｌａｂｒｕｍｖａｒ．ｍｏｎａｎｔｈｕｍ为Ｋ（２ｎ）＝６ｍ＋８ｓｍ＋２ｓｔ,Ｃ．Ｒ．Ｌ．＝４Ｌ＋４Ｍ２＋４Ｍ１＋６Ｓ,Ａｓ．Ｋ％＝６４．３４,属３Ｂ型。经同相关近缘种核型资料比较,青藏金莲花核型不对称性和进化程度比金莲花Ｔ．ｃｈｉｎｅｎｓｉｓ低;甘青乌头的核型不对称性和进化程度在其近缘类群（乌头组Ｓｅｃｔ．Ａｃｏｎｉｔｕｍ）已报道的种之内最低;单花翠雀花核型不对称性和进化水平比翠雀组（Ｓｅｃｔ．Ｄｅｌｐｈｉｎａｓｔｒｕｍ）已报道的展毛翠雀花Ｄ．ｋａｍａｏｅｎｓｅｖａｒ．ｇｌａｂｒｅｓｃｅｎｓ、     

贻贝核型及染色体带型分析

本文对贻贝染色体进行了核型分析,其结果为：２ｎ＝２８,１２ｍ＋１０ｓｍ＋６ｓｔ,ＮＦ＝５０,ＴＣＬ＝１０３．９０μｍ,ＣＬ：２．７３５－４．７７４μｍ。第１、２、４、８、１１、１２对为中部着丝粒染色体（ｓｍ）,第３、５、７对亚端部着丝粒染色体（ｓｍ）。对贻贝染色体的Ｇ带,Ｃ带、银染色带进行了分析。银染结果表明,贻贝细胞中有四个银染核仁组织区,分布在第３、５对染色体长臂末端。     

国产沙参属五个种的核型研究

首次报道了５种国产沙参属（Ａｄｅｎｏｐｈｏｒａ）植物的染色体数目和核型。北方沙参Ａ．ｂｏｒｅａｌｉｓＨｏｎｇｅｔＹ．Ｚ．Ｚｈａｏ的核型公式为２ｎ＝３４＝２８ｍ＋４ｓｍ（２ｓａｔ）＋２ｓｔ（２ｓａｔ）;雾灵沙参Ａ．ｗｕｌｉｎｇｓｈａｎｉｃａＨｏｎｇ的核型公式为２ｎ＝３４＝２６ｍ（４ｓａｔ）＋６ｓｍ＋２ｓｔ或２ｎ＝３４＋１Ｂ＝２６ｍ（４ｓａｔ）＋６ｓｍ＋２ｓｔ＋１Ｂ;秦岭沙参Ａ．ｐｅｔｉｏｌａｔａＰａｘｅｔＨｏｆｍ．的核型公式为２ｎ＝３４＝２６ｍ（２ｓａｔ）＋６ｓｍ＋２ｓｔ或２ｎ＝３４＋１Ｂ＝２６ｍ（２ｓａｔ）＋６ｓｍ＋２ｓｔ＋１Ｂ;裂叶沙参Ａ．ｌｏｂｏｐｈｙｌａＨｏｎｇ的核型公式为２ｎ＝３４＝２６ｍ＋４ｓｍ（２ｓａｔ）＋４ｓｔ或２ｎ＝３４＋２Ｂ＝２６ｍ＋４ｓｍ（２ｓａｔ）＋４ｓｔ＋２Ｂ。泡沙参Ａ．ｐｏｔａｎｉｎｉＫｏｒｓｈ的核型公式为２ｎ＝３４＝２８ｍ（２ｓａｔ）＋４ｓｍ＋２ｓｔ。它们同以往报道的其它种的核型相似：以中部着丝点染色体（ｍ）为主,至少具一对近端着丝点染色体（ｓｔ）和一对随体染色体,核型的对称程度较高,着丝点端化值（Ｔ．Ｃ）为５８．４％～６２．０％。结合其它性状,讨论了裂叶沙参的特殊性     

3种北美冷杉的核型研究

本文首次报道３种北美冷杉Ａｂｉｅｓ ａｍａｂｉｌｉｓ、Ａ．ｇｒａｎｄｉｓ和Ａ．ｌａｓｉｏｃａｒｐａ的根尖体细胞核型、染色体参数及核型模式图。核型公式分别是Ｋ（２ｎ）＝２４＝１６ｍ（４ＳＣ）＋８ｓｍ、１４ｍ（２ＳＣ）＋１０ｓｍ和１８ｍ（４ＳＣ）＋６ｓｍ,染色体相对长度组成为２ｎ＝２４＝２Ｌ＋１２Ｍ２＋６Ｍ１＋４Ｓ、２Ｌ＋１２Ｍ２＋８Ｍ１＋２Ｓ和２Ｌ＋８Ｍ２＋１２Ｍ１＋２Ｓ。均为２Ａ核型类型。文中还讨     

P物质对大鼠DRG神经元胞体膜的作用

本文在大鼠ＤＲＧ神经元标本上应用细胞内记录,以确定ＳＰ对ＤＲＧ细胞的膜反应及其可能的离子机制。实验所测ＤＲＧ细胞静息膜电位为－５８．９±８．２ｍＶ（Ｘ±ＳＥ,ｎ＝８１）。传导速度：Ａ_（α／β）细胞为２０．４±４．８ｍ／ｓ（Ｘ±ＳＥ）,范围１４．１－２８．７ｍ／ｓ（４７／６０）;Ａδ及Ｃ类细胞为９．８±５．２ｍ／ｓ,范围１．２－１３．７ｍ／ｓ（１３／６０）。浴槽滴加ＳＰ（１０￣（－７）－３×１０￣（－４）ｍｏｌ／Ｌ）在大多数细胞可引起明显的膜去极化反应（５６／６０）。少数细胞对ＳＰ无反应（４／６０）。在ＳＰ去极化期间膜电导值有所增加,从平均值２．７２×１０￣（－８）ｍｈｏ增加２４．６％（ｎ＝３）。所测逆转电位值在＋４０－＋５０ｍＶ之间（ｎ＝３）。浊流平衡液（ＢＳＳ）中ＮａＣｌ以氯化胆碱置代,或用含ＴＴＸ（１０￣（－５）ｍｏｌ／Ｌ）的ＢＳＳ灌流,可使ＳＰ－去极化幅值大大减小但不能完全消除。而高（２０ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ）和低（０ｍｍｏｌ／Ｌ）Ｃａ￣（２＋）的ＢＳＳ灌流时,使ＳＰ－去极化幅值相应的增加和降低。用含１０￣（－４）ｍｏｌ／ＬＣｄ￣（２＋）及１０￣（－２）ｍｏｌ／ＬＴＥＡ的ＢＳＳ灌流,均使ＳＰ－去极化明显减小。     

大鼠壁细胞基底膜容积致敏感氯通道电流

为研究胃粘膜壁细胞容积致敏感氯通道电流的定位、电生理特征及药物效应并推断其在壁细胞病理生理过程中所起作用,对急性分离的大鼠胃粘膜壁细胞进行全细胞膜片钳记录,将电极液设置为高渗（Δ≈７０ｍＯｓｍ）,使细胞出现稳定的体积增大后,在其基底膜上记录到容积致敏感氯通道电流（ｖｏｌｕｍｅ－ｓｅｎｓｉｔｉｖｅｃｈｌｏｒｉｄｅｃｈａｎｎｅｌｃｕｒｅｎｔ,ＶＳＣｌＣＣ）,该电流具有外向整流性及电压和时间依赖性,可被１０μｍｏｌ／Ｌ花生四烯酸（ａｒａｃｈｉｄｏｎｉｃａｃｉｄ,ＡＡ）可逆性抑制（７１．３±１０．９％）。细胞外液ｐＨ值由７．４降低至４．０,ＶＳＣｌＣＣ的幅度显著下降（６３．１±１４．０％）,而其激活及失活动力学无改变;ｐＨ升高至９．０对ＶＳＣｌＣＣ无影响。壁细胞ＶＳＣｌＣＣ对细胞内外钙离子浓度均呈现明显的依赖性。结果表明,壁细胞基底膜上存在本底氯通道和容积致敏感氯通道两种不同的氯离子通道。ＶＳＣｌＣＣ可能参与某些胃粘膜疾病的病理生理过程。     

Estimates of the peak pressures in bone pore water.

The maximum pore fluid pressures due to uniaxial compression are determined for both the vascular porosity (Haversian and Volkmann's canals) and the lacunar-canalicular porosity of live cortical bone. It is estimated that the peak pore water pressure will be 19 percent of the applied axial stress in the vascular porosity and 12 percent of the applied axial stress in the lacunar-canalicular porosity for an impulsive step loading. However, the estimated relaxation time for the vascular porosity (1.36 microseconds) is three orders of magnitude faster than that estimated for the lacunar-canalicular porosity (4.9 ms). Thus, under physiological loading, which has a stress rise time generally larger than 1 ms, pressures higher than the vascular pressure cannot be sustained in the vascular porosity due to the swift pressure relaxation in this porosity (unless the fluid drainage through the boundary is obstructed). The model also predicts a slight hydraulic stiffening of the bulk modulus due to longer draining time of the lacunar-canalicular porosity. The undrained bulk modulus is 6 percent higher than the drained bulk modulus in this case.     

Poroelastic finite element analysis of a bone specimen under cyclic loading

It had been suggested that the fluid embodied in bone lacunar-canalicular porosity may play an important role in bone remodelling [Weinbaum et al., 1994. Journal of Biomechanics 27, 339-360]. In this paper a finite element model of a poroelastic prismatic solid of rectangular cross-section is considered to simulate bone behaviour, precisely as in the previous work by Zhang and Cowin [Zhang and Cowin, 1994. Journal of Mechanical Physics of Solids 42, 1575-1599]. This solid is subject to combined cyclic axial and bending loads at its end. The objectives of the study are: (1) to verify the accuracy of the simplifying hypotheses underlying the analytical solutions established by the above authors; (2) to provide further insight into the behaviour of that solid; (3) to test the advantages in generality and versatility and the computing costs of general-purpose finite element codes in poroelastic analysis. The study is parametric with respect to the fluid leakage coefficient, to the ratio of the bending moment and axial load, and to the ratio of the characteristic relaxation time of the pore pressure over the excitation period. Results show that, for all the cases considered, the pore pressure distribution along the section height of the poroelastic beam exhibits a very good matching with previous analytical results. Stresses transversal with respect to the beam axis (assumed as constant or zero in previous analytical solutions) are evaluated. The analysis pointed out that: (1) the effects due to end-loads with zero resultants practically extinguish within a distance from the beam end almost equal to a typical length of the cross-section; (2) cross-sections remain plane above that distance; (3) the transversal total stresses are three orders of magnitude lower than axial stress.     

23Na and flame photometric studies of the NMR visibility of sodium in rat muscle.

23Na nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) is increasingly being used to study Na+ gradients and fluxes in biological tissues. However, the quantitative aspects of 23Na NMR applied to living systems remain controversial. This paper compares sodium concentrations determined by 23Na NMR in intact rat hindlimb (n = 8) and excised rat gastrocnemius muscle (n = 4) with those obtained by flame photometric methods. In both types of samples, 90% of the sodium measured by flame photometry was found to be NMR-visible. This is much higher than previously reported values. The NMR measurements for intact hindlimb correlated linearly with the flame photometric measurements, implying that one pool of sodium, predominantly extracellular, is 100% visible. From measurements on excised muscle, in which extracellular space is more clearly defined, the NMR visibility of intracellular Na+ was calculated to be 70%, assuming an extracellular space of 12% of the total tissue water volume and an extracellular NMR visibility of 100%. 23Na transverse relaxation measurements were carried out using a Hahn spin echo on both intact hindlimb (n = 1) and excised muscle (n = 2) samples. These showed relaxation curves that could each be described adequately using two relaxation times. The rapidly relaxing component showed a T2 value of 3-4 ms and the slowly relaxing component a T2 of 21-37 ms. A spin lattice relaxation (T1) measurement on intact hindlimb yielded a value of 51 ms. These relatively long relaxation times show that the quadrupolar relaxation effect of Na+ complexing to large macromolecules or being otherwise motionally restricted is relatively weak. This is consistent with the high NMR visibilities reported here.     

Phase transition kinetics of phosphatidic acid bilayers A stopped-flow study of the electrostatically induced transition

The kinetics of the electrostatically induced phase transition of dimyristoyl phosphatidic acid bilayers was followed using the stopped-flow technique. The phase transition was triggered by a fast change in the pH or the magnesium ion concentration and followed by recording the time dependence of the absorbance. When the phase transition was induced by a pH jump the time course of the absorbance could be described by two exponentials, their time constants displaying the for cooperative processes characteristic maximum at the transition midpoint. The time constants are in the 10 and 100 ms range for the H⁺ triggered transition from the fluid to the ordered state. A third slower process shows no appreciable temperature dependence and is probably caused by vesicle aggregation. For the OH^--induced transition fron the ordered to the fluid state the time constants are in the 100 and 1000 ms range. The fluid-ordered transition could also be triggered by addition of magnesium ions. Of the several observed processes only the fastest in the 10–100 ms time range could definitely be assigned to the fluid-ordered transition while the others are due to aggregation phenomena. The experimental data were compared with results obtained from pressure jump experiments and could be interpreted on the basis of theories for non-equilibrium relaxation.     

A new method to study shape recovery of red blood cells using multiple optical trapping.

In this new method for studying the shape recovery of deformed red blood cells, three optical traps ("optical tweezers") induce a parachute-shaped red cell deformation, which is comparable to the deformation in small capillaries. The shape recovery is recorded, and a relaxation time is obtained for each individual red blood cell. The sensitivity of this technique for the detection of differences in relaxation times is demonstrated on subpopulations of density-separated red blood cells: "young" cells have shorter (162 ms) and "old" cells have longer (353 ms) relaxation times compared with the total population (271 ms). The relaxation time is remarkably shorter (114 ms) when the plasma surrounding the cells is replaced by a phosphate-buffered saline solution. The main advantages of this technique are the relatively short measuring and preparation time and the physiological type of deformation and shape recovery in which all relevant cell properties play a role. Therefore, especially when automated further, the technique may be a powerful tool for the study of (sub)populations of pathological red blood cells.     

Phosphorylation of phospholamban and troponin I in beta-adrenergic-induced acceleration of cardiac relaxation

Activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) in ventricular myocytes by isoproterenol (Iso) causes phosphorylation of both phospholamban (PLB) and troponin I (TnI) and accelerates relaxation by up to twofold. Because PLB phosphorylation increases sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca pumping and TnI phosphorylation increases the rate of Ca dissociation from the myofilaments, both factors could contribute to the acceleration of relaxation seen with PKA activation. To compare quantitatively the role of TnI versus PLB phosphorylation, we measured relaxation rates before and after maximal Iso treatment for twitches of matched amplitudes in ventricular myocytes and muscle from wild-type (WT) mice and from mice in which the PLB gene was knocked out (PLB-KO). Because Iso increases contractions, even in the PLB-KO mouse, extracellular [Ca] or sarcomere length was adjusted to obtain matching twitch amplitudes (in the presence and absence of Iso). In PLB-KO myocytes and muscles (which were allowed to shorten), Iso did not alter the time constant (tau) of relaxation ( approximately 29 ms). However, with increasing isometric force development in the PLB-KO muscles, Iso progressively but modestly accelerated relaxation (by 17%). These results contrast with WT myocytes and muscles where Iso greatly reduced tau of cell relaxation and intracellular Ca concentration decline (by 30-50%), independent of mechanical load. The Iso treatment used produced comparable increases in phosphorylation of TnI and PLB in WT. We conclude that the effect of beta-adrenergic activation on relaxation is mediated entirely by PLB phosphorylation in the absence of external load. However, TnI phosphorylation could contribute up to 14-18% of this lusitropic effect in the WT mouse during maximal isometric contractions.     

Volume-related and volume-independent effects of posture on esophageal and transpulmonary pressures in healthy subjects.

Ventilator management decisions in acute lung injury could be better informed with knowledge of the patient's transpulmonary pressure, which can be estimated using measurements of esophageal pressure. Esophageal manometry is seldom used for this, however, in part because of a presumed postural artifact in the supine position. Here, we characterize the magnitude and variability of postural effects on esophageal pressure in healthy subjects to better assess its significance in patients with acute lung injury. We measured the posture-related changes in relaxation volume and total lung capacity in 10 healthy subjects in four postures: upright, supine, prone, and left lateral decubitus. Then, in the same subjects, we measured static pressure-volume characteristics of the lung over a wide range of lung volumes in each posture by using an esophageal balloon catheter. Transpulmonary pressure during relaxation (PLrel) averaged 3.7 (SD 2.0) cmH2O upright and -3.3 (SD 3.2) cmH2O supine. Approximately 58% of the decrease in PLrel between the upright and supine postures was due to a corresponding decrease in relaxation volume. The remaining 2.9-cmH2O difference is consistent with reported values of a presumed postural artifact. Relaxation volumes and pressures in prone and lateral postures were intermediate. To correct estimated transpulmonary pressure for the effect of lying supine, we suggest adding 3 cmH2O (95% confidence interval: -1 to +7 cmH2O). We conclude that postural differences in estimated transpulmonary pressure at a given lung volume are small compared with the substantial range of PLrel in patients with acute lung injury.     

13C NMR relaxation times of hepatic glycogen in vitro and in vivo

The field dependence of relaxation times of the C-1 carbon of glycogen was studied in vitro by natural-abundance 13C NMR. T1 is strongly field dependent, while T2 does not change significantly with magnetic field. T1 and T2 were also measured for rat hepatic glycogen enriched with [1-13C]glucose in vivo at 4.7 T, and similar relaxation times were observed as those obtained in vitro at the same field. The in vitro values of T1 were 65 +/- 5 ms at 2.1 T, 142 +/- 10 ms at 4.7 T, and 300 +/- 10 ms at 8.4 T, while T2 values were 6.7 +/- 1 ms at 2.1 T, 9.4 +/- 1 ms at 4.7 T, and 9.5 +/- 1 ms at 8.4 T. Calculations based on the rigid-rotor nearest-neighbor model give qualitatively good agreement with the T1 field dependence with a best-fit correlation time of 6.4 X 10(-9) s, which is significantly smaller than tau M, the estimated overall correlation time for the glycogen molecule (ca. 10(-5) s). A more accurate fit of T1 data using a modified Lipari and Szabo approach indicates that internal fast motions dominate the T1 relaxation in glycogen. On the other hand, the T2 relaxation is dominated by the overall correlation time tau M while the internal motions are almost but not completely unrestricted.     

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Transverse Relaxation Times of Water Protons in Skeletal Muscle

The observation of the spin-echo decay in a long time domain has revealed that there exist at least three different fractions of non- (or slowly) exchanging water in the rat gastrocnemius muscle. These fractions of water are characterized with different nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation times and are identified with the different parts of tissue water. The water associated with the macromolecules was found to be approximately 8% of the total tissue water and not to exchange rapidly with the rest of the intracellular water. The transverse relaxation time (T₂) of the myoplasm is 45 ms which is roughly a 40-fold reduction from that of a dilute electrolyte solution. This fraction of water accounts for 82% of the tissue water. The reduced relaxation time is shown neither to be caused by fast exchange between the hydration and myoplasmic water nor by the diffusion of water across the local magnetic field gradients which arise from the heterogeneity in the sample. About 10% of the tissue water was resolved to be associated with the extracellular space, the relaxation time of which is approximately four times that of the myoplasm. Mathematical treatments of the proposed mechanisms which may be responsible for the reduction of tissue water relaxation times are given in this paper. The results of our study are consistent with the notion that the structure and/or motions of all or part of the cellular water are affected by the macromolecular interface and this causes a change in the NMR relaxation rates.     

Changes in rate of relaxation of sniffs with diaphragmatic fatigue in humans

The rate of relaxation of the diaphragm after stimulated (4 subjects) and voluntary (8 subjects) contractions was compared in normal young men. Stimulated contractions were induced by supramaximal unilateral phrenic nerve stimulation and voluntary contractions by short, sharp sniffs of varying tensions against an occluded airway. The rate of relaxation of the diaphragm was calculated from the rate of decline of transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdi). In both conditions the maximum relaxation rate (MRR) was proportional to the peak transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdi), whereas the time constant (tau) of the later exponential decline in Pdi was independent of Pdi. The mean +/- SE rate constant of relaxation (MRR/Pdi) was 0.0078 +/- 0.0002 ms-1 and the mean tau was 57 +/- 3.8 ms for stimulated contractions. The rate of relaxation after sniffs was not different, and it was not affected by either the lung volume at which occluded sniffs were performed (in the range of residual volume to functional residual capacity + 1 liter) or by the relative contribution gastric pressure made to Pdi. After diaphragmatic fatigue was induced by inspiring against a high alinear resistance there was a decrease in relaxation rate. In the 1st min postfatigue MRR/Pdi decreased (0.0063 +/- 0.0003 ms-1; P less than 0.005) and tau increased (83 +/- 5 ms; P less than 0.005). Both values returned to prefatigue levels within 5 min of the end of the studies. We conclude that the sniff may prove to be clinically useful in the detection of diaphragmatic fatigue.