Computer determination of perfusion patterns in pulmonary capillary networks

Hanger, Christopher C., Robert G. Presson, Jr., Osamu Okada,Steven J. Janke, John J. Watkins, Wiltz W. Wagner, Jr., and Ronald L. Capen. Computer determination of perfusion patterns in pulmonarycapillary networks. J. Appl. Physiol.82(4): 1283-1289, 1997.Individual pulmonary capillaries are notsteadily perfused. By using in vivo microscopy, it can readily bedemonstrated that perfusion continually switches between capillarysegments and between portions of the network within a single alveolarwall. These changes in capillary perfusion occur even when upstream pressure and flow are constant. Flow switching between capillary segments in the absence of hemodynamic changes in large upstream vessels suggests that capillary perfusion patterns could be random. Tocalculate the probability that perfusion patterns could occur bychance, it is necessary to know the total number of possible perfusionpatterns in a given capillary network. We developed a computer programthat can determine every possible perfusion pattern for any givencapillary network, and from that information we can calculate whetherperfusion of individual segments in the network is random. With theresults of the computer program, we have obtained statistical evidencethat some capillary segments in a network are nonrandomly perfused.

     

Therapy of bovine ocular squamous-cell carcinoma with local doses of interleukin-2: 67% complete regressions after 20 months of follow-up

We have tested the therapeutic potency of peritumorally injected low doses of interleukin-2(IL-2). Seventy tumours of the bovine ocular squamous-cell carcinoma (BOSCC), 1–3 cm in diameter, were treated with 5000, 20 000 or 200 000 U IL-2 from Eurocetus (Chiron) to find the optimal dose for treatment. Injections were given peritumorally on Monday to Friday on 2 consecutive weeks. The size of the tumours was measured before treatment and 1, 3, 4, 9 and 20 months after treatment. After 9 months complete regression was observed in 89% of the tumours treated with 5000 U IL-2, 80% treated with 20 000 U and 67% treated with 200 000 U. After 20 months, there was complete regression of 35%, 31% and 67% of the tumours respectively. The 9-and 20-month results of the 200 000-U treatment are significantly better than those of the 5000-U and 20 000-U treatments taken together. This protocol may be useful to treat advanced inoperable tumours (e.g. of the nasopharynx or skin) of human patients.     

Schistosoma mansoni: Cytotoxicity of hemocytes from susceptible snail hosts for sporocysts in plasma from resistant Biomphalaria glabrata

Sporocysts of Schistosoma mansoni (PR1 strain) survive and grow in Biomphalaria glabrata PR albino strain snails, whereas they are encapsulated and die in B. glabrata 10R2 strain snails. These processes also occur in an in vitro system in which the only living cells are those of sporocysts and snail hemolymph. Hemocytes of the susceptible snail are normally not effective in damaging sporocysts. However, when the encounter occurred in the presence of cell-free plasma from resistant snails, previously impotent hemocytes severely damaged sporocysts in 24 hr. The cytotoxic capacity of resistant strain hemocytes was not altered by plasma from susceptible snails. Furthermore, it was retained even when plasma was replaced by culture medium free of snail components. The nature of the plasma factor(s) which facilitated damage by otherwise impotent hemocytes is discussed, and evidence is evaluated for the hypothesis that snail resistance is dependent upon the specificity of cytophilic factors present both in the plasma and on the hemocyte plasma membranes.     

A quantitative test of Zimm's model for the rotor-speed-department sedimentation of linear DNA molecules

In 1974, Zimm described a theory which predicts that the sedimentation coefficient of high-molecular-weight DNA will decrease as the rotor speed of measurement increases. In 1979, this theory was revised, and the new formula predicts speed-dependence effects that are substantially smaller than the predictions of the original version. This report describes the results of subjecting both the original and the revised versions of the theory to quantitative tests using a well-defined sucrose-gradient system and a DNA of known molecular weight (T4c DNA). T4c bacteriophage is a mutant, whose DNA contains the unmodified base cytosine, instead of the glucosylated hydroxymethylcytosine characteristic of the T-even bacteriophages, and has a molecular weight of 115 ± 3 × 10⁶. The DNA of the wild-type phage (T4D⁺) was also used in some experiments. In addition to the quantitative tests, the experiments test for an effect first observed by Rubenstein and Leighton, which showed that the sedimentation coefficient measured for T2 DNA depended on the composition of the centrifuge tube used for the measurement (tube composition effect). It can be inferred from this observation that an interaction occurs between particle and tube wall during sedimentation, and this leads to a reduction in sedimentation velocity independent of the reduction in S described by Zimm's theory. The results show that in the range of 25,000–50,000 rpm, the original but theoretically incorrect form of the theory quite accurately describes the sedimentation behavior of both T4c and T4D⁺ DNA, although T4D⁺ was a special case in some respects. The revised (corrected) form of the theory predicts much less of a speed-dependence effect than that actually observed. The discrepancy between corrected theory and observation suggests that other factors (perhaps arising from the use of the swinging bucket rotor geometry) are causing the additional observed reduction in S_20,w. However, the experiments show that the tube composition effect does not seem to be one of these.     

Lymphocytes express Ia antigens of foreign haplotype following treatment with neuraminidase

Evidence is presented which indicates that neuraminidase (NA) treatment of spleen cells both destroys old Ia antigens and reveals new Ia specificities which are not normally expressed by splenocytes. It was found that NA treatment unmasked alien I-A^k-like specificities on A.TH (I ^s ) spleen cells, and I^s-like antigens on A.TL (I ^k ) spleen cells. These conclusions were based on direct testing of NA-treated targets with a range of alloantisera and on cell-absorption experiments. Furthermore, the cellular distribution of NA-exposed antigens resembled that of convential Ia antigens, the new antigens being expressed on more than 90 percent of splenic B cells and a subpopulation of splenic T cells. However, although some of the antigens exposed by NA on A.TH cells appeared to resemble the Ia. 3 and 15 specificities, additional antigens were involved which did not correlate with any previously described Ia antigens.Sugar inhibition experiments demonstrated the NA-exposed antigens to be carbohydrate in nature, D-galactose being an effective inhibitor in these studies. The proportion of- and-linked D-galactose residues associated with the new antigens depended upon the target cell used and the anti-Ia serum tested. Furthermore, glycolipid extracts from lymphoid cells were shown to contain the NA-exposed antigens.Collectively, these results support the existence of carbohydrate-defined Ia antigens. The simplest interpretation of the findings is that NA clips off terminal sialic acid residues from carbohydrate-defined Ia antigens on the cell surface and exposes subterminal sugars which resemble antigens expressed by otherI-region haplotypes.     

Chromosomal analyses in vinyl chloride-exposed workers

Chromosomal morphology from cultured peripheral lymphocytes was studied in 81 men; 57 of the men were employed on plants manufacturing vinyl chloride or polyvinylchloride, 19 were on-site controls and 5 were off-site controls. There was a significant increase in chromosomal abnormalities in the exposed workers when compared with the controls. The greatest statistically significant increase in total B and total C cells occurred in autoclave operators, with smaller increases in other job categories. The increase in chromosomal aberrations was correlated with the length of exposure and with a history during the year prior to sampling (1973–1974) of exposure to excursion levels of vinyl chloride. Information on smoking habits was obtained 18 months after blood sampling and a positive correlation between these and total C cell abnormalities was found. There was no positive correlation with various other parameters (bilirubin, platelets, γ-glutamyltranspeptidase, alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase). It was not possible to estimate which of the three parameters (smoking history, length of employment or exposure to excursion levels) was the most important.     

Effect of 2450 MHz microwave exposure on behavioural thermoregulation in mice

1. 1.|The purpose of this study was to determine the threshold specific absorption rate (SAR) during exposure to 2450 MHz continuous wave (CW) microwaves that affected thermoregulatory behaviour in mice.

2. 2.|A Plexiglas shuttle box was placed inside a waveguide imposed with a temperature gradient. The temperature gradient allowed the mice to select a particular section of the shuttle box which was, presumably, related to their state of thermal comfort. Exposing the mice to 2450 MHz inside the waveguide at SARs of 0–5.3 W kg⁻¹ for 1 h caused no significant change in their preferred ambient temperature.

3. 3.|Increasing SAR from 5.3 to 18.1 W kg⁻¹ caused the animals to shift their position to the cooler end of the shuttle box.

4. 4.|Following termination of microwave exposure animals that had selected a cool ambient temperature returned to the warm side of the shuttle box.

5. 5.|It is concluded that for mice exposed to radiation at 2450 MHz the thermoregulatory behaviour is significantly affected at SARs of 5.3 to 9.9 W kg⁻¹.

The acoustic repertoire of the Southern right whale,a quantitative analysis

Some 1274 southern right whale sounds were randomly selected and each sound was described by 10 acoustic variables. Two hundred and fifty of these sounds were also ‘labelled’ by the activity, size and sexual composition o the group producing them. Principal components analysis was performed on all the sounds' variables (1274×10) and on the variables for a subset of 823 sounds referred to as calls. Results of the principal components analyses indicate that the sounds can be divided into three major classes: blow sounds, slaps, and calls; and that the repertoire of calls is a continuum with certain types more common than others. The distribution of the ‘labelled’ sounds in the principal components analyses patterns revealed general associations between whale activities and the types of sounds produced.