Respiratory muscle function during CO2 rebreathing with inspiratory flow-resistive loading

We investigated the respiratory muscle contribution to inspiratory load compensation by measuring diaphragmatic and intercostal electromyograms (EMGdi and EMGic), transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdi), and thoracoabdominal motion during CO2 rebreathing with and without 15 cmH2O X l-1 X s inspiratory flow resistance (IRL) in normal sitting volunteers. During IRL compared with control, Pdi measured during airflow and during airway occlusion increased for a given change in CO2 partial pressure and EMGdi, and there was a greater decrease in abdominal (AB) end expiratory anteroposterior dimensions with increased expiratory gastric pressure (Pga), this leading to an inspiratory decline in Pga with outward AB movement, indicating a passive component to the descent of the abdomen-diaphragm. The response of EMGic to IRL was similar to that of EMGdi, though rib cage (RC)-Pga plots did infer intercostal muscle contribution. We conclude that during CO2 rebreathing with IRL there is improved diaphragmatic neuromuscular coupling, the prolongation of inspiration promoting a force-velocity advantage, and increased AB action serving to optimize diaphragm length and configuration, as well as to provide its own passive inspiratory action. Intercostal action provides increased assistance also. Therefore, compensation for inspiratory resistive loads results from the combined and integrated effort of all respiratory muscle groups.     

N-ethyl maleimide as a probe for the study of functional sites and conformations of 30 S ribosomal subunits

Escherichia coli 30 S ribosomal subunits are inactive in a number of specific functions when Mg²⁺ concentration is reduced to 1 mM, and activity is recovered on heating under appropriate ionic conditions. When active and inactive forms were treated with N-ethyl maleimide, both forms reacted to a similar extent, but the reagent attached mostly to different proteins. Moreover, it caused irreversible inactivation only when reacting with the inactive form of the subunit. Though the activating treatment failed to restore activity to these subunits it did expose the same sulfhydryl groups as are available in the active state for reaction with the maleimide.Different ribosomal activities were eliminated at different maleimide concentrations, permitting the assignment of specific functions to sulfhydryl groups of specific ribosomal proteins. Protein S18 appears to be involved in subunit association, binding of fMet-tRNA and of aminoacyl-tRNA to the P-site. Proteins S1, S14 and S21 are all or in part involved in the binding of aminoacyl-tRNA to the A-site and in the binding of the antibiotic dihydrostreptomycin.The reaction with N-ethyl maleimide thus provides a criterion other than biological activity for characterizing different ribosomal forms and a tool for mapping the 30 S subunit for specific functional sites.     

Reproducibility and Prognosis of Quantitative Features Extracted from CT Images

We study the reproducibility of quantitative imaging features that are used to describe tumor shape, size, texture from computed tomography (CT) scans of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). CT images are dependent on various scanning factors. We focus on characterizing image features that are reproducible in the presence of variations due to patient factors and segmentation methods. Thirty-two NSCLC nonenhanced lung CT scans were obtained from the Reference Image Database to Evaluate Response data set. The tumors were segmented using both manual (radiologist expert) and ensemble (software-automated) methods. A set of features (219 threedimensional and 110 two-dimensional) was computed, quantitative image features were statistically filtered to identify a subset of reproducible and nonredundant features. The variability in the repeated experiment was measured by the test-retest concordance correlation coefficient (CCC_TreT). The natural range in the features, normalized to variance, was measured by the dynamic range (DR). In this study, there were 29 features across segmentation methods found with CCC_TreT and DR ≥ 0.9 and R²_Bet ≥ 0.95. These reproducible features were tested for predicting radiologist prognostic score; some texture features (run-length and Laws kernels) had an area under the curve of 0.9. The representative features were tested for their prognostic capabilities using an independent NSCLC data set (59 lung adenocarcinomas), where one of the texture features, run-length gray-level nonuniformity, was statistically significant in separating the samples into survival groups (P ≤ .046).     

Diffusion MRI and Novel Texture Analysis in Osteosarcoma Xenotransplants Predicts Response to Anti-Checkpoint Therapy

Combinations of targeted drugs have been employed to treat sarcomas, however, response rates have not improved notably, therefore emphasizing the need for novel treatments. In addition, imaging approaches to assess therapeutic response is lacking, as currently measurable indices, such as volume and/or diameter, do not accurately correlate with changes in tumor biology. In this study, quantitative and profound analyses of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were developed to evaluate these as imaging biomarkers for MK1775 and Gem in an osteosarcoma xenotransplant model at early time-points following treatment. Notably, we showed that Gem and Gem+MK1775 groups had significantly inhibited tumor growth by day 4, which was presaged by elevations in mean ADC by 24 hours post treatment. Significant differences were also observed at later time points for the Gem+MK1775 combination and MK1775 therapy. ADC distribution and entropy (randomness of ADC values) were also elevated by 24 hours following therapy. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that these treatment-related increases in ADC correlated with apoptosis and observed cell condensations (dense- and exploded bodies). These findings underline the role of ADC as a quantitative imaging biomarker for therapy-induced response and show promising clinical relevance in the sarcoma patient population.     

Immobilization of acetylcholinesterase on new modified acrylonitrile copolymer membranes

The three new dual-layer matrices (polyacrylonitrile (PAN) membranes coated with physically bound chitosan (CHI)—PANCHI-A and chemically bound chitosan—PANCHI-B and PANCHI-C) for immobilization of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were obtained. The chemical-modified PAN membrane (PAN-NaOH + ethylenediamine (EDA)) was used as a base for the prepared dual-layer membranes. For chemical chitosan bound membrane, chitosan was tethered onto the membrane surface to form a dual-layer biomimetic membrane in the presence of glutaraldehyde (GA). The basic characteristics (amount of amino groups, hydrophilicity and transport characteristics) of the chitosan-modified membranes were investigated. The SEM analyses were shown essential morphology change in the different chitosan membranes.The relative activities and V_max of the covalently immobilized enzyme on PANCHI-B and PANCHI-C membranes were higher than that on PANCHI-A membrane and chemical-modified membrane with NaOH + EDA. K_m values for the different modified membranes are lower for the chitosan-treated membranes. The pH and temperature optimum of immobilized enzyme were determined. The bound enzymes on PANCHI-B and PANCHI-C have higher thermal and storage stability in comparison with AChE on PANCHI-A membrane and free enzyme.