Lung tissue mechanics and extracellular matrix composition in a murine model of silicosis.

The dynamic mechanical properties of lung tissue and its contents of collagen and elastic fibers were studied in strips prepared from mice instilled intratracheally with saline (C) or silica [15 (S15) and 30 days (S30) after instillation]. Resistance, elastance, and hysteresivity were studied during oscillations at different frequencies on S15 and S30. Elastance increased from C to silica groups but was similar between S15 and S30. Resistance was augmented from C to S15 and S30 and was greater in S30 than in S15 at higher frequencies. Hysteresivity was higher in S30 than in C and S15. Silica groups presented a greater amount of collagen than did C. Elastic fiber content increased progressively along time. This increment was related to the higher amount of oxytalan fibers at 15 and 30 days, whereas elaunin and fully developed elastic fibers were augmented only at 30 days. Silicosis led not only to pulmonary fibrosis but also to fibroelastosis, thus assigning a major role to the elastic system in the silicotic lung.     

Habitat preference in the critically endangered yellow‐tailed woolly monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda) at La Esperanza,Peru

Habitat loss is one of the main threats to wildlife. Therefore, knowledge of habitat use and preference is essential for the design of conservation strategies and identification of priority sites for the protection of endangered species. The yellow‐tailed woolly monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda Humboldt, 1812), categorized as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, is endemic to montane forests in northern Peru where its habitat is greatly threatened. We assessed how habitat use and preference in L. flavicauda are linked to forest structure and composition. The study took place near La Esperanza, in the Amazonas region, Peru. Our objective was to identify characteristics of habitat most utilized by L. flavicauda to provide information that will be useful for the selection of priority sites for conservation measures. Using presence records collected from May 2013 to February 2014 for one group of L. flavicauda, we classified the study site into three different use zones: low‐use, medium‐use, and high‐use. We assessed forest structure and composition for all use zones using 0.1 ha Gentry vegetation transects. Results show high levels of variation in plant species composition across the three use zones. Plants used as food resources had considerably greater density, dominance, and ecological importance in high‐use zones. High‐use zones presented similar structure to medium‐ and low‐use zones; thus it remains difficult to assess the influence of forest structure on habitat preference. We recommend focusing conservation efforts on areas with a similar floristic composition to the high‐use zones recorded in this study and suggest utilizing key alimentation species for reforestation efforts.     

Chest wall and respiratory system mechanics in cats: effects of flow and volume

The effects of inspiratory flow rate and inflation volume on the resistive properties of the chest wall were investigated in six anesthetized paralyzed cats by use of the technique of rapid airway occlusion during constant flow inflation. This allowed measurement of the intrinsic resistance (Rw,min) and overall dynamic inspiratory impedance (Rw,max), which includes the additional pressure losses due to time constant inequalities within the chest wall tissues and/or stress adaptation. These results, together with our previous data pertaining to the lung (Kochi et al., J. Appl. Physiol. 64: 441-450, 1988), allowed us to determine Rmin and Rmax of the total respiratory system (rs). We observed that 1) Rw,max and Rrs,max exhibited marked frequency dependence; 2) Rw,min was independent of flow (V) and inspired volume (delta V), whereas Rrs,min increased linearly with V and decreased with increasing delta V; 3) Rw,max decreased with increasing V, whereas Rrs,max exhibited a minimum value at a flow rate substantially higher than the resting range of V; 4) both Rw,max and Rrs,max increased with increasing delta V. We conclude that during resting breathing, flow resistance of the chest wall and total respiratory system, as conventionally measured, includes a significant component reflecting time constant inequalities and/or stress adaptation phenomena.     

Respiratory resistance with histamine challenge by single-breath and forced oscillation methods

Relaxed expirations were obtained from five anesthetized dogs under control conditions and during various rates of intravenous infusion of histamine. All volume vs. time curves obtained from 20 ms to 2 s after the start of expiration were poorly described by a single exponential function but were fitted very well by a biexponential function. The resistance of the respiratory system as a function of frequency from 2 to 26 Hz was also determined by the forced oscillation method in the same dogs. Three two-compartment models of the respiratory system were identified from the exponentials fitted to the relaxed expiration data, and the one that had the most plausible parameter values under control conditions consisted of a homogeneous lung compartment connected to a viscoelastic compartment. Although a two-compartment model is arguably appropriate for describing relaxed expirations in normal dogs, physiological considerations suggest that there should be more than two interacting components with histamine infusion. We cannot identify all these components from our data, however. The equivalent complex impedance of the respiratory system was also calculated from the biexponential curves and showed significant variation in resistance over the frequency range from 0 to 2 Hz and negligible variation above 2 Hz. The calculated resistances at 2 Hz were consistently higher than those obtained by the forced oscillation method, which may be due to the nonlinear behavior of the respiratory system during relaxed expiration. We conclude that the single-breath and forced oscillation methods should be viewed as providing complimentary information about respiratory resistance.     

Active and passive respiratory mechanics in anesthetized dogs

In six spontaneously breathing anesthetized dogs (pentobarbital sodium, 30 mg/kg) airflow, volume, and tracheal and esophageal pressures were measured. The active and passive mechanical properties of the total respiratory system, lung, and chest wall were calculated. The average passive values of respiratory system, lung, and chest wall elastances amounted to, respectively, 50.1, 32.3, and 17.7 cmH2O X l-1. Resistive pressure-vs.-flow relationships for the relaxed respiratory system, lung, and chest wall were also determined; a linear relationship was found for the former (the total passive intrinsic resistance averaged 4.1 cmH2O X l-1 X s), whereas power functions best described the others: the pulmonary pressure-flow relationship exhibited an upward concavity, which for the chest wall presented an upward convexity. The average active elastance and resistance of the respiratory system were, respectively, 64.0 cmH2O X l-1 and 5.4 cmH2O X l-1 X s. The greater active impedance reflects pressure losses due to force-length and force-velocity properties of the inspiratory muscles and those due to distortion of the respiratory system from its relaxed configuration.     

Respiratory mechanics during halothane anesthesia and anesthesia-paralysis in humans

In six spontaneously breathing anesthetized subjects [halothane approximately 1 maximum anesthetic concentration (MAC), 70% N2O-30% O2], we measured flow (V), volume (V), and tracheal pressure (Ptr). With airway occluded at end-inspiration tidal volume (VT), we measured Ptr when the subjects relaxed the respiratory muscles. Dividing relaxed Ptr by VT, total respiratory system elastance (Ers) was obtained. With the subject still relaxed, the occlusion was released to obtain the V-V relationship during the ensuing relaxed expiration. Under these conditions, the expiratory driving pressure is V X Ers, and thus the pressure-flow relationship of the system can be obtained. By subtracting the flow resistance of equipment, the intrinsic respiratory flow resistance (Rrs) is obtained. Similar measurements were repeated during anesthesia-paralysis (succinylcholine). Ers averaged 23.9 +/- 4 (+/- SD) during anesthesia and 21 +/- 1.8 cmH2O X 1(-1) during anesthesia-paralysis. The corresponding values of intrinsic Rrs were 1.6 +/- 0.7 and 1.9 +/- 0.9 cmH2O X 1(-1) X s, respectively. These results indicate that Ers increases substantially during anesthesia, whereas Rrs remains within the normal limits. Muscle paralysis has no significant effect on Ers and Rrs. We also provide the first measurements of inspiratory muscle activity and related negative work during spontaneous expiration in anesthetized humans. These show that 36-74% of the elastic energy stored during inspiration is wasted in terms of negative inspiratory muscle work.     

The Ultrastructure of a Cyanophage Attack on Anabaena variabilis

Cyanophages multiplying on the nitrogen fixing blue-green alga Anabaena variabilis Kütz. were revealed by electron microscopy. Severe ultrastructural changes have been observed in the vegetative cells, whereas the heterocysts appeared resistant to the cyanophage. A lytic cycle was observed from adsorption to lysis.     

Sequences of E/NS1 Gene Junction from Four Dengue-2 Viruses of Northeastern Thailand and Their Evolutionary Relationships with Other Dengue-2 Viruses

We determined the 240-nueleotide sequences of the E/NS1 gene junction of four dengue-2 viruses by the primer extension dideoxy chain termination method. These viruses were isolated from dengue patients with different clinical severities in Nakhon Phanom, Northeastern Thailand in 1993. The results were compared with the 52 published dengue-2 sequences of the same gene region. Sequence divergence of four new isolates varied from 4.17% to 5.42% compared with dengue-2 prototype New Guinea C strain whereas it varied from 5.42% to 6.67% and from 6.67% to 7.09% when compared with Jamaica 1409 strain and PR159/S1 strain, respectively. All nucleotide substitutions were found at the 3rd position of the codons which were silent mutations. All 56 isolates studied were classified into five genotypic groups by constructing the dendrogram. The results indicated that four new isolates from Northeastern Thailand belong to genotype II of dengue virus serotype 2, and were most closely related to prototype New Guinea C strain. We also observed the variation in nucleotide and amino acid sequences among clusters of isolates (Thailand-1980, Malaysia-1989 and Thailand-1993) which were obtained from the dengue patients with different clinical severities. The significance of these genetic differences have been discussed in terms of the possible correlation between genetic variability and virulence.