Spiders in mofette fields—Survival of the toughest in natural carbon dioxide springs?

In mofette fields, natural carbon dioxide springs, organisms have to stand extreme CO₂ concentrations up to 100%. These hostile conditions are spatially small-scaled and further influenced by earth tides, wind and temperature. The present project investigated the influence of increased atmospheric CO₂ concentration on spiders as representatives of above-ground organisms by means of pitfall traps in three mofette fields, differing in habitat conditions in the Plesná valley, eastern Cheb Basin, Czech Republic.Among the 71 recorded spider species four were rarely found in the Czech Republic. A canonical correspondence analysis revealed significant influences of environmental parameters on the spider assemblages. Two groups of spiders are clearly distinguishable, one being positively influenced by humidity and the second by temperature. A cluster analysis showed distinct and congruent results: spider assemblages of pitfall traps at spots with a mean CO₂ concentration above 7.6% grouped close together and this grouping was independent of site. At >7.6% CO₂ significantly fewer individuals and species were found in comparison to areas with lower CO₂ concentration. Between 2.5 and 10% CO₂, spiders indicated increased CO₂ concentrations much more sensitively than endogeic organisms (Nematoda, Collembola) in a nearby mofette field. Unlike in nematodes, collembolans and plants, no mofettovageous or mofettophilous spiders were detected. In contrast to humidity, CO₂ concentration and temperature, the vegetation cover was not among the factors, which significantly influenced spiders. This is explained by the fact that mofettophilous plants occurred at spots where almost no spiders could live. In a field experiment, most Pardosa pullata males tested passed a 30 cm long corridor with increased carbon dioxide concentration. These results and that of pitfall traps showed that relatively large and wandering specimens respectively were able to transit moderately hostile spots. Further experiments are necessary to find out if there is any active avoidance of high-CO₂ areas by spiders.     

Regulation of ventilation in the caiman (Caiman latirostris): effects of inspired CO2 on pulmonary and upper airway chemoreceptors

In order to study the relative roles of receptors in the upper airways, lungs and systemic circulation in modulating the ventilatory response of caiman (Caiman latirostris) to inhaled CO₂, gas mixtures of varying concentrations of CO₂ were administered to animals breathing through an intact respiratory system, via a tracheal cannula by-passing the upper airways (before and after vagotomy), or via a cannula delivering gas to the upper airways alone. While increasing levels of hypercarbia led to a progressive increase in tidal volume in animals with intact respiratory systems (Series I), breathing frequency did not change until the CO₂ level reached 7%, at which time it decreased. Despite this, at the higher levels of hypercarbia, the net effect was a large and progressive increase in total ventilation. There were no associated changes in heart rate or arterial blood pressure. On return to air, there was an immediate change in breathing pattern; breathing frequency increased above air-breathing values, roughly to the same maximum level regardless of the level of CO₂ the animal had been previously breathing, and tidal volume returned rapidly toward resting (baseline) values. Total ventilation slowly returned to air breathing values. Administration of CO₂ via different routes indicated that inhaled CO₂ acted at both upper airway and pulmonary CO₂-sensitive receptors to modify breathing pattern without inhibiting breathing overall. Our data suggest that in caiman, high levels of inspired CO₂ promote slow, deep breathing. This will decrease dead-space ventilation and may reduce stratification in the saccular portions of the lung.     

Cardiorespiratory reflexes and aquatic surface respiration in the neotropical fish tambaqui (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Colossoma macropomum</Emphasis>): acute responses to hypercarbia

We examined the cardiorespiratory responses to 6 h of acute hypercarbia (1, 2.5, and 5% CO₂) in intact and gill-denervated (bilateral denervation of branchial branches of cranial nerves IX and X) tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum. Intact fish exposed to 1 and 2.5% CO₂ increased respiratory frequency (f_R) and ventilation amplitude (V_AMP) slowly over a 1- to 3-h period. Denervated fish did not show this response, suggesting that tambaqui possess receptors in the gills that will produce excitatory responses to low levels of hypercarbia (1 and 2.5% CO₂) if the exposure is prolonged. The cardiac response to stimulation of these receptors with this level of CO₂ was a tachycardia and not a bradycardia. During exposure to 5% CO₂, intact fish increased f_R and V_AMP, and showed a pronounced bradycardia after 1 h. After 2 h, the heart rate (f_H) started to increase, but returned to control values after 6 h. In denervated fish, the increase in f_R was abolished. The slow increase in V_AMP and the bradycardia were not abolished, suggesting that these changes arose from extra-branchial receptors. Neither intact nor denervated fish developed the swelling of the lower lip or performed aquatic surface respiration, even after 6 h, suggesting that these are unique responses to hypoxia and not hypercarbia.Abbreviations ASR aquatic surface respiration - f_H heart frequency - f_R respiratory frequency - V_AMP ventilation amplitude - _TOT total ventilation     

Acid Homeostasis Following Partial Ischemia in Neonatal Brain Measured In Vivo by 31P and 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

The purpose of this study was to investigate neonatal brain energy metabolism, acid, and lactate homeostasis in the period immediately following partial ischemia. Changes in brain buffering capacity were quantified by measuring mean intracellular brain pH, calculated from the chemical shift of P_i, in response to identical episodes of hypercarbia before and after ischemia. In addition, the relationship between brain buffer base deficit and intracellular pH was compared during and following ischemia. Thus, in vivo ³¹P and ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance spectra were obtained from the brains of seven newborn piglets exposed to sequential episodes of hypercarbia, partial ischemia, and a second episode of hypercarbia in the postischemic recovery period. For the first episode of hypercarbia, brain buffering was similar to values reported for adult animals of other species (percentage pH regulation = 54 ± 16%). During ischemia, the brain base deficit per unit change in pH was ?19 ± 5 mM/pH unit, which is similar to values reported for adult rats. By 20–35 min postischemia, brain acidosis partly resolved in spite of a net increase in lactate concentration. Therefore, the consumption of lactate could not explain acid homeostasis in the first 35 min following ischemia. We conclude that H⁺/HCO^-₃ or other proton equivalent translocation mechanisms must be sufficiently developed in piglet brain to support acid regulation. This is surprising, because a substantial body of evidence implies these processes would be less active in immature brain. The second episode of hypercarbia, from 35 to 65 min postischemia, resulted in a smaller decrease in brain pH compared with the first episode, a result indicating an increase in brain buffering capacity (percentage pH regulation = 79 ± 29%). This was associated with a parallel decrease in brain lactate content, and therefore acid regulation could be attributed to either continued ion translocation or the consumption of lactate. A mild decrease in brain pH and content of energy metabolites was observed, a finding suggesting that the metabolic consequences of severe postischemic hypercarbia are neither particularly dangerous or beneficial.     

CT灌注评价高碳酸血症模型下正常大鼠脑组织血流动力学变化

目的探讨CT灌注评价高碳酸血症模型下正常大鼠脑组织血流动力学变化的可行性;研究大鼠CT灌注参数变化率与α-SMA表达之间的相关性。方法 10只雄性SD大鼠,体质量250～300g,在吸入空气和吸入高浓度CO2混合气体(10%CO2和90%空气组成)后15min,分别使用GE16层Light Speed CT扫描仪对大鼠脑尾状核层面进行CT灌注扫描,原始图像经GE ADW4.2工作站Perfusion3.0脑部灌注软件处理后产生灌注曲线及伪彩图像,两次扫描前均测定大鼠的血液CO2分压、pH值等血气分析指标。检查结束后24h内,大鼠取脑固定,在尾状核中心层面切片,进行脑组织HE染色及鼠特异性SMA抗体免疫组化染色。应用SPSS11.5统计学软件进行分析:采用配对t检验,比较正常大鼠右侧尾状核在吸入空气和吸入高浓度CO2混合气体后CT灌注参数脑血容量(CBV)、脑血流量(CBF)、血管表面通透性(PS)和平均透过时间(MTT)的变化有无差异;采用Pearson相关分析分别检测大鼠右侧尾状核的SMA阳性血管染色计数与灌注参数CBV和CBF在CO2分压升高前后的变化率相关性。结果所有大鼠在吸入含10%CO2和90%空气的混合气体15min后,动脉血CO2分压均明显升高(t=9.39,P0.001),血浆pH值降低(t=13.49,P0.001)。正常SD大鼠右侧基底节区CBV、CBF、PS每100g组织分别为(10.28±4.01)mL、(304.95±88.77)mL/min、(0.26±0.37)mL/min,MTT值为(1.48±0.07)s;吸入10%CO2和90%空气的混合气体后右侧基底节区CBV、CBF值明显增加,每100g组织分别为(19.25±8.42)mL(t=4.92,P=0.001)和(507.33±167.94)mL/min(t=6.75,P0.001);吸入混合气体前后CBV、CBF增加百分比分别为(87.14±46.45)%、(65.75±22.05)%;PS及MTT变化不显著(P均0.05)。大鼠脑组织α-SMA阳性染色血管计数为(12.7±3.23)条/高倍视野。Pearson相关分析显示,正常脑组织的CBV和CBF变化率与其α-SMA阳性计数之间呈显著相关(r分别为0.652和0.890,P均0.05)。结论 CT灌注技术在改变血液CO2分压的条件下可以反映脑组织血流动力学变化;大鼠正常脑组织高碳酸血症前后CT灌注参数变化率与成熟血管数量相关。     

Central ventilatory control in the South American lungfish, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lepidosiren paradoxa:</Emphasis> contributions of pH and CO<Subscript>2</Subscript>

Lungfish represent a probable sister group to the land vertebrates. Lungfish and tetrapods share features of respiratory control, including central, peripheral and intrapulmonary CO₂ receptors. We investigated whether or not central chemoreceptors in the lungfish, L. paradoxa, are stimulated by CO₂ and/or pH. Ventilation was measured by pneumotachography for diving animals. The fourth cerebral ventricle was equipped with two catheters for superfusion. Initially, two control groups were compared: (1) catheterized animals with no superfusion and (2) animals superfused with mock CSF solutions at pH = 7.45; PCO₂ = 21 mmHg. The two groups had virtually the same ventilation of about 40 ml BTPS kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ (P > 0.05). Next, PCO₂ was increased from 21 to 42 mmHg, while pH_CSF was kept at 7.45, which increased ventilation from 40 to 75 ml BTPS kg⁻¹ h⁻¹. Conversely, a decrease of pH_CSF from 7.45 to 7.20 (PCO₂ = 21 mmHg) increased ventilation to 111 ml BTPS kg⁻¹ h⁻¹. Further decreases of pH_CSF had little effect on ventilation, and the combination of pH_CSF = 7.10 and PCO₂ = 42 mmHg reduced ventilation to 63 ml BTPS kg⁻¹ h⁻¹.     

Evaluation of Potential Effectors of Agonal Glycolytic Rate in Developing Brain Measured In Vivo by 31P and 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Abstract: Previously we have shown that hypercarbia produces a larger decrease in agonal glycolytic rate in 1-month-old swine than in newborns. In an effort to understand the mechanism responsible for this difference, we tested the hypothesis that hypercarbia produces age-related changes in the concentration of one or more effectors of phosphofructokinase activity. Specifically, in vivo ³¹P and ¹H NMR spectroscopy was used to compare changes in lactate levels, intracellular pH, free magnesium concentration, and content of phosphorylated metabolites for these two age groups at three intervals during the first 1.5 min of complete ischemia in the presence or absence of hypercarbia (P_aco ₂ = 102–106 mm Hg). Hypercarbia produced the same drop in intracellular brain pH for both age groups, but the decrease in phosphocreatine level and increase in inorganic phosphate content were greater in 1-month-olds compared with newborns. During ischemia there was no difference between the magnitude of change in intracellular pH and levels of phosphocreatine and inorganic phosphate in hypercarbic 1-month-olds versus newborns. Under control conditions, i.e., normocarbia and normoxia, the free Mg²⁺ concentration was lower and the fraction of magnesium-free ATP was higher for newborns than 1-month-olds. However, there was no change in these variables for either age group during hypercarbia and early during ischemia. Thus, age-related differences in the relative decrease in agonal glycolytic rate during hypercarbia could not be explained by differences in intracellular pH, inorganic phosphate content, or free magnesium concentration. The [ADP]_free at control was higher in newborns compared with 1-month-olds, and there was no age-related difference in [AMP]_free. These variables did not change for newborns when exposed to hypercarbia, but for 1-month-olds [ADP]_free and [AMP]_free increased during hypercarbia relative to control values. High-energy phosphate utilization during ischemia for hypercarbic 1-month-olds was reduced by 74% compared with normocarbic 1-month-olds during ischemia, whereas the reduction in energy utilization (14%) was not significant for hypercarbic versus normocarbic newborns during ischemia. Because hypercarbia reduces the rate of ATP depletion during ischemia in 1-month-olds to a greater extent than in newborns, the increase in [ADP]_free and [AMP]_free will be slower in the former age group. It follows therefore that for 1-month-olds, the agonal glycolytic rate would not be accelerated by ADP and AMP to the same degree during hypercarbia plus ischemia compared with normocarbic plus ischemia, whereas for newborns hypercarbia has relatively little impact on agonal glycolytic rate.