Tensile Tests of Collagen Fibers Obtained from the Rabbit Patellar Tendon

Tensile properties of collagen fibers of approximately 1 m in diameter were determined using a newly developed micro tensile test system for cells and fine fibrous biological tissues. The test system consists of a thermostatic test chamber, an inverted microscope, micromanipulators, a direct drive linear actuator, a cantilever-type load cell, and a video dimension analyzer (VDA). The fibers were isolated with a mechanical method from collagen fascicles (approximately 300 m in diameter) cut out from the rabbit patellar tendon. The ends of each fiber were attached to the tips of a pair of glass microtubes (15 to 20 m in outer diameter) using a cyanoacrylate adhesive. One of the microtubes was attached to the load cell; the other one was connected to the linear actuator which was utilized to stretch the fiber. Load applied to the fiber was measured with the load cell, while its elongation was determined with the VDA using the images of the edges of the adhesive as markers. Tangent modulus, tensile strength, and strain at failure of the tested fibers were 54.3± 25.1 MPa, 8.5± 2.6 MPa, and 21.6± 3.0%, respectively. These values were much different from those of collagen fascicles (300 m in diameter) cut out from the rabbit patellar tendon and also from those of the bulk patellar tendon (Trans. ASME, J. Biomech. Eng. 121, 124–294, 1999); for example, tensile strength and strain at failure of the fibers were approximately 50 and 200% of those of the fascicles, respectively. These results suggest that the mechanical interactions between fibers and between fibers and ground substances contribute much to the mechanical properties of collagen fascicles and bulk tendons.     

Patient-ventilator interaction: A general model for nonpassive mechanical ventilation

A general mathematical model for the dynamic behaviour of asingle-compartment respiratory system in response to an arbitraryapplied inspiratory airway pressure and arbitrary respiratorymuscle activity is investigated. The model is used to computeexplicit expressions for ventilation and pressure variablesof clinical interest for clinician-selected and impedance-determinedinputs. The outcome variables include tidal volume, end-expiratorypressure, minute ventilation, mean alveolar pressure, averagepleural pressure, as well as the work performed by the ventilatorand the respiratory muscles. It is also demonstrated that undersuitable conditions, there is a flow reversal that can occurduring inspiration.     

内骨架一体化小腿假肢的生物力学研究

一体化假肢是以聚合物为材料从接受腔到假腿一体成型的新型下肢假肢，它比传统型假肢更经济、美观、轻便，具有较大的应用前景。目前的相关研究主要集中在设计与制作及少量的临床研究方面。由于一体化假肢与传统型假肢在结构上的差异，有必要对其进行应力分析。本研究的目的是开展内骨架一体化假肢的生物力学研究，本研究基于内骨架一体化小腿假肢的真实几何构型，建立三维有限元模型，计算该模型在模拟Heel OH步态时相的载荷作用下的应力分布；在保持该模型的几何形状不变的情况下，建立了三个不同壁面厚度的一体化小腿假肢的有限元模型，分析壁面厚度对一体化小腿假肢应力分布的影响；通过分别赋予模型四种不同高分子聚合物的材料力学特性值，分析不同材料的一体化假肢的应力分布特点；分别对模型施加与正常步态的五个典型时相对应的载荷，分析一体化小腿假肢在各步态时相的应力分布特点。本研究结果对一体化假肢设计有指导价值。     

Branchial ventilation rates of cataleptic goldfish (Carassius auratus) and the effects of light and electric shock

Inverted, cataleptic goldfish showed an increase in ventilation rate over a 20 min period. The time-dependent increase in respiratory movement was initially suppressed when a 10 sec light or a 0.1 sec shock was presented at 1.5 min intervals. Contingent presentation of the light and shock, in a classical conditioning paradigm, resulted in reduced ventilation rates during the session. Physiological changes accompanying conditioning may thus alter the cataleptic state.     

The acute effects of insulin on the cardiorespiratory responses to hypoxia in streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rats

Aims: We examined whether or not streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetic rats, which have a lower heart rate (HR, beats min^?1) than control rats, could maintain hypoxic ventilatory response. Methods: Twenty‐six Wistar rats, which had been injected with STZ (60 mg kg^?1, EXP) or vehicle (0.1 m citrate buffer, CONT) intraperitoneally at 9 weeks of age, had their cardiorespiratory responses to normoxia and 12%O₂ examined after 5 weeks. Results: Compared with CONT rats, EXP rats had a higher blood glucose [24 ± 3 vs. 5 ± 1 (mean ± SD) mmol L^?1], a lower body weight (320 ± 23 vs. 432 ± 24 g), lower HR (303 ± 49 vs. 380 ± 44 in normoxia, and 343 ± 56 vs. 443 ± 60 in hypoxia) and a lower mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) (89 ± 6 vs. 102 ± 10 mmHg in hypoxia). In contrast, both groups had similar values in ventilation (), –metabolic rate (MR) ratio and arterial blood gases (ABGs). In EXP rats, with an acute insulin supplement (i.v., 0.75 U h^?1 for 1.5–2 h), not only blood glucose, but also HR, and MAP were normalized as those obtained in CONT rats, and in hypoxia further increased without affecting –MR ratio and ABGs. Such acute cardiorespiratory stimulating effects of insulin could not be obtained in non‐diabetic rats (n = 7, 355 ± 24 g), in which euglycaemia (mean 6.4 mmol L^?1) was maintained during the measurements. Conclusions: Our results suggest that, in STZ‐induced diabetic rats: (1) ventilation is hardly suppressed by hyperglycaemia, (2) cardiorespiratory responses can be acutely stimulated by short insulin injection, and (3) the effects, including those through acute blood glucose normalization, are possibly specific for the diabetic impairments.     

Role of potassium in the regulation of systemic physiological function during exercise

In exercise, potassium (K⁺) is released from contracting muscle predominately through K⁺ channels associated with the repolarization phase of the action potential. Increases in extracellular K⁺ are directly related to increases in metabolic rate and may reach concentrations as high as 8–9 mm in the arterial blood during exhaustive work. Exercise-induced hyperkalaemia has been implicated in several physiological processes, in particular skeletal muscle fatigue, hyperaemia, pressor reflex, arterial chemosensitivity and myocardial stability. There is no direct evidence to show that hyperkalaemia causes muscle fatigue, although raised extracellular [K⁺] may contribute to fatigue during prolonged tetani by depressing the propagation of the action potential down the t-tubule system, thus impairing the release of Ca²⁺ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The vasodilating properties of K⁺ may transiently contribute to the early phase of exercise hyperaemia and interact synergistically with other vasoactive substances to cause relaxation by hyperpolarizing K⁺ channels in vascular smooth muscle. Hyperkalaemia has been implicated in the regulation of arterial blood pressure through activation of the muscle afferent reflex where potassium-depolarized C fibres may contribute to a reflex increase in arterial blood pressure. K⁺ can also increase ventilation and the sensitivity of the ventilatory response to hypoxia through direct excitation of the arterial chemoreceptors. Finally, to maintain myocardial electrical stability in exercise, there is a beneficial interaction between raised K⁺ and catecholamines on the heart, so that when they combine, each offsets the other's deleterious effects.     

Near‐infrared spectroscopy determined brain and muscle oxygenation during exercise with normal and resistive breathing

To elevate effects of carbon dioxide (CO₂) retention by way of an increased respiratory load during submaximal exercise (150 W), the concentration changes of oxy‐ (ΔHbO₂) and deoxy‐haemoglobin (ΔHb) of active muscles and the brain were determined by near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) in eight healthy males. During exercise, pulmonary ventilation increased to 33 (28–40) L min^–1 (median with range) with no effect of a moderate breathing resistance (reduction of the pneumotach diameter from 30 to 14 and 10 mm). The end‐tidal CO₂ pressure (P_ETCO ₂) increased from 45 (42–48) to 48 (46–58) mmHg with a reduction of only 1% in the arterial haemoglobin O₂ saturation (S_aO ₂). During control exercise (normal breathing resistance), muscle and brain ΔHbO₂ were not different from the resting levels, and only the leg muscle ΔHb increased (4 (–2–10) μM , P < 0.05). Moderate resistive breathing increased ΔHbO₂ of the intercostal and vastus lateralis muscles to 6 ± (–5–14) and 1 (–7–9) μM (P < 0.05), respectively, while muscle ΔHb was not affected. Cerebral ΔHbO₂ and ΔHb became elevated to 6 (1–15) and 1 (–1–6) μM by resistive breathing (P < 0.05). Resistive breathing caused an increased concentration of oxygenated haemoglobin in active muscles and in the brain. The results indicate that CO₂ influences blood flow to active skeletal muscle although its effect appears to be smaller than for the brain.     

Numerical simulation of aerosol particle transport by oscillating flow in respiratory airways

Particle transport by oscillating flow in a tapered channel or in a tapered tube was computed from the complete equations of motion. These geometries represent a simplified model of the divergent flow field of the mammalian bronchial tree. The computed deformation profile of a line of particles, transported by the oscillatory motion, was compared with prior experimental results and analytical calculations. All three methods agree that there is transport in the divergent direction of the tube by an axial stream of steady drift in the core for moderately high frequency of oscillation (Womersley parameter in the range of 1 to 10). Bidirectional flow is established by an annular stream in the convergent direction, with no net flow on integral cycles of the oscillating fluid. At higher frequency, however, the steady stream transforms to a different shape in the tapered tube, with transport in the divergent direction nearer the walls of the tube, rather than in the core. Transport by the continuing streams with oscillatory ventilation of the respiratory tract should deliver medicinal aerosols of low intrinsic particle mobility to the peripheral regions of the lungs.     

Novel Semi‐Fluorinated Poly(ether imide)s Derived From 4‐(p‐Aminophenoxy)‐3‐trifluoromethyl‐4′‐aminobiphenyl

An unsymmetrical diamine monomer 4‐(p‐aminophenoxy)‐3‐trifluoromethyl‐4′‐aminobiphenyl has been synthesized successfully. This monomer leads to the synthesis of different novel poly(ether imide)s when reacted with different dianhydrides like pyromellatic dianhydride (PMDA), benzophenone tetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (BTDA), 2,2‐bis(3,4‐dicarboxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane (6FDA), and oxy diphthalic anhydride (ODA). The poly(ether imide) prepared from this monomer on reaction with 6FDA is soluble in several organic solvents such as N‐methylpyrolidinone (NMP), dimethylformamide (DMF), N,N‐dimethylacetamide (DMAc), tetrahydrofuran (THF), and CHCl₃. The poly(ether imide)s prepared from BTDA and ODA are soluble in NMP, DMF, and DMAc but not in THF or CHCl₃, whereas the polymer prepared from PMDA is soluble only in NMP. The water uptake value for these poly(ether imide) films is very low (0.2–0.5%), and exhibited low dielectric constants (2.81 at 1 MHz). The polymers exhibited high thermal stability up to 532 °C in air for 5% weight loss, and high glass transition temperatures up to 288 °C. The polymer exhibited high tensile strength up to 135 MPa, modulus 3.2 GPa, and elongation at break up to 25%, depending on the exact polymer structure.

The structure of the poly(ether imide) synthesised from 4‐(p‐aminophenoxy)‐3‐trifluoromethyl‐4′‐aminobiphenyl and 2,2‐bis(3,4‐dicarboxyphenyl) hexafluoropropane. This polymer was soluble in many organic solvents.     

Thoracic duct lymph and PEEP studies in anaesthetized dogs

PEEP impedes thoracic duct drainage (LF). This can be counteracted by a thoracic duct fistula. Consequently, lung oedema (LOE) should develop during PEEP more slowly with LF at atmospheric pressure (LF_AP) than with LF against jugular venous pressure (LF_JVP). In 12 anaesthetized dogs LOE was produced by Ringer's solution i.v. (2.5 ml/min per kg) for 6 h during PEEP (10 mmHg) with either LF_AP or LF_JVP. Ringer's+PEEP greatly increased aortic, pulmonary artery and wedge pressures, JVP, and cardiac output. Colloid osmotic pressures in plasma and lymph were drastically reduced, pulmonary effective filtration pressure (EFP) rose by about 20 mmHg. LF_JVP increased 7-fold, LF_AP about 19-fold, the respective loss of plasma proteins was 1.83 and 1.06 g/kg during 6 h. Thermal-dye extravascular lung water showed an increment of 68 with LF_JVP versus 43 l/h/g per mmHg with LF_AP. Final lung water content was at any EFP (12.8–31.9 mmHg) lower with LF_AP than with LF_JVP amounting 512 with LF_JVP versus 377 l/g/per mmHg with LF_AP. LF_AP decreased the development of LOE during PEEP by bypassing the PEEP-induced high JVP and thus facilitating the removal of interstitial fluid. It is hypothesized that a thoracic duct fistula might aid the treatment of patients with LOE due to ARDS and therefore requiring high levels of PEEP.