Mouse lung mechanical properties under varying inflation volumes and cycling frequencies

Respiratory pathologies alter the structure of the lung and impact its mechanics. Mice are widely used in the study of lung pathologies, but there is a lack of fundamental mechanical measurements assessing the interdependent effect of varying inflation volumes and cycling frequency. In this study, the mechanical properties of five male C57BL/6J mice (29–33 weeks of age) lungs were evaluated ex vivo using our custom-designed electromechanical, continuous measure ventilation apparatus. We comprehensively quantify and analyze the effect of loading volumes (0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9 ml) and breathing rates (5, 10, 20 breaths per minute) on pulmonary inflation and deflation mechanical properties. We report means of static compliance between 5.4–16.1 µl/cmH₂O, deflation compliance of 5.3–22.2 µl/cmH₂O, percent relaxation of 21.7–39.1%, hysteresis of 1.11–7.6 ml•cmH₂O, and energy loss of 39–58% for the range of four volumes and three rates tested, along with additional measures. We conclude that inflation volume was found to significantly affect hysteresis, static compliance, starting compliance, top compliance, deflation compliance, and percent relaxation, and cycling rate was found to affect only hysteresis, energy loss, percent relaxation, static compliance and deflation compliance.

Examining lung mechanical strains as influenced by breathing volumes and rates using experimental digital image correlation

BACKGROUND

Mechanical ventilation is often employed to facilitate breathing in patients suffering from respiratory illnesses and disabilities. Despite the benefits, there are risks associated with ventilator-induced lung injuries and death, driving investigations for alternative ventilation techniques to improve mechanical ventilation, such as multi-oscillatory and high-frequency ventilation; however, few studies have evaluated fundamental lung mechanical local deformations under variable loading.

METHODS

Porcine whole lung samples were analyzed using a novel application of digital image correlation interfaced with an electromechanical ventilation system to associate the local behavior to the global volume and pressure loading in response to various inflation volumes and breathing rates. Strains, anisotropy, tissue compliance, and the evolutionary response of the inflating lung were analyzed.

RESULTS

Experiments demonstrated a direct and near one-to-one linear relationship between applied lung volumes and resulting local mean strain, and a nonlinear relationship between lung pressures and strains. As the applied air delivery volume was doubled, the tissue surface mean strains approximately increased from 20 to 40%, and average maximum strains measured 70-110%. The tissue strain anisotropic ratio ranged from 0.81 to 0.86 and decreased with greater inflation volumes. Local tissue compliance during the inflation cycle, associating evolutionary strains in response to inflation pressures, was also quantified.

CONCLUSION

Ventilation frequencies were not found to influence the local stretch response. Strain measures significantly increased and the anisotropic ratio decreased between the smallest and greatest tidal volumes. Tissue compliance did not exhibit a unifying trend. The insights provided by the real-time continuous measures, and the kinetics to kinematics pulmonary linkage established by this study offers valuable characterizations for computational models and establishes a framework for future studies to compare healthy and diseased lung mechanics to further consider alternatives for effective ventilation strategies.

Composite electrospun nanofibers of reduced graphene oxide grafted with poly(3-dodecylthiophene) and poly(3-thiophene ethanol) and blended with polycaprolactone

In this paper, an effective method was employed for preparation of nanofibers using conducting polymer-functionalized reduced graphene oxide (rGO). First, graphene oxide (GO) was obtained from graphite by Hommer method. GO was reduced to rGO by NaBH₄ and covalently functionalized with a 3-thiophene acetic acid (TAA) by an esterification reaction to reach 3-thiophene acetic acid-functionalized reduced graphene oxide macromonomer (rGO-f-TAAM). Afterward, rGO-f-TAAM was copolymerized with 3-dodecylthiophene (3DDT) and 3-thiophene ethanol (3TEt) to yield rGO-f-TAA-co-PDDT (rGO-g-PDDT) and rGO-f-TAA-co-P3TEt (rGO-g-PTEt), which were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectra. The grafted materials depicted better electrochemical properties and superior solubilities in organic solvents compared to GO and rGO. The soluble rGO-g-PDDT and rGO-g-PTEt composites blended with polycaprolactone were fabricated by electrospinning, and then cytotoxicity, hydrophilicity, biodegradability and mechanical properties were investigated. The grafted rGO composites exhibited a good electroactivity behavior, mainly because of the enhanced electrochemical performance. The electrospun nanofibers underwent degradation about 7 wt% after 40 days, and the fabricated scaffolds were not able to induce cytotoxicity in mouse osteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells. The soluble conducting composites developed in this study are utilizable in the fabrication of nanofibers with tissue engineering application.

Comparison the effect of 3 point valgus stress knee support and lateral wedge insoles in medial compartment knee osteoarthritis

BACKGROUND

There are many opinions and controversies regard the effect of lateral wedge insoles and valgus stress 3point knee braces in treatment of medial compartment knee osteoarthritis (OA). In this study we compared the effect of lateral wedge insoles and 3 point knee supports in treatment of medial compartment knee OA.

METHOD

Sixty patients (35-65 years), with knee pain and genu varum and moderate to severe medial compartment DJD were divided into three groups. The first group received a custom molded 3 point valgus stress knee support. Lateral wedge insoles were applied for the second group and the third group served as control. All groups were followed for 9 months according to pain severity, walking distance, and radiologic changes.

RESULTS

Pain reduced significantly in both lateral wedge and knee brace groups compared to control group with more significant reduction in the brace group. The walking distance was significantly longer only in the brace group. There was more pronounced effect of brace in patients with severe DJD in walking distance compared to moderate DJD, but not in severity of pain.

CONCLUSION

Three point valgus stress knee support had more significant effect on pain reduction, walking distance and also radiologic improvement of patients with moderate to severe medial compartment DJD compared to lateral wedge insoles and could even reverse radiologic findings.

Changes in ulnar nerve conduction velocity across the elbow in different angles of elbow flexion

OBJECTIVES

The goal of this study is to determine the changes in motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity (NCV) of ulnar nerve at elbow area in different angles of elbow flexion and also to define the optimum angle at which there is an ideal correlation between the across elbow and below elbow NCVs of ulnar nerve.

METHODS

Motor and sensory NCVs of ulnar nerve were studied in 50 able-bodied subjects (100 limbs) for the below elbow and across elbow segments to evaluate the effect of 5 different angles of elbow (0 degrees, 45 degrees, 90 degrees, 110 degrees 135 degrees of elbow flexion) on NCV changes of ulnar nerve. At each angle the across elbow NCVs were measured and compared with below elbow segments.

RESULTS

At 0 degrees of elbow flexion the across elbow NCVs were found to be slower than below elbow segments and at 45 degrees there was no statistical difference between below elbow and across elbow NCV. At each subsequent angles of elbow flexion there was an increment in motor and sensory NCVs for the across elbow compared to below elbow segment (P < 0.05). This increment progressed as the degree of flexion increased, so the most erroneous increment was found at 135 degrees of elbow flexion.

CONCLUSIONS

Since the 45 degrees of elbow flexion was found to be the position of least variation in motor and sensory NCVs between the across elbow and below elbow segments, this position of elbow flexion seems to be the ideal angle during nerve conduction study of ulnar nerve at elbow area. In this position the upper limit of normal difference between across elbow and below elbow motor NCVs (mean + 2SD) was calculated 8 m/sec.

Synthesis and in vitro antifungal and cytotoxicity evaluation of substituted 4,5-dihydronaphtho[1,2-d][1,2,3]thia(or selena)diazoles

Unsubstituted 4,5-dihydronaphtho[1,2-d][1,2,3]thia (or selena)diazoles (2a, 2b), prepared from the semicarbazone (1a), were nitrated using fuming nitric acid at 0 degrees C to yield various mono-nitrated dihydronaphthalenes (3a-3e). Related sulfamoyl derivatives (4a, 4b) were prepared using chlorosulfonic acid, followed by the addition of ammonia solution. Synthesis of 6,9-dimethoxy-4,5-dihydronaphtho[1,2-d][1,2,3]thiadiazole derivative (2c) was performed using 5,8-dimethoxy-alpha-tetralone semicarbazone (1b) and thionylchloride at low temperature. At 10 ppm concentration, all compounds showed low toxicity (higher than 80% survival) on brine shrimps, while at 100 ppm concentration compounds 2d, 3d, and 4b exhibited toxicity (less than 60% survival). Compounds 3a, 3e, and especially 4a showed significant antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans. Compound 4a, while being the most active antifungal agent in this series, possessed low toxicity.

Synthesis and in vitro antifungal and cytotoxicity evaluation of thiazolo-4H-1,2,4-triazoles and 1,2,3-thiadiazolo-4H-1,2,4-triazoles

The increasing clinical importance of drug-resistant fungal pathogens has lent additional urgency to microbiological and antifungal research. Various thiazolo(or 1,2,3-thiadiazolo)thiosemicarbazides (2a-2e), 3-thiono-1,4-dihydrotriazolothiazoles-(or 1,2,3-thiadiazoles) (3a-3e), their related substituted thio-4H-1,2,4-triazoles (4a-4p) and sulfones (5a-5o) were synthesized. Most of the compounds tested for antifungal activity exhibited significant effects against Cryptococcus neoofrmans and Sacchromyces cerevisiae at MIC ranges of 0.53 to 12.5 micrograms/mL, whereas their activities were moderate against Candida albicans and weak against Aspergillus fumigatus. At 10 ppm concentration, all compounds showed low toxicity on brine shrimps (higher than 80% survival), except compounds 4c and 2c. At 100 ppm concentration most of the compounds showed toxicity except compounds 2b, 2e, 3c, 3d, 3e, and 4e. Compounds 4b, 4c, and 4h showed in vitro cytotoxicity against Kbalb cell lines and compounds 4c and 4g against 143B cell lines at 0.1 mM concentration.

High performance liquid chromatographic determination of cyclooxygenase II inhibitor rofecoxib in rat and human plasma

Rofecoxib is a relatively new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug with high selectivity in cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitory activity. There is only one assay reported for determination of the drug in biological samples. The assay requires a post-column UV reactor for photocyclization before detection with fluorescence detector. In addition, the internal standard (IS) used in the assay in not commercially available. We developed a new assay for determination of rofecoxib. Rat blank plasma (200 microL) or human blank plasma (500 microL) was spiked with rofecoxib to make final concentrations of 10 to 3000 ng/mL, and 100 microl of a 2 microg/mL of ketoprofen as IS, 100 microl of a pH 4.5 acetate buffer, and 6 mL of ethyl acetate were added. The resultant was vortex-mixed for 90 seconds and centrifuged at 2500 g for 3 min. The organic layer was separated and evaporated to dryness under vacuum. The residues were reconstituted in 170 microL of mobile phase and 150 microL was injected into an HPLC consisting of an autoinjector, an isocratic pump, a 10 cm 4.6 i.d. C(18) analytical column packed with 5 microm reversed phase particles, a variable UV spectrophotometer detector set at 272 nm, and an integrator. The mobile phase consisted of water (77%), acetonitrile (23%), acetic acid (0.1%), and triethylamine (0.03%) and was pumped at 1 mL/min at ambient temperature. The drug and IS were eluted at 13 and 24 min, respectively. The peak drug/IS area ratio versus drug concentrations relationship was linear (r>0.99). The extraction efficiency was >87%. The minimum quantifiable concentration was set at 10 ng/mL (correlation coefficient of <10%). This convenient, sensitive, and simple method is suitable to pharmacokinetic studies of rofecoxib in rats and humans.

Application of direct search optimization for pharmacokinetic parameter estimation

PURPOSE

For simple pharmacokinetic compartmental models, analytical solution to the governing differential equations along with common graphical methods provide a mean to evaluate the associated rate constants. These graphical methods, however, can not be used for the more complex multi-compartment models. Furthermore, parameter estimation using slope and intercept values from the graphical methods is often accompanied with error. In this study a numerical solution is applied for the solution of the governing differential equations and a simple direct search optimization procedure utilizing random numbers is used for pharmacokinetic parameter estimation.

METHOD

The methodology is demonstrated with reference to experimental literature data for ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin whose pharmacokinetic behavior has been reported in terms of a two-compartment model.

RESULTS

Examination of the predicted drug concentrations from the graphical method and the optimization methodology indicate that both methods have comparable accuracy in predicting the drug concentrations. The graphical method, however, only shows good accuracy in the early stages both after i.v. and oral drug administration whereas the optimization procedure, due to the nature of the objective function formulation, provides good accuracy over the entire range of times after drug administration.

CONCLUSIONS

The methodology is simple, provides optimized parameters which accurately predict drug concentrations, and is flexible to include more weight on the early-time data or be extended to multi-compartment models.

Involvement of the rat gut epithelial and muscular layer, and microflora in chiral inversion and acyl-glucuronidation of R-fenoprofen

In the presence of excised human and rat gut, the pharmacologically inactive R enantiomers of both ibuprofen and fenoprofen (FN) are bioinverted to their anti-inflammatory antipodes. In an attempt to further localize the site of inversion, we incubated R-FN, in oxygenated (O2:CO2, 95:5, v/v) Krebs-Henseleit solution (37 degrees C, pH 7.4) for 3 h in the presence of the intestinal contents, epithelium and muscular layer of upper jejunum and everted jejunum sack of antibiotic treated (500 mg/kg neomycin and erythromycin b.i.d. for 3 days) and control adult female Sprague-Dawley rats. The formation of S-FN and acylglucuronidated FN was examined in the incubation medium using a stereospecific HPLC assay. The metabolic activities are reported per g of wet tissue. The extent of inversion by the everted rat gut was substantial (30.7 +/- 5.1%) but no significant differences between the control and germ-eradicated rats was observed. The epithelial cells were found to be the major site of inversion in the intestinal wall (37.5 +/- 4.7%) with the muscular layer (7.8 +/- 2.1%) and intestinal contents (5.7 +/- 2.2%) contributing only to a small extent to the process. Both enantiomers were substantially acyl-glucuconjugated in the epithelial and muscular layers, and the intestinal content.

Evidence of absorption rate dependency of ibuprofen inversion in the rat

Ibuprofen (IB) is a chiral 2-arylpropionic acid derivative used as a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID). It undergoes substantial R to S chiral inversion in humans and rats. In addition to systemic inversion, presystemic chiral inversion has been suggested for IB in humans but only after administration of formulations with slow absorption rates. In search for a suitable animal model, the absorption rate dependency of the extent of inversion was examined in male Sprague-Dawley rats given 20 mg/kg of racemic IB in aqueous solution (Tmax, 0.6 h), suspension (Tmax, 1 h) or as sustained release granules (Tmax, 2.3 h). In addition, (R)-IB (5 mg/liter) was incubated in the presence of everted rat gut segments in an organ bath at 37 degrees. After sustained release granules, the S:R AUC ratios (7.3 +/- 1.5) were significantly higher than suspension (3.6 +/- 1.1) and solution (3.5 +/- 0.2). Accordingly, AUCS and AUCR, as percent of the total AUC (S+R), significantly increased and decreased, respectively, after administration of the sustained released granules as compared with the solution and suspension. A significant positive linear correlation was found between the S:R AUC ratios and the corresponding Tmax for (R)-IB (r = 0.82). In vitro, (R)-IB was inverted by everted jejunum (12.2 +/- 1.6%), ileum (14.2 +/- 2.0%), and colon (4.4 +/- 0.6%) segments. IB was also glucuronidated in the presence of the intestinal segments. Therefore, similar to earlier observations made in humans, in the rat, the S:R AUC ratio was positively and significantly correlated with the absorption rate from the dosage form.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Improved high-performance liquid chromatographic assay method for the enantiomers of ibuprofen

A rapid, inexpensive and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the quantitation of ibuprofen enantiomers from a variety of biological fluids is reported. This method uses a commercially available internal standard and has significantly less interference from endogenous co-extracted solutes than do previously reported methods. The method involves the acid extraction of drug and internal standard [(+/-)-fenoprofen] from the biological fluid with isooctane-isopropanol (95:5) followed by evaporation and derivatization with ethylchloroformate and R-(+)-alpha-phenylethylamine. Excellent linearity was observed between the peak-area ratio and enantiomer concentration (r > 0.99) over a concentration range of 0.25-50 micrograms/ml. This method is suitable for the quantitation of ibuprofen from single-dose pharmacokinetic studies involving either rats or humans.

Human pharmacokinetics of ibuprofen enantiomers following different doses and formulations: intestinal chiral inversion

The influences of absorption rate and dosage size on the pharmacokinetics of ibuprofen (IB) enantiomers were studied in six healthy subjects. Rapidly absorbed solutions (50, 100, 200, 400, 600, and 1200 mg) and regular 600-mg tablets of racemic IB were given orally, and plasma concentration-time courses of the enantiomers were followed. Solutions were absorbed faster (tmax less than 0.25 h) than the tablet (tmax = 2.17 +/- 1.17 h). While the S:R AUC ratios were unaffected by increasing the dose, they were significantly greater after the tablet (1.35 +/- 0.14) as compared with the solutions (1.15 +/- 0.16 to 1.24 +/- 0.26). This indicates a greater extent of chiral inversion for the tablet, perhaps due to a longer residence time in the gut, thereby allowing more presystemic inversion. To test this hypothesis, R-IB was incubated at 37 degrees C in the presence of excised segments of human ileum and colon obtained from three patients. Chiral inversion was evident in all segments. After 3 h, the extent of inversion ranged from 20.0 to 33.0%. In addition, incubation resulted in the formation of up to 23.3 and 13.0% of acylglucuronides of S- and R-IB, respectively. In all subjects, the AUC-dose relationships were nonlinear, indicating a gradual increase in the clearance of both enantiomers due, perhaps, to a parallel saturation of plasma protein binding sites. In humans, the chiral inversion of IB is not influenced by the dosage size but is enhanced by prolongation of the residence time in the intestine.