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Biomedical subjects

J Schnader

Publications and source records attributed to J Schnader.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Effects of hypoxia on leukotriene activity and vasomotor tone in isolated sheep lungs.

To determine whether hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction was associated with release of sulfidopeptide leukotrienes (SPLTs) from the lung, we measured SPLT activity by bioassay (guinea pig ileum) and radioimmunoassay in lymph, perfusate, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from sheep lungs (n = 20) isolated and perfused in situ with a constant flow of autologous blood (100 ml.kg-1.min-1) containing indomethacin (60 micrograms/ml). The protocol consisted of three periods, each at least 1 h in duration. In experimental lungs, inspired O2 concentration (FIO2) was 28.2% in periods 1 and 3 and 4.2% in period 2. In control lungs, FIO2 was 28.2% throughout. Hypoxia increased pulmonary arterial pressure but did not alter peak tracheal pressure, lung lymph flow, or weight gain measured during the last 30 min of each period. SPLT activity was greatest in lung lymph and least in BAL fluid. Hypoxia did not alter SPLT activity in any fluid. Similar results were obtained in lungs not treated with indomethacin (n = 15). These data do not support the hypothesis that hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction is mediated by SPLTs.

Animals

Interaction of fatigue and hypercapnia in the canine diaphragm.

We studied 10 open-chest dogs and measured the pressure across the diaphragm (Pdi) in each period of the protocol during stimulation at frequencies of 1, 20, 50, and 80 Hz. Three ranges of arterial PCO2 (PaCO2) were examined: less than or equal to 26, 36-50, and greater than or equal to 89 Torr. The diaphragm was fatigued with repetitive phrenic stimulation (30 Hz). During the fatiguing activity, five of the animals were subjected to hypercapnia and the other five to hypocapnia. A frequency-Pdi curve was generated for each period in the protocol. The data show that 1) fatiguing to 50% of the initial Pdi value during hypercapnia was significantly more rapid than during hypocapnia; 2) both the prefatigue and postfatigue mean Pdi values over all interactions of frequency, fatigue, and PaCO2 were unaffected by the fatiguing environment (hypercapnia vs. hypocapnia); 3) the percent reduction of Pdi by hypercapnia was the same at all four frequencies; 4) hypocapnia did not alter either the pre- or postfatigue frequency-Pdi curve; and 5) one-half relaxation time, unaffected by PaCO2, was prolonged by fatigue. We conclude that the hypercapnic diaphragm has less endurance than the hypocapnic diaphragm and that although both fatigue and hypercapnia decrease Pdi, they appear to be separate entities working through different mechanisms.

Animals