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At least 73 records · Page 4

Structural and Functional Parameters of the Thymus in Mice Exposed to γ-Irradiation after Restraint Stress

In mice exposed to γ-irradiation in a dose of 2 Gy after 15-days restraint stress, the body weight decreased by 21% and thymus weight decreased by 33.3% in comparison with the control, and significant changes in the histological structure of the thymus were observed. The medullary substance prevailed over the cortical substance. The absolute number of cells per 1 mm{sup 2} of histological section was reduced in the subcapsular area and medullary substance. The analysis of cell composition in functional areas of the thymus showed the most pronounced changes in the cortical substance. The decrease in the number of proliferating cells and low-differentiated lymphocytes and the increase in the number of destructed cells reflected impairment of the lymphocytopoietic function of the thymus. A minor decrease in the number of small lymphocytes indicated impaired migration processes in the thymus of mice exposed to γ-irradiation after restraint stress. The observed complex of histological and physiological changes in the thymus can lead to dysfunction of the lymphatic (immune) system.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Repetitive restraint stress changes spleen immune cell subsets through glucocorticoid receptor or β-adrenergic receptor in a stage dependent manner

Highlights: • Repetitive restraint stress (RRS) changes the immune cell subsets in spleen. • RU486 reverses the changes of spleen immune cell subsets induced by 7 days of RRS. • Propranolol reverses the changes of spleen immune cell subsets induced by 21 days of RRS. Immune system is sensitive to stress. Spleen is the largest peripheral immune organ innervated with sympathetic nerves and controlled by adrenomedullary system in the body. However, the alterations and mechanism of spleen immune cell subsets caused by repetitive restraint stress (RRS) is poorly understood. In this study, we found that RRS reduced spleen index in mice, and induced an expansion of white pulp and involution of the red pulp. Meanwhile, the percentage of CD3{sup +}CD8{sup +} T lymphocytes, CD11b{sup +}F4/80{sup +} macrophages, CD11b{sup +}Ly-6G{sup −}Ly-6C{sup hi} monocytic myeloid derived suppressor cells (mMDSCs) and CD11b{sup +}Ly-6G{sup +}Ly-6C{sup int} granulocytic myeloid derived suppressor cells (gMDSCs) in spleen were significantly changed by RRS. Mechanistically, we found that the expression of norepinephrine (NE) and β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) in spleen were up-regulated after 21 days of RRS, but not 7 days. The expression of corticosterone (CORT) and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in spleen were up-regulated after 7 days of RRS but were lower after 21 days of RRS, even though they were still higher than that in mice without stress. By treating the stressed mice with RU486 (antagonist of GR) or propranolol (antagonist of β-AR), we demonstrated that GR was responsible for the changes of spleen induced by 7 days of RRS and β-AR was for 21 days of RRS. Our data suggest that RRS changes spleen immune cell subsets through GR or β-AR in a stage dependent manner.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Flexible torsion-angle noncrystallographic symmetry restraints for improved macromolecular structure refinement

One of the great challenges in refining macromolecular crystal structures is a low data-to-parameter ratio. Historically, knowledge from chemistry has been used to help to improve this ratio. When a macromolecule crystallizes with more than one copy in the asymmetric unit, the noncrystallographic symmetry relationships can be exploited to provide additional restraints when refining the working model. However, although globally similar, NCS-related chains often have local differences. To allow for local differences between NCS-related molecules, flexible torsion-based NCS restraints have been introduced, coupled with intelligent rotamer handling for protein chains, and are available in phenix.refine for refinement of models at all resolutions.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Weight control and restraint of laboratory rats

The use of restrained and confined rats in some procedures used in combustion toxicology introduces the problems of obtaining rats of the appropriate size for the apparatus, and of identifying any artifacts resulting from the use of restraint alone. Feeding studies indicate that controlled feeding of fast-growing strains such as the Sprague-Dawley can hold rat size essentially constant for significant periods of time. The undesirable aspects are the need to cage the animals individually, with resultant psychological as well as metabolic effects. Restraint studies of slow-growing strains such as the Fischer 344 indicate that denying access to food and water for periods of several hours at a time interrupts normal gain only temporarily.

Hilado, C. J.↗

Restraint ulcers in the rat. 1: Influence on ulcer frequency of fasting and of environmental temperature associated with immobilization of varying durations

The results of the production of experimental ulcers in rats are described. Two experimental conditions were found to regularly provoke the appearance of gastric ulcers in a high percentage of rats: (1) two-and-a-half hour restraint, proceeded by a 24 hour fast; and (2) one-and-a-half hour restraint with lowering of the environmental temperature while fasting.

Buchel, L.↗

Suspension restraint - Induced hypokinesia and antiorthostasis as a simulation of weightlessness

Muscle, renal, fluid and electrolyte responses were measured in suspended rats; the hind limbs are non-load bearing and the front limbs can be used for feeding and grooming. Hind limb hypokinesia reverses after removal from the suspension harness. This suspension system is adjustable for a head-down tilt to produce antiorthostatic responses which are also reversible. Responses to hypokinesia or antiorthostatic hypokinesia for up to 14 days were measured, e.g., muscle atrophy: soleus greater than gastrocnemius equals plantaris greater than extensor digitorum longus, kaliuresis, and increased excretion of urea, NH3, and 3 methylhistidine. Muscle protein loss, a response to a reduction in RNA, is also reversible. A head-down tilt for 7-14 days results in diuresis and natriuresis. These changes are reversed within 24 hours after removal from the restraint harness. Physiological effects of suspension restraint can be used to simulate and predict responses to microgravity exposure.

Musacchia, X. J.↗

Prehensile Foot Restraint

Proposed prehensile foot restraint enables such workers as astronauts and divers to maintain fixed positions in zero gravity or in buoyancy with minimal effort. With foot restraint worker devotes attention fully to task at hand, with little concern about holding on to supporting structure. Claw near toe of shoe grips rail. Wearer uses flexible shaft, first to lock claw tightly on bar; then, when work is done, to open claw. Underwater or in space, device boosts productivity.

Willits, Charles A.↗

Dynamics of column stability with partial end restraints

The dynamic behavior of columns with partial end restraints and loads consisting of a dead load and a pulsating load are investigated. The differential equation is solved using a lumped impulse recurrence formula relative to time coupled with a finite difference discretization along the member length. A computer program is written from which the first critical frequencies are found as a function of end stiffness. The case of a pinned ended column compares very well with the exact solution. Also, the natural frequency and buckling load formulas are derived for equal and unequal end restraints.

Gregory, Peyton B.↗

Qualification Testing of Solid Rocket Booster Diagonal Strut Restraint Cable Assembly Part Number 10176-0031-102/103

This Technical Memorandum presents qualification test results for solid rocket booster diagonal strut restraint cable part number 101276-00313-102/103. During flight this assembly is exposed to a range of temperatures. MIL-W-83420 shows the breaking strength of the cable as 798 kg (1,760 lb) at room temperature but does not define cable strength at the maximum temperature to which the cable is exposed during the first 2 min of flight; 669 C (1,236 F). The cable, which can be built from different corrosion resistant steel alloys, may also vary in its chemical, physical, and mechanical properties at temperature. Negative margins of safety were produced by analysis of the cable at temperature using standard knockdown factors. However, MSFC-HDBK-5 allows the use of a less conservative safety factor of 1.4 and knockdown factors verified by testing. Test results allowed a calculated knockdown factor of 0.1892 to be determined for the restraint cables, which provides a minimum breaking strength of 151 kg (333 lb) at 677 C (1,250 F) when combined with the minimum breaking strength of 0.317-cm (0.125- or 1/8-in) diameter, type 1 composition rope.

Malone, T. W.↗

Automated Design of Restraint Layer of an Inflatable Vessel

A Mathcad computer program largely automates the design and analysis of the restraint layer (the primary load-bearing layer) of an inflatable vessel that consists of one or more sections having cylindrical, toroidal, and/or spherical shape(s). A restraint layer typically comprises webbing in the form of multiple straps. The design task includes choosing indexing locations along the straps, computing the load at every location in each strap, computing the resulting stretch at each location, and computing the amount of undersizing required of each strap so that, once the vessel is inflated and the straps thus stretched, the vessel can be expected to assume the desired shape. Prior to the development of this program, the design task was performed by use of a difficult-to-use spreadsheet program that required manual addition of rows and columns depending on the numbers of strap rows and columns of a given design. In contrast, this program is completely parametric and includes logic that automatically adds or deletes rows and columns as needed. With minimal input from the user, this program automatically computes indexing locations, strap lengths, undersizing requirements, and all design data required to produce detailed drawings and assembly procedures. It also generates textual comments that help the user understand the calculations.

Spexarth, Gary↗

Bi-Axial Load Testing of a Woven-Webbing Inflatable Space Habitat Restraint Layer Component

This report discusses testing of a bi-axial woven panel consisting of high-strength webbings that represent a portion of the structural restraint layer of an inflatable space structure. Inflatable softgoods vessels are being researched for human space missions as possible habitats, airlocks and tunnel elements. Understanding the complex behavior of the softgoods restraint layer and maturing finite element analysis capabilities to model these structures is critical to their successful implementation. The primary goal of this research is to study the load-up and load distribution in a weave of webbings, before and after the loss of tension in one of the webbings. In addition, a key objective is to evaluate the ability to convert strains measured via photogrammetry using digital image correlation to loads in the weave. The report gives an introduction and objectives for the test program and a description of the test fixture, setup and procedure. This is followed by a section focusing on the test data and associated discussion. To streamline presentation of the data, one focus case is detailed in the main text. (Comprehensive data set can be found in Appendix A for the three remaining test cases.) In addition to the load and time histories for one case, summary charts and tables that incorporate data from all four test cases are provided. The concluding remarks include major findings, lessons learned and recommendations for future work. Appendix B provides complementary full-field strain results when considering the existing woven webbing data as a fabric. These types of results could inform models intended for global representation. Appendix C contains a description from a series of exploratory instrumented hammer tap tests and results on the weave. These tests describe an area of research for the biaxial test fixture beyond the current testing studying the propagation and detection of vibrations in a tensioned weave that has applications in impact and damage detection.

Karen H Lyle↗