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At least 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1977

Effect of 30 months in a locked environment on the microbial flora of dogs

It has been proposed that the microbial flora of mammals would simplify to a few microbial species if the host animal was confined to a 'locked' environment and provided with sterile food, water, and air. This paper updates information on the microbial profile (feces, nose and throat) of purebred beagles housed in the above-mentioned conditions through a 30-month study period and demonstrates that no drastic decrease or simplification of the microbial profile occurred in isolated or control dogs.

Balish, E.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Spatial distribution of pulmonary blood flow in dogs in increased force environments

Spatial distribution of pulmonary blood flow during 2- to 3-min exposures to 6-8 Gy acceleration was studied, using radioactive microspheres in dogs, and compared to previously reported 1 Gy control distributions. Isotope distributions were measured by scintiscanning individual 1-cm-thick cross sections of excised, fixed lungs. Results indicate: (1) the fraction of cardiac output traversing left and right lungs did not change systematically with the duration and magnitude of acceleration; but (2) the fraction is strongly affected by the occurrence or absence of fast deep breaths, which cause an increase or decrease, respectively, in blood flow through the dependent lung; and (3) Gy acceleration caused a significant increase in relative pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) in nondependent and dependent regions of the lung concurrent with a decrease in PVR in the midsagittal region of the thorax.

Greenleaf, J. F.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Extent of utilization of the Frank-Starling mechanism in conscious dogs

The left ventricular end-diastolic pressure-dimension relationships in conscious dogs were studied; the ventricle was stressed to its limit in terms of myocardial preload in order to assess the extent of use of the Frank-Starling mechanism under these conditions. The preload was increased through volume loading with saline infusions, the provocation of global myocardial ischemia by constriction of the left main coronary artery, and infusion of methoxamine. While left ventricular end-diastolic pressure increased substantially in the reclining conscious animals, the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter did not increase, suggesting a minimum role for the Frank-Starling mechanism in this case.

Boettcher, D. H.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Elasticity of excised dog lung parenchyma

An optical-electromechanical system is used to measure the force-deformation behavior of biaxially loaded rectangular slabs of excised dog lung parenchyma. In the course of the study, the effects of time, the consistency of reference lengths and areas, the presence of hysteresis, the necessity of preconditioning, the repeatability of results, the effects of lateral load, the effect of strain rate, the effect of pH, the influence of temperature, and the variations among specimens are considered. A new finding is that there is a change in elastic behavior when the tissue undergoes a compressive strain. When the tissue is in tension, increasing the lateral load decreases the compliance, whereas the opposite is true when compressive strain is present.

Vawter, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Effect of prolonged hypodynamia on certain physiological functions in dogs

The behavior of 20 dogs whose mobility was restricted was experimentally investigated. Their reactions to hypodynamia were either active behavior or progressive general depression and increased muscular weakness. Arterial pressure, pressor sinocarotid reflex valve, body weight, pulse rate, body temperature, and plasma cholinesterase activity were monitered for 28 days. Results are reported.

Yaremenko, B. R.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Mechanisms of water-salt metabolism disturbances in dogs subjected to six month hypokinesia

Water-salt metabolism in dogs during prolonged restricted motor activity (hypokinesia) was investigated. It was found that hydration occurred and fluid was redistributed between the extra- and intra-cellular sectors. Also, electrolyte excretion rose, and magnetism and calcium metabolism changed significantly. It is concluded that the forces caused by muscle strain proper (which was decreased under conditions of hypokinesia) influence the state of bone metabolism.

Korolkov, V. I.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Extracellular hyperosmolality and body temperature during physical exercise in dogs

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that thermoregulation during exercise can be affected by extracellular fluid hyperosmolality without changing the plasma Na(+) concentration. The effects of preexercise venous infusions of hypertonic mannitol and NaCl solutions on rectal temperature responses were compared in dogs running at moderate intensity for 60 min on a treadmill. Plasma Na(+) concentration was increased by 12 meq after NaCl infusion, and decreased by 9 meq after mannitol infusion. Both infusions increased plasma by 15 mosmol/kg. After both infusions, rectal temperature was essentially constant during 60 min rest. However, compared with the noninfusion exercise increase in osmolality of 1.3 C, rectal temperature increased by 1.9 C after both postinfusion exercise experiments. It was concluded that inducing extracellular hyperosmolality, without elevating plasma, can induce excessive increases in rectal temperature during exericse but not at rest.

Kozlowski, S.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Hypothalamic, rectal, and muscle temperatures in exercising dogs - Effect of cooling

An experimental investigation of the mechanisms of performance prolongation during exercise is presented. Measurements were obtained of the rectal, muscle, and hypothalamic temperature of dogs during treadmill exercise at an ambient temperature of 22 + or - 1 C, with and without cooling by use of ice packs. In comparison with exercise without cooling, exercise with cooling was found to: (1) increase exercise duration from 90 + or - 14 to 145 + or - 15 min; (2) attenuate increases in hypothalamic, rectal and muscle temperature; (3) decrease respiratory and heart rates; and (4) lower blood lactic acid content. It is shown that although significant differences were found between the brain, core, and muscle temperatures during exercise with and without cooling, an inverse relation was observed between muscle temperature and the total duration of exercise. It is suggested that sustained muscle hyperthermia may have contributed to the limitation of working ability in exercise with and without cooling.

Kruk, B.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Effect of lysophosphatidylcholine on the filtration coefficient in intact dog lungs

Lysophosphatidylcholine (lyso-Pc) is a lysophospholipid normally found in low concentrations in the lung. At high concentrations lyso-Pc, instilled into the airways, causes pulmonary edema. The hypothesis was tested that the edema caused by lyso-Pc was due to an increase in pulmonary microvascular membrane permeability. In 11 anesthetized dogs, the left lower lobes (LLL) were continuously weighed while lyso-Pc (20 mM) was instilled into the LLL airways. After 30 min, the microvascular membrane fluid filtration coefficient (Kf) was determined from the relationship between the rate of LLL weight gain and the pulmonary microvascular pressure. Kf was not significantly different between the lyso-Pc-treated lobes vs control lobes. The data do not support the hypothesis that lyso-Pc, instilled into the airways, causes an increase in pulmonary microvascular permeability.

Butler, B. D.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Muscle ultrastructural changes from exhaustive exercise performed after prolonged restricted activity and retraining in dogs

The effect of exhaustive treadmill exercise on ultrastructural changes in the quadriceps femoris muscle was studied in 7 normal, healthy dogs, before and after restricted activity (RA), and following a subsequent 2 month treadmill exercise retraining period for the 5 mo group. Mean time to exhaustion in the 2 mo group decreased from 177 + or - 22 min before to 90 + or - 32 min after RA. Retraining increased tolerance to 219 + or - 73 min; 24 pct. above the before RA and 143 pct. above the after RA time. After RA exhaustion time in the 5 mo group was 25 and 45 min. Before RA, pre-exercise muscle structure was normal and post exercise there was only slight swelling of mitochondria. After RA, pre-exercise, numerous glycogen granules and lipid droplets appeared in the muscle fibers, mitochondria were smaller, and sarcoplasmic reticulum channels widened; post exercise these changes were accentuated and some areas were devoid of glycogen, and there was fiber degradation. After 5 mo RA pre-exercise there were more pronounced changes; mitochondria were very small and dense, there were many lipid droplets, myofibrils were often separated, and the fibers appeared edematous and degenerating; post exercise the sarcoplasmic reticulum was swollen, no glycogen was present, and there was marked swelling and deformation of mitochondria. After retraining, both pre-exercise and post exercise there was still evidence of fiber degeneration. Thus, susceptibility of active skeletal muscle structures and subcellular elements, e.g., mitochondria, to the action of damaging factors occurring during exhaustive exercise is enhanced considerably by prolonged disuse.

Nazar, K.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Cardiopulmonary responses to acute hypoxia, head-down tilt and fluid loading in anesthetized dogs

Cardiopulmonary responses to acute hypoxia (HY), fluid loading by saline infusion (FL), and head-down tilt (HD) of mechanically ventilated anesthetized dogs were investigated by measuring thermodynamics and pulmonary gas exchange. It was found that HD decreased the total respiratory compliance both during HY and normoxia (NO) and that the reduction in compliance by FL was twice as large as by HD. Superimposing HD on HY doubled the increase in vascular resistance due to HY alone. In the systemic circulation, HD lowered the resistance to below NO levels. There was a significant positive correlation between the changes in blood volume and in pulmonary artery pressure for experimental transitions, suggesting that a shift in blood volume from systemic to pulmonary circulations and changes in the total blood volume may contribute substantially to these apparent changes in resistance.

Loeppky, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Exercise performance, core temperature, and metabolism after prolonged restricted activity and retraining in dogs

Physiological effects of restricted activity (RA) and subsequent retraining have been studied. Ten male mongrel dogs performed a submaximal exercise endurance test on a treadmill during kennel control, after 8 weeks of cage confinement and after eight weeks of retraining using the same treadmill protocol 1 h/d for 6 d/week. Data obtained show that RA reduces exercise endurance, the effectiveness of exercise thermoregulation, muscle glycogen stores, and the lipolytic response to exercise and to noradrenaline stimulation.

Nazar, K.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Muscle mitochondrial density after exhaustive exercise in dogs - Prolonged restricted activity and retraining

The effect of exhaustive treadmill exercise on mitochondrial density (MD) and ultrastructural changes in quadriceps femoris muscle was studied in 7 normal, healthy, male mongrel dogs before and after restricted activity (RA) and following a subsequent 2-month exercise retraining period. Mean time to exhaustion in the 2-month group decreased from 177 +/- 11 min before to 90 +/- 16 min after RA; retraining increased tolerance to 219 +/- 36 min above the pre-RA and 143 percent above the post-RA time. Post-RA exhaustion time in the 5-months group was 25 and 45 min. Muscle samples taken after RA showed abnormalities indicative of degeneration, which were reversed by retraining. Resting MD decreased from a control level of 27.8 percent to 14.7 percent and 16.3 percent, and was restored to 27.1 percent after retraining. Exhaustive exercise caused an increase in MD under control conditions and after RA, but not following retraining. Disruption of mitochondria after exercise was evident after 5-month confinement. Factors causing mitochondrial changes and eventually their disruption during exercise after restricted activity are not related as much to the state of fatigue as to the pre-exercise quality of the muscle modified by disease or training.

Nazar, K.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Small Dog-Like Quadruped Robot Powered With McKibben Air Muscles

Planetary surface robotic exploration is typically done by wheeled robots, which are limited to traveling on relatively flat terrain. The goal of this project was to design a bio-inspired robot to mimic the movements and agility of animals to navigate in various types of natural terrain, such as found on Mars. My objective for the summer was to design and construct a quadruped robot with a locomotion gait similar to a small dog. The design includes four legs and an actuated flexible spine for added mobility and performance; each leg has three joints - hip, knee, and ankle. I created 3D CAD models and machined the pieces for the assemblies of each part. One of the key areas of concern is weight vs. power issues for the driving force of locomotion. To maximize the power-to-weight ratio, I used McKibben air muscles to drive the motion of the quadruped. The prototype went through several iterations to analyze performance, with adjustments made to each assembly. We expect the final working prototype will be capable of standing unassisted and pronking into the air without active control. It will serve as a research platform for future bio-inspired control algorithms.

Lacy, John M.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Role of O2 in regulating tissue respiration in dog muscle working in situ

This study was designed to investigate the role of tissue oxygenation in some of the factors that are thought to regulate muscle respiration and metabolism. Tissue oxygenation was altered by reductions in O2 delivery (muscle blood flow x arterial O2 content), induced by decreases in arterial PO2 (PaO2). O2 uptake (VO2) was measured in isolated in situ canine gastrocnemius at rest and while working at two stimulation intensities (isometric tetanic contractions at 0.5 and 1 contractions/s) on three separate occasions, with only the level of PaO2 (78, 30, and 21 Torr) being different for each occasion. Muscle blood flow was held constant (pump perfusion) at each work intensity for the three different levels of PaO2. Muscle biopsies were obtained at the end of each rest and work period. Muscle VO2 was significantly less (P less than 0.05) at both stimulation intensities for the hypoxemic conditions, whereas [ATP] was reduced only during the highest work intensity during both hypoxemic conditions (31% reduction at 21 Torr PaO2 and 17% at 30 Torr). For each level of PaO2, the relationships between the changes that occurred in VO2 and levels of phosphocreatine, ADP, and ATP/ADP.P(i) as the stimulation intensity was increased were significantly correlated; however, the slopes and intercepts of these lines were significantly different for each PaO2. Thus a greater change in any of the proposed regulators of tissue respiration (e.g., phosphocreatine, ADP) was required to achieve a given VO2 as PaO2 was decreased.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS).

NASA Discipline Musculoskeletal↗