Assessing Airway Resistance Using Plethysmography as Lung Function Testing Among Asymptomatic Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients.

Pulmonary events in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) reflects the involvement of pleurae, lung interstitium, and airways. Overall, pulmonary manifestations are estimated to cause 10–20% of mortalities in RA. Respiratory system involvement as extra-articular presentations of RA is common among some Saudi patients. This study aims to evaluate specific airway conductance (sGaw), airway resistance (Raw), and specific airway resistance (sRaw), using plethysmography. Comparison for deployed methods is made by forced spirometer as an indicator for obstruction among patients with RA. The study sought to use the methods to enhance lung testing among RA patients. An analytical, hospital-based study was carried out at pulmonary function test laboratory, department of respiratory care King Saud Medical City (KSMC). RA patients were selected, with an age group of 18-75years. The tests for Forced spirometer and plethysmography were carried out to assess and analyze how the respiratory mechanism was impacted by the disease. Data collected was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 21. The obstructive and mixed ventilation patterns constituted 15%; the mean values of Raw and sRaw were significantly higher compared to mean values predicted for participants selected during the study, while sGaw was significantly lower compared to mean values predicted for participants selected. Monitoring of airway resistance parameters using plethysmography can be used as indicators of lung function testing among RA patients.

Conductive Hearing Loss: A Case Report

In this case report, osteopathic manipulative treatment restored hearing to an 8-year-old female suffering from conductive hearing loss. Numerous factors can result in hearing loss. In children and adolescents, mild or greater hearing loss occurs with a prevalence of 3.1%.1 Current osteopathic literature focuses on conductive hearing loss due to middle ear effusion (MEE).This case report examines an 8-year-old female presumed to have permanent conductive hearing loss without MEE after a traumatic ATV accident. The use of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) resulted in complete resolution of the patient’s conductive hearing loss. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first case report documenting the successful use of OMT to treat conductive hearing loss without MEE. Being able to recognize and understand the connection between the primary respiratory mechanism (PRM), which includes the cranial bones and nerves, allows an osteopathic physician to provide a unique approach to patient care and the use of OMT as a treatment modality for conductive hearing loss should be considered.

Physiological response to thermal stress in hair-sheep ewes during subtropical summer

With the aim to assess the effect of short-term thermal stress on physiological traits of ewes an experiment was designed. Fourteen hair sheep ewes were selected during early reproductive management and randomly segregated in two groups. Control group (CG) with indoor conditions, and an experimental group (EG) under continuous outdoor conditions without shadow accessing during 14 days (d). Respiratory frequency (RF), rectal temperature (RT) and infrared image temperatures were estimated. Traits were measured for 8 d twice a d (9:00 am and 15:00 pm). Environmental temperature and humidity were monitored, and temperature and humidity index was estimated. All physiological and environmental traits showed significantly variation by group and time of measurement (P < 0.001). RT and RF were significantly higher for EG and during pm measurements. Environmental conditions indicated thermal stress conditions for outdoor EG during the afternoon was related ultimately with respiratory mechanism as the main indicator of continuous thermal stress. Head infrared image temperature was a good predictor of body temperature.

Respiratory faculties of aquatic craniotes

This chapter introduces the ‘who has what’ in terms of water-breathing respiratory faculties for craniotes. A branchial basket and a ventral heart or hearts that perfuse the branchial region with deoxygenated internal fluid is part of the bauplan of all chordates, including craniotes. Cilia ventilate the branchial region of extant non-craniote chordates, which are also predominantly sessile or planktonic filter feeders. In craniotes, the gills are the main gas exchange organs. They are ventilated by muscular activity and perfused with blood that contains haemoglobin in erythrocytes and flows in the opposite direction to the ventilated water (counter-current model). In spite of major differences in the structure of gills and the ventilatory apparatus among jawless craniotes, cartilaginous fish, and bony fish, the basic push–pull, constant, unidirectional flow respiratory mechanism remains unchanged (of course, with a few notable exceptions). In addition, both the blood and the structure of the gills may reflect adaptations of the respiratory faculty to habitual living conditions.

Sulfate Assimilation Mediates Tellurite Reduction and Toxicity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

ABSTRACT Despite a century of research and increasing environmental and human health concerns, the mechanistic basis of the toxicity of derivatives of the metalloid tellurium, Te, in particular the oxyanion tellurite, Te(IV), remains unsolved. Here, we provide an unbiased view of the mechanisms of tellurium metabolism in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by measuring deviations in Te-related traits of a complete collection of gene knockout mutants. Reduction of Te(IV) and intracellular accumulation as metallic tellurium strongly correlated with loss of cellular fitness, suggesting that Te(IV) reduction and toxicity are causally linked. The sulfate assimilation pathway upstream of Met17, in particular, the sulfite reductase and its cofactor siroheme, was shown to be central to tellurite toxicity and its reduction to elemental tellurium. Gene knockout mutants with altered Te(IV) tolerance also showed a similar deviation in tolerance to both selenite and, interestingly, selenomethionine, suggesting that the toxicity of these agents stems from a common mechanism. We also show that Te(IV) reduction and toxicity in yeast is partially mediated via a mitochondrial respiratory mechanism that does not encompass the generation of substantial oxidative stress. The results reported here represent a robust base from which to attack the mechanistic details of Te(IV) toxicity and reduction in a eukaryotic organism.