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Biomedical subjects

C S Lessard

Publications and source records attributed to C S Lessard.

20 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Application of phonocardiography for detecting hypoxia-induced cardiovascular adaptation in the chicken.

Phonocardiography was evaluated as a noninvasive technique for diagnosis of cardiovascular adaptation and disease in broiler chickens. Heart sounds (HSs) were compared in a fast-growing (FG) commercial broiler line that is highly susceptible to chronic right heart failure resulting from pulmonary hypertension syndrome (PHS) and in a non-selected slow-growing (SG) broiler line that is resistant to PHS. HSs were analyzed in broilers reared in hypobaric hypoxia (HYP) and normobaric (CON) conditions. PHS was induced by a combination of embryonic hypoxia and HYP exposure. HSs were recorded with a microphone placed at the thoracic inlet of each chicken. Electrocardiograms were used to mark the sampling interval for the first, second, and total HS. Digitized HS signals were analyzed for peak frequency, mean peak frequency, and band width. Birds were examined for PHS lesions when 6 wk of age, at the end of each experiment. HSs were compared by line and treatment (Experiment 1) or by treatment and week (Experiment 2). In addition, HS frequencies were analyzed within the HYP treatment group for differences between birds with severe or no gross PHS lesions. HS frequencies generally decreased with age and were also lower in the FG than the SG line. Hypobaric exposure decreased all HS frequencies in the SG line and components of the first HSs in the FG line. The SG line did not develop gross lesions of PHS. In the FG line, significant differences in HS frequencies were observed between HYP and CON groups but not between PHS- and PHS+ broilers. Frequency changes described in humans with PHS were not observed. Further development to maximize the resolution of the HS waveforms and improved matching of the sampling interval to the electrical or hemodynamic output of the chicken heart may allow its use as a diagnostic tool for differentiating broilers with normal cardiac function or physiologic adaptation from those with cardiovascular disease.

Acclimatization↗

Comparison of optokinetic scene effects on the somatogyral illusion.

The objective of this study was to determine during rotation the relative importance of a scene in achieving "visual dominance" over non-visual vestibular orientation inputs, e.g., otolith and semicircular canals. Five visual scenes were presented, while rotating the subject (at three angular acceleration rates), to obtain the vestibular and optokinetic nystagmus and perception of rotation. The onset time and direction of rotation, as well as EOG and chair velocity were recorded. Adaptation times during rotation at constant angular velocity and during post-rotation were also recorded. Analysis of perceived times (onset, adaptation, and post-rotatory adaptation) with the EOG slow-phase velocity at respectively perceived times were analyzed using the SAS procedures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and General Linear Models (GLM). Basic hypotheses for the study were: "There are no differences in latencies for either onset time (L1), adaptation to rotation (L2), or adaptation to post rotatory motion (L4), between treatment conditions, or between Groups of subjects, or between acceleration rates, between constant rotation velocities, or between direction of rotation." From the results, it was concluded that pilots are highly visually dependent; additionally, if there is a sensory conflict, a larger percentage of individuals (pilots) will follow visual perceptions even if the demands of the aerial environment and our perception is incorrect. However, in sensory conflict conditions, with degraded visual scene individuals including pilots will revert to vestibular perception rather than visual perception (less visually coupled), approaching percentages as noted with a dark environment.

Acceleration↗