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Biomedical subjects

M L Gray

Publications and source records attributed to M L Gray.

49 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Kinetics of the chondrocyte biosynthetic response to compressive load and release.

To gain insight regarding the rate at which cartilage tissue can sense and respond to a dynamic mechanical stimulus, we have examined the time-course of changes in biosynthetic activity following both the application and release of a static compressive stress. Cartilage harvested from the reserve zone of calf epiphyseal plate was subjected to unconfined static compressive stresses of 0, 0.25 and 0.5 MPa. Incorporation of [35S]sulfate and [3H]proline was measured during loading periods of less than 1 to 26 h and after preloading periods of 0.5, 2 or 12 h. During loading, total incorporation decreased to steady levels with time constants estimated to be 0.25-4 h (proline) and 1-5 h (sulfate). Proline incorporation exceeded control levels for 3 h after release of a 2 or 12 h preload. Sulfate incorporation remained depressed for at least 4 h after release of a 12 h preload and remained at control levels following release of 0.5 and 2 h preloads. We conclude that the modulation of proline incorporation by both loading and load release is faster than the modulation of sulfate incorporation. Furthermore, the response to unloading is not just the inverse of the response to loading; this nonlinearity suggests that the response to dynamic loading would not be determined simply by the time average component of the dynamic load.

Animals↗

Dissociation of item and order memory following parietal cortex lesions in the rat.

Rats with parietal cortex lesions were tested for both item and order memory for a list of spatial events in a probe recognition procedure. Rats with parietal cortex lesions were impaired for all events within the item memory task but had good memory for the early events within the order memory task. These data suggest a dissociation of function between item and order memory for parietal cortex damaged animals. In conjunction with previous findings with rats with medial prefrontal cortex lesions, these data suggest that item and order memory can be coded and represented independently.

Animals↗

Mechanical and physiochemical determinants of the chondrocyte biosynthetic response.

The relation between mechanical loading of cartilage and chondrocyte activity in vivo may be mediated by several physical transduction mechanisms including: cell deformation, hydrostatic pressure gradients, fluid flow, streaming currents, and physicochemical changes. We have developed an organ culture system designed to study chondrocyte biosynthetic response to such physical stimuli. This study focuses on the effects of static compression and physicochemical changes. Cartilage disks harvested from the reserve zone of the epiphyseal plate of 1-2-week-old calves were subjected to static compressive stresses of 0-3 MPa in unconfined compression and the incorporation of [35S]sulfate and [3H]proline was measured during the 12-h loading period. Incorporation of both proline and sulfate decreased monotonically with increasing stress. Compressive loading also produces physicochemical changes including a decreased water content and increased matrix fixed-charge density, with a concomitant increase in interstitial counterion concentrations (e.g., K+, H+) and decreased coion concentrations (e.g., SO4(2-). We therefore examined the possibility that specific changes in interstitial mobile ion concentrations may be linked to chondrocyte response to static compression by measuring biosynthesis in the absence of mechanical compression while independently altering the SO4(2-), K+, and H+ composition of the bathing medium. We found that proline and sulfate incorporation were strongly dependent on pH, but independent of [SO4(2-)] and [K+] in the range studied. These results suggest that compression-induced changes in local, interstitial pH may account for the observed biosynthetic response to static compression.

Animals↗

A new method for cell volume measurement based on volume exclusion of a fluorescent dye.

Several methods currently in use for measuring mean corpuscular volume include: centrifuged packed cell volume, electronic impedance, and light scattering methods. Although these techniques are widely used and accepted, there are problems inherent to each method which may produce systematic errors that are difficult to estimate. This paper describes a new flow cytometric method of cell volume determination, based on the principle of volume exclusion, which may overcome the systematic errors of the methods currently in use. This method requires that the cells be suspended in a fluorescent dye which is unable to penetrate the cell membrane. The level of fluorescence which is produced when a narrow stream of the cell suspension is excited by a focused laser beam will remain constant until a cell arrives in the illuminated region thereby causing a decrease in fluorescence which is directly proportional to the cell's volume. The volume exclusion method is shown to give an estimate of mean red cell volume which correlates well with existing methods.

Dextrans↗

Gallbladder mucocele causing biliary obstruction in two dogs: ultrasonographic, scintigraphic, and pathological findings.

Two dogs were found to have intraluminal gallbladder masses which caused partial or complete extrahepatic biliary obstruction. On histological examination, the gallbladder masses were confirmed to be mucoceles. Gallbladder mucoceles are rare in humans and previously have been described only after gallbladder rupture in two dogs. In the dogs of this report, the biliary obstruction was relieved by cholecystectomy. Each dog also had histological evidence of chronic liver disease with intrahepatic cholestasis. The clinical diagnosis of biliary obstruction was based on scintigraphic and sonographic findings which will be discussed and compared with other hepatobiliary diseases.

Animals↗

Microsporidiosis in a young ostrich (Struthio camelus).

Microsporidia are obligate, intracellular, protozoan parasites of a wide variety of vertebrates and invertebrates. Confirmed reports of microsporidial infection of avian species are few (lovebirds, a parrot, and a group of budgerigar chicks). At slaughter, a 14-mo-old ostrich was found to have small intestinal serosal hemorrhages during postmortem inspection. Histologic examination of the small intestine revealed a chronic lymphoplasmacytic to purulent enteritis with mucosal hyperplasia, muscular hypertrophy, and numerous microsporidia that were located within the superficial enterocytes and the lamina propria. Microsporidia have a ubiquitous distribution in nature and are suspected as possible zoonotic agents.

Animals↗