Mechanical ventilation with 40% oxygen reduces pulmonary expression of genes that regulate lung development and impairs alveolar septation in newborn mice. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 293: , 2007. First published August 17, 2007; - Mechanical ventilation (MV) with O(2)-rich gas offers life-saving treatment for extremely premature infants with respiratory failure but often leads to neonatal chronic lung disease (CLD), characterized by defective formation of alveoli and blood vessels in the developing lung. We discovered that MV of 2- to 4-day-old mice with 40% O(2) for 8 h, compared with unventilated control pups, reduced lung expression of genes that regulate lung septation and angiogenesis (VEGF-A and its receptor, VEGF-R2; PDGF-A; and tenascin-C). MV with air for 8 h yielded similar results for PDGF-A and tenascin-C but did not alter lung mRNA expression of VEGF or VEGF-R2. MV of 4- to 6-day-old mice with 40% O(2) for 24 h reduced lung protein abundance of VEGF-A, VEGF-R2, PDGF-A, and tenascin-C and resulted in lung structural abnormalities consistent with evolving CLD. After MV with 40% O(2) for 24 h, lung volume was similar to unventilated controls, whereas distal air space size, assessed morphometrically, was greater in lungs of ventilated pups, indicative of impaired septation. Immunostaining for vimentin, which is expressed in myofibroblasts, was reduced in distal lung after 24 h of MV with 40% O(2). These molecular, cellular, and structural changes occurred without detectable lung inflammation as evaluated by histology and assays for proinflammatory cytokines, myeloperoxidase activity, and water content in lung. Thus lengthy MV of newborn mice with O(2)-rich gas reduces lung expression of genes and proteins that are critical for normal lung growth and development. These changes yielded lung structural defects similar to those observed in evolving CLD.

We have measured the transition temperature T , upper cr?tical field H 2(T) and the resistivity ab&e Tc , PT, , for thin fifms of electron beam co-evaporated Nb-Sn which were deposited as Nb3Sn at various substrate temperatures, or off-stoichiometry, or with tertiary additions of A1 or Zr. The T and Hc2 correlate with the resistivity, no matt& how the materials were made. A maximum H 2(0) of about 300 kOe pccurs when P ' I , 30 VR-cm and tge corresponding Tc ' I , 1 6 K; a d C Hc2 shows no sign of Pauli limiting.

The results of coating capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) arrays with two different biocompatible materials, parylene-c and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), are reported. These materials were characterized for use with CMUTs to enable direct contact transcutaneous and in vivo imaging. A passivation coating is required to provide electrical isolation to the active areas of the device and to protect it from a corrosive environment. It must also provide good mechanical characteristics to void imaging artifacts. The coated devices were compared side by side with uncoated devices for testing in air. The resonant frequency, collapse voltage and crosstalk were sampled. Parylene coated CMUTs were also tested underwater using pulse excitation. The parylene coating provided electrical insulation to the aqueous solution for 14 days. Both coatings showed a decrease in device resonant frequency and an increase in collapse voltage, as expected from the proposed theory.

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