BACKGROUND The diaphragm is resistant to competitive neuromuscular blocking agents. Because of the competitive mechanism of action of tubocurarine, the rate of hydrolysis of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction may modulate its neuromuscular blocking effect. The authors compared the neuromuscular blocking effect of tubocurarine on isolated diaphragm and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) mu...

Accurate determination of the pull-in, or the collapse voltage is critical in the design process. In this paper an analytical method is presented that provides a more accurate determination of the pull-in voltage for MEMS capacitive devices with clamped square diaphragm. The method incorporates both the linearized modle of the electrostatic force and the nonlinear deflection model of a clamped ...

Catha edulis is an evergreen tree with psychotropic effects. The present work was conducted to evaluate the possible effects of the ethanolic extracts of Catha edulis leaves (ECE) on the electrical activity of 4 areas in the brain of male rabbits. Forty male rabbits weighting 2200-2500 g were divided into 4 groups. The electrical activity of motor, somato–sensory, occipital, and auditory ...

BACKGROUND The role of the crural diaphragm during increased intra-abdominal pressure is not exactly known. We investigated the hypothesis that the crural diaphragm undergoes reflex phasic contraction on elevation of the intra-abdominal pressure with a resulting increase of the lower esophageal pressure and prevention of gastro-esophageal reflux. METHODS The esophageal pressure and crural dia...

  Clonidine, an α2-adrenergic receptor agonist not only induces analgesia but also prolongs the effects of local anesthetic substances. In the present study the effects of clonidine on spontaneous and formalin-induced electrical activity from dorsal skin nerve were investigated. The results showed that clonidine (0.5 mM) decreased the formalin effect on electrical nerve activity whereas clonidi...

Background. The role of the crural diaphragm during increased intra-abdominal pressure is not exactly known. We investigated the hypothesis that the crural diaphragm undergoes reflex phasic contraction on elevation of the intra-abdominal pressure with a resulting increase of the lower esophageal pressure and prevention of gastro-esophageal reflux. Methods. The esophageal pressure and crural dia...

Navarrete-Opazo A, Mitchell GS. Recruitment and plasticity in diaphragm, intercostal, and abdominal muscles in unanesthetized rats. J Appl Physiol 117: 180–188, 2014. First published May 15, 2014; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00130.2014.—Although rats are a frequent model for studies of plasticity in respiratory motor control, the relative capacity of rat accessory respiratory muscles to express pl...