This proof-of-principle study demonstrates the feasibility of ex vivo hp 83Kr magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of lungs using natural abundance krypton gas (11.5% 83Kr) and excised, but otherwise intact, rat lungs located within a custom designed ventilation chamber.
The phosphine generation protocol, which includes the use of a custom designed containment chamber, allows for safe generation of phosphine gas within a laboratory environment.
Twenty-eight juvenile Sprague-Dawley rats weighing between 100 and 150 g were deeply anaesthetized with isoflurane (5% in oxygen) delivered via a vaporizer (Fluotec 3) in a custom designed induction chamber until breathing ceased and a complete loss of withdrawal to forepaw pinch was observed.
We studied the effects of exposure on DNA and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in A549 cells, exposed to various concentrations of benzene (0.03; 0.1; 0.3 ppm) in gaseous form using a custom designed cell exposure chamber.
To achieve this, reconstituted fresh human blood with hemoglobin-depleted red blood cells (to achieve optical clarity while maintaining relevant rheology), long working optics, and a custom designed parallel plate flow chamber were employed.
Using a custom designed hagfish compartmentalizing flux chamber, we partitioned flux of net acid or base equivalents and ammonia into the anterior (gill + skin) and posterior (skin + intestinal/renal/cloacal) components.
The cranial headpost and recording chamber were custom designed for each animal based on the high resolution MR scans collected using a 4.7 Tesla scanner (Biospec 47/40c; Bruker Medical), while the animal was under general anesthesia.
To minimize radio-frequency (RF) and electro-magnetic interference (EMI), the experiments were conducted within a custom designed RF/EMI and acoustically shielded chamber.
The complete flow system consists of a rectangular flow chamber directly connected to custom designed electronic injectors.
The recording chamber was illuminated with a custom designed IR LED source (Infrared 850 nm 5050 LED Strip Light, Environmental Lights, San Diego, CA, USA).
