On-line data acquisition and control in a physiology laboratory

Area of Science:

• Comparative physiology
• Respiratory system research
• Animal model development

Background:

• Pulmonary function testing is crucial for respiratory research.
• Standardized methods for animal pulmonary function are needed.
• Existing human pulmonary function tests provide a benchmark.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a system for estimating laboratory animal pulmonary function.
• To enable the acquisition and control of respiratory data in animals.
• To allow for the estimation of respiratory parameters analogous to human studies.

Main Methods:

• Development of a software suite for pulmonary function analysis.
• Implementation of a Hewlett-Packard (HP) 1000-F minicomputer for data acquisition and control.
• Adaptation of established pulmonary function testing protocols for animal models.

Main Results:

• A functional system for estimating animal pulmonary function was established.
• The system successfully acquired and controlled respiratory data.
• Key respiratory parameters could be estimated with accuracy comparable to human studies.

Conclusions:

• The described system provides a valuable tool for animal pulmonary function research.
• This methodology facilitates comparative studies between animal and human respiratory physiology.
• The system enhances the utility of animal models in respiratory disease research.