title: Fractal analysis of lung alveoli during the acute phase vs. repair phase of an adenoviral infection in canines.
abstract: Acute viral respiratory infections are commonly associated with alterations in lung growth. Recently, fractal techniques have been demonstrated to show changes in alveolar perimeter after canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV2) infection in a beagle puppy model. In the present study, we investigated whether the fractal dimension (Df) of the alveolar perimeter was changed in the acute phase (2-3 weeks after inoculation, 131d CAV2 group) or during the recovery phase (approximately 22 weeks after inoculation, 235d CAV2 group) after a single bout of CAV2. There were sham CAV2 groups, 130d and 238d controls, corresponding to the CAV2 groups. The Df of alveolar perimeter length was significantly increased in the 235d CAV2 puppies compared to all of the other beagle puppy groups. On the other hand, the fractal dimensions for alveolar perimeter length for the other beagle puppy groups were very similar. In a related human study of patients (age range of 25 h to 19 y, N = 11), who died of non-respiratory causes, showed no consistent change in Df of alveolar perimeter length with normal lung growth and development. We conclude that fractal analysis of alveolar perimeter length can be used as an index of permanent lung injury after insult to the growing lungs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson 85724, USA.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Tinajero
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Robledo
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Lantz
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Sobonya
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Lemen
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Tollinger
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Witten
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000257:Adenoviridae Infections / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006516:Adenoviruses, Canine / Q000502:physiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001344:Autopsy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003289:Convalescence; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D017709:Fractals; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology* / Q000648:ultrastructure / Q000821:virology