Pulmonary toxicity of aerosolized oil-formulated fenitrothion in rats.

To evaluate the potential risk of pulmonary damage due to aerial spraying of the insecticide fenitrothion, rat lungs were examined under light and electron microscopy at 3, 7, 21, and 60 days after exposure. Rats were exposed by a "nose-only" apparatus for 1 hr to 2 or 500 mg/m3 of aerosolized fenitrothion (15%) mixed with solvent Cyclosol 63 (35%) and diluent oil 585 (50%). Aerosol size particles were monitored by a light scattering apparatus.

[Secretion of two different monokines. Effect of TPA and silica].

IL 1 can be released from P388D1 cells; addition of TPA increases the level of mitogenic activity but an analysis of the phenomenon shows that this increase is not due to a higher level of IL1 secretion but rather to a comitogenic activity that develops upon incubation of TPA in foetal Calf serum containing media. In contrast, addition of silica enhances the release of IL1. Murine peritoneal macrophages produce a monokine (FRM) with macrophage replacing activity for the in vitro antibody production against SRBC.

Retention of pollen grains in human lung.

The possibility of the penetration of pollen grains into the tracheobronchial tree is still a controversial question. To investigate this phenomenon further two different approaches were conducted: 1) Acetolysis (acidic degradation of organic constituents) of mucosal samples from different levels of the pig respiratory tract showed that specific (plane tree) inhaled pollens were not found beyond the main bronchi. 2) In contrast, a noticeable number of pollens were present in acetolyzed residues of lung surgical samples; this was shown to be due to contamination.