Evaluation of alveolar clearance by Tc-99m DTPA radioaerosol inhalation scintigraphy in welders.

Objectives: The welding process produces metal fumes and gases which may affect respiratory health. Technetium-99m diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Tc-99m DTPA) dynamic lung scanning is an easy, noninvasive method to assess disorders of alveolar-capillary barrier permeability secondary to epithelial damage. We aimed to investigate the alveolar clearance by Tc-99m DTPA radioaerosol inhalation scintigraphy in welders, to assess additive effects of exposure to welding fumes and cigarette smoking on clearance rate of alveolar epithelium and to determine the correlation between Tc-99m DTPA aerosol lung scintigraphy and spirometric measurements.

Prevalence of sleep apnoea in patients undergoing operation.

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is defined as episodes of obstructive apnoeas and hypopnoeas during sleep with daytime somnolence. The gold standard in diagnostic tool patients with these symptoms is polisomnography. The goals of this study were to determine the frequency of OSA symptoms and the prevalence of OSA in patients undergoing operation.

Effects of melatonin on the oxidant/antioxidant status and lung histopathology in rabbits exposed to cigarette smoke.

Objectives And Background: To evaluate the effects of cigarette smoking on the histopathology and the oxidant/antioxidant status of the lungs and to test the potential antioxidant benefits of melatonin on these induced changes.

Methodology: Rabbits were exposed to cigarette smoke in a glass chamber for 1 h daily for 1 month with or without intraperitoneal melatonin injection. A melatonin control group was given intraperitoneal melatonin only.

Assessment of indoor air fungi in Western-Anatolia, Turkey.

This study was conducted to determine fungal spores in the indoor air of the houses in the city of Afyon, Western-Anatolia, Turkey. We investigated the seasonal properties of mould spores in 10 houses of Afyon over a period of one year. Viable moulds were recovered from all 10 houses.

Oxidant-antioxidant status and pulmonary function in welding workers.

Welding is a process during which fumes, gases, electromagnetic radiation and noise are emitted as by-products. Metal oxide particles are particularly hazardous components of welding fumes. Welding has been found to be associated with respiratory symptoms and our objective in the present study was to study the effects of welding on pulmonary function and serum oxidant-antioxidant status.