Elemental carbon and respirable particulate matter in the indoor air of apartments and nursery schools and ambient air in Berlin (Germany).

Unlabelled: This study was performed to examine exposure to typical carcinogenic traffic air pollutants in the city center of an urban area. In all, 123 apartments and 74 nursery schools were analyzed with and without tobacco smoke interference and the households in two measuring periods. Simultaneously, the air outside 61 apartment windows as well as the average daily traffic volume were measured.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons inside and outside of apartments in an urban area.

In the context of environmental monitoring in Berlin polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in air and household dust were measured inside 123 residences (and simultaneously in a sub group in the air outside the windows). The aim of this study was to determine exposure to PAHs in the environment influencing by several factors, for instance, motor vehicle traffic in a populous urban area. Indoor air samplings were carried out in two periods (winter and spring/summer) in smokers and non-smokers apartments.

Occurrence of phthalates and musk fragrances in indoor air and dust from apartments and kindergartens in Berlin (Germany).

Unlabelled: In this study, the occurrence of persistent environmental contaminants room air samples from 59 apartments and 74 kindergartens in Berlin were tested in 2000 and 2001 for the presence of phthalates and musk fragrances (polycyclic musks in particular). These substances were also measured in household dust from 30 apartments. The aim of the study was to measure exposure levels in typical central borough apartments, kindergartens and estimate their effects on health.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and diesel engine emission (elemental carbon) inside a car and a subway train.

Significant concentrations of potentially harmful substances can be present in the interior of vehicles. The main sources of PAHs and elemental carbon (EC) inside a car are likely to be combustion emissions, especially from coal and traffic. The same sources can also be important for the interior of a subway train for which there are specific sources in the tunnel system, for example diesel engines.

[Exposure of the population to volatile organic compounds inside an automobile and a subway train].

Air quality, in particular in urban regions, is affected by the emissions of the traffic and meanwhile for some substances motor vehicles became the dominating source. For valid quantitative risk assessment of the general population it is necessary to have informations about the main routes of exposure. Therefore in a pilot study 1994 and two times in summer 1995 and winter 1996 aromatic hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) were determined under different meteorologic conditions inside of a car (a two year old VW-Golf with a three-way catalyst) and in a subway-train.

Effects of ligustrazine on the pressure/flow relationship in isolated perfused rat lungs.

Ligustrazine, the synthesized principle of a Chinese herbal remedy shown previously to be a pulmonary vasodilator, was tested in chronically hypoxic and normal rats. Pressure/flow, (P/Q), relations were measured in isolated perfused lungs during normoxia, hypoxia and after reversal of hypoxic vasoconstriction by increasing doses of ligustrazine. P/Q lines were linear over a wide range and extrapolation to the pressure axis gave an intercept which was the effective downstream pressure for flow.

[Effects of the PAF antagonist WEB 2086 on hypoxia and angiotensin II-induced pulmonary vasoconstriction in the isolated perfused rat lung].

Using isolated blood-perfused lung preparations of rats, we tested the influence of the PAF antagonist WEB 2086 on vasoconstriction triggered by hypoxia or angiotensin II (A II). If a constant flow was pre-set, changes in the prepulmonarily measured pressure were directly related to the changes of resistance in the pulmonary flow. WEB 2086 reduced the hypoxically conditioned vasoconstriction (HPV) when using blood as perfusion medium, the effect being dependent on the dose (ED50 = 127.

The influence of intratracheal saline upon the dynamic lung-thorax compliance of premature newborn rabbits.

A modern therapy for the respiratory distress syndrome in neonates is the substitution of alveolar surfactant. Supplementary surfactant has to be applied to the lung via an aqueous emulsion. To estimate the effects of fluids instilled into the lungs a total of 144 premature newborn rabbits were used.

[A standardized in vivo model for determining the effectiveness of surfactant preparations].

The premature rabbit neonate of the 27th day of gestation is a useful model for testing intratracheally applied surfactant preparations. Immediately after application of an effective surfactant the thorax lung compliance--as the decisive measure--rises significantly. We could exclude effects of the applied fluid per se.

[Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction following lung damage by xanthine oxidase--studies in rats].

The main reason for an insufficient oxygenation of the arterial blood during acute lung injury should be an increased shunt fraction. The aim of this study was to check if in this connection the magnitude of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction is reduced--a fact, which could be causal involved in the arising of increased shunt fraction. 21 male rats were anaesthetized (pentobarbitone) and ventilated artificially (F1O2 = 0.

[Experiences with the use of oscillating high frequency ventilation].

Our investigations have demonstrated that the effect of oscillatory high-frequency ventilation (HFO) on gas exchange in dogs is directly proportional to the oscillatory flow amplitude VM. Because of the equation: VM = PM/Z, gas exchange is increasing with rising oscillatory amplitude of the ventilation pressure PM and decreasing with rising impedance Z of the respiratory system. This system consists of endotracheal tube and the lungs of the dog investigated.

The influence of hypoxia and hyperoxia during metabolic acidosis and alkalosis on pulmonary haemodynamics.

In anaesthetised, mechanically ventilated Beagle dogs a moderate metabolic acidosis increased the pulmonary vascular resistance to a greater extent than moderate hypoxia. Alkalosis and hyperoxia did not alter the pulmonary vascular tone.

[Equipment combination for the use of normal frequency and high frequency jet ventilation].

Over the last eight years high-frequency ventilation has been extensively evaluated both in the clinical and laboratory settings. Two types of jet ventilators for application of normofrequency and high-frequency jet ventilation have been developed. A combined equipment is described with gas mixer, heater-humidifier, monitoring, membrane solenoid valve and a special injection system.

[A model of the isolated blood perfused lung of rats in testing hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction].

Comparing two variants of models (in situ, ex situ) of the isolated blood-perfused rat lung for measurement of the hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction the in situ preparation gave better results. The optimal severity of hypoxia was 2% O2 in intervals (hypoxia and normoxia, respectively) of seven minutes. The model works sufficiently for two hours.

Increase of the oxygenation and decrease of the intrapulmonary peak pressure at constant mean airway pressure using high-frequency jet ventilation in adult rabbits with lavage-induced severe respiratory distress syndrome compared to conventional mechanical ventilation.

Reports are contradictory about the value of high-frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) in the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) [10, 11, 18 - 1, 2, 22, 25]. In a preliminary study on rabbits with healthy as well as surfactant deficient lungs, caused by lung lavage, at a constant mean airway pressure (MAP) and 20% inspiration time, the influence of the jet ventilation frequencies of 1, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 Hz (cycles per second) on the pressure oscillations along the airways as well as on blood gas and cardiac parameters were investigated. It was presumed that the breathing level, e.

[Animal experiment studies of morphologic changes in the trachea and lung in high frequency ventilation].

Prolonged high frequency ventilation (24 hrs) in dogs leads to morphological changes in the trachea as well as in the bronchi. Erosive changes of tracheal epithelium were observed whereas small bronchi and bronchioli exhibited luminal obstructions by mucus plugs, caused by hypersecretion of goblet cells. Using histochemical methods degenerative changes of bronchiolar epithelium were observed.

Respiratory failure caused by intratracheal saline: additive effect of xanthine oxidase.

Administration of physiological saline or drugs together with saline into the airways is becoming common clinical practice. However, there are few studies on possible side effects. We have studied the effects of saline, saline plus xanthine oxidase, and saline plus xanthine oxidase plus superoxidase dismutase on lung-thorax compliance and on arterial blood gases in anesthetized, paralyzed guinea pigs, ventilated for 2.

[Studies of lung damage by paraquat. 2. Effect of vitamin E on acute lung damage caused by paraquat].

Acute lung damage was produced in rats by paraquat. Pretreatment with vitamin E showed no influence on the functional and morphological pattern. We conclude that there is no protective influence of vitamin E on acute paraquat intoxication of lung.

Acute and chronic effects of xanthine oxidase on lung thorax-compliance in guinea pigs.

Xanthine oxidase was given intratracheally in a single dose to guinea pigs. Lung compliance was measured after 4 h and 14 days respectively. Lung-thorax compliance was significantly lower compared with saline-treated controls both 4 h and 14 days after application of fluid.

A new conventional and high-frequency ventilator for small animals.

A pressure limited, time controlled ventilator has been designed especially for studies on experimental animals with severe respiratory distress syndrome (SRDS). Inspiration: Expiration (I:E) ratio (1:99-99:1) and frequency can be changed independently. Frequency ranged from 1 to 199/min in conventional ventilation (CV), while in high-frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) from 1 to 30 Hz.

Lung mechanics and blood gases in pregnant guinea pigs.

Lung resistance and compliance were measured in early pregnant, late pregnant and non pregnant guinea pigs. Lung resistance was increased, lung compliance was decreased in pregnancy. A new finding was the increase of chest wall compliance in the course of pregnancy.

Long-term effect of repeated short oxygen exposition on blood pressure development and erythrocyte sodium content in SHR and WKY.

Repeated short oxygen exposition (60 min weekly, beginning at the 1st week of age up to the 18th week of age) induced in male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) a diminished blood pressure rise. Oxygen exposed SHR had also lower heart rates than SHR without oxygen exposition. No significant differences were found in both these parameters in normotensive rats (WKY).

[Increased sensitivity of the bronchial system of hypertensive pregnant patients to beta-adrenergic stimulation].

Airway resistance at term pregnancy was evaluated by oscillation technique in 15 hypertensive and 15 normotensive late pregnant women, and in 10 non-pregnant women. The recordings were obtained before and 1, 3, 6 and 12 min after administration of 0.6 mg Fenoterol by dose aerosol.

[Experimental study on the significance of arachidonic acid metabolism in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma with an in vivo model in the guinea pig].

In anaesthetized artificially ventilated guinea-pigs from two breeds were produced histamine-induced bronchoconstrictions after pretreatment with acetylsalicylic acid (ASS) and/or para-amino-methylbenzoic acid (PAMBA). It was detected a distinct but adverse action of ASS on the intensity of bronchoconstriction in both animal groups. PAMBA was without any effect alone but mostly inhibited ASS-action.