During acute exposure, polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) act mainly by narcosis, but during chronic exposure the same compounds may exert sublethal life cycle effects. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the chronic effects of sediment spiked PACs on the emergence of the midge Chironomus riparius. Three isomer pairs were selected, and 28-day LC50 values and 50% emergence times (E...

The joint toxic effects of known binary and multiple organic chemical mixtures to the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) were defined at both the 96-h 50% lethal effect concentration (LC50) and sublethal (32-d growth) response levels for toxicants with a narcosis I, narcosis II, or uncoupler of oxidative phosphoralation mode of toxic action. Experiments were designed to define the degree of a...

Depth limitations to diving operation with air as the breathing gas are well known: air density, oxygen toxicity, nitrogen narcosis and requirement for decompression. The main objectives of our experiment were to assess the decompression, counterdiffusion and performance aspect of helium-nitrogen-oxygen excursions from nitrox saturation. The experiment was carried out in a wet diving stimulator...

Tiif, rectal route for anaesthesia has been long under consideration. The first efforts in this direction were made by F. Roux in1846. The undeniable advantages of the rectal route, the easiness of administration, the avoidance of choking and excitation, and freedom from complications, opened up the way for further research. Injury to the bowel wall was the great danger in the experiments of Ro...

UNLABELLED Inhaled anesthetics, including the gaseous anesthetics nitrous oxide and xenon, are thought to act by interacting directly with ion-channel receptors. In contrast, little is known about the mechanism of action of inert gases that show only narcotic potency at high pressures, such as nitrogen or argon. In the present study, we investigated the effects of selective gamma-aminobutyric a...