title: Evidence for gas nuclei in decompressed rats.
abstract: In vitro and in vivo studies have shown that pressure treatment before decompression reduces bubble formation. This has been interpreted as evidence that bubbles originate from pre-existing gas nuclei. The present experiments were conducted to determine if pressure treatment during air or liquid breathing before a 2-h air dive would reduce the decompression sickness (DCS) indicence for rats. Control dives, preceded by liquid breathing with 17 and 24 rats to 135- and 150-fsw had DCS incidences of 35% and 29%. Liquid-breathing pressure treatment at 1347 fsw before 135 fsw dive (11 rats) or at 1796 fsw before the 150-fsw dive (24 rats) reduced the incidences to 0% and 8%. In the air-breathing experiments, a 240-fsw control dive with 200 rats gave an 83% incidence. Pressure treatment at 600 fsw (195 rats) or 100 fsw (153 rats) reduced the DCS incidence to 74% and 64%. These experiments suggest that the bubbles responsible for DCS in the rat originate from gas nuclei.
mesh_terms: D000388:Air; D000818:Animals; D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D003665:Decompression Sickness / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D005740:Gases; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D051381:Rats; D012119:Respiration
chemical_list: D005466:Fluorocarbons; D005740:Gases