Absolute Oxygen Concentration Research Articles

Macrozoobenthic Diversity along an Oxygen Gradient in the Deep Trough of the Gulf of St. Lawrence (Canada)

In 2015, we studied the macrozoobenthic community composition along a dissolved oxygen gradient in the deep trough of the Gulf of St. Lawrence (Canada). We sampled the seabed at nine stations using box corers (three replicates per station), starting in the outer Gulf and ending in the Lower St. Lawrence River Estuary. We found four different communities dominated by polychaetes, crustaceans, and molluscs, with the emphasis shifting from mollusc to polychaete communities as oxygen saturation decreased. Contrary to our expectations, the stations furthest upstream in the estuary with the lowest oxygen saturation levels had the highest species diversity, and also the highest density and biomass values. Key genera of the hypoxic zone included bivalves (Thyasira), cumaceans (Diastylis), amphipods (Harpinia), and polychaetes such as Ampharete, Ceratocephale, Galathowenia, and Trochochaeta. We attribute this to the stability of the environmental conditions and the absence of stress, where the constant supply of oxygen, even at low concentrations, seems to be more important than the absolute oxygen concentration.

Отношение организмов семейства Gammaridae к содержанию кислорода в придонном слое воды в Северном Каспии

The research of bottom invertebrates Gammaridae was carried out in 2013-2017 in the western part of the North Caspian. The purpose of the study was to determine the environmental tolerance of the organisms to oxygen. Oxygen deficit was caused by temperature and salinity stratification of water masses.Hypoxia was formed mainly in some areas of the shallow zone (up to 5 m) on the border of the Northern Caspian – Middle Caspian, as well as in areas with fine-grained sediments.Representatives of Gammaridae are characterized by high frequency of occur-rence.During the research period the number and biomass of the studied organisms widely varied. Gammarus Fabricius dominated by the total number, Dakerogammarus Stebbing – by the total biomass.The maximum frequency of occurrence was characteristic for Niphargoides similis (G. O. Sars).The limits of tolerance to oxygen of individual Gammaridae species living in the Northern Caspian sea have been presented.The minimum concentration of oxygen recorded for the entire period of research (1.29ml/l; 21%) is not critical for one species – Niphargoides similis (G. O. Sars). The low concentration (3 ml/l) does not inhibit the development of Niphargoides macrurus (Sars), Gammarus ischnus Stebbing, Gammarus pauxillus Grimm and Dikerogammarus haemobaphes (Eichwald). Other Gammaridae representatives living in the western part of the Northern Caspian were found in the environment with absolute oxygen concentration over 3.63 ml/l and with relative oxygen concentration over 59%.Wide ecological valency for oxygen is typical for Niphargoides similis (G. O. Sars), Gammarus pauxillus Grimm, Dikerogammarus haemobaphes (Eichwald), Gammarus ischnus Stebbing, and Niphargoides macrurus (Sars).

Dose variability of supplemental oxygen therapy with open patient interfaces based on in vitro measurements using a physiologically realistic upper airway model

BackgroundSupplemental oxygen therapy is widely used in hospitals and in the home for chronic care. However, there are several fundamental problems with the application of this therapy such that patients are often exposed to arterial oxygen concentrations outside of the intended target range. This paper reports volume-averaged tracheal oxygen concentration measurements (FtO2) from in vitro experiments conducted using a physiologically realistic upper airway model. The goal is to provide data to inform a detailed discussion of the delivered oxygen dose.MethodsA baseline FtO2 dataset using a standard, straight adult nasal cannula was established by varying tidal volume (Vt), breathing frequency (f), and continuous oxygen flow rate (QO2) between the following levels to create a factorial design: Vt = 500, 640, or 800 ml; f = 12, 17, or 22 min− 1; QO2 = 2, 4, or 6 l/min. Further experiments were performed to investigate the influence on FtO2 of variation in inspiratory/expiratory ratio, inclusion of an inspiratory or expiratory pause, patient interface selection (e.g. nasal cannula versus a facemask), and rapid breathing patterns in comparison with the baseline measurements.ResultsOxygen concentration measured at the trachea varied by as much as 60% (i.e. from 30.2 to 48.0% of absolute oxygen concentration) for the same oxygen supply flow rate due to variation in simulated breathing pattern. Among the baseline cases, the chief reasons for variation were 1) the influence of variation in tidal volume leading to variable FiO2 and 2) variation in breathing frequency affecting volume of supplemental oxygen delivered through the breath.ConclusionFor oxygen administration using open patient interfaces there was variability in the concentration and quantity of oxygen delivered to the trachea over the large range of scenarios studied. Of primary importance in evaluating the oxygen dose is knowledge of the breathing parameters that determine the average inhalation flow rate relative to the oxygen flow rate. Otherwise, the oxygen dose cannot be determined.

Dendrimer porphyrins as the oxygen sensor for intracellular imaging to suppress interaction towards biological molecules.

Optical methods using phosphorescence quenching by oxygen are suitable for the measurement of oxygen concentration within cells. In cells, however, the dyes such as Pt-porphyrins interact with biological components so that their optical properties are changed. Therefore, the absolute oxygen concentration determination in cells is difficult. To suppress this interaction, we focussed on porphyrin-cored dendrimers (dendrimer-porphyrins) and synthesized 2nd–4th generation dendrimer-porphyrins with various surface functional groups (G2–G4, ARG, αGLU and γGLU). These dendrimer-porphyrins showed oxygen sensing property and the change of their spectroscopic properties by biomolecules was supressed. Additionally, the dendrimer-porphyrins were accumulated in cells even in the presence of serum, so oxygen concentration imaging without the effect of serum starvation was also achieved.

Factors contribution to oxygen concentration in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Oxygen (O2) is essential for physiological activity in humans. On the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, with an average altitude of more than 4 km, hypoxia can seriously damage local residents health, especially the respiratory system. When an organism cannot fully compensate for insufficient physiological function caused by hypoxia, acute and chronic mountain sickness (AMS and CMS) will occur. Previous studies have suggested that the relative oxygen concentration (ROC) in the near-ground air shows no obvious changes at different altitudes. However, during field work in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, we found that, in addition to altitude, surface vegetation coverage and weather conditions may also have an impact on ROC. The results of data analysis showed that altitude and 500 hPa air temperature (500 hPa-T) were negatively correlated with ROC, while vegetation coverage was directly proportional to ROC. Based on principal component analysis (PCA), the results indicated that altitude, vegetation coverage and 500 hPa-T accounted for 65.5% of the total variance in ROC, of which the variance interpretation rate of vegetation coverage was highest (33.1%), followed by 500 hPa-T (28.5%) and altitude (3.9%). Absolute oxygen concentration (AOC) was calculated using the Ideal-Gas Equation. Using this equation, we found that altitude, vegetation coverage and 500 hPa-T accounted for 78.9% of the total variance in AOC, of which the variance interpretation rate of altitude was highest (45.9%), followed by vegetation coverage (18.5%) and 500 hPa-T (14.5%). AOC was negatively correlated with the incidence of CMS, and elevated AOC significantly reduced the incidence of CMS. The science community should pay more attention to this topic as a further decrease in ROC could significantly increase instability and risk in populations at high altitudes. These findings could enhance our understanding of the relationships between oxygen concentration, altitude, vegetation, weather conditions and their interactions. In addition, this research may not only play an important guiding role in human and animal health in high altitude areas, but also significantly deepen our understanding of the risks in high altitude environments under global warming both theoretically and practically. Multi-source data, including in - situ measurement data, remote sensing data, and model reanalysis data, will facilitate further implementations in this direction. Future work can be carried out using more fixed-point observations and by expanding the spatio-temporal extent of relevant data in high altitudes.

Lifetime of Phosphorescence from Nanoparticles Yields Accurate Measurement of Concentration of Oxygen in Microdroplets, Allowing One To Monitor the Metabolism of Bacteria.

A method to monitor the level of oxygen in microdroplets is presented. Optical sensor nanoparticles are dispersed in the aqueous phase of the microfluidic droplets for culturing bacteria. The oxygen sensor nanoparticles consist of phosphorescent indicator dye embedded in poly(styrene-block-vinylpyrrolidone) nanobeads. The nanoparticles are excitable by red light and emit in the near-infrared spectra region which minimizes background fluorescence from biological matter. The biocompatibility of the nanoparticles was proven. Nanoparticles sensors were read out by adapted miniaturized oxygen meters. The instruments can be easily integrated into the microfluidic system by placing it next to the tubing and measuring through the tubing wall. The phosphorescence lifetime-based measurement circumvents the drawbacks of intensity-based measurements and enables the determination of the absolute oxygen concentration in individual moving droplets. The technique can also be used for monitoring the growth of bacteria in microdroplets. We demonstrate simultaneous measurement of concentration of oxygen and optical density (OD) from micro cultures of E. coli and M. smegmatis.

Absolute and relative emissions analysis in practical combustion systems—effect of water vapor condensation

Accurate knowledge of the absolute combustion gas composition is necessary in the automotive, aircraft, processing, heating and air conditioning industries where emissions reduction is a major concern. Those industries use a variety of sensor technologies. Many of these sensors are used to analyze the gas by pumping a sample through a system of tubes to reach a remote sensor location. An inherent characteristic with this type of sampling strategy is that the mixture state changes as the sample is drawn towards the sensor. Specifically, temperature and humidity changes can be significant, resulting in a very different gas mixture at the sensor interface compared with the in situ location (water vapor dilution effect). Consequently, the gas concentrations obtained from remotely sampled gas analyzers can be significantly different than in situ values. In this study, inherent errors associated with sampled combustion gas concentration measurements are explored, and a correction methodology is presented to determine the absolute gas composition from remotely measured gas species concentrations. For in situ (wet) measurements a heated zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) oxygen sensor (Bosch LSU 4.9) is used to measure the absolute oxygen concentration. This is used to correct the remotely sampled (dry) measurements taken with an electrochemical sensor within the remote analyzer (Testo 330-2LL). In this study, such a correction is experimentally validated for a specified concentration of carbon monoxide (5020 ppmv).

Towards Human Oxygen Images with Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Imaging.

Electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI) has been used to noninvasively provide 3D images of absolute oxygen concentration (pO2) in small animals. These oxygen images are well resolved both spatially (~1 mm) and in pO2 (1-3 mmHg). EPRI preclinical images of pO2 have demonstrated extremely promising results for various applications investigating oxygen related physiologic and biologic processes as well as the dependence of various disease states on pO2, such as the role of hypoxia in cancer. Recent developments have been made that help to progress EPRI towards the eventual goal of human application. For example, a bimodal crossed-wire surface coil has been developed. Very preliminary tests demonstrated a 20 dB isolation between transmit and receive for this coil, with an anticipated additional 20 dB achievable. This could potentially be used to image local pO2 in human subjects with superficial tumors with EPRI. Local excitation and detection will reduce the specific absorption rate limitations on images and eliminate any possible power deposition concerns. Additionally, a large 9 mT EPRI magnet has been constructed which can fit and provide static main and gradient fields for imaging local anatomy in an entire human. One potential obstacle that must be overcome in order to use EPRI to image humans is the approved use of the requisite EPRI spin probe imaging agent (trityl). While nontoxic, EPRI trityl spin probes have been injected intravenously when imaging small animals, and require relatively high total body injection doses that would not be suitable for human imaging applications. Work has been done demonstrating the alternative use of intratumoral (IT) injections, which can reduce the amount of trityl required for imaging by a factor of 2000- relative to a whole body intravenous injection. The development of a large magnet that can accommodate human subjects, the design of a surface coil for imaging of superficial pO2, and the reduction of required spin probe using IT injections all are crucial steps towards the eventual use of EPRI to image pO2 in human subjects. In the future this can help investigate the oxygenation status of superficial tumors (e.g., breast tumors). The ability to image pO2 in humans has many other potential applications to diseases such as peripheral vascular disease, heart disease, and stroke.

Microfabricated Collector-Generator Electrode Sensor for Measuring Absolute pH and Oxygen Concentrations.

Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) has attracted attention for studying in vivo neurotransmission due to its subsecond temporal resolution, selectivity, and sensitivity. Traditional FSCV measurements use background subtraction to isolate changes in the local electrochemical environment, providing detailed information on fluctuations in the concentration of electroactive species. This background subtraction removes information about constant or slowly changing concentrations. However, determination of background concentrations is still important for understanding functioning brain tissue. For example, neural activity is known to consume oxygen and produce carbon dioxide which affects local levels of oxygen and pH. Here, we present a microfabricated microelectrode array which uses FSCV to detect the absolute levels of oxygen and pH in vitro. The sensor is a collector-generator electrode array with carbon microelectrodes spaced 5 μm apart. In this work, a periodic potential step is applied at the generator producing transient local changes in the electrochemical environment. The collector electrode continuously performs FSCV enabling these induced changes in concentration to be recorded with the sensitivity and selectivity of FSCV. A negative potential step applied at the generator produces a transient local pH shift at the collector. The generator-induced pH signal is detected using FSCV at the collector and correlated to absolute solution pH by postcalibration of the anodic peak position. In addition, in oxygenated solutions a negative potential step at the generator produces hydrogen peroxide by reducing oxygen. Hydrogen peroxide is detected with FSCV at the collector electrode, and the magnitude of the oxidative peak is proportional to absolute oxygen concentrations. Oxygen interference on the pH signal is minimal and can be accounted for with a postcalibration.

In-situ measurement of oxygen concentration under high pressure and the application to oxygen permeation through polymer films.

Up until now, gas permeation through polymers under high pressure has not been able to be measured continuously. The combination of a special high pressure cell and a commercially available fluorescence-based oxygen measurement system allows in-situ monitoring of oxygen permeation through a polymer sample under pressure in an aqueous environment. The principle of the oxygen sensor is based on dynamic fluorescence quenching and measurement of the fluorescence decay time. It was observed that the decay time increases non-linearly with the applied pressure, and hence, the displayed oxygen concentration has to be corrected. This deviation between the measured and the real concentration depends not only on the pressure but also on the absolute oxygen concentration in the water. To obtain a calibration curve, tests were performed in the pressure range between 1 and 2000 bars and initial oxygen concentrations in the range between 40 and 280 μmol/l. The polynomial calibration curve was of the fourth order, describing the raw data with a coefficient of determination R(2) > 0.99. The effective oxygen permeation through polymeric samples can be calculated with this function. A pressure hysteresis test was undertaken but no hysteresis was found. No temperature dependence of the oxygen sensor signal was observed in the range between 20 °C and 30 °C. This study presents for the first time data showing the oxygen permeation rates through a polyethylene film in the pressure range between 1 and 2000 bars at 23 °C.

Maximally spaced projection sequencing in electron paramagnetic resonance imaging.

Electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI) provides 3D images of absolute oxygen concentration (pO2) in vivo with excellent spatial and pO2 resolution. When investigating such physiologic parameters in living animals, the situation is inherently dynamic. Improvements in temporal resolution and experimental versatility are necessary to properly study such a system. Uniformly distributed projections result in efficient use of data for image reconstruction. This has dictated current methods such as equal-solid-angle (ESA) spacing of projections. However, acquisition sequencing must still be optimized to achieve uniformity throughout imaging. An object-independent method for uniform acquisition of projections, using the ESA uniform distribution for the final set of projections, is presented. Each successive projection maximizes the distance in the gradient space between itself and prior projections. This maximally spaced projection sequencing (MSPS) method improves image quality for intermediate images reconstructed from incomplete projection sets, enabling useful real-time reconstruction. This method also provides improved experimental versatility, reduced artifacts, and the ability to adjust temporal resolution post factum to best fit the data and its application. The MSPS method in EPRI provides the improvements necessary to more appropriately study a dynamic system.

Microscopic oxygen imaging based on fluorescein bleaching efficiency measurements

Photobleaching of the fluorophore fluorescein in an aqueous solution is dependent on the oxygen concentration. Therefore, the time-dependent bleaching behavior can be used to measure of dissolved oxygen concentrations. The method can be combined with epi-fluorescence microscopy. The molecular states of the fluorophore can be expressed by a three-state energy model. This leads to a set of differential equations which describe the photobleaching behavior of fluorescein. The numerical solution of these equations shows that in a conventional wide-field fluorescence microscope, the fluorescence of fluorescein will fade out faster at low than at high oxygen concentration. Further simulation showed that a simple ratio function of different time-points during a fluorescence decay recorded during photobleaching could be used to describe oxygen concentrations in an aqueous solution. By careful choice of dye concentration and excitation light intensity the sensitivity in the oxygen concentration range of interest can be optimized. In the simulations, the estimation of oxygen concentration by the ratio function was very little affected by the pH value in the range of pH 6.5-8.5. Filming the fluorescence decay by a charge-coupled-device (ccd) camera mounted on a fluorescence microscope allowed a pixelwise estimation of the ratio function in a microscopic image. Use of a microsensor and oxygen-consuming bacteria in a sample chamber enabled the calibration of the system for quantification of absolute oxygen concentrations. The method was demonstrated on nitrifying biofilms growing on snail and mussel shells, showing clear effects of metabolic activity on oxygen concentrations.

Model of the Transient Neurovascular Response Based on Prompt Arterial Dilation

Brief neural stimulation results in a stereotypical pattern of vascular and metabolic response that is the basis for popular brain-imaging methods such as functional magnetic resonance imagine. However, the mechanisms of transient oxygen transport and its coupling to cerebral blood flow (CBF) and oxygen metabolism (CMRO2) are poorly understood. Recent experiments show that brief stimulation produces prompt arterial vasodilation rather than venous vasodilation. This work provides a neurovascular response model for brief stimulation based on transient arterial effects using one-dimensional convection-diffusion transport. Hemoglobin oxygen dissociation is included to enable predictions of absolute oxygen concentrations. Arterial CBF response is modeled using a lumped linear flow model, and CMRO2 response is modeled using a gamma function. Using six parameters, the model successfully fit 161/166 measured extravascular oxygen time courses obtained for brief visual stimulation in cat cerebral cortex. Results show how CBF and CMRO2 responses compete to produce the observed features of the hemodynamic response: initial dip, hyperoxic peak, undershoot, and ringing. Predicted CBF and CMRO2 response amplitudes are consistent with experimental measurements. This model provides a powerful framework to quantitatively interpret oxygen transport in the brain; in particular, its intravascular oxygen concentration predictions provide a new model for fMRI responses.

SU-C-144-07: Maximally Spaced Projection Sequencing in Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Imaging

Purpose: Electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI) is a projection based imaging modality that noninvasively provides 3D images of absolute oxygen concentration (pO2) in vivo with excellent spatial and pO2 resolution. When studying physiologic parameters, such as tissue pO2, in living animals, the situation is inherently dynamic. This may be due to physical movement during imaging leading to artifacts or physiologically relevant temporal changes in pO2 (i.e. acute hypoxia). In order to properly study such a dynamic system, improvements in temporal resolution and experimental versatility are necessary. Methods: For projection based imaging, uniformly distributed projections Result in efficient use of data for image reconstruction. This has led to the current equal-solid-angle (ESA) spacing of projections for EPRI. However, acquisition sequencing must still be optimized in order to achieve uniformity throughout imaging. An object-independent method for uniform acquisition of projections, using the ESA distribution for the final set of projections, is presented. Each successive projection is selected in such a way as to minimize the electrostatic potential energy between itself and prior projections, when projection direction points are considered to be point charges on the unit sphere. Results: This maximally spaced projection sequencing (MSPS) method significantly improves image quality for intermediate images reconstructed from incomplete projection sets. This enables useful real-time reconstruction. Additionally, the MSPS method provides improved experimental versatility, reduced artifacts, and the ability to adjust temporal resolution post factum to best fit the data and its application. Conclusion: The MSPS method in EPRI provides necessary improvements in order to more appropriately image and study physiologic changes in a dynamic system. This work was supported by grants from the NIH (P41 EB002034 and R01 CA98575).

Fluorescent oxygen sensitive microbead incorporation for measuring oxygen tension in cell aggregates

Molecular oxygen is a main regulator of various cell functions. Imaging methods designed as screening tools for fast, in situ, 3D and non-interfering measurement of oxygen tension in the cellular microenvironment would serve great purpose in identifying and monitoring this vital and pivotal signalling molecule. We describe the use of dual luminophore oxygen sensitive microbeads to measure absolute oxygen concentrations in cellular aggregates. Stable microbead integration, a prerequisite for their practical application, was ensured by a site-specific delivery method that is based on the interactions between streptavidin and biotin. The spatial stability introduced by this method allowed for long term measurements of oxygen tension without interfering with the cell aggregation process. By making multiple calibration experiments we further demonstrated the potential of these sensors to measure local oxygen tension in optically dense cellular environments.

Estimation of Volumetric Oxygen Concentration in a Marine Environment with an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

Dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration is a key indicator of the health and productivity of an aquatic ecosystem. This paper presents a new method for high‐resolution characterization of DO as a function of both space and time. The implementation of a new oxygen optode in an Iver2 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) is described, which enables the system to measure both absolute oxygen concentration and percentage saturation. Also described are details of AUV missions in Hopavågen Bay, Norway, which consisted of a series of repeated undulating lawnmower patterns that covered the bay. Through offline postprocessing of data, sensor characteristic models were developed, as well as a 3D lattice time series model. The model was constructed by estimating DO at each 3D lattice node location using a 1D Kalman filter that fused local measurements obtained with the AUV. By repeating model construction for several missions that spanned 24 h, estimates of DO as a function of space and time were calculated. Results demonstrated (1) the AUVs ability to repeatedly gather high‐spatial‐resolution data (2) significant spatial and temporal variation in DO in the water body investigated, and (3) that a 3D model of DO provides better estimates of total DO in a volume than extrapolating from only a single 2D plane. Given the importance of oxygen within an ecosystem, this new method of estimating the quantity of DO per volume has the potential to become a reliable test for the health of an underwater ecosystem. Also, it can be refined for detecting and monitoring a range of soluble gases and dispersed particles in aquatic environments, such as dissolved O2 and CO2 around production facilities such as fish farms, or dispersed hydrocarbons and other pollutants in fragile ecosystems. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Atomic oxygen measurements in air and air/fuel nanosecond pulse discharges by two photon laser induced fluorescence

Xenon calibrated two photon absorption laser induced fluorescence (TALIF) is used to measure absolute atomic oxygen concentrations in air, methane–air, and ethylene–air non-equilibrium plasmas, as a function of time after initiation of a single 25ns discharge pulse. Peak mole fraction in air at 60torr is ∼0.5×10−4, with decay occurring on a time scale of ∼2ms. Peak mole fraction in a stoichiometric methane–air mixture is found to be approximately equal to that in pure air, but the rate of decay is found to be faster by a factor of approximately two to three. In Φ=0.5 ethylene–air, peak atomic oxygen concentration is reduced by a factor of approximately four, relative to air, and the rate of decay increased by approximately two orders of magnitude due to the greatly increased rate of reaction of atomic oxygen with ethylene, as compared to methane, at room temperature. Discharge kinetic modeling calculations, using both GRI Mech 3.0 and a more recent model of Wang et al., are shown to provide good overall agreement with all of the experimental data, as well as suggesting key processes of O atom generation and decay.

An Optical Multifrequency Phase-Modulation Method Using Microbeads for Measuring Intracellular Oxygen Concentrations in Plants

A technique has been developed to measure absolute intracellular oxygen concentrations in green plants. Oxygen-sensitive phosphorescent microbeads were injected into the cells and an optical multifrequency phase-modulation technique was used to discriminate the sensor signal from the strong autofluorescence of the plant tissue. The method was established using photosynthesis-competent cells of the giant algae Chara corallina L., and was validated by application to various cell types of other plant species.

Epidemiological associations among lung cancer, radon exposure and elevation above sea level--a reassessment of Cohen's county level radon study.

Inhalation of radon (222Rn) decay products by persons living in homes has been associated with increased risk of lung cancer. Some epidemiological studies have shown a positive association between radon exposure and lung cancer rates. However, a large U.S.-wide ecological study (Cohen 1995) has shown a clear inverse association between average county radon concentration in homes and average lung cancer rates in the county. Cohen's strong inverse association between radon and lung cancer is surprising since there is no plausible biological reason for an inverse causal relationship between the two. We plot the county average lung cancer rate vs. the elevation above sea level (altitude) and show an inverse association between county average lung cancer rate and elevation. The elevation used for each county is the altitude of the most populous place in the county. We postulate that the decrease in lung cancer rates with higher elevations is caused by the carcinogenic effect of higher absolute oxygen concentration in the inspired air at lower elevations. Stratifying Cohen's lung cancer vs. radon data into ten groups of counties with similar elevations removes some, but not all, of his inverse association between radon and lung cancer.

Quantitative oxygen imaging in an engine

Simultaneous imaging of laser-induced fluorescence of toluene and 3-pentanone was used to determine the local absolute oxygen and residual gas concentrations present within an engine. The technique utilizes the different sensitivities of the laser-excited molecules to quenching by molecular oxygen as a means to determine quantitative images of in-cylinder oxygen concentrations. The difference in the amount of oxygen available between two operating conditions was investigated. Results are in agreement with measurements in the exhaust gas.