A new ultrasonic Doppler device has been used noninvasively over the femoral artery of anesthetized dogs to prove that it can detect carefully calibrated microbubbles of 14--189 micrometers diam when these are infused directly into the aorta. The same evaluated technique has then been employed to detect any bubbles escaping into the arterial system when gas was infused into the venous system either as microbubbles or as a bolus. Results from 18 dogs showed that, under normal conditions, the lungs are a superb filter for bubbles and that any cutoff diameter is less than 22 micrometers. However, bubbles escaped entrapment when the lungs were severely overloaded with gas (20 ml) or were pretreated with a pulmonary vasodilator (aminophylline). The dog preparation and arterial Doppler device appear to be ideal for future studies to determine what other factors might compromise the capability of the lungs to filter microbubbles. Physiological parameters showed dramatic changes when bubbles were detected as escaping into the arterial system by comparison with their effect when retained within the lungs. Changes in respiration profile indicated that they may offer a useful index of the degree of venous embolization and, hence, a warning of impending overload leading to arterial embolization.

The contact angle subtended between a droplet of aqueous fluid and nonwettable surfaces provides a direct estimation of their degree of hydrophobicity. The mean contact angle recorded in dogs at the oxyntic mucosal surface was 85.2 degrees, a value characteristic of acid-resistant substances such as polyethylene. This indicates that the mucosal surface of the stomach has a hydrophobic lining that may be attributed to the surface-active phospholipids known to be present in both the gastric mucosa and juice. Barrier breakers such as bile and aspirin were found virtually to eliminate the hydrophobicity. Hydrophobicity was found to be different in the esophagus, antrum, proximal and distal duodenum, and the colon but consistent with their resistance to acid attack. Endogenous surfactants are discussed for their capability to provide a cohesive and strongly adsorbed protective monolayer--a physical model for the gastric mucosal barrier compatible with the major properties of the gastric lining and many features of ulcerogenesis, including the protection afforded by prostaglandins.

Twenty-seven paralyzed anesthetized dogs were embolized with venous air to determine the effectiveness of the pulmonary vasculature for bubble filtration or trapping. Air doses ranged from 0.05 to 0.40 ml X kg-1 X min-1 in 0.05-ml increments with ultrasonic Doppler monitors placed over arterial vessels to detect any microbubbles that crossed the lungs. Pulmonary vascular filtration of the venous air infusions was complete for the lower air doses ranging from 0.05 to 0.30 ml X kg-1 X min-1. When the air doses were increased to 0.35 ml X kg-1 X min-1, the filtration threshold was exceeded with arterial spillover of bubbles occurring in 50% of the animals and reaching 71% for 0.40 ml X kg-1 X min-1. Significant elevations were observed in pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance. Systemic blood pressure and cardiac output decreased, whereas left ventricular end-diastolic pressure remained unchanged. The results indicate that the filtration of venous bubbles by the pulmonary vasculature was complete when the air infusion rates were kept below a threshold value of 0.30 ml X kg-1 X min-1.

Intragastric administration of a liposomal surfactant suspension markedly reduced acid-induced gastric ulcerogenesis and bleeding in rats. The concentration of surface-active molecules intrinsically present in the gastric mucosa was increased two to six times by administration of 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2. Thus, local accumulation of surface-active phospholipids may be an integral component of the cytoprotective mechanism activated by prostaglandin treatment.

SUMMARY Thin-layer chromatography has been used to identify phospholipids extracted from canine synovial fluid, the major component (45%) being phosphatidyl choline (PC). The extracts and their components have been shown to be surface active in reducing the surface tension of water and to be readily adsorbed to hydrophilic solids, whose surfaces then become hydrophobic. These adsorbed monolayers of synovial surfactant were then found to be excellent boundary lubricants in vitro, reducing the coefficient of kinetic friction ([t)