An investigation has been carried out of the limiting oxygen index (LOI) test. A review of the literature shows that, although there is abundant information on the test, it is not clear that its results correlate well with those of any other test, or indeed with those of real fires. Theoretical considerations indicate that the test could be improved by using it with bottom ignition rather than with the standard top ignition. A number of materials were tested in the cone calorimeter and in the LOI, and various correlations were attempted. In general, correlations between some of the cone calorimeter properties measured and the inverse of the LO1 made sense. These correlations were not, however, sufficiently sensitive, even when investigating small effects on a single base polymer system, to justify using the LO1 as a proxy for the cone in any way. The LO1 is likely to continue to be used extensively. This work suggests that quality control and, possibly, mechanistic or other flame-retardant additive studies, are its only applications where the results can be justified.

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Background: The assessment of tumor invasion of underlying benign stroma in neoplastic squamous proliferation of the larynx may pose a diagnostic challenge, particularly in small biopsy specimens that are frequently tangentially sectioned. We studied whether thresholds of an eosinophilic response to laryngeal squamous neoplasms provides an adjunctive histologic criterion for determining the presence of invasion.

Gentamicin (GM) is an effective aminoglycoside antibiotic against life-threatening Gram-negative bacteria. However, a major complication of therapeutic doses of GM is nephrotoxicity, which is believed to be related to the generation of reactive oxygen species. The present study was therefore aimed to investigate the protective effect of eugenol, a phenolic antioxidant, on GM-induced nephrotoxicity in Sprague-Dawley rats. Intramuscular injection of rats with GM (80 mg/kg body weight/day) for six consecutive days induced marked acute renal failure, manifested by a sharp significant increase in serum urea and creatinine levels, along with a significant depletion of serum potassium level, compared to normal controls. GM-induced renal dysfunction was attributable to enhanced oxidative stress, as revealed by decreased superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, glutathione depletion and increased lipid peroxidation. Furthermore, kidney lactate dehydrogenase activity, as an indicator of hypoxia, was significantly increased by GM administration. Eugenol (100 mg/kg body weight, per os) administered four days before and six days concurrently with GM (80 mg/kg body weight, i.m.) restored normal renal functions and suppressed GM-induced oxidative stress and hypoxia. Light microscopical examination of the renal tissues of GM-treated animals demonstrated severe tubular necrosis at the cortex and increased cellular inflammatory processes. However, these alterations were considerably reduced with eugenol coadministration. In conclusion, eugenol ameliorates GM-induced nephrotoxicity and oxidative damage by scavenging oxygen free radicals, decreasing lipid peroxidation and improving intracellular antioxidant defense.