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Ketamine is claimed to decrease airways resistance in patients suffering from broncho-constriction. Investigations of its mechanism of action were undertaken using the guineapig tracheal chain, a preparation which reacts to drugs in a manner similar to that of the smooth muscle of human bronchioles. Ketamine was found to possess a direct relaxant effect on the tracheal chain, to antagonize the spasmogenic effects of carbachol and potentiate the antispasmodic effects of adrenaline. Reduction in airway resistance after ketamine anaesthesia is probably the result of a direct relaxant effect on bronchial smooth muscle and a changed response to endogenous humoral substances.

Summary: A patient with severe hypercapnia (PaCO2= 75 mm Hg) secondary to metabolic alkalosis is described. The patient had normal sensitivity to inhaled carbon dioxide after recovery. The hypercapnia was considered to be caused by a combination of severe metabolic alkalosis, hypochloraemia, hypokalaemia, de-hydration and azotaemia, all of which were secondary to persistent vomiting caused by pyloric stenosis. The mechanisms of ventilatory depression during alkalosis, including the roles of hypochloraemia and hydrogen ion depletion, are discussed.

The types of flow occurring in the runner, gate and cavity of a cylindrical bar mould have been investigated and the relation between the flow and local modulus of the moulding determined for crystal polystyrene. The results suggest that non-isothermal shear flow was occurring in the runner while the gate displayed the characteristics of shear flow when heated to the polymer melt temperature and a complex type of flow when cold. The cavity was found, under normal injection rates, to fill by a jetting mechanism which often produced surface irregularities in the product and progressive filling from the gate was only observed at low injection rates. Investigation of local moulding properties revealed that while considerable variations within a specimen existed, these were apparently not due to the mould filling mechanism. They have been attributed tentatively to the small opening of the mould which takes place during injection and to cooling strain.

Summary: In 12 children with bronchial asthma, the factors determining maximum expiratory flow at different levels of lung inflation have been examined during forced vital capacity manoeuvres. The findings confirm the histopathological evidence of major changes in the small and medium sized airways in asthma. Changes in the function of these airways, especially those with small internal diameters, often remained undetected by conventional spirometry, whereas analysis of the maximum expiratory flow-volume (MEFV) curves of these asthmatic children frequently revealed abnormalities. It is suggested that MEFV curves are simple and useful in the assessment of disease in the small airways.

The intratracheal injection of an ornithosal strain (isolated from human sputum) given to white mice resulted in pneumonia in 70 %. They showed a characteristic pattern of an alveolar and granulomatous pneumonia Therapy with terramycin which started 2 h after infection led to a decrease of pneumonia, in severe as well as in fatal forms. Treatment with terramycin 24 h after infection resulted only in a decrease of severe forms. Chemotherapy changed the morphologic pattern of pneumonias with only an uncharacteristicinterstitial inflammation observed.

A study was made of the interaction between polyethylene (PE) and a quartz surface using the method of repeated disrupted total internal reflection. It was shown that using an untreated quartz filler surface hydrogen bonds form between filler and pure PE; the addition of an anti-oxidant to the polymer prevents their formation. When treating the quartz surface with bifunctional organo-silicon compounds chemical interaction takes place between it and PE. It was found that chemical bonds form between the quartz surface and the organo-silicon compound on adding this compound to the polymer.

In regard to the forein body in airway, there have been a few published case reports and statistical observation. We recently experienced one case in whom chemical depositions were found in airway.The patient, who is a chemist working at the laboratory, came to our hospital with cough and sputum. The chest roentgenogram showed no specific change. However, the bronchcsccpic study clearly demonstrated cristal depositions in airway especially around bifurcation. These were identified as aminc-compounds which the patient has used daily for his research. After partial removal of depositions, cough and sputum have reduced apparently.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been used to study the carbon, oxygen and sulphur content of several coking coals, a series of sink—float fractions from a high-volatile coking coal, and several inorganic minerals that are commonly found in coals. Single carbon and oxygen peaks were obtained that corresponded to carbon 1s orbital and oxygen 1s orbital electron binding energies which are expressed in units of electron volts (eV). Two sulphur 2p (S 2p) peaks were found. The 169–171 eV S 2p peak corresponded to the sulphates resulting from the oxidation of pyrite (FeS2), while the 163–164 eV S 2p peak was assigned to the iron sulphide compounds such as pyrite or marcasite. No separate organic sulphur peaks were found for coal, because the majority of the organic sulphur peaks are probably overlapped by the inorganic sulphide line at 163–164 eV. The total carbon and sulphur determined using the XPS peak height correlated with the chemical analysis, although the accuracy of the XPS determinations seems to be lower. A possible direct quantitative method for determining the organic sulphur in coal by XPS is discussed.

Enterococci are rarely implicated in the causation of pneumonia or lung abscess. Two patients are reported who developed large lung abscess cavities from enterococcal pneumonia. Combination penicillin and aminoglycoside antimicrobial therapy and drainage with a transthoracic tube resulted in complete cavity closure and healing. Enterococci should be considered as possible etiologic agents of pneumonia. Percutaneous chest tube drainage appears helpful in certain types of lung abscess.

Life-threatening asthma may be judged to be present in patients who, in the presence of a low one second forced expiratory volume (FEV1 ), are too dyspnoeic to speak, have altered consciousness or unequivocal cyanosis. Other physical signs which indicate airways obstruction of grave severity are the presence of pulsus paradoxus, indrawing of the sternocleidomastoid muscles and gross thoracic overinflation. Any rise in the arterial carbon dioxide tension (Paco2 ) the presence of pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum, an FEV1 of less than 0.5 litre and vital capacity (VC) of less than 1.0 litre failing to increase acutely after inhalation of a bronchodilator are also features which demand urgent and intensive therapy.

We present long-term clinical, radiologic, and physiological data in 84 patients (mean age 46.5 -11.7 years) who underwent 95 surgical procedures for bullous emphysema from 1949 to 1972. Surgical indications were dyspnea (57), pneumothorax (18), prophylaxis (13), infection (6), and hemoptysis (1). Physiological improvement was related to bulla size, type of surgery and degree of chronic obstructive lung disease. Best results, often sustained for 5 years, generally occurred in patients with giant bullae, those with lesser degrees of chronic obstructive lung disease, and those who underwent simple bulla excision or plication. Worthwhile short-term improvement occurred in some patients with cor pulmonale. Poorest results were obtained in patients whose bullae were mere localized exaggerations of diffuse emphysema; in severe bronchitis; in cases in which bullae occupied one third or less of one hemithorax; and after lobectomy. Paraseptal (periacinar) emphysema, a benign disease of the lung cortex, was associated with a high prevalence of pneumothorax. Function was maintained for up to 20 years following bullectomy, and there was little tendency for the bullae to recur.

Heat?treatment of coal?asphalt mixtures were performed using a bench scale pipe reactor in order to determine the effect of heating rate on solubilization of coals by solvolysis.Coals tested were a bituminous coal (C: 82.6%) and a brown coal (C: 76.3%), and Khaf ii asphalt (vacuum residue) was used as a solvent for solvolysis reaction of coal.The asphalt or coal-asphalt mixture (1: 2 by weight) was continuously fed into th pipe reactor, which was heated at a temperature between 450 and 540°C by salt bath fo rapid heating.The inner diameter of the pipe reactor was 3 mm, and initial heating rate o coal slurry was estimated about 2700°C/min.After the heat-treatment, the yields of pitch, oil and gaseous product were determined (Fig.3), and then the solvent extraction of the pitch, analysis of the oil and gaseous product were carried out.It was shown that the viscosity of pitch was remarkably decreased with increasing in reaction temperature.(Fig.5) Dependence of the conversion of coal to solvent soluble matter on reaction temperature was determined from the result of solvent extraction, and maximum conversions for the bituminous coal and the brown coal were 73.2 and 46.7%, respectively.(Fig.9 and 11) It was found that the conversion of brown coal by the rapid heating using the pipe reactor was higher than that by slow heating using batch-wise reactor in solvolysis, because of the predominant thermal decomposition reaction over the polymerization reaction of coal and asphalt in the pipe reactor.Considerable amounts of ethylene and propylene were formed as gaseous products, and olefin-rich oil was obtained.(Fig.6 and 7) At a temperature above 520°C, however, the formation of benzene insoluble matter from the solvent was observed in the case of brown coal-asphalt mixture.

The experiments on dogs show that the bronchoconstriction after acetylcholine inhalation is caused by a reflex mechanism mediated via sensory receptors and N. vagi. Blockade of the N. vagi with low concentration of Novocain does not affect tidal volume and frequency but blocks the acetylcholine-induced bronchoconstriction. Higher concentration of Novocain, like vagotomy, also decreases the breathing frequency and increases the tidal volume.The arterial blood gases following acetylcholine inhalation are probably more influenced by the changes on the peripheral airways than by the influence on the more central airways which are more important for the airway resistance

The effects of experimentally created esophageal hiatus hernia on bronchi and pulmonary vessels were studied in five dogs. No changes in vascular anatomy of the left lung were found when the was not distended. During distension of the gastric pouch decreased caliber of the Thoracic loculus segmental arteries, occlusion, and dislocation of the bronchi to the basal segments of the lower lobe were demonstrated. Occlusion of the bronchi persisted after release of the distension. No bronchial or vascular changes could be registered in the upper part of the left lung. This study confirms the clinical findings that hiatus hernia may cause basal atelectasis and changes in the regional lung function localized to the basal parts of the lung.

Chemical irritants (cigarette smoke and ammonia vapour) as well as histamine-induced bronchial asthma attacks initiate analogous changes in the mechanical properties of the lungs, namely uneven and asynchronous ventilation, resulting qualitatively in the same reflex hyperpnoea. The reflex is mediated by the vagus nerves. The experiments presented suggest that pulmonary deflation receptors — probably identical with the endings termed pulmonary irritant receptors — are involved, and that lung deflation or compression may be the natural stimulus of these endings. The return to normal breathing after irritant-induced hyperpnoea is discussed with regard to the generalized stabilization in lung mechanics and the rapid adaptation of the vagal receptors involved.

Because hypoxia causes histamine release from intrapulmonary mast cells and mast cells are present in peripheral airways, the authors re-investigated the effect of acute hypoxia ( F l o 2 = 0.10 ) upon lung mechanics in anesthetized dogs. Transpulmonary pressure was monitored with an esophageal or a pleural catheter and respiratory flow rate with a pneumotachograph. Changes in lung volume were estimated from changes in expired ventilation. Beside the expected increase of airway resistance, hypoxia resulted in increased lung recoil (mean: +1.1 cm H 2 O S.D.: 0.4, P

Serum IgE concentrations, IgE antibody titers to mite allergen, the number ofblood cosinophils, the number of positive scratch tests, and the bronchial reactivity to acetylcholine were examined on the following 3 groups: (1) asthmatic subjects who had been in remission for 3 years or more; (2) asthmatics currently having asthma attacks; (3) normal healthy control subjects. Mean values were all higher in the asthmatic groups than in the controls. Differences between the 2 asthmatic groups were insignificant except for the acetylcholine inhalation tests, in which asthmatics in remission had lower bronchial reactivity than active asthmatics. In the former group, decreases in bronchial reactivity to acetylcholine after remission were observed in 7 of the 9 subjects. No correlation was obtained between bronchial reactivity and serum IgE. Of 7 asthmatics in remission having high serum IgE levels, 6 showed low bronchial responsiveness to acetylcholine, while the remaining one retained marked bronchial hyperreactivity. These results indicated that the atopic disposition of asthmatic subjects persisted but the bronchial reactivity to acetylcholine might decrease after long-term remission.

Concepts of the pathophysiology and therapeutic management of asthma must take into account more than the appearance and disappearance of the wheeze. The outstanding pathologic finding in the asthmatic lung is the presence of viscid plugs in the bronchi and bronchioles; other features include edema of the bronchial mucosa and submucosa, shedding of superficial columnar epithelial cells into the bronchial lumen, dilatation of submucosal capillaries, mast cell degranulation, infiltration by eosinophils, and marked thickening of the basement membrane.

Postural changes in regional airway length and diameter, before and after atropine, were studied bronchographically in anaesthetized and recently killed dogs at end expiration. FRC was allowed to change with posture in the anaesthetized dog but was held constant in the dead dog. Systematic regional differences in airway length and diameter have been demonstrated; they vary with posture. When compared with the horizontal posture apical airways in the anaesthetized dog were longer and wider when the dog was erect and shorter and narrower when inverted. Changes in basal airways were small or absent. After atropine all airways increased in diameter and apex-base differences on going from the horizontal to upright posture were more marked; airway length was unaffected. Comparable findings were made in exsanguinated dogs turned prone to supine under isovolume conditions. Estimates of regional transpulmonary pressure, bronchial compliance and regional airways resistance have been made in the live dog from airway dimensions in various postures.

Lung volumes and ventilatory capacity of 9,076 coal miners were determined during the period 1969-1971. The data collected indicate that, while coal mining may in certain instances lead to very minor reductions of ventilatory capacity, such reductions are minimal in the absence of complicated pneumoconiosis and would not be associated with respiratory disability. (CIS Abstr.)

Habon, N. (1974). British Journal of Industrial Medicine, 31, 201-208. Depression of viral interferon induction in cell monolayers by coal dust. Studies on the induction of interferon by influenza virus revealed that this adaptive cellular response was depressed completely or partially in coal dust-treated human or simian cell monolayers. Maximal inhibition of interferon production occurred with coal particles ranging in size from < 2·0 to 19·1 μM and with coal dust concentrations ranging from 0·1 to 0·001 g per 3 × 107 cells. The longer coal dust remained in contact with cells before the addition of viral inducer, the more likely was interferon production inhibited. Interferon depression was independent of the rank and geographic source of coal dust and of the virus/cell multiplicity of infection. Enhanced interferon yields resulted in normal and coal dust-treated cells when they were pretreated or proned with interferon. Neither interferon antagonists, interference with virus-cell integration, nor adsorption by coal dust accounted for the depression of interferon yields. The data suggest that coal particles per se act on cells in a subtle manner to interpose in the inductive process of interferon synthesis.

Lapp, N. L., Amandus, H. E., Hall, R., and Morgan, W. K. C. (1974).Thorax, 29, 185-188. Lung volumes and flow rates in black and white subjects. It has been known for some time that the vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second of black subjects are about 12% lower than those of whites of the same age and height. In the present study, total lung capacity and residual volume were also shown to be decreased by about the same percentage. Expiratory flow rates were similarly decreased, but when the difference in lung size was evened out by matching black and white subjects of the same total lung capacity, no significant differences in flow rates were observed.

Tests on sensitised guinea pigs have indicated that crude pyrethrum oleoresin contains two types of allergens. The more potent are compounds with similar allergenic determinants to the allergens present in the 0.9% saline extract of pyrethrum flowers which have been tentatively classified as glycoproteins or glycopeptides with molecular weights distributed between about 60 000 and 200 000. The second class of allergens is the sesquiterpene lactones, principally pyrethrosin but these are of minor importance due to their low concentration in pyrethrum oleoresin. Contrary to a recent report, no allergenic activity was obtained from pyrethrin II.

1. Canine tracheal explants, cultured in medium 199, actively incorporated radioactive precursors into secreted macromolecules in vitro. 2. Puromycin, 6-diazo-5-oxo-l-norleucine and ouabain markedly inhibited the incorporation of these precursors. 3. Exogenous glucosamine at concentrations above 20mm caused a greater than 50% inhibition of the incorporation of l-[G-3H]fucose and l-[U-14C]serine. 4. Carbohydrate content of the purified secretions was approximately 50% and consisted principally of galactose, N-acetylglucosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine, fucose and sialic acids. 5. Chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and Bio-Gel A-150m and equilibrium density-gradient centrifugation in a CsCl gradient confirmed the presence of mucous glycoproteins. 6. Electrophoresis on 1% agarose gels gave profiles that were identical with canine respiratory mucus obtained in vivo. 7. These results support the utility of the explant system for studies of respiratory secretions.

A morphologic study of three lungs from patients with homozygous deficiency of serum alpha1 antitrypsin was undertaken to determine the presence, type, and distribution of emphysema and the coexistence, if any, of airway disease in the form of chronic bronchitis or bronchiolitis. All three lungs had panlobular emphysema, involving most severely the dependent portions of the lower lobes and to a lesser extent the upper lobes. The lungs also showed microscopic features of chronic bronchitis. The three lungs were from patients who had been cigarette smokers. Previous reports concerning the association of serum alpha1 antitrypsin deficiency and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have emphasized the panlobular emphysema and may have overlooked accompanying coexistent chronic bronchitis. The exact effect of cigarette smoking in antitrypsin deficiency remains to be defined, but it apparently accelerates the development of emphysema and is also involved in the pathogenesis of coexistent chronic bronchitis. The bronchioles studied showed remarkably little airway disease.

In the U.S., the chief source of new osmium is copper refining, where this metal is produced as a byproduct. Probably less than 10% of the osmium in the original copper ore is recovered, and 1000-3000 oz troy of osmium is lost each year to the environment as the toxic, volatile tetroxide from copper smelters. In 1971, about 2000 oz troy of osmium was domestically refined, most of which was from secondary sources. An additional 4169 oz troy of osmium was toll-refined. Major uses for osmium tetroxide identified are for catalysis, especially in steroid synthesis, and for tissue staining. Minor uses of osmium metal are for electrical contacts and for imparting hardness to alloys for mechanical pivots, etc. Unreclaimed osmium tetroxide that reaches wastewater streams is probably rapidly reduced by organic matter to nontoxic osmium dioxide or osmium metal, which would settle out in the sediment of the water course. Waste osmium metal, itself innocuous and chemically resistant, would be oxidized to the toxic tetroxide if incinerated. Because of the small amounts used and their wide dispersal, the amounts of osmium tetroxide in wastewater and air should pose no hazard to man or the environment. The chief acute toxic effects of osmium tetroxide are well known and include eye and respiratory-tract damage. Few data are available that provide information on possible effects of nonacute exposure resulting from environmental contamination by osmium. However, workers continually exposed to osmium tetroxide vapors (refiners and histologists) and rheumatoid arthritis patients who have received intra-articular injections of osmic acid solutions have shown no apparent damage from exposure to low levels of osmium.

Summary In sixty-five patients with asthma or allergic rhinitis, intracutaneous tests and provocation tests were performed with birch pollen, timothy pollen and/or dog epithelium allergen. The clinical diagnosis was compared with RAST results obtained with identical allergen preparations for in vivo as well as in vitro testing in two different laboratories. An overall correlation between in vitro and in vivo diagnosis was found in 85% of the cases. It is suggested that a scoring system using the sum of case history score and RAST values could be used for screening allergic patients with different allergens, making in vivo tests necessary only in a limited number of the cases.

Certain benign disorders are easily misinterpreted on histological examination as being malignant and thus often present quite a taxing challenge to the surgical pathologist. Such entities are being recognized and described with increasing frequency and more reliable histologic diagnostic criteria are being formulated in many instances. The purpose of this review is to list the most outstanding and especially the more recently discovered examples of these states and to draw attention to features of known diagnostic value. A list of selected references is provided.

Small-airway bronchoconstriction following massive autologous pulmonary embolism was documented with simultaneous microradiographic and bronchial-pressure measurements. Three groups of dogs were employed, using aged, fresh, and inert (agarose) clots as emboli. Bronchoconstriction of airways 0.3–3.0 mm in diameter was demonstrated in all three groups, indicating that mechanical vascular obstruction is a prominent factor in initiating airway dimensional change. Bronchoconstriction was usually rapid in onset, with early resolution. Differences in response among the three study groups suggest that there are variations in the mechanical as well as the humoral properties of emboli.

We have continuously been studying on the occupational health conditions of the tower construction workers, and have already pointed out that their working conditions are severe.This time, I observed that their heart rate clearly decreased by using an automatic elevator which was made by our suggestion for the tower construction work, and further studied on the worker's heart beat situation which would be affected with psychogenic stress caused by work at high places. The results obtained are as follows : 1. In the case of using the automatic elevator, increase of the heart rate was not remarkable, and consequently, their working burden was lightened as compared with the customary method, which uses the step-bolt for ascending and descending the tower.2. Using an elevator in the tower construction work has to be valued highly on the safety control for work at high places, and this kind of the elevator has to be introduced in such work in the future.3. Observations were made, on the heart rate variation caused by continuous psychogenic stress by work at a place as high as 65 meters. But further, observations are thought to be necessary.

Smith, P., Heath, D., and Moosavi, H. (1974).Thorax, 29, 147-163. The Clara cell. The ultrastructure of the bronchiolar Clara cell was examined in normal adult and neonatal rats, in similar animals which had been acutely exposed to hypoxia, and in adult rats following repeated doses of the anorexigen chlorphentermine. The Clara cell has all the features of a secretory cell, the product of secretion accumulating within smooth cisternae at the apex of the cell. The apical region is then extruded into the bronchiolar lumen in a process of apocrine secretion. Acute hypoxia accelerates this secretion in adult rats but has little effect upon neonatal rats. Administration of chlorphentermine induces a hyperplasia of Clara cells which is associated with large quantities of phospholipid free within the alveolar spaces and in macrophages. The Clara cells also contain accumulations of what appear to be phospholipid. This suggests that the Clara cell secretes the phospholipid pulmonary surfactant.

Radiographs of the temporomandibular joints in 25 consecutive patients with long-standing ankylosing spondylitis indicated abnormality in 32%. The most common radiographic feature was joint space narrowing, followed by erosions, decreased mobility, beaking and osteophytosis, demineralization, extensive sclerosis, and widening of the joint space. Comparison with rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis would indicate that the radiographic alterations of the temporomandibular joint in the granulomatous arthritides are relatively nonspecific.

Jones, A. W. and Madda, P. J. (1974). Thorax , 29 , 195-198. Necropsy incidence of emphysema in Uganda. The incidence and types of pulmonary emphysema and the degree of dust pigmentation of the lungs were investigated in a series of 183 necropsies in Uganda. Emphysema was present in 43 (23·5%) lungs. Panlobular or centrilobular emphysema was found in 17 cases, an overall incidence of 9·3% (10·4% of the 135 males and 6·3% of the 48 females). It was generally of mild degree and the mean lung involvement, as assessed by a point counting method, was 9·2% in the 17 cases described above. Panlobular and centrilobular emphysema occurred in the older age groups; 13 of the 17 cases were 50 years old or more. The remaining 26 cases consisted of irregular (scar) emphysema which occurred in trace amounts (less than 1%). Dust pigmentation was present in all 17 cases of emphysematous lungs and was generally more severe than in the non-emphysematous lungs. The incidence of emphysema in this predominantly rural population is low and is similar to that found in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Scattini, C. M. and Orsi, A. (1973). Thorax , 28 , 782-787. Multiple bilateral fibromas of the pleura. A patient with multiple bilateral fibromas of the pleura which evolved over 25 years is presented. Tumours were resected in four successive surgical interventions during this period. At the second operation `spontaneous regression9 of several small pleural fibromas noted at the first operation four years previously was observed. The differentiation between pleural fibroma and pleural localized mesothelioma is discussed.

This study was designed to evaluate the accuracy of a radiographic-planimetric method of estimating total lung capacity in asthma. The technique involved utilizes the routine posterior-anterior (PA) and lateral chest roentgenogram and a polarizing planimeter. Results of total lung capacity obtained by this method in 33 patients were compared with results obtained from conventional methods using helium dilution and body plethysmography combined with routine spirometry. Correlation coefficients of 0.93 for planimetry and helium dilution (p

An endemic of interstitial plasmacell pneumonia due to pneumocystis carinii, leading to 68 deaths in an orphanage, is described. Artifical nutrition led to severe intestinal infections with prolonged diarrhoea, followed by atrophy of the upper intestinal mucosa and marasmus. The IgG levels fell below 200mg% by the 3rd to 4th month of life, which is one of the preconditions for an infection with pneumocystis carinii.

This patient had marked polyclonal hyperimmunoglobulinemia associated with mesothelioma in the right sub-phrenic space. Histopathologically the lymph nodes around the mesothelioma showed marked plasma cell proliferation intermingled with infiltration of mesothelioma cells. The plasma cell proliferation was observed even in distant lymph nodes not infiltrated by the tumor cells. The review of the literature disclosed rather frequent occurrences of hyperimmunoglobulinemia in mesothelioma and significance of this association should be stressed.

From the equation for pleural pressure it may be derived that at points of equal pleural pressure the change of elastic pressure equals alveolar pressure. According to this concept a method was applied in man in order to measure lung compliance from alvcolar pressure at equal jugular-notch retraction points. These points can be substituted for corresponding esophageal pressure points and are used for the determination of change in lung volume. This method is suggested for routine and reliable measurements of lung compliance without the use of an esophageal balloon. Results obtained in 22 subjects with this method correlate well with those for dynamic compliance obtained by the use of an esophageal balloon.

Organic sulphur compounds were detected on silica gel layers containing a mixed fluorescent material. Disulphides, thioureas, isothioureas, thioamides, thiolactones, thioesters, thiurams, dithiocarbamates, xanthates. S-sulphonic acids, thiocyanates isothiocyanates and organothioophosphorus compounds were detected as coloured spots in amounts of 10 −8 -10 −11 mole according to their ultraviolet absorption spectra and molar absorption coefficients. Thiols, sulphides, sulphonic acids, sulphinic acids, sulphates, sulphamates, sulphones and sulphoxides did not give any coloured spots in amounts of 10 −7 mole. When the sulphur was replaced with oxygen, the positive compounds above were no longer detected even in amounts of 10 −7 mole.

The reaction between solid sodium aluminate, one of the binary metal oxides, and SO2 was studied by using a gas flow reactor. - The sodium aluminates were obtained by evaporating sodium aluminate solutions with Na20/Al2O2- ratios (mole) between O.5 and 3.0, which were prepared by dissolving various amounts of metallic aluminum in sodium hydroxide solution. The reaction behavior and mechanism of sodium aluminate with SO2 were examined at 330°C and 130°C.In the case of reaction of sodium aluminate containing excess sodium, it was found that the rate of initial stage was fast, and the reaction in this initial stage occured between SO2 and NaOH involved in the sample. An approximately linear relationship existed between the amount of initial reaction and the amount of NaOH in the sample. On the other hand, the rate of later stage was slow, and in this region the reaction between Na2Al2O2-, involved in the sample, and SO2 occured. 'The rate of the reaction increased with an increase of the reaction temperature.The results of X-ray diffraction and IR analysis of the samples before and after the reaction suggested that the reaction was expressed by the following four equations, 2 NaOH SO2 -4- Na2SO2- + H20Na2Al2O2- + SO2 Na2SO2- + Al2O2-2 Na5A1O2- + 5 SO2 5 Na2SO2- + Al2O2-2 Na2SO3 + O2- -3.2 Na2SO4For Na2SO4 formation, it was recognized that Al2O2-, which was formed from the reaction between Na2Al2O2- and SO2, promoted the oxidation of Na2SO2-.

This process invented in Yawata Technical Reserch Center of Nippon Steel Corporation can be easily apply to the existing coke plant by the addition of Coal briquetting equipments.This process effects the excellent improvement in coking properties of charged Coal.This report explains about the development of this process, that is, briquette mixing ratio, homogeneous mixing method of Coal and briquette, selection of the briquette machine and the layout of these equipments, and the actual effects to coal blending ratio on the operation results for two years.According to this process, when 30% of the briquette are mixed to the normal charging coal, coke strength Index (DIN15050 Index) rises 2 to 4%. If coke strength should be keeped to the same level, about 10% of the heavy caking coal could be exchange for non caking coal in normal charging coal.

We studied the growth response of the lung following pneumonectomy, and the influence of hormonal excess or deficit on this ess. Four weeks after left pneumonectomy performed in the adult rat, right lung weight was 38% greater than in controls, and right total lung capacity had increased to 8.1 ± 0.5 ml vs. 5.9 ± 0.4 ml in control rats. Morphometric studies showed that the compensatory increase in lung size was associated with a 66% increase in alveolar duct volume and a 21% increase in alveolar volume, but no increase in the number of these structures. Lung cell numbers, measured by total DNA, increased following pneumonectomy, but average lung cell size, measured by DNA concentration, was unchanged. Hypophysectomy performed prior to pneumonectomy prevented any compensatory increase in lung volume, although a significant increase in lung weight still occurred. Growth hormone excess, produced by an MtTF4 tumor, accentuated the post-pneumonectomy growth response. The total lung capacity after left pneumonectomy in tumor bearing rats was 10.9 ± 0.4 ml, 35% greater than in pneumonectomized rats without tumors. The additional increase in lung size induced by the tumor was distributed equally between alveoli and alveolar ducts and was associated with an increase in average lung cell size. These two growth stimuli, pneumonectomy and growth hormone excess, are additive and different in their effect on the lung, suggesting that the basic mechanisms involved in hormone-induced lung growth and post-pneumonectomy lung growth are not the same. These studies also suggest that growth hormone may play an important role in controlling lung size during compensatory lung growth in the adult.

At the Clairton Coke Works of the United States Steel Corporation (the world’s largest coke plant), with coal charges of about 30,000 net tons per day, a system designated as “stage charging” has been developed for charging coal into the coke oven chamber without emissions to the atmosphere. The principles of the system are based on controlled sequential flow of the coal from the charging hoppers, during which the oven chamber is maintained under a very slight negative pressure condition by use of steam aspiration in the offtakes for on-the-main charging. The techniques are basic but require knowledge of the coal characteristics, adequate and properly maintained aspirating systems, including clean offtake piping, control of coal volume in the individual hoppers, and last, and probably most important, adherence by the operating crew to specific charging and leveling practices.

A laboratory study of the formation of airborne respirable dust by the dropping of broken bituminous coal from a belt conveyor is described. It was found that about 10% of the respirable dust adhering to the broken coal becomes airborne owning to dislodgment upon impact. The specific formation of airborne dust is correlated empirically with the volume fraction of the falling coal, which is determined by the belt speed, the thickness of the coal layer on the belt surface, the material density, the bulk density, the angle of repose, the size of the broken coal, and the height of fall. Results are interpreted in terms of the shock dislodgement of dust particles adhering to the broken coal, and the dispersion of the dislodged particles by the surge of air from the space gaps in the impacting pieces.

On the basis of our experience it seems to us that thoracoscopy deserves a permanent place in the diagnosis and therapy of pleural-pulmonary diseases, particularly spontaneous pneumothorax, pleurisy, localized tumors of the pleura, the thoracic wall, diphragma and mediastinum and some cases of diffuse pulmonary lesions.

Infestations, populations and distribution of Steatonyssus occidentalis (Ewing) infesting the big brown Eptesicus ftucus , were studied. Adult and immature bats were collected from an attic colony at State College, Pennsylvania, in April and July 1972. All of the adult bats were infested with mites. Mean mite density per adult bat was 5 mites in April and 60 mites in July. In July, 95% of the immature bats were infested with S. occidentalis at a mean density of 30 mites per individual. Mite population structure seemed to be influenced by the maturity of host. The ratio of adult mites to nymphs was nearly 1:1 for adult hosts and approximately 1:5 for immature hosts. S. occidentalis adults and nymphs were randomly distributed on the fur-bearing portions of the adult bats, but were aggregated in the axillary and inguinal regions of the immature bats. The differences in infestation rates, mite densities, population structures, and topographic distributions which were observed between adult and immature hosts were related largely to fur development. The visual examination method of ectoparasite collection detected only 73% of the mites on adult bats but 91% of the mites on the immature hosts.