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A 17-year-old female presented because of acute erythema of the hands, oedema of the eyelids, dyspnea and cough occurring 2 months previously. Remission had rapidly been obtained with systemic corticosteroid and antihistamine. The patient had experienced these symptoms after throwing raw rice during a wedding, though she had always eaten cooked rice without problems. Further enquiry revealed a generalized acute urticaria 6 years before, after eating polenta, an Italian food made with maize flour.

Injections of CO2-gas have been made into an abdominal air-sac of pigeons. The resulting alterations of respiratory rate and of breathing efforts are dose-dependent and easily reproducible. The receptive zones for these effects do not seem to be located in the air-way system itself; they may be in the respiratory center. Some data provide further evidence for the assumption that the ventilation of the abdominal air-sacs is mainly one-directional, from outside to gas-exchange compartments. Panting increases the ventilation of the abdominal air-sacs.

The respiratory effect of diagnostic colonoscopy and upper endoscopy were studied in 32 elderly patients. Twenty-two underwent colonoscopy and 10 upper endoscopy. In the group undergoing upper endoscopy, 4 of 10 patients experienced a decrease in oxygen desaturation greater than or equal to 4% during the medication period; an additional 2 patients desaturated during the procedure. In the group undergoing colonoscopy, 12 of 22 patients experienced oxygen desaturation during the medication period; 3 other patients desaturated during the procedure. Mean SaO2 for each group was lowest (p less than 0.05) during the medication period. Central apneas occurred in 13 of the patients undergoing colonoscopy during the medication period; however, only 8 of these patients with apneas experienced desaturation greater than or equal to 4% and the periods of desaturation did not correlate with the periods of apneas. Oxygen desaturation greater than or equal to 4% occurs frequently during both upper endoscopy and colonoscopy in this elderly population. This is related to the effects of sedation; the procedure itself worsened the desaturation in only 16% of the patients. Furthermore, the desaturation did not correlate with changes in the breathing patterns of the patients. Low-flow oxygen and/or close monitoring of patients during and subsequent to administration of medication is advised.

Over a five-year period a consistent habit of smoking or nonsmoking was maintained by 302 women (aged 25 to 54 years at the beginning of the study). There were 130 nonsmokers, 40 ex-smokers, and 15 light, 46 moderate, and 71 heavy smokers. Smokers without serious disability who had stopped smoking had a very low prevalence of respiratory symptoms and showed worsening of pulmonary function over the years similar to life-long nonsmokers. Although there is a dose-related response to cigarettes, individual susceptibility also plays an important role in determining the respiratory effect of smoking. A range for change in ventilatory function over a five-year period in apparently healthy nonsmoking women is provided. Using this range, it is possible to identify susceptible smokers who show deterioration in ventilatory function that is more rapid than normal. Repeated spirometric studies may be useful in selecting a group at greatest risk of developing later disabling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

2 patients with acute allergic contact dermatitis from 3-(aminomethyl)-pyridyl salicylate are described. Both patients were females with histories of urticaria and showed cross-sensitization to substances of the para group. Clinical manifestations included eczema, angioedema and respiratory effects. In 1 patient, airborne elicitation was suspected. A lymphocyte transformation test confirmed the allergy, with an extremely high response index. 35 normal controls were negative.

Advances in knowledge concerning red tide toxin aerosols (airborne) of the Florida red tide organism, Ptychodiscus brevis, have not kept pace with information about waterborne toxins. This review provides a summary of current knowledge regarding the characterization, effect and production of red tide toxin aerosols. Insight into the chemical characterization and toxic effects of aerosolized toxins is provided from investigations of toxins extracted from natural blooms, as well as from laboratory cultures, of P. brevis. This information is used in conjunction with the few studies that have been performed on toxin aerosols to consider toxic effects. The production of aerosolized toxins is considered through studies of jet drop aerosol formation from bursting bubbles. Existing information suggests that aerosolized red tide toxins may be the same chemicals as those extracted from laboratory cultures, with one of the toxins having a greater respiratory effect than others.

Radial oxygen losses (ROL) from the roots of intact rice plants were assayed by the cylindrical Pt electrode technique. At 23°C losses from roots grown in waterlogged soil proved to be about double those from non-waterlogged plants. Cooling which lowers respiratory activity led to increased ROL and it was estimated that at 23°C respiratory activity had been reducing oxygen loss by 8 to 10 10–8g O2 cm–2 root surface min–1 (c. 50 %) in the non waterlogged, and by 4.5 to 5.5 10–8g O2 cm–2 min–1 (2C–30 %) in the waterlogged roots. Lacunae formation occurred nearer to the apex and was eventually more extensive in the waterlogged roots while the presence of more intact and presumably functional tissue in the non-waterlogged roots coincides with the greater respiratory effect noted. Estimated flux rates at 23°C (respiration inactive) were respectively 15–17 × 10–8g O2 cm–2 min–1 (non-waterlogged) and 20–23 × 10–8g O2 cm–2 min–1 (waterlogged). A major part of this difference can probably be accounted for directly by the differences in root porosity, and Meakiness' superimposed upon lower porosity in the non-waterlogged plants may account for the remainder. ROL was also examined in relation to distance from the apex. With respiratory activity lowered by cooling, two patterns of oxygen loss were detected. Pattern I was a property of younger roots of length between 5–9 cm, while pattern 2 was found in longer roots 11–16 cm bearing numerous emergent laterals. In both, ROL fell rapidly towards the base and at 4–5 cm approached zero in pattern 1 and near zero to about 16% of the maximum in pattern 2. The rapid drop in oxygen loss in both patterns which indicates a concomitant decrease in root wall permeability was associated with the appearance of cortical lacunae at 2–3 cm from the apex. In pattern 2 a rise in ROL began at 5–6 cm from the apex. The presence of lateral root initials in both the pericycle and unbroken segments of cortex was associated with maintained permeability in this pattern as well as with the basal increase in ROL. With a 3-electrode system placed around the apical 3 cm regions of waterlogged roots, it was found that ROL was substantially affected by respiratory activity at 0.5 cm, a little less so at 1.7 cm, but much less or not at all at 3 cm from the apex. The drop in respiratory effect parallelled the formation of cortical lacunae.

The more plausible hypotheses regarding the mechanism which controls amphibian embryonic respiration have been reviewed, providing some explanation for the contradictory respiratory ratios between intact and homogenized eggs reported by other investigators.The concentration of embryonic material appears to be of the utmost significance in the relative rates of respiration of homogenized as compared to intact eggs. A close correspondence between increased oxygen uptake and the ATPase activity resulting from homogenization has been demonstrated. This would account for the lack of respiratory effect by 2,4-dinitrophenol which has been described in homogenized eggs of Rana pipiens and Bufo arenarum. Homogenization, as well as 2,4-dinitrophenol could stimulate oxygen uptake by altering the ATP/ADP ratio. By means of ATPase inhibition it has been also demonstrated that the respiration of homogenates is strongly affected by ADP while exogenous ATP is almost without effect.

The aerometric results indicate significant differences between the annual means for SO2 and NO2 with the Seiberling school having the higher values. The questionnaire results indicate that the Seiberling children reported more wheezing in the chest, and shortness of breath than the Betty Jane children. Daily symptoms reported by the students indicate that the Seiberling children reported twice as many incidences of upper respiratory symptoms including rhinitis, cough, and sore throat. Baseline asymptomatic lung function testing did show that the ratio FEV1/FVC was significantly lower at the Seiberling school. For both schools there was a decrease in lung function during the symptomatic phase of an acute respiratory illness (AR!), and the tests further indicate that the ARIs in the Seiberling school were more severe and/or involved the small airways more so than the ARIs at the Betty Jane school. Recovery from the ARIs were not complete after nine days with the Seiberling children showing slower recovery than the Betty Jane children. On the basis of available aerometric information it is suggested that SO2 in combination with NO2 is primarily responsible for the reduction in lung function tests and the exacerbations seen in the children at the Seiberling school.

SummarySN 13592 is characterized by an extremely low acute and chronic oral toxicity in several species. Local irritation effects are absent even upon repeated administration. Continued oral feeding of the drug induces an anemia which gradually disappears after the drug is withdrawn. Although there were no consistent effects on blood pressure and heart rate, a respiratory effect was noted. Smooth muscle was generally stimulated by this compound.

"The lung is connected with skin and hair" is a theory of traditional Chinese medicine. From the view of comparative physiology we researched the inter-relation of lung and skin and hair and found it in water. From living protein to fish respiration is by the structure corresponding to the skin and the organ which originated skin. Though amphibia have lung respiratory effect of skin still locate 2/3. Aves. Mammals and human beings use lungs to respire. In fact air exchanges from nature through the thin water molecular layer of the surface of the pulmonary alveoli. So the lung is derived from "skin and hair" to adapt to inter-respiration.

We measured the density variations of aortic blood from rabbits ventilated by a positive end inspiratory pressure of 6 mmHg or a negative box pressure of the same magnitude. When calculated from the density variations, the fluctuations in blood volume of the pulmonary capillaries within one cycle as induced by an intermittent positive pressure ventilation were found to be similar to the ones induced by an intermittent negative pressure ventilation. Using these volumetric fluctuations as a means to assess the transpulmonary pressure and the transmural pressure across the pulmonary capillaries, we conclude that the switching of the ventilation method did not alter the cyclic fluctuations of these pressures.

No excess of obstructive airway disease was found in a group of 265 cotton gin workers when compared with other San Joaquin Valley agricultural workers. After an average of eight weeks' employment in San Joaquin Valley cotton gins, 125 workers showed no appreciable deterioration of pulmonary function compared with pre-employment measurements. In studies of pulmonary function during a workshift, cotton gin workers showed slightly greater mean decrements than control agricultural workers. These differences did not reach a level of statistical significance and were lower than those usually found in byssinosis. The unusual temporal pattern of employment in cotton gins in California precludes a simple approach to diagnosis by symptoms. No correlation was found in this study between symptoms of byssinosis and objective decrements in FEV1. The questionnaire as proposed by the Cotton Dust Standard was found to be of no value in detecting reactors in this study of gin workers.

The experiments presented here examined the in vivo analgesic and respiratory effects of morphine after epidural and subcutaneous administration in rats.

The intravenous injection of the purified toxin (tityustoxin or TsTX) obtained from the venom of the Brazilian scorpion Tityus serrulatus m rats produces complex effects on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems (Freire-Maia and Diniz, 1970; Freire-Maia et al., 1970; Freire-Maia et al., 1973; Freire-Maia et al., 1974b). For these reasons experiments were conducted in order to block, with drugs, the TsTX effects. Prehmmary data were published elsewhere (Azevedo and Freire-Maia, 1974; Lhna and Freire-Maia, 1974).

Most knowledge of respiratory changes due to hormones has been gained from studies which were made years ago. Even that knowledge is limited and incomplete. In fact, modem models of the control of respiration do not include or consider the role of hormones (1, 2).

Am nichtnarkotisierten Hund wurden nach den Methoden von Schroeder vergleichende Untersuchungen uber die Atmungs- und Kreislaufwirkung von Adenosin, Muskeladenylsaure und Adenosintriphosphorsaure angestellt. Im Unterschied zu den Ergebnissen an narkotisierten Tieren fanden wir ausschlieslich eine atmungserregende Wirkung der Adenosinkorper. Der bekannte Blutdruckabfall war — im Gegensatz zur Bradykardie beim Tier in Narkose — von einer Tachykardie begleitet. Der Blutdruckabfall scheint den Kreislaufanalysen nach Wezler und Boger zufolge vor allem durch periphere Gefaserweiterung zustande zu kommen. Die Extremitatendurchblutung war jedoch nur geringgradig vermehrt. Die molaren Wirkungsstarken von Adenosin, AMP und (ATP + ADP) verhielten sich an Atmung und Kreislauf etwa wie 1 : 1,3 : 2,5. Die Befunde werden mit den Ergebnissen fruherer Arbeiten verglichen und in ihrer moglichen therapeutischen Bedeutung diskutiert.

1. 1. The normal respiratory effect of CO2 in avian divers has been studied. Domestic ducks (“white Pekin”) served as subjects. 2. 2. The respiratory minute volume (RMV), tidal volume (TV) and respiratory frequency (RF) were recorded. 3. 3. The RMV almost always increased when the ducks breathed gas mixtures with a high content of CO2. 4. 4. The RMV rose due to an augmentation of TV which more than compensated for the tendency of RF to decrease with increasing CO2-concentrations in the inspired air. 5. 5. These findings confirm the observation by Orr & Watson (1913) and Hiestand & Randall (1941), who found that high concentrations of CO2 in the inspired air cause transient periods of apnoea in the duck. However, they do not support the conclusion that CO2 is a respiratory suppressor in diving birds, for the RMV was not reduced until the CO2-concentrations inhaled were raised well above those found in the lungs of diving ducks (Andersen, 1959).