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The behaviour of electrophoretic mobility (E.M.) of the blast cells has been investigated in 15 cases of acute non lymphoid leukemias (A.N.L.L.), (eleven cases of M1 type and four M5 type). The fast and homogeneous E.M. of M5 type in comparison with M1 has been underlined. E.M. of M1 blasts has been reported in a wide range varying from a "normal" migration (similar to that of normal neutrophils and monocytes) to a "fast" one (similar to M5 type). It is suggested that M1 leukemic forms, morphologically recognizable as the same leukemic type, are different L.A.N.L. indeed.

The bronchial vascular response to chemoreceptor stimulation was studied in sheep anesthetized with alpha-chloralose, paralyzed with pancuronium, and artificially ventilated with room air. Blood flow through the common bronchial artery was measured with an electromagnetic flow-meter. Pressures were measured in the left atrium and aorta using appropriately placed catheters connected to pressure transducers. The carotid body was vascularly isolated and perfused at aortic pressure with blood of varied PO2 and PCO2. The viability of our preparation was assessed by the occurrence of a bradycardia in response to carotid body stimulation, and only data from animals demonstrating a bradycardia were analyzed. During hypoxic perfusion of the carotid body, heart rate decreased 6% (P less than 0.05). Bronchial blood flow increased by 46% and bronchial vascular resistance decreased by 23%, both of which were significant changes (P less than 0.05). During control experiments in which the carotid body was perfused with normoxic blood, there were no significant (P greater than 0.05) changes in any of the parameters. These data suggest that carotid body stimulation results in a reflex bronchial vasodilation.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia with hand-mirror cells (ALL-HMC) was diagnosed in a 20-year old patient. Cytochemical investigations revealed a positive reaction for PAS and acid phosphatase. Lymphoid blast cells were studied with various monoclonal antibodies in order to determine their derivation and differentiation. The data obtained (positivity for Leu 9, OKT 11 and OKT 8) suggest that blast cells were of T lineage with OKT 8 phenotype. This report supports the phenotypic heterogeneity of ALL-HMC.

Eosinophilic leukocytes may accompany a great variety of disorders and different types of acute leukemias. The most striking morphologic feature of eosinophils is their specific granules, but morphology alone often is insufficient to differentiate normal from abnormal eosinophils. Cytochemically, the eosinophils were considered "normal" when they did not contain alkaline phosphatase, chloroacetate esterase, toluidine blue metachromasia, Astra blue positivity, and specific PAS-positive granules, but did have peroxidase and cyanide-resistant peroxidase activities, Sudan black positivity and moderate naphthol-AS esterase or alpha-naphthyl esterase and acid phosphatase positivities. In seven cases of acute leukemias (two acute myeloblastic and five myelomonocytic), in contrast with their normal behaviour, the eosinophils show "abnormal" cytochemical positivities consisting of chloroesterase activity, PAS and Astra blue positivities of the specific granules, toluidine blue metachromasia, and cyanide-resistant peroxidase of a few specific granules. Cytochemical investigations may provide additional criteria for evaluating the abnormality of the eosinophilic cell in leukemias.

The bronchial microcirculation is organized as a network of interconnected superficial and deep small blood vessels that extend throughout the bronchial tree. The close proximity of the bronchial venules to the origin of the pulmonary lymphatics suggests a role in fluid balance in the lung. The responsiveness of the venous segment of this network to agents influencing permeability clearly indicates a role in the genesis of certain types of noncardiogenic interstitial edema. The responsiveness of the venous segment of the bronchial circulation to neural and humoral stimuli raises the possibility of a significant role in the distribution of blood flow between the mucosa and peribronchial space. Such control may play a significant role in heat and water exchange between blood and air. Thus, these observations indicate that the bronchial microcirculation is involved with aspects of pulmonary function other than the nutrition of the bronchi, nerves, pleura, and large pulmonary blood vessels.

Lungs of anesthetized rabbits were filled unilaterally with macromolecule-containing solutions (Dextran 40 and albumin) for 20 min. which generally resulted in fluid resorption from the flooded lung. Electron microscopic examination revealed the following: (1) formation of chains of vesicles, similar or identical to pinocytotic vesicles, which start from depressions or fluid-immersed cellular surfaces in macrophages, or endothelial and squamous epithelial cells; and (2) formation of intracellular blisters as a result of the apparent fusion of numerous pinocytotic vesicles. Both observations seem to be augmented forms of normal phenomena. The hypothesis is advanced that the chains of vesicles are related to the increased amount of undulation of the cell surface and to cellular invaginations that follow relaxation of tensions at the surface of cells immersed in fluid. The blisters could be the result of the increase of bidirectional flow of vesicles across the squamous cells. This brings an increased risk of collision because of the absence of lysosomes in the thin cytoplasmic extensions of endothelial and squamous epithelial cells. It is concluded that, even in very early stages, flooding per se produced some form of cellular alterations with a potential for leading to more overt lung pathology such as cell death and desquamation which would greatly increase tissue permeability.

Histamine causes interstitial pulmonary edema, but whether this is the result of an increased permeability of the pulmonary circulation or only of the bronchial circulation remains to be determined. In order to selectively study the effect of histamine on the pulmonary circulation, we used an isolated perfused rabbit lung preparation because in this species, the bronchial circulation is poorly developed. Edema formation was assessed by continuously monitoring the weight of the lung perfused at constant pressure. These studies were supplemented by electron microscopic observations using hemoglobin as an ultrastructural tracer for microvascular permeability. We found that histamine (8.0 microgram base/100 ml of perfusate) did not cause lung weight to increase. Ultrastructural studies showed that histamine, at this dosage, did not cause a greater leakage of hemoglobin that occurred in the control lungs. Thus, we have concluded that histamine does not increase the permeability of the pulmonary microcirculation in the isolated perfused rabbit lung.

In the period from September 1981 to April 1982, one strain of influenza virus (A-H3N2) was isolated from 121 throat cultures obtained from patients with acute febrile respiratory disease. A sero-epidemiological survey on 520 serum samples and evaluation of excess mortality from respiratory diseases did not show significant activity of influenza viruses during the period from October 1981 to October 1982.

In the periods from July 1982 to June 1983 and July 1983 to June 1984, 31 strains of influenza virus, of which 19 A/H3N2 6 A/H1N1 and 6 type B, were isolated from 242 throat cultures obtained from patients with acute febrile respiratory disease. A seroepidemiological survey on 520 serum samples confirms significant activity of influenza viruses during the winterly period of 1983-1984. In the period July-August 1983 the evaluation of mortality from respiratory diseases presents an excess in respect of epidemic threshold probably ascribable to heat stroke.