Effects of increased water content of inspired air at 21–38 °C on specific airway resistance (sRaw) in 107 healthy subjects were measured with a body plethysmograph. Mean sRaw increased insignificantly at 23 °C with 92% relative humidity (water content, 20.7 g∙m−3) for up to 71 h but became significant at 6 h with water content 25 g∙m−3. Increases were greater when evaporated tap water was inhaled than when distilled water was used. It is postulated that the increase in sRaw is due to mucosal swelling and to contaminants in tap water. A theory of respiratory "water elimination" is proposed to replace the concept of respiratory water loss.
The effect of increasing water content in inspired air on specific airway resistance in rats was assessed. The results showed that specific airway resistances were significantly related to the water content of inspired air, above 15.02 mg/m3, the duration of water content exposure and to the type of water nebulized. It is suggested that theincrease in specific airway resistance is composed of a local and neural element caused by accumulation of mucus or mucosal swelling and changes in the composition and consistency of the mucus lining layer, respectively.
Studies were undertaken to determine the effect of several adrenergic compounds on ciliary activity and on the micromorphology of the goblet cells and mucous glands. All the substances tested, L-adrenaline, d-L-ephedrine, N-isopropylnoradrenaline and 1-(4-amino-3,5-dichlorphenyl)-2-tert-butyl-aminoethanol-HCl increased ciliary activity, but have markedly different effects on goblet cells, mucous glands and on the quality of the produced mucus.
A method is described for determining the thread-forming property (‘Spinn-barkeit’) of tracheobronchial secretions. With this method it was observed that adrenergic compounds increase the length of the mucus threads by an average of 154% whereas mucolytic agents caused an average decrease of 63 % in the length of the mucus threads.
A method is described which allows quantitative measurements of bronchomotor function in vitro in all parts of the tracheobronchial tree. With this method it was observed that chymotrypsin, trypsin and ficin elicited contraction in the intrapulmonary airways of rats. The response could be abolished or diminished by phentolamin and atropine. Physostigmine did not potentiate the response. It is concluded that chymotrypsin operates mainly through α-adrenoreceptors, whereas trypsin and ficin operate through both α-adrenoreceptors and cholinoceptive receptors.
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