Total eosinophil counts were investigated in asthmatic patients to determine their usefulness in the diagnosis and management of steroid-dependent asthma. Counts averaged 122 plus or minus 74 (S.D.) per mm-3 (65 untreated normal subjects) and 43 plus or minus 22 per mm-3 (six prednisone-treated normal subjects). Fifty-two patients with active bronchial asthma showed significant eosinophilia (greater than 350/mm-3 off and greater than 85/mm-3 on steroids), suggesting that eosinophilia is an important diagnostic feature of bronchial asthma. In 14 patients (60 observations), the counts showed significant inverse correlation with specific airway conductance--r equals 0.74, p less than 0.001--and with a variety of other measurements of bronchial dynamics and lung volumes, suggesting that the total eosinophil count reflects asthmatic activity and is useful for regulating steroid dosage and for early detection of exacerbations.

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The in vivo transalveolar transport of three large polar solutes, sucrose, inulin, and dextran (mol wt 60,000-90,00), was compared with the transport of urea in saline-filled dog lung. Apparent permeability coefficents (p', in cm X sec-1 X 10(6)) were as follows; urea: 2.4 +/- 0.28 (SD) greater than sucrose: 0.64 +/- 0.31 (P less than 0.001) greater than inulin: 0.12 +/- .05 (P less than 0.001)--not different from dextran (mol wt 60,000-90,000): 0.08 +/- .02 (P greater then .01). Calculation of the resistance of the alveolar epithelium compared to total barrier resistance for the various solutes indicates that approximately 90% of the total resistance resides in the alveolar epithelium. Comparison of the ratio of permeability coefficients to the ratio of free-diffusion coefficients in water shows similar values for the three large polar solutes, suggesting that permeation through the alveolar epithelium occurs by means of water-filled channels. The values for permeability coefficients of alveolar epithelium fit into the spectrum of values reported for other epithelial structures (including gall bladder, frog skin, and toad bladder); it seems to have a system of channels with a small number of wide "pores" (greater than 80 A) that permit permeation of large polar solutes and is not a relatively homogeneous structure.

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to diving in the harbor seal: cardiac output during diving.Am. J. Physiol.2 I o( I) : I 76-180.