[Sepsis score in surgical intensive care medicine].

In a prospective study (400 patients, intensive care stay > 18 h) the following data were documented daily: Clinical sepsis, a modified sepsis score, Apache II-score, number of organ failure, Elastase-concentrations and injury severity score (ISS > or = 20 = polytrauma). On admission day a prognostic assessment for early diagnosis of septic complications during intensive care could be demonstrated by a combination of the modified sepsis score and the number of organ failures and the presence of polytrauma. All other parameters did not have any predictive value.

The content and distribution of glycosaminoglycans in the ejaculates of normal and vasectomized men.

The glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) of sperm and seminal plasma of normal men and seminal plasma of vasectomized individuals have been identified and quantified by two dimensional (2D) electrophoresis. The sperm contains predominantly CSC and HS as well as significant amounts of DS which achieves a high level in the sperm of the youngest man, while HA and LSC are either undetectable or present in small quantities. In normal seminal plasma, characteristically, DS is essentially lacking whereas CSC is the major GAG and HA and LSC account for relatively high percentages.

[The hematological laboratory of clinical practice].

The spectrum of analyses of a hematological laboratory comprises the counts of erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets, the determinations of the hemoglobin concentration and of the hematocrit, the calculation of the red cell indices and the microscopic examination of the blood film. The determination of white blood cells, platelets, hematocrit and MCV as well as staining of the blood film should be performed within two hours after blood sampling. The hemoglobin concentration, red-cell count and MCH value remain constant for five days, provided that the blood samples is stored at 4 degrees C.

[Demonstration of intrathecal antibody formation against Borrelia burgdorferi in Lyme neuroborreliosis].

Neurologic complications are common in Lyme borreliosis. In adults in particular, detection of intrathecally formed antibodies to B. burgdorferi is a decisive diagnostic criterion.

Serial IgG and IgM serum levels after infusion of different Ig-preparations (IgG or IgM-enriched) in preterm infants.

Intravenous administration of Immunoglobulin (IVIG) has been used for prevention or treatment of neonatal sepsis. However, therapeutic efficacy of IVIG is dependent on pharmacokinetic factors. There have been no comparative studies in neonates between licensed IgG and IgM enriched preparations.

Laminin and aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen in seminal plasma from fertile and vasectomized men.

The components of the extracellular matrix, laminin and aminoterminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP) were determined in seminal plasma of 50 patients with vasectomy and of 50 age-matched fertile patients. The concentration of laminin was highly significantly (P < 0.001) elevated in the fertile group as compared to the vasectomy group, whereas the concentrations of PIIINP were not significantly different between these two groups.

Fetal haemoglobin levels in adult type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients.

Glycated haemoglobin levels (HbA1 and HbA1c) are established parameters of long-term glycaemic control in diabetic patients. Depending on the method used, fetal haemoglobin interferes with the assays for glycated haemoglobin. If present in high amounts, fetal haemoglobin may lead to overestimation of glycated haemoglobin levels, and therefore, of average blood glucose concentration in diabetic patients.

[Dry chemistry in the clinical laboratory: how reliable is it?].

The performance of dry chemistry analysis systems was evaluated using the results obtained from proficiency testing 1991 of practitioner's laboratories. 59% of the participants use dry chemistry (Ektachem DT 60 Kodak, Reflotron Boehringer, Cobas Ready Roche). The evaluation reveals the following: The declared values of the control sera for the dry chemistry systems agree well with those of the conventional wet chemistry, excepting enzyme assays.

[Non-enzymatic marking of gene probes using digoxigenin for the diagnosis of sickle cell mutation and beta thalassemia].

A method is described in which allele-specific oligonucleotides (ASO) are labeled non-enzymatically with digoxigenin (DIG). The ASOs were synthesized in a DNA synthesizer. A primary C6-alkylamine was incorporated at the 5'end of the ASO.

[Acquired hemoglobin H disease in the early stage of erythroleukemia].

At the onset of erythroleukemia, the patient, a 74-year-old Swiss male, was also found to have microcytic-hypochromic anemia (Hb: 82 g/l, MCV: 69 fl, MCH: 21 pg). Further laboratory examinations revealed reduced hemoglobin stability, a hemoglobin H fraction of 3.0% on cellulose acetate-electrophoresis, and an abundance of hemoglobin H inclusion bodies in red cells.

[Platelet satellitosis].

Platelet satellitism (PS) is a rare phenomenon described sporadically in the literature. It involves adhesion of thrombocytes sensitized by antibodies to leucocytes and is observed in vitro in EDTA anticoagulated blood. The authors' contribution to the problem is the observation of special thrombocyte aggregates surrounding neutrophils resembling comet tails, as well as the fact that the authors observed the formation of aggregates surrounding also lymphocytes and eosinophil cells.

[Congenital methemoglobinemia with cytochrome-b5-reductase deficiency: 4th Swiss family].

In a female newborn presenting with pronounced cyanosis in the absence of cardiopulmonary disease, the cyanosis was due to methemoglobinemia of 33% at birth and 17% at 24 hours (upper limit 0.5%) which was found to be secondary to deficiency of red blood cell cytochrome b5 reductase (EC 1.6.

Unusually high concentrations of Zn alpha 2-glycoprotein and the lack of alpha 2HS-glycoprotein in human ejaculates.

Ejaculates of 132 nonvasectomized and 129 vasectomized men were assayed for their Zn alpha 2- and alpha 2HS-glycoprotein contents by radial immunodiffusion. The respective mean concentrations of Zn alpha 2-glycoprotein were 319 and 309 mg/L, respectively, but these fluids were devoid of alpha 2HS-glycoprotein. In comparison, the concentration of these two proteins in serum of normal men were 62 and 617 mg/L for Zn alpha 2- and alpha 2HS-glycoprotein, respectively.

Automated blood count analysis by trimodal size distribution of leukocytes with the SYSMEX E-5000.

The automated haematology analyser, SYSMEX E-5000, measures and computes quantitative haematological parameters, and determines the size distribution of blood cells and platelets. After partial lysis, the analyser classifies the leukocytes into 3 populations: small cells (lymphocytes), intermediate sized cells (basophils, eosinophils, monocytes) and large cells (neutrophils, including band cells). One thousand blood samples from inpatients and outpatients were analysed automatically in the SYSMEX as well as being submitted to microscopic blood smear differentiation, and the results were compared.

[Method and clinical significance of cerebrospinal fluid spectrophotometry].

The results of the spectrophotometric analysis of 932 cerebrospinal fluid specimens are presented. The specimens were obtained from 95 patients with subarachnoid and intracerebral hemorrhages, 75 patients with traumatic head injuries, 40 patients with infectious diseases of the central nervous system, 302 patients with cerebrovascular accidents and 302 patients suffering from a variety of diseases such as multiple sclerosis, herniated intervertebral discs and vasomotor headache. Normal cerebrospinal fluid is colourless and shows a spectrophotometric absorption characterized by a flat curve with decreasing absorption from 350 to 650 nm.

One-step sandwich enzyme immunoassay for insulin using monoclonal antibodies.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the measurement of insulin in human serum has been developed. The test is based on the sandwich technique with two monoclonal antibodies directed against two different epitopes of insulin using coated plastic tubes as the solid phase and horse radish peroxidase as the label. The immunoreactions are completed in one step within 2 h.

Complete amino acid sequence of human plasma Zn-alpha 2-glycoprotein and its homology to histocompatibility antigens.

In the present study the complete amino acid sequence of human plasma Zn-alpha 2-glycoprotein was determined. This protein whose biological function is unknown consists of a single polypeptide chain of 276 amino acid residues including 8 tryptophan residues and has a pyroglutamyl residue at the amino terminus. The location of the two disulfide bonds in the polypeptide chain was also established.

Human serum alpha 2HS-glycoprotein modulates in vitro bone resorption.

We previously isolated a family of bone-resorbing proteins from human cancer ascites fluid and established that the three purified bone-resorbing proteins were chemically and immunochemically related to each other and to alpha-2HS glycoprotein (alpha 2HS). After this finding we purified the normal human serum counterpart of these ascites proteins and studied its effects on bone resorption. The bone-resorbing properties of normal human serum alpha 2HS were examined in vitro over a wide dose range.