Safety of pre-hospital therapy with morphine sulfate.

The safety of prehospital pharmacologic therapy has not been well studied. The authors evaluated field use of morphine sulfate (MS) in San Francisco County over a 6-month period. Paramedics assessed patients for ischemic chest pain (ICP) and/or pulmonary edema (PE), made base hospital contact, and administered 2- to 4-mg doses of intravenous morphine according to treatment protocols.

Detection of bacteria by hybridization of rRNA with DNA-latex and immunodetection of hybrids.

A novel nucleic acid hybridization assay with a DNA probe immobilized on 1.25-micron-diameter latex particles was developed. Hybridization of the immobilized probe DNA with sample rRNA was complete in 10 to 15 min.

New radioimmunoadsorbent method for detection of hepatitis B surface antigen.

A radioimmunoadsorbent assay for the detection of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAG) is described. The method uses small DEAE-cellulose columns to adsorb HBsAg from serum or plasma samples, and it uses 125 I-labeled antibody to HBsAg to detect the adsorbed antigen. A single 2-h incubation at 45 degrees C is used in the procedure.