Can storage of thawed cryoprecipitate be extended to more than six hours?

Fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) and cryoprecipitate both contain Factors I and VIII, however thawed FFP may be stored at 1-6 degrees C for 24 hours, but thawed cryoprecipitate may only be stored at 1-6 degrees C for six hours when used for Factor VIII content. To determine whether it would be safe and effective to extend the storage period of thawed cryoprecipitate from 6 to 24 hours, Factor VIII (and fibrinogen) levels were measured in 25 units of cryoprecipitates immediately on thawing and at 6 hours and 24 hours thereafter. The Factor VIII activity level decreased to 86% of the original activity level within 6 hours, but the drop between 6 and 24 hours was relatively small.

Use of a table-top analyzer for predonation screening for alanine aminotransferase--a cost-effective approach?

To reduce the transmission of non-A-non-B hepatitis, the American Association of Blood Banks has required that all blood donations with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels above a certain cut-off level to be discarded. This discard rate resulting from high ALT levels was 5.3% at the authors' donor center, which was more than double the expected rate of 2.

Vaginal fluid zinc concentration as a marker for intercourse.

Zinc is present in high concentration in semen, but in low concentration in vaginal fluid. We evaluated vaginal zinc levels as a marker for intercourse by measuring precoital (greater than 11 h after intercourse) or postcoital (less than 5 h after intercourse) zinc and acid phosphatase levels in 26 specimens of vaginal fluid from 18 women. The approximate 95% reference range for zinc in precoital vaginal fluid was 1.

Microwave heating of intravenous fluids.

Microwave heating of intravenous (IV) fluids is a viable alternative to heating by conventional means, such as by blood warmer(s) or an on-site warming oven, for administration to hypothermic patients and trauma victims. Three 1-l bags each of lactated Ringer's solution, normal saline solution, 1/2 normal saline solution, and 5% dextrose in water were packaged in parenteral containers and heated in a microwave oven from room temperature (21 degrees C) to 40-42 degrees C in 3 minutes. Little difference between temperatures of the four solutions was detected at each of five intervals up to two hours after heating for 3 minutes.

Gastrin antibodies: induction, demonstration, and specificity.

Antibodies to the antral hormone gastrin have been induced in the rabbit and detected by passive hemagglutination. Specificity of the antibody, as determined by three methods, is directed to gastrins I and II, gastrin pentapeptide, and gastrin tetrapeptide, as well as to the stage-1 gastrin used for immunization.