Nitric oxide increases leukocyte granule release during simulated extracorporeal circulation.

Background: Nitric Oxide (NO) is reported to possess anti-inflammatory properties. The aim of this study was to investigate if nitric oxide affects leukocyte response during simulated extracorporeal circulation (SECC).

Methods: Human blood was circulated for 23 hours through SECC circuit.

[Investigations on the dependence of hematologic and blood chemical parameters on the age of health lambs--a contribution to the definition of reference values in sheep].

Haematological and biochemical examinations were carried out in 284 clinically healthy lambs aged from birth to nine month. The 122 male and 164 female animals belonged to the following breeds: German blackheaded mutton sheep (n = 114), Merino (n = 21), Frisian milksheep (n = 98), Texel (n = 31), Bentheimer landrace (n = 16) and Leine sheep (n = 5). The lambs were selected from a larger number of probationers by use of outlier tests.

[Clinical findings and differential diagnosis in ketosis and hypocalcemia in sheep].

Clinical and laboratory examinations were carried out in a prospective study from 1978 to 1998 on 454 spontaneously diseased sheep of different breeds aged 2-8 years. Three groups of sheep were defined by plasma concentrations of 3-hydroxybutyrate (3-OHB) and calcium. 214 ewes suffered from ketosis (pregnancy toxaemia, 3-OHB > 1.

Spontaneous pregnancy toxaemia (ketosis) in sheep and the role of insulin.

214 ewes suffering from pregnancy toxaemia (ketosis) were examined. Clinical signs during onset and course of disease and laboratory findings were compared between animals that survived and those which died. In the latter the onset of ketosis was earlier in pregnancy (day 143 +/- 7 vs.

[Diagnostic value of total plasma levels of bile acids and ammonia in liver diseases in sheep].

For the estimation of the diagnostic value of plasma concentrations of total bile acids and ammonia in liver disease healthy controls (n = 23) as well as animals sick with different diseases were examined. The reference values for total bile acids and ammonia in the plasma of sheep range from 18-166 mumol/l and 15-64 mumol/l, respectively. While animals with chronic copper poisoning (n = 18), vitamin E/selenium deficiency (n = 15) and with diseases not affecting the liver (n = 8) did not show significant differences in concentrations of total bile acids and ammonia from those of the healthy controls, this could be proven for animals with severe hepatopathy or hepatoencephalopathy.