[Secretory IgA: quality control of the titration method].

In order to verify if the method for the titration of salivary secretory IgA (s-IgA) by the technical of radial immunodiffusion is trustworthy, have been carried out the precision tests in the series and among the series in two saliva samples with very different s-IgA concentrations, and precision and accuracy tests in the series and among the series using a solution with a known titre of IgA. The results of the first battery tests have shown a precision ranging from 93.04 to 95.

[Evaluation of a colorimetric enzymatic procedure for determining the total bile acids in the blood].

A simple enzymatic colorimetric procedure for the total serum bile acids determination was evaluated. In 518 normal patients values of statistical analysis ranged from 0.60 to 7.

[Semiautomatic procedure for determining urine iron in subjects treated with deferoxamine B].

A semiautomatic method for the determination of urine iron during treatment with deferoxamine B has been evaluated: samples were diluted 1:10 with a TCA 10% and thioglycolic acid 1.1% solution and processed after centrifugation by the aca III discrete clinical analyzer Du Pont. In this way an overestimation of values depending on the turbidity caused by proteins is avoided and the bad smell is limited thanks to the very low concentration of the thioglycolic acid solution.

[Procedure for identifying atypical variants of pseudocholinesterase for the prevention of prolonged apnea induced by succinylcholine].

The simple Sclavo test based on succinyldicholine hydrolysis and on the following reaction with 5,5'-dithio-bis-2-nitrobenzoic acid for detection of the atypical patterns of serum cholinesterase has been investigated. A yellow staining appears but in presence of the atypical forms of the enzyme. Analysis of 4055 serum samples by the 430 Selective Analyzer Sclavo allowed the identification of one atypical homozygous patient.

[Frequency of microalbuminuria in children].

Urinary samples overnight collected from 550 pediatric patients with normal urine analysis and normal serum levels of creatinine, urea and glucose were tested for the presence of microalbuminuria by a latex test. Only 3 cases (0.6%) were positive even with RIA method; the difference with the percentage observed in adults (4.