Progress in clinical and biological research
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Clinical correlations of the plasma chromogenic Limulus assay were evaluated in 520 septic episodes to assess the diagnostic utility of the assay in a university hospital setting. Otherwise unselected patients undergoing blood culture were studied. An association of plasma Limulus activity with gram negative bacteremia and focal infections was found (p less than .001 and p less than .01, respectively). ⋯ Abnormal neutrophil parameters were unassociated with positive assays in any group. The sensitivity and specificity of the test for a condition known to cause endotoxemia--either gram negative infection or major intestinal disease--were low, 21% and 93% respectively. However, the predictive value of a positive test was 79%, indicating utility for the assay.
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Prog. Clin. Biol. Res. · Jan 1987
Cl- permeability of sweat duct cell membranes: intracellular microelectrode analysis.
Cl- permeability in the reabsorptive sweat duct (RSD) epithelium from normal subjects was studied using electrophysiological techniques. The average basolateral membrane potential (Vb) of normal ducts was -36.8 +/- 0.8 mV and the average apical membrane potential (Va) was -27.2 +/- 0.8 mV (n = 45). Amiloride in the lumen of microperfused sweat ducts hyperpolarized Va by 34.3 +/- 3.1 mV and Vb by 25.7 +/- 3.1 mV (n = 12) with a small but significant increase in voltage divider ratio (Ra/Rb) from 4.2 +/- 0.8 to 5.0 +/- 0.8 (n = 8). ⋯ Alternatively, Va and Vb could be coupled through a Cl- sensitive paracellular shunt. These results are consistent with Cl- permeability in both apical and basolateral membranes of duct cells. However, the question of whether paracellular Cl- permeability is important in Cl- uptake cannot be determined from the present data.