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Poor correlation between Hemalog-D and standard microscopy monocyte counts has been reported. To achieve a better correlation between the monocyte figures of the two systems, the Hemalog-D includes an alarm signal: the remainder. The machine monocyte count can be adjusted to approach the visual count: if the remainder is greater than +5, add the machine remainder to the machine monocyte count; if the remainder is between -5 and -10, subtract the machine remainder from the Hemalog-D monocyte count. This simple addition or subtraction of remainders expands the range of white cell differential counts which can be accepted from the Hemalog-D without subsequent visual microscopic study of blood films.

A family with inherited factor VII deficiency is described. The propositus is a 9-year-old girl with chronic haemorrhagic history of epistaxis and bleeding after tooth extractions. Her factor VII coagulant activity was less than 3% using rabbit thromboplastin. She had a factor VII antigen level of 50%. Both parents were heterozygous for factor VII deficiency. The father had procoagulant factor VII (VII-C) of 44% and factor VII antigen (VII-Ag) of 74%, and the mother had 54% of factor VII-C and 85% of VII-Ag. Her only brother had normal levels of factor VII-C (100%). Additionally, some abnormalities in the fibrinolytic system were detected both in the propositus and her brother with shortened euglobulin lysis times and increased functional levels of plasminogen activator. To our knowledge, the clinical association of inherited factor VII deficiency and familial fibrinolytic disturbances has not been described so far.

Age, sex and platelet hyperactivity are factors that condition the development of coronary heart disease (CHD). Platelet function is believed to be influenced by its FA pattern, which can be modulated by the FA composition of plasma lipid fractions. Therefore, it seemed of interest to evaluate the effect of age and sex on platelet FA and ascertain whether the plasma influence on platelet FA is modified by age and sex. The study has been performed in 98 subjects, 49 couples, men (M) and women (W), living together and with the same dietary habits. The subjects were divided into three age groups : G I:16-40, GII:40-60,and G III: 60. Plasma and platelet FA of phospholipids (PL), triglycerides, and free FA fractions were evaluated by gas-chromatography. The results showed scarce differences in platelet FA in relation to sex. With respect to age, the percentages of 18:2 and 20:5 in most platelet lipid fractions both in M and in W decrease with age. More interesting are the differences in correlation found between plasma and platelet FA, particularly in the PL fraction, with age and sex. In this respect an increase in the correlation coefficient was found for 16:0,18:0 and 20:4 and a decrease for 20:5 in middle aged men and postmenopausic women (Table). The similarity between these two groups of subjects may have a physiopathological meaning, if we take into account that both are more susceptible to CHD and that an increase in 16:0, 18:0 and 20:4 as well as a decrease in 20:5 may condition a platelet hyperfuntion, circumstance that may be more easily produced by plasma influence in those subjects.The results of the present study also confirm that that in general plasma greately influences the platelet content in 18:1, 18:2 and to a lower extent the saturated FA.

Studies of the turbidity profiles of diluted (1/55, v/v) normal plasma, thrombin activity free serum plus commercial fibrinogen, and 0.15 M NaCl, pH 7.4, plus commercial fibrinogen, activated by thrombin or reptilase and measured at 350 nm, have shown that the latency time (LT) hardly varies for the fibrinogen concentration within limits of 0.03-0.15 mg/ml; however, it does vary for the thrombin concentration. The rate of gelation (RG) varies linearly with the fibrinogen (FG) concentration, conforming to the equation RG = 0.027 (FG)1.8; it hardly varies for thrombin concentrations greater than 0.50 NIH U/ml. On the other hand, RG values obtained for 0.46 NIH U/ml of thrombin or 0.92 BU/ml of reptilase show no significant differences. The variation in LT for the thrombin or reptilase concentration allows the rate of activation to be estimated, giving values of 5.9 X 10(-12) and 3.2 X 10(-12) mol/U/s, respectively, for a fibrinogen concentration in plasma of 1.1 X 10(-10) mol/ml. The mean value estimated for the ratio LT/FG in normal plasma is 35.76 +/- 18.3 and 85.62 +/- 18.3 s mg-1 ml for activation by thrombin and reptilase, respectively. We have studied in normal plasma the parameters that define the gelation of fibrin as measured by turbidity curves and their variation according to the fibrinogen concentration. This permits us to establish the kinetics of fibrin gel formation and normal range values.

The adhesiveness of platelets to collagen and glass was studied ex vivo in groups of patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Adhesiveness was increased to glass and normal to collagen in both groups of patients. No relation was found between reinfarction rate and adhesiveness in the acute stage of AMI. Electrophoretic mobility of platelets was the same in the AMI patients and a normal control group. It is suggested that the increased ‘retention’ of platelets in IHD patients might be due more to platelet hyperaggregation or to hypersensitivity to platelet aggregating agents than to altered adhesiveness.

CONFIRMING the validity of the Galli-Mainini test for pregnancy in the male toad Bufo arenarum1 and referring to the suitability of B. marinus2 and Rana pipiens3, Haines4 raises the question of the possible suitability of two European species, B. bufo and R. temporaria. We have demonstrated5 the suitability of a European frog, R. esculenta ; and on a theoretical basis we have assumed that the Galli-Mainini test must be common to the Anura (toads and frogs).