Untrained females: effects of submaximal exercise and heat on body fluids.

Five untrained females having no history of heat exposure worked in a cool (16-20 degrees C db, 28% rh) environment on day 1 and a warm environment on day 2 (45 degrees C db, 28% rh). Exercise level (bicycle ergometer) was 30% of individual Vo2 max values and work time on both days was 45 min. Venous blood samples were obtained at rest, after 40 min of exercise and 25 min after exercise ceased. Analysis of blood samples indicated an 8.3% increase in Hct during exercise on day 1 and a plasma volume reduction of 12.8% though total circulating protein increased 11.5%. Except for K+ all parameters approximated control values within 25 min postexercise. On day 2, exercise in heat caused a 12% increase in Hct and a plasma volume reduction of 17.7%. Mean total protein did not significantly change from resting values. These data indicated that for a given % Vo2 max, untrained females suffer considerably greater reductions in plasma volumes than do exercised males. Similar to males, dilatation of the cutaneous vascular bed in unacclimatized females resulted in loss of protein from the vascular volume.     

Cytokine measurements in body fluids

Bioassays and immunoassays for cytokines are now widely available for use in clinical laboratories which may have little or no expertise in cytokine biology. Whilst this facilitates the accumulation of data concerning cytokine levels in body fluids in disease, it is based on the assumption that such assays can be used for this purpose. In many cases, the presence of complex interfering factors in plasma and other body fluids require that assays should be subjected to detailed assay validation before confidence can be placed on the results. It is the purpose of this report to outline the potential problems with cytokine assays and the criteria that should be applied before making measurements in biological fluids.     

Diagnostic accuracy of the immunocytochemical study of body fluids

The diagnostic accuracy of the immunocytochemical characterization of body fluids was evaluated in 100 specimens (35 pleural, 40 peritoneal, 7 pericardial and 18 cerebrospinal [CSF] fluids) in comparison with routine morphologic examination. The immunochemical markers used for all specimens were common-leukocyte antigen, epithelial membrane antigen, epithelial keratin and desmin. Additional immunocytochemical studies for neurofilaments, glial fibrillary acidic protein, vimentin and melanoma-associated antigen were performed on the CSF specimens. The study confirmed the accuracy of the immunocytochemical characterization of cells in body fluids using a panel of immunocytochemical stains. These methods are recommended as an adjunct to improve the accuracy of the cytologic diagnosis of body fluids, especially in cases with diagnostically difficult morphologic features.     

Peptidomics technologies for human body fluids

Peptides play a central role in many physiological processes. In order to analyse comprehensively all peptides and small proteins of a whole organism or a subsystem (peptidome), the use of technologies other than 2D gel electrophoresis is necessary. Approaches that use liquid chromatography or affinity purification and mass spectrometric identification have now been developed and applied successfully to the analysis of human body fluids.