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Regional cerebral blood flow was simultaneously determined using the stable xenon computed tomographic and the radioactive microsphere techniques over a wide range of blood flow rates (less than 10-greater than 300 ml/100 g/min) in 12 baboons under conditions of normocapnia, hypocapnia, and hypercapnia. A total of 31 pairs of determinations were made. After anesthetic and surgical preparation of the baboons, cerebral blood flow was repeatedly determined using the stable xenon technique during saturation with 50% xenon in oxygen. Concurrently, cerebral blood flow was determined before and during xenon administration using 15-microns microspheres. In Group 1 (n = 7), xenon and microsphere determinations were made repeatedly during normocapnia. In Group 2 (n = 5), cerebral blood flow was determined using both techniques in each baboon during hypocapnia (PaCO2 = 20 mm Hg), normocapnia (PaCO2 = 40 mm Hg), and hypercapnia (PaCO2 = 60 mm Hg). Xenon and microsphere values in Group 1 were significantly correlated (r = 0.69, p less than 0.01). In Group 2, values from both techniques also correlated closely across all levels of PaCO2 (r = 0.92, p less than 0.001). No significant differences existed between the slopes or y intercepts of the regression lines for either group and the line of identity. Our data indicate that the stable xenon technique yields cerebral blood flow values that correlate well with values determined using radioactive microspheres across a wide range of cerebral blood flow rates.

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A recent publication suggested that the 24-hour allowable shelf-life of apheresis platelet concentrates collected by open-system techniques be extended to 48 hours because platelets collected in this fashion usually remain sterile for that length of time. The current studies, however, show that the quality of platelet concentrates deteriorates rapidly after storage for more than 24 hours in the relatively small-volume, polyvinyl chloride containers of currently marketed, open-system software, as evidenced by the falling pH, the disintegration of platelets, and the inability of platelets to recover from hypotonic shock. Platelets were markedly defective within 48 hours. Thus, it seems unwise to extend the shelf-life of such platelet concentrates beyond 24 hours solely because they are likely to remain sterile. Collection techniques and software must also be modified to ensure satisfactory platelet quality before the period of storage should be extended.