The advent of ion-selective electrodes made possible the potentiometry of sodium in serum and plasma. These methods were based on dilution of serum, as done in flame photometry, and the results were identical. Analysis of whole blood precludes dilution and so "direct" potentiometry was developed. Results by this technique are variable but tend to compensate for the spurious hyponatremias found by the "indirect" dilution methods due to displacement of volume by lipids and protein. However, there is no unambiguous theoretical basis on which to choose between the various direct ion-selective-electrode techniques and instruments. As an alternative, I propose use of current indirect methods, with numerical correction for the shift in normal sodium values in the presence of abnormal lipid and (or) protein. A table was constructed for making such corrections.
Additional polyvinylpyrrolidone samples of great homogeneity have been prepared, and their intrinsic viscosity and molecular weight (by light scattering) have been determined in water and chloroform. In view of the new results the previous data were reinterpreted particularly with respect to the shift in K (in [η] = KMα) with homogeneity. All data were evaluated by objective statistical techniques and revised intrinsicviscosity molecular weight equations are proposed.
The molecular weight of selected polyvinylpyrrolidone samples was determined by light scattering and by osmotic pressure in methanol. The corresponding limiting viscosity numbers were also determined, as well as the limiting viscosity number of the same samples in water. The data relating to the methanolic system conform with theory and the values for K and α in [η] = KMα were determined. The data relating to aqueous solutions do not show such conformity but an unexplained dependence on the degree of homogeneity of the samples. Nevertheless some empirical constants were deduced which may aid in industrial practice in which aqueous viscosity measurements are usual.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.