[Measuring the turbidity of amniotic fluid, a possibility to assess fetal maturity before birth (author's transl)]

At the end of gestation, depending on maturation of the fetus and especially of its skin, vernix caseosa is detached into amniotic fluid. The changes of amniotic fluid turbidity can be quantitatively verified with a fotometer (filter for 578 nm, 10 mm disposable cuvettes). The turbidity of amniotic fluid was measured in 125 cases. No correlation was found between turbidity and length of gestation from day 261 to day 287 after last menstruation. In contrast, there is strong and significant contingency between turbidity of amniotic fluid and maturity of fetal skin (quantity of vernix caseosa) or clinical maturity assessed according to Farr et al. Finding a turbidity below 0.5 U on extinction scale of the fotometer, the fetus is not fully mature in 50% of these cases; placental dysfunction can be excluded with high probability. In contrast, two thirds of the children with high turbidity of amniotic fluid (more than 1.0 U on extinction scale) had clinical signs of placental dysfunction.

[Modification and improvement of the diagnosis of cerebral damage (DCS) for clinical use (author's transl)]

The purpose of this study was to determine whether Weidlich's DCS Test (Diagnostikum für Cerebralschädigung) (Weidlich, 1969) which is very burdensome when applied to brain-damaged patients, could be simplified by means of multivariate error analysis without loss of its great diagnostic value. The results of 40 brain-damaged patients and 47 clinical control patients were examined by multivariate analysis. In order to establish a comparative learning-function value, a random sample of 20 nonclinical persons was tested, as well. Results showed that within a discriminant function the error variables could differentiate clinical groups just as well as Weidlich's global criterium, while a diagnosis could be established after only about half the test time. Applicability of the multivariate methods to the diagnosis of single clinical cases was confirmed by means of positive cross validation.

[Comparative studies of the response of normolipemic and dyslipemic aged subjects to 2 forms of delayed-action nicotinic acid polyesters. Pentaerythrotol tetranicotinate and inositol hexanicotinate. Results of a controlled cross-over trial]

A cross-over trial was run to compare the effects of two delayed-action nicotinic acid polyesters (pentaerythritol-tetranticotinate, PETN, and inositol-hexanicotinate, MIEN) in 59 aged normo- and dyslipaemic subjects. PETN tended to normalise the lipid picture in much the same way as nicotin acid, without a drastic effect on circulating lipids and lipoproteins. MIEN, on the other hand, had only a slight effect on total blood lipids, and appeared to be ineffective or negative with respect to the other lipid parameters. PETN proved capable of releasing active concentrations of nicotinic acid in vivo for a period of time that was sufficient to correct hyperlipaemia in age subjects. The side-effects were slight, infrequent and quickly reversible.

[Intensive supervision of labor with the help of the computor (author's transl)]

A system of supervision which we developed was described. With this system it is possible to make on-line evaluations of the CTG and postpartal blood analyses from the cord blood via computors (AEG 60-10 and AEG 60-50). The computed parameters together with all obstetrical data collected during the pregnancy (results from ultrasonic tests, estrogen and HPL analyses, anamnestic data and additional "clinical findings") as well as off-line evaluated CTG findings made during the course of the pregnancy were scored. The CTG is evaluated on-line via the "cross correlation function" and can be produced in a wide variety of parameters at any time during labor. The complete system is demonstrated on the basis of an individual case analysis. The first statistical individual case analyses of deceleration in CTG were compared with the classical Hon and Caldeyro-Barcia method of calculation.

[4-allyloxy-3-chlorophenyl-acetic acid (alclofenac) in the treatment of painful arthroses in the aged. Double-blind controlled clinical trial]

The antiarthrosic effectiveness with respect to spontaneous pain upon movement and pressure, of alclofenac (4-allyloxy-3-chlorophenyl-acetic acid) was tested in a homogeneous group of elderly patients and compared with orally administered indomethacin. The research was carried out in strictly controlled, double-blind experimental conditions. The results obtained suggest that 500 mg of the new anti-inflammatory analgesic have the same action as 25 mg of indomethacin but with a lower incidence of the side effects common to all anti-inflammatory substances. Thanks to its good tolerability and high effectiveness, the new drug should be of considerable utility in the treatment of arthrosis in the elderly and in painful, inflammatory complications.