Hematocrit 2742 INDEX

As shown in Table I, iron intakes of both groups was approximately the same with mean values being only about one-half the NRC RDA allowances for this age/sex group. However, ascorbic acid intake levels were high which might have helped in the utilization of the iron provided. Hemoglobin and hematocrit levels which are sometimes used as indexes of adequate iron... 

Blood contains lead in three forms a major fraction (about 95%) bound to erythrocytes, a protein-bound fraction in plasma, and a diffusible fraction that represents the metabolically active form of circulating blood. Since the major fraction of PbB is bound to erythrocytes, some authors have proposed expression of results in /biological validity of this correction is still controversial. With the improvement of the analytical sensitivity and reliability of the methods for measuring low levels of lead in biologicai materials, it is likely that, in future, the concentration of diffusible lead in plasma as an index of metabolically active lead will be further evaluated (Lauwerys, 1983). 

It is obvious that the refractive-index matching is not the only factor to affect transmittance in these experiments. The amount of the aggregation certainly has an effect, but other factors, such as the hematocrit, the manner in which RBCs are packed, the shape of the aggregates, the variance in size of these aggregates may all contribute. 

---