Dapsone in rheumatoid arthritis

After a preliminary period of observation, 71 patients with consistently active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were given dapsone 50 mg daily for one week, then 100 mg daily. There was a significant improvement in subjective clinical state and there were significant falls in serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and the ESR; the Rose-Waaler titre (RW) did not fall. The results were compared with those in 78 patients who had gold. Subjective clinical improvement was slower with gold, but from six weeks the pattern of changes in clinical score, CRP and ESR was similar for both drugs. The RW fell during gold treatment. The results suggest dapsone is effective in RA; over-all it appears to be slightly less effective than gold but much less toxic.

Electrophoretic analysis of normal Beagle dog serum for changes possibly due to age or sex

Serum protein, glycoprotein, and haptoglobin values were presented from normal male and female beagle dogs, 0.64 10.60 yr of age. The data presented as means +/- 2 standard deviations and coefficients of variation are important in evaluating clinical changes in experimental beagles.

Amino acids attached to transfer ribonucleic acid in vivo

1. tRNA was extracted from rabbit liver by both the phenol and diethyl pyrocarbonate methods under conditions preventing deacylation of the amino acids attached in vivo. 2. After deacylation 12 amino acids were determined by gas-liquid chromatography, by using the flame-ionization and nitrogen-sensitive thermionic detectors. 3. Comparison of the distribution of 12 amino acids attached to tRNA with those contained in total tissue protein and in the free pool showed little correlation. 4. Results for the enzymic charging assay for tRNA in vitro did not correlate satisfactorily with the analysis of amino acids attached to tRNA in vivo. Marked differences were ntoed in comparison made between our own and other published results.

Assimilation of citric acid and adipic acid by the blue-green alga Anabaena variabilis

The assimilation of [1,6-14C] citric acid and [1,6-14C] adipic acid by the blue-green alga Anabaena variabius was studied in the dark and in the light. Citric acid was assimilated in the dark and in the light but adipic acid showed only limited assimilation in the dark. In the light the assimilation of adipic acid did not enhance the growth of the alga at a concentration of 2.85 X 10(-8) M. Growth was inhibited at adipic acid concentrations greater than 10(-3) M. Analysis of the products of adipic acid metabolism showed the presence of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, leucine, proline, and threonine and threonine amongst other unidentified compounds. A mechanism of beta-oxidation is proposed.

Studies on the prostate glands of adult inbred LSH hamsters

We have studied several parameters of prostate function in two inbred lines (2.4 and SsLak) of young and old LSH hamsters. These included weight, acid phosphatase, and [3H]testosterone uptake as influenced by age, castration, and androgen treatment. In the hamster, prostatic acid phosphatase concentration was found to vary inversely with androgen levels, contrary to the usual assumption that this enzyme is androgen dependent. Prostatic uptake of tritiated testosterone was enhanced by castration and by treatment of castrates with doses of androgen which induced a moderate increase in gland size. With advancing age, the prostates of LSH hamsters (both strains) became atrophic rather than hyperplastic, in contrast with a previous report (1). This atrophy appeared to be a consequence of decreased testicular function. The LSH hamsters appear to be a suitable model for the study of senescent changes in the male reproductive system.

The autonomic control of colonic mucin secretion in the mouse

The mucosal secretion of the mouse colon is partly sialomucin and partly sulphomucin. The former acts to protect the epithelium and the latter may act as a less viscid lubricant. The protective action of the former is so good that even full thickness trauma to the mucosa initiates no inflammatory response, presumably because it prevents the release of any pharmacologically active substances. Carbachol produces considerable epithelial shedding, resulting eventually in large mucosal deficiencies, but the mucin layer remains intact and there is no ulceration or inflammatory reaction. There is oversecretion of mucin but probably no effect on synthesis. Beta adrenergic stimulating drugs produce increased mucin synthesis and secretion, swelling of epithelial cells and inflammatory infiltration of the mucosa with retention of cellular debris and polymorphs in the crypts. Beta adrenergic blocking agents produce haemorrhage and inflammation acutely, which is probably due to ischaemia, and in the long-term shortening and thickening of the muscle coats.

Flat gel polyacrylamide electrophoresis of porcine mycoplasmas

The flat gel acrylamide electrophoresis technique was standardized and applied to the comparison of four species of porcine mycoplasmas. Clear differences were observed between these species, and differences were seen among the strains of Mycoplasma hyosynoviae. The clarity of the patterns and the number of bands developed was influenced by the amount of protein in the extract and the age of the culture. The technique allows the comparison of several protein extracts in parallel without the problems associated with the rearrangement of separate gel columns.

An unusual plaque variant of rubella virus

In a comparative study of 24 different rubella virus strains, all but three formed small plaques in RK 13 cell cultures; of these one was the vaccine strain HPV-77, one was isolated from a congenitally infected infant, and the third was recovered from an adult who contracted severe rubella while handling this congenital strain. Whereas the plaque size of the vaccine strain was stable after further passage in cell culture, the plaque size of the other two rapidly diminished when the virus was passed in monkey kidney cells, and one of them was also reduced by passage in RK 13 cells. Cell culture passage of the typical small plaque strains did not result in altered plaque size.