A case of unusual SLE related syndrome characterized by erythema multiforme, angioneurotic edema, marked hypocomplementemia, and Clq precipitins of the low molecular weight type

Our patient and those of Agnello et al. had identical clinical symptoms such as erythema multiforme, arthralgias and angioneurotic edema and both differed from systemic lupus erthematosus in several important points, i.e., in spite of marked hypocomplementemia the nephropathy is not prominent and it needs high-dose steroids to eliminate the clinical and serological abnormalities. In addition to the features reported by Agnello et al. we found increased viral antibody titers in our patient's sera.

Autoantibodies in myasthenia gravis: demonstration of anti-motor endplate antibody and anti-muscle membrane antibody using membrane immunofluorescence technique

The presence of specific serum antibodies in five myasthenia gravis patients was demonstrated against the motor endplates and muscle membranes of rats by membrane immunofluorescence technique. The immunologic specificity of the antibodies was confirmed. The clinical significance is discussed.

ACTH secretion during sleep in a patient with Nelson's syndrome

Plasma ACTH determinations were made by radioimmunoassay, every 10 min for 8 hours during sleep in a patient with Nelson's syndrome. The plasma ACTH concentrations were relatively stable, fluctuating in a narrow range. It is strongly suggested that the pituitary tumor itself was secreting ACTH in an autonomous manner and it is concluded that a neuronally initiated program of ACTH secretion, was absent in the present patient with Nelson's syndrome.

Distribution of NAD(P)H-dependent cytochrome P-450 mixed function oxidase system in the brush border membrane of rabbit kidney cortex

Optical and magnetic studies were made on subfractions of rabbit kidney cortex. Cytochrome P-450 and cytochrome b5-dependent mixed function oxidase systems were localized mainly in the brush border membranes and microsomes. Cytochrome P-450-dependent mixed function oxidases in the membranes comprised both an NADPH-dependent system and an NADH-dependent system.

Induction of hemolysin synthesis by tranformation in Staphylococcus aureus

A nonhemolytic strain of Staphylococcus aureus was transformed with deoxyribonucleic acid extracted from two hemolytic strains of S. aureus. In each case the hemolysin pattern after transformation was identical to that of the donor strain. However, bacteriophage type, serotypes, and other biological properties of the recipient strain remained unaffected.

The in-vivo effects of sheep pituitary gonadotrophins on the secretion of steroids by the autotransplanted ovary of the ewe

The transplanted ovary preparation in the ewe permits long-term access to both the arterial and venous sides of the ovarian circulation in the unstressed, unanaesthetized animal. However, these animals are not completely normal, as the separation of the ovary from the uterus results in ovarian cycles with a prolonged luteal phase and the infrequent manifestation of behavioural oestrus. Treatment with exogenous gonadotrophins made it possible to carry out direct infusion experiments on the transplanted ovary on a more uniform basis. The effect on ovarian blood flow and on ovarian steroid secretion following the infusion of ovine luteinizing hormone (LH), ovine follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) or ovine prolactin directly into the arterial supply of the transplanted ovary of the ewe is described. Four infusions of each of the three ovine pituitary gonadotrophins were made into the ovary at rates varying from 0·1 μg./hr. to 1000 μg./hr. LH infusions produced an increase in both ovarian blood flow and steroid secretion at all dosage levels employed. Androstenedione showed the greatest increase (600%) in secretion rate after LH, followed by testosterone (400%), oestradiol (more than 50%) and progesterone (less than 50%). Progesterone however showed the greatest increase in terms of mass of steroid secreted. There was no measurable change in the secretion of oestrone. Ovarian blood flow increased by at least 20% (range 20–125%) within 1 hr. of beginning the LH infusion. On the other hand FSH and prolactin infused at the same or at a higher rate than LH, had essentially no effect on ovarian blood flow or steroid secretion rate. In two out of four FSH infusions there appeared to be a transient fall in progesterone secretion rate. The infusion of 0·9% NaCl solution into the ovary as a control had no effect on blood flow or on steroid secretion.

Feedback inhibition of the development of macrophage and granulocyte colonies. II. Inhibition by granulocytes

It has been shown that mature normal rat granulocytes produce a substance that inhibits the activity of the inducer required for the development of macrophages (M) and granulocyte (G) colonies from normal hematopoietic cells seeded in soft agar. The granulocyte inhibitor inhibited the activity of the inducer when tested with normal hematopoietic cells from embryonic or adult organs. The inhibitor was not dialyzable, and was obtained in an active form in granulocyte-conditioned medium. The results indicate that the control mechanism that regulates the growth and development of normal macrophages and granulocytes includes a feedback inhibition of the activity of the inducer by inhibitors produced by mature granulocytes and macrophages, presumably at the end of their differentiation process. The inhibition of both M and G colonies by the feedback inhibitors produced by macrophages and granulocytes suggests that both types of colonies may be derived from a common stem cell. A line of primitive myeloid leukemia did not inhibit the activity of the inducer, and the cells of this line were not inhibited by the feedback inhibitors produced by normal granulocytes and macrophages.

The secretion of steroids from the autotransplanted ovary in the ewe spontaneously and in response to systemic gonadotropin

Secretion rates of ovarian steroids were measured in five ewes in which the left ovary was transplanted to the neck. Progesterone, 20α-dihydroprogesterone, androstenedione, testosterone, oestrone and oestradiol-17β were measured in samples of ovarian venous blood collected twice weekly for six periods of 4–9 weeks. The secretion of progesterone (range < 2–804 μg./hr.) showed some cyclical variation in four collection periods with a minimum estimated cycle length of 20 days. 20α-Dihydroprogesterone was present in quantities of about 1/50th of that of progesterone. The maximum secretion of oestradiol-17β (up to 250 ng./hr.) occurred at the same time as the minimum secretion of progesterone. The secretion of oestrone (0–88 ng./hr.), androstenedione (59–159 ng./hr.) and testosterone (20–90 ng./hr.) followed that of oestradiol-17β. In two animals there was a constant high secretion of progesterone throughout the collection periods, indicating the persistence of a corpus luteum. None of the ewes with transplanted ovaries showed behavioural oestrus regularly. These changes of ovarian function after transplantation to the neck could be explained by physical separation of the ovary and the uterus.

On seven occasions systemic administration of pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMS, 750–1000 i.u.) was followed by a marked rise in the secretion rate of oestradiol-17β, androstenedione and testosterone. There was a progressive increase in the secretion of progesterone beginning about the 5th day after PMS in three experiments when the secretion was below 25 μg./hr. in the control samples.