Glomerulonephritis with mesangial deposits of IgA unassociated with systemic disease

Typical features of IgA-associated nephritis were found in renal biopsies from 16 of 355 consecutive patients. Generalized segmental mesangial proliferation was noted in biopsies from most patients, and dense deposits were detected by electron microscopy in mesangial regions of approximately 50% of biopsies. Immunofluorescent studies showed IgA to be the predominant immunoglobulin in glomueruli; IgG was present in less than 50% of biopsies and IgM in only 12%. The serum IgA value was significantly increased (P les than 0.001) in 50% of patients and the mean IgA/IgG ratio was significantly increase (P less than 0.001) for the patient group as a whole, which suggests a selective increase in IgA. Mesangial deposits of C3 were present in 15 of 16 biopsies and properdin was noted in all biopsies tested; C4 was not demonstrated in any biopsy. This suggests activation of the alternative complement pathway. The results of this study support the concept that IgA-associated nephritis is a unique condition that in some patients gives rise to idiopathic recurrent hematuria. Although the prognosis is good in the majority of patients, the renal disease may progress.

Training program in maxillofacial prosthetics for medical artists

A program in maxillofacial prosthetics for medical artists was initiated at the University of Illinois Medical Center in 1966 as a joint enterprise of the Center for Craniofacial Anomalies of the Abraham Lincoln School of Medicine and the Department of Medical Art of the School of Associated Medical Sciences. In the intervening years, 25 medical artists have been graduated from the program. The general background of the trainees, the scope of their training, and their clinical contribution were discussed and illustrated.

The clinician's view of diagnostic electron microscopy

From the clinician's standpoint, it has become increasingly evident that use of the electron microscope should no longer be confined to research institutes, but should be applied as an adjunct to clinical diagnosis, a guide to therapy, and a means of elucidating pathogenetic mechanisms. The usefulness of electron microscopy is stressed in relation to hematology, nephrology, virology, gastroenterology, and the study of miscellaneous metabolic conditions such as the storage diseases.

IgD deposition in glomerulonephritis. An immunopathologic study

Diffuse deposits of IgD were found in glomerular basement membranes in eight of 263 consecutive renal biopsies by the direct immunofluorescent technic. In five biopsies a granular staining pattern was found and in three a linear pattern was found. IgG and beta1C were present in glomeruli of all eight patients, and IgM in four. Two patients had elevated titers of antithyroglobulin antibodies in the serum, and one patient had anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies of the IgG class in both serum and renal eluate. This study suggests that IgD may play a role in immunologically mediated glomerular disease. (Key words: IgD; Glomerular deposits; Nephritis.)

Lipopolysaccharide containing L-acofriose in the filamentous blue-green alga Anabaena variabilis

For the first time, an O-antigenic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been isolated from a filamentous blue-green alga (Anabaena variabilis). It was extractable with phenol-water, resulting in extraction of the bulk of the LPS into the phenol phase. The polysaccharide moiety of this LPS consists of l-rhamnose, its 3-O-methyl ether l-acofriose, d-mannose, d-glucose, and d-galactose. l-Glycero-d-mannoheptose and 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate, the two characteristic sugar components of enteric LPS, and phosphate groups are absent from the A. variabilis O antigen. The only amino sugar present is d-glucosamine. Three hydroxy fatty acids were identified, namely, beta-hydroxymyristic, beta-hydroxypalmitic and beta-hydroxystearic acids, in addition to palmitic and unidentified fatty acid. The LPS of A. variabilis is localized in the outermost cell wall layer and behaves like a bacterial O antigen in serological tests. The passive hemagglutination yielded high titers with isolated LPS (pretreated by heat or by alkali) and rabbit antisera prepared against living or heat-killed cells. The position of the precipitation arcs after immunoelectrophoresis of the O antigen indicates the lack of charged groups. The water phase of the phenol-water extract contains, in high yield, a glucose polymer. It is serologically inactive as shown by the passive hemagglutination test and by agar-gel precipitation.

Periodontal condition and blood citrate level in pregnant women

Plaque, gingival, periodontal indexes, and blood citrate levels were determined in 137 women at various stages of pregnancy. The indexes increased during the whole pregnancy. Blood citrate levels were significantly increased at the end of pregnancy. Estrogenic hormone is probably associated with the gingival and blood citrate alterations.

Malignant melanoma and dermatomyositis

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