Stimulation of ornithine decarboxylase in the rat prostate by seminal plasma inhibin

The effect of seminal plasma inhibin on ornithine decarboxylase activity (ODC) in the rat prostate was studied. A single bolus injection of seminal plasma inhibin caused a 3- to 4-fold increase in ODC activity within 2 h whereas testicular ODC was unchanged. The ODC response to seminal plasma inhibin was neutralized by specific antibodies generated against the inhibin preparation. Another peptide, thyroid releasing hormone has no effect on prostatic ODC activity, but it blocked the increase in enzyme activity induced by treatment with seminal plasma inhibin.     

Changes in renal artery Doppler indexes following renal angioplasty.

Doppler indexes were measured in 14 renal arteries in 13 patients before and after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty to determine if changes in these parameters occurred after the procedure. Angioplasty was technically and clinically successful in 12 cases, and adequate Doppler signals were obtained from 13 of 14 arteries. The pulsatility index, resistive index, and acceleration of the distal main renal artery Doppler waveform increased significantly after angioplasty, while the time to systolic peak and the renal-aortic ratio remained unchanged. The former may be useful noninvasive indexes to screen patients for restenosis of the renal artery before it becomes clinically evident. A long-term follow-up study is needed to test this hypothesis.     

Hemolytic uremic syndrome associated with Corynebacterium diphtheria infection

Although hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is usually idiopathic, it follows a number of infections. The pathogenesis of post-infectious HUS is endothelial cell damage by either circulating endotoxin or exotoxin. Diphtheria exotoxin has never been implicated in HUS. We report HUS following diphtheria infection in a 9 yr old un-immunized white female admitted with a short history of sorethroat and thrombocytopenia. There were hemorrhages in sclera, gums and left tonsillar area and a grayish exudate on right tonsil. Laboratory values revealed Hgb 14.4 g/dl, decreasing to 7.6 g/dl, WBC/26,900 mm3, platelet count 7,000/mm3. Bone marrow examination revealed normal megakaryocytes. She was oliguric with BUN 214 mg/dl, serum creatinine 12.4 mg/dl and serum uric acid 19.2 mg/dl. Despite peritoneal dialysis, red cell and platelet transfusions and exchange transfusion she expired. A postmortem examination was refused. A throat culture done on admission grew corynebacterium species which was later confirmed to be toxigenic C. diphtheriae. Diphtheria exotoxin inactivates an enzyme in cytoplasm which is necessary for peptide chain elongation. This may have interfered with prostacyclin synthesis thereby allowing the development of HUS.     

Mandibular haemophilic pseudotumour containing a fluid-fluid level.

Osseous haemophilic pseudotumours are uncommon. Mandibular haemophilic pseudotumours are rare, with only approximately 12 cases reported in the literature to date. We present imaging findings of a histopathologically proven mandibular haemophilic pseudotumour. A fluid-fluid level, hitherto not associated with this condition, is also described.