Efficacy, safety and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in patients with asthma treated with cloprednol

Cloprednol was tested in 25 patients with chronic reversible bronchial obstruction, with respect to changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function and its efficacy on their clinical asthma. Patients were treated by a single morning dose for a 6-month period. The HPA axis function as estimated by fasting plasma cortisol levels did not show any significant changes, but adrenal response, assessed by ACTH stimulation test, was found slightly less at 6 months than at 3 months and at baseline. Pulmonary function tests--FEV1 and Raw--showed some improvement during the trial period. The score of respiratory complaints and symptoms, as well as the subjective status of the patients, showed a trend towards improvement. No significant side effects were observed.

Light microscopy as an aid in predicting ureaplasma infection in human semen

The potential role of Ureaplasma urealyticum in human infertility make it desirable to screen barren couples for this infection. Semen specimens from 96 consecutive patients were evaluated in our clinic. Microbiologic results were correlated with the percentage of coiled and fuzzy tails in seminal cytology. These features were then used in a double-blind study to predict Ureaplasma infection in another group of 100 randomly selected patients. It was possible to predict the presence or absence of Ureaplasma prior to laboratory culture in 70% of specimens. False-positive diagnoses were made in 19%. The diagnosis was false-negative in 11%.

Studies on the muscular structure of the human uterus. II. Fasciculi cervicoangulares: vestigial or functional remnant of the mesonephric duct?

Two muscle bundles, the fasciculi cervicoangulares (FCAs), are present at the lateral aspect of the human uterus bridging cervix and fundus uteri. Epithelial remnants within this muscle bundle are morphologically identical with mesonephric duct remnants. It is postulated that the longitudinal muscle coat of the mesonephric duct may develop into the two FCAs and that these bundles may serve as a system for conduction or coordination of muscle contractions in the adult uterus.