Normal physical and mental development of 6-year-old children whose mothers were treated antenatally with prednisolone.

83 prednisolone-treated and 57 control children of a previous study demonstrating benefits of antenatal steroid prophylaxis of IRDS were reexamined at the age of 6 years. The prednisolone children were slightly higher and heavier, but no significant differences between steroid and control groups were noted in any other characteristics including IQ, psychosocial development, EEG, ophthalmology and audiology. THe results confirm the finding that antenatal steroid prophylaxis has no long-term hazards to the fetus.

Ceruminoma.

A unique case of adenoid cystic carcinoma arising in a ceruminous gland, with widespread pulmonary metastases, is presented. This is the first case in the English literature in which the diagnosis was made from material obtained by needle aspiration from a pulmonary metastasis. The literature is reviewed and the histological features and clinical course are discussed in the paper. Adenoid cystic carcinoma is the most common tumor of ceruminous gland origin, and is the only one which produces widespread metastases in the lungs. Tumors arising from ceruminous glands are slightly more prevalent in females, and pulmonary metastases occur almost three times as often in females as in males. Suggested treatment is wide local excision of the primary tumor and of local recurrences, and excision of distant metastases when possible. Irradiation is useful only for palliation. All patients, but especially females, should be followed carefully for the detection of possible pulmonary metastases.

Steroidogenic activity of hACTH and related peptides on the human neocortex and fetal adrenal cortex in organ culture.

Explants prepared from the neocortex and the fetal zone of the human fetal adrenal (gestational age 13 to 18weeks) were maintained under conditions of organ culture for 7 to 9 days during which time they were exposed to hACTH and various related peptides. Corticotrophic activity was monitored by the daily release of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (3beta-hydroxy-5-androsten-17-one, 3-sulfate; DHA-S) and cortisol as quantified by radioimmunoassay, hACTH (2.2 x 10(-9) - 2.2 x 10(-8)M) was the most active in sustaining steroidogenesis by both neocortical and fetocortical cells. alpha-MSH possessed similar properties but not at concentrations lower than 10(-6)M, whereas CLIP (4.4 x 10(-9) - 1.1 x 10(-7)M), the 18-39 C-terminal moiety of ACTH, was devoid of activity. Corticotrophic activity with respect to fetocortical explants appeared to be that of maintenance of function best illustrated by dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate biosynthesis, while enhancement of steroidogenesis was observed in the neocortex as manifested by cortisol release. Although not eliminating the possible existence of a specific fetal corticotrophin related to ACTH1-39, the data indicate that hACTH is capable of regulating steroidogenesis in the fetal zone which is primarily geared to the formation of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate.