Cervical cancer survival in a high risk urban population

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer remains an important public health problem, particularly for the urban minority population. To the authors' knowledge, determinants of cervical cancer survival have not been studied in this high risk population. METHODS: This study included all 158 women diagnosed and treated for invasive cervical cancer from January 1, 1986, through December 31, 1992, at the Grady Memorial Hospital and Clinics (Atlanta, GA). Medical records were abstracted to determine age at diagnosis, race, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) clinical stage, treatment, and survival. Pathologic material was reviewed to confirm the diagnosis. RESULTS: Most patients (80%) were African American, and the stage distribution was similar for African American and white patients. Sixty-six (42%) had FIGO Stage I disease; 50%, Stage II or III; and 8%, Stage IV. Four-year actuarial survival differed significantly according to clinical stage (Ia = 94%, Ib = 79%, II = 39%, III = 26%, IV = 0%). Overall survival was lower for patients with glandular carcinomas than for those with squamous cell carcinomas (26% vs. 55%, P = 0.09). This difference was almost entirely due to increased mortality in patients with Stage Ib adenocarcinomas (53% vs. 88% for squamous cell carcinoma, Stage Ib, P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The major prognostic markers for cervical cancer survival in this high risk patient population were clinical stage and histology, factors identical to those identified for other populations.     

Effects of subunit interactions on the activity of lactate dehydrogenase studied in immobilized enzyme systems

Rabbit muscle lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was coupled to Sepharose in such a way that each molecule is expected to be attached via only one subunit. Dissociation of the bound active enzyme by several methods all yielded immobilized subunit derivatives which were inactive. These derivatives were capable of regenerating activity by interacting specifically with subunits in solution formed transiently during renaturation. This ability to peck up soluble subunits is lost fairly rapidly upon storage of the immobilized subunits. Similarly, LDH subunits attached to Sepharose via disulfide bonds were found to be inactive. When these subunits were detached from the matrix by mild reduction with mercaptoethanol, activity was regenerated. The kinetics of this reactivation process suggests that reassociation is required for appearance of activity. All these results can be interpreted as showing that subunit interactions are essential for LDH activity.     

Partial purification and characterisation of Bfi57I and Bfi89I, restriction endonucleases from different strains of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens

The Escherichia coli nucleoid-associated DNA-binding proteins HU and IHF are required for numerous biological processes, including phage growth (e.g., lambda, phi 80, Mu and f1) and DNA replication. Here, we show that growth of T4 phage is inhibited both in hupA hupB and himA himD double mutants. The growth profile of triple mutants (hupA hupB himA and hupA hupB himD) suggests that HimD subunits can form homodimers, which are functionally competent for supporting in vivo growth of phage T4.     

Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease in Nigerians

Ten new patients with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease were seen in the University College Hospital, Ibadan, in ten years, out of a hospital pediatric population of 550,000, giving an incidence of 1:55,000. This result is consistent with previous reports that Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease is less common in Negroes than in Caucasians but Negroes are not immune.