First-time urinary tract infection and sexual behavior

We studied the relation between sexual and health behaviors of women and first-time urinary tract infection (UTI). The study population was women using a university health service who were unmarried, had no UTI history, and who had engaged in sexual activity at least once. We found 86 cases of UTI, defined as one or more urinary symptoms and > or = 1,000 colony-forming units per ml urine of a known pathogen. We randomly sampled 288 controls from the student body. Vaginal intercourse increased the risk of UTI; this risk was further increased with condom use. After adjusting for vaginal intercourse with other birth control methods and recentness of current sexual partnership, a single sex act with a condom in the past 2 weeks increased UTI risk by 43%. Having a sex partner for less than 1 year vs 1 year or more, after adjustment for frequency of vaginal intercourse and birth control method, was associated with about twice the risk of UTI [odds ratio (OR) = 1.97; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04-3.74]. After adjusting for frequency of vaginal intercourse, regular drinking of cranberry juice was protective against UTI (OR = 0.48; 95% CI = 0.19-1.02), whereas drinking carbonated soft drinks appeared to be associated with increased risk (OR = 2.37; 95% CI = 0.75-7.81). Using deodorant sanitary napkins or tampons was associated with a slight increase in risk of UTI (OR = 1.51; 95% CI = 0.74-3.06). Blacks had five times greater risk of UTI than whites after adjusting for frequency of vaginal intercourse (OR = 5.2; 95% CI = 1.89-24.63). We observed only modest differences in health behavior between racial groups.

The development of English speech patterns of a 7-year-old Polish-speaking child

The silent period hypothesis was investigated by examining the speech development of AO, a Polish-speaking child, who emigrated to the U.S. at age 7 years, 5 months, and placed in the second grade of a rural Missouri school district in which there was no instruction of English as a second-language. AO was observed for 6 years, 8 months, in order to study the development of his English speech patterns. During this interval, recordings were made of five sentences produced by AO at five different age points and with recordings from a control group of native and nonnative speakers were rated by native American speakers. AO's accent showed a gradual decline during the first year of residence, receiving a rating of near-native speech. By age 14 years, 6 months, he was rated as having native speech performance. Observations of his language, social, and school development indicated that AO remained essentially silent during the first 6 months, using two- and three-word sentences only when necessary, that his social development was normal, and that his school achievement was not impeded by his placement in the grade level appropriate for his age. The conclusion was reached that AO's silent period experience contributed significantly to his development of English speech patterns.

Evaluation of transgenic canola plants under field conditions

Eleven independent transgenic canola (Brassica napus ssp. oleifera L. cv. Westar and Regent) lines were evaluated in the field. The plants carried a neomycin phosphotransferase (NPTII) gene for kanamycin resistance that was introduced via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. NPTII enzyme assays, Southern blot by hybridizations and progeny analysis, confirmed the stable, heritable integration and expression of the introduced NPTII gene. A number of agronomic characteristics evaluated under field conditions, including maturity yield, and oil and protein content, were all statistically comparable between the transformed and nontransforemd platns. These results indicate that canola can be genetically engineered successfully, and that the Agrobacterium-based transformation system employed does not induced any adverse effects on the intrinsic agronomic and qualitative traits critical to the agricultural industry.

Quality assurance problems in clinical hyperthermia and their impact on therapeutic outcome: a Report by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group

Since February 1981, 300 patients with superficial measurable tumors were randomized on an RTOG protocol (81-04) involving fractionated radiation therapy (4.00 Gy twice weekly for a total of 32.00 Gy), either alone or followed immediately by hyperthermia (42.5 degrees C, 60 min). This is a report of 218 eligible patients with single lesions: 107 treated with radiotherapy alone (RT), 111 with radiotherapy plus hyperthermia (RT + HT). Only 56% of the 24 tumors less than 3 cm and 36% of the 53 lesions larger than 3 cm received what was felt to be "adequate" therapy (greater than or equal to 29 Gy and 8 heating sessions). Overall complete response (CR) was observed in 28% of the patients treated with RT, and 32% of the patients receiving RT and heat. Response has been found in previous analyses of this and other RTOG studies to be significantly related to both maximum tumor diameter (less than 3 or greater than or equal to 3 cm) and site/histology (breast/adenocarcinoma, head and neck/squamous, or other site/histologies). In the head and neck tumors less than 3 cm in diameter there was no difference in CR with irradiation alone or combined with hyperthermia (46% vs 43%). However, in the breast, and trunk and extremities a better CR rate was noted with irradiation and heat (55% and 67%) than with irradiation alone (33% and 0). In lesions less than 3 cm treated with irradiation and heat the probability of remaining in response was 80% compared with 15% with irradiation alone. In lesions larger than 3 cm no difference in CR was observed in either treatment group. It has been hypothesized that the response rate is higher in patients with smaller lesions (less than 3 cm) and in breast/chest wall, trunk/extremity lesions because these tumors and anatomical sites are easier to heat adequately. Problems encountered in correlating tumor response with quality of heating include less than optimal heating in larger lesions and the limited ability of current thermometry to accurately represent the temperature distribution in a tumor. Furthermore, differences in equipment and treatment practices among institutions add to the variability in heat administration data collected. In addition, tumor response may be difficult to judge because of short survival of some patients and occasionally rapid tumor regression that may cause necrosis which may be misinterpreted as persistent tumor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Hyperthermia in combination with definitive radiation therapy: results of a Phase I/II RTOG Study

Between August 1981 and April 1986, 133 patients with superficial malignant tumors not previously treated with radiotherapy were entered on a Phase I/II RTOG study evaluating hyperthermia plus definitive radiotherapy. Eligible patients included those with superficial epithelial or mesenchymal tumors less than 4 cm in depth. Protocol radiotherapy specified a tumor dose of 60 Gy delivered in 1.8-2.0 Gy fractions 5 times/week with a boost of 5-10 Gy through reduced portals to residual tumor. Protocol hyperthermia, delivered twice weekly, was to start within 15 minutes following irradiation and to consist of 60 minutes of heat to a tumor temperature of 43 degrees C. Sixteen patients were excluded. Of the 117 eligible patients, the treated lesions had site/histologies which were 35% head & neck/squamous, 46% breast/adenocarcinoma, and 19% other site/histologies. Lesions were 3 cm or larger for 77% of patients. Of the 41 patients with head & neck/squamous lesions, skin or subcutaneous necrosis occurred within 6 months for 2% of the patients; 12% experienced thermal blisters. Fourteen patients were followed for 6 months or more following start of treatment; none of these experienced late toxicities more severe than telangiectasis. Complete responses were observed in 51% of these patients. Of the 54 patients with breast/adenocarcinoma lesions, skin or subcutaneous necrosis occurred within 6 months for 13% of the patients; 17% experienced thermal blisters. Thirty-seven patients were followed for 6 months or more following start of treatment; complications observed during this period included 13% with ulceration and one case of skin necrosis. Complete responses were observed in 85% of these patients. Local control was maintained at nearly this level for at least 2 years. Logistic regression analyses showed site/histology, greatest tumor diameter and average tumor temperature to be significantly related to response. Based on these promising findings, the RTOG has instituted a randomized Phase III study evaluating radiation therapy with or without hyperthermia in this patient population.

Radiotherapy with or without misonidazole for patients with stage IIIB or stage IVA squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix: preliminary report of a Radiation Therapy Oncology Group randomized trial

Between August 1980 and November 1984, 119 patients with FIGO Stage IIIB or IVA squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix were randomized to receive radiation therapy (4600 cGy pelvis plus 1000 cGy parametrial boost) followed by intracavitary or external boost to the primary with or without misonidazole (MISO) (400 mg/m2 daily 2 to 4 hours prior to radiation therapy). Patients in the two treatment groups were evenly distributed with respect to stratification variables including stage, Karnofsky Performance score, and positivity of para-aortic nodes. Eighty-nine percent of patients had Stage IIIB disease and 88% had a Karnofsky score of 80 or better. Seventy-five percent of patients treated with radiation therapy alone and 79% of patients treated with radiation therapy plus MISO received a boost via intracavitary application. Life threatening (Grade 4) complications occurred in 5 patients receiving radiation therapy alone and one patient receiving radiation therapy plus MISO. MISO toxicity (Grade 3) was limited to severe nausea and vomiting in two patients. With 119 evaluable patients and a median follow-up of 33 months, 64% of patients receiving radiation therapy alone are alive at 18 months compared with 54% for patients assigned to radiation therapy plus MISO. The median survival for patients treated with radiation therapy alone and radiation therapy plus MISO was 1.9 years and 1.6 respectively. At this point in the study the difference in survival is inconsistent with the hypothesis of an improvement associated with MISO. There have been 23 deaths among the 49 patients treated with radiation therapy plus MISO who have been followed for at least 18 months compared with 17 deaths in 48 patients treated with radiation therapy alone. The chance of observing this number of deaths with radiation therapy plus MISO if the addition of MISO improves survival by 10 to 20% is 0.003 and less than 0.001, respectively. The addition of MISO to radiation failed to improve survival for these patients. The results cannot be explained by an uncharacteristically high survival on the radiation therapy alone arm or by an imbalance in the distribution of prognostic factors. Local-regional control remains a problem in the management of patients with advanced cervical carcinoma. More effective and less toxic radiosensitizing agents are needed.

Effect of misonidazole dose on survival in patients with stage IIIB-IVA squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix: an RTOG randomized trial

Between August 1980 and November 1984, 120 patients with FIGO Stage IIIB or IVA squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix were randomized to receive radiation therapy (RT) (46 Gy pelvis + 10 Gy parametrial boost) followed by intracavitary or external boost to the primary +/- misonidazole (MISO) (400 mg/M2 2-4 hours prior to RT daily, maximum 12 gm/M2). The median at 24-28 hr misonidazole plasma level was 20 micrograms/ml 2-6 hr and 3.5 micrograms/ml. Approximately 60% of the patients on RT + MISO received 100% of expected total Misonidazole dose; peripheral neurologic toxicity was reported for nine patients receiving misonidazole (8 with mild and 1 with moderate paresthesia or pain). Time-dependent regression analyses found that actual cumulative misonidazole dose was not related to duration of survival from start of treatment (p = 0.5). MISO dose expressed as a percent of expected dose was marginally related to increased survival measured from 14 weeks on on study (p = 0.1). No improvement in survival was observed with the addition of misonidazole to RT (64% of the patients on RT alone were alive at 18 months versus 54% of those on RT + MISO).

Carcinogenic risk assessment in the United States and Great Britain: the case of Aldrin/Dieldrin

The question is posed: why were two pesticides, Aldrin and Dieldrin, judged to be carcinogenic in the US but not in Britain when the same evidence was available to the public authorities in both countries? No single cause is identified; rather, a variety of mutually reinforcing factors account for the decisions by the two public authorities: the uncertainty of the scientific evidence; the application of different standards of carcinogenicity associated with different social and scientific commitments; the government agencies with primary responsibility for the decisions; the way in which pesticides are regulated; and several cultural and economic considerations. The case study illustrates the analytical inadequacy of the fact-value distinction, and the tendency of decision-makers to justify their decisions by recourse to science. It also supports the view that the traditional relationship between science and public policy is being redefined in complex, technical areas of decision-making like risk assessment.

Kitt Peak 60-cm vacuum telescope

Described is a major new tool for solar research, conceived and built during a time of budget restraint.The observation of magnetic and velocity (circulation) field structure on a synoptic basis and with diffractionlimited resolution is the aim. New optical features include the use of oversize mirrors and windows(to avoid thermal edge effects) and the placement of the coelostat feed outside the vacuum, mainly foreconomy. The site selected has prevailing winds that clear thermals from these mirrors. Test data in theform of the system MTF and optical transmission, together with examples of full disk magnetograms andphotoheliograms, show present performance capability. Measured MTF indicates a response of 0.2 at 1sec of arc (whereas diffraction-limited response would be ~0.8). System transmission, including the accompanying spectrograph, is only 2-3% (lambdaO.44-1.1 microm). Thus, both the optical quality and efficiency aresubject to improvement.