A test of a common assumption regarding the use of antenatal training during labour

The nature and purpose of antenatal classes are reviewed briefly, together with the common assumption that women given antenatal training to cope with their labour pains do all in fact make use of the breathing and postural techniques which have been taught in the classes when they come to labour itself. This assumption was tested by obtaining reports of the use of such techniques from sixty primiparous mothers after their labours. The results showed that the majority of these women did use their coping techniques at the onset of contractions, but as labour progressed toward delivery fewer and fewer mothers did so, less than a third practising any kind of coping techniques by the time they were in the second stage of labour. Of the more than two thirds remaining, a very substantial number could be accounted for by the mothers who had epidural analgesia, but, even allowing for this, more than half of the 'non-epidural' mothers failed to make use of their postural and breathing techniques during the second stage of labour. These findings suggest that it should no longer be assumed that all women taught to cope with labour pains by learning postural and breathing techniques in antenatal classes will necessarily be able to use them throughout labour itself.     

Induction of infectious virus DNA and virus particles by mitomycin C in SV40-transformed mouse cells.

A line of SV40-transformed mouse cells (SV/3T3-4E) was isolated and four clones were derived from this line. Spontaneous production of small amounts of infectious SV40 DNA was detected in the parental line and in three out of the four clones tested, although no synthesis of virions could be demonstrated. The yields of SV40 DNA were significantly enhanced following treatment of these cells with mitomycin C and infectious virus particles became detectable occasionally.     

Measuring effectiveness of service aides in infant immunization surveillance program in North Central Texas.

The Immunization Division of Texas Public Health Region 5 sought to measure the per cent of referrals taking immunization action as a result of service aide contact. From data collected on newborn-nonresponders during a 12-month period, results show that aides may be credited with influencing 44 percent of the referrals reporting subsequent immunization.     

Radiation Therapy and cis-diammine-dichloroplatinum (II) in transplantable and primary murine bladder cancer

Preoperative radiation improves survival in advanced bladder cancer but the high failure rate, primarily due to distant metastases, suggests a need for adjuvant chemotherapy. The optimal drug might exhibit an additive effect with radiotherapy. Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) induced in mice by FANFT closely resembles the human counterpart, and both primary and transplanted tumors were used to evaluate the possible additive effect of cis DDP and cyclophosphamide (CY), two drugs with activity in TCC, with radiation. One hundred C3H/He mice had 5 × 10⁴ TCC cells placed in their right hind limbs and randomized into a control (20) and 8 treatment groups (10); 3600 rad, 3600 rad + CY, 3600 rad + cis DDP, 1500 rad + cis DDP, 1500 rad + CY, CY, and cis DDP. Chemotherapy was initiated on day 7 and continued every week × 3. Radiation, in 250 rad or 600 rad fractions, was given biweekly to the tumor bearing limb using a CO₆₀ source. 3600 rad alone produced 60% cures with a significant reduction in average tumor diameter (p<0.001). 3600 rad + cis DDP achieved 78% cures; the best regimen. Therapy of palpable tumors yielded similar resultsave. tumor diameter (D-38) for controls 16.5, 3000 rad-10.6 (p<0.001), cis DDP-10.2, CY + 1600 rad- 8.1, cis DDP + 3000 rad-6.2. Cis DDP + 3000 rad was significantly better than cis DDP or 3000 rad alone. One hundred fifty mice ingesting FANFT for 11 months were randomized into 7 groups and subjected to the same regimens to evaluate the effect on primary tumors. The greatest reduction in tumor volume was in mice receiving 1500 rad + cis DDP (mean bladder weight, 29.68 vs. controls 53.57, p<0.005). These results consistently suggest cooperation between irradiation and cis DDP. Adjuvant cis DDP for invasive bladder cancer might be maximized by initiation with preoperative radiotherapy. Our initial clinical data with cis DDP + irradiation in advanced TCC is encouraging.