A membrane-specific tyrosinase chelate: the mitotic regulator?

Cancer's random, reversible, unstable transitions to "normal" structures imply their functional relation. Similar random, continuous, reversible oncogene "mutational transformation" also lacks a consistent hybrid. Positing cancer's "mutationally altered genotype" leads to medically foreign causes, qualities, inducers, suppressors, immune proteins, and viruses. Its random variation, however, opposes the functionally discrete, ordered, stable, irreversible hybrid variation and single-valued transforms of molecular genetics. There, "causal mutational operators" remain unspecified; only consistent single-valued DNA base and amino acid change, as "transform operand", are made explicit. A mitotically "blocked" (normal) and "unblocked" (malignant) stem cell "phenotype", operationally constructed from microscopic data, is therefore viewed within the homeostatic context of open-system enzyme-regulatory equilibrium. This functional, stochastic field distribution between "structurally bound" and "freely dividing" stem cell number discloses their putative regulatory mitotic-blocking factor. A tyrosinase complex, interacting by Cu2+-Fe2+ chelation with a proline hydroxylase divisional enzyme near stem cell ribosomes, maintains steady-state mitotic equilibrium. Based upon familiar medical, biochemical, and energy principles this confronts cancer's pigmentary-depigmentary signs, glycolytic metabolism, elevated serum tyrosinase, defective collagen production, exposed membrane binding sites, and tyrosine's recent growth control role.

Pneumococcal peritonitis with the presence of an intrauterine device.

Pneumococcal peritonitis was diagnosed in a woman with an intrauterine device (IUD), admitted to the hospital with presenting symptoms of septic shock. The surgical, bacteriological and histological findings are described, and the preferred mode of treatment is discussed.

PIP: This article presents the case of a 39-year old gravida in whom pneumococcal peritonitis was diagnosed. She was admitted to the hospital with presenting symptoms of septic shock. A Lippes Loop IUD, inserted 2 years before admission, had been symptom-free. Laparotomy revealed purulent fluid throughout the abdominal cavity associated with a thick fibrinous exudate covering the adnexa and abdominal viscera. Streptococcus pneumoniae was cultured from peritoneal and pleural exudates. A total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingectomy and left oophorectomy was performed. Primary pneumococcal peritonitis is rarely encountered today, and early patient referral and antibiotics have decreased the poor prognosis of the disease. 5 cases in previously healthy adults have been described in the literature in the last 15 years, all of them in the presence of an IUD. However, the organism Str pneumoniae was isolated in only 1 of these cases. The present case illustrates the severe complications of primary pneumococcal peritonitis that can be encountered in females in the presence of an IUD. The device should be removed following acute infection. Explorative laparoscopy is indicated in cases where definitive cul-de-sac exudate is unobtainable. Peritoneal dialysis is recommended for patients who desire future pregnancy. This may be combined with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in cases where future fertility is not a consideration.

Fetal heart rate variation with umbilical haematoma.

Umbilical cord haematoma is an infrequent condition associated with high perinatal and fetal mortality and morbidity. This report describes a rare case of umbilical cord haematoma associated with loss of fetal beat to beat variation during labour. The infant exhibited mild asphyxia only. Previous publications are reviewed and fetal heart rate changes associated with umbilical cord haematoma are discussed.