Early identification and remediation of phonological-processing deficits in first-grade children at risk for reading disabilities

The present study assessed 486 first-quarter first graders on their reading and phonological-processing skills and intelligence. Based on this assessment, and using the classification data from Hurford et al.'s (1993) study, 99 children were identified as being at risk for reading difficulties: 53 children at risk for reading disabilities (RD) and 46 children at risk for becoming "garden-variety" poor readers (GV). Half of the RD and GV groups received the phonological-processing intervention. Posttraining assessment indicated that the training procedure not only was effective in increasing the phonological-processing skills of the trained participants, but also increased their reading ability. Both of the RD and GV trained groups benefited from the training. Analyses also indicated that the initial screening device was somewhat less accurate in the present study in identifying at-risk children than in our previous studies (85% vs. approximately 98%, respectively). The results of the present study indicate that it is possible to identify children at risk for reading difficulties and to significantly improve their phonological-processing and reading abilities.

Associations of IgA and IgA-rheumatoid factor with disease features in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

In previous studies we have shown that levels of IgM-rheumatoid factor (RF) in plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cell supernatants are correlated with disease activity and response to second-line therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The present studies were designed to examine whether IgA-RF levels are also correlated with clinical features of this disease. Two groups of RA patients were studied. Group I consisted of 87 patients in whom extensive clinical data had been collected. Group II included nine patients beginning treatment with gold or methotrexate who were studied during the first year of therapy. Measurement of IgM, IgA, IgM-RF and IgA-RF in culture supernatants and plasma was done by an ELISA method. These data were examined for correlations with clinical and laboratory features. Levels of IgA-RF in supernatants and plasma were found not to be correlated with disease features in the cross-sectional analysis of Group I patients, while IgM-RF and total IgA levels did show significant clinical correlation. Treatment of Group II patients with gold or methotrexate was associated with significant decreases in plasma levels of total IgA and IgM-RF as well as a small but statistically significant decrease in plasma IgA-RF. Plasma levels of total IgM were not altered during therapy. These findings suggest that production of IgA but not IgA-RF is correlated with disease status in patients with RA.

Novel germline mutation of the p53 tumor suppressor gene in a child with incidentally discovered adrenal cortical carcinoma

PURPOSE

We report a case of adrenal cortical carcinoma in an infant, which was incidentally discovered by renal sonography after a urinary tract infection. The previous death of a sibling after rhabdomyosarcoma in infancy prompted a search for a heritable p53 tumor suppressor gene mutation in this family.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Starting with frozen adrenal carcinoma tissue, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification followed by direct sequencing of exons 4-8 of p53 was used to search for a mutation. When a mutation was identified in exon 6 of the tumor p53 sequence, PCR amplification and direct sequencing of exon 6 alone was then performed on DNA from peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) of all immediate family members to determine whether a germline mutation was present. A different set of primers was used by a second laboratory at our institution to independently confirm the presence of the mutation in the adrenal carcinoma and in paraffin-embedded rhabdomyosarcoma tissue of the deceased sibling.

RESULTS

A C-to-T transition was identified at a CpG site in codon 196 resulting in a change from arginine to a stop codon (CGA to TGA). The identical mutation, present as the sole p53 allele in the tumor DNA samples and in the heterozygous state with wild type p53 allele in DNA from PBLs (germline), was found in the adrenal carcinoma, the rhabdomyosarcoma, and the PBLs of the tumor-bearing child and her healthy father and 5-year-old brother. This nonsense mutation of p53 has never before been reported in the germline. The extended pedigree showed only one known additional cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

A novel germline p53 mutation was identified by investigation of a sibling pair with cancers associated with the Li-Fraumeni syndrome in a family with an otherwise negative history for cancer. The implications of this case for identification of carriers of p53 germline mutations and their clinical management are discussed.

Platyhelminth FMRFamide-related peptides (FaRPs) contract Schistosoma mansoni (Trematoda: Digenea) muscle fibres in vitro

Molluscan FMRFamide and two recently discovered platyhelminth FMRFamide-related peptides (FaRPs), GNFFRFamide from the cestode Moniezia expansa and RYIRFamide from the terrestrial turbellarian Artioposthia triangulata, cause dose-dependent contractions of individual muscle fibres from Schistosoma mansoni in vitro. The most potent FaRP tested was the turbellarian peptide RYIRFamide, which produced a concentration-dependent effect between 10(-9) and 10(-7) M. FMRFamide and GNFFRFamide were less potent, inducing contractions between 10(-8)-10(-6) M and 10(-7)-10(-5) M respectively. The contractile effect of each of these peptides was blocked by the presence of 1 microM FMR-D-Famide. FMRF free acid did not elicit contraction of the muscle fibres. The FaRP-induced contractions did not occur if the Ca2+ was omitted and 0.5 microM EGTA was added to the extracellular medium. The FaRP-induced contractions were not blocked by the Ca2+ channel blockers nicardipine, verapamil or diltiazem, although high K+-induced contractions of these fibres were blocked by nicardipine. These data indicate the presence of FaRP receptors on schistosome muscle fibres and demonstrate their ability to mediate muscle contraction. The action of these endogenous flatworm peptides on schistosome muscle is the first demonstration of a direct excitatory effect of any putative neurotransmitter on the muscle of a flatworm, and establishes a role for FaRPs in neuromuscular transmission in trematodes. In addition, it provides the first evidence that the peptidergic nervous system is a rational target for chemotherapeutic attack in parasitic platyhelmiths.

Antioxidant activity of saliva and periodontal disease

The antioxidant activity of saliva has been investigated in 28 apparently healthy individuals and seven dental patients with periodontal disease. The results show that the major aqueous antioxidant component of whole saliva is uric acid, with lesser contributions from ascorbic acid and albumin. All are present at lower concentrations than those found in the plasma water. The total antioxidant activity (TAA) of saliva correlates (r2 = 0.972) with the concentration of uric acid, which contributes more than 70% of the TAA. Stimulation of salivary flow is associated with increased production of antioxidants. The antioxidant potential of saliva does not appear to be compromised in patients with periodontal disease but this may relate to the antioxidant flow from the gingival crevicular fluid.

Epidemiology of failed tobacco control legislation

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the influence of tobacco industry campaign donations, district location, and political party affiliation on tobacco control legislation among members of the US Congress.

DESIGN

Data were obtained from the Federal Election Commission on money contributed by the 10 leading tobacco political action committees and by tobacco industry-aligned individuals to members of the US House of Representatives (1991-1992) and Senate (1987-1992). Logistic regression analyses were performed using recorded votes and cosponsorship activities concerning tobacco control legislation during the 102nd and 103rd Congresses and membership on the House Congressional Task Force on Tobacco and Health as the dependent variables and tobacco money received, party, district location, and caucus or committee membership as the independent variables.

SETTING

United States Congress in 1991 and 1992.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Support for federal tobacco control legislation.

RESULTS

The tobacco industry donated approximately $2.4 million to members of Congress from January 1991 through December 1992. House members received an average of $2943 (1991-1992) and senators received an average of $11,593 (1987-1992). The more tobacco money a member received, the less likely the member was to support tobacco control legislation. In the Senate, on a vote to end the taxpayer subsidy of tobacco products in military stores, the odds ratio that senators in the top quartile of tobacco money recipients did not support the measure vs senators in the lowest quartile of tobacco money recipients was 42.2 (95% confidence interval, 4.1 to 430.0; P < .001). In the House, on a vote to end a $3.5 million subsidy to promote American tobacco abroad, the odds that House members in the top third of tobacco money recipients would oppose the legislation were 14.4 times greater (95% confidence interval, 5.5 to 39.0; P < .001) than for House members in the lowest third of tobacco money recipients. Receiving more tobacco money, being a member of the Republican party, and representing a tobacco-producing state were all associated with decreased support for tobacco control issues. The amount of tobacco money received was the variable most strongly and consistently associated with a lack of support for tobacco control legislation, even when we controlled for additional factors such as district location and party.

CONCLUSION

Tobacco industry contributions to members of the US Congress strongly influence the federal tobacco policy process. Unless this influence is diminished through a combination of members refusing tobacco money and campaign finance reform, this process of contributing to death by thwarting tobacco control will continue to claim hundreds of thousands of lives a year.

3H-n.m.r. studies of multiple conformations and dynamic processes in complexes of folate and methotrexate with Lactobacillus casei dihydrofolate reductase

[7,3',5'-3H3]- and [7,9-3H3]-folic acid and [7,3',5'-3H3]methotrexate (MTX) have been prepared and 3H-n.m.r. spectra obtained for their complexes with Lactobacillus casei dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). The 3H results confirm the presence of three pH-dependent different conformational forms in the complex DHFR.NADP+.folate. The folate benzoyl ring could be shown to be in essentially the same environment in the different forms, with the major differences being associated with the pterin ring. The appearance of a single resonance for the 3',5'-tritons showed that the benzoyl ring is flipping rapidly in all three forms. In contrast, the MTX complex was shown to exist as a single conformational state with the benzoyl ring flipping rate being too low to give a single averaged signal for the 3',5'-nuclei over the temperature range 283-313 K.

The proliferation of neointimal smooth muscle cells cultured from rabbit aortic explants 15 weeks after de-endothelialization by a balloon catheter

Endothelial denudation of rabbit aorta induces smooth muscle cell (SMC) migration and proliferation, resulting in a thickened neointima, showing features in common with atherosclerotic lesions. The SMC proliferation has been reported as a transient healing process, which regresses when the neointima is covered by regenerated endothelium. In this study, we examined the cellular proliferation of neointimal SMC, derived from denuded and from re-endothelialized areas of aortic explants. The results show that the neointimal SMC retain a higher rate of proliferation, even 15 weeks after a single endothelial injury by a balloon catheter. Neointimal SMC release more PDGF-AB and TGF-beta 1, which may play a mitogenic role for SMC proliferation. The data demonstrating that injury-induced stimulation of neointimal SMC proliferation is a persistent process, emphasize the importance of injury mechanisms of atherogenesis.

Metastatic prostate cancer pulmonary nodules: beneficial effects of combination therapy and subsequent withdrawal of flutamide

A case is presented of a middle-aged man suffering from stage D2 prostate cancer with pulmonary metastases who responded favorably, first, to endocrine combination therapy with the antiandrogen flutamide and an LHRH agonist for 5.5 years, and, second, to the subsequent withdrawal of Flutamide at the time of the progression of the disease. This case has several exceptional features: absence of bone metastases, pulmonary metastatic nodules characterized as focal neuroendocrine differentiation, and a positive response to antiandrogen withdrawal upon relapse of metastases after initial positive response. The concept of escape to androgen blockade and development of androgenic hypersensitivity is discussed.

Isolation of lipoprotein-proteoglycan complexes from balloon catheter deendothelialized aortas and the uptake of these complexes by blood monocyte-derived macrophages

Lipoprotein-Proteoglycan (LP-PG) complexes from the neointima, developed in response to injury, were studied to examine their ability to stimulate lipid accumulation in blood monocyte-derived macrophages (BMDM). LP-PG complexes were extracted from intimal-medial tissues from normal and balloon catheter deendothelialized aortas of normocholesterolemic rabbits, in 0.16 M NaCl for 24 h at 4 degrees C. The extract was purified through an anti-apo-B affinity column. Adsorbed material dissociated with 4 M Gu-HCI buffer was analyzed for lipoproteins (LP) and glycosaminoglycans (GAG). Results demonstrated that LP-PG complexes consisted of apo-B associated with chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid. BMDM were incubated with 125I-LP, 125I-LP-NPG (from normal aortas) or 125I-LP-IPG (from injured aortas) for 20 h at 37 degrees C. LP binding, internalization and degradation was markedly increased for LP-NPG and LP-IPG over native LP. Phagocytosis appeared to be the primary route of uptake of LP-PG complexes. Competition experiments indicated that about 40% of the uptake of LP-PG complexes is mediated by the apo-B/E receptor pathway. The scavenger receptor played a minor part in the uptake of LP-PG complexes. Data from this study indicate that LP-PG complexes are present in normal and injured aortas of normocholesterolemic rabbits and these complexes accelerate LP uptake by BMDM more than native LP. Therefore, LP-PG complexes may contribute to lipid accumulation by BMDM, thus generating foam cells. Furthermore, LP-PG complexes prepared from PG of injured aortas are more effective in lipid accumulation than LP-PG complexes from PG of normal aortas.

The human 4F2 antigen: evidence for cryptic and noncryptic epitopes and for a role of 4F2 in human T lymphocyte activation

T lymphocyte activation can be triggered through multiple distinct, but functionally related, pathways. Murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been used to characterize the surface components of several of these pathways, as well as structures whose function is not yet known. One such cell surface structure is the heterodimeric 4F2 antigen, which is expressed on activated and proliferating cells. Two new mAbs that recognize the heavy chain of the 4F2 antigen have been produced in our laboratory. One antibody, UM7F8, is comitogenic with soluble anti-CD2 and immobilized (but not soluble) anti-CD3 mAbs. The second antibody, termed UM2G12, appears to recognize a cryptic epitope on the 4F2 heavy chain and is not comitogenic for T cells. In view of the functional effects seen with UM7F8, and the highly regulated expression of the 4F2 antigen, it seems likely that 4F2 has a specific role in T cell development and activation.

Atypical antipsychotics, clozapine and sulpiride do not antagonise amphetamine-induced stereotyped locomotion

An automated tracking system which converted an animal's path between quadrants of a circular open field into a series of trips was used to analyse stereotyped locomotion in amphetamine treated rats. Amphetamine (3.5 mg/kg) increased the horizontal distance moved and the number and proportion of thigmotaxic trips around the perimeter of the apparatus (length 4 trips). To investigate the hypothesis that classic antipsychotics, but not atypical antipsychotics, would antagonise the repetitive boundary patrolling associated with amphetamine-induced hyperactivity, animals were pretreated with haloperidol (0.01, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075 mg/kg), clozapine (5, 10, 20 mg/kg) or (+/-)sulpiride (10, 20, 50 mg/kg) 30 min before 3.5 mg/kg amphetamine. The results showed that the classic antipsychotic haloperidol antagonised both hyperactivity and the increased proportion of length 4 trips. In marked contrast, the atypical antipsychotics clozapine and sulpiride antagonised hyperactivity but did not reduce the proportion of length 4 trips. The inability of atypical antipsychotics to reduce the repetitive boundary patrolling associated with amphetamine-induced hyperactivity is consistent with the action of these drugs on other forms of amphetamine-induced stereotyped behaviour, and indicates that locomotor routes under amphetamine are stereotyped. The measurement of trip lengths provides a sensitive tool for examining drug action on the spatial distribution of open field locomotion.

Lipoprotein-proteoglycan complexes from injured rabbit aortas accelerate lipoprotein uptake by arterial smooth muscle cells

Lipoprotein-proteoglycan (LP-PG) complexes are taken up more avidly by macrophages and smooth muscle cells (SMCs) than native lipoproteins (LPs). The enhanced uptake may contribute to lipid accumulation and foam cell formation during atherogenesis. Endothelial injury is known to alter proteoglycan (PG) synthesis and distribution in the neointima developed in response to injury. The present study examines the uptake and degradation of LP-PG complexes, derived from PG of injured aortas by arterial SMCs. Rabbit apo-B lipoprotein (LP), including VLDL, IDL and LDL was isolated by ultracentrifugation and coupled with PG extracted from normal aortas (NPG) or with PG from injured aortas (IPG). Rabbit aortic SMCs were cultured from intima-media explants, incubated with 125I-LP, 125I-LP-NPG or 125I-LP-IPG for 20 h at 37 degrees C. LP binding, internalization and degradation were markedly increased (P < 0.001) for LP-NPG and LP-IPG over native LP. Competition experiments indicated that more than 50% of the LP-PG complexes were taken up by the apo-B/E receptor pathway. Phagocytosis was the second important route of uptake of these complexes, whereas the scavenger receptor played a minor part in the uptake and degradation of LP-PG complexes. Data from this study indicate that LP-PG complexes accelerate LP uptake and degradation by SMC more than native LP. Therefore, these complexes may contribute to lipid accumulation by SMC, thus generating foam cells. Furthermore, LP-PG complexes prepared from PG of injured aortas are more effective in lipid accumulation than LP-PG complexes from PG of normal aortas.

Homeless youths: sexual and drug-related behaviour, sexual beliefs and HIV/AIDS risk

Homeless, Anglo-Australian and Greek-Australian 16-year-olds were questioned about their sexual behaviour and sexual beliefs. Measures of sexual risk-taking included type of behaviour, condom use and number of partners. Drug risk was assessed by extent of i.v. drug use, and sharing and cleaning needles. Sexual beliefs included self-perceptions of sexual anxiety, arousal, exploration and commitment. In addition, motivations for engaging in, or avoiding, sex were elicited. The behaviour patterns of homeless adolescents placed them at considerable risk of HIV infection for both sexual and drug risk, and significantly more so than their home-based peers. Gender stereotypic self-perceptions were reported, and homeless and Anglo-Australian youths demonstrated a more masculine style in their self-perceptions than were Greek-Australians. Preferred motivations for sex differed, with homeless youths less concerned about the consequences of sex and more with self-gratification than the home-based adolescents. For homeless girls, higher levels of sexual risk were predicted by perceptions of greater arousal and by less concern about the consequences of sexual activity. Implications for targeted interventions are discussed.