Indicators of Abuse or Neglect in Preschool Children's Drawings

1. Research designed to examine the systematic ability of children's drawings to disclose abuse or neglect has been equivocal. 2. The use of art to understand preschool-aged children is particularly advantageous because very young children usually are not able to communicate their feelings clearly. 3. The study shows that the family drawings of abused or neglected preschool children can be differentiated from those of children not identified as abused or neglected.

A canine distemper virus epidemic in Serengeti lions (Panthera leo)

Canine distemper virus (CDV) is thought to have caused several fatal epidemics in canids within the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem of East Africa, affecting silver-backed jackals (Canis mesomelas) and bat-eared foxes (Otocyon megalotis) in 1978 (ref. 1), and African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) in 1991 (refs 2, 3). The large, closely monitored Serengeti lion population was not affected in these epidemics. However, an epidemic caused by a morbillivirus closely related to CDV emerged abruptly in the lion population of the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, in early 1994, resulting in fatal neurological disease characterized by grand mal seizures and myoclonus; the lions that died had encephalitis and pneumonia. Here we report the identification of CDV from these lions, and the close phylogenetic relationship between CDV isolates from lions and domestic dogs. By August 1994, 85% of the Serengeti lion population had anti-CDV antibodies, and the epidemic spread north to lions in the Maasai Mara National reserve, Kenya, and uncounted hyaenas, bat-eared foxes, and leopards were also affected.

Dietary antioxidants and carotid artery wall thickness. The ARIC Study. Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

BACKGROUND

Evidence that dietary antioxidants may prevent atherosclerotic disease is growing. The relationship between the intake of dietary and supplemental vitamin C, alpha-tocopherol, and provitamin A carotenoids and average carotid artery wall thickness was studied in 6318 female and 4989 male participants 45 to 64 years old int he Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Intake was assessed by use of a 66-item semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire. Carotid artery intima-media wall thickness was measured as an indicator of atherosclerosis at multiple sites with B-mode ultrasound. Among men and women > 55 years old who had not recently begun a special diet, there was a significant inverse relationship between vitamin C intake and average artery wall thickness adjusted for age, body mass index, fasting serum glucose, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, HDL and LDL cholesterol, total caloric intake, cigarette use, race, and education (test for linear trend across quintiles of intake, P = .019 for women and P = .035 for men). An inverse relationship was also seen between wall thickness and alpha-tocopherol intake but was significant only in women (test for linear trend, P = .033 for women and P = .13 for men). There was a significant inverse association between carotene intake and wall thickness in older men (test for linear trend, P = .015), but the association weakened after adjustment for potential confounders. No significant relationships were seen in participants < 55 years old.

CONCLUSIONS

These data provide limited support for the hypothesis that dietary vitamin C and alpha-tocopherol may protect against atherosclerotic disease, especially in individuals > 55 years old.

Precision of office-based blood glucose meters in screening for gestational diabetes

OBJECTIVE

Is the precision of currently available glucose meters adequate for gestational diabetes screening?

STUDY DESIGN

We performed a prospective cohort study of 62 gravid women and compared the precision of three glucose meters to laboratory standard technology.

RESULTS

The HemoCue coefficient of variation was sufficiently low in venous whole blood and plasma and capillary whole blood and plasma (3.0%, 1.8%, 2.8%, and 2.3%, respectively) to allow use in gestational diabetes screening. The OneTouch II coefficient of variation was sufficiently low in capillary whole blood (2.7%) to allow use in gestational diabetes screening but was too high in venous whole blood and plasma and in capillary plasma (3.6%, 7.8%, and 5.7%). The ExacTech coefficient of variation was too high in venous or capillary whole blood (5.4% and 8.1%) for use in gestational diabetes screening and does not analyze plasma samples.

CONCLUSION

The HemoCue meter in venous and capillary whole blood and plasma and the OneTouch II meter in capillary whole blood have coefficients of variation low enough for gestational diabetes screening.

Expression of mutant p53 protein in hepatocellular carcinoma

p53 mutations are a common genetic finding in hepatocellular carcinoma from areas of high aflatoxin exposure. Recent small studies have shown that p53 gene mutations may be less common in areas with a low prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma such as Great Britain. The protein product of mutant p53 can be detected immunohistochemically because of its longer half life in comparison with native protein. This study used a novel monoclonal antibody DO-7, raised against recombinant p53 and effective in routinely processed biopsy specimen tissue, to detect the mutant protein in a series of 45 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma occurring in white subjects resident in the United Kingdom. Focal nuclear labelling was seen in four cases (9%); surrounding cirrhotic tissue in one of these was negative for p53 expression. This study shows that p53 mutations are a rare event in hepatocarcinogenesis in Great Britain, an area of low aflatoxin exposure, and supports the concept of geographical variations in the cause and pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

The accuracy of ascertaining vital status in a historical cohort study of synthetic textiles workers using computerized record linkage to the Canadian Mortality Data Base

Vital status of a cohort of 10,211 Quebec, synthetic textiles workers was ascertained through a probabilistic record linkage to the Canadian Mortality Data Base (CMDB); 5,033 of these workers were also traced using other sources. There was agreement in the vital status of all but 60 of the subjects traced jointly through the CMDB and the alternate sources. 41 subjects were declared 'deceased' from the CMDB but 'alive' from the alternate sources; it is likely that these subjects were indeed deceased. 19 subjects, declared 'deceased' with a fair degree of certainty from the alternate sources, were not identified from the computer search of the CMDB; 17 were found manually on the microfiche death records and two died outside of Canada. The probability of identifying deceased and living subjects from the CMDB was therefore estimated to be 98.2% (95% confidence interval: 97.5-98.7%) and about 100%, respectively. Estimates of cost are also presented, and it is concluded that use of the CMDB is the method of choice for tracing moderate to large cohorts.

Phosphorylation of caldesmon by p34cdc2 kinase. Identification of phosphorylation sites

It has recently been shown that caldesmon from non-muscle (Yamashiro, S., Yamakita, Y., Hosoya, H., and Matsumura, F. (1991) Nature 349, 169-172) and smooth muscle cells (Mak, A. S., Watson, M. H., Litwin, C. M. E., and Wang, J. H. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 6678-6681) can be phosphorylated in vitro by p34cdc2 kinase resulting in the inhibition of caldesmon binding to F-actin and Ca(2+)-calmodulin. In this study, we have identified five phosphorylation sites in smooth muscle caldesmon at Ser582, Ser667, Thr673, Thr696, and Ser702. All the sites bear some resemblance to the S(T)-P-X-X motif recognized by p34cdc2. The preferred site of phosphorylation at Thr673 accounts for about 40% of the total phosphorylation. Four of the sites occur in two pairs of closely spaced sites, Ser667/Thr673 and Thr696/Ser702; phosphorylation of one site in each pair inhibits strongly the phosphorylation of the second site in the same pair, presumably due to the close proximity of the two sites. Similar negative cooperativity in phosphorylation of Ser667 and Thr673 was observed using a 22-residue synthetic peptide containing the two sites. Phosphorylation of Ser667/Thr673 and Thr696/Ser702 account for about 90% of the total level of phosphorylation and these sites are located within the 10-kDa CNBr fragment at the COOH-terminal end of caldesmon known to bind actin and Ca(2+)-calmodulin.

Isolation and characterization of a glycosylated form of beta nerve growth factor in mouse submandibular glands

In the course of characterizing polyclonal antibodies to beta nerve growth factor (NGF) on immunoblot replicas of sodium dodecyl sulfate gels, we observed a protein (designated C protein) migrating as two bands (14.0 and 13.5 kDa) that copurifies with NGF and reacts strongly with its antibodies. The molecule is detectable in the 7 S, beta, and 2.5 S forms of NGF, accounting in the latter two for approximately 2% of total protein. The C protein can be separated from the A and B chains of beta-NGF on acetic acid-urea gels and on two-dimensional gels but not by isoelectric focusing alone. The molecule has been isolated to near purity on reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Amino acid analyses and sequencing through 49 Edman cycles revealed that the protein preparation is composed of the intact and desoctapeptide (des-(1-8] polypeptide chains and suggested a glycosylation site at Asn-45. Following digestion with N-glycanase, the chains migrated on sodium dodecyl sulfate gels identically with the A and B chains of beta-NGF. Although this was accompanied by some degree of proteolytic degradation, the presence of glucosamine (approximately 4 mol/mol of single chain) was confirmed in acid hydrolysates on the amino acid analyzer. No amino sugars were detected in hydrolysates of the A chain nor was galactosamine recovered in either preparation. Glycosylated NGF promotes neuronal growth and survival in a manner indistinguishable from native 2.5 S NGF when tested in the chick sensory ganglion assay and with rat postnatal sympathetic neurons in a dissociated culture cell survival assay or in a compartmentalized culture growth assay. These studies reveal that NGF can be modified by glycosylation in a manner that does not reduce its biological activity.

Second-trimester maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels in pregnancies associated with gastroschisis and omphalocele

This population-based study analyzes maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) distributions for 20 cases of gastroschisis and 13 cases of omphalocele occurring in singleton pregnancies from among 72,782 second-trimester pregnancies in Maine and Rhode Island screened consecutively between January 1, 1979 and February 28, 1987. Median values (and ranges) for the two lesions were 4.1 multiples of the median (0.5-29.8) for omphalocele and 7.0 multiples of the median (3.6-13.5) for gastroschisis. The MSAFP distributions for the two conditions were both log-Gaussian, and the log standard deviation was smaller for gastroschisis than for omphalocele. The MSAFP screening sensitivity was greater for gastroschisis than for omphalocele at any given cutoff, and the overall sensitivity of this screening process for detecting open ventral wall defects will differ, therefore, depending upon the relative proportion of gastroschisis and omphalocele cases that occur in the screened population.

Ascorbate antagonizes the behavioral effects of amphetamine by a central mechanism

The behavioral response to amphetamine was monitored in rats that received simultaneous intraventricular infusions of saline or ascorbate. Both groups of animals displayed comparable responses, although ascorbate significantly delayed the onset of amphetamine-induced locomotion and rearing. In rats pretreated with a threshold dose of haloperidol (0.025 mg/kg), virtually all aspects of the amphetamine response were attenuated, and this effect was enhanced by ascorbate. In haloperidol-pretreated rats, ascorbate significantly lowered sniffing and forepaw shuffling throughout the amphetamine response. These results suggest that ascorbate antagonizes dopaminergic transmission by a central mechanism.

The anti-excitotoxic effects of certain anesthetics, analgesics and sedative-hypnotics

Various agents were tested for their ability to antagonize the acute excitotoxic action of N-methyl-DL-aspartate (NMA) and kainic acid (KA) on neurons in the in vitro chick embryo retina. The following compounds (in order of descending potencies) were effective in completely blocking the neurotoxic activity of NMA: phencyclidine, ketamine, (+/-)-SKF 10,047, pentazocine, D-aminophosphonovalerate, D-amino-phosphonoheptanoate, D-alpha-aminoadipate, OH-quinoxaline carboxylate, kynurenate, (+/-)-cis-2,3-piperidine dicarboxylate, secobarbital, amobarbital and pentobarbital. The latter 6 agents also protected against KA toxicity but complete protection was observed only from relatively high concentrations. At 20 mM, Mg2+ blocked NMA toxicity but at concentrations up to 30 mM did not block KA toxicity. Compounds that failed to block either NMA or KA toxicity include D- and L-aminophosphonobutyrate, L-glutamic acid diethyl ester, xanthurenate, GABA and taurine. The chick embryo retina is a useful preparation for identifying agents that have either excitotoxic or anti-excitotoxic activity.

Penetrating war injuries of the basal forebrain: neurology and cognition

We compared the neurologic and cognitive performance of 15 young veterans who suffered unilateral penetrating missile wounds to the basal forebrain 15 years ago in the Vietnam War with uninjured controls and patients with lesions elsewhere in the brain. The subjects performed worse on tests of episodic memory, reasoning, and arithmetic and had more prolonged unconsciousness after injury; but their performance usually compared favorably with that of uninjured controls on tests of intelligence, attention, and language and was not consistent with that of a demented patient. The data suggest that the basal forebrain is functionally related to the reticular formation and to the basal forebrain is functionally related to the reticular formation and to the limbic-hippocampal memory system.

Urinary cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) in asthmatic and normal children

Urinary excretion of cAMP and cGMP was studied in nine normal and 15 asthmatic children. Bronchial lability was studied with a treadmill running test and atopy with serum IgE and skin prick tests. A circadian rhythm was found in both groups for cAMP and cGMP excretion. Cyclic GMP levels were higher in the asthma group, the difference reaching statistical significance around the time of the exercise challenge test. The fall in PEF induced by exercise showed a significant negative correlation with urinary cAMP responsiveness to isoproterenol inhalation. Exercise-induced bronchial lability correlated with 24-h cGMP excretion. High cGMP and low cAMP levels at night could be connected with nighttime exacerbations of symptoms. It is suggested that cGMP might have a more important role in asthma, than previously assumed.

Biochemical studies on pili isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain PAO

Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains PAO and PAK bear polar pili which are flexible filaments having a diameter of 6 nm and an average length of 2500 nm. Both types of pili are retractile and promote infection by a number of bacteriophages. The present communication describes the partial biochemical characterization of PAO pili isolated from a multipiliated nonretractile mutant of PAO. The observed properties are compared to those of PAK pili which were characterized previously. PAO pili were found to contain a single polypeptide subunit of 18 700 daltons. This is similar to PAK pili which contain a single polypeptide of 18 100 daltons. The amino acid composition of PAO pilin was also similar to that of PAK pilin. Neither protein contained phosphate or carbohydrate residues and both were found to contain N-methylphenylalanine at the amino terminus. Sequencing of 20 amino acid residues at the amino terminal end of PAO pilin revealed the sequence to be identical with that of PAK pilin, while tryptic peptide analyses of PAO and PAK pilin indicated that the two proteins probably contain a number of homologous regions within the polypeptide. It was concluded that PAO and PAK pili were closely related structures.

Intestinal transport of hexoses in the rat following chronic heat exposure

The effect of 3 wk heat exposure (Ta 34 degrees C) on intestinal weight and intestinal absorption of D-glucose and D-galactose in vitro was examined in the rat. Intestinal dry weight was reduced with heat exposure compared to both ad libitum and pair-fed animals at Ta 22 degrees C. Intestinal tissue water was elevated after pair feeding but not heat exposure; extracellular (inulin) space was similar in the three groups. Mucosal uptake of glucose per gram wet weight in an everted sac preparation was unchanged compared to pair-fed animals, but serosal transfer was increased. Intestinal metabolism of glucose was decreased with heat exposure. Galactose accumulation with 30 min incubation was increased in intestinal rings from both heat-exposed and pair-fed animals. This increase is likely to be related to the reduction in ring size present in the groups with reduced food intake. Vmax and apparent Km for galactose transport were unchanged. Our results indicate that despite a reduction in intestinal weight following heat exposure, the ability of the intestine to transport hexoses per gram remains relatively stable. Alterations of hexose transport appear to be related to altered glucose metabolism and not altered transport capacity. Differences in intestinal weight and glucose utilization between pair-fed and heat-exposed animals suggest that the intestinal response to chronic heat exposure is not solely a function at the amount of food consumed. However, the alteration of more than one variable in pair feeding makes interpretation complex.

N-Terminal amino acid sequence of pilin isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The amino-terminal amino acid sequence of the pili protein from Pseudomonas aeruginosa K pili is presented. The sequence is compared with those reported by others for pilin obtained from Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Moraxella nonlique-faciens. All three sequences are highly homologous, contain only two hydrophilic residues in the first 22 positions, and contain an unusual amino acid, N-monomethylphenylalanine, at the amino terminus.