Growth factor regulation of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding proteins (IGFBP) and preadipocyte differentiation in porcine stromal-vascular cell cultures

The influence of anti-IGF-1 and anti-transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) neutralizing antibodies on preadipocyte differentiation and secretion of IGFBPs was examined in serum free porcine stromal-vascular cultures. Cultures were stained for morphological analysis and conditioned media were collected for: TGF-beta determination by ELISA, IGF-1 by RIA, and IGFBP analysis by ligand blotting. After 6 d of treatment, anti-TGF-beta increased fat proportions by 2.7 fold compared to controls. Anti-IGF-1 decreased fat cell proportions by 14-fold. Anti-TGF-beta increased concentrations of IGF-1 5.8-fold and IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-3 by 8- and 7-fold in conditioned media whereas IGFBP-4 decreased 5-fold. Anti-IGF-1 increased concentrations of IGFBP-2 and 3 by 9- and 35-fold, respectively. TGF-beta increased concentrations of IGFBP-1, 2 and 3 by 3-fold, 18-fold and 3-fold, respectively, after 9 d in culture (6 d of treatment). There was no change in TGF-beta levels in anti-IGF-1 treated cultures compared to controls. Control antibodies and negative controls had no effect. These results provide evidence that endogenously produced IGF-1 and TGF-beta has a major influence on preadipocyte differentiation in serum free media by modulating IGFBP production/secretion.     

Effects of psychopathology and demographic characteristics on MMPI-2 scale scores

Using multiple linear regression analyses, we examined the effects of subject status for 6 demographic variables and the presence of psychopathology on variance in MMPI-2 scale scores. The analyses were designed to measure the incremental contribution of the demographic variables to scale variance beyond that explained by presence of psychopathology. Demographic variables were found to contribute little incremental variance for the validity and clinical scales, but did explain more than 10% of the score variance for 1 clinical scale, 2 content scales, and 5 supplemental scales. For these 8 scales, gender was most often the potent demographic variable and an expected influence. The results are discussed in light of the use of gender-based norms and in terms of other potential factors that might explain MMPI-2 scale score variance.     

Alloimmune neonatal neutropenia in Australian aboriginals: an unrecognized disorder?

Alloimmune neonatal neutropenia (ANN) is reported for the first time in two Australian aboriginals. Both infants displayed the typical clinical features of ANN with profound neutropenia which persisted for 7 weeks and only minor infectious episodes. However, management strategies differed for the two infants because in one case (complicated by uncertain paternity) serological confirmation of ANN was not obtained until after recovery of the infant's neutrophil count. The maternal antibodies could not be assigned to known neutrophil antigen specificities and a new antigen may be involved. The antibodies were reactive with > 99% of neutrophils in a Caucasian population. Aboriginals comprise 1% of the total population of Australia and 1-2% of the obstetric population at our institution. Thus, ANN may be an unrecognized disorder in this ethnic group and a possible cause of neonatal infection and mortality.     

Noise and hearing loss in firefighting

Since the NIH received a request to investigate the high degree of hearing loss in a fire department in 1980, hearing loss among firefighters has become an area of increased investigation. The author identifies the sources of occupational noise in firefighting, looks at audiometric testing and recent research in firefighting noise, and presents guidelines for implementing hearing conservation programs.     

Cortical blindness as a complication of acute glomerulonephritis

Two hundred and ten pneumococcal isolates underwent ceftizoxime disk (30 micrograms) screening to predict cephalosporin resistance. Forty-six isolates failed screening with 36 (78%) demonstrating intermediate/resistant MICs. Sensitivity and specificity were 100 and 95%, respectively. The ceftizoxime disk screen is an effective method of identifying potentially cephalosporin-resistant isolates.