Low density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size is inversely associated with plasma triglyceride concentration in cross-sectional analyses. In the present study, changes in the LDL particle size of 227 participants of the Framingham Offspring Study were analyzed longitudinally by nondenaturing gradient gel electropho-resis at two examinations that were separated by 3-4 years. All subjects had triglyceride concentrations <400 mg/dl at both exams. Using laser scanning densitometry to assess mean LDL particle size, 56% of samples displayed a change in size: 41% had a one-band size change, 13% had a two-band change, and 2% had a three-band change. These changes in size corresponded to a 15% change in pattern type, based on pattern A and B terminology. There was a significant inverse association between change in LDL size and change in triglyceride (/><0.0001) and glucose (p<0.004) concentrations, body weight (p<0.02), and age (p<0.03). There was also a significant positive association with change in high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentration (p<0.0001). Change in LDL cholesterol concentration, as calculated by use of the Friedewald formula, however, showed no significant association with change in LDL size (p<0.9). There was also no significant association with change in smoking or blood pressure, but there was a nonsignificant inverse trend associated with alcohol intake (p<0.08j. Women had more significant changes than men, but the relation between change in LDL size and change in lipids was the same for women and men. In stepwise regression analyses of biochemical indices, change in triglyceride concentration produced the best single-variable model (r=0.460). When change in HDL cholesterol concentration was added to the model, the r value increased slightly to 0.481 for the two-variable model. No other variables entered the model. We conclude that the amount of circulating triglyceride appears to be the single most important factor affecting LDL particle size and that LDL size can be modulated by changes in plasma triglyceride concentration. (Arteriosclerosis and Thrombosis 1992; 12:1284-1290) KEY WORDS • low density lipoproteins • low density lipoprotein subspecies • triglycerides • high density lipoprotein cholesterol • gradient gel electrophoresis S ince low density lipoproteins (LDL) have been implicated in the development of coronary artery disease (CAD), they have been closely studied by a number of research groups. 1-7 LDL have been shown to be a heterogeneous population of particles with respect to size, density, and composition and have been studied through the use of density gradient and analytical ultracentrifugation, as well as with nondenaturing polyacrylamide gradient gel elec

This study examines whether changing the way news stories report on health can induce shifts in readers' perceptions of problems of obesity, diabetes, immigrant health, and smoking. The authors manipulated two variables in a controlled experiment: the quality of sourcing-the number of sources and their expertise-and the framing-changing from an episodic, traditional frame to a thematic frame that incorporated information on context, risk factors, prevention strategies, and social attributions of responsibility. The authors found that a thematic frame made readers more supportive of public policy changes and encouraged them to improve their own health behaviors. However, it did not alter their attributions of responsibility for health problems from one of blaming individuals to seeing the larger social factors. Adding richer sourcing to the thematic frame did not increase these effects, nor did readers find the thematic stories to be more interesting, relevant, believable, important, and informative. In addition, there were differential results because of story topics that represent uncontrolled effects. The implications for improving health reporting to encourage positive change in society are discussed.

Using as a baseline Herbert Gans' work on values in the news, this qualitative study of US print media coverage of the greenhouse effect between 1987 and 1990 asserts there are at least three additional values that help frame news of the greenhouse effect: progress, the institutionalization of knowledge, and innocence. These values replicate in some crucial ways the values of the scientific community doing research on the greenhouse effect. However, the impact of these values tends to de-emphasize a view of the future and the role of ethical value choices in covering this story, both of which are essential to public understanding of the issue.

Just as Chicken Little did in warning that "he sky is falling '' the news media cornrnitfindamentd errors of ath-ibution in their coverage of risk situations, by treating them as rwvelties, failing to analyze the entire system, and using im@ciently analytical language.The sky has n e z w fallen and nezw tctll. Thozigh the sky has nezw fallen, it zcdl inezttably full. The likelihood of the skjj jalling increases etlery day. Our sky is beginning to shou~ eziidence of fulling. Someone sau' apiece oj-the sky full in u remote location. The sky fell this morning.

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