Education differentially contributes to cognitive reserve across racial/ethnic groups

INTRODUCTION

We examined whether educational attainment differentially contributes to cognitive reserve (CR) across race/ethnicity.

METHODS

A total of 1553 non-Hispanic Whites (Whites), non-Hispanic Blacks (Blacks), and Hispanics in the Washington Heights-Inwood Columbia Aging Project (WHICAP) completed structural magnetic resonance imaging. Mixture growth curve modeling was used to examine whether the effect of brain integrity indicators (hippocampal volume, cortical thickness, and white matter hyperintensity [WMH] volumes) on memory and language trajectories was modified by education across racial/ethnic groups.

RESULTS

Higher educational attainment attenuated the negative impact of WMH burden on memory (β = -0.03; 99% CI: -0.071, -0.002) and language decline (β = -0.024; 99% CI:- 0.044, -0.004), as well as the impact of cortical thinning on level of language performance for Whites, but not for Blacks or Hispanics.

DISCUSSION

Educational attainment does not contribute to CR similarly across racial/ethnic groups.

Parental History of Dementia Is Associated with Increased Small Vessel Cerebrovascular Disease

BACKGROUND

Small vessel cerebrovascular dysfunction that manifests on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as white matter hyperintensities (WMH) is linked to increased risk and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but there is considerable debate about whether it represents a core feature of the disease. Parental history of dementia is a risk factor for AD, suggesting a strong heritable component; the examination of the extent to which parental history of dementia is associated with cerebrovascular disease could provide insight into the aggregation of AD and cerebrovascular disease.

METHODS

This study included 481 community-dwelling older adults (mean age = 74.07 ± 5.81; 56% women) with available MRI scans. Participants were classified as having a parental history of dementia or having no parental history based on self-report. Total WMH values were calculated and compared between the two groups with general linear models, adjusting for relevant covariates. We also compared WMH volume between those with a reported sibling history of dementia and those without.

RESULTS

One hundred twelve participants reported having a parental history of dementia and 369 reported no parental history. Those with parental history had greater total WMH volume than those without (F = 4.17, p = .042, partial η 2 = 0.009). Results were strongest for those with maternal versus paternal history (F = 2.43, p = .089, partial η 2 = 0.010 vs <0.001) and among Hispanic (F = 5.57, p = .020, partial η 2 = 0.038) and non-Hispanic White participants (F = 4.17, p = .042, partial η 2 = 0.009). Those with reported sibling history of dementia did not differ from those without.

CONCLUSIONS

Older adults with parental, particularly maternal, history of dementia have increased WMH. The results highlight the possibility that cerebrovascular changes are a core feature of AD, as WMH severity and parental history aggregate together.

CalcPEFDairy: A Product Environmental Footprint compliant tool for a tailored assessment of raw milk and dairy products

A compliant tool (CalcPEF_Dairy) to determine the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) of Dairy products has been developed following the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) v.6.3 guidance and the 2018 approved PEFCR for Dairy products. CalcPEF_Dairy is a new tool that simplifies and reduces the work for LCA practitioners when implementing the PEFCR for Dairy products. On contrary to traditional LCA software, CalcPEF_Dairy includes all the emission models needed to calculate farm and crop cultivation direct emissions and it also implements the specific calculation formulas stated in the PEFCR such as the Circular Footprint and Data Quality Requirement formulas. Moreover, the PEF compliant datasets provided by the Life Cycle Data Network are incorporated in the tool as source of secondary data. To demonstrate the accuracy of the tool a traditional dairy farm in Catalonia (Northwest of Spain) was assessed and the results compared with the European representative PEF compliant datasets for the production of raw milk, cheese and yoghurt. In addition to the environmental profile, CalcPEF_Dairy has determined the case study's environmental single score (ESS) for the production of raw milk (1.0 × 10^-4) cheese (9.7 × 10^-6) and yoghurt (1.4 × 10^-5); these ESS results are within the range of the ESS obtained from the analysed EF-datasets. The data sets' average ESS for raw milk is 9.9 × 10^-5 ± 1.1 × 10^-5, while for cheese and yoghurt are 1.5 × 10^-5 ± 3.1 × 10^-6 and 1.9 × 10^-5 ± 3.4 × 10^-6 respectively. A 78% of the raw milk production ESS is attributed to the dairy farm activities while, the raw milk production stage affects in a 87.4% and 80.1% to the ESS for cheese and yoghurt respectively.

Blockade of MUC1 expression by glycerol guaiacolate inhibits proliferation of human breast cancer cells

We sought to determine whether administration of glycerol guaiacolate at an optimal biological dose inhibits human breast cancer cell growth. Human breast cancer MCF-7 and ZR-75-1 cells were treated with glycerol guaiacolate and the therapeutic efficacy and biological activity of this drug was investigated on breast cancer cell growth. MCF-7 cells were injected into the mammary fat pad of overectamized female athymic nude mice. Ten days later, animals were treated with daily intraperitoneal injections of glycerol guaiacolate for six weeks. Tumor size and volume was monitored and immunohistochemistry analysis on MUC1, p21 and ki-67 was performed. Glycerol guaiacolate decreased breast cancer cell growth in a dose-dependent manner, decreased cell migration, and caused G1 cell cycle arrest. Our results demonstrate that glycerol guaiacolate inhibits MUC1 protein and mRNA expression levels and significantly increased p21 expression in human breast cancer cells as well as induced PARP cleavage. Similarly, glycerol guaiacolate inhibited breast tumor growth in vivo as well as enhanced p21 expression and decreased breast tumor cell proliferation (ki-67 expression). Collectively, our results demonstrate that glycerol guaiacolate decreased MUC1 expression and enhanced cell growth inhibition by inducing p21 expression in breast cancer cells. These findings suggest that glycerol guaiacolate may provide a novel and effective approach for the treatment of human breast cancer.

Tissue factor-bearing microparticles derived from tumor cells: impact on coagulation activation

BACKGROUND

Tissue factor (TF)-bearing microparticles (MP) from different origins are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of cancer-associated thrombosis. However, the role of circulating tumor cell-derived TF is not well understood.

METHODS

TF antigen and activity were measured in MP generated in vitro from human TF-expressing cancer cells by ELISA and clotting or thrombin generation assays, respectively. TF antigen and activity were also measured in vivo in cell-free plasmas from mice previously injected with in vitro-generated MP or in cell-free plasmas from nude mice bearing orthotopically injected human cancer cells.

RESULTS

Tumor cell-derived MP (TMP) exhibited strong TF-dependent procoagulant activity (PCA) in vitro and in vivo. Injection of TMP into mice was associated with acute thrombocytopenia and signs of shock, which were prevented by prior heparinization. Human TF antigen and activity could be detected in mouse cell-free plasmas up to 30 min after TMP injections. Human TF was detected in the spleen of injected mice and its clearance from circulation was delayed in splenectomized mice, suggesting the involvement of the spleen in the rapid clearance of circulating MP in vivo. Detectable levels of TF-dependent PCA and thrombin-antithrombin complex were found in cell-free plasmas from mice growing pancreatic human tumors, suggesting that circulating tumor-derived TF causes coagulation activation in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

MP derived from certain cancer cells exhibit TF-dependent PCA both in vitro and in vivo. These results provide new information about the specific contribution of tumor-derived MP to the hypercoagulable state observed in cancer.

Lymphocyte immunoregulatory cells present in semen from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals: a report from the HIV Heterosexual Transmission Study

The purpose of this study was to determine the types and distribution of immune subsets present in semen from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected (HIV+) individuals and to compare these values with those measures in semen from HIV-negative (HIV-) individuals. To accomplish this, a direct three-color monoclonal antibody labeling technique was employed to identify immune cells in fresh ejaculates. Once labeled, the percent of each immune subset present in the ejaculate was determined by flow cytometric analysis. The percent of CD3+ cells present in the semen of the HIV+ group showed no significant difference when compared with semen from the HIV- group. Analysis of the CD4+ subset yielded a significantly lower percent in the HIV+ group than in the HIV- group. The analysis of the CD8+ subset yielded a higher percent of cells present in semen from HIV+ individuals. The CD8 higher value along with lower CD4 value results in a lower CD4/CD8 ratio in the HIV+ group. Further subset studies showed that the percent of cells expressing naive (CD4+ CD45RA+) and memory (CD4+ CD45RO+) markers was lower in the HIV+ group. This study provides additional data supporting the utility of flow cytometry and monoclonal antibodies to immunophenotypic cells present in semen ejaculates. It is also the first reported application of the technique to a disease-based model and may be useful to better understand issues of mucosal immunity and transmission of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV.

Evaluation of T-lymphocyte subsets present in semen and peripheral blood of healthy donors: a report from the heterosexual transmission study

The purpose of this study was to accurately determine the T-lymphocyte subsets found in semen from healthy volunteers, to evaluate the impact of repeated ejaculation on the frequency or type of immune cells present in semen, and to compare subset analysis in semen to that in the peripheral blood. To accomplish this, a flow cytometric method was developed to identify and count immunophenotypically distinct cells present in semen. Fresh semen samples and peripheral blood were collected over three consecutive days from nine healthy donors. Donors had normal ejaculate volume, sperm count, sperm motility, morphology, and leukocyte count. No significant intra-donor differences were seen in these parameters over time. No significant differences were observed in the percentage of CD3+ cells, CD4+ cells, CD8+ cells, and the CD4:CD8 ratio in semen on consecutive days. However, within the CD4+ subset, when naive and memory CD4+ cells were measured, some day to day variability was suggested. No significant differences in CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4/CD8 ratio, or naive and memory subsets were seen in the peripheral blood between sampling days. When semen was compared to peripheral blood some differences in immune subset values were observed, with an increase in the percentage of memory CD4+ cells in semen being the most striking. This finding may be relevant to HIV transmission, since others have shown that this cell may be preferentially infected with HIV and is the primary reservoir for virus in infected individuals.

Increases in steroid binding globulins induced by tamoxifen in patients with carcinoma of the breast

The effects of tamoxifen on cortisol binding globulin (CBG) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) were studied in 25 women and one man with breast cancer. These patients were in various endocrine states according to age (15 post-menopausal women) or previous endocrine surgery (ovariectomy, two patients; ovariectomy plus adrenal surgery, five patients; hypophysectomy, three patients; ovariectomy plus hypophysectomy, two patients). The administration of tamoxifen (20-40 mg/day) resulted in increases in the level of CBG in all patients (mean rise in binding capacity 10.8 microgram cortisol/100 ml plasma) and in the level of SHBG in 21 patients (mean rise in binding capacity 0.79 microgram dihydrotestosterone/100 ml plasma for all patients). These increases were positively correlated. They were not associated with any alteration in the association constants of the steroid binding globulins. The effect of tamoxifen on CBG diminished with increasing age. The changes in the levels of CBG and SHBG were independent of the endocrinological state of the patient. It is inferred that tamoxifen has a direct oestrogen-like action on the liver which results in increased production of CBG and SHBG. Tamoxifen therapy for carcinoma of the breast appeared to be least effective in those patients in whom the drug caused the highest increase in the concentration of CBG.

A topographic approach to breast cancer: the relation of topographic and mammographic findings

One hundred and twenty-eight patients with breast cancer who, on the basis of mammographic study, were treated by mastectomy were analyzed. The purpose of this endeavor was to correlate the roentgenologic features with the pathologic findings. The correlation between them was very good: the type of tumor opacity, the microcalcifications, and the various other radiologic patterns were compatible with both localized and extensive breast cancer. Mammography appears to be valuable in the selection of patients suitable for conservative treatment.

A new topographic approach to the spread of breast cancer: the grid method

In a series of 181 patients with breast cancer treated by mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection, the authors developed and used an improved topographic technique, which they call the "Grid Method", which maps out the extent of a given cance of the breast. Three types of tumor spread are defined: Type 1, limited (L)(31%); Type 2, multifocal (M)(13.2%); and Type 3, extensive (E)(55.8%). This topographic information allows a more accurate assessment of prognosis when used in conjunction with the morphologic findings. Moreover, the topographic "Grid" study is simple to perform and easy to assess. Of prime importance is the relationship between the topographic and mammographic findings.