Bonita W. Wyse

APOE-ε4 count predicts age when prevalence of AD increases, then declines The Cache County Study

Objective: To examine the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other dementias in relation to age, education, sex, and genotype at APOE. Recent studies suggest age heterogeneity in the risk of AD associated with the APOE genotype and a possible interaction between APOE-ε4 and female sex as risk factors. We studied these topics in the 5,677 elderly residents of Cache County, Utah, a population known for long life expectancy and high participation rates. Methods: We screened for dementia with a brief cognitive test and structured telephone Dementia Questionnaire, then examined all individuals with apparent cognitive symptoms and a sample of others. We estimated age-specific prevalence of AD and other dementias and used multiple logistic regression models to describe relation of AD prevalence to age, sex, education, and APOE genotype. Results: We found 335 demented individuals, 230 (69%) with definite, probable, or possible AD (positive predictive value versus autopsy confirmation 85%). The adjusted prevalence estimate for AD was 6.5% and for all dementias 9.6%. After age 90, the adjusted prevalence estimate for AD was 28% and for all dementias 38%. Regression models showed strong variation in AD prevalence with age, sex, education, and number of ε4 alleles (effect of ε2 not significant). Models were improved by a term for age-squared (negative coefficient) and by separate terms for interaction of age with presence of one or two ε4 alleles. An association of AD with female sex was ascribable entirely to individuals with ε4. Conclusions: In participants with no ε4 alleles, the age-specific prevalence of AD reached a maximum and then declined after age 95. In ε4 heterozygotes a similar maximum was noted earlier at age 87, in homozygotes at age 73. Female sex was a risk factor for AD only in those with ε4. The ε4 allele accounted for 70% of the population attributable risk for AD.

APOE Genotype Predicts When - not Whether - One is Predisposed to Develop Alzheimer Disease

APOE genotype predicts when — not whether — one is predisposed to develop Alzheimer disease

Characteristics of Nonresponders in A Community Survey of the Elderly

OBJECTIVE: To identify predictors of nonresponse in a community survey of cognitive status in the elderly.

Enhanced Cognitive Performance with Estrogen Use in Nondemented Community-Dwelling Older Women

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between history of postmenopausal estrogen use and cognitive function in a large sample of nondemented community‐dwelling older women.

Dementia diagnoses from clinical and neuropsychological data compared: The Cache County Study

Objective: To validate a neuropsychological algorithm for dementia diagnosis. Methods: We developed a neuropsychological algorithm in a sample of 1,023 elderly residents of Cache County, UT. We compared algorithmic and clinical dementia diagnoses both based on DSM-III-R criteria. The algorithm diagnosed dementia when there was impairment in memory and at least one other cognitive domain. We also tested a variant of the algorithm that incorporated functional measures that were based on structured informant reports. Results: Of 1,023 participants, 87% could be classified by the basic algorithm, 94% when functional measures were considered. There was good concordance between basic psychometric and clinical diagnoses (79% agreement, kappa = 0.57). This improved after incorporating functional measures (90% agreement, kappa = 0.76). Conclusions: Neuropsychological algorithms may reasonably classify individuals on dementia status across a range of severity levels and ages and may provide a useful adjunct to clinical diagnoses in population studies.

Parent Involvement in Nutrition Education for Primary Grade Students.

Abstract Three schools were matched for socioeconomic status, location, and comparability of teachers, physical facilities, and other education resources. Students in kindergarten through grade three in two schools received nutrition education; the third school served as a control. At one of the two treatment schools, the parents also received education in nutrition. At the end of the four-month treatment period, 24-hour food frequency recalls revealed that parents who participated in the nutrition education program reported that their children were consuming a higher quality diet and a wider variety of foods compared with students in either of the other two schools. Cognitive scores for kindergarten and first grade students also were significantly higher for children in the school with parent involvement. The results support the importance of a parent education component in achieving a positive effect in food behavior as a result of a nutrition education program.

Assay of the enzymatic hydrolysis of pantetheine

Abstract Four rapid, independent assays of enzymatic pantetheine hydrolysis are described and compared using an enzyme partially purified from pig kidney. Two assays detect specifically the hydrolysis products: cysteamine (2-aminoethanethiol) is measured by the absorbance of its fluoropyruvate adduct at 300 nm and pantothenate is measured by radioimmunoassay. Methods of [ 14 C]pantethine synthesis are discussed and the labeled substrate employed in a third enzymatic assay. A fourth assay continuously monitors the absorbance of mercaptide ion at 240 nm. The mercaptide ion concentration increases proportionally with hydrolysis at a buffered pH because of a difference in p K (-SH) between pantetheine (9.9) and cysteamine (8.1) at 37°C. The enzyme shows a pH optimum of ca. 9 and an apparent K m of 20 μ m .

Nutrient Density-Evaluation of Nutritional Attributes of Foods

Summary A method utilizing an Index of Nutritional Quality (INQ) is proposed for quantitatively evaluating the nutritional properties of foods. Energy provides the unifying standard in correlating human requirements and food composition. An evaluation of the nutritional characteristics of foods in Agriculture Handbook No. 8 has been included: meat, poultry, fish and eggs; grains and grain products; nuts, soybeans, and miscellaneous seeds; fruits; vegetables; milk and milk products; fats and oils; and sugars and sweets. For further illustrative purposes, specific attention is given to fiber, linoleic acid, potassium and vitamin A. Suggestions are made as to how the INQ can be used for clinical dietetics. For purposes of communicating nutrition information, the INQ is suggested as a way of giving more precise meaning to adjectives commonly used to describe food.

Determination of plasma pantothenic acid by indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.

Abstract We report in this study an indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of pantothenic acid in plasma. Also reported is a comparison between the ELISA and radioimmunoassay (RIA) by measuring plasma pantothenic acid content of rats fed a pantothenic acid deficient or a surfficient diet for 1.5 and 3 wk. The ELISA is based on the competition for the antibody between immobilized pantothenate adsorbed on polystyrene microwells and free pantothenate in samples. Specific antibody was produced by injection of pantothenate-bovine serum albumin conjugate to rabbits. An optimal standard curve was produced with an antisera concentration of 1:50,000 and with anti-rabbit IgG labeled with horseradish peroxidase. The resulting A 405 was inversely correlated with free pantothenate in samples. This ELISA accurately quantitates between 2–1000 ng pantothenic acid, whereas the RIA shows linear range between 10–200 ng. The correlation coefficient (r) of 24 rat plasma pantothenic acid concentration as measured by the ELISA and RIA was 0.91. The reproducibility and recovery studies produced a 6% coefficient of variation (10 trials) and 95±6%, respectively. This new method requires no preparation for plasma. Plasma pantothenic acid concentration of rats fed a pantothenate deficient diet for 1.5 wk was significantly (p

Aiding Consumer Nutrition Decisions: Comparison of a Graphical Nutrient Density Labeling Format with the Current Food Labeling System

Providing consumers with usable nutrition information requires an effective labeling for mat. This study involved consumers in a supermarket setting. Our objective was to determine whether they could, without previous instruction, make as effective nutrition decisions when using a graphic format based on nutrient density as when using the current labeling format. The questionnaire completed by each participating consumer included items regarding demographic data and shopping preferences, and questions evaluating nutrition knowledge and the ability of the shopper to utilize two nutrition labeling formats in making nutrition decisions. Six supermarkets were selected from one large Utah chain as sites for the survey. The nutrient density format produced the greatest percentage of correct responses. The dif ference was particularly evident when our data were analyzed for overall correct responses. Participants who were high school graduates or had family incomes between