Dementia and autopsy-verified causes of death in racially-diverse older Brazilians

Background While dementia has been associated with specific causes of death, previous studies were relatively small autopsy series or population-based studies lacking autopsy confirmation and were restricted to Non-Latinx Whites. Here, we examine the association of dementia with autopsy-verified causes of death in racially-diverse older Brazilians. Methods As part of the Pathology, Alzheimer´s and Related Dementias Study (PARDoS), a community-based study in Brazil, we included 1941 racially-diverse deceased, 65 years or older at death. We conducted a structured interview with legal informants including the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) Scale for dementia proximate to death. Causes of death were assessed after full-body autopsy and macroscopic examination of the brain, thoracic and abdominal/pelvic organs. Up to four causes of death were reported for each decedent. Causes of death were classified as circulatory, infectious, cancer and other. Logistic regression was used to determine associations of dementia with cause of death, controlling for age, sex, race, and education. Results Dementia was associated with a higher odds of an infectious cause of death (OR = 1.81, 95%CI:1.45–2.25), and with a lower odds of a circulatory disease as cause of death (OR = 0.69, 95%CI:0.54–0.86) and cancer as cause of death (OR = 0.41, 95%CI:0.24–0.71). Dementia was associated with a higher odds of pneumonia (OR = 1.92, 95%CI:1.53–2.40) and pulmonary embolism (OR = 2.31, 95%CI:1.75–3.05) as causes of death and with a lower odds of acute myocardial infarction (OR = 0.42, 95%CI:0.31–0.56) and arterial disease (OR = 0.76, 95%CI:0.61–0.94) as causes of death. Conclusion Racially-diverse older Brazilians with dementia had a higher odds of an infectious cause of death and a lower odds of cancer and circulatory disease as causes of death than those without dementia.

Viral Cancers and Behavior

One in every six cancers globally can be attributed to an infection. Human papillomavirus (HPV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) play a role in the development of over 1.2 million new cancers each year and are responsible for nearly 50% of the infectious cancer burden in the United States. Virus-attributable cancers occur more frequently in those living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The chapter reviews high-risk lifestyle behaviors, including high number of lifetime sexual partners and injection drug use, that increase the risk of acquiring HPV, HBV, HCV, and HIV. It reviews prevention and control strategies for these viruses and associated cancers, including lifestyle behaviors, vaccination, screening, and/or appropriate use of antiretroviral medications.

Abstract 15368: Index Admission and Thirty-day Readmission Outcomes of Cancer Patients Presenting With Stemi

Introduction: National-level data of cancer patients’ readmissions after a ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are lacking. Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to describe rates and causes of 30-day readmissions in this population. Methods: Among patients who were admitted with STEMI in the United States National Readmission Database (NRD) from October 2015-December 2017, we identified patients with the diagnosis of active breast, colorectal, lung or prostate cancer. The primary endpoint was 30-day unplanned readmission rate. Secondary endpoints included in-hospital outcomes during the index admission and causes of readmissions. A propensity score model was used to compare the outcomes of cancer and no cancer patients. Results: A total of 385,522 patients were included in the current analysis (Cancer= 5,956, No Cancer=379,566). After propensity score matching, 23,880 patients were compared (Cancer=5,949, No Cancer=17,931). Cancer patients had higher 30-day readmission (19% vs 14%, p<0.01). The most common causes for readmission among cancer patients were cardiac (31%), followed by infectious (21%), hematological and oncological (17%), respiratory (4%), stroke (4%) and renal (3%). During the first readmission, cancer patients had higher in-hospital mortality (15% vs 7%; p<0.01) and bleeding complications (31% vs 21%; p<0.01). In multivariate logistic regression, cancer status (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2-1.6, p<0.01) was an independent predictor for 30-day readmission. Conclusions: About one in five cancer patients presenting with STEMI will be readmitted within 30 days. Cancer patients’ 30-day readmissions are still predominantly cardiac-related but with a higher proportion of admissions for infectious, cancer-related and bleeding and than those without cancer.

Cancer Incidence in Wild Animals and the Rejection of Peto’s Paradox Theory

Cancer affects all animals containing eukaryote cells. Less is known about the cancers that affect wild animals, since they move around and may not be easily observed for a long period of time. This review about cancers in wild animals contains useful data for the study of human cancers as well. Certain cancers in dinosaurs show that this metabolic disease is primitive and may have been around since the beginning of the multicellular organisms. This data also shows there has been some cancer types in naked mole rats and wild sharks as well. Nowadays, Tasmanian Devils are plagued by an infectious cancer known as Tasmanian devil facial tumor disease (DFTD). Since the emergence of the disease in 1996, the population has declined by more than 60 percent. This type of cancer has an allograft transmission. It seems earthworms contain an anti-cancer agent which could be of great interests in the treatment of cancer. In the discussion part of our review we have discussed how Peto’s Paradox theory of cancer is not true and we have mentioned many data of the cancer incidences in whales and

Protein and Peptide Biomaterials for Engineered Subunit Vaccines and Immunotherapeutic Applications

Although vaccines have been the primary defense against widespread infectious disease for decades, there is a critical need for improvement to combat complex and variable diseases. More control and specificity over the immune response can be achieved by using only subunit components in vaccines. However, these often lack sufficient immunogenicity to fully protect, and conjugation or carrier materials are required. A variety of protein and peptide biomaterials have improved effectiveness and delivery of subunit vaccines for infectious, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. They are biodegradable and have control over both material structure and immune function. Many of these materials are built from naturally occurring self-assembling proteins, which have been engineered for incorporation of vaccine components. In contrast, others are de novo designs of structures with immune function. In this review, protein biomaterial design, engineering, and immune functionality as vaccines or immunotherapies are discussed.

CANCER INCIDENCE IN WILD ANIMALS AND THE REJECTION OF PETO’S PARADOX THEORY

Cancer affects all animals containing eukaryote cells. Less is known about the cancers that affect wild animals, since they move around and may not be easily observed for a long period of time. This review about cancers in wild animals contains useful data for the study of human cancers as well. Certain cancers in dinosaurs show that this metabolic disease is primitive and may have been around since the beginning of the multicellular organisms. This data also shows there has been some cancer types in naked mole rats and wild sharks as well. Nowadays, Tasmanian Devils are plagued by an infectious cancer known as Tasmanian devil facial tumor disease (DFTD). Since the emergence of the disease in 1996, the population has declined by more than 60 percent. This type of cancer has an allograft transmission. It seems earthworms contain an anti-cancer agent which could be of great interests in the treatment of cancer. In the discussion part of our review we have discussed how Peto’s Paradox theory of cancer is not true and we have mentioned many data of the cancer incidences in whales and elephants.