Isolation from the Mainstream: Recipe for an Impoverished Science

LONELINESS, CYNICAL HOSTILITY, AND COGNITIVE DECLINE IN AMERICANS ABOVE AGE 50 By Sarah Clay Griffin, B.A.Sc. A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science at Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University, 2016 Major Director: Bruce Rybarczyk, Ph.D, Professor of Psychology Background. Research identifies isolation (being alone) as a risk factor for cognitive decline— yet it is possible that subjective dimensions of isolation are more critical. Potential risk factors are loneliness (the distress stemming from feeling alone) and cynical hostility (an attitude of distrust and cynicism). The present study examined the relationship between these factors and cognitive functioning and decline. Methods. Data came from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative longitudinal study of US adults over 50. Loneliness was measured using the Hughes Loneliness Scale; cynical hostility was measured using items from the Cook-Medley Hostility Inventory. Cognitive functioning was indexed by the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status. Regressions were conducted to examine loneliness and cynical hostility as predictors of cognitive function at baseline as well as cognitive decline over four and six-year periods. Models were adjusted for demographic characteristics, health behaviors, and isolation. Results. Loneliness, [f=.003, t(52)=-3.75; p<.001] and cynical hostility, [f=.002, t(52)=-2.98, p=.004] predicted cognitive function at baseline. Loneliness and cynical hostility each predicted cognitive decline over four [f=.001, t(52)=-2.29; p=.026 f=.003, t(52)=-3.98; p<.001 respectively] but not six years [t(52)= -.78; p=.439; t(52)= -1.29; p=.203 respectively]. Discussion. Loneliness and cynical hostility are correlates of lower cognitive function and risk factors for cognitive decline over four years. The absence of significant effects of loneliness and cynical hostility over six years could be attributed to low statistical power in these analyses. The effect sizes in this study are small, yet meaningful in the context of the personal and social costs associated with cognitive decline.

Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, is one of the most ubiquitous chemical compounds in the history of the chemical sciences. The generation of alcohol via fermentation is also one of the oldest forms of chemical technology, with the production of fermented beverages predating the smelting of metals. By the 12th century, the ability to isolate alcohol from wine had moved this chemical species from a simple component of alcoholic beverages to both a new medicine and a powerful new solvent. The use of alcohol as a fuel, however, did not occur until significantly later periods, the history of which is generally presented as a separate narrative from its initial applications as intoxicating beverages, medicines, or chemical reagents. The current report aims to more firmly connect these two disparate historical accounts, presenting an overview of the history of ethanol from its initial isolation in the 12th century through its current application as a fuel additive for most automotive vehicles in the United States.

Exosomes are extracellular vesicles with nano size range. The use of exosomes as drug delivery vehicle has useful advantages compared to other vesicular systems. Exosomes are nonimmunogenic, nontoxic, and stable with good composition and potency for crossing blood brain barrier. They can be used as theranostic agents and vaccine therapy. The exosomes are a new choice for nonimmunogenic targeted drug delivery vehicle. Introduction : Exosomes are nano size vesicles secreted by different cell types. The main role of exosomes in the body is a cell to cell communication. They are not immunogenic due to similar structure as body cells. They can cross blood brain barrier, stable in the blood circulation, biocompatible, with low toxicity, suitable size, and structure. These endogenous vesicles can be used for drug delivery, immunevaccines and as diagnostic agents. Methods: The following databases were reviewed for bibliography of using exosomes as delivery agents: Web of science, Scopus, Medline, and Embase. Results : Exosomes can deliver different kinds of cargos (RNA, proteins and small molecules) to the target cells. Exosome as a biomarker of diseases (cancer, cardiovascular disease, MS, etc) personalized therapy with the exosomes that generated from induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) derived that used for patient specific and disease specific cell therapy. They have specific role in tissue repair and regeneration, vaccines for immunotherapy (phase II of clinical trial). The strategies to introduce drugs into exosomes are active and passive loading. Artificial exosome mimetics can be isolated from exosome secreting cell lines but these exosomes in comparison with autologous are immunogenic. Isolation techniques of exosomes are ultracentrifugation, electron microscopy, and SDS page. Exosomes were mainly taken up by macrophages in the liver after IV administration. Exosomes characterization methods are biophysical, molecular and microfluidics. Conclusion: Exosomes are good carriers for delivery of drugs and genes to the target without immunogenic reaction. They can be used as immunovacines for the cancer treatment by activating immune system against tumor cells. Exosomes can substitution the liposomes because of their size, structure, non-immunogenicity and their natural composition. Key words : Exosomes, Extracellular vesicles, Drug delivery, Nano carrier, Immunovaccine