Recognizing individual faces outside one's race poses difficulty, a phenomenon known as the other-race effect. Most researchers agree that this effect results from differential experience with same-race (SR) and other-race (OR) faces. However, the specific processes that develop with visual experience and underlie the other-race effect remain to be clarified. We tested whether the integration of facial features into a whole representation-holistic processing-was larger for SR than OR faces in Caucasians and Asians without life experience with OR faces. For both classes of participants, recognition of the upper half of a composite-face stimulus was more disrupted by the bottom half (the composite-face effect) for SR than OR faces, demonstrating that SR faces are processed more holistically than OR faces. This differential holistic processing for faces of different races, probably a by-product of visual experience, may be a critical factor in the other-race effect.

A complementary DNA expression library derived from marrow samples from myeloma patients was recently screened and human macrophage inflammatory protein-1␣ (hMIP-1␣) was identified as an osteoclastogenic factor expressed in these samples. hMIP-1␣ enhanced osteoclast (OCL) formation in human marrow cultures and by highly purified OCL precursors in a dose-dependent manner (5-200 pg/mL). Furthermore, hMIP-1␣ enhanced OCL formation induced by human interleukin-6 (IL-6), which is produced by marrow stromal cells when they interact with myeloma cells. hMIP-1␣ also enhanced OCL formation induced by parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) and receptor activator of nuclear factor B ligand (RANKL), factors also implicated in myeloma bone disease. Timecourse studies revealed that the hMIP-1␣ acted during the last 2 weeks of the 3-week culture period. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that the chemokine receptors for hMIP-1␣ (CCR1 and CCR5) were expressed by human bone marrow and highly purified early OCL precursors. Furthermore, hMIP-1␣ did not increase expression of RANKL. These data demonstrate that hMIP-1␣ is an osteoclastogenic factor that appears to act directly on human OCL progenitors and acts at the later stages of OCL differentiation. These data further suggest that in patients with myeloma, MIP-1␣ produced by myeloma cells, in combination with RANKL and IL-6 that are produced by marrow stromal cells in response to myeloma cells, enhances OCL formation through their combined effects on OCL precursors. (Blood. 2001;97:3349-3353)

Background Psoriasis has been linked to cardiovascular co-morbidities in cross-sectional studies, but evidence regarding the association between psoriasis and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) is limited. Objective To prospectively evaluate the association between psoriasis and risk of incident non-fatal CVD. Methods 96,008 participants were included from the Nurses’ Health Study II, and followed for 18 years. Information on physician-diagnosed psoriasis was obtained by self-report and diagnosis was confirmed by supplementary questionnaires. We included 2,463 individuals with self-reported psoriasis and a subsample of 1,242 with validated psoriasis. The main outcome was incident non-fatal CVD events (non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI) and non-fatal stroke), ascertained by biennial questionnaires and confirmed. Results During 1,709,069 person-years of follow-up, 713 incident non-fatal CVD events were confirmed. Psoriasis was associated with a significantly increased multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of non-fatal CVD, 1.55 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04-2.31). HRs for non-fatal MI and stroke were 1.70 (95% CI: 1.01-2.84) and 1.45 (95% CI: 0.80-2.65) respectively. The association remained consistent in a sensitivity analysis of confirmed psoriasis (HR = 2.06, 95% CI: 1.31-3.26). For individuals with concomitant psoriatic arthritis, the risk of non-fatal CVD was even higher (HR 3.47; 95% CI: 1.85-6.51). Women diagnosed with psoriasis <40 years age or with duration of psoriasis ≥9 years had substantial elevations in CVD risk; HR 3.26 (95% CI: 1.21-8.75) and 3.09 (95% CI: 1.15-8.29) respectively. Conclusions Psoriasis is an independent predictor for non-fatal CVD among women, with particularly high risk for those with longer duration of psoriasis and concomitant psoriatic arthritis.

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Background Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disorder. Higher adiposity may increase the risk of psoriasis, but prospective data on this association are scarce. One prospective study showed that increased adiposity increased the risk of incident psoriasis in younger women, but no data are available in older women. Methods We prospectively examined the associations between body mass index (BMI), weight change, waist and hip circumference and risk of incident psoriasis in 67,300 women over a 12-year period (1996-2008) in the Nurses’ Health Study. The primary outcome was self-reported, physician-diagnosed psoriasis. Results During the 12 years of follow-up, there were a total of 809 incident psoriasis cases. There was a graded positive association between BMI (both baseline and updated) and the risk of psoriasis (both P values for trend <0.0001). Compared to women with updated BMI of <25, the multivariate RRs (relative risks) of incident psoriasis were 1.21 (95% CI, 1.03-1.43) for a BMI of 25.0 to 29.9, 1.63 (95% CI, 1.33-2.00) for a BMI of 30.0 to 34.9, and 2.03 (95% CI, 1.58-2.61) for a BMI of 35.0 or greater. Higher waist circumference, hip circumference, and waist-hip ratio were associated with a higher risk of incident psoriasis, but became non-significant after additionally adjusting for BMI. The BMI at age of 18 years was not associated with the risk of psoriasis. Weight gain since the age of 18 years was associated with an increased risk of psoriasis and RR of 10 lb gain was 1.08 (95% CI, 1.06-1.11; p<0.0001). Conclusion This large prospective study indicates that higher BMI and weight gain are risk factors for incident psoriasis in older US women.

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