CCBAR
Newsletter
– February,
2014
Editors:
Natalia
Gavrilova
and
Stacy
Tessler
Lindau
News from our Colleagues:
NIA-Sponsored Biomarker Network
Meeting
When: Wednesday April 30, 2014 (8:30 - 4:30).
Where: Boston, MA - Boston Marriott Copley Place
The Biomarker Network headquartered at the USC/UCLA Center on
Biodemography and Population Health is soliciting abstracts for
presentations at the Biomarker Network Meeting which will take place on
the Wednesday before the Population Association of America (PAA) Annual
Conference.
We will develop sessions on methods of theoretical developments,
methods and experience in assessment of biomarkers and substantive
results.
The abstract should clarify the material to be presented: the topic,
the data, the methods, the results. Abstracts are limited to
300 words.
The deadline for submitting abstracts is February 28, 2014.
Please send abstracts to Eileen Crimmins at crimmin@usc.edu.
CCBAR News:
Natalia
Gavrilova has published a new paper on aging and mortality: Gavrilova,
N.S., Gavrilov, L.A. Biodemography
of Old-Age Mortality in Humans and Rodents. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci.
2014 Feb 17. [Epub ahead of print].
News
from
the
NEJM, Nature Journals, Science, BMJ, PNAS, Lancet and JAMA
Regenerative
medicine: Stem cells make muscles stronger
Manipulating muscle stem cells in older people could promote
regeneration and prevent muscle breakdown.Bradley Olwin at the
University of Colorado Boulder and his colleagues demonstrated that a
protein called p38 prevents stem cells in old muscles from renewing.
When the authors took muscle stem
Cancer:
Unmasking the real risk genes
Cancer researchers have found part of the answer in the case of the
'missing heritability' - the mismatch between genetic disease risk and
common genetic variants.It has long been thought that common variants
might be weakly linked to disease because they are co-inherited with
Geriatric
muscle stem cells switch reversible quiescence into senescence
by Pedro Sousa-Victor,Susana Gutarra,Laura García-Prat,Javier
Rodriguez-Ubreva,Laura Ortet,Vanessa Ruiz-Bonilla,Mercè Jardí,Esteban
Ballestar,Susana González,Antonio L. Serrano,Eusebio Perdiguero,Pura
Muñoz-Cánoves
Regeneration of skeletal muscle depends on a population of adult stem
cells (satellite cells) that remain quiescent throughout life.
Satellite cell regenerative functions decline with ageing. Here we
report that geriatric satellite cells are incapable of maintaining
their normal quiescent state in m...
Cancer
genetics: The origin and evolution of an ancient cancer
by Isabel Lokody
A new genomic analysis of the oldest known cancer clarifies its origin
and evolution.
Brain
correlates of music-evoked emotions
by Stefan Koelsch
Music is a universal feature of human societies, partly owing to its
power to evoke strong emotions and influence moods. During the past
decade, the investigation of the neural correlates of music-evoked
emotions has been invaluable for the understanding of human emotion.
Functional neuroimaging stu...
Social
gaze in cocaine users [Psychological and Cognitive Sciences]
by Verdejo-Garcia, A.
We humans have a biologically based need to form intimate personal
relationships and large social networks. Social bonding is
evolutionarily adaptive and powerfully rewarding, whereas social
isolation often results in emotional pain and harmful behavior.
However, the longing for social bonding can b...
Treating
Dementia and Agitation
by Small GW.
Age is the greatest single
risk factor
for developing dementia. When people reach age 65, their risk of
dementia is 10%, and by age 85, approximately one-third will develop
Alzheimer disease, the most common cause of dementia. With 76 million
US baby boomers entering or having entered this period of...
[Perspectives]
Pharmacogenetics at 50: Genomic Personalization Comes of Age
by Urban, T. J., Goldstein, D. B.
The study of the genetics of drug responses has a long history but
has provided only a few examples of gene variants that are relevant
clinically. Here, we discuss the current state of the pharmacogenomics
field with emphasis on the potential of data generated through drug
development in order to sh...
US
Sodium Intake Still Too High
More than 90% of
adolescents and adults
in the United States consume more than the recommended amount of
sodium, putting them at potential high risk of hypertension.
Biomarkers
and
Aging
in
the
News
Media
• Cooking
meat 'may be dementia risk'
Browning meat in the oven, grill or frying pan produces chemicals which
may increase the risk of developing dementia, US researchers suggest.
• New
study on Vitamin E, cancer, heart disease
Daily health headlines: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends
against Vitamin E to prevent disease, diabetes linked to stroke risk in
women but not men, plus more top stories
• Not
into your spouse? It may hurt your heart health
Partners who claimed to be ambivalent towards each other were more
likely to have elevated heart disease risk
• Broken
Hearts: Strokes, Heart Attacks More Likely After Loss
Heartache can quickly turn into heartbreak after the loss of a loved
one - quite literally.A study of seniors found the risk of heart attack
jumped twofold in the 30 days following the loss of a partner. Stroke
risk rose
• Life
Saver: Women With Cancer Gene Should Remove Ovaries by 35
Women with certain genetic mutations that greatly raise their risk of
breast and ovarian cancer can cut the risk by as much as 80 percent if
they get their ovaries removed by age 35, a new study suggests.
• Ovary
Removal Might Raise Odds for Bone Loss, Heart Disease
Doctors should assess overall risks in premenopausal women, study
suggests
• Double
Mastectomy May Benefit Some Women With Inherited Breast Cancer
Study found procedure might cut risk of death in half for those with
certain genetic mutations
• Moderate
Exercise May Cut Women's Stroke Risk
Study found brisk walking, tennis lowered chances of brain attack by 20
percent
• Could
the Weather Affect Your Stroke Risk?
Study suggests stroke hospitalizations and death rates tied to changes
in temperature and humidity
• Can
citrus ward off your risk of stroke?
Eating foods that contain vitamin C may reduce your risk of the most
common type of hemorrhagic stroke, according to a new study. Vitamin C
is found in fruits and vegetables such as oranges, papaya, peppers,
broccoli and strawberries. Hemorrhagic stroke is less common than
ischemic stroke, but is more often deadly.
• Vitamin
E, Selenium Supplements Might Double Chances of Prostate Cancer
Risk was highest when men had high or low levels of selenium already in
their body
• 'Fat
Hormone' Tied to Higher Colon Cancer Risk in Obese Men
More precancerous polyps seen in small study as body fat increased
• Too
Much Sitting After 60 May Lead to Disability, Study Says
For each extra sedentary hour per day, researchers found a 50 percent
increased risk
• Saliva
Test May Spot Depression Risk in Male Teens
Saliva Test May Spot Depression Risk in Male Teens Number of Fertility
Treatment Babies in U.S. Increasing
• Body
shape index as new predictor of mortality
Scientists have developed a new method to quantify the risk
specifically associated with abdominal obesity. A follow-up study,
published Feb. 20 by the online journal PLOS ONE, supports their
contention that the technique, known as 'A Body Shape Index,' is a more
effective predictor of mortality than body mass index, the most common
measure used to define obesity.
• A
paper diagnostic for cancer: Low-cost urine test amplifies signals from
gro...
A low-cost urine test amplifies signals from growing tumors to detect
disease. Cancer rates in developing nations have climbed sharply in
recent years, and now account for 70 percent of cancer mortality
worldwide. Early detection has been proven to improve outcomes, but
screening approaches such as mammograms and colonoscopy, used in the
developed world, are too costly to be implemented in settings with
little medical infrastructure. To address this gap, engineers have
developed a simple, cheap,...
• Abdominal
fat accumulation prevented by unsaturated fat
New research shows that saturated fat builds more fat and less muscle
than polyunsaturated fat. This is the first study on humans to show
that the fat composition of food not only influences cholesterol levels
in the blood and the risk of cardiovascular disease but also determines
where the fat will be stored in the body. Gaining weight on excess
calories from polyunsaturated fat appears to cause more gain in muscle
mass, and less body fat than overeating a similar amount of saturated
fat.
• Number
of test-tube babies born in U.S. sets record
So does their percentage of total U.S. births, but critics stress high
IVF failure rate persists in women over 35
• Quitting
smoking may bring mental health benefits
Quitting smoking may lower odds of lung cancer and heart disease; new
study shows depression, stress and anxiety may also drop
• Could
Infections Harm Memory in Older Adults?
Early study found connection between exposure to microbes, poorer
scores on mental-ability tests
• Researchers
rejuvenate stem cell population from elderly mice, enabling muscl...
Researchers have pinpointed why normal aging is accompanied by a
diminished ability to regain strength and mobility after muscle injury:
over time, stem cells within muscle tissues dedicated to repairing
damage become less able to generate new muscle fibers and struggle to
self-renew. Scientists identified for the first time a process by which
the older muscle stem cell populations can be rejuvenated to function
like younger cells.
• Loneliness
is a major health risk for older adults
Feeling extreme loneliness can increase an older person's chances of
premature death by 14 percent, according to new research. The research
shows that the impact of loneliness on premature death is nearly as
strong as the impact of disadvantaged socioeconomic status, which they
found increases the chances of dying early by 19 percent.
• LGB
individuals living in anti-gay communities die early, study shows
In the first study to look at the consequences of anti-gay prejudice
for mortality, researchers found that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB)
individuals who lived in communities with high levels of anti-gay
prejudice have a shorter life expectancy of 12 years on average
compared with their peers in the least prejudiced communities.
• Clinical
trial success influenced by biomarker - and receptor-targeted therap...
Over the past decade, a great clinical focus has been directed at
developing new and innovative therapies for advanced non-small cell
lung cancer (NSCLC). An analysis of clinical trials evaluating these
therapies demonstrates that the cumulative success rate for new agents
for advanced NSCLC is lower than the industry-estimated rate. However,
biomarker- and receptor-targeted therapies were found to substantially
increase clinical trial success.
• What
do women want? It depends on time of month
A meta-analysis of research on changes in mate preferences across the
menstrual cycle suggests that ovulating women have evolved to prefer
mates who display sexy traits, such as a masculine body type, dominant
behavior, certain body odors and masculine facial features, rather than
traits that are generally desirable in a long-term mate.
NIH
Press
Releases
NIH
releases comprehensive new data outlining Hispanic/Latino health and
habits
These new findings have been compiled and published as the Hispanic
Community Health Study Data Book: A Report to the Communities.
Youth
born with HIV may have higher heart disease risk, NIH network study
shows
Researchers advise reducing risk through diet, exercise, not smoking.
NIH
team discovers genetic disorder causing strokes and vascular
inflammation...
Next-generation sequencing defines new pathway for blood vessel disease.
NIH
study seeks to improve asthma therapy for African-Americans
NIH study seeks to improve asthma therapy for African-Americans
Multicenter trial will assess different drug regimens and explore
genetics of treatment response.
NIH
study finds regular aspirin use may reduce ovarian cancer risk
Women who take aspirin daily may reduce their risk of ovarian cancer by
20 percent.
NIH,
industry and non-profits join forces to speed validation of disease
targets
Goal is to develop new treatments earlier, beginning with Alzheimer's,
type 2 diabetes, and autoimmune disorders.
Adding
chemotherapy following radiation treatment improves survival for
adult...
Results from long-term follow-up of a National Institutes of
Health-supported randomized controlled clinical trial.
NIH
study offers insight into why cancer incidence increases with age
Researchers suspect DNA methylation may be involved.
NCI
launches trial to assess the utility of genetic sequencing to improve
pat...
Trial could identify patient sub-groups that are likely to benefit from
certain treatments.
NIH
scientists map genetic changes that drive tumors in a common pediatric
so...
The genetic alterations identified could be useful in developing
targeted diagnostic tools and treatments for children with the disease
Funding
Announcements
Juvenile
Protective Factors and Their Effects on Aging (R03)
Expiration Date: July 17, 2016
Analysis
of Genome-Wide Gene-Environment (G x E) Interactions (R21)
Funding Opportunity PAR-13-382 from the NIH Guide for Grants and
Contracts. The purpose of this FOA is to provide support for research
projects that involve secondary data analyses of existing genome-wide
data from genome-wide association studies or other large genomic
datasets for the purpose of identifying gene-environment interactions.
The ultimate objective of this funding opportunity is the discovery of
complex interplays of genes and environmental factors in human
populations which may disclose novel genetic susceptibilities to
environmental exposures or a greater understanding of the role of
environmental exposures in the development, progression, and severity
of complex human diseases.
NIH
Support for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (Parent
R13/U13)
Funding Number: PA-13-347
Expiration Date: September 8, 2016
Academic
Research Enhancement Award (Parent R15)
Funding Number: PA-13-313
Expiration Date: September 8, 2016
Behavioral
and Social Science Research on Understanding and Reducing Health
Disparities (R21)
Funding Number: PA-13-288
Expiration Date: September 8, 2016
Mid-life
Reversibility of Early-established Biobehavioral Risk Factors (R01)
Funding Opportunity RFA-AG-14-006 from the NIH Guide for Grants and
Contracts. The purpose of this funding opportunity announcement (FOA)
issued by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) is to solicit two-year
Research Project Grant (R01) applications that propose to explore the
potential for midlife plasticity of biobehavioral or psychological
systems affected by early life disadvantage. In order to speed the
development of novel intervention strategies, applicants are encouraged
either to use existing human cohort data to identify circumstances that
mitigate or exacerbate the effects of early adversity or to use human
and/or animal models to test the feasibility of developing
interventions aimed specifically at increasing malleability in
adulthood of risk persistence mechanisms.
High
Priority Behavioral and Social Research Networks (R24)
Funding Opportunity RFA-AG-14-007 from the NIH Guide for Grants and
Contracts. The purpose of this funding opportunity announcement (FOA)
issued by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), working in part with
funds contributed by the NIH Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences
Research (http://obssr.od.nih.gov/index.aspx ), is to provide
infrastructure support for advancing development of specific emerging
and high priority interdisciplinary areas of behavioral and social
research of relevance to aging. The infrastructure support will
facilitate research networks through meetings, conferences, small scale
pilots, training, and dissemination to encourage growth and development
of specified priority areas and of resources for the field at large.
Projects are solicited that will develop, strengthen, and evaluate
transdisciplinary approaches and methods for basic behavioral and/or
social research.
Regional
and
International Differences in Health and Longevity at Older Ages
(R01)
PA-13-125
Expiration Date September 8, 2016
Obesity
Policy
Evaluation Research (R01) PA-13-110
Expiration Date: May 8, 2016
Events:
Conferences:
2014
Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America
Marriott Copley Place, Boston, MA, May 1-3, 2014
Abstract deadline was September 27, 2013
2014
Annual
Scientific Meeting of the American Geriatrics Society
(AGS), May 15 - 17,
2014
Orlando, Florida
Abstract deadline was December 2, 2013 at 11:59 pm EST
The
26th REVES
meeting on health expectancy
Edinburgh, UK, May 28-30,
2014
Abstract submission deadline: February 1, 2014
The
67th Annual Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America,
November 5-9, 2014
Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC
Abstract
submission deadline: March 5, 2014
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
This
Newsletter is supported by a grant from the National
Institute on
Aging, National Institutes of Health (Grant No. 5 P30 AG012857)
If you would like to unsubscribe please notify us at ngavrilova@babies.bsd.uchicago.edu
