Editors: Natalia Gavrilova and Stacy Tessler Lindau
CCBAR
News
A new page has been
added to the CCBAR website - Current
Content of Journals on Aging, Population, and Biomarkers:
http://biomarkers.uchicago.edu/ccbarjournals.html
Stacy Lindau, MD,
Director of the Chicago Core on Biomeasures in Population-Based Aging
Research, co-authored new American Heart Association Guidelines on Sex
after an MI:
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/early/2012/01/19/CIR.0b013e3182447787
The MIDUS website (www.midus.wisc.edu) has been thoroughly revamped. The new format is intended to increase visibility of the study in the general public (i.e., taxpayers who fund the study) as well as usability of the study in the scientific community.
News
from
the NEJM, Nature Journals, Science, BMJ, PNAS, Lancet and JAMA
Evolution:
Social
life
shapes
primate
faces
Facial patterns such as skin and hair colour may have evolved to
help
primates recognize and communicate with others of their
species.Sharlene Santana and her colleagues at the University of
California, Los Angeles, analysed skin and hair colour patterns in the
faces of adult
Inhaled
oxytocin
amplifies
both
vicarious
reinforcement
and
self reinforcemen...
People attend not only to their own experiences, but also to the
experiences of those around them. Such social awareness profoundly
influences human behavior by enabling observational learning, as well
as by motivating cooperation, charity, empathy, and spite. Oxytocin
(OT), a neurosecretory hormone...
Novelty
exposure
overcomes
foot
shock-induced
spatial-memory
impairment
by pr...
Novelty processing can transform short-term into long-term
memory. We
propose that this memory-reinforcing effect of novelty could be
explained by mechanisms outlined in the 'synaptic tagging hypothesis.'
Initial short-term memory is sustained by a transient plasticity change
at activated synapses a...
Variation
in
cognitive
functioning
as
a
refined
approach to comparing aging a...
Comparing the burden of aging across countries hinges on the
availability of valid and comparable indicators. The Old Age Dependency
Ratio allows only a limited assessment of the challenges of aging,
because it does not include information on any individual
characteristics except age itself. Existin...
Social
selection
and
peer
influence
in
an
online social network [Social
Scien...
Disentangling the effects of selection and influence is one of
social
science's greatest unsolved puzzles: Do people befriend others who are
similar to them, or do they become more similar to their friends over
time? Recent advances in stochastic actor-based modeling, combined with
self-reported dat...
Prevalence
of
Obesity
and
Trends
in
the
Distribution of Body Mass Index Among...
Between 1980 and 1999, the prevalence of adult
obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥30) increased in the United States and
the distribution of BMI changed. More recent data suggested a slowing
or leveling off of these trends. Objective: To estimate the prevalence
of adult obesity from the 2009-2...
Prevalence
of
Obesity
and
Trends
in
Body
Mass Index Among US Children and Ado...
The prevalence of childhood obesity increased in the
1980s and 1990s but there were no significant changes in prevalence
between 1999-2000 and 2007-2008 in the United States.
Objectives: To present the most recent estimates of obesity prevalence
in US children and adolescents for 2009-2010 and...
Prognostic
Indices
for
Older
Adults:
A
Systematic
Review [Clinical Review]
To better target services to those who may benefit,
many guidelines recommend incorporating life expectancy into clinical
decisions.
Objective: To assess the quality and limitations of prognostic indices
for mortality in older adults through systematic review. Data Sources:
We searched MEDLINE...
Brisk and
prolonged daily walking is needed to outpace the Grim Reaper
Stanaway and colleagues reported that 1.36 m/s is the optimal
walking
speed to avoid the Grim Reaper.1 With the aim of transposing this to
clinical practice, we wondered how far Death can walk each day. A
minimum of 30 minutes' daily walking is recommended to achieve health
benefits, such as reduced...
Bone-Density
Testing
Interval
and
Transition
to
Osteoporosis
in Older Women
Current osteoporosis management guidelines recommend routine bone
mineral density (BMD) screening with the use of dual-energy x-ray
absorptiometry (DXA) scans for women 65 years of age or older, but no
guidelines specify an osteoporosis screening interval that is based on
data from longitudinal…
Cardiovascular
researcher
fabricated
data
in
studies
of
red wine
A leading researcher on the beneficial properties of
resveratrol, a
compound found in the skin of red grapes, has been found guilty of 145
counts of fabrication and falsification of data, an investigation has
found. The University of Connecticut Health Center reached its
conclusion after a three yea...
Effect
of
Dietary
Protein
Content
on
Weight
Gain, Energy Expenditure, and
Bod...
Context: The role of diet composition in response to overeating
and energy dissipation in humans is unclear. Objective: To evaluate the
effects of overconsumption of low,
normal, and high protein diets on weight gain, energy expenditure, and
body composition.
Vitamin
A
supplementation
in
preschool
children
and
risk of hearing loss as a...
Objective To determine whether vitamin A supplementation
administered
in the preschool years can lower the risk of hearing loss in
adolescence and adulthood. Design Follow-up study of adolescents and
young adults who, as preschool aged children in 1989, were enrolled
into a cluster randomised, double...
Long-term
neurodevelopmental
outcomes
after
intrauterine
and
neona...
Intrauterine and neonatal insults have a high risk of causing
substantial long-term neurological morbidity. Comparable cohort studies
in resource-poor regions should be done to properly assess the burden
of these conditions, and long-term outcomes, such as chronic disease,
and to inform policy and programme investments.
Prematurity
and
Mortality
in
Childhood
and
Early
Adulthood [Letters]
Prematurity
and
Mortality
in
Childhood
and
Early
Adulthood--Reply [Letters]
• Long
Life
Is
Still
(Somewhat)
in
Your
Genes
Update of retracted study ties extreme longevity to nearly 300 gene
variants
• Natural
Trans
Fats
Less
Unhealthy
Than
Manmade
Variety
Artery-clogging, manmade trans fats do increase the risk for heart
disease, and efforts have been made to get them out of our food supply.
Natural trans fats, however, are another story.
• Magnesium-Rich
Foods
May
Lower
Stroke
Risk
People who eat more foods rich in the mineral magnesium appear to
reduce their odds of having a stroke, a new study shows.
• Vital
Signs:
Vitamins
B,
C,
D
and
E and Omega-3 Strengthen Older Brains
Higher blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B, vitamin C,
vitamin D and vitamin E are associated with better mental functioning
in the elderly, a study shows.
• Real
'Benjamin
Button'?
Stem
cells
reverse
aging
Scientists may one day slow down aging with a simple injection of
youthful stem cells, a new study on mice shows.
• Genes
and
timing
of
menopause
Researchers have discovered 13 new regions of the genome associated
with the timing of menopause. These genes shed light on the biological
pathways involved in reproductive lifespan and will provide insights
into conditions connected to menopause, such as breast cancer and heart
disease.
• Tiny
amounts
of
alcohol
dramatically
extend
a
worm's life, but why?
Minuscule amounts of ethanol can at least double the life span of a
tiny worm used as a model for aging studies, biochemists report. "This
finding floored us; it's shocking" said the senior author of the study.
• Personal
Health:
Elderly
'Experts'
Share
Life
Advice
in Cornell Project
A new book called - 30 Lessons for Living - draws from interviews with
more than 1,000 older Americans from different economic, educational
and occupational strata.
• Why
are
older
people
happier?
Older people tend to be happier. But why? Some psychologists believe
that cognitive processes are responsible -- in particular, focusing on
and remembering positive events and leaving behind negative ones; those
processes, they think, help older people regulate their emotions,
letting them view life in a sunnier light.
• Sex
guidelines
issued
for
post-heart
attack
life
American Heart Association: If you can walk up two flights of stairs or
walk briskly, you're likely OK to have sex
• Couples'
friendships
make
for
happier
marriages,
relationships
A new book, "Two Plus Two: Couples and Their Couple Friendships,"
presents findings based on more than 400 interviews in which couples
share experiences over the lifespan that readers can emulate to improve
their own marriages.
• Grief
'raises
heart
attack
risk'
The risk of a heart attack is increased shortly after bereavement,
findings show.
• UA
study:
Divorce
can
raise
risk
of
early death
Getting a divorce? Be careful. Your health could plummet as if you had
taken up smoking, become overweight or started drinking excessively.
• Nicotine
'may
be
dementia
help'
Nicotine patches may improve the memory of elderly people experiencing
the earliest symptoms of dementia, US researchers say.
• Well:
P.S.A.
Test
Does
Not
Save
Lives
Updated findings from one of the largest studies of prostate cancer
screening show that the commonly used P.S.A. blood test did not save
lives, although questions remain about whether younger men or those at
very high risk for the disease might benefit.
• Another
potential
risk
factor
for
developing
dementia
and Alzheimer's disease...
A hormone derived from visceral fat called adiponectin may play a role
as a risk factor for development of all-cause dementia and Alzheimer's
disease in women, according to a new study.
• How
books,
puzzles
may
help
ward
off
Alzheimer's
Doing puzzles and reading books have been linked with a decreased risk
of Alzheimer's disease, and a new study may explain why - it reduces
the accumulation of harmful proteins in the brain.
• Memory
loss
from
aging
can
start
as
early as 45: Study
Study authors stress importance of living healthy to stave off dementia
• PET
effectively
detects
dementia,
decade
of
research
shows
Scientists find that a method of positron emission tomography safely
and accurately detects dementia, including the most common and
devastating form among the elderly, Alzheimer's disease.
• Really?:
The
Claim:
Drinking
Water
Can
Help
Lower the Risk of Diabetes.
The amount of water you drink can play a role in how your body
regulates blood sugar, researchers have found.
• Pancreatic
cancer
risk
increases
with
every
2
strips of bacon you eat: Study
Eating 50 grams of processed meat every day tied to 19 percent
increased risk for pancreatic cancer
• Vital
Signs:
Trace
Elements
and
Levels
of
Pancreatic Cancer Risk
High bodily levels of the trace elements nickel and selenium may be
associated with reduced risk for pancreatic cancer, and high levels of
arsenic, cadmium and lead may increase the risk.
• Aspirin
Therapy
for
Heart
Disease,
Stroke
Prevention
Not for Everyone
Many people who have never had a heart attack or stroke take an aspirin
every day to lower their risk for these events. While some may benefit,
for many others the benefits appear to be outweighed by an increased
risk for potentially serious and even life-threatening bleeding, a new
study shows.
• 'Alternate
day'
aspirin
recommended
New research suggests that taking an aspirin every day, which is
commonly thought to reduce the risk of heart attacks, could be doing
more harm than good. Professor Kausik Ray explains.
• Climate
Tied
to
Inflammatory
Bowel
Disease
Risk
Living in a sunny climate appears to reduce women's risk of developing
inflammatory bowel disease, a large new study shows.
• Stillbirth
Causes
Are
Tallied,
but
Risks
Remain
a Challenge
Two studies in The Journal of the American Medical Association provide
new clues, but many questions remain.
• The
New
Old
Age
Blog:
Older
Women
and Bone Tests
A new study finds that many older women do not need frequent bone
testing. But surprisingly few get even a baseline test, experts say.
• Vital
Signs:
Study
Links
Immigrating
at
Young
Age and Higher Risk of Psychosis
Researchers in the Netherlands found risk was highest among people from
Suriname, the Netherlands Antilles, Turkey and Morocco who immigrated
before age 4.
• Key
to
aging
well?
Keep
your
bones
strong
Osteoporosis causes the bones to become brittle and afflicts about 44
million Americans. Half of women will break a bone because of it.
• The
bad attitude? Blame the birth month
Numerous studies suggest a link between temperament and health and the
month in which a person is born. If you're overweight, you could be a
winter baby.
• No
walk
in
the
park:
Factors
that
predict walking difficulty in elderly
Researchers have found that the likelihood of becoming disabled with
age increases with the following factors: having a chronic condition or
cognitive impairment; low physical activity; slower gross motor
coordination; having poor lower-extremity function; and being
hospitalized. Women are also more likely than men to become disabled in
their later years.
NIH
announces funding for new learning disabilities research centers
Funding for four centers to conduct research on the causes and
treatment of learning disabilities in children and adolescents has been
provided by the National Institutes of Health.
New NIDA
resource helps families navigate addiction treatment options
A new resource, Seeking Drug Abuse Treatment: Know What to Ask,
will
help individuals and families struggling with addiction ask the right
questions before choosing a drug treatment program. It was developed by
the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National
Institutes of Health, and is available to the public free online or in
hard copy through NIDA's DrugPubs service.
NIH
study
shows
32
million
Americans
have
autoantibodies that target their
ow...
More than 32 million people in the United States have
autoantibodies,
which are proteins made by the immune system that target the body's
tissues and define a condition known as autoimmunity, a study shows.
NIH study
to test treatment for fatty liver disease in children
With the launch of a new clinical trial supported by the
National
Institutes of Health, researchers are working to determine whether
treating children diagnosed with the most severe form of fatty liver
disease with a drug called cysteamine will help improve the liver.
Vitamin D
may improve bone health in those taking anti-HIV drug
Vitamin D may help prevent hormonal changes that can lead to bone loss
among those being treated for HIV with the drug tenofovir, according to
the results of a National Institutes of Health network study of
adolescents with HIV.
National
Institute of General Medical Sciences reorganizes
The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), a
part of
the National Institutes of Health that supports basic research and
research training, has established two new divisions. Each will
administer existing NIGMS programs along with programs transferred to
NIGMS from the former NIH National Center for Research Resources (NCRR).
NIH launches
first online genetics course for social and behavioral scientists
A new genetics educational program will provide social and behavioral
scientists with sufficient genetics background to allow them to engage
effectively in interdisciplinary research with genetics researchers.
The Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR) at the
National Institutes of Health, partnered with the National Coalition
for Health Professional Education in Genetics to create the free,
Web-based project.
Biodemography
of
Aging
(R21),
Funding
Number:
PAR-12-079
Expiration Date: March 4, 2014
Biodemography
of
Aging
(R03),
Funding
Number:
PAR-12-080
Expiration Date: March 4, 2014
Biodemography
of
Aging
(R01),
Funding
Number:
PAR-12-078
Expiration Date: March 4, 2014
Small
Grants
Program
for
Cancer
Epidemiology
(R03)
Funding Opportunity PAR-12-039 from the NIH Guide for Grants and
Contracts. This funding opportunity announcement (FOA), issued by the
National Cancer Institute (NCI), encourages the submission of Small
Research Grant (R03) applications for research on cancer etiology and
epidemiology. The overarching goal of this FOA is to provide support
for pilot projects, testing of new techniques, secondary analyses of
existing data, development and validation of measurement methods,
linkage of genetic polymorphisms with other variables related to cancer
risk, and development of innovative projects for more comprehensive
research in cancer etiology and epidemiology.
Limited
Competition:
Archiving
and
Dissemination
of
Research
Data
on
Aging
(P30)
Funding Opportunity RFA-AG-12-013 from the NIH Guide for Grants
and
Contracts. The purpose of this FOA is to continue the P30 Center Grant
to 1) maintain the existing collections of the National Archive of
Computerized Data on Aging and develop it further as a user-friendly
data archive to support behavioral and social science research on
aging; 2) advise and assist researchers in documentation and archiving
of data and metadata; 3) advise and assist researchers on methods of
sharing data for secondary analysis while providing adequate
protections for confidentiality; and 4) facilitate secondary analysis
by providing user support, access to data, and training and
consultation.
Economic
Studies
Ancillary
to
Completed
or
Ongoing
Health
Care
Delivery
and
F...
Funding Opportunity RFA-RM-11-023 from the NIH Guide for Grants
and
Contracts. This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) solicits
applications for Research Project (R01) grant awards to support health
economics research ancillary to completed or ongoing large-scale health
care delivery and financing pilots, demonstrations, and other
experiments (PDEs) that are intended to reduce health care costs or
cost growth while maintaining or improving patient outcomes. This FOA
provides support for up to five years of funding. This FOA is a
component of the Common Fund initiative on Health Economics for Health
Care Reform (http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/healtheconomics).
Announcements:
2012 WLS Pilot
Grant Program
The Center for Demography of Health and Aging (CDHA) at the University
of Wisconsin-Madison will award two to three pilot grants to
investigators using the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS) data for
scholarly research. Grant application must be received by May 25,
2012. Please contact Carol Roan by e-mail roan@ssc.wisc.edu or by
telephone (608) 265-6196 for more information.
The 12th Annual OBSSR Summer
Institute on Randomized Behavioral Clinical Trials is now accepting
applications.
For further information and application instructions please follow this
link:
http://obssr.od.nih.gov/training_and_education/annual_Randomized_Clinical_Trials_course/RCT_info.aspx
6th Advanced Training Institute on
Health Behavior Theory -- Applications due by February 1, 2012
Announcing an intensive, 7-day workshop for early career investigators
July 14 to July 21, 2012 at the Fluno Center for Executive Education in
Madison, Wisconsin. The objectives of the institute are to allow
approximately 30 attendees to extend their understanding of the
assumptions underlying major types of health behavior theories, to
explore how theories are tested and improved, and to examine how to use
theories appropriately in designing interventions for behavioral risk
factor modification. The institute is sponsored by the National
Cancer Institute, National Center for Complementary and Alternative
Medicine, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institute
of Allergy and Infectious Disease, National Institute of Dental and
Craniofacial Research, National Institute of Drug Abuse, and the Office
of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research. More information, the
application, and comments from previous participants are available at:
http://cancercontrol.cancer.gov/workshop/
Conferences:
Population
Association
of
America
Annual
meeting, San Francisco, CA.
The 2012 Annual Meeting will be held May 3-5 at the Hilton San
Francisco Union
Square Hotel.
American Geriatrics
Society
2012 Annual Scientific Meeting, May 2-5, 2012, Seattle, WA
Abstracts
Deadline:
December
5,
2011
Summer
Research
Institute
on
Behavioral
Intervention, June 14-16, 2012
Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD
RAND Summer Institute,
July
9-10,
Santa Monica,
California.
RAND is pleased to announce the 19th annual RAND Summer Institute
(RSI). RSI consists of two annual conferences that address critical
issues facing our aging population. The Mini-Medical School for Social
Scientists will be held on July 9–10, and the Demography, Economics,
Psychology, and Epidemiology of Aging conference on July 11–12, 2012.
Both conferences will convene at the RAND Corporation headquarters in
Santa Monica, California.
The application deadline is March 9, 2012
2012 Annual Meeting of
the American Sociological Association, August 17-20, Denver, CO
Abstracts
Deadline:
January
11,
2012
Gerontological
Society
of
America's
65th
Annual
Scientific
Meeting, November 14-18, 2012, San Diego, CA.
Abstracts Deadline: March 15, 2012
This
Newsletter is supported by a grant from the National
Institute on
Aging, National Institutes of Health (Grant No. 5 P30 AG012857)
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