CCBAR
Newsletter
– January,
2013
Editors:
Natalia
Gavrilova
and
Stacy
Tessler
Lindau
News
from
the NEJM, Nature Journals, Science, BMJ, PNAS, Lancet and JAMA
Genomics:
Gene linked to Alzheimer's
Two studies have identified a rare genetic mutation that boosts the
risk of Alzheimer's disease.Kári Stefánsson of deCODE Genetics in
Reykjavik and his group analysed the genomes of 2,261 Icelanders and
uncovered a mutation in the TREM2 gene that increased the risk of
The
Myth of Antioxidants
by Melinda Wenner Moyer
The hallowed notion that oxidative damage causes aging and that
vitamins might preserve our youth is now in doubt
The
nature of feelings: evolutionary and neurobiological origins
by Antonio Damasio, Gil B. Carvalho
Feelings are mental experiences of body states. They signify
physiological need (for example, hunger), tissue injury (for example,
pain), optimal function (for example, well-being), threats to the
organism (for example, fear or anger) or specific social interactions
(for example, compassion, gratitu...
50-Year
Trends in Smoking-Related Mortality in the United States
by Michael J. Thun et al
New England Journal of Medicine, Volume 368, Issue 4, Page 351-364,
January 2013.
mTOR
is a key modulator of ageing and age-related disease
by Simon C. Johnson, Peter S. Rabinovitch, Matt Kaeberlein
Many experts in the biology of ageing believe that pharmacological
interventions to slow ageing are a matter of 'when' rather than 'if'. A
leading target for such interventions is the nutrient response pathway
defined by the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). Inhibition of
this pathway
Efficacy
of vitamin and antioxidant supplements in prevention of cardiovascul...
by Myung, S.-K., Ju, W., Cho, B., Oh, S.-W., Park, S. M., Koo,
B.-K., Park, B.-J.
Objective To assess the efficacy of vitamin and antioxidant supplements
in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.Design Meta-analysis of
randomised controlled trials.Data sources and study...
Aspirin
in the Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease
by Anand K. Parekh et al
New England Journal of Medicine, Volume 368, Issue 3, Page 204-205,
January 2013.
Animal
behaviour: Bisexuality boosts attractiveness
Female fish find some males more attractive if they have seen the males
engaging in mating behaviour, even when such behaviour was with other
males.David Bierbach and his colleagues at the University of Frankfurt
in Germany assessed the preferences of female Atlantic mollies (
Stem
cells: Immune cells rejuvenated
Two groups in Japan have reprogrammed cells that fight HIV and cancer,
boosting the number and lifespan of the cells.The body's immune system
makes T cells that target viruses and cancer, but the pool of these
cells quickly becomes exhausted. Shin Kaneko and Hiromitsu
Physical
Activity and Structured Exercise for Patients With Stable Ischemic H...
by Boden WE, Franklin BA, Wenger NK.
Exercise was recently
described as - a
miracle drug - that can benefit every part of the body and
substantially
extend lifespan. The authors suggested that the cardioprotective and
systemic health benefits of regular exercise are underestimated by many
clinicians, who often fail to emphasize the impo...
Altered
urate and dopaminergic neuron degeneration [Medical Sciences]
by Chen, X., Burdett, T. C., Desjardins, C. A., Logan, R.,
Cipriani, S., Xu, Y., Schwarzschild, M. A.
Urate is the end product of purine metabolism in humans, owing to the
evolutionary disruption of the gene encoding urate oxidase (UOx).
Elevated urate can cause gout and urolithiasis and is associated with
cardiovascular and other diseases. However, urate also possesses
antioxidant and neuroprotecti...
C-Reactive
Protein, Fibrinogen, and Cardiovascular Risk
New England Journal of Medicine, Volume 368, Issue 1, Page 84-86,
January 2013.
Effects
of Fructose vs Glucose on Regional Cerebral Blood Flow in Brain Regio...
by Page KA, Chan O, Arora J, et al.
Increases in fructose
consumption have paralleled the increasing prevalence of obesity, and
high-fructose diets are thought to promote weight gain and insulin
resistance. Fructose ingestion produces smaller increases in
circulating satiety hormones compared with glucose ingestion, and
cent...
Association
of All-Cause Mortality With Overweight and Obesity Using Standard...
by Flegal KM, Kit BK, Orpana H, et al.
ImportanceEstimates of the
relative mortality risks associated with normal weight, overweight, and
obesity may help to inform decision making in the clinical
setting.Objective: To perform a systematic review of reported hazard
ratios (HRs) of all-cause mortality for overweight and obesity relative
to ...
Does
Body Mass Index Adequately Convey a Patient's Mortality Risk?
by Heymsfield SB, Cefalu WT.
What adult weight best
advances health, minimizes the risk of chronic disease, and promotes
longevity? This question has engaged the interest of the public, health
care professionals, and a wide range of clinical investigators. The
consequences of answering this question have profound health, social...
Biomarkers
and
Aging
in
the
News
Media
• Older
fathers: what's behind the trend?
Why are so many over 30s men becoming dads?
• Americans
Sicker Compared to Other Wealthy Nations
Americans die younger and have higher rates of many types of diseases
and injuries than people in other high-income countries, a new report
shows.
• Healthy
Neighborhood Trees Lower Risk of Heart, Respiratory Illnesses
The health of trees in your neighborhood can affect your risk for
developing cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses.
• Aging
America: Elder abuse on the rise
As the number of elderly Americans rises, so too, does the abuse of
many elderly people. And it's not just financial abuse. Many flee to
shelters to escape mistreatment at the hands of relatives and other
caregivers.
• Hearing
Loss Linked to Mental Decline in Elderly
Hearing loss and mental decline are two common conditions of aging, and
now a new study finds that they may be related.
• Depression
in Elderly May Predict Dementia
A new study suggests that rather than being a cause of memory decline,
depression in older people may be an early symptom of dementia.
• Observatory:
Older Brain Is Willing, but Too Full for New Memories
Studies in modified mice suggest that it is harder to make new
long-term memories as we age because the brain is full of old ones that
are hard to erase.
• Bilingual
Seniors Have More Flexible Minds
A new study found that older adults who have spoken two languages all
their lives score higher on cognitive flexibility tasks than those who
only spoke one language.
• Diet
may not impact certain health outcomes in older persons
Eating diets high in sugar and fat may not affect the health outcomes
of older adults ages 75 and up, suggesting that placing people of such
advanced age on overly restrictive diets to treat their excess weight
or other conditions may have little benefit, according to researchers.
• Eating
Meat May Boost Risk of Obesity and Contamination
There may be a link between antibiotic use in livestock and obesity in
the people who eat them.
• Being
a Little Overweight May Lower the Risk of Early Death
Obesity may lead to an early death, but being a little overweight is
associated with a lower risk of death.
• Obesity
Raises Death Risk in Car Crashes
Being obese can raise the risk of dying after a car crash by up to 80
percent when compared to the risk faced by a person of healthy weight,
a new study has found. Researchers say that the risk maybe lowered by
incorporating new designs that take the drivers' weight into account.
• Overlooked
ugly cholesterol causes heart disease, study suggests
The risk of ischaemic heart disease is three times higher in persons
with high levels of the so-called "ugly" cholesterol. This is the
finding of a new study which is shedding light on a long debate on this
topic.
• Blood-based
biomarkers may lead to earlier diagnosis of Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurological condition. At
present, it is usually diagnosed only when motor features are present.
Hence, there is a need to develop objective and measurable biomarkers
to improve PD diagnostics during its earlier stage, prior to its motor
onset. In this pilot study, researchers identified and tested the first
blood-based circulating microRNA (miRNA) biomarkers for PD.
• Researchers
Develop Blood Test that Predicts Breast Cancer Relapse Risk
Researchers from Canada have developed a kind of blood test that can
predict whether or a not a woman, who has undergone breast cancer
treatment, have a relapse, reported Mail Online.
• Costly
breast cancer screenings don't add up to better outcomes, study finds
Even though U.S. Medicare spends over $1 billion per year on breast
cancer screenings such as a mammography, there is no evidence that
higher spending benefits older women, researchers have found.
• Cardiac
disease linked to higher risk of mental impairment
Cardiac disease is associated with increased risk of mild cognitive
impairment such as problems with language, thinking and judgment --
particularly among women with heart disease, a new study shows.
• Aspirin
Use Raises Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
A new study has found that long-term aspirin use can lead to a
condition known as neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
• Loneliness
Disrupts Immune System: Study Says
Being lonely can have significant effect on a person's immune response
which in turn can lead to a risk of vulnerabilities to many health
complications, says a new study.
• Teenage
Stress Can Alter Genes and Lead to Severe Mental Illness in Adulthood
Teenage stress is serious, according to a new study that found a link
between adolescent stress and genetic changes that can lead to severe
adult mental illness.
• ADHD
Rises By Almost 25% In 1 Decade
ADHD is one of the most common childhood neurobehavioral disorders.
• Depressed
Dads Affect Their Kids Even Before Born
Children whose dads were depressed during the pregnancy are more likely
to exhibit emotional and behavioral problems at age 3, new research
suggests.
• Sweetened
Drinks Linked to Depression Risk
Drinking sweetened beverages -- either sugar-sweetened or diet -- may
be linked with a slightly higher depression risk, while drinking coffee
may slightly lower the risk.
• Berry
Habit May Help Women Avoid Heart Attacks
Young and middle-aged women who eat blueberries and strawberries
regularly may help lower their risk of a heart attack later.
• Early
menopause may occur in women with BRCA gene
Women with harmful mutations in the BRCA gene, which put them at higher
risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer, tend to undergo menopause
significantly sooner than other women, allowing them an even briefer
reproductive window and possibly a higher risk of infertility,
according to a new study.
• Early
surgical menopause linked to declines in memory and thinking skills
Women who undergo surgical menopause at an earlier age may have an
increased risk of decline in memory and thinking skills, according to a
new study. Early surgical menopause is the removal of both ovaries
before natural menopause and often accompanies a hysterectomy.
• If
we go over the fiscal cliff, will people spend or save? Childhood
environm...
In the face of hard times, which strategy gives us the best shot at
survival: saving for the future or spending resources on immediate
gains? The answer may depend on the economic conditions we faced in
childhood, according to new research.
• Social
networks may inflate self-esteem, reduce self-control
Researchers have obtained evidence on Facebook behavior and how it
relates to users' self-control, body-mass indexes, and credit-card debt.
• Italian
Immigrants Live Longer, but Their Children Are Not so Lucky
Migrants to European countries were reported to have lower overall
mortality rates than the respective local population.
• China's
'Little Emperor' generation fits stereotypes, study finds
A study comparing people born before and after China's 'one child'
policy in 1979 finds the younger group to be not as trusting,
conscientious or inclined to compete or cooperate with others.
China's
"Little Emperors" — the generations of only-children born under the
government's rigid "one child" policy — are living up to their name.
• Quitting
smoking prolongs life at any age
Kicking the smoking habit can add years of life even in one's 60s, new
research in the New England Journal of Medicine shows. Younger smokers
can gain a whole decade by quitting.
It's
never too late to quit smoking, and researchers have new data to prove
it. Even at the age of 64, kicking the habit can add four years to a
person's life, while quitting by age 34 can increase life expectancy by
a decade, according to a study published online Wednesday by the New
England Journal of Medicine.
• Why
are there redheads? Birds might hold the clues
Biologists examined the survival rates and chestnut feather coloration
of barn swallows and other species of birds, to unearth factors
favoring the evolution of pheomelanin in spite of its costs. They found
that under conditions of low stress, birds with larger amounts of
pheomelanin survived better, suggesting the pigment may serve a
beneficial role.
• Profiles
in Science | Hopi E. Hoekstra: Tracing the Roots of Behavior in DNA
Studying how deer mice build their burrows, a team at Harvard led by
Hopi Hoekstra is getting closer to understanding how genes control
complicated behavior.
• New
findings on mortality of individuals with schizophrenia
A new study shows that the average life expectancy of men and women
with schizophrenia is 15 years and 12 years shorter respectively than
for those who do not suffer from the disease.
• Why
Dating Women With Slim Waists Lowers Men's Risk for Erectile Dysfunction
Researchers found that the slimmer a woman's waist, the more satisfied
her partner and the less likely he is to suffer impotence in the
bedroom.
• Pear
Shapes' Risk for Heart Disease, Diabetes May Be Equal to Apple Shapes
A study has found that the protective benefits of a 'pear shape' have
been overstated. In fact, they are more myth than reality.
• Marriage
Can Cut the Risk of Early Death
A study showed that not being in a stable relationship through midlife
might pose as a risk factor for early death in this group of people.
• Are
Crows Mind Readers ... Or Just Stressed Out?
New study suggests that the birds can indeed read each others thoughts
• ScienceShot:
A Butterfly's Secret to Long Life
High metabolism surprisingly extends lifespan in one species
NIH
Press
Releases
Prenatal
inflammation linked to autism risk
Maternal inflammation during early pregnancy may be related to an
increased risk of autism in children, according to new findings
supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health. Researchers found
this in children of mothers with elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), a
well-established marker of systemic inflammation.
Panel
recommends changing name of common disorder in women
An independent panel convened by the National Institutes of Health has
concluded that the name of a common hormone disorder in women,
polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), causes confusion and is a barrier to
research progress and effective patient care.
NIH
launches blog on behavioral and social sciences research
NIH?s Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research (OBSSR)
launches The Connector, a new blog featuring OBSSR Director Dr. Robert
M. Kaplan's commentary, Director Connection.
H1N1
flu shots are safe for pregnant women
Norwegian pregnant women who received a vaccine against the 2009 H1N1
influenza virus showed no increased risk of pregnancy loss, while
pregnant women who experienced influenza during pregnancy had an
increased risk of miscarriages and still births, a study has found. The
study suggests that influenza infection may increase the risk of fetal
loss.
Study
documents that some children lose autism diagnosis
Some children who are accurately diagnosed in early childhood with
autism lose the symptoms and the diagnosis as they grow older, a study
supported by the National Institutes of Health has confirmed. The
research team made the finding by carefully documenting a prior
diagnosis of autism in a small group of school-age children and young
adults with no current symptoms of the disorder.
Dr.
Franziska B. Grieder appointed as Director of the Office of Research
Infr...
The National Institutes of Health announced today the appointment of
Franziska B. Grieder, D.V.M., Ph.D., as director of the Office of
Research Infrastructure Programs (ORIP) in the Division of Program
Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives. Dr. Grieder's
appointment was effective Jan. 13, 2013.
NIH
launches collaborative effort to find biomarkers for Parkinson's
A new initiative aims to accelerate the search for biomarkers --
changes in the body that can be used to predict, diagnose or monitor a
disease -- in Parkinson?s disease, in part by improving collaboration
among researchers and helping patients get involved in clinical studies.
NIH-supported
Alzheimer's studies to focus on innovative treatments
With new research funding from the National Institutes of Health, the
nation's premier Alzheimer's disease study network will undertake four
major studies aimed at finding new treatments for the disease. The
award supports the latest projects of the Alzheimer's Disease
Cooperative Study(ADCS), a national consortium of academic medical
centers and clinics set up by NIH in 1991 to collaborate on the
development of Alzheimer's treatments and diagnostic tools.
Coordinated
care can address disabled adults' high rates of emergency departm...
Working-age adults with disabilities account for a disproportionately
high amount of annual emergency department visitors, reports a
comparison study from National Institutes of Health researchers. As
emergency department care may not be the best to address non-urgent
concerns and is higher in cost, finding a way to decrease these visits
is of interest to many stakeholders.
NIH
Announcements
Limited
Competition: Revisions for DNA Collection from Existing Longitudinal ...
Funding Opportunity RFA-AG-13-018 from the NIH Guide for Grants and
Contracts. The purpose of this limited competition FOA is to support
revision applications proposing to collect DNA from older adult (age
50+) participants involved in longitudinal surveys that include
behavioral and social phenotypes in developing countries, and that have
archived and shared their data in ways that facilitate their use by
qualified researchers. These studies include the World Health
Organization surveys "Study on global AGEing and Adult Health" (SAGE),
the International Network for the Demographic Evaluation of Populations
and their Health in Developing Countries (INDEPTH), and other
NIA-supported longitudinal studies with appropriate data-sharing plans
in Africa. The importance of timely DNA collection is to ensure that
specimens are available for future analysis or genotyping from a sample
that is as close to the original sampling frame as possible. Because
attrition is often selective and data from the study would not be
missing at random, failure to collect DNA early in such studies can
compromise the interpretability of future analyses.
Dissemination
and Implementation Research in Health (R01)
Funding Number: PAR-13-055
Expiration Date: January 8, 2016
Dissemination
and Implementation Research in Health (R21)
Funding Number: PAR-13-054
Expiration Date: January 8, 2016
Dissemination
and Implementation Research in Health (R03)
Funding Number: PAR-13-056
Expiration Date: January 8, 2016
Secondary
Analyses and Archiving of Social and Behavioral Datasets in Aging
(R03)
Funding Number: RFA-AG-13-009
Expiration Date: February 15, 2013
Time-Sensitive
Obesity Policy and Program Evaluation (R01)
Expiration Date: September 11, 2015
PAR-12-186 DBSR
Macroeconomic Aspects of Population Aging (R01)
Expiration
date:
10/04/2014
Secondary
Analyses
in Obesity, Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R21)
Funding Number: PA-12-125
Expiration Date: May 8, 2015
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
Events:
Announcements:
NIH
Videocasts:
Demystifying Medicine
2013-Preventing Aging
Air date: Tuesday, February 19, 2013, 4:00:00 PM (ET)
Using risk models for breast
cancer prevention
Air date: Wednesday, February 27, 2013, 3:00:00 PM (ET)
Conferences:
Population Association of America Annual
meeting, New Orleans, LA.
The 2013 Annual Meeting will be held April 11-13 at the Sheraton New
Orleans Hotel
Abstract deadline:
September 21, 2012
2013
Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Geriatrics Society
(AGS), May 3 - 5, 2013
Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, TX
Abstract deadline: December 3, 2012
The 25th REVES
meeting on health expectancy
The University of Texas at Austin (TX), May 27-29, 2013
Abstract submission deadline: February 15, 2013
The 20th
IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics, June
23-27, 2013, Seoul, Korea
Abstract deadline: October 31, 2012
108th
Annual meeting of the American Sociological Association
August 10-13, Hilton New York & Sheraton New York
The deadline for paper submission is January 9, 2013 at 3:00pm EST.
XXVII IUSSP
International Population Conference
26 to 31 August 2013. Busan, Republic of Korea
Abstract deadline: November 7, 2012
66th
Annual Scientific Meeting of the Gerontological Society of America, Wednesday,
11/20 to Sunday, 11/24, 2013
Sheraton New Orleans - New Orleans Marriott, New Orleans, Louisiana
Deadline for abstract
submissions is March 15, 2013
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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
