CCBAR
Newsletter
– March,
2013
Editors:
Natalia
Gavrilova
and
Stacy
Tessler
Lindau
CCBAR News:
Stacy
Lindau attended the Workshop
on Positive Psychobiology hosted by the NIA-funded Roybal
Center for Health and Well-Being in Miami, FL March 12-13, 2013, held
adjacent to the American Psychosomatic Society annual meeting. The
Workshop convened experts across disciplines to provide wide and deep
review of the state of knowledge about psychobiology and to stimulate
brainstorming about new directions. "What interventions can be imagined
to promote positive psychobiological processes?" "What biological
measures might hold promise for deepening our understanding of the
mechanisms through which positive psychological functioning affects
health?" "What kinds of study designs and methods are needed to advance
this field of knowledge?" These questions provoked rich discussion,
including concepts from eastern philosophy such as "open-heartedness,"
and consideration of epistemological challenges to growth of the field.
Biomeasures discussed by speakers included immune, neuropeptide,
metabolic, and physiologic measures. Workshop organizers included Julia
Boehm, PhD, Harvard; Laura Kubzansky, PhD, Harvard; Lis Nielsen, PhD,
NIA; Suzanne Segerstrom, PhD, U Kentucky; Arthur Stone, PhD, Stony
Brook and Princeton.
News
from
the
NEJM, Nature Journals, Science, BMJ, PNAS, Lancet and JAMA
Risk
factors:
High calcium intake linked to cardiac death
by Anna L. Pouncey
Calcium supplementation is widely used by elderly individuals in
Western countries to protect against osteoporosis. However, the effect
of excess calcium on extraskeletal systems, such as the heart and
vasculature, is largely unknown. Xiao et al. now report that a high
intake of
Evolution:
Tracking
down human adaptations
by Mary Muers
Candidate regions of the human genome that may have been involved in
the adaptation of our species can be identified using methods that
detect signals of positive selection. However, few human adaptive
traits have been characterized because of the difficulties in
pinpointing adaptive mutations and
Oxidative
stress
and the ageing endocrine system
by Giovanni Vitale, Stefano Salvioli, Claudio Franceschi
Ageing is a process characterized by a progressive decline in cellular
function, organismal fitness and increased risk of age-related diseases
and death. Several hundred theories have attempted to explain this
phenomenon. One of the most popular is the 'oxidative stress theory',
originally termed th...
Neurosteroids
as
regenerative agents in the brain: therapeutic implications
by Roberta D. Brinton
Regenerative therapeutics hold the promise of self-renewal and repair.
Ageing and age-associated neurodegenerative diseases are marked by a
decline in self-renewal and repair, but a capacity for regeneration is
retained. The challenge faced by researchers developing molecular
therapeutics to promote...
Sleep
loss and the human blood transcriptome [Medical Sciences]
by Moller–Levet, C. S., Archer, S. N., Bucca, G., Laing, E.
E.,
Slak, A., Kabil&jnodot;o, R., Lo, J. C. Y., Santhi, N., von
Schantz, M., Smith, C. P., Di&jnodot;k, D.–J.
Insufficient sleep and circadian rhythm disruption are associated with
negative health outcomes, including obesity, cardiovascular disease,
and cognitive impairment, but the mechanisms involved remain largely
unexplored. Twenty-six participants were exposed to 1 wk of
insufficient sleep (sleep-restr...
Quantification
of
excess risk for diabetes [Medical Sciences]
by Thurner, S., Klimek, P., Szell, M., Duftschmid, G., Endel,
G., Kautzky-Willer, A., Kasper, D. C.
Based on a unique dataset comprising all 325,000 Austrian patients that
were under pharmaceutical treatment for diabetes during 2006 and 2007,
we measured the excess risk of developing diabetes triggered by
undernourishment in early life. We studied the percentage of all
diabetes patients in the tot...
Omega-3
fatty acids and BK channels [Physiology]
by Hoshi, T., Wissuwa, B., Tian, Y., Tajima, N., Xu, R.,
Bauer, M., Heinemann, S. H., Hou, S.
Long-chain polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA), found abundantly in oily fish, may have diverse
health-promoting effects, potentially protecting the immune, nervous,
and cardiovascular systems. However, the mechanisms underlying the
purported health-promoting effec...
Coronary
artery
calcium score prediction of all cause mortality and cardiovas...
by Kramer, C. K., Zinman, B., Gross, J. L., Canani, L. H.,
Rodrigues, T. C., Azevedo, M. J., Retnakaran, R.
Objective To investigate the association of coronary artery calcium
score with all cause mortality and cardiovascular events in people with
type 2 diabetes.Design Systematic review and meta-analysis...
Can
Accountable
Care Organizations Improve Population Health? Should They
Try...
by Noble DJ, Casalino LP.
The number of accountable
care
organizations (ACOs) increased rapidly during 2012. There are now more
than 250. This increase is likely to accelerate: commercial health
insurers are signing ACO-like contracts with health care organizations,
and the return of President Obama to the White House, as we...
Health
Services
Innovation The Time Is Now Health Services Innovation
by Zuckerman B, Margolis PA, Mate KS.
Biomedical innovation has
improved
prevention, diagnosis, and treatment resulting in reduction in
mortality for most diseases. However, health and health care
disparities remain across the lifespan because these advances have not
been matched by advances in delivering care, patient engagement,
adher...
Serotonin
genes and punishment-induced cooperation [Economic Sciences]
by Schroeder, K. B., McElreath, R., Nettle, D.
Punishment of free-riding has been implicated in the evolution of
cooperation in humans, and yet mechanisms for punishment avoidance
remain largely uninvestigated. Individual variation in these mechanisms
may stem from variation in the serotonergic system, which modulates
processing of aversive stim...
Stress
increases
aversive prediction errors [Psychological and Cognitive
Scie...
by Robinson, O. J., Overstreet, C., Charney, D. R., Vytal, K.,
Grillon, C.
From job interviews to the heat of battle, it is evident that people
think and learn differently when stressed. In fact, learning under
stress may have long-term consequences; stress facilitates aversive
conditioning and associations learned during extreme stress may result
in debilitating emotional...
More
healthcare, same outcomes
by Davies, E.
Last week the BMJ launched its Too Much Medicine campaign
(www.bmj.com/too-much-medicine). The campaign aims to highlight the
'threat to human health posed by overdiagnosis and the waste of
resources on unnecessary care.'To illustrate the point, this week's BMJ
podcast includes an interview with Jac...
Murine
models poorly mimic human diseases [Medical Sciences]
by Seok, J., Warren, H. S., Cuenca, A. G., Mindrinos, M. N.,
Baker,
H. V., Xu, W., Richards, D. R., McDonald–Smith, G. P., Gao, H.,
Hennessy, L., Finnerty, C. C., Lopez, C. M., Honari, S., Moore, E. E.,
Minei, J. P., Cuschieri, J., Bankey, P. E., Johnson, J. L., Sperry, J.,
Nathens, A. B., Billiar, T. R., West, M. A., Jeschke, M. G., Klein, M.
B., Gamelli, R. L., Gibran, N. S., Brownstein, B. H., Miller–Graziano,
C., Calvano, S. E., Mason, P. H., Cobb, J. P., Rahme, L. G., Lowry, S.
F., Maier, R. V., Moldawer, L. L., Herndon, D. N., Davis, R. W., Xiao,
W., Tompkins, R. G., the Inflammation and Host Response to
In&jnodot;ury, Large Scale Collaborative Research Program
A cornerstone of modern biomedical research is the use of mouse models
to explore basic pathophysiological mechanisms, evaluate new
therapeutic approaches, and make go or no-go decisions to carry new
drug candidates forward into clinical trials. Systematic studies
evaluating how well murine models m...
Biomarkers
and
Aging
in
the
News
Media
•
Social
isolation
'ups death risk'
Social isolation is linked with a higher risk of death in older people,
research suggests.
• Mammogram
Scare
May Cause Long-Term Distress
Even after three years, some women with a false positive mammogram test
result displayed higher levels of distress than those with normal
findings.
• Toenail
clippings
may reveal toxicity in N.J. town
Scientists are testing toenail clippings to see if carcinogenic metal
may be putting about 3,600 residents at risk
• Breath
Test
Might Predict Obesity Risk
It works by measuring bacteria balance in the gut, researchers say
• Colonoscopy
Cuts
Advanced Cancer Risk by 70 Percent: Study
Expert says annual fecal blood test is equally effective
• Could
Herpes
Virus Affect Memory in Older Adults?
Chronic infection with cold sores may affect thinking, especially in
sedentary folks, study suggests
• Most
of
World's Adults Consume Too Much Salt, Study Finds
Majority taking in double the recommended amount, increasing their
health risks
• Grandad's
hip
fracture a risk factor for Osteoporosis
Has your paternal or maternal grandfather broken their hip on any
occasion? In that case there is a greater risk that your own bones are
more fragile as an adult. This has been demonstrated in a study of over
1,000 young adults, which identified those factors increasing the risk
of bone fragility in men.
• Having
Older
Grandfather May Raise Child's Autism Risk: Study
Men who became dads at age 50 or older had higher odds for a grandchild
with the disorder
• Study:
More
children being diagnosed with some form of autism as they get older
Two percent of U.S. schoolkids - or about a million children - have
been diagnosed with some sort of autism, according to the latest
government report released on Wednesday -- or at least their parents
say they have. It's a large increase since the last report but experts
stress it doesn't necessarily mean more children are developing
autism.Instead, the numbers suggests that more children are bei...
• High
Blood
Pressure May Add to Alzheimer's Risk, Study Finds
People with a genetic mutation plus hypertension have more brain
plaque, researchers find
• You
don't
'own' your own genes: Researchers raise alarm about loss of
individ...
Humans don't "own" their own genes, the cellular chemicals that define
who they are and what diseases they might be at risk for. Through more
than 40,000 patents on DNA molecules, companies have essentially
claimed the entire human genome for profit, report two researchers who
analyzed the patents on human DNA. Their study raises an alarm about
the loss of individual "genomic liberty."
• Soybean
Oil
Peptides Linked To Lower Cancer Risk, Study Suggests
A study conducted at the University of Arkansas suggests peptides found
in soybeans can fight against colon, lung and liver cancer.
• Easter
Bunny:
Chocolate May Cut Risk Of Stroke
In a press release straight from the Easter Bunny, researchers in
Britain announced that eating just one chocolate bar has a singular
effect on the brain and may reduce the risk of stroke.
• Does
Exercise
Help Everyone?
While exercise might provide some good functional benefits for some, it
would not stop the loss of muscle in others. The researchers found no
simple link between exercise and retarding of the muscle aging process.
• Statins
Put
Millions At Risk For Kidney Failure
Dosages that were too high increased the likelihood of kidney failure
and hospital admission significantly says a new report.
• Aging
Americans
Turning To Plastic Surgery
A poll of Americans showed that most people are overwhelmingly
concerned about aging, with regard to health, sexuality, career mojo
and ... death. The national poll of 2,000 American adults found that 90
percent of respondents believe women face greater pressures to look
younger than men, with men getting a five-year advantage in the aging
process.
• Brazilian
Waxing
STDs: Does Removing Pubic Hair Raise Infection Risk?
Removing pubic hair with Brazilian waxing can make people more likely
to contract STDs like molluscum contagiosum, suggests a new study.
• Gay
Men
Who Marry Now Living Longer, Study Says
Better HIV/AIDS treatment accounts for improved longevity, researchers
note
• Skim
milk
may not lower obesity risk
Got milk? It turns out that low-fat versions may not be the answer to
helping kids maintain a healthy weight.
• Processed
Meat
May Play a Part in Early Death: Study
It found those who ate the most increased their risk of dying
prematurely by 44 percent
• Report:
1
in 3 seniors dies with, not of, dementia
A staggering 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer's
disease or other types of dementia, says a new report that highlights
the impact the mind-destroying disease is having on the rapidly aging
population....
• Did
evolution
give us inflammatory disease?
Researchers demonstrate that some variants in our genes which could put
a person at risk for inflammatory diseases -- such as multiple
sclerosis, Crohn's disease or rheumatoid arthritis -- have been the
target of natural selection over the course of human history.
• Night
Shift
Linked To Ovarian Cancer
Women who worked through the night had a significantly higher risk for
ovarian cancer, echoing previous research which showed similar findings
for breast cancer risk.
• Study
Links
Stressful Thoughts To Health Problems, Disease
Scientists find that negative thoughts not only affect mood but other
aspects of physical health, increasing levels of inflammation in the
body associated with a number of disorders and conditions. "More and
more, chronic inflammation is being associated with various disorders
and conditions, says Dr. Peggy Zoccola, lead investigator and an
assistant professor at the Ohio University in the United States.
• Resveratrol
does
provide anti-aging benefits, study shows
Scientists prove resveratrol provides anti-aging benefits by activating
a serum that speeds up cell energy production
• Cholesterol
Levels
May Vary By Season
Brazilian study doesn't necessarily mean that heart attack or stroke
risk rises in winter
• Tooth
Loss
Associated With Higher Risk for Heart Disease
Reason for link between teeth, gums and heart health is still unclear,
researcher says
• When
Good
Deeds Cause Bad Behavior: Are You a Moral Cheater?
A new psychology study looks at moral balancing, the mindset behind
cheating.
• Potential
of
large studies for building genetic risk prediction models
Scientists have developed a new paradigm to assess hereditary risk
prediction in common diseases, such as prostate cancer.
NIH
Press
Releases
Delay
in
shifting gaze linked to early brain development in autism
At 7 months of age, children who are later diagnosed with autism take a
split second longer to shift their gaze during a task measuring eye
movements and visual attention than do typically developing infants of
the same age, according to researchers supported by the National
Institutes of Health.
NIH
study shows people with serious mental illnesses can lose weight
People with serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar
disorder and major depression can lose weight and keep it off through a
modified lifestyle intervention program, a National Institute of Mental
Health (NIMH)-funded study reported online today in The New England
Journal of Medicine.
Wireless,
implanted sensor broadens range of brain research
A compact, self-contained sensor recorded and transmitted brain
activity data wirelessly for more than a year in early stage animal
tests, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of
Health. In addition to allowing for more natural studies of brain
activity in moving subjects, this implantable device represents a
potential major step toward cord-free control of advanced prosthetics
that move with the power of thought. The report is in the April 2013
issue of the Journal of Neural Engineering.
Backwards
signals appear to sensitize brain cells, rat study shows
When the mind is at rest, the electrical signals by which brain cells
communicate appear to travel in reverse, wiping out unimportant
information in the process, but sensitizing the cells for future
sensory learning, according to a study of rats conducted by researchers
at the National Institutes of Health.
NIH
highlights lifelong impact of acute kidney injury
In observance of World Kidney Day on March 14, the National Institutes
of Health is raising awareness of the long term effects of acute kidney
injury (AKI) -- a sudden loss of kidney function. Research funded by
the NIH's National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases (NIDDK) suggests survivors of AKI have a lifelong increased
risk for developing permanent kidney damage, resulting in decreased
kidney function.
Benefits
of quitting smoking outpace risk of modest weight gain
The improvement in cardiovascular health that results from quitting
smoking far outweighs the limited risks to cardiovascular health from
the modest amount of weight gained after quitting, reports a National
Institutes of Health-funded community study. The study found that
former smokers without diabetes had about half as much risk of
developing cardiovascular disease as current smokers, and this risk
level did not change when post-cessation weight gain was accounted for
in the analysis.
NIH
study sheds light on role of climate in influenza transmission
Two types of environmental conditions -- cold-dry and humid-rainy --
are associated with seasonal influenza epidemics, according to an
epidemiological study led by researchers at the National Institutes of
Health?s Fogarty International Center. The paper, published in PLoS
Pathogens, presents a simple climate-based model that maps influenza
activity globally and accounts for the diverse range of seasonal
patterns observed across temperate, subtropical and tropical regions.
Daily-use
HIV
prevention approaches prove ineffective among women in NIH study
Three antiretroviral-based strategies intended to prevent HIV infection
among women did not prove effective in a major clinical trial in
Africa. For reasons that are unclear, a majority of study participants
-- particularly young, single women -- were unable to use their
assigned approaches daily as directed, according to findings presented
today by one of the study's co-leaders at the Conference on
Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Atlanta.
First
grade math skills set foundation for later math ability
Children who failed to acquire a basic math skill in first grade scored
far behind their peers by seventh grade on a test of the mathematical
abilities needed to function in adult life, according to researchers
supported by the National Institutes of Health.
NIH
Announcements
Plan
To
Include All Parkinson's Disease Biomarkers Projects in the NINDS
Park...
Notice NOT-NS-13-020 from the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts
Regional
and
International Differences in Health and Longevity at Older Ages
(R03) PA-13-123
Expiration Date September 8, 2016
Regional
and
International Differences in Health and Longevity at Older Ages
(R21)
PA-13-124
Expiration Date September 8, 2016
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
PAR-12-186 DBSR
Macroeconomic Aspects of Population Aging (R01)
Expiration
date:
10/04/2014
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:
Alzheimer's Disease-Related Dementias:
Research Challenges and Opportunities (Day 1)
Air date: Wednesday, May 01, 2013, 8:00:00 AM (ET)
Alzheimer's Disease-Related Dementias:
Research Challenges and Opportunities (Day 2)
Air date: Thursday, May 02, 2013, 8:30:00 AM (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
