CCBAR
Newsletter
– May,
2013
Editors:
Natalia
Gavrilova
and
Stacy
Tessler
Lindau
CCBAR News:
CCBAR Announces its 2013 Annual Research Meeting
Biosocial Study of Health and Aging in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and HIV-Affected Populations
Date: Thursday, October 17, 2013
Time: 7:30 AM-3:30 PM
Location: The University Club of Chicago, Downtown Chicago
Karen
Fredricksen-Goldsen, PhD, Director of the Institute for
Multigenerational Health at the School of Social Work, University of
Washington http://socialwork.uw.edu/faculty/karen-i-fredriksen-goldsen
will give the keynote lecture. Researchers from Add Health, the
National Health Interview Study, the National Social Life, Health and
Aging Project, Indiana University Center for Sexual Health Promotion,
Fenway Institute, Knowledge Networks, Women's Interagency HIV Study,
and others are confirmed as speakers. Andy Chen, a graphic design
artist will display an exhibit of and discuss his work on Imaging
Intimacy: Stereotypes surrounding aging and sexuality. Mr. Chen
conducted this work as a Fulbright Scholar at the Helen Hamlyn Centre
for Design at the Royal College of Art in London, England http://www.hhc.rca.ac.uk with mentorship from CCBAR researchers.
If you would like to participate, please contact Lori Garibay, MPH at lgaribay@babies.bsd.uchicago.edu
REVES Network 2013
Natalia
Gavrilova participated on behalf of CCBAR in the REVES Network on
Health Expectancy annual meeting held on May 27-29, 2013 in Austin, TX.
This meeting covered various aspects of measuring health and
disability. Some presentations were devoted to the link between
biomeasures and health (by Rosero-Bixby and Eileen Crimmins).
Linda Martin (RAND Corporation) gave the annual George Myers Lecture
entitled "Revisiting the Disablement Process: What Do We Mean by
Healthy Life?" Meeting program and abstracts can be found on
the REVES
meeting
website:
http://blogs.utexas.edu/reves2013/2013-program/
Power point presentations of meeting participants will be posted online soon.
News
from
the
NEJM, Nature Journals, Science, BMJ, PNAS, Lancet and JAMA
Physiology:
Inflammation links ageing to the brain
by Dana Gabuzda, Bruce A. Yankner
Inflammation-activated signalling pathways in the brain's hypothalamus
control the production of ageing-related hormones. This finding
provides a link between inflammation, stress responses and systemic
ageing. See Article p.211
Hypothalamic
programming of systemic ageing involving IKK, NF-B and GnRH
by Guo Zhang, Juxue Li, Sudarshana Purkayastha, Yizhe Tang,
Hai Zhang, Ye Yin, Bo Li, Gang Liu, Dongsheng Cai
Ageing is a result of gradual and overall functional deteriorations
across the body; however, it is unknown whether an individual tissue
primarily works to mediate the ageing progress and control lifespan.
Here we show that the hypothalamus is important for the development of
whole-body ageing
Breaking
the Brain Barrier
by Jeneen Interlandi
A new understanding of the blood-brain barrier as a living, mutable
organ may revolutionize the treatment of diseases such as cancer and
Alzheimer's
Drug
development for progeria yields insights into normal aging
by Kevin Jiang
The single biggest risk factor for the vast majority of chronic
diseases is old age. For many diseases, in fact, a person's birth date
is a larger red flag than all other known risk factors combined. But
for too long, physicians thought that the aging process was impossible
to modify or slow down. L...
Frailty
research strengthens with biomarker and treatment leads
by Sarah CP Williams
Old
mice require new experimental tricks to study aging process
by Elie Dolgin
Establish
good genomic practice to guide medicine forward
by Richard W Barker, David A Brindley, Anna Schuh
Genomic advances, including next-generation sequencing, offer
substantial opportunities and challenges for stratified and
personalized medicines. However, the lack of standardization in genomic
diagnostics translates into a major risk of error introduction. To
ensure the integrity of such data and t...
Meat-metabolizing
bacteria in atherosclerosis
by Fredrik Bäckhed
L-Carnitine is a common food supplement and naturally occurs in red
meat. This nutrient is metabolized into trimethyl metabolites by the
gut microbiota and is associated with an elevated risk for
cardiovascular disease. A recent study provides new insights into this
link by e...
A
gut-heart connection in cardiometabolic regulation
by Alessia Buglioni, John C Burnett
A new study establishes a link between glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)
release from the gut and the cardiac hormone atrial natriuretic
peptide, which lowers blood pressure. As GLP-1 receptor agonists are
used to control glycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes, this new
gut-...
Neuroendocrinology:
Hypothalamic self-tuning to stress
by Leonie Welberg
Stress induces a metaplastic signal at GABA synapses in the
paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus that can account for both
the early sensitization and the delayed inhibition of responses to
subsequent stressors.
Chimpanzees
still rational maximizers [Social Sciences]
by Jensen, K., Call, J., Tomasello, M.
The ultimatum game (1) is a powerful and widely used test of bargaining
behavior that has only recently been applied to nonhuman animals.
The key feature of this game is the power the responder has; the threat
of rejections - the ultimatum - typically induces proposers to be more
generous than the...
What
equitable offers mean [Social Sciences]
by Proctor, D., Williamson, R. A., de Waal, F. B. M., Brosnan,
S. F.
When playing the ultimatum game, chimpanzees and children shifted their
behavior from selfish offers in the preference test to more equitable
ones in the ultimatum game (1). Why did they do so? All that we can
measure is behavior, not motivations. Nonetheless, in human studies
equitable outcomes are...
Model
comparison approach to fertility decline [Anthropology]
by Shenk, M. K., Towner, M. C., Kress, H. C., Alam, N.
The demographic transition is an ongoing global phenomenon in which
high fertility and mortality rates are replaced by low fertility and
mortality. Despite intense interest in the causes of the transition,
especially with respect to decreasing fertility rates, the underlying
mechanisms motivating it...
Neural
predictors of math learning in children [Neuroscience]
by Supekar, K., Swigart, A. G., Tenison, C., Jolles, D. D.,
Rosenberg-Lee, M., Fuchs, L., Menon, V.
Now, more than ever, the ability to acquire mathematical skills
efficiently is critical for academic and professional success, yet
little is known about the behavioral and neural mechanisms that drive
some children to acquire these skills faster than others. Here we
investigate the behavioral and ne...
Distinct
PTSD biology after childhood maltreatment [Psychological and Cogniti...
by Mehta, D., Klengel, T., Conneely, K. N., Smith, A. K.,
Altmann,
A., Pace, T. W., Rex–Haffner, M., Loeschner, A., Gonik, M., Mercer, K.
B., Bradley, B., Muller–Myhsok, B., Ressler, K. J., Binder, E. B.
Childhood maltreatment is likely to influence fundamental biological
processes and engrave long-lasting epigenetic marks, leading to adverse
health outcomes in adulthood. We aimed to elucidate the impact of
different early environment on disease-related genome-wide gene
expression and DNA methylatio...
[Perspectives]
The Gracefully Aging Immune System
by Boraschi, D., Aguado, M. T., Dutel, C., Goronzy, J., Louis,
J., Grubeck-Loebenstein, B., Rappuoli, R., Del Giudice, G.
Prolonged life expectancy in the 20th century has been one of
humankind’s greatest triumphs. However, the substantial increase in the
human life span has ushered in a new concern: healthy aging. Because
infectious diseases prominently contribute to morbidity in the
particularly vulnerable elde...
Mental
disorders common among US children, CDC says
by McCarthy, M.
As many as one in five US children suffers from a mental disorder in a
given year, according to a new report from the US Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC).The article, 'Mental health surveillance
among children --United States, 2005-2011', which was published as a
supplement of the 17 M...
Addressing
the Social Determinants of Health Within the Patient-Centered Medi...
by Garg A, Jack B, Zuckerman B.
Socioeconomic disparities
in health
continue to exist, despite advances in medicine. Since the classic
Whitehall studies, it has been well known that the social context in
which an individual lives and works influences health. Mitigating the
harmful consequences of social factors that contribute to ...
Hypertension
Increasing Among US Adults
The prevalence of US adults
with
hypertension as well as those who take antihypertensive medication has
increased in recent years, according to telephone surveys carried out
by state health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC).
Not
as sunny as advertised
by Nicola McCarthy
Several recent reports in the popular press have indicated that the
benefits of exposure to sunlight might outweigh the risks of developing
skin cancer.
US
Infant Mortality Decreases but Still Ranks High Worldwide
After significant decreases
throughout
the 20th century, the US infant mortality rate plateaued from 2000 to
2005 and now is declining again. However, the US infant mortality rate
still ranks 27th among the 34 countries of the Organization for
Economic Cooperation and Development.
Biomarkers
and
Aging
in
the
News
Media
• Obese
kids have different breath than skinny ones, study says
"Breathprints" may contain information on risks for conditions like
diabetes, fatty liver disease
• Genes
May Boost Woman's Risk of Postpartum Depression
Test found specific changes to two genes predicted problem with 85
percent accuracy
• Weekend
'Catch-Up' Sleep May Cut Young Drivers' Crash Risk
Study found 21 percent higher chance of accident among those who slept
less than 6 hours a night
• ADHD
in Childhood May Raise Risk for Obesity in Adulthood
Study found boys with the disorder were twice as likely to have a
higher body-mass index when they were men
• Depression
May Boost Stroke Risk in Middle-Aged Women, Too
Although risk is still low, Australian study found it nearly doubled
for depressed women in their 40s and 50s
• Sugary
Sodas, Fruit Punches May Raise Kidney Stone Risk: Study
It's important to stay hydrated, but water may be your best choice,
experts say
• Hysterectomy
May Not Raise Heart Risks After All: Study
Finding might reassure women considering the procedure, researcher says
• Healthy
Lifestyle May Offset Job Stress, Study Finds
Risk for heart disease rises when workers drink, smoke or overeat
• Estrogen
Levels Tied to Risk for Sudden Cardiac Death in Study
Tests reveal higher concentration of the sex hormone in women and men
• Child
maltreatment increases risk of adult obesity
Children who have suffered maltreatment are 36 percent more likely to
be obese in adulthood compared to non-maltreated children, according to
a new study. The authors estimate that the prevention or effective
treatment of seven cases of child maltreatment could avoid one case of
adult obesity.
• Women
who smoke during pregnancy increase the risk of both obesity and
gestat...
Women who smoke during pregnancy increase the risk of both obesity and
gestational diabetes, in their daughters.
• Mediterranean
diet seems to boost aging brain power
A Mediterranean diet with added extra virgin olive oil or mixed nuts
seems to improve the brain power of older people better than advising
them to follow a low-fat diet, according to new research.
• Elusive
search for biomarkers in Huntington's disease
While Huntington's disease (HD) is currently incurable, the HD research
community anticipates that new disease-modifying therapies in
development may slow or minimize disease progression. The success of HD
research depends upon the identification of reliable and sensitive
biomarkers to track disease and evaluate therapies, and these
biomarkers may eventually be used as outcome measures in clinical
trials. Biomarkers could be especially helpful to monitor changes
during the time prior to diagnosi...
• Prenatal
exposure to traffic is associated with respiratory infection in youn...
Living near a major roadway during the prenatal period is associated
with an increased risk of respiratory infection developing in children
by the age of 3, according to a new study.
• Air
pollution and noise pollution increase cardiovascular risk
Both fine-particle air pollution and noise pollution may increase a
person's risk of developing cardiovascular disease, according to new
research.
• Do
Men's and Women's Hearts Burn Fuel Differently?
Gender specific shifts in cardiac metabolism under stress may shed
light on heart disease.
• New
HIV guidelines make screening even more routine
Guidelines call for screening adolescents and adults ages 15 to 65 who
are not known to be at increased risk for HIV infection.
• When
disaster strikes, it's survival of the sociable
In the drive to climate-proof cities, we can't just focus on buildings.
Social infrastructure is just as important, says sociologist Robert
Sampson
• Sleep
Apnea And Alzheimer's Disease Connected, Study Finds
An examination of sleep-disordered breathing and biomarkers of
Alzheimer's disease shows that the two may be related, especially among
lean people.
• The
Top 10 Reasons Why Sex Is Good For You
A healthy sex life can pay huge dividends, from keeping you feel young
at heart to actually lowering your risk for health problems in the
future.
• Where
do morals come from?
Being nice to others and cooperating with them aren't uniquely human
traits. Our close primate relatives also demonstrate these behaviors.
• Personal
Health: Shaking Off Loneliness
Social isolation can adversely affect health, undermining the ability
to self-regulate, raising stress and increasing inflammation, studies
show.
• Pets
a Boon for the Human Heart, Cardiologists Say
American Heart Association cites stress-busting, dog-walking benefits
of companion animals
• Eating
Peppers Tied to Lower Parkinson's Risk, Study Finds
Vegetables that contain nicotine may offer some protection, research
suggests
• Common
painkillers 'pose heart risk'
Some common painkillers, including ibuprofen and diclofenac, may
slightly increase the risk of heart problems if taken in high doses for
a long time, data suggests.
• Uneducated
White Women In US Have 66% Higher Mortality Rate
Due to socio-economic circumstances, the life expectancy for less
educated white women is much shorter than it is for the well-educated.
• Microbleeding
in Brain May Be Behind Senior Moments
Study suggests that stiffening arteries and burst blood vessels slow
down older brains
• Migraine,
Chronic Back Pain Tied to Higher Suicide Risk
Hopelessness, disability may play a role in feelings of despair, study
finds
• Fish
Oil Pills Might Cut Diabetes Risk, Researchers Say
Higher blood levels of a beneficial hormone seen in those who took the
omega-3 supplements
• Why
Donating Blood Is Good For Your Health
Blood donors who donate regularly lower their risk of developing
life-threatening illnesses.
• Elder
Abuse: An Impending National Crisis?
With the aging of the baby boom, the incidence of maltreatment among
senior citizens has increased.
• Men
and Women Lie About Sexual Behavior to Meet Cultural Expectations
When faced with a lie detector test, both males and females spoke more
honestly about their sexual relations than when the lie detector wasn't
attached.
• Children
Of Long-Lived Parents Less Likely To Get Cancer And Other Diseases
The risk of developing cancer and other diseases associated with aging
drops for every 10 years that at least one parent lives past 65, a
study finds.
NIH
Press
Releases
NIH
scientists discover molecule triggers sensation of itch
Scientists at the National Institutes of Health report they have
discovered in mouse studies that a small molecule released in the
spinal cord triggers a process that is later experienced in the brain
as the sensation of itch.
A
molecular explanation for age-related fertility decline in women
Scientists supported by the National Institutes of Health have a new
theory as to why a woman's fertility declines after her mid-30s. They
also suggest an approach that might help slow the process, enhancing
and prolonging fertility.
Flu
in pregnancy may quadruple child's risk for bipolar disorder
Pregnant mothers' exposure to the flu was associated with a nearly
fourfold increased risk that their child would develop bipolar disorder
in adulthood, in a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.
The findings add to mounting evidence of possible shared underlying
causes and illness processes with schizophrenia, which some studies
have also linked to prenatal exposure to influenza.
Women's,
Men's brains respond differently to hungry infant's cries
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have uncovered firm
evidence for what many mothers have long suspected: women's brains
appear to be hard-wired to respond to the cries of a hungry infant.
Type
1 diabetes network expands reach with online sign-up, nationwide testing
People with a family history of type 1 diabetes can now conveniently
participate in free screening to help find ways to delay or prevent the
disease, even if they live far from a study site. This alternative to
site-based initial screening comes as modern technology enables more
secure online registration for medical research.
NIH
study provides clarity on supplements for protection against blinding
eye...
Adding omega-3 fatty acids did not improve a combination of nutritional
supplements commonly recommended for treating age-related macular
degeneration (AMD), a major cause of vision loss among older Americans,
according to a study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The
plant-derived antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin also had no overall
effect on AMD when added to the combination; however, they were safer
than the related antioxidant beta-carotene, according to the study
published online today in the Journal of the American Medical
Association.
NIH
study uses Botox to find new wrinkle in brain communication
National Institutes of Health researchers used the popular
anti-wrinkle agent Botox to discover a new and important role for a
group of molecules that nerve cells use to quickly send messages. This
novel role for the molecules, called SNARES, may be a missing piece
that scientists have been searching for to fully understand how brain
cells communicate under normal and disease conditions.
Brain
patterns may help predict relapse risk for alcoholism
Distinct patterns of brain activity are linked to greater rates of
relapse among alcohol dependent patients in early recovery, a study has
found. The research, supported by the National Institutes of Health,
may give clues about which people in recovery from alcoholism are most
likely to return to drinking.
NIH
awards $40 million in grants to reduce stroke disparities in the U.S.
Four research centers will develop high-impact culturally tailored
interventions aimed at lowering stroke risk among racial and ethnic
minorities in the United States. Together the centers are expected to
receive $40 million in funding over five years, contingent on the
availability of funds from the National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), part of the National Institutes of Health.
NIH
Announcements
Chronic
Inflammation and Age-related Disease (R01)
Funding Opportunity PAR-13-233 from the NIH Guide for Grants and
Contracts. The participating NIH Institutes and Centers invite
applications to address both the origins and the effects of low level
chronic inflammation in the onset and progression of age-related
diseases and conditions. Chronic inflammation, as defined by elevated
levels of both local and systemic cytokines and other pro-inflammatory
factors, is a hallmark of aging in virtually all higher animals
including humans and is recognized as a major risk factor for
developing age-associated diseases. The spectra of phenotypes capable
of generating low-level chronic inflammation and their defining
mediators are not clear. Further, a clear understanding of how chronic
inflammation compromises the integrity of cells or tissues leading to
disease progression is lacking. The role of dietary supplements and/or
nutritional status in chronic inflammation in age-related disease is
also poorly studied. Thus, there is a critical need to establish the
knowledge base that will allow a better understanding of the complex
interplay between inflammation and age-related diseases. Applications
submitted to this FOA should aim to clarify the molecular and cellular
basis for the increase in circulating inflammatory factors with aging,
and/or shed light on the cause-effect relationship between inflammation
and disease, using pre-clinical (animal or cellular based) models.
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:
Conferences:
The 20th
IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics, June
23-27, 2013, Seoul, Korea
Abstract deadline was 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 was January 9, 2013 at 3:00pm EST.
XXVII IUSSP
International Population Conference
26 to 31 August 2013.
Busan, Republic of Korea
Abstract deadline was 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 was March 15, 2013
2014
Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America
Marriott Copley Place, Boston, MA, May 1-3, 2014
Abstract deadline: to be announced
2014
Annual
Scientific Meeting of the American Geriatrics Society
(AGS), May 15 - 17,
2014
Orlando, Florida
Abstract deadline: to be announced
The
26th REVES
meeting on health expectancy
Edinburgh, UK, May 28-30,
2014
Abstract submission deadline: to be announced______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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
