Editors: Natalia Gavrilova and Stacy Tessler Lindau
Registration for the CCBAR 2011 Conference in Chicago has been extended:
The Chicago Core on Biomeasures in Population-Based Health and Aging Research (CCBAR) at the NORC University of Chicago Center on Demography and Economics of Aging will host a fall conference entitled "Biosocial and Communication Technology-Based Approaches to Urban Health and Aging" on Tuesday, October 25th, 2011 from 7:30am to 5pm at the Gleacher Center in downtown Chicago. Rose Anne Kenny, MD, PI of the innovative Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing will present the keynote lecture. Other confirmed speakers include Jens Ludwig, PhD, on findings from the Moving to Opportunity Study, Cheryl Clark, MD from Harvard on the Jackson Heart Health Study and Bill Funk, PhD from Northwestern on minimally invasive methods for quantifying environmental toxin exposure.
http://biomarkers.uchicago.edu/Reg2011.asp
CCBAR conference
agenda is available here:
http://biomarkers.uchicago.edu/ChicagoBiomarkerWorkshop.htm
News from the NEJM, Nature Journals, Science, BMJ, PNAS and JAMA
Ageing:
Longevity
hits a roadblock
Increased expression of sirtuin proteins has been shown to enhance
lifespan in
several organisms. New data indicate that some of the reported effects
may have
been due to confounding factors in experimental design. Here, experts
discuss
the significance of these data for research into ageing. See Le...
Absence
of
effects of Sir2 overexpression on lifespan in C. elegans and Droso...
Overexpression of sirtuins (NAD+-dependent protein deacetylases) has
been
reported to increase lifespan in budding yeast (Saccharomyces
cerevisiae),
Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster. Studies of the
effects of
genes on ageing are vulnerable to confounding effects of genetic
backgrou...
The
evolution
of overconfidence
Confidence is an essential ingredient of success in a wide range of
domains
ranging from job performance and mental health to sports, business and
combat.
Some authors have suggested that not just confidence but overconfidence
-
believing you are better than you are in reality - is advantageous
because ...
Oxytocin
receptor
gene (OXTR) is related to psychological resources [Psycholo...
Psychological resources - optimism, mastery, and self-esteem - buffer
the deleterious
effects of stress and are predictors of neurophysiological and
psychological
health-related outcomes. These resources have been shown to be highly
heritable, yet the genetic basis for this heritability remains
unknown....
Depression
and
Risk of Stroke Morbidity and Mortality: A Meta-analysis and Sy...
Several studies have suggested that depression is associated with an
increased
risk of stroke; however, the results are inconsistent.
Objective: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of
prospective
studies assessing the association between depression and risk of
developing
stroke i...
Eye
markers
of cardiovascular disease
Most clinicians are aware that arcus corneae and xanthelasmata are
related to
hyperlipidaemia, but results have been conflicting on whether they
provide
extra information compared with traditional...
Evolutionary
biology:
Chimp brains don't shrink
The human brain shrinks with age in what seems to be an evolutionarily
new
phenomenon, report Chet Sherwood of the George
Washington University
in Washington DC and his colleagues. They found that no
parallel reduction in brain size seems to occur in our closest relative,
Evolution:
Not
so selfish
A prescription for how human cooperation evolved will provoke
much-needed
debate about the origins of society, finds Peter Richerson.
Aging
of
the cerebral cortex differs between humans and chimpanzees [Anthropo...
Several biological changes characterize normal brain aging in humans.
Although
some of these age-associated neural alterations are also found in other
species, overt volumetric decline of particular brain structures, such
as the
hippocampus and frontal lobe, has only been observed in humans.
However...
Spontaneous
prosocial
choice by chimpanzees [Psychological and Cognitive Scie...
The study of human and primate altruism faces an evolutionary anomaly:
There is
ample evidence for altruistic preferences in our own species and
growing
evidence in monkeys, but one of our closest relatives, the chimpanzee
(Pan
troglodytes), is viewed as a reluctant altruist, acting only in
response...
The
timing
of mitochondrial DNA mutations in aging
Somatic mutations in mitochondrial DNA build up in aging tissues and
are thought
to contribute to physiological aging. Surprisingly, it is not known if
these
mutations occur early or late in life. A new study looks at mechanisms
of
accelerated mitochondrial aging in HIV-infected individuals treated ...
Motivating
voter
turnout by invoking the self [Psychological and Cognitive Sc...
Three randomized experiments found that subtle linguistic cues have the
power
to increase voting and related behavior. The phrasing of survey items
was
varied to frame voting either as the enactment of a personal identity
(e.g.,
'being a voter') or as simply a behavior (e.g., 'voting'). As
predicted...
Increased
risk
of glucose intolerance and type 2 diabetes with statins
Statins are considered a 21st century panacea to the extent that some
people
propose they should be taken by everyone over 55 years of age.1
Convincing
evidence shows that statins reduce all cause...
Elder
Abuse
and Self-neglect: "I Don't Care Anything About Going to the Docto...
Elder mistreatment encompasses a range of behaviors including
emotional,
financial, physical, and sexual abuse, neglect by other individuals,
and
self-neglect. This article discusses the range of elder mistreatment in
community-living older adults, associated factors, and consequences.
Although
self...
The
Stress of
Crowds
City dwellers may handle pressure differently from those who live in
less
populated areas
Oxytocin
and
vasopressin in the human brain: social neuropeptides for transla...
The neuropeptides oxytocin (OXT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) are
evolutionarily highly conserved mediators in the regulation of complex
social
cognition and behaviour. Recent studies have investigated the effects
of OXT
and AVP on human social interaction, the genetic mechanisms of
inter-individu...
Stress
exposure
in intrauterine life is associated with shorter telomere leng...
Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is a predictor of age-related disease
onset and
mortality. The association in adults of psychosocial stress or stress
biomarkers with LTL suggests telomere biology may represent a possible
underlying mechanism linking stress and health outcomes. It is,
however,
unknow...
Long-lasting
behavioral
responses to stress involve a direct interaction of g...
Stressful events are known to have a long-term impact on future
behavioral
stress responses. Previous studies suggested that both glucocorticoid
hormones
and glutamate acting via glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) and N-methyl
d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, respectively, are of critical importance
for
th...
Functional
assessment
in older people
Summary points. In older adults functional decline is a common
presentation of
many disease states. Causes and consequences are diverse, so functional
assessment is not suited to a traditional medical...
Biomarkers and Aging in the News Media
•
For
women,
risk of depression falls as coffee intake rises
A few cups of coffee a day may help keep the blues at bay. According to
a large
new study, women who drink caffeinated coffee are less likely to become
depressed -- and the more they drink, the more their risk of depression
goes
down.
• For
older
women, year following hip fracture can be especially deadly
Women age 65 and older who fracture a hip are much more likely to die
from any
cause during the following year than they would be if they had avoided
injury,
a new study suggests.
• Cases:
For
Many Older Gays and Lesbians, Isolation Is a Problem
A geriatrician reflects on the challenges facing the aging generation
of gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender people who are often more isolated
than their
heterosexual peers.
• Longevity
Research
Raises Hopes, and Questions
With a flurry of papers on the effects of proteins known as sirtuins,
British
and American researchers disagree on how to establish solid science in
a
relatively new field.
• Variety
of
Fruits, Veggies Best vs. Colon Cancer
Australian researchers have found a link between different types of
fruits and
vegetables and cancer risk in different parts of the colon.
• Low
Vitamin
B12 May Speed Brain Shrinkage
Older people with low levels of vitamin B12 may be more prone to
age-related
memory declines and brain shrinkage.
• Childless
Men
May Have Higher Heart Risk
Men who remain childless throughout their lives may be more likely to
die from
heart disease and stroke than men who become fathers, a new study
suggests.
• High
blood
pressure is linked to increased risk of developing or dying from c...
Raised blood pressure is linked to a higher risk of developing cancer
or dying
from the disease according to the findings of the largest study to date
to
investigate the association between the two conditions. There had been
contradictory results from previous, smaller studies investigating the
link
between cancer and blood pressure. However, this new study, which
included
289,454 men and 288,345 women, showed that higher than normal blood
pressure
was statistically significantly associated with...
• Marker
for
Alzheimer's disease rises during day and falls with sleep
A marker for Alzheimer's disease rises and falls in the spinal fluid in
a daily
pattern that echoes the sleep cycle, researchers have found. The
pattern is
strongest in healthy young people and reinforces a link between
increased
Alzheimer's risk and inadequate sleep that had been discovered in
animal
models.
• Diabetes
doubles
Alzheimer's risk
Diabetes appears to dramatically increase a person's risk of developing
Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia later in life, according
to a
new study conducted in Japan.
• Personal
Health:
Distinguishing Cognitive Impairment From Normal Aging
For millions with a neurological condition called mild cognitive
impairment,
lapses in word-finding and name recall are often common.
• How
Your
Beliefs Affect Your Loved Ones' Weight
The surprising link between women's thoughts and behaviors and obesity
in America.
• Blacks
develop
high blood pressure one year faster than whites, study finds
Blacks at risk of having high blood pressure develop the condition one
year
before whites and have a 35 percent greater chance of progressing from
pre-hypertension to high blood pressure, according to a new study. More
aggressive treatment of pre-hypertension could narrow the gap in
hypertension
rates between blacks and whites.
• Link
between
high cholesterol and Alzheimer's disease revealed in new study
People with high cholesterol may have a higher risk of developing
Alzheimer's
disease, according to a new study.
• Morning
smoking
has cancer risk
People who smoke soon after getting up in the morning are more likely
to develop
cancer than those who light up later in the day, say US researchers.
• Female
smokers'
heart disease risk 25 percent higher than men's: Study
Data from studies as far back as 1966 show women smokers 25 percent
more likely
than male smokers to develop heart disease
• Longevity:
Habits
May Extend Life Only So Much
A study suggests that people with the genes for longevity live past age
95 with
habits no different from most others, but that the average person would
probably have to follow a healthy lifestyle to live comfortably past 80.
• Risks:
Women's
Cancer Risk Increases With Height, Study Finds
The authors suggest that levels of growth hormone might be involved in
the
genesis of cancer, or that taller people are at greater risk for
mutations
simply because their bodies comprise more cells.
• More
gender
equality leads to more sex, global study shows
The study is part of a big-picture look at sexual behavior worldwide
using
"sexual economics," in which supply and demand are key.
• Catching
Obesity
From Friends May Not Be So Easy
Researchers who published studies suggesting that conditions and
behaviors like
obesity, happiness, smoking and loneliness could be contagious are
under
serious critical fire.
• Sibling
History
of Blood Clots May Raise Your Risk
People with more than one sibling who have had potentially
life-threatening
blood clots have a 50-fold increase in risk for the condition, a new
study
shows.
• Daily
exercise
'increases life'
Just 15 minutes of exercise a day is enough to boost life expectancy by
three
years and cut death risk by 14%, researchers in Taiwan say.
• Tests
predict
heart attack risk
Most heart attacks strike with no warning, but doctors now have a
clearer
picture than before of who is most likely to have one.
• Common
Sleep
Problem Raises Dementia Risk
Sleep apnea, a common condition in the elderly and overweight, was
linked to
memory problems and dementia in older women.
• Excessive
sitting
linked to premature death in women
In a study, women who sat for more than six hours a day had a 37
percent
increased risk of premature death, compared to 18 percent for men.
• Healthy
obese
people may live as long as thin folks
Not everyone who is obese needs to lose weight ? it's possible to carry
extra
pounds and still be healthy, a new study says. Although obesity brings
an
increased risk of many health complications, the new study shows that
people
who are obese but do not have such complications might live as long as
normal
weight individuals.
• Call
for
'fat-year' measurement
Experts say the health risks of obesity have been underestimated
because we are
not measuring the condition adequately by ignoring how long people
remain
overweight.
• Causes
of
high incidence of breast cancer in African-American women identified
Investigators have reported findings that may shed light on why African
American women have a disproportionately higher risk of developing more
aggressive and difficult-to-treat breast cancers, specifically estrogen
and
progesterone receptor negative (ER-/PR-) cancers. Childbearing may
increase the
risk of hormone receptor-negative breast cancer in African-American
women.
• Antibody
discovered
that may help detect ovarian cancer in earliest stages
Using a new approach to developing biomarkers for the very early
detection of
ovarian cancer, researchers have identified a molecule in the
bloodstream of
infertile women that could one day be used to screen for those at high
risk for
the disease -- or even those with early-stage ovarian cancer.
• Moderate
drinking
may protect against Alzheimer's and cognitive impairment, s...
Moderate social drinking may significantly reduce the risk of dementia
and
cognitive impairment, suggests a new analysis of 143 studies.
• Possibility
of
temporarily reversing aging in the immune system
Researchers have discovered a new mechanism controlling aging in white
blood
cells. The research opens up the possibility of temporarily reversing
the
effects of aging on immunity and could, in the future, allow for the
short-term
boosting of the immune systems of older people.
• Marriage
helps
survival after heart surgery
Study finds post-op survival rises for those in committed relationships
• Older
adults
are better at decision-making than young adults
We make decisions all our lives -- so you'd think we'd get better and
better at
it. Yet research has shown that younger adults are better
decision-makers than
older ones. Some psychologists, puzzled by these findings, suspected
the
experiments were biased toward younger brains.
NIH Press Releases
NIH again
recognized by
AARP as a top employer for workers over 50
For the second straight time, AARP has ranked the National Institutes
of Health
as third in its Best Employers for Workers Over 50 list.
International
genome
consortium discovers new genes that control blood pressure
In one of the largest genomics studies ever, an international research
consortium
that includes the National Institutes of Health has identified 29
genetic
variations across 28 regions of the human genome that influence blood
pressure.
This unprecedented effort brought together more than 230 researchers
across six
continents and scanned the genomes of over 200,000 people. The results
will
appear in the Sept. 11 edition of Nature.
NIH
releases best
practices for combining qualitative and quantitative research
The National Institutes of Health today released recommendations or
best
practices for scientists conducting mixed methods health research.
Mixed
methods research combines the strengths of quantitative research and
qualitative research. Despite the increased interest in mixed methods
research
in health fields and at NIH, prior to this report, there was limited
guidance
to help scientists developing applications for NIH funding that
featured mixed
methods designs, nor was there guidance for the reviewers at NIH who
assess the
quality of these applications.
HHS Tightens
Financial Conflict of Interest Rules for Researchers
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services today issued an
updated Final
Rule on conflict of interest, providing a framework for identifying,
managing,
and ultimately avoiding investigators' financial conflicts of interest
Staff
from the National Institutes of Health worked with others in HHS to
revise the
1995 regulations to update and enhance the objectivity and integrity of
the
research process.
NHGRI
funds
development of revolutionary DNA sequencing technologies
Researchers today received more than $14 million in grants to develop
DNA
sequencing technologies that will rapidly sequence a person's genome
for $1000
or less. The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of
the
National Institutes of Health, awarded the grants to enable the
everyday use of
DNA sequencing technologies by biomedical researchers and health care
providers.
Compound
improves
health, increases lifespan of obese mice
Researchers have reported that obese male mice treated with a synthetic
compound called SRT1720 were healthier and lived longer compared to
non-treated
obese mice. The experimental compound was found to improve the function
of the
liver, pancreas and heart in mice.
NIH-commissioned
study
identifies gaps in NIH funding success rates for black...
Black applicants from 2000-2006 were 10 percentage points less likely
than
white applicants to be awarded research project grants from the
National
Institutes of Health after controlling for factors that influence the
likelihood of a grant award, according to an NIH-commissioned study in
the
journal Science. In an accompanying commentary, NIH Director Francis
Collins,
M.D., Ph.D., and Principal Deputy Director Lawrence Tabak, D.D.S,
Ph.D., call
the findings unacceptable and commit to immediate action by the NIH.
eMERGE
network
moves closer to tailored treatments based on patients' genomic...
Researchers in the Electronic Medical Records and Genomics (eMERGE)
network
will receive $25 million over the next four years to demonstrate that
patients'
genomic information linked to disease characteristics and symptoms in
their
electronic medical records can be used to improve their care. The
grants are from
the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the
National
Institutes of Health (NIH), which supports research by the network's
seven
institutions and coordinating center.
Cigarette
smoking
implicated in half of bladder cancers in women
Current cigarette smokers have a higher risk of bladder cancer than
previously
reported, and the risk in women is now comparable to that in men,
according to
a study by scientists from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of
the
National Institutes of Health. The report was published on Aug. 16,
2011, in
the Journal of the American Medical Association.
National
Children's Study upgrading data gathering, analysis
The National Children's Study is changing its approach to informatics
-- the
science of classifying, cataloging, storing, analyzing, and retrieving
information, study officials announced today.
NIH Announcements
Research
Infrastructure
for Demographic and Behavioral Population Science (R24)
Funding Opportunity RFA-HD-12-186 from the NIH
Guide for Grants and Contracts. The purpose of this FOA is to promote
science
within the mission of the NICHD Demographic and Behavioral Sciences
Branch by
providing research infrastructure to population science research
centers. Types
of research infrastructure provided include administrative and
technical
research support, developmental infrastructure, and public
infrastructure. This
FOA supports three types of applications: (1) General Research
Infrastructure,
for centers with three to six signature population science research
themes; (2)
Specialized Research Infrastructure, for centers with one or two
signature
research themes; and (3) Public Infrastructure Only applications, for
centers
that request funding only for public infrastructure.
Mechanisms
Explaining
Differences in Depressive and Anxiety Disorders Across ...
Funding Opportunity RFA-MH-12-090 from the NIH
Guide for Grants and Contracts. The purpose of this Funding Opportunity
Announcement (FOA) is to stimulate innovative research that will expand
our
current scientific understanding of the social, behavioral, and/or
neurobiological mechanisms explaining racial/ethnic differences in the
prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders (major depressive
disorder,
dysthymia, generalized anxiety disorder, post traumatic stress
disorder, social
phobia, and panic disorder with and without agoraphobia) and their
associated
distribution of symptoms (e.g., the number and type of symptoms by
racial/ethnic group) in the United States.
Social
Neuroscience
and Neuroeconomics of Aging (R21)
Funding Opportunity PAR-11-336 from the NIH
Guide for Grants and Contracts. The National Institute on Aging (NIA)
issues
this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) with special review to
stimulate
interdisciplinary aging-relevant research in the social, affective and
economic
neurosciences. The NIA invites applications examining social, emotional
and
economic behaviors of relevance to aging, using approaches that examine
mechanisms and processes at both (a) the social, behavioral or
psychological
(emotional, cognitive, motivational) level, and (b) the neurobiological
or
genetic level. Applications are encouraged that have an overriding
emphasis on
economic, social or emotional processes and associated genetic or
neurobiological processes. Applications should demonstrate either
relevance for
aging or for age differences or age-related changes in these processes.
Aging-relevant applications can address issues of importance to the
well-being
and health of either mid-life or older adults, and can include data
spanning the
entire life course.
Social
Neuroscience
and Neuroeconomics of Aging (R01)
Funding Opportunity PAR-11-337 from the NIH Guide
for Grants and Contracts. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) issues
this
Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) with special review to stimulate
interdisciplinary aging-relevant research in the social, affective and
economic
neurosciences. The NIA invites applications examining social, emotional
and
economic behaviors of relevance to aging, using approaches that examine
mechanisms and processes at both (a) the social, behavioral or
psychological
(emotional, cognitive, motivational) level, and (b) the neurobiological
or
genetic level. Proposals are encouraged that have an overriding
emphasis on
economic, social or emotional processes and associated genetic or
neurobiological processes. Applications should demonstrate either
relevance for
aging or for age differences or age-related changes in these processes.
Aging-relevant applications can address issues of importance to the
well-being
and health of either mid-life or older adults, and can include data
spanning
the entire life course.
Limited
Competition:
Global Health Program for Fellows and Scholars (Global ...
Funding Opportunity RFA-TW-11-001 from the NIH
Guide for Grants and Contracts. FIC plans to provide opportunities for
up to
four support centers to develop and support global health research
education/research experience programs that meet the following
objectives:
Provide focused mentoring for participants (post-doctorates and
doctoral
students) from the U.S.
and low- and middle- income countries (LMICs) in global health research
in
established research sites in LMICs. Provide educational opportunities
in
diverse areas of research for participants at those research sites.
Enhance the
global health research career trajectory potential of the participants.
Strengthen global health programs at U.S. academic institutions and
help
to sustain global health research at institutions in LMICs. Strengthen
global
health research networks among the alumni and mentors across
institutions in
the U.S.
and LMICs.
Standardization
of
C-Peptide and HbA1C (UC4)
Funding Opportunity RFA-DK-11-020 from the NIH
Guide for Grants and Contracts. This FOA invites applications for a
Central
Primary Reference Laboratory (CPRL) that will be responsible for
improvement
and standardization of HbA1c measurements and C-peptide measurements,
important
for care of diabetes. The significance of HbA1c standardization program
has
recently been stressed by an international expert committee calling for
improved measurement of HbA1c for the diagnosis of diabetes and the
importance of
C-peptide measurement is heightened based on increasing evidence that
preservation of endogenous insulin production in Type 1 diabetes can
provide
significant long-term clinical benefits in subjects with recent onset
Type 1
Diabetes.
Specialized
Centers
of Research (SCOR) on Sex Differences (P50)
Funding Opportunity RFA-OD-11-003 from the NIH
Guide for Grants and Contracts. The ORWH and participating
organizations and
institutes seek to expand the Specialized Centers of Interdisciplinary
Research
(SCOR) on Sex Differences. These centers will provide opportunities for
interdisciplinary approaches to advancing studies in sex differences
research.
Each SCOR should develop a research agenda bridging basic and clinical
research
underlying a health issue that affects women.
Exceptional,
Unconventional
Research Enabling Knowledge Acceleration (EUREKA)...
Funding Opportunity RFA-NS-12-005 from the NIH
Guide for Grants and Contracts. This FOA solicits Research Project
Grant (R01)
applications from institutions/organizations proposing exceptionally
innovative
research on novel hypotheses or difficult problems, solutions to which
would
have an extremely high impact on biomedical or biobehavioral research
in the
epilepsies. This FOA is for support of new projects, not continuation
of
projects that have already been initiated. It does not support pilot
projects,
i.e., projects of limited scope that are designed primarily to generate
data
that will enable the PD/PI to seek other funding opportunities.
Interventional
clinical trials are also not appropriate for this FOA.
Events
Webcasts:
The Hopkins Population Center, on the occasion of its fortieth
anniversary, and
the Bill and Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive
Health at
Johns Hopkins invite you to watch a live webcast "The Seventh
Billion
Human: What Does This Birth Mean?"
Friday, October 14, 2:00 - 4:00 PM Eastern US Time
The webcast will be available at: http://www.jhsph.edu/7billion
Conferences:
The
7th
Chicago Core on Biomeasures in Population-Based Health and Aging
Research
Conference will be held in Chicago Gleacher Center,
October 25, 2011
Please contact Pleasant Radford
(pradford@babies.bsd.uchicago.edu) for
questions related to the conference.
Gerontological
Society
of America's 64th Annual Scientific Meeting, November 18-22, 2011,
Boston Hynes
Convention Center, Boston, MA.
Abstracts Deadline: March 15, 2011
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.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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