Editors: Natalia Gavrilova and Stacy Tessler Lindau
CCBAR Questions and Answers this Month:
Q: We are looking for information on HIV and syphilis tests using dried blood spots (DBS). Any references or suggestions on this topic would be greatly appreciated.
Q: We are looking for information on HIV and syphilis tests using dried blood spots (DBS). Any references or suggestions on this topic would be greatly appreciated.
A: Most
HRS-harmonized studies of older populations collect DBS but, to the best
of our knowledge, none of them conduct HIV or other STD assays. The
Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), based in the
http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/DHSM7/DHS6_Biomarker_Manual_9Jan2012.pdf
The manual does not appear to provide specific detail regarding assay
laboratories. The DHS website is:
http://www.measuredhs.com/Who-We-Are/Contact-Us.cfm
Additional related resources:
"Evaluation of blood collection filter papers for HIV-1 DNA PCR"
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1386653212002235
CDC guidelines for HIV testing in a detailed Powerpoint presentation:
http://downppt.com/HIV-Testing-Recommendations-New-CDC-Guidelines--PPT.html
AddHealth collects saliva and urine samples (not DBS) for STD assays. Their
website is:
http://www.cpc.unc.edu/projects/addhealth
DBS for HSV-2 and syphilis testing in
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2848152/
News
from
the NEJM, Nature Journals, Science, BMJ, PNAS, Lancet and JAMA
Contest
to sequence centenarians kicks off
First entrant pins hopes on semiconductor technology.
Genome
stability, progressive kidney failure and aging
Two new studies report mutations in FAN1 and three
other genome-stability genes that tie the DNA damage response to
progressive kidney failure and the dysfunction of several other organs.
These findings provide clues to the underlying causes of tissue decline
and may add a series of genes to the gro...
Behavioral
dimensions of food security [Perspectives]
The empirical regularities of behavioral economics,
especially loss aversion, time inconsistency, other-regarding
preferences, herd behavior, and framing of decisions, present
significant challenges to traditional approaches to food security. The
formation of price expectations, hoarding behavior, a...
Support
for agriculture during economic transformation: Impacts on poverty an...
This paper explores trends in poverty and nutrition
during economic transformation and especially the impacts linked to
government support for agriculture during the process. Analysis of
multiyear data for 29 developing countries confirms that structural
transformation raises total income and that p...
Association
between psychological distress and mortality: individual particip...
Objective To quantify the link between lower,
subclinically symptomatic, levels of psychological distress and
cause-specific mortality in a large scale, population based study.
Design Individual...
Psychological
distress and death from cardiovascular disease
The association between psychiatric disorders and
cardiovascular disease is often reported in observational studies, but
the question of reverse causation has always loomed large. In a
linked...
Neuroscience:
Hormone linked to depression
A hormone released by fat cells that is associated with a reduced risk
of type 2 diabetes could also protect against depression.Blood levels
of the hormone adiponectin are positively correlated with insulin
sensitivity. Xin-Yun Lu at the University of Texas at San Antonio and
Open
science: Data sharing is harder to reward
Open science has won another powerful advocate in
the UK Royal Society
(Nature486, 441; 201210.1038/486441a). But freely sharing research
results can have social repercussions that may be damaging to
science.By confusing the allocation of scientific merit and potentially
Myocardial
infarction accelerates atherosclerosis
During progression of atherosclerosis, myeloid cells
destabilize
lipid-rich plaques in the arterial wall and cause their rupture, thus
triggering myocardial infarction and stroke. Survivors of acute
coronary syndromes have a high risk of recurrent events for unknown
reasons. Here we show that the sy...
Quiet
Little Traitors
Cells that permanently stop dividing have long been
recognized as one
of the body's defenses against cancer. Now they are also seen as a
sometime culprit in cancer and a cause of aging
Curious
Behavior: Yawning, Laughing, Hiccupping, and Beyond
New
biomarkers sought for improving sepsis management and care
Ageing:
Telomerase gene therapy increases longevity
Telomere shortening and the resulting cellular
senescence promotes
ageing in mammals. This study showed that administration (via an
adeno-associated virus) of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) ? an
enzyme that maintains the length of telomeres ? to old mice decreased
the incidence of age-relat...
The
place of genetics in ageing research
Rapidly increasing numbers of older people present
many countries with
growing social and economic challenges. Yet despite the far-reaching
implications of ageing, its biological basis remains a topic of much
debate. Recent advances in genomics have spurred research on ageing and
lifespan in human p...
Ageing:
Longevity by design
Sagi and Kim used genome engineering to explore how
lifespan could be
enhanced in Caenorhabditis elegans. As expected, the individual
overexpression of known C. elegans longevity-related genes increased
lifespan. Importantly, this was also achieved by zebrafish transgenes
that provide biochemical fu...
Heterogeneity
in racial residential segregation [Social Sciences]
We investigate the dynamic relationship between
residential choices of
individuals and resulting long-term aggregate segregation patterns,
allowing for feedback effects of macrolevel neighborhood conditions on
residential choices. We reinterpret past survey data on whites?
attitudes about desired ne...
Will
the revolution in genetics improve healthcare?
The new millennium has brought with it an explosion
in genetic
knowledge. Future generations are likely to look back at this time as
the beginning of a new era in human genetics and health. The major...
Clinical
and Biomarker Changes in Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's Disease
Serum
25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentration and Risk for Major Clinical Disease
E...
Objective:To evaluate the relationship of 25-(OH)D concentration with
the incidence of major clinical disease events that are
pathophysiologically relevant to vitamin D.
Number
sense across lifespan [Psychological and Cognitive Sciences]
It has been difficult to determine how cognitive
systems change over
the grand time scale of an entire life, as few cognitive systems are
well enough understood; observable in infants, adolescents, and adults;
and simple enough to measure to empower comparisons across vastly
different ages. Here we ...
Biomarkers and Aging in the News Media
• DNA
race to unlock ageing secrets
A race to unlock genetic clues behind living to 100 will begin next
year, with a US team announcing its intention to compete for the $10m
genetics X Prize.
• Reducing
salt 'would cut cancer'
Cutting back on salty foods such as bacon, bread and breakfast cereals
could reduce people's risk of stomach cancer, experts say.
• Make
your 'rainy brain' sunnier
Why do some people flourish, seemingly resilient to all that life
throws at them, while others are vulnerable and at risk of serious
problems like anxiety and depression? Turns out it's your wiring.
• Aging
AIDS epidemic raises new health questions
AIDS is graying. By the end of the decade, the government estimates,
more than half of Americans living with HIV will be over 50.
• Curry
Compound May Lower Diabetes Risk
Curcumin, the substance found in the spice turmeric that gives curry
its color, may lower risk of type 2 diabetes, a small new study
suggests.
• Stress
during pregnancy leads to abdominal obesity in mice offspring
A new report involving mice suggests that a relationship exists between
maternal metabolic or psychological stress and the development of
obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome in her offspring.
• Coffee
could cut risk of skin cancer
A new study finds coffee drinkers could cut their risk of developing
basal cell carcinoma - a common form of skin cancer.
• Women
with high-stress jobs may be more likely to have a heart attack
Women with high-stress jobs 67 percent more likely to have a heart
attack, 38 percent more likely to have a cardiovascular event than
counterparts
• Prostate
cancer surgery won't boost survival in men with early-stage disease,...
Men with early-stage cancer who had their prostate gland removed were
no less likely to die than men who underwent watchful waiting
• Drop
in prostate cancers seen after new U.S. advice
The rate of early prostate cancers among
older Americans dropped suddenly following a change in screening advice
from government-backed experts in 2008, new research shows.
• Fewer
docs screening older men for prostate cancer
Despite the controversy regarding whether most men should be screened
for prostate cancer, many doctors appear to agree that older men do not
need to be screened, a new study suggests.
• Knee
and Hip Replacement Surgeries Linked to Heart Attacks
People over age 60 who have surgery to replace a worn out hip or knee
have a significantly higher risk of having a heart attack after their
surgeries, a large new study shows.
• Exercise
May Reduce Risk of Alzheimer's
Being physically active -- whether it's aerobic activity like walking
or resistance training to build muscles -- can keep your brain sharp
and potentially reduce your risk of getting Alzheimer's disease, new
studies
• Childhood
obesity linked to cancer risk
Researchers have found that obesity in adolescence, defined as a Body
Mass Index in the 85th percentile and above, has a direct link to the
incidence of bladder, urinary tract, and colorectal cancers in
adulthood.
• Aspirin
could be a 'no brainer'
A mass-screening programme for 50- to 70-year-olds can cut the risk of
stomach bleeds due to daily doses of aspirin, cancer experts say.
• Anxiety
over fears may speed up aging in women
Women with highest levels of phobic anxiety in study were similar on a
molecular level to women six years older
• Moderate
Drinking May Help Older Women's Bones
Women who drink alcohol moderately may be doing their bones a favor,
new research suggests.
• Earlier-Term
Babies, Slight Learning Delay?
Earlier term infants may have an increased risk for learning delays, a
new study shows
• Frail,
older adults with high blood pressure may have lower risk of mortality
A new study suggests that higher blood pressure is associated with
lower mortality in extremely frail, elderly adults. The study looked at
a nationally representative group of 2,340 adults ages 65 and older.
The researchers found that lower blood pressure protected healthier,
robust older adults but the same may not be true for their more frail
counterparts.
NIH Press Releases
NIH
funds development of tissue chips to help predict drug safety
Seventeen National Institutes of Health grants are aimed at creating
3-D chips with living cells and tissues that accurately model the
structure and function of human organs such as the lung, liver and
heart.
Cognitive
changes may be only sign of fetal alcohol exposure
Most children exposed to high levels of alcohol in the womb do not
develop the distinct facial features seen in fetal alcohol syndrome,
but instead show signs of abnormal intellectual or behavioral
development, according to a study by researchers at the National
Institutes of Health and researchers in Chile.
Colleges
and communities can reduce alcohol-related harm to students
Coordinated strategies that address alcohol availability, alcohol
policy enforcement and drinking norms can help colleges and their
communities protect students from the harms of high-risk drinking,
according to a new study supported by the National Institutes of Health.
NIH
scientists identify likely predictors of hepatitis C severity
Scientists at the National Institutes of Health have identified several
factors in people infected with the hepatitis C virus that may predict
whether the unusually rapid progression of disease from initial
infection to severe liver conditions, such as cirrhosis, will occur.
Knowing whether a patient's condition is likely to deteriorate quickly
could help physicians decide on the best course of treatment.
At
AIDS 2012, Fauci delivers opening plenary on ending the HIV/AIDS
pandemic
The robust arsenal of antiretroviral drugs and scientifically proven
interventions now available to treat and prevent HIV infection offers
unprecedented opportunities to make major gains in the fight against
HIV/AIDS and ultimately end the pandemic, according to Anthony S.
Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health.
Study
shows colon and rectal tumors constitute a single type of cancer
1The pattern of genomic alterations in colon and
rectal tissues is the
same regardless of anatomic location or origin within the colon or the
rectum, leading researchers to conclude that these two cancer types can
be grouped as one, according to The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)
project's large-scale study of colon and rectal cancer tissue specimens.
NIH
tools facilitate matching cancer drugs with gene targets
A new study details how a suite of web-based tools provides the
research community with greatly improved capacity to compare data
derived from large collections of genomic information against thousands
of drugs. By comparing drugs and genetic targets, researchers can more
easily identify pharmaceuticals that could be effective against
different forms of cancer.
NIH Announcements
Development
of Minimally-Invasive Bioassays to Support Outpatient Clinical Tr...
Funding Opportunity PAR-12-238 from the NIH Guide for Grants and
Contracts. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the
National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health,
encourages Exploratory / Developmental Research Project Grant (R21)
applications from institutions/ organizations that propose to develop
non-invasive (including but not limited to urine, sweat or oral fluids)
or minimally invasive (such as fingerstick), methods to support
outpatient clinical trials of pharmacotherapies for Substance Use
Disorders (SUDs). The announcement has two main aims. The first aim is
to encourage the development of devices / techniques that will improve
estimations of a subjects consumption of an abused drug (i.e. both
quantity and frequency of consumption) during an outpatient clinical
trial. Such a system would allow the objective assessment of whether a
medication reduces drug abuse, even if abstinence is not achieved.
Proposed solutions should be able to assess systemic drug levels and be
safe, portable, affordable and simple enough for subjects to take
multiple samples at home and return them to the clinic for batch
analysis.
RFA-AG-13-003
Secondary Analyses of Comparative Effectiveness, Health Outcomes and
Costs in Persons with Multiple Chronic Conditions (R21)
Expiration date: 10/12/2012
PA-12-212 NIH Support
for Conferences and Scientific Meetings (Parent R13/U13)
Expiration date: 09/08/2014
PAR-12-186 DBSR
Macroeconomic Aspects of Population Aging (R01)
Expiration
date:
10/04/2014
NIMHD
Community-Based
Participatory Research (CBPR) Initiative in Reducing
an...
Funding Opportunity RFA-MD-12-006 from the NIH Guide for Grants and
Contracts. The National Institute on Minority Health and Health
Disparities (NIMHD) invites applications for this Funding Opportunity
Announcement (FOA) to plan the development of effective interventions
using community based participatory research (CBPR) approaches. Support
will be provided to develop and strengthen partnerships between
researchers and health disparity communities to plan and pilot
interventions for a disease or condition to reduce health disparities.
National
Institute on Aging Analysis of Alzheimer's Disease Genome Sequencing...
Funding Opportunity PAR-12-183 from the NIH Guide for Grants and
Contracts. The National Institute on Aging invites applications
specific to the analysis of whole exome and genome sequencing data
provided by the National Human Genome Research Institute Large-Scale
Sequencing Program for the Alzheimer's disease research community.
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:
The National Institutes of Health (NIH), in collaboration with mHIMSS,
will host the NIH mHealth Training Institute at the 2012 mHealth Summit
on December 1st and 2nd. The mHealth Institute is designed to provide
behavioral and social scientists tools to successfully add mobile
health technologies to their research in a collaborative team
environment with mentorship from leaders in the fields of engineering,
medicine and the behavioral and social sciences. This two-day Institute
will provide participants with an overview of the central
multidisciplinary aspects of mobile and wireless research. The training
will follow a project from conception through dissemination led by a
panel of experts. Participants will be involved in didactic
sessions targeting major cross-cutting research issues and
interdisciplinary team exercises developing mHealth research projects.
In your mHealth Summit registration, request the NIH mHealth training
Institute. Please note that there is an additional mHealth Summit fee
of $100.00 to attend the training. Information about registration for
the mHealth Summit is available at the following website: http://www.mhealthsummit.org/registration
Registration for the training institute opens on Monday, August 20th,
2012.
Conferences:
2012
Annual
Meeting
of
the American Sociological Association, August 17-20, Denver,
CO
Abstracts
Deadline:
January
11,
2012
Gerontological
Society
of
America's
65th
Annual
Scientific
Meeting, November 14-18, 2012, San Diego, CA.
Abstracts
Deadline:
March
15,
2012
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
This
Newsletter is supported by a grant from the National
Institute on
Aging, National Institutes of Health (Grant No. 5 P30 AG012857)
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