The Impact of Neighborhood Conditions and Psychological Distress on Preterm Birth in African‐American Women

ObjectivePrior research suggests that adverse neighborhood conditions are related to preterm birth. One potential pathway by which neighborhood conditions increase the risk for preterm birth is by increasing women’s psychological distress. Our objective was to examine whether psychological distress mediated the relationship between neighborhood conditions and preterm birth.Design and SampleOne hundred and one pregnant African‐American women receiving prenatal care at a medical center in Chicago participated in this cross‐sectional design study.MeasuresWomen completed the self‐report instruments about their perceived neighborhood conditions and psychological distress between 15–26 weeks gestation. Objective measures of the neighborhood were derived using geographic information systems (GIS). Birth data were collected from medical records.ResultsPerceived adverse neighborhood conditions were related to psychological distress: perceived physical disorder (r = .26, p = .01), perceived social disorder (r = .21, p = .03), and perceived crime (r = .30, p = .01). Objective neighborhood conditions were not related to psychological distress. Psychological distress mediated the effects of perceived neighborhood conditions on preterm birth.ConclusionsPsychological distress in the second trimester mediated the effects of perceived, but not objective, neighborhood conditions on preterm birth. If these results are replicable in studies with larger sample sizes, intervention strategies could be implemented at the individual level to reduce psychological distress and improve women’s ability to cope with adverse neighborhood conditions.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137507/1/phn12305_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/137507/2/phn12305.pd

Influence of photoperiod and sex on locomotor behavior of meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) in an automated light-dark 'anxiety' test

This study examined the influence of photoperiod on affective behavior (anxiety) of adult male and female meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus), maintained in either a long or short day photoperiod, when tested in an automated (VersaMax) light-dark test. The light-dark test is based on an innate aversion of rodents to novel, brightly illuminated spaces and has been used with laboratory raised species, such as mice, to assess anxiety and/or fear related behaviors. Male and female meadow voles, housed either in a long day (LD: 16h light) or short day (SD: 8h light) photoperiod, were tested in the light-dark apparatus for 30 min on 3 consecutive days. All animals spent significantly (p<0.001) less time in the brightly lit chamber (900 lux) than in the dark chamber. LD voles, especially females, spent significantly less time in the brightly lit area than did SD voles. Both horizontal and vertical movements occurred less frequently per unit time in the dark area relative to the light, but only in the LD voles. LD female voles were the least active group in the dark area on the first test day but the most active group in the light area, despite spending the least amount of time in this area on the second and third test days. The present results show that LD voles exhibit more anxiety related behaviors in this test situation than do SD voles. LD females avoided the brightly lit area the most, particularly when the apparatus was novel. Thus, both photoperiod and sex influence situation-based anxiety in this species. These findings suggest that meadow voles are an excellent animal model in which to examine the role of gonadal hormones, and their modulation of defence related neural systems, in the induction of anxiety.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/83869/1/influence_of_photoperiod_and_sex.pd

The Association Between Loneliness and Inflammation: Findings From an Older Adult Sample

Loneliness has been linked to poor mental and physical health outcomes. Past research suggests that inflammation is a potential pathway linking loneliness and health, but little is known about how loneliness assessed in daily life links with inflammation, or about linkages between loneliness and inflammation among older adults specifically. As part of a larger investigation, we examined the cross-sectional associations between loneliness and a panel of both basal and LPS-stimulated inflammatory markers. Participants were 222 socioeconomically and racially diverse older adults (aged 70&ndash;90 years; 38% Black; 13% Hispanic) systematically recruited from the Bronx, NY. Loneliness was measured in two ways, with a retrospective trait measure (the UCLA Three Item Loneliness Scale) and an aggregated momentary measure assessed via ecological momentary assessment (EMA) across 14 days. Inflammatory markers included both basal levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and cytokines (IL-1&beta;, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-&alpha;) and LPS-stimulated levels of the same cytokines. Multiple regression analyses controlled for age, body-mass index, race, and depressive symptoms. Moderation by gender and race were also explored. Both higher trait loneliness and aggregated momentary measures of loneliness were associated with higher levels of CRP (&beta; = 0.16, p = 0.02; &beta; = 0.15, p = 0.03, respectively). There were no significant associations between loneliness and basal or stimulated cytokines and neither gender nor race were significant moderators. Results extend prior research linking loneliness with systemic inflammation in several ways, including by examining this connection among a sample of older adults and using a measure of aggregated momentary loneliness. &nbsp;</p

Lancet

BACKGROUND: In 2015, the second cycle of the CONCORD programme established global surveillance of cancer survival as a metric of the effectiveness of health systems and to inform global policy on cancer control. CONCORD-3 updates the worldwide surveillance of cancer survival to 2014. METHODS: CONCORD-3 includes individual records for 37.5 million patients diagnosed with cancer during the 15-year period 2000-14. Data were provided by 322 population-based cancer registries in 71 countries and territories, 47 of which provided data with 100% population coverage. The study includes 18 cancers or groups of cancers: oesophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, liver, pancreas, lung, breast (women), cervix, ovary, prostate, and melanoma of the skin in adults, and brain tumours, leukaemias, and lymphomas in both adults and children. Standardised quality control procedures were applied; errors were rectified by the registry concerned. We estimated 5-year net survival. Estimates were age-standardised with the International Cancer Survival Standard weights. FINDINGS: For most cancers, 5-year net survival remains among the highest in the world in the USA and Canada, in Australia and New Zealand, and in Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. For many cancers, Denmark is closing the survival gap with the other Nordic countries. Survival trends are generally increasing, even for some of the more lethal cancers: in some countries, survival has increased by up to 5% for cancers of the liver, pancreas, and lung. For women diagnosed during 2010-14, 5-year survival for breast cancer is now 89.5% in Australia and 90.2% in the USA, but international differences remain very wide, with levels as low as 66.1% in India. For gastrointestinal cancers, the highest levels of 5-year survival are seen in southeast Asia: in South Korea for cancers of the stomach (68.9%), colon (71.8%), and rectum (71.1%); in Japan for oesophageal cancer (36.0%); and in Taiwan for liver cancer (27.9%). By contrast, in the same world region, survival is generally lower than elsewhere for melanoma of the skin (59.9% in South Korea, 52.1% in Taiwan, and 49.6% in China), and for both lymphoid malignancies (52.5%, 50.5%, and 38.3%) and myeloid malignancies (45.9%, 33.4%, and 24.8%). For children diagnosed during 2010-14, 5-year survival for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia ranged from 49.8% in Ecuador to 95.2% in Finland. 5-year survival from brain tumours in children is higher than for adults but the global range is very wide (from 28.9% in Brazil to nearly 80% in Sweden and Denmark). INTERPRETATION: The CONCORD programme enables timely comparisons of the overall effectiveness of health systems in providing care for 18 cancers that collectively represent 75% of all cancers diagnosed worldwide every year. It contributes to the evidence base for global policy on cancer control. Since 2017, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has used findings from the CONCORD programme as the official benchmark of cancer survival, among their indicators of the quality of health care in 48 countries worldwide. Governments must recognise population-based cancer registries as key policy tools that can be used to evaluate both the impact of cancer prevention strategies and the effectiveness of health systems for all patients diagnosed with cancer. FUNDING: American Cancer Society; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Swiss Re; Swiss Cancer Research foundation; Swiss Cancer League; Institut National du Cancer; La Ligue Contre le Cancer; Rossy Family Foundation; US National Cancer Institute; and the Susan G Komen Foundation

Social isolation impairs oral palatal wound healing in sprague-dawley rats: a role for miR-29 and miR-203 via VEGF suppression.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of social isolation on oral mucosal healing in rats, and to determine if wound-associated genes and microRNAs (miRNAs) may contribute to this response. METHODS: Rats were group housed or socially isolated for 4 weeks before a 3.5 mm wound was placed on the hard oral palate. Wound closure was assessed daily and tissues were collected for determination of gene expression levels and miRNAs (i.e., miR-29a,b,c and miR-203). The predicted target of these microRNAs (i.e., vascular endothelial growth factor A, VEGFA) was functionally validated. RESULTS: Social isolation stress delayed the healing process of oral palatal mucosal wounds in rats. Lower mRNA levels of interleukin-1β (IL1β), macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP1α), fibroblast growth factor 7 (FGF7), and VEGFA were found in the biopsied tissues of isolated animals on days 1 and/or 3 post-wounding. Intriguingly, the isolated rats persistently exhibited higher levels of miR-29 family members and miR-203. Our results confirmed that VEGFA is a direct target of these miRNAs, as both miR-29a,c and miR-203 strongly and specifically suppressed endogenous VEGFA expression in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: This study in rats demonstrates for the first time that social isolation delays oral mucosal healing, and suggests a potential role for healing-associated gene and miRNA interactions during this process via modulation of VEGF expression

Salivary biomarkers in psychoneuroimmunology

As molecular biology advances, an increasing number of proteins are becoming detectable at very low levels in different biological tissues. In this regard, saliva holds vast promise. Unlike blood, saliva can be sampled 1) non-invasively; 2) across all ages (newborn to elderly); 3) in the field; 4) by study participants; and 5) many times per day. With respect to psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), physiological measures of stress such as cortisol have been well characterized. Alpha amylase provides another physiological index of stress; it is a measure of autonomic nervous system activation and is quantifiable in saliva. Other salivary measures, such as inflammatory biomarkers and immunoglobulin A (IgA), provide valuable information pertaining to the effects of stress on inflammation, mucosal immunity, and oral health. Importantly, due to various methodological issues and a lack of strong correlation between saliva and blood measures, investigators should proceed with caution in drawing conclusions from measures of salivary inflammation that pertain to systemic immunity or generalized health

Gender differences in the link between depressive symptoms and ex vivo inflammatory responses are associated with markers of endotoxemia

Depressive symptoms are often linked with higher inflammation and inflammatory responses, although these associations are not always consistent. In a recent study (N = 160, 25–65 years, 67% women), our group reported gender differences relevant to this association: In men higher depressive symptoms were related to heightened ex vivo inflammatory responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), whereas in women higher depressive symptoms were related to attenuated inflammatory responses. In the present manuscript, we investigate markers of endotoxemia – i.e., markers of the presence of endotoxin in the blood, presumably due to bacterial translocation from the gut – as factors that elicit gender-dependent immune responses that may be associated with links between depressive symptoms and inflammation. We examined ex vivo inflammatory responses in whole blood via a composite index of LPS-stimulated cytokines. The ratio of LPS-binding protein to soluble CD14 receptor (LBP:sCD14) was quantified as an index of endotoxemia that captures the relative reliance on pro-inflammatory versus non-inflammatory pathways for bacterial clearance. Levels of endotoxemia markers in blood were found to moderate gender differences in the link between depressive symptoms and stimulated inflammation (Gender × Depressive Symptoms × Endotoxemia: B = −0.039, 95%CI [-0.068, 0.009], p = 0.010). At lower LBP:sCD14 levels, depressive symptoms and stimulated inflammation were unrelated in both men and women. However, with higher levels of LBP:sCD14, men showed an increasingly positive correlation and women showed a negative correlation between depressive symptoms and stimulated inflammation. Hence, men and women exhibited similar associations between depressive symptoms and inflammatory responses at lower endotoxin marker levels, but these associations became divergent at higher levels of endotoxin markers. This information provides a novel perspective on risk factors for depression-linked alterations in inflammation, which may help to determine susceptibility to the downstream physical consequences of depressive symptomatology