Diverse Aging and Health Inequality by Race and Ethnicity

Although gerontologists have long embraced the concept of heterogeneity in theories and models of aging, recent research reveals the importance of racial and ethnic diversity on life course processes leading to health inequality. This article examines research on health inequality by race and ethnicity and identifies theoretical and methodological innovations that are transforming the study of health disparities. Drawing from cumulative inequality theory, we propose greater use of life course analysis, more attention to variability within racial and ethnic groups, and better integration of environmental context into the study of accumulation processes leading to health disparities

Increased prevalence of precancerous changes in relatives of gastric cancer patients: critical role of H. pylori

Background & Aims:Helicobacter pylori is believed to predispose to gastric cancer by inducing gastric atrophy and hypochlorhydria. First-degree relatives of patients with gastric cancer have an increased risk of developing gastric cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of atrophy and hypochlorhydria and their association with H. pylori infection in first-degree relatives of patients with gastric cancer. Methods:H. pylori status, gastric secretory function, and gastric histology were studied in 100 first-degree relatives of patients with noncardia gastric cancer and compared with those of controls with no family history of this cancer. Results: Compared with healthy controls, relatives of patients with gastric cancer had a higher prevalence of hypochlorhydria (27% vs. 3%) but a similar prevalence of H. pylori infection (63% vs. 64%). Relatives of cancer patients also had a higher prevalence of atrophy (34%) than patients with nonulcer dyspepsia (5%) matched for H. pylori prevalence. Among the relatives of cancer patients, the prevalence of atrophy and hypochlorhydria was increased only in those with evidence of H. pylori infection, was greater in relatives of patients with familial cancer than in relatives of sporadic cancer index patients, and increased with age. Eradication of H. pylori infection produced resolution of the gastric inflammation in each subject and resolution of hypochlorhydria and atrophy in 50% of the subjects. Conclusions: Relatives of patients with gastric cancer have an increased prevalence of precancerous gastric abnormalities, but this increase is confined to those with H. pylori infection. Consequently, prophylactic eradication of the infection should be offered to such subjects

Rating the Financial Health of U.S. Production Agriculture using Synthetic Credit Rating

Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Production Economics,

The genetic contribution to severe post-traumatic osteoarthritis

Objective: to compare the combined role of genetic variants loci associated with risk of knee or hip osteoarthritis (OA) in post-traumatic (PT) and non-traumatic (NT) cases of clinically severe OA leading to total joint replacement. Methods: A total of 1590 controls, 2168 total knee replacement (TKR) cases (33.2% PT) and 1567 total hip replacement (THR) cases (8.7% PT) from 2 UK cohorts were genotyped for 12 variants previously reported to be reproducibly associated with risk of knee or hip OA. A genetic risk score was generated and the association with PT and NT TKR and THR was assessed adjusting for covariates. Results: For THR, each additional genetic risk variant conferred lower risk among PT cases (OR=1.07, 95% CI 0.96 to 1.19; p=0.24) than NT cases (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.17; p=1.55×10−5). In contrast, for TKR, each risk variant conferred slightly higher risk among PT cases (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.19; p=1.82×10−5) than among NT cases (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.1; p=0.00063). Conclusions: Based on the variants reported to date PT TKR cases have at least as high a genetic contribution as NT cases

Loblolly Pine Growth Response to Mid-rotational Treatments in an Eastern Texas Plantation

The effects of mid-rotational treatments (herbicide, prescribed burn, combination of herbicide and burn, and fertilization) on growth of loblolly pine were evaluated. Five replicates were established in a split-plot experimental design with fertilizer treatments as the whole-plot factor and competition control treatments as the sub-plot factor. Growth response was measured (as change in diameter, total height, and volume) at 8 months and again 4 years after treatments were applied. Mid-rotational treatments failed to enhance diameter, height, and volume growth of loblolly pine. However, a small positive response of diameter growth to fertilization was detected. Height growth was not significantly affected by any treatment 8 months after application date, while it was slightly negatively affected by herbicide and the combination of herbicide and prescribed burning 4 years after application of treatments. In this study, no substantial positive growth response to mid-rotational treatments was detected. However, loblolly growth response may vary from site to site based on differences in soil type, soil condition, and competition level. In addition, associated factors such as seedling quality and planting method may greatly influence loblolly growth response to mid-rotational treatments

An integrated program using TAKTIC to control mange in swine

An integrated treatment program for sarcoptic mange control using TAKTIC@ (omitral.) 12.5% EC was evaluated at eight., privately owned, farrow to finish swine facilities in a four-state area. At all locations the treatment program consisted of an initial whole-herd treatment. phase followed by scheduled treatments applied in conjunction with routine ffionagement practices. Evaluations of mite scrapings taken at scheduled pretreatment and posttreatment intervals showed a 50· 100% reduction in sacroptic mange infestation levels following implementation of the TAKTIC@ treatment program which consisted of an initial treatment and a maintenllnce schedule. Comparison of pretreatment and posttreatment production records showed 10· 15 d earlier maturity in finishing pig market weight, increases of 0.1 -2.1 weaned pigs/Jitter, and decreases in piglet processing and nursing mortality following implementation of the TAKTIC@ treatment program. A theoretical example of the potential for increase return to profit based on these findings is presented

Physiological and Growth Responses of Midrotation Loblolly Pine to Treatments of Fire, Herbicide, and Fertilizer

The objectives of this study were to examine the effects of fertilizer and understory vegetation control (herbicide and prescribed fire) on mature tree physiology and to link observed physiological responses with tree growth. Photosynthetic rate (photosynthesis), transpiration, stomatal conductance, stem diameter, and crown area were measured in two midrotation loblolly pine plantations in East Texas. Rates of photosynthesis, E and gs for the midsummer measurements were significantly reduced by fertilizer treatments on both sites. Drought in east Texas during the last 3 years may have influenced this result. Trees receiving fire at the site with a comparatively more dense live pre-treatment understory exhibited higher rates of photosynthesis; however, prescribed fire had no positive effect on growth. Herbicide treatment significantly increased the change in diameter growth of unfertilized trees at both sites between 1999-2001 by an average of 5 percent, but had no effect on growth of fertilized trees. Increase in diameter growth per unit crown area was significantly greater in unfertilized trees receiving herbicide than in controls

Associations between Cognition, Gender and Monocyte Activation among HIV Infected Individuals in Nigeria.

The potential role of gender in the occurrence of HIV-related neurocognitive impairment (NCI) and associations with markers of HIV-related immune activity has not been previously examined. In this study 149 antiretroviral-naïve seropositive subjects in Nigeria (SP, 92 women and 57 men) and 58 seronegative (SN, 38 women and 20 men) were administered neuropsychological testing that assessed 7 ability domains. From the neuropsychological test scores was calculated a global deficit score (GDS), a measure of overall NCI. Percentages of circulating monocytes and plasma HIV RNA, soluble CD163 and soluble CD14 levels were also assessed. HIV SP women were found to be younger, more educated and had higher CD4+ T cell counts and borderline higher viral load measures than SP men. On the neuropsychological testing, SP women were more impaired in speed of information processing and verbal fluency and had a higher mean GDS than SN women. Compared to SP men, SP women were also more impaired in speed of information processing and verbal fluency as well as on tests of learning and memory. Numbers of circulating monocytes and plasma sCD14 and sCD163 levels were significantly higher for all SP versus all SN individuals and were also higher for SP women and for SP men versus their SN counterparts. Among SP women, soluble CD14 levels were slightly higher than for SP men, and SP women had higher viral load measurements and were more likely to have detectable virus than SP men. Higher sCD14 levels among SP women correlated with more severe global impairment, and higher viral load measurements correlated with higher monocyte numbers and sCD14 and sCD14 levels, associations that were not observed for SP men. These studies suggest that the risk of developing NCI differ for HIV infected women and men in Nigeria and, for women, may be linked to effects from higher plasma levels of HIV driving activation of circulating monocytes