Disrupting The Dyad: Effects Of Parenting Stress On Infant Social-­emotional Development

BACKGROUND. Social-­emotional development in infancy can be compromised by exposure to violence, parental mental illness and other factors that interfere with a caregiver\u27s ability to anticipate and respond to an infant\u27s needs. Parenting stress may influence social­emotional development in the same way. In the context of disturbances to parental care, stress on the caregiver is known to adversely affect infant social-­emotional development. However, there is limited empirical evidence explicitly examining the impact of parenting stress (as it is measured in this analysis). OBJECTIVES. To examine the effect of maternal parenting stress on the social-­emotional development of infants born to young, urban mothers, and to investigate the role of infant temperament as a potential mediator of this relationship. METHODS. Data come from postpartum interviews with 711 participants in a prospective, randomized controlled trial promoting reproductive health through group prenatal care. At baseline, participants were in their second trimester of pregnancy and ranged in age from 14 to 25 years old. Baron and Kenny\u27s (1986) four-­step methodology was used to determine whether infant temperament mediates the association between parenting stress and any of six indicators of social-­emotional development: sleeping dysregulation, eating dysregulation, inhibition and separation problems, attention skills, negative emotionality and positive emotionality. RESULTS. Lower levels of parenting stress predicted better infant temperament at six months and better social-­emotional development at one year. Infant temperament also mediated the relationship between parenting stress and each social-­emotional development indicator. CONCLUSIONS. Findings demonstrate that parenting stress is a risk factor for suboptimal social-­emotional development. Infant temperament appears to mediate the impact on the mother-­infant dyad, which drives the adverse effects of parenting stress on infant development

Metformin-mediated increase in DICER1 regulates microRNA expression and cellular senescence

Metformin, an oral hypoglycemic agent, has been used for decades to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus. Recent studies indicate that mice treated with metformin live longer and have fewer manifestations of age-related chronic disease. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenotype are unknown. Here, we show that metformin treatment increases the levels of the microRNA-processing protein DICER1 in mice and in humans with diabetes mellitus. Our results indicate that metformin upregulates DICER1 through a post-transcriptional mechanism involving the RNA-binding protein AUF1. Treatment with metformin altered the subcellular localization of AUF1, disrupting its interaction with DICER1 mRNA and rendering DICER1 mRNA stable, allowing DICER1 to accumulate. Consistent with the role of DICER1 in the biogenesis of microRNAs, we found differential patterns of microRNA expression in mice treated with metformin or caloric restriction, two proven life-extending interventions. Interestingly, several microRNAs previously associated with senescence and aging, including miR-20a, miR-34a, miR-130a, miR-106b, miR-125, and let-7c, were found elevated. In agreement with these findings, treatment with metformin decreased cellular senescence in several senescence models in a DICER1- dependent manner. Metformin lowered p16 and p21 protein levels and the abundance of inflammatory cytokines and oncogenes that are hallmarks of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). These data lead us to hypothesize that changes in DICER1 levels may be important for organismal aging and to propose that interventions that upregulate DICER1 expression (e.g., metformin) may offer new pharmacotherapeutic approaches for age-related disease

THE EFFECTS OF UPLEDGER CRANIOSACRAL THERAPY ON POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER SYMPTOMATOLOGY IN VIETNAM COMBAT VETERANS

The Upledger Institute has provided rwo week intensive treatment for Vietnam veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as diagnosed by the Veteran's Affairs (VA) medical division. These patients received psychological evaluation tests at the times of entry and exit into and out of the program. The intensive treatment was about six-seven hours per day for eight full days, with approximately three-four hours on the first and last days of the program. The therapy used was primarily CranioSacral Therapy and its progeny Energy Cyst Release, SomatoEmotional Release and Therapeutic Imagery and Dialogue. The results obtained strongly suggest that PTSD may be more successfully treated when the thetapy includes corrections of the craniosacral system, the release of foreign energies and conscious-nonconscious integration

Neighborhood crime is differentially associated with cardiovascular risk factors as a function of race and sex

Background: Neighborhood crime may be an important factor contributing to cardiovascular health disparities, and these relations may vary by race and sex. The present investigation evaluated (a) potential differential associations between neighborhood crime and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors within subgroups of African American (AA) and White men and women, and (b) potential mediation by negative affect. Design and Methods: Participants were 1,718 AAs and Whites (58% AA; 54% female; 59% above poverty; ages 30-64 years) living in Baltimore, Maryland who completed the first wave of the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span study from 2004-2009. CVD risk factors included body mass index, total serum cholesterol, glucose, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. A negative affect composite was comprised of self-reported depression, anxiety, anger, vigilance, and perceived stress. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to examine associations between per capita overall and violent crime rates, negative affect, and CVD risk factors. Results: There were significant associations of greater overall crime rate with higher fasting glucose (b=.192, P<0.05), and greater violent crime rate with higher systolic (b=86.50, P<0.05) and diastolic (b=60.12, P<0.05) blood pressure in AA women, but not men. These associations were not explained by negative affect. In Whites, there were no significant associations of overall or violent crime rates with cardiovascular risk factors. Conclusions: AA women may be particularly vulnerable to the negative impact of crime on cardiovascular risk. Preventative efforts aimed toward this group may help to deter the detrimental effects that living in a high crime area may have on one’s cardiovascular health

Vitamin D and Biomarkers of Sex Steroid Hormones Are Non-Linearly and Inversely Related to All-Cause Mortality: Results from NHANES III

Background: In men, hypovitaminosis D as well as high and low testosterone levels have been linked to adverse events, including death. A biological interaction has been previously suggested between vitamin D and androgens. In a cohort study using Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data, we simultaneously investigated circulating vitamin D and biomarkers of sex steroid hormones as predictors of all-cause mortality. Methods: Age-adjusted and fully-adjusted Cox regression models were constructed to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI). Whereas the vitamin D sufficient group (25(OH)D3 ≥30 ng/ml) was selected as a referent, biomarkers of sex steroid hormones (testosterone, estradiol, SHBG) were defined as Loge-transformed continuous variables. Results: Of 1,472 men with a mean age of 42.1 years at baseline, 382 died over a median of 192 months of follow-up. Estradiol levels were significantly higher among vitamin D deficient compared to vitamin D sufficient men and sex hormone binding globulin level was significantly higher in vitamin D sufficient compared to vitamin D insufficient or deficient groups. An inverse non-linear relationship was observed between all-cause mortality rate and levels of testosterone, estradiol and vitamin D, in fully-adjusted models. There were no significant interaction effects between vitamin D and sex steroid hormones in relation to all-cause mortality rate. Conclusions: Vitamin D and sex steroid hormones, but not sex hormone binding globulin, may be inversely and non-linearly related to all-cause mortality among adult men, after adjustment for baseline demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle and clinical characteristics

Vitamin D receptor and megalin gene polymorphisms are associated with central adiposity status and changes among US adults

We examined longitudinal associations of vitamin D receptor (VDR) and megalin (LRP2; LDL receptor-related protein-2) gene polymorphisms with central adiposity. We used data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA), an ongoing prospective open cohort study. Study participants consisted of non-Hispanic white adults residing in Baltimore city, with one or more visits at age ≥50 years, and complete data (n 609–617). Repeated assessments on waist circumference (WC) and waist:hip ratio (WHR) were available. Multiple linear mixed models were used to estimate mid-follow-up age central adiposity level and annual rate of change with cut-points set at the sex-specific 80th percentile. The four binary outcomes were: ‘elevated central adiposity’ (ECA-WC and ECA-WHR) and ‘significant increase in central adiposity’ (SICA-WC and SICA-WHR). SNP for VDR (four SNP: (1) rs11568820 (CdX-2:T/C); (2) rs1544410 (BsmI:G/A); (3) rs7975232 (ApaI:A/C); (4) rs731236 (TaqI:G/A)) and Megalin (three SNP: (1) rs3755166:G/A; (2) rs2075252:C/T; (3) rs4668123:C/T) genes were selected. SNP latent classes (SNPLC) and SNP haplotypes (SNPHAP) were created. Multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that, in men, higher ECA-WHR odds were associated with SNPLC Megalin2:rs3755166[–]/rs2075252[TT]/rs4668123[T–] (v. Megalin1:rs3755166[–]/rs2075252[CC]/rs4668123[–]) (OR 2·87; 95 % CI 1·15, 7·12; P = 0·023) and that SNPLC Megalin3:rs3755166[–]/rs2075252[CT]/rs4668123[–] (v. Megalin1) was linked to lower SICA-WC odds (OR 0·48; 95 % CI 0·26, 0·88; P = 0·019) (P > 0·05 for sex × SNPLC). In women, VDR3 SNPHAP (GAA:bAT) was related to lower odds of ECA-WC (OR 0·37; 95 % CI 0·16, 0·87; P = 0·023) (P 0·05 for sex × SNPHAP). Vitamin D-related gene polymorphisms were associated with central adiposity status and change. Future mechanistic studies are needed to confirm those polymorphisms' biological significance to central adiposity

Recruitment and Retention Strategies for Minority or Poor Clinical Research Participants: Lessons From the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Life Span Study

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Investigating health disparities requires studies designed to recruit and retain racially and socioeconomically diverse cohorts. It is critical to address the barriers that disproportionately affect participation in clinical research by minorities and the socioeconomically disadvantaged. This study sought to identify and rectify these barriers to recruit and retain a biracial (African American and non-Hispanic White) and socioeconomically diverse cohort for a longitudinal study. DESIGN AND METHOD: The Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span study is a 20-year longitudinal examination of how race and socioeconomic status influence the development of age-related health disparities. One goal was to create a multifactorial recruitment and retention strategy. The recruitment paradigm targeted known barriers and identified those unique to the study's urban environment. The retention paradigm mirrored the recruitment plan but was based on specifically developed approaches. RESULTS: This cohort recruitment required attention to developing community partnerships, designing the research study to meet the study hypotheses and to provide benefit to participants, providing a safe community-based site for the research and creating didactics to develop staff cultural proficiency. These efforts facilitated study implementation and enhanced recruitment resulting in accrual of a biracial and socioeconomically diverse cohort of 3,722 participants. IMPLICATIONS: Recruiting and retaining minority or poor research participants is challenging but possible. The essential facets include clear communication of the research hypothesis, focus on providing a direct benefit for participants, and selection of a hypothesis that is directly relevant to the community studied.http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnr02

Associations between race, APOE genotype, cognition, and mortality among urban middle-aged white and African American adults

We examined associations between cognition and mortality and how these relationships vary by race and Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype, in a longitudinal study of 2346 middle-aged White and African American adults (30-64 years at baseline) from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span cohort study. Baseline cognition spanned global mental status, and several domains obtained using principal components analysis (PCA; PCA1: verbal memory/fluency; PCA2: attention/working memory; PCA3: executive function/visuo-spatial abilities). Cox regression models evaluated associations between cognition and all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD)-mortality. Interactions between cognition and APOE2 as well as APOE4 allelic dose were tested, and race was a key effect modifier. Higher APOE4 dose was associated with increased CVD-mortality (hazard ratio [HR] per allele = 1.37; 95% CI 1.01-1.86, p = 0.041); APOE2 dosage's association with CVD-mortality was non-significant (HR = 0.60; 95% CI 0.35-1.03, p = 0.065). Higher PCA3 was associated with lower all-cause (HR = 0.93; 95% CI 0.87-0.99, p = 0.030) and CVD (HR = 0.85; 95% CI 0.77-0.95, p = 0.001) mortality risks, the latter association being more pronounced among Whites. PCA2 interacted synergistically with APOE2 dosage, reducing risks for all-cause mortality (PCA2 × APOE2: - 0.33 ± 0.13, p = 0.010) and CVD mortality (PCA2 × APOE2: - 0.73 ± 0.31, p = 0.019). In conclusion, greater executive function/visuo-spatial abilities were associated with reduced CVD-specific mortality, particularly among Whites. Greater "attention/working memory" coupled with higher APOE2 dosage was linked with reduced all-cause and CVD mortality risks

Maternal perceptions of father involvement among refugee and disadvantaged families in Beirut, Lebanon

The role of fathers in (co-)parenting their children among refugee and disadvantaged families in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) remains poorly understood. This study sought to examine the associations among mothers’ perceptions of their husband’s involvement (hereafter referred to as paternal involvement), and her perceptions of her own well-being and a number of other variables, as well as observed mother-child interactions in families living in refugee and disadvantaged communities in Beirut, Lebanon. We analyzed baseline data from 104 mother-child dyads (mean age of children = 4.34 years; range = 2.05 to 7.93 years of age) who participated in a randomized controlled trial aimed at evaluating the impact of the Mother-Child Education Program in Beirut. In addition to the mother’s perception of paternal involvement and the videotaped mother-child interactions, data were collected concerning the mother’s well-being and her level of social support, as well as her level of stress as a parent and the way her children were disciplined in the family. Mother-child pairs were videotaped while completing a puzzle together and dyadic interactions were coded. Path analysis showed that paternal involvement was significantly associated with a higher level of maternal well-being and lower distress levels. In addition, higher levels of maternal distress were associated with higher levels of harsh discipline and parenting stress. Correlation analysis showed that higher perceptions of paternal involvement were associated with more positive affect displayed by the child, more positive regard for the child, and better mother-child synchrony during the dyadic interactions. Limitations include the cross-sectional design and the modest sample size, which hinder causal inferences and generalizability of the findings. These preliminary findings suggest that higher levels of paternal involvement may have an impact on markers of maternal mental health and positive mother-child interactions in families living in disadvantaged communities or humanitarian settings. Paternal involvement should be considered when designing and implementing parenting programs in LMICs