Browsing by Subject "Geroscience"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    Applying a Life Course Biological Age Framework to Improving the Care of Individuals with Adult Cancers: Review and Research Recommendations
    (American Medical Association, 2021) Mandelblatt, Jeanne S.; Ahles, Tim A.; Lippman, Marc E.; Isaacs, Claudine; Adams-Campbell, Lucile; Saykin, Andrew J.; Cohen, Harvey J.; Carroll, Judith; Radiology and Imaging Sciences, School of Medicine
    Importance: The practice of oncology will increasingly involve the care of a growing population of individuals with midlife and late-life cancers. Managing cancer in these individuals is complex, based on differences in biological age at diagnosis. Biological age is a measure of accumulated life course damage to biological systems, loss of reserve, and vulnerability to functional deterioration and death. Biological age is important because it affects the ability to manage the rigors of cancer therapy, survivors' function, and cancer progression. However, biological age is not always clinically apparent. This review presents a conceptual framework of life course biological aging, summarizes candidate measures, and describes a research agenda to facilitate clinical translation to oncology practice. Observations: Midlife and late-life cancers are chronic diseases that may arise from cumulative patterns of biological aging occurring over the life course. Before diagnosis, each new patient was on a distinct course of biological aging related to past exposures, life experiences, genetics, and noncancer chronic disease. Cancer and its treatments may also be associated with biological aging. Several measures of biological age, including p16INK4a, epigenetic age, telomere length, and inflammatory and body composition markers, have been used in oncology research. One or more of these measures may be useful in cancer care, either alone or in combination with clinical history and geriatric assessments. However, further research will be needed before biological age assessment can be recommended in routine practice, including determination of situations in which knowledge about biological age would change treatment, ascertaining whether treatment effects on biological aging are short-lived or persistent, and testing interventions to modify biological age, decrease treatment toxic effects, and maintain functional abilities. Conclusions and relevance: Understanding differences in biological aging could ultimately allow clinicians to better personalize treatment and supportive care, develop tailored survivorship care plans, and prescribe preventive or ameliorative therapies and behaviors informed by aging mechanisms.
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    Challenges and Assets of Older Adults in Sub-Saharan Africa: Perspectives of Gerontology Scholars
    (Taylor & Francis, 2022) Adamek, Margaret E.; Gebremariam Kotecho, Messay; Chane, Samson; Gebeyaw, Getachew; School of Social Work
    Life expectancy is increasing globally, with the biggest gains expected in sub-Saharan Africa. Using an online survey, we investigated the perspectives of gerontology scholars on the challenges of aging in sub-Saharan Africa as well as the assets of older adults. Respondents (n = 72) from 17 countries, primarily in Africa, and representing 16 disciplines, identified the top issues facing African older adults as: poverty, lack of trained geriatric professionals, food insecurity, disability/health issues, and long-term care. Older adults' unique strengths were noted as indigenous knowledge systems, being holders of cultural heritage, and their contributions to development. Respondents' biggest concerns about older adults in sub-Saharan Africa were the lack of government attention to aging issues (63%) and a lack of social services targeted to older adults' needs (57%). Government funding (77.8%) and international partnerships (38.9%) were noted as resources needed to support aging research in sub-Saharan Africa. The response or non-response of governments in sub-Saharan Africa will determine whether the growing number of older adults will increasingly experience unmet needs and whether their assets will be considered in development efforts. Establishing professional networks of gerontology scholars in the region will help to document the challenges faced by older adults, to plan for the coming demographic shift, and to empower older adults to thrive as valued community members.
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    From Model Organisms to Humans, the Opportunity for More Rigor in Methodologic and Statistical Analysis, Design, and Interpretation of Aging and Senescence Research
    (Oxford University Press, 2022) Chusyd, Daniella E.; Austad, Steven N.; Brown, Andrew W.; Chen, Xiwei; Dickinson, Stephanie L.; Ejima, Keisuke; Fluharty, David; Golzarri-Arroyo, Lilian; Holden, Richard; Jamshidi-Naeini, Yasaman; Landsittel, Doug; Lartey, Stella; Mannix, Edward; Vorland, Colby J.; Allison, David B.; Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine
    This review identifies frequent design and analysis errors in aging and senescence research and discusses best practices in study design, statistical methods, analyses, and interpretation. Recommendations are offered for how to avoid these problems. The following issues are addressed: (a) errors in randomization, (b) errors related to testing within-group instead of between-group differences, (c) failing to account for clustering, (d) failing to consider interference effects, (e) standardizing metrics of effect size, (f) maximum life-span testing, (g) testing for effects beyond the mean, (h) tests for power and sample size, (i) compression of morbidity versus survival curve squaring, and (j) other hot topics, including modeling high-dimensional data and complex relationships and assessing model assumptions and biases. We hope that bringing increased awareness of these topics to the scientific community will emphasize the importance of employing sound statistical practices in all aspects of aging and senescence research.