SSDoH and Aging in Persons of African Ancestry

Abstract Persons of African Ancestry (Black) encompasses a broad spectrum of individuals across the African diaspora. The diversity of the Black community must be considered in the context of SSDoH especially as it relates to diseases of aging. Blacks report higher levels of discrimination as a barrier to Alzheimer’s Disease or related dementia (ADRD) care, are less likely to receive timely diagnoses of ADRD, and many do not trust that a future cure for ADRD will be shared equally and equitability with their community compared to their white counterparts. Once diagnosed, older Blacks, are twice as likely as their white counterparts to have ADRD. A key to addressing the Black community’s ADRD needs is speaking openly about the historical underpinnings related to social injustice and racism as a link to appropriate ADRD diagnoses. Ultimately, SSDoH impact treatment, healthcare policy, and the future of biomedical research for the Black community.

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Alternatives to and Reduction of Animal Use in Biomedical Research, Education and Testing

Alternatives to Laboratory Animals ◽

10.1177/026119299001800110.1 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 18 (1_part_1) ◽

pp. 65-74

Author(s):

John M. Frazier ◽

Alan M. Goldberg

Keyword(s):

Biomedical Research ◽

Toxicity Testing ◽

Research Education ◽

New Methods ◽

New Approaches ◽

The Future ◽

Technological Developments ◽

Animal Use ◽

Do So

Biomedical endeavours can be divided into three major categories: research, education, and testing. Within the context of each of these categories, activities involving whole animals have made major contributions and will continue to do so in the future. However, with technological developments in the areas of biotechnology and computers, new methods are already reducing the use of whole animals in certain areas. This article discusses the general issues of alternatives and then focuses on the development of new approaches to toxicity testing.

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Implementing genomic screening in diverse populations

Genome Medicine ◽

10.1186/s13073-021-00832-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Noura S. Abul-Husn ◽

Emily R. Soper ◽

Giovanna T. Braganza ◽

Jessica E. Rodriguez ◽

Natasha Zeid ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Screening Program ◽

African Ancestry ◽

Genomic Medicine ◽

European Ancestry ◽

Transthyretin Amyloidosis ◽

Medicine Research ◽

Screening Programs ◽

Genomic Screening ◽

Genomic Results ◽

To Receive

Abstract Background Population-based genomic screening has the predicted ability to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with medically actionable conditions. However, much research is needed to develop standards for genomic screening and to understand the perspectives of people offered this new testing modality. This is particularly true for non-European ancestry populations who are vastly underrepresented in genomic medicine research. Therefore, we implemented a pilot genomic screening program in the BioMe Biobank in New York City, where the majority of participants are of non-European ancestry. Methods We initiated genomic screening for well-established genes associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer syndrome (HBOC), Lynch syndrome (LS), and familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). We evaluated and included an additional gene (TTR) associated with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (hATTR), which has a common founder variant in African ancestry populations. We evaluated the characteristics of 74 participants who received results associated with these conditions. We also assessed the preferences of 7461 newly enrolled BioMe participants to receive genomic results. Results In the pilot genomic screening program, 74 consented participants received results related to HBOC (N = 26), LS (N = 6), FH (N = 8), and hATTR (N = 34). Thirty-three of 34 (97.1%) participants who received a result related to hATTR were self-reported African American/African (AA) or Hispanic/Latinx (HL), compared to 14 of 40 (35.0%) participants who received a result related to HBOC, LS, or FH. Among the 7461 participants enrolled after the BioMe protocol modification to allow the return of genomic results, 93.4% indicated that they would want to receive results. Younger participants, women, and HL participants were more likely to opt to receive results. Conclusions The addition of TTR to a pilot genomic screening program meant that we returned results to a higher proportion of AA and HL participants, in comparison with genes traditionally included in genomic screening programs in the USA. We found that the majority of participants in a multi-ethnic biobank are interested in receiving genomic results for medically actionable conditions. These findings increase knowledge about the perspectives of diverse research participants on receiving genomic results and inform the broader implementation of genomic medicine in underrepresented patient populations.

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Insomnolent Anathemas

Theology Today ◽

10.1177/0040573618793590 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 75 (3) ◽

pp. 391-398

Author(s):

Philip G. Ziegler

Keyword(s):

Chronic Insomnia ◽

Short Article ◽

The World ◽

The Future ◽

To Receive

Over several decades during the second half of the last century, the Romanian-born Parisian intellectual E. M. Cioran penned a series of uneasy works whose despondent obsession with God is matched only by their utter disavowal of the reality of the divine. Wrestling pessimistically with nihilism in a world forged by chronic insomnia, illness, nicotine, and despair, Cioran confronts the theologian with a particularly radical articulation of unbelief hard-won at the “verge of existence,” and existence suffered as an “accident of God.” This short article explores the form and substance of Cioran’s biting and aphoristic expression of modern unbelief in an attempt to discern something of its theological significance. Perhaps theology would do well to receive this work as a necessary ascesis of its inapt and faithless contentment and ease with the world. And could it be that theology stands to be schooled in the near impossibility and profundity of hope by the cynicist’s surprising confession that, “Each time the future seems conceivable to me, I have the impression of being visited by Grace”?

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Alzheimer’s Disease: Current and Future Treatments. A Review

International Journal of Medical Students ◽

10.5195/ijms.2014.85 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 56-63

Author(s):

Evelyn Chou

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Cholinesterase Inhibitors ◽

Neurodegenerative Disorder ◽

Nmda Antagonists ◽

Disease Modifying Drugs ◽

Plaque Deposition ◽

The Future ◽

Disease Modifying ◽

Future Treatments

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a currently incurable neurodegenerative disorder whose treatment poses a big challenge. Proposed causes of AD include the cholinergic, amyloid and tau hypotheses. Current therapeutic treatments have been aimed at dealing with the neurotransmitter imbalance. These include cholinesterase inhibitors and N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists. However, current therapeutics have been unable to halt AD progression. Much research has gone into the development of disease-modifying drugs to interfere with the course of the disease. Approaches include secretase inhibition and immunotherapy aimed at reducing plaque deposition. However, these have not been successful in curing AD as yet. It is believed that the main reason why therapeutics have failed to work is that treatment begins too late in the course of the disease. The future of AD treatment thus appears to lie with prevention rather than cure. In this article, current therapeutics and, from there, the future of AD treatment are discussed.

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Combination Therapy in Moderate to Severe Alzheimer’s Disease - Overview and Discussion Points for the Future

European Neurological Review ◽

10.17925/enr.2011.06.04.228 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 228

Author(s):

José L Molinuevo ◽

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Combination Therapy ◽

Receptor Antagonist ◽

Cholinesterase Inhibitors ◽

Current Data ◽

Aspartate Receptor ◽

The Future

Two effective symptomatic therapies are available for Alzheimer’s disease: the cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) and memantine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist. Current data demonstrate that combination therapy with memantine and a ChEI produces symptomatic benefits in all domains of AD. The benefits of combination therapy are greater than those of ChEI monotherapy, are sustained long term and appear to increase with time.

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Industrial Application of Internet of Things

Asia Pacific Journal of Energy and Environment ◽

10.18034/apjee.v3i2.576 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 75-82 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Naresh Babu Bynagari

Keyword(s):

Internet Of Things ◽

Industrial Application ◽

Smart Devices ◽

Industrial Output ◽

Industrial Services ◽

The Future ◽

Multiple Services ◽

Iot Devices ◽

To Receive

‘Industrial application of Internet of Things deals with the application of Internet of things to produce industrial services. It analyzed how industries can carry out multiple services with function remotely using IoT-connected devices. The several benefits and drawbacks to the application of IoT services were also investigated. The IoT is a network of connected systems and smart devices that use encoded networks like sensors, processors, and interactive hardware to receive, send and store data. The utilization of IoT for industrial functions will significantly improve industrial output, and in the future, more industries will come to apply IoT devices and systems for greater efficiency.

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