Search

Purpose We examined if childhood socioeconomic status (SES) was related to adult leucocyte telomere length (TL) using the data of 361 African American (AA) participants from the GENE-FORECAST Study. We also assessed the mediating role of behavioral and psychosocial factors in the association between childhood SES and adult TL. Methods Childhood SES was assessed individually by using participant’s mother’s education and occupation, father’s education and occupation, parental home ownership, and family structure. TL was assessed using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction method. Information on potential confounders and mediators were collected. The associations of childhood SES with TL were assessed using multivariable linear regression models. We used path analysis to quantify and test the share of these associations that was statistically explained by each of the mediators (participant’s educational attainment, smoking status, physical activity, dietary habit, perceived stress, and depressive symptoms). Results Mother’s education was associated with longer average TL (β: 0.021; 95% CI: 0.001, 0.04, p=0.038) in confounder adjusted models. Once mediators were introduced in the model, the estimates were reduced and remained marginally significant (β: 0.017; 95% CI: −0.003, 0.038, p=0.061). According to path model, approximately 19% of the effect of mother’s education on TL (β: 0.004; 95% CI: −0.001, 0.01, p < 0.10) was mediated through participant’s own education level. No significant mediation effect was observed for any other mediators. Conclusions These data provide evidence that participant’s mother’s education was positively linked to adult TL in AA population. Participant’s own educational level partially explained this association.

Background: African Americans (AA) are disproportionally affected by cardiovascular disease as compared to other racial-ethnic groups. Exposure to adverse socioeconomic conditions may partially explain disparities in risk factors and prevalence and cardiovascular diseases for AA. We aim to study the impact of poverty status on metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components among African Americans. Methods: We used data from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES) cycles 2001-2006. We defined MetS using the Joint Scientific Definition as the presence of any 3/5 components: elevated blood pressure (BP), elevated triglycerides (TGL), lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), elevated fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and elevated waist circumference (WC). Poverty to income ratio (PIR) was categorized as below poverty ( 3) groups. We used multivariable survey-weighted logistic regression models to study the impact of poverty status of prevalence of MetS and its components among AA men and women. Results: Overall, the average aggregate prevalence of MetS among AA sample was 22% in our study with prevalence being 25% for women and 18% among men (p 3) (OR = 1.57, 95%CI = 1.00 - 2.46, p = 0.05) with no association observed among men (OR (PIR = 1) = 0.70, 95%CI = 0.43 - 1.19, p = 0.13). Further, similar associations were observed for individual components among women including: elevated waist circumference (OR = 2.04, 95%CI = 1.37, 3.01, p 3). No association of poverty status with MetS and its components were observed among AA men. Clustering of factors identified key groups that define MetS among women included WC. Conclusion: African American women living below poverty have a higher likelihood of having MetS and 4 of 5 individual components. Clustering of these factors differ across men and women and should be further explored as tools for clinical management. Main Points: 1) Metabolic syndrome remains an important public health burden among African Americans and shows disparities by socioeconomic status; 2) Women living below poverty were more likely to have MetS and associated components as compared to women living above poverty; 3) Clustering of components gave us snapshot of factors that should be considered to develop gender specific targeted health interventions for MetS among African Americans.

To assess the stability of genotypes for grain yield and physio-biochemical traits associated with terminal heat tolerance pooled analysis of 8 genotypes of wheat of diverse origin, their 28 F1 progeny and 2 checks were carried out in 4 different environments i.e. early sown (E1), normal sown (E2), late sown (E3) and very late sown (E4) conditions. The pooled analysis of variance due to environment (for proline and chlorophyll content), genotypes and genotype × environment interaction was significant for all the traits under consideration. This indicated the distinct and differential effect of the different sowing conditions (environment) and differential response of all the genotypes chosen for the study. The five stable wheat hybrids viz., HI 1544 × HD 2987, Raj 4037 × HD 2987, PBW 175 × HD 2987, HD 2932 × Raj 4079 and PBW 175 × Lok 1 showed higher mean values, favourable regression coefficient and deviation from regression coefficient for grain yield and other associated characters, thus emerged as stable genotypes as per criteria of stability analysis. Similarly, some genotypes showed specific adaptations for poor or heat stress environment.

Background Unfair treatment such as discrimination and racism contribute to depression and perceived stress in African Americans. Although studies have examined how responding to such treatment is associated with ameliorating depressive symptoms and levels of perceived stress, most do not focus on African Americans. The purpose of this study is to assess how talking to others in response to unfair treatment is associated with self-reported depressive symptoms and perceived stress levels in African Americans. Methods A sample from the 2010–2013 Minority Health Genomics and Translational Research Bio-Repository Database was used and consisted of 376 African American adults aged 30–55 years old residing in the southern region of the United States. Linear regression models were used to assess the association between talking to others following unfair treatment, compared to keeping it to oneself, on self-reported depressive symptoms and perceived stress. The predictor variable was based on the question “If you have been treated unfairly, do you usually talk to people about it or keep it to yourself?”. Results Talking to someone after being treated unfairly was inversely associated with perceived stress ($$\beta$$ β : -3.62, SE: 1.14, p ≤ 0.05) and depressive symptoms ($$\beta$$ β : -3.62, SE: 1.14, p ≤ 0.05). Conclusions African Americans who talked to others in response to unfair treatment had lower depressive symptoms and perceived stress than those who kept it to themselves. More outreach to African Americans regarding the importance of talk in response to exposure to unfair treatment is needed as a potential coping mechanism.

Objective: Little is known about the rela­tionship between adiposity and telomere length in the United States population. The objective of our research was to examine this relationship in a representative, socio­economically and sex-specific, diverse ra­cial/ethnic population in the United States. Design: Cross-sectional. Methods: Body mass index (BMI), % total body fat (TBF) and waist circumference (WC) with leukocyte telomere length (LTL) were examined according to sex-specific race/ethnicity using separate adjusted mul­tivariate linear regressions on a sample of 4,919 respondents aged 20-84 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examina­tion Survey’s 1999-2002 data. Results: LTL was shortened .41%, .44%, and .16% in African American (AA) women and was associated with increasing BMI, %TBF, and WC, (β:-.0041, 95%CI: -.0070, -.0012; P=.007; β:-.0044, 95% CI: -.0081, -.0007; P=.02; β:-.0016, 95%CI: -.0031, -.0001; P=.04, respectively). LTL was shortened .29% in White women and was associated with increasing %TBF (β:-.0029, 95%CI: -.0048, -.0009; P=.006). There were no associations among AA men, White men or Mexican American men and women. Conclusions: LTL is associated with an obesity phenotype in AA women. Tailored intervention is needed to ameliorate the burden of excess adiposity and subsequent cellular aging. Ethn Dis. 2020;30(3):441-450; doi:10.18865/ed.30.3.441

Purpose Poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL) could lead to higher morbidity and mortality through telomere attrition or accelerated cellular aging. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis to examine the relationship between four dimensions of HRQOL and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) among a nationally representative sample of 3547 US adults (≥20 years) using the data from the 2001–2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Method We used HRQOL survey information collected on individuals’ self-rated general health, recent physical health, recent mental health, and recent activity limitation. Telomere length was assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Multiple linear regressions were used to estimate the relationship between each dimension of HRQOL and log-transformed values of LTL with adjustment for sample weights and design effects. Results HRQOL-race interactions were significant, and the results were stratified by race. After controlling for demographic factors, disease conditions, and lifestyle variables, worse general health was significantly associated with shorter LTL for Blacks (coefficient, β: −0.022, 95% Confidence Interval, 95% CI: −0.03 to −0.01), but not for Whites or Mexican Americans. Unwell physical health was associated with shorter telomere length for Whites (β: −0.005, 95% CI: −0.01 to −0.001) only. Unwell mental health showed no significant association with LTL in any race. Conclusions Although longitudinal studies are needed to prove causality, our findings suggest that HRQOL could be associated with LTL shortening. We also found a possible racial difference in this association and recommend additional multiethnic studies to confirm this and to understand the reasons and consequences of this difference. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11136-017-1610-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Obesity is associated with age-related health conditions and telomere attrition – a marker of cellular aging. Obesity is attributable to adverse modifiable lifestyle factors. Little is known about the mediation effect of lifestyle factors associated with the relationship between obesity and telomere length. Our objective was to examine this association in the US. Pack years smoked, drinking level per day, physical activity (PA) per week and diet based on Healthy Eating Index (HEI) were assessed as mediators associated with the relationship between adiposity measures and leukocyte telomere length (LTL); adiposity measures included body mass index (BMI), % total body fat (TBF) and waist circumference (WC). Separate adjusted linear regressions and mediation analysis were conducted on a total of 4919 respondents aged 20–84 years using cross-sectional 1999–2002 data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Inadequate PA correlated with 1.28% shorter LTL and was a factor accounting for 35% of the relationship between BMI and LTL (β = −0.0128, 95% CI = 0.0259, 0.0004, p = .05). Smoking 30–≥59 pack years correlated with 4% shorter LTL and accounted for 21% of the relationship between %TBF and LTL (β = −0.0386, 95% CI = −0.0742, −0.0030, p = .03). Improvement in diet correlated with 0.11% longer LTL and contributed 25% of the association between %TBF and LTL (β = 0.0011, 95%CI =0.0004, 0.0018, p = .01). Diet correlated with 0.11% longer LTL and correspond to 28% of the relationship between WC and LTL (β = 0.0011, 95%CI = 0.0004, 0.0018, p = .03). Interventions to improve modifiable behaviors may ameliorate cellular aging and aging related health conditions due to obesity among US adults.

ObjectiveObesity is associated with telomere attrition – a marker of cellular and biological aging. The US has the highest proportion of obesity and is comprised of a racially/ethnic diverse population. Little is known about the relationship between obesity and telomere attrition according to race/ethnicity in the US. Our objective is to examine the differential association.Design and settingThe effect of body mass index (BMI), % total body fat (TBF) and waist circumference (WC) on leukocyte telomere length (LTL) were examined as adiposity measures according to race/ethnicity and sex specific race/ethnicity using separate adjusted linear regressions on a sample of 4,919 respondents aged 20-84 years from cross-sectional 1999-2002 data using the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Mediation analyses assessed health behaviors associated with relationship between adiposity measures and LTL.Main outcome measureLTLResultsAfrican Americans (AA) experienced a 28% and 11% decrease in LTL associated with increasing BMI and WC, (p=.02 and .03) respectively. Mexican Americans (MA) experienced a 33% decrease in LTL associated with increasing %TBF (p=.04). Whites experienced a 19%, 23%, and .08% decrease in LTL associated with increasing BMI, %TBF, and WC, (p=.05, .003, .02) respectively. White men experienced a 26% decrease in LTL due to increasing BMI (p=.05). AA women experienced a 41%, 44%, and 16% decrease in LTL due to increasing BMI, %TBF, and WC, respectively (p=.007, .02, .04). White women experienced a 29% decrease in LTL associated with increasing %TBF (p=.006). Selected health behaviors were associated with the relationship between adiposity measures and LTL.ConclusionOverall, AA and Whites have worse cellular and biological aging related to collective adiposity measures. According to sex, AA women experienced more deleterious cellular and biological aging. Findings suggest tailored interventions to improve adverse behaviors that contribute to obesity may improve telomere attrition in US adults.

Background: Although it is recognized that vitamin D deficiency is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, and is more common in African Americans (AAs), the pathologic mechanisms by which vitamin D may influence these risk factors are poorly understood. Objectives: We explored the association between vitamin D status, as reflected by serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations, and CVD risk factors including mean arterial pressure (MAP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), plasma HDL cholesterol, and waist circumference (WC) in adult AAs. We also tested whether plasma C-reactive protein (CRP), adipokines (adiponectin and leptin), and aldosterone mediated the associations between 25(OH)D and these risk factors. Methods: Data on 4010 (63.8% women; mean age: 54.0 y) individuals from the Jackson Heart Study were analyzed. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the associations of 25(OH)D with CVD risk factors. We used path analysis and bootstrapping methods to quantify and test the share of these associations that was statistically explained by each of the mediators by decomposing the associations into direct and indirect effects. Results: Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were inversely associated with WC, FPG, and MAP and were positively associated with HDL cholesterol in multivariable analysis. A nearly 20% effect of 25(OH)D on MAP was masked by aldosterone (total indirect effect: β = 0.01, P < 0.05). Approximately 23% of the effect of 25(OH)D on WC (β = −0.03, P < 0.05) and ∼9% of the effect of 25(OH)D on FPG (β = −0.02, P < 0.05) were mediated through CRP, adiponectin, and leptin together. A 23% share of the association between 25(OH)D and HDL cholesterol was mediated by adiponectin alone (β = 0.03, P < 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the associations between vitamin D status and CVD risk factors in AAs are partially mediated through circulating adipokines and CRP. More evidence, however, is required from longitudinal and randomized controlled studies to validate our findings.

BACKGROUND The biological actions of vitamin D are mediated through the vitamin D receptor (VDR). Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the VDR gene have been previously associated with adiposity traits. However, to our knowledge, few studies have included direct measures of adiposity and adipokine concentrations. OBJECTIVE We examined the association of tagging SNPs in the VDR gene with multiple adiposity measures, including waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) volume, and serum adipokine (adiponectin and leptin) concentrations in adult African Americans (AAs). METHODS Data from 3020 participants (61.9% women; mean age, 54.6 y) from the Jackson Heart Study were used for this analysis. Forty-five tag SNPs were chosen with the use of genotype data from the International HapMap project. We used linear regression to test the associations of imputed VDR SNPs with each of the traits, adjusted for age, sex, educational status, physical activity, smoking, alcohol intake, serum vitamin D concentration, European ancestry, and multiple testing. RESULTS The G allele of the SNP rs4328262 remained associated with increased VAT volume after multiple testing correction (β = 45.7; P < 0.001). The A allele of another SNP (rs11574070) was nominally associated with body fat percentage (β = 0.96; P = 0.002). None of the VDR SNPs analyzed showed any link with WC or BMI. The A allele of rs2228570 (β = 0.08; P = 0.001) for men and the T allele of rs2853563 (β = 0.04; P < 0.001) for women remained positively associated with serum adiponectin concentrations after multiple testing correction. CONCLUSION Although we did not find any association for anthropometric measures, we did observe associations of VDR variants with serum adipokines and with the more metabolically active fat, VAT. Therefore, our findings demonstrate a possible role of VDR variants in regulating adipose tissue activity and adiposity among AAs.

Objectives African Americans (AA) experience higher levels of stress related to living in racially segregated and poor neighborhoods. However, little is known about the associations between perceived neighborhood environments and cellular aging among adult AA. This study examined whether perceived neighborhood environments were associated with telomere length (TL) in AA after adjustment for individual-level risk factors. Methods The analysis included 158 women and 75 men AA aged 30–55 years from the Morehouse School of Medicine Study. Relative TL (T/S ratio) was measured from peripheral blood leukocytes using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the associations of perceived neighborhood social cohesion, problems, and overall unfavorable perceptions with log-TL. Results Women had significantly longer TL than men (0.59 vs. 0.54, p = 0.012). After controlling for sociodemographic, and biomedical and psychosocial factors, a 1-SD increase in perceived neighborhood problems was associated with 7.3% shorter TL in women (Mean Difference [MD] = −0.073 (Standard Error = 0.03), p = 0.012). Overall unfavorable perception of neighborhood was also associated with 5.9% shorter TL among women (MD = −0.059(0.03), p = 0.023). Better perceived social cohesion were associated with 2.4% longer TL, but did not reach statistical significance (MD = 0.024(0.02), p = 0.218). No association was observed between perceived neighborhood environments and TL in men. Conclusions Our findings suggest that perceived neighborhood environments may be predictive of cellular aging in AA women even after accounting for individual-level risk factors. Additional research with a larger sample is needed to determine whether perceived neighborhood environments are causally related to TL.

Background Recent emphasis has been placed on elucidating the biologic mechanism linking socioeconomic status (SES) to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Positive associations of inflammatory biomarkers provide evidence suggestive of a biologic pathway by which SES may predispose to CVD. African Americans have disproportionately lower SES and have a higher prevalence of CVD risk factors compared to most ethnic/racial groups. Adiponectin (an anti-inflammatory marker) is also lower. The objective of this study was to assess the association of adiponectin with SES among African American men and women using the Jackson Heart Study. Methods Study sample included 4340 participants. Linear regression was performed separately by SES and stratified by sex. Annual household income and level of education was used as proxies for SES. Crude, age, health behavior and health status adjusted models were analyzed. The main outcome was log-transformed adiponectin. Results Men in the lowest income group had significantly higher adiponectin than those in the highest income group in the fully adjusted model (ß/standard error [se], p value = .16/.08, p = .0008. Men with

Background: African Americans (AA) experience higher levels of psychological distress. Adverse psychological conditions and mental stress could be associated with accelerated cellular aging, evidenced by shortened leukocyte telomere length (TL), which could underlie this association. Hypothesis: In this study, we hypothesized that depressive symptoms and higher stress level would be associated with shorter telomere length in AA. We also hypothesized that the associations would be attenuated after adjusting for individual-level sociodemographic variable, various disease conditions, and lifestyle factors. Methods: The analysis included 225 women and 142 men aged 30-55 years from the Minority Health Genomics and Translational Research Bio-Repository Database Study. Relative TL (T/S ratio) was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The 20-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and 14-item Perceived Stress Scale were used to assess the presence of depressive symptoms and perceived stress respectively. Summation of the scores and the Principal Component Analysis were performed for both the scales. Multivariable linear regression models were used to estimate mean differences in log T/S associated with depressive symptoms and perceived stress after adjusting for sociodemographic variable, various disease conditions, and lifestyle factors. Results: No evidence of association between stress and TL was observed. We found effect modification by hypertension affecting the association between depressive symptoms and log T/S. Depressive symptom, especially higher psychosomatic symptoms, was associated with increased TL in normotensive participants (β= 0.11 for mid-level psychosomatic symptoms and β= 0.12 for high-level psychosomatic symptoms; p value Conclusions: We found a positive association between psychosomatic depressive symptoms and TL, which do not support the hypothesis that depression is associated with shorter TL and aging in AA. Longitudinal studies with larger samples are needed to better understand and confirm this relationship.

Background Circadian rhythms regulate key biological processes and the dysregulation of the intrinsic clock mechanism affects sleep patterns and obesity onset. The CLOCK (circadian locomotor output cycles protein kaput) gene encodes a core transcription factor of the molecular circadian clock influencing diverse metabolic pathways, including glucose and lipid homeostasis. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the associations between CLOCK single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and body mass index (BMI). We also evaluated the association of SNPs with BMI related factors such as sleep duration and quality, adiponectin and leptin, in 2962 participants (1116 men and 1810 women) from the Jackson Heart Study. Genotype data for the selected 23 CLOCK gene SNPS was obtained by imputation with IMPUTE2 software and reference phase data from the 1000 genome project. Genetic analyses were conducted with PLINK Results We found a significant association between the CLOCK SNP rs2070062 and sleep duration, participants carriers of the T allele showed significantly shorter sleep duration compared to non-carriers after the adjustment for individual proportions of European ancestry (PEA), socio economic status (SES), body mass index (BMI), alcohol consumption and smoking status that reach the significance threshold after multiple testing correction. In addition, we found nominal associations of the CLOCK SNP rs6853192 with longer sleep duration and the rs6820823, rs3792603 and rs11726609 with BMI. However, these associations did not reach the significance threshold after correction for multiple testing. Conclusions In this work, CLOCK gene variants were associated with sleep duration and BMI suggesting that the effects of these polymorphisms on circadian rhythmicity may affect sleep duration and body weight regulation in Africans Americans. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12863-017-0522-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background The associations between individual cardiovascular disease risk factors and leukocyte telomere length ( LTL ) have been inconclusive. We investigated the association between LTL and overall cardiovascular health ( CVH ) as defined by the American Heart Association and whether the association is modified by sex and race/ethnicity. Methods and Results We included 5194 adults (aged ≥20) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2002. CVH was defined as a composite score of the 7 metrics (smoking, physical activity, diet, body mass index, blood pressure, total cholesterol, and fasting blood glucose) and categorized as “poor,” “intermediate,” and “ideal.” LTL was assayed from whole blood using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction method relative to standard reference DNA . Multivariable linear regression models were used to estimate the association between CVH and log‐transformed LTL . We found strong graded association between CVH and LTL in the overall sample, with evidence of dose‐response relationship ( P for trend=0.013). Individuals with poor and intermediate CVH had significantly shorter LTL than individuals with ideal CVH (−3.4% [95% CI =−6.0%, −0.8%] and −2.4% [−4.4%, −0.3%], respectively), after adjustment for demographic variables, socioeconomic status, and C‐reactive protein. The association was stronger in women (−6.6% [−10.2%, −2.9%] for poor vs ideal CVH ) and non‐Hispanic whites (−4.3% [−7.1%, −1.4%] for poor vs ideal CVH ). Conclusions The findings suggest that less‐than‐ideal CVH is associated with shorter LTL , but this association varies by sex and race/ethnicity. Future longitudinal research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms that underlie the association between CVH and LTL .

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is defined as perceived physical and mental health over time. Lower HRQOL has previously been shown to be associated with elevated adverse health events and mortality. Leukocyte telomere length (LTL), which is a biomarker of aging at the cellular level, has also been associated with age-related diseases and mortality. However, the association of HRQOL with LTL in the general population is poorly understood. Objective: We examined the relationship between different measures of HRQOL and LTL by ethnicity among a nationally representative sample of US adults using the data of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES, 2001-2002). Method: HRQOL were assessed through a brief set of survey-based questions that asked participants about their self-rated general health and the number of recent days when the person was physically unwell, mentally unwell, or limited in usual activities. Telomere length was assessed using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction method of telomere length relative to standard reference DNA. Multiple linear regression was used to estimate the relationship, where we sequentially controlled for demographic (age, sex, education, marital status), health risk indicator (cancer, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, heart failure) and health behavior (smoking, physical activity, and alcohol intake) variables. Log transformed value of LTL was used for regression modeling and all the analyses were estimated with adjustment for sample weights for the genetic sub-sample and design effects. Results: The current study included 2090 White, 788 Mexican American, and 669 African American participants with mean age of 46.89 (Standard Error, SE=0.56), 37.57 (SE=0.73) and 41.99 (SE=0.74) years respectively. After controlling for demographic factors, health risk indicators, and health behaviors, recent days of unwell physical health was associated with shorter telomere length for Whites (beta=-0.005, 95% Confidence Interval, 95% CI=-0.01 to -0.001, p value 0.03). Among African Americans, those who perceived their general health condition as “good” had shorter telomere length compared to those who perceived general health status as “excellent” (beta=-0.02, 95% CI=-0.03 to -0.01, p value 0.001). Mental health related quality of life showed no significant association with LTL in any race. For Mexican Americans none of the HRQOL measures had any association with LTL. Conclusion: Lower physical HRQOL and lower general HRQOL were associated with shorter LTL or faster cellular aging for Whites and African Americans in our study. The results endorse the value of assessing HRQOL,specially in relation to to physical and general health, and the importance of using this measure for evaluating age and disease related consequences.

Objectives: Telomere length (TL) is increasingly being used as a biomarker of cellular aging and age-related cardiovascular diseases (CVD), but the associations between perceptions of neighborhood environment and TL among African Americans is understudied. This study examined whether perceptions of neighborhood environment were associated with TL in African Americans after adjustment for potential confounders. Methods: Data was obtained from the Minority Health Genomics and Translational Research Bio-Repository Database (MH-GRID) study recruited from April 2012 and September 2013. 252 (170 women and 82 men) African Americans aged 30 to 55 years were included. TL was measured from peripheral blood mononuclear cells using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Perceptions of neighborhood environment were assessed using a 12- item scale administered to study participants. The items were summed and averaged to create a score index representing social cohesion, problems and overall unfavorable perception of neighborhood environment. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the associations of perceptions of neighborhood environment with TL. Results: On average, women had significantly longer TL than men (4868.6 vs. 4574.8 base pairs, p=0.01). After controlling for socio-demographic variables, and CVD and psychosocial risk factors, a one standard deviation (SD) increase in perception of neighborhood problems was associated with shorter TL (mean difference[[Unable to Display Character: ]]=[[Unable to Display Character: ]]-106 base pairs; standard error (SE)=42, p[[Unable to Display Character: ]]=[[Unable to Display Character: ]]0.014) among women. Overall unfavorable perception of neighborhood environment was also associated with shorter TL among women (mean difference[[Unable to Display Character: ]]=[[Unable to Display Character: ]]-80; SE=38, p=[[Unable to Display Character: ]]0.034). Better perception of social cohesion was associated with longer TL, but did not reach statistical significance (mean difference = 32, SE=29, p=0.282). No consistent association was observed between perceptions of neighborhood environment and TL among men. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that perceptions of neighborhood environment may be predictive of cellular aging in African American women. Future longitudinal studies are needed to better determine the causal mechanisms underlying these associations.

Thirty-eight genotypes of wheat including 8 parents, their 28 F1s and 2 checks evaluated in 4 different environments i.e. early sown, normal sown, late sown and very late sown conditions was undertaken to study the combining ability in bread wheat for grain yield and its component traits. From pooled analysis, it was found that mean square due to GCA and SCA were significant for all characters which revealed difference between parents for GCA and difference between crosses for SCA. Significant mean square for GCA x E and SCA x E for proline content, chlorophyll content, chlorophyll stability index and heat injury was observed. In addition, SCA x E for grain yield was also significant. This suggested that additive and non-additive genetic components were sensitive to environments. Variance for GCA was higher than their respective SCA variance for grain yield per plant, leaf canopy temperature, proline content and chlorophyll stability index which suggested that additive component was less stable over the environment than dominant component. Parents HD 2987 was good general combiners for grain yield over different environments. Cross HI 1544 x HD 2987 was the best specific combiner for grain yield per plant followed by HI 1544 x RAJ 4079.

Background African Americans experience disproportionately higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes and related risk factors. Little research has been done on the association of ADIPOQ gene on type 2 diabetes, plasma adiponectin, blood glucose, HOMA-IR and body mass index (BMI) in African Americans. The objective of our research was to assess such associations with selected SNPs. The study included a sample of 3,020 men and women from the Jackson Heart Study who had ADIPOQ genotyping information. Unadjusted and adjusted regression models with covariates were used with type 2 diabetes and related phenotypes as the outcome stratified by sex. Results There was no association between selected ADIPOQ SNPs with type 2 diabetes, blood glucose, or BMI in men or women. There was a significant association between variant rs16861205 and lower adiponectin in women with minor allele A in the fully adjusted model (β(SE) p = −.13(0.05), 0.003). There was also a significant association with variant rs7627128 and lower HOMA-IR among men with minor allele A in the fully adjusted model (β(SE) p = −0.74(0.20), 0.0002). Conclusions These findings represent new insights regarding the association of ADIPOQ gene and type 2 diabetes and related phenotypes in African American men and women.

The aim of the study was to examine the association of different measures of obesity (body mass index or BMI, waist circumference or WC, waist to hip ratio or WHR and waist height ratio or WHtR) with coronary heart disease (CHD) in a Bangladeshi population. The study included 189 hospitalized CHD cases (133 men and 52 women) and 201 controls (137 men and 68 women). Logistic regression was done to assess the associations between obesity and CHD. The mean age was 53.1 ± 8.3 for men and 51.9 ± 8.4 for women. After adjustment for confounders the odds ratio (OR) of CHD for men was 1.69 (95% CI, 1.24-2.32), 1.94 (95% CI 1.40-2.70), and 1.32 (95% CI, 1.01-2.16) per 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in BMI, WC, and WHtR respectively. The OR for women was 2.64 (CI, 1.61-4.34), 1.82 (95% CI 1.12-2.95), 2.32 (95% CI, 1.36-3.96), and 1.94 (95% CI, 1.23-3.07) per 1 SD increase in BMI, WC, WHtR and WHR respectively. Since both total obesity and abdominal adiposity were associated with development of CHD and since measurement of WC and BMI are inexpensive, both should be included in the clinical setting for CHD risk assessment for this group of population.

The study aimed to investigate the correlates of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and estimate the heritability of MetS and its components in African Americans (AA). We analyzed the data of 1909 men and 3318 women from the Jackson Heart Study (JHS). Participants were classified as having the MetS according to the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. We used logistic regression analyses to isolate significantly associated covariates. Heritability was calculated from the family study subset of JHS (1636 individuals, 281 families) using variance component methods. About 27% of men and about 40% of women participants had MetS. For men, factors associated with having MetS were older age, lower physical activity level, higher body mass index, higher homocysteine and lower adiponectin levels (p

Background Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a clustering of five metabolic risk factors including abdominal obesity, elevated blood pressure, hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and impaired fasting glucose. Few studies have fully reported the strength of clustering of these risk factors in a parent-offspring relationship. This analysis describes the associations between parents and their adult offspring in regard to MetS. It also estimates the association between each risk factor in parents and the presence of MetS in their offspring. Methods We analyzed data for 1193 offspring (565 sons, and 628 daughters) from the Framingham Offspring Study who attended examinations 5, 6, and 7. Information about their parents was collected from examinations 13, 14 and 15 of the Framingham Original Cohort study. We used pedigree file to combine parental and offspring’s data. Participants were classified as having the MetS according to the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Analyses were conducted separately for mothers and fathers. Logistic regression was used to estimate the associations. Results After adjusting for age, education, smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity level of offspring, no significant association was found between father’s and their offspring’s MetS. Mother’s MetS was significantly and positively associated with their daughter’s MetS (adjusted odds ratio or adj OR: 1.63; 95% confidence Interval, CI:1.02-2.61), but not with their sons’ MetS. When analyzed by individual components, maternal impaired glucose (adj OR: 2.03; 95% CI: 1.02- 9.31), abdominal obesity (adj OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 0.98- 2.55) and low HDL-C (adj OR: 2.12; 95% CI: 1.36-3.32) were associated daughter’s MetS. Maternal low HDL-C and raised total cholesterol showed marginal association with son’s MetS. For fathers, only impaired glucose (adj OR: 4.91; 95% CI: 2.07- 11.68) was associated with their daughter’s MetS. Conclusions Using the data from Framingham Heart Study, we demonstrate differential association of MetS and its components between parents and offspring. Mother’s MetS was strongly related with daughter’s MetS, but the association was inconsistent with son’s MetS. No association was found between father’s MetS and offspring’s Mets. These results provide evidence that daughters with mother’s MetS are in higher risk than daughters or sons with father’s MetS.

Introduction: Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a clustering of five metabolic risk factors including abdominal obesity (OB), elevated blood pressure, hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and impaired fasting glucose (IFG). Few studies have fully reported the strength of clustering of these risk factors in a parent-offspring relationship. This analysis describes the associations between parents and their adult offspring in regard to MS. It also estimates the association between each risk factor in parents and the presence of MS in their offspring. Methods: We analyzed data for 1193 offspring (565 sons, and 628 daughters) from the Framingham Offspring Study who attended examinations 5, 6, and 7. Information about their parents was collected from examinations 13, 14 and 15 of the Framingham Original Cohort study. We used pedigree file to combine parental and offspring’s data. Participants were classified as having the MS according to the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Logistic regression was used to estimate the associations. Results: After adjusting for age, education, smoking, alcohol consumption and physical activity level of offspring, no significant association was found between fathers’ and their offspring’s MS. Mothers’ MS was significantly and positively associated with their daughters’ MS (adjusted odds ratio or adj OR:1.63; 95% confidence Interval, CI:1.02-2.61), but not with their sons’ MS. This gender difference was not observed when both the parents had MS. Daughters (adj OR:4.13; 95% CI:1.31_13.07) and sons (adj OR:4.31; 95% CI:0.98-19.77) both had more than 4 folds of increased odds of having MS if both parents had MS compared to offspring whose neither parent had MS. When analyzed by individual components, mothers’ IFG (adj OR:2.03 ; 95% CI:1.02- 9.31), OB (adj OR:1.56; 95% CI:0.98- 2.55) and HDL-C (adj OR: 2.12; 95% CI:1.35-3.32) were associated daughters’ MS. But none of these were significant for their sons’ MS. For fathers, only IFG (adj OR:4.91; 95% CI:2.07- 11.68) was associated with their daughters’ MS. Conclusions: We found differential associations between parents and their adult offspring in regard to MS. Daughters with mother’s MS were in higher risk than daughters or sons with father’s MS.

Objective— To determine whether genetic ancestry was associated with subclinical atherosclerosis measures after adjustment for traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors, inflammatory marker, socioeconomic status, and psychosocial factors in a large admixed African American population. Approach and Results— Participants were drawn from the Jackson Heart Study. Participant’s percent of European ancestry (PEA) was estimated based on 1747 genetic markers using HAPMIX. Association of PEA with peripheral arterial disease and common carotid intima-media thickness were investigated among 2168 participants and with coronary artery calcification >0 and abdominal aortic calcification >0 among 1139 participants. The associations were evaluated using multivariable regression models. Our results showed that a 1 SD increase in PEA was associated with a lower peripheral arterial disease prevalence after adjusting for age and sex (prevalence ratio=0.90 [95% CI, 0.82–0.99]; P =0.036). Adjustments for traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors, socioeconomic status, and psychosocial factors attenuated this association (prevalence ratio=0.91 [0.82–1.00]; P =0.046). There was also a nonlinear association between PEA and coronary artery calcification and abdominal aortic calcification. The lowest PEA was associated with a lower coronary artery calcification (prevalence ratio=0.75 [0.58–0.96]; P =0.022) and a lower abdominal aortic calcification [prevalence ratio=0.80 [0.67–0.96]; P =0.016) compared with the reference group (10th–90th percentile) after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors, inflammatory marker, socioeconomic status, and psychosocial factors. However, we found no significant association between PEA and common carotid intima-media thickness. Conclusions— Overall, our findings indicate that genetic ancestry was associated with subclinical atherosclerosis, suggesting unmeasured risk factors and interactions with genetic factors might contribute to the distribution of subclinical atherosclerosis among African Americans.

Objective Both environmental and genetic factors play important roles in the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Studies about its associated factors and genetic contribution in African Americans (AA) are sparse. Our aim was to report the prevalence, associated factors and heritability estimates of MetS and its components in AA men and women. Participants and setting Data of this cross-sectional study come from a large community-based Jackson Heart Study (JHS). We analysed a total of 5227 participants, of whom 1636 from 281 families were part of a family study subset of JHS. Methods Participants were classified as having MetS according to the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to isolate independently associated factors of MetS (n=5227). Heritability was estimated from the family study subset using variance component methods (n=1636). Results About 27% of men and 40% of women had MetS. For men, associated factors with having MetS were older age, lower physical activity, higher body mass index, and higher homocysteine and adiponectin levels (p

Pooled analysis of 8 genotypes of wheat of diverse origin, their 28 F1s and 2 checks was carried out in 4 different environments to study the combining ability in bread wheat for grain yield and its component traits. On pooled basis, analysis of variance due to GCA and SCA was significant for all characters revealed difference between parents for GCA and difference between crosses for SCA. Similarly, mean square due to GCA × E was significant for number of effective tillers per plant and flag leaf area revealed influence of environment on GCA. Whereas SCA × E was also significant for number of effective tillers per plant and grain yield per plant revealed influence of environment on SCA. The variance due to GCA was higher than their respective SCA for all characters except number of grains per spike indicating that additive type of gene action played role in the expression of all these traits. Significant GCA effects for grain yield and its component traits were exhibited by the parents HD 2987, Lok 1 and HI 1544. Fourteen crosses recorded showed significant SCA effects for grain yield and related traits.

Background Adiponectin is a biomarker that is associated with type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Lower circulating level is a risk factor. Higher levels are protective. African Americans have a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes and hypertension and lower levels of adiponectin when compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Little is known about the association of adiponectin on these health outcomes among African Americans. The purpose of the study was to assess the association of adiponectin on type 2 diabetes and hypertension likelihood among African American men and women in the Jackson Heart Study. Methods Separate multivariate logistic regressions were conducted stratified by sex based on cross-sectional data with type 2 diabetes and hypertension as the outcomes. Adiponectin was divided into four quartiles with the highest quartile as the reference. Data was collected from 2000-2004 on 3,663 participants. Data analysis was conducted in calendar year 2014. Two- tailed P

Background The prevalence of hypertension is increasing in much of the South Asian region, including Nepal. This paper reports the prevalence and risk factors of hypertension and pre-hypertension among adult women in a rural community of Nepal. Methods Cross-sectional data on socioeconomic status (SES), lifestyle factors and blood pressure (BP) were collected from a cohort of 15,934 women in rural Nepal in 2006–08. Among a subsample (n = 1679), anthropometry and biomarkers of cardiovascular risk were measured. Results The mean age of women was 34.2 years (range 16.4-71.2 years). More than three percent (3.3%) had hypertension and 14.4% had pre-hypertension. In an adjusted analysis, lower SES, especially lower household farm assets and storage of food for long term consumption, was associated with increased odds of hypertension (OR = 1.14 for mid-level SES and OR = 1.40 for low SES; p for trend Conclusions Although the prevalence of hypertension was low in this cohort, it was more prevalent among the poorer women and was strongly associated with other cardiovascular risks. These associations at a relatively young age may confer greater risk for cardiovascular disease among women in later life, indicating the need for interventions to reduce the progression from pre-hypertension to hypertension.

Purpose Shorter telomere length and obstructive sleep apnea are associated with increased oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, which are both considered leading causes of age-related diseases. Different forms of sleep disordered breathing have been linked to telomere length although their relationship remains uncertain. The purpose of this study was to explore the associations between the risk of obstructive sleep apnea and telomere length in African Americans. Methods The analysis included 184 women and 122 men aged 30–55 years from the Morehouse School of Medicine Study. Relative TL (T/S ratio) was measured from peripheral blood leukocytes using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The Berlin questionnaire was used for OSA risk assessments. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the associations between OSA risk and LTL. Results We observed that LTL varied by OSA risk in women (0.532 ± 0.006 vs. 0.569 ± 0.008) (p = 0.04). Multiple linear regression analysis confirmed that women at higher risk for OSA presented shorter LTL compared to those at lower risk, independent of age, income, education, obesity, smoking, alcohol consumption, and hypertension. These differences were not observed in men. Conclusions Our findings suggest that OSA risk may contribute to the acceleration of cellular aging processes through telomere shortening.