Longevity Lecture in Halifax

Mark your calendar for May 3rd lecture on human longevity at the Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada!


Greetings,

We are pleased to announce our upcoming invited lecture on Human Longevity Studies to be held on Thursday, May 3, at the Division of Geriatric Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada (5:00pm – 6:00pm, Room 1613A at Veterans’ Memorial Building - VMB Building, 5955 Veterans’ Memorial Lane):

Determinants of Exceptional Longevity

by Leonid Gavrilov, Ph.D. and Natalia Gavrilova, Ph.D.
Center on Aging, NORC/University of Chicago, Chicago, USA

This lecture will present new findings from the ongoing study of American centenarians, a study supported by the US National Institute on Aging, NIH, and by the Society of Actuaries.

The presentation will describe where to get the data on long-lived individuals, how to validate these data, and how to use them in order to find out the determinants of exceptional human longevity.

The lecture will also discuss new findings on the effects of birth order, maternal-age at person's birth, and young-adult-age obesity on chances of exceptional survival.

-------------------------------

Relevant Publications and Additional Reading:

Gavrilova N.S., Gavrilov L.A. Search for Predictors of Exceptional Human Longevity: Using Computerized Genealogies and Internet Resources for Human Longevity Studies. North American Actuarial Journal, 2007, 11(1): 49-67.

Gavrilov L.A., Gavrilova N.S. Childhood Conditions and Exceptional Longevity. Full paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America, Los Angeles, CA, April 1, 2006, 35 pages. Published online at: http://paa2006.princeton.edu/download.aspx?submissionId=61675

Gavrilova, N.S., Gavrilov, L.A. Living to 100 and Beyond: Search for Predictors of Exceptional Human Longevity. Final report published online by the Society of Actuaries, Schaumburg, Illinois, USA, 2005, 81 pages.

Gavrilova, N.S., Gavrilov, L.A. Search for Predictors of Exceptional Human Longevity. In: “ Living to 100 and Beyond” Monograph. The Society of Actuaries, Schaumburg, Illinois, USA, 2005, pp. 1-49.

Gavrilov, L.A., Gavrilova, N.S. Mortality of centenarians: A study based on the Social Security Administration Death Master File. Full Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America (Philadelphia, March 31 - April 2, 2005, oral presentation), 31 pages.Abstract published in: Population Association of America 2005 Annual Meeting. Final Program and Abstracts. p. 183.

Gavrilova, N.S., Gavrilov, L.A. 2005. Search for Predictors of Exceptional Human Longevity: Using Computerized Genealogies and Internet Resources for Human Longevity Studies. Published online at: http://ce.soa.org/living-to-100/3b_papers.pdf. Full Paper presented at the Living to 100 and Beyond International Symposium sponsored by the Society of Actuaries (Orlando, Florida on January 12-14, 2005, oral presentation).

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Media Coverage:

" How to live long and prosper"
New Scientist, issue 2579, November 25, 2006, page 19

"Secret of a long life revealed"
The Sun, UK - November 23, 2006

" First-born of young mums likely to live longer"
Daily Mail, UK - - November 22, 2006

" First-born of young mums likely to live longer"
This is London, UK - - November 22, 2006

" Thanks, mom! Want to live to 100? Having a young mother helps"
Chicago Sun-Times, United States - Wednesday, November 22, 2006

" Living to Be 100 May Depend on Mom"
Forbes -- Monday, November 20, 2006

" Living to Be 100 May Depend on Mom"
CBC News, Canada -- Monday, November 20, 2006

"Young moms, long life?"
Newsday, NY, USA -- Monday, November 20, 2006

" If your mother was under 25 when she had you, you may live to be 100"
Daily Telegraph, UK -- Saturday, November 18, 2006

" Babies of younger mothers have twice the chance of living to 100"
Daily Mail -- June 26, 2006

"Key to long life may be mom's age at birth"
ABC News -- June 23, 2006

"Key to long life may be mom's age at birth"
MSNBC -- June 23, 2006

"Key to long life may be mom's age at birth"
Reuters -- June 23, 2006

" New Research Suggests Children Born to Young Women Are More Likely to Live to 100"
Society of Actuaries Press Release -- 14 June 2006

" Living to 100 may depend on your mother"
Medill News Service, ­ Northwestern University -- May 31, 2006

" Children of younger moms see benefits"
Chicago Maroon, IL - May 26, 2006; pdf file

" Making a century. 60 Seconds"
New Scientist magazine -- 22 April, 2006, issue 2548, page 7.

" Mom's age mean longer life?"
Chicago Tribune -- April 25, 2006

"A Baby Boon"
Forbes, -- Monday, Apr 17, 2006

" Younger Moms' Kids Get Longevity Edge"
Medline Plus -- Monday, April 17, 2006.
A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health

" Younger Moms' Kids Get Longevity Edge"
Health Finder -- Monday, April 17, 2006.
A Service of the National Health Information Center, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

" Younger Moms' Kids Get Longevity Edge"
WomensHealth.gov -- Monday, April 17 2006.
National Women's Health Information Center, U.S. Department of Human Health and Human Services

" Investigations: Fig. 1, Birthright"
The University of Chicago Magazine, -- February 2006, volume 98, issue 3, page 20

"SOA: Society of Actuaries: First-Born Daughters More Likely to Live to 100,
Suggests Society of Actuaries Research"
Webbolt Business News, Canada - Jan 5, 2006

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We could be reached in Halifax, Canada on May 2 - 6 at:

Residence Inn – Marriott
1599 Grafton Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2C3
Phone: 422-0493 Fax: 422-0413
http://marriott.com/hotels/travel/yhzri-residence-inn-halifax-downtown

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Home:
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The Way We Age

Greetings,

A new interesting and detailed story on aging problem has being published by The New Yorker Magazine this month:

Annals of Medicine

The Way We Age Now

Medicine has increased the ranks of the elderly. Can it make old age any easier?

by Atul Gawande

April 30, 2007

Here are some excerpts, discussing our ideas and studies there:

Leonid Gavrilov, a researcher at the University of Chicago, argues that human beings fail the way all complex systems fail: randomly and gradually. As engineers have long recognized, many simple devices do not age. They function reliably until a critical component fails, and the whole thing dies instantly. A windup toy works smoothly until a gear rusts or a spring breaks, and then it doesn’t work at all. But complex systems -- power plants, say -- have to survive and function despite having thousands of critical components. Engineers therefore design these machines with multiple layers of redundancy: with backup systems, and backup systems for the backup systems. The backups may not be as efficient as the first-line components, but they allow the machine to keep going even as damage accumulates.

Gavrilov argues that, within the parameters established by our genes, that’s exactly how human beings appear to work. We have an extra kidney, an extra lung, an extra gonad, extra teeth. The DNA in our cells is frequently damaged under routine conditions, but our cells have a number of DNA repair systems. If a key gene is permanently damaged, there are usually extra copies of the gene nearby. And, if the entire cell dies, other cells can fill in.

Nonetheless, as the defects in a complex system increase, the time comes when just one more defect is enough to impair the whole, resulting in the condition known as frailty. It happens to power plants, cars, and large organizations. And it happens to us: eventually, one too many joints are damaged, one too many arteries calcify. There are no more backups. We wear down until we can’t wear down anymore.

It happens in a bewildering array of ways. Hair grows gray, for instance, simply because we run out of the pigment cells that give hair its color. The natural life cycle of the scalp’s pigment cells is just a few years. We rely on stem cells under the surface to migrate in and replace them. Gradually, however, the stem-cell reservoir is used up. By the age of fifty, as a result, half of the average person’s hairs have gone gray.

Inside skin cells, the mechanisms that clear out waste products slowly break down and the muck coalesces into a clot of gooey yellow-brown pigment known as lipofuscin. These are the age spots we see in skin. When lipofuscin accumulates in sweat glands, the sweat glands cannot function, which helps explain why we become so susceptible to heat stroke and heat exhaustion in old age.

The eyes go for different reasons. The lens is made of crystallin proteins that are tremendously durable, but they change chemically in ways that diminish their elasticity over time -- hence the farsightedness that most people develop beginning in their fourth decade. The process also gradually yellows the lens. Even without cataracts (the whitish clouding of the lens caused by excessive ultraviolet exposure, high cholesterol, diabetes, cigarette smoking, and other unhelpful conditions), the amount of light reaching the retina of a healthy sixty-year-old is one-third that of a twenty-year-old.

I spoke to Felix Silverstone, who for twenty-four years was the senior geriatrician at the Parker Jewish Institute, in New York, and has published more than a hundred studies on aging. There is, he said, “no single, common cellular mechanism to the aging process.” Our bodies accumulate lipofuscin and oxygen free-radical damage and random DNA mutations and numerous other microcellular problems. The process is gradual and unrelenting. “We just fall apart,” he said.

More here.

The New Yorker Magazine


When you read the entire article, which is eight pages long, you may find it depressing. But do not blame the author for this inconvenient truth about the aging process that makes human life so miserable. The take-home message to me is that we have to do something about aging, and to block this horrible process of body degradation!

To read comments on this story, and to post your own thoughts, click here.

Key words:
aging, age, elderly, mechanisms of aging, wearing-out, damage accumulation, New Yorker, Atul Gawande, Leonid Gavrilov, redundancy, reliability theory, systems failure, Felix Silverstone

Home:
Longevity Science: The Way We Age

Lecture at Harvard

Mark your calendar for April 26th lecture on human longevity at the Harvard University!


Greetings,

We are pleased to announce our upcoming invited lecture on Human Longevity Studies to be held on Thursday, April 26th at the Harvard University:

Biodemography of Human Longevity:
New Findings and Ideas

Time:
Thursday, April 26th, 4:00 - 5:30 pm.

Location:
Harvard School of Public Health
Kresge Building, Room 110
677 Huntington Avenue

Sponsor:
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation


Everybody is cordially invited, but please check the admission policy with the organizers:

http://www.rwj.harvard.edu/colloquium.html

We may also be available for informal meetings next day, on Friday, April 27th.

Specifically we could be reached after our lecture on Thursday night, April 26th, and Friday morning, April 27th, at our hotel:

The Inn at Harvard, 1201 Mass Ave, Cambridge, (617) 491-2222, guest fax (617) 520-3711

We will depart from Boston on Friday at 5:28 PM (from Logan International Airport by Delta Flight: 5659)


Hope to see you soon!


- Leonid Gavrilov, Ph.D.
- Natalia Gavrilova, Ph.D.

P.S.:
Here are some of our representative publications related to this talk. You can get full texts of our publications just by clicking on the titles of our papers below:

Gavrilova N.S., Gavrilov L.A. Search for Predictors of Exceptional Human Longevity: Using Computerized Genealogies and Internet Resources for Human Longevity Studies. North American Actuarial Journal, 2007, 11(1): 1-19.

Gavrilov L.A., Gavrilova N.S. Childhood Conditions and Exceptional Longevity. Full paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America, Los Angeles, CA, April 1, 2006, 35 pages. Published online at: http://paa2006.princeton.edu/download.aspx?submissionId=61675

Gavrilova, N.S., Gavrilov, L.A. Human longevity and reproduction: An evolutionary perspective. In: Voland, E.; Chasiotis, A. & Schiefenhoevel, W. (eds.). Grandmotherhood - The Evolutionary Significance of the Second Half of Female Life. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2005, 59-80

Gavrilov LA, Gavrilova NS. Reliability Theory of Aging and Longevity. In: Masoro E.J. & Austad S.N.. (eds.): Handbook of the Biology of Aging, Sixth Edition. Academic Press. San Diego, CA, USA, 2006, 3-42.

Gavrilov LA, Gavrilova NS. Models of Systems Failure in Aging. In: P Michael Conn (Editor): Handbook of Models for Human Aging, Burlington, MA : Elsevier Academic Press, 2006. 45-68. ISBN 0123693918


Key words:
Longevity Studies, Harvard University, Biodemography, Human Longevity, Public Health, Ageing, Aging, Invited talk, Leonid Gavrilov, Natalia Gavrilova, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Biogerontologists

Greetings,

Here is the updated list of the Gerontological Society of America Biological Sciences Executive Committee. I am a member of this Committee as a representative of THE TASK FORCE ON ORGANIZATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND COMPUTERS (see below):

Biological Sciences Executive Committee

2007

CHAIR

Rita B. Effros, PhD
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Department of Pathology/Laboratory Medicine
10833 Le Conte Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1732
(310) 825-0748
Fax: (310) 267-2104
mailto:reffros@mednet.ucla.edu

CHAIR-ELECT

Pamela Larsen, PhD
Department of Cellular/Structural Biology
University of Texas HSC
7703 Floyd Curl Drive
San Antonio, TX 78284-7762
(210) 567-0806
Fax: (210) 567-3803
mailto:larsenp@uthscsa.edu

PAST CHAIR

Joseph W. Kemnitz, PhD
Wisconsin NPRC
1220 Capitol Court
Madison, WI 53715-1299
(608) 263-3500
Fax: (608) 265-8439
mailto:kemnitz@primate.wisc.edu

SECRETARY

Ari Gafni, PhD
Biophysics Research Division
3204 Chemistry Building
930 North University
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1055
(734) 615-1964
Fax: (734) 764-3323
mailto:arigafni@umich.edu

AWARDS COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE

Edward J. Masoro, PhD
21 1/2 Legare Street
Chartleston, SC 29401-2334
(843) 853-3445
mailto:masoro@aol.com

FELLOWSHIP COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE

Donna J. Holmes, PhD
School of Biological Sciences
Washington State University
Box 644236
Pullman, WA 99164-4236
(509) 335-7961
Fax: (509) 335-3184
mailto:djholmes@wsu.edu

HUMANITIES AND THE ARTS COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE

Suzanne F. Bradley, MD
GRECC 11G
VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System
2215 Fuller Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105
(734) 761-7686
Fax: (734) 761-7489
mailto:sbradley@med.umich.edu

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE

Donald K. Ingram, PhD
Nutritional Neuroscience and Aging Laboratory
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Louisiana State University System
6400 Perkins Road
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
(225) 763-2594
Fax: (225) 763-0261
mailto:donald.ingram@pbrc.edu

PUBLIC POLICY COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE

Maurice W. Dysken, MD
Minneapolis VA Medical Center
One Veterans Drive
Minneapolis, MN 55417
(612) 467-3308
Fax: (612) 725-2084
mailto:maurice.dysken@med.va.gov

PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE

Ricki J. Colman, PhD
Wisconsin National Primate Research Center
1220 Capitol Court
Madison, WI 53715-1299
(608) 263-3544
Fax: (608) 263-3524
mailto:rcolman@primate.wisc.edu

RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND PRACTICE COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE

Holly M. Brown-Borg, PhD
Department of Physiology
University of North Dakota
501 North Columbia Road
Grand Forks, ND 58203
(701) 777-3949
Fax: (701) 777-4490
mailto:brownbrg@medicine.nodak.edu

TASK FORCE ON MINORITY ISSUES IN GERONTOLOGY REPRESENTATIVE

Karen Hubbard, PhD
Department of Biology, MR527
City College of CUNY
160th Street at Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031
(212) 650-8566
Fax: (212) 650-8585
mailto:khubbard@sci.ccny.cuny.edu

TASK FORCE ON WOMEN REPRESENTATIVE

Joan Smith-Sonneborn, PhD
Zoology/Physiology
Department 3166
100 East University Avenue
University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY 82071
(307) 766-2341
mailto:cancun@uwyo.edu

TASK FORCE ON PUBLICATIONS REPRESENTATIVE

Tamas Fulop, MD, PhD
Centre Recherche Gerontologie
Institute University de Sherbrooke
1036 Rue Belvedere Sud
Sherbrooke, QUE J1H 4C4
Canada
(819) 829-7131
Fax: (819) 829-7141
mailto:tamas.fulop@usherbrooke.ca

TASK FORCE ON INTEREST GROUPS REPRESENTATIVE

Rochelle Buffenstein, PhD
Biology, CCNY, Marshak #526
City College of CUNY
138th Street and Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031
(212) 650-8538
Fax: (212) 650-8585
mailto:rbuffen@sci.ccny.cuny.edu

TASK FORCE ON ORGANIZATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND COMPUTERS REPRESENTATIVE

Leonid A. Gavrilov, PhD
Univeristy of Chicago
Center on Aging, NORC
1155 East 60th Street
Chicago, IL 60637
(773) 256-6359
Fax: (773) 256-6313
mailto:gavrilov@longevity-science.org

AD HOC, TASK FORCE BE THREE-YEAR PLAN CHAIR

Philip J. Scarpace, PhD
Department of Pharmacology
University of Florida
Box 100267
Gainesville, FL 32610
(352) 392-8435
Fax: (352) 392-9696
mailto:scarpace@ufl.edu

EMERGING SCHOLAR AND PROFESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES

Lauren B. Sloane
Department of Biobehavioral Health
The Pennsylvania State University
101 Amy Gardner House
University Park, PA 16801
(814) 865-1717
Fax: (814) 863-4768
mailto:lbs121@psu.edu

Anne Fosnacht
University of Illinois
1603 West Taylor Street
Chicago, IL 60612
(773) 330-4373
mailto:afosna2@uic.edu

Source:
http://www.geron.org/biosection.htm

Edmonton Aging Symposium

Greetings,

Take a look at interesting presentations given at the recent Edmonton Aging Symposium in Canada, which are now publicly available online here:

The following talk has caught my particular attention:

The Damage of Aging: Present Possibilities and Future Therapies
Huber Warner

This talk argues that the role of damage accumulation in the aging process is probably exaggerated -- particularly for oxidative damage to both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. This counterintuitive conclusion is based on recent findings that mice defective in superoxide dismutase defence against oxidative damage do NOT live shorter lives, despite observed extensive damage to both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Something to think about.

This presentation goes much further, claiming at slide # 9:

Vitamins A, E may be unhealthy
(JAMA 2/28/07 and reported in National Post; March 1, 2007)

This slide also says that Vitamin A increases the risk of death by 16%, and ß-carotene increases the risk of death by 7%.

This is where you have to listen the recorded presentation itself (available at the weblink listed above), to find out that the author himself does not agree with these claims.

So, for each presentation it is better first to download the Power-Point Presentation, then to start the audio of the presentation, and to follow the voice of the speaker clicking the next slides of his Power-Point Presentation.

Interestingly, a similar idea that damage to mitochondrial DNA has still unclear relation to aging was also discussed in another talk:

Mitochondrial DNA Mutations and Their Possible Role in Brain Aging
Konstantin Khrapko

Why additional damage does not always shorten lifespan?
This is indeed a challenge for the evolutionary theories of aging, assuming that “natural selection will always be in greatest opposition to the decline of the most senescence-prone system” and, therefore “senescence should always be a generalized deterioration,'' with all the destruction pathways being equally important.
However this problem can be easily resolved by the reliability theory of aging that emphasizes the existence and the key role of the "weakest links" in system's reliability. If these "weakest links" are not affected, then the damage in other places may have no apparent effects on system's failure.

See also the video of this exciting talk with somewhat intriguing title:

The Color Code and a Rainbow of Health
James Joseph PhD. - Tufts University

This is a rare combination of good science, humorous easy-to-understand presentation with important practical implications for your own health through simple nutrition changes. Dr. James Joseph presented the results of his studies on the effects of a diet high in fruits and vegetables in preventing age-related disease and the impact on behavior with a primary focus the improvement in neurological function and reduction in Alzheimer's symptoms. His lab has shown that blueberry supplementation was able to offset the deleterious consequences on behavior associated with amyloid plaques in mice prone to developing these deposits. The mechanisms by which the active molecules within blueberries are able to increase the generation of new neurons in the brain as well as the pathways by which these molecules help to enhance neuronal signaling and ultimately communication is an area of intense study in Dr. Joseph's lab with results which can potentially be applied to immediately decrease the impact of aging on behavior. Just a short word of caution: it was all done on laboratory animals (rats and mice) only; no similar studies on humans were reported in this presentation.

See also the "Head-to-Head" debates on the Ethics and Desirability of Life-Extension, which is now available here:

These debates are between the advocate of life-extension Gregory Stock and his opponent Daniel Callahan, with Aubrey de Grey as a moderator.

What pleasantly strikes me here is that this contentious issue is discussed during the debates in an academic and very respectful way -- see it yourself!

Very optimistic vision on the economic sustainability of a future life-extension was provided by Ronald Bailey in his talk "Estimating Your Future's Options", see video here.

I wish this talk be longer and more detailed in terms of justification of the optimistic vision for economics of life-extension. Also I feel that even if life-extension is not socially profitable, it still deserves to be pursued, because I believe that human life has its own value, beyond the money dimension.

Overall, these are very interesting and useful records to see and listen.

Please feel free to post your comments on these records below!

Key words:
Edmonton Aging Symposium, Huber Warner, Konstantin Khrapko, James Joseph, Gregory Stock, Daniel Callahan, Aubrey de Grey, Ronald Bailey, life-extension, damage, reliability theory, carotene, DNA, longevity, oxidative damage, risk of death, vitamin A, vitamin E, polyphenolics

Home:
http://longevity-science.blogspot.com/2007/04/edmonton-aging-symposium.html

To read comments on this review, and to post your own thoughts, click here.

Living Longer

Greetings,

Here is an entertaining story "Human Life Span Getting Longer" published recently by The Korea Times (South Korea), which cites and discusses our research findings and ides.
Any comments and suggestions are welcome!


Human Life Span Getting Longer

By Park Kyu-tae

The first of five oriental blessings is living a longer and healthy life. This is a perpetual human dream. It is merely a legendary man “Dongbansak” lived for one hundred eighty thousands years in a Chinese transcript in the Western Han Dynasty written up just about BC 100. But judging from scientific knowledge at hand it is a hyperbole making a mountain out of a molehill. The longest average life span is 82 years and contrary the shortest is less than 40, according to World Health Report 2006. It seems the longest human life is more or less 120 years and it is general views among scientists now. In fact, French lady, Jeanne Louise Calment (1875–1997), lived 122 years in the most recent.

However, Hunza Valley in Pakistan, Vilcabamba of Ecuador and Georgia in the Caucasus Mountains are well recognized as the three places of longevity in the world having all natural advantages for human living. In this respect, it is known more than 130 years of age are known quite common in the regions but it is not quite scientifically verified. It is, nevertheless, interesting to read the Genesis; “Methuselah lived 782 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, he lived 969 years.”

Prof. Park Sang-chul, Seoul National University working on Korean macrobiotic studies observed the provinces in the vicinity of Mt. Jiri have numerous centenarians enjoying clear-cut four seasons, excellent herbal supplements and taking pleasure having foods three times a day. Gratification of life, collaboration with friends and taking part in community activities are the rule of thumb for healthy life. Innumerable researches have been conducted for human aging. The research on life science is not set limits to the genetics and gerontology but the entire sciences are taking part in this field. In view of that the average life span is nearly doubled up in last five decades or so and still making steps forward. However, it gives the impression those are still our passive enthusiasm to extend longer human life.

In support of more powerful way, Dr. Leonid Gavrilov, University of Chicago, one of the world's leading experts in longevity studies published in 2004 and also recently, “Engineering's reliability theory for human life” in Spectrum, and “Predictors of human longevity” in North American Actuarial Journal 2007 insist “If only we could maintain our body functions as they are at age 10, we could expect to live about 5000 years on average. Unfortunately, from age 11 on, it's all downhill!” And it goes on “In this view, we can be further improved through genetic engineering and be better maintained through preventive, regenerative, and anti-aging medicine and by repairing and replacing worn-out body parts. In short, the rate at which we fall apart could be decreased, maybe even to a negligible level.” It advocates we might live everlastingly and realize the human immortality to eternal life.

With reference to the topics, it is appealing to see a recent article “What if humans were built to last?” on the re-engineering humans in The Scientist magazine. Inviting experts in each part of the body, they comment on the fixes for the fractions that break down as we age. Their accounts are pros and cons on the issues for the ever-lasting life as it is matter of religion and dominion of God. However, most of them agree the research on life sciences should go on.

Winston Churchill once said he would paint pictures in first million years in the next world, in contrast a reputed Korean leader made remarks on it he would rather play golf for the time slot. Suppose in the immortal world, painting and golfing for million years and angling for next millions so on they could be deadly tired. Recollecting a movie “Switch” released quite some time back, though the man was allowed the immortality of soul by God but he desperately had chosen to die as he was so sick and tired of ever stretched life.

Only humans might feel their life spans are too short to achieve what they have yearnings and deploring the aging. Living in a finite world, thinking of infinitive or eternity is still a long way to go with still dull human brains.

The writer is professor emeritus at Yonsei University and a Korea Times columnist.

* * *
The Korea Times welcomes our readers' contributions to Letters to the Editor and Thoughts of The Times. The article should be preferably submitted by e-mail to opinion@koreatimes.co.kr and not exceed 900 words. _ ED.

ktpark@yonsei.ac.kr
03-26-2007 16:29

Immigration

Links between Population Aging and Immigration policies

Greetings,

Recently we have come across an interesting discussion of our academic studies on population aging in a context of its implications to immigration policies. This discussion was published in Asheville Citizen-Times, NC on March 18, 2007:


Immigration policies should be realistic, humane

Rob Quayle

March 19, 2007 12:15 am

Young immigrants in questionable states of documentation are being forced into unpleasant, sometimes inhumane circumstances by our current immigration laws. The most recent cases involve school-age children, and even pre-schoolers. These laws need to be changed so that we can bring young people into the USA, particularly (but not exclusively) from places where there is an excess of young people, and hence a shortage of employment for them.

Increasingly, in advanced countries like the USA, there is a shortage of young people. And, given our birth rates in the more developed area of the world, the only way to solve this problem is with sensible, scientifically-based immigration policies that favor friendly countries, and especially those with higher percentages of young people than we have.

The table in this article was adapted from “Aging of Population” by Leonid A. Gavrilov and Patrick Heuveline, in the Encyclopedia of Population, New York, Macmillan Reference USA, 2003 (http://longevity-science.org/Population_Aging.htm). It shows observed and predicted percentages of people under 65 years of age (i.e., working-age percentages) by various regions of the world for the years 2000 and 2050.

The areas with higher percentages of working-age people than we have are shown.

This shows that we need a policy that allows us to help friendly countries, including those with excess youth, send immigrants to the U.S., while helping the U.S. retain an appropriate percentage of its population in the work force. Furthermore, we need these people not as guest workers, but as US citizens paying taxes, contributing to Social Security and generally feeling they belong, and are not unwanted aliens.

Percentages of Working-age People (under age 65), by Region:

Major Region: 2000, 2050

World: 93% , 81%

Africa: 97%, 93%

Latin America, Caribbean: 95%, 83%

China: 93%, 77%

India: 95%, 85%

Japan: 83%, 64%

Europe: 85%, 71%

U.S.A.: 88%, 79%

There are many emotional issues related to immigration, but looking at the world’s people together, as a group, not as nationalities, it is objectively evident that countries with younger populations will likely have trouble finding work for all their young people. And it is equally clear that countries with older populations will need help in their service industries.

So let’s make policies that are both humane and realistic. We’ll all benefit that way.

Rob Quayle is a retired climatologist who worked at the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville for 35 years. He currently lives in Oteen.

Key words:
population aging, immigration policies, immigrants, immigration laws, aging of population, Social Security

NLMS Papers

Greetings,

Here is the list of scientific publications based on analyses of the data from the National Longitudinal Mortality Study, NLMS (with links to abstracts and full texts of the articles):

1:	Backlund E, Rowe G, Lynch J, Wolfson MC, Kaplan GA, Sorlie PD.	Related Articles, Links
	Income inequality and mortality: a multilevel prospective study of 521 248 individuals in 50 US states. Int J Epidemiol. 2007 Apr 2; [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 17363395 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

2:	van Wijngaarden E, Dosemeci M.	Related Articles, Links
	Brain cancer mortality and potential occupational exposure to lead: findings from the National Longitudinal Mortality Study, 1979-1989. Int J Cancer. 2006 Sep 1;119(5):1136-44. PMID: 16570286 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

3:	Lin CC, Johnson NJ.	Related Articles, Links
	Decomposition of life expectancy and expected life-years lost by disease. Stat Med. 2006 Jun 15;25(11):1922-36. PMID: 16220507 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

4:	Kim C, Eby E, Piette JD.	Related Articles, Links
	Is education associated with mortality for breast cancer and cardiovascular disease among black and white women? Gend Med. 2005 Mar;2(1):13-8. PMID: 16115594 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

5:	Phelan JC, Link BG, Diez-Roux A, Kawachi I, Levin B.	Related Articles, Links
	"Fundamental causes" of social inequalities in mortality: a test of the theory. J Health Soc Behav. 2004 Sep;45(3):265-85. Erratum in: J Health Soc Behav. 2005 Mar;46(1):v. PMID: 15595507 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

6:	Sorlie PD, Coady S, Lin C, Arias E.	Related Articles, Links
	Factors associated with out-of-hospital coronary heart disease death: the national longitudinal mortality study. Ann Epidemiol. 2004 Aug;14(7):447-52. PMID: 15301780 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

7:	[No authors listed]	Related Articles, Links
	A further study of life expectancy by socioeconomic factors in the National Longitudinal Mortality Study. Ethn Dis. 2003 Spring;13(2):299. No abstract available. PMID: 12785431 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

8:	Lin CC, Rogot E, Johnson NJ, Sorlie PD, Arias E.	Related Articles, Links
	A further study of life expectancy by socioeconomic factors in the National Longitudinal Mortality Study. Ethn Dis. 2003 Spring;13(2):240-7. PMID: 12785422 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

9:	Singh GK, Siahpush M.	Related Articles, Links
	Ethnic-immigrant differentials in health behaviors, morbidity, and cause-specific mortality in the United States: an analysis of two national data bases. Hum Biol. 2002 Feb;74(1):83-109. PMID: 11931581 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

10:	Richardus JH, Kunst AE.	Related Articles, Links
	Black-white differences in infectious disease mortality in the United States. Am J Public Health. 2001 Aug;91(8):1251-3. PMID: 11499113 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

11:	Muntaner C, Sorlie P, O'Campo P, Johnson N, Backlund E.	Related Articles, Links
	Occupational hierarchy, economic sector, and mortality from cardiovascular disease among men and women. Findings from the National Longitudinal Mortality Study. Ann Epidemiol. 2001 Apr;11(3):194-201. PMID: 11248583 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

12:	Kaufman JS, Kaufman S.	Related Articles, Links
	Assessment of structured socioeconomic effects on health. Epidemiology. 2001 Mar;12(2):157-67. PMID: 11246575 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

13:	Singh GK, Siahpush M.	Related Articles, Links
	All-cause and cause-specific mortality of immigrants and native born in the United States. Am J Public Health. 2001 Mar;91(3):392-9. PMID: 11236403 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

14:	Kposowa AJ.	Related Articles, Links
	Unemployment and suicide: a cohort analysis of social factors predicting suicide in the US National Longitudinal Mortality Study. Psychol Med. 2001 Jan;31(1):127-38. PMID: 11200951 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

15:	Jackson SA, Anderson RT, Johnson NJ, Sorlie PD.	Related Articles, Links
	The relation of residential segregation to all-cause mortality: a study in black and white. Am J Public Health. 2000 Apr;90(4):615-7. PMID: 10754978 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

16:	Singh GK, Hoyert DL.	Related Articles, Links
	Social epidemiology of chronic liver disease and cirrhosis mortality in the United States, 1935-1997: trends and differentials by ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and alcohol consumption. Hum Biol. 2000 Oct;72(5):801-20. PMID: 11126726 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

17:	Johnson NJ, Backlund E, Sorlie PD, Loveless CA.	Related Articles, Links
	Marital status and mortality: the national longitudinal mortality study. Ann Epidemiol. 2000 May;10(4):224-38. PMID: 10854957 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

18:	Howard G, Anderson RT, Russell G, Howard VJ, Burke GL.	Related Articles, Links
	Race, socioeconomic status, and cause-specific mortality. Ann Epidemiol. 2000 May;10(4):214-23. PMID: 10854956 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

19:	Kposowa AJ.	Related Articles, Links
	Marital status and suicide in the National Longitudinal Mortality Study. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2000 Apr;54(4):254-61. PMID: 10827907 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

20:	Hussey JM.	Related Articles, Links
	The effects of race, socioeconomic status, and household structure on injury mortality in children and young adults. Matern Child Health J. 1997 Dec;1(4):217-27. PMID: 10728247 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

21:	Rosenberg HM, Maurer JD, Sorlie PD, Johnson NJ, MacDorman MF, Hoyert DL, Spitler JF, Scott C.	Related Articles, Links
	Quality of death rates by race and Hispanic origin: a summary of current research, 1999. Vital Health Stat 2. 1999 Sep;(128):1-13. PMID: 10611854 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

22:	Liao Y, McGee DL, Cooper RS.	Related Articles, Links
	Mortality among US adult Asians and Pacific Islanders: findings from the National Health Interview Surveys and the National Longitudinal Mortality Study. Ethn Dis. 1999 Autumn;9(3):423-33. PMID: 10600065 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

23:	Ng-Mak DS, Dohrenwend BP, Abraido-Lanza AF, Turner JB.	Related Articles, Links
	A further analysis of race differences in the National Longitudinal Mortality Study. Am J Public Health. 1999 Nov;89(11):1748-51. PMID: 10553402 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

24:	Kposowa AJ.	Related Articles, Links
	Suicide mortality in the United States: differentials by industrial and occupational groups. Am J Ind Med. 1999 Dec;36(6):645-52. PMID: 10561685 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

25:	Wolfson M, Kaplan G, Lynch J, Ross N, Backlund E.	Related Articles, Links
	Relation between income inequality and mortality: empirical demonstration. BMJ. 1999 Oct 9;319(7215):953-5. PMID: 10514157 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

26:	Abraido-Lanza AF, Dohrenwend BP, Ng-Mak DS, Turner JB.	Related Articles, Links
	The Latino mortality paradox: a test of the "salmon bias" and healthy migrant hypotheses. Am J Public Health. 1999 Oct;89(10):1543-8. PMID: 10511837 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

27:	Backlund E, Sorlie PD, Johnson NJ.	Related Articles, Links
	A comparison of the relationships of education and income with mortality: the National Longitudinal Mortality Study. Soc Sci Med. 1999 Nov;49(10):1373-84. PMID: 10509827 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

28:	Johnson NJ, Sorlie PD, Backlund E.	Related Articles, Links
	The impact of specific occupation on mortality in the U.S. National Longitudinal Mortality Study. Demography. 1999 Aug;36(3):355-67. PMID: 10472499 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

29:	Gregorio DI, Walsh SJ, Paturzo D.	Related Articles, Links
	The effects of occupation-based social position on mortality in a large American cohort. Am J Public Health. 1997 Sep;87(9):1472-5. PMID: 9314799 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

30:	Howard G, Anderson R, Johnson NJ, Sorlie P, Russell G, Howard VJ.	Related Articles, Links
	Evaluation of social status as a contributing factor to the stroke belt region of the United States. Stroke. 1997 May;28(5):936-40. PMID: 9158628 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

31:	Anderson RT, Sorlie P, Backlund E, Johnson N, Kaplan GA.	Related Articles, Links
	Mortality effects of community socioeconomic status. Epidemiology. 1997 Jan;8(1):42-7. PMID: 9116094 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

32:	Singh GK, Yu SM.	Related Articles, Links
	Trends and differentials in adolescent and young adult mortality in the United States, 1950 through 1993. Am J Public Health. 1996 Apr;86(4):560-4. PMID: 8604791 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

33:	Singh GK, Yu SM.	Related Articles, Links
	US childhood mortality, 1950 through 1993: Trends and socioeconomic diffferentials. Am J Public Health. 1996 Apr;86(4):505-12. PMID: 8604780 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

34:	Elo IT, Preston SH.	Related Articles, Links
	Educational differentials in mortality: United States, 1979-85. Soc Sci Med. 1996 Jan;42(1):47-57. PMID: 8745107 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

35:	Backlund E, Sorlie PD, Johnson NJ.	Related Articles, Links
	The shape of the relationship between income and mortality in the United States. Evidence from the National Longitudinal Mortality Study. Ann Epidemiol. 1996 Jan;6(1):12-20; discussion 21-2. PMID: 8680619 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

36:	Smith MH, Anderson RT, Bradham DD, Longino CF Jr.	Related Articles, Links
	Rural and urban differences in mortality among Americans 55 years and older: analysis of the National Longitudinal Mortality Study. J Rural Health. 1995 Fall;11(4):274-85. PMID: 10153687 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

37:	Howard G, Russell GB, Anderson R, Evans GW, Morgan T, Howard VJ, Burke GL.	Related Articles, Links
	Role of social class in excess black stroke mortality. Stroke. 1995 Oct;26(10):1759-63. PMID: 7570721 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

38:	Sorlie PD, Backlund E, Keller JB.	Related Articles, Links
	US mortality by economic, demographic, and social characteristics: the National Longitudinal Mortality Study. Am J Public Health. 1995 Jul;85(7):949-56. PMID: 7604919 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

39:	Howard G, Anderson R, Sorlie P, Andrews V, Backlund E, Burke GL.	Related Articles, Links
	Ethnic differences in stroke mortality between non-Hispanic whites, Hispanic whites, and blacks. The National Longitudinal Mortality Study. Stroke. 1994 Nov;25(11):2120-5. PMID: 7974531 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

40:	Sorlie P, Rogot E, Anderson R, Johnson NJ, Backlund E.	Related Articles, Links
	Black-white mortality differences by family income. Lancet. 1992 Aug 8;340(8815):346-50. PMID: 1353813 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

41:	Rogot E, Sorlie PD, Johnson NJ.	Related Articles, Links
	Life expectancy by employment status, income, and education in the National Longitudinal Mortality Study. Public Health Rep. 1992 Jul-Aug;107(4):457-61. PMID: 1641443 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

42:	Sorlie PD, Rogot E.	Related Articles, Links
	Mortality by employment status in the National Longitudinal Mortality Study. Am J Epidemiol. 1990 Nov;132(5):983-92. PMID: 2239913 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

43:	Rogot E, Sorlie P, Johnson NJ.	Related Articles, Links
	Probabilistic methods in matching census samples to the National Death Index. J Chronic Dis. 1986;39(9):719-34. PMID: 3734026 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Key words:
National Longitudinal Mortality Study, NLMS , income inequality, brain cancer, exposure to lead, education, breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, inequalities in mortality, heart disease, morbidity, black-white differences, infectious disease mortality, cause-specific mortality, immigrants, unemployment, suicide, residential segregation, chronic liver disease, cirrhosis mortality, marital status, injury mortality, stroke, childhood mortality, educational differentials in mortality,rural and urban differences in mortality.