Black and white differences in subjective survival expectations: An evaluation of competing mechanisms.

While black-white inequality in longevity is well documented in the United States, little is known about how individuals from different race/ethnic groups form their own personal survival expectations. Prior research has found that despite having higher mortality, blacks on average report higher survival expectations relative to whites. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we examined racial differences in subjective survival expectations across birth cohorts and provide explanatory mechanisms.

Obesity-related IL-18 Impairs T-Regulatory Cell Function and Promotes Lung Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is a severe form of acute lung injury, leading to increased early morbidity and mortality after lung transplant. Obesity is a major health problem, and recipient obesity is one of the most significant risk factors for developing PGD. We hypothesized that T-regulatory cells (Tregs) are able to dampen early ischemia-reperfusion events and thereby decrease the risk of PGD, whereas that action is impaired in obese recipients.

Increasing Education-Based Disparities in Healthy Life Expectancy Among U.S. Non-Hispanic Whites, 2000-2010.

Objectives: To examine changes in Healthy Life Expectancy (HLE) against the backdrop of rising mortality among less-educated white Americans during the first decade of the twenty-first century.

Methods: This study documented changes in HLE by education among U.S.

Association Between Educational Attainment and Causes of Death Among White and Black US Adults, 2010-2017.

Importance: There are substantial and increasing educational differences in US adult life expectancy. To reduce social inequalities in mortality, it is important to understand how specific causes of death have contributed to increasing educational differences in adult life expectancy in recent years.

Objective: To estimate the relationship of specific causes of death with increasing educational differences in adult life expectancy from 2010 to 2017.

Obesity Decreases Hepatic 25-Hydroxylase Activity Causing Low Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D.

Normal vitamin D homeostasis is critical for optimal health; nevertheless, vitamin D deficiency is a worldwide public health problem. Vitamin D insufficiency is most commonly due to inadequate cutaneous synthesis of cholecalciferol and/or insufficient intake of vitamin D, but can also arise as a consequence of pathological states such as obesity. Serum concentrations of 25(OH)D (calcidiol) are low in obesity, and fail to increase appropriately after vitamin D supplementation.