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Introduction Methods Results Conclusion Black people had the highest prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) of any racial/ethnic group in the United States (US) as of 2020. As racial disparities in the prevalence of ADRD are being investigated, more evidence is necessary to determine the pathways and mechanisms that either slow ADRD progression or improve quality of life for those affected. Religion/spirituality (R/S) has been shown to affect health outcomes but has rarely been studied as a possible pathway for reducing ADRD risk. Crucially, Black people also report higher levels of R/S than other racial/ethnic groups in the United States. This research asks if R/S affects ADRD risk among Black adults and if any effects persist after controlling for hypertension.We conducted a secondary data analysis drawing from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative longitudinal dataset with an oversampling of Black adults.We used logistic regression analysis to demonstrate how R/S has an ameliorating impact on ADRD risk among Black people, even after controlling for hypertension. Those who never attended religious services had 2.37 higher odds of being diagnosed with ADRD than those who attended more than once a week. Further, as R/S attendance increased, ADRD risk decreased linearly.These findings demonstrate the importance that existing cultural networks (e.g., R/S) can have for reducing ADRD burden for Black people and has important implications for the role of R/S in shaping ADRD symptomatology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote biopsy sampling is a valuable technique to collect data on free-ranging cetaceans. Numerous researchers have evaluated effects of biopsy darting on the target animal, but biopsy sampling may also have unintentional effects on nearby nontarget animals. We evaluated reactions of target and nontarget animals during remote biopsy sampling conducted on bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in August 2004 off Folly Beach, South Carolina, and Jekyll Island, Georgia, USA, and in February-March and July-August 2005 off Hilton Head, South Carolina. We examined external factors that might influence response of the target animal as well as other individuals in the group. Target animals reacted to biopsy attempts 90.9% (n = 475) of the time. Of these, 97.5% (n = 432) of reactions were to biopsy hits, and 84.4% (n = 320) of all hits had reactions recorded as low. Nontarget animals reacted 21.9% (n = 1,158) of the time; interanimal distance from target animal, season, sea state, and depth affected reactions of nontarget animals. Overall, however, biopsy effects appear to be minimal. We present a statistical tool for identifying factors that elicit greater reactions. This model could be adapted for species or locations, as needed, to identify factors that could influence effects of biopsy sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]