Increased burden of familial-associated early-onset cancer risk among minority americans compared to non-latino whites

Background: The role of race/ethnicity in genetic predisposition of early-onset cancers can be estimated by comparing family-based cancer concordance rates among ethnic groups. Methods: We used linked California health registries to evaluate the relative cancer risks for first-degree relatives of patients diagnosed between ages 0 and 26, and the relative risks of developing distinct second primary malignancies (SPMs). From 1989 to 2015, we identified 29,631 cancer patients and 62,863 healthy family members. We calculated the standardized incident ratios (SIRs) of early-onset primary cancers diagnosed in proband siblings and mothers, as well as SPMs detected among early-onset patients. Analyses were stratified by self-identified race/ethnicity. Results: Given probands with cancer, there were increased relative risks of any cancer for siblings and mothers (SIR = 3.32; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.85–3.85) and of SPMs (SIR = 7.27; 95% CI: 6.56–8.03). Given a proband with solid cancer, both Latinos (SIR = 4.98; 95% CI: 3.82–6.39) and non-Latino Blacks (SIR = 7.35; 95% CI: 3.36–13.95) exhibited significantly higher relative risk of any cancer in siblings and mothers when compared to non-Latino White subjects (SIR = 3.02; 95% CI: 2.12–4.16). For hematologic cancers, higher familial risk was evident for Asian/Pacific Islanders (SIR = 7.56; 95% CI: 3.26–14.90) compared to non-Latino whites (SIR = 2.69; 95% CI: 1.62–4.20). Conclusions: The data support a need for increased attention to the genetics of early-onset cancer predisposition and environmental factors in race/ethnic minority families in the United States.</p

Stable isotopic composition of submerged plants living in karst water and its eco-environmental importance.

The stable carbon isotopic composition of submerged plants (δ13CP) can be controlled by physiological and environmental factors. Herein, we took advantage of a short, natural karst river with an annual mean bicarbonate (HCO3−) value of 3.8 mmol L−1 to study the stable carbon isotopic composition of submerged plants along the river and the influence of environmental conditions on the δ13CP values. The δ13CP values of Ottelia acuminata, Potamogeton wrightii, Vallisneria natans, and Hydrilla verticillata from upstream to downstream show a gradient and ranged from −34.8‰ to −27.8‰, −36.6‰ to −23.7‰, −35.1‰ to −25.3‰, and −38.6‰ to −26.3‰, respectively and even more depleted values for the first two species at the uppermost site. Diurnal variation of water chemistry and concentration of the dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and the stable carbon isotopic composition of DIC (δ13CD) indicate that the macrophytes and other primary producers in the river have a very high net photosynthetic rate. The gradient of δ13CP values was consistent with CO2 being a declining source of inorganic carbon for photosynthesis in the downstream transect. The results demonstrate that the high DIC concentration with lower negative δ13C value, particularly in karst water environment has a significant role in controlling the stable carbon isotopic composition of submerged plants living in it

Disparities in acute lymphoblastic leukemia risk and survival across the lifespan in the United States of America

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood cancer but is less frequent in adolescents and young adults (AYAs) and is rare among older adults. The 5-year survival of ALL is above 90% in children, but drops significantly in AYAs, and over half of ALL-related deaths occur in older adults. In addition to diagnosis age, the race/ethnicity of patients consistently shows association with ALL incidence and outcomes. Here, we review the racial/ethnic disparities in ALL incidence and outcomes, discuss how these vary across the age spectrum, and examine the potential causes of these disparities. In the United States, the incidence of ALL is highest in Hispanics/Latinos and lowest in Black individuals across all age groups. ALL incidence is rising fastest in Hispanics/Latinos, especially in AYAs. In addition, survival is worse in Hispanic/Latino or Black ALL patients compared to those who are non-Hispanic White. Different molecular subtypes of ALL show heterogeneities in incidence rates and survival outcomes across age groups and race/ethnicity. Several ALL risk variants are associated with genetic ancestry, and demonstrate different risk allele frequencies and/or effect sizes across populations. Moreover, non-genetic factors including socioeconomic status, access to care, and environmental exposures all likely influence the disparities in ALL risk and survival. Further studies are needed to investigate the potential joint effects and interactions of genetic and environmental risk factors. Improving survival in Hispanic/Latino and Black patients with ALL requires advances in precision medicine approaches, improved access to care, and inclusion of more diverse populations in future clinical trials

Birth characteristics and risk of Ewing sarcoma.

PURPOSE: The incidence of Ewing sarcoma varies according to race and ethnicity, and genetic susceptibility is known to affect disease risk. Apart from these factors, the etiology of Ewing sarcoma is largely unknown. METHODS: We compared the birth characteristics of a population-based series of 556 Ewing sarcoma cases born in California in 1978-2015 and diagnosed in 1988-2015 with those of 27,800 controls selected from statewide birth records and frequency-matched to cases on the year of birth, using multivariable logistic regression models. We also assessed whether Ewing sarcoma clustered within families. RESULTS: Compared to non-Hispanic White subjects, Black (odds ratio [OR] = 0.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.03-0.18), Asian (OR = 0.57, 95% CI 0.41-0.80), and Hispanic (OR = 0.73, 95% CI 0.62-0.88) individuals had a significantly lower risk of Ewing sarcoma. Race and ethnicity differences were more profound for metastatic Ewing sarcoma. Birthweight was also identified as a significant risk factor (OR = 1.09, 95% CI 1.00-1.18 for each 500&nbsp;g increase in birthweight). A separate family-based cancer clustering analysis did not suggest any strong role for familial predisposition alleles. CONCLUSIONS: This population-based study with minimal selection bias provides support for a role of accelerated fetal growth in the etiology of Ewing sarcoma in addition to more precise estimates of racial and ethnic variations in disease risk. This comparatively large analysis of birth characteristics and Ewing sarcoma in a multiethnic population should stimulate further investigations into genetic and environmental causes

Lignin characteristics in soil profiles in different plant communities in a subtropical mixed forest

Aims Lignin is generally considered as an important indicator of soil organic carbon (SOC) storage and dynamics. To evaluate the effects of plant communities and soil depth on soil lignin is critical to better understand forest carbon cycling. Methods We compared lignin content and chemical signature in three soil depths of four major plant communities in a subtropical forest, which located in the north part of Wuling Mountains, China. Lignin was measured using CuO oxidation method. Important Findings Both lignin content and its biochemical signature in plant litter varied among communities. However, these differences were mostly no longer exist in the upper soil layers. Lignin chemistry in soils inherited some of the biochemical signature of lignin in litter, but in a diminished magnitude. These results suggest that different plant communities had similar decomposition process with varying rates, caused diminished differences in lignin content and its biochemical signature. Lignin content decreased with soil depth, but the biochemical signature of lignin was not significantly different among soil layers for all communities, which suggests that vertical movement of lignin within the soil profile is very likely a key process causing this similar biochemical signature. These results emphasized the important roles of lignin inputs and soil eluviation in shaping lignin characteristics and distribution in forest soils, which pinpoint the urgent need to consider hydrological processes in studying forest soil carbon cycling

How environmental and vegetation factors affect spatial patterns of soil carbon and nitrogen in a subtropical mixed forest in Central China

Soil properties are highly heterogeneous in forest ecosystems, which poses difficulties in estimating soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools. However, little is known about the relative contributions of environmental factors and vegetation to spatial variations in soil C and N, especially in highly diverse mixed forests. Here, we examined the spatial variations of soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) in a subtropical mixed forest in central China, and then quantified the main drivers. Soil samples (n = 972) were collected from a 25-ha forest dynamic plot in Badagonshan Nature Reserve, central China. All trees with diameter at breast height (DBH) ae1 cm and topography data in the plot were surveyed in detail. Geostatistical analyses were used to characterize the spatial variability of SOC and TN, while variation partitioning combined with Mantel's test were used to quantify the relative contribution of each type of factors. Both surface soil (0-10 cm) and subsurface soil (10-30 cm) exhibited moderate spatial autocorrelation with explainable fractions ranged from 31 to 47 %. The highest contribution to SOC and TN variation came from soil variables (including soil pH and available phosphorus), followed by vegetation and topographic variables. Although the effect of topography was weak, Mantel's test still showed a significant relationship between topography and SOC. Strong interactions among these variables were discovered. Compared with surface soil, the explanatory power of environmental variables was much lower for subsurface soil. The differences in relative contributions between surface and subsurface soils suggest that the dominating ecological process are likely different in the two soil depths. The large unexplained variation emphasized the importance of fine-scale variations and ecological processes. The large variations in soil C and N and their controlling mechanisms should be taken into account when evaluating how forest managements may affect C and N cycles