Ethnicity and incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma in Canadian population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Research has shown that ethnicity is a significant predictor of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Variations in cancer incidence among ethnic groups in the same country can lead to important information in the search for etiological factors. Other risk factors important in the etiology of HL are medical history and exposure to pesticides. In this report we investigated the association between ethnicity and HL in the presence of medical history, and exposure to pesticides.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The data resulting from a matched population-based case-control study conducted in six provinces of Canada (Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia) was analyzed to determine whether or not there was any association between ethnicity and incidence of HL when adjusted for personal medical history and pesticide exposure. Information on ethnicity, personal medical history, and pesticide exposure was collected by questionnaires via mail on 316 men diagnosed with HL; and on 1506 controls. A conditional logistic regression was utilized and results were presented as odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In our study population, the distribution of ethnic groups was: 38.5% North American, 15% British, 8.4% Western European, 8.2% Eastern European, 1.7% Asian, 1.4% Scandinavian and 27% of other ethnic origin. Compared to North Americans (i) the risk of HL was greater among the Eastern European descendents (Odds Ratio (OR_adj): 1.82; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02, 3.25) and Western European (OR_adj: 1.62; 95% CI: 0.95–2.76) descent population (borderline significance at 5% level); and (ii) the risk of HL was lower in Asian descents. Diagnosis with measles (OR_adj: 0.72, 95% C.I.: 0.53–0.98) and/or positive history of allergy desensitization shots (OR_adj: 0.55, 95% C.I.: 0.30–0.99) were negatively associated with the incidence of HL, while diagnosis with acne (OR_adj: 2.12, 95% C.I.: 1.19–3.78), shingles (OR_adj: 2.41, 95% C.I.: 1.38–4.22) and positive family history of cancer (OR_adj: 1.93, 95% C.I.: 1.40–2.65) increased the risk of HL. Exposure to individual herbicide dichlorprop showed an increased risk of HL (OR_adj: 6.35, 95% C.I.: 1.56–25.92).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In Canada, compared to North Americans descendents, the risk of HL was significantly greater among the Eastern European and Western European descent population. Our results related to association between ethnicity and HL support the findings reported by other researchers. Our data showed that subjects who were diagnosed with measles or had allergy desensitization shots negatively associated with the incidence of HL; and other medical conditions, ever diagnosed with acne, and positive family history of cancer were positively associated with the incidence of HL.</p

A Functional Genomics Approach to Establish the Complement of Carbohydrate Transporters in Streptococcus pneumoniae

The aerotolerant anaerobe Streptococcus pneumoniae is part of the normal nasopharyngeal microbiota of humans and one of the most important invasive pathogens. A genomic survey allowed establishing the occurrence of twenty-one phosphotransferase systems, seven carbohydrate uptake ABC transporters, one sodium∶solute symporter and a permease, underlining an exceptionally high capacity for uptake of carbohydrate substrates. Despite high genomic variability, combined phenotypic and genomic analysis of twenty sequenced strains did assign the substrate specificity only to two uptake systems. Systematic analysis of mutants for most carbohydrate transporters enabled us to assign a phenotype and substrate specificity to twenty-three transport systems. For five putative transporters for galactose, pentoses, ribonucleosides and sulphated glycans activity was inferred, but not experimentally confirmed and only one transport system remains with an unknown substrate and lack of any functional annotation. Using a metabolic approach, 80% of the thirty-two fermentable carbon substrates were assigned to the corresponding transporter. The complexity and robustness of sugar uptake is underlined by the finding that many transporters have multiple substrates, and many sugars are transported by more than one system. The present work permits to draw a functional map of the complete arsenal of carbohydrate utilisation proteins of pneumococci, allows re-annotation of genomic data and might serve as a reference for related species. These data provide tools for specific investigation of the roles of the different carbon substrates on pneumococcal physiology in the host during carriage and invasive infection

Environmental determinants of islet autoimmunity (ENDIA): a pregnancy to early life cohort study in children at-risk of type 1 diabetes

Members of ENDIA Study Group: Peter Baghurst, Simon Barry, Jodie Dodd, Maria Makrides for the University of Adelaide.BACKGROUND The incidence of type 1 diabetes has increased worldwide, particularly in younger children and those with lower genetic susceptibility. These observations suggest factors in the modern environment promote pancreatic islet autoimmunity and destruction of insulin-producing beta cells. The Environmental Determinants of Islet Autoimmunity (ENDIA) Study is investigating candidate environmental exposures and gene-environment interactions that may contribute to the development of islet autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes. METHODS/DESIGN ENDIA is the only prospective pregnancy/birth cohort study in the Southern Hemisphere investigating the determinants of type 1 diabetes in at-risk children. The study will recruit 1,400 unborn infants or infants less than six months of age with a first-degree relative (i.e. mother, father or sibling) with type 1 diabetes, across five Australian states. Pregnant mothers/infants will be followed prospectively from early pregnancy through childhood to investigate relationships between genotype, the development of islet autoimmunity (and subsequently type 1 diabetes), and prenatal and postnatal environmental factors. ENDIA will evaluate the microbiome, nutrition, bodyweight/composition, metabolome-lipidome, insulin resistance, innate and adaptive immune function and viral infections. A systems biology approach will be used to integrate these data. Investigation will be by 3-monthly assessments of the mother during pregnancy, then 3-monthly assessments of the child until 24 months of age and 6-monthly thereafter. The primary outcome measure is persistent islet autoimmunity, defined as the presence of autoantibodies to one or more islet autoantigens on consecutive tests. DISCUSSION Defining gene-environment interactions that initiate and/or promote destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells in early life will inform approaches to primary prevention of type 1 diabetes. The strength of ENDIA is the prospective, comprehensive and frequent systems-wide profiling from early pregnancy through to early childhood, to capture dynamic environmental exposures that may shape the development of islet autoimmunity. TRIAL REGISTRATION Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12613000794707.Megan AS Penno, Jennifer J Couper, Maria E Craig, Peter G Colman, William D Rawlinson, Andrew M Cotterill, Timothy W Jones, Leonard C Harrison and ENDIA Study Grou