Racial Disparities in Breast Cancer Survival: The Mediating Effects of Macro-Social Context and Social Network Factors

ABSTRACT This study attempts to clarify the associations between macro-social and social network factors and continuing racial disparities in breast cancer survival. The study improves on prior methodologies by using a neighborhood disadvantage measure that assesses both economic and social disadvantage and an ego-network measurement tool that assesses key social network characteristics. Our population-based sample included 786 breast cancer patients (nHWhite=388; nHBlack=398) diagnosed during 2005-2008 in Chicago, IL. The data included census-derived macro-social context, self-reported social network, self-reported demographic and medically abstracted health measures. Mortality data from the National Death Index (NDI) were used to determine 5-year survival. Based on our findings, neighborhood concentrated disadvantage was negatively associated with survival among nHBlack and nHWhite breast cancer patients. In unadjusted models, social network size, network density, practical support, and financial support were positively associated with 5-year survival. However, in adjusted models only practical support was associated with 5-year survival. Our findings suggest that the association between network size and breast cancer survival is sensitive to scaling of the network measure, which helps to explain inconsistencies in past findings. Social networks of nHWhites and nHBlacks differed in size, social support dimensions, network density, and geographic proximity. Among social factors, residence in disadvantaged neighborhoods and unmet practical support explained some of the racial disparity in survival. Differences in late stage diagnosis and comorbidities between nHWhites and nHBlacks also explained some of the racial disparity in survival. Our findings highlight the relevance of social factors, both macro and inter-personal in the racial disparity in breast cancer survival. Findings suggest that reduced survival of nHBlack women is in part due to low social network resources and residence in socially and economically deprived neighborhoods. Our findings indicate that, to improve survival among breast cancer patients, policies need to focus on continued improvement of access to care and reduction of racially patterned social and economic hardship. Additionally, our findings support the need for health care providers to assess social support resources of breast cancer patients at the time of diagnosis

A phylogeographic and population genetic analysis of a widespread, sedentary North American bird: The Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)

The Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) has one of the broadest breeding distributions of any North American bird and is also one of the most morphologically variable with as many as 21 described subspecies. This wide distribution and high degree of phenotypic diversity suggests the presence of underlying genetic structure. We used ND2 sequence from 296 individuals from 89 localities throughout the Hairy Woodpecker distribution to address this question and to explore this species’ evolutionary history. Phylogenetic analyses identified three main Hairy Woodpecker clades, each ~1.5% divergent from one another. One clade was comprised of birds from boreal and eastern zones of North America (N&E); the second, of birds from western and southwestern North America (S&W), and the third included only birds from a disjunct population in Costa Rica and Panama. Population genetic analyses and climatic niche models indicated that the N&E and S&W clades have very different recent evolutionary histories. Populations in the N&E are characterized by a lack of genetic structure and a genetic signature of recent population expansion. In contrast, S&W populations are highly structured and relative population stability was inferred. The S&W clade is further structured into three additional geographically and genetically isolated groups: Pacific Coast ranges, interior ranges, and southern Mexico. The continental scale patterns of genetic variation observed suggest that the complex topography of the montane west has probably been more important than latitude in generating phylogenetic diversity within this species

The Detection of a Red Sequence of Massive Field Galaxies at z~2.3 and its Evolution to z~0

The existence of massive galaxies with strongly suppressed star formation at z~2.3, identified in a previous paper, suggests that a red sequence may already be in place beyond z=2. In order to test this hypothesis, we study the rest-frame U-B color distribution of massive galaxies at 2<z<3. The sample is drawn from our near-infrared spectroscopic survey for massive galaxies. The color distribution shows a statistically significant (>3 sigma) red sequence, which hosts ~60% of the stellar mass at the high-mass end. The red-sequence galaxies have little or no ongoing star formation, as inferred from both emission-line diagnostics and stellar continuum shapes. Their strong Balmer breaks and their location in the rest-frame U-B, B-V plane indicate that they are in a post-starburst phase, with typical ages of ~0.5-1.0 Gyr. In order to study the evolution of the red sequence, we compare our sample with spectroscopic massive galaxy samples at 0.02<z<0.045 and 0.6<z<1.0. The rest-frame U-B color reddens by ~0.25 mag from z~2.3 to the present at a given mass. Over the same redshift interval, the number and stellar mass density on the high-mass end (>10^11 Msol) of the red sequence grow by factors of ~8 and ~6, respectively. We explore simple models to explain the observed evolution. Passive evolution models predict too strong d(U-B), and produce z~0 galaxies that are too red. More complicated models that include aging, galaxy transformations, and red mergers can explain both the number density and color evolution of the massive end of the red sequence between z~2.3 and the present.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Social Support Needs of Minority Breast Cancer Patients: Significance of Racial Homogeneity and Kin Composition of Social Networks

Social support from family and friends assists breast cancer patients navigate a life crisis, but more needs to be understood about specific social network characteristics that can benefit breast cancer patients. To address this need, the primary aim of this study was to identify social network factors that facilitate or reduce social support. Given racially patterned gaps in social support among breast cancer patients, a secondary goal was to identify network characteristics that are linked to gaps in support. We examined these research questions using data from a sample of 915 breast cancer patients (NHWhite=373; NHBlack=377; Hispanic=165) and 4,021 of their network members. To improve on prior research, we collected detailed social network data using a personal-network measurement tool and assessed needed and received support on five support components. Study findings identified specific network characteristics that facilitate these social support components. Network size was associated with increased practical, informational, emotional, and spiritual support. Network density was associated with increased practical support. Racial homogeneity in networks were associated with reduced informational support while a higher number of daughters in support networks was associated with increased emotional support. Compared to NHWhite patients, NHBlack patients were more likely to experience inadequate practical and financial support. Additionally, compared to NHWhite patients, Hispanic patients were more likely to experience inadequate informational and emotional support. The study found that network density, racial homogeneity, and gender composition of NHWhite, NHBlack and Hispanic social networks contributed to the racially patterned disparities in social support. Findings in this study could inform interventions aimed at increasing social support through greater mobilization of existing network ties as well as policy-driven, formal community building initiatives aimed at replicating benefits of naturally occurring networks

Estimating unrecorded human-caused mortalities of grizzly bears in the Flathead Valley, British Columbia, Canada

Managing the number of grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) mortalities to a sustainable level is fundamental to bear conservation. All known grizzly bear deaths are recorded by management agencies but the number of human-caused grizzly bear deaths that are not recorded is generally unknown, causing considerable uncertainty in the total number of mortalities. Here, we compare the number of bears killed legally by hunters to the number killed by people for all other reasons, for bears wearing functioning radiocollars and for uncollared bears recorded in the British Columbia (BC) government mortality database for the Flathead Valley in southeast BC. Between 1980 and 2016, permitted hunters killed 10 collared bears and 12 (9 known, 3 suspected) were killed by people for other reasons. This ratio differed (p 40 km on a gravel road from a Conservation Officer office, so reporting is difficult and there are no human residences so there is little concern of a neighbor contacting an officer. Our results are likely indicative of other places that are road-accessed but far from settlements. We discuss the implications of sampling individuals for collaring and the possible implications of wearing a collar on the animal’s fate

The Sextet Arcs: a Strongly Lensed Lyman Break Galaxy in the ACS Spectroscopic Galaxy Survey towards Abell 1689

We present results of the HST Advanced Camera for Surveys spectroscopic ground-based redshift survey in the field of A1689. We measure 98 redshifts, increasing the number of spectroscopically confirmed objects by sixfold. We present two spectra from this catalog of the Sextet Arcs, images which arise from a strongly-lensed Lyman Break Galaxy (LBG) at a redshift of z=3.038. Gravitational lensing by the cluster magnifies its flux by a factor of ~16 and produces six separate images with a total r-band magnitude of r_625=21.7. The two spectra, each of which represents emission from different regions of the LBG, show H I and interstellar metal absorption lines at the systemic redshift. Significant variations are seen in Ly-alpha profile across a single galaxy, ranging from strong absorption to a combination of emission plus absorption. A spectrum of a third image close to the brightest arc shows Ly-alpha emission at the same redshift as the LBG, arising from either another spatially distinct region of the galaxy, or from a companion galaxy close to the LBG. Taken as a group, the Ly-alpha equivalent width in these three spectra decreases with increasing equivalent width of the strongest interstellar absorption lines. We discuss how these variations can be used to understand the physical conditions in the LBG. Intrinsically, this LBG is faint, ~0.1L*, and forming stars at a modest rate, ~4 solar masses per year. We also detect absorption line systems toward the Sextet Arcs at z=2.873 and z=2.534. The latter system is seen across two of our spectra.Comment: Accepted for publication in Ap