Analysis of ductal carcinoma in situ by self-reported race reveals molecular differences related to outcome.

BACKGROUND: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a non-obligate precursor to invasive breast cancer (IBC). Studies have indicated differences in DCIS outcome based on race or ethnicity, but molecular differences have not been investigated. METHODS: We examined the molecular profile of DCIS by self-reported race (SRR) and outcome groups in Black (n = 99) and White (n = 191) women in a large DCIS case-control cohort study with longitudinal follow up. RESULTS: Gene expression and pathway analyses suggested that different genes and pathways are involved in diagnosis and ipsilateral breast outcome (DCIS or IBC) after DCIS treatment in White versus Black women. We identified differences in ER and HER2 expression, tumor microenvironment composition, and copy number variations by SRR and outcome groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that different molecular mechanisms drive initiation and subsequent ipsilateral breast events in Black versus White women.

Myxospore density of Kudoa inornata varies significantly within symmetrical white muscle tissue replicates of its fish host, the spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus.

The spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus, is a popular game fish in the southeastern USA. It is estimated that nearly 90% of the adult population in South Carolina estuaries are infected in their skeletal muscle by the myxosporean, Kudoa inornata. However, little is known about this parasite's biology, including the distribution and densities of myxospores within tissues of infected fish, which we expect affect the physiology of their hosts. In order to correlate densities with physiological parameters in future studies, we quantified the myxospores density in muscle and characterized the variation among individual fish. Naïve juvenile seatrout was experimentally infected via presumed K. inornata actinospores exposure to raw seawater. A plug of muscle was extracted from two bilaterally symmetrical regions in the epaxial fillet from fresh and frozen carcasses. Variation in density data was calculated both within and among individuals. Within individuals, density counts were compared between left- and right-side biopsies. There was no significant difference between fresh and frozen plugs, and variation among individuals accounted for the greatest proportion of variation at 68.8%, while variation within individuals was substantial at 25.6%. Simulation and correlation tests confirmed that bilaterally symmetrical replicates varied significantly within individuals. When sampled from areas surrounding the initial biopsies, myxospore density estimates were more similar than between sides. Our findings have important implications for sampling design, particularly for studies investigating physiological parameters at the cellular or molecular level in association with parasite infection.

QTL analysis of native Fusarium head blight and deoxynivalenol resistance in 'D8006W'/'Superior', soft white winter wheat population.

BACKGROUND: Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by Fusarium graminearum, is a major disease of wheat in North America. FHB infection causes fusarium damaged kernels (FDKs), accumulation of deoxynivalenol (DON) in the grain, and a reduction in quality and grain yield. Inheritance of FHB resistance is complex and involves multiple genes. The objective of this research was to identify QTL associated with native FHB and DON resistance in a 'D8006W'/'Superior', soft white winter wheat population. RESULTS: Phenotyping was conducted in replicated FHB field disease nurseries across multiple environments and included assessments of morphological and FHB related traits. Parental lines had moderate FHB resistance, however, the population showed transgressive segregation. A 1913.2 cM linkage map for the population was developed with SNP markers from the wheat 90 K Infinium iSelect SNP array. QTL analysis detected major FHB resistance QTL on chromosomes 2D, 4B, 5A, and 7A across multiple environments, with resistance from both parents. Trait specific unique QTL were detected on chromosomes 1A (visual traits), 5D (FDK), 6B (FDK and DON), and 7D (DON). The plant height and days to anthesis QTL on chromosome 2D coincided with Ppd-D1 and were linked with FHB traits. The plant height QTL on chromosome 4B was also linked with FHB traits; however, the Rht-B1 locus did not segregate in the population. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified several QTL, including on chromosome 2D linked with Ppd-D1, for FHB resistance in a native winter wheat germplasm.

Impact of aspirin dose according to race in secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease: a secondary analysis of the ADAPTABLE randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether the effectiveness and safety of low (81 mg daily) versus high-dose (325 mg daily) aspirin is consistent across races among patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). DESIGN: A secondary analysis of the randomised controlled trial ADAPTABLE was performed. SETTING: The study was conducted in 40 centres and one health plan participating in the National Patient-Centred Clinical Research Network (PCORnet) in the USA. PARTICIPANTS: Among 15 076 participants with established ASCVD, 14 096 had self-reported race available and were included in the analysis. Participants were divided according to self-reported race as Black (n=1311, 9.3%), White (n=11 990, 85.1%) or other race (n=795, 5.6%). INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomised to open-label daily aspirin doses of 81 mg versus 325 mg in a 1:1 ratio for a median of 26.2 months. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES MEASURES: The primary effectiveness endpoint was a composite of death from any cause, hospitalisation for myocardial infarction or hospitalisation for stroke. The primary safety endpoint was hospitalisation for bleeding requiring blood product transfusion. RESULTS: Estimated cumulative incidence of the primary effectiveness endpoint at median follow-up with the 81 mg and the 325 mg daily doses were 6.70% and 7.12% in White participants (adjusted HR: 1.00 [95% CI: 0.88 to 1.15]); 12.27% and 10.69% in Black participants (adjusted HR: 1.40 [95% CI: 1.02 to 1.93]); and 6.88% and 7.69% in other participants (adjusted HR: 0.86 [95% CI: 0.54 to 1.39]) (p-interaction=0.12), respectively. There was no significant interaction between self-reported race and assigned aspirin dose regarding the secondary effectiveness and the primary safety endpoints. CONCLUSION: Race is not an effect modifier on the impact of aspirin dosing on effectiveness and safety in patients with established ASCVD. In clinical practice, treatment decisions regarding aspirin dose in secondary prevention of ASCVD should not be influenced by race. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02697916.

Cost-effectiveness of a primary care-based Healthy Weight Clinic compared with usual care.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to project the cost-effectiveness of implementing the Healthy Weight Clinic (HWC), a primary care-based intervention for 6- to 12-year-old children with overweight or obesity, at federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) nationally. METHODS: We estimated intervention costs from a health care sector and societal perspective and used BMI change estimates from the HWC trial. Our microsimulation of national HWC implementation among all FQHCs from 2023 to 2032 estimated cost per child and per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained and projected impact on obesity prevalence by race and ethnicity. Probabilistic sensitivity analyses assessed uncertainty around estimates. RESULTS: National implementation is projected to reach 888,000 children over 10 years, with a mean intervention cost of $456 (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: $409-$506) per child to the health care sector and $211 (95% UI: $175-$251) to families (e.g., time participating). Assuming effect maintenance, national implementation could result in 2070 (95% UI: 859-3220) QALYs gained and save $14.6 million (95% UI: $5.6-$23.5 million) in health care costs over 10 years, yielding a net cost of $278,000 (95% CI: $177,000-$679,000) per QALY gained. We project greater reductions in obesity prevalence among Hispanic/Latino and Black versus White populations. CONCLUSIONS: The HWC is relatively low-cost per child and projected to reduce obesity disparities if implemented nationally in FQHCs.

High-proportion spliced-in titin truncating variants in African and European ancestry in the All of Us Research Program.

High-proportion spliced-in titin truncating variants (hiPSI TTNtvs) have been associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and heart failure in individuals of European ancestry1. However, similar data in individuals of African ancestry are lacking. Here we examined the association of hiPSI TTNtvs with atrial fibrillation, DCM and heart failure in individuals of African ancestry using data from the All of Us Research Program. Among 38,154 individuals of African ancestry, 169 (0.4%) individuals carried a hiPSI TTNtv. hiPSI TTNtv carriers were at a higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation (adjusted hazard ratio (HRadj) 2.42, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.52-3.85), DCM (HRadj 2.82, 95% CI 1.81-4.39) and heart failure (HRadj 2.07, 95% CI 1.43-3.00) compared with noncarriers. The association of hiPSI TTNtvs with atrial fibrillation, DCM and heart failure was similar in individuals of African ancestry and those of European ancestry. Therefore, genetic testing for hiPSI TTNtvs may permit early identification of carriers and support preventive measures to reduce the likelihood of heart failure development both in individuals of European ancestry and in individuals of African ancestry.

White adipose tissue remodeling in Little Brown Myotis (Myotis lucifugus) with white-nose syndrome.

White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a fungal wildlife disease of bats that has caused precipitous declines in certain Nearctic bat species. A key driver of mortality is premature exhaustion of fat reserves, primarily white adipose tissue (WAT), that bats rely on to meet their metabolic needs during winter. However, the pathophysiological and metabolic effects of WNS have remained ill-defined. To elucidate metabolic mechanisms associated with WNS mortality, we infected a WNS susceptible species, the Little Brown Myotis (Myotis lucifugus), with Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd) and collected WAT biopsies for histology and targeted lipidomics. These results were compared to the WNS-resistant Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus). A similar distribution in broad lipid class was observed in both species, with total WAT primarily consisting of triacylglycerides. Baseline differences in WAT chemical composition between species showed that higher glycerophospholipids (GPs) levels in E. fuscus were dominated by unsaturated or monounsaturated moieties and n-6 (18:2, 20:2, 20:3, 20:4) fatty acids. Conversely, higher GP levels in M. lucifugus WAT were primarily compounds containing n-3 (20:5 and 22:5) fatty acids. Following Pd-infection, we found that perturbation to WAT reserves occurs in M. lucifugus, but not in the resistant E. fuscus. A total of 66 GPs (primarily glycerophosphocholines and glycerophosphoethanolamines) were higher in Pd-infected M. lucifugus, indicating perturbation to the WAT structural component. In addition to changes in lipid chemistry, smaller adipocyte sizes and increased extracellular matrix deposition was observed in Pd-infected M. lucifugus. This is the first study to describe WAT GP composition of bats with different susceptibilities to WNS and highlights that recovery from WNS may require repair from adipose remodeling in addition to replenishing depot fat during spring emergence.

The skin I live in: Pathogenesis of white-nose syndrome of bats.

The emergence of white-nose syndrome (WNS) in North America has resulted in mass mortalities of hibernating bats and total extirpation of local populations. The need to mitigate this disease has stirred a significant body of research to understand its pathogenesis. Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the causative agent of WNS, is a psychrophilic (cold-loving) fungus that resides within the class Leotiomycetes, which contains mainly plant pathogens and is unrelated to other consequential pathogens of animals. In this review, we revisit the unique biology of hibernating bats and P. destructans and provide an updated analysis of the stages and mechanisms of WNS progression. The extreme life history of hibernating bats, the psychrophilic nature of P. destructans, and its evolutionary distance from other well-characterized animal-infecting fungi translate into unique host-pathogen interactions, many of them yet to be discovered.

Ethno-racial differences in depressive symptom endorsement: Evaluation of brief forms of the Geriatric Depression Scale in older adults.

BACKGROUND: Depression among older adults is a pressing public health concern, necessitating accurate assessment tools. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) offers a brief and efficient means of screening depressive symptoms, yet its performance across ethno-racial groups remains understudied. This study aimed to compare the ability of various brief forms of the GDS to detect depressive symptoms and to assess potential ethno-racial differences in symptom endorsement among White, Black/African-American, and American Indian/Alaska Native older adults. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (ADRC) clinical cohort, comprising 555 cognitively healthy individuals at risk for dementia. We used participants' baseline data for this cross-sectional analysis. Depressive symptoms were assessed using multiple brief forms of the GDS, derived from a systematic review and meta-analysis. We examined internal consistency and correlations with global Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scores. We conducted Kruskal-Wallis tests and post hoc pairwise comparisons to assess ethno-racial group differences in symptom endorsement. RESULTS: Descriptive statistics revealed a predominance of female and White participants, with notable representation from Black and American Indian/Alaska Native groups. All GDS versions demonstrated moderate to high internal consistency. Significant positive correlations were observed between GDS scores and global CDR scores. Ethno-racial group differences in depressive symptom endorsement were evident, with Black participants consistently reporting higher levels of symptoms across most GDS versions. However, American Indian/Alaska Native participants endorsed significantly fewer symptoms than Black participants in one GDS version. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the importance of considering ethno-racial differences in depressive symptomatology when assessing older adults. While the GDS demonstrates overall reliability, variations in symptom endorsement across different ethno-racial groups underscore the need for culturally sensitive assessment tools and interventions. Future research should further explore these group differences and develop tailored approaches to depression screening and treatment in diverse older adult populations.

Genetic assessment of litter size, body weight, carcass traits and gene expression profiles in exotic and indigenous rabbit breeds: a study on New Zealand White, Californian, and Gabali rabbits in Egypt.

Rabbits are essential for commercial meat production due to their efficient growth and productivity, breeds like New Zealand White (NZW), Californian (CAL), and Gabali (GAB) rabbits offer unique genetic traits in litter, growth, and carcass traits. This study aimed to evaluate heritability (h2), genetic and phenotypic correlations (rg and rp) for litter size, body weight and carcass traits across California (CAL), New Zealand white (NZW) and Gabali (GA) rabbits. Along with exploring gene expression profiles of TBC1D1, NPY, AGRP, POMC, Leptin, GH, GHR, IGF-1, CAA, GPR, ACC, CPT1, FAS, and CART in the brain, liver, and meat tissues of different rabbit breeds. The breed genotype had a significant impact on litter size (LS), litter weight (LW), body weight at 12 weeks (BW12), and daily weight gain (DWG) traits. NZW rabbits displayed superior performance in terms of litter size and litter weight, while CAL rabbits recorded the highest values for BW12 and DWG. Heritability estimates (h2) were generally low for litter size (ranging from 0.05 to 0.12) and medium for body weight (ranging from 0.16 to 0.31). Both genetic (rg) and phenotypic (rp) correlations for litter size were positive and moderate (ranging from 0.08 to 0.48), while correlations for body weight ranged from 0.21 to 0.58. Additionally, CAL rabbits exhibited higher carcass traits compared to NZW and GA rabbits. In terms of breed-specific gene expression patterns, New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits displayed the highest expression levels of key genes related to energy metabolism (TBC1D1), appetite regulation (NPY, AGRP, POMC), nutrient transport (CAA), and G protein-coupled receptors (GPR) in both brain and liver tissues. Californian (CAL) rabbits exhibited superior gene expression of the ACC gene in brain tissue and GH, GHR, and IGF-1 genes in brain and meat tissues. Gabali (GAB) rabbits demonstrated the highest expression levels of TBC1D1, NPY, AGRP, GPR, and ACC genes in meat tissues. These breed-specific gene expression differences, combined with genetic evaluation efforts, have the potential to enhance reproductive and productive performance in rabbits, offering valuable insights for rabbit breeding programs and genetic selection.

Cannabis and opioid perceptions, co-use, and substitution among patients across 4 NCI-Designated Cancer Centers.

Prescription opioids are used for managing pain in persons with cancer, however, there are socioeconomic and racial disparities in medication access. Cannabis is increasingly used for cancer symptom management and as an opioid alternative. Limited data are available about patterns of opioid and cannabis use among patients with cancer. We used survey data from 4 National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers in 3 states (n = 1220) to assess perceptions, use of cannabis and opioids for pain, their substitution, and racial and ethnic differences in each outcome. Compared with White patients, Black patients were less likely to use opioids for pain (odds ratio [OR] = 0.66; P = .035) and more likely to report that cannabis was more effective than opioids (OR = 2.46; P = .03). Race effects were mitigated (P > .05) after controlling for socioeconomic factors. Further research is needed to understand cannabis and opioid use patterns and how overlapping social determinants of health create a disadvantage in cancer symptom management for Black patients.

Fractures by race and ethnicity in a diverse sample of postmenopausal women: a current evaluation among Hispanic and Asian origin groups.

Using 1998-2022 Women's Health Initiative (WHI) data, our study provides contemporary fracture data by race and ethnicity, specifically focusing on Hispanic and Asian women. Fractures of interest included any clinical, hip, and major osteoporotic fractures (MOFs). We utilized the updated race and ethnicity information collected in 2003, which included seven Asian and five Hispanic origin groups. We computed crude and age-standardized fracture incidence rates per 10 000 woman-years across race and ethnic categories and by Asian and Hispanic origin. We used Cox proportional hazards model, adjusting for age and WHI clinical trial arm, to evaluate the risk of fracture (1) by race compared to White women, (2) Asian origin compared to White women, (3) Hispanic compared to non-Hispanic women, and (4) Asian and Hispanic origins compared the most prevalent origin group. Over a median (interquartile range) follow-up of 19.4 (9.2-24.2) years, 44.2% of the 160 824 women experienced any clinical fracture, including 36 278 MOFs and 8962 hip fractures. Compared to White women, Black, Pacific Islander, Asian, and multiracial women had significantly lower risk of any clinical and MOFs, while only Black and Asian women had significantly lower hip fracture risk. Within Asian women, Filipina women had 24% lower risk of any clinical fracture compared to Japanese women. Hispanic women had significantly lower risk of any clinical, hip, and MOF fractures compared to non-Hispanic women, with no differences in fracture risk observed within Hispanic origin groups. In this diverse sample of postmenopausal women, we confirmed racial and ethnic differences in fracture rates and risk, with novel findings among within Asian and Hispanic subgroups. These data can aid in future longitudinal studies evaluate contributors to racial and ethnic differences in fractures.

We provided contemporary fracture rates by race and ethnicity, specifically focusing on multiple Hispanic and Asian subgroups, using 1998-2022 data from the Women's Health Initiative. Over a median follow-up of 19.4 years, 43.4% of the 154 948 women experienced any clinical fracture, including 8679 hip and 34 546 major osteoporotic fractures. Compared to White women, Black, Pacific Islander, Asian, and multiracial women had significantly lower risk of any clinical and major osteoporotic fractures (MOFs); while only Black and Asian women had significantly lower hip fracture risk when compared to White women. Within Asian women, Filipina women had 24% lower risk of any clinical fracture compared to Japanese women. Hispanic women had significantly lower risk of any clinical, hip, and MOF fractures compared to non-Hispanic women, with no differences in fracture risk observed within Hispanic women. In this diverse sample of postmenopausal women, we confirmed racial and ethnic differences in fracture rates and risk, with novel findings among Pacific Islander women and within Asian and Hispanic subgroups.

Racial/ethnic differences in risk of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Suicidal ideation (SI) and suicide attempts (SA) are risk factors for suicide which peak during adolescence; however, evidence focused on differences in SI and SA risk among racial/ethnic minority youth is limited despite increasing suicide rates among several racial/ethnic minority groups. METHODS: We analyzed a representative sample of adolescents aged 12-17 with prior depressive symptoms (n = 32,617) from the cross-sectional National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (2008-2019). Survey-weighted adjusted logistic regressions estimated the association of race/ethnicity with self-reported lifetime SI and SA, controlling for sociodemographics, lifetime substance use, lifetime major depressive episode, and self-rated health. RESULTS: Compared to white adolescents, Black and Hispanic adolescents had a 2.5 % (p = 0.04) and 4.2 % (p < 0.001) lower likelihood of reporting SI. However, among participants reporting SI, Black and Hispanic adolescents had a 3.2 % (p = 0.03) and 3.1 % (p = 0.03) higher likelihood of reporting SA than white adolescents. Multiracial adolescents were 5.9 % (p = 0.03) more likely to report SA than white adolescents. LIMITATIONS: Although racial/ethnic minority groups are less likely to self-report mental health symptoms, we could only assess SI/SA among adolescents self-reporting prior depressive symptoms, and we could only assess SA among adolescents self-reporting SI due to survey methods. CONCLUSIONS: Variation in the racial/ethnic distribution of suicidality supports theories conceptualizing separate pathways for SI and SA. This underscores the need for greater attention to racial/ethnic differences in suicide-related research, surveillance, and prevention efforts, including ensuring that mental health risk assessments directly evaluate SA in addition to SI in order to better identify high-risk racial/ethnic minority youth.

Analysis of pancreatic cancer treatment and survival disparities in Florida throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is currently the third-leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. African Americans (AAs) with PDAC have worse survival in comparison to other racial groups. The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant stress to the healthcare system. We aim to evaluate the pandemic's impact on already known disparities in newly diagnosed patients with PDAC in Florida. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of newly diagnosed patients with PDAC in the OneFlorida+ Data Trust based upon date of diagnosis: Pre-pandemic (01/01/2017- 09/30/2019), Transition (10/01/2019-02/28/2020), and Pandemic (03/1/2020-10/31/2020). Primary endpoints are time to treatment initiation and rate of surgery and secondary endpoint is survival time. Disparities due to age, sex, race, and income were also evaluated. Chi-squared or Fisher's exact test when necessary, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Kaplan-Meier analysis with log-rank test were performed to compare the differences between the comparative groups for categorical, quantitative, and survival outcomes, respectively. Multivariable regression analyses were conducted to estimate the effects of cofactors. RESULTS: 934 patients with a median age of 67 years were included. There were 47.8% females and 52.2% males; 19.4% AA, 70.2% Caucasian, 10.4% Other race; median income was $53,551. While we observed a significant reduction in the diagnosis rate of new PDAC cases during the pandemic, there were no significant differences in demographic distributions among the three cohorts. Time to treatment did not significantly change from the pre-pandemic to the pandemic, and no difference was observed across all demographics. Rate of surgery increased significantly from the pre-pandemic (35.8%) to the pandemic (55.6%). AAs in the pre-pandemic cohort had a significantly lower rate of surgery of 25.0% compared to 41.7% in Caucasians. AAs, patients ≥ 67 years, and income < $53,000 had significantly higher hazards to death and shorter median survival time (mST). CONCLUSIONS: While no differences in time to initial treatment are observed among the newly diagnosed PDAC patients, there remain significant disparities in the rate of surgery and overall survival. Observing a significant reduction in diagnosis rate and analyzing disparities can provide insight into the effect of a resource-restricting pandemic for patients with newly diagnosed PDAC.

Neighborhood Resources and Health Outcomes Among Stroke Survivors in a Population-Based Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Stroke survivors believe neighborhood resources such as community centers are beneficial; however, little is known about the influence of these resources on stroke outcomes. We evaluated whether residing in neighborhoods with greater resource density is associated with favorable post-stroke outcomes. METHODS AND RESULTS: We included Mexican American and non-Hispanic White stroke survivors from the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi project (2009-2019). The exposure was density of neighborhood resources (eg, community centers, restaurants, stores) within a residential census tract at stroke onset. Outcomes included time to death and recurrence, and at 3 months following stroke: disability (activities of daily living/instrumental activities of daily living), cognition (Modified Mini-Mental State Exam), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-8), and quality of life (abbreviated Stroke-Specific Quality of Life scale). We fit multivariable Cox regression and mixed linear models. We considered interactions with stroke severity, ethnicity, and sex. Among 1786 stroke survivors, median age was 64 years (interquartile range, 56-73), 55% men, and 62% Mexican American. Resource density was not associated with death, recurrence, or depression. Greater resource density (75th versus 25th percentile) was associated with more favorable cognition (Modified Mini-Mental State Exam mean difference=0.838, 95% CI=0.092, 1.584) and among moderate-severe stroke survivors, with more favorable functioning (activities of daily living/instrumental activities of daily living=-0.156 [95% CI, -0.284 to 0.027]) and quality of life (abbreviated Stroke-Specific Quality of Life scale=0.194 [95% CI, 0.029-0.359]). CONCLUSIONS: We observed associations between greater resource density and cognition overall and with functioning and quality of life among moderate-severe stroke survivors. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and determine if neighborhood resources may be a tool for recovery.

Mate selection and current trends in the prevalence of autism.

BACKGROUND: According to the most recent U.S. CDC surveillance data, the rise in prevalence of childhood autism spectrum disorder among minority children has begun to outpace that of non-Hispanic white children. Since prior research has identified possible differences in the extent of mate selection for autistic traits across families of different ethnicity, this study examined variation in autism related traits in contemporaneous, epidemiologically ascertained samples of spousal pairs representing Hispanic and non-Hispanic white populations. The purpose was to determine whether discrepancies by ethnicity could contribute to differential increases in prevalence in the current generation of young children. METHODS: Birth records were used to identify all twin pairs born between 2011 and 2013 in California and Missouri. Families were selected at random from pools of English-speaking Hispanic families in California and Non-Hispanic White families in Missouri. Autistic trait data of parents was obtained using the Adult Report Form of the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS-2). RESULTS: We did not identify a statistically significant difference in the degree of mate selection for autism related traits between Hispanic and non-Hispanic white spousal pairs. However, the degree of spousal correlation observed in this recent cohort was pronounced (on the order of ICC 0.45) and exceeded that typically reported in prior research (on the order of 0.30), surpassing also widely reported estimates for sibling correlation (also on the order of 0.30). LIMITATIONS: The sample did not allow for a direct appraisal of change in the magnitude of spousal correlation over time and the ascertainments of trait burden were derived from spouse report. CONCLUSION: Across two epidemiologically ascertained samples of spousal pairs representing Hispanic and non-Hispanic white families across two U.S. states (respectively, California and Missouri), the extent of autism-related trait co-variation for parents of the current generation of young children is substantial and exceeds correlations typically observed for siblings. Given the heritability of these traits and their relation to autism risk, societal trends in the degree of mate selection for these traits should be considered as possible contributors to subtle increases in the incidence of autism over time and across generations.

Disparate Rates of Germline Variants in Cancer Predisposition Genes in African American/Black Compared With Non-Hispanic White Individuals Between 2015 and 2022.

PURPOSE: African American/Black (AA/B) individuals are under-represented in genomic databases and thus less likely to receive definitive information from germline genetic testing (GGT) than non-Hispanic White (NHW) individuals. With nearly 500,000 AA/B and NHW individuals having undergone multigene panel testing (MGPT) for hereditary cancer risk at a single commercial laboratory, to our knowledge, we present the largest study to date investigating cancer GGT results in AA/B and NHW individuals. METHODS: MGPT results from a retrospective cohort of AA/B (n = 48,684) and NHW (n = 444,831) patients were evaluated. Frequencies of pathogenic germline variants (PGVs) and variants of uncertain significance (VUS) were compared between AA/B and NHW individuals. Changes in frequency of VUS over time were determined. Pearson's chi-squared test was used to compare categorical variables among groups. All significance tests were two-tailed, and P < .05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Between 2015 and 2022, rates of VUS decreased 2.3-fold in AA/B and 1.8-fold in NHW individuals; however, frequencies of VUS and PGV remained significantly higher (46% v 32%; P < .0001) and lower (9% v 13%; P < .0001) in AA/B compared with NHW individuals. Rates of VUS in ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, and PMS2 were significantly higher in AA/B compared with NHW individuals, whereas rates of PGV in BRCA1, BRCA2, and PALB2 were higher in AA/B compared with NHW individuals (P < .001). CONCLUSION: Despite reductions in VUS frequencies over time, disparities in definitive GGT results persist. Increasing inclusion of AA/B populations in both testing and research will further increase knowledge of genetic variants across these racial groups.

Visualizing Black Telephone Users: Technological Whiteness and Racial Exclusion in Bell System Advertising.

This study considers the broad implications of white technological modernity as a mode of symbolic and systemic exclusion. The visual absence of Black telephone users in mass-market advertising-and the struggle to make them visible-underscores the exclusionary power of technological whiteness and its lasting effects on conceptions of Black technology users, communities, and innovation. In the first half of the twentieth century, American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) tirelessly promoted its national telephone network as a model of technological progress and universal service, but this vision did not include African Americans. This article examines the historical exclusion of African Americans in Bell System advertising and the emergence of Black telephone users in advertising imagery during the 1950s and 1960s, drawing attention to the civil rights work of Ramon S. Scruggs, the first African American to rise to Bell System upper management.

The misperception of organizational racial progress toward diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Despite a checkered racial history, people in the United States generally believe the nation has made steady, incremental progress toward achieving racial equality. In this article, we investigate whether this U.S. racial progress narrative will extend to how the workforce views the effectiveness of organizational efforts surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion. Across three studies (N = 1,776), we test whether Black and White U.S. workers overestimate organizational racial progress in executive representation. We also examine whether these misperceptions, surrounding organizational progress, drive misunderstandings regarding the relative ineffectiveness of common organizational diversity policies. Overall, we find evidence that U.S. workers largely overestimate organizational racial progress, believe that organizational progress will naturally improve over time, and that these misperceptions of organizational racial progress may drive beliefs in the effectiveness of diversity, equity, and inclusion policies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Trends in Black-White Differences of Antihypertensive Treatment in Individuals With and Without History of Stroke.

BACKGROUND: Recent hypertension guidelines for the general population have included race-specific recommendations for antihypertensives, whereas current stroke-specific recommendations for antihypertensives do not vary by race. The impact of these guidelines on antihypertensive regimen changes over time, and if this has varied by prevalent stroke status, is unclear. METHODS: The use of antihypertensive medications was studied cross-sectionally among self-identified Black and White participants, aged ≥45 years, with and without history of stroke, from the REGARDS study (Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke). Participants completed an in-home examination in 2003-2007 (visit 1) with/without an examination in 2013-2016 (visit 2). Stratified by prevalent stroke status, logistic regression mixed models examined associations between antihypertensive class use for visit 2 versus visit 1 and Black versus White individuals with an interaction adjusted for demographics, socioeconomic status, and vascular risk factors/vital signs. RESULTS: Of 17 244 stroke-free participants at visit 1, Black participants had greater adjusted odds of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor usage than White participants (odds ratio [OR], 1.51 [95% CI, 1.30-1.77]). This difference was smaller in the 7476 stroke-free participants at visit 2 (OR, 1.16 [95% CI, 1.08-1.25]). In stroke-free participants at visit 1, Black participants had lower odds of calcium channel blocker (CCB) usage than White participants (OR, 0.47 [95% CI, 0.41-0.55]), but CCB usage did not differ significantly between Black and White stroke-free participants at visit 2 (OR, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.95-1.09]). Among 1437 stroke survivor participants at visit 1, Black participants had lower odds of CCB use than White participants (OR, 0.34 [95% CI, 0.26-0.45]). In 689 stroke survivor participants at visit 2, CCB use did not differ between Black and White participants (OR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.61-1.06]). CONCLUSIONS: Racial differences in the use of guideline-recommended antihypertensives decreased between 2003-2007 and 2013-2016 in stroke-free individuals. In stroke survivors, racial differences in CCB usage narrowed over the time periods. These findings suggest there is still a mismatch between race-specific hypertension guidelines and recent clinical practice.