Black Population Research Articles

Mental Health First Aid for Black Populations: Recommendations From the Neighborhood Healers Project

Mental Health First Aid for Black Populations: Recommendations From the Neighborhood Healers Project

Risk factors of substance use treatment gaps among a nationally representative sample of black American adults in relation to sexual minority status and health insurance coverage

BackgroundLittle research has investigated predictors of specialty substance use treatment gaps among Black adults. This study examined differential odds of experiencing self-reported, past-year treatment gaps among Black adults with respect to sexual minority status and health insurance coverage, accounting for social cofactors.MethodThis cross-sectional study comprised 36,098 Black Americans aged 18 and older who completed the 2015–2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) and provided responses for all selected survey items. Design-based multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine predictors of drug and alcohol treatment gaps.ResultsSexual minority Black adults reported greater odds of experiencing treatment gaps to specialty treatment (i.e., inpatient hospital, inpatient/outpatient rehabilitation facility, or mental health center) compared to Black heterosexuals in adjusted models (Gay or lesbian: AOR = 2.01, 95% CI = 1.39–2.89; Bisexual: AOR = 2.35, 95% CI = 1.77–3.12), with bisexual Black women experiencing the greatest odds (AOR = 3.10, 95% CI = 2.33–4.14). Black adults with no health insurance were significantly more likely to report substance use treatment gaps relative to their peers with health insurance coverage (AOR = 50, 95% CI = 1.26–1.78).ConclusionThe results suggest a critical need for more investigations into patterns of specialty substance use treatment gaps within Black populations and for developing sexual identity-affirming mechanisms for closing the disparity gap, particularly for Black sexual minorities and those who lack health insurance coverage.

Distribution and ecology of shallow-water black corals across a depth gradient on Galápagos rocky reefs

AbstractAntipathes galapagensis is a prevalent habitat-forming black coral in subtidal ecosystems of the Galápagos Marine Reserve (GMR). Despite their ecological importance and status as a CITES-regulated order, little is known about their depth distribution, population structure and ecology in the GMR. Surveys were conducted in 2021 and 2022 at 9 sites in the central Galápagos Archipelago to investigate how black coral densities, occupancy, size, habitat utilization, and epizoan overgrowth varied between 2.0 and 20.0 m depth. The shallowest black corals occurred at 3.4 m depth, one of the shallowest occurrences of an Antipathes spp. in the world. Coral density increased with depth, with a maximum density of 5.2 colonies per m2 observed across the depth range surveyed. Occupancy modeling also yielded curves with increasing probabilities of black coral presence with depth at all sites. Colony height increased with depth at 8 out of 9 sites and was positively correlated with coral density at 6 of 9 sites. Overall, 47% of colonies surveyed occupied cryptic habitats and 53% were attached to exposed substrate, but black coral habitat usage patterns varied with depth at 5 of 9 sites. At these sites, colonies on shallower transects (5.0, 10.0 m depth) more frequently displayed cryptic habitat usage while colonies along the deeper transects (15.0, 20.0 m) were more often exposed. In general, coral density, probability of occupancy, height, and exposed habitat utilization increased with depth, while the average degree of overgrowth and number of epibiont taxa were unrelated to depth. Five hypotheses regarding factors potentially limiting the shallow (upper) depth distribution of A. galapagensis—ranging from negative impacts of the physical environment to high predation on exposed substrates—are presented for future testing. These results provide a comprehensive ecological characterization of Galápagos black coral populations that can be used to assess the impact of future environmental change and applied to management decisions for this key marine foundation species in the GMR.

Systematic bias from waveform modeling for binary black hole populations in next-generation gravitational wave detectors

Systematic bias from waveform modeling for binary black hole populations in next-generation gravitational wave detectors

Right-side shift of colorectal cancer in Trinidad and Tobago: A change in distribution

Background and Objectives: Previously published epidemiologic data from Trinidad and Tobago suggested that left-sided colorectal cancer (CRC) was more common, but accepted, standardized definitions for CRC laterality were not used. This study aims to collect data from patients with CRC in Trinidad & Tobago in order to determine anatomic site using standardized definitions. Methods: A retrospective audit of hospital records was carried out for all patients with CRC over a 10-year period from January 1, 2011 to January 30, 2021. Standardized definitions were used to classify CRC laterality: Right-sided CRC was defined as those that arose in the cecum, ascending colon, hepatic flexure and/or transverse colon. Left-sided primaries were defined as those that originated from the splenic flexure, descending colon and/or sigmoid colon. The following data were extracted: laterality, gender, age and ethnicity. Descriptive statistical analyses were generated with SPSS version 21. Results: The records of 326 patients with CRC were examined in this study. There was a predominance of right-sided (43%) over left sided primaries. There was a statistically significant relationship between right sided CRC and female (58.2% vs. 41.8%; P = 0.00168), black ethnicity (60.2% vs. 38.6%; P = 0.0076) and younger age (60.9 vs. 65.9 years; P = 0.00028). Conclusion: There is a predominance of right-sided CRC in this eastern Caribbean nation, significantly associated with younger, female and black population.

US County-Level Variation in Availability and Prevalence of Black Physicians in 1906

Black physicians are substantially underrepresented in the US health care workforce, with detrimental effects on the health and health care experiences of Black individuals. These contemporary gaps can be traced to the early days of the medical profession using the first edition of the American Medical Directory (AMD). To identify state- and county-level patterns related to the training and availability of Black physicians relative to their White counterparts in the 1906 AMD. For this cross-sectional study, data for 41 828 physician entries in 18 US states in or adjacent to the South as well as the District of Columbia were extracted from the 1906 AMD and aggregated to 1570 counties. Data analysis was performed between September 2023 and January 2024. County-level exposure variables included population density, racial composition, and illiteracy rate among US-born White residents as well as an index of terrain ruggedness and the number of lynchings in the previous decade. Median values of physicians' distance from place of practice to place of medical training (by race of physician) were also used as an exposure variable. There were 4 county-level outcomes: (1) presence of any Black physician, (2) proportion of Black physicians per Black population, (3) proportion of White physicians per White population, and (4) community representativeness (reported as the community representativeness ratio). The cross-sectional analysis used generalized additive mixed models with state-level random effects. Across 1570 counties, Black physicians comprised 746 (1.8%) of the 41 828 physicians in the dataset. Black physicians tended to train further from their place of practice than their White counterparts. The proportion of Black physicians per 1000 Black residents was 0.08 compared with 1.62 for White physicians; these proportions varied substantially by state. At the county level, the presence of any Black physician was associated with percentage Black population (odds ratio [OR], 28.94 [95% CI, 9.77 to 85.76]; P ≤ .001), population density (OR, 2.63 [95% CI, 2.03 to 3.40]; P ≤ .001), and distance to the nearest Black medical school (OR, 0.62 [95% CI, 0.42 to 0.92]; P = .02). A variety of structural disadvantages are illustrated in this cross-sectional study of county-level sociodemographic and geographic characteristics associated with the prevalence of Black physicians in the earliest days of the profession. To demonstrate its broader utility for health disparities research, the dataset has been made publicly available with a visualization platform.

Adverse Obstetric and Perinatal Outcomes Among Birthing People in Same-Sex and Different-Sex Relationships in Louisiana.

Purpose: We investigated sexual orientation disparities in several obstetric and perinatal outcomes in Louisiana and examined whether these disparities differed among Black, Latine, and White populations. Methods: We analyzed cross-sectional vital records data on singleton live births in Louisiana (2016-2022). Same-sex relationships (SSR) vs. different-sex relationships (DSR) were classified based on the sex of the parents listed on the birth certificate. Using modified Poisson regression, we estimated adjusted risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals among birthing persons in SSR vs. DSR for preterm birth (PTB), low birthweight (LBW), spontaneous labor, Cesarean delivery, gestational hypertension, and gestational diabetes. We examined within and across group disparities in models stratified by sexual orientation and race/ethnicity. Results: In the total birthing population, those in SSR experienced higher risk of gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes and were less likely to have spontaneous labor compared with persons in DSR. The risk of PTB and LBW was two-fold higher among Black birthing people in SSR compared with White birthing people in SSR and DSR. Latine birthing people in SSR experienced higher risk of gestational hypertension and gestational diabetes compared with their peers in DSR and White people in DSR. Some of these disparities were partially explained by including socioeconomic and health risk factors. Conclusion: Sexual orientation-related disparities exist across and within racial/ethnic groups among birthing people in Louisiana. Adopting an intersectional approach that considers the mutually constituted nature of heterosexism and racism is critical to addressing sexual orientation-related inequities in reproductive and perinatal health.

Factors Affecting Survival Outcomes in Neuroendocrine Tumor of the Appendix over the Past Two Decades

Background: Appendiceal neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) rank as the third most frequent neoplasm affecting the appendix, originating from enterochromaffin cells. This study aims to evaluate the influence of various prognostic factors on the mortality rates of patients diagnosed with NETs of the appendix. Methods: Conducted retrospectively, the study involved 3346 patients, utilizing data sourced from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Our analysis centered on investigating demographic characteristics, clinical features, overall mortality (OM), and cancer-specific mortality (CSM) among the cohort. Variables showing a p-value < 0.1 in the univariate Cox regression were incorporated into the multivariate Cox regression analysis. A Hazard Ratio (HR) > 1 indicated an unfavorable prognosis. Results: In the multivariate analysis, higher OM and CSM were observed in males, older age groups, tumors with distant metastasis, poorly differentiated tumors, and those who underwent chemotherapy. Non-Hispanic Black individuals showed elevated mortality rates. Conclusion: Delayed diagnosis may contribute to the increased mortality in this community. Improved access to healthcare and treatment is crucial for addressing these disparities. Larger prospective studies are needed to pinpoint the underlying causes of elevated mortality in non-Hispanic Black populations, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are warranted to evaluate therapies for advanced-stage appendix NETs.

Probing correlations in the binary black hole population with flexible models

Probing correlations in the binary black hole population with flexible models

Beliefs and Perceptions of Physical Activity Among Black Adolescents in South Florida: A Qualitative Study.

In the United States, non-Hispanic Black adolescents have a significantly higher prevalence of obesity than their peers. Though physical activity (PA) has many benefits, many adolescents fail to engage in adequate amounts of PA. Black adolescents are also more sedentary than those from other races and ethnicities. This study aimed to describe the perceptions, beliefs, and barriers to PA in South Florida Black adolescents. Five focus groups were conducted with self-identified non-Hispanic Black adolescents (n = 38) in South Florida. A semi-structured question guide based on the Theory of Planned Behavior was used for group discussions. The open-ended questions addressed adolescents' (1) attitudes and beliefs toward PA, (2) current PA-related behaviors, and (3) environmental, social, cultural, and racial influences on health behaviors. The desire to be healthy, thoughts of the future, and self-image were among the reasons participants engaged in PA. Engagement in PA was associated with a positive social environment, including encouragement from family and friends. Race, culture, and social media were also cited as influences on PA. Perceived control beliefs, such as parental pressures and self-discipline, also impacted PA. Adolescents recognize the importance of PA; however, their behaviors do not reflect this. Barriers and motivators for Black adolescents are multifaceted. It is critical for Public Health practitioners and local legislators to understand the complexities to serve this population. This study's findings can guide the development of tailored PA and education programs for Black adolescent populations.

Interventions at the Local Spheres of Government in South Africa: An Assessment of Monitoring and Evaluation

The post-1994 landscape in South Africa presented millions of individuals—especially the majority Black population who had been subjected to many apartheid policies—with renewed hope for better and improved development opportunities. This stemmed from the fact that the first democratically elected administration of the African National Congress (ANC) promised immense socioeconomic change when they assumed office. These promises became evident from the many socioeconomic policies and Chapter 9 institutions that came to the fore over the last two decades, as well as the mapping of new legislation and policies for local government as enshrined in the Constitution of 1996. These actions were viewed to further the envisioned development trajectories of government, especially as the local government is the government closest to the people. However, post-1994, some municipalities in South Africa have endured massive challenges that have needed numerous involvements from the government through various interventions. This has been a continuous phenomenon, irrespective of the many policies at play to oversee the smooth operation of municipalities. This article delves into the failure of some municipalities in South Africa and interventions of local government in post-apartheid South Africa by scrutinising what drives this phenomenon. Furthermore, it dwells on the impact and challenges of effective monitoring and evaluation (M&E) policies at the local government level.

Bayesian spatial mapping of rates of substance use among high-school students in Florida

ABSTRACT Objective In adolescent substance use research, more work has been done in identifying risk factors at individual level while little work was done at community level. The objective of this study is to examine the possible risk factors associated with substance use by high-school students at county level. Methods Data on the percentages of county-level substance use by adolescents and county-level risk factors were obtained from the Florida Department of Health, Division of Public Health Statistics & Performance Management (DPHSM). Spatial beta models were used to examine the associations between risk factors and rates of substance use. Results Geographic variation in rates of substance use by adolescents was observed in Florida, ranging from 6.5% to 28.6% for drug use, and from 14.8% to 36.3% for alcohol. It was found that percentages of black population and individual below poverty level were inversely associated with rates of drug use by adolescents. There were no significant associations between percentages of drug use by adolescents and median income, adult drug use, school suspension, and student emotional/behavioral disability per county. Conclusion Interventions for reducing rates of adolescent substance use may focus on involving parents to monitor financial resources for their children.

GENDER EMPOWERMENT: INTERFACE WITH GEOGRAPHIC SPACE AND SUSTAINABILITY

The objective of this work is to analyze empowerment based on gender and racial equality in Brazilian society. We have performed documental and quantitative research using data extracted from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, Center of Educational, Cultural and Community Action Studies and Research and Union Socioeconomic Statistics and Studies Department databases. The data indicates that girls present greater age-grade distortion than boys, and the black population is at a disadvantage compared to the white population in higher education from ages 18 to 24. Black women are at a disadvantage in relation to black men, as white women are with white men in terms of inclusion in the Brazilian workforce and average salaries. In addition, they are under-represented in managerial positions, and there is a disadvantage in terms of gender in every state in Brazil. Black women suffer the most social inequality in the workforce. This study considers the criterion of race, because black people make up more than half of the Brazilian population. The female and racial geography, it points out that social and racial inequality is a compromising factor for achieving the goal of the 2030 Agenda.

Disparities in Trend of Renal Cell Carcinoma Mortality in the United States.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for 90% of malignant neoplasms of the kidney. In this report, the CDC WONDER database was accessed to retrieve age-adjusted mortality data from 1999 to 2020 due to RCC, defined as ICD-10 Code: C64 Malignant neoplasm of kidney except renal pelvis, for various demographics to investigate trends and potential disparities. In 2020, the overall age-adjusted mortality rate (AAMR) due to RCC in the USA was 42.4 per 1,000,000. The average annual percent change (AAPC) for the USA from 1999 to 2020 was -0.6%. Notably, in 2020, men had a higher AAMR than women, 63.9 compared to 25.7, and a significant difference in AAPC trend was identified between men (-0.5%) and women (-1.0%). When investigating trends according to race in 2020, the Asian population displayed the lowest AAMR at 18.9. When determining AAPC from 1999 to 2020 according to race group, the American Indian group demonstrated the greatest decline in AAPC at -1.3%, followed by the Black (-1.2%) and White populations (-0.5%). The Asian population did not exhibit a significant AAPC. Moreover, the rates between these three groups were statistically significantly different- indicating disparities in trend based on race. This investigation assesses the AAMR for different demographic groups of the USA population to identify disparities and guide resource allocation strategies.

Abstract PO5-17-01: Pre-treatment tumor infiltrating lymphocytes are associated with higher likelihood of pathologic complete response among black women with TNBC receiving neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy

Abstract Background: High risk, early-stage triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogenous disease that is associated with early recurrence and high mortality, particularly among black women as compared to their white counterparts. Pathologic complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) is a strong-predictor of long-term disease-free survival in TNBC, and the KEYNOTE-522 trial demonstrated that the addition of immunotherapy (pembrolizumab) to NACT resulted in a higher likelihood of pathologic complete response (pCR) in high-risk early-stage TNBC. Following these findings, the standard of care has been to administer the K522 regimen (K522R) in the neoadjuvant setting for patients with high risk early-stage TNBC. However, our understanding of the clinical and tumor characteristics to prognosticate response to K522 are lacking, and additional real-world data is needed to better understand if these variables differ among race. Methods: We evaluated 76 patients who were treated with the K522R at our institution. There were slides available from 29 patients’ pre-treatment biopsies for pathology review. In the available slides, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) were evaluated as the percentage of lymphocytes in the stroma within the tumor area. For the remaining cases that did not have available slides, these variables were retrieved from pathology reports and patients’ charts. Patient characteristics including age, race and body mass index (BMI) were acquired via retrospective chart review. These clinicopathologic variables were correlated with pCR, which was defined by the absence of invasive carcinoma in the breast and axillary lymph nodes at the time of surgery. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to correlate the above variables with pCR versus residual disease (RD). Results: Seventy-six pre-treatment biopsy specimens treated with the K522R were evaluated. The patient population spanned a broad spectrum of age, body habitus, and race, with mean age 55, mean BMI 28.3, and predominantly black (over 60 percent) population. At the time of analysis, 64 of the 76 patients had completed the K522R and subsequently undergone surgery at our institution. Of the 64 patients who had undergone definitive surgery, 31 (48.4%) achieved pCR. In univariate analysis, pre-treatment TIL was significantly associated with attainment of pCR, with TIL of 28.5% (± 19.1) in patients who achieved pCR versus 9.73% (± 9.40) in those who had RD (95% CI 1.03-1.21, p=0.014*). When TIL was further stratified by race, mean percentage of TIL was significantly higher among black women who achieved pCR (27.5% ± 4.7) compared to black women with RD (12.2% ± 3.05) (95% CI 0.021 – 0.197, p=0.016*). Additionally, mean percentage of TIL was higher overall among black women when compared to the white patients in our cohort, though this finding was not statistically significant (p=0.252). Conclusion: Our real-world data demonstrates high levels of pre-treatment TIL are significantly associated with achievement of pCR in patients with TNBC treated with the K522 regimen. When TIL was further stratified by race, black patients were found to have higher TIL than white patients. Within the black population, a statistically significant difference in TIL percentage was found in those achieving pCR compared to those with RD. It is well understood that black women often have poorer breast cancer outcomes than white women, and our finding of higher TIL percentage among this population, along with the significant association between TIL and attainment of pCR with chemoimmunotherapy, could have important implications for optimization of therapy. Further exploration of this phenomenon in larger, diverse breast cancer populations is warranted. Citation Format: Sarah Wood, Ji-Hoon Lee, Yuan Gao, Xiaoxian Li, Jane Meisel. Pre-treatment tumor infiltrating lymphocytes are associated with higher likelihood of pathologic complete response among black women with TNBC receiving neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO5-17-01.

Environmental Justice and Systems Analysis for Air Quality Planning in the Port of Oakland in California.

Many frontline communities experience adverse health impacts from living in proximity to high-polluting industrial sources. Securing environmental justice requires, in part, a comprehensive set of quantitative indicators. We incorporate environmental justice and life-cycle thinking into air quality planning to assess fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure and monetized damages from operating and maintaining the Port of Oakland, a major multimodal marine port located in the historically marginalized West Oakland community in the San Francisco Bay Area. The exposure domain for the assessment is the entire San Francisco Bay Area, a home to more than 7.5 million people. Of the more than 14 sources included in the emissions inventory, emissions from large container ships, or ocean-going vessels (OGVs), dominate the PM2.5 intake, and supply chain sources (material production and delivery, fuel production) represent between 3.5% and 7.5% of annual intake. Exposure damages, which model the costs from excess mortalities resulting from exposure from the study's emission sources, range from USD 100 to 270 million per annum. Variations in damages are due to the use of different concentration-response relationships, hazard ratios, and Port resurfacing area assumptions. Racial and income-based exposure disparities are stark. The Black population and people within the lowest income quintile are 2.2 and 1.9 times more disproportionately exposed, respectively, to the Port's pollution sources relative to the general population. Mitigation efforts focused on electrifying in-port trucking operations yield modest reductions (3.5%) compared to strategies that prioritize emission reductions from OGVs and commercial harbor craft operations (8.7-55%). Our recommendations emphasize that a systems-based approach is critical for identifying all relevant emission sources and mitigation strategies for improving equity in civil infrastructure systems.

Abstract PS18-03: The Association between Food Deserts, Food Swamps, and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Mortality in the United States

Abstract Purpose: Breast cancer (BRCA), the 4th leading cause of cancer death in the United States (U.S.), is one of 13 obesity-related cancers. Healthy food consumption is a protective factor shown to decrease obesity risk and postmenopausal BRCA mortality, respectively. However, residing in geographical areas with no access to healthy food options (food deserts) or unhealthy food options (food swamps) reduces access to healthy foods and has been severely understudied. We examined the relationship between residing in food swamps and deserts with postmenopausal BRCA mortality. Methods: We conducted an ecological analysis utilizing 2010 – 2020 Center for Disease Control and Prevention postmenopausal BRCA mortality data (restricted to 45+ years old) and aggregated 2012 – 2020 data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Environment Atlas data. Food swamp score (FS) was calculated as the ratio of fast-food and convenience stores to grocery stores and farmer’s markets. Food desert score (FD) was calculated as the proportion of residents living more than one mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from a grocery store and household income ≤ 200% of the federal poverty threshold. We categorized FD and FS to low, moderate, or high; higher scores indicated counties with poorer healthy food resources. Multilevel generalized mixed effects models were used to estimate the mentioned association. Results: 2,280 counties/county equivalents with high postmenopausal BRCA mortality rates had higher percentage of non-Hispanic (NH)-Black population (5.80 vs. 2.08), poverty rates (17.2 vs. 14.2), and high food swamp scored areas (39.0 vs. 24.5) versus counties/county equivalents with low postmenopausal BRCA mortality rates (p-value < 0.0001). After adjusting for age, percentage of NH-Blacks per county, and poverty rate, we found 42% increased odds of having high postmenopausal BRCA mortality rates among U.S. counties/county equivalents with high food swamp scores (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.42; 95% CI: 1.14 – 1.78). Conclusions: Sampled U.S. counties with the poorest food swamp environment had significantly increased odds of postmenopausal BRCA mortality. We suggest that local policymakers and community stakeholders should employ sustainable approaches at combating obesity and BRCA by increasing healthier accessible food sources (e.g. creating more walkable neighborhoods and community gardens). Citation Format: Malcolm Bevel, Meng-Han Tsai, April Parham, Sydney Andrzejak, Samantha Jones, Justin Moore. The Association between Food Deserts, Food Swamps, and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Mortality in the United States [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PS18-03.

Abstract PS06-03: Differences in ctDNA genomic profiles and outcomes of Black and White patients with metastatic breast cancer: results from a large multicenter consortium

Abstract Background: Black breast cancer patients have a well-documented survival disparity when compared to White patients. It is imperative to explore the reasons for this disparity from both a socioeconomic and biological perspective. Prior studies evaluating somatic genetic differences have primarily focused on tumor tissue analysis, which could be limited by inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing allows for non-invasive detection of these heterogenous somatic mutations in the peripheral blood. We hypothesized that there could be differences in cancer-specific genetic profiles across Black and White patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), and that these differences may impact treatment response and clinical outcomes. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included a total of 1327 patients with MBC who were treated at Washington University in St. Louis (N=474 patients), Massachusetts General Hospital (N=412), and Northwestern University (N=441). All patients underwent ctDNA profiling using the commercially available Guardant360 assay. Race information was patient-reported, and ancestry data were not available. Descriptive analysis of clinical variables and pathway variants was performed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done to evaluate single gene mutations and genetic pathways in both the entire cohort and the hormone-receptor positive (HR+), HER2-negative population (HR+/HER2-). The potential prognostic impact of these somatic mutations was assessed through multivariate analysis in both White and Black patient populations. Results: The cohort of 1327 patients included 1057 White patients (79.6%) and 140 Black patients (10.5%). The remaining patients (9.9%) were not included in the analysis due to low numbers. Black patients had significantly higher rates of GATA3 single nucleotide variants (snv) (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.07-4.25, P=0.03), PTPN11 snv (OR 7.90, CI 1.10-56.56, P=0.04), and CCND2 copy number variants (cnv) (OR 3.78, CI 1.51-9.45, P=0.004). These alterations were also significantly more common in Black patients in the HR+/HER2- population (N = 812) for GATA3 snv (OR 2.28, CI 1.09-4.76, P=0.028), PTPN11 snv (OR 16.60, CI 1.49-184.93, p=0.022), and CCND2 cnv (OR 4.17, CI 1.02-16.97, P=0.046). Multivariate analysis confirmed that GATA3 snv (OR 2.23, CI 1.12-4.45, P=0.023) and CCND2 cnv (OR 3.97, CI 1.59-9.94, P=0.003) were significantly more common in Black patients in both the full cohort and HR+/HER2- subset. Mutations in the PI3K pathway were more prevalent in White patients, but this difference was not statistically significant in univariate or multivariate analysis. Overall survival (OS) from time of ctDNA collection was significantly worse in Black patients compared to White patients when corrected for lines of therapy and sites of metastasis (median 22 vs. 29 months, log-rank test, P=0.03). Among HR+/HER2- patients specifically, worse prognosis in White patients was associated with TP53 snv (HR 1.55, CI 1.19-2.01, P=0.001), NF1 snv (HR 1.99, CI 1.11-3.56, P=0.021), MYC cnv (HR 1.76, CI 1.09-2.87, P=0.02), PIK3CA cnv pathway (HR 1.69, CI 1.07-2.66, P=0.024), and MYC cnv pathway (HR 1.85, CI 1.15-2.97, P=0.011). No significant gene mutation or pathway association was found in Black patients. Prognostic differences in the cohort based on clinical, pathological, and treatment history were also explored and will be presented. Discussion: To our knowledge, this is the largest clinical genomic dataset examining ctDNA differences across Black and White patients. Our findings revealed that Black patients had higher frequencies of GATA3 snv and CCND2 cnv. The shorter OS observed in Black patients in our study aligns with previous studies and is likely multifactorial, especially given the early separation of the survival curves. Future research should focus on both socioeconomic and genetic factors to explain this disparity. Citation Format: Emily Podany, Lorenzo Foffano, Lorenzo Gerratana, Arielle Medford, Katherine Clifton, Whitney Hensing, Renee Morecroft, Marko Velimirovic, Ami Shah, Carolina REDUZZI, Laura Munoz Arcos, Charles S. Dai, Jennifer Keenan, Elyssa Denault, Foluso Ademuyiwa, Fabio Puglisi, Cynthia Ma, Aditya Bardia, Massimo Cristofanilli, Andrew Davis. Differences in ctDNA genomic profiles and outcomes of Black and White patients with metastatic breast cancer: results from a large multicenter consortium [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PS06-03.

Genetic diversity of the common carp black strain population based on mtDNA (D-loop and cytb)

The common strain black carp (Cyprinus carpio var. baisenensis) is a culturally important carp strain that is raised and cultured in Guangxi Province, China. Its color reflects the interactions between the Burau people and their surrounding environment. The population of the common carp black strain was isolated and cultured in a rice-fish integration system. To explore the genetic diversity and protection of germplasm resources, we analyzed mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences, specifically the displacement loop (D-loop) and cytochrome b (Cytb), using single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). We compared these sequences with those from four other local common carp populations. The study included a total of 136 adult common carps from five strain populations: the common black carp strain (HJ = 31), Jian (F = 30), Heilongjiang (H = 10), Songpu (S = 31), and Saijiang (SJ = 34). The results of the Cytb and D-loop analyses showed that the Heilongjiang carp (H) and Saijiang (SJ) populations had the highest levels of haplotype diversity (0.867 ± 0.034785) and nucleotide diversity (π = 0.0063 ± 0.000137 and 0.0093 ± 0.000411), respectively. On the other hand, the Common carp black strain population (HJ) exhibited the lowest haplotype diversity in both Cytb and D-loop, with haplotype 2 being the most commonly observed among the populations. Private haplotypes dominated the five common carp populations, which were significantly different at P<0.001. Furthermore, analyzing the coefficient of genetic differentiation (Fst), the highest genetic difference was observed between Saijiang (SJ) and Heilongjiang (H) (Fst = 0.963), whereas the lowest was observed between Songpu (S) and the Common carp black strain population (HJ) (Fst = 0.019) for the Cytb gene sequences. For the D-loop, the Common carp black strain population (HJ) and Songpu (S) (Fst = 0.7) had the highest values, and Heilongjiang (H) and Common black carp strain (HJ) had an Fst of 0.125. Additionally, the AMOVA analysis revealed a higher level of variance for the Cytb and D-loop genes, indicating lower genetic diversity within the local carp community. On the other hand, the phylogenetic tree analysis showed that the five carp populations were closely related and formed a distinct cluster. The distinct cluster of populations suggests a common ancestor or recent gene flow, possibly due to geographic proximity or migration history, and unique genetic characteristics, possibly due to adaptations or selective pressures. The results of this study provide valuable insights into the genetic diversity of the common strain black carp, which can have implications for conservation, breeding programs, evolutionary studies, and fisheries management.

Obesity predictors of hyperuricaemia among obese adults in a black population in sub-Saharan Africa

Obesity predictors of hyperuricaemia among obese adults in a black population in sub-Saharan Africa