Fecal microbes, short chain fatty acids, and colorectal cancer across racial/ethnic groups

AIM:To investigate differences in microbes and short chain fatty acid(SCFA) levels in stool samples from Hispanic and non-Hispanic African American,American Indian,and White participants.METHODS:Stool samples from twenty participants were subjected to analysis for relative levels of viable bacteria and for SCFA levels.Additionally,the samples were subjected to 16 S r RNA gene pyrosequencing for identification of bacteria present in the stool.We used a metagenome functional prediction technique to analyze genome copy numbers and estimate the abundance of butyrate kinase in all samples.RESULTS:We found that African Americans had significantly lower levels of acetate,butyrate,and total SCFAs than all other racial/ethnic groups.We also found that participant microbial profiles differed by racial/ethnic group.African Americans had significantly more Firmicutes than Whites,with enriched Ruminococcaceae.The Firmicutes /Bacteroidetes ratio was also significantly higher for African Americans than for Whites(P =0.049).We found Clostridium levels to be significantly and inversely related to total SCFA levels(P =0.019) and we found Bacteroides to be positively associated(P =0.027) and Clostridium to be negatively associated(P =0.012) with levels of butyrate.We also identified a correlation between copy number for a butyrate kinase predicted from 16 S r RNA gene abundance and levels of butyrate in stool.CONCLUSION:The identified differences in gut flora and SCFA levels may relate to colorectal cancer mortality differentials and may be useful as targets for future clinical and behavioral interventions.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Orthorexia Nervosa Symptomatology and Other Disordered Eating

While some research has explored racial and ethnic differences in disordered eating, this study may be the first to examine these differences in orthorexia nervosa, involving obsessive-compulsive thoughts and behaviors concerning healthy eating, which negatively impact one’s life. Adult participants, recruited from college courses and social media, completed an online survey with the Orthorexia Nervosa Inventory (ONI) and the Eating Attitudes Test-26 (EAT-26). Regarding racial and ethnic background, 743 were White, 249 were Hispanic, 87 were Black, 61 were Asian or Pacific Islander, and 110 were biracial/multiracial. A MANCOVA revealed that the racial and ethnic groups did not differ on the ONI subscales assessing orthorexic behaviors, impairments, and emotions, after accounting for gender, BMI, and EAT-26 total scores that were covariates. In contrast, a second MANCOVA did reveal group differences on the EAT-26 subscales, after accounting for gender, BMI, and ONI total scores that were covariates. Black participants scored significantly lower than the other racial and ethnic groups on the subscale assessing dieting behaviors characteristic of anorexia nervosa, and the subscale assessing binge-eating and purging behaviors characteristic of bulimia nervosa. Further, Hispanic participants scored significantly lower than White participants on the latter subscale. These findings suggest that while orthorexic symptomatology does not differ based on race and ethnicity, a Black race and Hispanic ethnicity may be protective factors against disordered eating, perhaps related either to cultural norms concerning body image or to the resiliency and social support among the Black and Hispanic communities.

Disparities in the impact of economic well-being on self-esteem in adulthood:Race and ethnicity

BACKGROUND Most studies have defined economic well-being as socioeconomic status,with little attention given to whether other indicators influence self-esteem.Little is known about racial/ethnic disparities in the relationship between economic wellbeing and self-esteem during adulthood.AIM To explore the impact of economic well-being on self-esteem in adulthood and differences in the association across race/ethnicity.METHODS The current study used data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979.The final sample consisted of 2267 African Americans,1425 Hispanics,and 3678 non-Hispanic Whites.Ordinary linear regression analyses and logistic regression analyses were conducted.RESULTS African Americans and Hispanics were more likely to be in poverty in comparison with non-Hispanic Whites.More African Americans were unemployed than Whites.Those who received fringe benefits,were more satisfied with jobs,and were employed were more likely to have higher levels of self-esteem.Poverty was negatively associated with self-esteem.Interaction effects were found between African Americans and job satisfaction predicting self-esteem.CONCLUSION The role of employers is important in cultivating employees’self-esteem.Satisfactory outcomes or feelings of happiness from the workplace may be more important to non-Hispanic Whites compared to African Americans and Hispanics.

Understanding livelihood vulnerability:a perspective from Western Sichuan’s ethnic rural settings

To explore the livelihood status and key influencing factors of rural households in the minority areas,we collected flat data from 284 rural households in 32 villages across 12 counties of Western Sichuan from 2021 to 2022.We conducted participatory household survey on the livelihood status of the rural households and try to identify the key factors to influence their livelihood vulnerability using multiple linear regression.The results showed that:the livelihood situation of the rural households is relatively vulnerable.The vulnerability varies significantly with the income levels,education levels,and income sources.The vulnerability of farm households,categorized from low to high livelihood types,follows the sequence:non-agricultural dominant households,non-agricultural households,agricultural dominant households,and pure agricultural households.The degree of damage to the natural environment,education costs,loan opportunities,the proportion of agricultural income to annual household income,and the presence of sick people in the household have significant positive effects on the livelihood vulnerability index(LVI)of rural households;while help from relatives and friends,net income per capita,household size,household education,agricultural land area,participation in industrial organizations,number of livestock,purchase of commercial houses,drinking water source,and self-supply of food have significant negative effects.Based on the findings,we believe that local rural households operate in a complex livelihood system and recommend continuous interventions targeting key influences to provide empirical research support for areas facing similar situations.

Ocular biometric characteristics of Han ethnicity in Tianjin and Uyghur ethnicity in Xinjiang undergoing cataract surgery

AIM:To analyze and compare the differences among ocular biometric parameters in Han and Uyghur populations undergoing cataract surgery.METHODS:In this hospital-based prospective study,410 patients undergoing cataract surgery(226 Han patients in Tianjin and 184 Uyghur patients in Xinjiang)were enrolled.The differences in axial length(AL),anterior chamber depth(ACD),keratometry[steep K(Ks)and flat K(Kf)],and corneal astigmatism(CA)measured using IOL Master 700 were compared between Han and Uyghur patients.RESULTS:The average age of Han patients was higher than that of Uyghur patients(70.22±8.54 vs 63.04±9.56y,P<0.001).After adjusting for age factors,Han patients had longer AL(23.51±1.05 vs 22.86±0.92 mm,P<0.001),deeper ACD(3.06±0.44 vs 2.97±0.37 mm,P=0.001),greater Kf(43.95±1.40 vs 43.42±1.69 D,P=0.001),steeper Ks(45.00±1.47 vs 44.26±1.71 D,P=0.001),and higher CA(1.04±0.68 vs 0.79±0.65,P=0.025)than Uyghur patients.Intra-ethnic male patients had longer AL,deeper ACD,and lower keratometry than female patients;however,CA between the sexes was almost similar.In the correlation analysis,we observed a positive correlation between AL and ACD in patients of both ethnicities(rHan=0.48,rUyghur=0.44,P<0.001),while AL was negatively correlated with Kf(rHan=-0.42,rUyghur=-0.64,P<0.001)and Ks(rHan=-0.38,rUyghur=-0.66,P<0.001).Additionally,Kf was positively correlated with Ks(rHan=0.89,rUyghur=0.93,P<0.001).CONCLUSION:There are differences in ocular biometric parameters between individuals of Han ethnicity in Tianjin and those of Uyghur ethnicity in Xinjiang undergoing cataract surgery.These ethnic variances can enhance our understanding of ocular diseases related to these parameters and provide guidance for surgical procedures.

Predictive model for postpartum hemorrhage requiring hysterectomy in a minority ethnic region

BACKGROUND Postpartum hemorrhage(PPH)is a leading cause of maternal mortality,and hysterectomy is an important intervention for managing intractable PPH.Accurately predicting the need for hysterectomy and taking proactive emergency measures is crucial for reducing mortality rates.AIM To develop a risk prediction model for PPH requiring hysterectomy in the ethnic minority regions of Qiandongnan,China,to help guide clinical decision-making.METHODS The study included 23490 patients,with 1050 having experienced PPH and 74 who underwent hysterectomies.The independent risk factors closely associated with the necessity for hysterectomy were analyzed to construct a risk prediction model,and its predictive efficacy was subsequently evaluated.RESULTS The proportion of hysterectomies among the included patients was 0.32%(74/23490),representing 7.05%(74/1050)of PPH cases.The number of deliveries,history of cesarean section,placenta previa,uterine atony,and placenta accreta were identified in this population as independent risk factors for requiring a hysterectomy.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of the prediction model showed an area under the curve of 0.953(95%confidence interval:0.928-0.978)with a sensitivity of 90.50%and a specificity of 90.70%.CONCLUSION The model demonstrates excellent predictive power and is effective in guiding clinical decisions regarding PPH in the ethnic minority regions of Qiandongnan,China.

Cardiovascular diseases in European ethnic minorities: Beyond the traditional cardiovascular risk factors

This editorial is intended to be a reflection on cardiovascular disease(CVD)burden in European ethnic minorities.In some European countries,ethnic minority realities,due to their recent appearance,are still to be studied in depth.The experience of several European countries,where the migration processes started earlier,even more than a century ago,can help by being an example.Many studies have shown that major differences in CVD burden exist not only between countries,but also within the same country when considering different social strata and ethnic groups.The CV risk factors underlying heart disease have been well established.Important epidemiological studies have helped us understand that the underlying causes of heart disease as well as the behaviors that can help prevent them are the same.We are now well aware that CVD should be treated by considering a holistic approach.This is why the social determinants(SDs)of health that may worsen the disease burden or that,vice versa,may improve the treatment,and even more significantly,the prognosis of a patient’s illness should be taken into consideration.For ethnic minority patients,this holistic,hermeneutic approach is of importance.Several SDs of health that influence CVDs have been identified but their relevance for the health of ethnic minorities has not yet been clearly defined.In some European countries,most ethnic minorities are largely also religious minorities.Only a few studies have evaluated the role of religion,which is an important SD that affects the probability of having CV risk factors and diseases.Adolescents,particularly those belonging to the second generation,seem to be the weak link.If we believe that these young people are really citizens of their country of birth,then a way of recognizing their belonging to the community starts from a will to better understand their condition,in order to assist them while they grow physically and mentally.Thinking about safeguarding the health of this population should be more than a health task,rather a goal of social justice.

The Language of Ornaments:An Anthropological Insight Into the Ethnic Ornaments of the Karbis of Assam,India

North Eastern region of India enjoys a place of pride in the whole of the country for its immensely rich assembly of tribal cultures.Among the prominent tribes of the region are the Karbis who possess unique traditions and cultures distinct from the other tribes.The Karbis are fond of ornaments and since the ancient day they have been using natural objects as ornaments,silver ornaments are used extensively by them.Preparation of different kinds of ornaments occupies an important part of material culture of the Karbis.Ornaments with distinctive colour,motifs,and designs not only reflect the cultural identity of the Karbis but are also indicative of the possession of rich cultural heritage and traditional knowledge.In this present endeavour,an attempt has been made to delineate the ethnic ornaments of the Karbis of Assam,India,along with the motifs of the designs in it which stands as one of the integral aspects of their cultural heritage.

Regional Brand and High-quality Development of Fruits in Ethnic Areas of the Yangtze River Economic Belt under the Greater Food Approach

Establishing the Greater Food Approach and promoting the Yangtze River Economic Belt s national major regional development strategy can better support and serve the agricultural power and Chinese-style modernization.This paper introduces the characteristics of fruit industry in 16 autonomous prefectures and 47 autonomous counties under the jurisdiction of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.It studies the intellectual property resources of brand marks from the aspects of geographical indications,collective trademarks,certification trademarks,well-known trademarks in China and national design patents,and analyzes the main problems of brand and high-quality development of fruit industry in these ethnic autonomous areas.Finally,it puts forward some strategies,such as improving the protection of intellectual property rights of geographical indications,using intellectual property rights of brand signs,building modern seed industry upgrading project,drawing lessons from the experience of thousand villages demonstration project,ensuring that large-scale poverty does not occur,and building a diversified food supply system.

Promoting High-quality Development of Grain and Oil in Ethnic Areas of the Yangtze River Economic Belt from the Perspective of Agricultural Power

Accelerating the construction of agricultural power,further promoting the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt,and better supporting and serving Chinese-style modernization are the key issues at present.This paper first introduces the Yangtze River Economic Belt and its ethnic areas,and studies the characteristics of the grain and oil industry in the ethnic autonomous areas of the economic belt,as well as the current situation of various types of intellectual property resources,such as industrial cultural heritage,scientific and tech-nological innovation,and brand marking intellectual property.Besides,it analyzes the main problems in the high-quality development of grain and oil in the Yangtze River Economic Belt ethnic areas.Finally,it comes up with recommendations,including protecting the intellectual prop-erty rights of cultural heritage in the field of grain and oil,leading the inheritance and development of excellent traditional Chinese culture,use scientific and technological innovation intellectual property rights to promote the innovation-driven development strategy of the grain and oil in-dustry,and providing counterpart assistance to ethnic autonomous areas in the Yangtze River Economic Belt to further promote the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

Ethnic Customs and Rural Tourism Development in Xinbin Manchu Autonomous County of Fushun City

The development of ethnic minority tourism is currently a hot topic in domestic tourism development.As an important component of Chinese civilization,the Manchu people have created brilliant culture in the long river of historical development.As the hometown of the Manchu people,Fushun has unique folk cultural tourism resources and a strong ethnic flavor.Nowadays,under the promotion of the rural revitalization strategy,the construction of new rural areas is constantly developing,and rural tourism is gradually becoming a new industry.Therefore,in the context of the increasingly prosperous rural tourism industry,it has become increasingly important to combine the ethnic customs of Manchu culture with rural tourism.Taking the ethnic customs and integrated development of rural tourism in Xinbin Manchu Autonomous County of Fushun City,Liaoning Province as the research object,this paper mainly sorts out the current situation and characteristics of rural tourism development in the region,systematically explores the problems in development and how to further optimize development,and proposes new models suitable for the development of folk tourism in Xinbin of Fushun,in order to achieve maximum economic and social benefits and provide a reference for promoting the development of tourism in the region.

Spiritual Forests—A Nature Conservation Model of Ethnic Minority Communities in Central Viet Nam

This paper aims to analyze and evaluate a model of forest conservation and management of ethnic minority (or indigenous) people in central Vietnam, often referred to as the spiritual forest. These forests, called sacred forest or ghost forests by the ethnic minority people in Thua Thien Hue province, have existed for a long time among forest residents. However, they have recently declined, both in quality and quantity, due to various factors, including changes in society, economy, environment, and perception, among other reasons. Based on research conducted in A Luoi district, Thua Thien Hue province with household interviews, group discussions, and field surveys, we find that spiritual forest retains religious and human significance. They are also often among the last remaining natural forests left due to deforestation by human activities. The research results indicate challenges that conservation of spiritual forest may face, while giving recommendations derived from communities for sustainable forest development and conservation in the region.

Research on the Status Quo of Psychological Crisis Among College Students in Ethnic Areas

The article discusses the significance of the research,and outlines the concepts of psychological crisis,its intervention,and psychological crisis among college students,as well as relevant theories on psychological crisis.The research mainly adopts case study and interview methods.Through scientific analysis of psychological crisis cases in four grades of X College in ethnic regions,it summarizes the current situation of crisis psychology among X College students,hoping to provide some first-hand data and research ideas for relevant researchers.

Exploration of the Integration of Ethnic Music Elements into Modern Piano Art Creation

Piano originated in Western countries,so a large number of Western cultural elements are used in piano art creation,mainly to present Western humanistic thoughts and spiritual cultural cores to the audience.In recent years,with the modernization of piano art and culture in China,many Chinese listeners have begun to demand more ethnic and folk piano pieces with Chinese characteristics.In order to meet the audience’s pursuit of modern Chinese piano art,more and more creators are integrating ethnic music elements into modern piano art creation.This article explores the integration significance of ethnic music elements in modern piano art creation and the current situation of Chinese modern piano art creation,and finds that ethnic music elements have positive help in enhancing the novelty,ethnic characteristics,and timeliness of piano art creation.Based on this,this article proposes several strategies for integrating traditional ethnic music elements into modern piano art creation,including adapting traditional ethnic music elements,creating pentatonic tunes,and modifying work titles.The aim is to provide references and inspiration for the development of Chinese piano art creation and culture.

Application of Chinese Ethnic Minority Themes in Contemporary Figurative Sculpture Creation

In the field of contemporary sculpture creation,the rich culture and historical depth of Chinese ethnic minorities have attracted the widespread attention of artists.These creations not only emphasize external features such as ethnic costumes,totems,or life scenes but also touch deep spiritual contents including historical stories,religious beliefs,and living habits of ethnic minorities.This paper discusses the integration process of Chinese ethnic minority themes in figurative sculpture creation and the inheritance of the profound spirit of ethnic groups in this process.At the same time,this paper also places the diversified expression and innovative practice of these themes in sculpture art in the context of the new era for investigation and explores the far-reaching influence of its development on promoting cultural inheritance and artistic innovation.

An Analysis of the Path of Ethnic Unity and Progress Education under Academy-Based Education: Taking Ningxia University as an Example

Academy-based education is an active exploration and effective attempt to reform higher education and talent cultivation systems in the new era.This article aims to deeply analyze the characteristics and advantages of academy-based education.Combining the theoretical connotation and practical needs of ethnic unity and progress education and taking Ningxia University as an example,it explores the construction and implementation path of ethnic unity and progress education under academy-based education.It promotes communication and integration between students of different ethnic groups,enhances ethnic identity and national consciousness,and promotes the high-quality development of ethnic unity and progress cause.

A Survey Study on TPACK Framework for Normal Students of English Major in Ethnic Colleges and Universities:Empirical Analysis Based on Structural Equation Modeling

With the continuous advancement of education informatization,Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge(TPACK),as a new theoretical framework,provides a novel method for measuring teachers’informatization teaching ability.This study takes normal students of English majors from three ethnic universities as the research object,collects relevant data through questionnaires,and uses structural equation modeling to conduct data analysis and empirical research to investigate the differences in the TPACK levels of these students at different grades and the structural relationships among the elements in the TPACK structure.The technological pedagogical knowledge element of the TPACK structure was not obtained by exploratory factors analysis but through path analysis and structural equation modeling,the results show that the one-dimensional core knowledge of technological knowledge(TK),content knowledge(CK),and pedagogical knowledge(PK)have a positive effect on the two-dimensional interaction knowledge of technological content knowledge(TCK)and pedagogical content knowledge(PCK);furthermore,TCK and PCK have a positive effect on TPACK;and TK,CK,and PK indirectly affect TPACK through TCK and PCK.On this basis,suggestions are provided to ethnic colleges and universities to develop the TPACK knowledge competence of normal students of English majors.

Tobacco cessation pharmacotherapy use among racial/ethnic minorities in the United States:Considerations for primary care

Pharmacotherapies for tobacco cessation are efficacious and recommended during quit attempts.Racial/ethnic minorities in the United States are less likely to use medication-based aids for tobacco cessation,despite greater difficulty achieving long-term abstinence.The reasons for this include,among others,provider-and patient-level considerations.Primary care clinicians play an important role in encouraging racial/ethnic minority tobacco users to use cessation pharmacotherapy.To better understand pharmacotherapy use,we conducted a narrative review of patient-lev-el factors that may determine uptake and adherence.This review indicates that social and cultural factors impact pharmacotherapy use,including health care experiences,beliefs,perceptions,and norms.The proportion of individuals using pharmacotherapy during quit attempts and adhering to the full course of treatment may be enhanced with greater attention to the ethnocultural concerns of these groups.Culturally appropriate assessment and brief advice delivered by primary care providers could yield significant benefits in population health.Recommendations for treating racial/ethnic tobacco users with pharmacotherapy for cessation are offered.

Epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease in racial and ethnic migrant groups

AIM To summarise the current literature and define patterns of disease in migrant and racial groups.METHODS A structured key word search in Ovid Medline and EMBASE was undertaken in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Studies on incidence, prevalence and disease phenotype of migrants and races compared with indigenous groups were eligible for inclusion. RESULTS Thirty-three studies met the inclusion criteria. Individual studies showed significant differences in incidence, prevalence and disease phenotype between migrants or race and indigenous groups. Pooled analysis could only be undertaken for incidence studies on South Asians where there was significant heterogeneity between the studies [95% for ulcerative colitis(UC), 83% for Crohn's disease(CD)]. The difference between incidence rates was not significant with a rate ratio South Asian: Caucasian of 0.78(95%CI: 0.22-2.78) for CD and 1.39(95%CI: 0.84-2.32) for UC. South Asians showed consistently higher incidence and more extensive UC than the indigenous population in five countries. A similar pattern was observed for Hispanics in the United States. Bangladeshis and African Americans showed an increased risk of CD with perianal disease. CONCLUSION This review suggests that migration and race influence the risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease. This may be due to different inherent responses upon exposure to an environmental trigger in the adopted country. Further prospective studies on homogenous migrant populations are needed to validate these observations, with a parallel arm for in-depth investigation of putative drivers.

Racial and ethnic disparities in gastric cancer outcomes: More important than surgical technique?

Racial and ethnic disparities in cancer care are major public health concerns and their identification is necessary to develop interventions to eliminate these disparities. We and others have previously observed marked disparities in gastric cancer outcomes between Eastern and Western patients. These disparities have long been attributed to surgical technique and extent of lymphadenectomy. However, more recent evidence suggests that other factors such as tumor biology, environmental factors such as Helicobacter pylori infection and stage migration may also significantly contribute to these observed disparities. We review the literature surrounding disparities in gastric cancer and provide data pertaining to potential contributing factors.