The association between glyphosate use and mosaic loss of chromosome Y in buccal samples among male pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study.

Glyphosate-based herbicides are the most widely applied pesticides worldwide and have been implicated in the development of certain hematologic malignancies; however, the underlying biological mechanisms are not well-understood. High lifetime use of glyphosate-based herbicides, hereafter referred to as glyphosate, was previously associated with mosaic loss of chromosome Y (mLOY), a biomarker of genomic instability potentially linked to cancer and immune dysregulation, in circulating blood of male farmers from a subcohort of the Agricultural Health Study (AHS). Here, we further investigated the association between glyphosate use and mLOY using buccal-derived DNA among 1,868 male pesticide applicators in an independent AHS study.

Weight Cycling and Cancer Risk in the Sister Study.

Weight cycling, when weight is repeatedly lost intentionally and then regained, may perturb biological processes that could influence cancer development. However, results from epidemiologic studies of weight cycling are mixed and provide no clear answer as to whether this behavior alters cancer risk. We examined the association of weight cycling and cancer incidence among 45,004 women enrolled in the Sister Study (2003-2009) and followed through October 12, 2020.

Multi-Ancestry Transcriptome-wide Association Studies Uncover New Insights into Breast Cancer Genetics and Biology.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified over 200 genetic risk loci for breast cancer, yet the target genes in these loci remain largely unknown. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a series of multi-ancestry transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) to discover potential breast cancer susceptibility genes. We developed and validated ancestry-specific genetic models to predict levels of gene expression, alternative splicing, and 3' UTR alternative polyadenylation, using genomic and transcriptomic data from normal breast tissue samples of 652 females of African, Asian, or European ancestry.

Sedentary time and breast cancer risk in the Sister Study Cohort.

Background: Previous research investigating sedentary behavior and breast cancer (BC) risk has shown mixed results. We investigated the association between sedentary time and BC incidence overall and by time-dependent menopausal status.

Methods: The Sister Study recruited 50,884 women from all 50 states and Puerto Rico aged 35-74 years who had not been diagnosed with BC but had at least one affected sister.

Associations between airborne crude oil chemicals and neurological symptoms among workers in the gulf long-term follow-up study.

Background: Many volatile organic compounds may be neurotoxic at occupational levels. However, little is known about the neurotoxicity of these chemicals below occupational exposure limits, including among oil spill response and cleanup (OSRC) workers.

Objective: We studied associations of neurological symptoms with exposure to benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, and n-hexane (BTEX-H) individually and as a mixture among 23,641 OSRC workers enrolled in the Gulf Long-Term Follow-up (GuLF) Study, a cohort following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster.

Personal care product use and risk of adult-onset asthma: Prospective cohort analyses of U.S. Women from the Sister Study.

Background: Population studies have found associations between prenatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in personal care products (PCPs) and childhood asthma; however, few have examined adult-onset asthma. We investigated the associations between commonly used PCPs and the risk of adult-onset asthma in a prospective cohort study of U.S.

Heat Stress in relation to Sleep Health among Farmers.

Background: While high temperatures are linked to poor sleep, few studies considered heat stress, especially among outdoor workers.

Objective: We investigated associations between heat stress and sleep health among farmers.

Methods: The study included 8,203 male participants from Iowa (78%) and North Carolina (NC, 22%), enrolled in the Agricultural Health Study (2013-2015), who were actively farming when data were collected.

Airborne phthalate exposures and hypertension in the Sister Study.

Background: Hypertension affects nearly a billion people globally, but the association between airborne phthalates and hypertension remains unclear.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 47,465 women from the Sister Study. Exposure to airborne bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and dimethyl phthalate (DMP) was estimated using the US Environmental Protection Agency's 2005 National Air Toxics Assessment database linked to participants' addresses.

Associations of specific pesticides and incident rheumatoid arthritis among female spouses in the Agricultural Health Study.

Objectives: Growing evidence suggests farming and agricultural pesticide use may be associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but few studies have examined specific pesticides and RA among farm women, who may personally use pesticides or be indirectly exposed. We investigated pesticide use and RA risk among female spouses of licensed pesticide applicators in the Agricultural Health Study.

Methods: Participants enrolled in 1993-1997 in North Carolina and Iowa (N=32,126).

Integrating multi-ancestry genomic and proteomic data to identify blood risk biomarkers and target proteins for breast cancer genetic risk loci.

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified more than 200 risk loci for breast cancer. However, target genes and their encoded proteins in these loci remain largely unknown. In this study, we utilized genetic prediction models for 1349 circulating proteins derived from individuals of African (n = 1871) and European (n = 7213) ancestry to investigate genetically predicted protein levels in association with breast cancer risk among females of African (n = 40,138), Asian (n = 137,677), and European (n = 247,173) ancestry.

Hormone therapy use and young-onset breast cancer: a pooled analysis of prospective cohorts included in the Premenopausal Breast Cancer Collaborative Group.

Background: Oestrogen plus progestin hormone therapy is an established risk factor for breast cancer in postmenopausal women. We examined the less well-studied association between exogenous hormones and breast cancer in young women, who might use hormone therapy after gynaecological surgery or to relieve perimenopausal symptoms.

Methods: In this pooled cohort analysis, we investigated the relationship between exogenous hormones and breast cancer in young women using data from 10-13 prospective cohorts from North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Association of oil spill cleanup-related hydrocarbon exposure with hypertension and blood pressure in the Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study.

Background: Although several studies have demonstrated a relationship between crude oil exposures and cardiovascular disease, little is known about associations with hypertension.

Objective: Our study examined associations of oil spill cleanup-related benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, and n-hexane (BTEX-H) exposures with hypertension prevalence and blood pressure (BP).

Methods: Participants comprised 6693 Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil spill cleanup and response workers who completed a home visit in the Gulf Long-term Follow-up Study.

Carbaryl use and incident cancer in the Agricultural Health Study: an updated analysis.

Carbaryl is a common carbamate insecticide in the United States (USA). Previous epidemiologic investigations, including within the Agricultural Health Study (AHS), have suggested potential associations between carbaryl use and cancer risk. The AHS is a prospective cohort study of licensed pesticide applicators in North Carolina (NC) and Iowa (IA), USA.

Pubertal Timing and Incident Ovarian Cancer in the Sister Study Cohort.

Background: Pubertal milestones such as menarche (first period) and thelarche (onset of breast development) are markers of hormonal changes that may be relevant to the hormonal etiology of ovarian cancer. Prior studies of the association between age at menarche and ovarian cancer risk have been inconsistent, whereas age at thelarche has not been examined in relation to ovarian cancer incidence.

Methods: With data from 40,809 women in the Sister Study, we used multivariable-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations of self-reported ages at thelarche and menarche with incident ovarian cancer, both overall and by histotype.

Animal farming and the oral microbiome in the Agricultural Health Study.

Background: Raising farm animals imparts various exposures that may shape the human microbiome. The oral microbiome has been increasingly implicated in disease development. Animal farming has also been associated with certain chronic diseases such as cancer; however, underlying biological mechanisms are unclear.

Depression, antidepressant use, and breast cancer incidence in the Sister Study cohort.

Background: Depression could affect breast cancer risk; however, epidemiologic findings are mixed. We assessed the association of breast cancer risk with self-reported history of diagnosed depression and time-dependent antidepressant use.

Methods: We analyzed data from 45,746 women in the Sister Study cohort (2003-2009).

Nitrate and disinfection by-products in drinking water and risk of ovarian cancer.

Background: N-Nitroso compounds formed endogenously after nitrate/nitrite ingestion cause ovarian cancer in animals. Few epidemiologic studies have evaluated the associations between drinking water nitrate, disinfection by-products (DBPs), and dietary nitrate/nitrite intake with ovarian cancer risk.

Methods: We evaluated ovarian cancer risk in relation to drinking water nitrate and DBPs and dietary nitrate/nitrite in the Agricultural Health Study, a cohort of pesticide applicators and their spouses in Iowa and North Carolina (enrollment 1993-1997, N = 33,689).

Association Between Body Iron Status and Biological Aging.

Background/objectives: Iron is necessary for bodily function, but abnormal levels can increase the risk of chronic diseases. Studies of leukocyte telomere length suggest blood iron levels are positively associated with cellular senescence and accelerated aging. However, associations between blood iron and more robust metrics of biological aging, specifically those based on DNA methylation, have not been examined.

Early life phthalate exposure impacts gray matter and white matter volume in infants and young children.

Objective: Prenatal phthalate exposure is associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes, yet data on impacts of early life exposure remains limited. We investigated phthalate and replacement plasticizer exposures from 2 weeks to 7 years of age in relation to brain anatomical attributes, using serial structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI).

Material And Methods: Children were enrolled after birth into the UNC Baby Connectome Project, a longitudinal neuroimaging study (North Carolina, USA; 2017-2020).

Development and validation of a risk prediction model for premenopausal breast cancer in 19 cohorts.

Background: Incidence of premenopausal breast cancer (BC) has risen in recent years, though most existing BC prediction models are not generalizable to young women due to underrepresentation of this age group in model development.

Methods: Using questionnaire-based data from 19 prospective studies harmonized within the Premenopausal Breast Cancer Collaborative Group (PBCCG), representing 783,830 women, we developed a premenopausal BC risk prediction model. The data were split into training (2/3) and validation (1/3) datasets with equal distribution of cohorts in each.

Greenspace proximity in relation to sleep health among a racially and ethnically diverse cohort of US women.

Sleep is essential for overall health. Greenspace may contribute to sleep health through, for instance, improving mood, reducing sleep disruptors (e.g.

Central and peripheral adiposity and premenopausal breast cancer risk: a pooled analysis of 440,179 women.

Background: Among premenopausal women, higher body mass index (BMI) is associated with lower breast cancer risk, although the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Investigating adiposity distribution may help clarify impacts on breast cancer risk. This study was initiated to investigate associations of central and peripheral adiposity with premenopausal breast cancer risk overall and by other risk factors and breast cancer characteristics.

Early life trauma patterns and adult epigenome-wide and NR3C1-specific DNA methylation in the Sister Study.

Patterns of co-occurring early life trauma (ELT), unlike cumulative trauma, are understudied as potential stress-related health risks. DNA methylation (DNAm) is a posited mechanism linking socioenvironmental stress and disease pathogenesis. We assess whether ELT patterns differentially affect adult DNAm, both epigenome-wide and specifically stress-related genes (e.

Agreement between self-reported and measured weight, height, and derived BMI by educational attainment across racial and ethnic groups of US women.

Objective: Underreporting of weight and overreporting of height is consistently shown among women, thereby reducing accuracy of estimation of body mass index-and thus obesity-in epidemiologic studies that rely on self-reported data. Additionally, misreporting has been shown to differ by socioeconomic status and race and ethnicity, which can result in differential misclassification and bias that can obfuscate associations with obesity across groups in multiethnic and socioeconomically varying populations. Therefore, we sought to assess agreement between self-reported and objectively measured weight, height, and derived body mass index (BMI) across levels of educational attainment within racial and ethnic groups in a population-based cohort of US women.