A Vision of Chinese Landscape: A Contemporary Ink and Color Scroll Painting

Ruoyi Yang
Irvine Valley College

Inspired by ancient Chinese landscape hand scrolls, “A Vision of Chinese Landscape” depicts layered mountains, plunging waterfalls, pine trees, and misty valleys. I aim to capture the harmony between nature and human perception, a core idea of traditional Chinese landscape art.

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Potential Dietary Drivers of Colorectal Cancer Among Alaska Native People: Traditional Food Preservation, Processed Meat, and Evidence Gaps

Yonatan Rosenberg
University of Alaska Anchorage

Introduction

Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is a significant public health issue for Alaska Native people with a 2.5 increased incidence rate when compared to other racial groups in the US. The 2018 age-adjusted incidence rate among American Indian and Alaska Native people had the highest incident rate of 86 cases per 100,000 people compared to others (Haverkamp et al., 2023; Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium [ANTHC], 2026). The issue is also present at younger ages among Alaska Native people. CRC incidence increased among Alaska Native people younger than 50 years during 1990 to 2017, even as older age groups experienced a decline (Nash et al., 2021). The Alaska Registry analysis has estimated that an average annual increase of 5.2% is present among Alaska Native adults aged 20-49 years during 1996-2019 (Haverkamp et al., 2023). Screening remains essential, the Alaska Native Medical Center guidelines recommend beginning screening at age 40 for an Alaska Native adult at average-risk (Alaska Native Medical Center, 2021).

This analysis examines the potential roles of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)-rich smoked subsistence foods and nitrate-laden commercial meats as plausible carcinogenic pathways. While current data warrant rigorous investigation of these specific dietary exposures, their status as the primary drivers of CRC disparities remains unconfirmed. Traditional food systems are important, providing essential omega-3 fatty acids and supporting cultural continuity and food sovereignty (Redwood et al., 2019; Sanders et al., 2022). This discussion emphasizes the distinction between risks introduced by specific processing conditions and the holistic nutritional value of wild-harvested foods.

Scope and Approach

The scope of this analysis is to serve as a review of existing literature rather than an exhaustive systematic meta-analysis, and prioritizes contemporary peer-reviewed research alongside authoritative Tribal and governmental documents published between 2017 and August 2026. Sources were selected specifically to focus on five critical domains: regional CRC epidemiology, indigenous nutritional practices, the presence of PAHs within smoked subsistence resources, the proliferation of ultra-processed and commercially preserved meats, and the biological interplay of fiber, the microbiome, and bile-acid metabolism.

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