Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Population Intervention Models In Causal Inference, Alan E. Hubbard, Mark J. Van Der Laan

U.C. Berkeley Division of Biostatistics Working Paper Series

Marginal structural models (MSM) provide a powerful tool for estimating the causal effect of a] treatment variable or risk variable on the distribution of a disease in a population. These models, as originally introduced by Robins (e.g., Robins (2000a), Robins (2000b), van der Laan and Robins (2002)), model the marginal distributions of treatment-specific counterfactual outcomes, possibly conditional on a subset of the baseline covariates, and its dependence on treatment. Marginal structural models are particularly useful in the context of longitudinal data structures, in which each subject's treatment and covariate history are measured over time, and an outcome is recorded at …

Additive Hazards Models With Latent Treatment Effectiveness Lag Time, Ying Qing Chen, Charles A. Rohde, Mei-Cheng Wang

Johns Hopkins University, Dept. of Biostatistics Working Papers

In many clinical trials to evaluate treatment efficacy, it is believed that there may exist latent treatment effectiveness lag times after which medical procedure or chemical compound would be in full effect. In this article, semiparametric regression models are proposed and studied to estimate the treatment effect accounting for such latent lag times. The new models take advantage of the invariance property of the additive hazards model in marginalizing over random effects, so parameters in the models are easy to be estimated and interpreted, while the flexibility without specifying baseline hazard function is kept. Monte Carlo simulation studies demonstrate the …

Which Drugs Cause Cancer?, Andrew Knight, Jarrod Bailey, Jonathan Balcombe

Experimentation Collection

Animal tests yield misleading results.

Gauss-Seidel Estimation Of Generalized Linear Mixed Models With Application To Poisson Modeling Of Spatially Varying Disease Rates, Subharup Guha, Louise Ryan

Harvard University Biostatistics Working Paper Series

Generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) provide an elegant framework for the analysis of correlated data. Due to the non-closed form of the likelihood, GLMMs are often fit by computational procedures like penalized quasi-likelihood (PQL). Special cases of these models are generalized linear models (GLMs), which are often fit using algorithms like iterative weighted least squares (IWLS). High computational costs and memory space constraints often make it difficult to apply these iterative procedures to data sets with very large number of cases.

This paper proposes a computationally efficient strategy based on the Gauss-Seidel algorithm that iteratively fits sub-models of the GLMM …

Prescription Drug Recalls On Florida’S Medicaid Preferred Drug List

Florida Public Health Review

No abstract provided.

Impact Of Hurricane Katrina On Lsu Health Sciences Center At New Orleans, John A. Rock Md, Leslie Capo

LSUHSC Hurricane Katrina Archive: Reports & Presentations

"Impact of Hurricane Katrina on LSU Health Sciences Center at New Orleans" is a PowerPoint presentation of 21 slides presented by John A. Rock, MD (Chancellor 2002-2005) on October 11, 2005 to the LSU Board of Supervisors. Leslie Capo (Director of Information Services 1989-2024) was co-creator of the presentation slides.

This presentation includes timelines, damage assessments, academic programming and medical services details and relocations, rebuilding expectations, and other details of the LSU Health Sciences Center's two campuses that were impacted by Hurricane Katrina.

Reconstructability Analysis As A Tool For Identifying Gene-Gene Interactions In Studies Of Human Diseases: Ieee Version, Martin Zwick, Stephen Shervais, Patricia Kramer

Complex Systems Faculty Publications and Presentations

There are a number of human diseases that are caused by the epistatic interaction of multiple genes. Detecting these interactions with standard statistical tools is difficult, because there may be an interaction effect, but minimal or no main effect. Reconstructability analysis uses Shannon’s information theory to detect relationships between variables in categorical datasets. We apply reconstructability analysis to data generated by five different models of gene-gene interaction, with heritability levels from 0.053 to 0.008, using 200 controls and 200 cases. We find that even with heritability levels as low as 0.008, and with the inclusion of 50 non-associated genes in …

Computational Techniques For Spatial Logistic Regression With Large Datasets, Christopher J. Paciorek, Louise Ryan

Harvard University Biostatistics Working Paper Series

In epidemiological work, outcomes are frequently non-normal, sample sizes may be large, and effects are often small. To relate health outcomes to geographic risk factors, fast and powerful methods for fitting spatial models, particularly for non-normal data, are required. We focus on binary outcomes, with the risk surface a smooth function of space. We compare penalized likelihood models, including the penalized quasi-likelihood (PQL) approach, and Bayesian models based on fit, speed, and ease of implementation.

A Bayesian model using a spectral basis representation of the spatial surface provides the best tradeoff of sensitivity and specificity in simulations, detecting real spatial …

The Role Of Spiritual Well-Being In Moderating Frail Elders' Affective Response To Functional Difficulty, Marie P. Dennis, Laura N. Gitlin, Laraine Winter, Yeon K. Chee

Center for Applied Research on Aging and Health Research Papers

Anxiety and depression have been well documented as affective consequences of functional impairment. Little research, however, has examined factors that moderate these associations. The present cross-sectional study examined the role of spiritual well-being in buffering the impact of functional difficulty on the anxiety and depressive symptoms of 319 functionally vulnerable community-dwelling elders, aged 70 or older, participating in a 6-month randomized controlled trial designed to enhance function. As demonstrated in recent research on spirituality and health, we expected that spiritual well-being would moderate the association between functional difficulty and anxiety as well as the relationship between functional difficulty and depression. …

Research News: 2005, No. 3, University Of Mississippi. School Of Pharmacy

Research News: Grants and Publications (2000-2014)

Grants, publications, technology transfer, special announcements

What Is Valuation Of Life For Frail Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Factor Structure And Criterion Validity Of The Vol, Marie P. Dennis, Laraine Winter, Helen K. Black, Laura N. Gitlin

Center for Applied Research on Aging and Health Research Papers

Lawton et al. (1999) defined valuation of life (VOL) as a cognitive-affective schema consisting of complex judgments, emotions and projections influenced by demographic and QOL factors. However, little is known about what constitutes VOL for frail elders. The present study evaluated the psychometric properties of a 13-item version of Lawton et al's. (2001) VOL Scale and examined correlational evidence in support of its construct validity with 319 elders enrolled in the Project ABLE study. Responses of half the sample (N=159) were submitted to principal axis factoring, yielding two factors (spiritual well-being, a = .88 and goal-related self-efficacy, a = .84), …

The Tension Of Loss In Old Age, Christa Caruso, Helen K. Black

Center for Applied Research on Aging and Health Research Papers

Our poster is based on a larger qualitative study that explores the personal meaning of suffering to 122 community-dwelling elders. Because loss in old age emerges as a significant aspect of suffering in elders' narratives, we focus on suffering as loss. We are recruiting community dwelling elders aged 80 and above, stratified by ethnicity, gender and self-reported health for extended qualitative interviews. Respondents tell their life story and story of suffering along with personal definitions of suffering. Through narrative analysis we examine responses to the many losses experienced during a long life and the suffering that results from loss. By …

Religious Locus Of Control, Laraine Winter

Center for Applied Research on Aging and Health Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Cardiac Transplant Following Failed Fontan Or Glenn Procedures., Naveen L. Pereira, Girish S. Shirali

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

No abstract provided.

Ada News - 10/03/2005, American Dental Association, Publishing Division

ADA News

Established in 1970 as the official newspaper of the American Dental Association, the ADA News serves practicing dentists and others allied to the dental profession in the U.S. and internationally. It is the No. 1 source of news and information about the many benefits and services the ADA delivers to members daily as well as timely information on scientific, social, political and economic developments affecting dentistry and health care.

Queering Psychoanalysis: The Relational Turn, Jack Drescher

Center for LGBTQ Studies (CLAGS)

On Thursday, March 25, CLAGS hosted a panel entitled "Queering Psychoanalysis: The Relational Turn." The program, part of an ongoing CLAGS effort, introduced academics and scholars more familiar with Freud and Lacan to contemporary, relational psychoanalytic theories and practices.

Mothers’ Support Options During Childbirth: A Survey Of Hospital Obstetrical Units In The Southeastern Region Of The United States, Hila J. Spear

Faculty Publications and Presentations

This study examined hospital policies and procedures related to maternal support during childbirth and the promotion of breastfeeding among mothers who give birth by cesarean. Overall, the findings revealed hospital-based practices and protocols that facilitated positive chibirth experiences and that were supportive of breastfeeding for mothers regardless of mode of delivery.

Ciis Today, Fall 2005 Issue, Ciis

CIIS Today

This volume is the Fall 2005 issue of CIIS Today, the Magazine of the California Institute of Integral Studies.

Healthnet News V.20:No.3 Fall 2005, Judith S. Kronick, Alberta Richetelle

Articles - Patient Care

A newsletter for public librarians and others interested in consumer health information services.

Estimation And Projection Of Indicence And Prevalence Based On Doubly Truncated Data With Application To Pharmacoepidemiological Databases, Henrik Stovring, Mei-Cheng Wang

Johns Hopkins University, Dept. of Biostatistics Working Papers

Incidences of disease are of primary interest in any epidemiological analysis of disease spread in general populations. Ordinary estimates obtained from follow-up of an initially non-diseased cohort are costly, and so such estimates are not routinely available. In contrast, routine registers exist for many diseases with data on all detected cases within a given calendar time period, but lacking information on non-diseased. In the present work we show how this type of data supplemented with data on the past birth process can be analyzed to yield age specific incidence estimates as well as lifetime prevalence. A non-parametric model is studied …

Is The Number Of Sick Persons In A Cohort Constant Over Time?, Paula Diehr, Ann Derleth, Anne Newman, Liming Cai

UW Biostatistics Working Paper Series

Objectives: To estimate the number of persons in a cohort who are sick, over time.

Methods: We calculated the number of sick persons in the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), a cohort study of older adults followed up to 14 years, using eight definitions of “healthy” and “sick”. We projected the number in each health state over time for a birth cohort.

Results: The number of sick persons in CHS was approximately constant for 14 years, for all definitions of “sick”. The estimated number of sick persons in the birth cohort was approximately constant from ages 55-75, after which it decreased. …

Mid-Atlantic Ethics Committee Newsletter, Fall 2005-Winter 2006

Mid-Atlantic Ethics Committee Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Chironian Fall/Winter 2005, New York Medical College

The Chironian

No abstract provided.

Internet Accessibility And Usage Among Urban Adolescents In Southern California: Implications For Web-Based Health Research, C. Anderson Johnson, Ping Sun, Jennifer B. Unger, Paula Palmer, Peggy E. Gallaher, Chih-Ping Chou, Steve Sussman, Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati

CGU Faculty Publications and Research

The World Wide Web (WWW) poses a distinct capability to offer interventions tailored to the individual’s characteristics. To fine tune the tailoring process, studies are needed to explore how Internet accessibility and usage are related to demographic, psychosocial, behavioral, and other health related characteristics. This study was based on a cross-sectional survey conducted on 2373 7th grade students of various ethnic groups in Southern California. Measures of Internet use included Internet use at school or at home, Email use, chat-room use, and Internet favoring. Logistic regressions were conducted to assess the associations between Internet uses with selected demographic, psychosocial, behavioral …

"Finis Origine Pendet” – Enhancing Later Learning And Professional Socialization Through An Introductory Dpt Course, Kyle P. Meyer, Patricia A. Hageman, Robert H. Fuchs, Amy E. Tyler, Gregory M. Karst

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Background and Purpose: In developing a new Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) curriculum, the faculty at a mid-west academic health sciences center decided to introduce course content historically placed near the end of the program’s Master of Physical Therapy curriculum at the beginning of the DPT curriculum. The new DPT curriculum was constructed to promote the value of three central themes; 1) evidence-based practice and 2) patient-centered care, both of which contribute to 3) sound clinical decision making. Faculty theorized that by explicitly expressing these themes in a first semester, introductory course, students would acquire a much needed framework for …

A Review Of The Pathophysiology Of Psychological Disorders In Persons With Parkinson’S Disease, Neil Kenney, Efrain Gonzalez

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

An understanding of the physiological etiologies of psychological disturbance continues to evolve as an essential component of training and practice for healthcare providers. The epidemiology of psychological disorders in persons with Parkinson’s disease (PD) is reviewed. The anatomy of the basal ganglia, etiology of PD, and pathophysiological bases for depression, anxiety, dementia, apathy, psychosis and delusions in persons with PD are then discussed. In consideration of the strong biological and environmental bases of psychopathology in persons with PD, it is proposed that a biopsychosocial model be considered for optimal delivery of interdisciplinary care to this population.

Dentalgram - Vol. 19, No. 10, Loma Linda University School Of Dentistry

Dentalgram

In this issue:

• Students attend pre-session orientation, 2005
• Faculty and staff attend 'train the trainer' seminar at Levin Group headquarters
• Members of the class of 2008 take first digital radiographs
• Dr. Sean Lee completes productive summer
• Dental class of 2009; dental hygiene class of 2007 welcomed during pre-session orientation
• Student research featured in CDA journal
• Department news
• Careers in Dentistry Workshop Celebrates its 25th year at LLUSD

Education Chronicle Issue 3 Number 1, Touro College School Of Education And Psychology - Graduate Division

Yearbooks and Newsletters

Fall/Winter 2005/2006 Issue

What's Happening: October, 2005, Maine Medical Center

What's Happening

No abstract provided.

People Living With, Not Dying From Disease: Patient Empowerment Through Anti-Retroviral Therapy And Possibilities For Social Change, Xin Wei Ngiam

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In South Africa today, it is estimated that there are 6.5 million people living with HIV/AIDS, at least half a million of whom require urgent treatment. On the continent of Africa as a whole the numbers are even more startling. Unfortunately, although the South African government has now committed itself to rolling out anti-retroviral therapy through the public healthcare system, progress has been slower than expected. Yet in numerous sites around South Africa, rollout centres have been established successfully, even in the most rural parts of the country. These programmes rely on existing community initiatives, community health workers and volunteers, …