Epidemiology Commons^™

Evaluating Trajectories Of Episodic Memory In Normal Cognition And Mild Cognitive Impairment: Results From Adni, Xiuhua Ding, Richard J. Charnigo, Frederick A. Schmitt, Richard J. Kryscio, Erin L. Abner, Alzheimer’S Disease Neuroimaging Initiative

Statistics Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Memory assessment is a key factor for the diagnosis of cognitive impairment. However, memory performance over time may be quite heterogeneous within diagnostic groups.

METHOD: To identify latent trajectories in memory performance and their associated risk factors, we analyzed data from Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) participants who were classified either as cognitively normal or as Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) at baseline and were administered the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning test (RAVLT) for up to 9 years. Group-based trajectory modeling on the 30-minute RAVLT delayed recall score was applied separately to the two baseline diagnostic groups.

RESULTS: There were …

The Influence Of Immigrant Generation On Obesity Among Asian Americans In California From 2013 To 2014, Shaoqing Gong, Kesheng Wang, Ying Li, Arsham Alamian

ETSU Faculty Works

Objectives We aimed to examine the association between immigrant generation and obesity among Californian adults and Asian Americans. Results Overall, 23.3% of the Asian population was obese, and 40.0% was overweight. The percentage of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd generation were 72.7%, 22.6%, and 4.6%, respectively. Overall, 1st generation of Asians had lower odds of being obese compared to Whites (OR = 0.34, 95%CI = 0.26–0.45). Multiple logistic regression analyses showed that overall, 2nd generation (OR = 1.69, 95%CI = 1.10–2.60) and 3rd generation (OR = 2.33, 95%CI = 1.29–4.22) Asians had higher odds of being obese compared to 1st generation …

Towards Multi-Lingual Pneumonia Research Data Collection Using The Community-Acquired Pneumonia International Cohort Study Database, William A. Mattingly, Kimberley A. Buckner, Senen Pena

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Background: Although multilingual interfaces are preferred by most users when they have a choice, organizations are often unable to support and troubleshoot problems involving multiple user languages. Software that has been structured with multiple languages and data interlinking considerations early in its development is more likely to be easily maintained. We describe the process of adding multilingual support to the CAPO international Cohort study database using REDCap.

Methods: Using Google Translate API we extend the supported Spanish language version of REDCap to the most recent version used by CAPO, 8.1.4. We then translate the English data dictionary for CAPO to …

Clinical Research In Pneumonia: Role Of Artificial Intelligence, Timothy L. Wiemken, Robert R. Kelley, William A. Mattingly, Julio A. Ramirez

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Severity Of Disease And Mortality For Hospitalized Patients With Community-Acquired Viral Pneumonia Compared To Patients With Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia, Richard Y. Kim, Thomas Chandler, Stephen P. Furmanek, Timothy Lee Wiemken, Rodrigo Cavallazzi

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

Background: There exists a large body of literature to help identify, diagnose, treat, and manage community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Despite this, there is little data that directly compares the clinical syndromes and complications of pure bacterial pneumonia to pure viral pneumonia. Our study compares the clinical presentation, morbidity and mortality of viral vs. bacterial etiologies of CAP.

Methods: This was a secondary data analysis of the Community-Acquired Pneumonia Organization (CAPO) international study database. Data was collected concerning patient demographics, physical examination findings, laboratory findings, radiological findings, severity of illness, and clinical outcomes and stratified according to the two study groups, CAVP …

Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Infections: A Review Of Epidemiology And Treatment Options, Julie Harting

The University of Louisville Journal of Respiratory Infections

No abstract provided.

Association Between Asthma And Dental Caries Amongst 12 - 15 Years Old Children: A School-Based Cross-Sectional Study In Karachi, Pakistan, Wajeeha Zahid, Shafquat Rozi, Farhan Raza Khan, Nida Zahid, Muhammad Masood Kadir

Community Health Sciences

Objective: The study aimed to determine an association between dental caries and asthma among 12 to 15 years old children.
Methods: This is a school-based cross-sectional study conducted from January to February 2016. A random sample of 544 children aged 12 - 15 years were enrolled from five private schools of Karachi. Dental caries was assessed using DMFT Index (Decayed, Missing, Filled teeth). The main exposure variable was asthma and information on it was collected through the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) questionnaire.
Results: The data was analyzed using Cox Proportional Hazard algorithm. Crude and adjusted …

A Phewas Study Of A Large Observational Epidemiological Cohort Of African Americans From The Regards Study, Xueyan Zhao, Xin Geng, Vinodh Srinivasasainagendra, Ninad Chaudhary, Suzanne Judd, Virginia Wadley, Orlando M. Gutiérrez, Henry Wang, Ethan M. Lange, Leslie A. Lange, Daniel Woo, Frederick W. Unverzagt, Monika Safford, Mary Cushman, Nita Limdi, Rakale Quarells, Donna K. Arnett, Marguerite R. Irvin, Degui Zhi

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and kidney disease are among the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. However, knowledge of genetic determinants of those diseases in African Americans remains limited.

Results: In our study, associations between 4956 GWAS catalog reported SNPs and 67 traits were examined among 7726 African Americans from the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, which is focused on identifying factors that increase stroke risk. The prevalent and incident phenotypes studied included inflammation, kidney traits, cardiovascular traits and cognition. Our results validated 29 known associations, of which eight associations were reported for the …

Associations Between Slc16a11 Variants And Diabetes In The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study Of Latinos (Hchs/Sol), Bertha A. Hidalgo, Tamar Sofer, Qibin Qi, Neil Schneiderman, Y. -D. Ida Chen, Robert C. Kaplan, M. Larissa Avilés-Santa, Kari E. North, Donna K. Arnett, Adam Szpiro, Jianwen Cai, Bing Yu, Eric Boerwinkle, George Papanicolaou, Cathy C. Laurie, Jerome I. Rotter, Adrienne M. Stilp

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Five sequence variants in SLC16A11 (rs117767867, rs13342692, rs13342232, rs75418188, and rs75493593), which occur in two non-reference haplotypes, were recently shown to be associated with diabetes in Mexicans from the SIGMA consortium. We aimed to determine whether these previous findings would replicate in the HCHS/SOL Mexican origin group and whether genotypic effects were similar in other HCHS/SOL groups. We analyzed these five variants in 2492 diabetes cases and 5236 controls from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL), which includes U.S. participants from six diverse background groups (Mainland groups: Mexican, Central American, and South American; and Caribbean groups: Puerto Rican, …

Opioids And Cerebral Physiology In The Acute Management Of Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review, Joshua Weiner, Amanda Mcintyre, Shannon Janzen, Magdalena Mirkowski, Heather M. Mackenzie, Robert Teasell

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Publications

Background: Following traumatic brain injury (TBI), optimization of cerebral physiology is recommended to promote more favourable patient outcomes. Accompanying pain and agitation are commonly treated with sedative and analgesic agents, such as opioids. However, the impact of opioids on certain aspects of cerebral physiology is not well established.

Objective: To conduct a systematic review of the evidence on the effect of opioids on cerebral physiology in TBI during acute care.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in five electronic databases for articles published in English up to November 2017. Studies were included if: (1) the study sample was human …

Shared Heritability And Functional Enrichment Across Six Solid Cancers, Xia Jiang, Hilary K. Finucane, Fredrick R. Schumacher, Stephanie L. Schmit, Jonathan P. Tyrer, Younghun Han, Kyriaki Michailidou, Corina Lesseur, Karoline B. Kuchenbaecker, Joe Dennis, David V. Conti, Graham Casey, Mia M. Gaudet, Jeroen R. Huyghe, Demetrius Albanes, Melinda C. Aldrich, Angeline S. Andrew, Irene L. Andrulis, Hoda Anton-Culver, Antonis C. Antoniou, Natalia N. Antonenkova, Susanne M. Arnold, Kristan J. Aronson, Banu K. Arun, Elisa V. Bandera, Rosa B. Barkardottir, Daniel R. Barnes, Jyotsna Batra, Matthias W. Beckmann, Javier Benitez

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Quantifying the genetic correlation between cancers can provide important insights into the mechanisms driving cancer etiology. Using genome-wide association study summary statistics across six cancer types based on a total of 296,215 cases and 301,319 controls of European ancestry, here we estimate the pair-wise genetic correlations between breast, colorectal, head/neck, lung, ovary and prostate cancer, and between cancers and 38 other diseases. We observed statistically significant genetic correlations between lung and head/neck cancer (r_g = 0.57, p = 4.6 × 10⁻⁸), breast and ovarian cancer (r_g = 0.24, p = 7 × 10^{−5 …}

Multi-Ancestry Study Of Blood Lipid Levels Identifies Four Loci Interacting With Physical Activity, Tuomas O. Kilpeläinen, Amy R. Bentley, Raymond Noordam, Yun Ju Sung, Karen Schwander, Thomas W. Winkler, Hermina Jakupović, Daniel I. Chasman, Alisa Manning, Ioanna Ntalla, Hugues Aschard, Michael R. Brown, Lisa De Las Fuentes, Nora Franceschini, Xiuqing Guo, Dina Vojinovic, Stella Aslibekyan, Mary F. Feitosa, Minjung Kho, Solomon K. Musani, Melissa Richard, Heming Wang, Zhe Wang, Traci M. Bartz, Lawrence F. Bielak, Archie Campbell, Rajkumar Dorajoo, Virginia Fisher, Fernando P. Hartwig, Andrea R. V. R. Horimoto, Donna K. Arnett

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Many genetic loci affect circulating lipid levels, but it remains unknown whether lifestyle factors, such as physical activity, modify these genetic effects. To identify lipid loci interacting with physical activity, we performed genome-wide analyses of circulating HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in up to 120,979 individuals of European, African, Asian, Hispanic, and Brazilian ancestry, with follow-up of suggestive associations in an additional 131,012 individuals. We find four loci, in/near CLASP1, LHX1, SNTA1, and CNTNAP2, that are associated with circulating lipid levels through interaction with physical activity; higher levels of physical activity enhance the HDL …

Comparison Of Compliance With Cervical Cancer Screening Among Women Aged 18 And Above In Arkansas And The United States, Sarah N. O'Connor, Jun Tao, L. Joseph Su

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Introduction: Cervical cancer preys on women without access to preventative screening. Any woman who has developed an invasive case of cervical cancer should be regarded as a failure of screening. Disparities in access to screening, triage, and treatment fuel an uneven distribution in the burden of cervical cancer within the United States; weighing unusually heavy on the Southern States like Arkansas. The purpose of this study was to evaluate demographic and behavioral risk factors for cervical cancer and identify potential barriers which may influence the likelihood of complying with current Pap test recommendations on a state level, in Arkansas, and …

Prehypertensive Risk Among African-American Undergraduates: Do The Extra Pounds Really Matter?, Cecile N. Yancu, Amber Debono, Anna K. Lee, Correll Mcrae, Daphne Witherspoon

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The objective of this study is to examine prehypertension among young African American adults and evaluate the predictive value of easily obtained standard measures of adiposity. Data for this study of 155 primarily African-American undergraduates was collected between April 2010-11. Participants provided family health history and anthropometric measures, including body weight, body mass index (BMI), and waist to hip (WHR) ratio. Percentages were calculated for demographics. The average systolic blood pressure measured over two time periods within a single semester generated prehypertension rates. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression examined the impact of BMI, WHR, weight, and family medical history on …

Patterns And Predictors Of Chronic Opioid Use In Older Adults: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Gyeon Oh, Erin L. Abner, David W. Fardo, Patricia R. Freeman, Daniela C. Moga

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background

Given the controversy around the effectiveness of opioid treatment for chronic pain and the lack of detailed guidance for prescribing opioids in older adults, the objectives of this study were to estimate the trajectories and predictors of opioid use in older adults.

Methods

Data were extracted from the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center (2005–2017). Group-based trajectory modeling was used to identify the patterns of opioid use (any or strong) among participants age 65+. We used multivariable logistic regression with backward selection to evaluate demographics and comorbidities as potential predictors of trajectory membership.

Results

Among 13,059 participants, four trajectories were identified …

Outcomes Of Pulmonary Resection In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients Older Than 70 Years Old, A. Tantraworasin, S. Siwachat, N. Tanatip, N. Lertprasertsuke, S. Kongkarnka, J. Euathrongchit, Y. Wannasopha, T. Suksombooncharoen, E. Taioli, S. Saeteng, +1 Additional Author

Journal Articles

© 2019 Background: An appropriate treatment of older lung cancer patients has become an important issue. The aim of this study is to evaluate the short and long-term surgical outcomes in lung cancer patients using 70 years as a cut-point, and to identify prognostic factors of cancer-specific mortality in patients older than 70 years. Methods: Medical records of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who underwent pulmonary resection at Chiang Mai University Hospital from January 2002 through December 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into age less than 70 years (control group) and 70 years or more (study group). …

Changes In Quality Of Life After Surgery Or Radiotherapy In Early-Stage Lung Cancer, R. M. Schwartz, N. Alpert, K. Rosenzweig, R. Flores, E. Taioli

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Molecular Study Of Thyroid Cancer In World Trade Center Responders, M. A. Van Gerwen, S. Tuminello, G. J. Riggins, T. B. Mendes, M. Donovan, E. K. Benn, E. Genden, J. M. Cerutti, E. Taioli

Journal Articles

© 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Thyroid cancer incidence is higher in World Trade Center (WTC) responders compared with the general population. It is unclear whether this excess in thyroid cancer is associated with WTC-related exposures or if instead there is an over-diagnosis of malignant thyroid cancer among WTC first responders due to enhanced surveillance and physician bias. To maximize diagnostic yield and determine the false positive rate for malignancy, the histological diagnoses of thyroid cancer tumors from WTC responders and age, gender, and histology matched non-WTC thyroid cancer cases were evaluated using biomarkers of malignancy. Using …

Dietary Inflammatory Index (Dii) And Risk Of Prostate Cancer In A Case–Control Study Among Black And White Us Veteran Men, A. C. Vidal, T. Oyekunle, L. E. Howard, N. Shivappa, A. De Hoedt, J. C. Figueiredo, E. Taioli, J. H. Fowke, P. H. Lin, S. J. Freedland, +1 Additional Author

Journal Articles

© 2019, Springer Nature America, Inc. Background: We hypothesized a pro-inflammatory diet would be associated with higher prostate cancer (PC) risk. Methods: We prospectively recruited incident PC cases (n = 254) and controls (n = 328) at the Durham Veteran Affairs, from 2007 to 2018. From a self-completed 61-item Food Frequency Questionnaire, we calculated dietary inflammatory index (DII ® ) scores with and without supplements. We examined the association between DII scores with and without supplements and overall PC risk using logistic regression and risk of low-grade PC (grade group 1) and high-grade PC (grade group 2–5) with multinomial logistic …

Maternal Characteristics Associated With Injury-Related Infant Death In West Virginia, 2010-2014, Wilson A. Koech, Toni M. Rudisill, Ian R. H. Rockett

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Although injury-related deaths have been documented among children and adult populations, insufficient attention has been directed towards injury-related infant deaths. The objective of this retrospective study was to investigate maternal and infant characteristics associated with injury-related infant deaths in West Virginia. Birth and infant mortality data for 2010–2014 were sourced from the West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, Charleston. Relative risk was calculated using log-binomial regression utilizing generalized estimating equations. Maternal characteristics associated with injury-related infant mortality in West Virginia were race/ethnicity ( = 7.48, p = .03), and smoking during pregnancy (, p < .00). Risk of a Black Non-Hispanic infant suffering an injury-related death was 4.0 (95% CL 1.7, 9.3) times that of infants of other races/ethnicities. Risk of an infant dying from an injury-related cause, if the mother smoked during pregnancy, was 2.9 (95% CL 1.6, 5.0) times the risk of such a death if maternal smoking status during pregnancy is unknown or no smoking, controlling for race/ethnicity. This study provides important information to public health stakeholders at both the state and local levels in designing interventions for partial reduction or prevention of injury-related infant mortality in West Virginia.

Association Between Cellphone Use While Driving Legislation And Self-Reported Behaviour Among Adult Drivers In Usa: A Cross-Sectional Study, Toni Marie Rudisill, Motao Zhu, Haitao Chu

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Objectives Cellphone use behaviours can vary demographically in the USA. This study examined whether legislation restricting cellphone use while driving was associated with lower self-reported hand-held cellphone conversations or texting behaviours among adult drivers of different ages (19–24, 25–39, 40–59,≥60 years), sex, race/ethnicity (white non-Hispanic, black non-Hispanic, Hispanic, Other) or rurality (urban, rural). Design Cross-sectional study. Setting USA. Participants Individuals ≥19 years of age who indicated they were a current driver and participated in the 2011– 2014 Traffic Safety Culture Index Surveys (n=9706). Primary outcome The exposure was the presence of a hand-held calling or texting ban applicable to all …

A Quality Improvement Assessment Of The Delivery Of Mental Health Services Among Wtc Responders Treated In The Community, M. Bellehsen, J. Moline, R. Rasul, K. Bevilacqua, S. Schneider, J. Kornrich, R. M. Schwartz

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

Increased Incidence Of Thyroid Cancer Among World Trade Center First Responders: A Descriptive Epidemiological Assessment, S. Tuminello, M. A. Van Gerwen, E. Genden, M. Crane, W. Lieberman-Cribbin, E. Taioli

Journal Articles

© 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. An increased incidence of thyroid cancer among 9/11 rescue workers has been reported, the etiology of which remains unclear but which may, at least partly, be the result of the increased medical surveillance this group undergoes. This study aimed to investigate thyroid cancer in World Trade Center (WTC) responders by looking at the demographic data and questionnaire responses of thyroid cancer cases from the Mount Sinai WTC Health Program (WTCHP). WTCHP thyroid cancer tumors were of a similar size (p = 0.4), and were diagnosed at a similar age (p = …

Change In Quality Of Life After A Cancer Diagnosis Among A Nationally Representative Cohort Of Older Adults In The Us, R. M. Schwartz, K. A. Ornstein, B. Liu, N. Alpert, K. G. Bevilacqua, E. Taioli

Journal Articles

No abstract provided.

The Evidence Of Human Exposure To Glyphosate: A Review, C. Gillezeau, M. Van Gerwen, R. M. Shaffer, I. Rana, L. Zhang, L. Sheppard, E. Taioli

Journal Articles

© 2019 The Author(s). Background: Despite the growing and widespread use of glyphosate, a broad-spectrum herbicide and desiccant, very few studies have evaluated the extent and amount of human exposure. Objective: We review documented levels of human exposure among workers in occupational settings and the general population. Methods: We conducted a review of scientific publications on glyphosate levels in humans; 19 studies were identified, of which five investigated occupational exposure to glyphosate, 11 documented the exposure in general populations, and three reported on both. Results: Eight studies reported urinary levels in 423 occupationally and para-occupationally exposed subjects; 14 studies reported …

Transfer Of Extracellular Vesicle-Associated-Rnas Induces Drug Resistance In Alk-Translocated Lung Adenocarcinoma, H. H. Kwok, Z. Ning, P. W. Chong, T. S. Wan, M. H. Ng, G. Y. Ho, M. S. Ip, D. C. Lam

Journal Articles

© 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) translocation is an actionable mutation in lung adenocarcinoma. Nonetheless tumour consists of heterogeneous cell subpopulations with diverse phenotypes and genotypes, and cancer cells can actively release extracellular vesicles (EVs) to modulate the phenotype of other cells in the tumour microenvironment. We hypothesized that EVs derived from a drug-resistant subpopulation of cells could induce drug resistance in recipient cells. We have established ALK-translocated lung adenocarcinoma cell lines and subclones. The subclones have been characterized and the expression of EV-RNAs determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The effects of …

Hippocratic Values In An Era Of Nuclear Asymmetry: Should U.S. Public Health Prepare For Nuclear War With North Korea?, George A. Gellert

Journal of Health Ethics

Objectives: Advancements in North Korean nuclear weapons have heightened tensions and increased risk for nuclear war. U.S. public health agencies are investing resources in nuclear attack preparation. Analyses assess the impact and value of existing protective public health strategies for limited nuclear exchange.

Methods: Projections of fatality/injury from a North Korean nuclear strike within North Asia and explosive impact mapping are used to assess the potential impact of an attack on major U.S. urban centers.

Results: A nuclear strike on the 20 largest U.S. urban centers would place 38.1% of Americans at risk. With 1-3 missiles of 250 kiloton yield …

Effect Of Abo Blood Group On Asymptomatic, Uncomplicated And Placental Plasmodium Falciparum Infection: Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Abraham Degarege, Merhawi T. Gebrezgi, Consuelo M. Beck-Sague, Mats Wahlgren, Luiz Carlos De Mattos, Purnima Madhivanan

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

BACKGROUND: Malaria clinical outcomes vary by erythrocyte characteristics, including ABO blood group, but the effect of ABO blood group on asymptomatic, uncomplicated and placental Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum) infection remains unclear. We explored effects of ABO blood group on asymptomatic, uncomplicated and placental falciparum infection in the published literature.

METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. Articles in Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL and Cochrane Library published before February 04, 2017 were searched without restriction. Studies were included if they reported P. falciparum infection incidence or prevalence, …

Vaccination Coverage And Awareness Of Hepatitis B Virus Among Healthcare Students At A University In Cyprus, Zoe Roupa, Maria Noula, Evi A. Farazi, Antonis Stylianides, Christos Papaneophytou

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Introduction: The risk for healthcare students to get infected by transmitting infectious viruses, including hepatitis B virus (HBV), in a hospital setting is extremely high through exposure to blood and/or body secretions.

Aim: The aim of this work was to evaluate both the vaccination history of healthcare students at a University in Cyprus and their serologic immunity against HBV. In addition, we assessed their knowledge and behaviors towards the transmission and prevention of hepatitis B (HB).

Results: Total amount of 168 students participated in this study and more than 50% of them provided complete documentation of vaccination history against HBV. …

Awareness Of Human Papilloma Virus And Cervical Cancer Prevention Among Cypriot Female Healthcare Workers, Andria Christodoulou, Jirayr Ajzajian, Dejun Su, Hongmei Wang, Zoe Roupa, Evi A. Farazi

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

Background: Cervical cancer incidence varies around the world with the highest rates in Eastern Africa and the lowest rates in Western Asia. In Cyprus, a small Mediterranean island, cervical cancer incidence was 6.4 per 100,000 in 2013. HPV is an established risk factor for cervical cancer with HPV-16 and HPV-18 being the most common carcinogenic strains. Cervical cancer is preventable through primary (HPV vaccination) and secondary (Pap and HPV tests) prevention. These prevention methods should be promoted, however, in order to design a cancer prevention programme and the awareness and characteristics of populations should be investigated so that prevention programmes …