Biostatistics Commons^™

Mathematical Modeling Of Tumor Response Dynamics To Predict Progression-Free Survival In Patients With Recurrent High-Grade Glioma, Daniel James Glazar

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I aim to develop a mathematical model describing tumor volume response dynamics to perform individual dynamic predictions of progression-free survival (PFS) on patients with recurrent high-grade glioma (rHGG).

Patients with rHGG have a dismal prognosis with median overall survival (OS) of <12 months and median PFS of <7 months. However, there is a wide heterogeneity in treatment responses. Therefore, to aid clinicians with making decisions to alter therapeutic protocol, I would like to predict patient-specific PFS.

To perform individual dynamic predictions, I employ the Claret tumor growth inhibition (TGI) model. I further develop this model by coupling it with two different survival models. Inter-patient heterogeneity is also taken into account through mixed effects, including covariate effects. Model PFS predictions were evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis as well as Brier …

Primary Care Payment Models And Avoidable Hospitalizations In Ontario, Canada: A Multivalued Treatment Effects Analysis., Nibene Habib Somé, Rose Anne Devlin, Nirav Mehta, Sisira Sarma

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Publications

Improving access to primary care physicians' services may help reduce hospitalizations due to Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSCs). Ontario, Canada's most populous province, introduced blended payment models for primary care physicians in the early- to mid-2000s to increase access to primary care, preventive care, and better chronic disease management. We study the impact of payment models on avoidable hospitalizations due to two incentivized ACSCs (diabetes and congestive heart failure) and two non-incentivized ACSCs (angina and asthma). The data for our study came from health administrative data on practicing primary care physicians in Ontario between 2006 and 2015. We employ a …

Examining The Interaction Between Calcium Supplement Use, Demographics, And Lifestyle Factors On Bone Health In Women, Vix Talbot

University Honors Theses

Osteoporosis is a condition which poses a significant health threat, particularly among women during the menopause transition, where accelerated bone loss increases fracture risk. Calcium supplementation has been shown to be an important intervention to mitigate bone mineral density (BMD) decline during this and other periods of life. However, the efficacy of calcium supplementation is influenced by various individual factors, including demographics and lifestyle habits. This study investigates the interaction between calcium supplement use, and several interaction terms on bone health in women. Multiple linear regression analysis is employed to assess the impact of these factors on BMD. Data from …

Evaluating The Influence Of Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid Exposure On Blood Glucose Levels: A Comprehensive Multiple Regression Analysis Considering Confounding Factors, Henry Mensah

Theses and Dissertations

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are widely used for industrial and commercial purposes and have received increasing attention due to their adverse effects on health. This thesis investigates the relationship between PFOS exposure and blood glucose levels, considering potential confounding factors. Regression analysis was conducted on a dataset comprising demographic, lifestyle, and biomarker data from a diverse population sample. Sex exhibited a significant role, with females demonstrating an 11.77% increase in blood glucose levels in response to PFOS exposure compared to males, supported by a p-value of 1.04 × 109. Body mass index (BMI) also played a pivotal role, revealing a 2.17% …

A Modified Switching Procedure From Temporary To Tunneled Central Venous Dialysis Catheters, Johannes Eberhard, Constantin Bedau, Andrew Genius Chapple, Julia Klein, Christoph Reissfelder, Anna Isabelle Kaelsch, Andreas Lutz Heinrich Gerken, Sebastian Zach, Kay Schwenke

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background: Tunneled central venous catheters are commonly used for dialysis in patients without a functional permanent vascular access. In an emergent setting, a non-tunneled, temporary central venous catheter is often placed for immediate dialysis. The most critical step in the catheter insertion is venipuncture, which is often a major cause for longer intervention times and procedure-related adverse events. To avoid this critical step when placing a more permanent tunneled catheter, an exchange over a previously placed temporary one can be considered. In this paper, we present a modified switching approach with a separate access site. Methods: In this retrospective analysis …

Access To Prostate-Specific Antigen Testing And Mortality Among Men With Prostate Cancer, Hari S. Iyer, Benjamin V. Stone, Charlotte Roscoe, Mei Chin Hsieh, Antoinette M. Stroup, Charles L. Wiggins, Fredrick R. Schumacher, Scarlett L. Gomez, Timothy R. Rebbeck, Quoc Dien Trinh

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Importance: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening for prostate cancer is controversial but may be associated with benefit for certain high-risk groups. Objectives: To evaluate associations of county-level PSA screening prevalence with prostate cancer outcomes, as well as variation by sociodemographic and clinical factors. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study used data from cancer registries based in 8 US states on Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, and non-Hispanic White men aged 40 to 99 years who received a diagnosis of prostate cancer between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2015. Participants were followed up until death or censored after 10 years or December …

A Guide To Successful Management Of Collaborative Partnerships In Quantitative Research: An Illustration Of The Science Of Team Science., Alyssa Platt, Tracy Truong, Mary Boulos, Nichole E Carlson, Manisha Desai, Monica M Elam, Emily Slade, Alexandra L Hanlon, Jillian H Hurst, Maren K Olsen, Laila M Poisson, Lacey Rende, Gina-Maria Pomann

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Data-intensive research continues to expand with the goal of improving healthcare delivery, clinical decision-making, and patient outcomes. Quantitative scientists, such as biostatisticians, epidemiologists, and informaticists, are tasked with turning data into health knowledge. In academic health centres, quantitative scientists are critical to the missions of biomedical discovery and improvement of health. Many academic health centres have developed centralized Quantitative Science Units which foster dual goals of professional development of quantitative scientists and producing high quality, reproducible domain research. Such units then develop teams of quantitative scientists who can collaborate with researchers. However, existing literature does not provide guidance on how …

Spatial Durbin Model On The Utilization Of Delivery At Health Facilities: A 2017 Indonesian Demographic And Health Survey Analysis, Indah Sri Wahyuni, Ira Gustina, Martya Rahmaniati Makful, Tris Eryando

Kesmas

The utilization of delivery at health facilities is a major intervention in reducing 16 to 33% of deaths. This study aimed to determine the model of utilization of delivery at health facilities in Indonesia in 2017 and its influential factors. This study used secondary data from the 2017 Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey using a Spatial Durbin Model (SDM) approach. The population was mothers aged 15 – 49 years, spread across 34 provinces of Indonesia, and had 15,321 samples. The results showed that the Moran’s I value was positive (0.146) and significant at p-value = 0.007, indicating clustered regions with …

Mapping For Tracking Sexually Transmitted Infections By Subdistricts In Surabaya, Indonesia, Destri Susilaningrum, Brodjol Sutijo Suprih Ulama, Fausania Hibatullah, Diandra Soja Anjani

Kesmas

The 2014 shutdown localization of prostitution in Surabaya City, East Java Province, Indonesia, has given rise to an illegal prostitution industry, resulting in the spread of uncontrolled sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Mapping needs to be done to track the spread of the disease. This study used secondary data on STIs in 2020 from the Surabaya City Health Office. By using biplot analysis, this study sought to offer a detailed understanding of the distribution and dynamics of STI cases in different parts of Surabaya. The early-stage syphilis was found in Tegalsari and Krembangan Subdistricts; then, gonorrheal urethritis was found in Tandes, …

Advancing Objective Mobile Device Use Measurement Inchildren Ages 6–11 Through Built-In Device Sensors: A Proof-Of-Concept Study, Olivia L. Finnegan, Robert Glenn Weaver Med, Phd, Hongpeng Yang, James W. White, Srihari Nelakuditi, Zifei Zhong, Rahul Ghosal Ph.D., Yan Tong, Aliye B. Cepni, Elizabeth L. Adams, Sarah Burkart Mph, Ph.D., Michael W. Beets Med, Mph, Phd, Bridget Armstrong Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Mobile devices (e.g., tablets and smartphones) have been rapidly integrated into the lives of children and have impacted howchildren engage with digital media. The portability of these devices allows for sporadic, on-demand interaction, reducing theaccuracy of self-report estimates of mobile device use. Passive sensing applications objectively monitor time spent on a givendevice but are unable to identify who is using the device, a significant limitation in child screen time research. Behavioralbiometric authentication, using embedded mobile device sensors to continuously authenticate users, could be applied toaddress this limitation. This study examined the preliminary accuracy of machine learning models trained on iPad …

Reports Of Autosomal Recessive Disease And Consanguineous Mating Within The Human Population, Johnathon L. Schluter

Master's Theses

It is anecdotally evident when investigating published reports of autosomal recessive disease that a substantial number of cases are the result of related (consanguineous) mating. This research seeks to quantify the percent of manuscripts describing autosomal recessive diseases published between 2000 and 2020 in which consanguineous mating is indicated. We analyzed 602 peer-reviewed manuscripts to identify the percentage of cases presented in which consanguineous mating was indicated, the underlying genes (novel gene or new mutation) and geographical region. These papers were accessed through a specific set of parameters on the free access PubMed Central (PMC) database. A total of 552 …

Perspective—Surface-Display Techniques In Electrochemical Biosensor Designs For Health Monitoring, Courtney J. Weber, Megan D. Whisonant, Olivia M. Clay, Olja Simoska

Faculty Publications

Enzymatic and microbial electrochemical biosensors integrate enzymes and microorganisms as biological recognition elements into the sensor design and functionality. Enzyme-based sensors offer high sensitivity and selectivity for target analyte detection. However, these have limited stability necessary for continuous analyte monitoring. Contrarily, microbe-based electrochemical sensors provide a means for continuous analyte sensing but are associated with challenges related to analyte selectivity in complex samples. To address these limitations, surface-display methods, which bind enzymes to microbial surfaces, enhance biosensor selectivity and sensitivity. This perspective outlines the application of surface-display techniques, offering a promising avenue for health monitoring.

Employing Digital Pcr For Enhanced Detection Of Perinatal Toxoplasma Gondii Infection: A Cross-Sectional Surveillance And Maternal-Infant Outcomes Study In El Salvador, Mary K. Lynn, Marvin Stanley Rodriguez Aquino, Pamela Michelle Cornejo Rivas, Xiomara Miranda, David F. Torres-Romero, Hanson Cowan, Madeleine M. Meyer, Willber D. Castro-Godoy, Mufaro Kanyangarara Ph.D., Stella Coker Watson Self Ph.D., Ms, Berry A. Campbell, Melissa Nolan Ph.D., Mph

Faculty Publications

Toxoplasma gondii is a parasitic infection that can be transmitted in utero, resulting in fetal chorioretinitis and other long-term neurological outcomes. If diagnosed early, pregnancy-safe chemotherapeutics can prevent vertical transmission. Unfortunately, diagnosis of acute, primary infection among pregnant women remains neglected, particularly in low-and-middle-income countries. Clinically actionable diagnosis is complex due to the commonality of infection during childhood and early adulthood which spawn long-last antibody titers and historically unreliable direct molecular diagnostics. The current study employed a cross-sectional T. gondii perinatal surveillance study using digital PCR, a next generation molecular diagnostic platform, and a maternal-fetal outcomes survey to ascertain …

Statistical Approaches For The Early Detection Of Colorectal Cancer Using Longitudinal Biomarkers, Emily Berry

Statistical Science Theses and Dissertations

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States [45]. CRC is believed to advance from adenomatous polyps creating a unique opportunity for both early detection and cancer prevention [4, 23]. Like other diseases, CRC screening reduces mortality by detecting cancer at earlier, more treatable stages; however, it can also reduce incidence through the removal of precancerous lesions [4]. As a result, screening is recommended for average-risk adults ≥ 45 years of age and includes a variety of tests [4, 12]. Despite alternate screening options, colonoscopy capacity is often cited as a barrier to …

Descriptions Of Interglacial Mastodons From Snowmass, Colorado, Connor White

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Ziegler Reservoir fossil site (ZRFS) in Colorado contains over 4000 mastodon bones that date from 140,000 to 100,000 years ago. At an elevation of ~2705 meters above sea level, ZRFS represents an alpine ecosystem dated to Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5. Formal descriptions of cheek teeth, mandibles, crania, and femora were completed. Statistical analyses of the upper and lower third molars, including a novel measurement of interloph(id) distances, indicate significant differences between ZRFS mastodons and Mammut pacificus, while falling within the ranges for Mammut americanum. This study agrees with the taxonomic assignment of ZRFS mastodons to Mammut …

Factors Predictive Of The Development Of Surgical Site Infection In Thyroidectomy, A Replication Study Of Myssiorek (2018), Kaitlyn M. Kenig

Capstone Experience: Master of Public Health

The original study aimed to show that thyroidectomy does not result in surgical site infection (SSI) in most cases, and thus routine prescription of antibiotics is not necessary. The study looked to see what risk factors could predict the incidence of SSI. This would highlight those individuals who were at most risk of developing SSI, and then antibiotics would only be prescribed to these individuals instead of all or most individuals who undergo thyroidectomy.

This study used NSQIP data to look at incidence of SSI and look for risk factors that may be predictive of SSI. Only surgeries that were …

An Improved Bayesian Pick-The-Winner (Ibpw) Design For Randomized Phase Ii Clinical Trials, Wanni Lei, Maosen Peng, Xi K. Zhou

COBRA Preprint Series

Phase II clinical trials play a pivotal role in drug development by screening a large number of drug candidates to identify those with promising preliminary efficacy for phase III testing. Trial designs that enable efficient decision-making with small sample sizes and early futility stopping while controlling for type I and II errors in hypothesis testing, such as Simon’s two-stage design, are preferred. Randomized multi-arm trials are increasingly used in phase II settings to overcome the limitations associated with using historical controls as the reference. However, how to effectively balance efficiency and accurate decision-making continues to be an important research topic. …

Evaluating Novel Approaches For Improving Anadromous Fish Passage In Coastal Rivers, Aaron Bunch

All Dissertations

Few of the world's rivers remain free-flowing for over 1000 km, significantly impacting anadromous fish populations due to dam-induced habitat fragmentation. Three partial migration barriers (low-head dams) on North Carolina's Cape Fear River (USA)—lock and dam 1 (LD1), lock and dam 2 (LD2), and lock and dam 3 (LD3)—impact American shad Alosa sapidissima, Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus, and striped bass Morone saxatilis populations. Mitigation strategies to pass fish upstream have included conservation locking, nature-like fishway construction, and environmental flows (e-flows). This study introduced a novel e-flow (dam submergence flow), tested acoustic double-tagging techniques for tracking American …

Employing Digital Pcr For Enhanced Detection Of Perinatal Toxoplasma Gondii Infection: A Cross-Sectional Surveillance And Maternalinfant Outcomes Study In El Salvador, Mary K. Lynn, Marvin Stanley Rodriguez Aquino, Pamela Michelle Cornejo Rivas, Xiomara Miranda, David F. Torres-Romero, Hanson Cowan, Madeleine M. Meyer, Willber D. Castro-Godoy, Mufaro Kanyangarara Ph.D., Stella C.W. Self Ph.D., Ms, Berry A. Campbell, Melissa S. Nolan Ph.D., Mph

Faculty Publications

Toxoplasma gondii is a parasitic infection that can be transmitted in utero, resulting in fetal chorioretinitis and other long-term neurological outcomes. If diagnosed early, pregnancysafe chemotherapeutics can prevent vertical transmission. Unfortunately, diagnosis of acute, primary infection among pregnant women remains neglected, particularly in low-andmiddle-income countries. Clinically actionable diagnosis is complex due to the commonality of infection during childhood and early adulthood which spawn long-last antibody titers and historically unreliable direct molecular diagnostics. The current study employed a cross-sectional T. gondii perinatal surveillance study using digital PCR, a next generation molecular diagnostic platform, and a maternal-fetal outcomes survey to ascertain the …

High-Dimensional Mediation Analysis Of Multi-Omics Data, Sunyi Chi

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Environmental exposures such as cigarette smoking influence health outcomes through intermediate molecular phenotypes, such as the methylome, transcriptome, and metabolome. Mediation analysis is a useful tool for investigating the role of potentially high-dimensional intermediate phenotypes in the relationship between environmental exposures and health outcomes. Rapid development of high-throughput technologies have made mediation analysis of multi-omics data critical to gain groundbreaking insights into the biological mechanisms underlying the disease etiology. This dissertation aims to develop mediation analysis methods that utilize the enormous amount of multi-omics data in assessing mechanisms of disease etiology. It contains three projects where I propose advanced mediation …