Biostatistics Commons^™

A 6-Cpg Validated Methylation Risk Score Model For Metabolic Syndrome: The Hypergen And Goldn Studies, Bertha A. Hidalgo, Bre Minniefield, Amit Patki, Rikki Tanner, Minoo Bagheri, Hemant K. Tiwari, Donna K. Arnett, Marguerite Ryan Irvin

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

There has been great interest in genetic risk prediction using risk scores in recent years, however, the utility of scores developed in European populations and later applied to non-European populations has not been successful. The goal of this study was to create a methylation risk score (MRS) for metabolic syndrome (MetS), demonstrating the utility of MRS across race groups using cross-sectional data from the Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network (HyperGEN, N = 614 African Americans (AA)) and the Genetics of Lipid Lowering Drugs and Diet Network (GOLDN, N = 995 European Americans (EA)). To demonstrate this, we first selected cytosine-guanine dinucleotides …

Association Between Neighborhood Social Deprivation And Stage At Diagnosis Among Breast Cancer Patients In South Carolina, Oluwole Adeyemi Babatunde, Whitney Zahnd Ph.D., Jan Eberth Ph.D., Andrew B. Lawson, Swann Arp Adams, Eric Adjei Boakye, Melanie S. Jefferson, Caitlin G. Allen, John L. Pearce, Hong Li, Chanita Hughes Halbert

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine the association between neighborhood social deprivation and individual-level characteristics on breast cancer staging in African American and white breast cancer patients. We established a retrospective cohort of patients with breast cancer diagnosed from 1996 to 2015 using the South Carolina Central Cancer Registry. We abstracted sociodemographic and clinical variables from the registry and linked these data to a county-level composite that captured neighborhood social conditions—the social deprivation index (SDI). Data were analyzed using chi-square tests, Student’s t-test, and multivariable ordinal regression analysis to evaluate associations. The study sample included 52,803 female patients …

Genomics Of Postprandial Lipidomics In The Genetics Of Lipid-Lowering Drugs And Diet Network Study, Marguerite R. Irvin, May E. Montasser, Tobias Kind, Sili Fan, Dinesh K. Barupal, Amit Patki, Rikki M. Tanner, Nicole D. Armstrong, Kathleen A. Ryan, Steven A. Claas, Jeffrey R. O’Connell, Hemant K. Tiwari, Donna K. Arnett

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Postprandial lipemia (PPL) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Inter-individual variation in the dietary response to a meal is known to be influenced by genetic factors, yet genes that dictate variation in postprandial lipids are not completely characterized. Genetic studies of the plasma lipidome can help to better understand postprandial metabolism by isolating lipid molecular species which are more closely related to the genome. We measured the plasma lipidome at fasting and 6 h after a standardized high-fat meal in 668 participants from the Genetics of Lipid-Lowering Drugs and Diet Network study (GOLDN) using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled …

Verrucous Carcinoma Of The Vulva: Patterns Of Care And Treatment Outcomes., Sara M. Dryden, Leonid B. Reshko, Jeremy T. Gaskins, Scott R. Silva

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

Background: Verrucous vulvar carcinoma (VC) is an uncommon and distinct histologic subtype of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The available literature on VC is currently limited to case reports and small single institution studies. Aims: The goals of this study were to analyze data from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to quantitate the incidence of VC and to investigate the effects of patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and treatment regimens on overall survival (OS) in women with verrucous vulvar carcinoma. Methods and results: Patients diagnosed with vulvar SCC or VC between the years of 2004 and 2016 were identified in the NCDB. …

Differential Privacy For Regression Modeling In Health: An Evaluation Of Algorithms, Joseph Ficek

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: There is a need for rigorous and standardized methods of privacy protection for shared data in the health sciences. Differential privacy is one such method that has gained much popularity due to its versatility and robustness. This study evaluates differential privacy for explanatory regression modeling in the context of health research.

Methods: Surveyed and newly proposed algorithms were evaluated with respect to the accuracy (bias and RMSE) of coefficient estimates, the empirical coverage probability of confidence intervals, and the power and type I error rates of hypothesis tests. Evaluations took place in both simulated and real data from a …

Effects Of Sesame Consumption On Inflammatory Biomarkers In Humans: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Randomized Controlled Trials, Shabnam Rafiee, Roghaye Faryabi, Mohammad Ali Zareian, Jessie Hawkins, Nitin Shivappa Mbbs, Mph, Ph.D., Laila Shirbeigi

Faculty Publications

Objectives. Existing evidence produces conflicting findings regarding the effect of sesame intake on inflammatory biomarkers; thisknowledge gap has yet to be met through systematic review and meta-analysis. )is meta-analysis of randomized, controlledclinical trials (RCTs) was conducted to evaluate the effects of sesame consumption on markers of inflammation in humans. Methods. PubMed, Scopus, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched through August 2020 to identify relevant papers for inclusion. Using the random-effects model, data were evaluated as weighted mean differences (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Cochrane’s Q and I-squared (I2) tests were used to …

A Comparison Of Bayesian Spatial Models For Hiv Mapping In South Africa, Kassahun Abere Ayalew, Samuel Manda, Bo Cai Ph.D.

Faculty Publications

Despite making significant progress in tackling its HIV epidemic, South Africa, with 7.7 million people living with HIV, still has the biggest HIV epidemic in the world. The Government, in collaboration with developmental partners and agencies, has been strengthening its responses to the HIV epidemic to better target the delivery of HIV care, treatment strategies and prevention services. Population-based household HIV surveys have, over time, contributed to the country’s efforts in monitoring and understanding the magnitude and heterogeneity of the HIV epidemic. Local-level monitoring of progress made against HIV and AIDS is increasingly needed for decision making. Previous studies have …

Determining Diagnosis Date Of Diabetes Using Structured Electronic Health Record (Ehr) Data: The Search For Diabetes In Youth Study, Kristin M. Lenoir, Lynne E. Wagenknecht, Jasmin Divers, Ramon Casanova, Dana Dabelea, Sharon Saydah, Catherine Pihoker, Angela D. Liese Ph.D., Debra Standiford, Richard Hamman, Brian J. Wells, The Search For Diabetes In Youth Study Group

Faculty Publications

Background Disease surveillance of diabetes among youth has relied mainly upon manual chart review. However, increasingly available structured electronic health record (EHR) data have been shown to yield accurate determinations of diabetes status and type. Validated algorithms to determine date of diabetes diagnosis are lacking. The objective of this work is to validate two EHR-based algorithms to determine date of diagnosis of diabetes. Methods A rule-based ICD-10 algorithm identified youth with diabetes from structured EHR data over the period of 2009 through 2017 within three children’s hospitals that participate in the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, …

Ovarian Cancer Epidemiology, Healthcare Access And Disparities (Orchid): Methodology For A Population-Based Study Of Black, Hispanic And White Patients With Ovarian Cancer, Tomi Akinyemiju, April Deveaux, Lauren Wilson, Anjali Gupta, Ashwini Joshi, Malcolm Bevel, Chioma Omeogu, Onyinye Ohamadike, Bin Huang, Maria Pisu, Margaret Liang, Molly Mcfatrich, Erin Daniell, Laura Jane Fish, Kevin Ward, Maria Schymura, Andrew Berchuck, Arnold L. Potosky

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: Less than 40% of patients with ovarian cancer (OC) in the USA receive stage-appropriate guideline-adherent surgery and chemotherapy. Black patients with cancer report greater depression, pain and fatigue than white patients. Lack of access to healthcare likely contributes to low treatment rates and racial differences in outcomes. The Ovarian Cancer Epidemiology, Healthcare Access and Disparities study aims to characterise healthcare access (HCA) across five specific dimensions-Availability, Affordability, Accessibility, Accommodation and Acceptability-among black, Hispanic and white patients with OC, evaluate the impact of HCA on quality of treatment, supportive care and survival, and explore biological mechanisms that may contribute to …

The Mediating/Moderating Role Of Cultural Context Factors On Self-Care Practices Among Those Living With Diabetes In Rural Appalachia, Brittany L. Smalls, Adebola Adegboyega, Ellen Combs, Matthew Rutledge, Philip M. Westgate, Md. Tofial Azam, Felipe De La Barra, Lovoria B. Williams, Nancy E. Schoenberg

Family and Community Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

The aim of this study was to examine whether cultural factors, such as religiosity and social support, mediate/moderate the relationship between personal/psychosocial factors and T2DM self-care in a rural Appalachian community.

Methods

Regression models were utilized to assess for mediation and moderation. Multilevel linear mixed effects models and GEE-type logistic regression models were fit for continuous (social support, self-care) and binary (religiosity) outcomes, respectively.

Results

The results indicated that cultural context factors (religiosity and social support) can mediate/moderate the relationship between psychosocial factors and T2DM self-care. Specifically, after adjusting for demographic variables, the findings suggested that social support may …

Covid Round 2: Workplace Support And Compassion Fatigue In Emergency Workers, Carlene A. Robinson, Kelly L. Sullivan

Biostatistics, Epidemiology & Environmental Health Sciences: Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Biological Assessment Of Water Quality In El Placer, Ecuador: The Effect Of Agriculture On Stream Health And The Quality Of Historical Versus Current Drinking Water Sources, Danielle Kleinberg

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Although fresh water is one of Ecuador’s most abundant resources, high quality drinking water for its inhabitants is scarce (Wingfield et al., 2021). The most prevalent sources of water pollution in Ecuador are domestic waste, silver and gold mining, oil production, and agricultural chemicals (Buckalew et al., 1997). El Placer, a village located in Tungurahua, Ecuador, is highly dependent on agriculture as a source of income. The first objective of this study was to determine the effect of agriculture on the El Placer’s Tía Anita Stream through comparing the water quality at three sites with varying agricultural influence. The second …

An Evaluation Of The Organic Carbon Content Found In Fucus Vesiculosus And Ascophyllum Nodosum From Skutulsfjörður And Eyjafjörður, Iceland, Sylvie Alexander

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In response to global warming and changing climate, carbon sequestration through macroalgal cultivation has emerged as a possible climate change mitigation technique. Macroalgal cultivation’s relationship to carbon sequestration however is still not well understood. It is imperative to understand macroalgae’s connection to carbon sequestration to evaluate if macroalgal cultivation can help combat climate change. There is a gap in literature regarding the carbon content of Icelandic macroalgae and therefore the contribution of Icelandic macroalgae to national and global carbon sequestration estimates. This paper aims to address this knowledge gap by evaluating organic carbon content of Fucus vesiculosus and Ascophyllum nodosum …

Medical Outcomes, Quality Of Life, And Family Perceptions For Outpatient Vs Inpatient Neutropenia Management After Chemotherapy For Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Kelly D Getz, Julia E Szymczak, Yimei Li, Rachel Madding, Yuan-Shung V Huang, Catherine Aftandilian, Staci D Arnold, Kira O Bona, Emi Caywood, Anderson B Collier, M Monica Gramatges, Meret Henry, Craig Lotterman, Kelly Maloney, Amir Mian, Rajen Mody, Elaine Morgan, Elizabeth A Raetz, Jeffrey Rubnitz, Anupam Verma, Naomi Winick, Jennifer J Wilkes, Jennifer C Yu, Brian T Fisher, Richard Aplenc

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

Importance: Pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) requires multiple courses of intensive chemotherapy that result in neutropenia, with significant risk for infectious complications. Supportive care guidelines recommend hospitalization until neutrophil recovery. However, there are little data to support inpatient over outpatient management.

Objective: To evaluate outpatient vs inpatient neutropenia management for pediatric AML.

Design, setting, and participants: This cohort study used qualitative and quantitative methods to compare medical outcomes, patient health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and patient and family perceptions between outpatient and inpatient neutropenia management. The study included patients from 17 US pediatric hospitals with frontline chemotherapy start dates ranging …

Multiple Frailty Model For Spatially Correlated Interval-Censored, Wanfang Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

In this paper, we consider the problem of multiple frailty selection for general interval-censored spatial survival data, which often occurs in clinical trials and epidemiological studies. The general interval-censored data is a mixture of left-, right- and interval-censored data. We propose a Bayesian semiparametric approach based on the Cox proportional hazard model, where monotone splines were used for non-parametrical modeling of the cumulative baseline hazards where the variable selection priors were used for frailty selection. A two-stage data augmentation with Poisson latent variables is developed for efficient computation. The approach is evaluated based a simulation study and illustrated using a …

Association Between The Beta Band Neural Response And The Behavioral Performance In Aphasic And Neurologically Intact Individuals, Yilun Zhang

Theses and Dissertations

The complex motor act of speech requires integrating linguistic and sensorimotor processes. Sensorimotor interaction mainly supports speech production in the form of state feedback control architecture. While speaking, subjects react to perturbations in the pitch of voice auditory feedback by changing their tone in the opposite direction to pitch-shift stimuli to compensate for the perceived pitch shift. Aphasia is a communication impairment affecting patients’ speaking, understanding, reading, and writing. The present study aims to examine the association between brain neural activity and the ability for speech auditory feedback error correction in both post-stroke aphasia and neurologically intact individuals. There are …

Marginally Interpretable Models And Multilevel Models For Quantile Regression With Random-Effects, Nahid Sultana Sumi

Theses and Dissertations

The quantile regression model is an active area of statistical research that has received a lot of attention. This complements the most widely used statistical tool, that is, mean regression analysis. Quantile regression analysis It has become more flexible because of its properties that include no assumption on the distribution of the response variable, equivalent to monotone transformations, and robustness to outliers. However, regression analysis offers methodological challenges if the observations are not independent. Cluster, multilevel, and repeated measures (longitudinal data) designs introduce such dependence. The correlation between observations on the same units or clusters should be accounted for to …

The Classification Of Basket Neural Cells In The Mammalian Neocortex, Sreya Pudi

Senior Theses

Basket neuronal cells of the mammalian neocortex have been classically categorized into two or more groups. Originally, it was thought that the large and small types are the naturally occurring groups that emerge from reasons that relate to neurobiological function and anatomical position. Later, a study based on anatomical and physiological features of these neurons introduced a third type, the net basket cell which is intermediate in size as compared to the large and small types. In this study, multivariate analysis was used to test the hypothesis that the large and small types are morphologically distinct groups. The results of …

Bayesian Calibration Of The Icrp Zirconium Biokinetic Model And Use Of Canned Priors For The Evaluation Of Bioassay, Thomas Raymond Labone

Theses and Dissertations

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) publishes biokinetic models that relate measurements of radioactive material in the body and excreta (bioassay) to the amount of the material taken into the body (intake). Given the intake and the biokinetic model, radiation dose to organs and tissues can be calculated. The ICRP approximates the biokinetics of radioactive materials in the body with compartmental models expressed mathematically as a system of ordinary differential equations, for which they provide point estimates of the rate constants. Inaccurate estimates of intake and radiation dose can result in cases where the biokinetics of an individual differ …

Correcting For Measurement Error In The Outcome When Estimating The Distribution Of Time To Pregnancy With The Current Duration Approach, Nicole Nasrallah

Theses and Dissertations

The current duration approach to modeling time-to-pregnancy (TTP) models the length of pregnancy attempt for women that are currently attempting pregnancy. There is a scarcity of studies, let alone TTP studies, that account for measurement error in the outcome. Previously, the benefits of a piecewise constant model with regards to bias in estimates of the survival function with measurement error and the parametric modelling of TTP was shown. In this thesis, correcting for measurement error in the outcome with the current duration approach is explored through piecewise constant models with log-normal measurement error. Five different methods are compared to determine …