TY - BOOK T1 - What can primary care do to improve health outcomes in diabetes and cardiovascular disease for ethnic minority groups in the UK? A1 - Misra T A1 - Saxena S A1 - Car J A1 - Smith R Y1 - 2006/// PB - Report for United Health Europe CY - London N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Report of the royal society working group on the health hazards of depleted uranium munitions, part II - chemical toxicity and environmental effects A1 - Spratt BG A1 - Bailey MR A1 - Beral V A1 - Clayton B A1 - Goodhead DT A1 - Darby SC A1 - Hendry J A1 - MArsh C A1 - Murray V A1 - Smith B A1 - Stoneham M Y1 - 2005/06// SN - 0-8540-3574-5 N2 - - UR - http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/document.asp?id=1401 ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Coronary Heart Disease Epidemiology: From Aetiology to Public Health A1 - Elliott P ED - Marmot M; Elliott P Y1 - 2005/06// PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford, UK SN - 0-1985-6806-1 SP - 1 EP - 932 N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Weight-of-evidence for forensic DNA profiles A1 - Balding DJ Y1 - 2005/01// PB - Wiley CY - Chichester UK SN - 0-470-86764-7 N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - The importance of school health and nutrition in achieving Education for All A1 - Jukes, MCH A1 - Drake, LJ A1 - Bundy, DAP Y1 - 2005/// PB - World Bank N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Sex work, mobility and health in Europe A1 - Ward H ED - Day S; Ward H Y1 - 2004/09// PB - Kegan Paul CY - London SN - 0-7103-0942-2 N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Building a European Information Capacity for Environment and Security. A Contribution to the Initial Period of the GMES Action Plan (2002-2003). A1 - Wyatt BK A1 - Briggs DJ A1 - Ryder P Y1 - 2004/// PB - European Commission. Directorate General for Research SP - 1 EP - 237 N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Highly Structured Stochastic Systems A1 - Richardson S ED - Green PJ; Hjort NL; Richardson S Y1 - 2003/// PB - Oxford University Press N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Impact of Environmental Pollution on Health: Balancing Risk A1 - Briggs DJ ED - Briggs DJ; Joffe M; Elliott PE Y1 - 2003/// IS - 68 PB - British Medical Bulletin SP - 1 EP - 282 N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Handbook of Statistical Genetics, 2nd edition A1 - n. ED - Balding DJ; Bishop M; Cannings C Y1 - 2003/// PB - Wiley CY - Chichester SN - 0-470-84829-4 N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Exposure assessment in Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology A1 - Niuewenhuijsen MJ ED - Nieuwenhuijsen MJ Y1 - 2003/// PB - Oxford University Press SN - 0-19-852861-2 N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Making a Difference. Indicators to Improve Children's Environmental Health. A1 - Briggs DJ Y1 - 2003/// PB - World Health Organisation CY - Geneva. N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Environmental Health Hazard Mapping A1 - Briggs DJ Y1 - 2002/// PB - WHO- Afro CY - Nairobi SP - 1 EP - 140 N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - GIS for emergency preparedness and health risk reduction A1 - Briggs DJ ED - Briggs DJ; Forer P; Jarup L; Stern R Y1 - 2002/// PB - Kluwer Academic SN - 1-4020-0798-1 SP - 1 EP - 326 N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - GIS for emergency preparedness and health risk reduction (NATO advanced research workshop: 2001 Apr: Budapest) A1 - Jarup L Y1 - 2002/// SN - 1-4020-0798-1 N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Handbook of statistical genetics, 1st edition A1 - n. ED - Balding DJ; Bishop M; Cannings C Y1 - 2001/// PB - Wiley CY - Chichester UK SN - 0-4718-6094-8 N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Learning from Bristol: report of the Public Enquiry into Children's Heart Surgery at Bristol Royal Infirmary 1984-1995: summary and recommendations A1 - Dept. of Health Y1 - 2001/// PB - Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry CY - London SN - 0-1015-2073-5 SP - 1 EP - 48 N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Spatial Epidemiology: Methods and Applications A1 - Best NG ED - Elliott P; Wakefield JC; Best NG; Briggs DJ Y1 - 2000/// PB - Oxford University Press SN - 0-19-851532-4 N2 - - UR - http://www.oup.co.uk/isbn/0-19-851532-4 ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Decision-making in Environmenal Health: from Evidence to Action A1 - Briggs DJ ED - Corvalan C; Briggs D; Zielhuis G Y1 - 2000/// PB - SPON Routledge CY - London N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Report into the Removal and Retention of Human Material A1 - Howard R A1 - Jarman B A1 - Kennedy I A1 - Maclean M Y1 - 2000/// PB - Department of Health CY - London N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Accounting for Nature: Assessing Habitats in the UK Countryside A1 - Haines-Young RH A1 - Barr CJ A1 - Black HIJ A1 - Briggs DJ A1 - Bunce RGH A1 - Clarke RT A1 - Cooper A A1 - Dawson FH A1 - Firbank LG A1 - Fuller RM A1 - Furse MT A1 - Gillespie MK A1 - Hill R A1 - Hornung M A1 - Howard DC A1 - McCann T A1 - Morecroft MD A1 - Petit S A1 - Sie Y1 - 2000/// PB - DETR CY - London N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Spatial Epidemiology: Methods and Applications A1 - Briggs DJ ED - Elliott P; Wakefield J; Best N; Briggs DJ Y1 - 2000/// PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford SP - 1 EP - 475 N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Metabolic Polymorphisms and Susceptibility to Cancer A1 - Vineis P A1 - et al Y1 - 1999/// IS - 48 PB - INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER N2 - - ER - TY - BOOK T1 - Nel crepuscolo della probabilita' A1 - Vineis P Y1 - 1999/// PB - Einaudi N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Impact of HIV and AIDS on education in the Caribbean A1 - Risley, CL A1 - Clarke, D A1 - Drake, LJ A1 - Bundy, DAP ED - Donald Bundy and Michael Morrissey T2 - Challenging HIV & AIDS: new role for Caribbean Education Y1 - 2007/// N2 - - UR - http://www1.imperial.ac.uk/_Resources/(F779E9AE-D756-4320-B611-128BD6ABE40A)/risleyetalimpactofhivoncaribbeanteachers.pdf ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Using Transmission Dynamics Models to Validate Vaccine Efficacy Measures Prior to Conducting HIV Vaccine Efficacy Trials A1 - Desai K A1 - Boily MC A1 - Masse BR A1 - Anderson RM ED - James Abello and Graham Cormode T2 - Discrete Methods in Epidemiology Y1 - 2006/08/03/ PB - American Mathematical Society N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Models for the study of infection in populations A1 - John R Williams ED - P Michael Conn T2 - Handbook of models for human aging Y1 - 2006/// PB - Academic Press CY - San Diego, CA SN - 0-12-369391-8 SP - 165 EP - 182 N2 - - UR - http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/bookdescription.cws_home/707448/description#description ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Using Transmission Dynamics Models to Validate Vaccine Efficacy Measures Prior to Conducting HIV Vaccine Efficacy Trials. A1 - Desai K, A1 - Boily MC, A1 - Masse B, ED - James Abello and Graham Cormode V Eds T2 - Discrete Epidemiology Y1 - 2006/// VL - DIMACS Special Volume PB - AMS(American Mathematical Society)- N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - HPV Vaccination: Unresolved Issues and Future Expectations A1 - Barnabas, R.V. A1 - French, K.M. A1 - Laukkanen, P. A1 - Kontula, O. A1 - Lehtinen, M. A1 - Garnett, G.P. ED - Monsonego, J. T2 - Emerging Issues on HPV Infections Y1 - 2006/// PB - S. Karger AG CY - Basel SN - 3-8055-8120-3 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Point sources of air pollution - Investigation of possible health effects using small area methods A1 - Elliott, P ED - Ayres J, Maynard R, Richards R T2 - Air Pollution and Health Y1 - 2006/// M2 - 3 (Air Pollution Reviews) PB - Imperial College Press CY - Singapore SN - 1-86094-191-5 SP - 49 EP - 67 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Health Hazards of Depleted Uranium Munitions: Estimatesof Exposures and Risks in the Gulf War, the Balkans, and Iraq. A1 - Spratt, BG ED - A.C. Miller T2 - Depleted Uranium: Properties, Uses, and Health Consequences Y1 - 2006/// PB - CRC Press CY - USA SN - 0849330475 SP - 121 EP - 141 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Spatial epidemiology: methods and applications. A1 - Elliott P A1 - Wakefield JC A1 - Nest NG A1 - Briggs DJ ED - Elliott P; Best N; Wakefield J; Briggs DJ T2 - Spatial epidemiology: methods and applications Y1 - 2005/// PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford SP - 3 EP - 14 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Coronary heart disease epidemiology: from aetiology to public health A1 - Marmot M A1 - Elliott P ED - Marmot M; Elliott P T2 - Coronary Heart Disease Epidemiology: From Aetiology to Public Health Y1 - 2005/06/30/ M2 - 2nd PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford, UK SN - 0-1985-6806-1 SP - 3 EP - 7 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Seasonal variations in all cause and cardiovascular mortality and the role of temperature A1 - Toledano MB A1 - Shaddick G A1 - Elliott P ED - Marmot M and Elliott P T2 - Coronary Heart Disease Epidemiology: from aetiology to public health. Second edition. Y1 - 2005/06/30/ PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford SN - 0-19-856806-1 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Seasonal variations in all-cause and cardiovascular mortality and the role of temperature A1 - Toledano M A1 - Shaddick G A1 - Elliott P ED - Marmot M; Elliott P T2 - Coronary Heart Disease Epidemiology: From Aetiology to Public Health Y1 - 2005/06/30/ M2 - 2nd PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford, UK SN - 0-1985-6806-1 SP - 495 EP - 527 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Primary prevention of high blood pressure A1 - Elliott P A1 - Stamler J ED - Marmot M; Elliott P T2 - Coronary Heart Disease Epidemiology: From Aetiology to Public Health Y1 - 2005/06/30/ M2 - 2nd PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford, UK SN - 0-1985-6806-1 SP - 751 EP - 768 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Blood pressure and the burden of coronary heart disease A1 - Lawes,CMM A1 - Vander Hoorn S A1 - Law MR A1 - Elliott P A1 - MacMahon S A1 - Rodgers A. ED - Marmot M; Elliott P T2 - Coronary Heart Disease Epidemiology: From Aetiology to Public Health Y1 - 2005/06/30/ M2 - 2nd PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford, UK SN - 0-1985-6806-1 SP - 152 EP - 173 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Tuberculosis in British Wildlife A1 - Mathews, F. A1 - Webster, J.P. ED - Macdonald, D.W., Randall, D. & Hurst, C. T2 - Wildlife Conservation: Research and Development. Y1 - 2005/// PB - Oxford University Press. SP - 150 EP - 151 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Recombination hotspots as a point process. A1 - De Iorio M A1 - de Silva E A1 - Stumpf MPH T2 - Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Genetic Variation and Human Health Y1 - 2005/// N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Onchocerciasis A1 - Bradley JE A1 - Whitworth J A1 - Basáñez MG ED - D. Wakelin, F. Cox, D. Despommier & S Gillespie T2 - Topley and Wilson's Microbiology and Microbial Infections 10th ed. Y1 - 2005/// M2 - Parasitology PB - Edward Arnold Publishers Ltd. N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - The mysterious "mind games" that parasites play: rats with fatal attraction to cats. A1 - Berdoy, M. A1 - Webster. J.P. ED - Macdonald, D.W., Randall, D. & Hurst, C. T2 - Wildlife Conservation: Research and Development. Y1 - 2005/// PB - Oxford University Pres SN - 09546376 2 3 SP - 145 EP - 147 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Molecular epidemiology A1 - P Vineis, G Matullo, M Berwick ED - W Ahrens, I Pigeot T2 - Handbook of epidemiology Y1 - 2005/// PB - Sringer CY - Berlin N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Parasites of wild brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) in the urban environment. A1 - Webster, .J.P. ED - Macdonald, D.W., Randall, D. & Hurst, C. T2 - Wildlife Conservation: Research and Development. Y1 - 2005/// PB - Oxford University Press SN - 0954637623 SP - 144 EP - 145 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Source detection in an outbreak of legionnaire's disease A1 - Martinez-Beneito MA A1 - Abellan JJ A1 - Lopez-Quilez A A1 - Vanaclocha H A1 - Zurriaga O A1 - Jorques G A1 - Fenollar J ED - Baddeley A; Gregori P; Mateu J,Stoica R; Stoyan D T2 - Case studies in spatial point process models Y1 - 2005/// PB - Springer SN - 0-387-28311-0 SP - 169 EP - 182 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Approaching health through the prism A1 - Day S A1 - Ward H ED - Day S and Ward H T2 - Sex work, mobility and health in Europe Y1 - 2004/// PB - Kegan Paul CY - London SN - 0-7103-0942-2 SP - 139 EP - 160 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - History of bias A1 - P Vineis ED - A Morabia T2 - History of epidemiology methods and concepts Y1 - 2004/// PB - Birkhauser CY - Basel N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - High blood pressure A1 - Lawes CMM A1 - Vander Hoorn S A1 - Law MR A1 - Rodgers A. ED - Ezzati M; Lopez AD; Rodgers A; Murray CJL T2 - Comparative quantification of health risks. Global and Regional Burden to Disease Attributable to Selected Major Risk Factors Y1 - 2004/// PB - World Health Organization CY - Switzerland SN - 92-4-158031-3 SP - 281 EP - 390 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Using GIS for environmental exposure assessment: experiences from the Small Area Health Statistics Unit. A1 - de Hoogh K A1 - Briggs DJ A1 - Cockings S A1 - Bottle A ED - Maheswaran R; Craglia M T2 - GIS in public health practice - opportunities and pitfalls Y1 - 2004/// PB - Taylor and Francis CY - London SP - 109 EP - 124 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Sex work in context A1 - Ward H A1 - Day S ED - Day S, Ward H T2 - Sex work, mobility and health in Europe Y1 - 2004/// PB - Kegan Paul CY - London SN - 0-7103-0942-2 SP - 15 EP - 33 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Policies towards the sex industry in A1 - Visser J A1 - Randers-Pehrson A ED - Day S and Ward H T2 - Sex work, mobility and health in Europe Y1 - 2004/// PB - Kegan Paul CY - London SN - 0-7103-0942-2 SP - 241 EP - 260 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Introduction: Containing women: A1 - Ward H A1 - Day S ED - Day S, Ward H T2 - Sex work, mobility and health in Europe Y1 - 2004/// PB - Kegan Paul CY - London SN - 0-7103-0942-2 SP - 3 EP - 14 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Health and environment information systems A1 - Aylin P A1 - Cockings S ED - Maheswaran M, Craglia M T2 - GIS in Public Health Practice Y1 - 2004/// PB - CRC Press CY - London N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - The Seattle 'sexual mixing', 'sexual networks' and 'sexual partnership types' studies A1 - Aral SO A1 - Hughes J A1 - Gorbach P A1 - Stoner B A1 - Manhart L A1 - Garnett G A1 - Foxman B A1 - Golden M A1 - Holmes KK ED - M Morris T2 - Network Epidemiology: A handbook for survey design and data collection Y1 - 2004/// PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford SN - 0-19-926901-7 SP - 139 EP - 171 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Multilocus sequence typing: strain characterization, population biology, and patterns of evolutionary descent. A1 - Hanage WP A1 - Feil EJ A1 - Brueggemann AB A1 - Spratt BG ED - [new] T2 - Molecular Microbiology: Diagnostic Principles and Practice. Y1 - 2004/// N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Causality in epidemiology A1 - P Vineis ED - A Morabia T2 - History of epidemiology methods and concepts Y1 - 2004/// PB - Birkhauser CY - Basel N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Undertaking an HIA. 1. Planning A1 - Mindell J A1 - Joffe M A1 - Ison E ED - Kemm J, Parry J, Palmer S. T2 - Health impact assessment Y1 - 2004/// PB - OUP CY - Oxford N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Scientific evaluation of community-based Parkinson’s disease nurse specialists on patient outcomes and healthcare costs. Chapter in: The Effective Management of Parkinson’s disease A1 - Hurwitz B A1 - Jarman B A1 - Cook A A1 - Bajekal M ED - Findlay L, Hurwitz B, Miles A T2 - The Effective Management of Parkinson’s disease. Y1 - 2004/// PB - Aesculapius Medical Press CY - London N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Approaching health through the prism A1 - Day S A1 - Ward H ED - Day S and Ward H T2 - Sex work, mobility and health in Europe Y1 - 2004/// PB - Kegan Paul CY - London SN - 0-7103-0942-2 SP - 161 EP - 178 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Co-ordination of Care A1 - Bosch Wvd A1 - Freeman GK ED - Jones RH, Grol R T2 - Oxford Textbook of General Practice Y1 - 2004/// VL - 1st PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - La prise en charge des traitements contre le VIH/SIDA. L’esperience bresilienne. A1 - Bastos FI A1 - Petersen M A1 - Kerrigan D A1 - Boily MC ED - Levy, J; Pierret, J & Trottier, G T2 - Les Antirétroviraux: Expériences et Défis, Y1 - 2004/// PB - Les Presses de l’Université du Québec SP - 195 EP - 236 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Clustering of Disease. A1 - Sabel, C.E. ED - R. Maheswaran and M. Craglia T2 - GIS in Public Health Practice. Y1 - 2004/// PB - CRC Press CY - Boca Raton, USA SP - 51 EP - 67 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Changing behaviour: promoting sexual health A1 - Ward H ED - Jones R, Britten N, Culpepper L, Gass DA, Grol R, Mant D, Silagy C T2 - Oxford Textbook of Primary Medical Care Y1 - 2004/// PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford SN - 0-19-263219-1 SP - 397 EP - 402 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Mobile Phone Positioning Systems and the Accessibility of Health Services. A1 - Löytönen, M A1 - Sabel, C E ED - R. Maheswaran and M. Craglia T2 - GIS in Public Health Practice Y1 - 2004/// PB - CRC Press CY - Boca Raton, USA SP - 277 EP - 285 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Scientific evaluation of community-based Parkinson's disease nurse specialists on patient outcomes and healthcare costs A1 - Hurwitz B A1 - Jarman B A1 - Cook A A1 - Bajekal M ED - Findlay L, Hurwitz B, Miles A T2 - The Effective Management of Parkinson's Disease Y1 - 2004/// PB - Aesculapius Medical Press N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Introduction to exposure assessment A1 - NIEUWENHUIJSEN MJ ED - NIEUWENHUIJSEN MJ T2 - Exposure assessment in Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology. Y1 - 2003/// PB - Oxford University Press. Oxford N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Biological monitoring A1 - Droz P ED - Nieuwenhuijsen MJ T2 - Exposure assessment in Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Y1 - 2003/// PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - The influence of HIV/AIDS on demography and demographic research A1 - Gregson S ED - Ellison G; Parker M; Campbell C T2 - Learning from HIV and AIDS Y1 - 2003/// PB - Cambridge University Press N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - ANOVA DDP Models: A Review A1 - De Iorio M A1 - Müller P A1 - Rosner GL A1 - MacEachern SN ED - D. Denison, M. Hansen, C. Holmes, B. Yu T2 - Nonlinear estimation and classifications Y1 - 2003/// PB - Springer – Verlag N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Chlorination and birth outcomes A1 - Nieuwenhuijsen MJ ED - Nieuwenhuijsen MJ T2 - Exposure assessment in Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Y1 - 2003/// PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - The epidemiology of HIV/AIDS: Contributions to infectious diseases epidemiology A1 - Ghani A A1 - Boily M-C ED - Ellison E, Parker M, Campbell C T2 - LEarning from HIV and AIDS Y1 - 2003/// PB - Cambridge University Press SP - 59 EP - 87 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Macronutrients, fiber, cholesterol, and dietary patterns A1 - Appel LJ A1 - Elliott P ED - Whelton PK; He J; Louis GT T2 - Lifestyle modification for the prevention and treatment of hypertension Y1 - 2003/// PB - Marcel Dekker CY - New York SN - 0-8247-4118-8 SP - 243 EP - 273 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Environmental Impacts, Exposure Assessment and Health Effects related to Arsenic Emissions from a Coal-Fired Power Plant in Central Slovakia; the EXPASCAN Study. A1 - Thornton I A1 - Nieuwenhuijsen MJ A1 - et al ED - Chappell WR, Abernathy CO, Calderon RL and Thomas DJ. T2 - Arsenic exposure and health effects V Y1 - 2003/// PB - Elsevier, San Diego N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Questionnaires A1 - NIEUWENHUIJSEN MJ ED - NIEUWENHUIJSEN MJ T2 - Exposure assessment in Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Y1 - 2003/// N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Towards a sustainable policy to control TB in cattle. A1 - Woodroffe R A1 - Bourne FJ A1 - Donnelly CA A1 - Cox DR A1 - Gettinby G A1 - McInerney JP A1 - Morrison WI ED - Tatersall F; Manley W; T2 - Conservation and Conflict: Mammals and Farming in Britain Y1 - 2003/// PB - Linnean Society CY - London SP - 142 EP - 151 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Personal exposure monitoring A1 - Nieuwenhuijsen MJ ED - Nieuwenhuijsen MJ T2 - Exposure assessment in Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Y1 - 2003/// PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Salt and blood pressure A1 - Elliott P ED - Izzo JL; Black HR T2 - Hypertension primer. The essentials of high blood pressure Y1 - 2003/// M2 - 3rd PB - American Heart Association;Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins CY - Dallas Texas SN - 0-7817-4509-8 SP - 277 EP - 279 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Spatial models in epidemiological applications A1 - S Richardson ED - PJ Green, NL Hjort and S Richardson T2 - Highly Structured Stochastic Systems Y1 - 2003/// PB - Oxford University Press SP - 237 EP - 259 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Coalescent theory and modelling A1 - Balding DJ ED - Pagel M T2 - Encyclopedia of evolution Y1 - 2002/// SN - 0-1951-4864-9 SP - 170 EP - 175 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Geographical distribution of the cardiovascular mortality in Comunidad Valenciana (Spain) A1 - Ferrándiz J A1 - Abellán JJ A1 - López A A1 - Sanmartín P A1 - Vanaclocha H A1 - Zurriaga O A1 - Martínez-Beneito MA A1 - Melchor I A1 - Calabuig J ED - Briggs D; Forer P; Jarup L; Stern R T2 - GIS for Emergency preparedness and health risk reduction Y1 - 2002/// PB - The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers SP - 267 EP - 282 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Preparing for environmental health emergencies: the role of GIS A1 - Briggs D J A1 - Beale L ED - Briggs DJ; Forer P; Jarup L; Stern R T2 - GIS for emergency preparedness and health risk reduction (NATO advanced research workshop:2001 Apr: Y1 - 2002/// PB - Kluwer Academic Publishers SN - 1-4020 0798-1 SP - 3 EP - 34 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Modelling the impact of traffic-related air pollution on childhood respiratory illness A1 - Best NG A1 - Ickstadt K A1 - Wolpert RP A1 - Cockings S A1 - Elliott P A1 - Bottle A A1 - Bennett J A1 - Reed S ED - Gatsonis C; Kass RE; Carlin B; Carriquiry A; Gelman A; Verdinelli I; West M T2 - Lecture notes in statistics 162: case studies in bayesian statistics Y1 - 2002/// PB - Springer Verlag CY - New York SN - 0-3879-5169-5 SP - 183 EP - 259 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - The need for information: environmental health indicators. A1 - Corvalan C A1 - Briggs DJ A1 - Kjelstrom T ED - Corvalan C; Briggs DJ; Zielhuis G T2 - Decision-making in environmental health: from evidence to action. Y1 - 2002/// PB - SPON Routledge CY - London SP - 25 EP - 55 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - The use of simulation models in exploring the influence of network structures on the epidemiology of sexually transmitted infections A1 - Garnett GP A1 - Ghani AC T2 - The network paradigm in research on drug abuse, HIV, and other blood-borne and sexually transmitted Y1 - 2002/// SP - 63 EP - 69 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Disease clustering A1 - Elliott P ED - El-Shaarawi A; Piegorsch WW T2 - Encyclopaedia of environmentrics Y1 - 2002/// PB - John Wiley and Sons Ltd CY - Chichester SN - 0-4718-9997-6 SP - 530 EP - 533 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Gonorrhoea A1 - Ison CA A1 - Martin DM T2 - Atlas of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS Y1 - 2002/// M2 - 3rd (6) SN - 0-7234-3227-9 SP - 109 EP - 125 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Modelling the impact of traffic-related air pollution on childhood respiratory illness A1 - Best NG A1 - Ickstadt K A1 - Wolpert RP A1 - Cockings S A1 - Elliott P A1 - Bottle A A1 - Bennett J A1 - Reed S T2 - Lecture notes in statistics 162: case studies in bayesian statistics Y1 - 2002/// SN - 0-3879-5169-5 SP - 183 EP - 259 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Neisseria gonorrhoeae A1 - Barlow D A1 - Ison CA T2 - Oxford Textbook of Medicine Y1 - 2002/// M2 - 4th (7.12.6) SN - 0-1985-2787-X SP - 486 EP - 489 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Preparing for environmental health emergencies: the role of GIS A1 - Briggs DJ A1 - Beale L T2 - GIS for emergency preparedness and health risk reduction (NATO advanced research workshop:2001 Apr: Y1 - 2002/// SN - 1-4020 0798-1 SP - 3 EP - 34 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Modelling journey-time exposures to traffic-related air pollution A1 - Briggs DJ A1 - Gulliver J ED - Pillmann W; Tochtermann K T2 - Environmental communications in the information society: proceedings of the 16th international confe Y1 - 2002/// PB - International Society for Environmental Protection SN - 3-9500-0367-3 SP - 151 EP - 160 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - A GIS-based route mapping tool for disabled access in urban environments A1 - Briggs DJ A1 - Beale L ED - Pillmann W; Tochtermann K T2 - Environmental communications in the information society: proceedings of the 16th international confe Y1 - 2002/// PB - International Society for Environmental Protection SN - 3-9500-0367-3 SP - 161 EP - 167 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - The epidemiology of lymphatic filariasis control A1 - Michael E T2 - The filariae Y1 - 2002/// SN - 1-4020-7038-1 SP - 59 EP - 74 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Academic Training in London A1 - Freeman G, A1 - Fuller J A1 - Hilton S A1 - Smith F ED - Harrison J, van Zwanenberg T T2 - GP Tomorrow Y1 - 2002/// VL - 2nd PB - Radcliffe Medical Press CY - Abingdon SP - 117 EP - 125 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Parasite epidemiology A1 - Bundy DAP A1 - Michael E Y1 - 2001/// SN - 0-4719-7729-2 SP - 21 EP - 25 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Epidemiology and control of nematode infection and disease in humans A1 - Bundy DAP A1 - Guyatt HL A1 - Michael E ED - Lee D; T2 - Biology of Nematodes Y1 - 2001/// PB - Harwood Academic Publishers SP - 595 EP - 613 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Anticipating the future: models and modelling of resistance spread A1 - Anderson RM Y1 - 2001/// SN - 1-8531-5479-2 SP - 103 EP - 110 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Schistosome host-parasite population genetics in the Zimbabwean highveld. A1 - Davies CM A1 - Webster JP A1 - Munatsi A A1 - Kruger O A1 - Ndamba J A1 - Noble LR A1 - Woolhouse MEJ ED - Madsen, H., Appleton, C.C. & M. Chimbari T2 - Medical and Veterinary Malacology in Africa Y1 - 2001/// PB - DBL publications CY - Charlottlund SN - 87-981250-7-9 SP - 62 EP - 82 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Microparasite transmission and persistence A1 - Swinton J A1 - Woolhouse MEJ A1 - Begon ME A1 - Dobson AP A1 - Ferroglio E A1 - Grenfell BT A1 - Guberti V A1 - Hails RS A1 - Heesterbeek A A1 - Lavazza A A1 - Roberts MG A1 - White PJ A1 - Wilson K ED - Hudson PJ, Rizzoli A, Grenfell BT, Heesterbeek H, Dobson AP T2 - The ecology of wildlife diseases Y1 - 2001/// PB - Oxford University Press SP - 83 EP - 101 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Study of clustering and outbreaks A1 - Elliott P ED - Olsen J; Saracci R; Trichopoulos D T2 - Teaching epidemiology Y1 - 2001/// PB - Oxford University Press/International Epidemiological Association SN - 0-1985-0969-3 SP - 311 EP - 320 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Epidemiology and control of human helminthiases A1 - Bundy DAP A1 - Michael E Y1 - 2001/// SN - 1-5780-8164-5 SP - 179 EP - 223 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - The application of mathematical models in infectious disease research A1 - Anderson RM Y1 - 2001/// SN - 1-8531-5479-2 SP - 31 EP - 46 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Academic General Practice A1 - Freeman GK ED - Ward C, Eccles S T2 - So you want to be a Brain Surgeon? Y1 - 2001/// VL - 2nd PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford SP - 78 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Assessment of exposure and health effects. A1 - Nurminan T A1 - Nurminan N A1 - Corvalan C A1 - Briggs DJ ED - Corvalan C; Briggs DJ; Zielhuis G T2 - Decision-making in environmental health: from evidence to action. Y1 - 2000/// PB - SPON Routledge CY - London SP - 77 EP - 102 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Methods for building environmental health indicators. A1 - Briggs DJ ED - Corvalan C; Briggs DJ; Zielhuis G T2 - Decision-making in environmental health: from evidence to action. Y1 - 2000/// PB - SPON Routledge CY - London SP - 57 EP - 75 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Ecological correlation: the SAVIAH study. A1 - Best N A1 - Ickstadt K A1 - Wolpert R A1 - Briggs DJ ED - Elliott P; Best N; Wakefield J; Briggs DJ T2 - Spatial epidemiology: methods and applications. Y1 - 2000/// PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford SP - 393 EP - 414 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Personal exposure monitoring in environmental epidemiology. A1 - NIEUWENHUIJSEN M.J. ED - Elliott P, Wakefield J, Best N and Briggs D T2 - Disease and exposure mapping. Y1 - 2000/// PB - University Press, Oxford N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Bayesian Graphical Models and Software for GLMs A1 - Best NG A1 - Thomas A ED - Dey DK; Ghosh SK; Mallick B T2 - Generalised Linear Models: A Bayesian Perspective Y1 - 2000/// PB - Marcel Dekker CY - New York N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Using GIS to link environment and health data. A1 - Briggs DJ A1 - Field K ED - Corvalan C; Briggs DJ; Zielhuis G T2 - Decision-making in environmental health: from evidence to action Y1 - 2000/// PB - SPON Routledge CY - London SP - 133 EP - 157 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Exposure assessment. A1 - Briggs DJ ED - Elliott P; Best N; Wakefield J; Briggs DJ T2 - Spatial epidemiology:methods and applications Y1 - 2000/// PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford SP - 335 EP - 359 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Bayesian approaches to disease mapping A1 - Wakefield JC A1 - Best NG A1 - Waller LA ED - Elliott P; Wakefield JC; Best NG; Briggs DJ T2 - Spatial Epidemiology: Methods and Applications Y1 - 2000/// PB - Oxford University Press SN - 0-19-851532-4 SP - 104 EP - 127 N2 - - UR - http://www.oup.co.uk/isbn/0-19-851532-4 ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Dispersion modelling. A1 - Colvile R A1 - Briggs DJ ED - Elliott P; Best N; Wakefield J; Briggs DJ T2 - Spatial epidemiology: methods and applications. Y1 - 2000/// PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford SP - 375 EP - 392 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Population genetics of snails and schistosomes in the Zimbabwean highveld. A1 - Davies, CM A1 - Webster, JP A1 - Kruger, O A1 - Munatsi, A A1 - Ndamba, J A1 - Woolhouse, MEJ ED - Madsen, H., Appleton, C.C. & M. Chimbari T2 - Medical and Veterinary Malacology in Africa Y1 - 2000/// PB - DBL Publications CY - Charlottenlund N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - The HEADLAMP approach: a new model for environmental health decision-making. A1 - Briggs DJ A1 - Zielhuis G A1 - Corvalan C ED - Corvalan C; Briggs DJ; Zielhuis G T2 - Decision-making in environmental health: from evidence to action. Y1 - 2000/// PB - SPON Routledge CY - London SP - 205 EP - 222 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Combining models of health and exposure data: the SAVIAH study A1 - Best NG A1 - Ickstadt K A1 - Wolpert RL A1 - Briggs DJ ED - Elliott P; Wakefield JC; Best NG; Briggs DJ T2 - Spatial Epidemiology: Methods and Applications Y1 - 2000/// PB - Oxford University Press SN - 0-19-851532-4 SP - 393 EP - 414 N2 - - UR - http://www.oup.co.uk/isbn/0-19-851532-4 ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Health and environment analysis: the HEADLAMP project. A1 - Corvalan C A1 - Kjelstrom T A1 - Zielhuis G A1 - Briggs DJ ED - Corvalan C; Briggs DJ; Zielhuis G T2 - Decision-making in environmental health: from evidence to action Y1 - 2000/// PB - SPON Routledge CY - London SP - 1 EP - 10 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - What’s the point? Assessing disease risk using data on residential mobility A1 - Gatrell AC A1 - Sabel CE A1 - Mitchell JD ED - Barnett V, Turkman KF and Stein A (eds) T2 - Statistics for the Environment 4: Health & the Environment Y1 - 1999/// PB - John Wiley CY - Chichester N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Bayesian Ecological Modelling A1 - Best N ED - Lawson A; Biggeri A; Boehning D; Lessafre E; Viel J; Bertollini R T2 - Disease Mapping and Risk Assesment for Public Health Y1 - 1999/// PB - John Wiley and Sons CY - Chichester SP - 193 EP - 201 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Bayesian models for spatially correlated disease and exposure data A1 - Best N A1 - Arnold R A1 - Thomas A A1 - Waller L A1 - Conlon E ED - Bernardo J; Berger J; Dawid AP; Smith AFM T2 - Bayesian Statistics 6 Y1 - 1999/// PB - Oxford University Press CY - Oxford SP - 131 EP - 156 N2 - - ER - TY - CHAP T1 - Geographical patterns of disease A1 - Elliott P A1 - Best N ED - Armitage P; Colton T T2 - Encyclopaedia of Biostatistics Y1 - 1998/// PB - John Wiley and Sons SP - 1694 EP - 1702 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - The interplay between recombination and selection can confound their inference from population data - But suggests a novel genome-wide method for detecting selection A1 - O'Reilly, P A1 - Birney, E A1 - Balding, D U1 - 35th European Mathematical Genetics Meeting Y1 - 2007/07// Y2 - // VL - 71 SP - 551 EP - 552 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Bayesian shrinkage priors for detecting multiple causal variants from genome-wide association studies A1 - Hoggart, C A1 - De Iorio, M A1 - Whittakker, J A1 - Balding, D U1 - 35th European Mathematical Genetics Meeting Y1 - 2007/07// Y2 - // VL - 71 SP - 557 EP - 557 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Turbo Genomic Control A1 - Astle, W A1 - Holmes, C A1 - Balding, D U1 - 35th European Mathematical Genetics Meeting Y1 - 2007/07// Y2 - // VL - 71 SP - 553 EP - 554 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - CD4 cell counts of 800 cells/mm(3) or greater after 7 years of highly active antiretroviral therapy are feasible in most patients starting with 350 cells/mm(3) or greater A1 - Gras, L A1 - Kesselring, AM A1 - Griffin, JT A1 - van Sighem, AI A1 - Fraser, C A1 - Ghani, AC A1 - Miedema, F A1 - Reiss, P A1 - Lange, JMA A1 - de Wolf, F A1 - ATHENA A1 - Natl Observational Cohort Study U1 - 13th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections Y1 - 2007/06/01/ Y2 - // VL - 45 SP - 183 EP - 192 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - High prevalence and persistence of the Streptococcus pneumoniae Taiwan19F-14 clone among children in Greece A1 - A. Mavroidi A1 - I. Paraskakis A1 - A. Pangalis A1 - E. Kirikou A1 - A. Charisiadou A1 - T. Athanasiou A1 - P. Tassios A1 - L. Tzouvelekis U1 - 17th European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID)& 25th International Congress of Chemotherapy (ICC) AD - Munich, Germany Y1 - 2007/04/01/ Y2 - 2007/03/31/ N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Using transmission dynamics models to validate vaccine efficacy measures prior to conducting HIV vaccine efficacy trials A1 - Desai, K A1 - Boily, MC A1 - Misse, B A1 - Anderson, RM U1 - DIMACS Workshop on Data Mining and Epidemiology Y1 - 2006/// Y2 - // VL - 70 SP - 139 EP - 161 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Modelling complexity in health and social sciences: Bayesian graphical models as a tool for combining multiple sources of information A1 - Best N A1 - Jackson C A1 - Richardson S U1 - 3rd ASC International Conference on Survey Research Methods Y1 - 2005/09// Y2 - // PB - ASC N2 - - UR - http://www.asc.org.uk ER - TY - CONF T1 - Renal effects in a population with ambient exposure to mercury and solvents A1 - Hodgson, S A1 - Nieuwenhuijsen, MJ A1 - Jarup, L U1 - International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) AD - Johannesburg, South Africa Y1 - 2005/// Y2 - 2005/09// VL - 16 (5) PB - Epidemiology SP - S54 EP - S55 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Assessment of exposure to nephrotoxic agents from industrial emissions A1 - Hodgson, S A1 - Nieuwenhuijsen, MJ A1 - Colvile, R U1 - ISEE AD - Johannesburg, South Africa Y1 - 2005/// Y2 - 2005/09// VL - 16 (5) PB - Epidemiology SP - S54 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Ethnic differences in obese and overweight children A1 - Saxena S U1 - Understanding coronary risk factors AD - Institute of Mechanical Engineers Y1 - 2004/10// Y2 - // PB - Economic and Social Data Service N2 - - UR - http://www.ccsr.ac.uk/esds/events/2004-10-29/summaries/summary.pdf ER - TY - CONF T1 - An investigation of the prescribing trends of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in an elderly population in primary and secondary care A1 - Coakley G A1 - Koshy E U1 - British Society of Rheumatology annual meeting AD - Edinburgh Y1 - 2004/04// Y2 - // PB - [new] N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Explaining variations in routine data at PCT level A1 - Saxena S U1 - Using primary care information to improve the public’s health AD - Royal Society of Medicine Y1 - 2004/03// Y2 - // PB - JRSM N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Predicting the behaviour of the renal transplant waiting list in the Pais Valencia (Spain) using simulation modeling A1 - Abellan, JJ A1 - Armero, C A1 - Conesa, D A1 - Perez-Panades, J A1 - Martinez-Beneito, MA A1 - Zurriaga, O A1 - Garcia-Blasco, MJ A1 - Vanaclocha, H U1 - Winter Simulation Conference 2004 Y1 - 2004/// Y2 - // SP - 1969 EP - 1974 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Risk factors of influenza transmission in households A1 - Viboud, C A1 - Boelle, PY A1 - Cauchemez, S A1 - Lavenu, A A1 - Valleron, AJ A1 - Flahault, A A1 - Carrat, F U1 - 5th International Conference on Options for the Control of Influenza Y1 - 2004/// Y2 - // VL - 1263 SP - 291 EP - 294 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Surveying the AIDS related risk behaviours of university students (Italy) A1 - Carducci A A1 - Calamusa A A1 - Manfredi P A1 - Williams JR A1 - Romano F A1 - Verani M A1 - Privitera G U1 - XV International AIDS conference AD - Bangkok Y1 - 2004/// Y2 - 2004/// PB - Medimond Publishing Co CY - Bologna SP - 153 EP - 158 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Identifying populations at risk from mercury exposure in Runcorn A1 - Hodgson, S A1 - Nieuwenhuijsen, MJ A1 - Colvile, R A1 - Jarup, L U1 - ISEE AD - New York, USA Y1 - 2004/// Y2 - 2004/08// VL - 15 (4) PB - Epidemiology SP - S144 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Quantifying the role of children in influenza spread: an analysis of household follow-up A1 - Cauchemez, S A1 - Carrat, F A1 - Viboud, C A1 - Valleron, AJ A1 - Boelle, PY U1 - 5th International Conference on Options for the Control of Influenza Y1 - 2004/// Y2 - // VL - 1263 SP - 288 EP - 290 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Influenza evolution and immune selection A1 - Ferguson, NM A1 - Bush, RM U1 - 5th International Conference on Options for the Control of Influenza Y1 - 2004/// Y2 - // VL - 1263 SP - 12 EP - 16 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Density-dependence in filarial worm transmission A1 - Churcher TS A1 - Basáñez M-G A1 - Ferguson NM U1 - 52nd (Centenary) Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene AD - Philadelphia, USA Y1 - 2003/// Y2 - 2003/// PB - The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene SP - 91 N2 - - UR - http://www.astmh.org/ ER - TY - CONF T1 - Risk of leukaemia and related malignancies following radiation exposure: estimates for the UK population (Technical Report) A1 - Little MP U1 - Report of an Advisory Group on Ionising Radiation Y1 - 2003/// Y2 - 2003/// PB - Docs NRPB SP - 1 EP - 119 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - The sensitivity of a mathematical model for the transmission dynamics and control of human onchocerciasis to vector-related parameters A1 - Kennedy S A1 - Basáñez M-G A1 - Williams JR U1 - 52nd (Centenary) Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene AD - Philadelphia, USA Y1 - 2003/// Y2 - 2003/// PB - The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene SP - 283 N2 - - UR - http://www.ajtmh.org/ ER - TY - CONF T1 - The effect of different Onchocerca-Simulium combinations on the outcome of ivermectin-based control infections A1 - Basáñez M-G A1 - Kennedy S A1 - Williams JR U1 - 52nd (Centenary) Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene AD - Philadelphia, USA Y1 - 2003/// Y2 - 2003/// PB - The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene SP - 275 EP - 276 N2 - - UR - http://www.ajtmh.org/ ER - TY - CONF T1 - Microfilarial load is directly associated with excess mortality in human onchocerciasis A1 - Little MP A1 - Breitling LP A1 - Basáñez M-G A1 - Boatin B U1 - 52nd (Centenary) Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene AD - Philadelphia, USA Y1 - 2003/// Y2 - 2003/// PB - American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene SP - 248 EP - 249 N2 - - UR - http://www.astmh.org/ ER - TY - CONF T1 - The sensitivity of a mathematical model for the transmission dynamics and control of human onchocerciasis to vector-related parameters A1 - Kennedy S A1 - Basáñez M-G A1 - Williams JR U1 - 52nd (Centenary) Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene AD - Philadelphia, USA Y1 - 2003/// Y2 - 2003/// PB - The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene SP - 229 EP - 230 N2 - - UR - http://www.astmh.org/ ER - TY - CONF T1 - Population biology of multiple helminth infections A1 - Bottomley C A1 - Isham V A1 - Basáñez MG U1 - 52nd (Centenary) Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene AD - Philadelphia, USA Y1 - 2003/// Y2 - 2003/// PB - The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene SP - 283 N2 - - UR - http://www.astmh.org/ ER - TY - CONF T1 - The effect of different Onchocerca-Simulium combinations on the outcome of ivermectin-based control infections A1 - Basáñez M-G A1 - Kennedy S A1 - Williams JR U1 - 52nd (Centenary) Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene AD - Philadelphia, USA Y1 - 2003/// Y2 - 2003/// PB - The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene SP - 275 EP - 276 N2 - - UR - http://www.astmh.org/ ER - TY - CONF T1 - Use of Bayesian statistics in parasitological surveys A1 - Basáñez M-G A1 - Marshall C A1 - Carabin H A1 - Escalona M A1 - Vivas-Martínez S A1 - Joseph L A1 - Gyorkos T U1 - 51st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene AD - Denver, USA Y1 - 2002/// Y2 - 2002/// PB - American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene SP - 226 N2 - - UR - http://www.astmh.org/ ER - TY - CONF T1 - Preparing for environmental health emergencies: The role of GIS A1 - Briggs, D A1 - Beale, L U1 - NATO Advanced Research Workshop on GIS for Emergency Preparedness and Health Risk Reduction Y1 - 2002/// Y2 - // VL - 11 SP - 3 EP - 34 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Parents occupationally exposed to radiation prior to the conception of their children. A review of the evidence concerning the incidence of cancer in their children (Technical Report) A1 - Little MP U1 - Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) AD - Chilton Y1 - 2002/// Y2 - 2002/// PB - NRPB N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Excess risk of kidney disease in a population living near chemical installations A1 - Hodgson, S A1 - Hansell, A A1 - Shepperd, S A1 - Flute, T A1 - Staples, B A1 - Nieuwenhuijsen, MJ A1 - Jarup, L U1 - International Society for Exposure Assessment (ISEA)/ISEE conference AD - Vancouver, Canada Y1 - 2002/// Y2 - 2002/08// VL - 13(4) PB - Epidemiology SP - S181 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Herd immunity and the design of vaccination programs A1 - Anderson, RM U1 - Workshop on the Consequences of Viral Disease Eradication Y1 - 2002/// Y2 - // SP - 65 EP - 77 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Geographical distribution of cardiovascular mortality in Comunidad Valenciana (Spain) A1 - Ferrandiz, J A1 - Abellan, JJ A1 - Lopez, A A1 - Sanmartin, P A1 - Vanaclocha, H A1 - Zurriaga, O A1 - Martinez-Beneito, MA A1 - Melchor, I A1 - Calabuig, J U1 - NATO Advanced Research Workshop on GIS for Emergency Preparedness and Health Risk Reduction Y1 - 2002/// Y2 - // VL - 11 SP - 267 EP - 282 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Comparison of the vaccine efficacy of gamma-irradiated Schistosoma japonicum cercariae with the defined antigen Sj62(IrV-5) in pigs A1 - Bickle, QD A1 - Bogh, HO A1 - Johansen, MV A1 - Zhang, YB U1 - 8th European Multicolloquium of Parasitology Y1 - 2001/09/12/ Y2 - // VL - 100 SP - 51 EP - 62 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Anticipating the future: models and modelling of resistance spread A1 - Anderson, RM U1 - Symposium on Antimicrobial Resistance Y1 - 2001/// Y2 - // VL - 247 SP - 103 EP - 110 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - The transmission dynamics of scrapie: Analyses using mathematical models A1 - Hagenaars, TJ A1 - Ferguson, NM A1 - Donnelly, CA A1 - Anderson, RM U1 - Meeting of the Society-for-Veterinary-Epidemiology-and-Preventive-Medicine Y1 - 2001/// Y2 - // SP - 211 EP - 218 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - The use of transmission dynamics models of infectious diseases to improve HIV prevention trials and public health decisions A1 - Desai K A1 - Boily MC A1 - Williams JR A1 - Garnett G A1 - Masse BR U1 - International Society for Clinical Biostatisitics/Society for Clinical Trials AD - London Y1 - 2001/// Y2 - 2001/06// PB - Elsevier Science Inc. CY - New York N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - The application of mathematical models in infectious disease research A1 - Anderson, RM U1 - Colloquium on Automation in Threat Reduction and Infectious Disease Research Y1 - 2001/// Y2 - // SP - 31 EP - 46 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Risk of second cancer in therapeutically irradiated populations. Comparison with cancer risks in the Japanese atomic bomb survivors and in other exposed groups (Technical Report) A1 - Little MP U1 - Report of an Advisory Group on Ionising Radiation Y1 - 2000/// Y2 - 2000/// PB - Docs NRPB SP - 1 EP - 105 N2 - - ER - TY - CONF T1 - Non-Gaussian spectra and the search for cosmic strings. A1 - Magueijo J A1 - Lewin A U1 - Topological defects and CMB AD - Rome Y1 - 1997/// Y2 - 1997/// N2 - - UR - http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/9702131 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Control of a highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza outbreak in the GB poultry flock. A1 - Truscott, J A1 - Garske, T A1 - Chis-Ster, I A1 - Guitian, J A1 - Pfeiffer, D A1 - Snow, L A1 - Wilesmith, J A1 - Ferguson, NM A1 - Ghani, AC J1 - Proc Biol Sci Y1 - 2007/09/22/ VL - 274 SN - 0962-8452 SP - 2287 EP - 2295 N2 - The identification of H5N1 in domestic poultry in Europe has increased the risk of infection reaching most industrialized poultry populations. Here, using detailed data on the poultry population in Great Britain (GB), we show that currently planned interventions based on movement restrictions can be expected to control the majority of outbreaks. The probability that controls fail to keep an outbreak small only rises to significant levels if most transmission occurs via mechanisms which are both untraceable and largely independent of the local density of premises. We show that a predictor of the need to intensify control efforts in GB is whether an outbreak exceeds 20 infected premises. In such a scenario neither localized reactive vaccination nor localized culling are likely to have a substantial impact. The most effective of these contingent interventions are large radius (10km) localized culling and national vaccination. However, the modest impact of these approaches must be balanced against their substantial inconvenience and cost. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17644506&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Control of neglected tropical diseases. A1 - Hotez, PJ A1 - Molyneux, DH A1 - Fenwick, A A1 - Kumaresan, J A1 - Sachs, SE A1 - Sachs, JD A1 - Savioli, L J1 - N Engl J Med Y1 - 2007/09/06/ VL - 357 SN - 1533-4406 SP - 1018 EP - 1027 L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17804846&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Functional constraint and small insertions and deletions in the ENCODE regions of the human genome. A1 - Clark, TG A1 - Andrew, T A1 - Cooper, GM A1 - Marguiles, EH A1 - Mullikin, JC A1 - Balding, DJ J1 - Genome Biol Y1 - 2007/09/04/ VL - 8 SN - 1465-6914 SP - R180 EP - R180 N2 - ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: We describe the distribution of indels in the 44 ENCODE regions (~1% of the human genome) to evaluate the potential contribution of small insertion and deletion polymorphisms (indels) to human genetic variation [1]. We relate indels to known genomic annotation features and measures of evolutionary constraint. RESULTS: Indel rates are observed to be reduced approximately twenty-fold in exonic regions, five-fold in sequence that exhibits high evolutionary constraint in mammals and up to two-fold in some classes of regulatory elements (e.g. Formaldehyde Assisted Isolation of Regulatory Elements or FAIRE and hypersensitive sites). In addition, some non-coding transcription (start sites and 3UTR) and other chromatin-mediated regulatory sites also appear to have reduced indel rates. Overall indel rates for these data are estimated to be smaller than single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rates by a factor of approximately two, with both rates measured as base pairs (bp) per 100kb to facilitate comparison. CONCLUSION: Indel rates show a broadly similar distribution across genomic features compared to SNP density rates, with a reduction in rates in coding transcription and evolutionary constrained sequence. However, unlike indels, SNP rates do not appear to be reduced in some non-coding functional sequences such as pseudo-exons, FAIRE and hypersensitive sites. We conclude that indel rates are greatly reduced in transcribed and evolutionary constrained DNA and discuss why indel (but not SNP) rates appear to be constrained at some regulatory sites. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17784950&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Change in Salt Intake Affects Blood Pressure of Chimpanzees. Implications for Human Populations. A1 - Elliott, P A1 - Walker, LL A1 - Little, MP A1 - Blair-West, JR A1 - Shade, RE A1 - Lee, DR A1 - Rouquet, P A1 - Leroy, E A1 - Jeunemaitre, X A1 - Ardaillou, R A1 - Paillard, F A1 - Meneton, P A1 - Denton, DA J1 - Circulation Y1 - 2007/09/04/ SN - 1524-4539 N2 - BACKGROUND: -Addition of up to 15.0 g/d salt to the diet of chimpanzees caused large rises in blood pressure, which reversed when the added salt was removed. Effects of more modest alterations to sodium intakes in chimpanzees, akin to current efforts to lower sodium intakes in the human population, are unknown. Methods and Results-Sodium intakes were altered among 17 chimpanzees in Franceville, Gabon, and 110 chimpanzees in Bastrop, Tex. In Gabon, chimpanzees had a biscuit diet of constant nutrient composition except that the sodium content was changed episodically over 3 years from 75 to 35 to 120 mmol/d. In Bastrop, animals were divided into 2 groups; 1 group continued on the standard diet of 250 mmol/d sodium for 2 years, and sodium intake was halved for the other group. Lower sodium intake was associated with lower systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressures in Gabon (2-tailed P<0.001, unadjusted and adjusted for age, sex, and baseline weight) and Bastrop (P<0.01, unadjusted; P=0.08 to 0.10, adjusted), with no threshold down to 35 mmol/d sodium. For systolic pressure, estimates were -12.7 mm Hg (95% confidence interval, -16.9 to -8.5, adjusted) per 100 mmol/d lower sodium in Gabon and -10.9 mm Hg (95% confidence interval, -18.9 to -2.9, unadjusted) and -5.7 mm Hg (95% confidence interval, -12.2 to 0.7, adjusted) for sodium intake lower by 122 mmol/d in Bastrop. Baseline systolic pressures higher by 10 mm Hg were associated with larger falls in systolic pressure by 4.3/2.9 mm Hg in Gabon/Bastrop per 100 mmol/d lower sodium. Conclusions-These findings from an essentially single-variable experiment in the species closest to Homo sapiens with high intakes of calcium and potassium support intensified public health efforts to lower sodium intake in the human population. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17785625&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Parasitological impact of two-year preventive chemotherapy on schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in Uganda. A1 - Zhang, Y A1 - Koukounari, A A1 - Kabatereine, N A1 - Fleming, F A1 - Kazibwe, F A1 - Tukahebwa, E A1 - Stothard, RJ A1 - Webster, JP A1 - Fenwick, A J1 - BMC Med Y1 - 2007/09/03/ VL - 5 SN - 1741-7015 SP - 27 EP - 27 N2 - ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) are among the neglected tropical diseases in Africa. A national control program for these diseases was initiated in Uganda during March 2003. Annual treatment with praziquantel and albendazole was given to schoolchildren in endemic areas and to adults in selected communities where local prevalence of Schistosoma mansoni in schoolchildren was high. METHODS: The impact of the treatment program was monitored through cohorts of schoolchildren and adults. Their infection status with S. mansoni and STH was determined by parasitological examinations at baseline and at annual follow-ups. The prevalence and intensity of S. mansoni and STH before and after treatment were analyzed. RESULTS: Two rounds of treatment significantly reduced the prevalence of S. mansoni infection in schoolchildren across three regions in the country from 33.4-49.3% to 9.7-29.6%, and intensity of infection from 105.7-386.8 eggs per gram of feces (epg) to 11.6-84.1 epg. The prevalence of hookworm infection was reduced from 41.2-57.9% to 5.5-16.1%, and intensity of infection from 186.9-416.8 epg to 3.7-36.9 epg. The proportion of children with heavy S. mansoni infection was significantly reduced from 15% (95% CI 13.4-16.8%) to 2.3% (95% CI 1.6-3.0%). In adults, significant reduction in the prevalence and intensity of S. mansoni and hookworm infections was also observed. More importantly, the prevalence and intensity of both S. mansoni and hookworm infections in the cohorts of newly recruited six-year-olds who had never previously received treatment decreased significantly over two years: 34.9% (95% CI 31.9-37.8%) to 22.6% (95% CI 19.9-25.2%) and 171.1 epg (95% CI 141.5-200.7) to 72.0 epg (95% CI 50.9-93.1) for S. mansoni; and 48.4% (95% CI 45.4-51.5) to 15.9% (95% CI 13.6-18.2) and 232.7 epg (95% CI 188.4-276.9) to 51.4 epg (95% CI 33.4-69.5) for hookworms, suggesting a general decline in environmental transmission levels. CONCLUSIONS: Annual anthelminthic treatment delivered to schoolchildren and to adults at high risk in Uganda can significantly reduce the prevalence and intensity of infection for schistosomiasis and STH, and potentially also significantly reduce levels of environmental transmission of infection. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17767713&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Parasitological impact of two-year preventive chemotherapy on schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in Uganda A1 - Zhang, Y A1 - Koukounari, A A1 - Kabateriene, N A1 - Flemming, F A1 - Kazibwe, F A1 - Tukahebwa, E A1 - Stothard, J.R. A1 - Webster, J.P. A1 - Fenwick, A J1 - BMC Medicine Y1 - 2007/09/03/ VL - 5 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - The precautionary principle in the context of multiple risks. A1 - Rushton, L J1 - Occup Environ Med Y1 - 2007/09// VL - 64 SN - 1470-7926 SP - 574 EP - 574 L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17704202&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Schistosoma haematobium infection and morbidity before and after large-scale administration of praziquantel in Burkina Faso. A1 - Koukounari, A A1 - Gabrielli, AF A1 - Toure, S A1 - Bosque-Oliva, E A1 - Zhang, Y A1 - Sellin, B A1 - Donnelly, CA A1 - Fenwick, A A1 - Webster, JP J1 - J Infect Dis Y1 - 2007/09/01/ VL - 196 SN - 0022-1899 SP - 659 EP - 669 N2 - BACKGROUND: In sub-Saharan Africa, 112 million people are infected with Schistosoma haematobium, with the most intense infections in children 5-15 years old. METHODS: We describe a longitudinal epidemiological study that evaluates the relationship between S. haematobium infection and associated morbidity in children before and after the large-scale administration of praziquantel for schistosomiasis and albendazole for soil-transmitted helminths. RESULTS: At baseline, higher intensities of S. haematobium infection were observed in children with anemia and/or severe microhematuria, but there was no apparent association between the risk of undernutrition and intensity of S. haematobium infection. Significant reductions in the prevalence and intensity of S. haematobium infection 1 year after treatment were, however, observed. Children who benefited the most from anthelmintic treatment in terms of increased hemoglobin concentrations were those who had anemia at baseline and those with highly positive microhematuria scores at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that even a single round of mass chemotherapy can have a substantial impact on S. haematobium infection and its associated morbidity in children. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17674306&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Ethnicity and quality of diabetes care in a health system with universal coverage: population-based cross-sectional survey in primary care. A1 - Gray, J A1 - Millett, C A1 - Saxena, S A1 - Netuveli, G A1 - Khunti, K A1 - Majeed, A J1 - J Gen Intern Med Y1 - 2007/09// VL - 22 SN - 1525-1497 SP - 1317 EP - 1320 N2 - BACKGROUND: The UK has a universal health care system that is free at the point of access. Over the past decade, the UK government has implemented an ambitious agenda of quality improvement initiatives in chronic disease management. OBJECTIVE: To assess the quality of diabetes care and intermediate clinical outcomes within a multiethnic population after a sustained period of investment in quality improvement. DESIGN: Population based cross-sectional survey, using electronic general practice records, carried out between November 2005 and January 2006. PATIENTS: Seven thousand six hundred five adults (>or=18 years) with diabetes registered with 32 primary care practices. MEASUREMENTS: Percentage achievement by ethnic group (black, south Asian, or white) of the quality indicators for diabetes in a new pay-for performance contract. RESULTS: There were only modest variations in recording of process measures of care between ethnic groups, with no significant differences in recent measurement of blood pressure, HbA1c, cholesterol, micro-albuminuria, creatinine, or retinopathy screening attendance. Blacks and south Asians were significantly less likely to meet all three national treatment targets for diabetes (HbA1c /= 20 years old, self-reported as US White, US Black, Mexican American, English White, English Black, Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Indian or Chinese the presence of diabetes, defined as self-report of doctor diagnosis or glycated haemoglobin (HbA(1c)) > 6.1%, was ascertained. Comparisons of proportions were made using chi(2)-tests. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated for BMI, WC and WHR predicting diabetes. Results Other ethnic groups had a higher prevalence of diagnosed diabetes than English Whites. The crude prevalence of diabetes in English Whites of normal weight (BMI < 25 kg/m(2)) was 3.4%. Higher prevalences were seen in other ethnic groups (5.0-10.9%). Based on ROC curves, both WC and WHR had better discriminating ability for diabetes than BMI for both genders and some ethnic groups. Conclusions Ethnic differences exist in the crude prevalence of diabetes, even in those characterized as normal weight by BMI. Thus, clinicians need to exercise caution in interpreting diabetes risk associated with a normal BMI. The use of other anthropometric measures, such as WC or WHR, may improve risk determination across different ethnic groups. More research is needed to determine the thresholds for different anthropometric measures that improve diabetes risk determination. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17725630&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Geographic and demographic clustering of gonorrhoea in London. A1 - Risley, C A1 - Ward, H A1 - Choudhury, B A1 - Bishop, C A1 - Fenton, K A1 - Spratt, B A1 - Ison, CA A1 - Ghani, A J1 - Sex Transm Infect Y1 - 2007/08/16/ SN - 1368-4973 N2 - BACKGROUND: Gonorrhoea is an important cause of sexual ill-health and is concentrated in geographic areas and demographic groups. This study explores the distribution of gonorrhoea across London. METHODS: Epidemiological data on all gonorrhoea cases were collected from 13 major genitourinary clinics in London between 1st June and 30th November 2004. Samples were stored centrally and typed using NG-MAST. The postcode of each case's main residence was used to calculate incidence of gonorrhoea by borough using data from the UK 2001 census and a population survey on residence of men who have sex with men (MSM). RESULTS: In total 2891 cases were confirmed, 1822 of which had postcode data, resided in London and had their strain successfully typed. There was a very high incidence of gonorrhoea in MSM (1834 per 100,000 population) and heterosexuals of black ethnicity (392 per 100,000). The incidence amongst heterosexuals was highest in: City of London (390 per 100,000, 95% CI 213-566), Southwark (308 per 100,000, 95% CI 280-336), Hackney (284 per 100,000, 95% CI 254-313) and Lambeth (216 per 100,000, 95% CI 194-239) and was not associated with measures of social deprivation (correlation coefficient=0.0008, p=0.97) but was strongly associated with black ethnicity (correlation coefficient=0.48, p=0.01). Forty-five percent of cases had one of the 21 major strains; eight of these strains were significantly clustered geographically and persisted for a shorter duration than those that were not clustered. Patients travelled a mean of 7.7 km from their home to the clinic. CONCLUSIONS: High gonorrhoea incidence in London is observed in MSM and heterosexuals of black ethnicity. Endemic strains in both MSM and heterosexuals are diagnosed at multiple clinics. Interventions, including partner notification, must therefore operate between clinics. UR - http://tinyurl.com/ysvgw2 L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17702771&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Trends in hospital admissions, in-hospital case fatality and population mortality from congenital heart disease in England, 1994 to 2004. A1 - Billett, J A1 - Majeed, A A1 - Gatzoulis, MA A1 - Cowie, M J1 - Heart Y1 - 2007/08/07/ SN - 1468-201X N2 - Objective To ascertain time trends in rates of hospital admission, operations, in- hospital case fatality and general mortality for congenital heart disease (CHD) in England and Wales. Design Retrospective analysis of Hospital Episodes Statistics for England (April 1995-March 2004) and mortality statistics for England and Wales (1994-2003). Population All NHS patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of CHD to hospitals in England, and all deaths in England and Wales with an underlying cause of CHD. Main outcome measures Age standardised hospital admission rates, case fatality rates and death rates from congenital heart disease. Results Between 1995/96 and 2003/04 the age standardised hospital admission rate for CHD increased from 30.7 per 100,000 (95% CI 29.9-31.4) to 35.5 per 100,000 (95% CI 34.7-36.4) in males and from 28.2 per 100,000 (95% CI 27.4-28.9) to 32.8 per 100,000 (95% CI 32.0-33.6) in females. Between 1997/98 and 2003/04 in-hospital case fatality rates fell from 2.10% (95% CI 1.97-2.22) to 0.83% (95% CI 0.74-0.92). Population mortality fell steadily over the decade 1994 to 2003 in men and women, with the largest proportionate decrease in the 1-4 year age group. Conclusion Admission rates for CHD have increased over the past decade, particularly amongst patients in older age groups. There has also been a significant decrease in both in-hospital case fatality rates and in general population mortality rates. These trends are consistent with improvements in the quality of care for these patients, improvements in survival and the predicted expansion in the number of adults living with CHD. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17646196&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Comorbidity, health care utilisation and process of care measures in patients with congenital heart disease in the UK: cross-sectional population-based study with case control analysis. A1 - Billett, J A1 - Cowie, MR A1 - Gatzoulis, MA A1 - Vonder Muhll, IF A1 - Majeed, A J1 - Heart Y1 - 2007/08/07/ SN - 1468-201X N2 - Background Relatively little is known about the prevalence of comorbidities, patterns of health care utilisation and primary care recording of clinical indicators in patients with congenital heart disease. Methods We conducted a population-based case control study using data from general practices across the UK contributing data to the QRESEARCH primary care database. The subjects were 9952 cases of congenital heart disease and 29837 matched controls. Outcome measures were: Prevalence (%) of selected comorbidities; adjusted odds ratios (OR) for risk of comorbidities, health care utilisation and clinical indicator recording. Results The overall crude prevalence of congenital heart disease was 3.05 per 1000 patients (95% CI 2.90 to 3.11). Prevalence of key comorbidities in congenital heart disease patients ranged from 2.4% (95% CI 2.1 to 2.7) for epilepsy to 9.3% (95% CI 8.8 to 9.9) for hypertension. After adjusting for smoking and deprivation, cases were significantly more likely than controls to have each of the cardiovascular comorbidities e.g. adjusted odds ratio for atrial fibrillation 7.6 (6.1 to 9.3), and also had an increased risk of diabetes, epilepsy and renal disease. Patients with congenital heart disease were heavier users of primary care than controls. congenital heart disease patients were also more likely than controls to have lifestyle and risk factor measurements recorded in primary care e.g. adjusted odds ratio for BMI recording in cases versus controls 1.23 (95% CI 1.16 to 1.31), although overall levels of recording were low. Conclusions There is a significant burden of comorbidity associated with congenital heart disease, and levels of primary care utilisation and referral to secondary care are high in this patient population. The predicted future expansion in the numbers of adults with congenital heart disease owing to improvements in survival will have implications for primary and secondary care, and not just tertiary centres offering specialist care. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17646191&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Ethnic inequalities in the management and outcome of diabetes in three English Primary Care Trusts. A1 - Soljak, M A1 - Majeed, A A1 - Eliahoo, J A1 - Dornhorst, A J1 - Int J Equity Health Y1 - 2007/08/02/ VL - 6 SN - 1475-9276 SP - 8 EP - 8 N2 - ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Although the prevalence of diabetes is three to five times higher in UK South Asians than Whites, there are no reports of the extent of ethnicity recording in routine general practice, and few population-based published studies of the effect of South Asian ethnicity on diabetes care and outcomes. We aimed to determine the effect of ethnicity and healthcare factors in an English population. METHODS: Data was obtained in 2002 on all 21,343 diabetic patients registered in 99% of all computerised general practitioner (GP) practices in three NW London Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), covering a total registered population of 720,000. Previously practices had been provided with training, data entry support and feedback. Treatment and outcome measures included drug treatment and blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels. RESULTS: Seventy per cent of diabetic patients had a valid ethnicity code. In the relatively older White population, we expected a smaller proportion with a normal BP, but BP differences between the groups were small, suggesting poorer control in non-White ethnic groups. There were also significant differences between ethnic groups in the proportions of insulin-treated patients, with a smaller proportion of South Asians- 4.7% compared to 7.1% of Whites- receiving insulin, although the proportion with a satisfactory HbA1c was smaller- 25.6% compared to 37.9%. CONCLUSIONS: Recording the ethnicity of existing primary care patients is feasible, beginning with patients with established diseases such as diabetes. We have shown that the lower proportion of South Asian patients with good diabetes control, and who are receiving insulin, is at least partly due to poorer standards of care in South Asians, although biological factors could also contribute. This study highlights the need to capture ethnicity data in clinical trials and in routine care, to specifically investigate the reasons for these ethnic differences, and to consider more intensive management of diabetes and education about the disease in South Asian patients. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17678547&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Effects of travel mode on exposures to particulate air pollution. A1 - Briggs, DJ A1 - de Hoogh, K A1 - Morris, C A1 - Gulliver, J J1 - Environ Int Y1 - 2007/08/02/ SN - 0160-4120 N2 - Monitoring was carried out of particulate concentrations whilst simultaneously walking and driving 48 routes in London, UK. Monitoring was undertaken during May and June 2005. Route lengths ranged from 601 to 1351 m, and most routes were travelled in both directions. Individual journey times ranged from 1.5 to 15 min by car (average 3.7 min) and 7.3 to 30 min (average 12.8 min) whilst walking; car trips were therefore repeated up to 5 times for each single walking trip and the results averaged for the route. Car trips were made with windows closed and the ventilation system on a moderate setting. Results show that mean exposures while walking are greatly in excess of those while driving, by a factor 4.7 for the coarse particle mass (PM10-PM2.5), 2.2 for the fine particle mass (PM2.5-PM1), 1.9 for the very fine particle mass (1 partner; 4.2% of symptomatic patients reported sex without using condoms with new partner(s) since their symptoms had begun. Approximately 25% of all patients had already sought or received care in general practice, and these patients experienced greater provider delay. CONCLUSIONS: Walk-in services are associated with a reduction in patient and provider delay, and should be available to all populations. Patients attending primary care require clear care pathways when referred on to GUM clinics. Health promotion should encourage symptomatic patients to seek care quickly, and to avoid sexual contact before treatment. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17475683&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Long-term associations of outdoor air pollution with mortality in Great Britain. A1 - Elliott, P A1 - Shaddick, G A1 - Wakefield, JC A1 - de Hoogh, C A1 - Briggs, DJ J1 - Thorax Y1 - 2007/07/31/ SN - 0040-6376 N2 - BACKGROUND: Recent studies have indicated long-term effects on mortality of particulate and sulphur dioxide (SO2) pollution, but uncertainties remain over size of any effects, potential latency and generalisability. METHODS: Small-area study across electoral wards in Great Britain of mean annual black smoke (BS) and SO2 concentrations (from 1966) and subsequent all cause and cause-specific mortality. Use of random effect models within a Bayesian framework, adjusted for social deprivation and urban/rural classification. Different latencies and changes in associations over time were assessed. RESULTS: We found significant associations of BS and SO2 concentrations with mortality. Effects were stronger for respiratory illness than other causes of mortality, for the most recent exposure periods (shorter latency times) and most recent mortality period (lower pollutant concentrations). In pooled analysis across four sequential four-year mortality periods (1982-98), adjusted excess relative risk for respiratory mortality was 3.6% (95% CI 2.6-4.5%) per 10 microg/m(3) BS, and 13.2% (11.5-14.9 %) per 10 ppb SO2, and in the most recent period (1994-98) it was 19.3% (5.1-35.7%) and 21.7% (2.9-38.5%) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings add to the evidence that air pollution has long-term effects on mortality, and point to continuing public health risks even at the relatively lower levels of BS and SO2 that now occur. They thus have importance for policies on public health protection through regulation and control of air pollution. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17666438&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Complex interactions with females and rival males limit the evolution of sperm offence and defence. A1 - Bjork, A A1 - Starmer, WT A1 - Higginson, DM A1 - Rhodes, CJ A1 - Pitnick, S J1 - Proc Biol Sci Y1 - 2007/07/22/ VL - 274 SN - 0962-8452 SP - 1779 EP - 1788 N2 - Postcopulatory sexual selection favours males which are strong offensive and defensive sperm competitors. As a means of identifying component traits comprising each strategy, we used an experimental evolution approach. Separate populations of Drosophila melanogaster were selected for enhanced sperm offence and defence. Despite using a large outbred population and evidence of substantive genetic variation for each strategy, neither trait responded to selection in the two replicates of this experiment. Recent work with fixed chromosome lines of D. melanogaster suggests that complex genotypic interactions between females and competing males contribute to the maintenance of this variation. To determine whether such interactions could explain our lack of response to selection on sperm offence and defence, we quantified sperm precedence across multiple sperm competition bouts using an outbred D. melanogaster population exhibiting continuous genetic variation. Both offensive and defensive sperm competitive abilities were found to be significantly repeatable only across matings involving ejaculates of the same pair of males competing within the same female. These repeatabilities decreased when the rival male stayed the same but the female changed, and they disappeared when both the rival male and the female changed. Our results are discussed with a focus on the complex nature of sperm precedence and the maintenance of genetic variation in ejaculate characteristics. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17507332&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - The potential cost-effectiveness of prophylactic human papillomavirus vaccines in Canada. A1 - Brisson, M A1 - Van de Velde, N A1 - De Wals, P A1 - Boily, MC J1 - Vaccine Y1 - 2007/07/20/ VL - 25 SN - 0264-410X SP - 5399 EP - 5408 N2 - AIM: Clinical trials have shown prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines to be effective against infection and disease. We examined whether HPV vaccination has the potential to be cost-effective. METHODS: A cohort model of the natural history of HPV was developed, which fits simultaneously Canadian age and type-specific data for infection, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, cervical cancer (CC) and genital warts (GW). Quality-Adjusted Life-Years (QALYs) lost and costs were estimated using data from the literature. RESULTS: Vaccinating 12-year-old girls (efficacy=95%, no waning, cost/course=CAN$ 400) against HPV-16/18 and HPV-6/11/16/18 is estimated to cost the health provider CAN$ 31,000 (80%CrI: 15,000-55,000) and CAN$ 21,000 (80%CrI: 11,000-33,000) per QALY-gained, respectively. Results were most sensitive to age at vaccination, duration of vaccine protection, vaccine cost and QALY-lost due to GW, and were least sensitive to the medical costs. CONCLUSION: Vaccinating adolescent girls against HPV is likely to be cost-effective. The main benefit of vaccination will be in reducing CC mortality. However, unless screening is modified, the treatment costs saved through vaccination will be insignificant compared to the cost of HPV immunization. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17561316&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Lifetime and baseline alcohol intake and risk of colon and rectal cancers in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition (EPIC). A1 - Ferrari, P A1 - Jenab, M A1 - Norat, T A1 - Moskal, A A1 - Slimani, N A1 - Olsen, A A1 - Tjønneland, A A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Jensen, MK A1 - Boutron-Ruault, MC A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Morois, S A1 - Rohrmann, S A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Bergmann, M A1 - Kontopoulou, D A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Kassapa, C A1 - Masala, G A1 - Krogh, V A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Panico, S A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Gils, CH A1 - Peeters, P A1 - Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB A1 - Ocké, MC A1 - Skeie, G A1 - Lund, E A1 - Agudo, A A1 - Ardanaz, E A1 - López, DC A1 - Sanchez, MJ A1 - Quirós, JR A1 - Amiano, P A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Manjer, J A1 - Palmqvist, R A1 - Guelpen, BV A1 - Allen, N A1 - Key, T A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Mazuir, M A1 - Boffetta, P A1 - Kaaks, R A1 - Riboli, E J1 - Int J Cancer Y1 - 2007/07/19/ SN - 0020-7136 N2 - Alcohol consumption may be associated with risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), but the epidemiological evidence for an association with specific anatomical subsites, types of alcoholic beverages and current vs. lifetime alcohol intake is inconsistent. Within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), 478,732 study subjects free of cancer at enrolment between 1992 and 2000 were followed up for an average of 6.2 years, during which 1,833 CRC cases were observed. Detailed information on consumption of alcoholic beverages at baseline (all cases) and during lifetime (1,447 CRC cases, 69% of the cohort) was collected from questionnaires. Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the alcohol-CRC association. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, lifetime alcohol intake was significantly positively associated to CRC risk (hazard ratio, HR = 1.08, 95%CI = 1.04-1.12 for 15 g/day increase), with higher cancer risks observed in the rectum (HR = 1.12, 95%CI = 1.06-1.18) than distal colon (HR = 1.08, 95%CI = 1.01-1.16), and proximal colon (HR = 1.02, 95%CI = 0.92-1.12). Similar results were observed for baseline alcohol intake. When assessed by alcoholic beverages at baseline, the CRC risk for beer (HR = 1.38, 95%CI = 1.08-1.77 for 20-39.9 vs. 0.1-2.9 g/day) was higher than wine (HR = 1.21, 95%CI = 1.02-1.44), although the two risk estimates were not significantly different from each other. Higher HRs for baseline alcohol were observed for low levels of folate intake (1.13, 95%CI = 1.06-1.20 for 15 g/day increase) compared to high folate intake (1.03, 95%CI = 0.98-1.09). In this large European cohort, both lifetime and baseline alcohol consumption increase colon and rectum cancer risk, with more apparent risk increases for alcohol intakes greater than 30 g/day. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17640039&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Are cancer risks associated with exposures to ionising radiation from internal emitters greater than those in the Japanese A-bomb survivors? A1 - Little, MP A1 - Hall, P A1 - Charles, MW J1 - Radiat Environ Biophys Y1 - 2007/07/17/ SN - 0301-634X N2 - After ingestion or inhalation of radionuclides, internal organs of the human body will be exposed to ionising radiation. Current risk estimates of radiation-associated cancer from internal emitters are largely based on extrapolation of risk from high-dose externally exposed groups. Concerns have been expressed that extrapolated risk estimates from internal emitters are greatly underestimated, by factors of ten or more, thus implying a severe underestimation of the true risks. Therefore, data on cancer mortality and incidence in a number of groups who received exposure predominantly from internal emitters are examined and excess relative risks per Sv are compared with comparable (age at exposure, time since exposure, gender) matched subsets of the Japanese atomic bomb survivor cohort. Risks are examined separately for low LET and high LET internal emitters. There are eight studies informative for the effects of internal low LET radiation exposure and 12 studies informative for the effects of internal high LET radiation. For 11 of the 20 cancer endpoints (subgroups of particular study cohorts) examined in the low LET internal emitter studies, the best estimate of the excess relative risk is greater than the corresponding estimate in the Japanese atomic bomb survivors and for the other nine it is less. For four of these 20 studies, the relative risk is significantly (2-sided P < 0.05) different from that in the Japanese atomic bomb survivors, in three cases greater than the atomic bomb survivor relative risk and in one case less. Considering only those six low LET studies/endpoints with 100 or more deaths or cases, for four out of six studies/endpoints the internal emitter risk is greater than that in the Japanese atomic bomb survivors. For seven of the 24 cancer endpoints examined in the high LET internal emitter studies the best estimate of the ERR in the internal emitter study is greater than the corresponding estimate in the Japanese atomic bomb survivors and for the other 17 it is less. For six studies, the relative risk is significantly (2-sided P < 0.05) different from that in the Japanese atomic bomb survivors, in one case greater than the atomic bomb survivor relative risk and in five cases less. Considering only those eight high LET studies/endpoints with 100 or more deaths or cases, for five out of eight studies/endpoints the internal emitter risk is greater than that in the Japanese atomic bomb survivors. These results suggest that excess relative risks in the internal emitter studies do not appreciably differ from those in the Japanese atomic bomb survivors. However, there are substantial uncertainties in estimates of risks in the internal emitter studies, particularly in relation to lung cancer associated with radon daughter (alpha particle) exposure, so a measure of caution should be exercised in these conclusions. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17639450&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Serum C-peptide, IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-2 and risk of colon and rectal cancers in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition A1 - Jenab, M A1 - Riboli, E A1 - Cleveland, RJ A1 - Norat, T A1 - Rinaldi, S A1 - Nieters, A A1 - Biessy, C A1 - Tjonneland, A A1 - Olsen, A A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Gronbaek, H A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Boutron-Ruault, MC A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Pischon, T A1 - Trichopoulos, D A1 - Oikonomou, E A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Panico, S A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Berrino, F A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Masala, G A1 - Peters, PH A1 - van Gils, CH A1 - Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB A1 - Ocke, MC A1 - Lund, E A1 - Mendez, MA A1 - Tormo, MJ A1 - Barricarte, A A1 - Martinez-Garcia, C A1 - Dorronsoro, M A1 - Quiros, JR A1 - Hallmans, G A1 - Palmqvist, R A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Manjer, J A1 - Key, T A1 - Allen, NE A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Khaw, KT A1 - Cust, A A1 - Kaaks, R J1 - INT J CANCER Y1 - 2007/07/15/ VL - 121 SN - 0020-7136 SP - 368 EP - 376 N2 - Western style diets and lifestyles are associated with increasing rates of obesity, diabetes and insulin resistance. Higher circulating insulin levels may modulate cell proliferation and apoptosis either directly or indirectly by increasing the bioactivity of IGF-I and decreasing the bioactivity of some of its binding proteins. The objective of this study was to determine the association of increasing levels of serum C-peptide, a biomarker of pancreatic insulin secretion, and IGF binding proteins (IGFBP) -1 and -2 with colorectal cancer risk in a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), a large cohort involving 10 Western European countries. A total of 1,078 colorectal cancer cases were matched (age, date of blood donation, fasting status, gender, study center) to an equal number of control subjects. Relative cancer risks were estimated using conditional logistic regression models. Serum C-peptide concentration was positively associated with an increased colorectal cancer risk for the highest versus the lowest quintile (OR = 1.56, 95% CI = 1.16-2.09, p(trend) < 0.01), which was slightly attenuated after adjustment for BMI and physical activity (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.00-1.88, p(trend) = 0.10). When stratified by anatomical site, the cancer risk was stronger in the colon (OR 1.67, 95% CI = 1.14-2.46, p(trend) < 0.01) than in the rectum (OR 1.42, 95% CI = 0.90-2.25, p(trend) = 0.35). The cancer risk estimates were not heterogeneous by gender or fasting status. No clear colorectal cancer risk associations were observed for IGFBP-1 or -2. This large prospective study confirms that hyperinsulinemia, as determined by C-peptide levels, is associated with an increased colorectal cancer risk. (C) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Physical activity and risk of endometrial cancer: The European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition A1 - Friedenreich, C A1 - Cust, A A1 - Lahmann, PH A1 - Steindorf, K A1 - Boutron-Ruault, MC A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Mesrine, S A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Rohrmann, S A1 - Pischon, T A1 - Schulz, M A1 - Tjonneland, A A1 - Johnsen, NF A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Mendez, M A1 - Arguelles, MV A1 - Garcia, CM A1 - Larranaga, N A1 - Chirlaque, MD A1 - Ardanaz, E A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Khaw, KT A1 - Allen, N A1 - Key, T A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Dilis, V A1 - Trichopoulos, D A1 - Pala, V A1 - Palli, D A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Panico, S A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB A1 - Peeters, PHM A1 - Monninkhof, E A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Manjer, J A1 - Slimani, N A1 - Ferrari, P A1 - Kaaks, R A1 - Riboli, E J1 - INT J CANCER Y1 - 2007/07/15/ VL - 121 SN - 0020-7136 SP - 347 EP - 355 N2 - The etiologic role of physical activity in endometrial cancer risk remains unclear given the few epidemiologic studies that have been conducted. To investigate this relation more fully, an analysis was,undertaken in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition (EPIC). During an average 6.6 years of follow-up, 689 incident endometrial cancer cases were identified from an analytic cohort within EPIC of 253,023 women. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the associations between type of activity (total, occupational, household, recreational) and endometrial cancer risk. For total activity, women in the highest compared with the lowest quartile of activity had a risk of 0.88 (95% confidence interval (95% CI = 0.61-1.27). No clear associations between each type of activity and endometrial cancer risk were found for the total study population combined. Associations were more evident in the stratified results, with premenopausal women who were active versus inactive experiencing a risk of 0.66 (95% CI = 0.38-1.14) overall. Among premenopausal women, for household and recreational activities the risk estimates in the highest as compared with the lowest quartiles were, respectively, 0.48 (95% CI = 0.23-0.99) and 0.78 (95% CI = 0.44-1.39). No effect modification by body mass index, hormone replacement therapy, oral contraceptive use or energy intake was found. This study provides no evidence of a protective effect of increased physical activity in endometrial cancer risk in all women but some support for a benefit among premenopausal women. The relative risk reductions are most apparent for household activities. (C) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Protective efficacy of a monovalent oral type 1 poliovirus vaccine - Authors' reply. A1 - Grassly, NC A1 - Wenger, J A1 - Bahl, S A1 - Sutter, RW A1 - Aylward, RB J1 - Lancet Y1 - 2007/07/14/ VL - 370 SN - 1474-547X SP - 129 EP - 130 L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17630026&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Variation in estimated recombination rates across human populations. A1 - Graffelman, J A1 - Balding, DJ A1 - Gonzalez-Neira, A A1 - Bertranpetit, J J1 - Hum Genet Y1 - 2007/07/03/ SN - 0340-6717 N2 - Recently it has been reported that recombination hotspots appear to be highly variable between humans and chimpanzees, and there is evidence for between-person variability in hotspots, and evolutionary transience. To understand the nature of variation in human recombination rates, it is important to describe patterns of variability across populations. Direct measurement of recombination rates remains infeasible on a large scale, and population-genetic approaches can be imprecise, and are affected by demographic history. Reports to date have suggested broad similarity in recombination rates at large genomic scales and across human populations. Here, we examine recombination rate estimates at a finer population and genomic scale: 28 worldwide populations and 107 SNPs in a 1 Mb stretch of chromosome 22q. We employ analysis of variance of recombination rate estimates, corrected for differences in effective population size using genome-wide microsatellite mutation rate estimates. We find substantial variation in fine-scale rates between populations, but reduced variation within continental groups. All effects examined (SNP-pair, region, population and interactions) were highly significant. Adjustment for effective population size made little difference to the conclusions. Observed hotspots tended to be conserved across populations, albeit at varying intensities. This holds particularly for populations from the same region, and also to a considerable degree across geographical regions. However, some hotspots appear to be population-specific. Several results from studies on the population history of humans are in accordance with our analysis. Our results suggest that between-population variation in DNA sequences may underly recombination rate variation. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17609980&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Chronic sphenoid sinusitis revisited: comparison of multidetector axial sections, multiplanar reconstructions, and virtual sinoscopy with endoscopic sinus surgery. A1 - Wankhar, B A1 - Bapuraj, JR A1 - Gupta, AK A1 - Khandelwal, N A1 - Saxena, AK A1 - Batchala, PP A1 - Gandhi, D J1 - Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg Y1 - 2007/07// VL - 133 SN - 0886-4470 SP - 710 EP - 716 N2 - OBJECTIVES: To assess the role of multidetector computed tomography (CT) and CT virtual sinoscopy in the evaluation of chronic sphenoid sinusitis and to compare the imaging findings with functional endoscopic sinus surgery. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Tertiary care teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Thirty patients with chronic sphenoid sinusitis referred for preoperative CT. INTERVENTIONS: Thin-section helical axial CT was performed using a multidetector CT scanner with multiplanar reformation (MPR) and volume-rendered or virtual sinoscopy images. Sixty sinuses were divided into quadrants for analysis. Extrasinus extension was labeled as the "fifth quadrant." MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Imaging findings were compared with those of functional endoscopic sinus surgery, and accuracy of the imaging modality was determined. RESULTS: Multidetector CT (axial CT and MPR) was found to be 100% sensitive, specific, and accurate in the evaluation of extent of sinusitis, status of the sinus septum, integrity of the optic nerve canal in relation to the sinus, and type of sinus pneumatization. Axial CT and MPR images showed sensitivity of 98% and specificity of 92% compared with functional endoscopic sinus surgery in evaluating the ostia. Regarding carotid canal integrity, axial CT and MPRs were 100% sensitive and 98% specific. Virtual sinoscopy showed sensitivity and specificity of 67% and 92%, respectively, for the 22 ostia that could be visualized and evaluated using this modality. CONCLUSIONS: Axial multidetector CT with secondary MPRs provide the necessary preoperative information regarding extent of disease and sphenoid sinus anatomy. Virtual sinoscopy is a navigational aid, an adjunct to endoscopy, and an educational tool for surgeons-in-training. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17638786&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Bayesian shrinkage priors for detecting multiple causal variants from genome-wide association studies A1 - Hoggart, C A1 - De Iorio, M A1 - Whittakker, J A1 - Balding, D J1 - ANN HUM GENET Y1 - 2007/07// VL - 71 SN - 0003-4800 SP - 557 EP - 557 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - The cost effectiveness of opportunistic chlamydia screening in England. A1 - Adams, EJ A1 - Turner, KM A1 - Edmunds, WJ J1 - Sex Transm Infect Y1 - 2007/07// VL - 83 SN - 1368-4973 N2 - BACKGROUND/AIM: The National Chlamydia Screening Programme (NCSP) is being implemented in England. This study aims to estimate the cost effectiveness of (a) the NCSP strategy (annual screening offer to men and women aged under 25 years) and (b) alternative screening strategies. METHODS: A stochastic, individual based, dynamic sexual network model was combined with a cost effectiveness model to estimate the complications and associated costs of chlamydial infection. The model was constructed and parameterised from the perspective of the National Health Service (NHS) (England), including the direct costs of infection, complications and screening. Unit costs were derived from standard data sources and published studies. The average and incremental cost effectiveness ratio (cost per major outcome averted or quality adjusted life year (QALY) gained) of chlamydia screening strategies targeting women and/or men of different age groups was estimated. Sensitivity analyses were done to explore model uncertainty. RESULTS: All screening strategies modelled are likely to cost the NHS money and improve health. If pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) progression is less than 10% then screening at any level is unlikely to be cost effective. However, if PID progression is 10% or higher the NCSP strategy compared to no screening appears to be cost effective. The incremental cost effectiveness analysis suggests that screening men and women aged under 20 years is the most beneficial strategy that falls below accepted thresholds. There is a high degree of uncertainty in the findings. CONCLUSIONS: Offering an annual screening test to men and women aged under 20 years may be the most cost effective strategy (that is, under accepted thresholds) if PID progression is 10% or higher. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17475686&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Male fertility-related disorders: cause for concern or a stalking horse? A1 - Toledano, MB A1 - Nelson, PD J1 - Arch Dis Child Y1 - 2007/07// VL - 92 SN - 1468-2044 SP - 565 EP - 567 L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17588967&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Impacts of widespread badger culling on cattle tuberculosis: concluding analyses from a large-scale field trial. A1 - Donnelly, CA A1 - Wei, G A1 - Johnston, WT A1 - Cox, DR A1 - Woodroffe, R A1 - Bourne, FJ A1 - Cheeseman, CL A1 - Clifton-Hadley, RS A1 - Gettinby, G A1 - Gilks, P A1 - Jenkins, HE A1 - Le Fevre, AM A1 - McInerney, JP A1 - Morrison, WI J1 - Int J Infect Dis Y1 - 2007/07// VL - 11 SN - 1201-9712 SP - 300 EP - 308 N2 - BACKGROUND: Bovine tuberculosis (TB) has re-emerged as a major problem for British cattle farmers. Failure to control the infection has been linked to transmission from European badgers; badger culling has therefore formed a component of British TB control policy since 1973. OBJECTIVES AND DESIGN: To investigate the impact of repeated widespread badger culling on cattle TB, the Randomised Badger Culling Trial compared TB incidence in cattle herds in and around ten culling areas (each 100 km2) with those in and around ten matched unculled areas. RESULTS: Overall, cattle TB incidence was 23.2% lower (95% confidence interval (CI) 12.4-32.7% lower) inside culled areas, but 24.5% (95% CI 0.6% lower-56.0% higher) higher on land 0.9), but were less reliable at resolutions below ca. 500 m. Impending enhancements in the available land cover and light emissions data are expected to improve the capability of this modelling approach in the future. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - A high-performance liquid chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy-based analysis of commercially available praziquantel tablets. A1 - Li, J A1 - Wang, Y A1 - Fenwick, A A1 - Clayton, TA A1 - Lau, YY A1 - Legido-Quigley, C A1 - Lindon, JC A1 - Utzinger, J A1 - Holmes, E J1 - J Pharm Biomed Anal Y1 - 2007/06/23/ SN - 0731-7085 N2 - The amount of active ingredient in 20 commercially sourced batches of praziquantel (PZQ) tablets was determined using a high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (HPLC-UV) assay in conjunction with an anthentic, lot of PZQ powder. The general composition of each batch of tablets was also examined by means of (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and the NMR data were subjected to pattern recognition analysis by means of principal component analysis. The HPLC-UV results showed that each batch of PZQ tablets contained approximately the required amount of PZQ (600mg per tablet). The NMR analysis showed a high degree of compositional variation between manufacturers, which caused by variation in excipients, along with some batch-to-batch variation in the tablets from a single manufacturer. Additionally, the PZQ tablets from one manufacturer were found to have an extra component (methyl-4-hydroxybenzoate) that was not detected in the other preparations. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17659859&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Diagnostic scope of and exposure to primary care physicians in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States: cross sectional analysis of results from three national surveys. A1 - Bindman, AB A1 - Forrest, CB A1 - Britt, H A1 - Crampton, P A1 - Majeed, A J1 - BMJ Y1 - 2007/06/16/ VL - 334 SN - 1468-5833 SP - 1261 EP - 1261 N2 - OBJECTIVES: To compare mix of patients, scope of practice, and duration of visit in primary care physicians in Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. DESIGN: Comparison of three comparable cross sectional surveys performed in 2001-2. Physicians completed a questionnaire on patients' demographics, diagnoses, and duration of visit. SETTING: Primary care practice. PARTICIPANTS: 79,790 office visits in Australia, 10,064 in New Zealand, and 25,838 in the US. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Diagnostic codes were mapped to the Johns Hopkins expanded diagnostic clusters. Scope of practice was defined as the number of expanded diagnostic clusters accounting for 75% of all managed problems related to morbidity. Exposure to primary care was calculated from duration of visits recorded by the physician, and reports on rates of visits to primary care for each country. RESULTS: In each country, primary care physicians managed an average of 1.4 morbidity related problems per visit. In the US, 46 expanded diagnostic clusters accounted for 75% of problems managed compared with 52 in Australia, and 57 in New Zealand. Correlations in the frequencies of managed health problems between countries were high (0.87-0.97 for pairwise comparisons). Though primary care visits were longer in the US than in New Zealand and Australia, the per capita annual exposure to primary care physicians in the US (29.7 minutes) was about half of that in New Zealand (55.5 minutes) and about a third of that in Australia (83.4 minutes) because of higher rates of visits to primary care in these countries. CONCLUSIONS: Despite differences in the supply and financing of primary care across countries, many aspects of the clinical practice of primary care physicians are remarkably similar in Australia, New Zealand, and the US. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17504790&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - ABAM, a model for bioaccumulation of POPs in birds: validation for adult herring gulls and their eggs in Lake Ontario. A1 - Norstrom, RJ A1 - Clark, TP A1 - Enright, M A1 - Leung, B A1 - Drouillard, KG A1 - Macdonald, CR J1 - Environ Sci Technol Y1 - 2007/06/15/ VL - 41 SN - 0013-936X SP - 4339 EP - 4347 N2 - An Avian BioAccumulation Model (ABAM) of persistent organic pollutant (POP) uptake and elimination in adult life-stage of birds was validated by simulation of concentrations of DDE, dieldrin, mirex, and HCB in herring gull eggs in Lake Ontario for the years 1985, 1990, and 1992. These chemicals represented a range of whole-body half-lives of 82-265 days in the gull. Dietary intake of POPs by a female gull was simulated by a dynamic bioenergetics model which included dependence on temperature, photoperiod, egg production, and feeding chicks. Concentrations in the two main prey fish of the gull in Lake Ontario were used for POP exposure. Clearance from the female was based on a two compartment toxicokinetic model. Egg concentrations were estimated from egg/whole body female concentration ratios. Simulated concentrations were compared to measured concentrations in gull eggs from 4 different colonies in the northern part of Lake Ontario. Simulations using a diet of 81% fish and 19% uncontaminated food resulted in the best fit with least variance among predicted and measured data. The mean ratio of predicted to measured concentrations in eggs was 1.0 +/- 0.27 among chemicals, years, and colonies for this exposure scenario. This result was in excellent agreement with field assessments of herring gull diet composition in Lake Ontario of 80-82% fish. The ability to perform accurate a priorisimulations for the range of test conditions employed in the validation constituted a rigorous test of the soundness of the model's structure and parameterization. With species-specific adjustments, ABAM can be regarded as a general model for lipophilic POPs bioaccumulation in birds. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17626434&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Serum levels of C-peptide, IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-2 and endometrial cancer risk; results from the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition A1 - Cust, AE A1 - Allen, NE A1 - Rinaldi, S A1 - Dossus, L A1 - Friedenreich, C A1 - Olsen, A A1 - Tjonneland, A A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Boutron-Ruault, MC A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Chang-Claude, J A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Schulz, M A1 - Benetou, V A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Trichopoulos, D A1 - Palli, D A1 - Berrino, F A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Mattiello, A A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Quiros, JR A1 - Agudo, A A1 - Sanchez, MJ A1 - Larranaga, N A1 - Navarro, C A1 - Ardanaz, E A1 - Bueno-De-Mesquita, HB A1 - Peeters, PHM A1 - van Gils, CH A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Khaw, KT A1 - Key, T A1 - Slimani, N A1 - Riboli, E A1 - Kaaks, R J1 - INT J CANCER Y1 - 2007/06/15/ VL - 120 SN - 0020-7136 SP - 2656 EP - 2664 N2 - We conducted a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, to examine the associations between prediagnostic serum concentrations of C-peptide, insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-l and IGFBP-2, and endometrial cancer risk. Among pre- and postmenopausal women, who were not currently using exogenous hormones, 286 women developed incident endometrial cancer during an average 5.1 years follow-up. Using risk set sampling, 555 matched control subjects were selected. In conditional logistic regression models adjusted for matching factors only, endometrial cancer risk increased with increasing serum levels of C-peptide (relative risks (RR) for the top vs. bottom quartile = 2.13 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.33-3.41], p(trend) = 0.001, and decreasing serum levels of IGFBP-2 (RR for the lop vs. bottom quartile = 0.56 [95% CI 0.35-0.90], p(trend) = 0.03, but was not significantly associated with IGFBP-1 levels (RR for the top vs. bottom quartile = 0.76 [95% CI 0.47-1.21], p(trend) = 0.25). In BMI-adjusted models, only the C-peptide association remained marginally statistically significant (RR for the top vs. bottom quartile = 1.56 [95% CI 0.94-2.571, p(trend) = 0.05 for C-peptide; 0.84 [95% CI 0.50-1.40], p(trend) = 0.74 for IGFBP-2; and 1.08 [95% CI 0.65-1.781, p(trend) = 0.86 for IGFBP-1 levels). These associations were stronger among nonfasting women (<= 6 hr since last meal; 63% of subjects) but were not evident among fasting women, although the interactions were not statistically significant. The C-peptide-risk association was substantially attenuated after adjustment for free estradiol in postmenopausal women (RR for the top vs. bottom quartile = 1.28 [95 % CI 0.67-2.45], p(trend) = 0.42. Our results provide modest support to the hypothesis that hyperinsulinaemia is a risk factor for endometrial cancer. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Quantifying HIV-1 transmission due to contaminated injections A1 - White, RG A1 - Cooper, BS A1 - Kedhar, A A1 - Orroth, KK A1 - Biraro, S A1 - Baggaley, RF A1 - Whitworth, J A1 - Korenromp, EL A1 - Ghani, A A1 - Boily, MC A1 - Hayes, RJ J1 - P NATL ACAD SCI USA Y1 - 2007/06/05/ VL - 104 SN - 0027-8424 SP - 9794 EP - 9799 N2 - Assessments of the importance of different routes of HIV-1 (HIV) transmission are vital for prioritization of control efforts. Lack of consistent direct data and large uncertainty in the risk of HIV transmission from HIV-contaminated injections has made quantifying the proportion of transmission caused by contaminated injections in sub-Saharan Africa difficult and unavoidably subjective. Depending on the risk assumed, estimates have ranged from 2.5% to 30% or more. We present a method based on an age-structured transmission model that allows the relative contribution of HIV-contaminated injections, and other routes of HIV transmission, to be robustly estimated, both fully quantifying and substantially reducing the associated uncertainty. To do this, we adopt a Bayesian perspective, and show how prior beliefs regarding the safety of injections and the proportion of HIV incidence due to contaminated injections should, in many cases, be substantially modified in light of age-stratified incidence and injection data, resulting in improved (posterior) estimates. Applying the method to data from rural southwest Uganda, we show that the highest estimates of the proportion of incidence due to injections are reduced from 15.5% (95% credible interval) (0.7%,44.9%)to 5.2% (0.5%,17.0%) if random mixing is assumed, and from 14.6% (0.7%, 42.5%) to 11.8% (1.2%, 32.5%) under assortative mixing. Lower, and more widely accepted, estimates remain largely unchanged, between 1% and 3% (0.1-6.3%). Although important uncertainty remains, our analysis shows that in rural Uganda, contaminated injections are unlikely to account for a large proportion of HIV incidence. This result is likely to be generalizable to many other populations in sub-Saharan Africa. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Impact of a pay-for-performance incentive on support for smoking cessation and on smoking prevalence among people with diabetes. A1 - Millett, C A1 - Gray, J A1 - Saxena, S A1 - Netuveli, G A1 - Majeed, A J1 - CMAJ Y1 - 2007/06/05/ VL - 176 SN - 1488-2329 SP - 1705 EP - 1710 N2 - BACKGROUND: Many people with diabetes continue to smoke despite being at high risk of cardiovascular disease. We examined the impact of a pay-for-performance incentive in the United Kingdom introduced in 2004 as part of the new general practitioner contract to improve support for smoking cessation and to reduce the prevalence of smoking among people with chronic diseases such as diabetes. METHODS: We performed a population-based longitudinal study of the recorded delivery of cessation advice and the prevalence of smoking using electronic records of patients with diabetes obtained from participating general practices. The survey was carried out in an ethnically diverse part of southwest London before (June-October 2003) and after (November 2005-January 2006) the introduction of a pay-for-performance incentive. RESULTS: Significantly more patients with diabetes had their smoking status ever recorded in 2005 than in 2003 (98.8% v. 90.0%, p <0.001). The proportion of patients with documented smoking cessation advice also increased significantly over this period, from 48.0% to 83.5% (p < 0.001). The prevalence of smoking decreased significantly from 20.0% to 16.2% (p < 0.001). The reduction over the study period was lower among women (adjusted odds ratio 0.71, 95% confidence interval 0.53-0.95) but was not significantly different in the most and least affluent groups. In 2005, smoking rates continued to differ significantly with age (10.6%-25.1%), sex (women, 11.5%; men, 20.6%) and ethnic background (4.9%-24.9%). INTERPRETATION: The introduction of a pay-for-performance incentive in the United Kingdom increased the provision of support for smoking cessation and was associated with a reduction in smoking prevalence among patients with diabetes in primary health care settings. Health care planners in other countries may wish to consider introducing similar incentive schemes for primary care physicians. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17548383&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Evaluation of molecular typing methods in characterizing a European collection of epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains: the HARMONY collection. A1 - Cookson, BD A1 - Robinson, DA A1 - Monk, AB A1 - Murchan, S A1 - Deplano, A A1 - de Ryck, R A1 - Struelens, MJ A1 - Scheel, C A1 - Fussing, V A1 - Salmenlinna, S A1 - Vuopio-Varkila, J A1 - Cuny, C A1 - Witte, W A1 - Tassios, PT A1 - Legakis, NJ A1 - van Leeuwen, W A1 - van Belkum, A A1 - Vindel, A A1 - Garaizar, J A1 - Haeggman, S A1 - Olsson-Liljequist, B A1 - Ransjo, U A1 - Muller-Premru, M A1 - Hryniewicz, W A1 - Rossney, A A1 - O'Connell, B A1 - Short, BD A1 - Thomas, J A1 - O'Hanlon, S A1 - Enright, MC J1 - J Clin Microbiol Y1 - 2007/06// VL - 45 SN - 0095-1137 SP - 1830 EP - 1837 N2 - We analyzed a representative sample of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from 11 European countries (referred to as the HARMONY collection) using three molecular typing methods used within the HARMONY group to examine their usefulness for large, multicenter MRSA surveillance networks that use these different laboratory methodologies. MRSA isolates were collected based on their prevalence in each center and their genetic diversity, assessed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). PFGE groupings (< or = 3 bands difference between patterns) were compared to those made by sequencing of the variable repeats in the protein A gene spa and clonal designations based on multilocus sequence typing (MLST), combined with PCR analysis of the staphylococcal chromosome cassette containing the mec genes involved in methicillin resistance (SCCmec). A high level of discrimination was achieved using each of the three methodologies, with discriminatory indices between 89.5% and 91.9% with overlapping 95% confidence intervals. There was also a high level of concordance of groupings made using each method. MLST/SCCmec typing distinguished 10 groups containing at least two isolates, and these correspond to the majority of nosocomial MRSA clones described in the literature. PFGE and spa typing resolved 34 and 31 subtypes, respectively, within these 10 MRSA clones, with each subtype differing only slightly from the most common pattern using each method. The HARMONY group has found that the methods used in this study differ in their availability and affordability to European centers involved in MRSA surveillance. Here, we demonstrate that the integration of such technologies is achievable, although common protocols (such as we have developed for PFGE) may also be important, as is the use of centralized Internet sites to facilitate data analysis. PFGE and spa-typing data from analysis of MRSA isolates from the many centers that have access to the relevant equipment can be compared to reference patterns/sequences, and clonal designations can be made. In the majority of cases, these will correspond to those made by the (more expensive) method of choice-MLST/SCCmec typing-and these alternative methods can therefore be used as frontline typing systems for multicenter surveillance of MRSA. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17428929&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - National trends in the use and costs of anti-obesity medications in England 1998-2005. A1 - Srishanmuganathan, J A1 - Patel, H A1 - Car, J A1 - Majeed, A J1 - J Public Health (Oxf) Y1 - 2007/06// VL - 29 SN - 1741-3842 SP - 199 EP - 202 N2 - BACKGROUND: To report the trends in the use and costs of anti-obesity medications in England from 1998 to 2005. METHODS: We analysed data on all community anti-obesity drug prescriptions in England collated by the prescription cost analysis system. RESULTS: Between 1998 and 2005, Orlistat prescriptions rose 36-fold from 17,880 to 646,700 and total cost increased by over 35-fold. Sibutramine prescriptions rose from 2001 to 2005 from 53,393 to 227,000, a 4-fold increase. Although prescriptions of Orlistat and Sibutramine have increased substantially since they were first introduced, the rate of growth decreased substantially in recent years until 2005, when a significant increase in the number and cost of prescriptions for orlistat occurred yet again. CONCLUSIONS: We found a large increase in the use and costs of anti-obesity prescriptions, consistent with the increased awareness of obesity amongst health care professionals and the public. Despite this large increase, there are still no head-to-head studies at a national level that directly compare all anti-obesity medication in use in the UK. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17494061&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Risk factors for renal injury in patients with meningomyelocele. A1 - Arora, G A1 - Narasimhan, KL A1 - Saxena, AK A1 - Kaur, B A1 - Mittal, BR J1 - Indian Pediatr Y1 - 2007/06// VL - 44 SN - 0019-6061 SP - 417 EP - 420 N2 - PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty operated patients of myelodysplasia were clinically evaluated for the age at presentation, the extent of lesion and neurological deficit. Urological assessment was done with urine cultures, serum creatinine, radiological (ultrasound of kidney, ureters and bladder, voiding cystourethrogram) and urodynamic (water cystometry) parameters. An objective scoring for bladder (Galloway, et al.) was applied. Dimercapto-succinic acid (DMSA) scan was done in all the patients for evidence of renal scars. The results of above investigations were correlated with presence or absence of renal scars (renal injury) on DMSA scan. None of the patients had received any prior bladder care. RESULTS: Twenty one patients had no renal scars and 9 patients had evidence of renal scarring. Patients with renal scars were older at presentation, they had greater degree of hydroureteronephrosis (P < or = 0.001) and vesicoureteric reflux (P < or = 0.005). The incidence of high leak pressures (>25 cm of water, P < or = 0.05), unacceptable bladder volumes (maximum cystometric capacity < 60% for age, P < or = 0.005) and high risk Galloway's score (> 5, P < or = 0.05) was high in patients with associated renal scarring as compared to their nonscarred counterparts. Three of these patients had serum creatinine >1 mg/dl (P < or = 0.005). The incidence of urinary complaints and positive urine cultures was also higher in these patients (NS). CONCLUSION: Increasing age, evidence of hydroureteronephrosis and vesicoureteric reflux, high leak pressures, low bladder volume and high combined Galloway score (>5) define a high risk bladder in our population and predispose to renal injury in patients of myelodysplasia. Early referral for bladder risk assessment and management of all myelodysplasia patients is recommended. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17620693&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Second-order analysis of inhomogeneous spatial point processes using case-control data. A1 - Diggle, PJ A1 - Gómez-Rubio, V A1 - Brown, PE A1 - Chetwynd, AG A1 - Gooding, S J1 - Biometrics Y1 - 2007/06// VL - 63 SN - 0006-341X SP - 550 EP - 557 N2 - Methods for the statistical analysis of stationary spatial point process data are now well established, methods for nonstationary processes less so. One of many sources of nonstationary point process data is a case-control study in environmental epidemiology. In that context, the data consist of a realization of each of two spatial point processes representing the locations, within a specified geographical region, of individual cases of a disease and of controls drawn at random from the population at risk. In this article, we extend work by Baddeley, Møller, and Waagepetersen (2000, Statistica Neerlandica54, 329-350) concerning estimation of the second-order properties of a nonstationary spatial point process. First, we show how case-control data can be used to overcome the problems encountered when using the same data to estimate both a spatially varying intensity and second-order properties. Second, we propose a semiparametric method for adjusting the estimate of intensity so as to take account of explanatory variables attached to the cases and controls. Our primary focus is estimation, but we also propose a new test for spatial clustering that we show to be competitive with existing tests. We describe an application to an ecological study in which juvenile and surviving adult trees assume the roles of controls and cases. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17688507&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Diabetes prevalence, process of care and outcomes in relation to practice size, caseload and deprivation: national cross-sectional study in primary care. A1 - Millett, C A1 - Car, J A1 - Eldred, D A1 - Khunti, K A1 - Mainous, AG A1 - Majeed, A J1 - J R Soc Med Y1 - 2007/06// VL - 100 SN - 0141-0768 SP - 275 EP - 283 N2 - OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between practice list size, deprivation and the quality of care of patients with diabetes. DESIGN: Population-based cross-sectional study using Quality and Outcomes Framework data. SETTING: England and Scotland. PARTICIPANTS: 55,522,778 patients and 8970 general practices with 1,852,762 people with diabetes. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Seventeen process and surrogate outcome measures of diabetes care. RESULTS: The prevalence of diabetes was 3.3%. Prevalence differed with practice list size and deprivation: smaller and more deprived practices had a higher mean prevalence than larger and more affluent practices (3.8% versus 2.8%). Practices with large patient list sizes had the highest quality of care scores, even after stratifying for deprivation. However, with the exception of retinal screening, peripheral pulses and neuropathy testing, differences in achievement between small and large practices were modest (<5%). Small practices performed nearly as well as the largest practices in achievement of intermediate outcome targets for HbA1c, blood pressure and cholesterol (smallest versus largest practices: 57.4% versus 58.7%; 70.7% versus 70.7%; and 69.5% versus 72.7%, respectively). Deprivation had a negative effect on the achieved scores and this was more pronounced for smaller practices. CONCLUSION: Our study provides some evidence of a volume-outcome association in the management of diabetes in primary care; this appears most pronounced in deprived areas. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17541098&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Health, livelihoods, and nutrition in low-income rural systems. A1 - Joffe, M J1 - Food Nutr Bull Y1 - 2007/06// VL - 28 SN - 0379-5721 SP - S227 EP - S236 N2 - BACKGROUND: Absolute poverty remains a major challenge: the proportion of the world population living with hunger, food insecurity, and undernutrition has fallen, but the absolute number remains stubbornly large. An even larger number of people have enough to eat but suffer from severe micronutrient deficiencies. OBJECTIVES: To provide a conceptual framework showing the interdependence of hunger and poverty with ill health among the rural poor. METHODS: Review of the relevant health, nutrition, agriculture, and economics literature and organization of the findings into a systems framework. RESULTS: Economic growth is not a sufficient answer to rural poverty. The predicament of poor households can be represented in terms of a self-reinforcing cycle involving nutrition, health, and productivity. The degree of poverty limits the quantity and quality of food intake. Macro- and micronutrient deficiencies interfere with child growth and development and impair immune function, resulting in a predisposition to infectious diseases. Health status strongly influences the quantity and quality of labor and achieved educational status. The high risk of child mortality prevents households from going through the demographic transition to smaller families and better-educated children. The death of a working adult may be catastrophic for the household. This self-reinforcing cycle means that the beneficial effects of an intervention are propagated around the cycle, potentiating its impact. Each main element--nutrition, health, and productivity--also has numerous other determinants and can be influenced by interventions. Interventions that increase the carrying capacity of the household's environment are likely to be more sustainable than "technical fixes," such as lifesaving medical treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The self-reinforcing cycle is likely to be self-perpetuating without outside intervention. For any rural area where poverty reduction is planned, the key bottlenecks need to be identified. This can be done by using a causal diagram, as described in this paper. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17658069&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - A high density genome-wide association study identifies novel susceptibility genes for type 2 diabetes mellitus and reveals new mechanisms for glucose intolerance A1 - Sladek, R A1 - Rocheleau, G A1 - Rung, J A1 - Dina, C A1 - Shen, LS A1 - Serre, D A1 - Boutin, P A1 - Prentki, M A1 - Posner, BI A1 - Balding, DJ A1 - Meyre, D A1 - Polychronakos, C A1 - Froguel, P J1 - DIABETES Y1 - 2007/06// VL - 56 SN - 0012-1797 SP - A94 EP - A94 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Influenza pandemic vaccines: spread them thin? A1 - Fraser, C J1 - PLoS Med Y1 - 2007/06// VL - 4 SN - 1549-1676 SP - e228 EP - e228 L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17579513&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Emergence of 19A as virulent and multidrug resistant Pneumococcus in Massachusetts following universal immunization of infants with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. A1 - Pelton, SI A1 - Huot, H A1 - Finkelstein, JA A1 - Bishop, CJ A1 - Hsu, KK A1 - Kellenberg, J A1 - Huang, SS A1 - Goldstein, R A1 - Hanage, WP J1 - Pediatr Infect Dis J Y1 - 2007/06// VL - 26 SN - 0891-3668 SP - 468 EP - 472 N2 - BACKGROUND: The long-term effects of selective pressure from conjugate pneumococcal vaccine on the serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance of carriage and invasive isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae are unknown. Early changes demonstrate a reduction in vaccine serotypes and an increase in nonvaccine serotypes (NVT) among both carriage and invasive isolates. Ongoing surveillance is necessary to identify emerging invasive serotypes and antimicrobial susceptibilities. METHODS: Enhanced surveillance of invasive pneumococcal disease in Massachusetts began in October 2001 and remains ongoing. Isolates from children less than 5 are sent to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and subsequently to the Maxwell Finland laboratory for serotyping and determination of antimicrobial susceptibility. Annual incidence rates for vaccine serotype and NVT disease are calculated using 2000 census data. RESULTS: NVT caused 72%-91% of invasive pneumococcal disease annually in children less than 5 years of age between 2002 and 2005. Serotype 19A has emerged as the most frequent cause of IPD in Massachusetts. A multidrug-resistant clone (ceftriaxone, amoxicillin, azithromycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole) (MLST 320) was first identified in Massachusetts in 2005. CONCLUSIONS: Three years after the introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for universal administration to children less than 2 in Massachusetts, a significant increase in invasive disease due to serotype 19A was observed. Although MLST 199 remains the most frequent sequence type among invasive isolates (of 19A), a multidrug-resistant sequence type, not previously identified in Massachusetts, has become an important cause of invasive disease. Further surveillance of the changing ecology of S. pneumoniae is necessary as a 4-year time period is not sufficient to fully evaluate the impact of PCV of pneumococcal infections. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17529860&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Trachoma: transmission, infection, and control. A1 - Gambhir, M A1 - Basáñez, MG A1 - Turner, F A1 - Kumaresan, J A1 - Grassly, NC J1 - Lancet Infect Dis Y1 - 2007/06// VL - 7 SN - 1473-3099 SP - 420 EP - 427 N2 - Mass antibiotic treatment and facial cleanliness are central to WHO's strategy for the elimination of blindness caused by trachoma. Recent studies have highlighted the heterogeneous response of communities to mass treatment and the complex relation between infection with Chlamydia trachomatis and clinical disease. It is important to be able to explain these findings to predict and maximise the effect of treatment on active trachoma disease and blindness in the community. Here we review the immunobiology of trachoma and provide a simple conceptual model of disease pathogenesis. We show how incorporating this model into a mathematical framework leads to an explanation of the observed community distribution of infection, bacterial load, and disease with age. The predictions of the model and empirical data show some differences that underscore the importance of individual heterogeneity in response to infection. The implications of disease transmission and pathogenesis for trachoma control programmes are discussed. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17521595&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Ethnic disparities in diabetes management and pay-for-performance in the UK: the Wandsworth Prospective Diabetes Study. A1 - Millett, C A1 - Gray, J A1 - Saxena, S A1 - Netuveli, G A1 - Khunti, K A1 - Majeed, A J1 - PLoS Med Y1 - 2007/06// VL - 4 SN - 1549-1676 SP - e191 EP - e191 N2 - BACKGROUND: Pay-for-performance rewards health-care providers by paying them more if they succeed in meeting performance targets. A new contract for general practitioners in the United Kingdom represents the most radical shift towards pay-for-performance seen in any health-care system. The contract provides an important opportunity to address disparities in chronic disease management between ethnic and socioeconomic groups. We examined disparities in management of people with diabetes and intermediate clinical outcomes within a multiethnic population in primary care before and after the introduction of the new contract in April 2004. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We conducted a population-based longitudinal survey, using electronic general practice records, in an ethnically diverse part of southwest London. Outcome measures were prescribing levels and achievement of national treatment targets (HbA1c < or = 7.0%; blood pressure [BP] < 140/80 mm Hg; total cholesterol < or = 5 mmol/l or 193 mg/dl). The proportion of patients reaching treatment targets for HbA1c, BP, and total cholesterol increased significantly after the implementation of the new contract. The extents of these increases were broadly uniform across ethnic groups, with the exception of the black Caribbean patient group, which had a significantly lower improvement in HbA1c (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.57-0.97) and BP control (AOR 0.65, 95% CI 0.53-0.81) relative to the white British patient group. Variations in prescribing and achievement of treatment targets between ethnic groups present in 2003 were not attenuated in 2005. CONCLUSIONS: Pay-for-performance incentives have not addressed disparities in the management and control of diabetes between ethnic groups. Quality improvement initiatives must place greater emphasis on minority communities to avoid continued disparities in mortality from cardiovascular disease and the other major complications of diabetes. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17564486&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Relationship between E23K (an established type II diabetes-susceptibility variant within KCNJ11), polycystic ovary syndrome and androgen levels. A1 - Barber, TM A1 - Bennett, AJ A1 - Gloyn, AL A1 - Groves, CJ A1 - Sovio, U A1 - Ruokonen, A A1 - Martikainen, H A1 - Pouta, A A1 - Taponen, S A1 - Weedon, MN A1 - Hartikainen, AL A1 - Wass, JA A1 - Järvelin, MR A1 - Zeggini, E A1 - Franks, S A1 - McCarthy, MI J1 - Eur J Hum Genet Y1 - 2007/06// VL - 15 SN - 1018-4813 SP - 679 EP - 684 N2 - Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is strongly associated with hyperinsulinaemia and type II diabetes (T2D). Sequence variation within KCNJ11 (encoding Kir6.2, the beta-cell inwardly rectifying potassium channel) is implicated in the pathogenesis of neonatal diabetes, hyperinsulinaemia of infancy and multifactorial T2D. Comprehensive tagging studies have demonstrated that the KCNJ11 E23K variant (or ABCC8 A1369S in LD>0.9) is responsible for the known association between KCNJ11 and T2D. Given the phenotypic overlap between PCOS and T2D, we investigated whether E23K is involved in susceptibility to PCOS and related traits. Case-control analyses for the KCNJ11 E23K variant were performed in (a) 374 PCOS cases and 2574 controls of UK British/Irish origin, and (b) 550 women with PCOS symptoms and 1114 controls from a Finnish birth cohort. The relationship between E23K genotype and androgen levels (a key intermediate phenotype relevant to PCOS) in 1380 samples was studied. The UK case-control analysis revealed no association between E23K genotypes and PCOS status (P=0.49; Cochran-Armitage test), and no significant relationship between E23K genotype and androgen measures in the samples for which these phenotypes were available (P=0.19). Similarly, the Finnish case-control analysis showed no association between E23K genotypes and PCOS status (P=0.75; Cochran-Armitage test), and no significant relationship between E23K genotype and androgen measures in the samples for which these phenotypes were available (Finnish controls, P=0.25; Finnish cases, P=0.08). In conclusion, these data (involving >4600 subjects) provide no evidence that common variants of the KCNJ11 E23K polymorphism have a major influence on PCOS susceptibility, though modest effect sizes (OR<1.25) cannot be excluded. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17342155&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - CD4 cell counts of 800 cells/mm3 or greater after 7 years of highly active antiretroviral therapy are feasible in most patients starting with 350 cells/mm3 or greater. A1 - Gras, L A1 - Kesselring, AM A1 - Griffin, JT A1 - van Sighem, AI A1 - Fraser, C A1 - Ghani, AC A1 - Miedema, F A1 - Reiss, P A1 - Lange, JM A1 - de Wolf, F A1 - ATHENA, Netherlands National Observational Cohort Study J1 - J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Y1 - 2007/06/01/ VL - 45 SN - 1525-4135 SP - 183 EP - 192 N2 - OBJECTIVE: CD4 cell count changes in therapy-naive patients were investigated during 7 years of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in an observational cohort. METHODS: Three endpoints were studied: (1) time to >or=800 CD4 cells/mm in 5299 therapy-naive patients starting HAART, (2) CD4 cell count changes during 7 years of uninterrupted HAART in a subset of 544 patients, and (3) reaching a plateau in CD4 cell restoration after 5 years of HAART in 366 virologically suppressed patients. RESULTS: Among patients with <50, 50 to 200, 200 to 350, 350 to 500, and >or=500 CD4 cells/mm at baseline, respectively, 20%, 26%, 46%, 73%, and 87% reached >or=800 CD4 cells/mm within 7 years of starting HAART. Periods with HIV RNA levels >500 copies/mL and age >or=50 years were associated with lesser increases in CD4 cell counts between 6 months and 7 years. Having reached >or=800 CD4 cells/mm at 5 years, age >or=50 years, and >or=1 HIV RNA measurement >1000 copies/mL between 5 and 7 years were associated with a plateau in CD4 cell restoration. CONCLUSIONS: Restoration to CD4 cell counts >or=800 cells/mm is feasible within 7 years of HAART in most HIV-infected patients starting with >or=350 cells/mm and achieving sufficient suppression of viral replication. Particularly in patients >or=50 years of age, it may be beneficial to start earlier than current guidelines recommend. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17414934&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - How often do you wash your hands? A review of studies of hand-washing practices in the community during and after the SARS outbreak in 2003. A1 - Fung, IC A1 - Cairncross, S J1 - Int J Environ Health Res Y1 - 2007/06// VL - 17 SN - 0960-3123 SP - 161 EP - 183 N2 - We reviewed evidence of hand-washing compliance in community settings during the 2003 SARS outbreak. Literature was searched through PubMed, Cochrane Library, Wan Fang database and Google. English and Chinese papers were reviewed. Studies containing data on hand-washing, self-reported or directly observed, in community settings were selected. Case-control studies and studies in healthcare settings were excluded. Fourteen studies were reviewed. Self-reported hand-washing compliance increased in the first phase of the SARS outbreak and maintained a high level 22 months after the outbreak. The decline of hand-washing in Hong Kong after SARS was relatively slow. A significant gender difference in hand-washing compliance (female > male) was found in eight studies. The importance of family support and 'significant female others' in hand hygiene promotion are noted. The impact of education is uncertain. Perceived susceptibility to and severity of SARS, and perceived efficacy of hand-washing in preventing SARS, also predicted self-reported hand-washing compliance. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17479381&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Type 2 diabetes TCF7L2 risk genotypes alter birth weight: A study of 24,053 individuals A1 - Freathy, RM A1 - Weedon, MN A1 - Bennett, A A1 - Hypponen, E A1 - Relton, CL A1 - Knight, B A1 - Shields, B A1 - Parnell, KS A1 - Groves, CJ A1 - Ring, SM A1 - Pembrey, ME A1 - Ben-Shlomo, Y A1 - Strachan, DP A1 - Power, C A1 - Jarvelin, MR A1 - McCarthy, MI A1 - Smith, GD A1 - Hattersley, AT A1 - Frayling, TM J1 - AM J HUM GENET Y1 - 2007/06// VL - 80 SN - 0002-9297 SP - 1150 EP - 1161 N2 - The role of genes in normal birth-weight variation is poorly understood, and it has been suggested that the genetic component of fetal growth is small. Type 2 diabetes genes may influence birth weight through maternal genotype, by increasing maternal glycemia in pregnancy, or through fetal genotype, by altering fetal insulin secretion. We aimed to assess the role of the recently described type 2 diabetes gene TCF7L2 in birth weight. We genotyped the polymorphism rs7903146 in 15,709 individuals whose birth weight was available from six studies and in 8,344 mothers from three studies. Each fetal copy of the predisposing allele was associated with an 18-g (95% confidence interval [CI] 7-29 g) increase in birth weight (P = .001) and each maternal copy with a 30-g (95% CI 15-45 g) increase in offspring birth weight (P = 2.8 x 10(-5)). Stratification by fetal genotype suggested that the association was driven by maternal genotype (31-g [ 95% CI 9-48 g] increase per allele; corrected P = .003). Analysis of diabetes- related traits in 10,314 nondiabetic individuals suggested the most likely mechanism is that the risk allele reduces maternal insulin secretion ( disposition index reduced by similar to 0.15 standard deviation; P =1 x 10(-4)), which results in increased maternal glycemia in pregnancy and hence increased offspring birth weight. We combined information with the other common variant known to alter fetal growth, the - 30G -> A polymorphism of glucokinase (rs1799884). The 4% of offspring born to mothers carrying three or four risk alleles were 119 g (95% CI 62-172 g) heavier than were the 32% born to mothers with none (for overall trend, P = 2 x 10(-7)), comparable to the impact of maternal smoking during pregnancy. In conclusion, we have identified the first type 2 diabetes - susceptibility allele to be reproducibly associated with birth weight. Common gene variants can substantially influence normal birth-weight variation. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - ABCB1 genotype and PGP expression, function and therapeutic drug response: a critical review and recommendations for future research. A1 - Leschziner, GD A1 - Andrew, T A1 - Pirmohamed, M A1 - Johnson, MR J1 - Pharmacogenomics J Y1 - 2007/06// VL - 7 SN - 1470-269X SP - 154 EP - 179 N2 - The product of the ABCB1 gene, P-glycoprotein (PGP), is a transmembrane active efflux pump for a variety of drugs. It is a putative mechanism of multidrug resistance in a range of diseases. It is postulated that ABCB1 polymorphisms contribute to variability in PGP function, and that therefore multidrug resistance is, at least in part, genetically determined. However, studies of ABCB1 genotype or haplotype and PGP expression, activity or drug response have produced inconsistent results. This critical review of ABCB1 genotype and PGP function, including mRNA expression, PGP-substrate drug pharmacokinetics and drug response, highlights methodological limitations of existing studies, including inadequate power, potential confounding by co-morbidity and co-medication, multiple testing, poor definition of disease phenotype and outcomes, and analysis of multiple drugs that might not be PGP substrates. We have produced recommendations for future research that will aid clarification of the association between ABCB1 genotypes and factors related to PGP activity. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16969364&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Assessment of exposure to mercury from industrial emissions: comparing "distance as a proxy" and dispersion modelling approaches. A1 - Hodgson, S A1 - Nieuwenhuijsen, MJ A1 - Colvile, R A1 - Jarup, L J1 - Occup Environ Med Y1 - 2007/06// VL - 64 SN - 1470-7926 SP - 380 EP - 388 N2 - BACKGROUND: The Runcorn area, north-west England, contains many pollution sources, the health effects of which have been under discussion for over 100 years. Preliminary investigations revealed an excess risk of mortality from kidney disease in people living nearest to several point sources of pollution, using distance as a proxy for exposure. Ongoing epidemiological investigations into the effect of ambient mercury exposure on dose and renal effect required a more refined assessment of exposure. METHODS: Atmospheric dispersion modelling was used to assess mercury dispersion from three mercury-emitting sources (including a large chlor alkali plant), based on knowledge of emissions, local meteorology and topography. RESULTS: The model was sensitive to various input parameters, with different dispersion patterns and ground-level concentrations, and therefore different exposed populations identified when different input parameters were defined. The different approaches to exposure assessment also had an impact on the epidemiological findings. The model output correlated well with weekly monitoring data collected in the local area, although the model underestimated concentrations in close proximity to the chlor alkali plant. The model identified that one point source did not contribute significantly to ground-level mercury concentrations, so that inclusion of this source when using the "distance as a proxy" approach led to significant exposure misclassification. CONCLUSIONS: The model output indicates that assessment of ambient exposure should give consideration to the magnitude of emissions, point source characteristics, local meteorology and topography to ensure that the most appropriate exposure classification is reached. Even if dispersion modelling cannot be undertaken, these data can be used to inform and improve the distance as a proxy approach, and improve the interpretability of the epidemiological findings. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17182645&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Protective efficacy of a monovalent oral type 1 poliovirus vaccine: a case-control study (vol 369, pg 1356, 2007) A1 - Grassly, NC A1 - Wenger, J A1 - Durrani, S J1 - LANCET Y1 - 2007/05/26/ VL - 369 SN - 0140-6736 SP - 1790 EP - 1790 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Modeling the long-term antibody response of a human papillomavirus (HPV) virus-like particle (VLP) type 16 prophylactic vaccine. A1 - Fraser, C A1 - Tomassini, JE A1 - Xi, L A1 - Golm, G A1 - Watson, M A1 - Giuliano, AR A1 - Barr, E A1 - Ault, KA J1 - Vaccine Y1 - 2007/05/22/ VL - 25 SN - 0264-410X SP - 4324 EP - 4333 N2 - The duration over which antibody responses persist following HPV vaccination is unknown. To estimate the longevity of responses induced by HPV-16 vaccination, two models were fitted to serum anti-HPV-16 levels measured during a 48-month study period. The first was a conventional model of antibody decay and the second was a modified model that accounts for long-lived immune memory. Using the antibody decay model, it was estimated that following administration of a three-dose regimen of HPV-16 vaccine in women aged 16-23 years, anti-HPV-16 levels will remain above those induced naturally by HPV-16 infection for 12 years, and above detectable levels for 32 years in 50% of vaccinees. With the modified model, which fitted the data better (p<0.001), it was estimated that near life-long persistence of anti-HPV-16 following vaccination is expected at titer levels above those associated with reduction of natural HPV-16 infection in 76% of these subjects, and above detectable levels in 99% of these subjects. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17445955&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Use of administrative data or clinical databases as predictors of risk of death in hospital: comparison of models. A1 - Aylin, P A1 - Bottle, A A1 - Majeed, A J1 - BMJ Y1 - 2007/05/19/ VL - 334 SN - 1468-5833 SP - 1044 EP - 1044 N2 - OBJECTIVE: To compare risk prediction models for death in hospital based on an administrative database with published results based on data derived from three national clinical databases: the national cardiac surgical database, the national vascular database and the colorectal cancer study. DESIGN: Analysis of inpatient hospital episode statistics. Predictive model developed using multiple logistic regression. SETTING: NHS hospital trusts in England. PATIENTS: All patients admitted to an NHS hospital within England for isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm, and colorectal excision for cancer from 1996-7 to 2003-4. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Deaths in hospital. Performance of models assessed with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve scores measuring discrimination (<0.7=poor, 0.7-0.8=reasonable, >0.8=good) and both Hosmer-Lemeshow statistics and standardised residuals measuring goodness of fit. RESULTS: During the study period 152 523 cases of isolated CABG with 3247 deaths in hospital (2.1%), 12 781 repairs of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (5987 deaths, 46.8%), 31 705 repairs of unruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (3246 deaths, 10.2%), and 144,370 colorectal resections for cancer (10,424 deaths, 7.2%) were recorded. The power of the complex predictive model was comparable with that of models based on clinical datasets with ROC curve scores of 0.77 (v 0.78 from clinical database) for isolated CABG, 0.66 (v 0.65) and 0.74 (v 0.70) for repairs of ruptured and unruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, respectively, and 0.80 (v 0.78) for colorectal excision for cancer. Calibration plots generally showed good agreement between observed and predicted mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Routinely collected administrative data can be used to predict risk with similar discrimination to clinical databases. The creative use of such data to adjust for case mix would be useful for monitoring healthcare performance and could usefully complement clinical databases. Further work on other procedures and diagnoses could result in a suite of models for performance adjusted for case mix for a range of specialties and procedures. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17452389&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - A common variant in the FTO gene is associated with body mass index and predisposes to childhood and adult obesity. A1 - Frayling, TM A1 - Timpson, NJ A1 - Weedon, MN A1 - Zeggini, E A1 - Freathy, RM A1 - Lindgren, CM A1 - Perry, JR A1 - Elliott, KS A1 - Lango, H A1 - Rayner, NW A1 - Shields, B A1 - Harries, LW A1 - Barrett, JC A1 - Ellard, S A1 - Groves, CJ A1 - Knight, B A1 - Patch, AM A1 - Ness, AR A1 - Ebrahim, S A1 - Lawlor, DA A1 - Ring, SM A1 - Ben-Shlomo, Y A1 - Jarvelin, MR A1 - Sovio, U A1 - Bennett, AJ A1 - Melzer, D A1 - Ferrucci, L A1 - Loos, RJ A1 - Barroso, I A1 - Wareham, NJ A1 - Karpe, F A1 - Owen, KR A1 - Cardon, LR A1 - Walker, M A1 - Hitman, GA A1 - Palmer, CN A1 - Doney, AS A1 - Morris, AD A1 - Smith, GD A1 - Hattersley, AT A1 - McCarthy, MI J1 - Science Y1 - 2007/05/11/ VL - 316 SN - 1095-9203 SP - 889 EP - 894 N2 - Obesity is a serious international health problem that increases the risk of several common diseases. The genetic factors predisposing to obesity are poorly understood. A genome-wide search for type 2 diabetes-susceptibility genes identified a common variant in the FTO (fat mass and obesity associated) gene that predisposes to diabetes through an effect on body mass index (BMI). An additive association of the variant with BMI was replicated in 13 cohorts with 38,759 participants. The 16% of adults who are homozygous for the risk allele weighed about 3 kilograms more and had 1.67-fold increased odds of obesity when compared with those not inheriting a risk allele. This association was observed from age 7 years upward and reflects a specific increase in fat mass. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17434869&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Proteome characterization of a human urothelial cell line resistant to the bladder carcinogen 4-aminobiphenyl A1 - Pastorelli, R A1 - Saletta, F A1 - Carpi, D A1 - Campagna, R A1 - Dell'Osta, C A1 - Schiarea, S A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Airoldi, L A1 - Matullo, G J1 - PROTEOME SCI Y1 - 2007/05/03/ VL - 5 N2 - Background: The aromatic amine 4-aminobiphenyl (4-ABP) is an environmental and occupational contaminant known to be a major etiological agent of human bladder cancer. 4-ABP metabolites are able to form DNA adducts that may induce mutations and initiate bladder carcinogenesis. Cells exposed to 4-ABP may develop resistance to the carcinogen. The aim of the present study was to detect and identify proteins whose expression is altered in the bladder carcinoma RT112 sub-lines selected for acquired resistance to 4-ABP, in order to disentangle the mechanisms.Results: Differential proteome analysis of cell lysates showed an overall perturbation in cell metabolism and energy pathways in the 4-ABP-resistant human urothelial clones, with over-expression of membrane trafficking proteins such as annexin 2. The resistant clones had altered expression of many proteins linked directly (i.e. lamin A/C, programmed cell death 6 interacting protein) or indirectly (i.e. 94 kDa glucose-regulated protein, fatty acid-binding protein) to decreased apoptosis, suggesting that resistance to 4-ABP might be associated with low apoptotic activity.Conclusion: Our data provide evidence that deregulation of apoptosis and membrane trafficking proteins might be strongly implicated in the selection of carcinogen resistant cells. Some of these proteins might have potential as biomarkers of resistance and cancer risk. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Performance of the trim and fill method in the presence of publication bias and between-study heterogeneity. A1 - Peters, JL A1 - Sutton, AJ A1 - Jones, DR A1 - Abrams, KR A1 - Rushton, L J1 - Stat Med Y1 - 2007/05/02/ SN - 0277-6715 N2 - The trim and fill method allows estimation of an adjusted meta-analysis estimate in the presence of publication bias. To date, the performance of the trim and fill method has had little assessment. In this paper, we provide a more comprehensive examination of different versions of the trim and fill method in a number of simulated meta-analysis scenarios, comparing results with those from usual unadjusted meta-analysis models and two simple alternatives, namely use of the estimate from: (i) the largest; or (ii) the most precise study in the meta-analysis. Findings suggest a great deal of variability in the performance of the different approaches. When there is large between-study heterogeneity the trim and fill method can underestimate the true positive effect when there is no publication bias. However, when publication bias is present the trim and fill method can give estimates that are less biased than the usual meta-analysis models. Although results suggest that the use of the estimate from the largest or most precise study seems a reasonable approach in the presence of publication bias, when between-study heterogeneity exists our simulations show that these estimates are quite biased. We conclude that in the presence of publication bias use of the trim and fill method can help to reduce the bias in pooled estimates, even though the performance of this method is not ideal. However, because we do not know whether funnel plot asymmetry is truly caused by publication bias, and because there is great variability in the performance of different trim and fill estimators and models in various meta-analysis scenarios, we recommend use of the trim and fill method as a form of sensitivity analysis as intended by the authors of the method. Copyright (c) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17476644&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Anthropometric factors and risk of endometrial cancer: the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition A1 - Friedenreich, C A1 - Cust, A A1 - Lahmann, PH A1 - Steindorf, K A1 - Boutron-Ruault, MC A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Mesrine, S A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Rohrmann, S A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Pischon, T A1 - Tjonneland, A A1 - Halkjaer, J A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Mendez, M A1 - Redondo, ML A1 - Garcia, CM A1 - Larranaga, N A1 - Tormo, MJ A1 - Gurrea, AB A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Khaw, KT A1 - Allen, N A1 - Key, T A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Vasilopoulou, E A1 - Trichopoulos, D A1 - Pala, V A1 - Palli, D A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Mattiello, A A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB A1 - Peeters, PHM A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Manjer, J A1 - Lundin, E A1 - Lukanova, A A1 - Slimani, N A1 - Jenab, M A1 - Kaaks, R A1 - Riboli, E J1 - CANCER CAUSE CONTROL Y1 - 2007/05// VL - 18 SN - 0957-5243 SP - 399 EP - 413 N2 - Objective To examine the association between anthropometry and endometrial cancer, particularly by menopausal status and exogenous hormone use subgroups.Methods Among 223,008 women in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study, there were 567 incident endometrial cancer cases during 6.4 years of follow-up. The analysis was performed with Cox proportional hazards modeling.Results Weight, body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumferences and waist-hip ratio (WHR) were strongly associated with increased risk of endometrial cancer. The relative risk (RR) for obese (BMI 30- < 40 kg/m(2)) compared to normal weight (BMI < 25) women was 1.78, 95% CI = 1.41-2.26, and for morbidly obese women (BMI >= 40) was 3.02, 95% CI = 1.66-5.52. The RR for women with a waist circumference of >= 88 cm vs. < 80 cm was 1.76, 95% CI = 1.42-2.19. Adult weight gain of >= 20 kg compared with stable weight (+/- 3 kg) increased risk independent of body weight at age 20 (RR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.11-2.77). These associations were generally stronger for postmenopausal than premenopausal women, and oral contraceptives never-users than ever-users, and much stronger among never-users of hormone replacement therapy compared to ever-users. Conclusion Obesity, abdominal adiposity, and adult weight gain were strongly associated with endometrial cancer risk. These associations were particularly evident among never-users of hormone replacement therapy. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Early growth and adult respiratory function in men and women followed from the fetal period to adulthood. A1 - Canoy, D A1 - Pekkanen, J A1 - Elliott, P A1 - Pouta, A A1 - Laitinen, J A1 - Hartikainen, AL A1 - Zitting, P A1 - Patel, S A1 - Little, MP A1 - Järvelin, MR J1 - Thorax Y1 - 2007/05// VL - 62 SN - 0040-6376 SP - 396 EP - 402 N2 - BACKGROUND: While some studies suggest that poor fetal growth rate, as indicated by lower birth weight, is associated with poor respiratory function in childhood, findings among adults remain inconsistent. A study was undertaken to determine the association between early growth and adult respiratory function. METHODS: A longitudinal birth cohort study was performed of 5390 men and women born full term and prospectively followed from the fetal period to adulthood. Weight at birth and infancy were recorded, and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV(1)) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were assessed by standard spirometry at age 31 years. RESULTS: Adult FEV(1) and FVC increased linearly with higher birth weight in both men and women with no apparent threshold. After adjustment for sex, adult height and other potential confounders operating through the life course, every 500 g higher birth weight was associated with a higher FEV(1) of 53.1 ml (95% CI 38.4 to 67.7) and higher FVC of 52.5 ml (95% CI 35.5 to 69.4). These positive associations persisted across categories of smoking, physical activity and body mass index, with the lowest respiratory function noted among those with lower birth weight who were smokers, led a sedentary lifestyle or were overweight. Weight gain in infancy was also positively associated with adult lung function. CONCLUSION: Birth weight is continuously and independently associated with adult respiratory function. It is plausible that poor growth in early life may restrict normal lung growth and development, which could have long-term consequences on lung function later in life. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17105780&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Poorer health and nutritional outcomes in orphans and vulnerable young children not explained by greater exposure to extreme poverty in Zimbabwe. A1 - Watts, H A1 - Gregson, S A1 - Saito, S A1 - Lopman, B A1 - Beasley, M A1 - Monasch, R J1 - Trop Med Int Health Y1 - 2007/05// VL - 12 SN - 1360-2276 SP - 584 EP - 593 N2 - OBJECTIVE: To describe patterns of association between different groups of young orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) and their nutritional and health outcomes; and to develop a theoretical framework to analyse the determinants of child malnutrition and ill-health, and identify the different mechanisms which contribute to these outcomes in such children. METHODS: We developed and tested a theoretical framework to explain why orphans and vulnerable children experience more ill-health and malnutrition based on statistical analysis of data on 31 672 children aged 0-17 years (6753 aged under 5 years) selected from the Zimbabwe OVC Baseline Survey 2004. RESULTS: 28% of children aged 0-4 years at last birthday were either orphans or vulnerable children. They were more likely than non-vulnerable children to have suffered recently from diarrhoeal illness (age- and sex-adjusted odds ratio, AOR, 1.27; 95% CI 1.09-1.48) and acute respiratory infection (1.27; 1.01-1.59) and to be stunted (1.24; 1.09-1.41) and underweight (1.18; 1.02-1.36). After further adjustment for exposure to extreme poverty, OVC remained at greater risk of diarrhoeal disease (AOR 1.25; 1.07-1.46) and chronic malnutrition (1.21; 1.07-1.38). In 0-17-year-olds, OVC with acute respiratory infection were more likely not to have received any treatment even after adjusting for poverty (AOR 1.29; 95% CI 1.16-1.43). CONCLUSION: Differences in exposure to extreme poverty among young children by OVC status were relatively small and did not explain the greater malnutrition and ill-health seen in OVC. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17445126&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Factors contributing to better subjective wellbeing in head and neck cancer patients A1 - Nicolau, B A1 - Netuveli, G A1 - Rousseau, MC A1 - Vartanian, JG A1 - Kowalski, LP J1 - ORAL ONCOL Y1 - 2007/05// VL - 2 SN - 1368-8375 SP - 166 EP - 166 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - The effect of public health measures on the 1918 influenza pandemic in US cities A1 - Bootsma, MCJ A1 - Ferguson, NM J1 - P NATL ACAD SCI USA Y1 - 2007/05/01/ VL - 104 SN - 0027-8424 SP - 7588 EP - 7593 N2 - During the 1918 influenza pandemic, the U.S., unlike Europe, put considerable effort into public health interventions. There was also more geographic variation in the autumn wave of the pandemic in the U.S. compared with Europe, with some cities seeing only a single large peak in mortality and others seeing double-peaked epidemics. Here we examine whether differences in the public health measures adopted by different cities can explain the variation in epidemic patterns and overall mortality observed. We show that city-specific per-capita excess mortality in 1918 was significantly correlated with 1917 per-capita mortality, indicating some intrinsic variation in overall mortality, perhaps related to sociodemographic factors. In the subset of 23 cities for which we had partial data on the timing of interventions, an even stronger correlation was found between excess mortality and how early in the epidemic interventions were introduced. We then fitted an epidemic model to weekly mortality in 16 cities with nearly complete intervention-timing data and estimated the impact of interventions. The model reproduced the observed epidemic patterns well. in line with theoretical arguments, we found the time-limited interventions used reduced total mortality only moderately (perhaps 10-30%), and that the impact was often very limited because of interventions being introduced too late and lifted too early. San Francisco, St. Louis, Milwaukee, and Kansas City had the most effective interventions, reducing transmission rates by up to 30-50%. Our analysis also suggests that individuals reactively reduced their contact rates in response to high levels of mortality during the pandemic. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Alcohol intake and breast cancer risk: the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) A1 - Tjonneland, A A1 - Christensen, J A1 - Olsen, A A1 - Stripp, C A1 - Thomsen, BL A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Peeters, PHM A1 - van Gils, CH A1 - Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB A1 - Ocke, MC A1 - Thiebaut, A A1 - Fournier, AS A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Berrino, F A1 - Palli, D A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Panico, S A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Agudo, A A1 - Ardanaz, E A1 - Martinez-Garcia, C A1 - Amiano, P A1 - Navarro, C A1 - Quiros, JR A1 - Key, TJ A1 - Reeves, G A1 - Khaw, KT A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Trichopoulos, D A1 - Naska, A A1 - Nagel, G A1 - Chang-Claude, J A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Lahmann, PH A1 - Manjer, J A1 - Wirfalt, E A1 - Hallmans, G A1 - Johansson, I A1 - Lund, E A1 - Skeie, G A1 - Hjartaker, A A1 - Ferrari, P A1 - Slimani, N A1 - Kaaks, R A1 - Riboli, E J1 - CANCER CAUSE CONTROL Y1 - 2007/05// VL - 18 SN - 0957-5243 SP - 361 EP - 373 N2 - Objective Most epidemiologic studies have suggested an increased risk of breast cancer with increasing alcohol intake. Using data from 274,688 women participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition study (EPIC), we investigated the relation between alcohol intake and the risk of breast cancer.Methods Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) based on Cox proportional hazard models were calculated using reported intake of alcohol, recent (at baseline) and lifetime exposure. We adjusted for known risk factors and stratified according to study center as well as potentially modifying host factors.Results During 6.4 years of follow up, 4,285 invasive cases of breast cancer within the age group 35-75 years were identified. For all countries together the IRR per 10 g/day higher recent alcohol intake (continuous) was 1.03 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.05). When adjusted, no association was seen between lifetime alcohol intake and risk of breast cancer. No difference in risk was shown between users and non-users of HRT, and there was no significant interaction between alcohol intake and BMI, HRT or dietary folate.Conclusion This large European study supports previous findings that recent alcohol intake increases the risk of breast cancer. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Extremely low-frequency magnetic fields and fertility in welders - Reply A1 - Jensen, TK A1 - Joffe, M A1 - Bonde, JP J1 - OCCUP MED-OXFORD Y1 - 2007/05// VL - 57 SN - 0962-7480 SP - 225 EP - 226 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Impact of the population at risk of diabetes on projections of diabetes burden in the United States: an epidemic on the way. A1 - Mainous, AG A1 - Baker, R A1 - Koopman, RJ A1 - Saxena, S A1 - Diaz, VA A1 - Everett, CJ A1 - Majeed, A J1 - Diabetologia Y1 - 2007/05// VL - 50 SN - 0012-186X SP - 934 EP - 940 N2 - AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: The aim of this study was to make projections of the future diabetes burden for the adult US population based in part on the prevalence of individuals at high risk of developing diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Models were created from data in the nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) II mortality survey (1976-1992), the NHANES III (1988-1994) and the NHANES 1999-2002. Population models for adults (>20 years of age) from NHANES III data were fitted to known diabetes prevalence in the NHANES 1999-2002 before making future projections. We used a multivariable diabetes risk score to estimate the likelihood of diabetes incidence in 10 years. Estimates of future diabetes (diagnosed and undiagnosed) prevalence in 2011, 2021, and 2031 were made under several assumptions. RESULTS: Based on the multivariable diabetes risk score, the number of adults at high risk of diabetes was 38.4 million in 1991 and 49.9 million in 2001. The total diabetes burden is anticipated to be 11.5% (25.4 million) in 2011, 13.5% (32.6 million) in 2021, and 14.5% (37.7 million) in 2031. Among individuals aged 30 to 39 years old who are not currently targeted for screening according to age, the prevalence of diabetes is expected to rise from 3.7% in 2001 to 5.2% in 2031. By 2031, 20.2% of adult Hispanic individuals are expected to have diabetes. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: The prevalence of diabetes is projected to rise to substantially greater levels than previously estimated. Diabetes prevalence within the Hispanic community is projected to be potentially overwhelming. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17119914&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - The effect of Toxoplasma gondii on animal behavior: playing cat and mouse. A1 - Webster, JP J1 - Schizophr Bull Y1 - 2007/05// VL - 33 SN - 0586-7614 SP - 752 EP - 756 N2 - A convincing body of evidence now exists to indicate that the ubiquitous protozoan Toxoplasma gondii can cause permanent behavioral changes in its host, even as a consequence of adult-acquired latent infection. Such behavioral alterations appear to be the product of strong selective pressures for the parasite to enhance transmission from its intermediate host reservoir, primarily rodent, to its feline definitive host, wherein sexual reproduction can occur and the life cycle completed. This article reviews evidence of behavioral alterations in animal hosts and considers what these may elucidate about the potential mechanisms involved and what implications such alterations could have on animal and human health. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17218613&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Variations in plasma phytoestrogen concentrations in European adults. A1 - Peeters, PH A1 - Slimani, N A1 - van der Schouw, YT A1 - Grace, PB A1 - Navarro, C A1 - Tjonneland, A A1 - Olsen, A A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Touillaud, M A1 - Boutron-Ruault, MC A1 - Jenab, M A1 - Kaaks, R A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Trichopoulos, D A1 - Dilis, V A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Weikert, C A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Pala, V A1 - Palli, D A1 - Panico, S A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB A1 - van Gils, CH A1 - Skeie, G A1 - Jakszyn, P A1 - Hallmans, G A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Key, TJ A1 - Travis, R A1 - Riboli, E A1 - Bingham, SA J1 - J Nutr Y1 - 2007/05// VL - 137 SN - 0022-3166 SP - 1294 EP - 1300 N2 - Dietary phytoestrogens may play a role in chronic disease occurrence. The aim of our study was to assess the variability of plasma concentrations in European populations. We included 15 geographical regions in 9 European countries (Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, and UK) and a 16th region, Oxford, UK, where participants were recruited from among vegans and vegetarians. All subjects were participants of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Plasma concentrations of 3 isoflavones (daidzein, genistein, and glycitein), 2 metabolites of daidzein [O-desmethylangolensin (O-DMA) and equol] and 2 mammalian lignans (enterodiol and enterolactone) were measured in 1414 participants. We computed geometric means for each region and used multivariate regression analysis to assess the influence of region, adjusted for gender, age, BMI, alcohol intake, smoking status, and laboratory batch. Many subjects had concentrations below the detection limit [0.1 microg/L (0.4 nmol/L)] for glycitein (80%), O-DMA (73%) and equol (62%). Excluding subjects from Oxford, UK, the highest concentrations of isoflavones were in subjects from the Netherlands and Cambridge, UK [2-6 microg/L (7-24 nmol/L); P < 0.05], whereas concentrations for lignans were highest in Denmark [8 microg/L (27 nmol/L); P < 0.05]. Isoflavones varied 8- to 13-fold, whereas lignans varied 4-fold. In the vegetarian/vegan cohort of Oxford, concentrations of isoflavones were 5-50 times higher than in nonvegetarian regions. Region was the most important determinant of plasma concentrations for all 7 phytoestrogens. Despite the fact that plasma concentrations of phytoestrogens in Europe were low compared with Asian populations, they varied substantially among subjects from the 16 different regions. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17449595&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Non-parametric estimation of the case fatality ratio with competing risks data: An application to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) A1 - Jewell, NP A1 - Lei, XD A1 - Ghani, AC A1 - Donnelly, CA A1 - Leung, GM A1 - Ho, LM A1 - Cowling, BJ A1 - Hedley, AJ J1 - STAT MED Y1 - 2007/04/30/ VL - 26 SN - 0277-6715 SP - 1982 EP - 1998 N2 - For diseases with some level of associated mortality, the case fatality ratio measures the proportion of diseased individuals who die from the disease. In principle, it is straightforward to estimate this quantity from individual follow-up data that provides times from onset to death or recovery. In particular, in a competing risks context, the case fatality ratio is defined by the limiting value of the sub-distribution function, F, (t) = Pr(T <= t and J = 1), associated with death, as t -> infinity, where T denotes the time from onset to death (J = 1) or recovery (J = 2). When censoring is present, however, estimation of F-1(infinity) is complicated by the possibility of little information regarding the right tail of F-1, requiring use of estimators of F-1 (t*) or F-1 (t*)/(F-1 (t*) + F-2(t*)) where t* is large, with F-2(t) = Pr(T <= t and J = 2) being the analogous sub-distribution function associated with recovery. With right censored data, the variability of such estimators increases as t* increases, suggesting the possibility of using estimators at lower values of t* where bias may be increased but overall mean squared error be smaller. These issues are investigated here for non-parametric estimators of F-1 and F-2. The ideas are illustrated on case fatality data for individuals infected with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in Hong Kong in 2003. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Relative value of inflammatory, hemostatic, and rheological factors for incident myocardial infarction and stroke: the Edinburgh Artery Study. A1 - Tzoulaki, I A1 - Murray, GD A1 - Lee, AJ A1 - Rumley, A A1 - Lowe, GD A1 - Fowkes, FG J1 - Circulation Y1 - 2007/04/24/ VL - 115 SN - 1524-4539 SP - 2119 EP - 2127 N2 - BACKGROUND: The aim of our present study was to compare the association of a wide range of 17 biomarkers of inflammation, hemostasis, and blood rheology with incident heart disease and stroke after accounting for an indicator of subclinical atherosclerotic disease and traditional risk factors and also to determine their incremental predictive ability. METHODS AND RESULTS: We used data from the Edinburgh Artery Study, a population cohort study started in 1987 that comprised 1592 men and women aged 55 to 74 years. Subjects were followed for a mean of 17 years, and 416 of them suffered at least 1 cardiovascular event. In analyses adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors and history of cardiovascular disease (CVD): C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, fibrinogen, fibrin D-dimer, tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), leukocyte elastase, and lipoprotein(a) (all P<0.01), as well as von Willebrand factor and plasma viscosity (both P<0.05), had significant hazard ratios for incident CVD. Further adjustment for a measure of subclinical atherosclerosis (ankle brachial index) had little impact on these associations. The hazard ratios (95% CI) for incident CVD between top and bottom tertiles in the latter analysis were 1.78 (1.30 to 2.45) for C-reactive protein, 1.85 (1.33 to 2.58) for interleukin-6, and 1.76 (1.35 to 2.31) for fibrinogen. Single biomarkers provided little additional discrimination of incident CVD to that obtained from cardiovascular risk factors and the ankle brachial index. An incremental score of multiple markers [interleukin-6, t-PA, intercellular adhesion molecule 1, and lipoprotein(a)] provided some added discrimination. CONCLUSIONS: Several "novel" risk factors predicted CVD after adjustments for conventional risk factors and also for a measure of asymptomatic disease. However, their incremental predictive ability was modest and their clinical utility remains uncertain. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17404162&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Relationship of glycaemic index with cardiovascular risk factors: analysis of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey for people aged 65 and older. A1 - Milton, JE A1 - Briche, B A1 - Brown, IJ A1 - Hickson, M A1 - Robertson, CE A1 - Frost, GS J1 - Public Health Nutr Y1 - 2007/04/24/ SN - 1368-9800 SP - 1 EP - 15 L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17456246&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Voluntary counselling and testing: uptake, impact on sexual behaviour, and HIV incidence in a rural Zimbabwean cohort. A1 - Sherr, L A1 - Lopman, B A1 - Kakowa, M A1 - Dube, S A1 - Chawira, G A1 - Nyamukapa, C A1 - Oberzaucher, N A1 - Cremin, I A1 - Gregson, S J1 - AIDS Y1 - 2007/04/23/ VL - 21 SN - 0269-9370 SP - 851 EP - 860 N2 - OBJECTIVES: To examine the determinants of uptake of voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) services, to assess changes in sexual risk behaviour following VCT, and to compare HIV incidence amongst testers and non-testers. METHODS: Prospective population-based cohort study of adult men and women in the Manicaland province of eastern Zimbabwe. Demographic, socioeconomic, sexual behaviour and VCT utilization data were collected at baseline (1998-2000) and follow-up (3 years later). HIV status was determined by HIV-1 antibody detection. In addition to services provided by the government and non-governmental organizations, a mobile VCT clinic was available at study sites. RESULTS: Lifetime uptake of VCT increased from under 6% to 11% at follow-up. Age, increasing education and knowledge of HIV were associated with VCT uptake. Women who took a test were more likely to be HIV positive and to have greater HIV knowledge and fewer total lifetime partners. After controlling for demographic characteristics, sexual behaviour was not independently associated with VCT uptake. Women who tested positive reported increased consistent condom use in their regular partnerships. However, individuals who tested negative were more likely to adopt more risky behaviours in terms of numbers of partnerships in the last month, the last year and in concurrent partnerships. HIV incidence during follow-up did not differ between testers and non-testers. CONCLUSION: Motivation for VCT uptake was driven by knowledge and education rather than sexual risk. Increased sexual risk following receipt of a negative result may be a serious unintended consequence of VCT. It should be minimized with appropriate pre- and post-test counselling. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17415040&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Protective efficacy of a monovalent oral type 1 poliovirus vaccine: a case-control study. A1 - Grassly, NC A1 - Wenger, J A1 - Durrani, S A1 - Bahl, S A1 - Deshpande, JM A1 - Sutter, RW A1 - Heymann, DL A1 - Aylward, RB J1 - Lancet Y1 - 2007/04/21/ VL - 369 SN - 1474-547X SP - 1356 EP - 1362 N2 - BACKGROUND: A high-potency monovalent oral type 1 poliovirus vaccine (mOPV1) was developed in 2005 to tackle persistent poliovirus transmission in the last remaining infected countries. Our aim was to assess the efficacy of this vaccine in India. METHODS: We estimated the efficacy of mOPV1 used in supplementary immunisation activities from 2076 matched case-control pairs of confirmed cases of poliomyelitis caused by type 1 wild poliovirus and cases of non-polio acute flaccid paralysis in India. The effect of the introduction of mOPV1 on population immunity was calculated on the basis of estimates of vaccination coverage from data for non-polio acute flaccid paralysis. FINDINGS: In areas of persistent poliovirus transmission in Uttar Pradesh, the protective efficacy of mOPV1 was estimated to be 30% (95% CI 19-41) per dose against type 1 paralytic disease, compared with 11% (7-14) for the trivalent oral vaccine. 76-82% of children aged 0-23 months were estimated to be protected by vaccination against type 1 poliovirus at the end of 2006, compared with 59% at the end of 2004, before the introduction of mOPV1. INTERPRETATION: Under conditions where the efficacy of live-attenuated oral poliovirus vaccines is compromised by a high prevalence of diarrhoea and other infections, a dose of high-potency mOPV1 is almost three times more effective against type 1 poliomyelitis disease than is trivalent vaccine. Achieving high coverage with this new vaccine in areas of persistent poliovirus transmission should substantially improve the probability of rapidly eliminating transmission of the disease. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17448821&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Necrotizing fasciitis in captive juvenile Crocodylus porosus caused by Streptococcus agalactiae: an outbreak and review of the animal and human literature. A1 - Bishop, EJ A1 - Shilton, C A1 - Benedict, S A1 - Kong, F A1 - Gilbert, GL A1 - Gal, D A1 - Godoy, D A1 - Spratt, BG A1 - Currie, BJ J1 - Epidemiol Infect Y1 - 2007/04/20/ SN - 0950-2688 SP - 1 EP - 8 N2 - We observed an outbreak of necrotizing fasciitis associated with Streptococcus agalactiae infection in a group of juvenile saltwater crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus). We undertook screening of crocodiles and the environment to clarify the source of the outbreak and evaluated the isolates cultured from post-mortem specimens with molecular methods to assess clonality and the presence of known group B streptococcal virulence determinants. The isolates were indistinguishable by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. They were a typical serotype Ia strain with the Calpha-like protein gene, epsilon (or alp1), the mobile genetic elements IS381 ISSag1 and ISSag2, and belonged to multi-locus sequence type (ST) 23. All of these characteristics suggest they were probably of human origin. We review the medical and veterinary literature relating to S. agalactiae necrotizing fasciitis, epidemiology and virulence determinants. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17445318&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Re: Cellular telephone use and cancer risk: update of a nationwide Danish cohort study. A1 - Ahlbom, A A1 - Feychting, M A1 - Cardis, E A1 - Elliott, P J1 - J Natl Cancer Inst Y1 - 2007/04/18/ VL - 99 SN - 1460-2105 SP - 655; author reply 655 EP - 656; author reply 656 L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17440169&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Response to the letter to the editor. A1 - Briggs, D A1 - Krzyzanowski, M A1 - Vineis, P J1 - Int J Cancer Y1 - 2007/04/15/ VL - 120 SN - 0020-7136 SP - 1827 N2 - L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17230519&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Family history of hematopoietic malignancies and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL): a pooled analysis of 10 211 cases and 11 905 controls from the International Lymphoma Epidemiology Consortium (InterLymph) A1 - Wang, SS A1 - Slager, SL A1 - Brennan, P A1 - Holly, EA A1 - De Sanjose, S A1 - Bernstein, L A1 - Boffetta, P A1 - Cerhan, JR A1 - Maynadie, M A1 - Spinelli, JJ A1 - Chiu, BCH A1 - Cocco, PL A1 - Mensah, F A1 - Zhang, YW A1 - Nieters, A A1 - Dal Maso, L A1 - Bracci, PM A1 - Costantini, AS A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Severson, RK A1 - Roman, E A1 - Cozen, W A1 - Weisenburger, D A1 - Davis, S A1 - Franceschi, S A1 - La Vecchia, C A1 - Foretova, L A1 - Becker, N A1 - Staines, A A1 - Vornanen, M A1 - Zheng, TZ A1 - Hartge, P J1 - BLOOD Y1 - 2007/04/15/ VL - 109 SN - 0006-4971 SP - 3479 EP - 3488 N2 - A role for genetic susceptibility in non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is supported by the accumulating evidence of common genetic variations altering NHL risk. However, the pattern of NHL heritability remains poorly understood. We conducted a pooled analysis of 10 211 NHL cases and 11905 controls from the International Lymphoma Epidemiology Consortium (InterLymph) to evaluate NHL risk among those with hematopoietic malignancies in first-degree relatives. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of NHL and its subtypes were estimated from unconditional logistic regression models with adjustment for confounders. NHL risk was elevated for individuals who reported first-degree relatives with NHL (OR = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.2-1.9), Hodgkin lymphoma (OR = 1.6; 95% Cl = 1.1-2.3), and leukemia (OR = 1.4; 95% CI = 1.2-2.7). Risk was highest among individuals who reported a brother with NHL (OR = 2.8; 95% CI = 1.6-4.8) and was consistent for all NHL subtypes evaluated. If a first-degree relative had Hodgkin lymphoma, NHL risk was highest if the relative was a parent (OR = 1.7; 95% CI = 1.0-2.9). If a first-degree relative had leukemia, NHL risk was highest among women who reported a sister with leukemia (OR = 3.0; 95% CI = 1.6-5.6). The pattern of NHL heritability appeared to be uniform across NHL subtypes, but risk patterns differed by specific hematopoietic malignancies and the sex of the relative, revealing critical clues to disease etiology. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Global distribution of Panton-Valentine leukocidin--positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, 2006. A1 - Tristan, A A1 - Bes, M A1 - Meugnier, H A1 - Lina, G A1 - Bozdogan, B A1 - Courvalin, P A1 - Reverdy, ME A1 - Enright, MC A1 - Vandenesch, F A1 - Etienne, J J1 - Emerg Infect Dis Y1 - 2007/04// VL - 13 SN - 1080-6040 SP - 594 EP - 600 N2 - We determined the agr type, multilocus sequence type, protein A gene type (spa typing), toxin gene profile, and antimicrobial drug resistance profile of 469 isolates of Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates (PVL-positive CA-MRSA). The isolates had been collected from around the world from 1999 through 2005 by the French National Reference Center for Staphylococci. We found that some continent-specific clones described in 2003, such as clone ST8, have now spread all over the world. Likewise, some PVL-positive CA-MRSA have spread to several countries on various continents. New clones have emerged (e.g., ST377) on new genetic backgrounds. PVL-positive CA-MRSA that were usually susceptible to most antistaphylococcal antimicrobial agents have acquired new resistance determinants (e.g., to gentamicin) in certain countries. The major trait shared by all these clones is a short staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec element of type IV or V. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17553275&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Development and application of an ethically and epidemiologically advantageous assay for the multi-locus microsatellite analysis of Schistosoma mansoni. A1 - Gower, CM A1 - Shrivastava, J A1 - Lamberton, PH A1 - Rollinson, D A1 - Webster, BL A1 - Emery, A A1 - Kabatereine, NB A1 - Webster, JP J1 - Parasitology Y1 - 2007/04// VL - 134 SN - 0031-1820 SP - 523 EP - 536 N2 - Non-availability of adult worms from living hosts remains a key problem in population genetic studies of schistosomes. Indirect sampling involving passage through laboratory animals presents significant ethical and practical drawbacks, and may result in sampling biases such as bottlenecking processes and/or host-induced selection pressures. The novel techniques reported here for sampling, storage and multi-locus microsatellite analysis of larval Schistosoma mansoni, allowing genotyping of up to 7 microsatellite loci from a single larva, circumvent these problems. The utility of these assays and the potential problems of laboratory passage, were evaluated using 7 S. mansoni population isolates collected from school-children in the Hoima district of Uganda, by comparing the associated field-collected miracidia with adult worms and miracidia obtained from a single generation in laboratory mice. Analyses of laboratory-passaged material erroneously indicated the presence of geographical structuring in the population, emphasizing the dangers of indirect sampling for population genetic studies. Bottlenecking and/or other sampling effects were demonstrated by reduced variability of adult worms compared to their parent field-collected larval samples. Patterns of heterozygote deficiency were apparent in the field-collected samples, which were not evident in laboratory-derived samples, potentially indicative of heterozygote advantage in establishment within laboratory hosts. Genetic distance between life-cycle stages in the majority of isolates revealed that adult worms and laboratory-passaged miracidia clustered together whilst segregating from field miracidia, thereby further highlighting the utility of this assay. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17096873&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Interrupted time-series analysis of regulations to reduce paracetamol (acetaminophen) poisoning. A1 - Morgan, OW A1 - Griffiths, C A1 - Majeed, A J1 - PLoS Med Y1 - 2007/04// VL - 4 SN - 1549-1676 SP - e105 EP - e105 N2 - BACKGROUND: Paracetamol (acetaminophen) poisoning is the leading cause of acute liver failure in Great Britain and the United States. Successful interventions to reduced harm from paracetamol poisoning are needed. To achieve this, the government of the United Kingdom introduced legislation in 1998 limiting the pack size of paracetamol sold in shops. Several studies have reported recent decreases in fatal poisonings involving paracetamol. We use interrupted time-series analysis to evaluate whether the recent fall in the number of paracetamol deaths is different to trends in fatal poisoning involving aspirin, paracetamol compounds, antidepressants, or nondrug poisoning suicide. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We calculated directly age-standardised mortality rates for paracetamol poisoning in England and Wales from 1993 to 2004. We used an ordinary least-squares regression model divided into pre- and postintervention segments at 1999. The model included a term for autocorrelation within the time series. We tested for changes in the level and slope between the pre- and postintervention segments. To assess whether observed changes in the time series were unique to paracetamol, we compared against poisoning deaths involving compound paracetamol (not covered by the regulations), aspirin, antidepressants, and nonpoisoning suicide deaths. We did this comparison by calculating a ratio of each comparison series with paracetamol and applying a segmented regression model to the ratios. No change in the ratio level or slope indicated no difference compared to the control series. There were about 2,200 deaths involving paracetamol. The age-standardised mortality rate rose from 8.1 per million in 1993 to 8.8 per million in 1997, subsequently falling to about 5.3 per million in 2004. After the regulations were introduced, deaths dropped by 2.69 per million (p = 0.003). Trends in the age-standardised mortality rate for paracetamol compounds, aspirin, and antidepressants were broadly similar to paracetamol, increasing until 1997 and then declining. Nondrug poisoning suicide also declined during the study period, but was highest in 1993. The segmented regression models showed that the age-standardised mortality rate for compound paracetamol dropped less after the regulations (p = 0.012) but declined more rapidly afterward (p = 0.031). However, age-standardised rates for aspirin and antidepressants fell in a similar way to paracetamol after the regulations. Nondrug poisoning suicide declined at a similar rate to paracetamol after the regulations were introduced. CONCLUSIONS: Introduction of regulations to limit availability of paracetamol coincided with a decrease in paracetamol-poisoning mortality. However, fatal poisoning involving aspirin, antidepressants, and to a lesser degree, paracetamol compounds, also showed similar trends. This raises the question whether the decline in paracetamol deaths was due to the regulations or was part of a wider trend in decreasing drug-poisoning mortality. We found little evidence to support the hypothesis that the 1998 regulations limiting pack size resulted in a greater reduction in poisoning deaths involving paracetamol than occurred for other drugs or nondrug poisoning suicide. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17407385&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Detection of urinary drug metabolite (xenometabolome) signatures in molecular epidemiology studies via statistical total correlation (NMR) spectroscopy. A1 - Holmes, E A1 - Loo, RL A1 - Cloarec, O A1 - Coen, M A1 - Tang, H A1 - Maibaum, E A1 - Bruce, S A1 - Chan, Q A1 - Elliott, P A1 - Stamler, J A1 - Wilson, ID A1 - Lindon, JC A1 - Nicholson, JK J1 - Anal Chem Y1 - 2007/04/01/ VL - 79 SN - 0003-2700 SP - 2629 EP - 2640 N2 - Western populations use prescription and nonprescription drugs extensively, but large-scale population usage is rarely assessed objectively in epidemiological studies. Here we apply statistical methods to characterize structural pathway connectivities of metabolites of commonly used drugs detected routinely in 1H NMR spectra of urine in a human population study. 1H NMR spectra were measured for two groups of urine samples obtained from U.S. participants in a known population study. The novel application of a statistical total correlation spectroscopy (STOCSY) approach enabled rapid identification of the major and certain minor drug metabolites in common use in the population, in particular, from acetaminophen and ibuprofen metabolites. This work shows that statistical connectivities between drug metabolites can be established in routine "high-throughput" NMR screening of human samples from participants who have randomly self-administered drugs. This approach should be of value in considering interpopulation patterns of drug metabolism in epidemiological and pharmacogenetic studies. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17323917&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - A spatial probit model for fine-scale mapping of disease genes. A1 - De Iorio, M A1 - Verzilli, CJ J1 - Genet Epidemiol Y1 - 2007/04// VL - 31 SN - 0741-0395 SP - 252 EP - 260 N2 - We present a novel statistical method for linkage disequilibrium (LD) mapping of disease susceptibility loci in case-control studies. Such studies exploit the statistical correlation or LD that exist between variants physically close along the genome to identify those that correlate with disease status and might thus be close to a causative mutation, generally assumed unobserved. LD structure, however, varies markedly over short distances because of variation in local recombination rates, mutation and genetic drift among other factors. We propose a Bayesian multivariate probit model that flexibly accounts for the local spatial correlation between markers. In a case-control setting, we use a retrospective model that properly reflects the sampling scheme and identify regions where single- or multi-locus marker frequencies differ across cases and controls. We formally quantify these differences using information-theoretic distance measures while the fully Bayesian approach naturally accommodates unphased or missing genotype data. We demonstrate our approach on simulated data and on real data from the CYP2D6 region that has a confirmed role in drug metabolism. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17266116&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Interpersonal continuity of care: a cross-sectional survey of primary care patients' preferences and their experiences A1 - Baker, R A1 - Boulton, M A1 - Windridge, K A1 - Tarrant, C A1 - Bankart, J A1 - Freeman, GK J1 - BRIT J GEN PRACT Y1 - 2007/04// VL - 57 SN - 0960-1643 SP - 283 EP - 289 N2 - Background Developments in primary care may make the provision of interpersonal continuity more difficult.Aim To identify those patients who regard interpersonal continuity as important and determine what makes it difficult for them to obtain this. Design of study Cross sectional survey.Setting Twenty-two practices and a walk-in centre in West London and Leicestershire, UK.Method Administration of a questionnaire on preferences for and experiences of interpersonal and informational continuity. Interpersonal continuity was defined in three questions: choosing a particular person; choosing someone known and trusted; and choosing someone who knows the patient and medical condition.Results One thousand four hundred and thirty-seven (46.5%) patients responded. Consulting someone known and trusted was important to 766 (62.6%) responders, although 105 (13.7%) of these reported that they had not experienced it at their last consultation. Seven hundred and eighty-eight (65.2%) responders regarded being able to consult a particular person as important, but 168 (21.3%) of these were unable to. Being in work and consulting for a new problem were associated with failing to obtain interpersonal continuity. Ethnic group was associated with failing to see someone with time to listen when this was preferred.Conclusion In view of the response rate, which was particularly low among young males, some caution is required in applying the findings. Most patients experience the aspects of care important to them, although interpersonal continuity is important to many and certain groups find difficulty in obtaining it. Practices should have flexible appointment systems to account for the difficulties some patients have in negotiating for the type of care they want. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Haemochromatosis: Rising hospital admission rates but stable mortality 1989/90 to 2002/03 A1 - Cowan, ML A1 - Westlake, S A1 - Majeed, A A1 - Rahman, TM A1 - Maxwell, JD A1 - Kang, J J1 - GUT Y1 - 2007/04// VL - 56 SN - 0017-5749 SP - A123 EP - A124 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Descriptive study comparing routine hospital administrative data with the Vascular Society of Great Britain and Ireland's National Vascular Database. A1 - Aylin, P A1 - Lees, T A1 - Baker, S A1 - Prytherch, D A1 - Ashley, S J1 - Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg Y1 - 2007/04// VL - 33 SN - 1078-5884 SP - 461 EP - 465 N2 - OBJECTIVE: To compare patient volume and outcomes in vascular surgery between an administrative data set (Hospital Episode Statistics) and a clinical database (National Vascular Database). DESIGN: Descriptive study. METHODS: Volume of cases determined by age, sex, year and procedure and in-hospital mortality by procedure for both datasets for patients undergoing either repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm, carotid endarterectomy or infrainguinal bypass over a three year period between 1st April 2001 and 31st March 2004. RESULTS: There were 32,242 admissions with a mention of the three selected vascular procedures within the administrative data set compared to 8462 within the clinical database. For NHS trusts common to both datasets, there were twice as many procedures (16,923) recorded within the administrative dataset compared to the clinical database. Patient characteristics were similar across both databases. Further analysis limiting the administrative data to records attributed to consultants known to contribute to the clinical database showed much closer agreement with only 11% more repairs of abdominal aortic aneurysm recorded within the administrative dataset compared to the National Vascular Database. CONCLUSIONS: There are significant differences in total numbers between HES and the NVD. If the National Vascular Database is to become a credible source of information on activity and outcomes for vascular surgery, there is a clear need to increase the number of contributing surgeons and to increase the completeness of data submitted. Further analysis at individual record level is needed to identify other reasons for discrepancies which could help to enhance data quality, both within Hospital Episode Statistics and within the National Vascular Database. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17175183&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - No association of consumption of animal foods with risk of ovarian cancer A1 - Schulz, M A1 - Nothlings, U A1 - Allen, N A1 - Onland-Moret, NC A1 - Agnoli, C A1 - Engeset, D A1 - Galasso, R A1 - Wirfalt, E A1 - Tjonneland, A A1 - Olsen, A A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Boutron-Ruault, MC A1 - Chajes, V A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Rayj, J A1 - Hoffmannj, K A1 - Chang-Claude, J A1 - Kaaks, R A1 - Trichopouios, D A1 - Georgila, C A1 - Zourna, P A1 - Palli, D A1 - Berrino, F A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Panico, S A1 - Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB A1 - Ocke, MC A1 - Peeters, PHM A1 - Lund, E A1 - Gram, IT A1 - Skeie, G A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Lundin, E A1 - Hallmans, G A1 - Gonzalez, CA A1 - Quiros, JR A1 - Dorronsoro, M A1 - Martinez, C A1 - Tormo, MJ A1 - Barricarte, A A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Khaw, KT A1 - Key, TJA A1 - Jenab, M A1 - Rinaldi, S A1 - Slimani, N A1 - Riboli, E J1 - CANCER EPIDEM BIOMAR Y1 - 2007/04// VL - 16 SN - 1055-9965 SP - 852 EP - 855 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Modeling human papillomavirus vaccine effectiveness: Quantifying the impact of parameter uncertainty A1 - de Velde, NV A1 - Brisson, M A1 - Boily, MC J1 - AM J EPIDEMIOL Y1 - 2007/04/01/ VL - 165 SN - 0002-9262 SP - 762 EP - 775 N2 - The development of models is based on assumptions, which inevitably embed a level of uncertainty. Quantifying such uncertainty is particularly important when modeling human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine effectiveness; the natural history of infection and disease is complex, and age- and type-specific data remain scarce and incomplete. The aim of this study was to predict the impact of HPV-6/11/16/18 vaccination, using a cohort model and measuring parameter uncertainty. An extensive fitting procedure was conducted, which identified 164 posterior parameter combinations (out of 200,000 prior parameter sets) that fit simultaneously HPV type-specific incidence and prevalence data for infection, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Results based on these posterior parameter sets suggest that vaccinating girls aged 12 years (vaccine efficacy = 95%, no waning) would reduce their lifetime risk of HPV infection, CIN1, CIN2/3, and SCC by 21% (80% credibility interval: 17, 29), 24% (80% credibility interval: 17, 31), 49% (80% credibility interval: 36, 60), and 61% (80% credibility interval: 47, 73), respectively. If vaccine efficacy is reduced or vaccine protection is assumed to wane, uncertainty surrounding predictions widens considerably. Important priorities for future research are to understand the role of natural immunity and to measure the duration of vaccine protection because results were most sensitive to these parameters. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Approximate disease dynamics in household-structured populations. A1 - Dodd, PJ A1 - Ferguson, NM J1 - J R Soc Interface Y1 - 2007/03/28/ SN - 1742-5689 N2 - We argue that the large-dimensional dynamical systems which frequently occur in biological models can sometimes be effectively reduced to much smaller ones. We illustrate this by applying projection operator techniques to a mean-field model of an infectious disease spreading through a population of households. In this way, we are able to accurately approximate the dynamics of the system in terms of a few key quantities greatly reducing the number of equations required. We investigate linear stability in this framework and find a new way of calculating the familiar threshold criterion for household systems. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17392066&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Impact and process evaluation of integrated community and clinic-based HIV-1 control: a cluster-randomised trial in eastern Zimbabwe. A1 - Gregson, S A1 - Adamson, S A1 - Papaya, S A1 - Mundondo, J A1 - Nyamukapa, CA A1 - Mason, PR A1 - Garnett, GP A1 - Chandiwana, SK A1 - Foster, G A1 - Anderson, RM J1 - PLoS Med Y1 - 2007/03/27/ VL - 4 SN - 1549-1676 SP - e102 EP - e102 N2 - BACKGROUND: HIV-1 control in sub-Saharan Africa requires cost-effective and sustainable programmes that promote behaviour change and reduce cofactor sexually transmitted infections (STIs) at the population and individual levels. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We measured the feasibility of community-based peer education, free condom distribution, income-generating projects, and clinic-based STI treatment and counselling services and evaluated their impact on the incidence of HIV-1 measured over a 3-y period in a cluster-randomised controlled trial in eastern Zimbabwe. Analysis of primary outcomes was on an intention-to-treat basis. The income-generating projects proved impossible to implement in the prevailing economic climate. Despite greater programme activity and knowledge in the intervention communities, the incidence rate ratio of HIV-1 was 1.27 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.92-1.75) compared to the control communities. No evidence was found for reduced incidence of self-reported STI symptoms or high-risk sexual behaviour in the intervention communities. Males who attended programme meetings had lower HIV-1 incidence (incidence rate ratio 0.48, 95% CI 0.24-0.98), and fewer men who attended programme meetings reported unprotected sex with casual partners (odds ratio 0.45, 95% CI 0.28-0.75). More male STI patients in the intervention communities reported cessation of symptoms (odds ratio 2.49, 95% CI 1.21-5.12). CONCLUSIONS: Integrated peer education, condom distribution, and syndromic STI management did not reduce population-level HIV-1 incidence in a declining epidemic, despite reducing HIV-1 incidence in the immediate male target group. Our results highlight the need to assess the community-level impact of interventions that are effective amongst targeted population sub-groups. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17388666&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Sex ratio and time to pregnancy: analysis of four large European population surveys A1 - Joffe, M A1 - Bennett, J A1 - Best, N A1 - Jensen, TK J1 - BRIT MED J Y1 - 2007/03/10/ VL - 334 SN - 0959-8146 SP - 524 EP - 526A N2 - Objective To test whether the secondary sex ratio (proportion of male births) is associated with time to pregnancy, a marker of fertility.Design Analysis of four large population surveys.Setting Denmark and the United Kingdom. Participants 49 506 pregnancies.Main outcome measure Secondary sex ratio.Results No association was found between the sex ratio and time to pregnancy and no discernible trend was found for sex ratio with time to pregnancy, either within individual datasets or in the pooled analysis. The odds ratios were 0.97 (95% confidence interval 0.90 to 1.04) for contraceptive failures, 1.01 (0.96 to 1.05) for time to pregnancy of 2-4 months, 1.02 (0.97 to 1.08) for 5-10 months, 0.98 (0.93 to 1.03) for 11 months or more, and 0.88 (0.74 to 1.06) for fertility treatment, with 0-1 months as the reference category.Conclusion No association was found between the secondary sex ratio and time to pregnancy. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Sex ratio and time to pregnancy: analysis of four large European population surveys. A1 - Joffe, M A1 - Bennett, J A1 - Best, N A1 - Jensen, TK J1 - BMJ Y1 - 2007/03/10/ VL - 334 SN - 1468-5833 SP - 524 EP - 524 N2 - OBJECTIVE: To test whether the secondary sex ratio (proportion of male births) is associated with time to pregnancy, a marker of fertility. Design Analysis of four large population surveys. Setting Denmark and the United Kingdom. Participants 49 506 pregnancies. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Secondary sex ratio. RESULTS: No association was found between the sex ratio and time to pregnancy and no discernible trend was found for sex ratio with time to pregnancy, either within individual datasets or in the pooled analysis. The odds ratios were 0.97 (95% confidence interval 0.90 to 1.04) for contraceptive failures, 1.01 (0.96 to 1.05) for time to pregnancy of 2-4 months, 1.02 (0.97 to 1.08) for 5-10 months, 0.98 (0.93 to 1.03) for 11 months or more, and 0.88 (0.74 to 1.06) for fertility treatment, with 0-1 months as the reference category. CONCLUSION: No association was found between the secondary sex ratio and time to pregnancy. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17277014&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - A multi-compartment cell repopulation model allowing for inter-compartmental migration following radiation exposure, applied to leukaemia. A1 - Little, MP J1 - J Theor Biol Y1 - 2007/03/07/ VL - 245 SN - 0022-5193 SP - 83 EP - 97 N2 - There is much uncertainty about cancer risks at the high radiation doses used in radiotherapy (RT). It has generally been assumed that cancer induction decreases rapidly at high doses due to cell killing. However, this is not seen in all RT groups, and a model recently developed by Sachs and Brenner [2005. Solid tumor risks after high doses of ionizing radiation. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 102, 13040-13045] proposed a mechanism for repopulation of cells after radiation exposure that explained why this might happen, at least for solid tumours. In this paper, this model is generalized to allow for heterogeneity in the dose received, and various alternate patterns of repopulation are also considered. The model is fitted to the Japanese atomic bomb survivor leukaemia incidence data, and data for various therapeutically irradiated groups. Two sets of parameters from these model fits are used to assess the sensitivity of model predictions. It is shown that in general allowing for heterogeneity in dose distribution and haematopoietic stem cell migration results in lower risks than the same average dose administered uniformly and without such migration, although this does not hold in the limiting case of complete stem cell repopulation between radiation dose fractions. We also investigate the difference made by assuming a compartmental repopulation signal, and a global repopulation signal. In general we show that in the absence of stochastic extinction, compartmental repopulation always predicts a larger number of mutated cells than global repopulation. However, in certain dose regimes stochastic extinction cannot be ignored, and in these cases the numbers of mutated cells predicted with global repopulation can exceed that for compartmental repopulation. In general, mutant cell numbers are highly overdispersed, with variance much greater than the mean. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17092522&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Pay for performance in UK primary care: impact on smoking cessation advice and smoking prevalence in people with diabetes. Results from the Wandsworth Prospective Diabetes Study A1 - Millett, C A1 - Gray, J A1 - Saxena, S A1 - Netuveli, G A1 - Majeed, A J1 - DIABETIC MED Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 24 SN - 0742-3071 SP - 67 EP - 67 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Inferring a population structure for Staphylococcus epidermidis from multilocus sequence typing data. A1 - Miragaia, M A1 - Thomas, JC A1 - Couto, I A1 - Enright, MC A1 - de Lencastre, H J1 - J Bacteriol Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 189 SN - 0021-9193 SP - 2540 EP - 2552 N2 - Despite its importance as a human pathogen, information on population structure and global epidemiology of Staphylococcus epidermidis is scarce and the relative importance of the mechanisms contributing to clonal diversification is unknown. In this study, we addressed these issues by analyzing a representative collection of S. epidermidis isolates from diverse geographic and clinical origins using multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Additionally, we characterized the mobile element (SCCmec) carrying the genetic determinant of methicillin resistance. The 217 S. epidermidis isolates from our collection were split by MLST into 74 types, suggesting a high level of genetic diversity. Analysis of MLST data using the eBURST algorithm revealed the existence of nine epidemic clonal lineages that were disseminated worldwide. One single clonal lineage (clonal complex 2) comprised 74% of the isolates, whereas the remaining isolates were clustered into 8 minor clonal lineages and 13 singletons. According to our evolutionary model, SCCmec was acquired at least 56 times by S. epidermidis. Although geographic dissemination of S. epidermidis strains and the value of the index of association between the alleles, 0.2898 (P < 0.05), support the clonality of S. epidermidis species, examination of the sequence changes at MLST loci during clonal diversification showed that recombination gives rise to new alleles approximately twice as frequently as point mutations. We suggest that S. epidermidis has a population with an epidemic structure, in which nine clones have emerged upon a recombining background and evolved quickly through frequent transfer of genetic mobile elements, including SCCmec. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17220222&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Suppressive valacyclovir therapy: impact on the population spread of HSV-2 infection. A1 - Williams, JR A1 - Jordan, JC A1 - Davis, EA A1 - Garnett, GP J1 - Sex Transm Dis Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 34 SN - 0148-5717 SP - 123 EP - 131 N2 - OBJECTIVES: Recent trial results demonstrate that the transmission probability of HSV-2 in monogamous couples is nearly halved by the use of valacyclovir as suppressive therapy. GOAL: The goal of this study is to understand the potential impact of suppressive valacyclovir therapy on the transmission of HSV-2 within a population. STUDY DESIGN: A mathematical model of HSV-2 epidemiology was developed which included suppressive therapy with the efficacy observed in the clinical trial. The model represented HSV-2 spread in an age and sexual activity stratified population where rates of viral shedding declined based on time since infection. The model tested the impact of a range of suppression coverage levels. RESULTS: Suppressive therapy reduces the population incidence of HSV-2. With coverage rates of 3.2%, the incidence of HSV-2 would be reduced by between 1.8% and 2.8%. Higher coverage rates were estimated to reduce the incidence of new cases up to 13%. Starting suppression closer to the time of infection also reduces the incidence of new cases. CONCLUSION: The impact of suppressive therapy on the HSV-2 epidemic is modest at current coverage levels but could be substantially increased with higher rates of diagnosis and a focus on coverage soon after infection. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17325600&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Familial risk and prodromal features of psychosis in adolescents aged 15-16 years in the northern Finland 1986 birth cohort A1 - Maki, PH A1 - Miettunen, J A1 - Taanila, A A1 - Moilanen, I A1 - Ebeling, H A1 - Joukamaa, M A1 - Lauronen, E A1 - Jarvelin, MR A1 - Jones, PB A1 - Murray, G A1 - Heinimaa, M A1 - Veijola, JM J1 - EUR PSYCHIAT Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 22 SN - 0924-9338 SP - S84 EP - S85 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Synoptic formatting improves quality of cancer pathology reports: A population based analysis of 4538 cases A1 - Srigley, JR A1 - McGowan, T A1 - Evans, A A1 - Tamblyn, M A1 - Bowler, J A1 - Raby, A A1 - Dharssi, M A1 - Ross, J J1 - LAB INVEST Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 87 SN - 0023-6837 SP - 343A EP - 343A ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Common ABCB1 polymorphisms are not associated with multidrug resistance in epilepsy using a gene-wide tagging approach. A1 - Leschziner, GD A1 - Andrew, T A1 - Leach, JP A1 - Chadwick, D A1 - Coffey, AJ A1 - Balding, DJ A1 - Bentley, DR A1 - Pirmohamed, M A1 - Johnson, MR J1 - Pharmacogenet Genomics Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 17 SN - 1744-6872 SP - 217 EP - 220 N2 - P-glycoprotein, the product of the ABCB1 gene, is a proposed mechanism of pharmacoresistance in epilepsy. Previous attempts to correlate the ABCB1 C3435T SNP, or a three-SNP haplotype containing C3435T with epilepsy pharmacoresistance have produced discordant findings. We analysed these single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), plus a more comprehensive set of tagging SNPs describing common variation in ABCB1 in a case-control study. No significant association of C3435T (P=0.55), the three-SNP haplotype (lowest P=0.14) or any gene-wide tagging SNP (lowest P=0.17) with multidrug resistance in epilepsy was identified. Meta-analysis of studies using the same definition of multidrug resistance (n=1064) also demonstrated no significant association of C3435T with multidrug resistance (P=0.31). These findings suggest that C3435T is unlikely to be a marker for epilepsy multidrug resistance. In addition, no evidence for a role of other common ABCB1 polymorphisms was found using a potentially more powerful gene-wide tagging approach. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17460550&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Is there an association between quality of primary care and admissions for diabetes? A1 - Bottle, A A1 - Xie, Y A1 - Majeed, A A1 - Millett, C J1 - DIABETIC MED Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 24 SN - 0742-3071 SP - 68 EP - 68 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Exposure to solvents and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma: clues on putative mechanisms. A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Miligi, L A1 - Costantini, AS J1 - Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 16 SN - 1055-9965 SP - 381 EP - 384 N2 - Malignant lymphomas are a group of diseases of uncertain etiology. Both environmental factors and genetic susceptibility have been reported as risk factors. We have conducted a population-based case-control study in Italy: all newly diagnosed cases of malignant lymphoma, in males and females ages 20 to 74 years in the 1991 to 1993 period, were identified; the control group was comprised of a random sample of the general population resident in each of the areas under study, stratified by sex and 5-year age groups. Overall, 1,428 non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) cases and 1,530 controls were interviewed. Experts from each geographic area examined questionnaire data and assigned a level of probability and intensity of exposure to a range of chemical groups and individual chemicals. For those in the medium/high level of exposure, there was an increased risk of NHL for exposure to benzene, xylene, and toluene. We have examined the hypothesis that the effect of solvents is related to their immunotoxicity by analyzing the interaction with a previous history of autoimmune disease. We have found an apparent, though not statistically significant, increased risk of NHL in those with both exposure to benzene and a history of autoimmune disease (odds ratio, 16.3; 95% confidence interval, 0.8-321). In addition, an odds ratio of 29.8 (95% confidence interval, 1.4-650.2, based on nine exposed cases) was associated with high-level exposure to benzene in those with a positive family history of malignant hematologic neoplasms. Both hypotheses (i.e., the interaction with autoimmune diseases and with familial predisposition) indirectly suggest that an immunologic mechanism could be involved in lymphomagenesis from solvents. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17337640&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Systematic review of quality of diabetes care in Europe from published papers and comparison with Quality and Outcomes Framework results from the UK A1 - Gadsby, R A1 - Davies, M A1 - Majeed, A A1 - Khunti, K J1 - DIABETIC MED Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 24 SN - 0742-3071 SP - 68 EP - 68 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Age at first sex and HIV infection in rural Zimbabwe. A1 - Hallett, TB A1 - Lewis, JJ A1 - Lopman, BA A1 - Nyamukapa, CA A1 - Mushati, P A1 - Wambe, M A1 - Garnett, GP A1 - Gregson, S J1 - Stud Fam Plann Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 38 SN - 0039-3665 SP - 1 EP - 10 N2 - Beginning sexual activity introduces an individual to the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections. In this study, cross-sectional behavioral data linked to HIV-status from 4,138 men and 4,948 women interviewed in rural Zimbabwe are analyzed to investigate the distribution and consequences of early first sex. We find that age at first sex (at a median age of 19 years for males and 18 years for females) has declined among males over the past 30 years but increased recently among females. Those in unskilled employment, those not associated with a church, and women without a primary education begin to have sex earlier than others. Early sexual debut before marriage precedes a lifetime of greater sexual activity but with more consistent condom use. Women who begin to have sex earlier than others of their age are more likely to be infected with HIV. This finding can be explained by their having a greater lifetime number of sexual partners than those whose first sexual experience occurs later. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17385378&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Density-dependent host choice by disease vectors: epidemiological implications of the ideal free distribution. A1 - Basáñez, MG A1 - Razali, K A1 - Renz, A A1 - Kelly, D J1 - Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 101 SN - 0035-9203 SP - 256 EP - 269 N2 - The proportion of vector blood meals taken on humans (the human blood index, h) appears as a squared term in classical expressions of the basic reproduction ratio (R(0)) for vector-borne infections. Consequently, R(0) varies non-linearly with h. Estimates of h, however, constitute mere snapshots of a parameter that is predicted, from evolutionary theory, to vary with vector and host abundance. We test this prediction using a population dynamics model of river blindness assuming that, before initiation of vector control or chemotherapy, recorded measures of vector density and human infection accurately represent endemic equilibrium. We obtain values of h that satisfy the condition that the effective reproduction ratio (R(e)) must equal 1 at equilibrium. Values of h thus obtained decrease with vector density, decrease with the vector:human ratio and make R(0) respond non-linearly rather than increase linearly with vector density. We conclude that if vectors are less able to obtain human blood meals as their density increases, antivectorial measures may not lead to proportional reductions in R(0) until very low vector levels are achieved. Density dependence in the contact rate of infectious diseases transmitted by insects may be an important non-linear process with implications for their epidemiology and control. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17112556&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Cloninger's Temperament dimensions, socio-economic and lifestyle factors and metabolic syndrome markers at age 31 years in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966. A1 - Sovio, U A1 - King, V A1 - Miettunen, J A1 - Ek, E A1 - Laitinen, J A1 - Joukamaa, M A1 - Veijola, J A1 - Järvelin, MR J1 - J Health Psychol Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 12 SN - 1359-1053 SP - 371 EP - 382 N2 - The aim of this study was to assess the association between temperament and metabolic syndrome markers. Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory and clinical examination were carried out in 1997 in the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (N = 4364 respondents). Novelty seeking was positively associated with waist circumference in both genders. Systolic blood pressure was highest in men with high harm avoidance and low persistence scores and lowest in women with high reward dependence and high persistence scores. Childhood socio-economic status did not confound these associations. Smoking and alcohol consumption were associated with higher novelty seeking. Our results suggest that temperament is associated with metabolic syndrome markers and this association may be partly mediated by lifestyle factors and socio-economic status in adulthood. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17284500&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Psychological scales predict psychiatric hospitalizations - The Northem Finland 1966 birth cohort A1 - Miettunen, J A1 - Veijola, J A1 - Isohanni, M A1 - Paunio, T A1 - Lichtermann, D A1 - Freimer, N A1 - Peltonen, L A1 - Jarvelin, MR A1 - Joukamaa, M J1 - EUR PSYCHIAT Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 22 SN - 0924-9338 SP - S328 EP - S328 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Trends in the prescription and cost of diabetic medications and monitoring equipment in England 1991-2004. A1 - Patel, H A1 - Srishanmuganathan, J A1 - Car, J A1 - Majeed, A J1 - J Public Health (Oxf) Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 29 SN - 1741-3842 SP - 48 EP - 52 N2 - BACKGROUND: To report the trend in prescriptions and cost of antidiabetic drugs and glucose monitoring equipment in England from 1991 to 2004. METHODS: We analysed data on all community antidiabetic drug prescriptions in England collated from the Prescription Cost Analysis system. RESULTS: The total number of diabetes prescriptions (medicines and monitoring) rose from 7,613,000 (1991) to 24,325,640 (2004) (>300% increase). Meanwhile, total costs increased by 650%. Insulins are the biggest contributor to cost followed by monitoring equipment and then oral medications. Three times as many items of oral tablets are prescribed than insulins. Metformin accounts for 40% of all diabetic drug dispensations but only 7% of the costs. More is spent on glitazones now than on either metformin or sulphonylureas. CONCLUSIONS: There has been a substantial increase in the cost of managing diabetes in the community. Costs are likely to continue to rise in the future, as the prevalence of diabetes increases and through more aggressive identification and management of patients with diabetes in the hope of reducing the even more costly complications. The cost implications of glucose monitoring merits further study. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17124257&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Trends in the prescription and cost of diabetic medications and monitoring equipment in England 1991-2004 A1 - Patel, H A1 - Srishanmuganathan, J A1 - Car, J A1 - Majeed, A J1 - DIABETIC MED Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 24 SN - 0742-3071 SP - 69 EP - 69 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Does pay for performance in primary care reduce ethnic group variations in diabetes management and control? Results from the Wandsworth Prospective Diabetes Study A1 - Millett, C A1 - Gray, J A1 - Saxena, S A1 - Netuveli, G A1 - Khunti, K A1 - Majeed, A J1 - DIABETIC MED Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 24 SN - 0742-3071 SP - 63 EP - 63 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Genetic variation at the CYP19A1 locus predicts circulating estrogen levels but not breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women. A1 - Haiman, CA A1 - Dossus, L A1 - Setiawan, VW A1 - Stram, DO A1 - Dunning, AM A1 - Thomas, G A1 - Thun, MJ A1 - Albanes, D A1 - Altshuler, D A1 - Ardanaz, E A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Buring, J A1 - Burtt, N A1 - Calle, EE A1 - Chanock, S A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Colditz, GA A1 - Cox, DG A1 - Feigelson, HS A1 - Hankinson, SE A1 - Hayes, RB A1 - Henderson, BE A1 - Hirschhorn, JN A1 - Hoover, R A1 - Hunter, DJ A1 - Kaaks, R A1 - Kolonel, LN A1 - Le Marchand, L A1 - Lenner, P A1 - Lund, E A1 - Panico, S A1 - Peeters, PH A1 - Pike, MC A1 - Riboli, E A1 - Tjonneland, A A1 - Travis, R A1 - Trichopoulos, D A1 - Wacholder, S A1 - Ziegler, RG J1 - Cancer Res Y1 - 2007/03/01/ VL - 67 SN - 0008-5472 SP - 1893 EP - 1897 N2 - The CYP19A1 gene encodes the enzyme aromatase, which is responsible for the final step in the biosynthesis of estrogens. In this study, we used a systematic two-step approach that included gene resequencing and a haplotype-based analysis to comprehensively survey common genetic variation across the CYP19A1 locus in relation to circulating postmenopausal steroid hormone levels and breast cancer risk. This study was conducted among 5,356 invasive breast cancer cases and 7,129 controls comprised primarily of White women of European descent drawn from five large prospective cohorts within the National Cancer Institute Breast and Prostate Cancer Cohort Consortium. A high-density single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) map of 103 common SNPs (> or =5% frequency) was used to identify the linkage disequilibrium and haplotype patterns across the CYP19A1 locus, and 19 haplotype-tagging SNPs were selected to provide high predictability of the common haplotype patterns. We found haplotype-tagging SNPs and common haplotypes spanning the coding and proximal 5' region of CYP19A1 to be significantly associated with a 10% to 20% increase in endogenous estrogen levels in postmenopausal women [effect per copy of the two-SNP haplotype rs749292-rs727479 (A-A) versus noncarriers; P = 4.4 x 10(-15)]. No significant associations were observed, however, with these SNPs or common haplotypes and breast cancer risk. Thus, although genetic variation in CYP19A1 produces measurable differences in estrogen levels among postmenopausal women, the magnitude of the change was insufficient to contribute detectably to breast cancer. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17325027&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Indoor time-microenvironment-activity patterns in seven regions of Europe. A1 - Schweizer, C A1 - Edwards, RD A1 - Bayer-Oglesby, L A1 - Gauderman, WJ A1 - Ilacqua, V A1 - Jantunen, MJ A1 - Lai, HK A1 - Nieuwenhuijsen, M A1 - Künzli, N J1 - J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 17 SN - 1559-0631 SP - 170 EP - 181 N2 - Personal exposure to environmental substances is largely determined by time-microenvironment-activity patterns while moving across locations or microenvironments. Therefore, time-microenvironment-activity data are particularly useful in modeling exposure. We investigated determinants of workday time-microenvironment-activity patterns of the adult urban population in seven European cities. The EXPOLIS study assessed workday time-microenvironment-activity patterns among a total of 1427 subjects (age 19-60 years) in Helsinki (Finland), Athens (Greece), Basel (Switzerland), Grenoble (France), Milan (Italy), Prague (Czech Republic), and Oxford (UK). Subjects completed time-microenvironment-activity diaries during two working days. We present time spent indoors--at home, at work, and elsewhere, and time exposed to tobacco smoke indoors for all cities. The contribution of sociodemographic factors has been assessed using regression models. More than 90% of the variance in indoor time-microenvironment-activity patterns originated from differences between and within subjects rather than between cities. The most common factors that were associated with indoor time-microenvironment-activity patterns, with similar contributions in all cities, were the specific work status, employment status, whether the participants were living alone, and whether the participants had children at home. Gender and season were associated with indoor time-microenvironment-activity patterns as well but the effects were rather heterogeneous across the seven cities. Exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke differed substantially across these cities. The heterogeneity of these factors across cities may reflect city-specific characteristics but selection biases in the sampled local populations may also explain part of the findings. Determinants of time-microenvironment-activity patterns need to be taken into account in exposure assessment, epidemiological analyses, exposure simulations, as well as in the development of preventive strategies that focus on time-microenvironment-activity patterns that ultimately determine exposures. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16721413&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Haplotype-based analysis of common variation in the acetyl-coA carboxylase alpha gene and breast cancer risk: a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. A1 - Sinilnikova, OM A1 - McKay, JD A1 - Tavtigian, SV A1 - Canzian, F A1 - DeSilva, D A1 - Biessy, C A1 - Monnier, S A1 - Dossus, L A1 - Boillot, C A1 - Gioia, L A1 - Hughes, DJ A1 - Jensen, MK A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Tjonneland, A A1 - Olsen, A A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Chajès, V A1 - Joulin, V A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Chang-Claude, J A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Dahm, S A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Trichopoulos, D A1 - Koliva, M A1 - Khaw, KT A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Allen, NE A1 - Key, T A1 - Palli, D A1 - Panico, S A1 - Berrino, F A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB A1 - Peeters, PH A1 - van Gils, CH A1 - Lund, E A1 - Pera, G A1 - Quirós, JR A1 - Dorronsoro, M A1 - Martínez García, C A1 - Tormo, MJ A1 - Ardanaz, E A1 - Hallmans, G A1 - Lenner, P A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Manjer, J A1 - Riboli, E A1 - Lenoir, GM A1 - Kaaks, R J1 - Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 16 SN - 1055-9965 SP - 409 EP - 415 N2 - A key fatty acid synthesis enzyme, acetyl-CoA carboxylase alpha (ACC-alpha), has been shown to be highly expressed in human breast cancer and other tumor types and also to specifically interact with the protein coded by one of two major breast cancer susceptibility genes BRCA1. We used a comprehensive haplotype analysis to examine the contribution of the ACC-alpha common genetic variation (allele frequency >5%) to breast cancer in a case-control study (1,588 cases/2,600 controls) nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. We identified 21 haplotype-tagging polymorphisms efficiently capturing common variation within 325 kb of ACC-alpha and surrounding sequences using genotype data from the HapMap project and our resequencing data. We found an effect on overall risk of breast cancer in homozygous carriers of one common haplotype [odds ratio (OR), 1.74; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.03-2.94]. When the data were subdivided by menopausal status, we found statistical evidence of heterogeneity for two other common haplotypes (P value for heterogeneity = 0.016 and 0.045). In premenopausal women, the carriers of these haplotypes, compared with noncarriers, had an altered risk of breast cancer (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.53-0.92 and OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.04-1.76). These findings were not significant after adjustment for multiple testing and therefore should be considered as preliminary and evaluated in larger independent studies. However, they suggest a possible role of the ACC-alpha common sequence variants in susceptibility to breast cancer and encourage studies of other genes involved in fatty acid synthesis. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17372234&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Alcohol consumption and risk of leukemia: A multicenter case-control study A1 - Gorini, G A1 - Stagnaro, E A1 - Fontana, V A1 - Miligi, L A1 - Ramazzotti, V A1 - Nanni, O A1 - Rodella, S A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Crosignani, P A1 - Vindigni, C A1 - Fontana, A A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Costantini, AS J1 - LEUKEMIA RES Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 31 SN - 0145-2126 SP - 379 EP - 386 N2 - A population-based case-control study of 649 leukemia cases and 1771 controls carried out in 11 Italian areas, offered the opportunity to evaluate the relationship between alcohol consumption and leukemia risk.For all leukemias, acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), we found a non-significantly inverse association for moderate levels of total alcohol and wine intake, but increased risks at high levels, with, in most cases, significant trend effects (odd ratios (OR) for all leukemias in the lowest quartile of total alcohol consumption [0.1-9.0 g/day of ethanol] versus never-drinker = 0.73; 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) = 0.51-1.03; OR in the highest quartile [> 31.7 g/day] = 1.15; 95% CI = 0.82-1.63; p of the linear trend test = 0.007).For chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), we found a non-significantly positive association for all levels of total alcohol and wine intake, and a significant positive linear trend effect (p = 0.03) for wine intake (OR for 0.1-9.0 g/day of ethanol intake from wine = 1.34; 95% CI = 0.61-2.94; OR in the highest quartile of wine intake [> 27.7 g/day] = 2.13; 95% CI = 1.01-4.50).No consistent dose-response was detected analysing duration of alcohol consumption for any leukemia subtypes.In conclusion, even though our study did not show a clear association between alcohol intake and leukemia risk, some of the patterns of the risk estimates (a possible J-shaped dose-response curve between alcohol intake and ALL, AML, and CLL risks, and the positive association between alcohol and CML), may be suggestive. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Diabetes prevalence, process of care and outcomes in relation to practice size, caseload and deprivation: national cross-sectional study in primary care A1 - Car, J A1 - Millett, C A1 - Khunti, K A1 - Mainous, A A1 - Majeed, A J1 - DIABETIC MED Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 24 SN - 0742-3071 SP - 78 EP - 78 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Systematic review of primary health care interventions to improve diabetes outcomes in minority ethnic groups A1 - Saxena, S A1 - Misra, T A1 - Car, J A1 - Smitht, R A1 - Netuveli, G A1 - Majeed, A J1 - DIABETIC MED Y1 - 2007/03// VL - 24 SN - 0742-3071 SP - 62 EP - 63 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - A genome-wide association study identifies novel risk loci for type 2 diabetes. A1 - Sladek, R A1 - Rocheleau, G A1 - Rung, J A1 - Dina, C A1 - Shen, L A1 - Serre, D A1 - Boutin, P A1 - Vincent, D A1 - Belisle, A A1 - Hadjadj, S A1 - Balkau, B A1 - Heude, B A1 - Charpentier, G A1 - Hudson, TJ A1 - Montpetit, A A1 - Pshezhetsky, AV A1 - Prentki, M A1 - Posner, BI A1 - Balding, DJ A1 - Meyre, D A1 - Polychronakos, C A1 - Froguel, P J1 - Nature Y1 - 2007/02/22/ VL - 445 SN - 1476-4687 SP - 881 EP - 885 N2 - Type 2 diabetes mellitus results from the interaction of environmental factors with a combination of genetic variants, most of which were hitherto unknown. A systematic search for these variants was recently made possible by the development of high-density arrays that permit the genotyping of hundreds of thousands of polymorphisms. We tested 392,935 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in a French case-control cohort. Markers with the most significant difference in genotype frequencies between cases of type 2 diabetes and controls were fast-tracked for testing in a second cohort. This identified four loci containing variants that confer type 2 diabetes risk, in addition to confirming the known association with the TCF7L2 gene. These loci include a non-synonymous polymorphism in the zinc transporter SLC30A8, which is expressed exclusively in insulin-producing beta-cells, and two linkage disequilibrium blocks that contain genes potentially involved in beta-cell development or function (IDE-KIF11-HHEX and EXT2-ALX4). These associations explain a substantial portion of disease risk and constitute proof of principle for the genome-wide approach to the elucidation of complex genetic traits. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17293876&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Evidence of gene-gene interactions in lung carcinogenesis in a large pooled analysis. A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Anttila, S A1 - Benhamou, S A1 - Spinola, M A1 - Hirvonen, A A1 - Kiyohara, C A1 - Garte, SJ A1 - Puntoni, R A1 - Rannug, A A1 - Strange, RC A1 - Taioli, E J1 - Carcinogenesis Y1 - 2007/02/16/ SN - 0143-3334 N2 - To test the hypothesis of interaction among genetic variants in increasing the individual risk of cancer, we have studied the cumulative effect on lung cancer risk of variants in three metabolic genes, CYP1A1, GSTM1 and GSTT1, which are involved in the metabolism of the tobacco smoke constituents and environmental contaminants polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and of other lung carcinogens. We have selected from the Genetic Susceptibility to Environmental Carcinogens (GSEC) pooled analysis all the studies on lung cancer conducted after 1991 in which all variants were available. The data set includes 611 cases and 870 controls. We found a cumulative effect of the combination of the a priori "at risk" alleles for these genes (p for trend 0.004). The risk of lung cancer was increased with the combination of CYP1A1*2B or CYP1A1*4 alleles and the double deletion of both GSTM1 and GSTT1, up to an odds ratio of 8.25 (95% confidence interval 2.29-29.77) for the combination including CYP1A1*4; among never smokers, the latter combination was associated with an odds ratio of 16.19 (1.90-137). Estimates did not change after adjustment by the number of cigarettes smoked and duration of smoking, were consistent across ethnicities, and were approximately the same for adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas. These observations from a large pooled analysis strongly suggest the existence of gene-gene interactions in lung carcinogenesis. People with rare combinations of common gene variants have a high risk of cancer and can be assimilated to subjects with highly-penetrant mutations. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17307802&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Cadmium exposure pathways in a population living near a battery plant A1 - Hellstrom, L A1 - Persson, B A1 - Brudin, L A1 - Grawe, KP A1 - Oborn, I A1 - Jarup, L J1 - SCI TOTAL ENVIRON Y1 - 2007/02/15/ VL - 373 SN - 0048-9697 SP - 447 EP - 455 N2 - Objectives: The objectives of the present study were to assess the relative impact of different pathways of environmental cadmium (Cd) exposure and to evaluate the contribution from locally produced vegetables and root crops to the total dietary intake of Cd.Method: Cadmium in urine was determined for 492 individuals living near a closed down battery factory in Sweden, For each individual we created an environmental exposure-index based on Cd emissions to ambient air and number of years living at various distances from the plant. This information as well as dietary data were collected via questionnaires. Samples of soil, carrots and/or potatoes were collected from 37 gardens and analysed for Cd concentration.Results: Eating homegrown vegetables/potatoes, environmental Cd-exposure-index, female gender, age above 30 years and smoking more than one pack of cigarettes daily for at least 10 years were found to be significantly associated with increased urine concentrations of Cd (UCd > 1.0 nmol/mmol creatinine). We found a statistically significant relation between Cd in urine and environmental Cd-exposure-index in persons eating homegrown vegetables/potatoes regularly.Cd concentrations in homegrown carrots, potatoes and in garden soil were highest in the area closest to the factory. Daily consumption of potatoes and vegetables cultivated in the vicinity of the closed battery factory was estimated to increase Cd intake by 18-38%. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - CagA+ Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric cancer risk in the EPIC-EURGAST study A1 - Palli, D A1 - Masala, G A1 - Del Giudice, G A1 - Plebani, M A1 - Basso, D A1 - Berti, D A1 - Numans, ME A1 - Ceroti, M A1 - Peeters, PHM A1 - de Mesquita, HBB A1 - Buchner, FL A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Boutron-Ruault, MC A1 - Krogh, V A1 - Saieva, C A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Panico, S A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Nyren, O A1 - Siman, H A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Hallmans, G A1 - Sanchez, MJ A1 - Larranaga, N A1 - Barricarte, A A1 - Navarro, C A1 - Quiros, JR A1 - Key, T A1 - Allen, N A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Khaw, KT A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Weikert, C A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Nagel, G A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Thomsen, RW A1 - Tjonneland, A A1 - Olsen, A A1 - Trichoupoulou, A A1 - Trichopoulos, D A1 - Arvaniti, A A1 - Pera, G A1 - Kaaks, R A1 - Jenab, M A1 - Ferrari, P A1 - Nesi, G A1 - Carneiro, F A1 - Riboli, E A1 - Gonzalez, CA J1 - INT J CANCER Y1 - 2007/02/15/ VL - 120 SN - 0020-7136 SP - 859 EP - 867 N2 - Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), atrophic gastritis, dietary and lifestyle factors have been associated with gastric cancer (GC). These factors have been evaluated in a large case-control study nested in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition carried out in 9 countries, including the Mediterranean area. Participants, enrolled in 1992-1998, provided life-style and dietary information and a blood sample (360,000; mean follow-up: 6.1 years). For 233 GC cases diagnosed after enrolment and their 910 controls individually-matched by center, gender, age and blood donation date H. pylori antibodies (antilysate and antiCagA) and plasma Pepsinogen A (PGA) were measured by ELISA methods. Severe chronic atrophic gastritis (SCAG) was defined as PGA circulating levels < 22 mu g/l. Overall, in a conditional logistic regression analysis adjusted for education, smoke, weight and consumption of total vegetables, fruit, red and preserved meat, H. pylori seropositivity was associated with GC risk. Subjects showing only antibodies anti-H. pylori lysate, however, were not at increased risk, while those with antiCagA antibodies had a 3.4-fold increased risk. Overall, the odds ratio associated with SCAG was 3.3 (95% CI 2.2-5.2). According to site, the risk of noncardia GC associated with CagA seropositivity showed a further increase (OR 6.5; 95% CI 3.3-12.6); on the other hand, a ten-fold increased risk of cardia GC was associated with SCAG (OR 11.0; 95% C1 3.0-40.9). These results support the causal relationship between H. pylori CagA+ strains infection, and GC in these European populations even after taking into account dietary habits. This association was limited to distal GC, while serologically defined SCAG was strongly associated with cardia GC, thus suggesting a divergent risk pattern for these 2 sites. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Strategies for the introduction of human papillomavirus vaccination: modelling the optimum age- and sex-specific pattern of vaccination in Finland. A1 - French, KM A1 - Barnabas, RV A1 - Lehtinen, M A1 - Kontula, O A1 - Pukkala, E A1 - Dillner, J A1 - Garnett, GP J1 - Br J Cancer Y1 - 2007/02/12/ VL - 96 SN - 0007-0920 SP - 514 EP - 518 N2 - Phase III trials have demonstrated the efficacy of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines in preventing transient and persistent high-risk (hr) HPV infection and precancerous lesions. A mathematical model of HPV type 16 infection and progression to cervical cancer, parameterised to represent the infection in Finland, was used to explore the optimal age at vaccination and pattern of vaccine introduction. In the long term, the annual proportion of cervical cancer cases prevented is much higher when early adolescents are targeted. Vaccinating against hr HPV generates greater long-term benefits if vaccine is delivered before the age at first sexual intercourse. However, vaccinating 12 year olds delays the predicted decrease in cervical cancer, compared to vaccinating older adolescents or young adults. Vaccinating males as well as females has more impact on the proportion of cases prevented when vaccinating at younger ages. Implementing catch-up vaccination at the start of a vaccination programme would increase the speed with which a decrease in HPV and cervical cancer incidence is observed. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17245341&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - EPIC-Heart: The cardiovascular component of a prospective study of nutritional, lifestyle and biological factors in 520,000 middle-aged participants from 10 European countries A1 - Danesh, J A1 - Saracci, R A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Feskens, E A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Panico, S A1 - Thompson, S A1 - Fournier, A A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Canonico, M A1 - Kaaks, R A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Pischon, T A1 - Weikert, C A1 - Olsen, A A1 - Tjonneland, A A1 - Johnsen, SP A1 - Jensen, MK A1 - Quiros, JR A1 - Svatetz, CA A1 - Perez, MJS A1 - Larranaga, N A1 - Sanchez, CN A1 - Iribas, CM A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Khaw, KT A1 - Wareham, N A1 - Key, T A1 - Roddam, A A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Benetou, V A1 - Trichopoulos, D A1 - Masala, G A1 - Sieri, S A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Sacerdote, C A1 - Mattiello, A A1 - Verschuren, WMM A1 - Bueno-De-Mesquita, HB A1 - Grobbee, DE A1 - van der Schouw, YT A1 - Melander, O A1 - Hallmans, G A1 - Wennberg, P A1 - Lund, E A1 - Kumle, M A1 - Skeie, G A1 - Ferrari, P A1 - Slimani, N A1 - Norat, T A1 - Riboli, E J1 - EUR J EPIDEMIOL Y1 - 2007/02// VL - 22 SN - 0393-2990 SP - 129 EP - 141 N2 - EPIC-Heart is the cardiovascular component of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition ( EPIC), a multi-centre prospective cohort study investigating the relationship between nutrition and major chronic disease outcomes. Its objective is to advance understanding about the separate and combined influences of lifestyle ( especially dietary), environmental, metabolic and genetic factors in the development of cardiovascular diseases by making best possible use of the unusually informative database and biological samples in EPIC. Between 1992 and 2000, 519,978 participants ( 366,521 women and 153,457 men, mostly aged 35 - 70 years) in 23 centres in 10 European countries commenced follow-up for causespecific mortality, cancer incidence and major cardiovascular morbidity. Dietary information was collected with quantitative questionnaires or semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaires, including a 24-h dietary recall sub-study to help calibrate the dietary measurements. Information was collected on physical activity, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, occupational history, socio-economic status, and history of previous illnesses. Anthropometric measurements and blood pressure recordings were made in the majority of participants. Blood samples were taken from 385,747 individuals, from which plasma, serum, red cells, and buffy coat fractions were separated and aliquoted for long-term storage. By 2004, an estimated 10,000 incident fatal and non-fatal coronary and stroke events had been recorded. The first cycle of EPIC-Heart analyses will assess associations of coronary mortality with several prominent dietary hypotheses and with established cardiovascular risk factors. Subsequent analyses will extend this approach to non-fatal cardiovascular outcomes and to further dietary, biochemical and genetic factors. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Meta-analysis of genome-wide scans provides evidence for sex- and site-specific regulation of bone mass. A1 - Ioannidis, JP A1 - Ng, MY A1 - Sham, PC A1 - Zintzaras, E A1 - Lewis, CM A1 - Deng, HW A1 - Econs, MJ A1 - Karasik, D A1 - Devoto, M A1 - Kammerer, CM A1 - Spector, T A1 - Andrew, T A1 - Cupples, LA A1 - Duncan, EL A1 - Foroud, T A1 - Kiel, DP A1 - Koller, D A1 - Langdahl, B A1 - Mitchell, BD A1 - Peacock, M A1 - Recker, R A1 - Shen, H A1 - Sol-Church, K A1 - Spotila, LD A1 - Uitterlinden, AG A1 - Wilson, SG A1 - Kung, AW A1 - Ralston, SH J1 - J Bone Miner Res Y1 - 2007/02// VL - 22 SN - 0884-0431 SP - 173 EP - 183 N2 - Several genome-wide scans have been performed to detect loci that regulate BMD, but these have yielded inconsistent results, with limited replication of linkage peaks in different studies. In an effort to improve statistical power for detection of these loci, we performed a meta-analysis of genome-wide scans in which spine or hip BMD were studied. Evidence was gained to suggest that several chromosomal loci regulate BMD in a site-specific and sex-specific manner. INTRODUCTION: BMD is a heritable trait and an important predictor of osteoporotic fracture risk. Several genome-wide scans have been performed in an attempt to detect loci that regulate BMD, but there has been limited replication of linkage peaks between studies. In an attempt to resolve these inconsistencies, we conducted a collaborative meta-analysis of genome-wide linkage scans in which femoral neck BMD (FN-BMD) or lumbar spine BMD (LS-BMD) had been studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were accumulated from nine genome-wide scans involving 11,842 subjects. Data were analyzed separately for LS-BMD and FN-BMD and by sex. For each study, genomic bins of 30 cM were defined and ranked according to the maximum LOD score they contained. While various densitometers were used in different studies, the ranking approach that we used means that the results are not confounded by the fact that different measurement devices were used. Significance for high average rank and heterogeneity was obtained through Monte Carlo testing. RESULTS: For LS-BMD, the quantitative trait locus (QTL) with greatest significance was on chromosome 1p13.3-q23.3 (p = 0.004), but this exhibited high heterogeneity and the effect was specific for women. Other significant LS-BMD QTLs were on chromosomes 12q24.31-qter, 3p25.3-p22.1, 11p12-q13.3, and 1q32-q42.3, including one on 18p11-q12.3 that had not been detected by individual studies. For FN-BMD, the strongest QTL was on chromosome 9q31.1-q33.3 (p = 0.002). Other significant QTLs were identified on chromosomes 17p12-q21.33, 14q13.1-q24.1, 9q21.32-q31.1, and 5q14.3-q23.2. There was no correlation in average ranks of bins between men and women and the loci that regulated BMD in men and women and at different sites were largely distinct. CONCLUSIONS: This large-scale meta-analysis provided evidence for replication of several QTLs identified in previous studies and also identified a QTL on chromosome 18p11-q12.3, which had not been detected by individual studies. However, despite the large sample size, none of the individual loci identified reached genome-wide significance. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17228994&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - The secret life of the multilocus sequence type. A1 - Turner, KM A1 - Feil, EJ J1 - Int J Antimicrob Agents Y1 - 2007/02// VL - 29 SN - 0924-8579 SP - 129 EP - 135 N2 - Such are the challenges, and the potential, presented by complete genome sequences that the eventual erosion of the boundaries between biochemistry, ecology, bioinformatics, population biology, epidemiology and medical microbiology will perhaps be the most profound legacy of the genomics revolution. The development of nucleotide sequence-based typing schemes (multilocus sequence typing (MLST)) represents a similar synthesis, for this technique both matches the practical requirements for a highly portable standard for strain characterisation whilst also being firmly grounded in the population biology principles of multilocus enzyme electrophoresis (MLEE). Contrary to recent claims that population biology analyses of public health-oriented MLST data 'obscures its utility in applied microbiology' [Maiden MC. Multilocus sequence typing of bacteria. Annu Rev Microbiol 2006;60:561-88.], we argue that such an emphasis is essential for full interpretation of the data. Here we note a pertinent case in point; how a consideration of the rates of genetic recombination can help to explain why MLST data tend to correlate with virulence properties in some species (Neisseria meningitidis) but not in others (Staphylococcus aureus). We also discuss how the argument applies to the identification of recently emerged methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) clones using MLST. We conclude with a speculative rationale for promoting the 'clonal complexes' of S. aureus to species status. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17204401&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Improved multilocus sequence typing scheme for Staphylococcus epidermidis. A1 - Thomas, JC A1 - Vargas, MR A1 - Miragaia, M A1 - Peacock, SJ A1 - Archer, GL A1 - Enright, MC J1 - J Clin Microbiol Y1 - 2007/02// VL - 45 SN - 0095-1137 SP - 616 EP - 619 N2 - We evaluated three multilocus sequence typing (MLST) schemes for Staphylococcus epidermidis and selected the seven most discriminatory loci for the formation of a new, more powerful MLST scheme. This improved scheme gave 31 sequence types (STs) and 5 clonal complexes (CCs), whereas the other schemes delineate 16 to 24 STs and 1 to 3 CCs. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17151213&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Stochastic modelling of colon cancer: is there a role for genomic instability? A1 - Little, MP A1 - Li, G J1 - Carcinogenesis Y1 - 2007/02// VL - 28 SN - 0143-3334 SP - 479 EP - 487 N2 - Three stochastic models of genomic instability recently developed by Little and Wright (Math. Biosci., (2003) 183, 111-34), with two, three and five stages, and the two-stage genomic instability model of Nowak et al. (Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA, (2002) 99, 16226-16231) are compared with the four-stage model proposed by Luebeck and Moolgavkar (Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA, (2002) 99, 15095-15100) that does not assume such an instability mechanism. All models are fitted to US colon cancer incidence data. The best fitting models are the two-stage model of Nowak et al. and the two-stage model of Little and Wright, with the four-stage model of Luebeck and Moolgavkar not markedly inferior. The fits of the three-stage and five-stage models are somewhat worse (P<0.05), the five-stage model fitting particularly poorly (P<0.01). Both optimal genomic instability models predict cellular mutation rates that are at least 10 000 times higher after genomic destabilization, for both sexes. Therefore, the results of this paper are somewhat at variance with those of previous analyses of Little and Wright in suggesting that equivalently good fit may be obtained by models that do not assume a role for genomic destabilization in the induction of colon cancer as for those that do. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16973671&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Identifying direct and indirect effects in a non-counterfactual framework A1 - Geneletti, S J1 - J ROY STAT SOC B Y1 - 2007/02// VL - 69 SN - 1369-7412 SP - 199 EP - 215 N2 - Identifying direct and indirect effects is a common problem in the social science and medical literature and can be described as follows. A treatment is administered and a response is recorded. However, another variable mediates the effect of the treatment on the response, in some way channelling a part of the treatment effect. The question is how to extricate the direct and channelled (indirect) effects from one another when it is not possible to intervene on the mediating variable. The aim of the paper is to tackle this problem by using a model for direct and indirect effects based on the decision theoretic framework for causal inference. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Multi-factor dimensionality reduction applied to a large prospective investigation on gene-gene and gene-environment interactions A1 - Manuguerra, M A1 - Matullo, G A1 - Veglia, F A1 - Autrup, H A1 - Dunning, AM A1 - Garte, S A1 - Gormally, E A1 - Malaveille, C A1 - Guarrera, S A1 - Polidoro, S A1 - Saletta, F A1 - Peluso, M A1 - Airoldi, L A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Raaschou-Nielsen, O A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Trichopoulos, D A1 - Kalandidi, A A1 - Palli, D A1 - Krogh, V A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Panico, S A1 - Bueno-De-Mesquita, HB A1 - Peeters, PH A1 - Lund, E A1 - Pera, G A1 - Martinez, C A1 - Amiano, P A1 - Barricarte, A A1 - Tormo, MJ A1 - Quiros, JR A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Janzon, L A1 - Jarvholm, B A1 - Day, NE A1 - Allen, NE A1 - Saracci, R A1 - Kaaks, R A1 - Ferrari, P A1 - Riboli, E A1 - Vineis, P J1 - CARCINOGENESIS Y1 - 2007/02// VL - 28 SN - 0143-3334 SP - 414 EP - 422 N2 - It is becoming increasingly evident that single-locus effects cannot explain complex multifactorial human diseases like cancer. We applied the multi-factor dimensionality reduction (MDR) method to a large cohort study on gene-environment and gene-gene interactions. The study (case-control nested in the EPIC cohort) was established to investigate molecular changes and genetic susceptibility in relation to air pollution and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in non-smokers. We have analyzed 757 controls and 409 cases with bladder cancer (n = 124), lung cancer (n = 116) and myeloid leukemia (n = 169). Thirty-six gene variants (DNA repair and metabolic genes) and three environmental exposure variables (measures of air pollution and ETS at home and at work) were analyzed. Interactions were assessed by prediction error percentage and cross-validation consistency (CVC) frequency. For lung cancer, the best model was given by a significant gene-environment association between the base excision repair (BER) XRCC1-Arg399Gln polymorphism, the double-strand break repair (DSBR) BRCA2-Asn372His polymorphism and the exposure variable 'distance from heavy traffic road', an indirect and robust indicator of air pollution (mean prediction error of 26%, P < 0.001, mean CVC of 6.60, P = 0.02). For bladder cancer, we found a significant 4-loci association between the BER APE1-Asp148Glu polymorphism, the DSBR RAD52-3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) polymorphism and the metabolic gene polymorphisms COMT-Val158Met and MTHFR-677C > T (mean prediction error of 22%, P < 0.001, mean CVC consistency of 7.40, P < 0.037). For leukemia, a 3-loci model including RAD52-2259C > T, MnSOD-Ala9Val and CYP1A1-Ile462Val had a minimum prediction error of 31% (P < 0.001) and a maximum CVC of 4.40 (P = 0.086). The MDR method seems promising, because it provides a limited number of statistically stable interactions; however, the biological interpretation remains to be understood. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - One-to-one counselling for STI prevention: not so much whether as how. A1 - Ward, H J1 - Sex Transm Infect Y1 - 2007/02// VL - 83 SN - 1368-4973 SP - 1 EP - 1 L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17283358&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Socioeconomic positoon and the risk of gastric and overphageal cancer in the European Prospective into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-EURGAST) A1 - Nagel, G A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Boshuizen, HC A1 - Pera, G A1 - Del Giudice, G A1 - Westert, GP A1 - Bueno-De-Mesquita, HB A1 - Allen, NE A1 - Key, TJ A1 - Numans, ME A1 - Peeters, PHM A1 - Sieri, S A1 - Siman, H A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Hallmans, G A1 - Stenling, R A1 - Martinez, C A1 - Arriola, L A1 - Barricarte, A A1 - Chirlaque, MD A1 - Quiros, JR A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Masala, G A1 - Palli, D A1 - Panico, S A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Bergmann, MM A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Boutron-Ruault, MC A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Olsen, A A1 - Tjormeland, A A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Bamia, C A1 - Soukara, S A1 - Sabourin, JC A1 - Carneiro, F A1 - Slimani, N A1 - Jenab, M A1 - Norat, T A1 - Riboli, E A1 - Gonzalez, CA J1 - INT J EPIDEMIOL Y1 - 2007/02// VL - 36 SN - 0300-5771 SP - 66 EP - 76 N2 - Objectives To evaluate the association of socioeconomic position with adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus and stomach.Methods The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort comprises about 520000 participants mostly aged 35-70 years. Information on diet and lifestyle was collected at recruitment. After an average follow-up of 6.5 years, 268 cases with adenocarcinoma of the stomach and 56 of the oesophagus were confirmed. We examined the effect of socioeconomic position on cancer risk by means of educational data and a computed Relative Index of Inequality (RII). In a nested case-control study, adjustment for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection was performed.Results Higher education was significantly associated with a reduced risk of gastric cancer [vs lowest level of education, hazard ratio (HR): 0.64, 95% Confidence intervals (CI): 0.43-0.981. This effect was more pronounced for cancer of the cardia (HR: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.20-0.89) as compared to non-cardia gastric cancer (HR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.36-1.22). Additionally, the inverse association of educational level and gastric cancer was stronger for cases with intestinal (extreme categories, HR: 0.13, 95% CI: 0.04-0.44) rather than diffuse histological subtype (extreme categories, HR: 0.71 95% CI: 0.37-1.40). In the nested case-control study, inverse but statistically non-significant associations were found after additional adjustment for H. pylori infection [highest vs lowest level of education: Odds ratio (OR) 0.53, 95% CI: 0.24-1.18]. Educational level was non-significantly, inversely associated with carcinoma of the oesophagus.Conclusion A higher socioeconomic position was associated with a reduced risk of gastric adenocarcinoma, which was strongest for cardia cancer or intestinal histological subtype, suggesting different risk profiles according to educational level. These effects appear to be explained only partially by established risk factors. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Impact of a national helminth control programme on infection and morbidity in Ugandan schoolchildren. A1 - Kabatereine, NB A1 - Brooker, S A1 - Koukounari, A A1 - Kazibwe, F A1 - Tukahebwa, EM A1 - Fleming, FM A1 - Zhang, Y A1 - Webster, JP A1 - Stothard, JR A1 - Fenwick, A J1 - Bull World Health Organ Y1 - 2007/02// VL - 85 SN - 0042-9686 SP - 91 EP - 99 N2 - OBJECTIVE: We aimed to assess the health impact of a national control programme targeting schistosomiasis and intestinal nematodes in Uganda, which has provided population-based anthelmintic chemotherapy since 2003. METHODS: We conducted longitudinal surveys on infection status, haemoglobin concentration and clinical morbidity in 1871 randomly selected schoolchildren from 37 schools in eight districts across Uganda at three time points - before chemotherapy and after one year and two years of annual mass chemotherapy. FINDINGS: Mass treatment with praziquantel and albendazole led to a significant decrease in the intensity of Schistosoma mansoni - 70% (95% confidence interval (CI): 66-73%) after one year and 82% (95% CI: 80-85%) after two years of treatment. Intensity of hookworm infection also decreased (75% and 93%; unadjusted). There was a significant increase in haemoglobin concentration after one (0.135 g/dL (95% CI: 0.126-0.144)) and two years (0.303 g/dL (95% CI: 0.293-0.312)) of treatment, and a significant decrease in signs of early clinical morbidity. The impact of intervention on S. mansoni prevalence and intensity was similar to that predicted by mathematical models of the impact of chemotherapy on human schistosomiasis. Improvements in haemoglobin concentration were greatest among children who were anaemic or harbouring heavy S. mansoni infection at baseline. CONCLUSION: Anthelmintic treatment delivered as part of a national helminth control programme can decrease infection and morbidity among schoolchildren and improve haemoglobin concentration. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17308729&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Commentary: First steps in molecular epidemiology: Lower et al. 1979. A1 - Vineis, P J1 - Int J Epidemiol Y1 - 2007/02// VL - 36 SN - 0300-5771 SP - 20 EP - 22 L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17337468&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Adult mortality and erosion of household viability in AIDS-afflicted towns, estates, and villages in eastern Zimbabwe. A1 - Gregson, S A1 - Mushati, P A1 - Nyamukapa, C J1 - J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Y1 - 2007/02/01/ VL - 44 SN - 1525-4135 SP - 188 EP - 195 N2 - BACKGROUND: Households form the basic social and economic building blocks of sub-Saharan African societies. Household viability is threatened by sustained crisis-level mortality in widely disseminated HIV epidemics. This article describes the impact of adult deaths on households in small towns, estates, and villages in eastern Zimbabwe. METHODS: A stratified baseline household census was conducted, and 9842 adults were interviewed, tested for HIV infection, and followed up after 3 years. For 374 (93%) of 404 respondents who died, verbal autopsies were conducted with caregivers and data were collected on income foregone, health care and funeral expenditure, and household dissolution and relocation. The household impact of AIDS and non-AIDS deaths was compared. RESULTS: Deaths occurred disproportionately in more urban and low-income households, with AIDS deaths more often resulting in the loss of the household head (57% vs. 46%, adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.47; P = 0.003). The median gross expenditure on health care and funerals was 25 US dollars (interquartile ratio [IQR]: 5-88) and 73 US dollars (IQR: 43-128), respectively, with external contributions being substantial for funerals (25 US dollars, IQR: 10-54). Households with AIDS deaths spent more on health care (incidence rate ratio = 1.83; 95% confidence interval: 1.06 to 3.15) and had more frequently dissolved or relocated (39% vs. 27%, AOR = 1.87; P = 0.038) than those with non-AIDS deaths. Households migrated disproportionately to rural villages. CONCLUSION: Despite the extended family system, adult deaths undermine the viability of sub-Saharan African households. HIV epidemics have greatly increased adult mortality, and AIDS deaths can be particularly destabilizing. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17075384&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - The development of life course epidemiology. A1 - Blane, D A1 - Netuveli, G A1 - Stone, J J1 - Rev Epidemiol Sante Publique Y1 - 2007/02// VL - 55 SN - 0398-7620 SP - 31 EP - 38 N2 - The present paper reviews the development of life course epidemiology since its origins during the 1990s from biological programming, birth cohort research and the study of health inequalities. Methods of studying the life course are examined, including birth cohort studies, linked register datasets and epidemiological archaeology. Three models of life course epidemiology are described: critical periods, accumulation, and pathways. Their conceptual and empirical differentiation can be difficult, but it is argued that accumulation is the underlying social process driving life course trajectories, while the critical period and pathway models are distinguished by their concern with specific types of aetiological process. Among the advantages of the accumulation model are predictive power, aetiological insights, contributions to health inequality debates and social policy implications. It is emphasised that the life course approach is not opposed to, or an alternative to, a concern with cross-sectional and current effects; major social disruption can have a large and immediate impact on health. Other limitations of the life course approach include a spectrum of impact (life course effects can be strong in relation to physiology, but often are weaker in relation to behaviour and psychological reactions to everyday life) and, more speculatively, the possibility that life course effects are diluted in the older age groups where morbidity and mortality are highest. Three issues for the future of life course epidemiology are identified. Many life course data are collected retrospectively. We need to know which items of information are recalled with what degree of accuracy over how many decades; and what methods of collecting these retrospective data maximise accuracy and duration. Second, the two partners in life course research need to take more seriously each other's disciplines. Social scientists need to be more critical of such measures as self-assessed health, which lacks an aetiology and hence biological plausibility. Natural scientists need to be more critical of such concepts as socio-economic status, which lacks social plausibility because it fails to distinguish between social location and social prestige. Finally, European comparative studies can play an important part in the future development of life course epidemiology if they build on the emerging infrastructure of European comparative research. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17317062&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - The challenge of low levels of exposure. A1 - Vineis, P J1 - Prev Med Y1 - 2007/02// VL - 44 SN - 0091-7435 SP - 107 EP - 108 L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17239943&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Inflammatory, haemostatic, and rheological markers for incident peripheral arterial disease: Edinburgh Artery Study. A1 - Tzoulaki, I A1 - Murray, GD A1 - Lee, AJ A1 - Rumley, A A1 - Lowe, GD A1 - Fowkes, FG J1 - Eur Heart J Y1 - 2007/02// VL - 28 SN - 0195-668X SP - 354 EP - 362 N2 - AIMS: Recently, markers of inflammation, haemostasis, and blood rheology have received much attention as risk factors for coronary heart disease and stroke. However, their role in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is not well established and some of them, including the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6), have not been examined before in prospective epidemiological studies. METHODS AND RESULTS: In the Edinburgh Artery Study, we studied the development of PAD in the general population and evaluated 17 potential blood markers as predictors of incident PAD. At baseline (1987), 1519 men and women free of PAD aged 55-74 were recruited. After 17 years, 208 subjects had developed symptomatic PAD. In analysis adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors and baseline cardiovascular disease (CVD), only C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, lipoprotein (a), and haematocrit [hazard ratio (95% CI) corresponding to an increase equal to the inter-tertile range 1.30 (1.08, 1.56), 1.16 (1.05, 1.17), 1.22 (1.04, 1.44), 1.22 (1.08, 1.38)] were significantly (P < 0.01) associated with PAD. However, these markers provided very little prognostic information for incident PAD to that obtained by cardiovascular risk factors and the ankle brachial index. Other markers including IL-6, intracellular adhesion molecule 1, d-dimer, tissue plasminogen activator antigen, and plasma and blood viscosities showed weak associations, which were considerably attenuated when CVD risk factors were accounted for. CONCLUSIONS: Our prospective data showed that several inflammatory, haemostatic, and rheological markers are associated with incident PAD; however, their clinical utility is likely to be limited. Future research is necessary to validate the importance of these biomarkers explicitly on PAD and to address the causality of the reported associations. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17213229&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Diversity and antibiotic resistance among nonvaccine serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage isolates in the post-heptavalent conjugate vaccine era. A1 - Hanage, WP A1 - Huang, SS A1 - Lipsitch, M A1 - Bishop, CJ A1 - Godoy, D A1 - Pelton, SI A1 - Goldstein, R A1 - Huot, H A1 - Finkelstein, JA J1 - J Infect Dis Y1 - 2007/02/01/ VL - 195 SN - 0022-1899 SP - 347 EP - 352 N2 - BACKGROUND: In response to the selective pressure of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, increased asymptomatic carriage of antibiotic-nonsusceptible nonvaccine serotypes (NVTs) has been observed. Possible mechanisms include de novo acquisition of resistance, serotype switching, introduction of new clones, and expansion of existing clones. METHODS: To investigate the process of increased antibiotic nonsusceptibility among replacing serotypes, we applied multilocus sequence typing to samples of 126 and 222 pneumococci collected in 2001 and 2004, respectively, from the nasopharynges of children <7 years of age in 16 Massachusetts communities. RESULTS: We found no evidence of penicillin resistance due to either serotype switching or de novo acquisition. Nonetheless, resistance increased through the expansion of previously recognized clones of NVTs, particularly in serotypes 19A, 15A, and 35B. In 19A, several unrelated clones increased in frequency, whereas, in the other 2 serotypes, single resistant lineages were responsible for the increased prevalence of resistant strains. CONCLUSIONS: The decreased prevalence of antibiotic resistance with the introduction of heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine is likely to be partially eroded over time as vaccine-included serotypes are replaced by resistant clones of NVTs. The clinical significance of this will depend on the pathogenic potential of replacing clones to cause local (e.g., otitis media) or invasive disease. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17205472&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Alcohol intake and colorectal cancer risk: A dose-response meta-analysis of published cohort studies A1 - Moskal, A A1 - Norat, T A1 - Ferrari, P A1 - Riboli, E J1 - INT J CANCER Y1 - 2007/02/01/ VL - 120 SN - 0020-7136 SP - 664 EP - 671 N2 - The epidemiologic evidence support that alcohol intake might be associated with increased colorectal cancer risk. However, the results by anatomic site in the large bowel are inconsistent. We conducted a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies published between 1990 and June 2005 on the relationship between alcohol intake and colon and rectal cancer. We quantified associations with colon and rectal cancer using meta-analysis of relative risk (RR) associated to the highest versus the lowest category of alcohol intake and meta-analysis of study-specific dose-response slopes using fixed or random effect models depending on the heterogeneity of effects among studies. Sixteen prospective cohort studies including more than 6,300 patients with colorectal cancer were eligible for inclusion. High alcohol intake was significantly associated with increased risk of colon (RR = 1.50; 95% CI = 1.25, 1.79) and rectal cancer (RR = 1.63; 95% CI = 1.35, 1.97) when comparing the highest with the lowest category of alcohol intake, equivalent to a 15% increase of risk of colon or rectal cancer for an increase of 100 g of alcohol intake per week. The relationship did not differ significantly by anatomical site (colon, rectum). Using meta-regression analysis, we identified geographical area where the study was conducted as a possible source of between-study heterogeneity of effects among studies. Lifestyle recommendations for prevention of colorectal cancer should consider limiting alcohol intake. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Factors associated with fall in neonatal intubation rates in the United Kingdom--prospective study. A1 - Little, MP A1 - Järvelin, MR A1 - Neasham, DE A1 - Lissauer, T A1 - Steer, PJ J1 - BJOG Y1 - 2007/02// VL - 114 SN - 1470-0328 SP - 156 EP - 164 N2 - OBJECTIVE: To investigate the trend of neonatal resuscitation by intubation or mask ventilation over time and to assess its association with changes in prevalence of caesarean section and use of general anaesthesia in labour. METHODS: All women booking pregnancy at any of 15 maternity units, analysed using logistic regression. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: UK hospital-based maternity units (15 centres). POPULATION: A total of 221,322 first singleton births of babies weighing 200 g or more in the St Mary's Maternity Information System cohort, 1988-2000, covering the North West Thames area of London. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of intermittent positive-pressure ventilation (IPPV) (by intubation or mask) by calendar year. RESULTS: Overall use of IPPV decreased markedly (two-sided P<0.01) over the course of the study, and this decrease was evident by all modes of delivery. Adjusted mean prevalence of intubated IPPV decreased from 0.51% (95% CI 0.44-0.58) in 1988 to 0.07% (95% CI 0.06-0.09) in 2000. There was a similar decrease in the prevalence of IPPV by mask. However, despite substantial increases in prevalence of caesarean sections and reductions in the use of general anaesthesia over the course of the study, adjusting for these variables made little difference to the temporal trends in intubation or use of mask ventilation. CONCLUSIONS: There has been a marked reduction in the prevalence of infants given resuscitation by positive-pressure ventilation that cannot be explained by changes in the prevalence of caesarean section or use of general anaesthesia in labour. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17305903&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Discussion on the paper by Handcock, Raftery and Tantrum A1 - Snijders, TAB A1 - Robinson, T A1 - Atkinson, AC A1 - Riani, M A1 - Gormley, IC A1 - Murphy, TB A1 - Sweeting, T A1 - Leslie, DS A1 - Longford, NT A1 - Kent, JT A1 - Lawrance, T A1 - Airoldi, EM A1 - Besag, J A1 - Blei, D A1 - Fienberg, SE A1 - Breiger, R A1 - Butts, CT A1 - Doreian, P A1 - Batagelj, V A1 - Ferligoj, A A1 - Draper, D A1 - van Duijn, MAJ A1 - Faust, K A1 - Petrescu-Prahova, M A1 - Forster, JJ A1 - Gelman, A A1 - Goodreau, SM A1 - Greenwood, PE A1 - Gruenberg, K A1 - Francis, B A1 - Hennig, C A1 - Hoff, PD A1 - Hunter, DR A1 - Husmeier, D A1 - Glasbey, C A1 - Krackhardt, D A1 - Kuha, J A1 - Skrondal, A A1 - Lawson, A A1 - Liao, TF A1 - Mendes, B A1 - Draper, D A1 - Reinert, G A1 - Richardson, S A1 - Lewin, A A1 - Titterington, DM A1 - Wasserman, S A1 - Werhli, AV A1 - Ghazal, P J1 - J ROY STAT SOC A STA Y1 - 2007/02// VL - 170 SN - 0964-1998 SP - 322 EP - 354 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Modelling the impact of migration on the HIV epidemic in South Africa. A1 - Coffee, M A1 - Lurie, MN A1 - Garnett, GP J1 - AIDS Y1 - 2007/01/30/ VL - 21 SN - 0269-9370 SP - 343 EP - 350 N2 - OBJECTIVE: To use observed data to develop a mathematical model that estimates the impact of migration on the spread of HIV in South Africa. METHODS: A deterministic mathematical model was designed to evaluate the dynamic interactions between mobility, sexual behaviour, HIV, and sexually transmitted infections. The model was based on a population study of 488 adults, which included male migrants, male non-migrants and their rural partners in KwaZulu/Natal, South Africa. RESULTS: The model predicted that the impact of migration depends upon the epidemic's stage and the pattern of migration. Early in the epidemic, frequent migration between populations with different HIV prevalence rates accelerated HIV spread; however, local sexual risk behaviour determined the eventual scale of the epidemic. If migration is coupled with increased sexual risk behaviour by migrant men, as has been reported in the South African communities studied, HIV prevalence would increase 10 times among migrants' female partners (1.8 to 19%). In contrast, if migration were to occur infrequently, with migration-associated risk behaviour assumed to be at current levels, the predicted epidemic would be one fifth that currently observed (2.8 versus 15.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Migration primarily influences HIV spread by increasing high-risk sexual behaviour, rather than by connecting areas of low and high risk. Frequent return of migrants is an important risk factor when coupled with increased sexual risk behaviour. Accordingly, intervention programmes in South Africa need to target the sexual behaviour of short-term migrants specifically, even though these individuals may be more difficult to identify. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17255741&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - British policy makes sex workers vulnerable A1 - Day, SE A1 - Ward, H J1 - BRIT MED J Y1 - 2007/01/27/ VL - 334 SN - 0959-8146 SP - 187 EP - 187 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Recombination and the nature of bacterial speciation. A1 - Fraser, C A1 - Hanage, WP A1 - Spratt, BG J1 - Science Y1 - 2007/01/26/ VL - 315 SN - 1095-9203 SP - 476 EP - 480 N2 - Genetic surveys reveal the diversity of bacteria and lead to the questioning of species concepts used to categorize bacteria. One difficulty in defining bacterial species arises from the high rates of recombination that results in the transfer of DNA between relatively distantly related bacteria. Barriers to this process, which could be used to define species naturally, are not apparent. Here, we review conceptual models of bacterial speciation and describe our computer simulations of speciation. Our findings suggest that the rate of recombination and its relation to genetic divergence have a strong influence on outcomes. We propose that a distinction be made between clonal divergence and sexual speciation. Hence, to make sense of bacterial diversity, we need data not only from genetic surveys but also from experimental determination of selection pressures and recombination rates and from theoretical models. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17255503&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Climate change and outbreaks of amphibian chytridiomycosis in a montane area of Central Spain; is there a link? A1 - Bosch, J A1 - Carrascal, LM A1 - Duran, L A1 - Walker, S A1 - Fisher, MC J1 - P R SOC B Y1 - 2007/01/22/ VL - 274 SP - 253 EP - 260 N2 - Amphibian species are declining at an alarming rate on a global scale in large part owing to an infectious disease caused by the chytridiomycete fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. This disease of amphibians has recently emerged within Europe, but knowledge of its effects on amphibian assemblages remains poor. Importantly, little is known about the environmental envelope that is associated with chytridiomycosis in Europe and the potential for climate change to drive future disease dynamics. Here, we use long-term observations on amphibian population dynamics in the Penalara Natural Park, Spain, to investigate the link between climate change and chytridiomycosis. Our analysis shows a significant association between change in local climatic variables and the occurrence of chytridiomycosis within this region. Specifically, we show that rising temperature is linked to the occurrence of chytrid-related disease, consistent with the chytrid-thermal-optimum hypothesis. We show that these local variables are driven by general circulation patterns, principally the North Atlantic Oscillation. Given that B. dendrobatidis is known to be broadly distributed across Europe, there is now an urgent need to assess the generality of our finding and determine whether climate-driven epidemics may be expected to impact on amphibian species across the wider region. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Diabetes care in developing countries. A1 - Car, J A1 - Patel, H A1 - Srishanmuganathan, J A1 - Majeed, A J1 - CMAJ Y1 - 2007/01/16/ VL - 176 SN - 1488-2329 SP - 209 EP - 212 L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17224601&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Population biology of multispecies helminth infection: competition and coexistence. A1 - Bottomley, C A1 - Isham, V A1 - Basáñez, MG J1 - J Theor Biol Y1 - 2007/01/07/ VL - 244 SN - 0022-5193 SP - 81 EP - 95 N2 - The role that interspecific interactions play in shaping parasite communities is uncertain. To date, models of competition between helminth species have assumed that interaction occurs through parasite-induced host death. To our knowledge, there has been no theoretical exploration of other forms of competition. We examine models in which competition acts at the point of establishment within the host, and at the time of egg production by the adult worm. The models used are stochastic and we allow hosts to vary in their rate of exposure to infective larvae. We derive the Lotka-Volterra model of competition when exposure is homogenous and thus demonstrate that two helminth species cannot coexist on a single limiting resource. We show that coexistence of species is promoted by heterogeneity in host exposure provided that the rates of exposure to the two species are not perfectly correlated, and, if they are positively correlated, provided that the degree of heterogeneity in host exposure is similar for the two competing helminth species. These results are robust to the mechanism of competition. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16950404&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Network-Light Not Data-Free. A1 - French, KM A1 - Riley, S A1 - Garnett, GP J1 - Sex Transm Dis Y1 - 2007/01// VL - 34 SN - 0148-5717 SP - 57 EP - 58 N2 - L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17195756&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Family-based association analysis with ordered categorical phenotypes, covariates and interactions. A1 - Baksh, MF A1 - Balding, DJ A1 - Vyse, TJ A1 - Whittaker, JC J1 - Genet Epidemiol Y1 - 2007/01// VL - 31 SN - 0741-0395 SP - 1 EP - 8 N2 - Genetic association analyses of family-based studies with ordered categorical phenotypes are often conducted using methods either for quantitative or for binary traits, which can lead to suboptimal analyses. Here we present an alternative likelihood-based method of analysis for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes and ordered categorical phenotypes in nuclear families of any size. Our approach, which extends our previous work for binary phenotypes, permits straightforward inclusion of covariate, gene-gene and gene-covariate interaction terms in the likelihood, incorporates a simple model for ascertainment and allows for family-specific effects in the hypothesis test. Additionally, our method produces interpretable parameter estimates and valid confidence intervals. We assess the proposed method using simulated data, and apply it to a polymorphism in the c-reactive protein (CRP) gene typed in families collected to investigate human systemic lupus erythematosus. By including sex interactions in the analysis, we show that the polymorphism is associated with anti-nuclear autoantibody (ANA) production in females, while there appears to be no effect in males. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17096343&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Pathology findings and validation of gastric and esophageal cancer cases in a European cohort (EPIC/EUR-GAST) A1 - Carneiro, F A1 - Moutinho, C A1 - Pera, G A1 - Caldas, C A1 - Fenger, C A1 - Offerhaus, J A1 - Save, V A1 - Stenling, R A1 - Nesi, G A1 - Mahlke, U A1 - Blaker, H A1 - Torrado, J A1 - Roukos, DH A1 - Sabourin, JC A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Palli, D A1 - Bueno-De-Mesquita, HB A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Lund, E A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Manjer, J A1 - Riboli, E A1 - Gonzalez, CA J1 - SCAND J GASTROENTERO Y1 - 2007/// VL - 42 SN - 0036-5521 SP - 618 EP - 627 N2 - Objective. Cardia, non-cardia and intestinal and diffuse subtypes of gastric cancer may have different trends and etiological factors. However, the available information is not always collected in population cancer registries, and heterogeneous criteria have been applied for the histopathological classification of tumors. We describe the pathological features of incident gastric and esophageal cancers identified within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Material and methods. In an investigation on gastric and esophageal cancer (EUR-GAST) in the EPIC project, a validation study of diagnoses reported by EPIC centers was conducted by a European panel of pathologists. Original pathology reports, stained slides of tumors and the respective paraffin blocks were requested from the centers. Results. The whole series encompassed 467 cancer cases (gastric and esophageal cancers). Material was available for histopathological validation in 263 cases (56%); in the remaining cases, information was retrieved from the original reports (n = 110; 24%) or codes provided by the EPIC centers (n = 94; 20%). Among cases submitted to histopathological validation reported originally as unknown histotype or unknown site, a specific diagnosis was made in 95% and 74% of the cases, respectively. In cases for which only the original reports were available, the respective percentages were 46% and 67%. Gastric adenocarcinomas were classified according to site (cardia (29.4%), non-cardia (48.2%) and unknown (22.4%)) and histological type (intestinal (33.4%), diffuse (33.7%) and mixed, unclassified or unknown (32.9%)). Frequency of cardia was higher in Northern countries (35%) than in Mediterranean countries (18%). Conclusions. In addition to providing epidemiological data within the EPIC cohort on gastric and esophageal adenocarcinomas, the results reported here confirm the relevance of a validation study, notably for multicenter studies. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Telomerase activity as a tumor marker in Indian women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer. A1 - Sharma, A A1 - Rajappa, M A1 - Saxena, A A1 - Sharma, M J1 - Mol Diagn Ther Y1 - 2007/// VL - 11 SN - 1177-1062 SP - 193 EP - 201 N2 - BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in Indian women and is a leading cause of death in women worldwide. Cervical cancer develops from pre-neoplastic cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). This study was conducted to evaluate telomerase activity as a tumor marker for the detection of cancer in patients with CIN and cervical cancer. The results were compared with human papillomavirus (HPV) status, clinical staging, and histopathologic studies. METHODS: Telomerase activity was detected using the PCR-based telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay in cervical tissues collected by routine punch biopsy from the uterine cervix of patients with suspected cervical cancer. High-risk (HR) HPV-16 and -18 status was determined in all the study groups, including controls. A total of 125 patients (including 50 patients with CIN and 75 patients with cervical cancer [including nine patients with adeno-squamous disease]) and 22 control subjects were studied. The sensitivity and specificity for detecting CIN and cervical cancer were calculated. RESULTS: Patients with grade I, II, and III CIN showed 17%, 33%, and 57% positivity for telomerase, respectively. In patients with cervical cancer, those at early clinical stages (Ia-IIb) showed 68% positivity and those at later clinical stages showed 92% positivity for telomerase activity. In the present study, telomerase positivity correlated significantly with the detection of HR HPV-16 and -18 (p < 0.001). As a diagnostic test, none of the described analyses combined a sensitivity of > or =90% with a specificity of > or =90%, except in patients with advanced cancer when telomerase activity was used as a diagnostic test. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that telomerase activation is a relatively early event in cervical carcinogenesis and correlates with the grade of cervical lesion, HR-HPV status (16 and 18 subtypes), and clinical staging. Hence, these associations suggest it as a possible target for detection of cervical cancer. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17570741&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - HIV as part of the life of children and youth, as life expectancy increases: Implications for Education A1 - Cooper, ES A1 - Risley, CL A1 - Drake, LJ A1 - Bundy, DAP J1 - Journal of international Cooperation in Education Y1 - 2007/// VL - 10 SP - 101 EP - 113 N2 - The education sector is crucial to any national response to the world epidemic of HIV and AIDS. The school age years, about 5 to15 years, make up the cross section of any population with the lowest prevalence of HIV infection. This is the “Window of Hope”. Education is the social vaccine against HIV infection. But, with effective anti-viral treatment the number of infected children of school age rises, through increased survival. Schools must adapt to having many such children in class. Furthermore, there will be many infected and affected children, orphans and vulnerable children, who will not access formal education, or not fully, and the path to education must be made easier for them. We are able to predict a rise and then a fall of the school age numbers, but new preparations must be made for these young people to adapt to their adult lives, living with HIV. All school and educational responses must take the developmental stages of children and their emotional needs into account. UR - http://tinyurl.com/yusvvl ER - TY - JFULL T1 - The use of GIS to evaluate traffic-related pollution A1 - Briggs, DJ J1 - OCCUP ENVIRON MED Y1 - 2007/01// VL - 64 SN - 1351-0711 SP - 1 EP - 2 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Intervention implementation research: an exploratory study of reduction strategies for occupational contact dermatitis in the printing industry. A1 - Brown, TP A1 - Rushton, L A1 - Williams, HC A1 - English, JS J1 - Contact Dermatitis Y1 - 2007/01// VL - 56 SN - 0105-1873 SP - 16 EP - 20 N2 - BACKGROUND: Occupational dermatitis is a problem in the printing industry but can be avoided through adequate protective measures. Research into intervention implementation is fundamental to the success of a formal intervention effectiveness trial. OBJECTIVES: The preliminary testing of four risk reduction strategies for occupationally caused dermatitis, which represent a range of approaches and cost implications. PATIENTS/METHODS: The strategies, the provision of (i) skin checks plus treatment advice; provision of (ii) gloves of the correct type/size plus use of an after-work cream; provision of (iii) information highlighting the problem of occupational dermatitis and (iv) development of a best practice skin care policy, were evaluated over 3 months in two non-randomly selected companies. A post-intervention evaluation into the effectiveness and efficacy of the intervention was also carried out. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: All interventions were found to be acceptable to some extent. No single intervention appeared to be completely effective. The most practical intervention appeared to be the regular use of gloves of the correct type and size. This preliminary intervention study has demonstrated an improvement in the skin condition of workers examined and points towards the need for further testing of risk reduction strategies for the prevention of dermatitis in the printing industry on a much larger scale. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17177704&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Assessing the reliability of eBURST using simulated populations with known ancestry. A1 - Turner, KM A1 - Hanage, WP A1 - Fraser, C A1 - Connor, TR A1 - Spratt, BG J1 - BMC Microbiol Y1 - 2007/// VL - 7 SN - 1471-2180 SP - 30 EP - 30 N2 - BACKGROUND: The program eBURST uses multilocus sequence typing data to divide bacterial populations into groups of closely related strains (clonal complexes), predicts the founding genotype of each group, and displays the patterns of recent evolutionary descent of all other strains in the group from the founder. The reliability of eBURST was evaluated using populations simulated with different levels of recombination in which the ancestry of all strains was known. RESULTS: For strictly clonal simulations, where all allelic change is due to point mutation, the groups of related strains identified by eBURST were very similar to those expected from the true ancestry and most of the true ancestor-descendant relationships (90-98%) were identified by eBURST. Populations simulated with low or moderate levels of recombination showed similarly high performance but the reliability of eBURST declined with increasing recombination to mutation ratio. Populations simulated under a high recombination to mutation ratio were dominated by a single large straggly eBURST group, which resulted from the incorrect linking of unrelated groups of strains into the same eBURST group. The reliability of the ancestor-descendant links in eBURST diagrams was related to the proportion of strains in the largest eBURST group, which provides a useful guide to when eBURST is likely to be unreliable. CONCLUSION: Examination of eBURST groups within populations of a range of bacterial species showed that most were within the range in which eBURST is reliable, and only a small number (e.g. Burkholderia pseudomallei and Enterococcus faecium) appeared to have such high rates of recombination that eBURST is likely to be unreliable. The study also demonstrates how three simple tests in eBURST v3 can be used to detect unreliable eBURST performance and recognise populations in which there appears to be a high rate of recombination relative to mutation. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17430587&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Kidney disease mortality and environmental exposure to mercury. A1 - Hodgson, S A1 - Nieuwenhuijsen, MJ A1 - Elliott, P A1 - Jarup, L J1 - Am J Epidemiol Y1 - 2007/01/01/ VL - 165 SN - 0002-9262 SP - 72 EP - 77 N2 - Runcorn, North West England, has been a site of industrial activity for over 100 years. Preliminary investigations have revealed excess risk of renal mortality in the population living closest to several sources of pollution. Exposure to airborne mercury has been highlighted as a possible cause, although there is also concomitant exposure to solvents and other heavy metals in this population. The authors used validated air dispersion modeling to identify mercury-exposed populations. Standardized mortality ratios for kidney disease were computed using the North West government region as the reference. There was a significant exposure-response relation between modeled estimates of mercury exposure and risk of kidney disease mortality (test for trend: p = 0.02 for men and p = 0.03 for women), and this relation was more pronounced for estimated historical exposure (test for trend: p = 0.01 for men and p < 0.001 for women). These findings suggest that exposure to mercury is a possible cause of the excess kidney disease mortality in this population, indicating that there might still be a health legacy of the historically high levels of industrial activity in the Runcorn area. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17068093&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Lymphogranuloma venereum in the United kingdom. A1 - Ward, H A1 - Martin, I A1 - Macdonald, N A1 - Alexander, S A1 - Simms, I A1 - Fenton, K A1 - French, P A1 - Dean, G A1 - Ison, C J1 - Clin Infect Dis Y1 - 2007/01/01/ VL - 44 SN - 1537-6591 SP - 26 EP - 32 N2 - BACKGROUND: Over the past 2 years, lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV), caused by L serovars of Chlamydia trachomatis, has emerged as a significant problem among men who have sex with men (MSM). We report on, to our knowledge, the largest case series of LGV to date, with detailed epidemiological and clinical characteristics of the epidemic in the United Kingdom. METHODS: A national diagnostic service and surveillance system was established in October 2004. Cases were confirmed by the presence of C. trachomatis and an LGV serovar (L1, L2, or L3) from genotyping. For confirmed cases, an enhanced surveillance questionnaire was sent to the clinician. RESULTS: Through February 2006, a total of 327 cases of LGV were confirmed. Cases were diagnosed across the United Kingdom, with the majority from London (71%) and Brighton (13%). Case reports were received for 282 MSM. The majority (96%) had proctitis, many with severe local and systemic symptoms. There was a high level of coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus (76%), hepatitis C (19%), and other sexually transmitted infections (39%). Nine cases of human immunodeficiency virus infection were diagnosed around the same time as LGV. Most cases were acquired within the United Kingdom, although patients with early cases were more likely to report contacts in The Netherlands. CONCLUSIONS: We found a significant burden of this once-rare sexually transmitted infection among MSM in the United Kingdom. LGV may be contributing to the epidemic of human immunodeficiency virus infection by facilitating transmission. Further control efforts are required, including awareness campaigns, continued detailed surveillance, and expanded chlamydia testing among MSM. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17143811&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Immunoepidemiology of Wuchereria bancrofti infection: the dynamic relationship between parasite transmission intensity and age-profiles of filarial-specific antibody isotypes in two East African communities A1 - Jaoko, W G A1 - Michael, E A1 - Meyrowitsch, D W A1 - Estambale, B B A A1 - Malecela, M N A1 - Simonsen, P E J1 - Infection and immunity Y1 - 2007/// VL - in press ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Risk response to environmental hazards to health - towards an ecological approach A1 - Briggs DJ A1 - Stern, R J1 - Journal of Risk Research Y1 - 2007/// IS - 5 VL - 10 PB - Routledge SP - 593 EP - 622 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Is host-schistosome coevolution going anywhere? A1 - Webster, JP A1 - Shrivastava, J A1 - Johnson, PJ A1 - Blair, L J1 - BMC Evol Biol Y1 - 2007/// VL - 7 SN - 1471-2148 SP - 91 EP - 91 N2 - BACKGROUND: That pathogens and hosts coevolve is a powerful concept with broad theoretical and applied implications spanning from genetic theory to the medical and veterinary sciences, particularly in the context of infectious disease epidemiology. A substantial body of theory has been developed to explore the likelihood and consequences of coevolution, but few empirical studies have been conducted to test these theories, particularly for indirectly-transmitted pathogen-host systems. We initiated replicate longitudinal host-schistosome co-selection trials under different host genotype combinations: Schistosoma mansoni parasite lines were co-selected with populations of either previously resistant-selected Biomphalaria glabrata host genotypes, or unselected susceptible B. glabrata genotypes, or a mixed population of the two. All parasite lines were also passaged through their obligatory mammalian definitive host at each generation. RESULTS: We demonstrated variation in, and a reciprocal impact on, the fitness of both host and pathogen phenotype and genotype, an outcome dependent on the combinations of genotypes involved, and evidence of change over time. Most apparent was the observation that parasites appeared to rapidly adapt to those intermediate hosts previously selected for resistance. CONCLUSION: Our results illustrate the potential for host-schistosome coevolution and, in particular, suggest that host resistance may be a temporary phenomenon in nature due, in part, to rapid counter-adaptations by parasites. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17567519&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Tail posterior probability for Inference in Pairwise and Multiclass Gene Expression Data A1 - Bochkina, N A1 - Richardson, S J1 - Biometrics Y1 - 2007/// PB - Blackwell ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Census data issues for epidemiology and health risk assessment: experiences from the Small Area Health Statistics Unit A1 - Briggs DJ J1 - Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series A Y1 - 2007/// IS - 2 VL - 170 PB - Royal Statistical Society SP - 355 EP - 378 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Prevalence of schistosoma japonicum infection among animals in fifty villages of samar province, the Philippines. A1 - Fernandez, TJ Jr A1 - Tarafder, MR A1 - Balolong, E Jr A1 - Joseph, L A1 - Webster, JP A1 - Olveda, RM A1 - McGarvey, ST J1 - Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases Y1 - 2007/// VL - 7 SP - 147 EP - 156 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Transmission parameters of the 2001 foot and mouth epidemic in Great Britain. A1 - Chis Ster, I A1 - Ferguson, NM J1 - PLoS ONE Y1 - 2007/// VL - 2 SN - 1932-6203 SP - e502 EP - e502 N2 - Despite intensive ongoing research, key aspects of the spatial-temporal evolution of the 2001 foot and mouth disease (FMD) epidemic in Great Britain (GB) remain unexplained. Here we develop a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method for estimating epidemiological parameters of the 2001 outbreak for a range of simple transmission models. We make the simplifying assumption that infectious farms were completely observed in 2001, equivalent to assuming that farms that were proactively culled but not diagnosed with FMD were not infectious, even if some were infected. We estimate how transmission parameters varied through time, highlighting the impact of the control measures on the progression of the epidemic. We demonstrate statistically significant evidence for assortative contact patterns between animals of the same species. Predictive risk maps of the transmission potential in different geographic areas of GB are presented for the fitted models. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17551582&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - The emergence of networks in human genome epidemiology - Challenges and opportunities A1 - Seminara, D A1 - Khoury, MJ A1 - O'Brien, TR A1 - Manolio, T A1 - Gwinn, ML A1 - Little, J A1 - T Higgins, JP A1 - Bernstein, JL A1 - Boffetta, P A1 - Bondy, M A1 - Bray, MS A1 - Brenchley, PE A1 - Buffler, PA A1 - Casas, JP A1 - Chokkalingam, AP A1 - Danesh, J A1 - Smith, GD A1 - Dolan, S A1 - Duncan, R A1 - Gruis, NA A1 - Hashibe, M A1 - Hunter, D A1 - Jarvelin, MR A1 - Malmer, B A1 - Maraganore, DM A1 - Newton-Bishop, JA A1 - Riboli, E A1 - Salanti, G A1 - Taioli, E A1 - Timpson, N A1 - Uitterlinden, AG A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Wareham, N A1 - Winn, DM A1 - Zimmern, R A1 - Ioannidis, JPA A1 - Human Genome Epidemiology Network A1 - Network Investigator Networks J1 - EPIDEMIOLOGY Y1 - 2007/01// VL - 18 SN - 1044-3983 SP - 1 EP - 8 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Lineages of language and the diagnosis of asthma. A1 - Netuveli, G A1 - Hurwitz, B A1 - Sheikh, A J1 - J R Soc Med Y1 - 2007/01// VL - 100 SN - 0141-0768 SP - 19 EP - 24 N2 - Asthma, wheeze and cough are words with profoundly differing histories, etymologies and meanings. Yet their medical usage today is clustered around the diagnosis and management of a single disease. Hitherto, asthma has been a clinical diagnosis but wheeze, cough and asthma now are key terms in cross-cultural questionnaire surveys which seek information on asthma prevalence. In this essay, we examine differences in the linguistic properties of terms likely to be relevant to interpreting large-scale variations in asthma prevalence uncovered by questionnaires. We show how etymologically distinct each term is: while asthma and cough each share semantic congruencies across six European languages, albeit for different reasons, there is less congruence across these languages for the term wheeze. The medical meanings of all three terms contrast with meanings revealed by the non-medical usage of all three terms, which are highly figurative. Linguistic considerations indicate that interpretation of international questionnaires that phrase questions in terms of cough, asthma and their derivatives are likely to be more reliable for the purposes of comparing prevalence than those which deploy questions phrased in terms of wheeze. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17197682&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Epidemiological modelling for monitoring and evaluation of lymphatic filariasis control A1 - Michael, E A1 - Malecela, M N A1 - Kazura, J W J1 - Advances in Parasitology Y1 - 2007/// VL - in press ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Practice size, caseload, deprivation and quality of care of patients with coronary heart disease, hypertension and stroke in primary care: national cross-sectional study. A1 - Saxena, S A1 - Car, J A1 - Eldred, D A1 - Soljak, M A1 - Majeed, A J1 - BMC Health Serv Res Y1 - 2007/// VL - 7 SN - 1472-6963 SP - 96 EP - 96 N2 - BACKGROUND: Reports of higher quality care by higher-volume secondary care providers have fuelled a shift of services from smaller provider units to larger hospitals and units. In the United Kingdom, most patients are managed in primary care. Hence if larger practices provide better quality of care; this would have important implications for the future organization of primary care services. We examined the association between quality of primary care for cardiovascular disease achieved by general practices in England and Scotland by general practice caseload, practice size and area based deprivation measures, using data from the New General Practitioner (GP) Contract. METHODS: We analyzed data from 8,970 general practices with a total registered population of 55,522,778 patients in England and Scotland. We measured practice performance against 26 cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease, left ventricular disease, and stroke) Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) indicators for patients on cardiovascular disease registers and linked this with data on practice characteristics and census data. RESULTS: Despite wide variations in practice list sizes and deprivation, the prevalence of was remarkably consistent, (coronary heart disease, left ventricular dysfunction, hypertension and cerebrovascular disease was 3.7%; 0.45%; 11.4% and 1.5% respectively). Achievement in quality of care for cardiovascular disease, as measured by QOF, was consistently high regardless of caseload or size with a few notable exceptions: practices with larger list sizes, higher cardiovascular disease caseloads and those in affluent areas had higher achievement of indicators requiring referral for further investigation. For example, small practices achieved lower scores 71.4% than large practices 88.6% (P < 0.0001) for referral for exercise testing and specialist assessment of patients with newly diagnosed angina. CONCLUSION: The volume-outcome relationship found in hospital settings is not seen between practices in the UK in management of cardiovascular disorders in primary care. Further work is warranted to explain apparently poorer quality achievement in some aspects of cardiovascular management relating to initial diagnosis and management among practices in deprived areas, smaller practices and those with a smaller caseload. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17597518&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Endogenous androgens and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer: results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). A1 - Rinaldi, S A1 - Dossus, L A1 - Lukanova, A A1 - Peeters, PH A1 - Allen, NE A1 - Key, T A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Khaw, KT A1 - Trichopoulos, D A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Oikonomou, E A1 - Pera, G A1 - Larrañaga, N A1 - Martinez-Garcia, C A1 - Ardanaz, E A1 - Quirós, JR A1 - Tormo, MJ A1 - Tjønneland, A A1 - Olsen, A A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Chang-Claude, J A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Schulz, M A1 - Boeing, H A1 - van Gils, CH A1 - Bueno-de-Mesquita, BH A1 - Pala, V A1 - Palli, D A1 - Panico, S A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Mesrine, S A1 - Boutron-Ruault, MC A1 - Lundin, E A1 - Agren, A A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Manjer, J A1 - Kumle, M A1 - Lund, E A1 - Slimani, N A1 - Saracci, R A1 - Riboli, E A1 - Kaaks, R J1 - Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev Y1 - 2007/01// VL - 16 SN - 1055-9965 SP - 23 EP - 29 N2 - Few epidemiologic studies have examined the hypothesis that circulating androgens are involved in the development of ovarian cancer. We investigated the association between prediagnostic serum levels of androgens and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and ovarian cancer risk in a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort. One hundred and ninety-two ovarian cancer cases and 346 matched controls not using exogenous hormones at baseline blood donation were eligible for the study. Serum levels of testosterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, and SHBG were measured by direct immunoassays. Free testosterone (fT) was calculated according to mass action laws. Multivariate conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios adjusted for possible confounders. Overall, there was no association between serum concentrations of androgens or SHBG and ovarian cancer risk. In postmenopausal women, fT concentrations were inversely related to risk [highest versus lowest tertile odds ratio 0.45 (0.24-0.86); P(trend) = 0.01]. Among women diagnosed before the age of 55 years, there was a negative association with SHBG and a positive association with fT and ovarian cancer risk, although these associations were not statistically significant. The present study suggests that circulating androgens and SHBG levels are not strongly associated with ovarian cancer risk, although levels of fT may be associated with an increased risk among women diagnosed at relatively young age. The heterogeneity of results on the associations of fT with ovarian cancer risk in postmenopausal women deserves further investigation. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17220328&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Bancroftian filariasis: house-to-house variation in the vectors and transmission - and the relationship to human infection - in an endemic community of coastal Tanzania A1 - Rwegoshora, RT A1 - Simonsen, PE A1 - Meyrowitsch, DW A1 - Malecela-Lazaro, MN A1 - Michael, E A1 - Pedersen, EM J1 - ANN TROP MED PARASIT Y1 - 2007/01// VL - 101 SN - 0003-4983 SP - 51 EP - 60 N2 - The house-to-house variation in Wuchereria bancrofti vector abundance and transmission intensity, and the relationship of these parameters to human infection, were investigated in an endemic community in coastal Tanzania. Vector mosquitoes were collected in light traps set up in 50 randomly selected households once weekly for 1 year. They were identified, dissected and checked for filarial larvae. Vector densities and transmission potentials varied markedly between households, both for all vectors combined and for the individual vector species (Anopheles gambiae s.l., An. funestus and Culex quinquefasciatus), even between households located close to each other. The variation in vector abundance was probably mainly attributable to differences in the distance to breeding sites, to specific household features likely to ease mosquito entry and hiding, and to the number of household inhabitants. Household annual biting rates (ABR) correlated positively with household annual transmission potentials (ATP), indicating that intense vector biting led to a high transmission intensity. Intriguingly, however, the human filarial-infection status (as indicated by microfilaraemia or circulating filarial antigenemia) did not differ significantly between households with relatively high and lower ABR or ATP. Possible reasons for this result include the long time required for W. bancrofti infection to establish in humans, human behaviour affecting exposure, the sharing of mosquito populations between households, and differential susceptibility of humans to infection. The marked heterogeneity in exposure between households, and the lack of immediate relationship between transmission and detectable human infection at household level, should be taken into account when considering the transmission pattern of lymphatic filariasis. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Plasma adiponectin levels and endometrial cancer risk in pre- and postmenopausal women. A1 - Cust, AE A1 - Kaaks, R A1 - Friedenreich, C A1 - Bonnet, F A1 - Laville, M A1 - Lukanova, A A1 - Rinaldi, S A1 - Dossus, L A1 - Slimani, N A1 - Lundin, E A1 - Tjønneland, A A1 - Olsen, A A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Mesrine, S A1 - Joulin, V A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Rohrmann, S A1 - Pischon, T A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Trichopoulos, D A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Benetou, V A1 - Palli, D A1 - Berrino, F A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Sacerdote, C A1 - Mattiello, A A1 - Quirós, JR A1 - Mendez, MA A1 - Sánchez, MJ A1 - Larrañaga, N A1 - Tormo, MJ A1 - Ardanaz, E A1 - Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB A1 - Peeters, PH A1 - van Gils, CH A1 - Khaw, KT A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Allen, N A1 - Key, T A1 - Jenab, M A1 - Riboli, E J1 - J Clin Endocrinol Metab Y1 - 2007/01// VL - 92 SN - 0021-972X SP - 255 EP - 263 N2 - BACKGROUND: Adiponectin, an adipocytokine secreted by adipose tissue, is decreased in obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and polycystic ovary syndrome, all of which are well-established risk factors for endometrial cancer. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition to examine the relation between prediagnostic plasma adiponectin levels and endometrial cancer risk. Among pre- and postmenopausal women who were not currently using exogenous hormones, 284 women developed incident endometrial cancer during an average of 5.1 yr of follow-up. Using risk set sampling, 548 control subjects were selected, matched on center, age, menopausal status, phase of menstrual cycle, time of blood draw, and fasting status. Conditional logistic regression models were used to estimate relative risks and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Adiponectin levels were inversely associated with endometrial cancer risk [body mass index-adjusted relative risk for the top vs. bottom quartile = 0.56 (95% confidence interval 0.36-0.86), P(trend) = 0.006]. There was evidence of a stronger inverse association among obese women than among nonobese women (P(heterogeneity) = 0.03). The inverse association also appeared stronger for women who were postmenopausal or perimenopausal than premenopausal at baseline, but this was not statistically significantly heterogeneous (P(heterogeneity) = 0.51). The association remained statistically significant after separate adjustment for other obesity-related physiological risk factors such as C-peptide, IGF binding protein-1, IGF binding protein-2, SHBG, estrone, or free testosterone but only marginally statistically significant after simultaneous adjustment for these factors. CONCLUSIONS: High circulating adiponectin levels are associated with reduced endometrial cancer risk, largely independent of other obesity-related risk factors. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17062769&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Dose-dependent schistosome-induced mortality and morbidity risk elevates host reproductive effort A1 - Blair, L A1 - Webster, JP J1 - J EVOLUTION BIOL Y1 - 2007/01// VL - 20 SN - 1010-061X SP - 54 EP - 61 N2 - Parasitism changes the host environment and may influence resource allocation between reproductive effort and somatic maintenance. We characterized the impact of dose-dependent schistosome exposure and/or infection establishment on intermediate host survival and reproduction. Four matched groups of Biomphalaria glabrata snails were individually exposed to increasing doses of Schistosoma mansoni parasites, with a fifth control group remaining unexposed. Increased mortality was observed amongst both snails infected and also those snails exposed to the parasite but within which infection did not establish, although only exposed but uninfected snails showed a dose-dependent increase in mortality. Snails also facultatively altered their reproductive output in response to parasite exposure: egg mass production decreased with increasing parasite dose in patently infected snails, whilst, in contrast, exposed but uninfected snails demonstrated a positive association between egg mass production and parasite dose in the post-patent period. These results uniquely suggest an exposure-dose-dependent post-patent fecundity compensation occurring in relation to the risk of future parasite-associated mortality. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Lung cancers attributable to environmental tobacco smoke and air pollution in non-smokers in different European countries: a prospective study. A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Hoek, G A1 - Krzyzanowski, M A1 - Vigna-Taglianti, F A1 - Veglia, F A1 - Airoldi, L A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Raaschou-Nielsen, O A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Palli, D A1 - Krogh, V A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Panico, S A1 - Bueno-De-Mesquita, HB A1 - Peeters, PH A1 - Lund E, E A1 - Agudo, A A1 - Martinez, C A1 - Dorronsoro, M A1 - Barricarte, A A1 - Cirera, L A1 - Quiros, JR A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Manjer, J A1 - Forsberg, B A1 - Day, NE A1 - Key, TJ A1 - Kaaks, R A1 - Saracci, R A1 - Riboli, E J1 - Environ Health Y1 - 2007/// VL - 6 SN - 1476-069X SP - 7 EP - 7 N2 - BACKGROUND: Several countries are discussing new legislation on the ban of smoking in public places, and on the acceptable levels of traffic-related air pollutants. It is therefore useful to estimate the burden of disease associated with indoor and outdoor air pollution. METHODS: We have estimated exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS) and to air pollution in never smokers and ex-smokers in a large prospective study in 10 European countries (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition)(N = 520,000). We report estimates of the proportion of lung cancers attributable to ETS and air pollution in this population. RESULTS: The proportion of lung cancers in never- and ex-smokers attributable to ETS was estimated as between 16 and 24%, mainly due to the contribution of work-related exposure. We have also estimated that 5-7% of lung cancers in European never smokers and ex-smokers are attributable to high levels of air pollution, as expressed by NO2 or proximity to heavy traffic roads. NO2 is the expression of a mixture of combustion (traffic-related) particles and gases, and is also related to power plants and waste incinerator emissions. DISCUSSION: We have estimated risks of lung cancer attributable to ETS and traffic-related air pollution in a large prospective study in Europe. Information bias can be ruled out due to the prospective design, and we have thoroughly controlled for potential confounders, including restriction to never smokers and long-term ex-smokers. Concerning traffic-related air pollution, the thresholds for indicators of exposure we have used are rather strict, i.e. they correspond to the high levels of exposure that characterize mainly Southern European countries (levels of NO2 in Denmark and Sweden are closer to 10-20 ug/m3, whereas levels in Italy are around 30 or 40, or higher).Therefore, further reduction in exposure levels below 30 ug/m3 would correspond to additional lung cancer cases prevented, and our estimate of 5-7% is likely to be an underestimate. Overall, our prospective study draws attention to the need for strict legislation concerning the quality of air in Europe. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17302981&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Alcohol consumption and risk of Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma: a multicentre case-control study A1 - Gorini, G A1 - Stagnaro, E A1 - Fontana, V A1 - Miligi, L A1 - Ramazzotti, V A1 - Amadori, D A1 - Rodella, S A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Crosignani, P A1 - Vindigni, C A1 - Fontana, A A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Costantini, AS J1 - ANN ONCOL Y1 - 2007/01// VL - 18 SN - 0923-7534 SP - 143 EP - 148 N2 - Background: Few studies have analysed the association between alcohol intake and Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) or multiple myeloma (MM) risks.Materials and methods: A multicentre population-based case-control study of 363 HL, 270 MM cases, and 1771 controls offered the opportunity to evaluate the relationship between alcohol and HL/MM risks. Unconditional logistic regression was carried out to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), associated with alcohol intake (servings per week, grams per day of ethanol intake) or duration of exposure (year).Results: For HL, considering nonsmokers only, ever drinkers had a significantly decreased risk than never drinkers (OR=0.46). Significantly lower risks in all levels of total alcohol intake were also detected, considering servings per week (OR for one to four servings per week=0.51, 95% CI 0.32-0.82; OR for five to nine servings per week=0.39, 95% CI 0.21-0.73; OR for 10-19 servings per week=0.26, 95% CI 0.12-0.54; OR for >= 20 servings per week=0.34, 95% CI 0.15-0.79) and grams per day of ethanol intake (OR for 0.1-9.0 g/day=0.45, 95% CI 0.27-0.74; OR for 9.1-17.9 g/day=0.52, 95% CI 0.30-0.90; OR for 18.0-31.7 g/day=0.27, 95% CI 0.13-0.57; OR for > 31.7 g/day=0.35, 95% CI 0.15-0.79). In the analysis for ever-smoking HL cases and controls, ever drinkers had the same risk as never drinkers. For MM, ever drinkers had a non-significantly decreased risk than non-drinkers (OR=0.74), and ORs in almost all consumption levels were not significant (OR for 0.1-9.0 g/day=0.93; OR for 9.1-17.9 g/day=0.82; OR for 18.0-31.7 g/day=0.47; 95% CI 0.28-0.81; OR for > 31.7 g/day=0.68). For HL and MM, the beverage type did not affect the risk significantly, and no consistent dose-response relationships were found, considering intensity or duration of alcohol consumption.Conclusions: Our study indicates a protective effect of alcohol consumption for nonsmoking HL cases. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - The role of asbestos fiber dimensions in the prevention of mesothelioma A1 - Tomatis, L A1 - Cantoni, S A1 - Carnevale, F A1 - Merler, E A1 - Mollo, F A1 - Ricci, P A1 - Silvestri, S A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Terracini, B J1 - INT J OCCUP ENV HEAL Y1 - 2007/01// VL - 13 SN - 1077-3525 SP - 64 EP - 69 N2 - A recent interpretation of the pathogenetic role of asbestos fiber size in the development of mesothelioma and in the possibility of mesothelioma prevention needs clarification. This point of view is based on a biased interpretation of the literature. Epidemiologic, experimental, and molecular evidence suggests that the arguments for the role of fiber size relative to dose, dose-response effect, and genetic susceptibility are scientifically unsound. Their proponent also states that means available in the past for the implementation of dust-control measures and/or personal protective equipment would not have contributed to reducing the frequency of mesothelioma among exposed subjects, an argument again based on invalid assumptions. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Physical activity and breast cancer risk: the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. A1 - Lahmann, PH A1 - Friedenreich, C A1 - Schuit, AJ A1 - Salvini, S A1 - Allen, NE A1 - Key, TJ A1 - Khaw, KT A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Peeters, PH A1 - Monninkhof, E A1 - Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB A1 - Wirfält, E A1 - Manjer, J A1 - Gonzales, CA A1 - Ardanaz, E A1 - Amiano, P A1 - Quirós, JR A1 - Navarro, C A1 - Martinez, C A1 - Berrino, F A1 - Palli, D A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Panico, S A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Bamia, C A1 - Trichopoulos, D A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Schulz, M A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Chang-Claude, J A1 - Chapelon, FC A1 - Fournier, A A1 - Boutron-Ruault, MC A1 - Tjønneland, A A1 - Føns Johnson, N A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Kaaks, R A1 - Riboli, E J1 - Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev Y1 - 2007/01// VL - 16 SN - 1055-9965 SP - 36 EP - 42 N2 - There is convincing evidence for a decreased risk of breast cancer with increased physical activity. Uncertainties remain, however, about the role of different types of physical activity on breast cancer risk and the potential effect modification for these associations. We used data from 218,169 premenopausal and postmenopausal women from nine European countries, ages 20 to 80 years at study entry into the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Hazard ratios (HR) from multivariate Cox regression models were calculated using metabolic equivalent value-based physical activity variables categorized in quartiles, adjusted for age, study center, education, body mass index, smoking, alcohol use, age at menarche, age at first pregnancy, parity, current oral contraceptive use, and hormone replacement therapy use. The physical activity assessment included recreational, household, and occupational activities. A total physical activity index was estimated based on cross-tabulation of these separate types of activity. During 6.4 years of follow-up, 3,423 incident invasive breast cancers were identified. Overall, increasing total physical activity was associated with a reduction in breast cancer risk among postmenopausal women (P(trend) = 0.06). Specifically, household activity was associated with a significantly reduced risk in postmenopausal (HR, 0.81; 95% confidence interval, 0.70-0.93, highest versus the lowest quartile; P(trend) = 0.001) and premenopausal (HR, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.55-0.90, highest versus lowest quartile; P(trend) = 0.003) women. Occupational activity and recreational activity were not significantly related to breast cancer risk in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women. This study provides additional evidence for a protective effect of physical activity on breast cancer risk. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17179488&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Integrated health information systems in Tanzania: experience and challenges A1 - Smith, M A1 - Madon, S A1 - Anifalaje, A A1 - Lazarro-Malecela, M A1 - Michael, E J1 - The Electronic Journal on Information Systems in Developing Countries Y1 - 2007/// VL - 32 SP - 1 EP - 21 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Isolation and characterization of the first polymorphic microsatellite markers for Schistosoma haematobium and their application in multiplex reactions of larval stages. A1 - Golan, R A1 - Gower, C.M. A1 - Emory, A.M. A1 - Rollinson, D A1 - Webster, J.P. J1 - Molecular Ecology Notes Y1 - 2007/// VL - In press ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Estimating individual and household reproduction numbers in an emerging epidemic. A1 - Fraser, C J1 - PLoS ONE Y1 - 2007/// VL - 2 SN - 1932-6203 SP - e758 EP - e758 N2 - Reproduction numbers, defined as averages of the number of people infected by a typical case, play a central role in tracking infectious disease outbreaks. The aim of this paper is to develop methods for estimating reproduction numbers which are simple enough that they could be applied with limited data or in real time during an outbreak. I present a new estimator for the individual reproduction number, which describes the state of the epidemic at a point in time rather than tracking individuals over time, and discuss some potential benefits. Then, to capture more of the detail that micro-simulations have shown is important in outbreak dynamics, I analyse a model of transmission within and between households, and develop a method to estimate the household reproduction number, defined as the number of households infected by each infected household. This method is validated by numerical simulations of the spread of influenza and measles using historical data, and estimates are obtained for would-be emerging epidemics of these viruses. I argue that the household reproduction number is useful in assessing the impact of measures that target the household for isolation, quarantine, vaccination or prophylactic treatment, and measures such as social distancing and school or workplace closures which limit between-household transmission, all of which play a key role in current thinking on future infectious disease mitigation. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17712406&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - The potential cost-effectiveness of prophylactic human papillomavirus vaccines in Canada A1 - Brisson, m A1 - Van de Velde , N A1 - Boily, MC J1 - Vaccine Y1 - 2007/// VL - 25 SP - 5399 EP - 5408 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Bayesian logistic regression using a perfect phylogeny. A1 - Clark, TG A1 - De Iorio, M A1 - Griffiths, RC J1 - Biostatistics Y1 - 2007/01// VL - 8 SN - 1465-4644 SP - 32 EP - 52 N2 - Haplotype data capture the genetic variation among individuals in a population and among populations. An understanding of this variation and the ancestral history of haplotypes is important in genetic association studies of complex disease. We introduce a method for detecting associations between disease and haplotypes in a candidate gene region or candidate block with little or no recombination. A perfect phylogeny demonstrates the evolutionary relationship between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the haplotype blocks. Our approach extends the logic regression technique of Ruczinski and others (2003) to a Bayesian framework, and constrains the model space to that of a perfect phylogeny. Environmental factors, as well as their interactions with SNPs, may be incorporated into the regression framework. We demonstrate our method on simulated data from a coalescent model, as well as data from a candidate gene study of sarcoidosis. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16556611&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Late-acting dominant lethal genetic systems and mosquito control. A1 - Phuc, HK A1 - Andreasen, MH A1 - Burton, RS A1 - Vass, C A1 - Epton, MJ A1 - Pape, G A1 - Fu, G A1 - Condon, KC A1 - Scaife, S A1 - Donnelly, CA A1 - Coleman, PG A1 - White-Cooper, H A1 - Alphey, L J1 - BMC Biol Y1 - 2007/// VL - 5 SN - 1741-7007 SP - 11 EP - 11 N2 - BACKGROUND: Reduction or elimination of vector populations will tend to reduce or eliminate transmission of vector-borne diseases. One potential method for environmentally-friendly, species-specific population control is the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT). SIT has not been widely used against insect disease vectors such as mosquitoes, in part because of various practical difficulties in rearing, sterilization and distribution. Additionally, vector populations with strong density-dependent effects will tend to be resistant to SIT-based control as the population-reducing effect of induced sterility will tend to be offset by reduced density-dependent mortality. RESULTS: We investigated by mathematical modeling the effect of manipulating the stage of development at which death occurs (lethal phase) in an SIT program against a density-dependence-limited insect population. We found late-acting lethality to be considerably more effective than early-acting lethality. No such strains of a vector insect have been described, so as a proof-of-principle we constructed a strain of the principal vector of the dengue and yellow fever viruses, Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti, with the necessary properties of dominant, repressible, highly penetrant, late-acting lethality. CONCLUSION: Conventional SIT induces early-acting (embryonic) lethality, but genetic methods potentially allow the lethal phase to be tailored to the program. For insects with strong density-dependence, we show that lethality after the density-dependent phase would be a considerable improvement over conventional methods. For density-dependent parameters estimated from field data for Aedes aegypti, the critical release ratio for population elimination is modeled to be 27% to 540% greater for early-acting rather than late-acting lethality. Our success in developing a mosquito strain with the key features that the modeling indicated were desirable demonstrates the feasibility of this approach for improved SIT for disease control. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17374148&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Integration of the vaccine against humanpapillomaviruses into national vaccination programmes A1 - Lehtinen, M A1 - French, K J1 - Entre Nous: The European Magazine for Sexual and Reproductive Health Y1 - 2007/// VL - 64 PB - WHO SN - 10148485 SP - 12 EP - 13 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Statistical tools for synthesizing lists of differentially expressed features in related experiments. A1 - Blangiardo, M A1 - Richardson, S J1 - Genome Biol Y1 - 2007/// VL - 8 SN - 1465-6914 SP - R54 EP - R54 N2 - We propose a novel approach for finding a list of features that are commonly perturbed in two or more experiments, quantifying the evidence of dependence between the experiments by a ratio. We present a Bayesian analysis of this ratio, which leads us to suggest two rules for choosing a cut-off on the ranked list of p values. We evaluate and compare the performance of these statistical tools in a simulation study, and show their usefulness on two real datasets. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17428330&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Radiation-induced leukemia at doses relevant to radiation therapy: modeling mechanisms and estimating risks. A1 - Shuryak, I A1 - Sachs, RK A1 - Hlatky, L A1 - Little, MP A1 - Hahnfeldt, P A1 - Brenner, DJ J1 - J Natl Cancer Inst Y1 - 2006/12/20/ VL - 98 SN - 1460-2105 SP - 1794 EP - 1806 N2 - BACKGROUND: Because many cancer patients are diagnosed earlier and live longer than in the past, second cancers induced by radiation therapy have become a clinically significant issue. An earlier biologically based model that was designed to estimate risks of high-dose radiation-induced solid cancers included initiation of stem cells to a premalignant state, inactivation of stem cells at high radiation doses, and proliferation of stem cells during cellular repopulation after inactivation. This earlier model predicted the risks of solid tumors induced by radiation therapy but overestimated the corresponding leukemia risks. METHODS: To extend the model to radiation-induced leukemias, we analyzed--in addition to cellular initiation, inactivation, and proliferation--a repopulation mechanism specific to the hematopoietic system: long-range migration through the blood stream of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from distant locations. Parameters for the model were derived from HSC biologic data in the literature and from leukemia risks among atomic bomb survivors who were subjected to much lower radiation doses. RESULTS: Proliferating HSCs that migrate from sites distant from the high-dose region include few preleukemic HSCs, thus decreasing the high-dose leukemia risk. The extended model for leukemia provides risk estimates that are consistent with epidemiologic data for leukemia risk associated with radiation therapy over a wide dose range. For example, when applied to an earlier case-control study of 110,000 women undergoing radiotherapy for uterine cancer, the model predicted an excess relative risk (ERR) of 1.9 for leukemia among women who received a large inhomogeneous fractionated external beam dose to the bone marrow (mean = 14.9 Gy), consistent with the measured ERR (2.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.2 to 6.4; from 3.6 cases expected and 11 cases observed). As a corresponding example for brachytherapy, the predicted ERR of 0.80 among women who received an inhomogeneous low-dose-rate dose to the bone marrow (mean = 2.5 Gy) was consistent with the measured ERR (0.62, 95% CI = -0.2 to 1.9). CONCLUSIONS: An extended, biologically based model for leukemia that includes HSC initiation, inactivation, proliferation, and, uniquely for leukemia, long-range HSC migration predicts, with reasonable accuracy, risks for radiation-induced leukemia associated with exposure to therapeutic doses of radiation. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17179481&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Helicobacter pylori infection appears the prime risk factor for stomach cancer - Reply to the letter to the editor A1 - Gonzalez, CA A1 - Pera, G A1 - Agudo, A A1 - Palli, D A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Jenab, M A1 - Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB A1 - Numans, ME A1 - Riboli, E A1 - EPIC-EUR-GAST study J1 - INT J CANCER Y1 - 2006/12/15/ VL - 119 SN - 0020-7136 SP - 2992 EP - 2992 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Identifying and treating UTIs A1 - Chada P A1 - Car J J1 - Independent Nurse Y1 - 2006/12/04/ SP - 26 EP - 26 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Dietary fish intake and plasma phospholipid n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations in men and women in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer-Norfolk United Kingdom cohort A1 - Welch, AA A1 - Bingham, SA A1 - Ive, J A1 - Friesen, MD A1 - Wareham, NJ A1 - Riboli, E A1 - Khaw, KT J1 - AM J CLIN NUTR Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 84 SN - 0002-9165 SP - 1330 EP - 1339 N2 - Background: The n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, found in fish and fish-oil supplements and also formed by conversion of a-linolenic acid in soy and rapeseed (canola) oils, are thought to have cardio-protective effects.Objective: Because the relative feasibility and measurement error of dietary methods varies, this study compared fish and fish-oil intakes obtained from 4 dietary methods with plasma n-3 PUFAs in men and women in a general population.Design: The study participants were 4949 men and women aged 40-79 y from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer-Norfolk United Kingdom cohort. Measurements of plasma phospholipid n-3 PUFA concentrations and fish intakes were made with the use of 4 dietary methods (food-frequency questionnaire, health and lifestyle questionnaire, 7-d diary, and first-day recall from the 7-d diary).Results: Amounts of fish consumed and relations with plasma phospholipid n-3 PUFAs were not substantially different between the 4 dietary methods. Plasma n-3 PUFA concentrations were significantly higher in women than in men, were 20% higher in fish-oil consumers than in non-fish-oil consumers, and were twice as high in fatty fish consumers as in total fish consumers. Only approximate to 25% of the variation in plasma n-3 PUFA was explained by fish and fish-oil consumption.Conclusions: This large study found no substantial differences between dietary methods and observed clear sex differences in plasma n-3 PUFAs. Because variation in n-3 PUFA was only partially determined by fish and fish-oil consumption, this could explain the inconsistent results of observational and intervention studies on coronary artery disease protection. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Dietary macronutrient intake and blood pressure: Data from the Dietary and Nutritional Survey of British Adults A1 - Brown, I A1 - Elliott, P J1 - Journal of Hypertension Y1 - 2006/12// IS - Suppl 6 VL - 24 PB - Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins SP - S57 EP - S58 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Schistosomiasis: challenges for control, treatment and drug resistance. A1 - Fenwick, A A1 - Webster, JP J1 - Curr Opin Infect Dis Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 19 SN - 0951-7375 SP - 577 EP - 582 N2 - PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that has recently attracted increased focus and funding for control. Despite shifts in global health policy towards the implementation of mass chemotherapeutic control programmes at the national scale in sub-Saharan Africa, however, many challenges still exist. RECENT FINDINGS: Publications reviewed for this article cover: the development of treatment strategies; the planning, implementation and impact of control programmes; the re-evaluation of the burden of schistosomiasis; improved tools for control; new drugs; the safety of treatment during pregnancy; and the development of resistance against praziquantel. SUMMARY: The morbidity due to schistosomiasis has been shown to be greater than was previously thought. The reduction in morbidity of schistosomiasis by control programmes has been demonstrated, while new tools include a validated dose pole for delivering the correct treatment, geographical information systems mapping for determining high-risk areas, and Lot Quality Assurance Sampling for determining treatment strategies at the local level. Sustainability and future funding are issues to be addressed. Despite some positive results, myrrh is apparently ineffective against schistosomiasis, but fortunately no resistance to praziquantel has developed. We predict the impact of schistosomiasis control will be a healthier generation of children within 5 years. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17075334&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Polymorphisms in metabolic genes related to tobacco smoke and the risk of gastric cancer in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition A1 - Agudo, A A1 - Sala, N A1 - Pera, G A1 - Capella, G A1 - Berenguer, A A1 - Garcia, N A1 - Palli, D A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Del Giudice, G A1 - Saieva, C A1 - Carneiro, F A1 - Berrino, F A1 - Sacerdote, C A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Panico, S A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Siman, H A1 - Stenling, R A1 - Hallmans, G A1 - Martinez, C A1 - Bilbao, R A1 - Barricarte, A A1 - Navarro, C A1 - Quiros, JR A1 - Allen, N A1 - Key, T A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Khaw, KT A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Nagel, G A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Tjonneland, A A1 - Olsen, A A1 - Bueno-De-Mesquita, HB A1 - Boshuizen, HC A1 - Peeters, PH A1 - Numans, ME A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Boutron-Ruault, MC A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Lund, E A1 - Offerhaus, J A1 - Jenab, M A1 - Ferrari, P A1 - Norat, T A1 - Riboli, E A1 - Gonzalez, CA J1 - CANCER EPIDEM BIOMAR Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 15 SN - 1055-9965 SP - 2427 EP - 2434 N2 - Metabolizing enzymes, which often display genetic polymorphisms, are involved in the activation of compounds present in tobacco smoke that may be relevant to gastric carcinogenesis. We report the results of a study looking at the association between risk of gastric adenocarcinoma and polymorphisms in genes CYP1A1, CYP1A2, EPHX1, and GSTT1. A nested case-control study was carried out within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, developed in 10 European countries. The study includes 243 newly diagnosed cases of histologically confirmed gastric adenocarcinoma and 946 controls matched by center, age, sex, and date of blood collection. Genotypes were determined in nuclear DNA from WBCs. We found an increased risk of gastric cancer for homozygotes for C (histidine) variant in Y113H of EPHX1 (odds ratio, 1.91; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-3.07) compared with subjects with TC/TT. There was also a significant increased risk for smokers carrying at least one variant allele A in Ex7+129C > A (m4) of CYP1A1 and never smokers with null GSTT1 and allele A in the locus -3859G > A of CYP1A2. Most of these genes are involved in the activation and detoxification of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, suggesting a potential role of these compounds in gastric carcinogenesis. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - International comparison of Cloninger's temperament dimensions A1 - Miettunen, J A1 - Kantojarvi, L A1 - Veijola, J A1 - Jarvelin, MR A1 - Joukamaa, M J1 - PERS INDIV DIFFER Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 41 SP - 1515 EP - 1526 N2 - Cloninger's Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) and Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) have been developed to measure the following temperament dimensions: novelty seeking (NS), harm avoidance (HA), reward dependence (RD) and persistence (P). We used our previous Finnish normative study of the TPQ and TCI (Miettimen et al., 2004) to estimate correction coefficients to convert TPQ scales to comparable TCI scales. Our aim was to compare these corrected temperament dimension scores across 20 countries adjusting for study sample differences in age and gender. In all, some variations were found in these temperament scores between countries. Differences were especially apparent between the Asian and the Western countries. By far the lowest mean score of the RD was in Japan (11.2 vs. 15.4 for other countries; effect size Cohen's d = -5.74; z-test p < 0.001) and the highest mean score in P was in USA (5.5 vs. 4.4; d = 4.24, p = 0.001). Some of the findings could be explained by sample differences (e.g. age and education); while some may reflect real differences in the ways which personality is related to cultural factors, such as individualism/collectivism. These differences should be considered when interpreting studies with data on TPQ/TCI from different countries. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Pneumonia and septicemia caused by Burkholderia thailandensis in the United States. A1 - Glass, MB A1 - Gee, JE A1 - Steigerwalt, AG A1 - Cavuoti, D A1 - Barton, T A1 - Hardy, RD A1 - Godoy, D A1 - Spratt, BG A1 - Clark, TA A1 - Wilkins, PP J1 - J Clin Microbiol Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 44 SN - 0095-1137 SP - 4601 EP - 4604 N2 - Burkholderia thailandensis is closely related to Burkholderia pseudomallei, the causative agent of melioidosis. It is generally considered avirulent and previously has been reported to occur only in Southeast Asia. We report the first case of pneumonia and septicemia caused by B. thailandensis in the United States. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17050819&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Innovations in diagnostic methods for sexually transmitted infections. A1 - Ward, H A1 - Miller, RF J1 - Sex Transm Infect Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 82 SN - 1368-4973 SP - 423 EP - 424 L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17151026&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Staphylococcal chromosome cassette evolution in Staphylococcus aureus inferred from ccr gene complex sequence typing analysis. A1 - Lina, G A1 - Durand, G A1 - Berchich, C A1 - Short, B A1 - Meugnier, H A1 - Vandenesch, F A1 - Etienne, J A1 - Enright, MC J1 - Clin Microbiol Infect Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 12 SN - 1198-743X SP - 1175 EP - 1184 N2 - Staphylococcal chromosome cassette mec (SCCmec) elements within major lineages of healthcare- and community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) clones were characterised using intra-SCCmec multilocus sequencing. A strong correlation was observed between sequence- and PCR-based typing methods (p <0.001). However, phylogenetic analysis of the SCCmec locus using concatenated sequences evidenced few recombination events. Sequence type (ST)-SCCmec1 was found in SCCmec elements types I and IV, suggesting the evolution of an SCCmecI element into an SCCmecIV element. This coincided with the spread of the clone harbouring this SCCmec element into the community. No correlation was observed between ST-SCCmec lineage and MRSA lineage, confirming multiple acquisitions of SCCmec by S. aureus. This was exemplified by the SCCmecIV ST-SCCmec10 element, which was detected in all of the clonal complexes examined, including healthcare- and community-associated MRSA. The acquisition of this SCCmec element was five- to ten-fold more common than that of others. Models of MRSA clone evolution suggest that this SCCmec was first found in the paediatric clone. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17121623&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Patient confidentiality and telephone consultations: time for a password. A1 - Sokol, DK A1 - Car, J J1 - J Med Ethics Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 32 SN - 0306-6800 SP - 688 EP - 689 N2 - Although telephone consultations are widely used in the delivery of healthcare, they are vulnerable to breaches of patient confidentiality. Current guidelines on telephone consultations do not address adequately the issue of confidentiality. In this paper, we propose a solution to the PROBLEM: a password system to control access to patient information. Authorised persons will be offered the option of selecting a password which they will use to validate their request for information over the telephone. This simple yet stringent method of access control should improve security while allowing the continuing evolution of telephone consultations. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17145905&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - ABCB1 polymorphisms and haplotype previously associated with drug resistant epilepsy have no effect on therapeutic or adverse drug response in a large prospective epilepsy cohort A1 - Leschziner, G A1 - Jorgensen, A A1 - Andrew, T A1 - Middleditch, C A1 - Pirmohamed, M A1 - Williamson, P A1 - Marson, A A1 - Coffey, AJ A1 - Rogers, J A1 - Bentley, DR A1 - Chadwick, D A1 - Johnson, MR J1 - J NEUROL NEUROSUR PS Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 77 SN - 0022-3050 SP - 1394 EP - 1394 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Forced to crowd or choosing to cluster? Spatial distribution indicates social attraction in broiler chickens A1 - Febrer, K A1 - Jones, TA A1 - Donnelly, CA A1 - Dawkins, MS J1 - ANIM BEHAV Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 72 SN - 0003-3472 SP - 1291 EP - 1300 N2 - We investigated the response of commercially farmed broiler (meat) chickens to their social environment at five stocking densities, using spatial distribution and behaviour. We used a computer model in which a 'social aversion/attraction' parameter was set at different values to give simulations in which the chickens were averse, indifferent or positively attracted to each other. We examined the spatial distribution of real chickens that were neither feeding nor drinking, using video records taken within commercial houses, to see which setting of the model best fitted the observed data. At all stocking densities, chickens were more clustered than indifferent (randomly distributed) chickens, and their distribution best fitted a social attraction model in which simulated birds rejected a potential position if their distance from other birds was too great. The parameter setting that best fitted the observed data was a model in which simulated chickens had a high probability of rejecting a position if the nearest chicken was more than an estimated 75 cm away: they were socially attracted rather than socially averse. This result suggests that, even at high commercial stocking densities, real broiler chickens may find the close proximity of other birds more attractive than aversive. Except for jostling and number of strides per walking bout, behaviour did not change across the stocking densities studied, nor, except for gait, did the most obvious measures of bird health (mortality, culls, leg health). (c) 2006 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Dietary sources of sodium in China, Japan, United Kingdom, United States - women and men ages 40-59: Intermap study A1 - Anderson, CAM A1 - Appel, LJ A1 - Stamler, J A1 - Chan, Q A1 - Ueshima, H A1 - Elliott, P A1 - Zha, LC J1 - J HYPERTENS Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 24 SN - 0263-6352 SP - 403 EP - 403 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Dietary macronutrient intake and blood pressure: Data from the Dietary and Nutritional Survey of British Adults (DNSBA) A1 - Brown, I A1 - Elliott, P J1 - J HYPERTENS Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 24 SN - 0263-6352 SP - 57 EP - 58 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Dietary sources of sodium in China, Japan, United Kingdom, United States - Women and men ages 40-59: Intermap study A1 - Anderson, CAM A1 - Appel, LJ A1 - Stamler, J A1 - Chan, Q A1 - Ueshima, H A1 - Elliott, P A1 - Zhao, L J1 - J HYPERTENS Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 24 SN - 0263-6352 SP - 106 EP - 106 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - The influence of occupational exposure on male reproductive function A1 - Jensen, TK A1 - Bonde, JP A1 - Joffe, M J1 - OCCUP MED-OXFORD Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 56 SN - 0962-7480 SP - 544 EP - 553 N2 - Recently, many studies have found a decrease in semen quality which has increased the focus on male reproductive health. Occupational hazards are by far the best documented in reproductive epidemiological research. Generally, occupational exposures have been divided into physical exposures (heat and radiation), chemical exposures (solvents and pesticides), psychological exposures (distress), exposure to metals and welding. The recent and/or most important epidemiological studies exploring the effect of occupational exposures on semen quality and fecundity, the ability to conceive, are reviewed. The evidence for an adverse effect on male reproduction of several occupational and environmental exposures and toxicants, such as heat, ionizing radiation, inorganic lead, dibromochloropropane, ethylene dibromide, some ethylene glycol ethers, carbon disulfide and welding operations, is strongly supported in well-designed epidemiological studies. For other agents, the association is only suspected or suggested and needs further evaluation before conclusions can be drawn. It is also important to bear in mind that many workers in the non-Western world still are exposed to substances that are banned in the Western world, sometimes in high concentrations. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Combined relation of dietary phosphorus, magnesium, calcium to blood pressure: INTERMAP Study of 4,680 men and women in four countries A1 - Elliott, P A1 - Kesteloot, H A1 - Appel, L J A1 - Dyer, A R A1 - Ueshima, H A1 - Chan, Q A1 - Brown, I J A1 - Zhou, B A1 - Stamler, J J1 - Journal of Hypertension Y1 - 2006/12// IS - Suppl 6 VL - 24 PB - Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins SP - S44 EP - S44 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Immunotoxic effects of chemicals: A matrix for occupational and environmental epidemiological studies A1 - Veraldi, A A1 - Costantini, AS A1 - Bolejack, V A1 - Miligi, L A1 - Vineis, P A1 - van Loveren, H J1 - AM J IND MED Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 49 SN - 0271-3586 SP - 1046 EP - 1055 N2 - Background Many biological and chemical agents have the capacity to alter the way the immune system functions in human and animals. This study evaluates the immunotoxicity of 20 substances used widely in work environments.Methods A systematic literature search on the immunotoxicity of 20 chemicals was performed. The first step was to review literature on immunotoxicity testing and testing schemes adopted for establishing immunotoxicity in humans. The second step consisted of providing a documentation on immunotoxicity of substances that are widely used in work environment, by building tables for each chemical of interest (benzene, trichloroethylene, PAHs, crystalline silica, diesel exhausts, welding fumes, asbestos, styrene,formaldehyde, toluene, vinyl chloride monomer, tetrachloroethylene, chlorophenols, 1,3-butadiene, mineral oils, P-dichlorobenzene, dichloromethane, xylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, ethylene oxide). The third step was the classification of substances; an index (strong, intermediate, weak, nil) was assigned on the basis of the evidence of toxicity and type of immunotoxic effects (immunosuppression, autoimmunity, hypersensitivity) on the basis of the immune responses. Finally substances were assigned a score of immunotoxic powerResults Tables have been produced that include information for the 20 substances of interest, based on 227 animal studies and 94 human studies. Each substance was assigned an index of immunotoxic evidence, a score of immunotoxic power and type of immunotoxic effect.Conclusions This matrix can represent a tool to identify chemicals with similar properties concerning the toxicity for the immune system, and to interpret epidemiological studies on immune-related diseases. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Combined relation of dietary phosphorus, magnesium, calcium to blood pressure: Intermap study of 4,680 men and women in four countries A1 - Elliott, P A1 - Kesteloot, H A1 - Appel, LJ A1 - Dyer, AR A1 - Ueshima, H A1 - Chan, Q A1 - Brown, IJ A1 - Zhou, B A1 - Stamler, J J1 - J HYPERTENS Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 24 SN - 0263-6352 SP - 44 EP - 44 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Early exposure to smoking and future fecundity among Danish twins A1 - Jensen, TK A1 - Joffe, M A1 - Scheike, T A1 - Skytthe, A A1 - Gaist, D A1 - Petersen, I A1 - Christensen, K J1 - INT J ANDROL Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 29 SN - 0105-6263 SP - 603 EP - 613 N2 - Several studies have examined the effect of in utero exposure to smoking and fecundity among the offspring but the findings are contradictory. We therefore studied the waiting time to first pregnancy (TTP) and exposure to smoking in utero and childhood among Danish twins born between 1931 and 1952. Information about TTP, exposure to mothers smoking in pregnancy, exposure to smoking in childhood and current smoking among the male twins and smoking in their own pregnancy among female twins was collected by interview. Fecundability odds ratio (FOR) estimating the odds of conception in a cycle among exposed compared to the unexposed were calculated separately for female and male twins. A total of 1653 female and 1598 male twins reported a TTP. Female twins, exposed in utero, had reduced fecundability after control for confounders (FOR = 0.81; 95% CI 0.67-0.99). A nonsignificant increase in fecundity among male twins exposed to smoking in utero was found (FOR = 1.12; 95% CI 0.89-1.40). Among dizygotic twins of opposite sex sharing the same in utero exposures, the future fecundity of the male twin was unaffected by in utero exposure (FOR = 0.97; 95% CI 0.60-1.55) whereas the female twin had reduced fecundity (FOR = 0.65; 95% CI 0.47-0.91). This study supports that smoking is hazardous to the female fetus not only in the short term but also affects her future ability to conceive and makes it even more important to advise pregnant women to stop smoking. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Modelling the effectiveness of chlamydia screening in England. A1 - Turner, KM A1 - Adams, EJ A1 - Lamontagne, DS A1 - Emmett, L A1 - Baster, K A1 - Edmunds, WJ J1 - Sex Transm Infect Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 82 SN - 1368-4973 SP - 496 EP - 502 N2 - BACKGROUND: Several developed countries have initiated chlamydia screening programmes. Screening for a sexually transmitted infection has both direct individual and indirect population-wide effects. Mathematical models can incorporate these non-linear effects and estimate the likely impact of different screening programmes and identify areas where more data are needed. METHODS: A stochastic, individual based dynamic network model, parameterised from UK screening studies and data on sexual behaviour and chlamydia epidemiology, was used to investigate the likely impact of opportunistic screening on chlamydia prevalence. Three main strategies were considered for <25 year olds: (1) annual offer to women; (2) annual offer to women or if changed partner within last 6 months; (3) annual offer to men and women. Sensitivity analyses were performed for key screening parameters including uptake rate, targeted age range, percentage of partners notified, and screening interval. RESULTS: Under strategy 1, continuous opportunistic screening of women <25 years of age is expected to reduce the population prevalence by over 50% after 5 years. Prevalence is also expected to decrease in unscreened older women and in men. For all three strategies screening those aged over 25 results in small additional reductions in prevalence. Including men led to a faster and greater reduction in overall prevalence, but involved approximately twice as many tests as strategy 1 and 10% more than strategy 2. The frequency of attendance at healthcare sites limits the number of opportunities to screen and the effect of changing the screening interval. CONCLUSIONS: The model suggests that continuous opportunistic screening at high uptake rates could significantly reduced chlamydia prevalence within a few years. Opportunistic programmes depend on regular attendance at healthcare providers, but there is a lack of high quality data on patterns of attendance. Inequalities in coverage may result in a less efficient and less equitable outcome. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17151036&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Utility of the Determine Syphilis TP rapid test in commercial sex venues in Peru. A1 - Campos, PE A1 - Buffardi, AL A1 - Chiappe, M A1 - Buendía, C A1 - Garcia, PJ A1 - Carcamo, CP A1 - Garnett, G A1 - White, P A1 - Holmes, KK J1 - Sex Transm Infect Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 82 Suppl 5 SN - 1368-4973 SP - v22 EP - v25 N2 - OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate the utility of the Determine Syphilis TP test performed in Peruvian commercial sex venues for the detection of active syphilis; and determine the feasibility of integrating rapid syphilis testing for female sex workers (FSW) into existing health outreach services. METHODS: We tested 3586 female sex workers for syphilis by Determine in the field using whole blood fingerstick, and by rapid plasma reagin (RPR) and Treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay (TPHA) in a central laboratory in Lima using sera. RESULTS: 97.4% of the FSW offered rapid syphilis testing participated; and among those who tested positive, 87% visited the local health centre for treatment. More than twice as many specimens were RPR reactive using serum in Lima (5.7%) than tested positive by whole blood Determine in the field (2.8%), and although most were confirmed by TPHA, only a small proportion (0.7%) were RPR reactive at >or=1:8 dilutions, and likely indicating active syphilis. Sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of the Determine Syphilis TP test in whole blood when compared to serum RPR reactivity at any dilution confirmed by TPHA as the gold standard were 39.3%, 99.2% and 71.4%, respectively. Sensitivity improved to 64.0% when using serum RPR >or=1:8 confirmed by TPHA. Invalid tests were rare (0.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Rapid syphilis testing in sex work venues proved feasible, but Determine using whole blood obtained by fingerstick was substantially less sensitive than reported in previous laboratory-based studies using serum. Although easy to perform in outreach venues, the utility of this rapid syphilis test was relatively low in settings where a large proportion of the targeted population has been previously tested and treated. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17116642&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Menstrual symptoms: the importance of social factors in women's experiences. A1 - O'Flynn, N J1 - Br J Gen Pract Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 56 SN - 0960-1643 SP - 950 EP - 957 N2 - BACKGROUND: Menstrual disorders are a common presentation in primary care. Heavy menstrual bleeding is the most common concern, and is often treated by medical and surgical means despite lack of pathology. AIM: To explore women's experiences of menstrual disorders. DESIGN OF STUDY: Two qualitative studies using semi-structured interviews. SETTING: Inner-city London. METHOD: An initial study recruited women with heavy menstrual bleeding via their GPs. A follow-up study recruited women with a variety of menstrual problems via general practice and the community. Interviews were taped and transcribed then analysed using the constant comparative method. RESULTS: Management of menstruation was a prominent theme in interviews. Women acted to comply with a strong social message that menstruation should be concealed, although this behaviour was often 'taken for granted.' The need to conceal evidence or reminders of menstrual bleeding was particularly important. Onset of menstrual symptoms often challenged established strategies for menstrual management. Menstrual management then became a conscious problem and a source of continuing stress. The breakdown of management strategies, by real or threatened episodes of leaking or staining, influenced consultation behaviour and decisions about treatment. CONCLUSION: The social pressure to maintain concealment of menstruation is a strong influence on women's health-related behaviour in response to menstrual concerns. Women's choices may be better understood if attention is paid to the social context in which they live. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17132384&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Relation of type, pattern of alcohol intake to blood pressure: The intermap study A1 - Chan, Q A1 - Stamler, J A1 - Daviglus, M A1 - Dyer, AR A1 - Miura, K A1 - Ueshima, H A1 - Zhou, B A1 - Elliott, P J1 - J HYPERTENS Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 24 SN - 0263-6352 SP - 57 EP - 57 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Ethanol intake and risk of lung cancer in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition (EPIC) A1 - Rohrmann, S A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Boshuizen, HC A1 - Whittaker, J A1 - Agudo, A A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Boffetta, P A1 - Jensen, MK A1 - Olsen, A A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Tjonneland, A A1 - Boutron-Ruault, MC A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Bergmann, MM A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Allen, N A1 - Key, T A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Khaw, KT A1 - Kyriazi, G A1 - Soukara, S A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Panico, S A1 - Palli, D A1 - Sieri, S A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Peeters, PHM A1 - Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB A1 - Buchner, FL A1 - Gram, IT A1 - Lund, E A1 - Ardanaz, E A1 - Chirlaque, MD A1 - Dorronsoro, M A1 - Perez, MJS A1 - Quiros, JR A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Janzon, L A1 - Rasmuson, T A1 - Weinehall, L A1 - Ferrari, P A1 - Jenab, M A1 - Norat, T A1 - Riboli, E J1 - AM J EPIDEMIOL Y1 - 2006/12/01/ VL - 164 SN - 0002-9262 SP - 1103 EP - 1114 N2 - Within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), the authors examined the association of ethanol intake at recruitment (1,119 cases) and mean lifelong ethanol intake (887 cases) with lung cancer. Information on baseline and past alcohol consumption, lifetime tobacco smoking, diet, and the anthropometric characteristics of 478,590 participants was collected between 1992 and 2000. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to calculate multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Overall, neither ethanol intake at recruitment nor mean lifelong ethanol intake was significantly associated with lung cancer. However, moderate intake (5-14.9 g/day) at recruitment (hazard ratio (HR) = 0.76, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63, 0.90) and moderate mean lifelong intake (HR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.66, 0.97) were associated with a lower lung cancer risk in comparison with low consumption (0.1-4.9 g/day). Compared with low intake, a high (>= 60 g/day) mean lifelong ethanol intake tended to be related to a higher risk of lung cancer (HR = 1.29, 95% CI: 0.93, 1.74), but high intake at recruitment was not. Although there was no overall association between ethanol intake and risk of lung cancer, the authors cannot rule out a lower risk for moderate consumption and a possibly increased risk for high lifelong consumption. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Distribution of a subclinical marker of cardiovascular risk, the ankle brachial index, in a rural African population: SASPI study. A1 - Fowkes, FG A1 - Thorogood, M A1 - Connor, MD A1 - Lewando-Hundt, G A1 - Tzoulaki, I A1 - Tollman, SM J1 - Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 13 SN - 1741-8267 SP - 964 EP - 969 N2 - BACKGROUND: In sub-Saharan Africa, hypertension and stroke are emerging as an important cause of death and disability, whereas coronary heart disease appears still to be uncommon. The aim of our study was to measure for the first time in an African population the ankle brachial index (ABI), which is known to be a good marker of subclinical atheroma and of the risk of future cardiovascular events. METHODS: The study was part of the Southern African Stroke Prevention Initiative (SASPI). It comprised a cross-sectional survey conducted in rural north-east South Africa in the sub-district of Agincourt, in which the demography of the population has been closely monitored. A stratified sample of 10 villages were selected and within these a random sample was chosen of 526 men and women aged 35 years and older. Subjects were visited on up to three occasions to be interviewed and have a clinical examination by specially trained nurses. This included an assessment of cardiovascular risk factors and measurement of the ABI (ratio of ankle : brachial systolic pressure) using a Doppler ultrasound machine. RESULTS: The sample comprised 322 subjects in whom the mean ABI (lower of either leg) was 1.05 in both men and women. The distribution of ABI was negatively skewed and a low ABI of 0.9 or less, indicative of significant atheroma and higher cardiovascular risk, increased with age from 3.9% in 40-49 year olds to 39.7% in those aged 70 years and older. Lower ABI was related to current cigarette smoking (P=0.02) and higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure (P<0.01, P=0.02, respectively) but not total cholesterol levels, which were relatively low in this population (mean 4.47 mmol/l). CONCLUSION: The distribution of the ABI in this rural African population was very similar to that reported in western populations, and suggests that this population has subclinical peripheral atheroma and is at an increased risk of future cardiovascular events, thus providing further evidence of an epidemiological transition towards cardiovascular disease. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17143129&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - New developments in exposure assessment: the impact on the practice of health risk assessment and epidemiological studies. A1 - Nieuwenhuijsen, M A1 - Paustenbach, D A1 - Duarte-Davidson, R J1 - Environ Int Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 32 SN - 0160-4120 SP - 996 EP - 1009 N2 - The field of exposure assessment has matured significantly over the past 10-15 years. Dozens of studies have measured the concentrations of numerous chemicals in many media to which humans are exposed. Others have catalogued the various exposure pathways and identified typical values which can be used in the exposure calculations for the general population such as amount of water or soil ingested per day or the percent of a chemical than can pass through the skin. In addition, studies of the duration of exposure for many tasks (e.g. showering, jogging, working in the office) have been conducted which allow for more general descriptions of the likely range of exposures. All of this information, as well as the development of new and better models (e.g. air dispersion or groundwater models), allow for better estimates of exposure. In addition to identifying better exposure factors, and better mathematical models for predicting the aerial distribution of chemicals, the conduct of simulation studies and dose-reconstruction studies can offer extraordinary opportunities for filling in data gaps regarding historical exposures which are critical to improving the power of epidemiology studies. The use of probabilistic techniques such as Monte Carlo analysis and Bayesian statistics have revolutionized the practice of exposure assessment and has greatly enhanced the quality of the risk characterization. Lastly, the field of epidemiology is about to undergo a sea change with respect to the exposure component because each year better environmental and exposure models, statistical techniques and new biological monitoring techniques are being introduced. This paper reviews these techniques and discusses where additional research is likely to pay a significant dividend. Exposure assessment techniques are now available which can significantly improve the quality of epidemiology and health risk assessment studies and vastly improve their usefulness. As more quantitative exposure components can now be incorporated into these studies, they can be better used to identify safe levels of exposure using customary risk assessment methodologies. Examples are drawn from both environmental and occupational studies illustrating how these techniques have been used to better understand exposure to specific chemicals. Some thoughts are also presented on what lessons have been learned about conducting exposure assessment for health risk assessments and epidemiological studies. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16875734&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Physical activity and risk of colon and rectal cancers: the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition. A1 - Friedenreich, C A1 - Norat, T A1 - Steindorf, K A1 - Boutron-Ruault, MC A1 - Pischon, T A1 - Mazuir, M A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Bergman, M A1 - Johnsen, NF A1 - Tjønneland, A A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Mendez, M A1 - Quirós, JR A1 - Martinez, C A1 - Dorronsoro, M A1 - Navarro, C A1 - Gurrea, AB A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Khaw, KT A1 - Allen, N A1 - Key, T A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Trichopoulos, D A1 - Orfanou, N A1 - Krogh, V A1 - Palli, D A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Panico, S A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB A1 - Peeters, PH A1 - Monninkhof, E A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Manjer, J A1 - Ferrari, P A1 - Slimani, N A1 - Kaaks, R A1 - Riboli, E J1 - Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 15 SN - 1055-9965 SP - 2398 EP - 2407 N2 - We investigated several aspects of the role of physical activity in colon and rectal cancer etiology that remain unclear in the European Prospective Investigation into Nutrition and Cancer. This cohort of 413,044 men and women had 1,094 cases of colon and 599 cases of rectal cancer diagnosed during an average of 6.4 years of follow-up. We analyzed baseline data on occupational, household, and recreational activity to examine associations by type of activity, tumor subsite, body mass index (BMI), and energy intake. The multivariate hazard ratio for colon cancer was 0.78 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 0.59-1.03] among the most active participants when compared with the inactive, with evidence of a dose-response effect (P(trend) = 0.04). For right-sided colon tumors, the risk was 0.65 (95% CI, 0.43-1.00) in the highest quartile of activity with evidence of a linear trend (P(trend) = 0.004). Active participants with a BMI under 25 had a risk of 0.63 (95% CI, 0.39-1.01) for colon cancer compared with the inactive. Finally, an interaction between BMI and activity (P(interaction) = 0.03) was observed for right-sided colon cancers; among moderately active and active participants with a BMI under 25, a risk of 0.38 (95% CI, 0.21-0.68) was found as compared with inactive participants with BMI >30. No comparable decreased risks were observed for rectal cancer for any type of physical activity for any subgroup analyses or interactions considered. We found that physical activity reduced colon cancer risk, specifically for right-sided tumors and for lean participants, but not rectal cancer. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17164362&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Assessment of ultrasound morbidity indicators of schistosomiasis in the context of large-scale programs illustrated with experiences from Malian children. A1 - Koukounari, A A1 - Sacko, M A1 - Keita, AD A1 - Gabrielli, AF A1 - Landouré, A A1 - Dembelé, R A1 - Clements, AC A1 - Whawell, S A1 - Donnelly, CA A1 - Fenwick, A A1 - Traoré, M A1 - Webster, JP J1 - Am J Trop Med Hyg Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 75 SN - 0002-9637 SP - 1042 EP - 1052 N2 - We assessed morbidity indicators for both Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni infections and evaluated the appropriateness of the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for ultrasound in schistosomiasis in the context of large-scale control interventions. Abdominal and urinary tract ultrasonography was performed on 2,247 and 2,822 school children, respectively, from 29 randomly selected schools in Mali before the implementation of mass anthelminthic drug administration. Using two-level logistic regression models, we examined associations of potential factors with the risk of having a positive ultrasound global score (morbidity indicative of S. haematobium infection), abnormal image pattern scores, dilatation of the portal vein, and/or enlarged liver (morbidity indicative of S. mansoni infection). The WHO protocol was found useful for detection of S. haematobium pathology but overestimated the risk of portal vein dilatation and left liver lobe enlargement associated with S. mansoni infection. We conclude that ultrasonography should be included in large-scale control interventions, where logistics allow, but cautiously. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17172363&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Relations of dietary linolenic acid and long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to blood pressure: The INTERMAP study A1 - Ueshima, H A1 - Stamler, J A1 - Elliott, P A1 - Chan, Q A1 - Carnethon, M A1 - Daviglus, M A1 - He, K A1 - Moag-Stahlberg, A A1 - Rodriguez, B A1 - Steffen, L A1 - Van Horn, L A1 - Yarnell, J A1 - Zhou, B A1 - INTERMAP Coop Res Grp J1 - J HYPERTENS Y1 - 2006/12// VL - 24 SN - 0263-6352 SP - 57 EP - 57 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Modelling bacterial speciation. A1 - Hanage, WP A1 - Spratt, BG A1 - Turner, KM A1 - Fraser, C J1 - Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci Y1 - 2006/11/29/ VL - 361 SN - 0962-8436 SP - 2039 EP - 2044 N2 - A central problem in understanding bacterial speciation is how clusters of closely related strains emerge and persist in the face of recombination. We use a neutral Fisher-Wright model in which genotypes, defined by the alleles at 140 house-keeping loci, change in each generation by mutation or recombination, and examine conditions in which an initially uniform population gives rise to resolved clusters. Where recombination occurs at equal frequency between all members of the population, we observe a transition between clonal structure and sexual structure as the rate of recombination increases. In the clonal situation, clearly resolved clusters are regularly formed, break up or go extinct. In the sexual situation, the formation of distinct clusters is prevented by the cohesive force of recombination. Where the rate of recombination is a declining log-linear function of the genetic distance between the donor and recipient strain, distinct clusters emerge even with high rates of recombination. These clusters arise in the absence of selection, and have many of the properties of species, with high recombination rates and thus sexual cohesion within clusters and low rates between clusters. Distance-scaled recombination can thus lead to a population splitting into distinct genotypic clusters, a process that mimics sympatric speciation. However, empirical estimates of the relationship between sequence divergence and recombination rate indicate that the decline in recombination is an insufficiently steep function of genetic distance to generate species in nature under neutral drift, and thus that other mechanisms should be invoked to explain speciation in the presence of recombination. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17062418&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Sequences, sequence clusters and bacterial species. A1 - Hanage, WP A1 - Fraser, C A1 - Spratt, BG J1 - Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci Y1 - 2006/11/29/ VL - 361 SN - 0962-8436 SP - 1917 EP - 1927 N2 - Whatever else they should share, strains of bacteria assigned to the same species should have house-keeping genes that are similar in sequence. Single gene sequences (or rRNA gene sequences) have very few informative sites to resolve the strains of closely related species, and relationships among similar species may be confounded by interspecies recombination. A more promising approach (multilocus sequence analysis, MLSA) is to concatenate the sequences of multiple house-keeping loci and to observe the patterns of clustering among large populations of strains of closely related named bacterial species. Recent studies have shown that large populations can be resolved into non-overlapping sequence clusters that agree well with species assigned by the standard microbiological methods. The use of clustering patterns to inform the division of closely related populations into species has many advantages for poorly studied bacteria (or to re-evaluate well-studied species), as it provides a way of recognizing natural discontinuities in the distribution of similar genotypes. Clustering patterns can be used by expert groups as the basis of a pragmatic approach to assigning species, taking into account whatever additional data are available (e.g. similarities in ecology, phenotype and gene content). The development of large MLSA Internet databases provides the ability to assign new strains to previously defined species clusters and an electronic taxonomy. The advantages and problems in using sequence clusters as the basis of species assignments are discussed. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17062411&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Introduction: species and speciation in micro-organisms. A1 - Spratt, BG A1 - Staley, JT A1 - Fisher, MC J1 - Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci Y1 - 2006/11/29/ VL - 361 SN - 0962-8436 SP - 1897 EP - 1898 N2 - L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17062408&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Fighting waterborne infectious diseases - Response A1 - Fenwick, A J1 - SCIENCE Y1 - 2006/11/17/ VL - 314 SN - 0036-8075 SP - 1082 EP - 1083 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - New strategies for the elimination of polio from India. A1 - Grassly, NC A1 - Fraser, C A1 - Wenger, J A1 - Deshpande, JM A1 - Sutter, RW A1 - Heymann, DL A1 - Aylward, RB J1 - Science Y1 - 2006/11/17/ VL - 314 SN - 1095-9203 SP - 1150 EP - 1153 N2 - The feasibility of global polio eradication is being questioned as a result of continued transmission in a few localities that act as sources for outbreaks elsewhere. Perhaps the greatest challenge is in India, where transmission has persisted in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar despite high coverage with multiple doses of vaccine. We estimate key parameters governing the seasonal epidemics in these areas and show that high population density and poor sanitation cause persistence by not only facilitating transmission of poliovirus but also severely compromising the efficacy of the trivalent vaccine. We analyze strategies to counteract this and show that switching to monovalent vaccine may finally interrupt virus transmission. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17110580&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Tobacco smoke and bladder cancer-in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition A1 - Bjerregaard, BK A1 - Raaschou-Nielsen, O A1 - Sorensen, M A1 - Frederiksen, K A1 - Christensen, J A1 - Tjonneland, A A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Chapelon, FC A1 - Nagel, G A1 - Chang-Claude, J A1 - Bergmann, MM A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Trichopoulos, D A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Oikonomou, E A1 - Berrino, F A1 - Palli, D A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Panico, S A1 - Peeters, PHM A1 - Bueno-De-Mesquita, HB A1 - Kiemeney, L A1 - Gram, IT A1 - Braaten, T A1 - Lund, E A1 - Gonzalez, CA A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Allen, N A1 - Roddam, A A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Riboli, E J1 - INT J CANCER Y1 - 2006/11/15/ VL - 119 SN - 0020-7136 SP - 2412 EP - 2416 N2 - The purpose of the present study was to investigate the association between smoking and the development of bladder cancer. The study population consisted of 429,906 persons participating in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), 633 of whom developed bladder cancer during the follow-up period. An increased risk of bladder cancer was found for both current- (incidence rate ratio 3.96, 95% confidence interval: 3.07-5.09) and ex- (2.25, 1.74-2.91) smokers, compared to never-smokers. A positive association with intensity (per 5 cigarettes) was found among current-smokers (1.18, 1.09-1.28). Associations (per 5 years) were observed for duration (1.14, 1.08-1.21), later age at start (0.75, 0.66-0.85) and longer time since quitting (0.92, 0.86-0.98). Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) during childhood increased the risk of bladder cancer (1.38, 1.00-1.90), whereas for ETS exposure as adult no effect was detected. The present study confirms the strong association between smoking and bladder cancer. The indication of a higher risk of bladder cancer for those who start smoking at a young age and for those exposed to ETS during childhood adds to the body of evidence suggesting that children are more sensitive to carcinogens than adults. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Physical activity and lung cancer risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort A1 - Steindorf, K A1 - Friedenreich, C A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Rohrmann, S A1 - Rundle, A A1 - Veglia, F A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Johnsen, NF A1 - Tjonneland, A A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Raaschou-Nielsen, O A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Boutron-Ruault, MC A1 - Schulz, M A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Kalapothaki, V A1 - Koliva, M A1 - Krogh, V A1 - Palli, D A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Panico, S A1 - Monninkhof, E A1 - Peeters, PH A1 - Boshuizen, HC A1 - Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB A1 - Chirlaque, MD A1 - Agudo, A A1 - Larranaga, N A1 - Quiros, JR A1 - Martinez, C A1 - Barricarte, A A1 - Janzon, L A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Khaw, KT A1 - Key, TJ A1 - Norat, T A1 - Jenab, M A1 - Cust, A A1 - Riboli, E J1 - INT J CANCER Y1 - 2006/11/15/ VL - 119 SN - 0020-7136 SP - 2389 EP - 2397 N2 - Research conducted predominantly in male populations on physical activity and lung cancer has yielded inconsistent results. We examined this relationship among 416,277 men and women from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Detailed information on recent recreational, household and occupational physical activity, smoking habits and diet was assessed at baseline between 1992 and 2000. Relative risks (RR) were estimated using Cox regression. During 6.3 years of follow-up we identified 607 men and 476 women with incident lung cancer. We did not observe an inverse association between recent occupational, recreational or household physical activity and lung cancer risk in either males or females. However, we found some reduction in lung cancer risk associated with sports in males (adjusted RR = 0.71; 95% confidence interval 0.50-0.98; highest tertile vs. inactive group), cycling (RR = 0.73; 0.54-0.99) in females and non-occupational vigorous physical activity. For occupational physical activity, lung cancer risk was increased for unemployed men (adjusted RR = 1.57; 1.20-2.05) and men with standing occupations (RR = 1.35; 1.02-1.79) compared with sitting professions. There was no evidence of heterogeneity of physical activity associations across countries, or across any of the considered cofactors. For some histologic subtypes suggestive sex-specific reductions, limited by subgroup sizes, were observed, especially with vigorous physical activity. In total, our study shows no consistent protective associations of physical activity with lung cancer risk. It can be assumed that the elevated risks found for occupational physical activity are not produced mechanistically by physical activity itself but rather reflect exposure to occupation-related lung cancer risk factors. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Call-related factors influencing output power from mobile phones. A1 - Hillert, L A1 - Ahlbom, A A1 - Neasham, D A1 - Feychting, M A1 - Järup, L A1 - Navin, R A1 - Elliott, P J1 - J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 16 SN - 1559-0631 SP - 507 EP - 514 N2 - Mobile phone use is increasing but there is also concern for adverse health effects. Well-designed prospective studies to assess several health outcomes are required. In designing a study of mobile phone use, it is important to assess which factors need to be considered in classifying the exposure to radiofrequency fields (RF). A pilot study was performed in Sweden and in the UK 2002 to 2003 to test the feasibility of recruiting a cohort of mobile phone users from a random population sample and from mobile phone subscription lists for a prospective study. As one part of this pilot study, different factors were evaluated regarding possible influence on the output power of the phones. By local switch logging, information on calls made from predefined subscriptions or dedicated handsets were obtained and the output power of phones during calls made indoors and outdoors, in moving and stationary mode, and in rural as well in urban areas were compared. In this experiment, calls were either 1, 1.5 or 5 min long. The results showed that high mobile phone output power is more frequent in rural areas whereas the other factors (length of call, moving/stationary, indoor/outdoor) were of less importance. Urban and rural area should be considered in an exposure index for classification of the exposure to RF from mobile phones and may be assessed by first base station during mobile phone calls or, if this information is not available, possibly by using home address as a proxy. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16670713&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Identifying populations exposed to cadmium using air dispersion modelling and GIS A1 - Thomas, L A1 - Hodgson, S A1 - Nieuwenhuijsen, M A1 - Colvile, R A1 - Jarup, L J1 - EPIDEMIOLOGY Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 17 SN - 1044-3983 SP - S483 EP - S484 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Health effects of diesel exhaust in asthmatic patients: The role of specific exposures in a real-world study A1 - Mccreanor, J A1 - Zhang, J A1 - Cullinan, P A1 - Chung, F A1 - Stewart Evans, J A1 - Malliarou, E A1 - Svartengren, M A1 - Ohman-Strickland, P A1 - Jarup, L J1 - EPIDEMIOLOGY Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 17 SN - 1044-3983 SP - S108 EP - S108 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Morbidity due to Schistosoma mansoni: an epidemiological assessment of distended abdomen syndrome in Ugandan school children with observations before and 1-year after anthelminthic chemotherapy. A1 - Balen, J A1 - Stothard, JR A1 - Kabatereine, NB A1 - Tukahebwa, EM A1 - Kazibwe, F A1 - Whawell, S A1 - Webster, JP A1 - Utzinger, J A1 - Fenwick, A J1 - Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 100 SN - 0035-9203 SP - 1039 EP - 1048 N2 - The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence and distribution of distended abdomens among Ugandan school children across a range of eco-epidemiological settings and to investigate the relationship between distended abdomens and helminth infections, in particular Schistosoma mansoni, before and 1-year after anthelminthic treatment. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 4354 school children across eight districts, with a longitudinal 1-year follow-up of 2644 children (60.7%). On both occasions, parasitological, biometrical and clinical data were collected for each child. Baseline prevalence of S. mansoni and hookworms was 44.3% and 51.8%, respectively. Distended abdomens, defined as an abdominal circumference ratio (ACR) >1.05, were observed in 2.5% of the sampled children, several of whom presented with particularly severe distensions necessitating hospital referral. ACR scores were highly overdispersed between districts and schools. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that S. mansoni infection accounted for only a small fraction of ACR variation, suggesting that either single point prevalence and intensity measures failed to reflect this more chronically evolved morbidity and/or that other interacting factors were involved, e.g. malnutrition and malaria. At 1-year follow-up, ACR scores showed an overall trend of regression towards the mean, potentially indicative of amelioration following chemotherapy, but geographic overdispersion still remained. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16765394&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Personal exposures to traffic-related air pollution while walking and in the car: Implications for the assessment of intake fractions A1 - Briggs, D A1 - Gulliver, J A1 - de Hoogh, K J1 - EPIDEMIOLOGY Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 17 SN - 1044-3983 SP - S29 EP - S29 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Organic dusts and respiratory cancer: a complex issue. A1 - Rushton, L J1 - Occup Environ Med Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 63 SN - 1470-7926 SP - 717 EP - 717 L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17050744&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Association of age, sex and deprivation with quality indicators for diabetes: population-based cross sectional survey in primary care. A1 - Gray, J A1 - Millett, C A1 - O'Sullivan, C A1 - Omar, RZ A1 - Majeed, A J1 - J R Soc Med Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 99 SN - 0141-0768 SP - 576 EP - 581 N2 - OBJECTIVES: To determine the quality of diabetes management in primary care after the publication of the National Service Framework and examine the impact of age, gender and deprivation on the achievement of established quality indicators. DESIGN: Population-based cross sectional survey using electronic general practice records carried out between June-October 2003. SETTING: Thirty-four practices in Wandsworth, South-West London, UK. PARTICIPANTS: 6035 adult patients (> or =18 years) with diabetes from a total registered population of 201,572 patients. INTERVENTIONS: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Success rates for the diabetes quality indicators within the General Medical Services contract for general practitioners. RESULTS: We identified large variations in diabetes management between general practitioner practices with poorer recording of quality care in younger patients (18-44 years). In addition, younger patients had a worse cholesterol and glycaemia profile, although hypertension was more common in older patients. Gender and deprivation did not appear to be important determinants of the quality of care received. CONCLUSIONS: There are large variations in diabetes management between general practitioner practices, with care seemingly worse for younger adults. Longitudinal studies are required to determine whether current UK quality improvement initiatives have been successful in attenuating existing variations in care and treatment outcomes. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17082303&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Space-time modeling of exposures to traffic-related air pollution A1 - Briggs, D A1 - Beale, L A1 - Gulliver, J J1 - EPIDEMIOLOGY Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 17 SN - 1044-3983 SP - S57 EP - S57 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Lies, damned lies and mortality statistics? A1 - Hansell, AL J1 - Thorax Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 61 SN - 0040-6376 SP - 923 EP - 924 L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17071829&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - The impact of schistosomiasis and intestinal helminth control program on health in rural Uganda A1 - Fenwick, A A1 - Kabatereine, N A1 - Koukounari, A A1 - Webster, J A1 - Brooker, S J1 - AM J TROP MED HYG Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 75 SN - 0002-9637 SP - 308 EP - 308 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - The incidence of pesticide related illness presenting in primary health care in the UK A1 - Rushton, L A1 - Mann, V A1 - Fasey, N A1 - Bissoon, E A1 - Grelet, Y J1 - EPIDEMIOLOGY Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 17 SN - 1044-3983 SP - S373 EP - S373 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Consumption and portion sizes of tree nuts, peanuts and seeds in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohorts from 10 European countries A1 - Jenab, M A1 - Sabate, J A1 - Slimani, N A1 - Ferrari, P A1 - Mazuir, M A1 - Casagrande, C A1 - Deharveng, G A1 - Tjonneland, A A1 - Olsen, A A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Boutron-Ruault, MC A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Weikert, C A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Rohrmann, S A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Naska, A A1 - Palli, D A1 - Sacerdote, C A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Mattiello, A A1 - Pala, V A1 - Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB A1 - Ocke, MC A1 - Peeters, PH A1 - Engeset, D A1 - Skeie, G A1 - Jakszyn, P A1 - Ardanaz, E A1 - Quiros, JR A1 - Chirlaque, MD A1 - Martinez, C A1 - Amiano, P A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Palmqvist, R A1 - van Guelpen, B A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Key, T A1 - Riboli, E J1 - BRIT J NUTR Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 96 SN - 0007-1145 SP - S12 EP - S23 N2 - Tree nuts, peanuts and seeds are nutrient dense foods whose intake has been shown to be associated with reduced risk of some chronic diseases. They are regularly consumed in European diets either as whole, in spreads or from hidden sources (e.g. commercial products). However, little is known about their intake profiles or differences in consumption between European countries or geographic regions. The objective of this study was to analyse the population mean intake and average portion sizes in subjects reporting intake of nuts and seeds consumed as whole, derived from hidden sources or from spreads. Data was obtained from standardised 24-hour dietary recalls collected from 36 994 subjects in 10 different countries that are part of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Overall, for nuts and seeds consumed as whole, the percentage of subjects reporting intake on the day of the recall was: tree nuts=4 center dot 4%, peanuts=2 center dot 3 % and seeds=1 center dot 3 %. The data show a clear northern (Sweden: mean intake=0 center dot 15 g/d, average portion size=15 center dot 1 g/d) to southern (Spain: mean intake=2 center dot 99 g/d, average portion size=34 center dot 7 g/d) European gradient of whole tree nut intake. The three most popular tree nuts were walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts, respectively. In general, tree nuts were more widely consumed than peanuts or seeds. In subjects reporting intake, men consumed a significantly higher average portion size of tree nuts (28 center dot 5 v. 23 center dot 1 g/d, P < 0 center dot 01) and peanuts (46 center dot 1 v. 35 center dot 1 g/d, P < 0 center dot 01) per day than women. These data may be useful in devising research initiatives and health policy strategies based on the intake of this food group. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Down's syndrome in births near landfill sites A1 - Jarup, L A1 - Morris, S A1 - Richardson, S A1 - Briggs, D A1 - Cobley, N A1 - Dehoogh, C A1 - Elliott, P J1 - EPIDEMIOLOGY Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 17 SN - 1044-3983 SP - S348 EP - S348 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Assessment of cause-effect relationships for carcinogenic agents A1 - Vineis, P J1 - EPIDEMIOLOGY Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 17 SN - 1044-3983 SP - S47 EP - S47 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Density dependence and the control of helminth parasites. A1 - Churcher, TS A1 - Filipe, JA A1 - Basáñez, MG J1 - J Anim Ecol Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 75 SN - 0021-8790 SP - 1313 EP - 1320 N2 - 1. The transient dynamics and stability of a population are determined by the interplay between species density, its spatial distribution and the positive and negative density-dependent processes regulating population growth. 2. Using the human-helminth parasite system as an example, we propose that the life-stage upon which negative density dependence operates will influence the rate of host reinfection following anthelmintic chemotherapy, and the likely success of control programmes. 3. Simple deterministic models are developed which highlight how a parasite species whose population size is down-regulated by density-dependent establishment will reinfect a host population at a faster rate than a species with density-dependent parasite fecundity. 4. Different forms of density dependence can produce the same equilibrium behaviour but different transient dynamics. Under-representing the nature and magnitude of density-dependent mechanisms, and in particular those operating upon establishing life-stages, may cause the resilience of the parasite population to a control perturbation to be underestimated. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17032363&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Risk of congenital anomalies in relation to geographic density of landfill sites in England A1 - Elliot, P A1 - Richardson, S A1 - Abellan, JJ A1 - Thomson, A A1 - Hoogh, CDE A1 - Jarup, L A1 - Briggs, D J1 - EPIDEMIOLOGY Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 17 SN - 1044-3983 SP - S114 EP - S114 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Reply. A1 - Little, MP A1 - Elliott, P A1 - Steer, PJ J1 - Am J Obstet Gynecol Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 195 SN - 1097-6868 SP - 1500 N2 - L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16626606&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Effectiveness of handwashing in preventing SARS: a review. A1 - Fung, IC A1 - Cairncross, S J1 - Trop Med Int Health Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 11 SN - 1360-2276 SP - 1749 EP - 1758 N2 - This review examines the literature, including literature in Chinese, on the effectiveness of handwashing as an intervention against severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) transmission. Nine of 10 epidemiological studies reviewed showed that handwashing was protective against SARS when comparing infected cases and non-infected controls in univariate analysis, but only in three studies was this result statistically significant in multivariate analysis. There is reason to believe that this is because most of the studies were too small. The evidence for the effectiveness of handwashing as a measure against SARS transmission in health care and community settings is suggestive, but not conclusive. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17054756&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Effect of mass drug administration on transmission of lymphatic filariasis in Madang province of Papua New Guinea A1 - Bockarie, MJ A1 - Weil, GJ A1 - Kastens, W A1 - Susapu, M A1 - Dagoro, H A1 - Tarongka, N A1 - Baisor, M A1 - Michael, E A1 - King, C A1 - Kazura, JW J1 - AM J TROP MED HYG Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 75 SN - 0002-9637 SP - 298 EP - 298 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Mathematical models and lymphatic filariasis control: monitoring and evaluating interventions. A1 - Michael, E A1 - Malecela-Lazaro, MN A1 - Maegga, BT A1 - Fischer, P A1 - Kazura, JW J1 - Trends Parasitol Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 22 SN - 1471-4922 SP - 529 EP - 535 N2 - Monitoring and evaluation are crucially important to the scientific management of any mass parasite control programme. Monitoring enables the effectiveness of implemented actions to be assessed and necessary adaptations to be identified; it also determines when management objectives are achieved. Parasite transmission models can provide a scientific template for informing the optimal design of such monitoring programmes. Here, we illustrate the usefulness of using a model-based approach for monitoring and evaluating anti-parasite interventions and discuss issues that need addressing. We focus on the use of such an approach for the control and/or elimination of the vector-borne parasitic disease, lymphatic filariasis. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16971182&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Population genetics of concurrent selection with albendazole and ivermectin or diethylcarbamazine on the possible spread of albendazole resistance in Wuchereria bancrofti. A1 - Schwab, AE A1 - Churcher, TS A1 - Schwab, AJ A1 - Basáñez, MG A1 - Prichard, RK J1 - Parasitology Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 133 SN - 0031-1820 SP - 589 EP - 601 N2 - The Global Program for the Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) intends to achieve its aims through yearly mass treatments with albendazole (ABZ) combined with ivermectin (IVM) or diethylcarbamazine (DEC). The use of ABZ and IVM separately to combat parasites of veterinary importance has, on many occasions, resulted in widespread drug resistance. In order to help predict the spread of potential ABZ resistance alleles through a population of Wuchereria bancrofti, we have developed a mathematical model that incorporates population genetics into EPIFIL, a model which examines the transmission dynamics of the parasite. Our model considers the effect of the combined treatments on the frequency of a recessive allele, which confers ABZ resistance. The model predicts that after 10 yearly treatments with ALB and DEC, 85% coverage and an initial resistance allele frequency of 5%, the frequency of the resistance genotype will increase from 0.25 to 12.7%. If non-random mating is assumed, the initial genotype frequency will be 2.34% and will increase to 62.7%. ABZ and IVM combination treatment may lead to weaker selection for this genotype. Treatment coverage, initial allele frequencies and number of treatments also affect the rate of selection. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16834821&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Water chlorination by-products and congenital anomalies in the United Kingdom A1 - Nieuwenhuijsen, M A1 - Best, N A1 - Toledano, M A1 - Konstantinou, K A1 - Hamby, P A1 - De Hoogh, K A1 - Boyd, P A1 - Abramsky, L A1 - Wellesley, D A1 - Dattani, N A1 - Fawell, J A1 - Briggs, D A1 - Jarup, L A1 - Elliott, P J1 - EPIDEMIOLOGY Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 17 SN - 1044-3983 SP - S195 EP - S195 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Health, schooling and lifestyle among young adults in Finland A1 - Hakinen, U A1 - Jarvelin, MR A1 - Rosenqvist, G A1 - Laitinen, J J1 - HEALTH ECON Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 15 SN - 1057-9230 SP - 1201 EP - 1216 N2 - This was a longitudinal, general population study based on a Northern Finland 1966 Birth Cohort, using a structural equation approach to estimate the health production function and health input functions for four lifestyle variables (smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise and unhealthy diet) for males and females. In particular, we examined the productive and allocative effects of education on health. We used 15D, a generic measure of health-related quality of life, as a single index score measure but we also estimated models for some of its dimensions. Among the males, the important factors impacting on health were education and all the four lifestyle factors, as well as some exogenous variables at 31 years and variables describing parents' background, and health and behaviour at 14 years. An increase of five years in schooling increased the health score by 0.008, of which about 50% was due to direct effect and 50% due to indirect effects. Among the females, education does not impact on health, but health was affected by the use of alcohol, exercise and diet, but not by smoking.Our results indicate that policy options that increase education among men will increase their health indirectly via healthier lifestyles. However, since the total effect was rather modest and the direct effect insignificant, an increase of schooling is not a cost-effective way to increase health given the present high educational level of Finland. The young adults' and particularly women's internationally high educational status in Finland might be a reason why we find only a modest effect of schooling on health and the non-existence of such effects among women. Copyright (c) 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Helminth inbreeding and the detection and spread of drug resistance A1 - Churcher, TS A1 - Schwab, AE A1 - Prichard, RK A1 - Basanez, MG J1 - AM J TROP MED HYG Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 75 SN - 0002-9637 SP - 140 EP - 140 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Exposure in traffic: Comparison of alternatives means of commuting in European studies A1 - Jantunen, MJ A1 - Yli-Tuomi, T A1 - Aarnio, P A1 - Pirjola, L A1 - Chellini, E A1 - Gulliver, J A1 - Hameri, K A1 - Mudu, P J1 - EPIDEMIOLOGY Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 17 SN - 1044-3983 SP - S52 EP - S52 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Plasma and dietary vitamin C levels and risk of gastric cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-EURGAST). A1 - Jenab, M A1 - Riboli, E A1 - Ferrari, P A1 - Sabate, J A1 - Slimani, N A1 - Norat, T A1 - Friesen, M A1 - Tjønneland, A A1 - Olsen, A A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Boutron-Ruault, MC A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Touvier, M A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Schulz, M A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Nagel, G A1 - Trichopoulou, A A1 - Naska, A A1 - Oikonomou, E A1 - Krogh, V A1 - Panico, S A1 - Masala, G A1 - Sacerdote, C A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Peeters, PH A1 - Numans, ME A1 - Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB A1 - Büchner, FL A1 - Lund, E A1 - Pera, G A1 - Sanchez, CN A1 - Sánchez, MJ A1 - Arriola, L A1 - Barricarte, A A1 - Quirós, JR A1 - Hallmans, G A1 - Stenling, R A1 - Berglund, G A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Khaw, KT A1 - Key, T A1 - Allen, N A1 - Carneiro, F A1 - Mahlke, U A1 - Del Giudice, G A1 - Palli, D A1 - Kaaks, R A1 - Gonzalez, CA J1 - Carcinogenesis Y1 - 2006/11// VL - 27 SN - 0143-3334 SP - 2250 EP - 2257 N2 - Vitamin C is an antioxidant and inhibitor of carcinogenic N-nitroso compound production in the stomach. Higher dietary vitamin C consumption is associated with decreased risk of gastric cancer (GC) in numerous case-control studies, but data from prospective studies are limited, particularly so for blood measures of vitamin C. The objective of this study was to determine the association of plasma and dietary vitamin C levels with the risk of GC in a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), a large cohort involving 10 European countries. Using a fluorometric method, vitamin C was measured in pre-diagnostic plasma from 215 GC cases (matched controls = 416). Conditional logistic regression models adjusted by body mass index, total energy intake, smoking status/duration/intensity and Helicobacter pylori infection status were used to estimate relative cancer risks. No association with GC risk was observed for dietary vitamin C, whereas an inverse GC risk was observed in the highest versus lowest quartile of plasma vitamin C [odds ratio (OR) = 0.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.31-0.97, P(trend) = 0.043], which was maintained after exclusion of cases with T and 1298 A > C polymorphisms to the risk of developing CRC.Subjects: Subjects were 226 cases and 437 matched referents from the population based Northern Sweden Health and Disease Cohort.Results: We observed a bell-shaped association between plasma folate concentrations and CRC risk; multivariate odds ratio for middle versus lowest quintile 2.00 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13-3.56). In subjects with follow up times greater than the median of 4.2 years however, plasma folate concentrations were strongly positively related to CRC risk; multivariate odds ratio for highest versus lowest quintile 3.87 ( 95% CI 1.52-9.87; p trend = 0.007). Homocysteine was not associated with CRC risk. Multivariate odds ratios for the MTHFR polymorphisms were, for 677 TT versus CC, 0.41 ( 95% CI 0.19-0.85; p trend = 0.062), and for 1298 CC versus AA, 1.62 ( 95% CI 0.94-2.81; p trend = 0.028). Interaction analysis suggested that the result for 1298A > C may have been largely due to linkage disequilibrium with 677C > T. The reduced CRC risk in 677 TT homozygotes was independent of plasma folate status.Conclusions: Our findings suggest a decreased CRC risk in subjects with low folate status. This possibility of a detrimental component to the role of folate in carcinogenesis could have implications in the ongoing debate in Europe concerning mandatory folate fortification of foods. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - A combined school- and community-based campaign targeting all school-age children of Burkina Faso against schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis: performance, financial costs and implications for sustainability. A1 - Gabrielli, AF A1 - Touré, S A1 - Sellin, B A1 - Sellin, E A1 - Ky, C A1 - Ouedraogo, H A1 - Yaogho, M A1 - Wilson, MD A1 - Thompson, H A1 - Sanou, S A1 - Fenwick, A J1 - Acta Trop Y1 - 2006/10// VL - 99 SN - 0001-706X SP - 234 EP - 242 N2 - A combined school- and community-based campaign targeting the entire school-age population of Burkina Faso with drugs against schistosomiasis (praziquantel) and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (albendazole) was implemented in 2004-2005. In total, 3,322,564 children from 5 to 15 years of age were treated, equivalent to a 90.8% coverage of the total school-age population of the country. The total costs of the campaign were estimated to be US 1,067,284 dollars, of which 69.4% was spent on the drugs. Delivery costs per child treated were US 0.098 dollar, in the same range as school-based only interventions implemented in other countries; total costs per child treated (including drugs) were US 0.32 dollar. We conclude that a combined school- and community-based strategy is effective in attaining a high coverage among school-age children in countries where school enrolment is low and where primary schools cannot serve as the exclusive drug distribution points. The challenge for Burkina Faso will now be to ensure the sustainability of these disease control activities. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16997268&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - The population dynamics of cancer: a Darwinian perspective. A1 - Vineis, P A1 - Berwick, M J1 - Int J Epidemiol Y1 - 2006/10// VL - 35 SN - 0300-5771 SP - 1151 EP - 1159 N2 - Carcinogenesis, at least for some types of cancer, can be interpreted as the consequence of selection of mutated cells similar to what, in the theory of evolution, occurs at the population level. Instead of considering a population of organisms, we can refer to a population of cells belonging to multicellular organisms. Many carcinogens are mutagens, and the observed geographic distribution of cancer is, at least in part, attributable to environmental mutagens. However, the rapid change in risk for some cancers after migration suggests that carcinogenesis involves--in addition to mutations--some late event that most probably consists of the selection of cells already carrying mutations. We review a few examples of such selective pressures: finasteride in prostate cancer, vitamin supplementation in smokers, acquired resistance to chemotherapy, peripheral resistance to insulin, and sunlight and mutations in melanoma. A disease model for such a hypothesis is represented by Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH). Mutations can be present at birth, as in the case of PNH, and can have a frequency much higher than the occurrence of the corresponding disease (PNH or lymphocytic leukaemia in children). However, PNH does not require a mutator phenotype, only a mutant phenotype followed by selection. A characteristic feature of cancer, instead, is likely to be the development of the mutator phenotype. We propose a 'Darwinian' model of carcinogenesis. If the model is correct, it suggests that prevention is more complex than avoiding exposure to mutagens. Mutations and genetic instability can be already present at birth. Mutations can be selected in the course of life if they increase survival advantage of the cell under certain environmental circumstances. In addition, gene-environment interactions cannot be interpreted according to a simplified linear model (based on the 'analysis of variance' concept); experimental work suggests that a more comprehensive non-linear interpretation based on the idea of 'norm of reaction' is needed. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16987840&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - What is the achievable effectiveness of the India AIDS Initiative intervention among female sex workers under target coverage? Model projections from southern India. A1 - Williams, JR A1 - Foss, AM A1 - Vickerman, P A1 - Watts, C A1 - Ramesh, BM A1 - Reza-Paul, S A1 - Washington, RG A1 - Moses, S A1 - Blanchard, J A1 - Lowndes, CM A1 - Alary, M A1 - Boily, MC J1 - Sex Transm Infect Y1 - 2006/10// VL - 82 SN - 1368-4973 SP - 372 EP - 380 N2 - BACKGROUND: The India AIDS Initiative (Avahan) prevention programme funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation aims to reduce HIV prevalence in high risk groups such as female and male sex workers and their clients, to limit HIV transmission in the general population. OBJECTIVES: To assess the potential effectiveness of the Avahan intervention at the level of coverage targeted, in different epidemiological settings in India. METHODS: A deterministic compartmental model of the transmission dynamics of HIV and two sexually transmitted infections, and sensitivity analysis techniques, were used, in combination with available behavioural and epidemiological data from Mysore and Bagalkot districts in the Indian state of Karnataka, to evaluate the syndromic sexually transmitted infection (STI) management (STI treatment), periodic presumptive treatment of STI (PPT), and condom components of the Avahan intervention targeted to female sex workers (FSW). RESULTS: If all components of the intervention reach target coverage (that is, PPT, STI treatment and condom use), the intervention is expected to prevent 22-35% of all new HIV infections in FSW and in the total population over 5 years in a low transmission setting like Mysore, and to be half as effective in high transmission settings such as Bagalkot. The results were sensitive to small variations in intervention coverage. The condom component alone is expected to prevent around 20% of all new HIV infections over 5 years in Mysore and around 6% for the STI component alone; compared with 7%-14% for the PPT component alone. Multivariate sensitivity analyses suggested that interventions may be more effective in settings with low FSW HIV prevalence and small FSW populations, whereas HIV prevalence was most influenced by sexual behaviour and condom use parameters for FSW. CONCLUSION: The Avahan intervention is expected to be effective. However, to be able to demonstrate effectiveness empirically in the different settings, it is important to achieve target coverage or higher, which in the case of PPT could take a number of years to achieve. These preliminary model predictions need to be validated with more detailed mathematical models, as better data on sexual behaviour, condom use, STI and HIV trends over time, and intervention coverage data accumulate over the course of the programme. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=17012512&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Does multiple hosts mean multiple parasites? Population genetic structure of Schistosoma japonicum between definitive host species A1 - Wang, TP A1 - Shrivastava, J A1 - Johansen, MV A1 - Zhang, SQ A1 - Wang, FF A1 - Webster, JP J1 - INT J PARASITOL Y1 - 2006/10// VL - 36 SN - 0020-7519 SP - 1317 EP - 1325 N2 - Multi-host parasites, those capable of infecting more than one species of host, are responsible for the majority of all zoonotic, emerging or persistent human and animal diseases and are considered one of the major challenges for the biomedical sciences in the 21st century. We characterized the population structure of the multi-host parasite Schistosoma japonicum in relation to its definitive host species by genotyping miracidia collected from humans and domestic animals across five villages around the Yangtze River in Anhui Province, mainland China, using microsatellite markers. High levels of polymorphisms were observed and two main genetic clusters were identified which separated water buffalo, cattle and humans from goats, pigs, dogs and cats. We thereby believe that we present the first evidence of definitive host-based genetic variation in Schistosoma japonicum which has important epidemiological, evolutionary, medical and veterinary implications. (c) 2006 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Diagnosis of lymphogranuloma venereum from biopsy samples. A1 - Martin, IM A1 - Alexander, SA A1 - Ison, CA A1 - Macdonald, N A1 - McCarthy, K A1 - Ward, H J1 - Gut Y1 - 2006/10// VL - 55 SN - 0017-5749 SP - 1522 EP - 1523 L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16966707&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Relationship of alcohol intake and sex steroid concentrations in blood in pre- and post-menopausal women: the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. A1 - Rinaldi, S A1 - Peeters, PH A1 - Bezemer, ID A1 - Dossus, L A1 - Biessy, C A1 - Sacerdote, C A1 - Berrino, F A1 - Panico, S A1 - Palli, D A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Khaw, KT A1 - Bingham, S A1 - Allen, NE A1 - Key, T A1 - Jensen, MK A1 - Overvad, K A1 - Olsen, A A1 - Tjonneland, A A1 - Amiano, P A1 - Ardanaz, E A1 - Agudo, A A1 - Martinez-García, C A1 - Quirós, JR A1 - Tormo, MJ A1 - Nagel, G A1 - Linseisen, J A1 - Boeing, H A1 - Schulz, M A1 - Grobbee, DE A1 - Bueno-de-Mesquita, HB A1 - Koliva, M A1 - Kyriazi, G A1 - Thrichopoulou, A A1 - Boutron-Ruault, MC A1 - Clavel-Chapelon, F A1 - Ferrari, P A1 - Slimani, N A1 - Saracci, R A1 - Riboli, E A1 - Kaaks, R J1 - Cancer Causes Control Y1 - 2006/10// VL - 17 SN - 0957-5243 SP - 1033 EP - 1043 N2 - OBJECTIVE: Women with a moderate intake of alcohol have higher concentrations of sex steroids in serum, and higher risk of developing breast cancer, compared to non-drinkers. In the present study, we investigate the relationships between alcohol consumption and serum levels of sex steroids and sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG) in 790 pre- and 1,291 post-menopausal women, who were part of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). METHODS: Serum levels of testosterone (T), androstenedione (Delta4), dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS), estrone (E1), estradiol (E2) and SHBG were measured by direct immunoassays. Free T (fT) and free E2 (fE2) were calculated according to mass action laws. Current alcohol intake exposure to alcohol was assessed from dietary questionnaires. RESULTS: Pre-menopausal women who consumed more than 25 g/day of alcohol had about 30% higher DHEAS, T and fT, 20% higher Delta4 and about 40% higher E1, concentrations compared to women who were non-consumers. E2, fE2 and SHBG concentrations showed no association with current alcohol intake. In post-menopausal women, DHEAS, fT, T, Delta4, and E1 concentrations were between 10% and 20% higher in women who consumed more than 25 g/day of alcohol compared to non-consumers. E2 or fE2 were not associated with alcohol intake at all. SHBG levels were about 15% lower in alcohol consumers compared to non-consumers. CONCLUSION: This study supports the hypothesis of an influence of alcohol intake on sex hormone concentrations in blood. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16933054&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - The emerging amphibian pathogen Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis globally infects introduced populations of the North American bullfrog, Rana catesbeiana A1 - Garner, TWJ A1 - Perkins, MW A1 - Govindarajulu, P A1 - Seglie, D A1 - Walker, S A1 - Cunningham, AA A1 - Fisher, MC J1 - BIOL LETT-UK Y1 - 2006/09/22/ VL - 2 SN - 1744-9561 SP - 455 EP - 459 N2 - Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis is the chytridiomycete fungus which has been implicated in global amphibian declines and numerous species extinctions. Here, we show that introduced North American bullfrogs (Rana catesbeiana) consistently carry this emerging pathogenic fungus. We detected infections by this fungus on introduced bullfrogs from seven of eight countries using both PCR and microscopic techniques. Only native bullfrogs from eastern Canada and introduced bullfrogs from Japan showed no sign of infection. The bullfrog is the most commonly farmed amphibian, and escapes and subsequent establishment of feral populations regularly occur. These factors taken together with our study suggest that the global threat of B. dendrobatidis disease transmission posed by bullfrogs is significant. ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Estimating in real time the efficacy of measures to control emerging communicable diseases. A1 - Cauchemez, S A1 - Boëlle, PY A1 - Thomas, G A1 - Valleron, AJ J1 - Am J Epidemiol Y1 - 2006/09/15/ VL - 164 SN - 0002-9262 SP - 591 EP - 597 N2 - Controlling an emerging communicable disease requires prompt adoption of measures such as quarantine. Assessment of the efficacy of these measures must be rapid as well. In this paper, the authors present a framework to monitor the efficacy of control measures in real time. Bayesian estimation of the reproduction number R (mean number of cases generated by a single infectious person) during an outbreak allows them to judge rapidly whether the epidemic is under control (R < 1). Only counts and time of onset of symptoms, plus tracing information from a subset of cases, are required. Markov chain Monte Carlo and Monte Carlo sampling are used to infer the temporal pattern of R up to the last observation. The operating characteristics of the method are investigated in a simulation study of severe acute respiratory syndrome-like outbreaks. In this particular setting, control measures lacking efficacy (R > or = 1.1) could be detected after 2 weeks in at least 70% of the epidemics, with less than a 5% probability of a wrong conclusion. When control measures are efficacious (R = 0.5), this situation may be evidenced in 68% of the epidemics after 2 weeks and 92% of the epidemics after 3 weeks, with less than a 5% probability of a wrong conclusion. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16887892&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Is HIV out of control in the UK? An example of analysing patterns of HIV spreading using incidence-to-prevalence ratios. A1 - White, PJ A1 - Ward, H A1 - Garnett, GP J1 - AIDS Y1 - 2006/09/11/ VL - 20 SN - 0269-9370 SP - 1898 EP - 1901 N2 - The incidence of diagnosed HIV in the UK is increasing. We calculated the incidence-to-prevalence ratio, IPR(t), which must exceed an 'epidemic threshold', the reciprocal of the mean infectious period, for sustained transmission to occur. For heterosexuals the IPR(t) is too low for a self-sustained UK epidemic, and incidence is driven by increasing prevalence, mostly from imported cases. For men who have sex with men the IPR(t) is around the epidemic threshold, suggesting that spread is not yet under control. L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16954735&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - HIV-contaminated syringes are not evidence of transmission. A1 - Lopman, BA A1 - French, KM A1 - Baggaley, R A1 - Gregson, S A1 - Garnett, GP J1 - AIDS Y1 - 2006/09/11/ VL - 20 SN - 0269-9370 SP - 1905 EP - 1905 L1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16954737&query_hl=1 ER - TY - JFULL T1 - Occupational exposure to solvents and the risk of lymphomas. A1 - Miligi, L A1 - Costantini, AS A1 - Benvenuti, A A1 - Kriebel, D A1 - Bolejack, V A1 - Tumino, R A1 - Ramazzotti, V A1 - Rodella, S A1 - Stagnaro, E A1 - Crosignani, P A1 - Amadori, D A1 - Mirabelli, D A1 - Sommani, L A1 - Belletti, I A1 - Troschel, L A1 - Romeo, L A1 - Miceli, G A1 - Tozzi, GA A1 - Mendico, I A1 - Vineis, P J1 - Epidemiolo