Epidemiology News and Research

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Subjects with borderline elevated IgE levels less likely to develop glioma

A study published online Oct. 18 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute provides some new but qualified support for the idea that the immune system's response to allergies may reduce the risk of developing deadly brain tumors.

19 Oct 2011

Autism in low birth weight babies five times more common: Study

Roughly 3% of U.S. newborns fall into the low-weight category used by the researchers (2,000 grams or less). Babies of this size are typically born prematurely, though certain pregnancy complications can also cause low birth weight in full-term babies.

18 Oct 2011

Stochastic frontier estimation can identify problem of bias in self-reporting

Most people are rather vague when reporting on food and drink consumption, smoking and exercise habits. General practitioners, however, are skilled at interpreting phrases such as "I only have a few drinks rarely...each week" and "I get to the gym regularly" and can estimate based on symptoms and a person's physical appearance just how precise those claims are. However, it is crucial for healthcare research and epidemiology that relies on patient self-reporting that we find a more objective, rather than intuitive, way to identify bias in self-reporting.

18 Oct 2011

New global atlas for malaria elimination

A new global atlas charts prospects for malaria elimination by offering the first full-color, detailed depiction of a disease now declining in many parts of the globe. The "Atlas of Malaria-Eliminating Countries" spotlights countries successfully moving toward eliminating the disease and provides a visual tool to help focus resources where they are needed most.

18 Oct 2011

Study: Lung cancer patients with diabetes mellitus tend to live longer

Lung cancer patients with diabetes tend to live longer than patients without diabetes, according to a Norwegian study published in the November issue of the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, the official publication of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer.

18 Oct 2011

Premature infants more likely to develop autism

Autism researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing have found a link between low birthweight and children diagnosed with autism, reporting premature infants are five times more likely to have autism than children born at normal weight.

18 Oct 2011

New book on pediatric stroke and cerebrovascular diseases

Two decades after the first edition, a third edition of the definitive textbook on stroke in children -- Pediatric Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disorders -- has been published by Demos Medical Publishing of New York City.

15 Oct 2011

APS conference explores gender disparities in cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease and other gender-specific conditions - such as menopause, pregnancy, depression, and obesity - will be explored in depth at a two day conference being sponsored by the American Physiology Society (APS), the nation's leading organization for the advancement of this vital science, with support from the American Heart Association and the Society for Women's Health Research.

14 Oct 2011

Raw fruits and veggies may offset genetic risk for heart disease: Study

In a new study a team of researchers looked at the genotypes of 27,243 people from two separate studies to see if they had a certain gene variant. Earlier studies including a 2010 meta-analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. found that the 9p21 gene is associated with a higher risk of heart attack and cardiovascular disease.

13 Oct 2011

High street connectivity has opposite effect on children's physical activity

High intersection density and well-connected streets in towns and cities may discourage children from being active and exercising outdoors, according to a Queen's University study.

12 Oct 2011

Selected prescription drugs contribute to 10% of lower urinary tract symptoms among men

Use of selected prescription medications, including antidepressants, antihistamines, bronchodilators, anticholinergics, sympathomimetics, and diuretics contribute to 10 percent of lower urinary tract symptoms among men according to a Kaiser Permanente study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

11 Oct 2011

Four-gene signature may predict patients at higher risk of OSCC recurrence

Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is responsible for nearly a quarter of all head and neck cancers. It is one of the leading causes of cancer death - largely due to the failure of current histological procedures in predicting the recurrence of the disease. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Cancer shows that a four-gene signature may accurately predict which patients are at higher risk of OSCC recurrence.

11 Oct 2011

Case Western Reserve wins NCI grant to study genetic determinants of esophageal cancer

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and the Case Comprehensive Cancer Center are proud to announce the receipt of a highly competitive $5.4 million grant to study genetic determinants of Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma.

11 Oct 2011

UNC professor to co-direct Barrett's Esophagus Translational Research Network projects

A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researcher is one of five co-principal investigators in a new collaborative network created to study genetic determinants of Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma.

10 Oct 2011

People from lower socio-economic backgrounds are more fatalistic about cancer

People in lower paid jobs are pessimistic about the benefits of diagnosing cancer early and more scared than affluent people to see a doctor about an unusual symptom, new research shows.

7 Oct 2011

New $13.75M data-mining project to better understand factors behind mental disorders

Chicago will be home to a new $13.75 million project that will apply data mining methods to better understand the genetic and environmental factors behind neuropsychiatric disorders.

7 Oct 2011

Report on cancer survivorship statistics

Over the next decade, the population of cancer survivors over 65 years of age will increase by approximately 42 percent.

7 Oct 2011

Liver cancer incidence rates continue to rise in North America

A new study finds liver cancer incidence rates continue to increase in some low-risk parts of the world such as North America, and are decreasing in some of the highest risk countries of Asia.

7 Oct 2011

Neutrophils inhibit restenosis in patients with atherosclerosis after stent implantation

A research team led by LMU's Professor Christian Weber has now shown that a specific cell type called neutrophils, and molecules that they secrete, inhibit this life-threatening complication - which is observed in up to one-third of all stent implantations.

7 Oct 2011

Link between marijuana use and crash risk among drivers

Over 10 million people age 12 or older are estimated to have driven under the influence of illicit drugs in the prior year, according to a 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

7 Oct 2011