Epidemiology and Beyond

In this presentation, I cover how to use Stata for survey data analysis assuming a fixed population. We will begin by reviewing the sampling methods used to collect survey data, and how they affect the estimation of totals, ratios, and regression coefficients. We will then cover the three variance estimators implemented in Stata’s survey estimation commands. Strata with a single sampling unit, certainty sampling units, subpopulation estimation, and poststratification will be also covered in some detail.

Additional informationca09_pitblado_presentation.pdf
ca09_pitblado_handout.pdf
ca09_pitblado_stata.zip

Graphics tricks for models

Bill Rising

StataCorp

Visualizing interactions and response surfaces can be difficult. In this talk, I will show how to do the former by graphing adjusted means and the latter by showing how to roll together contour plots. I will demonstrate this for both linear and nonlinear models.

Additional informationchi11_rising.pdf
chi11_rising_files.zip

Multiple imputation in Stata

Bill Rising

StataCorp LP

Multiple imputation is a method for trying to retrieve power lost by missing values in a dataset. In this session, I will demonstrate how the suite of mi commands introduced in Stata 11 can be used to impute data, estimate models, and pool results, as well as manage various forms of multiply imputed datasets.

Additional informationrising_sug.pdf

Multiple imputation using Stata’s mi command

Yulia Marchenko

StataCorp

Stata’s mi command can be used to perform multiple-imputation analysis, including imputation, data management, and estimation. mi impute provides a number of univariate and multivariate imputation methods, including multivariate normal (MVN) data augmentation. mi estimate combines the estimation and pooling steps of the multiple-imputation procedure into one easy step. mi also provides an extensive ability to manage multiply imputed data. I give a brief overview of all of mi’s capabilities, with emphasis on mi impute and mi estimate, and I also demonstrate examples of some of mi’s unique data-management features.

Additional informationboston10_marchenko.pdf

Using the margins command to estimate and interpret adjusted predictions and marginal effects

Richard Williams

University of Notre Dame

As Long and Freese show, it can often be helpful to compute predicted and expected values for hypothetical or prototypical cases. Stata 11 introduced new tools—factor variables and the margins command—for making such calculations. These can do many of the things that were previously done by Stata’s own adjust and mfx commands, as well as Long and Freese’s spost9 commands like prvalue. Unfortunately, the complexity of the margins syntax, the daunting 50-page reference manual entry that describes it, and a lack of understanding about what margins offers over older commands may have dissuaded researchers from using it. This paper therefore shows how margins can easily replicate analyses done by older commands. It demonstrates how margins provides a superior means for dealing with interdependent variables (for example, X and X²; X1, X2, and X1 × X2; multiple dummies created from a single categorical variable), and is also superior for data that are svyset. The paper explains how the new asobserved option works and the substantive reasons for preferring it over the atmeans approach used by older commands. The paper primarily focuses on the computation of adjusted predictions, but also shows how margins has the same advantages for computing marginal effects.

Additional informationchi11_williams.pptx

Estimating partial effects using margins in Stata 11

David Drukker

StataCorp LP

This session introduces the use of the margins command to estimate the partial effects at the mean and the mean of the partial effects. Both the Stata syntax and the underlying statistical methods will be discussed. The presentation will also include some discussion of factor variables.

Additional informationdrukker_sug.pdf

Thirty graphical tips Stata users should know

Nicholas J. Cox

Department of Geography, Durham University

Stata’s graphics were completely rewritten for Stata 8, with further key additions in later versions. Its official commands have, as usual, been supplemented by a variety of user-written programs. The resulting variety presents even experienced users with a system that undeniably is large, often appears complicated, and sometimes seems confusing. In this talk, I provide a personal digest of graphics strategy and tactics for Stata users emphasizing details large and small that, in my view, deserve to be known by all.

Additional informationUKSUG10.Cox.zip

http://ideas.repec.org/p/boc/usug10/05.html

An overview of meta-analysis in Stata

A comprehensive range of user-written commands for meta-analysis is available in Stata and documented in detail in the recent book Meta-Analysis in Stata (Sterne, ed., 2009, [Stata Press]).The purpose of this session is to describe these commands, with a focus on recent developments and areas in which further work is needed. We will define systematic reviews and meta-analyses and will introduce the metan command, which is the main Stata meta-analysis command. We will distinguish between meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials and observational studies, and we will discuss the additional complexities inherent in systematic reviews of the latter.

Meta-analyses are often complicated by heterogeneity, variation between the results of different studies beyond that expected due to sampling variation alone. Meta-regression, implemented in the metareg command, can be used to explore reasons for heterogeneity, although its utility in medical research is limited by the modest numbers of studies typically included in meta-analyses and the many possible reasons for heterogeneity. Heterogeneity is a striking feature of meta-analyses of diagnostic-test accuracy studies. We will describe how to use the midas and metandi commands to display and meta-analyse the results of such studies.

Many meta-analysis problems involve combining estimates of more than one quantity: for example, treatment effects on different outcomes or contrasts among more than two groups. Such problems can be tackled using multivariate meta-analysis, implemented in the mvmeta command. We will describe how the model is fit, and when it may be superior to a set of univariate meta-analyses. Will will also illustrate its application in a variety of settings.

Additional informationUKSUG10.Sterne.pdf
UKSUG10.White.ppt
UKSUG10.Harbord.pdf

Competing-risks regression in Stata 11

Roberto G. Gutierrez

StataCorp

Competing-risks survival regression provides a useful alternative to Cox regression in the presence of one or more competing risks. For example, say that you are studying the time from initial treatment for cancer to recurrence of cancer in relation to the type of treatment administered and demographic factors. Death is a competing event: The person under treatment may die, impeding the occurence of the event of interest, recurrence of cancer. Unlike censoring, which merely obstructs you from viewing the event, a competing event prevents the event of interest from occurring altogether. Depending on the scope of your statistical inference, your analysis may need to be adjusted for competing risks.

Stata’s new stcrreg command implements competing-risks regression based on Fine and Gray’s proportional subhazards model. In this talk, I focus on that new command and compare the method of Fine and Gray to a method based on directly modeling cause-specific hazards. Regardless of method, the focus is on estimating the cumulative incidence function (CIF) for the event of interest in the presence of competing events.

Additional informationboston10_gutierrez.pdf

http://blog.stata.com/

Competing risks in the Stata News

29 November 2010 Vince Wiggins, Vice President, Scientific Development 0 Comments

The fourth quarter Stata News came out today. Among other things, it contains an article by Bobby Gutierrez, StataCorp’s Director of Statistics, about competing risks survival analysis. If any of you are like me, conversant in survival analysis but not an expert, I think you will enjoy Bobby’s article. In a mere page and a half, I learned the primary differences between competing risks analysis and the Cox proportional hazards model and why I will sometimes prefer competing risks. Bobby’s article can be read at http://www.stata.com/news/statanews.25.4.pdf.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Mixed Methods Research

NIH RELEASES BEST PRACTICES FOR COMBINING QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

The National Institutes of Health today released recommendations or best practices <http://obssr.od.nih.gov/scientific_areas/methodology/mixed_methods_research/index.aspx> for scientists conducting mixed methods health research. Mixed methods research combines the strengths of quantitative research and qualitative research. Despite the increased interest in mixed methods research in health fields and at NIH, prior to this report, there was limited guidance to help scientists developing applications for NIH funding that featured mixed methods designs, nor was there guidance for the reviewers at NIH who assess the quality of these applications.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Pathway to diabetes through attenuation of pancreatic beta cell glycosylation and glucose transport
http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nm.2414.html

Friday, August 12, 2011

Arthritis and the Exercise Gap

By ANAHAD O'CONNOR

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/12/arthritis-and-the-exercise-gap/

Exercise can help ease joint pain and stiffness for arthritis sufferers. But despite urgings from health officials and plenty of science documenting its benefits, many men and women with osteoarthritis do not engage in any meaningful physical activity in a typical week, according to new research.

The findings directly contradict what many arthritis patients themselves report when asked about their exercise habits. Studies in the past have generally shown that 30 to 40 percent of people with arthritis say they get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week, or about 20 minutes a day, the minimum amount that the federal government recommends for all adults.

But when researchers at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine used special devices to track the activity levels of more than 1,000 people with knee osteoarthritis, they were surprised to find that many were in fact couch potatoes. Only 13 percent of men and 8 percent of women met the federal guidelines for activity.

Exercise is specifically recommended for osteoarthritis patients because it can reduce pain, ease joint stiffness, increase strength and improve mobility, said Dorothy Dunlop, an associate professor of medicine at Northwestern and an author of the study.

“Physical activity is a positive intervention for people with joint disease,” she said. “We certainly applaud the 10 percent of people who met the target, but we also recognize that many adults with arthritis are not meeting the target, and for that group the advice is to be as physically active as possible, even if they accomplish less than the recommended level.”

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Dialog: Exercise Interventions and Glycemic Control in Patients With Diabetes

Exercise Interventions and Glycemic Control in Patients With Diabetes

Marni J. Armstrong; Normand G. Boule; Ronald J. Sigal

JAMA 2011;306 607

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/306/6/607?etoc

Exercise Interventions and Glycemic Control in Patients With Diabetes

Nadine Dubowitz; Theodore M. Johnson II; Richard A. Goodman

JAMA 2011;306 607-608

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/306/6/607-a?etoc

Exercise Interventions and Glycemic Control in Patients With Diabetes

David F. Williamson

JAMA 2011;306 608

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/306/6/608?etoc

Exercise Interventions and Glycemic Control in Patients With

Diabetes--Reply

Jorge P. Ribeiro; Beatriz D. Schaan; Daniel Umpierre

JAMA 2011;306 608-609

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/306/6/608-a?etoc

Exercise Interventions and Glycemic Control in Patients With

Diabetes--Reply

Marco Pahor

JAMA 2011;306 609-610

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/306/6/609?etoc

Harnessing Systems Science Methodologies To Inform Public Policy: System Dynamics Modeling For Obesity Policy In The Envision Network Friday, July 15, 2011

Chaired by Patricia L. Mabry, Ph.D., Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences Research, NIH. Speakers: Hazhir Rahmandad, Ph.D, Virginia Tech; Peter Hovmand, Ph.D., Washington University; Alice Ammerman, Dr. P.H., University of North Carolina; Laura K. Brennan, PhD, MPH, Transtria
Total Running Time: 01:57:42
Category: BSSR Lecture Series

To view the videocast, please go to: http://videocast.nih.gov/launch.asp?16756

Lifestyle modification study targeted at IFG

Lifestyle Modification and Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes in Overweight

Japanese With Impaired Fasting Glucose Levels: A Randomized Controlled

Trial

Toshikazu Saito; Makoto Watanabe; Junko Nishida; Tomono Izumi; Masao

Omura; Toshikazu Takagi; Ryuzo Fukunaga; Yasutsugu Bandai; Naoko

Tajima; Yosikazu Nakamura; Masaharu Ito; for the Zensharen Study for

Prevention of Lifestyle Diseases Group

Arch Intern Med 2011;171 1352-1360

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Effect of intensive glucose lowering treatment on all cause mortality, cardiovascular death, and microvascular events in type 2 diabetes: meta-analysis of randomised controlled trial

The overall results of this meta-analysis show limited benefits of intensive glucose lowering treatment on all cause mortality and deaths from cardiovascular causes. We cannot exclude a 9% reduction or a 19% increase in all cause mortality and a 14% reduction or a 43% increase in cardiovascular death. The benefit:risk ratio of intensive glucose lowering treatment in the prevention of macrovascular and microvascular events remains uncertain. The harm associated with severe hypoglycaemia might counterbalance the potential benefit of intensive glucose lowering treatment. More double blind randomised controlled trials are needed to establish the best therapeutic approach in people with type 2 diabetes.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Freeware of Mapping; how to create and upload free maps/free custom maps/free POIs on GPS devices?

Freeware of Mapping; how to create and upload free maps/free custom maps/free POIs on GPS devices?

Here is the overview of Garmin Custom Maps from Garmin.

Free software:

Mobile Atlas Creator is an excellent open source (GPL) program which creates offline atlases for GPS handhelds and cell phone applications. Starting from v1.9 beta 2, it remove all map sources that are not basing on OpenStreetMap data because of conflicting with map providers. A few words about Custom Map Sources for MOBAC. You may download a copy of MOBAC 1.9 beta 1 here by BpACKer.
Terra Incognita is a mapping tool with a range of features and functions. You can use this program to download web source maps or local files maps and generate OziExplorer, Kmz, JNX, GPSdash or TrekBuddy calibrated map file.
ExifTool is a very powerful tool for editing meta information in image, audio, and video files. Exiftool GUI is a GUI for ExifTool. For geotagging a group of photos without any tracking information. ExifMixer is an another great GUI for ExifTool, it's good to change Exif in batch.
GPXSee is a GPS log file viewer and analyzer that supports GPX, TCX, KML, FIT, IGC, NMEA and OziExplorer files.
Google Trail: a fascinating freeware converts Google,Yahoo Map, Openstreet Map, Cloudemate, or Bing maps into Garmin Custom Maps intuitively. It is simple and works like a charm, though it doesn't have as many features as Mobile Atlas Creator and OkMap.
GPSMapEdit is designed for visual authoring of GPS-maps in various cartographic formats
GPS Visualizer is a free online powerful GPS and mapping tool.
GPX Editor is a must-having good program for loading, modifying and saving your GPX 1.1 files.
ITN Converter is a great small freeware; it is a good one on both converting different formats and planning route simple and efficient.

GpsPrune is an application for viewing, editing and converting coordinate data from GPS systems.

I use Picasa and Google Earth, or Lorc GPS Photo (the file size is much smaller). However, when I have tracking information downloaded from a GPS receiver, I usually use GeoSetter to geotag my photos taken along the trail. You can download GeoSetter Beta here.

OkMap is an interactive software which allows you to work on your computer screen with digital maps that you have either bought or scanned.It downloads and saving maps from Google Maps with automatic calibration. It generates compatible "Garmin Custom Maps" (kmz format). OkMap also supports JNX file format since version 9.7.0.

Viking is a free/open source program to manage GPS data. You can import and plot tracks and waypoints, show OpenStreetMap, Terraserver, Bing Aerial and other maps in it, download geocaches for an area on the map, make new tracks and waypoints, see real-time GPS position, etc.

GPSBable is good at converting waypoints, tracks, and routes between popular GPS receivers and mapping programs. I also install EasyGPS, a data transfer from your GPS receivers and computer, for a quick view of my downloaded waypoints, routes, and tracks.

How to create/plan route for a GPS Unit?You can use the BaseCamp, a powerful but big freeware from Garmin, to create routes, waypoints, and tracks. Here are some training videos.

MapSetToolkit generates TDB files for Mapsource and TDB files which will supports file TYP.

DNRGPS is built to transfer data between Garmin handheld GPS receivers and GIS software.

Tips:

How to Convert Google Maps Direction into GPX file
A few words about Custom Map Sources for MOBAC
GPSFileDepot is a great source for GPS files including custom maps, custom points of interest, ximage hosting, articles, tutorials, and tools. If you don't have the topo maps on your Garmin GPSMAP, you can just use the maps on GPSFileDepot. Some maps even better than Garmin's maps. A lot of thanks to GPSFileDepot and also to Garmin company for its mercy of letting us to use these free maps on Garmin GPS units. This is a excellent combination of great but expensive GPS units and free maps. Now I don't need necessary buy a GPS units with a installed topo map from other companies .

How to Load Maps Seperately on GPSMAP 62s: you need rename the file with name of 'gmapsupp.img' under the directory of 'Drive:\Garmin\' to a name with a '.img' extension. Then do the same for each extra mapset, using a different name with a '.img' extension. The GPSMAP 62 identifies any map file with an '.img' extension, but Mapsource creates a file named 'gmapsupp.img'.
Tips: Garmin blogs - Trail Tech
BaseCamp views and organizes your maps, waypoints, routes, and tracks and send them to your Garmin device. MapSource plans and organizes trips with MapSource, computer software.
Wiki Q & A about Garmin Custom Maps.
How to Use GMapTool to combine multiple maps into one mapset file for Garmin GPS
How to Use GMapTool with cGPSmapper to convert finalized gmapsupp.img back to MapSource maps (Use Gmaptool to install maps images in Mapsource)

Website for free tools and map images:

GPS Visualizer is a free, easy-to-use online utility that creates maps and profiles from GPS data (tracks and waypoints, including GPX files), driving routes, street addresses, or simple coordinates. Use it to see where you've been, plan where you're going, or visualize geographic data.
GPSFileDepot is a great source for GPS files including custom maps, custom points of interest, ximage hosting, articles, tutorials, and tools.
Gmap-pedometer.com is a Web app designed to let you track the precise distance of your workouts, and track and log your activity.
Libre Map Project is to aggregate and make digital maps and related GIS data available for Free.
Free Topographic Maps from Anyplace America
Free topo maps from USGS.
National Park Service Maps
Army Map Service Topographic Map Series
Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection by UTAustin. You can find some China Maps.
Natural Earth is a public domain map dataset available at 1:10m, 1:50m, and 1:110 million scales. Featuring tightly integrated vector and raster data, with Natural Earth you can make a variety of visually pleasing, well-crafted maps with cartography or GIS software.
Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access (PASDA) is the official public access geospatial information clearinghouse for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
MapCenter - a place where you can share your maps for Garmin GPS receivers and find maps created by other GPS enthusiasts from all over the world.

How to Create Custom Point of Interest (POI) for Garmin GPS

Download Garmin's POI Loader
Creating Custom POI Files.
An informative article by Sam Penrod.
POI-factory is a place which GPS users get together to share locations and discussions with other GPS users since 2006.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Why the Color of Moon will Turn into Red During the Lunar Eclipse?

Video

The info on Wikipedia

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes behind the Earth so that the Earth blocks the Sun's rays from striking the Moon. This can occur only when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned exactly, or very closely so, with the Earth in the middle. Hence, a lunar eclipse can only occur the night of a full moon. The type and length of an eclipse depend upon the Moon's location relative to its orbital nodes.

Unlike a solar eclipse, which can only be viewed from a certain relatively small area of the world, a lunar eclipse may be viewed from anywhere on the night side of the Earth. A lunar eclipse lasts for a few hours, whereas a total solar eclipse lasts for only a few minutes at any given place, due to the smaller size of the moon's shadow.

China Week | Tavis Smiley | PBS
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/features/china/

For five nights, July 11-15, 2011, Tavis brings you stories from the People's Republic of China. Taped in Beijing and Shanghai, the series examines the growing superpower's economic boom and its challenges, including the complexity of U.S.-China relations.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

HDL: Keep Aiming High?

On April 25, 2011, the AIM-High study, a trial of high-dose extended-release niacin (Niaspan) added to a statin in 3000 patients with a history of cardiovascular disease, high triglyceride levels, and low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), was halted 18 months early because niacin offered no additional benefits over statin alone.[1] When the news was announced on May 26, 2011, the news media had a blast with this "negative" finding. Misinterpretation of the sound bites from this study has caused significant confusion and apprehension among patients and healthcare providers. What are we to make out of this report?

Monday, July 11, 2011

To fight obesity, even babies should exercise - Washington Times

"LONDON (AP) - In a new campaign against obesity, the British government issued guidelines on Monday saying that children under the age of 5 - including those who can't even walk yet - should exercise every day.

In its first such guidelines for children that young, the health department said kids under 5 who can walk should be physically active for at least three hours a day. Officials also said parents should reduce the amount of time such kids spend being sedentary while watching television or being strapped in a stroller.

The three hours of activity should be spread throughout the day. Officials said the children's daily dose of exercise is likely to be met simply through playing but could also include activities such as walking to school.

For babies who can't walk yet, the government said physical activity should be encouraged from birth, including infants playing on their stomachs or having swimming sessions with their parents. The government said children's individual physical and mental abilities should be considered when interpreting the advice.

"It's vital that parents introduce children to fun and physically active pastimes to help prevent them becoming obese children, who are likely to become obese adults at risk of heart disease, diabetes and some cancers," Maura Gillespie, head of policy and advocacy at the British Heart Foundation, said in a statement."

Friday, July 08, 2011

International Diabetes Federation - Diabetes Atlas - Epidemiology and morbidity

http://www.idf.org/diabetesatlas

Tuesday, July 05, 2011

The art of scientific investigation (1957)

The art of scientific investigation (1957)

By: Beveridge, W. I. B. (William Ian Beardmore)

I read a Chinese version of this book (科学研究的艺术 or 科学之路) when I was a medical student. I cannot remember the exact content, but I thought it has affected my way of thinking so much in research. I'm always trying to find an English version to refresh my memory; it’s great to find it on the archive.org website for free.

“In The Art of Scientific Investigation, originally published in 1950, W.I.B. Beveridge explores the development of the intuitive side in scientists. The author's object is to show how the minds of humans can best be harnessed to the processes of scientific discovery. This book therefore centers on the "human factor"; the individual scientist. The book reveals the basic principles and mental techniques that are common to most types of investigation. Professor Beveridge discusses great discoveries and quotes the experiences of numerous scientists.” – Amazon.com

“The virtue of Mr. Breveridge’s book is that it is not dogmatic. A free and universal mind looks at scientific investigation as a creative art. This well written book deserves a wide audience. Manu of the author’s statements deserve to be quoted in every treatise on the psychology and practice of research.” –The New York Times

“It is altogether gratifying when a scientific researcher undertakes to raise the mysterious certain of science... exposing his research activities and those of his fellow-scientists. The book is well worth reading.” –The Scientific Monthly

“The author has a knack of putting into words what most experimenters sooner or later come to realize in a dim way, and it is extraordinarily interesting to see so much of the lore of research set down in print…The research worker - of whatever vintage - cannot do better than read this book, and, having read it, read it again.” – A. S. Parkes, F.R.S., in Nature

Thursday, June 30, 2011

Measured Smoking-Related Chemicals in NHANES

Cotinine in Serum Cotinine file

2,5-dimethylfuran in Volatile Organic Compounds in Blood and Water file

Cotinine: Tobacco use is the most important preventable cause of premature morbidity and mortality in the United States. The consequences of smoking and of using smokeless tobacco products are well known and include an increased risk for several types of cancer, emphysema, acute respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and various other disorders (U.S. DHHS, 2006). Persons exposed to secondhand tobacco smoke (environmental tobacco smoke [ETS]) may have adverse health effects that include lung cancer and coronary heart disease; maternal exposure during pregnancy can result in lower birth weight. Children exposed to ETS are at increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome, acute respiratory infections, ear problems, and exacerbated asthma (U.S. DHHS, 2004). The smoke produced by burning tobacco contains at least 250 chemicals that are toxic or carcinogenic, and more than 50 compounds present in ETS are known or reasonably anticipated to be human carcinogens (NTP, 2004). Source: http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/chemical_information.html

2,5-Dimethylfuran: 2,5-Dimethylfuran is a volatile chemical found in tobacco smoke (Baggett et al., 1974) and in roasted coffee aroma (Wang et al., 1983). Exposure among the general population may occur through inhaling cigarette smoke and coffee aroma. 2,5-Dimethylfuran in blood and exhaled air has been used to determine smoking status (Ashley et al., 1996; Gordon et al., 2002; Perbellini et al., 2003). In addition, levels of 2,5-dimethylfuran found in blood provide a rough estimate of the number of cigarettes smoked per day (Ashley et al., 1995, 1996). After a person smokes cigarettes, 2,5-dimethylfuran is absorbed from the respiratory tract and then rapidly eliminated from the blood (Egle and Gochberg, 1979; Gordon et al., 2002). 2,5-Dimethylfuran is also a human urinary metabolite of n-hexane. Workers exposed to n-hexane will eliminate 2,5-dimethylfuran, along with other metabolites, in their urine (ATSDR, 2007; Iwata et al., 1983; Mutti et al., 1984; Perbellini et al., 1981). Source: http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/chemical_information.html

Articles:

Global Burden of Disease and Risk Factors
Source: Disease Control Priorities Project

The Global Burden of Disease and Risk Factors is the definitive, scientific account of the health conditions of the world's population at the beginning of the 21st century. This book includes a full account of methods, the complete results of recent work, and an assessment of trends for total mortality and for major causes of death among children under five. In addition, two chapters cover sensitivity and uncertainty analyses in relation to a broad range of potentially important parameters.

Scientific Communication

Scientific Communication/Presentation

The Leek group guide to giving talks
Blog: How to organizing a scientific meeting
Blog: Writing, speaking, and reading
Advice on designing scientific posters
NCI: Making Data Talk: A Workbook
Guides to giving good scientific talks The Art of Scientific Presentations
Ten Secrets to Giving a Good Scientific Talk
Lifehack: 18 Tips for Killer Presentations - Scott H Young
Wild: Early Statistical Inferences: The Eyes Have It (pdf)

CDC - National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals

The Fourth National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals 2009 and the Updated Tables, February 2011, together are the most comprehensive assessment of environmental chemical exposure in the U.S. population. Since 1999, CDC has measured 219 chemicals in people's blood or urine. The Fourth Report, 2009, includes the findings from national samples for 1999-2000, 2001-2002, and 2003-2004.
The blood and urine samples were collected from participants in CDC's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which obtains and releases health-related data from a nationally representative sample in two-year cycles.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Small Area Estimation for Survey Data Analysis Using SAS® Software

Abstract: Small area estimation is important in survey analysis when domain (subpopulation) sample sizes are too small to provide adequate precision for direct domain estimators. Popular techniques for small area estimation use implicit or explicit statistical models to indirectly estimate the small area parameters of interest. Indirect estimation requires you to go beyond the survey data analysis methods that are available in the SAS/STAT® survey procedures. This paper describes the use of the MIXED, IML, and MCMC procedures to fit unit-level and area-level models, and to obtain small area predictions and the mean squared error of predictions. Hierarchical Bayes models are also discussed as extensions to the basic models.

__,_._,___

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Car ratings, pictures, and reviews

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Life expectancy in most US counties falls behind world's healthiest nations
by Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation

The most current county-level analysis finds large disparities nationwide. Women fare worse than men, and people in Appalachia, the Deep South, and Northern Texas live the shortest lives.