research

Musani et al reported high sensitivity and specificity of FNAC in thyroid cancer.

%bnmlci(x=, n=); RUN;

Does prevalence of disease affect sensitivity and specificity of test??

I am wondering if I use likehood ratio here…. Its getting interesting discussion …

Comarison of ROC curves for various test

Hanley JA, McNeil BJ (1982). The meaning and use of the area under a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Radiology, 143, 29-36.

Sensitivity and specificity of  Troponin CK-MB, and myogobin in case of MI.

People who are at higher position (authority) in education, have a great role in shaping students’ career. In light of  last week CUNY’s  symposium, I would love to say Thank You to our CUNY SPH dean; ………………..”beautiful” mind!!

1) How do you rate overall success of CUNY research symposium?

A :Well, it was a great show overall. I must appreciate Dr.Cohen for taking this initiative. I am sure, he has set an example for all faculty and research oriented brains to respect students research minds and promote their ideas.  This was my first ever poster presentation; yet when you think of bigger picture, I would say, it is an important page of my career book.

2) Which poster did you like most?

A: It is hard to say. There were many interesting posters and they all were judged by honorable judges. Honestly, to me, Olga’s poster was more fascinating.

3. Are you sure? Would you please elaborate ?

A: Well, I should not talk about the  poster by my classmates.  May be because I already had idea of its content and material. Lets talk about the rest,  the first thing I liked about Olga’s  poster was analysis part. Then sample size of her study. Followed by, its significance in public health. Then use of neighborhood tracts data. I wish she had used GiS to show distribution of both  Salmonella and Compylobactor.

Some one might chose poster like  Defy diabetes project as related with evaluation part. Bias is always there depending on the core of interest you are in.

4. Did you meet any interesting person?

A : hmm..of course, Olga.  Then among  faculty, Dr.Tracy Chu, Dr.Mimi, and there are few more.

(Continued!)

I am grateful to CUNY  that I got an opportunity to witness splendid work done by graduate students.  Two posters by doctoral students was like “Bonus Material”. Few posters really grabbed  my attention. I feel little jealous of those students, not because of their work, but  for the  fascinating and wonderful guidance they had.  Of course,  I focused on the posters which included extensive analysis, epidemiology methods and core public health issue. Despite Epi based posters, I really liked nutrition oriented presentations. Click

Under-nourished diet increases chances of diagnosis with nasopharyngeal carcinoma in future. Fresh vegetables, fresh fruits and Thai food  to lower risk of  neuropharyngeal cancer.A poor diet may increase your risk of nasopharyngeal cancer. This may be because of a lack of some vitamins and minerals. People who eat more fresh vegetables, fresh fruit and other sources of vitamin C may have a lower risk of nasopharyngeal cancer. This is important throughout life, especially in childhood.

Nasopharyngeal cancer is more common in parts of Asia than it is in Europe. Diets very high in salt cured meats and fish or pickled foods are more common in some of these places. These foods can be very high in nitrates and nitrites, which react with protein to form nitrosamines. These chemicals can damage DNA.

Studies in China and Hong Kong have shown that babies and young children who eat Chinese cured and salted fish are at an especially high risk of nasopharyngeal cancer later in life. People from China, or with Chinese ancestry living in the UK, have higher rates of nasopharyngeal cancer than other ethnic groups, and it may be that this is due to their diet. Some studies have shown an increased risk of nasopharyngeal cancer among people who drink tea made from Chinese medicinal herbs.

SInce It was clear to me how surgery is important in oropharynx and larynx, I am not fully understood the role of surgery in NPX ca. As we know that NPX many times involve deeper structures, it is sometimes not logical to let patients to go for surgery. In such instances, I guess radiotherapy would make better choice. What is the role of radiotherapy in advanced stage of NPX ca? WHat are acute and late toxicicities of radiotherapy? In light of geographical pattern. NPX ca is also called as “Cantonese Cancer”. So how and what factors make it more prevalent in SOutheast Asia?

I have been hitting the gym since nature has given the hint of upcoming beautiful and pleasant weather. Encourged by weather, many folks are pouring in…

Today morning I suddenly noticed one middle aged person doing bicep exercises. If I am right, perhaps  he was around 50. The mix of public health and medicine  forced me to recall bicep injuries. Yes, distal bicep tendon tears are more common in men above 40 . I kept noticing , and found his technique little faulty. I didn’t want to be preacher there and I didn’t find trainer either.  Anyway I kept my glances on move and noticed one young girl doing cardio. I felt happy for her, to me she was little  plumpy, I am sure, the time she was investing in cardio exercises , she might achieve desirable target of getting good shape soon. Provided how well she is adherent to her daily schedule is important.

While studying nasopharyngeal carcinoma in details, I crossed the involvement of sinuses (especially sphenoidal sinus) in advanced and metastasize nasopharyngel cancer. I thought to revise sinusitis and related epidemiology. I vividly remember the procedure of needle aspiration of maxillary sinus we observed in ENT hospital and then had real hands on during internship.

I do not know whether USA has separate registry  to maintain sinusitis data, as it has in case of Cancer.

Through little search, I found this file http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_256.pdf

In this file, surprisingly, uninsured individuals are  included. Interestingly I found crude percentage of sinusitis high in divorced compared to married individuals. Sinusitis is very low in individual who never married. I am wondering whether their is association between marriage status and sinusitis(haha)?  WHy this table doesn’t mention P value?

If we get access to laboratory date, then value of  ESR, CBC, allergensand HIV status might help in further analysis. For example, High ESR is associated with osteomyelitis induced sinusitis.

Despite paranasal sinuses, I guess other important sinuses is cavernous sinus. Internal carotid artery and cranial nerves 3,4,5,6 passe through blood spaces of cavernous sinus. Hence infection of this sinus is extremely difficult to treat. So  here is the space where  public health might play a role and what type of role?? Interesting to think on!!

Aggressive nasopharyngeal tumor encroaches the territory of cavernous sinus ,and as a result of it, the structure passing through CV can be affected. Same is true with pituitary adenoma, as pituitary glad is located between the pair of cavernous sinus.

First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to Dr.Levitt for arranging Alumni event and inviting Dr.Neil Cohen, Dr.Jane and Paloma. I really enjoyed lectures by all speakers, especially talk by both MDs Dr.Cohen and Dr.Jane. I am glad that  my question was well  received by both of them , and I got convincing reply. Dr.Neil Cohen’s emphasis on Epidemiologic approach in his reply to my query was one of the most important featuring points. The same very point  I was trying to incorporate in my last important course, building on the knowledge I gleaned from Dr.Huynh’s Advance Epi  method course. Unfortunately, it turned out painful SAGA.

Biostat and epidemiology goes hand in hand. Strong math background makes you understand concept clearly and then one can understand Epidemiology well. For example, I was revising survival analysis yesterday , and I enjoyed its calculus (derivatives, integration) part.

For instance, If benefits of both drugs is same on the survival , on the endpoint (local control), that mean B=0, in other words Log of 0=1. Hence HR=1. These are very basics of calculus, but believe me, knowing Algebra and Geometry gives upper hand in understanding Biostatistics and hence Epidemiology. If B is minus value, means HR would be less than 1, in other word concerned factor is protective.

WHy only Cox proportional hazard model, why not others???

Yes, Epidemiology is FUN. That is why I am studying it even at 3:40am today  I  wish that any confused instructor (distructor), or any confused mentor(tormentor) doesn’t come in my future journey of EPIDEMIOLOGY!!

Numerous case control studies  evaluated the association between alcohol consumption and head neck cancers. High statistic power was reported. There is quite possiblity of interaction between alcohol and other factors. More risk is found in alcoholics for head neck and laryngeal cancers. When we mention alcohol consumption, type of alcohol would make a sense to include in the data. For example, hard liquor in combination with other beverages appear to experience larger risk.

Synergistic  effect of alcohol, tobacco and  poor nutrition???

Then comes interaction between alcohol consumption and genes, which makes individuals at higher risk of getting diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase is prevalent in Asian population. Just going back to chemistry days, we can underline that acetaldehyde is a metabolite of alcohol and its role as carcinogen is well established.

Facial flushing after consumption of alcohol??

Alcohol enhance the absorption of carcinogens in tobacco smoke. Alcoholics might not get enough nutrition contents , which has protective role against cancer.