Past discussions of the relative strengths of nested case-control and case-cohort designs have not fully considered cohorts with stored biological samples in which biomarker analyses are planned. Issues related to biomarker analyses can affect an investigator's choice of design and the conduct of these two designs. The key issues identified are effects of analytic batch, long-term storage, and ...

Traditional methods for assessing dietary exposure can be unreliable, with under reporting one of the main problems. In an attempt to overcome such problems there is increasing interest in identifying biomarkers of dietary intake to provide a more accurate measurement. Metabolomics is an analytical technique that aims to identify and quantify small metabolites. Recently, there has been an incre...

A major focus of research on aging and dementia pertains to the prediction of future cognitive decline. Toward this end, several longitudinal studies are under way that are designed to explore early predictors of cognitive impairment. Neuroimaging techniques and biomarkers have shown promise in this application. Ultimately, it is likely that the use of a combination of neuroimaging and chemical...

The recent discovery that microRNAs (miRNAs) are present in the circulation sparked interest in their use as potential biomarkers. In this review, we will summarize the latest findings on circulating miRNAs and cardiovascular disease but also discuss analytical challenges. While research on circulating miRNAs is still in its infancy, high analytical standards in statistics and study design are ...

BACKGROUND South Africa is one of the 22 high tuberculosis burden countries that contribute 80% of the global tuberculosis cases. Tuberculosis is infectious and due to its rapid and easy transmission route poses a threat to population health. Considering the importance of social and psychological factors in influencing health outcomes, appraising knowledge and awareness of tuberculosis, remain ...

Like many other fields, psychiatric researchers rely heavily on the utilization of conventional epidemiologic designs and principles to pursue their scientific objectives. However, some of the issues, which to a large extent are specific to psychiatric disorders, have demanded that new designs and hence new statistical methods be developed to meet the challenges. These issues include, among oth...

Studies of school shootings have been conducted in a variety of disciplines, including sociology, psychology, and media studies. However, to date there is no unified body of knowledge about such events. In an effort to synthesize past studies, and to orient future studies in school shootings, this article (i) offers a typology for understanding the varieties of school shooting incidents, includ...