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oai:open-archive.highwire.org:amjepid:150/1/12015-05-11HighWireOUPamjepid:150:1
Prevalence of People Reporting Sensitivities to Chemicals in a Population based Survey
Kreutzer, Richard
Neutra, Raymond R.
Lashuay, Nan
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS
To describe the prevalence and correlates of reports about sensitivities to chemicals, questions about chemical sensitivities were added to the 1995 California Behavior Risk Factor Survey (BRFS). The survey was administered by telephone to 4,046 subjects. Of all respondents, 253 (6.3%) reported doctor-diagnosed “environmental illness” or “multiple chemical sensitivity” (MCS) and 643 (15.9%) reported being “allergic or unusually sensitive to everyday chemicals.” Sensitivity to more than one type of chemical was described by 11.9% of the total sample population. Logistic regression models were constructed. Hispanic ethnicity was associated with physician-diagnosed MCS (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21–2.73). Female gender was associated with individual self-reports of sensitivity (adjusted OR = 1.63, 95% CI 1.23–2.17). Marital status, employment, education, geographic location, and income were not predictive of reported chemical sensitivities or reported doctor diagnosis. Surprising numbers of people believed they were sensitive to chemicals and made sick by common chemical exposures. The homogeneity of responses across race-ethnicity, geography, education, and marital status is compatible with a physiologic response or with widespread societal apprehensions in regard to chemical exposure. <it>Am J Epidemiol</it> 1999;150:1–12.
Oxford University Press
1999-07-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/150/1/1
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009908
en
Copyright (C) 1999, Oxford University Press
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:amjepid:150/1/1052015-05-11HighWireOUPamjepid:150:1
Alcohol Intake Assessment: The Sober Facts
Feunekes, Gerda I. J.
van 't Veer, Pieter
van Staveren, Wija A.
Kok, Frans J.
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Recent recommendations in regard to the level of alcohol intake have mainly been based on epidemiologic studies which relied on self-reported amounts of alcohol consumed. Therefore, it is important to be aware of the quality of self-reported measures of alcohol intake. Alcohol intake assessment methods were reviewed with respect to their capacity to rank individuals according to alcohol intake and their ability to explain the variation in the level of intake in population samples. In 33 methodological papers published after 1984, alcohol intake was assessed by five main methods: quantity frequency, extended quantity frequency, retrospective diary, prospective diary, and 24-hour recalls. The mean level of alcohol intake differed by 20% between these methods. It was also found that when researchers asked specifically about intake of beer, wine. and liquor, this resulted in 20% higher estimates of intake. These percentages were similar among populations with low and high mean alcohol consumption (4 vs. 10 drinks per week). It was found that ranking of individuals according to intake was satisfactory, with weighted correlation coefficients between methods ranging from 0.63 to 0.73. The authors conclude that, when there is sufficient evidence that alcohol intake is underestimated in a population, methods that enquire about both the frequency and amount consumed, for beer, wine, and liquor, separately, will yield the most realistic levels of intake. <it>Am J Epidemiol</it> 1999;150:105–12.
Oxford University Press
1999-07-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/150/1/105
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009909
en
Copyright (C) 1999, Oxford University Press
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:amjepid:150/1/1122015-05-11HighWireOUPamjepid:150:1
Instructions to Authors
INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS
Oxford University Press
1999-07-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/150/1/112
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009910
en
Copyright (C) 1999, Oxford University Press
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:amjepid:150/1/132015-05-11HighWireOUPamjepid:150:1
Invited Commentary: Sensitivities to Chemicals--Context and Implications
Kipen, Howard M.
Fiedler, Nancy
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Oxford University Press
1999-07-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/150/1/13
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009911
en
Copyright (C) 1999, Oxford University Press
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:amjepid:150/1/172015-05-11HighWireOUPamjepid:150:1
Neutra and Kreutzer Reply to "Invited Commentary: Sensitivities to Chemicals--Context and Implications" by Kipen and Fiedler
Neutra, Raymond R.
Kreutzer, Richard
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Oxford University Press
1999-07-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/150/1/17
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009912
en
Copyright (C) 1999, Oxford University Press
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:amjepid:150/1/182015-05-11HighWireOUPamjepid:150:1
Adverse Work and Environmental Conditions Predict Occupational Injuries: The Israeli Cardiovascular Occupational Risk Factors Determination in Israel (CORDIS) Study
Melamed, Samuel
Yekutieli, Daniel
Froom, Paul
Kristal-Boneh, Estela
Ribak, Joseph
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS
This study was designed to test whether the total objective adverse work and environmental conditions, expressed as the ergonomic stress level (ESL), would predict occupational injuries over a 2-year period. The study population consisted of 4,096 men from 21 factories in six industrial sectors who were studied as part of the Israeli Cardiovascular Occupational Risk Factors Determination in Israel (CORDIS) Study, 1985–1987. The ESL (assigned four levels, 1–4) was based on an ergonomic assessment which covered 17 risk factors pertaining to safety hazards, overcrowding, cognitive and physical demands, and environmental stressors. The ESL was found to be a highly reliable measure and stable over a period of 2–4 years. The incidence of injuries among workers in low ESL conditions (level 1) was 10.3%. It increased with higher ESL's 11.7% in level 2 (relative risk (RR) = 1.13, 95% confidence interval (Cl) 0.86–1.50); 21.6% in level 3 (RR = 2.09, 95% Cl 1.68–2.62); and 23.8% in level 4 (RR = 2.31, 95% Cl 1.85–2.88). After adjustment for age, job experience, educational level, managerial status, and occupational status (white/blue collar), injury occurrence was significantly elevated for those at level 3 (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.46, 95% Cl 1.12–1.91) and level 4 (adjusted OR = 1.81, 95% Cl 1.39–2.37) but not for level 2 (adjusted OR = 0.87, 95% Cl 0.65–1.18). The authors conclude that adverse work and environmental conditions, objectively assessed, can predict occurrence of occupational injuries. <it>Am J Epidemiol</it> 1999;150:18–26.
Oxford University Press
1999-07-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/150/1/18
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009913
en
Copyright (C) 1999, Oxford University Press
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:amjepid:150/1/272015-05-11HighWireOUPamjepid:150:1
Reduced Excretion of a Melatonin Metabolite in Workers Exposed to 60 Hz Magnetic Fields
Burch, James B.
Reif, John S.
Yost, Michael G.
Keefe, Thomas J.
Pitrat, Charles A.
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS
The effects of occupational 60 Hz magnetic field and ambient light exposures on the pineal hormone, melatonin, were studied in 142 male electric utility workers in Colorado, 1995–1996. Melatonin was assessed by radioimmunoassay of its metabolite, 6-hydroxymelationin sulfate (6-OHMS), in post-work shift urine samples. Personal magnetic field and light exposures were measured over 3 consecutive days using EMDEX C meters adapted with light sensors. Two independent components of magnetic field exposure, intensity (geometric time weighted average) and temporal stability (standardized rate of change metric or RCMS), were analyzed for their effects on creatinine-adjusted 6-OHMS concentrations (6-OHMS/cr) after adjustment for age, month, and light exposure. Geometric mean magnetic field exposures were not associated with 6-OHMS/cr excretion. Men in the highest quartile of temporally stable magnetic field exposure had lower 6-OHMS/cr concentrations on the second and third days compared with those in the lowest quartile. Light exposure modified the magnetic field effect. A progressive decrease in mean 6-OHMS/cr concentrations in response to temporally stable magnetic fields was observed in subjects with low workplace light exposures (predominantly office workers), whereas those with high ambient light exposure showed negligible magnetic field effects. Melatonin suppression may be useful for understanding human biologic responses to magnetic field exposures. <it>Am J Epidemiol</it> 1999;150:27–36
Oxford University Press
1999-07-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/150/1/27
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009914
en
Copyright (C) 1999, Oxford University Press
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:amjepid:150/1/372015-05-11HighWireOUPamjepid:150:1
Association of Antioxidants with Memory in a Multiethnic Elderly Sample Using the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Perkins, Anthony J.
Hendrie, Hugh C.
Callahan, Christopher M.
Gao, Sujuan
Unverzagt, Frederick W.
Xu, Yong
Hall, Kathleen S.
Hui, Siu L.
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Oxidative stress has been implicated both in the aging process and in the pathological changes associated with Alzheimer's disease. Antioxidants, which have been shown to reduce oxidative stress in vitro, may represent a set of potentially modifiable protective factors for poor memory, which is a major component of the dementing disorders. The authors investigated the association between serum antioxidant (vitamins E, C, A, carotenoids, selenium) levels and poor memory performance in an elderly, multiethnic sample of the United States. The sample consisted of 4, 809 non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Mexican-American elderly who visited the Mobile Examination Center during the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a national cross-sectional survey conducted from 1988 to 1994. Memory is assessed using delayed recall (six points from a story and three words) with poor memory being defined as a combined score less than 4. Decreasing serum levels of vitamin E per unit of cholesterol were consistently associated with increasing levels of poor memory after adjustment for age, education, income, vascular risk factors, and other trace elements and minerals. Serum levels of vitamins A and C, β-carotene, and selenium were not associated with poor memory performance in this study. <it>Am J Epidemiol</it> 1999;150:37–44.
Oxford University Press
1999-07-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/150/1/37
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009915
en
Copyright (C) 1999, Oxford University Press
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:amjepid:150/1/452015-05-11HighWireOUPamjepid:150:1
Incidence of Testicular Cancer in the United States: Has the Epidemic Begun to Abate?
Pharris-Ciurej, Nikolas D.
Cook, Linda S.
Weiss, Noel S.
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS
In response to a report that testicular cancer incidence in non-Hispanic White mates in Los Angeles county had fallen in the 1990s, particularly in young men, the authors analyzed data collected by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program from 1973 to 1995. While the incidence rate of testicular cancer in US White males ages 15–64 years did stabilize in the first half of the 1990s, after a number of years of a steady increase, there was no indication of an actual decline. <it>Am J Epidemiol</it> 1999;150:45–6.
Oxford University Press
1999-07-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/150/1/45
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009916
en
Copyright (C) 1999, Oxford University Press
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:amjepid:150/1/472015-05-11HighWireOUPamjepid:150:1
Wine and Good Subjective Health
Poikolainen, Kari
Vartiainen, Erkki
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS
The association of subjective, self-rated suboptimal (average or poor) health with the intake of beer, wine, and liquor and alcohol intoxication was examined in a general population sample in Finland in 1992. The odds ratios were adjusted for several possible confounders with the use of logistic regression analysis. Compared with subjects who drank no wine, suboptimal health was less frequent among both men and women who imbibed 1–4 drinks of wine, and more common among men who consumed ≥10 drinks of wine or liquor. Moderate wine drinking seems to be related to good self-rated health. <it>Am J Epidemiol</it> 1999;150:47–50.
Oxford University Press
1999-07-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/150/1/47
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009917
en
Copyright (C) 1999, Oxford University Press
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:amjepid:150/1/512015-05-11HighWireOUPamjepid:150:1
Prevalence and Determinants of Prone Sleeping Position in Infants: Results from Two Cross-Sectional Studies on Risk Factors for SIDS in Germany
Schlaud, M.
Eberhard, C.
Trumann, B.
Kleemann, W. J.
Poets, C. F.
Tietze, K. W.
Schwartz, F. W.
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS
The authors investigated whether there was a decline in infants sleeping prone and other modifiable risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in Germany, where, as in some other countries, no nationwide intervention campaign against the prone sleeping position had been initiated. Data were obtained from parents by mailed questionnaires in two cross-sectional studies in 1991 (<it>n</it> = 3,330) and 1995 (<it>n</it> = 3,124). Prevalence of prone sleeping decreased from 37.6% to 8.7% (<it>p</it> < 0.05) in the German population and from 44.1% to 32.0% (<it>p</it> < 0.05) in the Turkish immigrant population. Parents who laid their infants prone in 1995 were less likely to follow advice from physicians, public media, and other parents (relative risks < 0.5, p < 0.05) and were more likely to have a low educational level, to be <20 years old, to be single parents, to have two or more children, to be raised in West Germany, or to be of Turkish ethnicity. Although the information on prone sleeping being a risk factor for SIDS became known among the population, these data suggest that subgroup-specific public intervention campaigns may be needed to reduce the prevalence of prone sleeping even further in those countries where no nationwide campaign has been initiated. <it>Am J Epidemiol</it> 1999;150:51–7.
Oxford University Press
1999-07-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/150/1/51
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009918
en
Copyright (C) 1999, Oxford University Press
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:amjepid:150/1/582015-05-11HighWireOUPamjepid:150:1
Hepatitis C Prevalence and Risk Factors in the Northern Alberta Dialysis Population
Sandhu, J.
Preiksaitis, J.K.
Campbell, P.M.
Carriere, K.C.
Hessel, P.A.
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an emerging global public health issue with particular relevance in multiply transfused renal dialysis patients. This cross-sectional study evaluated the prevalence and risk factors for HCV infection among renal dialysis patients in northern Alberta, Canada. Ninety-two percent of eligible patients (<it>n</it>=336) provided informed consent to participate. Participants were interviewed to gather risk factor information and, using multiple logistic regression analysis with exact inference, a predictive model for HCV infection in this population was developed. The prevalence of HCV infection in the population was 6.5%, and all positive patients had at least one identifiable risk factor. The multivariate analysis showed that the risk of HCV infection was greater for those in the 18–55 years age category (odds ratio (OR) = 4.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2–27.9), patients who had been on dialysis >5 years (OR = 3.7, 95% CI 1.2–12.0), and patients who had 2 high risk lifestyle behaviors (OR = 5.0, 95% CI 1.5–16.7). Transfusion prior to 1990 was marginally associated with HCV status (OR = 4.0, 95% CI 0.96–16.3). This study documented previously unreported life-style risk factors for HCV infection in patients with renal failure, confirmed the expected decline in transfusion-acquired HCV infection in this population, and provided evidence against nosocomial transmission of HCV. <it>Am J Epidemiol</it> 1999;150:58–66.
Oxford University Press
1999-07-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/150/1/58
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009919
en
Copyright (C) 1999, Oxford University Press
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:amjepid:150/1/672015-05-11HighWireOUPamjepid:150:1
Hyperendemic Focus of Q Fever Related to Sheep and Wind
Tissot-Dupont, Hervé
Torres, Sylvie
Nezri, Meyer
Raoult, Didier
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Q fever is a worldwide zoonosis which is caused by <it>Coxiella burnetii</it> and presents as both acute or chronic cases. The disease can be transmitted from animal reservoirs to humans by the inhalation of infected aerosols. The authors investigated the epidemiology of Q fever in the Bouches-du-Rhône district of southern France. The study area was centered around the small town of Martigues near the cities of Marseille and Aix-en-Provence, where the incidence of the disease seemed higher than in neighboring areas. Epidemiologic data included sheep breeding and wind. Between 1990 and 1995, Q fever was diagnosed in 289 patients, leading to an incidence rate of 35.4 per 100,000 in the study area (range: 6–132), compared with 6.6 in the area of Marseille, and 11.4 in the area of Aix-en-Provence. There was a graphical and statistical relation between the sheep densities, the incidence of the disease, and the strong, local wind known as the Mistral, which blows from the northwest. Although <it>Coxiella burnetii</it> transmission is multifactorial, we may speculate that the high endemicity in the study area is related to a contamination by aerosols because the Mistral blows through the local steppe where 70,000 sheep are bred. This public health problem requires further studies in order to confirm this hypothesis, and to identify more individual and preventable risk factors. <it>Am J Epidemiol</it> 1999;150:67–74.
Oxford University Press
1999-07-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/150/1/67
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009920
en
Copyright (C) 1999, Oxford University Press
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:amjepid:150/1/752015-05-11HighWireOUPamjepid:150:1
Evaluation of a Food Frequency Questionnaire with Weighed Records, Fatty Acids, and Alpha-Tocopherol in Adipose Tissue and Serum
Andersen, Lene Frost
Solvoll, Kari
Johansson, Lars R. K.
Salminen, Irma
Aro, Antti
Drevon, Christian A.
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS
The authors examined the validity of a self-administered 180-item food frequency questionnaire in 125 Norwegian men aged 20–55 years who filled in the questionnaire and completed 14-day weighed records in fall 1995 to winter 1995/6. Spearman correlation coefficients between the two measurements ranged from 0.42 for percent of energy from fat to 0.66 for sugar intake (median <it>r</it> = 0.51). On average, 39% of the men were classified in the same quartile with the two methods, and 3% in the opposite quartile. Correlation coefficients between intake of fatty acids estimated from the questionnaire and the relative amounts of fatty acids in adipose tissue were: linoleic acid (18:2, n-6), <it>r</it> = 0.38; alpha-linolenic acid (18:3, n-3), <it>r</it> = 0.42; eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5, n-3), <it>r</it> = 0.52; and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6, n-3), <it>r</it> = 0.49. The correlations for these fatty acids between the total serum lipids and the diet were 0.16, 0.28, 0.51 and 0.52, respectively. The data suggest that very-long-chain n-3 fatty acids in adipose tissue and total serum lipids reflect the dietary intake of very-long-chain n-3 fatty acids to the same degree. No associations were observed between intake of alpha-tocopherol and concentration in adipose tissue and serum. <it>Am J Epidemiol</it> 1999;150: 75–87.
Oxford University Press
1999-07-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/150/1/75
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009921
en
Copyright (C) 1999, Oxford University Press
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:amjepid:150/1/882015-05-11HighWireOUPamjepid:150:1
Mismeasurement and the Resonance of Strong Confounders: Correlated Errors
Marshall, James R.
Hastrup, Janice L.
Ross, Joseph S.
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Confounding in epidemiology, and the limits of standard methods of control for an imperfectly measured confounder, have been understood for some time. However, most treatments of this problem are based on the assumption that errors of measurement in confounding and confounded variables are independent. This paper considers the situation in which a strong risk factor (confounder) and an inconsequential but suspected risk factor (confounded) are each measured with errors that are correlated; the situation appears especially likely to occur in the field of nutritional epidemiology. Error correlation appears to add little to measurement error as a source of bias in estimating the impact of a strong risk factor: it can add to, diminish, or reverse the bias induced by measurement error in estimating the impact of the inconsequential risk factor. Correlation of measurement errors can add to the difficulty involved in evaluating structures in which confounding and measurement error are present. In its presence, observed correlations among risk factors can be greater than, less than, or even opposite to the true correlations. Interpretation of multivariate epidemiologic structures in which confounding is likely requires evaluation of measurement error structures, including correlations among measurement errors. <it>Am J Epidemiol</it> 1999;150:88–96.
Oxford University Press
1999-07-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/150/1/88
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009922
en
Copyright (C) 1999, Oxford University Press
oai:open-archive.highwire.org:amjepid:150/1/972015-05-11HighWireOUPamjepid:150:1
Transmission Disequilibrium Test (TDT) when Only One Parent Is Available The 1-TDT
Sun, Fengzhu
Flanders, W. Dana
Yang, Quanhe
Khoury, Muin J.
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS
The transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) is a useful method to locate mutations linked to disease genes associated with complex diseases. TDT requires genotypes of affected individuals and their parents. Recently, Ewens and Spielman (<it>Am J Hum Genet</it> 1998;62;450–8) extended the TDT for use in sibships with at least one affected and one unaffected individual and devised a new test called the sib transmission /disequilibrium test (<it>S</it>-TDT). The <it>S</it>-TDT can be applied to diseases with late age at onset such as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, psychiatric disorders, and diseases related to aging. For some disorders, it might be relatively easy to obtain the genotype of one parent either because the other parent is not available for study or he/she is not cooperative. Curtis and Sham (<it>Ann Hum Genet</it> 1995;59:323–36) showed that bias in transmitting certain alleles is introduced if only heterozygous parents and homozygous offspring are used in the TDT. In this paper, the authors propose a new test, the 1-TDT, to detect linkage between a candidate locus and a disease locus using genotypes of affected individuals and only one available parent for each affected individual. The test is not biased under the null hypothesis of no linkage or association. The authors validate their test using both simulated and real data sets. Finally, they show how to combine data from different types of families. <it>Am J Epidemiol</it> 1999;150:97–104.
Oxford University Press
1999-07-01 00:00:00.0
TEXT
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http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/150/1/97
http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a009923
en
Copyright (C) 1999, Oxford University Press