Edward Trapido

Survival in children with perinatally acquired Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 infection

Abstract We describe our experience at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida, with 172 children who were given diagnoses of perinatally acquired infection with human immunodeficiency virus ty...

Cigarette Smoking Behavior Among US Latino Men and Women From Different Countries of Origin

OBJECTIVES This study sought to compare smoking behavior among Latino men and women from different countries of origin. METHODS A telephone-administered survey was conducted in 8 cities with Latino men and women of different national origin living in census tracts with at least 70% Latino individuals. RESULTS A total of 8882 participants completed the survey; 53% were women. The average age of respondents was 44 years; 63% were foreign-born, and 59% preferred Spanish for the interview. Current smoking was more prevalent among men (25.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 23.7, 26.3) than among women (12.1%, 95% CI = 11.1, 13.0). Smoking rates were not significantly different by national origin among men, but Puerto Rican women had higher rates of smoking than other women. Central American men and women had the lowest smoking rates. Foreign-born respondents were less likely to be smokers (odds ratio [OR] = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.66, 0.90) than US-born respondents, and respondents with 12 years or less of education had an increased odds of smoking (OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.35). High ac culturation was associated with more smoking in women (OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.00-1.25) and less smoking in men (OR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.78-0.95). Puerto Rican and Cuban respondents were more likely to be current smokers and to smoke more than 20 cigarettes per day. CONCLUSIONS Older, US-born, and more-educated respondents were less likely to be current smokers. Respondents of Puerto Rican and Cuban origin were more likely to smoke. Acculturation has divergent effects on smoking behavior by sex.

Social networks and cancer screening in four U.S. Hispanic groups

BACKGROUND Evidence shows that social relationships play an important role in health and health behavior. We examined the relationship between social networks and cancer screening among four U.S. Hispanic groups. METHODS We used telephone surveys to collect data in eight U.S. regions that have concentrations of diverse Hispanic-origin populations. We interviewed 8903 Hispanic adults, for a response rate of 83%; analysis was restricted to the 2383 women aged > or =40. As a measure of social integration, we formed a social network index from items on the number of close relatives and friends, frequency of contact, and church membership. We used logistic regression to estimate the effects of social integration on screening, adjusting for sociodemographic factors. RESULTS Among Mexican, Cuban, and Central-American women, the effect of social integration on mammography screening was slight. The odds ratios (OR) per unit change in social integration category ranged from 1.16 to 1.22 with confidence intervals (CI) that overlapped with the null. For Pap smear screening, the effect was strongest among Mexican-American women (OR=1.44, 95% CI=1.21 to 1.72), but also evident among Central-American women (OR=1.22, 95% CI=0.72 to 2.06) and Cuban women (OR = 1.25, 95% CI = 0.81 to 1.93). Among Puerto Rican women, social integration had no effect on either mammography (OR=1.03) or Pap smear screening (OR=1.08). CONCLUSIONS Independent of socioeconomic factors, social integration appears to influence cancer screening participation of Hispanic women. The modest effect is not universal across Hispanic groups and was stronger for Pap smear than for mammography screening behavior. Researchers should recognize Hispanic group differences in social network characteristics and the potential of social networks to change screening behavior.

Cancer incidence in first generation U.S. Hispanics: Cubans, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and New Latinos.

Background:The diversity among Hispanics/Latinos, defined by geographic origin (e.g., Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba), has been neglected when assessing cancer morbidity. For the first time in the United States, we estimated cancer rates for Cubans, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and other Latinos, and analyzed changes in cancer risk between Hispanics in their countries of origin, U.S. Hispanics in Florida, and non-Hispanic Whites in Florida. Methods: Florida cancer registry (1999-2001) and the 2000 U.S. Census population data were used. The Hispanic Origin Identification Algorithm was applied to establish Hispanic ethnicity and subpopulation. Results: The cancer rate of 537/100,000 person-years (95% confidence interval, 522.5-552.5) for Hispanic males in Florida was lower than Whites (601; 595.4-606.9). Among women, these rates were 376 (365.6-387.1) and 460 (455.6-465.4), respectively. Among Florida Hispanics, Puerto Ricans had the highest rates, followed by Cubans. Mexicans had the lowest rates. Rates for Hispanics in Florida were at least 40% higher than Hispanics in their countries of origin, as reported by the IARC. Conclusion: Substantial variability in cancer rates occurs among Hispanic subpopulations. Cubans, unlike other Hispanics, were comparable with Whites, especially for low rates of cervical and stomach cancers. Despite being overwhelmingly first generation in the U.S. mainland, Puerto Ricans and Cubans in Florida showed rates of colorectal, endometrial, and prostate cancers similar to Whites in Florida. Because rates are markedly lower in their countries of origin, the increased risk for cancer among Cubans, Mexicans, and Puerto Ricans who move to the United States should be further studied. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(8):2162–9)

Differences in stage at presentation of breast and gynecologic cancers among whites, blacks, and hispanics

Background. One of the possible assumptions for the higher mortality from cancer of blacks versus whites is that blacks tend to be diagnosed relatively more often with later stage disease. This study examined the stages at diagnosis for female breast cancer and other gynecologic cancers among blacks, non‐Hispanic whites, and Hispanic whites.

Eye Fitting Straight Lines

Abstract : Because little is known about properties of lines fitted by eye, we designed and carried out an empirical investigation. Inexperienced graduate and post-doctoral students instructed to locate a line for estimating y from x for four sets of points tended to choose slopes near that of the first principal component (major axis) of the data and their lines passed close to the centroids. Students had a slight tendency to choose consistently either steeper or shallower slopes for all sets of data. (Author)

Age at first birth, parity, and breast cancer risk

The roles of age at first full‐term birth and parity as risk factors for breast cancer were examined as part of a large prospective cohort study of oral contraceptive use. Compared to women who first gave birth before age 20 years, women with a first birth between age 20 and 24 years had an SRR of 1.70, and women with first births between age 25 and 29 years and over age 29 had SRRs of 2.19 and 3.18, respectively. Increased incidence rates of breast cancer fell with increasing parity, although standardization for age at first birth diminished the importance of the former as an independent indicator of breast cancer risk.

Cancer incidence in Florida professional firefighters, 1981 to 1999

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the cancer risk associated with firefighting. Methods: Standardized incidence ratio analysis (SIR) was used to determine the relative cancer risk for firefighters as compared with the Florida general population. Results: Among 34,796 male (413,022 person-years) and 2,017 female (18,843 person-years) firefighters, 970 male and 52 female cases of cancer were identified. Male firefighters had significantly increased incidence rates of bladder (SIR = 1.29; 95% confidence interval = 1.01–1.62), testicular (1.60; 1.20–2.09), and thyroid cancers (1.77; 1.08–2.73). Female firefighters had significantly increased incidence rates of overall cancer (1.63; 1.22–2.14), cervical (5.24; 2.93–8.65), and thyroid cancer (3.97; 1.45–8.65) and Hodgkin disease (6.25; 1.26–18.26). Conclusions: Firefighting may be associated with an increased risk of selected site-specific cancers in males and females, including an overall increased cancer risk in female firefighters.

Plasma zinc, copper, copper:zinc ratio, and survival in a cohort of HIV-1-infected homosexual men.

Summary: A prospective cohort study of 121 HIV‐1‐positive homosexual men was conducted in Miami, Florida, U.S.A. to evaluate the associations between plasma zinc and copper levels and mortality. Plasma zinc and copper levels were measured at baseline and then at semiannual visits. Zinc inadequacy and copper inadequacy were defined as plasma zinc levels <75 (&mgr;g/dl) and plasma copper levels <85 (&mgr;g/dl), respectively. HIV‐1‐related deaths were confirmed by review of death certificates. Cox proportional hazards regression models with time‐dependent covariates were used to estimate the relative risks of zinc and copper inadequacy on mortality. Over the average course of the 3.3‐year follow‐up, 19 participants (16%) died of HIV‐1‐related causes. After adjustment for potential confounders, including low CD4+ cell counts and antiretroviral therapy, zinc inadequacy and coppenzinc ratio >1 (i.e., plasma copper level greater than plasma zinc level) were associated with increased mortality (relative risks [RRs]; 95% confidence intervals [CIs], 4.98, 1.30‐19.00 and 8.28, 1.03‐66.58, respectively). A negative association was also observed between plasma zinc levels and mortality (RR 0.94; 95% CI, 0.91‐0.98). Plasma levels of copper were not significantly associated with mortality. These results suggest that plasma zincinadequacy or the plasma copper:zinc ratio may be useful predictors of survival in HIV‐1 infection. The latter appears to be a stronger predictor.

Mutations in the p53 Tumor Suppressor Gene and Early Onset Breast Cancer

Among breast cancer patients p53 gene mutation is associated with a poor prognosis. Young women with breast cancer are more likely than older women to have a poor prognosis, but whether p53 gene mutation plays a role in breast cancer in young women is not clear. This study identified 199 breast cancer patients and tested the hypothesis that p53 gene mutation was associated with early onset breast cancer. Patients with p53 gene mutations were 3-times more likely to have an early onset breast cancer (age