Quality, quantity and harmony: the DataSHaPER approach to integrating data across bioclinical studies. Journal: Int J Epidemiol | Pages: 1383-1393 | Date: September 2012 | Authors: Fortier I, Burton PR, Robson PJ, Ferretti V, Little J, L’Heureux F, Deschênes M, Knoppers BM, Doiron D, Keers JC, Linksted P, Harris JR, Lachance G, Boileau C, Pedersen NL, Hamilton CM, Hveem K, Borugian MJ, Gallagher RP, McLaughlin J, Parker L, Potter JD, Gallacher J, Kaaks R, Liu B, Sprosen T, Vilain A, Atkinson SA, Rengifo A, Morton R, Metspalu A, Wichmann HE, Tremblay M, Chisholm RL, Garcia-Montero A, Hillege H, Litton JE, Palmer LJ, Perola M, Wolffenbuttel BH, Peltonen L, Hudson TJ. BACKGROUND: Vast sample sizes are often essential in the quest to disentangle the complex interplay of the genetic, lifestyle, environmental and social factors that determine the aetiology and progression of chronic diseases. The pooling of information between studies is therefore of central importance to contemporary bioscience. However, there are many technical, ethico-legal and scientific challenges to be overcome if an effective, valid, pooled analysis is to be achieved. Perhaps most critically, any data that are to be analysed in this way must be adequately ‘harmonized’. This implies that the collection and recording of information and data must be done in a manner that is sufficiently similar in the different studies to allow valid synthesis to take place. METHODS: This conceptual article describes the origins, purpose and scientific foundations of the DataSHaPER (DataSchema and Harmonization Platform for Epidemiological Research; http://www.datashaper.org), which has been created by a multidisciplinary consortium of experts that was pulled together and coordinated by three international organizations: P³G (Public Population Project in Genomics), PHOEBE (Promoting Harmonization of Epidemiological Biobanks in Europe) and CPT (Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project). RESULTS: The DataSHaPER provides a flexible, structured approach to the harmonization and pooling of information between studies. Its two primary components, the ‘DataSchema’ and ‘Harmonization Platforms’, together support the preparation of effective data-collection protocols and provide a central reference to facilitate harmonization. The DataSHaPER supports both ‘prospective’ and ‘retrospective’ harmonization. CONCLUSIONS: It is hoped that this article will encourage readers to investigate the project further: the more the research groups and studies are actively involved, the more effective the DataSHaPER programme will ultimately be. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20813861

The Canadian Partnership for Tomorrow Project: building a pan-Canadian research platform for disease prevention. Journal: CMAJ | Pages: 1197-1201 | Date: August 2010 | Authors: Borugian MJ, Robson P, Fortier I, Parker L, McLaughlin J, Knoppers BM, Bédard K, Gallagher RP, Sinclair S, Ferretti V, Whelan H, Hoskin D, Potter JD. As the proportion of the population over age 65 increases in Western countries, the burden of cancer 1 and other chronic diseases is also increasing. If advances in preventing these diseases are to be realized, better information is needed about their causes and the antecedents of the causes. For example, although it is known that many sporadic cancers are caused by a combination of lifestyle factors, exposure to environmental carcinogens and individual genetic makeup, 2,3 detailed knowledge about the interplay among these factors is lacking. Much of our current knowledge about the causes of cancer and most relatively rare chronic diseases has come from retrospective case–control studies, in which the characteristics of patients (cases) are compared with those of age- and sex-matched people who do not have the disease (controls). This design has strengths but also a number of weakneses, including potential recall bias and selection bias 4 (Table 1). To address some of these weaknesses, in particular recall bias and the temporal relation between risk factors and outcomes, prospective cohorts are helpful because participants are enrolled before the onset of disease. In studies with a prospective cohort design, large numbers of participants, who generally have not had cancer or any other significant diagnosis, are recruited and followed over a long time, periodically providing updated health and lifestyle information and biologic samples. Layers of data and samples accumulate over time, allowing an exploration of why cancer develops in some people within the cohort but not others. 6 The disadvantages of such a design (Table 1) are cost and time, as it may be a decade or more before major results are obtained. Fortunately, many shorter-term results are also available, such as information on screening attendance and information on the frequency of major risk factors and health states, as well as environmental and individual determinants of these risk factors, all of which are useful for planning various health services. Furthermore, because many diseases can be studied simultaneously, the cost over time per health outcome studied is substantially lower than the cost of case–control studies for a comparable number of participants. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20421354

Depressive symptoms, diet quality, physical activity, and body composition among populations in Nova Scotia, Canada: report from the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health. Journal: Preventive Medicine | Volume: 61 | Pages:  106-13 | Date: April 2014 | Authors: Zhijie M. Yu, Louise Parker, Trever J.B. Dummer OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between depressive symptoms and diet quality, physical activity, and body composition among Nova Scotians. METHODS: 4511 men and women aged 35-69 years were recruited to the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health study from 2009 through 2010 in Nova Scotia, Canada. Depressive symptoms were assessed by using the Patient Health Questionnaire. Anthropometric indexes and body composition were measured. Current antidepressant use, habitual diet intake, physical activity, and potential confounders were collected through questionnaires. RESULTS: In multivariable regression analyses, depressive symptoms were positively associated with all obese indexes after controlling for potential confounders (all P for trend<0.001). Compared with non-depressed individuals, those with mild and major depression had significantly increased odds ratios (ORs) for both obesity and abdominal obesity (OR 1.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], (1.50, 2.25) and 1.56 (95% CI, 1.30, 1.87) for obesity and 1.46 (95% CI, 1.20, 1.77) and 1.88 (95% CI, 1.58, 2.24) for abdominal obesity, respectively). Depressed individuals were less likely to have a high quality diet or engage in high levels of physical activity compared with their non-depressed counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptoms are associated with higher levels of obesity, poor diet, and physical inactivity among Nova Scotians in Canada.

Geostatistical modelling of arsenic in drinking water wells and related toenail arsenic concentrations across Nova Scotia, Canada Journal: Science of The Total Environment | Volume: 505 | Pages: 1248-58 | Date: February 1 2015 | Authors: T.J.B. Dummer, Z.M. Yu, L. Nauta, J.D. Murimboh, L. Parker Arsenic is a naturally occurring class 1 human carcinogen that is widespread in private drinking water wells throughout the province of Nova Scotia in Canada. In this paper we explore the spatial variation in toenail arsenic concentrations (arsenic body burden) in Nova Scotia. We describe the regional distribution of arsenic concentrations in private well water supplies in the province, and evaluate the geological and environmental features associated with higher levels of arsenic in well water. We develop geostatistical process models to predict high toenail arsenic concentrations and high well water arsenic concentrations, which have utility for studies where no direct measurements of arsenic body burden or arsenic exposure are available. 892 men and women who participated in the Atlantic Partnership for Tomorrow’s Health Project provided both drinking water and toenail clipping samples. Information on socio-demographic, lifestyle and health factors was obtained with a set of standardized questionnaires. Anthropometric indices and arsenic concentrations in drinking water and toenails were measured. In addition, data on arsenic concentrations in 10,498 private wells were provided by the Nova Scotia Department of Environment. We utilised stepwise multivariable logistic regression modelling to develop separate statistical models to: a) predict high toenail arsenic concentrations (defined as toenail arsenic levels ≥0.12μgg(-1)) and b) predict high well water arsenic concentrations (defined as well water arsenic levels ≥5.0μgL(-1)). We found that the geological and environmental information that predicted well water arsenic concentrations can also be used to accurately predict toenail arsenic concentrations. We conclude that geological and environmental factors contributing to arsenic contamination in well water are the major contributing influences on arsenic body burden among Nova Scotia residents. Further studies are warranted to assess appropriate intervention strategies for reducing arsenic body burden among human populations.

Authors: Zhijie M Yu, Trevor J.B. Dummer, Aimee Adams, John D Murimboh and Louise Parker Journal: Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology | Volume: 24 | Pages: 135-44 |Date: 2014 | Abstract: Consumption of arsenic-contaminated drinking water is associated with increased cancer risk. The relationship between arsenic body burden, such as concentrations in human toenails, and arsenic in drinking water is not fully understood. We evaluated the relationship between arsenic concentrations in drinking water and toenail clippings among a cohort of Nova Scotians. A total of 960 men and women aged 35 to 69 years provided home drinking water and toenail clipping samples. Information on water source and treatment use and covariables was collected through questionnaires. Arsenic concentrations in drinking water and toenail clippings and anthropometric indices were measured. Private drilled water wells had higher arsenic concentrations compared with other dug wells and municipal drinking water sources (P<0.001). Among participants with drinking water arsenic levels ≥1 μg/l, there was a significant relationship between drinking water and toenail arsenic concentrations (r=0.46, P<0.0001). Given similar levels of arsenic exposure from drinking water, obese individuals had significantly lower concentrations of arsenic in toenails compared with those with a normal weight. Private drilled water wells were an important source of arsenic exposure in the study population. Body weight modifies the relationship between drinking water arsenic exposure and toenail arsenic concentrations.   https://www.nature.com/jes/journal/v24/n2/pdf/jes201388a.pdf

Understanding the translation of scientific knowledge about arsenic risk exposure among private well water users in Nova Scotia Authors: Heather Chappells, Norma Campbell, John Drage, Conrad V. Fernandez, Louise Parker, Trevor J.B. Dummer Journal: Science of The Total Environment | Volume: 505 | Pages: 1259-1273 |Date: February 2015 | Arsenic is a class I human carcinogen that has been identified as the second most important global health concern in groundwater supplies after contamination by pathogenic organisms. Hydrogeological assessments have shown naturally occurring arsenic to be widespread in groundwater across the northeastern United States and eastern Canada. Knowledge of arsenic risk exposure among private well users in these arsenic endemic areas has not yet been fully explored but research on water quality perceptions indicates a consistent misalignment between public and scientific assessments of environmental risk. This paper evaluates knowledge of arsenic risk exposure among a demographic cross-section of well users residing in 5 areas of Nova Scotia assessed to be at variable risk (high-low) of arsenic occurrence in groundwater based on water sample analysis. An integrated knowledge-to-action (KTA) methodological approach is utilized to comprehensively assess the personal, social and local factors shaping perception of well water contaminant risks and the translation of knowledge into routine water testing behaviors. Analysis of well user survey data (n = 420) reveals a high level of confidence in well water quality that is unrelated to the relative risk of arsenic exposure or homeowner adherence to government testing recommendations. Further analysis from the survey and in-depth well user interviews (n = 32) finds that well users’ assessments of risk are influenced by personal experience, local knowledge, social networks and convenience of infrastructure rather than by formal information channels, which are largely failing to reach their target audiences. Insights from interviews with stakeholders representing government health and environment agencies (n = 15) are used to reflect on the institutional barriers that mediate the translation of scientific knowledge into public awareness and stewardship behaviors. The utilization of local knowledge brokers, community-based networks and regulatory incentives to improve risk knowledge and support routine testing among private well users is discussed. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969713015982

What is the role of obesity in the aetiology of arsenic-related disease? Authors: Zhijie M. Yu, Bryan Fung, John D. Murimboh, Louise Parker, Trevor J.B. Dummer Journal: Environment International | Volume: 66 | Pages: 115-123 |Date: May 2014 | Consumption of arsenic contaminated drinking water causes a large variety of adverse health outcomes. Body mass index (BMI), which is linked to diet, is positively associated with arsenic methylation capacity. We investigated the association between an obesity-related diet and arsenic body burden from exposure to naturally contaminated drinking water among Nova Scotia residents. We collected home drinking water and toenail clipping samples among 960 men and women aged 35 to 69 years in Nova Scotia, Canada from 2009 through 2010. We measured body composition and arsenic concentrations in drinking water and toenails clipping samples and collected socio-demographic, behavioural, and dietary information via standardized questionnaires. We derived an obesity-related dietary pattern score using reduced rank regression. Across quartiles of the obesity-related dietary pattern score there were no significant differences in drinking water arsenic concentrations, but there was an inverse trend in arsenic concentrations in toenails across the dietary pattern score (P = 0.01). Compared with individuals in the first quartile of the dietary pattern score, those in the second through fourth quartiles had decreased likelihoods of high toenail arsenic (≥ 85 percentile). The corresponding odds ratios (95% confidence intervals [CI]) were 0.81 (95% CI, 0.49, 1.36), 0.57 (95% CI, 0.33, 0.99), and 0.55 (95% CI, 0.31, 0.98), respectively (P for trend = 0.02). We conclude that given similar levels of naturally occurring arsenic exposure via drinking water, an obesity-related dietary pattern was associated with significantly lower arsenic concentrations in toenails. Further studies to investigate the underlining mechanisms are warranted. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412014000403