Associations of cord blood concentrations of perfluoroalkyl substances with autistic traits in Singaporean children: The growing up in Singapore towards healthy outcomes study.

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social deficits and repetitive behaviors. Environmental pollutants may contribute to the etiology of ASD, but studies of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have shown conflicting results.

Objectives: We assessed associations between cord blood concentrations of PFAS with autistic traits at age seven years in a Singaporean birth cohort.

Redesigning the Drosophila histone gene cluster: an improved genetic platform for spatiotemporal manipulation of histone function.

Mutating replication-dependent (RD) histone genes is an important tool for understanding chromatin-based epigenetic regulation. Deploying this tool in metazoans is particularly challenging because RD histones in these organisms are typically encoded by many genes, often located at multiple loci. Such gene arrangements make the ability to generate homogenous histone mutant genotypes by site-specific gene editing quite difficult.

Redesigning the histone gene cluster: An improved genetic platform for spatiotemporal manipulation of histone function.

Mutating replication-dependent (RD) histone genes is an important tool for understanding chromatin-based epigenetic regulation. Deploying this tool in metazoan models is particularly challenging because RD histones in these organisms are typically encoded by many genes, often located at multiple loci. Such RD histone gene arrangements make the ability to generate homogenous histone mutant genotypes by site-specific gene editing quite difficult.

Association between urinary phthalate biomarker concentrations and adiposity among postmenopausal women.

Background: Obesity is a leading risk factor for chronic diseases, potentially related to excess abdominal adiposity. Phthalates are environmental chemicals that have been suggested to act as obesogens, driving obesity risk. For the associations between phthalates and adiposity, prior studies have focused primarily on body mass index.

Phthalates and bone mineral density: a systematic review.

Background: Exposure to endocrine disruptors, such as phthalates, may impact bone mineral density (BMD) through a variety of mechanisms. Studies of phthalate exposure and BMD in humans are scarce.

Objectives: To synthesize published data on the association between phthalate metabolites and BMD in humans and to provide methodological suggestions for future research.

Dietary patterns and urinary phthalate exposure among postmenopausal women of the Women's Health Initiative.

Background: Phthalates are endocrine-disrupting chemicals linked to a higher risk of numerous chronic health outcomes. Diet is a primary source of exposure, but prior studies exploring associations between dietary patterns and phthalate exposure are limited.

Objectives: We evaluated the associations between dietary patterns and urinary phthalate biomarkers among a subset of postmenopausal women participating in the Women's Health Initiative (WHI).

The association between anthropometric factors and anti-Müllerian hormone levels in premenopausal women.

Adiposity has been associated with several health conditions as well as timing of menopause. Prior epidemiologic studies on the association of adiposity and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) have been inconsistent. We evaluated the relations of anthropometric measures with AMH at two time periods in a subset of premenopausal participants in the Nurses' Health Study II.

Anti-Müllerian hormone levels and breast cancer risk in the study of women's health across the nation.

Purpose: The relation of premenopausal anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels with breast cancer risk has been evaluated in a few studies, but primarily in non-Hispanic White women.

Methods: We evaluated the association of AMH levels with breast cancer risk in Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a multi-ethnic cohort of women. At enrollment, participants had an intact uterus and ≥ 1 ovary, and ≥ 1 menstrual period in the last 3 months.

The association of parity and breastfeeding with anti-Müllerian hormone levels at two time points.

Objective: To evaluate the association between parity and breastfeeding and anti-Müllerian hormone levels (AMH) and change in AMH levels over time. Furthermore, we examined whether AMH levels mediate the relation of parity and breastfeeding with age at menopause.

Study Design: Observational, prospective cohort study.

Vasomotor symptoms in midlife women with incident breast cancer: pink SWAN.

Purpose: We compared trajectories of vasomotor symptoms (VMS) and their risk factors in women with breast cancer (BrCa) to those of cancer-free controls.

Methods: Data were from 15 nearly annual follow-up visits (1996-2017) of the multi-racial/ethnic cohort of midlife women enrolled in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN). We compared women with incident BrCa to controls for patterns of VMS, controlling for risk factors identified in bivariate analyses using multivariable longitudinal analyses.

Biomarkers of phthalates and inflammation: Findings from a subgroup of Women's Health Initiative participants.

Background: Recent experimental work has shown that phthalates may increase inflammation. Prior research has not examined the role of exposure to phthalates in relation to inflammatory status among postmenopausal women who are at higher risk of developing inflammation-related chronic disorders.

Objectives: We aimed to examine the associations of urinary phthalate biomarker concentrations with circulating levels of c-reactive protein [CRP] and interleukin-6 [IL-6] among 443 postmenopausal women selected into a breast cancer case-control study nested within the Women's Health Initiative (WHI).

Urinary Phthalate Biomarkers and Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women.

Context: Phthalates are endocrine-disrupting chemicals that could disrupt normal physiologic function, triggering detrimental impacts on bone.

Objective: We evaluated associations between urinary phthalate biomarkers and BMD in postmenopausal women participating in the prospective Women's Health Initiative (WHI).

Methods: We included WHI participants enrolled in the BMD substudy and selected for a nested case-control study of phthalates and breast cancer (N = 1255).

Strategies for Success: Landing Your First Academic Position and Navigating the Early Years-A Report from the American Society of Preventive Oncology's Early Career Investigator Special Interest Group.

As part of the 2019 American Society of Preventative Oncology (ASPO) annual meeting, the Early Career Investigator Special Interest Group organized a session entitled "Strategies for Success: Landing Your First Academic Position and Navigating the Early Years."* This session was designed to provide senior doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows with strategies for preparing successful faculty job applications. Furthermore, strategies and best practices to help guide early career faculty through the initial years of their academic positions were also discussed.

Psychotropic Medication Use and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk.

Background: Prior studies evaluating psychotropic medications in relation to breast cancer risk are inconsistent and have not separately evaluated invasive and disease.

Methods: We estimated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of psychotropic medication use (any, typical antipsychotics, atypical antipsychotics, and lithium) with invasive and breast cancer risk among Women's Health Initiative participants ( = 155,737).

Results: Prevalence of psychotropic medication use was low ( = 642; 0.

Community pharmacists' lack of access to health records and its impact on targeted MTM interventions.

Objectives: To describe the adequacy of health record information available to community pharmacists when completing medication therapy management (MTM) interventions and to quantify the time spent on interventions that are ultimately revealed as invalid.

Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study analyzed cases of high-risk medication use in the elderly and statin use in persons with diabetes identified by 3 MTM platforms across 15 grocery chain pharmacies. MTM interventions were completed by phone and fax following a usual care protocol.

Urinary concentrations of phthalate biomarkers and weight change among postmenopausal women: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Some phthalates are endocrine disrupting chemicals used as plasticizers in consumer products, and have been associated with obesity in cross-sectional studies, yet prospective evaluations of weight change are lacking. Our objective was to evaluate associations between phthalate biomarker concentrations and weight and weight change among postmenopausal women.

Methods: We performed cross-sectional (N = 997) and longitudinal analyses (N = 660) among postmenopausal Women's Health Initiative participants.

Metabolic syndrome and risk of endometrial cancer in postmenopausal women: a prospective study.

Background: Obesity is a strong risk factor for endometrial cancer, but it is unclear whether metabolic syndrome (MetS) contributes to endometrial cancer risk over and above the contribution of obesity.

Methods: We examined the association of MetS and its components with risk of endometrial cancer in a sub-cohort of 24,210 women enrolled in the Women's Health Initiative cohort study. Two variants of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III definition of the MetS were used: one including and one excluding waist circumference (WC).

Urinary Phthalate Biomarker Concentrations and Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk.

Background: Growing laboratory and animal model evidence supports the potentially carcinogenic effects of some phthalates, chemicals used as plasticizers in a wide variety of consumer products, including cosmetics, medications, and vinyl flooring. However, prospective data on whether phthalates are associated with human breast cancer risk are lacking.

Methods: We conducted a nested case-control study within the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) prospective cohort (n = 419 invasive case subjects and 838 control subjects).

Predictors of urinary phthalate biomarker concentrations in postmenopausal women.

Background: Phthalates are ubiquitous endocrine disrupting chemicals present in a wide variety of consumer products. However, the personal characteristics associated with phthalate exposure are unclear.

Objectives: We sought to describe personal, behavioral, and reproductive characteristics associated with phthalate metabolite concentrations in an ongoing study nested within the Women's Health Initiative (WHI).

Bisphenol-A in breast adipose tissue of breast cancer cases and controls.

We evaluated whether bisphenol-A (BPA) could be quantified in breast adipose tissue samples provided by 36 breast cancer mastectomy patients and 14 reduction mammoplasty patients. Samples of breast adipose tissue were collected and BPA concentration was quantified using HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. BPA was detectable above the limit of quantitation of 0.

Antidepressant Use and Risk of Colorectal Cancer in the Women's Health Initiative.

Some prior studies have reported reduced colorectal cancer risk among individuals using antidepressant medications, especially selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Yet most studies have not considered the potential role of depression or other confounders in their analyses. We utilized prospectively collected data from 145,190 participants in the Women's Health Initiative, among whom 2,580 incident colorectal cancer cases were diagnosed.

Association of urinary levels of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) with prevalent and incident hypertension.

Laboratory studies indicate that melatonin has beneficial vascular effects. However, epidemiologic studies on the relationship between endogenous levels of melatonin and hypertension in humans are limited. We examined the association of quartile levels of 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) in first morning urines with prevalent and incident hypertension in 777 postmenopausal women who were originally part of a case-control study of breast cancer nested in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study.