Publications by authors named "Md Shafiur Rahman"

Background: There are scarce data on risk factors for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) in Asian populations. Our goal was to advance knowledge on reproductive -related risk factors for EOC in a large population of Asian women.

Methods: This study used pooled individual data from baseline questionnaires in 11 prospective cohorts (baseline years, 1958-2015) in the Asia Cohort Consortium.

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Introduction: Orofacial clefts (OFCs), including cleft lip, cleft palate and combined cleft lip and palate, are among the most common craniofacial malformations in newborns and present significant healthcare challenges. Emerging evidence has raised concerns regarding the potential impact of prenatal exposure to antibiotics on fetal development. Antibiotics prescribed during pregnancy-particularly those that cross the placental barrier-may pose teratogenic risks.

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Background: It has been suggested that the association between body mass index and breast cancer risk differs between Asian women and Western women. We aimed to assess the associations between body mass index and breast cancer incidence in East Asian women.

Methods: Pooled analyses were performed using individual participant data of 319,189 women from 13 cohort studies in Japan, Korea, and China.

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  • * Researchers found that the average age girls start their periods is about 14 years, but it has been getting younger over the past 100 years.
  • * Different countries showed different trends, with some like China having ups and downs, while others like Japan and Singapore had a steady decline in the average age.
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  • A study examined the impact of family history of lung cancer (FHLC) on lung cancer incidence and mortality among East Asian individuals, using data from 478,354 participants across 11 cohorts.
  • The findings indicated that having a family history of lung cancer increased the risk of developing lung cancer by 45%, affecting both men and women, and regardless of whether individuals were smokers or non-smokers.
  • Specific lung cancer types like adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma showed even higher associated risks, but there was no significant difference in risk based on sex, smoking status, or ethnicity.
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  • The study investigates the rising burden of cancer in India, specifically focusing on the low rates of breast and cervical cancer testing among women, and how socioeconomic, regional, and educational factors contribute to this issue.
  • Data from the 2019-21 National Family Health Survey indicated very low testing rates (9 per 1,000 for breast cancer and 20 per 1,000 for cervical cancer), with significant disparities: wealthier women had much higher screening rates, and rural women faced greater inequalities compared to urban counterparts.
  • The findings highlight a critical need for targeted efforts to improve cancer screening services, particularly for lower-educated and rural women, in order to address these disparities in health equity.
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Importance: The global burden of obesity is increasing, as are colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality.

Objectives: To assess the association between body mass index (BMI) and risks of incident CRC and CRC-related death in the Asian population.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cohort study includes data pooled from 17 prospective cohort studies included in The Asia Cohort Consortium.

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The widespread use of video games has raised concerns about their potential negative impact on mental well-being. Nevertheless, the empirical evidence supporting this notion is largely based on correlational studies, warranting further investigation into the causal relationship. Here we identify the causal effect of video gaming on mental well-being in Japan (2020-2022) using game console lotteries as a natural experiment.

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Background: Cervical cancer presents a considerable challenge in South Asia, notably in Nepal, where screening remains limited. Past research in Nepal lacked national representation and a thorough exploration of factors influencing cervical cancer screening, such as educational and socioeconomic disparities. This study aims to measure these gaps and identify associated factors in testing for early detection of cervical cancer among Nepalese women.

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  • - Routine immunization programs in low- and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) have seen improvements in vaccination coverage from 2000 to 2020, which helps reduce vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs)
  • - A study analyzed data from 174 household surveys across 41 LMICs using advanced statistical methods, revealing marked increases in vaccination rates, especially in East Africa, though many countries are projected to fall short of the 2030 coverage goals
  • - The conclusion emphasizes the need for LMICs to address ongoing urban-rural and socioeconomic gaps in vaccination access by enhancing health systems and involving communities to ensure equitable vaccine distribution
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This paper outlines the process undertaken by Asian National Cancer Centers Alliance (ANCCA) members in working towards an Asian Code Against Cancer (ACAC). The process involves: (i) identification of the criteria for selecting the existing set of national recommendations for ACAC (ii) compilation of existing national codes or recommendations on cancer prevention (iii) reviewing the scientific evidence on cancer risk factors in Asia and (iv) establishment of one or more ACAC under the World Code Against Cancer Framework. A matrix of national codes or key recommendations against cancer in ANCCA member countries is presented.

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Background: Evidence suggests a possible link between diabetes and gastric cancer risk, but the findings remain inconclusive, with limited studies in the Asian population. We aimed to assess the impact of diabetes and diabetes duration on the development of gastric cancer overall, by anatomical and histological subtypes.

Methods: A pooled analysis was conducted using 12 prospective studies included in the Asia Cohort Consortium.

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  • A study was conducted using data from 968,738 adults across 20 cohort studies in Asia to investigate the link between diabetes and liver cancer incidence and mortality.
  • The findings revealed that adults with diabetes had a significantly higher risk of being diagnosed with liver cancer (hazard ratio of 1.97) and dying from it (adjusted hazard ratio of 1.97) compared to those without diabetes.
  • The robust results, supported by a two-stage meta-analysis, contribute valuable evidence to the understanding of liver cancer risks among diabetic populations in Asian countries.
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The female predominance of gallbladder cancer (GBC) has led to a hypothesis regarding the hormone-related aetiology of GBC. We aimed to investigate the association between female reproductive factors and GBC risk, considering birth cohorts of Asian women. We conducted a pooled analysis of 331,323 women from 12 cohorts across 4 countries (China, Japan, Korea, and Singapore) in the Asia Cohort Consortium.

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  • - The study analyzed lung cancer risk related to reproductive factors among 308,949 Asian women across four countries, finding inconsistent results in previous research.
  • - Parous women (those who have given birth) were found to have a significantly lower risk of lung cancer incidence and mortality compared to nulliparous women, especially among smokers.
  • - Higher ages at first childbirth were associated with decreased lung cancer risk, while hormone replacement therapy users showed a greater likelihood of developing non-small cell lung cancer. Future research is needed to explore these findings further.
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  • The study investigates how different birth cohorts influence the relationship between reproductive and lifestyle factors and breast cancer risk.
  • It uses pooled data from 12 cohort studies and employs Cox proportional hazard regression to analyze factors like age at menarche, menopause, parity, smoking, and alcohol consumption.
  • Results indicate that parity reduces breast cancer risk in older cohorts, while lifestyle factors like smoking and alcohol show stronger associations in those born in the 1950s compared to earlier cohorts.
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This study highlights the present status of medical libraries in Bangladesh. It mainly focuses on the four key areas of medical libraries: Medical Library Services, Research4Life from Bangladesh perspective, Institutional Repository (IR), and Library Automation status. The research study also explores the various key challenges faced by the medical libraries in Bangladesh and finally provides necessary recommendations like a sufficient library budget, implementation of  an Integrated Library System (ILS), skilled manpower, more participation in information networking and resource sharing, sound ICT environment, online collection development for the overall development of medical libraries in Bangladesh.

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  • Body fatness is highlighted as a potential risk factor for biliary tract cancer (BTC), with established correlations between obesity and cholelithiasis (gallstones).
  • A comprehensive analysis of data from over 905,000 participants across 21 studies in Asia found that higher body mass index (BMI) correlates with increased BTC mortality, especially in females.
  • The study indicates that while obesity is linked to BTC mortality in women without gallstones, the relationship is less clear in men and when gallstones are present, suggesting complex interactions between BMI, gender, and gallstone presence.
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Introduction: Although lung cancer prediction models are widely used to support risk-based screening, their performance outside Western populations remains uncertain. This study aims to evaluate the performance of 11 existing risk prediction models in multiple Asian populations and to refit prediction models for Asians.

Methods: In a pooled analysis of 186,458 Asian ever-smokers from 19 prospective cohorts, we assessed calibration (expected-to-observed ratio) and discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC]) for each model.

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Importance: Despite evidence of an association between reproductive factors and endometrial cancer risk, prospective studies have been conducted mainly in non-Asian countries.

Objective: To assess the association between reproductive factors, such as number of deliveries, age at menarche, or menopause, and endometrial cancer risk.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cohort study used pooled individual data from 13 prospective cohort studies conducted between 1963 and 2014 in the Asia Cohort Consortium.

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Whether longer screen time in infancy increases risk of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and ADHD has long been debated, but no causal relationship between the two remains has been established. Using ongoing longitudinal cohort data, we found that in children 24 to 40 months of age, the genetic risk of ASD was associated with longer screen time and that of ADHD with an increase in screen time over time. These data suggest that prolonged screen time may not be a cause of the genetic risk for NDD, but an early sign of NDDs.

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