Week of 11/16/09

Content:  This week Dr. Petitti gave a presentation on methods used for biomedical research.  Some of the topics in the presentation were measurements used in experiments and experimental validity.  Two of those measurements that were covered were risk ratios and odds ratios.  A couple of the experimental validity topics that were covered were sample sizes and technological advancements.  Increases in sample sizes can increase an experiment's power.  Technological advancements can cause a technology that is being studied to become rarely used.

The example that Dr. Petitti gave about technological advancements and studying the possibility that cell phones cause cancer was interesting.  The time that it could takes to develop a cancer is another interestingly complicated factor in that type of study.  I found a study that describes how studies on the possibility of cell phones producing cancer have been inconclusive.  The article recommends that "well-designed, preferably prospective, studies" be done.  However, as mentioned in class, technological advancements may make it difficult to accurately trace cell phone use over time.  The study is available here:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19282560?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum∨dinalpos=4

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Nate