Allele expression (AE) analysis robustly measures cis-regulatory effects. Here, we present and demonstrate the utility of a vast AE resource generated from the GTEx v8 release, containing 15,253 samples spanning 54 human tissues for a total of 431 million measurements of AE at the SNP level and 153 million measurements at the haplotype level. In addition, we develop an extension of our tool phASER that allows effect sizes of cis-regulatory variants to be estimated using haplotype-level AE data. This AE resource is the largest to date, and we are able to make haplotype-level data publicly available. We anticipate that the availability of this resource will enable future studies of regulatory variation across human tissues.
Background:
Nutrition literacy (NL) and food literacy (FL) have emerged as key components in the promotion and maintenance of healthy dietary practices. However, a critical appraisal of existing tools is required to advance the operationalization and measurement of these constructs using instruments that demonstrate sound validity and reliability.
Methods:
Electronic databases were searched in January and July 2016, January 2017, and March 2018 for publications detailing the development and/or testing of NL or FL instruments. Instruments' psychometric properties were assessed using a structured methodological framework. We identified 2,563 new titles and abstracts, and short-listed 524 for full review. The extent to which key domains of NL were included in each measure was examined.
Key Results:
Thirteen instruments assessing NL underwent full evaluation; seven from the United States, and one each from Australia, Norway, Switzerland, Italy, Hong Kong, and Japan. Measures targeted general Spanish-, Italian-, or Cantonese-speaking adults; primary care patients, parent, and populations with breast cancer. Instruments ranged from 6 to 64 items, and they predominantly assessed functional NL rather than broader domains of NL. Substantial variation in methodological rigor was observed across measures.
Discussion:
Multidimensional and psychometrically sound measures that capture broader domains of NL and assess FL are needed.
Plain Language Summary:
This review systemically compiles, and critically appraises 13 existing measures that assess nutrition literacy and food literacy in an adult population. Substantial variation in methodological rigor was found across the measures, and most tools assessed nutrition literacy rather than food literacy. Findings from this current review may be useful to guide development of future measures that comprehensively capture nutrition literacy and food literacy.
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HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice
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2018;2(3):e134–e160.]
Background.
A kidney transplant candidate’s social network serves as a pool of potential living donors. Sex and racial differences in network size, network strength, and living donor requests may contribute to disparities in living donor kidney transplantation.
Methods.
In this multicenter cross-sectional study, we performed an egocentric network analysis via a telephone survey of 132 waitlisted candidates (53% female and 69% Black) to identify demographic and network factors associated with requesting living kidney donations.
Results.
Female participants made requests to more network members than male participants: incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.95, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.24-3.06], P < 0.01. Black participants tended to make more requests than whites (IRR 1.65, 95% CI [0.99-2.73], P = 0.05). The number of requests increased with the size of the network (IRR 1.09, 95% CI [1.02-1.16], P = 0.01); however, network size did not differ by sex or race. Network members who provided greater instrumental support to the candidates were most likely to receive a request: odds ratio 1.39, 95% CI [1.08-1.78], P = 0.01.
Conclusions.
Transplant candidates’ networks vary in size and in the number of requests made to the members. Previously observed racial and sex disparities in living donor kidney transplantation do not appear to be related to network size or to living donation requests, but rather to the network members themselves. Future living donor interventions should focus on the network members and be tailored to their relationship with the candidate.
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