28 research outputs found
idmTPreg: Regression Model for Progressive Illness Death Data
The progressive illness-death model is frequently used in medical applications. For example, the model may be used to describe the disease process in cancer studies. We have developed a new R package called idmTPreg to estimate regression coefficients in datasets that can be described by the progressive illness-death model. The motivation for the development of the package is a recent contribution that enables the estimation of possibly time-varying covariate effects on the transition probabilities for a progressive illness-death data. The main feature of the package is that it befits both non-Markov and Markov progressive illness-death data. The package implements the introduced estimators obtained using a direct binomial regression approach. Also, variance estimates and confidence bands are implemented in the package. This article presents guidelines for the use of the package.BERC 2014-2017
SEV-2013-0323
MTM2016-76969-P
FP7/2011: Marie Curie Initial Training Network MEDIASRE
Estimation of covariate effects on net survivals in the relative survival progressive illness-death model
An integrated approach to simultaneously control insect pests, powdery mildew and seed borne fungal diseases in barley by bacterial seed treatment
A new total generalized variation induced spatial difference prior model for variational pansharpening
Response Surface Methodology for Photo Degradation of Methyl Orange Using Magnetic Nanocomposites Containing Zinc Oxide
Taxanes trigger cancer cell killing in vivo by inducing non-canonical T cell cytotoxicity
Although treatment with taxanes does not always lead to clinical benefit, all patients are at risk of their detrimental side effects such as peripheral neuropathy. Understanding the in vivo mode of action of taxanes can help design improved treatment regimens. Here, we demonstrate that in vivo, taxanes directly trigger T cells to selectively kill cancer cells in a non-canonical, T cell receptor-independent manner. Mechanistically, taxanes induce T cells to release cytotoxic extracellular vesicles, which lead to apoptosis specifically in tumor cells while leaving healthy epithelial cells intact. We exploit these findings to develop an effective therapeutic approach, based on transfer of T cells pre-treated with taxanes ex vivo, thereby avoiding toxicity of systemic treatment. Our study reveals a different in vivo mode of action of one of the most commonly used chemotherapies, and opens avenues to harness T cell-dependent anti-tumor effects of taxanes while avoiding systemic toxicity
The comparative impact of editing texts translated into Farsi with and without the original English texts
Oral contraceptive use and ovarian cancer risk for BRCA1/2 mutation carriers: an international cohort study
BACKGROUND: Ovarian cancer risk in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers has been shown to decrease with longer duration of oral contraceptive use. Although the effects of using oral contraceptives in the general population are well established (approximately 50% risk reduction in ovarian cancer), the estimated risk reduction in mutation carriers is much less precise because of potential bias and small sample sizes. In addition, only a few studies on oral contraceptive use have examined the associations of duration of use, time since last use, starting age, and calendar year of start with risk of ovarian cancer. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate in more detail the associations of various characteristics of oral contraceptive use and risk of ovarian cancer, to provide healthcare providers and carriers with better risk estimates. STUDY DESIGN: In this international retrospective study, ovarian cancer risk associations were assessed using oral contraceptives data on 3989 BRCA1 and 2445 BRCA2 mutation carriers. Age-dependent-weighted Cox regression analyses were stratified by study and birth cohort and included breast cancer diagnosis as a covariate. To minimize survival bias, analyses were left truncated at 5 years before baseline questionnaire. Separate analyses were conducted for each aspect of oral contraceptive use and in a multivariate analysis, including all these aspects. In addition, the analysis of duration of oral contraceptive use was stratified by recency of use. RESULTS: Oral contraceptives were less often used by mutation carriers who were diagnosed with ovarian cancer (ever use: 58.6% for BRCA1 and 53.5% BRCA2) than by unaffected carriers (ever use: 88.9% for BRCA1 and 80.7% for BRCA2). The median duration of use was 7 years for both BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers who developed ovarian cancer and 9 and 8 years for unaffected BRCA1 and BRCA2 carriers with ovarian cancer, respectively. For BRCA1 mutation carriers, univariate analyses have shown that both a longer duration of oral contraceptive use and more recent oral contraceptive use were associated with a reduction in the risk of ovarian cancer. However, in multivariate analyses, including duration of use, age at first use, and time since last use, duration of oral contraceptive use proved to be the prominent protective factor (compared with 10 years [hazard ratio, 0.37; 95% confidence interval, 0.19-0.73]; Ptrend=.008). The inverse association between duration of use and ovarian cancer risk persisted for more than 15 years (duration of ≥10 years; BRCA1 15 years since last use [hazard ratio, 0.56; 95% confidence interval, 0.18-0.59]). Univariate results for BRCA2 mutation carriers were similar but were inconclusive because of limited sample size. CONCLUSION: For BRCA1 mutation carriers, longer duration of oral contraceptive use is associated with a greater reduction in ovarian cancer risk, and the protection is long term