Joint Parametric Modeling and Estimation of Time to Cancer Recurrence and Disease Stage at Recurrence.

A clinical trial with bladder cancer patients who went through surgery and were followed up for tumor recurrence was used as motivation for this research. The surgery was conducted on patients with an early bladder cancer stage. During the follow-up, patients were evaluated for cancer recurrence at 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and at about 5 year visits unless they had cancer recurrence in between visits or died prior to a scheduled visit. One of the main objectives of the study was to evaluate the time to cancer recurrence. At the time of cancer recurrence, the disease stage was also evaluated. The stage of the cancer at recurrence significantly impacts future treatment and quality of life. Therefore, modeling and analyzing the time to cancer recurrence and the stage at recurrence jointly makes more sense than an analysis based on the time to recurrence alone. In our research, we describe a model for the joint distribution of time to recurrence and cancer stage at recurrence that accounts for the recurrence caused by the cancer cells surviving treatment or surgery, and for the recurrence caused by spontaneous carcinogenesis. First, we proceeded with a continuous follow-up assumption using stochastic models of cancer recurrence. Then we extend the approach to allow for a discrete follow-up process. We provide methods for full maximum likelihood estimation based on the EM algorithm. The methods are illustrated through modeling and estimation of data from a clinical trial in patients with bladder cancer described above. Simulations are used to assess the sensitivity of the methods. An added benefit of such modeling is that it permits using the cancer stage at recurrence to provide adjusted estimates for the time to recurrence distribution and allows for more powerful inference.Ph.D.StatisticsUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/91378/1/olgavm_1.pd

СУЧАСНІ ПІДХОДИ ДО РОЗРОБКИ НАНОСИСТЕМ ДОСТАВКИ ЛІКІВ

The review investigates the latest developments in the field of application of nanotechnologies in the transportation of therapeutic agents, features and the advantages of using nanoscale drug delivery systems for the treatment of diseases, as well as further prospects of using this field in medicine. Modern drug delivery systems are characterized by target orientation, rapid response to the environment and the use of biocompatible and biodegradable nanomaterials which allow for the development of the next generation of more effective drugs. Interdisciplinary research in this fast-growing field provides opportunities to design and develop multifunctional devices that can accurately target and successfully administer the release and distribution of active ingredients in the body.The review investigates the latest developments in the field of application of nanotechnologies in the transportation of therapeutic agents, features and the advantages of using nanoscale drug delivery systems for the treatment of diseases, as well as further prospects of using this field in medicine. Modern drug delivery systems are characterized by target orientation, rapid response to the environment and the use of biocompatible and biodegradable nanomaterials which allow for the development of the next generation of more effective drugs. Interdisciplinary research in this fast-growing field provides opportunities to design and develop multifunctional devices that can accurately target and successfully administer the release and distribution of active ingredients in the body

Practical designs for Phase I combination studies in oncology

Phase I trials evaluating the safety of multi-drug combinations are becoming more common in oncology. Despite the emergence of novel methodology in the area, it is rare that innovative approaches are used in practice. In this article, we review three methods for Phase I combination studies that are easy to understand and straightforward to implement. We demonstrate the operating characteristics of the designs through illustration in a single trial, as well as through extensive simulation studies, with the aim of increasing the use of novel approaches in phase I combination studies. Design specifications and software capabilities are also discussed

Comparing the Generation of Words from Diferent Semantic Categories in Native and Foreign Languages

Objective. Te aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of conformity of generation frequency scores for semantic categories between native (L1) and foreign languages (L2). Design. Sixty-eight native Russian-speaking students were asked to list words belonging to diferent semantic categories in the Russian and English languages. Teir generation frequency was calculated for each word in both languages. Hellinger Afnity scores were used to measure the conformity of the generation frequency norms between the Russian and English language. Results. For culture-dependent categories, the level of conformity between the category frequencies in the Russian and English languages was greater than the conformity with North American norms. For culture-independent categories there were no signifcant diferences in the level of conformity between the native and foreign languages as compared with North American frequencies. Furthermore, the number of concepts with signifcantly diferent levels of frequency between the Russian and English language was greater for culture-dependent categories than for culture independent-categories. Conclusion. Te low level of similarity for some categories can be explained by the subjects’ diferent levels of experience using native and foreign languages in the context of these categories. A low level of category frequency accordance can be also explained by the fact that when subjects switch to a foreign language, they tend to name the concepts which are representative of the culture of this language. Te strong level of similarity for other categories suggests that the vocabulary of these categories is less afected by cross-cultural and cross-linguistic diversity

INNOVATION AS A FACTOR OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF TAX CONSULTING

The aim of the article is to study the theoretical and methodological principles of the interconnection and interdependence of innovation and the socio-economic efficiency of tax consulting and on this basis to determine the areas and tasks of innovation management in this sphere. The subject of the study is innovation and innovative tax consulting services. Methodology. The research is based on the use of general scientific and special-scientific methods and techniques of scientific knowledge. The systematic approach enabled to reveal the content of the social and economic efficiency of tax consulting as the integrity of its economic performance as a practical legal activity based on enterprise and a structural unit of the national economy and socio-economic effects of its functioning as an institution of legal economy and the rule of law. The method of functional analysis enabled to substantiate the author’s approach to the definition of infrastructural and imputed functions of the tax-consulting institute, to reveal the content of its innovative function, its internal and external components. Based on a categorical analysis of innovations in the legal sphere, the concept of innovations and innovative services of tax consulting is considered to reveal a combination of legal, economic, social, and innovative characteristics in its content. The methodology of facet classification enabled to determine and characterize types of innovations in tax consulting, such as product, process, management-organizational, social innovations, as well as to ground areas and measures of management of innovative activity in this sphere of practical legal activity. The results of the study revealed that the social and economic efficiency of tax consulting as a unity of its economic performance and socio-economic effects are closely interconnected with its innovation, because innovations as certain changes in the product, technology, service provision, consulting, and market activity are efficiency factor, while possibilities of their implementation depend on the economic results of entrepreneurial activity in legal assistance on taxation and the quality of management of innovation activity. Practical implications. In the research, the classification of tax consulting innovations enabled to reveal the areas and management measures of innovation development in this practical legal activity to ensure its efficiency as a type of entrepreneurial activity and socio-economic institute, consisting of updating the product portfolio by developing and providing bundled, boutique services, development of niche industries; tax consulting on-line and automation of typical professional services; use of legal crowdsourcing and crowdfunding; introduction of the model of open innovation; management of innovative knowledge; formation of external and internal tax consulting networks; pro bono services. Relevance/originality. The proposed author’s approach to the definition of the socio-economic efficiency and the innovative function of tax consulting, their interconnection and interdependence is the theoretical basis for, first, studies of socio-economic and legal conditions and factors of effective legal assistance on taxation on an innovative foundation, and second, development of activities for the innovative improvement of tax consulting, and effective realization of its functions

ADVISORY MANAGEMENT IN THE FIELD OF HIGHER EDUCATION: DIRECTIONS AND MODELS

The Object of Research: management of higher improvements and advisory services, aimed at achieving the program outputs of the educational process by creating conditions for effective advisory support for applicants and staff of educational institutions. The issue to study: the introduction of measures and methods of advisory management in the quality of higher education management. The Main Scientific Results: the conceptual bases of advisory management as a system of principles, measures and methods of advisory management are revealed. Based on the subject approach, the models of the advisory process in higher education institutions are identified and characterized, the effectiveness of combining the models of internal and external counseling to ensure the quality of higher education is proved. The Area of Practical Application of Research Outputs: higher education institutions and institutions managing higher education. Innovative technological product: on the basis of the subject approach the technologies of advisory management are revealed. The introduction of these technologies into management of higher education improvements allows to use effectively the opportunities of advisory models of knowledge and information flow to achieve program outputs of educational process. The field of application of innovative technological product: practice of formation, implementation and development of management system of educational services improvements

Digital transformations of service marketing: theoretical fundamentals and directions

The conceptual approaches to definition of the purposes, principles and directions of the digital transformation of marketing activity of enterprises offering services according to technologies and methods of Marketing 4.0 have been proved on the basis of modern theories of service marketing. The inclusiveness and customer-focused of digital marketing services have been revealed. The omnichannel of marketing communications on the basis of integration and availability of online and offline channels of service enterprises and clients interaction, digitalization of client managerial experience has been substantiated. The Object of Research: digital marketing of services in the context of the Marketing 4.0 concept. Investigated Problem: the essence and directions of digital transformations of marketing activities in the field of services. Main Scientific results: the inclusiveness and customer-focused of digital marketing communications based on cross-channel interaction and digital managerial models of customer experience have been revealed on the basis of the analysis of theoretical approaches to the characteristics of service marketing and determining the directions of its development in the digitalization of the economy and in accordance with the Marketing 4.0 concept. Field of Practical Usage of Research Results: practical activity of service enterprises on application of digital marketing mix transformations and marketing communications channels. Innovative Technological Product: the main principles and directions of marketing services digital transformation, that is inclusiveness and customer-focused of marketing communications, omnichannel as integration and availability of online and offline interaction channels as well as digitalization of customer experience management have been substantiated. Field of Application of Innovative Technological Product: theoretical researches and practice of digitalization of marketing communications of the service enterprises

Peculiarities of Professional Deformation of Instructor-Officers of Higher Educational Institutions

The probability of professional deformation is the highest among representatives of socio-economic professions, which include the activities of instructor-officers of higher educational institutions with specific training environments. Professional deformation contributes to negative changes in the psychological traits of the individual. Over time, this phenomenon becomes an important obstacle in the further service and pedagogical activities of instructor-officers. The article aims to investigate the peculiarities of manifestation and levels of professional deformation in instructor-officers depending on the experience of their pedagogical activities. The research involved 136 instructor-officers aged 25-55 years with different experience in their pedagogical activities. It is determined that deformational changes in the personality occur under the constant influence of the conditions and experience of the mastered training profession and penetrate various areas of service and off-duty realization of instructor-officers. Professional deformation involves cognitive distortions and disorientation of the individual in the prospects of his or her life-sustaining activities; it leads to the development of specific (perhaps even deviant) manifestations. It can be manifested at the initial, intermediate, and advanced levels. It is proved that with the experience of pedagogical activities, deformational changes of instructor-officers only intensify, moving from the initial to intermediate and even advanced levels. The results of the research indicate the need to determine the level of deformational changes in instructor-officers of higher educational institutions with specific training environments in the early stages of their service to timely and comprehensively carry out measures for psycho-prophylaxis and psycho-correction, preventing further development of their professional deformation

Modern forms of foreign language distance learning in aquaculture

This article is devoted to a rather relevant topic of the 21st century. The subject of the analysis of the article is distance learning. The object of this article is a comparative analysis of distance learning in different countries. In recent years, the use of modern technical means has become a popular phenomenon in education all over the world. Information educational technologies have been intensively developed and increasingly used in the daily educational process along with traditional forms of education in many countries of the world. In this article, we consider the use of distance education in different countries, which helps to expand access to education and training for everyone. The choice of the topic is due to the relevance and the need to study distance education as an innovative form of education from various points of view. The authors analyze the use of distance learning sampled in various countries. The theoretical significance of the study lies in the fact that the data obtained can contribute to the deepened study of distance learning. The practical significance lies in the fact that the data obtained can be used in the course of modern pedagogy and methodology, in special courses on the problems of modern education