Nonparametric Machine Learning and Efficient Computation with Bayesian Additive Regression Trees: The BART R Package

In this article, we introduce the BART R package which is an acronym for Bayesian additive regression trees. BART is a Bayesian nonparametric, machine learning, ensemble predictive modeling method for continuous, binary, categorical and time-to-event outcomes. Furthermore, BART is a tree-based, black-box method which fits the outcome to an arbitrary random function, f , of the covariates. The BART technique is relatively computationally efficient as compared to its competitors, but large sample sizes can be demanding. Therefore, the BART package includes efficient state-of-the-art implementations for continuous, binary, categorical and time-to-event outcomes that can take advantage of modern off-the-shelf hardware and software multi-threading technology. The BART package is written in C++ for both programmer and execution efficiency. The BART package takes advantage of multi-threading via forking as provided by the parallel package and OpenMP when available and supported by the platform. The ensemble of binary trees produced by a BART fit can be stored and re-used later via the R predict function. In addition to being an R package, the installed BART routines can be called directly from C++. The BART package provides the tools for your BART toolbox

Outcomes of Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation in Children and Young Adults with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: A CIBMTR Cohort Analysis

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in children and young adults is uncommon. Young patients have long life expectancies and low morbidity with hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Prolonged tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) use may cause significant morbidity. In addition indication for HCT in patients in first chronic phase is not established

Random Number Generation and Monte Carlo Methods (2nd edition)

Abstracts not available for BookReview

Statistical Analysis of Medical Data Using SAS

Abstracts not available for BookReview

Team principles for successful interdisciplinary research teams

Interdisciplinary research teams can be extremely beneficial when addressing difficult clinical problems. The incorporation of conceptual and methodological strategies from a variety of research disciplines and health professions yields transformative results. In this setting, the long-term goal of team science is to improve patient care, with emphasis on population health outcomes. However, team principles necessary for effective research teams are rarely taught in health professional schools. To form successful interdisciplinary research teams in cardio-oncology and beyond, guiding principles and organizational recommendations are necessary. Cardiovascular disease results in annual direct costs of $220 billion (about$680 per person in the US) and is the leading cause of death for cancer survivors, including adult survivors of childhood cancers. Optimizing cardio-oncology research in interdisciplinary research teams has the potential to aid in the investigation of strategies for saving hundreds of thousands of lives each year in the United States and mitigating the annual cost of cardiovascular disease. Despite published reports on experiences developing research teams across organizations, specialties and settings, there is no single journal article that compiles principles for cardiology or cardio-oncology research teams. In this review, recurring threads linked to working as a team, as well as optimal methods, advantages, and problems that arise when managing teams are described in the context of career development and research. The worth and hurdles of a team approach, based on practical lessons learned from establishing our multidisciplinary research team and information gleaned from relevant specialties in the development of a successful team are presented