649 research outputs found
Laparoscopic Removal of a Copper Intrauterine Device from the Sigmoid Colon
Removal of a migrated intrauterine device by using minimally invasive procedures is indicated even in select asymptomatic patients
AUDIT STATE DEPENDENT TAXPAYER COMPLIANCE: THEORY AND EVIDENCE FROM COLOMBIA
We develop and analyze a dynamic model of individual taxpayer compliance choice that predicts âaudit state dependent taxpayer complianceâ, by distinguishing between naĂŻve and myopic behavior versus sophisticated and forward-looking behavior. We then test experimentally the audit state dependent model by reporting the results from the first tax compliance experiment run in Colombia. Consistent with previous studies as well as theoretical predictions, we find that subjectsâ compliance rates increase in the audit probability and in the fine rate. We also find more novel results, both theoretically and empirically: fine rates should be increased after an audit to discourage otherwise-increased underreporting, and ânudgingâ myopic individuals toward reporting a constant rather than a fluctuating proportion of income would benefit both the taxpayer and the tax authority
Retreatment with brentuximab vedotin in patients with CD30-positive hematologic malignancies
BACKGROUND: Brentuximab vedotin is a CD30-directed antibody-drug conjugate. Retreatment with brentuximab vedotin monotherapy was investigated in patients with CD30-positive Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) or systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) who relapsed after achieving complete or partial remission (CR or PR) with initial brentuximab vedotin therapy in a previous study (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00947856). METHODS: Twenty-one patients with HL and 8 patients with systemic ALCL were retreated; 3 patients with systemic ALCL were retreated twice. Patients generally received brentuximab vedotin 1.8Â mg/kg intravenously approximately every 3Â weeks over 30Â minutes as an outpatient infusion. The primary objectives of this study were to assess safety and to estimate antitumor activity of brentuximab vedotin retreatment. RESULTS: The objective response rate was 60% (30% CR) in HL patients and 88% (63% CR) in systemic ALCL patients. The estimated median duration of response for patients with an objective response was 9.5Â months (range, 0.0+ to 28.0+ months) at the time of study closure. Of the 19 patients with objective response, 7 patients had not had an event of disease progression or death at the time of study closure; duration of response for these patients ranged from 3.5 to 28Â months. Of the 11 patients with CR, 45% had response durations of over 1Â year. Adverse events (AEs) occurring in â„25% of patients during the retreatment period were generally similar in type and frequency to those observed in the pivotal trials of brentuximab vedotin monotherapy, with the exception of peripheral neuropathy, which is known to have a cumulative effect. Grade 3 or higher events were observed in 48% of patients; these were generally transient and managed by dose modifications or delays. Deaths due to AEs occurred in 3 HL patients; none were considered to be related to brentuximab vedotin retreatment. DISCUSSION: With the exception of a higher rate of peripheral motor neuropathy, retreatment with brentuximab vedotin was associated with similar side effects seen in the pivotal trials. CONCLUSIONS: Retreatment with brentuximab vedotin monotherapy is associated with response rates in 68% (39% CR) of patients with relapsed HL and systemic ALCL. TRIAL REGISTRATION: United States registry and results database ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00947856
Credibly Identifying Social Effects: Accounting for Network Formation and Measurement Error
Understanding whether and how connections between agents (networks) such as declared friendships in classrooms, transactions between firms, and extended family connections, influence their socio-economic outcomes has been a growing area of research within economics. Early methods developed to identify these social effects assumed that networks had formed exogenously, and were perfectly observed, both of which are unlikely to hold in practice. A more recent literature, both within economics and in other disciplines, develops methods that relax these assumptions. This paper reviews that literature. It starts by providing a general econometric framework for linear models of social effects, and illustrates how network endogeneity and missing data on the network complicate identification of social effects. Thereafter, it discusses methods for overcoming the problems caused by endogenous formation of networks. Finally, it outlines the stark consequences of missing data on measures of the network, and regression parameters, before describing potential solutions
Blinatumomab vs historical standard therapy of adult relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia
We compared outcomes from a single-arm study of blinatumomab in adult patients with B-precursor Ph-negative relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R ALL) with a historical data set from Europe and the United States. Estimates of complete remission (CR) and overall survival (OS) were weighted by the frequency distribution of prognostic factors in the blinatumomab trial. Outcomes were also compared between the trial and historical data using propensity score methods. The historical cohort included 694 patients with CR data and 1112 patients with OS data compared with 189 patients with CR and survival data in the blinatumomab trial. The weighted analysis revealed a CR rate of 24% (95% CI: 20-27%) and a median OS of 3.3 months (95% CI: 2.8-3.6) in the historical cohort compared with a CR/CRh rate of 43% (95% CI: 36-50%) and a median OS of 6.1 months (95% CI: 4.2-7.5) in the blinatumomab trial. Propensity score analysis estimated increased odds of CR/CRh (OR=2.68, 95% CI: 1.67-4.31) and improved OS (HR=0.536, 95% CI: 0.394-0.730) with blinatumomab. The analysis demonstrates the application of different study designs and statistical methods to compare novel therapies for R/R ALL with historical data
Clofarabine and high-dose cytosine arabinoside in the treatment of refractory or relapsed acute myeloid leukaemia
Clofarabine (40 mg/m2/dayâĂâ5) and high-dose cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C, 1â2 g/m2/dayâĂâ5) were used in 10 men and 11 women, at a median age of 45 (22â62)âyears, with refractory (Nâ=â4) and relapsed (Nâ=â17) acute myeloid leukaemia, after a median of 3 (2â5) prior regimens. Grade 4 myelosuppression was observed in all cases, with two patients dying of bacterial sepsis. Nine patients achieved a complete remission. Disease status, number of prior therapies, and cytogenetic aberrations were not associated with the outcome. However, remission was only achieved with Ara-C at 2 g/m2/day and not 1 g/m2/day (9/15 versus 0/4, Pâ=â0.03)
Efficacy and safety of subcutaneous trastuzumab and intravenous trastuzumab as part of adjuvant therapy for HER2-positive early breast cancer: final analysis of the randomised, two-cohort PrefHer study
Aim
To assess efficacy (event-free survival, EFS) and safety in patients followed up for 3 years in the PrefHer study (NCT01401166).
Patients and methods
Post surgery and post chemotherapy in the (neo)adjuvant setting, patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive early breast cancer were randomised to receive four cycles of the subcutaneous form of trastuzumab (Herceptin Âź SC [H SC] via single-use injection device [Cohort 1] or delivery via a hand-held syringe from an SC Vial [Cohort 2]; 600 mg fixed dose) followed by four of the intravenous form of trastuzumab (Herceptin Âź [H IV]; 8 mg/kg loading, 6 mg/kg maintenance doses) in the adjuvant setting or vice versa every 3 weeks. Patients could have received H before randomisation. H was then continued to complete a total of 18 cycles, including any cycles received before randomisation.
Results
A total of 488 patients were randomised across both cohorts. After median follow-up of 36.1 months, 3-year EFS across both groups in the evaluable intention-to-treat population (467 patients) was 90.6% overall, 89.9% in Cohort 1, and 91.1% in Cohort 2. No new safety signals were identified during long-term follow-up, with only one cardiac serious adverse event in the safety population (483 patients).
Conclusions
Three-year EFS data following H SC and H IV treatment are consistent with those reported by previous trials for H in the adjuvant setting. The overall safety profile during adjuvant treatment was as expected
Water droplet accumulation and motion in PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) fuel cell mini-channels
Effective water management is one of the key strategies for improving low temperature Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell performance and durability. Phenomena such as membrane dehydration, catalyst layer flooding, mass transport and fluid flow regimes can be affected by the interaction, distribution and movement of water in flow plate channels.
In this paper a literature review is completed in relation to PEM fuel cell water flooding. It is clear that droplet formation, movement and interaction with the Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL) have been studied extensively. However slug formation and droplet accumulation in the flow channels has not been analysed in detail. In this study, a Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) model and Volume of Fluid (VOF) method is used to simulate water droplet movement and slug formation in PEM fuel cell mini-channels. In addition, water slug visualisation is recorded in ex situ PEM fuel cell mini-channels. Observation and simulation results are discussed with relation to slug formation and the implications to PEM fuel cell performance
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