Exposure-survival analyses of pazopanib in renal cell carcinoma and soft tissue sarcoma patients: opportunities for dose optimization.

Science.gov (United States)

Verheijen, R B; Swart, L E; Beijnen, J H; Schellens, J H M; Huitema, A D R; Steeghs, N

2017-12-01

Pazopanib is an angiogenesis inhibitor approved for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma and soft tissue sarcoma. Post hoc analysis of a clinical trial demonstrated a relationship between pazopanib trough concentrations (C min ) and treatment efficacy. The aim of this study was to explore the pharmacokinetics and exposure-survival relationships of pazopanib in a real-world patient cohort. Renal cell cancer and soft tissue sarcoma patients who had at least one pazopanib plasma concentration available were included. Using calculated C min values and a threshold of > 20 mg/L, univariate and multivariate exposure-survival analyses were performed. Sixty-one patients were included, of which 16.4% were underexposed (mean C min   20 mg/L was related to longer progression free survival in renal cell cancer patients (34.1 vs. 12.5 weeks, n = 35, p = 0.027) and the overall population (25.0 vs. 8.8 weeks, n = 61, p = 0.012), but not in the sarcoma subgroup (18.7 vs. 8.8 weeks, n = 26, p = 0.142). In multivariate analysis C min  > 20 mg/L was associated with hazard ratios of 0.25 (p = 0.021) in renal cancer, 0.12 (p = 0.011) in sarcoma and 0.38 (p = 0.017) in a pooled analysis. This study confirms that pazopanib C min  > 20 mg/L relates to better progression free survival in renal cancer and points towards a similar trend in sarcoma patients. C min monitoring of pazopanib can help identify patients with low C min for whom individualized treatment at a higher dose may be appropriate.

From basic survival analytic theory to a non-standard application

CERN Document Server

Zimmermann, Georg

2017-01-01

Georg Zimmermann provides a mathematically rigorous treatment of basic survival analytic methods. His emphasis is also placed on various questions and problems, especially with regard to life expectancy calculations arising from a particular real-life dataset on patients with epilepsy. The author shows both the step-by-step analyses of that dataset and the theory the analyses are based on. He demonstrates that one may face serious and sometimes unexpected problems, even when conducting very basic analyses. Moreover, the reader learns that a practically relevant research question may look rather simple at first sight. Nevertheless, compared to standard textbooks, a more detailed account of the theory underlying life expectancy calculations is needed in order to provide a mathematically rigorous framework. Contents Regression Models for Survival Data Model Checking Procedures Life Expectancy Target Groups Researchers, lecturers, and students in the fields of mathematics and statistics Academics and experts work...

Physical activity increases survival after heart valve surgery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, K.; Sibilitz, Kirstine Lærum; Kikkenborg Berg, Selina

2016-01-01

physical activity levels 6-12 months after heart valve surgery and (1) survival, (2) hospital readmission 18-24 months after surgery and (3) participation in exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation. METHODS: Prospective cohort study with registry data from The CopenHeart survey, The Danish National Patient......OBJECTIVES: Increased physical activity predicts survival and reduces risk of readmission in patients with coronary heart disease. However, few data show how physical activity is associated with survival and readmission after heart valve surgery. Objective were to assess the association between...... Register and The Danish Civil Registration System of 742 eligible patients. Physical activity was quantified with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and analysed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression and logistic regression methods. RESULTS: Patients with a moderate to high physical...

Enhanced secondary analysis of survival data: reconstructing the data from published Kaplan-Meier survival curves.

Science.gov (United States)

Guyot, Patricia; Ades, A E; Ouwens, Mario J N M; Welton, Nicky J

2012-02-01

The results of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) on time-to-event outcomes that are usually reported are median time to events and Cox Hazard Ratio. These do not constitute the sufficient statistics required for meta-analysis or cost-effectiveness analysis, and their use in secondary analyses requires strong assumptions that may not have been adequately tested. In order to enhance the quality of secondary data analyses, we propose a method which derives from the published Kaplan Meier survival curves a close approximation to the original individual patient time-to-event data from which they were generated. We develop an algorithm that maps from digitised curves back to KM data by finding numerical solutions to the inverted KM equations, using where available information on number of events and numbers at risk. The reproducibility and accuracy of survival probabilities, median survival times and hazard ratios based on reconstructed KM data was assessed by comparing published statistics (survival probabilities, medians and hazard ratios) with statistics based on repeated reconstructions by multiple observers. The validation exercise established there was no material systematic error and that there was a high degree of reproducibility for all statistics. Accuracy was excellent for survival probabilities and medians, for hazard ratios reasonable accuracy can only be obtained if at least numbers at risk or total number of events are reported. The algorithm is a reliable tool for meta-analysis and cost-effectiveness analyses of RCTs reporting time-to-event data. It is recommended that all RCTs should report information on numbers at risk and total number of events alongside KM curves.

Survival analysis of dialysis patients in selected hospitals of lahore city

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahmad, Z.; Shahzad, I.

2015-01-01

There are several reasons which are directly or indirectly relate to affect the survival time of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients. This study was done to analyse the survival rate of ESRD patients in Lahore city, and to evaluate the influence of various risk factors and prognostic factors on survival of these patients. Methods: A sample of 40 patients was taken from the Jinnah Hospital Lahore and Lahore General Hospital by using the convenience sampling technique. The Log Rank Test was used to determine the significant difference between the categories of qualitative variables of ESRD patients. Multivariate Cox Regression Analysis was used to analyse the effect of different clinical and socio-economic variables on the survival time of these patients. Results: Different qualitative variables like: age, marital status, BMI, comorbid factors, diabetes type, gender, income level, place, risk factor like diabetes, ischemic heart disease, hypertension and Hepatitis status were analysed on the basis of Log Rank Test. While age and comorbid factors were found to be statistically significant which showed that the distribution of age and comorbid factors were different. By using the Cox Regression analysis the coefficient of Mass, serum albumin and family history of diabetes were found to be significant. Conclusions: There were some of the factors which had been taken for the analysis came out less or more significant in patients of ESRD. So it was concluded that mostly clinical factors which were Mass of the Patient, Serum Albumin and Family History of Diabetes made significant contribution towards the survival status of patients. (author)

Local survival of pied flycatcher males and females in a pollution gradient of a Cu smelter

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eeva, T.; Hakkarainen, H.; Belskii, E.

2009-01-01

Survival is one of the most central population measures when the effects of the pollution are studied in natural bird populations. However, only few studies have actually measured rigorous survival estimates on adult birds. In recent years there has been a methodological advance in survival analyses by mark-recapture models. We modelled local survival (including mortality and emigration) with the program MARK in a population of a small insectivorous passerine bird, the pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca), around a point source of heavy metals. The local survival of females in the polluted area was about 50% lower than in the other areas. Males, however, survived relatively well in the heavily polluted area, but showed somewhat lower survival in the moderately polluted area. Different pollution effects between two sexes might be due to pollution-related differences in reproductive effort in females and males, and/or more intensive uptake of heavy metals by laying females. - Female pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) show decreased local survival around a copper smelter.

Lamb survival analysis from birth to weaning in Iranian Kermani sheep.

Science.gov (United States)

Barazandeh, Arsalan; Moghbeli, Sadrollah Molaei; Vatankhah, Mahmood; Hossein-Zadeh, Navid Ghavi

2012-04-01

Survival records from 1,763 Kermani lambs born between 1996 and 2004 from 294 ewes and 81 rams were used to determine genetic and non-genetic factors affecting lamb survival. Traits included were lamb survival across five periods from birth to 7, 14, 56, 70, and 90 days of age. Traits were analyzed under Weibull proportional hazard sire models. Several binary analyses were also conducted using animal models. Statistical models included the fixed class effects of sex of lamb, month and year of birth, a covariate effect of birth weight, and random genetic effects of both sire (in survival analyses) and animal (in binary analyses). The average survival to 90 days of age was 94.8%. Hazard rates ranged from 1.00 (birth to 90 days of age) to 1.73 (birth to 7 days of age) between the two sexes indicating that male lambs were at higher risk of mortality than females (P lamb survival and lamb birth weight, suggesting that viability and birth weight could be considered simultaneously in the selection programs to obtain optimal birth weight in Kermani lambs. Estimates of heritabilities from survival analyses were medium and ranged from 0.23 to 0.29. In addition, heritability estimates obtained from binary analyses were low and varied from 0.04 to 0.09. The results of this study suggest that progress in survival traits could be possible through managerial strategies and genetic selection.

Survival of Alzheimer's disease patients in Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Go, Seok Min; Lee, Kang Soo; Seo, Sang Won; Chin, Juhee; Kang, Sue J; Moon, So Young; Na, Duk L; Cheong, Hae-Kwan

2013-01-01

The natural history of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has rarely been studied in the Korean population. Our study on survival analyses in Korean AD patients potentially provides a basis for cross-cultural comparisons. We studied 724 consecutive patients from a memory disorder clinic in a tertiary hospital in Seoul, who were diagnosed as having AD between April 1995 and December 2005. Deaths were identified by the Statistics Korea database. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, and a Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess factors related to patient survival. The overall median survival from the onset of first symptoms and from the time of diagnosis was 12.6 years (95% confidence interval 11.7-13.4) and 9.3 years (95% confidence interval 8.7-9.9), respectively. The age of onset, male gender, history of diabetes mellitus, lower Mini-Mental State Examination score, and higher Clinical Dementia Rating score were negatively associated with survival. There was a reversal of risk of AD between early-onset and later-onset AD, 9.1 years after onset. The results of our study show a different pattern of survival compared to those studies carried out with western AD populations. Mortality risk of early-onset AD varied depending on the duration of follow-up. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Enhanced secondary analysis of survival data: reconstructing the data from published Kaplan-Meier survival curves

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guyot Patricia

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The results of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs on time-to-event outcomes that are usually reported are median time to events and Cox Hazard Ratio. These do not constitute the sufficient statistics required for meta-analysis or cost-effectiveness analysis, and their use in secondary analyses requires strong assumptions that may not have been adequately tested. In order to enhance the quality of secondary data analyses, we propose a method which derives from the published Kaplan Meier survival curves a close approximation to the original individual patient time-to-event data from which they were generated. Methods We develop an algorithm that maps from digitised curves back to KM data by finding numerical solutions to the inverted KM equations, using where available information on number of events and numbers at risk. The reproducibility and accuracy of survival probabilities, median survival times and hazard ratios based on reconstructed KM data was assessed by comparing published statistics (survival probabilities, medians and hazard ratios with statistics based on repeated reconstructions by multiple observers. Results The validation exercise established there was no material systematic error and that there was a high degree of reproducibility for all statistics. Accuracy was excellent for survival probabilities and medians, for hazard ratios reasonable accuracy can only be obtained if at least numbers at risk or total number of events are reported. Conclusion The algorithm is a reliable tool for meta-analysis and cost-effectiveness analyses of RCTs reporting time-to-event data. It is recommended that all RCTs should report information on numbers at risk and total number of events alongside KM curves.

Association of tRNA methyltransferase NSUN2/IGF-II molecular signature with ovarian cancer survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jia-Cheng; Risch, Eric; Zhang, Meiqin; Huang, Chan; Huang, Huatian; Lu, Lingeng

2017-09-01

To investigate the association between NSUN2/IGF-II signature and ovarian cancer survival. Using a publicly accessible dataset of RNA sequencing and clinical follow-up data, we performed Classification and Regression Tree and survival analyses. Patients with NSUN2 high IGF-II low had significantly superior overall and disease progression-free survival, followed by NSUN2 low IGF-II low , NSUN2 high IGF-II high and NSUN2 low IGF-II high (p IGF-II signature with the risks of death and relapse remained significant in multivariate Cox regression models. Random-effects meta-analyses show the upregulated NSUN2 and IGF-II expression in ovarian cancer versus normal tissues. The NSUN2/IGF-II signature associates with heterogeneous outcome and may have clinical implications in managing ovarian cancer.

Prognostic nutritional index is associated with survival after total gastrectomy for patients with gastric cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishizuka, Mitsuru; Oyama, Yusuke; Abe, Akihito; Tago, Kazuma; Tanaka, Genki; Kubota, Keiichi

2014-08-01

To investigate the influence of clinical characteristics including nutritional markers on postoperative survival in patients undergoing total gastrectomy (TG) for gastric cancer (GC). One hundred fifty-four patients were enrolled. Uni- and multivariate analyses using the Cox proportional hazard model were performed to explore the most valuable clinical characteristic that was associated with postoperative survival. Multivariate analysis using twelve clinical characteristics selected from univariate analyses revealed that age (≤ 72/>72), carcinoembryonic antigen (≤ 20/>20) (ng/ml), white blood cell count (≤ 9.5/>9.5) (× 10(3)/mm(3)), prognostic nutritional index (PNI) (≤ 45/>45) and lymph node metastasis (negative/positive) were associated with postoperative survival. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test showed that patients with higher PNI (>45) had a higher postoperative survival rate than those with lower PNI (≤ 45) (p<0.001). PNI is associated with postoperative survival of patients undergoing TG for GC and is able to divide such patients into two independent groups before surgery. Copyright© 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

The validity of EORTC GBM prognostic calculator on survival of GBM patients in the West of Scotland.

Science.gov (United States)

Teo, Mario; Clark, Brian; MacKinnon, Mairi; Stewart, Willie; Paul, James; St George, Jerome

2014-06-01

It is now accepted that the addition of temozolomide to radiotherapy in the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) significantly improves survival. In 2008, a subanalysis of the original study data was performed, and an online "GBM Calculator" was made available on the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) website allowing users to estimate patients' survival outcomes. We tested this calculator against actual local survival data to validate its use in our patients. Prospectively collected clinical data were analysed on 105 consecutive patients receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy following surgical treatment of GBM between December 2004 and February 2009. Using the EORTC online calculator, survival outcomes were generated for these patients and compared with their actual survival. The median overall survival for the entire cohort was 15.3 months (range 2.8-50.5 months), with 1-year and 2-year overall survival of 65.7% and 19%, respectively. This is in comparison to the median overall predictive survival of 21.3 months, with 1-year and 2-year survival of 95% and 39.5%, respectively. Case by case analysis also showed that the survival was overestimated in nearly 80% of patients. Subgroup analyses showed similar overestimation of patients' survival, except calculator Model 3 which utilised MGMT status. Use of the EORTC GBM prognostic calculator would have overestimated the survival of the majority of our patients with GBM. Uncertainty exists as to the cause of overestimation in the cohort although local socioeconomic factors might play a role. The different calculator models yielded different outcomes and the "best" predictor of survival for the cohort under study utilised the tumour MGMT status. We would strongly encourage similar local studies of validity testing prior to employing the online prognostic calculator for other population groups.

Survival in systemic lupus erythematosus, 1995-2010

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Voss, A; Laustrup, H; Hjelmborg, J

2013-01-01

ObjectiveThe objective of this paper is to investigate survival and causes of death in a Danish lupus population.MethodsTwo hundred and fifteen SLE patients (94% Caucasians) were followed prospectively for up to 16 years. Thirty-eight patients died. Survival rate and causes of death were analysed......%) and malignancies (13%). Deaths due to infections and active SLE were rare and predominated within the first seven years after diagnosis and before age 40, while cardiovascular deaths prevailed after 20 years' follow-up.ConclusionThis study shows that despite progress in lupus management, including direct access...... to specialized hospital care and increased use of hydroxychloroquine, mortality in lupus patients is still increased. Main causes of death were active disease and infections among the young and newly diagnosed, while cardiovascular deaths prevailed in longstanding disease....

Survival and maturation rates of the African rodent Mastomys natalensis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sluydts, Vincent; Crespin, Laurent; Davis, Stephen

2008-01-01

the model fit. On the other hand we showed that maturation rates were correlated negatively with density the previous month and positively to cumulative rainfall over the past three months. Survival estimates of both adults and subadults varied seasonally, with higher estimates during the increase phase......Survival and maturation rates of female Mastomys natalensis were analysed based on a ten-year onthly capture-recapture data set. We investigated whether direct and delayed density dependent and independent (rainfall) variables accounted for the considerable variation in demographic traits....... It was estimated that seasonal and annual covariates accounted for respectively 29 and 26% of the total variation in maturation rates and respectively 17 and 11% of the variation in survival rates. Explaining the between-year differences in maturation rates with annual past rainfall or density did not improve...

Obesity adversely affects survival in pancreatic cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

McWilliams, Robert R; Matsumoto, Martha E; Burch, Patrick A; Kim, George P; Halfdanarson, Thorvardur R; de Andrade, Mariza; Reid-Lombardo, Kaye; Bamlet, William R

2010-11-01

Higher body-mass index (BMI) has been implicated as a risk factor for developing pancreatic cancer, but its effect on survival has not been thoroughly investigated. The authors assessed the association of BMI with survival in a sample of pancreatic cancer patients and used epidemiologic and clinical information to understand the contribution of diabetes and hyperglycemia. A survival analysis using Cox proportional hazards by usual adult BMI was performed on 1861 unselected patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma; analyses were adjusted for covariates that included clinical stage, age, and sex. Secondary analyses incorporated self-reported diabetes and fasting blood glucose in the survival model. BMI as a continuous variable was inversely associated with survival from pancreatic adenocarcinoma (hazard ratio [HR], 1.019 for each increased unit of BMI [kg/m2], PFasting blood glucose and diabetes did not affect the results. Higher BMI is associated with decreased survival in pancreatic cancer. Although the mechanism of this association remains undetermined, diabetes and hyperglycemia do not appear to account for the observed association. Copyright © 2010 American Cancer Society.

Fledgling survival increases with development time and adult survival across north and south temperate zones

Science.gov (United States)

Lloyd, Penn; Martin, Thomas E.

2016-01-01

Slow life histories are characterized by high adult survival and few offspring, which are thought to allow increased investment per offspring to increase juvenile survival. Consistent with this pattern, south temperate zone birds are commonly longer-lived and have fewer young than north temperate zone species. However, comparative analyses of juvenile survival, including during the first few weeks of the post-fledging period when most juvenile mortality occurs, are largely lacking. We combined our measurements of fledgling survival for eight passerines in South Africa with estimates from published studies of 57 north and south temperate zone songbird species to test three predictions: (1) fledgling survival increases with length of development time in the nest; (2) fledgling survival increases with adult survival and reduced brood size controlled for development time; and (3) south temperate zone species, with their higher adult survival and smaller brood sizes, exhibit higher fledgling survival than north temperate zone species controlled for development time. We found that fledgling survival was higher among south temperate zone species and generally increased with development time and adult survival within and between latitudinal regions. Clutch size did not explain additional variation, but was confounded with adult survival. Given the importance of age-specific mortality to life history evolution, understanding the causes of these geographical patterns of mortality is important.

UK Renal Registry 15th annual report: Chapter 5 survival and causes of death of UK adult patients on renal replacement therapy in 2011: national and centre-specific analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Steenkamp, Retha; Shaw, Catriona; Feest, Terry

2013-01-01

These analyses examine a) survival from the start of renal replacement therapy (RRT) based on the total incident UK RRT population reported to the UK Renal Registry, b) survival of prevalent patients. Changes in survival between 1997 and 2011 are also reported. Survival was calculated for both incident and prevalent patients on RRT and compared between the UK countries after adjustment for age. Survival of incident patients (starting RRT during 2010) was calculated both from the start of RRT and from 90 days after starting RRT, both with and without censoring at transplantation. Prevalent dialysis patients were censored at transplantation; this means that the patient is considered alive up to the point of transplantation, but the patient's status post-transplant is not considered. Both Kaplan-Meier and Cox adjusted models were used to calculate survival. Causes of death were analysed for both groups. The relative risk of death was calculated compared with the general UK population. The unadjusted 1 year after 90 day survival for patients starting RRT in 2010 was 87.3%, representing an increase from the previous year (86.6%). In incident patients aged 18-64 years, the unadjusted 1 year survival had risen from 86.0% in patients starting RRT in 1997 to 92.6% in patients starting RRT in 2010 and for those aged ≥65 it had increased from 63.9% to 77.0% over the same period. The age-adjusted one year survival (adjusted to age 60) of prevalent dialysis patients increased from 88.1% in the 2001 cohort to 89.8% in the 2010 cohort. Prevalent diabetic patient one year survival rose from 82.1% in the 2002 cohort to 84.7% in the 2010 cohort. The age-standardised mortality ratio for prevalent RRT patients compared with the general population was 18 for age group 30-34 and 2.5 at age 85+ years. In the prevalent RRT dialysis population, cardiovascular disease accounted for 22% of deaths, infection and treatment withdrawal 18% each and 25% were recorded as other causes of death

CASAS: Cancer Survival Analysis Suite, a web based application.

Science.gov (United States)

Rupji, Manali; Zhang, Xinyan; Kowalski, Jeanne

2017-01-01

We present CASAS, a shiny R based tool for interactive survival analysis and visualization of results. The tool provides a web-based one stop shop to perform the following types of survival analysis:  quantile, landmark and competing risks, in addition to standard survival analysis.  The interface makes it easy to perform such survival analyses and obtain results using the interactive Kaplan-Meier and cumulative incidence plots.  Univariate analysis can be performed on one or several user specified variable(s) simultaneously, the results of which are displayed in a single table that includes log rank p-values and hazard ratios along with their significance. For several quantile survival analyses from multiple cancer types, a single summary grid is constructed. The CASAS package has been implemented in R and is available via http://shinygispa.winship.emory.edu/CASAS/. The developmental repository is available at https://github.com/manalirupji/CASAS/.

Comparison of Adjuvant Radiation Therapy Alone and Chemotherapy Alone in Surgically Resected Low-Grade Gliomas: Survival Analyses of 2253 Cases from the National Cancer Data Base.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jing; Neale, Natalie; Huang, Yuqian; Bai, Harrison X; Li, Xuejun; Zhang, Zishu; Karakousis, Giorgos; Huang, Raymond; Zhang, Paul J; Tang, Lei; Xiao, Bo; Yang, Li

2018-04-01

It is becoming increasingly common to incorporate chemotherapy (CT) with radiotherapy (RT) in the treatment of low-grade gliomas (LGGs) after surgical resection. However, there is a lack of literature comparing survival of patients who underwent RT or CT alone. The U.S. National Cancer Data Base was used to identify patients with histologically confirmed, World Health Organization grade 2 gliomas who received either RT alone or CT alone after surgery from 2004 to 2013. Overall survival (OS) was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis, multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression, and propensity-score-matched analysis. In total, 2253 patients with World Health Organization grade 2 gliomas were included, of whom 1466 (65.1%) received RT alone and 787 (34.9%) CT alone. The median OS was 98.9 months for the RT alone group and 125.8 months for the CT alone group. On multivariable analysis, CT alone was associated with a significant OS benefit compared with RT alone (hazard ratio [HR], 0.405; 95% confidence interval, 0.277-0.592; P < 0.001). On subgroup analyses, the survival advantage of CT alone over RT alone persisted across all age groups, and for the subtotal resection and biopsy groups, but not in the gross total resection group. In propensity-score-matched analysis, CT alone still showed significantly improved OS compared with RT alone (HR, 0.612; 95% confidence interval, 0.506-0.741; P < 0.001). Our results suggest that CT alone was independently associated with longer OS compared with RT alone in patients with LGGs who underwent surgery. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multinationals and plant survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bandick, Roger

2010-01-01

The aim of this paper is twofold: first, to investigate how different ownership structures affect plant survival, and second, to analyze how the presence of foreign multinational enterprises (MNEs) affects domestic plants’ survival. Using a unique and detailed data set on the Swedish manufacturing...... sector, I am able to separate plants into those owned by foreign MNEs, domestic MNEs, exporting non-MNEs, and purely domestic firms. In line with previous findings, the result, when conditioned on other factors affecting survival, shows that foreign MNE plants have lower survival rates than non......-MNE plants. However, separating the non-MNEs into exporters and non-exporters, the result shows that foreign MNE plants have higher survival rates than non-exporting non-MNEs, while the survival rates of foreign MNE plants and exporting non-MNE plants do not seem to differ. Moreover, the simple non...

Survival in common cancers defined by risk and survival of family members

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianguang Ji

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Studies on survival between familial and sporadic cancers have been inconclusive and only recent data on a limited number of cancers are available on the concordance of survival between family members. In this review, we address these questions by evaluating the published and unpublished data from the nation-wide Swedish Family-Cancer Database and a total of 13 cancer sites were assessed. Using sporadic cancer as reference, HRs were close to 1.0 for most of the familial cancers in both the offspring and parental generations, which suggested that survival in patients with familial and sporadic cancers was equal, with an exception for ovarian cancer with a worse prognosis. Compared to offspring whose parents had a poor survival, those with a good parental survival had a decreased risk of death for most cancers and HR was significantly decreased for cancers in the breast, prostate, bladder, and kidney. For colorectal and nervous system cancers, favorable survival between the generations showed a borderline significance. These data are consistent in showing that both good and poor survival in certain cancers aggregate in families. Genetic factors are likely to contribute to the results. These observations call for intensified efforts to consider heritability in survival as one mechanism regulating prognosis in cancer patients.

Depression and Liver Transplant Survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Meller, William; Welle, Nicole; Sutley, Kristen; Thurber, Steven

Patients who underwent liver transplantation and experienced clinical depression have heretofore evinced lower survival rates when compared to nondepressed counterparts. To investigate the hypothesis that transplant patients who seek and obtain medical treatment for depression would circumvent the prior reduced survival findings. A total of 765 patients with liver transplants were scrutinized for complications following transplantation. Further, 104 patients experienced posttransplant depression as manifested by diagnosis and treatment by medical personnel. Survival analyses were conducted comparing hazard and survival curves for these selected individuals and the remainder of transplant patients. Contrary to prior data and consistent with the aforementioned hypothesis, median survival durations, survival curves, and hazard functions (controlling for age and prolonged posttransplant survival for the depressed patients were better. The improved survival for the depressed patients may simply be related to an amelioration of depressed symptoms via antidepressant medications. However, this interpretation would only be congruent with reduced hazard, not elevated survival, beyond the norm (median) for other transplant participants. Assuming the reliability and generalization of our findings, perhaps a reasonable and compelling interpretation is that combined with the effectiveness of antidepressant medications, the seeking and receiving treatment for depression is a type of proxy measure of a more global pattern of adherence to recommended posttransplant medical regimens. Copyright © 2017 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Neyman, Markov processes and survival analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Grace

2013-07-01

J. Neyman used stochastic processes extensively in his applied work. One example is the Fix and Neyman (F-N) competing risks model (1951) that uses finite homogeneous Markov processes to analyse clinical trials with breast cancer patients. We revisit the F-N model, and compare it with the Kaplan-Meier (K-M) formulation for right censored data. The comparison offers a way to generalize the K-M formulation to include risks of recovery and relapses in the calculation of a patient's survival probability. The generalization is to extend the F-N model to a nonhomogeneous Markov process. Closed-form solutions of the survival probability are available in special cases of the nonhomogeneous processes, like the popular multiple decrement model (including the K-M model) and Chiang's staging model, but these models do not consider recovery and relapses while the F-N model does. An analysis of sero-epidemiology current status data with recurrent events is illustrated. Fix and Neyman used Neyman's RBAN (regular best asymptotic normal) estimates for the risks, and provided a numerical example showing the importance of considering both the survival probability and the length of time of a patient living a normal life in the evaluation of clinical trials. The said extension would result in a complicated model and it is unlikely to find analytical closed-form solutions for survival analysis. With ever increasing computing power, numerical methods offer a viable way of investigating the problem.

The effects of 137Cs irradiation and MAP on the survival and growth of salmonella Spp in pork

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Meixu

2000-01-01

The effects of 137 Cs irradiation (0 to 2 kGy) and MAP combination treatment on the survival and growth of Salmonella Spp are studied in sterile pork in the absence of competing microflora. A central composite response-surface design is used to test the response of the pathogen to the treatments in a single experiment. Predictive equations are developed from the analyses of variances of the resulting data. The results show that the survival of Salmonella is significant decrease with the increasing of irradiation dose, but there are no evident effects on the survival of salmonella due to the MAP. Five kinds of MAP do not show the difference on the growth of Salmonella. 50% CO 2 treatment shows the irradiation protection of Salmonella compared with air. The results indicate that the treatment combined irradiation with MAP is not more effective for controlling the survival and growth of Salmonella Spp

Clinical impact of tumor location on the colon cancer survival and recurrence: analyses of pooled data from three large phase III randomized clinical trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Aoyama, Toru; Kashiwabara, Kosuke; Oba, Koji; Honda, Michitaka; Sadahiro, Sotaro; Hamada, Chikuma; Maeda, Hiromichi; Mayanagi, Shuhei; Kanda, Mitsuro; Sakamoto, Junichi; Saji, Shigetoyo; Yoshikawa, Takaki

2017-11-01

The aim of the present study was to determine whether or not the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were affected by the tumor location in patients who underwent curative resection for colon cancer in a pooled analysis of three large phase III studies performed in Japan. In total, 4029 patients were included in the present study. Patients were classified as having right-side colon cancer (RC) if the primary tumor was located in the cecum, ascending colon, hepatic flexure or transverse colon, and left-side colon cancer (LCC) if the tumor site was within the splenic flexure, descending colon, sigmoid colon or recto sigmoid junction. The risk factors for the OS and DFS were analyzed. In the present study, 1449 patients were RC, and 2580 were LCC. The OS rates at 3 and 5 years after surgery were 87.6% and 81.6% in the RC group and 91.5% and 84.5% in the LCC group, respectively. Uni- and multivariate analyses showed that RRC increased the risk of death by 19.7% (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.197; 95% confidence interval, 1.020-1.408; P = 0.0272). In contrast, the DFS was similar between the two locations. The present study confirmed that the tumor location was a risk factor for the OS in patients who underwent curative treatment for colon cancer. Tumor location may, therefore, need to be considered a stratification factor in future phase III trials of colon cancer. © 2017 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Extended mitogenomic phylogenetic analyses yield new insight into crocodylian evolution and their survival of the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary.

Science.gov (United States)

Roos, Jonas; Aggarwal, Ramesh K; Janke, Axel

2007-11-01

The mitochondrial genomes of the dwarf crocodile, Osteolaemus tetraspis, and two species of dwarf caimans, the smooth-fronted caiman, Paleosuchus trigonatus, and Cuvier's dwarf caiman, Paleosuchus palpebrosus, were sequenced and included in a mitogenomic phylogenetic study. The phylogenetic analyses, which included a total of ten crocodylian species, yielded strong support to a basal split between Crocodylidae and Alligatoridae. Osteolaemus fell within the Crocodylidae as the sister group to Crocodylus. Gavialis and Tomistoma, which joined on a common branch, constituted a sister group to Crocodylus/Osteolaemus. This suggests that extant crocodylians are organized in two families: Alligatoridae and Crocodylidae. Within the Alligatoridae there was a basal split between Alligator and a branch that contained Paleosuchus and Caiman. The analyses also provided molecular estimates of various divergences applying recently established crocodylian and outgroup fossil calibration points. Molecular estimates based on amino acid data placed the divergence between Crocodylidae and Alligatoridae at 97-103 million years ago and that between Alligator and Caiman/Paleosuchus at 65-72 million years ago. Other crocodilian divergences were placed after the Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary. Thus, according to the molecular estimates, three extant crocodylian lineages have their roots in the Cretaceous. Considering the crocodylian diversification in the Cretaceous the molecular datings suggest that the extinction of the dinosaurs was also to some extent paralleled in the crocodylian evolution. However, for whatever reason, some crocodylian lineages survived into the Tertiary.

Cross-validation and Peeling Strategies for Survival Bump Hunting using Recursive Peeling Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Dazard, Jean-Eudes; Choe, Michael; LeBlanc, Michael; Rao, J. Sunil

2015-01-01

We introduce a framework to build a survival/risk bump hunting model with a censored time-to-event response. Our Survival Bump Hunting (SBH) method is based on a recursive peeling procedure that uses a specific survival peeling criterion derived from non/semi-parametric statistics such as the hazards-ratio, the log-rank test or the Nelson--Aalen estimator. To optimize the tuning parameter of the model and validate it, we introduce an objective function based on survival or prediction-error statistics, such as the log-rank test and the concordance error rate. We also describe two alternative cross-validation techniques adapted to the joint task of decision-rule making by recursive peeling and survival estimation. Numerical analyses show the importance of replicated cross-validation and the differences between criteria and techniques in both low and high-dimensional settings. Although several non-parametric survival models exist, none addresses the problem of directly identifying local extrema. We show how SBH efficiently estimates extreme survival/risk subgroups unlike other models. This provides an insight into the behavior of commonly used models and suggests alternatives to be adopted in practice. Finally, our SBH framework was applied to a clinical dataset. In it, we identified subsets of patients characterized by clinical and demographic covariates with a distinct extreme survival outcome, for which tailored medical interventions could be made. An R package PRIMsrc (Patient Rule Induction Method in Survival, Regression and Classification settings) is available on CRAN (Comprehensive R Archive Network) and GitHub. PMID:27034730

Individual social capital and survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ejlskov, Linda; Mortensen, Rikke N; Overgaard, Charlotte

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: The concept of social capital has received increasing attention as a determinant of population survival, but its significance is uncertain. We examined the importance of social capital on survival in a population study while focusing on gender differences. METHODS: We used data from...... a Danish regional health survey with a five-year follow-up period, 2007-2012 (n = 9288, 53.5% men, 46.5% women). We investigated the association between social capital and all-cause mortality, performing separate analyses on a composite measure as well as four specific dimensions of social capital while...... controlling for covariates. Analyses were performed with Cox proportional hazard models by which hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: For women, higher levels of social capital were associated with lower all-cause mortality regardless of age, socioeconomic status, health...

Effect of bystander CPR initiation prior to the emergency call on ROSC and 30day survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Viereck, Søren; Palsgaard Møller, Thea; Kjær Ersbøll, Annette

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: This study aimed at evaluating if time for initiation of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) - prior to the emergency call (CPRprior) versus during the emergency call following dispatcher-assisted CPR (CPRduring) - was associated with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC...... and corresponding emergency calls were evaluated. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were applied to evaluate the association between time for initiation of bystander CPR, ROSC, and 30-day survival. Univariable logistic regression analyses were applied to identify predictors of CPRprior. RESULTS: The study...... included 548 emergency calls for OHCA patients receiving bystander CPR, 34.9% (n=191) in the CPRpriorgroup and 65.1% (n=357) in the CPRduringgroup. Multivariable analyses showed no difference in ROSC (OR=0.88, 95% CI: 0.56-1.38) or 30-day survival (OR=1.14, 95% CI: 0.68-1.92) between CPRpriorand CPRduring...

Survival after elective surgery for colonic cancer in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Perdawid, S K; Hemmingsen, L; Boesby, S

2012-01-01

AIM: Total mesorectal excision (TME) has been shown to improve the outcome for patients with rectal cancer. In contrast, there are fewer data on complete mesocolic excision (CME) for colonic cancer. METHOD: Data from the National Colorectal Cancer Database were analysed. This includes about 95......% of all patients with colorectal cancer in Denmark. Only patients having elective surgery for colonic cancer in the period 2001-2008 were included. Overall and relative survival analyses were carried out. The study period was divided into the periods 2001-2004 and 2005-2008. RESULTS: 9149 patients were...... included for the final analysis. The overall 5-year survival rates were 0.65 in 2001-2004 and 0.66 in 2005-2008. The relative 5-year survival rates were also within 1% of each other. None of these comparisons was statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Survival following elective colon cancer surgery has...

[Medulloblastoma: improved survival in recent decades. Unicentric experience].

Science.gov (United States)

Igual Estellés, Lucía; Berlanga Charriel, Pablo; Cañete Nieto, Adela

2017-01-01

The aim of the study is to analyse variations in the treatment of medulloblastoma, the most common childhood brain tumour, and its impact on survival over the past two decades, as well as its clinical and pathological features. Survival analysis of all patients under 14 years old diagnosed with medulloblastoma between January 1990 and December 2013 in a Paediatric Oncology Unit. Sixty-three patients were diagnosed and treated for medulloblastoma, with a median follow-up of 5.1 years (range 0.65-21.7 years). The overall survival (OS) at 3 and 5 years was 66±13% and 55±14%, respectively. The OS at 5 years was 44%±25% in patients diagnosed in the 1990's, showing an increase to 70%±23% (p=0.032) since 2000. Clinical prognosis factors were included in the logistic regression model: age (p=0.008), presence of metastases and/or residual tumour (p=0.007), and receiving chemotherapy with radiotherapy after surgery (p=0.008). Statistically significant differences were observed for all of them. In our institution there has been a significant increase in medulloblastoma survival in the last decades. Multivariate analysis showed that this improvement was not related to the date of diagnosis, but with the introduction of chemotherapy in adjuvant treatment. This study confirmed that clinical factors significantly associated with worse outcome were age and presence of metastases at diagnosis. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Chronic consequences of acute injuries: worse survival after discharge.

Science.gov (United States)

Shafi, Shahid; Renfro, Lindsay A; Barnes, Sunni; Rayan, Nadine; Gentilello, Larry M; Fleming, Neil; Ballard, David

2012-09-01

The Trauma Quality Improvement Program uses inhospital mortality to measure quality of care, which assumes patients who survive injury are not likely to suffer higher mortality after discharge. We hypothesized that survival rates in trauma patients who survive to discharge remain stable afterward. Patients treated at an urban Level I trauma center (2006-2008) were linked with the Social Security Administration Death Master File. Survival rates were measured at 30, 90, and 180 days and 1 and 2 years from injury among two groups of trauma patients who survived to discharge: major trauma (Abbreviated Injury Scale score ≥ 3 injuries, n = 2,238) and minor trauma (Abbreviated Injury Scale score ≤ 2 injuries, n = 1,171). Control groups matched to each trauma group by age and sex were simulated from the US general population using annual survival probabilities from census data. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank analyses conditional upon survival to each time point were used to determine changes in risk of mortality after discharge. Cox proportional hazards models with left truncation at the time of discharge were used to determine independent predictors of mortality after discharge. The survival rate in trauma patients with major injuries was 92% at 30 days posttrauma and declined to 84% by 3 years (p > 0.05 compared with general population). Minor trauma patients experienced a survival rate similar to the general population. Age and injury severity were the only independent predictors of long-term mortality given survival to discharge. Log-rank tests conditional on survival to each time point showed that mortality risk in patients with major injuries remained significantly higher than the general population for up to 6 months after injury. The survival rate of trauma patients with major injuries remains significantly lower than survival for minor trauma patients and the general population for several months postdischarge. Surveillance for early identification and treatment of

Clinical Nomogram for Predicting Survival Outcomes in Early Mucinous Breast Cancer.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianfei Fu

Full Text Available The features related to the prognosis of patients with mucinous breast cancer (MBC remain controversial. We aimed to explore the prognostic factors of MBC and develop a nomogram for predicting survival outcomes.The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER database was searched to identify 139611 women with resectable breast cancer from 1990 to 2007. Survival curves were generated using Kaplan-Meier methods. The 5-year and 10-year cancer-specific survival (CSS rates were calculated using the Life-Table method. Based on Cox models, a nomogram was constructed to predict the probabilities of CSS for an individual patient. The competing risk regression model was used to analyse the specific survival of patients with MBC.There were 136569 (97.82% infiltrative ductal cancer (IDC patients and 3042 (2.18% MBC patients. Patients with MBC had less lymph node involvement, a higher frequency of well-differentiated lesions, and more estrogen receptor (ER-positive tumors. Patients with MBC had significantly higher 5 and10-year CSS rates (98.23 and 96.03%, respectively than patients with IDC (91.44 and 85.48%, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that MBC was an independent factor for better prognosis. As for patients with MBC, the event of death caused by another disease exceeded the event of death caused by breast cancer. A competing risk regression model further showed that lymph node involvement, poorly differentiated grade and advanced T-classification were independent factors of poor prognosis in patients with MBC. The Nomogram can accurately predict CSS with a high C-index (0.816. Risk scores developed from the nomogram can more accurately predict the prognosis of patients with MBC (C-index = 0.789 than the traditional TNM system (C-index = 0.704, P< 0.001.Patients with MBC have a better prognosis than patients with IDC. Nomograms could help clinicians make more informed decisions in clinical practice. The competing risk

Survival prediction of non-small cell lung cancer patients using radiomics analyses of cone-beam CT images

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Timmeren, Janna E; Leijenaar, Ralph T H; van Elmpt, Wouter

2017-01-01

was validated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One training dataset of 132 and two validation datasets of 62 and 94stage I-IV NSCLC patients were included. Interchangeability was assessed by performing a linear regression on CT and CBCT extracted features. A two-step correction was applied prior to model validation...... different between groups with high and low prognostic value for both modalities. Harrell's concordance index was 0.69 for CT and 0.66 for CBCT models for dataset 1. Conclusions The results show that a subset of radiomic features extracted from CT and CBCT images are interchangeable using simple linear...... regression. Moreover, a previously developed radiomics signature has prognostic value for overall survival in three CBCT cohorts, showing the potential of CBCT radiomics to be used as prognostic imaging biomarker....

Adjuvant Sunitinib for High-risk Renal Cell Carcinoma After Nephrectomy: Subgroup Analyses and Updated Overall Survival Results

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Motzer, Robert J; Ravaud, Alain; Patard, Jean-Jacques

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: Adjuvant sunitinib significantly improved disease-free survival (DFS) versus placebo in patients with locoregional renal cell carcinoma (RCC) at high risk of recurrence after nephrectomy (hazard ratio [HR] 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.59-0.98; p=0.03). OBJECTIVE: To report...... sunitinib over placebo was observed across subgroups, including: higher risk (T3, no or undetermined nodal involvement, Fuhrman grade ≥2, ECOG PS ≥1, T4 and/or nodal involvement; hazard ratio [HR] 0.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.55-0.99; p=0.04), NLR ≤3 (HR 0.72, 95% CI 0.54-0.95; p=0.02), and Fuhrman...... grade 3/4 (HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.55-0.98; p=0.04). All subgroup analyses were exploratory, and no adjustments for multiplicity were made. Median OS was not reached in either arm (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.66-1.28; p=0.6); 67 and 74 patients died in the sunitinib and placebo arms, respectively. CONCLUSIONS...

Pre-transplant levels of ficolin-3 are associated with kidney graft survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bay, Jakob T; Hein, Estrid; Sørensen, Søren S

2013-01-01

. 97 blood donors served as controls. Ficolin-3, C4 and C3 were measured in pre-transplant as well as in control serum samples. In controls, deposition of ficolin-3, C4, C3 and the terminal complement complex (TCC) was measured in an assay based on acetylated albumin as matrix. The ficolin-3 levels...... correlated with the serum levels of C4 and C3. The serum levels of ficolin-3 correlated with the deposition of ficolin-3, C4, C3 and TCC. Survival analyses showed that high pre-transplant serum levels of ficolin-3 were associated with decreased graft survival. These results suggest an important role...

MRE11-Deficiency Associated with Improved Long-Term Disease Free Survival and Overall Survival in a Subset of Stage III Colon Cancer Patients in Randomized CALGB 89803 Trial

Science.gov (United States)

Pavelitz, Thomas; Renfro, Lindsay; Foster, Nathan R.; Caracol, Amber; Welsch, Piri; Lao, Victoria Valinluck; Grady, William B.; Niedzwiecki, Donna; Saltz, Leonard B.; Bertagnolli, Monica M.; Goldberg, Richard M.; Rabinovitch, Peter S.; Emond, Mary; Monnat, Raymond J.; Maizels, Nancy

2014-01-01

Purpose Colon cancers deficient in mismatch repair (MMR) may exhibit diminished expression of the DNA repair gene, MRE11, as a consequence of contraction of a T11 mononucleotide tract. This study investigated MRE11 status and its association with prognosis, survival and drug response in patients with stage III colon cancer. Patients and Methods Cancer and Leukemia Group B 89803 (Alliance) randomly assigned 1,264 patients with stage III colon cancer to postoperative weekly adjuvant bolus 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (FU/LV) or irinotecan+FU/LV (IFL), with 8 year follow-up. Tumors from these patients were analyzed to determine stability of a T11 tract in the MRE11 gene. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), and a secondary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS). Non-proportional hazards were addressed using time-dependent covariates in Cox analyses. Results Of 625 tumor cases examined, 70 (11.2%) exhibited contraction at the T11 tract in one or both MRE11 alleles and were thus predicted to be deficient in MRE11 (dMRE11). In pooled treatment analyses, dMRE11 patients showed initially reduced DFS and OS but improved long-term DFS and OS compared with patients with an intact MRE11 T11 tract. In the subgroup of dMRE11 patients treated with IFL, an unexplained early increase in mortality but better long-term DFS than IFL-treated pMRE11 patients was observed. Conclusions Analysis of this relatively small number of patients and events showed that the dMRE11 marker predicts better prognosis independent of treatment in the long-term. In subgroup analyses, dMRE11 patients treated with irinotecan exhibited unexplained short-term mortality. MRE11 status is readily assayed and may therefore prove to be a useful prognostic marker, provided that the results reported here for a relatively small number of patients can be generalized in independent analyses of larger numbers of samples. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00003835 PMID:25310185

MRE11-deficiency associated with improved long-term disease free survival and overall survival in a subset of stage III colon cancer patients in randomized CALGB 89803 trial.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas Pavelitz

Full Text Available Colon cancers deficient in mismatch repair (MMR may exhibit diminished expression of the DNA repair gene, MRE11, as a consequence of contraction of a T11 mononucleotide tract. This study investigated MRE11 status and its association with prognosis, survival and drug response in patients with stage III colon cancer.Cancer and Leukemia Group B 89803 (Alliance randomly assigned 1,264 patients with stage III colon cancer to postoperative weekly adjuvant bolus 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (FU/LV or irinotecan+FU/LV (IFL, with 8 year follow-up. Tumors from these patients were analyzed to determine stability of a T11 tract in the MRE11 gene. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS, and a secondary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS. Non-proportional hazards were addressed using time-dependent covariates in Cox analyses.Of 625 tumor cases examined, 70 (11.2% exhibited contraction at the T11 tract in one or both MRE11 alleles and were thus predicted to be deficient in MRE11 (dMRE11. In pooled treatment analyses, dMRE11 patients showed initially reduced DFS and OS but improved long-term DFS and OS compared with patients with an intact MRE11 T11 tract. In the subgroup of dMRE11 patients treated with IFL, an unexplained early increase in mortality but better long-term DFS than IFL-treated pMRE11 patients was observed.Analysis of this relatively small number of patients and events showed that the dMRE11 marker predicts better prognosis independent of treatment in the long-term. In subgroup analyses, dMRE11 patients treated with irinotecan exhibited unexplained short-term mortality. MRE11 status is readily assayed and may therefore prove to be a useful prognostic marker, provided that the results reported here for a relatively small number of patients can be generalized in independent analyses of larger numbers of samples.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00003835.

Meta-analysis of single-arm survival studies: a distribution-free approach for estimating summary survival curves with random effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Combescure, Christophe; Foucher, Yohann; Jackson, Daniel

2014-07-10

In epidemiologic studies and clinical trials with time-dependent outcome (for instance death or disease progression), survival curves are used to describe the risk of the event over time. In meta-analyses of studies reporting a survival curve, the most informative finding is a summary survival curve. In this paper, we propose a method to obtain a distribution-free summary survival curve by expanding the product-limit estimator of survival for aggregated survival data. The extension of DerSimonian and Laird's methodology for multiple outcomes is applied to account for the between-study heterogeneity. Statistics I(2)  and H(2) are used to quantify the impact of the heterogeneity in the published survival curves. A statistical test for between-strata comparison is proposed, with the aim to explore study-level factors potentially associated with survival. The performance of the proposed approach is evaluated in a simulation study. Our approach is also applied to synthesize the survival of untreated patients with hepatocellular carcinoma from aggregate data of 27 studies and synthesize the graft survival of kidney transplant recipients from individual data from six hospitals. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A comparison of the conditional inference survival forest model to random survival forests based on a simulation study as well as on two applications with time-to-event data.

Science.gov (United States)

Nasejje, Justine B; Mwambi, Henry; Dheda, Keertan; Lesosky, Maia

2017-07-28

Random survival forest (RSF) models have been identified as alternative methods to the Cox proportional hazards model in analysing time-to-event data. These methods, however, have been criticised for the bias that results from favouring covariates with many split-points and hence conditional inference forests for time-to-event data have been suggested. Conditional inference forests (CIF) are known to correct the bias in RSF models by separating the procedure for the best covariate to split on from that of the best split point search for the selected covariate. In this study, we compare the random survival forest model to the conditional inference model (CIF) using twenty-two simulated time-to-event datasets. We also analysed two real time-to-event datasets. The first dataset is based on the survival of children under-five years of age in Uganda and it consists of categorical covariates with most of them having more than two levels (many split-points). The second dataset is based on the survival of patients with extremely drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB) which consists of mainly categorical covariates with two levels (few split-points). The study findings indicate that the conditional inference forest model is superior to random survival forest models in analysing time-to-event data that consists of covariates with many split-points based on the values of the bootstrap cross-validated estimates for integrated Brier scores. However, conditional inference forests perform comparably similar to random survival forests models in analysing time-to-event data consisting of covariates with fewer split-points. Although survival forests are promising methods in analysing time-to-event data, it is important to identify the best forest model for analysis based on the nature of covariates of the dataset in question.

A comparison of the conditional inference survival forest model to random survival forests based on a simulation study as well as on two applications with time-to-event data

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Justine B. Nasejje

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Random survival forest (RSF models have been identified as alternative methods to the Cox proportional hazards model in analysing time-to-event data. These methods, however, have been criticised for the bias that results from favouring covariates with many split-points and hence conditional inference forests for time-to-event data have been suggested. Conditional inference forests (CIF are known to correct the bias in RSF models by separating the procedure for the best covariate to split on from that of the best split point search for the selected covariate. Methods In this study, we compare the random survival forest model to the conditional inference model (CIF using twenty-two simulated time-to-event datasets. We also analysed two real time-to-event datasets. The first dataset is based on the survival of children under-five years of age in Uganda and it consists of categorical covariates with most of them having more than two levels (many split-points. The second dataset is based on the survival of patients with extremely drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB which consists of mainly categorical covariates with two levels (few split-points. Results The study findings indicate that the conditional inference forest model is superior to random survival forest models in analysing time-to-event data that consists of covariates with many split-points based on the values of the bootstrap cross-validated estimates for integrated Brier scores. However, conditional inference forests perform comparably similar to random survival forests models in analysing time-to-event data consisting of covariates with fewer split-points. Conclusion Although survival forests are promising methods in analysing time-to-event data, it is important to identify the best forest model for analysis based on the nature of covariates of the dataset in question.

Probabilistic Survivability Versus Time Modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Joyner, James J., Sr.

2016-01-01

This presentation documents Kennedy Space Center's Independent Assessment work completed on three assessments for the Ground Systems Development and Operations (GSDO) Program to assist the Chief Safety and Mission Assurance Officer during key programmatic reviews and provided the GSDO Program with analyses of how egress time affects the likelihood of astronaut and ground worker survival during an emergency. For each assessment, a team developed probability distributions for hazard scenarios to address statistical uncertainty, resulting in survivability plots over time. The first assessment developed a mathematical model of probabilistic survivability versus time to reach a safe location using an ideal Emergency Egress System at Launch Complex 39B (LC-39B); the second used the first model to evaluate and compare various egress systems under consideration at LC-39B. The third used a modified LC-39B model to determine if a specific hazard decreased survivability more rapidly than other events during flight hardware processing in Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building.

Coding completeness and quality of relative survival-related variables in the National Program of Cancer Registries Cancer Surveillance System, 1995-2008.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Reda J; O'Neil, M E; Ntekop, E; Zhang, Kevin; Ren, Y

2014-01-01

Calculating accurate estimates of cancer survival is important for various analyses of cancer patient care and prognosis. Current US survival rates are estimated based on data from the National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End RESULTS (SEER) program, covering approximately 28 percent of the US population. The National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) covers about 96 percent of the US population. Using a population-based database with greater US population coverage to calculate survival rates at the national, state, and regional levels can further enhance the effective monitoring of cancer patient care and prognosis in the United States. The first step is to establish the coding completeness and coding quality of the NPCR data needed for calculating survival rates and conducting related validation analyses. Using data from the NPCR-Cancer Surveillance System (CSS) from 1995 through 2008, we assessed coding completeness and quality on 26 data elements that are needed to calculate cancer relative survival estimates and conduct related analyses. Data elements evaluated consisted of demographic, follow-up, prognostic, and cancer identification variables. Analyses were performed showing trends of these variables by diagnostic year, state of residence at diagnosis, and cancer site. Mean overall percent coding completeness by each NPCR central cancer registry averaged across all data elements and diagnosis years ranged from 92.3 percent to 100 percent. RESULTS showing the mean percent coding completeness for the relative survival-related variables in NPCR data are presented. All data elements but 1 have a mean coding completeness greater than 90 percent as was the mean completeness by data item group type. Statistically significant differences in coding completeness were found in the ICD revision number, cause of death, vital status, and date of last contact variables when comparing diagnosis years. The majority of data items had a coding

["That flesh, pink and perishable": analysis of disease-free survival analysis in breast cancer in Gipuzkoa (Spain) in the presence of competing risks].

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Camblor, Pablo; Larrañaga, Nerea; Sarasqueta, Cristina; Mitxelena, María José; Basterretxea, Mikel

2009-01-01

To analyze time of disease-free survival and relative survival in women diagnosed with breast cancer in the province of Gipuzkoa within the context of competing risks by assessing differences between the direct use of the Kaplan-Meier estimator and the multiple decrement method on the one hand, and relative survival on the other. All registered breast cancer cases in Gipuzkoa in 1995 and 1996 with stages other than stage IV were included. An 8-year follow-up for recurrence and a 10-year follow-up for survival were performed. Time of disease-free survival was studied by the multiple decrement model. Observed survival and survival corrected by the expected mortality in the population (relative survival) were also studied. Estimation of the probability of recurrence at 8 years with the multiple decrement method was 8.8% lower than that obtained with the Kaplan-Meier method. The difference between the observed and relative survival rates at 10 years was 10.8%. Both results show how, in this case, the Kaplan-Meier estimator overestimates both the probability of recurrence and that of mortality from the disease. Two issues are often overlooked when performing survival analyses: firstly, because of the lack of independence between survival time and censoring time, the results obtained by the Kaplan-Meier estimator are uninterpretable; secondly, it is an incontrovertible fact that one way or another, everyone causes failures. In this approach, survival analyses must take into account the probability of failure in the general population of reference. The results obtained in this study show that superficial use of the Kaplan Meier estimator overestimates both the probability of recurrence and that of mortality caused by the disease.

Netrin-1 expression is an independent prognostic factor for poor patient survival in brain metastases.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick N Harter

Full Text Available The multifunctional molecule netrin-1 is upregulated in various malignancies and has recently been presented as a major general player in tumorigenesis leading to tumor progression and maintenance in various animal models. However, there is still a lack of clinico-epidemiological data related to netrin-1 expression. Therefore, the aim of our study was to elucidate the association of netrin-1 expression and patient survival in brain metastases since those constitute one of the most limiting factors for patient prognosis. We investigated 104 brain metastases cases for netrin-1 expression using in-situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry with regard to clinical parameters such as patient survival and MRI data. Our data show that netrin-1 is strongly upregulated in most cancer subtypes. Univariate analyses revealed netrin-1 expression as a significant factor associated with poor patient survival in the total cohort of brain metastasis patients and in sub-entities such as non-small cell lung carcinomas. Interestingly, many cancer samples showed a strong nuclear netrin-1 signal which was recently linked to a truncated netrin-1 variant that enhances tumor growth. Nuclear netrin-1 expression was associated with poor patient survival in univariate as well as in multivariate analyses. Our data indicate both total and nuclear netrin-1 expression as prognostic factors in brain metastases patients in contrast to other prognostic markers in oncology such as patient age, number of brain metastases or Ki67 proliferation index. Therefore, nuclear netrin-1 expression constitutes one of the first reported molecular biomarkers for patient survival in brain metastases. Furthermore, netrin-1 may constitute a promising target for future anti-cancer treatment approaches in brain metastases.

Marital Status and Survival in Patients with Carcinoid Tumors.

Science.gov (United States)

Greenleaf, Erin K; Cooper, Amanda B; Hollenbeak, Christopher S

2016-01-01

Marital status is a known prognostic factor in overall and disease-specific survival in several types of cancer. The impact of marital status on survival in patients with carcinoid tumors remains unknown. We hypothesized that married patients have higher rates of survival than similar unmarried patients with carcinoid tumors. Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, we identified 23,126 people diagnosed with a carcinoid tumor between 2000 and 2011 and stratified them according to marital status. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to compare the characteristics and outcomes between patient cohorts. Overall and cancer-related survival were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariable survival analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazards models (hazards ratio [HR]), controlling for demographics and tumor-related and treatment-related variables. Propensity score analysis was performed to determine surgical intervention distributions among married and unmarried (ie, single, separated, divorced, widowed) patients. Marital status was significantly related to both overall and cancer-related survival in patients with carcinoid tumors. Divorced and widowed patients had worse overall survival (HR, 1.33 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.08-1.33] and 1.34 [95% CI, 1.22-1.46], respectively) and cancer-related survival (HR, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.00-1.31] and 1.15 [95% CI, 1.03-1.29], respectively) than married patients over five years. Single and separated patients had worse overall survival (HR, 1.20 [95% CI, 1.08-1.33] and 1.62 [95% CI, 1.25-2.11], respectively) than married patients over five years, but not worse cancer-related survival. Unmarried patients were more likely than matched married patients to undergo definitive surgical intervention (62.67% vs 53.11%, respectively, P married patients have a survival advantage after diagnosis of any carcinoid tumor, potentially reflecting better social support and financial means

daf-16/FoxO promotes gluconeogenesis and trehalose synthesis during starvation to support survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Hibshman, Jonathan D; Doan, Alexander E; Moore, Brad T; Kaplan, Rebecca Ew; Hung, Anthony; Webster, Amy K; Bhatt, Dhaval P; Chitrakar, Rojin; Hirschey, Matthew D; Baugh, L Ryan

2017-10-24

daf-16 /FoxO is required to survive starvation in Caenorhabditis elegans , but how daf-16I FoxO promotes starvation resistance is unclear. We show that daf-16 /FoxO restructures carbohydrate metabolism by driving carbon flux through the glyoxylate shunt and gluconeogenesis and into synthesis of trehalose, a disaccharide of glucose. Trehalose is a well-known stress protectant, capable of preserving membrane organization and protein structure during abiotic stress. Metabolomic, genetic, and pharmacological analyses confirm increased trehalose synthesis and further show that trehalose not only supports survival as a stress protectant but also serves as a glycolytic input. Furthermore, we provide evidence that metabolic cycling between trehalose and glucose is necessary for this dual function of trehalose. This work demonstrates that daf-16 /FoxO promotes starvation resistance by shifting carbon metabolism to drive trehalose synthesis, which in turn supports survival by providing an energy source and acting as a stress protectant.

daf-16/FoxO promotes gluconeogenesis and trehalose synthesis during starvation to support survival

Science.gov (United States)

Hibshman, Jonathan D; Doan, Alexander E; Moore, Brad T; Kaplan, Rebecca EW; Hung, Anthony; Webster, Amy K; Bhatt, Dhaval P; Chitrakar, Rojin; Hirschey, Matthew D

2017-01-01

daf-16/FoxO is required to survive starvation in Caenorhabditis elegans, but how daf-16IFoxO promotes starvation resistance is unclear. We show that daf-16/FoxO restructures carbohydrate metabolism by driving carbon flux through the glyoxylate shunt and gluconeogenesis and into synthesis of trehalose, a disaccharide of glucose. Trehalose is a well-known stress protectant, capable of preserving membrane organization and protein structure during abiotic stress. Metabolomic, genetic, and pharmacological analyses confirm increased trehalose synthesis and further show that trehalose not only supports survival as a stress protectant but also serves as a glycolytic input. Furthermore, we provide evidence that metabolic cycling between trehalose and glucose is necessary for this dual function of trehalose. This work demonstrates that daf-16/FoxO promotes starvation resistance by shifting carbon metabolism to drive trehalose synthesis, which in turn supports survival by providing an energy source and acting as a stress protectant. PMID:29063832

Determinants of survival after liver resection for metastatic colorectal carcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Parau, Angela; Todor, Nicolae; Vlad, Liviu

2015-01-01

Prognostic factors for survival after liver resection for metastatic colorectal cancer identified up to date are quite inconsistent with a great inter-study variability. In this study we aimed to identify predictors of outcome in our patient population. A series of 70 consecutive patients from the oncological hepatobiliary database, who had undergone curative hepatic surgical resection for hepatic metastases of colorectal origin, operated between 2006 and 2011, were identified. At 44.6 months (range 13.7-73), 30 of 70 patients (42.85%) were alive. Patient demographics, primary tumor and liver tumor factors, operative factors, pathologic findings, recurrence patterns, disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were analyzed. Clinicopathologic variables were tested using univariate and multivariate analyses. The 3-year CSS after first hepatic resection was 54%. Median CSS survival after first hepatic resection was 40.2 months. Median CSS after second hepatic resection was 24.2 months. The 3-year DFS after first hepatic resection was 14%. Median disease free survival after first hepatic resection was 18 months. The 3-year DFS after second hepatic resection was 27% and median DFS after second hepatic resection 12 months. The 30-day mortality and morbidity rate after first hepatic resection was 5.71% and 12.78%, respectively. In univariate analysis CSS was significantly reduced for the following factors: age >53 years, advanced T stage of primary tumor, moderately- poorly differentiated tumor, positive and narrow resection margin, preoperative CEA level >30 ng/ml, DFS <18 months. Perioperative chemotherapy related to metastasectomy showed a trend in improving CSS (p=0.07). Perioperative chemotherapy improved DFS in a statistically significant way (p=0.03). Perioperative chemotherapy and achievement of resection margins beyond 1 mm were the major determinants of both CSS and DFS after first liver resection in multivariate

Multidimensional Poverty and Child Survival in India

Science.gov (United States)

Mohanty, Sanjay K.

2011-01-01

Background Though the concept of multidimensional poverty has been acknowledged cutting across the disciplines (among economists, public health professionals, development thinkers, social scientists, policy makers and international organizations) and included in the development agenda, its measurement and application are still limited. Objectives and Methodology Using unit data from the National Family and Health Survey 3, India, this paper measures poverty in multidimensional space and examine the linkages of multidimensional poverty with child survival. The multidimensional poverty is measured in the dimension of knowledge, health and wealth and the child survival is measured with respect to infant mortality and under-five mortality. Descriptive statistics, principal component analyses and the life table methods are used in the analyses. Results The estimates of multidimensional poverty are robust and the inter-state differentials are large. While infant mortality rate and under-five mortality rate are disproportionately higher among the abject poor compared to the non-poor, there are no significant differences in child survival among educationally, economically and health poor at the national level. State pattern in child survival among the education, economical and health poor are mixed. Conclusion Use of multidimensional poverty measures help to identify abject poor who are unlikely to come out of poverty trap. The child survival is significantly lower among abject poor compared to moderate poor and non-poor. We urge to popularize the concept of multiple deprivations in research and program so as to reduce poverty and inequality in the population. PMID:22046384

Multidimensional poverty and child survival in India.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjay K Mohanty

Full Text Available Though the concept of multidimensional poverty has been acknowledged cutting across the disciplines (among economists, public health professionals, development thinkers, social scientists, policy makers and international organizations and included in the development agenda, its measurement and application are still limited. OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY: Using unit data from the National Family and Health Survey 3, India, this paper measures poverty in multidimensional space and examine the linkages of multidimensional poverty with child survival. The multidimensional poverty is measured in the dimension of knowledge, health and wealth and the child survival is measured with respect to infant mortality and under-five mortality. Descriptive statistics, principal component analyses and the life table methods are used in the analyses.The estimates of multidimensional poverty are robust and the inter-state differentials are large. While infant mortality rate and under-five mortality rate are disproportionately higher among the abject poor compared to the non-poor, there are no significant differences in child survival among educationally, economically and health poor at the national level. State pattern in child survival among the education, economical and health poor are mixed.Use of multidimensional poverty measures help to identify abject poor who are unlikely to come out of poverty trap. The child survival is significantly lower among abject poor compared to moderate poor and non-poor. We urge to popularize the concept of multiple deprivations in research and program so as to reduce poverty and inequality in the population.

Multidimensional poverty and child survival in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohanty, Sanjay K

2011-01-01

Though the concept of multidimensional poverty has been acknowledged cutting across the disciplines (among economists, public health professionals, development thinkers, social scientists, policy makers and international organizations) and included in the development agenda, its measurement and application are still limited. OBJECTIVES AND METHODOLOGY: Using unit data from the National Family and Health Survey 3, India, this paper measures poverty in multidimensional space and examine the linkages of multidimensional poverty with child survival. The multidimensional poverty is measured in the dimension of knowledge, health and wealth and the child survival is measured with respect to infant mortality and under-five mortality. Descriptive statistics, principal component analyses and the life table methods are used in the analyses. The estimates of multidimensional poverty are robust and the inter-state differentials are large. While infant mortality rate and under-five mortality rate are disproportionately higher among the abject poor compared to the non-poor, there are no significant differences in child survival among educationally, economically and health poor at the national level. State pattern in child survival among the education, economical and health poor are mixed. Use of multidimensional poverty measures help to identify abject poor who are unlikely to come out of poverty trap. The child survival is significantly lower among abject poor compared to moderate poor and non-poor. We urge to popularize the concept of multiple deprivations in research and program so as to reduce poverty and inequality in the population.

Comparative Proteomic and Morphological Change Analyses of Staphylococcus aureus During Resuscitation From Prolonged Freezing

Science.gov (United States)

Suo, Biao; Yang, Hua; Wang, Yuexia; Lv, Haipeng; Li, Zhen; Xu, Chao; Ai, Zhilu

2018-01-01

When frozen, Staphylococcus aureus survives in a sublethally injured state. However, S. aureus can recover at a suitable temperature, which poses a threat to food safety. To elucidate the resuscitation mechanism of freezing survived S. aureus, we used cells stored at -18°C for 90 days as controls. After resuscitating the survived cells at 37°C, the viable cell numbers were determined on tryptic soy agar with 0.6% yeast extract (TSAYE), and the non-injured-cell numbers were determined on TSAYE supplemented with 10% NaCl. The results showed that the total viable cell number did not increase within the first 3 h of resuscitation, but the osmotic regulation ability of freezing survived cells gradually recovered to the level of healthy cells, which was evidenced by the lack of difference between the two samples seen by differential cell enumeration. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that, compared to late exponential stage cells, some frozen survived cells underwent splitting and cell lysis due to deep distortion and membrane rupture. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that, in most of the frozen survived cells, the nucleoids (low electronic density area) were loose, and the cytoplasmic matrices (high electronic density area) were sparse. Additionally, a gap was seen to form between the cytoplasmic membranes and the cell walls in the frozen survived cells. The morphological changes were restored when the survived cells were resuscitated at 37°C. We also analyzed the differential proteome after resuscitation using non-labeled high-performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). The results showed that, compared with freezing survived S. aureus cells, the cells resuscitated for 1 h had 45 upregulated and 73 downregulated proteins. The differentially expressed proteins were functionally categorized by gene ontology enrichment, KEGG pathway, and STRING analyses. Cell membrane synthesis-related proteins, oxidative stress resistance

EGFR immunoexpression, RAS immunoexpression and their effects on survival in lung adenocarcinoma cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Gundogdu, Ahmet Gokhan; Onder, Sevgen; Firat, Pinar; Dogan, Riza

2014-06-01

The impacts of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) immunoexpression and RAS immunoexpression on the survival and prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma patients are debated in the literature. Twenty-six patients, who underwent pulmonary resections between 2002 and 2007 in our clinic, and whose pathologic examinations yielded adenocarcinoma, were included in the study. EGFR and RAS expression levels were examined by immunohistochemical methods. The results were compared with the survival, stage of the disease, nodal involvement, lymphovascular invasion, and pleural invasion. Nonparametric bivariate analyses were used for statistical analyses. A significant link between EGFR immunoexpression and survival has been identified while RAS immunoexpression and survival have been proven to be irrelevant. Neither EGFR, nor RAS has displayed a significant link with the stage of the disease, nodal involvement, lymphovascular invasion, or pleural invasion. Positive EGFR immunoexpression affects survival negatively, while RAS immunoexpression has no effect on survival in lung adenocarcinoma patients.

Isopropanolic black cohosh extract and recurrence-free survival after breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Henneicke-von Zepelin, H H; Meden, H; Kostev, K; Schröder-Bernhardi, D; Stammwitz, U; Becher, H

2007-03-01

To investigate the influence of an isopropanolic Cimicifuga racemosa extract (iCR) on recurrence-free survival after breast cancer, including estrogen-dependent tumors. This pharmacoepidemiologic observational retrospective cohort study examined breast cancer patients treated at general, gynecological and internal facilities linked to a medical database in Germany. The main endpoint was disease-free survival following a diagnosis of breast cancer. The impact of treatment with iCR following diagnosis was analyzed by Cox-proportional hazards models, controlling for age and other confounders. Of 18,861 patients, a total of 1,102 had received an iCR therapy. The mean overall observation time was 3.6 years. Results showed that iCR was not associated with an increase in the risk of recurrence but associated with prolonged disease-free survival. After 2 years following initial diagnosis, 14% of the control group had developed a recurrence, while the iCR group reached this proportion after 6.5 years. The primary Cox regression model controlling for age, tamoxifen use and other confounders demonstrated a protractive effect of iCR on the rate of recurrence (hazard ratio 0.83, 95% confidence interval 0.69 0.99). This effect remained consistent throughout all variations of the statistical model, including subgroup analyses. TNM status was unknown but did not bias the iCR treatment decision as investigated separately. Hence, it was assumed to be equally distributed between treatment groups. Correlation analyses showed good internal and external validity of the database. An increase in the risk of breast cancer recurrence for women having had iCR treatment, compared to women not treated with iCR is unlikely.

KMWin--a convenient tool for graphical presentation of results from Kaplan-Meier survival time analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gross, Arnd; Ziepert, Marita; Scholz, Markus

2012-01-01

Analysis of clinical studies often necessitates multiple graphical representations of the results. Many professional software packages are available for this purpose. Most packages are either only commercially available or hard to use especially if one aims to generate or customize a huge number of similar graphical outputs. We developed a new, freely available software tool called KMWin (Kaplan-Meier for Windows) facilitating Kaplan-Meier survival time analysis. KMWin is based on the statistical software environment R and provides an easy to use graphical interface. Survival time data can be supplied as SPSS (sav), SAS export (xpt) or text file (dat), which is also a common export format of other applications such as Excel. Figures can directly be exported in any graphical file format supported by R. On the basis of a working example, we demonstrate how to use KMWin and present its main functions. We show how to control the interface, customize the graphical output, and analyse survival time data. A number of comparisons are performed between KMWin and SPSS regarding graphical output, statistical output, data management and development. Although the general functionality of SPSS is larger, KMWin comprises a number of features useful for survival time analysis in clinical trials and other applications. These are for example number of cases and number of cases under risk within the figure or provision of a queue system for repetitive analyses of updated data sets. Moreover, major adjustments of graphical settings can be performed easily on a single window. We conclude that our tool is well suited and convenient for repetitive analyses of survival time data. It can be used by non-statisticians and provides often used functions as well as functions which are not supplied by standard software packages. The software is routinely applied in several clinical study groups.

KMWin--a convenient tool for graphical presentation of results from Kaplan-Meier survival time analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Arnd Gross

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Analysis of clinical studies often necessitates multiple graphical representations of the results. Many professional software packages are available for this purpose. Most packages are either only commercially available or hard to use especially if one aims to generate or customize a huge number of similar graphical outputs. We developed a new, freely available software tool called KMWin (Kaplan-Meier for Windows facilitating Kaplan-Meier survival time analysis. KMWin is based on the statistical software environment R and provides an easy to use graphical interface. Survival time data can be supplied as SPSS (sav, SAS export (xpt or text file (dat, which is also a common export format of other applications such as Excel. Figures can directly be exported in any graphical file format supported by R. RESULTS: On the basis of a working example, we demonstrate how to use KMWin and present its main functions. We show how to control the interface, customize the graphical output, and analyse survival time data. A number of comparisons are performed between KMWin and SPSS regarding graphical output, statistical output, data management and development. Although the general functionality of SPSS is larger, KMWin comprises a number of features useful for survival time analysis in clinical trials and other applications. These are for example number of cases and number of cases under risk within the figure or provision of a queue system for repetitive analyses of updated data sets. Moreover, major adjustments of graphical settings can be performed easily on a single window. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that our tool is well suited and convenient for repetitive analyses of survival time data. It can be used by non-statisticians and provides often used functions as well as functions which are not supplied by standard software packages. The software is routinely applied in several clinical study groups.

Marital Status and Survival in Patients with Carcinoid Tumors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erin K. Greenleaf

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Background Marital status is a known prognostic factor in overall and disease-specific survival in several types of cancer. The impact of marital status on survival in patients with carcinoid tumors remains unknown. We hypothesized that married patients have higher rates of survival than similar unmarried patients with carcinoid tumors. Methods Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, we identified 23,126 people diagnosed with a carcinoid tumor between 2000 and 2011 and stratified them according to marital status. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to compare the characteristics and outcomes between patient cohorts. Overall and cancer-related survival were analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method. Multivariable survival analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazards models (hazards ratio [HR], controlling for demographics and tumor-related and treatment-related variables. Propensity score analysis was performed to determine surgical intervention distributions among married and unmarried (ie, single, separated, divorced, widowed patients. Results Marital status was significantly related to both overall and cancer-related survival in patients with carcinoid tumors. Divorced and widowed patients had worse overall survival (HR, 1.33 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.08–1.33] and 1.34 [95% CI, 1.22–1.46], respectively and cancer-related survival (HR, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.00–1.31] and 1.15 [95% CI, 1.03–1.29], respectively than married patients over five years. Single and separated patients had worse overall survival (HR, 1.20 [95% CI, 1.08–1.33] and 1.62 [95% CI, 1.25–2.11], respectively than married patients over five years, but not worse cancer-related survival. Unmarried patients were more likely than matched married patients to undergo definitive surgical intervention (62.67% vs 53.11%, respectively, P < 0.0001. Conclusions Even after controlling for other prognostic factors, married patients

Body mass index and breast cancer survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guo, Qi; Burgess, Stephen; Turman, Constance

2017-01-01

Background: There is increasing evidence that elevated body mass index (BMI) is associated with reduced survival for women with breast cancer. However, the underlying reasons remain unclear. We conducted a Mendelian randomization analysis to investigate a possible causal role of BMI in survival...... from breast cancer. Methods: We used individual-level data from six large breast cancer case-cohorts including a total of 36 210 individuals (2475 events) of European ancestry. We created a BMI genetic risk score (GRS) based on genotypes at 94 known BMI-associated genetic variants. Association between...... the BMI genetic score and breast cancer survival was analysed by Cox regression for each study separately. Study-specific hazard ratios were pooled using fixed-effect meta-analysis. Results: BMI genetic score was found to be associated with reduced breast cancer-specific survival for estrogen receptor (ER...

Age, sex, and climate factors show different effects on survival of three different bat species in a woodland bat community

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antica Culina

2017-10-01

5. Our study provides, for the first time, a robust estimate of annual survival in bats. We advocate careful attention to possible sources of biases when studying survival rates in the wild, considering species-specific life-history and population-specific features. Considering these factors that influence wider community responses to environmental conditions is important for the effective conservation management of an area.

The outcome and survival of palliative surgery in thoraco-lumbar spinal metastases: contemporary retrospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Nemelc, R M; Stadhouder, A; van Royen, B J; Jiya, T U

2014-11-01

Purpose: To evaluate outcome and survival and to identify prognostic variables for patients surgically treated for spinal metastases. Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 86 patients, surgically treated for spinal metastases. Preoperative analyses of the ASIA and spinal instability neoplastic scores (SINS) were performed. Survival curves of different prognostic variables were made by Kaplan–Meier analysis and the variables entered in a Cox proportional hazards model to determine their significance on survival. The correlation between preoperative radiotherapy and postoperative wound infections was also evaluated. Results: Survival analysis was performed on 81 patients,37 women and 44 men. Five patients were excluded due to missing data. Median overall survival was 38 weeks [95 % confidence interval (CI) 27.5–48.5 weeks], with a 3-month survival rate of 81.5 %. Breast tumor had the best median survival of 127 weeks and lung tumor the worst survival of 18 weeks. Univariate analysis showed tumor type, preoperative ASIA score (p = 0.01) and visceral metastases(p = 0.18) were significant prognostic variables for survival.Colon tumors had 5.53 times hazard ratio compared to patients with breast tumor. ASIA-C score had more than 13.03 times the hazard ratio compared to patients with an ASIA-E score. Retrospective analysis of the SINS scores showed 34 patients with a score of 13–18 points, 44 patients with a score of 7–12 points, and 1 patient with a score of 6 points. Preoperative radiotherapy had no influence on the postoperative incidence of deep surgical wound infections (p = 0.37). Patients with spinal metastases had a median survival of 38 weeks postoperative. The primary tumor type and ASIA score were significant prognostic factors for survival. Preoperative radiotherapy neither had influence on survival nor did it constitute a risk for postoperative surgical wound infections.

Factors predicting survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients on non-invasive ventilation.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzalez Calzada, Nuria; Prats Soro, Enric; Mateu Gomez, Lluis; Giro Bulta, Esther; Cordoba Izquierdo, Ana; Povedano Panades, Monica; Dorca Sargatal, Jordi; Farrero Muñoz, Eva

2016-01-01

Non invasive ventilation (NIV) improves quality of life and extends survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients. However, few data exist about the factors related to survival. We intended to assess the predictive factors that influence survival in patients after NIV initiation. Patients who started NIV from 2000 to 2014 and were tolerant (compliance ≥ 4 hours) were included; demographic, disease related and respiratory variables at NIV initiation were analysed. Statistical analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier test and Cox proportional hazard models. 213 patients were included with median survival from NIV initiation of 13.5 months. In univariate analysis, the identified risk factors for mortality were severity of bulbar involvement (HR 2), Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) % (HR 0.99) and ALSFRS-R (HR 0.97). Multivariate analysis showed that bulbar involvement (HR 1.92) and ALSFRS-R (HR 0.97) were independent predictive factors of survival in patients on NIV. In our study, the two prognostic factors in ALS patients following NIV were the severity of bulbar involvement and ALSFRS-R at the time on NIV initiation. A better assessment of bulbar involvement, including evaluation of the upper airway, and a careful titration on NIV are necessary to optimize treatment efficacy.

Conditional Melanoma Cancer Survival in the United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ray M. Merrill

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Beyond relative survival, which indicates the likelihood that patients will not die from causes associated with their cancer, conditional relative survival probabilities provide further useful prognostic information to cancer patients, tailored to the time already survived from diagnosis. This study presents conditional relative survival for melanoma patients in the United States, diagnosed during 2000–2008 and followed through 2012. Analyses are based on 62,803 male and 50,261 female cases in population-based cancer registries in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program of the National Cancer Institute. Five-year relative survival estimates are presented for melanoma patients who have already survived one, two, three, four, or five years after the initial diagnosis. Five- and ten-year relative survival decreases with age, stage at diagnosis, and is lower among males, Blacks, and Hispanics. Five-year conditional relative survival improves with each year already survived. The potential for improvement in five-year conditional relative survival is greatest for older age, males, Blacks, Hispanics, and in later staged cases. For local disease, five-year conditional relative survival was significantly lower in ages greater than 65 years and in Blacks. It was significantly higher in females, non-Hispanics, and married individuals. Age had a greater inverse relationship with five-year survival in later staged disease. A similar result occurred for females and married individuals. In contrast, non-Hispanics had better five-year survival if diagnosed with local or regional disease, but not distant disease.

KMWin – A Convenient Tool for Graphical Presentation of Results from Kaplan-Meier Survival Time Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Gross, Arnd; Ziepert, Marita; Scholz, Markus

2012-01-01

Background Analysis of clinical studies often necessitates multiple graphical representations of the results. Many professional software packages are available for this purpose. Most packages are either only commercially available or hard to use especially if one aims to generate or customize a huge number of similar graphical outputs. We developed a new, freely available software tool called KMWin (Kaplan-Meier for Windows) facilitating Kaplan-Meier survival time analysis. KMWin is based on the statistical software environment R and provides an easy to use graphical interface. Survival time data can be supplied as SPSS (sav), SAS export (xpt) or text file (dat), which is also a common export format of other applications such as Excel. Figures can directly be exported in any graphical file format supported by R. Results On the basis of a working example, we demonstrate how to use KMWin and present its main functions. We show how to control the interface, customize the graphical output, and analyse survival time data. A number of comparisons are performed between KMWin and SPSS regarding graphical output, statistical output, data management and development. Although the general functionality of SPSS is larger, KMWin comprises a number of features useful for survival time analysis in clinical trials and other applications. These are for example number of cases and number of cases under risk within the figure or provision of a queue system for repetitive analyses of updated data sets. Moreover, major adjustments of graphical settings can be performed easily on a single window. Conclusions We conclude that our tool is well suited and convenient for repetitive analyses of survival time data. It can be used by non-statisticians and provides often used functions as well as functions which are not supplied by standard software packages. The software is routinely applied in several clinical study groups. PMID:22723912

Survival rate of breast cancer patients in Malaysia: a population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdullah, Nor Aini; Wan Mahiyuddin, Wan Rozita; Muhammad, Nor Asiah; Ali, Zainudin Mohamad; Ibrahim, Lailanor; Ibrahim Tamim, Nor Saleha; Mustafa, Amal Nasir; Kamaluddin, Muhammad Amir

2013-01-01

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among Malaysian women. Other than hospital-based results, there are no documented population-based survival rates of Malaysian women for breast cancers. This population- based retrospective cohort study was therefore conducted. Data were obtained from Health Informatics Centre, Ministry of Health Malaysia, National Cancer Registry and National Registration Department for the period from 1st Jan 2000 to 31st December 2005. Cases were captured by ICD-10 and linked to death certificates to identify the status. Only complete data were analysed. Survival time was calculated from the estimated date of diagnosis to the date of death or date of loss to follow-up. Observed survival rates were estimated by Kaplan- Meier method using SPSS Statistical Software version 17. A total of 10,230 complete data sets were analysed. The mean age at diagnosis was 50.6 years old. The overall 5-year survival rate was 49% with median survival time of 68.1 months. Indian women had a higher survival rate of 54% compared to Chinese women (49%) and Malays (45%). The overall 5-year survival rate of breast cancer patient among Malaysian women was still low for the cohort of 2000 to 2005 as compared to survival rates in developed nations. Therefore, it is necessary to enhance the strategies for early detection and intervention.

Delay of Treatment Initiation Does Not Adversely Affect Survival Outcome in Breast Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoo, Tae-Kyung; Han, Wonshik; Moon, Hyeong-Gon; Kim, Jisun; Lee, Jun Woo; Kim, Min Kyoon; Lee, Eunshin; Kim, Jongjin; Noh, Dong-Young

2016-07-01

Previous studies examining the relationship between time to treatment and survival outcome in breast cancer have shown inconsistent results. The aim of this study was to analyze the overall impact of delay of treatment initiation on patient survival and to determine whether certain subgroups require more prompt initiation of treatment. This study is a retrospective analysis of stage I-III patients who were treated in a single tertiary institution between 2005 and 2008. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression model were used to evaluate the impact of interval between diagnosis and treatment initiation in breast cancer and various subgroups. A total of 1,702 patients were included. Factors associated with longer delay of treatment initiation were diagnosis at another hospital, medical comorbidities, and procedures performed before admission for surgery. An interval between diagnosis and treatment initiation as a continuous variable or with a cutoff value of 15, 30, 45, and 60 days had no impact on disease-free survival (DFS). Subgroup analyses for hormone-responsiveness, triple-negative breast cancer, young age, clinical stage, and type of initial treatment showed no significant association between longer delay of treatment initiation and DFS. Our results show that an interval between diagnosis and treatment initiation of 60 days or shorter does not appear to adversely affect DFS in breast cancer.

Advanced Behavioral Analyses Show that the Presence of Food Causes Subtle Changes in C. elegans Movement.

Science.gov (United States)

Angstman, Nicholas B; Frank, Hans-Georg; Schmitz, Christoph

2016-01-01

As a widely used and studied model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans worms offer the ability to investigate implications of behavioral change. Although, investigation of C. elegans behavioral traits has been shown, analysis is often narrowed down to measurements based off a single point, and thus cannot pick up on subtle behavioral and morphological changes. In the present study videos were captured of four different C. elegans strains grown in liquid cultures and transferred to NGM-agar plates with an E. coli lawn or with no lawn. Using an advanced software, WormLab, the full skeleton and outline of worms were tracked to determine whether the presence of food affects behavioral traits. In all seven investigated parameters, statistically significant differences were found in worm behavior between those moving on NGM-agar plates with an E. coli lawn and NGM-agar plates with no lawn. Furthermore, multiple test groups showed differences in interaction between variables as the parameters that significantly correlated statistically with speed of locomotion varied. In the present study, we demonstrate the validity of a model to analyze C. elegans behavior beyond simple speed of locomotion. The need to account for a nested design while performing statistical analyses in similar studies is also demonstrated. With extended analyses, C. elegans behavioral change can be investigated with greater sensitivity, which could have wide utility in fields such as, but not limited to, toxicology, drug discovery, and RNAi screening.

Advanced behavioral analyses show that the presence of food causes subtle changes in C. elegans movement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicholas eAngstman

2016-03-01

Full Text Available As a widely used and studied model organism, C. elegans worms offer the ability to investigate implications of behavioral change. Although investigation of C. elegans behavioral traits has been shown, analysis is often narrowed down to measurements based off a single point, and thus cannot pick up on subtle behavioral and morphological changes. In the present study videos were captured of four different C. elegans strains grown in liquid cultures and transferred to NGM-agar plates with an E. coli lawn or with no lawn. Using an advanced software, WormLab, the full skeleton and outline of worms were tracked to determine whether the presence of food affects behavioral traits. In all seven investigated parameters, statistically significant differences were found in worm behavior between those moving on NGM-agar plates with an E. coli lawn and NGM-agar plates with no lawn. Furthermore, multiple test groups showed differences in interaction between variables as the parameters that significantly correlated statistically with speed of locomotion varied. In the present study, we demonstrate the validity of a model to analyze C. elegans behavior beyond simple speed of locomotion. The need to account for a nested design while performing statistical analyses in similar studies is also demonstrated. With extended analyses, C. elegans behavioral change can be investigated with greater sensitivity, which could have wide utility in fields such as, but not limited to, toxicology, drug discovery, and RNAi screening.

Modelling survival after treatment of intraocular melanoma using artificial neural networks and Bayes theorem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taktak, Azzam F G; Fisher, Anthony C; Damato, Bertil E

2004-01-01

This paper describes the development of an artificial intelligence (AI) system for survival prediction from intraocular melanoma. The system used artificial neural networks (ANNs) with five input parameters: coronal and sagittal tumour location, anterior tumour margin, largest basal tumour diameter and the cell type. After excluding records with missing data, 2331 patients were included in the study. These were split randomly into training and test sets. Date censorship was applied to the records to deal with patients who were lost to follow-up and patients who died from general causes. Bayes theorem was then applied to the ANN output to construct survival probability curves. A validation set with 34 patients unseen to both training and test sets was used to compare the AI system with Cox's regression (CR) and Kaplan-Meier (KM) analyses. Results showed large differences in the mean 5 year survival probability figures when the number of records with matching characteristics was small. However, as the number of matches increased to >100 the system tended to agree with CR and KM. The validation set was also used to compare the system with a clinical expert in predicting time to metastatic death. The rms error was 3.7 years for the system and 4.3 years for the clinical expert for 15 years survival. For <10 years survival, these figures were 2.7 and 4.2, respectively. We concluded that the AI system can match if not better the clinical expert's prediction. There were significant differences with CR and KM analyses when the number of records was small, but it was not known which model is more accurate

Modelling survival after treatment of intraocular melanoma using artificial neural networks and Bayes theorem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taktak, Azzam F G [Department of Clinical Engineering, Duncan Building, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool L7 8XP (United Kingdom); Fisher, Anthony C [Department of Clinical Engineering, Duncan Building, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool L7 8XP (United Kingdom); Damato, Bertil E [Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool L7 8XP (United Kingdom)

2004-01-07

This paper describes the development of an artificial intelligence (AI) system for survival prediction from intraocular melanoma. The system used artificial neural networks (ANNs) with five input parameters: coronal and sagittal tumour location, anterior tumour margin, largest basal tumour diameter and the cell type. After excluding records with missing data, 2331 patients were included in the study. These were split randomly into training and test sets. Date censorship was applied to the records to deal with patients who were lost to follow-up and patients who died from general causes. Bayes theorem was then applied to the ANN output to construct survival probability curves. A validation set with 34 patients unseen to both training and test sets was used to compare the AI system with Cox's regression (CR) and Kaplan-Meier (KM) analyses. Results showed large differences in the mean 5 year survival probability figures when the number of records with matching characteristics was small. However, as the number of matches increased to >100 the system tended to agree with CR and KM. The validation set was also used to compare the system with a clinical expert in predicting time to metastatic death. The rms error was 3.7 years for the system and 4.3 years for the clinical expert for 15 years survival. For <10 years survival, these figures were 2.7 and 4.2, respectively. We concluded that the AI system can match if not better the clinical expert's prediction. There were significant differences with CR and KM analyses when the number of records was small, but it was not known which model is more accurate.

A computer program for multiple decrement life table analyses.

Science.gov (United States)

Poole, W K; Cooley, P C

1977-06-01

Life table analysis has traditionally been the tool of choice in analyzing distribution of "survival" times when a parametric form for the survival curve could not be reasonably assumed. Chiang, in two papers [1,2] formalized the theory of life table analyses in a Markov chain framework and derived maximum likelihood estimates of the relevant parameters for the analyses. He also discussed how the techniques could be generalized to consider competing risks and follow-up studies. Although various computer programs exist for doing different types of life table analysis [3] to date, there has not been a generally available, well documented computer program to carry out multiple decrement analyses, either by Chiang's or any other method. This paper describes such a program developed by Research Triangle Institute. A user's manual is available at printing costs which supplements the contents of this paper with a discussion of the formula used in the program listing.

Survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in relation to sex: a nationwide registry-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wissenberg, Mads; Hansen, Carolina Malta; Folke, Fredrik; Lippert, Freddy K; Weeke, Peter; Karlsson, Lena; Rajan, Shahzleen; Søndergaard, Kathrine Bach; Kragholm, Kristian; Christensen, Erika Frischknecht; Nielsen, Søren L; Køber, Lars; Gislason, Gunnar H; Torp-Pedersen, Christian

2014-09-01

Crude survival has increased following an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). We aimed to study sex-related differences in patient characteristics and survival during a 10-year study period. Patients≥12 years old with OHCA of a presumed cardiac cause, and in whom resuscitation was attempted, were identified through the Danish Cardiac Arrest Registry 2001-2010. A total of 19,372 patients were included. One-third were female, with a median age of 75 years (IQR 65-83). Compared to females, males were five years younger; and less likely to have severe comorbidities, e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (12.8% vs. 16.5%); but more likely to have arrest outside of the home (29.4% vs. 18.7%), receive bystander CPR (32.9% vs. 25.9%), and have a shockable rhythm (32.6% vs. 17.2%), all p<0.001. Thirty-day crude survival increased in males (3.0% in 2001 to 12.9% in 2010); and in females (4.8% in 2001 to 6.7% in 2010), p<0.001. Multivariable logistic regression analyses adjusted for patient characteristics including comorbidities, showed no survival difference between sexes in patients with a non-shockable rhythm (OR 1.00; CI 0.72-1.40), while female sex was positively associated with survival in patients with a shockable rhythm (OR 1.31; CI 1.07-1.59). Analyses were rhythm-stratified due to interaction between sex and heart rhythm; there was no interaction between sex and calendar-year. Temporal increase in crude survival was more marked in males due to poorer prognostic characteristics in females with a lower proportion of shockable rhythm. In an adjusted model, female sex was positively associated with survival in patients with a shockable rhythm. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bumblebee family lineage survival is enhanced in high-quality landscapes.

Science.gov (United States)

Carvell, Claire; Bourke, Andrew F G; Dreier, Stephanie; Freeman, Stephen N; Hulmes, Sarah; Jordan, William C; Redhead, John W; Sumner, Seirian; Wang, Jinliang; Heard, Matthew S

2017-03-23

Insect pollinators such as bumblebees (Bombus spp.) are in global decline. A major cause of this decline is habitat loss due to agricultural intensification. A range of global and national initiatives aimed at restoring pollinator habitats and populations have been developed. However, the success of these initiatives depends critically upon understanding how landscape change affects key population-level parameters, such as survival between lifecycle stages, in target species. This knowledge is lacking for bumblebees, because of the difficulty of systematically finding and monitoring colonies in the wild. We used a combination of habitat manipulation, land-use and habitat surveys, molecular genetics and demographic and spatial modelling to analyse between-year survival of family lineages in field populations of three bumblebee species. Here we show that the survival of family lineages from the summer worker to the spring queen stage in the following year increases significantly with the proportion of high-value foraging habitat, including spring floral resources, within 250-1,000 m of the natal colony. This provides evidence for a positive impact of habitat quality on survival and persistence between successive colony cycle stages in bumblebee populations. These findings also support the idea that conservation interventions that increase floral resources at a landscape scale and throughout the season have positive effects on wild pollinators in agricultural landscapes.

Survival of Patients with Oral Cavity Cancer in Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Listl, Stefan; Jansen, Lina; Stenzinger, Albrecht; Freier, Kolja; Emrich, Katharina; Holleczek, Bernd; Katalinic, Alexander; Gondos, Adam; Brenner, Hermann

2013-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to describe the survival of patients diagnosed with oral cavity cancer in Germany. The analyses relied on data from eleven population-based cancer registries in Germany covering a population of 33 million inhabitants. Patients with a diagnosis of oral cavity cancer (ICD-10: C00-06) between 1997 and 2006 are included. Period analysis for 2002–2006 was applied to estimate five-year age-standardized relative survival, taking into account patients' sex as well as grade and tumor stage. Overall five-year relative survival for oral cavity cancer patients was 54.6%. According to tumor localization, five-year survival was 86.5% for lip cancer, 48.1% for tongue cancer and 51.7% for other regions of the oral cavity. Differences in survival were identified with respect to age, sex, tumor grade and stage. The present study is the first to provide a comprehensive overview on survival of oral cavity cancer patients in Germany. PMID:23349710

Fissure sealants in caries prevention:a practice-based study using survival analysis

OpenAIRE

Leskinen, K. (Kaja)

2010-01-01

Abstract The purpose of this study was to analyse the effectiveness and cost of fissure sealant treatment in preventing dental caries in children in a practice-based research network using survival analysis. The survival times of first permanent molars in children were analysed in three countries: in Finland (age cohorts 1970–1972 and 1980–1982), in Sweden (1980–1982) and in Greece (1980–1982), and additionally at two municipal health centres in Finland (age cohorts 1988–1990 in Kemi...

Stability of alert survivable forces during reductions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Canavan, G.H.

1998-01-01

The stability of current and projected strategic forces are discussed within a framework that contains elements of current US and Russian analyses. For current force levels and high alert, stability levels are high, as are the levels of potential strikes, due to the large forces deployed. As force levels drop towards those of current value target sets, the analysis becomes linear, concern shifts from stability to reconstitution, and survivable forces drop out. Adverse marginal costs generally provide disincentives for the reduction of vulnerable weapons, but the exchange of vulnerable for survivable weapons could reduce cost while increasing stability even for aggressive participants. Exchanges between effective vulnerable and survivable missile forces are studied with an aggregated, probabilistic model, which optimizes each sides` first and determines each sides` second strikes and costs by minimizing first strike costs.

Physical activity and survival in breast cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ammitzbøll, Gunn; Søgaard, Karen; Karlsen, Randi V

2016-01-01

PURPOSE: Knowledge about lifestyle factors possibly influencing survival after breast cancer (BC) is paramount. We examined associations between two types of postdiagnosis physical activity (PA) and overall survival after BC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We used prospective data on 959 BC survivors from...... the Diet, Cancer, and Health cohort, all enrolled before diagnosis. Self-reported PA was measured as time per activity, and estimated metabolic equivalent task (MET)-hours per week were summed for each activity. We constructed measures for household, exercise, and total PA. The association between...... from all causes during the study period. In adjusted analyses, exercise PA above eight MET h/week compared to lower levels of activity was significantly associated with improved overall survival (HR, 0.68; confidence interval [CI]: 0.47-0.99). When comparing participation in exercise to non...

Treatment factors influencing survival in pancreatic carcinoma; Der Einfluss der Therapie auf das Ueberleben von Patienten mit Pankreaskarzinom. Eine Analyse von Einzelfaktoren

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Warszawski, N.; Warszawski, A.; Schneider, B.M.; Roettinger, E.M. [Ulm Univ. (Germany). Abt. Radiologie 2 (Strahlentherapie); Link, K.H.; Gansauge, F. [Ulm Univ. (Germany). Abt. fuer Allgemeinchirurgie; Lutz, M.P. [Ulm Univ. (Germany). Abt. Innere Medizin 1

1999-07-01

Purpose: To identify the impact of treatment factors on overall survival in patients with pancreatic carcinoma. Patients and methods: We performed a follow-up study on 38 patients with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas treated from 1984 to 1998. 18/38 patients were resected. Irradiated volume included the primary tumor (or tumor bed) and regional lymph nodes. Thirty-seven patients received in addition chemotherapy consisting of mitoxantrone, 5-fluorouracil and cis-platin, either i.v. (14/38) or i.a. (23/38). The influence of treatment related factors on the overall survival was tested. Biologically effective dose was calculated by the linear-quadratic model ({alpha}/{beta}=25 Gy) and by losing 0.85 Gy per day starting accelerated repopulation at day 28. Results: Treatment factors influencing overall survival were resection (p=0.02), overall treatment time (p=0.03) and biologically effective dose (p<0.002). Total dose and kind of chemotherapy had no significant influence. Treatment volume had a negative correlation (r=-0.5, p=0.06) with overall survival, without any correlation between tumor size, tumor stage, and treatment volume. In multivariate analysis only biologically effective dose remained significant (p=0.02). Conclusions: Among with surgery, biologically effective dose strongly influences overall survival in patients treated for pancreatic carcinoma. Treatment volume should be kept as small as possible and all efforts should be made to avoid treatments splits in radiation therapy. (orig.) [Deutsch] Ziel: Behandlungsfaktoren zu identifizieren, die einen Einfluss auf das Ueberleben von Patienten mit Pankreaskarzinom haben. Patienten und Methode: In einer nichtrandomisierten Studie wurden 38 Patienten ausgewertet, die von 1984 bis 1998 wegen eines Adenokarzinoms des Pankreas behandelt worden waren. Bei 18/38 Patienten war eine Resektion vorgenommen worden. Das Bestrahlungsvolumen beinhaltete den Primaertumor bzw. das Tumorbett und die regionaeren Lymphknoten

Stomatin-like protein 2 is overexpressed in epithelial ovarian cancer and predicts poor patient survival

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun, Fei; Ding, Wen; He, Jie-Hua; Wang, Xiao-Jing; Ma, Ze-Biao; Li, Yan-Fang

2015-01-01

Stomatin-like protein 2 (SLP-2, also known as STOML2) is a stomatin homologue of uncertain function. SLP-2 overexpression has been suggested to be associated with cancer progression, resulting in adverse clinical outcomes in patients. Our study aim to investigate SLP-2 expression in epithelial ovarian cancer cells and its correlation with patient survival. SLP-2 mRNA and protein expression levels were analysed in five epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines and normal ovarian epithelial cells using real-time PCR and western blotting analysis. SLP-2 expression was investigated in eight matched-pair samples of epithelial ovarian cancer and adjacent noncancerous tissues from the same patients. Using immunohistochemistry, we examined the protein expression of paraffin-embedded specimens from 140 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, 20 cases with borderline ovarian tumours, 20 cases with benign ovarian tumours, and 20 cases with normal ovarian tissues. Statistical analyses were applied to evaluate the clinicopathological significance of SLP-2 expression. SLP-2 mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly up-regulated in epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines and cancer tissues compared with normal ovarian epithelial cells and adjacent noncancerous ovarian tissues. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed that the relative overexpression of SLP-2 was detected in 73.6 % (103/140) of the epithelial ovarian cancer specimens, 45.0 % (9/20) of the borderline ovarian specimens, 30.0 % (6/20) of the benign ovarian specimens and none of the normal ovarian specimens. SLP-2 protein expression in epithelial ovarian cancer was significantly correlated with the tumour stage (P < 0.001). Epithelial ovarian cancer patients with higher SLP-2 protein expression levels had shorter progress free survival and overall survival times compared to patients with lower SLP-2 protein expression levels. Multivariate analyses showed that SLP-2 expression levels were an independent prognostic

Survival in Malnourished Older Patients Receiving Post-Discharge Nutritional Support; Long-Term Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Neelemaat, F; van Keeken, S; Langius, J A E; de van der Schueren, M A E; Thijs, A; Bosmans, J E

2017-01-01

Previous analyses have shown that a post-discharge individualized nutritional intervention had positive effects on body weight, lean body mass, functional limitations and fall incidents in malnourished older patients. However, the impact of this intervention on survival has not yet been studied. The objective of this randomized controlled study was to examine the effect of a post-discharge individualized nutritional intervention on survival in malnourished older patients. Malnourished older patients, aged ≥ 60 years, were randomized during hospitalization to a three-months post-discharge nutritional intervention group (protein and energy enriched diet, oral nutritional supplements, vitamin D3/calcium supplement and telephone counseling by a dietitian) or to a usual care regimen (control group). Survival data were collected 4 years after enrollment. Survival analyses were performed using intention-to-treat analysis by Log-rank tests and Cox regression adjusted for confounders. The study population consisted of 94 men (45%) and 116 women with a mean age of 74.5 (SD 9.5) years. There were no statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics. Survival data was available in 208 out of 210 patients. After 1 and 4 years of follow-up, survival rates were respectively 66% and 29% in the intervention group (n=104) and 73% and 30% in the control group (n=104). There were no statistically significant differences in survival between the two groups 1 year (HR= 0.933, 95% CI=0.675-1.289) and 4 years after enrollment (HR=0.928, 95% CI=0.671-1.283). The current study failed to show an effect of a three-months post-discharge multi-component nutritional intervention in malnourished older patients on long-term survival, despite the positive effects on short-term outcome such as functional limitations and falls.

Factors affecting survival of women diagnosed with breast cancer in El-Minia Governorate, Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Seedhom, Amany Edward; Kamal, Nashwa Nabil

2011-07-01

This study was conducted to determine breast cancer survival time and the association between breast cancer survival and socio-demographic and pathologic factors among women, in El-Minia, Egypt. While there has been much researches regarding prognostic factors for breast cancer but the majority of these studies were from developed countries. El-Minia has a population of approximately 4 million. To date, no research has been performed to determine breast cancer survival and the factors affecting it in El-minia. This retrospective study used data obtained from the cancer registry in the National Institute of Oncology in El-Minia and included 1207 women diagnosed with first primary breast cancer between 1(st) January 2005 and 31(st) December 2009 and followed to 30(th) June 2010. The association between survival and sociodemographic and pathological factors and distant metastasis at diagnosis, and treatment options was investigated using unifactorial chi-square test and multi-factorial (Cox regression) analyses. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare survival time among different groups. Median survival time was 83.8 ± 3.2. Cox regression showed that high vs low educational level (Hazard ratio (HR)= 0.35, 95% CI; 0.27-0.46), metastases to bone (HR = 3.22, 95% CI: 1.71-6.05), metastases to lung (HR= 2.314, 95% CI: 1.225-4.373), tumor size (≤ 2 cm vs ≥ 5 cm: HR = 1.4, 95% CI: 1.1-1.8) and number of involved nodes (1 vs > 10 HR = 5.21, 95%CI: 3.1-9.01) were significantly related to survival. The results showed the need to develop screening programs and standardized treatment regimens in a tax-funded health care system.

Survival during the Breeding Season: Nest Stage, Parental Sex, and Season Advancement Affect Reed Warbler Survival.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaja Wierucka

Full Text Available Avian annual survival has received much attention, yet little is known about seasonal patterns in survival, especially of migratory passerines. In order to evaluate survival rates and timing of mortality within the breeding season of adult reed warblers (Acrocephalus scirpaceus, mark-recapture data were collected in southwest Poland, between 2006 and 2012. A total of 612 individuals (304 females and 308 males were monitored throughout the entire breeding season, and their capture-recapture histories were used to model survival rates. Males showed higher survival during the breeding season (0.985, 95% CI: 0.941-0.996 than females (0.869, 95% CI: 0.727-0.937. Survival rates of females declined with the progression of the breeding season (from May to August, while males showed constant survival during this period. We also found a clear pattern within the female (but not male nesting cycle: survival was significantly lower during the laying, incubation, and nestling periods (0.934, 95% CI: 0.898-0.958, when birds spent much time on the nest, compared to the nest building and fledgling periods (1.000, 95% CI: 1.00-1.000, when we did not record any female mortality. These data (coupled with some direct evidence, like bird corpses or blood remains found next to/on the nest may suggest that the main cause of adult mortality was on-nest predation. The calculated survival rates for both sexes during the breeding season were high compared to annual rates reported for this species, suggesting that a majority of mortality occurs at other times of the year, during migration or wintering. These results have implications for understanding survival variation within the reproductive period as well as general trends of avian mortality.

Ancient bacteria show evidence of DNA repair

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johnson, Sarah Stewart; Hebsgaard, Martin B; Christensen, Torben R

2007-01-01

-term survival of bacteria sealed in frozen conditions for up to one million years. Our results show evidence of bacterial survival in samples up to half a million years in age, making this the oldest independently authenticated DNA to date obtained from viable cells. Additionally, we find strong evidence...... geological timescales. There has been no direct evidence in ancient microbes for the most likely mechanism, active DNA repair, or for the metabolic activity necessary to sustain it. In this paper, we couple PCR and enzymatic treatment of DNA with direct respiration measurements to investigate long...... that this long-term survival is closely tied to cellular metabolic activity and DNA repair that over time proves to be superior to dormancy as a mechanism in sustaining bacteria viability....

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: impact of genetic hemochromatosis on outcome and overall survival after surgical resection.

Science.gov (United States)

Sulpice, Laurent; Rayar, Michel; Boucher, Eveline; Pele, Fabienne; Pracht, Marc; Meunier, Bernard; Boudjema, Karim

2013-03-01

The influence of genetic hemochromatosis (GH) on outcomes following surgical resections for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) has not been evaluated. All patients with ICC who underwent a surgical resection between January 1997 and August 2011 were analyzed retrospectively. Risk factors were assessed by univariate and multivariate analyses. Eighty-seven patients were analyzed; 16 of these patients (18.4%) had GH. Among the 71 non-GH patients, 52 (73.2%) and 19 (26.8%) had normal or cirrhotic parenchyma, respectively. There was no significant difference in survival between the GH and non-GH patients. A univariate analysis showed that major hepatectomy (P = 0.012), intraoperative blood transfusion (P = 0.007), tumor size >5 cm (P = 0.006), several nodules (P < 0.001), and microvascular invasion (P = 0.04) were significantly associated with poor survival. A multivariate analysis showed that intraoperative blood infusion (HR 0.37; CI 95% [0.19; 0.71]) and more than one nodule (HR 2.5; CI 95% [1.06; 5.8]) were associated with a lower survival rate. Although the incidence of GH was high in our series, the presence of GH did not affect the outcomes after a liver hepatectomy for ICC. GH does not appear to increase recurrences or worsen the overall and disease-free survival. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Germination, survival and growth of three vascular plants on biological soil crusts from a Mexican tropical desert.

Science.gov (United States)

Godínez-Alvarez, H; Morín, C; Rivera-Aguilar, V

2012-01-01

Information about the effects of biological soil crusts (BSC) on germination, seedling survival and growth of vascular plants is controversial because they can have positive, neutral or negative effects. This controversy may be because most studies conducted until now have just analysed one or two recruitment stages independently. To understand the BSC effects on vascular plants, it is necessary to consider each stage of the recruitment process and synthesise all this information. The goal of this study was twofold. First, we analyse germination, seedling survival and growth of three vascular plants (Agave marmorata, Prosopis laevigata and Neobuxbaumia tetetzo) on BSC (cyanobacteria and mixed crust) from a tropical desert region of south-central México. Second, we synthesise the information to determine the total effect of BSC on plant species performance. We conducted experiments under controlled conditions to evaluate the proportion of germinated seeds, proportion of surviving seedlings and seedling dry weight in BSC and bare soil. Results showed that BSC have different effects on germination, seedling survival and growth of plant species. Plant species performance was qualitatively higher on BSC than bare soil. The highest performance of A. marmorata and P. laevigata was observed on cyanobacteria and mixed crusts, respectively. The highest performance of N. tetetzo was on both crust types. © 2011 German Botanical Society and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.

FIRST USE OF STEREOLOGY TO QUANTIFY THE SURVIVAL OF FAT AUTOGRAFTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo Serna Cuéllar

2011-05-01

Full Text Available It is not usual to perform quantitative analyses on surgical materials. Rather, they are evaluated clinically, through qualitative methods, and if quantitation is done, it is on a 2-dimensional basis. In this study, the long-term survival of fat autografts (FAG in 40 subjects with facial soft tissue defects is quantified. An adipose tissue preparation from the abdomen obtained through liposuction and centrifugation is injected subcutaneously. Approximately 14 months later, the treated area is biopsied. Extensive computer-based histological analyses were performed using the stereological method in order to directly obtain three parameters: volume fraction of adipocytes in the fat tissue (VV, density (number per volume of adipocytes in the fat tissue (NV, and the mean cell volume of adipocytes (VA in each tissue sample. A set of equations based on these three quantitative parameters is produced for evaluation of the volumetric survival fraction (VSF of FAG. The presented data evidenced a 66% survival fraction at the 14-month follow-up. In routine practice, it would be sufficient to perform this volumetric analysis on the injected and biopsied fat samples to know what fraction of the FAG has survived. This is an objective method for quantifying FAG survival and will allow a standardized comparison between different research series and authors.

Cannabinoid receptor-2 immunoreactivity is associated with survival in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Science.gov (United States)

Klein Nulent, Thomas J W; Van Diest, Paul J; van der Groep, Petra; Leusink, Frank K J; Kruitwagen, Cas L J J; Koole, Ronald; Van Cann, Ellen M

2013-10-01

The prediction of progression of individual tumours, prognosis, and survival in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck is difficult. Cannabinoid-1 (CB1) and cannabinoid-2 (CB2) receptor expression is related to survival in several types of cancer, and the aim of this study was to find out whether the expression of CB1 and CB2 receptors is associated with survival in primary SCC of the head and neck. We made immunohistochemical analyses of the cannabinoid receptors on tissue arrays from 240 patients with the disease. Receptor immunoreactivity was classified as none, weak, moderate, or strong staining. Overall survival and disease-specific survival were plotted using Kaplan-Meier survival curves. A multivariate Cox proportional hazard model was created with all the relevant clinical and pathological features. Strong immunoreactivity of the CB2 receptor was significantly associated with reduced disease-specific survival (p=0.007). Cox-proportional hazard ratio (HR) showed that CB2 receptor immunoreactivity contributed to the prediction of survival (HR 3.6, 95% CI 1.5-8.7, p=0.004). Depth of invasion (HR 2.2, 95% CI 1.2-4.2, p=0.01) and vascular invasion (HR 2.5, 95% CI 1.4-4.5, p=0.001) were also associated with survival. Copyright © 2013 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cardiovascular disease incidence and survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Byberg, Stine; Agyemang, Charles; Zwisler, Ann Dorthe

2016-01-01

Studies on cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and survival show varying results between different ethnic groups. Our aim was to add a new dimension by exploring the role of migrant status in combination with ethnic background on incidence of-and survival from-CVD and more specifically acute...... of some types of cardiovascular disease compared to Danish-born. Family-reunified migrants on the other hand had lower rates of CVD. All migrants had better survival than Danish-born indicating that migrants may not always be disadvantaged in health....

Management of hepatocellular carcinoma: an overview of major findings from meta-analyses

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Xiaozhong; Han, Guohong

2016-01-01

This paper aims to systematically review the major findings from meta-analyses comparing different treatment options for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A total of 153 relevant papers were searched via the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane library databases. They were classified according to the mainstay treatment modalities (i.e., liver transplantation, surgical resection, radiofrequency ablation, transarterial embolization or chemoembolization, sorafenib, and others). The primary outcome data, such as overall survival, diseases-free survival or recurrence-free survival, progression-free survival, and safety, were summarized. The recommendations and uncertainties regarding the treatment of HCC were also proposed. PMID:27167195

KRAS mutations and CDKN2A promoter methylation show an interactive adverse effect on survival and predict recurrence of rectal cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Kohonen-Corish, Maija R J; Tseung, Jason; Chan, Charles; Currey, Nicola; Dent, Owen F; Clarke, Stephen; Bokey, Les; Chapuis, Pierre H

2014-06-15

Colonic and rectal cancers differ in their clinicopathologic features and treatment strategies. Molecular markers such as gene methylation, microsatellite instability and KRAS mutations, are becoming increasingly important in guiding treatment decisions in colorectal cancer. However, their association with clinicopathologic variables and utility in the management of rectal cancer is still poorly understood. We analyzed CDKN2A gene methylation, CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP), microsatellite instability and KRAS/BRAF mutations in a cohort of 381 rectal cancers with extensive clinical follow-up data. BRAF mutations (2%), CIMP-high (4%) and microsatellite instability-high (2%) were rare, whereas KRAS mutations (39%), CDKN2A methylation (20%) and CIMP-low (25%) were more common. Only CDKN2A methylation and KRAS mutations showed an association with poor overall survival but these did not remain significant when analyzed with other clinicopathologic factors. In contrast, this prognostic effect was strengthened by the joint presence of CDKN2A methylation and KRAS mutations, which independently predicted recurrence of cancer and was associated with poor overall and cancer-specific survival. This study has identified a subgroup of more aggressive rectal cancers that may arise through the KRAS-p16 pathway. It has been previously shown that an interaction of p16 deficiency and oncogenic KRAS promotes carcinogenesis in the mouse and is characterized by loss of oncogene-induced senescence. These findings may provide avenues for the discovery of new treatments in rectal cancer. © 2013 UICC.

Deep learning predictions of survival based on MRI in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Burgh, Hannelore K; Schmidt, Ruben; Westeneng, Henk-Jan; de Reus, Marcel A; van den Berg, Leonard H; van den Heuvel, Martijn P

2017-01-01

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neuromuscular disease, with large variation in survival between patients. Currently, it remains rather difficult to predict survival based on clinical parameters alone. Here, we set out to use clinical characteristics in combination with MRI data to predict survival of ALS patients using deep learning, a machine learning technique highly effective in a broad range of big-data analyses. A group of 135 ALS patients was included from whom high-resolution diffusion-weighted and T1-weighted images were acquired at the first visit to the outpatient clinic. Next, each of the patients was monitored carefully and survival time to death was recorded. Patients were labeled as short, medium or long survivors, based on their recorded time to death as measured from the time of disease onset. In the deep learning procedure, the total group of 135 patients was split into a training set for deep learning (n = 83 patients), a validation set (n = 20) and an independent evaluation set (n = 32) to evaluate the performance of the obtained deep learning networks. Deep learning based on clinical characteristics predicted survival category correctly in 68.8% of the cases. Deep learning based on MRI predicted 62.5% correctly using structural connectivity and 62.5% using brain morphology data. Notably, when we combined the three sources of information, deep learning prediction accuracy increased to 84.4%. Taken together, our findings show the added value of MRI with respect to predicting survival in ALS, demonstrating the advantage of deep learning in disease prognostication.

Mediation Analysis with Survival Outcomes: Accelerated Failure Time vs. Proportional Hazards Models.

Science.gov (United States)

Gelfand, Lois A; MacKinnon, David P; DeRubeis, Robert J; Baraldi, Amanda N

2016-01-01

Survival time is an important type of outcome variable in treatment research. Currently, limited guidance is available regarding performing mediation analyses with survival outcomes, which generally do not have normally distributed errors, and contain unobserved (censored) events. We present considerations for choosing an approach, using a comparison of semi-parametric proportional hazards (PH) and fully parametric accelerated failure time (AFT) approaches for illustration. We compare PH and AFT models and procedures in their integration into mediation models and review their ability to produce coefficients that estimate causal effects. Using simulation studies modeling Weibull-distributed survival times, we compare statistical properties of mediation analyses incorporating PH and AFT approaches (employing SAS procedures PHREG and LIFEREG, respectively) under varied data conditions, some including censoring. A simulated data set illustrates the findings. AFT models integrate more easily than PH models into mediation models. Furthermore, mediation analyses incorporating LIFEREG produce coefficients that can estimate causal effects, and demonstrate superior statistical properties. Censoring introduces bias in the coefficient estimate representing the treatment effect on outcome-underestimation in LIFEREG, and overestimation in PHREG. With LIFEREG, this bias can be addressed using an alternative estimate obtained from combining other coefficients, whereas this is not possible with PHREG. When Weibull assumptions are not violated, there are compelling advantages to using LIFEREG over PHREG for mediation analyses involving survival-time outcomes. Irrespective of the procedures used, the interpretation of coefficients, effects of censoring on coefficient estimates, and statistical properties should be taken into account when reporting results.

Mediation Analysis with Survival Outcomes: Accelerated Failure Time vs. Proportional Hazards Models

Science.gov (United States)

Gelfand, Lois A.; MacKinnon, David P.; DeRubeis, Robert J.; Baraldi, Amanda N.

2016-01-01

Objective: Survival time is an important type of outcome variable in treatment research. Currently, limited guidance is available regarding performing mediation analyses with survival outcomes, which generally do not have normally distributed errors, and contain unobserved (censored) events. We present considerations for choosing an approach, using a comparison of semi-parametric proportional hazards (PH) and fully parametric accelerated failure time (AFT) approaches for illustration. Method: We compare PH and AFT models and procedures in their integration into mediation models and review their ability to produce coefficients that estimate causal effects. Using simulation studies modeling Weibull-distributed survival times, we compare statistical properties of mediation analyses incorporating PH and AFT approaches (employing SAS procedures PHREG and LIFEREG, respectively) under varied data conditions, some including censoring. A simulated data set illustrates the findings. Results: AFT models integrate more easily than PH models into mediation models. Furthermore, mediation analyses incorporating LIFEREG produce coefficients that can estimate causal effects, and demonstrate superior statistical properties. Censoring introduces bias in the coefficient estimate representing the treatment effect on outcome—underestimation in LIFEREG, and overestimation in PHREG. With LIFEREG, this bias can be addressed using an alternative estimate obtained from combining other coefficients, whereas this is not possible with PHREG. Conclusions: When Weibull assumptions are not violated, there are compelling advantages to using LIFEREG over PHREG for mediation analyses involving survival-time outcomes. Irrespective of the procedures used, the interpretation of coefficients, effects of censoring on coefficient estimates, and statistical properties should be taken into account when reporting results. PMID:27065906

Mediation Analysis with Survival Outcomes: Accelerated Failure Time Versus Proportional Hazards Models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lois A Gelfand

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: Survival time is an important type of outcome variable in treatment research. Currently, limited guidance is available regarding performing mediation analyses with survival outcomes, which generally do not have normally distributed errors, and contain unobserved (censored events. We present considerations for choosing an approach, using a comparison of semi-parametric proportional hazards (PH and fully parametric accelerated failure time (AFT approaches for illustration.Method: We compare PH and AFT models and procedures in their integration into mediation models and review their ability to produce coefficients that estimate causal effects. Using simulation studies modeling Weibull-distributed survival times, we compare statistical properties of mediation analyses incorporating PH and AFT approaches (employing SAS procedures PHREG and LIFEREG, respectively under varied data conditions, some including censoring. A simulated data set illustrates the findings.Results: AFT models integrate more easily than PH models into mediation models. Furthermore, mediation analyses incorporating LIFEREG produce coefficients that can estimate causal effects, and demonstrate superior statistical properties. Censoring introduces bias in the coefficient estimate representing the treatment effect on outcome – underestimation in LIFEREG, and overestimation in PHREG. With LIFEREG, this bias can be addressed using an alternative estimate obtained from combining other coefficients, whereas this is not possible with PHREG.Conclusions: When Weibull assumptions are not violated, there are compelling advantages to using LIFEREG over PHREG for mediation analyses involving survival-time outcomes. Irrespective of the procedures used, the interpretation of coefficients, effects of censoring on coefficient estimates, and statistical properties should be taken into account when reporting results.

Survival of Sami cancer patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leena Soininen

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Objectives. The incidence of cancer among the indigenous Sami people of Northern Finland is lower than among the Finnish general population. The survival of Sami cancer patients is not known, and therefore it is the object of this study. Study design. The cohort consisted of 2,091 Sami and 4,161 non-Sami who lived on 31 December 1978 in the two Sami municipalities of Inari and Utsjoki, which are located in Northern Finland and are 300–500 km away from the nearest central hospital. The survival experience of Sami and non-Sami cancer patients diagnosed in this cohort during 1979–2009 was compared with that of the Finnish patients outside the cohort. Methods. The Sami and non-Sami cancer patients were matched to other Finnish cancer patients for gender, age and year of diagnosis and for the site of cancer. An additional matching was done for the stage at diagnosis. Cancer-specific survival analyses were made using the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox regression modelling. Results. There were 204 Sami and 391 non-Sami cancer cases in the cohort, 20,181 matched controls without matching with stage, and 7,874 stage-matched controls. In the cancer-specific analysis without stage variable, the hazard ratio for Sami was 1.05 (95% confidence interval 0.85–1.30 and for non-Sami 1.02 (0.86–1.20, indicating no difference between the survival of those groups and other patients in Finland. Likewise, when the same was done by also matching the stage, there was no difference in cancer survival. Conclusion. Long distances to medical care or Sami ethnicity have no influence on the cancer patient survival in Northern Finland.

Young patients with colorectal cancer have poor survival in the first twenty months after operation and predictable survival in the medium and long-term: Analysis of survival and prognostic markers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wickramarachchi RE

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Objectives This study compares clinico-pathological features in young (50 years with colorectal cancer, survival in the young and the influence of pre-operative clinical and histological factors on survival. Materials and methods A twelve year prospective database of colorectal cancer was analysed. Fifty-three young patients were compared with forty seven consecutive older patients over fifty years old. An analysis of survival was undertaken in young patients using Kaplan Meier graphs, non parametric methods, Cox's Proportional Hazard Ratios and Weibull Hazard models. Results Young patients comprised 13.4 percent of 397 with colorectal cancer. Duration of symptoms and presentation in the young was similar to older patients (median, range; young patients; 6 months, 2 weeks to 2 years, older patients; 4 months, 4 weeks to 3 years, p > 0.05. In both groups, the majority presented without bowel obstruction (young - 81%, older - 94%. Cancer proximal to the splenic flexure was present more in young than in older patients. Synchronous cancers were found exclusively in the young. Mucinous tumours were seen in 16% of young and 4% of older patients (p Conclusion If patients, who are less than 40 years old with colorectal cancer, survive twenty months after operation, the prognosis improves and their survival becomes predictable.

Network ties and survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Acheampong, George; Narteh, Bedman; Rand, John

2017-01-01

Poultry farming has been touted as one of the major ways by which poverty can be reduced in low-income economies like Ghana. Yet, anecdotally there is a high failure rate among these poultry farms. This current study seeks to understand the relationship between network ties and survival chances...... of small commercial poultry farms (SCPFs). We utilize data from a 2-year network survey of SCPFs in rural Ghana. The survival of these poultry farms are modelled using a lagged probit model of farms that persisted from 2014 into 2015. We find that network ties are important to the survival chances...... but this probability reduces as the number of industry ties increases but moderation with dynamic capability of the firm reverses this trend. Our findings show that not all network ties aid survival and therefore small commercial poultry farmers need to be circumspect in the network ties they cultivate and develop....

On the concept of survivability, with application to spacecraft and space-based networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Castet, Jean-Francois; Saleh, Joseph H.

2012-01-01

Survivability is an important attribute and requirement for military systems. Recently, survivability has become increasingly important for public infrastructure systems as well. In this work, we bring considerations of survivability to bear on space systems. We develop a conceptual framework and quantitative analyses based on stochastic Petri nets (SPN) to characterize and compare the survivability of different space architectures. The architectures here considered are a monolith spacecraft and a space-based network. To build the stochastic Petri net models for the degradations and failures of these two architectures, we conducted statistical analyses of historical multi-state failure data of spacecraft subsystems, and we assembled these subsystems, and their SPN models, in ways to create our monolith and networked systems. Preliminary results indicate, and quantify the extent to which, a space-based network is more survivable than the monolith spacecraft with respect to on-orbit anomalies and failures. For space systems, during the design and acquisition process, different architectures are benchmarked against several metrics; we argue that if survivability is not accounted for, then the evaluation process is likely to be biased in favor of the traditional dominant design, namely the monolith spacecraft. If however in a given context, survivability is a critical requirement for a customer, the survivability framework here proposed, and the stochastic modeling capability developed, can demonstrate the extent to which a networked space architecture may better satisfy this requirement than a monolith spacecraft. These results should be of interest to operators whose space assets require high levels of survivability, especially in the light of emerging threats.

Factors associated with survival of epiploic foramen entrapment colic: a multicentre, international study.

Science.gov (United States)

Archer, D C; Pinchbeck, G L; Proudman, C J

2011-08-01

Epiploic foramen entrapment (EFE) has been associated with reduced post operative survival compared to other types of colic but specific factors associated with reduced long-term survival of these cases have not been evaluated in a large number of horses using survival analysis. To describe post operative survival of EFE cases and to identify factors associated with long-term survival. A prospective, multicentre, international study was conducted using clinical data and long-term follow-up information for 126 horses diagnosed with EFE during exploratory laparotomy at 15 clinics in the UK, Ireland and USA. Descriptive data were generated and survival analysis performed to identify factors associated with reduced post operative survival. For the EFE cohort that recovered following anaesthesia, survival to hospital discharge was 78.5%. Survival to 1 and 2 years post operatively was 50.6 and 34.3%, respectively. The median survival time of EFE cases undergoing surgery was 397 days. Increased packed cell volume (PCV) and increased length of small intestine (SI) resected were significantly associated with increased likelihood of mortality when multivariable analysis of pre- and intraoperative variables were analysed. When all pre-, intra- and post operative variables were analysed separately, only horses that developed post operative ileus (POI) were shown to be at increased likelihood of mortality. Increased PCV, increased length of SI resected and POI are all associated with increased likelihood of mortality of EFE cases. This emphasises the importance of early diagnosis and treatment and the need for improved strategies in the management of POI in order to reduce post operative mortality in these cases. The present study provides evidence-based information to clinicians and owners of horses undergoing surgery for EFE about long-term survival. These results are applicable to university and large private clinics over a wide geographical area. © 2011 EVJ Ltd.

Impact of Intraluminal Brachytherapy on Survival Outcome for Radiation Therapy for Unresectable Biliary Tract Cancer: A Propensity-Score Matched-Pair Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoshioka, Yasuo [Department of Radiation Oncology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka (Japan); Ogawa, Kazuhiko, E-mail: kogawa@radonc.med.osaka-u.ac.jp [Department of Radiation Oncology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka (Japan); Oikawa, Hirobumi [Department of Radiology, Iwate Medical University, Iwate (Japan); Onishi, Hiroshi [Department of Radiology, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi (Japan); Kanesaka, Naoto [Department of Radiology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo (Japan); Tamamoto, Tetsuro [Department of Radiation Oncology, Nara Medical University of Medicine, Nara (Japan); Kosugi, Takashi [Department of Radiology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Shizuoka (Japan); Hatano, Kazuo [Department of Radiation Oncology, Chiba Cancer Center, Chiba (Japan); Kobayashi, Masao [Department of Radiology, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo (Japan); Ito, Yoshinori [Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo (Japan); Takayama, Makoto [Department of Radiology, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo (Japan); Takemoto, Mitsuhiro [Department of Radiology, Okayama University, Okayama (Japan); Karasawa, Katsuyuki [Department of Radiation Oncology, Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital, Tokyo (Japan); Nagakura, Hisayasu [Department of Radiology, KKR Sapporo Medical Center, Hokkaido (Japan); Imai, Michiko [Department of Radiation Oncology, Iwata City Hospital, Shizuoka (Japan); Kosaka, Yasuhiro [Department of Radiation Oncology, Kobe City Medical Center General Hospital, Hyogo (Japan); Yamazaki, Hideya [Department of Radiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto (Japan); Isohashi, Fumiaki [Department of Radiation Oncology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka (Japan); Nemoto, Kenji [Department of Radiation Oncology, Yamagata University, Yamagata (Japan); Nishimura, Yasumasa [Department of Radiation Oncology, Kinki University Faculty of Medicine, Osaka (Japan)

2014-07-15

Purpose: To determine whether adding intraluminal brachytherapy (ILBT) to definitive radiation therapy (RT) for unresectable biliary tract cancer has a positive impact on survival outcome. Methods and Materials: The original cohort comprised 209 patients, including 153 who underwent external beam RT (EBRT) alone and 56 who received both ILBT and EBRT. By matching propensity scores, 56 pairs (112 patients) consisting of 1 patient with and 1 patient without ILBT were selected. They were well balanced in terms of sex, age, performance status, clinical stage, jaundice, and addition of chemotherapy. The impact of ILBT on overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and local control (LC) was investigated. Results: The 2-year OS rates were 31% for the ILBT+ group and 40% for theILBT– group (P=.862). The 2-year DSS rates were 42% for the ILBT+ group and 41% for the ILBT– group (P=.288). The 2-year LC rates were 65% for the ILBT+ group and 35% for the ILBT– group (P=.094). Three of the 4 sensitivity analyses showed a significantly better LC for the ILBT+ group (P=.010, .025, .049), and another showed a marginally better LC (P=.068), and none of the sensitivity analyses showed any statistically significant differences in OS or DSS. Conclusions: In the treatment for unresectable biliary tract cancer, the addition of ILBT to RT has no impact on OS or DSS but is associated with better LC. Therefore, the role of ILBT should be addressed by other measures than survival benefit, for example, by less toxicity, prolonged biliary tract patency decreasing the need for further palliative interventions, or patient quality of life.

Impact of Intraluminal Brachytherapy on Survival Outcome for Radiation Therapy for Unresectable Biliary Tract Cancer: A Propensity-Score Matched-Pair Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshioka, Yasuo; Ogawa, Kazuhiko; Oikawa, Hirobumi; Onishi, Hiroshi; Kanesaka, Naoto; Tamamoto, Tetsuro; Kosugi, Takashi; Hatano, Kazuo; Kobayashi, Masao; Ito, Yoshinori; Takayama, Makoto; Takemoto, Mitsuhiro; Karasawa, Katsuyuki; Nagakura, Hisayasu; Imai, Michiko; Kosaka, Yasuhiro; Yamazaki, Hideya; Isohashi, Fumiaki; Nemoto, Kenji; Nishimura, Yasumasa

2014-01-01

Purpose: To determine whether adding intraluminal brachytherapy (ILBT) to definitive radiation therapy (RT) for unresectable biliary tract cancer has a positive impact on survival outcome. Methods and Materials: The original cohort comprised 209 patients, including 153 who underwent external beam RT (EBRT) alone and 56 who received both ILBT and EBRT. By matching propensity scores, 56 pairs (112 patients) consisting of 1 patient with and 1 patient without ILBT were selected. They were well balanced in terms of sex, age, performance status, clinical stage, jaundice, and addition of chemotherapy. The impact of ILBT on overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and local control (LC) was investigated. Results: The 2-year OS rates were 31% for the ILBT+ group and 40% for theILBT– group (P=.862). The 2-year DSS rates were 42% for the ILBT+ group and 41% for the ILBT– group (P=.288). The 2-year LC rates were 65% for the ILBT+ group and 35% for the ILBT– group (P=.094). Three of the 4 sensitivity analyses showed a significantly better LC for the ILBT+ group (P=.010, .025, .049), and another showed a marginally better LC (P=.068), and none of the sensitivity analyses showed any statistically significant differences in OS or DSS. Conclusions: In the treatment for unresectable biliary tract cancer, the addition of ILBT to RT has no impact on OS or DSS but is associated with better LC. Therefore, the role of ILBT should be addressed by other measures than survival benefit, for example, by less toxicity, prolonged biliary tract patency decreasing the need for further palliative interventions, or patient quality of life

Overall survival and disease-free survival in endometrial cancer: prognostic factors in 276 patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tejerizo-García A

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Álvaro Tejerizo-García,1 Jesús S Jiménez-López,1 José L Muñoz-González,1 Sara Bartolomé-Sotillos,1 Laura Marqueta-Marqués,1 Gregorio López-González,1 José F Pérez-Regadera Gómez21Service of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2Radiation Oncology Service, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, SpainObjective: The aim of the study reported here was to assess the disease-free survival and overall survival of patients with endometrial cancer and to determine independent factors affecting the prognosis.Materials and methods: This was a retrospective study of a single-center clinical series of 276 patients (mean age 64 years with histologically confirmed cancer of the corpus uteri. The standard treatments were extrafascial total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with selective pelvic/para-aortic node dissection, according to risk for recurrence. Actuarial overall survival and disease-free survival were estimated according to the Kaplan–Meier method. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses were used to assess the prognostic significance of the different variables.Results: The estimated median follow-up, determined using the inverse Kaplan–Meier method, was 45 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 41.2–48.8 for disease-free survival and 46 months (95% CI 43.0–49.0 for overall survival. The statistically significant variables affecting disease-free survival and overall survival were age, serous-papillary and clear-cell histological types, outer-half myometrial invasion, advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO stage, tumor grades G2 and G3, incomplete surgical resection, positive lymph nodes, lymphovascular space invasion, tumor remnants of >1 cm after surgery, and high-risk group. In the multivariate Cox regression model, predictors of tumor recurrence included advanced FIGO stage (hazard ratio [HR] 4.90, 95% CI 2.57–9.36, P < 0.001 and tumor grades G2 (HR 4.79, 95

Survival rates and predictors of survival among colorectal cancer patients in a Malaysian tertiary hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Magaji, Bello Arkilla; Moy, Foong Ming; Roslani, April Camilla; Law, Chee Wei

2017-05-18

Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed malignancy and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death globally. It is the second most common cancer among both males and females in Malaysia. The economic burden of colorectal cancer is likely to increase over time owing to its current trend and aging population. Cancer survival analysis is an essential indicator for early detection and improvement in cancer treatment. However, there was a scarcity of studies concerning survival of colorectal cancer patients as well as its predictors. Therefore, we aimed to determine the 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates, compare survival rates among ethnic groups and determine the predictors of survival among colorectal cancer patients. This was an ambidirectional cohort study conducted at the University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. All Malaysian citizens or permanent residents with histologically confirmed diagnosis of colorectal cancer seen at UMMC from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2010 were included in the study. Demographic and clinical characteristics were extracted from the medical records. Patients were followed-up until death or censored at the end of the study (31st December 2010). Censored patients' vital status (whether alive or dead) were cross checked with the National Registration Department. Survival analyses at 1-, 3- and 5-year intervals were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Log-rank test was used to compare the survival rates, while Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was carried out to determine the predictors of 5-year colorectal cancer survival. Among 1212 patients, the median survival for colorectal, colon and rectal cancers were 42.0, 42.0 and 41.0 months respectively; while the 1-, 3-, and 5-year relative survival rates ranged from 73.8 to 76.0%, 52.1 to 53.7% and 40.4 to 45.4% respectively. The Chinese patients had the lowest 5-year survival compared to Malay and Indian patients. Based on the 814

Equity and child-survival strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Mulholland, Ek; Smith, L; Carneiro, I; Becher, H; Lehmann, D

2008-05-01

Recent advances in child survival have often been at the expense of increasing inequity. Successive interventions are applied to the same population sectors, while the same children in other sectors consistently miss out, leading to a trend towards increasing inequity in child survival. This is particularly important in the case of pneumonia, the leading cause of child death, which is closely linked to poverty and malnutrition, and for which effective community-based case management is more difficult to achieve than for other causes of child death. The key strategies for the prevention of childhood pneumonia are case management, mainly through Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI), and immunization, particularly the newer vaccines against Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and pneumococcus. There is a tendency to introduce both interventions into communities that already have access to basic health care and preventive services, thereby increasing the relative disadvantage experienced by those children without such access. Both strategies can be implemented in such a way as to decrease rather than increase inequity. It is important to monitor equity when introducing child-survival interventions. Economic poverty, as measured by analyses based on wealth quintiles, is an important determinant of inequity in health outcomes but in some settings other factors may be of greater importance. Geography and ethnicity can both lead to failed access to health care, and therefore inequity in child survival. Poorly functioning health facilities are also of major importance. Countries need to be aware of the main determinants of inequity in their communities so that measures can be taken to ensure that IMCI, new vaccine implementation and other child-survival strategies are introduced in an equitable manner.

[Association between socioeconomic status and survival after a first episode of myocardial infarction].

Science.gov (United States)

Nazzal, Carolina; Alonso, Faustino; Cerecera, Francisco; Ojeda, José Miguel

2017-07-01

A low socioeconomic status is associated with higher overall mortality rates. To assess the effect of socioeconomic inequalities on survival of patients hospitalized with a first myocardial infarction. Analysis of hospital discharge and mortality databases of the Ministry of Health. Patients aged over 15 years discharged between 2002 and 2011 with a first myocardial infarction (code I-21, ICD-10) were identified. Their survival was verified with the mortality registry. Survival from 0 to 28 and from 29 to 365 days was analyzed. Socioeconomic status was determined using the type of health insurance, stratified as public insurance (low and medium status) and private insurance (high status). Prais-Winsten trend (P-W) and Cox survival analyses were done. We analyzed 59,557 patients (69% males). Sixty three percent were of low socioeconomic status, 19% medium and 18% high. Between 2002 and 2011 the increase in survival was higher among patients of low socioeconomic status, mainly in women (P-W coefficients 0.58:0.31-0.86 in men and 1.12:0.84-1.41 in women for 0-28 days survival and 0.24:0.09-0.39 in men and 0.48:0.37-0.60 in women for 29-365 days survival, respectively). However, age and year of hospitalization adjusted analysis showed a higher mortality risk among patients of low socioeconomic status at 0-28 days (HR 1.67:1.53-1.83 for men and 1.49:1.34-1.66 for women) and at 29-365 days (HR 2.30:1.75-2.71 for men and 1.90:1.56-1.85 for women). Survival after a myocardial infarction improved in the last decade especially in patients of low socioeconomic status. However, subjects of this stratum continue to have a higher mortality.

Early survival factor deprivation in the olfactory epithelium enhances activity-dependent survival

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrien eFrançois

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The neuronal olfactory epithelium undergoes permanent renewal because of environmental aggression. This renewal is partly regulated by factors modulating the level of neuronal apoptosis. Among them, we had previously characterized endothelin as neuroprotective. In this study, we explored the effect of cell survival factor deprivation in the olfactory epithelium by intranasal delivery of endothelin receptors antagonists to rat pups. This treatment induced an overall increase of apoptosis in the olfactory epithelium. The responses to odorants recorded by electroolfactogram were decreased in treated animal, a result consistent with a loss of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs. However, the treated animal performed better in an olfactory orientation test based on maternal odor compared to non-treated littermates. This improved performance could be due to activity-dependent neuronal survival of OSNs in the context of increased apoptosis level. In order to demonstrate it, we odorized pups with octanal, a known ligand for the rI7 olfactory receptor (Olr226. We quantified the number of OSN expressing rI7 by RT-qPCR and whole mount in situ hybridization. While this number was reduced by the survival factor removal treatment, this reduction was abolished by the presence of its ligand. This improved survival was optimal for low concentration of odorant and was specific for rI7-expressing OSNs. Meanwhile, the number of rI7-expressing OSNs was not affected by the odorization in non-treated littermates; showing that the activity-dependant survival of OSNs did not affect the OSN population during the 10 days of odorization in control conditions. Overall, our study shows that when apoptosis is promoted in the olfactory mucosa, the activity-dependent neuronal plasticity allows faster tuning of the olfactory sensory neuron population towards detection of environmental odorants.

Survivability Assessment: Modeling A Recovery Process

OpenAIRE

Paputungan, Irving Vitra; Abdullah, Azween

2009-01-01

Survivability is the ability of a system to continue operating, in a timely manner, in the presence ofattacks, failures, or accidents. Recovery in survivability is a process of a system to heal or recover from damageas early as possible to fulfill its mission as condition permit. In this paper, we show a preliminary recoverymodel to enhance the system survivability. The model focuses on how we preserve the system and resumes itscritical service under attacks as soon as possible.Keywords: surv...

Lung cancer incidence and survival among HIV-infected and uninfected women and men.

Science.gov (United States)

Hessol, Nancy A; Martínez-Maza, Otoniel; Levine, Alexandra M; Morris, Alison; Margolick, Joseph B; Cohen, Mardge H; Jacobson, Lisa P; Seaberg, Eric C

2015-06-19

To determine the lung cancer incidence and survival time among HIV-infected and uninfected women and men. Two longitudinal studies of HIV infection in the United States. Data from 2549 women in the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS) and 4274 men in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS), all with a history of cigarette smoking, were analyzed. Lung cancer incidence rates and incidence rate ratios were calculated using Poisson regression analyses. Survival time was assessed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional-hazard analyses. Thirty-seven women and 23 men developed lung cancer (46 HIV-infected and 14 HIV-uninfected) during study follow-up. In multivariable analyses, the factors that were found to be independently associated with a higher lung cancer incidence rate ratios were older age, less education, 10 or more pack-years of smoking, and a prior diagnosis of AIDS pneumonia (vs. HIV-uninfected women). In an adjusted Cox model that allowed different hazard functions for each cohort, a history of injection drug use was associated with shorter survival, and a lung cancer diagnosis after 2001 was associated with longer survival. In an adjusted Cox model restricted to HIV-infected participants, nadir CD4 lymphocyte cell count less than 200 was associated with shorter survival time. Our data suggest that pulmonary damage and inflammation associated with HIV infection may be causative for the increased risk of lung cancer. Encouraging and assisting younger HIV-infected smokers to quit and to sustain cessation of smoking is imperative to reduce the lung cancer burden in this population.

Macrophages improve survival, proliferation and migration of engrafted myogenic precursor cells into MDX skeletal muscle.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pierre-François Lesault

Full Text Available Transplantation of muscle precursor cells is of therapeutic interest for focal skeletal muscular diseases. However, major limitations of cell transplantation are the poor survival, expansion and migration of the injected cells. The massive and early death of transplanted myoblasts is not fully understood although several mechanisms have been suggested. Various attempts have been made to improve their survival or migration. Taking into account that muscle regeneration is associated with the presence of macrophages, which are helpful in repairing the muscle by both cleansing the debris and deliver trophic cues to myoblasts in a sequential way, we attempted in the present work to improve myoblast transplantation by coinjecting macrophages. The present data showed that in the 5 days following the transplantation, macrophages efficiently improved: i myoblast survival by limiting their massive death, ii myoblast expansion within the tissue and iii myoblast migration in the dystrophic muscle. This was confirmed by in vitro analyses showing that macrophages stimulated myoblast adhesion and migration. As a result, myoblast contribution to regenerating host myofibres was increased by macrophages one month after transplantation. Altogether, these data demonstrate that macrophages are beneficial during the early steps of myoblast transplantation into skeletal muscle, showing that coinjecting these stromal cells may be used as a helper to improve the efficiency of parenchymal cell engraftment.

Association Among Blood Transfusion, Sepsis, and Decreased Long-term Survival After Colon Cancer Resection.

Science.gov (United States)

Aquina, Christopher T; Blumberg, Neil; Becerra, Adan Z; Boscoe, Francis P; Schymura, Maria J; Noyes, Katia; Monson, John R T; Fleming, Fergal J

2017-08-01

To investigate the potential additive effects of blood transfusion and sepsis on colon cancer disease-specific survival, cardiovascular disease-specific survival, and overall survival after colon cancer surgery. Perioperative blood transfusions are associated with infectious complications and increased risk of cancer recurrence through systemic inflammatory effects. Furthermore, recent studies have suggested an association among sepsis, subsequent systemic inflammation, and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. However, no study has investigated the association among transfusion, sepsis, and disease-specific survival in postoperative patients. The New York State Cancer Registry and Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System were queried for stage I to III colon cancer resections from 2004 to 2011. Propensity-adjusted survival analyses assessed the association of perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion, sepsis, and 5-year colon cancer disease-specific survival, cardiovascular disease-specific survival, and overall survival. Among 24,230 patients, 29% received a transfusion and 4% developed sepsis. After risk adjustment, transfusion and sepsis were associated with worse colon cancer disease-specific survival [(+)transfusion: hazard ratio (HR) 1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09-1.30; (+)sepsis: HR 1.84, 95% CI 1.44-2.35; (+)transfusion/(+)sepsis: HR 2.27, 95% CI 1.87-2.76], cardiovascular disease-specific survival [(+)transfusion: HR 1.18, 95% CI 1.04-1.33; (+)sepsis: HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.14-2.31; (+)transfusion/(+)sepsis: HR 2.04, 95% CI 1.58-2.63], and overall survival [(+)transfusion: HR 1.21, 95% CI 1.14-1.29; (+)sepsis: HR 1.76, 95% CI 1.48-2.09; (+)transfusion/(+)sepsis: HR 2.36, 95% CI 2.07-2.68] relative to (-)transfusion/(-)sepsis. Additional analyses suggested an additive effect with those who both received a blood transfusion and developed sepsis having even worse survival. Perioperative blood transfusions are associated with shorter survival

Analyses of germline variants associated with ovarian cancer survival identify functional candidates at the 1q22 and 19p12 outcome loci

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Glubb, Dylan M; Johnatty, Sharon E; Quinn, Michael C J

2017-01-01

We previously identified associations with ovarian cancer outcome at five genetic loci. To identify putatively causal genetic variants and target genes, we prioritized two ovarian outcome loci (1q22 and 19p12) for further study. Bioinformatic and functional genetic analyses indicated that MEF2D...... and ZNF100 are targets of candidate outcome variants at 1q22 and 19p12, respectively. At 19p12, the chromatin interaction of a putative regulatory element with the ZNF100 promoter region correlated with candidate outcome variants. At 1q22, putative regulatory elements enhanced MEF2D promoter activity...... and haplotypes containing candidate outcome variants modulated these effects. In a public dataset, MEF2D and ZNF100 expression were both associated with ovarian cancer progression-free or overall survival time. In an extended set of 6,162 epithelial ovarian cancer patients, we found that functional candidates...

Hydronephrosis in patients with cervical cancer: an assessment of morbidity and survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Krishna; Foster, Nathan R; Kumar, Amanika; Grudem, Megan; Longenbach, Sherri; Bakkum-Gamez, Jamie; Haddock, Michael; Dowdy, Sean; Jatoi, Aminah

2015-05-01

Hydronephrosis is a frequently observed but understudied complication in patients with cervical cancer. To better characterize hydronephrosis in cervical cancer patients, the current study sought (1) to describe hydronephrosis-associated morbidity and (2) to analyze the prognostic effect of hydronephrosis in patients with a broad range of cancer stages over time. The Mayo Clinic Tumor Registry was interrogated for all invasive cervical cancer patients seen at the Mayo Clinic from 2008 through 2013 in Rochester, Minnesota; these patients' medical records were then reviewed in detail. Two hundred seventy-nine cervical cancer patients with a median age of 49 years and a range of cancer stages were included. Sixty-five patients (23 %) were diagnosed with hydronephrosis at some point during their disease course. In univariate analyses, hydronephrosis was associated with advanced cancer stage (p hydronephrosis. All but one patient underwent stent placement or urinary diversion; hydronephrosis-related morbidity included pain, urinary tract infections, nausea and vomiting, renal failure, and urinary tract bleeding. In landmark univariate survival analyses, hydronephrosis was associated with worse survival at all time points. In landmark multivariate analyses (adjusted for patient age, stage, cancer treatment, and tumor histology), hydronephrosis was associated with a trend toward worse survival over time (hazard ratios ranged from 1.47 to 4.69). Hydronephrosis in cervical cancer patients is associated with notable morbidity. It is also associated with trends toward worse survival-even if it occurs after the original cancer diagnosis.

Antioxidant defenses predict long-term survival in a passerine bird.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicola Saino

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Normal and pathological processes entail the production of oxidative substances that can damage biological molecules and harm physiological functions. Organisms have evolved complex mechanisms of antioxidant defense, and any imbalance between oxidative challenge and antioxidant protection can depress fitness components and accelerate senescence. While the role of oxidative stress in pathogenesis and aging has been studied intensively in humans and model animal species under laboratory conditions, there is a dearth of knowledge on its role in shaping life-histories of animals under natural selection regimes. Yet, given the pervasive nature and likely fitness consequences of oxidative damage, it can be expected that the need to secure efficient antioxidant protection is powerful in molding the evolutionary ecology of animals. Here, we test whether overall antioxidant defense varies with age and predicts long-term survival, using a wild population of a migratory passerine bird, the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica, as a model.Plasma antioxidant capacity (AOC of breeding individuals was measured using standard protocols and annual survival was monitored over five years (2006-2010 on a large sample of selection episodes. AOC did not covary with age in longitudinal analyses after discounting the effect of selection. AOC positively predicted annual survival independently of sex. Individuals were highly consistent in their relative levels of AOC, implying the existence of additive genetic variance and/or environmental (including early maternal components consistently acting through their lives.Using longitudinal data we showed that high levels of antioxidant protection positively predict long-term survival in a wild animal population. Present results are therefore novel in disclosing a role for antioxidant protection in determining survival under natural conditions, strongly demanding for more longitudinal eco-physiological studies of life-histories in

An Easy Tool to Predict Survival in Patients Receiving Radiation Therapy for Painful Bone Metastases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Westhoff, Paulien G., E-mail: p.g.westhoff@umcutrecht.nl [Department of Radiotherapy, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (Netherlands); Graeff, Alexander de [Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (Netherlands); Monninkhof, Evelyn M. [Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (Netherlands); Bollen, Laurens; Dijkstra, Sander P. [Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center (Netherlands); Steen-Banasik, Elzbieta M. van der [ARTI Institute for Radiation Oncology Arnhem, Arnhem (Netherlands); Vulpen, Marco van [Department of Radiotherapy, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht (Netherlands); Leer, Jan Willem H. [Department of Radiotherapy, University Medical Center Nijmegen, Nijmegen (Netherlands); Marijnen, Corrie A.; Linden, Yvette M. van der [Department of Clinical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden (Netherlands)

2014-11-15

Purpose: Patients with bone metastases have a widely varying survival. A reliable estimation of survival is needed for appropriate treatment strategies. Our goal was to assess the value of simple prognostic factors, namely, patient and tumor characteristics, Karnofsky performance status (KPS), and patient-reported scores of pain and quality of life, to predict survival in patients with painful bone metastases. Methods and Materials: In the Dutch Bone Metastasis Study, 1157 patients were treated with radiation therapy for painful bone metastases. At randomization, physicians determined the KPS; patients rated general health on a visual analogue scale (VAS-gh), valuation of life on a verbal rating scale (VRS-vl) and pain intensity. To assess the predictive value of the variables, we used multivariate Cox proportional hazard analyses and C-statistics for discriminative value. Of the final model, calibration was assessed. External validation was performed on a dataset of 934 patients who were treated with radiation therapy for vertebral metastases. Results: Patients had mainly breast (39%), prostate (23%), or lung cancer (25%). After a maximum of 142 weeks' follow-up, 74% of patients had died. The best predictive model included sex, primary tumor, visceral metastases, KPS, VAS-gh, and VRS-vl (C-statistic = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.70-0.74). A reduced model, with only KPS and primary tumor, showed comparable discriminative capacity (C-statistic = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.69-0.72). External validation showed a C-statistic of 0.72 (95% CI = 0.70-0.73). Calibration of the derivation and the validation dataset showed underestimation of survival. Conclusion: In predicting survival in patients with painful bone metastases, KPS combined with primary tumor was comparable to a more complex model. Considering the amount of variables in complex models and the additional burden on patients, the simple model is preferred for daily use. In addition, a risk table for survival is

Environmental pollution has sex-dependent effects on local survival

Science.gov (United States)

Eeva, Tapio; Hakkarainen, Harri; Laaksonen, Toni; Lehikoinen, Esa

2006-01-01

Environmental pollutants cause a potential hazard for survival in free-living animal populations. We modelled local survival (including emigration) by using individual mark–recapture histories of males and females in a population of a small insectivorous passerine bird, the pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) living around a point source of heavy metals (copper smelter). Local survival of F. hypoleuca females did not differ between polluted and unpolluted environments. Males, however, showed a one-third higher local-survival probability in the polluted area. Low fledgling production was generally associated with decreased local survival, but males in the polluted area showed relatively high local survival, irrespective of their fledgling number. A possible explanation of higher local survival of males in the polluted area could be a pollution-induced change in hormone (e.g. corticosterone or testosterone) levels of males. It could make them to invest more on their own survival or affect the hormonal control of breeding dispersal. The local survival of males decreased in the polluted area over the study period along with the simultaneous decrease in heavy metal emissions. This temporal trend is in agreement with the stress hormone hypothesis. PMID:17148387

Population genetics of the westernmost distribution of the glaciations-surviving black truffle Tuber melanosporum.

Science.gov (United States)

García-Cunchillos, Iván; Sánchez, Sergio; Barriuso, Juan José; Pérez-Collazos, Ernesto

2014-04-01

The black truffle (Tuber melanosporum Vittad.) is an important natural resource due to its relevance as a delicacy in gastronomy. Different aspects of this hypogeous fungus species have been studied, including population genetics of French and Italian distribution ranges. Although those studies include some Spanish populations, this is the first time that the genetic diversity and genetic structure of the wide geographical range of the natural Spanish populations have been analysed. To achieve this goal, 23 natural populations were sampled across the Spanish geographical distribution. ISSR technique demonstrated its reliability and capability to detect high levels of polymorphism in the species. Studied populations showed high levels of genetic diversity (h N  = 0.393, h S  = 0.678, Hs = 0.418), indicating a non threatened genetic conservation status. These high levels may be a consequence of the wide distribution range of the species, of its spore dispersion by animals, and by its evolutionary history. AMOVA analysis showed a high degree of genetic structure among populations (47.89%) and other partitions as geographical ranges. Bayesian genetic structure analyses differentiated two main Spanish groups separated by the Iberian Mountain System, and showed the genetic uniqueness of some populations. Our results suggest the survival of some of these populations during the last glaciation, the Spanish southern distribution range perhaps surviving as had occurred in France and Italy, but it is also likely that specific northern areas may have acted as a refugia for the later dispersion to other calcareous areas in the Iberian Peninsula and probably France.

Survival after Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Nursing Homes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pape, Marianne; Rajan, Shahzleen; Hansen, Steen Møller

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: Survival among nursing home residents who suffers out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is sparsely studied. Deployment of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in nursing home facilities in Denmark is unknown. We examined 30-day survival following OHCA in nursing and private home...... residents. METHODS: This register-based, nationwide, follow-up study identified OHCA-patients ≥18 years of age with a resuscitation attempt in nursing homes and private homes using Danish Cardiac Arrest Register data from June 1, 2001 to December 31, 2014. The primary outcome measure was 30-day survival....... Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to assess factors potentially associated with survival among nursing and private home residents separately. RESULTS: Of 26,999 OCHAs, 2516 (9.3%) occurred in nursing homes, and 24,483 (90.7%) in private homes. Nursing home residents were older (median 83 (Q1...

Influence of the Wenchuan earthquake on self-reported irregular menstrual cycles in surviving women.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiao-Hong; Qin, Lang; Hu, Han; Luo, Shan; Li, Lei; Fan, Wei; Xiao, Zhun; Li, Ying-Xing; Li, Shang-Wei

2011-09-01

To explore the influence of stress induced by the Wenchuan earthquake on the menstrual cycles of surviving women. Self-reports of the menstrual cycles of 473 women that survived the Wenchuan earthquake were analyzed. Menstrual regularity was defined as menses between 21 and 35 days long. The death of a child or the loss of property and social resources was verified for all surviving women. The severity of these losses was assessed and graded as high, little, and none. About 21% of the study participants reported that their menstrual cycles became irregular after the Wenchuan earthquake, and this percentage was significantly higher than before the earthquake (6%, p irregularity after the earthquake. Association analyses showed that some stressors of the Wenchuan earthquake were strongly associated with self-reports of menstrual irregularity, including the loss of children (RR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.09, 2.28), large amounts of property (RR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.03, 2.15), social resources (RR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.80) and the hormonal contraception use (RR: 1.62; 95% CI: 1.21, 1.83). Self-reported menstrual irregularity is common in women that survived the Wenchuan earthquake, especially in those who lost children, large amounts of property and social resources.

X-ray survival characteristics and genetic analysis for nine saccharomyces deletion mutants that show altered radiation sensitivity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Game, John C.; Williamson, Marsha S.; Baccari, Clelia

2004-01-07

The availability of a genome-wide set of Saccharomyces deletion mutants provides a chance to identify all the yeast genes involved in DNA repair. Using X-rays, we are screening these mutants to identify additional genes that show increased sensitivity to the lethal effects of ionizing radiation. For each mutant identified as sensitive, we are confirming that the sensitivity phenotype co-segregates with the deletion allele and are obtaining multipoint survival-versus-dose assays in at least two haploid and one homozygous diploid strains. We present data for deletion mutants involving the genes DOT1, MDM20, NAT3, SPT7, SPT20, GCN5, HFI1, DCC1 and VID21/EAF1, and discuss their potential roles in repair. Eight of these genes have a clear radiation-sensitive phenotype when deleted, but the ninth, GCN5, has at most a borderline phenotype. None of the deletions confer substantial sensitivity to ultra-violet radiation, although one or two may confer marginal sensitivity. The DOT1 gene is of interest because its only known function is to methylate one lysine residue in the core of the histone H3 protein. We find that histone H3 mutants (supplied by K. Struhl) in which this residue is replaced by other amino-acids are also X-ray sensitive, seeming to confirm that methylation of the lysine-79 residue is required for effective repair of radiation damage.

Compatible ecological niche signals between biological and archaeological datasets for late-surviving Neandertals.

Science.gov (United States)

Bible, Rachael C; Peterson, A Townsend

2018-04-17

To assess ecological niche similarity for biological and archaeological samples representing late-surviving Neandertals in Europe to evaluate the validity of combining these two types of data in ecological niche modeling analyses. Tests of niche conservatism were used to assess niche similarity and niche identity of samples of morphologically diagnostic Neandertal remains and Middle Paleolithic (MP) archaeological sites dating to the time period leading up to Neandertal extinction. Paleoenvironmental reconstructions for the Pre-H4 (43.3-40.2 ky cal BP) were used as environmental space analyses. Null hypotheses of niche similarity and identity of the two types of samples could not be rejected. As primary and secondary evidence of Neandertal occurrence during the Pre-H4 show high levels of niche similarity and identity, combining the two types of occurrence data to create larger samples for niche analyses is justified without the concern that different environmental signals could complicate future research. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Joint modelling of longitudinal CEA tumour marker progression and survival data on breast cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Borges, Ana; Sousa, Inês; Castro, Luis

2017-06-01

This work proposes the use of Biostatistics methods to study breast cancer in patients of Braga's Hospital Senology Unit, located in Portugal. The primary motivation is to contribute to the understanding of the progression of breast cancer, within the Portuguese population, using a more complex statistical model assumptions than the traditional analysis that take into account a possible existence of a serial correlation structure within a same subject observations. We aim to infer which risk factors aect the survival of Braga's Hospital patients, diagnosed with breast tumour. Whilst analysing risk factors that aect a tumour markers used on the surveillance of disease progression the Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). As survival and longitudinal processes may be associated, it is important to model these two processes together. Hence, a joint modelling of these two processes to infer on the association of these was conducted. A data set of 540 patients, along with 50 variables, was collected from medical records of the Hospital. A joint model approach was used to analyse these data. Two dierent joint models were applied to the same data set, with dierent parameterizations which give dierent interpretations to model parameters. These were used by convenience as the ones implemented in R software. Results from the two models were compared. Results from joint models, showed that the longitudinal CEA values were signicantly associated with the survival probability of these patients. A comparison between parameter estimates obtained in this analysis and previous independent survival[4] and longitudinal analysis[5][6], lead us to conclude that independent analysis brings up bias parameter estimates. Hence, an assumption of association between the two processes in a joint model of breast cancer data is necessary. Results indicate that the longitudinal progression of CEA is signicantly associated with the probability of survival of these patients. Hence, an assumption of

ESC guidelines adherence is associated with improved survival in patients from the Norwegian Heart Failure Registry.

Science.gov (United States)

De Blois, Jonathan; Fagerland, Morten Wang; Grundtvig, Morten; Semb, Anne Grete; Gullestad, Lars; Westheim, Arne; Hole, Torstein; Atar, Dan; Agewall, Stefan

2015-01-01

To assess the adherence to heart failure (HF) guidelines for angiotensin-converting enzyme-I (ACE-I), angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB), and β-blockers and the possible association of ACE-I or ARB, β-blockers, and statins with survival in the large contemporary Norwegian Heart Failure Registry. The study included 5761 outpatients who were diagnosed with HF of any aetiology (mean left ventricular ejection fraction 32% ± 11%) from January 2000 to January 2010 and followed up until death or February 2010. Adherence to treatment according to the guidelines was high. Cox regression analysis to identify risk factors for all-cause mortality, after adjustment for many factors, showed that ACE-I ≥ 50% of target dose, use of beta-blockers, and statins were significantly related to improved survival (P = 0.003, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively). Propensity scoring showed the same benefit for these variables. Both multivariable and propensity scoring analyses showed survival benefits with β-blockers, statins, and adequate doses of ACE-I in this contemporary HF cohort. This study stresses the importance of guidelines adherence, even in the context of high levels of adherence to guidelines. Moreover, respecting the recommended target doses of ACE-I appears to have a crucial role in survival improvement and, in the multivariate Cox regression analysis, ARB treatment was not significantly associated with a lower all-cause mortality. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. ©The Author 2015. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Constitutive STAT5 Activation Correlates With Better Survival in Cervical Cancer Patients Treated With Radiation Therapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Helen H.W. [Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cheng Kung University, Medical College and Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan (China); Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan (China); Chou, Cheng-Yang [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, National Cheng Kung University, Medical College and Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan (China); Wu, Yuan-Hua; Hsueh, Wei-Ting; Hsu, Chiung-Hui [Department of Radiation Oncology, National Cheng Kung University, Medical College and Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan (China); Guo, How-Ran [Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, National Cheng Kung University, Medical College and Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan (China); Lee, Wen-Ying, E-mail: 7707@so-net.net.tw [Department of Pathology, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan (China) and Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Su, Wu-Chou, E-mail: sunnysu@mail.ncku.edu.tw [Department of Internal Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Medical College and Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan (China)

2012-02-01

Purpose: Constitutively activated signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) factors, in particular STAT1, STAT3, and STAT5, have been detected in a wide variety of human primary tumors and have been demonstrated to directly contribute to oncogenesis. However, the expression pattern of these STATs in cervical carcinoma is still unknown, as is whether or not they have prognostic significance. This study investigated the expression patterns of STAT1, STAT3, and STAT5 in cervical cancer and their associations with clinical outcomes in patients treated with radical radiation therapy. Methods and Materials: A total of 165 consecutive patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) Stages IB to IVA cervical cancer underwent radical radiation therapy, including external beam and/or high-dose-rate brachytherapy between 1989 and 2002. Immunohistochemical studies of their formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues were performed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify and to evaluate the effects of these factors affecting patient survival. Results: Constitutive activations of STAT1, STAT3, and STAT5 were observed in 11%, 22%, and 61% of the participants, respectively. While STAT5 activation was associated with significantly better metastasis-free survival (p < 0.01) and overall survival (p = 0.04), STAT1 and STAT3 activation were not. Multivariate analyses showed that STAT5 activation, bulky tumor ({>=}4 cm), advanced stage (FIGO Stages III and IV), and brachytherapy (yes vs. no) were independent prognostic factors for cause-specific overall survival. None of the STATs was associated with local relapse. STAT5 activation (odds ratio = 0.29, 95% confidence interval = 0.13-0.63) and advanced stage (odds ratio = 2.54; 95% confidence interval = 1.03-6.26) were independent predictors of distant metastasis. Conclusions: This is the first report to provide the overall expression patterns and prognostic significance of

Estimation of total genetic effects for survival time in crossbred laying hens showing cannibalism, using pedigree or genomic information

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brinker, T.; Raymond, B.; Bijma, P.; Vereijken, A.; Ellen, E.D.

2017-01-01

Mortality of laying hens due to cannibalism is a major problem in the egg-laying industry. Survival depends on two genetic effects: the direct genetic effect of the individual itself (DGE) and the indirect genetic effects of its group mates (IGE). For hens housed in sire-family groups, DGE and

The association of cancer survival with four socioeconomic indicators: a longitudinal study of the older population of England and Wales 1981–2000

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Young Harriet

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Many studies have found socioeconomic differentials in cancer survival. Previous studies have generally demonstrated poorer cancer survival with decreasing socioeconomic status but mostly used only ecological measures of status and analytical methods estimating simple survival. This study investigate socio-economic differentials in cancer survival using four indicators of socioeconomic status; three individual and one ecological. It uses a relative survival method which gives a measure of excess mortality due to cancer. Methods This study uses prospective record linkage data from The Office for National Statistics Longitudinal Study for England and Wales. The participants are Longitudinal Study members, recorded at census in 1971 and 1981 and with a primary malignant cancer diagnosed at age 45 or above, between 1981 and 1997, with follow-up until end 2000. The outcome measure is relative survival/excess mortality, compared with age and sex adjusted survival of the general population. Relative survival and Poisson regression analyses are presented, giving models of relative excess mortality, adjusted for covariates. Results Different socioeconomic indicators detect survival differentials of varying magnitude and definition. For all cancers combined, the four indicators show similar effects. For individual cancers there are differences between indicators. Where there is an association, all indicators show poorer survival with lower socioeconomic status. Conclusion Cancer survival differs markedly by socio-economic status. The commonly used ecological measure, the Carstairs Index, is adequate at demonstrating socioeconomic differentials in survival for combined cancers and some individual cancers. A combination of car access and housing tenure is more sensitive than the ecological Carstairs measure at detecting socioeconomic effects on survival – confirming Carstairs effects where they occur but additionally identifying

Marital status and survival in patients with rectal cancer: A population-based STROBE cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhuyue; Wang, Kang; Zhang, Xuemei; Wen, Jin

2018-05-01

To examine the impact of marital status on overall survival (OS) and rectal cancer-specific survival (RCSS) for aged patients.We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database to identify aged patients (>65 years) with early stage rectal cancer (RC) (T1-T4, N0, M0) in the United States from 2004 to 2010. Propensity score matching was conducted to avoid potential confounding factors with ratio at 1:1. We used Kaplan-Meier to compare OS and RCSS between the married patients and the unmarried, respectively. We used cox proportion hazard regressions to obtain hazard rates for OS, and proportional subdistribution hazard model was performed to calculate hazard rates for RCSS.Totally, 5196 patients were included. The married (2598 [50%]) aged patients had better crude 5-year overall survival rate (64.2% vs 57.3%, P vs 75.9%, P unmarried (2598 (50%)), respectively. In multivariate analyses, married patients had significantly lower overall death than unmarried patients (HR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.71-0.83, P married patients had no cancer-specific survival benefit versus the unmarried aged patients (HR = 0.92, 95% CI = 0.81-1.04, P = .17).Among old population, married patients with early stage RC had better OS than the unmarried, while current evidence showed that marital status might have no protective effect on cancer-specific survival.

High Content Analysis of Hippocampal Neuron-Astrocyte Co-cultures Shows a Positive Effect of Fortasyn Connect on Neuronal Survival and Postsynaptic Maturation.

Science.gov (United States)

van Deijk, Anne-Lieke F; Broersen, Laus M; Verkuyl, J Martin; Smit, August B; Verheijen, Mark H G

2017-01-01

Neuronal and synaptic membranes are composed of a phospholipid bilayer. Supplementation with dietary precursors for phospholipid synthesis -docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), uridine and choline- has been shown to increase neurite outgrowth and synaptogenesis both in vivo and in vitro . A role for multi-nutrient intervention with specific precursors and cofactors has recently emerged in early Alzheimer's disease, which is characterized by decreased synapse numbers in the hippocampus. Moreover, the medical food Souvenaid, containing the specific nutrient combination Fortasyn Connect (FC), improves memory performance in early Alzheimer's disease patients, possibly via maintaining brain connectivity. This suggests an effect of FC on synapses, but the underlying cellular mechanism is not fully understood. Therefore, we investigated the effect of FC (consisting of DHA, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), uridine, choline, phospholipids, folic acid, vitamins B12, B6, C and E, and selenium), on synaptogenesis by supplementing it to primary neuron-astrocyte co-cultures, a cellular model that mimics metabolic dependencies in the brain. We measured neuronal developmental processes using high content screening in an automated manner, including neuronal survival, neurite morphology, as well as the formation and maturation of synapses. Here, we show that FC supplementation resulted in increased numbers of neurons without affecting astrocyte number. Furthermore, FC increased postsynaptic PSD95 levels in both immature and mature synapses. These findings suggest that supplementation with FC to neuron-astrocyte co-cultures increased both neuronal survival and the maturation of postsynaptic terminals, which might aid the functional interpretation of FC-based intervention strategies in neurological diseases characterized by neuronal loss and impaired synaptic functioning.

High Content Analysis of Hippocampal Neuron-Astrocyte Co-cultures Shows a Positive Effect of Fortasyn Connect on Neuronal Survival and Postsynaptic Maturation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne-Lieke F. van Deijk

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Neuronal and synaptic membranes are composed of a phospholipid bilayer. Supplementation with dietary precursors for phospholipid synthesis –docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, uridine and choline– has been shown to increase neurite outgrowth and synaptogenesis both in vivo and in vitro. A role for multi-nutrient intervention with specific precursors and cofactors has recently emerged in early Alzheimer's disease, which is characterized by decreased synapse numbers in the hippocampus. Moreover, the medical food Souvenaid, containing the specific nutrient combination Fortasyn Connect (FC, improves memory performance in early Alzheimer's disease patients, possibly via maintaining brain connectivity. This suggests an effect of FC on synapses, but the underlying cellular mechanism is not fully understood. Therefore, we investigated the effect of FC (consisting of DHA, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, uridine, choline, phospholipids, folic acid, vitamins B12, B6, C and E, and selenium, on synaptogenesis by supplementing it to primary neuron-astrocyte co-cultures, a cellular model that mimics metabolic dependencies in the brain. We measured neuronal developmental processes using high content screening in an automated manner, including neuronal survival, neurite morphology, as well as the formation and maturation of synapses. Here, we show that FC supplementation resulted in increased numbers of neurons without affecting astrocyte number. Furthermore, FC increased postsynaptic PSD95 levels in both immature and mature synapses. These findings suggest that supplementation with FC to neuron-astrocyte co-cultures increased both neuronal survival and the maturation of postsynaptic terminals, which might aid the functional interpretation of FC-based intervention strategies in neurological diseases characterized by neuronal loss and impaired synaptic functioning.

Multivariate analyses to assess the effects of surgeon and hospital volume on cancer survival rates: a nationwide population-based study in Taiwan.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chun-Ming Chang

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Positive results between caseloads and outcomes have been validated in several procedures and cancer treatments. However, there is limited information available on the combined effects of surgeon and hospital caseloads. We used nationwide population-based data to explore the association between surgeon and hospital caseloads and survival rates for major cancers. METHODOLOGY: A total of 11,677 patients with incident cancer diagnosed in 2002 were identified from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Survival analysis, the Cox proportional hazards model, and propensity scores were used to assess the relationship between 5-year survival rates and different caseload combinations. RESULTS: Based on the Cox proportional hazard model, cancer patients treated by low-volume surgeons in low-volume hospitals had poorer survival rates, and hazard ratios ranged from 1.3 in head and neck cancer to 1.8 in lung cancer after adjusting for patients' demographic variables, co-morbidities, and treatment modality. When analyzed using the propensity scores, the adjusted 5-year survival rates were poorer for patients treated by low-volume surgeons in low-volume hospitals, compared to those treated by high-volume surgeons in high-volume hospitals (P<0.005. CONCLUSIONS: After adjusting for differences in the case mix, cancer patients treated by low-volume surgeons in low-volume hospitals had poorer 5-year survival rates. Payers may implement quality care improvement in low-volume surgeons.

WATER QUALITY AND ITS EFFECT ON GROWTH AND SURVIVAL RATE OF LOBSTER REARED IN FLOATING NET CAGE IN EKAS BAY, WEST NUSA TENGGARA PROVINCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Junaidi

2015-02-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The development of lobster farming in floating net cage in Ekas Bay caused an environmental degradation such as decrease water quality due to some aquaculture wastes. The purposes of this study were to determine the status of water quality and their effect on growth and survival rate of lobster reared in floating net cages (FNC in the Ekas Bay, West Nusa Tenggara Province. Water sample collection and handling referred to the APHA (1992. Analyses of water quality data were conducted using Principal Component Analysis. Determination of the water quality status of Ekas Bay was performed with STORET system. Multivariate analyses were used to determine the relationship between water quality, growth, and survival rate of lobster reared in FNC. Results showed that Ekas Bay water quality status was categorized in class C (medium contaminated, which exceeded some quality standard parameters such as ammonia (0.3 mg/l, nitrate (0.008 mg/l, and phosphate (0.015 mg/l. During lobster farming activities feeding with trash fish for 270 days, we obtained daily growth rate of  0.74% (lower than normal growth rate of 0.86%, survival rate of 66% (lower than normal survival rate of 86.7%, and feed conversion ratio of 11.15. Ammonia was found as a dominant factor reducing growth  and survival rate of lobster reared in FNC. Keywords: water quality, lobsters, growth, survival, Ekas Bay

Survival outcomes following salvage surgery for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Kao, S S; Ooi, E H

2018-04-01

Recurrent oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma causes great morbidity and mortality. This systematic review analyses survival outcomes following salvage surgery for recurrent oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. A comprehensive search of various electronic databases was conducted. Studies included patients with recurrent or residual oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated with salvage surgery. Primary outcomes were survival rates following salvage surgery. Secondary outcomes included time to recurrence, staging at time of recurrence, post-operative complications, and factors associated with mortality and recurrence. Methodological appraisal and data extraction were conducted as per Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. Eighteen articles were included. The two- and five-year survival rates of the patients were 52 per cent and 30 per cent respectively. Improvements in treatment modalities for recurrent oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma were associated with improvements in two-year overall survival rates, with minimal change to five-year overall survival rates. Various factors were identified as being associated with long-term overall survival, thus assisting clinicians in patient counselling and selection for salvage surgery.

Survival of Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains in the upper gastrointestinal tract.

Science.gov (United States)

Pitino, Iole; Randazzo, Cinzia Lucia; Mandalari, Giuseppina; Lo Curto, Alberto; Faulks, Richard Martin; Le Marc, Yvan; Bisignano, Carlo; Caggia, Cinzia; Wickham, Martin Sean John

2010-12-01

In the present study six probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains were investigated for their ability to survive in the human upper gastrointestinal tract through a dynamic gastric model of digestion. MRS broth was used as delivery vehicle and survival was investigated during in vitro gastric and gastric plus duodenal digestion. Results highlighted that all tested strains showed good survival rate during both gastric and duodenal digestion. In particular, three strains exhibited a great survival showing a recovery percentage in the range between 117 and 276%. In agreement with survival data, high lactic acid production was detected for all strains, confirming their metabolic activity during digestion. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emotional pain: surviving mental health problems related to childhood experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Holm, A L; Bégat, I; Severinsson, E

2009-09-01

Emotional pain is described as intense by women who suffer from borderline personality disorder (BPD), and a high prevalence of reported childhood abuse was found in the literature and in research. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of women suffering from BPD with focus on emotional pain related to childhood. An explorative design was used. Data were collected from in-depth interviews consisting of women suffering from BPD (n = 13) and an interpretive content analysis was used to analyse the text. The findings revealed two main themes: 'Power' and 'Assessment of vulnerability'. The main theme 'Power' resulted in two categories: 'Surviving the feeling of being forced' and 'Surviving the feeling of having to assume responsibility'. The other main theme 'Assessment of vulnerability' had two categories: 'Surviving the feeling of being victimized' and 'Surviving the feeling of not being loved'. The findings suggest that nursing care need to develop an understanding of how these women endure their emotional pain, and try to survive as fighting spirits and how struggling became their way of life.

Predictors of adalimumab drug survival in psoriasis differ by reason for discontinuation: long-term results from the Bio-CAPTURE registry.

Science.gov (United States)

van den Reek, J M P A; Tummers, M; Zweegers, J; Seyger, M M B; van Lümig, P P M; Driessen, R J B; van de Kerkhof, P C M; Kievit, W; de Jong, E M G J

2015-03-01

Drug survival is an indicator for treatment success; insight in predictors associated with drug survival is important. To analyse the long-term drug survival for adalimumab in patients with psoriasis treated in daily practice and (II) to identify predictors of prolonged drug survival for adalimumab split for different reasons of discontinuation. Data were extracted from a prospective psoriasis cohort and analysed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves split for reasons of discontinuation. Baseline predictors associated with longer drug survival were identified using multivariate Cox-regression analysis. One hundred and sixteen patients were included with a total of 208 patient-years. Overall drug survival was 76% after 1 year and 52% after 4.5 years. In patients who stopped due to ineffectiveness, longer drug survival was associated with the absence of specific comorbidities (P = 0.03). In patients who stopped due to side-effects, longer drug survival was associated with male gender (P = 0.02). Predictors of adalimumab drug survival in psoriasis differ by reason for discontinuation. Strong, specific predictors can lead to patient-tailored treatment. © 2014 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Incidence and survival from lung cancer in Greenland is comparable to survival in the Nordic countries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gelvan, Allan; Risum, Signe; Langer, Seppo W

2015-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Oncological treatment of lung cancer has been available in Greenland since 2004. We evaluated patient characteristics and survival rates for the first six years of local lung cancer treatment. METHODS: From September 2004 to August 2010, a total of 173 patients with lung cancer were...... referred to treatment at Queen Ingrid's Hospital. On 1 February 2014, treatment results, survival, and prognostic variables were analysed. RESULTS: The mean age at diagnosis was 63 years. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was diagnosed in 145 patients (84%); 56% had squamous cell carcinoma, 34% had...... adenocarcinoma, 2% had large cell carcinoma and 8% had NSCLC not otherwise specified (NOS). In all, 28 (16%) had small cell lung cancer. A total of 142 patients (82%) received treatment; 20 underwent surgery (ten stage Ib, one stage IIa, five stage IIb, four stage IIIa); palliative chemotherapy was given to 122...

Impact of delay to treatment upon survival in 1067 patients with breast-cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Rabinovich, M; Vallejo, C; Perez, J; Rodriguez, R; Cuevas, M; Machiavelli, M; Lacava, J; Leone, B; Romero, A; Mickiewicz, E; Chacon, R; Estevez, R

1993-02-01

The medical records of 1067 patients with breast cancer were reviewed to evaluate the influence of delay between first symptom and first treatment upon survival. Three delay intervals were considered: 6 months. At a follow-up of 120 months, survival analyses identified a statistically significant difference (p=0.029) favoring patients with 3 months delay between first symptom and first treatment. Better survival rate for patients with a short delay would obey to a greater number of patients in favorable stages and a higher proportion of women aged 50 or older in this group.

Genome-based comparative analyses of Antarctic and temperate species of Paenibacillus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melissa Dsouza

Full Text Available Antarctic soils represent a unique environment characterised by extremes of temperature, salinity, elevated UV radiation, low nutrient and low water content. Despite the harshness of this environment, members of 15 bacterial phyla have been identified in soils of the Ross Sea Region (RSR. However, the survival mechanisms and ecological roles of these phyla are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate whether strains of Paenibacillus darwinianus owe their resilience to substantial genomic changes. For this, genome-based comparative analyses were performed on three P. darwinianus strains, isolated from gamma-irradiated RSR soils, together with nine temperate, soil-dwelling Paenibacillus spp. The genome of each strain was sequenced to over 1,000-fold coverage, then assembled into contigs totalling approximately 3 Mbp per genome. Based on the occurrence of essential, single-copy genes, genome completeness was estimated at approximately 88%. Genome analysis revealed between 3,043-3,091 protein-coding sequences (CDSs, primarily associated with two-component systems, sigma factors, transporters, sporulation and genes induced by cold-shock, oxidative and osmotic stresses. These comparative analyses provide an insight into the metabolic potential of P. darwinianus, revealing potential adaptive mechanisms for survival in Antarctic soils. However, a large proportion of these mechanisms were also identified in temperate Paenibacillus spp., suggesting that these mechanisms are beneficial for growth and survival in a range of soil environments. These analyses have also revealed that the P. darwinianus genomes contain significantly fewer CDSs and have a lower paralogous content. Notwithstanding the incompleteness of the assemblies, the large differences in genome sizes, determined by the number of genes in paralogous clusters and the CDS content, are indicative of genome content scaling. Finally, these sequences are a resource for further

Survival of influenza virus on banknotes.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Yves; Vogel, Guido; Wunderli, Werner; Suter, Patricia; Witschi, Mark; Koch, Daniel; Tapparel, Caroline; Kaiser, Laurent

2008-05-01

Successful control of a viral disease requires knowledge of the different vectors that could promote its transmission among hosts. We assessed the survival of human influenza viruses on banknotes given that billions of these notes are exchanged daily worldwide. Banknotes were experimentally contaminated with representative influenza virus subtypes at various concentrations, and survival was tested after different time periods. Influenza A viruses tested by cell culture survived up to 3 days when they were inoculated at high concentrations. The same inoculum in the presence of respiratory mucus showed a striking increase in survival time (up to 17 days). Similarly, B/Hong Kong/335/2001 virus was still infectious after 1 day when it was mixed with respiratory mucus. When nasopharyngeal secretions of naturally infected children were used, influenza virus survived for at least 48 h in one-third of the cases. The unexpected stability of influenza virus in this nonbiological environment suggests that unusual environmental contamination should be considered in the setting of pandemic preparedness.

Survival of Influenza Virus on Banknotes▿

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Yves; Vogel, Guido; Wunderli, Werner; Suter, Patricia; Witschi, Mark; Koch, Daniel; Tapparel, Caroline; Kaiser, Laurent

2008-01-01

Successful control of a viral disease requires knowledge of the different vectors that could promote its transmission among hosts. We assessed the survival of human influenza viruses on banknotes given that billions of these notes are exchanged daily worldwide. Banknotes were experimentally contaminated with representative influenza virus subtypes at various concentrations, and survival was tested after different time periods. Influenza A viruses tested by cell culture survived up to 3 days when they were inoculated at high concentrations. The same inoculum in the presence of respiratory mucus showed a striking increase in survival time (up to 17 days). Similarly, B/Hong Kong/335/2001 virus was still infectious after 1 day when it was mixed with respiratory mucus. When nasopharyngeal secretions of naturally infected children were used, influenza virus survived for at least 48 h in one-third of the cases. The unexpected stability of influenza virus in this nonbiological environment suggests that unusual environmental contamination should be considered in the setting of pandemic preparedness. PMID:18359825

Denosumab and bone metastasis-free survival in men with nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: exploratory analyses by baseline prostate-specific antigen doubling time.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Matthew R; Saad, Fred; Oudard, Stephane; Shore, Neal; Fizazi, Karim; Sieber, Paul; Tombal, Bertrand; Damiao, Ronaldo; Marx, Gavin; Miller, Kurt; Van Veldhuizen, Peter; Morote, Juan; Ye, Zhishen; Dansey, Roger; Goessl, Carsten

2013-10-20

Denosumab, an anti-RANK ligand monoclonal antibody, significantly increases bone metastasis-free survival (BMFS; hazard ratio [HR], 0.85; P = .028) and delays time to first bone metastasis in men with nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≥ 8.0 ng/mL and/or PSA doubling time (PSADT) ≤ 10.0 months. To identify men at greatest risk for bone metastasis or death, we evaluated relationships between PSA and PSADT with BMFS in the placebo group and the efficacy and safety of denosumab in men with PSADT ≤ 10, ≤ 6, and ≤ 4 months. A total of 1,432 men with nonmetastatic CRPC were randomly assigned 1:1 to monthly subcutaneous denosumab 120 mg or placebo. Enrollment began February 2006; primary analysis cutoff was July 2010, when approximately 660 men were anticipated to have developed bone metastases or died. In the placebo group, shorter BMFS was observed as PSADT decreased below 8 months. In analyses by shorter baseline PSADT, denosumab consistently increased BMFS by a median of 6.0, 7.2, and 7.5 months among men with PSADT ≤ 10 (HR, 0.84; P = .042), ≤ 6 (HR, 0.77; P = .006), and ≤ 4 months (HR, 0.71; P = .004), respectively. Denosumab also consistently increased time to bone metastasis by PSADT subset. No difference in survival was observed between treatment groups for the overall study population or PSADT subsets. Patients with shorter PSADT are at greater risk for bone metastasis or death. Denosumab consistently improves BMFS in men with shorter PSADT and seems to have the greatest treatment effects in men at high risk for progression.

Clinical characteristics and quality-of-life in patients surviving a decade of prostate cancer with bone metastases.

Science.gov (United States)

Klaff, Rami; Berglund, Anders; Varenhorst, Eberhard; Hedlund, Per Olov; Jǿnler, Morten; Sandblom, Gabriel

2016-06-01

To describe characteristics and quality-of-life (QoL), and to define factors associated with long-term survival in a subgroup of patients with prostate cancer with M1b disease. The study was based on 915 patients from a prospective randomised multicentre trial (No. 5) by the Scandinavian Prostate Cancer Group, comparing parenteral oestrogen with total androgen blockade. Long-term survival was defined as patients having an overall survival of ≥10 years, and logistic regression models were constructed to identity clinical predictors of survival. QoL during follow-up was assessed using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life Questionnaire - C30 version 1 (EORTC-C30) ratings. In all, 40 (4.4%) of the 915 men survived for >10 years. Factors significantly associated with increased likelihood of surviving for >10 years in the univariate analyses were: absence of cancer-related pain; Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of patients with short survival, but slowly declined over the decade. A subgroup of patients with prostate cancer with M1b disease and certain characteristics showed a positive long-term response to androgen-deprivation therapy with an acceptable QoL over a decade or more. Independent predictors of long-term survival were identified as ECOG performance status of <2, limited extent of bone metastases (Soloway score of 1), and a PSA level of <231 μg/L at the time of enrolment. © 2015 The Authors BJU International © 2015 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effect of Radiotherapy Planning Complexity on Survival of Elderly Patients With Unresected Localized Lung Cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Chang H.; Bonomi, Marcelo; Cesaretti, Jamie; Neugut, Alfred I.; Wisnivesky, Juan P.

2011-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate whether complex radiotherapy (RT) planning was associated with improved outcomes in a cohort of elderly patients with unresected Stage I-II non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods and Materials: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry linked to Medicare claims, we identified 1998 patients aged >65 years with histologically confirmed, unresected stage I-II NSCLC. Patients were classified into an intermediate or complex RT planning group using Medicare physician codes. To address potential selection bias, we used propensity score modeling. Survival of patients who received intermediate and complex simulation was compared using Cox regression models adjusting for propensity scores and in a stratified and matched analysis according to propensity scores. Results: Overall, 25% of patients received complex RT planning. Complex RT planning was associated with better overall (hazard ratio 0.84; 95% confidence interval, 0.75-0.95) and lung cancer-specific (hazard ratio 0.81; 95% confidence interval, 0.71-0.93) survival after controlling for propensity scores. Similarly, stratified and matched analyses showed better overall and lung cancer-specific survival of patients treated with complex RT planning. Conclusions: The use of complex RT planning is associated with improved survival among elderly patients with unresected Stage I-II NSCLC. These findings should be validated in prospective randomized controlled trials.

Newborn survival in Malawi: a decade of change and future implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Zimba, Evelyn; Kinney, Mary V; Kachale, Fannie; Waltensperger, Karen Z; Blencowe, Hannah; Colbourn, Tim; George, Joby; Mwansambo, Charles; Joshua, Martias; Chanza, Harriet; Nyasulu, Dorothy; Mlava, Grace; Gamache, Nathalie; Kazembe, Abigail; Lawn, Joy E

2012-07-01

Malawi is one of two low-income sub-Saharan African countries on track to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG 4) for child survival despite high fertility and HIV and low health worker density. With neonatal deaths becoming an increasing proportion of under-five deaths, addressing newborn survival is critical for achieving MDG 4. We examine change for newborn survival in the decade 2000-10, analysing mortality and coverage indicators whilst considering other contextual factors. We assess national and donor funding, as well as policy and programme change for newborn survival using standard analyses and tools being applied as part of a multi-country analysis. Compared with the 1990s, progress towards MDG 4 and 5 accelerated considerably from 2000 to 2010. Malawi's neonatal mortality rate (NMR) reduced slower than annual reductions in mortality for children 1-59 months and maternal mortality (NMR reduced 3.5% annually). Yet, the NMR reduced at greater pace than the regional and global averages. A significant increase in facility births and other health system changes, including increased human resources, likely contributed to this decline. High level attention for maternal health and associated comprehensive policy change has provided a platform for a small group of technical and programme experts to link in high impact interventions for newborn survival. The initial entry point for newborn care in Malawi was mainly through facility initiatives, such as Kangaroo Mother Care. This transitioned to an integrated and comprehensive approach at community and facility level through the Community-Based Maternal and Newborn Care package, now being implemented in 17 of 28 districts. Addressing quality gaps, especially for care at birth in facilities, and including newborn interventions in child health programmes, will be critical to the future agenda of newborn survival in Malawi.

Demisability and survivability sensitivity to design-for-demise techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Trisolini, Mirko; Lewis, Hugh G.; Colombo, Camilla

2018-04-01

The paper is concerned with examining the effects that design-for-demise solutions can have not only on the demisability of components, but also on their survivability that is their capability to withstand impacts from space debris. First two models are introduced. A demisability model to predict the behaviour of spacecraft components during the atmospheric re-entry and a survivability model to assess the vulnerability of spacecraft structures against space debris impacts. Two indices that evaluate the level of demisability and survivability are also proposed. The two models are then used to study the sensitivity of the demisability and of the survivability indices as a function of typical design-for-demise options. The demisability and the survivability can in fact be influenced by the same design parameters in a competing fashion that is while the demisability is improved, the survivability is worsened and vice versa. The analysis shows how the design-for-demise solutions influence the demisability and the survivability independently. In addition, the effect that a solution has simultaneously on the two criteria is assessed. Results shows which, among the design-for-demise parameters mostly influence the demisability and the survivability. For such design parameters maps are presented, describing their influence on the demisability and survivability indices. These maps represent a useful tool to quickly assess the level of demisability and survivability that can be expected from a component, when specific design parameters are changed.

Tamoxifen therapy improves overall survival in luminal A subtype of ductal carcinoma in situ: a study based on nationwide Korean Breast Cancer Registry database.

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Ki-Tae; Kim, Eun-Kyu; Jung, Sung Hoo; Lee, Eun Sook; Kim, Seung Il; Lee, Seokwon; Park, Heung Kyu; Kim, Jongjin; Oh, Sohee; Kim, Young A

2018-06-01

To determine the prognostic role of tamoxifen therapy for patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) according to molecular subtypes. Data of 14,944 patients with DCIS were analyzed. Molecular subtypes were classified into four categories based on expression of estrogen receptor (ER)/progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Kaplan-Meier estimator was used for overall survival analysis while Cox proportional hazards model was used for univariate and multivariate analyses. Luminal A subtype (ER/PR+, HER2-) showed higher (P = .009) survival rate than triple-negative (TN) subtype. Tamoxifen therapy group showed superior (P < .001) survival than no-tamoxifen therapy group. It had survival benefit only for luminal A subtype (P = .001). Tamoxifen therapy resulted in higher survival rate in subgroups with positive ER (P = .006), positive PR (P = .009), and negative HER2 (P < .001). In luminal A subtype, tamoxifen therapy showed lower hazard ratio (HR) compared to no-tamoxifen therapy (HR, 0.420; 95% CI 0.250-0.705; P = .001). Tamoxifen therapy was a significant independent factor by multivariate analysis (HR, 0.538; 95% CI 0.306-0.946; P = .031) as well as univariate analysis. Tamoxifen therapy group showed superior prognosis than the no-tamoxifen therapy group. Its prognostic influence was only effective for luminal A subtype. Patients with luminal A subtype showed higher survival rate than those with TN subtype. Active tamoxifen therapy is recommended for DCIS patients with luminal A subtype, and routine tests for ER, PR, and HER2 should be considered for DCIS.

Identification of novel genetic markers of breast cancer survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guo, Qi; Schmidt, Marjanka K; Kraft, Peter

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Survival after a diagnosis of breast cancer varies considerably between patients, and some of this variation may be because of germline genetic variation. We aimed to identify genetic markers associated with breast cancer-specific survival. METHODS: We conducted a large meta-analysis ......BACKGROUND: Survival after a diagnosis of breast cancer varies considerably between patients, and some of this variation may be because of germline genetic variation. We aimed to identify genetic markers associated with breast cancer-specific survival. METHODS: We conducted a large meta......-analysis of studies in populations of European ancestry, including 37954 patients with 2900 deaths from breast cancer. Each study had been genotyped for between 200000 and 900000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across the genome; genotypes for nine million common variants were imputed using a common reference...... panel from the 1000 Genomes Project. We also carried out subtype-specific analyses based on 6881 estrogen receptor (ER)-negative patients (920 events) and 23059 ER-positive patients (1333 events). All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: We identified one new locus (rs2059614 at 11q24...

A hemocyte gene expression signature correlated with predictive capacity of oysters to survive Vibrio infections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rosa Rafael

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The complex balance between environmental and host factors is an important determinant of susceptibility to infection. Disturbances of this equilibrium may result in multifactorial diseases as illustrated by the summer mortality syndrome, a worldwide and complex phenomenon that affects the oysters, Crassostrea gigas. The summer mortality syndrome reveals a physiological intolerance making this oyster species susceptible to diseases. Exploration of genetic basis governing the oyster resistance or susceptibility to infections is thus a major goal for understanding field mortality events. In this context, we used high-throughput genomic approaches to identify genetic traits that may characterize inherent survival capacities in C. gigas. Results Using digital gene expression (DGE, we analyzed the transcriptomes of hemocytes (immunocompetent cells of oysters able or not able to survive infections by Vibrio species shown to be involved in summer mortalities. Hemocytes were nonlethally collected from oysters before Vibrio experimental infection, and two DGE libraries were generated from individuals that survived or did not survive. Exploration of DGE data and microfluidic qPCR analyses at individual level showed an extraordinary polymorphism in gene expressions, but also a set of hemocyte-expressed genes whose basal mRNA levels discriminate oyster capacity to survive infections by the pathogenic V. splendidus LGP32. Finally, we identified a signature of 14 genes that predicted oyster survival capacity. Their expressions are likely driven by distinct transcriptional regulation processes associated or not associated to gene copy number variation (CNV. Conclusions We provide here for the first time in oyster a gene expression survival signature that represents a useful tool for understanding mortality events and for assessing genetic traits of interest for disease resistance selection programs.

Survival predictability of lean and fat mass in men and women undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Noori, Nazanin; Kovesdy, Csaba P; Dukkipati, Ramanath; Kim, Youngmee; Duong, Uyen; Bross, Rachelle; Oreopoulos, Antigone; Luna, Amanda; Benner, Debbie; Kopple, Joel D; Kalantar-Zadeh, Kamyar

2010-11-01

Larger body size is associated with greater survival in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. It is not clear how lean body mass (LBM) and fat mass (FM) compare in their associations with survival across sex in these patients. We examined the hypothesis that higher FM and LBM are associated with greater survival in MHD patents irrespective of sex. In 742 MHD patients, including 31% African Americans with a mean (± SD) age of 54 ± 15 y, we categorized men (n = 391) and women (n = 351) separately into 4 quartiles of near-infrared interactance-measured LBM and FM. Cox proportional hazards models estimated death hazard ratios (HRs) (and 95% CIs), and cubic spline models were used to examine associations with mortality over 5 y (2001-2006). After adjustment for case-mix and inflammatory markers, the highest quartiles of FM and LBM were associated with greater survival in women: HRs of 0.38 (95% CI: 0.20, 0.71) and 0.34 (95% CI: 0.17, 0.67), respectively (reference: first quartile). In men, the highest quartiles of FM and percentage FM (FM%) but not of LBM were associated with greater survival: HRs of 0.51 (95% CI: 0.27, 0.96), 0.45 (95% CI: 0.23, 0.88), and 1.17 (95% CI: 0.60, 2.27), respectively. Cubic spline analyses showed greater survival with higher FM% and higher "FM minus LBM percentiles" in both sexes, whereas a higher LBM was protective in women. In MHD patients, higher FM in both sexes and higher LBM in women appear to be protective. The survival advantage of FM appears to be superior to that of LBM. Clinical trials to examine the outcomes of interventions that modify body composition in MHD patients are indicated.

Prostate cancer incidence and survival in immigrants to Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Hemminki, Kari; Ankerst, Donna P; Sundquist, Jan; Mousavi, Seyed Mohsen

2013-12-01

The large international variation in the incidence of prostate cancer (PC) is well known but the underlying reasons are not understood. We want to compare PC incidence and survival among immigrants to Sweden in order to explain the international differences. Cancer data were obtained from the Swedish Cancer Registry. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated for PC in first-degree immigrants by country of birth. The immigrants were classified into four groups by SIR and area of origin. Survival in PC was assessed by hazard ratio (HR) in the four groups. In some analyses, clinical stage of PC was assessed by the tumor, node, and metastasis classification. The SIR was 0.47 (95% confidence interval 0.43-0.51) for immigrants with the lowest risk, constituting men from Turkey, Middle East, Asia, and Chile. The HR was 0.60 (0.45-0.81) for these men and it was 0.49 if they had stayed 20+ years in Sweden. The SIR in screening detected PC, T1c, was 0.55. Among these men, screening detected PC constituted 34.5% of all PC, compared to 29.0% among Swedes (p = 0.10). The results showed that the non-European immigrants, of mainly Middle East, Asian, and Chilean origin, with the lowest risk of PC, also had the most favorable survival in PC. As the available clinical features of PC at diagnosis or the distribution of known risk factors could not explain the differences, a likely biological mechanism through a favorable androgenic hormonal host environment is suggested as an explanation of the observed effects.

ER and PR expression and survival after endometrial cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Deborah; Stewart, Colin J R; Clarke, Edward M; Lose, Felicity; Davies, Claire; Armes, Jane; Obermair, Andreas; Brennan, Donal; Webb, Penelope M; Nagle, Christina M; Spurdle, Amanda B

2018-02-01

To measure association between endometrial carcinoma ER and PR status and endometrial cancer (EC) survival, accounting for inter-observer variation. The intensity and proportion of tumor cell expression of ER and PR in ECs were assessed independently and semi-quantitatively by two pathologists using digital images of duplicate tumor tissue microarrays (TMAs). Cases with inconsistent initial assessment were reviewed and final scoring agreed. The association between overall and EC-specific survival and hormone receptor expression (intensity, proportion and combined) was assessed using Cox regression analysis. The C-index was used to evaluate model discrimination with addition of ER and PR status. Tumor ER and PR analysis was possible in 659 TMAs from 255 patients, and in 459 TMAs from 243 patients, respectively. Initial ER and PR scoring was consistent in 82% and 80% of cases, respectively. In multivariate analyses decreased ER and PR expression was associated with increased tumor-related mortality. Associations reached statistical significance for ER proportion score (P=0.05), ER intensity score (P=0.003), and PR combined score (P=0.04). Decreased expression of combined ER/PR expression was associated with poorer EC-specific survival than decreased expression of either hormone receptor alone (P=0.005). However, hormone receptor status did not significantly improve mortality prediction in individual cases. ER and PR expression combined, using cut-points that capture variation in scoring and across cores, is significantly associated with EC-specific survival in analyses adjusting for known prognostic factors. However, at the individual level, ER and PR expression does not improve mortality prediction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integrative analysis of survival-associated gene sets in breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Varn, Frederick S; Ung, Matthew H; Lou, Shao Ke; Cheng, Chao

2015-03-12

Patient gene expression information has recently become a clinical feature used to evaluate breast cancer prognosis. The emergence of prognostic gene sets that take advantage of these data has led to a rich library of information that can be used to characterize the molecular nature of a patient's cancer. Identifying robust gene sets that are consistently predictive of a patient's clinical outcome has become one of the main challenges in the field. We inputted our previously established BASE algorithm with patient gene expression data and gene sets from MSigDB to develop the gene set activity score (GSAS), a metric that quantitatively assesses a gene set's activity level in a given patient. We utilized this metric, along with patient time-to-event data, to perform survival analyses to identify the gene sets that were significantly correlated with patient survival. We then performed cross-dataset analyses to identify robust prognostic gene sets and to classify patients by metastasis status. Additionally, we created a gene set network based on component gene overlap to explore the relationship between gene sets derived from MSigDB. We developed a novel gene set based on this network's topology and applied the GSAS metric to characterize its role in patient survival. Using the GSAS metric, we identified 120 gene sets that were significantly associated with patient survival in all datasets tested. The gene overlap network analysis yielded a novel gene set enriched in genes shared by the robustly predictive gene sets. This gene set was highly correlated to patient survival when used alone. Most interestingly, removal of the genes in this gene set from the gene pool on MSigDB resulted in a large reduction in the number of predictive gene sets, suggesting a prominent role for these genes in breast cancer progression. The GSAS metric provided a useful medium by which we systematically investigated how gene sets from MSigDB relate to breast cancer patient survival. We used

Survival of indicator organisms, e.g. E. coli in drinking water pipes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albrechtsen, Hans-Jørgen; Silhan, J.; Corfitzen, Charlotte B.

2006-01-01

The survival of E. coli was investigated in used drinking water pipes from households. The investigation showed that E. coli survived longer in plastic pipes than in cupper pipes and galvanized steel pipes. The investigation also showed longer survival at cold water temperatures (15?C) than at hot...

A new scoring system for predicting survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schild, Steven E; Tan, Angelina D; Wampfler, Jason A; Ross, Helen J; Yang, Ping; Sloan, Jeff A

2015-01-01

This analysis was performed to create a scoring system to estimate the survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Data from 1274 NSCLC patients were analyzed to create and validate a scoring system. Univariate (UV) and multivariate (MV) Cox models were used to evaluate the prognostic importance of each baseline factor. Prognostic factors that were significant on both UV and MV analyses were used to develop the score. These included quality of life, age, performance status, primary tumor diameter, nodal status, distant metastases, and smoking cessation. The score for each factor was determined by dividing the 5-year survival rate (%) by 10 and summing these scores to form a total score. MV models and the score were validated using bootstrapping with 1000 iterations from the original samples. The score for each prognostic factor ranged from 1 to 7 points with higher scores reflective of better survival. Total scores (sum of the scores from each independent prognostic factor) of 32–37 correlated with a 5-year survival of 8.3% (95% CI = 0–17.1%), 38–43 correlated with a 5-year survival of 20% (95% CI = 13–27%), 44–47 correlated with a 5-year survival of 48.3% (95% CI = 41.5–55.2%), 48–49 correlated to a 5-year survival of 72.1% (95% CI = 65.6–78.6%), and 50–52 correlated to a 5-year survival of 84.7% (95% CI = 79.6–89.8%). The bootstrap method confirmed the reliability of the score. Prognostic factors significantly associated with survival on both UV and MV analyses were used to construct a valid scoring system that can be used to predict survival of NSCLC patients. Optimally, this score could be used when counseling patients, and designing future trials

Factors influencing survival and recurrence-free intervals after treatment of primary breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Higgins, N.; Brady, H.R.; Clark, C.G.

1984-01-01

A retrospective analysis of 739 patients with breast cancer is presented. Factors influencing overall survival, recurrence-free interval and survival after first recurrence are analysed and discussed. None of the factors was affected by age or menopausal status at the time of presentation. Overall survival and recurrence-free intervals varied significantly with tumour size, extent of nodal spread and tumour site. Medially situated tumours, large tumours and extensive nodal spread were associated with earlier first recurrence and poor prognosis. No difference in survival or recurrence-free interval was observed between different surgical operations. Although overall survival was longer in patients who received post-operative radiotherapy, no significant differences in survival or disease-free intervals were noted when patients were standardised for operation or tumour stage. Survival after local recurrence was longer than survival after distant metastases, although the time of onset of local and distant disease followed an identical pattern. These results suggest that the tumour characteristics of size, site and nodal spread are important determinants of survival and recurrence-free interval in primary breast cancer. Local recurrence should be regarded as a manifestation of systemic disease. (author)

Estimating Probability of Default on Peer to Peer Market – Survival Analysis Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Đurović Andrija

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Arguably a cornerstone of credit risk modelling is the probability of default. This article aims is to search for the evidence of relationship between loan characteristics and probability of default on peer-to-peer (P2P market. In line with that, two loan characteristics are analysed: 1 loan term length and 2 loan purpose. The analysis is conducted using survival analysis approach within the vintage framework. Firstly, 12 months probability of default through the cycle is used to compare riskiness of analysed loan characteristics. Secondly, log-rank test is employed in order to compare complete survival period of cohorts. Findings of the paper suggest that there is clear evidence of relationship between analysed loan characteristics and probability of default. Longer term loans are more risky than the shorter term ones and the least risky loans are those used for credit card payoff.

CT findings associated with survival in chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, Jonathan H.; Montner, Steven M.; Adegunsoye, Ayodeji; Vij, Rekha; Noth, Imre; Strek, Mary E.; Oldham, Justin M.; Husain, Aliya N.

2017-01-01

To identify CT findings in chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (cHP) associated with survival. Two thoracic radiologists assessed CT scans for specific imaging findings and patterns in 132 subjects with cHP. Survival analyses were performed. The majority of subjects had an inconsistent with usual interstitial pneumonitis pattern on CT (55.3%,73/132). Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) diagnosis on CT was less common in those with fibrosis (66.1%, 74/112) than those without fibrosis (85%,17/20). Smoking was associated with a lower prevalence of HP on CT (p=0.04). CT features of pulmonary fibrosis, especially traction bronchiectasis (HR 8.34, 95% CI 1.98-35.21) and increased pulmonary artery (PA)/aorta ratio (HR 2.49, 95% CI 1.27-4.89) were associated with worse survival, while ground-glass opacity (HR 0.31, 95% CI 0.12-0.79) was associated with improved survival. Survival association with imaging was less pronounced after adjustment for gender, age and physiology score. A substantial proportion of cHP cases have a non-HP-like appearance. Ground-glass opacity, pulmonary fibrosis features and elevated PA/aorta ratio on CT likely reflect varying degrees of disease severity in cHP and may inform future clinical prediction models. (orig.)

CT findings associated with survival in chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chung, Jonathan H.; Montner, Steven M. [University of Chicago Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Chicago, IL (United States); Adegunsoye, Ayodeji; Vij, Rekha; Noth, Imre; Strek, Mary E. [University of Chicago Medical Center, Section of Pulmonary/Critical Care, Department of Medicine, Chicago, IL (United States); Oldham, Justin M. [University of California at Davis, Section of Pulmonary/Critical Care, Department of Medicine, Sacramento, CA (United States); Husain, Aliya N. [University of Chicago Medical Center, Department of Pathology, Chicago, IL (United States)

2017-12-15

To identify CT findings in chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (cHP) associated with survival. Two thoracic radiologists assessed CT scans for specific imaging findings and patterns in 132 subjects with cHP. Survival analyses were performed. The majority of subjects had an inconsistent with usual interstitial pneumonitis pattern on CT (55.3%,73/132). Hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) diagnosis on CT was less common in those with fibrosis (66.1%, 74/112) than those without fibrosis (85%,17/20). Smoking was associated with a lower prevalence of HP on CT (p=0.04). CT features of pulmonary fibrosis, especially traction bronchiectasis (HR 8.34, 95% CI 1.98-35.21) and increased pulmonary artery (PA)/aorta ratio (HR 2.49, 95% CI 1.27-4.89) were associated with worse survival, while ground-glass opacity (HR 0.31, 95% CI 0.12-0.79) was associated with improved survival. Survival association with imaging was less pronounced after adjustment for gender, age and physiology score. A substantial proportion of cHP cases have a non-HP-like appearance. Ground-glass opacity, pulmonary fibrosis features and elevated PA/aorta ratio on CT likely reflect varying degrees of disease severity in cHP and may inform future clinical prediction models. (orig.)

Total Laryngectomy Versus Larynx Preservation for T4a Larynx Cancer: Patterns of Care and Survival Outcomes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grover, Surbhi; Swisher-McClure, Samuel; Mitra, Nandita; Li, Jiaqi; Cohen, Roger B.; Ahn, Peter H.; Lukens, John N.; Chalian, Ara A.; Weinstein, Gregory S.; O'Malley, Bert W.; Lin, Alexander

2015-01-01

Purpose: To examine practice patterns and compare survival outcomes between total laryngectomy (TL) and larynx preservation chemoradiation (LP-CRT) in the setting of T4a larynx cancer, using a large national cancer registry. Methods and Materials: Using the National Cancer Database, we identified 969 patients from 2003 to 2006 with T4a squamous cell larynx cancer receiving definitive treatment with either initial TL plus adjuvant therapy or LP-CRT. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression were used to assess predictors of undergoing surgery. Survival outcomes were compared using Kaplan-Meier and propensity score–adjusted and inverse probability of treatment–weighted Cox proportional hazards methods. Sensitivity analyses were performed to account for unmeasured confounders. Results: A total of 616 patients (64%) received LP-CRT, and 353 (36%) received TL. On multivariable logistic regression, patients with advanced nodal disease were less likely to receive TL (N2 vs N0, 26.6% vs 43.4%, odds ratio [OR] 0.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.37-0.73; N3 vs N0, 19.1% vs 43.4%, OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.07-0.77), whereas patients treated in high case-volume facilities were more likely to receive TL (46.1% vs 31.5%, OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.27-2.48). Median survival for TL versus LP was 61 versus 39 months (P<.001). After controlling for potential confounders, LP-CRT had inferior overall survival compared with TL (hazard ratio 1.31, 95% CI 1.10-1.57), and with the inverse probability of treatment–weighted model (hazard ratio 1.25, 95% CI 1.05-1.49). This survival difference was shown to be robust on additional sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: Most patients with T4a larynx cancer receive LP-CRT, despite guidelines suggesting TL as the preferred initial approach. Patients receiving LP-CRT had more advanced nodal disease and worse overall survival. Previous studies of (non-T4a) locally advanced larynx cancer showing no difference in survival between LP-CRT and TL may not

Survival analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Badwe, R.A.

1999-01-01

The primary endpoint in the majority of the studies has been either disease recurrence or death. This kind of analysis requires a special method since all patients in the study experience the endpoint. The standard method for estimating such survival distribution is Kaplan Meier method. The survival function is defined as the proportion of individuals who survive beyond certain time. Multi-variate comparison for survival has been carried out with Cox's proportional hazard model

Parental crime and the safety and survival of small children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Gaalen, R.

2016-01-01

In this study the association between having a criminal parent and the safety and survival of small children is analysed. From the System of Social Statistical Datasets (SSD) hosted by Statistics Netherlands, we retrieve information on 10 complete birth cohorts (2000-2009; 1.9 million) of children

Surviving a cluster collapse: risk aversion as a core value

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schiele, Holger; Hospers, Gerrit J.; van der Zee, D.J.

2012-01-01

Purpose – This paper analyses firms, which survived in a collapsed regional cluster. The target is to analyze whether the principles for enduring success identified researching success factors of very old firms also apply in such an environment. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conduct a

How can survival processing improve memory encoding?

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Meng; Geng, Haiyan

2013-11-01

We investigated the psychological mechanism of survival processing advantage from the perspective of false memory in two experiments. Using a DRM paradigm in combination with analysis based on signal detection theory, we were able to separately examine participants' utilization of verbatim representation and gist representation. Specifically, in Experiment 1, participants rated semantically related words in a survival scenario for a survival condition but rated pleasantness of words in the same DRM lists for a non-survival control condition. The results showed that participants demonstrated more gist processing in the survival condition than in the pleasantness condition; however, the degree of item-specific processing in the two encoding conditions did not significantly differ. In Experiment 2, the control task was changed to a category rating task, in which participants were asked to make category ratings of words in the category lists. We found that the survival condition involved more item-specific processing than did the category condition, but we found no significant difference between the two encoding conditions at the level of gist processing. Overall, our study demonstrates that survival processing can simultaneously promote gist and item-specific representations. When the control tasks only promoted either item-specific representation or gist representation, memory advantages of survival processing occurred.

Denosumab and Bone Metastasis–Free Survival in Men With Nonmetastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: Exploratory Analyses by Baseline Prostate-Specific Antigen Doubling Time

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Matthew R.; Saad, Fred; Oudard, Stephane; Shore, Neal; Fizazi, Karim; Sieber, Paul; Tombal, Bertrand; Damiao, Ronaldo; Marx, Gavin; Miller, Kurt; Van Veldhuizen, Peter; Morote, Juan; Ye, Zhishen; Dansey, Roger; Goessl, Carsten

2013-01-01

Purpose Denosumab, an anti–RANK ligand monoclonal antibody, significantly increases bone metastasis–free survival (BMFS; hazard ratio [HR], 0.85; P = .028) and delays time to first bone metastasis in men with nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≥ 8.0 ng/mL and/or PSA doubling time (PSADT) ≤ 10.0 months. To identify men at greatest risk for bone metastasis or death, we evaluated relationships between PSA and PSADT with BMFS in the placebo group and the efficacy and safety of denosumab in men with PSADT ≤ 10, ≤ 6, and ≤ 4 months. Patients and Methods A total of 1,432 men with nonmetastatic CRPC were randomly assigned 1:1 to monthly subcutaneous denosumab 120 mg or placebo. Enrollment began February 2006; primary analysis cutoff was July 2010, when approximately 660 men were anticipated to have developed bone metastases or died. Results In the placebo group, shorter BMFS was observed as PSADT decreased below 8 months. In analyses by shorter baseline PSADT, denosumab consistently increased BMFS by a median of 6.0, 7.2, and 7.5 months among men with PSADT ≤ 10 (HR, 0.84; P = .042), ≤ 6 (HR, 0.77; P = .006), and ≤ 4 months (HR, 0.71; P = .004), respectively. Denosumab also consistently increased time to bone metastasis by PSADT subset. No difference in survival was observed between treatment groups for the overall study population or PSADT subsets. Conclusion Patients with shorter PSADT are at greater risk for bone metastasis or death. Denosumab consistently improves BMFS in men with shorter PSADT and seems to have the greatest treatment effects in men at high risk for progression. PMID:24043751

[Socio-economic determinants of cancer survival in the municipality of Florence].

Science.gov (United States)

Buzzoni, Carlotta; Zappa, Marco; Marchi, Marco; Caldarella, Adele; Corbinelli, Antonella; Giusti, Francesco; Intrieri, Teresa; Manneschi, Gianfranco; Nemcova, Libuse; Sacchettini, Claudio; Crocetti, Emanuele

2011-01-01

The aim of the present paper is to evaluate cancer survival in patients resident in the municipality of Florence according to different deprivation levels. We used data from the Tuscan Cancer Registry and data from the national census 2001. We used a deprivation index, measured as a continue variable, classified in tertiles according to the distribution of the resident population. We compared more deprived patients (category 3) vs less deprived ones (category 1-2). 10-year relative survival has been computed for patients diagnosed with 27 different cancer sites during 1997-2002, for different deprivation categories. Cancer sites were split into three groups of the same dimension, on the basis of 10-year survival (bad, intermediate and good prognosis). For each category the relative excess risk of death (RER) for most deprived patients has been computed using a Generalized Liner Model. We evaluated also the effect of marital status, classified as married and non-married. We analysed 14 549 invasive cancer cases (out of skin epithelioma). Overall bad prognosis cancers did not show any RER of dying for most deprived patients. For intermediate prognosis cancers RER was 1.13 (1.02 ; 1.24). A excess occurs in the most disadvantaged tertile for tumors diagnosed under 50 years. For good prognosis cancers the RER was 1.06 (0.89 ; 1.26). We found a relative excess of mortality for non-married vs married. In the area of Florence there is an effect of deprivation level of survival for median-better prognosis cancers, for tumours diagnosed under 50 years and for unmarried people compared to unmarried ones.

Prognostic Factors for Survival in Patients with Gastric Cancer using a Random Survival Forest

Science.gov (United States)

Adham, Davoud; Abbasgholizadeh, Nategh; Abazari, Malek

2017-01-01

Background: Gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer and the third top cause of cancer related death with about 1 million new cases and 700,000 deaths in 2012. The aim of this investigation was to identify important factors for outcome using a random survival forest (RSF) approach. Materials and Methods: Data were collected from 128 gastric cancer patients through a historical cohort study in Hamedan-Iran from 2007 to 2013. The event under consideration was death due to gastric cancer. The random survival forest model in R software was applied to determine the key factors affecting survival. Four split criteria were used to determine importance of the variables in the model including log-rank, conversation?? of events, log-rank score, and randomization. Efficiency of the model was confirmed in terms of Harrell’s concordance index. Results: The mean age of diagnosis was 63 ±12.57 and mean and median survival times were 15.2 (95%CI: 13.3, 17.0) and 12.3 (95%CI: 11.0, 13.4) months, respectively. The one-year, two-year, and three-year rates for survival were 51%, 13%, and 5%, respectively. Each RSF approach showed a slightly different ranking order. Very important covariates in nearly all the 4 RSF approaches were metastatic status, age at diagnosis and tumor size. The performance of each RSF approach was in the range of 0.29-0.32 and the best error rate was obtained by the log-rank splitting rule; second, third, and fourth ranks were log-rank score, conservation of events, and the random splitting rule, respectively. Conclusion: Low survival rate of gastric cancer patients is an indication of absence of a screening program for early diagnosis of the disease. Timely diagnosis in early phases increases survival and decreases mortality. Creative Commons Attribution License

High serum uric acid concentration predicts poor survival in patients with breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Yue, Cai-Feng; Feng, Pin-Ning; Yao, Zhen-Rong; Yu, Xue-Gao; Lin, Wen-Bin; Qian, Yuan-Min; Guo, Yun-Miao; Li, Lai-Sheng; Liu, Min

2017-10-01

Uric acid is a product of purine metabolism. Recently, uric acid has gained much attraction in cancer. In this study, we aim to investigate the clinicopathological and prognostic significance of serum uric acid concentration in breast cancer patients. A total of 443 female patients with histopathologically diagnosed breast cancer were included. After a mean follow-up time of 56months, survival was analysed using the Kaplan-Meier method. To further evaluate the prognostic significance of uric acid concentrations, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were applied. Of the clinicopathological parameters, uric acid concentration was associated with age, body mass index, ER status and PR status. Univariate analysis identified that patients with increased uric acid concentration had a significantly inferior overall survival (HR 2.13, 95% CI 1.15-3.94, p=0.016). In multivariate analysis, we found that high uric acid concentration is an independent prognostic factor predicting death, but insufficient to predict local relapse or distant metastasis. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that high uric acid concentration is related to the poor overall survival (p=0.013). High uric acid concentration predicts poor survival in patients with breast cancer, and might serve as a potential marker for appropriate management of breast cancer patients. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adaptive memory: young children show enhanced retention of fitness-related information.

Science.gov (United States)

Aslan, Alp; Bäuml, Karl-Heinz T

2012-01-01

Evolutionary psychologists propose that human cognition evolved through natural selection to solve adaptive problems related to survival and reproduction, with its ultimate function being the enhancement of reproductive fitness. Following this proposal and the evolutionary-developmental view that ancestral selection pressures operated not only on reproductive adults, but also on pre-reproductive children, the present study examined whether young children show superior memory for information that is processed in terms of its survival value. In two experiments, we found such survival processing to enhance retention in 4- to 10-year-old children, relative to various control conditions that also required deep, meaningful processing but were not related to survival. These results suggest that, already in very young children, survival processing is a special and extraordinarily effective form of memory encoding. The results support the functional-evolutionary proposal that young children's memory is "tuned" to process and retain fitness-related information. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Individual patient data meta-analyses in head and neck carcinoma: what have we learnt?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pignon, J.P.; Baujat, B.; Bourhis, J.

2005-01-01

Carcinoma of the upper aero-digestive tract (oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, nasopharynx, larynx) are frequent tumors for which surgery and/or radiotherapy are the main therapeutic agents. The main results of meta-analyses based on the collection of individual patients data are reported: 1) The meta-analysis on chemotherapy, regrouping data of nearly 11,000 patients issued from 63 randomized trials showed an absolute benefit of 4% at five years in overall survival, in favor of chemotherapy (P < 0.0001). Most of the benefit was seen with concomitant radio-chemotherapy, however with a relatively large heterogeneity in this subgroup of trials. An update of this meta-analysis was performed including 24 additional trials, which confirmed the magnitude of the benefit due to concomitant chemotherapy (8% at 5 years). 2) The meta-analysis on larynx preservation, using induction chemotherapy in larynx and hypopharynx carcinomas. No significant difference was seen between the control arm with total laryngectomy and the larynx preservation approach. 3) The meta-analysis on chemotherapy in nasopharynx carcinomas, from the data of 11 randomized trials including 2722 patients, and comparing the radiotherapy to radio-chemotherapy (1979-2001). The results showed an absolute benefit of 6% at five years in overall survival, in favor of chemotherapy (P < 0.0001). Most of the benefit was seen with concomitant radio-chemotherapy. 4) Finally, a meta-analysis on altered fractionated RT, compared to conventional RT in 15 randomized trials regrouping 6515 patients. The results showed a small but significant improvement in favor of altered fractionated RT for overall survival and local control with an absolute benefit at five years of 3 and 6%, respectively. (author)

Born in Auschwitz and Survived: A Triumph Over Murderers.

Science.gov (United States)

Weisz, George M; Kwiet, Konrad

2018-04-01

The discovery of Jewish babies who were born in Nazi concentration camps and survived seems miraculous, but this phenomenon did occur toward the end of World War II. The lives of a small group of mothers and surviving children are of both historical and medical interests. Their survival shows additional support for the hypothesis that maternal nutrition can induce metabolic syndrome and bone demineralization in their offspring. Information obtained through direct contact with some of the surviving children is the basis for this article.

Surviving endoplasmic reticulum stress is coupled to altered chondrocyte differentiation and function.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kwok Yeung Tsang

2007-03-01

Full Text Available In protein folding and secretion disorders, activation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER stress signaling (ERSS protects cells, alleviating stress that would otherwise trigger apoptosis. Whether the stress-surviving cells resume normal function is not known. We studied the in vivo impact of ER stress in terminally differentiating hypertrophic chondrocytes (HCs during endochondral bone formation. In transgenic mice expressing mutant collagen X as a consequence of a 13-base pair deletion in Col10a1 (13del, misfolded alpha1(X chains accumulate in HCs and elicit ERSS. Histological and gene expression analyses showed that these chondrocytes survived ER stress, but terminal differentiation is interrupted, and endochondral bone formation is delayed, producing a chondrodysplasia phenotype. This altered differentiation involves cell-cycle re-entry, the re-expression of genes characteristic of a prehypertrophic-like state, and is cell-autonomous. Concomitantly, expression of Col10a1 and 13del mRNAs are reduced, and ER stress is alleviated. ERSS, abnormal chondrocyte differentiation, and altered growth plate architecture also occur in mice expressing mutant collagen II and aggrecan. Alteration of the differentiation program in chondrocytes expressing unfolded or misfolded proteins may be part of an adaptive response that facilitates survival and recovery from the ensuing ER stress. However, the altered differentiation disrupts the highly coordinated events of endochondral ossification culminating in chondrodysplasia.

Preoperative diffusion-weighted imaging of single brain metastases correlates with patient survival times.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Sophie Berghoff

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: MRI-based diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI visualizes the local differences in water diffusion in vivo. The prognostic value of DWI signal intensities on the source images and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC maps respectively has not yet been studied in brain metastases (BM. METHODS: We included into this retrospective analysis all patients operated for single BM at our institution between 2002 and 2010, in whom presurgical DWI and BM tissue samples were available. We recorded relevant clinical data, assessed DWI signal intensity and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC values and performed histopathological analysis of BM tissues. Statistical analyses including uni- and multivariate survival analyses were performed. RESULTS: 65 patients (34 female, 31 male with a median overall survival time (OS of 15 months (range 0-99 months were available for this study. 19 (29.2% patients presented with hyper-, 3 (4.6% with iso-, and 43 (66.2% with hypointense DWI. ADCmean values could be determined in 32 (49.2% patients, ranged from 456.4 to 1691.8*10⁻⁶ mm²/s (median 969.5 and showed a highly significant correlation with DWI signal intensity. DWI hyperintensity correlated significantly with high amount of interstitial reticulin deposition. In univariate analysis, patients with hyperintense DWI (5 months and low ADCmean values (7 months had significantly worse OS than patients with iso/hypointense DWI (16 months and high ADCmean values (30 months, respectively. In multivariate survival analysis, high ADCmean values retained independent statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative DWI findings strongly and independently correlate with OS in patients operated for single BM and are related to interstitial fibrosis. Inclusion of DWI parameters into established risk stratification scores for BM patients should be considered.

Experiential Strategies for the Survival of Small Cities in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Allingham, Peter

2009-01-01

The aim of the article is to analyse, discuss and evaluate different methods of branding applied in experiential strategies for the survival of small cities in Europe. After the introduction that refers to the advent of the experience economy in the post-Fordist era, the article introduces various...... branding methods applied in experiential strategies. Then follows an analysis of how these branding methods are applied in experiential strategies for the development and survival of two small cities in Germany, Dresden and Wolfsburg, in which car production and city development have been combined....... The article concludes with an evaluation of the branding methods, which includes considerations of whether they can be used as models of survival for other small European cities. The evaluation refers to recent views on the question of representation and authenticity, and the role of cultural heritage...

Adaptive memory: the comparative value of survival processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Nairne, James S; Pandeirada, Josefa N S; Thompson, Sarah R

2008-02-01

We recently proposed that human memory systems are "tuned" to remember information that is processed for survival, perhaps as a result of fitness advantages accrued in the ancestral past. This proposal was supported by experiments in which participants showed superior memory when words were rated for survival relevance, at least relative to when words received other forms of deep processing. The current experiments tested the mettle of survival memory by pitting survival processing against conditions that are universally accepted as producing excellent retention, including conditions in which participants rated words for imagery, pleasantness, and self-reference; participants also generated words, studied words with the intention of learning them, or rated words for relevance to a contextually rich (but non-survival-related) scenario. Survival processing yielded the best retention, which suggests that it may be one of the best encoding procedures yet discovered in the memory field.

Visceral fat area predicts survival in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Nault, Jean-Charles; Pigneur, Frédéric; Nelson, Anaïs Charles; Costentin, Charlotte; Tselikas, Lambros; Katsahian, Sandrine; Diao, Guoqing; Laurent, Alexis; Mallat, Ariane; Duvoux, Christophe; Luciani, Alain; Decaens, Thomas

2015-10-01

Anthropometric measurements have been linked to resistance to anti-angiogenic treatment and survival. Patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma treated with sorafenib or brivanib in 2008-2011 were included in this retrospective study. Anthropometric measurements were assessed using computed tomography and were correlated with drug toxicity, radiological response, and overall survival. 52 patients were included, Barcelona Clinic Liver Classification B (38%) and C (62%), with a mean value of α-fetoprotein of 29,554±85,654 ng/mL, with a median overall survival of 10.5 months. Sarcopenia was associated with a greater rate of hand-foot syndrome (P=0.049). Modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumours (mRECIST) and Choi criteria were significantly associated with survival, but RECIST criteria were not. An absence of hand-foot syndrome and high-visceral fat area were associated with progressive disease as assessed by RECIST and mRECIST criteria. In multivariate analyses, high visceral fat area (HR=3.6; P=0.002), low lean body mass (HR=2.4; P=0.015), and presence of hand-foot syndrome (HR=1.8; P=0.004) were significantly associated with overall survival. In time-dependent multivariate analyses; only high visceral fat area was associated with survival. Visceral fat area is associated with survival and seems to be a predictive marker for primary resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Copyright © 2015 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Network survivability performance

Science.gov (United States)

1993-11-01

This technical report has been developed to address the survivability of telecommunications networks including services. It responds to the need for a common understanding of, and assessment techniques for network survivability, availability, integrity, and reliability. It provides a basis for designing and operating telecommunications networks to user expectations for network survivability and a foundation for continuing industry activities in the subject area. This report focuses on the survivability of both public and private networks and covers a wide range of users. Two frameworks are established for quantifying and categorizing service outages, and for classifying network survivability techniques and measures. The performance of the network survivability techniques is considered; however, recommended objectives are not established for network survivability performance.

Controlling chaotic transients: Yorke's game of survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aguirre, Jacobo; D'ovidio, Francesco; Sanjuán, Miguel A. F.

2004-01-01

. This problem is focused as a two-person, mathematical game between two players called "the protagonist" and "the adversary." The protagonist's goal is to survive. He can lose but cannot win; the best he can do is survive to play another round, struggling ad infinitum. In the absence of actions by either player...... knows the action of the adversary in choosing his response and is permitted to choose the initial point x(0) of the game. We use the "slope 3" tent map in an example of this problem. We show that it is possible for the protagonist to survive....

Direct Survival Analysis: a new stock assessment method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduardo Ferrandis

2007-03-01

Full Text Available In this work, a new stock assessment method, Direct Survival Analysis, is proposed and described. The parameter estimation of the Weibull survival model proposed by Ferrandis (2007 is obtained using trawl survey data. This estimation is used to establish a baseline survival function, which is in turn used to estimate the specific survival functions in the different cohorts considered through an adaptation of the separable model of the fishing mortality rates introduced by Pope and Shepherd (1982. It is thus possible to test hypotheses on the evolution of survival during the period studied and to identify trends in recruitment. A link is established between the preceding analysis of trawl survey data and the commercial catch-at-age data that are generally obtained to evaluate the population using analytical models. The estimated baseline survival, with the proposed versions of the stock and catch equations and the adaptation of the Separable Model, may be applied to commercial catch-at-age data. This makes it possible to estimate the survival corresponding to the landing data, the initial size of the cohort and finally, an effective age of first capture, in order to complete the parameter model estimation and consequently the estimation of the whole survival and mortality, along with the reference parameters that are useful for management purposes. Alternatively, this estimation of an effective age of first capture may be obtained by adapting the demographic structure of trawl survey data to that of the commercial fleet through suitable selectivity models of the commercial gears. The complete model provides the evaluation of the stock at any age. The coherence (and hence the mutual “calibration” between the two kinds of information may be analysed and compared with results obtained by other methods, such as virtual population analysis (VPA, in order to improve the diagnosis of the state of exploitation of the population. The model may be

Toxigenic potential and heat survival of spore-forming bacteria isolated from bread and ingredients.

Science.gov (United States)

De Bellis, Palmira; Minervini, Fiorenza; Di Biase, Mariaelena; Valerio, Francesca; Lavermicocca, Paola; Sisto, Angelo

2015-03-16

Fifty-four spore-forming bacterial strains isolated from bread ingredients and bread, mainly belonging to the genus Bacillus (including Bacillus cereus), together with 11 reference strains were investigated to evaluate their cytotoxic potential and heat survival in order to ascertain if they could represent a risk for consumer health. Therefore, we performed a screening test of cytotoxic activity on HT-29 cells using bacterial culture filtrates after growing bacterial cells in Brain Heart Infusion medium and in the bread-based medium Bread Extract Broth (BEB). Moreover, immunoassays and PCR analyses, specifically targeting already known toxins and related genes of B. cereus, as well as a heat spore inactivation assay were carried out. Despite of strain variability, the results clearly demonstrated a high cytotoxic activity of B. cereus strains, even if for most of them it was significantly lower in BEB medium. Cytotoxic activity was also detected in 30% of strains belonging to species different from B. cereus, although, with a few exceptions (e.g. Bacillus simplex N58.2), it was low or very low. PCR analyses detected the presence of genes involved in the production of NHE, HBL or CytK toxins in B. cereus strains, while genes responsible for cereulide production were not detected. Production of NHE and HBL toxins was also confirmed by specific immunoassays only for B. cereus strains even if PCR analyses revealed the presence of related toxin genes also in some strains of other species. Viable spore count was ascertained after a heat treatment simulating the bread cooking process. Results indicated that B. amyloliquefaciens strains almost completely survived the heat treatment showing less than 2 log-cycle reductions similarly to two strains of B. cereus group III and single strains belonging to Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus mojavensis and Paenibacillus spp. Importantly, spores from strains of the B. cereus group IV exhibited a thermal resistance markedly lower than B

Prognostic value of biochemical variables for survival after surgery for metastatic bone disease of the extremities.

Science.gov (United States)

Sørensen, Michala Skovlund; Hovgaard, Thea Bechman; Hindsø, Klaus; Petersen, Michael Mørk

2017-03-01

Prediction of survival in patients having surgery for metastatic bone disease in the extremities (MBDex) has been of interest in more than two decades. Hitherto no consensus on the value of biochemical variables has been achieved. Our purpose was (1) to investigate if standard biochemical variables have independent prognostic value for survival after surgery for MBDex and (2) to identify optimal prognostic cut off values for survival of biochemical variables. In a consecutive cohort of 270 patients having surgery for MBDex, we measured preoperative biochemical variables: hemoglobin, alkaline phosphatase, C-reactive protein and absolute, neutrophil and lymphocyte count. ROC curve analyses were performed to identify optimal cut off levels. Independent prognostic factors for variables were addressed with multiple Cox regression analyses. Optimal cut off levels were identified as: hemoglobin 7.45 mmol/L, absolute lymphocyte count 8.5 × 10 9 /L, neutrophil 5.68 × 10 9 /L, lymphocyte 1.37 × 10 9 /L, C-reactive protein 22.5 mg/L, and alkaline phosphatase 129 U/L. Regression analyses found alkaline phosphatase (HR 2.49) and neutrophil count (HR 2.49) to be independent prognostic factors. We found neutrophil count and alkaline phosphatase to be independent prognostic variables in predicting survival in patients after surgery for MBDex. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Incidence, treatment, and survival patterns for sacral chordoma in the United States, 1974-2011

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esther Yu

2016-09-01

Full Text Available IntroductionSacral chordomas represent one half of all chordomas, a rare neoplasm of notochordal remnants. Current NCCN guidelines recommend surgical resection with or without adjuvant radiotherapy, or definitive radiation for unresectable cases. Recent advances in radiation for chordomas include conformal photon and proton beam radiation. We investigated incidence, treatment, and survival outcomes to observe any trends in response to improvements in surgical and radiation techniques over a near 40 year time period.Materials and Methods345 microscopically confirmed cases of sacral chordoma were identified between 1974 and 2011 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER program of the National Cancer Institute. Cases were divided into three cohorts by calendar year, 1974-1989, 1990-1999, and 2000-2011, as well as into two groups by age less than or equal to 65 versus greater than 65 to investigate trends over time and age via Chi-square analysis. Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed to determine effects of treatment on survival. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to determine predictors of overall survival.Results5-year overall survival for the entire cohort was 60.0%. Overall survival correlated significantly with treatment modality, with 44% surviving at 5 years with no treatment, 52% with radiation alone, 82% surgery alone, and 78% surgery and radiation (p<.001. Age greater than 65 was significantly associated with non-surgical management with radiation alone or no treatment (p<.001. Relatively fewer patients received radiation between 2000 and 2011 compared to prior time periods (p=.03 versus surgery, for which rates which did not vary significantly over time (p=.55. However, 5-year overall survival was not significantly different by time period. Age group and treatment modality were predictive for overall survival on multivariate analysis (p<.001. ConclusionSurgery remains an important component in the

Survival Rate of Limb Replantation in Different Age Groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Tatebe, Masahiro; Urata, Shiro; Tanaka, Kenji; Kurahashi, Toshikazu; Takeda, Shinsuke; Hirata, Hitoshi

2017-08-01

Revascularization of damaged limbs/digits is technically feasible, but indications for surgical replantation remain controversial. The authors analyzed the survival rate of upper limb amputations and the associated factors in different age groups. They grouped 371 limb/digit amputees (average age, 44 years; range, 2-85 years) treated in their hospital during the past 10 years into three groups based on age (young, ≤ 15 years, n  = 12; adult, 16-64 years, n  = 302; elderly, ≥ 65 years, n  = 57) and analyzed their injury type (extent of injury and stump status), operation method, presence of medical complications (Charlson comorbidity index), and survival rate. There were 168 replantations, and the overall replantation survival rate was 93%. The Charlson comorbidity index of the replantation patients was 0 in 124 cases; 1 in 32; 2 in 9; and 3 in 3, but it did not show any significant difference in survival rate after replantation. Eight elderly patients (14%) did not opt for replantation. Younger patients tended to undergo replantation, but they had lower success rates due to their severe injury status. The results of this study show that the survival rate of replantation in elderly patients is equal to that in adults. Stump evaluation is important for survival, but the presence of medical complications is not associated with the overall survival rate.

Artists’ Survival Rate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bille, Trine; Jensen, Søren

2017-01-01

The literature of cultural economics generally finds that an artistic education has no significant impact on artists’ income and careers in the arts. In our research, we have readdressed this question by looking at the artists’ survival in the arts occupations. The results show that an artistic...... education has a significant impact on artists’ careers in the arts and we find important industry differences....

Better Rooting Procedure to Enhance Survival Rate of Field Grown Malaysian Eksotika Papaya Transformed with 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylic Acid Oxidase Gene

Science.gov (United States)

Sekeli, Rogayah; Abdullah, Janna Ong; Namasivayam, Parameswari; Muda, Pauziah; Abu Bakar, Umi Kalsom

2013-01-01

A high survival rate for transformed papaya plants when transferred to the field is useful in the quest for improving the commercial quality traits. We report in this paper an improved rooting method for the production of transformed Malaysian Eksotika papaya with high survival rate when transferred to the field. Shoots were regenerated from embryogenic calli transformed with antisense and RNAi constructs of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase (ACO) genes using the Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation method. Regenerated transformed shoots, each measuring approximately 3-4 cm in height, were cultured in liquid half-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium or sterile distilled water, and with either perlite or vermiculite supplementation. All the culturing processes were conducted either under sterile or nonsterile condition. The results showed that rooting under sterile condition was better. Shoots cultured in half-strength MS medium supplemented with vermiculite exhibited a 92.5% rooting efficiency while perlite showed 77.5%. The survival rate of the vermiculite-grown transformed papaya plantlets after transfer into soil, contained in polybags, was 94%, and the rate after transfer into the ground was 92%. Morpho-histological analyses revealed that the tap roots were more compact, which might have contributed to the high survival rates of the plantlets. PMID:25969786

Better rooting procedure to enhance survival rate of field grown malaysian eksotika papaya transformed with 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic Acid oxidase gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Sekeli, Rogayah; Abdullah, Janna Ong; Namasivayam, Parameswari; Muda, Pauziah; Abu Bakar, Umi Kalsom

2013-01-01

A high survival rate for transformed papaya plants when transferred to the field is useful in the quest for improving the commercial quality traits. We report in this paper an improved rooting method for the production of transformed Malaysian Eksotika papaya with high survival rate when transferred to the field. Shoots were regenerated from embryogenic calli transformed with antisense and RNAi constructs of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase (ACO) genes using the Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation method. Regenerated transformed shoots, each measuring approximately 3-4 cm in height, were cultured in liquid half-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium or sterile distilled water, and with either perlite or vermiculite supplementation. All the culturing processes were conducted either under sterile or nonsterile condition. The results showed that rooting under sterile condition was better. Shoots cultured in half-strength MS medium supplemented with vermiculite exhibited a 92.5% rooting efficiency while perlite showed 77.5%. The survival rate of the vermiculite-grown transformed papaya plantlets after transfer into soil, contained in polybags, was 94%, and the rate after transfer into the ground was 92%. Morpho-histological analyses revealed that the tap roots were more compact, which might have contributed to the high survival rates of the plantlets.

A nomogram to predict the survival of stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer after surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Mao, Qixing; Xia, Wenjie; Dong, Gaochao; Chen, Shuqi; Wang, Anpeng; Jin, Guangfu; Jiang, Feng; Xu, Lin

2018-04-01

Postoperative survival of patients with stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is highly heterogeneous. Here, we aimed to identify variables associated with postoperative survival and develop a tool for survival prediction. A retrospective review was performed in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database from January 2004 to December 2009. Significant variables were selected by use of the backward stepwise method. The nomogram was constructed with multivariable Cox regression. The model's performance was evaluated by concordance index and calibration curve. The model was validated via an independent cohort from the Jiangsu Cancer Hospital Lung Cancer Center. A total of 1809 patients with stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC who underwent surgery were included in the training cohort. Age, sex, grade, histology, tumor size, visceral pleural invasion, positive lymph nodes, lymph nodes examined, and surgery type (lobectomy vs pneumonectomy) were identified as significant prognostic variables using backward stepwise method. A nomogram was developed from the training cohort and validated using an independent Chinese cohort. The concordance index of the model was 0.673 (95% confidence interval, 0.654-0.692) in training cohort and 0.664 in validation cohort (95% confidence interval, 0.614-0.714). The calibration plot showed optimal consistency between nomogram predicted survival and observed survival. Survival analyses demonstrated significant differences between different subgroups stratified by prognostic scores. This nomogram provided the individual survival prediction for patients with stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC after surgery, which might benefit survival counseling for patients and clinicians, clinical trial design and follow-up, as well as postoperative strategy-making. Copyright © 2017 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative Survival in Patients With Postresection Recurrent Versus Newly Diagnosed Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Treated With Radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cai Xuwei; Xu Luying; Wang Li; Hayman, James A.; Chang, Andrew C.; Pickens, Allan; Cease, Kemp B.; Orringer, Mark B.; Kong, F.-M.

2010-01-01

Purpose: To compare the survival of postresection recurrent vs. newly diagnosed non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. Methods and Materials: The study population consisted of 661 consecutive patients with NSCLC registered in the radiation oncology databases at two medical centers in the United States between 1992 and 2004. Of the 661 patients, 54 had postresection recurrent NSCLC and 607 had newly diagnosed NSCLC. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression models were used for the survival analyses. Results: The distribution of relevant clinical factors between these two groups was similar. The median survival time and 5-year overall survival rates were 19.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.9-25.7) and 14.8% (95% confidence interval, 5.4-24.2%) vs. 12.2 months (95% CI, 10.8-13.6) and 11.0% (95% CI, 8.5-13.5%) for recurrent vs. newly diagnosed patients, respectively (p = .037). For Stage I-III patients, no significant difference was observed in the 5-year overall survival (p = .297) or progression-free survival (p = .935) between recurrent and newly diagnosed patients. For the 46 patients with Stage I-III recurrent disease, multivariate analysis showed that chemotherapy was a significant prognostic factor for 5-year progression-free survival (hazard ratio, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.224-0.914; p = .027). Conclusion: Our institutional data have shown that patients with postresection recurrent NSCLC achieved survival comparable to that of newly diagnosed NSCLC patients when they were both treated with radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. These findings suggest that patients with postresection recurrent NSCLC should be treated as aggressively as those with newly diagnosed disease.

Metastatic breast cancer - age has a significant effect on survival ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The data on 217 elderly (aged ≥ 65 years) and 209 middleaged postmenopausal patients with metastatic breast cancer treated in the Department of Medical Oncology, University of Pretoria, from 1976 to 1985 were analysed to determine the effect of age on survival. When considered as a group, the elderly have a more ...

Prognostic and survival analysis of 837 Chinese colorectal cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Ying; Li, Mo-Dan; Hu, Han-Guang; Dong, Cai-Xia; Chen, Jia-Qi; Li, Xiao-Fen; Li, Jing-Jing; Shen, Hong

2013-05-07

To develop a prognostic model to predict survival of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Survival data of 837 CRC patients undergoing surgery between 1996 and 2006 were collected and analyzed by univariate analysis and Cox proportional hazard regression model to reveal the prognostic factors for CRC. All data were recorded using a standard data form and analyzed using SPSS version 18.0 (SPSS, Chicago, IL, United States). Survival curves were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. The log rank test was used to assess differences in survival. Univariate hazard ratios and significant and independent predictors of disease-specific survival and were identified by Cox proportional hazard analysis. The stepwise procedure was set to a threshold of 0.05. Statistical significance was defined as P analysis suggested age, preoperative obstruction, serum carcinoembryonic antigen level at diagnosis, status of resection, tumor size, histological grade, pathological type, lymphovascular invasion, invasion of adjacent organs, and tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging were positive prognostic factors (P analysis showed a significant statistical difference in 3-year survival among these groups: LNR1, 73%; LNR2, 55%; and LNR3, 42% (P analysis results showed that histological grade, depth of bowel wall invasion, and number of metastatic lymph nodes were the most important prognostic factors for CRC if we did not consider the interaction of the TNM staging system (P < 0.05). When the TNM staging was taken into account, histological grade lost its statistical significance, while the specific TNM staging system showed a statistically significant difference (P < 0.0001). The overall survival of CRC patients has improved between 1996 and 2006. LNR is a powerful factor for estimating the survival of stage III CRC patients.

Incorporating movement patterns to improve survival estimates for juvenile bull trout

Science.gov (United States)

Bowerman, Tracy; Budy, Phaedra

2012-01-01

Populations of many fish species are sensitive to changes in vital rates during early life stages, but our understanding of the factors affecting growth, survival, and movement patterns is often extremely limited for juvenile fish. These critical information gaps are particularly evident for bull trout Salvelinus confluentus, a threatened Pacific Northwest char. We combined several active and passive mark–recapture and resight techniques to assess migration rates and estimate survival for juvenile bull trout (70–170 mm total length). We evaluated the relative performance of multiple survival estimation techniques by comparing results from a common Cormack–Jolly–Seber (CJS) model, the less widely used Barker model, and a simple return rate (an index of survival). Juvenile bull trout of all sizes emigrated from their natal habitat throughout the year, and thereafter migrated up to 50 km downstream. With the CJS model, high emigration rates led to an extreme underestimate of apparent survival, a combined estimate of site fidelity and survival. In contrast, the Barker model, which allows survival and emigration to be modeled as separate parameters, produced estimates of survival that were much less biased than the return rate. Estimates of age-class-specific annual survival from the Barker model based on all available data were 0.218±0.028 (estimate±SE) for age-1 bull trout and 0.231±0.065 for age-2 bull trout. This research demonstrates the importance of incorporating movement patterns into survival analyses, and we provide one of the first field-based estimates of juvenile bull trout annual survival in relatively pristine rearing conditions. These estimates can provide a baseline for comparison with future studies in more impacted systems and will help managers develop reliable stage-structured population models to evaluate future recovery strategies.

Disparities in survival after Hodgkin lymphoma: a population-based study

Science.gov (United States)

Keegan, Theresa H.M.; Clarke, Christina A.; Chang, Ellen T.; Shema, Sarah J.; Glaser, Sally L.

2009-01-01

Survival after Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is generally favorable, but may vary by patient demographic characteristics. The authors examined HL survival according to race/ethnicity and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES), determined from residential census block group at diagnosis. For 12,492 classical HL patients ≥15 years diagnosed in California during 1988-2006 and followed through 2007, we determined risk of overall and HL-specific death using Cox proportional hazards regression; analyses were stratified by age and Ann Arbor stage. Irrespective of disease stage, patients with lower neighborhood SES had worse overall and HL-specific survival than patients with higher SES. Patients with the lowest quintile of neighborhood SES had a 64% (patients aged 15-44 years) and 36% (≥45 years) increased risk of HL-death compared to patients with the highest quintile of SES; SES results were similar for overall survival. Even after adjustment for neighborhood SES, blacks and Hispanics had increased risks of HL-death 74% and 43% (15-44 years) and 40% and 17% (≥45 years), respectively, higher than white patients. The racial/ethnic differences in survival were evident for all stages of disease. These data provide evidence for substantial, and probably remediable, racial/ethnic and neighborhood SES disparities in HL outcomes. PMID:19557531

Survival After Palliative Radiotherapy in Patients with Breast Cancer and Bone-only Metastases.

Science.gov (United States)

Nieder, Carsten; Dalhaug, Astrid; Pawinski, Adam; Mannsåker, Bård; Haukland, Ellinor

Patients with bone-only metastases survive longer than patients with widespread visceral disease. We analyzed the prognostic impact of different baseline parameters, such as abnormal blood tests and receptor status in patients who received local radiotherapy, in addition to contemporary systemic treatment, according to national guidelines. Retrospective uni- and multivariate analyses of 57 consecutive female patients treated in the time period 2007-2014 (median follow-up=29 months). The median age was 59 years and the median time interval from the initial diagnosis of breast cancer was 57 months. The median survival was 23 months from radiotherapy and 32 months from initial diagnosis of metastatic disease. Five-year survival rates were 13 and 21%, respectively. Survival after radiotherapy was significantly longer in patients who were prescribed higher radiation doses; 29 months after ≥30 Gy and 10 months after radiotherapy improves survival in patients with bone-only disease suitable for local therapy. Copyright © 2016 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

Association of MTHFR gene polymorphisms with breast cancer survival

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, Damali N; Boersma, Brenda J; Howe, Tiffany M; Goodman, Julie E; Mechanic, Leah E; Chanock, Stephen J; Ambs, Stefan

2006-01-01

Two functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, C677T and A1298C, lead to decreased enzyme activity and affect chemosensitivity of tumor cells. We investigated whether these MTHFR SNPs were associated with breast cancer survival in African-American and Caucasian women. African-American (n = 143) and Caucasian (n = 105) women, who had incident breast cancer with surgery, were recruited between 1993 and 2003 from the greater Baltimore area, Maryland, USA. Kaplan-Meier survival and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between MTHFR SNPs and disease-specific survival. We observed opposite effects of the MTHFR polymorphisms A1298C and C677T on breast cancer survival. Carriers of the variant allele at codon 1298 (A/C or C/C) had reduced survival when compared to homozygous carriers of the common A allele [Hazard ratio (HR) = 2.05; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.05–4.00]. In contrast, breast cancer patients with the variant allele at codon 677 (C/T or T/T) had improved survival, albeit not statistically significant, when compared to individuals with the common C/C genotype (HR = 0.65; 95% CI, 0.31–1.35). The effects were stronger in patients with estrogen receptor-negative tumors (HR = 2.70; 95% CI, 1.17–6.23 for A/C or C/C versus A/A at codon 1298; HR = 0.36; 95% CI, 0.12–1.04 for C/T or T/T versus C/C at codon 677). Interactions between the two MTHFR genotypes and race/ethnicity on breast cancer survival were also observed (A1298C, p interaction = 0.088; C677T, p interaction = 0.026). We found that the MTHFR SNPs, C677T and A1298C, were associated with breast cancer survival. The variant alleles had opposite effects on disease outcome in the study population. Race/ethnicity modified the association between the two SNPs and breast cancer survival

Directly Converted Human Fibroblasts Mature to Neurons and Show Long-Term Survival in Adult Rodent Hippocampus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalia Avaliani

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Direct conversion of human somatic cells to induced neurons (iNs, using lineage-specific transcription factors has opened new opportunities for cell therapy in a number of neurological diseases, including epilepsy. In most severe cases of epilepsy, seizures often originate in the hippocampus, where populations of inhibitory interneurons degenerate. Thus, iNs could be of potential use to replace these lost interneurons. It is not known, however, if iNs survive and maintain functional neuronal properties for prolonged time periods in in vivo. We transplanted human fibroblast-derived iNs into the adult rat hippocampus and observed a progressive morphological differentiation, with more developed dendritic arborisation at six months as compared to one month. This was accompanied by mature electrophysiological properties and fast high amplitude action potentials at six months after transplantation. This proof-of-principle study suggests that human iNs can be developed as a candidate source for cell replacement therapy in temporal lobe epilepsy.

Effect of bystander CPR initiation prior to the emergency call on ROSC and 30day survival-An evaluation of 548 emergency calls.

Science.gov (United States)

Viereck, Søren; Palsgaard Møller, Thea; Kjær Ersbøll, Annette; Folke, Fredrik; Lippert, Freddy

2017-02-01

This study aimed at evaluating if time for initiation of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) - prior to the emergency call (CPR prior ) versus during the emergency call following dispatcher-assisted CPR (CPR during ) - was associated with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and 30-day survival. The secondary aim was to identify predictors of CPR prior . This observational study evaluated out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) occurring in the Capital Region of Denmark from 01.01.2013 to 31.12.2013. OHCAs were linked to emergency medical dispatch centre records and corresponding emergency calls were evaluated. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were applied to evaluate the association between time for initiation of bystander CPR, ROSC, and 30-day survival. Univariable logistic regression analyses were applied to identify predictors of CPR prior . The study included 548 emergency calls for OHCA patients receiving bystander CPR, 34.9% (n=191) in the CPR prior group and 65.1% (n=357) in the CPR during group. Multivariable analyses showed no difference in ROSC (OR=0.88, 95% CI: 0.56-1.38) or 30-day survival (OR=1.14, 95% CI: 0.68-1.92) between CPR prior and CPR during . Predictors positively associated with CPR prior included witnessed OHCA and healthcare professional bystanders. Predictors negatively associated with CPR prior included residential location, solitary bystanders, and bystanders related to the patient. The majority of bystander CPR (65%) was initiated during the emergency call, following dispatcher-assisted CPR instructions. Whether bystander CPR was initiated prior to emergency call versus during the emergency call following dispatcher-assisted CPR was not associated with ROSC or 30-day survival. Dispatcher-assisted CPR was especially beneficial for the initiation of bystander CPR in residential areas. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Impact of socioeconomic status on survival of colorectal cancer patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qian; Wang, Yufu; Hu, Hanqing; Huang, Rui; Xie, Lei; Liu, Enrui; Chen, Ying-Gang; Wang, Guiyu; Wang, Xishan

2017-12-01

Socioeconomic status (SES) has an impact on the survival of various cancers, but it has not been fully understood in colorectal cancer (CRC). The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database was adopted to detect the role of SES in the survival outcomes of CRC. A total of 184,322 eligible patients were included and SES status was analyzed. The multivariable analysis showed that Non-Hispanic Black (HR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.15-1.24), being widowed (HR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.07), any Medicaid (HR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.33-1.39) and the lowest education level group patients had relative poorer prognosis. Besides, sex, tumor location, age, differentiation level and American Joint Committee on Cancer stage also had significant effects on overall survival of CRC. The individuals were further divided into five groups according to the number of survival-adverse factors. All of the four groups containing adverse factors showed impaired survival outcomes compared with the group containing no adverse factor.

Proteomic analysis reveals the mechanisms of Mycena dendrobii promoting transplantation survival and growth of tissue culture seedlings of Dendrobium officinale.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, X B; Ma, X Y; Lei, H H; Song, H M; Ying, Q C; Xu, M J; Liu, S B; Wang, H Z

2015-06-01

Dendrobium officinale is an important traditional Chinese medicinal herb. Its seedlings generally show low survival and growth when transferred from in vitro tissue culture to a greenhouse or field environment. In this study, the effect of Mycena dendrobii on the survival and growth of D. officinale tissue culture seedlings and the mechanisms involved was explored. Mycena dendrobii were applied underneath the roots of D. officinale tissue culture seedlings. The seedling survival and growth were analysed. The root proteins induced by M. dendrobii were identified using two-dimensional (2-D) electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight MS (MALDI-TOF-MS). Mycena dendrobii treatment significantly enhanced survival and growth of D. officinale seedlings. Forty-one proteins induced by M. dendrobii were identified. Among them, 10 were involved in defence and stress response, two were involved in the formation of root or mycorrhizae, and three were related to the biosynthesis of bioactive constituents. These results suggest that enhancing stress tolerance and promoting new root formation induced by M. dendrobii may improve the survival and growth of D. officinale tissue culture seedlings. This study provides a foundation for future use of M. dendrobii in the large-scale cultivation of Dendrobiums. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Recognising out-of-hospital cardiac arrest during emergency calls increases bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation and survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Viereck, Søren; Møller, Thea Palsgaard; Ersbøll, Annette Kjær; Bækgaard, Josefine Stokholm; Claesson, Andreas; Hollenberg, Jacob; Folke, Fredrik; Lippert, Freddy K

2017-06-01

Initiation of early bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) depends on bystanders' or medical dispatchers' recognition of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The primary aim of our study was to investigate if OHCA recognition during the emergency call was associated with bystander CPR, return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), and 30-day survival. Our secondary aim was to identify patient-, setting-, and dispatcher-related predictors of OHCA recognition. We performed an observational study of all OHCA patients' emergency calls in the Capital Region of Denmark from 01/01/2013-31/12/2013. OHCAs were collected from the Danish Cardiac Arrest Registry and the Mobile Critical Care Unit database. Emergency call recordings were identified and evaluated. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were applied to all OHCAs and witnessed OHCAs only to analyse the association between OHCA recognition and bystander CPR, ROSC, and 30-day survival. Univariable logistic regression analyses were applied to identify predictors of OHCA recognition. We included 779 emergency calls in the analyses. During the emergency calls, 70.1% (n=534) of OHCAs were recognised; OHCA recognition was positively associated with bystander CPR (odds ratio [OR]=7.84, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 5.10-12.05) in all OHCAs; and ROSC (OR=1.86, 95% CI: 1.13-3.06) and 30-day survival (OR=2.80, 95% CI: 1.58-4.96) in witnessed OHCA. Predictors of OHCA recognition were addressing breathing (OR=1.76, 95% CI: 1.17-2.66) and callers located by the patient's side (OR=2.16, 95% CI: 1.46-3.19). Recognition of OHCA during emergency calls was positively associated with the provision of bystander CPR, ROSC, and 30-day survival in witnessed OHCA. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vibrio harveyi effect under survival of Litopenaeus vannamei larvae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriel Aguirre-Guzmán

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The culture of aquatic organisms show a high relevance in the human feeding and the culture activities can create artificial conditions that increase the growth and selection of specific bacteria. Vibrio species are normal bacteria’s from microflora of penaeid shrimp, those are opportunistic pathogens that can take advantage of the ecological changes generated for the culture of aquatic organisms and which may cause diseases, low survival and economic losses in the shrimp production. The aim of this research was to determine the variation in the survival of different larval substages (nauplius, zoea I-III, mysis I-III and postlarvae 1, of Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei exposed at three doses [103 , 105 , and 107 colony-forming unit (CFU ml-1 [ of V. harveyi, by immersion (30 min as infection method. This species generated a significant low survival in larvae (p < 0.05 only in high doses (105 and 107 CFU ml-1 , where higher doses show the lowest values of survival. Larval substages and postlarvae 1 of shrimp showed sensitivity associate to the increase of Vibrio doses and this sensitivity decreased with the growth of larval substages and postlarvae 1. This information has high significance for the fisheries and aquaculture industry, which help to generate strategies to reduce the effects of V. harveyi with positive effect in growth and survival of the shrimp larvae and postlarvae 1.

Continuous and split-course radiotherapy in locally advanced carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Analyses of local control, distant metastases, crude survival, early and late morbidity and prognostic factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pedersen, D.E.

1994-01-01

From 1974 to 1984, 442 consecutive patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix were referred for combined intracavitary (IRT) and external radiotherapy (ERT). Dose prescriptions were performed based on the points A and B of the Manchester system. From 1978 the treatment strategy was changed from continuous (CRT) to split course radiotherapy (SCRT) with a higher total dose to point B, a lower dose to point A from the IRT, and a longer total treatment time (TTT). The purpose of the present thesis is: To evaluate local tumour control, distant metastases, survival and complications in the rectosigmoid and bladder in relation to treatment strategy (continuous and split course radiotherapy). To evaluate prognostic factors and importance of treatment strategy for local control, distant metastases, and survival by uni- and multivariate analyses. To develop a classification system (AADK, Aarhus, Denmark) for the recording of early and late radiation complications allowing and estimation of the importance of latency when reporting late radiotherapeutic morbidity and a rescoring of complication grade, and to compare results from AADK with those from the French-Italian glossary recording the maximal damage. To evaluate early and late radiotherapeutic morbidity and the importance of latency by comparing frequencies and actuarial estimates of late complications, to estimate the combined late organ morbidity and the probability of being alive, cured and without serious complications. (EG) (61 refs.)

The Value of Serum NR2 Antibody in Prediction of Post-Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Survival

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ali Bidari

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Introduction: N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunits antibody (NR2-ab is a sensitive marker of ischemic brain damage in clinical circumstances, such as cerebrovascular accidents. We aimed to assess the value of serum NR2-ab in predicting the post-cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR survival. Methods: In this cohort study, we examined serum NR2-ab levels 1 hour after the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC in 49 successfully resuscitated patients. Patients with traumatic or asphyxic arrests, prior neurological insults, or major medical illnesses were excluded. Participants were followed until death or hospital discharge. Demographic data, coronary artery disease risk factors, time before initiation of CPR, and CPR duration were documented.  In addition, Glasgow coma scale (GCS, blood pressure, and survival status of patients were recorded at 1, 6, 24, and 72 hour(s after ROSC. Descriptive analyses were performed, and the Cox proportional hazard model was applied to assess if NR2-ab level is an independent predictive factor of survival. Results: 49 successfully resuscitated patients were evaluated; 27 (55% survived to hospital discharge, 4 (8.1% were in vegetative state, 10 (20.4% were physically disabled, and 13 (26.5% were physically functional. Within 72 hours of ROSC all of the 12 NR2-ab positive patients died. In contrast, 31 (84% of the NR2-ab negative patients survived. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios of NR2-ab in prediction of survival were 54.5% (95%CI=32.7%-74.9%, 100% (95%CI=84.5%-100%, infinite, and 45.5% (95%CI=28.8%-71.8%, respectively. Subsequent analysis showed that both NR2-ab status and GCS were independent risk factors of death. Conclusions: A positive NR2-ab serum test 1 hour after ROSC correlated with lower 72-hour survival. Further studies are required to validate this finding and demonstrate the value of a quantitative NR2-ab assay and its optimal time of measurement.

Ovarian cancer survival population differences: a "high resolution study" comparing Philippine residents, and Filipino-Americans and Caucasians living in the US.

Science.gov (United States)

Redaniel, Maria Theresa M; Laudico, Adriano; Mirasol-Lumague, Maria Rica; Gondos, Adam; Uy, Gemma Leonora; Toral, Jean Ann; Benavides, Doris; Brenner, Hermann

2009-09-24

In contrast to most other forms of cancer, data from some developing and developed countries show surprisingly similar survival rates for ovarian cancer. We aimed to compare ovarian cancer survival in Philippine residents, Filipino-Americans and Caucasians living in the US, using a high resolution approach, taking potential differences in prognostic factors into account. Using databases from the SEER 13 and from the Manila and Rizal Cancer Registries, age-adjusted five-year absolute and relative survival estimates were computed using the period analysis method and compared between Filipino-American ovarian cancer patients with cancer patients from the Philippines and Caucasians in the US. Cox proportional hazards modelling was used to determine factors affecting survival differences. Despite more favorable distribution of age and cancer morphology and similar stage distribution, 5-year absolute and relative survival were lower in Philippine residents (Absolute survival, AS, 44%, Standard Error, SE, 2.9 and Relative survival, RS, 49.7%, SE, 3.7) than in Filipino-Americans (AS, 51.3%, SE, 3.1 and RS, 54.1%, SE, 3.4). After adjustment for these and additional covariates, strong excess risk of death for Philippine residents was found (Relative Risk, RR, 2.45, 95% confidence interval, 95% CI, 1.99-3.01). In contrast, no significant differences were found between Filipino-Americans and Caucasians living in the US. Multivariate analyses disclosed strong survival disadvantages of Philippine residents compared to Filipino-American patients, for which differences in access to health care might have played an important role. Survival is no worse among Filipino-Americans than among Caucasians living in the US.

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy prolongs the survival of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma compared with conventional two-dimensional radiotherapy: A 10-year experience with a large cohort and long follow-up.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Meng-Xia; Li, Jing; Shen, Guo-Ping; Zou, Xiong; Xu, Jun-Jie; Jiang, Rou; You, Rui; Hua, Yi-Jun; Sun, Ying; Ma, Jun; Hong, Ming-Huang; Chen, Ming-Yuan

2015-11-01

To evaluate the survival benefit of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) compared with conventional two-dimensional radiotherapy (2D-CRT) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) using a large cohort with long follow-up. We retrospectively analysed 7081 non-metastatic NPC patients who received curative IMRT or 2D-CRT from February 2002 to December 2011. Of the 7081 patients, 2245 (31.7%) were administered IMRT, while 4836 (68.3%) were administered 2D-CRT. At 5 years, the patients administered IMRT had significantly higher local relapse-free survival (LRFS), loco-regional relapse-free survival (LRRFS), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) (95.6%, 92.5%, 82.1% and 87.4%, respectively) than those administered 2D-CRT (90.8%, 88.5%, 76.7% and 84.5%, respectively; p<0.001). The distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) was higher for IMRT than 2D-CRT, with borderline significance (87.6% and 85.7%, respectively; p=0.056). However, no difference was observed between IMRT and 2D-CRT in nodal relapse-free survival (NRFS; 96.3% and 97.4%, respectively; p=0.217). Multivariate analyses showed that IMRT was an independent protective prognostic factor for LRFS, LRRFS and PFS, but not NRFS, DMFS or OS. IMRT provided an improved LRFS, LRRFS and PFS in both the early and advanced T classifications and overall stage for non-disseminated NPC compared with 2D-CRT. However, no significant advantage was observed in NRFS, DMFS or OS when IMRT was used. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adult survival and population growth rate in Colorado big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus)

Science.gov (United States)

O'Shea, T.J.; Ellison, L.E.; Stanley, T.R.

2011-01-01

We studied adult survival and population growth at multiple maternity colonies of big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) in Fort Collins, Colorado. We investigated hypotheses about survival using information-theoretic methods and mark-recapture analyses based on passive detection of adult females tagged with passive integrated transponders. We constructed a 3-stage life-history matrix model to estimate population growth rate (??) and assessed the relative importance of adult survival and other life-history parameters to population growth through elasticity and sensitivity analysis. Annual adult survival at 5 maternity colonies monitored from 2001 to 2005 was estimated at 0.79 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 0.77-0.82). Adult survival varied by year and roost, with low survival during an extreme drought year, a finding with negative implications for bat populations because of the likelihood of increasing drought in western North America due to global climate change. Adult survival during winter was higher than in summer, and mean life expectancies calculated from survival estimates were lower than maximum longevity records. We modeled adult survival with recruitment parameter estimates from the same population. The study population was growing (?? = 1.096; 95% CI = 1.057-1.135). Adult survival was the most important demographic parameter for population growth. Growth clearly had the highest elasticity to adult survival, followed by juvenile survival and adult fecundity (approximately equivalent in rank). Elasticity was lowest for fecundity of yearlings. The relative importances of the various life-history parameters for population growth rate are similar to those of large mammals. ?? 2011 American Society of Mammalogists.

Marital status and survival in patients with rectal cancer: An analysis of the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xiangyang; Cao, Weilan; Zheng, Chenguo; Hu, Wanle; Liu, Changbao

2018-06-01

Marital status has been validated as an independent prognostic factor for survival in several cancer types, but is controversial in rectal cancer (RC). The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of marital status on the survival outcomes of patients with RC. We extracted data of 27,498 eligible patients diagnosed with RC between 2004 and 2009 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. Patients were categorized into married, never married, divorced/separated and widowed groups.We used Chi-square tests to compare characteristics of patients with different marital status.Rectal cancer specific survival was compared using the Kaplan-Meier method,and multivariate Cox regression analyses was used to analyze the survival outcome risk factors in different marital status. The widowed group had the highest percentage of elderly patients and women,higher proportion of adenocarcinomas, and more stage I/II in tumor stage (P married group (76.7% VS 85.4%). Compared with the married patients, the never married (HR 1.40), widowed (HR 1.61,) and divorced/separated patients (HR 1.16) had an increased overall 5-year mortality. A further analysis showed that widowed patients had an increased overall 5-year cause-specific survival(CSS) compared with married patients at stage I(HR 1.92),stage II (HR 1.65),stage III (HR 1.73),and stage IV (HR 1.38). Our study showed marriage was associated with better outcomes of RC patients, but unmarried RC patients, especially widowed patients,are at greater risk of cancer specific mortality. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coding variants in NOD-like receptors: An association study on risk and survival of colorectal cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Huhn, Stefanie; da Silva Filho, Miguel I; Sanmuganantham, Tharmila; Pichulik, Tica; Catalano, Calogerina; Pardini, Barbara; Naccarati, Alessio; Polakova-Vymetálkova, Veronika; Jiraskova, Katerina; Vodickova, Ludmila; Vodicka, Pavel; Löffler, Markus W; Courth, Lioba; Wehkamp, Jan; Din, Farhat V N; Timofeeva, Maria; Farrington, Susan M; Jansen, Lina; Hemminki, Kari; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Brenner, Hermann; Hoffmeister, Michael; Dunlop, Malcolm G; Weber, Alexander N R; Försti, Asta

2018-01-01

Nod-like receptors (NLRs) are important innate pattern recognition receptors and regulators of inflammation or play a role during development. We systematically analysed 41 non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 21 NLR genes in a Czech discovery cohort of sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC) (1237 cases, 787 controls) for their association with CRC risk and survival. Five SNPs were found to be associated with CRC risk and eight with survival at 5% significance level. In a replication analysis using data of two large genome-wide association studies (GWASs) from Germany (DACHS: 1798 cases and 1810 controls) and Scotland (2210 cases and 9350 controls) the associations found in the Czech discovery set were not confirmed. However, expression analysis in human gut-related tissues and immune cells revealed that the NLRs associated with CRC risk or survival in the discovery set were expressed in primary human colon or rectum cells, CRC tissue and/or cell lines, providing preliminary evidence for a potential involvement of NLRs in general in CRC development and/or progression. Most interesting was the finding that the enigmatic development-related NLRP5 (also known as MATER) was not expressed in normal colon tissue but in colon cancer tissue and cell lines. Future studies may show whether regulatory variants instead of coding variants might affect the expression of NLRs and contribute to CRC risk and survival.

Survival and movement of the Congo forest mouse (Deomys ferrugineus): a comparison of primary rainforest and fallow land in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kennis, John; Laurent, Crespin; Amundala, Nicaise Drazo

2012-01-01

of habitat on rodent life history both in primary rainforest and fallow land. Survival analyses taking into account trap-happiness effects were conducted using the program MARK. Abundance of D. ferrugineus was generally low within all our study grids, but it was lowest in fallow land compared to primary...... rainforest. Numbers of reproductively active females captured were not different between habitats but were larger during the rainy seasons. Daily movements of females, but not of males, were smaller in fallow land. Capture-mark-recapture analyses showed recapture probabilities to vary highly between grids...

Colorectal cancers detected through screening are associated with lower stages and improved survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindebjerg, Jan; Osler, Merete; Bisgaard, Claus Hedebo

2014-01-01

in the feasibility study cohort were reviewed with respect to the effect of screening participation on stages and survival. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All cases of CRC in a feasibility study cohort diagnosed from the beginning of the study until two years after the study ended were identified. Differences...... in the distribution of colon cancer stages and rectal cancer groups between the various screening categories were analysed through χ(2)-tests. Survival analysis with respect to screening groups was done by Kaplan-Meier and Cox-Mantel hazard ratios, and survival was corrected for lead time. RESULTS: Colon cancers...... detected through screening were diagnosed at significantly lower stages than among screening non-responders. There were relatively fewer locally advanced rectal cancers among patients diagnosed through positive FOBT than among non-responders. Survival among screening cancer patients was superior...

Juvenile survival in a tropical population of roseate terns: Interannual variation and effect of tick parasitism

Science.gov (United States)

Monticelli, David; Ramos, Jaime A.; Hines, James E.; Nichols, James D.; Spendelow, Jeffrey A.

2008-01-01

Many demographic studies on long-lived seabirds have focused on the estimation of adult survival, but much less is known about survival during the early years of life, especially in tropical species. We report analyses of a capture–recapture dataset of 685 roseate terns ringed as fledglings and adults between 1998 and 2005 on Aride Island, Seychelles, and recaptured/resighted at the same colony site over a 5 yr (2002 to 2006) period. A multistate model was used to estimate survival for different age classes, including juvenile (first-year) birds returning as non-breeding prospectors. The effect of infestation by parasites (ticks) on survival was also examined. Overall, the estimated return of first-year individuals to the natal colony was very variable, ranging from 2 to 22%. Conditioned on survival, the probability of returning from Age 2 yr onwards increased to 70%. Survival rates were best modeled as time-specific, with estimates varying from 0.02 to 1.00 (mean 0.69) in first-year birds with a marked negative effect of tick infestation. In older birds (minimum age of 2 yr), the annual estimates fell between 0.69 and 0.86 (mean 0.77). Using a components of variance approach for estimation of year-to-year variation, we found high temporal variability for first-year individuals (coefficient of variation [CV] = 65%) compared to much less variation in the survival rate of older birds (CV = 9%). These findings agree with the life-history prediction that demographic rates of juveniles are usually lower and more variable than those of older individuals. Our results are also consistent with the predicted negative effect of tick parasitism on juvenile survival. Compared with data from other roseate tern populations, survival over the first 2 yr (Age 0 to 2 yr) was 18 to 40% higher in this study, suggesting that a high ‘young’ survival rate may be an important demographic trait in this tropical population to compensate for the low annual reproductive success. Our

Rainbow trout surviving infections of viral haemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) show lasting antibodies to recombinant G protein fragments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Encinas, P.; Gomez-Casado, E.; Grandes, Fregeneda

2011-01-01

sera from trout infected with the homologous VHSV isolate but also with the VHSV-DK-201433 heterologous isolate, which had 13 amino acid changes. Sera from healthy trout and/or from trout surviving infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) infection, were used to calculate cut-off absorbances...... refinements of the frg-ELISA could allow detection of anti-VHSV trout Abs in natural outbreaks caused by different heterologous VHSV isolates. The homologous frg-ELISA method could be useful to follow G immunization attempts during vaccine development and/or to best understand the fish Ab response during VHSV...... infections. The viral frgs approach might also be used with other fish species and/or viruses....

Better midterm survival in women after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Takagi, Hisato; Umemoto, Takuya

2017-08-01

In previous meta-analyses demonstrating better midterm overall survival in women undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), unadjusted risk and odds ratios were combined. To determine whether female gender is independently associated with better survival after TAVI, we performed a meta-analysis pooling adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) based on multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression. MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched through September 2015 using PubMed and OVID. Studies considered for inclusion met the following criteria: the study population was patients undergoing TAVI; and main outcomes included midterm (mean or median ≥6 months) overall survival or all-cause mortality in women and men. An unadjusted and/or adjusted HR of all-cause mortality for women versus men was abstracted from each individual study. Of 1347 potentially relevant articles screened initially, 16 reports of eligible studies were identified and included. A primary meta-analysis of the 9 adjusted HRs demonstrated a significantly better midterm overall survival in women than men (N.=6891; HR=0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.65 to 0.97; P=0.03). A secondary meta-analysis adding 5 statistically non-significant unadjusted HR also indicated better survival in women (N.=8645; HR=0.83; 95% CI: 0.72 to 0.96; P=0.01). Although statistical tests for the primary meta-analysis revealed funnel plot asymmetry in favor of women, the secondary meta-analysis produced a symmetrical funnel plot. Female gender may be independently associated with better midterm overall survival after TAVI.

The influence of marital status on the stage at diagnosis, treatment, and survival of adult patients with gastric cancer: a population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jieyun; Gan, Lu; Wu, Zhenhua; Yan, Shican; Liu, Xiyu; Guo, Weijian

2017-04-04

Marital status was reported as a prognostic factor in many cancers. However, its role in gastric cancer (GC) hasn't been thoroughly explored. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of marital status on survival, stage, treatment, and survival in subgroups. We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database and identified 16910 GC patients. These patients were categorized into married (58.44%) and unmarred (41.56%) groups. Pearson chi-square, Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney, Log-rank, multivariate Cox regression, univariate and multivariate binomial or multinomial logistic regression analysis were used in our analysis. Subgroup analyses of married versus unmarried patients were summarized in a forest plot. Married patients had better 5-year overall survival (OS) (32.09% VS 24.61%, PVS 32.79%, Punmarried ones. Then we studied several underlying mechanisms. Firstly, married patients weren't in earlier stage at diagnosis (P=0.159). Secondly, married patients were more likely to receive surgery (P unmarried. Thirdly, in subgroup analyses, married patients still had survival advantage in subgroups with stage II-IV and no radiotherapy. These results showed that marital status was an independently prognostic factor for both OS and CSS in GC patients. Undertreatment and lack of social support in unmarried patients were potential explanations. With the knowledge of heterogeneous effects of marriage in subgroups, we can target unmarried patients with better social support, especially who are diagnosed at late stage and undergo no treatment.

Candida albicans survival and biofilm formation under starvation conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Ning, Y; Hu, X; Ling, J; Du, Y; Liu, J; Liu, H; Peng, Z

2013-01-01

To investigate the survival and biofilm formation capacity of Candida albicans in starvation and under anaerobic conditions. Candida albicans growth and survival were monitored in vitro for up to 8 months. Fungal suspensions from late exponential, stationary and starvation phases were incubated on human dentine, polystyrene and glass slides. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the process of biofilm formation. 2,3-bis(2-Methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxyanilide inner salt (XTT) reduction assay was performed to quantify the biofilm formation capability, and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to study and make semi-quantitative comparisons of the ultrastructure of biofilms formed on human dentine. 'XTT bioactivity' and 'COMSTAT results' were analysed by two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and one-way ANOVA, respectively. Candida albicans survived for over six months. SEM demonstrated that starving C. albicans produced mature biofilms on different substrata. C. albicans of the same growth phase incubated on human dentine displayed significantly higher biofilm formation capability than on polystyrene or glass slides (P roughness coefficient and surface/volume ratio (P < 0.05). Candida albicans cells can survive and form biofilms in anaerobic and nutrient-limited conditions and may pose a treatment challenge. © 2012 International Endodontic Journal.

survival of primary cemented total hip arthroplasties in east africa

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2017-09-11

Sep 11, 2017 ... In addition, patients who had not returned for follow-up in the last 12 months were contacted by phone and/or mail. A wide variety of cemented and non- cemented implants were used. End points of the implant were revision or removal for any reason. Survival was analysed by the use of Kaplan Meir tables.

Shuttle Walking Test as Predictor of Survival in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients Enrolled in a Rehabilitation Program

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ringbæk, Thomas; Martinez, Gerd; Brøndum, Eva

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND: The Incremental Shuttle Walking Test (ISWT) is used to assess exercise capacity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is employed as an outcome measure for pulmonary rehabilitation. We studied the value of this test in predicting survival in COPD patients enrolled...... in a rehabilitation program. METHODS: A total of 416 patients performed an ISWT before entering a 7-week outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation program. Their survival was observed over a mean period of 4.5 years (range = 1.2-7.2 years). RESULTS: During the observation period, 169 (40.6%) patients died. Univariate...... analyses showed that the ISWT as well as age, gender, present and previous tobacco smoking, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, body mass index, oxygen saturation at rest, long-term oxygen therapy, Medical Research Council dyspnea score, and treatment with oral corticosteroids were significantly...

Multinational Companies, Technology Spillovers, and Plant Survival

OpenAIRE

Holger Görg; Eric Strobl

2003-01-01

This paper examines the effect of the presence of multinational companies on plant survival in the host country. We postulate that multinational companies can impact positively on plant survival through technology spillovers. We study the nature of the effect of multinationals using a Cox proportional hazard model which we estimate using plant level data for Irish manufacturing industries. Our results show that the presence of multinationals has a life enhancing effect only on indigenous plan...

Light-promoted rhodopsin expression and starvation survival in the marine dinoflagellate Oxyrrhis marina.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhiling Guo

Full Text Available The discovery of microbial rhodopsins in marine proteobacteria changed the dogma that photosynthesis is the only pathway to use the solar energy for biological utilization in the marine environment. Although homologs of these rhodopsins have been identified in dinoflagellates, the diversity of the encoding genes and their physiological roles remain unexplored. As an initial step toward addressing the gap, we conducted high-throughput transcriptome sequencing on Oxyrrhis marina to retrieve rhodopsin transcripts, rapid amplification of cDNA ends to isolate full-length cDNAs of dominant representatives, and quantitative reverse-transcription PCR to investigate their expression under varying conditions. Our phylogenetic analyses showed that O. marina contained both the proton-pumping type (PR and sensory type (SR rhodopsins, and the transcriptome data showed that the PR type dominated over the SR type. We compared rhodopsin gene expression for cultures kept under light: dark cycle and continuous darkness in a time course of 24 days without feeding. Although both types of rhodopsin were expressed under the two conditions, the expression levels of PR were much higher than SR, consistent with the transcriptomic data. Furthermore, relative to cultures kept in the dark, rhodopsin expression levels and cell survival rate were both higher in cultures grown in the light. This is the first report of light-dependent promotion of starvation survival and concomitant promotion of PR expression in a eukaryote. While direct evidence needs to come from functional test on rhodopsins in vitro or gene knockout/knockdown experiments, our results suggest that the proton-pumping rhodopsin might be responsible for the light-enhanced survival of O. marina, as previously demonstrated in bacteria.

Dairy shows different associations with abdominal and BMI-defined overweight: Cross-sectional analyses exploring a variety of dairy products.

Science.gov (United States)

Brouwer-Brolsma, E M; Sluik, D; Singh-Povel, C M; Feskens, E J M

2018-05-01

Previous studies have suggested weight-regulatory properties for several dairy nutrients, but population-based studies on dairy and body weight are inconclusive. We explored cross-sectional associations between dairy consumption and indicators of overweight. We included 114,682 Dutch adults, aged ≥18 years. Dairy consumption was quantified by a food frequency questionnaire. Abdominal overweight was defined as waist circumference (WC) ≥88 cm (women) or ≥102 cm (men) (n = 37,391), overweight as BMI ≥25-30 kg/m 2 (n = 44,772) and obesity as BMI ≥30 kg/m 2 (n = 15,339). Associations were quantified by logistic (abdominal overweight, no/yes), multinomial logistic (BMI-defined overweight and obesity) and linear regression analyses (continuous measures of WC and BMI), and they were adjusted for relevant covariates. Total dairy showed a positive association with abdominal overweight (OR Q1 ref vs. Q5: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.04-1.14) and with BMI-defined overweight (OR Q5 1.13; 95% CI: 1.08-1.18) and obesity (OR Q5 1.09; 95% CI: 1.02-1.16). Skimmed, semi-skimmed and non-fermented dairy also showed positive associations with overweight categories. Full-fat dairy showed an inverse association with overweight and obesity (OR Q5 for obesity: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.73-0.83). Moreover, inverse associations were observed for yoghurt and custard and positive associations for milk, buttermilk, flavoured yoghurt drinks, cheese and cheese snacks. Fermented dairy, curd cheese and Dutch cheese did not show a consistent association with overweight categories. Total, skimmed, semi-skimmed and non-fermented dairy; milk; buttermilk; flavoured yoghurt drinks; total cheese and cheese snacks showed a positive association with overweight categories, whereas full-fat dairy, custard and yoghurt showed an inverse association with overweight categories. Copyright © 2018 The Italian Society of Diabetology, the Italian Society for the Study of Atherosclerosis, the Italian Society of Human

Camouflage predicts survival in ground-nesting birds.

Science.gov (United States)

Troscianko, Jolyon; Wilson-Aggarwal, Jared; Stevens, Martin; Spottiswoode, Claire N

2016-01-29

Evading detection by predators is crucial for survival. Camouflage is therefore a widespread adaptation, but despite substantial research effort our understanding of different camouflage strategies has relied predominantly on artificial systems and on experiments disregarding how camouflage is perceived by predators. Here we show for the first time in a natural system, that survival probability of wild animals is directly related to their level of camouflage as perceived by the visual systems of their main predators. Ground-nesting plovers and coursers flee as threats approach, and their clutches were more likely to survive when their egg contrast matched their surrounds. In nightjars - which remain motionless as threats approach - clutch survival depended on plumage pattern matching between the incubating bird and its surrounds. Our findings highlight the importance of pattern and luminance based camouflage properties, and the effectiveness of modern techniques in capturing the adaptive properties of visual phenotypes.

Socioeconomic Status, Not Race, Is Associated With Reduced Survival in Esophagectomy Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Erhunmwunsee, Loretta; Gulack, Brian C; Rushing, Christel; Niedzwiecki, Donna; Berry, Mark F; Hartwig, Matthew G

2017-07-01

Black patients with esophageal cancer have worse survival than white patients. This study examines this racial disparity in conjunction with socioeconomic status (SES) and explores whether race-based outcome differences exist using a national database. The associations between race and SES with overall survival of patients treated with esophagectomy for stages I to III esophageal cancer between 2003 and 2011 in the National Cancer Data Base were investigated using the Kaplan-Meier method and proportional hazards analyses. Median income by zip code and proportion of the zip code residents without a high school diploma were grouped into income and education quartiles, respectively and used as surrogates for SES. The association between race and overall survival stratified by SES is explored. Of 11,599 esophagectomy patients who met study criteria, 3,503 (30.2%) were in the highest income quartile, 2,847 (24.5%) were in the highest education quartile, and 610 patients (5%) were black. Before adjustment for SES, black patients had worse overall survival than white patients (median survival 23.0 versus 34.7 months, log rank p race was not. Prior studies have suggested that survival of esophageal cancer patients after esophagectomy is associated with race. Our study suggests that race is not significantly related to overall survival when adjusted for other prognostic variables. Socioeconomic status, however, remains significantly related to overall survival in our model. Copyright © 2017 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Demographic origins of skewed operational and adult sex ratios: perturbation analyses of two-sex models.

Science.gov (United States)

Veran, Sophie; Beissinger, Steven R

2009-02-01

Skewed sex ratios - operational (OSR) and Adult (ASR) - arise from sexual differences in reproductive behaviours and adult survival rates due to the cost of reproduction. However, skewed sex-ratio at birth, sex-biased dispersal and immigration, and sexual differences in juvenile mortality may also contribute. We present a framework to decompose the roles of demographic traits on sex ratios using perturbation analyses of two-sex matrix population models. Metrics of sensitivity are derived from analyses of sensitivity, elasticity, life-table response experiments and life stage simulation analyses, and applied to the stable stage distribution instead of lambda. We use these approaches to examine causes of male-biased sex ratios in two populations of green-rumped parrotlets (Forpus passerinus) in Venezuela. Female local juvenile survival contributed the most to the unbalanced OSR and ASR due to a female-biased dispersal rate, suggesting sexual differences in philopatry can influence sex ratios more strongly than the cost of reproduction.

Survival-variation within and between functional categories of the African multimammate rat

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Julliard, Romain; Leirs, Herwig; Stenseth, Nils Chr.

1999-01-01

in the population immediately after their first capture; (iv) subadults survival in later months is, however, positively related to density; and (v) adult survival shows negative density-dependence. 3. Both density-dependent and density-independent factors simultaneously determine stage-dependent survival variation...

Radiobilogical cell survival models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zackrisson, B.

1992-01-01

A central issue in clinical radiobiological research is the prediction of responses to different radiation qualities. The choice of cell survival and dose-response model greatly influences the results. In this context the relationship between theory and model is emphasized. Generally, the interpretations of experimental data depend on the model. Cell survival models are systematized with respect to their relations to radiobiological theories of cell kill. The growing knowlegde of biological, physical, and chemical mechanisms is reflected in the formulation of new models. The present overview shows that recent modelling has been more oriented towards the stochastic fluctuations connected to radiation energy deposition. This implies that the traditional cell surivival models ought to be complemented by models of stochastic energy deposition processes and repair processes at the intracellular level. (orig.)

The frontotemporal syndrome of ALS is associated with poor survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Govaarts, Rosanne; Beeldman, Emma; Kampelmacher, Mike J; van Tol, Marie-Jose; van den Berg, Leonard H; van der Kooi, Anneke J; Wijkstra, Peter J; Zijnen-Suyker, Marianne; Cobben, Nicolle A M; Schmand, Ben A; de Haan, Rob J; de Visser, Marianne; Raaphorst, Joost

2016-12-01

Thirty percent of ALS patients have a frontotemporal syndrome (FS), defined as behavioral changes or cognitive impairment. Despite previous studies, there are no firm conclusions on the effect of the FS on survival and the use of non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in ALS. We examined the effect of the FS on survival and the start and duration of NIV in ALS. Behavioral changes were defined as >22 points on the ALS-Frontotemporal-Dementia-Questionnaire or ≥3 points on ≥2 items of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. Cognitive impairment was defined as below the fifth percentile on ≥2 tests of executive function, memory or language. Classic ALS was defined as ALS without the frontotemporal syndrome. We performed survival analyses from symptom onset and time from NIV initiation, respectively, to death. The impact of the explanatory variables on survival and NIV initiation were examined using Cox proportional hazards models. We included 110 ALS patients (76 men) with a mean age of 62 years. Median survival time was 4.3 years (95 % CI 3.53-5.13). Forty-seven patients (43 %) had an FS. Factors associated with shorter survival were FS, bulbar onset, older age at onset, short time to diagnosis and a C9orf72 repeat expansion. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for the FS was 2.29 (95 % CI 1.44-3.65, p NIV initiation (adjusted HR 2.70, 95 % CI 1.04-4.67, p = 0.04). In conclusion, there is an association between the frontotemporal syndrome and poor survival in ALS, which remains present after initiation of NIV.

The impact of adjuvant radiation therapy on survival in women with uterine carcinosarcoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clayton Smith, D.; Kenneth Macdonald, O.; Gaffney, David K.

2008-01-01

Background and purpose: Uterine carcinosarcoma is an aggressive neoplasm and the benefit of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) is unclear. This retrospective study analyzes the influence of RT on survival using a large population database. Materials and methods: Data were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program of the US National Cancer Institute. Women with uterine carcinosarcoma who underwent primary surgery were eligible. Survival rates and multivariate analyses were performed by standard methods. Results: Of the 2461 women in the analysis, 890 received adjuvant RT. Five-year rates of overall survival were 41.5% and 33.2% (P < 0.001) and uterine-specific survival were 56.0% and 50.8% (P = 0.005), for women receiving RT compared to those who did not. Women with stages I-III disease experienced a benefit in overall survival (HR 0.87, P = 0.03) while women with stage IV disease experienced benefits in overall (HR 0.63, P < 0.001) and uterine-specific survival (HR 0.63, P = 0.004) with RT. Conclusions: RT predicted for improved overall and disease specific survival in women with uterine carcinosarcoma within the SEER database. The benefit in disease specific survival was restricted to stage IV disease. These benefits may indicate a role for adjuvant RT in future prospective trials in the treatment of uterine carcinosarcoma

Tetranectin positive expression in tumour tissue leads to longer survival in Danish women with ovarian cancer. Results from the 'Malova' ovarian cancer study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heeran, Mel C; Rask, Lene; Høgdall, Claus K

2015-01-01

of the disease. Using tissue arrays we analysed the expression levels in tissues from 166 women with borderline ovarian tumours (BOTs) and 592 women with ovarian cancer (OC). A panel of three antibodies was used for immunohistochemistry: a polyclonal and two monoclonal antibodies. Serum TN was measured using...... found to imply longer OS (p Kaplan-Meier survival analysis performed on all OC cases showed a significantly longer OS (p = 0...

Pretreatment tumor SUV{sub max} predicts disease-specific and overall survival in patients with head and neck soft tissue sarcoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ha, Seung Cheol; Roh, Jong-Lyel; Choi, Seung-Ho; Nam, Soon Yuhl; Kim, Sang Yoon [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Departments of Otolaryngology, Asan Medical Center, Songpa-gu, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Oh, Jungsu S.; Moon, Hyojeong; Kim, Jae Seung [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Departments of Nuclear Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Kyung-Ja [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Departments of Pathology, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2017-01-15

Head and neck soft tissue sarcoma (HNSTS) is a rare type of tumor with various histological presentations and clinical behaviors. {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT is being increasingly used for staging, grading, and predicting treatment outcomes in various types of human cancers, although this modality has been rarely studied in the survival prediction of HNSTS. Here we examined the prognostic value of tumor metabolic parameters measured using {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT in patients with HNSTS. This study included 36 consecutive patients with HNSTS who underwent {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT scanning prior to treatment at our institution. Tumor gross total volume (GTV) was measured from pretreatment contrast-enhanced CT scans, and maximum standardized uptake value (SUV{sub max}), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were measured using pretreatment {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT scans. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were used to identify associations between imaging parameters and disease-specific survival (DSS) or overall survival (OS). Univariate analyses showed that SUV{sub max}, MTV, and TLG, but not GTV, were significantly associated with DSS and OS (all P < 0.05). After controlling for clinicopathological factors, SUV{sub max}, MTV, and TLG were significantly associated with DSS and OS (all P < 0.05). Patients with a tumor SUV{sub max} value of >7.0 experienced an approximately fivefold increase in mortality in terms of DSS and OS relative to those with a tumor SUV{sub max} <7.0. Quantitative metabolic measurements on pretreatment {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT can yield values that are significantly predictive of survival after treatment for HNSTS. (orig.)

A genetic polymorphism in TOX3 is associated with survival of gastric cancer in a Chinese population.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaojing Zhang

Full Text Available PURPOSE: Recently, genetic polymorphism (rs3803662C>T in TOX3 was reported to induce the risk of breast cancer. In this study, we hypothesized that rs3803662 could influence gastric cancer survival outcomes. METHODS: With multiplex SNaPshot method, we genotyped TOX3 rs3803662 in 880 gastric patients with surgical resection. The association between genotype and survival outcomes was performed by the Kaplan-Meier method, Cox regression analysis models and the log-rank test. RESULTS: There was no association in the analyses of rs3803662 and survival of gastric cancer. However, the stratified analysis by histology showed that rs3803662 CT/TT genotype was associated with a significantly better survival for diffuse-type gastric cancer (log-rank p = 0.030, hazard ratio [HR]  = 0.67, 95% confidence interval [CI]  = 0.46-0.96, than the CC genotype. In addition, this favorable effect was especially obvious among gastric cancer patients with tumor size >5 cm, T3 and T4 depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, no drinking, no distant metastasis, no chemotherapy and gastric cardia cancer. CONCLUSIONS: TOX3 rs3803662 might play an important role in the prognostic outcome and treatment of gastric cancer, especially perhaps further help in explaining the reduced risk of death associated with diffuse-type gastric cancer.

A common variant within the HNF1B gene is associated with overall survival of multiple myeloma patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ríos-Tamayo, Rafael; Lupiañez, Carmen Belén; Campa, Daniele

2016-01-01

Diabetogenic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have recently been associated with multiple myeloma (MM) risk but their impact on overall survival (OS) of MM patients has not been analysed yet. In order to investigate the impact of 58 GWAS-identified variants for type 2 diabetes (T2D) on OS...... of patients with MM, we analysed genotyping data of 936 MM patients collected by the International Multiple Myeloma rESEarch (IMMENSE) consortium and an independent set of 700 MM patients recruited by the University Clinic of Heidelberg. A meta-analysis of the cox regression results of the two sets showed...... that rs7501939 located in the HNF1B gene negatively impacted OS (HRRec= 1.44, 95% CI = 1.18-1.76, P = 0.0001). The meta-analysis also showed a noteworthy gender-specific association of the SLC30A8rs13266634 SNP with OS. The presence of each additional copy of the minor allele at rs13266634 was associated...

Increasing Winter Maximal Metabolic Rate Improves Intrawinter Survival in Small Birds.

Science.gov (United States)

Petit, Magali; Clavijo-Baquet, Sabrina; Vézina, François

Small resident bird species living at northern latitudes increase their metabolism in winter, and this is widely assumed to improve their chances of survival. However, the relationship between winter metabolic performance and survival has yet to be demonstrated. Using capture-mark-recapture, we followed a population of free-living black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) over 3 yr and evaluated their survival probability within and among winters. We also measured the size-independent body mass (M s ), hematocrit (Hct), basal metabolic rate (BMR), and maximal thermogenic capacity (Msum) and investigated how these parameters influenced survival within and among winters. Results showed that survival probability was high and constant both within (0.92) and among (0.96) winters. They also showed that while M s , Hct, and BMR had no significant influence, survival was positively related to Msum-following a sigmoid relationship-within but not among winter. Birds expressing an Msum below 1.26 W (i.e., similar to summer levels) had a winter. Our data therefore suggest that black-capped chickadees that are either too slow or unable to adjust their phenotype from summer to winter have little chances of survival and thus that seasonal upregulation of metabolic performance is highly beneficial. This study is the first to document in an avian system the relationship between thermogenic capacity and winter survival, a proxy of fitness.

Decrease in Survival Rate of Colorectal Cancer Patients Due to Insertion of a Single Guanine Base in Promoter Sequences of Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 Gene (in Tehran Population

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z Hojati

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Insertion or deletion of a guanine in -1607 at promoter region of matrix metalloproteinase-1 enzyme creates two allelic types for this gene in the population: 2G and 1G, respectively. 2G allele contains an extra binding site for ETS transcription factors that this may increase the level of gene expression. Therefore, aim of this study was investigation of the single Guanine insertion in the promoter gene and its association with colorectal cancer patient survival rate and tumor progression. Methods: Blood samples from 150 colorectal patients and 100 cases were extracted. The mean follow-up was 25 months (12-36 months. Cases and patients were genotyped using genomic DNA extraction and PCR-RFLP. Results: Colorectal cancer patients were divided in two groups; with activity of metastasis (M+ and without activity of metastasis (M-. 2G allele in metastasis group (55% showed more frequency rather than controls (23%. Survival analyses showed that 3 years survival patients rate in the patients without metastasis activity carrying 1G allele (homo and heterozygote was 81% and for 2G homozygote is 66% (p=0.04. The survival rate dependent to cancer was 90% and 71%, respectively (P=0.01. Conclusion: According to the results, it seems that patients carrying 1G allele show a better survival rate dependent on cancer as compared to patients who do not carry this allele.

Modeling time-to-event (survival) data using classification tree analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Linden, Ariel; Yarnold, Paul R

2017-12-01

Time to the occurrence of an event is often studied in health research. Survival analysis differs from other designs in that follow-up times for individuals who do not experience the event by the end of the study (called censored) are accounted for in the analysis. Cox regression is the standard method for analysing censored data, but the assumptions required of these models are easily violated. In this paper, we introduce classification tree analysis (CTA) as a flexible alternative for modelling censored data. Classification tree analysis is a "decision-tree"-like classification model that provides parsimonious, transparent (ie, easy to visually display and interpret) decision rules that maximize predictive accuracy, derives exact P values via permutation tests, and evaluates model cross-generalizability. Using empirical data, we identify all statistically valid, reproducible, longitudinally consistent, and cross-generalizable CTA survival models and then compare their predictive accuracy to estimates derived via Cox regression and an unadjusted naïve model. Model performance is assessed using integrated Brier scores and a comparison between estimated survival curves. The Cox regression model best predicts average incidence of the outcome over time, whereas CTA survival models best predict either relatively high, or low, incidence of the outcome over time. Classification tree analysis survival models offer many advantages over Cox regression, such as explicit maximization of predictive accuracy, parsimony, statistical robustness, and transparency. Therefore, researchers interested in accurate prognoses and clear decision rules should consider developing models using the CTA-survival framework. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Activation of CHK1 in Supporting Cells Indirectly Promotes Hair Cell Survival

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azadeh Jadali

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The sensory hair cells of the inner ear are exquisitely sensitive to ototoxic insults. Loss of hair cells after exposure to ototoxic agents causes hearing loss. Chemotherapeutic agents such as cisplatin causes hair cell loss. Cisplatin forms DNA mono-adducts as well as intra- and inter-strand DNA crosslinks. DNA cisplatin adducts are repaired through the DNA damage response. The decision between cell survival and cell death following DNA damage rests on factors that are involved in determining damage tolerance, cell survival and apoptosis. Cisplatin damage on hair cells has been the main focus of many ototoxic studies, yet the effect of cisplatin on supporting cells has been largely ignored. In this study, the effects of DNA damage response in cochlear supporting cells were interrogated. Supporting cells play a major role in the development, maintenance and oto-protection of hair cells. Loss of supporting cells may indirectly affect hair cell survival or maintenance. Activation of the Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase (PI3K signaling was previously shown to promote hair cell survival. To test whether activating PI3K signaling promotes supporting cell survival after cisplatin damage, cochlear explants from the neural subset (NS Cre Pten conditional knockout mice were employed. Deletion of Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog (PTEN activates PI3K signaling in multiple cell types within the cochlea. Supporting cells lacking PTEN showed increased cell survival after cisplatin damage. Supporting cells lacking PTEN also showed increased phosphorylation of Checkpoint Kinase 1 (CHK1 levels after cisplatin damage. Nearest neighbor analysis showed increased numbers of supporting cells with activated PI3K signaling in close proximity to surviving hair cells in cisplatin damaged cochleae. We propose that increased PI3K signaling promotes supporting cell survival through phosphorylation of CHK1 and increased survival of supporting cells indirectly increases hair cell

The role of innovation in the survival of the EU-15 entrepreneurs; El papel de la innovacion en la supevivencia de los emprendedores UE-15

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Congregado, E.; Millan, J. M.; Roman, C.

2012-07-01

This work analyses the role of innovation at the country level in entrepreneur ship survival for the EU-15, considering entrepreneurs as those who hire employees (i.e., employers). We estimate survival models to analyse duration as an entrepreneur, using micro data drawn from the European Community Household Panel (ECHP). As measures of innovation, we use different aggregated indicators at the country level: technological effort; results of scientific technical activity, and education distribution of the population. Our results suggest that country innovation activities play a crucial role in entrepreneurial survival prospects. (Author)

Dying scenarios improve recall as much as survival scenarios.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Daniel J; Hart, Joshua; Kramer, Melanie E

2014-01-01

Merely contemplating one's death improves retention for entirely unrelated material learned subsequently. This "dying to remember" effect seems conceptually related to the survival processing effect, whereby processing items for their relevance to being stranded in the grasslands leads to recall superior to that of other deep processing control conditions. The present experiments directly compared survival processing scenarios with "death processing" scenarios. Results showed that when the survival and dying scenarios are closely matched on key dimensions, and possible congruency effects are controlled, the dying and survival scenarios produced equivalently high recall levels. We conclude that the available evidence (cf. Bell, Roer, & Buchner, 2013; Klein, 2012), while not definitive, is consistent with the possibility of overlapping mechanisms.

Socioeconomic Impacts on Survival Differ by Race/Ethnicity among Adolescents and Young Adults with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kent, E. E.; Largent, J. A.; Ziogas, A.; Sender, J. A.; Culver, H. A.; Morris, R. A.; Sender, L. S.; Ziogas, A.; Culver, H. A.; Sender, L. S.; Culver, H. A.

2010-01-01

Shorter survival has been associated with low socioeconomic status (SES) among elderly non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients; however it remains unknown whether the same relationship holds for younger patients. We explored the California Cancer Registry (CCR), to investigate this relationship in adolescent and young adult (AYA) NHL patients diagnosed from 1996 to 2005. A case-only survival analysis was conducted to examine demographic and clinical variables hypothesized to be related to survival. Included in the final analysis were 3,489 incident NHL cases. In the multivariate analyses, all-cause mortality (ACM) was higher in individuals who had later stage at diagnosis (P<.05) or did not receive first-course chemotherapy (P<.05 ). There was also a significant gradient decrease in survival, with higher ACM at each decreasing quintile of SES (P<.001). Overall results were similar for lymphoma-specific mortality. In the race/ethnicity stratified analyses, only non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs) had a significant SES-ACM trend ( P<.001). Reduced overall and lymphoma-specific survival was associated with lower SES in AYAs with NHL, although a significant trend was only observed for NHWs

Modelling survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ashauer, Roman; Albert, Carlo; Augustine, Starrlight

2016-01-01

The General Unified Threshold model for Survival (GUTS) integrates previously published toxicokinetic-toxicodynamic models and estimates survival with explicitly defined assumptions. Importantly, GUTS accounts for time-variable exposure to the stressor. We performed three studies to test...

Foreign acquisition, plant survival, and employment growth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bandick, Roger; Görg, Holger

This paper analyses the effect of foreign acquisition on survival probability and employment growth of target plant using data on Swedish manufacturing plants during the period 1993-2002.  An improvement over previous studies is that we take into account firm level heterogeneity by separating...... the lifetime of the acquired plants only if the plant was an exporter.  The effect differs depending on whether the acquisition is horizontal or vertical.  We also find robust positive employment growth effects only for exporters, and only if the takeover is vertical, not horizontal....

High Genomic Instability Predicts Survival in Metastatic High-Risk Neuroblastoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sara Stigliani

2012-09-01

Full Text Available We aimed to identify novel molecular prognostic markers to better predict relapse risk estimate for children with high-risk (HR metastatic neuroblastoma (NB. We performed genome- and/or transcriptome-wide analyses of 129 stage 4 HR NBs. Children older than 1 year of age were categorized as “short survivors” (dead of disease within 5 years from diagnosis and “long survivors” (alive with an overall survival time ≥ 5 years. We reported that patients with less than three segmental copy number aberrations in their tumor represent a molecularly defined subgroup with a high survival probability within the current HR group of patients. The complex genomic pattern is a prognostic marker independent of NB-associated chromosomal aberrations, i.e., MYCN amplification, 1p and 11q losses, and 17q gain. Integrative analysis of genomic and expression signatures demonstrated that fatal outcome is mainly associated with loss of cell cycle control and deregulation of Rho guanosine triphosphates (GTPases functioning in neuritogenesis. Tumors with MYCN amplification show a lower chromosome instability compared to MYCN single-copy NBs (P = .0008, dominated by 17q gain and 1p loss. Moreover, our results suggest that the MYCN amplification mainly drives disruption of neuronal differentiation and reduction of cell adhesion process involved in tumor invasion and metastasis. Further validation studies are warranted to establish this as a risk stratification for patients.

Cra negatively regulates acid survival in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yangbo; Lu, Pei; Zhang, Yong; Li, Yunlong; Li, Lamei; Huang, Li; Chen, Shiyun

2011-04-01

Survival in acidic environments is important for successful infection of gastrointestinal pathogens. Many bacteria have evolved elaborate mechanisms by inducing or repressing gene expression, which subsequently provide pH homeostasis and enable acid survival. In this study, we employed comparative proteomic analysis to identify the acid-responsive proteins of a food-borne enteric bacterium, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. The expression level of eight proteins involved in carbohydrate metabolism was up- or downregulated over twofold at pH 4.5 compared with pH 7.0. The role of a global transcriptional regulator catabolite repressor/activator Cra was further studied in this acid survival process. lacZ-fusion analysis showed that expression of cra was repressed under acidic pH. Deletion of the cra gene increased acid survival by 10-fold, whereas complementation restored the wild-type phenotype. These results lead us to propose that, in response to acidic pH, the expression of cra gene is downregulated to increase acid survival. This is the first study to demonstrate the regulatory role of Cra in acid survival in an enteric bacterium. © 2011 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

Association between response rates and survival outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. A systematic review and meta-regression analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mainou, Maria; Madenidou, Anastasia-Vasiliki; Liakos, Aris; Paschos, Paschalis; Karagiannis, Thomas; Bekiari, Eleni; Vlachaki, Efthymia; Wang, Zhen; Murad, Mohammad Hassan; Kumar, Shaji; Tsapas, Apostolos

2017-06-01

We performed a systematic review and meta-regression analysis of randomized control trials to investigate the association between response to initial treatment and survival outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM). Response outcomes included complete response (CR) and the combined outcome of CR or very good partial response (VGPR), while survival outcomes were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). We used random-effect meta-regression models and conducted sensitivity analyses based on definition of CR and study quality. Seventy-two trials were included in the systematic review, 63 of which contributed data in meta-regression analyses. There was no association between OS and CR in patients without autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) (regression coefficient: .02, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.06, 0.10), in patients undergoing ASCT (-.11, 95% CI -0.44, 0.22) and in trials comparing ASCT with non-ASCT patients (.04, 95% CI -0.29, 0.38). Similarly, OS did not correlate with the combined metric of CR or VGPR, and no association was evident between response outcomes and PFS. Sensitivity analyses yielded similar results. This meta-regression analysis suggests that there is no association between conventional response outcomes and survival in patients with newly diagnosed MM. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Early post-treatment FDG PET predicts survival after {sup 90}Y microsphere radioembolization in liver-dominant metastatic colorectal cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sabet, Amir; Aouf, Anas; Sabet, Amin; Ghamari, Shahab; Biersack, Hans-Juergen [University Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Bonn (Germany); Meyer, Carsten; Pieper, Claus C. [University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Bonn (Germany); Mayer, Karin [University Hospital, Department of Medicine and Oncology, Bonn (Germany); Ezziddin, Samer [University Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Bonn (Germany); Saarland University, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Homburg (Germany)

2014-10-29

The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of early metabolic response 4 weeks post-treatment using {sup 18}F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)/CT in patients with unresectable hepatic metastases of colorectal cancer (CRC) undergoing radioembolization (RE) with {sup 90}Y-labelled microspheres. A total of 51 consecutive patients with liver-dominant metastases of CRC were treated with RE and underwent {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT at baseline and 4 weeks after RE. In each patient, three hepatic metastases with the highest maximum standardized uptake value (SUV{sub max}) were selected as target lesions. Metabolic response was defined as >50 % reduction of tumour to liver ratios. Survival analyses using Kaplan-Meier and multivariate analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors for overall survival (OS). Investigated baseline characteristics included age (>60 years), performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group >1), bilirubin (>1.0 mg/dl), hepatic tumour burden (>25 %) and presence of extrahepatic disease. The median OS after RE was 7 months [95 % confidence interval (CI) 5-8]; early metabolic responders (n = 33) survived longer than non-responders (p < 0.001) with a median OS of 10 months (95 % CI 3-16) versus 4 months (95 % CI 2-6). Hepatic tumour burden also had significant impact on treatment outcome (p < 0.001) with a median OS of 5 months (95 % CI, 3-7) for patients with >25 % metastatic liver replacement vs 14 months (95 % CI 6-22) for the less advanced patients. Both factors (early metabolic response and low hepatic tumour burden) remained as independent predictors of improved survival on multivariate analysis. These are the first findings to show that molecular response assessment in CRC using {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT appears feasible as early as 4 weeks post-RE, allowing risk stratification and potentially facilitating early response-adapted treatment strategies. (orig.)

Age of blood and survival after massive transfusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanz, C C; Pereira, A

2017-11-01

Massive transfusion is the clinical scenario where the presumed adverse effects of stored blood are expected to be more evident because the whole patient's blood volume is replaced by stored blood. To analyse the association between age of transfused red blood cells (RBC) and survival in massively transfused patients. In this retrospective study, clinical and transfusion data of all consecutive patients massively transfused between 2008 and 2014 in a large, tertiary-care hospital were electronically extracted from the Transfusion Service database and the patients' electronic medical records. Prognostic factors for in-hospital mortality were investigated by multivariate logistic regression. A total of 689 consecutive patients were analysed (median age: 61 years; 65% males) and 272 died in-hospital. Projected mortality at 2, 30, and 90 days was 21%, 35% and 45%, respectively. The odds ratio (OR) for in-hospital mortality among patients who survived after the 2nd day increased with patient age (OR: 1.037, 95% CI: 1.021-1.054; per year Ptransfused in the first 48hours (OR: 1.060; 95% CI: 1.038-1.020 per unit; Ptransfusion was associated with a higher proportion of old RBCs transfused in the first 48hours. Other factors associated with poor prognosis were older patient's age and larger volumes of transfused RBCs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Pig slurry reduces the survival of Raltstonia solanacearum biovar 2 in soil

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gorissen, A.; Overbeek, van L.S.; Elsas, van J.D.

2004-01-01

The effect of added pig slurry and solarization on the survival of Ralstonia solanacearum biovar 2 strain 1609 in soil was analysed in soil microcosms and field plots. In addition, the invasion of potato plants by R. solanacearum and the development of disease symptoms were determined, as measures

Risk-adjusted survival after tissue versus mechanical aortic valve replacement: a 23-year assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaca, Jeffrey G; Clare, Robert M; Rankin, J Scott; Daneshmand, Mani A; Milano, Carmelo A; Hughes, G Chad; Wolfe, Walter G; Glower, Donald D; Smith, Peter K

2013-11-01

Detailed analyses of risk-adjusted outcomes after mitral valve surgery have documented significant survival decrements with tissue valves at any age. Several recent studies of prosthetic aortic valve replacement (AVR) also have suggested a poorer performance of tissue valves, although analyses have been limited to small matched series. The study aim was to test the hypothesis that AVR with tissue valves is associated with a lower risk-adjusted survival, as compared to mechanical valves. Between 1986 and 2009, primary isolated AVR, with or without coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), was performed with currently available valve types in 2148 patients (1108 tissue valves, 1040 mechanical). Patients were selected for tissue valves to be used primarily in the elderly. Baseline and operative characteristics were documented prospectively with a consistent variable set over the entire 23-year period. Follow up was obtained with mailed questionnaires, supplemented by National Death Index searches. The average time to death or follow up was seven years, and follow up for survival was 96.2% complete. Risk-adjusted survival characteristics for the two groups were evaluated using a Cox proportional hazards model with stepwise selection of candidate variables. Differences in baseline characteristics between groups were (tissue versus mechanical): median age 73 versus 61 years; non-elective surgery 32% versus 28%; CABG 45% versus 35%; median ejection fraction 55% versus 55%; renal failure 6% versus 1%; diabetes 18% versus 7% (pvalves; however, after risk adjustment for the adverse profiles of tissue valve patients, no significant difference was observed in survival after tissue or mechanical AVR. Thus, the hypothesis did not hold, and risk-adjusted survival was equivalent, of course qualified by the fact that selection bias was evident. With selection criteria that employed tissue AVR more frequently in elderly patients, tissue and mechanical valves achieved similar survival

Cross-Validation of Survival Bump Hunting by Recursive Peeling Methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Dazard, Jean-Eudes; Choe, Michael; LeBlanc, Michael; Rao, J Sunil

2014-08-01

We introduce a survival/risk bump hunting framework to build a bump hunting model with a possibly censored time-to-event type of response and to validate model estimates. First, we describe the use of adequate survival peeling criteria to build a survival/risk bump hunting model based on recursive peeling methods. Our method called "Patient Recursive Survival Peeling" is a rule-induction method that makes use of specific peeling criteria such as hazard ratio or log-rank statistics. Second, to validate our model estimates and improve survival prediction accuracy, we describe a resampling-based validation technique specifically designed for the joint task of decision rule making by recursive peeling (i.e. decision-box) and survival estimation. This alternative technique, called "combined" cross-validation is done by combining test samples over the cross-validation loops, a design allowing for bump hunting by recursive peeling in a survival setting. We provide empirical results showing the importance of cross-validation and replication.

DDX3X Biomarker Correlates with Poor Survival in Human Gliomas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dueng-Yuan Hueng

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Primary high-grade gliomas possess invasive growth and lead to unfavorable survival outcome. The investigation of biomarkers for prediction of survival outcome in patients with gliomas is important for clinical assessment. The DEAD (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp box helicase 3, X-linked (DDX3X controls tumor migration, proliferation, and progression. However, the role of DDX3X in defining the pathological grading and survival outcome in patients with human gliomas is not yet clarified. We analyzed the DDX3X gene expression, WHO pathological grading, and overall survival from de-linked data. Further validation was done using quantitative RT-PCR of cDNA from normal brain and glioma, and immunohistochemical (IHC staining of tissue microarray. Statistical analysis of GEO datasets showed that DDX3X mRNA expression demonstrated statistically higher in WHO grade IV (n = 81 than in non-tumor controls (n = 23, p = 1.13 × 10−10. Moreover, DDX3X level was also higher in WHO grade III (n = 19 than in non-tumor controls (p = 2.43 × 10−5. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed poor survival in patients with high DDX3X mRNA levels (n = 24 than in those with low DDX3X expression (n = 53 (median survival, 115 vs. 58 weeks, p = 0.0009, by log-rank test, hazard ratio: 0.3507, 95% CI: 0.1893–0.6496. Furthermore, DDX3X mRNA expression and protein production significantly increased in glioma cells compared with normal brain tissue examined by quantitative RT-PCR, and Western blot. IHC staining showed highly staining of high-grade glioma in comparison with normal brain tissue. Taken together, DDX3X expression level positively correlates with WHO pathologic grading and poor survival outcome, indicating that DDX3X is a valuable biomarker in human gliomas.

Survival after early-stage breast cancer of women previously treated for depression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Suppli, Nis Frederik Palm; Johansen, Christoffer; Kessing, Lars Vedel

2017-01-01

treatment of depression and risk of receiving nonguideline treatment of breast cancer were assessed in multivariable logistic regression analyses. We compared the overall survival, breast cancer-specific survival, and risk of death by suicide of women who were and were not treated for depression before......Purpose The aim of this nationwide, register-based cohort study was to determine whether women treated for depression before primary early-stage breast cancer are at increased risk for receiving treatment that is not in accordance with national guidelines and for poorer survival. Material...... and Methods We identified 45,325 women with early breast cancer diagnosed in Denmark from 1998 to 2011. Of these, 744 women (2%) had had a previous hospital contact (as an inpatient or outpatient) for depression and another 6,068 (13%) had been treated with antidepressants. Associations between previous...

PROGNOSTIC FACTORS FOR SURVIVAL IN PATIENTS WITH METASTATIC COLORECTAL CANCER TREATED WITH FIRST - LINE CHEMOTHERAPY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deyan Davidov

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance for survival of certain clinical and pathological factors in patients with advanced or metastatic colorectal carcinoma (CRC treated with first- line chemotherapy. Methods: From 2002 to 2011 seventy- four consecutive patients with advanced or metastatic CRC, treated in UMHAT- Dr. G. Stranski, Department of Medical Oncology entered the study. Some patient’s characteristics, hematological and pathological parameters, were evaluated for their role as predictors of overall survival. The therapeutic regimens included FOLFOX or FOlFIRI. Survival analysis was evaluated by Kaplan- Meier test. The influence of pretreatment characteristics as prognostic factor for survival was analyzed using multivariate stepwise Cox regression analyses. Results: In multivariate analysis a significant correlation was exhibited between survival, poor performance status and multiple sites of metastasis. Variables significantly associated with overall survival in univariate analysis were performance status>1, thrombocytosis, anemia and number of metastatic sites >1. Conclusion: These results indicated that poor performance status, anemia, thrombocytosis as well as multiple site of metastasis could be useful prognostic factors in patients with metastatic CRC.

Volunteering is associated with increased survival in able-bodied participants of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Nina Trivedy; Demakakos, Panayotes; Taylor, Mark Steven; Steptoe, Andrew; Hamer, Mark; Shankar, Aparna

2016-06-01

Volunteering has been linked to reduced mortality in older adults, but the mechanisms explaining this effect remain unclear. This study investigated whether volunteering is associated with increased survival in participants of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing and whether differences in survival are modified by functional disabilities. A multivariate Cox Proportional Hazards model was used to estimate the association of volunteering with survival over a period of 10.9 years in 10 324 participants, while controlling for selected confounders. To investigate effect modification by disability, the analyses were repeated in participants with and without self-reported functional disabilities. Volunteering was associated with a reduced probability of death from all causes in univariate analyses (HR=0.65, CI 0.58 to 0.73, pvolunteers had significantly increased survival compared with able-bodied non-volunteers (HR=0.81, 95% CI 0.69 to 0.95, p=0.009). There was no significant survival advantage among disabled volunteers, compared with disabled non-volunteers (HR=1.06, CI 0.88 to 1.29, p=0.53). Volunteering is associated with reduced mortality in older adults in England, but this effect appears to be limited to volunteers who report no disabilities. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Impact of different infliximab dose regimens on treatment response and drug survival in 462 patients with psoriatic arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Glintborg, Bente; Gudbjornsson, Bjorn; Krogh, Niels Steen

2014-01-01

Icelandic patients at baseline [median 3.1 (interquartile range 3.0-3.8) vs 2.3 (2.1-2.9) mg/kg, P drug survival than...... Icelandic patients (1183 vs 483 days). In univariate analyses stratified by country, time until dose escalation, response rates, drug survival and 1-year's disease activity were independent of starting dose. Drug survival was shorter among patients not receiving concomitant MTX. CONCLUSION: In clinical...... practice, > 70% of Icelandic and Danish PsA patients treated with infliximab received sustained doses below the 5 mg/kg every 8 weeks recommended in international guidelines. Lower starting doses did not affect drug survival or response....

Stage-specific predictive models for breast cancer survivability.

Science.gov (United States)

Kate, Rohit J; Nadig, Ramya

2017-01-01

Survivability rates vary widely among various stages of breast cancer. Although machine learning models built in past to predict breast cancer survivability were given stage as one of the features, they were not trained or evaluated separately for each stage. To investigate whether there are differences in performance of machine learning models trained and evaluated across different stages for predicting breast cancer survivability. Using three different machine learning methods we built models to predict breast cancer survivability separately for each stage and compared them with the traditional joint models built for all the stages. We also evaluated the models separately for each stage and together for all the stages. Our results show that the most suitable model to predict survivability for a specific stage is the model trained for that particular stage. In our experiments, using additional examples of other stages during training did not help, in fact, it made it worse in some cases. The most important features for predicting survivability were also found to be different for different stages. By evaluating the models separately on different stages we found that the performance widely varied across them. We also demonstrate that evaluating predictive models for survivability on all the stages together, as was done in the past, is misleading because it overestimates performance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prognostic classification index in Iranian colorectal cancer patients: Survival tree analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amal Saki Malehi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic index for separating homogenous subgroups in colorectal cancer (CRC patients based on clinicopathological characteristics using survival tree analysis. Methods: The current study was conducted at the Research Center of Gastroenterology and Liver Disease, Shahid Beheshti Medical University in Tehran, between January 2004 and January 2009. A total of 739 patients who already have been diagnosed with CRC based on pathologic report were enrolled. The data included demographic and clinical-pathological characteristic of patients. Tree-structured survival analysis based on a recursive partitioning algorithm was implemented to evaluate prognostic factors. The probability curves were calculated according to the Kaplan-Meier method, and the hazard ratio was estimated as an interest effect size. Result: There were 526 males (71.2% of these patients. The mean survival time (from diagnosis time was 42.46± (3.4. Survival tree identified three variables as main prognostic factors and based on their four prognostic subgroups was constructed. The log-rank test showed good separation of survival curves. Patients with Stage I-IIIA and treated with surgery as the first treatment showed low risk (median = 34 months whereas patients with stage IIIB, IV, and more than 68 years have the worse survival outcome (median = 9.5 months. Conclusion: Constructing the prognostic classification index via survival tree can aid the researchers to assess interaction between clinical variables and determining the cumulative effect of these variables on survival outcome.

A hybrid approach of gene sets and single genes for the prediction of survival risks with gene expression data.

Science.gov (United States)

Seok, Junhee; Davis, Ronald W; Xiao, Wenzhong

2015-01-01

Accumulated biological knowledge is often encoded as gene sets, collections of genes associated with similar biological functions or pathways. The use of gene sets in the analyses of high-throughput gene expression data has been intensively studied and applied in clinical research. However, the main interest remains in finding modules of biological knowledge, or corresponding gene sets, significantly associated with disease conditions. Risk prediction from censored survival times using gene sets hasn't been well studied. In this work, we propose a hybrid method that uses both single gene and gene set information together to predict patient survival risks from gene expression profiles. In the proposed method, gene sets provide context-level information that is poorly reflected by single genes. Complementarily, single genes help to supplement incomplete information of gene sets due to our imperfect biomedical knowledge. Through the tests over multiple data sets of cancer and trauma injury, the proposed method showed robust and improved performance compared with the conventional approaches with only single genes or gene sets solely. Additionally, we examined the prediction result in the trauma injury data, and showed that the modules of biological knowledge used in the prediction by the proposed method were highly interpretable in biology. A wide range of survival prediction problems in clinical genomics is expected to benefit from the use of biological knowledge.

Recognising out-of-hospital cardiac arrest during emergency calls increases bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation and survival

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Viereck, Søren; Møller, Thea Palsgaard; Ersbøll, Annette Kjær

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Initiation of early bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) depends on bystanders' or medical dispatchers' recognition of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The primary aim of our study was to investigate if OHCA recognition during the emergency call was associated...... with bystander CPR, return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), and 30-day survival. Our secondary aim was to identify patient-, setting-, and dispatcher-related predictors of OHCA recognition. METHODS: We performed an observational study of all OHCA patients' emergency calls in the Capital Region of Denmark from...... the association between OHCA recognition and bystander CPR, ROSC, and 30-day survival. Univariable logistic regression analyses were applied to identify predictors of OHCA recognition. RESULTS: We included 779 emergency calls in the analyses. During the emergency calls, 70.1% (n=534) of OHCAs were recognised...

Camouflage and Clutch Survival in Plovers and Terns

Science.gov (United States)

Stoddard, Mary Caswell; Kupán, Krisztina; Eyster, Harold N.; Rojas-Abreu, Wendoly; Cruz-López, Medardo; Serrano-Meneses, Martín Alejandro; Küpper, Clemens

2016-09-01

Animals achieve camouflage through a variety of mechanisms, of which background matching and disruptive coloration are likely the most common. Although many studies have investigated camouflage mechanisms using artificial stimuli and in lab experiments, less work has addressed camouflage in the wild. Here we examine egg camouflage in clutches laid by ground-nesting Snowy Plovers Charadrius nivosus and Least Terns Sternula antillarum breeding in mixed aggregations at Bahía de Ceuta, Sinaloa, Mexico. We obtained digital images of clutches laid by both species. We then calibrated the images and used custom computer software and edge detection algorithms to quantify measures related to three potential camouflage mechanisms: pattern complexity matching, disruptive effects and background color matching. Based on our image analyses, Snowy Plover clutches, in general, appeared to be more camouflaged than Least Tern clutches. Snowy Plover clutches also survived better than Least Tern clutches. Unexpectedly, variation in clutch survival was not explained by any measure of egg camouflage in either species. We conclude that measures of egg camouflage are poor predictors of clutch survival in this population. The behavior of the incubating parents may also affect clutch predation. Determining the significance of egg camouflage requires further testing using visual models and behavioral experiments.

Retrospective analysis of survival rates and marginal bone loss on short implants in the mandible.

Science.gov (United States)

Draenert, Florian G; Sagheb, Keyvan; Baumgardt, Katharina; Kämmerer, Peer W

2012-09-01

Short implants have become an interesting alternative to bone augmentation in dental implantology. Design of shorter implants and longer surveillance times are a current research issue. The goal of this study was to show the survival rates of short implants below 9 mm in the partly edentulous mandibular premolar and molar regions with fixed prosthetics. Marginal vertical and 2D bone loss was evaluated additionally. Different implant designs are orientationally evaluated. A total of 247 dental implants with fixed prosthetics (crowns and bridges) in the premolar and molar region of the mandible were evaluated; 47 implants were 9 mm or shorter. Patient data were evaluated to acquire implant survival rates, implant diameter, gender and age. Panoramic X-rays were analysed for marginal bone loss. Average surveillance time was 1327 days. Cumulative survival rate (CSR) of short implants was 98% (1 implants lost) compared to 94% in the longer implants group without significance. Thirty-five of the short implants were Astratech (0 losses) and 12 were Camlog Screw Line Promote Plus (1 loss). Early vertical and two-dimensional marginal bone loss was not significantly different in short and regular length implant group with an average of 0.6 mm and 0.7 mm(2) in short implants over the observation period. Within the limitations of this study, we conclude that short implants with a length of 9 mm or less have equal survival rates compared with longer implants over the observation period of 1-3 years. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

 Alkaline phosphatase normalization is a biomarker of improved survival in primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilscher, Moira; Enders, Felicity B; Carey, Elizabeth J; Lindor, Keith D; Tabibian, James H

2016-01-01

 Introduction. Recent studies suggest that serum alkaline phosphatase may represent a prognostic biomarker in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis. However, this association remains poorly understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance and clinical correlates of alkaline phosphatase normalization in primary sclerosing cholangitis. This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with a new diagnosis of primary sclerosing cholangitis made at an academic medical center. The primary endpoint was time to hepatobiliaryneoplasia, liver transplantation, or liver-related death. Secondary endpoints included occurrence of and time to alkaline phosphatase normalization. Patients who did and did not achieve normalization were compared with respect to clinical characteristics and endpoint-free survival, and the association between normalization and the primary endpoint was assessed with univariate and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards analyses. Eighty six patients were included in the study, with a total of 755 patient-years of follow-up. Thirty-eight patients (44%) experienced alkaline phosphatase normalization within 12 months of diagnosis. Alkaline phosphatase normalization was associated with longer primary endpoint-free survival (p = 0.0032) and decreased risk of requiring liver transplantation (p = 0.033). Persistent normalization was associated with even fewer adverse endpoints as well as longer survival. In multivariate analyses, alkaline phosphatase normalization (adjusted hazard ratio 0.21, p = 0.012) and baseline bilirubin (adjusted hazard ratio 4.87, p = 0.029) were the only significant predictors of primary endpoint-free survival. Alkaline phosphatase normalization, particularly if persistent, represents a robust biomarker of improved long-term survival and decreased risk of requiring liver transplantation in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis.

Influence of nutrient levels in Tamarix on Diorhabda sublineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) survival and fitness with implications for biological control.

Science.gov (United States)

Guenther, D A; Gardner, K T; Thompson, D C

2011-02-01

Establishment of the saltcedar leaf beetle (Diorhabda spp.) has been unpredictable when caged or released in the field for saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) biocontrol. It has been observed that one caged tree might be voraciously fed upon by beetles while an adjacent tree in the cage is left untouched. We hypothesized that differences in the nutrient content of individual trees may explain this behavior. We evaluated survival, development rate, and egg production of beetles fed in the laboratory on saltcedar foliage from trees that had been grown under a range of fertilizer treatments. Tissue samples from the experimental trees and from the field were analyzed for percent nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. There was essentially no survival of beetle larvae fed foliage from saltcedar trees at nitrogen levels below 2.0%. At levels above 2.0% N, beetle larvae had corresponding increased survival rates and shorter development times. Multiple regression analyses indicated that nitrogen and phosphorus are important for larval survival and faster development rates. Higher levels of potassium were important for increased egg cluster production. The plant tissue analysis showed that the percentage of nitrogen in the experimental trees reflected the range of trees in the field and also that there is high variability within trees in the field. Our research indicates that if beetles are released on trees with poor nutrient quality, the larvae will not survive. © 2011 Entomological Society of America

Impact of socioeconomic status and district of residence on cutaneous malignant melanoma prognosis: a survival study on incident cases between 1991 and 2011 in the province of Ferrara, northern Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Borghi, Alessandro; Corazza, Monica; Virgili, Annarosa; Lambertini, Anna G; Caranci, Nicola; Pacelli, Barbara; Carcoforo, Paolo; Ferretti, Stefano

2017-12-01

The aim of this study was to analyse the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) on the prognosis of patients with invasive malignant melanoma (MM) incident from 1991 to 2011 in the province of Ferrara, northern Italy. A total of 750 patients provided by the Area Vasta Emilia Centrale Cancer Registry were included in this retrospective cohort study. Prognosis was analysed in terms of overall survival and specific survival. The study determinants were the patients' SES and district of residence. The confounding effect of sex, age, period and TNM stage at diagnosis was evaluated. In the study population, neither overall survival nor specific survival showed significant differences among different layers of SES and districts of residence. The risk for death from MM was lower for the female sex [hazard risk (HR)=0.68, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.50-0.94] and for diagnoses made in the most recent period (2005-2011: HR=0.56, 95% CI: 0.36-0.89 with respect to 1991-1997). A worse prognosis was observed in patients older than 70 years at the time of diagnosis (HR=2.33, 95% CI: 1.39-3.91 with respect to the Ferrara. Homogeneity in MM staging, treatment and follow-up strategies due to the relatively small extent of the study area and the presence of a single university hospital of reference, as well as less marked social and economic differences among the study patients in comparison with other previously analysed populations, may account for this finding.

Estimation of transfused red cell survival using an enzyme-linked antiglobulin test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kickler, T.S.; Smith, B.; Bell, W.; Drew, H.; Baldwin, M.; Ness, P.M.

1985-01-01

An enzyme-linked antiglobulin test (ELAT) method was developed to estimate survival of transfused red cells. This procedure is based on a principle analogous to that of the Ashby technique were antigenically distinct red cells are transfused and their survival studied. The authors compared the ELAT survival to the 51 Chromium method ( 51 Cr) in four patients. Three patients with hypoproliferative anemias showed T 1/2 by ELAT of 17.5, 18, and 17 days versus 18.5, 20, and 19 days by the 51 Cr method. A fourth patient with traumatic cardiac hemolysis had two studies performed. In this case, the ELAT showed a T 1/2 of 10 and 8.1 days while 51 Cr T 1/2 values were 11 and 10.5 days. The ELAT method for measuring red cell survival yielded data which agreed closely with the results of the 51 Cr method. Although 51 Cr is the accepted method for red cell survival, the ELAT method can be used to estimate transfused red cell survival

Factors associated with dental implant survival: a 4-year retrospective analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Zupnik, Jamie; Kim, Soo-woo; Ravens, Daniel; Karimbux, Nadeem; Guze, Kevin

2011-10-01

Dental implants are a predictable treatment option for replacing missing teeth and have strong survival and success outcomes. However, previous research showed a wide array of potential risk factors that may have contributed to dental implant failures. The objectives of this study are to study if implant survival rates were affected by known risk factors and risk indicators that may have contributed to implant failures. The secondary outcome measures were whether the level of expertise of the periodontal residents affected success rates and how the rate of implant success at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) compared to published standards. A retrospective chart review of patients at the HSDM who had one of two types of rough-surface implants (group A or B) placed by periodontology residents from 2003 to 2006 was performed. Demographic, health, and implant data were collected and analyzed by multimodel analyses to determine failure rates and any factors that may have increased the likelihood of an implant failure. The study cohort included 341 dental implants. The odds ratio for an implant failure was most clearly elevated for diabetes (2.59 implant surface group B (7.84), and male groups (4.01). There was no significant difference regarding the resident experience. The success rate for HSDM periodontology residents was 96.48% during the 4-year study period. This study demonstrates that implant success rates at HSDM fell within accepted published standards, confirmed previously identified risk factors for a failure, and potentially suggested that other acknowledged risk factors could be controlled for. Furthermore, the level of experience of the periodontology resident did not have an impact on survival outcomes.

Survival of Listeria monocytogenes in Soil Requires AgrA-Mediated Regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Vivant, Anne-Laure; Garmyn, Dominique; Gal, Laurent; Hartmann, Alain; Piveteau, Pascal

2015-08-01

In a recent paper, we demonstrated that inactivation of the Agr system affects the patterns of survival of Listeria monocytogenes (A.-L. Vivant, D. Garmyn, L. Gal, and P. Piveteau, Front Cell Infect Microbiol 4:160, http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2014.00160). In this study, we investigated whether the Agr-mediated response is triggered during adaptation in soil, and we compared survival patterns in a set of 10 soils. The fate of the parental strain L. monocytogenes L9 (a rifampin-resistant mutant of L. monocytogenes EGD-e) and that of a ΔagrA deletion mutant were compared in a collection of 10 soil microcosms. The ΔagrA mutant displayed significantly reduced survival in these biotic soil microcosms, and differential transcriptome analyses showed large alterations of the transcriptome when AgrA was not functional, while the variations in the transcriptomes between the wild type and the ΔagrA deletion mutant were modest under abiotic conditions. Indeed, in biotic soil environments, 578 protein-coding genes and an extensive repertoire of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) were differentially transcribed. The transcription of genes coding for proteins involved in cell envelope and cellular processes, including the phosphotransferase system and ABC transporters, and proteins involved in resistance to antimicrobial peptides was affected. Under sterilized soil conditions, the differences were limited to 86 genes and 29 ncRNAs. These results suggest that the response regulator AgrA of the Agr communication system plays important roles during the saprophytic life of L. monocytogenes in soil. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Metrics as Potential Biomarkers for Survival in Glioblastoma.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josep Puig

Full Text Available Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM is an MRI technique with potential applications in measuring brain tumor perfusion, but its clinical impact remains to be determined. We assessed the usefulness of IVIM-metrics in predicting survival in newly diagnosed glioblastoma.Fifteen patients with glioblastoma underwent MRI including spin-echo echo-planar DWI using 13 b-values ranging from 0 to 1000 s/mm2. Parametric maps for diffusion coefficient (D, pseudodiffusion coefficient (D*, and perfusion fraction (f were generated for contrast-enhancing regions (CER and non-enhancing regions (NCER. Regions of interest were manually drawn in regions of maximum f and on the corresponding dynamic susceptibility contrast images. Prognostic factors were evaluated by Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox proportional hazards analyses.We found that fCER and D*CER correlated with rCBFCER. The best cutoffs for 6-month survival were fCER>9.86% and D*CER>21.712 x10-3mm2/s (100% sensitivity, 71.4% specificity, 100% and 80% positive predictive values, and 80% and 100% negative predictive values; AUC:0.893 and 0.857, respectively. Treatment yielded the highest hazard ratio (5.484; 95% CI: 1.162-25.88; AUC: 0.723; P = 0.031; fCER combined with treatment predicted survival with 100% accuracy.The IVIM-metrics fCER and D*CER are promising biomarkers of 6-month survival in newly diagnosed glioblastoma.

Comparative metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses of microbial communities in acid mine drainage.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lin-xing; Hu, Min; Huang, Li-nan; Hua, Zheng-shuang; Kuang, Jia-liang; Li, Sheng-jin; Shu, Wen-sheng

2015-07-01

The microbial communities in acid mine drainage have been extensively studied to reveal their roles in acid generation and adaption to this environment. Lacking, however, are integrated community- and organism-wide comparative gene transcriptional analyses that could reveal the response and adaptation mechanisms of these extraordinary microorganisms to different environmental conditions. In this study, comparative metagenomics and metatranscriptomics were performed on microbial assemblages collected from four geochemically distinct acid mine drainage (AMD) sites. Taxonomic analysis uncovered unexpectedly high microbial biodiversity of these extremely acidophilic communities, and the abundant taxa of Acidithiobacillus, Leptospirillum and Acidiphilium exhibited high transcriptional activities. Community-wide comparative analyses clearly showed that the AMD microorganisms adapted to the different environmental conditions via regulating the expression of genes involved in multiple in situ functional activities, including low-pH adaptation, carbon, nitrogen and phosphate assimilation, energy generation, environmental stress resistance, and other functions. Organism-wide comparative analyses of the active taxa revealed environment-dependent gene transcriptional profiles, especially the distinct strategies used by Acidithiobacillus ferrivorans and Leptospirillum ferrodiazotrophum in nutrients assimilation and energy generation for survival under different conditions. Overall, these findings demonstrate that the gene transcriptional profiles of AMD microorganisms are closely related to the site physiochemical characteristics, providing clues into the microbial response and adaptation mechanisms in the oligotrophic, extremely acidic environments.

Trends in scale and shape of survival curves.

Science.gov (United States)

Weon, Byung Mook; Je, Jung Ho

2012-01-01

The ageing of the population is an issue in wealthy countries worldwide because of increasing costs for health care and welfare. Survival curves taken from demographic life tables may help shed light on the hypotheses that humans are living longer and that human populations are growing older. We describe a methodology that enables us to obtain separate measurements of scale and shape variances in survival curves. Specifically, 'living longer' is associated with the scale variance of survival curves, whereas 'growing older' is associated with the shape variance. We show how the scale and shape of survival curves have changed over time during recent decades, based on period and cohort female life tables for selected wealthy countries. Our methodology will be useful for performing better tracking of ageing statistics and it is possible that this methodology can help identify the causes of current trends in human ageing.

The proximate memory mechanism underlying the survival-processing effect: richness of encoding or interactive imagery?

Science.gov (United States)

Kroneisen, Meike; Erdfelder, Edgar; Buchner, Axel

2013-01-01

Nairne and collaborators showed that assessing the relevance of words in the context of an imagined survival scenario boosts memory for these words. Although this survival-processing advantage has attracted a considerable amount of research, little is known about the proximate memory mechanism mediating this effect. Recently, Kroneisen and Erdfelder (2011) argued that it is not survival processing itself that facilitates recall but rather the richness and distinctiveness of encoding that is triggered by the survival-processing task. Alternatively, however, it is also conceivable that survival processing fosters interactive imagery, a process known to improve associative learning. To test these explanations we compared relevance-rating and interactive imagery tasks for survival and control scenarios. Results show that the survival advantage replicates in the relevance-rating condition but vanishes in the interactive imagery condition. This refutes the interactive imagery explanation and corroborates the richness-of-encoding hypothesis of the survival-processing effect.

[Survival analysis with competing risks: estimating failure probability].

Science.gov (United States)

Llorca, Javier; Delgado-Rodríguez, Miguel

2004-01-01

To show the impact of competing risks of death on survival analysis. We provide an example of survival time without chronic rejection after heart transplantation, where death before rejection acts as a competing risk. Using a computer simulation, we compare the Kaplan-Meier estimator and the multiple decrement model. The Kaplan-Meier method overestimated the probability of rejection. Next, we illustrate the use of the multiple decrement model to analyze secondary end points (in our example: death after rejection). Finally, we discuss Kaplan-Meier assumptions and why they fail in the presence of competing risks. Survival analysis should be adjusted for competing risks of death to avoid overestimation of the risk of rejection produced with the Kaplan-Meier method.

Gastrointestinal viral load and enteroendocrine cell number are associated with altered survival in HIV-1 infected individuals.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guido van Marle

Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 infects and destroys cells of the immune system leading to an overt immune deficiency known as HIV acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS. The gut associated lymphoid tissue is one of the major lymphoid tissues targeted by HIV-1, and is considered a reservoir for HIV-1 replication and of major importance in CD4+ T-cell depletion. In addition to immunodeficiency, HIV-1 infection also directly causes gastrointestinal (GI dysfunction, also known as HIV enteropathy. This enteropathy can manifest itself as many pathological changes in the GI tract. The objective of this study was to determine the association of gut HIV-1 infection markers with long-term survival in a cohort of men who have sex with men (MSM enrolled pre-HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy. We examined survival over 15-years in a cohort of 42 HIV-infected cases: In addition to CD4+ T cell counts and HIV-1 plasma viral load, multiple gut compartment (duodenum and colon biopsies were taken by endoscopy every 6 months during the initial 3-year period. HIV-1 was cultured from tissues and phenotyped and viral loads in the gut tissues were determined. Moreover, the tissues were subjected to an extensive assessment of enteroendocrine cell distribution and pathology. The collected data was used for survival analyses, which showed that patients with higher gut tissue viral load levels had a significantly worse survival prognosis. Moreover, lower numbers of serotonin (duodenum and somatostatin (duodenum and colon immunoreactive cell counts in the gut tissues of patients was associated with significant lower survival prognosis. Our study, suggested that HIV-1 pathogenesis and survival prognosis is associated with altered enteroendocrine cell numbers, which could point to a potential role for enteroendocrine function in HIV infection and pathogenesis.

Goseki grade and tumour location influence survival of patients with gastric cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Calik, Muhammet; Calik, Ilknur; Demirci, Elif; Altun, Eren; Gundogdu, Betul; Sipal, Sare; Gundogdu, Cemal

2014-01-01

Owing to the variability of histopathological features and biological behaviour in gastric carcinoma, a great number of categorisation methods such as classical histopathologic grading, Lauren classification, the TNM staging system and the newly presented Goseki grading method are used by pathologists and other scientists. In our study, we aimed to investigate whether Goseki grade and tumour location have an effects on survival of gastric cancer cases. Eighty-four patients with gastric adenocarcinoma were covered in the investigation. The importance of Goseki grading system and tumour location were analysed in addition to the TNM staging and other conventional prognostic parameters. The median survival time in our patients was 35 months (minimum: 5, maximum: 116). According to our findings, there was no relation between survival and tumour size (p=0.192) or classical histological type (p=0.270). In contrast, the Goseki grade and tumour location significantly correlated with survival (p=0.007 and p<0.001, respectively). Additionally, tumours of the intestinal type had a longer median survival time (60.0 months) than diffuse tumours (24.0 months). In addition to the TNM staging system, tumour location and the Goseki grading system may be used as significant prognostic parameters in patients with gastric cancer.

Improved survival after rectal cancer in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bülow, S; Harling, H; Iversen, L H

2010-01-01

Objective In 1995, an analysis showed an inferior prognosis after rectal cancer in Denmark compared with the other Scandinavian countries. The Danish Colorectal Cancer Group (DCCG) was established with the aim of improving the prognosis, and in this study we present a survival analysis of patients...... treated from 1994 to 2006. Method The study was based on the National Rectal Cancer Registry and the National Colorectal Cancer Database, supplemented with data from the Central Population Registry. The analysis included actuarial overall and relative survival. Results A total of 10 632 patients were...

Low temperature and dust favour in vitro survival of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae: time to revisit indirect transmission in pig housing.

Science.gov (United States)

Browne, C; Loeffler, A; Holt, H R; Chang, Y M; Lloyd, D H; Nevel, A

2017-01-01

Porcine enzootic pneumonia (EP) caused by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae adversely affects pig welfare and is associated with major economic losses in the pig industry worldwide. Transmission is predominantly by direct contact, but the role of indirect transmission remains poorly understood. This study examined survival of six M. hyopneumoniae isolates dried onto five different surfaces encountered in pig units and exposed to temperatures of 4, 25 and 37°C for up to 12 days. Survival of the organisms was determined by recovering the organism from the surface material and culturing in Friis broth. Data were analysed by logistic regression to identify factors influencing survival of M. hyopneumoniae. Maximum survival was 8 days for all isolates on at least one surface (except stainless steel) at 4°C and was limited to 2 days at 25 and 37°C. Overall, dust and polypropylene copolymer supported M. hyopneumoniae survival the longest when compared with other surface materials. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that M. hyopneumoniae can survive outside the host for at least 8 days. Understanding the transmission of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and optimizing biosecurity practices are keys to reducing the use of antimicrobial agents to control this pathogen. Direct transmission of the pathogen between pigs is the main route of spread and its lack of cell wall may compromise its resilience outside the host. The results from our study show that M. hyopneumoniae can survive for up to several days on dry surfaces and therefore may have the potential to infect pigs by indirect transmission. Factors influencing the survival of M. hyopneumoniae outside the host are further elucidated. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Effects of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy on survival of patients in a persistent vegetative state after stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Kunpeng; Chen, Ying; Yan, Caihong; Huang, Zhijia; Wang, Deming; Gui, Peigen; Bao, Juan

2017-10-01

To assess the effect of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy on short- and long-term survival of patients in a persistent vegetative state after stroke and determine the relevant prognostic factors. Stroke may lead to a persistent vegetative state, and the effect of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy on survival of stroke patients in a persistent vegetative state remains unclear. Prospective study. A total of 97 stroke patients in a persistent vegetative state hospitalised from January 2009 to December 2011 at the Second Hospital, University of South China, were assessed in this study. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy was performed in 55 patients, and mean follow-up time was 18 months. Survival rate and risk factors were analysed. Median survival in the 55 percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy-treated patients was 17·6 months, higher compared with 8·2 months obtained for the remaining 42 patients without percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy treatment. Univariate analyses revealed that age, hospitalisation time, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy treatment status, family financial situation, family care, pulmonary infection and nutrition were significantly associated with survival. Multivariate analysis indicated that older age, no gastrostomy, poor family care, pulmonary infection and poor nutritional status were independent risk factors affecting survival. Indeed, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy significantly improved the nutritional status and decreased pulmonary infection rate in patients with persistent vegetative state after stroke. Interestingly, median survival time was 20·3 months in patients with no or one independent risk factors of poor prognosis (n = 38), longer compared with 8·7 months found for patients with two or more independent risk factors (n = 59). Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy significantly improves long-term survival of stroke patients in a persistent vegetative state and is associated with improved nutritional status

An approach to the drone fleet survivability assessment based on a stochastic continues-time model

Science.gov (United States)

Kharchenko, Vyacheslav; Fesenko, Herman; Doukas, Nikos

2017-09-01

An approach and the algorithm to the drone fleet survivability assessment based on a stochastic continues-time model are proposed. The input data are the number of the drones, the drone fleet redundancy coefficient, the drone stability and restoration rate, the limit deviation from the norms of the drone fleet recovery, the drone fleet operational availability coefficient, the probability of the drone failure-free operation, time needed for performing the required tasks by the drone fleet. The ways for improving the recoverable drone fleet survivability taking into account amazing factors of system accident are suggested. Dependencies of the drone fleet survivability rate both on the drone stability and the number of the drones are analysed.

Immunological predictors of survival in HIV type 2-infected rural villagers in Guinea-Bissau

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jaffar, Shabbar; Van der Loeff, Maarten Schim; Eugen-Olsen, Jesper

2005-01-01

We investigated the association between beta2-microglobulin, neopterin, serum levels of soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), CD4 count, and plasma viremia with survival in 133 HIV-2-infected villagers and 160 controls living in rural Guinea-Bissau. Subjects were recruited......%, and plasma viral load were associated independently with survival in multivariate analyses. Neopterin and suPAR did not reach statistical significance. These findings suggest that immune activation is central to the pathogenesis of HIV. They also have important implications for resource-poor settings where...

Cell survival and radiation induced chromosome aberrations. Pt. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bauchinger, M.; Schmid, E.; Braselmann, H.

1986-01-01

Human peripheral lymphocytes were irradiated in whole blood with 0.5-4.0 Gy of 220 kVp X-rays and the frequency of chromosome aberrations was determined in 1st or 2nd division metaphases discriminated by fluorescence plus giemsa staining. Using the empirical distributions of aberrations among cells, cell survival and transmission of aberrations were investigated. Considering both daughter cells, we found that 20% of fragments and 55% of dicentrics or ring chromosomes are lost during the 1st cell division; i.e. cell survival rate from 1st to 2nd generation is mainly influenced by anaphase bridging of these two-hit aberrations. Cell survival to 2nd mitosis was calculated considering this situation and compared with the survival derived from the fraction of M1 cells without unstable aberrations. The resulting shouldered survival curves showed significantly different slopes, indicating that cell reproductive death is overestimated in the latter approach. (orig.)

Multivariate Analysis of the Predictors of Survival for Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Undergoing Transarterial Chemoembolization: Focusing on Superselective Chemoembolization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji, Suk Kyeong; Cho, Yun Ku; Ahn, Yong Sik; Kim, Mi Young; Park, Yoon Ok; Kim, Jae Kyun; Kim, Wan Tae

2008-01-01

While the prognostic factors of survival for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who underwent transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) are well known, the clinical significance of performing selective TACE for HCC patients has not been clearly documented. We tried to analyze the potential factors of disease-free survival for these patients, including the performance of selective TACE. A total of 151 patients with HCC who underwent TACE were retrospectively analyzed for their disease-free survival (a median follow- up of 23 months, range: 1-88 months). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for 20 potential factors by using the Cox proportional hazard model, including 19 baseline factors and one procedure-related factor (conventional versus selective TACE). The parameters that proved to be significant on the univariate analysis were subsequently tested with the multivariate model. Conventional or selective TACE was performed for 40 and 111 patients, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that tumor multiplicity, venous tumor thrombosis and selective TACE were the only three independent significant prognostic factors of disease-free survival (p = 0.002, 0.015 and 0.019, respectively). In our study, selective TACE was a favorable prognostic factor for the disease-free survival of patients with HCC who underwent TACE

Breast cancer characteristics at diagnosis and survival among Arab-American women compared to European- and African-American women.

Science.gov (United States)

Hensley Alford, Sharon; Schwartz, Kendra; Soliman, Amr; Johnson, Christine Cole; Gruber, Stephen B; Merajver, Sofia D

2009-03-01

Data from Arab world studies suggest that Arab women may experience a more aggressive breast cancer phenotype. To investigate this finding, we focused on one of the largest settlements of Arabs and Iraqi Christians (Chaldeans) in the US, metropolitan Detroit- a SEER reporting site since 1973. We identified a cohort of primary breast cancer cases diagnosed 1973-2003. Using a validated name algorithm, women were identified as being of Arab/Chaldean descent if they had an Arab last or maiden name. We compared characteristics at diagnosis (age, grade, histology, SEER stage, and marker status) and overall survival between Arab-, European-, and African-Americans. The cohort included 1,652 (2%) women of Arab descent, 13,855 (18%) African-American women, and 63,615 (80%) European-American women. There were statistically significant differences between the racial groups for all characteristics at diagnosis. Survival analyses overall and for each SEER stage showed that Arab-American women had the best survival, followed by European-American women. African-American women had the poorest overall survival and were 1.37 (95% confidence interval: 1.23-1.52) times more likely to be diagnosed with an aggressive tumor (adjusting for age, grade, marker status, and year of diagnosis). Overall, Arab-American women have a distribution of breast cancer histology similar to European-American women. In contrast, the stage, age, and hormone receptor status at diagnosis among Arab-Americans was more similar to African-American women. However, Arab-American women have a better overall survival than even European-American women.

Geographical variations in the use of cancer treatments are associated with survival of lung cancer patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Henrik; Coupland, Victoria H; Tataru, Daniela

2018-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer outcomes in England are inferior to comparable countries. Patient or disease characteristics, healthcare-seeking behaviour, diagnostic pathways, and oncology service provision may contribute. We aimed to quantify associations between geographic variations in treatment...... and survival of patients in England. METHODS: We retrieved detailed cancer registration data to analyse the variation in survival of 176,225 lung cancer patients, diagnosed 2010-2014. We used Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression to investigate survival in the two-year period following...... diagnosis. RESULTS: Survival improved over the period studied. The use of active treatment varied between geographical areas, with inter-quintile ranges of 9%-17% for surgical resection, 4%-13% for radical radiotherapy, and 22%-35% for chemotherapy. At 2 years, there were 188 potentially avoidable deaths...

Risk Aversion in Game Shows

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Steffen; Harrison, Glenn W.; Lau, Morten I.

2008-01-01

We review the use of behavior from television game shows to infer risk attitudes. These shows provide evidence when contestants are making decisions over very large stakes, and in a replicated, structured way. Inferences are generally confounded by the subjective assessment of skill in some games......, and the dynamic nature of the task in most games. We consider the game shows Card Sharks, Jeopardy!, Lingo, and finally Deal Or No Deal. We provide a detailed case study of the analyses of Deal Or No Deal, since it is suitable for inference about risk attitudes and has attracted considerable attention....

The Essential Role of Cholesterol Metabolism in the Intracellular Survival of Mycobacterium leprae Is Not Coupled to Central Carbon Metabolism and Energy Production.

Science.gov (United States)

Marques, Maria Angela M; Berrêdo-Pinho, Marcia; Rosa, Thabatta L S A; Pujari, Venugopal; Lemes, Robertha M R; Lery, Leticia M S; Silva, Carlos Adriano M; Guimarães, Ana Carolina R; Atella, Georgia C; Wheat, William H; Brennan, Patrick J; Crick, Dean C; Belisle, John T; Pessolani, Maria Cristina V

2015-12-01

Mycobacterium leprae induces the formation of lipid droplets, which are recruited to pathogen-containing phagosomes in infected macrophages and Schwann cells. Cholesterol is among the lipids with increased abundance in M. leprae-infected cells, and intracellular survival relies on cholesterol accumulation. The present study investigated the capacity of M. leprae to acquire and metabolize cholesterol. In silico analyses showed that oxidation of cholesterol to cholest-4-en-3-one (cholestenone), the first step of cholesterol degradation catalyzed by the enzyme 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD), is apparently the only portion of the cholesterol catabolic pathway seen in Mycobacterium tuberculosis preserved by M. leprae. Incubation of bacteria with radiolabeled cholesterol confirmed the in silico predictions. Radiorespirometry and lipid analyses performed after incubating M. leprae with [4-(14)C]cholesterol or [26-(14)C]cholesterol showed the inability of this pathogen to metabolize the sterol rings or the side chain of cholesterol as a source of energy and carbon. However, the bacteria avidly incorporated cholesterol and, as expected, converted it to cholestenone both in vitro and in vivo. Our data indicate that M. leprae has lost the capacity to degrade and utilize cholesterol as a nutritional source but retains the enzyme responsible for its oxidation to cholestenone. Thus, the essential role of cholesterol metabolism in the intracellular survival of M. leprae is uncoupled from central carbon metabolism and energy production. Further elucidation of cholesterol metabolism in the host cell during M. leprae infection will establish the mechanism by which this lipid supports M. leprae intracellular survival and will open new avenues for novel leprosy therapies. Our study focused on the obligate intracellular pathogen Mycobacterium leprae and its capacity to metabolize cholesterol. The data make an important contribution for those interested in understanding the

Investigation of Exomic Variants Associated with Overall Survival in Ovarian Cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Winham, Stacey J; Pirie, Ailith; Chen, Yian Ann

2016-01-01

). Results: No individual variant reached genome-wide statistical significance. A SNP previously implicated to be associated with EOC risk and, to a lesser extent, survival, rs8170, showed the strongest evidence of association with survival and similar effect size estimates across sets (Pmeta=1.1E-6,HRSet1......=1.17,HRSet2= 1.14). Rare variants in ATG2B, an autophagy gene important for apoptosis, were significantly associated with survival after multiple testing correction (Pmeta = 1.1E-6; Pcorrected = 0.01). Conclusions: Common variant rs8170 and rare variants in ATG2B may be associated with EOC overall survival...

Comparison of cancer survival in New Zealand and Australia, 2006-2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Aye, Phyu S; Elwood, J Mark; Stevanovic, Vladimir

2014-12-19

Previous studies have shown substantially higher mortality rates from cancer in New Zealand compared to Australia, but these studies have not included data on patient survival. This study compares the survival of cancer patients diagnosed in 2006-10 in the whole populations of New Zealand and Australia. Identical period survival methods were used to calculate relative survival ratios for all cancers combined, and for 18 cancers each accounting for more than 50 deaths per year in New Zealand, from 1 to 10 years from diagnosis. Cancer survival was lower in New Zealand, with 5-year relative survival being 4.2% lower in women, and 3.8% lower in men for all cancers combined. Of 18 cancers, 14 showed lower survival in New Zealand; the exceptions, with similar survival in each country, being melanoma, myeloma, mesothelioma, and cervical cancer. For most cancers, the differences in survival were maximum at 1 year after diagnosis, becoming smaller later; however, for breast cancer, the survival difference increased with time after diagnosis. The lower survival in New Zealand, and the higher mortality rates shown earlier, suggest that further improvements in recognition, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer in New Zealand should be possible. As the survival differences are seen soon after diagnosis, issues of early management in primary care and time intervals to diagnosis and treatment may be particularly important.

Clinical outcomes and prognostic factors associated with survival after balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration of gastric varices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uozumi, Shojiro; Baba, Toshiyuki; Sai, Syouei; Seino, Noritaka; Hashimoto, Toshi; Honda, Minoru; Gokan, Takehiko; Imawari, Michio

2011-01-01

We evaluated clinical outcomes and prognostic factors associated with survival after balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (B-RTO) of gastric varices in patients with portal hypertension. Of 50 patients with gastric varices who underwent B-RTO, 46 (94.0%) patients in whom B-RTO was technically successful were reviewed retrospectively. Gastric and esophageal varices after B-RTO were evaluated by contrast-enhanced computer tomography and endoscopy, respectively. Liver function parameters and Child-Pugh scores were estimated before and at 1 year after B-RTO. The cumulative survival rate was calculated, and univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess the prognostic factors. No major complications occurred in any of the patients following B-RTO and no recurrence or bleeding of gastric varices was noted. Of the 42 patients who were followed up for the progression of esophageal varices, 13 (31.0%) had worsened varices and of these, 6 (14.3%) showed bleeding. Prothrombin activity had significantly improved at 1 year after B-RTO, although there were no changes in other liver function parameters. The overall cumulative survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years after B-RTO were 91.6%, 70.9%, and 53.6%, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified the occurrence of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) during the observation period as a prognostic factor for survival (hazard ratio=4.1497, 95% CI=1.32314-13.0319, P=0.0148). B-RTO of gastric varices is an effective treatment ensuring lower recurrence and bleeding rates; however, these patients require careful observation for progression of esophageal varices. The management of HCC is crucial for achieving long-term survival after B-RTO. (author)

Skin rash in patients treated with neoadjuvant erlotinib (Tarceva in resectable non-small cell lung cancer: Predictor for tumor response and survival?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Van Gool MH

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Skin rash during treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI has been reported to be predictive for response and survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate whether skin rash during treatment (as a biomarker in a preoperative setting was related to response and survival. Methods: This study was designed as an open-label phase II trial (also known as M06NEL. Patients received preoperative erlotinib (Tarceva 150 mg once daily for 3 weeks. Skin toxicity during treatment was analysed in relation to metabolic and histopathological response, overall survival (OS and progression-free survival (PFS. Results: In total 59 patients (25 male, 34 female were eligible for analysis. In 39 patients (66% skin toxicity occurred. According to National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria (NCICTC, Grade 1 toxicity was seen in 15 patients (25%, Grade 2 in 19 patients (32% and Grade 3 in five patients (8%. None of the patients showed skin toxicity Grade 4 and 5. The median follow up was 74 months. Thirty-six patients (61% were alive at time of analysis. Twenty-seven patients (46% showed disease progression during follow up. Hazard ratios (HR indicated lower risk of death (HR = 0.66, 95%CI: 0.29 - 1.50 and progression (HR = 0.64, 0.30 - 1.36, although in this small group results were not significant. Skin rash did not adequately predict response. Conclusions: In this neoadjuvant setting with limited treatment time in patients with early stage NSCLC, skin rash was not associated with response and survival and cannot be used as an early biomarker.

Resource Elasticity of Offspring Survival and the Optimal Evolution of Sex Ratios

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Rui-Wu; Wang, Ya-Qiang; He, Jun-Zhou; Li, Yao-Tang

2013-01-01

The fitness of any organisms includes the survival and reproductive rate of adults and the survival of their offspring. Environmental selection pressures might not affect these two aspects of an organism equally. Assuming that an organism first allocates its limited resources to maintain its survival under environmental selection pressure, our model, based on the evolutionarily stable strategy theory, surprisingly shows that the sex ratio is greatly affected by the environmental pressure intensity and by the reproductive resource elasticity of offspring survival. Moreover, the concept of the resource elasticity of offspring survival intrinsically integrates the ecological concepts of K selection and r selection. The model shows that in a species with reproductive strategy K, increased environmental selection pressure will reduce resource allocation to the male function. By contrast, in a species with reproductive strategy r, harsher environmental selection pressure will increase allocation to the male function. The elasticity of offspring survival might vary not only across species, but also across many other factors affecting the same species (e.g., age structure, spatial heterogeneity), which explains sex ratio differences across species or age structures and spatial heterogeneity in the same species. PMID:23468826

Survival and mortality rates among Danes with MS

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brønnum-Hansen, H; Stenager, Egon; Hansen, Thomas

2006-01-01

Long-term survival and trends in overall and cause-specific excess mortality among people with MS have been studied using the Danish Multiple Sclerosis Registry, which contains information about all Danish MS patients since the mid-20th Century. A total of 4254 deaths among approximately 10......,000 people with MS, representing more than 200,000 person-years of observation, have been analysed. Overall, mortality was almost three times higher and life expectancy 10 years less among people with MS than for the general population. However, excess mortality has declined significantly since 1950....

Linear transform of the multi-target survival curve

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watson, J V [Cambridge Univ. (UK). Dept. of Clinical Oncology and Radiotherapeutics

1978-07-01

A completely linear transform of the multi-target survival curve is presented. This enables all data, including those on the shoulder region of the curve, to be analysed. The necessity to make a subjective assessment about which data points to exclude for conventional methods of analysis is, therefore, removed. The analysis has also been adapted to include a 'Pike-Alper' method of assessing dose modification factors. For the data cited this predicts compatibility with the hypothesis of a true oxygen 'dose-modification' whereas the conventional Pike-Alper analysis does not.

Survival of Vibrio cholerae O1 on fomites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Farhana, Israt; Hossain, Zenat Zebin; Tulsiani, Suhella Mohan

2016-01-01

conditions on fomites, bacteria have been known to assume a viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state after a given period of time. To investigate whether and when V. cholerae O1 assumes such a state, this study investigated the survival and viable quantification on a range of fomites such as paper, wood, glass......, plastic, cloth and several types of metals under laboratory conditions. The fomites were inoculated with an outbreak strain of V. cholerae and its culturability was examined by drop plate count method at 30 min intervals for up to 6 h. For molecular detection, the viable/dead stain ethidium monoazide (EMA......) which inhibits amplification of DNA from dead cells was used in combination with real-time polymerase chain reaction (EMA-qPCR) for direct quantitative analyses of viable V. cholerae at 2, 4, 6, 24 h and 7 day time intervals. Results showed that V. cholerae on glass and aluminum surfaces lost...

Witnessed arrest, but not delayed bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation improves prehospital cardiac arrest survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Vukmir, R B

2004-05-01

This study correlated the effect of witnessing a cardiac arrest and instituting bystander CPR (ByCPR), as a secondary end point in a study evaluating the effect of bicarbonate on survival. This prospective, randomised, double blinded clinical intervention trial enrolled 874 prehospital cardiopulmonary arrest patients encountered in a prehospital urban, suburban, and rural regional emergency medical service (EMS) area. This group underwent conventional advanced cardiac life support intervention followed by empiric early administration of sodium bicarbonate (1 mEq/l), monitoring conventional resuscitation parameters. Survival was measured as presence of vital signs on emergency department (ED) arrival. Data were analysed using chi(2) with Pearson correlation and odds ratio where appropriate. The overall survival rate was 13.9% (110 of 792) of prehospital cardiac arrest patients. The mean (SD) time until provision of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ByCPR) by laymen was 2.08 (2.77) minutes, and basic life support (BLS) by emergency medical technicians was 6.62 (5.73) minutes. There was improved survival noted with witnessed cardiac arrest-a 2.2-fold increase in survival, 18.9% (76 of 402) versus 8.6% (27 of 315) compared with unwitnessed arrests (ptwo minutes (p = 0.3752). Survival after prehospital cardiac arrest is more likely when witnessed, but not necessarily when ByCPR was performed by laymen.

Tanacetum parthenium leaf extract mediated survival protection in lethally irradiated Swiss albino mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shetty, Prashanth; Pooja, S.; Suchetha Kumari, N.; Shetty, Jayaram; Peter, Alex John; Jose, Jerish M.

2016-01-01

Search for less-toxic radioprotectors has spurred interest in the development of natural products. In Ayurveda, the traditional medicine, Tanacetum species have been used to treat ailments since ancient times throughout the world. Effects of the administration of different concentrations of Tanacetum parthenium leaf aqueous extract (TPLA), Tanacetum parthenium leaf ethanolic extract (TPLE) were investigated in Swiss albino mice. Mice (20-25 g) were randomly divided into 8 groups of ten animals each. The control group and the radiation group were treated daily with oral administration of saline for 15 days. Each subgroups of TPLA and TPLE were treated with doses of 50, 100 and 250 mg/kg daily for 15 days. On the 15th day, all were irradiated with 10 Gy whole body irradiation. Survival was observed daily up to 30th post-irradiation day. Data were analysed using the Kaplan-Meier survival curves. The significance difference in survival between control, radiation and treatment groups were observed (P < 0.001). Current studies revealed the protective effect of Tanacetum parthenium rendering high survivability in lethally irradiated mice. (author)

Cigarette smoking is associated with adverse survival among women with ovarian cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Præstegaard, Camilla; Jensen, Allan; Jensen, Signe M

2017-01-01

,149 (57%) women died during a median follow-up period of 7.0 years. Among women diagnosed with ovarian cancer, both current (pHR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.08-1.28) and former smokers (pHR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.02-1.18) had worse survival compared with never smoking women. In histotype-stratified analyses...

Is there a difference in survival between men and women suffering in-hospital cardiac arrest?

Science.gov (United States)

Israelsson, Johan; Persson, Carina; Strömberg, Anna; Arestedt, Kristofer

2014-01-01

To describe in-hospital cardiac arrest (CA) events with regard to sex and to investigate if sex is associated with survival. Previous studies exploring differences between sexes are incongruent with regard to clinical outcomes. In order to provide equality and improve care, further investigations into these aspects are warranted. This registry study included 286 CAs. To investigate if sex was associated with survival, logistic regression analyses were performed. The proportion of CA with a resuscitation attempt compared to CA without resuscitation was higher among men. There were no associations between sex and survival when controlling for previously known predictors and interaction effects. Sex does not appear to be a predictor for survival among patients suffering CA where resuscitation is attempted. The difference regarding proportion of resuscitation attempts requires more attention. It is important to consider possible interaction effects when studying the sex perspective. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Important prognostic factors for the long-term survival of lung cancer subjects in Taiwan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiang, Tai-An; Chen, Ping-Ho; Wu, Pei-Fen; Wang, Tsu-Nai; Chang, Po-Ya; Ko, Albert Min-Shan; Huang, Ming-Shyan; Ko, Ying-Chin

2008-01-01

This study used a large-scale cancer database in determination of prognostic factors for the survival of lung cancer subjects in Taiwan. Total of 24,910 subjects diagnosed with lung cancer was analysed. Survival estimates by Kaplan-Meier methods. Cox proportional-hazards model estimated the death risk (hazard ratio (HR)) for various prognostic factors. The prognostic indicators associated with a higher risk of lung cancer deaths are male gender (males versus females; HR = 1.07, 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.03–1.11), males diagnosed in later periods (shown in 1991–1994 versus 1987–1990; HR = 1.13), older age at diagnosis, large cell carcinoma (LCC)/small cell carcinoma (SCC), and supportive care therapy over chemotherapy. The overall 5-year survival rate for lung cancer death was significantly poorer for males (21.3%) than females (23.6%). Subjects with squamous cell carcinoma (SQCC) and treatment by surgical resection alone had better prognosis. We find surgical resections to markedly increase 5-year survival rate from LCC, decreased risk of death from LCC, and no improved survival from SCC. Gender and clinical characteristics (i.e. diagnostic period, diagnostic age, histological type and treatment modality) play important roles in determining lung cancer survival

Multiple traumas and resilience among street children in Haiti: Psychopathology of survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Cénat, Jude Mary; Derivois, Daniel; Hébert, Martine; Amédée, Laetitia Mélissande; Karray, Amira

2018-05-01

In Haiti, as in several developing countries, the phenomenon of street children has become a major public health issue. These children are often victims of traumas and adverse life events. This article aimed to investigate traumas experienced by street children and their coping and resilience strategies used to deal with adversities in a logic of survival, relying on a mixed method approach. A group of 176 street children, aged 7-18 (n = 21 girls), recruited in Port-au-Prince, completed measures assessing PTSD, social support and resilience. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to document traumatic experiences, factors related to resilience and coping strategies. After performing statistical analyses to evaluate prevalence and predictors associated with PTSD, and level of social support satisfaction and resilience, qualitative analysis using a grounded theory approach was conducted. Results showed that street children experienced multiple traumas such as neglect, maltreatment, psychological, physical and sexual abuse. However, they also showed self-efficacy to face their traumatic experiences and few of them (less than 15%) obtained scores reaching clinical rates of PTSD, while a large majority presented a level of resilience between moderate to very high. A socio-ecological model of multiple traumas and a model of coping, survival and resilience strategies are conceptualized. Data provide a better understanding of the traumas experienced by street children, their coping and resilience strategies. Results underscore ways to develop practices to offer psychological support, social and vocational integration based on the real needs of these children, in a perspective of social justice. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Child mortality inequalities across Rwanda districts: a geoadditive continuous-time survival analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

François Niragire

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Child survival programmes are efficient when they target the most significant and area-specific factors. This study aimed to assess the key determinants and spatial variation of child mortality at the district level in Rwanda. Data from the 2010 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey were analysed for 8817 live births that occurred during five years preceding the survey. Out of the children born, 433 had died before survey interviews were carried out. A full Bayesian geo-additive continuous-time hazard model enabled us to maximise data utilisation and hence improve the accuracy of our estimates. The results showed substantial district- level spatial variation in childhood mortality in Rwanda. District-specific spatial characteristics were particularly associated with higher death hazards in two districts: Musanze and Nyabihu. The model estimates showed that there were lower death rates among children from households of medium and high economic status compared to those from low-economic status households. Factors, such as four antenatal care visits, delivery at a health facility, prolonged breastfeeding and mothers younger than 31 years were associated with lower child death rates. Long preceding birth intervals were also associated with fewer hazards. For these reasons, programmes aimed at reducing child mortality gaps between districts in Rwanda should target maternal factors and take into consideration district-specific spatial characteristics. Further, child survival gains require strengthening or scaling-up of existing programmes pertaining to access to, and utilisation of maternal and child health care services as well as reduction of the household gap in the economic status.

Child mortality inequalities across Rwanda districts: a geoadditive continuous-time survival analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Niragire, François; Achia, Thomas N O; Lyambabaje, Alexandre; Ntaganira, Joseph

2017-05-11

Child survival programmes are efficient when they target the most significant and area-specific factors. This study aimed to assess the key determinants and spatial variation of child mortality at the district level in Rwanda. Data from the 2010 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey were analysed for 8817 live births that occurred during five years preceding the survey. Out of the children born, 433 had died before survey interviews were carried out. A full Bayesian geo-additive continuous-time hazard model enabled us to maximise data utilisation and hence improve the accuracy of our estimates. The results showed substantial district- level spatial variation in childhood mortality in Rwanda. District-specific spatial characteristics were particularly associated with higher death hazards in two districts: Musanze and Nyabihu. The model estimates showed that there were lower death rates among children from households of medium and high economic status compared to those from low-economic status households. Factors, such as four antenatal care visits, delivery at a health facility, prolonged breastfeeding and mothers younger than 31 years were associated with lower child death rates. Long preceding birth intervals were also associated with fewer hazards. For these reasons, programmes aimed at reducing child mortality gaps between districts in Rwanda should target maternal factors and take into consideration district-specific spatial characteristics. Further, child survival gains require strengthening or scaling-up of existing programmes pertaining to access to, and utilisation of maternal and child health care services as well as reduction of the household gap in the economic status.

Association of collagen architecture with glioblastoma patient survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Pointer, Kelli B; Clark, Paul A; Schroeder, Alexandra B; Salamat, M Shahriar; Eliceiri, Kevin W; Kuo, John S

2017-06-01

OBJECTIVE Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most malignant primary brain tumor. Collagen is present in low amounts in normal brain, but in GBMs, collagen gene expression is reportedly upregulated. However, to the authors' knowledge, direct visualization of collagen architecture has not been reported. The authors sought to perform the first direct visualization of GBM collagen architecture, identify clinically relevant collagen signatures, and link them to differential patient survival. METHODS Second-harmonic generation microscopy was used to detect collagen in a GBM patient tissue microarray. Focal and invasive GBM mouse xenografts were stained with Picrosirius red. Quantitation of collagen fibers was performed using custom software. Multivariate survival analysis was done to determine if collagen is a survival marker for patients. RESULTS In focal xenografts, collagen was observed at tumor brain boundaries. For invasive xenografts, collagen was intercalated with tumor cells. Quantitative analysis showed significant differences in collagen fibers for focal and invasive xenografts. The authors also found that GBM patients with more organized collagen had a longer median survival than those with less organized collagen. CONCLUSIONS Collagen architecture can be directly visualized and is different in focal versus invasive GBMs. The authors also demonstrate that collagen signature is associated with patient survival. These findings suggest that there are collagen differences in focal versus invasive GBMs and that collagen is a survival marker for GBM.

Biofilm formation enhances Helicobacter pylori survivability in vegetables.

Science.gov (United States)

Ng, Chow Goon; Loke, Mun Fai; Goh, Khean Lee; Vadivelu, Jamuna; Ho, Bow

2017-04-01

To date, the exact route and mode of transmission of Helicobacter pylori remains elusive. The detection of H. pylori in food using molecular approaches has led us to postulate that the gastric pathogen may survive in the extragastric environment for an extended period. In this study, we show that H. pylori prolongs its survival by forming biofilm and micro-colonies on vegetables. The biofilm forming capability of H. pylori is both strain and vegetable dependent. H. pylori strains were classified into high and low biofilm formers based on their highest relative biofilm units (BU). High biofilm formers survived longer on vegetables compared to low biofilm formers. The bacteria survived better on cabbage compared to other vegetables tested. In addition, images captured on scanning electron and confocal laser scanning microscopes revealed that the bacteria were able to form biofilm and reside as micro-colonies on vegetable surfaces, strengthening the notion of possible survival of H. pylori on vegetables for an extended period of time. Taken together, the ability of H. pylori to form biofilm on vegetables (a common food source for human) potentially plays an important role in its survival, serving as a mode of transmission of H. pylori in the extragastric environment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Survivable architectures for time and wavelength division multiplexed passive optical networks

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Elaine

2014-08-01

The increased network reach and customer base of next-generation time and wavelength division multiplexed PON (TWDM-PONs) have necessitated rapid fault detection and subsequent restoration of services to its users. However, direct application of existing solutions for conventional PONs to TWDM-PONs is unsuitable as these schemes rely on the loss of signal (LOS) of upstream transmissions to trigger protection switching. As TWDM-PONs are required to potentially use sleep/doze mode optical network units (ONU), the loss of upstream transmission from a sleeping or dozing ONU could erroneously trigger protection switching. Further, TWDM-PONs require its monitoring modules for fiber/device fault detection to be more sensitive than those typically deployed in conventional PONs. To address the above issues, three survivable architectures that are compliant with TWDM-PON specifications are presented in this work. These architectures combine rapid detection and protection switching against multipoint failure, and most importantly do not rely on upstream transmissions for LOS activation. Survivability analyses as well as evaluations of the additional costs incurred to achieve survivability are performed and compared to the unprotected TWDM-PON. Network parameters that impact the maximum achievable network reach, maximum split ratio, connection availability, fault impact, and the incremental reliability costs for each proposed survivable architecture are highlighted.

Could the survival and outcome benefit of adrenaline also be dependent upon the presence of gasping upon arrival of emergency rescuers?

Science.gov (United States)

Rottenberg, Eric M

2014-09-01

A recent systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of adrenaline use during resuscitation of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest found no benefit of adrenaline in survival to discharge or neurological outcomes. It did, however, find an advantage of standard dose adrenaline (SDA) over placebo and high dose adrenaline over SDA in overall survival to admission and return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), which was also consistent with previous reviews. As a result, the question that remains is "Why is there no difference in the rate of survival to discharge when there are increased rates of ROSC and survival to admission in patients who receive adrenaline?" It was suggested that the lack of efficacy and effectiveness of adrenaline may be confounded by the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during cardiac arrest, which has been demonstrated in animal models. CPR quality was not measured or reported in the included randomized controlled trials. However, the survival and outcome benefit of adrenaline may also depend upon the presence of witnessed gasping and/or gasping upon arrival of emergency rescuers, which is a critical factor not accounted for in the analyses of the cited animal studies that allowed gasping but showed the survival and neurological outcome benefits of adrenaline use. Moreover, without the aid of gasping, very few rescuers can provide high-quality CPR. Also, age and the absence of gasping observed by bystanders and/or upon arrival of emergency- rescuers may be important factors in the determination of whether vasopressin instead of adrenaline should be used first. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stereotactic Radiosurgery in the Management of Brain Metastases: An Institutional Retrospective Analysis of Survival

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frazier, James L.; Batra, Sachin; Kapor, Sumit; Vellimana, Ananth; Gandhi, Rahul; Carson, Kathryn A.; Shokek, Ori; Lim, Michael; Kleinberg, Lawrence; Rigamonti, Daniele

2010-01-01

Purpose: The objective of this study was to report our experience with stereotactic radiosurgery performed with the Gamma Knife (GK) in the treatment of patients with brain metastases and to compare survival for those treated with radiosurgery alone with survival for those treated with radiosurgery and whole-brain radiotherapy. Methods and Materials: Prospectively collected demographic and clinical characteristics and treatment and survival data on 237 patients with intracranial metastases who underwent radiosurgery with the GK between 2003 and 2007 were reviewed. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to compare survival by demographic and clinical characteristics and treatment. Results: The mean age of the patient population was 56 years. The most common tumor histologies were non-small-cell lung carcinoma (34.2%) and breast cancer (13.9%). The median overall survival time was 8.5 months from the time of treatment. The median survival times for patients with one, two/three, and four or more brain metastases were 8.5, 9.4, and 6.7 months, respectively. Patients aged 65 years or greater and those aged less than 65 years had median survival times of 7.8 and 9 months, respectively (p = 0.008). The Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) at the time of treatment was a significant predictor of survival: those patients with a KPS of 70 or less had a median survival of 2.9 months compared with 10.3 months (p = 0.034) for those with a KPS of 80 or greater. There was no statistically significant difference in survival between patients treated with radiosurgery alone and those treated with radiosurgery plus whole-brain radiotherapy. Conclusions: Radiosurgery with the GK is an efficacious treatment modality for brain metastases. A KPS greater than 70, histology of breast cancer, smaller tumor volume, and age less than 65 years were associated with a longer median survival in our study.

Survival analysis models and applications

CERN Document Server

Liu, Xian

2012-01-01

Survival analysis concerns sequential occurrences of events governed by probabilistic laws.  Recent decades have witnessed many applications of survival analysis in various disciplines. This book introduces both classic survival models and theories along with newly developed techniques. Readers will learn how to perform analysis of survival data by following numerous empirical illustrations in SAS. Survival Analysis: Models and Applications: Presents basic techniques before leading onto some of the most advanced topics in survival analysis.Assumes only a minimal knowledge of SAS whilst enablin

The Poor Survival among Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients in Chiapas, Mexico: The Case of Los Altos Region

OpenAIRE

Nájera-Ortiz, J. C.; Sánchez-Pérez, H. J.; Ochoa-Díaz-López, H.; Leal-Fernández, G.; Navarro-Giné, A.

2012-01-01

Objective. To analyse survival in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and factors associated with such survival. Design. Study of a cohort of patients aged over 14 years diagnosed with PTB from January 1, 1998 to July 31, 2005. During 2004–2006 a home visit was made to each patient and, during 2008-2009, they were visited again. During these visits a follow-up interview was administered; when the patient had died, a verbal autopsy was conducted with family members. Statistical analysis...

Survival benefit of chemoembolization plus Iodine125 seed implantation in unresectable hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma with PVTT: a retrospective matched cohort study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Mingsheng; Wang, Haofan; Chen, Junwei; Bai, Mingjun; Wang, Long; Zhu, Kangshun; Jiang, Zaibo; Guan, Shouhai; Li, Zhengran; Qian, Jiesheng; Li, Mingan; Pang, Pengfei; Shan, Hong [Sun Yat-sen University, Department of Radiology, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou (China); Sun Yat-Sen University, Department of Interventional Radiology, Ling-nan Hospital, Guangzhou (China); Sun Yat-sen University, Interventional Radiology Institute, Guangzhou (China); Lin, Qu [Sun Yat-sen University, Department of Oncology, the Third Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou (China)

2016-10-15

To investigate the survival benefit of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus Iodine125 seed implantation (TACE-Iodine125) in hepatitis B-related HCC patients with portal vein tumour thrombus (PVTT) and the underlying prognostic factors. A retrospective matched cohort study was performed on consecutive HCC patients with PVTT from January 2011 to June 2014. Seventy patients (TACE-Iodine125 group) who underwent TACE-Iodine125 were compared with a historical case-matched control group of 140 patients (TACE group) who received TACE alone. The survival of patients and the underlying prognostic factors were analysed. The median survival times of the TACE-Iodine125 and TACE groups were 11.0 and 7.5 months, respectively (p < 0.001). The survival probability at 12, 24, and 36 months was 50 %, 14.5 %, and 14.5 % vs. 25 %, 9 %, and 5 % in the TACE-Iodine125 and TACE groups, respectively (p < 0.001). The PVTT responders had better survival than the PVTT non-responders (p < 0.001). For the PVTT non-responders, there were no differences in the survival curves between the groups (p = 0.353). Multivariate analysis showed that type III PVTT (p < 0.001) and APS (p < 0.001) were independent predictors of poor prognosis. In contrast, the treatment modality of TACE-Iodine125 (p < 0.001) and PVTT response (p = 0.001) were favourable prognostic features. TACE combined with Iodine125 seed implantation may be a good choice for selected HB-HCC patients with PVTT. (orig.)

New Firm Survival: Industry versus Firm Effects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

D.B. Audretsch (David); P. Houweling (Patrick); A.R. Thurik (Roy)

1997-01-01

textabstractRecent studies show that the likelihood of survival differs significantly across firms. Both firm and industry characteristics are hypothesized to account for this heterogenity. Using a longitudinal database of manufacturing firms we investigate whether firm or industry characteristics

Survival of Salmonella Newport in oysters.

Science.gov (United States)

Morrison, Christopher M; Armstrong, Alexandra E; Evans, Sanford; Mild, Rita M; Langdon, Christopher J; Joens, Lynn A

2011-08-02

Salmonella enterica is the leading cause of laboratory-confirmed foodborne illness in the United States and raw shellfish consumption is a commonly implicated source of gastrointestinal pathogens. A 2005 epidemiological study done in our laboratory by Brands et al., showed that oysters in the United States are contaminated with Salmonella, and in particular, a specific strain of the Newport serovar. This work sought to further investigate the host-microbe interactions between Salmonella Newport and oysters. A procedure was developed to reliably and repeatedly expose oysters to enteric bacteria and quantify the subsequent levels of bacterial survival. The results show that 10 days after an exposure to Salmonella Newport, an average concentration of 3.7 × 10(3)CFU/g remains within the oyster meat, and even after 60 days there still can be more than 10(2)CFU/g remaining. However, the strain of Newport that predominated in the market survey done by Brands et al. does not survive within oysters or the estuarine environment better than any other strains of Salmonella we tested. Using this same methodology, we compared Salmonella Newport's ability to survive within oysters to a non-pathogenic strain of E. coli and found that after 10 days the concentration of Salmonella was 200-times greater than that of E. coli. We also compared those same strains of Salmonella and E. coli in a depuration process to determine if a constant 120 L/h flux of clean seawater could significantly reduce the concentration of bacteria within oysters and found that after 3 days the oysters retained over 10(4)CFU/g of Salmonella while the oysters exposed to the non-pathogenic strain of E. coli contained 100-times less bacteria. Overall, the results of this study demonstrate that any of the clinically relevant serovars of Salmonella can survive within oysters for significant periods of time after just one exposure event. Based on the drastic differences in survivability between Salmonella and a non

Key factors influencing lung cancer survival in northern Italy.

Science.gov (United States)

Mangone, Lucia; Minicozzi, Pamela; Vicentini, Massimo; Giacomin, Adriano; Caldarella, Adele; Cirilli, Claudia; Falcini, Fabio; Giorgi Rossi, Paolo; Sant, Milena

2013-06-01

Lung cancer is a major cause of cancer death worldwide. The aims of this study were to analyze presentation, treatment and survival for lung cancer in northern Italy, and identify factors influencing survival. A total of 1180 lung cancer cases diagnosed in four north Italian cancer registries (Biella, Modena, Reggio Emilia, Romagna) in 2003-2005 were analyzed. Information on morphology, stage, diagnostic examinations, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgical treatment was collected from clinical records. Three-year relative survival and relative excess risks of death were estimated. Overall, 10% of cases were stage I, 50% stage IV, and 12% stage unknown. Romagna - where sophisticated diagnostic examinations were performed more often - had proportionately more microscopically verified cases and resected cases than Biella. Romagna had also high proportions of cases given chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Three-year survival was 14%, range 10% (Biella) to 19% (Romagna); 69% for stage I, 3% for stage IV. Stage I survival was higher in Romagna (82%) than Reggio Emilia and Biella (60-61%) but for operated stage I cases, survival was similar (88%) in Romagna and Biella. The fully adjusted model showed a higher risk of death in Biella (1.23, 95%CI 1.02-1.48) than Modena (reference). Stage and surgery are key factors influencing survival. Centralizing lung cancer treatment to improve diagnostic work-up may improve outcomes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

What Explains the Survival Gap of Pushed and Pulled Corporate Spin-offs?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rocha, Vera; Carneiro, Anabela; Varum, Celeste

2015-01-01

Unconditionally, pushed spin-offs are found to survive longer than their pulled counterparts. Using matched employer-employee data and novel multivariate decomposition techniques, we show that pushed spin-offs’ relative survival advantage is mostly explained by their larger human capital endowments...

Review of epidemiological and clinical characteristics and overall survival in patients with colorectal cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michelle Eisenhardt

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Backgound and Objectives: Colorectal cancer (CRC has high incidence, is often treatable and curable if diagnosed early. This study aimed to identify the epidemiological characteristic and assess overall survival in patients with CRC treated at a center specializing in oncology. Methods: Medical records of 127 patients with CRC were retrospectively evaluated. Clinical and epidemiological characteristics, in addition to treatment protocols and adverse reactions presented by patients were reviewed. The association of significance was assessed by chi-square and Fisher exact tests. The survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. The confidence interval was of 95% (p

Investigating Rates of Hunting and Survival in Declining European Lapwing Populations.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guillaume Souchay

Full Text Available Understanding effects of harvest on population dynamics is of major interest, especially for declining species. European lapwing Vanellus vanellus populations increased from the 1960s until the 1980s and declined strongly thereafter. About 400,000 lapwings are harvested annually and it is thus of high conservation relevance to assess whether hunting was a main cause for the observed changes in lapwing population trends. We developed a multi-event cause-specific mortality model which we applied to a long-term ring-recovery data set (1960-2010 of > 360,000 records to estimate survival and cause-specific mortalities. We found no temporal change in survival over the last 50 years for first-year (FY and older birds (after first-year; AFY originating from different ringing areas. Mean survival was high, around 0.60 and 0.80 for FY and AFY individuals, respectively. The proportion of total mortality due to hunting was <0.10 over the study period and the estimated proportion of harvested individuals (kill rate was <0.05 in each year. Our result of constant survival indicates that demographic processes other than survival were responsible for the pronounced change in lapwing population trends in the 1980s. Our findings lend support to the hypothesis that hunting was not a significant contributor to the large-scale decline of lapwing populations. To halt the ongoing decline of European lapwing populations management should focus on life history stages other than survival (e.g. productivity. Further analyses are required to investigate the contribution of other demographic rates to the decline of lapwings and to identify the most efficient conservation actions.

Immunotherapy for recurrent malignant glioma: an interim report on survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Ingram, M; Buckwalter, J G; Jacques, D B; Freshwater, D B; Abts, R M; Techy, G B; Miyagi, K; Shelden, C H; Rand, R W; English, L W

1990-12-01

We present interim survival data for a group of 83 adult patients with recurrent malignant glioma treated by implanting stimulated autologous lymphocytes into the tumour bed following surgical debulking. The patients were treated 6 months or more prior to data analysis. Fifty-nine patients were male and 24 female. The mean age for the entire group was 48.4 years and the mean Karnofsky rating (KR) was 67.2. Eight of the patients had grade II tumours, 33 had grade III tumours and 42 had grade IV tumours. Statistical analysis focuses on tumour grade, KR and patient age, factors that have been shown to affect survival in previous studies. Multifactorial analyses are employed to identify interrelationships among factors related to survival. Seven patients (8%) did not respond to immunotherapy, 76 (92%) had a good initial response. Twenty-five patients (30.1%) are living and 18 (22%) have shown no evidence of recurrence. Results are evaluated in the light of those obtained in trials of other experimental therapies for recurrent malignant gliomas. It is concluded that the present protocol offers a safe and comparatively effective treatment option.

Time dependent ethnic convergence in colorectal cancer survival in hawaii

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hundahl Scott A

2003-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although colorectal cancer death rates have been declining, this trend is not consistent across all ethnic groups. Biological, environmental, behavioral and socioeconomic explanations exist, but the reason for this discrepancy remains inconclusive. We examined the hypothesis that improved cancer screening across all ethnic groups will reduce ethnic differences in colorectal cancer survival. Methods Through the Hawaii Tumor Registry 16,424 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer were identified during the years 1960–2000. Cox regression analyses were performed for each of three cohorts stratified by ethnicity (Caucasian, Japanese, Hawaiian, Filipino, and Chinese. The models included stage of diagnosis, year of diagnosis, age, and sex as predictors of survival. Results Mortality rates improved significantly for all ethnic groups. Moreover, with the exception of Hawaiians, rates for all ethnic groups converged over time. Persistently lower survival for Hawaiians appeared linked with more cancer treatment. Conclusion Ethnic disparities in colorectal cancer mortality rates appear primarily the result of differential utilization of health care. If modern screening procedures can be provided equally to all ethnic groups, ethnic outcome differences can be virtually eliminated.

Applied survival analysis using R

CERN Document Server

Moore, Dirk F

2016-01-01

Applied Survival Analysis Using R covers the main principles of survival analysis, gives examples of how it is applied, and teaches how to put those principles to use to analyze data using R as a vehicle. Survival data, where the primary outcome is time to a specific event, arise in many areas of biomedical research, including clinical trials, epidemiological studies, and studies of animals. Many survival methods are extensions of techniques used in linear regression and categorical data, while other aspects of this field are unique to survival data. This text employs numerous actual examples to illustrate survival curve estimation, comparison of survivals of different groups, proper accounting for censoring and truncation, model variable selection, and residual analysis. Because explaining survival analysis requires more advanced mathematics than many other statistical topics, this book is organized with basic concepts and most frequently used procedures covered in earlier chapters, with more advanced topics...

Survival benefit of early androgen receptor inhibitor therapy in locally advanced prostate cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Frederik B; Brasso, Klaus; Christensen, Ib J

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: The optimal timing of endocrine therapy in non-metastatic prostate cancer (PCa) is still an issue of debate. METHODS: A randomised, double-blind, parallel-group trial comparing bicalutamide 150mg once daily with placebo in addition to standard care in patients with hormone-naïve, non......-metastatic PCa. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate overall survival (OS) and multivariate Cox proportional hazard model was performed to analyse time-to-event (death). FINDINGS: A total of 1218 patients were included into the Scandinavian Prostate Cancer Group (SPCG)-6 study of which 607 were randomised...... disease (hazard ratios (HR)=0.77 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63-0.94, p=0.01), regardless of baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA), with a survival benefit which was apparent throughout the study period. In contrast, survival favoured randomisation to the placebo arm in patients with localised...

Reduction in non-protein respiratory quotient is related to overall survival after hepatocellular carcinoma treatment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masaya Saito

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE is an effective treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC that can occasionally lead to the shortening of life expectancy. We aimed to make a new and more accurate prognostic model taking into account the course of disease after TACE. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We performed a prospective cohort study involving 100 HCC patients who underwent TACE at Kobe University Hospital. Indirect calorimetry and blood biochemical examinations were performed before and 7 days after TACE. Time-dependent and time-fixed factors associated with 1-year mortality after TACE were assessed by multivariate analyses. A predictive model of 1-year mortality was established by the combination of odds ratios of these factors. Multivariate analyses showed that the ratio of non-protein respiratory quotient (npRQ (7 days after/before TACE and Cancer of Liver Italian Program (CLIP score were independent factors of 1-year mortality after TACE (p = 0.014 and 0.013, respectively. Patient-specific 1-year mortality risk scores can be calculated by summarizing the individual risk scores and looking up the patient-specific risk on the graph. CONCLUSIONS: The short-term reduction of npRQ was a time-dependent prognostic factor associated with overall survival in HCC patients undergoing TACE. CLIP score was a time-fixed prognostic factor associated with overall survival. Using the prediction model, which consists of the combination of time-dependent (npRQ ratio and time-fixed (CLIP score prognostic factors, 1-year mortality risk after TACE would be better estimated by taking into account changes during the course of disease.

Phase I/II trials of {sup 186}Re-HEDP in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: post-hoc analysis of the impact of administered activity and dosimetry on survival

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Denis-Bacelar, Ana M.; Chittenden, Sarah J.; Divoli, Antigoni; Flux, Glenn D. [The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Joint Department of Physics, London (United Kingdom); Dearnaley, David P.; Johnson, Bernadette [The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, London (United Kingdom); O' Sullivan, Joe M. [Queen' s University Belfast, Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Belfast (United Kingdom); McCready, V.R. [Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Brighton (United Kingdom); Du, Yong [The Royal Marsden Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT, London (United Kingdom)

2017-04-15

To investigate the role of patient-specific dosimetry as a predictive marker of survival and as a potential tool for individualised molecular radiotherapy treatment planning of bone metastases from castration-resistant prostate cancer, and to assess whether higher administered levels of activity are associated with a survival benefit. Clinical data from 57 patients who received 2.5-5.1 GBq of {sup 186}Re-HEDP as part of NIH-funded phase I/II clinical trials were analysed. Whole-body and SPECT-based absorbed doses to the whole body and bone lesions were calculated for 22 patients receiving 5 GBq. The patient mean absorbed dose was defined as the mean of all bone lesion-absorbed doses in any given patient. Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank tests, Cox's proportional hazards model and Pearson's correlation coefficients were used for overall survival (OS) and correlation analyses. A statistically significantly longer OS was associated with administered activities above 3.5 GBq in the 57 patients (20.1 vs 7.1 months, hazard ratio: 0.39, 95 % CI: 0.10-0.58, P = 0.002). A total of 379 bone lesions were identified in 22 patients. The mean of the patient mean absorbed dose was 19 (±6) Gy and the mean of the whole-body absorbed dose was 0.33 (±0.11) Gy for the 22 patients. The patient mean absorbed dose (r = 0.65, P = 0.001) and the whole-body absorbed dose (r = 0.63, P = 0.002) showed a positive correlation with disease volume. Significant differences in OS were observed for the univariate group analyses according to disease volume as measured from SPECT imaging of {sup 186}Re-HEDP (P = 0.03) and patient mean absorbed dose (P = 0.01), whilst only the disease volume remained significant in a multivariable analysis (P = 0.004). This study demonstrated that higher administered activities led to prolonged survival and that for a fixed administered activity, the whole-body and patient mean absorbed doses correlated with the extent of disease, which, in turn, correlated

Survival probabilities of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta estimated from capture-mark-recapture data in the Mediterranean Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paolo Casale

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Survival probabilities of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta are estimated for the first time in the Mediterranean by analysing 3254 tagging and 134 re-encounter data from this region. Most of these turtles were juveniles found at sea. Re-encounters were live resightings and dead recoveries and data were analysed with Barker’s model, a modified version of the Cormack-Jolly-Seber model which can combine recapture, live resighting and dead recovery data. An annual survival probability of 0.73 (CI 95% = 0.67-0.78; n=3254 was obtained, and should be considered as a conservative estimate due to an unknown, though not negligible, tag loss rate. This study makes a preliminary estimate of the survival probabilities of in-water developmental stages for the Mediterranean population of endangered loggerhead sea turtles and provides the first insights into the magnitude of the suspected human-induced mortality in the region. The model used here for the first time on sea turtles could be used to obtain survival estimates from other data sets with few or no true recaptures but with other types of re-encounter data, which are a common output of tagging programmes involving these wide-ranging animals.

Survival and Virulence of Campylobacter spp. in the Environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bui, Thanh Xuan

of environmental stress factors, namely heat shock, starvation, osmosis, and oxidation, on the expression of three virulence genes (ciaB, dnaJ, and htrA) of C. jejuni and its uptake by and intracellular survival within A. castellanii. I also investigated the mechanism(s) involved in phagocytosis and killing of C....... jejuni by A. castellanii. I observed that heat and osmotic stresses reduced the survival of C. jejuni significantly, whereas oxidative stress had no effect. The results of qRT-PCR experiments showed that the transcription of virulence genes of C. jejuni was slightly up-regulated under heat and oxidative...... soil flagellates may play a role for the survival of these food-borne pathogens on plant surfaces and in soil. It would be very interesting to further investigate the impacts of this soil flagellate on the survival of different food-borne pathogens in soil and in plant surface that may explain...

Progression-free survival, post-progression survival, and tumor response as surrogate markers for overall survival in patients with extensive small cell lung cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hisao Imai

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The effects of first-line chemotherapy on overall survival (OS might be confounded by subsequent therapies in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC. We examined whether progression-free survival (PFS, post-progression survival (PPS, and tumor response could be valid surrogate endpoints for OS after first-line chemotherapies for patients with extensive SCLC using individual-level data. Methods: Between September 2002 and November 2012, we analyzed 49 cases of patients with extensive SCLC who were treated with cisplatin and irinotecan as first-line chemotherapy. The relationships of PFS, PPS, and tumor response with OS were analyzed at the individual level. Results: Spearman rank correlation analysis and linear regression analysis showed that PPS was strongly correlated with OS (r = 0.97, p < 0.05, R 2 = 0.94, PFS was moderately correlated with OS (r = 0.58, p < 0.05, R 2 = 0.24, and tumor shrinkage was weakly correlated with OS (r = 0.37, p < 0.05, R 2 = 0.13. The best response to second-line treatment, and the number of regimens employed after progression beyond first-line chemotherapy were both significantly associated with PPS ( p ≤ 0.05. Conclusion: PPS is a potential surrogate for OS in patients with extensive SCLC. Our findings also suggest that subsequent treatment after disease progression following first-line chemotherapy may greatly influence OS.

Density-dependent intraspecific aggression regulates survival in northern Yellowstone wolves (Canis lupus).

Science.gov (United States)

Cubaynes, Sarah; MacNulty, Daniel R; Stahler, Daniel R; Quimby, Kira A; Smith, Douglas W; Coulson, Tim

2014-11-01

Understanding the population dynamics of top-predators is essential to assess their impact on ecosystems and to guide their management. Key to this understanding is identifying the mechanisms regulating vital rates. Determining the influence of density on survival is necessary to understand the extent to which human-caused mortality is compensatory or additive. In wolves (Canis lupus), empirical evidence for density-dependent survival is lacking. Dispersal is considered the principal way in which wolves adjust their numbers to prey supply or compensate for human exploitation. However, studies to date have primarily focused on exploited wolf populations, in which density-dependent mechanisms are likely weak due to artificially low wolf densities. Using 13 years of data on 280 collared wolves in Yellowstone National Park, we assessed the effect of wolf density, prey abundance and population structure, as well as winter severity, on age-specific survival in two areas (prey-rich vs. prey-poor) of the national park. We further analysed cause-specific mortality and explored the factors driving intraspecific aggression in the prey-rich northern area of the park. Overall, survival rates decreased during the study. In northern Yellowstone, density dependence regulated adult survival through an increase in intraspecific aggression, independent of prey availability. In the interior of the park, adult survival was less variable and density-independent, despite reduced prey availability. There was no effect of prey population structure in northern Yellowstone, or of winter severity in either area. Survival was similar among yearlings and adults, but lower for adults older than 6 years. Our results indicate that density-dependent intraspecific aggression is a major driver of adult wolf survival in northern Yellowstone, suggesting intrinsic density-dependent mechanisms have the potential to regulate wolf populations at high ungulate densities. When low prey availability or high

Gender, social norms, and survival in maritime disasters

Science.gov (United States)

Elinder, Mikael; Erixson, Oscar

2012-01-01

Since the sinking of the Titanic, there has been a widespread belief that the social norm of “women and children first” (WCF) gives women a survival advantage over men in maritime disasters, and that captains and crew members give priority to passengers. We analyze a database of 18 maritime disasters spanning three centuries, covering the fate of over 15,000 individuals of more than 30 nationalities. Our results provide a unique picture of maritime disasters. Women have a distinct survival disadvantage compared with men. Captains and crew survive at a significantly higher rate than passengers. We also find that: the captain has the power to enforce normative behavior; there seems to be no association between duration of a disaster and the impact of social norms; women fare no better when they constitute a small share of the ship’s complement; the length of the voyage before the disaster appears to have no impact on women’s relative survival rate; the sex gap in survival rates has declined since World War I; and women have a larger disadvantage in British shipwrecks. Taken together, our findings show that human behavior in life-and-death situations is best captured by the expression “every man for himself.” PMID:22847426

Magnetic resonance image-guided brachytherapy for cervical cancer. Prognostic factors for survival

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Yeon-Joo; Kim, Joo-Young [National Cancer Center, Proton Therapy Center, Goyang (Korea, Republic of); National Cancer Center, Center for Uterine Cancer, Goyang (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Youngkyong; Lim, Young Kyung; Jeong, Jonghwi [National Cancer Center, Proton Therapy Center, Goyang (Korea, Republic of); Jeong, Chiyoung [National Cancer Center, Proton Therapy Center, Goyang (Korea, Republic of); University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Department of Radiation Oncology, Asan Medical Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Meyoung [National Cancer Center, Proton Therapy Center, Goyang (Korea, Republic of); Dongnam Inst. of Radiology and Medical Sciences, Research center, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Lim, Myong Cheol; Seo, Sang-Soo; Park, Sang-Yoon [National Cancer Center, Center for Uterine Cancer, Goyang (Korea, Republic of)

2016-12-15

The purpose of this work was to identify prognostic factors for survival after magnetic resonance image (MRI)-guided brachytherapy combined with external beam radiotherapy for cervical cancer. External beam radiotherapy of 45-50.4 Gy was delivered by either three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy or helical tomotherapy. Patients also received high-dose-rate MRI-guided brachytherapy of 5 Gy in 6 fractions. We analyzed 128 patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IB-IVB cervical cancer who underwent MRI-guided brachytherapy. Most patients (96 %) received concurrent chemotherapy. Pelvic lymph node metastases and para-aortic lymphadenopathies were found in 62 % and 14 % of patients, respectively. The median follow-up time was 44 months. Complete remission was achieved in 119 of 128 patients (93 %). The 5-year local recurrence-free, cancer-specific, and overall survival rates were 94, 89, and 85 %, respectively. Negative pelvic lymphadenopathy, gross tumor volume (GTV) dose covering 90 % of the target (GTV D90) of >110 Gy, and treatment duration ≤56 days were associated with better overall survival in univariate analyses. Multivariable analysis showed that GTV D90 of >110 Gy and treatment duration ≤56 days were possibly associated with overall survival with near-significant P-values of 0.062 and 0.073, respectively. The outcome of MRI-guided brachytherapy combined with external beam radiotherapy in patients with cervical cancer was excellent. GTV D90 of >110 Gy and treatment duration ≤56 days were potentially associated with overall survival. (orig.) [German] Ziel der Arbeit war es, prognostische Faktoren nach magnetresonanztomographisch (MRT-)gesteuerter Brachytherapie in Verbindung mit externer Strahlentherapie fuer Gebaermutterhalskrebs zu identifizieren. Externe Strahlentherapie von 45-50,4 Gy erfolgte entweder mittels dreidimensionaler konformaler Strahlentherapie oder helikaler Tomotherapie. Die Patientinnen erhielten auch

Influence of beta blockers on survival in dogs with severe subaortic stenosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Eason, B D; Fine, D M; Leeder, D; Stauthammer, C; Lamb, K; Tobias, A H

2014-01-01

Subaortic stenosis (SAS) is one of the most common congenital cardiac defects in dogs. Severe SAS frequently is treated with a beta adrenergic receptor blocker (beta blocker), but this approach largely is empirical. To determine the influence of beta blocker treatment on survival time in dogs with severe SAS. Retrospective review of medical records of dogs diagnosed with severe, uncomplicated SAS (pressure gradient [PG] ≥80 mmHg) between 1999 and 2011. Fifty dogs met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-seven dogs were treated with a beta blocker and 23 received no treatment. Median age at diagnosis was significantly greater in the untreated group (1.2 versus 0.6 years, respectively; P = .03). Median PG at diagnosis did not differ between the treated and untreated groups (127 versus 121 mmHg, respectively; P = .2). Cox proportional hazards regression was used to identify the influence of PG at diagnosis, age at diagnosis, and beta blocker treatment on survival. In the all-cause multivariate mortality analysis, only age at diagnosis (P = .02) and PG at diagnosis (P = .03) affected survival time. In the cardiac mortality analysis, only PG influenced survival time (P = .03). Treatment with a beta blocker did not influence survival time in either the all-cause (P = .93) or cardiac-cause (P = .97) mortality analyses. Beta blocker treatment did not influence survival in dogs with severe SAS in our study, and a higher PG at diagnosis was associated with increased risk of death. Copyright © 2014 by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Repair-dependent cell radiation survival and transformation: an integrated theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sutherland, John C

2014-01-01

The repair-dependent model of cell radiation survival is extended to include radiation-induced transformations. The probability of transformation is presumed to scale with the number of potentially lethal damages that are repaired in a surviving cell or the interactions of such damages. The theory predicts that at doses corresponding to high survival, the transformation frequency is the sum of simple polynomial functions of dose; linear, quadratic, etc, essentially as described in widely used linear-quadratic expressions. At high doses, corresponding to low survival, the ratio of transformed to surviving cells asymptotically approaches an upper limit. The low dose fundamental- and high dose plateau domains are separated by a downwardly concave transition region. Published transformation data for mammalian cells show the high-dose plateaus predicted by the repair-dependent model for both ultraviolet and ionizing radiation. For the neoplastic transformation experiments that were analyzed, the data can be fit with only the repair-dependent quadratic function. At low doses, the transformation frequency is strictly quadratic, but becomes sigmodial over a wider range of doses. Inclusion of data from the transition region in a traditional linear-quadratic analysis of neoplastic transformation frequency data can exaggerate the magnitude of, or create the appearance of, a linear component. Quantitative analysis of survival and transformation data shows good agreement for ultraviolet radiation; the shapes of the transformation components can be predicted from survival data. For ionizing radiations, both neutrons and x-rays, survival data overestimate the transforming ability for low to moderate doses. The presumed cause of this difference is that, unlike UV photons, a single x-ray or neutron may generate more than one lethal damage in a cell, so the distribution of such damages in the population is not accurately described by Poisson statistics. However, the complete

Geographic Variation in Oxaliplatin Chemotherapy and Survival in Patients With Colon Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Panchal, Janki M; Lairson, David R; Chan, Wenyaw; Du, Xianglin L

2016-01-01

Geographic disparity in colon cancer survival has received less attention, despite the fact that health care delivery varied across regions. To examine geographic variation in colon cancer survival and explore factors affecting this variation, including the use of oxaliplatin chemotherapy, we studied cases with resected stage-III colon cancer in 2004-2009, identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare linked database. Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the effect of oxaliplatin-containing chemotherapy on survival across regions. Propensity score adjustments were made to control for potential selection bias and confounding. Rural regions showed lowest 3-year survival, whereas big metro regions showed better 3-year survival rate than any other region (67.3% in rural regions vs. 69.5% in big metro regions). Hazard ratio for patients residing in metro region was comparable with those residing in big metro region (1.27, 95% confidence interval: 0.90-1.80). However, patients residing in urban area were exhibiting lower mortality than those in other regions, although not statistically significant. Patients who received oxaliplatin chemotherapy were 23% significantly less likely to die of cancer than those received 5-fluorouracil only chemotherapy (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.77, 95% confidence interval: 0.63-0.95). In conclusion, there were some differences in survival across geographic regions, which were not statistically significant after adjusting for sociodemographic, tumor, chemotherapy, and other treatment characteristics. Oxaliplatin chemotherapy was associated with improved survival outcomes compared with 5-fluorouracil only chemotherapy across regions. Further studies may evaluate other factors and newer chemotherapy regimens on mortality/survival of older patients.

Canada-USA Salmon Shelf Survival Study, 2007-2008 Annual Report.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trudel, Marc; Tucker, Strahan; Morris, John

2009-03-09

Columbia River and Snake River are exposed to different ocean conditions and may respond differently to climate changes. In particular, our work shows that the growth and fat content of Chinook and coho salmon vary along different parts of the coast and among years. These growth differences appear to be associated with differences in prey quality rather than by a direct effect of temperature on salmon growth or prey quantity, indicating that changes in ocean conditions and circulation affect salmon production indirectly through changes in prey community composition and quality. Taken together, our analyses indicate that the relative survival of different stocks of salmon in the ocean will depend on where they migrate in the ocean, and that changes at the base of the food chain must be taken into consideration to understand the effects of ocean conditions on salmon growth, and hence, on salmon survival.

Disentangling the effects of tocilizumab on neutrophil survival and function.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaber, Timo; Hahne, Martin; Strehl, Cindy; Hoff, Paula; Dörffel, Yvonne; Feist, Eugen; Burmester, Gerd-Rüdiger; Buttgereit, Frank

2016-06-01

The synovial tissue in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) represents a hypoxic environment with up-regulated pro-inflammatory cytokines and cellular infiltrates including neutrophils. Although inhibition of the interleukin (IL)6 receptor pathway by tocilizumab is a potent treatment option for RA, it may also cause adverse effects such as an occasionally high-grade neutropenia. We analysed the impact of tocilizumab on survival, mediator secretion, oxidative burst, phagocytosis and energy availability of high-dose toll-like receptor (TLR)2/4-stimulated neutrophils (to mimic an arthritis flare) under normoxic versus hypoxic conditions. Human neutrophils were purified, pre-treated with varying doses of tocilizumab, dexamethasone or human IgG1 and high-dose-stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) alone-triggering TLR2/4-, LPS plus IL6, or left unstimulated. Cells were then incubated under normoxic (18 % O2) or hypoxic (1 % O2) conditions and subsequently analysed. Neutrophil survival and energy availability were significantly decreased by tocilizumab in a dose-dependent manner in high-dose TLR2/4-stimulated cells, but to a greater extent under normoxia as compared to hypoxia. We also found high-dose LPS-stimulated oxidative burst and phagocytosis of neutrophils to be higher under hypoxic versus normoxic conditions, but this difference was reduced by tocilizumab. Finally, we observed that tocilizumab affected neutrophil mediator secretion as a function of oxygen availability. Tocilizumab is known for both beneficial effects and a higher incidence of neutropenia when treating RA patients. Our results suggest that both effects can at least in part be explained by a reduction in neutrophil survival, a dose-dependent inhibition of hypoxia-induced NADPH oxidase-mediated oxidative burst and phagocytosis of infiltrating hypoxic neutrophils and an alteration of mediator secretion.

Survival analysis of patients with clinical stages I or II Hodgkin's disease who have relapsed after initial treatment with radiotherapy alone

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Horwich, A.; Specht, L.; Ashley, S.

1997-01-01

relapse included initial stage, age, sex, histology, number of involved areas, mediastinal involvement, E-lesions, B-symptoms, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, alkaline phosphatase, serum albumin and haemoglobin. As well as presentation variables, we analysed the disease-free interval after initial......To aid treatment choice in early stage of Hodgkin's disease, we analysed patients registered in the IDHD Database with clinical stages I or II Hodgkin's disease who were not staged with laparotomy and whose initial treatment was with radiotherapy alone. The factors analysed for outcome after first...... radiotherapy and the extent of disease at relapse. A total of 1364 patients with clinical stage I or II Hodgkin's disease were treated with initial radiotherapy, of whom 473 relapsed. The probability of survival 10 years after relapse was 63%. For cause-specific survival (CSS), both multivariate and univariate...

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Is Related to Poor Survival in Glioblastomas: Single-Institution Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Youngmin; Lee, Hyung-Sik; Hur, Won-Joo; Sung, Ki-Han; Kim, Ki-Uk; Choi, Sun-Seob; Kim, Su-Jin; Kim, Dae-Cheol

2013-01-01

Purpose There are conflicting results surrounding the prognostic significance of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) status in glioblastoma (GBM) patients. Accordingly, we attempted to assess the influence of EGFR expression on the survival of GBM patients receiving postoperative radiotherapy. Materials and Methods Thirty three GBM patients who had received surgery and postoperative radiotherapy at our institute, between March 1997 and February 2006, were included. The evaluation of EGFR expression with immunohistochemistry was available for 30 patients. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression were used for statistical analysis. Results EGFR was expressed in 23 patients (76.7%), and not expressed in seven (23.3%). Survival in EGFR expressing GBM patients was significantly less than that in non-expressing patients (median survival: 12.5 versus 17.5 months, p=0.013). Patients who received more than 60 Gy showed improved survival over those who received up to 60 Gy (median survival: 17.0 versus 9.0 months, p=0.000). Negative EGFR expression and a higher radiation dose were significantly correlated with improved survival on multivariate analysis. Survival rates showed no differences according to age, sex, and surgical extent. Conclusion The expression of EGFR demonstrated a significantly deleterious effect on the survival of GBM patients. Therefore, approaches targeting EGFR should be considered in potential treatment methods for GBM patients, in addition to current management strategies. PMID:23225805

Multi-objective optimisation for spacecraft design for demise and survivability

OpenAIRE

Trisolini, Mirko; Colombo, Camilla; Lewis, Hugh

2017-01-01

The paper presents the development of a multi-objective optimisation framework to study the effects that preliminary design choices have on the demisability and the survivability of a spacecraft. Building a spacecraft such that most of it will demise during the re-entry through design-for-demise strategies may lead to design that are more vulnerable to space debris impacts, thus compromising the reliability of the mission. The two models developed to analyse the demisability and the survivabi...

Molecular profiles of screen detected vs. symptomatic breast cancer and their impact on survival: results from a clinical series

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crispo, Anna; Esposito, Emanuela; Amore, Alfonso; Di Bonito, Maurizio; Botti, Gerardo; Montella, Maurizio; Barba, Maddalena; D’Aiuto, Giuseppe; De Laurentiis, Michelino; Grimaldi, Maria; Rinaldo, Massimo; Caolo, Giuseppina; D’Aiuto, Massimiliano; Capasso, Immacolata

2013-01-01

Stage shift is widely considered a major determinant of the survival benefit conferred by breast cancer screening. However, factors and mechanisms underlying such a prognostic advantage need further clarification. We sought to compare the molecular characteristics of screen detected vs. symptomatic breast cancers and assess whether differences in tumour biology might translate into survival benefit. In a clinical series of 448 women with operable breast cancer, the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test were used to estimate the likelihood of cancer recurrence and death. The Cox proportional hazard model was used for the multivariate analyses including mode of detection, age at diagnosis, tumour size, and lymph node status. These same models were applied to subgroups defined by molecular subtypes. Screen detected breast cancers tended to show more favourable clinicopathological features and survival outcomes compared to symptomatic cancers. The luminal A subtype was more common in women with mammography detected tumours than in symptomatic patients (68.5 vs. 59.0%, p=0.04). Data analysis across categories of molecular subtypes revealed significantly longer disease free and overall survival for screen detected cancers with a luminal A subtype only (p=0.01 and 0.02, respectively). For women with a luminal A subtype, the independent prognostic role of mode of detection on recurrence was confirmed in Cox proportional hazard models (p=0.03). An independent role of modality of detection on survival was also suggested (p=0.05). Molecular subtypes did not substantially explain the differences in survival outcomes between screened and symptomatic patients. However, our results suggest that molecular profiles might play a role in interpreting such differences at least partially. Further studies are warranted to reinterpret the efficacy of screening programmes in the light of tumour biology

Sarcopenia is an Independent Predictor of Severe Postoperative Complications and Long-Term Survival After Radical Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Zhuang, Cheng-Le; Huang, Dong-Dong; Pang, Wen-Yang; Zhou, Chong-Jun; Wang, Su-Lin; Lou, Neng; Ma, Liang-Liang; Yu, Zhen; Shen, Xian

2016-01-01

Abstract Currently, the association between sarcopenia and long-term prognosis after gastric cancer surgery has not been investigated. Moreover, the association between sarcopenia and postoperative complications remains controversial. This large-scale retrospective study aims to ascertain the prevalence of sarcopenia and assess its impact on postoperative complications and long-term survival in patients undergoing radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer. From December 2008 to April 2013, the clinical data of all patients who underwent elective radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer were collected prospectively. Only patients with available preoperative abdominal CT scan within 30 days of surgery were considered for analysis. Skeletal muscle mass was determined by abdominal (computed tomography) CT scan, and sarcopenia was diagnosed by the cut-off values obtained by means of optimum stratification. Univariate and multivariate analyses evaluating risk factors of postoperative complications and long-term survival were performed. A total of 937 patients were included in this study, and 389 (41.5%) patients were sarcopenic based on the diagnostic cut-off values (34.9 cm2/m2 for women and 40.8 cm2/m2 for men). Sarcopenia was an independent risk factor for severe postoperative complications (OR = 3.010, P sarcopenia did not show significant association with operative mortality. Moreover, sarcopenia was an independent predictor for poorer overall survival (HR = 1.653, P sarcopenia remained an independent risk factor for overall survival and disease-free survival in patients with TNM stage II and III, but not in patients with TNM stage I. Sarcopenia is an independent predictive factor of severe postoperative complications after radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Moreover, sarcopenia is independently associated with overall and disease-free survival in patients with TNM stage II and III, but not in patients with TNM stage I. PMID:27043677

Survival of fishes after impingement on traveling screens at Hudson River power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muessig, P.H.; Hutchison, J.B.; King, L.R.; Ligotino, R.J.; Daley, M.

1988-01-01

The survival of Hudson River fishes, juveniles and adults, after they had been impinged on continuously rotated traveling screens at the Bowline Point and Danskammer Point power plants was examined. Survival of principal species was similar at the two plants, and estimates of survival improved as monitoring stress was reduced. Adjusted for survival of control fish, survival over 84-108 h after fish were recovered from the screens was highest for Atlantic tomcod, striped bass, and white perch (50-90%) and lowest for bay anchovy, alewife, and blueback herring; other species showed intermediate survival. Survival of striped bass and white perch was positively correlated with water temperature in winter and with conductivity in spring and fall. Continual rotation of the screens, which shortens the average time that fish are impinged, increased survival over that associated with intermittent rotation. 24 refs., 9 figs., 4 tabs

The influence of sarcopenia on survival and surgical complications in ovarian cancer patients undergoing primary debulking surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Rutten, I J G; Ubachs, J; Kruitwagen, R F P M; van Dijk, D P J; Beets-Tan, R G H; Massuger, L F A G; Olde Damink, S W M; Van Gorp, T

2017-04-01

Sarcopenia, severe skeletal muscle loss, has been identified as a prognostic factor in various malignancies. This study aims to investigate whether sarcopenia is associated with overall survival (OS) and surgical complications in patients with advanced ovarian cancer undergoing primary debulking surgery (PDS). Ovarian cancer patients (n = 216) treated with PDS were enrolled retrospectively. Total skeletal muscle surface area was measured on axial computed tomography at the level of the third lumbar vertebra. Optimum stratification was used to find the optimal skeletal muscle index cut-off to define sarcopenia (≤38.73 cm 2 /m 2 ). Cox-regression and Kaplan-Meier analysis were used to analyse the relationship between sarcopenia and OS. The effect of sarcopenia on the development of major surgical complications was studied with logistic regression. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a significant survival disadvantage for patients with sarcopenia compared to patients without sarcopenia (p = 0.010). Sarcopenia univariably predicted OS (HR 1.536 (95% CI 1.105-2.134), p = 0.011) but was not significant in multivariable Cox-regression analysis (HR 1.362 (95% CI 0.968-1.916), p = 0.076). Significant predictors for OS in multivariable Cox-regression analysis were complete PDS, treatment in a specialised centre and the development of major complications. Sarcopenia was not predictive of major complications. Sarcopenia was not predictive of OS or major complications in ovarian cancer patients undergoing primary debulking surgery. However a strong trend towards a survival disadvantage for patients with sarcopenia was seen. Future prospective studies should focus on interventions to prevent or reverse sarcopenia and possibly increase ovarian cancer survival. Complete cytoreduction remains the strongest predictor of ovarian cancer survival. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights

Factors predicting survival following noninvasive ventilation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Peysson, S; Vandenberghe, N; Philit, F; Vial, C; Petitjean, T; Bouhour, F; Bayle, J Y; Broussolle, E

2008-01-01

The involvement of respiratory muscles is a major predicting factor for survival in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Recent studies show that noninvasive ventilation (NIV) can relieve symptoms of alveolar hypoventilation. However, factors predicting survival in ALS patients when treated with NIV need to be clarified. We conducted a retrospective study of 33 consecutive ALS patients receiving NIV. Ten patients had bulbar onset. We determined the median survivals from onset, diagnosis and initiation of NIV and factors predicting survival. Statistical analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier test and Cox proportional hazard models. The median initial and maximal total uses of NIV were 10 and 14 h/24h. The overall median survival from ALS onset was 34.2 months and worsened with increasing age and bulbar onset of the disease. The median survival from initiation of NIV was 8.4 months and was significantly poorer in patients with advanced age or with airway mucus accumulation. Survival from initiation of NIV was not influenced by respiratory parameters or bulbar symptoms. Advanced age at diagnosis and airway mucus accumulation represent poorer prognostic factors of ALS patients treated with NIV. NIV is a helpful treatment of sleep-disordered breathing, including patients with bulbar involvement. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Survival outcomes for oligometastasis in resected non-small cell lung cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimada, Yoshihisa; Saji, Hisashi; Kakihana, Masatoshi; Kajiwara, Naohiro; Ohira, Tatsuo; Ikeda, Norihiko

2015-10-01

We investigated the factors associated with post-recurrence survival and the treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer patients with postoperative distant recurrence, especially oligometastasis. We reviewed the data of 272 patients with distant recurrence who underwent resection of non-small-cell lung cancer from January 2000 through December 2011. The type of distant recurrence was classified as oligometastasis (n = 76, 28%) or polymetastasis (n = 196, 72%). Forty-seven (62%) patients with oligometastasis received local therapy (surgery 5, radiotherapy 9, sequential local and systemic therapy 28, chemoradiotherapy 5). Multivariate analysis revealed older age, non-adenocarcinoma, shorter disease-free interval, no pulmonary metastasis, liver metastases, bone metastases, and polymetastasis had significant associations with unfavorable post-recurrence survival. Subgroup analysis of patients with oligometastasis showed histology and disease-free interval had a great impact on survival. Smoking history and histology were associated with survival in patients with lung oligometastasis, whereas systemic treatment and longer disease-free interval were related to increased post-recurrence survival in those with brain oligometastasis. This study showed that an oligometastatic state per se was a significant favorable factor. Optimization of personalized systemic treatment and adding local treatment are important in the management of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer and oligometastasis. © The Author(s) 2015.

Benefits of marriage on relative and conditional relative cancer survival differ between males and females in the USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Merrill, Ray M; Johnson, Erin

2017-10-01

The purpose of the paper is to assess the influence of marital status on conditional relative survival of cancer according to sex. Analyses involved 779,978 males and 1,032,868 females diagnosed with 1 of 13 cancer types between 2000 and 2008, and followed through 2013. Data are from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. Regression models were adjusted for age, sex, race, and tumor stage. Five-year relative survival conditional on years already survived is higher among married patients with less lethal cancers (oral cavity and pharynx, colon and rectum, breast, urinary bladder, kidney and renal pelvis, melanoma of the skin, thyroid, lymphoma). For more lethal cancers, married patients have similar (liver, lung and bronchus, pancreas, leukemia) or poorer (brain and other nervous system) cancer survival. Separated/divorced or widowed patients have the lowest conditional relative survival rates. For most cancers, 5-year cancer relative survival rates conditional on time already survived through 5 years approach 70 to 90% of that for the general population. The beneficial effect of marriage on survival decreases with years already survived. Superior conditional relative survival rates in females decrease with time already survived and are less pronounced in married patients. Five-year relative survival rates improve with time already survived. The benefits of marriage on conditional relative survival are greater for less lethal cancers. Greater 5-year conditional relative survival rates in females narrow with time already survived and are less pronounced in married patients. Conditional relative survival rates of cancer can lead to more informed decisions and understanding regarding treatment and prognosis.

Twelve-year experience of radioembolization for colorectal hepatic metastases in 214 patients: survival by era and chemotherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lewandowski, Robert J.; Memon, Khairuddin; Hickey, Ryan; Gates, Vanessa L.; Atassi, Bassel; Vouche, Michael; Atassi, Rohi; Desai, Kush; Hohlastos, Elias; Sato, Kent; Habib, Ali [Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Radiology, Section of Interventional Radiology, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL (United States); Mulcahy, Mary F.; Kircher, Sheetal; Newman, Steven B.; Nimeiri, Halla; Benson, Al B. [Northwestern University, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL (United States); Marshall, Karen; Williams, Melissa; Salzig, Krystina; Salem, Riad [Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Radiology, Section of Interventional Radiology, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL (United States); Northwestern University, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago, IL (United States)

2014-10-15

The aim of this study was to analyze the safety, treatment characteristics and survival outcomes of Yttrium-90 (Y90) radioembolization for unresectable colorectal carcinoma (CRC) liver metastases refractory to standard of care therapy. A total of 214 patients with CRC metastases were treated with Y90 radioembolization over 12 years. Toxicity was assessed using National Cancer Institute common terminology criteria. Overall survival was analyzed from date of diagnosis of primary cancer, hepatic metastases and from the first Y90. Uni/multivariate analyses were performed. Substratification by era of chemotherapeutics was performed. Most patients were male (60 %) and <65 years old (61 %). Of them, 98 % had been exposed to chemotherapy. Grade 3 lymphocyte, bilirubin, albumin, ALP and AST toxicities were observed in 39 %, 11 %, 10 %, 8 % and 4 % of patients, respectively. Grade 4 lymphocyte and ALP toxicities were observed in 5 % and 3 % of patients, respectively. Median overall survival was 43.0, 34.6, and 10.6 months from date of diagnosis of primary cancer, hepatic metastases and first Y90, respectively. Survival was significantly longer in patients: (1) who received ≤2 cytotoxic drugs (n = 104) than those who received 3 (n = 110) (15.2 vs. 7.5 months, p = 0.0001); and (2) who received no biologic agents (n = 52) compared with those that did (n = 162) (18.6 vs. 9.4 months, p = 0.0001). Multivariate analyses identified ≤2 cytotoxic agents, no exposure to biologics, ECOG 0, tumor burden <25 %, lack of extrahepatic disease and albumin >3 g/dL as independent predictors of survival. In this largest metastatic CRC series published to date, Y90 radioembolization was found to be safe; survival varied by prior therapy. Further studies are required to further refine the role of Y90 in metastatic CRC. (orig.)

The outcome and survival of palliative surgery in thoraco-lumbar spinal metastases: contemporary retrospective cohort study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nemelc, R.M.; Stadhouder, A.; van Royen, B.J.; Jiya, T.U.

2014-01-01

Purpose To evaluate outcome and survival and to identify prognostic variables for patients surgically treated for spinal metastases. Methods A retrospective study was performed on 86 patients, surgically treated for spinal metastases. Preoperative analyses of the ASIA and spinal instability

Dying to remember, remembering to survive: mortality salience and survival processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Burns, Daniel J; Hart, Joshua; Kramer, Melanie E; Burns, Amy D

2014-01-01

Processing items for their relevance to survival improves recall for those items relative to numerous other deep processing encoding techniques. Perhaps related, placing individuals in a mortality salient state has also been shown to enhance retention of items encoded after the morality salience manipulation (e.g., in a pleasantness rating task), a phenomenon we dubbed the "dying-to-remember" (DTR) effect. The experiments reported here further explored the effect and tested the possibility that the DTR effect is related to survival processing. Experiment 1 replicated the effect using different encoding tasks, demonstrating that the effect is not dependent on the pleasantness task. In Experiment 2 the DTR effect was associated with increases in item-specific processing, not relational processing, according to several indices. Experiment 3 replicated the main results of Experiment 2, and tested the effects of mortality salience and survival processing within the same experiment. The DTR effect and its associated difference in item-specific processing were completely eliminated when the encoding task required survival processing. These results are consistent with the interpretation that the mechanisms responsible for survival processing and DTR effects are overlapping.

Brains with sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and copathology showed a prolonged end-stage of disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Miguelez-Rodriguez, Aitzol; Santos-Juanes, Jorge; Vicente-Etxenausia, Ikerne; Perez de Heredia-Goñi, Katty; Garcia, Beatriz; Quiros, Luis M; Lorente-Gea, Laura; Guerra-Merino, Isabel; Aguirre, Jose J; Fernandez-Vega, Ivan

2018-05-01

To investigate the expression of major proteins related to primary neurodegenerative diseases and their prognostic significance in brains with Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD). Thirty consecutive cases of confirmed CJD during the period 2010-2015 at Basque Brain bank were retrospectively reviewed. Moreover, major neurodegenerative-associated proteins (phosphorylated Tau, 4R tau, 3R tau, alpha-synuclein, TDP43, amyloid beta) were tested. Clinical data were reviewed. Cases were divided according to the presence or absence of copathology. Survival curves were also determined. Copathology was significantly associated with survival in brains with CJD (4.2±1.2 vs 9.2±1.9; P=0.019) and in brains with MM1/MV1 CJD (2.1±1.0 vs 6.7±2.8; P=0.012). Besides, the presence of more than one major neurodegenerative-associated protein was significantly associated with survival (4.2±1.2 vs 10.7±2.6; P=0.017). Thus, univariate analyses further pointed out variables significantly associated with better survival: copathology in CJD (HR=0.430; P=0.033); more than one neurodegenerative-associated protein in CJD (HR=0.369; P=0.036) and copathology in MM1/MV1 CJD (HR=0.525; P=0.032). The existence of copathology significantly prolongs survival in patients with rapidly progressive dementia due to CJD. The study of major neurodegenerative-associated proteins in brains with CJD could allow us to further understand the molecular mechanisms behind prion diseases. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Re-evaluating neonatal-age models for ungulates: does model choice affect survival estimates?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Troy W Grovenburg

Full Text Available New-hoof growth is regarded as the most reliable metric for predicting age of newborn ungulates, but variation in estimated age among hoof-growth equations that have been developed may affect estimates of survival in staggered-entry models. We used known-age newborns to evaluate variation in age estimates among existing hoof-growth equations and to determine the consequences of that variation on survival estimates. During 2001-2009, we captured and radiocollared 174 newborn (≤24-hrs old ungulates: 76 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus in Minnesota and South Dakota, 61 mule deer (O. hemionus in California, and 37 pronghorn (Antilocapra americana in South Dakota. Estimated age of known-age newborns differed among hoof-growth models and varied by >15 days for white-tailed deer, >20 days for mule deer, and >10 days for pronghorn. Accuracy (i.e., the proportion of neonates assigned to the correct age in aging newborns using published equations ranged from 0.0% to 39.4% in white-tailed deer, 0.0% to 3.3% in mule deer, and was 0.0% for pronghorns. Results of survival modeling indicated that variability in estimates of age-at-capture affected short-term estimates of survival (i.e., 30 days for white-tailed deer and mule deer, and survival estimates over a longer time frame (i.e., 120 days for mule deer. Conversely, survival estimates for pronghorn were not affected by estimates of age. Our analyses indicate that modeling survival in daily intervals is too fine a temporal scale when age-at-capture is unknown given the potential inaccuracies among equations used to estimate age of neonates. Instead, weekly survival intervals are more appropriate because most models accurately predicted ages within 1 week of the known age. Variation among results of neonatal-age models on short- and long-term estimates of survival for known-age young emphasizes the importance of selecting an appropriate hoof-growth equation and appropriately defining intervals (i

The experience of fatherhood following childhood cancer survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Agnew, Francis; Higgins, Aiveen; Casey, Maureen; McCarthy, Anthony

2017-07-01

This study explored the experience of becoming a father following childhood cancer survival. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five fathers and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Three superordinate themes emerged: 'moving away from and revisiting the experience of cancer', 'making sense of fortune and loss following a life-threatening illness' and 'valuing the opportunity to be a father'. The transition to fatherhood brought unique and specific challenges to fathers. Nevertheless, all appeared to have positively adjusted to this transition. Findings recommended providing information and support to childhood survivors who wish to or who are about to become fathers.

Postoperative radiotherapy appeared to improve the disease free survival rate of patients with extrahepatic bile duct cancer at high risk of loco-regional recurrence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Mi Young; Kim, Jin Hee; Kim, Yong Hoon [Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center, Keimyung University School of Medicine, Daegu (Korea, Republic of); Byun, Sang Jun [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-12-15

To investigate the outcomes of postoperative radiotherapy (RT), in patients with extrahepatic bile duct (EHBD) cancer by comparing the survival rate between patients undergoing surgery alone or surgery plus postoperative RT, and to identify the prognostic factors affecting survival. Between 2000 and 2013, 52 patients with EHBD cancer underwent surgical resection. Of these, 33 patients did not receive postoperative RT (group I), and 19 patients did (group II). R1 resection was significantly more frequent in group II. The median radiation dose was 5,040 cGy. The 3-year overall survival (OS) rate for group I and group II was 38% and 56%, respectively (p = 0.274). The 3-year disease free survival (DFS) rate for group I and group II was 20% and 31%, respectively (p = 0.049), and the 3-year loco-regional recurrence free survival (LRFS) rates were 19% and 58%, respectively (p = 0.002). Multivariate analyses showed that postoperative RT and lymphovascular invasion were independent prognostic factors for DFS and LRFS. Overall, 42 patients (80%) experienced treatment failure. Distant metastasis was the predominant pattern of failure in group II. Postoperative RT after surgical resection appeared to improve the loco-regional control and DFS rate. More effort is needed to reduce distant metastasis, the major pattern of failure, in patients who receive postoperative RT.

IR-induced autophagy plays a role in survival of HeLa cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Mi Young; Jang, Eun Yeong; Ryu, Tae Ho; Chung, Dong Min; Kim, Jin Hong; Kim, Jin Kyu

2014-01-01

Cells respond to stress with repair, or are diverted into irreversible cell cycle exit (senescence) or are eliminated through programmed cell death. There are two major morphologically distinctive forms of programmed cell death, apoptosis and autophagic cell death. Apoptosis contribute to cell death, whereas autophagy can play a dual role in mediating either cell survival or death in response to various stress stimuli. Here we analysed cellular responses induced by IR. The understanding of an appropriate cellular stress response is of crucial importance in foreseeing the cell fate. Apoptotic feagures were not detected in HeLa under our experimental irradiation condition. Autophagic cell death in HeLa may play an important role in cell protection and can result in cell survival

Geographical variations in the use of cancer treatments are associated with survival of lung cancer patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller, Henrik; Coupland, Victoria H; Tataru, Daniela

2018-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer outcomes in England are inferior to comparable countries. Patient or disease characteristics, healthcare-seeking behaviour, diagnostic pathways, and oncology service provision may contribute. We aimed to quantify associations between geographic variations in treatment...... and survival of patients in England. METHODS: We retrieved detailed cancer registration data to analyse the variation in survival of 176,225 lung cancer patients, diagnosed 2010-2014. We used Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression to investigate survival in the two-year period following...... to statistical adjustments for age, sex, socio-economic status, performance status and co-morbidity. CONCLUSION: The extent of use of different treatment modalities varies between geographical areas in England. These variations are not attributable to measurable patient and tumour characteristics, and more...

Mesothelin-specific Immune Responses Predict Survival of Patients With Brain Metastasis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhenjiang, Liu; Rao, Martin; Luo, Xiaohua

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Patients with advanced malignancies, e.g. lung cancer, ovarian cancer or melanoma, frequently present with brain metastases. Clinical presentation and disease progression of cancer is in part shaped by the interaction of the immune system with malignant cells. Antigen-targeted immune ...... of the primary tumor origin. Analyses of immunological markers could potentially serve as prognostic markers in patients with brain metastases and help to select patients in need for adjunct, immunological, treatment strategies....... were tested for interferon gamma (IFN-γ) production, after which univariate and multivariate analyses (Cox stepwise regression model) were performed to identify independent clinical and immunological factors associated with patient survival. Patients were followed-up for at least 500days after surgery...

Survival Analysis of Patients with End Stage Renal Disease

Science.gov (United States)

Urrutia, J. D.; Gayo, W. S.; Bautista, L. A.; Baccay, E. B.

2015-06-01

This paper provides a survival analysis of End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) under Kaplan-Meier Estimates and Weibull Distribution. The data were obtained from the records of V. L. MakabaliMemorial Hospital with respect to time t (patient's age), covariates such as developed secondary disease (Pulmonary Congestion and Cardiovascular Disease), gender, and the event of interest: the death of ESRD patients. Survival and hazard rates were estimated using NCSS for Weibull Distribution and SPSS for Kaplan-Meier Estimates. These lead to the same conclusion that hazard rate increases and survival rate decreases of ESRD patient diagnosed with Pulmonary Congestion, Cardiovascular Disease and both diseases with respect to time. It also shows that female patients have a greater risk of death compared to males. The probability risk was given the equation R = 1 — e-H(t) where e-H(t) is the survival function, H(t) the cumulative hazard function which was created using Cox-Regression.

Preliminary Analyses Showed Short-Term Mental Health Improvements after a Single-Day Manager Training.

Science.gov (United States)

Boysen, Elena; Schiller, Birgitta; Mörtl, Kathrin; Gündel, Harald; Hölzer, Michael

2018-01-10

Psychosocial working conditions attract more and more attention when it comes to mental health in the workplace. Trying to support managers to deal with their own as well as their employees' psychological risk factors, we conducted a specific manager training. Within this investigation, we wanted to learn about the training's effects and acceptance. A single-day manager training was provided in a large industrial company in Germany. The participants were asked to fill out questionnaires regarding their own physical and mental health condition as well as their working situation. Questionnaires were distributed at baseline, 3-month, and 12-month follow-up. At this point of time the investigation is still ongoing. The current article focuses on short-term preliminary effects. Analyses only included participants that already completed baseline and three months follow-up. Preliminary results from three-month follow-up survey ( n = 33, nmale = 30, Mage = 47.5) indicated positive changes in the manager's mental health condition measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire for depression (PHQ-9: Mt1 = 3.82, Mt2 = 3.15). Training managers about common mental disorders and risk factors at the workplace within a single-day workshop seems to promote positive effects on their own mental health. Especially working with the managers on their own early stress symptoms might have been an important element.

The emergence, growth and decline of political priority for newborn survival in Bolivia.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Stephanie L

2014-12-01

Bolivia is expected to achieve United Nations Millennium Development Goal Four, reducing under-five child mortality by two-thirds between 2021 and 2025. However, progress on child mortality reduction masks a disproportionately slow decline in newborn deaths during the 2000s. Bolivia's neonatal mortality problem emerged on the policy agenda in the mid-1990s and grew through 2004 in relationship to political commitments to international development goals and the support of a strong policy network. Network status declined later in the decade. This study draws upon a framework for analysing determinants of political priority for global health initiatives to understand the trajectory of newborn survival policy in Bolivia from the early 1990s. A process-tracing case study methodology is used, informed by interviews with 26 individuals with close knowledge of newborn survival policy in the country and extensive document analysis. The case of newborn survival in Bolivia highlights the significance of political commitments to international development goals, health policy network characteristics (cohesion, composition, status and key actor support) and political transitions and instability in shaping agenda status, especially decline-an understudied phenomenon considering the transitory nature of policy priorities. The study suggests that the sustainability of issue attention therefore become a focal point for health policy networks and analyses. Published by Oxford University Press in association with The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine © The Author 2013; all rights reserved.

Impact of diabetes on treatment outcomes and long-term survival in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Young Ae; Kim, Song Yee; Jo, Kyung-Wook; Kim, Hee Jin; Park, Seung-Kyu; Kim, Tae-Hyung; Kim, Eun Kyung; Lee, Ki Man; Lee, Sung Soon; Park, Jae Seuk; Koh, Won-Jung; Kim, Dae Yun; Shim, Tae Sun

2013-01-01

Few studies have investigated the impact of diabetes mellitus (DM), a globally increasing metabolic disease, on treatment outcomes and long-term survival in patients with multidrug-resistant forms of tuberculosis (MDR-TB). We analyzed outcomes in a large cohort to assess the impact of DM on treatment outcomes of patients with MDR-TB. MDR-TB patients newly diagnosed or retreated between 2000 and 2002 and followed for 8-11 years were retrospectively analyzed with respect to the effect of DM as a comorbidity on their treatment outcome and long-term survival. Of 1,407 patients with MDR-TB, 239 (17.0%) had coexisting DM. The mean age and body mass index were higher in MDR-TB patients with DM [MDR-TBDM(+)] than in those without DM [MDR-TBDM(-)]. Patients with MDR-TB and a comorbidity of DM had a significantly lower treatment success rate than those without a history of DM (36.0 vs. 47.2%, p = 0.002). In addition, DM was the negative predictor for MDR-TB treatment success in multivariate analyses [odds ratio 0.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.26-0.99]. Mean survival times were also lower in MDR-TBDM(+) than in MDR-TBDM(-) patients (102 vs. 114 months, p = 0.001), with DM as a significant predictor of poor long-term survival in multivariate analyses (hazard ratio 1.59, 95% CI 1.01-2.50). Among MDR-TB patients, DM was a relatively common comorbidity. In patients undergoing treatment for MDR-TB and followed for 8-11 years, it was found to be independently associated with an increased risk of both treatment failure and death. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Volume of high-risk intratumoral subregions at multi-parametric MR imaging predicts overall survival and complements molecular analysis of glioblastoma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cui, Yi; Li, Ruijiang [Stanford University, Department of Radiation Oncology, Palo Alto, CA (United States); Hokkaido University, Global Station for Quantum Medical Science and Engineering, Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education, Hokkaido (Japan); Ren, Shangjie [Tianjin University, School of Electrical Engineering and Automation, Tianjin Shi (China); Tha, Khin Khin; Shirato, Hiroki [Hokkaido University, Global Station for Quantum Medical Science and Engineering, Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education, Hokkaido (Japan); Hokkaido University, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Hokkaido (Japan); Wu, Jia [Stanford University, Department of Radiation Oncology, Palo Alto, CA (United States)

2017-09-15

To develop and validate a volume-based, quantitative imaging marker by integrating multi-parametric MR images for predicting glioblastoma survival, and to investigate its relationship and synergy with molecular characteristics. We retrospectively analysed 108 patients with primary glioblastoma. The discovery cohort consisted of 62 patients from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA). Another 46 patients comprising 30 from TCGA and 16 internally were used for independent validation. Based on integrated analyses of T1-weighted contrast-enhanced (T1-c) and diffusion-weighted MR images, we identified an intratumoral subregion with both high T1-c and low ADC, and accordingly defined a high-risk volume (HRV). We evaluated its prognostic value and biological significance with genomic data. On both discovery and validation cohorts, HRV predicted overall survival (OS) (concordance index: 0.642 and 0.653, P < 0.001 and P = 0.038, respectively). HRV stratified patients within the proneural molecular subtype (log-rank P = 0.040, hazard ratio = 2.787). We observed different OS among patients depending on their MGMT methylation status and HRV (log-rank P = 0.011). Patients with unmethylated MGMT and high HRV had significantly shorter survival (median survival: 9.3 vs. 18.4 months, log-rank P = 0.002). Volume of the high-risk intratumoral subregion identified on multi-parametric MRI predicts glioblastoma survival, and may provide complementary value to genomic information. (orig.)

Survival of alpha particle irradiated cells as a function of the shape and size of the sensitive volume (nucleus)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stinchcomb, T.G.; Roeske, J.C.

1995-01-01

Microdosimetry is the study of the stochastic variation of energy deposited within sub-cellular targets. As such, the size and shape of the critical target (i.e. cell nucleus) are essential when considering microdosimetric quantities. In this work, a microdosimetric analysis examines the expected cell survival as a function of the size and shape of the cell nucleus under conditions of irradiation emitting alpha particles. The results indicate that, in general, cell survival is relatively insensitive to changes in the shape of the cell nucleus when the volume is held constant. However, cell survival is a strong function of the variation in the size of the target. These results are useful when analysing the results of cell survival experiments for alpha particle emitters. (Author)

Socioeconomic development and girl child survival in rural North India: solution or problem?

Science.gov (United States)

Krishnan, Anand; Dwivedi, Purva; Gupta, Vivek; Byass, Peter; Pandav, Chandrakant S; Ng, Nawi

2013-05-01

Socioeconomic development has been considered as a solution to the problem of sex differentials at birth and under-five mortality. This paper analyses longitudinal data from the Ballabgarh Health and Demographic Surveillance System (HDSS) site in north India to check its veracity. A cohort of children born between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2011 at Ballabgarh HDSS were followed till death, emigration, 3 years of age or end of the study. Socioeconomic status (SES) was measured by caste, parental combined years of schooling and wealth index and divided into low, mid and high strata for each of them. Sex ratio at birth (SRB) was reported as the number of girls per 1000 boys. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves were drawn and a Cox Proportional HR of girls over boys was estimated. A total of 12 517 native born children (25 797 child years) were enrolled of which 710 died (death rate of 56.7/1000-live births and 27.5/1000 child-years. Socioeconomically advantaged children had significantly lower death rates. The SRB (10-16% lower) and neonatal death rate were consistently adverse for girls in the advantaged groups by all the three indicators of SES. The first month survival rates were better for girls in the lower SES categories (significant only in caste (HR 0.58; 0.37 to 0.91). High SES categories consistently showed adverse survival rates for girls (HR of 1.22 to 1.59). Better socioeconomic situation worsened the sex differentials, especially at birth. Therefore, specific interventions targeting gender issues are required, at least as a short-term measure.

Breast cancer detection and survival among women with cosmetic breast implants: systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Lavigne, Eric; Holowaty, Eric J; Pan, Sai Yi; Villeneuve, Paul J; Johnson, Kenneth C; Fergusson, Dean A; Morrison, Howard; Brisson, Jacques

2013-04-29

To evaluate whether the stage distribution among women diagnosed as having breast cancer differs between those who have received breast implants for cosmetic purposes and those with no implants and to evaluate whether cosmetic breast augmentation before the detection of breast cancer is a predictor of post-diagnosis survival. Systematic review of observational studies with two meta-analyses. Systematic search of the literature published before September 2012 conducted in Medline, Embase, Global health, CINAHL, IPAB, and PsycINFO. Eligible publications were those that included women diagnosed as having breast cancer and who had had augmentation mammaplasty for cosmetic purposes. The overall odds ratio of the first meta-analysis based on 12 studies was 1.26 (95% confidence interval 0.99 to 1.60; P=0.058; I(2)=35.6%) for a non-localized stage of breast cancer at diagnosis comparing women with implants who had breast cancer and women without implants who had breast cancer. The second meta-analysis, based on five studies, evaluated the relation between cosmetic breast implantation and survival. This meta-analysis showed reduced survival after breast cancer among women who had implants compared with those who did not (overall hazard ratio for breast cancer specific mortality 1.38, 95% confidence interval 1.08 to 1.75). The research published to date suggests that cosmetic breast augmentation adversely affects the survival of women who are subsequently diagnosed as having breast cancer. These findings should be interpreted with caution, as some studies included in the meta-analysis on survival did not adjust for potential confounders. Further investigations are warranted regarding diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer among women with breast implants.

Repair models of cell survival and corresponding computer program for survival curve fitting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen Xun; Hu Yiwei

1992-01-01

Some basic concepts and formulations of two repair models of survival, the incomplete repair (IR) model and the lethal-potentially lethal (LPL) model, are introduced. An IBM-PC computer program for survival curve fitting with these models was developed and applied to fit the survivals of human melanoma cells HX118 irradiated at different dose rates. Comparison was made between the repair models and two non-repair models, the multitar get-single hit model and the linear-quadratic model, in the fitting and analysis of the survival-dose curves. It was shown that either IR model or LPL model can fit a set of survival curves of different dose rates with same parameters and provide information on the repair capacity of cells. These two mathematical models could be very useful in quantitative study on the radiosensitivity and repair capacity of cells

Nerve Growth Factor in Cancer Cell Death and Survival

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Molloy, Niamh H.; Read, Danielle E.; Gorman, Adrienne M.

2011-01-01

One of the major challenges for cancer therapeutics is the resistance of many tumor cells to induction of cell death due to pro-survival signaling in the cancer cells. Here we review the growing literature which shows that neurotrophins contribute to pro-survival signaling in many different types of cancer. In particular, nerve growth factor, the archetypal neurotrophin, has been shown to play a role in tumorigenesis over the past decade. Nerve growth factor mediates its effects through its two cognate receptors, TrkA, a receptor tyrosine kinase and p75 NTR , a member of the death receptor superfamily. Depending on the tumor origin, pro-survival signaling can be mediated by TrkA receptors or by p75 NTR . For example, in breast cancer the aberrant expression of nerve growth factor stimulates proliferative signaling through TrkA and pro-survival signaling through p75 NTR . This latter signaling through p75 NTR promotes increased resistance to the induction of cell death by chemotherapeutic treatments. In contrast, in prostate cells the p75 NTR mediates cell death and prevents metastasis. In prostate cancer, expression of this receptor is lost, which contributes to tumor progression by allowing cells to survive, proliferate and metastasize. This review focuses on our current knowledge of neurotrophin signaling in cancer, with a particular emphasis on nerve growth factor regulation of cell death and survival in cancer

Pressure-Flow During Exercise Catheterization Predicts Survival in Pulmonary Hypertension.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasler, Elisabeth D; Müller-Mottet, Séverine; Furian, Michael; Saxer, Stéphanie; Huber, Lars C; Maggiorini, Marco; Speich, Rudolf; Bloch, Konrad E; Ulrich, Silvia

2016-07-01

Pulmonary hypertension manifests with impaired exercise capacity. Our aim was to investigate whether the mean pulmonary arterial pressure to cardiac output relationship (mPAP/CO) predicts transplant-free survival in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Hemodynamic data according to right heart catheterization in patients with PAH and CTEPH at rest and during supine incremental cycle exercise were analyzed. Transplant-free survival and predictive value of hemodynamics were assessed by using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. Seventy patients (43 female; 54 with PAH, 16 with CTEPH; median (quartiles) age, 65 [50; 73] years; mPAP, 34 [29; 44] mm Hg; cardiac index, 2.8 [2.3; 3.5] [L/min]/m(2)) were followed up for 610 (251; 1256) days. Survival at 1, 3, 5, and 7 years was 89%, 81%, 71%, and 59%. Age, World Health Organization-functional class, 6-min walk test, and mixed-venous oxygen saturation (but not resting hemodynamics) predicted transplant-free survival. Maximal workload (hazard ratio [HR], 0.94 [95% CI, 0.89-0.99]; P = .027), peak cardiac index (HR, 0.51 [95% CI, 0.27-0.95]; P = .034), change in cardiac index, 0.25 [95% CI, 0.06-0.94]; P = .040), and mPAP/CO (HR, 1.02 [95% CI, 1.01-1.03]; P = .003) during exercise predicted survival. Values for mPAP/CO predicted 3-year transplant-free survival with an area under the curve of 0.802 (95% CI, 0.66-0.95; P = .004). In this collective of patients with PAH or CTEPH, the pressure-flow relationship during exercise predicted transplant-free survival and correlated with established markers of disease severity and outcome. Right heart catheterization during exercise may provide important complementary prognostic information in the management of pulmonary hypertension. Copyright © 2016 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Organochlorine insecticides DDT and chlordane in relation to survival following breast cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Parada, Humberto; Wolff, Mary S; Engel, Lawrence S; White, Alexandra J; Eng, Sybil M; Cleveland, Rebecca J; Khankari, Nikhil K; Teitelbaum, Susan L; Neugut, Alfred I; Gammon, Marilie D

2016-02-01

Organochlorine insecticides have been studied extensively in relation to breast cancer incidence, and results from two meta-analyses have been null for late-life residues, possibly due to measurement error. Whether these compounds influence survival remains to be fully explored. We examined associations between organochlorine insecticides [p,p'-DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane), its primary metabolite, p,p'-DDE, and chlordane] assessed shortly after diagnosis and survival among women with breast cancer. A population-based sample of women diagnosed with a first primary invasive or in situ breast cancer in 1996-1997 and with available organochlorine blood measures (n = 633) were followed for vital status through 2011. After follow-up of 5 and 15 years, we identified 55 and 189 deaths, of which 36 and 74, respectively, were breast cancer-related. Using Cox regression models, we estimated the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for lipid-adjusted organochlorine concentrations with all-cause and breast cancer-specific mortality. At 5 years after diagnosis, the highest tertile of DDT concentration was associated with all-cause (HR = 2.19; 95% CI: 1.02, 4.67) and breast cancer-specific (HR = 2.72; 95% CI: 1.04, 7.13) mortality. At 15 years, middle tertile concentrations of DDT (HR = 1.42; 95% CI 0.99, 2.06) and chlordane (HR = 1.42; 95% CI: 0.94, 2.12) were modestly associated with all-cause and breast cancer-specific mortality. Third tertile DDE concentrations were inversely associated with 15-year all-cause mortality (HR = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.44, 0.99). This is the first population-based study in the United States to show that DDT may adversely impact survival following breast cancer diagnosis. Further studies are warranted given the high breast cancer burden and the ubiquity of these chemicals. © 2015 UICC.

Survival of enteric pathogens in common beverages: an in vitro study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheth, N K; Wisniewski, T R; Franson, T R

1988-06-01

This in vitro study was undertaken to determine the potential for survival of enteric pathogens in common drinking beverages. Three carbonated soft drinks, two alcoholic beverages, skim milk, and water were inoculated with Salmonella, Shigella, and enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, and quantitative counts were performed over 2 days. Our studies showed poorest survival of all three organisms in wine, and greatest growth in milk and water. Beer and cola allowed survival of small numbers of Salmonella and E. coli at 48 h, whereas sour mix and diet cola were sterile by 48 h. Survival features may correlate with pH of the beverages. These observations may be useful in guiding travellers for appropriate beverage consumption while visiting areas endemic for "traveller's diarrhea."

Tumoural Expression of Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) Impacts on Survival in Patients Diagnosed with Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC).

Science.gov (United States)

Lamarca, Angela; Mendiola, Marta; Bernal, Elsa; Heredia, Victoria; Díaz, Esther; Miguel, María; Pastrian, Laura G; Burgos, Emilio; Feliu, Jaime; Barriuso, Jorge

2015-01-01

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tends to develop in the liver when there is a high level of background inflammation (cirrhosis). Treatment options are limited and mainly based on systemic therapies such as anti-angiogenic drugs (e.g. sorafenib). Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a matricellular protein involved in inflammation, tumour growth and angiogenesis. The aim of this study is to determine the expression of CTGF and hypoxia inducible factors (HIF) in HCC and to clarify its impact on relapse and survival. Eligibility criteria for the study consisted of patients with a diagnosis of HCC, formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) biopsy tissue, as well as relapse and available survival data. A tissue microarray was constructed from ≥ 70% tumoural sections. The expressions of CTGF, HIF1α and HIF2α were analysed by immunohistochemistry. The relationship between expression of CTGF/HIF1α and CTGF/HIF2α were analysed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Fifty-three patients were screened; 39 patients were eligible for this study. Patients were treated with radical intent. At the end of follow up, 59% patients relapsed (28.2% locally, 10.3% multicentric liver relapse and 7.7% distant metastases). Estimated median disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were 23.4 (95%CI 7.18-39.66) and 38.6 months (95%CI 30.7-46.6), respectively. Expression of CTGF was: negative 23.1%, focal 48.7% and diffuse 23.1%. A non-statistically significant relationship between expression of CTGF and HIF was shown supporting an alternative pathway for CTGF expression in HCC. In multivariate analysis CTGF expression was an independent factor related to OS, with shorter survival in those patients with focal/diffuse CTGF expression (HR 2.46; 95%CI 1.18-5.15). Our results support that expression of CTGF is an independent factor associated with shorter OS in HCC. Further analysis of CTGF expression in a larger series of HCC patients is required to confirm

Diabetes mellitus may affect the long-term survival of hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma patients after liver transplantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qing; Deng, Yong-Lin; Liu, Chang; Huang, Li-Hong; Shang, Lei; Chen, Xin-Guo; Wang, Le-Tian; Du, Jin-Zan; Wang, Ying; Wang, Pei-Xiao; Zhang, Hui; Shen, Zhong-Yang

2016-11-21

To determine whether diabetes mellitus (DM) affects prognosis/recurrence after liver transplantation (LT) for hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A retrospective study was conducted between January 2000 and August 2013 on 1631 patients with HBV-related HCC who underwent LT with antiviral prophylaxis. Patient data were obtained from the China Liver Transplant Registry (https://www.cltr.org/). To compare the outcomes and tumor recurrence in the HBV-related HCC patients with or without DM, statistical analyses were conducted using χ 2 tests, Mann-Whitney tests, the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank tests and multivariate step-wise Cox regression analysis. Univariate analysis of 1631 patients who underwent LT found overall 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of 79%, 73% and 71% respectively in the DM patients, and 84%, 78% and 76% in the non-DM patients respectively. Overall survival rate differences after LT between the two groups were significant ( P = 0.041), but recurrence-free survival rates were not ( P = 0.096). By stratified analysis, the overall survival rates in DM patients for age > 50 years ( P = 0.002), the presence of vascular invasion ( P = 0.096), tumors ≤ 3 cm ( P = 0.047), two to three tumor nodules ( P = 0.007), Child-Pugh grade B ( P = 0.018), and pre-LT alanine aminotransferase levels between 40 and 80 IU/L ( P = 0.017) were significantly lower than in non-DM patients. Additionally, serum α-fetoprotein level > 2000 ng/mL ( P = 0.052) was associated with a significant survival difference trend between DM and non-DM patients. Multivariate analysis showed that the presence of DM ( P < 0.001, HR = 1.591; 95%CI: 1.239-2.041) was an independent predictor associated with poor survival after LT. HBV-related HCC patients with DM have decreased long-term overall survival and poor LT outcomes. Prevention strategies for HCC patients with DM are recommended.

Associations between advanced cancer patients' survival and family caregiver presence and burden.

Science.gov (United States)

Dionne-Odom, J Nicholas; Hull, Jay G; Martin, Michelle Y; Lyons, Kathleen Doyle; Prescott, Anna T; Tosteson, Tor; Li, Zhongze; Akyar, Imatullah; Raju, Dheeraj; Bakitas, Marie A

2016-05-01

We conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of an early palliative care intervention (ENABLE: Educate, Nurture, Advise, Before Life Ends) for persons with advanced cancer and their family caregivers. Not all patient participants had a caregiver coparticipant; hence, we explored whether there were relationships between patient survival, having an enrolled caregiver, and caregiver outcomes prior to death. One hundred and twenty-three patient-caregiver dyads and 84 patients without a caregiver coparticipant participated in the ENABLE early versus delayed (12 weeks later) RCT. We collected caregiver quality-of-life (QOL), depression, and burden (objective, stress, and demand) measures every 6 weeks for 24 weeks and every 3 months thereafter until the patient's death or study completion. We conducted survival analyses using log-rank and Cox proportional hazards models. Patients with a caregiver coparticipant had significantly shorter survival (Wald = 4.31, HR = 1.52, CI: 1.02-2.25, P = 0.04). After including caregiver status, marital status (married/unmarried), their interaction, and relevant covariates, caregiver status (Wald = 6.25, HR = 2.62, CI: 1.23-5.59, P = 0.01), being married (Wald = 8.79, HR = 2.92, CI: 1.44-5.91, P = 0.003), and their interaction (Wald = 5.18, HR = 0.35, CI: 0.14-0.87, P = 0.02) were significant predictors of lower patient survival. Lower survival in patients with a caregiver was significantly related to higher caregiver demand burden (Wald = 4.87, CI: 1.01-1.20, P = 0.03) but not caregiver QOL, depression, and objective and stress burden. Advanced cancer patients with caregivers enrolled in a clinical trial had lower survival than patients without caregivers; however, this mortality risk was mostly attributable to higher survival by unmarried patients without caregivers. Higher caregiver demand burden was also associated with decreased patient survival. © 2016 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by

Differential survival among sSOD-1* genotypes in Chinook Salmon

Science.gov (United States)

Hayes, Michael C.; Reisenbichler, Reginald R.; Rubin, Stephen P.; Wetzel, Lisa A.; Marshall , Anne R.

2011-01-01

Differential survival and growth were tested in Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha expressing two common alleles, *–100 and *–260, at the superoxide dismutase locus (sSOD-1*). These tests were necessary to support separate studies in which the two alleles were used as genetic marks under the assumption of mark neutrality. Heterozygous adults were used to produce progeny with –100/–100, –100/–260, and –260/–260 genotypes that were reared in two natural streams and two hatcheries in the states of Washington and Oregon. The latter also were evaluated as returning adults. In general, the genotype ratios of juveniles reared at hatcheries were consistent with high survival and little or no differential survival in the hatchery. Adult returns at one hatchery were significantly different from the expected proportions, and the survival of the –260/–260 genotype was 0.56–0.89 times that of the –100/–100 genotype over four year-classes. Adult returns at a second hatchery (one year-class) were similar but not statistically significant: survival of the –260/–260genotype relative to the –100/–100 genotype was 0.76. The performance of the heterozygote group was intermediate at both hatcheries. Significant differences in growth were rarely observed among hatchery fish (one year-class of juveniles and one age-class of adult males) but were consistent with greater performance for the –100/–100 genotype. Results from two groups of juveniles reared in streams (one year-class from each stream) suggested few differences in growth, but the observed genotype ratios were significantly different from the expected ratios in one stream. Those differences were consistent with the adult data; survival for the –260/–260 genotype was 76% of that of the –100/–100 genotype. These results, which indicate nonneutrality among sSOD-1* genotypes, caused us to modify our related studies and suggest caution in the interpretation of results and analyses in

Statin use and survival following glioblastoma multiforme

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gaist, David; Hallas, Jesper; Friis, Søren

2014-01-01

with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). METHODS: We identified 1562 patients diagnosed with GBM during 2000-2009 from the Danish Cancer Registry and linked this cohort to Danish nationwide demographic and health registries. Within the GBM cohort, each patient recorded as using statins prior to diagnosis (defined as ≥2......-cause death associated with prediagnostic statin use. RESULTS: A total of 339 GBM patients were included in the analyses. Of these, 325 died during median follow-up of 6.9 months (interquartile range: 3.8-13.4 months). Prediagnostic statin use was associated with a reduced HR of death (0.79; 95% CI: 0......: 0.63-1.01). CONCLUSION: Long-term prediagnostic statin use may improve survival following GBM....

The Ross procedure offers excellent survival compared with mechanical aortic valve replacement in a real-world setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Andreas, Martin; Wiedemann, Dominik; Seebacher, Gernot; Rath, Claus; Aref, Tandis; Rosenhek, Raphael; Heinze, Georg; Eigenbauer, Ernst; Simon, Paul; Ruetzler, Kurt; Hiesmayr, Joerg-Michael; Moritz, Anton; Laufer, Guenther; Kocher, Alfred

2014-09-01

The ideal prosthesis for young patients requiring aortic valve replacement has not been defined to date. Although the Ross procedure provides excellent survival, its application is still limited. We compared the long-term survival after the Ross procedure with mechanical aortic valve replacement. All consecutive Ross procedures and mechanical aortic valve replacements performed between 1991 and 2008 at a single centre were analysed. Only adult patients between 18 and 50 years of age were included in the study. Survival and valve-related complications were evaluated. Furthermore, survival was compared with the age- and sex-matched Austrian population. A total of 159 Ross patients and 173 mechanical valve patients were included. The cumulative survival for the Ross procedure was significantly better, with survival rates of 96, 94 and 93% at 5, 10 and 15 years, respectively, in comparison to 90, 84 and 75% (P Ross group but was significantly reduced in the mechanical valve group. In a real-world setting, the Ross procedure is associated with a long-term survival benefit in young adults in comparison to mechanical aortic valve replacement. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

c-kitpos GATA-4 high rat cardiac stem cells foster adult cardiomyocyte survival through IGF-1 paracrine signalling.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nanako Kawaguchi

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Resident c-kit positive (c-kitpos cardiac stem cells (CSCs could be considered the most appropriate cell type for myocardial regeneration therapies. However, much is still unknown regarding their biological properties and potential.We produced clones of high and low expressing GATA-4 CSCs from long-term bulk-cultured c-kitpos CSCs isolated from adult rat hearts. When c-kitpos GATA-4 high expressing clonal CSCs (cCSCs were co-cultured with adult rat ventricular cardiomyocytes, we observed increased survival and contractility of the cardiomyocytes, compared to cardiomyocytes cultured alone, co-cultured with fibroblasts or c-kitpos GATA-4 low expressing cCSCs. When analysed by ELISA, the concentration of IGF-1 was significantly increased in the c-kitpos GATA-4 high cCSC/cardiomyocyte co-cultures and there was a significant correlation between IGF-1 concentration and cardiomyocyte survival. We showed the activation of the IGF-1 receptor and its downstream molecular targets in cardiomyocytes co-cultured with c-kitpos GATA-4 high cCSCs but not in cardiomyocytes that were cultured alone, co-cultured with fibroblasts or c-kitpos GATA-4 low cCSCs. Addition of a blocking antibody specific to the IGF-1 receptor inhibited the survival of cardiomyocytes and prevented the activation of its signalling in cardiomyocytes in the c-kitpos GATA-4 high cCSC/cardiomyocyte co-culture system. IGF-1 supplementation or IGF-1 high conditioned medium taken from the co-culture of c-kitpos GATA-4 high cCSCs plus cardiomyocytes did extend the survival and contractility of cardiomyocytes cultured alone and cardiomyocytes co-cultured with c-kitpos GATA-4 low cCSCs.c-kitpos GATA-4 high cCSCs exert a paracrine survival effect on cardiomyocytes through induction of the IGF-1R and signalling pathway.

Clinicopathologic Features and Survival of Breast Cancer Subtypes in Northeast Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soodabeh Shahidsales

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Breast cancer can be categorized into different histopathological subtypes based on gene expression profiles. This study aims to evaluate the clinicopathological features and overall survival of various subtypes of breast cancer to assist diagnosis and guide treatment. Methods: The clinicopathologic features of 1095 patients with breast cancer diagnosed over a 10–year period between 2001 and 2011 were analyzed. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to analyze disease-free survival and overall survival. Calculation of the hazard ratio was conducted by multivariate Cox regression. Results: According to the clinicopathologic characteristics of 1095 cases, there were 42% luminal A subtype, 19.2% luminal B, 23% triple negative, and 15% HER2+. The lowest (46.88±12.59 years and highest (50.54±12.32 years mean ages were in the triple negative and HER2+ groups, respectively. There was a significant correlation between histology subtype and age, BMI, lymph node, type of surgery, and stage of disease. There was significantly shorter overall survival and disease free survival in HER2+ breast cancer patients (P<0.001. Multivariate analysis showed that age had the highest hazard ratio of 2.481 (95% Confidence Interval: 1.375-4.477. Conclusion: The results of this study showed the importance of clinicopathological studies of molecular types which help early diagnosis and identification of the best strategy to treat breast cancer.

The effect of pregnancy on paternal skin allograft survival

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2009-01-01

Elucidation of maternal-fetal tolerance mechanisms clarifies the role of regulatory T cells (Treg) in transplant tolerance. This study aim to investigate the effect of pregnancy on paternal skin allograft survival. Flow cytometry techniques, mixed lymphocytes reaction (MLR), PCR, real-time PCR and skin transplantation were key methods. Treg increased significantly from 4.2% before pregnancy to peak at 6.8% day 8 after pregnancy. Both heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) mRNA express high in placenta while low in spleen (P<0.05). Although Treg increased during pregnancy, and splenocytes from the pregnant mice showed lower MLR response toward the paternal stimulator, single time pregnancy showed no significant protective effect on paternal skin allograft survival in the tested condition.

Advanced Online Survival Analysis Tool for Predictive Modelling in Clinical Data Science.

Science.gov (United States)

Montes-Torres, Julio; Subirats, José Luis; Ribelles, Nuria; Urda, Daniel; Franco, Leonardo; Alba, Emilio; Jerez, José Manuel

2016-01-01

One of the prevailing applications of machine learning is the use of predictive modelling in clinical survival analysis. In this work, we present our view of the current situation of computer tools for survival analysis, stressing the need of transferring the latest results in the field of machine learning to biomedical researchers. We propose a web based software for survival analysis called OSA (Online Survival Analysis), which has been developed as an open access and user friendly option to obtain discrete time, predictive survival models at individual level using machine learning techniques, and to perform standard survival analysis. OSA employs an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) based method to produce the predictive survival models. Additionally, the software can easily generate survival and hazard curves with multiple options to personalise the plots, obtain contingency tables from the uploaded data to perform different tests, and fit a Cox regression model from a number of predictor variables. In the Materials and Methods section, we depict the general architecture of the application and introduce the mathematical background of each of the implemented methods. The study concludes with examples of use showing the results obtained with public datasets.

Effect of a long-term high-protein diet on survival, obesity development, and gut microbiota in mice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kiilerich, Pia; Myrmel, Lene Secher; Fjære, Even

2016-01-01

Female C57BL/6J mice were fed a regular low-fat diet or high-fat diets combined with either high or low protein-to-sucrose ratios during their entire lifespan to examine the long-term effects on obesity development, gut microbiota, and survival. Intake of a high-fat diet with a low protein....../sucrose ratio precipitated obesity and reduced survival relative to mice fed a low-fat diet. By contrast, intake of a high-fat diet with a high protein/sucrose ratio attenuated lifelong weight gain and adipose tissue expansion, and survival was not significantly altered relative to low-fat-fed mice. Our...... findings support the notion that reduced survival in response to high-fat/high-sucrose feeding is linked to obesity development. Digital gene expression analyses, further validated by qPCR, demonstrated that the protein/sucrose ratio modulated global gene expression over time in liver and adipose tissue...

Does Response to Induction Chemotherapy Predict Survival for Locally Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer? Secondary Analysis of RTOG 8804/8808

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McAleer, Mary Frances; Moughan, Jennifer M.S.; Byhardt, Roger W.; Cox, James D.; Sause, William T.; Komaki, Ritsuko

2010-01-01

Purpose: Induction chemotherapy (ICT) improves survival compared with radiotherapy (RT) alone in locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (LANSCLC) patients with good prognostic factors. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is superior to ICT followed by RT. The question arises whether ICT response predicts the outcome of patients subsequently treated with CCRT or RT. Methods and Materials: Between 1988 and 1992, 194 LANSCLC patients were treated prospectively with ICT (two cycles of vinblastine and cisplatin) and then CCRT (cisplatin plus 63 Gy for 7 weeks) in the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 8804 trial (n = 30) or ICT and then RT (60 Gy/6 wk) on Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 8808 trial (n = 164). Of the 194 patients, 183 were evaluable and 141 had undergone a postinduction assessment. The overall survival (OS) of those with complete remission (CR) or partial remission (PR) was compared with that of patients with stable disease (SD) or progressive disease (PD) after ICT. Results: Of the 141 patients, 6, 30, 99, and 6 had CR, PR, SD, and PD, respectively. The log-rank test showed a significant difference (p <0.0001) in OS when the response groups were compared (CR/PR vs. SD/PD). On univariate and multivariate analyses, a trend was seen toward a response to ICT with OS (p = 0.097 and p = 0.06, respectively). A squamous histologic type was associated with worse OS on univariate and multivariate analyses (p = 0.031 and p = 0.018, respectively). SD/PD plus a squamous histologic type had a hazard ratio of 2.25 vs. CR/PR plus a nonsquamous histologic type (p = 0.007) on covariate analysis. Conclusion: The response to ICT was associated with a significant survival difference when the response groups were compared. A response to ICT showed a trend toward, but was not predictive of, improved OS in LANSCLC patients. Patients with SD/PD after ICT and a squamous histologic type had the poorest OS. These data suggest that patients with squamous LANSCLC might benefit

New graphic AUC-based method to estimate overall survival benefit: pomalidomide reanalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Fenix-Caballero, S; Diaz-Navarro, J; Prieto-Callejero, B; Rios-Sanchez, E; Alegre-del Rey, E J; Borrero-Rubio, J M

2016-02-01

Difference in median survival is an erratic measure and sometimes does not provide a good assessment of survival benefit. The aim of this study was to reanalyse the overall survival benefit of pomalidomide from pivotal clinical trial using a new area under curve (AUC)-based method. In the pivotal trial, pomalidomide plus low-dose dexamethasone showed a significant survival benefit over high-dose dexamethasone, with a difference between medians of 4.6 months. The new AUC method applied to the survival curves, obtained an overall survival benefit of 2.6 months for the pomalidomide treatment. This average difference in OS was calculated for the 61.5% of patients for whom the time to event is reliable enough. This 2-month differential would have major clinical and pharmacoeconomic implications, on both cost-effectiveness studies and on the willingness of the healthcare systems to pay for this treatment. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Poor horse traders: large mammals trade survival for reproduction during the process of feralization

Science.gov (United States)

Grange, Sophie; Duncan, Patrick; Gaillard, Jean-Michel

2009-01-01

We investigated density dependence on the demographic parameters of a population of Camargue horses (Equus caballus), individually monitored and unmanaged for eight years. We also analysed the contributions of individual demographic parameters to changes in the population growth rates. The decrease in resources caused a loss of body condition. Adult male survival was not affected, but the survival of foals and adult females decreased with increasing density. Prime-aged females maintained high reproductive performance at high density, and their survival decreased. The higher survival of adult males compared with females at high density presumably results from higher investment in reproduction by mares. The high fecundity in prime-aged females, even when at high density, may result from artificial selection for high reproductive performance, which is known to have occurred in all the major domestic ungulates. Other studies suggest that feral ungulates including cattle and sheep, as these horses, respond differently from wild ungulates to increases in density, by trading adult survival for reproduction. As a consequence, populations of feral animals should oscillate more strongly than their wild counterparts, since they should be both more invasive (as they breed faster), and more sensitive to harsh environmental conditions (as the population growth rate of long-lived species is consistently more sensitive to a given proportional change in adult survival than to the same change in any other vital rate). If this principle proves to be general, it has important implications for management of populations of feral ungulates. PMID:19324787

Conditional survival is greater than overall survival at diagnosis in patients with osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Benjamin J; Lynch, Charles F; Buckwalter, Joseph A

2013-11-01

Conditional survival is a measure of the risk of mortality given that a patient has survived a defined period of time. These estimates are clinically helpful, but have not been reported previously for osteosarcoma or Ewing's sarcoma. We determined the conditional survival of patients with osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma given survival of 1 or more years. We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program database to investigate cases of osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma in patients younger than 40 years from 1973 to 2009. The SEER Program is managed by the National Cancer Institute and provides survival data gathered from population-based cancer registries. We used an actuarial life table analysis to determine any cancer cause-specific 5-year survival estimates conditional on 1 to 5 years of survival after diagnosis. We performed a similar analysis to determine 20-year survival from the time of diagnosis. The estimated 5-year survival improved each year after diagnosis. For local/regional osteosarcoma, the 5-year survival improved from 74.8% at baseline to 91.4% at 5 years-meaning that if a patient with localized osteosarcoma lives for 5 years, the chance of living for another 5 years is 91.4%. Similarly, the 5-year survivals for local/regional Ewing's sarcoma improved from 72.9% at baseline to 92.5% at 5 years, for metastatic osteosarcoma 35.5% at baseline to 85.4% at 5 years, and for metastatic Ewing's sarcoma 31.7% at baseline to 83.6% at 5 years. The likelihood of 20-year cause-specific survival from the time of diagnosis in osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma was almost 90% or greater after 10 years of survival, suggesting that while most patients will remain disease-free indefinitely, some experience cancer-related complications years after presumed eradication. The 5-year survival estimates of osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma improve with each additional year of patient survival. Knowledge of a changing risk profile is useful in counseling

Efficient estimation of semiparametric copula models for bivariate survival data

KAUST Repository

Cheng, Guang

2014-01-01

A semiparametric copula model for bivariate survival data is characterized by a parametric copula model of dependence and nonparametric models of two marginal survival functions. Efficient estimation for the semiparametric copula model has been recently studied for the complete data case. When the survival data are censored, semiparametric efficient estimation has only been considered for some specific copula models such as the Gaussian copulas. In this paper, we obtain the semiparametric efficiency bound and efficient estimation for general semiparametric copula models for possibly censored data. We construct an approximate maximum likelihood estimator by approximating the log baseline hazard functions with spline functions. We show that our estimates of the copula dependence parameter and the survival functions are asymptotically normal and efficient. Simple consistent covariance estimators are also provided. Numerical results are used to illustrate the finite sample performance of the proposed estimators. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

Factors Predictive of Tumor Recurrence and Survival After Initial Complete Response of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma to Definitive Chemoradiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishihara, Ryu; Yamamoto, Sachiko; Iishi, Hiroyasu; Takeuchi, Yoji; Sugimoto, Naotoshi; Higashino, Koji; Uedo, Noriya; Tatsuta, Masaharu; Yano, Masahiko; Imai, Atsushi; Nishiyama, Kinji

2010-01-01

Purpose: To assess factors predictive of recurrent disease and survival after achieving initial complete response (CR) to chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for esophageal cancer. Methods and Materials: Patients who had clinical Stage I-IVA esophageal cancer and received definitive CRT between 2001 and 2007 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Of 269 patients with esophageal cancer, 110 who achieved CR after definitive CRT were included in the analyses. Chemoradiotherapy mainly consisted of 2 cycles of cisplatin and fluorouracil with concurrent radiotherapy of 60 Gy in 30 fractions. We identified 28 recurrences and 28 deaths during follow-up. The cumulative 1- and 3-year recurrence rates were 18% and 32%, respectively. By univariate and multivariate analyses, tumor category (hazard ratio [HR] 6.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-30.2; p = 0.015) was an independent risk factor for local recurrence, whereas age (HR 3.9; 95% CI 1.1-14.0; p = 0.034) and primary tumor location (HR 4.5; 95% CI 1.6-12.4; p = 0.004) were independent risk factors for regional lymph node or distant recurrences. The cumulative overall 1- and 3-year survival rates were 91% and 66%, respectively. As expected, recurrence was associated with poor survival (p = 0.019). By univariate and multivariate analyses, primary tumor location (HR 3.8; 95% CI 1.2-12.0; p = 0.024) and interval to recurrence (HR 4.3; 95% CI 1.3-14.4; p = 0.018) were independent factors predictive of survival after recurrence. Conclusion: Risk of recurrence after definitive CRT for esophageal cancer was associated with tumor category, age, and primary tumor location; this information may help in improved prognostication for these patients.

Elevated HERV-K Expression in Soft Tissue Sarcoma Is Associated with Worsened Relapse-Free Survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Giebler, Maria; Staege, Martin S; Blauschmidt, Sindy; Ohm, Lea I; Kraus, Matthias; Würl, Peter; Taubert, Helge; Greither, Thomas

2018-01-01

A wide variety of endogenous retroviral sequences has been demonstrated in the human genome so far, divided into several different families according to the sequence homology to viral strains. While increased expression of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) elements has already been linked to unfavorable prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer, and ovarian carcinoma yet less is known about the impact of the expression of different HERV elements on sarcomagenesis in general as well as the outcome of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) patients. Therefore, in this study the association between expression of HERV-K and HERV-F and the clinicopathological characteristics in a cohort of STSs as well as the patients' prognosis was evaluated. HERV-K and HERV-F expression was assessed by quantitative real-time PCR in 120 patient specimens. HERV-K and HERV-F expression was significantly correlated ( r S = 0.5; p = 6.4 × 10 -9 ; Spearman's rank bivariate correlation). Also, tumor diameter exhibited a significant negative association to HERV-K and HERV-F expression. Levels of several hypoxia-related RNAs like HIF-1α and miR-210 showed a significant positive correlation with both HERV-K and HERV-F expression. Although in survival analyses no impact of HERV expression on disease-specific survival could be detected, patients with elevated HERV-K expression had a significantly shorter relapse-free survival ( p = 0.014, log-rank analysis). In conclusion, we provide evidence for the first time that the increased expression of HERV-K in tumors is associated with STS patients' prognosis.

Prognostic and survival analysis of presbyopia: The healthy twin study

Science.gov (United States)

Lira, Adiyani; Sung, Joohon

2015-12-01

Presbyopia, a vision condition in which the eye loses its flexibility to focus on near objects, is part of ageing process which mostly perceptible in the early or mid 40s. It is well known that age is its major risk factor, while sex, alcohol, poor nutrition, ocular and systemic diseases are known as common risk factors. However, many other variables might influence the prognosis. Therefore in this paper we developed a prognostic model to estimate survival from presbyopia. 1645 participants which part of the Healthy Twin Study, a prospective cohort study that has recruited Korean adult twins and their family members based on a nation-wide registry at public health agencies since 2005, were collected and analyzed by univariate analysis as well as Cox proportional hazard model to reveal the prognostic factors for presbyopia while survival curves were calculated by Kaplan-Meier method. Besides age, sex, diabetes, and myopia; the proposed model shows that education level (especially engineering program) also contribute to the occurrence of presbyopia as well. Generally, at 47 years old, the chance of getting presbyopia becomes higher with the survival probability is less than 50%. Furthermore, our study shows that by stratifying the survival curve, MZ has shorter survival with average onset time about 45.8 compare to DZ and siblings with 47.5 years old. By providing factors that have more effects and mainly associate with presbyopia, we expect that we could help to design an intervention to control or delay its onset time.

Showing Value (Editorial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denise Koufogiannakis

2009-06-01

librarians on student achievement. Todd notes, “If we do not show value, we will not have a future. Evidence-based practice is not about the survival of school librarians, it’s about the survival of our students” (40. In this issue we feature school libraries and their connection to evidence based practice. Former Editor-in-Chief, Lindsay Glynn, began putting the wheels in motion for this feature almost a year ago. She invited Carol Gordon and Ross Todd to act as guest editors of the section, drawing upon their contacts and previous work in this field. The result is an issue with five feature articles exploring different aspects of the connection between school libraries and evidence based practice, from the theoretical to the practical. In addition, there is a thought-provoking Commentary by David Loertscher, asking whether we need the evolutionary model of evidence based practice, or something more revolutionary!In addition to the Feature section, we have a well-rounded issue with articles on the topics of library human resources, and the development of a scholars’ portal. As well, there are a record 10 evidence summaries and our educational EBL101 column. I hope there is something for everyone in this issue of EBLIP – enjoy, and see you soon in Stockholm!

Phenotypic and functional analyses show stem cell-derived hepatocyte-like cells better mimic fetal rather than adult hepatocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Baxter, Melissa; Withey, Sarah; Harrison, Sean; Segeritz, Charis-Patricia; Zhang, Fang; Atkinson-Dell, Rebecca; Rowe, Cliff; Gerrard, Dave T; Sison-Young, Rowena; Jenkins, Roz; Henry, Joanne; Berry, Andrew A; Mohamet, Lisa; Best, Marie; Fenwick, Stephen W; Malik, Hassan; Kitteringham, Neil R; Goldring, Chris E; Piper Hanley, Karen; Vallier, Ludovic; Hanley, Neil A

2015-03-01

Hepatocyte-like cells (HLCs), differentiated from pluripotent stem cells by the use of soluble factors, can model human liver function and toxicity. However, at present HLC maturity and whether any deficit represents a true fetal state or aberrant differentiation is unclear and compounded by comparison to potentially deteriorated adult hepatocytes. Therefore, we generated HLCs from multiple lineages, using two different protocols, for direct comparison with fresh fetal and adult hepatocytes. Protocols were developed for robust differentiation. Multiple transcript, protein and functional analyses compared HLCs to fresh human fetal and adult hepatocytes. HLCs were comparable to those of other laboratories by multiple parameters. Transcriptional changes during differentiation mimicked human embryogenesis and showed more similarity to pericentral than periportal hepatocytes. Unbiased proteomics demonstrated greater proximity to liver than 30 other human organs or tissues. However, by comparison to fresh material, HLC maturity was proven by transcript, protein and function to be fetal-like and short of the adult phenotype. The expression of 81% phase 1 enzymes in HLCs was significantly upregulated and half were statistically not different from fetal hepatocytes. HLCs secreted albumin and metabolized testosterone (CYP3A) and dextrorphan (CYP2D6) like fetal hepatocytes. In seven bespoke tests, devised by principal components analysis to distinguish fetal from adult hepatocytes, HLCs from two different source laboratories consistently demonstrated fetal characteristics. HLCs from different sources are broadly comparable with unbiased proteomic evidence for faithful differentiation down the liver lineage. This current phenotype mimics human fetal rather than adult hepatocytes. Copyright © 2014 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of Nitrate Use on Survival in Acute Heart Failure: A Propensity-Matched Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Edwin C; Parker, John D; Austin, Peter C; Tu, Jack V; Wang, Xuesong; Lee, Douglas S

2016-02-12

There is limited evidence that the use of nitrates in acute decompensated heart failure early after presentation to a hospital can improve clinical outcomes. We aimed to determine whether early nitrate exposure is associated with improved survival in a large retrospective cohort study. We examined 11 078 acute decompensated heart failure patients who presented to emergency departments in Ontario, Canada, between 2004 and 2007, in the Enhanced Feedback For Effective Cardiac Treatment and the Emergency Heart failure Mortality Risk Grade studies. In propensity-matched analyses, we examined the effect of nitrate administration in the acute emergency department setting for its impact on death at 7, 30, and 365 days. In propensity-matched analyses, we found no difference in survival between those who received nitrates in the emergency department and the non-nitrate comparator group. Hazard ratios for mortality were 0.76 (95% CI; 0.51, 1.12) over 7 days, 0.97 (95% CI; 0.77, 1.21) over 30 days, and 0.91 (95% CI; 0.82, 1.02) over 1 year of follow-up. There was no significant difference in survival or hospital length of stay between nitrate and non-nitrate controls in extended follow-up. There was also no significant effect of nitrates in subgroups stratified by presence of chest pain, troponin elevation, chronic nitrate use, and known coronary artery disease. In acute decompensated heart failure, use of nitrates acutely in the emergency department setting was not associated with improvement in short-term or near-term survival. Our study does not support generalized use of nitrates when the primary goal of therapy is to reduce mortality. © 2016 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

Radical Nephrectomy for Primary Retroperitoneal Liposarcoma Near the Kidney has a Beneficial Effect on Disease-Free Survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhu, Jinsoo; Cho, Chan Woo; Lee, Kyo Won; Park, Hyojun; Park, Jae Berm; Choi, Yoon-La; Kim, Sung Joo

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is to analyze the clinical impact of radical nephrectomy on retroperitoneal liposarcoma near the kidney. Data of patients who underwent surgery for unilateral primary retroperitoneal liposarcoma near the kidney were retrospectively collected. Patients were divided into four groups according to whether they underwent nephrectomy and combined resection of other organs. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to estimate disease-free survival and overall survival. Multivariable Cox analysis was used to analyze factors related to disease-free survival and overall survival. Nephrectomy (HR = 0.260, CI = 0.078-0.873, p = 0.029) had a beneficial effect on disease-free survival, while interaction model of nephrectomy*other organ resection (HR = 4.655, CI = 1.767-12.263, p = 0.002) showed poor disease-free survival. Other organ resection was not related to disease-free survival (HR = 1.543, CI = 0.146-16.251, p = 0.718). Operation method (p = 0.007) and FNCLCC grade (p free survival. While combined organ resection without nephrectomy group (HR = 1.604, CI = 0.167-15.370, p = 0.682) and radical nephrectomy with combined organ resection group (HR = 1.309, CI = 0.448-3.825, p = 0.622) did not show significant difference in disease-free survival from the mass excision only group, radical nephrectomy without combined organ resection group (HR = 0.279, CI = 0.078-0.991, p = 0.048) showed superior disease-free survival. Radical nephrectomy of unilateral primary retroperitoneal liposarcoma near the kidney has a beneficial effect on disease-free survival.

Proteomic analyses of male contributions to honey bee sperm storage and mating

OpenAIRE

Collins, A M; Caperna, T J; Williams, V; Garrett, W M; Evans, J D

2006-01-01

Honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) queens mate early in life and store sperm for years. Male bees likely contribute significantly to sperm survival. Proteins were extracted from seminal vesicles and semen of mature drones, separated by electrophoresis, and analysed by peptide mass fingerprinting. Computer searches against three databases, general species, honey bees and fruit flies, were performed. Spectra were used to query the recently generated honey bee genome protein list as well as general s...

Using Survival Analysis to Evaluate Medical Equipment Battery Life.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuhajda, David

2016-01-01

As hospital medical device managers obtain more data, opportunities exist for using the data to improve medical device management, enhance patient safety, and evaluate costs of decisions. As a demonstration of the ability to use data analytics, this article applies survival analysis statistical techniques to assist in making decisions on medical equipment maintenance. The analysis was performed on a large amount of data related to failures of an infusion pump manufacturer's lithium battery and two aftermarket replacement lithium batteries from one hospital facility. The survival analysis resulted in statistical evidence showing that one of the third-party batteries had a lower survival curve than the infusion pump manufacturer's battery. This lower survival curve translates to a shorter expected life before replacement is needed. The data suggested that to limit unexpected failures, replacing batteries at a two-year interval, rather than the current industry recommendation of three years, may be warranted. For less than $5,400 in additional annual cost, the risk of unexpected battery failures can be reduced from an estimated 28% to an estimated 7%.

Sex-related time-dependent variations in post-stroke survival-evidence of a female stroke survival advantage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Tom Skyhøj; Dehlendorff, Christian; Andersen, Klaus Kaae

2007-01-01

the influence of gender on post-stroke mortality, from the time of admission through the subsequent years until death or censoring ( mean follow-up time: 538 days). All patients underwent an evaluation including stroke severity, computed tomography and cardiovascular risk factors. Independent predictors......Background: Women live longer than men, yet most studies show that gender has no influence on survival after stroke. Methods: A registry was started in 2001, with the aim of registering all hospitalized stroke patients in Denmark, and it now holds 39,484 patients of which 48% are female. We studied...... of death were identified by means of a survival model based on 22,222 individuals with a complete data set. Results: Females were older and had severer stroke. Interestingly, the risk of death between genders was time dependent. The female/male stroke mortality rate favoured women from the first day...

Club cells surviving influenza A virus infection induce temporary nonspecific antiviral immunity.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, Jennifer R; Sachs, David; Lim, Jean K; Langlois, Ryan A; Palese, Peter; Heaton, Nicholas S

2016-04-05

A brief window of antigen-nonspecific protection has been observed after influenza A virus (IAV) infection. Although this temporary immunity has been assumed to be the result of residual nonspecific inflammation, this period of induced immunity has not been fully studied. Because IAV has long been characterized as a cytopathic virus (based on its ability to rapidly lyse most cell types in culture), it has been a forgone conclusion that directly infected cells could not be contributing to this effect. Using a Cre recombinase-expressing IAV, we have previously shown that club cells can survive direct viral infection. We show here not only that these cells can eliminate all traces of the virus and survive but also that they acquire a heightened antiviral response phenotype after surviving. Moreover, we experimentally demonstrate temporary nonspecific viral immunity after IAV infection and show that surviving cells are required for this phenotype. This work characterizes a virally induced modulation of the innate immune response that may represent a new mechanism to prevent viral diseases.

Nerve Growth Factor in Cancer Cell Death and Survival

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Molloy, Niamh H.; Read, Danielle E.; Gorman, Adrienne M., E-mail: adrienne.gorman@nuigalway.ie [Apoptosis Research Centre, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway (Ireland)

2011-02-01

One of the major challenges for cancer therapeutics is the resistance of many tumor cells to induction of cell death due to pro-survival signaling in the cancer cells. Here we review the growing literature which shows that neurotrophins contribute to pro-survival signaling in many different types of cancer. In particular, nerve growth factor, the archetypal neurotrophin, has been shown to play a role in tumorigenesis over the past decade. Nerve growth factor mediates its effects through its two cognate receptors, TrkA, a receptor tyrosine kinase and p75{sup NTR}, a member of the death receptor superfamily. Depending on the tumor origin, pro-survival signaling can be mediated by TrkA receptors or by p75{sup NTR}. For example, in breast cancer the aberrant expression of nerve growth factor stimulates proliferative signaling through TrkA and pro-survival signaling through p75{sup NTR}. This latter signaling through p75{sup NTR} promotes increased resistance to the induction of cell death by chemotherapeutic treatments. In contrast, in prostate cells the p75{sup NTR} mediates cell death and prevents metastasis. In prostate cancer, expression of this receptor is lost, which contributes to tumor progression by allowing cells to survive, proliferate and metastasize. This review focuses on our current knowledge of neurotrophin signaling in cancer, with a particular emphasis on nerve growth factor regulation of cell death and survival in cancer.

Effects of marital status on survival of hepatocellular carcinoma by race/ethnicity and gender.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Wenrui; Fang, Daiqiong; Shi, Ding; Bian, Xiaoyuan; Li, Lanjuan

2018-01-01

It is well demonstrated that being married is associated with a better prognosis in multiple types of cancer. However, whether the protective effect of marital status varied across race/ethnicity and gender in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the roles of race/ethnicity and gender in this relationship. We identified eligible patients from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database during 2004-2012. Overall and cancer-specific survival differences across marital status were compared by Kaplan-Meier curves. We also estimated crude hazard ratios (CHRs) and adjusted hazard ratios (AHRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for marital status associated with survival by race/ethnicity and gender in Cox proportional hazard models. A total of 12,168 eligible patients diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma were included. We observed that married status was an independent protective prognostic factor for overall and cancer-specific survival. In stratified analyses by race/ethnicity, the AHR of overall mortality (unmarried vs married) was highest for Hispanic (AHR =1.25, 95% CI, 1.13-1.39; P married patients obtained better survival advantages. Race/ethnicity and gender could influence the magnitude of associations between marital status and risk of mortality.

Survival times of patients with a first hip fracture with and without subsequent major long-bone fractures.

Science.gov (United States)

Angthong, Chayanin; Angthong, Wirana; Harnroongroj, Thos; Naito, Masatoshi; Harnroongroj, Thossart

2013-01-01

Survival rates are poorer after a second hip fracture than after a first hip fracture. Previous survival studies have included in-hospital mortality. Excluding in-hospital deaths from the analysis allows survival times to be evaluated in community-based patients. There is still a lack of data regarding the effects of subsequent fractures on survival times after hospital discharge following an initial hip fracture. This study compared the survival times of community-dwelling patients with hip fracture who had or did not have a subsequent major long-bone fracture. Hazard ratios and risk factors for subsequent fractures and mortality rates with and without subsequent fractures were calculated. Of 844 patients with hip fracture from 2000 through 2008, 71 had a subsequent major long-bone fracture and 773 did not. Patients who died of other causes, such as perioperative complications, during hospitalization were excluded. Such exclusion allowed us to determine the effect of subsequent fracture on the survival of community-dwelling individuals after hospital discharge or after the time of the fracture if they did not need hospitalization. Demographic data, causes of death, and mortality rates were recorded. Differences in mortality rates between the patient groups and hazard ratios were calculated. Mortality rates during the first year and from 1 to 5 years after the most recent fracture were 5.6% and 1.4%, respectively, in patients with subsequent fractures, and 4.7% and 1.4%, respectively, in patients without subsequent fractures. These rates did not differ significantly between the groups. Cox regression analysis and calculation of hazard ratios did not show significant differences between patients with subsequent fractures and those without. On univariate and multivariate analyses, age fracture. This study found that survival times did not differ significantly between patients with and without subsequent major long-bone fractures after hip fracture. Therefore, all

Swedish National Registry of Urinary Bladder Cancer: No difference in relative survival over time despite more aggressive treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Jahnson, Staffan; Hosseini Aliabad, Abolfazl; Holmäng, Sten; Jancke, Georg; Liedberg, Fredrik; Ljungberg, Börje; Malmström, Per-Uno; Rosell, Johan

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to use the Swedish National Registry of Urinary Bladder Cancer (SNRUBC) to investigate changes in patient and tumour characteristics, management and survival in bladder cancer cases over a period of 15 years. All patients with newly detected bladder cancer reported to the SNRUBC during 1997-2011 were included in the study. The cohort was divided into three groups, each representing 5 years of the 15 year study period. The study included 31,266 patients (74% men, 26% women) with a mean age of 72 years. Mean age was 71.7 years in the first subperiod (1997-2001) and 72.5 years in the last subperiod (2007-2011). Clinical T categorization changed from the first to the last subperiod: Ta from 45% to 48%, T1 from 21.6% to 22.4%, and T2-T4 from 27% to 25%. Also from the first to the last subperiod, intravesical treatment after transurethral resection for T1G2 and T1G3 tumours increased from 15% to 40% and from 30% to 50%, respectively, and cystectomy for T2-T4 tumours increased from 30% to 40%. No differences between the analysed subperiods were found regarding relative survival in patients with T1 or T2-T4 tumours, or in the whole cohort. This investigation based on a national bladder cancer registry showed that the age of the patients at diagnosis increased, and the proportion of muscle-invasive tumours decreased. The treatment of all tumour stages became more aggressive but relative survival showed no statistically significant change over time.

The association between socioeconomic factors and breast cancer-specific survival varies by race.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shailesh Agarwal

Full Text Available Although racial disparity is well described for oncologic outcomes, factors associated with survival within racial groups remains unexplored. The objective of this study is to determine whether breast cancer survival among White or Black patients is associated with differing patient factors. Women diagnosed with breast cancer from 1998 through 2012 were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER database. Cox proportional hazard logistic regression was used to estimate cause-specific survival in the combined cohort, and separate cohorts of Black or White patients only. Main outcomes included cause-specific survival in cohorts of Black only, White only, or all patients adjusted for demographic and oncologic factors. A total of 406,907 Black (10.8% or White (89.2% patients diagnosed with breast cancer from 1998 through 2012 were isolated. Cancer-specific survival analysis of the combined cohort showed significantly decreased hazard ratio (H.R. in patients from the higher economic quartiles (Q1: 1.0 (ref, Q2: 0.95 (p<0.01, Q3: 0.94 (p<0.01, Q4: 0.87 (p<0.001. Analysis of the White only cohort showed a similar relationship with income (Q1: 1.0 (ref, Q2: 0.95 (p<0.01, Q3: 0.95 (p<0.01, Q4: 0.86 (p<0.001. However, analysis of the Black only cohort did not show a relationship with income (Q1: 1.0 (ref, Q2: 1.04 (p = 0.34, Q3: 0.97 (p = 0.53, Q4: 1.04 (p = 0.47. A test of interaction confirmed that the association between income and cancer-specific survival is dependent on patient race, both with and without adjustment for demographic and oncologic characteristics (p<0.01. While median county income is positively associated with cancer-specific survival among White patients, this is not the case with Black patients. Similar findings were noted for education level. These findings suggest that the association between socioeconomic status and breast cancer survival commonly reported in the literature is specific to White patients

Survival curves for irradiated cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibson, D.K.

1975-01-01

The subject of the lecture is the probability of survival of biological cells which have been subjected to ionising radiation. The basic mathematical theories of cell survival as a function of radiation dose are developed. A brief comparison with observed survival curves is made. (author)

Analysis on Lung Cancer Survival from 2001 to 2007 in Qidong, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jian ZHU

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Background and objective Lung cancer is one of the most important malignancies in China. Survival rates of lung cancer on the population-based cancer registry for the years 2001-2007 in Qidong were analysed in order to provide the basis for the prognosis assessment and the control of this cancer. Methods Total 4,451 registered lung cancer cases was followed up to December 31st, 2009. Death certificates only (DCO cases were excluded, leaving 4,382 cases for survival analysis. Cumulative observed survival rate (OS and relative survival rate (RS were calculated using Hakulinen’s method performed by the SURV 3.01 software developed at the Finnish Cancer Registry. Results The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 23.73%, 11.89%, 10.01%, and the RS rates were 24.86%, 13.69%, 12.73%, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year RS of males vs females were 23.70% vs 27.89%, 12.58% vs 16.53%, and 11.73% vs 15.21%, respectively, with statisitically significant differences (χ2=13.77, P=0.032. RS of age groups of 15-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74 and 75+ were 35.46%, 17.66%, 11.97%, 13.49%, 10.61%, 15.14%, respectively. Remarkable improvement could be seen for the 5-year RS in this setting if compared with that for the years 1972-2000. Conclusion The lung cancer survival outcomes in Qidong have been improved gradually for the past decades. Further measures on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer should be taken.

Cancer survival classification using integrated data sets and intermediate information.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Shinuk; Park, Taesung; Kon, Mark

2014-09-01

was 75.51% (RF), 87.76% (SVM) 85.71% (FSCOX_median), 85.71% (FSCOX_SVM). These results are higher than the results of using miRNA expression and mRNA expression alone. In addition we predict 16 hsa-miR-23b and hsa-miR-27b target genes in ovarian cancer data sets, obtained by SVM-based feature selection through integration of sequence information and gene expression profiles. Among the approaches used, the integrated miRNA and mRNA data set yielded better results than the individual data sets. The best performance was achieved using the FSCOX_SVM method with independent feature selection, which uses intermediate survival information between short-term and long-term survival time and the combination of the 2 different data sets. The results obtained using the combined data set suggest that there are some strong interactions between miRNA and mRNA features that are not detectable in the individual analyses. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The inflammation-based Glasgow Prognostic Score predicts survival in patients with cervical cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Polterauer, Stephan; Grimm, Christoph; Seebacher, Veronika; Rahhal, Jasmin; Tempfer, Clemens; Reinthaller, Alexander; Hefler, Lukas

2010-08-01

The Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) is known to reflect the degree of tumor-associated cachexia and inflammation and is associated with survival in various malignancies. We investigated the value of the GPS in patients with cervical cancer. We included 244 consecutive patients with cervical cancer in our study. The pretherapeutic GPS was calculated as follows: patients with elevated C-reactive protein serum levels (>10 mg/L) and hypoalbuminemia (L) were allocated a score of 2, and patients with 1 or no abnormal value were allocated a score of 1 or 0, respectively. The association between GPS and survival was evaluated by univariate log-rank tests and multivariate Cox regression models. The GPS was correlated with clinicopathologic parameters as shown by performing chi2 tests. In univariate analyses, GPS (P GPS (P = 0.03, P = 0.04), FIGO stage (P = 0.006, P = 0.006), and lymph node involvement (P = 0.003, P = 0.002), but not patients' age (P = 0.5, P = 0.5), histological grade (P = 0.7, P = 0.6), and histological type (P = 0.4, P = 0.6) were associated with disease-free and overall survival, respectively. The GPS was associated with FIGO stage (P GPS can be used as an inflammation-based predictor for survival in patients with cervical cancer.

Heparanase expression is a prognostic indicator for postoperative survival in pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Science.gov (United States)

Rohloff, J; Zinke, J; Schoppmeyer, K; Tannapfel, A; Witzigmann, H; Mössner, J; Wittekind, C; Caca, K

2002-01-01

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma has a median survival of less than 6 months from diagnosis. This is due to the difficulty in early diagnosis, the aggressive biological behaviour of the tumour and a lack of effective therapies for advanced disease. Mammalian heparanase is a heparan-sulphate proteoglycan cleaving enzyme. It helps to degrade the extracellular matrix and basement membranes and is involved in angiogenesis. Degradation of extracellular matrix and basement membranes as well as angiogenesis are key conditions for tumour cell spreading. Therefore, we have analysed the expression of heparanase in human pancreatic cancer tissue and cell lines. Heparanase is expressed in cell lines derived from primary tumours as well as from metastatic sites. By immunohistochemical analysis, it is preferentially expressed at the invading edge of a tumour at both metastatic and primary tumour sites. There is a trend towards heparanase expression in metastasising tumours as compared to locally growing tumours. Postoperative survival correlates inversely with heparanase expression of the tumour reflected by a median survival of 34 and 17 month for heparanase negative and positive tumours, respectively. Our results suggest, that heparanase promotes cancer cell invasion in pancreatic carcinoma and could be used as a prognostic indicator for postoperative survival of patients. British Journal of Cancer (2002) 86, 1270–1275. DOI: 10.1038/sj/bjc/6600232 www.bjcancer.com © 2002 Cancer Research UK PMID:11953884

Relapse and disease specific survival in 1143 Danish women diagnosed with borderline ovarian tumours (BOT)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schou Karlsen, Nikoline Marie; Karlsen, Mona Aarenstrup; Høgdall, Estrid

2016-01-01

.1% in FIGO stages II-IV. Relapse of BOT was detected in 3.7%, hereof 40.5% with malignant transformation. The five-year disease-free survival was 97.6% in FIGO stage I and 87.3% in FIGO stages II-IV. Younger age, laparoscopic surgical approach, fertility sparing surgery, FIGO stages II-IV, bilateral tumour...... presence, serous histology, implants and microinvasion of the tumour were significantly associated with relapse in univariate analyses. The overall five-year survival rate was 92.2% in FIGO stage I and 89.0% in FIGO stages II-IV. Out of 77 deaths in total, only seven women died from BOT. CONCLUSIONS...

Survival following salvage abdominoperineal resection for persistent and recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the anus: do these disease categories affect survival?

Science.gov (United States)

Severino, N P; Chadi, S A; Rosen, L; Coiro, S; Choman, E; Berho, M; Wexner, S D

2016-10-01

This study aimed to investigate the results of salvage abdominoperineal excision (APR) in patients with persistent or recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the anus (SCCA). Patients with anal neoplasia were identified from a prospective database. Patients with invasive SCCA with demonstrated failure of chemoradiation therapy (CRT) who underwent salvage APR for one of three disease categories (persistent,  24 months post-CRT) were included. The primary outcome was overall survival after salvage APR. Tumour size, metastatic lymph nodes (LN), circumferential resection margin positivity (CRM) and neurolymphovascular invasion (NLVI) were correlated with the outcome. Thirty-six patients with a median 3-year overall survival of 46% (median follow-up 24 months) underwent salvage APR due to persistent or recurrent SCCA (14 men, mean age 59 years). Eleven (31%) patients were diagnosed with persistent disease, 17 (47%) with early and 8 (22%) with late recurrence. Two-year overall survival of Stage 0/I/II and III/IV disease was 81.5% and 33.74%, respectively (P = 0.022). Overall disease stage was associated with disease categorization (P = 0.009): patients with persistent disease or early recurrence had a significantly higher disease stage than patients with late recurrence (OR = 20.9 and 17.2). Despite apparently improved survival in patients with late disease recurrence on live table analysis, no significant difference was identified in overall survival when stratified by disease category on log-rank test analysis. Persistent and recurrent disease does not show any significant difference in survival, but patients with late recurrence may have a better prognosis. Colorectal Disease © 2016 The Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland.

Factors associated with supermarket and convenience store closure: a discrete time spatial survival modelling approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Warren, Joshua L; Gordon-Larsen, Penny

2018-06-01

While there is a literature on the distribution of food stores across geographic and social space, much of this research uses cross-sectional data. Analyses attempting to understand whether the availability of stores across neighborhoods is associated with diet and/or health outcomes are limited by a lack of understanding of factors that shape the emergence of new stores and the closure of others. We used quarterly data on supermarket and convenience store locations spanning seven years (2006-2012) and tract-level census data in four US cities: Birmingham, Alabama; Chicago, Illinois; Minneapolis, Minnesota; San Francisco, California. A spatial discrete-time survival model was used to identify factors associated with an earlier and/or later closure time of a store. Sales volume was typically the strongest indicator of store survival. We identified heterogeneity in the association between tract-level poverty and racial composition with respect to store survival. Stores in high poverty, non-White tracts were often at a disadvantage in terms of survival length. The observed patterns of store survival varied by some of the same neighborhood sociodemographic factors associated with lifestyle and health outcomes, which could lead to confusion in interpretation in studies of the estimated effects of introduction of food stores into neighborhoods on health.

The impact of age at diagnosis on socioeconomic inequalities in adult cancer survival in England.

Science.gov (United States)

Nur, Ula; Lyratzopoulos, Georgios; Rachet, Bernard; Coleman, Michel P

2015-08-01

Understanding the age at which persistent socioeconomic inequalities in cancer survival become apparent may help motivate and support targeting of cancer site-specific interventions, and tailoring guidelines to patients at higher risk. We analysed data on more than 40,000 patients diagnosed in England with one of three common cancers in men and women, breast, colon and lung, 2001-2005 with follow-up to the end of 2011. We estimated net survival for each of the five deprivation categories (affluent, 2, 3, 4, deprived), cancer site, sex and age group (15-44, 45-54, 55-64, and 65-74 and 75-99 years). The magnitude and pattern of the age specific socioeconomic inequalities in survival was different for breast, colon and lung. For breast cancer the deprivation gap in 1-year survival widened with increasing age at diagnosis, whereas the opposite was true for lung cancer, with colon cancer having an intermediate pattern. The 'deprivation gap' in 1-year breast cancer survival widened steadily from -0.8% for women diagnosed at 15-44 years to -4.8% for women diagnosed at 75-99 years, and was the widest for women diagnosed at 65-74 years for 5- and 10-year survival. For colon cancer in men, the gap was widest in patients diagnosed aged 55-64 for 1-, 5- and 10-year survival. For lung cancer, the 'deprivation gap' in survival in patients diagnoses aged 15-44 years was more than 10% for 1-year survival in men and for 1- and 5-year survival in women. Our findings suggest that reduction of socioeconomic inequalities in survival will require updating of current guidelines to ensure the availability of optimal treatment and appropriate management of lung cancer patients in all age groups and older patients in deprived groups with breast or colon cancer. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Prioritising Redundant Network Component for HOWBAN Survivability Using FMEA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheong Loong Chan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Deploying redundant component is the ubiquitous approach to improve the reliability and survivability of a hybrid optical wireless broadband access network (HOWBAN. Much work has been done to study the cost and impact of deploying redundant component in the network but no formal tools have been used to enable the evaluation and decision to prioritise the deployment of redundant facilities in the network. In this paper we show how FMEA (Failure Mode Effect and Analysis technique can be adapted to identify the critical segment in the network and prioritise the redundant component to be deployed to ensure network survivability. Our result showed that priority must be given to redundancy to mitigate grid power outage particularly in less developed countries which is poised for rapid expansion in broadband services.