Search results for "interval"

Association of derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR) with pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (CT)

2019

Abstract Background dNLR is a novel biomarker associated with clinical outcome in solid tumors including early stage breast cancer (BC). Here we report the association of dNLR with pCR in triple-negative (TN) and luminal BC patients (pts) treated with neoadjuvant CT. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of two randomized studies (GEICAM/2006-03 - NCT00432172 and ETNA - NCT01822314) involving 821 pts with early stage (>2cm) or locally advanced TN or luminal BC receiving anthracycline/taxane-based CT +/- carboplatin (GEICAM/2006-03) or nab-paclitaxel/paclitaxel followed by anthracycline regimen (ETNA). dNLR was calculated as the ratio of neutrophils and the difference between total leuko…

Comparison of two different devices to assess intraocular lenses

2016

[EN] In this paper, we have compared the performance of two commercial systems, Kaleo-I and IOLA Plus, in the characterization of monofocal intraocular lenses (IOLs) according to the International Standard requirements (ISO 11979-2). The dioptric power (DP) and the Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) at 100.1p/mm and 3.0 mm aperture have been measured with both instruments in twenty commercial monofocal HEMA IOLs and their agreement was assessed by Bland Altman analysis. Compared with the designed power, IOLA Plus gave lower values in 85% of measures: Kaleo I errors are dependent on the power of the lens: measurements were higher than the designed power in the low-medium power range and lowe…

Efficacy and safety of bempedoic acid for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

2020

Background Bempedoic acid is a first-in-class lipid-lowering drug recommended by guidelines for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Our objective was to estimate its average effect on plasma lipids in humans and its safety profile. Methods and findings We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of phase II and III randomized controlled trials on bempedoic acid (PROSPERO: CRD42019129687). PubMed (Medline), Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases were searched, with no language restriction, from inception to 5 August 2019. We included 10 RCTs (n = 3,788) comprising 26 arms (active arm [n = 2,460]; control arm [n = 1,328]). Effect sizes for changes in lipids and high-…

Genetic polymorphisms affecting the phenotypic expression in familial hypercholesterolemia

2004

The clinical expression of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is highly variable even in patients carrying the same LDL receptor (LDL-R) gene mutation. This variability might be due to environmental factors as well as to modifying genes affecting lipoprotein metabolism. We investigated Apo E (2, 3, 4), MTP (-493G/T), Apo B (-516C/T), Apo A-V (-1131T/C), HL (-514C/T and -250G/A), FABP-2 (A54T), LPL (D9N, N291S, S447X) and ABCA1 (R219K) polymorphisms in 221 unrelated FH index cases and 349 FH relatives with defined LDL-R gene mutations. We found a significant and independent effect of the following polymorphisms on: (i) plasma LDL-C (Apo E, MTP and Apo B); (ii) plasma HDL-C (HL, …

Modelling the dynamics of the students’ academic performance in the German region of the North Rhine-Westphalia: an epidemiological approach with unc…

2013

Student academic underachievement is a concern of paramount importance in Europe, where around 15% of the students in the last high school courses do not achieve the minimum knowledge academic requirement. In this paper, we propose a model based on a system of differential equations to study the dynamics of the students academic performance in the German region of North Rhine-Westphalia. This approach is supported by the idea that both, good and bad study habits, are a mixture of personal decisions and influence of classmates. This model allows us to forecast the student academic performance by means of confidence intervals over the next few years.

Erratum to “Number of equilibrium states of piecewise monotonic maps of the interval”

1997

Contrasting probabilistic and anti-optimization approaches in an applied mechanics problem

2003

Probabilistic and non-probabilistic, anti-optimization analyses of uncertainty are contrasted in this study. Specifically, the comparison of these two competing approaches is conducted for an uniform column, with initial geometric imperfection, subjected to an impact axial load. The reliability of the column is derived for the cases when the initial imperfections posses either (a) uniform probability density, (b) truncated exponential density or (c) generic truncated probability density. The problem is also analyzed in the context of an interval analysis. It is shown that in, the most important near-unity reliability range these two approaches tend to each other. Since the interval analysis…

Modeling Chickenpox Dynamics with a Discrete Time Bayesian Stochastic Compartmental Model

2018

[EN] We present a Bayesian stochastic susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered model in discrete time to understand chickenpox transmission in the Valencian Community, Spain. During the last decades, different strategies have been introduced in the routine immunization program in order to reduce the impact of this disease, which remains a public health's great concern. Under this scenario, a model capable of explaining closely the dynamics of chickenpox under the different vaccination strategies is of utter importance to assess their effectiveness. The proposed model takes into account both heterogeneous mixing of individuals in the population and the inherent stochasticity in the transmiss…

Artificial Neural Networks and Linear Discriminant Analysis:  A Valuable Combination in the Selection of New Antibacterial Compounds

2004

A set of topological descriptors has been used to discriminate between antibacterial and nonantibacterial drugs. Topological descriptors are simple integers calculated from the molecular structure represented in SMILES format. The methods used for antibacterial activity discrimination were linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and artificial neural networks of a multilayer perceptron (MLP) type. The following plot frequency distribution diagrams were used: a function of the number of drugs within a value interval of the discriminant function and the output value of the neural network versus these values. Pharmacological distribution diagrams (PDD) were used as a visualizing technique for the i…

Prevalence and Time Trends in Myopia Among Children and Adolescents.

2020

Background Myopia (near-sightedness) is increasing worldwide, especially in Asia. The aim of this study was to describe trends in the prevalence of myopia in Germany. Methods We analyzed data from the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS; baseline survey 2003-2006, N = 17 640; wave 2, 2014-2017, N = 15 023). The presence of myopia was determined from a parent questionnaire and validated by the use of a visual aid. The population prevalence of myopia was calculated. Based on the KiGGS wave 2 data, potential risk factors for myopia were identified by means of logistic regression. Results The prevalence of myopia at the age of 0-17 years in Germany…