6,706 research outputs found
CopulaDTA: An R Package for Copula-Based Bivariate Beta-Binomial Models for Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies in a Bayesian Framework
No full textThe current statistical procedures implemented in statistical software packages for pooling of diagnostic test accuracy data include HSROC regression (Rutter and Gatsonis 2001) and the bivariate random-effects meta-analysis model (BRMA; Reitsma et al. 2005; Arends et al. 2008; Chu and Cole 2006; Riley et al. 2007b). However, these models do not report the overall mean but rather the mean for a central study with random-effect equal to zero and have difficulties estimating the correlation between sensitivity and specificity when the number of studies in the meta-analysis is small and/or when the between-study variance is relatively large (Riley et al. 2007a). This tutorial on advanced statistical methods for meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy studies discusses and demonstrates Bayesian modeling using the R package CopulaDTA (Nyaga 2017) to fit different models to obtain the meta-analytic parameter estimates. The focus is on the joint modeling of sensitivity and specificity using a copula based bivariate beta distribution. Essentially, we extend the work of Nikoloulopoulos (2015) by: (i) presenting the Bayesian approach which offers the flexibility and ability to perform complex statistical modeling even with small data sets and (ii) including covariate information, and (iii) providing an easy to use code. The statistical methods are illustrated by re-analyzing data of two published meta-analyses. Modeling sensitivity and specificity using the bivariate beta distribution provides marginal as well as study-specific parameter estimates as opposed to using the bivariate normal distribution (e.g., in BRMA) which only yields study-specific parameter estimates. Moreover, copula based models offer greater flexibility in modeling different correlation structures in contrast to the normal distribution which allows for only one correlation structure
The Future of Canadian Climate Policy — with Marc Lee
No full textMarc Lee is a Senior Economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives\u27 BC Office. In addition to tracking federal and provincial budgets and economic trends, Marc has published on a range of topics from poverty and inequality to globalization and international trade to public services and regulation. Marc is the Co-Director of the Climate Justice Project, a research partnership with UBC\u27s School of Community and Regional Planning that examines the links between climate change policies and social justice.Resources:Climate Justice Project: www.policyalternatives.ca/projects/cli…tice-projectMarc Lee\u27s Posts on Policy Note: www.policynote.ca/author/marclee/Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives: www.policyalternatives.ca/Marc\u27s Twitter: twitter.com/MarcLeeCCPA International Panel on Climate Change, 2021 report: www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1
Climate Justice & Inequality: The Future of Canadian Climate Policy — with Marc Lee
No full textMarc Lee is a Senior Economist at the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives\u27 BC Office. In addition to tracking federal and provincial budgets and economic trends, Marc has published on a range of topics from poverty and inequality to globalization and international trade to public services and regulation. Marc is the Co-Director of the Climate Justice Project, a research partnership with UBC\u27s School of Community and Regional Planning that examines the links between climate change policies and social justice.Resources: Climate Justice Project: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/projects/climate-justice-projectMarc Lee\u27s Posts on Policy Note: https://www.policynote.ca/author/marclee/Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives: https://www.policyalternatives.ca/Marc\u27s Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarcLeeCCPA International Panel on Climate Change, 2021 report: https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1
Beta-binomial analysis of variance model for network meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy data
No full textThere are several generalized linear mixed models to combine direct and indirect evidence on several diagnostic tests from related but independent diagnostic studies simultaneously also known as network meta-analysis. The popularity of these models is due to the attractive features of the normal distribution and the availability of statistical software to obtain parameter estimates. However, modeling the latent sensitivity and specificity using the normal distribution after transformation is neither natural nor computationally convenient.
In this article, we develop a meta-analytic model based on the bivariate beta distribution, allowing to obtain improved and direct estimates for the global sensitivities and specificities of all tests involved, and taking into account simultaneously the intrinsic correlation between sensitivity and specificity and the overdispersion due to repeated measures.
Using the beta distribution in regression has the following advantages, that the probabilities are modeled in their proper scale rather than a monotonic transform of the probabilities. Secondly, the model is flexible as it allows for asymmetry often present in the distribution of bounded variables such as proportions, which is the case with sparse data common in meta-analysis. Thirdly, the model provides parameters with direct meaningful interpretation since further integration is not necessary to obtain the meta-analytic estimates.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Nyaga received financial support from the Scientific Institute of Public Health (Brussels) through the OPSADAC project. Arbyn was supported by the COHEAHR project funded by the 7th Framework Programme of the European Commission (grant no. 603019). Aerts was supported by the IAP research network nr P7/06 of the Belgian Government (Belgian Science Policy)
Accuracy of high-risk HPV DNA PCR, p16(INK4a) immunohistochemistry or the combination of both to diagnose HPV-driven oropharyngeal cancer
No full textBackground: the incidence of high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV)-driven head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, in particular oropharyngeal cancers (OPC), is increasing in high-resource countries. Patients with HPV-induced cancer respond better to treatment and consequently have lower case-fatality rates than patients with HPV-unrelated OPC. These considerations highlight the importance of reliable and accurate markers to diagnose truly HPV-induced OPC. Methods: the accuracy of three possible test strategies, i.e. (a) hrHPV DNA PCR (DNA), (b) p16(INK4a) immunohistochemistry (IHC) (p16), and (c) the combination of both tests (considering joint DNA and p16 positivity as positivity criterion), was analysed in tissue samples from 99 Belgian OPC patients enrolled in the HPV-AHEAD study. Presence of HPV E6*I mRNA (mRNA) was considered as the reference, indicating HPV etiology. Results: ninety-nine OPC patients were included, for which the positivity rates were 36.4%, 34.0% and 28.9% for DNA, p16 and mRNA, respectively. Ninety-five OPC patients had valid test results for all three tests (DNA, p16 and mRNA). Using mRNA status as the reference, DNA testing showed 100% (28/28) sensitivity, and 92.5% (62/67) specificity for the detection of HPV-driven cancer. p16 was 96.4% (27/28) sensitive and equally specific (92.5%; 62/67). The sensitivity and specificity of combined p16 + DNA testing was 96.4% (27/28) and 97.0% (65/67), respectively. In this series, p16 alone and combined p16 + DNA missed 1 in 28 HPV driven cancers, but p16 alone misclassified 5 in 67 non-HPV driven as positive, whereas combined testing would misclassify only 2 in 67. Conclusions: single hrHPV DNA PCR and p16(INK4a) IHC are highly sensitive but less specific than using combined testing to diagnose HPV-driven OPC patients. Disease prognostication can be encouraged based on this combined test result.The global HPV-AHEAD study was initially funded by the European Commission, with Grant Number: FP7-HEALTH-2011-282562. Sciensano, the employer of CS and MA, received funding for the analysis of the Belgian part of the HPV-AHEAD study, in part, by a research grant from the Investigator Initiated Studies Program of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. The opinions expressed in this paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. MA was also supported by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation of the European Commission, through the RISCC Network (Grant No. 847845); and the Belgian Foundation Against Cancer through the IHUVACC project
UKMARC AMC: Draft Rev 4.0: UK MARC format for archives and manuscripts control (UK MARC AMC)
No full textThis draft is the first attempt to establish a UK MARC specifically for Archives and Manuscripts Control since the British Library indicated that it would countenance such extensions to the national UK MARC format. In order to keep consistency with the general UK MARC format, standard UK MARC subject fields are not included in this document, since they should be taken from the latest version of the UK MARC manual. {A note of them should perhaps be included in UK MARC AMC.} {NB Text in braces is intended to be explanatory material for readers of this draft}. Certain other fields have not been included that might occasionally be used in the cataloguing of archival materials but would generally only be used for such materials in organizations which were combining archive
databases with library databases. This MARC version is intended for use with descriptions of archive or anuscript material that follow, or fit, the traditional style of cataloguing: we assume that these will normally relate
to paper or parchment originals. It is not intended for use with descriptions of other kinds of material. For these, fields may be drawn from the appropriate UK MARC document. MARC versions for use with archives in special formats should be developed, in order to complete the full range of facilities available to archivists and curators
MARC 21 para recursos contínuos
No full textTranslation and adaptation of the MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic Data, and MARC 21 Format for Holdings Data, Network Development and MARC Standards Office, Library of Congress, USA, by Angela Salles. Rio de Janeiro, 2010. 2 v. V.1 MARC 21 format for bibliographic data (updated until October 2010). V.2 MARC 21 format for data collection (Holdings) (updated until October 2008)
MARC 21 para recursos contínuos.
No full textTradução e adaptação de MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic Data e MARC 21 Format for Holdings Data, da Network Development and MARC Standards Office, da Library of Congress, USA, por Angela Salles
Friends of the Greenwood Library Presents Marc Leepson
No full textOn Tuesday, September 11, 2012 the Friends of the Janet D. Greenwood Library hosted its fall event, which featured an evening with Marc Leepson. Leepson is a journalist, historian and the author of seven books, including Lafayette: Lessons in Leadership from the Idealist General (Palgrave/Macmillan, 2011), a concise biography of the famed Marquis de Lafayette
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