Program evaluations often investigate complex or multi-dimensional constructs, such as individual opinions or attitudes, by means of ratings. A different interpretation of the same question may ...affect cross-country comparability, leading to the Differential Item Functioning problem. Anchoring vignettes were introduced in the literature as a way to adjust self-evaluations from this interpersonal incomparability. In this paper, we first introduce a new nonparametric solution to analyse anchoring vignette data, recoding a variable based on a rating scale to a new corrected-variable that guarantees comparability in any cross-country analysis. Then, we exploit the flexibility of a mixture model introduced to account for uncertainty in the response process (the CUP model) to test if the proposed solution is effectively able to remove this reported heterogeneity. This solution is easy to construct and has important advantages compared with the original nonparametric solution adopted with anchoring vignette data. The novel indicator is applied to investigate self-reported depression in an old population. Data that will be analysed come from the second wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, collected in 2006/2007. Results highlight the need of correcting for reported heterogeneity comparing individual self-evaluations. Once interpersonal incomparability resulting from the different uses of response scales is removed from the self-assessments, some estimates are reversed in magnitude and signs with respect to the analysis of the collected data.
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NUK, OILJ, SAZU, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Specialized software designed to analyze nonlinear rheological data from large amplitude oscillatory shear tests is not widespread. Instances that exist that are open source are typically based on ...proprietary meta-languages. The availability of a package in the R environment can help researchers to rely on a Free Open Source Software reproducible work flow. In this context, we have developed the package oreo which is able to analyze data from rheometry measurements using the Sequence of Physical Processes (SPP) framework that allows both the linear and non-linear deformation regimes to be understood withing a single unified framework.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
With a view to improving the prognosis for patients with metastatic medulloblastoma, we tested the efficacy and toxicity of a hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy (HART) regimen delivered after ...intensive sequential chemotherapy.
Between 1998 and 2007, 33 consecutive patients received postoperative methotrexate (8 g/m(2)), etoposide (2.4 g/m(2)), cyclophosphamide (4 g/m(2)), and carboplatin (0.8 g/m(2)) in a 2-month schedule, then HART with a maximal dose to the neuraxis of 39 Gy (1.3 Gy/fraction, 2 fractions/d) and a posterior fossa boost up to 60 Gy (1.5 Gy/fraction,2 fractions/d). Patients with persistent disseminated disease before HART were consolidated with two myeloablative courses and circulating progenitor cell rescue.
Patients were classified as having M1 (n = 9), M2 (n = 6), M3 (n = 17), and M4 (n = 1) disease. Seven patients younger than 10 years old who achieved complete response after chemotherapy received a lower dose to the neuraxis (31.2 Gy). Twenty-two of the 32 assessable patients responded to chemotherapy; disease was stable in five patients and progressed in five patients. One septic death occurred before radiotherapy. Eight patients experienced relapse after a median of 12 months. Fourteen of the 33 patients underwent consolidation therapy after HART. With a median 82-month survivor follow-up, the 5-year event-free, progression-free, and overall survival rates were 70%, 72%, and 73%, respectively. No severe clinical complications of HART have emerged so far.
HART after intensive postoperative chemotherapy, followed by myeloablative chemotherapy in selected cases, proved feasible in children with metastatic medulloblastoma. The results of our treatment compare favorably with other series treated using conventional therapies.
•Cervical Carcinosarcoma is very rare and aggressive neoplasm.•A cervical carcinosarcoma was diagnosed in a 60-year-old patient on cervical biopsies.•Post-surgical study revealed a concomitant ...endometrial undifferentiated carcinoma.•The adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy were used to avoid a disease recurrence.•The patient died after two months from post-actinic enteritis with intestinal occlusion.
We report a case of undifferentiated carcinoma of the endometrium associated with malignant mixed Müllerian tumour of the uterine cervix. Immunohistochemical analysis with multiple markers was performed to demonstrate the coexistence of highly two aggressive components in the same uterus. Clinical data were collected and followed up, and a careful literature review was performed to establish the occurence of these components in a uterine malignancy.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Macrophage polarization is a candidate biomarker of disease-related inflammatory status, but its modulation during aging has not been investigated. To do this, the M1/M2 profile was assessed by ...CD80/CD163 gating in classical (CD14
CD16
), intermediate (CD14
CD16
), and non-classical (CD14
CD16
) monocytes from 31 healthy subjects (CTRs) of different ages. Cytofluorimetric analysis showed a significantly different CD80/CD163 distribution in the three subsets, as more than 80% of classical and intermediate monocytes were CD80
CD163
, whereas most non-classical monocytes were CD80
CD163
and CD163
. Non-classical CD163
monocytes were significantly higher whereas classical CD163
and CD80
CD163
monocytes significantly lower in older than younger CTRs (cut-off, 65 years), suggesting different age-related trends for M2 subsets. To establish whether an M1/M2 imbalance could be associated with disease, 21 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were compared with older CTRs. The AMI patients showed a significantly decreased proportion of CD163
CD80
and an increased proportion of CD163
and CD163
CD80
cells among classical monocytes, opposite trends to those observed in healthy aging. Moreover, a significantly greater proportion of intermediate and non-classical CD80
monocytes suggested a shift to a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Overall, CD163/CD80 cytofluorimetric characterization of circulating monocytes provides additional information about their polarization and could be an innovative tool to monitor aging.
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Background: Intensive follow-up in cancer patients, which absorbs a lot of health system resources and can be a source of increased stress for patients, are often proposed on the ...assumption that an early recognition of relapse will translate in better outcomes. In endometrial cancer few randomized controlled trials were conducted to assess the role of a reduced number of the scheduled visits and of different settings of the follow-up, but did not investigate the contribution of routine serum, cytological or imaging follow-up investigations in improving overall survival or quality of life. The TOTEM study was planned to compare an intensive (INT) vs minimalist (MIN) 5- year follow-up regimen in endometrial cancer patients in terms of overall survival (OS). Methods: Patients surgically treated for endometrial cancer, in complete clinical remission confirmed by imaging, FIGO stage I-IV, were stratified by center and in low (LoR) or high (HiR) risk of recurrence and then randomized to INT or MIN hospital-based follow-up regimens. The main study hypothesis was to demonstrate an improvement from 75% to 80% (expected hazard ratio, HR = 0.78) of the 5-year OS with the INT regimen. Secondary objectives were to compare relapse free survival (RFS), health-related quality of life (HRQL) assessed at baseline, at 6 and 12 months and then yearly (with the SF-12 Physical and Mental Health Summary Scale) and costs. Results: 1884 patients were randomized in 42 centers between 2008 and 2018, and 1847 patients were available for the final analysis (60% LoR). Compliance with the follow-up scheduled visits was 75.3%, similar between INT (74.7%) and MIN (75.9%) arms, whereas the mean number of recorded exams (laboratory or imaging) was markedly higher in the INT than in the MIN arms (9.7 vs 2.9, p < 0.0001). After a median follow-up of 66 months, the overall 5-year OS was 91.3%, 90.6% in the INT and 91.9% in the MIN arms, respectively (HR = 1.12, 95%CI 0.85-1.48, p = 0.429). Comparing the INT vs MIN arms, the 5-year OS were 94.1% and 96.8% (HR = 1.48, 0.92-2.37, p = 0.104) in the LoR and 85.3% and 84.7% (HR = 0.96, 0.68-1.36, p = 0.814) in the HiR group. No relevant differences emerged in RFS between INT and MIN regimens, (HR = 1.13, 0.87-1.48, p = 0.365). At the time of the relapse most women were asymptomatic (146/228, 64.0%), with a tendency of higher proportions in the INT than in the MIN arm, both in the LoR group (78.8% vs 61.1%, p = 0.070) and in the HiR one (64% vs 60%, p = 0.754). HRQL was available only for a subgroup of patients (50% at baseline) and did not differ between arms. Conclusions: Intensive follow-up in endometrial cancer treated patients showed a weak and uncertain advantage in detecting earlier asymptomatic relapses but did not improve OS, even in HiR patients, nor influenced HRQL. Frequent routine use of imaging and laboratory exams in these patients should be discouraged. Clinical trial information: NCT00916708.
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has correlated with the disruption of screening activities and diagnostic assessments. Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common gynecological ...malignancies and it is often detected at an early stage, because it frequently produces symptoms. Here, we aim to investigate the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on patterns of presentation and treatment of EC patients.
This is a retrospective study involving 54 centers in Italy. We evaluated patterns of presentation and treatment of EC patients before (period 1: March 1, 2019 to February 29, 2020) and during (period 2: April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021) the COVID-19 outbreak.
Medical records of 5,164 EC patients have been retrieved: 2,718 and 2,446 women treated in period 1 and period 2, respectively. Surgery was the mainstay of treatment in both periods (p=0.356). Nodal assessment was omitted in 689 (27.3%) and 484 (21.2%) patients treated in period 1 and 2, respectively (p<0.001). While, the prevalence of patients undergoing sentinel node mapping (with or without backup lymphadenectomy) has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic (46.7% in period 1 vs. 52.8% in period 2; p<0.001). Overall, 1,280 (50.4%) and 1,021 (44.7%) patients had no adjuvant therapy in period 1 and 2, respectively (p<0.001). Adjuvant therapy use has increased during COVID-19 pandemic (p<0.001).
Our data suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the characteristics and patterns of care of EC patients. These findings highlight the need to implement healthcare services during the pandemic.
Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has correlated with the disruption of screening activities and diagnostic assessments. Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common ...gynecological malignancies and it is often detected at an early stage, because it frequently produces symptoms. Here, we aim to investigate the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on patterns of presentation and treatment of EC patients.
Methods: This is a retrospective study involving 54 centers in Italy. We evaluated patterns of presentation and treatment of EC patients before (period 1: March 1, 2019 to February 29, 2020) and during (period 2: April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021) the COVID-19 outbreak.
Results: Medical records of 5,164 EC patients have been retrieved: 2,718 and 2,446 women treated in period 1 and period 2, respectively. Surgery was the mainstay of treatment in both periods (p=0.356). Nodal assessment was omitted in 689 (27.3%) and 484 (21.2%) patients treated in period 1 and 2, respectively (p<0.001). While, the prevalence of patients undergoing sentinel node mapping (with or without backup lymphadenectomy) has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic (46.7% in period 1 vs. 52.8% in period 2; p<0.001). Overall, 1,280 (50.4%) and 1,021 (44.7%) patients had no adjuvant therapy in period 1 and 2, respectively (p<0.001). Adjuvant therapy use has increased during COVID-19 pandemic (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Our data suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the characteristics and patterns of care of EC patients. These findings highlight the need to implement healthcare services during the pandemic.
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