How Do Propensity Score Methods Measure Up in the Presence of Measurement Error? A Monte Carlo Study.

Considering that the absence of measurement error in research is a rare phenomenon and its effects can be dramatic, we examine the impact of measurement error on propensity score (PS) analysis used to minimize selection bias in behavioral and social observational studies. A Monte Carlo study was conducted to explore the effects of measurement error on the treatment effect and balance estimates in PS analysis across seven different PS conditioning methods. In general, the results indicate that even low levels of measurement error in the covariates lead to substantial bias in estimates of treatment effects and concomitant reduction in confidence interval coverage across all methods of conditioning on the PS.

Interleukin-3 protects Bcr-Abl-transformed hematopoietic progenitor cells from apoptosis induced by Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase has been validated as a molecular target for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). More recently, it has been reported that CML patients could develop resistance to the Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitor, imatinib (STI571, Gleevec), pointing to the need for development of additional Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitors or other therapeutic strategies. It was also found that a significant proportion of patients who received the Bcr-Abl inhibitor did not achieve complete cytogenetic response.

The impact of intensive case-managed intervention on substance-using pregnant and postpartum women.

This study examines the impact of the Women's Intervention Services and Education (WISE) Project in serving substance-using pregnant and postpartum women through an array of case-managed services and supports. A descriptive analysis of multiple outcome indicators was performed on 152 women who had a minimum 6 months of exposure to WISE services at the time of the analysis. The variables used in the analysis to assess client and program outcomes included substance use, employment, arrests, incarceration, birthweight, and social support.

Case management of pregnant and parenting female crack and polydrug abusers.

The increasing use of crack-cocaine among addicted women and subsequent births of polydrug-exposed infants prompted the State of Florida to undertake initiatives to seek solutions to these problems. This study, focused on one of these initiatives, explored the relationship between service components of a comprehensive treatment program and substance-free time among 120 African American and Caucasian crack-cocaine addicted women. Findings from a multiple regression analysis indicated that aftercare management (p < .