Combining forward and backward mortality estimation.

Demographers often form estimates by combining information from two data sources-a challenging problem when one or both data sources are incomplete. A classic example entails the construction of death probabilities, which requires death counts for the subpopulations under study and corresponding base population estimates. Approaches typically entail 'back projection', as in Wrigley and Schofield's seminal analysis of historical English data, or 'inverse' or 'forward projection' as used by Lee in his important reanalysis of that work, both published in the 1980s.

Detection of adalimumab and antibodies to adalimumab using a homogeneous mobility shift assay.

Objective: In 2013 a novel commercial test was launched (Anser ADA test) for the assay of serum adalimumab (ADL) and antibodies to adalimumab (ATA). This study aims to understand clinical practice patterns used with ADL in a real-world cross-sectional population.

Methods: Wilcoxon rank sum test, and linear and logistic regression methods were applied in the statistical analysis to test hypotheses.

Assessment of corticosteroid-related quality of care measures for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease in the United States: a claims data analysis.

Objective: To evaluate corticosteroid (CS)-related quality of care indicators in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) in the US.

Methods: Adults diagnosed with UC or CD and prescription fills for an oral CS were identified from a large commercial US claims database (2005-2013). Quality indicators included prolonged CS use (≥60 days), use of CS-sparing therapy, and bone loss assessment.

Exposure to Community Violence and Sexual Behaviors Among African American Youth: Testing Multiple Pathways.

African American youth bear a disproportionate burden of sexually transmitted infections. A growing number of studies document that youth exposure to community violence and sexual behaviors are highly correlated. Despite such growing evidence, only a few studies have empirically tested conceptually driven pathways that may account for such relationships.

Ethical obligations and clinical goals in end-of-life care: deriving a quality-of-life construct based on the Islamic concept of accountability before God (taklīf).

End-of-life medical decision making presents a major challenge to patients and physicians alike. In order to determine whether it is ethically justifiable to forgo medical treatment in such scenarios, clinical data must be interpreted alongside patient values, as well as in light of the physician's ethical commitments. Though much has been written about this ethical issue from religious perspectives (especially Christian and Jewish), little work has been done from an Islamic point of view.

Low Dose Interferon Alfa-2B for the Induction of Remission of Hairy Cell Leukemia: A Multi-institutional Study of 49 Patients.

This multicenter study reports on 49 patients with hairy cell leukemia (HCL) who were treated subcutaneously with alfa-2b interferon (Intron A, Schering Corporation, Kenilworth, N.J.), three times a week at a reduced dosage of 200,000 units/m(2), one-tenth the dose of the standard 2 million units/m(2).

Survival Experience of 195 Patients with Hairy Cell Leukemia Treated in a Multi-Institutional Study with Interferon-Alfa 2B.

One hundred ninety-five patients were entered into a multi-institutional study of interferon alfa 2b from 1983-1986; follow-up was completed through June 1989. A complete remission was documented in 7 patients, a partial remission in 152 patients, a minor response in 10 patients, and no response in 26 patients. One-hundred fifty-nine of the 195 patients treated (81%) had a normalization of their peripheral blood counts by the criteria used.