| 1. |
- van Bragt, JJMH, et al.
(author)
-
Characteristics and treatment regimens across ERS SHARP severe asthma registries
- 2020
-
In: The European respiratory journal. - : European Respiratory Society (ERS). - 1399-3003 .- 0903-1936. ; 55:1
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Little is known about the characteristics and treatments of patients with severe asthma across Europe, but both are likely to vary. This is the first study in the European Respiratory Society Severe Heterogeneous Asthma Research collaboration, Patient-centred (SHARP) Clinical Research Collaboration and it is designed to explore these variations. Therefore, we aimed to compare characteristics of patients in European severe asthma registries and treatments before starting biologicals.This was a cross-sectional retrospective analysis of aggregated data from 11 national severe asthma registries that joined SHARP with established patient databases.Analysis of data from 3236 patients showed many differences in characteristics and lifestyle factors. Current smokers ranged from 0% (Poland and Sweden) to 9.5% (Belgium), mean body mass index ranged from 26.2 (Italy) to 30.6 kg·m−2 (the UK) and the largest difference in mean pre-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s % predicted was 20.9% (the Netherlands versus Hungary). Before starting biologicals patients were treated differently between countries: mean inhaled corticosteroid dose ranged from 700 to 1335 µg·day−1 between those from Slovenia versus Poland when starting anti-interleukin (IL)-5 antibody and from 772 to 1344 µg·day−1 in those starting anti-IgE (Slovenia versus Spain). Maintenance oral corticosteroid use ranged from 21.0% (Belgium) to 63.0% (Sweden) and from 9.1% (Denmark) to 56.1% (the UK) in patients starting anti-IL-5 and anti-IgE, respectively.The severe asthmatic population in Europe is heterogeneous and differs in both clinical characteristics and treatment, often appearing not to comply with the current European Respiratory Society/American Thoracic Society guidelines definition of severe asthma. Treatment regimens before starting biologicals were different from inclusion criteria in clinical trials and varied between countries.
|
|
| 2. |
|
|
| 3. |
|
|
| 4. |
|
|
| 5. |
|
|
| 6. |
|
|
| 7. |
|
|
| 8. |
- Hugosson, Jonas, 1955, et al.
(author)
-
A 16-yr Follow-up of the European Randomized study of Screening for Prostate Cancer
- 2019
-
In: European Urology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0302-2838. ; 76:1, s. 43-51
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The European Randomized study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) has previously demonstrated that prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening decreases prostate cancer (PCa) mortality. Objective: To determine whether PSA screening decreases PCa mortality for up to 16 yr and to assess results following adjustment for nonparticipation and the number of screening rounds attended. Design, setting, and participants: This multicentre population-based randomised screening trial was conducted in eight European countries. Report includes 182 160 men, followed up until 2014 (maximum of 16 yr), with a predefined core age group of 162 389 men (55-69 yr), selected from population registry. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: The outcome was PCa mortality, also assessed with adjustment for nonparticipation and the number of screening rounds attended. Results and limitations: The rate ratio of PCa mortality was 0.80 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.72-0.89, p < 0.001) at 16 yr. The difference in absolute PCa mortality increased from 0.14% at 13 yr to 0.18% at 16 yr. The number of men needed to be invited for screening to prevent one PCa death was 570 at 16 yr compared with 742 at 13 yr. The number needed to diagnose was reduced to 18 from 26 at 13 yr. Men with PCa detected during the first round had a higher prevalence of PSA >20 ng/ml (9.9% compared with 4.1% in the second round, p < 0.001) and higher PCa mortality (hazard ratio = 1.86, p < 0.001) than those detected subsequently. Conclusions: Findings corroborate earlier results that PSA screening significantly reduces PCa mortality, showing larger absolute benefit with longer follow-up and a reduction in excess incidence. Repeated screening may be important to reduce PCa mortality on a population level. Patient summary: In this report, we looked at the outcomes from prostate cancer in a large European population. We found that repeated screening reduces the risk of dying from prostate cancer. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of European Association of Urology.
|
|
| 9. |
|
|
| 10. |
- Otto, S J, et al.
(author)
-
PSA levels and cancer detection rate by centre in the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer.
- 2010
-
In: European journal of cancer. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-0852 .- 0959-8049. ; 46:17, s. 3053-3060
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background To describe the variation in PSA level by age group and screening round in the ERSPC centres and the variation in cancer detection rates in relation to the underlying prostate cancer incidence. Methods Individual data on men invited for the first and second screening rounds according to protocol (excluding early recalls and interval cancers) were obtained from the central database of the ERSPC (cut-off date 31st December 2006). Data were compared between and within centres for the core age group (55–69 at entry). The cancer detection rate (CDR) was compared with the expected background prostate cancer incidence rate in the absence of screening adjusted for the incidence rate in non-attenders and the control arm (IRS). Results Mean PSA values in the age groups 55–59 years and 65–69 years showed little variation by centre, except for the Dutch centre, where an increase from 1.6 to 1.8 ng/ml and a decline from 2.9 to 2.5 ng/ml was observed, respectively. Most tumours were detected at the PSA range 4.0–9.9 ng/ml, with a shift to more cancer detection at 3.0–3.9 ng/ml in the second screening round. There was high variability in the CDR between the centres in both the first (16–46 per 1000) and the second screening rounds (14–50 per 1000). Although the ratio CDR/IRS was less variable, it is somewhat lower in Italy and Switzerland (12 and 14,respectively) and higher in the Netherlands (28), than in most other centres and in Belgium the ratio increased markedly, from 20 to 44 between the first and second rounds. Conclusion There was no clear evidence of a relationship between the underlying incidence and mean PSA levels at screening or the cancer detection rate.
|
|
| 11. |
- Remmers, S., et al.
(author)
-
Relationship Between Baseline Prostate-specific Antigen on Cancer Detection and Prostate Cancer Death: Long-term Follow-up from the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer
- 2023
-
In: European Urology. - 0302-2838. ; 84:5, s. 503-509
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The European Association of Urology guidelines recommend a risk-based strategy for prostate cancer screening based on the first prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level and age.Objective: To analyze the impact of the first PSA level on prostate cancer (PCa) detection and PCa-specific mortality (PCSM) in a population-based screening trial (repeat screening every 2-4 yr). Design, setting, and participants: We evaluated 25 589 men aged 55-59 yr, 16 898 men aged 60-64 yr, and 12 936 men aged 65-69 yr who attended at least one screening visit in the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) trial (screening arm: repeat PSA testing every 2-4 yr and biopsy in cases with elevated PSA; control arm: no active screening offered) during 16-yr follow-up (FU).Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: We assessed the actuarial probability for any PCa and for clinically significant (cs)PCa (Gleason >7). Cox proportional-hazards regression was performed to assess whether the association between baseline PSA andPCSM was comparable for all age groups. A Lorenz curve was computed to assess the association between baseline PSA and PCSM for men aged 60-61 yr.Results and limitations: The overall actuarial probability at 16 yr ranged from 12% to 16% for any PCa and from 3.7% to 5.7% for csPCa across the age groups. The actuarial proba-bility of csPCa at 16 yr ranged from 1.2-1.5% for men with PSA <1.0 ng/ml to 13.3-13.8% for men with PSA >3.0 ng/ml. The association between baseline PSA and PCSM differed marginally among the three age groups. A Lorenz curve for men aged 60-61 yr showed that 92% of lethal PCa cases occurred among those with PSA above the median (1.21 ng/ ml). In addition, for men initially screened at age 60-61 yr with baseline PSA <2 ng/ml, further continuation of screening is unlikely to be beneficial after the age of 68-70 yr if PSA is still <2 ng/ml. No case of PCSM emerged in the subsequent 8 yr (up to age 76-78 yr). A limitation is that these results may not be generalizable to an opportunistic screening setting or to contemporary clinical practice. Conclusions: In all age groups, baseline PSA can guide decisions on the repeat screening interval. Baseline PSA of <1.0 ng/ml for men aged 55-69 yr is a strong indicator to delay or stop further screening. Patient summary: In prostate cancer screening, the patient's baseline PSA (prostate-specific antigen) level can be used to guide decisions on when to repeat screening. The PSA test when used according to current knowledge is valuable in helping to reduce the burden of prostate cancer.
|
|
| 12. |
- Ancelle-Park, R., et al.
(author)
-
Summary of the evidence of breast cancer service screening outcomes in Europe and first estimate of the benefit and harm balance sheet
- 2012
-
In: Journal of Medical Screening. - : SAGE Publications. - 0969-1413 .- 1475-5793. ; 19, s. 5-13
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives To construct a European 'balance sheet' of key outcomes of population-based mammographic breast cancer screening, to inform policy-makers, stakeholders and invited women. Methods From the studies reviewed, the primary benefit of screening, breast cancer mortality reduction, was compared with the main harms, over-diagnosis and false-positive screening results (FPRs). Results Pooled estimates of breast cancer mortality reduction among invited women were 25% in incidence-based mortality studies and 31% in case-control studies (38% and 48% among women actually screened). Estimates of over-diagnosis ranged from 1% to 10% of the expected incidence in the absence of screening. The combined estimate of over-diagnosis for screened women, from European studies correctly adjusted for lead time and underlying trend, was 6.5%. For women undergoing 10 biennial screening tests, the estimated cumulative risk of a FPR followed by non-invasive assessment was 17%, and 3% having an invasive assessment. For every 1000 women screened biennially from age 50-51 until age 68-69 and followed up to age 79, an estimated seven to nine lives are saved, four cases are over-diagnosed, 170 women have at least one recall followed by non-invasive assessment with a negative result and 30 women have at least one recall followed by invasive procedures yielding a negative result. Conclusions The chance of saving a woman's life by population-based mammographic screening of appropriate quality is greater than that of over-diagnosis. Service screening in Europe achieves a mortality benefit at least as great as the randomized controlled trials. These outcomes should be communicated to women offered service screening in Europe.
|
|
| 13. |
|
|
| 14. |
- Carozzi, F. M., et al.
(author)
-
Effectiveness of HPV vaccination in women reaching screening age in Italy
- 2016
-
In: Journal of Clinical Virology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1386-6532. ; 84, s. 74-81
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background and objectives A randomized trial was conducted in Tuscany, Italy, to evaluate the effectiveness of HPV vaccination for 25 year old (yo) women who attend at the first time cervical cancer screening. The trial also evaluated immune response after vaccination, reductions of cytological abnormalities and the impact of vaccination on screening activity. Study design During 2010–2011, all 25 yo women who were invited to the Florence cervical cancer screening programme were also asked to participate in the trial. Enrolled women were randomized into study and control groups. Those in the study group were offered HPV vaccination after the usual Pap test. The cytology distribution and prevalence for any high risk (hr) HPV type were compared at the subsequent screening round in an intention-to-treat analysis. The impact of HPV vaccination was evaluated per protocol comparing vaccinated women with the control group. Results Our results showed a reduction in HPV prevalence at recall for any hr-HPV type but it was not statistically significant, being 17.1% vs 21.4%, p = 0.20 in the study and control groups, respectively. If we restricted the analysis to vaccinated women, strong reductions of the HPV 16,18,31,33,45 and HPV 31,33,45 infections were observed, being 5.3% vs 12.8%, p < 0.01 and 2.1% vs 6.5%, p = 0.02, respectively. Significant reductions for any hr-HPV infection and for HPV 16 infection were also observed in women HPV 16/18 negative at enrolment, being 12% vs 21.4%, p < 0.01 and 0.6% vs 6.7%, p-value < 0.01, respectively. In women hr-HPV negative at enrolment no infections due to HPV 16 or HPV 18 were observed and there was a big reduction for any hr-HPV infection (7.1% vs 21.4% p < 0.01). A strong antibody response was observed not only for HPV 16 & 18 but also for their related types. Conclusions Our findings suggest that HPV vaccination at the age 25 is beneficial if it is offered to hr-HPV negative women. Our data will assist in developing a cost effectiveness model for choosing the best strategy to integrate screening and vaccination for the coming years. Clinical trial registration number is NCT02296255.
|
|
| 15. |
- Heijnsdijk, Eveline A M, et al.
(author)
-
Quality-of-life effects of prostate-specific antigen screening.
- 2012
-
In: The New England journal of medicine. - 1533-4406. ; 367:7, s. 595-605
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- After 11 years of follow-up, the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) reported a 29% reduction in prostate-cancer mortality among men who underwent screening for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. However, the extent to which harms to quality of life resulting from overdiagnosis and treatment counterbalance this benefit is uncertain.
|
|
| 16. |
|
|
| 17. |
- Blomquist, B. W., et al.
(author)
-
Wind Speed and Sea State Dependencies of Air-Sea Gas Transfer : Results From the High Wind Speed Gas Exchange Study (HiWinGS)
- 2017
-
In: Journal of Geophysical Research - Oceans. - 2169-9275 .- 2169-9291. ; 122:10, s. 8034-8062
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- A variety of physical mechanisms are jointly responsible for facilitating air-sea gas transfer through turbulent processes at the atmosphere-ocean interface. The nature and relative importance of these mechanisms evolves with increasing wind speed. Theoretical and modeling approaches are advancing, but the limited quantity of observational data at high wind speeds hinders the assessment of these efforts. The HiWinGS project successfully measured gas transfer coefficients (k(660)) with coincident wave statistics under conditions with hourly mean wind speeds up to 24 m s(-1) and significant wave heights to 8 m. Measurements of k(660) for carbon dioxide (CO2) and dimethylsulfide (DMS) show an increasing trend with respect to 10 m neutral wind speed (U-10N), following a power law relationship of the form: k660CO2 approximate to U10N1.68 and k660dms approximate to U10N1.33. Among seven high wind speed events, CO2 transfer responded to the intensity of wave breaking, which depended on both wind speed and sea state in a complex manner, with k660CO2 increasing as the wind sea approaches full development. A similar response is not observed for DMS. These results confirm the importance of breaking waves and bubble injection mechanisms in facilitating CO2 transfer. A modified version of the Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment Gas transfer algorithm (COAREG ver. 3.5), incorporating a sea state-dependent calculation of bubble-mediated transfer, successfully reproduces the mean trend in observed k(660) with wind speed for both gases. Significant suppression of gas transfer by large waves was not observed during HiWinGS, in contrast to results from two prior field programs.
|
|
| 18. |
|
|
| 19. |
- Carlsson, Sigrid V., et al.
(author)
-
Estimating the harms and benefits of prostate cancer screening as used in common practice versus recommended good practice : A microsimulation screening analysis
- 2016
-
In: Cancer. - : Wiley. - 0008-543X .- 1097-0142. ; 122:21, s. 3386-3393
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening and concomitant treatment can be implemented in several ways. The authors investigated how the net benefit of PSA screening varies between common practice versus “good practice.”. METHODS: Microsimulation screening analysis (MISCAN) was used to evaluate the effect on quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) if 4 recommendations were followed: limited screening in older men, selective biopsy in men with elevated PSA, active surveillance for low-risk tumors, and treatment preferentially delivered at high-volume centers. Outcomes were compared with a base model in which annual screening started at ages 55 to 69 years and were simulated using data from the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer. RESULTS: In terms of QALYs gained compared with no screening, for 1000 screened men who were followed over their lifetime, recommended good practice led to 73 life-years (LYs) and 74 QALYs gained compared with 73 LYs and 56 QALYs for the base model. In contrast, common practice led to 78 LYs gained but only 19 QALYs gained, for a greater than 75% relative reduction in QALYs gained from unadjusted LYs gained. The poor outcomes for common practice were influenced predominantly by the use of aggressive treatment for men with low-risk disease, and PSA testing in older men also strongly reduced potential QALY gains. CONCLUSIONS: Commonly used PSA screening and treatment practices are associated with little net benefit. Following a few straightforward clinical recommendations, particularly greater use of active surveillance for low-risk disease and reducing screening in older men, would lead to an almost 4-fold increase in the net benefit of prostate cancer screening. Cancer 2016;122:3386–3393.
|
|
| 20. |
- Schröder, Fritz H, et al.
(author)
-
Prostate-cancer mortality at 11 years of follow-up.
- 2012
-
In: The New England journal of medicine. - 1533-4406 .- 0028-4793. ; 366:11, s. 981-90
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Several trials evaluating the effect of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing on prostate-cancer mortality have shown conflicting results. We updated prostate-cancer mortality in the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer with 2 additional years of follow-up.
|
|
| 21. |
- Betta, G., et al.
(author)
-
Characterization of 3D Image-Based Biometric Systems in Dynamic Acquisition Conditions
- 2021
-
In: Conference Record - IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference. - : Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. - 9781728195391
-
Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The paper focuses on the analysis of biometric measurements in dynamic acquisition conditions and their impact on the reliability of the recognition judgments. To this aim, a suitable simulator of stereoscopic systems has been designed and realized. It relies on a fully simulated procedure based on the following steps: (i) generation of a set of realistic 3D face models through a proper face simulator software; (ii) definition of an arbitrary trajectory for the face models and stereo images to simulate a set of images acquired in different poses (positions and orientations) of the subject during the movement; (iii) addition of selectable levels of motion blur in a controlled environment, to simulate critical acquisition conditions. This procedure allows ensuring that the recognition results are not due to the natural change of expression of real faces or an imperfect image acquisition device. Moreover, every face model is moved exactly with the same trajectory in front of the stereoscopic system, allowing compare the recognition performances all along the trajectory, also in controlled and under repeatable blur levels. A face biometrics procedure, based on a popular recognition algorithm, is then run on the generated images and the recognition performances are analyzed in detail. The achieved results demonstrated how the motion blur and also the slight differences between the acquired images and the reference ones significantly affect the performance in the recognition of such kinds of systems, thus confirming the usefulness of the proposed simulator. © 2021 IEEE.
|
|
| 22. |
|
|
| 23. |
- Clayson, C. A., et al.
(author)
-
Super sites for advancing understanding of the oceanic and atmospheric boundary layers
- 2021
-
In: Marine Technology Society Journal. - 0025-3324. ; 55:3, s. 144-145
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Air–sea interactions are critical to large-scale weather and climate predictions because of the ocean’s ability to absorb excess atmospheric heat and carbon and regulate exchanges of momentum, water vapor, and other greenhouse gases. These exchanges are controlled by molecular, turbulent, and wave-driven processes in the atmospheric and oceanic boundary layers. Improved understanding and representation of these processes in models are key for increasing Earth system prediction skill, particularly for subseasonal to decadal time scales. Our understanding and ability to model these processes within this coupled system is presently inadequate due in large part to a lack of data: contemporaneous long-term observations from the top of the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) to the base of the oceanic mixing layer. We propose the concept of “Super Sites” to provide multi-year suites of measurements at specific locations to simultaneously characterize physical and biogeochemical processes within the coupled boundary layers at high spatial and temporal resolution. Measurements will be made from floating platforms, buoys, towers, and autonomous vehicles, utilizing both in-situ and remote sensors. The engineering challenges and level of coordination, integration, and interoperability required to develop these coupled ocean–atmosphere Super Sites place them in an “Ocean Shot” class. © 2021, Marine Technology Society Inc.. All rights reserved.
|
|
| 24. |
- Denifl, S, et al.
(author)
-
Ionization of doped helium nanodroplets : Complexes of C-60 with water clusters
- 2010
-
In: Journal of Chemical Physics. - : American Institute of Physics. - 0021-9606 .- 1089-7690. ; 132:23, s. 234307-
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Water clusters are known to undergo an autoprotonation reaction upon ionization by photons or electron impact, resulting in the formation of (H2O)(n)H3O+. Ejection of OH cannot be quenched by near-threshold ionization; it is only partly quenched when clusters are complexed with inert gas atoms. Mass spectra recorded by electron ionization of water-doped helium droplets show that the helium matrix also fails to quench OH loss. The situation changes drastically when helium droplets are codoped with C-60. Charged C-60-water complexes are predominantly unprotonated; C-60(H2O)(4)(+) and (C-60)(2)(H2O)(4)(+) appear with enhanced abundance. Another intense ion series is due to C-60(H2O)(n)OH+; dehydrogenation is proposed to be initiated by charge transfer between the primary He+ ion and C-60. The resulting electronically excited C-60(+)* leads to the formation of a doubly charged C-60-water complex either via emission of an Auger electron from C-60(+)*, or internal Penning ionization of the attached water complex, followed by charge separation within {C-60(H2O)(n)}(2+). This mechanism would also explain previous observations of dehydrogenation reactions in doped helium droplets. Mass-analyzed ion kinetic energy scans reveal spontaneous (unimolecular) dissociation of C-60(H2O)(n)(+). In addition to the loss of single water molecules, a prominent reaction channel yields bare C-60(+) for sizes n=3, 4, or 6. Ab initio Hartree-Fock calculations for C-60-water complexes reveal negligible charge transfer within neutral complexes. Cationic complexes are well described as water clusters weakly bound to C-60(+). For n=3, 4, or 6, fissionlike desorption of the entire water complex from C-60(H2O)(n)(+) energetically competes with the evaporation of a single water molecule. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics.
|
|
| 25. |
- Hakama, Matti, et al.
(author)
-
Design-corrected variation by centre in mortality reduction in the ERSPC randomised prostate cancer screening trial.
- 2017
-
In: Journal of medical screening. - : SAGE Publications. - 1475-5793 .- 0969-1413. ; 24:2, s. 98-103
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- To calculate design-corrected estimates of the effect of screening on prostate cancer mortality by centre in the European Randomised Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC).The ERSPC has shown a 21% reduction in prostate cancer mortality in men invited to screening with follow-up truncated at 13 years. Centres either used pre-consent randomisation (effectiveness design) or post-consent randomisation (efficacy design).In six centres (three effectiveness design, three efficacy design) with follow-up until the end of 2010, or maximum 13 years, the effect of screening was estimated as both effectiveness (mortality reduction in the target population) and efficacy (reduction in those actually screened).The overall crude prostate cancer mortality risk ratio in the intervention arm vs control arm for the six centres was 0.79 ranging from a 14% increase to a 38% reduction. The risk ratio was 0.85 in centres with effectiveness design and 0.73 in those with efficacy design. After correcting for design, overall efficacy was 27%, 24% in pre-consent and 29% in post-consent centres, ranging between a 12% increase and a 52% reduction.The estimated overall effect of screening in attenders (efficacy) was a 27% reduction in prostate cancer mortality at 13 years' follow-up. The variation in efficacy between centres was greater than the range in risk ratio without correction for design. The centre-specific variation in the mortality reduction could not be accounted for by the randomisation method.
|
|
