TECHNICAL NOTE: SOME VIEWS ON THE TREATMENT OF "ARTIFACTS" IN PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL RECORDINGS

The treatment of artifactual responses in psychophysiology is rarely discussed or made explicit in research reports. The rationales and procedures of five approaches are presented: excluding the data; averaging other epochs; subjective estimation; straight-line connecting; and following the pen. Each approach is based on a somewhat different theoretical orientation, and the choice of each will depend on the researcher's theoretical preference and also the relative “costs” of losing data vs programming special instructions. Other considerations such as objectivity, consistency, and replicability are discussed.     

Electronic data processing in the Danish Cytogenetic Central Register and EDP problems of registers in general

A brief introduction to the Danish Cytogenetic Central Register (DCCR) is given, and possibilities, principles and problems concerning the establishment and maintenance of a national cytogenetic register are presented.
Various data carrier media for registers in general are discussed, of which the magnetic disc is considered most appropriate. General principles for programs capable of performing insertions, deletions and other modifications in the data base are outlined as well as the principles for the programs in the DCCR.
The individual records should preferably be identified by aid of a central person registration number (CPR) rather than by name. The data should be stored and sorted by this identification in order to facilitate retrieval of a desired record. The structure of the records is discussed with regard to prevention of the occurrence of certain errors as well as the optimization of processing.
Flexibility and economy of space are achieved by using programs able to handle records of unequal length, and problems occurring in connection with this are discussed. The question of how to protect sensitive data is dealt with, and two different methods used in the DCCR are outlined. Programs capable of analyzing karyotypes with the purpose of recognizing various cytogenetic syndromes have been developed for use in the DCCR. Various examples of computing times of typical program runs are presented.     

苯丙胺类兴奋剂(ATS)娱乐性使用情况及其人群特征

目的 :了解娱乐性ATS使用者的人口学特征 ,使用方式及其他有关问题。方法 :采用病例发现法和易接近对象晤谈法 ,并结合滚雪球的方法 ,以问卷方式收集娱乐性ATS使用者的有关资料。结果 :娱乐性ATS使用者平均年龄 2 3 97± 4 95岁。未婚占 6 4 4 % ,同居占 1 5 3% ,离婚占 8 5%。高中及以上文化者占 84 7%。职业以服务员、个体商人和性工作者居多。摇头丸是最主要的滥用药物。约 90 %的人使用次数少于 50次。口服是最主要的服用途径。平均每次服用剂量约为 2 50mg ,多在周末服用 ( 72 9% )。获得ATS的主要来源是从朋友和熟人处购买 ( 72 9% )。使用ATS的主要目的包括 :提高情绪使自己快乐 ,使自己压抑时感到舒服些 ,帮助放松 ,帮助解除抑制 (情绪、行为、思维 )等。娱乐性ATS使用者合并使用酒精 ,海洛因 ,苯二氮 艹卓 类 ,大麻 ,致幻剂的比例分别为 81 3% ,2 2 0 % ,1 1 9% ,1 0 2 % ,1 7%。 96 %的ATS使用者的主要社交人群中有人使用ATS。 4 5 8%和 33 8%的使用者有临时性伴侣和性交易史。结论 :娱乐性ATS使用者为一特殊人群 ,应针对其特殊性制定相应的干预措施。     

Longitudinal studies of drug abuse in a fifteen-year-old population. 5. Prognostic factors

In an attempt to identify prognostic factors, non-drug users and abusers in the Gothenburg year cohort of 1953 were compared with reference to background data. Individuals with chronic abuse differed most from the "normal" group. Prognostic factors for drug abuse were: member of a multiproblem family, child psychiatric care, contact with the Social Welfare Administration at an early age, truancy, placement in special class, premature drop-out from school, admitted high-frequency drug use in a school questionnaire, for boys early registration for crimes and for girls nervous complaints. The results indicate the necessity of earlier and more effective prevention.     

学术期刊关联数据出版与共享中的信息安全管理

【目的】 对我国学术期刊关联数据出版与共享中的信息安全管理的概念、政策及其存在的问题进行梳理,有助于科学数据出版与共享工作的推进。【方法】 基于我国科学数据出版与共享的演化过程,以及地理资源期刊在科学数据共享方面的现状与发展情况,对期刊论文关联数据出版和安全管理情况进行分析,对平台间合作的模式进行探讨。【结果】 为实现科学数据的价值最大化,中国自上而下建立起了科学数据共享系统,包括网络基础设施、数据库、数据中心、数据服务平台等,制定了一系列数据获取和管理规范,并制定了保障科学数据信息安全的相关法律。【结论】 科学数据出版与共享应建立在安全的基础上。经过初期的大规模建设后,数据出版与共享及其安全管理应走向“提质增效”阶段,要注重高新技术的注入和专业人才的培养。在管理措施上要以保证数据安全为基础,以数据质量为核心,从而提升信息安全管理水平,提高数据再应用效率。     

Reported Challenges in Health Technology Assessment of Complex Health Technologies

ObjectivesWith complex health technologies entering the market, methods for health technology assessment (HTA) may require changes. This study aimed to identify challenges in HTA of complex health technologies.MethodsA survey was sent to European HTA organizations participating in European Network for HTA (EUnetHTA). The survey contained open questions and used predefined potentially complex health technologies and 7 case studies to identify types of complex health technologies and challenges faced during HTA. The survey was validated, tested for reliability by an expert panel, and pilot tested before dissemination.ResultsA total of 22 HTA organizations completed the survey (67%). Advanced therapeutic medicinal products (ATMPs) and histology-independent therapies were considered most challenging based on the predefined complex health technologies and case studies. For the case studies, more than half of the reported challenges were “methodological,” equal in relative effectiveness assessments as in cost-effectiveness assessments. Through the open questions, we found that most of these challenges actually rooted in data unavailability. Data were reported as “absent,” “insufficient,” “immature,” or “low quality” by 18 of 20 organizations (90%), in particular data on quality of life. Policy and organizational challenges and challenges because of societal or political pressure were reported by 8 (40%) and 4 organizations (20%), respectively. Modeling issues were reported least often (n = 2, 4%).ConclusionsMost challenges in HTA of complex health technologies root in data insufficiencies rather than in the complexity of health technologies itself. As the number of complex technologies grows, the urgency for new methods and policies to guide HTA decision making increases.     

A Framework for Using Real-World Data and Health Outcomes Modeling to Evaluate Machine Learning–Based Risk Prediction Models

ObjectivesWe propose a framework of health outcomes modeling with dynamic decision making and real-world data (RWD) to evaluate the potential utility of novel risk prediction models in clinical practice. Lung transplant (LTx) referral decisions in cystic fibrosis offer a complex case study.MethodsWe used longitudinal RWD for a cohort of adults (n = 4247) from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry to compare outcomes of an LTx referral policy based on machine learning (ML) mortality risk predictions to referral based on (1) forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) alone and (2) heterogenous usual care (UC). We then developed a patient-level simulation model to project number of patients referred for LTx and 5-year survival, accounting for transplant availability, organ allocation policy, and heterogenous treatment effects.ResultsOnly 12% of patients (95% confidence interval 11%-13%) were referred for LTx over 5 years under UC, compared with 19% (18%-20%) under FEV₁ and 20% (19%-22%) under ML. Of 309 patients who died before LTx referral under UC, 31% (27%-36%) would have been referred under FEV₁ and 40% (35%-45%) would have been referred under ML. Given a fixed supply of organs, differences in referral time did not lead to significant differences in transplants, pretransplant or post-transplant deaths, or overall survival in 5 years.ConclusionsHealth outcomes modeling with RWD may help to identify novel ML risk prediction models with high potential real-world clinical utility and rule out further investment in models that are unlikely to offer meaningful real-world benefits.     

Validating Restricted Mean Survival Time Estimates From Reconstructed Kaplan-Meier Data Against Original Trial Individual Patient Data From Trials Conducted by the Canadian Cancer Trials Group

ObjectivesThe development of novel cancer therapies, including immuno-oncology agents, has increased interest in reconstructed individual patient data (IPD) based restricted mean survival time (RMST) analyses. Additionally, reconstructed IPD–based RMST is recommended in cost-effectiveness analyses when original trial IPD are not available. Nevertheless, recently concerns regarding potential bias of reconstructed-IPD RMST have been presented, because reconstructed-IPD RMSTs have not been validated and previous validation endpoints may not capture the entire Kaplan-Meier (KM) curve, especially the “tail.” Our study aims to validate the recommended method of IPD reconstruction by comparing reconstructed IPD– and original trial IPD–based RMST.MethodsCanadian Cancer Trials Group trials from 1990 to 2017 were included. Overall survival and progression-free survival IPD were reconstructed based on published KM curves using the Guyot method. Analysts were blinded to original trial IPD. RMST was calculated at 1 year and over the entire KM curve. Reconstructed-IPD and original trial–IPD (gold-standard) RMSTs were compared for accuracy and predictive error via mean deviation, mean absolute error (MAE), mean percentage bias, and Bland-Altman plots and across KM curve quality (vector traced or bitmapped).ResultsWe identified 39 trials. The mean deviation, MAE, and mean percentage bias of RMST between the reconstructed IPD and original trial IPD were small. In particular, the mean deviation was ?0.01 months and ?0.04 months, MAE was 0.19 months and 0.24 months, and mean percentage bias was 0.82% and 0.84% in overall survival KM curves in control and experimental arms, respectively. Accuracy was generally not associated with KM curve quality.ConclusionsRMST derived from reconstructed IPD displayed excellent accuracy and predictive error compared with the gold standard. Reconstructed IPD could be used to calculate RMST in lieu of original trial IPD, to facilitate decision making for clinicians, researchers, and policy makers.     

Using aggregated mobile phone location data to compare the realised foodscapes of different socio-economic groups.

The foodscape (the built food environment) is considered one of the driving factors of the higher burden of obesity and chronic disease observed in low socio-economic status (SES) groups. Traditional data collection methods struggle to accurately capture actual access and exposure to the foodscape (realised foodscape). We assess the use of anonymised mobile phone location data (location data) in foodscape studies by applying them to a case study in Perth, Western Australia to test the hypothesis that lower SES groups have poorer realised foodscapes than high SES groups. Kernel density estimation was used to calculate realised foodscapes of different SES groups and home foodscape typologies, which were compared to home foodscapes of the different groups. The location data enabled us to measure realised foodscapes of multiple groups over an extended period and at the city scale. Low SES groups had poor availability of food outlets, including unhealthy outlets, in their home and realised foodscapes and may be more susceptible to a poor home foodscape because of low mobility.