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Biomedical subjects

E Marubini

Publications and source records attributed to E Marubini.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

A microcomputer program for probit analysis of interleukin-2 (IL-2) titration data.

IL-2 activity is commonly estimated in cell culture supernatants by an IL-2-dependent cell proliferation assay. This method is both reproducible and sensitive. However, it often appears from the literature that statistical analysis of the titration data either is disregarded or, when performed, is based on statistically incorrect assumptions. The proposed method is based on the principle of biological assay by parallel lines as applied to probit analysis of quantitative responses. The procedure has been embodied in a simple and interactive computer program which automatically estimates the IL-2 concentration in the biological sample, in terms of U/ml, and provides its standard error and confidence limits. This program is also suitable for quantitative determination of other biologically active substances that show a sigmoid dose/response relationship.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Survival and prognostic indicators in compensated and decompensated cirrhosis.

Six-year survival of cirrhosis was assessed in a series of 1155 consecutive patients (751 men, 404 women). Among the men, 33% were alcoholics and 18% were HBsAg positive; corresponding figures for the women were 15% and 6% respectively. Features of decompensation at first presentation were observed in 63% of the patients. Six-year survival was 54% in compensated and 21% in decompensated patients. No significant differences in survival were found between alcoholics and nonalcoholics. Leading causes of death were liver failure (49%), hepatocellular carcinoma (22%), and bleeding (13%). The prognostic role of 21 variables was evaluated separately in compensated and decompensated patients by the Cox's regression model. The following variables were found to be significant predictors of death risk in compensated patients: male sex, HBsAg positivity, age, prothrombin time prolongation, and esophageal varices. In decompensated disease the significant indicators of death risk were: hepatocellular carcinoma, encephalopathy, hemorrhage, SGOT, esophageal varices, gamma globulins, prothrombin time prolongation, continued abuse of alcohol, HBsAg positivity, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, and cholinesterase. A simple prognostic index based upon the relative risk coefficient of the significant variables is suggested.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗
PubMed1986

Comparison of Halsted mastectomy with quadrantectomy, axillary dissection, and radiotherapy in early breast cancer: long-term results.

From 1973 to 1980 we randomly assigned 701 patients with breast cancer measuring less than 2 cm in diameter and with no palpable axillary lymph nodes to Halsted radical mastectomy (n 349) or to 'quadrantectomy' with axillary dissection and radiotherapy to the ipsilateral breast tissue (n 352). The two groups were comparable in age distribution, size and site of primary tumor, menopausal status, and frequency of axillary metastases. The average follow-up time was 103 months. Actuarial curves show no difference between the two groups in the disease-free interval after surgery or in the overall survival rate. At 8 yr the disease-free survival was 77% for the patients in the Halsted group and 80% for those in the 'quadrantectomy' group, and the overall survival was 83 and 85% respectively. We conclude that small breast cancers may be safely treated with the conservative treatment described. In our opinion total ablative operations are not justified.

Axilla↗
PubMed1985

The use of historical controls in breast cancer. An assessment in three consecutive trials.

To evaluate the effectiveness of a new therapy some authors suggest the use of a retrospective control group, especially in cancer trials. In this article, by means of data collected in three consecutive randomized clinical trials on breast cancer performed at the Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milan, the risks of a practice involving use of data from one trial as "historical controls" for the next one were investigated. The comparability between the baseline characteristics of different groups has been examined by resorting to univariate as well as multivariate statistical methods. The results of the final evaluation of the relative effectiveness of the treatments under study have also been investigated, using both randomized concurrent and historical controls. Although the eligibility criteria did not change, some differences between groups of consecutive trials were observed. The results attained by using historical control data, after adjusting for the differential composition in the baseline characteristics, made evident a biased conclusion in favor of the new treatment tested, which, in a historically controlled study, is always the last one. These results appear to be in agreement with those published by Sacks, Chalmers, and Smith (Am J Med 72:233-240, 1982).

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Prognostic factors in operable breast cancer.

A series of 743 consecutive cases of operable breast cancer, admitted and treated at the Istituto Nazionale Tumori of Milan from 1969 to 1970, was analyzed by a multivariate statistical method to evaluate a) the variables of the host and the primary tumor associated with the frequency of nodal metastases, b) the variables that significantly affect survival, and c) the identification of homogeneous risk groups. As regards the frequency of regional node metastases, they were more frequently observed in young than in old patients with large tumors (P values 10(-5) and 3 X 10(-5), respectively). Tumors that originated in the axillary tail, upper, outer and central quadrants were significantly associated with a higher rate of node metastases (P = 0.002). Each of these variables maintained its significant value when adjusted by the other two. Survival was affected at a statistically significant level by the age of the patients (P = 2 X 10(-4) ), the pathologic diameter of the primary tumor (P less than 10(-6) ), and the number of metastatic regional nodes (P less than 10(-6) ). The number of involved nodes appears to be the most relevant factor in the assessment of prognosis of patients with positive nodes, Age of the patients, size of the primary tumor, and number of involved nodes maintain their own statistical significance when each is adjusted by the remaining two. The site of origin of the primary tumor, even if associated with the frequency of regional node metastases, did not affect survival. Three groups with a significantly different risk of death were identified in patients with negative lymph nodes and three groups in patients with positive nodes. It is concluded that age, size of the primary, and number of involved lymph nodes are important pieces of information that clinicians should have at hand following radical surgery, not only to make a prognosis, but also to identify groups of patients with high risk of death on which the role of adjuvant treatment should be evaluated.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Structural analysis of a set of socioeconomic indexes as an aid in defining the socioeconomic level of a family: results from an italian multicentric survey.

The study of possible associations between social and health factors was one of the purposes of the multicentric Italian survey of perinatal preventive medicine. To get a concise and coherent social indicator, which could be useful to this study, we explored the socioeconomic information systematically collected on the parents of 12,058 babies born in 1973-1975 in four centres (Trieste, Milan, Parma and Bari), which reflect some of the heterogeneous aspects of Italy. The Correspondence analysis indicated that the seven considered indexes, concerning both parents' education levels and occupations, dwelling quality and the length of father's residence in the area in which the baby was born, were highly and similarly correlated in each centre. The Dynamic cluster analysis enabled us to bring together the socioeconomic profiles of the families into six classes, on the basis of their similarities, which depend only upon the multivariate distribution of the seven categorical variables under study. Therefore, the attained classification not only is independent of whatever score is assigned to the socioeconomic categories but also allows for the strong interactions between the variables and exploits all the available information. Our six classes were found to be rather similar to the six socioeconomic groups (S.E.G.) of the U.K. Registrar General and to show some resemblance to certain social groups defined by other classifications adopted in obstetric and pediatric field. The socioeconomic indicator constructed here should enable us to find out how much, in different areas of Italy, the social classes may account for inequalities in health conditions and care of the mother and her baby.

Family↗
PubMed1981

Comparing radical mastectomy with quadrantectomy, axillary dissection, and radiotherapy in patients with small cancers of the breast.

From 1973 to 1980, we carried out a controlled study at the National Cancer Institute in Milan to consider the value of a conservative procedure in patients with breast cancer of small size. We randomized 701 patients with breast cancer measuring less than 2 cm in diameter and with no palpable axillary lymph nodes to Halsted radical mastectomy or to "quadrantectomy" with axillary dissection and radiotherapy to the ipsilateral residual breast tissue. We treated 349 patients with Halsted mastectomy and 352 with quadrantectomy. The two groups were comparable in age distribution, size and site of primary tumor, menopausal status, and frequency of axillary metastases. There were three local recurrences in the Halsted group and one in the quadrantectomy group. Actuarial curves showed no difference between the two groups in disease-free or overall survival. From these results, mastectomy appears to involve unnecessary mutilation in patients with breast cancer of less than 2 cm and no palpable axillary nodes.

Aged↗
PubMed1976

A computer program suitable for fitting linear models when the dependent variable is dichotomous, polichotomous or censored survival and non-linear models when the dependent variable is quantitative.

Given a set of measurements of s explanatory variables corresponding to each experimental unit, a computer program, whose methodological background can be found in [2] has been written in FORTRAN IV language in order to perform regression analyses when the dependent variable is: (i) dichotomous; (ii) polichotomous; (iii) censored survival. In the two former the Cox's [6] linear logistic models are used while in the third one it has been resorted to the models suggested by Feigl and Zelen [8]. The statistical estimation procedure is maximum likelihood and among the different algorithms developed to reach this goal, the one published by Van der Voort and Dorpema [3], has been utilized. Furthermore, when the dependent variable is quantitative, the program is suitable to fit any function non-linear in the parameters; the pertinent function and its first and second derivatives must be provided by the user. In the present version, implemented on a Univac 1106 machine, the program fits directly the Gompertz function.

Computers↗
PubMed1976

The adolescent growth spurt of boys and girls of the Harpenden growth study.

Logistic curves have been fitted to the growth during puberty of the 55 boys and 35 girls of the Harpenden Growth Study who were measured every three months during puberty and thereafter until growth ceased. Very good fits were obtained for stature, sitting height, subischial leg length, biacromial and bi-iliac diameters from approximately six months after the beginning of the adolescent spurt. This beginning, called "take-off", was determined graphically as the point of minimum velocity. The total height gained from take-off point to cessation of growth averaged 28 cm in boys and 25 cm in girls with standard deviations of about 4 cm. The adult sex difference in height was due much more to the later take-off in boys than to a greater male adolescent spurt. A sex difference in the spurt occurred in sitting height but not in leg length. Mean-constant curves for the four measurements are presented. In each measurement size at take-off and total adolescent gain were nearly independent, the average correlation coefficient being --0-2. The correlations between adolescent gains in different measurements averaged only 0-47, and between peak velocities of different measurements only 0-27. This implies considerable shape change at adolescence. In contrast the average correlation between ages at which the peak velocities were reached was 0-87. Ages at take-off, at peak velocity, and at menarche were independent of mature size, though correlated with percentage of adult size reached at the ages in question, a measure of somatic maturity. Relationships with the development of breasts, pubic hair and genitalia were examined; ages at take-off and at peak velocity correlated to the extent of 0-6 to 0-8 with ages of B2 and PH2 but both these parameters and also peak velocities were uncorrelated with the rapidity with which sex characters developed.

Adolescent↗