Dear R-users, I'd like to announce the release of the new version of package JM (soon available from CRAN) for the joint modelling of longitudinal and time-to-event data using shared parameter models. These models are applicable in mainly two settings. First, when focus is in the time-to-event outcome and we wish to account for the effect of a time-dependent covariate measured with error. Second, when focus is in the longitudinal outcome and we wish to correct for nonrandom dropout. New features include: * function survfitJM() has been added that calculates predictions of subject-specific survival probabilities given a history of longitudinal responses. * function dynC() has been added that calculates a dynamic concordance index for joint models. The function also returns time-dependent areas under the ROC curve. * method = "ch-GH" has been replaced by method = "spline-PH-GH" that fits a relative risk model with a B-spline-approximated baseline risk function. Similarly to method = "ch-GH", the plan is that the same relative risk model with a B-spline-approximated baseline risk will also replace method = "ch-Laplace". * method = "spline-PH-GH" allows for stratification, i.e., different spline coefficients are estimated for the different levels of a stratification factor. By default the knots positions are the same across strata -- this can be changed by either directly specifying the knots or by setting the control argument 'equal.strata.knots' to FALSE. * the new function wald.strata() can be used to test for equality of the spline coefficients among strata. * jointModel() has now the extra argument 'lag' that allows for lagged effects in the time-dependent covariate represented by the linear mixed model. * method = "ph-GH" that fits a relative risk with an unspecified baseline risk function has been renamed to method = "Cox-PH-GH". * a bug was corrected in joint models with piecewise constant baseline risk function. In particular, the 'xi' parameters were reported as double their actual value. As always, any kind of feedback (e.g., questions, suggestions, bug-reports, etc.) is more than welcome. Best, Dimitris -- Dimitris Rizopoulos Assistant Professor Department of Biostatistics Erasmus University Medical Center Address: PO Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, the Netherlands Tel: +31/(0)10/7043478 Fax: +31/(0)10/7043014 _______________________________________________ R-packages mailing list R-packages at r-project.org https://stat.ethz.ch/mailman/listinfo/r-packages