[R-pkgs] package JM -- version 0.3-0

[Dimitris Rizopoulos]

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:

   * a relative risk model with a piecewise-constant baseline risk 
function is now available for the event outcome, using option 
'piecewise-PH-GH' in the 'method' argument of jointModel().

   * several types of residuals are supported for the longitudinal and 
time-to-event outcomes. Moreover, for the longitudinal outcome there is 
also the option to compute multiple-imputation-based residuals, as 
described in Rizopoulos, Verbeke and Molenberghs (Biometrics 2009, to 
appear).

   * the Weibull submodel for the time-to-event outcome is now available 
under both the relative risk and accelerated failure time formulations.

   * this new version of the package features new and more robust 
algorithms for numerical integration and optimization -- these updates 
could lead to different results, epsecially for the survival part 
compared to the previous version the package.


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