Reimagining Doctoral Mentoring: Toward the Development of Culturally Liberative STEM Faculty Doctoral Mentors

Using anti-Black racism and critical capital theory, this paper highlights findings of a meta-analysis based on research products developed from a qualitative multiple embedded case study of STEM doctoral mentoring and argues for the development of culturally liberative doctoral mentorship

Impact of age and socioeconomic status on treatment and survival from aggressive lymphoma : a UK population-based study of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

AIM: To examine the influence of patient's age and socio-economic status on treatment and outcome in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL); an aggressive curable cancer, with an incidence rate that increases markedly with age but varies little with socio-economic status. METHODS: Set within a representative UK population of around 4 million, data are from an established patient cohort. This report includes all patients (≥18years) newly diagnosed with DLBCL 2004-2012, with follow-up to February 2015. RESULTS: Of the 2137 patients (median age 70.2 years) diagnosed with denovo DLBCL, 1709 (80%) were treated curatively/intensively and 1161(54.3%) died during follow-up. Five-year overall and relative survival (RS) estimates were 46.2% (95% CI 44.0-48.4%) and 54.6% (52.1%-57.0%) respectively for all patients, and 58.5% (56.1-60.9%) and 67.0% (64.3-69.6%) for intensively treated patients. 96.3% of patients <55 years (366/380) and 96.4% of those with the best performance status (543/563) were treated curatively: 5-year RSs being 77.9% (73.1-82%) and 87.1% (82.5-90.6%) respectively. At the other end of the age/fitness spectrum, 33.3% of those ≥85 years (66/198) and 41.1% with the worst performance (94/225) were treated curatively: the corresponding 5-year RSs being 50.5% (27.1-69.0%) and 22.9% (14.0-33.2%). The proportion of patients whose cancer was fully staged fell with increasing age and worsening performance status. No socio-economic variations with treatment, stage at presentation or outcome were detected. CONCLUSIONS: Performance status is more discriminatory of survival than chronological age, with fitter patients benefiting from treatment across all ages. Socio-economic factors are not predictive of outcome in patients with DLBCL in the UK

A model to assess the efficacy of vaccines for control of liver fluke infection

Fasciola hepatica, common liver fluke, infects cattle and sheep causing disease and production losses costing approximately $3billion annually. Current control relies on drugs designed to kill the parasite. However, resistance is evident worldwide and widespread in some areas. Work towards a vaccine has identified several antigens of F. hepatica that show partial efficacy in terms of reducing worm burden and egg output. A critical question is what level of efficacy is required for such a vaccine to be useful? We have created the first mathematical model to assess the effectiveness of liver fluke vaccines under simulated field conditions. The model describes development of fluke within a group of animals and includes heterogeneity in host susceptibility, seasonal exposure to metacercariae and seasonal changes in temperature affecting metacercarial survival. Our analysis suggests that the potential vaccine candidates could reduce total fluke burden and egg output by up to 43% and 99%, respectively, on average under field conditions. It also suggests that for a vaccine to be effective, it must protect at least 90% of animals for the whole season. In conclusion, novel, partial, vaccines could contribute substantially towards fasciolosis control, reducing usage of anthelmintics and thus delaying the spread of anthelmintic resistance

Liaising the Catalog: Collaborating Across Library Departments to Promote Successful Discoverability through Enhanced Cataloging

Academic libraries are increasingly asked to articulate connections between the work of library staff and student success. This article discusses how a team of librarians participating in CARLI Counts, an immersive professional development program funded by a Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Grant through the Institute of Museum and Library Services, responded to the lack of research investigating the indirect impact of the work of technical services staff on student learning. An anonymous online survey distributed to library staff of the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) member institutions explored the perceived value of enhanced cataloging in supporting student research. Survey results point to opportunities for communication and collaboration among technical services and public services librarians to improve understanding of enhanced catalog functionality and user needs

Hodgkin lymphoma detection and survival : findings from the Haematological Malignancy Research Network

Background Hodgkin lymphoma is usually detected in primary care with early signs and symptoms, and is highly treatable with standardised chemotherapy. However, late presentation is associated with poorer outcomes.Aim To investigate the relationship between markers of advanced disease, emergency admission, and survival following a diagnosis of classical Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL).Design &amp; setting The study was set within a sociodemographically representative UK population-based patient cohort of ~4 million, within which all patients were tracked through their care pathways, and linked to national data obtained from Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) and deaths.Method All 971 patients with CHL newly diagnosed between 1 September 2004–31 August 2015 were followed until 18th December 2018.Results The median diagnostic age was 41.5 years (range 0–96 years), 55.2% of the patients were male, 31.2% had stage IV disease, 43.0% had a moderate–high or high risk prognostic score, and 18.7% were admitted via the emergency route prior to diagnosis. The relationship between age and emergency admission was U-shaped: more likely in patients aged &lt;25 years and ≥70 years. Compared to patients admitted via other routes, those presenting as an emergency had more advanced disease and poorer 3-year survival (relative survival 68.4% [95% confidence interval {CI} = 60.3 to 75.2] versus 89.8% [95% CI = 87.0 to 92.0], respectively [P&lt;0.01]). However, after adjusting for clinically important prognostic factors, no difference in survival remained.Conclusion These findings suggest that CHL survival as a whole could be increased by around 4% if the cancer in patients who presented as an emergency had been detected at the same point as in other patients

Spectral Energy Distributions of Local Luminous And Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies

Luminous and ultraluminous infrared galaxies ((U)LIRGs) are the most extreme star forming galaxies in the universe. The local (U)LIRGs provide a unique opportunity to study their multi-wavelength properties in detail for comparison to their more numerous counterparts at high redshifts. We present common large aperture photometry at radio through X-ray wavelengths, and spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for a sample of 53 nearby LIRGs and 11 ULIRGs spanning log (LIR/Lsun) = 11.14-12.57 from the flux-limited Great Observatories All-sky LIRG Survey (GOALS). The SEDs for all objects are similar in that they show a broad, thermal stellar peak and a dominant FIR thermal dust peak, where nuLnu(60um) / nuLnu(V) increases from ~2-30 with increasing LIR. When normalized at IRAS-60um, the largest range in the luminosity ratio, R(lambda)=log[nuLnu(lambda)/nuLnu(60um)] observed over the full sample is seen in the Hard X-rays (HX=2-10 keV). A small range is found in the Radio (1.4GHz), where the mean ratio is largest. Total infrared luminosities, LIR(8-1000um), dust temperatures, and dust masses were computed from fitting thermal dust emission modified blackbodies to the mid-infrared (MIR) through submillimeter SEDs. The new results reflect an overall ~0.02 dex lower luminosity than the original IRAS values. Total stellar masses were computed by fitting stellar population synthesis models to the observed near-infrared (NIR) through ultraviolet (UV) SEDs. Mean stellar masses are found to be log(M/Msun) = 10.79+/-0.40. Star formation rates have been determined from the infrared (SFR_IR~45Msun/yr) and from the monochromatic UV luminosities (SFR_UV~1.3Msun/yr), respectively. Multiwavelength AGN indicators have be used to select putative AGN: about 60% of the ULIRGs would have been classified as an AGN by at least one of the selection criteria.Comment: 39 pages, including 12 figures and 11 tables; accepted for publication in ApJ

Emergency admission and survival from aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A report from the UK's population-based Haematological Malignancy Research Network

Background Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is often diagnosed after emergency presentation, a route associated with poor survival and an indicator of diagnostic delay. Accounting for around half of all NHLs, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is of particular interest since although it is potentially curable with standardised chemotherapy it can be challenging to identify at an early stage in the primary care setting. Patients and methods Set within a socio-demographically representative United Kingdom population of around 4 million people, data are from an established patient cohort. This report includes all patients (≥18 years) diagnosed with DLBCL 2004–2011 (n = 1660). Emergency admissions were identified via linkage to Hospital Episode Statistics using standard methods, and survival was examined using proportional hazards regression. Results Two out of every five patients were diagnosed following an emergency admission, and this was associated with advanced disease and poor survival (p < 0.001). Among the 80% of patients treated with curative chemotherapy, survival discrepancies emerged at the point of diagnosis; the adjusted hazard ratio (emergency versus non-emergency) at one month being 4.0 (95% confidence interval 1.9–8.2). No lasting impact was evident in patients who survived for 12 months or more. Conclusion Emergency presentation impacts negatively on DLBCL survival; patients presenting via this route have significantly poorer outcomes than patients with similar clinical characteristics who present via other routes

Developing a risk prediction tool for lung cancer in Kent and Medway, England: cohort study using linked data

Background: Lung cancer has the poorest survival due to late diagnosis and there is no universal screening. Hence, early detection is crucial. Our objective was to develop a lung cancer risk prediction tool at a population level. Methods: We used a large place-based linked data set from a local health system in southeast England which contained extensive information covering demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle, health, and care service utilisation. We exploited the power of Machine Learning to derive risk scores using linear regression modelling. Tens of thousands of model runs were undertaken to identify attributes which predicted the risk of lung cancer. Results: Initially, 16 attributes were identified. A final combination of seven attributes was chosen based on the number of cancers detected which formed the Kent & Medway lung cancer risk prediction tool. This was then compared with the criteria used in the wider Targeted Lung Health Checks programme. The prediction tool outperformed by detecting 822 cases compared to 581 by the lung check programme currently in operation. Conclusion: We have demonstrated the useful application of Machine Learning in developing a risk score for lung cancer and discuss its clinical applicability