Forecasting age-related changes in breast cancer mortality among white and black US women: A functional approach

The disparity in breast cancer mortality rates among white and black US women is widening with higher mortality rates among black women. We apply functional time series models on age-specific breast cancer mortality rates for each group of women, and forecast their mortality curves using exponential smoothing state-space models with damping. The data were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program of the US (SEER, 2007). Mortality data were obtained from the National Centre for Health Statistics (NCHS) available on the SEER*Stat database. We use annual unadjusted breast cancer mortality rates from 1969 to 2004 in 5-year age groups (45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84). Age-specific mortality curves were obtained using nonparametric smoothing methods. The curves are then decomposed using functional principal components and we fit functional time series models with four basis functions for each population separately. The curves from each population are forecast and prediction intervals are calculated. Twenty-year forecasts indicate an over-all decline in future breast cancer mortality rates for both groups of women. This decline is steeper among white women aged 55-73 and black women aged 60-84. For black women under 55 years of age, the forecast rates are relatively stable indicating no significant change in future breast cancer mortality rates among young black women in the next 20 years.Breast cancer mortality, racial and ethnic disparities, screening, trends, forecasting, functional data analysis

Influence of Microfinance and Empowerment on Satisfaction: Case Study of Pakistan

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of women empowerment, microfinance involvement, and loan size on women satisfaction. To achieve the objectives through simple random sampling technique the cross-sectional was collected from 372 borrowers’ and 372 nonborrowers’ women’s through questionnaire and later multinomial logistic regression was applied. The findings revealed and support the theory of adoption, which demonstrates that income increases satisfaction. Microfinance is a kind of money, which involves borrowers in small business and enables them to have money through doing businesses that increase borrowers’ women satisfaction compare to non-borrower’s women. More empowered women is more satisfied with life. Present study also found that the effect of microfinance involvement on women’s satisfaction depends on their empowerment In the light of findings this study recommends that future researchers can examine the same model in the different culture. This study contributes theoretically, practically and politically

XPHACTOR Clinical Score dataset

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation for regular tuberculosis (TB) screening of HIV-positive individuals with Xpert MTB/RIF as the first diagnostic test has major resource implications. The aim of our study was to develop a score, comprising elements readily available in primary care, to predict probability of TB in adults attending for routine HIV care screened for TB and found WHO tool positive. We used data collected for “Xpert for people attending HIV/AIDS care: test or review?” (XPHACTOR), a prospective cohort study evaluating a risk-based algorithm to prioritise Xpert MTB/RIF testing amongst adults attending for routine HIV care in South Africa, to develop and validate our clinical score. This dataset contains data for 1,048 HIV-positive adults attending for routine HIV care and reporting ≥1 symptom on the WHO screening tool. The dataset is split 50:50 to derive, and internally validate the prediction model. It includes basic demographics, TB diagnoses, and candidate predictors considered for the score. Data was collected for the purpose of HIV and TB research and can only be reused for related research, in accordance with the participant consent agreement

Data for: "The utility of repeat Xpert MTB/RIF testing to diagnose tuberculosis in HIV-positive adults with initial negative result"

The World Health Organization recommends regular tuberculosis screening of HIV-positive individuals with Xpert MTB/RIF as the first diagnostic test. Further evaluation of those who are HIV-positive and Xpert-negative comprises clinical reassessment, chest radiograph (if available), sputum for mycobacterial culture, and treatment with antibiotic if clinically indicated. The aim of our study was to describe the diagnostic yield from an immediate repeat sputum tested with Xpert, compared to sequential further investigation guided by South African recommendations , amongst HIV-positive adults in South Africa being investigated for TB whose initial sputum Xpert result is negative. It was a sub-study of “Xpert for people attending HIV/AIDS care: test or review?” (XPHACTOR), a prospective cohort study evaluating a risk-based algorithm to prioritise Xpert testing amongst adults attending for routine HIV care in South Africa. This dataset contains data for 227 adults attending for routine HIV care who have an initial negative sputum Xpert result. It includes basic demographics, TB diagnoses, mycobacteriology and chest radiograph results. Data was collected for the purpose of HIV and TB research and can only be reused for related research, in accordance with the participant consent agreement

Enhancing Dissemination of Evidence-Based Models for STEM PhD Career Development; a Stakeholder Workshop Report

Sustainability of the scientific enterprise requires being able to recruit, retain, and prepare ongoing generations of PhD-trained scientists ready to adapt with the evolving needs of the scientific workforce and society. This necessitates a broadened, trainee-centered view in doctoral and postdoctoral training—including a prominent focus on career planning, science across sectors, and development of professional skills. Although there is energy and movement to enhance graduate and postdoctoral training, actions remain disparate, leading to inefficiencies in implementation and lack of systemic change. In 2019, an emerging national initiative, Professional Development Hub (pd|hub), hosted a workshop to bring organizations and individuals together across stakeholder groups to discuss enhancing the development, dissemination, and widespread implementation of evidence-based practices for STEM graduate and postdoctoral education, with specific emphasis on career and professional development for PhD scientists. The fifty workshop participants represented nine key stakeholder groups: career development practitioners, scientific societies, disseminators, education researchers and evaluators, employers of PhD scientists, funders, professional associations, trainees, and university leaders and faculty. In addition, participants spanned different races, ethnicities, genders, disciplines, sectors, geographic locations, career stages, and levels of institutional resources. This report presents cross-cutting themes identified at the workshop, examples of stakeholder-specific perspectives, and recommended next steps. As part of the collective effort to develop a foundation for sustainable solutions, several actions were defined, including: incentivizing change at institutions and programs, curating and disseminating resources for evidence-based career and professional development educational practices, expanding evidence for effective training and mentoring, establishing expectations for STEM career and professional development, and improving communication across all stakeholders in STEM PhD education. Furthermore, the report describes national-level actions already moving forward via pd|hub in the months following the workshop. Building on a decade of reports and gatherings advocating for a shift in graduate and postdoctoral education, this workshop represented a key step and catalyst for change toward a more impactful future.https://escholarship.umassmed.edu/pdhub/1000/thumbnail.jp

Epidemiology of Human Brucellosis among Populations in Iraq's Provinces in 2015

Background: Brucellosis (Malta fever) is one of the zoonotic diseases that endemic in all the world, this disease has a history from 1937 in Iraq when the microorganism was first isolated via an Iraqi clinician. Objective: To demonstrate brucellosis infection among Iraqi provinces and reveal relationship between Brucellosis with seasons, residence place, gender and age of the patients. In addition to diagnosis of brucellosis from patients in Baghdad province suspects of infection by serological methods (Rose Bengal test) and culture method in diagnosis of brucellosis in human. Patients and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted at Iraqi hospitals in different Iraqi provinces. The blood sample (serum) was obtained from 1825 patients from different age groups after reported the patient history and diagnosed clinically to have Malta fever. Results: During The study period in Iraqi provinces in 2015, One thousands and eight hundred twenty five patients were diagnosed clinically and serologically to have brucellosis infection. The infection is more predominant in rural females in the months of summer and among Iraqi Kurdistan people. In Baghdad regions the serologic test was positive in most cases (71.3%) while only 38.3% were positive for Brucella culture. Conclusion: Our results indicate that patients were contact with infected livestock or suspected infection of Brucella like: goat, sheep, cow and buffalo located in epidemiological regions in Iraq province across the study period

Understanding Inservice Middle School Teachers’ Views of Nature of Science (VNOS)

The Nature of Science (NOS) is a component of science literacy that supports critical thinking around science concepts, speaking to how and why science is conducted and connected to creating data and evidence. NOS is designed to be more than the standardized lessons of science; it helps children critically analyze and solve real-world and societal issues using scientific knowledge. The interpretation of science varies between the ideology and beliefs of each individual. Given the importance of this idea, it is necessary that teachers be able to provide NOS opportunities to students; however, first, they must have a firm grasp of the concept. To that end, we have created a qualitative study using the Views of Nature of Science (VNOS-D+) questionnaire to understand how a group of middle school science teachers conceptualize the NOS. The VNOS-D+ was administered to a cohort of teachers and administrators (n=23) within a Large Urban School District. The data was analyzed using the VNOS key and then open-coded by three reviewers. The results found that participants had an emergent and developing understanding of the NOS and should be supported to develop a robust NOS perspective. Given this finding, future research, professional development, and educational curriculums should support teachers to continually engage with NOS explicitly and implicitly to grow their understanding of the topic

The Effect of Ursolic Acid and Hyperinsulinemia on the Liver and Kidney Function of Alloxan-Induced Diabetic Male Rabbits

The study aimed to examine the effect of extracted and standard ursolic acid in addition to hyperinsulinemia compared to vitamin B complex on the liver and kidney function of alloxan-induced diabetic male rabbits. The liver and kidney functions were determined and analyzed by one–way of a NOVA at variance software at a P-Value of 0.05. The result showed a significant decrease in aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and uric acid values in the groups treated with standard and extraction ursolic acid(UA) compared to the diabetic group. The rabbit group that was treated with vitamin B complex recorded a significant decrease in the three liver enzymes, uric acid, and creatinine values than the diabetic group. In addition, the rabbit group that was treated with hyperinsulinemia recorded a significant increase in aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and creatinine values than the diabetic rabbit group. While the histological results in the groups treated with standard and extraction ursolic acid had a clear ameliorative effect in liver and kidney function tests better than hyperinsulinemia, also vitamin B complex caused some good effects