Multicollinearity Applied Stepwise Stochastic Imputation: A Large Dataset Imputation through Correlation‑based Regression

This paper presents a stochastic imputation approach for large datasets using a correlation selection methodology when preferred commercial packages struggle to iterate due to numerical problems. A variable range-based guard rail modification is proposed that benefits the convergence rate of data elements while simultaneously providing increased confidence in the plausibility of the imputations. A large country conflict dataset motivates the search to impute missing values well over a common threshold of 20% missingness. The Multicollinearity Applied Stepwise Stochastic imputation methodology (MASS-impute) capitalizes on correlation between variables within the dataset and uses model residuals to estimate unknown values. Examination of the methodology provides insight toward choosing linear or nonlinear modeling terms. Tailorable tolerances exploit residual information to fit each data element. The methodology evaluation includes observing computation time, model fit, and the comparison of known values to replaced values created through imputation. Overall, the methodology provides useable and defendable results in imputing missing elements of a country conflict dataset

B816: An Economic Analysis of a Maine Dairy Farm Anaerobic Digester

Anaerobic digestion is a method for decomposing organic matter, producing in the process, biogas, which is mostly methane. This process can be used to eliminate or reduce disagreeable and often environmentally harmful characteristics of wastes. During the autumn of 1984, the University of Maine began operation of an anaerobic digestion unit acquired from Agway, Inc., a large Northeastern agricultural cooperative. This system, installed at the Witter Animal Science Center, decomposes animal manures and ultimately produces electricity and hot water. A by-product of the system is a fertilizer with characteristics superior to fertilizers produced from biological wastes that have not undergone a process of anaerobic digestion. The research objectives were to (1) construct an economic-engineering model representing the waste to energy system, (2) quantify the benefits and costs of the system, (3) estimate the cash flows accruing over the lifespan of the system, (4) evaluate the model to determine the net present value of the system, and (5) evaluate alternative scenarios to determine the effect on economic feasibility.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/aes_bulletin/1051/thumbnail.jp

Impact of Preadmission Beta-blocker Use on Cardiac Abnormalities and In-hospital Mortality in Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Introduction: Various cardiac abnormalities, including dysrhythmias, left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, and myocardial injury, are commonly seen after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). In patients taking a beta-blocker (BB) chronically, the medication is generally discontinued after hospitalization due to the concern of compromising cerebral perfusion. We hypothesized that sudden BB discontinuation might inadvertently lead to an increased incidence of composite cardiac abnormalities and higher in-hospital mortality in patients presenting with nontraumatic SAH

A progressive postresection walking program significantly improves fatigue and health-related quality of life in pancreas and periampullary cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: As patients with pancreas and periampullary cancer (PPC) experience improved survival rates and longevity, the focus shifts toward living life while surviving cancer. Fatigue is the most commonly reported symptom in all cancer patients. Exercise has been found to effectively decrease fatigue levels and improve physical functioning in cancer patients. STUDY DESIGN: One hundred two patients with resected PPC consented to participate in this study and were randomized to either an intervention group (IG) or a usual care group (UCG). Subjects completed visual analog scales, the FACIT-Fatigue Scale and the Short Form-36v2 after surgery and again 3 to 6 months after hospital discharge. RESULTS: Patients in the IG and UCG were comparable with regard to demographics, comorbidities, cancer type and staging, type of resection, preoperative fatigue and pain levels, adjuvant therapy, and baseline walking distance. Patients in the IG had significantly improved scores on the FACIT-Fatigue Scale at study completion, improved fatigue and pain scores, as well as overall physical functioning and mental health composite scores. At study completion, participants in the IG were walking twice as far and were significantly more likely to have continued walking or another form of exercise as compared with the UCG. Using hierarchical cluster analysis, 3 mutually exclusive symptom groupings were identified in the cohort. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis did not indicate an overall survival benefit for the IG. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first prospective, randomized controlled trial to report that participation in a home walking program confers a significant benefit in resected PPC patients with regard to fatigue levels, physical functioning, and health-related quality of life

Swine Trichinella Infection and Geographic Information System Tools

Pastured pigs are vulnerable to Trichinella spiralis infection through exposure to wild reservoir hosts. To evaluate the potential impact of the expanding production of pork from pasture-raised pigs, we mapped locations of T. spiralis occurrence and pastured-pig farms in the United States. Twenty-eight farms were located within 50 km of previous infection

Explorations, Vol. 4, No. 1

Articles include: Cover: Old Yarmouth Light, 1960, Cape Forchu, Nova Scotia. By and from the collection of Edgar McKay. The Borderlands Concept: a new look at U.S.-Canada relations, by Victor Konrad and Lauren McKensey Fundy Tidal Power Project, by Gregory White Canadian Poet: Ken Norris Native American Life and Art: a celebration, November, 1986, by Lee-Ann Konrad The Montreal Canadiens: a cultural institution, by James J. Herlan U.S. and Canadian Executives: uses of formal and informal plans in top executive decision-making, by Kent Carter Our Cover Artist: bits and pieces of one man\u27s Nova Scotia, by Edgar McKay The Canadian-American Center and the Canadian Collection of the Fogler Library, by Alice Stewart Capitalist Development in the New England-Atlantic Provinces Region, by Robert H. Babcock Atlantic Canadian Members of Parliament as Representatives, by Howard Cody The Rower and the Pyramid: a tribute to Joe Walsh, by Edward D. Ives The Canadian-American Center: exercise in excellence, by Rand Erb Canadian and Maine Potatoes: a bushel of questions, by George K. Griner, Alan S. Kezis, and James D. Leiby After 20: the Future of the Canadian-American Center, by Victor Konra

Is energy security really too important to leave to markets?

Involvement by government in the energy sector has historically been extensive. Generally, however, regulation and direct ownership have involved secondary sectors such as electricity generation and transport on the grounds that these are natural monopolies exhibiting increasing returns to scale. With some exceptions, primary energy production has been left in private hands. But security of energy supply, particularly of petroleum, has been held to justify investment by governments in maintaining strategic reserves and other initiatives. This article argues, however, that petroleum markets are resilient and that the probability of disruptions is slight. Markets can be trusted to satisfy demand without shortages, at affordable prices. In light of structural changes and innovations in petroleum markets, unless the large strategic reserves held by almost all developed countries are actively used to reduce market volatility as a form of public good, maintaining them is difficult to justify

Structure-Based Screen Identifies a Potent Small Molecule Inhibitor of Stat5a/b with Therapeutic Potential for Prostate Cancer and Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.

Bypassing tyrosine kinases responsible for Stat5a/b phosphorylation would be advantageous for therapy development for Stat5a/b-regulated cancers. Here, we sought to identify small molecule inhibitors of Stat5a/b for lead optimization and therapy development for prostate cancer and Bcr-Abl-driven leukemias. In silico screening of chemical structure databases combined with medicinal chemistry was used for identification of a panel of small molecule inhibitors to block SH2 domain-mediated docking of Stat5a/b to the receptor-kinase complex and subsequent phosphorylation and dimerization. We tested the efficacy of the lead compound IST5-002 in experimental models and patient samples of two known Stat5a/b-driven cancers, prostate cancer and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The lead compound inhibitor of Stat5-002 (IST5-002) prevented both Jak2 and Bcr-Abl-mediated phosphorylation and dimerization of Stat5a/b, and selectively inhibited transcriptional activity of Stat5a (IC50 = 1.5μmol/L) and Stat5b (IC50 = 3.5 μmol/L). IST5-002 suppressed nuclear translocation of Stat5a/b, binding to DNA and Stat5a/b target gene expression. IST5-002 induced extensive apoptosis of prostate cancer cells, impaired growth of prostate cancer xenograft tumors, and induced cell death in patient-derived prostate cancers when tested ex vivo in explant organ cultures. Importantly, IST5-002 induced robust apoptotic death not only of imatinib-sensitive but also of imatinib-resistant CML cell lines and primary CML cells from patients. IST5-002 provides a lead structure for further chemical modifications for clinical development for Stat5a/b-driven solid tumors and hematologic malignancies