9,339 research outputs found
A divide and conquer approach for large spatial dataset
No full textIn recent times, the rise of `big data' has brought along major computational challenges in all the main disciplines of scientific research, including the field of spatial statistics. Some of these challenges include parametric estimation and quantification of estimation uncertainty that, when building statistical models using big data, pose an important computational load. Many methods have been proposed to address these challenges such as dimension reduction, approximation by Markov random fields, tapering of the covariance matrix, and subsampling based approaches. In this thesis a new \textit{divide-and-conquer} approach is proposed that we call \texttt{farmer} for providing effect size and standard error estimates in spatial models of big data. According to the proposed approach, all observations are divided into blocks that are mutually exclusive according to their position. For each block, the model parameters are estimated and recombined using a fixed or random meta-model to take into account the (possible) spatial dependence. This generalized method can be applied to a wide range of spatial models. For example, consider a linear Gaussian spatial model. In a simulation study, the \texttt{farmer} estimators were compared with estimators based on methods with similar sampling ideas. In the context of the Gaussian model, two applications with real data are presented. The proposed method appears computationally efficient compared to equivalent methods and has lower bias in the estimates. Furthermore, the proposed approach provides a more realistic estimate of standard errors. Finally, we propose an application of the method to generalized linear spatial models for simulated and real counting data
Chapter 14: MD Anderson Publications and Publication Ethics
No full textDr. Goepfert has served on a number of editorial boards and is keenly interested in the educational dissemination of information critical to cancer research. In this section he talks about some of MD Anderson’s publications and also addresses some controversies with publication. He first raises the ethical issue of how authorship is assigned to a manuscript going out for publication. Today there are guidelines for assigning authorship, but twenty years ago, he explains, some department chairs at MD Anderson reviewed all manuscripts going for publication and insisted on being listed as first author of an article, whether they made any contribution to the research or not. Dr. Goepfert contrasts his own practice of putting his name on a paper only if he has contributed. Dr. Goepfert then shifts subjects and describes several MD Anderson educational publications, beginning with Cancer Bulletin, distributed free to all physicians across Texas.https://openworks.mdanderson.org/mchv_interviewchapters/2010/thumbnail.jp
Promise - Spring 2020
No full textRogers Award honors MD Anderson nursing assistant MD Anderson awards highest nursing honor Low-grade serous ovarian cancer survivor establishes research nonprofit Celebrity Chef Cooking Demo makes young cancer patients sous-chefs for a day Bob’s Encore: hope in the fight against pancreatic cancer Board of Visitors welcomes seven new members Board of Visitors awards highest distinction to longtime member A Conversation with a Living Legend raises 2 million for cancer research, education and prevention Get to know Advance Team’s Laura Nelson Cookbook author leaves her mark on gastric cancer researchhttps://openworks.mdanderson.org/promise/1001/thumbnail.jp
Chapter 09: Creating a New Way of Conducting Research and Caring for Patients in a Changing Environment
No full textIn this chapter, Dr. Dmitrovsky provides an overview of how MD Anderson must operate in the new environment of research and healthcare economics. He begins by explaining that scientific endeavors traditionally rely on decisive discoveries by individual investigators that also reveal opportunities to development treatments. Today, he says, this process moves ahead via team- and interdisciplinary science, and the institution must educate the next generations of researchers in this way of conducting research. At the same time, MD Anderson must operate in a context of a flat NIH budget while responding to the new economics of the Affordable Care Act. Next, he notes that MD Anderson is supporting the education of the next generation by making investments in junior faculty with the R. Lee Clark Fellowship Program. He explains the award (juried by experts outside of MD Anderson). Next Dr. Dmitrovsky notes that reductions are being made to the length and complexity of informed consent forms so faculty can spend less time on paperwork and more time for their primary activities. He then speaks briefly about faculty recruitment and retention efforts. Then Dr. Dmitrovsky talks about strategies used to encourage interdisciplinary investigation. He speaks in detail about finding ways to provide team members with proper recognition for their contributions (when contribution is traditionally measured by first or last author status) and linking credit to faculty promotion. He also talks about empowering team members to initiate investigations and provides some examples.https://openworks.mdanderson.org/mchv_interviewchapters/1641/thumbnail.jp
Chapter 09: Strengthening Biomedical Editing Nationwide and Within MD Anderson
No full textIn this Chapter, first briefly notes his involvement with the Southwest Chapter of the American Medical Writer’s Association and the Council of Biology Editors (with a 22-year membership). He then explains that he had his biggest impact while he served on the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences and in the late 80s worked on the Editorial Certification Examination Development Committee. He describes the examination he helped create to certify competence for editors of biomedical articles and explains the significance of certification. He notes that the Department of Scientific Publications at MD Anderson uses its own battery of tests to evaluate editors’ abilities for abstract reasoning, grammar, and other skills and talents.
Next, Mr. Pagel talks about his Department’s blog, “The Write Stuff,” and two significant projects: his role on the Historical Resources Center Steering Committee, and the development of panel discussions for the Department of Scientific Publications. To begin the discussion of the Steering Committee, he notes that Scientific Publications wrote The First Twenty Years, the first history of MD Anderson. Because of this association with the institution’s history, Mr. Pagel was asked to be part of the Steering Committee when the Historical Resources Center was formed and set as its first goal the publication of an updated institutional history. Mr. Pagel wanted the perspective to be broader than the first book, situating MD Anderson and cancer research in a larger context of other cancer institutions and the history of cancer research. Though not alone in holding this view, he says he had something to do with articulating it for the benefit of the Steering Committee. He describes how James Olsen was selected to be the author and notes other Steering Committee activities.https://openworks.mdanderson.org/mchv_interviewchapters/2275/thumbnail.jp
Impact of maternal and neonatal health initiatives on inequity in maternal health care utilization in Bangladesh
No full textBackgroundDespite remarkable progress in maternal and child health, inequity persists in maternal care utilization in Bangladesh. Government of Bangladesh (GOB) with technical assistance from United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization (WHO) started implementing Maternal and Neonatal Health Initiatives in selected districts of Bangladesh (MNHIB) in 2007 with an aim to reduce inequity in healthcare utilization. This study examines the effect of MNHIB on inequity in maternal care utilization.MethodTwo surveys were carried out in four districts in Bangladesh- baseline in 2008 and end-line in 2013. The baseline survey collected data from 13,206 women giving birth in the preceding year and in end-line 7,177 women were interviewed. Inequity in maternal healthcare utilization was calculated pre and post-MNHIB using rich-to-poor ratio and concentration index.ResultsMean age of respondents were 23.9 and 24.6 years in 2008 and 2013 respectively. Utilization of pregnancy-related care increased for all socioeconomic strata between these two surveys. The concentration indices (CI) for various maternal health service utilization in 2013 were found to be lower than the indices in 2008. However, in comparison to contemporary BDHS data in nearby districts, MNHIB was successful in reducing inequity in receiving ANC from a trained provider (CI: 0.337 and 0.272), institutional delivery (CI: 0.435 in 2008 to 0.362 in 2013), and delivery by skilled personnel (CI: 0.396 and 0.370).ConclusionsOverall use of maternal health care services increased in post-MNHIB year compared to pre-MNHIB year and inequity in maternal service utilization declined for three indicators out of six considered in the paper. The reductions in CI values for select maternal care indicators imply that the program has been successful not only in improving utilization of maternal health services but also in lowering inequality of service utilization across socioeconomic groups. Maternal health programs, if properly designed and implemented, can improve access, partially overcoming the negative effects of socioeconomic disparities
E. Harold Shryock, MD
No full textA teacher of the ages, administrator, author, lecturer, ambidextrous artist, trick cyclist, Chair of the Department of Anatomy, and Dean of the School of Medicine of Loma Linda University.All descriptions are taken verbatim from: Portraits of Honored Faculty by S. Wesley Kime, MD. Editor Raymond Herber, MD. (Loma Linda, Calif.: Alumni Association of School of Medicine of Loma Linda University, 2005) and are thus not up-to-date as to positions held or contributions made to Loma Linda University Health
Chapter 09: Reflections on Dr. Clifton Mountain and Data Collection Roles at MD Anderson
No full textMrs. Hermes begins this chapter with memories of how much she enjoyed working for Dr. Mountain over the course of 25 years. He taught her how to think about data, she explains, and she was listed as an author on a number of publications on lung cancer [see examples below]. She explains that Dr. Mountain left MD Anderson in 1993, but she continued to work freelance for him. She recalls that he set up the first conference on mathematics at MD Anderson, early in his career sometime in the sixties.
Next she comments on how the unique openness of Houston culture fit well with the bold visions that both R. Lee Clark and Eleanor MacDonald held for oncology. She says that her most important work was on Dr. Mountain’s staging system for lung cancer and she explains why staging the disease presented challenges.
She confirms that she was always interested in the implications of basic research for clinical findings. She credits Eleanor MacDonald for helping her to develop her curiosity and questioning style.https://openworks.mdanderson.org/mchv_interviewchapters/2036/thumbnail.jp
Birth preparedness and complication readiness (BPCR) among pregnant women in hard-to-reach areas in Bangladesh.
No full textBackgroundBirth preparedness and complication readiness aims to reduce delays in care seeking, promote skilled birth attendance, and facility deliveries. Little is known about birth preparedness practices among populations living in hard-to-reach areas in Bangladesh.ObjectivesTo describe levels of birth preparedness and complication readiness among recently delivered women, identify determinants of being better prepared for birth, and assess the impact of greater birth preparedness on maternal and neonatal health practices.MethodsA cross-sectional survey with 2,897 recently delivered women was undertaken in 2012 as part of an evaluation trial done in five hard-to-reach districts in rural Bangladesh. Mothers were considered well prepared for birth if they adopted two or more of the four birth preparedness components. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression were used for analysis.ResultsLess than a quarter (24.5%) of women were considered well prepared for birth. Predictors of being well-prepared included: husband's education (OR = 1.3; CI: 1.1-1.7), district of residence, exposure to media in the form of reading a newspaper (OR = 2.2; CI: 1.2-3.9), receiving home visit by a health worker during pregnancy (OR = 1.5; CI: 1.2-1.8), and receiving at least 3 antenatal care visits from a qualified provider (OR = 1.4; CI: 1.0-1.9). Well-prepared women were more likely to deliver at a health facility (OR = 2.4; CI: 1.9-3.1), use a skilled birth attendant (OR = 2.4, CI: 1.9-3.1), practice clean cord care (OR = 1.3, CI: 1.0-1.5), receive post-natal care from a trained provider within two days of birth for themselves (OR = 2.6, CI: 2.0-3.2) or their newborn (OR = 2.6, CI: 2.1-3.3), and seek care for delivery complications (OR = 1.8, CI: 1.3-2.6).ConclusionGreater emphasis on BPCR interventions tailored for hard to reach areas is needed to improve skilled birth attendance, care seeking for complications and essential newborn care and facilitate reductions in maternal and neonatal mortality in low performing districts in Bangladesh
Library News December 2025
No full textReducing Barriers to Learning: MD Anderson\u27s OER Initiative How to Navigate Author Instructions (part 1) Best and Worst Books of 2025 A Noteworthy Article about Notable, Noteworthy, and Noticeablehttps://openworks.mdanderson.org/rmlnews25/1011/thumbnail.jp
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