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In this article, I discuss opportunities undertaken by the University of Kansas (KU) Libraries to broaden the reach of KU scholarship and to fortify our culture of civic engagement. In the hopes of increasing the impact that libraries have on their national peers and their interdisciplinary campus and community partners, KU Libraries collaborates with The Commons, the Center for Service Learning, and other campus initiatives focused on openly accessible scholarship and programming. By bringing scholars together for public-facing events and programming, KU Libraries helps build relationships. By providing accessibility to stories of research and engagement, we honor the essential work of our campus and community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Bureau Men, Settlement Women: Constructing Public Administration in the Progressive Era" by Camilla Stivers is a gendered evaluation of the history of Public Administration, focusing on the contributions of women during the turn of the 20th century. The book challenges the traditional narrative of Public Administration and highlights the previously overlooked role of women in governance. Stivers argues for the inclusion of marginalized voices in the study and practice of Public Administration, emphasizing the need for a more diverse and inclusive approach to governance. The book also examines the gendered dynamics of reform and the contrasting approaches of the Municipal Research Bureaus and the Settlement Women. Overall, "Bureau Men, Settlement Women" offers a thought-provoking perspective on the history and future of Public Administration. [Extracted from the article]

This bibliometric study scrutinizes the corpus of scientific output within the Web of Science pertaining to familial satisfaction among parents raising children with intellectual disabilities, focusing specifically on the milieu of educational inclusion. The analysis discerns a discernible ascension in scholarly interest in this domain, encapsulating 77 papers emanating from 75 journals, incorporating an aggregate of 3,497 cited references. Our investigation delineated 354 researchers across 39 nations, underscoring the transnational purview of this scholarly endeavor. The United States emerged as the pre-eminent contributor, with Canada and the United Kingdom following suit. Collaboration on an international scale was notably led by the US, with the UK and Australia trailing in tandem. Prominent institutions were identified for their scholarly output; the University of Kansas led with four papers, followed closely by Monash University, University of California Los Angeles, and University of California Riverside, each contributing three papers. Of particular note, the University of Kansas accrued 250 global citations (TGCS). A total of 75 journals were encompassed in this study. The Journal of Intellectual Disability Research emerged as the vanguard with four published papers, closely trailed by Child Care Health and Development and Exceptional Children. Notably, the latter boasted the highest impact factor (JCR = 4.09; Q1). In summation, this review proffers a meticulous and expansive overview of extant scholarship concerning the experiences of families rearing children with disabilities within the inclusive education framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is an increasing awareness of the importance of patient engagement in cancer research, but many basic and translational researchers have never been trained to do so. To address this unmet need, a 1-year patient engagement training program for researchers was developed. Methods: Eleven researchers and eleven paired research advocates participated. This program, designed for virtual delivery, included 3 didactic modules focused on (1) Community Outreach and Engagement principles and methods, (2) Communication skills, and (3) Team Science. This was followed by longitudinal projects to be completed by the researcher/advocate pairs, including learning about the research project, and co-authoring abstracts, manuscripts and grant proposals. Monthly group meetings allowed pairs to share their experiences. The program culminated in the pairs creating and presenting oral abstracts for the University of Kansas Cancer Center's Annual Research Symposium. Results: All participants indicated that the modules had a positive impact on their ability to collaborate in research. Both researcher self-evaluations and patient advocate evaluations of their researcher partner showed an improvement in researcher communication competency. Results from the Patient Engagement in Research Scale showed that advocates were highly engaged. Within 1 year after program completion, participating pairs have completed four abstracts and 9 grant proposals. Conclusion: The program will be modified based on participant feedback, and can be adapted for future cohorts if an increased number of sessions per month and shortened program duration are desired. The program's virtual format allows scalability across institutions to potentially benefit large cohorts of researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The first-in-class approved BCMA CAR-T therapy was idecabtagene vicleucel (ide-cel), approved in March 2021, for RRMM patients who progressed after 4 or more lines of therapy. Despite the promising outcomes, there were limited apheresis/production slots for ide-cel. We report outcomes of patients at our institution who were on the "waitlist" to receive ide-cel in 2021 and who could not secure a slot. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of RRMM patients evaluated at the University of Kansas Cancer Center for ide-cel from 3/2021-7/2021. A retrospective chart review was performed to determine patient and disease characteristics. Descriptive statistics were reported using medians for continuous variables. Survival analysis from initial consult was performed using Kaplan-Meier Survival estimator. Results: Forty patients were eligible and were on the "waitlist" for CAR-T. The median follow-up was 14 months (2-25mo). Twenty-four patients (60%) secured a production slot and 16 (40%) did not. The median time from consult to collection was 38 days (8-703). The median time from collection to infusion was 42 days (34-132 days). The median overall survival was higher in the CAR-T group (NR vs 9 mo, p<0.001). Conclusion(s): Many patients who were eligible for ide-cel were not able to secure a timely slot in 2021. Mortality was higher in this group, due to a lack of comparable alternatives. Increasing alternate options as well as improvement in manufacturing and access is an area of high importance to improve RRMM outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What kinds of validity evidence can the University of Kansas Sense of Belonging Test (KU-SBT) provide? Through the operationalization of a construct, this study intends to build an initial validity argument for the KU-SBT to determine exchange graduate students' manifestations of internal and external sense of belonging, which may play a role in their academic performance and motivation. While existing instruments have examined students' perceptions of social dynamics, the KU-SBT goes beyond by not only capturing students' perceptions but also assessing their tangible, performative behaviors in a more technologically-oriented educational era. To accomplish this objective, this paper addresses foundational elements essential for initiating a test validity argument. These include establishing a theoretical framework, developing a construct, formulating test interpretation claims, creating a table of specifications, and constructing a pool of items. To conclude, the author describes the future steps needed to ensure the robustness of the KUSBT at the measurement level. These steps encompass piloting sessions, internal reliability tests, factor analyses, and other measures aimed at refining and strengthening the validity and reliability of the test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to assess medical student knowledge and attitudes regarding oocyte cryopreservation, as well as attitudes regarding future intentions of utilizing this procedure. Methods: This cross-sectional web-based survey study was distributed to 873 medical students at the University of Kansas from July through September 2018. The survey was self-reported and female medical student responses were analyzed. Students were surveyed through a variety of multiple-choice questions on demographics, knowledge of oocyte cryopreservation, and factors and attitudes that would impact personal and professional use of oocyte cryopreservation. Results: A total of 122 female responses were collected (30%). A majority of female medical students were aware of oocyte cryopreservation, less than half correctly identified a dramatic drop in female fertility as well as oocyte cryopreservation success and cost-effectiveness. Three-quarters felt pressure to delay childbearing and nearly two-thirds would consider freezing their oocytes. Several factors were found to alter their decision toward oocyte cryopreservation including personal factors, procedure complexity and availability, and outcomes. Conclusions: A majority of female medical students are amenable to the possibility of using oocyte cryopreservation to delay childbearing. Though nearly all knew of oocyte cryopreservation, knowledge regarding fertility and oocyte cryopreservation was low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This conversation between artist Janine Antoni and curator Joey Orr took place at the end of a site visit and long installation process. The site of Antoni's most recent work, here-ing (2022 to present) is the Kansas Biological Field Station at the University of Kansas. She brings her long artistic commitment to embodiment into the context of a biological field station, inviting the public to return to the body through intimately relating to the land. This work is facilitated by Arts Research Integration at the Spencer Museum of Art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural Trap Cave (NTC) preserves abundant late Pleistocene herbivore remains including equids (Equus and Haringtonhippus) and the sheep Ovis. The NTC equid sample contains a minimum of two taxa, while other large herbivore genera are represented by single species. In modern communities, sympatric herbivores partition resources by feeding on different plants or different plant parts. Previous dental isotopic studies indicated that most NTC herbivores consumed C3 plants, including grasses. To test the hypothesis that resource partitioning occurred among grass-feeders at NTC, we collected mesowear data from both equids as well as Ovis , using samples collected by teams from the University of Kansas between 1974 and 1985. Assessed on upper cheek teeth, mesowear derives from either attritional (tooth on tooth) or abrasional (tooth on abrasive food) wear. The paracone and metacone were examined on each specimen to determine cusp shape (sharp, rounded, or blunt) and occlusal relief (high or low). A diet of non-abrasive material yields high and sharp cusps and one of heavily abrasive materials results in low and blunt cusps, while rounded cusps indicate intermediate levels of abrasion. A large sample (N = 143) of equid teeth included two morphs. A smaller sample (N = 10) of Ovis teeth provided comparison with the equid teeth. Data collected consisted of individual variables of cusp heights and shape, as well as stages of mesowear combining both variables. Upper adult M1/2s and P4s were used. Results from the equid sample revealed that 8% exhibited high and sharp/rounded cusps, indicating little dietary abrasion; 58% had low and rounded cusps; and 34% had low and blunt cusps. The latter grouping is evidence for a highly abrasive diet. In the sample of Ovis , the results are strikingly different: 40% had high and sharp cusps and 60% had high and rounded cusps. Even though mountain sheep are often interpreted to be grass feeders, their mesowear suggests they did not eat an abrasive diet at NTC. The distribution of mesowear scores among the equid fossils conforms with an interpretation of two equid taxa at NTC , as well as supporting our hypothesis that these taxa partitioned grass resources. The very different nature of the mesowear signature seen in Ovis , compared to the equid fossils, also supports our hypothesis that these grass-feeders either consumed a more mixed or browse-dominated diet with different overall levels of abrasion, or else ate different parts of grass plants. As observed in the Serengeti grazing succession, we propose that equids may have moved through the area first, consuming taller, older, more abrasive parts of grass plants, followed by mountain sheep eating softer, younger plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors are effective in germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 (BRCA1/2) mutation -associated metastatic breast cancer. However, studies evaluating PARP inhibitors plus platinum-based chemotherapy in germline BRCA1/2 -wildtype triple-negative breast cancer are scarce. A large proportion of germline BRCA1/2 -wildtype triple-negative breast cancer shows homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), resulting in a BRCA-like phenotype that might render sensitivity to PARP inhibitors. The S1416 trial assessed the efficacy of cisplatin combined with the PARP inhibitor veliparib in three predefined groups of metastatic breast cancer: germline BRCA1/2 -mutated, BRCA-like, and non-BRCA-like. S1416 was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial conducted at 154 community and academic clinical sites across the USA. Eligible patients aged 18 years or older had metastatic or recurrent triple-negative breast cancer or germline BRCA1/2 -associated metastatic or recurrent breast cancer, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0–2, and had received up to one line of chemotherapy for metastatic disease. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) via the National Clinical Trials Network open interactive system with dynamic balancing on number of previous cytotoxic regimens for metastatic disease to receive intravenous cisplatin (75 mg/m2, day 1) combined with either veliparib or matching placebo (300 mg orally twice a day, days 1–14) on a 21-day cycle. Investigators, patients, and the sponsors were masked to treatment assignment; the study statisticians were unmasked. Central testing after ran domisation classified patients as having mutated or wildtype germline BRCA1/2. A biomarker panel established a priori was used to classify patients with wildtype germline BRCA1/2 into BRCA-like and non-BRCA-like phenotype groups, with BRCA-like status based on at least one of the biomarkers: genomic instability score (≥42), somatic BRCA1/2 mutations, BRCA1 promoter methylation, or non- BRCA1/2 homologous recombination repair germline mutations. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed progression-free survival, analysed separately for the three predefined biomarker groups with a prespecified α value for each analysis. Efficacy analyses were done by intention to treat and included all eligible patients. Safety analyses of toxicities attributed to treatment included all patients who received at least one dose of veliparib or placebo. The study is ongoing and registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT02595905. Between July 7, 2016, and June 15, 2019, 335 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned. 320 patients (n=162 to cisplatin plus veliparib, all women; and n=158 to cisplatin plus placebo, 157 women and one man) were eligible for efficacy evaluation. 247 patients were classified into the three biomarker groups: germline BRCA1/2 -mutated (n=37), BRCA-like (n=101), and non-BRCA-like (n=109). 73 patients could not be classified due to missing biomarker information. Median follow-up was 11·1 months (IQR 5·6–20·8). In the germline BRCA1/2 -mutated group, median progression-free survival was 6·2 months (95% CI 2·3–9·2) in the cisplatin plus veliparib group and 6·4 months (4·3–8·2) in the cisplatin plus placebo group (HR 0·79 [95% CI 0·38–1·67]; log-rank p=0·54). In the BRCA-like group, median progression-free survival was 5·9 months (95% CI 4·3–7·8) in the cisplatin plus veliparib group versus 4·2 months (2·3–5·0) in the cisplatin plus placebo group (HR 0·57 [95% CI 0·37–0·88]; p=0·010). In the non-BRCA-like group, median progression-free survival was 4·0 months (95% CI 2·5–4·7) in the cisplatin plus veliparib group versus 3·0 months (2·2–4·4) in the cisplatin plus placebo group (HR 0·89 [95% CI 0·60–1·33]; p=0·57). The most common grade 3 or worse adverse events attributed to treatment were neutropenia (71 [46%] of 155 patients in the cisplatin plus veliparib group vs 29 [20%] of 147 in the cisplatin plus placebo group), leukopenia (42 [27%] vs 11 [7%]), anaemia (35 [23%] vs 12 [8%]), and thrombocytopenia (29 [19%] vs four [3%]). Serious adverse events attributed to treatment occurred in 48 (31%) patients in the cisplatin plus veliparib group and 53 (36%) patients in the cisplatin plus placebo group. Treatment-related adverse events led to death in one patient in the cisplatin plus veliparib group (sepsis) and one patient in the cisplatin plus placebo group (acute kidney injury due to cisplatin plus heart failure from previous doxorubicin exposure). The addition of veliparib to cisplatin significantly improved progression-free survival in patients with BRCA-like metastatic triple-negative breast cancer, but not in patients with non-BRCA-like metastatic breast cancer. PARP inhibitors combined with platinum-based chemotherapy should be explored further in BRCA-like triple-negative breast cancer. National Cancer Institute and National Institute of General Medical Sciences (US National Institutes of Health); AbbVie; Myriad Genetics; the Biomarker, Imaging, and Quality of Life Studies Funding Program (awarded by the National Cancer Institute); and The University of Kansas Cancer Center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To compare vaginal progesterone to cerclage in preventing preterm birth and adverse perinatal outcomes in women with a singleton gestation, incidentally found sonographic cervical length of <15 mm, and no history of preterm birth. Study design A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 68 women who delivered at the University of Kansas Health System with a singleton gestation found to have a cervical length <15 mm on transvaginal ultrasound and no history of preterm birth. Women treated with vaginal progesterone (n = 29) were compared to women who underwent cerclage placement (n = 39). The primary outcome was preterm birth at <34 weeks of gestation. Secondary outcomes include preterm birth at <37 and <28 weeks of gestation and neonatal morbidities. Results Of the 268 patients who had a cervical length of <15 mm on transvaginal ultrasound, 68 participants met inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. Twenty-nine participants received vaginal progesterone and 39 participants received cervical cerclage. The average cervical length at initiation of therapy was greater in the progesterone cohort versus cerclage cohort, respectively (10.5 vs. 8.0 mm, p < .01). All other baseline characteristics were similar between groups, including no difference in average gestational age at initiation of therapy (21.6 vs. 21.5 weeks, p = .87). Average latency after therapy did not differ between groups (100 vs. 92.7 days p = .43). The incidence of preterm birth at <37 weeks (OR = 1.49, 95% CI = 0.57–3.93), <34 weeks (OR = 1.47, 95% CI = 0.52–4.18), and <28 weeks (OR = 1.90, 95% CI = 0.45–8.07), did not differ significantly between groups. Additionally, no difference in neonatal morbidity was detected. Conclusion At our institution, we found no difference between vaginal progesterone and cerclage in the average latency period or risk of preterm birth among women with an incidental short cervix of <15 mm and no history of preterm birth, despite the significantly shorter initial cervical length in the cerclage group. These findings suggest either vaginal progesterone or cerclage could be used to reduce the risk of preterm birth among this high-risk population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essay is based on a paper given at the "Symposium of African Literature in Global Perspectives" at the University of Kansas, sponsored by the Hall Center for the Humanities. It reflects thoughts on the predicaments of an emigrant African writer in his attempts to gain wider exposure on the global stage. In the process, the essay questions the validity of equal and reciprocal cultural and economic benefits that globalization is supposed to provide for African authors and participating theatre directors, producers, literary agents, and audiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Patients undergoing radical cystectomy with ileal conduit formation usually receive training on the use of their stoma during their initial hospitalization - while actively recovering from surgery - often with little follow-up or reinforcement. Many of these patients are not equipped to deal with these significant body changes, which can lead to additional clinic visits, stoma-related complications, and decreased patient satisfaction/health-related quality of life (HRQOL). In an effort to improve patient education, we sought to evaluate the feasibility of implementing a preoperative comprehensive stoma education session termed the "stoma bootcamp" for patients scheduled for a radical cystectomy and ileal conduit (RCIC). We tracked patient related outcomes to determine its impact.Methods: We performed a longitudinal, quality-improvement feasibility study at the University of Kansas Health System. All patients who were scheduled to undergo a RCIC for bladder cancer were offered enrollment into the study at their preoperative clinic visit. The "stoma boot camp" consisted of a 3-hour group session within 2 weeks of the surgery date. Patients were given a short presentation by residents and advanced practice providers regarding the operation, recovery, and expectations for their post-operative care. Ostomy nurses then demonstrated basic urostomy care - pouching, sizing, emptying - along with trouble-shooting tips for common ostomy problems. Measurements of HRQOL questionnaires were completed at the initial visit, after "boot camp," and at defined time points after surgery for 12 weeks. This included using an ostomy adjustment score. Length of stay, unplanned stoma-related interventions, and re-admissions within 30 days were also tracked.Results: In this initial pilot program, 51 patients participated in the stoma bootcamp. The patients had an average ostomy adjustment score (OAS) of 150.4 (95% CI 142.0, 158.8) at discharge from the hospital, and these high OAS levels persisted throughout the 12 weeks of follow-up data without any significant decline. Short-form 36 (SF-36) scores demonstrated numerical improvements in each individual category at the 6-week mark above baseline. These improvements persisted at the 12-week mark.Conclusions: In this study we were able to establish the feasibility of implementing a preoperative comprehensive stoma education session for patients scheduled for a RCIC. Additionally, we were able to document favorable HRQOL data and improved ostomy adjustment scores surrounding the education session. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As information about COVID-19 safety behavior changed, people had to judge how likely others were to protect themselves through mask-wearing and vaccination seeking. In a large, campus-wide survey, we assessed whether University of Kansas students viewed others' protective behaviors as different from their own, how much students assumed others shared their beliefs and behaviors, and which individual differences were associated with those estimations. Participants in our survey (N = 1, 704; 81.04% white, 64.08% female) estimated how likely they and others were to have worn masks on the University of Kansas campus, have worn masks off-campus, and to seek a vaccine. They also completed measures of political preference, numeracy, and preferences for risk in various contexts. We found that participants estimated that others were less likely to engage in health safety behaviors than themselves, but that their estimations of others were widely shared. While, in general, participants saw themselves as more unique in terms of practicing COVID-19 preventative behaviors, more liberal participants saw themselves as more unique, while those that were more conservative saw their own behavior as more similar to others. At least for masking, this uniqueness was false—estimates of others' health behavior were lower than their actual rates. Understanding this relationship could allow for more accurate norm-setting and normalization of mask-wearing and vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article informs about a symposium "Post-Pandemic Privacy: Health, Data, and Dignity" held on February 11, 2022, for the University of Kansas School of Law, which focuses on disturbing aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic in racially marginalized communities. Topics include COVID-19 pandemic has brought social and racial injustice and inequity to the forefront of public health; and individual rights to privacy in the era of big data collection and protection.

The article reports that Reproductive Justice movement coined by African Americans women who were interested in articulating principles of reproductive rights and a focus on abortion, as discusses in University of Kansas. Topics include adequate enforcement of laws against pregnancy discrimination in workplaces dominated by low-wage workers with affordable housing; and law reform drive clinics out of business and create insurmountable obstacles to abortion care.

Hayne Waring Reese was born on January 14, 1931 and died on March 17, 2022. Between 1958 and his retirement in 2000, he held faculty positions at SUNY-Buffalo, the University of Kansas, and West Virginia University. At the latter institution he held a prestigious Centennial Professorship for the last 30 years of his academic career. Although his primary professional identity was as an experimental child psychologist and a life-span developmental psychologist, he made distinguished contributions to many other areas of psychology including philosophical psychology and behavior analysis. He is remembered by his colleagues for his exceptional scholarship, incisive analyses of both theoretical and practical matters, and fine personal qualities that made him a role model for those who knew him. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neutropenia and antibiotic use put patients at risk for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) following allogenic hematopoietic cell transplant (alloHCT). CDI following alloHCT has been associated with acute graft‐versus‐host disease (aGVHD), a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. We sought to evaluate if prophylactic oral vancomycin reduces the incidence of CDI in alloHCT recipients. Methods: We conducted a single‐center retrospective chart review to compare the effectiveness of oral vancomycin prophylaxis versus no prophylaxis in alloHCT recipients at the University of Kansas Health System. Vancomycin for CDI prophylaxis was implemented in March of 2018 at the University of Kansas Health System. Review of 100 consecutive alloHCT patients before and after this implementation was used to compare outcomes. Patients received oral vancomycin 125 mg twice daily, starting on the day of inpatient admission for alloHCT and continued until discharge. The primary outcome is the incidence of CDI in patients with oral vancomycin prophylaxis compared to those who did not receive prophylaxis during hospital admission for alloHCT. The secondary endpoints include the incidence of acute grades 2–4 GVHD, and event‐free survival for each arm. Results: Eleven percent of patients developed CDI in the control group versus 2% of patients in the intervention group (p =.018). Oral vancomycin was not associated with a higher risk of acute GVHD grades 2–4 (36% vs. 38%; p =.77) at day 100 post transplant. No difference was seen in event‐free survival. Conclusions: Oral vancomycin was associated with reduced CDI incidence in patients that underwent an alloHCT without negatively affecting posttransplant outcomes. The contribution of confounders cannot be excluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An AGILE (Advanced enerGetic Ion eLectron tElescope) instrument is being developed at the University of Kansas and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center to be launched on board a CubeSat in 2022. The AGILE instrument aims to identify a large variety of ions (H-Fe) in a wide energy range (1–100 MeV/nucl) in real-time using fast silicon detectors and fast read-out electronics. This can be achieved by the first use of real-time Pulse Shape Discrimination in space instrumentation. This method of discrimination relies on specific amplitude and time characteristics of the signals sampled every 100 ps and produced by ions that stop in the detector medium. AGILE will be able to observe, in situ, the fluxes of a large variety of particles in a wide energy range to advance our knowledge of the fundamental processes in the universe. This work presents the current stage of development of the instrument, the discrimination method used through the performed simulations, and the first results from lab tests using an Am-241 source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Participant recruitment is a challenge for any clinical trial but is especially complex in cancer specifically due to the need to initiate treatment urgently. Most participants enrolled in oncology clinical trials are identified as potential participants by the oncologist or other referring provider. Optimal clinical care for patients with cancer includes consideration of participation in a clinical trial. However, the process of finding a clinical trial that is appropriate the patient can be cumbersome and time consuming. Material and Methods: The University of Kansas Cancer Center has developed a mobile application (app) which streamlines the clinical trial search process for physicians, patients, and caregivers by cohesively integrating all clinical trials currently recruiting in the center and making them easy to browse. Results: Key aspects of the app include simple filtering options, the ability to search for trials by name, easily accessible assistance, and in-app referral by phone or email. Initial feedback on the app has been very positive, with several suggestions already being implemented in future development. The app was designed to be used both by physicians to find trials, as well as patients in collaboration with their physicians. Conclusion: While long-term results will be crucial to understanding how the app can best serve our patient population, our initial results suggest that health system specific clinical trial apps can address a currently unmet need in the clinical trial recruitment process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: The University of Kansas Cancer Center (KU Cancer Center) recently developed a data warehouse to Organize and Prioritize Trends to Inform KU Cancer Center (OPTIK). The OPTIK database aggregates and standardizes data collected across the bistate catchment area served by the KU Cancer Center. To improve the usability of the OPTIK database, we developed shinyOPTIK , a user-friendly, interactive web application for visualizing cancer risk factor and mortality rate data across the KU Cancer Center Catchment area. METHODS: Data in the OPTIK database were first consolidated at the county level across the KU Cancer Center catchment area. Next, the shinyOPTIK development team met with the KU Cancer Center leadership to discuss the needs and priorities of the shinyOPTIK web application. shinyOPTIK was developed under the R Shiny framework and consists of a user interface (ui.R) and a web server (server.R). At present, s hinyOPTIK can be used to generate county-level geographical heatmaps; bar plots of demographic, screening, and risk factors; and line plots to visualize temporal trends at different Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCCs), rural-urban status, metropolitan, or county levels across the KU Cancer Center catchment area. RESULTS: Two examples, adult obesity prevalence and lung cancer mortality, are presented to illustrate how researchers can use shinyOPTIK. Each example is accompanied by post hoc visualizations to help explain key observations in terms of rural-urban disparities. CONCLUSION: Although shinyOPTIK was developed to improve understanding of spatial and temporal trends across the population served by the KU Cancer Center, our hope is that the description of the steps involved in the creation of this tool along with open-source code for our application provided herein will serve as a guide for other research centers in the development of similar tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author defended her doctoral dissertation Alchemy in the Vernacular: An Edition and Study of Early English Witnesses of The Mirror of Alchemy at the University of Turku, Faculty of Humanities, on 27 May 2021. Professor Peter J. Grund (University of Kansas) acted as the opponent and Professor Matti Peikola (University of Turku) acted as the Custos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]