Georgetown University

In the paper, we develop Bayesian inference procedures for the model parameters of the multivariate location-scale model connected to the multivariate Birge ratio method, a novel approach for pooling multivariate measurements together which extends the widely-used univariate Birge ratio method. In particular, the expressions of the joint posterior, the marginal posterior and the conditional posterior distributions are derived. These findings lead to the introduction of the Metropolis–Hastings algorithm and the Gibbs sampler approach for drawing samples from the joint posterior distribution and for conducting Bayesian inference procedures based on the simulated samples. The theoretical findings of the paper are implemented in an empirical illustration by studying the effectiveness of the hypertension treatment. It is found that the anti-hypertension drugs lead to the statistically significant reduction of the systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as to the reduction of the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Effective seasonal respiratory virus surveillance in the United States is critical to minimize healthcare burden and maintain economic productivity. Syndromic surveillance aims to monitor disease trends based on symptom occurrence but suffers from outbreak identification issues since case definitions are not disease-specific. We leverage a high-volume medical claims database, representing over 40% of the U.S. population annually from 2016-2023, to develop data-driven syndromic profiles for both influenza and RSV with a regression modeling approach. We then apply these syndromic profiles to estimate total symptomatic disease dynamics and burden by geography and demography. Symptom-inferred disease estimates show strong agreement with existing surveillance systems for both spatiotemporal trends and disease burden. Across all seasons examined, influenza prevalence was largely spatially homogeneous at the county-level, with consistency between seasons and age groups. Data-driven syndromic surveillance can provide fine-scale, representative disease tracking that strengthens forecasting, informs resource allocation, and enhances public health preparedness.

RET fusions appear in 1%-2% of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). The results from the ARROW study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03037385) supported US Food and Drug Administration approval of pralsetinib, an oral selective RET inhibitor, for metastatic RET-altered NSCLC and RET fusion-positive thyroid cancers. ARROW was a phase I/II open-label study of pralsetinib 400 mg once daily in RET fusion-positive NSCLCs. Coprimary end points were overall response rate (ORR) and safety. Key secondary end points included duration of response, progression-free survival, and overall survival (OS). At data lock (May 20, 2024), 281 patients initiated pralsetinib (median treatment duration, 15.0 months). ORR (measurable disease patients; n = 259) was 78% (95% CI, 69 to 86) for treatment-naïve patients and 63% (95% CI, 54 to 71) for prior platinum-based chemotherapy patients. Median OS was 44.3 months (95% CI, 30.9 to 53.1), 50.1 months (95% CI, 28.3 to not reached) in treatment-naïve patients, and 39.7 months (95% CI, 27.8 to 53.2) in prior platinum patients. Common grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events were anemia (21%), hypertension (15%), and decreased neutrophils (13%). Three treatment-related deaths occurred (pneumonia, n = 2; interstitial lung disease and rhabdomyolysis, n = 1 each). Safety was consistent with previous ARROW reports; no hypersensitivity was reported in patients receiving prior immunotherapies. Pralsetinib produced robust, durable responses with manageable safety in treatment-naïve and previously treated patients with RET fusion-positive NSCLCs, confirming previous findings with longer follow-up.

Abstract This chapter examines autobiographical narratives of slavery as literary, historical, and political texts that demonstrate how formerly enslaved Black people used literacy to pursue freedom and to emphasize firsthand experiences with the daily horrors that slavery presented. It analyzes how these narratives blend genres, use authenticating devices, and rebut racist disbelief in Black authorship while advancing abolitionist causes. Key examples include Solomon Northup’s Twelve Years a Slave, Frederick Douglass’s Narrative, and Harriet Jacobs’s Incidents. These works highlight themes of literacy, Christianity, gender, and bodily autonomy while addressing abolitionists’ support, antagonists’ challenges, and editorial mediation. Finally, the chapter underscores their rhetorical ingenuity, literary legacy, and enduring significance for Black freedom struggles.