Waynesburg University

836 Figure 1 REPO strongly stains metabolically active acute effector CD8+ T cells derived from vaccination and weakly stains quiescent nave T cells, while murine melanoma-derived CD8+ TILs contain both REPOhi and REPOlo populations.(A) Representative plots demonstrating REPO staining intensity for CD8+ Nave T cells, CD8+ Day 5 Vaccine-Derived Effector T cells, and CD8+ TIL from murine melanomas.(B)REPOhi and REPOlo TILs are sorted by REPO intensity and stained intracellularly

COVID-19 has swept the world and has had great impact on us. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of COVID-19 is essential. Analysis of chest CT images is an effective means. In this paper, an automatic diagnosis algorithm based on chest CT images is proposed. It extracts image features by stationary wavelet entropy (SWE), classifies and trains the input dataset by extreme learning machine (LEM), and finally determines the model through k-fold cross-validation (k-fold CV). By detecting 296 chest CT images of healthy individuals and COVID-19 patients, the algorithm outperforms state-of-the-art methods in sensitivity, specificity, precision, accuracy, F1, MCC, and FMI.

These are times that trouble the soul. American sociologist, pragmatist, and race historian, W.E.B. Du Bois can be helpful in examining and resolving some of the racial and political tensions in the United States. After the lynching of sixty-two African Americans in Atlanta in 1906, Du Bois wrote a year later that the problem of the nineteenth century is the problem of color line. An examination of his’ race theory is helpful in the same way as history is instructive. Black history is intertwined and forms with the mosaic of American history.  Du Bois as a sociologist cannot be separated from Du Bois as a social activist. His life was one of incessant struggle to challenge the status quo and to expose the contradictory nature of nation’s ideals. His intellectual pedigree underscores his political and social activism. Du Bois is relevant today to the secular as well and the religious world in the struggle for social justice. This paper argues that a re-reading of Du Bois should be examined in view of the totality of his own professed religious and spiritual temperament and sensibilities.  Du Bois challenges the discipline of sociology to probe into the unexplored dimension of his life and works. This is also a clarion call for young people of all races and ethnicities to interrogate the relevance of his work in addressing social justice. His theory informs his praxis more so today as the nation faces new challenges in post-Obama presidency and the ravaging effects of COVID-19.   Key words: Africanism, double consciousness, Africa, justice inequality, Jim Crow, racism, sociology, prophets, secular.

Patients at risk for clinical deterioration often show changes in vital signs up to 24 hours before a critical event. Use of modified early warning scores has demonstrated effectiveness in identifying patients at risk for clinical deterioration and improving outcomes. Documentation of vital signs, timely recognition of clinical deterioration, and compliance with the sepsis bundles remained a challenge. An interprofessional team developed an electronic vital sign alert (VSA) system with a concurrent running sepsis screen, along with clinical protocols. Education was provided and the VSA system was implemented on 3 nursing units. After implementation, the number of unplanned transfers to the intensive care unit increased. Mortality rate and length of stay in the intensive care unit for patients transferred for respiratory failure and sepsis significantly decreased. There was a 21% increase in identification of sepsis. The VSA system was an effective tool to identify patients at risk for clinical deterioration and help to improve outcomes.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the statement that "more than an hyphen separates Africans and African-Americans."The perpetuation of ignorance about Africa and Africans through history or lack of it, through the media and through centuries of stereotypes on both sides of the Atlantic has further exacerbated animosity, distrust and hateful disconnect.The paper interrogates the lived in experiences of Africans and Africans in the United Statesover the last three decades.In view of biological and cultural assimilation between the two groups through intermarriage and other forms of secondary group interactions, this paper addresses the historical, cultural, and religious Africanisms observed in both groups.The significance of the paper is to provide potential avenue for further dialog that will enhanceand illuminate the process of building bridges across the various forms of division.This paper is a product ofresearch using participant observation and family interactions in both communities over the last twenty years.

A longtime poet explains how a letter from his mother reminds him that regardless of our language skills and backgrounds, our writing can still bear witness to the values and ethics that guide our lives.

ABSTRACTPHYSICAL CONDITIONING SHOULD BE AN IMPORTANT PART OF A COMPREHENSIVE TREATMENT PLAN FOR PATIENTS WITH CANCER. STANDARD TREATMENT PRACTICES AND HOW STRUCTURED EXERCISE CAN BE A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE MEANS OF PREVENTION OF CANCER REOCCURRENCE ARE DISCUSSED. FOR A VIDEO ABSTRACT OF THIS ARTICLE, S

In the clinical trials of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus (qHPV) vaccine, antibodies were measured by a competitive Luminex immunoassay (HPV-4 cLIA). A nine-valent HPV (9vHPV) vaccine targeting the types in the qHPV vaccine (HPV6/11/16/18), as well as 5 of the next most frequent HPV types found in cervical cancers worldwide (HPV31/33/45/52/58) is under development. To support the 9vHPV vaccine program, a nine-multiplexed cLIA (HPV-9 cLIA) was developed. Antibody titers were determined in a competitive format, where type-specific phycoerythrin (PE)-labeled, neutralizing mAbs (mAbs-PE) compete with an individual’s serum antibodies for binding to conformationally sensitive, neutralizing epitopes on the VLPs. Neutralizing antibody levels were quantitated against a reference standard - a pool of sera from 6 Rhesus macaques that were immunized with the 9vHPV vaccine. Specificity of the mAbs was assessed by measuring their individual binding capacities to the type-specific and non-type-specific VLPs at alternative concentrations of the mAbs. Antibody assignments to the HPV-9 cLIA reference standard for HPV6/11/16/18 were determined to provide for a measure of consistency in serostatus assignment between the HPV-4 and HPV-9 cLIAs. Antibody assignments to the HPV-9 reference standard for HPV31/33/45/52/58 were obtained by calibration to HPV11 using a direct binding IgG assay. For each HPV VLP type, the cross-reactivity of the mAb-PEs in the HPV-9 cLIA was <1% (i.e., the mAb-PEs result in <1% non-specific binding). The antibody concentrations assigned to the HPV-9 cLIA reference standard for types 6/11/16/18/31/33/45/52/58 were 3,817, 2,889, 23,061, 5,271, 3,942, 2,672, 1,489, 1274, and 2263 mMU/mL, respectively.

Purpose: To evaluate an automatic interstitial catheter digitization algorithm that reduces treatment planning time and provide means for adaptive re-planning in HDR Brachytherapy of Gynecologic Cancers. Methods: The semi-automatic catheter digitization tool utilizes a region growing algorithm in conjunction with a spline model of the catheters. The CT images were first pre-processed to enhance the contrast between the catheters and soft tissue. Several seed locations were selected in each catheter for the region growing algorithm. The spline model of the catheters assisted in the region growing by preventing inter-catheter cross-over caused by air or metal artifacts. Source dwell positions from day one CT scans were applied to subsequent CTs and forward calculated using the automatically digitized catheter positions. This method was applied to 10 patients who had received HDR interstitial brachytherapy on an IRB approved image-guided radiation therapy protocol. The prescribed dose was 18.75 or 20 Gy delivered in 5 fractions, twice daily, over 3 consecutive days. Dosimetric comparisons were made between automatic and manual digitization on day two CTs. Results: The region growing algorithm, assisted by the spline model of the catheters, was able to digitize all catheters. The difference between automatic and manually digitized positions was 0.8±0.3 mm. The digitization time ranged from 34 minutes to 43 minutes with a mean digitization time of 37 minutes. The bulk of the time was spent on manual selection of initial seed positions and spline parameter adjustments. There was no significance difference in dosimetric parameters between the automatic and manually digitized plans. D90% to the CTV was 91.5±4.4% for the manual digitization versus 91.4±4.4% for the automatic digitization (p=0.56). Conclusion: A region growing algorithm was developed to semi-automatically digitize interstitial catheters in HDR brachytherapy using the Syed-Neblett template. This automatic digitization tool was shown to be accurate compared to manual digitization.