Intervention during wait time: identification and referral of individuals non-adherent for colorectal cancer screening.

Background: Despite unanimous recommendations from numerous specialty societies on regular colorectal cancer screening, a substantial proportion of eligible adults are non-adherent with screening. The current study investigated whether research associates (RAs) in the emergency department (ED) can adequately assess patients' adherence with colorectal cancer screening recommendations, outlined by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), and provide referrals to individuals who are found to be non-adherent.

Methods: RAs at seven heterogeneous hospitals in the USA queried non-emergent adult patients and visitors between the ages of 50 and 75.

Identifying Cancer Screening Adherence in the Emergency Department Utilizing Research Associates.

Background: Despite the demonstrated benefits of regular screening, a large proportion of the adult female population are out of compliance with recommendations from specialty societies regarding breast and cervical cancer.

Objective: The current study investigated whether research associates (RAs) in the emergency department (ED) can usefully assess patients' recent compliance with breast and cervical cancer screening (BCCS) recommendations and provide information regarding how patients may access any recommended screening when it is overdue.

Methods: RAs at 5 heterogeneous hospitals in the United States approached willing nonemergent female patients and visitors between the ages of 21 and 74 years.

Promoting tobacco cessation utilizing pre-health professional students as research associates in the emergency department.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the extent to which volunteer research associates (RAs) can be utilized to screen emergency department patients and their visitors for tobacco use and effectively refer tobacco users requesting help to state Tobacco Quitlines.

Methods: A sample of 19,149 individuals in 10 emergency departments around the country was enrolled into a prospective, interventional study on tobacco cessation by pre-health professional RAs. Participants who screened positive for tobacco use were provided a brief description of Tobacco Quitline programs and then offered a faxed referral to their respective state Quitline.

Integration of cell membranes and nanotube transistors.

We report the integration of a complex biological system and a nanoelectronic device, demonstrating that both components retain their functionality while interacting with each other. As the biological system, we use the cell membrane of Halobacterium salinarum. As the nanoelectronic device, we use a nanotube network transistor, which incorporates many individual nanotubes in such a way that entire patches of cell membrane are contacted by nanotubes.

Minor elevations in troponin T values enhance risk assessment in emergency department patients with suspected myocardial ischemia: analysis of novel troponin T cut-off values.

Background: A consensus document developed by a joint committee of the European Society of Cardiology and the American College of Cardiology redefines myocardial infarction (MI) using an increase of troponin I or T as compared to a reference control population (i.e., troponin T (TnT) of 0.

Charge transfer from ammonia physisorbed on nanotubes.

We report the use of nanotube field-effect transistor devices for chemical sensing in a conducting liquid environment. Detection of ammonia occurs through the shift of the gate voltage dependence of the source-drain current. We attribute this shift to charge transfer from adsorbed ammonia molecules, with the amount of charge estimated to be as small as 40 electrons for the smallest shift detected.

GOLDmineR: improving models for classifying patients with chest pain.

The laboratory is dealing with reporting tests as information needed to make clinical decisions. The traditional statistical quality control measures which assigns reference ranges based on 95 percent confidence intervals is insufficient for diagnostic tests that assign risk. We construct a basis for risk assignment by a method that builds on the 2 x 2 contingency table used to calculate the C2 goodness-of-fit and Bayesian estimates.

Parental use and misuse of antibiotics: are there differences in urban vs. suburban settings?

Objective: To compare the frequencies with which suburban and urban parents give their children antibiotics without first consulting a physician.

Methods: This was a prospective, comparative survey of a suburban emergency department (ED) patient population in New Jersey with an annual patient census of 60,000 visits and an urban ED in Connecticut with 58,000 annual visits. A convenience sample of parents with children <18 years of age were enrolled.