Centralized Colorectal Cancer Screening Outreach in Federally Qualified Health Centers: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is effective but remains underused in federally qualified health centers (FQHCs).

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a centralized CRC screening outreach intervention involving mailed fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) outreach and patient navigation to colonoscopy after abnormal results of FIT.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A pragmatic randomized clinical trial was conducted, using intention-to-treat analysis.

Cascade genetic testing for hereditary cancer syndromes: a review of barriers and breakthroughs.

Germline genetic sequencing is now at the forefront of cancer treatment and preventative medicine. Cascade genetic testing, or the testing of at-risk relatives, is extremely promising as it offers genetic testing and potentially life-saving risk-reduction strategies to a population exponentially enriched for the risk of carrying a cancer-associated pathogenic variant. However, many relatives do not complete cascade testing due to barriers that span individual, relationship, healthcare community, and societal/policy domains.

dTBI2: A Calibrated, Tunable Device for Administering Traumatic Brain Injury in Drosophila.

The second-generation Drosophila traumatic brain injury (TBI) device dTBI2 improves Drosophila TBI administration by providing a moderate-throughput, tunable, head-specific injury. Our updated device design improves user-friendliness, eliminates inconsistencies in injury timing, and has an updated circuit design to extend the longevity of delicate electronic components. dTBI2 improves reproducibility across users and runs, and results in more consistent post-injury phenotypes.

Optimizing process flow diagrams to guide implementation of a colorectal cancer screening intervention in new settings.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to assess acceptability of using process flow diagrams (or process maps) depicting a previously implemented evidence-based intervention (EBI) to inform the implementation of similar interventions in new settings.

Methods: We developed three different versions of process maps, each visualizing the implementation of the same multicomponent colorectal cancer (CRC) screening EBI in community health centers but including varying levels of detail about how it was implemented. Interviews with community health professionals and practitioners at other sites not affiliated with this intervention were conducted.

Implementation strategies in the Exploration and Preparation phases of a colorectal cancer screening intervention in community health centers.

Background: Adoption of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening has lagged in community health center (CHC) populations in the USA. To address this implementation gap, we developed a multilevel intervention to improve screening in CHCs in our region. We used the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework to guide this effort.

Identification of actionable targets for breast cancer intervention using a diversity outbred mouse model.

HER2-targeted therapy has improved breast cancer survival, but treatment resistance and disease prevention remain major challenges. Genes that enable HER2/Neu oncogenesis are the next intervention targets. A bioinformatics discovery platform of HER2/Neu-expressing Diversity Outbred (DO) F1 Mice was established to identify cancer-enabling genes.

Impact of industrial air pollution on the quality of atmospheric water production.

The atmospheric water generator (AWG) is a commercially available device that produces water from the air in large volumes over short times. This method can be applied in most regions of the world to solve chronic and acute drinking water scarcity. However, knowledge of the effects of air chemical composition on AWG-produced water quality is still very limited.

Impact of a Community-Based Weight Management Program in a North Carolina Health Care System.

Background And Objectives: Current strategies for obesity management in primary care leave many patients inadequately treated or unable to access treatment entirely. We aimed to evaluate a comprehensive, primary care clinic-based weight management program's clinical effectiveness in a community practice setting.  Methods:  This was an 18-month pre/postintervention study.

The Outer Surface Protease, SepM, Is Required for Locus Activation in Three of the Four Most Common Pherotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) is an important human pathogen that primarily resides in the nasopharynx. To persist in this polymicrobial environment, pneumococcus must compete with other members of the bacterial community. Competition is mediated in part by the action of the locus, which encodes a variable array of bacteriocins and their associated immunity proteins.

Building High-Performance Team Dynamics for Rapid Response Events in a US Tertiary Hospital: A Quality Improvement Model for Sustainable Process Change.

Hospital rapid response systems are designed to reduce unmet patient needs and prevent clinical deterioration. Rapid response teams are the principal component of a rapid response system and require teamwork to function optimally; poor communication among team members can result in substandard patient care. The authors describe a process for developing and implementing standardized communication and a teamwork structure for rapid response events (RREs) at a large academic hospital.

Customer engagement in innovative smart grid deployment projects: evidence from Russia.

In recent years, Russian power grid companies have significantly intensified their planning and implementing innovative projects to introduce various elements of smart grid technology. The global experience shows that the best potential outcome from smart grid technologies largely relies on the customers' readiness and adoption. To this end, we assess the Russian consumers' awareness and readiness regarding smart grid technologies by conducting a comprehensive survey.

Air-water interactions: The signature of meteorological and air-quality parameters on the chemical characteristics of water produced from the atmosphere.

Atmospheric water is considered an alternative sustainable solution for global water scarcity. We analyzed the effects of meteorological and air-quality parameters on the chemical characteristics of atmospheric water. First, we measured the chemical characteristics of water produced by a unique atmospheric water generator (AWG) apparatus in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Diversity Outbred Mice Reveal the Quantitative Trait Locus and Regulatory Cells of HER2 Immunity.

The genetic basis and mechanisms of disparate antitumor immune response was investigated in Diversity Outbred (DO) F1 mice that express human HER2. DO mouse stock samples nearly the entire genetic repertoire of the species. We crossed DO mice with syngeneic HER2 transgenic mice to study the genetics of an anti-self HER2 response in a healthy outbred population.

Quality Improvement Principles and Practice.

Quality improvement strategies are important means for achieving high-quality, patient-centered care, and can improve provider satisfaction as well. This article outlines some key principles for how to implement quality improvement effectively in primary care practice, drawing from the authors' collective experience in leading such efforts.

Implementing Evidence-Based Screening and Counseling for Unhealthy Alcohol Use with Epic-Based Electronic Health Record Tools.

Background: Multiple national organizations recommend screening and counseling adults for unhealthy alcohol use.

Methods: An evidence-based approach to screening and counseling using Epic electronic health record (EHR) tools was implemented in a general medicine clinic. A dissemination package with actionable steps for clinics and systems wishing to implement similar processes was then produced.

An HER2 DNA vaccine with evolution-selected amino acid substitutions reveals a fundamental principle for cancer vaccine formulation in HER2 transgenic mice.

Enhancement of endogenous immunity to tumor-associated self-antigens and neoantigens is the goal of preventive vaccination. Toward this goal, we compared the efficacy of the following HER2 DNA vaccine constructs: vaccines encoding wild-type HER2, hybrid HER2 vaccines consisting of human HER2 and rat Neu, HER2 vaccines with single residue substitutions and a novel human HER2 DNA vaccine, ph(es)E2TM. ph(es)E2TM was designed to contain five evolution-selected substitutions: M198V, Q398R, F425L, H473R and A622T that occur frequently in 12 primate HER2 sequences.

Multidisciplinary quality improvement initiative to standardize reporting of lung cancer screening.

Structured reporting of lung cancer screening (LCS) results with low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) is necessary for appropriate follow-up and management of lung nodules. We describe processes for standardizing the reporting and tracking of screen-detected lung nodules by increasing documentation of Lung-RADS categorization of lung nodules. Our multidisciplinary team developed a project charter and key driver diagram, revised the radiology reporting template, and provided monthly audit reports to thoracic radiologists.

Mixed Adenoneuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Gastroesophageal Junction: A Rare Find.

Neoplastic lesions that demonstrate neuroendocrine features are rare. However, esophageal tumors containing both adenocarcinomatous and neuroendocrine components are exceedingly rare. Mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinomas (MANECs) are gastrointestinal tumors with both adenocarcinomatous and neuroendocrine differentiation.

Sciatic neurosteatosis: Relationship with age, gender, obesity and height.

Aim: To evaluate inter-reader performance for cross-sectional area and fat quantification of bilateral sciatic nerves on MRI and assess correlations with anthropometrics.

Methods: In this IRB-approved, HIPPA-compliant study, three readers performed a cross-sectional analysis of 3T lumbosacral plexus MRIs over an 18-month period. Image slices were evaluated at two levels (A and B).

Improving the Implementation of Lung Cancer Screening Guidelines at an Academic Primary Care Practice.

Expert groups recommend annual chest computed tomography for lung cancer screening (LCS) in high-risk patients. Lung cancer screening in primary care is a complex process that includes identification of the at-risk population, comorbidity assessment, and shared decision making. We identified three key processes required for high-quality screening implementation in our academic primary care practice: (1) systematic collection of lifetime cumulative smoking history to identify potentially eligible patients; (2) visit-based clinical reminders and order sets embedded in the electronic health record (EHR); and (3) tools to facilitate shared decision making and appropriate test ordering.

Implementation and Quality Improvement of a Screening and Counseling Program for Unhealthy Alcohol Use in an Academic General Internal Medicine Practice.

Unhealthy alcohol use is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States. The U.S.