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Background: Early detection of ophthalmic conditions such as diabetic retinopathy (DR) and glaucoma is crucial to preventing vision loss. Previous studies have evaluated teleretinal screening programs for DR in well-insured populations. The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate a teleretinal screening program in a population of uninsured and underinsured patients seen in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients (age ≥18) who underwent teleretinal imaging (TRI) at a FQHC between January 2015 and September 2019. TRI gradings and patient demographic and clinical information were abstracted. Factors associated with referral for a dilated eye exam by an ophthalmologist, adherence to recommended follow-up dilated eye exam, and ophthalmology visit attendance were examined. Results: 3130 TRIs were graded in 2216 eyes (1107 patients). 65.2% (N = 722) self-identified as Hispanic and 56.3% (N = 623) required interpreter services. Follow-up dilated fundus examination (DFE) was recommended for 388 TRIs, 49% (N = 190) of which were completed within 1 year. Adherence to the recommended ophthalmology exam was not associated with any baseline clinical or demographic characteristics (p > 0.05). Older age, male sex, hypertension, proteinuria, and higher A1c were significantly associated with greater odds of ophthalmology referral based on TRI (all p < 0.05), after adjusting for covariates. Less severe diabetic retinopathy, no insurance coverage, and Hispanic ethnicity were associated with lower odds of attending an ophthalmology visit, regardless of follow-up recommendations based on TRI (all p < 0.05). Conclusion:In an FQHC serving predominantly uninsured and underinsured patients, only 49% of recommended DFE were completed within one year. Less severe diabetic retinopathy, lack of insurance coverage, and Hispanic ethnicity were associated with a lower likelihood of having a DFE regardless of recommendation. These results suggest that greater system-level efforts are needed to increase adherence to follow-up eye exams after TRI to ensure sight-saving care for underserved populations.

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Primary whole gland cryoablation is an alternative treatment option to radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy for men with organconfined prostate cancer.• Patients had excellent cancer outcomes 1 years after whole gland cryoablation, and patients with PSA nadir 0.1 ng/ml or lower after treatment were less likely to have disease recurrence.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive primary brain tumor in adults. Designing effective individualized therapies for GBM requires quality fresh tissue specimens, and a comprehensive molecular profile of this highly heterogenous neoplasm. Novel neuro-surgical approaches, such as the automated resection NICO Myriad™ system, are increasingly used by neurosurgeons to better reach the invasive front of tumors. However, no information exists on how harvesting GBM tissue using this approach may impact the translational research value of the sample. Here, we set out to characterize matched specimens from 15 patients, where one tissue sample was obtained using traditional tumor de-bulking (herein referred to as “en bloc” sample), and the other sample was obtained using the MyriadTM System (herein referred to as “Myriad” sample). We investigated the fidelity of patient derived xenografts (PDXs) for each sample type to the corresponding human tissues and evaluated the added value of sequencing both samples for each patient. Matched en bloc and Myriad samples processed in parallel, were subjected to the following assays: cell viability, self-renewal, in vivo tumorigenicity using an orthotopic model of glioma, genomic sequencing, and pharmacological testing using PI3K-MTOR pathway inhibitors. Our results demonstrate that primary GBM cultures derived from matched specimens grew at similar rates (correlation coefficient R = 0.72), generated equivalent number of neurospheres, and had equivalent tumorigenic potential in vivo (mouse survival correlation coefficient R = 0.93). DNA Sequencing using the Illumina tumor panel amplicons revealed over 70% concordance in non-synonymous mutations between matched human GBM specimens. PDX genomic profiles were also highly concordant with the corresponding patient tissues (>70%). RNA sequencing of paired GBM samples revealed unique genomic variants and differential gene expression between the en bloc and Myriad specimens, with the former molecularly resembling the “tumor core” and the latter resembling the “invasive tumor front” signature. Functionally, we show that primary-derived GBM cells—obtained after fresh specimen's dissociation—are more effectively growth-inhibited by co-targeting non-overlapping mutations enriched in each sample type, suggesting that profiling both specimens more adequately capture the molecular heterogeneity of GBM and may enhance the design accuracy and efficacy of individualized therapies.

Blood product usage is a quality outcome for patients undergoing cardiac surgery. To address an increase in blood product usage since the discontinuation of aprotinin, blood conservation strategies were initiated at a tertiary hospital in Oakland, CA. Improving transfusion rates for open heart surgery patients requiring Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) involved multiple departments in coordination. Specific changes to conserve blood product usage included advanced CPB technology upgrades, and precise individualized heparin dose response titration assay for heparin and protamine management. Retrospective analysis of blood product usage pre-implementation, post-CPB changes and post-Hemostasis Management System (HMS) implementation was done to determine the effectiveness of the blood conservation strategies. Statistically significant decrease in packed red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma, cryoprecipitate, and platelet usage over the stepped implementation of both technologies was observed. New oxygenator and centrifugal pump technologies reduced active circuitry volume and caused less damage to blood cells. Individualizing heparin and protamine dosing to a patient using the HMS led to transfusion reductions as well. Overall trends toward reductions in hospital length of stay and intensive care unit stay, and as a result, blood product cost and total hospitalization cost are positive over the period of implementation of both CPB circuit changes and HMS implementation. Although they are multifactorial in nature, these trends provide positive enforcement to the changes implemented.

BCR) following either radiotherapy or other local ablative therapies of prostate cancer. Previous studies have assessed long-term oncologic results to include overall disease survival in addition to freedom from starting ADT. We aim to assess oncologic outcomes in addition to de novo stricture, fistula, urinary incontinence, and erectile dysfunction rates.METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all men who underwent salvage cryotherapy following external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), proton beam therapy, primary cryotherapy, and brachytherapy at our institution from 2005 through 2019. Functional and oncologic outcomes were assessed. Biochemical recurrence-free survival was defined based on a combination of the Phoenix and Astro criteria and analyzed using Kaplan-Meier statistics.RESULTS: Of the total 85 patients included, 71 had primary EBRT, 9 had brachytherapy, 3 had combined EBRT and brachytherapy, and 2 had proton beam therapy. All patients had negative staging workups prior to salvage therapy. Recto-urethral fistulas occurred in 2 patients (2.3%), 21 patients (24.4%) developed urethral strictures, and 23 patients (26.7%) reported de novo incontinence requiring pads. 5-year overall biochemical free survival was 49%. A total of 53% of subjects had biochemical recurrence with a mean time of 39 months after salvage treatment. Overall cancer specific survival was 86% and metastasis free survival was 77.9%. There was not a statistically significant correlation identified between pretreatment PSA and timing to BCR R 2 [0.05 p[0.129. One patient did not have a PSA response after salvage cryotherapy and went on to develop metastatic disease.CONCLUSIONS: Salvage cryotherapy remains one of the few potentially curative interventions following primary radiotherapy for prostate cancer. This study highlights the necessity for patient counseling given the side effect profile.

Living in the United States as an immigrant from Haiti since the age of twelve, Edwidge Danticat understands the hardships that come with being considered an outsider. This results in Danticat representing both Haitian and Haitian-American oral traditions in her writing of Krik? Krak!, which is seen through her use of a variety of storytelling techniques and traditions, such as call and response and Axel Olrik's epic laws of oral folk narrative. The presence of these techniques in "Night Women" and "Caroline's Wedding" results in a comparison of the importance of orality in Haiti and America. Through the use of these storytelling traditions and the comparison of Haiti and America in both these stories, Danticat presents orality as a means of escaping present-day reality and preserving the past, which together create a cultural inheritance for the individual characters and strengthen one's sense of self and sense of community; thus Danticat draws attention to the role orality plays for individuals struggling with being an outsider both within and outside of one's home. Since the discovery of Haiti in 1492 by Christopher Columbus, the Haitian people have been struggling with dehumanization and poverty. This has resulted in a cultural emphasis of orality as a means of survival. When Danticat was born in Haiti in 1969, Haiti was being run under a dictatorship. Nonetheless, when looking at the stories in Krik? Krak!, it scarcely matters when in Haiti's history it took place, for Haiti has never had genuine self-determining governance. The Haitian people have always suffered from extreme violence, oppression and poverty, whether from outside forces or Haitian rulers. This results in Haitians feeling like outsiders in their own homes. Therefore, even though