Search

Introduction Orthodontics is evolving with advances in 3D imaging, additive fabrication, digital scanning, and treatment planning. With digital tools, orthodontic treatment may become more predictable, efficient, and effective while reducing side-effects. These technologies are affecting patient care, but knowledge of their adoption patterns and influence is incomplete. We aimed to identify adoption decision makers, information sources, perspectives, incentives, and barriers. Methods Twenty-four privately practicing orthodontists were interviewed in a semistructured format following a topic guide. Interview transcripts were analyzed to identify factors in technology adoption and its perceived influence on practice. Thematic patterns were established through iterative systematic analysis, and qualitative validity was ensured with researcher triangulation. Results Qualitative interviews revealed that orthodontists make purchasing decisions independently from staff, after consulting other dentists and company representatives. Meetings, residency training, and continuing education courses are influential information sources, whereas research literature is not. Early and middle adopters are integrating digital imaging, planning, and fabrication technologies into practice and view enhanced ease of use, capabilities, performance, and procedural efficiency as primary incentives to adoption. Improving outcomes and patient comfort are not frequently cited as incentives, and all interviewees view cost as the largest barrier. Orthodontists positively perceive the influence of technology on their practices, but are concerned that further innovation and direct-to-consumer products will cause loss of market share. Conclusions CAD/CAM appliances, 3D imaging, and digital treatment planning are viewed as future standards of care and are increasingly being incorporated into the orthodontic office. Understanding the technology adoption process can guide innovation to improve treatment and ease the transition into a digital workflow.

Purpose: When patients with advanced cancer have minor children (age < 18), their health-related quality of life is closely linked to their concerns about the impact of progressive illness and death on their children. The Parenting Concerns Questionnaire (PCQ), a validated measure for parents with cancer, does not capture the full range of concerns in advanced cancer. The aim of this was study was to adapt and establish psychometrics for the PCQ for advanced disease (PCQ-AD). Methods: After generating an initial item-bank, we conducted concept elicitation interviews with clinicians (n = 8) and cognitive interviews with patients (n = 23) for face validity. New items addressed concerns about impact of parental death, making every moment count, communication, and financial impact of cancer on children. We administered 21 candidate items to 151 parents with advanced cancer. We conducted confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), calculated internal consistency, and assessed convergent and known-groups validity. Results: We removed 8 redundant items due to residual covariation between items. CFA of the 13-item PCQ-AD demonstrated satisfactory fit (CFI = 0.971, TLI = 0.966, RMSEA = 0.081) and high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.94, composite reliability = 0.95). The PCQ-AD demonstrated convergent validity and known-groups validity; patients with poor functional status reported higher scores than patients with better functional status (Cohen’s d = 0.56, p = 0.002). Conclusion: Adaptation of the PCQ yielded the addition of constructs important in advanced cancer. The PCQ-AD appears to be a reliable and valid measure of parenting concerns in advanced cancer, but future studies are needed to examine measure performance in diverse populations and responsiveness of the PCQ-AD to interventions.

Background: Grieving adults raising parentally-bereaved minor children experience persistently elevated symptoms of depression and grief. However, the factors associated with their mental health outcomes are not well understood. Aim: To investigate the psychosocial and demographic characteristics associated with grief distress and depressive symptom severity in bereaved adults with minor children. Design: Cross-sectional, web-based survey. Setting/participants: Eight hundred forty-five bereaved adults raising minor (age Results: Mean grief scores were 33.5; mean depression scores were 58.3. Among the 690 individuals more than 6 months bereaved, 132 (19.3%) met criteria for prolonged grief disorder. In adjusted models, participants reporting higher grief scores were more recently bereaved, identified as mothers, non-Caucasian, had lower education and income, and had not anticipated their co-parent’s death. The statistical modeling results for depression scores were similar to grief scores except that depression was not associated with anticipation of co-parent death. Parents reporting lower WPSES scores had higher grief and depression scores. Retrospective assessments of more intense parenting worries at the time of co-parent death were also associated with higher grief and depression scores. Conclusions: For bereaved adults with minor children, unanticipated co-parent death was linked with higher grief distress but not symptoms of depression. Addressing parenting concerns may represent a common pathway for improving the mental health of parentally-bereaved families.

BACKGROUND Cancer is a leading cause of death among women of parenting age in the United States. Women living with advanced or incurable cancer who have dependent children experience high rates of depression and anxiety as well as unique parenting challenges. To the authors' knowledge, few studies to date have examined the parenting factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in women with advanced cancer. METHODS The authors conducted a cross-sectional, Web-based survey of the psychosocial concerns of 224 women with a tumor-node-metastasis staging system of the AJCC stage IV solid tumor malignancy who had at least 1 child aged

Background The importance of addressing adverse financial effects of cancer among adolescents and young adults (AYAs) is paramount as survival improves. In the current study, the authors examined whether cancer-related employment disruption was associated with financial hardship among female AYA cancer survivors in North Carolina and California. Methods AYA cancer survivors identified through the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry and the Kaiser Permanente Northern/Southern California tumor registries responded to an online survey. Disrupted employment was defined as reducing hours, taking temporary leave, or stopping work completely because of cancer. Financial hardship was defined as material conditions or psychological distress related to cancer. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to characterize the invited sample and survey respondents. Marginal structural binomial regression models were used to estimate prevalence differences (PDs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Results Among 1328 women employed at the time of their diagnosis, women were a median age of 34 years at the time of diagnosis and 7 years from diagnosis at the time of the survey and approximately 32% experienced employment disruption. A substantial percentage reported financial hardship related to material conditions (27%) or psychological distress (50%). In adjusted analyses, women with disrupted employment had a 17% higher burden of material conditions (95% CI, 10%-23%) and an 8% higher burden of psychological distress (95% CI, 1%-16%) compared with those without disruption. Conclusions Financial hardship related to employment disruption among female AYA cancer survivors can be substantial. Interventions to promote job maintenance and transition back to the workforce after treatment, as well as improved workplace accommodations and benefits, present an opportunity to improve cancer survivorship.

TPS600 Background: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) results in eradication of cancer in the axillary nodes in 40% to 70% of patients. This raises questions about the benefit of further axillary treatment in those patients with no evidence of residual nodal disease (ypN0) after NACT. Methods: Design: ATNEC is a phase 3, randomised (1:1), multi-centre trial, with embedded economic evaluation, comparing standard axillary treatment (axillary lymph node dissection [ALND] or axillary radiotherapy [ART]) with no further axillary treatment in T1-3N1M0 breast cancer patients with needle biopsy proven axillary nodal metastases, who after NACT have no residual nodal disease (ypN0) on dual tracer sentinel node biopsy (SNB) and removal of at least 3 nodes (sentinel nodes and marked involved node). Stratification: Institution, type of surgery (breast conserving surgery vs mastectomy), receptor status (triple negative vs HER2 positive vs ER positive and/or PR positive and HER2 negative). Inclusion criteria are: Age ≥ 18, Male or female, T1-3N1M0 breast cancer at diagnosis (pre-NACT), FNA or core biopsy confirmed axillary nodal metastases at presentation, ER and HER2 status evaluated on primary tumour, received standard NACT as per local guidelines, ultrasound of the axilla at completion of NACT, dual tracer SNB after NACT and at least 3 nodes removed (sentinel nodes and marked node), no evidence of nodal metastases post NACT (ypN0). Exclusion criteria are: bilateral invasive breast cancer, SNB prior to NACT, marked node not removed except where at least one node removed shows evidence of down-staging with complete pathological response e.g. fibrosis/scarring and at least 3 nodes removed, previous ipsilateral axillary surgery, previous cancer within last 5 years or concomitant malignancy except basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, in situ carcinoma of the cervix, in situ or stage 1 melanoma, contra- or ipsilateral in situ breast cancer. Aims: To assess whether, omitting further axillary treatment (ALND and ART) for patients with early stage breast cancer and axillary nodal metastases on needle biopsy - who after NACT have no residual nodal disease on SNB (ypN0) - is non-inferior to axillary treatment in terms of disease free survival, and reduces the risk of lymphoedema at 5 years. Statistical methods: All analyses will be carried out on an intention-to-treat basis to preserve randomisation, avoid bias from exclusions and preserve statistical power. Radiotherapy quality assurance: Study has in-built radiotherapy QA programme that will be co-ordinated by National Radiotherapy Trials QA (RTTQA) group. Target accrual: 1900. Trial status: Recruiting. Number of sites: 100. Clinical trial information: NCT04109079.

Background: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) results in eradication of cancer in the axillary lymph nodes in 40% to 70% of patients. This has raised questions about the benefit of further axillary treatment in these patients with no evidence of residual disease in the lymph nodes. Trial design: A multi-centre phase III randomised controlled trial with embedded economic evaluation in which participants will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio. Study participants: T1-3N1M0 breast cancer patients aged 18 years or older, with needle biopsy proven nodal metastases, who after NACT have no residual cancer in the lymph nodes on dual tracer sentinel node biopsy and removal of at least 3 lymph nodes (sentinel nodes and marked involved node). Intervention: Participants in the experimental group will not receive further axillary treatment (axillary lymph node dissection [ALND] or axillary radiotherapy [ART]), after NACT and surgery. Participants in the control group will receive further axillary treatment (ALND or ART) after NACT and surgery, as per local guidelines. Stratification: Institution, type of breast surgery (breast conserving surgery (BCS) vs mastectomy), receptor status (triple negative vs HER2 positive vs ER status positive and/or PR status positive and HER2 negative) Eligible participants will be/should have:•Age ≥ 18•Male or female •T1-3N1M0 breast cancer at diagnosis (prior to NACT) •FNA or core biopsy confirmed axillary nodal metastases at presentation •Oestrogen receptor and HER2 status evaluated on primary tumour •Received standard NACT as per local guidelines (Patients undergoing neoadjuvant endocrine therapy as part of another clinical trial are eligible) •Ultrasound of the axilla at completion of NACT •Undergo dual tracer sentinel node biopsy after NACT and at least 3 nodes removed (sentinel nodes and marked node). If axillary node sampling is performed following failed localisation of sentinel nodes, patient will be eligible if at least 3 nodes removed (including the marked node) •No evidence of nodal metastases post NACT (isolated tumour cells, micro or macro metastasis) Participants will be excluded if they have any one of the following:•Bilateral invasive breast cancer•Sentinel node biopsy prior to NACT•Marked node not removed except where at least one node removed showsoevidence of down-staging with complete pathological response e.g. fibrosis or scarring and at least 3 nodes removed•Previous axillary surgery on the same body side as the scheduled targeted sampling•Any previous cancer within last 5 years or concomitant malignancy except basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, in situ carcinoma of the cervix oin situ or stage 1 melanoma, contra- or ipsilateral in situ breast cancer Specific aims: To assess whether, omitting further axillary treatment (ALND and ART) for patients with early stage breast cancer and axillary nodal metastases on needle biopsy, who after NACT have no residual cancer in the lymph nodes on sentinel node biopsy, is non-inferior to axillary treatment in terms of disease free survival (DFS), and reduces the risk of lymphoedema at 5 years.Statistical methods: All analyses will be carried out on an intention-to-treat basis to preserve randomisation, avoid bias from exclusions and preserve statistical power. Target accrual: 1900, Number of sites: ~100 ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04109079 Contact information: atnec@warwick.ac.uk Disclaimer: This study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment (HTA) programme (Reference - HTA NIHR128311). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. Citation Format: Amit Goyal, Sophie Cramp, Duncan Wheatley, Andrea Marshall, Shama Puri, Tara Homer, Luke Vale, Romaana Mir, Zohal Nabi, Janice Rose, Helen Teresa Edwards, Samreen Ahmed, Abeer Shaaban, Beatrix Elsberger, Julie Bruce, Sophie Gasson, Valerie Speirs, Jacqui Shaw, Helen Higgins, Janet Dunn. Axillary management in T1-3N1M0 breast cancer patients with needle biopsy proven nodal metastases at presentation after neoadjuvant chemotherapy - ATNEC (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04109079) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2020 San Antonio Breast Cancer Virtual Symposium; 2020 Dec 8-11; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(4 Suppl):Abstract nr OT-04-01.

Background & Aims A large proportion of patients with cirrhosis are seen only by their primary care provider (PCP). Surveillance for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) therefore depends on PCPs in these cases. We aimed to assess PCP knowledge and practice of HCC surveillance. Methods We contacted a random sample of 1000 North Carolina PCPs by mail. All PCPs contacted received an introductory letter followed by a 12-item questionnaire addressing HCC surveillance knowledge and practice. Results A total of 391 PCPs (39%) completed the survey; 89% saw patients with cirrhosis in their practice, but only 45% screened for HCC. Among PCPs who screened for HCC, the most common methods were ultrasound analysis and measurement of α-fetoprotein level (66%). Reasons for surveillance included supported by evidence (72%), recommended by medical societies (42%), and malpractice liability for not performing surveillance (26%). Of PCPs who did not screen, 84% referred to gastroenterologists for surveillance decisions, 24% were unaware of recommendations, 8% were uncertain of the benefits, and 8% were concerned about cost. Hepatic resection and liver transplantation were identified as effective therapies by 67% and 56% of PCPs, respectively, but all other effective therapies were identified by less than half (transarterial chemoembolization by 42%, radiofrequency ablation by 35%, and sorafenib by 26%). The ability to identify at least 1 effective therapy was associated independently with surveillance (odds ratio, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.1–4.0). Conclusions Most PCPs see patients with cirrhosis, but only a minority screen for HCC. PCP knowledge of effective HCC therapy options is suboptimal. Efforts to enlist PCPs in HCC surveillance may be best served by increasing their knowledge of effective therapies.

Objective Effective physician communication about prognosis is a critical aspect of quality care for families affected by terminal illness. This is particularly important for spousal caregivers of terminally ill parents of dependent children, who may have unique needs for communication about anticipated death. The objective of this study was to explore end-of-life prognostic communication experiences reported by bereaved fathers whose wives died from cancer. Methods From October 2012 to November 2013 we surveyed widowed fathers whose wives died from cancer through an open-access educational website. The survey included the following open-ended questions regarding prognostic communication: ‘What is the most important thing you would like us to know about whether/how your wife's doctors communicated with you about her anticipated death? What do you wish had been different, if anything?’ We performed traditional content analysis of responses. Two researchers coded and categorized the data. Results Two hundred forty-four men responded to the survey questions on prognostic communication. Major themes addressed by respondents were the importance of clear and honest communication and physician bedside manner. They also identified unmet information needs, including wanting to know prognosis sooner. Relevant sub-themes included death coming as a surprise, avoidance, and caregiver regret. Conclusions Surviving spouses due to cancer can provide important insights for health care providers about optimum prognostic communication at the end of life. Increased physician attention to the communication preferences of both patients and their partners may improve bereavement outcomes for family members. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Context Parenting concerns are a major source of distress for patients with advanced cancer. However, validated tools to measure this construct in advanced cancer patients are lacking. Objectives The Parenting Concerns Questionnaire (PCQ) is the only tool available to assess parenting concerns in cancer patients, yet its psychometric properties have not been fully evaluated. Methods This cross-sectional Web-based survey of the psychosocial concerns included 211 women with Stage IV solid tumor malignancy who had at least one minor child in the home. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires assessing parenting concerns, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), depression and anxiety symptoms, and sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Internal consistency was assessed by computing Cronbach's alpha. Convergent validity was evaluated using correlations of the PCQ with anxiety and depression symptom severity and HRQOL. We examined the PCQ's underlying dimensions with confirmatory factor analysis. Results The mean total PCQ score for the sample was 2.2 (SD, 0.7), corresponding to "a little bit concerned." Internal consistency was 0.82. The PCQ demonstrated adequate convergent validity with expected correlations with anxiety ( r = 0.49) and depression ( r = 0.56) symptom severity, and HRQOL ( r = −0.61). The original three-factor structure was not fully supported by confirmatory factor analysis. Conclusion The PCQ assesses a unique aspect of psychological distress in cancer patients. It demonstrated adequate reliability and convergent validity, but its original three-factor structure was not supported in a population of patients with metastatic cancer. The PCQ would benefit from further testing and refinement to enhance its representation of parenting concerns in metastatic cancer.

Do biobanks enact policies and plans that allow them to anticipate and respond to potential challenges? If a biobank has one such policy or plan, is it likely to have more? Using survey data from 456 U.S. biobanks, we assess four possible indicators of such "forward-thinking."We present response frequencies and cross-tabulations regarding policies for return of results and ownership of specimens, and for having a formal business plan and a plan for what happens to specimens if the biobank closes. We analyze the relationships among these indicators, using chi-square for tests of statistical significance.Policies-Sixty-two percent of biobanks have a policy about returning individual research results; 70% have a policy designating ownership of specimens and/or technology. Having these two policies is significantly related (p 0.001). Plans-34% of biobanks have a formal business plan; 26% have a written plan for what will happen to the specimens if the biobank closes. Having these two plans is significantly related (p 0.001). Relationships among indicators-only 7% of biobanks are forward-thinking across all four indicators; 12% are forward-thinking across none.The two policies we examined tend to occur together, as do the two plans. These policies and plans seem to tap different aspects of accountability and responsiveness. Specifically, the policies reflect issues most commonly raised in the ethical and legal literature on biobanking, while the plans are indicators of sustainability, a separate area of concern in biobanking.

Objective Despite the importance of parenting-related responsibilities for adult patients with terminal illnesses who have dependent children, little is known about the psychological concerns of dying parents and their families at the end of life (EOL). The aim of this study was to elicit widowed fathers’ perspectives on how parental status may have influenced the EOL experiences of mothers with advanced cancer. Subjects 344 men identified themselves through an open-access educational website as widowed fathers who had lost a spouse to cancer and were raising dependent children. Methods Participants completed a web-based survey about their wife9s EOL experience and cancer history, and their own depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, CES-D) and bereavement (Texas Revised Inventory of Grief, TRIG) symptoms. Descriptive statistics, Fisher9s exact tests, and linear regression modelling were used to evaluate relationships between variables. Results According to fathers, 38% of mothers had not said goodbye to their children before death and 26% were not at all ‘at peace with dying.’ Ninety per cent of widowed fathers reported that their spouse was worried about the strain on their children at the EOL. Fathers who reported clearer prognostic communication between wife and physician had lower CES-D and TRIG scores. Conclusions To improve EOL care for seriously ill patients and their families, we must understand the concerns of parents with dependent children. These data underscore the importance of parenting-related worries in this population and the need for additional clinical and research programmes devoted to addressing these issues.

Introduction Cellular fibroadenomas (CFA) are difficult to distinguish from phyllodes tumor (PT) at biopsy. This study's purpose was to determine what CFA characteristics were associated with recommendations to follow-up or excise and if the current algorithm was correct. Materials and methods Databases from 2002 to 2014 were reviewed. Mass characteristics and post biopsy recommendations were recorded. Results 81 CFAs were diagnosed; 19 cellular and 62 with slightly cellular stroma. 21 masses were surgically excised with 2 PTs diagnosed. Conclusion Larger mass size and increased histologic cellularity were associated with excision recommendation, but only clinical growth was associated with PT.

Biobanks require new governance models that address their ethical and regulatory challenges. One model relies on stewardship of specimens throughout their life course. Here, we discuss findings from our survey of 456 U.S. biobank managers that addressed whether and how biobanks steward their specimens. The findings reveal that most bio-banks do not create ongoing relationships with contributors but do practice stewardship over storing and sharing of specimens. Biobanks now need guidance to fully articulate stewardship practices that ensure respect for contributors while facilitating research.

Background Global coronary heart disease (CHD) risk assessment is recommended to guide primary preventive pharmacotherapy. However, little is known about physicians' understanding and use of global CHD risk assessment. Our objective was to examine US physicians' awareness, use, and attitudes regarding global CHD risk assessment in clinical practice, and how these vary by provider specialty. Methods Using a web-based survey of US family physicians, general internists, and cardiologists, we examined awareness of tools available to calculate CHD risk, method and use of CHD risk assessment, attitudes towards CHD risk assessment, and frequency of using CHD risk assessment to guide recommendations of aspirin, lipid-lowering and blood pressure (BP) lowering therapies for primary prevention. Characteristics of physicians indicating they use CHD risk assessments were compared in unadjusted and adjusted analyses. Results A total of 952 physicians completed the questionnaire, with 92% reporting awareness of tools available to calculate CHD global risk. Among those aware of such tools, over 80% agreed that CHD risk calculation is useful, improves patient care, and leads to better decisions about recommending preventive therapies. However, only 41% use CHD risk assessment in practice. The most commonly reported barrier to CHD risk assessment is that it is too time consuming. Among respondents who calculate global CHD risk, 69% indicated they use it to guide lipid lowering therapy recommendations; 54% use it to guide aspirin therapy recommendations; and 48% use it to guide BP lowering therapy. Only 40% of respondents who use global CHD risk routinely tell patients their risk. Use of a personal digital assistant or smart phone was associated with reported use of CHD risk assessment (adjusted OR 1.58; 95% CI 1.17-2.12). Conclusions Reported awareness of tools to calculate global CHD risk appears high, but the majority of physicians in this sample do not use CHD risk assessments in practice. A minority of physicians in this sample use global CHD risk to guide prescription decisions or to motivate patients. Educational interventions and system improvements to improve physicians' effective use of global CHD risk assessment should be developed and tested.

Objective To examine US physicians' self-reported knowledge about the Polypill, factors considered in deciding whether to prescribe it, and acceptance of prescribing it for cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention. Methods Numerical scales of 0 (lowest) to 5 (highest) were used to assess self-reported knowledge and importance of factors relevant to making a decision to prescribe a Polypill. Characteristics of physicians indicating they would prescribe a Polypill were compared. Results Among 952 physicians surveyed February through March 2010, mean self-rated knowledge about the Polypill was 2.0 ± 1.5. Importance of degree of CVD event reduction, cost, and side effects were rated with means of 4.4, 4.3, and 4.3, respectively. 83% of respondents indicated they would “definitely” or “probably” prescribe it for high-risk patients; 62% would do so for moderate risk patients. Physicians with self-rated knowledge at ≥ 75th percentile were more likely to indicate they would prescribe a Polypill for moderate risk (adjusted OR 2.16; 95% CI 1.60–2.93) and high-risk (adjusted OR 1.57; 95% CI 1.07–2.32) patients. Conclusion Among this sample of physicians, there is relatively high acceptance of prescribing a Polypill for CVD prevention despite relatively modest knowledge about it.

Progress in the biomedical sciences has accelerated enormously over the last two decades. Technology to enable discovery of ligands to perturb the function of biological targets has also advanced such that many complementary approaches exist for creating small molecule tools to interrogate biological processes and potentially serve as drug leads.1 However, while pharmaceutical industry investment in R&D has grown exponentially, approval of new medicines has remained constant2 and pricing pressures and litigation have further eroded profitability.3 Frequent mergers, reorganizations and reductions in scientific staff in the for-profit drug discovery sector have made it increasingly difficult for a research project or strategy to bear fruit before it is abandoned for nontechnical reasons.4 As a result, there is a growing trend for large pharmaceutical companies to externalize the early phases of drug discovery via either active partnerships or opportunistic in-licensing of novel compounds. In this context, there is a clear societal need for enhanced innovation and productivity in drug discovery in order for advances in biomedical research to result in new medicines. Academia is a critical area where innovation in drug discovery can flourish. Indeed, two recent reviews provided strong support for the role of academics and biotechnology companies (often spawned from academia) in producing 56% of the new small molecule and biologic drugs judged by the FDA to warrant priority review in the period spanning 1998-2007.5, 6 While over the years individual investigators in academia have been successful at small molecule drug discovery, the conditions outlined above have led to more formal academic drug discovery (ADD) efforts during the last decade. This trend has been noted and a number of scientists engaged in this endeavor have provided commentary on the emerging field.7-11 However, the analyses to date have relied almost exclusively on expert opinion and very rarely upon data. In the current article we report the results of a scientific survey of academic and non-profit drug discovery entities in the United States and our analysis of the current state of this enterprise and prospects for the future. We intentionally excluded work on large molecules such as monoclonal antibodies or siRNA because our intent was to capture the emerging trend of systematic focus on small molecule drug discovery. To accomplish this we utilized survey methodology currently employed in organizational and general social science research, as described in the Supplementary Materials. Seventy-eight units were identified as small molecule drug discovery centers sited within universities or non-profit research organizations and our response rate was 71% which compares very favorably to average response rates in web surveys.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae resistant to high levels of spectinomycin (more than 2,048 μg/ml), were isolated from specimens obtained from a patient with urethritis. The bacterial resistance to spectinomycin is probably due to ribosomal changes that are a result of a chromosomal mutation. If spectinomycin fails to cure gonorrhea, spectinomycin resistance should be considered. ( JAMA 237:2405-2406, 1977)

Background Achieving a high response rate in a physician survey is challenging. Monetary incentives increase response rates but obviously add cost to a survey project. We wondered whether an offer of a free continuing medical education (CME) activity would be effective in improving survey response rate. Results As part of a survey of a national sample of physicians, we randomized half to an offer for a free on-line CME activity upon completion of a web-based survey and the other half to no such offer. We compared response rates between the groups. A total of 1214 out of 8477 potentially eligible physicians responded to our survey, for an overall response rate of 14.3%. The response rate among the control group (no offer of CME credit) was 16.6%, while among those offered the CME opportunity, the response rate was 12.0% (p < 0.0001). Conclusions An offer for a free on-line CME activity did not improve physician survey response rate. On the contrary, the offer for a free CME activity actually appeared to worsen the response rate.

Background Effective translational biomedical research hinges on the operation of 'biobanks,' repositories that assemble, store, and manage collections of human specimens and related data. Some are established intentionally to address particular research needs; many, however, have arisen opportunistically, in a variety of settings and with a variety of expectations regarding their functions and longevity. Despite their rising prominence, little is known about how biobanks are organized and function beyond simple classification systems (government, academia, industry). Methods In 2012, we conducted the first national survey of biobanks in the U.S., collecting information on their origins, specimen collections, organizational structures, and market contexts and sustainability. From a list of 636 biobanks assembled through a multi-faceted search strategy, representatives from 456 U.S. biobanks were successfully recruited for a 30-minute online survey (72% response rate). Both closed and open-ended responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results While nearly two-thirds of biobanks were established within the last decade, 17% have been in existence for over 20 years. Fifty-three percent listed research on a particular disease as the most important reason for establishment; 29% listed research generally. Other reasons included response to a grant or gift, and intent to centralize, integrate, or harmonize existing research structures. Biobank collections are extraordinarily diverse in number and types of specimens and in sources (often multiple) from which they are obtained, including from individuals, clinics or hospitals, public health programs, and research studies. Forty-four percent of biobanks store pediatric specimens, and 36% include postmortem specimens. Most biobanks are affiliated in one or multiple ways with other entities: 88% are part of at least one or more larger organizations (67% of these are academic, 23% hospitals, 13% research institutes). The majority of biobanks seem to fill a particular 'niche' within a larger organization or research area; a minority are concerned about competition for services, although many are worried about underutilization of specimens and long-term funding. Conclusions Effective utilization of biobank collections and effective policies to govern their use will require understanding of the immense diversity found in organizational features, including the very different history and primary goals that many biobanks have.