Rapid detection of live pathogens is of paramount importance to ensure food safety. At present, nucleic acid-based polymerase chain reaction and antibody-based lateral flow assays are the primary methods of choice for rapid detection, but these are prone to interference from inhibitors, and resident microbes. Moreover, the positive results may neither assure virulence potential nor viability of the analyte. In contrast, the mammalian cell-based assay detects pathogen interaction with the host cells and is responsive to only live pathogens, but the short shelf-life of the mammalian cells is the major impediment for its widespread application. An innovative approach to prolong the shelf-life of mammalian cells by using formalin was undertaken. Formalin (4% formaldehyde)-fixed human ileocecal adenocarcinoma cell line, HCT-8 on 24-well tissue culture plates was used for the capture of viable pathogens while an antibody was used for specific detection. The specificity of the <u>M</u>ammalian <u>C</u>ell-based <u>I</u>mmuno<u>A</u>ssay (MaCIA) was validated with <i>Salmonella enterica</i> serovar Enteritidis and Typhimurium as model pathogens and further confirmed against a panel of 15 S. Enteritidis strains, 8 S. Typhimurium,11 other <i>Salmonella</i> serovars, and 14 non-<i>Salmonella</i> spp. The total detection time (sample-to-result) of MaCIA with artificially inoculated ground chicken, eggs, milk, and cake mix at 1-10 CFU/25 g was 16-21 h using a traditional enrichment set up but the detection time was shortened to 10-12 h using direct on-cell (MaCIA) enrichment. Formalin-fixed stable cell monolayers in MaCIA provide longer shelf-life (at least 14 weeks) for possible point-of-need deployment and multi-sample testing on a single plate.

There is an increased number of childhood cancer survivors living into adulthood. As more survivors live into adulthood, researchers have been able to study and better understand the late effects of cancer treatment. A well-known late effect of cancer treatment is the risk of infertility. Cancer-related infertility is a source of distress to cancer survivors. There have been many advances to fertility preservation over the last few years and there are now multiple options available for both men and women. Despite the improved understanding of the risk of cancer-related infertility and advances to fertility preservation treatment, these services remain underutilized by cancer patients. It is known that discussing fertility preservation options with newly diagnosed cancer patients improves survivors’ long-term quality of life and reduces decisional regret, regardless of if they pursue fertility preservation treatment. Survivors often report that the risk of treatment-related infertility and/or available fertility preservation options was often inadequately or not discussed with them at the time of diagnosis. The use of fertility preservation decision aids for adult patients newly diagnosed with cancer have been proven to be effective at improving participants’ knowledge surrounding fertility preservation, reducing decisional conflict, and reducing long term decisional regret. A fertility preservation decision aid has not yet been developed for use by adolescents newly diagnosed with childhood cancer. This study aims to engage survivors and providers to develop a fertility preservation decision aid to improve the decision quality of adolescents newly diagnosed with childhood cancer who are determining their preferences on accepting a referral to a fertility specialist. This study then proposes to field test the decision aid with newly diagnosed patients. The use of a decision aid will lead adolescents with childhood cancer to have increased knowledge on the risk of infertility and the fertility preservation options available. This study also aims to lower participants’ levels of decisional conflict about their fertility preferences. There is a need to incorporate the use of a fertility preservation decision aid into childhood cancer treatment. If this decision aid proves effective, referral to the fertility preservation decision aid may become common practice at the time of initial diagnosis. If the decision aid is effect at improving decision quality and reducing decisional conflict, survivors may experience long-term benefits including improved quality of life and reduced levels of decisional regret.

BACKGROUND: There are currently an estimated 250,000 female cancer survivors of reproductive age living in the US. Loss of fertility is an issue many cancer survivors face after treatment, as all forms of cancer therapy can cause infertility. Methods to preserve fertility can be initiated prior to cancer therapy. These methods include embryo cryopreservation, oocyte cryopreservation, fertility sparing surgery, ovarian tissue cryopreservation, ovarian transposition, and medical therapy. LITERATURE REVIEW: Although the clinical guidelines state that oncologists should discuss the risk of infertility with every patient of reproductive age and should refer every patient who is interested in or ambivalent towards fertility preservation to reproductive endocrinologists, studies have shown that a significant proportion of female cancer patients report never receiving information about fertility. Even fewer female cancer patients are referred to reproductive endocrinologists for further discussion and/or potential treatment. PROPOSED PROJECT: Oncologists at Boston Medical Center will be recruited to participate in a study that measures the effect of an educational intervention on referral rate to reproductive endocrinology. The knowledge gained from the intervention will be assessed with a pre- and post-test. The proportion of female patients age 18-45 referred to reproductive endocrinology will be evaluated through the Electronic Medical Record System. The correlation between knowledge gain and change in referral rates will also be assessed. CONCLUSION: Fertility after cancer treatment is an essential issue to consider for young cancer survivors. These patients benefit from being referred to reproductive endocrinologists so that they can get information about fertility preservation and undergo treatment in a timely fashion. Improving and/or reinforcing oncologist knowledge about this topic will increase the rate at which they initiate this conversation and therefore the number of female patients who are referred to reproductive endocrinology. SIGNIFICANCE: Providing female cancer patients with information about and opportunities to undergo fertility preservation will maximize their options. This will lead to a higher quality of life after cancer therapy.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.