Innovation Award Research Articles

The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) Honors Its 2023 Innovator Award Winners

The Association of Community Cancer Centers (ACCC) Honors Its 2023 Innovator Award Winners

Evaluating the Efficacy of Connected Healthcare: An Empirical Examination of Patient Engagement Approaches and Their Impact on Readmission

Connected healthcare is a form of health delivery that connects patients and providers through connected health devices, allowing providers to monitor patient behavior and proactively intervene before an adverse event occurs. Unlike the costs, the benefits of connected healthcare in improving patient behavior and health outcomes are usually difficult to determine. In this study, we examine the efficacy of a connected health system that aimed to reduce readmissions through improved medication adherence. Specifically, we study 975 patients with heart disease who received electronic pill bottles that tracked medication adherence. Patients who were nonadherent received active social support that involved different types of feedback, such as text messages and calls. By integrating data on adherence, intervention, and readmission, we aim to (1) investigate the efficacy of connected healthcare in promoting medication adherence, (2) examine the relationship between medication adherence and readmission, and (3) develop a dynamic readmission risk-scoring model that considers medication adherence and use the model to better target nonadherent patients. Our findings suggest that patients are more likely to become adherent when they or their partners receive high levels of intervention that involve personalized feedback and when the intervention is escalated quickly and consistently. We also find that long-term adherence to three common heart medications is strongly associated with reduced readmission risk. Lastly, using counterfactual simulation, we apply the dynamic readmission risk-scoring model to our setting and find that, when using an intervention strategy that prioritizes high-risk patients, we obtain 10% fewer readmissions while using the same effort level from the patient support team. This paper was accepted by Jayashankar Swaminathan, operations management. Funding: The randomized, controlled trial was funded by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation [Healthcare Innovation Award 1C1CMS331009]. Supplemental Material: The data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4865 .

From UX to Instructional Design: Supporting Rural Teachers in Transforming Students’ Reading Interests Into Academic Success

This design case records a design competition project in which the team adapted various user experience (UX) design methodologies to instructional design in support of China’s K-6 rural school teachers for the increasingly challenging teaching requirements on reading literacy. The solution landed on a mobile application design, YoungRead. The project is the winner of the University of Michigan Learning Levers Development Award and the Zell Lurie Institute Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award in 2020. This design case will describe the design process and how the adapted UX design model may be used in similar instructional design situations to facilitate under-resourced teachers in developing professional skills to bridge students’ reading interests and academic achievement.

Editorial introductions.

Editorial introductions.

Transitions in development - an interview with Evgeny Kvon.

Evgeny Kvon is an Assistant Professor at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) in the Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, USA. His lab studies non-coding regulatory DNA and its mechanistic role in the control of gene expression to understand more about development, disease and evolution. Last year, Evgeny received the National Institutes of Health Director's New Innovator Award. We spoke to Evgeny over Zoom to learn more about his career and the silver lining to starting a lab during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Preface to the 9th Biennial COAST Conference: Harnessing Technology and Biomedicine for Personalized Orthodontics.

The Consortium on Orthodontic Advances in Science and Technology (COAST) convened for its 9th biennial conference titled 'Harnessing Technology and Biomedicine for Personalized Orthodontics' to explore cutting-edge craniofacial research towards building the foundations for precision care in orthodontics. Seventy-five faculty, scholars, private practitioners, industry, residents and students met at the UCLA Arrowhead Lodge on 6-9 November 2022 for networking, scientific presentations and facilitated discussions. Thirty-three speakers provided state-of-the-art, evidence-based scientific and perspective updates in craniofacial and orthodontic-related fields. The overall format included an Education Innovation Award Faculty Development Career Enrichment (FaCE) workshop focused on faculty career development, three lunch and learns, keynote or short talks and poster presentations. The 2022 COAST Conference was organized thematically to include (a) genes, cells and environment in craniofacial development and abnormalities; (b) precision modulation of tooth movement, retention and facial growth; (c) applications of artificial intelligence in craniofacial health; (d) precision approaches to Sleep Medicine, OSA and TMJ therapies; and (e) precision technologies and appliances. The collective advances in orthodontics and science represented in the manuscripts of this issue fulfil our goal of laying solid foundations for personalized orthodontics. Participants elevated the need for stronger industry-academic research partnerships to leverage knowledge gained from large datasets with treatment approaches and outcomes; systematizing the potential of big data including through multi-omics and artificial intelligence approaches; refining the genotype: phenotype correlation to create biotechnology that will rescue inherited dental and craniofacial defects; evolving studies of tooth movement, sleep apnoea and TMD treatment to accurately measure dysfunction and treatment successes; and maximizing the integration of newer orthodontic devices and digital workflows. Technological advances combined with those in biomedicine and machine learning are rapidly changing the delivery of health care including that in orthodontics. These advances promise to lead to enhanced customization, efficiencies and outcomes of patient care in routine orthodontic problems and in severe craniofacial problems, OSA and TMD.

Journal of Biogeography Innovation Awards, 2023

Journal of Biogeography Innovation Awards, 2023

INFORMATION SYSTEM POLICY INNOVATION FOR UNINHABITABLE HOUSES DATA COLLECTION PROGRAM (SIGAP-RTLH) IN GRESIK REGENCY

The existence of poverty conditions results in inequality in the quality of life such as inadequate nutrition, equitable distribution of health, education and lack of comfort in the places they live in. Uninhabitable houses are those that do not meet the requirements and standards. So, the Gresik Regency Government made a policy in the form of an innovation of the Uninhabitable House Data Collection Program Information System (SIGAP-RTLH) which is an information system for the RTLH Data Collection Program based on the web so that it is able to see the distance and time of data collection as well as updating the data up to date. locus in Gresik Regency. The research process is by collecting secondary data through observation, research results that have been published in indexed journals, credible census data and mass media reports that have valid credibility, such as the official website of the Kemenpan-RB, DJPB Ministry of Finance, Housing and Settlement Areas. The innovation of SIGAP-RTLH includes how to collect data, how to submit and product data collection for RTLH which can be accessed through a website that can be accessed anywhere at any time at http://sigaprtlh.gresikkab.go.id/index.php/login. The data product resulting from the SIGAP-RTLH update can be accessed as data collection material at the relevant government agencies as a way to facilitate data collection and follow-up to facilitate the handling of RTLH in the issuance of Building Construction Permits. Another benefit is to produce complete, valid, disaggregated, centralized, identified, integrated, uptodate, and accountable data collections. Policy Innovation The SIGAP-RTLH program is easy to implement or redesign for other agencies by developing services using the concept of an information system and has been proven to be accurate and precise and effective because it has received an innovation award at the national level.

Innovation in a volatile field: An analysis of judges’ comments from journalism awards

Journalism faces increased uncertainty from an ever-shifting digital environment, fragmenting audiences and failing business models. Innovation has been touted as the only way to remain viable and the field now offers a range of professional awards for journalism innovation. This article investigates how the industry is navigating the uncertainty associated with innovation by analysing the judges’ comments from innovation awards. By analysing 45 judges’ comments from five Anglo-American award programmes and one international programme, this article finds that judges praised socially oriented themes, while technological and digital innovations are celebrated in relation to how well they support traditional journalism principles such as serving the public interest. This suggests that, in an uncertain environment, judges of innovation awards construct innovation in relation to traditional journalism principles.

Technology and informatics in Australian health libraries.

Australia is no different to any other country in that information technology (IT) and the speed of its advancement has a huge impact on health care and therefore on health libraries. Australian health librarians are valuable members of health care teams and strive to integrate services and resources across hospitals. This article looks at the role Australian health libraries play in the broader health information landscape and the importance of information governance and health informatics as a tenet of the work undertaken by libraries. Of particular focus in this is the Health Libraries Australia/Telstra Health Digital Health Innovation Award, offered annually, to help focus on particular technological challenges. Three cases studies are explored demonstrating impact on the systematic review process, inter-library loan system automation and a room booking service. Also discussed are the ongoing professional development opportunities, which help upskill the Australian health library workforce. Australian health libraries also face many challenges with piecemeal IT systems across the nation, resulting in lost opportunities. Also, many Australian health services do not have a qualified librarian on staff, which undermines information governance. However, resiliency shines through with strong professional health library networks working to challenge the status quo in an effort to improve the application of health informatics.

Grupo ECO-ACACIANOS: la escuela como escenario para la transformación social,la educación ambiental y sostenible en la IED Acacia II.

This article tells the motivations, progress and impact of the "Eco-Acacianos" project, an institutional project of the IED Acacia II that is part of the National Environmental Education policy and that was nominated for the 2021 educational innovation award.

20‐4: An AI‐Driven Aquarium Guide System for Intelligent Museum

Visitors to aquariums often struggle to access information and differentiate between similar marine species. To address this issue, ITRI has developed an AI‐driven Aquarium Guide System that uses real‐time face tracking and recognition technology, along with fish identification and gesture recognition. When visitors stand in front of a fish tank, the system detects their gaze and facial features, and identifies the species they are looking at. The backend database then displays the fish's name and provides relevant information to visitors.This system has a 98% accuracy rate in recognizing marine life and can adjust the information based on visitor gestures with an accuracy error of less than 1.0 mm. It also uses virtual and augmented reality technology, paving the way for real‐time, immersive mapping technology.The AI‐driven Aquarium Guide System improves the visitor experience at tourist attractions by offering accurate and interactive information about marine life. This increases visitor understanding and appreciation of marine creatures while providing an engaging and enjoyable experience. We are thrilled to announce that this system has won the 2023 CES Innovation Award, recognizing its excellence and innovation. It has already been installed at the National Museum of Marine Science & Technology (NMMST), transforming the way visitors experience and learn about marine life.

Breast Cancer Research Program Innovator Award (DOD)

Federal Grants & ContractsVolume 47, Issue 13 p. 5-5 Grants Alerts Breast Cancer Research Program Innovator Award (DOD) First published: 30 May 2023 https://doi.org/10.1002/fgc.33064Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL No abstract is available for this article. Volume47, Issue131 June 2023Pages 5-5 RelatedInformation

DECODING MULTIMODAL TEXTS OF MEDIA DISCOURSE

In modern print and online media, the verbal text is increasingly being replaced by a multicode material, whose verbal component is illustrated, supplemented, and multiplied by the visual component. At the same time, the value and impact of the visual component increases immeasurably: vivid images are imprinted in the mind, making a powerful effect on readers and viewers. Since most media texts being multicode, special studies of such texts have become especially relevant today. Hence, based on the descriptive, analytical, non-verbal-culturological methods of research, this article discusses the role and relationship of visual and verbal texts, the advantages of the visual code as a carrier of implicit information on the covers of periodicals. The decoding of the multimodal text from The Economist magazine demonstrates clearly that, as a rule, the non-verbal component attracts more attention and inspires more confidence in the recipient. Because the non-verbal component is quite difficult for the addressee to track consciously, the additional manipulative potential of the metaphorical image is used in the text.

Exploring the Spatial Intersection of Small Firm Innovation, Urban Form, and Demographics in the Washington, DC, Metropolitan Area

In an increasingly competitive global market for human and financial capital, cities have embraced a variety of strategies to lure investment and incubate lucrative businesses and industries in situ. Among other strategies, it has been suggested that local governments can both attract and catalyze the rise of knowledge-intensive businesses and innovative startups by cultivating dense, walkable, and transit-accessible urban environments where knowledge spillovers might be more likely and creative and knowledge workers can access an abundance of consumption amenities. This intensive case study of the Washington, DC, metropolitan area explores the potential spatial associations between attributes of urban form and innovation productivity as assessed using small business innovation awards. In addition to largely corroborating previous findings indicating a strong positive spatial correlation between small and midsized firm innovation and neighborhood walkability and transit quality, the results suggest the importance of other key supportive amenities including small business incubators or accelerators and local research universities, and highlight socioeconomic and demographic disparities between innovation hot spots and cold spots.

Long-term metabolomic alterations during post-acute sequelae of COVID-19

Abstract A large fraction of COVID-19 patients does not fully recover from the acute infection with SARS-CoV-2 but develops long-term symptoms that persist for several months. The pathobiology of such post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC, “long COVID”) remains largely enigmatic. This project is based on a discovery made by a plasma metabolomics exploration of individuals with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, post-COVID patients that have fully recovered from the disease, and PASC patients that have persistent manifestations across a wide range of organ systems. We have found key metabolites that are altered by acute SARS-CoV-2 infection and do not recover in individuals with PASC, while returning to normal levels in post-COVID individuals who do not develop long-term symptoms. These metabolites offer a pathway-level hypothesis for a new molecular etiology underlying PASC. We have shown that viral RNA is sufficient to alter these metabolites and suggest that this can explain some of the symptoms reported by patients with long covid. A.C.W. is supported by training grant T32-AI-055400-19. C.T. is a Pew biomedical scholar and a Kathryn W. Davis Aging Brain scholar and is supported by the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (DP2-AG-067492), the Agilent Early Career Professor Award, and grants from the Edward Mallinckrodt Jr Foundation, the IDSA Foundation, the Thyssen Foundation, PennCHOP Microbiome Program, Penn Institute for Immunology, Penn Center for Molecular Studies in Digestive and Liver Diseases (P30-DK-050306), Penn Skin Biology and Diseases Resource-based Center (P30-AR-069589), Penn Diabetes Research Center (P30-DK-019525), Penn Institute on Aging and the Borrelli Family Pilot Grant in Lynch Syndrome. M.L. is supported by the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award (DP2-AG-067511), an American Cancer Society Scholar Award, The Pew Scholar Award, the Searle Scholar program, the Edward Mallinckrodt Jr Foundation and grants from the Abramson Cancer Center, The Penn-CHOP microbiome program, Penn Coronavirus Center Pilot, Penn Institute for Immunology, Penn Center for Molecular Studies in Digestive and Liver Diseases, Penn Center for Precision Medicine, Penn Institute on Aging, Penn Center of Excellence in Environmental Toxicology (P30-ES-013508) and the Borrelli Family Pilot Grant in Lynch Syndrome.

Cellular indexing of transcriptomes and epitopes by sequencing (CITE-Seq) of peripheral blood to dissect the effect of different spondyloarthropathies

Abstract Spondyloarthritis is a family of immune mediated inflammatory disorders with overlapping articular and extraarticular clinical manifestations and a strong association to human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27. Despite a strong association of HLA-B27 with prototypic spondyloarthropathies such as axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and acute anterior uveitis (AAU), the underlying mechanisms are not known. Here, we aim to determine whether HLA-B27 associated axSpA and AAU are associated with common or divergent immunological markers in the blood. Previously, we did single cell RNA-seq analysis on a small number of patients with AAU and axSpA, which revealed increase in T cell, MAIT cells and NK cell clusters in AAU patients, whereas axSpA patients had increase in MAIT cells, gd-T cells, ILCs and Tregs and decrease in naïve CD8 T cell clusters, suggesting that distinct signatures maybe associated with axSpA and AAU. Changes in ILCs or MAIT cells may suggest involvement of the gut mucosal surface in pathogenesis. This is consistent with our previous studies showing gut microbial perturbation in clinical samples and in rat model of spondyloarthritis. Leveraging on our preliminary data, we are performing CITE-seq to capture paired transcriptome and cell surface epitope expression in individual PBMCs from 5 subjects each with axSpA, AAU and axSpA+AAU in comparison with healthy individuals (5 HLA-B27 negative and 5 HLA-B27 positive). Since, HLA-B27 allele is also present in healthy population, these analyses will allow us to dissect the effect of host genetics from the disease. These studies represent potential advances in the understanding of spondyloarthritis and may reveal genetic and disease biomarkers associated with axSpA and AAU. TG (principal investigator) is a recipient of research awards from the Spondylitis Association of America, SPARTAN (Spondyloarthritis Research and Treatment Network), GRAPPA (Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis), The Collins Medical Trust, Medical Research Foundation of Oregon and, Innovation Award from OHSU. This work was funded in part by the Grandmaison Fund for Autoimmunity Research. JTR is a recipient of the Innovative Research Award, Rheumatology Research Foundation.

#AMCCBS, the 2023 ACCC Innovator Award Winners, and More

#AMCCBS, the 2023 ACCC Innovator Award Winners, and More

Aging is associated with accumulated T follicular helper cells with decreased metabolic function

Abstract The aging immune system responds poorly to infection and vaccination, producing reduced numbers of germinal centers, low affinity antibody titers, and reduced B cell memory. Prolonged contacts between activated B cells and CD4+ T cells are crucial to germinal center formation and T follicular helper cell (Tfh) differentiation, but it is unclear how aging impacts the quality of this interaction. Peptide immunization confirmed that aged mice have less expansion of antigen-specific germinal center B cells and reduced antibody titers. Furthermore, aging was associated with decreased CD4+ T conventional cells and accumulated Tfh cells and regulatory T cells, even in naïve mice. Despite increased numbers, our results indicate that aged Tfh have decreased metabolic function, which may have repercussions on germinal center responses. To determine the contribution of cell-extrinsic influences on antigen-specific Tfh induction, we adoptively transferred young, antigen-specific B and CD4+ naïve T cells into aged hosts prior to peptide immunization, which resulted in reduced antigen-specific germinal center B cell and Tfh expansion and reduced antibody titers when compared to young hosts. The results from these experiments emphasize the importance of the lymphoid microenvironment in germinal center initiation and maintenance. We hypothesize that age-associated Tfh accumulation may impair antigen-specific Tfh induction and subsequent germinal center responses. Current studies use live-cell 2-photon microscopy to track the impact of age on lymphocyte motility and Tfh:B interactions, in order to determine the relative contributions of aged APCs, non-specific aged Tfh, and aged regulatory T cells to germinal center deficiency. Research supported by the Mayo Clinic Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging Innovation Award UL1R002377

IL-4 acts through aryl hydrocarbon receptor to antagonize TLR7 induced double negative 2 B cells in lupus

Abstract We recently showed that in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), IL-4R signaling is a powerful antagonist that can effectively suppress the development of activated naïve (aNAV) and CD11c +T-bet +IgD −CD27 −double negative 2 (DN2) B cells promoted by both type I and type II IFNs. In the present study, we used the BXD2 mouse model of lupus to determine the mechanism of IL-4 in suppressing the development of DN2 B cells in vivo. Administration of IL-4 significantly inhibited the development of anti-Smith, anti-DNA, and anti-histone autoantibodies induced by TLR7 agonist R848 in BXD2 mice. This was associated with a decreased percentages of CD11c +T-bet +IgD −B cells. Feature-barcoding single cell RNA-sequencing analysis showed that IL-4 modulated B cell development at the transitional stage 2 (T2) and skewed naïve B cells to develop into the CD23 +CD21 −follicular B cells. IL-4 induced the gene encoding interleukin-4-induced1 (IL4i1), an enzyme that metabolizes aromatic amino acids and this was associated with the upregulation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) and downstream genes. Metabolomics analysis revealed IL-4 induced AhR agonistic metabolites in B cells including kynurenine (Kyn), indole-3-acetic acid, and indole-3-lactic acid. In the absence of IL-4, Kyn and a potent AhR agonist, formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole (FICZ), significantly suppressed TLR7 plus IFNβ-induced DN2 B-cell development in vitro. Our results suggest that IL-4 acts through the IL4i1-AhR pathway to inhibit B-cell regulatory response to TLR7 and type I IFN. Identification of small molecular metabolites that act directly in B cells to induce homeostasis may lead to development of orally dosed metabolome modulating therapeutics efficacious in the treatment of SLE. This study was supported by grants from VA Merit Review grant (I01BX004049), NIH grants R01 AI134023, and Lupus Research Alliance Distinguished Innovator Award to J.D.M, the LRA Target Identification in Lupus Award to H-C.H., and the P30-AR-048311.