Faculty Bibliography

INTRODUCTION: A variety of methods have been used to study inflammatory changes in the acutely injured spinal cord. Recently novel multiplex assays have been used in an attempt to overcome limitations in numbers of available targets studied in a single experiment. Other technical challenges in developing pre-clinical rodent models to investigate biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) include relatively small volumes of sample and low concentrations of target proteins. The primary objective of this study was to characterize the inflammatory profile present in CSF at a subacute time point in a clinically relevant rodent model of traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). Our other aim was to test a microarray proteomics platform specifically for this application. METHODS: A 34 cytokine sandwich ELISA microarray was used to study inflammatory changes in CSF samples taken 12 days post-cervical SCI in adult rats. The difference between the median foreground signal and the median background signal was measured. Bonferroni and Benjamini-Hochburg multiple testing corrections were applied to limit the False Discovery Rate (FDR), and a linear mixed model was used to account for repeated measures in the array. RESULTS: We report a novel subacute SCI biomarker, elevated levels of matrix metalloproteinase-8 protein in CSF, and discuss application of statistical models designed for multiplex testing. CONCLUSIONS: Major advantages of this assay over conventional methods include high-throughput format, good sensitivity, and reduced sample consumption. This method can be useful for creating comprehensive inflammatory profiles, and biomarkers can be used in the clinic to assess injury severity and to objectively grade response to therapy.

David Oshinsky reviews "Fenway Park: 100 Years: The Official, Definitive History of America's Most Beloved Ballpark."

OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:Initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and the 3I's are strategies to prevent HIV-associated tuberculosis (TB). We describe factors associated with undiagnosed TB among HIV-infected patients attending an HIV clinic in South Africa and discuss implications for the 3 Is. DESIGN/METHODS:Convenience sample of HIV clinic attendees. METHODS:HIV-infected participants were assessed for TB using a symptom screen, sputum-smear microscopy, sputum and blood mycobacterial culture, fine needle aspiration of enlarged lymph nodes, and chest radiography. RESULTS:Four hundred twenty-two participants were enrolled. The median age and CD4+ T-cell count were 37 years [interquartile range (IQR): 31-44 years] and 215 cells per microliter (IQR: 107-347 cells/μL). Forty-seven percent had been on ART for a median duration of 8 months (IQR: 3.3-22.8 months). Three hundred sixty-one participants (85.6%) reported TB symptoms. Twenty-seven participants (6.4%) met criteria for bacteriologically confirmed TB and 50 (11.6%) for any form of TB. Bacteriologically confirmed TB was associated with CD4+ T-cell counts ≤100 cells per microliter (odds ratio: 5.05, 95% confidence interval: 1.69 to 15.12) when compared with CD4+ T-cell counts >200 cells per microliter and hemoglobin {hemoglobin < 10 g/dL [odds ratio 3.12 (95% confidence interval: 1.26 to 7.72)]}. CONCLUSIONS:Undiagnosed TB among HIV-infected ambulatory patients was associated with low CD4+ T-cell counts regardless of ART status. TB screening algorithms which include CD4+ T-cell count and hemoglobin testing may be an effective way to identify HIV-infected clinic attendees at highest risk of undiagnosed TB. Isoniazid preventive therapy and TB infection control are essential for reducing occurrence of HIV-associated TB even after ART initiation.

The American health care system is concerned about the rise of chronic diseases and related resource challenges. Management of chronic disease traditionally has been provided by physicians and nurses. The growth of the care management industry, in which nurses provide remote telephonic monitoring and coaching, testifies to the increasing need for care management and to the value of nonphysician clinicians. However, this model is challenged by a number of factors, including low enrollment and the growing shortage of nurses. The challenges to the traditional model are causing policy makers and payers to consider innovative models. One such model includes the pharmacist as an essential provider of care. Not only is the number of pharmacists growing, but they are playing an ever broader role in a variety of settings. This article broadly surveys the current state of pharmacist provision of care management services and highlights the increasingly proactive role played by Walgreen Co. toward this trend, using recently conducted research. Pharmacists are making a noticeable impact on and contribution to the care of chronic diseases by improving adherence to medications, a key factor in the improvement of outcomes. Literature also suggests that pharmacies are increasingly encouraging, expanding, and highlighting the role and contributions of their professional pharmacists. Although the role of the pharmacist in chronic care management is still developing, it is likely to grow in the future, given the needs of the health care system and patients.