Leveraging CTSA hubs for rapid, large-scale, high-impact research: A case study during a global public health emergency.

As the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in the USA in early 2020, it became clear that knowledge of the prevalence of antibodies to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) among asymptomatic individuals could inform public health policy decisions and provide insight into the impact of the infection on vulnerable populations. Two Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Hubs and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) set forth to conduct a national seroprevalence survey to assess the infection's rate of spread. This partnership was able to quickly design and launch the project by leveraging established research capacities, prior experiences in large-scale, multisite studies and a highly skilled workforce of CTSA hubs and unique experimental capabilities at the NIH to conduct a diverse prospective, longitudinal observational cohort of 11,382 participants who provided biospecimens and participant-reported health and behavior data.

The Pitt Innovation Challenge (PInCh): Driving Innovation in Translational Research Through an Incentive-Based, Problem-Focused Competition.

Problem: Translational research aims to move scientific discoveries across the biomedical spectrum from the laboratory to humans, and to ultimately transform clinical practice and public health policies. Despite efforts to accelerate translational research through national initiatives, several major hurdles remain.

Approach: The authors created the Pitt Innovation Challenge (PInCh) as an incentive-based, problem-focused approach to solving identified clinical or public health problems at the University of Pittsburgh Clinical and Translational Science Institute in spring 2014.

Costs of transradial percutaneous coronary intervention.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the costs of transradial percutaneous coronary intervention (TRI) and transfemoral percutaneous coronary intervention (TFI) from a contemporary hospital perspective.

Background: Whereas the TRI approach to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been shown to reduce access-site complications compared with TFI, whether it is associated with lower costs is unknown.

Methods: TRI and TFI patients were identified at 5 U.

Pituitary apoplexy: a review of clinical presentation, management and outcome in 45 cases.

Objective: To review clinical presentation, management and outcomes following different therapies in patients with pituitary apoplexy.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of case-records of patients with classical pituitary apoplexy treated in our hospitals between 1983-2004.

Results: Forty-five patients (28 men; mean age 49 years, range 16-72 years) were identified.

Management of recurrent pituitary cysts with pituitary-nasal drain.

Pituitary cysts are usually craniopharyngiomas or remnants of Rathke's cleft. Histologically craniopharyngiomas are lined by stratified squamous epithelium whereas Rathke's cleft cysts are lined by cuboidal or columnar epithelium. The management of pituitary cysts remains difficult because of the risks associated with attempts at complete removal and the chances of recurrence after inadequate resection.