Author Interviews, Autism, Nature / 16.01.2026

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_72018" align="alignleft" width="200"]Andrey Vyshedskiy, Ph.D.Neuroscientist from Boston University Dr. Vyshedskiy[/caption] Andrey Vyshedskiy, Ph.D. Neuroscientist from Boston University MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Certain conditions, such as autism and Down syndrome, can limit a child’s ability to develop full language comprehension. In these cases, children often become “stuck” at a specific, quantized level of understanding:
  • Command Phenotype: Individuals at this level understand single words and simple commands but have difficulty combining nouns with adjectives or interpreting more complex instructions.
  • Modifier Phenotype: Individuals at this level can comprehend combinations of nouns and adjectives—for example, they can identify a small yellow pencil among pencils, straws, and Lego pieces of varying sizes and colors. However, they struggle with more complex language structures, such as sentences containing spatial prepositions, possessive pronouns, verb tenses, and narratives like fairy tales.
  • Syntactic Phenotype: Most children naturally progress to this most-advanced level of comprehension, characterized by the ability to understand full syntactic structures and more sophisticated language forms.
While the Command and Syntactic Phenotypes were anticipated by linguistics and developmental psychology, the distinct Modifier Phenotype was unexpected. Across several studies involving nearly 100,000 participants, these three phenotypes consistently emerged. Together with a recent longitudinal study of language development in over 15,000 participants, these findings highlight the critical importance of early engagement in syntactic conversations for the acquisition of the Syntactic Phenotype.
Aging, Author Interviews, Exercise - Fitness / 15.01.2026

[caption id="attachment_72010" align="alignleft" width="500"]DUK_NUS-Labteam members.jpg Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Duke-NUS Medical School Lab Team Members[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Hung-Wen Tang, PhD Assistant Professor Cancer and Stem Cell Biology Duke-NUS Medical School Singapore MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: As we age, we naturally lose muscle strength and function — a condition known as sarcopenia. This makes everyday activities harder and increases the risk of falls, frailty, and loss of independence. Scientists have long known that a growth pathway in muscle cells called mTORC1 becomes overactive with age and contributes to muscle decline. However, the underlying cause of this overactivation remained unclear.
Aging, Author Interviews, Exercise - Fitness, Lancet / 14.01.2026

[caption id="attachment_71987" align="alignleft" width="200"]Ulf Ekelund Ph.D.Department of Sport Medicine, NSSS Oslo, Norway and Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo Prof. Ekelund[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Ulf Ekelund Ph.D. Department of Sport Medicine, NSSS Oslo, Norway and Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response:  Previous research including our own (Dose-response associations between accelerometry measured physical activity and sedentary time and all cause mortality: systematic review and harmonised meta-analysis | The BMJ) have shown that physical activity of any intensity reduces the risk for all-cause mortality. However, it is unclear how many deaths can potentially be averted by small and realistic increases in physical activity. We estimated that 6% and 10% of all deaths might be preventable is all individuals in two hypothetical intervention scenarios increased their time in moderate to vigorous intensity activity by 5 min per day. The two scenarios were a “high-risk” comprising the least active 20% of the population and a “population based” approach comprising all but the most active 20% of the population (i.e. 80%). We also estimated that reducing sedentary time by 30 min/day might prevent 3·0% of all deaths in the high-risk approach and 7·3% in the population-based approach.  Our results should be interpreted as if all individuals increased their levels of physical activity by 5 min per day, 6% and 10% of all deaths might be preventable in the two risk scenarios, respectively. This does not mean that the individual risk is reduced by these percentages from small increases in physical activity, since individuals respond differently to increasing their activity levels.
Author Interviews, CMAJ, End of Life Care / 12.01.2026

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_71968" align="alignleft" width="200"]Sally Thorne RN, PhD, FAAN, FCAHS, FCAN, CMProfessor Emeritus, School of Nursing Dr. Thorne[/caption] Sally Thorne RN, PhD, FAAN, FCAHS, FCAN, CM Professor Emeritus, School of Nursing Co-Principal Investigator with : [caption id="attachment_71969" align="alignleft" width="133"]Dr. Barbara Pesut PhD, RNProfessor in the School of Nursing  Principal Research Chair in Palliative and End of Life Care Dr. Pesut[/caption] Dr. Barbara Pesut PhD, RN Professor in the School of Nursing Principal Research Chair in Palliative and End of Life Care University of British Columbia       MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Medical assistance in dying (MAiD) was legalized in Canada in June of 2016 for Canadians who were facing a reasonably foreseeable natural death and met an explicit set of eligibility criteria as determined by qualified health care providers (physicians or nurse practitioners). In 2021, the legislation was extended to include the possibility of MAiD for persons who were suffering from a ‘grievous and irremediable’ medical condition but for whom natural death was not immediately foreseeable. As assisted dying represented a significant change in available options for Canadians with terminal or chronic conditions, requiring significant practice adaptations and including numerous legal, social, ethical, moral implications, the health research community has been working in consultation with clinicians, service providers and governments to generate knowledge that ensures safe, ethical and equitable practice in this regard.
Author Interviews, Heart Disease, Lipids / 08.01.2026

[caption id="attachment_71964" align="alignleft" width="256"]Ask T. Nordestgaard, MD PhDPostdoctoral research fellow Division of Preventive Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, MA 02215 Dr. Nordestgaard[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Ask T. Nordestgaard, MD PhD Postdoctoral research fellow Division of Preventive Medicine Brigham and Women's Hospital Boston, MA 02215   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Elevated Lp(a) is associated with high risk of CVD in multiple cohorts. We have recently shown that Lp(a) in the highest quintile is associated with 30-year risk of CVD; however, among healthy individuals, these results may be driven only by those with very extreme Lp(a) levels (e.g., above the 99th percentile). Therefore, in this follow-up study, we examined associations between various clinical thresholds of Lp(a) and CVD across 30 years of follow-up among apparently healthy women.
Author Interviews, Environmental Risks / 02.01.2026

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_71921" align="alignleft" width="150"]Wenhui Qiu, PhDAssociate Professor School of Environmental Science and Engineering Southern University of Science and Technology Shenzhen, China Dr. Wenhui Qiu[/caption] Wenhui Qiu, PhD Associate Professor School of Environmental Science and Engineering Southern University of Science and Technology Shenzhen, China [caption id="attachment_71922" align="alignleft" width="121"] Dr. Chunmiao Zheng[/caption] Chunmiao Zheng, PhD AGU Fellow, Chair Professor Hydrologic Science Eastern Institute of Technology Ningbo, China       MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of artificially synthesized chemicals widely used in industrial production and consumer goods manufacturing. These substances are persistent in the environment, can accumulate through the food chain, and enter the human body and build up over time, posing a potential threat to health. As an important component of the global diet, marine fish may serve as a major source of PFAS intake for humans. However, the contribution of marine fish as a source of PFAS exposure and the associated health risks still lack systematic assessment on a global scale.
Alzheimer's - Dementia, Author Interviews, Case Western / 25.12.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_71888" align="alignleft" width="150"]Andrew A. Pieper M.D., Ph.D.Professor, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine Professor, Department of Neurosciences Professor, Department of Pathology Investigator, University Hospitals Harrington Discovery Institute, Harrington Discovery Institute Associate Director, Medical Scientist Training Program, School of Medicine Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, and at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center Dr. Pieper[/caption] Andrew A. Pieper M.D., Ph.D. Professor, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine Professor, Department of Neurosciences Professor, Department of Pathology Investigator, University Hospitals Harrington Discovery Institute, Harrington Discovery Institute Associate Director, Medical Scientist Training Program, School of Medicine Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, and at the Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: NAD+, a central cellular energy and signaling molecule, declines with age throughout the body, including the brain. When NAD+ falls below necessary levels, cells lose their ability to carry out essential maintenance and survival functions. We found that the NAD+ decline is more severe in brains from people with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and in mouse models of AD, whereas brains of people with AD pathology but preserved cognition show gene-expression patterns consistent with maintained NAD+ homeostasis.
Author Interviews, Cognitive Issues, Karolinski Institute, Pediatrics / 18.12.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Samson Nivins PhD Postdoctoral Researcher, specializing in Perinatal and Pediatric NeurologySamson Nivins PhD Postdoctoral Researcher, specializing in Perinatal and Pediatric Neurology [caption id="attachment_71834" align="alignleft" width="92"]Torkel Klingberg, M.D., Ph.D.Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the Stockholm Brain Institute Dr. Klingberg[/caption] Torkel Klingberg, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at the Stockholm Brain Institute Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm Sweden   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: In the modern era, children’s use of digital media such as watching videos, playing video games, and using social media has increased substantially, often coinciding with a decline in outdoor activities. As many school-aged children now own personal devices, particularly smartphones, it has become easier for them to spend more time on screens than intended. For example, a German survey cited in an EU briefing reported that in 2020, 27% of 8-9-year-olds and 54% of 10-11-year-olds owned a smartphone. In the U.S., ~30% of children own a smartphone by age eight, with many receiving their first device between ages 10 and 11. With growing concerns about screen time, numerous studies have examined its potential consequences and have reported associations between higher screen use and increased ADHD symptoms. However, most of this research has been cross-sectional and has tended to combine different types of digital media such as television, video games, and social media into a single composite measure. This approach may obscure important differences, as various forms of digital media may have distinct effects on ADHD symptoms. To date, relatively few studies have examined the impact of specific types of digital media use on ADHD in a longitudinal framework, and even fewer have accounted for the heritable nature of ADHD. To address these gaps, this U.S. longitudinal study followed children from ages 9-10 to 13-14 years. The study collected repeated measures of daily time spent on specific digital activities, including television and videos, video games, and social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. ADHD symptoms specifically inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity were assessed using parent reports, and analyses adjusted for genetic factors and socioeconomic status.
Author Interviews, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Kidney Disease / 18.12.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_71837" align="alignleft" width="150"]dr_kramer_headshot Dr. Holly Kramer[/caption] Dr. Holly Kramer MD, MPH Professor of Public Health Sciences and Medicine Division of Nephrology and Hypertension Loyola University Chicago MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this survey? How is UACR measured? Would you explain the significance of albumin in the urine and what creatinine represents? Response: Approximately 36 million people live with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the U.S. today, with cardiovascular disease (CVD) being the number one cause of death for this patient population. About 1 in 3 adults with T2D has UACR >30 mg/g with prevalence approaching 40% in older patients. Compared to patients with T2D alone, those with elevated UACR face:
    • 5-times higher risk of hospitalization for heart failure
    • 4-times higher risk of CV mortality
    • 3-times higher risk of myocardial infarction
Interestingly, once thought of as a traditional renal biomarker, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) >30 is also a critical biomarker and urgent signal of cardiovascular (CV) risk. When checking UACR, we look at two things: the amount of albumin leaking into the urine and the creatinine level. Albumin shouldn’t be getting through the kidneys’ filters at all, so when we see a UACR >30 mg/g, it’s a sign of systemic vascular endothelial dysfunction. So, if albumin is leaking through the blood vessels inside the kidneys, there’s also damage in the vessels across other organs, like the heart. UACR is such an important early indicator of CV risk in T2D because even small increases follow a clear ‘rule of three’s’. Healthy kidneys secrete 3 mg/g of albumin to creatinine per day, but when it rises to 30 mg/g, a tenfold increase that signals vascular dysfunction and increasing CV risk. At 300 mg/g, another tenfold increase, the damage is more advanced, and CV risk accelerates. Patients with eGFR >60 BUT UACR >30 mg/g can have up to 3.6 times increased risk of CV mortality. As a nephrologist, I’ve been vocal about the potential for this common urine test that we regularly perform, a UACR test, in helping detect CV risk, not just kidney damage, in more patients.
Author Interviews, Lymphoma / 17.12.2025

[caption id="attachment_71819" align="alignleft" width="150"]Marco Davila Dr. Davila[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Marco Davila, MD, PhD Hematologist/Oncologist, Senior Vice President and Associate Director for Translational Research at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (Buffalo, NY) - study senior author [caption id="attachment_71820" align="alignleft" width="150"]Co-author Meredith Stone, PhDAssistant Director for Cell Therapy Translation in Dr. Davila’s lab at Roswell Park - presenting author Dr. Stone[/caption] Co-author Meredith Stone, PhD Assistant Director for Cell Therapy Translation in Dr. Davila’s lab at Roswell Park - presenting author       MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: While CD19-targeted CAR T cell therapy has garnered clinical success and FDA approval for the treatment of large B cell lymphoma, approximately half of patients suffer from primary resistance or relapse. Increasing evidence suggests that resistance mechanisms are supported by the tumor microenvironment (TME). Cytokines secreted by CAR T cells can remodel the TME, determining the phenotype and function of other immune cells.
Author Interviews, Cancer Research / 17.12.2025

[caption id="attachment_71812" align="alignleft" width="200"]Dr. Magdalena Zak PhD in Molecular BioscienceResearch Associate , Research Associate Instructor of Medicine, The Ear Institute University College London Dr. Zak[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Magdalena M. Żak, PhD Zangi Lab Instructor | Cardiovascular Research Institute Instructor | Genetics & Genomic Sciences Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hess Center for Science and Medicine New York, NY 10029 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: mRNA has proven to be a groundbreaking technology through COVID-19 vaccines, and most mRNA-based therapeutics in development today are still focused on vaccines. However, in principle, mRNA could be used for many diseases in which expression of a therapeutic protein would be beneficial. A major reason mRNA is less commonly used outside of vaccines is the lack of robust targeting: for vaccination, broad expression can be acceptable because the goal is antigen production for immune recognition, but for other applications - especially cancer - targeted delivery and minimized off-target expression are critical to reduce side effects.  Current targeting strategies largely rely on lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), which act as lipid “carriers” for systemic delivery. Although LNPs can be designed to show some tissue tropism, this is often limited to organs such as the liver, spleen, and lungs.
ADHD, Author Interviews, Neurology, Pediatrics / 15.12.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_71800" align="alignleft" width="200"]Dr. Ornella Dakwar-KawarHebrew University with Prof. Mor Nahum and Prof. Itai Berger Hebrew University  Dr. Dakwar-Kawar, PhD[/caption] Dr. Ornella Dakwar-Kawar Hebrew University with Prof. Mor Nahum and Prof. Itai Berger Hebrew University  in collaboration with Prof. Jyoti Mishra from the University of California San Diego (UCSD) Prof. Roi Cohen Kadosh from the University of Surre, Dr. Pragathi Priyadharsini and Ashwin Amal from ITT Karpur, India and InnoSphere Ltd MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Children with ADHD often exhibit aberrant neural activity, specifically imbalances in excitation and inhibition levels alongside dysfunction in brain networks like the frontoparietal network. While our previous research showed that Transcranial Random Noise Stimulation or tRNS improves clinical symptoms, the specific neural modulation effects during cognitive tasks remained unclear. This study investigated these mechanisms by analyzing the aperiodic exponent, a marker of excitation inhibition balance, during an inhibitory control task to compare children with ADHD to healthy controls and assess changes following tRNS combined with cognitive training. 
Author Interviews, Heart Disease / 12.12.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_71774" align="alignleft" width="150"] Prof. Fairbairn[/caption] Prof. Timothy Fairbairn MBChB, PhD FRCP  and [caption id="attachment_71775" align="alignleft" width="150"] Dr. Bell[/caption] Dr.  Jack Bell Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital Liverpool, UK   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) is a non-invasive heart scan used in the first-line investigation of patients with suspected stable coronary artery disease (CAD). While CCTA clearly shows blockages in coronary arteries, it is limited in its ability to estimate reduced blood flow, which is necessary to diagnose angina. An artificial intelligence-based tool (Heartflow) has been developed that analyses CCTA images and provides an estimate of blood flow: CT-derived fractional flow reserve (FFR-CT). The real-world, retrospective English FISH&CHIPS study demonstrated that including FFR-CT as a decision-making tool in the diagnosis of stable CAD reduces the number of subsequent invasive and non-invasive tests performed. Whether FFR-CT could also be used prognostically, to predict future major cardiovascular events, was not fully understood. Previous studies have had small patient numbers, short follow-up and investigated combined cardiovascular outcomes. We performed an analysis on the national FISH&CHIPS population, which was large enough to determine if FFR-CT adds incremental value to traditional cardiovascular risk factors in predicting cardiovascular outcomes and death.
Author Interviews, Duke, Leukemia, Nature / 12.12.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_71759" align="alignleft" width="200"]Dr. Hirschey Dr. Matthew Hirschey[/caption] Matthew Hirschey Ph.D. Associate Professor of Medicine Associate Professor of Cell Biology Associate Professor in Pharmacology and Cancer Biology Member of the Duke Cancer Institute Member of Sarah W. Stedman Nutrition and Metabolism Center Hirschey Lab in the Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Would you briefly describe AML and why new therapeutic approaches are needed? Response: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive blood cancer that begins in the bone marrow and progresses rapidly. While recent advances, particularly the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax combined with other agents, have improved outcomes for some patients, many still relapse or don't respond to treatment. The five-year survival rate remains below 30% overall, highlighting an urgent need for new therapeutic strategies. We know that cancer cells rewire their metabolism to fuel rapid growth, and the mitochondria (the cell's powerhouses) play a central role. However, understanding exactly how different metabolic pathways connect and depend on each other has been challenging. We wanted to develop better tools to map these connections and identify new vulnerabilities we could potentially target.
Author Interviews, Hematology, Pediatrics / 08.12.2025

[caption id="attachment_71709" align="alignleft" width="202"]Julian Zorilla, DOPediatric Hematologist/Oncologist Nemours Children’s Health Dr. Zorrilla[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Julian Zorrilla, DO Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist Nemours Children’s Health MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Non-factor therapies are a novel treatment approach for people with hemophilia A and B with and without inhibitors. Fitusiran is a first-of-its-kind “rebalancing” agent that provides effective hemostatic control from bleeds in people with hemophilia. This study describes the experience of people with hemophilia who are on fitusiran in regard to minor surgeries. This data shows minor surgeries can be effectively and safely performed for those patients who are on fitusiran for their prophylaxis.  A subset of individuals on fitusiran did not require any other medications to help prevent surgical bleeding.
Author Interviews, Gender Differences, Mental Health Research, Race/Ethnic Diversity / 07.12.2025

[caption id="attachment_71691" align="alignleft" width="150"]MedicalResearch.com Interview with:Alexa T. Diianni, MBS Department of Medical Education Geisinger College of Health Sciences Scranton, PA 19409 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? During a previous study, my research team and I examined the financial conflicts of interest (COIs) between industry and academia- namely those that exist between authors of The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), and industry (1). The DSM is a diagnostic tool widely used for the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders, and is thus of interest in assessing COIs (1,2). We previously found that authors of the DSM-5-TR had received over $14.2m in undisclosed payments from industry (1). Our current study examines the gender and geographic disparities of the DSM-5-TR authors, in relation to these payments. While previous investigations have evaluated financial COIs in recent editions of the DSM (3,4), the demographic information of its authors has not yet been examined. Equitable representation of DSM authors is paramount as this manual serves a diverse population across the United States and beyond. It is important that the authorship of this manual be reflective of the population in which it serves, as there have been reported differences in both the type and prevalence of psychiatric care sought out by gender, as well as varying clinical treatment by geographic location (5-8). MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings? Of the 225 physicians that were identified as contributors to the DSM-5-TR task force, panels, and cross-cutting review groups, 116 contributors met the inclusion criteria of being a US-based physician with an active National Provider Identifier. Of these included individuals, 69.8% were men and 30.2% were women. Just three states accounted for 43.9% of contributors (New York, 17.2%; California, 14.7%; Massachusetts, 12.1%), while twenty-three states received no author representation. Of the total $14.6m in industry payments received by contributors, $13.2m (91.8%) was received by male contributors. Male contributors thus received an average of $287k in payment, while female contributors received $72k. MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report? Due to the prevalent use of the DSM, it is important that transparency regarding financial conflicts of interest exists, with COIs minimized moving forward to avoid implicit bias and pro-industry thought (1,9-15). Furthermore, it is important that future editions of the DSM be representative of the population in which it serves. This can be attained by selecting an adequate proportion of male and female contributors for the DSM, which may provide more robust perspectives on current diagnoses. Additionally, representation of contributors from all regions across the US will allow for a more diverse and informed perspective on diagnostic criteria, allowing for improved public health and patient care within the United States. MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study? As gender and geographic disparities were shown to be significant through this study, I believe it would be interesting to address additional areas of demographic disparities among authors. Additional areas to examine may include non-US-based physicians, non-MD/DO authors, as well as ethnic and racial disparities among authors. Finally, similar studies may be applied to additional clinical and diagnostic tools. Diagnostic manuals, such as the DSM, written by a diverse set of individuals, would provide unique perspectives that best reflect the population as a whole, and in turn, benefit patient care. For this reason, it is important that diagnostic manuals, such as the DSM, include a diverse set of authors that can provide adequate input regarding the patient population it serves. MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add? This research received no external funding. First author (AD) is employed by PerkinElmer, working on assignment at GlaxoSmithKline (2023-Present), outside of the submitted work; Last author (BP) contributed to an osteoarthritis research team supported by Pfizer and Eli Lilly (2019-21) and received grants from the Pennsylvania Academic Clinical Research Center, outside of the submitted work. New Paper Diianni AT, Davis LC, Piper BJ. Gender and geographic disparities among DSM-5-TR authors in relation to financial conflicts of interest and industry payments: cross-sectional analysis. BMJ Mental Health. 2025;28:e301913. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjment-2025-301913 References: 1. Davis LC, Diianni AT, Drumheller SR, Elansary NN, D’Ambrozio GN, Herrawi F, Piper BJ, Cosgrove L. Undisclosed financial conflicts of interest in DSM-5-TR: cross sectional analysis. BMJ. 2024;384. 2. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. 2022. 3. Cosgrove L, Krimsky S, Vijayaraghavan M, Schneider L. Financial ties between DSM-IV panel members and the pharmaceutical industry. Psychother Psychosom 2006;75:154-60. doi:10.1159/000091772. Pmid:16636630 4. Cosgrove L, Krimsky S. A comparison of DSM-IV and DSM-5 panel members’ financial associations with industry: a pernicious problem persists. PLoS Med2012;9:e1001190. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1001190. Pmid:22427747 5. Piper BJ, Ogden CL, Simoyan OM, Chung DY, Caggiano JF, Nichols SD, et al. (2018) Trends in use of prescription stimulants in the United States and Territories, 2006 to 2016. PLoS ONE 13(11): e0206100. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0206100 6. Bareis N, Olfson M, Wall M, Stroup TS. Variation in Psychotropic Medication Prescription for Adults With Schizophrenia in the United States. Psychiatric Services. American Psychiatric Publishing; 2022;73(5):492–500. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.202000932 7. Tedstone Doherty D, Kartalova-O'Doherty Y. Gender and self-reported mental health problems: predictors of help seeking from a general practitioner. Br J Health Psychol. 2010;15(Pt 1):213-28. 8. Terlizzi EP, Schiller, Jeannine S. Mental health treatment among adults Aged 18–44: United States, 2019–2021. Report. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics; 2022. 9. Grande D, Frosch DL, Perkins AW, Kahn BE. Effect of exposure to small pharmaceutical promotional items on treatment preferences. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(9):887-893. doi:10.1001/archinternmed.2009.64 10. Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Standards for Developing Trustworthy Clinical Practice Guidelines. In: Graham R, Mancher M, Miller Wolman D, et al., eds. Clinical Practice Guidelines We Can Trust. Washington (DC). National Academies Press, 2011, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209539/?report=classic, doi:10.17226/13058. 11. Wazana A. Physicians and the pharmaceutical industry: is a gift ever just a gift? JAMA 2000;283:373-80. doi:10.1001/jama.283.3.373. Pmid:10647801 12. Moore DA, Tanlu L, Bazerman MH. Conflict of interest and the intrusion of bias. Judgm Decis Mak 2010;5:37-53. doi:10.1017/S1930297500002023 13. Dana J, Loewenstein G. A social science perspective on gifts to physicians from industry. JAMA 2003;290:252-5. doi:10.1001/jama.290.2.252. Pmid:12851281 14. Nejstgaard CH, Bero L, Hróbjartsson A, et al. Association between conflicts of interest and favourable recommendations in clinical guidelines, advisory committee reports, opinion pieces, and narrative reviews: systematic review. BMJ 2020;371:m4234. doi:10.1136/bmj.m4234. Pmid:33298430 15. Thompson DF. The challenge of conflict of interest in medicine. Z Evid Fortbild Qual Gesundhwes 2009;103:136-40. doi:10.1016/j.zefq.2009.02.021. Pmid:19554887 Alexa T. Diianni[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Alexa T. Diianni, MBS Department of Medical Education Geisinger College of Health Sciences Scranton, PA 19409 MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: During a previous study, my research team and I examined the financial conflicts of interest (COIs) between industry and academia- namely those that exist between authors of The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), and industry (1). The DSM is a diagnostic tool widely used for the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders, and is thus of interest in assessing COIs (1,2). We previously found that authors of the DSM-5-TR had received over $14.2m in undisclosed payments from industry (1). Our current study examines the gender and geographic disparities of the DSM-5-TR authors, in relation to these payments. While previous investigations have evaluated financial COIs in recent editions of the DSM (3,4), the demographic information of its authors has not yet been examined. Equitable representation of DSM authors is paramount as this manual serves a diverse population across the United States and beyond. It is important that the authorship of this manual be reflective of the population in which it serves, as there have been reported differences in both the type and prevalence of psychiatric care sought out by gender, as well as varying clinical treatment by geographic location (5-8). 
Allergies, Author Interviews, Dermatology / 06.12.2025

[caption id="attachment_71677" align="alignleft" width="200"]Dr. Shaila Gogate, MDColorado Allergy & Asthma Centers Allergist REMIX-1/-2 Investigator  Dr. Gogate[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. Shaila Gogate, MD Colorado Allergy & Asthma Centers Allergist REMIX-1/-2 Investigator MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? A: The Phase III REMIX-1/-2 studies were randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies assessing the efficacy and safety of oral  remibrutinib 25 mg twice daily or placebo over a 24-week double-blind period, followed by a 28-week open-label remibrutinib treatment period. The purpose of this pooled analysis was to examine the early and long-term efficacy data of remibrutinib vs. placebo over time, looking at the mean percentage change from baseline (CFB) in weekly scores of disease activity (UAS7), itch severity (ISS7) and hives severity (HSS7) over 52 weeks. This analysis demonstrated that remibrutinib showed reductions in urticaria symptoms vs. placebo as early as week 1:
    • 38.4% vs. 10.3% in UAS7
    • 37.0% vs. 9.8% in ISS7
    • 39.8% vs. 10.1% HSS7 Greater reductions vs. placebo were seen over 24 weeks and results were observed in the open-label period through week 52 in all remibrutinib-treated patients (including those transitioned from placebo).
Allergies, Author Interviews, Dermatology / 05.12.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_71671" align="alignleft" width="133"]Dr. Giselle Mosnaim MD MSAllergist Division of Allergy and Immunology Department of Medicine Northshore University Health System REMIX-1/-2 Investigator Dr. Mosnaim[/caption] Dr. Giselle Mosnaim MD MS FACAAI Allergist Division of Allergy and Immunology Department of Medicine Northshore University Health System REMIX-1/-2 Investigator MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response: Chronic spontaneous urticaria is a debilitating condition significantly affecting patient quality of life and is characterized by the presence of itch, hives, and/or angioedema (swelling) lasting for greater than 6 weeks, without identifiable trigger. Second-generation H1-antihistamines at standard doses are recommended as first-line treatment for patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria, and can be up-dosed to 4 times the standard dose. However, over 50% of patients continue to have symptoms despite this therapy. Both Remibrutinib and Dupilumab are FDA-approved for the treatment of chronic spontaneous urticaria in adult patients (Remibrutinib ≥ 18 years old and Dupilumab ≥ 12 years old) who remain symptomatic despite second-generation H1-antihistamine treatment. The RECLAIM study is an ongoing head-to-head randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy of Remibrutinib, an oral Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitor, and Dupilumab, an injectable anti-interleukin-4 and anti-interleukin-13 inhibitor, at early timepoints (4 weeks and earlier) when administered as an add-on therapy in adults with moderate to severe chronic spontaneous urticaria inadequately controlled by second-generation H1-antihistamines.
Author Interviews, Psychedelics / 03.12.2025

Editor’s note: Please remember psychedelics remain illegal in most of the US and are not FDA tested or approved. Psychedelics and hallucinogens can have serious short and long term side effects and should be utilized only with careful medical supervision. [caption id="attachment_71656" align="alignleft" width="200"]dr-daniel-kruger Dr. Kruger[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Daniel J. Kruger, PhD Population Studies Center, Institute for Social Research University of Michigan MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this survey? Response: Multiple studies indicate that psychedelic use is at an all-time high. There are hundreds of clinical trials on the use of psychedelics and psychedelic-derived compounds for potential mental health benefits. Popular books like Michael Pollan’s “How to Change Your Mind” have raised public awareness of these substances and their potential benefits. Legislative changes in some areas have liberalized psychedelic access for therapy and personal use. Still, the vast majority of those who use psychedelics will use them outside of regulated, supervised settings. People are reporting both amazing therapeutic benefits as well as adverse experiences, and sometimes detrimental effects that last well beyond the trip. This study aimed to develop a risk-reduction resource to facilitate safe and successful psychedelic experiences outside of regulated settings. We employed a community-based approach to crowdsource practical recommendations for first-time psychedelic experiences from the psychedelic community.
Cannabis / 26.11.2025

Editor’ note:  Cannabis and THCA/HEMP CBD products should have an active ingredient list on the container and have a Certificate of Analysis (COA)/Discuss your use of THC, Cannabis or CBD products with your health care provider.  Dosing of CBD is variable, especially since it is not FDA regulated. Cannabis/CBD may interfere with other medications and should not be used in individuals with certain health conditions, including liver issues. CBD skin care products can be absorbed through the skin and have similar effects. Do not use Cannabis products including edibles and CBD if you are pregnant, nursing or may become pregnant. Do not use cannabis products if driving or operating difficult or dangerous machinery. Children should not be exposed to cannabis or CBD products. Boom of Modern-Day Wellness Helpers.png Wellness today looks very different from what it was even five years ago. People now want relief that is quiet, simple, and easy to integrate into a busy lifestyle. This shift has led to the rise of subtle, modern-day wellness tools and products designed to support balance without demanding time or major daily changes. Innovations such as CBD patches wholesale, clean CBD liquid wholesale solutions, and fast-acting CBD shots in the UK demonstrate just how far the wellness landscape has evolved. For many consumers, the new goal isn’t dramatic transformation; it’s small, consistent improvements that feel effortless. The modern consumer is more informed, more selective, and more focused on practicality than ever before. Instead of relying on complicated wellness rituals or lengthy sessions of self-care, people now seek micro-relief solutions that deliver genuine benefits in minutes, not hours. This is where subtle aids like patches, liquids, shots, and micro-dose formats have changed the game.

Why Subtle Wellness Is So Popular Today

People don’t want to overhaul their routines they want products that slip into daily life without friction. Subtle wellness solutions work because they remove barriers: no prep time, no steep learning curve, no noticeable interruption. Whether someone is at work, travelling, or winding down at home, these aids offer an easy way to regain balance. Today’s wellness movement is built on three traits:
  1. Convenience
Consumers want tools that don’t demand major adjustments. Subtle wellness allows support anytime, anywhere.
  1. Discretion
Not everyone wants their wellness routines on display. Patches, liquids, and shots offer quiet ways to feel better without drawing attention.
  1. Speed
Stress, tension, and burnout don’t wait for scheduled rituals. People need fast-acting relief they can count on instantly. This is exactly why CBD-focused products have grown so quickly; they fit all three criteria.
Health Care Systems, Technology / 26.11.2025

[caption id="attachment_71530" align="aligncenter" width="500"]healthcare-it-strategy Photo by Field Engineer[/caption]

Introduction

The server is down. Again. Your team is idle, customers can't be served, and you're on the phone, again, paying for an emergency fix. This cycle of technology fire-fighting is an all-too-common reality for small business owners. IT often feels less like a tool for success and more like a source of unpredictable costs and frustrating disruptions. But what if your technology could prevent problems instead of just reacting to them? This isn't just wishful thinking; it's a strategic necessity in today's competitive landscape. The difference between a business that struggles with constant IT issues and one that thrives is the shift from a reactive to a proactive approach. This article explains how a proactive IT strategy, powered by cutting-edge solutions, transforms technology from a costly liability into a powerful asset for sustainable business growth and security.

Key Takeaways

  • Reactive "break-fix" IT is a cycle of unpredictable costs and disruptive downtime, while proactive IT focuses on prevention, strategic planning, and operational stability.
  • The tangible benefits of a proactive approach include significant long-term cost savings, drastically reduced security risks, and a technology infrastructure that can scale with your healthcare business.
  • "Cutting-edge" tools like advanced cybersecurity and cloud services are most effective when implemented as part of a holistic strategy, not just as standalone technology purchases.
  • Partnering with a managed IT provider is the most effective way for any small business, including healthcare firms, to successfully implement and maintain a proactive technology roadmap.
Author Interviews, Cannabis, JAMA / 25.11.2025

Editor’ note:  Cannabis and THCA/HEMP CBD products should have an active ingredient list on the container and have a Certificate of Analysis (COA). Discuss your use of THC, Cannabis or CBD products with your health care provider.  Dosing of CBD is variable, especially since it is not FDA regulated. Cannabis/CBD may interfere with other medications and should not be used in individuals with certain health conditions, including liver issues. CBD skin care products can be absorbed through the skin and have similar effects. Do not use Cannabis products including edibles and CBD if you are pregnant, nursing or may become pregnant. Do not use cannabis products if driving or operating difficult or dangerous machinery. Children should not be exposed to cannabis or CBD products. [caption id="attachment_71501" align="alignleft" width="157"]Dr. Swartz Dr. Swartz[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: James A. Swartz, PhD Professor, Jane Addams College of Social Work University of Illinois Chicago MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: For the past 5 1/2 years, my project team has been charged with monitoring the public health effects of adult cannabis use legalization in Illinois. To fulfill that obligation, we have monitored state data and have tried to keep informed about ongoing research on cannabis legalization and public health. Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) rose to the surface of this continual monitoring through a growing number of publications indicating the prevalence of this condition was on the rise and clinical case reports. As context, for any readers unfamiliar with the clinical syndrome, CHS is a paradoxical reaction to long-term, heavy cannabis use. Instead of relieving nausea, cannabis in some people appears to trigger cycles of severe nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Patients often present repeatedly to emergency departments, undergo extensive workups, and only much later does someone connect the dots and consider CHS. Resource use is substantial. CHS visits often involve repeat ED presentations, imaging, laboratory testing, and sometimes hospital admission. Even though CHS is rarely life-threatening, it is not a trivial condition from either the patient’s or the system’s perspective.

Most of the existing literature has been case reports, small series, or single-center studies. Those reports clearly show that CHS can be debilitating and is frequently misdiagnosed, but they don’t tell us much about the bigger picture:

  • How often Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome is showing up in emergency departments nationally
  • How those rates have changed over time, especially as cannabis policies and patterns of use have shifted
  • What the typical patient profile looks like at a population level

Our goal was to step back and use a large national emergency department database to describe CHS at scale in the United States from 2016 through 2022.

Cognitive Issues, ENT, Hearing Loss / 22.11.2025

Hearing is often described as a simple act of receiving sound, but in reality it’s a deeply interactive process. Every noise, voice, or melody you encounter sets off an intricate exchange between your ears and your brain. Your brain sorts through the chaos, interprets patterns, and gives meaning to what you hear. When hearing weakens, this seamless coordination becomes strained, and the brain must work harder to keep up. When sound input becomes faint or distorted, the brain starts compensating by trying to reconstruct what was missed. That extra mental effort drains cognitive resources that would normally support attention, memory, and comprehension. People may not notice the load they’re carrying until they begin feeling mentally tired, overwhelmed in conversation, or unable to follow speech in groups. Hearing loss also affects the brain’s auditory centers—the areas responsible for interpreting sound and supporting higher-level thinking skills. When these pathways receive less stimulation, they can weaken, which may influence broader cognitive functions over time. This connection helps explain why untreated hearing difficulties often coincide with challenges in focus, processing, or recall. Social behavior plays a role as well. When hearing becomes a struggle, many individuals gradually step back from group interactions or noisy environments. With fewer conversations and less meaningful auditory engagement, the brain loses important practice. This creates a circular pattern: difficulty hearing leads to less participation, which then reduces the brain’s exposure to the very stimulation that keeps it sharp.
Author Interviews / 20.11.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_71487" align="alignleft" width="150"]Kristen D. Krause Dr. Krause[/caption] Kristen D. Krause, PhD, MPH (she/her/hers) Assistant Professor, Department of Urban-Global Public Health Deputy Director, Center for Health, Identity, Behavior and Prevention Studies (CHIBPS) Rutgers School of Public Health Deputy Editor, Annals of LGBTQ Public and Population Health Deputy Editor, Behavioral Medicine MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: Young sexual minority men often face myriad challenges including stigma, heightened risk for mental health issues, and an increased likelihood of substance use. This study set out to shine a light on how ADHD symptoms might factor into these risks—a topic rarely examined directly in this population. MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings? Response:  We found that ADHD symptoms are not only common, but they are associated with increased odds of both early and frequent substance use, spanning everything from cigarettes to alcohol and more illicit substances. These results don’t just fill a gap, they invite attention to a complex interplay of identity, mental health, and behavior.
Author Interviews, Cannabis, JAMA, Opiods / 13.11.2025

[caption id="attachment_71419" align="alignleft" width="150"]MedicalResearch.com Interview with:Victoria Bethel, MSN Department of Public Administration and Policy University of Georgia, Athens Victoria Bethel[/caption] MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Victoria Bethel, MSN Department of Public Administration and Policy University of Georgia, Athens   MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Response: From the same pool of commercially insured patients, we found that cannabis dispensary openings were associated with reduced opioid prescribing among patients with non-cancer pain. For this study, we examined whether cannabis dispensary openings were also associated with reduced opioid prescribing among commercially insured patients who do have a cancer diagnosis. Similar to patients without cancer, we estimated reductions in opioid prescribing after medical and recreational cannabis dispensaries open. These findings may suggest that patients who experience cancer pain are able to manage their pain with cannabis instead of requiring opioids, although we cannot directly observe substitution.
Author Interviews, Legal-Malpractice / 11.11.2025

[caption id="attachment_71373" align="aligncenter" width="500"]evidence-in-malpractice-cases Photo by Sora Shimazaki[/caption] Baltimore has long stood as a center of medical excellence. Yet even in a city with such a strong healthcare reputation, medical errors can and do occur—often leaving patients facing devastating consequences. When these mistakes lead to injury or worsening health, pursuing a medical malpractice claim becomes not just about compensation, but about accountability. However, proving that a healthcare provider acted negligently requires more than emotion—it demands clear, compelling evidence.  From detailed medical records and expert testimony to communication logs and hospital policies, each piece of proof helps build a credible case. A skilled Baltimore medical malpractice lawyer understands how to identify, preserve, and present this evidence effectively, ensuring that victims have the strongest possible foundation to seek justice within Baltimore’s complex legal and healthcare landscape.

Medical Records

At the heart of any malpractice case are medical records. They provide descriptions of your diagnoses, treatments, medications, and procedures that have been performed. By consulting these records, one can notice gaps or omissions in the care. Changes or incompleteness can put into question the quality of care rendered. It also corroborates the patient narrative.
Author Interviews, Mental Health Research, Schizophrenia / 07.11.2025

MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_71333" align="alignleft" width="100"]Ian Kelleher PhD, MB BCh BAO (Medicine)Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Academy of Medical Sciences Professor Institute for Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research University of Edinburgh  Prof. Kelleher[/caption] Ian Kelleher PhD, MB BCh BAO (Medicine) Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Academy of Medical Sciences Professor Institute for Neuroscience and Cardiovascular Research University of Edinburgh MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings? Response:  Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness associated with hallucinations, delusions and a marked decline in functioning. It usually begins in adulthood, in the 20s, but we know from recent research that as many as half of all individuals who develop schizophrenia had attended child and adolescent psychiatry services earlier in life for other mental health problems. That’s exciting because it suggests: maybe there’s something we could do to reduce risk of schizophrenia in adolescent psychiatry services. But, at present, we don’t have evidence that any intervention reduces schizophrenia risk in this clinical population. Lots of researchers are interested in the antibiotic doxycycline, and the structurally similarly minocycline, because it has potential neuroprotective effects. It crosses the blood brain barrier and seems to reduce inflammation and apoptosis (or programmed cell death). We think that excessive synaptic pruning may play a key role in the development of schizophrenia. In laboratory studies, doxycycline seems to reduce the level of synaptic pruning by its effect on the immune system. Some research suggests that even low dose exposure to doxycycline may lead to long-term effects in “dampening down” activity by microglia, the brain’s resident macrophages, which are central to the process of synaptic pruning.