Author Interviews
20 Jun Lifetime Cancer Risk with Germline CDH1 Variants
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_62041" align="alignleft" width="150"] Dr. Davis[/caption]
Dr. Jeremy L. Davis M.D.
Surgical Oncologist
Center for Cancer Research
Dr. Davis’ research focuses on sporadic and inherited forms of stomach cancer.
National Cancer Institute
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Individuals who are born with a CDH1 gene mutation are at increased risk of developing specific cancers in their lifetime. Those cancers are called diffuse-type gastric cancer and lobular breast cancer.
The background that is relevant here is that when mutations in this gene were first identified as the cause of inherited forms of these cancers, the estimated lifetime risk of gastric cancer, for instance, was around 60-83%. Because of this very high risk and because gastric cancer is particularly difficult to treat, many experts recommend prophylactic surgery to remove the stomach. In recent years, as we have seen more families who carry a CDH1 gene mutation, we have also observed that gastric cancer rates did not seem quite as high as those risk estimates would have suggested. We sought to re-evaluate lifetime risk of cancer with a large and diverse cohort of individuals throughout North America.
17 Jun Fun And Simple Tactile Exercises To Try With Your Child
Navigating the world of sensory play can be both fun and educational for parents and children. Engaging children in simple tactile exercises not only supports their sensory experiences but also aids in their overall development. From the squishy delight of homemade slime to the soothing textures of sand art, these activities offer meaningful ways to develop the tactile system.
Incorporating activities like these into your daily routine can be especially beneficial for children requiring additional sensory input. Occupational therapy fine motor activities, such as kneading playdough or molding clay, can significantly improve their fine motor skills while providing a therapeutic, sensory-rich experience. It's important to note that such activities are not only entertaining but also essential for strengthening fine motor control and sensory integration.
By exploring various tactile exercises, parents can provide their children with valuable sensory experiences that foster growth and learning. Activities like filling a sandbox or creating DIY slime can be both enjoyable and foundational for their cognitive and physical development. These tactile activities can serve as excellent tools in a child's growth journey, combining playfulness with educational value. Please keep in mind that this is only an informative article and not medical advice; if you need further help, contact a medical expert.
Key Takeaways
- Tactile exercises enhance sensory experience and overall development.
- Occupational therapy fine motor activities improve fine motor skills and sensory integration.
- Simple activities like sand art and DIY slime offer fun, beneficial playtime.
14 Jun From Clicks to Care: How Online Platforms Are Speeding Up Patient Service
Enhancing Patient Engagement Through Strategic Digital Integration
[caption id="attachment_61969" align="alignleft" width="200"]
Photo from Pexels[/caption]
Leveraging SEO for Improved Patient Information Accessibility
The strategic use of digital platforms in healthcare, particularly through search engine optimization (SEO), significantly enhances how medical practices engage with patients. SEO is crucial in making educational content easily discoverable online, thereby ensuring that when patients seek information about their conditions or potential treatments, the resources provided by advanced platforms like CheckedUp are readily available.Pre-Visit Patient Education via Optimized Content
Digital platforms not only facilitate direct patient education but also play a pivotal role in how this content is structured and presented online. By optimizing content for search engines, practices can ensure higher visibility and accessibility, allowing patients to obtain necessary medical knowledge before their consultations. This approach not only improves the efficiency of in-person visits but also empowers patients, making them proactive participants in their healthcare journey.
14 Jun Coronary Artery Disease: Rare Genetic Variants Using Machine Learning Model
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61964" align="alignleft" width="136"]
Ben Petrazzini[/caption]
Ben Omega Petrazzini, B.Sc.
Associate Bioinformatician
Ron Do Laboratory
[caption id="attachment_61965" align="alignleft" width="143"] Dr. Ron Do[/caption]
Ron Do, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences
Director, Center for Genomic Data Analytics
Associate Director in Academic Affairs, The Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine
Charles Bronfman Professor in Personalized Medicine
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Rare coding variants directly affect protein function and can inform the role of a gene in disease.
Discovery of rare coding variant associations for coronary artery disease (CAD) to date have only had limited success. Genetic studies typically use standard phenotyping approaches to classify cases versus controls for CAD. However, this phenotyping approach doesn’t capture disease progression or severity in individuals.
We recently introduced an in-silico score for CAD (ISCAD) that tracks CAD progression, severity, underdiagnosis and mortality (Forrest et al. The Lancet, 2023, PMID 36563696). ISCAD was built using a machine learning model trained on clinical data from electronic health records (EHR). Importantly, ISCAD is a quantitative score that measures CAD on a spectrum. The quantitative nature of the score provides an opportunity to discover additional rare coding variant associations that may not have been detected with the standard case-control phenotyping approach.
Here in this study, we performed a large-scale rare variant association study in the exome sequences of 604,915 individuals for ISCAD, a machine learning-based score for CAD.
14 Jun Are You a Disabled Physician? This Post is For You
[caption id="attachment_61958" align="alignleft" width="350"] Image source[/caption]
If you’re a physician facing a disability, the very nature of your profession may complicate your situation more than most people.
Your ability to perform your duties relies heavily on your mental and physical health. When that’s compromised, the challenges can be overwhelming.
For many in your position, navigating physicians’ disability claims becomes an essential yet daunting task in this stressful time.
Being informed of the complexities of these claims can make all the difference in securing the support you need.
13 Jun NEJM: Perioperative Amino Acid Infusion Reduced Acute Kidney Injury after Cardiac Surgery
Posted at 22:10h
in Author Interviews, Critical Care - Intensive Care - ICUs, Heart Disease, Kidney Disease, NEJM
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
[caption id="attachment_61951" align="alignleft" width="150"] Prof. Landoni[/caption]
Prof Giovanni Landoni, MD
Associate Professor
Università Vita-Salute San Raffaele
Milan, Italy
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Acute kidney injury (AKI) affects approximately 10-15% of hospitalized patients, and up to 50% of intensive care unit (ICU) patients.
In cardiac surgery one patient out of three will face AKI during the postoperative period, and this will lead to higher morbidity and mortality. AKI is associated with an elevated risk of chronic kidney disease, as well as, in the most severe cases, with the use of renal replacement therapy, which may double hospitalization costs, reduce quality of life, and increase long-term mortality. So far, no preventive measure with level I of evidence did exist for AKI.
The PROTECTION trial is a multinational, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, conducted at 22 centers in 3 different countries. We recruited 3,511 adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass to receive an intravenous infusion of amino acids (AA) (Isopuramin 10%, Baxter), at 2g/kg/day up to a maximum 100g/day, or an equivalent dose of placebo (Ringer’s solution), for a maximum of 72 hours.
The primary outcome was the incidence of any stage of AKI, according to the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) 2012 creatinine criteria.
12 Jun UCSF Study Finds Salt Intake May Be Associated with Eczema Severity
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61942" align="alignleft" width="200"] Dr. Abuabar[/caption]
Katrina Abuabara, MD, MA, MSCE
Associate Professor of Dermatology, UCSF
Associate Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology
UC Berkeley School of Public Health
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Eczema (also known as atopic dermatitis) has become increasingly common over recent decades, especially in industrialized countries, suggesting that environmental or lifestyle factors like diet could impact rates of disease. It is well established that sodium, consumed primarily in the form of salt, increases the risk of hypertension and heart disease through pro-inflammatory mechanisms. The role of sodium on other chronic inflammatory conditions like eczema has been less well-studied.
10 Jun USPSTF: Health Care Professionals Should Recommend Exercise for Seniors at Risk of Falls
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61045" align="alignleft" width="150"] Dr. Li Li[/caption]
Li Li, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H
Walter M. Seward Professor
Chair of Family Medicine
Director of population health
University of Virginia School of Medicine
Editor-in-chief of The BMJ Family Medicine
Dr. Li joined the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force in January 2021
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings of the underlying studies?
Response: Falls are the leading cause of injuries in older adults and can lead to serious disability and even death. To help prevent these incidents, the Task Force looked at the current evidence on ways that primary care clinicians can help prevent falls in adults aged 65 and older who live at home and are more likely to fall.
We concluded that healthcare professionals should recommend exercise interventions for adults aged 65 and older who are at increased risk for falls. This could include gait, balance, and functional training, as well as strength, resistance, and flexibility training. Clinicians can also talk with their older patients who are most likely to fall about whether additional interventions might be helpful to reduce their risk of falling.
08 Jun AI Content Increasingly Detected in ASCO Oncology Abstracts
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61909" align="alignleft" width="150"] Dr. Howard[/caption]
Frederick Howard MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Section of Hematology / Oncology
University of Chicago
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: With the advent of AI language models like ChatGPT, these tools may be used to generate scientific literature or abstracts. Indeed, a survey conducted by Nature in 2023 found that nearly 30% of scientists were using AI tools to aid in the writing of scientific manuscripts. The use of AI in scientific literature can be difficult to identify, and previous studies suggest that human reviewers cannot distinguish between AI generated and human written scientific abstracts. Commercial tools designed to identify AI content may have a higher degree of accuracy, but the optimal approach to applying such tools to detect AI content within scientific literature is uncertain.
06 Jun Weill Cornell Scientists Discover New Set of Biomarkers To Predict Colon Cancer Survival
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Jorge Moscat, PhD Maria T. Diaz-Meco, PhD
Principal Investigators
Moscat & Diaz-Meco Laboratories
Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Weill Cornell Medicine
New York, NY
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Would you describe the two different histological premalignant states?
Response: Although much effort is devoted to understanding the biology and pathology of established malignant tumors and the formation of metastasis in order to identify new and more efficacious treatment approaches, much less is understood of how tumors initiate from normal cells.
This is extremely important because treating incipient benign neoplasia should be easier and less toxic than treated already aggressive and disseminated cancer cells. In the case of colorectal cancer (CRC), routinary colonoscopies might identify still benign lesions that can be either “serrated” or “conventional” but that all present with reduced levels of two proteins called the aPKCs. As the tumor evolves, if the aPKCs are not upregulated, then the cancer becomes very aggressive and with very limited therapeutic options. Our work identifies precisely the initial mechanisms that determine if a benign adenoma would progress towards an aggressive phenotype. A full comprehension of these initial steps will lead to effective preventive therapies to stop cancer before it starts.
05 Jun ASCO24: Early Breast Cancer: Impact of race/ethnicity on the MammaPrint genomic assay risk and prognosis
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61845" align="alignleft" width="125"]
Dr. Patel[/caption]
Rima Patel, MD
Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology/Oncology
The Tisch Cancer Institute
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: The 21-gene Oncotype DX Recurrence Score (RS) and 70-gene MammaPrint (MP) assays provide prognostic information for distant recurrence and are used to guide chemotherapy use in hormone receptor (HR)-positive, HER2-negative early breast cancer (EBC). Previous reports have demonstrated racial differences in the prognostic accuracy of the RS. In both the TAILORx and RxPONDER trials, Black women with low genomic risk (RS 0-25) had a higher recurrence risk than White women. In another study using the NCDB database, Black race was associated with worse overall survival in multivariate models including RS. The impacts of race/ethnicity on the MammaPrint assay are unknown.
05 Jun ASCO24: Icahn Mt Sinai Researchers Develop Streamlined Cancer Trial Recruitment to Broaden Access to Diverse Groups
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61813" align="alignleft" width="130"] Dr. Bickell[/caption]
Nina Bickell, MD, MPH
Associate Director of Community Engaged and Equity Research
Co-Leader of the Cancer Prevention and Control Program
Co-Director of the Center for Health Equity and
Community Engaged Research
The Tisch Cancer Institute
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Recruiting diverse patients to clinical trials is essential to advance cancer treatments, yet accrual remains low. Efficient recruitment requires the ability identify patients at treatment decision points and determine eligibility for open clinical trials – a time and personnel intensive undertaking. We developed an automated Regular Expressions technology to identify, classify and match patients to clinical trials and overcome the limitations of more resource-intensive technologies like Natural Language Processing (NLP).
We created a screener, parser and matcher to: use the electronic health record to identify patients at treatment decision points based on progress notes and imaging reports and classify their cancer type, stage and receptor status; extract and categorize breast, liver and lung cancer trial data based on cancer type, stage, and receptor status from the National Cancer Institute's ClinicalTrials.gov database; pair eligible patients with relevant trials based on stage and receptor status.
04 Jun Icahn Mt Sinai Study Finds Immunosuppressives Not Likely To Increase Cancer Risk in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61859" align="alignleft" width="130"] Dr. Itzkowitz[/caption]
Steven H. Itzkowitz, MD, FACP, FACG, AGAF
Professor of Medicine and Oncological Sciences
Director of the GI Fellowship Program
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: This study looked at patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who had a history of cancer in the past 5 years and asked whether the medications they received for their IBD might have affected their rates of getting future cancer (new or recurrent cancers). Because many of the medicines that are used to treat IBD can affect the immune system in various ways, there has been concern that the medicines might predispose to subsequent cancers.
We found that patients who received immunosuppressive medications had a numerically increased risk of subsequent cancer, this was not statistically higher than those who had not been exposed to these medications. While previous studies have looked at this question retrospectively, this is the first report that analyzed this issue prospectively using individuals from the United States. Moreover, this study represents a multi-institutional collaboration among gastroenterologists at most of the major NYC healthcare systems.
03 Jun Rare Auto-Brewery Syndrome Causes Intoxication Without Alcohol Consumption
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61837" align="alignleft" width="125"] Dr. Zewude[/caption]
Rahel Zewude, MD FRCPC
Infectious Diseases and Medical Microbiology, PGY-5
University of Toronto
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Would you describe the syndrome of Auto-brewery syndrome?
Response: Auto-brewery syndrome refers to a syndrome where the gut ferments alcohol from carbohydrates leading to high blood alcohol levels and intoxication without any consumption of alcoholic drinks.
30 May Clinical Score Predicts Recovery From Dialysis Dependent Acute Kidney Injury
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61821" align="alignleft" width="156"]
Dr. Shah[/caption]
Silvi Shah, MD,MS,FASN,FACP
Associate Professor
Internal Medicine | College of Medicine
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: AKI (Acute Kidney Injury) is a major contributor to end-stage kidney disease (ESKD).
About a third of patients with ESKD recover kidney function due to AKI. The study looked at the health outcomes of 22,922 patients from the U.S. Renal Data System from 2005 to 2014 to construct a clinical scoring system to predict kidney recovery within 90 days and 12 months after the start of dialysis for kidney failure patients due to acute kidney injury (AKI)
29 May DDW2024: SonarMD Program Reduced ER Visits and Health Care Costs for IBD Patients
Posted at 17:32h
in Author Interviews
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
[caption id="attachment_61816" align="alignleft" width="125"]
Dr. Kosinski[/caption]
Dr. Larry Kosinski, MD
Gastroenterologist and SonarMD Founder & Board Member
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Would you briefly explain what is meant by the IBD group of diseases?
Response: Affecting up to 70 million Americans, the U.S. spends $136 billion each year on digestive health as these conditions are complex to predict, treat and manage. Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) includes people specifically diagnosed with either ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, and these conditions require close monitoring to reduce the risk for complications that lead to lengthy hospital stays and significant medical spend. In addition to providing a holistic health program, the SonarMD digital platform risk stratifies patients and performs continuous symptom checks to identify deteriorating symptoms sooner and communicate changes to physicians, meaning that care teams can intervene faster to keep patients healthier and lower the overall cost of care.
The two large, longitudinal studies that we presented at Digestive Disease Week 2024 evaluated several major drivers of medical costs in people living with IBD and enrolled in the SonarMD end-to-end, digital care coordination program to determine if SonarMD’s program reduced healthcare utilization and concurrently produced better health outcomes. To assess this, we looked at Emergency Department visits and In-patient Admissions compared to risk-matched control groups.
29 May Study Finds Majority of Preeclampsias Can Be Detected in First Trimester
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61675" align="alignleft" width="150"] Dr. Bujold[/caption]
Emmanuel Bujold, Reproduction
Mother and Child Health Unit
CHU De Québec-Université Laval Research Center
Université Laval
Québec, QC Canada
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Would you briefly describe what is meant by preeclampsia?
Response: Preeclampsia is a complication of the second half of pregnancy, manifesting as high blood pressure and renal dysfunction. The only current treatment is to deliver the baby before it becomes complicated by damage to maternal organs or fetal distress.
A few years ago, we demonstrated that aspirin started in the 1st trimester can prevent the majority of preeclampsias in pregnant women at risk. It has therefore become urgent to identify pregnant women at risk as early as the 1st trimester.
25 May Thirty-fold state level prescribing disparities of naloxone to both Medicaid and Medicare patients
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61782" align="alignleft" width="150"] Srivastava Kodavatiganti, MBS[/caption]
Srivastava Kodavatiganti, MBS
Department of Medical Education
Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
Scranton, PA
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Prescription and illicit opioid misuse and overdoses have continued to escalate in the U.S. with annual overdoses exceeding 110,000[1]. There was a substantial rise from 2013 to 2022 in the number of opioid-related overdoses due to synthetic opioids [2]. Even nonfatal opioid-involved overdoses increased 4% quarterly between January 2018 and March 2022 as observed by encounters by emergency medical services [3]. Although the eastern U.S. has been particularly impacted by fatal overdoses, annual increases have increased as of last year in the western states including in Nevada (+27.9%), Washington (+36.9%), Oregon (+38.6%), and Alaska (+45.9%). In contrast, other states have seen more modest changes (New Mexico = +1.3%) including decreases (South Dakota = -2.4%, Nebraska = -19.5%) [1]. These findings underscore the importance for understanding patterns in usage of prevention and treatment strategies.
Naloxone is an opioid antagonist which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. This crucial lifesaving tool is administered as an injection or as a nasal spray. This study characterized the patterns of naloxone prescriptions in Medicaid patients from 2018 – 2021 and Medicare patients for 2019. State level differences were also quantified as the fold difference in prescribing between the highest and lowest states when correcting for the number of enrollees in each state.
24 May Weill Cornell Dermatologist Discusses Skin Cancer Prevention and Detection
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61776" align="alignleft" width="125"]
Dr. Alexis[/caption]
Andrew F. Alexis, MD, MPH
Vice-Chair for Diversity and Inclusion
Department of Dermatology
Dermatologist
Center for Diverse Skin Complexions
Weill Cornell Medicine – NY
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main types of skin cancer? Is the incidence changing?
Response: The 3 main types of skin cancer are melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States1 and 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. (2)
The overall incidence has changed as follows:
• Melanoma: Rates doubled over past 30 years from 1982 to 2011.3 It differs by age group.
o Adolescents and adults age 30 and younger: incidence rate is declining
o Older age groups (e.g. 80 and older): incidence rate is increasing
• Squamous Cell Cancer:
o Incidence increased 263% between 1976-1984 and 2000-20104
• Basal Cell Cancer:
o Incidence increased 145% between 1976-1984 and 2000-20104
22 May Essential Self-Care Strategies for Nurses on the Go
Posted at 22:36h
in Author Interviews
For nurses, managing the demands of their profession while taking care of their own well-being can be a significant challenge. Long hours, high stress, and emotional demands can take a toll, making self-care an essential component of their routine. This article explores practical self-care strategies tailored for nurses on the go, offering advice on maintaining physical health, mental clarity, and emotional stability. By integrating these practices into their daily lives, nurses can enhance their resilience and provide the best care for their patients while also taking care of themselves.
Prioritizing Physical Health
Physical health is the foundation of a nurse's ability to perform their duties. Regular exercise, even in short bursts, can significantly improve physical stamina and overall health. Simple activities like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, a quick walk during breaks, or stretching exercises can be integrated into a busy schedule. Proper nutrition is also crucial; packing healthy snacks such as fruits, nuts, and yogurt can help sustain energy throughout long shifts. Staying hydrated is equally important, as dehydration can lead to fatigue and decreased cognitive function. In addition to maintaining an active lifestyle and healthy eating habits, regular health checkups are vital for nurses to monitor their overall well-being. Routine screenings can help identify potential issues early, such as high blood pressure or vitamin deficiencies, which are common among healthcare professionals due to demanding schedules. According to this dentist in Virginia Beach VA, scheduling annual physicals and dental visits ensures that nurses remain in optimal health to meet the physical and mental demands of their profession
21 May ATS24: Mount Sinai Study Develops Algorithm to Distinguish Central vs Obstructive Sleep Apnea
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61753" align="alignleft" width="154"]
Dr. Parekh[/caption]
Ankit Parekh, PhD
Director of the Sleep And Circadian Analysis (SCAN) Group
Assistant Professor of Medicine
(Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine)
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Sleep apnea is associated with incident cardiovascular disease, and is a common chronic condition affecting over a billion people worldwide. In diagnosing and treating sleep apnea, it is imperative to establish the type of sleep apnea—whether it is obstructive or central sleep apnea. The differential contribution of central vs. obstructive sleep apnea toward incidental cardiovascular disease in those with significant sleep apnea has not been well studied.
Our group has developed an automated algorithm that deduces on a breath-by-breath level whether reductions in airflow are predominantly due to obstructive or central phenomena. Our algorithm uses several features that are known to be key in distinguishing the type of events and derives a probability of obstruction across each “small” (reduced amplitude) breath. The breath-by-breath probability is then used to determine whether a patient’s burden of sleep apnea is predominantly obstructive or central.
In this work, we analyzed sleep study data from The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) cohort (N=2793) consisting of elderly men, across two visits separated on average by 6.5 years, and derived the probability of obstruction on a breath-by-breath level. The median probability of obstruction for each subject was computed and analyzed against outcomes of cardiovascular disease. We also assessed the stability of the metric in those without any prevalent cardiovascular disease. We find that median probability of obstruction was stable across the two visits, and those with any incident cardiovascular disease had a lower median probability of obstruction: patients with incident cardiovascular outcomes had a significant burden of sleep apnea that was predominantly “central” in nature.
20 May NIH Study Suggests Prion Disease Unlikely to Spread from Deer to Humans
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61743" align="alignleft" width="150"]
Dr. Haigh[/caption]
Cathryn Haigh, Ph.D.
Chief Prion Cell Biology Unit
Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Division of Intramural Research, Rocky Mountain Laboratories
National Institutes of Health
Hamilton, MT 59840
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study, ie what are prions/prion-related diseases? Where are prions found?
Response: Prion diseases are infectious neurodegenerative diseases of humans and animals. In humans these diseases often manifest as rapidly progressing dementias but are rarely caused by a known exposure to the infectious agents (prions). More commonly they are sporadic (no known cause) or hereditary.
One form of human disease is believed to have arisen from eating beef contaminated with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (as known as mad cow disease). This has resulted in concerns that chronic wasting disease (CWD), a prion disease affecting deer, elk and moose, might also have the potential to cross the species barrier and cause disease in humans. To date, transmissions of CWD prions to cynomolgus macaques have been negative, a good sign that crossing the species barrier would not be easy, but macaques are not human so we wanted to test whether CWD could infect human brain tissue.
To do this we used a human cerebral organoid model (mini human brain tissues grown from skin cells in a laboratory) and directly exposed the organoids to prions from the brains of animals that had died of CWD.
20 May Ten Tips for Promoting Health and Hygiene in Your Community
Posted at 13:43h
in Author Interviews
In recent years, our communities have faced unprecedented challenges to public health and hygiene, especially after the most recent global pandemic. Beyond the immediate crises, longstanding issues like poor dietary choices and the rising stress levels in people worldwide have further highlighted the critical need for robust health and hygiene practices.
These concerns, while global in scale, demand local solutions—initiatives that begin in our own neighborhoods. Promoting health and hygiene at a community level not only addresses these urgent issues but also sets the foundation for broader national change. This article offers ten tips for anyone eager to lead such transformative efforts within their community, underscoring that even the smallest steps can pave the way to significant health improvements for all.
- Educate Yourself and Others
20 May DDW24: Study Suggests Female GI Physicians Are Better Meeting the Care Needs of their Patients
Posted at 13:29h
in Author Interviews, Cost of Health Care, Gastrointestinal Disease, Health Care Systems
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
[caption id="attachment_61735" align="alignleft" width="183"] Dr. Targownik[/caption]
Laura Targownik, MD
Lead author and Clinician-Investigator
Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto
Departmental Division Director, Gastroenterology and Hepatology
University of Toronto
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? Was there a difference in the types of patients or need for surgery seen by the female/male physicians?
Response: The background for this study is that there is an emerging body of literature that having a female physician leads to better patient outcomes in many health care settings, especially amongst patients undergoing surgery or being admitted to hospital. However, this has not previously been evaluated in gastroenterology. Female and male gastroenterologists may have different styles of practice on average, and this potentially could lead to differences in how patients engage with the health care system following an initial assessment.
16 May Rutgers Study Finds Marked Increase in Fractures in Nursing Home Patients Started on Blood Pressure Meds
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61725" align="alignleft" width="150"] Dr. Chintan Dave[/caption]
Chintan V. Dave PharmD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Pharmacy and Epidemiology
Assistant Director
Rutgers Center for Pharmacoepidemiology and Treatment Science
Academic Director
Rutgers Center for Health Outcomes, Policy, and Economics
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, New Jersey
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Our study examined the association between initiation of an antihypertensive medication and its correlation with fracture risk among older nursing home veterans.
15 May Drowning Deaths Spike, Especially Among Children and Minorities
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: [caption id="attachment_61703" align="alignleft" width="150"] Dr. Clemens[/caption]
Dr. Tessa Clemens, PhDH
Health scientist in the Division of Injury Prevention
CDC’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Data showed an increase in drowning deaths after years of decline and drowning is the leading cause of death among children ages 1-4. We know that swimming lessons reduce the risk of drowning, but not everyone has the same access to swimming lessons. In this study, we described which groups saw the greatest increases in drowning and analyzed swimming skills and swimming lesson participation data.
12 May How to Write a Nursing Essay
In academic writing, it's essential to acknowledge and address potential counterarguments or opposing viewpoints....
12 May Gum health is a key factor for general health throughout life
Brussels, 10 May 2024. Gum health may play a pivotal role in overall health and quality of being, and deserves to be better acknowledged and explored by the research community. That is why the EFP promotes Gum Health Day 2024 on 12 May, an outreach initiative celebrated in more than 30 countries around the world to raise awareness among the medical profession and the general public of the importance of periodontal health. Dr Mia Rakic, Gum Health Day 2024 co-ordinator and member of the executive committee of the EFP (European Federation of Periodontology, efp.org), explains why Gum Health Day 2024 focuses on Generation Z and why gum health is so relevant:
10 May Healing Faster: Breakthroughs in Recovery from Personal Injuries
On your path to recovery after an injury, you’ll find that medical science keeps evolving. New treatments and tech are not just healing; they’re changing the game of how we bounce back. Guided by fresh insights into technology, we make sure your way back is as effective as it is straightforward.Understanding the Latest Diagnostic Tools Enhancing Personal Injury Recovery
In the realm of personal injury recovery, precision in diagnosis is key. Advanced imaging techniques such as High-definition fiber tractography (HDFT) now allow for a superior visualization of neural pathways. Medical pros can pinpoint where you’re hurt with such precision, crafting a rehab plan that fits just right.
Thanks to biomarker technology, figuring out how long recovery will take has gotten a whole lot smarter. Imagine doctors using clues from your body’s own building blocks—genes and proteins—to create a recovery plan that’s all about you. It means less wondering, “Will this work?” and more knowing it will help stitch things back together quickly.