Author Interviews
12 Aug Chronic Kidney Disease: Novel variants of APOL1 gene may play a role in susceptibility
Posted at 11:07h
in Author Interviews, Genetic Research, Kidney Disease, Nature, University of Pennsylvania
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Wen-Ya Ko, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow, First author of the paper
Department of Genetics
School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
426 Clinical Research Building
415 Curie Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6145
Dr. Sarah Tishkoff, Ph.D., Senior author of the paper
David and Lyn Silfen University Professor
Departments of Genetics and Biology
School of Medicine
School of Arts and Sciences
University of Pennsylvania
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Answer: In humans the APOL1 gene codes for Apolipoprotein L1, a major component of the trypanolytic factor in serum. The APOL1 gene harbors two risk alleles (G1 and G2) associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) among individuals of recent African ancestry. We studied APOL1 across genetically and geographically diverse ethnic groups in Africa. We have discovered a number of novel variants at the APOL1 functional domains that are required to lyse trypanosome parasites inside human blood vessels.
We further identified signatures of natural selection influencing the pattern of variation on chromosomes carrying some of these variants. In particular, we have identified a haplotype (a cluster of genetic variants linked along a short region of a chromosome), termed G3, that has evolved adaptively in the Fulani population who have been practicing cattle herding which has been historically documented as early as in the medieval ages (but which could have begun thousands of years earlier). Many of the novel variants discovered in this study are candidates to play a role conferring protection against trypanosomiasis and/or to play a role in susceptibility of CKD in humans.
12 Aug Heart Transplantation and Mechanical Circulatory Support – Factors Influencing Graft Survival
Posted at 01:56h
in Annals Thoracic Surgery, Author Interviews, Heart Disease, Transplantation, Vanderbilt
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Simon Maltais MD PhD
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Division of Cardiovascular Surgery
1215 21st Ave S, MCE 5th Flr
Nashville, TN 37232-8808.
MedicalResearch.com: What did your study evaluate and why is this important?
Answer: We performed a rigorous, retrospective review of the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) data base to evaluate donor, recipient, and technical characteristics associated with graft survival in patients undergoing mechanical circulatory support (MCS) device explantation at the time of heart transplantation surgery.
Donor and recipient characteristics has been well described in the medical literature for routine heart transplantation, however these characteristics in patients who were supported with a long term MCS device at the time of heart transplant was not known. Additionally, due to chronic donor heart shortages, an increasing number of patients with advanced heart failure are being bridged with MSC devices until a suitable donor heart can be obtained.
09 Aug Obesity in US: Aggravated by Agricultural Policy That Encourages High-Fat/Sugar Foods
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Caroline Franck, MSc Dvisions of Cardiology and Clinical Epidemiology McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: We found that, although subsidies are needed to protect farmers from production risks, the current allocation of payments encourages the sustained overproduction of a handful of grains and oilseeds. Overproduction contributes to making the end products cheaper, which are then processed into energy-dense and high-fat/sugar foods. Obesity should be treated as a systems problem, in which farm production plays an important role.09 Aug Lung Cancer: Micropapillary Morphology To Guide Resection vs Lobectomy Choice
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Prasad Adusumilli MD, FACS
Associate Member, Thoracic Surgery
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
New York
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Answer: The current standard of care of for early-stage lung adenocarcinoma, the common form of lung cancer is curative-intent surgery either by limited resection, LR (removal of tumor with clear margins) or lobectomy, LO (removal of one-third to one-half of the lung harboring the tumor). Although lung-sparing LR is preferable, there is a reported incidence of 30-40% of recurrences within the same lung. The causative factor/s for these local recurrences is not known.
In our study, we analyzed recurrence patterns and pathological features in patients who underwent 476 LO and 258 LR performed at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York. We investigated the morphological patterns in pathology specimens utilizing the recently proposed International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer / European Respiratory Society / American Thoracic Society (IASLC/ERS/ATS) classification. We noticed that presence of micropapillary morphology was associated with three times higher recurrences in patients undergoing LR compared to LO, these recurrences were lower when there is an adequate margin (2 cm) resected beyond the tumor. In patients undergoing LO, the recurrences were 75% less.
08 Aug Intestinal Virus Populations Huge and Rapidly Changing
MedicalResearch.com Interview with Frederic D. Bushman, Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Microbiology
Department of Microbiology
Perelman School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania
426A Johnson Pavilion 3610 Hamilton Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Bushman: Viral populations in the human gut are huge, and some of the viruses change rapidly over time.
08 Aug HIV-Lymphoma Survival – Not Improving in Anti-Retroviral Therapy Era
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Satish Gopal, MD, MPH Program in Global Oncology, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center UNC Project-Malawi, Tidziwe Center, Private Bag A-104, Lilongwe, Malawi MedicalResearch.com: What is the primary message our physician readers should take away from the piece?” Answer: Lymphoma is one of the leading causes of HIV-associated death in the modern ART era. In our analyses of a large multicenter US cohort, survival for HIV-associated lymphoma patients receiving routine care has not clearly improved since the modern ART era began, and remains significantly worse than SEER outcomes for the same lymphoma subtypes in the general population. This was somewhat surprising in an era of normalizing life expectancy for HIV-infected patients on ART, and quite different from the outstanding results achieved for this population in recent clinical trials conducted by AMC and NCI.08 Aug Clean Desk Promotes Conventionality | Messy Desk – Fosters Creativity
Kathleen Vohs, Professor of Marketing and Land O' Lakes Professor of Excellence in Marketing Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: We found that being in a tidy environment led people toward doing what’s expected of them or what’s considered the right thing to do -- so, for instance, people in a tidy room donated more money to charity and chose healthy over unhealthy snacks. Being in a messy room, though, made people more creative.07 Aug Surveillance Mammography: Racial Disparities Diminished in DOD Study
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Lindsey Enewold PhD, MPH Division of Military Epidemiology and Population Sciences John P. Murtha Cancer Center Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Rockville, Maryland MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: With increasing time since breast cancer diagnosis women were less likely to receive surveillance mammography. Minority women were equally or more likely than non-Hispanic white women to receive surveillance mammography within an equal access healthcare system.07 Aug Improved Screening for Colon Cancer: Offering Immunochemical Test vs Colonoscopy
MedicalResearch.com: Interview with: Samir Gupta, MD, MSCS San Diego Veterans Affairs Healthcare System Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine Moores Cancer Center University of California San Diego MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings? Dr. Gupta: In a randomized, comparative effectiveness study among uninsured individuals not up to date with screening, we found that mailed outreach invitations to complete colonoscopy outreach, and mailed outreach to complete a non-invasive fecal immunochemical test (FIT) tripled screening rates compared to usual care. Additionally, we found that outreach was almost twice as effective with offers for FIT versus colonoscopy screening.07 Aug Dry Eye Symptoms and Pain Sensitivity
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Jelle Vehof PhD Department of Twin Research & Genetic Epidemiology King’s College London, St Thomas’ Hospital, Waterloo, London, England Department of Ophthalmology & Epidemiology University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Vehof: The current study provides the first empirical evidence that individuals with dry eye disease show altered pain sensitivity. Specifically, this study demonstrates that subjects with DED pain and discomfort complaints have lower pain threshold and pain tolerance of heat-based stimulus compared to those without. These findings support the hypothesis that a subset of persons with DED is more sensitive to pain.07 Aug Diabetes: Physical and Functional Disability
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Evelyn Wong MBBS (Hons) MPH PhD Candidate Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute Level 4, 99 Commercial Rd, Melbourne. VIC 3004 MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: Researchers at Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute reviewed previously published literature on the association between diabetes and the risk of developing physical and functional disability. In this study, disability was defined by a person’s difficulty walking; carrying out daily activities such as using a telephone or transport, managing finances, shopping; or attending to basic self-care needs such as eating, dressing and bathing. Although there have been many previous studies on diabetes and disability, the findings have varied and to date, no one has pooled all studies together for a combined measure of risk. From 26 relevant studies, we measured the pooled effect of the association between diabetes and disability. We found that diabetes increased the risk of disability by 50-80% compared to those without diabetes and this result was consistent across all types of disability.07 Aug Community Disasters: Mental Health Response
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Carol S. North, MD, MPE
The Nancy and Ray L. Hunt Chair in Crisis Psychiatry
Director, Program in Trauma and Disaster,
VA North Texas Health Care System
4500 S. Lancaster Rd., Dallas, TX 75216
Professor of Psychiatry and Surgery/Division of Emergency Medicine
UT Southwestern Medical Center
6363 Forest Park Rd. Dallas, TX 75390-8828
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Answer: In post-disaster settings, a systematic framework of case identification, triage, and mental health interventions can guide overall mental health response and should be integrated into emergency medicine and trauma care responses.
07 Aug COPD and Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Hossein Almassi, MD Professor, Cardiothoracic Surgery Medical College of Wisconsin and Zablocki VA Medical Center Milwaukee, Wi, 53226 MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: The main findings of this study were that off-pump coronary bypass grafting did not have a positive differential impact on outcome of patients with COPD as compared to the standard operation performed on cardiopulmonary bypass.07 Aug Young Childhood Cancer Survivors: Deficits in Physical Function
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Kirsten Ness, PT, PhD
Epidemiology and Cancer Control
MS 735, Room S-6013
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105-3678
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Answer: Even though they report similar levels of physical activity, children who were treated for cancer and who survive at least five years, on average, do not perform as well as their siblings on tests of physical performance. They have muscle weakness and decreased cardiopulmonary fitness.
06 Aug Maternal Grandmother’s Smoking Affects Pediatric Asthma, Especially in Boys
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Virender Rehan, MD Professor of Pediatrics Chief, Division of Neonatology Director, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Director, Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Training Program Co-Director Perinatal Research Center Harbor UCLA Medical Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Torrance, CA, 90502 MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Rehan: The main findings of the study include the likelihood of transmission of asthma to third generation offspring following maternal smoking during pregnancy even when child’s mother didn’t smoke. And these effects seem to be more profound in the upper airways of males compared to that in females.06 Aug Vitamin D Supplementation: White-Black Young Women May Need Different Doses
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Christopher J Gallagher MD Bone Metabolism Unit, Creighton University Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Gallagher: Vitamin D 400 IU daily will meet the RDA ( Recommended Dietary Allowance for 97.5% of population) for young white women age 25-45 years. Black women may need more- 800-1600 IU, however,the number of black women in study was small and this dose needs confirmation. This data is based on exceeding a serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D level of 20ng/ml ( 50nmol/l)06 Aug Discharged to Extended Care Facilities After Cardiovascular Surgery: What is Long-Term Outcome?
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. James R. Edgerton, MD Cardiopulmonary Research Science and Technology Institute, Dallas, Texas MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Edgerton: We can use certain patient factors to determine if a patient will be discharged to extended care facility and to predict if he/she will be successfully discharged from that facility to home.06 Aug Weight Gain in 2- to 5-Year-Old Children : Role of Sugar Sweetened Drinks
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Mark D. DeBoer, MD Associate Professor of Pediatrics Division of Pediatric Endocrinology University of Virginia Health System P.O. Box 800386 Charlottesville, VA 22908 MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. DeBoer: Preschool and kindergarten children drinking SSB (compared to infrequent/non-drinkers) were more likely to be obese and among 2 year-olds had more unhealthy weight gain over the next 2 years. SSB consumption is thus linked to higher weight status in children age 2-5 years.03 Aug After Angioplasty: Quit Smoking, Live Longer
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Dr. R.T. van Domburg Clinical epidemiologist, Associate Professor Erasmus Medical Center Department of Cardiology Ba561 ‘s-Gravendijkwal 230 3015 CE Rotterdam MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of your study? Answer: We collected data from the first patients who underwent coronary angioplasty in the early 1980s and followed them for 25 to 30 years. We found that patients who were able to quit smoking in the year following their PCI lived on average more than two years longer than those who continued to smoke.03 Aug Subclinical Spine Fractures Predict Hip Fractures
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Pim A de Jong Heidelberglaan 100, E01.1A32, 3508 GA Utrecht, the Netherlands MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: We observed that patients with a vertebral fracture on a routine clinical chest computed tomography exam had a tripled risk of future hip fracture after adjustment for age and gender.03 Aug Mammography: Screening Recall Rate and Practice Site
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Ana P Lourenco MD
Assistant Professor of Diagnostic Imaging
Alpert Medical School of Brown University
MedicalResearch.com What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Lourenco: Our study found a significantly higher recall rate for screening mammography at a tertiary referral hospital compared with a community private practice. We compared recall rates for 5 fellowship trained radiologists reading at both sites, and all five radiologists had higher recall rates at the hospital site. When we analyzed patient factors in an effort to explain why this might be, we found that the average age of patients in the hospital was younger (which is known to be associated with higher recall rate) and that more patients at the hospital had a personal history of prior breast biopsy or surgery (also known to be associated with higher recall rate).
02 Aug HPV Infections: Race May Influence Natural History
MedicalResearch.com interview with: Matthew B. Schabath, Ph.D Assistant Member, Department of Cancer Epidemiology H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, 12902 Magnolia Drive MRC-CANCONT, Tampa, Florida MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Schabath: In this study we found that Asian/Pacific Islander men had the lowest incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and that they exhibited a lower probability of acquiring new HPV infections. Furthermore, men of multiple and mixed race had the second lowest incidence of HPV infection and however, while they had a lower probability of acquiring HPV, they also had a lower probability of clearing an HPV infection once acquired.01 Aug Hand Washing: Is It Necessary Before Putting on Non-Sterile Gloves?
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Clare Rock, MD
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health
University of Maryland School of Medicine
Baltimore, MD, 21201
Summary paragraph:
Dr. Rock: Hand hygiene is an essential step in infection prevention and a focus on improving and sustaining hand hygiene compliance is needed. However, it remains unclear whether or not hand hygiene is required prior to non-sterile glove use. Our study would support that it is not a necessary step and a potential waste of healthcare worker time.
01 Aug Vulvar Cancer: Racial and Age Disparities
Hemodialysis.com Interview with:: Marcela G. del Carmen, M.D., M.P.H Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Vincent Obstetrics and Gynecology Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Yawkey 9 E Boston, Massachusetts MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Answer: The study sample included 7,973 women, including 7,363 (92.3%) whites and 610 (7.7%) AA, diagnosed with vulvar cancer from 1973 to 2009. African American women were younger and had a higher rate of distant metastasis compared to white women. African American women were more likely to be treated by radiaton therapy and less likely to receive survival therapy. Although the study found that compared to white women, African Americans were more likely to be younger and have more advanced disease upon diagnosis, they had lower rates of vulvar cancer related mortality compared to white women.31 Jul PET/MRI : A Feasible Modality for Cardiac Imaging
Hybrid PET/MR Imaging of the Heart: Feasibility and Initial Results Felix Nensa, MD Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45147 Essen, Germany; MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study? Dr. Nensa: Cardiac positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) turned out to be feasible with an integrated whole-body 3-Tesla PET/MRI system. Despite the presence of a PET detector in the magnetic field of the MR imaging unit, high-quality cardiac MR images were acquired. PET images originating from a PET/CT and the PET/MR scanner showed very good visual agreement and no statistical significant difference of the mean was found in standardized uptake values, however, variance was considerable. In patients with myocardial infarction, PET and MR images were in good concordance regarding both, cine imaging and late gadolinium-enhanced imaging.31 Jul How Hospital Infections Spread from One Hospital to Another
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Bruce Y. Lee, MD MBA
Associate Professor of International Health
Director of Operations Research
International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC)
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
855 N. Wolfe Street Suite 600
Baltimore, MD 21205
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Lee: Vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) is every hospital’s problem. A VRE outbreak in one hospital, even if the hospital is relatively small or distant, can readily spread to other hospitals in a region because patients leaving one hospital often will go to other hospitals either directly or after an intervening stay at home. These patients can then carry VRE with them to other hospitals. Therefore, as long a single hospital has a problem with VRE or any other healthcare associated infection, all other hospitals are at risk. Conquering VRE then requires cooperation among hospitals.
31 Jul Lung Cancer: Screening with Low-Dose CT
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Linda L. Humphrey, M.D., M.P.H. Professor of Medicine Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology and Public Health for Oregon Health & Science University;Associate Chief of Medicine at the Portland VA Medical Center Dr. Humphrey comments on this important study on Screening for Lung Cancer With Low-Dose Computed Tomography: Lung cancer is the 3rd leading cause of cancer in the United States and the leading cause of cancer related death. It is estimated that in 2012 there were 226,160 cases of lung cancer and 160, 340 lung cancer related death in the US. In addition, lung cancer is the leading cause of years of life lost to cancer. Cigarette smoking is by far the leading cause of lung cancer in the US and while many people have quit smoking, data in the US indicate that 37% of adults are either current or former smokers and at risk of lung cancer.30 Jul Tomosynthesis Reduces Mammogram Call-Backs for Additional Testing
MedicalResearch.com Interview with
Dr. Brian Haas MD
Department of Diagnostic Radiology,Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Dr. Haas: We found that tomosynthesis helped to reduce the number of women who undergo a screening mammogram and are called back for additional imaging and testing. Specifically, the greatest reductions in patients being called back were seen in younger patients and those with dense breasts. Tomosynthesis is analogous to a 3D mammogram, and improves contrast of cancers against the background breast parenchyma.
30 Jul Lung Cancer Incidence and Air Pollution
MedicalResearch.com Interview with: Ole Raaschou-Nielsen, MSc, PhD
Head of Research Group for Work, Environment & Cancer
Danish Cancer Society Research Center
Strandboulevarden 49
2100 Copenhagen Ø
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings of the study?
Answer: The study shows that people who live at locations with higher levels of particles in the air are at higher risk for development of lung cancer.
It seems that there is no threshold for air pollution with particles below which there is no risk; the results show that it is more like “the more air pollution the worse and the less pollution the better”.
The strongest association was seen for adenocarcinoma of the lung.