Medical student perceptions of research and research-orientated careers: An international questionnaire study

Background: Engaging and inspiring the next generation of physician-scientists at an early stage is recognised as key to ensure the future of medical research. However, little is known about medical student perceptions of research.

Objectives: We attempted to ascertain perceptions of research and research-orientated careers from medical students studying in different countries.

Methods: An online questionnaire was developed, piloted, and promoted to medical students in various countries.

Results: 1625 responses were collected from 38 countries. Analysis was restricted to data collected from countries with >100 responses (n?=?890). Less than half the respondents felt their medical school provided adequate research training. Key perceived barriers to research participation as a student included lack of time and difficulty finding mentors or projects. A significant gender disparity existed in research ambitions of students with females desiring less research involvement. The importance of barriers and satisfaction with research training differed significantly between countries.

Conclusions: Students perceive a number of key barriers to research involvement and pursuit of research-orientated careers. Programmes designed to engage students with research should focus on overcoming identified barriers. Greater effort is needed to engage female students who report more significant barriers and less desire to follow research-orientated careers.     

Features of home and neighbourhood and the liveability of older South Africans

While older people live in developing countries, little is known about the relative importance of features of their communities in influencing their liveability. We examine components of home and neighbourhood among older South Africans. Linear regression analyses revealed that features of home (basic amenities, household composition, financial status and safety) and neighbourhood (ability to shop for groceries, participate in organizations and feel safe from crime) are significantly associated with life satisfaction. Approaches to liveability that are person-centred and also set within contexts beyond home and neighbourhood are needed to address boundaries between home and neighbourhood; incorporate personal resources into liveability models and import broader environmental contexts such as health and social policy.     

Early‐Onset Heart Failure,Alopecia, and Cutaneous Abnormalities Associated with a Novel Compound Heterozygous Mutation in Desmoplakin

Mutations in the desmosomal protein desmoplakin have been associated with various conditions affecting the skin and heart. The prototype is Carvajal syndrome, characterized by cardiomyopathy, woolly hair, palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK), and skin fragility. We report the case of a 3‐year‐old boy presenting with severe left‐sided heart failure with a preceding history of cutaneous abnormalities including congenital alopecia, PPK, nail dystrophy, and follicular hyperkeratosis on the extensor surfaces. Genetic testing revealed a novel combination of two heterozygous mutations in the DSP gene encoding desmoplakin: R1400X and R2284X. Both are predicted to be deleterious to protein function. This case adds to our understanding of the spectrum of clinical presentations of syndromes associated with desmoplakin mutations and highlights the need for cardiac examination in patients with characteristic cutaneous findings.     

Detection of lactate in the striatum without contamination of macromolecules by J‐difference editing MRS at 7 T

Lactate levels are measurable by MRS and are related to neural activity. Therefore, it is of interest to accurately measure lactate levels in the basal ganglia networks. If sufficiently stable, lactate measurements may be used to investigate alterations in dopaminergic signalling in the striatum, facilitating the detection and diagnosis of metabolic deficits. The aim of this study is to provide a J‐difference editing MRS technique for the selective editing of lactate only, thus allowing the detection of lactate without contamination of overlapping macromolecules. As a validation procedure, macromolecule nulling was combined with J‐difference editing, and this was compared with J‐difference editing with a new highly selective editing pulse. The use of a high‐field (7T) MR scanner enables the application of editing pulses with very narrow bandwidth, which are selective for lactate. We show that, despite the sensitivity to B₀ offsets, the use of a highly selective editing pulse is more efficient for the detection of lactate than the combination of a broad‐band editing pulse with macromolecule nulling. Although the signal‐to‐noise ratio of uncontaminated lactate detection in healthy subjects is relatively low, this article describes the test–retest performance of lactate detection in the striatum when using highly selective J‐difference editing MRS at 7 T. The coefficient of variation, σ_w and intraclass correlation coefficients for within‐ and between‐subject differences of lactate were determined. Lactate levels in the left and right striatum were determined twice in 10 healthy volunteers. Despite the fact that the test–retest performance of lactate detection is moderate with a coefficient of variation of about 20% for lactate, these values can be used for the design of new studies comparing, for example, patient populations with healthy controls. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.