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This review aims to make clinicians aware of the newly described syndrome, VEXAS. VEXAS should become an obvious differential diagnosis in cases of unexplained inflammation, anemia, and rheumatological and/or hematological manifestations. Patients with VEXAS are typically male aged > 60, with inflammation, and macrocytic anaemia. On suspicion of cancer or infections patients have frequently been exposed to extensive diagnostic procedures and hospital admissions. In this review, we summarise the current knowledge of VEXAS regarding pathogenesis, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.

The term anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) covers a group of rare diseases with inflammation in the small vessels and associated with the presence of ANCA. The patients can present with signs and symptoms from almost all organs. In primary care as well as in hospitals AAV is important to acknowledge as differential diagnosis to cancer and infectious diseases, because low morbidity and mortality related to AAV is dependent on early diagnosis and timely treatment. Patients suspected of AAV should be finally diagnosed and treated at specialized centres.

Introduction: According to international standards, Denmark's production of scientific papers is high, but is slowly losing ground. The reformed research education was intended to strengthen Denmark's position, but some fear that it will have the opposite effect., Material and Methods: Based on the Registry of Ph.D. students and data from the Central Office of Civil Registration, we conducted a survey among 1170 persons previously enrolled in a Ph.D. program. Data on published papers were stratified according to gender, age, master degree, institution, year and length of enrolment. The response rate was 46%., Results: A total of 6-7 papers, including 3 first authorships, were published during the Ph.D. study and the first three years thereafter. Only about 10% did not publish in these periods. Over a 10-year time span, the number of publications before, during and three years after the Ph.D. degree was stable. Women and men published the same number of papers based on the Ph.D. project; however the total number of research publications was higher for men., Conclusion: As measured by the number of publications, the Danish Ph.D. education is solid and independent of gender, age, and time. However, in order to strengthen the overall Danish biomedical research production additional public funding and time allocated to clinical research is necessary.

Introduction: Scientific production by Ph.D. students is a matter of ongoing debate. The key issues for the number of publications during and after the Ph.D. study are not sufficiently described., Material and Methods: Based on the Registry of Ph.D. students and data from the Central Office of Civil Registration, we conducted a survey among 1170 persons previously enrolled in a Ph.D. programme in medicine or pharmaceutical sciences. Data on activities such as supervision and teaching, social issues and economy in the research team were stratified according to sex, age, master degree, institution, year and length of enrolment. The data were modelled in multiple linear regression using the number of peer-reviewed publications as the outcome. The response rate was 60%., Results: The number of publications based on the Ph.D. project was only marginally influenced by the investigated variables. A high total number of publications was associated with men, with having been a Ph.D. supervisor, with research groups described as having a good atmosphere and sufficient financial funding., Conclusion: The medical and pharmaceutical Ph.D. programmes display an inherent strength concerning the process. Although our study supplies confirmatory data, it also shows that the team spirit is important to scientific productivity.

One hundred and seventy-one medical doctors registered as Ph.D.-students at the Faculty of Health Science, University of Aarhus, Denmark, were asked to answer a questionnaire concerning the local Ph.D.-programme. No financial problems were revealed concerning the wages of 69% of the Ph.D.-students, however 31% had financial problems. One third of the Ph.D.-students found it difficult to complete the Ph.D.-programme within the scheduled three years and delays were expected. Most Ph.D.-students intended to continue research after their Ph.D.-study, suggesting that the Ph.D.-programme promotes the scientific education of future generations of medical doctors. However, problems concerning the recruitment of physicians into preclinical/theoretical medicine were revealed and it is suggested that steps should be taken to ease career planning in this field.

One hundred and seventy-one medical doctors (median age 34 years) registered as Ph.D.-students at the Medical Faculty, University of Aarhus, were given a questionnaire concerning the Ph.D-program (91% reply rate). The Ph.D.-students had typically graduated four years before enrollment and had gained basic clinical experience. Eighty-four percent had been involved in research projects prior to their formal research education. In general, the Ph.D.-students found the supervision offered by senior researchers adequate, although, more Ph.D.-students in clinical than in preclinical departments would have liked their main supervisor to be more enthusiastic and have more specific expertise. By tradition, the Medical Faculty in Aarhus offers a broad introductory course on research methodology, this was appreciated by the Ph.D.-students. However, they found that too much time was allocated for this purpose. The Ministry of Education recommends that Ph.D.-students gain experience from international collaboration, preferably from a stay abroad. However, only 24% of Ph.D.-students had stayed at an international collaborating institution. Although the overall evaluation of the medical Ph.d.-program was positive, the Ph.D.-students pointed out weaknesses and conflicts requiring adjustment.