Editor’s Note Yumna Ahmed
Brock Health takes a look at an emerging killer in the Western world, with Ryan Schapoks-Siebert speaking about non-communicable diseases in the feature article. ArDear Reader, ticles about the development of a possible HIV vaccine, the creation I am thrilled to present to of retinal prosthetics and robot-asyou the fifth issue of Brock Health! sisted surgery will demonstrate the The purpose of Brock Health is to advancement in medical technolpresent scholarly and personal in- ogy, while articles discussing habits terest articles on health-related is- and memory will give insight into sues such as health policy initia- how the human brain works. A new tives, current medical research, and addition to the magazine, “A Day in contemporary biomedical and pub- the Life of…” follows pharmacist lic health issues. It is run entirely Eva Lam, and Dr. Faught speaks by students and emphasizes peer-to- about his research in the Faculty peer education. Spotlight for this issue. As a Health Sciences student, the complexity of the human body never ceases to amaze me. Its intricacy, attention to detail and ability to maintain a perfect balance to keep us functioning is hard to believe. It is a wonder how electrical waves keep our heart beating, how concentration gradients allow for water to diffuse into cells, and how the one saddle joint in the body is found in the thumb, allowing for a wide range of motion including the ability to pinch or grab something. The human body represents the perfect harmony of biology, chemistry and physics. Bodies can be pushed to the limit and withstand a great deal of trauma and stress, deciding how to rearrange their workings in order to survive. All these amazing functions, as well as the ability to analyze, process information, be creative and to experience emotions makes the human body nothing less than extraordinary. Brock Health hopes to share with you, the wonders of the human body, and technological advances in health and factors that put our bodies at risk and hopefully spark an interest in the field of health. 1
This publication could not have materialized without the dedication of the numerous people involved. I would like to thank Brock Health’s managing editors Eliza Beckett, Nida Ahmed and Kristie Newton. Their enthusiasm and dedication to the publication was above and beyond! I would also like to thank Brock Health’s layout and graphic designer Scott Alguire for his always amazing job on the layout and cover page. A big thank you goes out to BUSU and BUSAC for funding A thank you to the grad editors as well, who were encouraging and diligent! I would also like to thank our faculty advisor, Dr. Kelli-an Lawrance for her continuous support, as well as Joanne Boucher for always helping us out with a smile on her face! I hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we enjoyed putting it together for you! I sign off by mentioning the following quote from Albert Einstein: “The important thing is not to stop questioning.”
Brock Health Team Editor-in-Chief Yumna Ahmed Managing Editors Eliza Beckett Nida Ahmed Kristie Newton Layout Design Scott Alguire Yumna Ahmed Nida Ahmed Editorial Board Nida Ahmed Eliza Beckett Ryan Schapoks-Siebert Erin Watterton Shalina Vighio Gaibrie Stephen Kristie Newton Breanne Kramer Saumik Biswas Yasmeen Mann Ryder Damen Miso Gostimir Jordan McNalty Amen Idahosa Jason VanSoelen Graduate Editors Admir Basic Amber Muir Becky Roberts Helen Taylor Kaitlyn LaForge Phuc Dang Rebecca MacPherson Sabrina Imam Yasmeen Mezil Graphic Design Scott Alguire Faculty Consultant Kelli-an Lawrance (PhD) Disclaimer: Brock Health is a neutral magazine. It is not strictly hardcore sciences nor public health issues; it is a platform for students to present scholarly, peer reviewed research in any topic related to health.
Contents • A Lethal Dose
Page 3
• Marathons: A Cardiac Risk?
Page 4
• Old habits, hard to break and new habits, hard to form?
Page 5
• A New Age of Heart Surgery
Page 6
• Faculty Spotlight- Dr. Brent Faught
Page 7
• Naturopathic Medicine: Treating the Whole You
Page 8
• HIV Vaccine Developed in Canada: A New Hope
Page 9
• Baby Boomers: Keeping Mom and Dad Out of the Hospital
Page 10
• A Day in the Life of...
Page 11
• The Placebo Effect- A Potential Cure for Many Diseases?
Page 12
• The ‘C’ word: Is our fear of cancer doing more damagae than the disease itself? Page 13 • Winter getting you SAD?
Page 14
• Feature Article- Communicating Non-Communicable diseases: A Global Killer
Page 15
• Lion and Tigers and Bears! Oh My!
Page 17
• When living feels worse than dying: is suicide really a choice?
Page 18
• Master’s Highlight- Matthew Ventresca
Page 19
• Take a Trip Down Memory Lane
Page 20
• Let There Be Light!: A Vision of the Future of Retinal Prosthetics
Page 21
• A “Scurry” in the Right Direction
Page 22
• Hot Headlines
Page 23
• A Little Extra...
Page 24
• Brock Health Team
Page 25
• References
Page 26
March 2012 - Issue 5
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A Lethal Dose Breanne Kramer A previously healthy
ten month old child is brought to the emergency room; rapid onset of weakness, rapid heart rate, breathing difficulties, seizures, and faint cries. The terrified parents wait anxiously while the doctors oversee her care. After several hours, her health stabilized and a diagnosis is made. It is due to an overdose of adult medication. This diagnosis is not an uncommon situation in many emergency departments. The most frequently ingested agents include paracetamol, psychotropics, cardiovascular drugs, antidepressants, cough, cold and flu medications and antihistamines. Thirty five percent of the medications ingested by children under the age of five, are often meant for older adults, usually belonging to the grandparents of the child1. This means that the dosage available to the child has been meant for an adult more than twice their age and size. The accidental ingestion of pharmaceuticals; being prescription or over the counter medications, continues to be a serious epidemic, despite the efforts to fix the problem. A study conducted by the American Journal of Public Health determined that most incidents occur in children under the age of two; usually in their own home 2 , A study published in the Journal of Pediatrics found that the number of children being poisoned has risen 22% from 2001 to 2008. The study included approximately 454,000 children aged five or younger, and about 95% of the cases involved “self discovery” and “self ingestion” of the drugs3. There is a small percentage of these cases attributed to parental negligence, involving incorrect dosages of the child’s own medication 3 . Unfortunately, children’s bodies are vastly different than adults, and 3
metabolize drugs in different ways, a child, and would result in an emercausing these cases to quickly become gency department visit. intensive care situations. A child’s curiosity may get There are several reasons the best of him or her, or it may be due why the number of accidental poison- to parental negligence; but regardings is on the rise. One being that the less the cause, the seriousness of this general population is taking much epidemic needs further examination. more medication than they were ten Many of the bottles that prescription years ago.1 Looking in an individual’s drugs are contained in are not suffimedicine cabinet you are sure to find cient to ‘ Poison Proof’ your home 3. medications that have the capability If companies improve their packaging of causing great harm to both chil- of prescription and over the coundren and adults. The need to prescribe ter drugs, it may reduce the chance drugs for any small ailment is a no- of a child opening a bottle. Dosages torious problem among medical pro- should be clearly explained to parents fessionals, and serious medications when a child is prescribed a medicaare prescribed more easily than they tion; and no one other than that parent were a decade ago. There have also should administer the drug. If more been pharmaceutical advancements, educational literature is published, such as once-a-day pills which con- there will eventually be increased tain higher drug concentrations de- awareness and a lower incidence rate. livered over longer periods of time 1. A problem involving a child’s life These could be much more harmful to cannot be ignored.
“Marathons: A Cardiac Risk?” Erin Watterton When one thinks of a marathon runner some adjectives that come to mind include: athletic, fit and conditioned. A marathon runner pushes themselves to the limit both physically and mentally when running the 42.2 km distance, sometimes in as little as 3 hours. This test of endurance can not only exhaust a trained athlete, but may even carry risks of ‘sudden cardiac death’. In October of 2011, a 27-year-old male half-marathon runner collapsed just 300 meters from the finishing line in a Toronto marathon1. There have been many incidents, similar to this one, reported by the media in the last few years. But what are the real risks of running a marathon? Do the health benefits outweigh the extreme training required to complete a marathon? We have now uncovered the risks of marathon running. What A study conducted by the Uni- about the benefits? In an article pubversity of Toronto set out to uncover lished in 2009, researchers found that the risks of dying of sudden cardiac when compared to their more sedendeath while running a marathon. The tary counter parts, marathoners had a researchers looked at all marathons of decreased frequency rate of hypertenmore than 1000 people between the sion, hypercholestolemia and diabetes years of 1975 and 2004. Of the 3, 292, 4. The researchers hypothesized this 268 runners on 750 separate days, may be due to the inclusion of longer equal to approximately 14 million training runs in preparation for marahours of exercise, there was a total 26 thons or possibly other innate differsudden cardiac deaths observed.2 In ences between marathoners and non most cases of sudden cardiac death, marathoners, for example genetics.4 autopsies showed coronary athero- Researchers also found that running sclerosis as the underlying cause of intensity was inversely associated death 3. This means marathon runners with hypertension, hypercholesterhave a risk of death of 0.8 per 100, olemia, and diabetes independent of 000 participants or two deaths per one exercise volume and cardiorespiramillion hours of vigorous exercise. To tory fitness. The researchers went on put this into perspective, the risk of further to suggest that the more vigordying in a car accident in Ontario is ous the exercise, the greater the health 9.0 in 100, 000 people 3. The risks of benefits of running 5. running a marathon are relatively low when compared to other daily activi- So, are marathons worth the ties, but like every other aspect of life risk? It is up to the individual to weigh there is an associated risk that must be and consider their own risk factors in considered before participating. terms of vigorous exercise such as March 2012 - Issue 5
marathons. These risk factors may include a family history of cardiac issues, doctor recommendations and overall personal health. In conclusion, like anything in life, marathons carry risk but they can also offer an effective way of staying active and reducing risk of other health complications. Marathons have the ability to save lives through encouraging individuals to stay fit and should not be viewed as an extremely high risk activity.
Interested in joining the Brock Health team? Contact us at: brockuhealth@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter: @BrockUHealth 4
Old habits, hard to break and new habits, hard to form? Shalina Vighio What does it take to form a habit? Most people think that it takes about 30 days to establish a habit. However, there is new research published in the scientific publication “Neuron”1 , pointing to a specific neuron behind the process of habit formation. Firstly, it is important to ask what defines a habit; a habit is when certain behaviours become automatic and one does not need to consciously act upon the thought but rather it is automatically done. 2 The formation of habits can be beneficial as they allow the brain to focus on urgent matters, while the habitual behaviour can proceed without interfering with attention .3 To better understand this concept, one needs to understand what a neuron is; a neuron is the building block of the nervous system in which specific neurons play specific roles such as, neurons for motor functions and others for memory storage. Neurons are arranged in a network in order to transmit electrical pulses 4 to one another through an interconnected web . 5
It was found by Dr. Tsein, that NMDA receptors located in the basal ganglia are essential to habit formation in the brain. NMDA receptors are receptors that allow the influx of Ca2+ ions into the cell and K+ ions out 6. The function of NMDA receptors is related to memory function, thereby proving an interesting ground for research. An experiment was conducted by Dr. Joe Z. Tsein (Co-Director of the Brain & Behaviour Discovery Institute at Georgia Health Sciences 5
University) in which the NMDA receptors on dopamine neurons in mice were shut off (known as the mutant mice). It was found that these mice were able to conduct certain activities without it becoming an automatic response. When the mutant mice were compared to a control group of mice with active NMDA receptors, those with the inactivated receptors had a small increase in response to a cue that would signal food, and a lower response in the mice with activated receptors.1 This showed increased awareness to this cue that became an automatic response to the regular mice. The data displayed that the receptors are critical for transforming learned behaviour into habits. The mouse that over-expressed a subunit of the NMDA receptor called NR2B allows for learning actions and behaviours. Younger children have a higher concentration of NR2B which leaves communication channels between brains cells open for a longer period of time, thus allowing younger people to learn faster than older adults . 1
Many illnesses regarding old age cause the eventual loss of declarative memories, by further studying the correlation between nerve cells and habit formation, we may obtain valuable insight regarding Parkinson’s therapy. Experts also believe that further research into NMDA receptors will help explain why declarative memories (i.e. first day of high school) are lost with Alzheimers’ whereas procedural memories are maintained and remain intact (i.e. routine in the morning or before bed)3. Though research into habit formation is still in its juvenile stages, experts believe that it could unlock the mysteries of the brain, and the human condition.
A New Age of Heart Surgery Jason VanSoelen requires three small incisions and is carried out with the utmost precision, there are numerous beneficial outcomes. For instance, there is minimal blood loss, reduced scaring, less pain, shorter recovery period and reduced risk of trauma to surrounding tissue.4 However, despite the benefits, there are limited types of surgeries the robotics can perform. The da Vinci system was only approved in 2002 for mitral valve surgery and since then thousands of these surgeries have been conducted. Mitral valve repair (MVP) and endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are currently the most frequent heart repair using the surgical robot.5 Of course there are some types of heart surgeries that cannot be performed due to limited technology. In addition to being limited, this type of surgery is also very costly. The da Vinci platform lows the surgeon to view a three di- costs around 750,000 to 1,000,000 mensional image of the heart with a dollars, limiting the number availhigh definition camera. Miniaturized able to patients in hospitals.3 It is a wrist instruments contain sensors in very new technology and expectantly which the cardiac surgeon is able to advances will be made and the prices control every movement of the ro- will be reduced. botic arms.2 Therefore a surgeon may be able to perform a surgery on a pa- There is a vast majority of tient that is thousands of miles away. benefits that result from robotic asPatients would have the opportunity sisted heart surgery and it is definitely to be operated on by some of the best a technology worth investing in. surgeons in the world without having to travel anywhere.
The average adult’s heart pumps around 7,500 litres of blood through more than 96,000 kilometres of blood vessels daily.1 Needless to say your heart is an essential part of living and if something goes wrong it is important that the problem is fixed as soon as possible. One way of addressing a potential heart problem was with a traditional heart surgery, which involved a 6-8 inch incision, and, in most cases, cracking the chest bone above the heart. The surgery was operated with rigid instruments and finalized by stitching the incision back up.2 Not only was the heart operated on but the chest bone was broken and a large incision was made, creating a long and painful recovery period.
The robotic arms mimic the surgeons every move and are also actually more stable than the surgeon himself, thereby eliminating the tremors of the surgeon. This surgery only requires that three small incisions be A new beneficial method of made in order to operate on the heart.3 heart surgery has come into practice The endoscope is passed through in the last couple years called robot- one incision, allowing the surgeon assisted heart surgery. This type of to view the surgery, and the surgical surgery is performed using the ‘da instruments are inserted in the other Vinci’ computer platform which al- incisions.3 Because the operation only March 2012 - Issue 5
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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT Dr. Brent Faught BSc, MSc, PhD Written by: Nida Ahmed and Eliza Beckett Dr. Brent Faught has been an active professor here at Brock for the past 20 years. He began as a sessional instructor in 1992 only two years after the Health Sciences department was introduced. He developed the CHSC 1F90 program as a half credit starting with only 80 students, which as grown to 400 students today! Dr. Faught currently teaches CHSC 1F90 and CHSC 4P99. As a native from Snake River near Ottawa Valley, Dr Faught would spend his time working on his parent’s farm. Dr. Faught came to Brock to complete his undergraduate degree in Physical Education and Biology. This led him to pursue a Masters of Science in Kinesiology at the University of Ottawa. After his Masters, Dr. Faught returned to the Niagara region and graduated from Teacher’s College, and began work as a kinesiologist while teaching at Brock. Dr. Faught soon attended Chiropractic College in Toronto for a semester before realizing that his true passion was epidemiology and thus obtained a Ph. D. from the University of Toronto. Dr. Faught then became an instructor at Brock and has developed an exceptional teaching record! At Brock Dr. Faught examines physical activity epidemiology. His studies encompass two specific areas; 1. The association between habitual physical activity patterns and relational risk to disease, disorders and syndromes and also 2. The design and validation of measurement tools for both population and clinical based assessments. He has been very 7
successful with his research and some measurement tools have been implemented here such as the Brock University Firefighting Screening Services as well as the Faught Aerobic Skating Test (FAST!). His current research with Dr. John Hay includes children with DCD and concussion syndrome in ice hockey as well as investigating sudden death linked to physical activity. In the future, Dr. Faught would like to study generational physical activity habits and how it impacts our health.
and is a proud fan of the Montreal Canadiens! Dr. Faught enjoys spending time with his family and just last summer celebrated his 20th wedding anniversary with his wife, Tammy.
Dr. Faught still displays a passion for learning and is currently an MBA candidate here at Brock. He expresses that skills from this experience are making him a “better teacher”. Dr. Faught encourages students to “learn because you want to and the marks will just come”. He is a strong believer that if an opportunity pres When not busy with all his re- ents itself, where you can develop as search, teaching and various projects, an individual, to not say no and take Dr. Faught enjoys playing hockey and it on. His variety of experiences alsnowboarding with his sons and run- lows him to be very successful, and ning in the summer. He completed his his take home message to all students first marathon two years ago and plans about life and university is to “Enjoy to complete a half marathon this sum- the ride!” mer. He is an avid hockey enthusiast,
Naturopathic Medicine: Treating the Whole You Yasmeen Mann Envision walking out of
your family physician’s office without a prescription, but advice that may be the ideal cure for a lifetime. The world of medicine has been around for as long as many can recall and as health is a dynamic process, so are its various methods of providing medical care. When many individuals envision medical treatment, an image of the traditional doctors visit in which one is generally provided with a medical prescription comes to mind. However, today the field of medicine is expanding and naturopathy, a form of alternative medicine that combines the use of traditional natural therapeutics alongside modern diagnostics standards and care, exists.1 At first, the only western country that naturopathy was practiced in was the United States of America, but today naturopathy is used worldwide.1 So what’s so unique about naturopathy and what’s a visit to the naturopath like? Like practitioners with a Medical Degree (M.D.), a naturopath’s medical profession includes an infrastructure with accredited educational institutions to attain a Naturopathic Degree (N.D.) as well as professional licensing to run their practice. However, the focus of this profession is to form an understanding for patients between their mind, body and spirit connection throughout their treatment.1 Through the use of dieting, exercise, vitamins, homeopathy, nutritional supplementation, acupuncture, relaxation techniques, lifestyle changes and naturopathic pharmacotherapy, naturopaths approach a holis-
tic manner of care for their patients. The first visit to a naturopath typically consists of approximately a one and a half hour appointment with your doctor to critically analyze the underlying root cause of the symptoms you are experiencing.3 Prior to or following this appointment, a standard blood test and urine sample is taken for testing in a medical laboratory.2 An initial visit generally costs $160 + applicable taxes and includes costs for blood and urine tests.2 In treating post-menopausal women, naturopathy and traditional medicine follow different strategies.1 Research shows that naturopathy relies on natural sterols in plants, phytoestrogens, in treatment while traditional medicine uses hormone replacement therapy (HRT), taken from the urine of pregnant mares and synthesized in a laboratory.1 Women following the naturopathic treatment experienced symptom relief that was as effective as conventional therapy and in turn improved due to treatments for insomnia and low energy levels.1 In terms of hot flashes, menstrual changes and vaginal dryness, patients undergoing a naturopathic treatment faced these symptoms about as frequently as those being treated with a conventional treatment, making naturopathy appear to be an effective alternative relief for menopausal symptoms.1
process that requires the understanding of daily factors affecting health and dealing with them, naturopaths and their patients can use naturopathic medicine to treat all forms of health concerns. Today, chiropractors in Ontario are also certified as naturopaths, allowing patients to approach a combination of conventional and naturopathic treatments while minimizing the use of drugs, surgery or conventional treatments.3 Information from the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors’ website provides additional information on how naturopathic medicine can benefit an individual, as well as information on where to locate a naturopathic doctor in your province.3 Seeing how medicine has transformed in various For many patients, naturopa- ways until today, perhaps naturopaththy is about opening up to a new per- ic medicine may make the transition spective and awareness for health.3 By from an alternative form of medicine recognizing that health is a life-long to its only form. Interested in joining the Brock Health team?
Contact us at: brockuhealth@gmail.com, Follow us: @BrockUHealth
March 2012 - Issue 5
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HIV Vaccine Developed In Canada: A New Hope Eliza Beckett netically modified virus in order to remain non-pathogenic as well as minimal adverse effects or safety risks.4
The number of people living with HIV in Canada has been increasing and has grown to a staggering 67 000 in 2008 and 33.3 million worldwide.1,2 There has been a steady increase in the number of people living with HIV while a decline in the mortality rate of AIDS is becoming more evident.1 This With new technologies and breakthroughs in the medical feild to help combat this disease, people living with HIV are able to increase longevity with antiretroviral treatments such as reverse transcriptase inhibitors, protease inhibitors or highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).1 Unfortunately there is still a high level of HIV infection among the global population and an annual AIDS death toll of 468 people in Canada and 1.8 million people worldwide in 2009. These startling statistics are driving the medical research community to strive to find a cure.1 In 2006, Canada developed The Canadian HIV Vaccines Plan 9
Approval for human clinical testing is a great breakthrough for the University of Western as well as the Canadian population. The vaccine will undergo three phases of clinical trials: 1 This January the safety of the vaccine in humans will be tested in 40 HIV positive volunteers before 2. Measurement of immune responses in 600 volunteers at high risk of HIV infection then 3. Measurement of the efficacy of the vaccine in 6000 volunteers at high risk of HIV infection. These phases which outlines the plan for Canada will take another five years to comto help produce safe and effective plete before a decision about delivpreventative and therapeutic vac- ery to the public can be made.4 cines that can be accessible worldwide.3 Prevention methods and an- There has been many retiretroviral medication treatments sources and great effort put into the are effective but not nearly enough development of an effective HIV to help control the spread of HIV. vaccine worldwide. Past research In the past vaccine interventions for has been done to investigate other small pox, measles, diphtheria and alternatives of inactivated HIV polio all controlled or eradicated vaccines such as antibody-mediatthese diseases, making vaccines the ed serums with recombinant HIV most plausible solution to the AIDS envelopes and cytotoxic T lymepidemic. Approximately 2-3 mil- phocyte-mediated products.5 These lion deaths are prevented annually methods were ineffective in the huby vaccination and with the addi- man clinical trials and are currently tion of an HIV vaccine could further being re-examined.5 SAV001 holds save millions of lives.2 great potential to become a worldwide vaccine, but we should remain Recently Dr. Chil-Yong cautious since it is still early in the Kang from the University of West- testing stages. Research is conductern in Ontario, received clearance ed continuously around the world to from the United States Food and find a vaccine to try to achieve the Drug Administration to begin hu- Millennium Development Goal 6, man clinical trials of the first ever which is to reduce the incidence of preventative HIV vaccine based on HIV and AIDS and Canada’s breaka genetically modified killed whole through is moving us closer to that virus called SAV001.4 This type of goal. vaccination is unique by using a ge-
Baby Boomers: Keeping Mom and Dad out of the hospital Ryder Damen One of the
most recent problems of health care today is the aging Canadian population. With the baby boomer generation entering their senior years, the Canadian healthcare system is adapting to meet the increased demands of senior care.1 Seniors, who make up 14% of the population, currently use 40% of the hospital services in Canada. As of 2036, this population is expected to grow up to 25%, thereby increasing the demands for hospital services. 1 Seniors spend more time in the emergency department than any other population group, with 9% of their emergency room visits being due to falls during 2009-2010.1 In addition, seniors are also at a higher risk for drug interactions. These factors place a large strain on the Canadian health care system which will only continue to grow as the aging population does. This is why the Canadian health care system will soon shift towards senior care and increased efficiency. One of the main challenges with the care of seniors, which costs Ontario hospitals roughly $700 million dollars each year, is their readmission. 2 Once patients are discharged, it is hoped that their conditions will improve so that they are less dependent on health care services; however, based on the current discharge communication procedure, the opposite is happening in certain cases. 2 To reduce patient readmission after discharge, several techniques are being proven successful in pilot programs all over Ontario. March 2012 - Issue 5
The University of Ottawa has a telehealth program, in which patients are taught to measure vital signs and report data to a health monitoring center for 3 months post-discharge. 2 The addition of health monitoring technology to a patient’s home is also pursued in other pilot programs, allowing them to communicate symptoms with nurses without measuring vital signs themselves. 2 The cost of the technology to be installed in a patient’s home is less than the cost of hospital readmission of that patient. 2
million dollars each year. 2 The above procedures are for preventing readmission, however there is also a strive to prevent admission in the first place. Through primary care procedures and alternative levels of care, the amount of senior admissions and emergency room visits can be reduced dramatically. Through community care access centers, seniors will have the ability to access alternative levels of care as an alternative to the hospital emergency room (ER), thereby reducing their wait time and ER costs. 3 These centers can provide seniors with services such as visits by physicians and nurses in their own homes, as well as access to long-term care facilities to accommodate mechanical ventilation, behavioral issues, dialysis, and multiple medical conditions. 3
St.Michael’s Hospital in Toronto assesses and scales patients as they are discharged; those considered at high risk of readmission are checked in to a virtual ward as they are discharged. 2 The virtual ward is made up of an interdisciplinary team who meets daily and gives the patient access to home-care, and 24/7 physician availability as an emergency It is important to note howevroom alternative. 2 er that these shifts in health care apply primarily to more urban areas. Rural In other programs, a similar hospitals can function efficiently as system to the virtual ward is run: a long-term care providers.3 It is also registered nurse, deemed a transi- important to note that the aging popution coach, educates seniors about lation is not the central upcoming deself care, medication, and symptoms, stabilizer of the Canadian health care and books follow up appointments system; rising costs result from other all while the patient is still in the factors such as new technology. hospital. 2 Once the patient has been discharged, the transition coach either The aging population is a huge visits them in their home, or follows challenge for the Canadian health care up with them over the phone at regu- system that is fast approaching. Howlar intervals. 2 In pilot programs, up ever through innovative shifts and to 34% reduction of readmission in adaptations of the current system, we patients can be seen. 2 If this program have the ability to make it efficient, were adopted throughout the Ontario cost effective, and easy to navigate for hospital system, maintaining the same the senior population. They took care success rate could potentially save of us in one way or another, the least the health care system roughly $252 we can do is return the favor. 10
A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A PHARMACIST Eva Lam “Hi, I’m Eva and I’m the pharmacist here. How can I help you?” This is how I often address my patients as a pharmacist at Grantham Pharmasave. I first considered becoming a pharmacist in high school since I’ve always enjoyed science, especially chemistry and biology, and I knew I wanted to work in healthcare. I also loved to teach, so pharmacy seemed like the perfect choice for me as it would give me the opportunity to teach patients about their medications through the pharmacy’s counseling services. Being a pharmacist is not just about counting pills. As a pharmacist, I am considered a “drug expert” and my job is to ensure that my patients’ medications are safe and appropriate for them. I regularly conduct medication reviews and check prescriptions on a daily basis for any drug therapy problems. I then work with doctors to resolve these problems to ensure my patients receive the best possible therapy. In addition, I am available to answer any patients’ questions about their medications or medical conditions, such as the treatment of cough and colds or options for quitting smoking. The role of pharmacists is quickly evolving to take on new responsibilities, as we move towards modifying and extending prescriptions, as well as providing injection services.
exam which you must pass in order to proceed with becoming a pharmacist. For those of you who are The final step involves completing a considering becoming a pharmacist, 3 month internship, and with that you there are two universities in Ontario will finally be a licensed, registered that offer pharmacy programs: Uni- pharmacist. versity of Toronto and University of Waterloo. While the requirements for Some final words of advice: if the two differ slightly, both will look pharmacy is something that you think at applicants’ transcripts and their you may be interested in, speak with interview performances. U of T will your local pharmacist to learn more also require PCAT (Pharmacy Col- about the profession. Try to find a lege Admission Test) scores, whereas job working as a pharmacy assistant U of W places a heavier emphasis on so you can see what the environment extracurriculars, work experience and is like and determine whether or not references. Students of both universi- pharmacy is right for you. ties will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy, but U of T also Good luck and I hope to see offers a Doctor of Pharmacy program some of you as my future colleagues! through an additional year of school The profession of pharmacy is ing. The 4 to 5 year programs prepare not limited to working in drug stores their students through didactic leceither. Other settings in which a phar- tures as well as clinical placements. macist may practice include hospitals, All this is meant to prepare you for the industry (ie: pharmaceutical com- mandatory provincial jurisprudence panies), government, academia, and exam and the final national licensing 11
even the military.
The Placebo Effect- A Potential Cure for Many Diseases? Saumik Biswas The human mind is truly ca-
pable of extraordinary feats. Whether it involves a mother lifting a car to save her trapped child or a cancer-ridden patient curing him or herself in a mysterious way, the human mind can produce incredible phenomena that still remain inexplicable to the scientific community. A certain phenomenon that has been critically debated for the past century is the administration of placebos to help the treatment of patients with various illnesses. Based on historical medical dictionaries, placebos have been described as being “inert, inactive substances” that have no inherent healing value and were primarily given to satisfy than to the betterment of patients.” On account of this definition, medical historians approximate that up until World War II, the prescriptions provided to patients were about 80 percent placebos- whether physicians knew it or not. During this time, physicians felt that providing placebos would assist in managing difficult patients; however, what they did not know was that these placebos were miraculously healing numerous patients. 1
cases, placebos have been seen to work more effectively. For instance, in 1957, “Mr. Wright” was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer and with the use of a placebo, he became cancerfree. As his tumours were the size of “oranges”, doctors had only given him days to live. Eventually, “Mr. Wright” heard that scientists had found a horse serum, Krebiozen, which presented to be useful in treating cancer.2 With the consent from his physician, “Mr. Wright” was administered the injection. After a couple of days, the awestruck doctor uncovered that the patient was out of his “death bed” and As a result, medical research- the previous “orange” sized tumours ers have recently identified that the ef- “had melted like snowballs”. Howevfects of placebos can be a significant er, when “Mr. Wright” discovered that advantage towards a patients’ healing. Krebiozen had no therapeutic properThus, a newer definition of placebo ties; he passed away two days later. has emerged that indicates that place- Considering this case and several bos are from the sum of all interac- others, scientists have concluded that tions between the patient and physi- placebos are truly capable of powerful cian. 1 effects that can assist in the treatment of several medical problems.2 Not only are placebos similarly efficient when compared to Although placebos can be pharmaceutical drugs but in several used to aid a multitude of debilitatMarch 2012 - Issue 5
ing illnesses, the administration of placebos has been critically debated whether it is ethical for medical professionals to provide these treatments to their patients. For example, with the application of placebos, doctors would have to deceive their patients. The use of deception in medicine violates the moral rule that every patient/ individual deserves respect (which means there should not be any deception), whether the consequences of the physicians’ actions are good or bad. 3 Nevertheless, even if placebos are deceptive, the potential lives that can be saved are abundant. Moreover, further research on placebos will help medical scientists understand how the human body is capable of producing such a phenomenon. With a better comprehension on how the mind produces such mysterious effects, researchers can potentially harness the placebo’s dynamic healing effects and thus, use this treatment method for other diseases such as cancer or AIDS.
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The ‘C’ Word: Is our fear of cancer doing more damage than the disease itself? Miso Gostimir
Cancer.
There is an overwhelming fear associated with the word. A fear that is in some cases justified, but in some cases not. Many of us have the fear of one day hearing the words, “You have cancer” from our physicians, but with medicine as advanced as it is today, is the fear really necessary? Although the oldest descriptions of the disease date back to 3000 BC, with a mentioning of there being “no treatment” for it, the word ‘cancer’ is credited to the Greek physician Hippocrates (460370 BC), the Father of Medicine1. The term was most likely used to refer to the “finger-like projections” of a cancer or the hardness of tumours in end-stage cancer patients, both resembling characteristics of a crab1. Human life expectancy has nearly doubled since the 1800s expanding from approximately 40 to 80 years 2. This increase in life expectancy also correlates with the emergence of cancer as one of the leading causes of death3. As cancer was not a leading cause of death back in the 1800s, it is no surprise that age is one of the greatest risk factors for cancer 4. Although cancer is one of our biggest threats today, we must realize that this fact is merely the product of advancements in medicine, sanitation, as well an increased awareness for health which have eliminated the other life-shortening causes of death.
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This is not to say that we shouldn’t be afraid of cancer. With cancer being the second leading cause of death in the Western World, it is crucial for the public to become aware of cancer prevention information5. However, this becomes an issue when the information is interpreted incorrectly as a result of various personal reasons. One example worth mentioning is the fear of cancer5. As one theory suggests, this overwhelming fear could lead to negligence towards available information, resulting in a lowered awareness about the disease5. Problems arise when this fear leads to trends such as a lower adherence to screening recommendations as well as a delay in seeing a physician when suspicious symptoms appear5. This fear can also lead to a negative interpretation of cancer information which may decrease one’s willingness to believe that there is potential to control cancer5. Other problems arise in the choice of treatment by fearful patients. More than half of the detected prostate cancers are localized at the prostate, are not aggressive at the time of diagnosis, and are not likely to become life-threatening6. Regardless, about 90% of prostate cancer patients decide to receive immediate and intensive treatments such as surgery to remove the ‘alien’ mass from their bodies6. In many such cases, these treatments actually result in both short-term and longterm side effects with no clinical benefits 6. This clearly demonstrates a need for public awareness about the true realities of cancer, without misconceptions caused by fear and
other unjustified sources. There is no doubt about it; with 70,558 people dying from the disease in 2008, cancer is definitely a terror for Canadians7. However, there is always potential to improve the longevity and quality of our lives. This lies in our willingness to neglect unreasonable emotions that lead to irrational decisions and accept the reality of cancer. Once we are able to effectively comprehend, process, and apply the available information, we may just be able to decrease the incidence and mortality of cancer as a whole.
Winter getting you SAD? Jordan McNalty an individual can affect their risk of developing SAD. Vitamin D which is actually a prohormone is made endogenously by the skin through sunlight exposure. Perhaps Vitamin D production may be a key factor in the development of this disorder3. There is an approximate prevalence rate of 0.4% in the United States. Canada faces an increased prevalence of between 1.7-2.9%. In specific areas, other studies have found prevalence rates reaching 10% or higher2. Symptoms for SAD include depression, weight gain, a craving for carbohydrates, constantly feeling tired (hypersomnia), and a lack of energy (anergia)4. SAD is also more common in women than men although there is no apparent reason for this1. However, it can affect everyone (including students). In a 2002 study, 28,000 randomly selected students from across Got the winter blues? the United States completed a health You’re not alone. Seasonal Affec- survey; 5% of female and 3% of tive Disorder (or SAD for short) was male student reported having SAD5. first described in 1984 as a recurrent depressive syndrome that occurs in the fall or winter where full remis- What can you do about it? sion occurs in the spring or summer. Well, for starters, try to get outside Essentially, patients become sad in during the day! Researchers say that during the winter months but the sad- an increase in the amount of time ness goes away during the summer spent in the sun (or to be more spemonths. Much research has been and cific - light) will help.2 This is why is being conducted in this area to de- SAD tends to occur in the winter termine what causes SAD and how it (the sun is physically further away can be treated or prevented1. from us in Canada) and SAD is remedied in the summer (the sun is Although an exact cause of SAD physically closer to us). Researchers has not been determined, there are a have also started looking at how arfew theories as to how it occurs. Re- tificial light treatments may be able search is currently being conducted to help replace the amount of sunin the areas of circadian hypotheses, light you would otherwise absorb. neurotransmitter hypotheses and ge- As always, see your doctor. Once netic hypotheses. It is possible that SAD is a confirmed diagnosis, antia combination of these factors can depressive medication is another opresult in the development of this tion which can be prescribed to help disorder2. It has also been suggested with the depressive episodes2. that the amount of light obtained by March 2012 - Issue 5
If you feel like you have been somewhat depressed lately, remember that it might not be that the holiday season is over or that school work has begun to get hectic again. Seasonal Affective Disorder is a very real condition. Treatment options are available so SAD does not have to be so sad. HOT HEADLINE! Smartphone App Diagnoses Malaria From Drop Of Blood Article by: Jennifer Hicks Summarized by: Yumna Ahmed Lifelens has developed a smartphone application that addresses child mortality rates resulting from a lack of detection of malaria. The app is simple, where blood from a patient is pread on a slide with a marker dye that the malarial parasite absorbs. An image of the slide is then taken with a Smartphone with magnification that allows one to see blood cells at a cellular level. The cell count is taken using a detection algorithm that notices differences in the image, which then can identify malaria in red blood cells. This data internet and GPS coordinates of the case. can then be posted to the internet and GPS coordinates of the case. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jenniferhicks/2012/01/03/smartphone-app-diagnoses-malaria-from-drop-of-blood/
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Communicating Non-Communicable Diseases: A Global Killer Ryan Schapoks-Siebert Human disease has been under this category, most commondocumented in society as long as scriptures and other ancient writings have existed. The plague, cholera, yellow fever and even stroke are diseases that have made an impact on our history. Diseases are nondiscriminatory, meaning that there is a potential for every individual to encounter disease during their lifetime regardless of age, race, gender, or social status. In treatment centers worldwide hospital beds are constantly being filled up due to the prevalence of certain diseases. Diseases can be classified as communicable or non-communicable disease. Communicable diseases are infectious diseases (i.e. contagious) having the potential to spread from a single carrier or vector to numerous hosts.1 Non-communicable diseases, which are not contagious, are contributing the most to global mortality rates and are thus terrifying global health 1. For example, in 2008 there were 57 million deaths globally, of these 33 million were caused by non-communicable diseases, or a staggering 58%. 2 With such a large portion of the global mortality linked to non-communicable diseases, it is vital that the public gains a deeper understanding of these diseases as well as an in depth look at how to prevent them. What are non-communicable diseases? Non-communicable disease is an umbrella term, which describes diseases that are not infectious to the general public, but rather those diseases of a slow and long progression due to increased risk factors3. Several diseases fall 15
ly included are heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes. Heart disease contributed 7.3 million deaths while stroke caused 6.2 million deaths, equivalent to 41% of mortality rates for non-communicable diseases in 2008.4 Individuals are at risk of developing a non-communicable disease by a variety of factors, both genetic and environmental. The most prevalent and leading risk factors for developing a non-communicable disease are; raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose, tobacco use, physical inactivity, and being overweight or obese3. At a first glance of these risk factors, some people may be able to eliminate some of these and say, “Well, I don’t smoke and my blood pressure is fine, so I’m in the clear!” but this is not always the case. The factors listed above are only a very small group of risk factors that contribute to the highest percentage of non-communicable disease mortality. In reality, depending on an individual’s lifestyle there are numerous risk factors involved. This is a huge problem because the more risk factors present in an individual’s life, the greater the risk of developing a non-communicable disease.
. By consistently monitoring the public for these diseases, interventions can be put in place to reduce the prevalence of different environmental risk factors such as tobacco use. By increasing awareness and providing information to the general public there is the potential to save millions of lives by reversing/ decreasing old hazardous habits and creating a healthy lifestyle with new habits before it’s too late. Organizations like the World Health Organization are focusing on lowering the overall incidence of noncommunicable diseases, to help alleviate some of the pressure being placed on our primary health care services. This is extremely important, especially as society progresses forward, and countries continue to develop. 6, 7
Non-communicable diseases aren’t present in a single geographic location, but are dispersed globally. Although deaths from noncommunicable diseases are present worldwide, it is suspected that by 2020 these diseases will be causing seven out of every 10 deaths in developing countries. This is predicted from the 2008 statistics which show 80% of non-communicable disease deaths occurred in middleto low-income countries8. The financial burden as a result is severe on these countries, especially with The importance of moni- these countries trying to establish toring the occurrences of non- proper healthcare systems, governcommunicable diseases worldwide ments, and financial stability. Nonand within a population is crucial communicable diseases are a masin developing an understanding sive hurdle that must be dealt with of these diseases as well as imple- for prosperity and success of these menting preventative stragegies5, nations.
Non-communicable diseases in high income countries such as Canada, Germany, United States of America, and the United Kingdom have a high prevalence. In 2008, the percentage of total mortality related to non-communicable diseases was 89% 9, 92% 10, 87% 11 and 88% 12 respectively for each country. With a statistic this substantial the effects can be felt as wait times increase, a continual shortage of beds are present in hospitals and the lack of care/treatment availability to the individuals suffering. All these burdens contribute to lower population health with this strain put on various healthcare systems. With all the described financial, mortality, and healthcare burdens of non-communicable diseases, what is truly being done globally? It is important that we continually monitor the progression of mortality rates and incidence trends of these diseases, as well as create educational initiatives to support a global change2. The United Nation’s creation of the “Millennium Development Goals” includes various health-based topics such as the intent to “eradicate extreme poverty and hunger as well as to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases” 6. Although there is no exact mention of noncommunicable diseases, they are March 2012 - Issue 5
(Courtesy of Carolina Biologial Supply Company)
covered under the notion of “other diseases.” This goal portrays efforts of trying to improve global health. Although this initiative is a step in the right direction, there needs to be improvements to the Millennium Development Goals so that they incorporate issues inhibiting developing countries from receiving financial aid from global development aid agencies. These limitations of the Millennium Development Goals caused the World Health Organization to develop the Global Non-Communicable Disease Network13. This network was created to combat non-communicable diseases, strengthen global partnerships and assist governments planning and implementation measures to reduce the many burdens of these diseases. It brings together many advocates whose efforts include control, prevention and combat of non-communicable diseases.13 As the Global Noncommunicable Disease Network continues to strengthen, focus does not stray from three important goals set. Firstly, it calls for an increased focus to be put on noncommunicable diseases through collective advocacy14. This means that collaboration and team efforts between various organizations will result in more effective and impactful results. Second, there is a need
to increase resource availability14. This relates to relief efforts needed by developing countries as they continually struggle to meet the financial demands due to noncommunicable diseases. Lastly, it calls for the improvement of effective multi-stakeholder action, particularly at the country level14. By improving country action an effective framework can be created to help reduce burden and lessen the dependency some nations have on relief efforts. The UN’s Millennium Development Goals do not touch upon these issues, and actually inhibit developing countries from receiving the necessary financial aid to prevent such events from occurring. As suggested by the World Health Organization, if these goals were to be met an increase in global collaboration will occur between various agencies leading to the prevention of millions of premature deaths15. So where do we go from here? If non-communicable diseases have consistently been on the rise worldwide, can we really reverse the trend? The answer is yes we can reverse the trend, but we must continue to push forward and not get discouraged. The development of the Global Non-Communicable Disease Network will allow for a better understanding of these diseases in many countries thus allowing healthcare practitioners to recognize neglected areas and risks. Education is the key to reducing non-communicable disease mortality, especially since these diseases are mostly contracted via lifestyle choices, which can be changed. With the continual work of global health agencies in alliance with national governments this burden can be lessened. It is a long and uphill battle but from a global population perspective, the battle will be worth the victory! So do your part in preventing yourself to fall under some of the risk factors of noncommunicable diseases. It just may save you! 16
Lions and Tigers and Bears! Oh My! A Look at Zoonotic Diseases in Today’s World Yumna Ahmed
The World Health Organization defines zoonosis as “any disease or infection that is naturally transmissible from vertebrate animals to humans�. 1 Zoonotic diseases can be parasitic, viral or bacterial and are often endemic.1 The disease can be vector borne, where the disease is spread to humans from a vertebrate host via an arthropod vector such as a mosquito, or can be non-vector borne where it is transmitted to human by direct or indirect contact with the infected vertebrate with no vector. 2 It is known that ecologic and climate changes can promote epidemic expansion of the host and geographic location and thus understanding and controlling zoonotic diseases is important to public health.
disease outbreaks were of zoonotic cause. 3 Zoonotic diseases are often reported on and well known, such as H1N1 flu, rabies, West Nile virus, cow pox, and dengue fever and have been involved in shaping human society 4,5. Diseases such as the plague in the 14th century, influenza after World War One and AIDS in the present time demonstrate how zoonotic diseases can cause demographic changes due to their high mortality and morbidity rates. They also have a burden on the economy and it was estimated in 2004 that the cost of only food-borne zoonoses in Canada was $1.3 billion annually.5 These costs may increase due to the rise of zoonotic diseases. Several reasons account for this rise, including climate changes and increased travel and trade.
changes its geographic location (by expanding, minimizing or moving entirely) in response to climate changes which bring the host in contact with new human populations. 2 For example avian influenza occurs in wild birds, and with climate change the normal migration patterns of the birds will be disturbed and bring wild birds, domestic birds and human populations in contact at remaining water sources. A second mechanism changes in the population density of the host that will increase or decrease its contact with humans or other vectors and hosts. 2 A change in temperature or rainfall that may result in an increased or decreased host population. Thirdly a change in the prevalence of the infection in the host, and lastly, changes in the rate of pathogen reproduction, growth or replication will affect the prevalence of disease in human population.2 Increased immigration, trade and travel also increases the spread of zoonotic diseases between humans. Another reason for an increased frequency of zoonoses is the urbanization of land, which brings humans in closer contact with animal hosts.
It can be seen that the control and understanding of zoonotic diseases is highly important. It has been suggested that the nature of transmission be examined in order to control these diseases. A better understanding of the relationship between epidemiological, ecological, agricultural and socioeconomic factors is needed in order to un It is estimated that almost Climate change affects the derstand human and animal inter60% of the approximately 1400 frequency through four proposed action.5 Zoonotic diseases must recognized species of pathogens mechanisms, which can act alone or be addressed nationally and interinfectious for humans are zoonotic in a combination.2 The first mecha- nationally to predict, prevent and and that 65% of the recent major nism is range shifts, where the host manage emerging diseases. 17
When living feels worse than dying: is suicide really a choice? Amen Idahosa
Suicide
is not a topic many like to discuss, let alone the possibility that it may take the life of a friend or family member. Unfortunately suicide is real and the warning signs should not be ignored. The completion of suicide by an individual may be due to feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, suffering from a mental illness, or may be a severe cry for help due to a negative thought process.1 In Canada, suicide accounts for 24 percent of all deaths among 15-24 year olds and 16 percent among 1644 year olds. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for Canadians between the ages of 10 and 24 .1 There are approximately 200-400 suicide attempts among youths for every completed suicide. 2 Would you know who to turn to if you had thoughts of harming yourself or thoughts of suicide? Mental health is very important for our wellbeing, and when a student enters university, new situations may arise that one has not experienced before. Moving away from home, new relationships, using alcohol and/or drugs, and possibly failing an assignment or course for the first time can all trigger mental health problems3. The first onset of mental illness typically presents itself between the age of 18-24, indicating the time in which most students begin college or university3. In fact, 15% of students surveyed at six Ontario universities have been treated by a health professional for mental-health problems.4 University is a highly demanding and competitive institution and if a student is unable to talk to someone or March 2012 - Issue 5
seek mental health counseling, the symptoms a student has can intensify and interfere with their overall health and ability to perform well in school. There is a myth that suicide is sudden and unpredictable, regrettably, suicide is a process and not an event, as eight out of ten people give some indication of their intentions.5 Another myth is that suicidal individuals are determined to die, which is not the case. Suicidal people are in pain, and don’t necessarily want to die. However, when coping skills are exhausted and living feels worse than dying, suicide may feel like the only option .5
be supportive and beneficial, such as “are you thinking about harming yourself or do you have thoughts of suicide?” This may provide relief and create the opportunity to talk about positive life experiences.5
The Student Development Centre at Brock University offers free and confidential personal counseling services for students. If you or someone you know believes their health requires medical intervention, Health Services on campus can provide further information as well as referrals if needed. Provincially, an initiative set up by the Ontario government called, “Open Minds, Healthy Minds”, is a comprehensive approach to transforming the So why are we afraid to talk mental health system through forabout mental illness and suicide? ward thinking vision and long term We might be afraid to talk about strategies for change. 6 suicide because of the guilt, shame, stigma and religious beliefs sur- It is important for us as a rounding suicide 5. Talking about community to create and maintain a suicide with a friend, family mem- positive, non-discriminatory learnber or colleague will not encourage ing and working environment for someone or increase his or her risk all. of suicide. A simple question can
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MASTER’S HIGHLIGHT Matthew Ventresca HBA, Master’s candidate Written by: Yumna Ahmed
Matt hails from Fenwick, Ontario and obtained his Honours Bachelors’s of Arts in Community Health. Matt is currently in his second year of his Master’s studies under the supervision of Dr. Tammemagi.
pertinent data from the PCEDLCS which investigates the possibility of implementing a lung cancer screening program in Canada. The atmosphere at Brock, as well as the great faculty and students are what made Matt choose Brock for his Masters. He has always found that the professors at Brock are incredibly intelligent and accessible, especially his supervisor, Dr. Tammemagi. Along with working on his thesis, Matt is involved in 3 systematic reviews at McMaster University investigating the risk of bleeding while taking warfarin and the adverse effects of codeine use in children. He has also recently worked as a research assistant with the Center for Addiction and Mental Health recruiting study participants and conducting qualitative interviews.
Utilizing data collected through interviews, blood samples and respiratory tests from the PanCanadian Early Detection of Lung Cancer Study (PCEDLCS), Matt’s thesis investigates factors that affect quality of life among individuals with a heavy smoking history. Significant factors could then be targeted in daily treatments received by individuals suffering from the effects of smoking with the intention of improving their day-to-day lives. Matt chose this thesis as he likes that quality of life is a subjective outcome measure that varies between individuals and is an overall measure of health. He also enjoys When he is not busy workhaving access to the vast amount of ing on his thesis or his many other
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projects Matt can be found travelling, spending time with family and friends and playing sports. His advice to anyone who wants to pursue a Master’s degree is to “Work on a project that you find interesting. Start writing your thesis as early as possible. Publish as many papers and go to as many conferences as you can. Enjoy it!”
Take a Trip Down Memory Lane Nida Ahmed in various brain regions. Therefore it can be said that when the hippocampus receives and processes information successfully, a memory is preserved.2
Memory. It can consist of something you need to keep in your mind for a couple seconds, such as a number for a pizza place when making an order or information trying to be remembered at a later date, like trying to remember a physics formula for an exam. Regardless of the type, memory is used every second of every day. It is a powerful tool that allows us to think and use information.
similarities between words when trying to remember than to visualize the word.1 If short term memory information is rehearsed enough it can be stored in long term memory. The amount of information that long term memory can hold is unlimited and can be recalled at any time; so you can store both information about your upcoming anatomy exam as well as all the gossip from the latest episode of Jersey Shore!
Memory is our ability to accumulate, preserve and recollect information.1 There are three different processes of memory: sensory, short term and long term memory. Sensory memory lasts only milliseconds; for example, looking at an object and being able to close your eyes and visualize it immediately after.1 Short term memory lasts for a minute or so and contains small pieces of information. Short term memory is different than sensory memory in that information is typically processed through an auditory means rather than visually; an individual is more likely to create acoustic
Memories are formed by neurons in the brain. These nerve cells can accumulate memories for a short period of time which can then be stored or discarded. Short term memories are first received and stored by the frontal and parietal lobes of the brain. Visual and especially verbal cues create neuronal activity in the frontal gyrus (ridge) located in the frontal lobe.1 These sensations and experiences are then examined by the hippocampus of the brain. The hippocampus is vital in aiding storage of memories and transferring them to long term memory where they are stored
March 2012 - Issue 5
The main mechanism that stores memories in the brain is through chemicals called neurotransmitters and electrical impulses.3 Nerve cells connect through synapses, the region where electrical impulses are carried from one cell to the next.3 Neurotransmitters are released through this electrical activity, and attach to nearby cells. There are around 100 trillion synapses in the human brain, due to each individual brain cell being able to form thousands of nerve cell associations. These brain cell links are dynamic and constantly changing. A stronger connection between nerve cells grows, as more signals are transmitted between them; this helps arrange brain cells into specialized clusters, each dealing with certain developments of information. This is why brain structure and connections are not fixed, as with new sensations, your brain learns to rewire itself to some extent and either keep or lose these connections.4 The organization of your brain is established by the way it is exercised, and this plasticity (flexibility) is what aids in rewiring your brain if injured. By practicing new information and learning, these changes are stored and reinforced in the brain as memories. So the next time, you are trying to remember something, think about everything going on in your brain, in order for you to recall that one thing!
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Let There Be Light! A Vision of the Future of Retinal Prosthetics Gaibrie Stephen In 1755, Charles
LeRoy found that passing electrical charges through the eyes of a blind man could produce visual sensations of light. Since this discovery, the idea of vision restoration has started booming as scholars learned the nature of photoreceptors and electrical stimuli1. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a macular degenerative disease which afflicts over 200,000 individuals globally1. It is characterized by the progressive loss of photoreceptor cells in the retina which may eventually lead to blindness. The symptoms of RP include losing one’s ability to adjust their vision in the dark followed by the loss of peripheral vision and eventually complete blindness.2 Upcoming technology in the field of retinal implants works to partially restore useful vision to people who suffer from conditions such as RP.
photoreceptors can be stimulated through the use of electricity. The prosthetic used depends upon both the patient’s individual needs and where the prosthetic must sit in the eye. 3 Prototype epiretinal implants (inner retinal prosthetic) currently being tested on fully blind patients require an external video camera which accepts and interprets the visual data. 4 This system begins with an external image processor which interprets the data before transmitting the data to the epiretinal implant which converts the message into a pattern neuron stimulation. The sequence produced allows the brain to piece together shapes, motion and sensations of light.
eye and produce electric currents in response to light.5 Unfortunately, close proximity between the implant and the retina poses the risk of damage due to residual thermal energy .6
Prosthetic and surgical techniques are still in development. Much of the subject’s vision is still limited to very low resolution pixels. However current individuals using retinal implants have been documented as regaining sensations to light, the ability to detect minor motion and identification of the outline of shapes3. For example, the US firm of advanced Cell Technology revealed that the world’s first human trial using embryonic stem cells to treat An alternative retinal prosthetic, eye disease was a success.7 As the the subretinal implant (outer reti- medical science field is constantly nal prosthetic) requires no exter- expanding, patients today are pronal camera and can accommodate vided with the ability to weigh the eye movement to change gaze. It benefits and risks of retinal implants involves the implantation of an ar- at a level that a person ten years ago While dead photoreceptors ray of solar cells called micropho- wouldn’t even be able to imagine. in the eye will remain, the surviving todiodes. These solar cells replace inner retinal neurons of damaged the damaged photoreceptors of the 21
A “Scurry� in the Right Direction Development of new, non-animal models for medical and cosmetic testing Kristie Newton
With
the foundation of the animal rights movement and the formation of groups protesting the use of animals in cosmetic and medical testing, it was only a matter of time before a non-animal model was created. The hope for this new model is to relieve some of the pressure on our furry friends and to create a testing realm identical to the human body.
treatments and toxicity of medical products and cosmetics3. Many laboratories in Europe and the U.S are developing and using this new model..
The non-animal model is an assay comprised of human cells where the tests are completed in- vitro3. In this new model, human cells are grown in-culture and the necessary testing is completed on these cells rather than using live animals In various parts of Europe that would have to endure the conand the United States, the banning sequences. This model is especially of certain medical and cosmetic test- useful for testing the effects of proing on animals has already been put posed carcinogens and noting the into place. According to Sara Adler, development of tumors1. A problem it is only a matter of time before the with the model is the cells that are bans make their way to Canadian grown in-culture may not always laboratories and testing facilities1.
act or respond identically to cells found growing within a living organism, like a rat or mouse3. The new assay of human cells is a great step forward in the pursuit of a medical world with no unnecessary animal testing. This new non-animal model also enables scientists to make discoveries based solely on information obtained from a source identical to the human body. Sara Adler predicts that with more fine-tuning and more diversity, this model could completely replace the need to use animals and leave the world a little more animalfriendly without sacrificing any of our much needed medical discovery and advancement.
In the past animal models have been irreplaceable tools in the progression and development of modern medicine, including the amazing treatments and cures available today1. A study recently conducted by a group of graduate students at Oxford University examined attitudes towards animal testing. They found that most participants supported tests on animal models when completed under circumstances where other models were not available.2 However, when asked about animal welfare in regard to testing, most people agreed that animal testing was wrong.2 The growing concern for the treatment and rights of animals has led to the development of a new non-animal model for various medical and cosmetic testing1. Most of these tests relate to cancer March 2012 - Issue 5
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HOT HEADLINES HOT HEADLINE!
HOT HEADLINE!
HOT HEADLINE!
Two New Biomarkers, Mesothelin and HE4, for Diagnosis of Ovarian Carcinoma
India reports new TB strain resistant to all drugs
Gastric Pacemaker To Fight Obesity By Convincing Brain That Stomach Is Full
Article by: Ingegerd Hellstrom and Karl Hellstrom Summarized by: Eliza Beckett CA125, the current ‘gold standard’ for detecting early ovarian carcinoma has just been surpassed by the recent discovery of two new biomarkers. Mesothelin and HE4 are expressed in serous ovarian carcinoma and can be detected in serum by performing and ELISA test. By combining CA125 and HE4 more stage I and II tumors are being detected earlier . This is because when testing the serum the release of antibodies to mesothelin and HE4 are more prevalent in women with ovarian carcinomas. Since there is no single biomarker or multimarker that is able to screen large populations of symptomless women, this discovery has changed the diagnostic approach for evaluating highgrade serous ovarian carcinomas. Hellstrom, I. & Hellstrom, K. Two new biomarkers, mesothelin and HE4, for diagnosis of ovarian carcinoma. Expert Opinion on Medical Diagnostics, 5(3), 227-240.
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Article by: Mike Stobbe and Muneeza Naqvi Summarized by: Nida Ahmed New and first cases of a new drug resistant strain of tuberculosis are emerging in India, making the merciless lung disease nearly untreatable. The cases are mostly in poor neighborhoods, but the airborne disease is not anticipated to swiftly spread to other areas as most cases were mutations that had arisen in patients rather than through person to person contact. Multiple tests and medications were administered, and none were seen to work on these new cases. Normal TB strains are usually cured through antibiotics for a six to nine month period, yet these antibiotics had no effect on the new TB affected patients. Other high resistant TB cases have been recorded earlier, two in Italy in 2003 and 15 in 2009 in Iran. A TB case that is resistant to the two most controlling antibiotics is classified as multi-resistant TB (MDR), and a case that is seen as resistant to all drugs is classified as extensively-drug resistant TB (XDR). Rapid action is currently taking place for finding a treatment for this drug resistant TB strain.
The Huffington Post UK Article by: Kyrsty Hazell Summarized by: Yumna Ahmed A new stomach implant can now trick the brain into thinking the stomach is full. Experts are hoping that this will help fight obesity. The Abiliti or “Gastric Pacemaker” is a credit card-sized implant that is inserted through a keyhole surgery and detects when food has been eaten. It then sends a signal to the brain to create the feeling of fullness. The Abiliti was created by IntraPace and consists of a lead, a food sensor and an electrode. When food is ingested, the sensor sends a signal to the device, which sends electrical pulses to the electrode. This then stimulates the vagus nerve and cause hormone changes which cause the brain to think it is full. The device is already available at select private hospitals and will be used on obese patients with a BMI of 35 or over. It is the hope of health experts that this device will become an alternative to the gastric bypass. http://www.huffingtonpost. co.uk/2011/11/08/gastric-pacemaker-beat-obesity_n_1082081.html
A LITTLE EXTRA... SODOKU!
March 2012 - Issue 5
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THE TEAM
Kristie Newton
Nida Ahmed
Gaibrie Stephen
Eliza Beckett
Scott Alguire
Yasmeen Mann
Ryan Schapoks-Siebert
Erin Watterton
Jordan McNalty
Saumik Biswas
Interested in joining the Brock Health team? Contact us: brockuhealth@ gmail.com Follow us on Twitter: @BrockUHealth
Miso Gostimir
Ryder Damen
Breanne Kramer
Shalina Vighio
Amen Idahosa
Jason VanSoelen
References A Lethal Dose
The Placebo Effect - A Potential Cure for Many Diseases
.
1.World Health Organization (2012). Zoonoses. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/
1.Smith, Joan ( 2002). Pharmaceutical Poisoning. National Public Health Partnership
1. Blakeslee, S. (1998). Placebos Prove So Powerful Even Experts Are Surprised;
topics/zoonoses/en/
Public Health Planning and Practice Framework Trial (193), http://www.monash.edu.
New Studies Explore the Brain’s Triumph Over Reality. New York Times. p. 1.
2.Mills, J., Gage, K. & Khan. A. (2010). Potential Influence of Climate Change
au
2. Brody, H. (1982). The Lie That Heals: The Ethics of Giving Placebos. Annals Of
on Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases: A review and Proposed Research Plan.
2.Jacobson, B.J, (1989) Accidental ingestions of oral prescription drugs. Journal of
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