Medicor 2015 #3 by Medicor MF Magazine

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medicor

2015 #3

medicinska fĂśreningen i stockholm

16 Nobel Prizes 2015

26 Migrant crisis and the collapse of European identity

LOST

in TRANSLATION Elaine EksvĂ¤rd teIls us how to improve doctor-patient communication

Prelude Dear readers, It is a great honour for me to introduce the third issue of Medicor 2015. Firstly, I would like to give a special welcome to all new students at Karolinska Institutet! We hope that through entertaining, educational and inspiring publications we can turn you into fervent readers of our student-run magazine. Building upon the success of previous Medicor teams, we hope to deliver a magazine that unifies all students at Karolinska Institutet, by including topics that are of multi-disciplinary interest.

As new editor-in-chief, it has been a pleasure to meet and work with all the people that make Medicor possible - both new and established contributors. I would like to give very special thanks to Ann-Marie Dumanski and Hans Reuterskiöld for letting us attend the Nobel announcements. Also, I thank Elaine Eksvärd for her invaluable insight and efforts on transforming health care in Sweden and abroad. On a last note, it is worth mentioning that we are always looking for talented individuals that want to be part of our team to contribute with new ideas and skills. Come and join us. Tell Your Story.

Sincerely, Teresa Fernandez Zafra Editor-in-Chief

Cover photo by Martin Kjellberg for Medicor 2

Photo by Jingcheng Zhao for Medicor

For this issue, the Medicor team has been at the Nobel announcements for the prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Economics, Literature and Physiology or Medicine. Don’t miss out on the articles in which we tell you a little bit about this year’s winners! We have also had the opportunity to interview Elaine Eksvärd for our cover story, in which she addresses how to improve doctorto-patient communication. We take a closer look into the migrant refugee crisis and its impact on Sweden and Europe. We then travel to Boston to get an inside view of the iGEM synthetic biology competition where emerging and inspiring youth (including a team with students from Karolinska) met in hopes to shape our future. As you can see, this issue is full of inspiration that will hopefully motivate you to take action and make the world a better place.

Medicor Magasin Grundad 2006. Nionde årgången. Utges av Medincinska Föreningen i Stockholm ISSN: 1653-9796 Ansvarig utgivare: Teresa Fernandez Zafra Tryck och reproduktion: Åtta45, Solna Adress: Medicinska Föreningen i Stockholm Nobels Väg 10, Box 250, 171 77, Stockholm Utgivningsplan 2015: nr 1: mars, nr 2: maj, nr 3: oktober, nr 4: december. Kontakta Medicor: chefredaktor@medicor.nu www.medicinskaforeningen.se http://medicor.nu Frilansmaterial: Medicor förbehåller sig rätten att redigera inkommet material och ansvarar inte för icke beställda texter eller bilder, samt tryckfel. Upphovsman svarar för, genom Medicor publicerat, signerat frilansmaterial; denna(e)s åsikter representerar nödvändigtvis inte Medicors eller Medicinska Föreningens.

Photo by Jingcheng Zhao for Medicor

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Overture Cover Story

Karolinska

GOLDEN TIMES FOR iGEM STOCKHOLM The story about the student team that reached the gold at the world’s largest synthetic biology competition.

Leading the change at scorp Find out about the latest topics debated on the Summer Camp Of human Rights and Peace (SCORP)

Global Focus

MIGRANT CRISIS

the future of development Euan McKay on the millenium and sustainable development goals.

LOST IN TRANSLATION Stockholm Rhetoric Specialist Elaine Eksvärd give us tips for better communication between the clinician and the patient.

The frustration among Europeans and refugees is growing. Is there a solution?

CLIMATE CHANGE THREATENS ASIA Economic growth of Asian cities is aggravating the problem of climate change.

Science

SCIENCE SNIPPETS

NOBEL ANNOUNCEMENTS

A glimpse to the latest findings in the research community.

Culture

30 sleep paralysis

A student guide to the hottest events happening in town.

Sibel Ilter explores the phenomenon of sleep paralysis from a mythological and a neurobiological perspective.

Comics

Some comic relief from Mikael Plymoth, Anny Truong, Eveline Shevin and Emily Clark.

STOCKHOLM ON STAGE

NOBEL PRIZES 2015 Medicor assisted to the Nobel Announcements of Chemistry, Physics, Economics, Literature and Physiology or Medicine. Find out more about this year’s winners and their contribution to the world.

EMBRACING AUTUMN

WHERE TO DINE?

Tips and activities to make the most of this season.

Jennifer Lees’ top choices for eating out.

medicor Teresa Fernandez Zafra • Editor-in-Chief | Radek J. Góra • Associate Editor | Saket Milind Nigam • Director of Photography | Jessica De Loma Olson • Web Manager | James Salisi • Editor of Global Focus | Sibel Ilter • Editor of Campus | Catherine Levine • Editor of Science | Martha Nicholson • Editor of Culture Sarolta Gabulya, Nina Kirk, Jessica De Loma Olson, Alina Brüls • Reporters | Martin Kjellberg, Jingcheng Zhao, Milind Nigam, Maria Sofou, Salomé Olsson, Shahul Hameed • Photographers | Euan McKay, Jennifer Lees, Radek J. Góra, Haris Antypas, Ben Libberton, Karin Butina, Maria Lopez Quiroga, Helena Honkaniemi, James Salisi, Iskra Pollak Dorocic, Martha Nicholson, Sarah Wideman, Manon Ricard, Anna Vidina, Sibel Ilter, Sheldon Hofstader, Nira Nimalathas • Writers | Olivia Miossec, Nina Kirk, Emily Clark • Proofreaders | Mikael Plymoth • Senior Comics Coordinator | Anny Truong, Eveline Shevin, Emily Clark • Comic Illustrators | Freepik.com, flaticon.com • Infographics

Aperture As the sun streaks through the leaves of this marvellous tree on a clear but foggy morning, this photo captures the essence of autumn, one of the themes for this issue (read more on page 32). Photo taken by Shahul Hameed for Medicor.

Smörgåsbord

HIV/AIDS breakthrough In Trento, Italy, researchers have identified two naturally occurring human proteins that can reduce HIV infectivity significantly. Surprisingly, another group in Massachusetts reported these exact findings at exactly the same time and both studies have now been published in the Journal of Nature. The antiviral effect of these proteins is normally counteracted by a HIV protein called Nef, which is why the important role of these proteins had not been described before. This discovery offers hope for the development of new HIV drugs.

Criminal Microbes Criminals may have mastered the art of covering their DNA traces and fingerprints, but what about their “personal microbial cloud”? People constantly shed 1 million bacteria per hour, even when they are sitting still. Researchers at the University of Oregon decided to use these bacterial traces to identify people. Each participant of this study sat in a sterile room for 4 hours, wearing new, clean clothes. By examining bacterial samples collected from air and the participant’s surrounding area, researchers were able to identify most of the participants.

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Haris Antypas, Karen Butina and Ben Libberton

Solar Neurons Scientists FROM Karolinska Institutet have created an artificial neuron that can mimic the function of human neurons. It is made from a conducting polymer that gained fame in 2000 when the discovery was awarded the Nobel Prize. Since then, conducting polymers have been mostly used in solar panels but now, many diverse

applications are available. So what can we do with a fake neuron made from a solar panel? Well, being synthetic means that it would be possible to replace the axon with a wireless communication system. This would allow the neurons to communicate over large distances.

THE ugliest place on Earth? IT IS Baotou, the largest industrial city in Inner Mongolia. Baotou is among world’s biggest suppliers of ‘’rare earth’’ minerals, used in production of flatscreen TVs, smartphones, magnets for wind turbines and other western gadgets. While most of these minerals are as abundant as copper, their rarity is due to extremely toxic processes needed to extract them. Immense amounts of poisonus and radioactive waste is deposited in a 10sq km toxic lake created from what used to be farm land. Environmental and health effects are severe, yet nobody seems to care.

42,500

42,500 people were displaced every day in 2014 because of war, according to UNHCR. One in every 122 people on the planet is either a refugee, internally displaced or asylum seeker.

Photo credit: The iGEM Foundation and Justin Knight

Kar o lin ska

Golden times for iGEM Stockholm!

A gold medal, a top nomination and lots of stories - that’s what the Stockholm iGEM team brought back from the finals in Boston. After starting a team from scratch to participate in the world’s largest competition in synthetic biology, this group of students have worked day and night to finish their project. Now all their hard work has finally paid off. By Sarah Wideman, Manon R icard & Anna Vidina This spring, we wrote about the first team ever, consisting of students from Karolinska Institutet and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, which would participate in the synthetic biology competition iGEM. Since then a lot has happened. The team finalized their project; the Affibodybased Bacterial Biomarker Assay, which they called in best Swedish tradition just ABBBA. This assay represents a new way to use bacteria for developing a more sensitive and specific early diagnostic tool for cancer. Throughout the entire summer, the team of motivated under- and postgraduate students have worked hard in the laboratory at KTH campus to bring their research project into reality. At the end of this really exhausting but valuable experience, the team made it to the competition’s finals in Boston, where they were rewarded with a gold medal for their achievements. Furthermore, similar to an Oscar nomination for a movie, the Stockholm iGEM Team got nominated for the award in their track “Health and 8

Medicine”. That means they were among the best four Health and Medicine projects of this year! But they weren’t just noticed for their scientific achievements, their golden outfits also made an impression on other teams, supervisors, judges and organizers. Now they are back from Boston and we got a chance to talk to some of the “golden” team members. Carmen (Biomedicine Bachelor) Utsa (Toxicology Master) Hugo (Bioentrepreneurship Master)

What is your first or strongest association when you now hear the word “iGEM”? Carmen: Team spirit, collaboration, hard work, satisfaction and fun! Hugo: Innovation, teamwork and fun. Utsa: Self-exploration. Discovering the “I” in iGEM, so to speak.

Do you think the team achieved their goals? Carmen: Expectations at the start were to be able to bring a team together and let people know about iGEM and that is for sure accomplished! Expectations were then gathering lab space, equipment and money, difficult when barely anyone had heard about iGEM, and that was also accomplished! And once we had our home/ lab, we were driven to learn, make progress in the designed project and have fun…all that was more than accomplished too! Finally, we were the first team coming from Stockholm to Boston with this purpose. In my opinion yes! I think goals were achieved! Hugo: Indeed, we got to be in the top four in our category Health and Medicine. Additionally, we were awarded a gold medal for the accomplishments of the team. Not bad for being the first team from KI and KTH participating in this competition.

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What were the biggest challenges you experienced while participating in the competition?

Did you exchange experiences with many teams? Did you meet many interesting new people?

Utsa: I would say the biggest challenge was to adopt new things in a very short time. We all were from different backgrounds in our team and also from two different universities. We only had three months in the lab to learn new things and apply them, in order to shape up our big project, ABBBA. Though it was difficult, we managed to deal with the challenge and produced some interesting results.

Hugo: Yes, I mingled with other teams in order to know their experiences and how they had approached and tackled issues arising during the project development. It was a great experience to meet people from all over the world, gathered by the iGEM competition. They all developed incredible projects. The one I remember the most, was made by TAS Taipei, who was the absolute winner of the high school category.

Carmen: Trying to be aware of everything that is going on in the project, keeping up with the overall progress and dealing with constant communication! Hugo: I personally was involved in fundraising money for the project. The biggest challenge was to get companies and public institutions to believe in and support such a student driven project. However, I believe that we have created a good starting point for future teams.

The final highlight of the competition must have been the jamboree in Boston! What happened there? Hugo: It was awesome, one of the best experiences of my life. As our project was called ABBBA, we embraced the name and our Swedish roots by dressing up in golden tights and accessories. We did shine at the convention center in Boston. We all enjoyed amazing presentations from other teams and workshops regarding synthetic biology and chats with the FBI. It was the perfect scene for our presentation.

Carmen: There are people from everywhere there, interesting and smart! Too much even, I would dare to say! People there are willing to share all the knowledge and effort they have put in their project. I learned a lot, at a professional and personal level. Utsa: We also talked to the people from different companies such as IDT and Synberc. It was really good to see the cool machines and techniques the students built this year as well. For example the bacterial music generator made by NYU Shanghai.

What was the highlight of the trip to Boston? Utsa: There were many things but I would like to highlight two things that I liked

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most. One is the high school project. I was amazed by their work, presentation and confidence at such a young age. Another thing is the workshops. I thoroughly enjoyed the FBI workshop and the Danceology workshop, where we all learned how to dance on a project theme. Hugo: For myself, it was the dynamics of the team. I loved sharing this experience with friends and getting to know such interesting people from all over the world. Of course, getting a top position in the competition and bringing the gold medal back to Stockholm was the biggest highlight for the team as it has proven that we can perform better with more support.

Would you recommend other students to participate in iGEM next year? And Why? Utsa: I would highly recommend other students to be a part of iGEM world. It is about opportunities and experience that every student looks for, you especially gain very valuable lab skills. Hugo: Totally. This has been one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences of my life. I would love to do it again, therefore I strongly recommend students who want to have fun to take part in this project. I’m sure they will never regret it. Carmen: Definitely, I think it is an experience that allows you to learn about science, other people and yourself! •

Carmen: Hanging out with the team 24/7 really made me get to know people’s other side, the one that shows during times of the day we barely shared in the lab before. And I think I even like them more now! We woke up 7.30, went to the conference center, attended millions of project presentations and workshops until late in the evening, mingled, ate huge dinners, had fun in Boston streets and brushed our teeth all together! Making decisions upon almost everything together too, trying to meet everyone’s preferences was a challenge that I think we successfully beat while having fun! Utsa: It was an amazing experience. Boston treated ABBBA really well. We were all dressed in golden attire, which attracted a lot of people. We presented our project really well during an oral presentation and a poster session. We enjoyed a lot as a team; eating together, singing and dancing to ABBA songs, giving feedback to each other and just having fun together.

Photo credit: Maximillian Karlander

Kar o lin ska

Leading the change at SCORP Camp 2015 International Summer School on Human Rights and Peace By N ira N irmalathas Photo by Salomé Olsson

“When society faces challenges and difficulties, the support of human rights often diminishes. We, as future physicians, have the responsibility to advocate for our patients’ rights in accordance with the universal declaration of human rights, international humanitarian law and medical ethics. Our mission to do so never changes. However, the environment in which we live and work calls for new tools to advocate and defend access to health care and the right to health.” With these words, Anna Theresia

Ekman and Hana Awil, both medical students at Karolinska Institutet, decided to arrange SCORP Camp 2015. With the help of 30 other hardworking members in the Organising Committee and volunteers from all over Sweden, this was made possible! SCORP Camp is IFMSA’s largest annual international summer school on Human Rights and Peace, with previous edi10

tions hosted in Jordan and Slovakia. This year 80 students from all over the world gathered in Barnens Ö , Stockholm, to discuss, enhance knowledge and empower themselves to be able to speak up for patients, the right to health care and society. But wait… you might be wondering – what is IFMSA? IFMSA stands for International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations and was founded in 1951. It is now one of

the world’s oldest and largest student-run organisations with currently 129 National Member Organisations from 121 countries. IFMSA represents over one million medical students and is recognised to be their global voice. As a non-governmental organization it is recognised by international institutions such as the world health organisation (WHO) and United Nations.

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Kar o lin ska IFMSA contains six different standing commitees, working with public health, exchanges, sexual health, human rights etc. SCORP stands for Standing Commitee Of Human Rights and Peace and this is where the name of the summer school comes from. So during 23-28 August, 80 students from all over the world including Iran, Mexico, UK, Egypt, Taiwan and many more, gathered in Barnens Ö, Stockholm with the hope to learn more about human rights and promote their implementation around the world. The theme of this year’s SCORP Camp was ”Access of Healthcare” with sessions, panel discussions and sessions exploring the fundamental human right to health. The summer school mainly consisted of four parallel training sessions: Training New Trainers, Training New Human Rights Trainers, International Peer Education Training, and “Human Rights for Medical Practitioners: Advanced Training in Human Rights and Ethical Principles in Clinical Settings.” The aim is to give health professionals the tools to advocate for the rights of their patients and strengthen future physicians’ commitments towards Human Rights.

During the evenings, the participants got to experience Swedish traditions. Everything from celebrating Swedish midsummer (even though it was August) and having a traditional themed ”sittning”, to spending the evening in Stockholm visiting the Royal Palace, Old City and the Nobel Museum. They also played the traditional Swedish game ”Brännboll”, swam in the lake, experienced the sauna, listened to talks and enjoyed the National Food and Drink Party! ”What struck me most during my time at SCORP Camp was how amazing it was to see so many people from different parts of the world all with the same drive and motivation to see human rights upheld in every corner of the world. Despite our perceived outward differences, when it comes to advocating and defending access to health care and the right to health we all spoke the same language.”, says Ugonna Nwankpa from United Kingdom, participant at SCORP Camp 2015. SCORP Camp eventually drew to an end, leaving everyone sad yet inspired and full of energy to go back to their countries and advocate for Human Rights and Peace. •

For more information about SCORP Camp Facebook: SCORP Camp – Sweden 2015 Instagram: scorpcamp2015 Twitter: scorpcamp2015 www.scorpcamp.se For more information about IFMSA: www.ifmsa.org www.ifmsa.se

IFMSA Stockholm is open to all students at KI.

Hej där! Vi ses på nästa InnovatiOnsdag! Välkommen till en inspirerande föreläsningsserie om allt från banbrytande medicinska innovationer till hur man ska använda crowdfunding för att finansiera sin idé! Lyssna på erfarna talare som är ledande inom sitt område och utbyt idéer med andra deltagare. Dessutom ingår lunchmacka! Läs mer på ki.se/innovationoffice

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Science

Science Snippets By Iskra Pollak Dorocic

A ebola vaccine success The West African Ebola epidemic has taken over 11,000 lives to date, and mobilized a rush to develop an effective treatment for a disease that had none. Usually vaccine development takes many years, but in this case after only 20 months the first study deemed the newly developed vaccine extremely efficient. Out of 2,014 people who had been in contact with an infected person, zero developed the disease after being vaccinated immediately after exposure. The duration of protection is still unknown, but this fast-track development of a treatment in the midst of an outbreak is unprecedented, and offers a valuable lesson for handling future epidemics. (Lancet, July 2015)

Photo credit: NIAID

LIFE ON MARS? NASA scientists have revealed strong evidence for flowing water on Mars. The news opens up the exciting possibility that life forms may exists on the red planet. But going to find these life forms will be far from easy – the risk of contaminating (or already having done so) Mars with Earth’s microbes is very high. Any future manned missions, such as NASA’s “Journey to Mars’” plan which aims to send astronauts by the 2030’s, will have to protect the Martian biosphere from humans and their many microbial companions. (Scientific American, Sept 28 2015) Photo credit: LDG (Flickr)

brain wiring linked to lifesyle Scientists working on the Human Connectome Project have linked brain connectivity patterns to human traits. Resting-state connectomes of 460 people’s brains were correlated to a list of 280 traits. More positive variables, such as more education completed, life satisfaction, and better memory performance showed stronger and more similar brain connectivity, while negative traits such as smoking, aggressive behavior or family history of alcohol abuse showed a weaker type of connectivity. However, the study could not distinguish whether the weakened brain connections are the cause or effect of negative traits. (Nature Neuroscience, Sept 2015)

PSYchology trouble Psychology studies often catch the attention of the mainstream thanks to their catchy findings and relate-ability to everyday life. But the field of psychology has been plagued by allegations that many of its studies are not reproducible. To confront this, a recent study aimed to replicate 98 experiments published in psychology journals and see if it can independently come up with the same results. Only 39 of the 100 replication attempts were successful. This troubling finding points to general problems with scientific publishing, which rewards exciting and unexpected results at a cost of reproducibility. (Science, August 2015)

INTRODUCING HOMO NALEDI Scientists claim to have discovered a new species of the genus Homo, supported by over 1500 bone fragments uncovered in a South African cave. The huge find includes remains of at least 15 individuals of varying ages, making it an extremely rare find in paleontology. The bone features are varied, containing a baffling mix of ancient and more modern characteristics, making it difficult to determine where the species fits into the prehuman lineage. (eLife, September 2015)

SPEEDOMETER IN THE BRAIN How does our brain code for speed? It turns out the brain has a set of dedicated neurons that fire quickly when we move fast, and more slowly when we are unhurried. The finding comes from the laboratory of last year’s Nobel winners, MayBritt and Edvard Moser in Trondheim, who discovered the navigation system in the brain. The ‘speed cells’ may work together with the previously discovered ‘grid cells’ to make up a GPS-like positioning system in the brain. (Nature, July 2015)

Photo credit: Miss Alix (Flickr)

Science

Sleep Paralysis: Mythology versus Neurobiology By Sibel Ilter In the previous issue we discussed

the phenomenon of lucid dreaming, the state of being aware, or conscious, in our dreams. Abnormal bodily phenomenas are virtually analogous with nighttime, and there is a truth in the case where they say that we are at our most vulnerable, most overpowered state when we are asleep. There are times when we eventually do lose the grip of all strings attached to our control and become no longer lucid dreamers, but the dolls of a marionette show performed by our very own body. In such cases, if we are unlucky, we could be faced with the sometimes fascinating, but mostly terrifying parasomnia “sleep paralysis.” In the biological frame of reference, sleep paralysis is the paralyzed experience where our body is not moving accordingly through the different stages of sleep, giving us a feeling of being conscious, awake, but unable to move our limbs or to speak. Sleep paralysis is the medical terminology that has its origin in the work of Samuel Johnson (1709-1784). In his A Dictionary of the English Language he presented the paralyzed phenomena as ‘nightmare’, something that later derived into our more modern definition. In the cultural world, sleep paralysis is the medical equivalent of the “Old Hag” (sometimes “Night Hag”), which is the generic name for the paralysis. Over the centuries, the symptoms given by the Old Hag have been described in various ways and have often been referred to as an “evil” presence; at randomly selected nights, a shadowy evil creature would either stand in the corner of the bedroom, or sit on top of the individual’s ribcage, causing them to awake with a sense of terror, and they would have a difficulty breathing because of the perceived heavy weight on their chest. Although the creature possesses many names, such as Mare (Scandinavian folklore), Phi Am (Thai folklore), Bou Rattat (Moroccan folklore) and Jinamizi (folklore in Swahili speaking areas of Southeast Africa), it is nar14

ratively the same creature. All in all, the symptoms given by the creature would include a resistance when attempting to move body parts, an hindrance of speaking, an overwhelming helplessness and an intense sense of terror. In Fiji, the experience is called kana tevero, translated to as being “eaten” by a demon. Also common in sleep paralysis is the “floating-inspace” sensation, that gives the individual a sense of floating or falling, resulting in an out-of-body experience.

In Fiji, the experience is called kana tevero, translated to as being “eaten” by a demon. Although most scientists readily share the contradicting belief that no demoneating or creature-like activity is taking place during sleep paralysis, they recognize the fact that the condition is so intense and macabre that the experience of the symptoms are coherent with the stories of the Old Hag Physiologically, sleep paralysis is related to REM atonia, which is the paralysis that occurs in normal REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Research on several different cases concludes that sleep paralysis either occurs upon falling sleep, when the person remains aware while transitioning into REM sleep, also called hypnagogic or predormital sleep paralysis (closely related to the transition into a lucid dream), or in the transition from sleep to wakefulness, known as hypnopompic or postdormital sleep paralysis. The paralysis can go on for seconds, minutes or, in more severe cases, several hours before the person is able to break out of the paralysis. Under normal conditions, those who go through sleep paralysis can experience it in three different ways; either, they could feel an uninvited presence in the room (an intruder), or a pressure on their chest which can cause breathing problems (the Old Hag or incubus), or go through several out-of-body experiences.

Despite the inability to move, the person might hear what can be perceived as demon-like voices and a constant buzzing or humming sounds. The intensified terror and the hallucinations, as researchers call it, share the neurological interpretation that the body is in a state of hypervigilance. Hypervigilance is the magnified bodily state of sensory sensitivity and threat response, leading to an exaggerated behaviour in the individual as it responds to potentially dangerous circumstances. Waking up to a sense of feeling paralyzed and helpless could in turn lead the person to interpret even ambiguous information as dangerous, eventually convincing the mind to perceive any external stimuli as a threat, or “evil.” A combination of hypervigilance and muscle paralysis removes the control of voluntary breathing, in turn explaining the “chocking” or suffocation-like sensation given by the “extra weight” on the chest. Normal breathing patterns of REM sleep, such as shallow rapid breathing and hypercapnia, enhances the feeling of suffocation. In this case, the individual might

In the modern mythological world, the paralyzed condition has been closely associated with extraterrestrial activity. attempt to breathe deeply but only to meet resistance, which the hypervigilant state depicts as – in our fastest, most imaginative interpretation – a creature sitting on our chest. Although the 21st century offers a handful of neurobiological explanations to bodily phenomenas such as the sleep paralysis, new theories of the rather fictitious sort are merging every day. In the modern mythological world, the paralyzed condition has also been closely associated with extraterrestrial activity. A Roper Poll commissioned by three researchers, including UFO and abduction

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Science researcher Budd Hopkins, stated that nearly four million Americans have supposedly, in their belief, been abducted by aliens, where the victims describe the occurring event as a “Grey slender presence sitting down at the edge of your bed in the middle of the night, an intense white light and a buzzing sound in the background, and you feel entirely helpless, restrained, and completely paralyzed.” Furthermore, some of the victims have claimed being transported – or floated – into some sort of alien craft and thereafter been exposed to several medical procedures, many of which involve sexual penetration and nasal implementation of a small object, while their bodies are all the while floating around in the air. The depicted sensations, such as the paralysis, humming

noises and floating bodies readily cohere with the sensations experienced during sleep paralysis, thus the close association. In fact, neuroscientists entirely dismiss the alien-abduction theory and mean that, in reality, what the individuals experienced was no more than a normal, intense sleep paralysis. The third characteristic experience of sleep paralysis, the out-ofbody experience, is explained as a vestibular-motor hallucination. Under normal conditions, medial and vestibular nuclei, cortical, thalamic, and cerebellar centers care for the coordination of head and eye movement and orientation, thereby coordinating body movement and giving the body information about its position. In sleep paralysis, it is hypothesized that these mechanisms become excited and,

due to the paralysis, instead elicit a floating out-of-the-body experience. Over the centuries, the experience of sleep paralysis has often been depicted as a meeting with an “evil” creature, a demon or a jinn that seeks us out at night and disturbingly enough makes itself comfortable on top of our chests or in the darkened corner of our bedrooms. In a work against every cultural belief throughout history, neuroscientists have presented theories to prove that the shadowy evil creature that terrifies us so horribly is nothing but a very vivid hallucination, and very much have they succeeded to give the answer to nearly all of our questions. All but one. •

“Of course, it is happening inside our heads, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

Painting by Henry Fuseli

N o bel

THE NOBEL economICS

Physics

By N ina Kirk

By Alina Brüls

Angus Deaton, deserving winner

This year’s Nobel Prize in Physics IS

of this year’s Nobel Prize in Economics, was born in Edinburgh, educated at Cambridge University and has been Professor of Economics and International Affairs at Princeton University since 1983. The broad topics on which he would base his lifework were first laid out in his 1980 paper, An Almost Ideal Demand System. This hugely influential work was the first to accurately capture real world demand patterns. The paper combined the fields of micro- and macroeconomics by examining the income and consumption of individuals and linking this to aggregate data in order to provide more accurate numbers relating to whole economies. Not only did this greatly impact the academic world, but it is still used today as a basis for practical policymaking. In the later years of his career, his research in the area of development economics focused on inequality, consumption and poverty. He also tackled topics such as malnutrition, gender discrimination, welfare and foreign aid, of which he is a vehement opponent. A humble man, he expressed his gratitude to the people that aided his work, and his happiness at winning not only for himself but also, given the focus of his research, for others around the world. His work on human welfare and his concern for the poor of the world is, indeed, inspiring. During an interview given after the initial announcement, he spoke of the need to tackle political instability and global poverty. He described the impact that unequal development has on current issues such as climate change, child undernourishment and the migrant crisis. He remains, however, an optimist. Indeed, he foresees further reductions in extreme poverty as well as improvements in the living standards of the world’s poorest communities in the years to come. To use the Nobel Laureates own words - “Things are getting better, but there is still a lot to be done.” •

awarded to two scientists studying the same phenomenon. Despite approaching it from two different perspectives, both stumbled across the same discovery. Takaaki Kajita from Japan and Arthur B. McDonald from Canada both dedicated their research to neutrinos and were rewarded for their discovery of neutrino oscillations. The metamorphosis implies that, contrary to former belief, neutrinos indeed have mass. Billions of neutrinos are streaming through our bodies and cosmos, and are only exceeded in number by photons, particles of light. Mostly created in nuclear reactions in the Sun, neutrinos are electrically neutral particles, passing matter without difficulty . They are thus hard to detect. Hence they are also known as ghost particles. It was only in 1956 that they were discovered. One of the biggest puzzles concerning neutrinos was the fact that measurements on Earth only detected a third of the amount estimated to be produced. In 1998 Kajita proved with his SuperKamiokande detector that neutrinos were able to change identities, and can either be tau, electron or myon. On the other side of the world, McDonald discovered, at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory, that the remaining two-thirds of the neutrinos did not get lost, but instead changed identities on their way to Earth. According to the rules of particle and quantum physics, neutrinos can only change their identity if the different types have different masses. Thus, the experiments of the laureates did not just lead to the discovery of neutrino oscillations but also lead to the conclusion that neutrinos must have mass. These findings thus contribute to our understanding of matter and the universe while it challenges the Standard Model of matter, which is based on the assumption that neutrinos are massless.

McDonald felt honoured to receive the award, but emphasized that it was also the fruit of a collective effort by his research group, and he is happy to be contributing to the “world’s knowledge at a very fundamental level”. Despite this fundamental discovery for particle physics, a lot of questions about neutrinos still remain to be answered. However, they might be subject for future Nobel Prize laureates. •

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PRIZES 2015 CHEMIsTRy

LITERATURE

By Jessica De Loma O lson

By Maria Lopez Quiroga

“If I were to pull out the DNA from

Photo by Saket Milind Nigam for Medicor

a human body and place it in one row, it would cover the distance from the Earth to the Sun and back 250 times” said Sara Snogerup Linse, chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry, just a few minutes after announcing this year’s winners. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded this prize to Tomas Lindahl, Paul Modrich and Aziz Sancar “for mechanistic studies of DNA repair”.

These scientists are pioneers in unraveling the mysteries behind the DNA repair mechanisms at a molecular level. Genetic material plays a critical role when maintaining life as we know it. Due to this, DNA was clearly thought to be stable; until Tomas Lindahl demonstrated the opposite in the 1970s. DNA was shown to be constantly attacked by reactive metabolites naturally produced in our organism. And as if this was not enough, external hazards such as radiation and chemicals are also always lurking. Lindahl’s work, carried out here at Karolinska Institutet, demonstrated that cytosine could spontaneously be converted into uracil. Whilst these are both nucleotides found in our genetic material, having uracil in our DNA is not quite suitable. There had to be some way to reverse this mistake. Base excision repair was then shown to be able to fix this and many other oxidative lesions. But this was not the only repair mechanism reported. In 1963 Sancar had already described nucleotide excision repair at a molecular level. Also known as “dark repair” (when compared to photo-reactivation which was the first light-dependent form of DNA repair described), this mechanism is in charge of fixing UV-induced thymine dimers. But what about damage generated from the inside? Replication is an efficient but not perfect process. When a wrong nucleotide is introduced while copying our genetic material, the DNA helix is distorted. Then, mismatch repair comes into play and, in 1989, Modrich defined all the necessary ingredients for this mechanism. However, these are just some of the intrinsic and complicated mechanisms in charge of keeping our genetic material safe. Yet highjacking the systems we now know could come in handy – just imagine promoting DNA damage to avoid the proliferation of cancer cells. •

The Belarusian Svetlana Alexievich

is the latest recipient of the Literature Nobel Prize, being the 14th woman to receive the award. Born in 1948 to a Ukrainian father and Belarusian mother, Alexievich quickly realized that she wanted to write. She studied journalism at Minsk University and worked in various media centers afterwards. Between 2006 and 2008, Alexievich was a guest writer for International Cities of Refugee Network (ICORN). Currently, she resettled and continues to write from Belarus’ capital. Sara Danius – Swedish academic – announced during the award ceremony that Alexievich received the prize “for her polyphonic writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time”. It is a fact that the Belarusian writer interviewed thousands of people throughout her career, making us listen to their – often desperate – voices. In 1989, Tsinkovye Malchiki (Zinky boys) was published, enlightening experiences of the war in Afghanistan. To precisely reflect on people’s tragedies, Alexievich visited the war-torn country to interview mothers whose sons died during battles. Later on, in 1993, Zacharovannye Smertyu (Enchanted with Death) was printed, telling the story of those who committed a suicide, being unable to reconcile the thought of the socialist ideology failure. Despite her previous successful pieces, her most famous book Chernobylskaya molitva (Voices of Chernobyl) was released in 1997, which gives an account of the nuclear disaster that happened in the titular city. The 2015 Nobel Prize in Literature is somewhat extraordinary since it is very uncommon to award non-fiction writers. We can, however, speculate that an arduous work describing the cry of suffering people and exercising limits of human endurance were the factors that captured the Nobel Committee members. By magistral use of the language, Alexievich emphasized life reality of the humble and unfortunate people. •

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THE NOBEL PHYSIOLOGY OR MEDICINE By Sarolta Gabulya The 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology

or Medicine has been jointly awarded to William C. Campbell and Satoshi Omura, “for their discoveries concerning a novel therapy against infections caused by roundworm parasites” and Youyou Tu, “for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against Malaria” stated the announcement, a little after half past 11, at Nobel Forum, Karolinska Institutet. A major health issue for humankind, which has been around for centuries, is the occurence of parasitic diseases such as elephantiasis, river blindness and malaria. These health issues exist primarily in tropic and subtropic climate zones, affecting many of the world’s poorest regions. The discoveries of this year’s Nobel laureates have lead to the development of revolutionary drugs against these parasite-causing diseases. River blindness and elephantiasis are caused by parasitic worms which infect the body through blackfly or mosquito bites. Parasite larvae, when transferred to the human body, produce embryonic larvae which can either damage the lymphatic system, causing lymphatic filariasis (also known as elephantiasis), or migrate to the skin and eye, inducing inflammatory reactions which can cause permanent blindness in the latter (river blindness). Elephantiasis has infected around 120 million people worldwide, whilst the parasite causing river blindness has infected 18 million people of which 1 270 000 people have consequently gone blind. Initial studies using Ivermectin showed that a single dose of the drug was efficient to kill all roundworms in patients with river blindness, and today the drug is efficiently used to treat symptoms of river blindness, elephantiasis and other parasitic diseases.

Malaria is caused by parasites transferred to the human body via the bites of infected mosquitoes. The parasite, called Plasmodium, multiplies in the liver and later infects the red blood cells, causing fever, headache and vomiting. If untreated, the infection can become lethal due to insufficient blood flow to vital organs. Malaria infects approximately 200 million people each year and according to data from WHO, half of the world’s population has a risk of infection. When Youyou Tu discovered Artemisinin it had already a 100% efficiency against malaria parasites in infected mice and monkeys. Today, artemisinin-base combination therapies (ACTs) are recommended in almost all treatments against malaria. The discoveries of the 2015 Nobel laureates in Physiology or Medicine have both provided revolutionary therapies for patients suffering from parasitic diseases and have helped individuals and society on many levels. Since the reduction of these diseases enable adults to go to work and children to go to school, these vulnerable and poor areas escape poverty by economical and educational improvements. As Hans Forsberg, member of the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet said, “The global impact of their discovery and the resulting benefit to mankind is immeasurable”. •

Photo legends and credits (top to bottom): The parasites causing river blindness, elephantiasis and malaria are all transmitted by mosquitoes. Photo credit: Jim Gathany (CDC #5814) Tshabiluila Mukole (75yrs) is blind from river blindness but her grandchildren receive Ivermectin. Photo credit: http://www.cbmuk.org.uk/our-work/ campaign/help-stop-river-blindness#sthash. JHj7nOy1.dpuf A man suffering from elephantiasis. Photo credit: Yasser (Flickr) Malaria parasites bursting from red blood cells. Photo credit: Lennart Nilsson

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PRIZES 2015

Youyou Tu

Satoshi Omura

William C. Campbell

Born: 1930, Zhejiang Ningpo, China

Born: 1935, Yamanashi prefektur, Japan

Born: 1930, Ramelton, Ireland

Affiliation at the time of the award: China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China

Affiliation at the time of the award: Kitasato University, Tokyo, Japan

Affiliation at the time of the award: Drew University, Madison, NJ, USA

Prize motivation: “for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against Malaria”

Prize motivation: “for their discoveries concerning a novel therapy against infections caused by roundworm parasites”

Prize share: 1/2

Prize share: 1/4

Youyou Tu (China) has been awarded half of the prize for her discoveries of a drug which has significantly decreased the mortality rates amongst malaria patients.

Satoshi Omura (Japan) and William C. Campbell (Ireland) share half of the prize for their discoveries leading to the new drug Avermectin. Its derivatives have been proven to decrease the incidence of river blindness and elephantiasis along with other similar diseases.

William C. Campbell came across the bacterial cultures characterized by Satoshi Omura and examined their effectivity. He discovered that one of the cultures was distinctively more efficient against parasites in domestic and farm animals. From this culture, the active agent was determined and named Avermectin. This compound was later modified to Ivermectin and tested on humans showing great results in activity against parasite larvae. •

Tu, when seeing the rise of malaria by the late 1960s, turned to traditional herbal medicine to find an effective compound against the disease. Performing a largescale screening of herbal remedies’ efficacy in Malaria-infected animals, she found that an extract from the plant Artemisia annua had a noticeable effect. Inspired by old books describing ancient remedies, she attempted to purify the active component from the plant. The active component, Artemisinin, was found to be effective against Malaria, killing the parasites in the early stages of their development.

Satoshi Omura focused his research on a group of bacteria called Streptomyces, which had been discovered to produce agents with antibacterial effects. He did large-scale culturing and characterization of multiple strains of Streptomyces and picked out the 50 most promising cultures for further analysis of their effect on harmful microorganisms.

Nobel Laureates Drawings: Ill. N. Elmehed. © Nobel Media AB 2015. Nobel Laureates Info: Nobelprize.org. Nobel Media AB 2014. Web. 25 Oct 2015. http://www.nobelprize.org/ nobel_prizes/medicine/laureates/2015/

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LOST IN

TRANSLATION Interview by Catherine Levine Story by Sheldon Hofstadter Photo by Martin Kjellberg

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Patient

communication is an integral

part of the patient experience

and good communication can produce a therapeutic effect for the patient - American Osteopathic Association

he door to our family car was closing in like a bullet travelling in slow motion. My brother, who always seems to be in a hurry, didn’t notice my hand caught in the line of fire. Despite my efforts to summon every nerve and muscle in my arm, it was too late. The car door came crushing in - leaving me with a broken right hand. Such was the context of my most recent visit to Vårdcentralen (local health center). At the consultation, I smartly avoided shaking my physician’s hand, but was surprised to hear his first question: “Do you speak Arabic?” As it turned out, the physician had very limited proficiency in both Swedish and English. Given my own inability to converse in Arabic, we resorted to a mixture of hand gestures and broken Germanic-based languages. Linguistic challenges aside, I left the consultation curious about how communication between physicians and patients has changed over the past few decades. Like most industries, medicine has changed dramatically in part due the profound impact of computing in the workplace. UK-trained physician Dr. Emily Clark warns, however, that “increased use of IT systems in the hospital should be treated with caution”.” She notes that “admission to hospitals is safer and more efficient if you can quickly access patient records and see what medications they take, what investigations they’ve had pre22

“

Physician

viously, and what other diagnoses they have. Discharge summaries are legible if they’re printed and therefore easier for general practitioners to follow up on. However, some IT systems are difficult and illogical to use, and take up valuable time which will detract from time normally spent communicating with patients.” In a 2012 article titled “The Cost of Technology” (Journal of the American Medical Association), authors astutely depicted this very observation in the form of a cartoon drawing. In it, a 7-yearold patient attempts to describe her symptoms to a physician who is fixated on his brightly lit computer screen. The message was clear: with all the benefits of technology in the modern workplace, interpersonal interactions are worsening. Moreover, the typical doctor today has - on average - just 15 minutes to allocate toward routine visits during which he/she must deliver preventative services, follow guidelines, engage in evidence-based practices and provide patient-centered care. The technological and procedural demands placed on physicians puts them in a logistical dilemma that often negatively impacts the patient’s experience. Indeed, forty years ago, patient care was quite different. Physicians served smaller communities and were well-acquainted with their patients. The same

physician would often assume the role of primary physician for an entire family and would even do house-visits. The end result was an in-depth understanding of medical histories and patient behavior. The physician had time to carefully diagnose and prescribe a treatment in a comprehensible manner that was appropriate for each individual patient. Today, the quest to extend quality health care in a timely manner to large volumes of patients presents an assortment of challenges. Notably, it is difficult to establish caring relationships with patients. Such relationships breed trust and

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commitment – both of which have been reported to have a positive impact on health outcomes. Imagine, for a moment, a patient suffering from a socially stigmatized mental illness who is reluctant to share his/her genuine feelings and experiences. In order to parse out the maximum amount of information from the patient, the physician must have an open, kind and empathic attitude. Only then will a welcoming environment be created wherein the patient discloses the necessary information to create an adequate treatment regimen. Although the value of solid communication in the clinic is clear, there appears to be a disagreement between physicians and patients in terms of the current state. Namely, physicians tend to overestimate their abilities in communication. A 2005 study (Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery) reports that while 75% of surveyed orthopedic surgeons believed that they communicated satisfactorily with their patients, only 21% of the patients felt the same way. This highlights an important issue that can only be addressed by a collective effort within the medical community. “Doctors should keep in mind that they are not just working with medicine – they are working with people,” instructs rhetorics specialist Elaine Eksvärd. A native of the Stockholm suburb of Bredäng, Eksvärd studied rhetorics at Södertörns

Högskola and Uppsala University. Since then, she has become an accomplished communications consultant, author and is currently a lecturer at Södertörns Högskola. She helps individuals from various professions every day in their mission of becoming better communicators. She notes that the medical industry is one where solid communication is especially important.

“…while 75% of surveyed orthopedic surgeons believed that they communicated satisfactorily with their patients, only 21% of the patients felt the same way”. “There is already a factor of uncertainty on the patient’s side when a doctor comes in to talk to a sick patient” explains Eksvärd. In order to alleviate any uncertainty or discomfort, physicians can improve in the various facets of communication.

Listening and observing

Often lost in a discussion of communication is the importance of attentive listening. Directly connected to the virtue of observation, listening is as crucial to ef-

fective communication as is eloquently explaining the diagnosis/treatment. Active listening is particularly useful in any counseling-related situation. This technique requires the listener to re-state or paraphrase what they heard from the speaker. In this way, both parties are more likely to properly understand one another. At the same time, the physician can make note of any specific word choices or verbal cues, which may reveal implicit information useful for subsequent dialog. Eksvärd further explains that communication takes many forms beyond what is linguistically expressed. By observing body language and vocal intonations, physicians can gauge their patients and adapt accordingly. Body language, in particular, is a subtle but important part of communication. According to Eksvärd, there are universal body language signs that clinicians can watch out for. For example, patients tend to touch their throat when feeling uncomfortable. Conversely, they tend to touch their head when sensing fear. In this way, one can easily spot how a person feels or if there is something that is bothering them (beyond the illness itself). Listening for vocal intonations can also prove valuable. A very high pitch can signify a strong emotion or emphasis while a low pitch could indicate low enthusiasm. In the clinic, such observation can help the physician assess whether the 23

patient truly understands the severity of the condition and the importance of the prescribed treatment regimen. Taken together, verbal cues, body language, and vocal intonations can help physicians make the best of the limited time they have with their patients.

Speaking

Years of education and countless hours spent studying place physicians in the upper echelon of society in terms of education level. Naturally, this can create an extra challenge when trying to relate to patients. To minimize the chances of misunderstanding, Eksvärd warns that “the doctor should not try to be ‘smart’, but be understandable.” It is, therefore crucial for physicians to use terminology that their patients can easily comprehend. Not only will this keep the appointment moving smoothly, but it also increases the likelihood that the patient understands his/her condition and will follow through with the suggested treatment. Beyond using appropriate terminology, Eksvärd explains that it is important for physicians to take pauses while speaking. The physician-patient interaction often involves some difficult and heavy conversations and it is, accordingly, important to give the patient some time to digest and grasp important news. Eksvärd 24

advises that “the doctor can ask the patient if they need additional support [or] if they would like to call someone to be with them at this difficult time.”

Feedback

As the old proverb goes, “there is a difference between hearing and listening”. Buried deep in emotion, technical words and complex concepts, a patient might nod along without truly understanding what he/she is being told. Listening involves an extra component than simply hearing individual words and this can be very difficult for a physician to gauge. Thus, Eksvärd advises physicians to regularly ask for direct feedback from the patient. She suggests confirming that the patient understands the concepts discussed and asking if they have further questions or would like something clarified. Often, the offer of getting something re-explained will prompt the patient to open up and reveal their confusion. Moreover, at the end of the consultation, the physician should ask the patient how they, as a doctor, communicated. Eksvärd emphasizes that proper communication is an iterative process and regular feedback is critical. Looking forward, Eksvärd hopes that communication courses will be a core component of medical education. There certainly seems to be a trend in this di-

rection. According to Dr. Mack Lipkin, professor of medicine and director of the division of primary care at the New York University School of Medicine, “twenty years ago only 35 percent of medical schools [in the US] had explicit communications skills classes.” Today, all medical schools accredited by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) have such courses. Considering that patients routinely rate communication as the most important factor in choosing a new doctor (85% of the decision according to a recent AAMC study), it behooves accreditation boards around the world to increase emphasis on communication skills courses. Importantly, these courses will need to adapt with time. Physicians encounter more value and emotionally-laden issues like religion, sexuality and drug-use today than ever before. It is reasonable to assume that as societies become more open, the patient-physician interaction will involve an expanding set of circumstances and issues. To help us navigate these unchartered waters, expert communicators like Eksvärd will almost certainly be called upon. •

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SIX THINGS TO THINK ABOUT WHEN SPEAKING TO A PATIENT The patient is a person, NOT a sickness Tell the patient to feel free to write things down Memorize the name of the patient before the consultation Use words that a 5-year-old can understand Give a good handshake

Make eye contact 25

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Migrant crisis and the collapse of European identity Massive influx of refugees to Europe has exposed the fragility of the foundations on which the political structure of the EU was built. By R adek J. Góra Arguments, demands, accusations and indifference – those are the key words describing the current atmosphere in the European Parliament. While the crisis – concerning almost a million of people now – needs a prompt solution, politicians still cannot agree on any of the propositions, displaying solid and deeply founded cultural differences between all of the EU member states. And the frustration among both Europeans and refugees is growing. Is there any solution on a horizon?

European Dream

Jaffar, 22-year old refugee from Afghanistan, is heading towards one of the central parks in Paris to meet his dear companions from his homeland. The park is a well-known meeting place for the Afghan minority in the city, where Jaffar and his fellow nationals discuss current political issues and prepare meals together. They also try to hearten themselves by recalling a life back in Afghanistan. Fawad, a friend of Jaffar’s, says his life in Paris is far from being perfect. Since his arrival to the country two months ago, he has been looking for a job that could at least cover basic needs of his family. Fawad has not earned a cent being in France, he gets by asking for food in Muslim communities and sleeping in the open air, wrapped up with old newspapers and fragments of cardboard boxes. I wish I could go back to my hometown, Jalalabad, Fawad says.

Tolerance versus egotism

Jaffar and his party belongs to the huge refugees influx that intensified after break-out of the Syrian civil war. Before that, for an average European, concepts such as Al-Assad regime and Arab Spring were vaguely known, if not mentioned in the news on global matters. Millions of war refugees, residing in neighbouring countries, notably Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan, could not compete for attention 26

of European media and politicians when compared with domestic problems, such as the Greek economic crisis and independence movements in Scotland and Catalonia. As the situation became worse in refugee camps some have decided to make probably the most dramatic step of their lives: to fight for their lives in Europe.

Many conservative Europeans did not wish for masses of foreign people entering their countries. Struggling with internal conflicts, independence and nationalists movements, many conservative Europeans did not wish for masses of foreign people entering their own countries. Recent growth in popularity of populists and eurosceptic parties, such as United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), Front National (FN) and Danish People’s Party clearly displays which political sentiments are en vogue. Getting out of the Eurozone, closing the borders and leaving the European Union – those are the postulates promoted by the far-right movements. At the same time, being unaware of the miserable political reality happening in the West, people like Jaffar are told that Europe is so wealthy and welcoming that perfumes are spread over Champs-Élysées. Hence, having spent all the money of their life, thousands of refugees decide to hire smugglers who, by train, boat, truck or car, transport them to the outer European countries. For some, those are the last months of their lives.

Deadly pathways

It is estimated that every single day up to 3,000 people cross the Serbian border to continue their laborious journey towards countries of European Union, with em-

phasis put on Germany and Sweden. This year overall, a record number of almost 400,000 refugees have entered European continent. Among them, 2,373 people died by crossing the Mediterranean Sea on overloaded boats, or jumping on the trains going to the United Kingdom. Despite these figures here were only seven countries – Syria, Eritrea, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia and Sudan – that obtained the special status called a rate of recognition in the first quarter of the 2015, according to the Frontex, European agency for borders’ protection. This means that over 50% of citizens of these countries got their asylum application approved. Most of the refugees come from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. On the other hand, citizens of Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan comprise 41% of the approximate 120,000 arrivals in Italy. Also, 81% of refugees embarking on the Greek shores are expected to be granted an asylum. Currently, most of the new arrivals are registered in Greece, Spain, Macedonia and Italy, while Germany has announced recently to process more than 800,000 asylum applicants until the end of this year.

Intensive course on acceptance

European migrant crisis clearly exposed all the gaps in the Union’s policies concerning asylum seekers. Until now, many of the US and European politicians were intervening in the Middle East countries without hesitation, naively thinking that their actions will not bear any consequences for the future. Now that Europe is in the middle of the biggest migrant crisis since the II World War, the same governors, prime ministers and MPs do not have the slightest idea what would be the best solution to this problem. Syria is a perfect example of this situation. While the Western powers support oppositionists, Russia along with Iran decided to assist Al-Assad’s regime, creating a political status quo that obviously is

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Photo credit: Maria Sofou for Medicor Photo details: Taken this summer on the Greek Island of Kos.

most deteriorating to the civilians, from which many have no other choice but to run away from their motherland to Europe. In Europe, the asylum laws are commonly regulated under so-called Dublin convention, which states that refugees must stay in the first EU country they arrived in. As expected, the law put enormous pressure on the bordering countries, especially Italy and Greece. A long time had to pass until someone in the Europarliament heard the cries of Matteo Renzi and Alexis Tsipras saying that the immigrant flow overwhelms their countries and is beyond the logistic and economic capacity of both Italy and Greece. Frustration and confusion was growing among both parties. Refugees, often approached coldly or even aggressively by the locals who were unprepared for the new and unknown, observed in the end that the welcoming and wealthy Europe is a non-existent utopia. Instead, European authorities tries to put into force a new law based on proportional relocation of the refugees. This word seems to perfectly reflect the politicians’ attitudes towards newcomers: is inhumane and has bad historical connotations. Any relocation on a continent fighting over years for abolishing border controls sounds irrational. In their mental convulsions, the European authorities propose a solution that is unwanted both by refugees and the

Europeans. Visegrad group, a small union of the new EU members, is opposing the ideas forced by the European Commission. “If the refugees want to live in other countries and the borders are open, what will we achieve by forcing them to relocate?” – says Robert Fico, PM of Slovakia. In response to that the head of the

Unless Europe acts... 2015 can become the deadliest year for thousands of refugees. Austrian government, Werner Faymann, criticized Hungary and the other Eastern EU countries for their handling with the immigrants, saying that those countries’ policies are similar to “Nazi deportations during the Holocaust”. Is there a solution? 900 people have already drowned on boats capsized in the Mediterranean north of Libya. Unless Europe acts to reform its policy on migration, year 2015 can become the deadliest year for thousands of people who fled to Libya from conflicttorn regions across the Middle East, only to find the country equally dangerous. Migrants cannot legally apply for asylum in Europe unless they physically reach European soil. This makes them an easy prey for smuggling organiza-

tions that offer passage across the sea for a price, and on rusty wooden boats. On the other hand, Mare Nostrum rescue programme, which saved almost 130,000 souls travelling to Italian Lampedusa, was replaced by much smaller Triton border patrol that, in turn, operates only within 30 nautical miles of European shores. But neither Triton nor Italian navy can handle the current influx without getting more help. Actions from the European governments’ are needed. With no coherent policy and dramatically insufficient funding, the European Union’s humanitarian values are put at risk. The European Commission new policy to share the burden among all the member states seems to be the only one reasonable option. Together with finding more legal pathways for people to come to Europe and establishment of immigration screening centres in both Africa and the Middle East, the new reforms can create a potential solution to the migrant crisis, at least for the next few years. But the solidarity in Europarliament is needed, since the key to the problem is to get all 28 member states to reach a consensus and support financially those reforms. Without that agreement, we will remain frustrated spectators of this tragicomedy played by European politicians •

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The Future of Development The Sustainable Development Goals

By Euan McKay

On the 25th of September, 160 heads

of state came together with leaders of the industry, NGOs, World Bank, the Pope and even Shakira. This was the UN Sustainable Summit. Taking place in New York over three days, the Summit’s purpose was to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a new global framework aiming to do three things by 2030; end extreme poverty, fight ine-quality and injustice, and fix climate change. The SDGs will carry on the work of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which have defined international ideas of health and development for the past 15 years.

Millenium Development Goals (MDGs)

The MDG’s ran from 2000 to 2015 and were a set of quantifiable and time-based initiatives to relieve the global burden of suffering. Focusing on poverty, education and disease, the MDGs accomplished some of the most amazing hu-manitarian interventions in history. Extreme poverty rates have halved compared to 1990. More than 37 million tuberculosis deaths have been avoided, and the percentage of new HIV infections fell by 40% between 2000 and 2013. Not all of the MDGs were equally successful though. Reducing child deaths by two thirds would have taken until 2028. Similarly, progress in

Image from: http://www.impact2030.com/global-goals-toolkit.html

reducing maternal deaths was unequal across regions and won’t be met in time. The MDGs have a varied legacy. On one hand, they made health a key is-sue for the heads of state, and their annual measurement and reporting to the media of the MDGs kept health targets on the global agenda. However, the focus of the MDGs solely on the poorest nations reflected, outdated paternalistic ideas of international development. They became a scorecard for the poorest countries and AIDS was still treated as a one-way ex-change. Goals were implemented in countries regardless of their epidemiological or demographic profiles.

Sustainable (SDGs)

Development

Goals

193 countries have now committed to the SDGs. A broader idea of prosperity and well-being is central to the new plan, and the MDGs eight goals and 48 targets have grown to the SDG’s 17 goals and 169 targets. Where the MDGs fo-cused only on the poorest countries, while the SDGs are more universal. There is greater attention to gender equality, climate change and sustainability, and an emphasis on collaboration. However, the three MDGs focused on health (Child Mortality, Maternal Health and Combatting HIV/AIDS and

Malaria), have now been reduced to one SDG: “to ensure healthy lives and promote well being for all at all ages”. Alt-hough all the goals will positively affect health, there has been criticism of this more diffuse focus on health issues. Of the 169 new targets, only 23 are health-related and only 13 have quantitative indicators at the moment. All indicators will not be finalised until March 2016, making many pessimistic about how effec-tively the SDGs can be implemented. The other elephant in the room is funding. With ideals such as the abso-lute elimination of poverty by 2030, the SDGs grand hopes come with an ex-tremely hefty price-tag. Some estimates put the global investment at $5 trillion per year until 2030. The recent conference on financing for the SDG’s held in Addis Ababa in July, failed to see progressive ideas of debt relief and funding take hold. The private sector has now been suggested as a source of funding, however many remain skeptical that private enterprise can be relied upon to fund development without diluting or perverting the goals themselves. Loretta Minghella of Christian aid summarised the criticism by saying the goals “will need to be translated into detailed and fully-costed action plans, if they are to amount to more than mere words on a page and help to secure the just, sustainable and peaceful world we long for.” •

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Photo credit: Mrhayata (Flickr)

Climate Change threatens Asia’s Booming Cities

By James Salisi

While global economic power is

projected to shift to Asia in the next 35 years its megacities face risks of climate change. Bangkok, Dhaka, Ghuangzhou, Ho Chi Minh City, Kolkata, Manila, Mumbai, Shanghai, and Yangon are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB). These cities are located in low lying areas close to rivers or seas that make them vulnerable to flooding and rising sea levels. They also have large population sizes, which could be both a boon to the economy as it means an expanded consumer base and a bane to social services as they struggle to cope with the problems of overcrowding. Cities in Asia and the Pacific generate an estimated 80% of gross domestic product of their countries making them engines of growth and development. Approximately 1.2 billion Asians will move to cities in the next 35 years. It is the same period that emerging Asian economies are projected to take over the global economy as their industries mature and markets expand according to a report by Pricewaterhouse Coopers, a professional services firm that analyze megatrends in the global economy.

Crowded cities face difficulties in managing social services such as housing, healthcare, education as well as transportation and public spaces. If they do not cope well with these demands there will be a rise in problems such as pollution, gridlock, poor quality of life, and declining health. The poorest communities in these cities are the most vulnerable since they live in the “least safe neighborhoods in low-lying areas on coasts or riverbanks” and are often not reached by social services. The number of slum dwellers could expand to 1 billion by 2050 from 522.6 million in 2012 in Asia alone if nothing is done. The effects of these problems could stifle the ability of these cities and their countries to fulfill their economic potential. To mitigate the risks and to ensure that the economic potential of these Asian cities is fulfilled, the ADB has called for “climate proofing”, which is aimed at assessing projects for climate risk as well as supporting projects that cut urban carbon emissions. They have also called for the need “to ensure that cities are inclusive economic powerhouses while mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change.” •

Estimated population per city as of 2014

Bangkok Dhaka Ghuanzhou Ho Chi Minh Manila Mumbai Shanghai Yangon

10,624,700 14,543,124 10,641,408 5,880,615 11,855,975 12,442,373 24,151,500 7,360,253

Source: http://www.citypopulation.de/Asia.html

Cu lture

Stockholm on stage

Events in Town

By Martha N icholson

As the nights start closing in, the Stockholm stage wakes up for winter. Don’t miss out on some of Europe’s best acts as they stop by in our Scandinavian capital. Our carefully curated list has something for everyone and prices to suit a student budget.

CO MEDY

T HEATRE

JAZZ

Lost in Translation: 6 &13 Nov and 4 & 11 Dec 2015. International Theatre Stockholm’s (ITS) sellout improvised comedy inspired by the fresh arrivals of Sweden. After a hugely popular season this has been extended not once, but twice, so make the most of this laugh out loud show before it ends! Losintranslationimprov.com / SEK 160 for students.

Macbeth: 13 – 27 Nov 2015. This condensed version of Shakespeare’s tale of ambition, death and the supernatural will be on show at Musikvalvet Baggen, a former wine cellar nestled in the back streets of Gamla Stan. Performed by SEST (Stockholm English Speaking Theatre) and produced by the Norwegian Shakespeare Company, this play is ideal for those who love theatre but haven’t mastered Swedish. Sestcompany.com / SEK 150 for students.

Fasching Jazz Bar: Open all week. Stockholm’s most famous jazz venue serving up cocktails, food and live music every night of the week. Check out their extensive programme online at fasching.se for more information. Tickets are SEK 150 – 190 for students depending on the night.

Mission Impossible: 20 Nov and 18 Dec 2015. An action-packed improvised ITS production, not for the faint hearted. Internationaltheatre.se / SEK 160 for students.

Glenn Miller Jazz Café: Open all week. A hidden gem of Hötorget. Tucked away on a quiet street, this small but perfectly formed jazz venue is a real treat. Go early for Stockholm’s best Moules Frites and then sit back and enjoy a drink as the band begins warming up. Send a text to 0768824549 to reserve a table or just turn up and try your luck. Music begins at 20.00. SEK 20 (bring cash).

30 Photo credit: Kristina Leon (SETS)

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Photo credit: Mattias Edwall

DANCE Am I: 20 - 21 Nov 2015. 14 singers, dancers and musicians take us back in time to the very beginning of human life. Australian choreographer Shaun Parker’s explores physics, astronomy and anthropology to bring to life the very essence of the Human Being. Dansenshus.se / SEK 157 for students.

Voracious: 10 – 12 Nov 2015. Sweden’s most acclaimed Butoh dancer SU-EN explores the body’s physical relationship with the world using themes of instinct and driving forces in her dance. Dansenshus.se / SEK 122 for students.

The Manchild Research / Metamorphis: 3 - 5 Dec 2015. Choreographers Carl Olof Berg and Panaibra Gabriel Canda explore masculinity, identity and cultural heritage in this Mozambique-Swedish collaboration. Facilitated by the framework of exchange, the performance aims to inspire discussion on diversity of form, cultural histories and functionality of the body. Dansenshus.se / SEK 122 for students. Swan Lake: 9 – 20 Dec 2015. Fredrik Rydman’s sellout adaption of Swan Lake is approaching its fourth year. Performed with street dance and lightshows, Rydman takes the Tchaikovsky ballet to a whole new level. Gone are the swans and in come the pimps and prostitutes who tell the tale of good and evil through the medium of hip-hop. Dansenshus.se / SEK 375 for students. Underart: 26 Dec 2015 – 17 Jan 2016. Cirkus Cirkör brings the acrobatic spectacular ‘Ode To a Crash Landing’ to the idyllic Archipelago art centre, Artipelag, this winter. This performance tells the story of acrobat Olle Strandburg’s full recovery from paralysis after an injury from a triple somersault. Artipelag.se / SEK 415 for all over 18.

31 Photo credit: Jose Figeroa

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Embracing Stockholm in Autumn By Helena Honkaniemi

Photo credit: David A. LaSpina (Flickr)

The signs are hard to miss – the days are getting shorter, the mornings brisker, and the coats heavier. Autumn is here. Suddenly, both Stockholm locals and newcomers are faced with the challenge of finding new activities at the turn of the weather. Where to begin? Hot and Cold

One of the perks of cooler weather is the added pleasure of fika. For the uninformed, fika is the traditional Swedish coffee and pastry break, a sure way to rejuvenate the weary. Stockholm is absolutely packed with cafés to choose from. Among them is Café String (www. cafestring.se), a charming, eclectic shop located in Södermalm, which, besides its sizable selection of warm drinks, offers a variety of lunch options, pastries and the added bonus of one of the city’s most affordable brunches. For my personal favourite, venture a little further north to Gamla Stan to test out Chokladkoppen (www.chokladkoppen.se), which offers one of the best cups (or bowls) of hot chocolate I have had the pleasure of tasting. Finally, for a short break from studying, head to Haga Tårtcompani och Bageri (www.hagabageri.se) in Kungsholmen for a selection of freshly baked pastries and delicious hot drinks.

A TOUCH OF CULTURE

As a further escape from the cold, autumn is the perfect season to take advantage of your student discounts and explore the dozens of museums scattered around Stockholm. If you need a brief pause in the middle of a busy day, look no further than the Nobel Museum (www.nobelmuseum. se). Located in Gamla Stan, the museum provides a fascinating look into the history of the Nobel Prize, tracing its way back through hundreds of Nobel Laureates and the historical context of their achievements. For the more artistically-inclined, check out the various photography exhibits at Fotografiska (www.fotografiska.eu), one of Stockholm’s most favoured museums. The exhibits are constantly changing, so if you see one that catches your eye, make sure to visit soon. And finally, if you are willing to explore a little outside of Stockholm center, don’t miss the extensive Swedish Museum of Natural History (www.nrm.se), accessible from the Universitetet Tunnelbana station. From fossils to the cosmos, the university has various interactive exhibits for all ages.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Finally, don’t let the weather deter you from exploring outside. Need a break from the noise of the city? Pay a visit to Hagaparken (www.visithaga-ulriksdal.se) in Solna, an extensive park laid out along Brunnsviken Lake, which houses various intriguing sights, such as the Chinese Pavilion, the Echo Temple and the Royal Burial Grounds. If you are feeling particularly adventurous, you can also join one of the various free tour groups exploring Stockholm City, Södermalm and Gamla Stan (www.freetourstockholm.com). Even if you are already familiar with the areas, the fact-packed tours will be sure to teach you something new about the city. All of this is but a fraction of what Stockholm has to offer this autumn. So, if you are ever in need of a break from the books or workload, throw on a warm coat, strap on those boots and go experience the seasonal delights of your city. •

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Where to Dine this Autumn

By Jennifer Lees

Photo credit: Timon Först (Flickr)

1. BABA’s BURGERS & BITES

This quirky diner in the less well-known Högdalen is famous for its brilliantly bespoke menu. Design your own burger, choose a soda and de-stress from lectures and studies. Its lively décor will make you forget all about the autumnal chill and you’ll be pleased you made the trip. Meal with burger and drink: around 125kr.

2. GREASY SPOON

With ‘Breakfast & Brunch All Day, Every Day’, you can’t go wrong. Check out the Greasy Spoon Instagram for a taste of what’s on offer. From Eggs Benedict to avocado on sourdough toast, these guys have what it takes to cure that hangover. Don’t forget to try the Bloody Mary for an extra special kick. It gets busy on the weekends and with a no bookings policy, it is best to turn up early or be prepared to stand in line. A breakfast and a coffee will cost you between 150kr -200kr.

4. KRYP IN

This restaurant is named ’Creep in’ that’s exactly what you have to do to get through the door. This restaurant serves a delicious Swedish menu with a cosy and relaxed ambience, the perfect place to take someone special. They offer a deluxe 3-course menu for 475kr but if you don’t want to go for the full meal a main course and a glass of wine will cost around 300kr.

5. DEN GYLDENE FREDEN

Den Gyldene Freden is the oldest restaurant in Gamla Stan and has been serving up food since 1722. Given its inconspicuous exterior, you have probably walked past it without knowing. It has an understated bistro feeling, but don’t let this mislead you, the service and food is excellent. Bring your friends here for a celebration, or visitors new to Stockholm for a taste of something special. At around 300kr for a main course, it’s expensive but try the reduced price lunch menu for a gourmet bargain. •

3. RESTAURANG HYBRID

This hidden gem is just a stone’s throw away from Globen. From the outside it looks like a standard joint, but head inside and you’ll find a cute ‘n’ cosy pub. We recommend their ‘husmanskost’ plate of typical Swedish comfort food. This changes every day and is great value for money - around 120kr. They hold events too, so check their Facebook page to see what they’ve got planned next. 33

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