Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Characterization Of A Far-Red Analog Of Ghrelin For Imaging Ghs-R In P19-Derived Cardiomyocytes., Gregory A F Douglas, Rebecca Mcgirr, Carlie L Charlton, Dov B Kagan, Lisa M Hoffman, Leonard G Luyt, Savita Dhanvantari

Medical Biophysics Publications

Ghrelin and its receptor, the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R), are expressed in the heart, and may function to promote cardiomyocyte survival, differentiation and contractility. Previously, we had generated a truncated analog of ghrelin conjugated to fluorescein isothiocyanate for the purposes of determining GHS-R expression in situ. We now report the generation and characterization of a far-red ghrelin analog, [Dpr(3)(octanoyl), Lys(19)(Cy5)]ghrelin (1-19), and show that it can be used to image changes in GHS-R in developing cardiomyocytes. We also generated the des-acyl analog, des-acyl [Lys(19)(Cy5)]ghrelin (1-19) and characterized its binding to mouse heart sections. Receptor binding affinity of Cy5-ghrelin as …

Education Through Recreation, Vivian Mcalister

Data and Test Instruments

The concept of education through recreation was first applied in the 19th century to childhood develop ment. George H. Read, the Chicago sociologist who identified the developmental role of play in childhood, divided human activity into 3 general types: work, art and play. The principle was broadened to include young adults, but the emphasis was restricted to phys - ical activities. It was the basis for the rise of organized sports and initiatives such as the Olympic Games. Another Chicago sociologist, Nels Anderson, who spent a considerable part of his career at the University of New Brunswick, developed the concept …

L’Éducation Par Les Loisirs, Vivian Mcalister

Data and Test Instruments

Le concept de l’éducation par les loisirs a été appliqué pour la première au 19e siècle au développement de l’en fant 2 . George H. Read, sociologue de Chicago qui a identi fié le rôle du jeu dans le développement de l’enfant, avait divisé l’activité humaine en 3 grandes catégories : travail, art et jeu 2 . Le principe a été élargi pour inclure les jeunes adultes, mais l’accent était limité aux activités physiques 3 . Cette façon de penser a été à la base de la croissance des sports organisés et des initiatives telles que les Jeux olympiques. Un …

A Dedicated Binding Mechanism For The Visual Control Of Movement., Alexandra Reichenbach, David W Franklin, Peter Zatka-Haas, Jörn Diedrichsen

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

The human motor system is remarkably proficient in the online control of visually guided movements, adjusting to changes in the visual scene within 100 ms [1-3]. This is achieved through a set of highly automatic processes [4] translating visual information into representations suitable for motor control [5, 6]. For this to be accomplished, visual information pertaining to target and hand need to be identified and linked to the appropriate internal representations during the movement. Meanwhile, other visual information must be filtered out, which is especially demanding in visually cluttered natural environments. If selection of relevant sensory information for online control …

Reciprocity In Microbiome And Immune System Interactions And Its Implications In Disease And Health., Enayat Nikoopour, Bhagirath Singh

Microbiology & Immunology Publications

Adaptation of the whole microbial normal flora residing in a host to its natural habitat over an evolutionary period has resulted in peaceful coexistence with mutual benefits for both microbiota and host in steady state. This symbiotic relationship between host and microbiota has a significant impact on shaping the immune response in the host to achieve an immune tolerance to microbiota but retaining the ability to respond to invading pathogens. Perturbation of this balance by manipulation of microbial communities in the host can lead to immune dysregulation and susceptibility to diseases. By studying the host in the absence of microbiota …

The Death Of Tecumseh, Vivian Mcalister

Data and Test Instruments

In the 1930s, University of Western Ontario surgeon, Dr Edwin Seaborn recorded a series of interviews with members of the Saugeen First Nation to learn about their medical practices. Seaborn used a wax cylinder recording device owned by the medical school. One interview dealt with the death of Shawnee war chief Tecumseh, as told by the grandson of an eye witness to the event. British, Canadian and First Nations' forces retreated eastward up the trail by the Thames River in October 1813. Tecumseh insisted they turn to fight the advancing Americans. The night before the Battle of the Thames, Tecumseh …

Gene Co-Citation Networks Associated With Worker Sterility In Honey Bees., Emma Kate Mullen, Mark Daley, Alanna Gabrielle Backx, Graham James Thompson

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

BACKGROUND: The evolution of reproductive self-sacrifice is well understood from kin theory, yet our understanding of how actual genes influence the expression of reproductive altruism is only beginning to take shape. As a model in the molecular study of social behaviour, the honey bee Apis mellifera has yielded hundreds of genes associated in their expression with differences in reproductive status of females, including genes directly associated with sterility, yet there has not been an attempt to link these candidates into functional networks that explain how workers regulate sterility in the presence of queen pheromone. In this study we use available …

La Temporalidad De Lo Breve, Vanina Noejovich

Modern Languages and Literatures Annual Graduate Conference

El artículo se acerca a la caracterización de lo breve a partir de dos temporalidades diversas: lo breve definido desde su duración como elemento de una cadena de acontecimientos y lo breve como irrupción en dicha cadena de contecimientos, que permite pensar otra temporalidad, la de las repercusiones de lo breve. Para definir la temporalidad de las repercusiones de lo breve, el artículo se apoya en la teoría psicoanalítica de Jacques Lacan, particularmente en la definición de la interpretación psi-coanalítica como acto analítco. Para contraponer las repercusiones de lo breve con el tiempo de duración el artículo refle-xiona acerca de …

Skin Disease And Non-Syndromic Hearing Loss-Linked Cx30 Mutations Exhibit Several Distinct Cellular Pathologies, Amy Berger, John Kelly, Patrick Lajoie, Qing Shao, Dale Laird

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

Connexin 30 (Cx30), a member of the large gap junction protein family, plays a role in the homeostasis of the epidermis and inner ear through gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC). Here, we investigated the underlying mechanisms of four autosomal dominant Cx30 gene mutations linked to hearing loss and/or various skin diseases. First, the T5M mutant linked to non-syndromic hearing loss formed functional gap junction channels and hemichannels, similar to wild type Cx30. The loss-of-function V37E mutant associated with Clouston syndrome or keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness syndrome was retained in the endoplasmic reticulum and significantly induced apoptosis. The G59R mutant linked to Vohwinkel and …

Recent Advances In The Molecular Characterization Of Circulating Tumor Cells, Lori E. Lowes, Alison L. Allan

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

Although circulating tumor cells (CTCs) were first observed over a century ago, lack of sensitive methodology precluded detailed study of these cells until recently. However, technological advances have now facilitated the identification, enumeration, and characterization of CTCs using a variety of methods. The majority of evidence supporting the use of CTCs in clinical decision-making has been related to enumeration using the CellSearch((R)) system and correlation with prognosis. Growing evidence also suggests that CTC monitoring can provide an early indication of patient treatment response based on comparison of CTC levels before and after therapy. However, perhaps the greatest potential that CTCs …

Investigating The Relation Between Striatal Volume And Iq., Penny A Macdonald, Hooman Ganjavi, D Louis Collins, Alan C Evans, Sherif Karama

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

The volume of the input region of the basal ganglia, the striatum, is reduced with aging and in a number of conditions associated with cognitive impairment. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relation between the volume of striatum and general cognitive ability in a sample of 303 healthy children that were sampled to be representative of the population of the United States. Correlations between the WASI-IQ and the left striatum, composed of the caudate nucleus and putamen, were significant. When these data were analyzed separately for male and female children, positive correlations were significant for the …

A Queuing Model To Address Waiting Time Inconsistency In Solid-Organ Transplantation, David Stanford, Jung Min Lee, Natasha Chandok, Vivian Mcalister

Data and Test Instruments

Organ transplantation is a vital therapy for the treatment of many patients. Due to blood compatibility rules, there has been a pattern in many jurisdictions for differing organ types where recipients of blood type O experience longer waiting times than those of other blood types, partly due to crosstransplantation of too many O organs to compatible donors of other blood types. In response to this, a recent development in some jurisdictions is a change in the rules to insist upon ABO-identical transplantation. The literature review herein enables us to conclude that unrestricted cross-transplantation has not achieved equity of access across …

Laboring To Mother In The Context Of Past Trauma: The Transition To Motherhood, Berman Helene, Robin Mason, Jodi Hall, Susan Rodger, Catherine C. Classen, Marilyn K. Evans, Lori E. Ross, Gloria Alvernaz Mulcahy, Leonarda Carranza, Fatmeh Al-Zoubi

Journal Articles

The occurrence of interpersonal trauma is a reality for many women, with effects that often persist long after the traumatic events end. The purpose of this feminist grounded theory study was to examine how past trauma shaped the lives of women as they became new mothers. We recruited a purposive sample of 32 women from two Canadian communities and conducted semistructured, dialogic interviews during the second trimester of pregnancy. We analyzed data using thematic content analytic methods, including open coding whereby we read transcripts line by line and applied codes to portions of text that illustrated concepts or themes. The …

Adaptation Of Semiautomated Circulating Tumor Cell (Ctc) Assays For Clinical And Preclinical Research Applications, Lori E. Lowes, Benjamin D. Hedley, Michael Keeney, Alison L. Allan

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

The majority of cancer-related deaths occur subsequent to the development of metastatic disease. This highly lethal disease stage is associated with the presence of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). These rare cells have been demonstrated to be of clinical significance in metastatic breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers. The current gold standard in clinical CTC detection and enumeration is the FDA-cleared CellSearch system (CSS). This manuscript outlines the standard protocol utilized by this platform as well as two additional adapted protocols that describe the detailed process of user-defined marker optimization for protein characterization of patient CTCs and a comparable protocol for CTC …

Activation Of Mglur2/3 Receptors In The Ventral Prefrontal Cortex Reverses Sensorimotor Gating Deficits Induced By A Systemic Nmda Receptor Antagonist, Bridget Valsamis, Michael Chang, Marei Typlt, Susanne Schmid

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of acoustic startle is an operational measure of sensorimotor gating, which is disrupted in schizophrenia. NMDA receptor (NMDAR) antagonist induced PPI disruption has become an important pharmacological model for schizophrenia; however, knowledge of the underlying mechanism remains incomplete. This study examines the role of NMDAR in the caudal pontine reticular nucleus (PnC) and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in NMDARs antagonist induced PPI deficits, as well as the NMDA receptor subtypes involved. We administered the NMDA antagonist MK-801 locally into the caudal pontine reticular formation (PnC), where the PPI mediating pathway converges with the primary startle pathway, …

Medial Septal Cholinergic Neurons Modulate Isoflurane Anesthesia., Siew Kian Tai, Jingyi Ma, L Stan Leung

Physiology and Pharmacology Publications

BACKGROUND: Cholinergic drugs are known to modulate the response of general anesthesia. However, the sensitivity of isoflurane or other volatile anesthetics after selective lesion of septal cholinergic neurons that project to the hippocampus is not known.

METHODS: Male Long Evans rats had 192 immunoglobulin G-saporin infused into the medial septum (n = 10), in order to selectively lesion cholinergic neurons, whereas control, sham-lesioned rats were infused with saline (n = 12). Two weeks after septal infusion, the hypnotic properties of isoflurane and ketamine were measured using a behavioral endpoint of loss of righting reflex (LORR). Septal lesion was assessed by …

Has The Use Of Computers In Radiation Therapy Improved The Accuracy In Radiation Dose Delivery?, Jacob Van Dyk, Jerry J. Battista Dr.

Oncology Publications

Purpose: It is well recognized that computer technology has had a major impact on the practice of radiation oncology. This paper addresses the question as to how these computer advances have specifically impacted the accuracy of radiation dose delivery to the patient. Methods: A review was undertaken of all the key steps in the radiation treatment process ranging from machine calibration to patient treatment verification and irradiation. Using a semi-quantitative scale, each stage in the process was analysed from the point of view of gains in treatment accuracy. Results: Our critical review indicated that computerization related to digital medical imaging …

Icf-Based Functional Components And Contextual Factors As Correlates Of Perceived Quality Of Life For Youth With Chronic Conditions, Janette Mcdougall, Virginia Wright, David Dewit, Linda Miller

Occupational Therapy Publications

Purpose: To explore International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)-based functional components and contextual factors associated with perceived quality of life (QOL) for youth with chronic conditions from the perspective of youth and parents.

Method: Baseline data were obtained from a longitudinal study examining predictors of changes in perceived QOL for youth with chronic conditions. 439 youth aged 11–17 (and one of their parents) completed a questionnaire. Standardized tools were used to measure youth functioning, contextual factors and perceived QOL. Multivariate linear regression analyses, controlling for socio-demographic and health information, were conducted to explore correlations among youth functioning/contextual factors …

Activation Of Mglur2/3 Receptors In The Ventro-Rostral Prefrontal Cortex Reverses Sensorimotor Gating Deficits Induced By Systemic Nmda Receptor Antagonists., Bridget Valsamis, Michael Chang, Marei Typlt, Susanne Schmid

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of acoustic startle is an operational measure of sensorimotor gating, which is disrupted in schizophrenia. NMDA receptor (NMDAR) antagonist induced PPI disruption has become an important pharmacological model for schizophrenia; however, knowledge of the underlying mechanism remains incomplete. This study examines the role of NMDAR in the caudal pontine reticular nucleus (PnC) and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in NMDARs antagonist induced PPI deficits, as well as the NMDA receptor subtypes involved. We administered the NMDA antagonist MK-801 locally into the caudal pontine reticular formation (PnC), where the PPI mediating pathway converges with the primary startle pathway, …

Bihemispheric Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Enhances Effector-Independent Representations Of Motor Synergy And Sequence Learning., Sheena Waters-Metenier, Masud Husain, Tobias Wiestler, Jörn Diedrichsen

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Complex manual tasks-everything from buttoning up a shirt to playing the piano-fundamentally involve two components: (1) generating specific patterns of muscle activity (here, termed "synergies"); and (2) stringing these into purposeful sequences. Although transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) of the primary motor cortex (M1) has been found to increase the learning of motor sequences, it is unknown whether it can similarly facilitate motor synergy learning. Here, we determined the effects of tDCS on the learning of motor synergies using a novel hand configuration task that required the production of difficult muscular activation patterns. Bihemispheric tDCS was applied to M1 of …

Allocating Structure To Function: The Strong Links Between Neuroplasticity And Natural Selection, Michael Anderson, Barbara L. Finlay

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

A central question in brain evolution is how species-typical behaviors, and the neural function-structure mappings supporting them, can be acquired and inherited. Advocates of brain modularity, in its different incarnations across scientific subfields, argue that natural selection must target domain-dedicated, separately modifiable neural subsystems, resulting in genetically-specified functional modules. In such modular systems, specification of neuron number and functional connectivity are necessarily linked. Mounting evidence, however, from allometric, developmental, comparative, systems-physiological, neuroimaging and neurological studies suggests that brain elements are used and reused in multiple functional systems. This variable allocation can be seen in short-term neuromodulation, in neuroplasticity over the …

Short-Term Sensory And Cutaneous Vascular Responses To Therapeutic Ultrasound In The Forearms Of Healthy Volunteers, Shaguftha S. Shaik, Joy C. Macdermid, Trevor Birmingham, Ruby Grewal, Baseer Farooq

Bone and Joint Institute

© 2014 Shaik et al. Background: Therapeutic ultrasound (US) is used for a variety of clinical pathologies and is thought to accelerate tissue repair and help with pain reduction via its thermal and nonthermal effects. The evidence on physiological effects of US on both sensory and vascular functions in humans is incomplete. Hence, the purpose of this study was to determine the short-term impact of two doses of US (3 MHz, 1:4, 0.25 W/cm2, 5 min; 1 MHz, continuous, 0.8 W/cm2, 3 min), on sensory and vascular responses in the healthy forearms. Methods: Twenty healthy subjects were recruited (mean age, …

A Neurobiological Model For Pathways Of Transition To Psychosis Due To Cannabis, Amresh Srivastava

Data and Test Instruments

Cannabis has been implicated as a risk factor for the development of schizophrenia, although the exact biological mechanisms remain unclear. Purpose of this presentation is to explore trajectory for psychosis due to cannabis based upon a neurobiological model. A selective Pubmed search was carried out to construct a model of pathway based upon our hypothesis. The hypothesis for this conceptual paradigm is that neurobiological changes exist and cannabis metabolites modulate these changes in a sequential manner from genetic expression, environmental and biological interaction and neurochemical dysfunctions leading to cognitive dysmatria. Dopamine remains a final common pathway which leads to core …

Clinical Profile Of Scrub Typhus In Children And Its Association With Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis, Saptharishi Lalgudi Ganesan, Naveen Sankhyan, Kandasamy Sasidaran, Anil Kanga, Sunit C. Singhi

Data and Test Instruments

No abstract provided.

Choline Kinase Beta Is Required For Normal Endochondral Bone Formation, Zhuo Li, Gengshu Wu, Roger B. Sher, Zohreh Khavandgar, Martin Hermansson, Gregory A. Cox, Michael R. Doschak, Monzur Murshed, Frank Beier, Dennis E. Vance

Paediatrics Publications

Background Choline kinase has three isoforms encoded by the genes Chka and Chkb. Inactivation of Chka in mice results in embryonic lethality, whereas Chkb-/- mice display neonatal forelimb bone deformations. Methods To understand the mechanisms underlying the bone deformations, we compared the biology and biochemistry of bone formation from embryonic to young adult wild-type (WT) and Chkb-/- mice. Results The deformations are specific to the radius and ulna during the late embryonic stage. The radius and ulna of Chkb-/- mice display expanded hypertrophic zones, unorganized proliferative columns in their growth plates, and delayed formation of primary ossification centers. The differentiation …

Uwomj Volume 83, No 1, Winter 2014, Western University

University of Western Ontario Medical Journal

Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry

Rural and Remote Medicine

Cover of issue reads Winter 2014 - Inside Table of Contents page reads Spring 2014

Uwomj Volume 83, No. 2, Fall 2014, Western University

University of Western Ontario Medical Journal

Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry

Global Health

Uwomj Volume 83, Supplement S1, Summer 2014, Western University

University of Western Ontario Medical Journal

Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry

The Role Of The Insula In Speech And Language Processing, Anna Oh, Emma G. Duerden, Elizabeth W. Pang

Paediatrics Publications

Lesion and neuroimaging studies indicate that the insula mediates motor aspects of speech production, specifically, articulatory control. Although it has direct connections to Broca's area, the canonical speech production region, the insula is also broadly connected with other speech and language centres, and may play a role in coordinating higher-order cognitive aspects of speech and language production. The extent of the insula's involvement in speech and language processing was assessed using the Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) method. Meta-analyses of 42 fMRI studies with healthy adults were performed, comparing insula activation during performance of language (expressive and receptive) and speech (production …

Measuring Physicians' Productivity: A Three-Year Study To Evaluate A New Remuneration System, Guido Filler, Vanessa Burkoski, Gary Tithecott

Paediatrics Publications

PURPOSE: To evaluate a new assessment tool measuring physicians' academic productivity and its use in a performance-based remuneration system. METHOD: The authors developed an assessment tool based on existing tools to measure productivity. Yearly, from 2008 to 2011, physicians at the University of Western Ontario received a score of up to three points for each of four components (impact, application, scholarly activity, mentorship) in each of four domains (clinical practice, education, research, administration). Scores were weighted by the percentage of time physicians spent on tasks in each domain. Year 1 scores were a baseline. In Years 2 and 3, scores …