Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Maternal Taurine Supplementation In Rats Partially Prevents The Adverse Effects Of Early-Life Protein Deprivation On Β-Cell Function And Insulin Sensitivity, Christine Tang, Kelly Marchand, Loretta Lam, Victoria Lux-Lantos, Sandra M. Thyssen, June Guo, Adria Giacca, Edith Arany

Paediatrics Publications

Dietary protein restriction during pregnancy and lactation in rats impairs β-cell function and mass in neonates and leads to glucose intolerance in adult offspring. Maternal taurine (Tau) supplementation during pregnancy in rats restores β-cell function and mass in neonates, but its long-term effects are unclear. The prevention of postnatal catch-up growth has been suggested to improve glucose tolerance in adult offspring of low-protein (LP)-fed mothers. The objective of this study was to examine the relative contribution of β-cell dysfunction and insulin resistance to impaired glucose tolerance in 130-day-old rat offspring of LP-fed mothers and the effects of maternal Tau supplementation …

Narrative Medicine As A Means Of Training Medical Students Toward Residency Competencies, Shannon L. Arntfield, Kristen Slesar, Jennifer Dickson, Rita Charon

Paediatrics Publications

Objective: This study sought to explore the perceived influence of narrative medicine training on clinical skill development of fourth-year medical students, focusing on competencies mandated by ACGME and the RCPSC in areas of communication, collaboration, and professionalism. Methods: Using grounded-theory, three methods of data collection were used to query twelve medical students participating in a one-month narrative medicine elective regarding the process of training and the influence on clinical skills. Iterative thematic analysis and data triangulation occurred. Results: Response rate was 91% (survey), 50% (focus group) and 25% (follow-up). Five major findings emerged. Students perceive that they: develop and improve …

Expression Of Ski Can Act As A Negative Feedback Mechanism On Retinoic Acid Signaling, Meaghan A. Melling, Charlotte R.C. Friendship, Trevor G. Shepherd, Thomas A. Drysdale

Paediatrics Publications

Background: Retinoic acid signaling is essential for many aspects of early development in vertebrates. To control the levels of signaling, several retinoic acid target genes have been identified that act to suppress retinoic acid signaling in a negative feedback loop. The nuclear protein Ski has been extensively studied for its ability to suppress transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling but has also been implicated in the repression of retinoic acid signaling. Results: We demonstrate that ski expression is up-regulated in response to retinoic acid in both early Xenopus embryos and in human cell lines. Blocking retinoic acid signaling using a retinoic …

How Do Symbolic And Non-Symbolic Numerical Magnitude Processing Skills Relate To Individual Differences In Children's Mathematical Skills? A Review Of Evidence From Brain And Behavior, Bert De Smedt, Marie-Pascale Noël, Camilla Gilmore, Daniel Ansari

Paediatrics Publications

Many studies have tested the association between number magnitude processing and mathematics achievement. However, results appear to be quite different depending on the number format used. When using symbolic numbers (digits), data consistent and robust across studies and populations have been found, with weaker performance associated with weak math achievement and dyscalculia. However, when using non-symbolic format (dots), many conflicting findings are reported. These inconsistencies might be explained by methodological issues. Alternatively, it might be that the processes measured by non-symbolic tasks are not particularly critical for school-relevant mathematics. A few neuroimaging studies have also shown the brain signature of …

Two Distinct Ipsilateral Cortical Representations For Individuated Finger Movements., Jörn Diedrichsen, Tobias Wiestler, John W Krakauer

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Movements of the upper limb are controlled mostly through the contralateral hemisphere. Although overall activity changes in the ipsilateral motor cortex have been reported, their functional significance remains unclear. Using human functional imaging, we analyzed neural finger representations by studying differences in fine-grained activation patterns for single isometric finger presses. We demonstrate that cortical motor areas encode ipsilateral movements in 2 fundamentally different ways. During unimanual ipsilateral finger presses, primary sensory and motor cortices show, underneath global suppression, finger-specific activity patterns that are nearly identical to those elicited by contralateral mirror-symmetric action. This component vanishes when both motor cortices are …

Suicidal Ideation In Callers To A Crisis Hotline In Mumbai,, Amresh Srivastava, Megan Johnston, Larry Stitt, Meghana Thanksr, Sunita Iyer, Nilesh Shah, David Lester

Data and Test Instruments

Suicidal ideation in callers to a crisis hotline in Mumbai, India Amresh K. Shrivastava1,2, Megan Johnston3, Larry Stitt4, Meghana Thakar5, Sunita Iyer6, Nilesh Shah7 and David Lester8* 1Silver Mind Hospital and Mental Health Foundation of India, (PRERANA Charitable Trust) Mumbai. 2Department of Psychiatry, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. 3Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 2M2. 4Biostatistical Support Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. 5Silver mind Hospital, Mumbai, Currently, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Practitioner, Lambeth CAMHS Early Intervention Team, South London and Maudsley …

Short- And Long-Term Outcomes Of Third Liver Transplantation At Single Centre, Hideyi Tanaka, Mamoun Al Basheer, Jeffrey Shum, Michael Bloch, Roberto Hernandez Alejandro, Vivian Mcalister, William Wall, Douglas Quan

Data and Test Instruments

Purpose Although three or more liver transplantation (LT)s in the same patient arouse not only medical but also ethical issues in the context of organ shortage, it is a fact that additional liver retransplantation (reLT) is the only lifesaving treatment option for those with graft failure after a second LT. However, little is known regarding the risks and benefits associated with a third LT. Methods We analyzed fifteen cases of third LT and 48 of second LT performed between January 2000 and December 2010. Clinical outcomes were compared with those of second LT cases performed during the same period. Results …

Prefrontal Neurons Of Opposite Spatial Preference Display Distinct Target Selection Dynamics., Therese Lennert, Julio C Martinez-Trujillo

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Neurons in the primate dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) of one hemisphere are selective for the location of attended targets in both visual hemifields. Whether dlPFC neurons with selectivity for opposite hemifields directly compete with each other for target selection or instead play distinct roles during the allocation of attention remains unclear. We explored this issue by recording neuronal responses in the right dlPFC of two macaques while they allocated attention to a target in one hemifield and ignored a distracter on the opposite side. Forty-nine percent of the recorded neurons were target location selective. Neurons selective for contralateral targets (58%) …

Decoding The Neural Mechanisms Of Human Tool Use., Jason P Gallivan, D Adam Mclean, Kenneth F Valyear, Jody C Culham

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Sophisticated tool use is a defining characteristic of the primate species but how is it supported by the brain, particularly the human brain? Here we show, using functional MRI and pattern classification methods, that tool use is subserved by multiple distributed action-centred neural representations that are both shared with and distinct from those of the hand. In areas of frontoparietal cortex we found a common representation for planned hand- and tool-related actions. In contrast, in parietal and occipitotemporal regions implicated in hand actions and body perception we found that coding remained selectively linked to upcoming actions of the hand whereas …

Hannah Arendt And Pregnancy In The Public Sphere, Katy Fulfer

Future Directions in Feminist Phenomenology

No abstract provided.

Feminist Bio-Phenomenology, Christina Schües

Future Directions in Feminist Phenomenology

No abstract provided.

Body Talk I: Habituation To Bodily Changes After Breast Surgery In Women, Jenny Slatman

Future Directions in Feminist Phenomenology

No abstract provided.

Cannabis And Psychosis: Transition To Psychosis, Amresh Srivastava, Kristen , Terpstra, Yves Bureau

Data and Test Instruments

Cannabis has been implicated as a risk factor for the development of schizophrenia, however, but the pathway of cannabis causing psychosis is not well understood. It appears that cannabis does not cause any structural changes per say but deficits in areas of the brain responsible for memory and emotion do show some changes. Recent studies suggest that cannabinoids such as CB1 have a pharmacological profile similar to that of atypical antipsychotic drugs. This mechanisms may involve dopamine, GABA, and glutamate neurotransmission; It is still not known if these changes are transitory or permanent, and whether or not they contribute to …

Resilience, Psychopathology And Rehospitalization, Amresh Srivastava

Data and Test Instruments

Purpose: The goal of the project was to determine why patients are being hospitalized repeatedly within an acute psychiatric facility. Past studies have found repeated hospitalization leads to economic drain, disability, poor outcome, stigma and discrimination. Repeated hospitalizations are one of the main causes of disability and dysfunction amongst the mentally ill as well as consuming more than 90 % of the mental health budget. This drain deprives consumers of a major part of allocated health resources. Identifying the potential risk factors for repeated hospitalization, interrelationships between risk factors, and vulnerability will help us take the appropriate measures to prevent …

Measurement Of Clinical Risk Of Stigma And Discrimination Of Mental Illnesses, Amresh Srivastava, Yves Bureau, Nitika Rewari, Megan Johnston, Arman Panday, Nilesh Shah

Data and Test Instruments

Abstract Background: Stigma and discrimination continue to be a reality in the lives of people suffering from mental illness, particularly schizophrenia, and prove to be some of the greatest barriers to access care, continue to remain under care, and regain a normal lifestyle and health. Research advances have defined stigma, assessed its implications and have even examined intervention strategies for dealing with stigma. The delay in treatment due to stigma causes potential complications like suicide, violence, harm to others and deterioration in capacity to look after one’s physical health. These are preventable clinical complications. In order to deal with the …

The Human Brain Processes Syntax In The Absence Of Conscious Awareness., Laura Batterink, Helen J Neville

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Syntax is the core computational component of language. A longstanding idea about syntactic processing is that it is generally not available to conscious access, operating autonomously and automatically. However, there is little direct neurocognitive evidence on this issue. By measuring event-related potentials while human observers performed a novel cross-modal distraction task, we demonstrated that syntactic violations that were not consciously detected nonetheless produced a characteristic early neural response pattern, and also significantly delayed reaction times to a concurrent task. This early neural response was distinct from later neural activity that was observed only to syntactic violations that were consciously detected. …

The Function Of The Left Angular Gyrus In Mental Arithmetic: Evidence From The Associative Confusion Effect, Roland H. Grabner, Daniel Ansari, Karl Koschutnig, Gernot Reishofer, Franz Ebner

Paediatrics Publications

While the left angular gyrus (lAG) has been repeatedly implicated in mental arithmetic, its precise functional role has not been established. On the one hand, it has been speculated that the lAG is involved in task-specific processes. On the other hand, the observation of relative deactivation during arithmetic has led to the contention that differential lAG activation reflects task-unrelated difficulty effects associated with the default mode network (DMN). Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we investigated the neural correlates of the associative confusion effect that allowed us to dissociate effects of task difficulty and task-related arithmetic processes on lAG activation. The …

Umbilical Uptakes And Transplacental Concentration Ratios Of Amino Acids In Severe Fetal Growth Restriction, Timothy R.H. Regnault, Barbra De Vrijer, Henry L. Galan, Randall B. Wilkening, Frederick C. Battaglia, Giacomo Meschia

Paediatrics Publications

Background: This study examines the relationship between placental amino acid (AA) transport and fetal AA demand in an ovine fetal growth restriction (FGR) model in which placental underdevelopment induces fetal hypoxemia and hypoglycemia. Methods: Umbilical uptakes of AA, oxygen, glucose, and lactate were measured near term in eight experimental ewes (FGR group) and in eight controls (C group). Results: The FGR group demonstrated significantly reduced umbilical uptakes of oxygen, glucose, lactate, and 11 AAs per kg fetus. The combined uptake of glucose, lactate, and AAs, expressed as nutrient/oxygen quotients, was reduced almost to 1.00 (FGR: 1.05 vs. C: 1.32, P …

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Rb Protein Function, Frederick A. Dick, Seth M. Rubin

Paediatrics Publications

Inactivation of the RB protein is one of the most fundamental events in cancer. Coming to a molecular understanding of its function in normal cells and how it impedes cancer development has been challenging. Historically, the ability of RB to regulate the cell cycle placed it in a central role in proliferative control, and research focused on RB regulation of the E2F family of transcription factors. Remarkably, several recent studies have found additional tumour-suppressor functions of RB, including alternative roles in the cell cycle, maintenance of genome stability and apoptosis. These advances and new structural studies are combining to define …

Three-Dimensional Segmentation Of Three-Dimensional Ultrasound Carotid Atherosclerosis Using Sparse Field Level Sets., E Ukwatta, J Yuan, D Buchanan, B Chiu, J Awad, W Qiu, G Parraga, A Fenster

Medical Biophysics Publications

PURPOSE: Three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) vessel wall volume (VWV) provides a 3D measurement of carotid artery wall remodeling and atherosclerotic plaque and is sensitive to temporal changes of carotid plaque burden. Unfortunately, although 3DUS VWV provides many advantages compared to measurements of arterial wall thickening or plaque alone, it is still not widely used in research or clinical practice because of the inordinate amount of time required to train observers and to generate 3DUS VWV measurements. In this regard, semiautomated methods for segmentation of the carotid media-adventitia boundary (MAB) and the lumen-intima boundary (LIB) would greatly improve the time to train …

Transition To Psychosis In Cannabis Abusers, Amresh Srivastava

Data and Test Instruments

Transition to psychosis in Cannabis abusersSchizophrenia is a debilitating disease of major public health importance, the incidence of which shows prominent worldwide variation (up to fivefold) and is about 40% greater in men than in women. Furthermore, epidemiological studies have shown that the incidence is higher among those who grow up in urban areas and among migrants. Recent evidence indicates that, although the neurochemical origins of schizophrenia do not necessarily lie in dopamine dysregulation, this operates as the final common pathway underlying positive psychotic symptoms and may also play a role in negative and cognitive symptoms. The last few years …

Debate At The Royal College Summit On The Future Of General Surgery

Data and Test Instruments

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Task Force to address the Future of General Surgery, in Ottawa 13 May 2013: Dr Vivian McAlister debating with Dr Bill Pollett

Dsm V: Hope Or Hype?, Amresh Srivastava

Data and Test Instruments

DSM V: HOPE OR HYPE? Amresh Shrivastava, MD,MPM,MRCPsych,FRCPC Associate professor of Psychiatry Western University London, Ontario Since more than 50 years psychiatric diagnostic is being developed by a number of organisations. As research has advanced in understanding mental illnesses,need for a common language has been felt in order to provide best possible care to our patients. The process of psychiatric diagnosis has evolved significantly. WHO as well APA both have made significant advances in developing diagnostic systems. DSM 5 recently approved by board of trustees by Americal psychiatric Association is scheduled to be released on 18th of May. This document …

Shared Neural Substrates Of Emotionally Enhanced Perceptual And Mnemonic Vividness, Rebecca M. Todd, Taylor W. Schmitz, Josh Susskind, Adam K. Anderson

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

It is well known that emotionally salient events are remembered more vividly than mundane ones. Our recent research has demonstrated that such memory vividness is due in part to the subjective experience of emotional events as more perceptually vivid, an effect we call emotion-enhanced vividness, or EEV. The present study built on previously reported research in which fMRI data were collected while participants rated relative levels of visual noise overlaid on emotionally salient and neutral images. Ratings of greater EEV were associated with greater activation in the amygdala, visual cortex, and posterior insula. In the present study, we measured BOLD …

On The Role Of Abnormal Dl(Co) In Ex-Smokers Without Airflow Limitation: Symptoms, Exercise Capacity And Hyperpolarised Helium-3 Mri, Miranda Kirby, Amir Owrangi, Sarah Svenningsen, Andrew Wheatley, Harvey O Coxson, Nigel A M Paterson, David G Mccormack, Grace Parraga

Medical Biophysics Publications

BACKGROUND: The functional effects of abnormal diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) in ex-smokers without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are not well understood.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate and compare well established clinical, physiological and emerging imaging measurements in ex-smokers with normal spirometry and abnormal DLCO with a group of ex-smokers with normal spirometry and DLCO and ex-smokers with Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage I COPD.

METHODS: We enrolled 38 ex-smokers and 15 subjects with stage I COPD who underwent spirometry, plethysmography, St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), 6 min Walk Test (6MWT), x-ray CT and …

Defining The Efficacy Of Aortic Root Enlargement Procedures: A Comparative Analysis Of Surgical Techniques, Katie L. Losenno, Jill J. Gelinas, Marjorie Johnson, Michael W. A. Chu

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

Background: Aortic root enlargement (ARE) procedures are believed to allow implantation of larger valve prostheses; however, little evidence exists to support the specific efficacy of various techniques. Methods: Using a cadaveric model, 20 adult (72.4 +/- 15.3 years) hearts were stratified into 4 groups based on annular diameter: <20 mm, 20-22 mm, 22-24 mm, and >24 mm. Each heart underwent an aortic valve replacement following a Nicks, Manougian, aortoventriculoplasty and modified Bentall procedure, with appropriate reversals between procedures. Results: All 4 groups experienced similar increases in annular diameter (P = 0.43) and prosthesis size implanted (P = 0.51) with each enlargement technique. The Nicks, Manougian, modified Bentall …

A Magnetic-Resonance-Imaging-Compatible Remote Catheter Navigation System., Mohammad Ali Tavallaei, Yogesh Thakur, Syed Haider, Maria Drangova

Medical Biophysics Publications

A remote catheter navigation system compatible with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been developed to facilitate MRI-guided catheterization procedures. The interventionalist's conventional motions (axial motion and rotation) on an input catheter - acting as the master - are measured by a pair of optical encoders, and a custom embedded system relays the motions to a pair of ultrasonic motors. The ultrasonic motors drive the patient catheter (slave) within the MRI scanner, replicating the motion of the input catheter. The performance of the remote catheter navigation system was evaluated in terms of accuracy and delay of motion replication outside and within …

Study Of Negatives Symptoms In First Episode Schizophrenia*, Vivek Bambole, Nilesh, Shah, Shushma Sonavane, Megan , Johnston, Amresh Srivastava

Data and Test Instruments

Background: Prevalence of negative symptoms in the early phase of schizophrenia remains uncertain. Ne- gative symptoms are the primary cause of long term disability and poor functional outcome. The purpose of this study is to examine the presence of negative symptoms in patients with fist episode psychosis in schizophrenia who were hospitalized. Methods: Nega- tive symptoms were measured in 72 patients present- ing with FEP using the scale for assessment of nega- tive symptoms (SANS) and ascertained diagnosis us- ing DSM-IV. Prevalence of SANS items and sub- scales were examined for both schizophrenia and bi- polar disorder. Results: This study …

Slow Birth Of New-Wave Medical Journalism, Vivian Mcalister

Data and Test Instruments

Half a century has passed since Sir Theodore Fox reflected upon his recently completed 40-year tenure as editor of The Lancet. He titled his farewell lecture series “Crisis in communication: the functions and future of medical journals.”1 Even though the number of journals had dramatically increased by the 1960s, submissions had proliferated to such an extent that Fox’s principal regret was the increasing fraction he was forced to refuse. In the late 19th century, the surgeon general of the United States was able to catalogue the entire body of medical knowledge up to that time in a volume that would …

Hidden Surveillance On Consumer Health Information Websites, Jacquelyn A. Burkell, Alexandre Fortier

FIMS Publications

Behavioural tracking presents a significant privacy risk to Canadians, particularly when their online behaviours reveal sensitive information that could be used to discriminate against them. This concern is particularly relevant in the context of online health information seeking, since searches can reveal details about health conditions and concerns that the individual may wish to keep private. The privacy threats are exacerbated because behavioural tracking mechanisms are large invisible to users, and many are unaware of the strategies and mechanisms available to track online behaviour. In this project, we seek to document the behavioural tracking practices of consumer health websites, and …