Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Localization Of Pain-Related Brain Activation: A Meta-Analysis Of Neuroimaging Data, Emma G. Duerden, Marie Claire Albanese

Paediatrics Publications

A meta-analysis of 140 neuroimaging studies was performed using the activation-likelihood-estimate (ALE) method to explore the location and extent of activation in the brain in response to noxious stimuli in healthy volunteers. The first analysis involved the creation of a likelihood map illustrating brain activation common across studies using noxious stimuli. The left thalamus, right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), bilateral anterior insulae, and left dorsal posterior insula had the highest likelihood of being activated. The second analysis contrasted noxious cold with noxious heat stimulation and revealed higher likelihood of activation to noxious cold in the subgenual ACC and the amygdala. …

Effects Of Age And Symptomatology On Cortical Thickness In Autism Spectrum Disorders, Krissy A.R. Doyle-Thomas, Emma G. Duerden, Margot J. Taylor, Jason P. Lerch, Latha V. Soorya, A. Ting Wang, Jin Fan, Eric Hollander, Evdokia Anagnostou

Paediatrics Publications

Several brain regions show structural and functional abnormalities in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), but the developmental trajectory of abnormalities in these structures and how they may relate to social and communicative impairments are still unclear. We assessed the effects of age on cortical thickness in individuals with ASD, between the ages of 7 and 39 years in comparison to typically developing controls. Additionally, we examined differences in cortical thickness in relation to symptomatology in the ASD group, and their association with age. Analyses were conducted using a general linear model, controlling for sex. Social and communication scores from …

Dietary Exposures And Allergy Prevention In High-Risk Infants, Edmond S. Chan, Carl Cummings, Mark Feldman, Ruth B. Grimes, Barbara Grueger, Larry B. Pancer, Anne Rowan Legg, Ellen P. Wood, Fabian P. Gorodzinsky, Nestor Cisneros, Janet Roberts, Adelle Atkinson, Zave Chad, Marie Josée Francoeur, Linda Kirste, Douglas Mack, Marie Noel Primeau, Timothy Vander Leek, Wade Watson

Paediatrics Publications

Allergic conditions in children are a prevalent health concern in Canada. The burden of disease and the societal costs of proper diagnosis and management are considerable, making the primary prevention of allergic conditions a desirable health care objective. This position statement reviews current evidence on dietary exposures and allergy prevention in infants at high risk for developing allergic conditions. It revisits previous dietary recommendations for pregnancy, breastfeeding and formula feeding, and provides an approach for introducing solid foods to high-risk infants. While there is no evidence that delaying the introduction of any specific food beyond six months of age helps …

Determinants Of Negative Pathways To Care And Their Impact On Service Disengagement In First-Episode Psychosis., Kelly K. Anderson, Rebecca Fuhrer, Norbert Schmitz, Ashok K Malla

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Publications

PURPOSE: Although there have been numerous studies on pathways to care in first-episode psychosis (FEP), few have examined the determinants of the pathway to care and its impact on subsequent engagement with mental health services.

METHODS: Using a sample of 324 FEP patients from a catchment area-based early intervention (EI) program in Montréal, we estimated the association of several socio-demographic, clinical, and service-level factors with negative pathways to care and treatment delay. We also assessed the impact of the pathway to care on time to disengagement from EI services.

RESULTS: Few socio-demographic or clinical factors were predictive of negative pathways …

Physical Accessibility Measure For Schools, Lea E. Klinger

Occupational Therapy Publications

No abstract provided.

University Campus Accessibility Measure, Lea E. Klinger

Occupational Therapy Publications

No abstract provided.

The Youth Report Version Of The Child And Adolescent Scale Of Participation (Casp): Assessment Of Psychometric Properties And Comparison With Parent Report, Janette Mcdougall, Gary Bedell, Virginia Wright

Occupational Therapy Publications

Objective The Child and Adolescent Scale of Participation (CASP) parent report is a brief and valid measure for use with children and youth with chronic conditions/disabilities that has been shown to have good coverage at the chapter level of the‘Activities and Participation’component of the International Classification of Functioning,Disability and Health.The purpose of this research was to assess the psychometric properties of a CASP youth self-report version,to further validate the parent report,and to compare parent and youth reports of youths’ activity and participation.

Methods Baseline data from a longitudinal study examining predictors of changes in quality of life for youth with …

She Came, She Saw, She Sowed: Re-Negotiating Gender-Responsive Priorities For Effective Development Of Agricultural Biotechnology In Sub-Saharan Africa, Obidimma Ezezika, Jennifer Deadman, Abdallah S. Daar

Health Studies Publications

In this paper, we argue for the importance of incorporating a gendered perspective for the effective development of sustainable agricultural biotechnology systems in sub-Saharan Africa. Priority setting for agricultural policy and project development requires attention to gender issues specific to the demands of agricultural biotechnology. This is essential for successfully addressing food security and poverty reduction in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). There has been a great deal of debate and literature on the implications of gender in agricultural development and policy. However, the implications of gender in agricultural biotechnology and have received relatively less attention, especially in SSA. Based on interviews …

Health Literacy Promotion: Contemporary Conceptualizations And Current Implementations In Canadian Health Librarianship, Nicole K. Dalmer

FIMS Publications

Research questions: What are the current conceptualizations of health literacy, and what strategies are Canadian health librarians in public, academic, and hospital libraries enacting to put health literacy promotion into practice? Data sources: Serving as the basis of this scoping review, library and information science, health sciences, and interdisciplinary databases were searched using key terms relating to health literacy promotion as it relates to services, programming, or resources used in a variety of library settings. A web searched allowed for the inclusion of grey literature sources. Study selection: Data sources were searched using a combination of subject headings …

The Health And Well-Being Of Indigenous Drug And Alcohol Workers: Results From A National Australian Survey, Ann M. Roche, Vinita Duraisingam, Allan Trifonoff, Amanda Tovell

Aboriginal Policy Research Consortium International (APRCi)

The increasing demand for alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment services among the Australian Indigenous population, complex organisational challenges and limitations, and high unemployment rates are likely to negatively impact Indigenous AOD workers' health and well-being. Building the capacity of Indigenous AOD workers is vital, as they play a crucial role in the delivery of treatment services and offer essential support to their communities. A national online survey was conducted to examine organisational, workplace and individual factors that might contribute to levels of stress and well-being among workers who provide services to Indigenous clients. A total of 294 eligible surveys …

Acute Alcohol Consumption Impairs Controlled But Not Automatic Processes In A Psychophysical Pointing Paradigm., Kevin Johnston, Brian Timney, Melvyn A Goodale

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Numerous studies have investigated the effects of alcohol consumption on controlled and automatic cognitive processes. Such studies have shown that alcohol impairs performance on tasks requiring conscious, intentional control, while leaving automatic performance relatively intact. Here, we sought to extend these findings to aspects of visuomotor control by investigating the effects of alcohol in a visuomotor pointing paradigm that allowed us to separate the influence of controlled and automatic processes. Six male participants were assigned to an experimental "correction" condition in which they were instructed to point at a visual target as quickly and accurately as possible. On a small …

Habituation Of Reflexive And Motivated Behavior In Mice With Deficient Bk Channel Function., Marei Typlt, Magdalena Mirkowski, Erin Azzopardi, Peter Ruth, Peter K D Pilz, Susanne Schmid

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Habituation is considered the most basic form of learning. It describes the decrease of a behavioral response to a repeated non-threatening sensory stimulus and therefore provides an important sensory filtering mechanism. While some neuronal pathways mediating habituation are well described, underlying cellular/molecular mechanisms are not yet fully understood. In general, there is an agreement that short-term and long-term habituation are based on different mechanisms. Historically, a distinction has also been made between habituation of motivated versus reflexive behavior. In recent studies in invertebrates the large conductance voltage- and calcium-activated potassium (BK) channel has been implicated to be a key player …

Mice With Deficient Bk Channel Function Show Impaired Prepulse Inhibition And Spatial Learning, But Normal Working And Spatial Reference Memory., Marei Typlt, Magdalena Mirkowski, Erin Azzopardi, Lukas Ruettiger, Peter Ruth, Susanne Schmid

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Genetic variations in the large-conductance, voltage- and calcium activated potassium channels (BK channels) have been recently implicated in mental retardation, autism and schizophrenia which all come along with severe cognitive impairments. In the present study we investigate the effects of functional BK channel deletion on cognition using a genetic mouse model with a knock-out of the gene for the pore forming α-subunit of the channel. We tested the F1 generation of a hybrid SV129/C57BL6 mouse line in which the slo1 gene was deleted in both parent strains. We first evaluated hearing and motor function to establish the suitability of this …

Synaptic Scaffold Evolution Generated Components Of Vertebrate Cognitive Complexity, Jess Nithianantharajah, Noboru H. Komiyama, Andrew Mckechanie, Mandy Johnstone, Douglas H. Blackwood, David St.Clair, Richard D. Emes, Louie N. Van De Lagemaat, Lisa M. Saksida, Timothy J. Bussey, Seth G. Grant

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

The origins and evolution of higher cognitive functions, including complex forms of learning, attention and executive functions, are unknown. A potential mechanism driving the evolution of vertebrate cognition early in the vertebrate lineage (550 million years ago) was genome duplication and subsequent diversification of postsynaptic genes. Here we report, to our knowledge, the first genetic analysis of a vertebrate gene family in cognitive functions measured using computerized touchscreens. Comparison of mice carrying mutations in each of the four Dlg paralogs showed that simple associative learning required Dlg4, whereas Dlg2 and Dlg3 diversified to have opposing functions in complex cognitive …

Errors In Device Localization In Mri Using Z-Frames., Jeremy Cepek, Blaine A Chronik, Aaron Fenster

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

The use of a passive MRI-visible tracking frame is a common method of localizing devices in MRI space for MRI-guided procedures. One of the most common tracking frame designs found in the literature is the z-frame, as it allows six degree-of-freedom pose estimation using only a single image slice. Despite the popularity of this design, it is susceptible to errors in pose estimation due to various image distortion mechanisms in MRI. In this paper, the absolute error in using a z-frame to localize a tool in MRI is quantified over various positions of the z-frame relative to the MRI isocenter, …

Language, Reading, And Math Learning Profiles In An Epidemiological Sample Of School Age Children., Lisa M D Archibald, Janis Oram Cardy, Marc F Joanisse, Daniel Ansari

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Dyscalculia, dyslexia, and specific language impairment (SLI) are relatively specific developmental learning disabilities in math, reading, and oral language, respectively, that occur in the context of average intellectual capacity and adequate environmental opportunities. Past research has been dominated by studies focused on single impairments despite the widespread recognition that overlapping and comorbid deficits are common. The present study took an epidemiological approach to study the learning profiles of a large school age sample in language, reading, and math. Both general learning profiles reflecting good or poor performance across measures and specific learning profiles involving either weak language, weak reading, weak …

Differential Effects Of Parkinson's Disease And Dopamine Replacement On Memory Encoding And Retrieval., Alex A Macdonald, Ken N Seergobin, Adrian M Owen, Ruzbeh Tamjeedi, Oury Monchi, Hooman Ganjavi, Penny A Macdonald

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

Increasingly memory deficits are recognized in Parkinson's disease (PD). In PD, the dopamine-producing cells of the substantia nigra (SN) are significantly degenerated whereas those in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are relatively spared. Dopamine-replacement medication improves cognitive processes that implicate the SN-innervated dorsal striatum but is thought to impair those that depend upon the VTA-supplied ventral striatum, limbic and prefrontal cortices. Our aim was to examine memory encoding and retrieval in PD and how they are affected by dopamine replacement. Twenty-nine PD patients performed the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT) and a non-verbal analogue, the Aggie Figures Learning Test …

Disulfiram In The Management Of Alcohol Dependence: A Comprehensive Clinical Review, Amresh Srivastava

Data and Test Instruments

ABSTRACT Disulfiram remains a viable option as a treatment for alcohol dependence and has been shown in recent studies to be successful in treating patients with alco- hol dependence in a manner that is superior to both naltrexone and acamprosate. It is also useful in dual diagnosis patients and those with co-morbid cocaine and alcohol dependence. Although disulfiram’s me- chanism of action in alcohol dependence was long thought to be its effects as a psychological deterrent, more recent studies have uncovered potential anti- craving effects as well. Recent reviews exhort to the importance of supervised disulfiram therapy in high- lighting …

Symptom Overlap Between Schizophrenia And Bipolar Mood Disorder: Diagnostic Issues, Amresh Srivastava

Data and Test Instruments

Although the Kraepelinian classification paradigm is widely used, observations of overlapping boundaries between the symptoms associated with bipolar disor- der and schizophrenia are beginning to challenge this dichotomy. The objective of this research was to explore the symptoms of individuals diagnosed with schizo- phrenia and with bipolar mood disorder in order to de- termine the frequency of symptom overlap. One hun- dred patients of a psychiatry ward were divided into two main groups based on their diagnosis—schizo- phrenia or bipolar mood disorder. Chi-square analy- ses were used to determine whether the symptoms mea- sured in this study differed between individuals …

Clinical Consequences Of Stigma (Suicide, Non-Compliance And Rehospitalisation), Amresh Srivastava

Data and Test Instruments

ABSTRACT Stigma and discrimination continue to be a reality in the lives of people suffering from mental illness, particu- larly 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 …

Extrapyramidal Symptoms In 10 Years Of Long Term Treatment Of Schizophrenia: Independent Of Psychopathology And Outcome, Amresh Srivastava

Data and Test Instruments

Extrapyramidal Symptoms in 10 Years of Long Term Treatment of Schizophrenia: Independent of Psychopathology and Outcome Amresh Srivastava1, Megan Johnston2, Kristen Terpstra3, Larry Stitt4, Avinash De Sousa5*, Nilesh Shah6 1Department of Psychiatry, Elgin Early Intervention Program for Psychosis, The University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada, and Mental Health Resource Foundation, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, 2.Department of Psychology, University of Toronto, 100 St. George St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 3G3 Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5C1 5Research Officer, Department of Psychiatry, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College, Mumbai 6 Professor and Head, Department of Psychiatry, Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College, Mumbai: One of …

B.03 Clinical Utility Of Critical Care Eeg Monitoring In A Canadian Paediatric Centre, Saptharishi Lalgudi Ganesan

Data and Test Instruments

No abstract provided.

Acute Vibration Induces Transient Expression Of Anabolic Genes In The Murine Intervertebral Disc, Matthew R. Mccann, Priya Patel, Kim L. Beaucage, Yizhi Xiao, Corey Bacher, Walter L. Siqueira, David W. Holdsworth, S. Jeffrey Dixon, Cheryle A. Séguin

Physiology and Pharmacology Publications

No abstract provided.

Orientation Distribution Of Highly Oriented Type I Collagen Deposited On Flat Samples With Different Geometries, Qamrun Nahar, David Minh Luan Quach, Behafarid Darvish, Harvey A. Goldberg, Bernd Grohe, Silvia Mittler

Physiology and Pharmacology Publications

The structural arrangement of type I collagen in vivo is critical for the normal functioning of tissues, such as bone, cornea, tendons and blood vessels. At present, there are no established low-cost techniques for fabricating aligned collagen structures for applications in regenerative medicine. Here, we report on a straightforward approach to fabricate collagen films, with defined orientation distributions of collagen fibrillar aggregates within a matrix of oriented collagen molecules on flat sample surfaces. Langmuir Blodgett (LB) technology was used to deposit thin films of oriented type I collagen onto flat substrates exhibiting various shapes. By varying the shapes of the …

Surface Immobilized Gold Nanoparticles By Organometallic Chemical Vapor Deposition On Amine Terminated Glass Surfaces, Erden Ertorer, Jessica C. Avery, Laura C. Pavelka, Silvia Mittler

Physiology and Pharmacology Publications

We describe the growth of surface immobilized gold nanoparticles with organometallic chemical vapour deposition (OMCVD) on amine terminated surfaces, utilizing (trimethylphospine)methylgold ((CH3)3PAuCH3) precursor. Samples fabricated using different deposition times were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Particle stability on the samples was tested by washing and rinsing treatments with various organic solvents. A biotin-streptavidin scheme was applied to demonstrate the biosensing capabilities of the samples. The size, interparticle distance, and shape of the gold nanoparticles demonstrated that OMCVD is a simple, economic, and fast way to fabricate surface bonded and stable gold nanoparticles. The plasmonic properties, the stability …

Influence Of Electrostatic Forces On The Particle Propulsion In The Evanescent Field Of Silver Ion-Exchanged Waveguides, Dmytro Gebenniko, Silvia Mittler

Physiology and Pharmacology Publications

The effect of electrostatic interaction between carboxylate- and amino-functionalized polystyrene particles and a charged waveguide surface on the propulsion speed in an optical tweezers is considered as a function of pH and ionic strength. It was shown that with the variation of the pH of the aqueous solution, the particles were immersed in, a systematic change of propulsion speed with a maximum speed could be achieved. The appearance of a maximum speed was ascribed to changes in the particle-waveguide separation as a result of the combination of two forces: Coulomb repulsion/attraction and induced dipole forces. The highest maximum speed at …

The Bodily Experience Of Cerebral Palsy: A Journey To Self-Awareness., Laura K Brunton, Doreen J Bartlett

Physical Therapy Publications

PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to describe the lived bodily experience of cerebral palsy (CP).

METHOD: This was a descriptive phenomenological inquiry. Ten participants were interviewed about their bodily experiences of living with CP. Interviews were semi-structured around pain and fatigue. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify themes.

RESULTS: The bodily experience of CP centered on issues of fatigue and pain as a feeling of muscle soreness. An overwhelming amount of the discussion on fatigue emphasized the fatigue that occurs with walking and prolonged activity. Self-awareness of the individuals' own bodies and adapting activity to continue to …

Septohippocampal Gabaergic Neurons Mediate The Altered Behaviors Induced By N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Antagonists., Jingyi Ma, Siew Kian Tai, L Stan Leung

Physiology and Pharmacology Publications

We hypothesize that selective lesion of the septohippocampal GABAergic neurons suppresses the altered behaviors induced by an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, ketamine or MK-801. In addition, we hypothesize that septohippocampal GABAergic neurons generate an atropine-resistant theta rhythm that coexists with an atropine-sensitive theta rhythm in the hippocampus. Infusion of orexin-saporin (ore-SAP) into the medial septal area decreased parvalbumin-immunoreactive (GABAergic) neurons by ~80%, without significantly affecting choline-acetyltransferase-immunoreactive (cholinergic) neurons. The theta rhythm during walking, or the immobility-associated theta induced by pilocarpine, was not different between ore-SAP and sham-lesion rats. Walking theta was, however, more disrupted by atropine sulfate in ore-SAP than …

Environews #2, Nov. 10, 2012, Richard Philp

Data and Test Instruments

This issue of Environews covers the astounding infant health problems associated with the residue of radioactivity from depleted uranium artillery shells used in Iraq, the importance of marine microbes to ocean productivity and carbon fixing, and the weakening of environmental protection by the government of Canada through changes to protective legislation.

Environews #1: Nov 2/12, Richard Philp

Data and Test Instruments

Environews #1 is, hopefuly, the first of a series dealing with current issues of environmental concern. This issue discusses the possible role of climate change in the massive floods that followed hurricane sandy, depletion of the world's fish stocks, the possible role, bothe positive and negative, of aquaculture, and the trend to seek oil in increasingly environmentally dangerous venues.