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Articles 391 - 420 of 599

Full-Text Articles in Medical Specialties

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 Jan 2014

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 Jan 2014

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 …


The Role Of The Insula In Speech And Language Processing, Anna Oh, Emma G. Duerden, Elizabeth W. Pang Jan 2014

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 Jan 2014

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 …


Diagnosis By Peritoneal Scintigraphy Of Peritoneal Dialysis–Associated Hydrothorax In An Infant, M. Chavannes, A. P. Sharma, R. N. Singh, R. H. Reid, G. Filler Jan 2014

Diagnosis By Peritoneal Scintigraphy Of Peritoneal Dialysis–Associated Hydrothorax In An Infant, M. Chavannes, A. P. Sharma, R. N. Singh, R. H. Reid, G. Filler

Paediatrics Publications

No abstract provided.


Chronic Abdominal Pain & Colonic Non-Fixation Case Report, Brett Howe, Andreana Butter Jan 2014

Chronic Abdominal Pain & Colonic Non-Fixation Case Report, Brett Howe, Andreana Butter

Paediatrics Publications

Abnormalities of intestinal rotation and fixation occur in one out of 500 live births and usually present within the first month of life. We report a case of a 14-year-old girl with lifelong, chronic abdominal pain. Despite treatment by multiple specialists and psychiatrists, her pain remained severe. A barium enema revealed that her left colon was located along her right paracolic gutter, suggesting a form of malrotation/ non-fixation. Laparoscopy, followed by laparotomy, demonstrated a complete lack of fixation of her entire colon. Due to the mobility of the colon, as well as its redundant mesentery, her entire small bowel was …


Low Birth Weight Male Guinea Pig Offspring Display Increased Visceral Adiposity In Early Adulthood., Ousseynou Sarr, Jennifer A Thompson, Lin Zhao, Ting-Yim Lee, Timothy Regnault Jan 2014

Low Birth Weight Male Guinea Pig Offspring Display Increased Visceral Adiposity In Early Adulthood., Ousseynou Sarr, Jennifer A Thompson, Lin Zhao, Ting-Yim Lee, Timothy Regnault

Paediatrics Publications

Uteroplacental insufficiency (UPI)-induced intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) predisposes individuals to adult visceral obesity. We postulated that low birth weight (LBW) offspring, from UPI-induced IUGR pregnancies, would display a visceral adipose lipogenic molecular signature involving altered gene expression, phosphorylation status of proteins of the lipid synthesis pathway and microRNA (miR) expression profile, occurring in association with increased visceral adiposity. Normal birth weight (NBW) and LBW (obtained by uterine artery ablation) male guinea pig pups were fed a control diet from weaning to 145 days and sacrificed. Despite being lighter at birth, LBW pups displayed body weights similar to NBW offspring at …


Loss Of Atrx Does Not Confer Susceptibility To Osteoarthritis, Lauren A. Solomon, Bailey A. Russell, David Makar, Nathalie G. Bérubé, Frank Beier Dec 2013

Loss Of Atrx Does Not Confer Susceptibility To Osteoarthritis, Lauren A. Solomon, Bailey A. Russell, David Makar, Nathalie G. Bérubé, Frank Beier

Paediatrics Publications

The chromatin remodelling protein ATRX is associated with the rare genetic disorder ATR-X syndrome. This syndrome includes developmental delay, cognitive impairment, and a variety of skeletal deformities. ATRX plays a role in several basic chromatin-mediated cellular events including DNA replication, telomere stability, gene transcription, and chromosome congression and cohesion during cell division. We have used a loss-of-function approach to directly investigate the role of Atrx in the adult skeleton in three different models of selective Atrx loss. We specifically targeted deletion of Atrx to the forelimb mesenchyme, to cartilage and to bone-forming osteoblasts. We previously demonstrated that loss of ATRX …


The Centre Of The Brain: Topographical Model Of Motor, Cognitive, Affective, And Somatosensory Functions Of The Basal Ganglia, Marie Arsalidou, Emma G. Duerden, Margot J. Taylor Nov 2013

The Centre Of The Brain: Topographical Model Of Motor, Cognitive, Affective, And Somatosensory Functions Of The Basal Ganglia, Marie Arsalidou, Emma G. Duerden, Margot J. Taylor

Paediatrics Publications

The basal ganglia have traditionally been viewed as motor processing nuclei; however, functional neuroimaging evidence has implicated these structures in more complex cognitive and affective processes that are fundamental for a range of human activities. Using quantitative meta-analysis methods we assessed the functional subdivisions of basal ganglia nuclei in relation to motor (body and eye movements), cognitive (working-memory and executive), affective (emotion and reward) and somatosensory functions in healthy participants. We document affective processes in the anterior parts of the caudate head with the most overlap within the left hemisphere. Cognitive processes showed the most widespread response, whereas motor processes …


Techniques For The Isolation Of High-Quality Rna From Cells Encapsulated In Chitosan Hydrogels, Claire Yu, Stuart Young, Valerio Russo, Brian G. Amsden, Lauren E. Flynn Nov 2013

Techniques For The Isolation Of High-Quality Rna From Cells Encapsulated In Chitosan Hydrogels, Claire Yu, Stuart Young, Valerio Russo, Brian G. Amsden, Lauren E. Flynn

Paediatrics Publications

Extracting high-quality RNA from hydrogels containing polysaccharide components is challenging, as traditional RNA isolation techniques designed for cells and tissues can have limited yields and purity due to physiochemical interactions between the nucleic acids and the biomaterials. In this study, a comparative analysis of several different RNA isolation methods was performed on human adipose-derived stem cells photo-encapsulated within methacrylated glycol chitosan hydrogels. The results demonstrated that RNA isolation methods with cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) buffer followed by purification with an RNeasy® mini kit resulted in low yields of RNA, except when the samples were preminced directly within the buffer. In …


Gsk-3Β Function In Bone Regulates Skeletal Development, Whole-Body Metabolism, And Male Life Span, J. R. Gillespie, J. R. Bush, G. I. Bell, L. A. Aubrey, H. Dupuis, F. Ferron, B. Kream, G. Dimattia, S. Patel, J. R. Woodgett, G. Karsenty, D. A. Hess, F. Beier Oct 2013

Gsk-3Β Function In Bone Regulates Skeletal Development, Whole-Body Metabolism, And Male Life Span, J. R. Gillespie, J. R. Bush, G. I. Bell, L. A. Aubrey, H. Dupuis, F. Ferron, B. Kream, G. Dimattia, S. Patel, J. R. Woodgett, G. Karsenty, D. A. Hess, F. Beier

Paediatrics Publications

Glycogen synthase kinase 3 β (GSK-3β) is an essential negative regulator or “brake” on many anabolic-signaling pathways including Wnt and insulin. Global deletion of GSK-3β results in perinatal lethality and various skeletal defects. The goal of our research was to determine GSK-3β cell-autonomous effects and postnatal roles in the skeleton. We used the 3.6-kb Col1a1 promoter to inactivate the Gsk3b gene (Col1a1-Gsk3b knockout) in skeletal cells. Mutant mice exhibit decreased body fat and postnatal bone growth, as well as delayed development of several skeletal elements. Surprisingly, the mutant mice display decreased circulating glucose and insulin levels despite normal expression of …


Stress-Inducible Phosphoprotein 1 Has Unique Cochaperone Activity During Development And Regulates Cellular Response To Ischemia Via The Prion Protein., Flavio H Beraldo, Iaci N Soares, Daniela F Goncalves, Jue Fan, Anu A Thomas, Tiago G Santos, Amro H Mohammad, Martin Roffé, Michele D Calder, Simona Nikolova, Glaucia N Hajj, Andre L Guimaraes, Andre R Massensini, Ian Welch, Dean H Betts, Robert Gros, Maria Drangova, Andrew J Watson, Robert Bartha, Vania F Prado, Vilma R Martins, Marco A M Prado Sep 2013

Stress-Inducible Phosphoprotein 1 Has Unique Cochaperone Activity During Development And Regulates Cellular Response To Ischemia Via The Prion Protein., Flavio H Beraldo, Iaci N Soares, Daniela F Goncalves, Jue Fan, Anu A Thomas, Tiago G Santos, Amro H Mohammad, Martin Roffé, Michele D Calder, Simona Nikolova, Glaucia N Hajj, Andre L Guimaraes, Andre R Massensini, Ian Welch, Dean H Betts, Robert Gros, Maria Drangova, Andrew J Watson, Robert Bartha, Vania F Prado, Vilma R Martins, Marco A M Prado

Obstetrics & Gynaecology Publications

Stress-inducible phosphoprotein 1 (STI1) is part of the chaperone machinery, but it also functions as an extracellular ligand for the prion protein. However, the physiological relevance of these STI1 activities in vivo is unknown. Here, we show that in the absence of embryonic STI1, several Hsp90 client proteins are decreased by 50%, although Hsp90 levels are unaffected. Mutant STI1 mice showed increased caspase-3 activation and 50% impairment in cellular proliferation. Moreover, placental disruption and lack of cellular viability were linked to embryonic death by E10.5 in STI1-mutant mice. Rescue of embryonic lethality in these mutants, by transgenic expression of the …


Endogenous Folate Accumulation In Oocytes And Preimplantation Embryos And Its Epigenetic Implications., Mellissa R W Mann, Andrew J Watson Sep 2013

Endogenous Folate Accumulation In Oocytes And Preimplantation Embryos And Its Epigenetic Implications., Mellissa R W Mann, Andrew J Watson

Obstetrics & Gynaecology Publications

No abstract provided.


Development Of Uv/Hplc Methods For Quantitative Analysis Of Benznidazole In Human Plasma And Urine For Application In Pediatric Clinical Studies, María Elena Marsón, Diego Dante Dana, Jaime Altcheh, Facundo García-Bournissen, Guido Mastrantonio Sep 2013

Development Of Uv/Hplc Methods For Quantitative Analysis Of Benznidazole In Human Plasma And Urine For Application In Pediatric Clinical Studies, María Elena Marsón, Diego Dante Dana, Jaime Altcheh, Facundo García-Bournissen, Guido Mastrantonio

Paediatrics Publications

Objective: Chagas disease constitutes a major public health problem in Latin America. Correctly designed pharmacokinetic, safety, and bioequivalence studies are desirable in order to fill the knowledge gaps that presently exist on available drugs. It is necessary to develop accurate, simple, reproducible, and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/UV methods for the quantization of benznidazole (BNZ) in human plasma and urine for clinical applications, specially in pediatric patients. Methods: Quantization of BNZ in human plasma involved freeze-drying and re-suspension in organic solvent followed by reverse phase HPLC with UV detection. Analysis of BNZ in urine involved liquid/liquid extraction followed by reverse …


Absence Of The Genicular Arterial Anastomosis As Generally Depicted In Textbooks., Maher Sabalbal, Marjorie Johnson, Vivian Mcalister Sep 2013

Absence Of The Genicular Arterial Anastomosis As Generally Depicted In Textbooks., Maher Sabalbal, Marjorie Johnson, Vivian Mcalister

Data and Test Instruments

This article reviews the history of anatomical research, starting with John Hunter and Astley Cooper, into the arterial anastomosis at the knee and uses dissection to determine the reality. The final draft is available below. (Ann R Coll Surg Engl. 2013 Sep;95(6):405-9) INTRODUCTION Textbook representations of the genicular arterial anastomosis show a large direct communication between the descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery (DBLCFA) and a genicular branch of the popliteal artery but this is not compatible with clinical experience. The aim of this study was to determine whether the arterial anastomosis at the knee is sufficient, in …


Β-Estradiol-Dependent Activation Of The Jak/Stat Pathway Requires P/Cip And Carm1, N. Coughlan, G. Thillainadesan, J. Andrews, M. Isovic, J. Torchia Jun 2013

Β-Estradiol-Dependent Activation Of The Jak/Stat Pathway Requires P/Cip And Carm1, N. Coughlan, G. Thillainadesan, J. Andrews, M. Isovic, J. Torchia

Paediatrics Publications

The steroid receptor coactivator p/CIP, also known as SRC-3, is an oncogene commonly amplified in breast and ovarian cancers. p/CIP is known to associate with coactivator arginine methyltransferase 1 (CARM1) on select estrogen responsive genes. We have shown, using a ChIP-on-chip approach, that in response to stimulation with 17β-estradiol (E2), the p/CIP/CARM1 complex is recruited to 204 proximal promoters in MCF-7 cells. Many of the complex target genes have been previously implicated in signaling pathways related to oncogenesis. Jak2, a member of the Jak/Stat signaling cascade, is one of the direct E2-dependent targets of the p/CIP/CARM1 complex. Following E2-treatment, histone …


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 Jun 2013

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 Jun 2013

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 Jun 2013

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 Jun 2013

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 …


Suicidal Ideation In Callers To A Crisis Hotline In Mumbai,, Amresh Srivastava, Megan Johnston, Larry Stitt, Meghana Thanksr, Sunita Iyer, Nilesh Shah, David Lester Jun 2013

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 …


Body Talk I: Habituation To Bodily Changes After Breast Surgery In Women, Jenny Slatman May 2013

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

Future Directions in Feminist Phenomenology

No abstract provided.


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 May 2013

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 May 2013

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 May 2013

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 …


Debate At The Royal College Summit On The Future Of General Surgery May 2013

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


Slow Birth Of New-Wave Medical Journalism, Vivian Mcalister Apr 2013

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 …


Supporting Rebuilding Efforts In Afghanistan, Dialogue Mar 2013

Supporting Rebuilding Efforts In Afghanistan, Dialogue

Data and Test Instruments

The Royal College has been quietly assisting in the reconstruction of Afghanistan’s residency education system, devastated by years of war, by supplying members of the NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan (NTM-A) with educational materials and advice to appropriately modernize the country’s training programs.“These efforts are essential for the training of Afghan physicians in medical and surgical specialties, to ensure a healthy future for the people of Afghanistan,” says Major Vivian McAlister, MD, FRCSC, member of Royal College Council and NTM-A participant.The capacity-building initiative is supported on the ground by the NTM-A team, which includes numerous Fellows of the Royal College, who advise …


Microglia-Derived Tnfα Induces Apoptosis In Neural Precursor Cells Via Transcriptional Activation Of The Bcl-2 Family Member Puma, J. Guadagno, X. Xu, M. Karajgikar, A. Brown, S.P. Cregan Mar 2013

Microglia-Derived Tnfα Induces Apoptosis In Neural Precursor Cells Via Transcriptional Activation Of The Bcl-2 Family Member Puma, J. Guadagno, X. Xu, M. Karajgikar, A. Brown, S.P. Cregan

Paediatrics Publications

Neuroinflammation is a common feature of acute neurological conditions such as stroke and spinal cord injury, as well as neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Previous studies have demonstrated that acute neuroinflammation can adversely affect the survival of neural precursor cells (NPCs) and thereby limit the capacity for regeneration and repair. However, the mechanisms by which neuroinflammatory processes induce NPC death remain unclear. Microglia are key mediators of neuroinflammation and when activated to induce a pro-inflammatory state produce a number of factors that could affect NPC survival. Importantly, in the present study we demonstrate …


Conditional Sox9 Ablation Reduces Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan Levels And Improves Motor Function Following Spinal Cord Injury, William M. Mckillop, Magdalena Dragan, Andreas Schedl, Arthur Brown Feb 2013

Conditional Sox9 Ablation Reduces Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan Levels And Improves Motor Function Following Spinal Cord Injury, William M. Mckillop, Magdalena Dragan, Andreas Schedl, Arthur Brown

Paediatrics Publications

Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) found in perineuronal nets and in the glial scar after spinal cord injury have been shown to inhibit axonal growth and plasticity. Since we have previously identified SOX9 as a transcription factor that upregulates the expression of a battery of genes associated with glial scar formation in primary astrocyte cultures, we predicted that conditional Sox9 ablation would result in reduced CSPG expression after spinal cord injury and that this would lead to increased neuroplasticity and improved locomotor recovery. Control and Sox9 conditional knock-out mice were subject to a 70 kdyne contusion spinal cord injury at thoracic …