Monthly Archives: April 2017

Neuroscience

5 Neuroscience Experts Weigh in on Elon Musk’s Mysterious "Neural Lace" Company – IEEE Spectrum

Elon Musk has a reputation as the worlds greatest doer. He can propose crazy ambitious technological projectslike reusable rockets for Mars exploration and hyperloop tunnels for transcontinental rapid transitand people just assume hell pull it off.

So his latest venture, a new company called Neuralink that will reportedly build brain implants both for medical use and to give healthy people superpowers, has gotten the public excited about a coming era of consumer-friendly neurotech.

Even neuroscientists who work in the field, who know full well how difficult it is to build working brain gear that passes muster with medical regulators, feel a sense of potential. Elon Musk is a person whos going to take risks and inject a lot of money, so it will be exciting to see what he gets up to, says Thomas Oxley, a neural engineer who has been developing a medical brain implant since 2010 (he hopes to start its first clinical trial in 2018).

Neuralink is still mysterious. An article in The Wall Street Journal announced the companys formation and first hires, while also spouting vague verbiage about cranial computers that would serve as a layer of artificial intelligence inside the brain.

So IEEE Spectrum asked the experts about whats feasible in this field, and what Musk might be planning. First, though, a little background.

Musk did give a few seemingly concrete details at a conference last year (video excerpt below). His neural lace would serve as a digital layer above the cortex, he said. Its components wouldnt necessarily require brain surgery for implantation; instead, the hardware could be injected into the jugular and travel to the brain through the bloodstream.

Neural implants are already a medical reality: Some 150,000 people with Parkinsons disease have had brain surgery to receive deep-brain stimulators, implants that send regular pulses of electricity through patches of brain tissue to control patients tremors. Researchers are now experimenting with these pacemaker-like devices to treat depression and other neuropsychiatric diseases. Some epilepsy patients also have a new type of implant that monitors their brains for signs of impending seizures and sends out stimulating pulses to head them off.

Musks neural lace would presumably be designed to treat some disease first; otherwise, its hard to imagine the technology gaining regulatory approval. But his descriptions dont make it sound like existing brain stimulators, but rather like experimental brain-computer interfaces (BCI) that record brain signals and use the information to control external devices like computer cursors and robotic arms. These BCI implants have shown great promise in giving more autonomy to people with paralysis, but none have yet been approved for clinical use.

Now, to the experts!

Mary Lou Jepsen is a Silicon Valley bigwig who recently founded the startup Openwater to develop a noninvasive BCI for imaging and telepathy (the latter could conceivably be done by reading out thought patterns in the brain). Like Musk, shes interested in both medical applications and augmenting peoples natural abilities. But she says any invasive neural technology brings medical hurdles, even if it doesnt require splitting open patients skulls.

The approach as I understand it (not much is published) involves implanting silicon particles (so called neural lace) into the bloodstream. One concern is that implanting anything in the body can cause unintended consequences, says Jepsen. For example, even red blood cells can clog capillaries in the brain when the red blood cells are made more stiff by diseases like malaria. This clogging can reduce or even cut off the flow of oxygen to the parts of the brain. Indeed, clogging of cerebral capillaries has been shown to be a major cause of Alzheimers progression. Back to neural lace: One concern I would have is whether the silicon particles could lead to any clogging.

Jepsen notes that the Wall Street Journal article lists a few neuroscientists who have reportedly been hired on for Neuralink, but says thats just the first step in a long process. Its exciting, but embryonic, she says.

Thomas Oxley is a practicing neurologist and the inventor of the stentrode, a neural probe that can be delivered to the brain through blood vesselsso he has plenty of thoughts about the technology Musk might be developing. Hes CEO of Synchron, the company thats developing the technology and planning its first clinical trial for 2018 in Australia.

Oxley came up with his stentrode as an alternative to typical electrodes that are placed directly in the brain tissue. Those standard electrodes enable high-fidelity recording from individual neurons, but the stiff silicon and metal structures cause inflammation in the brain tissue, and scar tissue often forms around them over time. The idea of moving up the blood vessel is that you avoid any direct penetration of the brain tissue, Oxley says, and thus avoid damaging it. In Oxleys system, a catheter is snaked up a vein to deliver the stentrode to one of the tiny blood vessels that nourishes the neurons. From there, they cant record neurons activity directly, but Oxley says the different type of signal can be deciphered with the right kind of signal processing.

If Musk is working on a similar delivery system for his neural lace, Oxley says, we shouldnt expect results anytime soon. The medical device pathway takes a long time, and we had to conduct a lot of science to get to the point where we are now, he says. For the past two years, his research group has been working in sheep to develop a catheter delivery system that reliably positions an operational recording system in the motor cortex region of the brain.

Synchrons upcoming clinical trial will test the stentrode as a BCI for people with paralyzed or missing limbs, who will use the recorded neural signals to control exoskeletons and robotic prosthetics. Oxley says theres a big potential market for such devices, including people who have suffered strokes, spinal cord injuries, ALS, muscular dystrophy, and amputations. He notes that a McKinsey Global Institute report from 2013 estimated that 50 million people in advanced economies could benefit from such robotic human augmentation. So if Musks Neuralink is following a similar technological path to Synchron, hell be able to make a sound business case.

As for clotting concerns, Oxley says neurologists routinely use permanent stents in patients brains to keep blood vessels open. They act like scaffolds that push against the walls of the blood vessel. We understand how to manage patients with medication to ensure those stents dont close over, he says.

Charles Lieber and Guosong Hong offer another possibility for delicately inserting a BCI into the brain. Lieber, a Harvard professor of chemistry and engineering, and Hong, one of his postdocs, are developing an electronic mesh that is injected by syringe into the brain tissue, where it unfurls to make contact with many neurons.

The mesh electronics can be precisely targeted to any brain region by syringe injection and forms a seamless and stable interface with neural tissuebecause it behaves very much like the brain tissue we seek to study, Lieber says. Mesh electronics cause negligible damage or chronic immune response. His group has shown that the mesh is stable in the brain and can record from individual neurons over many months.

Hong adds that the mesh electronics can both record from and stimulate neurons, opening up a variety of medical applications. It will provide transformative capabilities for treatment of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinsons and Alzheimers diseases via deep-brain stimulation, he says, as well as providing next-generation brain computer interfaces.

Although Musk made reference to the neural lace acting as a digital layer above the cortex, these researchers dont think its likely that Musks technology will resemble their unfurling electronic mesh. Hong notes that the three neuroscientists mentioned as Neuralinks first hires work on very different kinds of brain implants.

Vanessa Tolosa of Lawrence Livermore National Lab has been working on flexible polymer probes that look like little dipsticks; Philip Sabes of University of California, San Francisco has experimented with a micro-ECoG array that drapes over the outer surface of the brain; and Timothy Gardner of Boston University works on carbon fiber electrodes that look like bundles of threads.

While Musks description of a neural lace layer makes Sabess superficial array sound like the winning contender, such a device couldnt be injected through the jugular and travel through blood vessels to reach the upper surface of the brain. Its possible that we shouldnt take his works literallyMusk may have been speaking metaphorically about technology that would add a new layer of intelligence to the human brain.

Michel Maharbiz, an electrical engineering professor at UC Berkeley, is working on tiny electrodes called neural dust. These sound like something that Musk would take an interest in; the idea is that tiny wireless electrodes could be scattered through the nervous system, acting together to record signals.

The teams current version of this tech is a device that measures 2.4 cubic millimeters, and theyre working to scale it down much furtherfirst to 1mm3, and eventually down to 50mm3. Recently, Maharbiz and his colleagues demonstrated that their current mote of neural dust could record from a nerve while wirelessly receiving power and sending out data.

While Maharbiz couldnt say whether neural lace and neural dust might have some similarities, he knows that scaling down his own tech to make it small enough to work in the brain is a big challenge. The obstacles are a combination of circuit design, materials, communication schemes, and power, he says, noting that his teams work on miniaturization is a difficult, multi-year endeavor which will happen in phases.

To make a BCI work inside the brains tiny blood vessels, Maharbiz says, it would have to either place electrodes measuring about 100 microns inside the vessels, or use long microwires that connect to a larger piece of electronics sited elsewhere in the vascular system.

Musks Neuralink team clearly has plenty of technical challenges ahead in miniaturizing a device, enabling its safe delivery and positioning in the brain, and figuring out how to use it to treat a serious medical disorder. Once Musk figures all that outand he will, of course, because hes a doerhe can move on to neurotech for the general public. Then we can all get BCIs that channel our thoughts and commands directly to our smartphones and computers, increasing our efficiency and opening up brave new worlds.

Oxley, the stentrode inventor, doesnt expect to see miracles from the Neuralink team anytime soon. But hes excited anyway, saying that Musks willingness to tackle the big technical challenges of neural engineering shows the maturity of the field. Its a huge validating moment, he says. The field of brain-computer interfaces is now taking center stage in Silicon Valley, and being recognized as one of the next great endeavors.

IEEE Spectrums biomedical blog, featuring the wearable sensors, big data analytics, and implanted devices that enable new ventures in personalized medicine.

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5 Neuroscience Experts Weigh in on Elon Musk's Mysterious "Neural Lace" Company - IEEE Spectrum

Neuroscience

5 Ways Neuroscience Can Help You Become A Better Leader – Longevity LIVE

Dr Tara Swart is a neuroscientist and leadership coach with a unique angle on what it takes to be a good leader and experience success in the workplace.

Her aim is to teach people why optimal brain functionality is important ina leader. Explaining that is strengthens yourdecision-making and improves yourperformance at work. She says that improving the quality of your lifestyle can help youto enhance your leadership abilities and excel in your field.

Poor sleep, lack of exercise, stress and poor nutrition can all contribute to poor mental function. This reduces your ability to perform at work and present good leadership qualities.

Dr Tara Swart breaks down the key aspects to a healthy lifestyle that supports good leadership:

98-99% of brains need to sleep for 7-9 hours per night, as this allows the glymphatic system to be cleansed of neurotoxins, she explains. Sleep is a forcible flushing of neurotoxins, this is important as, overtime, a build up can cause neurological disorders. Poor sleep can also result in fatigue and make it more difficult to manage ones emotions.

A good nights rest resets the brain and allows you approach your day with a sharp, clear mind.

If you are under stress, eat every two hours for optimal brain function. Your brain cant store glucose and so it is important to keep replenishing your stores, Dr Swart explains. This will help you to maintain your focus and ensures a productivity boost. It also ensures that your brain is well fed for any of the decisions it may need to make.

She adds that if you have the space to develop your mental resilience, then it can be useful to practice intermittent fasting as it teaches your brain that you can manage small amounts of physical stress, because you are in control of your recovery.

She adds, You should also avoid eating too close to bedtime as this disrupts sleep.

Dr Swart suggests a diet high in salmon, avocado, eggs, nuts, and healthy oils. Preferably it should contain reduced amounts of smoked foods, red meats, alcohol, caffeine and processed foods. It also crucial to stay hydrated.

I recommend 10 000 steps a day and 150 minutes of aerobic exercise a week, she shares.

It is important to engage in aerobic exercise as this assists in oxygenating the brain, which is vital for healthy functionality. It is also important to participate in activities that require different levels of co-ordination, such as Ping-Pong, and that include a social element, she explains.

Exercise also boosts your energy levels and your mood. Allowing you to present more positivity and develop the stamina it takes to get more done.

Stress is a physical or psychological load that is too much for your body to bear, Dr Swart explains. It results in high levels of cortisol and affects your quality of thinking and your ability to regulate emotions.

She adds that high cortisol levels erode your immunity, which makes you more susceptible to illness and can result in time off work. They also have a negative impact on sleep, which results in neurotoxic build-up. This causes death in the nerve cells in the brain. Mindfulness practice is very helpful in reducing cortisol levels.

Learning something new in adulthood, such as another language or a musical instrument, improves your neuroplasticity which has been shown to prevent the onset of neurological disease and keep your brain sharp. This improves your focus and decision making ability.

Another good reason to never stop learning.

Link:
5 Ways Neuroscience Can Help You Become A Better Leader - Longevity LIVE

Human Behavior

UW scientist explores archaeological record by studying Mongolian reindeer herder camps – Gillette News Record

For years, Todd Surovell has studied an ancient Paleoindian site in Colorado and wondered why he would find concentrations of tools in one spot or a particular type of tool in another. He had to go to Mongolia to find the answers.

Surovell, a University of Wyoming professor of anthropology and director of the George C. Frison Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, is an expert in Paleoindian archaeology. He heads the Dukha Ethnoarchaeological Project, which has a primary goal of developing spatial theory of human behavior for application to archaeological problems.

In essence, he is interested in understanding how people decide where to do the things they do.

Im interested in how people use space from an archaeological perspective, Surovell says. We might, for example, identify prehistoric households and examine how people used space, both inside and outside. We also might ask how the spaces in different households were used, whether similarly or differently.

For a number of years, Surovell and his colleague, Nicole Waguespack, a UW associate professor of anthropology, studied the Barger Gulch archaeological site that dates back 12,500 years and is located in Middle Park, Colo. There, they recovered more than 75,000 chipped stone tools and artifacts. Sometimes, a large number of various tools would be found in one spot. Other times, similar tools would be found in another.

From studying spatial patterns in the Middle Park site, Surovell surmised that Folsom people, nomadic hunter-gatherers, lived in round-shaped structures with fires in their centers. Artifacts preferentially accumulated to one side of the house (east or west), and often toward the back, or south side, of the home.

Archaeologically, all you see are spatial patterns in chipped stone artifacts. There is no house or physical architectural remains, he says.

In order to understand archaeological spatial patterns and how they translate into past human behavior, Surovell, as a scientist and a researcher, wanted to see how nomadic people use space in real life.

To interpret human behavior from the past was not easy, Surovell concedes. I wanted to see nomadic people in the real world, and how they use space in the real world.

So, Surovell traveled to the Khovsgol Province of Mongolia to study the Dukha (pronounced Do-ha), nomadic reindeer herders of Tuvan descent. Like the Paleoindians of the past, the Dukha of today live in rounded homes, called an ortz, with iron stoves located in the middle. The structures somewhat resemble teepees.

He has traveled to the northeast Asian country five times, and in all seasons, as part of the Dukha Ethnoarchaeological Project, which began in 2012. Ethnoarchaeology is the study of living peoples for the purpose of developing tools for improving interpretation of the archaeological record. This project differs from traditional spatial ethnoarchaeology, in that Surovell shifted the focus from the mapping of material remains to the direct mapping of human behavior. To do so, he has used a combination of observational mapping and time-lapse photography coupled with photogrammetry, or mapping from photographic imagery.

For example, one composite time-lapse photo that was taken shows all camp occupants -- in all of the spaces they occupied in exterior camp space -- over the course of a 12-hour day. Photos were taken roughly every three minutes from a camera perched atop a fiberglass mast. Cameras relied on battery and solar power. In all, about 300 photos were shot and then combined into the composite photo that accompanies this story.

That is unique to the project. The big innovation in our project is this idea of mapping people as they go about their lives, Surovell says. Technically, it wasnt possible to do this with high precision until recently. Imagine being in a place with no electricity, and you want to map how they (Mongolians) go about their lives. So, we turned to time-lapse photography.

The goal was to precisely map people in camp sites over frequent intervals. The information can be used to develop spatial datasets which, in turn, allow Surovell and his research team to understand how people make space-use decisions. Spatial datasets included information on a person, his or her sex, age, activity, equipment, household membership and weather.

Initial results suggest that human spatial behavior on small scales is highly patterned, predictable and explainable.

During his five separate treks to Mongolia, Surovell has lived in seven different camps. The days are long, filled with lots of hard work just for basic survival.

Its physically challenging. Its cold in winter -- 40 below regularly every night, he recalls. In summer, it freezes almost every night. Its rustic. You sleep on the ground. You cant take a shower for months on end. I bring freeze-dried food. You have to ride in on a horse or a reindeer.

During the spring, Surovell often rode a reindeer -- the Dukhas mode of transportation -- to help haul firewood to summer camps with the family with whom he stayed and studied. He says he paid attention to being careful, knowing medical help was often three or four days away. Still, his body was beaten up, and he typically lost 8-10 pounds during each trip.

Still, he enjoyed the simplicity of living in the moment and being away from technology.

Its wonderful, physically challenging, and they dont speak English. I had to learn Mongolian, Surovell says.

Surovell says spatial patterns of tools used at the Colorado Middle Park site could be used at Wyomings archaeological sites, including the Mammoth Kill site near Douglas, the Hanson site in the northern Big Horn Basin and at Hell Gap.

I dont know if there are obvious, practical benefits of this work. The major benefits are largely academic, he says. Architects who design workspaces would probably be very interested in those kinds of data of how people use space.

Funding and sponsorship of the Dukha Ethnoarchaeological Project was provided by the National Science Foundation, the Fulbright Scholars Program and the George C. Frison Institute. Surovell says he has a few publication papers in the works and, ultimately, he says his group -- which includes Randy Haas, a UW postdoctoral researcher, and Matthew OBrien, an assistant professor of anthropology at California State University-Chico -- plans to write a book about the research experience.

A lot of these things, they do became obvious when you see it in the real world, Surovell says. We have found, for example, that the distribution of light is an important factor governing the performance of many activities in interior spaces. I dont go to a dark closet to read a book. We knew people tended to gather around a stove.

I suspect how Mongolians use their spaces is fairly similar to how we use our homes, too, he says. I hope this research will give us insight into spatial patterns worldwide and not just in Colorado.

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UW scientist explores archaeological record by studying Mongolian reindeer herder camps - Gillette News Record

Cell Biology

Fundamental unit of cell size in bacteria discovered – Science Daily

Biologists have long known that bacteria grow faster and bigger when the quality of nutrients becomes better, a principle in microbial physiology known as the "growth law," which describes the relationship between the average cell size of bacteria and how fast they grow.

But the growth law has a major hole: It is unable to explain why bacteria divide when they reach a certain critical size, no matter how much or how little nutrients are available.

By applying mathematical models to a large number of experiments in which bacterial growth is inhibited, however, a team of physicists, biologists and bioengineers from UC San Diego discovered the reason for this and in the process developed a "general growth law" that explains the origin of these idiosyncrasies of bacterial physiology.

The researchers detailed their achievements in a paper published in this week's issue of the journal Current Biology.

"A few years ago, we set out to do extensive growth inhibition experiments to test the growth law using the model organism Escherichia coli," said Suckjoon Jun, an assistant professor of physics and molecular biology at UC San Diego, who headed the research effort. "Perhaps not so surprisingly, the original growth law was unable to explain changes in cell size under growth inhibition. Cell size either increased or decreased depending on the inhibition method. Sometimes, cell size did not change at all despite significant growth inhibition."

Jun and his colleagues discovered that when cells began replicating their genetic material in preparation for cell division, cell size remained remarkably constant despite the many genetic processes and changes in the cell such as protein and DNA synthesis, cell wall synthesis and cell shape.

"We realized that this invariant cell size represents a fundamental unit of cellular resources required to start growth and the cell cycle, or the 'engine' of a car, so to speak," said Jun. "This 'unit cell' is the fundamental building block of cell size, and cell size is the sum of all invariant unit cells for any growth condition, explaining the origin of the growth law."

Jun said the development of high-throughput cell sampling techniques and genetic methods such as "CRISPR interference" made it possible for his team to extract large amounts of physiological data from 10 million bacterial cells in their growth inhibition experiments.

"This allowed detailed and reliable statistics, and led to quantitative modeling that made experimentally testable predictions, helping us to understand the data at a deeper level," he added. "This complements the unexpected 'adder' principle that we discovered a few years ago."

Jun said this process was similar to the manner in which the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, by collecting better data of planetary orbits, was able to convince the German astronomer Johannes Kepler four centuries ago that planetary orbits, whose origin is gravity, were ellipses and not circles.

"Kepler's elliptical model said nothing about the physical origins of ellipses, but his kinematic modeling was an essential starting point for Newton's work on dynamics 50 years later," Jun said. "We don't know whether biology is following the footsteps of the history of physics, but examples are accumulating that some branches of biology are becoming as quantitative a science as physics."

Story Source:

Materials provided by University of California - San Diego. Original written by Kim McDonald. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

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Fundamental unit of cell size in bacteria discovered - Science Daily

Cell Biology

Two County Students Honored With Chancellor’s Award – Jamestown Post Journal

Zachary Eklum is pictured with Nancy Zimpher, SUNY chancellor, and Cedric Howard, SUNY Fredonia vice president for student affairs.

FREDONIA Three State University at Fredonia seniors, two from Chautauqua County, who collectively have five majors, two minors and GPAs of 3.9 or higher were among 256 SUNY students from across the state to receive the 2017 SUNY Chancellors Award for Student Excellence.

Maria Gordon from Stephentown, Zachary Eklum of Jamestown and Rebecca Hartling of Falconer were chosen from among eight Fredonia finalists.

The awards ceremony and reception for recipients was held on April 5, at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center in Albany.

It is my honor to celebrate the achievements of students who have surpassed SUNYs highest standards of academic excellence and leadership both on and off campus, said Nancy Zimpher, SUNY chancellor.

Every student recognized has demonstrated a strong commitment to his/her degree program, home campus, greater community and much more, Zimpher added.

Maria, Rebecca, and Zachary are excellent examples of the quality of student Fredonia is preparing for success, said Cedric Howard, SUNY Fredonia vice president for student affairs, who attended the awards ceremony. They are not just leaders in and out of the classroom; they are poised to become future leaders in a global society.

The award was created in 1997 to recognize students who have best demonstrated, and have been recognized for, the integration of academic excellence with accomplishments in the areas of leadership, athletics, community service, creative and performing arts, campus involvement or career achievement.

ZACHARY EKLUM

Eklum, who is majoring in biology and has minors in psychology and chemistry, became the first Fredonia student accepted into the Early Assurance Program at Upstate Medical University, which he will enter this fall. He is a son of Todd and Dawn Eklum and was valedictorian of Jamestown High Schools Class of 2013.

Eklum has been an active member in the Biology Club, Health Professions Club, Golden Key International Honour Society and the Fredonia chapter of Beta Beta Beta, the national biological sciences honor society. He has tutored numerous students in chemistry, biology, psychology and physics and is currently engaged in a research project with Psychology Assistant Professor Catherine Creeley that is studying the effects of NICU neurotoxins on the fetus during the third trimester pregnancy using a mouse model. The effects are quantified by comparing the density of cell death (apoptosis) in various regions of the brain across treatment and control groups.

Job shadowing has been a key part of his undergraduate education. Eklum has conducted observations in a primary care physicians office, an operating room and radiology department. His internship at UPMC Chautauqua WCA included emergency, cardiac, orthopedic and general surgical departments, among others.

Eklums capstone internship focused on cardiology and the assessment of implantable cardioverter defibrillators in relation to pre-discharge assessments.

Eklum has been the recipient of numerous honors: Yunghans-Mirabelli Biology Achievement Scholarship, Walter Gotowka Award for Excellence, ACS General Chemistry Award, Golden Key International Honour Society Award, Fiat-Lux Let There Be Light Award and Adele Maytum-Hunter scholarships.

REBECCA HARTLING

Ms. Hartling, who is majoring in molecular genetics and psychology, has served two years as a student researcher with Dr. Nicholas Quintyne, where she has explored the resolution of mitotic defects induced by carcinogen treatment in cancer and non-cancer cells. She has also served as a teaching assistant with Drs. Scott Ferguson, Scott Medler and Quintyne, all of the Department of Biology. She is a daughter of Richard and Renee Hartling and a graduate of Falconer High School.

Hartling will attend Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the State University at Buffalo.

Hartling is a member of the Biology Club, Chemistry Club and Pre-Health Professions Club and an undergraduate member of the American Society of Cell Biology. She has given poster presentations of undergrad research at the American Society of Cell Biology annual meeting in San Francisco, the Beta Beta Beta regional convention in Latrobe, Pa., and at Fredonia.

She has served as president and treasurer of Upsilon Chi, the Fredonia chapter of Beta Beta Beta, the national biological sciences honor society, is a member of Psi Chi, the international honor society in psychology, Golden Key International Honour Society and Student Ambassadors Program, and has served as a teaching assistant. The membership ranks in Beta Beta Beta increased dramatically, from seven to 50, during her tenure.

Hartling was accepted into the Fredonia Honors Program as a first-year student, received an Adele Maytum-Hunter Scholarship, Freshman Deans Scholar Award and Fredonia Faculty Staff Scholarship, has served as a mentor in the Biology and Honors programs, was a volunteer in the Relay for Life benefit for the American Cancer Society and participated in Fall Sweep.

Additional campus finalists for the Chancellors Award included: Dean Bavisotto, Emily Bystrak, Madeleine Goc, Connor Hoffman and Mikayla Kozlowski. Also nominated for the award were: Zachary Beaudoin, Jefferson Dedrick, Katelyn Dietz, Bridget Doyle, Joseph Drake, Margaret Fagan, Jonah Farnum, Melissa Goggin, Korrin Harvey, Chelsea Jones, Ilana Lieberman, Chelsea May, Maggie Papia, Charlotte Passero, Ariana Perez, Burgandi Rakoska, John Secunde and Carolyn Sheridan.

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Two County Students Honored With Chancellor's Award - Jamestown Post Journal

Biochemistry

Stumping for science: Rock Falls grad student takes her passion to the Hill – SaukValley.com

BY MAGGIE ROTERMUD Media Relations Specialist Medical Center Communications Saint Louis University

A Saint Louis University student researcher and one of Rock Falls' brainiest natives recently spent a day on Capitol Hill, advocating for the importance of biomedical research.

Celine Hartman, 24, is a fourth-year graduate student at Saint Louis University, working in its Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

On April 6, she and the rest of a team of student researchers from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology took their passion for their science out of the lab and did their best to use it to convey to federal legislators the importance of continuing to fund agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.

Hartman, who is a 2010 Rock Falls High School graduate and the daughter of Jim and Dawn Hartman, took part in the society's Hill Day, meeting with lawmakers and congressional staff to talk about the work they are doing.

Celine had the initiative to apply for this wonderful program, said David Ford, who runs the department's lab. Beyond performing exciting and cutting-edge research, it is great that this opportunity is available to students, which allows themto understand the importance of science as an important investment by our government and to advocate science to politicians.

She and the other participants emphasized the critical role that federal investments in research plays in supporting the nations scientific enterprise and how those investments lead to improvements in Americans' quality of life and well-being.

I think people may not realize how cutting the NIH will affect the general public, Hartman said. By cutting basic biomedical research funding, pharmaceutical companies will now have to perform the same fundamental research we are working on, instead of finding drugs to push through to clinical trials. This will, in turn, increase the price of the pharmaceutical drugs even more.

Hartman came to SLU in 2013 after graduating cum laude from Bradley University in Peoria with a biology degree.Herthesis project is focusing on determining the biochemical mechanisms that a pro-inflammatory family of lipids, chlorinated lipids, cause endothelial dysfunction leading to multi-organ failure during sepsis.

She joined the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology last year.

Why this field of research?

Ive always had an interest in cardiovascular research, after having some heart problems when I was a kid. My mom (and many other family members) is a nurse (in the cath lab at CGH Medical Center), so Ive been exposed to the medical field all my life.

I knew I didnt want to become a medical doctor, but I wanted to continue my education after Bradley to have more job options. After meeting and talking to Dr. Ford about the research in his lab, it was an easy decision to join his lab.

What do you do in the lab?

Our lab studies biochemical mediators of sepsis and cardiovascular disease. Specifically, we study a class of lipids (fats) which are chlorinated. We are working on utilizing these lipids as a new diagnostic marker to identify these inflammatory diseases sooner, as well as finding new targets for drug therapies.

As a graduate student in the lab, I design, perform, and analyze the results of experiments, so every day is a new adventure.

Why was it important for you to do this?

With the recent political events in our country, conversations with policymakers regarding the importance of STEM research (science, technology, engineering and math) are more important than ever.

The proposed 20 percent cut to the NIH budget in FY18 is shocking. The proposed cut would essentially prevent any new grants from being funded, which would be devastating to all biomedical research.

As a young scientist preparing to enter the work force in the next 1 to 2 years, I wanted the opportunity to tell policymakers my story and why we need sustainable funding to the NIH. I was able to advocate on behalf of all young scientists in Missouri and beyond.

What did you do on Capitol Hill?

In preparation for Hill Day, we had a webinar training where we discussed the basics of the federal budget, how NIH/NSF are funded, and what the proposed budget cuts could mean.

We also received a lot of information about each member of Congress that we would be meeting with. We prepared by reviewing each persons story, voting history and participation in committees.

On Hill Day, we were paired into groups with one other student and one faculty member who is on the Public Affairs Advisory Committee. My group met with Congressional members (both senators and representatives) from Missouri, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

What was your main message to legislators?

During each meeting, we discussed our own research and why we participated in the Hill Day.

The main message that we wanted to discuss was about the proposed budget cuts.

We would reiterate that we greatly appreciate the support to the NIH thus far, as all of our research progress is possible due to the federal funding of the NIH. We also discussed how we hoped to continue to see sustainable funding over the next few years and how detrimental the proposed budget cuts would be to our own research.

What did you learn on the Hill?

It was very interesting to see the other side of research funding that we dont think of normally. Funding the NIH has strong bipartisan support, so the conversations were very supportive of our research and the potential implications.

Moving forward, I believe conversations like the ones that I had will help support NIH funding and continue to provide jobs for young scientists like myself.

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Founded in 1906, the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is a nonprofit scientific and educational organization with more than 12,000 members.Go to http://www.asbmb.org to learn more.

Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the distinction of awarding the first medical degree west of the Mississippi River. The school educates physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research, and provides health care on a local, national and international level. Research at the school seeks new cures and treatments in five key areas: infectious disease, liver disease, cancer, heart/lung disease, and aging and brain disorders.

Go to http://www.slu.edu to learn more about the school and all it has to offer.

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Stumping for science: Rock Falls grad student takes her passion to the Hill - SaukValley.com

Anatomy

Aspiring docs from HCI win big at Anatomy Challenge – The Straits Times

The young, aspiring doctors peered, prodded and scratched their heads over questions about the human body.

In the end, a four-member team from Hwa Chong Institution (HCI) emerged winners at the Anatomy Challenge yesterday.

It is the first inter-school medical competition organised by Nanyang Technological University.

Aside from medical-themed quizzes, students from 39 pre-university schools also had the chance to inspect plastinated specimens of human bodies.

The champion team was led by student Cheong Jia Sheng, 17.

He said: "I became interested in medicine after my parents bought me an anatomy book when I was in Secondary 3.

"I can't believe we won. My parents will be overjoyed."

His teammate Cindy Ow, 18, said the group met three times a week to prepare for the competition.

She said: "Each meeting lasted about three hours. Our seniors who were from HCI but are now studying medicine at the National University of Singapore also came down to help us.

"They really helped us prepare for the Anatomy Challenge."

The top team won prizes such as a trophy and $400 in cash.

Another team from the same school also came in second.

The runners-up received prizes which included $300 in cash.

Organised by students from the Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, the Anatomy Challenge allows participants to learn about various aspects of the human anatomy, including its history and latest imaging technologies and how they are applied in modern clinical practice.

Shaffiq Alkhatib

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Aspiring docs from HCI win big at Anatomy Challenge - The Straits Times

Human Behavior

Guest essay: Design streets for human safety – Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Jason Haremza 2:59 p.m. ET April 14, 2017

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 27: A pedestrian crosses the intersection of 3rd Avenue and 14th Street, one of Manhattan's most dangerous crosswalks for pedestrians, on October 27, 2014 in New York City. Four pedestrians have been killed in the last few weeks in New York City while a total of 212 people have been killed in total traffic deaths so far this year. These numbers have added to the urgency of Mayor Bill de Blasio's Vision Zero program, which aims to eliminate city traffic deaths. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)(Photo: Spencer Platt / Getty Images)

A recent editorial opened with Walking is good for your health and, if you do it instead of driving to your destination, it benefits both the environment and your wallet.

I wholeheartedly agree. However, the tone implies that walking is a good, perhaps even noble activity, but not a requirement- like eating vegetables and turning down the thermostat. That is a very limited view of walking. Walking is an elemental part of humanity. It is, or should be, the basic and primary method of moving about our world. Only in the past 100 years has walking to our destinations come to be seen as alternative.

The phrase pedestrian error, which comes from Pedestrian Safety Action Plans, has a connotation of blaming the victim. Pedestrian error also suggests jaywalking, which is a crime invented by the automobile industry. One hundred years ago, people were outraged over the death and injury caused by motorists. Cities considered strict regulation of motor vehicles. The automobile industry fought back with a self-serving and, tragically successful, public relations campaign to shift the blame to the walker.

The editorial does not mention the role that street design has in human behavior. Narrower streets and narrower lanes have a dramatic impact on driver behavior and human safety, slowing vehicles to safer speeds. Other counties, notably the Netherlands and Sweden, have seen significant reductions in vehicle related injuries and deaths. Frustratingly, and tragically, the United States has only taken the most tentative of steps toward designing streets for human safety. Far too often, the swift and unimpeded flow of vehicles is the design priority. .

Carefully designed streets have safe speed limits that are largely self-enforcing. On the other hand, on wide streets with multiple lanes, it feels okay to drive 40 or 50 mph, regardless of the posted speed. A local example is Chestnut/Monroe from Court to Union. At Court, Chestnut has four wide lanes, and most drivers naturally accelerate. However, once Chestnut turns into Monroe, the street narrows to two lanes with parked cars on either side. Most drivers naturally slow down.

Americans, helped by sensational or superficial media coverage, are fearful of dramatic but rare dangers like terrorism. Yet vehicles kill 40,000 people per year in the United States. Let us commit to public streets that prioritize the health, safety, and comfort of all people.

Jason Haremza of Rochester is an avid walker and an urbanist.

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Guest essay: Design streets for human safety - Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Genetics

Genetic testing rates for ovarian cancer low across Ontario – Medical Xpress

April 14, 2017 In a recent study, Dr. Jacob McGee, a professor in the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and a gynecology oncologist at London Health Sciences Centre, found that, on average, less than seven per cent of Ontario women with the most common type of ovarian cancer were seen for genetics consultation within two years of diagnosis. McGee and his colleagues were able to demonstrate that, by changing the way women are referred for ovarian cancer genetic consultation, it is possible to increase genetic testing rates from less than 20 per cent to almost 80 per cent, potentially increasing diagnostic and treatment outcomes. Credit: Crystal Mackay//Special to Western News

Nearly 3,000 Canadian women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer this year. Often undetected, until it progresses to late stages, the disease is the fifth most common and the most serious cancer in women.

Symptoms of ovarian cancer generally appear after it has already spread within the pelvis and abdomen and, once it has spread, the cancer is difficult to treat. In these later stages, it is often fatal. Early-stage ovarian cancer, in which the disease is confined to the ovary, is more likely to respond to treatment an indication early detection and intervention could be key in increasing treatment and survival rates.

Genetic consultation in ovarian cancer testing which has shown promising potential for life-saving benefits isn't as common as it should be, according to Western researchers.

In a recent study, published in the March issue of the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer, Dr. Jacob McGee, a professor in the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and a gynecology oncologist at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), found that, on average, less than seven per cent of Ontario women with the most common type of ovarian cancer were seen for genetics consultation within two years of diagnosis.

Women at the highest risk of developing high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) are those with a mutation in their BRCA (tumour suppression) genes, which can be identified through genetics consultation.

Given the results of the study, McGee and his colleagues were able to demonstrate that by changing the way women are referred for ovarian cancer genetic consultation, it is possible to increase genetic testing rates from less than 20 per cent to almost 80 per cent, potentially increasing diagnostic and treatment outcomes.

The identification of the BRCA mutation can mean the difference between life and death for family members of the affected individual. For women with the BRCA mutation, there is a 50 per cent chance they will pass that mutation on to their children and grandchildren. If the hereditary gene can be found in the affected individual, and then identified in their family members, it can be followed by life-saving interventions including surgically removing the ovaries and fallopian tubes, before there is a diagnosis of cancer. This preventative procedure has been shown to drastically reduce mortality rates, McGee explained.

Identification of the gene also allows for consideration of treatment with a PARP (poly-ADP-ribose polymerase) inhibitor, a new class of medication found to be beneficial only for women with this mutation.

McGee and his research team cite an intervention at LHSC's London Regional Cancer Centre (LRCP), which has increased the rate of consultation in London to well above the provincial average.

In London, the genetics referral process for patients with HGSC was altered from an 'opt-in' to an 'opt-out' process. This involves automatically forwarding the list of new HGSC ovarian cancer patients to the cancer genetics clinic through an advance directive. Seeing a genetic counsellor or geneticist becomes the default, with patients stepping outside of the referral process only if their physician cancels the consultation with genetics. In the first year of implementation, 77 per cent of patients at LRCP diagnosed with HGSC completed genetics consultation, well above the provincial average identified in McGee's study.

"This process has been surprisingly easy to implement, and we think it could be a good fit for other centres across the province," said McGee, a Lawson Health Research Institute scientist.

Despite the province's expanding genetic counselling eligibility in 2001 to all women with HGSC ovarian cancer, consultation rates in Ontario remained low during the study period, between 1997 and 2011. The rates did rise, peaking at 13.3 per cent in 2011, however, the numbers remained well below where McGee believes they should be.

"These numbers show no matter what centre you are in, there have to be better interventions to help patients see a genetic counsellor," he said. "This is something absolutely worth doing because of the impact it has for both the patient's current treatment and in preventing ovarian cancer cases down the road."

Explore further: Drug combination boost PARP inhibitor response in resistant ovarian cancer

More information: Genetics Consultation Rates Following a Diagnosis of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Carcinoma in the Canadian Province of Ontario. International Journal of Gynecological Cancer. DOI: 10.1097/IGC.0000000000000907

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Genetic testing rates for ovarian cancer low across Ontario - Medical Xpress

Embryology

The pro-choice vs. pro-life argument – Vermont Cynic

AC:

Believe me, I grasp the irony that two men are debating abortion.

Pro-lifers take the philosophical stance that life is sacred. Pro-choice advocates argue that women should have control over their own bodies, empowering them socially and economically.

In a sense, these are both moral arguments. But the pro-life argument is essentially a religious one that breaks down under the test of reason. It is a religious assumption that life begins at conception.

Even though conservatives are against abortion, they are prudish when it comes to contraception and sex ed: two things that reduce unwanted pregnancies, especially in teenagers.

It is baffling that most pro-lifers are also pro-death penalty. Thats because the abortion issue is not about the sanctity of life; its about controlling women socially and economically.

Conservatives should be clear on their position: if they are truly pro-life, why are they so pro-war?

The war in Iraq resulted in the deaths of over 500,000 Iraqi civilians, 200,000 in violent deaths caused by coalition forces, according to the Huffington Posts World Post. Where were the pro-lifers then?

Abortion is murder, they say. I say murder is murder.

Over 13,000 people were killed by guns in 2015 in the U.S. Thats excluding accidents and suicides.

There were 15,000 in 2016 according to the Gun Violence Archive. Almost 700 kids under 12 and over 3,000 teenagers were killed or injured by guns last year. Clearly common sense gun control would have prevented at least some of these deaths.

But the very same people who are pro-life are also pro-gun.

Conservatives want to control womens bodies, but if that vagina is toting a glock 40 they will respect its right to keep and bear arms.

The pro-life movement was a cynical maneuver by conservatives to bring voters living outside of the deep South to their side after Lyndon B. Johnson won in a landslide against Barry Goldwater in 1964.

By creating the abortion issue, Republicans were able to bamboozle poor and working class white Americans into voting against their own economic interests.

The abortion debate is almost always incorrectly framed as a solely religious issue. However, there is a strong secular case against abortion.

The beginning of human life is not a matter of opinion or belief. It is settled science.

Dr. Keith Moores The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology states, A zygote is the beginning of a new human being. Human development begins at fertilization.

One does not need to be religious to oppose the termination of innocent lives.

Before I address the generalizations that pro-lifers support the death penalty, war and gun rights, I would like to state that pro-lifers hold a wide array of beliefs.

One cannot take the position of generalizing the beliefs of the 46 percent of Americans who identify as pro-life, according to a 2016 Gallup poll.

Abortion and the death penalty are incomparable.

A convicted murderer has violated the social contract by which he and all members of a society live. Death is the punishment for this violation. Unborn babies have done nothing to justify being deprived of life.

The issue of war brings another matter into play: whether war is justified.

A justified war can be an act of national self-defense or a defense of brutalized citizens abroad.

It is not hypocritical for pro-lifers to support the Second Amendment.

There is no connection between the pro-life community and the actions of violent criminals.

Furthermore, one of the most compelling arguments in favor of gun ownership is self-defense from those who wish to inflict harm.

Finally, I wish to address the irony of two men discussing abortion.

Gender has no bearing on the moral obligation of preventing people from harming other people, whether it be via abortion or through other means.

The right of women to control their bodies is a compelling argument. However, the right of unborn babies to live comes first.

President Trump has ordered missile strikes on Syria which killed and injured dozens of civilians, including several children.

One must perform mental gymnastics to get their heads around the idea of an airstrike launched in reprisal for the killing of civilians that in turn killed more civilians.

But we dont care about the lives of Syrians. Just fetuses, apparently.

When does life start? The combination of an egg and a sperm a zygote does not constitute a baby.

A zygote is living in the sense that any bacterial, brain or blood cell is living.

A zygote has no capacity to suffer. It does not have a brain or a mind. Nor does a fetus until very late in a pregnancy. The question that arises is where we draw the line.

Should we say that every sperm is precious because it holds the potential for human life?

If so, then I and a great many men are guilty of committing mass murder on a regular basis.

Theres a reason we celebrate the day we are born and not the day were conceived. But this isnt about when life starts. As Ive said: conservatives dont care about the sanctity of life.

George Carlin summed it up best: Theyre not pro-life. Theyre anti-woman.

As Carlin said, conservatives want to protect unborn babies, but once that baby is born they dont care about it.

If youre pre-born youre fine. If youre preschool, youre fucked, he said. Conservatives want live babies so they can grow up to be dead soldiers.

If conservatives want to truly address the issue of unwanted pregnancy, they should ensure that every child grows up free of want by raising the minimum wage.

They should ensure the health of every child by creating a universal healthcare system.

They should seek to give every child the opportunity to live up to their potential by increasing funding for public schools and making public universities tuition free. They do none of these things.

There is no connection between the pro-life movement and Syrian airstrikes.

Furthermore, those airstrikes were meant to defend innocent civilians from being gassed by their own president, a brutal war criminal.

Any civilian life lost during those strikes is a tragedy, but the goal is to prevent even more life from being lost.

Regarding when life begins, I quoted an embryology textbook written by med- ical doctors in my previous response to answer this question. Additionally, Van Nostrands Scientific Encyclopedia states, At the moment the sperm cell of the human male meets the ovum of the female and the union results in a fertilized ovum [zygote], a new life has begun.

Whether or not a zygote can be considered a baby is a matter of semantics.

The fact of the matter is that human life begins at the moment of fertilization. Opening an embryology textbook will confirm this indisputable fact.

While you are entitled to your own opinions, you are not entitled to your own facts.

The inflammatory statements made by comedian George Carlin are unequivocally false. Being pro-life encompasses care for the child both before and after birth.

The Catholic Church, which opposes abortion as well as the death penalty and unjust wars, spends billions of dollars annually on charity in the U.S. alone, which includes funding centers that assist women facing unintended pregnancies.

Pro-lifers, especially Catholics and other religious adherents, are not just talking the talk. They are walking the walk.

While there are steps that can be taken to decrease unintended pregnancies, the solution is not to kill the unborn.

Abortion is one of the greatest human rights violations facing this country today. It is crucial that this stain on the moral fabric of the U.S. be outlawed.

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The pro-choice vs. pro-life argument - Vermont Cynic