bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Salvaging satire: An essay review of Blackbird Interactive’s Hardspace: Shipbreaker (2022)
Authors: Mullen Mark
Published: February 2024

Shipbreaker, a game where players disassemble ships to enrich the coffers of a ruthless corporation, is a canny satire of the modern corporate doublespeak that positions corporations as bastions of freedom and social responsibility even as they systematically immiserate their highly skilled ‘independent contractors’ and strip them of their basic rights. However, the game crossed a line for some players in that it loudly and unapologetically advocates for unionization and collective industrial action as a counter to corporate greed and exploitation. While this player hostility is simply a reflection of the long-term success of anti-labour initiatives, particularly in North America, it is also fair to ask how seriously we should regard a pro-union message from within an industry whose exploitative treatment of workers is legendary. More problematically, the game not only fails to deliver on its satirical premise, but manages to reinscribe in its gameplay some of the very elements the satire sets out to challenge. This may be due in part to a widespread cultural confusion concerning the nature of satire, but the example of Shipbreaker also suggests that the Early Access development model may itself place severe limits on the satirical potential of games.
The Punk Rock Museum, Las Vegas
Authors: Fields Paul
Published: February 2024

Review of: The Punk Rock Museum, Las Vegas
Beyond the Streets, Roger Gastman (ed.) (2023)
Authors: Jones Peter
Published: February 2024

Review of: Beyond the Streets, Roger Gastman (Ed.) (2023)

London: Beyond the Streets and Saatchi Gallery, 585 pp.,

ISBN 978-0-57846-883-9, h/bk, £70
Racial Feeling-With, White Acknowledgement, and Rhetorical Quiet within the National Memorial for Peace and Justice
Authors: Aden Roger C.
Published: February 2024

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama, commemorates victims of lynching in a three-part experience featuring 800 coffin-size monuments that appear to be suspended in the air. While providing a space for Black grieving, the memorial's design also creates an experience that invites white Americans to feel-with Black grief-yet-hope. This felt experience may produce discomfort for white visitors, as well as white acknowledgement of generations of white supremacist violence against Black Americans. Such an experience is possible because the memorial generates rhetorical quiet or the creative, artful, and public expression of interiority—an attempt to share that which is deeply felt but which often eludes efforts to be adequately communicated through traditional rhetorical/verbal forms.
“The Angel of Sarbandan”: Ford Foundation Philanthropy, Transnational Development Rhetoric, and the Scalar Geopolitics of 1950s Iran
Authors: Barney Timothy
Published: February 2024

In 1954, the Ford Foundation, new to international grant-giving, administered a small grant to a U.S.-educated Tehran native, Najmeh Najafi, to begin a development program for “village women” in rural Iran. Development was fast becoming a central transnational discourse of the post-war decolonization period and the early Cold War, and Najafi appears as a unique contributor to this discourse, as investment in women and women's programs would not become commonplace in international philanthropy until the early 1970s. But rather than a mere footnote, Najafi's case represents an important example of Ford's surveillance and increasingly “projectized” approach to development processes in strategic areas of the world, even as Najafi evaded Ford's attempts to make her “legible” in their global philanthropic system. This essay offers a rhetorical history of Najafi's negotiations with Ford and the tensions that arose between them around the binaries of North/South, East/West, developed/developing, and masculine/feminine. Using a lens of “scalar geopolitics” to emphasizes linkages between the local, national, and global, the article mines both Najafi's memoirs and Ford's grant archives in order to reflect on the complex ways development and philanthropy were framed and constituted during a tumultuous era in Iran and beyond.
Rugged Individualism Revisited: Herbert Hoover's Adaptation of Individualism in the 1928 Election
Authors: Johnson Brandon M.
Published: February 2024

With Trump's election in 2016 prompting us to reflect on what qualifies one to the U.S. presidency, I turn to the 1928 election to consider the only other candidate who became president without having held elected office or a military position: Herbert Hoover. I argue that Hoover was able to establish his presidential qualifications by articulating a vision of “rugged individualism” as an American value, one that was not linked to traditional political experience but instead to a distinctively American character that combined past myths of the frontier and the “self-made man.” In so doing, Hoover adapted “individualism” into a “rugged individualism” connected to twentieth-century conservative economic policies. Through this discourse, Hoover was able to establish himself as the heir to previous Republican presidents while pushing the boundaries of presidential qualifications and the use of individualism as a rhetorical appeal. Beyond providing the first article-length critique of Hoover's 1928 campaign, my analysis adds to the scholarship on the use of rugged individualism as a rhetorical appeal, one that foreshadows the Republican response to the Great Depression and later conservative economic rhetoric.
Gradient estimates for a class of higher-order elliptic equations of p-growth over a nonsmooth domain
Authors: Tian Hong , Zheng Shenzhou
Published: February 2024

This article is devoted to a global Calderón-Zygmund estimate in the framework of Lorentz spaces for the

m

m

-order gradients of weak solution to a higher-order elliptic equation with

p

p

-growth. We prove the main result based on a proper power decay estimation of the upper-level set by the principle of layer cake representation for the

L

γ
,
q

{L}^{\gamma ,q}

-estimate of

D

m

u

{D}^{m}u

, while the coefficient satisfies a small BMO semi-norm and the boundary of underlying domain is flat in the sense of Reifenberg. In particular, a tricky ingredient is to establish the normal component of higher derivatives controlled by the horizontal component of higher derivatives of solutions in the neighborhood at any boundary point, which is achieved by comparing the solution under consideration with that for some reference problems.
Technology Integration in Teacher Education Practices in Two Southern African Universities
Authors: Schlebusch Gawie , Bhebhe Sithulisiwe , Schlebusch Luzaan
Published: February 2024

The integration of digital technology into the practices of teacher education is expected to become the norm in the Fourth Industrial Revolution era. This study sought to determine how lecturers integrate technology into teacher education in two Southern African universities (one in South Africa and one in the Kingdom of Eswatini). In this study, a multiple case study design was utilised, employing a qualitative research approach within an interpretive research paradigm. The study occurred at the two universities as mentioned earlier, conveniently chosen as they were the workplaces of the researchers. Data collection involved an open-ended questionnaire completed by lecturers, and a focus group discussion consisted of purposively selected lecturers from both institutions. Thematic analysis was applied to examine the data gathered from study participants. The findings indicated that initially, lecturers from both universities had limited digital literacy as they were in the process of transitioning from traditional face-to-face teaching methods and required guidance on integrating technology into their instructional practices. The study concludes that the availability of digital tools, software, and the Internet will not automatically equip student teachers with the required competencies to include technology into their instructional methods.
A cross-cultural perspective on the comprehension of novel and conventional idiomatic expressions
Authors: Pavlina Svetlana Yu.
Published: February 2024

This paper examines factors that affect the comprehension of novel and conventional idiomatic expressions by second language students of English. Using the Conventional Figurative Language Theory (CFLT), the study explores how the understanding of novel and conventional idioms differs and how it is affected by context. I find that novel idioms tend to be easier to comprehend than conventional idioms and interpret this effect through the role of digital media in the creation and dissemination of new phraseological coinages. However, I also observe that while the understanding of conventional idioms is enhanced by context, the role of context in the comprehension of novel idioms is not pronounced. I conclude by discussing the strategies that facilitate the comprehension of both novel and conventional idioms such as the analysis of mental imagery associated with their literal meanings, reliance on background knowledge, and attention to the motivation of an idiomatic expression.
Putting “Duty” Back on Track
Authors: Keating Gregory C.
Published: February 2024

Brown v. USA Taekwondo grapples with the problems that have dogged California law governing the determination of duty in negligence for more than fifty years now. The great California duty decisions of the late 1960s—Rowland v. Christian and Dillon v. Legg—were the bookends to an age of American tort law inaugurated by MacPherson v. Buick and Palsgraf v. Long Island Railroad. MacPherson and Palsgraf altered both the internal structure of negligence law and tort law’s relation to contract and property by making reasonable foreseeability of harm the master principle of responsibility in tort. Rowland and Dillon brought the age of reasonable foreseeability to a close. As their implications unfolded over time, we learned that making reasonable foreseeability of harm the fundamental test for both the existence of obligation and the extent of liability imposes more responsibility than we can bear. Reaching the limits of reasonable foreseeability as the master principle of duty doctrine left courts hard-pressed to say when fundamental responsibilities of care should be expanded and when they should be contracted. Ever since, California courts have been muddling their way through duty cases. They have been uncertain both about when an actor bears some responsibility for reducing a risk or mitigating a harm and about how they should go about making such determinations. USA Taekwondo’s efforts to recast Rowland’s laundry list of relevant factors as a two-step test shows us how we might begin to bring our own age of confusion to a close.
„Mykenische Kultur“ – zur Geschichte des Konzepts „mykenische Kultur“ im 19. Jahrhundert und zum „Cultur“- und „Civilisations“-Begriff in den Buchpublikationen Heinrich Schliemanns
Authors: Mühlenbruch Tobias
Published: February 2024

Auf der Basis der in diesem Beitrag ausgewerteten Schriften des 19. Jahrhunderts wurden „mykenische“ Befunde und Funde erstmals von H. Schliemann 1878 mit dem Konzept „Civilisation“ und anschließend, 1879, von einerseits A. Furtwängler und G. Loeschcke sowie andererseits F. Lenormant mit einer spezifischen „Cultur“ bzw. „Civilisation“ verbunden. A. Milchhöfer führte 1883 den Begriff „mykenische Cultur“ ein, den Schliemann erst in seinem letzten Grabungsbericht zu Troja, 1891 erschienen, verwendete. Bereits vorher, 1886, hatten Furtwängler und Loeschcke von einem „mykenischen Culturkreis“ und „Mykenischen Kreis“ geschrieben und zudem von einem „mykenischen Reich“. Schliemann hatte im selben Jahr in seinem Grabungsbericht zu Tiryns noch die Formulierung der „tirynthischen und mykenischen Civilisation“ gebraucht.

In den hier betrachteten archäologischen Werken wurden die Begriffe „Cultur“ und „Civilisation“ nicht ausdrücklich definiert. Hinsichtlich der Verwendung der Begriffe „Cultur“ und „Civilisation“ sowohl bei Schliemann als auch bei seinen Kollegen, die Beiträge zu seinen Büchern beisteuerten oder die er zitierte, fällt auf, dass beide Termini offenbar zumindest weitgehend synonym verstanden wurden. Eine Bewertung der „Höhe“ von „Cultur“ bzw. „Civilisation“ findet sich in Passagen von Schliemann und seinen Kollegen und jeweils sind evolutionistische Vorstellungen nachzuweisen.
Research on the strength prediction for pervious concrete based on design porosity and water-to-cement ratio
Authors: Zhao Pingzhong , Liu Xiaoyan , Zuo Junqing , Huangfu Huang , Liu Ruidan , Xie Xian , Wang Xinyu , Li Tianyu , Liu Dazhi , Shah Surendra P.
Published: February 2024

The strength prediction of pervious concrete is hard to implement for the mix design due to the porous structure. This work studied the influence of the water-to-cement ratio on the fluidity, viscosity, and mechanical properties of cement paste. Then, the porosity, permeability, and compressive strength of the pervious concrete with various porosities were investigated, and the test results were fitted and analyzed. The result indicates that as the water-to-cement ratio increases, the viscosity of the cement paste reduces and the fluidity increases. The water-to-cement ratio has a negative linear relationship with net slurry strength. The porosity and permeability of pervious concrete fluctuate in accordance with the same rule as the water-to-cement ratio changes. The compressive strength of pervious concrete with varying design porosities increases initially, then declines as the water-to-cement ratio rises. According to the linear fitting analysis, when the water-to-cement ratio is constant, the permeability and compressive strength of pervious concrete have a positive and negative linear relationship with the design porosity, respectively. By analyzing the fitting results and combining the volume method of pervious concrete, a calculation method for mix proportion design is proposed to predict the strength of pervious concrete.
Functional connectivity in ADHD children doing Go/No-Go tasks: An fMRI systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Kim Sihyong J. , Tanglay Onur , Chong Elizabeth H. N. , Young Isabella M. , Fonseka Rannulu D. , Taylor Hugh , Nicholas Peter , Doyen Stephane , Sughrue Michael E.
Published: February 2024

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders diagnosed in childhood. Two common features of ADHD are impaired behavioural inhibition and sustained attention. The Go/No-Go experimental paradigm with concurrent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning has previously revealed important neurobiological correlates of ADHD such as the supplementary motor area and the prefrontal cortex. The coordinate-based meta-analysis combined with quantitative techniques, such as activation likelihood estimate (ALE) generation, provides an unbiased and objective method of summarising these data to understand the brain network architecture and connectivity in ADHD children. Go/No-Go task-based fMRI studies involving children and adolescent subjects were selected. Coordinates indicating foci of activation were collected to generate ALEs using threshold values (voxel-level: p < 0.001; cluster-level: p < 0.05). ALEs were matched to one of seven canonical brain networks based on the cortical parcellation scheme derived from the Human Connectome Project. Fourteen studies involving 457 children met the eligibility criteria. No significant convergence of Go/No-Go related brain activation was found for ADHD groups. Three significant ALE clusters were detected for brain activation relating to controls or ADHD < controls. Significant clusters were related to specific areas of the default mode network (DMN). Network-based analysis revealed less extensive DMN, dorsal attention network, and limbic network activation in ADHD children compared to controls. The presence of significant ALE clusters may be due to reduced homogeneity in the selected sample demographic and experimental paradigm. Further investigations regarding hemispheric asymmetry in ADHD subjects would be beneficial.
DyIrSn and the Lu3Co2In4-type stannides Sm3Rh2Sn4 and RE
3Ir2Sn4 (RE = Y, Sm, Gd–Tm, Lu)
Authors: Schumacher Lars , Koldemir Aylin , Pöttgen Rainer
Published: February 2024

The Lu3Co2In4-type stannides RE
3Ir2Sn4 (RE = Y, Sm, Gd–Tm, Lu) were synthesized from the elements by arc-melting and subsequent annealing sequences in sealed silica ampoules. For a more comprehensive phase analytical study, the isotypic stannide Sm3Rh2Sn4 and the ZrNiAl-type stannides DyIrSn and LT-YIrSn were also obtained. The polycrystalline samples were characterized through their X-ray powder patterns. The structures of DyIrSn and Gd3Ir2.63(2)Sn3.37(2) (ZrNiAl type, space group P6‾2m), Sm3Ir2.52(2)Sn3.48(1), Gd3Ir2.49(1)Sn3.51(1) and Tm3Ir2.20(3)Sn3.80(3) (Lu3Co2In4 type, space group P6‾) were refined from single-crystal X-ray diffractometer data, revealing residual Ir/Sn disorder in the low-symmetry variants. The RE
3Ir2Sn4 stannides are derived from the equiatomic stannides REIrSn (≍RE
3Rh3Sn3) by partial Ir/Sn substitution. The symmetry reduction from space group P6‾2m to P6‾ is forced by the Ir/Sn ordering within the RE
6 trigonal prisms. The new Sn2 position shows the rare motif of a trigonal planar tin coordination with 289 pm Sn2–Sn1 distances (data for Gd3Ir2.49(1)Sn3.51(1)). 119Sn Mössbauer spectra confirm the two crystallographically independent tin sites in Tm3Ir2Sn4 and the structural disorder in Gd3Ir2Sn4.
Estimation on magnetic entropy change and specific heat capacity through phoenomological model for Heusler melt spun ribbon of Ni47Mn40−x
Si
x
In3 (x = 1, 2 and 3)
Authors: Kavu Kulathuraan , Sankaran Esakki Muthu , Kaliamurthy Ashok Kumar , Hasan Imran , Sahadevan Jhelai , Vignesh Shanmugam , Suganthi Sanjeevamuthu
Published: February 2024

In this, we report the temperature-dependent magnetization [M(T)] in two distinct magnetic fields of 0.5 T and 5 T for Ni47Mn40−x
Si
x
In3 (x = 1, 2, and 3) alloys. Using a phenomenological model and Maxwell’s thermodynamic relation, the values of the magnetic entropy change and specific heat capacity are calculated, and their values are also compared. The maximum magnetic entropy change and specific heat capacity peak values for different magnetic fields are both steadily reduced for the samples with x = 1 to 3 samples, which is followed by an increase in relative cooling power value. In comparison to 0.5 T magnetic field, the samples investigate the highest values of magnetic entropy change (3.32, 2.81, 2.01 J kg−1 K−1) and specific heat capacity (32.37, 14, 4.32 J kg−1 K−1) with a magnetic field of 5 T. According to this finding, the sample is more responsible for the magnetic field than chemical pressure.
Food Fortification in the Philippines
Authors: Saleh Nadira
Published: February 2024

Many of the world’s poorest are suffering from what is known as “hidden hunger”: deficiencies of proper vitamins and minerals. The Philippines is considered a model in its comprehensive interventions, especially in food fortification. Through investigation of this model, its achievements and its shortcomings, other countries may also be able to better nourish their citizens.
McMaster Health Forum: Towards a Canadian Response to Emerging Global Health Issues
Authors: AlKhatib Ahmad H. , Tang Theresa
Published: February 2024

Health is now truly global. Health crises in one part of the world can affect the health of people everywhere. Governments around the world are increasingly recognizing the importance of acting upon global health issues as a means of protecting national health security. They have begun to invest in the necessary governmental infrastruc-ture and domestic partnerships needed to coordinate a national response to address global health issues. Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, among others, have now developed national global health strategies that ar-ticulate national global health objectives and the means by which government agencies and departments can co-operate towards achieving them. Canada has not yet developed anything similar; its e!orts to address global health issues remain largely uncoordinated and reactive. Ahmad AlKhatib and Theresa Tang, McMaster Health Fo-rum Fellows (2010-11), discuss the Forum’s planned stakeholder dialogue on “health and emerging global issues” – a key first step in the development of an evidence-informed Canadian response to emerging global health issues.
Combinations of Previously-Approved Drugs Targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa Development
Authors: Leung Alexander
Published: February 2024

Alexander Leung is a third year student in the Biomedical Sciences Specialization of the Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) Program. Under the supervision of Dr. Eric Brown, Alexander has been searching for novel thera-pies against the ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Herein, he introduces the bacterium and provides a primer on antibiotics with a particular focus on those used to combat P. aeruginosa infections. The focus of his research, conducted at the High Throughput Screening Laboratory in McMaster’s Centre for Microbial Chemical Biology, is to utilize high throughput screening to identify compounds that synergize with known antibiotics.
Salinomycin: A Notch Signaling Antagonist - A Novel Way of Targeting Cancer Stem Cells
Authors: Muzlera Carlos U.
Published: February 2024

Dr. Hassell’s research team aims to investigate the roles of therapeutically-relevant genes or gene signatures in the development of “tumour-initiating cells” or breast cancer stem cells. His research team also explores the effects of antagonistic compounds on certain regulatory receptor pathways using in vitro breast cancer cultures and transgenic mouse models. The following research focuses on validating the inhibitory effects of an anti-breast cancer stem cell agent, salinomycin, on downstream Notch signaling. It suggests the possibility of targeting cancer stem cells, the primary culprit in tumour initiation, chemoresistance, and metastasis, by inhibiting key regulatory pathways - such as Notch signaling - that maintain this “stem-like” population.
Effect of Neurofibrillary Tangles on Behavioural Flexibility in Rats: Animal Models for Fronto-Temporal Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Sriram Pallavi , Morrissey Mark , Tanninen Stephanie , Maal-Bared Geith , Klein Ronald L.. , Takehara-Nishiuchi Kaori
Published: February 2024

Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) are aggregations of abnormal tau protein, which are implicated in neurodegenerative diseases such as behavioural-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). NFTs are prominent in the prefrontal and entorhinal cortices in early-stage bvFTD and AD, respectively. We modeled this site-specific neurodegeneration in rats via microinjection of a viral vector to express an excess of mutated tau protein in these target areas. We then examined the impact of this somatic gene transfer on performance in a behavioural flexibility task. The rats were initially trained to find food rewards in a plus maze using a place strategy: to always go to the same place in the environment, i.e., north or south. Subsequently, they switched to a response strategy: to always make the same body response, i.e., turn right or left. Rats made a total of six switches between place and response strategies, and their acquisition and retention of each switch was measured and compared to controls. We found that bvFTD model rats could acquire the place strategy, but were impaired when acquiring the response strategy. AD model rats were impaired in acquiring both strategies. Despite differences in ability to acquire strategies, there were no impairments in retention of either strategy for both groups. Together, these findings suggest that patterns of performance on a behavioural flexibility paradigm can differentiate between animal models of early bvFTD and AD. Future research can use these findings to screen novel candidate drugs, and study mechanisms underlying AD and bvFTD.
Compound 186 is a Negative Allosteric Modulator of Dopamine D2 Receptors: Implications for Improving Schizophrenia Therapy
Authors: Bhandari Jayant , Mah Jordan , Daya Ritesh , Johnson Rodney L.. , Mishra Ram K..
Published: February 2024

Excessive dopamine transmission in the striatum via the dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) has been implicated in inducing positive symptoms of schizophrenia (such as hallucinations and delusions). While it is known that antipsychotic drugs alleviate these symptoms by blocking the active site of D2R, other drugs such as allosteric modulators can also decrease dopamine’s ability to bind this receptor, by binding to an allosteric site on D2R. We evaluated the ability of a newly synthesized molecule, compound 186, to modulate the binding of tritiated norpropylapomorphine (NPA)—a high-affinity D2R agonist—in the bovine striatum. Through receptor binding assays, we found a significant, dose-dependent decrease in NPA binding with compound 186. Our findings suggest a potential method to treat dopaminergic disorders such as schizophrenia. Because many of the current treatments for schizophrenia that block the active site of D2R can produce severe side effects, it is important to consider using allosteric modulators in place of antagonists.
GSK-3 Beta Inhibition More Strongly Blocks Acquisition Than Expression of Amphetamine-produced Conditioned Place Preference in Rats
Authors: Wickens Rebekah , Beninger Richard J.
Published: February 2024

Dopamine (DA) has been implicated in behavioural sensitization and incentive learning. The signaling molecule glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), activated downstream of DA D2-like receptors, affects DA-mediated behaviours. For example, inhibition of GSK-3β attenuates locomotor sensitization to psychomotor stimulant drugs. Few studies have examined the effects of GSK-3β inhibition in incentive learning paradigms. We examined the effects of GSK-3β inhibition on incentive learning produced by amphetamine (1.5 mg/kg) in the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. The selective GSK-3 inhibitor SB 216763 was administered intraperitoneally to male Wistar rats at doses of 1.0, 2.0, and 2.5 mg/kg during the acquisition or expression phase. Due to studies more strongly implicating signaling molecules in acquisition rather than expression of learning, we hypothesized a block of acquisition of CPP at doses that fail to block expression of CPP. Results supported this hypothesis: the 1.0 mg/kg dose of SB 216763 failed to block either acquisition or expression of CPP; the 2.0 mg/kg dose blocked acquisition, but not expression of CPP; and the 2.5 mg/kg dose blocked both acquisition and expression of CPP. These results indicate that inhibiting GSK-3β may attenuate incentive learning differentially in acquisition versus expression of conditioning. (Funded by NSERC)
Neuroprotective Agents for Traumatic Brain Injury: Theoretical Therapy or the Future of Treatment?
Authors: Genis Helen
Published: February 2024

An increasing awareness of concussions in sports has led researchers to uncover that brain tissue damage is not instantaneous, but rather a delayed process following the initial injury. Recently, neuroprotective agents have been developed that will be administered after injury to reduce the effects of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). These agents include NMDA receptor antagonists that aim to interfere with excitotoxicity and reduce neuronal death. While these agents have improved learning and cognitive performance in animal models, their effects have not been as positive in clinical trials. Calpain inhibitors have also shown neuroprotective effects, and protect against axonal damage in the white matter of the brain. In the future, a better understanding of the cellular mechanisms of TBI will allow better development of neuroprotective agents for clinical use.
Tonal Harmony: The Interplay Between Music and Tonal Languages
Authors: Tran Maxwell , Aditya Ishan
Published: February 2024

This paper presents a summary of current research on the synergies between music and language, especially tonal languages. Since music and language are processed by similar brain structures, research studies have found that individuals with a tonal language background tend to be better at discriminating pitch in music. As well, musically experienced individuals are found to be more proficient at detecting speech-based stimuli. Due to this relationship between music and language, music-based therapies are being created to improve language acquisition and to treat communication deficits associated with developmental disorders.
Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria Detection: An Evaluation of Current and Developing Methods
Authors: Zhang Grace
Published: February 2024

Epidemics arising from foodborne pathogenic bacteria are a major public health concern. There is a critical need for the development and integration of sensitive and effecient methods for foodborne pathogen detection. Beyond this, detection should ideally be rapid, inexpensive, and easy to operate without extensive training or expertise. Although conventional techniques, involving plating followed by various biochemical tests can reliably detect bacteria at low concentrations, the time required to obtain a result is often impractical. Techniques used in conjunction with conventional methods include immunological tests and nucleic acid-based tests; these have been adapted for simultaneous screening of multiple bacterial strains. Flow cytometry has recently been applied to bacterial detection with considerable success. Biosensors, devices that convert biological activity into a measurable electrical signal, have recently gained attention as a potential method for rapid sample screening. This review aims to summarize and evaluate current methods for foodborne pathogenic bacteria detection.
Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology and the Island of Widows
Authors: Partridge Arun , Chong Louise
Published: February 2024

We recently had the opportunity to spend 3 months working with La Isla Foundation (LIF), a non-governmental organization that aims to raise awareness and combat the Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Etiology Epidemic (CKDu) ravaging regions of Nicaragua. This epidemic has not received the international coverage and awareness that it deserves, but recent research studies and news articles have been published which have drawn global attention. There have been multiple anecdotal reports of a high chronic kidney disease prevalence in rural parts of Nicaragua and El Salvador. We assisted La Isla Foundation in their work, contributing to a variety of community development, public health, and human rights projects which gave us exposure to the important cause for which they fight.
Type 2 Diabetes: What Went Wrong with Insulin?
Authors: Sorouri Kimia , Liang Ellen
Published: February 2024

Type 2 diabetes mellitus, or non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), is a pathological condition characterized by an inadequate response to insulin, a hormone responsible for regulating blood glucose levels. NIDDM comprises of 90-95% of all cases of diabetes.1
Normally, insulin is released by pancreatic beta cells into the bloodstream, acting on receptors found in tissues such as skeletal muscle and the liver.2 The binding of insulin to insulin receptors stimulates glucose uptake into cells and the storage of glucose as glycogen (glycogenesis).3 Evidence suggests that genetic mutations may increase susceptibility to NIDDM. Specifically, a reduction of insulin receptor gene expression may be partly responsible for insulin resistance in NIDDM.4 While molecular pathways are not very well understood, evidence suggests high blood fatty acid levels may inhibit insulin receptor substrates (IRS) in the insulin-signalling cascade.4
The isoforms of the glucose transporters (GLUTs) primarily involved in diabetes are GLUT2 and GLUT4.5 There is currently limited data linking specific genes to diabetic pathology, warranting for genome-wide analyses.6 Despite an increasing prevalence of diabetes, there is encouraging evidence supporting the ability of exercise to reduce insulin resistance.7
Medical Marijuana – Airing Out the Smoke of Doubt
Authors: Karir Aneesh
Published: February 2024

On April 1, 2014, Canada will implement a drastically new set of regulations that will redefine the laws on the production and acquisition of medical marijuana, affecting over 35,000 patients nationwide. Patients will have to exclusively seek commercial vendors for medical marijuana and pay a much higher price compared to the costs of growing marijuana in their residences. This provides several benefits to the Canadian economy and protects against drug abuse, yet worries citizens and users who are trying to minimize costs. The Canadian government will require patients to obtain a prescription from a general physician, rather than a specialist, to gain access to medical marijuana. This new legislation therefore introduces a new source of pressure for general practitioners and makes them reluctant to support the bill. Still, with a plethora of viable solutions, such as increased safety and quality assurance for citizens who are wary about the new system, the commercialization of medical marijuana could prove to be a reasonable decision for the nation’s future.
Medbulletins
Authors: Kim Valerie , Lam Ashley , Goshua Anna , Kirubarajan Abirami
Published: February 2024

Medbulletins - Issue 26
Experimental Drugs: Last Hope or Line Crossed?
Authors: Sarraj Mohamed , Chalil Leon
Published: February 2024

As this opinion piece is in the 'Viewpoints' format, there is no abstract.
The Metabolism of L-Arginine and Its Importance in Immune Function
Authors: Su Ben , Rudak Patrick , Yin Charles
Published: February 2024

The importance of arginine in maintaining the homeostasis of theimmune system is a focus of the emerging field of immunometabolism,and is representative of the growing body of knowledge on the role ofmetabolites in immune function. Arginine plays a critical role in the functionof the immune system, as arginine deficiency in macrophages leads to adefect in nitric oxide production. Consequently, this results in decreasedmacrophage elimination of pathogens. Additionally, myeloid suppressorcells (MSCs) have been shown to exert regulatory effects on activatedT-cells by utilizing arginine metabolism in various different pathways.Decreased levels of arginine have also been observed to interfere withproper B-cell maturation and IgM production, all of which ultimately impairthe adaptive immune response. In this review, the importance of argininein the context of immune system is explored.
Cover page
Authors: Lee Melissa
Published: February 2024

N/A
Pathoprofile: Tumour-Induced Angiogenesis
Authors: Ding Maylynn , Aditya Ishan
Published: February 2024

Pathoprofile - Issue 27
Cancer Stem Cells: Targeting the Core of the Cancer
Authors: Patel Krushangi
Published: February 2024

One of the major challenges faced after conventional treatment of cancer is a relapse of the cancer. Emerging research has led to the identification of cancer stem cells (CSCs) which evade conventional treatment and fuel the growth and metastasis of the tumour. CSCs comprise a relatively small population of the tumour but have considerable impact in the relapse of many cancers. Research in the past decade has been instrumental in the development of drugs that eliminate CSCs. This review attempts to provide an understanding of the formation and characteristics of CSCs as well as highlight three drug therapies that have shown potential for eradicating CSCs. Researchers believe that elimination of CSCs can allow for longer lasting or even permanent remission of cancer.
Overview of Fatty Acid Synthesis and its Role in Obesity-Related Diseases
Authors: Li YongChang
Published: February 2024

Obesity is a medical condition attributed to abnormalities in fatty acid metabolism. According to the World Health Organization, more than 1.4 billion adults are overweight, and 500 million of these adults are categorized as obese. The World Health Organization has categorized this significant onset of obesity as an epidemic. The lipid synthesis process and its role in obesity-related diseases has been investigated extensively. In this article, we summarized the mechanism of fatty acid synthesis and its dysfunction in type 2 diabetes. We also investigated the effects of commercial and novel drugs, and exercise on fatty acid synthesis as methods to mediate weight loss.
Pathoprofile
Authors: Meducator The
Published: February 2024

Pathoprofile
Medbulletin
Authors: Amir Takhliq , Ho Joella , Lin Sabrina , Noordin Feroze
Published: February 2024

Four medbulletins written by the four authors
Exploring Another Piece of the Puzzle: Comorbid Mental Health Challenges in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Kansal Nisha , Kim Samuel Seunghon
Published: February 2024

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by impairments in social communication and restricted, repetitive behavioural patterns.1 In the United States, the prevalence of ASD is estimated to be 1 in 68 children.2 As children with ASD enter adolescence, they face difficulties brought on not only by the core functional impairments of their primary disorder but also by common psychiatric comorbidities, such as depression and anxiety. The prevalence estimates of these comorbidities vary widely, which may be explained by differences in assessment tools used between epidemiological studies. In this review, the most commonly used assessment tools for comorbidities among youth with ASD are presented. Out of the five tools identified, no tools had been specifically evaluated to measure anxiety among ASD youth, while only two tools had been evaluated to measure depression in this population. Across tools, there were numerous issues regarding psychometric properties, as well as differences in informants, leading to limitations when using these tools to measure comorbid psychiatric concerns in youth with ASD. Future research should aim to design better assessment tools to strengthen the quality of research in this field and better inform resource allocation and clinical practice.
Relationship Between Neural Crest Cell Specification and Anterior Segment Dysgenesis
Authors: Park Jeong Won , Martino Vanessa , Yang Bob
Published: February 2024

Development of the anterior segment of the eye is closely associated with neural crest cell migration and specification. Its development is complex as it requires the functioning of a combination of local factors, receptors, inductors, and signalling between tissues such as the optic cup and periocular mesenchyme (POM). POM is comprised of neural crest-derived mesenchymal progenitor cells that give rise to numerous important anterior segment structures such as the cornea, and trabecular meshwork. Several genes involved in the migration and specification of the POM have been identified, including PITX2, FOXC1, and Tfap2b. The author, with the help of Judith West-Mays and Vanessa Martino, has conducted an extensive literature search on recently published articles surrounding anterior segment dysgenesis and its associated genes and transcription factors in order to construct this review paper.
Allergic Asthma
Authors: Khan Shawn , Niu Candy
Published: February 2024

As the global prevalence of allergic asthma continues to rise, there is growing interest in exploring the relationship between the gut microbiome of the host and the ability to regulate allergic inflammation. This was prompted by several studies that commonly demonstrated a correlation between the presence of microbial-rich environments and lower levels of childhood allergic asthma. With constant antigen exposure, the mucosal immune system of the gut must regulate environmental stimuli, such as bacteria and food antigens, to sustain immune homeostasis. This is achieved by maintaining immune tolerance to support the gut mucosa’s commensal microbiota and mounting a simultaneous, controlled immune response to eliminate pathogenic species. The immune patterns of the gut microbiome are thought to shape allergic asthma progression through its shared immunomodulatory role with the airway microbiome. Currently, studies are examining the role regulatory B cells play in allergic asthma through immune regulation. This review will discuss the relationship between regulatory B cells and the gut microbiome in maintaining immune homeostasis within the allergic disease framework.
Newborn Screening and Whole Genome Sequencing
Authors: Wade-Vallance Adam
Published: February 2024

Canadian newborn screening (NBS) programs aresuccessful in improving the prognosis of many affectedneonates with early-onset disorders by enabling rapiddiagnosis and treatment. However, many problems still existwith NBS programs including inconsistent coverage acrossprovinces or territories, gaps in disease screening, andvariable testing methodologies. Whole-genome sequencing(WGS) represents an increasingly cost-effective means ofscreening all genetic conditions with a single primary assay.Many benefits of WGS have been cited, including the ability to determine the exact causative mutation of a condition which could enable targeted therapy. Despite this, WGS in NBS carries serious ethical ramifications pertaining to disclosure of results, storage of data, and future development in NBS programs. Due to these factors, we are as-of-yet unprepared to incorporate WGS into Canadian NBS programs.
Mental Health Among Post-Secondary Students
Authors: Roshan Devin
Published: February 2024

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The HIV Lifecycle
Authors: Meducator The
Published: February 2024

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Table of Contents
Authors: Ngugen Laura
Published: February 2024

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Leveraging Communities of Practice to Address Post-Secondary Mental Health and Addictions Issues
Authors: Cheng Fanny , Panchal Puru
Published: February 2024

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Health Perspectives on the Legalization of Cannabis
Authors: Roshan Devin , Wade-Vallance Adam
Published: February 2024

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Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae
Authors: Patel Arbaaz
Published: February 2024

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Developing effective recruitment strategies for young infants
Authors: Meducator The , Zhu Hanzhuang , Wagner Natalie , Sonnadara Ranil
Published: February 2024

The purpose of this study was to explore researchers’ perspectives on the challenges and strategies associated with recruiting infants for non-invasive experiments. Nine researchers participated in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Access was cited as a major challenge to recruitment. Successful strategies involved forming positive relationships with participants, hospitals, and community partners. Those who agreed to participate were often of high socioeconomic status or had a connection to McMaster University. Interviewed researchers believed that collaborating with colleagues, communicating directly with new mothers, and establishing partnerships with individuals in related professional fields were all effective in facilitating infant recruitment. As recruiting infants for non-invasive studies remains challenging, this study aims to assist researchers in finding successful strategies.
MedBulletin
Authors: Meducator The , Amir Takhliq , Yu James
Published: February 2024

MedBulletins are hand-picked, at-a-glance summaries of current news and hot topics in Health, Medicine, and Biomedical Research. The aim is to keep readers up-to-date with the latest issues and breakthroughs within these diverse fields. MedBulletins are selected and written by Meducator staff on a regular basis.
Hodgkin's Lymphoma
Authors: Meducator The
Published: February 2024

Pathoprofile
ForumSpace
Authors: Meducator The , Gao Chloe , Sharma Kartik , Belesiotis Peter
Published: February 2024

ForumSpace is a collaborative initiative between The Meducator and the McMaster Student Health Forum subcommittee. It aims to discuss important topics concerning the multi-dimensional aspects of healthcare, and the role of various stakeholders in ensuring its effective delivery.
Understanding regulatory B cell development with single cell analyses
Authors: Meducator The , Visva Samantha , Oliveria John-Paul , Zheng Ruby
Published: February 2024

There is very little research concerning human regulatory B cells and this may in part be due to their inconsistent responsesto immunosuppressive cytokines such as IL-10. The purpose of this critical review is to examine our current understandingof regulatory B cell development, such as time points of differentiation, and how in silico computer modelling can improvethis understanding. Specifically, bioinformatic analysis of the changes in cell surface markers and signalling moleculescan help guide our understanding of the timing of cell-fate decisions and regulatory B cell differentiation. Trackingregulatory B cell trajectory with bioinformatics and in silico methods may improve our understanding of their role in manyneurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
What is the hidden curriculum, and how does it affect nursing students?
Authors: Meducator The , Farquharson Simon , Nguyen Laura
Published: February 2024

The hidden curriculum can be defined as that which is taught to studentsunintentionally by the culture, structure, and people of their educational setting.Although most authors agree on its importance, little is written about howthe hidden curriculum affects nursing students in both university and clinicalplacements. The purpose of this review is to take a broad look at the researchon the hidden curriculum in an attempt to better understand its current value andfuture potential, as it affects nursing students and the profession. A brief historyof the hidden curriculum is provided in relation to nursing education, followed bya review of the literature with a specific focus on the variety of educational andclinical applications in which it plays important roles. These topics arose frominteractions with peers, nurses, non-faculty staff, and other community members,all of which had potential impacts on the students. Ultimately, the hidden curriculumis an understudied, underappreciated component of education, and is one in whichstudents play a major personal role in developing. Both faculty and students need tounderstand the power and importance of this tool, as it has the capacity to shapethe future of the nursing profession.
Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Meducator The , Moshkovich Michal , Lynn Matthew , Zhang Wendy
Published: February 2024

Pathoprofile: Multiple Myeloma
Viruses in the Modern World
Authors: Moshkovich Michal , Zarb Sophie
Published: February 2024

Viruses in the Modern World
Sarah Gilbert
Authors: Bhogal Gurleen , Wen Aaron
Published: February 2024

This biography highlights Sarah Gilbert and her achievements in contributing towards vaccine development.
IWCH Abstracts
Authors: Bhopa Shania , Hilsenteger Elizabeth , Davy Brittany
Published: February 2024

This article represents a series of abstracts from the poster presentation winners of the 2022 IWCH conference.