Tag Archives: disease

Sci-Tech

Lyme Disease In Canada And USA Has Epidemic Potential- New Microbes Discovered

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Spring means fresh flowers and sunny days, but it also brings seasonal health issues as the weather gets warmer: from Rosacea to Lyme disease.

Most likely, you or someone you know has been affected by Lyme disease, the most common tick-borne illness in North America with more than 300,000 cases diagnosed each year. In a timely new book, Conquering Lyme Disease(Columbia University Press), Columbia University Medical Center physicians Brian A. Fallon and Jennifer Sotsky reveal that despite the challenges to find a cure for this complex, debilitating disease, precision medicine and biotechnology are accelerating the discovery of new tools with which doctors will be able to diagnose it and treat patients.

“Through rapid genetic sequencing, scientists can identify many different strains of Borrelia burgdorferi as well as new tick-borne microbial infections, such as Borrelia miyamotoi, Borrelia mayonii, and the Heartland virus.”  — Brian Fallon 

Could groundbreaking technologies that rapidly increase our understanding and open up new pathways mean a cure for Lyme disease one day soon? The Global Search for Education is pleased to welcome Dr. Brian Fallon to find out how tech is tackling the ticks.

“Modern technology using Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) allows one to discover with great rapidity all microbes that may be present within a sample of fluid.” — Brian Fallon

Brian, how has technology improved the research process for tick borne diseases?

Consider the difference in price of genome sequencing between 20 years ago and today. In 2003, it had taken the Human Genome Project about 4 years and costs estimated between $500 million to 1 billion…by 2006 the cost for sequencing a single human genome had dropped to 14 million……today a whole human genome can be sequenced within days for less than $1,000.   This is a tremendous advance.

Why is genome sequencing so important?  Let’s look at human tick-borne diseases.  When two different people are infected with Borrelia burgdorferi (the microbe that causes Lyme disease), one will resolve the disease quickly after a course of antibiotics while the other may develop a chronic relapsing remitting illness.  Why?  Because one person might have gotten a more persistent strain, while the other received  a less invasive strain that stays localized to the skin.  Additionally, the genetic differences in the human determines how the immune system responds to the invading microbe. Understanding the genetics of the infection and of the human host allows scientists to unravel the mysteries of tick-borne illnesses.

Through rapid genetic sequencing, scientists can identify many different strains of Borrelia burgdorferi as well as new tick-borne microbial infections, such as Borrelia miyamotoi, Borrelia mayonii, and the Heartland virus.  When the genome of a microbe is sequenced, it provides a starting point for the study of pathogenesis, vaccine development, and treatment.  Discovery of these new microbes inside ticks has been enormously helpful.  A patient who has had typical symptoms of Lyme disease after a tick bite but has tested negative on the blood tests for Lyme disease might puzzle clinicians. They may criticize the insensitivity of the Lyme disease tests.  However, when this same patient is tested for the newly discovered tick-borne infection, Borrelia miyamotoi, the diagnosis is then clear. Yes, the patient had a Lyme-like illness, but it wasn’t Lyme disease: it was Borrelia Miyamotoi disease.

Modern technology using Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) allows one to discover with great rapidity all microbes that may be present within a sample of fluid.   This  “discovery based” approach using “unbiased next generation sequencing” enabled a 14 year old boy to be rescued from a fatal infection within 48 hours (Wilson et al, NEJM, 2014). This boy had endured 3 hospitalizations over 4 months, had over 100 diagnostic tests, spent 44 days in an ICU for encephalitis of unknown etiology, had a brain biopsy, and had to be put into a medically induced coma to prevent damage from his ongoing seizures.

Eventually Dr. Charles Chiu at U.C.S.F. employed NGS analysis of more than 8 million sequences with a bioinformatics pipeline (SURPI) for the detection of all known pathogens. The cause of the boy’s meningoencephalitis was revealed as Leptospira santarosai. He had likely acquired it in Puerto Rico, as it is not present in the continental United States.  He received the appropriate antibiotics and was discharged 2 weeks later to rehab.  This same approach is especially useful for uncommon infections as they might not be suspected; for example, rare tick-borne viruses such as Powassan Virus or Heartland Virus can be rapidly  detected using this discovery approach.

DNA Double Helix
DNA Double Helix
How has big data impacted the way advocacy groups support research?

A patient-generated source of Big Data is LymeDisease.org.  This California based organization developed a survey called “My Lyme Data” that patients could fill out on the web about their clinical history and lab tests and treatments.  In a short period of time, they had data on 10,000 patients whom they track over time.  With this information, they provide a more comprehensive clinical view of the bulk of patients who are diagnosed with persistent symptoms despite treatment for Lyme Disease (aka Chronic Lyme Disease).

“In geographic areas where medical professionals are scarce, AI technologies will play an increasing role in improving patient care by allowing differential diagnoses to be generated and treatment options suggested through AI-based systems accessed through the internet.”  — Brian Fallon

Jobs in all professions are being automated. Do you believe AI technologies will only assist doctors or will they replace physicians in some tasks? What does this mean for doctors, nurses, and the future of medicine?
Borrelia transmission via Tick
Borrelia

While AI technologies will go a long way to assist health care providers to provide better care, its application to medical care is still just beginning.   One can anticipate, however,  that in geographic areas where medical professionals are scarce, AI technologies will play an increasing role in improving patient care by allowing differential diagnoses to be generated and treatment options suggested through AI-based systems accessed through the internet.

The general public has more access to information than ever before about Lyme disease from websites, medical organizations, articles and social media. Everyone can be their own “expert” or even their own “doctor.”  Can you speak about the pros and cons of online health data in the era of fake news?

This obviously is a huge area of concern. Individuals used to turn to their physician or to the medical information books, such as the Merck Manual. Now, they turn to the web.

In a recent survey of patients who used the web to obtain health information (Doherty-Torstrick 2016), we learned that more than half of the 730 patients reported they experienced increased distress as a result of checking the web.  We also learned from this survey that individuals who did not have a health education were more likely to spend more time on the web and were thus prone to develop more anxiety than those who were better educated from a health perspective.   While some of the information they find may be accurate, other information may be well-intentioned but ill-informed, misleading, and even harmful.

“Researchers can rapidly screen thousands of drugs to determine which agents have the strongest ability to kill Borrelia spirochetes.  This is possible because of the development of high throughput assays, which have proven more effective than the standard agents in eradicating both the stationary phase Borrelia and its more drug-tolerant persister-forms.” — Brian Fallon

Tick distribution Canada

Look into the future.  What are the technologies you are most excited about in terms of helping to find cures for Lyme disease and improve patients quality of life?

Researchers can rapidly screen thousands of drugs to determine which agents have the strongest ability to kill Borrelia spirochetes (Feng 2014).  This is possible because of the development of high throughput assays, which have identified new antibiotics that have proven more effective than the standard agents (doxycycline, amoxicillin) in eradicating both the stationary phase Borrelia and its more drug-tolerant persister-forms.  While it cannot be assumed that what is true in the lab setting will translate to efficacy in humans, biotechnology advances have enabled the identification of new therapeutic agents, offering  much hope for a wider array of treatment options for patients in the future.

Another major advance is “big data” conducted by biomedical information engineers trained in biostatistics and computer science.  Internet search engine queries are being monitored to predict outbreaks of infectious disease.  Unanticipated side effects of drugs and their interactions can be detected through analyzing millions of digital medical records from patients who have taken a particular drug.  One can examine whether patients given an antibiotic did better when treated for longer or shorter periods, or whether patients with a pre-existing autoimmune disease are more likely to develop complications from a new onset Tick-borne infection than those without a history of autoimmune problems.

Tick
2005 James Gathany; William Nicholson
The blacklegged ticks, I. pacificus, (depicted here), and I. scapularis, are known vectors for the zoonotic spirochetal bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, which is the pathogenic bacteria responsible for causing Lyme disease. The ticks, inoculated with the bacterium when they bite infected mice, squirrels and other small animals, subsequently pass the pathogens to their human victims when they obtain a blood meal.B. burgdorferi bacteria can infect several parts of the body, producing different symptoms at different times. Not all patients with Lyme disease will have all symptoms, and many of the symptoms can occur with other diseases as well. If you believe you may have Lyme disease, it is important that you consult your health care provider for proper diagnosis.
The first sign of infection is usually a circular rash called “erythema migrans”, or EM. This rash occurs in approximately 70-80% of infected persons and begins at the site of a tick bite after a delay of 3-30 days. A distinctive feature of the rash is that it gradually expands over a period of several days, reaching up to 12 inches (30 cm) across. The center of the rash may clear as it enlarges, resulting in a bull’s-eye appearance. It may be warm but is not usually painful. Some patients develop additional EM lesions in other areas of the body after several days. Patients also experience symptoms of fatigue, chills, fever, headache, and muscle and joint aches, and swollen lymph nodes. In some cases, these may be the only symptoms of infection.

Our Lyme and Tick-borne Diseases Research Center, located at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) in New York City, is right next door to an international data resource.  CUIMC is the coordinating center of a public health information initiative which includes medical records from approximately 400 million people drawn from eighty health-care organizations from around the world.  This represents a unique opportunity  to ask questions, generate hypotheses and get answers about Tick-borne diseases.  When discovery is optimized, medical care is enhanced.

For the Silo, David Wine/CM RubinWorld. 

Brian Fallon, MD, MPH is the Director of the Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases Research Center at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center and the author with Jennifer Sotsky of Conquering Lyme Disease: Science Bridges the Great Divide, published in 2018 by Columbia University Press.

Sci-Tech

Using Laser Technology to Detect Cancer Cells

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We’ve come a long way since hearing Dr. Evil of Austin Powers’ movie fame describe “a sophisticated heat beam, which we call ‘a laser’ ” to take over the world, or sitting in awe watching Jedi knights in Star Wars blast through enemies using lightsabers.   

Now in real life, lasers are being used to detect cancers cells. 

Cancer tumors have the ability to break off of their primary site and spread from their primary organ to other sites of the body via the bloodstream and lymphatic system.  The spreading of cancer, known as “metastasis”, is the leading cause of cancer-related death.  Although, there are currently blood tests designed to detect cancer cells in the blood, known as circulating tumor cells, these test many times cannot pick up minimal cancer cells released early on.   If these current tests return as positive, this frequently means that there is a high level of cancerous cells in the blood that have spread to other organs.

However, the diagnosis and treatment of these cancer cells in the blood may soon change.

  In a recent study published in Science Translation Medicine, researchers have devised a laser that can detect these malignant cells and ‘zap’ them from outside of the body.  The current standard methods of detection have limited sensitivity for picking up minimal cells at early stages of the disease, therefore possibly missing an opportunity to eliminate them at a treatable juncture.   A team led by biomedical engineer Vladimir Zharov, director of nanomedicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, has developed a method in hopes of changing that modality.

In studies with melanoma, they have coupled a laser with an ultrasound detector to create a ‘Cytophone,’ a device that identifies cells acoustically. 

To break it down, a laser is first shined on the surface of a person’s skin, penetrating right into some of the near-surface blood vessels.  The passing melanoma cells will then ‘heat up’ because of their darker pigment and create a small ‘acoustic wave’ that then gets picked up by the ultrasound detector.   Melanoma cells absorb more of the energy from the laser because of their dark pigment, allowing them to heat up quickly and expand.

This devised method can pick up a single circulating tumor cell per liter of blood, which makes this up to approximately 1,000 times more sensitive than other available methods of detection that typically examine only about 7- 8 milliliters of a sample of blood.  Additionally, the cytophone was able to detect small clots of blood that could potentially grow and lead to another set of harmful consequences. 

They have tested this on 28 patients with melanoma and 19 healthy volunteers. 

Researchers were able to discover that within as little as 10 seconds and as long as 1 hour, the cytophone was able to detect circulating tumor cells in 27 of the 28 patients.  It also did not return any false positives on the healthy volunteers.  Moreover, it was found that when the energy level of the laser was turned up (still to a safe intensity) that the amount of circulating tumor cells came down over the hour, without causing any side effects. 

Although the mechanism will likely not destroy all of the patient’s cancer cells, it can help in several different ways.  Initially, it can be used in high-risk individuals as a screening tool to detect cancer cells in the blood.  Similar to mammograms in breast cancer, it can be added to skin checks in patients that are at high risk for melanoma.  While undergoing treatment, it could potentially be used to monitor the effects of that particular treatment, in addition to or separate from imaging and other blood tests, to determine if the circulating cancer cells in the blood are decreasing.   Following the completion of treatment, it can be used to monitor for relapse of disease. 

Even though this has been tested recently in melanoma, and the dark pigment of melanin plays a role in its detection, Zharov and his colleagues are currently working to develop methods of ‘tagging’ other cancer cells with small nanoparticles to be able to ‘heat up’ and be distinguished from the normal cells.  This study holds promise but it now needs to be expanded to in a larger population including patients with a higher content of melanin.  For the Silo, Jerry McGlothlin.

Movies aside, the future holds promise in the new hope of using lasers to fight off the evil invasions of metastasis.

About Joshua Mansour, MD…

Dr. Joshua Mansour is a board-certified hematologist/oncologist working and in the field of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and cellular immunotherapy in Stanford, California. In June 2019 he was a recipient of the ‘40 Under 40 in Cancer’ award. Abstracts, manuscripts, and commentaries by Dr. Mansour have been published in more than 100 esteemed journals and media outlets including Canada Free Press, Today’s Practitioner, Physician’s News, and KevinMD. He has given countless presentations at conferences and other institutions, and he has helped design and implement clinical studies to evaluate current treatment plans, collaborated on grant proposals and multi-institutional retrospective studies that have been published. Joshua Mansour. M.D. has been featured on Fox Television.

Sci-Tech

Diversity is Elusive in Rare Disease Research

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Only 10% of rare diseases have an FDA-approved therapy. This sobering statistic highlights why research is so imperative for patients with rare diseases. Clinical trials can be a crucial opportunity to access life-saving treatments.

However, African-American, African-Canadian and Latino patients with rare diseases face significant underrepresentation in clinical trials. This lack of representation results in drugs being developed that aren’t proven safe or effective across different populations.

A 2018 research carried out by the U.S. Census Bureau stated that out of the 12% Black or African American population across the U.S., only 2.2% had participated in clinical trials for rare diseases. Sickle cell disease is one rare disease that predominantly affects the African American community.

India has close to 50-100 million people affected by rare diseases or disorders, with almost 80% of these rare condition patients being children. As per the U.S. Census Bureau, Indian Americans constitute 1.2% of the U.S. population, which translates to 4.5 million, as of 2021, and out of the 5.8% total Asian population across the U.S., their clinical trials participation in 2018 was only 1%.

When certain groups are underrepresented, the universal right to health is jeopardized, and the economic burden of public health care rises. Inequities in clinical research participation impede applications in drug efficacy, toxicity, therapeutic indices, and other areas. Furthermore, it has the potential to raise healthcare costs.

February is “Rare Disease Month”, while February 28th is “Rare Disease Day”, and 2023 is the 40th anniversary of “The Orphan Drug Act”—a law that was passed in the United States in 1983 to facilitate the development of orphan drugs—drugs for rare diseases.

Dr. Rajasimha, Founder and Executive Chairman of IndoUSrare says, “Rare Disease Month allows the rare disease community to come together and make themselves heard.”

The future of rare disease research and treatment still requires enhanced detection techniques, dissemination of understanding concerning optimal care, and research to prevent, treat, and cure disease, and IndoUSrare collaborates with researchers in the U.S. and other western countries with their counterparts in the Indian subcontinent to engage and include the large and diverse populations of Indians in India and globally.

Earth

COVID-19 Wildlife Connection

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With new cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) still being reported every day across the globe, we are starkly reminded that handling or coming into close contact with wildlife, their body parts, and excreta poses a risk of spillover of the pathogens [viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi] they host and maintain in nature, and to which we humans might be susceptible.

The illnesses animals spread to humans are known as zoonotic diseases, or zoonoses.

It is estimated that, globally, about one billion cases of human illness and millions of deaths occur every year from zoonoses. Some 60 percent of emerging infectious diseases that are reported globally are zoonoses and of the more than 30 new human pathogens detected in the last three decades, 75 percent have originated in animals.

A wide variety of vertebrates are carriers of zoonotic agents. Rodents, the most abundant mammal, also represent an abundant source of zoonotic diseases, carrying at least 180 unique zoonotic pathogens[1]. Because of their size, the ability to fly and their unique immune system, bats represent an important virus reservoir, though presently they are known to carry only about a third of the zoonotic pathogens that rodents do.

While there are fewer species of primates when compared to rodents and bats, a great proportion are zoonotic hosts. The risk that pathogens can infect humans increases with species more closely related to us. For example, the spillover of HIV to humans occurred from chimpanzees and sooty mangabeys, most likely through butchering and consumption of their meat. To date, HIV-AIDS has infected 75 million people and caused 32 million deaths[2].

Graphic design: Sarah Markes/WCS.

The persistent lethal capacity of zoonotic pathogens can also reside in its evolutionary strategies. Plague is a bacterial, vector-born disease transmitted by fleas from rodents –its natural reservoir– to humans and subsequently also from humans to humans that has impacted the history of mankind through multiple pandemics causing tens of millions of deaths worldwide. The responsible bacterial agent has evolved virulence factors that have allowed it to repeatedly and successfully evade the immune system of the mammalian host[3].

“Coming into close contact with wildlife — including their body parts and excreta — poses a risk of spillover of the pathogens they host, to which we humans might be susceptible.”

Zoonoses may exist in various forms: The most common, endemic zoonoses, are widespread in developing countries affect many people and animals and are by comparison mostly neglected by the international community, epidemic zoonoses vary widely in their duration and distribution and emerging and re-emerging zoonoses may or may not have occurred previously in a given population, but are generally observed to expand in new species, populations or areas.

Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) and particularly zoonotic ones are a significant and growing threat to global health, global economy and global security. Analyses of their trends suggest that their frequency and economic impact are on the rise.

The conditions of so-called “wet markets” are ideal for incubating new diseases and bolster their transmission. Photo credit: Elizabeth L. Bennett/WCS

Recent examples of such emerging or re-emerging zoonoses include Rift Valley fever, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), pandemic influenza, Yellow fever, Avian Influenza, West Nile virus, the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS), and most recently COVID-19.

However, our current knowledge of zoonotic diseases and spillover mechanisms is still at its infancy. It is estimated that less than 0.1% of all viruses that may pose a threat to global health are now known to have been transmitted from animals to humans[4].

More than 300,000 viruses are estimated to await discovery in mammals, many of them bearing zoonotic potential. In the U.S.-funded PREDICT program, researchers estimate that there are more than 1.6 million unknown viral species in mammals and birds, 700,000 of which could pose a disease risk to humans, based on years of information gathering.

“In wet markets across the globe, live and dead animals — including many wildlife species — are sold for human consumption.”

Facing such a vast, unknown and unpredictable universe of zoonotic agents, we firmly believe that limiting the chances of contact between human and wild animals is the most effective way to reduce the risk of emergence of new zoonotic diseases.

In “wet markets” across the globe, live and dead animals — including many wildlife species — are sold for human consumption. In close quarters, a mix of saliva, blood, urine and other bodily fluids brush up against vendors and consumers alike. The conditions of these markets are ideal for incubating new diseases and bolster their transmission. They form one of the most detrimental bridges created by man over the natural barriers that previously separated humans and wild animals.

Destruction of nature is increasingly putting humans in contact with pathogens for which they have no natural immunity. Photo credit: Nick Hawkins

For example, in 2016, two officials from the Department of Livestock and Fisheries in Lao PDR, Drs. Bounlom Douangngeun and Watthana Theppangna along with One Health experts authored a paper which documented that wild mammals from 12 taxonomic families and capable of hosting 36 different known zoonotic pathogens were traded in only seven markets[5]. It is a similar situation that has enabled the emergence of the previously unknown SARS in central Guangdong Province in November 2002 and now COVID-19 coronavirus in Wuhan, China.

“Ignoring the danger posed by wildlife markets is a massive global public health liability for a healthy world.”

The interface within these wet markets has been largely ignored as a public health topic, but COVID-19 coronavirus has brought this interface back to the forefront and reminded us that ignoring the danger posed by wildlife markets is a massive global public health liability for a healthy world.

As Dr. Christian Walzer emphasized recently this is a “global health priority that cannot be ignored.” It is important to continue calling for three solutions to prevent this complex global challenge: close live animal markets that sell wildlife; strengthen efforts to combat trafficking of wild animals within countries and across borders; and work to change dangerous wildlife consumption behaviors, especially in cities.

For the Silo, Stephen Sautner- Executive Director of Communications, Wildlife Conservation Society- Bronx Zoo

NOTES

[1] Cleaveland et al. 2001. Diseases of humans and their domestic mammals: pathogen characteristics, host rage and the risk of emergence. Phil Trans R Soc Lond B 356, 991–999

[2] Huet T, Cheynier R, Meyerhans A. et al. « Genetic organization of a chimpanzee lentivirus related to HIV-1 » Nature 1990, 345;356–9.

Santiago ML, Range F, Keele BF, Li Y, Bailes E, Bibollet-Ruche F, Fruteau C, Noë R, Peeters M, Brookfield JF, Shaw GM, Sharp PM, Hahn BH (2005). “Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in Free-Ranging Sooty Mangabeys (Cercocebus atys atys) from the Tai Forest, Cote d’Ivoire: Implications for the Origin of Epidemic Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2”. Journal of Virology. 79 (19): 12515–27.

https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/fact-sheet

[3] Demeure C.E., Dussurget O., Mas Fiol G., Le Guern A.-S., Savin C., & Pizarro-Cerda, J. 2019. Yersinia pestis and plague : an updated view on evolution, virulenvce determinants, immune subversion, vaccination and diagnostics. Genes & Immunity 20, 357–370.

[4] http://livescience.ecohealthalliance.org/predict/reports/2018-04-16-edi-measuring-viral-discovery.pdf

[5] Zoe F Greatorex & Sarah H Olson & Sinpakone Singhalath & Soubanh Silithammavong & Kongsy Khammavong & Amanda E Fine & Wendy Weisman & Bounlom Douangngeun & Watthana Theppangna & Lucy Keatts & Martin G, 2016. “Wildlife Trade and Human Health in Lao PDR: An Assessment of the Zoonotic Disease Risk in Markets,” PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(3), pages 1–17, March.

Culture

Aging, Muscular Neurosurgeon Says Building Muscle Best Protection Against Aging

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If you want good health, a long life and to feel your best  well into old age, the No. 1 most important thing you can do is  strength-training, says Dr. Brett Osborn, author of “Get Serious, A  Neurosurgeon’s Guide to Optimal Health and Fitness,”

Build Muscle, Stay Young | IMPACT Magazine

“Our ability to fight off disease resides in our muscles,”  Dr. Osborn says. “The greatest thing you can do for your body is to build  muscle.”

He cites a large, long-term study of nearly 9,000 men  ages 20 to 80. After nearly 19 years, the men still living were those with the  most muscular strength. (BMJ, formerly British Medical Journal, 2008).

Muscle is all protein – “nothing but good for you,” Dr.  Osborn says.

According to ask.com- Popeye is a comic star and an actor in cartoon films and shows. He is 34 years old, born in California and is popularly known as Popeye the Sailor.

Fat, however, is an endocrine organ, meaning it releases  hormones and other chemicals. When a person has excess fat, he or she also has a
disrupted flow of excess biochemicals, which can increase insulin resistance and  boost risk factors for stroke and high blood pressure, among other problems.

“Increased cytokines, an immune system chemical, for  example, are associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease,” Dr.  Osborn says. “You’re only as old as your arteries!” Strength-training has health benefits for everyone, he adds, no matter their size. “Some fat is visceral fat – it’s stored around the organs  and it’s even more dangerous than the fat you can see,” he says. “People who look thin may actually be carrying around a lot of visceral fat.”

So, what’s the workout Dr. Osborn recommends?

“Back to basics,” he says. “These five exercises are the  pillars of a solid training regime.”

•  The squat is a full-body exercise; it’s the basic movement around which all training should be centered. Heavy squats generate a robust hormonal response as numerous muscular structures are traumatized during the movement (even your biceps). Standing erect with a heavy load on your back and then repeatedly squatting down will stress your body inordinately – in a good way — forcing it to grow more muscle.

•  The overhead press primarily activates the shoulders, arm extenders and chest. Lower body musculature is also activated as it counters the downward force of the dumbbell supported by the trainee. From the planted feet into the hands, force is transmitted through the skeletal system, stabilized by numerous muscular structures, most importantly the lower back.

•  The deadlift centers on the hamstrings, buttocks, lumbar extensors and quadriceps, essentially the large muscles of your backside and the front of your thighs. As power is transferred from the lower body into the bar through the upper body conduit, upper back muscles are also stressed, contrasting with the squat, which is supported by the hands. Deadlifts are considered by some to be the most complete training  exercise.

•  The bench press mostly targets the chest, shoulders and triceps; it’s the most popular among weightlifters, and it’s very simple – trainees push the barbell off the lower chest until the arms are straight. This motion stresses not only the entire upper body, but also the lower body, which serves a stabilizing function. This provides a big hormonal response and plenty of bang for your buck.

•  The pull-up / chin-up stress upper body musculature into the body. A pull-up is done when hands gripping over the bar; a chin-up is where hands are gripping under the bar. Nine out of 10 people cannot do this exercise because most simply haven’t put in the effort. It’s also been called a “man’s exercise, which is nonsense,” he says. There are no gender-specific exercises. Women, too, should aspire to enjoy the health benefits entailed with this pillar.

“There are no secrets to a strong and healthier body; hard work is required for the body that will remain vital and strong at any age,” Osborn says. “Always practice proper form and safety. Otherwise, the result will be the opposite of your goal, an injury.”

Culture

Africa without vaccines while Canada doses are wasted

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Canada just moved from having enough doses to vaccinate every Canadian, into a surplus position.

This also means that Canada reached a new very problematic milestone. Doses are going bad in Canada, while desperate people, including frontline health workers in Africa, are still struggling to get access to vaccines.

None of us are safe until all of us are safe. We know this pandemic isn’t truly over until it is over everywhere. Canada MUST share more of our excess doses now. Canada MUST resist the urge to offer 3rd dose “boosters” to healthy Canadians (some of whom are getting them in order to vacation in the Caribbean) while nurses in Senegal are still unprotected.

We have more than enough vaccines, others don’t.

Africa is facing a COVID-19 crisis, cases are surging and the continent is heading towards a global catastrophe. Over the last month deaths from COVID in Africa have increased 80%. Only roughly 3% of Africans have received the first shot, and the continent is not on track to vaccinate 10% of its population by the end of the year. The WHO’s Bruce Aylward said this should be “a scar on all of our consciences.”

What can Canada do?

Meanwhile in Canada, Prime Minister Trudeau announced on July 27th that with 66 million doses received, we have enough to fully vaccinate every eligible Canadian. We have now reached a point where the supply of vaccine exceeds demand, and already Astra Zeneca doses have been thrown away and Moderna vaccines are sitting in freezers nearing their expiry dates.

Canada is the country that has ordered the most vaccines per person: counting optional purchases, enough to vaccinate each Canadian 5 times. Unless the excess doses are shared right now, we could end-up throwing away millions of doses while most of the rest of the world remains unvaccinated. This is a scandal that we cannot let happen.

Vaccines being discarded is not a theoretical concern. In addition to the 300,000 doses from Johnson and Johnson that were discarded due to a manufacturing issue, thousands of Astra Zeneca doses have already been wasted in Canada because they could not be used before their expiry dates. With this vaccine barely been used in anymore, there may be thousands more sitting in freezers or the garbage, and provinces are coy about how many they may be throwing away.  The same is starting to happen with Moderna, with pharmacists unable to put some of the doses they have in arms.

Figure 1: A tale of two pandemics
While Canada is in a very good position, some African countries are seeing an increase in cases with a very small share of their population vaccinated.


Canada has so far committed to share 30.7 million doses with COVAX, the global vaccine distribution mechanism, including a recent pledge to donate the remainder of our Astra Zeneca orders. But there has been no confirmation of when these donated vaccines might reach countries in need.

In addition, new analysis by the ONE Campaign based on data from analytics firm AirFinity shows that at the current rate, Canada will end-up with between 16 and 42 million more vaccines piling up in freezers or thrown away by Christmas, while the pandemic continues raging on in Africa and the developing world.

We not only have a moral obligation to share doses, it is in our own best interest to stop the global spread and emergence of new variants. Until then, more preventable deaths will occur and Canada’s own recovery will be threatened by a shaky global economy. According to the IMF, failing to help the developing world defeat Covid-19 could cost the global economy US$4.5 trillion.

The time to donate more doses is now. Lives depend on it.

Africa is experiencing an increasingly urgent COVID crisis and needs at least 200 million vaccine doses by the end of September to slow the spread and prevent more needless deaths. Canada should immediately transfer all incoming vaccine orders to COVAX, beyond ensuring that there are enough for every Canadians to be fully vaccinated. This should mean at least 12 million more doses shared before the end of September, and in total 16-42 million vaccines donated before the end of the year if we want to end the pandemic and avoid unimaginable waste.

Vaccines being discarded is not a theoretical concern. In addition to the 300,000 doses from Johnson and Johnson that were discarded due to a manufacturing issue, thousands of Astra Zeneca doses have already been wasted in Canada because they could not be used before their expiry dates. With this vaccine barely been used in anymore, there may be thousands more sitting in freezers or the garbage, and provinces are coy about how many they may be throwing away.  The same is starting to happen with Moderna, with pharmacists unable to put some of the doses they have in arms.

It may be tempting for the Government to keep vaccines stockpiled just in case boosters may be needed. But the evidence so far on the need for boosters is far from conclusive, and many experts have warned that it would be counterproductive to start giving third doses to healthy people in rich countries while at-risk populations have not yet had their first shot in developing countries. Stockpiling a product with a short shelf life will inevitably lead to a lot of waste. In any case, Canada has already ordered up to 60 million more doses of Pfizer a year for the next 3 years in case boosters are needed.

The excess doses we have coming in the next 5 months must urgently be shared with countries in need to stem the pandemic globally. Variants spreading around the world pose a threat to Canadians. The longer we wait to vaccinate the world, the more variants we will see and the longer this vicious cycle will continue. The time to donating more doses is now. Lives depend on it.

Up to 42 million doses could go unused in Canada by Christmas

By December 2021, Canada will have received at least 92 million doses of the four vaccines currently approved by Health Canada (Moderna, Pfizer, Astra Zeneca and Johnson & Johnson). If Medicago and Novavax post positive Phase 3 results and are also approved, total supply could increase to 117 million doses. [1]

To fully vaccinate every Canadian, including children under 12 should vaccines be approved for them, 76 million doses will be required in total. These are highly optimistic projections of actual demand, since it is unlikely that 100% of the population will want to be vaccinated.

This means that between 16 and 42 million excess vaccines risk being stockpiled or wasted in Canada by the end of the year. The higher scenario means our excess vaccines would be enough to fully vaccinate everyone in a country like Burkina Faso this year. Right now, 0.01% of people are fully vaccinated in Burkina Faso. For the Silo, Justin McAuley.

Figure 2: A growing stockpile
Even accounting for the already-announced donations, Canada will have millions of excess vaccines

[1] This excludes the 30 million doses already donated to Covax.

Sci-Tech

5G Technology And Induction Of Coronavirus Into Skin Cells

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NOTE- the journal paper was retracted by the author a few days after receiving publication. We do not hold that the paper is factual or not, only that the content is interesting and deserves speculative consideration.

In this research, we show that 5G millimeter waves could be absorbed by dermatologic cells acting like antennas, transferred to other cells and play the main role in producing Coronaviruses in biological cells. DNA is built from charged electrons and atoms and has an inductor-like structure. This structure could be divided into linear, toroid and round inductors. Inductors interact with external electromagnetic waves, move and produce some extra waves within the cells. The shapes of these waves are similar to
shapes of hexagonal and pentagonal bases of their DNA source. These waves produce some holes in liquids within the nucleus. To fill these holes, some extra hexagonal and pentagonal bases are produced.

These bases could join to each other and form virus-like structures such as Coronavirus. To produce these viruses within a cell, it is necessary that the wavelength of external waves be shorter than the size of the cell. Thus 5G millimeter waves could be good candidates for applying in constructing virus-like structures such as Coronaviruses (COVID-19) within cells.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is the main problem this year involving the entire world (1- see full PDF below).

This is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. This virus is a member of related viruses that cause diseases in mammals and birds. In humans, coronaviruses cause respiratory tract infections that can be mild, such as some cases of the common cold (among other possible causes, predominantly rhinoviruses), and others that can be lethal, such as SARS, MERS, and COVID-19.

Among them, COVID-19 is an enveloped virus with a positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome and a nucleocapsid of helical symmetry. The genome size of coronaviruses ranges from approximately 27 to 34 kilobases, the largest among known RNA viruses (2, 3 see full PDF below). To date, many scientists have tried to find a method to cure this disease (4, 5 see full PDF below); however, without success.

COVID-19 may have effects on different types of cells. For example, it has been argued that this virus may have some effects on dermatologic cells (6 see full PDF below). On the other hand, it has been known that some waves in 5G technology have direct effects on the skin cells (7 see full PDF below).

Thus, there are some similarities between effects of COVID-19 and waves in 5G technology.

A new question arises regarding a relationship between 5G technology and COVID-19. The 5G technology is the fifth-generation mobile technology in which its frequency spectrum could be divided into millimeter waves, mid-band, and low-band. To find out how this may cause the creation of COVID-19 in human cells continue here to read the full PDF.

Silo article via – Biolife 0393-974X (2020)
Copyright © by BIOLIFE, s.a.s.
This publication and/or article is for individual use only and may not be further reproduced without written permission from the copyright holder.
Unauthorized reproduction may result in financial and other penalties
DISCLOSURE: ALL AUTHORS REPORT NO CONFLICTS OF
INTEREST RELEVANT TO THIS ARTICLE. 3
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL REGULATORS & HOMEOSTATIC AGENTS Vol. 34, no. 4, xx-xx (2020)

Dr Massimo Fioranelli,
Department of Nuclear,
Sub-nuclear and Radiation Physics,
Guglielmo Marconi University,
Via Plinio 44-00193, Rome, Italy
e-mail: m.fioranelli73@gmail.com
5G Technology and induction of coronavirus in skin cells
M. Fioranelli1, A. Sepehri1, M.G. Roccia1, M. Jafferany2, O. Yu. Olisova3,
K.M. Lomonosov3 and T. Lotti1,3
1Department of Nuclear, Sub-nuclear and Radiation Physics, G. Marconi University, Rome, Italy;
2Central Michigan Saginaw, Michigan , USA; 3Department of Dermatology and Venereology, I.M.
Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia

Culture

People In Japan, Spain, France Are Unhappy With Government COVID Response

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Paris, France May, 2020 — Sentiment over whether governments are doing a good job of containing the coronavirus pandemic has swung in a number of countries over a month, according to the latest Ipsos poll.

A majority of people in nine out of 13 countries feel their government is doing a good job of containing the spread of COVID-19 in a survey of nearly 26,000 respondents conducted on April 23 to 26. People in India (87%), Australia (84%), Canada (81%), Germany (75%) and Italy (61%) are most likely to say this, while those in Japan (62%) and the hard-hit European countries of Spain (60%) and France (51%), and Russia (47%) were most likely to cite a poor job by their government.

May 4, chart 1.jpg

But when you look back to polling results from more than a month ago – March 19 to 21 – sentiment has fallen the most in some key countries at the center of the outbreaks. Japan is at the top with their view of government response down 18 percentage points, followed by France (-13), Brazil and Russia (-9), Italy (-5), and the United States (-4).

On the other end, a positive view of the government’s work has increased in Germany (+26 points), Australia (+24 points), Mexico (+13), and Canada (+10) since March. Sentiment in the United Kingdom has remained unchanged with three in five people (59%) happy with the government response.

May 4, chart 2.png

In terms of how people view the work of an international agency – the World Health Organization – a majority of people in 11 out of the 13 countries surveyed think the WHO is doing a good job in containing the spread of COVID-19, but this sentiment has fallen since March in nine out of 12 countries where Ipsos has tracked opinions.

People in the emerging markets of Mexico (78%), India and Brazil (75%) are most likely to be satisfied with the WHO’s response, followed by the developed nations of Canada (69%) and the U.K. (64%). The only two countries where more people disagree with the job done by the WHO are Japan (63%) and Russia (42%).

Other Ipsos research shows when respondents are asked about the performance of institutions in preventing the spread of the virus other aspects of the issue, including the economic effects of shutdowns, also influence how they evaluate institutional performance relative to containing the spread of COVID-19.

May 4, chart 3.png

The countries seeing the biggest decline in regard for the WHO’s response are France (-14), India and Russia (-12) and Australia (-9). Germany (+13) and Japan (+2) are the only countries where satisfaction with the WHO’s role has increased.

May 4, chart 4.png

https://www.ipsos.com/en/view-governments-job-contain-covid-19-falls-hard-hit-countries-rises-others

About the Study

These are the results of an Ipsos survey conducted April 23rd to 26th, 2020 on the Global Advisor online platform among 25,992 adults aged 18-74 in Canada and the United States and 16-74 in Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, India, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Spain and the United Kingdom. Where available, tracking results from previous studies, conducted through April and March and selected results from February are referenced by date.

The sample for April 23rd to 26th consists of approximately 2,000 individuals in each country. The samples in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, the U.K. and the U.S. can be taken as representative of these countries’ general adult population over age 16 or 18 (as above) and under the age of 75. The sample in Brazil, India, Mexico, Russia, and is more urban, more educated and/or more affluent than the general population and should be viewed as reflecting the views of the more “connected” segment of the population. The data is weighted so that each market’s sample composition best reflects the demographic profile of the adult population according to the most recent census data.

Where results do not sum to 100 or the ‘difference’ appears to be +/-1 more/less than the actual, this may be due to rounding, multiple responses or the exclusion of don’t knows or not stated responses. The precision of Ipsos online polls are calculated using a credibility interval with a poll of 1,000 accurate to +/- 3.5 percentage points. For more information on the Ipsos use of credibility intervals, please visit the Ipsos website (www.Ipsos.com).

For the Silo, Darrell Bricker, PhD CEO, Ipsos Global Public Affairs

About Ipsos

Ipsos is the world’s third largest market research company, present in 90 markets and employing more than 18,000 people.

Our passionately curious research professionals, analysts and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions, opinions and motivations of citizens, consumers, patients, customers or employees. We serve more than 5000 clients across the world with 75 business solutions.

Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos is listed on the Euronext Paris since July 1st, 1999. The company is part of the SBF 120 and the Mid-60 index and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD).

ISIN code FR0000073298, Reuters ISOS.PA, Bloomberg IPS:FP www.ipsos.com
Featured image: Philippe Lopez/AFP/Getty Images/CNN

Culture

Chloroquine For Covid-19 Treatment

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Misinformation is a dangerous byproduct of our digitally driven information age- never more so when it relates to human health issues. Earlier this week, the Globe and Mail ran a skewed article that was more interested in bashing Trump than helping patients.

Fact Check

Any drug when taken in massive amounts is not without risk and perhaps this should have been the focus of the Globe and Mail article. Chloroquine is readily available in most of Africa and was misused since it was taken in dangerous quantities and in deed, the Chloroquine poisoning reported in the article was a result of misuse. “Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih, a senior assistant to the Lagos State governor on health issues, said hospitals across the state have started receiving patients suffering from choloroquine poisoning. In a tweet she urged Nigerians to refrain from massive consumption of the drug.”

The Choloquine paper found at the end of this article may help in setting the record straight. Writer/chemist/researcher Donald H. MacAdam: “Covid-19 is a new virus so there is no “herd immunity” and spread can be rapid. In the coming weeks testing of healthy people will probably show a large number have had the virus all along without knowing it. It remains a serious threat to elderly people not in good health (especially where there is easy passage between individuals as in long term facilities) but then so do many other viral infections. There are also instances where, like most viruses and populations, and in the case of the Manhattan lawyer and returning Italian tourist, particularly virulent strains are widely spread by particularly contagious individuals. When that happens, once the concentration of infected rises above a threshold, the disease spreads widely and quickly.”

Chloroquine A Case For Treatment Of COVID-19Download

Politics

Why A College Of Kinesiology For Ontario?

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FYI exercise is medicine image: www.hungry-runner.com

Toronto, Ontario  – The numbers are well-known – regular exercise can reduce the risk of heart disease by 40 per cent, lower the risk of stroke by 27 per cent, decrease the incidence of high blood pressure and diabetes by 50 per cent and lower the risk of colon cancer by 60 per cent.  Exercise has also been noted to reduce mortality and the risk of recurrent cancer by 50 per cent and to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s by a third.

It is clear that the role of exercise and the profession of Kinesiology, as human movement professionals, will continue to grow.

“The creation of  the College of Kinesiology of Ontario set the stage for a significantly increased focus on the role of physical activity in both the prevention and a treatment of illness and chronic disease,” said Janice Ray, President of the Ontario Kinesiology Association.

But instead of being concerned with the single hour that clients and patients spend in the gym or rehab facility, many Kinesiologists are focusing on ways to help promote optimal health during the other 23 hours of the day as well.

Dr. Chris Ardern, a Kinesiology Professor at York University, and a Research Scientist at Southlake Regional Health Centre in Toronto, has spent his career focusing on obesity and physical activity and how they affect a number of other precursors to chronic disease.  Dr. Ardern has published or co-authored almost three dozen papers on obesity and physical activity.

Beyond the standard focus on leisure-time activity, says Dr. Ardern, more attention needs to be paid to curbing the sedentary time people spend at work or commuting. A focus on  daily routine from a more holistic point of view is required instead of just how much time is spent being “moderate-to-vigorously active” if we are to make a more significant impact on preventing obesity, chronic disease and other illnesses.

Like obesity, physical inactivity is now understood as a serious problem, says Dr. Ardern. He suggests that aggressive promotion of physical activity is vital to offseting the impact of obesity and chronic disease. For Kinesiologists who see the consequences of our current lifestyles every day, there is a sense of urgency to counter-act the relentless marketing surrounding foods high in fat and sugar, and the inactvie lifestyles that come from sitting in front of some kind of screen for hours on end.

“Every little bit helps,” says Ray, referring to every opportunity, nor matter how small, to get moving throughout the day.  “Modern lifestyles often don’t leave much time for dedicated physical activity, and too many if us aren’t even programmed to think about the little opportunities that can really make a difference.”

Here are some simple ideas to get you started:

·      Avoid elevators and escalators – take the stairs whenever possible (at least take them down if up is too much) ·      Park in the back corner of the shopping mall or workplace parking lot (spots are easier to find too) ·      Walk to the corner store (remember walking is a real mode of transportation) ·      You don’t have to be a smoker to get outside on your break, (go ahead, enjoy a breath of fresh air and move around) ·      Share a walk with your kids, spouse, significant other, sibblings, parents, friends etc. (it’s a great way to talk without having to look at each other, or just as good – not talk)

The important role of physical activity to reduce the risk of chronic disease are well documented.  Large and small efforts all combine to reduce the risks of many chronic diseases, and when combined with the benefits physical activity brings to the treatment and management of chronic disease and illness and the it becomes clear the Provincial Government should be including a greater focus on physical activity to improve outcomes for patients and improve the quality of life for the people of Ontario.

About Kinesiology
As authorities on movement and exercise, Kinesiologists are committed to enhancing quality of life through the promotion of physical activity and workplace safety, the prevention and management of injury and chronic disease, and the improvement of health and performance.

About the Ontario Kinesiology Association (OKA)
The Ontario Kinesiology Association (OKA) is the voice for Kinesiologists in Ontario. Actively working on behalf of its members, the OKA is dedicated to promoting Kinesiology as an integral part of Ontario’s healthcare team and raising the profile of the profession across the province. For the Silo, John Armstrong

Earth

Winds Of Change Bring New Environmental Reality

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The Ontario government is taking action to address issues of climate change.  Once in office, we have been acting as quickly as possible to fulfill our commitment to Ontario families and businesses.  For example, we revoked the cap-and-trade carbon tax and ended emissions trading and allowances. In addition, we have now released our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan that takes concrete steps to protect our air, water, and land and fight climate change.

Climate change is here.  It is a reality and our environmental legacy will be predicated on our capacity to adapt, and to stop the worst consequences from materializing.

Fortunately, another reality is the fact the Ontario government is committed to protecting the environment using a sensible and balanced approach that creates jobs, respects taxpayers and grows the economy. But it is important to discuss what we’re fighting…the actual impact climate change can have on all of us.

Our government understands that climate change is a reality. It is a serious, worldwide problem.

More frequently, we hear media reports of severe weather that results in flooded basements, structural damages, and costly cleanups—sometimes in our own backyard. And the insured losses we’ve incurred in Ontario during 2018 give an unnerving snapshot of the consequences.

Earlier this year, a storm caused more than $46 million of insured damage in Brantford, Cambridge, London and the GTA. A spring storm in southern Ontario resulted in almost $80 million in costs. Soon after, winds and rains hit Hamilton and the GTA and caused over $500 million in damage. Last summer, a rainstorm in Toronto caused $80 million in damage. Further, we can’t forget the destruction left in the path of the Ottawa tornadoes this September.

The people across Haldimand-Norfolk are close to the land and are among the first to notice changes in the weather and the attendant damage and costs extreme weather can inflict on crops and buildings.  Farmers and those that work outdoors have long been aware of fluctuating temperatures and are taking note when scientists predict that the average annual temperature in Ontario could be increasing significantly.

Prediction Ontario Rising TemperaturesMilder winters and hotter summers create a paradise for insect and plant diseases. Are you getting more tick and mosquito bites? Lyme disease and West Nile virus, and other mosquito and tick-borne diseases, have been moving northward as our part of the world warms.  And with increasing temperatures and phosphorus loads, many have taken notice of Lake Erie’s more frequent algal blooms and accelerated aquatic plant growth.

These aren’t news items from a far-off land.  These events effect our health, increase food costs, hurt our communities, and can mean large repair bills and higher insurance premiums.

In a subsequent column, I’ll discuss our Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan and how it’s constructed to meet the needs of Ontarians by protecting and conserving our air, land and water; fighting litter and waste; building resilience to the impacts of climate change—particularly extreme weather—and illustrating ways for all of us to do our part to decelerate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

As one with a background in agriculture and the outdoors, I’m excited about our environment plan. It draws on the expertise of environmentalists, scientists, stakeholders, Indigenous people, and the general public—more than 8,000 ideas and recommendations were received through our online portal.   But more on that in a future column. For the Silo, Toby Barrett.

Earth

Ontario To Citizenry: Fight Lyme Disease, Protect Yourself From Ticks & Mosquitoes

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Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health is reminding all Ontarians to protect themselves and their families against Ticks, Lyme disease and West Nile virus this summer.

Dr. David Williams is asking people to take simple measures to avoid being bitten by blacklegged ticks that can carry Lyme disease. If not identified and treated early, infection can lead to recurring arthritis, neurological problems, numbness and paralysis.

Reducing exposure to ticks is the best defense against Lyme disease. You can protect yourself and family by:

  • Wearing closed-toe shoes, long-sleeved shirts and pants
  • Pulling your socks over your pant legs to prevent ticks from crawling up your legs
  • Wearing light-coloured clothing to spot ticks more easily
  • Using insect repellent containing DEET or Icaridin on clothing as well as on exposed skin, following the instructions carefully
  • Showering or bathing within two hours of being outdoors to remove ticks that can be on your skin but not yet attached
  • Doing a daily full body check for ticks. Young blacklegged ticks can be as small as a poppy seed, so look carefully. Check children and pets for ticks as well.

West Nile Virus Mosquito TransmissionDr. Williams is also reminding Ontarians to protect themselves from mosquito bites to reduce their risk of getting infected with West Nile virus. Simple precautions to take include:

  • Using insect repellent containing DEET or Icaridin on clothing as well as on exposed skin, following instructions carefully.
  • Wearing light-coloured clothing, a long-sleeved shirt and long pants
  • Making sure screen doors and windows are in good repair to keep mosquitoes outside
  • Eliminating mosquito breeding sites around your home by emptying standing water in flowerpots and birdbaths on a regular basis, and getting rid of compost and dense, overgrown shrubbery.

Tick Removal TweezersMost people who catch West Nile virus will experience fever, head and body aches, a mild rash and swollen lymph glands. More serious symptoms include encephalitis (swelling of the brain), difficulty swallowing and confusion. Adults 50 years of age and older and people with underlying medical conditions and/or weaker immune systems are at greater risk.

If you or a family member are experiencing serious symptoms and health effects, or have concerns about any symptoms, contact your health care provider right away.

QUOTES

“Ontarians should definitely enjoy all the province has to offer outdoors this summer. However, they should keep in mind that while outdoors, they can be exposed to Lyme disease and West Nile virus. Taking the necessary precautions to prevent tick and mosquito bites is the best defense against these diseases.”

— Dr. David Williams, Ontario’s Interim Chief Medical Officer of Health

“As a public health physician, I know that Lyme disease is a serious issue. Our government is committed to protecting Ontarians from Lyme disease and other diseases carried by ticks and mosquitoes. It’s important that all Ontarians take these simple steps to protect themselves while enjoying the outdoors this summer.”

— Dr. Eric Hoskins, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care

QUICK FACTS

  • Risk areas for Lyme disease in Ontario include: Thousand Islands National Park area (prior to 2013, known as the St. Lawrence Islands National Park), Long Point Provincial Park, Rondeau Provincial Park, Point Pelee National Park, Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, Wainfleet Bog Conservation Area, Turkey Point Provincial Park, Pinery Provincial Park, Rouge Valley, and locations in the Rainy River region of Northwestern Ontario.
  • If you have visited Lyme disease risk areas and are exhibiting symptoms, let your doctor know. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics if diagnosed and treated early.
  • West Nile virus has been reported in different parts of Ontario – cities as well as rural areas. Contact your local public health unit to find out when and where you are most at risk to exposure to West Nile virus.

LEARN MORE

 

Philanthropy

Toronto Company Raising Cancer Fighting Funds Via Funky Gowns

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Giftgowns logoGiftgowns, a Toronto based company specializing in redefining the archaic hospital gown, announced today the release of a limited-edition gown to raise funds and awareness for the Canadian Cancer Society in celebration of October Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The alternative hospital gown features graphics driven to motivate and inspire patients with quotes such as “You are Magic” and “Warrior”, available online at WWW.GIFTGOWNS.COM throughout the month of October.

Giftgowns Medical Gown “This October, we are pleased to partner with Giftgowns in the fight against breast cancer,” states Zahra Karimi, Corporate Development Officer at Canadian Cancer Society. “At the Canadian Cancer Society, we are taking action against the disease by funding high-quality breast cancer research, educating women about early detection and providing information and support services to those living with the disease.”

Founded by Jackie Moss under two years ago, Giftgowns’ inspiration originates from Moss’ own experience within some of Canada’s finest medical facilities. As a former patient, Moss recognized the need to create a modern, humourous and functional gown designed with snap enclosures on the backs and sleeves. The gowns are designed to make patients feel more comfortable in pyjama-like pieces that they might wear at home and aid healthcare practitioners easy access for medical needs.

“Breast Cancer Awareness Month is dedicated to not only raising awareness but working to save lives and we wanted to be part of this national effort,” says Jackie Moss, Founder, Giftgowns. “10% of the proceeds from the sale of the special edition gown will be donated directly to the Canadian Cancer Society.”

Giftgowns proceeds fight cancerMoss consulted with breast cancer survivors who gave positive feedback on the gown especially after a mastectomy. One survivor noted the function of the gown as an asset, with the easy access during the recovery period at home as more useful than a traditional robe or housecoat that cannot accommodate drainage tubes. For the Silo, Dani Matte.

MORE ABOUT GIFTGOWNS

Made with purpose, Giftgowns give patients an opportunity to share an active sense of their personal character with what they wear – even when dealing with less than ideal medical situations. Designed with the intention to bring positivity and a fresh take on the archaic hospital gown, Founder Jackie Moss believes creative and colourful hospital gowns give patients of all walks of life the ability to find individuality and joy through something as simple as a dressing gown.

Giftgowns ships worldwide daily through the e-commerce platform, www.giftgowns.com, as well as through Amazon and Etsy.

About the Canadian Cancer Society

The Canadian Cancer Society is a national, community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is to eradicate cancer and enhance the quality of life of people living with cancer. Thanks to our donors and volunteers, the CCS has the most impact, against the most cancers, in the most communities in Canada. For more information, visit cancer.ca or call our toll-free bilingual Cancer Information Service at 1-888-939-3333 (TTY 1-866-786-3934).

 

Culture

Canada Sent Untested Experimental Ebola Vaccine To WHO

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*translated from original Cuban-Spanish article from cubadebate.cu Ebola Quarantine

Vacunas-experimentales – ebola Mientras register more infections and deaths from ebola in several countries in Africa – the latest report is in Nigeria – death, Canada sent to the World Health Organization (who) an experimental vaccine being developed against the disease.

Gregory Taylor, Deputy Director of public health at the health agency of Canada, said that you between 800 and 1 000 doses of the vaccine, known as VSV-EBOV, doctors without borders were sent to a hospital in Geneva at the request of the who, and also to the organization.

The drug has not been used in humans, but Tuesday the ethics of the who panel said that the severity of the current epidemic in West Africa justifies the use of unapproved drugs.

The new fatality in Nigeria is a worker of the economic community of West African States (Ecowas) who died at age 36 in Lagos.

He informed the organization that had infected by having contact with the American Advisor to the Liberian Government, which flew in July to Lagos and there led disease. The man fainted at the airport and was treated without that were known at the beginning that it was ebola.

Since then, the employee of Ecowas was quarantined. His case raises three deaths by the virus in Nigeria, where there are more than 100 people in observation. Gambia, Ivory Coast and Zambia have suspended flights from that country for fear of contagion. Doctors without borders, which has hundreds of partners in West Africa, welcomed the decision of the who to use experimental drugs, but warned that they alone will not stop the problem and making it remains to increase massively the medical team.

As of August 9, 2014 there were about 1,800 confirmed and suspected cases of ebola in the region and more than 1,000 deaths, according to who figures.

Culture

Recover From A Hyper Summer By Using Theanine

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While barbecues, sports leagues, family vacations, days at the beach and nights out with friends are fun, keeping up with summer recreation while maintaining a steady work schedule can be challenging, says Budge Collinson.

And before we know it, we’ll be back into the busy fall grind, getting kids up and off to school, participating in clubs and civic groups that have been on summer hiatus, and yes, before we know it, planning for holidays!

“We like to tell ourselves that there will be a period of rest before the next big thing, but usually there isn’t,” says Collinson, a food science expert with a passion for health and fitness. “The truth is, most of us like having full and often fast-paced lives, even if we tend to get worn out more quickly as we get older.”

Don’t resort to caffeine and other stimulants for a temporary energy boost, Collinson says.

“Replacing the nutrients that are depleted when you’re active is a much smarter way to maintain or increase your energy level, and many of those nutrients have long-term benefits as well,” says Collinson, who formulated an effervescent, natural multivitamin beverage called Youth Infusion, to make it easier to get all the essential nutrients and minerals in one 6-ounce drink.

He discusses the revitalizing powers of specific nutrients:

CoQ10 for that extra energy boost. Every cell in your body uses CoQ10 to produce energy, but your heart needs it the most. CoQ10 can help balance your blood pressure, and its mature aging.

Arginine to help with your endurance during workouts and your daily routine. Arginine helps the cardiovascular system by assisting in nitric oxide production, making the arteries more elastic. It also supports the functioning of your hormones and s waste and promotes wound healing.

Theanine helps support better moods. Theanine is a calming extract of green tea. Clinical research indicates that it helps focus a distracted mind. To a lesser extent, theanine has also been shown to reduce anxiety.

Resveratrol: a versatile antioxidant for term peace of mind. Resveratrol promotes healthy circulation, prevents cholesterol oxidation and protects your entire cardiovascular system from the effects of dangerous free radicals. Initial research shows resveratrol helps defend the body against a number of diseases, including Alzheimer’s, heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
Vitamin D – for when the sun isn’t as bright as Up to 90 percent of the vitamin D the body needs comes from sunlight, which is in much shorter supply after summer. Vitamin D is required for the regulation of the calcium and phosphorus in the body. It also plays an important role in maintaining proper bone structure and supporting immunity.

About Budge Collinson

Budge Collinson was the beneficiary of his mother’s natural health formula as a sick baby, which led to a deep interest in health and wellness at a young age. After years of research and seeing the growing demand for natural products with clinical support, he founded Infusion Sciences,
www.infusionsciences.com. Collinson earned a bachelor’s degree in food and resource economics from the University of Florida and certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Recently, he became a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and consistently attends the Natural Products Expo, where he learns the latest science and news about nutritious ingredients. Collinson is also a go-to source for media outlets across the country for healthy lifestyle and food source discussions.