The Ontario Government passed the Ontario Green Energy and Green Economy Act in 2009. The Act promoted wind turbines and solar panels as a major component of the energy supply for the Province of Ontario as a replacement for coal-fired electricity generation plants. This article provides an economic assessment of the rationales that were offered for this policy, specifically, that the Act would help the Government of Ontario reduce the province’s reliance on fossil fuels, reduce carbon emissions, and stimulate the economy through the creation of jobs. The effects of the policy on the cost of electricity in the province are also considered. The analysis concludes that the Act will not reduce the Province of Ontario’s reliance on fossil fuels due to the inefficiency and unpredictability of wind turbines, ultimately leading to the need to use energy from more readily available sources of electricity such as gas. The need for fossil fuel backup also limits the potential to reduce the green house gas emissions. Keywords: Ontario Green Energy and Green Economy Act (2009); renewable energy; economic review
{"title":"How wind turbines are not generating green energy: An economic review of the Ontario Green Energy and Green Economy Act","authors":"Nathaniel Whittingham","doi":"10.21083/SURG.V7I2.2894","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21083/SURG.V7I2.2894","url":null,"abstract":"The Ontario Government passed the Ontario Green Energy and Green Economy Act in 2009. The Act promoted wind turbines and solar panels as a major component of the energy supply for the Province of Ontario as a replacement for coal-fired electricity generation plants. This article provides an economic assessment of the rationales that were offered for this policy, specifically, that the Act would help the Government of Ontario reduce the province’s reliance on fossil fuels, reduce carbon emissions, and stimulate the economy through the creation of jobs. The effects of the policy on the cost of electricity in the province are also considered. The analysis concludes that the Act will not reduce the Province of Ontario’s reliance on fossil fuels due to the inefficiency and unpredictability of wind turbines, ultimately leading to the need to use energy from more readily available sources of electricity such as gas. The need for fossil fuel backup also limits the potential to reduce the green house gas emissions. \u0000 \u0000Keywords: Ontario Green Energy and Green Economy Act (2009); renewable energy; economic review","PeriodicalId":413751,"journal":{"name":"Studies by Undergraduate Researchers at Guelph","volume":"7 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128927328","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
On the surface, Anatole Livak’s The Snake Pit (1974) contains little more than a socially conservative overuse of pseudo-Freudianism. The film has been rightfully criticized for its departure from the novel on which it was based, specifically in its more traditional approach to Virginia, its female protagonist. To simply dismiss The Snake Pit for these reasons, however, would not do justice to the film’s importance within the history of cinema and psychiatry. This article will analyze the historical and cinematic factors that influenced Litvak’s The Snake Pit, a film worthy of both praise for its social impact and blame for its failure to go far enough. Keywords: Anatole Livak; cinema; history of psychoanalysis; Sigmund Freud; Hollywood
{"title":"Dr. Wonderful and the big bad asylum: Dissecting simplicty in The Snake Pit","authors":"A. Trott","doi":"10.21083/SURG.V7I2.2949","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21083/SURG.V7I2.2949","url":null,"abstract":"On the surface, Anatole Livak’s The Snake Pit (1974) contains little more than a socially conservative overuse of pseudo-Freudianism. The film has been rightfully criticized for its departure from the novel on which it was based, specifically in its more traditional approach to Virginia, its female protagonist. To simply dismiss The Snake Pit for these reasons, however, would not do justice to the film’s importance within the history of cinema and psychiatry. This article will analyze the historical and cinematic factors that influenced Litvak’s The Snake Pit, a film worthy of both praise for its social impact and blame for its failure to go far enough. \u0000 \u0000Keywords: Anatole Livak; cinema; history of psychoanalysis; Sigmund Freud; Hollywood","PeriodicalId":413751,"journal":{"name":"Studies by Undergraduate Researchers at Guelph","volume":"7 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130406774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Indigenous communities are vulnerable to a variety of health risks due to political marginalization, socioeconomic challenges and geographic isolation. Most developed and developing nations rely mainly on biomedical healthcare services, which do not adequately incorporate the use of traditional medicinal knowledge. Peru is home to over 50 Indigenous groups, many of which practice holistic and traditional approaches to healthcare. Peruvian healers and medicinal plants play an integral role in such traditional medicinal systems. Integrative healthcare, which incorporates Indigenous medicine into the biomedical healthcare system, is a potential solution to improving healthcare services for an entire nation. However, integrative healthcare fails to address the lack of accessibility and affordability of the Peruvian healthcare system for marginalized populations. Traditional medicine reflects a multi-dimensional, spiritual and individualized approach to healthcare that is in conflict with the scientific and esoteric nature of the biomedical system. Incorporating traditional medicine into the biomedical system could threaten the existence of traditional medicinal knowledge and decrease the need for dissemination of traditional knowledge and culture. In a Peruvian context, integrative healthcare would have a detrimental impact on the maintenance and dissemination of Indigenous Peruvian medical knowledge. Keywords: Peru; Indigenous; health; policy; traditional, complementary and alternative medicine (TCAM)
{"title":"The effects of integrative healthcare on Peruvian Indigenous groups","authors":"R. Wolff","doi":"10.21083/SURG.V7I2.2931","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21083/SURG.V7I2.2931","url":null,"abstract":"Indigenous communities are vulnerable to a variety of health risks due to political marginalization, socioeconomic challenges and geographic isolation. Most developed and developing nations rely mainly on biomedical healthcare services, which do not adequately incorporate the use of traditional medicinal knowledge. Peru is home to over 50 Indigenous groups, many of which practice holistic and traditional approaches to healthcare. Peruvian healers and medicinal plants play an integral role in such traditional medicinal systems. Integrative healthcare, which incorporates Indigenous medicine into the biomedical healthcare system, is a potential solution to improving healthcare services for an entire nation. However, integrative healthcare fails to address the lack of accessibility and affordability of the Peruvian healthcare system for marginalized populations. Traditional medicine reflects a multi-dimensional, spiritual and individualized approach to healthcare that is in conflict with the scientific and esoteric nature of the biomedical system. Incorporating traditional medicine into the biomedical system could threaten the existence of traditional medicinal knowledge and decrease the need for dissemination of traditional knowledge and culture. In a Peruvian context, integrative healthcare would have a detrimental impact on the maintenance and dissemination of Indigenous Peruvian medical knowledge. \u0000 \u0000Keywords: Peru; Indigenous; health; policy; traditional, complementary and alternative medicine (TCAM)","PeriodicalId":413751,"journal":{"name":"Studies by Undergraduate Researchers at Guelph","volume":"62 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121838956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex disease characterized by autoimmune demyelination of the myelin sheath of the central nervous system. Varying degrees of disability result from disruptions in neural, physical, and psychological processes. No clear cause of MS has been identified, but specific genetic mutations and environmental effects have been established as factors in disease development. However, the low disease concordance rates and transmission disequilibrium observed in MS prevent genetic factors alone from explaining increased susceptibility. As a result, the involvement of epigenetics, or heritable changes in the genome that are not caused by alterations in the underlying DNA sequence, has been proposed to resolve these apparent discrepancies. This article focuses on recent research into three primary epigenetic mechanisms and their relation to MS susceptibility: DNA methylation, histone modifications, and post-transcriptional regulation of target genes by microRNA. These epigenetic phenomena interact with each other and environmental stimuli to produce disease. Promising experimental research has revealed that inhibitors of such epigenetic activity reduce disease phenotypes in animal models. In this article, ways in which epigenetic changes can induce MS development are described and prospective research avenues are proposed. Keywords: epigenetics; multiple sclerosis (MS); DNA methylation; histones; microRNA (miRNA)
{"title":"Epigenetics of multiple sclerosis","authors":"C. Robertson","doi":"10.21083/SURG.V7I2.2935","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21083/SURG.V7I2.2935","url":null,"abstract":"Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex disease characterized by autoimmune demyelination of the myelin sheath of the central nervous system. Varying degrees of disability result from disruptions in neural, physical, and psychological processes. No clear cause of MS has been identified, but specific genetic mutations and environmental effects have been established as factors in disease development. However, the low disease concordance rates and transmission disequilibrium observed in MS prevent genetic factors alone from explaining increased susceptibility. As a result, the involvement of epigenetics, or heritable changes in the genome that are not caused by alterations in the underlying DNA sequence, has been proposed to resolve these apparent discrepancies. This article focuses on recent research into three primary epigenetic mechanisms and their relation to MS susceptibility: DNA methylation, histone modifications, and post-transcriptional regulation of target genes by microRNA. These epigenetic phenomena interact with each other and environmental stimuli to produce disease. Promising experimental research has revealed that inhibitors of such epigenetic activity reduce disease phenotypes in animal models. In this article, ways in which epigenetic changes can induce MS development are described and prospective research avenues are proposed. \u0000 \u0000Keywords: epigenetics; multiple sclerosis (MS); DNA methylation; histones; microRNA (miRNA)","PeriodicalId":413751,"journal":{"name":"Studies by Undergraduate Researchers at Guelph","volume":"57 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"116111491","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Does having more income make you happier? Current literature shows varied results regarding the correlation between perceived happiness and income. This article uses data from Statistics Canada's General Social Survey (GSS) in order to examine the relationship between income and perceived happiness in a Canadian context. Findings indicate that annual income does not seem to be correlated with perceived happiness in Canada, thus challenging the age-old adage that money can buy happiness. Keywords: happiness; income; correlation; Statistics Canada General Social Survey (GSS)
{"title":"The happiness and income correlation in Canada","authors":"Anthony Jehn","doi":"10.21083/SURG.V7I2.2971","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21083/SURG.V7I2.2971","url":null,"abstract":"Does having more income make you happier? Current literature shows varied results regarding the correlation between perceived happiness and income. This article uses data from Statistics Canada's General Social Survey (GSS) in order to examine the relationship between income and perceived happiness in a Canadian context. Findings indicate that annual income does not seem to be correlated with perceived happiness in Canada, thus challenging the age-old adage that money can buy happiness. \u0000 \u0000Keywords: happiness; income; correlation; Statistics Canada General Social Survey (GSS)","PeriodicalId":413751,"journal":{"name":"Studies by Undergraduate Researchers at Guelph","volume":"3 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"115314277","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
L. Liang, Alexis Wagner, J. Steeds, M. Hurtig, K. Gordon
Microfracture surgery is one of the most common treatment options for knee osteoarthritis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the knee joint. However, a recent study by Theodoropoulos et al. (2012) has shown that there are significant variations in the angle of surgical awl used by surgeons in microfracture surgery as well as in the rehabiliation regimen prescribed following surgery. The purpose of this experiment was to characterize the structural properties of femoral bone before and after microfracture, with varying awl angles of impact. Microfracture at three different awl angles of impact, each between 0 and 30 degrees, was conducted on bone cubes cut from femoral condyles. Uniaxial compressive testing was conducted pre- and post- microfracture to determine changes in the stiffness of the bone. The results from this study show that there are significant decreases in the stiffness of femoral bone following microfracture surgery. However, different awl angles do not seem to result in significant decreases in bone stiffness. In addition, these results suggest that at the relatively low awl angles that were tested, differences in the angle of surgical awl used do not significantly affect the structural integrity of knee bone. Uniaxial testing appears a useful tool for characterizing the structural properties of bone, and further animal studies on the stiffness of bone at different timepoints following microfracture surgery could assist physicians in prescribing more suitable rehabilitation regimens. Keywords: knee osteoarthritis; microfracture; biomechanical testing; femoral condyle; awl angle; bone stiffness
{"title":"Characterization of the effect of microfracture surgery and angle of incidence on the structural properties of femoral bone","authors":"L. Liang, Alexis Wagner, J. Steeds, M. Hurtig, K. Gordon","doi":"10.21083/SURG.V7I1.2848","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21083/SURG.V7I1.2848","url":null,"abstract":"Microfracture surgery is one of the most common treatment options for knee osteoarthritis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the knee joint. However, a recent study by Theodoropoulos et al. (2012) has shown that there are significant variations in the angle of surgical awl used by surgeons in microfracture surgery as well as in the rehabiliation regimen prescribed following surgery. The purpose of this experiment was to characterize the structural properties of femoral bone before and after microfracture, with varying awl angles of impact. Microfracture at three different awl angles of impact, each between 0 and 30 degrees, was conducted on bone cubes cut from femoral condyles. Uniaxial compressive testing was conducted pre- and post- microfracture to determine changes in the stiffness of the bone. The results from this study show that there are significant decreases in the stiffness of femoral bone following microfracture surgery. However, different awl angles do not seem to result in significant decreases in bone stiffness. In addition, these results suggest that at the relatively low awl angles that were tested, differences in the angle of surgical awl used do not significantly affect the structural integrity of knee bone. Uniaxial testing appears a useful tool for characterizing the structural properties of bone, and further animal studies on the stiffness of bone at different timepoints following microfracture surgery could assist physicians in prescribing more suitable rehabilitation regimens. \u0000 \u0000Keywords: knee osteoarthritis; microfracture; biomechanical testing; femoral condyle; awl angle; bone stiffness","PeriodicalId":413751,"journal":{"name":"Studies by Undergraduate Researchers at Guelph","volume":"56 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124530767","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative condition associated with cognitive decline. The pathological hallmark of this disease is the deposition of β-amyloid protein plaques (Aβ) in the brain, which evoke neuronal cell death and impair inter-neuronal communication. Past studies have suggested that cannabinoids reduce the levels of Aβ in the brain; however, little is known about the mechanisms involved in this process. In this study, the SH-SY5Y cell line was first examined for expression of amyloid precursor protein (APP), beta-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), and apolipoprotein E (ApoE), genes involved in Aβ production and clearance. All three genes were expressed and detected in the cell line. We then observed the effects of the endocannabinoid anandamide, a CB1 receptor agonist, on the mRNA expression of APP, BACE1, and ApoE in SH-SY5Y cells. After 48h exposure to anandamide, mRNA levels of APP and BACE1 significantly decreased, which could contribute to reduced Aβ levels. The mechanism of action by which anandamide reduces mRNA levels of APP and BACE1 should be further investigated. ApoE mRNA levels were not found to be significantly changed, suggesting that anandamide does not affect mRNA expression of this gene. The effects of cannabinoids on ApoE levels should be further studied as the effects may occur at a level different from mRNA expression and may even occur via a pathway unrelated to CB1 receptor activation. Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; β-amyloid; anandamide; amyloid precursor protein; beta-site APP cleaving enzyme 1; apolipoprotein E
{"title":"The effect of cannabinoids on APP, BACE1, and ApoE mRNA expression","authors":"N. Brar","doi":"10.21083/SURG.V7I1.2852","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21083/SURG.V7I1.2852","url":null,"abstract":"Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative condition associated with cognitive decline. The pathological hallmark of this disease is the deposition of β-amyloid protein plaques (Aβ) in the brain, which evoke neuronal cell death and impair inter-neuronal communication. Past studies have suggested that cannabinoids reduce the levels of Aβ in the brain; however, little is known about the mechanisms involved in this process. In this study, the SH-SY5Y cell line was first examined for expression of amyloid precursor protein (APP), beta-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), and apolipoprotein E (ApoE), genes involved in Aβ production and clearance. All three genes were expressed and detected in the cell line. We then observed the effects of the endocannabinoid anandamide, a CB1 receptor agonist, on the mRNA expression of APP, BACE1, and ApoE in SH-SY5Y cells. After 48h exposure to anandamide, mRNA levels of APP and BACE1 significantly decreased, which could contribute to reduced Aβ levels. The mechanism of action by which anandamide reduces mRNA levels of APP and BACE1 should be further investigated. ApoE mRNA levels were not found to be significantly changed, suggesting that anandamide does not affect mRNA expression of this gene. The effects of cannabinoids on ApoE levels should be further studied as the effects may occur at a level different from mRNA expression and may even occur via a pathway unrelated to CB1 receptor activation. \u0000 \u0000Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; β-amyloid; anandamide; amyloid precursor protein; beta-site APP cleaving enzyme 1; apolipoprotein E","PeriodicalId":413751,"journal":{"name":"Studies by Undergraduate Researchers at Guelph","volume":"70 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"127354746","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Welcome from the SURG editor-in-chief","authors":"A. Acai","doi":"10.21083/SURG.V6I1.2196","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21083/SURG.V6I1.2196","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":413751,"journal":{"name":"Studies by Undergraduate Researchers at Guelph","volume":"33 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122132360","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Benjamin Baena, A. Bronson, T. Jones, Lindsey Champaigne
Coltan is the commonly used term for tantalum, a metal used in electronics, when sourced from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This article considers that a “resource curse,” where a resource-rich country paradoxically experiences low social and economic development, is occurring in the DRC with respect to this mineral. The school of economic thought known as free market environmentalism broadly prescribes free markets, individual property rights, and common-law liability as the incentives to reduce environmental problems. While it is a less-common and sometimes controversial perspective on solving environmental problems, an analysis of a free market environmentalist perspective of coltan mining in the DRC provides alternative perspectives on solving a “resource curse,” such as effective property rights as put forward by Moriss (2009). Considering the practicality of implementing free market environmentalist principles in a war-torn country with weak governance, this article theorizes that the Congolese government could respond to the recent Congo Conflict Minerals Act within the American Dodd-Frank Act (2010) by implementing licenses to mine coltan resources that closely resemble private property rights, drawing on Pearse (1988), in areas of the DRC less affected by conflict. Keywords: Democratic Republic of Congo; coltan; tantalum; mining; free market environmentalism; property rights (privatization of)
{"title":"Applying and assessing free market environmentalism to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s coltan resources: Challenges and possibilities","authors":"Benjamin Baena, A. Bronson, T. Jones, Lindsey Champaigne","doi":"10.21083/SURG.V7I1.2025","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21083/SURG.V7I1.2025","url":null,"abstract":"Coltan is the commonly used term for tantalum, a metal used in electronics, when sourced from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This article considers that a “resource curse,” where a resource-rich country paradoxically experiences low social and economic development, is occurring in the DRC with respect to this mineral. The school of economic thought known as free market environmentalism broadly prescribes free markets, individual property rights, and common-law liability as the incentives to reduce environmental problems. While it is a less-common and sometimes controversial perspective on solving environmental problems, an analysis of a free market environmentalist perspective of coltan mining in the DRC provides alternative perspectives on solving a “resource curse,” such as effective property rights as put forward by Moriss (2009). Considering the practicality of implementing free market environmentalist principles in a war-torn country with weak governance, this article theorizes that the Congolese government could respond to the recent Congo Conflict Minerals Act within the American Dodd-Frank Act (2010) by implementing licenses to mine coltan resources that closely resemble private property rights, drawing on Pearse (1988), in areas of the DRC less affected by conflict. \u0000 \u0000Keywords: Democratic Republic of Congo; coltan; tantalum; mining; free market environmentalism; property rights (privatization of)","PeriodicalId":413751,"journal":{"name":"Studies by Undergraduate Researchers at Guelph","volume":"34 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-02-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"126131098","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rationale: The ability to perform on the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery touchscreen paired-associate learning (PAL) test is predictive of Alzheimer’s disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment. Recently, an automated computer touchscreen PAL task for mice has been developed. Pharmacological validation of this task is warranted to establish it as a useful tool in future drug discovery pertaining to Alzheimer’s disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment. Objectives: This investigation provides a systematic analysis of nicotinic involvement within the PAL task for mice. Particularly, the effects of systemic administration of nicotinic cholinergic agents (agonist and antagonist) on PAL task performance in C57BL/6 mice were investigated. This was done to detect whether bidirectional modification of performance is consequent upon these manipulations. Methods: Upon acquiring the PAL task, nicotine (nicotinic receptor agonist; 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/kg) and mecamylamine (nicotinic receptor antagonist; 0.3, 1.0, and 3.0 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally to the mice in a within-subjects design, prior to daily sessions in the PAL task. Results: Nicotine did not have any significant effect on PAL performance improvement at any doses. However, mecamylamine did increase perseverative responding and reaction time in the mice. Such impairment effects are interpreted as being attentional in nature. Conclusion: This investigation indicates that mice indeed acquire the rodent PAL task, deeming it a valuable tool for future drug discovery. Further, the nicotinic cholinergic system appears to be implicated in PAL task performance, with greater effects seen with deactivation rather than activation of the system, and with these effects appearing to be of an attentional nature. Keywords: paired-associate learning (PAL); Alzheimer’s disease; nicotinic cholingeric system; touchscreen
{"title":"Effects of nicotinic cholinergic system manipulations on paired-associate learning (PAL) in mice","authors":"M. Milanovic","doi":"10.21083/SURG.V7I1.2755","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21083/SURG.V7I1.2755","url":null,"abstract":"Rationale: The ability to perform on the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery touchscreen paired-associate learning (PAL) test is predictive of Alzheimer’s disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment. Recently, an automated computer touchscreen PAL task for mice has been developed. Pharmacological validation of this task is warranted to establish it as a useful tool in future drug discovery pertaining to Alzheimer’s disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment. \u0000 \u0000Objectives: This investigation provides a systematic analysis of nicotinic involvement within the PAL task for mice. Particularly, the effects of systemic administration of nicotinic cholinergic agents (agonist and antagonist) on PAL task performance in C57BL/6 mice were investigated. This was done to detect whether bidirectional modification of performance is consequent upon these manipulations. \u0000 \u0000Methods: Upon acquiring the PAL task, nicotine (nicotinic receptor agonist; 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/kg) and mecamylamine (nicotinic receptor antagonist; 0.3, 1.0, and 3.0 mg/kg) were administered intraperitoneally to the mice in a within-subjects design, prior to daily sessions in the PAL task. \u0000 \u0000Results: Nicotine did not have any significant effect on PAL performance improvement at any doses. However, mecamylamine did increase perseverative responding and reaction time in the mice. Such impairment effects are interpreted as being attentional in nature. \u0000 \u0000Conclusion: This investigation indicates that mice indeed acquire the rodent PAL task, deeming it a valuable tool for future drug discovery. Further, the nicotinic cholinergic system appears to be implicated in PAL task performance, with greater effects seen with deactivation rather than activation of the system, and with these effects appearing to be of an attentional nature. \u0000 \u0000Keywords: paired-associate learning (PAL); Alzheimer’s disease; nicotinic cholingeric system; touchscreen","PeriodicalId":413751,"journal":{"name":"Studies by Undergraduate Researchers at Guelph","volume":"32 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132353892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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