1. Zoology Mating Strategy: First Come, First Serve Microbiology How many bacteria live within us? Students Share Their Own Experience! What is their research like? Science Survival Guide 2013 Dogmatism What's the danger in it? What to Feed Your Brain? ... and more ! http://oformi.net/gallery/zhivotnye/23652-cyaishub.htm Stem Cells iPSC cells replacing lab animals? 2. September Contents THE TEAM EditorinChief Kelsey Huus Production Manager Aleksandra Shalakahova Authors Annalise Mathers Kelsey Huus Aleksandra Shalakhova Jason Kwan Julia Bayne Aida Ahrari Liam Peet-Pare Sophie Fiset Vanessa Nzeribe Katherine Shan Paula Adler Danielle Walker Editors Paula Adler Nasim Haghandish Sophie Fiset Onyi Maduekwe Elizabeth O'Reilly Jennifer Simpson Madiha Sadaf Illustration Mariko Sumi Special thanks to the SSA 2 CATALYST Science Briefs...........................................................3 Woman Drinks Coke Instead of Water for 16 Years Cocaine Use Related to Educational Achievement Weather Forecast for 2018: Cloudy With a Chance of Climate Change Human Body is Ninety Percent Bacteria Welcome to The Big Leagues..............................4 A 'Ground' Breaking Discovery............................5 Science Survival Guide 2013 ..............................6 A Research Journey................................................7 Immerse Yourself: Science Extracurriculars.8 Brain Food: Eating Like a Scientist...................9 Students Talk About Their Experience..........10 Lean, Share, Grow The First Step Poetic Corner...........................................................11 Ode to a Young Scientist The Stem Cells Conundrum................................12 Cover Story..............................................................13 Frogs Mating Strategy is First-Come, First Serve The Danger of Dogmatism..................................14 Sources.....................................................................15 3. WOMAN DRINKS COKE INSTEAD OF WATER FOR 16 YEARS Have you ever wondered what would happen to you if you drank two litres of cola each day instead of water? The doctors who treated a 31-year-old woman who drank only cola for 16 years could tell you: severe arrhythmia, fainting fits (falling flat on the ground), and dangerously low blood potassium levels. Lets hope she drank Diet Coke or they might have to treat her for Type 2 diabetes as well. COCAINE USE RELATED TO A PERSONS EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT According to an article published in the American Journal of Public Health, the people most likely to use cocaine are those with a low level of educational achievement. The price of cocaine fell sharply during the 1980s (from roughly $600/g in the early 1980s to $120/g in 2013), which may be why 1.5% of young adults in the United States report cocaine use in the past month. But really, did we need a study to tell us that cocaine use and educational achievement are inversely correlated? (Interesting fact: Coca-Cola contained cocaine from the time it was launched in 1886 until 1903, when cocaine was removed from the recipe). WEATHER FORECAST FOR 2018: CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE Global warming has been, well, a hot topic. In 2007, a group of researchers from the United Kingdom published a controversial paper in the journal Science that presented audacious predictions of how the global climate and temperatures would change until 2018. The team used a dynamic global climate model that takes into account the state of the atmosphere and ocean together with projected levels of man-made greenhouse gases and solar irradiance in order to establish forecasts for a whole decade. The model predicted that 2014 would be 0.30C warmer than 2004, and that half or more of the years between 2009 and 2018 would be warmer than 1998 (the two warmest years on record are 1998 and 2005). And while changes in climate thus far have not been quite as Paula Adler, 4th Year BIM dramatic as predicted, they have been significant. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changes most recent Assessment Report, the rate of warming over the last 50 years is almost double that over the last 100 years (0.13C 0.03C vs. 0.07C 0.02C per decade). HUMAN BODY IS NINETY PERCENT BACTERIA It might be hard to swallow, but the human body is made up of approximately 1014 bacteria and only 1013 human cells. Most of these bacteria reside in the gastrointestinal tract, where they are estimated to represent between 500 and 1,000 different species and are responsible for several beneficial effects for their human host. The guts microflora is involved in everything from the development of the immune system and protection against pathogens, to the metabolism of dietary nutrients and regulation of signalling molecules such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor and norepinephrine. Interestingly, these bacteria are also implicated in several diseases and disorders including cancer, obesity (recently labelled by the American Medical Association as a disease), allergies, and diabetes. Diseases may occur when the microbial balance is upset, as can happen when taking antibiotics. 3 CATALYST http://wolvesonceroamed.com/2011/08/05/global-warming-and-sharks/ 4. WELCOME TO THE BIG LEAGUES Annalise Mathers, 3rd Year BIM Maybe you were the golden child one of the best and brightest at your high school, ready to be hired as Canadas next top doctor. Or maybe you were right square in the middle of your class but thought science was pretty cool and wanted to continue on with it. Or maybe you simply harbour a secret passion for science. Whatever the reason, and wherever you come from, congrats! You made it to university and will soon learn what the real world of science entails. University is the chance to discover yourself and what you really love, and the place where you can be who you want to be. What matters more here is what youll bring to the classroom and lab and the connections youll make. To succeed, its all you, kid. As a first year student, especially one living away from home, the demands suddenly thrust upon you are immense. Dont worry though, cause it promises to be one of the best times of your life. Youre king or queen of your domain, and decisions are all up to you: when to go out and when to study, when to exercise (if at all), what to eat, who to hang out with, toutes les choses! Youll make some bad decisions (probably at least one in Hull its a given) but will come to realize the type of person you want to be. For those of us in science, thats an important thing. Science is a field thats demanding and the pressure to succeed can sometimes feel out of this electron orbital. You will be among peers as you compare midterm grades, gasp over unfairly marked lab reports, catch up on sleep in useless tutorials, and sit through those painful Monday morning lectures. But really, its all about balance. Despite what you might think, even with your daunting schedule there will be plenty of time to be active, eat well, and go out, while still having the time to study and do well in your courses. Remember that your studies are important and the reason why youre here, but they arent everything. The people you meet and the things you do are worth just as much, if not more. A few words of wisdom: get to know people. The people in your classes are the students you will be at university with for the next four years, and possibly longer, and ultimately they will help focus you and shape you into the person you will become. The connections you make at university surpass those made in high school; you never know where someone or something could take you, and everyone you meet has something unique to offer. Be outgoing and introduce yourself to other students and professors alike. Next, get involved. While science is pretty dang cool, you will quickly come to realize that there exists a whole realm outside of the lab. Find another activity, volunteer position, job, or organization that you love and that gives you a different outlook in the world. University is great because of all the opportunities that exist here you can literally join anything you want to, and if it doesnt exist you can create it. Ottawa is also one of the coolest places to live. It has all the amenities of a city, but theres something that makes it feel like a small town, too. When you start running into people you know everywhere you go, youll know ILLUSTRATION OF THE MONTH Mariko Sumi, 3rd Year PHY 4 CATALYST 5. what I mean! There is something for everyone in this city and great opportunities to get involved off-campus. The world today calls for individuals with a multitude of skills simply acing every organic chemistry exam aint gonna cut it (although it does call for mad respect). Finding a passion other than science is key, be it a sport, writing, art, music, gaming, languages, international relations, or politics and Ottawa has it all. The world is at your fingertips here, but it is up to you to reach out. That being said, 101week will be littered with more organizations, presentations, people, booths, and flyers than our ecosystem can handle. My advice is to explore the possibilities and find something that peaks your interest. Make sure its something youre actually passionate about before you go signing your name on every list. Its great to try a few things with the new friends youre making, but in the end its you who has to make the effort to participate in these activities. Attend a couple of meetings or read up on the organization, but if something doesnt click, commit yourself to something else instead. There are so many opportunities out there that youll find something that fits it might just take a while. The great thing about joining something anything is the experiences you will have, the people you will meet, and the opportunities that will arise. And so, youll find that when you truly love participating in something, you wont mind going at any time of day or night. The same idea stands for research, too. Many science students are so immensely caught up in research that it might seem to them that getting a job with a professor is everything. Guess what? Its not. Research is a fantastic way to get your nose in the door and explore other career paths, but it isnt for everyone. Be careful; talk to profs and make sure you understand their research before you approach them to join their lab. Its a great connection to make, but if you get in the lab and have no idea what youre doing or find out you dont like it, all that effort can feel like a waste. Surprise, surprise, but science can lead you in a lot more directions than just becoming a doctor. Find your passion and the rest will follow. GROUND BREAKINGSCIENTIFICDISCOVERY: ALCOHOLMADEFROMUSEDCOFFEEGRINDS Sophie Fiset, 5th Year BIO If there are two things university students know how to consume like nobodys business, we all know its coffee and booze. Now, a team of Spanish and Portuguese scientists at the University of Minho in Portugal has developed a method of producing alcohol from used coffee grounds said to contain up to 40% ethanol, giving coffee addicts and alcoholics alike yet another way to get their daily fix. This wonder concoction begins with heating coffee grounds in water to a temperature of 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes. Next, sugar and yeast are added and the mixture is allowed to ferment. Afterwards the sample is concentrated to obtain a higher alcohol content. Science magazine notes that this process is not entirely different from the one used to produce other distilled beverages such as whiskey and rum. But really; coffee and alcohol together - what more could you ask for? According to a group of eight trained taste testers brought in by the researchers, the drink was pleasant and smelled like coffee, but left a pungent and bitter taste. Overall, the group decided that the beverage was drinkable, but recommended aging the mixture to alter the taste. Unfortunately, if its a caffeine jolt youre looking for, youll have to get your kicks elsewhere, as the caffeine is lost during the brewing process. So how do you like your coffee black, double-double, or on the rocks? 5 CATALYST http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/ SpecialtySoapRecipes/tp/Soap-And-Candle-Projects-Inspired-By-Beverages.htm 6. 1.Get involved. There are so many options: clubs, sports teams, student councils. You'll meet new people, create awesome memories and live university life to the max. Plus, it will make your rsum extra impressive! 2.Attend class. Chemistry might be the last thing you want to think about at 8:30 on a Monday morning especially if weekend shenanigans have kept you up late but it's well worth it. Studies show that class attendance is the most significant predictor of academic success. 3.Be bold. Don't be afraid to say hello to the person sitting next to you in class or to that guy across from you in your lab section. Big classes can feel isolating, but it's the perfect chance to make new friends! 4.Stay on top of things. This is one of the first things older students say when asked for advice. It's oh-so- tempting to put work off until later, but if you value your mental health, keep ahead. Nobody wants to experience the panic of five deadlines at once. 5.Start a skip jar. Challenge your roommates to put a dollar in the jar every time they skip class attaching a tangible price to skipping is a great way to break the habit. Then, at the end of the year, donate the money to charity and let someone benefit from your wayward schooldays. 6.Try something fun. There's tons to do in downtown Ottawa. Check out $12 student tickets at the NAC, shopping at the Rideau Centre, food in the Byward Market, or movies at the Bytown! 7.Volunteer. It's rewarding and enriching, improving both the community and yourself. The Centre for Global and Community Engagement at uOttawa offers a database of amazing opportunities and will even recognize your dedication with an official Co- Curricular Record. 8.Secondhand textbooks. During the first few weeks of each semester, the halls around Marion basement will become papered with lists of secondhand textbooks for sale. Check out the facebook page USED TEXTBOOKS uOttawa. 9. Order online. If you can't find the textbook you need second-hand, save yourself hour-long lines by ordering them online from Agora or the uOttawa Bookstore. They will let you know when your order is ready and you'll be able to pick up the books in no time. 10. Have an adventure. You can study abroad via uOttawa's exchange program or do summer volunteer trips across the globe. The Ontario Universities Program in Field Biology offers courses taught everywhere from Taiwan to Tanzania! 11.Plan your courses early. When picking classes for next year, don't forget to check out the 3rd and 4th year courses that catch your eye. Chances are, there are some prerequisites you should get out of the way early on. 12.Facebook it. Most first-year classes will quickly have a Facebook group associated with them and if they don't, start one yourself! They allow you to easily share resources, discuss questions and organize study groups. 13.Open your lab manual. Laboratories can be overwhelming; a lot of instructions are thrown at you, you may be working with unfamiliar tools and you will definitely have a lot of questions. Carefully prepping the lab ahead of time reading the manual, creating value tables or looking up unfamiliar terms will make you feel a lot less lost. 14.Have more fun. Too much school? Take a haunted walk, have a picnic on Parliament Hill, go skating on the canal (don't forget the beaver tails!) or visit one of Ottawa's many museums. 15.Use your resources. There's an invaluable Math Help Centre in Marion 021, a Physics Help Centre in 2nd floor MacDonald, and a Chemistry Help Centre off the teaching labs on Marion's third floor. Get your questions answered by a qualified TA and work on homework with your peers. 16.Free gym membership! Feeling overworked? Go do some laps in the pool or show up for a weekly Zumba class it's a great way to relax and stay healthy! Kelsey Huus, 3rd Year BIO 6 CATALYST6 CATALYST apscms.net 7. 17. Visit your profs. They don't bite - in fact, professors are often far less intimidating than they seem during the lectures. They set aside office hours specifically to answer your questions, so go ahead and ask 'em. Plus, it never hurts to be on good terms with your prof. 18.Roommate agreement. It can be a good idea to deal with problems before they happen sit down together and come to an agreement about cleanliness, noise, and/or party etiquette. 19.Keep up with the readings. Desperately reading 10 chapters the week before the final is not the way to go. You'll better absorb the material and be much less stressed if you read in small, manageable chunks In Psychology, Dr. Myers suggests reading a sub-chapter per sitting. 20.Free magazine subscriptions. As a uOttawa student, you have access to all of the papers that our university subscribes to, including prestigious scientific journals such as Nature. Simply log on to the library website using your uOttawa email and password and get caught up on the latest research! 21.Science buddies. Look for this friendly group of mentors and faculty members in Gendron 075. Have questions about your courses? Feeling stressed or overwhelmed? They're here to help! 22.Try the research experience. It can be competitive, and it can be a lot of work, but it can also be a bucketload of fun wrapped in amazing rsum potential. Summer NSERC scholarships or the uOttawa UROP program are a great way to get into a lab. 23.Procrastination, begone. If you're always stuck doing the last- minute-cram, try a simple trick; mark the dates down a couple days earlier than they really are. You'll be ready with time to spare. 24.Relax. It may seem like a lot of changes all at once, but you're not alone. You've made it to university; be proud of your accomplishments and look forward to a fantastic, fun-filled year! A RESEARCH JOURNEY - Julia Bayne, 4th Year CHM In the fall of 2013, I applied to take part in the Inorganic Chemistry Exchange Program (ICE) and was accepted to my first choice - McGill University. ICE is a nation-wide exchange program that provides undergraduate students the opportunity to experience ground-breaking inorganic chemistry research at another university in Canada. The program is for 16 weeks during the summer, where all the students participate in an end-of-term conference and give a presentation in front of fellow professors and students. This year I am travelling to the University of Calgary! My research at McGill involved variable-temperature and high-pressure micro- Raman spectroscopy of artists' pigments. I studied cadmium selenide (CdSe) cadmium red; lead (II) molybdate (VI) (PbMoO4), one component of orange molybdate; and cadmium telluride (CdTe). Temperature measurements were obtained from -150 to 600 C and pressures from ambient to ~ 5 GPa. Overall, the results I obtained illustrated their stability upon extreme conditions, as the spectra all remained relatively stable. Evidently, the stability of these pigments reinforces their continued use in art work and provides a basis for art restoration and the determination of forgeries. I encourage all science students to try research, whether you think you will enjoy it or not, and to apply for different scholarships and programs - even if they take you out of your comfort zone. Dont be afraid to overstep your boundaries and delve into something new, refreshing and a little bit scary. ...Apply for different scholarships and programs - even if they take you out of your comfort zone! 7 CATALYST 8. THE UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA UNDERGRADUATE CHEMISTRY SOCIETY (UOUCS), also known as the 'Chem Club', serves as a social framework for bringing students of chemistry and other related fields together. One of the Chem Club's core missions is to host fun social activities which aim to instill a sense of community for the students, staff and faculty of science. Trivia nights, study sessions and pub outings are just some of the annual events and parties we organize . We also sell club merchandise such as t-shirts and hoodies and, during our weekly office hours, serve as an academic aid to those studying chemistry. In addition, we organize scientific seminars throughout the school year on a variety of current interesting topics. To become a member (free of charge!), simply visit our webpage, http://www.chem.uottawa.ca/ugradassoc and click on the 'Join Us' tab. And be sure to look out for our 1st year liaison elections later this Fall! uottawachem@gmail.com PRE-MEDICAL SOCIETY The University of Ottawa Pre-Medical Society is a student-based club that strives to help like-minded students achieve a career in the medical field. Every year the club hosts multiple events such as Med 101, seminars, and MCAT sessions to prepare students for medical school. We are proud to say many of our members have managed to get into medical schools in places all over the world, and we are pleased to be part of their success story. The club is open to all students, so feel free to join the group. We would be happy to help you achieve your goals. uopremed@gmail.com THE CATALYST The Catalyst is a student science journal committed to educating, entertaining and enlightening students all over campus. Every two months we share the latest discoveries in everything from biomedicine to quantum mechanics, chat about faculty events, and keep it light with some of our favourite science-themed humour. Want to see your name in print? editor.uocatalyst@gmail.com. UNDERGRADUATEGEOSCIENCESASSOCIATION The University of Ottawa Undergraduate Geosciences Association (UGA) is a social framework for those students interested in or studying Earth Sciences. Through social events and peer mentorship, our goal is to make students aware of research, networking, and job opportunities available within the geosciences community and department. Two major events to look forward to this year are our participation in the annual Jeux de la Gologie (this year hosted by l'Universit Laval in Quebec City), and our graduation Earth Ring Ceremony (show your pride and help build the uOttawa legacy). Keep your eyes on your uOttawa e-mail inboxes and around the department for information on how to get involved, and on our upcoming fall elections. Make the best of your undergraduate experience and join the UGA! uOttawaUGA@gmail.com. BIO-X Bio-X is a University of Ottawa club dedicated to increasing awareness about career/education opportunities in science as well as increasing science students involvement in the field of science. The Bio-X Club hosts career nights in the fields of Medicine, Dentistry, and Veterinary Sciences, to name a few. We are actively recruiting new students to come and help out with the club! SCIENCE EXTRACURRICULARS IMMERSE YOURSELF! Still searching? ARISE ROBOTICS CANADIAN SOCIETY FOR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND BIOSTATISTICS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES (EVS) CLUB iGEM (INTERNATIONAL GENETICALLY ENGINEERED MACHINE) CLUB SCIENCE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION STUDENT BIOCHEMISTRY CURRICULUM COMMITTEE WOMEN IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (WISE) 8 CATALYST 9. SCIENCE HUMOUR Schrodinger's cat walks into a bar... ...and doesn't. BERRIES: Add some blueberries or raspberries to your morning smoothie! These sweet and colourful fruits contain polyphenols (which plants use for self- defense). This means that the berries you eat have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in your body, and your brain. A report by Shibu M. Poulouse states that polyphenols present in brightly colorful fruits like berries may forestall the onset of dementia and improve memory indices in humans. Alternatively, you can try pomegranates, sweet potatoes, green tea, red wine, or best of all dark chocolate! SEAFOOD: Try some coldwater fish with dinner tonight salmon and mackerel are good choices! Seafood is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids. In particular DHA (one of the three groups of omega-3s) is abundant in seafood. According to a 2013 study by Stonehouse et al., DHA has been shown to accumulate in areas of the brain involved in memory and attention such as the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. The same study concluded that, DHA supplementation improved memory and reaction times of memory in young adults whose habitual diet was low in DHA. So order up some sushi. Otherwise, you can get your daily dose of DHA from lobster, oysters, eggs, or fortified milk. Whether you are a freshmen living away from home and cooking for yourself for the first time, or just a returning student determined to bring up your cGPA, you might want to try adding these simple foods to the menu. Your brain will thank you! BRAIN FOOD: EATING LIKE A SCIENTIST Vanessa Nzeribe, 2nd Year BIM What did you eat for breakfast this morning? Do you remember what you ate yesterday? Did you eat breakfast at all? If your answer to any of these questions is Pop-Tart, coffee, or leftover pizza, you might want to reconsider your options as we begin a new semester. This month we welcome a crowd of impressionable freshman, with rich young minds and hopeful aspirations for their university careers. I wish them all the best, but let me begin by imparting some valuable advice. If you want to get the most out of the $6000+ of tuition youve paid, you need to put your nutrition first. It doesnt matter how smart you were in high school, or how many hours you spend reading and highlighting and staring at your laptop screen in the library. It doesnt matter if you study in groups or by yourself or even if you dont study at all (though for the record, you should study). You will never be able to recall the atomic mass of tungsten or remember the names of the arteries and veins in the human body if you dont feed the most important organ in your body the brain. Its true that many scientists have the bad habit of eating fast food and scavenging vending machine treats during late night research sessions. And Im not even going to try and pretend that I dont eat more Skittles before my evening labs than a child on Halloween night - we all have our weak moments. But when we supercharge our brains with the following nutritious and delicious foods, were taking a step in the right direction. Try the following foods if youd like to maintain that great memory, bolster concentration, and attain a truly superhuman immune system: LEAFY GREENS: Vegetables like spinach, broccoli, and cabbage contain high levels of a form of vitamin K called phylloquinone. Vitamin K plays an important role in the metabolism of sphingolipids. Sphingolipids are abundant in cell membranes of the central nervous system, so vitamin K is essential for optimal cognitive functioning. According to a 2012 article by Guylaine Ferland, mean phylloquinone intakes were significantly lower in participants with Alzheimers Disease, compared to controls. Add some vitamin K to your meals! Some alternatives include spring onions, curry, and asparagus. 9 CATALYST www.sciencecartoonsplus.com/ 10. Mireille Khacho and Pamela Khacho, a PhD student in the Neuroscience Department. Presentations are followed by a discussion session in which the audience is encouraged to ask questions and offer new perspectives. Meanwhile, students enjoy free pizza, a much anticipated part of the program. The top three presenters are announced at the end of the summer. The presentations feature a wide range of cutting edge research. For example Shruti Mallyas project, supervised by Dr. Ramirez, looked at ways of enhancing the quality of Platelet Concenrates that are manufactured by Canadian Blood Services and used in hospitals to treat patients in need of platelet transfusions. Elizabeth Rosss project, supervised by Dr. Tsilfidis, looked to see whether adipose-isolated mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate into the proper cell types in the retina, and potentially integrate. For me, it was the aura of pizza that first led me to the conference room in which the program was held. Upon attending a few sessions, I began to network with other likeminded students who shared my interest in scientific research. Ultimately, it was the encouraging atmosphere along with the exciting research that drew me to the event week after week. Overall, attendees find the program fosters an interest in scientific research that inspires them as the next generation of scientists. In order to build a brighter future, we need to invest in training our next generation of scientists early on in their education. FMSSP exemplifies the early intervention approach as it serves to guide and mentor undergraduates in the field of scientific research, with the ultimate goal of advancing the future of science. LEARN, SHARE, GROW THE FACULTY OF MEDICINE SUMMER STUDENT PROGRAM: A GROWING INITIATIVE Aida Ahrari, 1st Year BIM From Newtons discovery of the light bulb to Frederick Bantings discovery of insulin, scientific research has advanced our modern world in ways previously unimagined. As we continue on the path of discovery, it is up to the next generation of scientists to take scientific research to new heights. Fortunately, the University of Ottawa is determined to train young scientists by offering several excellent undergraduate research opportunities. However, while conducting experiments is fundamental for establishing a future in the scientific world, there seems to be a lack of opportunities for undergraduates to present their research or engage in a scientific discussion among their peers. In an attempt to fill the gap between conducting and presenting research for young scientists, Dr. Mireille Khacho, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Ottawas Faculty of Medicine, has taken the initiative to establish the Faculty of Medicine Summer Student Program (FMSSP). Mireille Khacho says I feel that students should be trained from the onset not only with the technical aspects of performing experiments, but also to develop and formulate research questions, analyze data and present their findings in a scientific format. These tools are essential to becoming a successful scientist and require us to foster creativity, logical reasoning, and a proper foundation of presentation skills. In the spirit of attracting young scientists, undergraduate summer students at the Faculty of Medicine are encouraged to attend weekly meetings. Students present their research to their peers and the evaluators, "Students should be trained from the onset not only with the technical aspects of performing experiments, but also to develop and formulate research questions, analyze data and present their findings in a scientific format." FOR EXCLUSIVE ONLINE-ONLY CONTENT VISIT: UOCATALYST.TUMBLER.COM 10 CATALYST 11. THE FIRST STEP Jason Kwan, 1st Year BIM In June of this year, I participated in a five day cumulative laboratory assessment at my high school where everything learned since the beginning of grade 9 was tested. Walking out of that assessment, I thought to myself that I was finally prepared to work in a real laboratory. When I showed up at the laboratory for work, I was not formally shown where the equipment and materials were located or where the projects occurred. Instead, I was led to receive the first part of my two-step tuberculosis test and my identification pass. Soon after, I was fitted with a lab coat, given a lab book, and forty-five minutes after the start of my first day, I was ushered directly into the lab. The most impressive thing to me was all the equipment and supplies in the laboratory. It was truly an upgrade from estimating how many drops formed 1 millimetre to being able to use precise pipettes. Within moments, I was hearing unfamiliar acronyms like GFAP (Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein) and BLBP (Brain Lipid-Binding Protein). Although this sidelined me for a couple of minutes, I was inspired by watching the other members of the team work together efficiently; it was like entering the real professional world. As my supervisor Dr. Eve Tsai said to me: we get things done around here. The overall objective of the laboratory is to regenerate the spinal cord in order to repair a severed or damaged spinal cord. My summer involvement consisted of the testing of a biomaterial known as polycaprolactone (PCL) and its effects on the proliferation and differentiation of neurospheres grown from rat brains and spines. Polycaprolactone is a polyester that can degrade within the body by hydrolysis. Naturally, it is important to know that if PCL were to be used in spinal cord regeneration, it would not cause any harm to the cells. I was involved with the staining of neurospheres in order to collect data and aid in determining whether or not there were adverse effects with the use of PCL. Every day, I would work in the lab for about eight hours. However, the duration completely depended on which part of the project was to be done. For example, staining for cell proliferation with Bromodeoxyuridine (BrDU) requires a 24-hour wait, so if the stain was put in at a later time, I would stay an extra couple of hours longer to complete the stain. It was fun discovering that I wanted to stay later I wanted to stay as long as it took to discover the results. Learning to use the equipment around the lab was one of the most exciting aspects of my summer experience as well as constantly researching new and interesting things in neuroscience to understand the project better. My favourite piece of equipment was the robotic microscope since it was always a pleasure taking pictures by means of immunofluorescense. Although at times certain lab work was a little tedious, I still found that it was very enjoyable going every day to conduct research, and being in the frontiers of science was mind-blowing. I greatly look forward to next year when I hope I will have the opportunity of returning to this laboratory to work again. ODE TO A YOUNG SCIENTIST* Aleksandra Shalakhova, 4th year BIM Icebox. Headphnes. Nitrile gloves. Bench top's well lit. Pipette is ready. Today is yet another day- Your mind is set and hand is steady. No band. You sigh and cry'n frustration. Now neighbour lab can hear your moans. Tomorrow's day repeats itself: Ice box. Nitrile gloves. Headphnes. *Inspired by Alexander Blok 11 CATALYST sci-ence.org 12. THE STEM CELLS CONUNDRUM Katherine Shan, 2nd Year BIM If youve taken a biology course at any time in the past few years, you might be familiar with the term stem cell. In the case of humans, when fertilization occurs, the single-celled zygote that is created will divide and differentiate, eventually forming every cell in the human body. A stem cell is an undifferentiated (or pluripotent) cell that has the potential of becoming any type of specialized cell, and embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are abundant in the growing embryo. The appeal of using stem cells in research and technology is clearsince they can literally become any cell, they could ideally be used to replicate and replace any living cell as well. The advancements that they could bring to medical, biopharmaceutical, and biotechnological industries to name a few would be astronomical. However, there has been controversy surrounding the ethical usage of ESCs for research ever since it was first involved in a study in 1998. Given that an embryo is considered a living being, using its cells for research and robbing it of an opportunity to further develop without its consent can arguably be considered murder. Since very little work could be done with ESCs themselves, scientists quickly turned their attention to uncovering alternative sources of stem cells. And, after decades of persistence, a very recent breakthrough yielded cells known as induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). While ESCs are naturally formed, iPSCs are created by taking a specialized cell and reverting it to a pluripotent state. iPSCs are usually generated by transcription factor-based reprogramming. As the name suggests, the reversion to a pluripotent state is achieved by introducing specific transcription factors into the somatic cell. These factors interact with the cells DNA and, through the activation and silencing of genes, shape the epigenome into that of a stem cell. Throughout the procedure, there are three phases: a stochastic phase at the beginning (where the changes are random and have no known order), a deterministic phase at the end (where specific changes occur in a specific order), and an intermediate phase in the middle (which represents the rate-limiting step). An experiment, lasting twelve days in total, showed that the stochastic phase occurred mostly within the first three days; and the deterministic, in the last three. In addition to the distinct structures of these phases, they are distinguished by the genes that are activated or repressed. Immediately following factor induction, genes associated with cell proliferation, metabolism, and cytoskeleton organization are upregulated. Histone marks are influenced and begin to change. It is in the next phase - the intermediate phase - that pluripotency-related genes are activated. This process is entirely stochastic, which contributes to its long duration, and is also the theorized cause for the intermediate phase being the rate-limiting step. Finally, genes controlling cell development and maintenance are upregulated in the last phase. This allows the modified stem cell to uphold a stable pluripotent state. However, it is important to keep in mind that reprogramming may not always be successful. Not all cells introduced to transcription factors will initiate into the first phase, nor is there any guarantee that a cell in the stochastic phase will ever have its pluripotency-related genes enabled. Even if a somatic cell has been successfully reformed into a stem cell, that stem cell might not be scientifically useful. There are many genes, and combinations of genes, that could induce pluripotency. As a result, two phenotypically identical iPSCs could actually have distinct underlying genotypes; the factors could have acted on different genes, and/or regulated similar genes differently, all to achieve the same end product. Furthermore, it has been shown that the transcription factors used to create iPSCs also cause oncogenic stress upon the cells, which could lead to additional genetic abnormalities. Other determinants that affect final iPSC yield (in quality and quantity) are ratios of transcription factors, and in vitro conditions. This lack of homogeneity is currently a major setback in analytical and clinical applications of iPSCs. For example: discrepancies between a control-group iPSC and a disease-infected iPSC might be due to their respective genotypes, and not be relevant to the disease. Such an incident would surely impact the credibility of results. Despite these flaws, iPSCs have already been put to great use. They have been used to replicate cells of the cerebral cortex, retina, and pituitary gland in vitronot just as a mass in a Petri dish, but also as tissues with realistic 3D forms. 12 CATALYST 13. In 2010, Kobayashi et al. successfully reproduced functioning rat pancreatic tissue via iPSC injections into living rats unable to naturally form their own pancreas. In the future, iPSCs are expected to replace lab animals as the primary subject for disease testing and drug therapy. Medicines that are effective for other animals do not always function in the human body, and using iPSCs in place of animals eliminates many ethics controversies. Disease-specific iPSC lines in other words, groups of iPSCs purposely infected with a given disease have been involved in studies as early on as 2008. Hypothetically, they could be used for drug screening as well. Scientists are not only hoping to eventually regenerate entire organs using iPSCs, but to derive the iPSCs from patients themselves so that the recreated organ would be entirely compatible with the patient. Yet perhaps the greatest advantage that iPSCs have to offer is the abundance of somatic cell sources. In theory, any somatic cell, regardless of how specialized it is, can be converted to a stem cell state. Presently, the favoured cells for reprogramming are found in human venous blood, owing to the relative simplicity of blood cells (and thus a lower likelihood of genetic mutations). Though it is far from perfect, iPSC technology also presents many exciting new opportunities. It is a first research priority for many laboratories worldwide, and definitely deserves the interest and support of the global scientific community. OOPHAGA PUMILIO, THE STRAWBERRY POISON-DART FROG: A FIRST-COME-FIRST-SERVE MATING STRATEGY Danielle Walker, 4th Year BIM When it comes time for a female to choose her mate, a wide variety of strategies exist in the animal kingdom: who has the brightest colours, who sings the loudest, or who controls the herd. While these strategies may be preferred by other animals, the female strawberry poison-dart frog (Oophaga pumilio) has a slightly different approach: the grab- whoever-is-closest strategy. The males of the strawberry poison-dart frog species will use a lek-style strategy to display to the females. In cases where one gender vastly outnumbers the other, the choice of mate goes to the outnumbered gender. In this case, the males outnumber the females, so it is up to the females to choose their mate. Lek-style displaying involves many individuals of one gender being critiqued at once, by gathering and displaying together. In the case of the strawberry poison-dart frogs, the males all gather in a lek and call to the female. The female may then chose from the many males displaying to her. The female strawberry poison-dart frogs strategy varies slightly from other typical examples of lek-style selection in that she shows no preference for any characteristic displayed by the males, but simply selects the one that is closest. In studies where speakers are set up playing calling sounds of different qualities, she simply shows preference for the closest speaker. While this strategy may not seem evolutionarily beneficial, it seems to work for the strawberry poison-dart frog. It has been shown that if a female does not find a mate in time, she will lay unfertilized eggs that will never hatch. In this case, it seems it is best for her to find a lesser-quality mate and risk having lesser-quality offspring than to have none at all. 13 CATALYST en.wikipedia.org 14. THE DANGER OF DOGMATISM Liam Peet-Pare, 3rd Year MAT For hundreds of years, European thought was dominated by the belief that the only source of knowledge about the world was truth revealed by scripture. This meant that learned members of the clergy became guardians of truth, and opinions and hypotheses which contradicted church and scripture were seen not only as false, but also as dangerous and heretical. Some famous intellectual consequences of this epoch were the belief that the universe is only several thousand years old, the belief in a geocentric universe, and of course the belief that the Earth is flat. Gradually this epistemological basis began to be questioned, both by religious reformers such as Martin Luther, and by thinkers whose theories appeared to contradict the truth proclaimed by church and scripture. The endeavors of individuals like Johannes Kepler, Nicholas Copernicus, and Galileo Galilei called into question the legitimacy of a scripture based epistemology and heralded the beginning of what would later be known as the Scientific Revolution. Along with his support of the Copernican heliocentric solar system, Galileo began to develop a method for testing hypotheses through experimentation. Building upon the writings of individuals such as Rene Descartes and Roger Bacon, this method focused on criteria that could be objectively measured and quantified and experiments that could be reproduced in order to test their validity. Galileos early formulation of this system of inquiry gradually evolved over time to become what we know today as the Scientific Method. Over the years, as the application of this scientific method proved to be a very effective means for addressing questions regarding how the world works and why it works the way it does, it replaced scripture as the central means for providing ever-curious humans with explanations about the world. Unfortunately, our belief in the scientific method has taken on a similar religious fervor as that which was once reserved for the Church and Bible. Adherence to the scientific method has all too often turned into blind faith. A dogmatic adherence to the scientific method is not merely a benign issue for philosophical pedants to quibble over, but has consequences for both the way science is practiced and our society in general. Treating the scientific method as dogma and failing to educate students of science in the historical development and fallibility of the epistemological basis upon which their discipline depends is dangerous. It often results in the assumption that scientific discoveries are some sort of fundamental truth about the world rather than merely being a particular way to describe phenomena. The philosopher Ludwig Wittgensteins remark helps to illustrate this point: How should we get into conflict with the truth, if our footrules were made of very soft rubber instead of wood and steel? Well, we shouldnt get to know the correct measurement of the table. You mean: we should not get, or could not be sure of getting, that measurement which we get with our rigid rulers. Measuring a table with rigid rulers which give consistent measurements is not truer or more correct than using flexible rubber measuring instruments; it is just more useful to us. This point can be extended to the scientific method in general. For example, the universe described by Newtonian mechanics is quite different from that described by Einsteinian mechanics, yet each has in its time been viewed as a description of reality. It was only when it became clear that Einsteins theories provided more accurate predictions and descriptions of observable phenomena (thus being more useful) that the scientific communitys conception of space and time changed. Yet neither of these theories are fundamental truths nor mirrors of reality; they are descriptions, metaphorical and mathematical, that have proven to be useful. If science is not striving towards truth but rather utility, it needs to be evaluated according to this calculus. A dogmatic belief in the scientific method blinds us to this necessity and privileges scientific knowledge over other forms of knowledge as it is seen as truer or more correct. If scientific discoveries are viewed as discoveries of truth or reality, it makes it difficult to evaluate the utility of the discovery because it appears to be incontrovertible. Furthermore, if we are not able to critically analyze the scientific method, we will not be able to improve our epistemology and science will be at risk of stagnation. If the goals of science are the search for knowledge and the overcoming of ignorance, the scientific method itself must be subject to the critical examination that honest intellectual rigor demands, or science may well replace medieval Christianity in standing as an impediment to genuine progress. 14 CATALYST 15. Works Cited Welcome to the Big Leagues - Annalise Mathers, 3rd Year BIM Immerse Yourself: Science Extracurriculars submissions from UOUCS; Pre-Medical Society; The Catalyst; UGA; Bio-X. In the Lab: Student Stories The First Step Jason Kwan, 1st Year BIM A Research Journey - Julia Bayne, 4th Year CHM Lean, Share, Grow - Aida Ahrari, 1st Year BIM Science Survival Guide 2013 Kelsey Huus, 3rd Year BIO A healthy teenager is a happy teenager. Understanding Society, March 2012. Web. 18 Aug 2013. . Myers, David. Psychology. 9th edition. Worth Publishers, Michigan, 2012. 12. Print. Schiming, Richard. Class Attendance. Minnesota State University, Jan 2013. Web. 28 July 2013. . The Danger of Dogmatism Liam Peet-Pare, 3rd Year MAT Monk, Ray. Ludwig Wittgenstein the Duty of Genius. New York: Penguin Group, 1990. Print. A Ground Breaking Discovery Sophie Fiset, 5th Year BIO Sampaio, Armando et al. "Production, chemical characterization, and sensory profile of a novel spirit elaborated from spent coffee ground." LWTFood Science and Technology (2013). Brain Food: Eating Like a Scientist Vanessa Nzeribe, 2nd Year BIM Ferland, Guylaine. "Vitamin K, an Emerging Nutrient in Brain Function." BioFactors 38.2 (2012): 151-7. Print. Poulose, Shibu; Carey, Amanda Shukitt; Hale, Barbara. "Improving Brain Signaling in Aging: Could Berries be the Answer?" Expert review of neurotherapeutics 12.8 (2012): 887-9. Print. Stonehouse, Welma Conlon, Cathryn Podd, John Hill, Stephen Minihane, Anne Haskell, Crystal Kennedy, David. "DHA Supplementation Improved both Memory and Reaction Time in Healthy Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial." The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 97.5 (2013): 1134-43. Print. The Stem Cells Conundrum Katherine Shan, 2nd Year BIM Buganim, Yosef, Dina A. Faddah, and Rudolf Jaenisch. Mechanisms and Models of Somatic Cell Reprogramming. Nature Reviews Genetics 14 (2013): 427439. Web. 1 Aug. 2013. Takahashi, Kazutoshi, and Shinya Yamanaka. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Medicine and Biology. Development 140 (2013): 24572461. Web. 1 Aug 2013. QuickNews Paula Adler, 4th Year BIM Woman Drinks Coke Instead of Water for 16 Years Nosowitz, Dan. Woman Drinks Coke Instead of Water for 16 Years. PopSci. 25 June 2013. Website. Accessed 21 July 2013. . Human Body is Ninety Percent Bacteria Tancrde, C. (1992) Role of human microflora in health and disease. Eur J Clim Microbiol Infect Dis, 11(11):1012-1015. Sekirov, I., Russell S.L., Antunes, C.M., & Finlay, B.B. (2010) Gut microbiota in health and disease. Physiol Rev, 90(3): 859-904. Cocaine Use Related to Educational Achievement Harder, V.S., and Chilcoat, H.D. (2007) Cocaine Use and Educational Achievement: Understanding a Changing Association Over the Past 2 Decades. Am J Public Health, 97(10):1790-1793. What is the scope of cocaine use in the United States? September 2010. Website. Accessed 21 July 2013. . Cokes Original Recipe Reportedly Found: Was It More, Or Less, Healthy? And Was There Really Cocaine In It? The Huffington Post. 15 February 2011. Website. Accessed 21 July 2013. . Weather Forecast for 2018: Cloudy With a Chance of Climate Change Smith, D.M., Cusack, S., Colman, A.W., Folland, C.K., Garris, G.R., & Murphy, J.M. (2007) Improved surface temperature prediction for the coming decade from a global climate model. Science, 317(5839):796-799. IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. 2007. Website. Accessed 21 July 2013. . Frogs Mating Strategy is FirstCome, First Serve - Danielle Walker, 4th Year BIM Originally published on Enteroctopusdofleini.wordpress.com BioMed Central Limited. Lovelorn frogs bag closest crooner. ScienceDaily. 20 May 2013. Website. Accessed 21 May 2013. . 15 CATALYST 16. Looking for an extracurricular? Join the Team! Send us an email at editor.uocatalyst@gmail.com for more information @UofOCatalyst uocatalyst.tumblr.com uOttawa's Student Science Journal * Le journal scientifique des tudiants de l'uOttawa phys.org