BSA Newsletter: The Telomere Times Issue 2

THE TELOMERE TIMES 2014 | ISSUE #2

Brought to you by

The Biology Students Association

IN THIS ISSUE

Epigenetics

2014 Nobel Prize in Physiology

Interview with Dr. Lessard

E-cigarettes

Tardigrade

Upcoming Events

And More!

THE

TELOMERE

TIMES

THE TELOMERE TIMES | ISSUE #2 2

Editor’s Note

AG

AR

ICU

S M

US

CA

RIU

S (

FL

Y A

GA

RIC

)

Greetings to all of my lovely Biology

students!! Hopefully midterms have come to

an end and everyone did well! Thank you for

taking the time to read our second issue of

the Telomere Times to check out all of the

hard work that our writers, graphic designers,

editors, and supporters put into this issue.

We hope you enjoy it!

We first embark upon our journey

through this newsletter with Max Guglielmi-

Vitullo’s fresh look at epigenetics, followed

by Cassandra Poirier’s article about the 2014

Nobel Prize in Physiology winner. Next we

feature Katherine Levasseur’s interview with

our very own Dr. Lessard from Concordia

University and conclude with Zarin Arshy’s

thought-provoking article about the health

debate of e-cigarettes.

Thank you again for all of your

support and the Biology Student Association

wishes you a Happy Halloween!

Cheers,

Kateland Simmons

VP Communications


President’s Note Happy Hallows’ Eve biology lovers, and welcome to your virtual

trick or treat journey. To some the realm of the unknown is frightening and dangerous, but to a biologist, what better opportunity to uncover the truths of life, than to delve into the unknown history of the biological and medical sciences? In this edition of the Telomere Times, treat yourself to the latest news on novel advancements in epigenetics and neuroscience, while being wary of the tricks that lie ahead from achievements of the past (warning to those with trypophobia!) Finally, take your chances with the grim reaper and trick death for a while longer, by venturing into the debate of e-cigarettes.

Midterms have gone by, or for some are bound to rear their ugly heads again; to wish you the happiest and healthiest of study times for finals, the BSA team is offering you services that you will get nowhere else, for FREE and on the DAILY. Pass by our office in SP 375.21 every morning from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM with your reusable mug to fuel your mitochondria with free coffee and tea. Want more? Subscribe to our newsletter, friend us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to come in for our surprise Muffin Mornings (M & M’s)! Finally, rent lab coats, goggles, and molecular models for your laboratory and tutorial needs. And while you enjoy your free breakfast every morning with your rented lab coat in hand, do remember to pick up a copy of the Telomere Times, to experience just how creative and multifaceted your Concordia biology community can be!

In light of all your evaluations ahead, stay healthy, balanced and informed; but if you are to find your coursework driving you crazy, just remember that,

“Science has not yet taught us if madness is or is not the sublimity of the intelligence.”

—Edgar Allan Poe

Krutika Patel President

“Nevermore”


5 Epigenetics

6—7 2014 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

8—9 Biological Illustrator of the Month

10—11 Interview with Dr. Lessard

12—14 E-cigarettes

15—17 Fun Facts about the Tardigrade

18 Puzzles

19 Meet our Writers

20—21 Upcoming Events

22 Biology Seminars

23 Contact Info and More!

Table of Contents


Epigenetics — New Field of Biology Answers Old Questions

It is a great show of progress

made in the recent decades, to see the

popularity and prevalence of

fundamental biology concepts expand

outside of the typical circles of

biologists. While the details may be

misrepresented, everyone has an idea

about Charles Darwin, evolution, and

basic ecological concepts. Many people

even know of Mendel’s work, though

probably not by name. It is through

Mendel’s work that we lay the

cornerstone for today’s knowledge of

genetics and all the answers it has given

us; advancements in medicine, greater

understanding of the human body, and

so much more.

However, with every new

discovery, a new question will arise;

genetics is no exception. Previously we

were enamored by discovering the “unit

of inheritance” that was described by

Mendel’s work, calling them genes or,

more specifically, alleles. Now we have

come to the interesting issue of

understanding how these alleles are

controlled and expressed, which is

where epigenetics comes in.

In order to study this curious

situation of physical differences in

supposedly identical genomes, multiple

samples of DNA were digested

alongside endonucleases that were

particularly responsive to methylation

patterns. Once run through a gel-

electrophoresis, the resulting bands

could indicate the similarities shared in

the methylation between different

DNA samples. Other tests included

column chromatography that allowed

Fraga to see the different degrees of

methylation in global histone H4 and

histone H3 acetylation. The subjects

were also questioned with regards to

their lifestyle, habits and relationship

with their sibling.

They discovered that

epigenetic differences were found in

one third of all subjects, with emphasis

on subjects that had different lifestyles,

spent extensive amounts of time

separated from one another, and were

older in age.

Great strides have been taken

to try to understand this phenomenon,

and a multitude of research is being

completed to learn more, such as how

uncontrolled methylation of genes can

contribute to the development of

cancer in an individual; this is especially

true when genes are silenced at the

wrong time of embryonic

development, and can create

conditions that cancer can flourish in.

Despite our best efforts, we are only

starting to understand the implications

these epigenetic modifications can

have for an individual.

Sources: http://www.pnas.org/content/102/30/10604.full

Wong NC, Craig JM (2011). Epigenetics: A Reference Manual. Norfolk, England: Caister Academic Press. ISBN 1-904455-88-3.

Written by

Max Guglielmi-Vitullo

Epigenetics is the study of gene

expression through what is known as the

methylation (turning off) and

phosphorylation (turning on) of

individual genes. This allows the body to

regulate which proteins are made in

which cells at specific times, which

enables cells to specialize in roles by only

producing proteins that are necessary for

that cell.

Epigenetics is not static; it is

something that can be modified by a

given environment. It is always

changing; genes are always being turned

on or off as one continues on with their

life, responding to the stresses that their

surroundings put on them. Some genes

are permanently turned off; you will

never find that cells in your stomach

produce protein chains meant to be

produced by muscle fibers. You will,

however, see that some gene expression

can be modified or changed altogether to

help the body adapt to the stimulus that

is currently acting on them.

When observing the

development of monozygotic, or

identical, twins, one can see that they

develop differently over the course of

their lives. There are small phenotypic

differences and one individual may have

different tolerances when it comes to

disease versus the other for example.

Such an observation is very interesting

with no plausible explanation without

considering epigenetics. In a study done

by Mario F. Fraga, a researcher in the

department of oncology and

immunology at the Spanish National

Biotechnology Centre, a large selection

of monozygotic twins were tested and

questioned.


DISCOVERY E of F

Brain’s Internal GPS Merits

2014 Nobel Prize

G in H

Physiology or Medicine

Did you know you had an

internal GPS? That is, an intricate

internal system that allows you to

position yourself and navigate

increasingly complex environments?

On October 6th

2014, the Nobel Prize in

Physiology or Medicine was awarded

to John O’Keefe, May-Britt Moser and

Edvard I. Moser for their discoveries of

cells that constitute a positioning

system in the brain. Half of the highly

coveted prize was awarded to John

O’Keefe for his discovery of ‘place cells’

located in the hippocampus, which

subserves our ability to generate inner

spatial maps of our environment. The

other half of the prize was awarded to

May-Britt Moser and Edvard I. Moser,

a Norwegian couple, for their discovery

of ‘grid cells’ located in the entorhinal

cortex. This neural network creates

coordinate systems that account for

our precise positioning and path

finding abilities. Together, place cells

and grid cells constitute the neural

building blocks of our internal GPS.

These discoveries have greatly

contributed to furthering our

understanding of higher-order cognitive

processes, including memory, thinking,

and planning.

O’Keefe is currently the

director of the Sainsbury Wellcome

Centre in Neural Circuits and Behavior

at University College London. He

received his Master of Arts degree in

1964 and his doctorate in 1967 in

physiological psychology – now referred

to as ‘neuroscience’ – from McGill

University. After his post-doctoral

fellowship at the University College

London, O’Keefe decided to study the

role of the limbic system in memory

with the use of neurophysiological

methods. In one of his experiments

conducted in 1971, the neural activity in

the hippocampus of freely moving rats

was monitored with the use of

electrodes. It was found that certain

cells in this brain region were activated

when the rat was located in one place

of a structured environment, whereas

other cells became activated when the

Written by

Cassandra Poirier

rat was in a different place of the same

environment. Based on the findings of

this study, O’Keefe concluded that

these place units in the hippocampus

create inner spatial reference maps.

This discovery represented a major

breakthrough in the field of

neuroscience, as there was no

physiological evidence for the neural

correlates of spatial memory to that

date. This evidence provided the basis

for the first component of the spatial

positioning system, for which O’Keefe

was co-awarded the Nobel Prize.

The other half of the Nobel

Prize was awarded to May-Britt Moser,

the director of the Centre for Neural

Computation in Trondheim, and

Edvard I. Moser, the director of the

Kavli Institute for Systems

Neuroscience in Trondheim. A little

over 30 years after O’Keefe’s

discovery, Moser and Moser

discovered that the activation of a

combination of cells located in the

entorhinal cortex in rats was


From left to right: Edvard Moser, John

O’Keefe, and May-Britt Moser

responsible for generating a unique

coordinate system of a given

environment. These ‘grid cells’

organized the environment into grids

and became differentially activated

when the animal would move from one

grid to another. In 2005, Moser and

Moser concluded that the animal’s

navigational ability is subserved by the

collective activity of these grid cells in

the entorhinal cortex. This discovery

provided the basis for the second

component of the spatial positioning

system in the brain.

The relevance of these

findings extends to the clinical level.

Cognitive decline is an inevitable

aspect of aging. The most frequently

reported complaint among healthy

older adults is forgetfulness or

deterioration of memory. The aging

process differentially affects some

areas of the brain more than others,

and therefore affects some cognitive

functions more than others. Indeed,

the aging brain of some, but not all

people is characterized by cerebral

atrophy, ventricular enlargement, and

hippocampal atrophy. In patients

suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, the

hippocampus and entorhinal cortex are

detrimentally affected. The discoveries

made by O’Keefe, Moser, and Moser of

the brain’s coordinate system

responsible for spatial memory may

further our understanding of the

mechanism for spatial memory loss in

aging populations.

Sources:

O'Keefe, J., and Dostrovsky, J. (1971). The

hippocampus as a spatial map. Preliminary

evidence from unit activity in the

freely‐moving rat. Brain Research 34, 171-175.

O´Keefe, J. (1976). Place units in the

hippocampus of the freely moving rat.

Experimental Neurology 51, 78-109.

Fyhn, M., Molden, S., Witter, M.P., Moser,

E.I., Moser, M.B. (2004) Spatial

representation in the entorhinal cortex.

Science 305, 1258-1264.

Hafting, T., Fyhn, M., Molden, S., Moser,

M.B., and Moser, E.I. (2005). Microstructure

of spatial map in the entorhinal cortex. Nature

436, 801-806.

Sargolini, F., Fyhn, M., Hafting, T.,

McNaughton, B.L., Witter, M.P., Moser, M.B.,

and Moser, E.I. (2006). Conjunctive

representation of position, direction, and

velocity in the entorhinal cortex. Science 312,

758-762.

Brain’s

Internal

GPS


Biological Illustrator

EOFF

the Month

Robert Hooke (1635—1703)

Last month, we introduced you to three spectacular biologists/illustrators who

had to convey their discoveries to the world not through photographs or digital

media, but through their artisanship; their remarkably close attention to detail

and plain skill. This month, we are back with the man who discovered the cell—

the English philosopher and polymath, Robert Hooke. A competitor of Isaac

Newton, Hooke had expertise in many fields of science including microscopy,

architecture, physics (remember Hooke’s Law), astronomy and more. Using his

special microscope, he observed what was not previously known to be cells, on a

thin slice of cork (shown at right) whose boxed-shape pores reminded him of the

tiny rooms/cells in which monks lived, or so it is said. He published these findings

with this drawing, the one of the flea below, and others using different lenses in

the best-seller, Micrographia. Read much of the book for free in the linked sources

below.

Sources

Hooke R. Micrographia [Internet]. Google Books. 2014 [cited 24 October 2014]. Available from:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=W5FqAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Micrographia&hl=en&

sa=X&ei=m15NVN2ZPISoyQS24oKQBg&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Micrographia&f=false

NPR.org. The Origins Of The Word 'Cell' [Internet]. 2010 [cited 24 October 2014]. Available from:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129934828

Written by

Zarin Arshy


A B

Hooke’s Illustration of a Flea

Hooke’s microscope


Interview E with F

Dr. Jean-Philippe Lessard

KATHERINE LEVASSEUR’S

Dr. Jean-Philippe Lessard is an

accomplished ecologist who received his

PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

from the University of Tennessee in 2010

where he worked on the community

ecology and biogeography of ants. He is

one of Concordia University’s assistant

professors who run the recently opened

Community Ecology & Biogeography Lab.

He will also be teaching BIOL 353,

Communities and Ecosystems beginning

this coming winter. Much of Dr. Lessard’s

research has been done on the

biodiversity of ants; more recently his lab

has shifted to include odonates,

dragonflies and damselflies.

Dr. Lessard began his education

as an undergraduate student of zoology at

McGill University’s Macdonald Campus.

Many of the courses offered to zoology

students at the time were entomology

classes and it was these classes in

particular which peaked Dr. Lessard’s

interest. During his time at McGill, Dr.

Lessard met Dr. Chris Buddle, an associate

professor who was just starting his

research lab at the Macdonald campus.

“He was just starting at the time and was

very excited, very enthusiastic about

research and gave me my first gig. He let

me be his field assistant for the summer,”

Dr. Lessard recalled. At the time Dr.

Lessard had been reading The Ants, a

textbook written by E.O Wilson and B.

Hölldobler and from this reading he had

become very interested in the diversity of

ants. It was from this interest that Dr.

Lessard decided on the topic of his

summer project. The project involved the

study of the differences between the ant

assemblages found in the forests of the

McGill Molson Reserve and in the

residential backyards located right

outside the forests. The research

conducted during that summer

concluded that there was no overlap

between the ant species in the forests

and in the backyards. Surprisingly, there

were more species of ants in the

backyards surrounding the forests then

there was in the forests themselves.

These findings encompassed Dr. Lessard’s

undergraduate project and were

published in 2005 in the Canadian

Entomologist.

Presently Dr. Lessard and his lab

are using ants and odonates to seek the

answers to questions regarding the

biodiversity and the distribution of

organisms. These fundamental questions

such as, “How is biological diversity

maintained through time?”, “What are

the processes that allow many species to

coexist in one space?” and “Why are

there more species in some places than

in others?” are the focal point of the

research his lab will be conducting. “Nine

out of ten animal species are insects but

we still know almost nothing about

insects, and we know even less about

what will happen to them in the future,”

said Dr. Lessard. Through these

questions, Dr. Lessard seeks to

understand the consequences of the

biodiversity of insects on the functioning

of ecosystems. In northern Quebec

Dr. Jean-Philippe Lessard

Assistant Professor at Concordia

University

! Looking for field assistants

for summer 2015 to help

with the collection and

mapping of odonates and

ants in northern Quebec.


specifically, almost nothing is known

about their biodiversity; Dr. Lessard’s

laboratory will be spending a great deal

of time next summer in remote areas of

the Boreal Forest of the subarctic biome

to collect data about the species of

odonates and ants found there and to try

to understand what drives the

biodiversity of these organisms and how

they contribute to ecosystem

functioning.

Dr. Lessard will be looking for

field assistants for summer 2015 to help

with the collection and mapping of

odonates and ants in northern Quebec.

This is a great opportunity for

undergrads who are interested in the

biodiversity of insects and the effects of

their biodiversity on the function of

ecosystems. Dr. Lessard is looking for

students who will be willing to commit a

large chunk of their summer to this field

work. “We’re always looking for

motivated students who aren’t afraid of

being outdoors for long periods of time,”

said Dr. Lessard. “When I select a

student I will be looking at a few things.

First I will look if they have field

experience or not. Then I will look at

their GPA and encourage them to apply

for the NSERC research fellowship...

students should contact me latest

February”. For undergraduate students

who are looking for opportunities to get

experience by volunteering in a research

lab there will be an opportunity to do so

in Dr. Lessard’s lab starting fall 2015, after

they have spent the summer collecting

their ant and odonate samples. “Someone

with strong genetic skills could come work

with me on phylogenetic problems.

Someone with strong mathematical skills

could work with me on statistical

projects…if somebody has strong

fieldwork experience then they can come

work with us in the summer,” Dr. Lessard

explained.

Dr. Lessard’s advice for students

looking to get involved in research labs is

that “you should seek opportunity”. He

suggests that students should do their

research early regarding the type of work

going on in the different labs. If some

aspect of the research is exciting to you

early on, you should contact the professor

For more information regarding fellowship scholarships and research

funding please see the following links below:

NSERC Fellowship Information: http://www.nserc-

crsng.gc.ca/Students-Etudiants/index_eng.asp

Fonds de recherche du Québec—Nature et technologies:

http://www.frqnt.gouv.qc.ca/en/bourses/index.htm

Dr. Lessard’s Community Ecology & Biogeography Lab:

http://jeanphilippelessard.com/

Dr. Lessard’s Publications:

http://jeanphilippelessard.com/publications/

Molson reserve:

http://www.mcgill.ca/macdonald/about/resources/molson

The Canadian Entomologist:

http://www.esc-sec.ca/journal.php

to see if they have any opportunities

available to undergrad students. Dr.

Lessard suggests that bringing your

own funding through fellowships will

be a bonus for students and will

increase their chances of finding

summer field work. For students

interested in the 490 independent

research project, Dr. Lessard is

looking for motivated students who

are enthusiastic about learning. “I

would expect students to browse my

web pages and look at what I am

doing to try to see which part of it

they like the most,” Dr. Lessard

encouraged. For more information

regarding Dr. Lessard’s laboratory,

ongoing research, along with all of

Dr. Lessard’s publications and

related information, please see the

following links below.

http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/Students-Etudiants/index_eng.asp













http://www.esc-sec.ca/journal.php


Written by Zarin Arshy

into vapor within your fingertips. But

looks aside, it does facilitate the

inhalation of a chemical substance

that directly affects the central

nervous system.

With more and more people

discovering e-cigs and businesses

opening with the sole purpose of

selling everything e-cigarette

including cafes for leisure smoking,

prevalence is expected to steadily

increase. But before you

unknowingly come under any

influence of the bandwagon-effect, it

is important that you do know the

facts and associated risks. It is

important to not allow yourself to

become deluded by e-cigarette

retailers and makers, as their

marketing claims aren’t substantially

backed by science. A review done in

the American Journal of Preventative

Medicine found that retail websites

were making overstretched or

unfounded statements about their

products, such as e-cigs that can be

Electronic or paper? Ah that

is the question, and perhaps the

essence of this very digital age. Who

would have thought only a few years

ago, that this question could be

applied to people’s smoking rituals?

Enter the electronic cigarette (e-

cigarette or e-cig).

E-cigs are electrically

powered, handheld pipes that

convert pure liquid nicotine dissolved

in propylene glycol and/or glycerin at

minimum, into an inhalable gas.

Grandfathers around the world may

be nodding in disapproval, thinking

“you kids and your fandangle,

electronic cigarettes.” They are

rather sleek in design with different

metallic finishes or colors. They can

be filled in increasing varieties of

fluids called e-liquids. They have

batteries (some that can be charged

via USB), cartridges, buttons, and LED

lights. From a mechanical viewpoint,

they are impressive little gadgets

rapidly heating and converting fluids

smoked anywhere, do not create

secondhand smoke, and will break

the habit of smoking. Typical

marketing methods included using

celebrities, doctors, attractive and

modern-looking smokers, as well as

showing improved social status,

romance and more social activity

(Grana and Ling, 2014). Retailer

websites and advertisements

particularly target young people and

even children due to the flavor

profiles that are offered.

A lofty claim made by these

retailers it that e-cigarettes can

significantly aid in the cessation of

smoking. According to Health

Canada, among young adults aged 20

– 24, one in five persons is a smoker,

nearly all of whom are dependent

users (Hc-sc.gc.ca, 2014). With such a

relatively high prevalence, it is worth

finding alternatives for those who

have been unsuccessful at quitting.

Many believe e-cigs to be a worthy

candidate, because they contain far

fewer chemicals than the 7,000

contained in tobacco smoke, 100s of

those being toxic and 70 being

carcinogenic (Smoking and Tobacco

Use, 2014). Unlike tobacco cigarette

smoking, their use does not elevate

white blood cell, lymphocyte, and

granulocyte counts during active or

passive (second-hand) smoking

(Flouris et al., 2012). Similarly in

another study, active e-cig smoking

in contrast to active tobacco

cigarette smoking, does not alter

lung function, although this study

only evaluated short-term effects

(Flouris et al., 2013).

Image: http://i.ytimg.com/vi/PxvtDGuSJR8/maxresdefault.jpg

Electronic Cigarettes: new technology with a

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/PxvtDGuSJR8/maxresdefault.jpg


radicals, toxic gases, heavy metals,

and more, although the levels

were 9-450 times lower than

cigarette smoke (Goniewicz et al.,

2014).

As for the main active

compound, nicotine, it can be

considered a poison at high

concentrations. This can be

worrisome for parents with young

children as there have been reports

of poisoning in children who ingested

the colorful, fragrant liquids

(Cdc.gov, 2014). Nicotine has also

been shown to regulate some

oncogenes (McKee, 2014). Another

issue with using e-cigarettes is that

each cartridge can allow

approximately 100 puffs, as opposed

to 15 in tobacco cigarettes. With the

actual combustion of the paper and

tobacco, there is a measure of

consumption and awareness by the

So when asked which is

more dismal to your health, e-

cigarettes or your usual run-of-the-

mill paper tobacco cigarettes, the

answer seems intuitive. As well, they

appear to be a viable replacement

for tobacco smoke. However, they

are not completely free of toxins and

complications. An investigation on

the effects of the e-liquids on human

embryonic stem cells, mouse neural

stem cells, and human pulmonary

fibroblasts showed several flavors of

e-liquids to be cytotoxic to the

former two cell types. These were

owing, not to the nicotine itself, but

the chemical flavorings (Bahl et al.,

2012). The vapors resulting from the

combustion of the liquids and trace

substances from the apparatus, may

also contain several toxic and

carcinogenic substances such as

formaldehyde, nitrosamines, free

user. Such is not the case with the

alternative form, as users will

probably continue usage without

counting puffs.

Finally, do e-cigarettes help

smokers quit as retailers promise?

Only one credible study is available

to answer this question, and it

suggests that they are “modestly

effective” as smoking cessation aids.

Yet, they were not significantly more

helpful than other nicotine

replacement therapies such as the

Nicorette inhaler (Bullen et al., 2013).

Essentially, there is not

enough conclusive evidence to

support the claim that the e-cigs can

considerably aid in tobacco smoking

abstinence. Yet, for a smoker with no

intention to quit, it can serve as a

buffer between conventional

cigarettes to ease the dependence

on them. On the other hand, there is

still some promise in e-cigs as a

replacement (Bullen et al., 2010) for

those with a strong desire to quit and

with a resilient will, could be worth a

try.

But for non-smokers, e-

cigarettes offer no benefits. Though

not as potent as cigarettes, they are

a slight detriment to one’s health,

whose long-term effects are

insufficiently understood. Because

nicotine is highly habit forming, there

is a risk for non-smokers to

eventually adopt tobacco cigarettes.

This is particularly a point of concern

for many healthcare professionals

who believe that e-cigarettes could

cause a fresh surge of nicotine

addiction and consequently tobacco

use in the global population

(Tobacco.ucsf.edu, 2014).

Be wary that e-cigarettes

are not merely a new form of


References

Bahl, V., Lin, S., Xu, N., Davis, B., Wang, Y. and Talbot, P. (2012). Comparison of electronic cigarette refill fluid cytotoxicity

using embryonic and adult models. Reproductive Toxicology, 34(4), pp.529--537.

Bullen, C., Howe, C., Laugesen, M., McRobbie, H., Parag, V., Williman, J. and Walker, N. (2013). Electronic cigarettes for

smoking cessation: a randomised controlled trial. The Lancet, 382(9905), pp.1629--1637.

Bullen, C., McRobbie, H., Thornley, S., Glover, M., Lin, R. and Laugesen, M. (2010). Effect of an electronic nicotine

delivery device (e cigarette) on desire to smoke and withdrawal, user preferences and nicotine delivery: randomised

cross-over trial. Tobacco control, 19(2), pp.98--103.

Caponnetto, P., Campagna, D., Cibella, F., Morjaria, J., Caruso, M., Russo, C. and Polosa, R. (2013). EffiCiency and Safety

of an eLectronic cigAreTte (ECLAT) as tobacco cigarettes substitute: a prospective 12-month randomized control design

study. PloS one, 8(6), p.66317.

Cdc.gov, (2014). Notes from the Field: Calls to Poison Centers for Exposures to Electronic Cigarettes — United States,

September 2010–February 2014. [online] Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6313a4.htm

[Accessed 20 Oct. 2014].

Flouris, A., Poulianiti, K., Chorti, M., Jamurtas, A., Kouretas, D., Owolabi, E., Tzatzarakis, M., Tsatsakis, A. and

Koutedakis, Y. (2012). Acute effects of electronic and tobacco cigarette smoking on complete blood count. Food and

chemical toxicology, 50(10), pp.3600--3603.

Flouris, A., Chorti, M., Poulianiti, K., Jamurtas, A., Kostikas, K., Tzatzarakis, M., Wallace Hayes, A., Tsatsakis, A. and

Koutedakis, Y. (2013). Acute impact of active and passive electronic cigarette smoking on serum cotinine and lung

function. Inhalation toxicology, 25(2), pp.91--101.

Grana, R. and Ling, P. (2014). “Smoking Revolution”: A Content Analysis of Electronic Cigarette Retail Websites. American

journal of preventive medicine, 46(4), pp.395--403.

Goniewicz, M., Knysak, J., Gawron, M., Kosmider, L., Sobczak, A., Kurek, J., Prokopowicz, A., Jablonska-Czapla, M.,

Rosik-Dulewska, C., Havel, C. and others, (2014). Levels of selected carcinogens and toxicants in vapour from electronic

cigarettes. Tobacco control, 23(2), pp.133--139.

Hc-sc.gc.ca, (2014). Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey (CTUMS) 2012. [online] Available at: http://www.hc-

sc.gc.ca/hc-ps/tobac-tabac/research-recherche/stat/ctums-esutc_2012-eng.php#tabc [Accessed 20 Oct. 2014].

McKee, M. (2014). Electronic cigarettes: proceed with great caution. International Journal of Public Health, [online] 59(5),

pp.683-685. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00038-014-0589-z [Accessed 20 Oct. 2014].

Smoking and Tobacco Use, (2014). CDC - 2010 Surgeon General's Report - Chemicals in Tobacco Smoke - Smoking &

Tobacco Use. [online] Available at:

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2010/consumer_booklet/chemicals_smoke/ [Accessed 20 Oct. 2014].

Tobacco.ucsf.edu, (2014). 129 public health and medical authorities from 31 countries write WHO DG Chan urging

evidence-based approach to ecigs | Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education. [online] Available at:

https://tobacco.ucsf.edu/129-public-health-and-medical-authorities-31-countries-write-who-dg-chan-urging-evidence-

based-appro [Accessed 20 Oct. 2014].

cigarettes but an entirely new realm, in

which non-smokers may become

susceptible—or dare I say, prey—to

use by its novelty, its design,

experimentation with different flavors,

false advertisement and the experience

of using it by charging, filling, and

maintaining it. Because this is a matter

of your health, and nothing is more

important than that, it advised to

be perceptive of why you use and

what part of the experience you are

being sold. Hopefully, the presented

risks and benefits has helped to

equip you with the all the

information necessary to come to

the best conclusion.


Tardigrade

by

Meredi Ortega

ERHAPS i should have been a water bear

rake-clawed,

moss-fat mote, lumbering along

like a jolly little zeppelin,

always knowing i can escape

the end of the world

in my snug tun state

Featured in: The Science Made Marvelous Project—Earthly Matters

The Honorable Mrs. Ward: The Microscope. 3rd ed., London 1869.

P


Fun Facts

►ABOUT◄

the Tardigrade

They are sometimes called ‘water bears’ or ‘moss

piglets’ and rightly so. They live in aquatic environments,

have comically plump bodies, and ferocious claws on all

8 appendages. Which nickname do you prefer?

Though not technically extremophiles, through

cryptobiosis they can tolerate—get ready—

Space

1000x more radiation that humans

Extreme desiccation

Extreme pressure

Temperatures ranging from -200 to 100 °C

These little guys are thought to be related to arthropods

and range in size from 0.05mm - 1.2mm, meaning you

would need a 40x objective to see them under a

microscope.

Within that blob of little volume, they have been able to

develop nearly every major organ system including a

nervous system with a brain and eyespots. An advantage

of their size is that they can skip out on the respiratory

system altogether by gas exchange through their cuticle.

Despite their size, they are extremely prevalent, having

been discovered in nearly all habitats of the world.

They have been in existence longer than humans have. It

seems they have this evolution thing down.

Tardigrade is actually the name of the phylum

Tardigrada. Over 900 species of them are known to

exist.

Their tube-like mouths can coil out like a dozen knives to

catch prey or hold onto food matter.

Written by

Zarin Arshy

Image: http://www.artbytom.com/shop-for-art/The-

Tardigrade-Queen.html

Sources Apod.nasa.gov, (2014). APOD: 2013 March 6 -

Tardigrade in Moss. [online] Available at: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap130306.html

[Accessed 24 Oct. 2014]. Bordenstein, S. (2014). Tardigrades. [online]

Serc.carleton.edu. Available at: http://serc.carleton.edu/microbelife/topics/tar

digrade/index.html [Accessed 24 Oct. 2014]. Wright, J. (2001). Cryptobiosis 300 years on

from van Leuwenhoek: what have we learned about tardigrades?. Zoologischer Anzeiger-A

Journal of Comparative Zoology, 240(3), pp.563--582.

Wright, J. (2014). Tardigrada. [online] Animal Diversity Web. Available at:

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Tardigrada/ [Accessed 24 Oct. 2014].

All hail the tardigrade!

Image: Tardigrade, by Proyecto Agua, Flickr.com.


Image D: 1. Giant yellow water bear

(Richtersius coronifer); 2. Large

carnivorous water bear (Milnesium

tardigradum); 3. Tidal water bear

(Echiniscoides sigismundi

sigismundi); 4. Turtle water bear

(Echiniscus testudo); 5. Balloon

water bear (Tanarctus bubulubus).

Source: http://what-when-

how.com/animal-life/phylum-

tardigrada/

Images A, B: DIC images of

Hypsibius dujardini by Willow

Gabriel (UNC Chapel Hill).

Image C: Colored SEM of

Macrobiotus richtersii

http://www.sciencephoto.com

Image E: SEM image of

Hypsibius dujardini by Bob

Goldstein & Vicky Madden

(UNC Chapel Hill)

Image F: Colored SEM of

Echiniscus granulata

http://www.sciencephoto.com

A B C

D E

F


Spot the 5 Differences

Image credit: http://www.curiositiesbydickens.com/wp-content/uploads/tiger-differences.jpg

How many tardigrades can you spot?

Image credit: http://www.baertierchen.de/sep2007/DSC08608.JPG


Meet Our Writers

C. Poirier: elusive writer.

?

Max Guglielmi-Vitullo is an

honors Biology student at

Concordia. Currently, his

interests lie in genetic

research, specifically in the

field of epigenetics. He

hopes that he can make a

career in researching this

new field. However, for

now, he’s hoping to show

readers cool and

interesting things that are

coming up in biology, or

even revisiting old topics

that have had new

approaches taken. On a

final note, he hopes that

the readers will find

interest in what he has to

write.

Zarin Arshy is a Concordia

Biology graduate to-be

whose fascination of the

sciences has not fully

masked her love of the arts

including the literary and

fine arts. She believes

writing for the BSA

newsletter will serve as a

nice liaison between these

different things. She hopes

to draw a sense of

patriotism and community

among Concordia Biology

students, as she thinks they

truly have much to take

pride in.

Katherine Levasseur is in

her second year at

Concordia completing a

specialization degree in

Ecology. She has a passion

for conservation and hopes

to one day contribute

directly to the preservation

of natural habitats and

wildlife. She is a scuba

diver and nature lover who

through her writing with

the Telomere Times hopes

to take greater pride in

Concordia and to connect

with other students to do

the same.


Stay tuned to our Facebook page for updates on documentary nights and other special events!

Upcoming Events

UK-Canada Synthetic

Biology Workshop

EXPOSCIENCE 2014 November 1, 2014 – November 2, 2014

10:00 AM All day.

Interactive science and engineering exhibits for children and

adults free to the public.

Stewart Hall, Pointe-Claire 176, Bord-du-Lac/Lakeshore Road

Pointe-Claire, Quebec. Call 514-848-2424 ext. 3361 for details.

Hoodie Sales November 4th-6th and November 10th-13th

10:30am to 1:30pm in the SP Building by the security desk

--Prices start at $30

October 27, 2014 – October 28, 2014

8:30 AM – 4:30 PM.

Loyola RF 110.00.

Visit http://uk-canadasyntheticbiology.yolasite.com/

for more details.

http://www.ville.pointe-claire.qc.ca/en/stewart-hall-cultural-centre.html


Fall Pubcrawl: Talk Nerdy to Me

Field Trip to the Planetarium

Upcoming Events

November 20th (come to BSA office for tickets- ticket prices pending)

Do YOU like a challenge? Are YOU a fan of unlimited beer? Then Pubcrawl: Talk

Nerdy to Me is for YOU! Pick a color, form your team, and battle it out with all the

rest to come out on top! Sobriety absolutely not guaranteed.

Are YOU interested in experiencing the great enigmatic depths of outer space? Do

YOU want to observe and learn about the oldest materials on earth? Then the field

trip to the planetarium is for you! Come meet students within your department,

and relieve yourself from the exam blues. Look forward to hearing more from the

BSA for details on date, time and ticket pricing!

Science Centre for Documentary Day:

Galapagos 3D: Nature’s Wonderland

Interested in one day taking on the journey BSA facilities to the legendary

Galapagos Islands? What better way to discover what lies in store for YOU than

with a documentary event highlighting the beauty of the destination in question?

Not interested in partaking in the Concordia Galapagos Project (CGP)? Don’t worry,

participate anyways to comprehensively understand what the foundations of

several biological principles are, and why. Visit our Facebook, twitter and website

for more information on date, time and ticket pricing!


Biology Seminars

“Biology seminars are held every Friday at 1:15pm in SP-S110 and are open to the public! Come

check out guest speakers and some of our own professors give presentations in different fields of

Biology such as Ecology, Cell Biology, Genomics and Synthetic Biology. Click on the link provided to

find out more information on the speakers! (http://biology.concordia.ca/seminars/)”

Ecology Series November 7th- Miguel Acevedo,

University of Puerto Rico

November 28th- Gregor Fussman,

McGill University

Cell Biology Series November 14th- Martha Mullally,

University of British Columbia

Genomics/Synthetic

Biology Series November 21st- Guillaume Bourque,

McGill University Innovation Centre

Research in

Progress Series December 5th- Vladimir Titorenko/

David Walsh labs, Concordia University


From left to right: VP Academics Braeden Donaldson, VP Comms Kateland Simmons, VP Social

Alex Baird, VP Internal Laura Bergeron, President Krutika Patel, and VP Finance JP Maillet.

The BSA Team

Forget your lab coat or

goggles at home?

Biology students are eligible to

free rental of CLEAN lab coat

and goggles if you catch us in

our office or during hours.

Just provide name and I.D.

COFFEE Stop by during our office hours for a free coffee when you need a quick pick me-up.

Office Hours

Mondays 12:00 - 1:00 pm (VP Comms Kateland Simmons) 1:00 - 2:00 pm (VP Internal Laura Bergeron)

Tuesdays 2:30 - 3:30 pm (VP Social Alex Baird) Wednesdays 1:30 - 2:30 pm (President Krutika Patel) Thursdays 2:00 - 3:00 pm (VP Finance JP Maillet) Fridays 10:30 - 11:30 am (VP Academics Braeden Donaldson)

Feel free to stay for a chat!

?

Room Number

SP-375.21

E-mail [email protected]

Phone +1(514)848-2424 ext. 5499

See us at:

www.bsaconcordia.com

Looking for Writers If you are interested in writing for the newsletter,

please email us at [email protected]!

It grows on you.

VOLUNTEER FOR US

Come and volunteer with the

BSA!

Become involved in your

department;

Looks great on your CV;

Have fun and meet new

people!

Get a reference letter from

the BSA president.

The BSA wishes you a

Happy

Halloween! NEWSLETTER DESIGN: KA BO LEE

BSA Newsletter: The Telomere Times Issue 2

Documents

Transcript of BSA Newsletter: The Telomere Times Issue 2