Canadian Journal of Undergraduate Research

Can melatonin ameliorate smoking-related cadmium-induced decreases in bone mineral density?

Megan Montgomery — 2024-04-16

Cadmium, an environmental toxin and component of cigarettes, is associated with a range of adverse health effects due to increased Reactive Oxygen Species production, including decreased bone mineral density and osteoporosis. Experiments performed in human cancer cells indicate that melatonin may directly protect against cadmium-induced tissue damage via regulation of mitochondrial activity. Further, recent evidence has demonstrated that melatonin can improve bone health for individuals with osteoporosis and partially protect against cadmium-associated inhibition of bone repair. Notably, cadmium is found at concentrations 4-5x higher in the blood of smokers versus non-smokers. Here we review this data and propose supplementation with melatonin as a strategy to protect against the negative impacts of cadmium exposure on bone mineral density within individuals regularly exposed to cadmium via cigarette smoking.

Syrian Refugees’ Experiences in Canada and the Implications on Mental Health

Anthony Lorenzo Cherubini — 2024-04-16

The Syrian refugee population represents an unprecedented number of migrants in Canada. Vulnerable citizens and their families sought safety in Canada. Given the influx of refugees in Canada who were forced to leave their home country due to the civil war, the impact of the life adversities they experience as they transition to a new country cannot go unexamined. Thus, this narrative review responds to an integral research question: What are the implications of barriers that Syrian refugees experience in their integration process? The literature review examines the integration of Syrian refugees in Canada by accounting for their traumatic experiences in Syria and their post-migratory experiences during their transition in Canada. The review considers two core themes: (a) the significance of culturally appropriate healthcare services for Syrian refugees’ acculturation in Canada, and (b) how Islamophobia and discrimination that many refugees experience serve as an obstacle in their integration. The study also discusses findings that shed light on such themes’ implications for Syrian refugees’ mental health.

Electrophysiology of Benign Familial Neonatal Seizures and the Current Therapeutic Approach

Eunyoung Park — 2024-04-16

Although neonatal seizures are not quite prevalent, the occurrences are noticed every year. Specifically, despite the low number of reports, it was found that some patients with a history of benign familial neonatal seizures were more likely to get epilepsies in their later life. However, largely due to the high ethical standards imposed on conducting research on neonatal populations, neonatal seizures and their anti-convulsant treatments are not as well-understood as the cause and the epidemiology of seizures found in adults. This is problematic, as prominent pharmacological approach for the neonatal seizures had been based on adjusting doses of conventional anticonvulsants for adults. This approach is not favorable as neonates have distinctive physiological characteristics, compared to those of adults. Thus, simply adjusting the dose of the drugs may have sub- or supra-therapeutic effects, or even lead to lethal effects on the patients. The focus of this paper is to explain the electrophysiological cause of benign familial neonatal seizures and the therapeutical attempts that had been done to treat the syndrome.

The significance of sex and gender in clinical pharmacokinetics

Giselle Mirfallah — 2024-04-16

The consequences of the historical exclusion of cisgender women, intersex, and transgender people from pharmacological clinical trials have resulted in a dangerously low quality of care for these populations. Analyzing and interpreting significant sex and gender-related differences in drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion are critical for adjusting dosing regimens and therapeutic drug monitoring. A deep understanding of the impact of these differences is required for practitioners and clinical researchers. This review summarizes the physiological differences between sexes as they relate to cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and renal variations. A direct examination of their possible effects on the pharmacokinetics of drugs critically highlights the current knowledge gap. The importance of including both sexes in all scientific research is emphasized in this review. It serves as a reminder for future scientists to strive toward reducing health care disparities based on sex and gender in their studies, and to incorporate sex and gender-specific analysis whenever possible.