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Issues & Experts Archive > HIV, asthma, Olympics, Christmas
HIV, asthma, Olympics, Christmas
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December 16, 2010
HIV breakthrough bone deep
Jamie Scott, an SFU molecular biologist, biochemist and HIV/AIDS vaccine researcher, agrees with Dr. Julio Montaner’s (director of B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS) assessment of a potentially promising new cure for AIDS. Both say the successful use of a bone marrow transplant to eliminate both cancer and AIDS in an American man living in Berlin is a major breakthrough. But they feel antiretroviral drugs currently put AIDS in remission more cost effectively and with less risk to patients’ lives than this new treatment. Both rely on a gene mutation that blocks HIV’s multiplication into AIDS. However, Scott adds, “This new breakthrough nicely shows that HIV only infects cells derived from bone-marrow stem cells. HIV doesn’t reside in a latent form outside of this cellular compartment.”
Jamie Scott, 778.782.5658; jkscott@sfu.ca
Second hand smoke and asthma
Bruce Lanphear, an SFU health scientist and expert on how environmental toxicants affect health, especially children’s, has co-authored a newly published paper in the journal Pediatrics. The paper looks at the effectiveness of high-efficiency, particulate-arresting (HEPA) air cleaners in reducing asthma attacks and symptoms among asthmatic children exposed to second hand smoke (SHS). Lanphear can elaborate on his research team’s finding: “HEPA air cleaners led to an 18-per-cent reduction in unscheduled asthma visits and a reduction in fine particles associated with tobacco smoke. But they didn’t reduce children’s exposure to nicotine. This suggests that the particles associated with SHS may be more closely tied with children’s asthmatic attacks.” Lanphear can also comment on another study in the same issue of Pediatrics. It concludes that children in non-smoking families have higher levels of SHS exposure if they live in multifamily as opposed to detached housing.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/peds.2009-2312v1
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/peds.2010-2046v1
Bruce Lanphear, 778.782.8650; blanphear@sfu.ca
Olympic fallout
The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is expected to announce tomorrow that the Games broke even financially. SFU marketing expert Lindsay Meredith has been following this issue closely and can provide insight.
Lindsay Meredith, 604.932.6934 (Whistler home); meredith@sfu.ca
Finding social justice in Scrooge
Here’s an about face in the timely holiday portrayal of Scrooge in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Cast as a pawnshop owner instead of as a successful businessman, Scrooge is closer to the poor people he openly despises than rich folk in Bah! Humbug!, an SFU Contemporary Arts/Vancouver Moving Theatre production. The local adaptation runs Dec. 17-18 at the Goldcorp Centre for the Arts’ Fei and Milton Wong Theatre. Michael Boucher, director of cultural programs and partnerships at SFU Contemporary Arts at Goldcorp says by staging this rendition in the backyards of the homeless, “We’re catching the edge that’s here. We’re highlighting the social issues here — poverty and homelessness.
http://www.gvpta.ca/vancouver-theatre-guide/event/bah-humbug/
Michael Boucher (reachable through Lenore Swenerton), 604.230.2859; lenoresw@shaw.ca
Home away from home for the holidays
Being alone for the holidays is no fun, especially when you’re hundreds of kilometres away from home. That is why SFU Student Services runs the International Host Program. Michelle Kangro is an SFU international student advisor. She can explain why the year-round program puts extra effort into finding an SFU staff or faculty home where international students can have a homey sit down lunch or dinner during the Christmas season. This Christmas, five SFU staffers are welcoming a dozen international students into their homes.
http://students.sfu.ca/internationalstudentservices/current/international_host_program.html
Michelle Kangro, 778.782.3355; michelle_kangro@sfu.ca
Jamie Scott, an SFU molecular biologist, biochemist and HIV/AIDS vaccine researcher, agrees with Dr. Julio Montaner’s (director of B.C. Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS) assessment of a potentially promising new cure for AIDS. Both say the successful use of a bone marrow transplant to eliminate both cancer and AIDS in an American man living in Berlin is a major breakthrough. But they feel antiretroviral drugs currently put AIDS in remission more cost effectively and with less risk to patients’ lives than this new treatment. Both rely on a gene mutation that blocks HIV’s multiplication into AIDS. However, Scott adds, “This new breakthrough nicely shows that HIV only infects cells derived from bone-marrow stem cells. HIV doesn’t reside in a latent form outside of this cellular compartment.”
Jamie Scott, 778.782.5658; jkscott@sfu.ca
Second hand smoke and asthma
Bruce Lanphear, an SFU health scientist and expert on how environmental toxicants affect health, especially children’s, has co-authored a newly published paper in the journal Pediatrics. The paper looks at the effectiveness of high-efficiency, particulate-arresting (HEPA) air cleaners in reducing asthma attacks and symptoms among asthmatic children exposed to second hand smoke (SHS). Lanphear can elaborate on his research team’s finding: “HEPA air cleaners led to an 18-per-cent reduction in unscheduled asthma visits and a reduction in fine particles associated with tobacco smoke. But they didn’t reduce children’s exposure to nicotine. This suggests that the particles associated with SHS may be more closely tied with children’s asthmatic attacks.” Lanphear can also comment on another study in the same issue of Pediatrics. It concludes that children in non-smoking families have higher levels of SHS exposure if they live in multifamily as opposed to detached housing.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/peds.2009-2312v1
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/peds.2010-2046v1
Bruce Lanphear, 778.782.8650; blanphear@sfu.ca
Olympic fallout
The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is expected to announce tomorrow that the Games broke even financially. SFU marketing expert Lindsay Meredith has been following this issue closely and can provide insight.
Lindsay Meredith, 604.932.6934 (Whistler home); meredith@sfu.ca
Finding social justice in Scrooge
Here’s an about face in the timely holiday portrayal of Scrooge in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Cast as a pawnshop owner instead of as a successful businessman, Scrooge is closer to the poor people he openly despises than rich folk in Bah! Humbug!, an SFU Contemporary Arts/Vancouver Moving Theatre production. The local adaptation runs Dec. 17-18 at the Goldcorp Centre for the Arts’ Fei and Milton Wong Theatre. Michael Boucher, director of cultural programs and partnerships at SFU Contemporary Arts at Goldcorp says by staging this rendition in the backyards of the homeless, “We’re catching the edge that’s here. We’re highlighting the social issues here — poverty and homelessness.
http://www.gvpta.ca/vancouver-theatre-guide/event/bah-humbug/
Michael Boucher (reachable through Lenore Swenerton), 604.230.2859; lenoresw@shaw.ca
Home away from home for the holidays
Being alone for the holidays is no fun, especially when you’re hundreds of kilometres away from home. That is why SFU Student Services runs the International Host Program. Michelle Kangro is an SFU international student advisor. She can explain why the year-round program puts extra effort into finding an SFU staff or faculty home where international students can have a homey sit down lunch or dinner during the Christmas season. This Christmas, five SFU staffers are welcoming a dozen international students into their homes.
http://students.sfu.ca/internationalstudentservices/current/international_host_program.html
Michelle Kangro, 778.782.3355; michelle_kangro@sfu.ca