Cichon Named Professor in Loyola Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology

Newswise Mark Cichon, DO, professor and chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine was awarded a joint appointment as professor in the Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine.

Dr. Cichons joint appointment is a testament to the breadth of his knowledge and expertise, said Richard M. Gamelli, MD, FACS, senior vice president and provost of health sciences at Loyola. We look forward to Dr.Cichons continued success in teaching and research at Loyola.

A native of Chicago, Cichon did his undergraduate studies at Loyola University Chicago graduating with a bachelor of science degree in biology. He earned his Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree at Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine - Midwestern University.

After completing a residency in Emergency Medicine and obtaining his Emergency Medicine Board Certification, Cichon has been a practicing clinician in several hospitals in the Chicago and suburban area.For nearly two decades, Cichon has served as Director of Emergency Medical Services at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood.

At Loyola, Cichon is responsible for the medical care and direction of the paramedic (pre-hospital) program, the emergency department, the LIFESTAR flight program, the Emergency Medical Services for Children Grant in Illinois, and the regional disaster preparedness program for the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Cichon has published articles pertaining to pre-hospital care, pediatric emergency care, and in his research interests pertaining to biomarker use for the early detection of cardiac injury and developing sepsis.

Cichon serves on the board of the Illinois College of Emergency Physicians (ICEP) as well as additional national, state and local committees in his fields of interest and in community interests.

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Cichon Named Professor in Loyola Department of Cell and Molecular Physiology

Applied physiology lab makes use of new tablet technology

Three hours is a long time. Spend them looking at different pictures in a textbook of the human body and you might stop paying attention. When the textbook picture looks nothing like the specimen you have to work with, youre likely to lose interest.

How do you enhance a three-hour applied physiology laboratory experience? SMU has turned to technology to answer that question.

Applied Physiology and Wellness Professor Scott L. Davis applied for a technology grant last spring. He worked with Info Commons Tech Coordinator and Touch Learning Center Manager Tyeson V. Seale to discover the 3D4Medical.com applications for iPads.

Now the applied physiology department has four applications for their 25 iPads: Brain & Nervous Pro, Heart Pro, Muscle System Pro and Skeletal System Pro all designed by 3D4Medical.com in conjunction with Stanford University School of Medicine. These applications show the different parts of the human anatomy and how they work and move from different angles.

You see a lot of the students spend more time with the iPad animation than they would with a static model or the book, which translates to increased knowledge. said Kelyn Rola, applied physiology laboratory instructor.

Technology is not new to the applied physiology department. Before purchasing these applications, students used a computer-based cadaver software that let them see specific cuts of the human body. However, it was not interactive and only showed a 2D view.

The ultimate goal for Davis and Rola would be to have human cadaver access for students to see and touch. However, because typically only medical schools can have human cadavers, the new applications serve as an alternate.

Even though these applications cannot substitute for the official classroom textbook, they serve as an interactive tool to help students better understand the different human systems.

One of the big advantages of the applications is the animation. With Muscle System Pro III, students can actually see real time movements of a selected muscle from two different angles. With Heart Pro, students can see the heart, its different chambers, how the blood flows and the heart beating in real time.

Seale explained that it is also a good investment for students on their own iPads. Most of these applications cost $19.99, which is cheaper than most textbooks and they will update themselves as needed. Also, by having these apps on their personal iPads, they can get familiar with the systems at home, do exercises and even quiz themselves on their knowledge, Davis said.

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Applied physiology lab makes use of new tablet technology

Summer Health-Related Volunteering Opportunity in Nicaragua

GLOBAL STUDENT EMBASSY (GSE)
There is an opportunity for a leadership position (and volunteer positions) with an organization that works to bring healthcare and sustainable agriculture to communities in Nicaragua. If you are interested in a holistic approach to global health and learning more about this specific opportunity, there are more details below. Don't hesitate to contact me if you want to be involved either in the leadership role or simply to participate as a volunteer next summer!

What:
(1) Work side-by-side with doctors and nurses at Clinca Verde (http://clinicaverde.org/) in Boaco, Nicaragua,
(2) build a bio-intensive, demonstration farm with Global Student Embassy (www.globalstudentembassy.org).
(3) help develop and implement a public health survey to evaluate perceptions of agriculture, nutrition and health and
(4) explore the beauty of the land of lakes, beaches and volcanoes in Nicaragua.

When: 10-14 day service learning trip in March (spring break), June or July (summer).

How:
(1) We are looking for a passionate individual to serve as the leader for a group of 10-20 undergraduate, medical and public health students for the 10-14 day trip.
(2) Join the GSE group and help develop the structure and implementation of the pilot program.

Email Ben Gordon at GSE (bengordon06@gmail.com) if you are interested in finding out more about a leadership position with this service trip or if you are interested in working in Nicaragua with this organization as a volunteer this upcoming spring/summer and working toward innovative approaches to clinical, environmental, and social change.

Source:
http://physiologynews.blogspot.com/2013/08/summer-health-related-volunteering.html

CU-Boulder links birds’ plumage to physiology

University of Colorado assistant professor Rebecca Safran and others captured 60 female barn swallows in Boulder and Jefferson counties for the new study. Thirty of the birds had their ventral plumage darkened using a non-toxic marker. (Kevin Stearns/courtesy photo)

A new study conducted at the University of Colorado and involving Cornell University demonstrates that the appearance of female barn swallows, specifically the shade of their chestnut-colored breast feathers, can affect their health.

"There is some mechanism that allows the bird to somehow assess what they look like, and match their physiology to what they look like," said Joanna Hubbard, a sixth-year doctoral student in ecology and evolutionary biology at CU.

It was already established that in North American barn swallows of both sexes, those with darker breast feathers had higher reproductive success than those with lighter colors, according to Maren Vitousek, a Cornell senior research associate. She led the new study while a postdoctoral researcher at CU.

There is evidence that breast feather color is significantly influenced by genetics, but melanin-based plumage color such as that in barn swallows also has been linked to social status as well as circulating testosterone, she said.

"Another bird can look at the individual (bird) and sort of know something about that individual," Hubbard said. "Is it worth starting some sort of interaction as a potential mate or a potential competitor, or is it not worth it?'"

The new study, published Wednesday online in Biology Letters, showed that naturally darker barn swallow females -- and those with artificially darkened breast feathers -- also had lower levels of oxidative damage, which could ultimately make the birds healthier.

Oxidative stress results when the production of harmful metabolites known as free radicals exceeds antioxidant defenses in the birds, which can lead to DNA, protein and fat damage in the birds, Vitousek said.

For the barn swallow study, Vitousek, along with CU assistant professor Rebecca Safran and their team of undergraduate and graduate students, captured 60 female barn swallows in Boulder and Jefferson counties.

Thirty of the birds were used in the control group, while the other 30 had their ventral plumage darkened using a non-toxic Prisma marker. The testosterone, oxidative damage and antioxidant levels of each bird was measured at that time. Birds were then released.

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CU-Boulder links birds' plumage to physiology

Researchers will focus on endocrine physiology, metabolic disease at multi-disciplinary retreat

The inaugural Yale Multi-Disciplinary Endocrinology and Metabolism Retreat will be held on Friday, Sept. 13 at the West Campus Conference Center.

Obesity, diabetes, endocrine neoplasia, and osteoporosis are significant and growing health problems and Yale researchers are at the forefront of investigation into these diseases. This retreat will bring together members from across Yale interested in endocrine physiology and metabolic disease in order to strengthen existing interdepartmental research and training cooperation as well as to foster the development of new interdisciplinary programs.

The retreat will begin at 8:15 a.m. with a welcome by Dr. Robert Sherwin, the CNH Long Professor of Medicine and section chief of endocrinology, followed by opening remarks from Dr. Robert Alpern, the Ensign Professor of Medicine and dean of the School of Medicine. The scientific program will consist of sessions devoted to hormones and cancer, the pathogenesis and treatment of type 1 diabetes, and metabolism and type 2 diabetes. It will include speakers from the Departments of Medicine; Pediatrics; Surgery; Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences; Comparative Medicine; Immunobiology; Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology; and Cellular and Molecular Physiology.

Trainees and faculty will present additional research projects at a poster session. All talks are open to members of the Yale community.

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Researchers will focus on endocrine physiology, metabolic disease at multi-disciplinary retreat