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‘EarlyCDT Lung Test’ a Ray of Hope for Lung Cancer Early Diagnosis

Modeline Longjohn
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‘EarlyCDT Lung Test’ a Ray of Hope for Lung Cancer Early Diagnosis

Cancer is a global scourge, being the second leading cause of deaths after cardiovascular diseases (according to the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation- IHME, 2016). Cancer affects people of all ages, genders, ethnicity, races and cultures. Some particular cancers are more prevalent in certain populations and sexes than others. For instance, the most widespread cancers in children are blood (leukemia and lymphoma) and brain cancers; while breast, colorectal and lung cancers are most frequent in women. Similarly, the most prevalent cancers in men are prostate, lung and colorectal cancers respectively.

Lung cancer is a deadline cancer, because it is difficult to diagnose early. It usually starts in a few cells, and has a long lag phase during which the malignant cells grow and the cancer progresses. During this period, lung cancer is asymptomatic, and mostly undetectable. By the time symptoms begin to appear, the disease has already advanced and spread to the other lung, adrenal gland, bones, brain and the liver. Symptoms of lung cancer include shortness of breath, hoarseness, wheezing, fatigue and weakness, loss of appetite and weight, and coughing up blood.

In places like Glasgow, Scotland (dubbed the ‘lung cancer death capital’), Newfoundland, Canada (highest cancer incidence in Canada) and Hungary (highest rate of lung cancer in men and women), lung cancer is a serious concern.

In Scotland, a group of scientists led by Prof. Frank Sullivan has discovered a new blood test which can detect lung cancer before symptoms develop. This test works by detecting the presence of autoantibodies (AABs) released when the immune system’s natural defenses kick in against the presence of newly formed cancer cells. The ‘EarlyCDT lung test’, followed by X-ray and CT scan is, therefore, indicative of lung cancer by detecting the presence of these autoantibodies. The EarlyCDT lung test measures the presence of p53, NY-ESO-1 and SOX2 proteins known to be involved in lung cancer.

Prof. Frank Sullivan, a professor of primary care medicine at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland and his team of experts, in conjunction with Nottingham-based immunodiagnostics company ‘Oncimmune,’ carried out a trial on 12,209 adults aged between 50-75 years, who were former or current smokers. The study participants were divided into a control group (who were treated using current standard techniques), and the test group (who received the EarlyCDT lung test). 41.1% of the EarlyCDT test group were diagnosed early in comparison to 26.8% of the control group. The results showed that the ‘EarlyCDT lung test’ can detect lung cancer four years before standard clinical diagnosis can.

The test also showed that death rates were reduced among people who took the test compared with people in the control group. The benefit of early diagnosis of lung cancer is an increase in treatment options which, in turn, increases patients’ chance of survival.

The next stage of this study consists of trials with 200,000 patients. This test is being tested for large-scale roll out in the United Kingdom’s National Health Service – NHS and other healthcare systems across the globe as well as for testing on liver, ovarian, breast and prostate cancer.

More details on this study can be found here: Sullivan et al, 2017, BMC Cancer, PMID: 28284200
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-017-3175y

MUN Climate Action Coalition Calls on Memorial University to Sign Climate Crisis Pledge

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MUN Climate Action Coalition Calls on Memorial University to Sign Climate Crisis Pledge

In light of the indisputable evidence of rapid and devastating climate change, a coalition of students, faculty, staff, and community members have joined together to form the MUN Climate Action Coalition. As part of Climate Action Week (September 20-27, 2019), the Coalition will be calling on Memorial University of Newfoundland to sign the MUN Crisis Pledge: Fighting Climate Change through Transformation.

The MUN Crisis Pledge states that MUN will commit to the following actions:

  1. Declare a climate emergency; and
  2. Work with the Climate Action Coalition to take meaningful action to meet IPCC targets.

As the only university in our province, Memorial University has a critical role to play in advancing knowledge and taking leadership on climate action.

Date: Thursday, September 26, 2019
Time: 3:00pm
Location: The Loft, University Centre (UC 3013), Memorial University

NovelTea: Emergency Contact by Mary H. K. Choi

Hunter Richardson
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NovelTea: Emergency Contact by Mary H. K. Choi

Emergency Contact by Mary H. K. Choi is a book that takes its readers by surprise with its realism. It’s a true coming-of-age story that demonstrates the trials and tribulations of finding where you belong in the world through the eyes of Penny, a college freshman, and Sam, a broke barista with some serious girl trouble.

Choi creates characters that act like human beings – they’re calloused from past traumas, but those experiences shape who Penny and Sam are, providing some common ground. They’ve lived a life of hardship, and while it’s on completely different ends of the spectrum, it allows them to bond in a genuine way. Another thing Choi gets right is her fluency in ‘modern day teenager,’ which adds to the books credibility.

One of the most refreshingly distinctive aspect of the novel is Choi’s attention to the smallest of details; for example, how Penny becomes instantly tired when dealing with confrontation. It’s the little things that keep these characters as engaging as they are, which Choi proves to be a master of, throughout the narrative.

Of course, with it’s perfections, there comes those aspects which are flawed. The book ends abruptly, and it’s almost whiplash-inducing. It felt as if an epilogue was needed to do these characters the justice they deserved after everything. It was satisfying, but it absolutely could have been better. Don’t allow this to be a deterrent, though, since the book is a masterpiece and deserves every bit of praise it has received thus far.

All in all, Choi is an author to keep an eye on. She keeps it real with characters that genuinely reflect the world as it is today; diverse characters going through relatable situations and dealing with those issues in a human way rather than a robotic one. Emergency Contact flows smoothly and is a stand out contemporary – so much so that it should be considered a Must Read. So add it to your TBR – you won’t regret a second of this book.

Ad Astra Review

Hunter Richardson
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Ad Astra Review

Ad Astra follows Brad Pitt’s character Roy McBride as he embarks on a mission closely tied to his late father. It has been advertised as an incredibly cerebral piece, but in reality, it’s disappointingly simplistic.

I went into this thinking I’d be seeing another Interstellar-type film – something that was so unbelievably complex that I couldn’t possibly understand nor appreciate its message until years have passed. Instead, I got a self-aware Apocalypse Now that was too blatant with its symbolism to actually resonate. The narration of the film removes any aspect of subjectivity, treating the audience like their intelligence is less than by making a point of explaining every complex thought rather than allowing them to ponder it for themselves. Without the narration, the symbolism involved would have been stunning, and the overall message would have hit harder than it did. It would have been a devastating piece, had they tweaked the script a little more, but it simply became the know-it-all lovechild of Interstellar and Apocalypse Now.

Despite its flaws, Ad Astra was visually beautiful. Its cinematography was akin to that of Blade Runner 2049 – a very stylistic choice. It gave the film certain tones in certain scenes, increasing anxiety for the characters against these new environments. Its use of colour and its swell of the score made it exactly the kind of atmosphere you would assume for this world. A world where you can freely visit the moon and Mars, swinging by Applebees for supper like it’s nothing out of the ordinary. It’s both brilliant and terrifying to think of and to actually see a world like that right in front of you. The actors thrived in this environment, Brad Pitt especially. He approaches this role and owns it with everything he has. Besides, he has a great costar in Tommy Lee Jones. In the little you see of the latter, he manages to break your heart within seconds. It is strictly top-tier talent here and it shows.

While the plot is predictable and the narration dulls its shine, Ad Astra is still a beautiful piece. It refuses to shy away from its complexity, which is genius in some ways, while pretentious in others. It walks a very fine line between the two, but don’t allow that to be a deterrent. My opinion may vary wildly from yours, so I recommend seeing Ad Astra and interpreting it in whatever way you see fit.

As for me, I give it a 5/10.

IT: Chapter 2 Review

Timothy Parsons
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IT: Chapter 2 Review

Stephen King’s IT has been terrorizing readers since 1986. The eater of worlds and children has used its fear-mongering to become one of King’s most popular books. After a cheesy TV miniseries, the character of Pennywise the Dancing Clown returned in 2017’s IT with Bill Skarsgard as the titular clown. The movie did a good job of dealing with childhood terrors, and became the highest grossing R-rated horror movie of all time. Now, the Loser’s Club is back, all grown up, 27 years after the events of the first movie to kill the shape-shifting clown once and for all.

In my opinion, the cast always makes or breaks a movie; luckily, the main players in IT: Chapter 2 do a good job. Skarsgard is once again enthralling in his Pennywise performance, somehow projecting hilarity and fear simultaneously. The best performance, by far, is Jessica Chastain’s Beverly, a strong-willed woman prepared to fight the murderous clown, much more than most of her male compatriots. Bill Hader’s Richie also brings a lot of levity to this movie whilst delivering on some powerful dramatic scenes. Both these characters and their actors are the highlights of this film.

In terms of the story-line itself, the first half was concise and engaging and undoubtedly the best part of the movie, in terms of laughs and scares. The movie makes great use of its ability to jump backwards in time, back to the first movie where seeing these young talented actors again was definitely welcoming.

However this brings me to the film’s biggest disappointment, the final act. I obviously can’t give too much away, but lets just say they completely missed the mark on this one. The climax is as monotonous and uninteresting as it gets. The movie is almost 3 hours long and seemed to be dragging forever near the end. By the time the Loser’s Club unites to beat IT, I was checking my watch and was amazed we still had an hour to go- the movie could’ve been better with a few scenes cut.

Another downside is James Macovoy’s character, Bill. He plays up the character’s stutter way too much and is honestly over the top with it. Moreover, the character of Mike disappears for a good half of the movie. Given how he was the first main character introduced besides Pennywise, it’s unfortunate that he had the least screen-time and hardly any character development.

This one may be more of a personal gripe, but a lot of the times, all I could think while watching the climax is how many problems could have been solved if they just had a weapon. A baseball bat, a shovel, a crowbar, anything. But no, on character has a fence post as a weapon and none of the others think for a second that maybe they should have something to defend themselves.

Overall, I left the theatre disappointed. There were certainly good points to the movie, but the negatives dragged it back way too much for me to give this a recommend.

IT: Chapter 2 gets 2 stars out of 5.

Attend Launch Forth: Memorial’s Student Leadership & Career Conference!

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Attend Launch Forth: Memorial’s Student Leadership & Career Conference!

What is the connection between your academics and your interests? How do you ensure you graduate with not only a degree, but work, volunteer, and leadership experience? What are the different skills that you can develop that will enhance your student experience, while developing your capacity to lead and thrive post-graduation?

Launch Forth is a one-day conference happening on Sat, Oct. 5, 9:00am-4:30pm in the Bruneau Centre for Research and Innovation.The goal of this conference is to challenge students to consider and communicate the link between their academic program, their on-campus experiences, and their career.

·         Discover your strengths & enhance your leadership skills

·         Learn how to pitch yourself & connect with employers

·         Leverage your student experience for career success

This conference is open to everyone! Find out more & register now!

Interview with Author Patrick Warner

Timothy Parsons
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Interview with Author Patrick Warner

Patrick Warner grew up in Claremorris, County Mayo in Ireland before moving to St. John’s in 1980. While here, he received a B.A in English and Anthropology from Memorial University and began his career as a writer. He’s published several poetry books such as All Manner of Misunderstanding, Precious, and Octopus as well as the novel One Hit Wonders.

Known for his sharp and dark wit, Patrick has written a new book My Camin, a book about misfits, art, spirituality, and identity. The Muse correspondent, Tim Parsons, recently had the pleasure of interviewing him.

How did you get your start in writing?
I was always a big reader, but then I got bitten by a poetry bug in my late 20s and spent the next decade reading little else as I tried to figure out what I liked so much about the form. I don’t know what in me changed to allow for this focus; maybe some sense that there was a disconnect between my internal life and external life and that metaphor was a way to bridge the gap.

Has your life in St. John’s influenced your writing style?
Well, nature rolls right up to your doorstep in St. John’s and I love that. I can’t say the place has had a direct influence on my style. I find that I get depressed in the long winters and that tends to make me more introspective. In the summer I just want be out doing things.

You’ve written so many poetry books, each with a variety of subjects. Writings about insurance companies, neanderthal skulls, catholic schooling, and exile are just a few of the numerous topics you’ve written about. What’s your process of finding what to write about?
In poetry, I never decide what to write about. I try to stay open- read good books, walk in the woods, meditate. Then something hits- a mood, a line from book I’m reading, an image that keeps recurring in my memory and suddenly finds a match in the present reality. I recognize a certain  energy-a feeling that is part frustration and part excitement.

With fiction, I take a more deliberate approach. I set out to explore ideas, usually ideas that have got under my skin a little. My new novel, My Camino, is a satire of the art world, identity politics and the culture of political correctness. It’s about three friends: an African American man, a transwoman and an Irish immigrant who strike it big in the New York art scene; but the dream quickly sours and the trio, in full retreat, decide to bike the Camino de Santiago. Along the way, they concoct a revenge fantasy.

Are there any writers you’ve felt inspired you?
DH Lawrence, Patrick Kavanagh, Seamus Heaney, Joseph Brodsky, Czeslaw Milosz, Lorrie Moore, Anne Enright, Alice Muno, Martin Amis, Patrick de Witt, Lynn Crosbie, A.R. Ammons, John Ashbery, Dorothy Parker, to name a few.

Apart from poetry and satire, are there other genres you’d like to write about?
I wouldn’t mind trying my hand at drama. 

How has your B.A in English and Anthropology helped your creative writing?
They gave me some good foundational texts..

Do you have any current projects in the making?
I’m thinking about writing a play about sociopathy in young women as evidenced by the #MeToo movement. I’m kidding….. Maybe.

NDP Aims to End Student Loans Profiteering

Haylee Freake
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NDP Aims to End Student Loans Profiteering

We live in a society today where an undergraduate degree or college diploma is a necessity for finding a job. Heading off for post-secondary school after graduation has become a societal norm before entering the work force.While this is not a big deal for some people, the decision to go to post-secondary school is actually very worrisome to most students. With the cost of living constantly rising, and minimum wage barely increasing, those of us who have to pay our way through school lean towards the idea of applying for a student loan.

These loans issued by the Government of Canada are to be repaid post-graduation with varying levels of interests. On average, upon graduation of an undergraduate degree, students will have built $26,000 (Statistics Canada) in debt from attending university. Everyone deserves the opportunity to receive post-secondary education, but unfortunately, it’s seen as a luxury and not as a right. Post-secondary institutions are becoming increasingly expensive, meaning those who don’t have an easy means to money, have to work twice as heard to receive their education. We shouldn’t be penalised for taking out government loans with the looming stressor of interest upon graduation. This is what NDP leader Jagmeet Singh believes.

“Young people in our province deserve to graduate with hope for a better future. They shouldn’t be trapped in a cycle where they’re working hard and not getting by. I have heard from graduates that they have put off starting their own family because of student debt. That isn’t good enough. Eliminating the federal interest on student loans is a simple way to make it easier for young people to build a good life.”

-NDP candidate Jack Harris (St. John’s East End).

In Singh’s election platform, he claims the party’s vision is “for every Canadian to have access to quality post-secondary education, regardless of income” (NDP). His means by which to make this possible is by working with provinces and territories to make university tuition more affordable by reducing and putting a cap on school fees. In the long-term, Singh wants to ensure post-secondary education be just as accessible as the Canadian public education system. Although these changes won’t happen overnight, Singh says he intends to replace loans with accessible non-repayable grants and at the very least have provinces commit to eliminating student interest loans.

According to a press release sent out by NDP, this plan hopes to bring about the following changes:

  • The NDP’s plan would immediately drop the interest rate on Canada Student Loans to 0%. This would apply to outstanding loans as well as new ones. 
  • Under the NDP’s plan, a graduate with a debt of $13,500 (average federal student debt) will save $3,400 over the lifetime of the loan.
  • A graduate with a debt of $20,000 will save $5,000.
  • The NDP’s New Deal for People also commits to moving from student loans to non-repayable grants, and to a future where post-secondary education is fully part of the public education system so kids can go from kindergarten to a career, without the barrier of cost. 

Whether these plans will turn into fruition, only time and an election will tell.

Cited:
– “Making Life More Affordable for Everyday People.” Canada’s NDP, https://www.ndp.ca/affordability.

– Statistics Canada. “Section 4 Student Loans and Debts.” Section 4: Student Loans and Debts, 27 Nov. 2015, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/81-595-m/2014101/section04-eng.htm.

Child Advocates Urge Government to Ensure the Health and Safety of Canada’s Children

Hunter Richardson
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Child Advocates Urge Government to Ensure the Health and Safety of Canada’s Children

Children First Canada, in collaboration with the O’Brien Institute for Public Health, and endorsed by the Council of Champions, recently released the highly informative “Raising Children: Election 2019.” The report highlights the main priorities in Children First Canada’s Canadian Children’s Charter and serves as a call to action aimed at Canada’s political leaders to make some very necessary changes in the future interest of our youth.

“The majority of Canadians rank this as a top five or top ten country to raise a child, but the reality is that Canada ranks 25th…” says Sara Austin, founder and Lead Director of Children First Canada. “As a society, we have largely ignored the harsh realities that affect our most vulnerable, and that needs to change. As Canadians prepare to head to the polls, now is the time to demand that these challenges be tackled.”

While Accidents and Preventable Injuries rank first, Suicide ranks the second most alarming concern, citing that 20% of Atlantic Canadian youth have experienced suicidal thoughts. Sadly, Newfoundland is no exception to these dangers, as research suggests our children suffer from an average poverty rate of 10.6%, as well as one of the highest rates of childhood obesity, coming in at 31.4% – more than 7% above Canada’s average.

Interestingly, Immunization is on the list, claiming that a quarter of our country’s children are not fully vaccinated by the age of two. This statistic suggests that Canada is just as vulnerable to the Anti-Vax movement, so much so that it is a higher concern than Bullying, which is considered the lowest threat of the ten.

Additionally, the report calls for Children First Canada’s Charter to be recognized and implemented within the government. It also asks that the Canadian government create a Children’s Budget as a means of addressing the dangers this list poses to our children.

Children First Canada is a national non-profit organization who prioritizes the safety and well-being of Canada’s youth. They strive to make Canada the best place in the world to grow up. For more information, visit their website: http://www.childrenfirstcanada.com

Celebrating Dr. Valerie Booth: Recipient of the 2019 President’s Award for Outstanding Graduate and Postgraduate Supervision

Modeline Longjohn
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Celebrating Dr. Valerie Booth: Recipient of the 2019 President’s Award for Outstanding Graduate and Postgraduate Supervision


Dr. Valerie Booth, who was the Canada Research Chair in Proteomics is quite literally treading a path less traveled with a research that combines Physics, Chemistry and Biology. In her laboratory, she studies hydrophobic proteins – proteins that do not dissolve in water but cling to membranes of human cells. Much is currently unknown about these proteins, even though they are pivotal to human health and disease. Dr. Booth is passionate about improving available knowledge about these ‘difficult-to-study’ proteins.

Dr. Booth started out at the University of Victoria, where she skirted between Music, History, Chemistry and finally Physics. She graduated with a BSc in Physics and proceeded to the University of Waterloo Graduate School where she completed a Masters of Science in Biophysics. Afterwards, she completed a PhD in Medical Biophysics at the University of Toronto, Ontario. Next, she undertook post-doctoral research at Edmonton, before finally beginning at Memorial University of Newfoundland where she is currently a Professor of Biochemistry, with cross appointment in the department of physics and physical oceanography.

Speaking on her career trajectory, Dr. Booth said, “It’s important for people to know that you don’t have to stay in the field that you get your first degree in or your second degree. It’s okay to make life decisions not just based on career choices, but also on who and where you want to be.”

In addition to being a busy professor, Dr. Booth is also a wife and mother of young children. Speaking on the role of gender on how fast her career progressed, she had this to say: “Perhaps, It would have happened faster, if I were a man. This is owing to things related to being unable to work while pregnant and when you have really young kids.”

Dr. Booth’s research has led to several publications in prestigious journals. Speaking on what drives her to keep doing research and working with students in this multi-disciplinary field, she said, “The two things I really enjoy are finding out new things, so I can say I have natural curiosity. I am really lucky to have a job where I can satisfy my natural curiosity. The other thing is that my interactions with students (the undergraduate and graduate students) make my day.”

When asked what her biggest contribution to the world of science is, Dr. Booth believes, “In my lab, we specialize in studying really complicated stuff, using physics. Our contributions include the application of physics to answer tough scientific and biological system related questions.”

Dr. Booth was recently named the ‘recipient of the 2019 President’s Award for Outstanding Graduate and Postgraduate Supervision’, a well deserved accolade, which highlights her excellence.

“There are truths in the world, whether you choose to believe them or not. In some parts of life, its not someone’s opinion. The truth is the truth.”

– Dr. Valerie Booth
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