Daily News

Posted on Aug. 30: Research may aid in more effective drug addiction treatments

New research by McMaster University researchers suggests that a learned compensatory response can trigger "drug tolerance," a physiological process central to addiction. Drug tolerance makes people need more and more drug to get the same effect, whether pain relief or a "high." Its newly discovered psychological aspect -- in which a drug-predictive cue primes the body to react "as if" the drug effect is imminent -- might be used to treat addiction more effectively. In short, if drug tolerance can be learned, there's a chance it can be unlearned, reducing or eliminating the tolerance-related cravings and other withdrawal symptoms can lead addicts to relapse. Research by McMaster psychology professor Shepard Siegel, graduate student Marta Sokolowska, and McMaster alumnus Joseph Kim (now a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, San Francisco) demonstrated that there is a powerful "internal cue" process that stimulates the body to react to the effect of a drug. The research results were recently published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes. "The effect of a drug depends not only on our response to the drug, but also our response to stimuli that in the past have been paired with the drug. We've known this for a long time in terms of external stimuli, such as where and when a drug is taken, but now it's also clear that internal stimuli also play an important role," says Siegel. Current drug addiction treatment programs often include a component that tries to remove the effects of the external cues (so-called "cue exposure treatments"), but they ignore the importance of internal cues.

Posted on Aug. 29: Students call McMaster home this weekend

This weekend, approximately 3,000 bodies will descend upon campus armed with suitcases, boxes and crates. It's move-in weekend, and that means heavy traffic and jammed parking lots. "The new school term is less than a week away, and like all departments, Housing and Conference Services is busy preparing for the beginning of another exciting year," says Cathie Miller, director of Housing and Conference Services. "We are gearing up to welcome the class of 2006' as well as returning students who will be moving into University residences over the Labour Day weekend."

Posted on Aug. 28: Residence life staff soften first-year transition

In September 2001,University was initially overwhelming for the first-year student who came from small-town Ontario. David Kennedy could sense that. "She was terrified," said the residence life community advisor (CA). "I knew she was feeling lonely and I kept talking to her and asking her how everything was going." Finally, on her third day in residence, she broke down. She talked to Kennedy about how she missed home and how university was overwhelming. While reassuring and counseling her, Kennedy recalled the training sessions he underwent to prepare for such situations. The fourth-year honours economics student is in training again this week, to learn how to be an effective CA. He and more than 100 other CA's and residence program assistants (RPA's) are involved in a two-week training session to prepare for the first-year students they will mentor and advise in McMaster's 10 residences throughout the school year ahead. "The CA's and RPA's have a really significant impact on students' experiences and that is why we have such an intensive training," says Danielle Stayzer, residence life co-ordinator "They are role models and first-year students really look up to them." Students are also getting younger, and issues that CA's and RPA's deal with are changing, Stayzer adds. "Students have been getting younger over the last couple of years so we have been refining our training to meet the changing needs," she says. "We train staff on getting to know each individual on the floor and finding out what the specific needs are of each student. If they find out a large number of the students on their floor are younger they will plan activities to best accommodate them." Residence life staff are expected to organize non-alcoholic activities, something that students seem to be getting used to. "There is an increased focus on academics for students," Stayzer says. "I think it's because university has become more competitive."

Posted on Aug. 27: 9/11 art show fosters respect’

McMaster's Anti-Violence Network (AVN) hopes a visual art show will help people express their feelings one year after Sept. 11. "Art, being a universal medium, was chosen as a means to allow people to express their feelings, in this case around issues of religious and racial difference, and how lack of respect impacts on these differences," says Pat Young, administrative co-ordinator in the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies and a member of the AVN. McMaster's diversity is reflected in the artwork by McMaster students, faculty and staff, says Young. "Encouraging, or fostering, respect for one another, despite our many differences, is a good way to eliminate many of the tensions that arise between people of many diverse beliefs and races. Our hope is that the diversity of our campus will be reflected in the artwork collected." The art show is connected to a Sept. 14 conference sponsored by AVN, entitled "One Year After September 11th--What Have We Learned?" The day-long conference, in the McMaster University Student Centre, will feature guest speakers and a panel discussion. The art show arose from discussions after the events of Sept. 11, says Young. "We were made aware of concerns in various ethnic communities following violence in the community at large, and members of various ethnic groups on campus also expressed concerns about their safety." This led to an event last spring entitled "Fostering Respect". The event brought together representatives from various religious faiths to speak on misconceptions about their beliefs. "We believe that education is one positive step that we can offer to expose misconceptions and to increase respect for religious traditions," Young says. AVN has put out a call for entries for the juried art exhibition. Entries must be original works of art created by the artist and must be available for purchase. The exhibition is open to all two- and three-dimensional works of art, except electronic video performances. There is a limit of one entry per person. Judging will take place the first week of September and the selected works will be on display from Sept. 13 to 15 in the New Space, Togo Salmon Hall, Room 114. Entries must be submitted by Aug. 28. in the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies, TSH 726 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. The reception and award presentation for the exhibition takes place Sept. 14 from 7 to 9 p.m. in TSH 114. For more information contact Pat Young at youngpm@mcmaster.ca or ext. 23112.

Posted on Aug. 27: Minister urges McMaster medical students to stay in Ontario

Provincial Health Minister Tony Clement appealed to first-year medical students at McMaster University yesterday to stay and practise in Ontario. Clement told the 140 students attending their first day of orientation that making Ontario more attractive to health professionals is his top priority. His plea comes at a time when North America-wide shortages have left doctor recruitment and retention more competitive than ever. McMaster increased enrolment by 40 per cent this year under the Health Ministry's strategy to fight the growing doctor shortage. (The Globe and Mail, Aug. 27, 2002)