We asked Slipski to share his ‘Top Five’ for this new UM Today column. Here are his top five every day things we most often do that contribute to antimicrobial resistance.

1. Eat meat products raised with antimicrobials. – 80% of all antimicrobial usage in Canada is in farming and livestock, due to the exposure to antimicrobials from birth, many of the bacterial organisms that colonize these animals end up acquiring resistance genes to those antimicrobials used. By eating these products we too can acquire resistance genes so that the bacteria that colonize us can gain resistance and this can become a problem when we acquire pathogenic infections that require antimicrobial treatment, as the saying goes “we are what we eat”.

2. Abuse therapeutic antimicrobials such as antibiotics. We have all had a tickle in our throat or felt under the weather and have had to go to the doctors office. Many times our infections are viral, which antibiotics have no efficacy in treating, and doctors still have no easy way to tell if an infection is bacterial or viral, so many times antibiotics are demanded or prescribed unnecessarily. Also, when patients are prescribed antibiotics for a specific period of time, they stop taking them early when they feel better, but it is very important to finish the full course of treatment as given by doctors as these are specific to each drug/patient and are required to eliminate infection. When a course of antibiotics is stopped early a few of the infecting bacteria can remain and come back stronger with a newly acquired resistance to that antimicrobial drug making it far more difficult to treat now.

3. Buy and use handsoap containing added antimicrobials. Hand washing is a very important practice in reducing the spread of infections, especially during cold/flu season, but companies who make soap have taken advantage of this practice, and in order to get an edge over competition and to make people feel even more sanitary they add antimicrobial compounds so they can proclaim “kills 99.99% of germs” or “antibacterial/antimicrobial” on their labels. The truth is these antimicrobial compounds have no added benefit in hand soap, but also have no effect on viruses, and plain old soap is extremely effective at removing bacteria and virus from your hands without added chemicals. The more we add these unnecessary compounds to our soaps the more we expose bacteria to them and help them acquire even more resistance to these antimicrobials making them ineffective for when we really need them. The FDA in the United States recognized this fact and banned several antimicrobials including Triclosan from hand soap, but in Canada we are still far behind, and continue to allow these antimicrobials to be added to our soap products. Alcohol hand sanitizers are a great alternative to antimicrobial hand soaps, and do not add to the burden of antimicrobial resistance.

4. Buy and use household cleaners containing added antimicrobials. Another area where antimicrobial compounds have been added with no benefit are in household cleaners. Many of the chemicals we use such as bleach are very effective at killing pathogenic organisms. More recently however, there has been a fear of using “too many chemicals” in our households such as ammonia or bleach driving companies to create “chemical free” or “bleach free” cleaners, which is funny because in place of those chemicals they add even more potent antimicrobial chemicals for the killing action against microorganisms. In this case, the old fashioned cleaners without antimicrobials are safe to use, and just as effective at reducing pathogenic microorganisms in our house, without adding to the burden of antimicrobial resistance.

5. Buy and use everyday products such as makeup and fabric softener containing unnecessary antimicrobials. Manufacturers add antimicrobials to products unnecessarily in order to extend shelf life, but also to make consumers feel safer about the products they are using. Many times, such as in day to day products, these antimicrobials have no added benefit to the consumer, and only serve the company producing them for marketing and longevity of their product. The abuse of antimicrobials in these consumer products drives resistance because microorganisms are constantly being exposed to these compounds on a daily basis, and this drives acquisition of resistance genes, so that in times when we are sick or have an infection certain antimicrobials are no longer effective.

University of Manitoba graduate students are on an unprecedented path to innovation and discovery. Meet the new faces behind the research.

We asked Boreskie to share his ‘Top Five’ for this new UM Today column. Here are his Top Five lifestyle changes to lower your blood pressure.

1. Exercise: Typically, most guidelines currently recommend around an hour of moderate-intensity continuous exercise per week, but promising new research is also looking at doing short, short repeated bouts of hard exercise (high-intensity interval training) as well as strength training (isometric resistance training) to help lower blood pressure. Our lab’s study found that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) reduced blood pressure the same amount as moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE), but these reductions lasted for a longer period of time.

2. Make healthy diet choices: Research has developed what is known as the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension). This dietary approach suggests increasing intake of vegetables, fruit, low-fat dairy products, and reducing saturated fat, total fat and cholesterol intake. Additionally, greater reductions in sodium intake have been linked to greater reductions in blood pressure.

3. Quit smoking: Smoking can cause temporary increases in blood pressure. Quitting smoking can prevent these induced increases as well as reduced risk for cardiovascular disease and mortality.

4. Reduce stress: While additional research is needed in this area, ongoing stress can cause blood pressure to increase. Stress is also associated with unhealthy lifestyle factors that may in turn increase risk for hypertension, such as poor dietary intake and increased alcohol intake.

5. Limiting alcohol intake: Heavier alcohol intake has been associated with increased blood pressure and increased risk of developing hypertension. As with reducing stress, further research is needed in this area due to the confounding lifestyle variables that are commonly associated with increased alcohol intake.

While we have now developed effective pharmacological interventions for hypertension, lifestyle modification is seen as a first-line treatment for high blood pressure because of the wide-ranging benefits associated with these kinds of changes beyond just reducing blood pressure and their cost-effectiveness.

University of Manitoba graduate students are on an unprecedented path to innovation and discovery. Meet the new faces behind the research.

As part of our new ‘Top Five’ column, Stochl outlines her top five inspiring retail spaces from around the globe.

1. Nike New York City Flagship
Nike is a leader in experiential retail, and their NYC flagship is no exception. Aside from educating the community on its products and services, Nike has created a activity hub that integrates technology and physical experiences to create a dynamic retail destination. 

Nike New York City Flagship

2. Prada Epicenter New York City
Located in a space formerly belonging to the Guggenheim Museum, the Prada Epicenter is an inspiring example of how to redefine the shopping experience. Besides offering the latest in cutting-edge design and innovative technology features, the space functions as a cultural destination through its multi-functionality – it serves as a boutique, a gallery, a performance space, and a laboratory for ongoing research into shopping.

Prada Epicenter New York City

3. Selexyz Domincanen Bookstore
This bookstore has been considered one of the finest in the world – _it is located in the original structure of a 13th century church in Maastricht, The Netherlands. Apart from being an excellent example of adaptive reuse, the dialogue between the building’s history and the innovative contemporary design offers an experience unlike any other.

Selexyz Domincanen Bookstore

4. Farfetch Retail
Farfetch, a London-based online fashion retailer, is leading the way in bridging the gap between online and offline retail. In 2017, Farfetch released the “Store of the Future” platform, which allows its physical retail spaces to merge with its online presence. Through innovative software and interactive technology, the aim is to enhance productivity and interaction in the shopping experience.

Farfetch Retail

5. Kith Stores
Whether it be in Los Angeles or Tokyo, Kith has a reputation for uniquely designed spaces that remain true to the Kith brand. By exciting and engaging consumers on various levels, the experiential quality of Kith’s retail stores is inspirational to any brick and mortar retailer in the 21st century – _after all, who would expect a cereal bar in a high-end streetwear store?

Kith Stores

University of Manitoba graduate students are on an unprecedented path to innovation and discovery. Meet the new faces behind the research.

As part of our new ‘Top Five’ column, Lockman outlines her top five reasons ways to encourage children to take an early interest in science.

1. Expose your kids to science-related topics from a young age and peak their already curious minds even further. For me, this was exposure to science-related topics through TV shows such as The Magic School Bus, Bill Nye the Science Guy and Zoboomafoo.

2. For physical and visual learners, a hands-on approach to science will really heighten their interest. This can be achieved through summer camps that incorporate science into their program such as Mini U. As a child in summer camp, I still remember learning about different taste receptors through sampling different solutions and dissecting owl pellets looking for small mammalian bones.

3. Ask a lot of questions, so that your kids ask a lot of questions! This might get annoying, but asking questions will get your kids into the habit of formulating good questions themselves and in turn seeking meaningful answers. After all –  this is the foundation of science – being able to successfully use the scientific method to answer important questions.

4. Talk to them about role models in the field of science that they can possibly identify with. As a child growing up, I was fascinated learning about Marie Curie, Frederick Banting and Jane Goodall.

5. Encourage them to participate in science fairs if possible and go the extra mile on science-related projects. Conducting research or gathering scientific information is great, but it is of no use if it is not conveyed appropriately. Science fairs are a great way to start honing this skill. Additionally, putting more effort in to science projects will expose kids to different parts of the scientific field allowing them to figure out which area they are most interested in.

University of Manitoba graduate students are on an unprecedented path to innovation and discovery. Meet the new faces behind the research.