Close on the heels of our groundbreaking conference New Discoveries, New Beginnings, we are delighted to announce that Dr. Bernie Juurlink has joined the National CCSVI Society Board of Directors. As a new Society facilitating collaboration in CCSVI research and education, our all-volunteer Board determines our focus and activities and then works hard to make those plans a reality. Dr. Juurlink brings his expertise in neurovascular science (see below examples of his research and creative thinking)) and will help us advance CCSVI research in an even more accelerated and multi-disciplinary fashion.
Our current Board:
Sandra Birrell, President
Landon Schmidt Secretary Treasurer
Dr. Bill Code, Medical Director
Dr. David Williams
Dr. David Christie
Dr. Bernie Juurlink
An example of Dr. Juurlink’s research:
The multiple sclerosis lesion: initiated by a localized hypoperfusion in a central nervous system where mechanisms allowing leukocyte infiltration are readily upregulated?
Abstract
A mechanism is proposed that may explain the factors that initiate a multiple sclerosis (MS) lesion. It is based upon the following two hypotheses: (i) there is a lower stimulus threshold for upregulating the mechanisms that result in leukocyte infiltration in individuals predisposed to developing MS; (ii) the MS lesion is initiated as a reduction in blood flow to a localized region of white matter. This reduction in blood flow leads to: (a) degenerative white matter changes affecting oligodendrocytes; (b) upregulation of chemokines in the endothelial cells and/or glial cells; and (c) upregulation of cell adhesion molecules on endothelial cells. Signals from the hypoxemic and hypoglycemic glial cells, likely involving myelin molecules and cytokines, result in an inflammatory immune response that results in rampant demyelination. Evidence supporting the proposed mechanism is presented, as well as suggestions on how to test the validity of the proposal.
An abstract from one of Dr. Juurlink’s presentations. I bolded and italicized some excerpts that show why we are so thrilled to have Dr. Juurlink on our Board to help us break through barriers holding CCSVI back.
Fumbling Towards Ecstasy: A Journey To Understand A Small Corner Of The Universe
Abstract:
What is common amongst the sciences, humanities and fine arts is creativity. A scientist is simply an artist with his/her head in the clouds BUT feet anchored firmly in terra firma – a scientist's creativity must be reflective of the world in which he/she lives to a much greater extent than that of the artist. Creativity is the ability to see connections others have trouble seeing, to see the unfamiliar in the familiar. Although often considered to be a rare gift, creativity is a fundamental property of living things. How are things connected? This question is fundamental and necessary for life; hence, it is hardwired into all living things, especially in animal and animal-like beings. Is this a nutrient or poison? Is the oxygen tension appropriate for my survival? Is that predator or prey? Is this the direction to water? to minerals? In animals the hard-wiring is over-written by soft-wired programming as childhood turns to youth and then adulthood - animal adults are less curious than the young. This is, of course necessary, since the brain is slowly establishing some sort of map of the external world in relationship to that of the body, i.e., the brain is establishing a terra cognita; life is not possible in a perpetual terra informa. One cannot be overburdened with investigating all possible, and seemingly impossible, connections since this leads to insanity. Curiosity must have some boundaries, it must have some reasonably firm base off which to spring. Creativity requires some, usually inchoate, knowledge about which boundaries to destroy and which ones to erect. It requires some anchor to which possible connections can be tied. But it also must allow the existence of apparent contradictions and terra cognita ideally should be terra cognita infecta. It must allow for accidental findings that may resolve the apparent contradictions. This paper attempts to delineate some of the creative aspects that are held in common between the poet and the scientist.
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