news 2023

Researchers aim to bridge the gap between AI technology and human understanding University of Waterloo researchers have developed a new explainable artificial intelligence (AI) model to reduce bias and enhance trust and accuracy in machine learning-generated decision-making and knowledge organization.

Poor medical follow-up, difficulty in accessing appropriate care, and loss of income. A research team highlights the challenges faced by people living with rare diseases. New research by the Pragmatic Health Ethics Research Unit of the Montreal Clinical Research Institute (IRCM), affiliated with University of Montreal, highlights the colossal challenges faced by people living with one or more rare diseases, both in terms of care and in the personal and professional spheres.

Recognizing the diversity of cycling travel behaviour will improve participation and infrastructure investments The limitations of Statistics Canada's cycling data are having a real-world impact on women and marginalized people participating in cycling, a new study finds. The long-form census bike-to-work data is currently the primary evidence transportation engineers and planners use to make a case for spending on cycling infrastructure.

Western researchers also find impact of prenatal cannabis exposure on cognition and memory differs by sex While previous research has shown that prenatal cannabis exposure can obstruct the normal growth of a fetus, the long-term impacts on brain development are still unknown. Western researchers are now providing fresh insight into this area, while also identifying a possible direction to treat the adverse effects.

In an era of unprecedented LGBTQ2+ visibility coupled with incredible backlash, coming out as a sexual minority can be a deeply ambivalent experience, according to new research. In a study published in Theory and Society , sociologists Dr. Amin Ghaziani and Andy Holmes conducted in-depth interviews with 52 adult Vancouverites about their experiences coming out over the last five years.

Reversing a 40-year decline in Pacific salmon populations requires a collaborative approach that combines traditional Indigenous knowledge with archaeology and genomics. A new project, funded by Genome BC, involves a team of researchers from the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, Simon Fraser University's Department of Archaeology and the University of British Columbia's Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries.

Science, Health & Technology Brett Goldhawk Treatment with modern antidepressants may help prevent patients with bipolar disorder from relapsing into a depressive episode, according to an international clinical trial led by researchers at the University of British Columbia. The findings, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine , challenge current clinical practice guidelines and could change how bipolar depression is managed globally.

New research shows how social media engagement on Twitter impacts customer satisfaction In the digital age, a new Twitter strategy can have implications for a healthy bottom line. How companies handle customer complaints on social media plays a critical role in their customer-focused performance management systems.

Science, Health & Technology Lou Corpuz-Bosshart Study also shows that larger, intact watersheds reduce flood risk more effectively Loss of forest cover is associated with more frequent extreme flooding, as well as more frequent floods of any size, according to new UBC research. While it's widely thought that loss of forest cover is strongly linked to increased flooding, most studies have suggested that the impact is limited to smaller floods.

Waterloo Pharmacy researchers address significant gap in maternal medication research. It's the start of World Breastfeeding Week, and University of Waterloo Pharmacy researchers have developed a novel metric for an underserved research area to aid healthcare providers in advising on maternal medication use for breastfeeding mothers or nursing persons.

Veterinary scientists at UdeM think they've unlocked a key reason behind infertility in women: they have too little of an important protein called SF-1. Epidemiological studies have shown that infertility affects 12 to 15 per cent of couples of reproductive age in developed countries, and at least 25 per cent in underdeveloped ones - overall, 186 million people worldwide.

Pierrich Plusquellec and his team at UdeM's School of Psychoeducation publish the results of a facial-expression study measuring 'emotional contagion' and the risk of depression. Repeatedly exposed to negative emotions, relationship professionals such as social workers, psychologists and psychoeducators are at high risk of experiencing "emotional contagion," an unconscious, automatic transmission of an emotion from one individual to another.

News Release - Scientists crack the code of what causes diamonds to erupt: New research could spark future diamond discoveries A recent discovery by a team of international researchers has identified the breakup of tectonic plates as the main driving force behind the generation and eruption of diamond-rich magmas from deep inside the Earth.

Researchers discover the rise in health concerns due to heat waves in Canada The planet experienced the hottest day on record earlier this month and climate projections estimate the intensity of heat waves and poor air quality will increase and continue to cause severe impacts. Researchers from the University of Waterloo and Toronto Metropolitan University have refined and expanded a method of data collection to assess their health impacts.

Researchers have developed a novel synthetic protein to treat macular degeneration and other incurable eye diseases that lead to blindness in millions of people. It is the first drug of its kind and is currently in human trials. Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects more than 200 million people worldwide.

Researchers with the newly formed International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) have found scientific consensus that content labels and corrective information can help people identify and evaluate social media misinformation-but little consensus about strategies to mitigate its negative effects.

Science, Health & Technology Lou Corpuz-Bosshart Most navigation apps can show you the fastest possible route to your destination and some can even suggest an eco-friendly route calculated to produce the least amount of carbon emissions. But what if they could also map the safest route with the lowest possible risk of a crash? A new algorithm developed by UBC researchers could make this a reality.

Science, Health & Technology Kevin Hollett Medications for alcohol use disorder are underutilized in British Columbia, despite their safety and effectiveness, according to a new study published today in the journal Addiction . The study found that between 2015 and 2019 fewer than five per cent of British Columbians who met the criteria for moderate to severe alcohol use disorder (AUD) received medications for the minimum recommended time of three months.

When employees break the rules at work, they can land in hot water - but according to a new study from the UBC Sauder School of Business, bosses may want to think twice about cracking down on those who don't stick to the script. In the past, researchers believed that when employees broke the rules, they were doing it for malicious or self-serving reasons: for example, workers might steal, or take longer breaks than they're entitled to.

Chronic pain is a complex condition that affects millions of individuals worldwide and understanding its causes and predicting its trajectory remains difficult. However, findings from a recent McGill-led study published in Nature Medicine could improve the understanding and management of chronic pain.