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Life Sciences - Health - 31.03.2023

Loss of key protein could be crucial to understanding ALS: Study
Researchers at the University of Toronto have shown that loss of a key protein in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) may contribute to the underlying cause of both diseases. The protein, known as C9orf72 (C9) and expressed by a gene with the same name, affects movement of molecules between the nucleus and the cytoplasm in the neurons affected in ALS and FTD, the researchers found.

Health - Life Sciences - 31.03.2023

MRNA-based delivery tech for gene editing in the lungs
A team of researchers, including  Bowen Li  from the University of Toronto's Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy, has developed a new lipid nanoparticle with potential to deliver gene editing tools to cells in the lung - a promising step toward developing new, inhalable therapies for lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis.

Health - 31.03.2023

Kids’ sleep apnea is under-diagnosed
One of the most common respiratory problems in children, obstructive sleep apnea can seriously affect development if left untreated. UdeM researcher Nelly Huynh focuses on prevention and screening. We often hear about sleep apnea in adults, but in children? Actually, pediatric obstructive sleep apnea is far from rare: 1 to 5 per cent of children are estimated to suffer from it, making it one of the most common respiratory problems in children.

Health - 30.03.2023

Cold to treat the most common form of arrhythmia
Cryoblation results may lead to revised treatment of atrial fibrillation. A study just published in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrates the long-term effectiveness of a procedure used to treat the most common form of abnormal heart rhythm, atrial fibrillation. This evidence and the conclusions of previous studies, which demonstrated the safety and medium-term effectiveness of this procedure, could lead to a revision of the recommendations concerning the treatment of atrial fibrillation, and thus allow a greater number of people to benefit from its advantages.

Health - Agronomy / Food Science - 29.03.2023

AI shows the need for healthier diets in long-term care homes
Waterloo researchers develop new AI technology to examine data on food and fluids consumed in LTC homes A detailed analysis of consumed food showed there is a need to improve diets in long-term care (LTC) homes to make them healthier for residents. The analysis found that eating more whole grains, plant-based proteins, and plain fruits and vegetables would help residents meet government guidelines and reduce their risk of inflammation.

Health - Pharmacology - 28.03.2023

The importance of knowledge translation in health care
Waterloo Pharmacy professor and doctoral candidate invited to discuss recent research findings in Neurology By Milana Madzarac School of Pharmacy In an age of misinformation, knowledge translation (KT) is an increasingly important way to communicate research to the audiences who need it. Knowledge translation links the creation of knowledge from research areas to real-world situations.

Health - Pharmacology - 28.03.2023

Brain cancer: serious consequences for young survivors
A new study shows the urgency of tailoring treatment regimens based on several criteria to provide better health outcomes for medulloblastoma patients. Hallie Coltin, pediatric hemato-oncologist and researcher at CHU Sainte-Justine and clinical assistant professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the Université de Montréal.

Health - Campus - 27.03.2023

Students who played sports before the pandemic did better during lockdowns
Participating in campus recreational sports can offset stress and contribute to academic competence A history of participating in campus recreational sports can offset stress and contribute to academic competence even during high-stress periods such as a pandemic lockdown, shows a new study. Researchers at the University of Waterloo found that participation in activities such as fitness classes and intramural and drop-in sports before the pandemic was linked to lower levels of stress and higher levels of perceived competence to handle challenges and master school workload during the lockdown.

Health - Environment - 22.03.2023

New UBC water treatment zaps ’forever chemicals’ for good
Science, Health & Technology Lou Corpuz-Bosshart Engineers at the University of British Columbia have developed a new water treatment that removes "forever chemicals" from drinking water safely, efficiently - and for good. "Think Brita filter, but a thousand times better," says UBC chemical and biological engineering Madjid Mohseni , who developed the technology.

Life Sciences - Health - 22.03.2023

How the brain’s ’internal compass’ works
Scientists have gained new insights into the part of the brain that gives us a sense of direction, by tracking neural activity with the latest advances in brain imaging techniques. The findings shed light on how the brain orients itself in changing environments - and even the processes that can go wrong with degenerative diseases like dementia, that leave people feeling lost and confused.

Pharmacology - Health - 21.03.2023

New U.S. data reveals significant disparities among groups, regions regarding prescription opioid use
In one of the most comprehensive studies to date, the findings showed more than one in ten Americans used prescription opioids in the past 12 months By Western Communications , March 21, 2023 By Western Communications , March 21, 2023 More than 30 million Americans – roughly 12 per cent of the U.S. population – rely on prescription opioids.

Health - Life Sciences - 20.03.2023

Co-infection with ’superbug’ bacteria increases SARS-CoV-2 replication 
Western study finds co-infection with 'superbug' bacteria increases SARS-CoV-2 replication  The study identifies a common protein from the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria boosts SARS-CoV-2 replication up to 15 times  By Prabhjot Sohal , March 20, 2023 By Prabhjot Sohal , March 20, 2023 Global data shows nearly 10 per cent of severe COVID-19 cases involve a secondary bacterial co-infection – with Staphylococcus aureus, also known as Staph A.

Health - Life Sciences - 16.03.2023

Colorectal cancer and E. coli: new insights
UdeM researchers have found that a lot of healthy people have a gut bacteria implicated in colorectal cancer, and that a popular supplement for promoting digestive health may have the opposite effect. In Quebec, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men and the third in women.

Agronomy / Food Science - Health - 16.03.2023

Fresh produce contaminated with toxic BPA-like chemicals found in food labels
BPA is banned in some countries but similar chemicals like BPS are still allowed. Steps were taken in Canada to reduce the use of Bisphenol A (BPA), a toxic chemical linked to prostate and breast cancer, commonly found in plastics, the lining of food cans, water bottles, and paper receipts. But in many cases, it has been replaced with similar hormone disrupting chemicals, like Bisphenol S (BPS).

Health - Social Sciences - 14.03.2023

Preventing type 2 diabetes in young people is possible without medication
All it takes is some physical activity every day and less time spent in front of a screen, Canadian researchers find.

Life Sciences - Health - 14.03.2023

Genes shed light on why men and women experience different depression symptoms
Depression is widely reported to be more common in women than in men, with women twice as likely to receive a diagnosis than men. A new sex-specific study from McGill University has found that there are differences between male and female genes and how they relate to depression. In a study of more than 270,000 individuals, the researchers found that sex-specific prediction methods were more accurate in forecasting an individual's genetic risk of developing depression than prediction methods that did not specify sex.

Health - Psychology - 08.03.2023

World’s most comprehensive study on COVID-19 mental health
COVID-19 has taken a relatively limited toll on the mental health of most people around the globe, according to a paper published today in the by a McGill University-led research team involving collaborators from McMaster University, the University of Toronto, and other institutions. The team reviewed data from 137 studies in various languages involving 134 cohorts of people from around the world.

Health - Social Sciences - 07.03.2023

Many parents report health risks prior to pregnancy: Study
We know that a person's health during pregnancy impacts their child's developmental trajectories, but what about parental health before conception? A new study led by  Cindy-Lee Dennis , a senior scientist at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute at Sinai Healthand a professor in the University of Toronto's Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, found that a significant number of Canadian women have poor preconception health or interconception health, which refers to the period between two pregnancies.

Health - 07.03.2023

Pandemic anniversary highlights need for expanded bereavement support services
The COVID-19 pandemic, which killed millions across the world, had a dire impact on the ability of their loved ones to grieve. A study by Simon Fraser researchers published in the journal Illness, Crisis & Loss , calls for expanding pandemic grief support programs and increasing public awareness of the existing supports available to help lessen the emotional toll.

Health - Agronomy / Food Science - 06.03.2023

More evidence that sugary drinks cause weight gain: Study
A review of dozens of studies from the last decade recently found that sugar-sweetened beverages promote weight gain in children and adults. The review, led by researchers at the University of Toronto and Harvard University, is the largest and most thorough analysis to date of research on sweetened drinks, and overweight and obesity - both of which heighten risks for diabetes, heart disease, some cancers and other diseases.