Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis (PFIC) typically leads to liver failure
It was a Friday afternoon, and Alexandra was running errands when she looked down at her five-month-old son Armando and thought, “You know, he looks really yellow, like jaundice, like a newborn would look.” She took him to their family doctor that same day and, by Monday, was told to go straight to the Stollery…
Polycystic ovary syndrome causes the ovaries to produce abnormally high levels of male hormones
By the time she was 15, Sarah Chambers knew something wasn’t right with her body. “I was late getting my first period, I’d only have a couple a year, and I had facial hair, but I got told it was teenage hormones.” So she waited, hoping the embarrassing symptoms would fade as she matured –…
The human body needs the right fuel for optimal performance
When it comes to learning, registered dietitian Heidi Bates likens humans to “high-performance sports cars” that need injections of just the right fuel throughout the day. “If you’re not fuelling the body at regular intervals, the amount of sugar in your blood – which is really the fuel for your brain – will go up…
Shelterbelts and hedgerows reduce emissions of greenhouse gas by an average of 89 per cent
Both dead and alive, trees are an essential ally for farmers in helping the environment, a new University of Alberta study shows. Preserving and planting shelterbelts and hedgerows – and keeping the deadwood they contain – next to cropland helps store carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “Retaining those live and dead trees, and planting…
Uncover the links between microbiome, depression and immune conditions like asthma
A new University of Alberta laboratory is working to understand how altered microbiota – fungi, bacteria and viruses in the gut and lungs – are linked with mood disorders such as depression and inflammatory immune conditions such as asthma. Paul Forsythe, associate professor in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, has been named AstraZeneca Canada…
AI researchers may have found a method for removing bias in natural language processing
A better way to reduce gender bias in natural language processing models while preserving vital information about the meanings of words may have been found, according to a recent study. The research could be a key step toward addressing the issue of human biases creeping into artificial intelligence. While a computer itself is an unbiased…
One simple tip to get some natural protection is to wear light-coloured clothing
It’s nearly impossible to head outdoors during the summer without coming across mosquitoes – and experiencing the itch-inducing bites they bestow. But as irritating as those bites may be, mosquitoes are a necessary part of the ecosystem. “Both the larvae and the adults are food sources for other insects such as dragonflies, amphibians, birds and…
Instead of asking which single attribute fosters leadership, we should be asking which patterns of human qualities create the best outcomes
Look up any list of bestselling books and chances are at least one title deals with leadership. People have pondered the topic for millennia but are still chasing a clear answer to the question: what makes a good leader? That may be because we’re asking the wrong question, says business professor Ian Gellatly. Human beings…
Research has found that the sulphur content in some high-performance fabrics weakens them when exposed to moisture
Researchers have solved the mystery of why a high-performance fabric commonly used in firefighting and other protective garments weakens prematurely when exposed to moisture. The breakthrough helps solve a big safety challenge, says Saiful Hoque, a researcher with the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences. “As the garment weakens over time,…
Surface temperatures in Edmonton have increased by as much as 12C compared with surrounding rural areas over the last two decades
Last summer, Nilusha Welegedara and her family sweltered in their rented Edmonton townhouse, relying on air conditioning and fans to help make life bearable. With no trees for shade and living next door to a sun-baked parking lot, even going outside offered little relief, the University of Alberta researcher recalls. But then they moved to…