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…
Learning from the pros Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, Amplify Your Business, produced by Amplomedia in partnership with Troy Media, will interview professional entrepreneurs who are currently in the trenches growing their businesses. Through insightful conversations, we will be unpacking their common business challenges and identifying the lessons every business owner needs to learn so…
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…
There is no place for the state in the kitchens of the nation
During the current campaign in Quebec, one political party recently proposed a protein shift in the public cafeterias and institutions by offering a menu made up of 50 per cent plant-based protein meals. In the same vein, the party also suggested that 70 per cent of food products served in public institutions be local. Local…
Meadow Vole poop is an essential source of nutrients for grasses and other plants where they forage
It’s easy to admire big animals, but without tiny critters nothing can survive. From the soil insects, micro-organisms and small mammals that become food for predators up through the food chain, everything relies on something smaller to survive. One of the most overlooked mammals is the Meadow Vole. It’s a small mouse-like animal that lives…
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…