Albatrosses, airplanes, and helicopters all share long narrow wings which provide good aerodynamic efficiency. In contrast the wings of hummingbirds are short and stubby. Conventional aerodynamic theory predicts this should makes them inefficient. In a new study, researchers resolved some of the contradiction by finding that while slender wings are indeed most efficient at a […]
Posts by Kelly Fram (KellyFram)
For a tree out west it’s all about the competition
A study of forests in Western Canada has revealed the forces shaping and changing the make up of a forest over time, are primarily competition among trees, with climate playing a secondary role. Researchers studied data collected between 1958 and 2009 in 1,680 forest plots from British Columbia to Manitoba. They found that competition […]
Universal pharmacare could save Canada billions each year
Using data quantifying Canadian prescription drug use and spending, researchers believe that Canada could save up to $9.4 billion a year by switching to a universal pharmacare program. The researchers analysed prescription drug data from the 2012-2013 fiscal year and determined that if Canada were to switch to a universal program, the economic savings would […]
Cough medicine could help diabetic patients
Dextromethorphan, sold in Canada as an ingredient of the over-the-counter cough medicine Robitussin and Bronchophan Forte DM, could help in regulating type 2 diabetes according to a new study. In mice, this medicine was found to improve glucose control, while in a small human clinical trial (20 men with Type 2 diabetes) the researchers found it […]
No deaths from acute kidney injury by 2025
Preventable deaths caused by acute kidney injury (also known as acute renal failure) could be eliminated in just 10 years according to an international commission of kidney experts. This condition, which sees an abrupt loss of kidney function within a week, affects 20 per cent of North Americans admitted to hospitals, around 13 million […]
Healthy life, healthy mind
Healthy eating, exercising, and brain-training may be able to slow down cognitive decline in at risk individuals according to a new study. Researchers performed a randomised control trial of 1,260 people between 60 and 77 years old who were considered at risk for dementia. Individuals in the control group were given only regular health advice, […]
Earliest known giant filter-feeding sea creature
New fossils from Morocco represent the earliest known giant filter-feeding sea creature, Aegirocassis benmoulae. These creatures could exceed two meters in length and fed on plankton much the same way modern whales do. Scientists think the animals went extinct because there was not enough plankton at the time (around 450 million years ago) to allow […]
Younger immigrants in Canada at higher risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease
The younger an immigrant is when he or she arrives in Canada, the higher their risk of developing inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis according to new research. The study found that the children of immigrants from some areas of the world have a 14% increased risk of developing IBD […]
Hormone therapy and heart diseases
Hormone replacement therapy does not protect post-menopausal women against cardiovascular diseases, an updated meta-analysis shows. Furthermore, hormone therapy does cause a slight increased risk of stroke. The authors of the study took into account new results from clinical trials that lasted between six months and 10 years, in which 40,000 women (mainly over 60 years […]
Wind-sculpted canyons
Winds could be responsible for the shape of some modern canyons on Earth and other planets such as Mars, according to a new study. Researchers analysed a set of river gorges in the Chilean Andes where some of the canyons are exposed to strong winds, and others are shielded. They found that wind explained differences […]
Incidental findings: What would you want to know?
With next-generation individual genome sequencing for medical reasons comes the ethical issue of uncovering incidental findings about one’s health. Would you like your physician to tell you that you are at risk for Alzheimer’s disease? Responding to an online questionnaire, 1200 Canadians answered that they generally would agree to receive information about high-risk disease disorders […]
The origins of narcissism in children
A new study has shed light on the origins of narcissism in children and the role parents play in its development. A Dutch study of 565 children and their parents over two years found that children whose parents over-value them are more likely to suffer from narcissism. Until now the origins of narcissism were thought […]
Oncologists weigh the pros and cons of gene-expression profiling
Should women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer have chemotherapy? To help make that choice, some physicians recommend gene-expression profiling (GEP) tests to identify patients who may benefit from the treatment. Carrying the brand name Oncotype DX, this test analyzes the patterns of 21 different genes within the cancer cells to help predict how likely it […]
Ongoing measles outbreak in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is located in South-eastern Europe on the Balkan Peninsula. The anti-vaccine movement is not only present in Canada and in the United States, but also in many other countries. Now, a measles epidemic is ongoing in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the anti-vaccine movement has contributed in part […]
Ontario’s life sciences organizations generates $40 billion in annual revenue
Ontario life science industries play a big role in the provincial economy. Companies in the agricultural, pharmaceutical, medical equipment and medical research sectors employ around 83,000 people in Ontario and generates near $40 billion in annual revenues, a new report from Life Sciences Ontario (LSO) shows. However, challenges still needs to be addressed such as the […]
Human activity linked to blue-green algaes bloom in lakes since 1945
Human activity is the primary cause of blue-green algae bloom in lakes in Canada and across the world since 1945, a new study shows. Researchers have found that blooms of one type of harmful algae, called cyanobacteria or blue-green algae, have increased disproportionately over the past two centuries relative to other species, with the greatest […]
