But you could give the virus to animals. U of A expert offers tips to help protect pets and livestock from possible infection
Worried about catching COVID-19 from your cat or dog? You shouldn’t be, says a University of Alberta expert. While COVID-19 is believed to have originated from some type of animal, the risk of catching the disease is greater from another human than from a pet, said Simon Otto, a veterinary epidemiologist and assistant professor with the…
U of A to serve as ‘living lab’ to find out if viruses can travel in buildings – and how to improve filtration to prevent it
“We can tell that something’s up on these cruise ships during the pandemic, and questions are also arising about the safety of airplanes and buildings,” said Brian Fleck, a mechanical engineering professor at the University of Alberta and a co-applicant on a study aimed at determining whether and how viruses use a building’s ventilation system…
U of A PhD candidate studies and participates in grassroots movement to hack diabetes equipment
People with Type 1 diabetes – including University of Alberta graduate student Jonathan Garfinkel – are using free instructions from the Internet to build an artificial pancreas. The patient-led movement is pushing pharmaceutical companies to improve the treatments they offer, according to U of A diabetes expert Peter Light. “Diabetics have developed, programmed and are now living…
U of A spinoff company Nanostics using diagnostic technology to help health professionals intervene more quickly
A University of Alberta spinoff company focused on creating and commercializing non-invasive diagnostic tests is developing a simple blood test to predict the severity of COVID-19 in positive patients. Nanostics’ test assesses an individual’s viral load, which is the number of viruses they have replicating within their systems, and determines the immune response to COVID-19.…
U of A medical researchers recommend rheumatic drugs, exercise to boost immune-regulating ‘natural killer’ cells
Rheumatologists at the University of Alberta are flagging similarities between the deaths of some COVID-19 patients and those with rheumatic illnesses. They are testing proven rheumatic treatments to see whether they help against the pandemic virus. A substantial proportion of COVID-19 patients admitted to intensive care die of pneumonia due to a cytokine storm, where…
Textiles expert at U of A creates website with instructions to help people fashion homemade cloth masks based on best available evidence
Ideas for do-it-yourself masks are everywhere, but how do you know which are the best? There are no clear answers, but with that in mind, University of Alberta clothing and textiles professor Anne Bissonnette hopes a website she’s created can at least help people make some science-based choices as they sit down to their sewing. She wanted to…
Social isolation can be deadly for people struggling with addictions, says University of Alberta expert
When Alberta’s chief medical officer, Deena Hinshaw, announced special exemptions to COVID-19 regulations for group therapy in residential addiction treatment centres, it was exactly what University of Alberta addictions expert Cameron Wild was hoping to hear. “The whole concept of recovery is in part founded on developing strong social supportive relationships,” said Wild. Wild is principal investigator with the…
Mistrust, fear and rumours helped the virus spread in 2018, but training trusted local leaders helped stop it, U of A researchers find
Multiple factors led people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to resist public health messages during the 2018 outbreak of Ebola virus. University of Alberta researchers fear the situation could be repeated with COVID-19 unless lessons are learned from the earlier epidemic. “Mistrust, fear and rumours were complete obstacles to the efforts of the…
Thinking differently about leisure time can help you get a family getaway despite the pandemic, say experts
How do we keep COVID-19 from ruining our precious vacation time, with international borders closed to travellers, festivals cancelled, parks, camping and cottage visits limited, and even small events like garage sales forbidden? There are ways to salvage summer plans – but it means thinking differently about our leisure time, say University of Alberta experts.…
Yellow diamonds with colourless cores provide insight into the origin of their pure-yellow counterparts
A new study by University of Alberta scientists could help guide the search for rare, high-value yellow diamonds in the Canadian North. The researchers, led by PhD student Mei Yan Lai, examined the chemical makeup of stones recovered from the Chidliak and Ekati mines in Northern Canada to get a better understanding of how they formed.…
Evidence reviews of masks, goggles and shoe covers suggest individual pieces of PPE aren’t enough by themselves
By Michael Brown Contributor Troy Media There’s no evidence to suggest simple surgical masks aren’t as effective as scarce N95 respirator masks in protecting health-care staff during routine primary care, according to an international research team conducting literature reviews of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the context of COVID-19. University of Alberta occupational medicine specialists Sebastian…
Cardiorespiratory therapy a vital part of treatment for patients during and after illness, say U of A physiotherapists
A type of physiotherapy that helps people improve their breathing and oxygen uptake can be crucial for those who need critical care, say physiotherapists working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Cardiorespiratory physiotherapy encompasses many things, from teaching patients different types of breathing exercises, mobilization exercises and manual techniques to providing postural advice…
Researchers find degraded, toxic compounds from CFC replacements in ice core sample from summit of Devon Ice Cap
Substances used to replace ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) may be as problematic as their predecessors, a new study shows. “The degradation products from these substances may be just as concerning as the original chemicals they were meant to replace,” said Alison Criscitiello, director of the University of Alberta’s Canadian Ice Core Lab. “We are seeing significant levels of…
Humans account for up to 80% of Alberta’s wildfires in May but that’s likely to change this year as health measures keep people at home
COVID-19 may cause a drop in spring wildfires as people are still being asked to self-isolate throughout May, Alberta's riskiest fire month, says a University of Alberta expert. “Since we’re still staying at home in May, there are fewer people recreating or working in the forests and human-caused fires will be reduced,” said wildfire scientist Mike…
U of A grad student designs augmented reality game that lets users see and touch virtual spiders that get more realistic as they level up
A University of Alberta fine arts student has designed an augmented reality (AR) gaming platform to help arachnophobes overcome their fear of spiders. “The idea is, if I'm sitting here with an AR headset on, I can see a spider right in front of me,” said Anna Chakravorty, who submitted the project for her master’s…
Worried about catching COVID-19 from your cat or dog? You shouldn’t be, says a University of Alberta expert. While COVID-19 is believed to have originated from some type of animal, the risk of catching the disease is greater from another human than from a pet, said Simon Otto, a veterinary epidemiologist and assistant professor with the…
