This is a roundup of relevant news and media stories involving the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. We appreciate you relaying information that is relevant to faculty members in your respective areas.
TOP STORIES
Edmonton Journal: Edmonton-grown device breathes new life for lung transplant patients
Patients, doctors and researchers are celebrating 12 successful lung transplants within the last year thanks to a new device that allows donor lungs to be kept alive and repaired for up to 48 hours before transplantation. The Ex-Vivo Organ Support System (EVOSS) was developed by doctors Darren Freed and Jayan Nagendran and has the ability to vastly increase both the number and quality of donor lungs that are viable for transplant. Coverage also appears on Global News, Global News Edmonton and CTV News Edmonton.
The New York Times: Should You Screen Your Child for Celiac Disease?
Justine Turner, a pediatric gastroenterologist at the U of A, comments that some early signs of celiac disease are hard for parents and even pediatricians to identify as symptoms of the disease.
CBC Radio Active: Widower's search for cancer cure takes surprising turn
Powel Crosley, master's graduate in oncology at the U of A, is interviewed about his work to find a cure for the rare cancer that claimed his wife, Sladjana, 10 years ago. Coverage also appears on CityNews Edmonton and other CityNews stations across Canada.
RESEARCH
Edmonton Journal: Circuit for building memories during sleep discovered: U of A researchers
Neuroscientists at the U of A have identified a mechanism that may help build memories during deep sleep. Brandon Hauer, a PhD candidate and lead author of the study conducted the research as part of the U of A's Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute under the supervision of psychology professor Clay Dickson and physiology professor Silvia Pagliardini. Coverage appears in other Postmedia newspapers including the Calgary Sun and Edmonton Sun and is also found in BrightSurf, Science Daily, Neuroscience News, Technology Networks, Rockin' Science and News Medical.
iNews (UK): Screen time may affect child brain development, study suggests
Story references a U of A study in April of 2019 that linked young children watching two or more hours of screen time each day to "clinically significant behavioural problems," including inattention, compared to those watching under 30 minutes daily. The story also appears on MSN.
Houston Today: Research to examine BCWS firefighters' health
The BC Wildfire Service is funding research at two western universities that will focus on how wildland firefighters' work affects their health. Research at the U of A will be led by Nicola Cherry, the chair of occupational health with the Division of Preventive Medicine. Coverage also appears in the Prince George Citizen and BC Local News.
CBC News: Showering, cleaning gear necessary for firefighter health, study says
Research presented at a forum in Fort McMurray suggests firefighters need to shower and clean their gear more to try and limit contact with cancer-causing chemicals. The work was led by Nicola Cherry, a professor of medicine at the U of A, who is examining the effects of the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire. Coverage also appears on CBC Radio.
The Spectator (UK): Sugar binges increase risk of inflammatory bowel disease
Researchers with the U of A's Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry found that it only takes a couple of days of binging on sugar to potentially trigger severe inflammatory bowel disease symptoms. Coverage also appears in Slash Gear, Neuroscience News, MedIndia, MindBodyGreen, My Medical Mantra, NDTV Food, IBD News Today and The MiceTimes of Asia.
The New York Times: How Did Plants Conquer Land? These Humble Algae Hold Clues
Gane Ka-Shu Wong, a genomicist with the U of A's Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry and Faculty of Science, comments on a new study he was involved in that shows early plant life incorporated genes from soil bacteria to help them survive on land. Coverage also appears on CBC News, Science Magazine, The Scientist, The Tribune (India) Daily Hunt (India), The Times of India and VIPortal.
Fort McMurray Today: Researchers present health studies from May 2016 wildfires at forum
Story mentions research presented by Stephanie Montesanti (Public Health), Peter Silverstone (FoMD), Chris Le (FoMD) and David Olson (FoMD) on the physical and mental health effects of the wildfires that devastated the Fort McMurray area in 2016. Coverage also appears in Kamloops Matters, North Shore News, Coast Reporter, Wildfire Today and International Fire Fighter.
Edmonton Journal: U of A research finds drugs with cancer treatment potential
U of A researchers have discovered a class of drugs they say could have major impacts on treatment for cancer patients. Researcher Fred West, co-director of the Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta is interviewed. Global News, CTV, Calgary Sun, Calgary Herald, 630 CHED and 770 CHQR also cover the story.
Pulse: Why You Get Leg Cramps At Night, and How to Stop Them
A story about how to prevent leg cramps at night references a 2015 U of A study that found leg cramp symptoms doubled in the summer. Coverage also appears in Men's Health.
Lethbridge Herald: U of L receives funding grants to study Alzheimer's disease
David Westaway, a professor of medicine at the U of A, is among a team of scientists that will use mouse models to better understand the underlying biological processes associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease. Coverage also appears in the Prairie Post.
EXPERTS
Edmonton Journal: UCP not interested in following B.C. by eliminating seasonal time changes
Joanna MacLean, a sleep clinician and associate professor of pediatrics at the U of A, gives expert opinion on the topic of eliminating seasonal time changes. Coverage also appears in several other Postmedia newspapers across the country.
Experts say many of the costs associated with rising obesity rates are a result of the health-care system's failure to properly treat obesity. Rather than taking a proactive approach, the system is instead set up to treat conditions that develop as a result of the disease, according to Arya Sharma, an obesity specialist and professor of medicine at the U of A.
As parents across the country begin hauling their children to influenza vaccination clinics, many are being caught off guard by the discovery that a painless alternative to the traditional shot won't be available in Canada this year. Samina Ali, an emergency physician at Edmonton's Stollery Children's Hospital and a professor of pediatrics at the U of A, gives expert comment saying there are many ways to mitigate the pain of a flu shot.
Doctors are making the case that it is easier and healthier for overweight people to get fit than to lose weight. Arya Sharma, a professor of medicine at the U of A, gives expert comment. The story also appears in the Kingston Whig Standard, Ottawa Citizen and other Postmedia papers.
Global News: People with depression are often told to exercise. What if they can't?
Vincent Agyapong, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the U of A, notes that exercise has some of the same benefits for the brain as antidepressant drugs, but mental-health problems such as depression and anxiety can make it hard to want to be active.
Catholic News Agency: Catholic couple brings the love of family to young people with mental illness
Austin Mardon, assistant adjunct professor of psychiatry at the U of A, comments that early identification and intervention are the best strategies for helping young people live with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, but many do not get early intervention.
CBC Radio Edmonton: Direct access to some health services in Alberta would lessen impact of conscience rights bill, says ethicist
Clinical ethicist Brendan Leier notes that Alberta's proposed conscience rights legislation would have less effect in the province than in other jurisdictions such as Ontario because of differences in their health-care systems. (no link)
Newsmax: Some types of tea can harm your health
Gerry Schwalfenberg, an assistant clinical professor of family medicine at the U of A, advises that to stay safe from contaminants such as lead and fluoride in brewed tea, "keep brew time under three minutes and avoid tea from regions that are more contaminated like China, India and Sri Lanka."
Canadian pediatricians and family doctors are being encouraged to speak up about alternative treatments that many parents of children with autism seek out, because those therapies are often unproven and even potentially harmful. Lonnie Zwaigenbaum, a professor of pediatrics at the U of A, gives expert comment. Coverage also appears on CBC News: The National and CBC News: The World at Six.
CBC News: Tackling the spread of superbugs: U of A expert weighs in
Matthias Götte, chair of the U of A's Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, is interviewed about how disease-causing microbes develop resistance to drugs and what people can do to address the problem. The story also appears on Yahoo News Canada.
The Australian: Doctors defend their medical turf
The Pharmacy Guild in Australia has called on the government to follow practice in Britain and Canada, where pharmacists are able to prescribe limited medicines. U of A professor of pharmacology Ross Tsuyuki is quoted in the story. Related coverage is found in AJP.
CTV News Edmonton: 6 O'Clock News: Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019
Lynora Saxinger, a professor of infectious diseases at the U of A, says the United Conservative Party's decision to cancel the superlab project could have a negative impact on the health of Albertans. The story also appears on CTV News Calgary. (no link)
The Washington Post: Americans have questions about Medicare-for-all. Canadians have answers.
As middle-class Americans express growing anger about skyrocketing drug prices and mounting co-pays, premiums and deductibles, the Canadian health-care system has emerged as a shadow player in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary contest. Lee Green, chair of the department of family medicine at the U of A, is interviewed.
The Globe and Mail: Canadian doctors diagnose new vaping-related lung disease in Ontario teen
Canadian doctors say they have diagnosed a new type of severe vaping-related lung disease in an Ontario teen that is distinct from the outbreak that has been linked to dozens of deaths and thousands of illnesses in the United States. Irvin Mayers, a professor of medicine at the U of A, is interviewed.
CBC News: Pharmacists want to prescribe more medication for minor ailments
Pharmacists across Canada are asking for an expanded scope of what they're allowed to do in the health-care system. Some physicians, though, say if pharmacists do more diagnosing, mistakes can happen. "There is some potential risk," says Lynora Saxinger, an infectious disease specialist at the U of A. Coverage also appears on several CBC Radio stations across Canada.
The Globe and Mail: Restrictive approaches won't help Alberta physicians or patients
Shirley Schipper, president of the College of Family Physicians of Canada and vice-dean of education at the U of A's Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, co-authors an op-ed commenting on the Alberta government's proposals to improve access to health care in underserved regions of the province.
Edmonton AM: Dealing with dry skin
As the seasons change, the temperature drops and once-supple summer skin becomes dry and ragged. Dermatologist and U of A clinical professor of dentistry, Jaggi Rao, gives expert comment on how to deal with dry skin over the winter.
Reader's Digest Canada: 10 Holiday Safety Mistakes You Probably Don't Realize You're Making
Whether you're hanging Christmas lights or questioning the safety of poinsettias, protect your home and family by approaching the holiday season safely. Louis Francescutti, an emergency-room physician and injury researcher at the U of A gives expert comment.
CTV News: Edmonton woman suffers rare cold allergy: 'This is a real thing'
Harissios Vliagoftis, a professor of medicine at the U of A, provides expert comment on cold urticaria-a severe allergy to the cold. Coverage also appears on several other CTV newscasts across the country.
PEOPLE, PARTNERSHIPS AND EDUCATION
Every Saturday morning during the school year, dentistry and dental hygiene students from the U of A provide cleanings and checkups for free. It's part of the Student Health Initiative for the Needs of Edmonton (SHINE) clinic. The story also appears on Yahoo Canada and MSN. Coverage also appears on 630 CHED, iNews880, Big World News and Oral Health.
CBC News: Alberta chemist buzzing after winning big as barista
Ply Pasarj, a PhD candidate with the U of A's Department of Biochemistry, will represent Canada at the World AeroPress Championship in London later this month and the World Brewers Cup in Melbourne in May.
CTV News: Province names 23-member mental health and addictions council
The province has named a 23-member advisory council aimed at improving access to mental-health supports and addiction prevention and recovery services. It includes Xin-Min Li, professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the U of A. Coverage also appears in Nation Talk, Star Edmonton, the Edmonton Journal, Calgary Herald and other provincial Postmedia newspapers.
Austen McDonald, who studied mechanical engineering at the U of A, has become the first Canadian with pre-existing Type 1 diabetes to fly a commercial plane. His doctor, Peter Senior, a professor of medicine at the U of A, comments in the article.
The Christian Post: Open our eyes to the saints in our midst
Story speaks of the charitable work of Helen Huston, who received her doctorate in medicine from the U of A in 1951. Following her schooling, she devoted 39 years to working with the people of India and Nepal. In 1980, Huston-the first foreigner to receive the honour-was awarded a lifetime membership in the Nepal Medical Association. She was named to the Order of Canada in 1994.
Calgary Herald: Heather Zirk: More families should be talking about organ and tissue donation
Story mentions the U of A's Anatomical Gifts Program, which allows people to bequeath their bodies in support of medical education.
The Guardian: 'I want to utilize artisans here and empower them'
Profile of Liza Egbogah, a doctor of chiropractic, manual osteopath, myofascial release expert and personal trainer. Egbogah obtained a degree in pharmacology from the U of A in 2003.
Edmonton Journal: 35th Festival of Trees to raise money for groundbreaking program for amputees
Funds raised by the Festival of Trees are vital to an innovative prosthesis program being piloted in Edmonton, according to Jacqueline Hebert, a U of A associate professor of medicine who is advising the U of A Hospital on the program.
Lethbridge Herald: Mental-health advocates meet pope
Mental-health advocate Austin Mardon met Pope Francis on Nov. 6. Mardon is an assistant adjunct professor of psychiatry at the U of A. The story also appears in the Medicine Hat News.
The Globe and Mail: Portable ultrasound
U of A spinoff company Medo.ai is developing an app that uses artificial intelligence to allow expert analysis of medical ultrasound images with minimal training-a boon for rural and remote areas with limited access to radiology services.
Barrhead Leader: Community saddened by passing of long-time physician
Barrhead is in mourning after learning of the loss of one of the community's longest-serving doctors. Marvin Brent Wray passed away peacefully in his home on Nov. 13. Wray came to Barrhead in the early 1970s after graduating from the University of Alberta and completing three years of residency at the university's hospital.