What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
Researchers around the world are gaining access to new data, to help investigate and treat pediatric neurological conditions.
The digital platform, run by the Ontario Brain Institute (OBI), is playing a key role in open science and brain health research with the release of new clinical information.
“Brain-CODE is much more than a data base, it's basically an ecosystem or a way of doing business to standardize and share data,” said Dr. Tom Mikkelsen, president and scientific director of OBI.
Data from more than 3,000 children and youth impacted by neurodevelopmental disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism spectrum disorder are on the digital platform called Brain-CODE.
Allowing access to scientist and researchers from around the globe to the data puts more eyes on a problem in hopes of finding a solution faster.
“We’re able to aggregate datasets to get the answers first of all more quickly and also be able to apply new minds and new ways of thinking,” said Mikkelsen.
The data will help those looking to better understand how brains and bodies affect behaviours of children and teenagers like Austin Cosgrove. The talented 17-year-old artist has autism, ADHD, OCD, and anxiety.
“It messes up somethings in my life that I wish it didn’t and I get frustrated really easily. I get angry and I don’t really know why,” said Cosgrove, whose two brothers are also on the autism spectrum.
All three of the Cosgrove children are among the 3,000 participants who work with Ontario doctors and have their information shared on the digital platform.
“Makes it really cool and knowing that I could be a part of something way bigger,” said Cosgrove, when asked about the medical assessments being shared with researchers around the world.
The standardized and curated data includes things like a patients demographic, medical history, and behavioural and cognitive assessments from research conducted by a team at the Province of Ontario Neurodevelopmental Network.
Now the platform includes imaging, like MRIs from children and youth, some diagnosed with various neurodevelopmental disorders and others typically developing.
Dr. Evdokia Anagnostou, who is a child neurologist and assistant director of the Bloorview Research Institute, has been in this field for nearly 20 years. She says this time it’s not about collecting the data and research, it’s about releasing it.
She knows it will take a bigger community to answer difficult questions.
“We are proud of the work we do but we are also proud of the fact that we believe in democratizing knowledge and sharing what we’re learning with everybody else so that we can all go to the goals faster,” said Anagnostou.
Doctors hope this program and the global collaboration will help to break down barriers and bureaucratic obstacles and lead to the development of more personalized treatment for people and their families.
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
A Massachusetts man who told police he was exorcising a demon and performing a baptism when he shoved his father's head under water multiple times has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in his death.
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
A property tax bill is perplexing a small townhouse community in Fergus, Ont.
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
A family from Laval, Que. is looking for answers... and their father's body. He died on vacation in Cuba and authorities sent someone else's body back to Canada.
A former educational assistant is calling attention to the rising violence in Alberta's classrooms.
The federal government says its plan to increase taxes on capital gains is aimed at wealthy Canadians to achieve “tax fairness.”
At 6'8" and 350 pounds, there is nothing typical about UBC offensive lineman Giovanni Manu, who was born in Tonga and went to high school in Pitt Meadows.