COVID-19 is the third-leading cause of death in Canada, but it’s older people who are dying. That we accept this and carry on as if the pandemic is over reveals our ageism: We don’t value older people, says
@machealthsci
’s Dawn Bowdish. |
@McMasterIIDR
A review of a century of evidence shows that cloth masks are, indeed, effective at blocking droplet and aerosol contamination of the environment -- which could help reduce the transmission of
#COVID
-19. |
@MacHealthSci
@CMClase
@STJOESHAMILTON
Historical photos of the 19th-century extermination of bison in North America -- the most famous is a grisly mountain of skulls -- are an important window into the history of relationships between humans, bison and the environment. |
#COVID19
shows that despite all our medical advances, we are vulnerable to infections. But it also shows that we can make huge changes in a short time. by
@Dr_Lori_Burrows
via
@ConversationCA
“I thought I had a pretty good view of the pandemic. But
#COVID19
is a mystery that’s constantly unfolding.”
@McMasterGHO
is bringing together global experts for a free webinar series on pandemics. The next talk is today at noon.
What does being a feminist have to do with your sex life? Research says straight men who support gender equality — in public and in private — have sex more often and report being more sexually satisfied. |
@McMasterSocSci
A startling discovery: Older adults who previously had COVID are at higher risk of reinfection. More than ever, staying up to date on boosters is the best way to protect against illness, say Dawn Bowdish and Andrew Costa.
@macglobalnexus
@machealthsci
Neuroactive compounds in antidepressants enter our wastewater and affect how fish function. Identifying the potential damage to fish is paramount for protecting our aquatic ecosystems, says post-doctoral fellow William Andrew Thompson. |
@McMasterScience
Lessons learned, ignored and unexpected: We need to connect pandemic histories with race, public health, revolution, labour, gender and colonial histories to explain
#COVID19
and predict the future, says Ellen Amster from
@MacRelStuds
Why did the Great Plague of 1665 spread four times faster than the Black Death 300 years earlier? Researchers from
@anthromac
and
@McMasterScience
are studying historic plague transmission patterns to better understand COVID-19. |
@McMasterSocSci
“Action can be taken now to ensure that Canada can produce its own vaccines without the need to solely rely on international partners.”
@Mossmanlab
makes the case for
@MacGlobalNexus
Fitzhenry Vector Lab to produce COVID-19 vaccine doses for all Canadians.
"A new generation of vaccines targeting lung infections means we may all be able to breathe again." Our inhaled COVID-19 vaccines offer tremendous benefits, especially for vulnerable populations. Researcher Fiona Smaill of
@MacGlobalNexus
explains.
Important announcement: All students, faculty, staff and visitors who wish to access a McMaster campus/facility will be required to provide proof of vaccination. More info in today’s letter from the President and Provost.
A predictable pattern of mutation and spread will only continue if wealthier countries do not share COVID-19 vaccines with others that can’t afford them, writes
@machealthsci
’s Dawn Bowdish and
@mcmasterhum
’s Chandrima Chakraborty.
Canadians are weary of the pandemic, but when it comes to opposing COVID restrictions and vaccine mandates, research shows the "Freedom convoy" protesters represent a minority, write Clifton van der Linden and SFU's Alexander G W Beyer. |
@McMasterSocSci
Introducing charter schools in Ontario would likely contribute to segregating students by race and socioeconomic status, and to the creation to of elite schools that cherrypick students, write Karen Robson and Rochelle Wijesingha from
@McMasterSocSci
.
This pandemic is incredibly stressful, and stress can weaken your immune system. But even just a brisk walk can help protect your immune system from the effects of stress.
@jenniferheisz
via
@ConversationCA
Could the microbiome in your airway determine how sick you get from COVID-19? That's one question that Mac researchers
@MsMacrophage
and
@surette_m
are investigating, thanks to new funding from the
@WestonFdn
. |
@MacHealthSci
How does a pandemic affect our physical and psychological health as we age? Why does
#COVID19
affect some people so severely, but not others?
@parminderraina
is leading a cross-Canadian research team toward the answer. |
@clsa_elcv
@miramcmaster
As we work to fix problems in long-term care in Canada, research suggests we should pay attention to laundry, food, art and space — and to the people in charge of those things.
King Charles has a chance at his coronation to show that his reign will be more sensitive to the legacy of imperialism. Let's see if the signals of progressive modernism lead to meaningful changes, writes
@mcmasterhum
postdoc Justin Vovk.
What are the risks if you get a second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine? Should you get one? If so, when?
@MacGlobalNexus
experts Dawn Bowdish and Ishac Nazy answer key questions about vaccines, blood clots and risks.
"I have seen children for the first time when they have already reached the end stage of brain cancer. ... children whose lives we could have saved if they had been diagnosed even six months earlier."
@sheilasinghlab
on a tragic consequence of COVID-19.
Got a question about cloth masks? Odds are we have the answers. Check out this FAQ by researchers at McMaster and other universities, who have been looking into the use of cloth masks since the pandemic began. via
@ConversationCA
Some of Canada's worst earthquake risk is actually where Canadians probably least expect: A zone from the Great Lakes to the St. Lawrence River — including major urban centres like
#HamOnt
, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and Québec City. |
@McMasterScience
Could the microbiome in your airway determine how sick you get from COVID-19? That's one question that Mac researchers
@MsMacrophage
and
@surette_m
are investigating, thanks to new funding from the W. Garfield Weston Foundation. |
@MacHealthSci
Volkswagen's investment in Ontario raises many questions, especially if it was “bought” with the kind of money that could have launched a Canadian EV maker, writes Greig Mordue of
@McMasterEng
McMaster is ranked
#69
in the world in today’s new Times Higher Education World University Rankings, up three spots from last year. We’re incredibly proud to be one of the world’s
#top70
universities.
#McMasterProud
#BrighterWorld
#THEUniRankings
|
Got questions about the 2nd-gen COVID-19 vaccines developed by
@MacGlobalNexus
? Immunologist Zhou Xing explains how they work, how researchers mobilized so fast to develop it and why they're creating an inhaled vaccine, rather than an injected one.
Research that's kept us healthy: A review of 100 years of evidence shows that cloth masks are effective at blocking aerosol contamination of the environment, which could help reduce the transmission of COVID-19. |
#THEunirankings
@MacHealthSci
Early in the pandemic, some celebrities tried to comment on the crisis in their usual way — and failed.
@Lorraine_York
pinpoints the moment when the public turned on celebs. |
@mcmasterhum
@ConversationCA
Did you know dinosaurs got cancer, too? Researchers discover that a centrosaur suffered osteosarcoma, an aggressive bone cancer that affects humans to this day. |
@Dinosaur_MD
@crowthrm
@DavidEvans_ROM
@GRWohl
McMaster researchers have pinpointed the exact cause of rare vaccine-related blood clots – paving the way for better diagnosis and treatments. |
@ishacgaby
@MacGlobalNexus
@machealthsci
Will we still have effective antibiotics in 50 years? Stewardship — only using antibiotics when absolutely necessary — is key, says Lori Burrows from
@MacGlobalNexus
and
@machealthsci
. She and six other global experts talked to the Conversation.
"Many of our adjustments to teaching and learning, student engagement and research to adapt to COVID-19 have shown us the way to a better version of higher education," says Dean of Engineering,
@ikpuri
via
@ConversationCA
|
@McMasterEng
Have you seen a 'Homeless Jesus'? Bronze statues are usually for heroes and monuments, says Kaitlin Wynia Baluk in
@ConversationCA
. "The unusual combination asks viewers to see those who are homeless as people with dignity, worthy of being sculpted."
"Understanding the history, the evolution and the ways in which viruses can function as vaccines is hugely important."
@AnthroMac
researchers studied Civil-War-era genomes to learn how the smallpox vaccine evolved. |
@McMasterSocSci
@MutterMuseum
Women over 55 with a particular kind of early-stage
#BreastCancer
may be able to avoid radiotherapy and its side effects. Radiation oncologist Tim Whelan presented his findings today at
#ASCO22
. |
@machealthsci
Women are less likely to have heart disease – and die of it – than men, a massive global study of more than 160,000 people in 21 countries finds. |
@PHRIresearch
@MacHealthSci
Is beauty really worth dying for? Or are tales of poisoning from lead-based 18th-century makeup ... madeup? Researcher Fiona McNeill, an expert on lead poisoning, took a closer look at tales of toxic beauty standards. |
@McMasterScience
As scientists and clinicians strive to understand the effects of COVID-19 on the brain, we need reliable, timely assessment like EEG to detect and pre-empt potential long-term problems, writes
@DrJohnFConnolly
|
@mcmasterhum
@ConversationCA
A year ago, researchers at both McMaster and
@usask
isolated and studied the virus behind COVID-19. It seems only right that our two research powerhouses are working together now to build on that work and accelerate vaccine research and trials.
McMaster is proud to welcome PM
@justintrudeau
and cabinet ministers to
@MIP_Hamilton
today for a tour of our automotive and advanced manufacturing innovation hub.
Half a century after McMaster Prof. Emeritus Frank Graham's breakthrough work on the Ad5 viral vector, it still serves as a worldwide platform for COVID-19 vaccines. |
@MacGlobalNexus
@McMasterIIDR
Important info for our students who’ve chosen to live in McMaster residences: You will now require vaccinations this fall. Details will be sent directly to residence students in the next few days. Today's update has more information.
#BackToMac
“I was very proud to see our students speaking eye to eye with the prime minister explaining what we're doing here and really talking about the technology.”
@mcmasterprovost
joined students showing
@justintrudeau
around some cutting-edge facilities today.
Black residents in Shelburne, NS, lived for decades near a dump, worried it contributed to high cancer rates.
@ingrid_waldron
and
@bajanjules27
are leading new research on the matter, and studying the link b/w
#EnvironmentalRacism
and chronic disease.
Donald Arnold from
@Mac_Transfusion
is co-leading a Canada-wide clinical trial to see if antibody-rich plasma from
#COVID19
survivors can help others who have the disease. |
@macHealthSci
Baby mice living at high altitudes can't generate enough heat, so instead of wasting energy trying to warm up, they let their temperatures drop and save the energy to grow. That's right, the mouse is in power save mode. via
@ConversationCA
Someone actually told Juliet Daniel her research on a cancer that affects Black women is “not relevant to the Canadian context.” The fact is, more diversity in the lab leads to solutions that help more people.
#Can2030Agenda
@McMasterScience
How do you talk to unvaxed family members about getting the shot? How is natural immunity different from vaccine immunity? And what exactly is long COVID? Experts from
@MacGlobalNexus
took public questions in a discussion with
@ConversationCA
.
Ever fall in line with a beat when you're on the go, then slow down or speed up to keep up with it? How we perceive rhythm involves a neurological process that controls movement, Jonathan Cannon from
@mcmasterscience
explains.
Extensive evidence establishes that corporal punishment has no benefits and can cause lasting harm to children and youth, write Andrea Gonzalez from
@machealthsci
and her colleague Tracie O. Afifi from UManitoba. So why is it still allowed in Canada?
“I hope our research allows others to see how these two ways of knowing coming together can solve problems.” — Dawn Martin-Hill says it's crucial to draw on
#IndigenousKnowledge
when researchers co-create solutions with communities.
#Can2030Agenda
“It brings us great pleasure to think that when we are gone, our legacy may be measured in the good health of those who come after us.” Hear from Charles and Margaret Juravinski about their historic gift creating a $100m+ health research endowment.
#JuravinskiLegacy
The Depp-Heard defamation trial shows the dangers of how fan culture often leads to deeply harmful conversations shaping how people address & redress violence, writes Maddie Brockbank, a PhD student in McMaster's School of Social Work.
@McMasterSocSci
We can celebrate Dame Vera Lynn's tremendous cultural contributions while rejecting racist myths about WW2 Britain and those who seek to use her to advance xenophobic nostalgia, writes
@ChristinaBaade
. |
@mcmasterhum
@ConversationCA
Inhaled aerosol vaccines provide far better protection and stronger immunity than nasal sprays, say
@MacGlobalNexus
researchers who compared respiratory vaccine-delivery systems
Heat and humidity can slow the spread of COVID, but longer hours of sunlight are associated with higher incidence of the disease -- which means the nice weather might be encouraging people to be less compliant with lockdown restrictions. |
@McMasterScience
E-fuels are materials that reliably & efficiently store energy until we need to use it & can readily be moved from place to place. They could be a major player in Canada’s green transition, says
@McMasterEng
's Keena Trowell & McGill’s Jeffrey Bergthorson
It can take years to get endometriosis diagnosed through surgery. But now, clinicians are able to give a diagnosis of “suspected endometriosis” based on symptoms and a physical exam, write Mathew Leonardi from
@machealthsci
and his colleagues in Australia.
ICYMI: In the new MacTalks discussion, AMR experts Gerry Wright and
@marynmck
talk about COVID-19 — and how to prevent the next pandemic.
@mcmasterIIDR
@MacHealthSci
While long COVID poses serious logistical, methodological and scientific barriers for researchers, it’s a growing problem that will need to be studied to support patients for perhaps years to come, say
@machealthsci
’s Manali Mukherjee and Zain Chagla.
"We want to know how you are doing." Exercise helps deal with stress-induced mentall illness, but it's hard to stay active right now.
@jenniferheisz
is creating an Exercise Toolkit for
#MentalHealth
to support people during the pandemic. And you can help.
"Quality education for me is creating a space where learners have the opportunity to have their assumptions challenged." Vanessa Watts is amplifying Indigenous expertise and challenging assumptions.
@mcmastersocsci
#Can2030Agenda
Made in Canada, eh! A team of engineers, scientists and manufacturers from private industry and McMaster have successfully created an N95 respirator made and approved for sale in Canada. |
@McMasterEng
Researchers at
@mcmastereng
and
@BrockUniversity
have created a hand-held device to measure a cancer biomarker, to use for home-based cancer monitoring, similar to way people with diabetes to test their own blood-sugar levels.
Biomedical studies have traditionally used male animals and men as research subjects. That is a problem for everyone, because there are sex differences in how many diseases affect people, writes researcher Monica De Paoli.
Whether it’s health or education or gender equality or climate change, “at the roots of these developmental challenges, it's really the question of inequality.” Bonny Ibhawoh is tackling systemic inequalities around the world.
#CAN2030Agenda
@mcmasterhum
Certain developmental skills measured in kindergarten can predict academic and other outcomes well into high school, according to early results of research that could help allocate educational support and resources.
2 years in, people are understandably tired of protective measures. But if we stick with it, we'll speed our return to "normal," say Karen Mossman & Matt Miller. Being tired of COVID-19 isn't reason to let it run rampant. |
@MacGlobalNexus
Out of more than 500 universities across 80 countries, McMaster has ranked second in the world for global impact, according to the inaugural
@THEworldunirank
Impact rankings. |
#THEglobalimpact
A team of international experts, including McMaster's
@CIEmerson
, have been urgently working to develop
@WHO
guidelines for COVID-19 human infection testing--which could be an important step in developing a vaccine. |
@mcmasterhum
COVID-19 gives employers a unique chance to protect the physical, emotional and financial well-being of employees who are informal caregivers at home, by creating a carer-friendly work culture, writes Allison Williams. |
@GHWChair
@ConversationCA
We have been made aware of extremely inappropriate racist and sexist social media posts by some McMaster students. We are acting swiftly to investigate and respond accordingly and we are sorry for the impact this is having on community members. 1/
Microbiologist Lori Burrows says the rise of antimicrobial resistant ‘superbugs’ keeps her up at night. The
@machealthsci
researcher shares what she thinks Canada should do to fight the growing problem.
An update for our community:
McMaster’s classes for the entire winter term will be online. With few exceptions, students will not need to be on campus to take their courses. 1/
"No one is truly safe from COVID-19 until everyone is safe." John Lavis and fellow members of
@TheLancet
@Commissioncovid
task force on the need for "maximum suppression" of COVID-19. |
@macglobalnexus
McMaster is deeply saddened by the news of the plane crash in Iran. We understand that members of our McMaster family were among those we lost in the tragedy.
Read a remarkable letter from Charles and Margaret Juravinski, who are giving $3.3-million to accelerate research into COVID-19 and brain health. It’s part of the new Juravinski Research Institute.
#JuravinskiLegacy
|
@HamHealthSci
@StJoesHamilton
Ontario's Rapid Research investment supports our scientists' innovative and life-saving research, including
@arnolddma1
's work on what might be the largest clinical trial of convalescent plasma for COVID-19 in the world.
A shutdown at a nuclear reactor in Uzbekistan means that Mac is now the world's only supplier of a key treatment for prostate cancer. Our reactor team will now be working overtime to help meet the global demand for I-25 isotopes. |
#BrighterWorld