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Message from the Editor: The End of an Era

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When Science Borealis launched in 2013, Canadian science blogging was at the height of its popularity. The organization was founded […]

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Cellulose nanofibers for sustainable hydrophobic paper

Maryse de la Giroday Science in Society, Technology and Engineering
A November 5, 2024 news item on phys.org announces research with cellulose nanofibers (CNFx) A recent study has aimed to create hydrophobic paper by exploiting the mechanical properties and water resistance of cellulose nanofibers, and so produce a sustainable, high-performance material suitable for packaging and biomedical devices. This involved a supramolecular approach, i.e., combining short...

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IMMpress Volume 12 Issue 3 – Death and Senescence

Yuriy Baglaenko Biology and Life Sciences, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science, Policy and Politics
About the cover This issue’s cover captures the essence of its theme, “Death and Senescence”, through a bold Halloween-esque design. Symbolizing mortality, a skeleton is ironically engrossed in reading a manual titled Secrets to Anti-Aging: How to Delay the Inevitable. This image is a visual commentary on our relentless pursuit to mitigate the detrimental effects...

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Why do science? Lessons learned from regional variations in life expectancy through time (Infographic)

Yuriy Baglaenko Biology and Life Sciences, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science, Policy and Politics
Life expectancy (LE) is intuitively defined by the number of years an individual is expected to live. For the purposes of this article, I mean life expectancy at birth – the number of years a newborn infant is expected to live with prevailing patterns of mortality. This is an important distinction as crude measures of...

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From friend to foe: inflammation and its consequences in aging

Yuriy Baglaenko Biology and Life Sciences, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science, Policy and Politics
With age comes a myriad of mental and physical changes that no one looks forward to, such as aches and pains, forgetfulness, and dulled senses. However, when it comes to our health, the most sinister change of all may be the increased risk of developing chronic diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and neurological...

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Immune Function and Accelerated Brain Aging

Yuriy Baglaenko Biology and Life Sciences, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science, Policy and Politics
The nervous system governs our perceptions of reality, interpreting sound, light, and other physical stimuli through sensory organs. While these organs are efficient, they are inherently limited. Sensory organs allow us to construct a functional understanding of the world, but as we age, their gradual deterioration results in perceptual deficits, reduced cognitive function, and, in...

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Canada’s Palliative Care – let’s talk about it.

Yuriy Baglaenko Biology and Life Sciences, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science, Policy and Politics
But First, Why Palliative Care? In 1974, Canadian surgical oncologist Dr. Balfour Mount introduced the term “palliative care” to describe the specialized practice he established at Montreal’s Royal Victoria Hospital to support terminally ill cancer patients. Dr. Mount drew inspiration from the work of Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, an American psychiatrist who emphasized treating dying patients...

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From Mercy to Morality: Canada’s MAID Debate and the Ethics of Choices

Yuriy Baglaenko Biology and Life Sciences, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science, Policy and Politics
“Primum non nocere [First, do no harm].” Hippocrates Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) marks a significant change in Canada’s end-of-life care, sitting at the crossroads of legal, ethical, and social discourse. In 2016, MAID was legalized following the Supreme Court’s *Carter v. Canada* decision. It was formally established through Bill C-14, which permitted those 18...

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Unlocking the Secrets of anti-Aging: Products and Therapies for Youthful Vitalit

Yuriy Baglaenko Biology and Life Sciences, Health, Medicine and Veterinary Science, Policy and Politics
Every year, people come together to celebrate the cherished occasion of their birthday – a day often filled with joy and anticipation. In the earlier stages of life, such as turning twenty, this milestone is eagerly awaited, symbolizing growth and endless possibilities. However, as the years go by, birthdays can take on a more bittersweet...

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