Growing crisis of communicable disease in Canada in tandem with US cuts

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Canada must address the growing crisis of communicable diseases that has occurred in tandem with a rise in misinformation that threatens our health systems, argue authors in an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) https://www.cmaj.ca/lookup/doi/10.1503/cmaj.250916.

“A crisis of communicable diseases is unfolding in North America, just as Canada’s health systems’ responses are being hampered by the dismantling of public health and research infrastructure in the United States,” writes family physician Dr. Shannon Charlebois, medical editor, CMAJ, with coauthor Dr. Jasmine Pawa, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Ontario. “Coordinated attacks on US health institutions by the country’s executive office have drastically reduced their capacity to collect, interpret, and share data in the service of public health delivery. This coincides with a concerning spread of novel and existing communicable diseases across the continent, including in Canada.”

The spillover effect of changes in the US will likely affect Canada and other countries around the globe, as programs to track infectious diseases and address potential pandemic threats like avian flu have been cut or cancelled, and specialized staff with the capacity to rapidly develop reliable tests have been fired. Canada and other countries have relied on this work for disease surveillance and public health preparedness.

Now is the time for Canada to act on long-standing calls to strengthen health surveillance systems, improve interoperability and data exchange between electronic medical records and health systems, and better document and report rates of vaccine coverage.

The editorial outlines the threats from several infectious diseases to Canadians — information the public should be made aware of. However, “[p]eople living in Canada are vulnerable to a cross-border bleed of not only microorganisms, but also of attitudes, health misinformation, and exposure to biased US media.” write Charlebois and Pawa.

“Canada does not have control over the situation south of the border, but strengthening national capacity to manage communicable diseases by optimizing data collection and interprovincial sharing of the information required to do this is possible.”

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Journal

Canadian Medical Association Journal

DOI

10.1503/cmaj.250916 

Method of Research

Commentary/editorial

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Tackling communicable disease surveillance and misinformation in Canada

Article Publication Date

2-Jul-2025

 

Women get better at managing their anger as they age

New analysis suggests that chronologic and reproductive age both have a significant effect on a women's level of anger and her ability to manage it

The Menopause Society

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CLEVELAND, Ohio (July 2, 2025)—There has been a lot of research focused on understanding women’s experiences with depression during the menopause transition and early menopause, but there are few studies on perimenopausal women’s experiences with emotional arousal, such as anger. A new study shows that women’s anger traits significantly decrease with age starting at midlife. Results of the study are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society.

Anger is defined as antagonism toward someone or something, often accompanied by a propensity to experience and express it indiscriminately. This is different from hostility, which refers to a fear-eliciting emotion. Some describe hostility as constantly being ready for a fight.

Studies of anger and its health implications in midlife women date back to 1980 but have predominantly focused on heart disease, including hypertension and coronary artery disease. Further study of women and heart disease revealed that increasing trait anger (anger proneness) was associated with increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure over a 3-year period.

Subsequent studies of the relationship of anger and hostility to carotid atherosclerosis revealed that women with higher anger scores had high intima-media thickness 10 years later. There have also been studies associating anger with depression. Women with anger issues are more likely to develop more severe depressive symptoms during the menopause transition. This effect was strongest in women using hormone therapy for menopause symptoms.

To date, however, no study has accounted for the progression of anger traits through the menopause transition. The objective of this new analysis involving more than 500 women aged 35 to 55 years was to examine the influence of aging and reproductive-aging stages on women’s reports of anger.

Based on the results, the researchers concluded that chronologic age is significantly related to most anger measures, including anger temperament, anger reaction, anger expressed aggressively, and hostility. Specifically, these forms of anger decreased significantly with age. Only anger suppressed was not related to age. Similarly, reproductive-aging stages significantly affected anger, resulting in a decrease after the late-reproductive stages. These results suggest better emotion regulation may occur during midlife.

Additional study of women’s anger in context of everyday life is recommended to effectively inform emotion regulation and anger management strategies and their consequences for midlife and older women.

Study results are published in the article “Anger, aging, and reproductive aging: observations from the Seattle Midlife Women’s Health Study.”

“The mental health side of the menopause transition can have a significant effect on a woman’s personal and professional life. This aspect of perimenopause has not always been acknowledged and managed. It is well recognized that fluctuations in serum hormone concentrations during the postpartum period, as well as monthly fluctuations in reproductive-aged women corresponding with their menstrual cycles and during perimenopause, can result in severe mood swings associated with anger and hostility. Educating women about the possibility of mood changes during these vulnerable windows and actively managing symptoms can have a profound effect on overall quality of life and health,” says Dr. Monica Christmas, associate medical director for The Menopause Society.

For more information about menopause and healthy aging, visit www.menopause.org.

The Menopause Society is dedicated to empowering healthcare professionals and providing them with the tools and resources to improve the health of women during the menopause transition and beyond. As the leading authority on menopause since 1989, the nonprofit, multidisciplinary organization serves as the independent, evidence-based resource for healthcare professionals, researchers, the media, and the public and leads the conversation about improving women’s health and healthcare experiences. To learn more, visit menopause.org.

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Journal

Menopause

DOI

10.1097/GME.0000000000000002587 

Method of Research

Survey

Article Title

Anger, aging, and reproductive aging: observations from the Seattle Midlife Women's Health Study

Article Publication Date

2-Jul-2025

 

What about tritiated water release from Fukushima? Ocean model simulations provide an objective scientific knowledge on the long-term tritium distribution

Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo

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Using a global ocean model, researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, and the Institute of Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University, found that short- and long-term contribution of treated water released from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant on oceanic tritium concentration beyond the vicinity of the discharge site is negligible, even in climate change scenarios

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Credit: Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo

Tokyo, Japan – Operators have pumped water to cool the nuclear reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant  (FDNPP) since the accident in 2011 and treated this cooling water with the Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS), which is a state-of-the-art purification system that removes radioactive materials, except tritium. As part of the water molecule, tritium radionuclide, with a half-life of 12.32 years, is very costly and difficult to remove. The ALPS-treated water was accumulating and stored at the FDNPP site and there is limited space to store this water. Therefore, in 2021, the Government of Japan announced a policy that included discharging the ALPS-treated water via approximately one kilometre long tunnel into the ocean. Planned releases of the ALPS-treated water diluted with ocean water began in August 2023 and will be completed by 2050.

In a new numerical modeling study, researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, in collaboration with the Fukushima University have revealed that the simulated increase in tritium concentration in the Pacific Ocean due to the tritium originating from the ALPS-treated water is about 0.1 % or less of than the tritium background concentration of 0.03-0.2 Bq/L in the vicinity of the discharge site (within 25 km) and beyond, which is below detection limits (i.e., so small that the difference due to the presence or absence of ALPS-treated water added to the original seawater cannot be measured). This is far below the WHO international safety standard of 10,000 Bq/L and consistent with results of tritium concentration monitoring in seawater conducted in conjunction with the discharge of ALPS-treated water.

“Since the government’s announcement in 2021 to discharge the ALPS-treated water, several studies have investigated the radiological impact of ALPS-treated water discharge on tritium concentration in seawater and marine biota, but there were no global ocean simulations with anthropogenic tritium concentration using a realistic discharge scenario and for a period long enough to consider long-term impacts such as global warming” explains lead author of the study Alexandre Cauquoin. “In our global ocean simulations, we could investigate how ocean circulation changes due to the global warming and representation of fine-scale ocean eddies influence the temporal and spatial distribution of tritium originating from these treated-water releases.”

Climate change and eddies in the water currents speed up the tritium movement through the ocean. However, the researchers found that the concentrations of tritium from ALPS-treated water discharge remain similar and very low. “Our simulations show that the anthropogenic tritium from the discharge of ALPS-treated water would have negligible impact on the tritium concentration in the ocean, both in the short and long term” says Maksym Gusyev from the Institute of Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University.

This study may help in building models to understand how tritium, as tritiated water molecule, moves through water vapor and ocean water. Tritium is useful to trace the dynamics of the water cycle, so climate models able to simulate tritiated water can help studies of precipitation patterns, atmospheric and oceanic circulation, moisture sources, river catchments, and groundwater flow in the future.

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The article, “Ocean general circulation model simulations of anthropogenic tritium releases from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant site,” was published in Marine Pollution Bulletin at DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118294.

 

About Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo

The Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo (UTokyo-IIS) is one of the largest university-attached research institutes in Japan. UTokyo-IIS is comprised of over 120 research laboratories—each headed by a faculty member—and has over 1,200 members (approximately 400 staff and 800 students) actively engaged in education and research. Its activities cover almost all areas of engineering. Since its foundation in 1949, UTokyo-IIS has worked to bridge the huge gaps that exist between academic disciplines and real-world applications.

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Journal

Marine Pollution Bulletin

DOI

10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118294 

Article Title

Ocean general circulation model simulations of anthropogenic tritium releases from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant site

Article Publication Date

2-Jul-2025

 

Cellulose instead of crude oil: team with participation of Graz University of Technology develops sustainable foams

An international research team has developed certified biodegradable and recyclable multi-purpose foams

Peer-Reviewed Publication

Graz University of Technology

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A skateboard made from biodegradable foam.

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Credit: Wolf - TU Graz

Foams have numerous possible potential applications, for example ranging from the automotive, household and mechanical engineering sectors to leisure and sports applications. Until now, it has been common practice to produce these materials from crude oil, which negatively impacts their ecological footprint. In the EU project BreadCell, an international consortium has developed cellulose-based foams that are produced using a process similar to baking bread. These foams are completely biodegradable and recyclable. Two Institutes at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), the Institute of Bioproducts and Paper Technology and the Vehicle Safety Institute, played a crucial role in developing the technology.

Many potential areas of application

“It is important to implement sustainability efforts in as many areas as possible,” says Stefan Spirk from the Institute of Bioproducts and Paper Technology at TU Graz. “Cellulose is plant-based and available in large quantities. Replacing oil-based products with those made from cellulose materials is the goal and the foams developed in the BreadCell project have a wide range of potential applications.” The researchers identified the following application areas, among others, as highly suitable for the environmentally friendly foams: the automotive sector for crash impact energy management, the construction sector as an insulating material, and the sports industry for the manufacture of sports equipment and shoe soles. The material also offers potential benefits in terms of moisture management and acoustics.

Fibre design and simulation models

A key aspect of the project was to establish correlations between the foam strength and the fibre design using advanced simulations models. In order to obtain the material input data required for these simulations, the material was comprehensively characterised. This included tests under a wide variety of loads, for which a dedicated test rig at TU Graz was used, that characterises the behaviour of materials under dynamic and rapid loads. Based on the data and developed models, foams with different densities and mechanical properties were produced and applied in various demonstrators.

For example, the researchers have produced and tested a skateboard, a bodyboard, a bicycle helmet and shoe insoles. “The development of the foam also revealed an interesting property: it was a challenge to keep the density perfectly homogeneous over the entire thickness of the foam,” says Florian Feist from the Institute of Vehicle Safety at TU Graz. “But this inhomogeneity proved to be advantageous in one specific application: bicycle helmets. A softer centre layer enables a kind of shearing between the outer and inner helmet layers. This reduces the rotational load on the brain when there is an impact, similar to the principle of modern safety systems such as the MIPS system.”

First project spin-off produces shoe insoles

In addition to Chalmers University (project coordinator) and TU Graz, three other institutions were involved in BreadCell: The University of Vienna worked on sandwich constructions for lightweight components, while Tecnalia in Spain tested the feasibility of industrial implementation and BioNanoNet (BNN) in Graz assessed the biodegradability and life cycle performance. The project has also given rise to a spin-off company, FOAMO, which manufactures lightweight and cushioning insoles based on the developed foams.

The project team at TU Graz (from left): Markus Wagner (Vehicle Safety Institute), Jana Schaubeder (Institute of Bioproducts and Paper Technology), Florian Feist (Vehicle Safety Institute), Wolfang Bauer, Stefan Spirk (both Institute of Bioproducts and Paper Technology) and Georg Baumann (Vehicle Safety Institute).

Shoe soles, a bodyboard and a skateboard made with the new foam.

Credit

Wolf - TU Graz

Journal

TAPPI Journal

DOI

10.32964/TJ24.3.131 

Method of Research

Experimental study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Effect of xylan on the mechanical performance of softwood kraft pulp 2D papers and 3D foams

 

New fossils from Earth’s most famous extinction show climate tipping point was crossed

University of Leeds

Images available here  

New fossils from Earth’s most famous extinction show climate tipping point was crossed 

The collapse of tropical forests during Earth’s most catastrophic extinction event was the primary cause of the prolonged global warming which followed, according to new research. 

The Permian–Triassic Mass Extinction – sometimes referred to as the "Great Dying," happened around 252 million years ago, leading to the massive loss of marine species and significant declines in terrestrial plants and animals. 

The event has been attributed to intense global warming triggered by a period of volcanic activity in Siberia, known as the Siberian Traps, but scientists have been unable to pinpoint why super-greenhouse conditions persisted for around five million years afterwards. 

Now a team of international researchers led by the University of Leeds and the China University of Geosciences in Wuhan has gathered new data which supports the theory that the demise of tropical forests, and their slow recovery, limited carbon sequestration – a process where carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and held in plants, soils or minerals.    

During extensive field studies, the team used a new type of analysis of fossil records as well as clues about past climate conditions found in certain rock formations to reconstruct maps of changes in plant productivity during the Permian–Triassic Mass Extinction.  

Their results, which are published today in Nature Communications, show that vegetation loss during the event led to greatly reduced levels of carbon sequestration resulting in a prolonged period where there were high levels of CO2. 

The paper’s lead author, Dr Zhen Xu, from the School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, said: “The causes of such extreme warming during this event have been long discussed, as the level of warming is far beyond any other event.  

“Critically, this is the only high temperature event in Earth’s history in which the tropical forest biosphere collapses, which drove our initial hypothesis. Now, after years of fieldwork, analysis and simulations, we finally have the data which supports it.” 

The researchers believe their results reinforce the idea that thresholds, or ‘tipping points’ exist in Earth’s climate-carbon system which, when reached, means that warming can be amplified. 

China is home to the most complete geological record of the Permian-Triassic mass Extinction and this work leverages an incredible archive of fossil data that has been gathered over decades by three generations of Chinese geologists.  

The lead author Dr Zhen Xu is the youngest of these and is continuing the work begun by Professor Hongfu Yin and Professor Jianxin Yu, who are also authors of the study. Since 2016, Zhen and her colleagues have travelled throughout China from subtropical forests to deserts, including visiting areas accessible only by boat or on horseback.  

Zhen came to the University of Leeds in 2020 to work with Professor Benjamin Mills on simulating the extinction event and assessing the climate impacts of the loss of tropical vegetation which is shown by the fossil record. Their results confirm that the change in carbon sequestration suggested by the fossils is consistent with the amount of warming that occurred afterwards. 

Professor Mills added: “There is a warning here about the importance of Earth’s present day tropical forests. If rapid warming causes them to collapse in a similar manner, then we should not expect our climate to cool to preindustrial levels even if we stop emitting CO2.  

“Indeed, warming could continue to accelerate in this case even if we reach zero human emissions. We will have fundamentally changed the carbon cycle in a way that can take geological timescales to recover, which has happened in Earth’s past.” 

Reflecting on the study’s broader mission, Professor Hongfu Yin and Professor Jianxin Yu of the China University of Geosciences, underscored the urgency of blending tradition with innovation: “Paleontology needs to embrace new techniques—from numerical modelling to interdisciplinary collaboration—to decode the past and safeguard the future,” explained Professor Yin. 

Professor Yu added: “Let’s make sure our work transcends academia: it is a responsibility to all life on Earth, today and beyond. Earth’s story is still being written, and we all have a role in shaping its next chapter.” 

Ends 

Early Triassic super-greenhouse climate driven by vegetation collapse is published today (2 July) in Nature Communications. 

The DOI is 10.1038/s41467-025-60396-y 

Images available here 

Photo captions:  

Photo 1 of pre-extinction tropical rainforest seed fern, Gigantopteris, (giant leaves) courtesy of Dr Zhen Xu. 

Photo 2 of Dr Zhen Xu on horseback during a recent fieldtrip in China, courtesy of Dr Zhen Xu. 

Media enquiries:  

Please contact the University of Leeds press office via pressoffice@leeds.ac.uk 

Further information 

This research is primarily funded by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), with additional funding for collaborators provided by UKRI, ETH+, and the Australian Research Council. The work was conducted in collaboration with the following institutions: 

• School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK 

• State Key Laboratory of Geomicrobiology and Environmental Changes, School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, P.R. China 

• School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Science, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia 

• Birmingham Institute of Forest Research, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK 

• Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, 4056, Switzerland 

• Computational Evolution Group, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, 1015, Switzerland 

• State Key Laboratory of Geological Processes and Mineral Resources, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, P.R. China 

• Department of Biology, Howard University, Washington DC, USA 

• Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, CNRS-Université de Toulouse III, Toulouse, France 

• CEREGE, Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, IRD, INRA, Coll France, Aix-en-Provence, France 

 

University of Leeds  

The University of Leeds is one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK, with more than 40,000 students from about 140 different countries. We are renowned globally for the quality of our teaching and research.  

We are a values-driven university, and we harness our expertise in research and education to help shape a better future for humanity, working through collaboration to tackle inequalities, achieve societal impact and drive change.   

The University is a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities, and is a major partner in the Alan Turing, Rosalind Franklin and Royce Institutes www.leeds.ac.uk   

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Journal

Nature Communications

DOI

10.1038/s41467-025-60396-y 

Method of Research

Computational simulation/modeling

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Early Triassic super-greenhouse climate driven by vegetation collapse

Article Publication Date

2-Jul-2025