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Quebec’s Groundhog Fred Signals an Early Spring

  Shubenacadie Sam exits her burrow at a Groundhog Day event at the Shubenacadie Wildlife Park in Nova Scotia on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. Sam saw her shadow and predicts six more weeks of winter.  Quebec’s beloved weather‑predicting groundhog, Fred la Marmotte, delivered welcome news this morning after emerging from his burrow and not seeing his shadow—an outcome traditionally interpreted as a sign that spring will arrive ahead of schedule. The annual Groundhog Day event in Val-d’Espoir drew crowds despite chilly temperatures, with spectators eager to hear Fred’s forecast. According to folklore, a shadowless emergence means winter’s grip is loosening, offering hope for milder days sooner than expected. Local organizers celebrated the prediction, noting that Fred’s early‑spring call has become a cherished tradition for families across the province. While meteorologists remind Canadians that groundhog predictions are more symbolic than scientific, the ritual remains a joyful mi...
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Alzheimer’s vaccines get a boost from new drug approval

 

After decades of disappointment and controversy, the field of Alzheimer’s disease research has finally seen a breakthrough with the approval of the first drug that targets the underlying pathology of the condition. 

Aducanumab, a monoclonal antibody that clears amyloid plaques from the brain, was granted accelerated approval by the US Food and Drug Administration in June 2021, despite mixed results from clinical trials and objections from some experts. 

The drug’s approval has rekindled interest in other therapeutic approaches that aim to prevent or slow down the progression of Alzheimer’s, such as vaccines that stimulate the immune system to attack amyloid or tau, another protein that accumulates in the brains of people with the disease. 

Several vaccine candidates are currently in various stages of development and testing, and some researchers are optimistic that they could offer a more effective and convenient way to treat Alzheimer’s than infusions of antibodies.


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