Search

Introduction: This study presents a global research scenario in the broad domain of osteoarthritis (OA) research, using quantitative and qualitative publication and citation indicators. Methods: The study is based on 45,368 global publications, sourced from the Scopus bibliographical database, covering three decades (1994–2023). We studied the performance of the top 12 developed and top 12 developing countries. The key countries, organizations and authors at national and international levels were identified. The broad subject areas and key journals contributing to global OA research were delineated, besides identifying the broad characteristics of highly cited papers in the field. Results: The United States and China were the most productive countries, while the Netherlands and Canada made the largest citation impact. Harvard Medical School and the University of Sydney made the most contribution, while Boston University and Pfizer Inc., USA registered the highest citation impact. Hunter DJ and Guermazi A were the most productive authors, while Lohmander LS, and Hochberg MC registered the highest citation impact. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage (n = 4879) and Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (n = 786) published the maximum papers, while Arthritis and Rheumatism and Nature Reviews Rheumatology registered the largest citation impact. The highly cited papers with 100 or more citations constituted 6.25% of the total publications. Conclusions: There has been a systematic growth of publications on OA. The research on OA was mainly done in developed countries, with the maximum publications coming from the United States of America, China and Canada. The most impactful publications on OA were from the Netherlands, Canada and the United States of America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to introduce a novel family of probability distributions by the well-known method of the T–X family of distributions. The proposed family is called a "Novel Generalized Exponent Power X Family" of distributions. A three-parameters special sub-model of the proposed method is derived and named a "Novel Generalized Exponent Power Weibull" distribution (NGEP-Wei for short). For the proposed family, some statistical properties are derived including the hazard rate function, moments, moment generating function, order statistics, residual life, and reverse residual life. The well-known method of estimation, the maximum likelihood estimation method is used for estimating the model parameters. Besides, a comprehensive Monte Carlo simulation study is conducted to assess the efficacy of this estimation method. Finally, the model selection criterion such as Akaike information criterion (AINC), the correct information criterion (CINC), the Bayesian information criterion (BINC), the Hannan–Quinn information criterion (HQINC), the Cramer–von-Misses (CRMI), and the ANDA (Anderson–Darling) are used for comparison purpose. The comparison of the NGEP-Wei with other rival distributions is made by Two COVID-19 data sets. In terms of performance, we show that the proposed method outperforms the other competing methods included in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk prediction models hold great promise to reduce the impact of cancer in society through advanced warning of risk and improved preventative modalities. These models are evolving and becoming more complex, increasingly integrating genetic screening data and polygenic risk scores as well as calculating risk for multiple types of a disease. However, unclear regulatory compliance requirements applicable to these models raise significant legal uncertainty and new questions about the regulation of medical devices. This paper aims to address these novel regulatory questions by presenting an initial assessment of the legal status likely applicable to risk prediction models in Canada, using the CanRisk tool for breast and ovarian cancer as an exemplar. Legal analysis is supplemented with qualitative perspectives from expert stakeholders regarding the accessibility and compliance challenges of the Canadian regulatory framework. While the paper focuses on the Canadian context, it also refers to European and U.S. regulations in this domain to contrast them. Legal analysis and stakeholder perspectives highlight the need to clarify and update the Canadian regulatory framework for Software as a Medical Device as it applies to risk prediction models. Findings demonstrate how normative guidance perceived as convoluted, contradictory or overly burdensome can discourage innovation, compliance, and ultimately, implementation. This contribution aims to initiate discussion about a more optimal legal framework for risk prediction models as they continue to evolve and are increasingly integrated into landscape for public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the MinCan database that presents mine-level estimates for the Canadian mining industry with a persistent annual coverage between 1950 and 2022. These estimates are based on archival maps and a selection of historical sources, which follows a hierarchy of criteria-based credibility and standardization. The information contained in MinCan covers 947 mines and provides information about their location (longitude and latitude in decimal), the company ownership, the principal commodities produced, and the years of operation (opening and closing dates). It is the first open access database to propose an exhaustive, free, and reliable compilation of the principal past and present mines producing in Canada. The geographic coordinates enable matching with other local, regional, and national databases, and allow for a wide range of research objectives to be met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel data preprocessing method that converts numeric data into representative graphs (polygons) expressing all of the relationships between data variables in a systematic way based on Hamiltonian cycles. The advantage of the proposed method is that it has an embedded feature extraction capability in which each generated polygon depicts a class-specific representation in the data, thereby supporting accurate "end-to-end learning" in industrial fault classification applications. Moreover, the generated polygons can play a significant role in the interpretation of trained deep learning fault classifiers. The performance of the proposed method was demonstrated using a benchmark dataset in the process industry. It was also tested successfully to classify challenging faults in major equipment in a thermomechanical pulp mill located in Canada. The results of the proposed method show better performance than other comparable fault classifiers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modular construction has become exceedingly relevant against the current scenario of increasing housing demand and can respond to this need in Canada due to its advantages of rapid construction. However, a holistic environmental sustainability framework for this construction method is still lacking. This paper proposes a hierarchical-based framework to benchmark the environmental performance of modular buildings versus conventional buildings. The framework identifies criteria and indicators affecting environmental sustainability, makes composite indicators, and establishes performance benchmarks. Based on expert survey, six criteria (construction waste management, energy performance and efficiency strategies, site disruption and appropriate strategies, renewable and environmentally preferable products, regional materials, and renewable energy use) are first identified. The related indicators and sub-indicators are combined to develop indices using Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution. Robust benchmark scales were established through application of Monte Carlo analysis on data collected through experts. Finally, the developed indices were compared against the benchmark scales at different assessment levels. The proposed framework was examined for two single-family modular buildings in British Columbia, Canada. The overall environmental performance benchmarking informs the policy makers on the usefulness of modular buildings, while the criteria-level indices direct the construction industry practitioners to improve the low performing indicators. The proposed framework will enhance the sustainability of modular and offsite construction in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canada has made a commitment in the Paris Agreement to reduce its total greenhouse gas emissions by 40–45% from 2005 levels by year 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by year 2050. An enhanced target has been established for the electricity sector, aiming to achieve a reduction of 88% from 2005 levels by 2030. Achieving these ambitious targets requires the implementation of new CO2 reduction measures and policies. In this work, carbon emissions pinch analysis (CEPA) is used for planning energy resources in the electricity sector while aiming to achieve both country and regional targets. Different scenarios are proposed for years 2030 and 2050 based on current policies and extension of some realistic assumptions, including the use of carbon capture and storage (CCS) facilities, negative emissions technologies (NETs), and increased capacity for renewable energy sources. In year 2030, the proposed solution indicates that the reduction of CO2 emissions of 3.1 Mt CO2-eq. is achievable, which is lower than the country target of 14 Mt CO2-eq. This solution can serve as the benchmark for each stakeholders at provincial level to reach their regional target. Results also show that electricity and CO2 trading are required to meet the energy requirement and to achieve the year 2030 CO2 emissions reduction goal at the provincial level which is the novelty of this paper. Although none of the cases has met net-zero emissions in year 2050, they do demonstrate that net zero is not far from materialisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many natural resource projects, the impact on Indigenous communities is a primary concern. Therefore, governance arrangements that account for the interests of companies, communities, and government are critical for the project's success. This paper looked at two successful mining projects in northern Canada, McArthur River and Diavik, to examine the governance arrangement that led to mutually beneficial outcomes. Through an analysis of interviews and documents, we assessed both governing institutions and interactions to understand how the respective companies and communities established a high level of trust. In both cases, government took a less prominent role in the management of resources, allowing the Indigenous communities to hold a stronger role in the governance of the resources. Both Indigenous communities, therefore, built partnerships with the company around socio-economic benefits along with environmental monitoring – redefining 'community' in governance arrangements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Special Section explores the interplay between Indigenous peoples, industry, and the state in five proposed and active mining projects in Canada and Sweden. The overall aim is to identify factors shaping the quality of Indigenous community-industry-state interactions in mining and mine development. An ambition underlying the research is to develop knowledge to help manage mining related land-use conflicts in Sweden by drawing on Canadian comparisons and experience. This paper synthesizes the comparative research that has been conducted across jurisdictions in three Canadian provinces and Sweden. It focuses on the interplay between the properties of the governance system, the quality of interaction and governance outcomes. We combine institutional and interactive governance theory and use the concept of governability to assess how and why specific outcomes, such as mutually beneficial interaction, collaboration, or opposition, occurred. The analysis suggests there are measures that can be taken by the Swedish Government to improve the governability of mining related issues, by developing alternative, and more effective, avenues to recognize, and protect, Sámi rights and culture, to broaden the scope and increase the legitimacy and transparency of the EIAs, to raise the quality of interaction and consultation, and to develop tools to actively stimulate and support collaboration and partnerships on equal terms. Generally, we argue that Indigenous community responses to mining must be understood within a larger framework of Indigenous self-determination, in particular the communities' own assessments of their opportunities to achieve their long-term objectives using alternative governing modes and types of interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we propose a machine learning-based approach to predict a multitude of insurance claim categories related to canine diseases. We introduce several machine learning approaches that are evaluated on a pet insurance dataset consisting of 785,565 dogs from the US and Canada whose insurance claims have been recorded over 17 years. 270,203 dogs with a long insurance tenure were used to train a model while the inference is applicable to all dogs in the dataset. Through this analysis we demonstrate that with this richness of data, supported by the right feature engineering, and machine learning approaches, 45 disease categories can be predicted with high accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslides involving sensitive clays are recurrent events in the world's northern regions and are especially notorious in eastern Canada. The two critical factors that separate sensitive clay landslides from traditional slope stability analysis are the highly brittle behavior in undrained conditions (strain-softening) characteristic of progressive or retrogressive failures and the large deformations associated with them. Conventional limit equilibrium analysis has numerous shortcomings in incorporating these characteristics when assessing landslides in sensitive clays. This paper presents an extensive literature review of the failure mechanics characteristics of landslides in sensitive clays and the existing constitutive models and numerical tools to analyze such slopes' stability and post-failure behavior. The advantages and shortcomings of the different techniques to incorporate strain-softening and large deformation in the numerical modeling of sensitive clay landslides are assessed. The literature review depicts that elastoviscoplastic soil models with non-linear strain-softening laws and rate effects represent the material behavior of sensitive clays. Though several numerical models have been proposed to analyze post-failure runouts, the amount of work performed in line with sensitive clay landslides is very scarce. That creates an urgent need to apply and further develop advanced numerical tools for better understanding and predicting these catastrophic events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in urban areas are of great interest due to their significant role in forming ground-level ozone and adverse public health effects. Emission inventories usually compile the outdoor VOCs emission sources (e.g., traffic and industrial emissions). However, considering emissions from volatile chemical products (e.g., solvents, printing ink, personal care products) is challenging because of scattered data and the lack of an effective method to estimate the VOCs emission rate from these chemical products. This paper aims to systematically analyse potential sources of VOCs emission in Canada's built environment, including volatile chemical products. Also, spatial variation of VOCs level in the ambient atmosphere is examined to understand the VOC relationship with ozone and secondary organic aerosol formation. The study shows that VOCs level may vary among everyday microenvironments (e.g., residential areas, offices, and retail stores) depending on the frequency of product consumption, building age, ventilation condition, and background ambient concentration in the atmosphere. However, it is very difficult to establish VOC speciation and apportionment to different volatile chemical products that contribute most significantly to exposure and target subpopulations with elevated levels. Thus, tracer compounds can be used to identify inventory sources at the consumer end. A critical overview highlights the limitations of existing VOC estimation methods and possible approaches to control VOC emissions. The findings provide crucial information to establish an emission inventory framework for volatile chemical products at a national scale and enable policymakers to limit VOCs emission from various volatile chemical products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community-based monitoring (CBM) is a widely used form of scientific data collection in which local community members directly participate in ecosystem research and also help the process by sharing traditional ecological knowledge and local understanding of land and resources. This paper presents a review of the challenges and opportunities associated with CBM projects in Canada and internationally. While Canadian cases are the primary focus, international examples are drawn on to provide additional context. Based on our review of 121 documents and publications, we found that CBM helps fill science research gaps by providing access to continuous data sets on the ecosystems being studied. CBM also increases the credibility of the data among users, as the community itself takes part in the environmental monitoring process. CBM supports cross-cultural learning and the co-production of knowledge by using traditional ecological knowledge with science, thereby enabling researchers, scientists and community members to learn from one another. Our review suggests that although there are multiple successes, CBM faces several challenges that constrain its progress including funding shortages, lack of support for local stewardship, and inadequate training for local users in the operation of equipment and data collection methods. Data sharing and rights on the use of data are also constraining to the long-term success of CBM programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies whether acculturation by immigrants and other minority groups is associated with economic integration in Canada. We examine immigrants' participation in winter sports, particularly hockey, as a proxy for acculturation given that these sports are popular in Canada but are rarely watched or practiced in the origin countries of many immigrants to Canada. Using the Canadian Community Health Survey, we find that practicing winter sports has a positive effect on the earnings of immigrants and other minority groups. Specifically, practicing winter sports closes the income gap between immigrants and natives. However, the gap does not decrease for visible-minority immigrants, suggesting that acculturation might not be sufficient to combat racial biases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The automatic classification of marine species based on images is a challenging task for which multiple solutions have been increasingly provided in the past two decades. Oceans are complex ecosystems, difficult to access, and often the images obtained are of low quality. In such cases, animal classification becomes tedious. Therefore, it is often necessary to apply enhancement or pre-processing techniques to the images, before applying classification algorithms. In this work, we propose an image enhancement and classification pipeline that allows automated processing of images from benthic moving platforms. Deep-sea (870 m depth) fauna was targeted in footage taken by the crawler "Wally" (an Internet Operated Vehicle), within the Ocean Network Canada (ONC) area of Barkley Canyon (Vancouver, BC; Canada). The image enhancement process consists mainly of a convolutional residual network, capable of generating enhanced images from a set of raw images. The images generated by the trained convolutional residual network obtained high values in metrics for underwater imagery assessment such as UIQM (~ 2.585) and UCIQE (2.406). The highest SSIM and PSNR values were also obtained when compared to the original dataset. The entire process has shown good classification results on an independent test data set, with an accuracy value of 66.44% and an Area Under the ROC Curve (AUROC) value of 82.91%, which were subsequently improved to 79.44% and 88.64% for accuracy and AUROC respectively. These results obtained with the enhanced images are quite promising and superior to those obtained with the non-enhanced datasets, paving the strategy for the on-board real-time processing of crawler imaging, and outperforming those published in previous papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigates the effectiveness of solar heating using clear polyethylene bags against rice weevil Sitophilus oryzae (L.), which is one of the most destructive insect pests against many strategic grains such as wheat. In this paper, we aim at finding the key parameters that affect the control heating system against stored grain insects while ensuring that the wheat grain quality is maintained. We provide a new benchmark dataset, where the experimental and environmental data was collected based on fieldwork during the summer in Canada. We measure the effectiveness of the solution using a novel formula to describe the amortising temperature effect on rice weevil. We adopted different machine learning models to predict the effectiveness of our solution in reaching a lethal heating condition for insect pests, and hence measure the importance of the parameters. The performance of our machine learning models has been validated using a 10-fold cross-validation, showing a high accuracy of 99.5% with 99.01% recall, 100% precision and 99.5% F1-Score obtained by the Random Forest model. Our experimental study on machine learning with SHAP values as an eXplainable post-hoc model provides the best environmental conditions and parameters that have a significant effect on the disinfestation of rice weevils. Our findings suggest that there is an optimal medium-sized grain amount when using solar bags for thermal insect disinfestation under high ambient temperatures. Machine learning provides us with a versatile model for predicting the lethal temperatures that are most effective for eliminating stored grain insects inside clear plastic bags. Using this powerful technology, we can gain valuable information on the optimal conditions to eliminate these pests. Our model allows us to predict whether a certain combination of parameters will be effective in the treatment of insects using thermal control. We make our dataset publicly available under a Creative Commons Licence to encourage researchers to use it as a benchmark for their studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexity of industrial processes imposes a lot of challenges in building accurate and representative causal models for abnormal events diagnosis, control and maintenance of equipment and process units. This paper presents an innovative data-driven causality modeling approach using interpretable machine learning and process mining techniques, in addition to human expertise, to efficiently and automatically capture the complex dynamics of industrial systems. The approach tackles a significant challenge in the causality analysis community, which is the discovery of high-level causal models from low-level continuous observations. It is based on the exploitation of event data logs by analyzing the dependency relationships between events to generate accurate multi-level models that can take the form of various state-event diagrams. Highly accurate and trustworthy patterns are extracted from the original data using interpretable machine learning integrated with a model enhancement technique to construct event data logs. Afterward, the causal model is generated from the event log using the inductive miner technique, which is one of the most powerful process mining techniques. The causal model generated is a Petri net model, which is used to infer causality between important events as well as a visualization tool for real-time tracking of the system's dynamics. The proposed causality modeling approach has been successfully tested based on a real industrial dataset acquired from complex equipment in a Kraft pulp mill located in eastern Canada. The generated causality model was validated by ensuring high model fitness scores, in addition to the process expert's validation of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The second quantum revolution has been producing groundbreaking scientific and technological outputs since the early 2000s; however, the scientific literature on the impact of this revolution on the industry, specifically on start-ups, is limited. In this paper, we present a landscaping study with a gathered dataset of 441 companies from 42 countries that we identify as quantum start-ups, meaning that they mainly focus on quantum technologies (QT) as their primary priority business. We answer the following questions: (1) What are the temporal and geographical distributions of the quantum start-ups? (2) How can we categorize them, and how are these categories populated? (3) Are there any patterns that we can derive from empirical data on trends? We found that more than 92% of these companies have been founded within the last 10 years, and more than 50% of them are located in the US, the UK, and Canada. We categorized the QT start-ups into six fields: (i) complementary technologies, (ii) quantum computing (hardware), (iii) quantum computing (software/application/simulation), (iv) quantum cryptography/communication, (v) quantum sensing and metrology, and (vi) supporting companies, and analyzed the population of each field both for countries, and temporally. Finally, we argue that low levels of quantum start-up activity in a country might be an indicator of a national initiative to be adopted afterwards, which later sees both an increase in the number of start-ups, and a diversification of activity in different QT fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to map the emergence and development of a research field around the topic of "gender-based violence (GBV) against women with precarious legal status and their access to social protection in advanced welfare societies". We explore the academic knowledge production around this topic as a specific research field by using bibliometric data. We investigate the place occupied by scholars who publish in well-established journals, and their disciplines, in order to understand the relevance of different disciplines and groups of researchers in the knowledge production within the field. Our methodology includes analysis of co-authorship, cross-country collaboration, and co-citation. The search strategy is informed by discursive practices and knowledge production by influential international civil society actors (CSAs) involved in framing welfare responses to GBV against women with precarious legal status. Our results suggest that the knowledge produced in the field increased in terms of number of publications between 2010 and 2021, indicating a process of institutionalisation. Disciplines oriented towards certain groups of professionals such as clinical psychology, medicine, health, nursing, and social work, affiliated mainly to institutions in the US, Canada, and the EU, have a prominent role in knowledge production in this field. In our conclusions, we discuss the implications of these results in relation to gender studies and migration studies, along with some limitations of the use of bibliometrics software combined with an intersectionality approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a growing part of internal medicine training programs. Dedicated POCUS rotations are emerging as a particularly effective tool in POCUS training, allowing for longitudinal learning and emphasizing both psychomotor skills and the nuances of clinical integration. In this descriptive paper, we set out to review the state of POCUS rotations in Canadian Internal Medicine training programs. Results: We identify five programs currently offering a POCUS rotation. These rotations are offered over two to thirteen blocks each year, run over one to four weeks and support one to four learners. Across all programs, these rotations are set up as a consultative service that offers POCUS consultation to general internal medicine inpatients, with some extension of scope to the hospitalist service or surgical subspecialties. The funding model for the preceptors of these rotations is predominantly fee-for-service using consultation codes, in addition to concomitant clinical work to supplement income. All but one program has access to hospital-based archiving of POCUS exams. Preceptors dedicate ten to fifty hours to the rotation each week and ensure that all trainee exams are reviewed and documented in the patient's medical records in the form of a consultation note. Two of the five programs also support a POCUS fellowship. Only two out of five programs have established learner policies. All programs rely on In-Training Evaluation Reports to provide trainee feedback on their performance during the rotation. Conclusions: We describe the different elements of the POCUS rotations currently offered in Canadian Internal Medicine training programs. We share some lessons learned around the elements necessary for a sustainable rotation that meets high educational standards. We also identify areas for future growth, which include the expansion of learner policies, as well as the evolution of trainee assessment in the era of competency-based medical education. Our results will help educators that are endeavoring setting up POCUS rotations achieve success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many sediment attributes have been proposed as proxies for determining salinity conditions under which sediment is deposited, and six attributes (Sr/Ba-HAc, Sr/Ba-NH4Ac, δ13Corg, C/N, and the relative abundances and concentrations of dinoflagellate cysts) are compared here. In this paper, sediment attributes from the Fraser River Delta, Canada and surrounding coastal areas are compared by depositional position along the fluvial-to-marine transition, by salinity, and by sedimentological characteristics. Along the fluvial-to-marine transition, most attributes exhibit distinct trends between parts of the river that experience sustained marine water (saltwater) influence over seasonal and tidal timeframes, and parts that experience only freshwater or periodic saltwater influence. No attributes are reliable indicators of depositional position where saltwater incursion is short lived or where water is fresh. Where marine influence is sustained, Sr/Ba-HAc and Sr/Ba-NH4Ac are the most reliable positional indicators along the fluvial-to-marine transition. When compared strictly to salinity, Sr/Ba-HAc, Sr/Ba-NH4Ac, and δ13Corg all correlate predictably except in delta front and prodelta settings. Our data show that all six sediment attributes are heavily impacted by river-derived sedimentation, and it is not appropriate to compare values from strongly river-influenced settings (e.g., deltas) with those from weakly river-influenced settings (e.g., bays and estuaries). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minority entrepreneurs significantly contribute to Canada's economic development. This contribution to the Canadian economy comes in various forms, including setting up businesses such as convenience stores, ethnic restaurants, and financial services. This paper aims to explore the motivation for entrepreneurship among Black population in Alberta, Canada. Using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, the study shows that many Black entrepreneurs are "pulled" rather than "pushed" into entrepreneurship. Although some participants were pushed into entrepreneurship because of labor market exclusion, the majority were opportunity seekers who pursued entrepreneurship as a strategic response to opportunity structures in their environment rather than a reactive response to escape ethnic penalties. This study emphasizes the complex relationships between minorities' characteristics and resources and the opportunity structures that affect the ability to start a business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of corporations in societal outcomes continues to grow. Mining companies now face the expectation of not only providing economic benefits to communities, but act as a facilitator for social wellbeing and environmental stewardship. In the mining sector, this has placed renewed attention to defining corporate social responsibility and, in turn, how social license to operate is understood. These developments are particularly pertinent when mining operations affect Indigenous communities – where land use is central to livelihood. This study looks at the community engagement strategies of two mining companies in northern countries, Cameco (Canada) and Boliden (Sweden). By comparing their approaches, this paper explores the development of their practices over time and assess to what extent their corporate policy has translated into everyday practice and outcomes. The findings of demonstrate that high levels of trust are established when corporate approaches are built around transparency and collaboration – resulting in agreements that include long-term partnerships around socio-economic and environmental management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the dataset of measurements collected and published in the context of the comprehensive experimental campaign on downburst-like outflows that was performed at the WindEEE Dome at Western University, Canada. Downbursts are strong downdrafts of air that originate from thunderstorm clouds and create vigorous radial outflows upon hitting the ground. Downbursts are here simulated as transient phenomena produced by large-scale impinging jet. Two jet velocities were adopted in the experiments. The three-component velocity measurements were recorded using 7 Cobra probes mounted on a vertical stiff mast and displaced at 10 radial positions in respect to the downdraft centerline. For every radial position, each experiment with the same initial condition was repeated 20 times to inspect the deterministic features of the signal. Overall, the total of 2800 tests (2 jet velocities × 20 repetitions × 10 radial positions × 7 heights) represent one of the largest experimental campaigns on downburst winds carried out in a wind tunnel facility thus far. Measurement(s) atmospheric wind speed Technology Type(s) Cobra Probe Factor Type(s) wind velocity Sample Characteristic - Organism wind flow Sample Characteristic - Environment wind tunnel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In cities across Canada, suburbs have become important immigrant-receiving sites. This 'suburbanization of immigrants' is significantly affecting the housing situation in the Vancouver area, as the market responds to the preferences and requirements of new immigrant groups. This paper draws from a case study examining the settlement and housing experiences of recent immigrants from Mexico living in three Vancouver suburbs (Burnaby, Surrey, and Abbotsford). The findings from our survey of 129 Mexican immigrants and interviews with 60 key stakeholders reveal that housing affordability is a major issue for Mexican immigrant homeowners and renters. Almost half of the survey respondents spent more than 30% of their monthly income on housing. Renters used various strategies to afford housing, including sharing housing with relatives and co-ethnic friends (sometimes in overcrowded conditions), while some homeowners sublet rooms or rented out basement suites. The findings also revealed that in addition to facing employment and housing market challenges similar to other immigrant groups in Vancouver, Mexican immigrants experienced housing discrimination related to suspicions about undocumented immigration. Despite facing barriers to integration, the Mexican immigrants in our study were largely successful in improving their housing status in Canada. Policymakers and service planners must understand the 'ethnic refashioning' of major city suburbs and the housing issues faced by new groups of immigrants to better assist their integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable global energy production is back-stopped by hydropower which is responsible for a significant share of the green energy produced worldwide. Hydropower, however, does not come without some environmental impacts but has worked to reduce those impacts. Here, we discuss the historical, legislative, and design configurations of hydropower facilities located in three of the world's most important producers: Brazil, Canada, and Norway. The background is intended to inform the collection of scientific papers from each country aimed at assessing and improving the sustainability of hydropower production that form the core of this special issue on sustainable hydropower. We review the development and key legislative history for hydropower in each country and point out the common backgrounds and interests each nation has in the continued sustainable development of its hydropower resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydropeaking refers to the mode of hydropower dam operation where sub-daily changes in flow are used to vary the generation of electricity in accordance with demand. A typical pattern produces maximum power during the day (i.e., the peak), and minimal power at night. Hydropeaking is considered necessary to stabilize the energy grid since it is the only reliably flexible method of producing electricity besides fossil fuels. With the planned phase-out of traditional coal-fired electricity production across Canada by 2030, and the increased reliance on intermittent wind and solar generation, the flexibility of hydropeaking will assume an increased importance. However, hydropower generation comes with costs; hydropeaking in particular is considered one of the most ecologically harmful modes of operation since downstream biota are subjected to flows that deviate greatly from typical natural flow regime patterns. The ecological effects of hydropeaking have been examined in a growing body of literature, but mitigation options do exist that include dam operational and/or structural modifications. This paper will explore the importance of hydropeaking in the Canadian electricity system, the ecological consequences of flexible hydropower, and mitigation options that could potentially strike a balance between meeting Canadian energy needs and minimizing ecosystem impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The lack of attention to transgender and gender diverse (TGD) people in undergraduate medical education (UME) is a point of concern, particularly among medical students. A project was undertaken to develop a UME curriculum framework for teaching the healthcare needs of TGD people. Methods: Using a modified Delphi methodology, four rounds of surveys were presented to an expert stakeholder group that included content experts, generalist physicians, UME teaching faculty, and medical students. Questions covered what content should be taught, who should teach the content, and how much time should be dedicated for this teaching. Once the Delphi process was complete, feedback on the provisional framework was sought from members of the TGD community to ensure it represented their needs and perspectives. Results: 71 panel members and 56 community members participated in the study. Core values included the scope of the framework, and topics such as inclusivity, and safety in practice and in teaching. The framework included terminology, epidemiology, medical and surgical treatment, mental health, sexual and reproductive health, and routine primary care. There was also guidance on who should teach, time to be allocated, and the learning environment. Discussion: There is a clear need to train tomorrow's doctors to provide competent and respectful healthcare services to and for TGD patients. Although local factors will likely shape the way in which this framework will be implemented in different contexts, this paper outlines a core UME-level curriculum framework for Canada and, potentially, for use in other parts of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Logging causes changes in habitat structure, which can potentially lead to variations in taxonomic and functional richness of biodiversity. Studies on how functional traits in birds are affected by logging operations can provide an important element for the understanding of ecosystem processes. In this paper, we examined how logging in subtropical Andean forests influenced taxonomic and functional diversity of cavity-nesting birds. We used these results to compare how logging affected ecosystem functions in temperate and subtropical forests of the Americas. We used point-counts to examine the effects of logging on taxonomic and functional traits in avian communities (Functional Richness, Functional evenness, Functional Divergence, and Community-weighted mean). We found that logging changed bird richness and abundance, although it had no effect on the functional response to the measured traits. The comparison of our results with those of temperate forests of Canada and Chile reveals differences in the functional richness of birds in these habitats, with a lower impact of logging on functional traits. We highlight the importance of including functional traits in the analyses, since the reduction in the species richness and abundance may not be translated into functional changes within the ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the role of forests in national climate policies of two countries very rich in woods: Russia and Canada. Canada has made efforts to reduce direct CO2 emissions in the national economy, intensify forestry, and increase greenhouse gas sequestration by forests. Russia focuses on the verification and recalculation of the carbon sequestration capacity of its forests. Analysis of the Russian and Canadian stationary models used to assess the carbon sequestration capacity of forests (ROBUL and CBM-CFS, respectively) shows that both the Canadian model and the Russian one derived from it reflect the stationary dynamics of forest stands, which inevitably results in a downward CO2 absorption trend. Even if the forest inventory is updated on a regular basis, the predictive components of such models are unable to take into account the variability of forest ecosystems and their adaptation to climate change. Models that describe global carbon fluxes (e.g., ones using FLUXNET and remote sensing data) provide significantly higher net carbon sequestration values and indicate a nondecreasing net carbon accumulation trend in forests. It is concluded that stationary and remote sensing models should be used together to assess net carbon sequestration and formulate key principles of national climate policies in countries rich in forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change impacts on Indigenous peoples in remote regions pose unique institutional challenges and opportunities for governments. Reducing vulnerability and enabling collaborative knowledge creation through the inclusive consideration of Indigenous peoples' perspectives in government and institutional efforts can help to advance adaptation to environmental change. In Northern Canada, Indigenous communities and multiple levels of the Canadian government and its institutions, including the Canadian Armed Forces, share the commensurate task and responsibility of responding to, tracking, monitoring and adapting to rapid climatic changes and impacts associated with climate change in the Arctic. In this review paper, we explore how Canadian governments may effectively work as partners and catalysts for advancing mutually beneficial climate change adaptation efforts with Indigenous peoples and communities affected by climate change in remote Arctic regions of Northern Canada. We review knowledge and concepts related to Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge in the context of institutional adaptation planning and policy approaches in remote regions. First, we provide a geographical and contextual background that informs the efforts of institutional partners and Indigenous communities seeking to mutually address long-term challenges associated with adapting to climate change, specifically in the remote Canadian Arctic. Second, we unpack knowledge for advancing collaborative adaptation efforts between Indigenous peoples and institutions in the Arctic. We identify relevant gaps and opportunities for enhancing institutional approaches to climate change adaptation involving Indigenous peoples in remote regions like the Arctic. We conclude with a summary of policy relevant insights for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to calls for greater interdisciplinary involvement from the social sciences and humanities in the development, governance, and study of artificial intelligence systems, this paper presents one sociologist's view on the problem of algorithmic bias and the reproduction of societal bias. Discussions of bias in AI cover much of the same conceptual terrain that sociologists studying inequality have long understood using more specific terms and theories. Concerns over reproducing societal bias should be informed by an understanding of the ways that inequality is continually reproduced in society—processes that AI systems are either complicit in, or can be designed to disrupt and counter. The contrast presented here is between conservative and radical approaches to AI, with conservatism referring to dominant tendencies that reproduce and strengthen the status quo, while radical approaches work to disrupt systemic forms of inequality. The limitations of a conservative approach to racial bias are discussed through the specific example of biased criminal risk assessments and Indigenous overrepresentation in Canada's criminal justice system. This illustrates the dangers of treating racial bias as a generalizable problem and equality as a generalizable solution, emphasizing the importance of considering inequality in context. Societal issues can no longer be out of scope for AI and machine learning, given the impact of these systems on human lives. This requires engagement with a growing body of critical AI scholarship that goes beyond biased data to analyze structured ways of perpetuating inequality, opening up the possibility for interdisciplinary engagement and radical alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The driving forces controlling the long-term total ozone change are investigated using the total ozone data from Edmonton (53.55°N, 114.0°W), Canada, over 1958–2018. By using the slow feature analysis method, the driving force signal for monthly mean total ozone time series is extracted. It is found that the driving force has fluctuated at higher values since the mid-1980s, and the corresponding total ozone has varied at lower values. These variation patterns indicate that the ozone loss since the mid-1980s is correlated with the higher values of the driving force. It is also found that the driving force exhibits sharp values following some explosive volcanic events, indicating that explosive volcanic eruptions act as a driving factor for ozone depletion. In order to analyze the scale structure of the driving force, the wavelet analysis method is applied. The results show that the spectral scales of the driving force peak at 2.4, 7.0, 21.4, 28.5, and 42.8 years. Among them, the 21.4 year periodicity, which corresponds to the 22-year solar magnetic cycle, is the basic one, and it modulates other mode of oscillations. More importantly, the 21.4 year cycle is modulated in amplitude by a signal with a much longer time scale. This long-scale modulating signal represents the impacts of the ozone depleting substances (ODSs) in the stratosphere, and it controls the long-term evolution of total ozone. Since the turn of the century, as the ODSs decline, a slow recovery of total ozone is expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bleeding in early pregnancy is a common emergency department (ED) presentation. Although variability in approaches has been demonstrated, research is relatively uncommon on practices and outcomes. This study investigated the influence of clinical pattern of care, utility, and contribution of pelvic examination aimed at diagnosing and managing bleeding in early pregnancy at three Canadian EDs. Methods: After obtaining informed consent, data were collected from adult women who were pregnant and from treating ED physicians using a structured questionnaire. We defined the change in management based on the initial clinical plan at the time of the initial physician assessment in the ED and any subsequent changes made after the pelvic examination was performed. Patient telephone follow-up was supplemented by linking with provincial administrative data for births. Univariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with a change in patient management following pelvic examination in the ED. Results: Overall, 200 women were enrolled. The mean age was 31 years, patients had been bleeding for a median of 1 day and stayed in the ED for a median of 5 h. Of these, 166 (83.0%) received a pelvic examination, including speculum examination and/or bimanual palpation. Pregnancy outcome data were available for 192 pregnancies; 107 (56%) experienced a miscarriage. Factors significantly associated with a change in management after pelvic examination in the univariate logistic regression analysis were brown/dark-red bleeding per vaginam (physician determined), tachycardia, right lower quadrant tenderness, and bimanual palpation. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, brown/dark-red bleeding per vaginam was independently associated with a reduced likelihood of a change in management after pelvic examination (aOR = 0.37; 95% CI: 0.14–0.98). Conclusion: Among women presenting to the ED with bleeding in early pregnancy prior to 20 weeks gestation, only brown/dark-red vaginal bleeding, potentially indicative of bleeding resolution, significantly independently influenced the baseline odds of a change in management after pelvic examination. Until the debate on the utility of pelvic examination in the ED for this presentation is resolved, physician preferences and shared decision making with patients should guide practice regarding speculum examination/bimanual palpation for the management of bleeding in early pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given the significance of motor competence (MC) for healthy development and as a cornerstone for lifelong physical activity (PA), it is crucial to understand the manifold factors that are associated with MC. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate correlates of children's MC and their fundamental movement skills (FMS) within their daily life from a comprehensive biopsychosocial-ecological perspective. Methods: This is a cross-sectional sub-study of the 'Physical Literacy for Communities (PL4C)' WAVES cohort study conducted in the West Vancouver School District, Canada. Motor competence was assessed using the PLAYfun tool including overall MC score and five FMS category scores, namely, running, locomotor skills, upper and lower body control and balance skills. By means of structural equation modeling (SEM), direct associationswith MC and with the specific FMS categories addressing physical activity behavior, self-perceived physical literacy, parenting, and school ground design were investigated. Results: A total of 355 children with a mean age of 7.5 years and 111.1 min of MVPA per day participated. The group comprised 51% boys and 47% girls from 14 elementary schools. Most children were at an emerging MC-level (71%), while those at a competent MC-level exhibited significantly more daily minutes of MVPA (123 versus 109, p = 0.001). Additionally, they played outdoors more frequently and engaged in more instructor-led PA. The results revealed that logistical support from parents had not only a direct positive association with overall MC, both for girls and boys, but also with most of the FMS categories. However, the correlates of MC varied between genders and showed different patterns across the five FMS categories. While time spent in sports or coach-/instructor-led physical activities had a significant SEM generated direct effect only for boys' MC and for locomotor, upper body object control and balance, the aesthetic design of the school grounds was only associated with girls' MC and those same three FMS categories. Multivariate SEM could explain 26% of variance for girls' MC and 30% for boys'. Conclusions: This exploratory baseline assessment revealed parental logistical support as an important correlate of MC, irrespective of gender. There were distinct gender patterns across biopsychosocial-ecological correlates influencing MC and FMS. Despite the heterogeneity of the results, our findings indicate a potential role of school ground design in supporting the development of children's MC, especially for girls. Key Points: • The influence of biopsychosocial-ecological correlates on motor competence (MC) varied based on gender and the specific fundamental movement skill (FMS) categories. • While parental logistical support demonstrated a positive direct association with both genders' MC and most of the FMS categories, coach-led physical activities appeared to enhance only boys'. • The positive direct association of outdoor play on boys' MC and of school ground aesthetics on girls' MC might suggest the role of the physical environment in MC development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess rates of traversing barriers to care to access optimal clinical outcomes in people with migraine internationally. Background: People in need of medical care for migraine should consult a health care professional knowledgeable in migraine management, obtain an accurate diagnosis, and receive an individualized treatment plan, which includes scientific society guideline-recommended treatments where appropriate. Methods: The Chronic Migraine Epidemiology and Outcomes-International (CaMEO-I) Study was a cross-sectional, web-based survey conducted from July 2021 through March 2022 in Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States (US). Respondents who met modified International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition, criteria for migraine and had Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS) scores of ≥ 6 (i.e., mild, moderate, or severe disability) were deemed to need medical care and were included in this analysis. Minimally effective treatment required that participants were currently consulting a health care professional for headache (barrier 1), reported an accurate diagnosis (barrier 2), and reported use of minimally appropriate pharmacologic treatment (barrier 3; based on American Headache Society 2021 Consensus Statement recommendations). Proportions of respondents who successfully traversed each barrier were calculated, and chi-square tests were used to assess overall difference among countries. Results: Among 14,492 respondents with migraine, 8,330 had MIDAS scores of ≥ 6, were deemed in need of medical care, and were included in this analysis. Current headache consultation was reported by 35.1% (2926/8330) of respondents. Compared with the US, consultation rates and diagnosis rates were statistically significantly lower in all other countries except France where they were statistically significantly higher. Total appropriate treatment rates were also statistically significantly lower in all other countries compared with the US except France, which did not differ from the US. All 3 barriers were traversed by only 11.5% (955/8330) of respondents, with differences among countries (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Of people with migraine in need of medical care for migraine, less than 15% traverse all 3 barriers to care. Although rates of consultation, diagnosis, and treatment differed among countries, improvements are needed in all countries studied to reduce the global burden of migraine. Trial registration: NA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Certolizumab pegol (CZP) is an anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) approved for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (PSO). However, data on its real-world use is currently limited. The objective of this study was to describe the 1-year real-world effectiveness of CZP, its impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and safety outcomes in patients with moderate to severe PSO in multi-country settings. Methods: CIMREAL, a prospective, noninterventional study, was conducted across Europe and Canada from August 2019 to December 2022. Patients were followed for 1-year, receiving CZP 400 mg initial doses at weeks 0, 2, and 4, followed by CZP 200 mg every 2 weeks (Q2W) or CZP 400 mg Q2W maintenance dosing. Effectiveness was assessed using the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Safety was also evaluated. Results: Overall, 399 patients with moderate to severe PSO were included. Of these, 93.7% (374/399) and 77.9% (311/399) completed months 3 and 12, respectively. Mean age (± standard deviation) was 42.9 ± 13.5 years and body mass index was 28.5 ± 6.8 kg/m2, with the majority of patients being female (68.2%). At 12 months, CZP showed substantial effectiveness, achieving PASI 75 and PASI 90 response rates (≥ 75% and ≥ 90% improvement from baseline, respectively) of 77% and 56.5%, respectively. Patients with PASI score of ≤ 3 and ≤ 2 experienced improvement from 3 months (49.8% and 41.1%, respectively) to 12 months (82.0% and 75.3%, respectively). HRQoL considerably improved, with mean DLQI scores decreasing from 12.4 to 2.3 after 12 months of treatment, and the proportion of patients with DLQI 0/1 increased from 28.6% at 3 months to 59.4% at 12 months. The 1-year probability of persistence was approximately 85%. Overall, 30.6% of the patients experienced any adverse events and 9.3% had serious adverse events. Conclusion: In routine clinical practice, CZP exhibited consistent effectiveness, positively impacting both skin psoriasis activity and HRQoL. The 1-year persistence of CZP was high, and no new safety signals were identified. Trial Registration Number: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04053881 https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04053881. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining academic integrity is a growing concern for higher education, increasingly so due to the pivot to remote learning in 2020 caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We canvassed students, faculty, and tutors at an online Canadian university about their perspectives on academic integrity and misconduct. The survey asked how the university could improve policies concerning issues of academic integrity, how faculty and tutors handled cases of misconduct, about satisfaction with how academic violations were treated, and about the role of students, faculty, and tutors in encouraging academic integrity. As well, we collected suggestions from respondents for reducing cheating, addressing academic misconduct, and general ideas about academic integrity. The distinction between misconduct and integrity was not always clear in their comments. We received responses from 228 students and 73 faculty and tutors, generating hundreds of comments. In this paper we focus only on the answers to open-ended questions. Using content analysis, we categorized the replies into similar threads. After multiple iterations of analysis, we extracted three general recommendation groupings: Policy and Procedures, Compliance and Commitment, and Resources. Based on respondents' views, we propose a balanced approach to supporting academic integrity. Although we conducted the study pre-COVID-19, the recommendations apply to current and future academic integrity practices in our context and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Good Life with osteoArthritis: Denmark (GLA:D™), an evidence-based education and exercise program designed for conservative management of knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA), has been shown to benefit participants by reducing pain, improving function, and quality of life. Standardized reporting in the GLA:D databases enabled the measurement of self-reported and performance-based outcomes. There is a paucity of qualitative research on the participants' perceptions of this program, and it is important to understand whether participants' perceptions of the benefits of the program align with reported quantitative findings. Methods: We conducted semi-structured telephone interviews with individuals who participated in the GLA:D program from January 2017 to December 2018 in Alberta, Canada. Data were analyzed using an interpretive description approach and thematic analysis to identify emergent themes and sub-themes associated with participants perceived benefits of the GLA:D program. We analyzed the data using NVivo Pro software. Member checking and bracketing were used to ensure the rigour of the analysis. Results: 30 participants were interviewed (70% female, 57% rural, 73% knee OA). Most participants felt the program positively benefited them. Two themes emerged from the analysis: wellness and self-efficacy. Participants felt the program benefited their wellness, particularly with regard to pain relief, and improvements in mobility, strength, and overall well-being. Participants felt the program benefited them by promoting a sense of self-efficacy through improving the confidence to perform exercise and routine activities, as well as awareness, and motivation to manage their OA symptoms. Twenty percent of participants felt no benefits from the program due to experiencing increased pain and feeling their OA was too severe to participate. Discussion: The GLA:D program was viewed as beneficial to most participants, this study also identified factors (e.g., severe OA, extreme pain) as to why some participants did not experience meaningful improvements. Early intervention with the GLA:D program prior to individuals experiencing severe OA could help increase the number of participants who experience benefits from their participation. Conclusion: As the GLA:D program expands across jurisdictions, providers of the program may consider recruitment earlier in disease progression and targeting those with mild and moderate OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Province of Ontario, Canada, launched a wastewater surveillance program to monitor SARS-CoV-2, inspired by the early work and successful forecasts of COVID-19 waves in the city of Ottawa, Ontario. This manuscript presents a dataset from January 1, 2021, to March 31, 2023, with RT-qPCR results for SARS-CoV-2 genes and PMMoV from 107 sites across all 34 public health units in Ontario, covering 72% of the province's and 26.2% of Canada's population. Sampling occurred 2–7 times weekly, including geographical coordinates, serviced populations, physico-chemical water characteristics, and flowrates. In doing so, this manuscript ensures data availability and metadata preservation to support future research and epidemic preparedness through detailed analyses and modeling. The dataset has been crucial for public health in tracking disease locally, especially with the rise of the Omicron variant and the decline in clinical testing, highlighting wastewater-based surveillance's role in estimating disease incidence in Ontario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current prostate cancer (PCa) screen test, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), has a high sensitivity for PCa but low specificity for high-risk, clinically significant PCa (csPCa), resulting in overdiagnosis and overtreatment of non-csPCa. Early identification of csPCa while avoiding unnecessary biopsies in men with non-csPCa is challenging. We built an optimized machine learning platform (ClarityDX) and showed its utility in generating models predicting csPCa. Integrating the ClarityDX platform with blood-based biomarkers for clinically significant PCa and clinical biomarker data from a 3448-patient cohort, we developed a test to stratify patients' risk of csPCa; called ClarityDX Prostate. When predicting high risk cancer in the validation cohort, ClarityDX Prostate showed 95% sensitivity, 35% specificity, 54% positive predictive value, and 91% negative predictive value, at a ≥ 25% threshold. Using ClarityDX Prostate at this threshold could avoid up to 35% of unnecessary prostate biopsies. ClarityDX Prostate showed higher accuracy for predicting the risk of csPCa than PSA alone and the tested model-based risk calculators. Using this test as a reflex test in men with elevated PSA levels may help patients and their healthcare providers decide if a prostate biopsy is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite advances in systemic care, diabetic disease of the eye (DDE) remains the leading cause of blindness worldwide. There is a critical gap of up-to-date, evidence-based guidance for ophthalmologists in Canada that includes evidence from recent randomized controlled trials. Previous guidance has not always given special consideration to applying treatments and managing DDE in the context of the healthcare system. This consensus statement aims to assist practitioners in the field by providing a spectrum of acceptable opinions on DDE treatment and management from recognized experts in the field. In compiling evidence and generating consensus, a working group of retinal specialists in Canada addressed clinical questions surrounding the four themes of disease, patient, management, and collaboration. The working group reviewed literature representing the highest level of evidence on DDE and shared their opinions on topics surrounding the epidemiology and pathophysiology of diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema; diagnosis and monitoring; considerations around diabetes medication use; strategic considerations for management given systemic comorbidities, ocular comorbidities, and pregnancy; treatment goals and modalities for diabetic macular edema, non-proliferative and proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and retinal detachment; and interdisciplinary collaboration. Ultimately, this work highlighted that the retinal examination in DDE not only informs the treating ophthalmologist but can serve as a global index for disease progression across many tissues of the body. It highlighted further that DDE can be treated regardless of diabetic control, that a systemic approach to patient care will result in the best health outcomes, and prevention of visual complications requires a multidisciplinary management approach. Ophthalmologists must tailor their clinical approach to the needs and circumstances of individual patients and work within the realities of their healthcare setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) can be produced from a broad range of anthropogenic activities at different spatial and temporal scales. In particular, emissions from urban area are an import source of GHGs. City is a complicated system consisting of various component and processes. Efforts have been made to reduce urban GHG emissions. However, there is a lack of available methods for effective assessment of such emissions. Many urban sources and factors which can influence the emissions are still unknown. In the present study, the GHG emissions from municipal activities was assessed. A model for the assessment of urban GHG emissions was developed. Based on the collected data, a case study was conducted to evaluate urban GHG emissions. The comprehensive assessment included the emissions from transportation, electricity consumption, natural gas, waste disposal, and wastewater treatment. There was a variation for GHG emissions from these sectors in different years. This study provided a new approach for comprehensive evaluation of urban GHG emissions. The results can help better understand the emission process and identify the major emission sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater ecosystems are biologically important habitats that provide many ecosystem services. Calcium concentration and pH are two key variables that are linked to multiple chemical processes in these environments, influence the biology of organisms from diverse taxa, and can be important factors affecting the distribution of native and non-native species. However, it can be challenging to obtain high-resolution data for these variables at regional and national scales. To address this data gap, water quality data for lakes and rivers in Canada and the continental USA were compiled and used to generate high-resolution (10 × 10 km) interpolated raster layers, after comparing multiple spatial interpolation approaches. This is the first time that such data have been made available at this scale and resolution, providing a valuable resource for research, including projects evaluating risks from environmental change, pollution, and invasive species. This will aid the development of conservation and management strategies for these vital habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is a highly contagious human herpes virus responsible for causing chickenpox (varicella) and shingles (herpes zoster). Despite the approval of a highly effective vaccine, Shingrix®, the global incidence of herpes zoster is increasing and the economic burden to the health care system and society are substantial due to significant loss of productivity and health complications, particularly among elderly and immunocompromised individuals. This is primarily because access to the vaccines remains mostly limited to countries within developed economies, such as USA and Canada. Therefore, similarly effective vaccines against VZV that are more accessible to the rest-of-the-world are necessary. In this study, we aimed to evaluate immunogenicity and memory response induced by three mRNA-LNP-based vaccine candidates targeting VZV's surface glycoprotein E (gE). C57BL/6 mice were immunized with each candidate vaccine, and humoral and cellular immune responses were assessed. Our results demonstrate that the mRNA-LNP-based vaccine candidates elicited robust and durable humoral responses specific to the gE antigen. Notably, mice vaccinated with the mRNA-LNP vaccines exhibited significantly higher antigen-specific T-cell cytokine production compared to the group receiving Shingrix®, the current standard of care vaccine. Additionally, mRNA-LNP vaccines induced long-lasting memory response, as evidenced by detection of persistent gE-specific Long-Lived Plasma Cells (LLPCs) and memory T cells four months after final immunization. These findings underscore the potential of our mRNA-LNP-based vaccine candidates in generating potent immune responses against VZV, offering promising prospects for their clinical development as an effective prophylactic vaccine against herpes zoster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their strong humanitarian reputations abroad, Norway and Canada have adopted domestic immigration policies that produce permanently precarious residents. These policies affect individuals—including refugees, permanent residents, and naturalized citizens—who have traditionally enjoyed secure legal statuses. Adopting the analytic lens of 'probationary immigration', this article explores the legal mechanisms behind three interrelated developments in both countries: 1) the fragmentation of protection regimes in terms of access, rights and duration; 2) stricter/less predictable requirements for permanent residence and citizenship; and 3) intensified practice regarding the revocation of citizenship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shifting demographics—that is, the growing number of older adults in Canada and internationally—and intersecting climatic risks create a complex landscape of aging in place in disaster contexts. Some older adults are vulnerable due to their underlying health conditions and limited physical mobility. Yet they also exhibit resilience in a distinct manner, owing to their wealth of knowledge, wisdom, and ability to navigate adversities. This article elucidates potential avenues for promoting the involvement of older adults in disaster recovery efforts. Our intention is to recognize and foster older adult resilience and mitigate vulnerability by drawing upon insights from the study titled "In the Aftermath of the 2016 Alberta Wildfires: The Role of Social Work Practitioners and Human Service Professionals in Long-Term Disaster Recovery." Employing a qualitative research approach, that study recruited 51 participants for semistructured interviews and focus groups. A thematic analysis of the collected data unveiled the pivotal roles played by social workers and human service practitioners in facilitating recovery from the 2016 wildfires in the research. Notably, three overarching themes emerged concerning the promotion of older adults' involvement in disaster recovery: fostering supportive relationships, building partnerships and enhancing collaboration, and addressing ongoing challenges. These findings offer valuable insights into how social work practitioners and human service professionals can effectively facilitate the engagement of older adults in disaster recovery initiatives. This article emphasizes the significance of actively promoting the participation of older adults in disaster mitigation efforts, thereby fostering greater resilience within communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a key component of overall health and quality of life, oral health is recognized by public health organizations globally as a basic human right. Dentists are oral health experts involved in the primary prevention of oral injury and the detection and management of oral diseases. As regulated healthcare professionals, dentists identify and treat dental caries, gum disease, oral cancers, and edentulism, among other conditions. Oral diseases that go undetected and/or untreated burden patients with increased severity of disease and worse health outcomes. The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) recommends routinely scheduled reexamination and preventive care as an essential component of maintaining optimal oral health. Investments by the federal government into dental services for high-risk groups have failed to resolve pervasive oral health disparities among Canadians related to dental care affordability, accessibility, and availability. Vulnerable groups across Canada, including children, seniors in long-term care, Indigenous peoples, new immigrants with refugee status, people with special needs, and the low-income population, have been identified as having challenges accessing regular dental care. Herein, an equity-focused commentary on the current climate of oral healthcare in Canada is presented. We outline how addressing disparities in Canadian dental care will require the engagement of physicians on multiple levels of care, negotiation with both dentists and policymakers, as well as sustained oral health data collection to inform provincial and national decision-making/strategies., (© 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive license to The Canadian Public Health Association.)

Integrated renewable energy systems are becoming a promising option for electrification in remote communities. Integrating multiple renewable energy sources allows the communities to counteract the weaknesses of one renewable energy source with the strengths of another. This study aims to model, design and optimize integrated renewable energy systems consisting of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind turbines, a biomass power generator, and storage batteries for applications in remote communities in Canada. Biomass is used as a fuel to produce electricity during periods when solar power and wind power are not capable of meeting the power demand. A methodology is developed to optimize the integrated renewable energy systems design, with the aim of minimizing the net present cost (NPC) and the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of the energy systems. Results show that the NPC is $3.61 M and the LCOE is $0.255/kWh for an optimized integrated renewable energy system in a sample remote community that has a peak power consumption of 238.7 kW and an average load demand of 2230 kWh/day. Through the present research, the integrated energy systems are evidenced to be an effective option for electrification in remote communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an increasingly human- and road-dominated world, the preservation of functional ecosystems has become highly relevant. While the negative ecological impacts of roads on ecosystems are numerous and well documented, roadless areas have been proposed as proxy for functional ecosystems. However, their potential remains underexplored, partly due to the incomplete mapping of roads. We assessed the accuracy of roadless areas identification using freely available road-data in two regions with contrasting levels of anthropogenic influence: boreal Canada and temperate Central Europe (Poland, Slovakia, Czechia, and Hungary). Within randomly selected circular plots (per region and country), we visually examined the completeness of road mapping using OpenStreetMap 2020 and assessed whether human influences affect mapping quality using four variables. In boreal Canada, roads were completely mapped in 3% of the plots, compared to 40% in Central Europe. Lower Human Footprint Index and road density values were related to greater incompleteness in road mapping. Roadless areas, defined as areas at least 1 km away from any road, covered 85% of the surface in boreal Canada (mean size ± s.d. = 272 ± 12,197 km2), compared to only 0.4% in temperate Central Europe (mean size ± s.d. = 0.6 ± 3.1 km2). By visually interpreting and manually adding unmapped roads in 30 randomly selected roadless areas from each study country, we observed a similar reduction in roadless surface in both Canada and Central Europe (27% vs 28%) when all roads were included. This study highlights the urgent need for improved road mapping techniques to support research on roadless areas as conservation targets and surrogates of functional ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]