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This study of patent applications and scientific publications related to batteries is unique as it includes the volume of as well as qualitative indicators for both types of publications. Using carefully elaborated strategies to identify publications relating to batteries, this study provides data to discuss the critical balance to strike between investments in research and the more innovation-related aspects. The results show that China's dominance in publication volumes increases and that research with Chinese involvement is highly cited, whereas patent applications are slightly less valued than the world average. Quality-related indicators for Canada and the United States are very high for both scientific publications and patent applications. National differences in the proportions of patent applications and scientific publications are large, with Japan at one end with three patent applications per scientific paper and Canada at the other with almost seven scientific papers per patent application. On an actor level, data for Sweden indicate how the automotive industry started to file many patent applications in the decade starting in 2010. Finally, it is noted that this new approach to study a technological field appears promising as it gives new perspectives of relevance for policy actors and others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transforming Pulp and Paper (P&P) mills into Integrated Forest Biorefineries (IFBR) is a prominent solution to save Canadian P&P industry that has been facing decline of conventional paper demand. We propose a comprehensive decision model for the design of IFBR value chains by taking the uncertain demand of bioproducts into consideration. In particular, we propose a multi-stage stochastic programming model to obtain the optimal investment plan over a long-term planning horizon in the presence of various market trends. We also develop a Monte-Carlo simulation platform to validate the proposed model and to compare its performance with alternative decision models. The model is applied to a realistic case study inspired from P&P companies in Canada, where the value of incorporating the dynamic nature of uncertain demand has been estimated. Further, we elaborate on the value of considering flexibility in terms of adjusting the investment plan in response to changes in the demand. Our results indicate that the demand for bioproducts has a substantial impact on the profitability of the IFBR. We also demonstrated the significant value of explicitly incorporating the uncertainty in IFBR network design as well as adapting the investment plan to the changes in the demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predatory publishing is the unethical and dishonest behavior of publishers who take advantage of researchers by charging them too much money and not providing good editing and peer-review services. Scholars, publishers and policymakers are seeking solutions to combat predatory publishing, which has become a major academic problem. This research paper provides a bibliometric analysis of the citation patterns and trends in the predatory publishing literature. The study analyzed the 100 top-cited papers on predatory publishing and provided insight into the types of documents, journals, authors, and countries that contributed to this field. The average citation per paper in the top 100 selected publications was 53.67. Open-access publications received a significantly higher average citation per paper than subscription-based papers. "Article" was the major type of document published, followed by "Notes," "Reviews" and "Editorials." Nature and Learned Publishing were the journals that contained the highest number of top-cited articles. J. Beall and D. Moher authored the highest number of papers, while A. Grudniewicz had the highest average citation per paper. USA and Canada were the top countries in these top-cited publications. This study will be beneficial to the all the stakeholders who may be interested in this area of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a global health issue. It is spoken about everywhere and can affect anyone at any age. In the past century, medical technology and preventative medicines have increased in availability and accessibility, resulting in an increase in global life expectancy. However, as a result of increased life expectancy, the number of elderly adults have also increased. Due to chronic conditions, decreased social support, increased physical dependency and other natural events that come with age, it has caused a great number of elderly individuals to be impacted by depression. Furthermore, changes in traditional family and social structures have made it harder for the elderly to be cared for at home by their children and has resulted in an increase of elderly individuals living in nursing homes. Due to the loss of independence associated with nursing homes, it has further increased the prevalence of depression amongst the elderly. Elderly depression is not normal and can greatly impact quality of life and result in poor health outcomes, thus it is imperative that nurses address this issue. The purpose of this paper is to explore the significance of depression to the elderly population and to community health nursing, as well as to explore potential solutions for elderly depression using a strengths-based approach. Furthermore, this paper discussed implications for nursing practice on elderly depression. Depression is a serious health concern to the elderly population that nurses must address using strength and asset-based perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In recent years, tenecteplase has been competing with alteplase as a treatment for acute ischemic stroke given its ease of administration, lower dosage, cost-effectiveness, and better safety data. This paper seeks to analyze academic literature regarding the burgeoning usage of tenecteplase as a treatment for acute ischemic stroke across the world. Method: The Web of Science database was used to collect the data from articles containing the keywords "Tenecteplase" and "Stroke" published from 1999 to 2023. The search resulted in 576 journal articles. This study analyzed metadata related to the country, institution, keywords, and date published for each article in the database pertaining to tenecteplase use for stroke. Results: The United States led in publications (260, 39.93%), followed by Australia (101, 15.51%), and a tie for third place between Canada and China (77, 11.83% each). The three most prevalent keywords were tenecteplase (N = 324), alteplase (N = 284), and thrombolysis (N = 244). The University of Melbourne and the University of Calgary were the leading institutions publishing on the use of tenecteplase as a treatment for stroke. In 2023, the number of publications on the usage of tenecteplase for stroke was the greatest, making up 24.3% of all papers on the topic. Conclusion: The surge in academic papers regarding tenecteplase in stroke in 2023 could be a good indicator of the drug's increasing prevalence as a treatment for stroke. Despite this finding, tenecteplase is currently not an FDA-approved therapy in the US as Genentech, the drug's manufacturer, has yet to file for federal approval for acute ischemic stroke treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combined paper mill biosolids (PB) and forest-derived liming by-products improve soil properties, but their residual effects following several years of application have hardly been investigated. A 13-year (2009–2021) field study was initiated at Yamachiche, QC, Canada, to assess the residual effects of PB and liming materials on the properties of a loamy soil. The PB was applied during nine consecutive years (2000–2008) at 0, 30, 60, and 90 Mg wet·ha−1, whereas the 30 Mg PB·ha−1 rate also received one of three liming materials (calcitic lime, lime mud, wood ash) at 3 Mg wet·ha−1. No amendment was applied during residual years. Past liming materials continued to increase soil pH but their effect decreased over time; meanwhile, past PB applications caused a low increase in residual soil NO3-N. Soil total C, which represented 40% of added organic C when PB applications ceased, stabilized to 15% after six years. Soil Mehlich-3-extractable contents declined over the thirteen residual years to be not significant for P, K, and Cu, while they reached half the values of the application years for Zn and Cd. Conversely, Mehlich-3 Ca was little affected by time. Therefore, land PB and liming material applications benefited soil properties several years after their cessation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a comment on a previous article discussing the regulatory design of the Water Sustainability Act (WSA) in British Columbia, Canada. The comment argues that the WSA's regulatory design took a science-forward approach and considered specific regional factors. It addresses criticisms of the WSA and emphasizes the importance of licensing groundwater use for assessing environmental impacts. The WSA allows for nuanced water management through regulation-making authorities, but challenges remain in implementing the regulations, including Indigenous water rights and government resources. Recommendations for improving the WSA's design include defining sustainability goals, regionalizing regulatory action, and long-term planning. Ongoing resourcing and consideration of Indigenous rights are necessary for the effective implementation of the WSA. [Extracted from the article]

Pharmacy settings pose various and unpredictable dangers to workers, including biological, chemical, psychosocial hazards. Pharmacy technicians and assistants are a vulnerable and at-risk population. Workers are exposed to unique workplace hazards that impact their physical, mental, and social wellbeing, such as exposure to hazardous medication, violent robberies, and challenges with occupational identity. In this paper, five key areas of hazard are explored: hazardous drug exposure, infections, violence, mental health issues, and social challenges. Each hazard area explored is accompanied with evidence-based recommendations that can be implemented at the population-level to support the wellbeing of pharmacy personnel. Overall, the paper calls for the better protection of pharmacy technicians and assistants from occupational hazards. The population health impact framework is utilized as a guide to create evidence-based recommendations that can benefit whole populations of pharmacy workers at local, provincial, and national scales in Canada, thereby ensuring long-lasting protective interventions that support this vulnerable occupation group. The study concludes by providing future direction for research efforts in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After having gained prominence in the late 20th century, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has emerged as a critical business aspect, adopted widely across the corporate landscape. Although family firms play a significant global role, research on their relationship with CSR performance remains sparse and inconclusive. This paper seeks to bridge this gap by employing the primary classification of family firms, the socioemotional wealth perspective, and its FIBER model to examine their influence on CSR performance. The focus is on Canadian public companies listed on the S&P/TSX Composite Index from 2014 to 2022. Utilizing the NBC Canadian Family Index, the findings suggest that family firms exhibit superior CSR performance compared to their non-family counterparts. Further analyses indicate that family firms with greater control and influence by family members, those named after the family, those with strong emotional ties, and first-generation family firms tend to have enhanced CSR performance. By developing a socioemotional wealth score through FIBER dimensions to classify family firms, this study underscores the association of family firms with higher CSR performance, validating the robustness of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although exclusive breastfeeding is recommended for the first six months of life, research suggests that breastfeeding initiation rates and duration among Indigenous communities differ from this recommendation. Qualitative studies point to a variety of factors influencing infant feeding decisions; however, there has been no collective review of this literature published to date. Therefore, the objective of this scoping review was to identify and summarize the qualitative literature regarding Indigenous infant feeding experiences within Canada, the United States, Australia, and Aotearoa. Methods: Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses- Scoping Reviews and the Joanna Briggs Institute Guidelines, in October 2020, Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Scopus were searched for relevant papers focusing on Indigenous infant feeding experiences. Screening and full-text review was completed by two independent reviewers. A grey literature search was also conducted using country-specific Google searches and targeted website searching. The protocol is registered with the Open Science Framework and published in BMJ Open. Results: Forty-six papers from the five databases and grey literature searches were included in the final review and extraction. There were 18 papers from Canada, 11 papers in the US, 9 studies in Australia and 8 studies conducted in Aotearoa. We identified the following themes describing infant feeding experiences through qualitative analysis: colonization, culture and traditionality, social perceptions, family, professional influences, environment, cultural safety, survivance, establishing breastfeeding, autonomy, infant feeding knowledge, and milk substitutes, with family and culture having the most influence on infant feeding experiences based on frequency of themes. Conclusions: This review highlights key influencers of Indigenous caregivers' infant feeding experiences, which are often situated within complex social and environmental contexts with the role of family and culture as essential in supporting caregivers. There is a need for long-term follow-up studies that partner with communities to support sustainable policy and program changes that support infant and maternal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study applies a transformative sport service research approach to examine student-athletes' wellness within a collegiate sport setting. Sixteen semi-structured interviews were completed during the COVID-19 pandemic and the stop of play in Canada (early 2021). Findings denoted wellness was influenced by this time period as well as organizational factors which are within the purview of existing management practices. The study details the service environment to understand physical and mental well-being while taking into consideration the general and organizational environments which influence the student-athletes. Findings demonstrate that eudaimonic-related experiences (e.g., learning, development, relationship) are related to student-athletes' mental well-being. This research underpins the role of education, policies, and communication, which draws several implications for the service environment in a collegiate sport setting and the key stakeholders involved in producing an environment to enhance student-athletes' experience. The paper elaborates on the importance of the service environment and provides evidence of what student-athletes suggest management can change and focus their efforts on towards creating a transformative service environment. Theoretical implications for the transformative service research are put forward, including the co-creative aspects to determine programming which could contribute towards student-athletes wellness. Broader suggestions for change within the sport system and future research are also advanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I estimate a gravity model that provides strong evidence that border effects are heterogeneous by region and test for the presence of the spatial attenuation effect and international market access costs. I introduce GDP, importer population density, and importer metropolitan statistical area count as determinants of the border effect. I find the strong and robust result that border effects are decreasing in the GDP of the importing and exporting region: a 10% increase in importer GDP results in a 3.24% to 3.67% increase in international trade relative to domestic trade while a 10% increase in exporter GDP results in an increase in international trade relative to domestic trade by between 2.41% and 2.68%. These results are robust to a variety of specifications and indicate the existence of the spatial attenuation effect. However, this paper finds no indication of market access costs differing significantly when trade crosses the U.S.-Canada border. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that when heads of government appoint politicians to government teams, they focus on a particular range of the appointees' representational attributes and construct selection pools for other team positions with an eye toward counterbalancing the appointees' salient representational attributes. Previous research has investigated horizontal counterbalancing, which takes place within teams whose members have roughly equal status (e.g., cabinets). This paper suggests that there is additional value to be gained by examining vertical counterbalancing, which occurs when selectors appoint subordinates whose attributes counterbalance those of their superiors. Empirically, the paper spotlights teams of federal cabinet ministers and parliamentary secretaries in Canada from 1963-2021. It demonstrates that prime ministers have used parliamentary secretary appointments to counterbalance—in order—the provincial/territorial, linguistic, gender, and ethnic attributes of the ministers they serve. It shows that caucus characteristics, partisanship, and (to some extent) prime ministers' personal identities condition their counterbalancing behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This rapid review is designed to identify existing tools in the Canadian literature that assess the impacts of climate change on the health of perinatal families, particularly those who are equity-denied. Addressing the needs of equity-denied perinatal populations in the face of climate change is crucial to promoting equitable and inclusive perinatal care in Canada. Methods: Rapid review methodology was selected to provide evidence in a timely and cost-effective manner. PubMed/MEDLINE and gray literature (Google and Google Scholar) were searched for English and French papers published from 2013 onward. The original research question, focused on climate change and health, yielded very few relevant results. Therefore, the search was broadened to include environmental health. Garrity et al.'s (J Clin Epidemiol 130:13–22, 2021) nine-stage process was used to identify 11 relevant papers, extract the relevant data, and complete the narrative synthesis. Synthesis. This review revealed a significant lack of tools for comprehensively assessing climate-health impacts on perinatal families and equity-denied perinatal families. While Canadian perinatal health screenings focus on equity via indicators of several social determinants of health (e.g., income, social support), they largely omit climate considerations. Environmental health factors are more commonly included but remain minimal. Conclusion: Climate-health screening tools are lacking yet needed in routine perinatal healthcare. Given the seriousness of climate change, urgent engagement of health systems and healthcare workers is essential to help mitigate and adapt to climate-health challenges, particularly for perinatal families experiencing health inequities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lighthouses are enduring symbols of maritime heritage, representing the history and identity of coastal communities. Over the last few decades, however, these structures have been increasingly decommissioned and divested especially in response to the rise of navigational technologies and costly maintenance. Remarkably little academic scrutiny has been paid to the present and future challenges of these sites, and even less attention has been given to contexts of lighthouse closure, reuse, and replication. In response, this paper combines lighthouse infrastructure data with media analyses and qualitative interviews to explore the 'afterlives' of Canada's historic lighthouses, examining their transformations and the cultural politics involved in their reuse and replica (or faux lighthouses). We argue that historic lighthouses are not only significant features of maritime heritage but also serve as contemporary sites of coastal change and growth. By studying their afterlives, the paper sheds light on the intricate and complicated lifecycles of lighthouses and the communities that depend on them. Overall, we contribute to a broader understanding of coastal heritage, emphasizing the importance of examining adaptive reuse and the emergence of replica lighthouses as practices that renegotiate established values, meanings, and emotions associated with these iconic structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple and continuous traumatic events experienced by Black men impose altering effects on their identities, and their mentalization and presentation of themselves in society. However, the unique dynamics of the impact of trauma in shaping Black men's identities are not well understood, because their experiences with trauma are not well documented. This paper is a secondary analysis of the qualitative component of a mixed method study that explored trauma, social support, and resilience among 103 racialized youth survivors of gun violence in Toronto, Canada. The analysis for this paper specifically focused on young Black male participants in the study to understand their disproportional experiences with gun violent trauma. Thematic analysis of their narrative demonstrated three themes: 1) trapped by the trauma of systemic oppression; 2) identity marred by the trauma of systemic oppression; and 3) masculinity shifted by the trauma of systemic oppression. The thematic mapping of themes and subthemes yielded the trauma-altered identity (TAI), a concept coined to represent the intersections of trauma, systemic oppression, masculinity, and the identity of Black male survivors. Using a metaphoric artwork to conceptualise the TAI, we explore its psychosocial impacts and set strategies for deconstructing its influence on Black men. While we acknowledge that trauma experiences may vary among Black males, we recognise that understanding intersections of risks associated with trauma among young Black males presents opportunities for policy discussions, advocacy, and social justice reforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supply chain instabilities and inflated material prices have had a disruptive impact on cost estimating of construction projects. While several research efforts used national macroeconomic indicators to forecast the prices of domestically produced construction materials, none of the existing studies investigated whether the lagged macroeconomic indicators of the main trading partners could enhance the predictability of the prices of cement, steel, and lumber in the US construction sector. This paper fills this knowledge gap. The authors adopted a multi-step methodology that included: (1) collecting data on the target variables and the candidate leading indicators; (2) identifying the structural breaks in the collected data sets; (3) conducting causality tests to identify short-term associations and cointegration tests to examine long-term relationships; (4) developing vector error correction (VEC) models to forecast the prices in the short and long terms; and (5) evaluating the performance of the proposed models against existing forecasting models in the literature. Results of the Granger test and Johansen test indicate that Canada's overall producer price index (PPI) is a consistent leading indicator of the prices of cement, and Mexico's overall PPI is a consistent leading indicator of the prices of steel. Findings indicate no statistical evidence to suggest that neither Canada's PPI nor Mexico's PPI can be leading indicators of lumber prices. Over an 18-month ahead of sample horizon, the presented VEC models of cement and steel prices outperformed existing models, particularly beyond the 1-year-ahead forecasts. Utilization of the proposed forecasting models can significantly enhance the accuracy of cost estimates and feasibility studies of construction projects. This provides proactive financial planning for construction contractors and project owners through improved short- and long-term forecasting of the prices of main construction materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exam period can be a stressful time for students, and having examples of past papers to help prepare for the tests can be extremely helpful. It is possible that past exams are already shared on your campus--by professors in their specific courses, via student unions or groups, or between individual students. In this article, we will go over the workflows and infrastructure to support the systematic collection, provision of access to, and repository management of past exam papers. We will discuss platform-agnostic considerations of opt-in versus opt-out submission, access restriction, discovery, retention schedules, and more. Finally, we will share the University of Toronto setup, including a dedicated instance of DSpace, batch metadata creation and ingest scripts, and our submission and retention workflows that take into account the varying needs of stakeholders across our three campuses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The utilization of antibiotic adjuvants presents a promising strategy for addressing bacterial resistance. Recently, the development of antibiotic adjuvants has attracted considerable attention from researchers in academia and industry. This study aimed to identify the most influential publications on antibiotic adjuvants and elucidate the hotspots and research trends in this field. Method: Original articles and reviews related to antibiotic adjuvants were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database. The top 100 highly cited publications were selected and the visual analyses of publication outputs, countries, institutions, authors, journals, and keywords were conducted using Excel, VOSviewer, or CtieSpace software tools. Results: The top 100 cited publications concerning antibiotic adjuvants spanned the years 1977-2020, with citation counts ranging from 174 to 2,735. These publications encompassed 49 original articles and 51 reviews. The journal "Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy" accounted for the highest number of publications (12%). The top 100 cited publications emanated from 39 countries, with the United States leading in production. Institutions in Canada and the United States exhibited the most substantial contributions to these highly cited publications. A total of 526 authors participated in these studies, with Robert E. W. Hancock, Laura J. V. Piddock, Xian-Zhi Li, Hiroshi Nikaido, and Olga Lomovskaya emerging as the most frequently nominated authors. The most common keywords included "E. coli", "P. aeruginosa", "S. aureus", "in-vitro activity", "antimicrobial peptide", "efflux pump inhibitor" "efflux pump", "MexAB-OprM" and "mechanism". These keywords underscored the hotspots of bacterial resistance mechanisms and the development of novel antibiotic adjuvants. Conclusion: Through the bibliometric analysis, this study identified the top 100 highly cited publications on antibiotic adjuvants. Moreover, the findings offered a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics and frontiers in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, Dr. Rÿser recounts the key events and strategies that led to the successful Indigenous movement to safeguard Indigenous rights during the Canadian Patriation. He tracks the movement's development from the 1969 "White Paper," in which Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and Minister of Indian Affairs Jean Chrétien proposed eliminating the special status of Indigenous peoples in the new constitution, to Grand Cheif George Manuel's 1980 initiative, the "Constitution Express," in which he organized more than 600 Indigenous activists to travel across Canada by train to demand that the rights guaranteed in their Indigenous treaties with the British be upheld by the new Canadian Constitution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To describe intensive care unit nurses' experiences of moral distress during the COVID‐19 pandemic, and their recommendations for mitigative interventions. Design: Interpretive description. Methods: Data were collected with a purposeful sample of 40 Canadian intensive care unit nurses between May and September 2021. Nurses completed a demographic questionnaire, the Measure of Moral Distress—Healthcare Professionals survey and in‐depth interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were categorized and synthesized using reflexive thematic analysis and rapid qualitative analysis. Results: Half of the nurses in this sample reported moderate levels of moral distress. In response to moral distress, nurses experienced immediate and long‐term effects across multiple health domains. To cope, nurses discussed varied reactions, including action, avoidance and acquiescence. Nurses provided recommendations for interventions across multiple organizations to mitigate moral distress and negative health outcomes. Conclusion: Nurses reported that moral distress drove negative health outcomes and attrition in response to moral events in practice. To change these conditions of moral distress, nurses require organizational investments in interventions and cultures that prioritize the inclusion of nursing perspectives and voices. Implications for the Profession: Nurses engage in a variety of responses to cope with moral distress. They possess valuable insights into the practice issues central to moral distress that have significant implications for all members of the healthcare teams, patients and systems. It is essential that nurses' voices be included in the development of future interventions central to the responses to moral distress. Reporting Method: This study adheres to COREQ guidelines. Impact: What Problem did the Study Address?: Given the known structural, systemic and environmental factors that contribute to intensive care unit nurses' experiences of moral distress, and ultimately burnout and attrition, it was important to learn about their experiences of moral distress and their recommendations for organizational mitigative interventions. Documentation of these experiences and recommendations took on a greater urgency during the context of a global health emergency, the COVID‐19 pandemic, where such contextual influences on moral distress were less understood. What Were the Main Findings?: Over half of the nurses reported a moderate level of moral distress. Nurses who were considering leaving nursing practice reported higher moral distress scores than those who were not considering leaving. In response to moral distress, nurses experienced a variety of outcomes across several health domains. To cope with moral distress, nurses engaged in patterns of action, avoidance and acquiescence. To change the conditions of moral distress, nurses desire organizational interventions, practices and culture changes situated in the amplification of their voices. Where and on Whom Will the Research Have an Impact on?: These findings will be of interest to: (1) researchers developing and evaluating interventions that address the complex phenomenon of moral distress, (2) leaders and administrators in hospitals, and relevant healthcare and nursing organizations, and (3) nurses interested in leveraging evidence‐informed recommendations to advocate for interventions to address moral distress. What Does this Paper Contribute to the Wider Global Community?: This paper advances the body of scientific work on nurses' experiences of moral distress, capturing this phenomenon within the unique context of a global health emergency.Nurses' levels of moral distress using Measure of Moral Distress—Healthcare Professional survey were reported, serving as a comparator for future studies seeking to measure and evaluate intensive care unit nurses' levels of moral distress.Nurses' recommendations for mitigative interventions for moral distress have been reported, which can help inform future interventional studies. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although there is a growing body of work on immigrants' information behavior, little is known about the pre-arrival information experiences of immigrants who consult formal information sources such as immigration agents. Drawn from a larger study on the information behavior of immigrants, this paper mainly reports the semi-structured interview findings on the pre-arrival information experiences of Bangladeshi immigrants who used formal information sources with discussion on how that affected their post-arrival settlement into Canada. Design/methodology/approach: The study used a mixed method approach with semi-structured interviews (n = 60) and surveys (n = 205) with participants who arrived in Canada between the years of 1971 and 2017. Data were collected from May 2017 to February 2018. Findings: Although the overall scope of the original study is much larger, this paper features findings on the pre-arrival information experiences derived mainly from an analysis of interview data. This study provides insights into the pre-arrival information experiences of Bangladeshi immigrants consulting formal information sources such as immigration firms, individual immigration consultants and more formal government agencies. The author introduces a new concept of "information crafting" by exploring the negative consequences of selective information sharing by immigration consultants/agents in newcomers' settlements in Canada, primarily positive information about life in Canada, sometimes with exaggeration and falsification. The interview participants shared story after the story of the settlement challenges they faced after arriving in Canada and how the expectations they built through the information received from immigration consultants and government agencies did not match after arrival. This study emphasizes the importance of providing comprehensive information about life in Canada to potential newcomers so that they can make informed decisions even before they apply. Originality/value: The findings of this study have theoretical and practical implications for policy and research. This study provides insights into the complicated culturally situated pre-arrival information experiences of Bangladeshi immigrants. Moreover, the study findings encourage researchers in various disciplines, including psychology, migration studies and geography, to delve more deeply into newcomers' information experiences using an informational lens to examine the information newcomers receive from diverse sources and their effects on their post-arrival settlement in a new country. The study challenges the general assumptions that formal information sources are always reputable, useful, and comprehensive, and it provides some future directions for research that seeks to understand the culturally situated information behavior of diverse immigrant groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the Canadian government’s foreign and security policy responses to Russian disinformation in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian war. It asks whether, how, and why the government has securitised the “crisis of Russian disinformation.” The paper first briefly reviews literature on the Copenhagen’s School’s “securitisation” theory and how it has been used to explain responses to other crises. It then adopts the framework to contextualise the Canadian federal government’s official rhetoric, and then to categorise government policies and actions. The sources consulted include government actors’ reports and stated intentions and policies from 2022 to 2024. Adopting a securitisation framework reveals that Russian disinformation has been rhetorically securitised by government actors as an existential threat to national security and democratic integrity which requires urgent action. Within a context of cascading risks, the government has taken a range of distinct yet reinforcing policies and actions, some more comprehensive than others. The paper argues that together this “pervasive rhetorical securitisation” and “ad hoc practical securitisation” comprise the Canadian government’s ongoing process of partial securitisation. This process is legitimising different methods of governance: security and warfare communications (to address threats to national defence and security), democratic resilience (to address threats to democracy), and, most controversially, blocking and sanctioning (to signal discontent to the Russian regime). The analysis further reveals that each approach has different benefits and limits. The paper concludes that the securitisation process is incomplete compared to the government's rhetoric, with no over-arching organisation or strategy. It outlines implications for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focusing on the case of Canada, this paper offers an investigation of how members of Indigenous nations perceive the system of government using data from the 2019 Canadian Election Study (CES). Given the legacies of colonialism, we consider if Indigenous individuals in Canada adopt a distinct outlook on political institutions, actors, and democracy when compared to other Canadian voters by leveraging quantitative tools. We find that Indigenous people have a significantly more negative perception of several political institutions, politicians, and democracy in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An epidemic can cause enormous damage through financial and economic losses in addition to impaired health and loss of life. Good epidemic models can provide insights into ongoing waves that may facilitate public health responses and other readiness. Epidemic systems can undergo or consist of more than two driving forces; actually, they involve several. This paper deals with the modeling epidemics with two wave dynamics. We present a mathematical model with three driving forces, which is more compatible with the biology of the epidemic than conventional bilogistic and bi‐Richards ones, which have two driving forces. Simulation results show that our proposed model can predict turning points (waves) and cumulative case numbers during the two waves of epidemics satisfactorily. As a sample examination of our proposed model against real data, we show that the second phase of a typical epidemic can be detected by using less case data past the beginning of the epidemic than the bi‐Richards model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: On January 31st, 2023, the province of British Columbia (BC), Canada, was granted a federal exemption allowing adults (aged 18 +) to possess up to 2.5 g of select illicit drugs. The exemption will be in place for three years (2023–2026), marking the first formal decriminalization of illicit drug policy reform in Canada. BC's decriminalization initiative is premised on several goals. This project seeks to evaluate each of these goals and their individual and combined contributions to determine the overall success of this policy. Methods: The following protocol paper provides a detailed outline of a five-year (2022-2027) national evaluation of BC's decriminalization initiative, as well as the specific objectives, methodologies, and planned analyses for eight interrelated sub-studies that comprise the evaluation. These sub-studies fall under the following five topical areas of research: 1) people who use drugs (PWUD), 2) the police and the criminal justice system, 3) the general public, 4) the health services system, and 5) an economic analysis. Additional research activities may also be explored. Results: The overall evaluation and specific sub-study designs were informed by intensive stakeholder engagement. The evaluation was developed in collaboration with an international expert committee who came together to undertake a nominal group technique to decide on the final evaluation design and corresponding logic model. The evaluation will also employ an advisory board and individual sub-study working groups comprised of experts and PWUD who will oversee the development and implementation of the overall evaluation as well as each sub-study. Discussion: This evaluation will draw on implementation science research practices to evaluate and understand the full impacts of this novel drug policy experiment. Results will be widely disseminated through manuscripts, reports, presentations, and infographics, which will be adapted and tailored for specific audiences. The protocol identifies several anticipated challenges and limitations. This evaluation's evidence-based findings will be poised to offer pivotal insights that can shape and refine the discourse on drug policy and will serve as a critical resource for understanding the multifaceted impacts of decriminalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to contribute to our understanding of 'crisis' in higher education through the analysis of a unique series of events involving a decisive change in the relationship between a university and the state. A descriptive case study approach is used to investigate the crisis in governance at Athabasca University, an open university located in Alberta, Canada. Factors leading to the crisis included the university leadership's decision to move forward with plans to become a near‐virtual organization, concerns by local town that a loss of university employees in the region would be an economic catastrophe, and political opportunism on the part of the elected provincial leaders who decided to address the problems raised by the town and shift the mandate of the university. Drawing on institutional theory and the concept of institutional logics, the paper analyses the episodic nature of the crisis and explores both the nature of the conflict and its resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of digital technologies in qualitative research has been found to increase access and participation by minimizing geographical, scheduling, and financial barriers. However, discussions among the qualitative research community about the challenges of conducting research online and, specifically, what steps can be taken to mitigate "imposter participants" remain limited. Anchored in a critical disability studies perspective, in this field note paper, we discuss lessons learned in conducting online qualitative research and preserving data trustworthiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Service providers' crucial roles in securing housing for refugees in Canada is a topic scantly addressed in the broader literature. A focus on frontline workers in the housing and settlement sectors offers a productive analytic lens to map the critical link between service provision and housing access for refugees. Based on thirteen semi-structured interviews with service providers across nine organizations in Toronto, Canada, this study illuminates housing access barriers, such as lack of affordable housing and perceived housing discrimination. Furthermore, this paper unearths the intersectional praxis of frontline workers. Broadening the analytical frame to include an intersectional lens centring race, class, immigration status, and gender, this paper enriches current scholarship on 1) housing inequality, 2) refugee settlement, and 3) intersectionality. This paper also makes an epistemic intervention in the evolving field of housing studies at critical junctures. While this research was conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, this study reflects on the added complexity of the pandemic to refugees' housing access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1963 the Canadian Chiropractic Examining Board has conducted competency examinations for individuals seeking licensure to practice chiropractic in Canada. To maintain currency with changes in practice, examination content and methodology have been regularly updated since that time. This paper describes the process used by the Canadian Chiropractic Examining Board to restructure the examination to ensure it was current and to align it with the 2018 Federation of Canadian Chiropractic's Canadian Chiropractic Entry-to-Practice Competency Profile. A subject-matter-expert committee developed proposed candidate outcomes (indicators) for a new examination, derived from the competency profile. A national survey of practice was undertaken to determine the importance and frequency-of-use of the profile's enabling competencies. Survey results, together with other practice-based data and further subject-matter-expert input, were used to validate indicators and to create a new structure for the examination. The new examination is a combination of single-focus and case-based multiple-choice questions, and OSCE (objective, structured, clinical examination) methodology. Content mapping and item weighting were determined by a blueprinting committee and are provided. Administration of the new examination commenced in early 2024. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to provide an in-depth examination of culturally and linguistically diverse older adults' perceptions of and experiences with the Toronto Police Service to inform the development of a training curriculum for police officers working with older persons. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative descriptive study using virtual focus groups with 26 older adults from Toronto was conducted. Findings: Three main themes emerged: understanding intersectionality; the impact of police officer attitudes and biases; and the need for age-friendly policing. Although many older adults rely on police services to keep them safe, there is dissatisfaction with some aspects of how police interact with older adults, particularly from minority groups. Originality/value: Participants were older adults from culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse backgrounds who are not usually included in studies on improving police services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strategic documents are artifacts that can reveal evidence of an institution's teaching culture and, ideally, can influence how teaching is valued, rewarded, and resourced. This paper describes how an Institutional Teaching Culture framework based on six well-researched levers was applied to analyze strategic documents for indicators of teaching culture. Analyses conducted at five Canadian universities identified strengths and gaps within and across documents which, in turn, helped guide conversations about enhancing representations of institutional teaching culture. The authors share insights about our use of this analysis framework and offer recommendations to institutions invested in understanding and fostering robust teaching cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) through strategic policy development has been at the forefront of institutional change, especially within the higher education sector. Canadian colleges have a large equity-seeking student population due to their open admission structure, but despite this, there are implicit biases and actions that impede students' learning experience. Limited literature exists around how Canadian colleges have approached EDI policy development; thus, this paper initiates the unpacking of the evident policy – practice disconnect by asking: 'How do colleges understand equity, diversity, and inclusion as articulated in policy documents?' To address this, the study employs Critical Policy Analysis (CPA) as its main research method to deconstruct the narratives found within purposefully sampled documents including: 1) EDI policies and procedure; 2) institutional multi-year strategic plans; and 3) EDI-based plans and performance reports. Results indicate that colleges tend to be selective in their usage of EDI definitions. There is also a tendency to use ambiguous language around EDI, which makes it difficult to mobilise knowledge effectively and approach equity directly. Policies often fail to address the privileges held by certain positionalities, reinforcing existing power structures rather than challenging them. The significance of this research is in its contribution to enhancing a theoretical understanding of how knowledge supports policy, as well as informing the future development of constructive EDI policies in higher educational institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the risks associated with mercury exposure, particularly focusing on at-risk populations in Canada, such as those living in remote areas, individuals living near toxic spills, and those who rely on fish consumption year-round. It underlines the detrimental health effects of mercury exposure, including liver and kidney damage, neurological changes, and developmental issues. The lack of awareness and screening for elevated mercury levels is identified as a significant issue along with the need for greater education regarding possible exposures to mercury. A screening pathway is proposed to aid primary care providers in identifying individuals at risk of elevated mercury levels, with the aim of preventing long-term health complications. Overall, the paper highlights the importance of proactive measures to mitigate mercury exposure and safeguard public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Oral cancer affects the mouth and throat areas. It is a major cause of death for older people in developed countries. This review looked at how living in rural areas influences oral cancer trends in these countries. The studies from these countries showed increasing rates of oral cancer in rural areas of the US, Australia, Canada, and Europe. Older people are more affected by these cancers than younger groups. The main risk factors are tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and HPV infections. People in rural areas often do not know much about HPV-related cancers. They also tend to use more tobacco and alcohol than city dwellers. Even in developed countries, living in rural areas can lead to shorter lifespans for oral cancer patients. This is mainly because it is harder for them to access specialized cancer treatment centres and advanced medical care. In summary, where people live can significantly impact their chances of surviving oral cancer, even in wealthy nations. Oral cancer is the general term used to describe cancers of the oral cavity and oropharyngeal region. These cancers are one of the leading causes of death in elderly residents within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries in the 21st century. This scoping review was carried out to assess the influence of rurality on oral cancer trends and patterns among OECD member countries. Four online databases (Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL) were searched for studies that reported on oral cancer trends in rural and remote areas in OECD member countries. A total of 1143 articles were obtained initially; among them, 995 papers were screened to include 18 articles for this scoping review. Studies have reported increasing incidence and prevalence in the United States, Australia, Canada, and European countries wherein risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, and human papilloma virus (HPV) infections were associated with oral and oropharyngeal cancers. Awareness among people living in rural areas about HPV-related cancers was very low, while rates of tobacco and alcohol abuse were noted to be rising more rapidly than among their urban counterparts. Furthermore, the ageing population was most affected compared to the younger age groups of people with oral and oropharyngeal cancer that are prevalent in these regions. Overall, despite living in developed countries, rurality was noted to be a significant factor in the lower life expectancy of oral cancer patients, mainly due to the limited accessibility to tertiary cancer care centres and advanced medical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The British Conquest of Quebec in 1760 was a key moment in Canadian history as it marked the beginning of a tense coexistence between French and English Canadians. Many argue that the Conquest had strong economic consequences in the form of the relative poverty of the French settlers. All the proposed mechanisms rely on a retreat from the market by French farmers. Using 171 years of wheat price data for Quebec City and Montreal, I test whether there are signs of this retreat and instead find the opposite: markets grew more integrated across regions. Additionally, over time, regional prices became better predicted by current prices elsewhere than by the lagged prices in the same region. By the 1830s, markets in Quebec were as well integrated as those in economies such as the USA, France, Britain and Germany. The evidence in this paper is consistent with recent empirical findings about Quebec's economic history, and so I argue that the case for the Conquest's initiation of the relative poverty of Quebec is non-existent as defined by conventional explanations. This does not exclude long-run consequences of the Conquest, but the correct answer must lie elsewhere than in conventional explanations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the relationships between low‐income single mothers and their adolescent and early adult children utilizing qualitative interview and focus group data with youth from three Canadian cities. The research explored youth provisioning roles in these families. Provisioning, a concept widely understood in the global south, refers to labour used to sustain low‐income families and includes emotional labour, care work, trade and exchange and paid labour. Findings from this study identified strong expressions of positive attachment and close relationships between youth and their family members. The paper queries whether positive attachment may be built through roles where youth see themselves as integral parts of a family team and where their contributions are acknowledged. These findings invite us to explore and perhaps challenge the oft‐reported correlations between living in a low‐income, lone mother‐led family and poor childhood outcomes and poor attachment. Can these outcomes be mediated and can the provisioning roles youth undertake possibly be such mediators? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluation is an essential organizational practice in sport, but many organizations do not have adequate capacity to engage in evaluative work. To address this gap, academic researchers partnered with Canada's Sport Information Resource Centre, a nationally serving nonprofit dedicated to knowledge translation in sport, to develop, deliver and evaluate a series of webinars and knowledge products (e.g. blog posts, videos) that aimed to build evaluation capacity among sport organizations. The initiative produced four webinars and 16 knowledge products that reached 753 sport stakeholders, with 86% of survey respondents reporting an increase in evaluation knowledge. Using the Knowledge to Action and RE-AIM frameworks, this paper provides a blueprint for higher education professionals seeking to co-develop, co-deliver and co-evaluate knowledge translation initiatives in partnership with nonprofit sport organizations in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The digital transformation is dramatically changing the business-to-business (B2B) sales environment, challenging long-standing views regarding the critical competencies required of salespeople. This paper aims to explore the personal traits associated with sales performance in a digital selling environment. Design/methodology/approach: Using template analysis, the researchers captured and coded over 21 h of in-depth, semi-structured interviews with senior sales leaders from various industry sectors, exploring their perceptions of the personal traits now required of B2B salespeople in the digital landscape. Findings: The research identifies three high-level trait types critical to sales success within a digital selling environment: "analytical curiosity" – the natural motivation and ability to gather and synthesize sales-related knowledge, "empathetic citizenship" – the ability to establish initial rapport while building long-term trust and "disciplined drive" – the exertion of selling effort in a highly focused and methodical manner across all stages of the sales process. Research limitations/implications: The present data came from interviews with sales leaders in Canada. A more global sample may lead to additional insights. Moreover, the sample was drawn from long-cycle B2B sales environments; conclusions may differ for short-cycle or business-to-consumer markets. Practical implications: This paper presents a framework for hiring and developing salespeople in the digital sales environment, identifying personal trait types that sales leaders should look for when hiring: analytical curiosity, empathetic citizenship and disciplined drive. The paper identifies how these trait types influence sales success, suggesting that sales leaders could coach and educate their teams to make the best use of them. Originality/value: This paper presents a conceptual framework for hiring in the digital sales environment and introduces the trait of analytical curiosity not previously discussed in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a pioneering experimental investigation of the fatigue behavior of a full-scale (15.24 m × 3.89 m) concrete bridge deck reinforced with glass fiber–reinforced polymer (GFRP) rebar under rolling (R)-load cycles applied using the Rolling Load Simulator (ROLLS) at Queen's University, Canada. The study compares this type of fatigue with conventional fixed-point pulsating (P)-loads. The deck is supported by two Steel I-girders spaced at 3.05 m. A 3.81-m-long section on one end was subjected to R-loads and a similar section on the other end, to P-loads, both up to 3 million (M) cycles. Monotonic tests were performed periodically. The study showed that R-load results in far more fatigue damage than P-load, as reflected by 71% and 54% stiffness degradation (k/ko), respectively. This suggests that cumulative damage of one R-cycle is equivalent to 120 P-cycles. Live load deflection limit of span/800 was reached in the R-loading section after 0.78M cycles, and at 3M cycles was exceeded by 15%, but the P-loading section remained below the limit. GFRP reinforcement performed very well, with maximum strain remaining below 10% of the guaranteed tensile strain. The R-load section showed far more extensive and dense grid-pattern cracking with concrete pitting at the soffit, while the P-load section showed minor longitudinal and some radial cracks. A conversion factor (ξ) is established to enable researchers and designers convert (k/ko) from readily and easily available P-loading to an equivalent R-loading of GFRP-reinforced deck at any number of cycles, since P-loading is not conservative and R-loading capabilities are not easily available. In this study, ξ is 0.59 at 3M cycles and is projected to be 0.5 at 10M cycles. Practical Applications: It has been well-established that fixed-point pulsating loads cannot accurately replicate the fatigue damage resulting from traffic loads on bridge elements. The degradation behavior of bridge decks' stiffness should be studied using rolling loads. However, conducting a rolling load fatigue experiment often requires a specialized apparatus that is not readily available. This paper presents the establishment of a conversion factor (ξ) that can be used to convert the normalized stiffness data of bridge decks tested under traditional pulsating loads into real stiffness degradation data under rolling loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based upon qualitative interviews with 54 women and men living with HIV across Ontario, Canada, this paper examines the impact of HIV criminalization on the sexual and romantic relationships of people living with HIV. This research highlights the navigation strategies people living with HIV create and employ to both navigate and protect themselves from the law. Through a thematic and intersectional analysis, this study shows how adoption of these strategies is unequal, with access to navigation strategies varying along lines of gender, race, and sexual orientation. As a result, women and racialized people living with HIV face more difficulties navigating the impact of the law. HIV criminalization in Canada fuels and validates HIV stigma and produces vulnerability both within and outside of the relationships of people living with HIV. This paper seeks to understand HIV criminalization from the perspective of those governed by the law, in hopes of producing knowledge which will contribute to legal reform, inform policy, and support the development of efficacious secondary prevention initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the methodological and empirical challenges researchers encounter when accessing government open data through the case study of Canada's Open Government Action Plan, with a specific emphasis on datasets hosted by the House of Commons. To address these challenges, we have created an R package designed to streamline the retrieval process of datasets, that are not-so-user-friendly, from the House of Commons website. Furthermore, we have made complete datasets available in both French and English, which are the official languages of Canada, and in multiple formats to improve accessibility. Our package aims to be an invaluable resource for researchers interested in Canadian politics or conducting comparative research. Therefore, a portion of this paper is allocated to showcase the potential utility of our package. Through our research, we highlighted three crucial lessons: firstly, the heterogeneous nature of datasets requires flexibility and adaptability; secondly, open data curators encounter various challenges in addressing user-reported issues; and thirdly, there is a nuanced understanding of "openness" in government datasets. In conclusion, we reflect on the potential scalability of open data initiatives while advocating for a nuanced approach that considers the complex challenges associated with open data accessibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Every year, people in Canada are evacuated due to wildland fires to avoid death, injury, and illness from fire and smoke events. Aims: In this paper, we provide an overview of evacuations recorded in the Canadian Wildland Fire Evacuation Database between 1980 and 2021. Methods: Our analysis covers evacuations in Canada from 1980 to 2021. We provide summary statistics including number of evacuations and evacuees, evacuation duration, seasonality, evacuation causes, community types, structure losses, and fatalities. We also investigate temporal and spatial patterns. Key results: Between 1980 and 2021, there were 1393 wildland fire evacuation events with 576,747 people evacuated. During this period, there was an overall increase in frequency of evacuations, number of evacuees, and duration of events. Structure loss occurred during 194 evacuation events, with 4105 homes burned. We estimate wildland fire evacuations cost at least CAD3.7 billion (excluding structural losses), jumping to CAD4.6 billion if we include productivity losses. Indigenous peoples are disproportionately impacted in wildfire evacuations compared to the general Canadian population. Conclusions: Wildland fire evacuations continue to occur across Canada and are increasing. Implications: The findings from this study give us a better understanding of the characteristics of wildland fire evacuations, which can help guide emergency management. This paper summarises data on wildland fire evacuations in Canada between 1980 and 2021. There were 1393 wildland fire evacuation events with 576,747 people evacuated, costing approximately CAD4.6 billion CDN including productivity losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies, such as direct air carbon capture and storage (DACCS), will be critical in limiting the rise of the average global temperature over the next century. Scaling up DACCS technologies requires the support of a complex array of policies and infrastructure across multiple overlapping policy areas, such as climate, energy, technology innovation and resource management. While the literature on DACCS and other CDR technologies acknowledges the path-dependent nature of policy development, it has tended to focus on abstract policy prescriptions that are not rooted in the specific political, social and physical (infrastructural) context of the implementing state. To address this gap, this paper provides a country-level study of the emerging DACCS policy regime in Canada. Drawing on the existing literature that identifies idealized (acontextual) policy objectives that support DACCS development and effective regulation, we identify the actionable policy objectives across six issue domains: general climate mitigation strategies; energy and resource constraints; carbon storage and transport regulation and infrastructure; financing scale-up and supporting innovation; removal and capture technology availability and regulation; and addressing social acceptability and public interest. Using a database of Canadian climate policies (n = 457), we identify policies within the Canadian (federal and provincial) policy environment that map to the idealized policy objectives within each of these domains. This exercise allows us to analyze how key policy objectives for DACCS development are represented within the Canadian system, and enables us to identify potential niches, and landscape influences within the system, as well as gaps and potential barriers to the system transition process. This paper contributes to our understanding of national DACCS policy development by providing a framework for identifying components of the DAC system and linking those components to desired policy outcomes and may provide a basis for future cross-country comparisons of national-level DACCS policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precarious careers in the games industry have long relied on the unpaid and largely feminized support of spouses and family members. This paper addresses the role of spouses and other domestic cohabitants in the production of live game broadcasts on Twitch, Amazon's world-leading platform in live video entertainment. I introduce the heuristic of the 'Twitch Spouse' to underscore the crucial role that domestic partners have played as invisible workers in the wider games industry, whose precarious conditions have been extended by the rise of at-home livestreaming. Drawing from 'playful' interviews and ethnographic observation with 12 Twitch creators located across the United States and Canada, I delineate three themes by which the partners of Twitch streamers vitally contribute to livestreaming: collaborative space production, the management of intimacy, and timekeeping. Herein, I show how a theorization of the 'Twitch Spouse' will build future pathways for recognizing the intertwined struggles of domestic and digital work within the precarious horizons of the game industry. This paper argues that Twitch streamers' conceptualizations of intimate partners' supportive labour reinforce domesticity and visibility as co-extended forces in the evolving relevance of digital labour to contemporary capitalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]