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"Sustainability Matters: Prospects for a Just Transition in Calgary, Canada's Petro-City" is a book by Noel Keough and Geoff Ghitter that explores various issues related to sustainability in the city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The authors cover topics such as urban planning, transportation, energy, equity, diversity, and governance. The book argues that Calgary's growth and development have been driven by land developers and business interests, resulting in a large ecological footprint and an unsustainable city. The authors propose solutions and draw on examples from other cities to increase sustainability in Calgary. However, the book lacks discussion on how to build political support for these proposals and appeal to a broader range of political values. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Mental health conditions affect one in seven young people and research suggests that current mental health services are not meeting the needs of most children and youth. Learning health systems are an approach to enhancing services through rapid, routinized cycles of continuous learning and improvement. Patient-reported outcome measures provide a key data source for learning health systems. They have also been shown to improve outcomes for patients when integrated into routine clinical care. However, implementing these measures into health systems is a challenging process. This paper describes a protocol for a formative evaluation of the implementation of patient-reported measures in a newly operational child and adolescent mental health centre in Calgary, Canada. The purpose is to optimize the collection and use of patient-reported outcome measures. Our specific objectives are to assess the implementation progress, identify barriers and facilitators to implementation, and explore patient, caregivers and clinician experiences of using these measures in routine clinical care. Methods: This study is a mixed-methods, formative evaluation using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Participants include patients and caregivers who have used the centre's services, as well as leadership, clinical and support staff at the centre. Focus groups and semi-structured interviews will be conducted to assess barriers and facilitators to the implementation and sustainability of the use of patient-reported outcome measures, as well as individuals' experiences with using these measures within clinical care. The data generated by the patient-reported measures over the first five months of the centre's operation will be analyzed to understand implementation progress, as well as validity of the chosen measures for the centres' population. Discussion: The findings of this evaluation will help to identify and address the factors that are affecting the successful implementation of patient-reported measures at the centre. They will inform the co-design of strategies to improve implementation with key stakeholders, which include patients, clinical staff, and leadership at the centre. To our knowledge, this is the first study of the implementation of patient-reported outcome measures in child and adolescent mental health services and our findings can be used to enhance future implementation efforts in similar settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food landscape of Calgary, Canada, is sown with an abundance of polycultures. Alongside place-specific Indigenous foodways are food rescue, banking, and hamper programs, food studies scholars, a City of Calgary food resilience plan, and a growing number of alternative food network producers. Within the local alternative food network, there has been a boom in advancing indoor growing for our colder climate, including container, aquaponic, vertical hydroponic, and greenhouse growing. Situated as an agrarian ethnographer and an urban regenerative farmer, we seek to highlight the viability of agricultural techniques that are in relation with the land to grow more socially and ecologically sustainable food and farm systems in and around Calgary. From this position, we formed a collaboration between the University of Calgary, Root and Regenerate Urban Farms, and the Young Agrarians to document the cultivation process for a production urban farm. Over the course of one growing season--May to September, 2021--we harvested approximately 7,000 lbs (3,175 kg) of produce across nine urban spaces totaling 0.26 acres. The 48 vegetable varieties were distributed to 35 community supported agriculture shareholders, weekly farmers market customers, restaurant chefs, and members of the YYC Growers and Distributors cooperative. Moreover, we donated 765 lbs (347 kg) of surplus produce to the Calgary Community Fridge, Calgary Food Bank, and the Alex Community Food Centre, which work to mitigate food insecurity. Through a reflexive practitioner approach, our reflective essay discusses the benefits and limitations of Small Plot Intensive Farming methods and urban land-sharing strategies, as well as the viability of land-based urban agriculture in a rapidly changing socioecological climate. Our paper also demonstrates the potential for transcending siloed approaches to knowledge-making vis-à-vis experiential learning partnerships between graduate student researchers, farmers, and agricultural organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper overviews our recent results of energy market modeling, including The option pricing formula for a mean-reversion asset, variance and volatility swaps on energy markets, applications of weather derivatives on energy markets, pricing crude oil options using the Lévy processes, energy contracts modeling with delayed and jumped volatilities, applications of mean-reverting processes on Alberta energy markets, and alternatives to the Black-76 model for options valuation of futures contracts. We will also consider the clean renewable energy prospective in Canada, and, in particular, in Alberta and Calgary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing the reliability and resiliency of transportation infrastructure is critical to improving the safety and sustainability of roadways. Such information, particularly when available on a network level helps transportation agencies identify vulnerable locations on their road network and make more informed decisions when managing infrastructure and when introducing design improvements. To that end, many design experts have promoted integrating the risk of failure of roadway design elements to satisfy road user demand (i.e., reliability measures) into the highway design process. In fact, previous work has established a link between design reliability and safety. Although exploring such relationships provides extremely valuable insights on the impacts of meeting or deviating from design requirements, it does not provide much information on where the most (and least) reliable road segments exist on a network. To overcome these critical shortcomings, this paper proposes the adoption of hot spot analysis and spatial interpolation to assess reliability of compliance with sight distance requirements on an aggregate network level. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data was first used to quantify available sight distance on 220 curved segments, and design reliability to sight distance requirements was then assessed at each location. Hot spot analysis and spatial interpolation using the inverse distance weighting method were then employed to identify regions of the Alberta road network where low or high design reliability existed or could be expected. The analysis revealed that the highest-risk regions on the Alberta highway network existed in areas of mountainous in the western region of the province as well as areas of rolling terrain in south Calgary. In contrast, it was found that curved road segments in the prairie region had a significantly higher design reliability to sight distance. The clustering of unreliable roadway segments in mountainous regions and regions of rolling terrain indicates that more effort is required to improve design reliability in those regions. Such important inferences are only possible when conducting an aggregate reliability assessment such as the one proposed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autonomous navigation requires multi-sensor fusion to achieve a high level of accuracy in different environments. Global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receivers are the main components in most navigation systems. However, GNSS signals are subject to blockage and multipath effects in challenging areas, e.g., tunnels, underground parking, and downtown or urban areas. Therefore, different sensors, such as inertial navigation systems (INSs) and radar, can be used to compensate for GNSS signal deterioration and to meet continuity requirements. In this paper, a novel algorithm was applied to improve land vehicle navigation in GNSS-challenging environments through radar/INS integration and map matching. Four radar units were utilized in this work. Two units were used to estimate the vehicle's forward velocity, and the four units were used together to estimate the vehicle's position. The integrated solution was estimated in two steps. First, the radar solution was fused with an INS through an extended Kalman filter (EKF). Second, map matching was used to correct the radar/INS integrated position using OpenStreetMap (OSM). The developed algorithm was evaluated using real data collected in Calgary's urban area and downtown Toronto. The results show the efficiency of the proposed method, which had a horizontal position RMS error percentage of less than 1% of the distance traveled for three minutes of a simulated GNSS outage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper emerges from the journey of a group of early childhood educators seeking to reconnect with land in meaningful and ethical ways. Reorienting from humancentric views, the authors explore "lively storytelling" to bring attention to overlooked stories and create alternative ways of being and thinking. We are called into new relations and ecological entanglements through a sensitive and responsive attunement to the soundscapes of Lynn Creek and Hastings Creek in Vancouver and Bow River in Calgary. Our engagement encompasses a posthumanist framework while weaving interdisciplinary studies in environmental humanities, materiality, and architecture to encourage generative inquiries and dialogue in early childhood classrooms and communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a large administrative dataset providing 105,149 daily observations on 3,176 youth aged between 18 and 24 years using emergency homeless shelters from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2019, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Using k-mean cluster analysis we classify youth who use emergency homeless shelters by their intensity of shelter use. In Calgary, most youth use homeless shelters as a temporary and infrequent refuge when housing is lost. For these youth, shelters are an effective and relatively inexpensive approach for helping them resolve their homelessness. A significant number, however, rely on shelters for much longer stays. For these youth, shelters are ineffective and expensive responses to their homelessness. To understand how youth are changing their use of shelters over time, we introduce time series measuring first admissions and readmissions to shelters. We show that how youth use shelters, and how that use has changed over time, differs for youth who self-identify as Indigenous, Caucasian and visible minority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing discourse on refugee resettlement in the West is rife with imperialist and neoliberal allusions. Materially, this discourse assumes refugees as passive recipients of resettlement programs in the host country, thereby denying them their subjectivities. Given the amplification of all social and economic inequities during the pandemic, our paper explores how Canada's response to the pandemic visa-vis refugees impacted the everyday of Yazidis in Calgary - a recently arrived refugee group who survived the most horrific genocidal atrocities of our times. Based on interviews with Yazidi families in Calgary and with resettlement staff we unpack Canada's paternalistic response towards refugees during the COVID-19 pandemic. We show how resettlement provisions and social isolation along with pre-migration histories have furthered the conditions of social, economic, and affective inequities for Yazidis. We also show how Yazidi women who were most impacted by the genocide and the subsequent pandemic find ways of asserting their personhood and engage in healing through a land-based resettlement initiative. Adopting a feminist refugee epistemology and a southern moral imaginary as our discursive lenses, we highlight the need to dismantle the existing paternalistic structures and re(orient) resettlement practices and praxis to a social justice framework centering the voices of refugee women and families in their resettlement process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For some time we have seen a shift away from direct marketing, a core feature and dominant exchange form in the alternative food world, towards a greater role for intermediation. Yet, we still need to better understand to what extent and in what ways new mediated Alternative Food Networks (AFNs) represent an evolution of or departure from core tenets of alternative food systems. This paper focuses on AFNs with new intermediaries that connect small-scale producers with urban end-consumers. Based on original research in Frankfurt, Berlin, and Calgary, we analyze three different types of mediated AFNs: one driven by consumers, one by an external intermediary, and one by producers. Our cases include non-capitalist, capitalist, and alternative capitalist economic practices as identified by Gibson-Graham. Conceptually, we base our analysis on the three-pillar-model of alternative agri-food systems, which we further refine. Besides comparing our cases with each other, for heuristic purposes we also compare them with an ideal-type model that adheres to core tenets of alterity in all three pillars. Our empirical analysis shows that intermediary organizations can bring important benefits and that mediated AFNs are in principle able to hold true to the core tenets of alternative agri-food systems. However, it is very important to develop models of democratic control and ownership as well as economic arrangements in which created value is fairly shared. Only then can the potentials of new mediated models be realized while the pitfalls of the conventional systems they seek to replace be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data compression is essential to reduce high storage and communication costs for a wide range of systems and applications. Canonical Huffman coding plays a pivotal role for several compression standards. This paper presents bit-parallel static and dynamic canonical Huffman decoder implementations using an optimized lookup table approach on a fine-grain many-core processor array and an Intel FPGA. The decoder implementation results are compared with an Intel i7-4850HQ and a massively parallel Nvidia GT 750M GPU executing the corpus benchmarks: Calgary, Canterbury, Artificial, and Large. The many-core implementations achieve a scaled throughput per chip area that is 891× and 7× greater on average than the i7 and GT 750M respectively. Moreover, the many-core implementations result in a scaled energy efficiency (compressed bits decoded per energy) that is 149.5×, 3.9×, and 2.5× greater on average than the i7, GT 750M, and Intel FPGA respectively. In addition, the optimized lookup-table-based static canonical Huffman decoder on the Intel FPGA yields performance and energy efficiency improvements of 2.1× and 3.68× respectively on average compared to a dynamic canonical Huffman decoder at a 17% cost in compression ratio. • The optimized look-up table approach speeds up the canonical Huffman decoding. • Static decoder executes faster than the dynamic decoder at the cost of compression ratio. • Many-core array implementation outperforms GPU, CPU, and FPGA in terms of area and energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical historians and educators have long lamented that the integration of the study of the history of medicine into the educational curricula of medical schools and clinic-based teaching has been protractedly troubled. Employing the development of the history of medicine program at the University of Calgary as a case study, this article emphasizes the importance of integrating medical history with teaching schedules to further students' insights into changing health care settings, the social contingency of disease concepts, and socio-economic dependences of medical decision-making. History of medicine programs can furnish plentiful opportunities for research training through summer projects, insight courses, and field practica. This article explores the first fifty years of the History of Medicine and Health Care Program in Calgary and considers the impact of interdisciplinary cooperation as well as the role of interprofessional undergraduate and clinical medical education. Through this exploration, I argue that medical history should be a central part of study curricula, that a historical understanding can provide a robust background for physicians in a fast-changing world in the clinic, and that through their disciplinary expertise, medical historians play a fruitful role in scholarly and teaching exchanges with medical students and clinicians in the modern medical humanities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on a comparison of the spatial equity dimensions of dockless bike and e-scooter sharing in Calgary, Alberta. Using trip data from the City of Calgary's Shared Mobility Pilot (between July-September 2019), this study investigates differences in micromobility utilization by dockless mode between areas characterized by different levels of deprivation. ANOVA and linear regression results show that utilization of both dockless modes was spatially inequitable, with e-scooter and dockless bike trips concentrated in the least deprived areas. Dockless bike and e-scooter sharing utilization declined with each increase in deprivation level by 0.138 trips per 1,000 persons per vehicle for dockless e-scooters, and 0.015 trips per 1,000 persons per vehicle for dockless bikes, suggesting that more equity considerations are required to ensure that the benefits of dockless micromobility sharing are available to all areas regardless of the relative advantage or disadvantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Do incumbents dominate non-partisan elections because of an especially large personal vote? This question has important implications for understanding the causes of incumbent success and the benefits or drawbacks of non-partisan elections. This paper uses a natural experiment, combined with three original datasets, to estimate the size, persistence, and consequences of the personal vote in a large non-partisan city election. We first use individual-level survey data to show that individuals assigned quasi-randomly to a new incumbent are substantially less likely to support the incumbent. We use a second survey, one year later, to demonstrate the persistence of this effect. Finally, we use historical election results to simulate the electoral consequences of the personal vote; we find that the personal vote is sufficiently large to affect one in four incumbent races. We conclude that the personal vote, while large and important, is not sufficient to explain incumbent dominance in non-partisan contests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On behalf of the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology, we are pleased to present the Abstracts from the 2024 Annual Conference, titled "Building Hope: Integrating Sustainable, Innovative and Accessible Care in Psychosocial Oncology". The Conference was held in Calgary from 6 June 2024 to 7 June 2024. This conference brought together key stakeholders including multidisciplinary professionals from nursing, psychology, psychiatry, social work, spiritual care, nutrition, medicine, rehabilitation medicine, occupational health and radiation therapy for both adult and pediatric populations. Participants included clinicians, researchers, educators in cancer care, community-based organizations and patient representatives. Patients, caregivers and family members presented abstracts that speak to their role in managing cancer experiences and care. Over one hundred (150) abstracts were selected for presentation as symposia, 20 min oral presentations, 10 min oral presentations, 90 min workshops and poster presentations. We congratulate all the presenters on their research work and contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used a quantitative content analysis and a qualitative thematic analysis to explore how the Olympic Games were framed in print media prior to two Canadian Winter Olympic referendums. Content-analysis results showed that the salient topics and the tone of newspaper articles were framed more positively prior to the successful Vancouver 2010 referendum compared with the unsuccessful Calgary 2026 referendum. The thematic analysis indicated four themes. First, news discourse emphasized the importance of Olympic vision that is congruent with host city needs. Second, the prominence of health promotion through sport as a reported theme was more associated with a successful bid. Third, the communication and quantification of intangible benefits were reported to be increasingly important so that the value of the Olympics can be assessed fairly against the ever-burgeoning hosting costs. Finally, the Olympic brand has been deteriorating, at least over the last 15–16 years according to print media. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human alveolar echinococcosis is increasingly documented in Alberta, Canada. Its causative agent, Echinococcus multilocularis (Em), can be transmitted to humans by infected dogs. We assessed the prevalence and associated risk factors for Em infections in domestic dogs in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. In this cross-sectional study that coupled collection and assessment of dog feces with a survey on potential risk factors, 13 of 696 (Bayesian true prevalence, 2.4%; 95% CrI: 1.3–4.0%) individual dogs' feces collected during August and September 2012 were qPCR positive for Em. Sequencing two of these cases indicated that both were from the same Em European strain responsible for human infections in Alberta. Likelihood of intestinal Em was 5.6-times higher in hounds than other breeds, 4.6-times higher in dogs leashed at dog parks than those allowed off-leash, 3.1-times higher in dogs often kept in the backyard during spring and summer months than those rarely in the yard, and 3.3-times higher in dogs living in neighbourhoods bordering Bowmont park than those in other areas of Calgary. This situation warrants surveillance of dog infections as a preventative measure to reduce infections in North America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Calgary HIV Social Society (CHSS) self-determined and organized several social-recreational monthly events to reduce and understand the effects of social isolation and stigma that people living with HIV face every day. It has been found that COVID-19 had impacted the lives of people living with HIV by creating significant isolation for those already stigmatized because of living with HIV. Using a Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodology and focus group at the end of the events, the research showed how COVID 19, and the related concurring isolation has impacted the lives of people living with HIV. The research included three in-person social gatherings with a total of 60 participants living with HIV attending and a focus group with 10 participants. The social gatherings around the city of Calgary, Alberta showed how the possibility of having a safe space and being supported by people who live with similar systematic barriers, buffers the detrimental, social stigmatization of living with HIV and its secrecy. The research brought forth a better understanding on how social connection (including on-line support) during COVID-19 for persons living with HIV increased their general sense of belonging, reduced stigma and was a protective factor for their overall mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Coding of obesity using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) in healthcare administrative databases is under‐reported and thus unreliable for measuring prevalence or incidence. This study aimed to develop and test a rule‐based algorithm for automating the detection and severity of obesity using height and weight collected in several sections of the Electronic Medical Records (EMRs). Methods: In this cross‐sectional study, 1904 inpatient charts randomly selected in three hospitals in Calgary, Canada between January and June 2015 were reviewed and linked with AllScripts Sunrise Clinical Manager EMRs. A rule‐based algorithm was created which looks for patients' height and weight values recorded in EMRs. Clinical notes were split into sentences and searched for height and weight, and BMI was computed. Results: The study cohort consisted of 1904 patients with 50.8% females and 43.3% > 64 years of age. The final model to identify obesity within EMRs resulted in a sensitivity of 92.9%, specificity of 98.4%, positive predictive value of 96.7%, negative predictive value of 96.6%, and F1 score of 94.8%. Conclusions: This study developed a highly valid rule‐based EMR algorithm that detects height and weight. This could allow large‐scale analyses using obesity that were previously not possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refugee decisions to vaccinate for COVID-19 are a complex interplay of factors which include individual perceptions, access barriers, trust, and COVID-19 specific factors, which contribute to lower vaccine uptake. To address this, the WHO calls for localized solutions to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake for refugees and evidence to inform future vaccination efforts. However, limited evidence engages directly with refugees about their experiences with COVID-19 vaccinations. To address this gap, researchers conducted qualitative interviews (N = 61) with refugees (n = 45), sponsors of refugees (n = 3), and key informants (n = 13) connected to local COVID-19 vaccination efforts for refugees in Calgary. Thematic analysis was conducted to synthesize themes related to vaccine perspectives, vaccination experiences, and patient intersections with policies and systems. Findings reveal that refugees benefit from ample services that are delivered at various stages, that are not solely related to vaccinations, and which create multiple positive touch points with health and immigration systems. This builds trust and vaccine confidence and promotes COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Despite multiple factors affecting vaccination decisions, a key reason for vaccination was timely and credible information delivered through trusted intermediaries and in an environment that addressed refugee needs and concerns. As refugees placed trust and relationships at the core of decision-making and vaccination, it is recommended that healthcare systems work through trust and relationships to reach refugees. This can be targeted through culturally responsive healthcare delivery that meets patients where they are, including barrier reduction measures such as translation and on-site vaccinations, and educational and outreach partnerships with private groups, community organizations and leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines selected post-consumer waste materials for use in the building envelope including end of life tires, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles and paper/cardboard fibres. Three use types within the envelope are analysed according to uses in existing literature: thermal mass, insulation, and interior panelling. The materials are simulated in EnergyPlus, within a high performing residential base case located in Calgary, Alberta. The associated embodied energy and global warming potential of each material scenario are evaluated in OpenLCA. Most cases, excluding tire chip insulation, yield annual heating and cooling loads within a 10% margin of the base case, making them suitable for high performing buildings. Thermal mass components which prioritise reuse and undergo minimal processing such as whole earth-filled tires and whole PET bottles set in concrete blocks, are most effective at mitigating base case impacts. These cases result in a reduction of embodied energy and global warming potential by up to 70%, and lifetime energy by up to 40–50% when compared against an envelope using conventional construction materials. • Municipal wastes are comparable in energy use intensity to conventional materials. • Reduction of masonry requirements has the largest effect on total embodied energy. • Reused materials reduce building lifetime energy by 50% from conventional materials. • Based on waste generation rates, paper reuse applications are most deployable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Solving the problems of optimal charging station location and charging duration. • Using two-stage stochastic programming considering both the users' and operating costs. • Addressing the uncertainties in the demand and performance of the Battery. • Data-driven analysis of two different transit routes with en-route and terminal charging stations. • Indicating the importance of incorporating the stochasticity of weather-induced demand and supply. While the environmental advantages of battery-electric buses (BEBs) are well-known, their significant differences from diesel buses require alterations to both route design (i.e., charging station locations) and operations (i.e., schedule management and holding control). The location, number, charging duration, and types of charging stations must be considered as part of the planning process. Charging stations can be located at depots, termini, or en-route. This paper considers the long-term planning and optimization problem of en-route charging station locations and charging duration to optimize passengers' waiting time and operation and capital costs while addressing the weather-induced stochasticity of ridership and battery performance of the BEBs. A linear deterministic optimization model and a two-stage stochastic programming (SP) optimization process are developed to place BEB charging stations along the route and estimate their assigned charging time for both one-way and two-way operations. The developed approaches are tested on two high-demand bus routes in Calgary. The impact of the breakdown of the charging station associated with the maximum charging time on the schedule and the cost of the BEB operation is assessed. The solution of the stochastic model is analyzed using the expected value of perfect information as an index. The results indicate that using the SP model helps decrease the expected travel time of the route while the total cost per trip increases compared to the deterministic model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The population of older adults in Canadian society is aging and becoming more ethnically diverse. Some scholars have explored the lived experiences of older immigrants in Western societies; however, studies on widowhood experiences among older immigrants are extremely limited. By adopting an intersectionality framework, this study seeks to address this gap by examining the influences of age, gender, immigrant status, and ethnicity on the lived experience of widowed older Chinese immigrants in Calgary, Canada. Data were collected from twelve in-depth qualitative interviews and thematically analyzed. Older Chinese immigrants' widowhood experiences were located within intersections of multiple identities. Findings suggest that an intersectionality perspective could be used to better inform the development of social work practice and policy-making for older immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) faces ongoing challenges associated with prolonged acquisition times and susceptibility to motion artifacts. Compressed Sensing (CS) principles have emerged as a significant advancement, addressing these issues by subsampling k-space data points and enabling rapid imaging. Nevertheless, the recovery of intricate details from under-sampled data remains a complex endeavor. In this study, we introduce an innovative deep learning approach tailored to the restoration of high-fidelity MRI images from under-sampled k-space data. Our method employs a cascaded reconstruction strategy that progressively restores hierarchical features and fuses them to achieve the final reconstruction. This cascade encompasses low, intermediate, and high orders of reconstruction, which is followed by a return through intermediate and low orders. At distinct reconstruction stages, we introduce a novel reconstruction block to recapture diverse frequency information crucial for image reconstruction. The other core innovation of our proposal lies in a fusion algorithm that harmonizes results from various reconstruction tiers into the final MRI image. Our methodology is validated using two distinct datasets. Notably, our algorithm achieves impressive PSNR values of 32.60 and 31.02 at acceleration factors of 4× and 8× in the FastMRI dataset along with SSIM scores of 0.818 and 0.771, outperforming current state-of-the-art algorithms. Similarly, on the Calgary–Campinas dataset, our algorithm achieves even higher PSNR values, reaching 37.68 and 33.44, which is accompanied by substantial SSIM scores of 0.954 and 0.901. It is essential to highlight that our algorithm achieves these remarkable results with a relatively lower parameter count, underscoring its efficiency. Comparative analyses against analogous methods further emphasize the superior performance of our approach, providing robust evidence of its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of various Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) strategies generally has manifold effects, much greater than when strategies are implemented individually. This research introduces a novel dynamic control strategy, which includes the dynamic use of a Model Predictive Control (MPC) based Variable Speed Limit (VSL) integrated with the dynamic use of Hard Shoulder Running (HSR). Both VSL and HSR are proactively triggered to allow for necessary control measures to be taken to delay and possibly avoid the formation of a bottleneck. For traffic prediction, a modified METANET model is developed which takes into consideration the complex nature of driver's behavior along with driver's compliance, capacity drop and posted speed limits. The modified METANET model is shown to be more efficient than conventional macroscopic prediction models in detecting traffic congestions. This MPC based strategy was tested on a section of Deerfoot Trail, Calgary, Alberta using an exclusively developed integrated VISSIM-COM-MATLAB interface. The results from this study suggested that the integrated VSL and HSR control strategy results in a 21.09% increase in average speed and 33.44%. in vehicle-throughput. Furthermore, there was a noticeable reduction in the average travel time by 39.98% and in the total number of stops, by 32.43%. Importantly, the safety analysis performed using Surrogate Safety Assessment Model (SSAM) revealed a notable reduction in collisions, by 29.73%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate traveler preference heterogeneity for high occupancy toll (HOT) roads in Calgary, Canada. We employ a set of latent class discrete choice models that allows for within-class heterogeneity to be captured. This is the first use of latent class models to understand lane choice along a freeway with managed lanes. The use of a latent class structure is justified based on both an improvement in overall fit relative to conventional models and the capacity of this model to provide behavioral insights into preference heterogeneity. The proposed latent class structure captures several interesting trends, including an inversion between travel time and travel cost elasticities across different classes. Using the approach of inferring lifestyles and mobility styles from class membership several interesting trends are established. The finding of high degrees of time sensitivity relative to cost sensitivity amongst certain segments of the population has implications for setting an optimal toll price. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Abstracting cerebrovascular disease (CeVD) from inpatient electronic medical records (EMRs) through natural language processing (NLP) is pivotal for automated disease surveillance and improving patient outcomes. Existing methods rely on coders' abstraction, which has time delays and under-coding issues. This study sought to develop an NLP-based method to detect CeVD using EMR clinical notes. Methods: CeVD status was confirmed through a chart review on randomly selected hospitalized patients who were 18 years or older and discharged from 3 hospitals in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, between January 1 and June 30, 2015. These patients' chart data were linked to administrative discharge abstract database (DAD) and Sunrise™ Clinical Manager (SCM) EMR database records by Personal Health Number (a unique lifetime identifier) and admission date. We trained multiple natural language processing (NLP) predictive models by combining two clinical concept extraction methods and two supervised machine learning (ML) methods: random forest and XGBoost. Using chart review as the reference standard, we compared the model performances with those of the commonly applied International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10-CA) codes, on the metrics of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV). Result: Of the study sample (n = 3036), the prevalence of CeVD was 11.8% (n = 360); the median patient age was 63; and females accounted for 50.3% (n = 1528) based on chart data. Among 49 extracted clinical documents from the EMR, four document types were identified as the most influential text sources for identifying CeVD disease ("nursing transfer report," "discharge summary," "nursing notes," and "inpatient consultation."). The best performing NLP model was XGBoost, combining the Unified Medical Language System concepts extracted by cTAKES (e.g., top-ranked concepts, "Cerebrovascular accident" and "Transient ischemic attack"), and the term frequency-inverse document frequency vectorizer. Compared with ICD codes, the model achieved higher validity overall, such as sensitivity (25.0% vs 70.0%), specificity (99.3% vs 99.1%), PPV (82.6 vs. 87.8%), and NPV (90.8% vs 97.1%). Conclusion: The NLP algorithm developed in this study performed better than the ICD code algorithm in detecting CeVD. The NLP models could result in an automated EMR tool for identifying CeVD cases and be applied for future studies such as surveillance, and longitudinal studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), people with shared lived experiences (co-researchers) identify priority needs and work collaboratively to co-design an action-oriented research advocacy project. For this to occur, academic researchers must build mutually respectful partnerships with co-researchers by establishing trust. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, our objective was to virtually assemble a group of co-researchers (people with diverse but relevant experiences of homelessness and diabetes) and academic researchers who engaged in the CBPR process to identify a project that would address the difficulties of diabetes management while experiencing homelessness. Co-researchers were recruited to the committee from community homeless-serving organizations. Six co-researchers, one peer researcher and three academic researchers from Calgary, Alberta met virtually for bi-weekly committee meetings, from June 2021 to May 2022 to explore barriers to diabetes management and to complete a priority-setting exercise to determine the focus of our collective project. After reflecting on our virtual CBPR experience we present lessons learned related to: i) technical challenges and logistical considerations, ii) meeting virtually and building rapport, iii) driving engagement, and iv) challenges of transitioning from virtual to in-person meeting format. Overall, the process of conducting a CBPR project virtually to engage a group of co-researchers during a pandemic presents its challenges. However, a virtual CBPR project is feasible and can lead to meaningful experiences that benefit all group members, both from the community and academia. Plain English summary: In Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR), we value peoples' lived experiences as knowledge and believe that it can help in the design of research projects. In these projects, people with similar lived experiences work with researchers to design a research advocacy project that will make meaningful changes in their community. Trust and respect between all team members are essential for working well together. Establishing trust and respect can be difficult, especially when done virtually. We virtually convened a committee and completed a CBPR project. Our group consisted of seven people with lived experience of diabetes and homelessness and three academic researchers in Calgary, Alberta. We met every two weeks between June 2021 and May 2022 to explore possible topics for our CBPR project, which we narrowed down to their top priority. As we reflected on our experience of working together, we came up with four categories of lessons learned: i) technical challenges, ii) building rapport, iii) driving engagement, and iv) challenges of transitioning from virtual to in-person meeting format. While our experience presented its challenges, we found working virtually to create a CBPR project is possible and can be meaningful for all group members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Concerns regarding health equity (HE) and the built environment (BE) are well established in the Canadian urban context. Transport and injury prevention professionals across sectors, such as transportation and public health, are involved in designing and implementing BE interventions that enhance the safety of vulnerable road users (VRUs). Results from a larger study examining barriers and facilitators to BE change are used to illustrate how transport and injury prevention professionals perceive HE concerns in their work in five Canadian municipalities. Broadening our understanding of how HE influences the professional BE change context is crucial when advocating for modifications that enhance the safety of equity-deserving VRUs and groups who experience marginalization. Methods: Interview and focus group data were gathered from transport and injury prevention professionals working in policy/decision-making, transport, police services, public health, non-profit organizations, schools/school boards, community associations, and private sectors across five Canadian urban municipalities: Vancouver, Calgary, Peel Region, Toronto, and Montréal. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis (TA) to illustrate how equity considerations were perceived and applied in participants' BE change work. Results: The results of this study illustrate transport and injury prevention professionals' awareness of the varying needs of VRUs, as well as the inadequacies of current BEs in the Canadian urban context and consultation processes utilized to guide change. Participants emphasized the importance of equitable community consultation strategies, as well as specific BE changes that would support the health and safety of VRUs. Overall, the results highlight how HE concerns inform transport and injury prevention professionals' BE change work in the Canadian urban context. Conclusion: For professionals working in urban Canadian transport and injury prevention sectors HE concerns influenced their perspectives of the BE and BE change. These results illustrate a growing need for HE to guide BE change work and consultation processes. Further, these results contribute to ongoing efforts in the Canadian urban context to ensure that HE is at the forefront of BE policy change and decision-making, while promoting existing strategies to ensure that the BE, and related decision-making processes, are accessible and informed by a HE lens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In 2021, Canada implemented a pilot plasma program allowing some sexually active men who have sex with men (including but not limited to gay and bisexual men; gbMSM) to donate plasma. Changes to plasma donation policy could help address inequities in access to plasma donation and increase Canada's domestically collected plasma supply if more gbMSM donate as a result. We aimed to (1) examine views regarding plasma donation and the pilot program prior to implementation and (2) identify modifiable theory‐informed predictors of gbMSM's intention to donate plasma. Methods: We developed, piloted, and disseminated a questionnaire informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). We recruited gbMSM in London (ON) and Calgary (AB) to an anonymous, online cross‐sectional survey. Results: A total of 246 gbMSM completed the survey. On scales from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), general intention to donate was high (mean = 4.24; SD = 0.94). The pilot program itself was mostly acceptable (mean = 3.71, SD = 1.16), but the intention to donate under the unique requirements of the pilot program was lower than general intention (mean = 3.58; SD = 1.26). Two domains from the theoretical domains framework (TDF) (beliefs about consequences of donating plasma and social influences) were independently associated with general intention to donate. Discussion: The pilot plasma program as an incremental step toward more inclusive policies was mostly viewed as acceptable by the impacted communities. Historical and ongoing exclusions create unique barriers to donation. There are clear opportunities for developing theory‐informed interventions to support gbMSM to donate plasma as policies continue to become more inclusive and more become eligible to donate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information shared on social media by transit system customers is often candid, localized, and includes in the moment information about emerging events or issues. Twitter provides an unfiltered and timestamped feed of information that can be aggregated to generate valuable insights. Our research aims to identify passenger-related transit incidents from a public Twitter feed. Detecting these incidents in real time enables transit agencies to immediately respond to them by dispatching security, safety, or maintenance crews or by rapidly replying to requests made to the agency that are urgent in nature. We leverage natural language processing to extract latent information from identified eyewitness tweets about transit, focusing on location details, topic classification, and sentiment analysis. We outline an approach to developing a useful corpus of transit-focused tweets, detecting in the moment events, classifying these tweets into topics, and detecting locations where possible. We then demonstrate the approach through an application to Calgary Transit in Calgary, Canada. The results demonstrate that key incidents can be identified and prioritized for an agency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shared-e-scooters are being introduced in cities worldwide, with their introduction often being distant from the actual service characteristics understanding, potential benefits, and threats realization. This research explores scooter use by examining approximately nine million scooter trips from five North American cities (Austin; TX, Calgary; AB, Chicago; IL, Louisville; KY, Minneapolis; MN). By investigating the spatiotemporal hourly and daily use, we found that demand patterns tend to be similar in the different cities. Trip characteristics (speed, duration, and distance) are almost empirically consistent across the five cities; however, there is evidence that trip characteristics change over time in the same city. We also examined the impact of exogenous factors on scooter demand, and found that weather (temperature, wind speed, precipitation, and snow), day of the week, infrastructure (bike lanes, sidewalks, and shared bike stations), sociodemographics (gender, age, and income), land use, and accessibility to transit significantly impact demand. Findings highlight the need for evidence-based examination of shared-e-scooters and regulatory processes to guide policy decisions by the different stakeholders. • Shared E-scooters introduction to cities was not always done based on prior planning. • This paper explores E-scooter trips in five cities • Trip characteristics in the five cities are almost consistent. • Spatial and temporal demand patterns are also almost similar. • Weather, weekday, infrastructure, demographics, and PT accessibility impact demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical Literacy (PL) is a synthesis construct that ties together movement competencies with affective, motivational, and knowledge-based elements. It is considered foundational to the development of physical activity-related outcomes. Many diverse organizations and programs have embraced the concept and are implementing programs targeting each of those core elements. However, research has lagged behind its interest and adoption. Among the more prominent gaps is the design and evaluation of programs that aim to increase PL within special populations such as new immigrants or refugee youth. Methods: The Immigrant-focused Physical Literacy for Youth (IPLAY) program is a co-developed evidence-informed 8-week PL program designed for new immigrant and refugee youths who have recently settled in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. This study aims to use a convergent parallel mixed-methods approach to collect, analyse, and interpret quantitative and qualitative data in the evaluation and iteration of the IPLAY program. Discussion: PL programs can be used as a tool to build confidence and physical competencies among newcomer youth. Furthermore, academic-community collaborations in the design and delivery of PL programs can help improve the access and interest for PL programs among newcomer youth. These partnerships are critical and timely considering the recent and upcoming waves of immigration to "arrival cities" across Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recurrence and metastases are still frequent outcomes after initial tumour control in women diagnosed with breast cancer. Although therapies are selected based on tumour characteristics measured at baseline, prognostic biomarkers can identify those at risk of poor outcomes. Circulating progastrin or hPG80 was found to be associated with survival outcomes in renal and hepatocellular carcinomas and was a plausible prognostic biomarker for breast cancer. Methods: Women with incident breast cancers from Calgary, Alberta, Canada enrolled in the Breast to Bone (B2B) study between 2010 to 2016 and provided blood samples prior to any treatment initiation. Plasma from these baseline samples were analysed for circulating progastrin or hPG80. Participant characteristics as well as tumour ones were evaluated for their association with hPG80 and survival outcomes (time to recurrence, recurrence – free survival, breast cancer specific survival and overall survival) in Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results: The 464 participants with measurable hPG80 in this study had an average age of 57.03 years (standard deviation of 11.17 years) and were predominantly diagnosed with Stage I (52.2%) and Stage II (40.1%) disease. A total of 50 recurrences and 50 deaths were recorded as of June 2022. In Cox PH regression models adjusted for chemotherapy, radiation therapy, cancer stage and age at diagnosis, log hPG80 (pmol/L) significantly increased the risks for recurrence (Hazard Ratio (HR) = 1.330, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = (0.995 – 1.777, p = 0.054)), recurrence-free survival (HR = 1.399, 95% CI = (1.106 – 1.770), p = 0.005) and overall survival (HR = 1.385, 95% CI = (1.046 – 1.834), = 0.023) but not for breast cancer specific survival (HR = 1.015, 95% CI = (0.684 – 1.505), p = 0.942). Conclusions: hPG80 levels measured at diagnosis were significantly associated with the risk of recurrence or death from any cause in women with breast cancer. Since the recurrence rates of breast cancer are still relatively high amongst women diagnosed at an early stage, identifying women at high risk of recurrence at their time of diagnosis is important. hPG80 is a promising new prognostic biomarker that could improve the identification of women at higher risk of poor outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Direct‐acting antiviral agents (DAAs) have transformed chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treatment. Continued affordable access to DAAs requires updated cost‐effectiveness analyses (CEA). Utility is a preference‐based measure of health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) used in CEA. This study evaluated the impact of DAAs on utilities for patients with CHC in two clinical settings. Methods: This prospective longitudinal study included patients aged ≥18 years, diagnosed with CHC and scheduled to begin DAA treatment, from two tertiary care hospital clinics and four community clinics in Toronto, Calgary, and Montreal. Patients completed two utility instruments (EQ‐5D‐5L and Health Utilities Index 2/3 (HUI2/3)) before treatment, 6 weeks after treatment initiation, and 12 weeks and 1 year after treatment completion. We measured utilities for all patients, and for hospital‐based and community‐based groups. Results: Between 2017 and 2020, 209 patients (126 hospital‐based, 83 community‐based; average age 53 years; 65% male) were recruited, and 143 completed the 1‐year post‐treatment assessment. Pre‐treatment, utilities were (mean ± standard deviation) 0.77 ± 0.21 (EQ‐5D‐5L), 0.69 ± 0.24 (HUI2) and 0.58 ± 0.34 (HUI3). The mean changes at 1‐year post‐treatment were 0.035, 0.038 and 0.071, respectively. While utilities for hospital‐based patients steadily improved, utilities for the community‐based cohort improved between baseline and 12‐weeks post‐treatment, but decreased thereafter. Discussion: This study suggests that utilities improve after DAA treatment in patients with CHC in a variety of settings. However, community‐based patients may face challenges related to comorbid health and social conditions that are not meaningfully addressed by treatment. Our study is essential for valuing health outcomes in CHC‐related CEA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Risk factors for nosocomial COVID-19 outbreaks continue to evolve. The aim of this study was to investigate a multi-ward nosocomial outbreak of COVID-19 between 1st September and 15th November 2020, occurring in a setting without vaccination for any healthcare workers or patients. Methods: Outbreak report and retrospective, matched case–control study using incidence density sampling in three cardiac wards in an 1100-bed tertiary teaching hospital in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Patients were confirmed/probable COVID-19 cases and contemporaneous control patients without COVID-19. COVID-19 outbreak definitions were based on Public Health guidelines. Clinical and environmental specimens were tested by RT-PCR and as applicable quantitative viral cultures and whole genome sequencing were conducted. Controls were inpatients on the cardiac wards during the study period confirmed to be without COVID-19, matched to outbreak cases by time of symptom onset dates, age within ± 15 years and were admitted in hospital for at least 2 days. Demographics, Braden Score, baseline medications, laboratory measures, co-morbidities, and hospitalization characteristics were collected on cases and controls. Univariate and multivariate conditional logistical regression was used to identify independent risk factors for nosocomial COVID-19. Results: The outbreak involved 42 healthcare workers and 39 patients. The strongest independent risk factor for nosocomial COVID-19 (IRR 3.21, 95% CI 1.47–7.02) was exposure in a multi-bedded room. Of 45 strains successfully sequenced, 44 (97.8%) were B.1.128 and differed from the most common circulating community lineages. SARS-CoV-2 positive cultures were detected in 56.7% (34/60) of clinical and environmental specimens. The multidisciplinary outbreak team observed eleven contributing events to transmission during the outbreak. Conclusions: Transmission routes of SARS-CoV-2 in hospital outbreaks are complex; however multi-bedded rooms play a significant role in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Indigenous women experience structural barriers to wellness rooted in colonialism and related socio-political processes, making participation in physical activity and access to balanced nutrition challenging. In response, a holistic wellness program was developed in Lloydminster, Alberta, Canada. Multiple program iterations have since been completed in urban and rural including reserve) settings across Alberta: in Onion Lake Cree Nation, in, Lloydminster, and in Calgary. The program includes physical activity, nutrition education, access to local healthcare support, and sharing circles to facilitate reflection. This article collates three years of qualitative data between programs to answer the question: "What does the program do?" Methods Between 2017 and 2019, 24 participants, four facilitators, and three community champions completed post-program interviews. mixed-methods, qualitative, two-part analysis was completed involving thematic analysis of transcripts followed by a structured consensus-building approach called nominal group technique (NGT). Results Collaborative analyses revealed that the program enables: 1) self-actualization through collective effort, including development of knowledge, skills, beliefs, and behaviours needed to manage one's own health, 2) improved personal wellness, and 3) access to social and cultural supports. Cultural relevancy and safety were identified as key elements in the context that supported these changes. Conclusion The wellness program for Indigenous women demonstrates positive impacts on the health and wellbeing of participants. Benefits naturally extend to participants' families, as well as to communities involved through capacity-building. Alongside the education and resources offered, the program environment also contributes to this positive impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar thermal and biomass hybridization combine two energy sources that complement one another seasonally and diurnally, overcoming their respective disadvantages. In the current research, the feasibility of locating a new medium capacity (5-150 Mwe) hybrid concentrated solar biomass power plant is investigated in Alberta and Ontario. To address the above-mentioned goal, three critical criteria are considered to find the most suitable region. The amount of direct normal irradiation and the biomass feedstock in 50 km and 100 km radii are analyzed in different regions in Ontario and Alberta. The third factor is the distance to the substations. According to the results, although it is difficult to justify developing a hybrid concentrated solar biomass power plant in Ontario, at least five locations in Alberta meet the aforementioned criteria. By concentrating on substations located near natural gas power plants, Calgary, with four natural gas power plants, can be regarded as the most suitable region. According to the findings, we identified that by establishing a 100 Mwe hybrid concentrated solar biomass power plant that requires 359,478 tons of forestry biomass and costs between 3.7 and 4.9 mCAD/Mwe, about 5% of Calgary's total electricity consumption would be met while reducing CO2 emissions by 32 tons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Northern Crayfish Orconectes virilis is a relatively new invasive species to Calgary, Alberta Canada. We observed unique morphological characteristics concerning the claws (cheliped) of four (3 males and 1 female) out of 31 crayfish captured using a sweep sampling method from a creek in Calgary, Canada. These specimens exhibited a notable difference in claw size between the right and left claws. Differences in claw sizes can be attributed to an ongoing process of regeneration due to loss of the crayfish's cheliped. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We aimed to improve mental health referral quality of young people by helping educators build capacity for early identification of youth at risk of mental illness and facilitate referrals between the education and health systems. Methods: We applied the Go-To Educator mental health literacy training for early identification, triage and support in 208 schools in Calgary, Alberta between 2013 and 2016. Students presenting to mental health services during this time were compared on a number of clinical, system, and demographic variables, based on the training status of the school (untrained schools; before and after training schools), using retrospective cohort design. Based on clinical and system data, bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analysis were employed to compare the three school status domains. Results: After training, referrals differed significantly from control and pre-training schools. Students presenting to services from these schools were younger, from single parent families; were referred more because of adjustment and learning/attention problems; had complex social/family issues; thought disturbances, and harmful behavior/thoughts towards others. While they waited longer to be admitted they stayed longer in services; had more provisional comorbid diagnoses and demonstrated positive treatment outcomes. Conclusions: The Go-To Educator training may be an effective intervention helping educators identify students at risk of mental disorders and in substantial need of mental health services, demonstrating improved linkages between education and health sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]