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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 article announces that the 2011 Physics Best Paper Award was presented to the authors Yi Liang and Andrzej Czarnecki for the article "Photon-photon scattering: A tutorial" at the CAP Congress conference in June 2012 in Calgary, Alberta.

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]

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]

Using critical race theory and institutional ethnography as frameworks, this paper investigates the Extra-Judicial Sanctions (EJS) Program, as implemented in Calgary, Alberta, and its lack of ability to achieve transformative restorative justice in the cases of racialized immigrant youth. The failure to recognize the impact of race, ethnicity, and immigrant status in the Youth Criminal Justice Act is considered problematic as this paper challenges the notion of color blindness. It is suggested that a color-conscious approach be used in the EJS Program to incorporate inclusive institutional policies explicitly to foster a sense of belonging among racialized immigrant youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

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]

Participatory action research can be a research methodology that seeks to offer relational processes that develop high touch research relationships, create coempowerment, while fostering resiliency and strength, within the HIV community. The Calgary HIV Social Society (CHSS) in Calgary, Alberta, Canada co-developed with peer-researchers at Mount Royal University, a progressive form of action-oriented research that allowed the HIV community to develop and provide social gatherings to reduce the impact of stigma and isolation. The research project was developed with the community of people living with HIV to reduce the impact of isolation and stigma. The focus of the research was to better understand how social gatherings could improve the quality of life for those living with HIV. The action-oriented methodology allowed for HIV peer-researchers to bring their expertise on what was needed to reduce stigma and isolation. The HIV social support community created participatory action research processes that successfully contributed to building an inclusive, community for people living with HIV. This paper will share the themes that acknowledge the significant impact that a HIV high touch relationship research community can have for those, who face the barriers of isolation and stigma by increasing community connection, reducing financial constraints that limit participation, while increasing mental health wellness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a Geographic Information System based Multicriteria Decision Making approach for evaluating accessibility to public parks in Calgary, Alberta. The approach involves the weighted linear combination with the entropy weighting method for obtaining the criterion (attribute) weights. The paper demonstrates a core-periphery pattern of accessibility to public parks in Calgary. Furthermore, the pattern has shown tendency to be more polarized between the year of 2006 and 2011. The results of this research can help the park planning authorities in identifying the needs for improving the accessibility to public parks, monitoring the changes of accessibility patterns over time, and locating new public parks. The results can also help the general public to better understand the spatial relationship between their neighbourhoods and public parks in the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the author explores how the practice of walking the city may open curricular spaces to nurture a deep engagement and feelings of enchantment with the world. By disrupting the taken-for-granted sensibilities of our everyday urban lives and being open to the unexpected voices, bodies and more-than-human beings who co-exist in urban spaces, the author contends that when we slow down and become attuned to our surroundings, possibilities of transformation can emerge. In this interdisciplinary unfolding, the author first shares how walking allows us to experience time and space to accentuate our relations, engagements, and being in the world. Through narrative and photography, the author then reflects on encounters from recent walks through the city of Calgary, addressing notions of self-reflexivity, play and experience. Through these walking encounters, this paper reflects on considerations for embodying a curriculum to promote a modern ecological ethic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and reliable short-term forecasts of influenza-like illness (ILI) visit volumes at emergency departments can improve staffing and resource allocation decisions within hospitals. In this paper, we developed a stacked ensemble model that averages the predictions from various competing methodologies in the current frontier for ILI-related forecasts. We also constructed a back-of-the-envelope prediction interval for the stacked ensemble, which provides a conservative characterization of the uncertainty in the stacked ensemble predictions. We assessed the accuracy and reliability of our model with 1 to 4 weeks ahead forecast targets using real-time hospital-level data on weekly ILI visit volumes during the 2012-2018 flu seasons in the Alberta Children's Hospital, located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Our results suggest the forecasting performance of the stacked ensemble meets or exceeds the performance of the individual models over all forecast targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of teaching-focused faculty (TFF) continues to increase, raising concerns about opportunities to engage in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) for academics who are hired to focus on teaching rather than research. Various names for these teachingfocused positions include, but are not limited to: instructional, limited-term faculty; permanent, but not eligible for tenure; equivalent to tenure-track (eligible for tenure); and casual teaching-focused. Regardless of title, TFF face a unique challenge: hired for excellence in teaching and committed to improving teaching and learning, they are often not granted support to engage in professional development or research related to teaching and learning. These and other challenges are associated with their academically marginalized positions. The authors are members of the Advocacy Committee of the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL). This paper builds on a session we offered at the ISSOTL conference in Calgary in 2017 where we invited TFF to contribute narrative examples of institutional SoTL challenges and their strategies for overcoming them. We describe potential solutions to creating institutional cultures that are supportive of TFF engaging in SoTL. We finish by offering recommendations for creating a SoTL teachingfocused community within ISSOTL to provide social and professional support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Geographer is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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]

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]

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 paper examines the demand for hockey game trips among metropolitan and nonmetropolitan residents of Alberta, Canada. Using data on both revealed and stated preference game-trip behavior from a telephone survey conducted throughout Alberta, we estimate the effect of ticket prices, team quality, arena amenities, and capacity on the latent demand for National Hockey League hockey games. We find that lower ticket prices, higher team quality, and additional capacity encourage attendance. In the status quo scenario, consumer surplus per game is $50 for those who had attended hockey games and about 50% less for those who had not attended games. Exploiting the stated preference data, we develop a number of other consumer surplus estimates. We also include travel costs in the estimation of the demand function and estimate the full value of the game trip considering both ticket prices and travel costs. Sold-out arenas in Calgary and Edmonton generate annual consumption benefits of $40 and $35 million when only ticket prices are used to calculate consumer surplus (i.e., excluding travel costs). Considering the full-price consumer surplus for the Calgary Flames of $103 per game trip, the annual consumption benefits may be as high as $82 million. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY This paper presents a critical investigation of reasons for using transit by residents of the City of Calgary, Canada. Reasons for using transit are expressed as functions of people's perceptions and attitudes towards transit service quality and attributes. A multinomial logit model combined with latent variable models is developed to capture unobserved latent variables in defining perceptions and attitudes. Using data from a transit customer satisfaction survey conducted in 2007 by Calgary Transit, this approach models the reasons for choosing transit and tests the significance of two individual specific latent variables: perceptions of 'reliability and convenience' and 'ride comfort'. Many behavioural details are revealed that have important policy implications. Most importantly, it is found that the people of Calgary value 'reliability and convenience' over 'ride comfort'. As for policy implications of the findings, it is clear that improving the connectivity of train service, reducing multimodal transfers, and increasing dedicated right-of-ways for transit would effectively increase transit ridership in Calgary. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Computational electromagnetics models of microwave interactions with the human breast serve as an invaluable tool for exploring the feasibility of new technologies and improving design concepts related to microwave breast cancer detection and treatment. In this paper, we report the development of a collection of anatomically realistic 3-D numerical breast phantoms of varying shape, size, and radiographic density which can readily be used in finite-difference time-domain computational electro- magnetics models. The phantoms are derived from Ti-weighted MRIs of prone patients. Each MRI is transformed into a uniform grid of dielectric properties using several steps. First, the structure of each phantom is identified by applying image processing techniques to the MRI. Next, the voxel intensities of the MRI are converted to frequency-dependent and tissue-dependent dielectric properties of normal breast tissues via a piecewise-linear map. The dielectric properties of normal breast tissue are taken from the recently completed large-scale experimental study of normal breast tissue dielectric properties conducted by the Universities of Wisconsin and Calgary. The comprehensive collection of numerical phantoms is made available to the scientific community through an online repository. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This initial paper, from a planned series, presents an introductory survey of interspousal violence from 562 Calgary couples. Assumptions from conflict and exchange theories guide the analyses which focus on selected structural and interactional factors. Questionnaires and interviews from both partners provide the responses for both single-item indicators and scales, built through factor analysis, which are analyzed using simple percentages and Pearson's zero order coefficients. Three types of violence, husband-to-wife, wife-to-husband, and mutual, are investigated and found to be pervasive. All occur in every SES, educational, and income level. Although age, marital status, length of marriage, and number of children are associated with interspousal violence, the strongest relationships are classified as interactional. These include aggression, marital conflict, and work strain. Although violence is negatively correlated with marital satisfaction, significantly large proportions of highly satisfied couples report conjugal violence. Such evidence lends support to the dialectic notion that love and affection exist simultaneously with conflict and violence.

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]

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]

The article offers several information of general interests. The American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine conducted its 2007 Annual Meeting in Calgary, Alberta, Canada wherein there was a constructive dialogue regarding common misconceptions on the procurement and processing of allografts commonly used in sports medicine. Meanwhile, several personalities in sports medicine were recipient of several awards given the sports medicine organization to individuals who had made valuable contribution to the field. Moreover, several research papers on sports medicine have been recognized by the sport medicine organization due the valuable information the papers shared.

When considering an increase in their non-residential property tax rates, Alberta municipalities must also take into account the adverse effects such an increase will likely have on business investment in their communities. Based on data on commercial and industrial permit values for 17 Alberta cities from 1998 to 2017, this paper shows that increasing the non-residential property tax rate corresponds to a drop in businesses investment in buildings and structures. Raising the non-residential property tax rate by, for example, 10 per cent results in a seven per cent drop in business investment. Businesses have long expressed concerns about municipal government's excessive reliance on taxing commercial and industrial property. The issue has become particularly salient in Alberta since the City of Calgary increased its non-residential property tax rate, not only to replace its business tax, but also to offset the decline in the property tax base from the reduction in the assessed value of downtown office buildings. Calgary rationalized that eliminating the business tax and shifting the tax burden to the non-residential property tax would boost the city's competitiveness and attractiveness, besides contributing to improved administrative efficiency in the tax system. The business tax that the city eliminated was responsible for almost a quarter of non-residential and business tax revenues. However, the city envisioned that eliminating this tax and transferring its onus to the non-residential property tax would generate the same amount of revenue. This study finds that if the non-residential property tax rate is increased by one mill -- the tax rate per $1,000 of property value -- there is a concordant drop in annual real per capita commercial and industrial building permits by about $39.37. This then creates a boomerang effect - a decline in investment results in a lower stock of capital and a corresponding reduction in property and income tax bases in the future. With higher tax rates eroding tax bases, revenues thus cannot keep pace proportionately. Taxes on residential and non-residential property in Alberta make up about half of the total revenues for the province's municipalities. Property taxes are vital for financing local public services. While this study shows that spending more on municipal services does not significantly affect business investment, or business decisions on where to locate, increasing non-residential property taxes has a negative impact on such decisions and investments. Policy-makers in other Alberta municipalities observing the effects of the City of Calgary's recent hike in non-residential property taxes in the midst of an economic downturn should take into account the potential adverse effects on local economic growth and their municipal revenue bases. This study will contribute to informed policy-making in the province's municipalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Counselling & Psychotherapy / Revue Canadienne de Counseling et de Psychothérapie is the property of Canadian Counselling & Psychotherapy Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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]

This paper presents the results of a pilot SoTL study re: a non-traditional leadership course delivered in three sections of a foundational General Education course at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Canada in 2016-17. This non-traditional course focuses explicitly on ontological change (a change in way of being) rather than epistemological change (a change in knowledge or skill sets). The project aimed at two goals: to replicate a pre- and post-course questionnaire study (Carney, Jensen, Ballarini, Echeverria, Nettleton, Stillwell, & Erhard, 2016) and to attempt to surface possible evidence of ontological change (change in ways of being). The pre- and post-course questionnaires replicated the Carney et al. study. Narrative data also indicates some change in self-perception of leadership capacities. These results suggest opportunities for considering moving beyond the dominant epistemological educational paradigm to explore the potential of ontological approaches to learning, at least in the arena of leadership development. [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]

According to the Department of Energy of the USA, today's electrical distribution system is 97.97% reliable. However, power outages and interruptions still impact many people. Many power outages are caused by animals coming into contact with the conductive elements of the electrical substations. This can be prevented by covering the conductive electrical objects with insulating materials. The design of these custom-built insulating covers requires a 3D as-built plan of the substation. This research aims to develop automated methods to create such a 3D as-built plan using terrestrial LiDAR data for which objects first need to be recognized in the LiDAR point clouds. This paper reports on the application of a new algorithm for the segmentation of planar surfaces found at electrical substations. The proposed approach is a region growing method that aggregates points based on their proximity to each other and their neighbourhood dispersion direction. PCA (principal components analysis) is also employed to 3D segment planar surfaces in the electrical substation. In this research two different laser scanners, Leica HDS 6100 and Faro Focus, were utilized to scan an electrical substation in Airdrie, a city located in north of Calgary, Canada. In this research, three subsets incorporating one subset of Leica dataset with approximately 1.7 million points and two subsets of the Faro dataset with 587 and 79 thousand points were utilized. The performance of our proposed method is compared with the performance of PCA by performing check point analysis and investigation of computational speed. Both methods managed to detect a great proportion of planar points (about 70%). However, the proposed method slightly outperformed PCA. 95% of the points that were segmented by both methods as planar points did actually lie on a planar surface. This exhibits the high ability of both methods to identify planar points. The results also indicate that the computational speed of our method is superior to that of PCA by 50%. It is concluded that our proposed method achieves better results with higher computational speed than PCA in the segmentation of planar surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efforts to manage Canadian cities through smart growth policies emphasize the importance of integrated public transit system and bicycle-transit integration. The goal of this paper is to review the impact of planning policies that promote utilitarian cycling on the provision of bicycle facilities (pathways, bikeways and parking) in Calgary. The focus is on new suburban communities built since the 1990s, where new policies and standards affecting cycling have been implemented. The methodology draws on literature review, content analysis of major planning policies affecting utilitarian cycling, GIS spatial analysis of three case study areas and key informant interviews to holistically assess levels of bicycle-transit integration in Calgary. The research applies a straightforward and relatively robust framework for analysis of bicycle-transit integration using a number of quantitative indicators to assess levels of provision/accessibility and connectivity in transit commuter zones. The spatial analysis confirms that newer communities have better developed commuter-oriented cycling networks, bicycle facilities and integration with the light transit system compared to older ones. Despite area-specific challenges, findings indicate that the shift in planning policies in Calgary has a positive impact over the level of provision of bicycle infrastructure, which have the potential to increase utilitarian cycling in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper uses rth-order categorical Markov chains to model the probability of precipitation. Several stationary and non-stationary high-order Markov models are proposed and compared using BIC. The number of parameters increases exponentially by adding the Markov order. Several classes of high-order Markov models are proposed which their increase of number of parameters are modest. For example models that use the number of precipitation days in a period prior to date, temperature of the previous day and sines/cosines periodic functions (to model the seasonality) are considered. The theory of partial likelihood is used to estimate the parameters. Parsimonious non-stationary first order Markov models with few seasonal terms are found optimal using BIC and temperature does not turn out to be a useful covariate. However BIC seems to underestimate the number of seasonal terms. We have also compared the results with AIC in some cases which tends to pick parsimonious models with more seasonal terms and higher order. We also show that ignoring seasonal terms result in picking higher order Markov chains. Finally we apply the methods to build confidence intervals for the probability of periods with no precipitation or low number of precipitation days in Calgary using historical data from 1980 to 2000. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar energy is an abundant source of renewable/sustainable energy, which has an enormous potential in reducing the foot print of the greenhouse gases. In this paper, we presented a modelling framework of estimating solar energy over a portion of a residential community of Sandstone in the northwest of Calgary, Canada. We calculated the actual daily incident solar radiation as a function of latitude, day of year, and possible day light hours; and also employed high-resolution remote sensing images to calculate the effective roof area for installing photovoltaic cells. Strong relationships (r²: 0.91-0.98) were observed between the ground-based measurements and the modelled actual incident solar radiation at three test locations in Alberta. Over the portion of Sandstone, ~1706.49m² roof surface area was suitable for potential installation of the photovoltaic cells. With 15% efficient photovoltaic cells, our analysis revealed that we might be able to produce significant amount (i.e., in the range of ~67-100%) of electrical energy needs of the residents of Sandstone community during the period between April and September. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper traces the century-long history of a library that has served teacher preparation programs in Calgary, Alberta, since 1909. It looks at how this library's role and collections adapted to shifting notions of what constituted good teacher education and changing economic circumstances. In recounting this history, the paper examines the historical circumstances that created a separate education library at the University of Calgary and how issues of group and professional identity contributed to its continuing existence. The various themes which emerge may be common to many North American education libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents the minutes of the 36th annual general meeting of the Canadian Economics Association held on June 2, 2002 in the University of Calgary in Alberta. Report of the secretary-treasurer; 2002 election results; Nominations for 2003.

Surgeons caring for severely injured patients have witnessed tremendous change over the past 2 decades with the rapid evolution of trauma systems. This paper describes the evolution of trauma systems in Canada, using the one in Calgary as a model. Canadian system guidelines were produced by the Trauma Association of Canada in 1993. Participation in Canadian accreditation is accelerating as increasingly more centres across the country undergo external review each year. Reporting of trauma outcomes, including standardized mortality and a variety of performance measures, is becoming the norm. Injury is being treated as a disease with comprehensive control strategies aimed at reducing death and disability rates through prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. [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]

Land use and transportation planning have a significant impact on the performance of cities' traffic conditions and the quality of people's lives. The changing characteristics of land use will affect and challenge how a city is able to manage, organize, and plan for new developments and transportation. These challenges can be better addressed with effective methods of monitoring and predicting, which can enable optimal efficiency in how a growing city like Calgary, Canada, can perform. Using ontology in land use planning is a new initiative currently being researched and explored. In this regard, ontology incorporates relationships between the various entities of land use. The aim of this study is to present Land Use Change Ontology (LUCO) with a deep neural network for traffic prediction. We present a Land Use Change Ontology (LUCO) approach, using expressions of how the semantics of land use changes relate to the integration of temporal land use information. This study examines the City of Calgary's land use data from the years 2001, 2010, and 2015. In applying the LUCO approach to test data, experimental outcomes indicated that from 2001 to 2015 residential land use increased by 30% and open space decreased by 40%. Forecasting traffic is increasingly essential for successful traffic modelling, operations, and management. However, traditional means for predicting traffic flow have largely assumed restrictive model architectures that have not controlled for the amounts of land use change. Inspired by deep learning methods and effective data mining computing capabilities, this paper introduces the deep learning Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) to predict traffic while considering the impact of land use change. The RNN was successful in learning the features of traffic flow under various land use change situations. Experimental results indicated that, with the consideration of LUCO, the deep learning predictors had better accuracy when compared with other existing models. Success of our modeling approach indicates that cities could apply this modeling approach to make land use transportation planning more efficient. [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: 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: 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]