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For more than 50 years, Lionel Daunais (1901-1982) had a considerable influence on Quebec's vocal arts scene. An overview of the journey of an artist whose legacy to Quebec culture [...]

This article considers Édouard Louis’s extensive literary œuvre from En finir avec Eddy Bellegueule(2014) to his latest novel, Monique s’évade(2024), in conjunction with his interactions in the public sphere. It first explores how the space of the novel becomes as much a space of exploration of the various processes of domination that shaped his and his family’s lives as it is a space of self-reinvention. In particular, it is Louis’s transformation practice that guides this article. Indeed, this article looks at the ways in which Louis engages in processes of branding, be it the act of making a product or the act of marking something or someone, in turn building one coherent cultural figure commited to social justice and making audible and visible vulnerable lived experiences. Not only an écrivain engagé, Louis has also become a theatre performer and a political activist who deploys and controls his narrative in literature and beyond.

Aberrant G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) expression is highly prevalent in cortisol-secreting primary bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (PBMAH) and unilateral adenomas. The aberrant expression of diverse GPCRs and their ligands play an important role in the over-function of various endocrine tumours. Examples include aberrant expression of MC2R, 5-HT4R, AVPR1A, LHCGR, and GnRHR in primary aldosteronism; GCGR, LHCGR, and 5-HT4R in phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas; TRHR, GnRHR, GIPR, and GRP101 in pituitary somatotroph tumours; AVPR2, D2DR, and SSTR5 in pituitary corticotroph tumours; GLP1R, GIPR, and somatostatin receptors in medullary thyroid carcinoma; and SSTRs, GLP1R, and GIPR in other neuroendocrine tumours. The genetic mechanisms causing the ectopic expression of GIPR in cortisol-secreting PBMAHs and unilateral adenomas have been identified, but distinct mechanisms are implicated in other endocrine tumours. Development of functional imaging targeting aberrant GPCRs should be useful for identification and for specific therapies of this wide spectrum of tumours. The aim of this review is to show that the regulation of endocrine tumours by aberrant GPCR is not restricted to cortisol-secreting adrenal lesions, but also occurs in tumours of several other organs.

Nowadays, some smartphone applications require the location of users to be able to provide circumstantial information. However, this data may not be fluid and continuously recorded in a way that can be easily analysed for transport planning purposes. This paper proposes a methodology to reconstruct trips and detect modes from a weather smartphone app data, combined with a validation survey. These results can be useful to create origin-destination matrices and other analyses based on trip data. Our study shows that the Artificial Neural Network (ANN), combined with a proposed data processing framework, provides the best travel mode detection.

This paper presents results of the application of clustering methods to report on the yearly patterns of transit ridership, at metro stations and on bus lines, as observed using 7 years of smart card validations (2015-2021). Results from the k-means approach are presented in this paper while various methods were tested using the same vectors of data. The results confirm the ability of the proposed approach to understand the global changes in ridership patterns. The cumulative clustering approach used allowed to understand the evolution of both bus and metro across the seven years from a temporal and spatial perspective.

Evolution in geoscientific data provides the mineral industry with new opportunities. A direction of geochemical data generation evolution is towards big data to meet the demands of data-driven usage scenarios that rely on data velocity. This direction is more significant where traditional geochemical data are not ideal, which is the case for evaluating unconventional resources, such as tailing storage facilities (TSFs), because they are not static due to sedimentation, compaction and changes associated with hydrospheric and lithospheric processes (e.g., erosion, saltation and mobility of chemical constituents). In this paper, we generate big secondary geochemical data derived from Sentinel-2 satellite-remote sensing data to showcase the benefits of big geochemical data using TSFs from the Witwatersrand Basin (South Africa). Using spatially fused remote sensing and legacy geochemical data on the Dump 20 TSF, we trained a machine learning model to predict in-situ gold grades. Subsequently, we deployed the model to the Lindum TSF, which is 3 km away, over a period of a few years (2015-2019). We were able to visualize and analyze the temporal variation in the spatial distributions of the gold grade of the Lindum TSF. Additionally, we were able to infer extraction sequencing (to the resolution of the data), acid mine drainage formation and seasonal migration. These findings suggest that dynamic mineral resource models and live geochemical monitoring (e.g., of elemental mobility and structural changes) are possible without additional physical sampling.

Adjuvant treatment with mitotane is commonly used after resection of adrenocortical carcinoma; however, treatment remains controversial, particularly if risk of recurrence is not high. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of adjuvant mitotane compared with surveillance alone following complete tumour resection in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma considered to be at low to intermediate risk of recurrence.

L’hyperplasie macronodulaire bilatérale des surrénales GIP-dépendante (GIP-HBMS) est liée à l’inactivation génétique de l’histone déméthylase KDM1Aet touche majoritairement les femmes (sex-ratio 12:1). Les conséquences de la perte fonctionnelle de KDM1A sur la méthylation des histones, le remodelage chromatinien et l’expression génique, et son possible rôle dans l’inactivation du chromosome X ne sont pas bien connues.

Patients with primary bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (PBMAH) usually present bilateral benign adrenocortical macronodules at imaging and variable levels of cortisol excess. PBMAH is a rare cause of primary overt Cushing's syndrome but may represent up to one-third of bilateral adrenal incidentalomas with evidence of cortisol excess. The increased steroidogenesis in PBMAH is often regulated by various G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) aberrantly expressed in PBMAH tissues; some receptor ligands are ectopically produced in PBMAH tissues, creating aberrant autocrine/paracrine regulation of steroidogenesis.The bilateral nature of PBMAH and familial aggregation led to the identification of germline heterozygous inactivating mutations of the ARMC5gene, in 20% to 25% of the apparent sporadic cases and more frequently in familial cases; ARMC5mutations/pathogenic variants can be associated with meningiomas. More recently, combined germline mutations/pathogenic variants and somatic events inactivating the KDM1Agene were specifically identified in patients affected by glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP)-dependent PBMAH. Functional studies demonstrated that inactivation of KDM1A leads to GIP-receptor (GIPR) overexpression and over- or downregulation of other GPCRs. Genetic analysis is now available for early detection of family members of index cases with PBMAH carrying identified germline pathogenic variants. Detailed biochemical, imaging, and comorbidity assessment of the nature and severity of PBMAH is essential for its management. Treatment is reserved for patients with overt or mild cortisol/aldosterone or other steroid excesses, taking in account comorbidities. It previously relied on bilateral adrenalectomy; however, recent studies tend to favor unilateral adrenalectomy or, less frequently, medical treatment with cortisol synthesis inhibitors or specific blockers of aberrant GPCR.Graphical Abstract

No sooner had Aurora (Colo.) Water established its new pilot plant than the COVID‐19 pandemic disrupted its introduction to testing the utility's water treatment processes. Once put into action, Mini‐Binney, as the pilot plant is called, became an invaluable tool for numerous projects to advance and improve the treatment plant's operations. The pilot plant allows for research of innovative treatment methods without affecting full‐scale treatment or putting public health at risk.

Patients with germline SDHDpathogenic variants (encoding succinate dehydrogenase subunit D; ie, paraganglioma 1 syndrome) are predominantly affected by head and neck paragangliomas, which, in almost 20% of patients, might coexist with paragangliomas arising from other locations (eg, adrenal medulla, para-aortic, cardiac or thoracic, and pelvic). Given the higher risk of tumour multifocality and bilaterality for phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs) because of SDHDpathogenic variants than for their sporadic and other genotypic counterparts, the management of patients with SDHDPPGLs is clinically complex in terms of imaging, treatment, and management options. Furthermore, locally aggressive disease can be discovered at a young age or late in the disease course, which presents challenges in balancing surgical intervention with various medical and radiotherapeutic approaches. The axiom—first, do no harm—should always be considered and an initial period of observation (ie, watchful waiting) is often appropriate to characterise tumour behaviour in patients with these pathogenic variants. These patients should be referred to specialised high-volume medical centres. This consensus guideline aims to help physicians with the clinical decision-making process when caring for patients with SDHDPPGLs.

Adult and paediatric patients with pathogenic variants in the gene encoding succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) subunit B (SDHB) often have locally aggressive, recurrent or metastatic phaeochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs). Furthermore, SDHBPPGLs have the highest rates of disease-specific morbidity and mortality compared with other hereditary PPGLs. PPGLs with SDHBpathogenic variants are often less differentiated and do not produce substantial amounts of catecholamines (in some patients, they produce only dopamine) compared with other hereditary subtypes, which enables these tumours to grow subclinically for a long time. In addition, SDHBpathogenic variants support tumour growth through high levels of the oncometabolite succinate and other mechanisms related to cancer initiation and progression. As a result, pseudohypoxia and upregulation of genes related to the hypoxia signalling pathway occur, promoting the growth, migration, invasiveness and metastasis of cancer cells. These factors, along with a high rate of metastasis, support early surgical intervention and total resection of PPGLs, regardless of the tumour size. The treatment of metastases is challenging and relies on either local or systemic therapies, or sometimes both. This Consensus statement should help guide clinicians in the diagnosis and management of patients with SDHBPPGLs.

Background: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are caused by genetic and environmental factors. ARMC5 is part of a novel ubiquitin ligase specific for POLR2A, the largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (Pol II). Results: We find that ARMC5 knockout mice have increased incidence of NTDs, such as spina bifida and exencephaly. Surprisingly, the absence of ARMC5 causes the accumulation of not only POLR2A but also most of the other 11 Pol II subunits, indicating that the degradation of the whole Pol II complex is compromised. The enlarged Pol II pool does not lead to generalized Pol II stalling or a generalized decrease in mRNA transcription. In neural progenitor cells, ARMC5 knockout only dysregulates 106 genes, some of which are known to be involved in neural tube development. FOLH1, critical in folate uptake and hence neural tube development, is downregulated in the knockout intestine. We also identify nine deleterious mutations in the ARMC5 gene in 511 patients with myelomeningocele, a severe form of spina bifida. These mutations impair the interaction between ARMC5 and Pol II and reduce Pol II ubiquitination. Conclusions: Mutations in ARMC5 increase the risk of NTDs in mice and humans. ARMC5 is part of an E3 controlling the degradation of all 12 subunits of Pol II under physiological conditions. The Pol II pool size might have effects on NTD pathogenesis, and some of the effects might be via the downregulation of FOLH1. Additional mechanistic work is needed to establish the causal effect of the findings on NTD pathogenesis.

L’hyperplasie macronodulaire bilatérale des surrénales (HMBS) GIP-dépendante est une maladie génétique liée à une inactivation du gène KDM1Aselon un modèle de gène suppresseur de tumeur. Notre objectif était d’évaluer la pénétrance et l’histoire naturelle de l’atteinte surrénalienne chez des porteurs de variants pathogènes de KDM1A.

In exploration geochemistry, advances in the detection limit, breadth of elements analyze-able, accuracy and precision of analytical instruments have motivated the re-analysis of legacy samples to improve confidence in geochemical data and gain more insights into potentially mineralized areas. While a re-analysis campaign in a geochemical exploration program modernizes legacy geochemical data by providing more trustworthy and higher-dimensional geochemical data, especially where modern data is considerably different than legacy data, it is an expensive exercise. The risk associated with modernizing such legacy data lies within its uncertainty in return (e.g., the possibility of new discoveries, in primarily greenfield settings). Without any advanced knowledge of yet unanalyzed elements, the importance of re-analyses remains ambiguous. To address this uncertainty, we apply machine learning to multivariate geochemical data from different regions in Canada (i.e., the Churchill Province and the Trans-Hudson Orogen) in order to use legacy geochemical data to predict modern and higher dimensional multi-elemental concentrations ahead of planned re-analyses. Our study demonstrates that legacy and modern geochemical data can be repurposed to predict yet unanalyzed elements that will be realized from re-analyses and in a manner that significantly reduces the latency to downstream usage of modern geochemical data (e.g., prospectivity mapping). Findings from this study serve as a pillar of a framework for exploration geologists to predictively explore and prioritize potentially mineralized districts for further prospects in a timely manner before employing more invasive and expensive techniques.

Most known mineral deposits were discovered by accident using expensive, time-consuming, and knowledge-based methods such as stream sediment geochemical data, diamond drilling, reconnaissance geochemical and geophysical surveys, and/or remote sensing. Recent years have seen a decrease in the number of newly discovered mineral deposits and a rise in demand for critical raw materials, prompting exploration geologists to seek more efficient and inventive ways for processing various data types at different phases of mineral exploration. Remote sensing is one of the most sought-after tools for early-phase mineral prospecting because of its broad coverage and low cost. Remote sensing images from satellites are publicly available and can be utilised for lithological mapping and mineral exploitation. In this study, we extend an artificial intelligence-based, unsupervised anomaly detection method to identify iron deposit occurrence using Landsat-8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) satellite imagery and machine learning. The novelty in our method includes: (1) knowledge-guided and unsupervised anomaly detection that does not assume any specific anomaly signatures; (2) detection of anomalies occurs only in the variable domain; and (3) a choice of a range of machine learning algorithms to balance between explain-ability and performance. Our new unsupervised method detects anomalies through three successive stages, namely (a) stage I – acquisition of satellite imagery, data processing and selection of bands, (b) stage II – predictive modelling and anomaly detection, and (c) stage III – construction of anomaly maps and analysis. In this study, the new method was tested over the Assen iron deposit in the Transvaal Supergroup (South Africa). It detected both the known areas of the Assen iron deposit and additional deposit occurrence features around the Assen iron mine that were not known. To summarise the anomalies in the area, principal component analysis was used on the reconstruction errors across all modelled bands. Our method enhanced the Assen deposit as an anomaly and attenuated the background, including anthropogenic structural anomalies, which resulted in substantially improved visual contrast and delineation of the iron deposit relative to the background. The results demonstrate the robustness of the proposed unsupervised anomaly detection method, and it could be useful for the delineation of mineral exploration targets. In particular, the method will be useful in areas where no data labels exist regarding the existence or specific spectral signatures of anomalies, such as mineral deposits under greenfield exploration.

Introduction While paramacular retinal atrophy (PRA) is known to be found in 48% of eyes of adults and 42% of eyes of children with homozygous SCD (SS-SCD), the aim of this study is to assess the association between PRA and red blood cell (RBC) deformability, hematological markers and brain imaging abnormalities in SS-SCD.Methods This study is a subset of DREAM2, a prospective observational study performed between August 2015 and August 2016. Children (5–17 years) with SS-SCD and no history of large vessel vasculopathy, were included. Ophthalmological characteristics including visual acuity, fundus examination, OCT of central and temporal retina (with several retinal thickness measurements) were explored in relation with RBC deformability (ektacytometry), hematological and biochemical (hemolysis parameters), and neurological (cerebral oxygenation estimated by Near Infrared Spectroscopy, brain magnetic resonance imaging) investigations.Results 17 children (5 boys; mean age: 13 years) with complete ophthalmological investigations were included in the analysis; 8 exhibited PRA. RBC deformability was found to be significantly lower in children with PRA for measurements made at 1.69 Pa (0.16 a.u ± 0.02 vs 0.21 a.u ± 0.03, p= 0.02) and above, as well as cerebral oxygenation (59.25% ± 9.9 vs 71.53% ± 4.9, p= 0.02). A significant positive correlation was found between temporal retinal thickness and hemoglobin level (ρ = 0.65, p= 0.007), hematocrit (ρ = 0.53, p= 0.04) and RBC deformability at 3 Pa (ρ = 0.75, p= 0.005) and above.Conclusions These results suggest that PRA could be an early marker of systemic severity and cerebral oxygenation in SCD. Whether it could help predicting cerebral vasculopathy requires further investigations.

It is interesting to find conditions under which matrices follow the same algebraic rules as scalars. For example, conditions that guarantee if two nonsingular matrices A and B are ordered as A ≤ B , then their inverses satisfy A − 1 ≥ B − 1 , where the ordering is understood to be element-wise. In this article, we provide an elementary proof for such a theorem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1966 In April of 1966 This Magazine is About Schools launched. Formed by a group of radical Toronto-area teachers, This Magazine is About Schools was one of the first alternative [...]

Sports organisations must continuously assess how better to meet or exceed consumer expectations and perceptions of their experience in order to maintain and increase the number of spectators and loyal fans attending their sporting events. This study aims to enhance our understanding of which characteristics of a service attribute will best define its quality and impact on spectator behaviour by understanding the causal relationship between perceived service quality (PSQ) and satisfaction. Keywords service quality fan loyalty events causal effects, Executive summary Consumer satisfaction and perceived service quality (PSQ) have been considered the primary intervening constructs in the area of service marketing because ultimately they lead to the development of [...]

Generating video content is no longer the exclusive domain of television and movie companies. The Internet is exploding with video and other rich media content. Security and regulatory requirements are […]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Industrial manufacturing OEMs often experience bottlenecks at the paint line that impact throughput times. Relatively simple process changes, coupled with the use of reactive-cure coatings, can increase manufacturing [...]

Objectives: The authors examined whether the relationship between alcohol expectancies and sexual experiences while drinking differed between Latino and white college students. Participants: The authors considered students if they were white or Latino, unmarried, aged 18-25 years, reported any drinking, and had at least 1 sexual partner in the present school year. Methods: The investigators collected surveys from a random sample of 13,868 undergraduate students from the 14 California public university campuses. They used tests of group differences and hierarchical multiple regressions. Results: Social-facilitation alcohol expectancies were associated with the total number of different alcohol-related sexual experiences among Latino students. Neither social facilitation nor sexual-enhancement alcohol expectancies were differentially predictive of white or Latino students' frequency of sexual experiences. Conclusions: Additional research is necessary to determine whether concepts targeted by alcohol prevention programs operate in a differential manner |or Latino students. Keywords: alcohol, college health, Latino students, sexual health, Alcohol use is consistently associated with sexual behavior, especially higher-risk behaviors (defined as decreased condom use, little or no discussion of sexual risk with partner, and low degree of partner [...]

Cyworld is a web community site operated by SK Communications, a subsidiary of mobile operator SK Telecom (acquisition of Cyworld in 2003). Literally translated, 'Cyworld' can mean 'cyber world', but [...]

Abstract: A theory of scale and scope that takes into account the endogenous nature of technology and the contextual manner in which systems architecture and functionality are shaped by market [...]

Abstract: The radical transformations that have been reshaping the world of telecommunications are uniquely decentralized and, yet, they increasingly provide the lifeblood of our new societies. In this paper we [...]

Abstract: Telecommunication economic analysis has largely relied upon a conventional economic framework that has its roots in neoclassical analysis that emerged almost a hundred years ago, and has contributed to [...]

As camp youth development professionals, we all try to keep up with the camp program research base. Research reported in these studies is vital in planning for the inputs required […]

A study examining the importance of branding for services based on varying degree of tangibility is presented. For the purpose of the study, branding of services related to mutual funds, hotels, and computers industries is compared.

IT'S A WEEK BEFORE ELECTION day, and the York Event Theatre in Toronto is filled with middle-aged New Democrats waxing nostalgic and rocking out to protest songs from the '60s. [...]

The choice of Electrocoat over other coating technologies is usually driven by the lower total applied cost of E-coat compared to technologies like liquid spray and powder coatings. The low [...]

The literature on counseling the gifted comes mainly from an individual- and pathology-based approach with roots in clinical psychology. This study investigated the application of a systemic and resource-based approach [...]

ABSTRACTUsing data from students and academic advisors at one of the nation’s largest community colleges, our qualitative study examined the cost-related implications of efforts to increase full-time enrollment rates. Findings pinpoint several key interrelated financial factors that heavily influence students’ assessment of the risk and rewards of pursuing full-time enrollment. Our data show the cost-related factors students consider when determining the number of credit hours in which to enroll can be understood across three areas: 1) school-related costs, (2) living-situation costs, and (3) academic-performance costs. Findings demonstrate that while academic advisors do consider financial constraints when determining advisement on credit-hour enrollment, the advisors primarily advise based on students’ time and family constraints as well as employment status and academic preparation.

This article discusses the legal conditions that sellers and purchasers of potentially contaminated property should look into under the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act. The law aims to promote redevelopment of brownfields through federal funding, liability relief and assistance in state cleanup programs, and relief from liability at Superfund National Priority List sites involving minor parties under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act.

Monitoring coagulation values in hemodialysis (HD) is integral to the care of patients with central venous catheters (CVCs) to maintain catheter patency. HD patients can have problems providing blood samples and may experience discomfort with venipuncture, but no consensus in the literature is available to identify a reliable and efficient method of obtaining an international normalization ratio (INR) value from a heparinized CVC line. This was a comparative study of three different methods of blood sampling for INR values. The INR samples were obtained from a peripheral venipuncture site, the CVC line, and the arterial bloodline sample port. The peripheral INR sample was used as the gold standard. The study occurred in a 60-station hemodialysis center in a 428-bed, urban, acute care hospital. The sample included 33 HD patients with patent dialysis CVC lines. Blood samples were drawn with a standardized protocol during one HD session from each of the three sites. The Pearson correlation coefficient for the peripheral sample versus the CVC line sample was 0.97 (p < 0.000 and was 0.99 (p < 0.000 between the peripheral sample and the arterial bloodline sample. Results revealed that both alternative methods are suitable for taking INR samples. As a result of this study, the arterial bloodline sample port method for INR sampling was introduced into the HD unit at this hospital. This method has proven to be simple, quick, accurate, and noninvasive to renal patients., A central venous catheter (CVC) is an alternative means for obtaining routine access to the bloodstream in end stage renal disease (ESRD) patients requiring hemodialysis. Hemodialysis (HD) CVCs, however, are [...]

Introduction We undertook this study to describe the number and variety of robotic operations undertaken for hepatopancreatic and esophageal disorders.Methods Data from 2015 through March of 2018 were analyzed for da Vinci™ robot application for hepatopancreatic disorders, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and achalasia.Results From 2015 through 2017, robotic hepatopancreatic operations increased 49%, robotic hepatic operations increased 107%, and robotic pancreatic operations increased 26%. Quarter after quarter, robotic application increased for hepatopancreatic operations, hepatic operations, and pancreatic operations (P< .001 for each) with acceleration over the most recent months. The application of the Xi robot platform increased from 12% of robotic hepatopancreatic operations in 2015-71% in 2018 (1075% increase in numbers). From 2015 through 2017, robotic fundoplications and myotomies increased by 55%, robotic fundoplications increased by 59%, and robotic Heller myotomies increased by 211%. Quarter after quarter, robotic application increased for fundoplications and Heller myotomies (P< .001 for each) with acceleration over the most recent months. The application of the Xi robot platform increased from 13% of these robotic operations in 2015-64% in 2018 (935% increase in numbers). Less than 10% of hepatopancreatic operations, fundoplications, and myotomies are undertaken robotically.Conclusions There has been an accelerating increase in the number of robotic operations for hepatopancreatic disorders, GERD, and achalasia over the past 3 ¼ years. Application of the Xi robot has dramatically increased, both absolutely and relatively. Still only a small proportion of operations for hepatopancreatic disorders, GERD, and achalasia use the robotic platform; this is changing fast.