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Background: Like other professional training programs, social work pedagogy has long recognized the value of experiential learning for professional development. Despite social work's rich experiential learning literature involving field education, direct practice courses, and program evaluation, there is a dearth of literature examining how to make learning in the policy classroom experiential, particularly for large class sizes. Purpose: We asked, "How might electoral candidate debates provide experiential learning opportunities for large classes?" Approach: The authors organized municipal and federal election candidate debates attended in-person and online by over 300 undergraduate students in a social work policy class at a Canadian university. Integrating our experiences as instructors/organizers and a teaching assistant, within a social constructivist framework, we used Kolb's experiential learning theory, and critiques thereof, to analyze reflective assignments from 73 students. Results and Conclusions: Candidate debates, when facilitated appropriately, can encourage students in large courses to work through the stages of experiential learning and consider related concepts and possible links among social justice course content and social policy, social work practice, and political engagement. Implications: The paper contributes to a broader understanding of the opportunities and constraints associated with employing experiential learning in the large social work classroom and beyond.

Introduction: Despite the support for and benefits of data-driven learning, physician engagement is variable. This study explores systemic influences of physician use of data for performance improvement in continuing professional development (CPD) by analyzing and interpreting data sources from organizational and institutional documents., Methods: The document analysis is the third phase of a mixed-methods explanatory sequential study examining cultural factors that influence data-informed learning. A gray literature search was conducted for organizations both in Canada and the United States. The analysis contains nonparticipant observations from professional learning bodies and medical specialty organizations with established roles within the CPD community known to lead and influence change in CPD., Results: Sixty-two documents were collected from 20 Canadian and American organizations. The content analysis identified the following: (1) a need to advocate for data-informed self-assessment and team-based learning strategies; (2) privacy and confidentiality concerns intersect at the point of patient data collection and physician-generated outcomes and need to be acknowledged; (3) a nuanced data strategy approach for each medical specialty is needed., Discussion: This analysis broadens our understanding of system-level factors that influence the extent to which health information custodians and physicians are motivated to engage with data for learning., Competing Interests: Disclosures: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 The Alliance for Continuing Education in the Health Professions, the Association for Hospital Medical Education, and the Society for Academic Continuing Medical Education.)

As Canadian post-secondary institutions emerge from the pandemic restrictions, they are in a historically unique position to assess how online education has both facilitated and hindered learning, and how the effects might be greater for some. In this study, open-ended comments from the Canadian Digital Learning Research Association 2022 Spring National Survey were analyzed to understand how online and/or hybrid learning both supported equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) and presented EDI-related challenges. The findings were that: (a) online and hybrid learning presents challenges of access for students marginalized by "race," class, and location; (b) online and hybrid learning supports EDI by increasing access and flexibility; (c) pedagogy and course design are central to ensuring that online and/or hybrid learning supports EDI; and (d) student experiences and expectations around online learning indicate a need for support and flexibility. These findings highlight some of the promises of online and hybrid learning, but they also bring to light some of the challenges. This paper discusses three challenges, access, pedagogy, and technology, as well as flexibility, and recommendations that might begin to address EDI.

In the era of big data, many business organizations consider data analytics skills as important criteria in the acquisition of qualified applicants. As numerous managerial decisions in the field of marketing are becoming evidence-based, business schools have integrated case studies about different stages of data analytics such as problem identification, data collection, data processing, data analysis and data visualization in order to improve the knowledge of marketing students. Although case studies can provide a good theoretical foundation about data analytics in the field of marketing, but they may not be sufficient for building analytical skills from a technical perspective. This paper provides a guideline on how Python as a programming language can be used to explore large datasets and improve marketing students' capabilities with a focus on data processing, data analysis and data visualization tasks. In this research, a survey was conducted to measure the teaching effectiveness and overall satisfaction of marketing students (n = 84) in a Canadian university. The evidence suggests that Python libraries designed for marketing-related data analysis and data visualization have positive outcomes in students' learning experience and perception of teaching effectiveness.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and operations research (OR) have long been intertwined because of their synergistic relationship. Given the increasing popularity of AI and machine learning in particular, we face growing demand for educational offerings in this area from our students. This paper describes two courses that introduce machine learning concepts to undergraduate, predominantly industrial engineering and operations research students. Instead of taking a methods-first approach, these courses use real-world applications to motivate, introduce, and explore these machine learning techniques and highlight meaningful overlap with operations research. Significant hands-on coding experience is used to build student proficiency with the techniques. Student feedback indicates that these courses have greatly increased student interest in machine learning and appreciation of the real-world impact that analytics can have and helped students develop practical skills that they can apply. We believe that similar application-driven courses that connect machine learning and operations research would be valuable additions to undergraduate OR curricula broadly.

From July 2022 to December 2022, the World Data System (WDS) International Technology (ITO) and International Program (IPO) Offices conducted a review of strategic plans and technical roadmaps of all current WDS members and the set of Canadian repositories that participated in the Digital Research Alliance of Canada's CoreTrustSeal Certification Support and Funding Pilotv (Digital Research Alliance of Canada, 2022). In this paper, we describe how a new organizational assessment method was designed and utilized to identify the needs and challenges faced by the WDS and Canadian CTS Pilot members. Our method relied on reviewing public-facing documentation provided by the repositories, with a priority on strategic plans and technical road maps. In total, we reviewed 95 sources of information, including 33 strategic plans and 3 technical roadmaps describing a total of 95 out of the original 147 target organizations. In this paper, we also describe our assessment tool and the overarching challenges and goals we identified through the usage of this tool. Finally, we will describe the limitations of our methodology and provide recommendations from the World Data System on how best to assist the WDS members and the cohort of Canadian data repositories based on our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Registered Nurses working in residential aged care facilities pertaining to pain management for residents living with dementia. Background: Sub-optimal pain management continues for people living with dementia in residential aged care. Registered Nurses are the pivotal staff responsible for complex assessment and management of people residing in residential aged care facilities. Design and methods: :This integrative literature review was informed by Whittemore (2005). Searching and screening followed the PRISMA guidelines. Results: Thirteen papers were identified, the major themes identified were gaps in knowledge and skills, uncertainty of assessment, and delays in treatment. Conclusion: Registered Nurses require education on pain management for people living with dementia in residential aged care. Broader issues in residential aged care contribute to the problem and require examination. Research pertaining to Registered Nurses' roles pain management for residents living with dementia is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates how to best compare algorithms for predicting chronic homelessness for the purpose of identifying good candidates for housing programs. Predictive methods can rapidly refer potentially chronic shelter users to housing but also sometimes incorrectly identify individuals who will not become chronic (false positives). We use shelter access histories to demonstrate that these false positives are often still good candidates for housing. Using this approach, we compare a simple threshold method for predicting chronic homelessness to the more complex logistic regression and neural network algorithms. While traditional binary classification performance metrics show that the machine learning algorithms perform better than the threshold technique, an examination of the shelter access histories of the cohorts identified by the three algorithms show that they select groups with very similar characteristics. This has important implications for resource constrained not-for-profit organizations since the threshold technique can be implemented using much simpler information technology infrastructure than the machine learning algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper highlights findings on cancer trends from the Canadian Cancer Statistics 2021 report. Trends were measured using annual percent change (APC) of age-standardized incidence rates. Overall, cancer incidence rates are declining (-1.1%) but the findings are specific to the type of cancer and patient sex. For example, in males, the largest decreases per year were for prostate (-4.4%), colorectal (-4.3%), lung (-3.8%), leukemia (-2.6%) and thyroid (-2.4%) cancers. In females, the largest decreases were for thyroid (-5.4%), colorectal (-3.4%) and ovarian (-3.1%) cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To develop and psychometrically test the triage decision‐making instrument, a tool to measure Emergency Department Registered Nurses decision‐making. Design: Five phases: (1) defining the concept, (2) item generation, (3) face validity, (4) content validity and (5) pilot testing. Methods: Concept definition informed by a grounded theory study from which four domains emerged. Items relevant to the four domains were generated and revised. Face validity was established using three focus groups. The target population upon which the reliability and validity of the triage decision‐making instrument was explored were triage registered nurses in emergency departments. Three expert judges assessed 89 items for content and domain designation using a 4‐point scale. Psychometric properties were assessed by exploratory factor analysis, following which the names of the four domains were modified. Results: The triage decision‐making instrument is a 22‐item tool with four factors: clinical judgement, managing acuity, professional collaboration and creating space. Focus group data indicated support for the domains. Expert review resulted in 46 items with 100% agreement and 13 with 66% agreement. Fifty‐nine items were distributed to a convenience sample of 204 triage nurses from six hospitals in 2019. The Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin measures indicated that the data were sufficient for exploratory factor analysis. Bartlett's test indicated patterned relationships among the items (X2 (231) = 1156.69). An eigenvalue of >1.0 was used and four factors explained 48.64% of the variance. All factor loadings were ≥0.40. Internal consistency was demonstrated by Cronbach's alphas of.596 factor 1,.690 factor 2,.749 factor 3 and.822 for factor 4. Conclusion: The triage decision‐making instrument meets the criteria for face validity, content validity and internal consistency. It is suitable for further testing and refinement. Impact: The instrument is a first step in quantifying triage decision‐making in real‐world clinical environments. The triage decision‐making instrument can be used for targeted triage interventions aimed at improving throughput and staff education. Statistical Support: Dr. Tak Fung who is a member of the research team is a statistician. Statistical Methods: Development, validation and assessment of instruments/scales. Descriptive statistics. Reporting Method: STROBE cross‐sectional checklist. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care: The TDI makes the complexity of triage decision‐making visible. Identifying the influence of decision‐making factors in addition to acuity that affect triage decisions will enable nurse managers and educators to develop targeted interventions and staff development initiatives. By extension, this will enhance patient care and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed police shootings in Canada (except Québec) between 2017 and 2019. Drawing upon media reports and information provided by police oversight agencies, we attempted to identify all incidents where on-duty police officers discharged their firearm with the intent to strike a person. Findings indicated that such incidents occurred an average of 58 times per year. Approximately 39% of police shootings were fatal, 48% were non-fatal, and 12% were non-injurious. Most occurred in public spaces and were initiated by civilian requests for police service, typically for crime-related reasons. We discuss our findings with respect to both research and practice. We also call for official, incident-level data regarding police shootings to address concerns that otherwise exist about these incidents among civilians, practitioners, researchers, and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has killed millions across the world in only two years. Government health restrictions aimed at preventing transmission have impacted typical mourning practices such as funeral gatherings and in-person grief support services. This research examines the potential impacts that the pandemic may have had on people's ability to grieve. We employed a mixed methods study design to ask those who have lost a loved one during this time to reflect on their mourning practices with an anonymous survey. Our results present themes of complicated grief, the uncertainty of who to blame for frustrations, and common needs requested by the bereaved to help them mourn during these unprecedented times. These findings may help inform grief support and bereavement services during current and future mass death and pandemic health concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In the face of the ongoing circulation of SARS‐CoV‐2, the durability of neutralization post–COVID‐19 vaccination in immune‐mediated inflammatory disease (IMID) is a key issue, as are the effects of medications. Methods: Adults (n = 112) with inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, spondylarthritis, and systemic lupus were recruited from participating Canadian medical centers from 2021 to 2023. We focused on log‐transformed neutralization (lentivirus methods) as a continuous outcome, with separate models for wild‐type and Omicron strains BA.1 and BA.5. Results: Compared with 30 to 120 days postvaccination, subsequent periods were associated with greater neutralization in unadjusted models for wild‐type, BA.1, and BA.5 strains and against the BA.1 strain in adjusted models. Rituximab was associated with lower neutralization for the BA.1 strain in adjusted models, with a similar trend for BA.5. In methotrexate users, there were trends for less neutralization of BA.1 and BA.5 in all unadjusted models, whereas in adjusted models, there was significantly lower neutralization only for the wild type. Three or more doses and Omicron‐specific vaccines were both independently associated with better neutralization ability for all three strains. A COVID‐19 infection within six months before sampling was associated with higher neutralization of wild type and BA.1 in adjusted analyses. Anti–tumor necrosis factor agents were associated with lower neutralization ability for BA.5 in adjusted analyses. Conclusion: Neutralization responses in immunosuppressed individuals with IMID were durable over time and were augmented by more than three doses and Omicron‐specific vaccines. Less neutralization was seen with certain medications. Our work clarifies the joint effects of vaccine history, infection, and medications on COVID‐19 immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nursing educators play a critical role in training future nurses, and high turnover can disrupt the training quality and process. This study identified the institutional and personal factors influencing Canadian nursing educators' job satisfaction and turnover intention. Methods: This cross-sectional study used an online survey to obtain the levels of job satisfaction, turnover intention, role description, and institutional and personal/demographic characteristics of nursing faculty across Canadian institutions. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square, bivariate linear regression, and hierarchical linear regression. Results: A total of 645 participants, with a mean ± SD age of 48.82 ± 10.11 years, returned a completed questionnaire. The average/maximum job satisfaction and turnover intention scores were 12.59/20 ± 3.96 and 6.50/15 ± 3.05, respectively. Higher job satisfaction was significantly associated with lower turnover intention (β=-0.559, p < 0.001). The multivariate analysis showed that having a partner or being married (β = 0.086, p = 0.031), working ≤ 40 h weekly (β=-0.235, p < 0.001), teaching ≤ 4 courses annually (β=-0.115, p = 0.007), and having higher than bachelor's degree qualification (β=-0.091, p = 0.042) predicted high job satisfaction, while high turnover intention was associated with faculty in the Prairie region (β = 0.135, p = 0.006) and working ≥ 41 h weekly (β = 0.151, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Having a partner, manageable workload, and advanced qualifications positively influenced job satisfaction, while high turnover intention was associated with high workloads. Institutions may benefit from ensuring proportionate faculty workloads, fostering career advancement, and providing robust support systems that can stabilise the workforce and preserve the quality of nursing education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality experiences in sport programming for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can promote physical and psychosocial benefits and long-term quality participation (QP). Unfortunately, children with ASD often experience sport participation barriers and, consequently, participate less in sport compared with children without disabilities. This study investigated QP priorities and strategies that could foster QP for children with ASD. Caregivers (n = 13), volunteers (n = 26), and staff (n = 14) involved in sport programming for children with ASD rated experiential elements of QP using the Measure of Experiential Aspects of Participation. In addition , a two-round Delphi survey with staff (Round 1: n = 11; Round 2: n = 13) generated 22 strategies for promoting QP—each rated highly with regard to importance (5.69–6.85 on a 7-point scale). Strategies were substantiated with published research evidence. Findings informed the development of a QP tool designed to help instructors implement identified strategies in hopes of improving sport experiences for children with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We initially reported on the cost-effectiveness of a 6-month randomized controlled implementation trial which evaluated Health TAPESTRY, a primary care program for older adults, at the McMaster Family Health Team (FHT) site and 5 other FHT sites in Ontario, Canada. While there were no statistically significant between-group differences in outcomes at month 6 post randomization, positive outcomes were observed at the McMaster FHT site, which recruited 40% (204/512) of the participants. The objective of this post-hoc study was to determine the cost-effectiveness of Health TAPESTRY based on data from the McMaster FHT site. Methods: Costs included the cost to implement Health TAPESTRY at McMaster as well as healthcare resource consumed, which were costed using publicly available sources. Health-related-quality-of-life was evaluated with the EQ-5L-5L at baseline and at month 6 post randomization. Quality-adjusted-life-years (QALYs) were calculated under an-area-under the curve approach. Unadjusted and adjusted regression analyses (two independent regression analyses on costs and QALYs, seemingly unrelated regression [SUR], net benefit regression) as well as difference-in-difference and propensity score matching (PSM) methods, were used to deal with the non-randomized nature of the trial. Sampling uncertainty inherent to the trial data was estimated using non-parametric bootstrapping. The return on investment (ROI) associated with Health TAPESTRY was calculated. All costs were reported in 2021 Canadian dollars. Results: With an intervention cost of $293/patient, Health TAPESTRY was the preferred strategy in the unadjusted and adjusted analyses. The results of our bootstrap analyses indicated that Health TAPESTRY was cost-effective compared to usual care at commonly accepted WTP thresholds. For example, if decision makers were willing to pay $50,000 per QALY gained, the probability of Health TAPESTRY to be cost effective compared to usual care varied from 0.72 (unadjusted analysis) to 0.96 (SUR) when using a WTP of $50,000/QALY gained. The DID and ROI analyses indicated that Health Tapestry generated a positive ROI. Conclusion: Health TAPESTRY was the preferred strategy when implemented at the McMaster FHT. We caution care in interpreting the results because of the post-hoc nature of the analyses and limited sample size based on one site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Physical activity (PA) and exercise (EX) participation rates have not been increasing among older adults, with many not meeting recommended guidelines. This qualitative descriptive study examined factors influencing engagement in PA within and outside an older adult fitness club context, using self-determination theory (SDT). Methods: Thirty-seven community-dwelling adults 65 years and older participated in focus groups or telephone interviews. Two researchers independently coded and analyzed transcript data inductively and deductively using SDT. Results: Two broad themes, The Spectrum of Motivating Factors and Facilitators and Barriers, and nine sub-themes, Physical Activity and Exercise Brings Me Joy; Meaningful Personal Impetuses; I Get Active with a Little Help from my Spouse and Others; I See Changes and Improvements (Theme 1); I Can Do This; Connections and Sense of Belonging; I Cannot Do This; Setting, Environment, and People Supports; and Pragmatics (Theme 2), emerged from the data. All participants discussed several motivating factors: enjoyment, managing health conditions, being held 'to account' by others, opportunities for socialization, and seeing improvements in health and well-being. A lack of supportive environments, knowledgeable staff and suitable settings and programs were cited as barriers by participants who were not older adult fitness club members. Discussion: Factors along the extrinsic to intrinsic regulation continuum facilitated or hindered community-dwelling older adults to engage in and sustain PA within and outside an older adult fitness club context. The findings underscore the need for programs, settings, environments, and related components to be expressly older-adult-tailored to enhance motivation through competence, autonomy, and relatedness support for maximal engagement and participation in PA or EX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is considered a lifelong disability that has been framed with neurobiological descriptions focused on the brain. These are important features but fail to tell the story of living with FASD. By surveying those with FASD, this work expanded upon prior survey work which illustrated a multitude of early-onset physiological issues occurring at rates much higher than is typical of the general population. The current project, again using an anonymous survey methodology, sought to open up other direct experiences to better understand the complexity of living with FASD. An anonymous online survey was used to gather data on adversity in childhood, schooling, employment, housing and finances, and involvement with the criminal justice system, as well as relationships and parenting. Results indicate high levels of adversity throughout the life span; vulnerability to manipulation, which is connected to involvement in the criminal justice system; struggles with housing; economic instability; and struggles maintaining employment, as well as difficulties with social and familial relationships. Systemic stigma was also identified. Suggestions are offered to inform others on how support can be enhanced and targeted with a goal of improving quality of life, as well as dealing with self-imposed stigma. The survey was developed by adults living with FASD who have served as a long-standing advocacy and educational group influencing policy and practice in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, the community transition process away from institutions has increased in the past 30–50 years among persons with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities. This process, also known as "deinstitutionalization", could potentially impact problem behaviors and communication. This study examined the impacts of community transitions on behavioural and communication outcomes in Canadians with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Data were collected using the Comprehensive Health Assessment Program and medical chart reviews. Descriptive, aggregate-level, and individual-level analyses were conducted for 32 adults who transitioned to community living. Descriptive analyses and the McNemar Chi-Square Test were conducted. Following community transitions, the study group experienced a significant decrease in problem behaviours and changes in communication. The study findings suggest that deinstitutionalization could provide effective strategies for addressing problem behaviors and fostering improvements in communication, promoting the well-being and quality of life of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Shared reading provides preschool-age children with the opportunity to learn novel, low-frequency words. Abundant empirical evidence demonstrates that children can learn the meanings of such words during shared reading, referred to as “semantic learning.” However, less is known about whether children learn the spellings of words during shared reading, referred to as “orthographic learning,” and whether this learning is related to early word reading. The present study tested relations between individual differences in 4- to 6-year-old children’s semantic and, critically, orthographic learning during shared reading and their early word reading skill. Method: In an adaptation of the self-teaching paradigm, children listened to a storybook about novel inventions referred to with nonword names. Children then completed orthographic and semantic choice tests, as well as standardized measures of early word reading and phonological awareness. Results: Individual differences in orthographic, but not semantic, learning during shared reading were related to early word reading, after controls for age and phonological awareness. Conclusions: This study provides a novel test of learning during shared reading, helping to specify the relation between orthographic and semantic learning and early word reading skill. These findings hold implications for theoretical perspectives on relations between learning during shared reading and early word reading, as well as implications for educational practice [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory study aimed to evaluate the preferences, expectations, and sense of safety of blind or visually impaired persons regarding three types of pedestrian phasing with audible pedestrian signals configurations that exist in Quebec City (Canada). These include: 1) exclusive phasing with non-directional audible pedestrian signals; 2) exclusive phasing with directional audible pedestrian signals; and 3) concurrent phasing with directional audible pedestrian signals. Thirty-two blind or visually impaired persons were asked to complete a survey. Their preferences and expectations regarding audible pedestrian signals were documented through a series of simulations. Their sense of safety regarding the three existing configurations were also documented. Subsequently, semi-directed, individual interviews with 11 of the individuals who had completed the survey were conducted to build off the collected information. No formal consensus regarding many of the issues discussed were established as participants' responses varied too significantly. However, findings suggest that the exclusive phasing with directional audible pedestrian signals configuration is perceived to be the safest option by the participants. This study may have practical implications on the design of intersections (e.g., selection of a type of pedestrian phasing with audible pedestrian signal) and the training of blind or visually impaired pedestrians. The addition of audible pedestrian signals to pedestrian signals heightens the sense of safety of blind or visually impaired persons. This study may have practical implications on the design of intersections with audible pedestrian signals and the selection of a type of audible pedestrian signals based on intersection characteristics. Since many participants reported a lower sense of safety when faced with concurrent phasing, it is recommended that more intensive orientation and mobility interventions be provided to blind or visually impaired pedestrians who use this type of traffic signals. Educating road users about blind or visually impaired pedestrians appears also essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the role of speech production on learning have found a memory benefit from production labeled the "Production Effect." While research with adults has generally shown a robust memory advantage for produced words, children show more mixed results, and the advantage is affected by age, cognitive, and linguistic factors. With adults, the Production Effect is not restricted to the immediate context but is also found after a delay. So far, no studies have investigated the effect of delayed recall on the Production Effect with children. Children aged 5 and 6 years old (n = 60) participated in two sessions. Children were trained on familiar words and images, which were heard (Listen) or produced aloud (Say). Children then performed a free recall task. One week later, children repeated the recall task and an additional recognition task. At immediate testing, there was a recency effect on words recalled from the different training conditions and a recall advantage for words produced over words heard; however, this no longer held after a 1-week delay in either the recall or recognition task. Exploratory analysis showed that vocabulary did not predict the Production Effect. Findings indicate that unlike adults, the Production Effect is not as robust in children after a delay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Post-COVID-19 Condition (PCC), as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), currently lacks any regulatory-approved treatments and is characterized by persistent and debilitating cognitive impairment and mood symptoms. Additionally, metabolic dysfunction, chronic inflammation and the associated risks of elevated body mass index (BMI) have been reported. In this study, we aim to investigate the efficacy of vortioxetine in improving cognitive deficits in individuals with PCC, accounting for the interaction of metabolic dysfunction, elevated inflammation and BMI. Methods: This is a post-hoc analysis of an 8-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that was conducted among adults aged 18 years and older living in Canada who were experiencing WHO-defined PCC symptoms. The recruitment of participants began in November 2021 and concluded in January 2023. A total of 200 individuals were enrolled, where 147 were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive either vortioxetine (5–20 mg, n = 73) or placebo (n = 74) for daily treatment under double-blind conditions. The primary outcome measure was the change in the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) score from baseline to endpoint. Results: Our findings showed significant effects for time (χ2 = 7.771, p = 0.005), treatment (χ2 = 7.583, p = 0.006) and the treatment x time x CRP x TG-HDL x BMI interaction (χ2 = 11.967, p = 0.018) on cognitive function. Moreover, the between-group analysis showed a significant improvement with vortioxetine at endpoint (mean difference = 0.621, SEM = 0.313, p = 0.047). Conclusion: Overall, vortioxetine demonstrated significant improvements in cognitive deficits among individuals with baseline markers of metabolic dysfunction, elevated inflammation and higher BMI at endpoint as compared to placebo. Trial Registration: NCT05047952 (ClinicalTrials.gov; Registration Date: September 17, 2021). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Naturopathic medicine uses natural and evidence-based treatments to promote health. The objective of this study was to characterize and evaluate the effectiveness of naturopathic medicine in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients seeking care from the Mental Health Shift at a Canadian naturopathic teaching clinic. Methods: Charts of 192 consecutive patients who attended appointments between 1 January 2019 and 6 March 2020 were reviewed. Subjects were included if they screened positive on the General Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD7) or the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ9) and attended follow up at least 4 weeks after initial treatment. Results: Of the 22 included subjects, a clinically significant decrease of at least 5 points occurred in 76% of individuals with elevated baseline PHQ9 scores and 59% of individuals with elevated GAD7 scores. Mean PHQ9 and GAD7 scores decreased 7.5 (p<0.0001) and 4.6 (p<0.008) points, respectively. Mild adverse events were reported in 9 charts (41%). No serious adverse events were reported. Most subjects were also in the care of a medical doctor and counsellor. Conclusion: Naturopathic medicine as performed on the Mental Health Shift may be effective in reducing depression and anxiety symptoms as an adjunctive treatment. Further research incorporating comparison groups is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increased restrictions on physical distancing due to the COVID‐19 pandemic, remote proctoring has emerged as an alternative to traditional onsite proctoring to ensure the continuity of essential assessments, such as computer‐based medical licensing exams. Recent literature has highlighted the significant impact of different proctoring modalities on examinees' test experience, including factors like response‐time data. However, the potential influence of these differences on test performance has remained unclear. One limitation in the current literature is the lack of a rigorous learning analytics framework to evaluate the comparability of computer‐based exams delivered using various proctoring settings. To address this gap, the current study aims to introduce a machine‐learning‐based framework that analyzes computer‐generated response‐time data to investigate the association between proctoring modalities in high‐stakes assessments. We demonstrated the effectiveness of this framework using empirical data collected from a large‐scale high‐stakes medical licensing exam conducted in Canada. By applying the machine‐learning‐based framework, we were able to extract examinee‐specific response‐time data for each proctoring modality and identify distinct time‐use patterns among examinees based on their proctoring modality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Canadian new immigrant families (also known as newcomers) encounter challenges navigating systems when trying to access programmes critical for their children's healthy development. The purpose of this study is to understand how newcomer families find and use early childhood programmes and services from the perspective of families and early childhood educators (ECEs) working within a settlement organization. Methods: Using photovoice methodology, newcomer family members (n = 8) with young children and ECEs (n = 6) participated in a series of virtual workshops to share photos and reflect on their experiences. Results: Participants discussed the systemic barriers that obstructed newcomer families' access to services for young newcomer children. Financial challenges due to unemployment/ underemployment, language and cultural differences were emphasized. Despite these barriers and challenges, participants shared how culturally responsive programmes enhanced their connections to programmes and services. Both groups of participants discussed the critical role of social networks in supporting newcomers to use programmes by helping families become aware of available services and assistance with various processes such as registration. Conclusions: This research illustrates the lived experiences of newcomer families and identifies opportunities to address inequities, improve early childhood programmes, and enhance families' access to programmes and services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The associations between vaping in young people and alcohol and cannabis co-use remain understudied. The current study examined the effect of vaping frequency on past 30-day alcohol and cannabis use. Using an online survey, regular vapers (N¼1328, aged 16--24) from Canada responded to a demographic and vaping questionnaire and provided information regarding e-cigarette use and alcohol and cannabis co-use. A k-means cluster analysis was used to segment users based on vaping frequency, and a one-way MANOVA tested vaper cluster membership effects on past 30-day alcohol and cannabis use. Pairwise comparisons measured specific mean differences, and crosstabulation with Bonferroni tests examined demographic differences among clusters. Vaper cluster membership had a significant effect on past 30-day alcohol and cannabis use. Daily heavy and binge vapers had higher rates of past 30-day alcohol and cannabis use. Non-daily light vapers were less likely to share their vape and more likely to have never owned a vape. Non-daily light vapers were less likely to use high nicotine concentrations. High vaping frequency places its users at risk for higher alcohol and cannabis use and high-risk vaping behavior. Nicotine caps, among other policies, may be key in reducing high vaping frequency and its negative consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Engagement in scholarly practice has been associated with professional empowerment, role satisfaction and improvements in care delivery and patient outcomes across many healthcare professions. However, in evolving professions like respiratory therapy, scholarly practice is excluded from competency frameworks, resulting in a gap in education and subsequent application of this competency in practice. An exploration of scholarly practice in respiratory therapy may provide insights into evolving professions that face tensions between meeting competency requirements as outlined in frameworks and providing quality healthcare to the populations they serve. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to explore what scholarly practice means, and how it manifests in practice from respiratory therapists' (RTs) perspectives. Methods: We used interpretive description methodology. We purposively sampled participants to obtain varied perspectives of scholarly practice in respiratory therapy. We conducted 26 semistructured interviews with RTs in different roles (clinicians, educators, researchers, leaders and managers) across Canada and analysed the data using inductive analysis. Data collection and analysis proceeded concurrently. Results: We developed five main themes: (i) the identity of a scholarly practitioner in RTs; (ii) factors influencing scholarly practice; (iii) one's impression of their professional self‐image; (iv) scholarly practice as a vehicle for changing practice and (v) the complex interconnections between knowledges and practices. Conclusion: Scholarly practice appears to be a multifaceted phenomenon encompassing a wide range of activities and skills including conducting research, reflective practice, application of research to practice, and contributing to the advancement of the profession and healthcare. Scholarly practice is influenced by organisational context and culture, available resources, intrinsic motivation and external political context. We identified similarities between professional identity and the description of the scholarly practitioner, suggesting that these two phenomena may be interconnected. Furthermore, participants believed that scholarly practice could enhance the image, credibility, legitimacy and professionalisation of the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Twitter has become a powerful tool for professional development in academia. However, studies from the general population suggest that racialized and gender biases disproportionately empower male and white users. We characterized the demographics of Twitter influencers in Canadian healthcare. Methods: We used the Right Relevance Insight API algorithm to identify Twitter influencers in the healthcare, healthcare research, and health policy domains, and to generated normalized influencer scores based on user connections and engagement. We used facial recognition software to approximate the influencers' race and sex. Results: The majority of influencers identified were white (84%) and/or male (60%). Males had significantly higher influencer scores than females (65.1 ± 8.0 vs. 61.2 ± 6.2, P < 0.05) in health policy. We did not identify any sex- or race-associated disparities among influencers in healthcare or healthcare research. Conclusion: Male users have significantly higher levels of influence in health policy on Twitter. Given the importance of Twitter as a tool for professional development, it is crucial that institutional leaders and policymakers are aware of potential inequities in user reach. Future studies should evaluate additional factors shaping user influence in healthcare on Twitter, with a focus on equity, diversity, and trustworthiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Very few studies have properly identified how peer victimization is associated with lower achievement in middle or high school. In this context, this study examined how peer victimization at the beginning of middle school is linked with subsequent student achievement. Specifically, it assessed if the behavioral, affective, and cognitive dimensions of engagement in school play a mediation role in the relationship between peer victimization and student achievement. METHODS: The sample of this study included 683 seventh graders attending 3 schools in Montreal, Canada. Students self‐reported peer victimization at the beginning and end of grade 7. They also reported their levels of student engagement on the 3 dimensions (behavioral, affective, and cognitive) across 3 time points in seventh and eighth grades. Student achievement in language arts across these 2 years was also obtained through school records. RESULTS: Peer victimization significantly predicted lower achievement over time (b = −.24, p ≤.001). Peer victimization predicted lower achievement in grade 8 indirectly through affective student engagement (b = −.11, p <.05). Post hoc analyses showed that peer victimization still predicted lower achievement in grade 8 indirectly through a decrease in affective engagement (b = −.14, p <.05). However, when considered alone, a decrease in cognitive engagement also acted as a mediator (b = −.09, p <.05), suggesting a strong link with affective engagement. CONCLUSION: Our findings expose the importance to promote student engagement in school and achievement for victimized youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Research approaches used to understand Indigenous people in Canada have predominately used Western approaches and have not reflected Indigenous ways of knowing, protocols, or worldviews. The landscape of research involving Indigenous people is changing with a growing number of Indigenous scholars reclaiming and revitalizing Indigenous knowledge. Two-Eyed Seeing provides a framework whereby conscious and deliberate conversations and research approaches are determined prior to and throughout the research process by the research team to guide a balance of each knowledge. However, Two-Eyed Seeing approaches or methods used during data analysis within the literature remains sparse necessitating this integrative review. Purpose: To review the literature where Two-Eyed Seeing has been applied and to identify the approaches or methods used during data analysis and discuss the implications for research with Indigenous communities worldwide. Methods: The five-stage approach outlined by Whittemore and Knafl (2005) was used to guide this integrative review. Results: A total of 321 articles were reviewed from four databases, yielding 32 articles. Conclusions: This integrative review is novel in that it is the first review known to specifically explore the use and application of a Two-Eyed Seeing framework during data analysis. Five main themes are presented including (1) Indigenous community member involvement with analysis, (2) Co-Learning during data analysis, (3) Visual or symbolic conceptualizations to guide analysis, (4) Statement acknowledging Indigenous knowledge during data analysis, and (5) Sharing of Traditional stories to guide data analysis. Additionally, five Two-Eyed Seeing approaches less commonly used during data analysis are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study modelled the factor structure and tested for measurement invariance between youth and parent reports on the 12-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0; estimated agreement between informants; and, examined moderators of youth-parent discrepancies. Data come from the baseline wave of the Multimorbidity in Youth across the Life-course study (n = 117). Multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis was used to test for measurement invariance and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests compared informant scores. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman limits of agreement plots were used to examine the youth-parent agreement. The WHODAS 2.0 demonstrated measurement invariance [χ2 = 221.8(136), p < 0.01; RMSEA = 0.073 (0.055, 0.091); CFI = 0.962; and, SRMR = 0.078]. Youth typically reported more disability compared to parent proxies, with the exception of item Q5 (emotional). The agreement was low (ICC = 0.08–0.53). Youth sex moderated informant agreement such that more consistent agreement was seen for female youth (β = 0.54, p <.01) compared to male youth (β = 0.11, p =.29). Youth and their parents interpret the construct of disability, as measured by the 12-item WHODAS 2.0, similarly. Thus, informant differences represent real differences that are not a consequence of error. Low parent-youth agreement reinforces the need for collecting multiple perspectives in the pediatric setting, especially for male youth. The WHODAS 2.0 is one of the most widely used measures of disability and functioning. Measurement invariance of the WHODAS 2.0 suggests that youth and parents interpret the construct of disability similarly. Parent-youth agreement was low and youth typically report more disability compared to parent proxies. More consistent agreement with parents was found for female youth compared to male youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Epidemics impact individuals unevenly across race, gender, and sexuality. In addition to being more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection, evidence suggests racialized gender and sexual minorities experienced disproportionate levels of discrimination and stigma during the COVID-19 epidemic. Drawing on Critical Race Theory (CRT), we examined the experiences of gay, bisexual, queer, and other men who have sex with men (GBQM) of colour facing discrimination during COVID-19. Design: Engage-COVID-19 is a mixed methods study examining the impact of COVID-19 on GBQM living in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montréal, Canada. We conducted two rounds of qualitative interviews (November 2020 to February 2021, and June to October 2021) with 93 GBQM to explore the evolving impact of COVID-19 on their lives. Transcripts were coded using inductive thematic analysis. Data analysis was conducted using Nvivo software. Results: Fifty-nine participants identified as Black, Indigenous, and/or a Person of Colour (BIPOC). These GBQM of colour described multiple experiences of discrimination during COVID-19. Although participants did not report experiences of discrimination based on their sexual identity during COVID-19, we found that experiences of racism affected how they were treated within their sexual networks. Experiences of racism were most often reported by East Asian and Black GBQM. These participants faced racism in public and online spaces, primarily in the form of verbal harassment. Several participants were also harassed because they wore face masks. Verbal abuse against GBQM of colour was largely prompted by racist discourses related to COVID-19. Conclusion: Racism remains a pernicious threat to the well-being of GBQM of colour. CRT highlights the importance of assessing how sexualized and gendered discourses about race shape the experiences of GBQM of colour navigating multiple epidemics like COVID-19 and HIV. These pervasive discourses unevenly affect racial and sexual minorities across multiple epidemics, and negatively impact health outcomes for these populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to examine the impact of maternal hypothyroidism on placental pathology and perinatal outcomes in singleton live births resulting from IVF, using medical records of IVF births between 2009 and 2017 at a tertiary hospital. The primary outcomes included anatomical, inflammation, vascular malperfusion, and villous maturation placental features. Secondary outcomes included foetal, maternal, perinatal, and delivery complications. There were 1,057 live births, of which 103 (9.7%) and 954 (90.3%) were in the study and control groups, respectively. Patients in the study group were more likely to have diabetes mellitus, polycystic ovarian syndrome, gestational diabetes mellitus, and non-reassuring foetal heart rate (NRFHR) tracing during delivery. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, hypothyroidism was significantly associated with the bilobed placenta (aOR 4.1; 95% CI 1.2–14.3), retroplacental haematoma (aOR 2.4; 95% CI 1.2–4.9), decidual arteriopathy (aOR 2.0; 95% CI 1.2–4.1) and subchorionic thrombi (aOR 2.4; 95% CI 1.3–5.0). Additionally, there was a statistically significant relationship with NRFHR tracing. The incidence of acute chorioamnionitis and severe foetal inflammatory response was higher in the study group. In conclusion, the placental histopathology patterns of singleton IVF live births show that maternal hypothyroidism has a significant impact on adverse perinatal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been ongoing national discourse about barriers to mental health care services in Canada. The purpose of the study is to better understand these barriers, with a focus on Canadians of color. To that end, this study surveyed 1501 adults representative of the general population, collected by the Angus Reid Institute. Over half of the respondents had sought out mental health care and experienced barriers to access. People of color (visible minorities and Indigenous people) had more difficulty accessing care, as did younger adults and those with lower incomes. The most common difficulties were largely structural: long waitlists (62%), financial barriers (58%), lack of resources/professionals in the area (47%), difficulty finding specialists (41%), and difficulty accessing in-person care during the pandemic (34%). Many noted negative experiences with mental health professionals (35%). More English-speaking than French-speaking Canadians reported barriers to care overall. Race/ethnicity was related to difficulties when trying to access mental health care, as many could not find someone of the same group (25% of Black respondents), someone who spoke their preferred language (22% of South Asian respondents), or they had prior negative experiences (50% of Indigenous respondents). We discuss the implications of these findings, including the critical need to increase the supply and diversity of mental health providers across Canada. This study is one of the first to provide quantitative data on the perceived barriers faced by Canadians in accessing mental health care while exploring the role of language, race, and ethnicity as variables that may influence access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to a lack of high-latitude ground-based and satellite-based data from traditional passive- and active-based measurements, the impact of aerosol particles on the Arctic region is one of the least understood factors contributing to recent Arctic sea ice changes. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of using the ultraviolet (UV) aerosol index (AI) parameter from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), a semi-quantitative aerosol parameter, for quantifying spatiotemporal changes in UV-absorbing aerosols over the Arctic region. We found that OMI AI data are affected by an additional row anomaly that is unflagged by the OMI quality control flag and are systematically biased as functions of observing conditions, such as azimuth angle, and certain surface types over the Arctic region, resulting in an anomalous "ring" of climatologically high AI centered at about 70 ∘ N, surrounding an area of low AI over the pole. Two methods were developed in this study for quality-assuring the Arctic AI data. Using quality-controlled OMI AI data from 2005 through 2020, we found decreases in UV-absorbing aerosols in the spring months (April and May) over much of the Arctic region and increases in UV-absorbing aerosols in the summer months (June, July, and August) over northern Russia and northern Canada. Additionally, we found significant increases in the frequency and size of UV-absorbing aerosol events across the Arctic and high-Arctic (north of 80 ∘ N) regions for the latter half of the study period (2014–2020), driven primarily by a significant increase in boreal biomass-burning plume coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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BACKGROUND: Toxic metals, such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg), may be associated with a higher risk of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia, whereas manganese (Mn) is an essential metal that may be protective. OBJECTIVES: We estimated the individual, independent, and joint associations of Pb, Cd, As, Hg, and Mn on the risk of developing gestational hypertension and preeclampsia in a cohort of Canadian women. METHODS: Metal concentrations were analyzed in first and third trimester maternal blood (푛=1,560). We measured blood pressure after 20 wk gestation to diagnose gestational hypertension, whereas proteinuria and other complications defined preeclampsia. We estimated individual and independent (adjusted for coexposure) relative risks (RRs) for each doubling of metal concentrations and examined interactions between toxic metals and Mn. We used quantile g-computation to estimate the joint effect of trimester-specific exposures. RESULTS: Each doubling of third trimester Pb (RR = 1.54; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.22) and first trimester blood As (RR = 1.25; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.58) was independently associated with a higher risk of developing preeclampsia. First trimester blood As (RR = 3.40; 95% CI: 1.40, 8.28) and Mn (RR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.42, 0.94) concentrations were associated with a higher and lower risk, respectively, of developing gestational hypertension. Mn modified the association with As such that the deleterious association with As was stronger at lower concentrations of Mn. First trimester urinary dimethylarsinic acid concentrations were not associated with gestational hypertension (RR = 1.31; 95% CI: 0.60, 2.85) or preeclampsia (RR = 0.92; 95% CI: 0.68, 1.24). We did not observe overall joint effects for blood metals. DISCUSSION: Our results confirm that even low blood Pb concentrations are a risk factor for preeclampsia. Women with higher blood As concentrations combined with lower Mn in early pregnancy were more likely to develop gestational hypertension. These pregnancy complications impact maternal and neonatal health. Understanding the contribution of toxic metals and Mn is of public health importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Consideration of sex‐ and gender‐related factors is critical for understanding and supporting health and wellbeing. Although both sex and gender influence people with developmental disabilities, there is relatively little research on these factors and their influences among individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a complex neurodevelopmental disability impacting an estimated 4%–5% of the population. Understanding sex‐ and gender‐related differences in FASD is needed to facilitate evidence‐informed assessment, treatment planning, and advocacy. To begin unpacking these factors, we investigated sex‐based differences in clinical presentation and experiences among individuals assessed for FASD across the lifespan. Methods: We analyzed 2574 clinical records from 29 FASD diagnostic centers in Canada. Participants ranged in age from 1 to 61 years (mean 15.2 years), and more than half (58.3%) were male at birth. Study variables included participant demographics, physical indicators of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), neurodevelopmental impairment, FASD diagnosis, co‐occurring physical and mental health diagnoses, and environmental adversity. Results: There were no significant differences between males and females with respect to FASD diagnostic outcome or physical indicators of PAE. However, males experienced significantly more neurodevelopmental impairment. Females experienced higher rates of endocrine problems, anxiety, and depressive/mood disorders, whereas males had higher rates of attention deficit‐hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder. Adversity also differed by sex, with females experiencing higher rates of trauma and legal problems with victimization/custody, and males having more difficulties with school and offending/incarceration. Sex‐based differences were most apparent in adolescents (13–17 years) and adults (≥25 years). Conclusions: Individuals with PAE/FASD experience notable sex‐related differences in clinical presentation and experiences across the lifespan. Findings from this study should help to guide researchers, service providers, and policy makers to improve FASD screening, diagnosis, and intervention and better address the needs of individuals with PAE/FASD of all genders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Objectives This exploratory study assessed the impact of sex and hormonal contraceptives (HC) use on the homeostatic and diurnal variation of alertness, fatigue, sleepiness, psychomotor performance, and sleep behavior in police officers working rotating shifts. Methods A total of 56 men and 20 women (6 using, 11 not using, and 3 with unknown use of HC) participated in an observational study throughout a month-long work cycle. Participants wore an actigraph, filled out a sleep and work log, answered questionnaires (Samn-Perelli, KSS, Visual Analogue Scales), and completed 5-min Psychomotor Vigilance Tasks (PVT) according to an ecological momentary assessment approach. Linear mixed-effects models were used to analyze the effects of group (men, women, and HC use), time awake, and time of day on the dependent variables. Results Self-reported parameters and performance significantly varied with time awake and time of day. Women were more fatigued and sleepier than men, when considering both time awake and time of day. Compared to men, women using HC were more fatigued, less alert, and sleepier. Women had less attention lapses than men after 7 and 17 h awake, although no main effect of HC was detected. Conclusions Women tended to rate themselves as more fatigued than men, especially when using HC. Surprisingly, psychomotor performances of women were sometimes better than those of men. This exploratory study indicates that sex and HC are important factors to consider in occupational medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study explored men's (N = 1,298) reports of sexual behaviors, hypersexuality, pornography use, pornography avoidance self-efficacy, and sensation seeking with respect to men's sexual orientation (heterosexual = 68.5%, gay = 11.2%, bisexual = 16.0%, and uncertain = 4.3%). Results revealed that heterosexual men reported less frequent pornography viewing and higher pornography avoidance self-efficacy than gay, bisexual, and uncertain men. Heterosexual men reported lower hypersexuality than bisexual and uncertain men. Differences in sensation seeking behaviors by sexual orientation did not reach significance. Future research should examine factors contributing to hypersexual behaviors, sensation seeking, and pornography using behaviors and avoidance self-efficacy among men identifying with different sexual orientations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to compare head impact magnitudes and time between impacts among positions in Canadian high-school football. Thirty nine players from two high-school football teams were recruited and assigned a position profile: Profile 1 (quarterback, receiver, defensive back, kicker), Profile 2 (linebacker, running back), and Profile 3 (linemen). Players wore instrumented mouthguards to measure peak magnitudes of linear and angular acceleration and velocity for each head impact throughout the season. A principal component analysis reduced the dimensionality of biomechanical variables, resulting in one principal component (PC1) score assigned to every impact. Time between impacts was calculated by subtracting the timestamps of subsequent head impacts within a session. Significant differences in PC1 scores and time between impacts occurred between playing position profiles (ps<0.001). Post-hoc comparisons determined that PC1 was greatest in Profile 2, followed by Profiles 1 and 3. Time between impacts was lowest in Profile 3, followed by Profiles 2 and 1. This study delivers a new method of reducing the multidimensionality of head impact magnitudes and suggests different Canadian high-school football playing positions experience different head impact magnitudes and frequencies, which is important for monitoring concussion and repetitive head impact exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding users' individual differences may provide clues to help identify computer users who are prone to act insecurely. We examine factors that impact home users' reported computer security behaviour. We conducted two online surveys with a total of 650 participants to investigate the relationship between self-reported security behaviour and users' knowledge, motivation, confidence, risk propensity and sex-typed characteristics. We found that all of these factors impacted security behaviour, with knowledge as the most important predictor. We further show that a user's affinity to feminine or masculine characteristics is a better determinant of security behaviour than using binary male/female descriptors. Our study enabled us to confirm earlier results in the literature in a non-organisational setting, and to extend the literature by studying additional factors and by comparing the relative importance of each factor as a predictor of security behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examined self-reported physical activity (PA) participation, well-being, and perceived needs of Canadians with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we assessed physical and mental health and the extent to which pre-identified needs were being met or unmet. Methods: Two iterations of the COVID-19 Disability Survey were conducted during two pandemic timeframes: June–December 2020 (iteration 1, n = 599) and December 2020–September 2021 (iteration 2, n = 528). PA participation was assessed with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Physical and mental health were assessed with the PROMIS Global-10 questionnaire. A needs assessment was conducted on 11 needs pre-identified in partnership with community organizations. Results: Approximately 50% of respondents to both iterations reported that they did not do any moderate-vigorous intensity PA. While physical health was not different between timeframes, mental health was worse during iteration 2 than iteration 1 (p = 0.028). During both timeframes, access to recreation and leisure facilities was the greatest unmet need. Conclusion: These data highlight the low levels of PA and the perceived changes in PA, mental health, and recreational needs of Canadians with disabilities during the pandemic. The findings of the Survey were used to support policy change to remove barriers to PA participation for people with disabilities in Ontario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]