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The article presents a discussion about the process of transfer of government laboratories to universities in Canada. The move is part of the country's science and technology (S&T) strategy. The universities saw the possible transfer of government laboratories mainly as a research opportunity. Five federal laboratories candidate for the transfer include the Wastewater Technology Centre and the Geosciences Laboratories.

This paper explores the integration of STEM activities in teaching and learning, emphasizing the importance of innovative pedagogical approaches in effectively introducing theoretical concepts, such as variables and functions, and merging them with practical applications. Drawing on existing literature, this study investigates the integration of STEM activities with real-world applications to enhance mathematics learning, highlighting intrinsic motivation, self-efficacy beliefs, and goal orientation as key factors in fostering student engagement. This case study explores the integration of a STEM activity to introduce students to variables and functions through a pendulum experiment. The aim is to demonstrate the impact of this approach on students' understanding of abstract mathematical concepts, as well as their problem-solving skills. By combining cognitive and social constructivism with technological modes (virtual labs), the study showcases the transformative potential of innovative techniques in STEM education. The outcomes of the study highlight, to some extent, the positive effects of STEM activities on students' engagement, motivation, understanding of theoretical concepts, and problem-solving skills. The focus on hands-on activities supports practical learning experiences and fosters critical thinking. Additionally, virtual labs enrich students' exploration of complex mathematical phenomena, enhancing their ability to apply prior knowledge to new contexts and transcend the boundaries of traditional lab settings. Overall, the findings underscore the transformative potential of innovative pedagogical approaches and technological modes in creating engaging learning environments within STEM disciplines.

This article explores technological sovereignty as a way to respond to anxieties of control in digital urban contexts, and argues that this may promise a more meaningful social license to operate smart cities. First, we present an overview of smart city developments with a critical focus on corporatization and platform urbanism. We critique Alphabet's Sidewalk Labs development in Toronto, which faces public backlash from the #BlockSidewalk campaign in response to concerns over not just privacy, but also lack of community consultation, the prospect of the city losing its civic ability to self‐govern, and its repossession of public land and infrastructure. Second, we explore what a more responsible smart city could look like, underpinned by technological sovereignty, which is a way to use technologies to promote individual and collective autonomy and empowerment via ownership, control, and self‐governance of data and technologies. To this end, we juxtapose the Sidewalk Labs development in Toronto with the Barcelona Digital City plan. We illustrate the merits (and limits) of technological sovereignty moving toward a fairer and more equitable digital society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

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

Study Question: Can additional genetic variants for circulating anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels be identified through a genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis including a large sample of premenopausal women?Summary Answer: We identified four loci associated with AMH levels at P < 5 × 10-8: the previously reported MCM8 locus and three novel signals in or near AMH, TEX41 and CDCA7.What Is Known Already: AMH is expressed by antral stage ovarian follicles in women, and variation in age-specific circulating AMH levels has been associated with disease outcomes. However, the physiological mechanisms underlying these AMH-disease associations are largely unknown.Study Design, Size, Duration: We performed a GWAS meta-analysis in which we combined summary statistics of a previous AMH GWAS with GWAS data from 3705 additional women from three different cohorts.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: In total, we included data from 7049 premenopausal female participants of European ancestry. The median age of study participants ranged from 15.3 to 48 years across cohorts. Circulating AMH levels were measured in either serum or plasma samples using different ELISA assays. Study-specific analyses were adjusted for age at blood collection and population stratification, and summary statistics were meta-analysed using a standard error-weighted approach. Subsequently, we functionally annotated GWAS variants that reached genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10-8). We also performed a gene-based GWAS, pathway analysis and linkage disequilibrium score regression and Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: We identified four loci associated with AMH levels at P < 5 × 10-8: the previously reported MCM8 locus and three novel signals in or near AMH, TEX41 and CDCA7. The strongest signal was a missense variant in the AMH gene (rs10417628). Most prioritized genes at the other three identified loci were involved in cell cycle regulation. Genetic correlation analyses indicated a strong positive correlation among single nucleotide polymorphisms for AMH levels and for age at menopause (rg = 0.82, FDR = 0.003). Exploratory two-sample MR analyses did not support causal effects of AMH on breast cancer or polycystic ovary syndrome risk, but should be interpreted with caution as they may be underpowered and the validity of genetic instruments could not be extensively explored.Large Scale Data: The full AMH GWAS summary statistics will made available after publication through the GWAS catalog (https://www.ebi.ac.uk/gwas/).Limitations, Reasons For Caution: Whilst this study doubled the sample size of the most recent GWAS, the statistical power is still relatively low. As a result, we may still lack power to identify more genetic variants for AMH and to determine causal effects of AMH on, for example, breast cancer. Also, follow-up studies are needed to investigate whether the signal for the AMH gene is caused by reduced AMH detection by certain assays instead of actual lower circulating AMH levels.Wider Implications Of the Findings: Genes mapped to the MCM8, TEX41 and CDCA7 loci are involved in the cell cycle and processes such as DNA replication and apoptosis. The mechanism underlying their associations with AMH may affect the size of the ovarian follicle pool. Altogether, our results provide more insight into the biology of AMH and, accordingly, the biological processes involved in ovarian ageing.Study Funding/competing Interest(s): Nurses' Health Study and Nurses' Health Study II were supported by research grants from the National Institutes of Health (CA172726, CA186107, CA50385, CA87969, CA49449, CA67262, CA178949). The UK Medical Research Council and Wellcome (217065/Z/19/Z) and the University of Bristol provide core support for ALSPAC. This publication is the work of the listed authors, who will serve as guarantors for the contents of this article. A comprehensive list of grants funding is available on the ALSPAC website (http://www.bristol.ac.uk/alspac/external/documents/grant-acknowledgements.pdf). Funding for the collection of genotype and phenotype data used here was provided by the British Heart Foundation (SP/07/008/24066), Wellcome (WT092830M and WT08806) and UK Medical Research Council (G1001357). M.C.B., A.L.G.S. and D.A.L. work in a unit that is funded by the University of Bristol and UK Medical Research Council (MC_UU_00011/6). M.C.B.'s contribution to this work was funded by a UK Medical Research Council Skills Development Fellowship (MR/P014054/1) and D.A.L. is a National Institute of Health Research Senior Investigator (NF-0616-10102). A.L.G.S. was supported by the study of Dynamic longitudinal exposome trajectories in cardiovascular and metabolic non-communicable diseases (H2020-SC1-2019-Single-Stage-RTD, project ID 874739). The Doetinchem Cohort Study was financially supported by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports of the Netherlands. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript. Ansh Labs performed the AMH measurements for the Doetinchem Cohort Study free of charge. Ansh Labs was not involved in the data analysis, interpretation or reporting, nor was it financially involved in any aspect of the study. R.M.G.V. was funded by the Honours Track of MSc Epidemiology, University Medical Center Utrecht with a grant from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) (022.005.021). The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) has grant support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), DHHS, through the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) and the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) (U01NR004061; U01AG012505, U01AG012535, U01AG012531, U01AG012539, U01AG012546, U01AG012553, U01AG012554, U01AG012495). The SWAN Genomic Analyses and SWAN Legacy have grant support from the NIA (U01AG017719). The Generations Study was funded by Breast Cancer Now and the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR). The ICR acknowledges NHS funding to the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre. The content of this manuscript is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent official views of the funders. The Sister Study was funded by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (Z01-ES044005 to D.P.S.); the AMH assays were supported by the Avon Foundation (02-2012-065 to H.B. Nichols and D.P.S.). The breast cancer genome-wide association analyses were supported by the Government of Canada through Genome Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the 'Ministère de l'Économie, de la Science et de l'Innovation du Québec' through Genome Québec and grant PSR-SIIRI-701, The National Institutes of Health (U19 CA148065, X01HG007492), Cancer Research UK (C1287/A10118, C1287/A16563, C1287/A10710) and The European Union (HEALTH-F2-2009-223175 and H2020 633784 and 634935). All studies and funders are listed in Michailidou et al. (Nature, 2017). F.J.M.B. has received fees and grant support from Merck Serono and Ferring BV. D.A.L. has received financial support from several national and international government and charitable funders as well as from Medtronic Ltd and Roche Diagnostics for research that is unrelated to this study. N.S. is scientific consultant for Ansh Laboratories. The other authors declare no competing interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to resources can take many forms: digital access via an onsite network, through an external site, website, etc., or physical access to labs, machines, information repositories, etc. Whether access to resources is digital or physical, it must be allowed, denied, revoked, or disabled using robust and coherent access control (AC) models. What makes the process of AC more complicated is the emergence of digital transformation technologies and pervasive systems such as the internet of things (IoT) and industry 4.0 systems, especially with the growing demand for transparency in users' interaction with various applications and services. Controlling access and ensuring security and cybersecurity in IoT and industry 4.0 environments is a challenging task. This is due to the increasing distribution of resources and the massive presence of cyber-threats and cyber-attacks. To ensure the security and privacy of users in industry sectors, we need an advanced AC metamodel that defines all the required components and attributes to derive various instances of AC models and follow the new and increasing demand for AC requirements due to continuous technology upgrades. Due to the several limitations in the existing metamodels and their inability to answer the current AC requirements, we have developed a Hierarchical, Extensible, Advanced, Dynamic (HEAD) AC metamodel with significant features that overcome the existing metamodels' limitations. In this paper, the HEAD metamodel is employed to specify the needed AC policies for two case studies inspired by the computing environment of Institut Technologique de Maintenance Industrielle (ITMI)-Sept-Îles, QC, Canada; the first is for ITMI's local (non-IoT) environment and the second for ITMI's IoT environment. For each case study, the required AC model is derived using the domain-specific language (DSL) of HEAD metamodel, then Xtend notation (an expressive dialect of Java) is utilized to generate the needed Java code which represents the concrete instance of the derived AC model. At the system level, to get the needed AC rules, Cypher statements are generated and then injected into the Neo4j database to represent the Next Generation Access Control (NGAC) policy as a graph. NGAC framework is used as an enforcement point for the rules generated by each case study. The results show that the HEAD metamodel can be adapted and integrated into various local and distributed environments. It can serve as a unified framework, answer current AC requirements and follow policy upgrades. To demonstrate that the HEAD metamodel can be implemented on other platforms, we implement an administrator panel using VB.NET and SQL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Penile plethysmography (PPG) is the primary physiologic assessment method used to gauge sexual responses in adult men. Depending on the country or jurisdiction of assessment, stimuli used to elicit arousal can include videos, still images, and audio materials. It can depict a variety consenting and non-consenting sexual scenarios as well as neutral, non-sexual scenarios. Models in visual stimuli can be clothed, semi-clothed, or nude. Variation in stimuli modality and the type of sexual interest being tested can have a large impact on PPG outcomes. This paper reviews research on types of PPG stimuli, the different sexual interests being assessed, reliability and validity, and the impact of anonymizing models depicted in assessment materials. Innovations in stimuli development in three labs located in Canada, the United States, and the Czech Republic are also discussed. The work done in these three labs and the broader range of research on assessment stimuli are presented to highlight the need for a unified, multi-site, standardized approach to assess problematic sexual interests and their change in response to treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To describe how veterinarians utilise and perform urinalyses for dogs and cats. Materials and Methods: A survey, developed and distributed through the Veterinary Information Network, enlisted veterinarians who perform urinalyses for dogs and cats. Participants were directed to question banks based on whether urinalyses were performed in‐house, by an outside diagnostic laboratory, or using an in‐house automated instrument. Participants using multiple methods were directed to questions that related to the chosen methods. Results: A total of 1059 predominantly first‐opinion clinicians from the USA and Canada completed the survey. Participants performed urinalyses much less frequently than blood work during a routine examination. The most common factors preventing participants from performing a urinalysis with blood work included clients' financial constraints, difficulty obtaining urine and lack of perceived diagnostic need. The most common reasons for submission to a diagnostic laboratory included efficiency, more trusted results and convenience. Speed of obtaining results was the most common reason for performing urinalyses in‐house. Of the participants who performed in‐house urinalyses, fewer always performed a manual sediment examination (79%) as compared with urine‐specific gravity (99%) and manual dipstick (87%). Clinical Significance: This survey documents that urinalysis is often not used in senior patients as recommended by recent clinical guidelines for dogs and cats which can result in decreased diagnosis and impaired management of subclinical disease. There is significant variability in urinalysis methods despite veterinary guidelines promoting standardisation, and this could lead to inaccurate results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on a study which surveyed the quantity and quality of biology laboratory work conducted by 11th and 12th-grade biology students in British Columbia high schools to analyze students performance on laboratory-based questions on provincial examinations. Methodology; Analysis of the examination; Findings and data analysis; Conclusions.

The rapidly aging population and the increasing number of chronic and degenerative diseases associated with aging have led to a rise in demand for aptly trained health-care professionals to address the changing needs of the aging population. However, there is a drastic shortage of health-care professionals in geriatric care as the challenge to attract younger generations into geriatrics and gerontology continues. To this end, experiential learning – an engaged learning process where students learn by doing and reflecting upon those experiences – may lead to better applied knowledge, skills, competence, and interest regarding care for older adults. This study examines experiential learning in the form of a "Living Lab" – a field-based practicum education model – and how it promotes student learning in terms of interaction with, and knowledge and attitudes about, geriatric inpatients living with mental health conditions in a specialty psychiatric hospital in Canada. Using qualitative narrative inquiry, we explored students' (n = 14) experiences of participating in a Living Lab. Three interconnected themes were identified and collectively suggested that participation in the Living Lab improved student self-efficacy, knowledge, and skills to work with the geriatric population. It also helped reshape student attitudes toward this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital pathology (DP) has emerged as a cutting-edge technology that promises to revolutionise diagnostics in clinical laboratories. This perspective article explores the implementation planning and considerations of DP in a single multicentre institution in Canada, the University Health Network, discussing benefits, challenges, potential implications and considerations for future adopters. We examine the transition from traditional microscopy to digital slide scanning and its impact on pathology practice, patient care and medical research. Furthermore, we address the regulatory, infrastructure and change management considerations for successful integration into clinical laboratories. By highlighting the advantages and addressing concerns, we aim to shed light on the transformative potential of DP and its role in shaping the future of diagnostics., (© 2024 The Authors. Histopathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Muscle power declines with age and is a stronger determinant of physical function than strength. Muscle power using computerized dynamometry has not been investigated in COPD. Objectives: To determine: 1) test-retest reliability of quadriceps power using a standardized protocol with computerized dynamometry; and 2) associations between quadriceps strength and power, and functional capacity. Design/Setting: Prospective observational study in four Canadian research labs. Participants: People with mild to very severe COPD. Methods: Tests were conducted on two days. Quadriceps muscle maximal strength was evaluated during a static maneuver using maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC). Rate of torque development (RTD) during MVIC was used to assess explosive force. Muscle power was measured using a dynamic, isotonic protocol from which peak and average power and peak velocity were derived. Functional capacity was assessed with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB). Reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), standard error of measurements (SEM), and Bland Altman plots. Spearman and Pearson correlation coefficients were used for associations. Results: 65 patients (age 69 ± 8 years; FEV1 48 ± 21% of predicted) were included. ICC was 0.77 for RTD and 0.87–0.98 for isotonic power measures (95%CI 0.63–0.99, p <.001); SEM < 10% for average/peak power and peak velocity, and > 30% for RTD. SPPB had moderate correlation with average power, but not with MVIC or RTD. Conclusion: The standardized isotonic protocol with computerized dynamometry was reliable in assessing quadriceps power in COPD. Our data highlights that average power correlates best with functional capacity, indicating higher relevance than static measures when investigating determinants of function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Postgraduate education is transitioning to a competency-based curriculum in an effort to standardize the quality of graduating trainees. The learning experiences and opportunities in each institution are likely variable, as no standard exists regarding the teaching curriculum offered through residency. The objective of this study is to examine the various teaching curricula among different Canadian urology residency programs and to identify which teaching modalities are prioritized by program directors. Methods: A 10-question anonymous survey was sent electronically to program directors at all 12 urology residency programs across Canada. Questions were designed to quantify the time allotted for teaching and to assess the various teaching session types prioritized by programs to ensure the successful training of their graduates. We assessed each program's perceived value of written exams, oral exams, didactic teaching session, and simulation sessions. Responses were assessed using a Likert-scale and a ranking format. Descriptive statistics were performed. Results: Overall survey response rate from residency program directors was 75% (9/12). Sixty-seven percent of programs designated one day of teaching per week, whereas 33% split resident teaching over two days. Review of chapters directly from Campbell-Walsh Urology textbook were deemed the most valuable teaching session. Practice oral exams were also prioritized, whereas most programs felt that simulation labs contributed the least to residency education. All programs included review of the core urology textbook in their weekly teaching, while only 67% of programs included faculty-led didactic sessions and case presentations. Forty-four percent of programs included resident-led didactic sessions. Practice oral exams and simulation labs were the least commonly included teaching modalities. Conclusions: Although most program directors prioritize the review of chapters in the core urology textbook, we found significant heterogeneity in the teaching sessions prioritized and offered in current urology residency curricula. As we move to standardize the quality of graduating trainees, understanding the impact of variable educational opportunities on residency training may become increasingly important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are major causes of maternal mortality and morbidity, and postpartum hypertensive complications have significant implications on maternal health and public health care system. Antepartum community care programs for hypertension are in place at major centers of Canada, however, such a program for postpartum are usually lacking, and could be a cost-effective solution to reduce postpartum hypertensive complications.Objectives: To assess the proportion of women who present to the emergency department (ED) or outpatient clinics for postpartum hypertensive (PPHTN) complications up to 6 weeks postpartum, among pregnancies complicated by antenatal hypertensive disorders in Calgary, Canada. Secondary objectives were to identify risk factors for PPHTN complications, and to perform a cost-benefit analysis to support postpartum community care program (PCCP) as a way to decrease ED and clinic visits for PPHTN complications, and thus has a favorable economic impact on the public health care system.Study design: Retrospective cohort study using administrative databases, followed by chart review of ED visits to confirm diagnoses and estimate cost of visits and admissions. The participants were women followed by the Calgary Antenatal Community Care Program (ACCP) for hypertensive disorders, from 2014 to 2015, inclusive. The primary outcome was ED or clinic visit associated with an outpatient database record of hypertensive disorder diagnosis, within 42 days postpartum.Results: Among 319 deliveries included in the study, 30 women (9.4, 95%CI: 6.2-12.6%) visited ED or clinics for PPHTN. We identified multiple antihypertensive medication uses and abnormal postpartum gestational hypertension labs as risk factors for ED visit among these women. We estimate a CAD$152 per antenatal hypertensive patient cost benefit for PCCP.Conclusion: The proposed PCCP appears to have an economic benefit to health care system with a decrease in ED and clinic visits. Further studies with greater sample size could strengthen the findings in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

National heritage buildings are considered as the memory of the cities and its civilization's legacy. Such buildings are receiving more attention these days especially from architectures who are trying to restore them by using the proper techniques to bring them back to their former appearance to serve the community in the present time. From that point, the general goal of this research is to concentrate on the used techniques of restoring national heritage buildings by using the proper materials for the damaged or the collapsed parts as the restoration process differs from a building to another. All these points should be done according to the laws and protocols of UNSCO and ICOMOS to keep the authentic features of the building and pass it on to the next generations. This research deals specifically and practically with restoring the Qishla building in Kirkuk as a restoration sample. Some parts of that building collapsed recently and the research aims to save that building by studying the techniques of restoring it using the materials and building techniques of the era the building was built in. This research rises an important point, which is finding a general prospective of scientific and technical ways in restoring cultural heritage buildings which are made from stone specifically. From all that above the main issue that this research deals with is "The unclear techniques of restoring cultural heritage buildings in general and the restoration process of Qishla building with stone in specific". Accomplishing the aim of this research lies in two points: First: Studying the rules which govern the restoration process of cultural heritage buildings. Second: Studying the restoration process of Qishla building and that includes; the restoration process with stone should be done by examining the chemical and physical features of the stone, durability of the used stone, conducting chemical tests in international labs as (ACMAE ANALYSES/Canada) and the last step is to analyze and discuss the results to take final decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the early days of agricultural production in the 1800s through to the present day, farmers, agronomists, and other motivated people have worked to improve crop production through pest management and surveillance, selection of crop genotypes and agronomic innovations such as reduced and zero-tillage. These essential contributions also helped raise awareness of the practical problems that farmers have faced, of the potential solutions to those problems, and the problems that remain to be solved. In many cases, farmers have organized their efforts to support research to address agricultural challenges through commodity organizations who actively fund research, raise awareness of science, and encourage participation in activities such as pest monitoring and on-farm research trials. This review highlights some of the important contributions of Canadian community scientists. The future of a biovigilance approach to crop production depends on the continued participation of agricultural community members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The increased burden of climate-sensitive infectious diseases (CSIDs) within the circumpolar region, one of the many impacts of climate change, is impacting human, animal and ecosystem health. An integrated One Health approach to surveillance of CSIDs has been promoted by the scientific community as a prerequisite to enhance preparedness and response. Up to now, little is known about how the One Health approach has been implemented in surveillance systems for CSIDs in the Arctic and surrounding regions. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to map surveillance activities currently implemented in the Canadian Arctic and subarctic for the 16 CSID identified by the Arctic Council, to describe how One Health has been operationalized in these activities, and to explore the integration and leadership of Indigenous partners in current surveillance systems. Method: We performed the mapping in three steps: a rapid review of the scientific literature, a review of the grey literature and an online questionnaire sent to key stakeholders involved in CSID surveillance in the Canadian Arctic and subarctic regions. Results and conclusions: We identified 37 scientific peer-reviewed and 58 grey literature records. We mapped (1) surveillance of mandatory notifiable diseases at the federal, provincial or territorial levels not specific to the Arctic and subarctic regions, and (2) non-mandatory surveillance programs specific to the Arctic and subarctic regions. We described programs targeting either a single disease, human populations or wildlife. In most programs, there was no explicit mention of the integration of the One Health approach, and little information was available on collaboration efforts between sectors. Programs involved Indigenous communities at various levels, ranging from very low communication to community members, to high involvement and leadership in program management. Improvement in current CSID surveillance activities in Canada should include enhancing information accessibility, ensuring geographic representation, fostering sustainability in implementation of One Health strategies, and stronger involvement of Indigenous communities in the leadership of surveillance systems. An internationally harmonised approach across the Arctic and subarctic regions for all CSIDs has the potential to unify circumpolar surveillance efforts, save resources, and ultimately better inform public health authorities on the actions to prioritize in the context of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]