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Latin America and Asia have been tied for hundreds of years through a transcontinental trade network, which has culminated in their current economic interdependence. This interdependence necessitates cooperation, which can be bolstered through cultural understanding between the two continents. International student mobility is one way to foster intercultural relations, which are currently quite low between these regions. Canada has faced a similar struggle as Latin America to attract students in the Americas when faced with competition from US universities, but has had some successes which Latin American countries could learn from. This study therefore completes a scoping review of the literature to categorize barriers and enablers to academic mobility between higher education institutions (HEIs) in Asia, Canada, and Latin America and synthesizes relevant suggestions. An integrative literature search of qualitative and quantitative studies was conducted using six different databases. After considering inclusion and exclusion criteria, 33 studies were selected and analyzed. The results were categorized into six themes: Cultural, Academic and Professional, Linguistic, Economic, Program Structure, and Political Climate. Each theme included factors which enabled or hindered student mobility between Asia and the Americas. The findings highlight the need for Latinamerican HEIs to emphasize relevant initiatives and qualities that go beyond rankings, boost the use of English among academics and staff, actively reach out to Asian partners, and collaborate to develop credit transfer policies compatible with Asian institutions. These considerations could be all the more timely considering students are currently more open to virtual international opportunities in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, generating possibilities of greater collaboration between these regions of the world.

The extant literature on student migration flows generally focus on the traditional push-pull factors of migration at the individual level. Such a tendency excludes the broader levels affecting international student mobility. This paper proposes a hybrid of three levels of push-pull dynamics (micro-individual decision-making, meso-academic marketing, and macro-national marketing) to paint a more accurate picture of student migration flows. A case study of 15 semi-structured interviews with Chinese international students at a Canadian university was conducted to illuminate the underresearched reality that universities and Canada as a nation offer additional incentives, in conjunction with individual/familial reasons, for study abroad. The paper concludes with recommendations for new research directions arising from the present study.

This article presents an investigation of L2 pragmatic development by a group of 19 Chinese EFL teachers who participated in a five-month program in Canada (SA group). A written discourse-completion task (WDCT) was administered to assess participants' pragmatic knowledge of how to make requests in English. They also completed a paper-based oral-interaction log twice during their sojourn. Compared with 19 English teachers at home (AH group), the SA teachers reported engaging in more interactive activities in English and being exposed to a greater number of different speech acts than did the AH group. They, like AH teachers, applied conventionally indirect strategies (ability, willingness, permission) the most frequently, then direct strategies (want and imperative), and then a non-conventional strategy (hint). They also demonstrated some improvement in their socio-pragmatic awareness of requests (i.e., a reduction in the use of the imperative in low-imposition scenarios). The lack of strong evidence of L2 pragmatic development in this study suggests that EFL teachers on an SA sojourn would benefit from pragmatics-oriented professional development before and/or during the time they spend in an English-speaking country.

The cross‐cultural universality of people's pursuit of positive self‐esteem is frequently disputed. Most research in this area has contrasted cultures of dignity (Western) and face cultures (East Asian), but less attention has been given to other cultures' views of self‐esteem. In the present work, we examined Pakistan as uniquely influenced by honour culture and South Asian argumentation culture principles, and we contrasted it with Canada (a Western culture of dignity). Across two studies, Pakistanis had less positive self‐esteem discrepancies (i.e., Pakistanis had minimal or no desire for higher self‐esteem) compared to Canadians (who desired much higher self‐esteem than they actually had). Pakistanis also believed less in the agentic benefits of high self‐esteem but more in the communal benefits of high self‐esteem than did Canadians. Differences in each cultures' beliefs about self‐esteem's causal powers partially accounted for the differences in self‐esteem discrepancies. These findings suggest unique conceptualizations of the value of self‐esteem in distinct cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on interview data, this study investigated four Chinese graduate students' experiences with writing a literature review at a medium-sized university in Canada. These students, from four subject areas, held varying perceptions of a literature review, but all saw the writing challenges that they encountered mainly as linguistic problems, especially regarding vocabulary and accuracy at the sentence level. The strategies that they used in the composing process were diverse, with each individual relying on them to varying degrees. Findings from this study suggest that Chinese graduate students need assistance in adjusting to the new academic environment and writing-genre expectations.

In recent years, the study of deep learning techniques for underwater acoustic channel estimation has gained widespread attention. However, existing neural network channel estimation methods often overfit to training dataset noise levels, leading to diminished performance when confronted with new noise levels. In this research, a "bias-free" denoising convolutional neural network (DnCNN) method is proposed for robust underwater acoustic channel estimation. The paper offers a theoretical justification for bias removal and customizes the fundamental DnCNN framework to give a specialized design for channel estimation, referred to as the bias-free complex DnCNN (BF-CDN). It uses least squares channel estimation results as input and employs a CNN model to learn channel characteristics and noise distribution. The proposed method effectively utilizes the temporal correlation inherent in underwater acoustic channels to further enhance estimation performance and robustness. This method adapts to varying noise levels in underwater environments. Experimental results show the robustness of the method under different noise conditions, indicating its potential to improve the accuracy and reliability of channel estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dementia increases as individuals age. Aging physicians represent a growing population. Studies have demonstrated there are physicians with cognitive impairments practicing medicine. The medico‐legal consequences of physicians with cognitive impairments have not been investigated. Methods: The Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) is a national medical association with 108,000 members who advise and assist doctors with medico‐legal matters. They maintain a national repository of legal actions and complaints to regulatory bodies and hospitals. We looked at civil‐legal and regulatory college cases closed over a 10‐year period associated with physicians aged ≥55. A word search of the cases was conducted using "Dementia, Alzheimer, Cognitive impairment, Cognitive decline, Memory loss, Memory issues, Fit for/to practice." Results: The CMPA closed 67,566 cases between 2012 and 2021 and 16% (10,599) involved members ≥55. A mixed methodology approach identified 65 cases associated with physician's cognitive ability to practice medicine. Of these 65 cases, the average age of physician was 71.3 (56.1–88.5). The proportion of cases where concern was associated with a physician's cognitive ability to practice medicine increased, from 0.2% of cases in 55–60‐year‐olds, to 7.7% in physicians over 80. Interpretation: As physicians age, concerns about cognitive impairment are more likely to contribute to medico‐legal matters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This case study investigated the effectiveness of the United Beyond Our Diversity (UBOD) project for the development of language skills and intercultural communicative competence (including attitudes, knowledge, skills, and critical intercultural awareness) in Taiwanese seventh grade learners. The learners' attitudes and evaluations of UBOD were also examined. The research-based intercultural exchange project of UBOD 12-15 was designed to develop learners' critical cultural awareness and to facilitate authentic interactions by engaging students in making deep cross-cultural inquiries. The UBOD 12-15 project, created by the Global Teenager Project, connected participants from five different countries with the help of a Wiki platform and a Moodle, which was used as an intra-class interaction tool. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to collect and analyze the data. The findings suggested that the research-based UBOD had a significant impact on the development of the learners' critical cultural awareness and foreign language use; in particular, this project encouraged intrinsically motivated cross-cultural learning and, further, led the learners to discard their cultural stereotypes and view others from a different perspective.

Minimal Canadian data are available on the RAS testing rates, treatment patterns, and corresponding overall survival (OS) in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients. We conducted a population-based cohort study of left-sided RAS wild-type (WT) mCRC patients diagnosed between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2019, and who were treated with first-line (1L) chemotherapy plus the epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor panitumumab, chemotherapy plus bevacizumab, or chemotherapy alone, in Alberta, Canada, using electronic medical records and administrative health system data. Of the 2721 patients identified with left-sided mCRC, 320 patients with RAS WT mCRC were treated with 1L systemic therapy: chemotherapy plus panitumumab (n = 64), chemotherapy plus bevacizumab (n = 52), or chemotherapy alone (n = 204). Only 65% and 39% of the 320 1L-treated patients initiated second- and third-line therapy, respectively. A total of 71% of individuals with treated left-sided mCRC underwent RAS testing. The median OS for mCRC patients with RAS WT left-sided tumours was higher for patients treated with 1L panitumumab plus chemotherapy (34.3 months; 95% CI: 23.8–39.6) than for patients who received 1L chemotherapy alone (30.0 months; 95% CI: 24.9–34.1) or 1L bevacizumab plus chemotherapy (25.6 months; 95% CI: 21.2–35.7). These findings highlight an unmet need in left-sided RAS WT mCRC, with relatively few individuals receiving a biologic agent in combination with chemotherapy in the 1L setting, a high rate of attrition between lines, and a need for increased RAS testing before treatment initiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) has been legal in Canada since June 2016. A person can receive MAiD if their suffering cannot be relieved under conditions that they consider acceptable. Informed consent requires that the person requesting MAiD has received all the information needed to make their decision; that is, medical diagnosis and prognosis, available treatments including palliative care. The evaluation of unbearable suffering is known to be challenging as suffering is often psychological, existential, and social in nature. While interventions to relieve suffering exist, it is unclear how suffering is assessed and addressed in the literature on MAiD practice. No scoping review exists on the topic in Canada. The aim of this study was to understand how the concept of suffering was approached within the Canadian MAiD grey (GL) and scientific (peer‐reviewed) literature (SL), specifically: 1‐ How suffering is defined and assessed in the context of MAiD in Canada and 2‐ Which interventions in response to suffering are recommended within the process of obtaining informed consent for MAiD and throughout the process of MAiD itself. Methods: A scoping review was conducted based on PRISMA‐SR guidelines. SL articles (N = 1027) were identified from a review of 6 databases and GL documents (N = 537) were obtained from the provinces of Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. Documents were analyzed using NVivo with coding by two‐raters and continuous team discussions. Results: A multidimensional definition of suffering, akin to the concept of total pain, is used. The assessment of suffering is based upon patients' reports. Tools to aid in the assessment are not comprehensively covered. Specific interventions to address suffering were often focused on active listening and the management of physical symptoms. No specific interventions were mentioned and there was no reference to clinical practice guidelines in the grey literature to address other components of suffering. The use of a multidisciplinary approach is suggested without specifying the nature of involvement. Conclusions: Our review indicates that published guidelines of MAID assessments could include clearer structure around the assessment and management of suffering, with suggestions of tools that may help clarify types of suffering and reference to clinical practice guidelines and interventions to holistically attend to patient suffering with an attention on non‐physical symptoms. Guidelines would benefit from clearer explanations of how members of an interdisciplinary teams could be coherently coordinated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacted long-term care and assisted living (LTC/AL) facilities in Canada, where infection prevention and control (IPAC) programs had been suboptimal. We aimed to identify barriers affecting healthcare workers' (HCW) adherence to IPAC practices during the pandemic in British Columbia in LTC/AL compared to acute care settings. Methods: We conducted a web-based survey of direct care providers and IPAC professionals across BC from August to September 2021, focused on knowledge and attitudes toward IPAC within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and barriers that affected respondents' abilities to follow IPAC practices throughout the pandemic. Results: The final analysis included 896 acute care respondents and 441 from LTC/AL. More LTC/AL respondents reported experiencing the following barriers: following IPAC guidance was of lower priority compared to other tasks (29.1% vs. 14.7%, FDR = 0.001) and not their responsibility (28.0% vs. 11.2%, FDR = 0.001); limited supplies for personal protective equipment (PPE) (49.0% vs. 33.6%, FDR = 0.001), hand hygiene products (42.2% vs. 28.8%, FDR = 0.001), and cleaning/disinfection products (44.1% vs. 30.3%, FDR = 0.001); deficits in IPAC leadership support (46.2% vs. 38.9%, FDR = 0.012), IPAC education and training (46.9% vs. 32.0%, FDR = 0.001), and patient care knowledge for managing COVID-19 infections (46.6% vs. 36.0%, FDR = 0.001). Conclusions: This survey found that barriers to HCWs' adherence to IPAC practices during the COVID-19 pandemic were different in LTC/AL settings compared to acute care. Improvement efforts should focus on strengthening IPAC programs in LTC/AL, particularly enhanced IPAC staffing/leadership, increased training and education, and improving access to PPE, hand hygiene, and cleaning products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Privileging the voices of 12 recent Chinese immigrant adolescents, this multiple-case narrative study examined their home and school experiences from the critical sociocultural perspective. The adolescent stories about home testified to the significant influence of immigrant poverty, parental sacrificial altruism, and disciplinary Chinese parenting in their academic achievement. The adolescent experiences at school revealed their appreciation of Canadian liberal education, their perception of ethnic peer divides, and their concerns about the ineffectiveness and the negative psychological consequences of the ESL (English as a Second Language) programming. Locating the adolescent narratives in the hierarchical power of domination in Canadian society, this article challenges mainstream educational institutions to address the changing nature of urban Canadian classrooms, structurally and ideologically representing the strengths of cultural diversity. (Contains 1 table and 2 notes.)

When observers try to identify successive targets in a visual stream at a rate of 100 ms per item, accuracy for the 2nd target is impaired for intertarget lags of 100-500 ms. Yet, when the same stream is presented more rapidly (e.g., 50 ms per item), this pattern reverses and a 1st-target deficit is obtained. M. C. Potter, A. Staub, and D. H. O'Connor (2002) accounted for these findings with a 2-stage competition theory (detection followed by identification) in which each stage is limited by its own pool of resources. In 5 experiments we varied the items that preceded the 1st target. The results show strong influences of these leading items on the 1st-target deficit, with almost no influence on 2nd-target accuracy. This is interpreted as strong support for multiple factors influencing target accuracy in rapid visual streams (J. Kawahara, J. T. Enns, & V. Di Lollo, 2006). (Contains 1 footnote and 6 figures.)

In order to understand the interplay of culture and mind in immigrant adolescent learning and psychological adjustment, this multiple-case qualitative study examined salient home and school experiences told by recent Chinese immigrant youth in semistructured interviews and narrative essays. Forging the future between two different worlds defined, respectively, by Chinese tradition and Canadian culture, these adolescents struggled with high parental expectations and intergenerational conflicts at home and suffered acculturative stresses and ethnic peer divides at school. Situating the voices of the immigrant adolescents in the personal, relational, and larger sociocultural contexts, the study suggests that their ongoing psychological adjustment and transformation at the crossroad of two different cultures must be understood in light of the emerging, interdependent individual and social processes. (Contains 1 table.)

Natural gas is believed to be a critical transitional energy source. However, natural gas pipelines, once failed, will contribute to a large amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including methane from uncontrolled natural gas venting and carbon dioxide from flared natural gas. However, the GHG emissions caused by pipeline incidents are not included in the regular inventories, making the counted GHG amount deviate from the reality. This study, for the first time, establishes an inventory framework for GHG emissions including all natural gas pipeline incidents in the two of the largest gas producers and consumers in North America (United States and Canada) from 1980s to 2021. The inventory comprises GHG emissions resulting from gathering and transmission pipeline incidents in a total of 24 states or regions in the United States between 1970 and 2021, local distribution pipeline incidents in 22 states or regions between 1970 and 2021, as well as natural gas pipeline incidents in a total of 7 provinces or regions in Canada between 1979 and 2021. These datasets can improve the accuracy of regular emission inventories by covering more emission sources in the United States and Canada and provide essential information for climate-oriented pipeline integrity management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data‐driven techniques are used extensively for hydrologic time‐series prediction. We created various data‐driven models (DDMs) based on machine learning: long short‐term memory (LSTM), support vector regression (SVR), extreme learning machines, and an artificial neural network with backpropagation, to define the optimal approach to predicting streamflow time series in the Carson River (California, USA) and Montmorency (Canada) catchments. The moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) snow‐coverage dataset was applied to improve the streamflow estimate. In addition to the DDMs, the conceptual snowmelt runoff model was applied to simulate and forecast daily streamflow. The four main predictor variables, namely snow‐coverage (S‐C), precipitation (P), maximum temperature (Tmax), and minimum temperature (Tmin), and their corresponding values for each river basin, were obtained from National Climatic Data Center and National Snow and Ice Data Center to develop the model. The most relevant predictor variable was chosen using the support vector machine‐recursive feature elimination feature selection approach. The results show that incorporating the MODIS snow‐coverage dataset improves the models' prediction accuracies in the snowmelt‐dominated basin. SVR and LSTM exhibited the best performances (root mean square error = 8.63 and 9.80) using monthly and daily snowmelt time series, respectively. In summary, machine learning is a reliable method to forecast runoff as it can be employed in global climate forecasts that require high‐volume data processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of parvovirus known as feline chaphamaparvovirus (FeChPV) was discovered in the feces of shelter cats in Canada in 2019, and >50% of cats were reported to be infected with this virus. In this study, two FeChPV-positive samples were identified from the rectal swabs of 285 dogs with diarrhea but none in 50 healthy dogs. Whole genome sequences of these two FeChPV strains (OQ162042 and OQ162043) were amplified and compared with those of the two viruses originally discovered in Canada (IDEXX-1 and VRI849). The whole genome, NS1, and VP1 of the two FeChPV strains shared a high identity of 95.0%–97.8% nucleotide, 96.9%–98.6% amino acid (aa), and 97.2%–98.8% aa with the reported FeChPV strains, respectively. The phylogenetic tree of NS1 and VP1 revealed that two FeChPV strains, namely, CHN20201025 and CHN20201226, were closely clustered with the two FeChPV prototypes detected in Canada in a group. Moreover, CHN20201025 and CHN20201226 were obviously different from Carnivore chaphamaparvovirus 1 and were classified as Carnivore chaphamaparvovirus 2. This is the first study to report the identification of FeChPV in fecal samples from dogs in China, and the genetic analysis of the FeChPV, which was previously detected in Canadian cats, would improve our understanding of its host spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The incidence of Lyme disease (LD) in Canada and the United States has risen over the last decade, nearing 480,000 cases each year. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the causative agent of LD, is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected tick, resulting in flu-like symptoms and often a characteristic bull's-eye rash. In more severe cases, disseminated bacterial infection can cause arthritis, carditis and neurological impairments. Currently, no vaccine is available for the prevention of LD in humans. Methods: In this study, we developed a lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-encapsulated DNA vaccine encoding outer surface protein C type A (OspC-type A) of B. burgdorferi. Results: Vaccination of C3H/HeN mice with two doses of the candidate vaccine induced significant OspC-type A-specific antibody titres and borreliacidal activity. Analysis of the bacterial burden following needle challenge with B. burgdorferi (OspC-type A) revealed that the candidate vaccine afforded effective protection against homologous infection across a range of susceptible tissues. Notably, vaccinated mice were protected against carditis and lymphadenopathy associated with Lyme borreliosis. Discussion: Overall, the results of this study provide support for the use of a DNA-LNP platform for the development of LD vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aspiration pneumonia is a preventable condition that has higher rates of recurrence and mortality compared to non-aspiration pneumonia. The primary objective of the study was to examine independent patient factors that are associated with mortality in those requiring acute admission for aspiration pneumonia at a tertiary institution. Secondary goals of the study were to review whether factors such as mechanical ventilation and speech language pathology intervention can impact patient mortality, length of stay (LOS), and costs relating to hospitalization. Methods: Patients older than 18 years of age who were admitted with a primary diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2018 at Unity Health Toronto-St. Michael's hospital in Toronto, Canada, were included in the study. Descriptive analyses were performed on patient characteristics using age as a continuous variable as well as a dichotomous variable with age 65 as a cut-off. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent factors that contributed to in-hospital mortality and Cox proportional-hazard regression was used to identify independent factors that affected LOS. Results: A total of 634 patients were included in this study. 134 (21.1%) patients died during hospitalization with an average age of 80.3 ± 13.4. The in-hospital mortality did not change significantly over the ten-year period (p = 0.718). Patients who died had longer LOS with a median length of 10.5 days (p = 0.012). Age [Odds Ratio (OR) 1.72, 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) 1.47–2.02, p < 0.05] and invasive mechanical ventilation (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.54–4.31, p < 0.05) were independent predictors of mortality while female gender was found to be a protective factor (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.38–0.92, p = 0.02). Elderly patients had five times higher risk of dying during their hospital course when compared to younger patients [Hazard Ratio (HR) 5.25, 95% CI 2.99–9.23, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Elderly patients are a high-risk population for developing aspiration pneumonia and are at higher risk of death when hospitalized for this condition. This warrants improved preventative strategies in the community. Further studies involving other institutions and creating a Canada-wide database are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emissions of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) from human activities have been linked to substantial disease burdens, but evidence regarding how reducing PM2.5 at its sources would improve public health is sparse. We followed a population-based cohort of 2.7 million adults across Canada from 2007 through 2016. For each participant, we estimated annual mean concentrations of PM2.5 and the fractional contributions to PM2.5 from the five leading anthropogenic sources at their residential address using satellite observations in combination with a global atmospheric chemistry transport model. For each source, we estimated the causal effects of six hypothetical interventions on 10-y nonaccidental mortality risk using the parametric g-formula, a structural causal model. We conducted stratified analyses by age, sex, and income. This cohort would have experienced tangible health gains had contributions to PM2.5 from any of the five sources been reduced. Compared with no intervention, a 10% annual reduction in PM2.5 contributions from transportation and power generation, Canada's largest and fifth-largest anthropogenic sources, would have prevented approximately 175 (95%CI: 123-226) and 90 (95%CI: 63-117) deaths per million by 2016, respectively. A more intensive 50% reduction per year in PM2.5 contributions from the two sources would have averted 360 and 185 deaths per million, respectively, by 2016. The potential health benefits were greater among men, older adults, and low-income earners. In Canada, where PM2.5 levels are among the lowest worldwide, reducing PM2.5 contributions from anthropogenic sources by as little as 10% annually would yield meaningful health gains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Increasing knowledge of outcome prognostication, derived from various clinical and imaging-derived parameters, has the potential for pretreatment risk stratification, allowing clinicians to deliver more patient specific treatment tailored to individual risk. Our study indicates that a prognostic model, combining clinical parameter, PET and CT radiomics with sarcopenic status, derived from standard of care clinical 18F-FDG-PET/CT improves outcome prognostication among patients with advanced, metastatic esophageal and gastroesophageal cancer. We investigated, whether 18[18F]-FDG PET/CT-derived radiomics combined with sarcopenia measurements improves survival prognostication among patients with advanced, metastatic gastroesophageal cancer. In our study, 128 consecutive patients with advanced, metastatic esophageal and gastroesophageal cancer (n = 128; 26 females; 102 males; mean age 63.5 ± 11.7 years; age range: 29–91 years) undergoing 18[18F]-FDG PET/CT for staging between November 2008 and December 2019 were included. Segmentation of the primary tumor and radiomics analysis derived from PET and CT images was performed semi-automatically with a commonly used open-source software platform (LIFEX, Version 6.30, lifexsoft.org). Patients' nutritional status was determined by measuring the skeletal muscle index (SMI) at the level of L3 on the CT component. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to establish a survival prediction model including radiomics, clinical data, and SMI score. Univariable Cox proportional hazards model revealed ECOG (<0.001) and bone metastasis (p = 0.028) to be significant clinical parameters for overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS). Age (p = 0.017) was an additional prognostic factor for OS. Multivariable analysis showed improved prognostication for overall and progression free survival when adding sarcopenic status, PET and CT radiomics to the model with clinical parameters only. PET and CT radiomics derived from hybrid 18[18F]-FDG PET/CT combined with sarcopenia measurements and clinical parameters may improve survival prediction among patients with advanced, metastatic gastroesophageal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical devices are used in almost all orthopedic surgical subspecialties, and the frequency of adverse events is increasing, which should not be ignored. To provide suggestions on how to avoid implant recalls from the perspective of manufacturers, medical institutions and supervisions, as well as how to respond promptly to adverse events. Methods: The research extracted recalls of osteosynthesis implants and joint replacement implants from January 1, 2011, to June 30, 2021, in the CNMPA, FDA, HC and ATGA websites and collected the information on device name, recall time, recall class, recall manufacturer, device classification and affected areas. Moreover, the McKinsey 7S model and fishbone diagram were used to analyze recall reasons. Results: A total of 315 cases of osteosynthesis implants and 286 cases of joint replacement implants were reported in China, the USA, Canada and Australia. The recalls number from 2016 to 2021 was more than that from 2011 to 2015 for osteosynthesis implant (p = 0.012) and joint replacement implant (p = 0.002), and both mainly focused on class II (76.19% and 78.32%). There were statistical differences in the four countries for both implants (p = 0.000), especially osteosynthesis implant between China and the USA (p = 0.000), China and Canada (p = 0.001), the USA and Australia (p = 0.002), and joint replacement implant between China and Australia (p = 0.000). Conclusions: To avoid the recalls of such implants, manufacturers should strictly select implant materials and components, develop detailed labels and instructions, severely control the packaging process and establish the integrity of medical device data. Medical institutions should standardize procurement procedures, use qualified equipment and train medical workers. It also requires supervisions to conduct premarket safety assessments. In addition, regulators should strengthen supervision and establish reporting systems to deal with the occurrence of adverse events promptly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we explore the observational characteristics of Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron (EMIC) wave propagation from the source region to the ground. We use magnetometers aboard Geostationary Operational Environment Satellite (GOES) 13, the geosynchronous orbit satellite at 75°W, and at Sanikiluaq ground station (SNK, 79.14°W and 56.32°N in geographic coordinates, and L ∼ 6.0 in a dipole magnetic field) which is located in northern Canada. Using these magnetically conjugate observatories, simultaneous EMIC wave observations are carried out. We found a total of 295 coincident and 248 non‐coincident EMIC wave events between GOES 13 and the SNK station. Our statistical analysis reveals that the coincident events are predominantly observed on the dayside. The wave normal angles are slightly higher for the non‐coincident events than for coincident events. However, the coincidence of the waves is mostly governed by the intensity and duration of the wave. This is confirmed by the geomagnetic environment which shows higher auroral electrojet (AE) and Kp indices for the coincident events. We also found that some events show high‐frequency (f > 0.4 Hz) wave filtering. The statistics of the high‐frequency filtered and non‐filtered wave events show that there are clear magnetic local time (MLT) and F10.7 index differences between the two groups, as well as in ionospheric electron density measurements. In addition, we also found differences in the wave properties which possibly indicate that the propagation in the magnetosphere also plays an important role in the wave filtering. Key Points: Coincidence of the Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron wave observation is studied using conjugate space [Geostationary Operational Environment Satellite (GOES) 13] and ground (SNK ground magnetometer) observationsThe Coincidence of the waves is primarily dominated by wave power and durationThe high‐frequency wave filtering is complicated by both magnetospheric and ionospheric wave propagation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interviews with seven recent-immigrant Chinese families in Canada examined parental expectations of their children's school performance. Parents' expectations motivated their children to pursue goals with hard work, which enhanced self-efficacy and nurtured good study habits. However, high parental expectations and unwillingness to accommodate alternatives could result in counterproductive anxiety in their children. (TD)

Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) activation induces type I interferons and pro-inflammatory cytokines which stimulate tumor antigen cross presentation and the adaptive immune responses against tumor. The first-generation of STING agonists, cyclic di-nucleotide (CDN), mimicked the endogenous STING ligand cyclic guanosine monophosphate adenosine monophosphate, and displayed limited clinical efficacy. Here we report the discovery of SHR1032, a novel small molecule non-CDN STING agonist. Compared to the clinical CDN STING agonist ADU-S100, SHR1032 has much higher activity in human cells with different STING haplotypes and robustly induces interferon β (IFNβ) production. When dosed intratumorally, SHR1032 induced strong anti-tumor effects in the MC38 murine syngeneic tumor model. Pharmacodynamic studies showed induction of IFNβ, tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the tumors and, to a lower extent, in the plasma. More importantly, we found SHR1032 directly causes cell death in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that in addition to their established ability to boost anti-tumor immune responses, STING agonists can directly eradicate AML cells, and SHR1032 may present a new and promising therapeutic agent for cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Canada, many mines have adopted the sublevel stoping method, such a blasthole stoping (BHS), to extract steeply deposited minerals. Sill pillars are usually kept in place in this mining method to support the weight of the overburden in underground mining. To prolong the mine's life, sill pillars will be recovered, and sill pillar recovery could cause failures, fatality, and equipment loss in the stopes. In this paper, three sill pillar recovery schemes—SBS, SS1, and SS2—were proposed and conducted to assess the feasibility of recovering two sill pillars in a hard rock mine by developing a full-sized three-dimensional (3D) analysis model employing the finite element method (FEM). The numerical model was calibrated by comparing the model computed ground settlement with the in situ monitored ground settlement data. The rockburst tendency of the stope accesses caused by the sill pillar recovery was assessed by employing the tangential stress (Ts) criterion and burst potential index (BPI) criterion. All three proposed sill pillar recovery schemes were feasible and safe to recover the sill pillars in this hard rock mine, and the scheme SBS was the optimum one among the three schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of air-type PVT and BIPVT collectors has been extensively studied. As a system that generates heat and power, PVT collector testing has some particularities especially when using air as a heat recovery fluid and a building-integrated design (BIPVT). The electrical and thermal experimental performance of such collectors are currently being evaluated using in-house methods or PV and/or solar thermal collector standards. The use of a wide range of methods, testing conditions and experimental setups makes it difficult not only to compare the performance of different designs, but also to have confidence in the results obtained. This study evaluates the performance of an air-type BIPVT collector with in-channel perforated baffle plates for heat transfer enhancement designed for a building-integrated façade. As part of a joint research project between Korea and Canada, the proposed collector's performance was evaluated through indoor (Canada) and outdoor experiments (Korea). Limited comparison of the results obtained with the two testing methods could be performed due to differences in environmental testing conditions, BIPVT collector area and experimental setup. Nevertheless, the limited measurement points under comparable testing conditions indicate that the results from the indoor and outdoor experiments have a similar trend. A comparison between the studied collector having a full PV absorber and a BIPVT collector with a hybrid PV/solar thermal collector absorber using a similar indoor experimental setup and testing conditions was performed. It showed that under still air conditions, for an irradiance level of approximately 820 W/m2 and with a low flow rate, the BIPVT collector with a hybrid PV/solar thermal absorber has a thermal and electrical efficiency of 25.1% and 5.9%, respectively. Under similar conditions, the BIPVT collector with a full PV absorber has a thermal efficiency of 23.9% and an electrical efficiency of 13.5%. At higher flowrates, both units have similar thermal efficiencies, however, the BIPVT collector with a PV absorber remains with an electrical efficiency that is more than double that of the unit with a hybrid PV/solar thermal absorber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Comprehensive, population-based investigations of the extent and temporality of associations between common neurological and psychiatric disorders are scarce. Methods This retrospective cohort study used linked health administrative data for Ontarians aged 40–85 years on 1 April 2002, to estimate the adjusted rate of incident dementia, Parkinson's disease (PD), stroke or mood/anxiety disorder (over 14 years) according to the presence and time since diagnosis of a prior disorder. Sex differences in the cumulative incidence of a later disorder were also examined. Results The cohort included 5,283,546 Ontarians (mean age 56.2 ± 12.1 years, 52% female). The rate of dementia was significantly higher for those with prior PD (adjusted hazard ratio [adjHR] 4.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.99–4.11); stroke (adjHR 2.49, CI 2.47–2.52) and psychiatric disorder (adjHR 1.79, CI 1.78–1.80). The rate of PD was significantly higher for those with prior dementia (adjHR 2.23, CI 2.17–2.30) and psychiatric disorder (adjHR 1.77, CI 1.74–1.81). The rate of stroke was significantly higher among those with prior dementia (adjHR 1.56, CI 1.53–1.58). Prior dementia (adjHR 2.36, CI 2.33–2.39), PD (adjHR 1.80, CI 1.75–1.85) and stroke (adjHR 1.47, CI 1.45–1.49) were associated with a higher rate of an incident psychiatric disorder. Generally, associations were strongest in the 6 months following a prior diagnosis and demonstrated a J-shape relationship over time. Significant sex differences were evident in the absolute risks for several disorders. Conclusions The observed nature of bidirectional associations between these neurological and psychiatric disorders indicates opportunities for earlier diagnosis and interventions to improve patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medulloblastoma is the most common embryonic brain tumor in children. We investigated a cohort of 52 Asian medulloblastoma patients aged between 0 and 19 years old, who received surgical resections and post-resection treatments in the Taipei Medical University Hospital and the Taipei Veterans General Hospital. Genome-wide RNA sequencing was performed on fresh-frozen surgical tissues. These data were analyzed using the CIBERSORTx immune deconvolution software. Two external clinical and molecular datasets from United States (n = 62) and Canada (n = 763) were used to evaluate the transferability of the gene-signature scores across ethnic populations. The abundance of 13 genes, including DLL1, are significantly associated with overall survival (All Cox regression P < 0.001). A gene-signature score was derived from the deep transcriptome, capable of indicating patients' subsequent tumor recurrence (Hazard Ratio [HR] 1.645, confidence interval [CI] 1.337–2.025, P < 0.001) and mortality (HR 2.720, CI 1.798–4.112, P < 0.001). After the adjustment of baseline clinical factors, the score remains indicative of recurrence-free survival (HR 1.604, CI 1.292–1.992, P < 0.001) and overall survival (HR 2.781, CI 1.762–4.390, P < 0.001). Patients stratified by this score manifest not only distinct prognosis but also different molecular characteristics: Notch signaling ligands and receptors are comparatively overexpressed in patients with poorer prognosis, while tumor infiltrating natural killer cells are more abundant in patients with better prognosis. Additionally, immunohistochemical staining showed the DLL1 protein, a major ligand in the Notch signaling pathway, and the NCAM1 protein, a representative biomarker of natural killer cells, are present in the surgical tissues of patients of four molecular subgroups, WNT, SHH, Group 3 and Group 4. NCAM1 RNA level is also positively associated with the mutation burden in tumor (P = 0.023). The gene-signature score is validated successfully in the Canadian cohort (P = 0.009) as well as its three molecular subgroups (SHH, Group 3 and Group 4; P = 0.047, 0.018 and 0.040 respectively). In conclusion, pediatric medullablastoma patients can be stratified by gene-signature scores with distinct prognosis and molecular characteristics. Ligands and receptors of the Notch signaling pathway are overexpressed in the patient stratum with poorer prognosis. Tumor infiltrating natural killer cells are more abundant in the patient stratum with better prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly changed the lives of a majority of the world's population. People have been encouraged to implement social distancing behaviors enforced by governments, and have experienced loss of employment or changes to their usual working environment. In the mental health sector, psychologists and psychiatrists have been forced to alter the standard care of patients without compromising safety. This article documents the experiences of the authors – mental health professionals in four countries, Canada, Russia, Australia and Japan – at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, and offers recommendations on how clinical, training, and research practices may need to be adjusted to deal with lockdown situations. Clinicians adapted their usual best practices by learning new skills and updating their knowledge base. Mental health clinicians noticed that the pandemic led to symptomatic changes in some of their patients. Most clinicians moved towards providing telemental health services, such as conducting assessments and treatments remotely. Those who continued seeing patients in person employed personal protective equipment with various impacts on the clinician–patient relationship. The dilemmas of mass quarantines need to be carefully examined, as their effects on numerous health and psychosocial variables appear to be far-reaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate simulation of the failure process of hard brittle surrounding rockmass is very important for the analysis and control of the structural stability in deep underground engineering. In order to simulate the progressive failure process of the hard brittle surrounding rockmass, a continuous discontinuous deformation analysis method that couples the finite element and discrete element is adopted. Taking the URL test tunnel in Canada as an engineering case, the constitutive model of the contact considering the effects of cohesion weakening and friction strengthening is applied, and the 2D approximation to 3D excavation by applying elastic modulus reduction technology is adopted to simulate the range and depth of crack growth of the surrounding rockmass. Then, the comparison between simulated results and on-site monitoring results is performed, which shows good consistency. At the same time, the key factors in the numerical simulation of progressive failure in hard brittle rockmass are identified, including the number of elements, excavation effects, and constitutive models. The results show that the constitutive model determines the basic form of crack propagation, but in order to accurately simulate the progressive propagation of cracks, the number of elements must be sufficient enough and the effects of 3D excavation must be considered. The analysis accurately simulates the progressive failure characteristics of hard brittle surrounding rockmass under high stress, achieving the purpose of reasonably grasping the degree of damage to the surrounding rockmass, and provides technical reference and support on how to accurately simulate the failure of hard brittle surrounding rockmass using the finite discrete element method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) has been used to develop the "super heavy" oil reservoirs in Canada. The viscosity can reach more than 30,000 cp at 50°C. Moreover, owing to their continental deposit origin, the reservoirs have a low porosity and permeability. Because of these challenges, the conventional steam circulation start-up process takes 6 to 12 months before the well pair can be switched to production. Solvent has been used to start-up SAGD with success. But now, low price of oil and high cost of solvent make solvent-assisted start-up process limited. This paper applies experimental schemes, such as viscosity reduction rate evaluation, core flooding, and 3D physical simulation, tests solvent performance, optimizes process parameters, and designs process solutions. Apply numerical simulation to test solvent-assisted SAGD start-up effect and calculate the cost. This paper researches a unique low-cost solvent compare with xylene. The basic properties and core flood experiment show that the two solvents are similar with viscosity reduction rate, asphalt dissolution rate, and injection pressure, and the price of solvent is 18% lower. The 3D model experiment shows that the average start-up time is reduced by 15%, and steam injection volume is reduced by 21.4%. The numerical simulation results show that without solvent, it will take 180 d for start-up process, and with solvent, the time has reduced by 50% and takes 90 days. Cost calculation results show that the cost will reduce 18% by solvent compared to xylene. Moreover, the production rate has been improved in production stage. This paper applies a 3D physical model to simulate the solvent-assisted SAGD start-up process. Research conclusions show the start-up mechanism of solvent and the process of temperature change of steam chamber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To assess the possible impact of antiretroviral therapy improvements, aging, and comorbidities, we examined trends in all-cause and cause-specific hospitalization rates among persons with HIV (PWH) from 2005 to 2015.Methods: In 6 clinical cohorts, we followed PWH in care (≥1 outpatient CD4 count or HIV load [VL] every 12 months) and categorized ICD codes of primary discharge diagnoses using modified Clinical Classifications Software. Poisson regression estimated hospitalization rate ratios for calendar time trends, adjusted for demographics, HIV risk factor, and annually updated age, CD4, and VL.Results: Among 28 057 patients (125 724 person-years), from 2005 to 2015, the median CD4 increased from 389 to 580 cells/µL and virologic suppression from 55% to 85% of patients. Unadjusted all-cause hospitalization rates decreased from 22.3 per 100 person-years in 2005 (95% confidence interval [CI], 20.6-24.1) to 13.0 in 2015 (95% CI, 12.2-14.0). Unadjusted rates decreased for almost all diagnostic categories. Adjusted rates decreased for all-cause, cardiovascular, and AIDS-defining conditions, increased for non-AIDS-defining infection, and were stable for most other categories.Conclusions: Among PWH with increasing CD4 counts and viral suppression, unadjusted hospitalization rates decreased for all-cause and most cause-specific hospitalizations, despite the potential effects of aging, comorbidities, and cumulative exposure to HIV and antiretrovirals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Case reports have described instances of peripheral and central nervous system toxicity during treatment with metronidazole; however, no large-scale studies have examined this association. Methods We conducted a population-based nested case-control study of adults aged 66 years or older living in Ontario, Canada, between 1 April 2003 and 31 March 2017. Cases were individuals who attended hospital for any of cerebellar dysfunction, encephalopathy, or peripheral neuropathy within 100 days of a prescription for either metronidazole or clindamycin. We matched each case patient with up to 10 event-free control subjects who also received metronidazole or clindamycin. We used conditional logistic regression to test the association between metronidazole exposure and neurologic events, with clindamycin as the reference exposure. Results We identified 1212 cases with recent use of either metronidazole or clindamycin and 12 098 controls. Neurologic adverse events were associated with an increased odds of metronidazole exposure compared to clindamycin (odds ratio [OR], 1.72 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.53–1.94]), which persisted after accounting for patient demographics, comorbidities, and other medication exposures (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.43 [95% CI, 1.26–1.63]). We found a consistent association limited to either central (aOR, 1.46 [95% CI, 1.27–1.68]) or peripheral (aOR, 1.34 [95% CI, 1.02–1.76]) nervous system events. Among metronidazole recipients, the overall incidence of neurologic events at 100 days was approximately 0.25%. Conclusions Metronidazole is associated with an increased risk of adverse peripheral and central nervous system events relative to clindamycin. Clinicians and patients should be aware of these rare but potentially serious adverse events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pc1 geomagnetic pulsations, equivalent to electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves in the magnetosphere, display a specific amplitude modulation, though the region of the modulation remains an open issue. To classify whether the amplitude modulation has a magnetospheric or ionospheric origin, an isolated proton aurora (IPA), which is a proxy of Pc1 wave‐particle interactions, is compared with the associated Pc1 waves for a geomagnetic conjugate pair, Halley Research Base in Antarctica and Nain in Canada. The temporal variation of an IPA shows a higher correlation coefficient (0.88) with Pc1 waves in the same hemisphere than that in the opposite hemisphere. This conjugate observation reveals that the classic cyclotron resonance is insufficient to determine the amplitude modulation. We suggest that direct wave radiation from the ionospheric current by IPA should also contribute to the amplitude modulation. Plain Language Summary: The amplitude of electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves in the magnetosphere, which are observed as Pc1 waves on the ground, is an important parameter for characterizing the loss of energetic particles. The generation region of EMIC waves is well understood as being the magnetic equator, but the amplitude modulation region is not well‐established due to wide horizontal Pc1 wave propagation in ionospheric ducts. Here we compare the properties of Pc1 waves and isolated proton precipitation from an ideal geomagnetic conjugate observation at Halley Research Base in Antarctica and Nain in Canada. By visualizing the cyclotron resonance region in the magnetosphere as an isolated proton aurora (IPA), the ambiguity of the horizontal propagation effects of Pc1 waves in the ionosphere is ideally removed. The observed IPA in the northern hemisphere has remarkable similarities with Pc1 waves in the same northern hemisphere, but not the southern hemisphere, providing evidence that the temporal variations of wave amplitude can be characterized by an ionospheric current induced in the IPA, and cannot be described only by a classical cyclotron resonance mechanism at the magnetic equator. Therefore, this study suggests that an IPA ionospheric current contributes to temporal modulations of Pc1 waves on the ground. Key Points: Similarities and differences of magnetic conjugacy between Pc1 waves and isolated proton precipitation are reportedThe proton aurora shows a strong similarity with Pc1 waves in the same hemisphere, not characterized by classical cyclotron resonanceThis study suggests the importance of ionosphere for Pc1 waves by an ionospheric current modulation of an isolated proton aurora [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current study was to understand how people from different cultures react to accidents collectively. Findings showed that South Koreans reported stronger emotions, greater self-blame, higher perceived control, and higher perceived responsibility than Canadians. Furthermore, stronger emotional response and perceived control might have led Koreans to perceive stronger responsibility (than Canadians) for the accidents. Traditionally, it has been believed that East Asians have a diminished sense of control over life events compared to Westerners. The present findings are therefore intriguing. This aids our understanding of cross cultural differences in experiences of loss and trauma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Given the current opioid crisis, caregivers have mounting fears regarding the use of opioid medication in their children. We aimed to determine caregivers' a) willingness to accept, b) reasons for refusing, and c) past experiences with opioids. Methods A novel electronic survey of caregivers of children aged 4 to 16 years who had an acute musculoskeletal injury and presented to two Canadian paediatric emergency departments (ED) (March to November 2017). Primary outcome was caregiver willingness to accept opioids for moderate pain for their children. Results Five hundred and seventeen caregivers participated; mean age was 40.9 (SD 7.1) years with 70.0% (362/517) mothers. Children included 62.2% (321/516) males with a mean age of 10.0 (SD 3.6) years. 49.6% of caregivers (254/512) reported willingness to accept opioids for ongoing moderate pain in the ED, while 37.1% (190/512) were 'unsure'; 33.2% (170/512) of caregivers would accept opioids for at-home use, but 45.5% (233/512) were 'unsure'. Caregivers' primary concerns were side effects, overdose, addiction, and masking of diagnosis. Caregiver fear of addiction (odds ratio [OR] 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01 to 1.25) and side effects (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.42) affected willingness to accept opioids in the emergency department ; fears of addiction (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.32), and overdose (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.27) affected willingness to accept opioids for at-home use. Conclusions Only half of the caregivers would accept opioids for moderate pain, despite ongoing pain following nonopioid analgesics. Caregivers' fears of addiction, side effects, overdose, and masking diagnosis may have influenced their responses. These findings are a first step in understanding caregiver analgesic decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored how private practice occupational therapists determined whether their clients' need 24-hour supervision, including assessments used, modes of clinical reasoning and therapists' confidence in their determinations. Survey data from 90 participants were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Participants reported using 166 different assessments to inform decisions about 24-hour supervision and most frequently engaged in pragmatic and conditional reasoning. On average, therapists perceived that they were confident or very confident in their determinations. There is variability in how therapists assess and reason through when 24-hour supervision may be required. Research to develop practice guidelines in this area is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its introduction to North America in the early 1900s, white pine blister rust (WPBR) caused by the fungal pathogen Cronartium ribicola has resulted in substantial economic losses and ecological damage to native North American five-needle pine species. The high susceptibility and mortality of these species, including limber pine (Pinus flexilis), creates an urgent need for the development and deployment of resistant germplasm to support recovery of impacted populations. Extensive screening for genetic resistance to WPBR has been underway for decades in some species but has only started recently in limber pine using seed families collected from wild parental trees in the USA and Canada. This study was conducted to characterize Alberta limber pine seed families for WPBR resistance and to develop reliable molecular tools for marker-assisted selection (MAS). Open-pollinated seed families were evaluated for host reaction following controlled infection using C. ribicola basidiospores. Phenotypic segregation for presence/absence of stem symptoms was observed in four seed families. The segregation ratios of these families were consistent with expression of major gene resistance (MGR) controlled by a dominant R locus. Based on linkage disequilibrium (LD)-based association mapping used to detect single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers associated with MGR against C. ribicola , MGR in these seed families appears to be controlled by Cr4 or other R genes in very close proximity to Cr4. These associated SNPs were located in genes involved in multiple molecular mechanisms potentially underlying limber pine MGR to C. ribicola , including NBS-LRR genes for recognition of C. ribicola effectors, signaling components, and a large set of defense-responsive genes with potential functions in plant effector-triggered immunity (ETI). Interactions of associated loci were identified for MGR selection in trees with complex genetic backgrounds. SNPs with tight Cr4-linkage were further converted to TaqMan assays to confirm their effectiveness as MAS tools. This work demonstrates the successful translation and deployment of molecular genetic knowledge into specific MAS tools that can be easily applied in a selection or breeding program to efficiently screen MGR against WPBR in Alberta limber pine populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Change‐point detection regains much attention recently for analyzing array or sequencing data for copy number variation (CNV) detection. In such applications, the true signals are typically very short and buried in the long data sequence, which makes it challenging to identify the variations efficiently and accurately. In this article, we propose a new change‐point detection method, a backward procedure, which is not only fast and simple enough to exploit high‐dimensional data but also performs very well for detecting short signals. Although motivated by CNV detection, the backward procedure is generally applicable to assorted change‐point problems that arise in a variety of scientific applications. It is illustrated by both simulated and real CNV data that the backward detection has clear advantages over other competing methods, especially when the true signal is short. The Canadian Journal of Statistics 48: 366–385; 2020 © 2020 Statistical Society of Canada [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is well established that the different antipsychotics used for schizophrenia symptoms differ substantially in their side effects. However, relatively little is known about the impact of these side effects on functioning from the patient's perspective. We aimed to understand how key side effects of second-generation antipsychotics impact the functioning and quality of life (QoL) of patients with schizophrenia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional, web-based survey of patient-reported side effect burden of antipsychotic drugs in adults with schizophrenia. The survey was deployed in the United States, Canada, Australia, Spain, Italy, Norway, and Denmark. It included sociodemographic and clinical questions, the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire Short Form (Q-LES-Q-SF), and the Glasgow Antipsychotic Side-Effect Scale (GASS). Eight pre-defined key side effects classified as activating ("Shaky hands or arms," "Restlessness," and "Difficulty sleeping"), sedating ("Sleepy during the day", "Feeling drugged or like a zombie," and "Feeling dizzy/Fainted") or other side effects ("Problems enjoying sex" and "Gaining weight"), and additional questions related to impacts on function and quality of life were asked. Results: In total, 435 participants (mean age: 38 years, 53.8% female) were included. The total Q-LES-Q-SF score indicated overall medium satisfaction with their quality of life (score of 44.3; possible range 14–70). The most prevalent side effects were "Sleepy during the day" (83.2%), "Difficulty sleeping" (74.7%), "Dry mouth" (63.9%), "Problems enjoying sex" (53.4%) and "Gaining weight" (52.4%). Women reported the side effects of "Sleepy during the day", "Problems enjoying sex" and "Gaining weight" more frequently than men. Key side effects impacted physical, social, occupational and psychological aspects of functioning. Patients with key side effects often felt frustrated by their experiences. Total Q-LES-Q-SF score showed a significant inverse correlation with the score of pre-defined groups of side effects indicating worse QoL in association with more severe key side effects in these patients. Conclusion: Stable patients with schizophrenia taking second-generation antipsychotics live with many side effects, including activating and sedating side effects, sexual side effects, and weight gain. Presence of these side effects is associated with substantial impacts across all aspects of daily functioning and lower quality of life and satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The great diversity and complexity of geological hazards in terms of flowing materials, environment, triggering mechanisms and physical processes during the flow bring great difficulties to the numerical parameter selection for the discrete element method. In order to identity the significance of individual parameters on the landslides dynamic process and provide valuable contribution to the runout analysis of similar landslide, the dynamic process and associated microscopic mechanism of the Turnoff Creek rock avalanche in Canada are simulated. The present numerical results are compared with the field survey data and the results of depth-integrated continuum method. The final deposit range matches well with the field survey data. It is illustrated that the discrete element method is robust and feasible to capture the dynamic characteristics of large rock avalanche over a complex terrain. Besides, a new method to assess the landslide hazard level based on the discrete element method is proposed. According to the parameter sensitivity analysis, it is demonstrated that the basal friction coefficient and bond strength are essential to the final deposit while rolling coefficient and restitution coefficient have little effects on it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry mild yellow edge virus (SMYEV) is a member of the genus Potexvirus, family Alphaflexiviridae. It is one of the most common pathogenic viruses infecting cultivated strawberries worldwide. In this study, we investigated the genetic diversity of SMYEV in strawberry fields that were severely affected by strawberry decline disease in the eastern Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec. A total of 134 SMYEV coat protein (CP) gene sequences, representing 85 nucleic acid haplotypes, were identified in 56 field samples. A highly divergent SMYEV population was found in all four provinces, but there was little genetic differentiation among the populations, and moreover, the Canadian SMYEV isolates formed a unique dissimilar, genetically divergent population group when compared to those reported in other countries. Phylogenetic analysis revealed three new SMYEV subclades that consisted mainly of Canadian variants and were composed of 76 sequence haplotypes (76/85, 88%). Mixed infections by different SMYEV variants were observed in 38 samples (38/56, 68%). Evolutionary analysis suggested that the SMYEV strains in eastern Canada possibly originated outside of Canada but adapted to conditions in the region through genetic mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background People living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; PLWH) have a markedly elevated anal cancer risk, largely due to loss of immunoregulatory control of oncogenic human papillomavirus infection. To better understand anal cancer development and prevention, we determined whether recent, past, cumulative, or nadir/peak CD4+ T-cell count (CD4) and/or HIV-1 RNA level (HIV RNA) best predict anal cancer risk. Methods We studied 102 777 PLWH during 1996–2014 from 21 cohorts participating in the North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design. Using demographics-adjusted, cohort-stratified Cox models, we assessed associations between anal cancer risk and various time-updated CD4 and HIV RNA measures, including cumulative and nadir/peak measures during prespecified moving time windows. We compared models using the Akaike information criterion. Results Cumulative and nadir/peak CD4 or HIV RNA measures from approximately 8.5 to 4.5 years in the past were generally better predictors for anal cancer risk than their corresponding more recent measures. However, the best model included CD4 nadir (ie, the lowest CD4) from approximately 8.5 years to 6 months in the past (hazard ratio [HR] for <50 vs ≥500 cells/µL, 13.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.5–51.0) and proportion of time CD4 <200 cells/µL from approximately 8.5 to 4.5 years in the past (a cumulative measure; HR for 100% vs 0%, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.5–6.6). Conclusions Our results are consistent with anal cancer promotion by severe, prolonged HIV-induced immunosuppression. Nadir and cumulative CD4 may represent useful markers for identifying PLWH at higher anal cancer risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The temporal and spatial scales of exposure assessment may influence observed associations between fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) and mortality, but few studies have systematically examined this question.Methods: We followed 2.4 million adults in the 2001 Canadian Census Health and Environment Cohort for nonaccidental and cause-specific mortality between 2001 and 2011. We assigned PM2.5 exposures to residential locations using satellite-based estimates and compared three different temporal moving averages (1, 3, and 8 years) and three spatial scales (1, 5, and 10 km) of exposure assignment. In addition, we examined different spatial scales based on age, employment status, and urban/rural location, and adjustment for O3, NO2, or their combined oxidant capacity (Ox).Results: In general, longer moving averages resulted in stronger associations between PM2.5 and mortality. For nonaccidental mortality, we observed a hazard ratio of 1.11 (95% CI = 1.08, 1.13) for the 1-year moving average compared with 1.23 (95% CI = 1.20, 1.27) for the 8-year moving average. Respiratory and lung cancer mortality were most sensitive to the spatial scale of exposure assessment with stronger associations observed at smaller spatial scales. Adjustment for oxidant gases attenuated associations between PM2.5 and cardiovascular mortality and strengthened associations with lung cancer. Despite these variations, PM2.5 was associated with increased mortality in nearly all of the models examined.Conclusions: These findings support a relationship between outdoor PM2.5 and mortality at low concentrations and highlight the importance of longer-exposure windows, more spatially resolved exposure metrics, and adjustment for oxidant gases in characterizing this relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]