Search

A dynamic soil chemistry model, SAFE, was applied to boreal stands located in three regions of Quebec (Canada) to investigate the relative contributions of forest harvesting methods (whole-tree and stem-only harvesting), natural disturbances (wildfire and spruce budworm outbreak) and atmospheric deposition on base cation fluxes and the soil acid–base status. Model parameterization was done using measured and published soil and vegetation data, published trends of nutrient dynamics, governmental databases on atmospheric deposition and climate, the reconstruction method MAKEDEP and throughfall equations that we developed for coniferous stands. The model suggested that forest disturbances, both anthropogenic and natural, increased base saturation, and thus base cation availability, to different degrees for periods of one to five decades. However, such disturbances, no matter their interval of return and their intensity, did not appear to be the main driving force of soil chemistry in the long term. On the other hand, simulation results showed that the B horizon at all sites has undergone acidification due to acid atmospheric deposition during the 20th century. Results suggest that atmospheric deposition is the main driver of long-term trends of soil chemistry for the study sites and that the issue of sustainability of soil productivity depends more on air pollution abatement policies than on forest management strategies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Wide awake local anaesthesia no tourniquet, also known as WALANT, is the practice of performing surgery under local anaesthetic in the absence of a tourniquet. This technique uses the vasoconstrictive effects of adrenaline and the local anaesthetic effects of lignocaine to establish a Bier block with haemostatic control. Permitting active patient participation intraoperatively, wide awake local anaesthesia no tourniquet surgery improves patient compliance with rehabilitation and yields higher patient satisfaction. With reduced cost and equipment requirements, this method improves accessibility for patients and productivity for healthcare institutions. This is of particular benefit within the current COVID-19 climate, as wide awake local anaesthesia no tourniquet technique provides a means of overcoming restrictions to theatre access and anaesthetic support. This review delves into the current uses of wide awake local anaesthesia no tourniquet surgery, outlining the initial conception of the practice by Canadian surgeons. The advantages and disadvantages are considered, and potential future applications of this technique are discussed.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on clinical practice. Safe standards of practice are essential to protect health care workers while still allowing them to provide good care. The Canadian Society of Clinical Neurophysiologists, the Canadian Association of Electroneurophysiology Technologists, the Association of Electromyography Technologists of Canada, the Board of Registration of Electromyography Technologists of Canada, and the Canadian Board of Registration of Electroencephalograph Technologists have combined to review current published literature about safe practices for neurophysiology laboratories. Herein, we present the results of our review and provide our expert opinion regarding the safe practice of neurophysiology during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada.