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Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that may colonise and proliferate in human stomachs, leading invariably to chronic inflammation and, to a lesser extent, to peptic ulcers and cancer. The main objective of this study is to describe the epidemiology surrounding H. pylori in Nunavik's Inuit population using the 2004 and 2017 Health Surveys. Estimated prevalences were 70.9% for bacterial colonisation using a stool antigens test (SAT), 72.5% for anti-H. pylori antibodies, 12.7% for faecal occult blood in participants aged ≥ 50 and respectively of 28.4%, 11.2% and 2.4% for a prior diagnosis of colonisation, gastritis and peptic ulcer in the medical charts, with under five cases of gastric cancer reported. Variables associated with higher SAT+ prevalence were the number of household members (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.03) and age (quadratic relationship), whereas mainly drinking municipal (PR = 0.84) and natural water (PR = 0.72) compared to bottled water, and increasing alcohol consumption (PR = 0.96) were associated with reduced prevalence. Despite current regional guidelines targeting high risk individuals in the context of high prevalence, Nunavik's health authorities must remain vigilant by following gastric cancer incidence and the rapid evolution of guidelines, while considering local realities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicobacter pylori is a bacterium that may colonise and proliferate in human stomachs, leading invariably to chronic inflammation and, to a lesser extent, to peptic ulcers and cancer. The main objective of this study is to describe the epidemiology surrounding H. pylori in Nunavik’s Inuit population using the 2004 and 2017 Health Surveys. Estimated prevalences were 70.9% for bacterial colonisation using a stool antigens test (SAT), 72.5% for anti-H. pylori antibodies, 12.7% for faecal occult blood in participants aged ≥ 50 and respectively of 28.4%, 11.2% and 2.4% for a prior diagnosis of colonisation, gastritis and peptic ulcer in the medical charts, with under five cases of gastric cancer reported. Variables associated with higher SAT+ prevalence were the number of household members (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.03) and age (quadratic relationship), whereas mainly drinking municipal (PR = 0.84) and natural water (PR = 0.72) compared to bottled water, and increasing alcohol consumption (PR = 0.96) were associated with reduced prevalence. Despite current regional guidelines targeting high risk individuals in the context of high prevalence, Nunavik’s health authorities must remain vigilant by following gastric cancer incidence and the rapid evolution of guidelines, while considering local realities.

This article explores the existing dynamics between languages and identities in a changing multilingual indigenous context in Nunavik. Although immersed in Inuit culture throughout their lives, many Inuit today do not understand or speak their ancestral language, Inuktitut. This ethno-sociolinguistic study (Blanchet, 2012) exposes Inuit cultural and linguistic experiences which revealed that by actively participating in their Inuit way of life, young and old alike learn to live their "inukness" (Qilavaaq, 2012), the Inuit way to say, act, think and live. An identity cultivated through the myriad practices that make up the Inuit oral tradition. I examine the emerging representations of Inuit participants through the way they expressed their experiences in their ancestral culture. Culture which, today, is undergoing significant sociolinguistic changes (Weinreich, 1953; Thomason & Kaufman, 1988; Wendel & Heinrich, 2012; McCarty & Nicholas, 2014). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rivers of Northern Quebec have been the focus of much attention since the 1960s, and have been at the heart of discussions concerning hydroelectric development and, more broadly, the right of access to land. Numerous studies have focused on the different points of view on rivers, particularly those of Indigenous peoples whose way of life is intrinsically linked to this environment. This article explores the relationships forged by Nunavimmiut (inhabitants of Nunavik, Quebec) with their rivers. Stories, images and commented journeys put into perspective the sensitive, multisensory experiences between Inuit bodies and river bodies. These relationships appear to be multiform, involving the co-construction of individual histories and senses. When a river is affected by a change, whether anthropogenic or more natural, it directly transforms and reconstructs sensibilities.

The harvest and consumption of country food is a cornerstone of Inuit culture, sovereignty, food security, and nutrition. Qilalugaq (beluga whales) (Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas, 1776)) are hunted across the Canadian Arctic and are an especially important food source for Inuit communities in Nunavik, northern Québec, Canada. The presence of environmental contaminants and nutrients in beluga has been the subject of recent research interest, including the role of selenoneine and its interactions with methylmercury. Using interviews conducted in Quaqtaq and analyses of beluga tissue samples harvested by hunters, this study aimed to bridge Inuit knowledge and scientific knowledge to understand how beluga hunting, preparation, and consumption practices may explain the different levels of selenoneine found in Nunavimmiut (Inuit from Nunavik). It also sought to characterize the health, social, and cultural importance of beluga and factors influencing its consumption. Research findings confirmed the important role of beluga in Nunavimmiut culture, food security, and nutrition. Findings documented gender-based consumption practices, including consumption of the selenoneine-rich beluga tail exclusively by women, which may explain previously documented gender differences in blood selenoneine levels. This study demonstrates the utility of weaving Inuit knowledge and scientific knowledge to inform future environmental health research, public health communications, and wildlife comanagement.

To support climate change adaptation in the communities of Nunavik, an innovative multitechnique approach to map permafrost conditions and assess risks of geohazards at the community-scale level was applied. Four maps were produced for each community: (1) a surficial geology map, (2) a map of permafrost conditions based on ground-ice content and depth to bedrock, (3) a map of potential for construction, and (4) a geohazard risk assessment map. Local ground temperature data from thermistor cables were used to calibrate 1D numerical models to estimate future permafrost temperature changes and probable rates of degradation in different environmental settings within the communities and under different climate change scenarios for the 2019–2100 period. Throughout this project, abundant consultations were held in communities and with stakeholders to better understand their concerns and to provide pragmatic recommendations for improving construction methods and land-use planning to face the challenges of permafrost thaw. Specific recommendations were made to the higher levels of government for improving construction practices. Inuit aspirations, culture, and leadership remain essential in integrating permafrost geotechnical knowledge in planning a safe future for the communities.

Seven species from the genera Kobayasiella (K. madumensis Jorgensen, K. micropunctata Germain, K. parasubtilissima Kobayasi & Nagumo, K. pseudostauron Lange-Bertalot, K. subtilissima PT.Cleve), Adlafia (A. bryophila Petersen) and Nupela (N. tenuicephala Hustedt) from oligotrophic lakes of the subarctic boreal zone in Tursujuq National Park in Nunavik (northern Québec, Canada), were studied by light and scanning electron microscopy and linked with environmental conditions. In addition, four new species, Kobayasiella tursujuqensis sp. nov., Adlafia umiujaqensis sp. nov., Adlafia ossiformis sp. nov., and Sellaphora vincentiana sp. nov., were observed and described. The new species are similar in light microscope observations to other species in their associated genera, but can be identified based on independent character traits under a combined LM and SEM analysis. Morphological structures of particular interest include valve outline, position of the central and terminal raphe fissures, orientation of the striae, and the structural formation of the areolae within the striae. Due to low taxon abundances, distribution patterns of these species in the park were difficult to identify. Kobayasiella parasubtilissima, K. subtilissima, K. tursujuqensis sp. nov. and N. tenuicephala were associated with acidic conditions while K. pseudostauron, A. bryophila and S. vincentiana sp. nov. were found in circumneutral waters. A better knowledge of small naviculoid species is necessary to document the circumpolar biogeography and ecology of diatoms for a better understanding of the dynamic of those organisms in changing environmental conditions within the context of rapid climate change in northern regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an overview of past and current grief rituals and practices and existing grassroots and institutional initiatives seeking to address the complex, prolonged, and traumatic grief experienced by many Inuit living in Quebec. While conducting a study seeking to identify the strengths, resources, and challenges for Nunavik's Inuit communities related to end-of-life care, results emerged concerning how family caregivers' grief related to the dying process was compounded by the sequelae of historic loss experiences (e.g., losses related to Canada's federal policies, including residential schools, forced relocations, and dog slaughters) and by present loss experiences (e.g., tragic and sudden deaths in local communities). To better support caregivers, an understanding of these grief experiences and a vision of bereavement care inclusive of community mobilization efforts to develop bereavement training and support is needed. We conclude with a discussion of a community capacity approach to bereavement care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionThere is little information on evolutionarily ancient eukaryotes, which are often referred to as basal eukaryotes, in Arctic waters. Despite earlier studies being conducted in the Russian White Sea, only few have been reported.MethodsFollowing a shotgun sequence survey of diatom cultures from Sugluk Inlet off the Hudson Strait in Northern Québec, we obtained the complete mitochondrial genome and the operon of nuclear ribosomal RNA genes from a strain that matches that of Ancyromonas sigmoides (Kent, 1881).ResultsThe sequence of the mitogenome retrieved was 41,889 bp in length and encoded 38 protein-coding genes, 5 non-conserved open-reading frames, and 2 rRNA and 24 tRNA genes. The mitogenome has retained sdh2 and sdh3, two genes of the succinate dehydrogenase complex, which are sometimes found among basal eukaryotes but seemingly missing among the Malawimonadidae, a lineage sister to Ancyromonadida in some phylogenies. The phylogeny inferred from the 18S rRNA gene associated A. sigmoides from Sugluk Inlet with several other strains originating from the Arctic. The study also unveiled the presence of a metagenomic sequence ascribed to bacteria in GenBank, but it was clearly a mitochondrial genome with a gene content highly similar to that of A. sigmoides, including the non-conserved open-reading frames.DiscussionAfter re-annotation, a phylogeny was inferred from mitochondrial protein sequences, and it strongly associated A. sigmoides with the misidentified organism, with the two being possibly conspecific or sibling species as they are more similar to one another than to species of the genus Malawimonas. Overall our phylogeny showed that the ice associated ancryomonads were clearly distinct from more southerly strains.

In this article, we study snow avalanche activity during the snow seasons of 2017–2020 using four automatic time-lapse cameras strategically positioned along the southwestern slope of Tasiapik Valley, near the village of Umiujaq, in Nunavik (northern Québec, Canada). Over the three snow seasons, cameras helped to detect evidence of 130 avalanche events, scattered over seventy-eight distinct avalanche days. The evolution of weather conditions prior to each avalanche release was detailed according to data from a nearby weather station. Moreover, the time of release, the release type, the surface texture, and whether rocky material was present in the deposits were documented from the photographs. To explore relationships between weather data and avalanche releases, conditional inference tree (CIT) analysis was conducted. Results of the CIT analysis showed that there are different weather patterns associated with avalanche releases depending on the season, and significant thresholds values were defined. In winter, the avalanche probability was greater when three-day snowfall total exceeded 10 cm. In spring, the avalanche probability was greater when cumulative melting degree-days were less than forty-six and when daily minimum air temperature was greater than 2°C. Moreover, cornice failures were found to be a major component of the avalanche dynamic in Tasiapik Valley, mainly because of the slope’s morphology. They have also been the cause of the three largest volume and longest runout avalanches observed by cameras in this study, highlighting potential risks for local communities. The probability of observing cornice failures is enhanced on days when maximum air temperature is greater than −8°C in winter conditions, whereas in spring conditions it is enhanced by daily maximum air temperature greater than 2.5°C. This study represents a necessary first step toward avalanche forecasting based on weather data in Nunavik. Efforts should be continued given the expected higher frequency of natural hazards in northern regions as a consequence of recent climate changes.

In remote northern regions, lacking deep geothermal exploratory boreholes, a theoretical approach to provide a first-order estimate of the stress regime seems a useful tool. Literature data was used in this context to evaluate the orientation of the stress components and empirical relationships were applied to calculate their magnitude in a community of Nunavik, northern Quebec. A Monte Carlo-based sensitivity analysis was carried out due to the uncertainty of the input parameters. Mohr–Coulomb friction and slip tendency analyses were additionally undertaken to assess the stress state and potential reactivation of existing fractures. The results highlight how the poor knowledge of the stress field has an important impact on the design and development of engineered geothermal energy systems in the Canadian off-grid community of Kuujjuaq.

This study focuses on spatiotemporal changes in water turbidity in relation to permafrost to document the impact of meteorological conditions and water flow on hydro-sedimentary processes in northern regions. Starting in June of 2019, water turbidity data were collected at six sites along the Tasiapik River (Nunavik). A statistical analysis was completed based on records of water turbidity, precipitation, water flow, and air temperature. Our results show a significant correlation between air temperatures and turbidity, with a correlation of up to r = 0.59. These correlations depend on the location of the site along the river and the time of the study period (June–October 2019). The flow rate was the primary factor that caused variations in the turbidity of the Tasiapik River. Our results showed that following an increase in flow rate, there was an almost simultaneous increase in turbidity due to erosion of the banks. The duration and intensity of precipitation events are also important factors affecting the process of sediment transport. Even though meteorological conditions play an important role in turbidity variation, other characteristics of the site such as the topography and the existence of thermokarst lakes are additional factors that influence the dynamics of sediment transport in the Tasiapik River.

In remote communities in the Canadian Arctic, petroleum hydrocarbons supply most household energy needs. Their transportation and use frequently incurs small volume spills in populated areas. The remediation method that is currently used when such spills affect the soil under northern villages’ stilted buildings is expensive and not well suited to local conditions. Here, we review local constraints and environmental considerations and select the best remediation technology for this context: in situ chemical oxidation, involving sodium persulfate (SPS) alkali activated with calcium peroxide (CP). Activated SPS presents a good reactivity and amenability to compounds found in diesel. Its high persistence allows a gradual contaminant degradation, regulating heat release from exothermic reactions associated with the oxidative reactions. CP provides suitable alkali activation, acts itself as an oxidant and provides O2 into the subsurface, which may favour a final smoothing bioremediation step. The SPS properties and the contaminant amenability mean that diesel is removed relatively efficiently, while the subsurface temperature increase is limited, thus preserving the residual permafrost. The solid form of the chemicals offers safe and economic transportation and operation, along with versatility regarding the preparation and distribution of the oxidizing solution into the subsurface. Finally, the oxidation by-products resulting from this method are not considered to be environmentally problematic in the context of the application, and they can be partly confined during the treatment.

This study uses historical sources to extend the period of meteorological data in northeastern Nunavik (Quebec, Canada). Atmospheric temperature, wind strength and direction, and perception of temperature are extracted from instrumental, documentary, and narrative sources. Perceptions of temperature during the summer and winter months are sorted using a 5-point index based on climate and environmental observations. A confidence scale is elaborated based on the quality, density, and temporality of the sources. From 1880 to 1950, the climate normals of temperature remained similar; however, annual and decadal climatic variability is evident based on the mean monthly and seasonal temperature records and the temperature index. Compared to recent data (twenty-first century), the temperature was 1.5 °C colder. This paper also identifies a correlation between the historical data and the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Extremely positive phases of the NAO are associated with colder-than-normal periods along the Hudson Strait. Harsh winters are documented in 1883–1885, 1906–1907, and 1913–1914, with predominant west and north-west winds. From 1920 to 1925, the cold winters induced the persistence of sea ice during the summers. Winters appeared to be snowier (1916–1918) during the extremely negative phases of the NAO, while the last decade of the record showed mild and rainy summers. The correlation between temperature and NAO anomalies suggests that northeastern Nunavik is regionally influenced by the North Atlantic atmospheric circulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous peoples in Canada’s North, especially youth, are increasingly using creative visual arts, such as film, video, and new media technologies to portray their own realities and their personal view of the surrounding environment, thereby contesting colonial, stereotyped media representations of First Peoples. To analyze the youth geography—a sub-discipline of human geography—of nuna (“land” in Inuktitut) and istchee (“land” in Cree) and to understand the distinctive and contemporary meanings that Inuit and Cree young people give to the land, we carried out participatory video (PV) workshops in three Inuit and one Cree communities in Nunavik in 2016, 2017, and 2019. In this paper, we give an account of the nuna/istchee PV project as a method for engaging with young Indigenous people, as a means to develop an Indigenous youth cultural geography in the Arctic. We discuss the effects of PV on the different actors involved in the research process: young Inuit and Cree participants and their communities, the participating schools, and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate warming has affected the transportation infrastructure in Nunavik, Quebec, Canada. Heat drain is an innovative heat extraction technique using density-driven convection of the pore air in the geocomposite of the heat drain to cool the ground during winter. This paper examines the thermal conditions of the road embankment including a heat drain installed in the shoulder at Salluit, Nunavik, Quebec, Canada. Following the installation of the heat drain, a decrease of the soil temperatures was observed. A 2-D finite element geothermal model was developed to reproduce the thermal regime underneath the heat drain, based on the site condition at Salluit. Field measurement of ground temperature for the four year monitoring period from 2012 to 2016, were used to calibrate the model. After the calibration, the long-term climate warming effects on the ground thermal regime was investigated using the model developed. • The thermal conditions of the road embankment in Northern Canada were analyzed from 2012 to 2016. • A geothermal model was developed to reproduce the shallow ground thermal conditions beneath the heat drain. • Heat drains effectively cool permafrost over the 30 years post-construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative research inspired by an ethno-sociolinguistic (Blanchet & Chardenet, 2011) and participative approach (Wang, 1999) discusses sociolinguistic representations of plurilingual Inuit speakers. It aims to better understand how languages are transmitted through the active engagement of families’ experiences and mobile narratives of plural identities where French, English and other languages are weaved together with Inuktitut. The corpus is part of a doctoral thesis; it includes interviews, visual documentation by ethno-photography of community events, notes, and field observations in a Nunavik community. The contribution also questions, against the background of (re)vitalization and reconciliation (MacDonald, Moore, 2016; Patrick, 2015), the position of the researcher in an Indigenous environment (Moore & MacDonald, 2011) in sociolinguistic and didactic research on plurilingualism.

Belugas from the James Bay population (JAM) and Belcher Islands-Eastern Hudson Bay (BEL-EHB) stock are harvested by hunters from all Nunavik communities and the Nunavut community of Sanikiluaq. In 2020-2021, a total of 366 belugas were reported harvested by Nunavik hunters, including 41 animals harvested in the Long Island area. From those, an estimated 139 BEL-EHB animals were harvested. Another 19 BEL-EHB animals were harvested in Sanikiluaq. A population model fitted to a time series of 8 aerial survey estimates using Bayesian methods and taking into account removals by harvesters provided a 2021 abundance estimate of 16,700 belugas in James Bay and a range of 2,900-3,200 belugas in eastern Hudson Bay, depending on model assumptions. The James Bay population has levelled off since the last assessment, whereas the BEL-EHB stock is currently declining at a rate of 2.5% per year. A harvest of 190 belugas per year in James Bay, would result in a 50% probability of decline in the JAM population after 5 years. The Potential Biological Removal (PBR) for this population is 296 belugas. If a Precautionary Approach framework was used to manage beluga in James Bay, a range of 170-173 belugas could be harvested annually. For the BEL-EHB stock, two model runs were completed and harvests were evaluated against two benchmarks or thresholds over time frames of 5 and 10 years. Depending on model assumptions, benchmarks and timeframes, harvests should not exceed levels of 0-70 BEL-EHB belugas annually for the stock to remain above the benchmark abundance estimate. The PBR for this stock is 5 animals. Over a 50-year time period, if the annual harvest of beluga from the BEL-EHB stocks stays within 20-25 animals annually, then there is a high probability of staying above the precautionary reference level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Bayesian surplus production model was fitted to aerial survey estimates of abundance (n = 10) and reported harvests of walruses from the Hudson Bay-Davis Strait (HBDS) stock from 1954-2017. Model fit was poor, owing to the high abundance estimate resulting from the most recent survey conducted in 2017. Modelling exercises to explore possible reasons for the high estimate in 2017 included higher than assumed proportion of animals hauled out during the survey, as well as an influx of animals moving into Hudson Bay and Hudson Strait from neighbouring regions. Model fit improved when the possibility of mixing of animals between the HBDS and Foxe Basin management stocks was considered, and when the assumed proportion of animals hauled out was increased from 0.3 to 0.8. The survey abundance estimate from 2017 likely reflected one or a combination of these factors. The model-derived abundance estimate for the northern Hudson Bay-Strait component of the stock was 8,200 (95% CI = 5,800-19,700). Adding this to the survey-estimated abundance for walruses along the east coast of Baffin Island (3,900; 95% CI = 2,200-7,200), for which a sufficient time series of abundance estimates for population modelling was unavailable, provided a total HBDS stock abundance estimate of 12,200 (95% CI = 7,000-20,800) in 2017. The estimated potential biological removal (PBR) using this estimate and a recovery factor of 1 was 360 animals. The total annual removal through hunting, after adjusting reported catches for struck-and-loss and non-reporting, is estimated at 137 animals for the HBDS stock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the opportunity arises for the architect to take an interest in the idea of the sacred, certain notions are evoked: true and original dwelling, imagination (or imaginary) and founding stories, enchantment or re-enchantment of the world. It is one of these occasions that this article relates, through the design of a sacred space project for young Inuit in Nunavik. The conceptual framework, mainly resulting from theoretical reflection in architecture, rubs shoulders with certain important notions of cultural geography and anthropology, as well as some images of Inuit art. Together, these ideas launch an adventure in the imagination, lived and dreamed. The projects presented remain exploratory: they are the result of an educational activity and have therefore not been constructed. All the same, they illustrate the richness of research-creation in architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we study snow avalanche activity during the snow seasons of 2017–2020 using four automatic time-lapse cameras strategically positioned along the southwestern slope of Tasiapik Valley, near the village of Umiujaq, in Nunavik (northern Québec, Canada). Over the three snow seasons, cameras helped to detect evidence of 130 avalanche events, scattered over seventy-eight distinct avalanche days. The evolution of weather conditions prior to each avalanche release was detailed according to data from a nearby weather station. Moreover, the time of release, the release type, the surface texture, and whether rocky material was present in the deposits were documented from the photographs. To explore relationships between weather data and avalanche releases, conditional inference tree (CIT) analysis was conducted. Results of the CIT analysis showed that there are different weather patterns associated with avalanche releases depending on the season, and significant thresholds values were defined. In winter, the avalanche probability was greater when three-day snowfall total exceeded 10 cm. In spring, the avalanche probability was greater when cumulative melting degree-days were less than forty-six and when daily minimum air temperature was greater than 2°C. Moreover, cornice failures were found to be a major component of the avalanche dynamic in Tasiapik Valley, mainly because of the slope's morphology. They have also been the cause of the three largest volume and longest runout avalanches observed by cameras in this study, highlighting potential risks for local communities. The probability of observing cornice failures is enhanced on days when maximum air temperature is greater than −8°C in winter conditions, whereas in spring conditions it is enhanced by daily maximum air temperature greater than 2.5°C. This study represents a necessary first step toward avalanche forecasting based on weather data in Nunavik. Efforts should be continued given the expected higher frequency of natural hazards in northern regions as a consequence of recent climate changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, a new rehabilitation programme has been developed on the Hudson Bay coast of Nunavik. The purpose of this article is to reflect on the experience of an occupational and physical therapy programme development in an Inuit sociocultural context. To do so, the challenges encountered during the first years following the implementation of rehabilitation services and the strategies implemented by the professionals to overcome them were identified, examined in the light of the literature, and discussed with members of the rehabilitation team. The challenges encountered and strategies implemented were divided into 10 major themes: (1) diverse clinical needs; (2) communication issues; (3) acquisition of cross-cultural interaction and population-specific knowledge; (4) adaptation of clinical practice to Nunavimmiut; (5) client engagement in rehabilitation; (6) professional isolation; (7) lack of awareness around the objectives and scope of rehabilitation practice; (8) use of culturally safe assessment tools; (9) staff turnover; (10) large geographic area to be served. This exercise highlighted the need to adapt clinical rehabilitation practices to Nunavimmiut’s worldviews and culture, as well as to adopt a reflective practice in order to improve the quality, relevance and effectiveness of rehabilitation services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biallelic variants in GLDN have recently been associated with lethal congenital contracture syndrome 11 (LCCS11), a form of fetal akinesia deformation sequence (FADS) with high neonatal mortality. In this report, we describe five individuals from two Canadian Inuit families originating from different communities in Nunavik all affected with FADS and harboring a rare homozygous missense variant, [NM_181789.4:c.82G >C p.(Ala28Pro)] in GLDN. Two pregnancies presented with significant obstetrical complications including placental abruption and hemorrhage. Four infants died shortly after birth, while one survived past the neonatal period. This individual, while apparently asymptomatic during infancy, then presented with progressive neuromuscular and respiratory compromise that became more evident in adolescence. Data from a Nunavik Inuit cohort demonstrated a minor allele frequency (MAF) of 0.03571 for this variant compared to 0.00001341 in the general population, suggesting a founder effect in the Nunavik Inuit population. Our findings support the presence of a founder variant associated with LCCS11 in Nunavik Inuit populations. Our data corroborate those of other reports, demonstrating that LCCS11 is not universally lethal, but long-term survivors are at risk of progressive neuromuscular compromise. We also highlight in this report the significant obstetrical complications associated with this fetal-onset condition., (© 2024 The Author(s). American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Kangirsuk, is an Inuit community of Nunavik (Qc, Canada), renowned for the abundance of its anadromous Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus), which are also a livelihood resource for the local population. However, near the community, char temporarily disappear from Lake Tasirjuarusik during the winter, only to reappear in the spring. The local association of hunters and fishermen (Anguvigaq) wanted to elucidate this mysterious disappearance by telemetry monitoring. This paper describes the process followed to build a collaborative research project between Inuit and non-Inuit scientists, from the funding application to the first fieldwork. The project is led by Inuit partners, Kangirsuk local association of hunters and fishers (Anguvigaq), in collaboration with scientific partners. The approach presented is intended to be an example of a collaborative project in indigenous territory that can be replicated and that promotes the commitment of all the collaborators, Inuit and non-Inuit.

In recent years, a new rehabilitation programme has been developed on the Hudson Bay coast of Nunavik. The purpose of this article is to reflect on the experience of an occupational and physical therapy programme development in an Inuit sociocultural context. To do so, the challenges encountered during the first years following the implementation of rehabilitation services and the strategies implemented by the professionals to overcome them were identified, examined in the light of the literature, and discussed with members of the rehabilitation team. The challenges encountered and strategies implemented were divided into 10 major themes: (1) diverse clinical needs; (2) communication issues; (3) acquisition of cross-cultural interaction and population-specific knowledge; (4) adaptation of clinical practice to Nunavimmiut; (5) client engagement in rehabilitation; (6) professional isolation; (7) lack of awareness around the objectives and scope of rehabilitation practice; (8) use of culturally safe assessment tools; (9) staff turnover; (10) large geographic area to be served. This exercise highlighted the need to adapt clinical rehabilitation practices to Nunavimmiut’s worldviews and culture, as well as to adopt a reflective practice in order to improve the quality, relevance and effectiveness of rehabilitation services.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada calls for closing education gaps between non-Indigenous and Indigenous Canadians as part of the real work of reconciliation, that is, walking the decolonization talk. In Nunavik, a part of Inuit Nunangat, addressing these education gaps is complex, requiring trust building between educational institutions and Inuit communities. In Nunavik's 14 communities, there are only two Inuit who hold Bachelor of Social Work degrees. Establishing or rebuilding trust is extraordinarily difficult given ongoing colonial policies and institutional structures that disregard Inuit experience. This article describes the journey of developing a Bachelor of Social Work degree program in Kuujjuaq, Nunavik, to be called Inulirijiit, in the context of the history of social welfare for Nunavimmiut and how Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2008–2015) and the Public Inquiry Commission on Relations between Indigenous Peoples and Certain Public Services in Québec (Viens Commission, 2019) have shaped contemporary social work education and practice. We argue that the Bachelor of Social Work degree program must have at its center Inuit ways of knowing, learning, teaching, and being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of automatic time-lapse cameras installed along the southwestern side of Tasiapik Valley, near the village of Umiujaq, Nunavik (northern Québec) documented several departure modes and types of snow involved in snow avalanches during winter 2017–2018. These included cornice–avalanche dynamics, slab and loose snow avalanches, and clean and dirty snow avalanches. At the top of the selected slope, a camera monitored the development of a snow cornice beginning in November 2017, detecting multiple cornice failures over the winter and spring. The track and deposition area of the runout paths were monitored from two cameras downslope, revealing the concomitance of snow–cornice fall and snow avalanche triggering. Snow avalanche activity remained relatively infrequent until the end of May 2018. Spring snow avalanche activity is characterized by wet and dirty snow avalanches carrying debris to the foot of the slope and by runout zones located near the road along the slope.

There are 14 northern communities in Nunavik, the Arctic region of Quebec province, Canada. Transportation infrastructure plays a vital role in the social and economic development of these localities. The thawing of permafrost compromises the stability of northern transportation infrastructure. Harsh Arctic climate conditions limit the installation of effective monitoring systems to assess infrastructure stability. In Akulivik, the access road connects the Akulivik airport and the village of Akulivik. There is no monitoring to observe the thermal condition of the permafrost foundation of the access road, hindering the capacity to perform preventive maintenance activities, especially in the context of observed climate warming in Nunavik. This paper describes a project aiming at the assessment of the stability of the access road using a new approach and proposes adaptation solutions to stabilize the road, based on design tools recently developed. Particular attention was paid to the foundation soil under the side slope where relatively rapid permafrost degradation was occurring due to accumulated snow. The results indicate a positive thermal gradient of 0.29 °C/m under the side slope and a near-zero thermal gradient under the centerline. Projected climate warming was also considered to further investigate the thermal condition, providing a safety margin for the design of promising adaptation solutions. These results assist government agencies in evaluating the thermal conditions of underlying permafrost and deploying potential adaptation solutions in Akulivik. • The thermal conditions of the road embankment were analyzed. • A new approach was employed to assess the thermal stability of the road embankment. • An adaptive solution was designed to mitigate permafrost degradation beneath the embankment side slopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the spatial distribution and morphological variability of thermal contraction crack polygon (TCCP) networks across Nunavik, a 440,000‐km2 region of northern Québec that spans the northward transition from discontinuous to continuous permafrost. A population of 4,567 TCCP sites was sampled and analyzed from 80,737 georeferenced high‐resolution aerial photographs and 264,504 km2 of ESRI satellite basemaps. For each site, six parameters were inventoried and compiled into a database: (a) network geometric arrangement; (b) intersection angles; (c) number of subdivisions and nested polygons (referred to as generations of development); (d) dominant polygon morphology; (e) surficial geology; and (f) vegetation cover. Statistical analyses of the tabulated data revealed a strong association between Holocene glacial, glacio‐fluvial, fluvial, marine, and organic landforms and the different intersections angles in the networks, providing insight into how the processes of thermal contraction cracking function and manifest geomorphically across varied permafrost landscapes. Orthogonal polygons (intersection angle of 90°) dominate on flat terrains where the thermo‐mechanical stresses are probably spatially homogeneous. Hexagonal (angles of 120°) and poorly structured polygons tend to form where topography variability probably generates heterogeneous heat flow patterns and thermo‐mechanical stresses in the ground, resulting in irregular cracking patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Literature about participation in health and social services suggests that youth, and more specifically Indigenous youth, are difficult to engage within health and social services. Youth are less likely to access services or to actively participate in decision-making regarding their personal care. Service providers play a crucial role in engaging youth based on the ways in which they seek, establish, and maintain relationships with youth and their families. The way in which providers engage with youth will depend on various factors including their own perceptions of the roles and relationships of the various people involved in youth’s lives. In this article, we analyze health and social service providers’ perspectives, experiences and expectations regarding the roles of Indigenous youth, families and community in care settings in Nunavik, Quebec. Methods Using a snowball sampling approach, we recruited 58 interview participants (39 non-Inuit and 19 Inuit), including psychiatrists, general practitioners, nurses, social workers, school principals, teachers, student counsellors, representatives of local committees, and police officers. The interviews focused on three broad areas: 1) participants’ current and past positions and roles; 2) participants’ perceptions of the clientele they work with (youth and their families); and 3) participants’ understandings of how collaboration takes place within and between services and the community. We conducted inductive applied thematic analyses and then analyzed the interview transcripts of Inuit and non-Inuit participants separately to explore the similarities and differences in perceptions based on positionality. Results We organized the findings around three themes: I) the most commonly described interventions, II) different types of challenges to and within participation; and III) what successful participation can look like according to service providers. Participants identified the challenges that families face in moving towards services as well as the challenges that services providers face in moving towards youth and families, including personal, organizational and historical factors. Conclusion We adopt a critical lens to reflect on the key findings in order to tease out points of tension and paradoxes that might hinder the participation of youth and families, specifically in a social context of decolonization and self-governance of services.

Between 2007 and 2012, hospitalization rate related to respiratory system diseases in children ≤1–year‐old was near 7 times higher in Nunavik compared with the whole province of Quebec. To assess the impact of poor indoor air quality (IAQ) in residential environments on children's respiratory health, the Nunavik's intervention study investigated the impact of the optimization of ventilation systems on the incidence rates of respiratory infections in children in Nunavik. Children under 10 years were recruited and categorized according to the type of ventilation system in their home: energy recovery ventilator (ERV), heat recovery ventilator (HRV), no HRV or ERV, and control groups. Children's' medical records were analyzed over a period of 50 weeks pre‐ and post‐intervention. Clinical diagnoses were classified into 4 categories: upper respiratory infections, lower respiratory infections, otitis media, and asthma. A decrease in respiratory infections episodes was observed in all groups following intervention with the highest impact observed for HRV systems (−53.0%). Decreases in the ERV group were not significant (−21,7%) possibly due to the presence of some volatile organic compound (such as propylene glycol) and inerrant experimental bias. Nevertheless, no significant association was found between health episodes incidence and household's behaviors or IAQ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind speed analysis is important for informing airport operation and safety. Many communities in the Hudson Bay and Labrador regions (Canada) are remote communities that rely heavily on aircraft for passenger and freight movement. Historical trends in average daily wind speed and maximum daily wind speed from 1971 to 2010 were examined to identify patterns of change and determine how these changes may influence aviation in six northern communities across Hudson Bay and Labrador in Canada. Significant increases in average wind speed and maximum wind speed were found for some of the months and seasons of the year for the Hudson Bay region, along with a significant decrease in those variables for the Labrador communities. Average wind speeds at multiple locations are approaching the threshold (18.5 km/h or 10 knots) when take-off and landing would be restricted to one direction. The results of this study agree with previous research that examined historical patterns for wind speed in these regions but calls into question climate change impact assessments that suggest wind speeds will continue to increase under future climatic conditions for this study area. Future research is needed to further analyse shifts in prevailing wind directions and changes in the frequency of extreme wind conditions, to better understand the potential impacts of projected climate change on this climatic variable and the implications these changes may have on applied sectors, such as aviation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northwestern Nunavik (Quebec, Canada) is characterized by specific landforms and poorly documented examples of emerging coastal landscapes. In this study, we identified the different types of coasts and examined how they were morphologically reworked and shaped during the Holocene. This coastal region is currently emerging at rates of 8–9 mm/year due to glacial isostatic adjustment. The coastal zone includes a large number of glacial and glaciofluvial landforms such as De Geer moraines, eskers, and drumlinoid ridges that are continuously modified by coastal processes as they emerge. Wave erosion, shore drifting, and sedimentation transform the original landforms into transverse spits, tombolos, dunes, beaches, and narrow tidal flats. Once raised above the reach of storm surges, the coastal landscape evolves into a maze of low tundra ridges, wetlands, and lakes, which represent the end point of rapid shoreline regression. Exposure to a cold climate allows permafrost inception and aggradation in the uplifted sediments, forming features such as ice-wedge polygons and frost boils. Conceptual models of coastal evolution and ecosystem formation are proposed, from the original submarine landscapes to the emerged landscapes.

Soils in the northern circumpolar region play a central role in the global carbon cycle because the release of carbon through permafrost thaw and geomorphological disturbances can potentially cause a feedback on climate. However, large uncertainties in estimates of permafrost carbon stocks remain, mainly because of wide gaps in the spatial coverage of soil carbon sampling sites and the large mapping polygons used to upscale data. By combining mapping of landforms and knowledge of surficial geology to upscale soil carbon content measurements, we provide an assessment of soil total carbon content in the region of the Narsajuaq river valley (Nunavik, Canada) to generate the first high-resolution soil carbon estimate confirmed by field measurements in Nunavik. We estimate that the Narsajuaq river valley and the surrounding uplands have a weighted average of 3.4 kg C m−2 (0–100 cm), with 73% of the total carbon content stored in the top 30 cm. The results also indicate that the valley is a carbon hotspot in the region, containing 76% of the total carbon content (0–100 cm) of the study area. Although soil carbon estimates will always require field sampling, the geomorphological mapping approach can significantly improve carbon content estimates and provide better inputs for models.

Abstract Background In Nunavik, Arctic rabies is still endemic due to a spillover from wildlife to dogs. The prevention of human exposure and the management of potential exposure is a significant public health concern in this region. Methods This study retrospectively describes cases of potential exposure to rabies in humans as reported to the Nunavik Public Health Board through their registry of reported cases. We used multi-correspondence analysis as well as univariable and multivariable regression models to test for differences between children and adults in reported cases, and to examine the contexts of exposure to dogs and dog attacks. Results From 2008 to 2017, 320 cases of potential exposure to rabies were reported, 92% of which were linked to dogs. The annual incidence rate was 2.5 per 1000 people. The incidence increased significantly during the study period, although the reasons for this are unclear. Fifteen cases of exposure were with rabid animals, mostly dogs (9 of 15). No human cases of rabies occurred thanks to adequate medical case management. Two specific profiles for potential exposure to rabies were identified based on age and gender. The first was children (

Inuit Nunangat, including Nunavik, is seeing an ever-increasing number of research projects. While mainstream approaches to research are colonial in nature and have historically contributed to the oppression of Indigenous peoples, a new paradigm is now emerging from Indigenous recommendations. Researchers are encouraged to collaborate with Inuit or Northern communities, organizations, and governments and to develop communication strategies to keep local populations informed. This paper focuses on outreach activities organized on several occasions throughout the Ice Monitoring project, in which we participated as PhD students. We share details on this periodic outreach program, which included a Facebook page, hosting an information table at the Co-op store, activities with high school classes, and participation in Raglan Mine’s Environmental Forum. We also discuss lessons learned and the transformation of our practice.

Abstract The energetic framework of Canadian remote communities relies on fossil fuels. This has adverse environmental and energy security issues. In order to offset diesel consumption, the search for local, sustainable and carbon-free energy sources is of utmost importance. Unfortunately, in such remote regions, subsurface data to evaluate the geothermal potential is often nonexistent. This raises a key question: how to characterize geothermal resources associated to petrothermal systems based on surface data? Answering this question is the purpose of this work highlighting how outcrops can be used as deep subsurface analogues. The variability induced by laboratory methods to characterize thermophysical properties is further evaluated in the estimation of the present-day temperature at depth. The community of Kuujjuaq, Canada, is used as an example where guidelines are defined to evaluate the steady-state geotherm. Rock samples were collected and analyzed with a guarded heat flow meter and an optical scanner to determine thermal conductivity. Radiogenic elements concentration was evaluated with gamma-ray and mass spectrometry. 2D temperature models were built taking into account the regional geology and the results obtained from the different laboratory methods. A base-case temperature of 57–88 °C at 5 km is predicted below Kuujjuaq. This range is based on different methods used to evaluate both thermal conductivity and internal heat generation. The work conducted in Kuujjuaq shows that the combination of gamma-ray spectrometry and optical scanning gives lower base-case temperature predictions when compared to mass spectrometry combined with the guarded heat flow meter. Despite the nonexistence of deep temperature measurements in northern regions, the assessment of thermophysical properties from outcrops is shown to be a useful tool for a preliminary assessment of geothermal resources in remote areas facing critical energy issues.

Copyright of Études Inuit Studies is the property of Centre interuniversitaire d'etudes et de recherches autochtones (CIERA) 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 Études Inuit Studies is the property of Centre interuniversitaire d'etudes et de recherches autochtones (CIERA) 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.)

In remote communities in the Canadian Arctic, petroleum hydrocarbons supply most household energy needs. Their transportation and use frequently incurs small volume spills in populated areas. The remediation method that is currently used when such spills affect the soil under northern villages' stilted buildings is expensive and not well suited to local conditions. Here, we review local constraints and environmental considerations and select the best remediation technology for this context: in situ chemical oxidation, involving sodium persulfate (SPS) alkali activated with calcium peroxide (CP). Activated SPS presents a good reactivity and amenability to compounds found in diesel. Its high persistence allows a gradual contaminant degradation, regulating heat release from exothermic reactions associated with the oxidative reactions. CP provides suitable alkali activation, acts itself as an oxidant and provides O2 into the subsurface, which may favour a final smoothing bioremediation step. The SPS properties and the contaminant amenability mean that diesel is removed relatively efficiently, while the subsurface temperature increase is limited, thus preserving the residual permafrost. The solid form of the chemicals offers safe and economic transportation and operation, along with versatility regarding the preparation and distribution of the oxidizing solution into the subsurface. Finally, the oxidation by-products resulting from this method are not considered to be environmentally problematic in the context of the application, and they can be partly confined during the treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]