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Institution

University of Alberta

EducationEdmonton, Alberta, Canada
About: University of Alberta is a education organization based out in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Health care. The organization has 65403 authors who have published 154847 publications receiving 5358338 citations. The organization is also known as: Ualberta & UAlberta.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors suggest that ecological studies would benefit from the combined use of the classical statistical models of community composition data, such as constrained or unconstrained multivariate analyses of site-by-species abundance tables, with rapidly emerging and diversifying methods of spatial pattern analysis.
Abstract: Species spatial distributions are the result of population demography, behavioral traits, and species interactions in spatially heterogeneous environmental conditions. Hence the composition of species assemblages is an integrative response variable, and its variability can be explained by the complex interplay among several structuring factors. The thorough analysis of spatial variation in species assemblages may help infer processes shaping ecological communities. We suggest that ecological studies would benefit from the combined use of the classical statistical models of community composition data, such as constrained or unconstrained multivariate analyses of site-by-species abundance tables, with rapidly emerging and diversifying methods of spatial pattern analysis. Doing so allows one to deal with spatially explicit ecological models of beta diversity in a biogeographic context through the multiscale analysis of spatial patterns in original species data tables, including spatial characterization of fitted or residual variation from environmental models. We summarize here the recent progress for specifying spatial features through spatial weighting matrices and spatial eigenfunctions in order to define spatially constrained or scale-explicit multivariate analyses. Through a worked example on tropical tree communities, we also show the potential of the overall approach to identify significant residual spatial patterns that could arise from the omission of important unmeasured explanatory variables or processes.

511 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Experimental choice analysis continues to attract academic and applied attention as mentioned in this paper, and the design strategies consistent with probabilistic models of choice process and the parallels between choice experiments and real markets are considered.
Abstract: Experimental choice analysis continues to attract academic and applied attention. We review what is known about the design, conduct, analysis, and use of data from choice experiments, and indicate gaps in current knowledge that should be addressed in future research. Design strategies consistent with probabilistic models of choice process and the parallels between choice experiments and real markets are considered. Additionally, we address the issues of reliability and validity. Progress has been made in accounting for differences in reliability, but more research is needed to determine which experiments and response procedures will consistently produce more reliable data for various problems.

510 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results suggest that TNF-α and IL-6 could be independent risk factors for HBP in apparently healthy subjects and the temporal relationship between elevated inflammation markers and HBP should be ascertained in prospective cohort studies.
Abstract: High blood pressure (HBP) has been associated with elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of chronic mild inflammation. However, the association between HBP and other inflammatory markers, particularly interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis alpha (TNF-alpha), has not been evaluated in well-controlled studies. We examined the cross-sectional relationship between IL-6, TNF-alpha, and CRP and HBP in a random sample of 196 healthy subjects. All markers were measured in duplicate with high-sensitivity ELISA tests. Three blood pressure (BP) measurments were averaged for the analysis, and subjects with systolic BP >or=140 and/or diastolic BP >or=90 mmHg were considered hypertensive. Log binomial regression was used to estimate multivariate-adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) of HBP. Of the subjects, 40% (79) were hypertensive (mean age: 44 years; range 30-64). After adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, family history of HBP, and the level of the other inflammatory markers, subjects in the second (PR: 3.10, P=0.003), third (PR: 2.32; P=0.031), and fourth quartiles (PR: 2.30; P=0.036) of IL-6 were more than twice as likely to be hypertensive than those in the first quartile. Corresponding PR estimates for TNF-alpha levels were 1.41 (P=0.014) for the second; 1.59 (P=0.001) for the third; and 1.61 (P=0.025) for the fourth quartile. The CRP-HBP association was not statistically significant. Our results suggest that TNF-alpha and IL-6 could be independent risk factors for HBP in apparently healthy subjects. Nevertheless, the temporal relationship between elevated inflammation markers and HBP should be ascertained in prospective cohort studies.

510 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the Laurentian Great Lakes and a diversity of smaller glacial lakes, streams and wetlands south of permanent permafrost and towards the southern extent of Wisconsin glaciation were studied.
Abstract: The region studied includes the Laurentian Great Lakes and a diversity of smaller glacial lakes, streams and wetlands south of permanent permafrost and towards the southern extent of Wisconsin glaciation. We emphasize lakes and quantitative implications. The region is warmer and wetter than it has been over most of the last 12000 years. Since 1911 observed air temperatures have increased by about 0.118C per decade in spring and 0.068C in winter; annual precipitation has increased by about 2.1% per decade. Ice thaw phenologies since the 1850s indicate a late winter warming of about 2.58C. In future scenarios for a doubled CO2 climate, air temperature increases in summer and winter and precipitation decreases (summer) in western Ontario but increases (winter) in western Ontario, northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Such changes in climate have altered and would further alter hydrological and other physical features of lakes. Warmer climates, i.e. 2 CO2 climates, would lower net basin water supplies, stream flows and water levels owing to increased evaporation in excess of precipitation. Water levels have been responsive to drought and future scenarios for the Great Lakes simulate levels 0. 2t o 2 .5 m lower. Human adaptation to such changes is expensive. Warmer climates would decrease the spatial extent of ice cover on the Great Lakes; small lakes, especially to the south, would no longer freeze over every year. Temperature simulations for stratified lakes are 1‐78C warmer for surface waters, and 68C cooler to 88C warmer for deep waters. Thermocline depth would change (4 m shallower to 3.5 m deeper) with warmer climates alone; deepening owing to increases in light penetration would occur with reduced input of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from dryer catchments. Dissolved oxygen would decrease below the thermocline. These physical changes would in turn aAect the phytoplankton, zooplankton, benthos and fishes. Annual phytoplankton production may increase but many complex reactions of the phytoplankton community to altered temperatures, thermocline depths, light penetrations and nutrient inputs would be expected. Zooplankton biomass would increase, but, again, many complex interactions are expected. Generally, the thermal habitat for warm-, cool- and even cold-water fishes would increase in size in deep stratified lakes, but would decrease in shallow unstratified lakes and in streams. Less dissolved oxygen below the thermocline of lakes would further degrade stratified lakes for cold water fishes. Growth and production would increase for fishes that are now in thermal environments cooler than their optimum but decrease for those that are at or above their optimum, provided they cannot move to a deeper or headwater thermal refuge. The zoogeographical boundary for fish species could move north by 500‐600 km; invasions of warmer water fishes and extirpations of colder water fishes should increase. Aquatic ecosystems across the region do not necessarily exhibit coherent responses to climate changes and variability, even if they are in close proximity. Lakes, wetlands and streams respond diAerently, as do lakes of diAerent depth or productivity. DiAerences in hydrology and the position in the hydrological flow system, in terrestrial vegetation and land use, in base climates and in the aquatic biota can all cause diAerent responses. Climate change eAects interact strongly with eAects of other human-caused stresses such as eutrophication, acid precipitation, toxic chemicals and the spread of exotic organisms. Aquatic ecological systems in the region are sensitive to climate change and variation.

509 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The current understanding of the functions of different inflammasomes in the CNS and their roles in neurological diseases is reviewed.
Abstract: Since their discovery in 2002, inflammasomes have been shown to be crucial mediators of caspase 1 activation, interleukin-1β and interleukin-18 release, and pyroptotic cell death. This Review describes our current understanding of the functions of different inflammasomes in the CNS and their roles in neurological diseases. Microglia and macrophages in the CNS contain multimolecular complexes termed inflammasomes. Inflammasomes function as intracellular sensors for infectious agents as well as for host-derived danger signals that are associated with neurological diseases, including meningitis, stroke and Alzheimer's disease. Assembly of an inflammasome activates caspase 1 and, subsequently, the proteolysis and release of the cytokines interleukin-1β and interleukin-18, as well as pyroptotic cell death. Since the discovery of inflammasomes in 2002, there has been burgeoning recognition of their complexities and functions. Here, we review the current understanding of the functions of different inflammasomes in the CNS and their roles in neurological diseases.

509 citations


Authors

Showing all 66027 results

NameH-indexPapersCitations
Salim Yusuf2311439252912
Yi Chen2174342293080
Robert M. Califf1961561167961
Douglas R. Green182661145944
Russel J. Reiter1691646121010
Jiawei Han1681233143427
Jaakko Kaprio1631532126320
Tobin J. Marks1591621111604
Josef M. Penninger154700107295
Subir Sarkar1491542144614
Gerald M. Edelman14754569091
Rinaldo Bellomo1471714120052
P. Sinervo138151699215
David A. Jackson136109568352
Andreas Warburton135157897496
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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers from the Institution in previous years
YearPapers
20241
2023234
20221,084
20219,315
20208,831
20198,177