Showing papers by "University of Saskatchewan published in 2020"
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07 Jul 2020
TL;DR: In this paper, the Covid-19 pandemic has raised significant challenges for the higher education community worldwide and a particular challenge has been the urgent and unexpected request for previously face-to-face university courses to be taught online.
Abstract: The Covid-19 pandemic has raised significant challenges for the higher education community worldwide. A particular challenge has been the urgent and unexpected request for previously face-to-face university courses to be taught online. Online teaching and learning imply a certain pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), mainly related to designing and organising for better learning experiences and creating distinctive learning environments, with the help of digital technologies. With this article, we provide some expert insights into this online-learning-related PCK, with the goal of helping non-expert university teachers (i.e. those who have little experience with online learning) to navigate in these challenging times. Our findings point at the design of learning activities with certain characteristics, the combination of three types of presence (social, cognitive and facilitatory) and the need for adapting assessment to the new learning requirements. We end with a reflection on how responding to a crisis (as best we can) may precipitate enhanced teaching and learning practices in the postdigital era.
986 citations
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TL;DR: The extent of the trait data compiled in TRY is evaluated and emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness are analyzed to conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements.
Abstract: Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives.
882 citations
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide an early assessment of the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for food supply chains and supply chain resilience, including consumer panic buying behaviors with respect to key items, and the sudden change in consumption patterns away from the food service sector to meals prepared and consumed at home.
Abstract: This paper provides an early assessment of the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for food supply chains and supply chain resilience. The effects of demand-side shocks on food supply chains are discussed, including consumer panic buying behaviors with respect to key items, and the sudden change in consumption patterns away from the food service sector to meals prepared and consumed at home. Potential supply-side disruptions to food supply chains are assessed, including labor shortages, disruptions to transportation networks, and “thickening” of the Canada–U.S. border with respect to the movement of goods. Finally, the paper considers whether the COVID-19 pandemic will have longer-lasting effects on the nature of food supply chains, including the growth of the online grocery delivery sector, and the extent to which consumers will prioritize “local” food supply chains.
783 citations
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TL;DR: The FLUXNET2015 dataset provides ecosystem-scale data on CO 2 , water, and energy exchange between the biosphere and the atmosphere, and other meteorological and biological measurements, from 212 sites around the globe, and is detailed in this paper.
Abstract: The FLUXNET2015 dataset provides ecosystem-scale data on CO2, water, and energy exchange between the biosphere and the atmosphere, and other meteorological and biological measurements, from 212 sites around the globe (over 1500 site-years, up to and including year 2014). These sites, independently managed and operated, voluntarily contributed their data to create global datasets. Data were quality controlled and processed using uniform methods, to improve consistency and intercomparability across sites. The dataset is already being used in a number of applications, including ecophysiology studies, remote sensing studies, and development of ecosystem and Earth system models. FLUXNET2015 includes derived-data products, such as gap-filled time series, ecosystem respiration and photosynthetic uptake estimates, estimation of uncertainties, and metadata about the measurements, presented for the first time in this paper. In addition, 206 of these sites are for the first time distributed under a Creative Commons (CC-BY 4.0) license. This paper details this enhanced dataset and the processing methods, now made available as open-source codes, making the dataset more accessible, transparent, and reproducible.
681 citations
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TL;DR: Findings can guide efforts to preserve and promote child health during the COVID-19 outbreak and crisis recovery period, and to inform strategies to mitigate potential harm during future pandemics.
Abstract: Healthy childhood development is fostered through sufficient physical activity (PA; including time outdoors), limiting sedentary behaviours (SB), and adequate sleep; collectively known as movement behaviours. Though the COVID-19 virus outbreak has changed the daily lives of children and youth, it is unknown to what extent related restrictions may compromise the ability to play and meet movement behaviour recommendations. This secondary data analysis examined the immediate impacts of COVID-19 restrictions on movement and play behaviours in children and youth. A national sample of Canadian parents (n = 1472) of children (5–11 years) or youth (12–17 years) (54% girls) completed an online survey that assessed immediate changes in child movement and play behaviours during the COVID-19 outbreak. Behaviours included PA and play, SB, and sleep. Family demographics and parental factors that may influence movement behaviours were assessed. Correlations between behaviours and demographic and parental factors were determined. For open-ended questions, word frequency distributions were reported. Only 4.8% (2.8% girls, 6.5% boys) of children and 0.6% (0.8% girls, 0.5% boys) of youth were meeting combined movement behaviour guidelines during COVID-19 restrictions. Children and youth had lower PA levels, less outside time, higher SB (including leisure screen time), and more sleep during the outbreak. Parental encouragement and support, parental engagement in PA, and family dog ownership were positively associated with healthy movement behaviours. Although families spent less time in PA and more time in SB, several parents reported adopting new hobbies or accessing new resources. This study provides evidence of immediate collateral consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak, demonstrating an adverse impact on the movement and play behaviours of Canadian children and youth. These findings can guide efforts to preserve and promote child health during the COVID-19 outbreak and crisis recovery period, and to inform strategies to mitigate potential harm during future pandemics.
644 citations
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Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine1, Public Health England2, World Health Organization3, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai4, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill5, European Medicines Agency6, Peking Union Medical College7, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven8, National Institutes of Health9, University of Alabama at Birmingham10, University of Pittsburgh11, University of Saskatchewan12, University of Maryland, Baltimore13, Erasmus University Medical Center14, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research15, Université Paris-Saclay16, Wageningen University and Research Centre17, Columbia University18, University of California, San Diego19, University of Texas Medical Branch20, Autonomous University of Barcelona21, Friedrich Loeffler Institute22, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong23, University of Iowa24, Kansas State University25, Tulane University26, University of York27, Geelong Football Club28, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center29
TL;DR: The findings of a World Health Organization expert working group that is developing animal models to test vaccines and therapeutic agents for the treatment of COVID-19, and their relevance for preclinical testing, are reviewed.
Abstract: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the aetiological agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an emerging respiratory infection caused by the introduction of a novel coronavirus into humans late in 2019 (first detected in Hubei province, China). As of 18 September 2020, SARS-CoV-2 has spread to 215 countries, has infected more than 30 million people and has caused more than 950,000 deaths. As humans do not have pre-existing immunity to SARS-CoV-2, there is an urgent need to develop therapeutic agents and vaccines to mitigate the current pandemic and to prevent the re-emergence of COVID-19. In February 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) assembled an international panel to develop animal models for COVID-19 to accelerate the testing of vaccines and therapeutic agents. Here we summarize the findings to date and provides relevant information for preclinical testing of vaccine candidates and therapeutic agents for COVID-19.
630 citations
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TL;DR: It is confirmed that serum and saliva IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 are maintained in the majority of COVID-19 patients for at least 3 months PSO, and IgG responses in saliva may serve as a surrogate measure of systemic immunity to Sars-Cov-2 based on their correlation with serum IgG responds.
Abstract: While the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 has been extensively studied in blood, relatively little is known about the antibody response in saliva and its relationship to systemic antibody levels. Here, we profiled by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) IgG, IgA and IgM responses to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (full length trimer) and its receptor-binding domain (RBD) in serum and saliva of acute and convalescent patients with laboratory-diagnosed COVID-19 ranging from 3-115 days post-symptom onset (PSO), compared to negative controls. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses were readily detected in serum and saliva, with peak IgG levels attained by 16-30 days PSO. Longitudinal analysis revealed that anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgA and IgM antibodies rapidly decayed, while IgG antibodies remained relatively stable up to 105 days PSO in both biofluids. Lastly, IgG, IgM and to a lesser extent IgA responses to spike and RBD in the serum positively correlated with matched saliva samples. This study confirms that serum and saliva IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 are maintained in the majority of COVID-19 patients for at least 3 months PSO. IgG responses in saliva may serve as a surrogate measure of systemic immunity to SARS-CoV-2 based on their correlation with serum IgG responses.
583 citations
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TL;DR: WILDS is presented, a benchmark of in-the-wild distribution shifts spanning diverse data modalities and applications, and is hoped to encourage the development of general-purpose methods that are anchored to real-world distribution shifts and that work well across different applications and problem settings.
Abstract: Distribution shifts -- where the training distribution differs from the test distribution -- can substantially degrade the accuracy of machine learning (ML) systems deployed in the wild. Despite their ubiquity, these real-world distribution shifts are under-represented in the datasets widely used in the ML community today. To address this gap, we present WILDS, a curated collection of 8 benchmark datasets that reflect a diverse range of distribution shifts which naturally arise in real-world applications, such as shifts across hospitals for tumor identification; across camera traps for wildlife monitoring; and across time and location in satellite imaging and poverty mapping. On each dataset, we show that standard training results in substantially lower out-of-distribution than in-distribution performance, and that this gap remains even with models trained by existing methods for handling distribution shifts. This underscores the need for new training methods that produce models which are more robust to the types of distribution shifts that arise in practice. To facilitate method development, we provide an open-source package that automates dataset loading, contains default model architectures and hyperparameters, and standardizes evaluations. Code and leaderboards are available at this https URL.
579 citations
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Stanford University1, Intermountain Healthcare2, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust3, American Society of Clinical Oncology4, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill5, St. Jude Medical Center6, University of Michigan7, University of Queensland8, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center9, Harvard University10, Yale Cancer Center11, Saskatchewan Health12, University of Saskatchewan13, Cornell University14, University of Milan15, European Institute of Oncology16, Johns Hopkins University17
TL;DR: The Expert Panel continues to recommend ER testing of invasive breast cancers by validated immunohistochemistry as the standard for predicting which patients may benefit from endocrine therapy, and no other assays are recommended for this purpose.
Abstract: PURPOSETo update key recommendations of the American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR) testing in breast cancer guideline.M...
510 citations
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McMaster University1, University of Pennsylvania2, University of Calgary3, Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta4, Dalhousie University5, University of Alberta6, Alexandra Hospital7, Laval University8, University of Ottawa9, Concordia University10, Ottawa Hospital11, University of British Columbia12, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada13, Florida International University14, Queen's University15, University of Toronto16, Alberta Health Services17, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health18, University Health Network19, University of Minnesota20, York University21, Université de Sherbrooke22, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke23, Simon Fraser University24, Vancouver Island Health Authority25, Foothills Medical Centre26, University of Saskatchewan27, Population Health Research Institute28, St. Michael's Hospital29, St. John's University30, Memorial University of Newfoundland31
TL;DR: Obesity is a complex chronic disease in which abnormal or excess body fat (adiposity) impairs health, increases the risk of long-term medical complications and reduces lifespan.
Abstract: KEY POINTS
Obesity is a complex chronic disease in which abnormal or excess body fat (adiposity) impairs health, increases the risk of long-term medical complications and reduces lifespan.[1][1] Epidemiologic studies define obesity using the body mass index (BMI; weight/height2), which can stratify
457 citations
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TL;DR: There is a need to increase investigations to the detection of COVID-19 in oral fluids and its impact on the transmission of this virus, which is crucial to improve effective strategies for prevention, especially for dentists and healthcare professionals that perform aerosol-generating procedures.
Abstract: A novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is associated with humanto-human transmission. The COVID-19 was recently identified in saliva of infected patients. In this point-of-view article, we discuss the potential of transmission via the saliva of this virus. The COVID-19 transmission via contact with droplets and aerosols generated during dental clinical procedures is expected. There is a need to increase investigations to the detection of COVID-19 in oral fluids and its impact on the transmission of this virus, which is crucial to improve effective strategies for prevention, especially for dentists and healthcare professionals that perform aerosol-generating procedures. Saliva can have a pivotal role in the human-to-human transmission, and non-invasive salivary diagnostics may provide a convenient and cost-effective point-of-care platform for the fast and early detection of COVID-19 infection.
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University of Saskatchewan1, Canadian Grain Commission2, Kansas State University3, Leibniz Association4, National Research Council5, Norwich Research Park6, University of Zurich7, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada8, ETH Zurich9, Kihara Institute for Biological Research10, Natural History Museum11, University of Minnesota12, Tel Aviv University13, University of Manitoba14, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology15, University of Guelph16, Kyoto University17, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center18, University of Western Australia19, Syngenta20, University of Adelaide21, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology22, Kyoto Prefectural University23, University of Haifa24, Technische Universität München25, University of Göttingen26
TL;DR: Comparative analysis of multiple genome assemblies from wheat reveals extensive diversity that results from the complex breeding history of wheat and provides a basis for further potential improvements to this important food crop.
Abstract: Advances in genomics have expedited the improvement of several agriculturally important crops but similar efforts in wheat (Triticum spp.) have been more challenging. This is largely owing to the size and complexity of the wheat genome1, and the lack of genome-assembly data for multiple wheat lines2,3. Here we generated ten chromosome pseudomolecule and five scaffold assemblies of hexaploid wheat to explore the genomic diversity among wheat lines from global breeding programs. Comparative analysis revealed extensive structural rearrangements, introgressions from wild relatives and differences in gene content resulting from complex breeding histories aimed at improving adaptation to diverse environments, grain yield and quality, and resistance to stresses4,5. We provide examples outlining the utility of these genomes, including a detailed multi-genome-derived nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat protein repertoire involved in disease resistance and the characterization of Sm16, a gene associated with insect resistance. These genome assemblies will provide a basis for functional gene discovery and breeding to deliver the next generation of modern wheat cultivars.
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TL;DR: Nerinetide did not improve the proportion of patients achieving good clinical outcomes after endovascular thrombectomy compared with patients receiving placebo, and this trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02930018.
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University of Calgary1, McGill University Health Centre2, Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta3, Cardiovascular Institute of the South4, University of British Columbia5, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières6, University of Ottawa7, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute8, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority9, Northern Ontario School of Medicine10, Concordia University Wisconsin11, University of Western Ontario12, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine13, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada14, McMaster University15, McGill University16, Université de Montréal17, University of Ontario Institute of Technology18, Université de Sherbrooke19, Brown University20, St. Michael's Hospital21, Montreal Heart Institute22, National Institutes of Health23, Université du Québec à Montréal24, University of Toronto25, University of Alberta26, University Health Network27, St Thomas' Hospital28, Alberta Health Services29, Laval University30, University of Manitoba31, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health32, Population Health Research Institute33, University of Saskatchewan34, University of Pennsylvania35, Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont36
TL;DR: The 2020 guidelines include new guidance on themanagement of resistant hypertension and the management of hypertension in women planning pregnancy.
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TL;DR: The Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement (IMERG) produces the latest generation of satellite precipitation estimates and has been widely used since its release in 2014 as mentioned in this paper.
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TL;DR: Ultrafast spectroscopy has further proved that CuNx can greatly improve in-plane and interlayer separation/transfer of charge carriers and in turn boost the photocatalytic efficiency.
Abstract: Establishing highly effective charge transfer channels in carbon nitride (C3 N4 ) for enhancing its photocatalytic activity is still a challenging issue. Herein, for the first time, the engineering of C3 N4 layers with single-atom Cu bonded with compositional N (CuNx ) is demonstrated to address this challenge. The CuNx is formed by intercalation of chlorophyll sodium copper salt into a melamine-based supramolecular precursor followed by controlled pyrolysis. Two groups of CuNx are identified: in one group each of Cu atoms is bonded with three in-plane N atoms, while in the other group each of Cu atoms is bonded with four N atoms of two neighboring C3 N4 layers, thus forming both in-plane and interlayer charge transfer channels. Importantly, ultrafast spectroscopy has further proved that CuNx can greatly improve in-plane and interlayer separation/transfer of charge carriers and in turn boost the photocatalytic efficiency. Consequently, the catalyst exhibits a superior visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen production rate (≈212 µmol h-1 /0.02 g catalyst), 30 times higher than that of bulk C3 N4 . Moreover, it leads to an outstanding conversion rate (92.3%) and selectivity (99.9%) for the oxidation of benzene under visible light.
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Leibniz Association1, University of Saskatchewan2, Murdoch University3, Government of Western Australia4, James Hutton Institute5, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore6, Zhejiang University7, Okayama University8, Kihara Institute for Biological Research9, University of Adelaide10, University of Dundee11, Technische Universität München12, Yangtze University13, University of Göttingen14
TL;DR: This first-generation barley pan-genome makes previously hidden genetic variation accessible to genetic studies and breeding.
Abstract: Genetic diversity is key to crop improvement. Owing to pervasive genomic structural variation, a single reference genome assembly cannot capture the full complement of sequence diversity of a crop species (known as the 'pan-genome'1). Multiple high-quality sequence assemblies are an indispensable component of a pan-genome infrastructure. Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is an important cereal crop with a long history of cultivation that is adapted to a wide range of agro-climatic conditions2. Here we report the construction of chromosome-scale sequence assemblies for the genotypes of 20 varieties of barley-comprising landraces, cultivars and a wild barley-that were selected as representatives of global barley diversity. We catalogued genomic presence/absence variants and explored the use of structural variants for quantitative genetic analysis through whole-genome shotgun sequencing of 300 gene bank accessions. We discovered abundant large inversion polymorphisms and analysed in detail two inversions that are frequently found in current elite barley germplasm; one is probably the product of mutation breeding and the other is tightly linked to a locus that is involved in the expansion of geographical range. This first-generation barley pan-genome makes previously hidden genetic variation accessible to genetic studies and breeding.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss the threats posed by climate extremes to human health, economic stability, and the well-being of natural and built environments (e.g., 2003 European heat wave).
Abstract: Climate extremes threaten human health, economic stability, and the well-being of natural and built environments (e.g., 2003 European heat wave). As the world continues to warm, climate hazards are...
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University of British Columbia1, University of Zurich2, University of Washington3, University of Bern4, Tel Aviv University5, University of Southern California6, University of Toronto7, University of Saskatchewan8, University of Geneva9, St. Marianna University School of Medicine10, Boston Children's Hospital11, Oregon Health & Science University12, University of Alberta13, Alberta Children's Hospital14, Université de Montréal15
TL;DR: The majority of caregivers intend to vaccinate their children against COVID-19, though uptake will likely be associated with specific factors such as child and caregiver demographics and vaccination history.
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Trinity College, Dublin1, University of Alberta2, University of Oxford3, University of California, Santa Cruz4, Imperial College London5, University of Saskatchewan6, Wildlife Conservation Society Canada7, Wageningen University and Research Centre8, Université de Namur9, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven10, Aarhus University11, University of Otago12, University of New Brunswick13, Auckland University of Technology14, University of Koblenz and Landau15
TL;DR: This cross-disciplinary study review the state of knowledge within and among these disciplines to highlight commonality and division in multiple-stressor research, using quantitative bibliometric analysis to identify the division between disciplines and link previously disconnected research communities.
Abstract: Anthropogenic environmental changes, or 'stressors', increasingly threaten biodiversity and ecosystem functioning worldwide. Multiple-stressor research is a rapidly expanding field of science that seeks to understand and ultimately predict the interactions between stressors. Reviews and meta-analyses of the primary scientific literature have largely been specific to either freshwater, marine or terrestrial ecology, or ecotoxicology. In this cross-disciplinary study, we review the state of knowledge within and among these disciplines to highlight commonality and division in multiple-stressor research. Our review goes beyond a description of previous research by using quantitative bibliometric analysis to identify the division between disciplines and link previously disconnected research communities. Towards a unified research framework, we discuss the shared goal of increased realism through both ecological and temporal complexity, with the overarching aim of improving predictive power. In a rapidly changing world, advancing our understanding of the cumulative ecological impacts of multiple stressors is critical for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem management. Identifying and overcoming the barriers to interdisciplinary knowledge exchange is necessary in rising to this challenge. Division between ecosystem types and disciplines is largely a human creation. Species and stressors cross these borders and so should the scientists who study them.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the authors assess how COVID-19-related disruptions in transportation services, as well as new demands for transportation service, could impact Canadian agricultural supply chains and assess the economic and health merits of providing additional public resources to provide greater access to grocery pickup and delivery services.
Abstract: In this short paper, I assess how COVID-19-related disruptions in transportation services, as well as new demands for transportation services, could impact Canadian agricultural supply chains. The brief analysis reveals that agricultural access to bulk ocean freight, rail movement, and trucking has generally improved in the pandemic, bolstered by the reduced demand for these transportation services by other sectors of the economy. The intermodal containerized movement of grains and food products has seen some disruption from the lack of empty containers in North America. The widespread consumer adoption of physical distancing measures has vastly increased the demand for retail food pickup and delivery services to the point where these services are being rationed by long wait times. From a policy perspective, there is an apparent need for (a) continued supply chain monitoring and industry engagement, (b) the proactive development of strategies to deal with absenteeism and other potential threats to the supply chain, and (c) an assessment of the economic and health merits of providing additional public resources to provide greater access to grocery pickup and delivery services.
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TL;DR: Direct and indirect evidence suggests that a large number of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery procedures are aerosol generating, and ophthalmologists are likely at high risk of contracting COVID-19 during aerosol generation procedures because they are likely exposed to high viral loads in patients infected with the virus.
Abstract: Adequate personal protective equipment is needed to reduce the rate of transmission of COVID-19 to health care workers. Otolaryngology groups are recommending a higher level of personal protective equipment for aerosol-generating procedures than public health agencies. The objective of the review was to provide evidence that a.) demonstrates which otolaryngology procedures are aerosol-generating, and that b.) clarifies whether the higher level of PPE advocated by otolaryngology groups is justified. Health care workers in China who performed tracheotomy during the SARS-CoV-1 epidemic had 4.15 times greater odds of contracting the virus than controls who did not perform tracheotomy (95% CI 2.75–7.54). No other studies provide direct epidemiological evidence of increased aerosolized transmission of viruses during otolaryngology procedures. Experimental evidence has shown that electrocautery, advanced energy devices, open suctioning, and drilling can create aerosolized biological particles. The viral load of COVID-19 is highest in the upper aerodigestive tract, increasing the likelihood that aerosols generated during procedures of the upper aerodigestive tract of infected patients would carry viral material. Cough and normal breathing create aerosols which may increase the risk of transmission during outpatient procedures. A significant proportion of individuals infected with COVID-19 may not have symptoms, raising the likelihood of transmission of the disease to inadequately protected health care workers from patients who do not have probable or confirmed infection. Powered air purifying respirators, if used properly, provide a greater level of filtration than N95 masks and thus may reduce the risk of transmission. Direct and indirect evidence suggests that a large number of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery procedures are aerosol generating. Otolaryngologists are likely at high risk of contracting COVID-19 during aerosol generating procedures because they are likely exposed to high viral loads in patients infected with the virus. Based on the precautionary principle, even though the evidence is not definitive, adopting enhanced personal protective equipment protocols is reasonable based on the evidence. Further research is needed to clarify the risk associated with performing various procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the degree to which various personal protective equipment reduces the risk.
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Stanford University1, Intermountain Healthcare2, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust3, American Society of Clinical Oncology4, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill5, St. Jude Medical Center6, University of Michigan7, University of Queensland8, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center9, Harvard University10, Yale Cancer Center11, Saskatchewan Health12, University of Saskatchewan13, Cornell University14, European Institute of Oncology15, University of Milan16, Johns Hopkins University17
TL;DR: The Expert Panel continues to recommend ER testing of invasive breast cancers by validated immunohistochemistry as the standard for predicting which patients may benefit from endocrine therapy, and no other assays are recommended for this purpose.
Abstract: Purpose.— To update key recommendations of the American Society of Clinical Oncology/College of American Pathologists estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR) testing in breast cancer...
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TL;DR: Data on the use of in silico docking in gaining insight into 2019-nCoV Spike-receptor binding to aid in therapeutic development is presented and a research perspective on the next steps for the generation of vaccines is offered.
Abstract: On 31 December 2019 the Wuhan Health Commission reported a cluster of atypical pneumonia cases that was linked to a wet market in the city of Wuhan, China. The first patients began experiencing symptoms of illness in mid-December 2019. Clinical isolates were found to contain a novel coronavirus with similarity to bat coronaviruses. As of 28 January 2020, there are in excess of 4,500 laboratory-confirmed cases, with > 100 known deaths. As with the SARS-CoV, infections in children appear to be rare. Travel-related cases have been confirmed in multiple countries and regions outside mainland China including Germany, France, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Canada, and the United States, as well as Hong Kong and Taiwan. Domestically in China, the virus has also been noted in several cities and provinces with cases in all but one provinence. While zoonotic transmission appears to be the original source of infections, the most alarming development is that human-to-human transmission is now prevelant. Of particular concern is that many healthcare workers have been infected in the current epidemic. There are several critical clinical questions that need to be resolved, including how efficient is human-to-human transmission? What is the animal reservoir? Is there an intermediate animal reservoir? Do the vaccines generated to the SARS-CoV or MERS-CoV or their proteins offer protection against 2019-nCoV? We offer a research perspective on the next steps for the generation of vaccines. We also present data on the use of in silico docking in gaining insight into 2019-nCoV Spike-receptor binding to aid in therapeutic development. Diagnostic PCR protocols can be found at https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus/laboratory-diagnostics-for-novel-coronavirus.
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TL;DR: This work provides a synergistic regulation on crystallinity and oxygen-deficiency towards rapid and durable sulfur electrochemistry, holding a great promise in developing practically viable Li-S batteries and enlightening material engineering in related energy storage and conversion areas.
Abstract: The notorious shuttling behaviors and sluggish conversion kinetics of the intermediate lithium polysulfides (LPS) are hindering the practical application of lithium sulfur (Li-S) batteries. Herein, an ultrafine, amorphous, and oxygen-deficient niobium pentoxide nanocluster embedded in microporous carbon nanospheres (A-Nb2O5-x@MCS) was developed as a multifunctional sulfur immobilizer and promoter toward superior shuttle inhibition and conversion catalyzation of LPS. The A-Nb2O5-x nanocluster implanted framework uniformizes sulfur distribution, exposes vast active interfaces, and offers a reduced ion/electron transportation pathway for expedited redox reaction. Moreover, the low crystallinity feature of A-Nb2O5-x manipulates the LPS chemical affinity, while the defect chemistry enhances the intrinsic conductivity and catalytic activity for rapid electrochemical conversions. Attributed to these superiorities, A-Nb2O5-x@MCS delivers good Li-S battery performances, that is, high areal capacity of 6.62 mAh cm-2 under high sulfur loading and low electrolyte/sulfur ratio, superb rate capability, and cyclability over 1200 cycles with an ultralow capacity fading rate of 0.024% per cycle. This work provides a synergistic regulation on crystallinity and oxygen deficiency toward rapid and durable sulfur electrochemistry, holding a great promise in developing practically viable Li-S batteries and enlightening material engineering in related energy storage and conversion areas.
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TL;DR: It is proposed that the optimized risk assessment was appropriate for screening priority contaminants at national scale, and when a more accurate estimation is required, the refined probability risk assessment is useful.
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TL;DR: In this article, the thermophysical chemistry of subcritical and supercritical water as well as their role in generating syngas from the hydrothermal decomposition of biogenic, polymeric and organic wastes such as municipal solid waste, animal manure, food waste, industrial effluents, sewage sludge, mixed plastics, waste tires and petrochemical wastes are discussed.
Abstract: Lignocellulosic feedstocks such as forestry biomass and agricultural crop residues can be utilized to generate biofuels and biochemicals. In addition, a large amount of non-plant residues or biogenic wastes is also generated worldwide that has huge potentials but remains underutilized. Converting these organic waste materials through thermochemical and biochemical processes into biofuels is widely regarded as a remedial approach to address waste management and clean energy problems. One of such thermochemical biomass-to-gas technologies is hydrothermal gasification in the presence of subcritical or supercritical water, which utilizes the unique fluid properties of water to disintegrate effectively the organic wastes into hydrogen-rich syngas. This paper reviews the thermophysical chemistry of subcritical and supercritical water as well as their role in generating syngas from the hydrothermal decomposition of biogenic, polymeric and organic wastes such as municipal solid waste, animal manure, food waste, industrial effluents, sewage sludge, mixed plastics, waste tires and petrochemical wastes. The paper also describes different technologies used for syngas cleaning and conditioning together with gas-to-liquid technology such as Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to produce hydrocarbon fuels. The current progress, challenges and knowledge gaps in the research and development of hydrothermal gasification of biogenic wastes are also discussed.
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TL;DR: The underlying principles of HIFU are reviewed and current applications, outcomes, and complications after treatment are presented and recent applications of Focused ultrasound for tumor treatment, drug delivery, vessel occlusion, histotripsy, movement disorders, and vascular, oncologic, and psychiatric applications are reviewed.
Abstract: Ultrasound can penetrate deep into tissues and interact with human tissue via thermal and mechanical mechanisms. The ability to focus an ultrasound beam and its energy onto millimeter-size targets was a significant milestone in the development of therapeutic applications of focused ultrasound. Focused ultrasound can be used as a non-invasive thermal ablation technique for tumor treatment and is being developed as an option to standard oncologic therapies. High-intensity focused ultrasound has now been used for clinical treatment of a variety of solid malignant tumors, including those in the pancreas, liver, kidney, bone, prostate, and breast, as well as uterine fibroids and soft-tissue sarcomas. Magnetic resonance imaging and Ultrasound imaging can be combined with high intensity focused ultrasound to provide real-time imaging during ablation. Magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound represents a novel non-invasive method of treatment that may play an important role as an alternative to open neurosurgical procedures for treatment of a number of brain disorders. This paper briefly reviews the underlying principles of HIFU and presents current applications, outcomes, and complications after treatment. Recent applications of Focused ultrasound for tumor treatment, drug delivery, vessel occlusion, histotripsy, movement disorders, and vascular, oncologic, and psychiatric applications are reviewed, along with clinical challenges and potential future clinical applications of HIFU.
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TL;DR: A potential application of the Internet of Things (IoT) in healthcare and physical distance monitoring for pandemic situations and the COVID-SAFE framework can assist in minimizing the coronavirus exposure risk is presented.
Abstract: In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic with no designated cure or vaccine, the only way to break the infection chain is self-isolation and maintaining the physical distancing. In this article, we present a potential application of the Internet of Things (IoT) in healthcare and physical distance monitoring for pandemic situations. The proposed framework consists of three parts: a lightweight and low-cost IoT node, a smartphone application (app), and fog-based Machine Learning (ML) tools for data analysis and diagnosis. The IoT node tracks health parameters, including body temperature, cough rate, respiratory rate, and blood oxygen saturation, then updates the smartphone app to display the user health conditions. The app notifies the user to maintain a physical distance of 2 m (or 6 ft), which is a key factor in controlling virus spread. In addition, a Fuzzy Mamdani system (running at the fog server) considers the environmental risk and user health conditions to predict the risk of spreading infection in real time. The environmental risk conveys from the virtual zone concept and provides updated information for different places. Two scenarios are considered for the communication between the IoT node and fog server, 4G/5G/WiFi, or LoRa, which can be selected based on environmental constraints. The required energy usage and bandwidth (BW) are compared for various event scenarios. The COVID-SAFE framework can assist in minimizing the coronavirus exposure risk.
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TL;DR: It is suggested that MedDiet has a beneficial role on CVD prevention in populations inclusive of individuals with diabetes, and an inverse association with total CVD mortality.
Abstract: To update the clinical practice guidelines for nutrition therapy of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies and randomized clinical trials (RCTs) to evaluate the effect of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) on the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and mortality. We searched Medline, EMBASE (through April 20, 2018) and Cochrane (through May 7, 2018) databases. Pooled relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated by the generic inverse variance method. A total of 41 reports (3 RCTs and 38 cohorts) were included. Meta-analyses of RCTs revealed a beneficial effect of the MedDiet on total CVD incidence (RR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.50, 0.78) and total myocardial infarction (MI) incidence (RR: 0.65; 95% CI: 0.49, 0.88). Meta-analyses of prospective cohort studies, which compared the highest versus lowest categories of MedDiet adherence, revealed an inverse association with total CVD mortality (RR: 0.79; 95% CI: 0.77, 0.82), coronary heart disease (CHD) incidence (RR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.62, 0.86), CHD mortality (RR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.75, 0.92), stroke incidence (RR: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.71, 0.90), stroke mortality (RR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.80, 0.96) and MI incidence (RR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.61, 0.88). The present study suggests that MedDiet has a beneficial role on CVD prevention in populations inclusive of individuals with diabetes.