Community Distress Towards a National Measure

96 p.This report developed and tested a proposed Canadian Distress Index (CDI) model capable of exploring distress across and within Canadian cities. The proposed index is discussed in terms of its ability to inform policy making concerning Canada’s urban centres. The report considers a community to be in distress when it displays significantly weaker social, economic, environmental, and physical attributes; and has insufficient internal resources and capacity to respond to those conditions. The report reviews the primary theories that explain and explore distress and are captured broadly within theories of neighbourhood change. It examined national and international precedents for measuring distress, which vary substantively in approach and application with the most comprehensive examples drawing on both qualitative and quantitative information sources. International measurements of urban distress were examined for their capacity to capture a national perspective. From this review it was determined that factor analysis would be a useful analytical tool. Twenty-four variables were drawn from the Census of Canada. Following a series of preliminary analytical steps, factor analysis was then used to develop the final models variables representing four domains comprising the Canadian distress index (CDI). Final weightings for each of the domains were proposed using statistical tests. The CDI model was then tested using 10 cities and 2500 census tracts to produce rankings of the cities and census tracts for both their composite score and also how they ranked among the four domains. It was determined that the composite ranking provides a glimpse into relevant factors, but that a local context would be necessary to fully interpret the results. This might involve the review of more local qualitative data or opinions from local experts to help understand the local contributors to distress. The Index was found effective in comparing cities within tiers in the urban hierarchy, but less capable of comparing cities across tiers

Student Housing Overview: Assessing Issues and Potential Options

report: 59 pp.; ill., digital file.This report sets out for the administration of the University of Winnipeg some of the contexts, considerations and principles necessary when undertaking any future housing-oriented development. The report provides general support for the proposition that – given demonstrated need for affordable and accessible housing in the neighbourhoods surrounding the University of Winnipeg – some kind of mixed-use development – incorporating affordable, accessible housing for a range of household types, as well as other services that would cater to both the student body and residents and organizations of the surrounding communities – would be beneficial to the university and be consistent with both the surrounding community as well as its overall strategic plan.University of Winnipeg. The report concludes with very general recommendation

Effects of Tumor Microenvironment Heterogeneity on Nanoparticle Disposition and Efficacy in Breast Cancer Tumor Models

Tumor cells are surrounded by a complex microenvironment. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the role of heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment in the variability of nanoparticle (NP) delivery and efficacy

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Sedimentary macrofossil records reveal ecological change in English lakes: implications for conservation

Aquatic macrophytes play a key role in providing habitat, refuge and food for a range of biota in shallow lakes. However, many shallow lakes have experienced declines in macrophyte vegetation in recent decades, principally due to eutrophication. As changes in macrophyte composition and abundance can affect overall ecological structure and function of a lake, an assessment of the timing and nature of such changes is crucial to our understanding of the wider lake ecosystem. In the typical absence of historical plant records, the macro-remains of macrophytes preserved in lake sediments can be used to assess long-term changes in aquatic vegetation. We generated recent (150–200 years) plant macrofossil records for six English lakes subject to conservation protection to define past macrophyte communities, assess trajectories of ecological change and consider the implications of our findings for conservation targets and strategies. The data for all six lakes reveal a diverse submerged macrophyte community, with charophytes as a key component, in the early part of the sedimentary records. The stratigraphies indicate considerable change to the aquatic vegetation over the last two centuries with a general shift towards species more typically associated with eutrophic conditions. A common feature is the decline in abundance of low-growing charophytes and an increase in tall canopy-forming angiosperms such as fine-leaved Potamogeton species, Zannichellia palustris and Callitriche species. We hypothesise, based on findings from long-term datasets and palaeoecological records from enriched shallow lakes where plants are now absent, that the observed shifts provide a warning to managers that the lakes are on a pathway to complete macrophyte loss such that nutrient load reduction is urgently needed. It is the sound understanding of present-day plant ecology that affords such reliable interpretation of the fossil data which, in turn, provide valuable context for current conservation decisions

Risk factors for Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) death in a population cohort study from the Western Cape province, South Africa

Risk factors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) death in sub-Saharan Africa and the effects of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis on COVID-19 outcomes are unknown. We conducted a population cohort study using linked data from adults attending public-sector health facilities in the Western Cape, South Africa. We used Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for age, sex, location, and comorbidities, to examine the associations between HIV, tuberculosis, and COVID-19 death from 1 March to 9 June 2020 among (1) public-sector “active patients” (≥1 visit in the 3 years before March 2020); (2) laboratory-diagnosed COVID-19 cases; and (3) hospitalized COVID-19 cases. We calculated the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) for COVID-19, comparing adults living with and without HIV using modeled population estimates.Among 3 460 932 patients (16% living with HIV), 22 308 were diagnosed with COVID-19, of whom 625 died. COVID19 death was associated with male sex, increasing age, diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. HIV was associated with COVID-19 mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 2.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.70–2.70), with similar risks across strata of viral loads and immunosuppression. Current and previous diagnoses of tuberculosis were associated with COVID-19 death (aHR, 2.70 [95% CI, 1.81–4.04] and 1.51 [95% CI, 1.18–1.93], respectively). The SMR for COVID-19 death associated with HIV was 2.39 (95% CI, 1.96–2.86); population attributable fraction 8.5% (95% CI, 6.1–11.1)

Restorative Justice Initiatives in Marin County: Mitigating the Impacts of the School-to-Prison Pipeline on Youth

My senior thesis project delves into Restorative Justice\u27s role in addressing the school-to-prison pipeline in Marin County. Restorative Justice prioritizes repairing the harm caused by crime to individuals, relationships, and communities, advocating for offenders to take responsibility and make amends rather than solely facing punishment (Restorative Justice Exchange, 2022). My capstone aims to pinpoint factors driving student exclusion from schools and subsequent entanglement in the legal system while highlighting how restorative approaches can prevent such outcomes. Additionally, it discusses the benefits of removing police officers from schools and reducing reliance on law enforcement within educational settings. My research will use a community-engaged methodology; I want to listen to and understand the community stakeholder perspectives through interviews and engagement. Their perspectives are crucial because of their direct involvement in the Restorative Justice practices currently happening in Marin County

Effects of Tumor Microenvironment Heterogeneity on Nanoparticle Disposition and Efficacy in Breast Cancer Tumor Models

PURPOSE: Tumor cells are surrounded by a complex microenvironment. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the role of heterogeneity of the tumor microenvironment in the variability of nanoparticle (NP) delivery and efficacy. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS: C3(1)-T-Antigen genetically engineered mouse model (C3-TAg) and T11/TP53(Null) orthotopic syngeneic murine transplant model (T11) representing human breast tumor subtypes basal-like and claudin-low, respectively, were evaluated. For the pharmacokinetic studies, non-liposomal doxorubicin (NL-doxo) or polyethylene glycol tagged (PEGylated) liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) was administered at 6 mg/kg intravenously (IV) x1. Area-under-the concentration versus time curve (AUC) of doxorubicin was calculated. Macrophages, collagen, and the amount of vasculature were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Chemokines and cytokines were measured by multiplex immunochemistry. NL-doxo or PLD was administered at 6 mg/kg IV weekly x6 in efficacy studies. Analyses of intermediary tumor response and overall survival were performed. RESULTS: Plasma AUC of NL-doxo and PLD encapsulated and released doxorubicin were similar between two models. However, tumor sum total AUC of PLD was 2-fold greater in C3-TAg compared with T11 (P<0.05). T11 tumors showed significantly higher expression of CC chemokine ligand (CCL) 2 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-a, greater vascular quantity, and decreased expression of VEGF-c compared to C3-TAg (P<0.05). PLD was more efficacious compared to NL-doxo in both models. CONCLUSION: The tumor microenvironment and/or tumor cell features of breast cancer affected NP tumor delivery and efficacy, but not the small molecule drug. Our findings reveal the role of the tumor microenvironment in variability of NP delivery and therapeutic outcomes