Web of Science v. Scopus: Presentation for the URI Deans\u27 Council

Slides from a presentation to the University of Rhode Island Deans\u27 Council comparing the databases Web of Science and Scopus, in the context of the University Libraries\u27 plans to cancel Web of Science and become a Scopus-only campus. The presentation took place in Green Hall at the University of Rhode Island on April 19, 2017. A handout given to attendees is included as a supplementary file

Library Offers New Databases

Brief article on new databases available through the University Libraries in fall 2004

CFICE Midterm Review Report

Wondering what the Community First: Impacts of Community Engagement (CFICE) project has been up to for the past four years? Well you’re in luck. We just completed and submitted our SSHRC Midterm report on February 29, 2016 and it’s chock full of details about CFICE’s activities and learnings from Phase I

Cluster Headache and the Comprehension Paradox

Patients with primary headache disorders such as cluster headache cycle between being entirely healthy and almost completely incapacitated. Sick leave or reduced performance due to headache attacks demands flexibility by their social counterparts. The objective of this study is to test the hypothesis that headache patients cause frustration that grows with the times colleagues have to take over their work. In this study, we analysed cluster headache patients’ answers to an online questionnaire. Participants self-reported their number of sick days, the number of days on which leisure activities were missed and whether they felt understood by colleagues and family. We then investigated the correlation between the number of sick days and the proportion of patients feeling understood by colleagues and friends. We found that feeling understood by colleagues and friends decreases with a growing number of sick days. However, when sick days accrue further, this proportion increases again. The number of sick days correlates similarly with both colleagues’ and friends’ understanding. The number of cluster headache patients feeling understood by others decreases with an increasing number of sick days. Their social circles’ frustration with the patients’ failure to meet obligations and expectations are a likely reason. With a growing number of sick days, however, the portion of patients feeling understood rises again despite patients meeting others’ expectations even less. This ‘comprehension paradox’ implies the influence of other factors. We suspect that growing numbers of sick days foster understanding as the disability of the disease becomes increasingly apparent

Strengthening Sustainable Northern Food Systems: Federal Policy Constraints and Potential Opportunities

This paper explores how Canadian federal policy and frameworks can better support community-based initiatives to reduce food insecurity and build sustainable food systems in the North. Through an examination of the current state of food systems infrastructure, transportation, harvest, and production in the Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik, and Nunatsiavut, we argue in favour of a multi-sector approach that supports diversified food systems, including traditional/country food production and distribution, in a way that values and prioritizes community-led initiatives and Indigenous peoples’ self-determination and self-governance. The challenge of developing sustainable, northern food systems requires made-in-the-North solutions that are attuned to cultural, geographic, environmental, and political contexts. Recent policy developments suggest some progress in this direction, however much more work is needed. Ultimately, sustainable northern food systems must be defined by and for Northerners at community, local, and regional levels, with particular attention paid to treaty rights and the right to self-determination of First Nations and other Indigenous communities.Cet article se penche sur la manière dont les politiques et les cadres de référence fédéraux du Canada peuvent mieux soutenir les initiatives communautaires afin d’atténuer l’insécurité alimentaire et d’édifier des systèmes alimentaires durables dans le Nord. En nous appuyant sur l’examen de l’état actuel de l’infrastructure des systèmes alimentaires, du transport, des récoltes et de la production du Yukon, des Territoires du Nord-Ouest, du Nunavut, du Nunavik et du Nunatsiavut, nous plaidons en faveur d’une approche multisectorielle favorisant des systèmes alimentaires diversifiés, y compris la production et la distribution d’aliments traditionnels ou du terroir, valorisant et priorisant les initiatives communautaires de même que l’autodétermination et l’autonomie gouvernementale des peuples autochtones. Le défi consistant à concevoir des systèmes alimentaires durables dans le Nord nécessite des solutions provenant du Nord, solutions qui tiennent compte des contextes culturel, géographique, environnemental et politique. De récents développements en matière de politiques suggèrent un certain progrès, mais il reste toutefois fort à faire dans ce sens. Au bout du compte, les systèmes alimentaires durables dans le Nord doivent être définis par et pour les gens du Nord à l’échelle communautaire, locale et régionale, en accordant une attention particulière aux droits issus des traités ainsi qu’au droit à l’autodétermination des Premières Nations et d’autres collectivités autochtones

Evidence for Large Holocene Earthquakes Along the Denali Fault in Southwest Yukon, Canada

The Yukon–Alaska Highway corridor in southern Yukon is subject to geohazards ranging from landslides to floods and earthquakes on faults in the St. Elias Mountains and Shakwak Valley. Here we discuss the late Holocene seismic history of the Denali fault, located at the eastern front of the St. Elias Mountains and one of only a few known seismically active terrestrial faults in Canada. Holocene faulting is indicated by scarps and mounds on late Pleistocene drift and by tectonically deformed Pleistocene and Holocene sediments. Previous work on trenches excavated against the fault scarp near the Duke River reveals paleoseismic sediment disturbance dated to ∼300–1,200, 1,200–1,900, and 3,000 years ago. Re-excavation of the trenches indicate a fourth event dated to 6,000 years ago. The trenches are interpreted as a negative flower structure produced by extension of sediments by dextral strike-slip fault movement. Nearby Crescent Lake is ponded against the fault scarp. Sediment cores reveal four abrupt sediment and diatom changes reflecting seismic shaking at ∼1,200–1,900, 1,900–5,900, 5,900–6,200, and 6,500–6,800 years ago. At the Duke River, the fault offsets sediments, including two White River tephra layers (∼1,900 and 1,200 years old). Late Pleistocene outwash gravel and overlying Holocene aeolian sediments show in cross section a positive flower structure indicative of post-glacial contraction of the sediments by dextral strike-slip movement. Based on the number of events reflecting ∼M6, we estimate the average recurrence of large earthquakes on the Yukon part of the Denali fault to be about 1,300 years in the past 6,500–6,800 years

Exploiting the neoantigen landscape for immunotherapy of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Immunotherapy approaches for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) have met with limited success. It has been postulated that a low mutation load may lead to a paucity of T cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME). However, it is also possible that while neoantigens are present, an effective immune response cannot be generated due to an immune suppressive TME. To discern whether targetable neoantigens exist in PDAC, we performed a comprehensive study using genomic profiles of 221 PDAC cases extracted from public databases. Our findings reveal that: (a) nearly all PDAC samples harbor potentially targetable neoantigens; (b) T cells are present but generally show a reduced activation signature; and (c) markers of efficient antigen presentation are associated with a reduced signature of markers characterizing cytotoxic T cells. These findings suggest that despite the presence of tumor specific neoepitopes, T cell activation is actively suppressed in PDAC. Further, we identify iNOS as a potential mediator of immune suppression that might be actionable using pharmacological avenues

Medical image computing and computer-aided medical interventions applied to soft tissues. Work in progress in urology

Until recently, Computer-Aided Medical Interventions (CAMI) and Medical Robotics have focused on rigid and non deformable anatomical structures. Nowadays, special attention is paid to soft tissues, raising complex issues due to their mobility and deformation. Mini-invasive digestive surgery was probably one of the first fields where soft tissues were handled through the development of simulators, tracking of anatomical structures and specific assistance robots. However, other clinical domains, for instance urology, are concerned. Indeed, laparoscopic surgery, new tumour destruction techniques (e.g. HIFU, radiofrequency, or cryoablation), increasingly early detection of cancer, and use of interventional and diagnostic imaging modalities, recently opened new challenges to the urologist and scientists involved in CAMI. This resulted in the last five years in a very significant increase of research and developments of computer-aided urology systems. In this paper, we propose a description of the main problems related to computer-aided diagnostic and therapy of soft tissues and give a survey of the different types of assistance offered to the urologist: robotization, image fusion, surgical navigation. Both research projects and operational industrial systems are discussed

Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Management of the Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy: Executive Summary

Objective: This executive summary presents in brief the current evidence assessed in the clinical practice guideline prepared by the Canadian Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy Working Group and published by Pregnancy Hypertension (. http://www.pregnancyhypertension.org/article/S2210-7789(14)00004-X/fulltext) to provide a reasonable approach to the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of the hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Evidence: Published literature was retrieved through searches of Medline, CINAHL, and The Cochrane Library in March 2012 using appropriate controlled vocabulary (e.g., pregnancy, hypertension, pre-eclampsia, pregnancy toxemias) and key words (e.g., diagnosis, evaluation, classification, prediction, prevention, prognosis, treatment, postpartum follow-up). Results were restricted to systematic reviews, randomized control trials, controlled clinical trials, and observational studies published in French or English between January 2006 and February 2012. Searches were updated on a regular basis and incorporated in the guideline to September 2013. Grey (unpublished) literature was identified through searching the websites of health technology assessment and health technology-related agencies, clinical practice guideline collections, clinical trial registries, and national and international medical specialty societies. Values: The quality of evidence in the guideline summarized here was rated using the criteria described in the Report of the Canadian Task Force on Preventative Health Care (. Table 1)