Social Justice Picture Books

This project is made possible with funding by the Government of Ontario and through eCampusOntario’s support of the Virtual Learning Strategy (VLS) and Central Virtual Learning Platform (CVLP). To learn more about VLS and CVLP visit: https://vls.ecampusontario.ca.This project is made possible with funding by the Government of Ontario and through eCampusOntario’s support of the Virtual Learning Strategy (VLS) and Ontario Exchange (OEX). To learn more about VLS and OEX visit: https://vls.ecampusontario.ca.I. Main BodyII. Anti-BullyingIII. Mental HealthIV. Human RightsV. Gender Identity & Gender RolesVI. PeaceVII. Anti-PovertyVIII. Anti-RacismIX. EnvironmentX. Indigenous PerspectivesA collection of lesson plans for grades 4-8 based on picture books dealing with social justice. The lessons focus on Literacy but many also connect across subjects to Social Studies (geography and history), Health, the Arts, or Science & Technolog

Genetic determinants of risk in pulmonary arterial hypertension:international genome-wide association studies and meta-analysis

Background: Rare genetic variants cause pulmonary arterial hypertension, but the contribution of common genetic variation to disease risk and natural history is poorly characterised. We tested for genome-wide association for pulmonary arterial hypertension in large international cohorts and assessed the contribution of associated regions to outcomes. Methods: We did two separate genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and a meta-analysis of pulmonary arterial hypertension. These GWAS used data from four international case-control studies across 11 744 individuals with European ancestry (including 2085 patients). One GWAS used genotypes from 5895 whole-genome sequences and the other GWAS used genotyping array data from an additional 5849 individuals. Cross-validation of loci reaching genome-wide significance was sought by meta-analysis. Conditional analysis corrected for the most significant variants at each locus was used to resolve signals for multiple associations. We functionally annotated associated variants and tested associations with duration of survival. All-cause mortality was the primary endpoint in survival analyses. Findings: A locus near SOX17 (rs10103692, odds ratio 1·80 [95% CI 1·55–2·08], p=5·13 × 10 –15 ) and a second locus in HLA-DPA1 and HLA-DPB1 (collectively referred to as HLA-DPA1/DPB1 here; rs2856830, 1·56 [1·42–1·71], p=7·65 × 10 –20 ) within the class II MHC region were associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension. The SOX17 locus had two independent signals associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension (rs13266183, 1·36 [1·25–1·48], p=1·69 × 10 –12 ; and rs10103692). Functional and epigenomic data indicate that the risk variants near SOX17 alter gene regulation via an enhancer active in endothelial cells. Pulmonary arterial hypertension risk variants determined haplotype-specific enhancer activity, and CRISPR-mediated inhibition of the enhancer reduced SOX17 expression. The HLA-DPA1/DPB1 rs2856830 genotype was strongly associated with survival. Median survival from diagnosis in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension with the C/C homozygous genotype was double (13·50 years [95% CI 12·07 to &gt;13·50]) that of those with the T/T genotype (6·97 years [6·02–8·05]), despite similar baseline disease severity. Interpretation: This is the first study to report that common genetic variation at loci in an enhancer near SOX17 and in HLA-DPA1/DPB1 is associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Impairment of SOX17 function might be more common in pulmonary arterial hypertension than suggested by rare mutations in SOX17. Further studies are needed to confirm the association between HLA typing or rs2856830 genotyping and survival, and to determine whether HLA typing or rs2856830 genotyping improves risk stratification in clinical practice or trials. Funding: UK NIHR, BHF, UK MRC, Dinosaur Trust, NIH/NHLBI, ERS, EMBO, Wellcome Trust, EU, AHA, ACClinPharm, Netherlands CVRI, Dutch Heart Foundation, Dutch Federation of UMC, Netherlands OHRD and RNAS, German DFG, German BMBF, APH Paris, INSERM, Université Paris-Sud, and French ANR. </p

Rumo ao ecofeminismo queer

O presente texto propõe uma mudança de rumo para o ecofeminismo. Se a conexão simbólica entre mulheres e natureza era criticada por essa perspectiva teórica, a discussão sobre os modos pelos quais nossa imagem de natureza é heterossexualizada e as conexões entre diversidade sexual e natureza não eram exploradas. Gaard afirma que a cultura ocidental é fundada em um medo ou repulsa não apenas de práticas homoafetivas, mas do erotismo como um todo. A isso chama erotofobia, e é por causa dela que práticas sexuais-afetivas não reprodutivas são entendidas como desvio moral ou perversão. Para mostrar que a erotofobia está na raiz de muitas práticas, Gaard analisa a história do cristianismo e da colonização da América, tentando mostrar que nesses exemplos históricos podemos ver como as conexões entre a opressão de mulheres, das sexualidades queer, de pessoas não brancas e da natureza estão interligadas. Esse cuidado em pensar tais ligações e uma vontade de repensar e liberar o erótico caracterizariam uma perspectiva queer para o ecofeminismo.The present paper proposes a shift in ecofeminism. If this theorethical perspective already criticized the women-nature symbolic connection, it has not explored yet the connections between sexual diversities and nature and the discussions about our heteronormative projections in nature. Gaard states that Western culture has its grounds in a fear or hatred not only of homosexuals and their sexual intercourse, but of eroticism in general. She names it erotophobia, and it is because of erotophobia that non-reproductive sexual acts are viewed as moral deviation or perversion. To show us how pervasive erotophobia is she analyzes the history of Christianity and the colonization of America to highlight the conections between different forms of oppression (of women, of queer sexualities, of non-white people, of nature). What characterizes a queer perspective in ecofeminism is exactly the attention to thinking those interconnections and a will to rethink and liberate the erotic as a form of power

Factors Associated with Revision Surgery after Internal Fixation of Hip Fractures

Background: Femoral neck fractures are associated with high rates of revision surgery after management with internal fixation. Using data from the Fixation using Alternative Implants for the Treatment of Hip fractures (FAITH) trial evaluating methods of internal fixation in patients with femoral neck fractures, we investigated associations between baseline and surgical factors and the need for revision surgery to promote healing, relieve pain, treat infection or improve function over 24 months postsurgery. Additionally, we investigated factors associated with (1) hardware removal and (2) implant exchange from cancellous screws (CS) or sliding hip screw (SHS) to total hip arthroplasty, hemiarthroplasty, or another internal fixation device. Methods: We identified 15 potential factors a priori that may be associated with revision surgery, 7 with hardware removal, and 14 with implant exchange. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses in our investigation. Results: Factors associated with increased risk of revision surgery included: female sex, [hazard ratio (HR) 1.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25-2.50; P = 0.001], higher body mass index (fo

How spatial omics approaches can be used to map the biological impacts of stress in psychiatric disorders: a perspective, overview and technical guide

AbstractExposure to significant levels of stress and trauma throughout life is a leading risk factor for the development of major psychiatric disorders. Despite this, we do not have a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms that explain how stress raises psychiatric disorder risk. Stress in humans is complex and produces variable molecular outcomes depending on the stress type, timing, and duration. Deciphering how stress increases disorder risk has consequently been challenging to address with the traditional single-target experimental approaches primarily utilized to date. Importantly, the molecular processes that occur following stress are not fully understood but are needed to find novel treatment targets. Sequencing-based omics technologies, allowing for an unbiased investigation of physiological changes induced by stress, are rapidly accelerating our knowledge of the molecular sequelae of stress at a single-cell resolution. Spatial multi-omics technologies are now also emerging, allowing for simultaneous analysis of functional molecular layers, from epigenome to proteome, with anatomical context. The technology has immense potential to transform our understanding of how disorders develop, which we believe will significantly propel our understanding of how specific risk factors, such as stress, contribute to disease course. Here, we provide our perspective of how we believe these technologies will transform our understanding of the neurobiology of stress, and also provided a technical guide to assist molecular psychiatry and stress researchers who wish to implement spatial omics approaches in their own research. Finally, we identify potential future directions using multi-omics technology in stress research

How spatial omics approaches can be used to map the biological impacts of stress in psychiatric disorders: a perspective, overview and technical guide

Exposure to significant levels of stress and trauma throughout life is a leading risk factor for the development of major psychiatric disorders. Despite this, we do not have a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms that explain how stress raises psychiatric disorder risk. Stress in humans is complex and produces variable molecular outcomes depending on the stress type, timing, and duration. Deciphering how stress increases disorder risk has consequently been challenging to address with the traditional single-target experimental approaches primarily utilized to date. Importantly, the molecular processes that occur following stress are not fully understood but are needed to find novel treatment targets. Sequencing-based omics technologies, allowing for an unbiased investigation of physiological changes induced by stress, are rapidly accelerating our knowledge of the molecular sequelae of stress at a single-cell resolution. Spatial multi-omics technologies are now also emerging, allowing for simultaneous analysis of functional molecular layers, from epigenome to proteome, with anatomical context. The technology has immense potential to transform our understanding of how disorders develop, which we believe will significantly propel our understanding of how specific risk factors, such as stress, contribute to disease course. Here, we provide our perspective of how we believe these technologies will transform our understanding of the neurobiology of stress, and also provided a technical guide to assist molecular psychiatry and stress researchers who wish to implement spatial omics approaches in their own research. Finally, we identify potential future directions using multi-omics technology in stress research

Newspaper article and program brochure for theater play "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof"

Theater "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof