COMMUNITY POLICING AND REPRESENTATION WITHIN POLICING IN CANADA

On November 14, 2023, Jacqueline Edwards presented Community Policing and Representation within Policing in Canada for this year’s West Coast Security Conference. The key points discussed were diversity in policing and the importance of accountability and community engagement in policing.   Received: 12-18-2023 Revised: 01-26-202

An Examination of the Process, Outcomes and Attitudes of Counselor-Trainees Participating in an Experiential Group: An Exploratory Study

This exploratory study attempts to examine the impact of experiential group work training on counselor-trainees. Survey data about group process, attitudes and outcomes were gathered from 15 counselor-trainees who were enrolled in a group-counseling course and participated in an experiential group. Correlations revealed statistically significant relationships between pre-group process variables and post-group outcome and attitude variables. The non-parametric Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test indicated significant differences between pre-group and post-group measures for the group process. Implications for future research are presented

Towards plant pangenomics

As an increasing number of genome sequences become available for a wide range of species, there is a growing understanding that the genome of a single individual is insufficient to represent the gene diversity within a whole species. Many studies examine the sequence diversity within genes, and this allelic variation is an important source of phenotypic variation which can be selected for by man or nature. However, the significant gene presence/absence variation that has been observed within species and the impact of this variation on traits is only now being studied in detail. The sum of the genes for a species is termed the pangenome, and the determination and characterization of the pangenome is a requirement to understand variation within a species. In this review, we explore the current progress in pangenomics as well as methods and approaches for the characterization of pangenomes for a wide range of plant species

Mechanisms and nutritional countermeasures to musculoskeletal disuse atrophy

Musculoskeletal disuse negatively impacts muscle mass and physiological functioning. Mechanistically, disuse-induced alterations in muscle mass are underpinned by alterations in myofibrillar protein turnover. However, the implications of disuse on mitochondrial functioning remains to be fully eluded. Accordingly, Chapter 2 explored whether a 7d period of reduced ambulation (<1,500 steps.d$^{-1}$) promoted alterations in skeletal muscle oxidative metabolism in young males. We report that 7d of reduced ambulation significantly reduced citrate synthase activity, without altering the abundance of proteins involved in mitochondrial functioning, mitochondrial dynamics, oxidative metabolism or skeletal muscle insulin signalling. Based on the importance of skeletal muscle anabolic sensitivity to prevent disuse induced atrophy, Chapter 3 assessed whether a high-dose leucine supplementation intervention could prevent alterations in fat free mass and strength during a 7d period of lower limb immobilization in young males. Here we report that there was a significant reduction in fat free mass (3.6 ± 0.5%) and strength (27.9 ± 4.4%) following 7d immobilization, with no effect of high-dose leucine supplementation compared with placebo. Mechanistically, disuse induced declines in fat free mass occurred in parallel to impaired MyoPS and mitochondrial protein synthesis (MitoPS) rates in the immobilised leg vs. control leg. Chapter 4 assessed the mechanistic ability of (-)-epicatechin (EPI) and its metabolite hippuric acid (HA) upon muscle morphology and metabolism within an in vitro model of atrophy. Under atrophy like conditions (24h dexamethasone (DEX)) C2C12 myotube diameter was significantly greater following co-incubation with either HA or EPI compared to the vehicle control (VC). Mechanistically, the co-incubation with EPI or HA abrogated the DEX-induced reductions in MPS rates and partially attenuated proteolysis, preventing DEX-induced alterations in autophagic signalling. In conclusion, this thesis improved our understanding of the mechanisms underpinning disuse-induced muscle atrophy and the effectiveness of two nutritional countermeasures to prevent the negative physiological consequences of musculoskeletal disuse

An assessment of the benefits of yellow Sigatoka (Mycosphaerella musicola) control in the Queensland Northern Banana Pest Quarantine Area

The banana leaf spotting disease yellow Sigatoka is established and actively controlled in Australia through intensive chemical treatments and diseased leaf removal. In the State of Queensland, the State government imposes standards for de-leafing to minimise the risk of the disease spreading in 6 banana pest quarantine areas. Of these, the Northern Banana Pest Quarantine Area is the most significant in terms of banana production. Previous regulations imposed obligations on owners of banana plants within this area to remove leaves from plants with visible spotting on more than 15 per cent of any leaf during the wet season. Recently, this leaf disease threshold has been lowered to 5 per cent. In this paper we examine the likely impact this more-costly regulation will have on the spread of the disease. We estimate that the average net benefit of reducing the diseased leaf threshold is only likely to be $1.4 million per year over the next 30 years, expressed as the annualised present value of tightened regulation. This result varies substantially when the timeframe of the analysis is changed, with shorter time frames indicating poorer net returns from the change in protocols. Overall, the benefit of the regulation change is likely to be minor

Exposure to models’ negative facial expressions whilst eating a vegetable decreases women’s liking of the modelled vegetable, but not their desire to eat

Introduction: Food enjoyment can be conveyed through facial expressions. Observing others’ enjoyment of food has been found to influence adults’ desirability of liked and disliked food. Exposing adults to other eaters enjoying nutritious foods that are typically disliked (e.g., vegetables) could enhance the consumption of vegetables by young adults. However, this remains to be examined in young adult populations. This study examined the effect of models’ facial expressions towards raw broccoli on young adult women’s change in liking and change in desire to eat a modelled vegetable (raw broccoli) and a non-modelled vegetable (cucumber).Methods: Young adult women (N = 205) were randomised to watch a video of unfamiliar adult models eating raw broccoli with a positive, negative, or neutral facial expression. Participants’ change in liking and change in desire to eat the modelled and non-modelled vegetable was examined.Results: Observing models conveying negative facial expressions whilst eating raw broccoli resulted in a statistically significant reduction in liking ratings of broccoli, but not cucumber. There was no effect of models’ facial expressions on the change in desire to eat foods.Discussion: These findings suggest that watching others express a negative facial expression whilst eating a raw vegetable reduces women’s liking of the modelled vegetable, in the absence of a significant change to their desire to consume these foods. This highlights the power of others’ negative facial expressions on food liking. Further work is needed to establish the effect of others’ facial expressions on vegetable intake

Violence Affecting School Employees

A review of the literature shows significant violence (both physical and verbal threats) in schools in the United States (U.S.). Almost all of the studies focus on violence by students and against students. There is very limited information about violence involving employees in the schools even though teachers are three times more likely to be attacked than are students on a per capita basis. The purpose of this study was to understand the extent, causation, and reduction of violence against school employees in a metropolitan area. Administrators of all schools (K-12, vocational schools, and colleges) in a 4-county, 2-state metropolitan area were surveyed. The results of the survey found that violence in the Portland metropolitan area was not as prevalent as nationwide trends indicate. However, most respondents believed violence would continue at the present level into the future. More research needs to be conducted about violence against school employees, but it should carefully consider the geographical area and the type of respondents

Understanding family food purchasing behaviour of low-income urban UK families: An analysis of parent capability, opportunity and motivation

Objective Family food purchasing decisions have a direct influence on children's food environments and are powerful predictors of obesity and dietary quality. This study explored parents' capability, opportunities, and motivations regarding food purchasing for their families, as well as barriers and facilitators of healthy food purchasing behaviour, in an ethnically diverse, low-income area. Design Semi-structured interviews with parents of under-11-year-old children were conducted to investigate family food purchases, both when eating inside and outside the home. Interviews were analysed using framework analysis mapped against the COM-B model (Michie et al., 2011). Setting An ethnically diverse, low-income area in Birmingham, UK. Participants Sixteen parents (13F, 3M) of under-11-year-old children. 75% Pakistani, 12.5% White British, 6.3% White and Black Caribbean, and 6.3% “Other”. Results Four themes were identified: i) I know how to provide healthy meals for my family, ii) Family food purchase decisions are complex, iii) I want what they are eating and iv) Healthy eating is important but eating outside of the home is a treat. The barriers of healthy family food purchasing were predominantly at family and community levels, including time, cost, and both parents' and children's food enjoyment and preferences. Facilitators of healthy family food purchasing were primarily identified at an individual level, with high levels of capability and motivation for healthy food provision. Conclusions Attempts to enhance parental capability to improve healthy food purchasing through nutrition education is not likely to be a useful intervention target in this group. Emphasis on enjoyment, palatability and value for money could be key to increasing parental motivation to purchase healthy family foods

Genomic prediction of preliminary yield trials in chickpea: Effect of functional annotation of SNPs and environment

Abstract Achieving yield potential in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is limited by many constraints that include biotic and abiotic stresses. Combining next-generation sequencing technology with advanced statistical modeling has the potential to increase genetic gain efficiently. Whole genome resequencing data was obtained from 315 advanced chickpea breeding lines from the Australian chickpea breeding program resulting in more than 298,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) discovered. Analysis of population structure revealed a distinct group of breeding lines with many alleles that are absent from recently released Australian cultivars. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using these Australian breeding lines identified 20 SNPs significantly associated with grain yield in multiple field environments. A reduced level of nucleotide diversity and extended linkage disequilibrium suggested that some regions in these chickpea genomes may have been through selective breeding for yield or other traits. A large introgression segment that introduced from C. echinospermum for phytophthora root rot resistance was identified on chromosome 6, yet it also has unintended consequences of reducing yield due to linkage drag. We further investigated the effect of genotype by environment interaction on genomic prediction of yield. We found that the training set had better prediction accuracy when phenotyped under conditions relevant to the targeted environments. We also investigated the effect of SNP functional annotation on prediction accuracy using different subsets of SNPs based on their genomic locations: regulatory regions, exome, and alternative splice sites. Compared with the whole SNP dataset, a subset of SNPs did not significantly decrease prediction accuracy for grain yield despite consisting of a smaller number of SNPs

Anterior communicating artery complex aneurysms: anatomic characteristics as predictors of surgical outcome in 300 cases

OBJECTIVE Anterior communicating artery (ACoA) complex aneurysms are challenging to treat microsurgically. The authors report their experience with microsurgical treatment of ACoA aneurysms and examine the anatomic characteristics of these aneurysms as predictors of outcome. METHODS The authors queried their institution’s aneurysm database for records of consecutive patients treated for ACoA aneurysms via microsurgical clip ligation. Data included patient demographics and clinical/radiographic presentation characteristics as well as operative techniques. Glasgow outcome scores (GOS) at hospital discharge and 6-month as well as 1-year follow-up were analyzed. RESULTS Of 319 ACoA aneurysms that underwent treatment, 259 were ruptured and 60 were unruptured. Average GOS at 1-year follow-up for all patients was 4.6. Average GOS for patients with ruptured aneurysms correlated with Hunt and Hess grade at presentation, presence of frontal hemorrhages, and need for multiple clips during surgery. Notably, 142 (44.5%) of aneurysms originated mainly from the ACoA artery; 12 (3.8%) primarily from the A1 branch; 3 (0.9%) from the A2 branch; and 162 (50.8%) from the A1/A2 junction. Aneurysm projection was superior in 118 (37%), inferior in 106 (33.2%), anterior in 88 (27.6%), and posterior in 7 (2.2%). Patients with aneurysms originating from the A1 segment had worse outcomes. Posteriorly-projecting aneurysms were more likely to be unruptured and larger than other aneurysm configurations. CONCLUSIONS The aneurysm’s exact location in relation to the adjacent neurovascular structures is potentially predictive of outcomes in the microsurgical treatment of ACoA aneurysms