“We’re the girls of the pansy parade”: Historicizing Winnipeg’s Queer Subcultures, 1930s-1970

As a work of queer history this article historicizes same-sex desire in Winnipeg from the 1930s through the late 1960s. This research asks provocative questions about how the nature of place (a major prairie capital city) and space (commercial venues, public parks, and private homes) permitted, constructed, and constrained queer activities. Beginning with the earliest oral history recollections of Depression-era same-sex activity, this article charts the changes caused by the Second World War, more liberalized liquor laws in the 1950s, and the expanding economy in the 1960s. Ultimately, it illustrates that Winnipeg functioned as a "queer capital" for residents of Manitoba, Northwestern Ontario, and, less frequently, parts of Saskatchewan. Reframing the city of Winnipeg through a queer lens offers a novel addition to our history of this well-known city; it makes an important contribution to the national and international literature of queer urban development; and, finally, it offers a prairie perspective on the formation of social spaces and identities prior to the establishment of dedicated, local gay and lesbian organizations. Œuvre inspirée de l'histoire queer, le présent article historicise le désir pour les personnes du m'me sexe du Winnipeg des années 1930 jusqu'à celui de la fin des années 1960. Cette recherche pose des questions percutantes, se demandant comment la nature du lieu (une grande capitale des Prairies) et de l'espace (endroits commerciaux, parcs publics et maisons privées) a permis, construit et g'né les activités queer. S'appuyant d'abord sur les premiers récits tirés de l'histoire orale de l'activité homosexuelle au temps de la dépression, cet article retrace les changements qu'ont provoqués la Deuxième Guerre mondiale, l'assouplissement des lois sur les boissons alcoolisées dans les années 1950 et l'essor économique des années 1960. Il en arrive à la conclusion que Winnipeg faisait alors office de > pour les résidents du Manitoba, du Nord-Ouest de l'Ontario et, dans une moindre mesure, de certaines parties de la Saskatchewan. Recadrer la ville de Winnipeg en l'examinant sous la loupe de l'identité queer jette un nouvel éclairage sur l'histoire que nous avons de cette ville bien connue. En effet, non seulement cela enrichit-il grandement la littérature nationale et internationale sur le développement urbain queer, mais permet également d'examiner dans la perspective des Prairies la formation d'espaces sociaux et d'identités sociales avant l'établissement d'organismes locaux voués à la cause des gais et lesbiennes

“Mrs. Chatelaine” vs. “Mrs. Slob”: Contestants, Correspondents and the Chatelaine Community in Action, 1961-1969

Scholars and critics alike have presumed that readers of popular women's magazines were merely passive consumers. That was not the case with Chatelaine magazine. Reader commentary was regularly featured in the magazine and often influenced editorial decisions. This analysis of the Mrs. Chatelaine contest provides a demographic profile of the reading community, an overview of the text and the producers, an examination of the national community of readers created at Chatelaine, it also explores the reaction of “average readers” to products of popular culture. In summary, readers' responded in a host of ways to the periodical. Some enjoyed the preferred meanings offered by the magazine, particularly of traditional fare (like the contest) which celebrated paragons of feminine virtue. Other readers were resistant to this material - they criticised, challenged, or parodied the contest - clearly demonstrating that “average” readers did not passively accept material which was at odds with their lives.Chercheurs et critiques ont toujours tenu pour acquis que les lectrices des magazines féminins populaires étaient des consommatrices purement passives. Ce constat ne sapplique pas à la revue Chatelaine, qui publiait régulièrement les commentaires de ses lectrices, commentaires qui influençaient souvent les décisions éditoriales. La présente analyse du concours « Mrs. Chatelaine » fournit un profil démographique de la clientèle des lectrices, une vue d'ensemble des textes et des producteurs, et un examen de la communauté nationale des lectrices créée par Chatelaine, on y étudie aussi la réaction de la « lectrice moyenne » aux produits de la culture populaire. En résumé, les lectrices réagissaient de mille et une façons au contenu de la revue. Certaines appréciaient les idées véhiculées par le magazine, particulièrement celles à saveur traditionnelle (comme le concours) qui célébraient les parangons de vertu féminine. D'autres se montraient récalcitrantes à de telles orientations : elles critiquaient, contestaient ou parodiaient le concours, démontrant ainsi clairement que les lectrices « moyennes » ne gobaient pas passivement un contenu qui ne correspondait pas à leur vie

An automated in vitro model for the evaluation of ultrasound modalities measuring myocardial deformation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Echocardiography is the method of choice when one wishes to examine myocardial function. Qualitative assessment of the 2D grey scale images obtained is subjective, and objective methods are required. Speckle Tracking Ultrasound is an emerging technology, offering an objective mean of quantifying left ventricular wall motion. However, before a new ultrasound technology can be adopted in the clinic, accuracy and reproducibility needs to be investigated.</p> <p>Aim</p> <p>It was hypothesized that the collection of ultrasound sample data from an in vitro model could be automated. The aim was to optimize an in vitro model to allow for efficient collection of sample data.</p> <p>Material & Methods</p> <p>A tissue-mimicking phantom was made from water, gelatin powder, psyllium fibers and a preservative. Sonomicrometry crystals were molded into the phantom. The solid phantom was mounted in a stable stand and cyclically compressed. Peak strain was then measured by Speckle Tracking Ultrasound and sonomicrometry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We succeeded in automating the acquisition and analysis of sample data. Sample data was collected at a rate of 200 measurement pairs in 30 minutes. We found good agreement between Speckle Tracking Ultrasound and sonomicrometry in the in vitro model. Best agreement was 0.83 ± 0.70%. Worst agreement was -1.13 ± 6.46%.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>It has been shown possible to automate a model that can be used for evaluating the in vitro accuracy and precision of ultrasound modalities measuring deformation. Sonomicrometry and Speckle Tracking Ultrasound had acceptable agreement.</p

Whither Capitalism? Financial externalities and crisis

As with global warming, so with financial crises – externalities have a lot to answer for. We look at three of them. First the financial accelerator due to ‘fire sales’ of collateral assets -- a form of pecuniary externality that leads to liquidity being undervalued. Second the ‘risk- shifting’ behaviour of highly-levered financial institutions who keep the upside of risky investment while passing the downside to others thanks to limited liability. Finally, the network externality where the structure of the financial industry helps propagate shocks around the system unless this is checked by some form of circuit breaker, or ‘ring-fence’. The contrast between crisis-induced Great Recession and its aftermath of slow growth in the West and the rapid - and (so far) sustained - growth in the East suggests that successful economic progress may depend on how well these externalities are managed

Right ventricular dysfunction in patients with Brugada-like electrocardiography: a two dimensional strain imaging study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sodium channel blockers augment ST-segment elevation in the right precordial leads in patients undergoing Brugada-type electrocardiography (ECG). However, their effect on echocardiographic features is not known. We address this by assessing global and regional ventricular function using conventional Doppler and two- dimensional (2D) speckle tracking techniques.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Thirty-one patients with Brugada-type ECG were studied. A pure sodium channel blocker, pilsicainide, was used to provoke an ECG response. The percentage longitudinal systolic myocardial strain at the base of both the right ventricular (RV) free wall and the interventricular septum wall was measured using 2D speckle tracking. Left ventricular (LV) and RV myocardial performance (TEI) indices were also measured.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The pilsicainide challenge provoked a positive ECG response in 13 patients (inducible group). In the inducible group, longitudinal strain was significantly reduced only at the RV (-27.3 ± 5.4% vs -22.1 ± 3.6%, <it>P </it>< 0.01), and both RV and LV TEI indices increased (RV: 0.19 ± 0.09 vs 0.27 ± 0.11, <it>P </it>< 0.05; LV: 0.30 ± 0.10 vs 0.45 ± 0.10, <it>P </it>< 0.01) after pilsicainide administration.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Temporal and spatial analysis using the TEI index and 2D strain imaging revealed the deterioration of global ventricular function associated with conduction disturbance and RV regional function in patients with Brugada-type ECG and coved type ST elevation due to administration of a sodium channel blocker.</p

Dynamic changes of left ventricular performance and left atrial volume induced by the mueller maneuver in healthy young adults and implications for obstructive sleep apnea, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure.

Using the Mueller maneuver (MM) to simulate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), our aim was to investigate acute changes in left-sided cardiac morphologic characteristics and function which might develop with apneas occurring during sleep. Strong evidence supports a relation between OSA and both atrial fibrillation and heart failure. However, acute effects of airway obstruction on cardiac structure and function have not been well defined. In addition, it is unclear how OSA might contribute to the development of atrial fibrillation and heart failure. Echocardiography was used in healthy young adults to measure various parameters of cardiac structure and function. Subjects were studied at baseline, during, and immediately after performance of the MM and after a 10-minute recovery. Continuous heart rate, blood pressure, and pulse oximetry measurements were made. During the MM, left atrial (LA) volume index markedly decreased. Left ventricular (LV) end-systolic dimension increased in association with a decrease in LV ejection fraction. On release of the maneuver, there was a compensatory increase in blood flow to the left side of the heart, with stroke volume, ejection fraction, and cardiac output exceeding baseline. After 10 minutes of recovery, all parameters returned to baseline. In conclusion, sudden imposition of severe negative intrathoracic pressure led to an abrupt decrease in LA volume and a decrease in LV systolic performance. These changes reflected an increase in LV afterload. Repeated swings in afterload burden and chamber volumes may have implications for the future development of atrial fibrillation and heart failure

Non-uniform recovery of left ventricular transmural mechanics in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>After a transient ischemic episode, the subendocardial region is more severely injured than outer subepicardial layers and may regain a proportionately greater degree of mechanical function in the longitudinal direction. We sought to explore left ventricular (LV) transmural mechanics in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) for determining the mechanism underlying recovery of global LV function after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 42 patients (62 ± 11 years old, 71% male) with a first STEMI underwent serial assessments of LV longitudinal, circumferential and radial strains (LS, CS and RS) by selective tracking of subendocardial and subepicardial regions within 48 hours and a median of 5 months after PCI. LV mechanical parameters were compared with sixteen age and gender matched normal controls.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In comparison with controls, endocardial and epicardial LS were markedly attenuated at 48 hours following PCI (P < 0.001). An improvement in LV ejection fraction (EF > 5%) following PCI was seen in 24 (57%) patients and was associated with improvement in endocardial and epicardial LS (P < 0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively) and endocardial CS (P = 0.01). Radial strain and wall motion score index, however, remained persistently abnormal. The change in endocardial LS (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.42, P = 0.01) and the change in epicardial LS (OR 1.2, 95% 1.03 to 1.46, P = 0.02) were significantly associated with the improvement in LVEF, independent of the location of STEMI and the presence of underlying multivessel disease.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In patients with STEMI treated by PCI, the recovery of LV subendocardial shortening strain seen in the longitudinal direction underlies the improvement in LV global function despite persistent abnormalities in radial mechanics and wall motion score index.</p