Third Party Record Exemptions in Canadas Access to Information Act

Artificial intelligence (AI) and automated decision making (ADM) used by and on behalf of the Government of Canada pose significant challenges to Canada's Access to Information Act (ATIA). While the ATIA's goal is to enhance accountability and transparency through the disclosure of records under the control of government, exemptions in the ATIA for third party records such as trade secrets make meaningful access difficult when it comes to AI and ADM. Several departments working at the epicentre of AI and ADM policy handle requests made to them through the ATIA by routinely invoking such exemptions. Citizens' entitlements to transparency and accountability in such contexts are increasingly clashing with commercial actors' desire to avoid or block disclosure of records

Guiding Youth to Careers: Do Mentoring Programs Benefit Urban Youth?

Mentoring programs have become a popular method for helping to close the achievement gap in education. Few research studies have been conducted to support the benefits of these programs, and questions have been raised about school-based mentoring which is short in duration and less intensive than traditional mentoring. This research focuses on the Guiding Youth to Careers program run through the Center for Community Partnerships at the University of Pennsylvania. The research shows that if specific goals are outlined and completed, school-based mentoring programs can have an impact on the students they serve

Junior Recital, Matthew Malone, trumpet

The presentation of this junior recital will fulfill in part the requirements for the Bachelor of Music degree in Performance. Matthew Malone studies trumpet with Kevin Maloney and Rex Richardson

COVID-19 and Local Emergency Management Operations

As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe, local (county and municipal) emergency management departments in the United States were thrust to the forefront in addressing the needs of its citizenry. Doing so likely involved the use of Comprehensive Emergency Management (CEM) principles and planning efforts to address the pandemic. This paper outlines how respondents to a May/June 2020 survey of lead local emergency management department professionals nationwide used a variety of tools to address the evolving demands of the pandemic. The results suggest that a majority of local departments report having preparation and response means designed to address a pandemic in place prior to the outbreak of COVID- 19, but the use of specific efforts to confront the virus varied from place to place, as do attitudes regarding the impact of the pandemic on the daily operations of the local emergency management agency

GAIT TRAINING WITH AUDITORY RHYTHMS AND INSTRUCTIONS IN CHRONIC STROKE

During walking in healthy adults, characteristic movement patterns between the upper and lower body relate directly to walking velocity. In persons who suffer a stroke, walking velocity decreases as motor deficits appear in both the arm and leg opposite the side of the stroke. Recent findings indicate that treadmill walking to a metronome beat impacts arm motion, however, the effect is dependent on the severity of motor deficits. The changes in arm motion lead to changes that are indicative of improvements in overall walking function. The purpose of this project is to determine the efficacy of over-ground gait training using an external auditory rhythm directed at arm movement versus leg movement on improving movement coordination, walking velocity, and daily physical activity in persons who have suffered a stroke

Simulating Long-Term Impacts of Winter Rye Cover Crop on Hydrologic Cycling and Nitrogen Dynamics for a Corn-Soybean Crop System

Planting winter cover crops into corn-soybean rotations is a potential approach for reducing subsurface drainage and nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) loss. However, the long-term impact of this practice needs investigation. We evaluated the RZWQM2 model against comprehensive field data (2005-2009) in Iowa and used this model to study the long-term (1970-2009) hydrologic and nitrogen cycling effects of a winter cover crop within a corn-soybean rotation. The calibrated RZWQM2 model satisfactorily simulated crop yield, biomass, and N uptake with percent error (PE) within ±15% and relative root mean square error (RRMSE) \u3c30% except for soybean biomass and rye N uptake. Daily and annual drainage and annual NO3-N loss were simulated satisfactorily, with Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) \u3e0.50, ratio of RMSE to standard error (RSR) \u3c0.70, and percent bias (PBIAS) within ±25% except for the overestimation of annual drainage and NO3-N in CTRL2. The simulation in soil water storage was unsatisfactory but comparable to other studies. Long-term simulations showed that adding rye as a winter cover crop reduced annual subsurface drainage and NO3-N loss by 11% (2.9 cm) and 22% (11.8 kg N ha-1), respectively, and increased annual ET by 5% (2.9 cm). Results suggest that introducing winter rye cover crops to corn-soybean rotations is a promising approach to reduce N loss from subsurface drained agricultural systems. However, simulated N immobilization under the winter cover crop was not increased, which is inconsistent with a lysimeter study previously reported in the literature. Therefore, further research is needed to refine the simulation of immobilization in cover crop systems using RZWQM2 under a wider range of weather conditions

Research Into Tennessee\u27s Achievement School District: Autonomy, Incentives, and Guidance for Providers

This is the first in a series of reports based on a multi-year research project on the Tennessee Achievement School District (ASD). The purpose of these reports is to present independent analyses based on evidence, as well as the experience and judgment of the research team. The current discussion examines the ASD’s theory of action, and considers how its system of accountability and guidance could influence the nature of students’ educational experiences. Particular attention is given to the diversity of approaches among the organizations operating schools in the ASD, and the extent to which this could lead to meaningful comparisons, discussion, and ultimately organizational learning. Our focus on organizational learning is motivated by the belief that the capacity of ASD providers to learn and improve is critical to the success of the overall enterprise

Simulating Nitrate-Nitrogen Concentration from a Subsurface Drainage System in Response to Nitrogen Application Rates Using RZWQM2

Computer models have been widely used to evaluate the impact of agronomic management on nitrogen (N) dynamics in subsurface drained fields. However, they have not been evaluated as to their ability to capture the variability of nitrate-nitrogen (NO3–N) concentration in subsurface drainage at a wide range of N application rates due to possible errors in the simulation of other system components. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of Root Zone Water Quality Model2 (RZWQM2) in simulating the response of NO3–N concentration in subsurface drainage to N application rate. A 16-yr field study conducted in Iowa at nine N rates (0–252 kg N ha−1) from 1989 to 2004 was used to evaluate the model, based on a previous calibration with data from 2005 to 2009 at this site. The results showed that the RZWQM2 model performed “satisfactorily” in simulating the response of NO3–N concentration in subsurface drainage to N fertilizer rate with 0.76, 0.49, and −3% for the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency, the ratio of the root mean square error to the standard deviation, and percent bias, respectively. The simulation also identified that the N application rate required to achieve the maximum contaminant level for the annual average NO3–N concentration was similar to field-observed data. This study supports the use of RZWQM2 to predict NO3–N concentration in subsurface drainage at various N application rates once it is calibrated for the local condition

The Use of Small-Sided Games as an Aerobic Fitness Assessment Supplement within Elite Level Professional Soccer

The purpose of this investigation was to quantify the association between 5 vs. 5 small sided games (SSG) running performance and physiological performance during the Yo-YoIR1 test to ascertain the utility of SSGs as a potential fitness test modality within elite professional soccer players. Twenty-three (n = 23) elite male professional soccer players (mean ± SD age 25.3 ± 3.1 yrs, mass: 76 ± 9 kg, height: 176 ± 9 cm) were assessed. Players completed an intermittent aerobic fitness test (Yo-YoIR1) and a 5 vs. 5 SSGs protocol for the purpose of the study. During all SSGs players wore GPS (Statsports 10-Hz, Viper Pod, Newry, Northern Ireland) and HR monitors (Polar, Oy Kemple, Finland) with these measures related to Yo-YoIR1 running performance. Results revealed SSGs running performance (TD; m) and physiological performance (HR) showed the lowest CV% (\u3c 5%), with high speed movements, accelerations and decelerations highlighting higher CV% during SSGs. Possibly small to possibly very large associations were observed for running performance during 5 vs. 5 SSGs and Yo-YoIR1 performance, with negative associations observed between physiological performance during SSG and YoYoIR1 running performance. To conclude, the current study observed how running performance during a standardised 5 vs. 5 SSG protocol within elite soccer cohorts is associated with the Yo-YoIR1 running performance. Given the low CV%, repeatability and large association of global running performance and internal load measures during a 5 vs. 5 SSG with Yo-YoIR1 performance, this particular soccer specific SSG protocol potentially supplements traditional non-sport specific testing assessment

A contemporary multi-modal mechanical approach to training monitoring in elite professional soccer

Objectives: Understanding movements and mechanical demands of elite soccer players during training and competitive stressors is important for the support provision of player performance. Continued appreciation to quantify and monitor training load (TL) is apparent, however reporting multi-modal approaches in-line with competitive match-play demands remain limited. The investigation aimed to highlight a multimodal training monitoring method and its relationship to match-play. Subjects: 29 elite European soccer players participated were assessed (26.7 ± 4.07 years, height 183.4 ± 5.87 cm, body mass 78.4 ± 8.03 kg, 57.55 ± 5.32 ml.kg⁻¹.min⁻¹ and body composition 54.12 ± 13.65 mm) with daily TL and competitive match-load data in order to quantify the relationship between both. Methods: Key match-day (MD) data and TL was analysed across a 20-week in-season period. Results: Results reported significant TL differences between training days (TDs) and TDs and competitive MD data, in addition to significant differences between TDs for both volume- and intensity- session scores (p \u3c 0.05). No differences were found between MD-1 and MD-2 session scores. Conclusion: To specific specific multi-modal approach used allows practitioners to combine key mechanical volume and intensity metrics as part of an athlete or player monitoring strategy and ensure a greater focus on targeted physical stressors