Loss of Neuron Navigator 2 Impairs Brain and Cerebellar Development

Acknowledgements We thank the study family for their enthusiastic participationPeer reviewedPublisher PD

Adapting Experiential Learning in Times of Uncertainty: Challenges, Strategies, and Recommendations Moving Forward

Experiential learning offers students the opportunity to gain practical experience with a community or industry partner in their field of study. During the Covid-19 pandemic, many workplaces transitioned from in-person to at-home work environments, and those that did not, often reduced or removed access for non-essential personnel. In this report from the field, multiple viewpoints are shared that emerged from an interdisciplinary panel on experiential learning in the June 2022 Spotlight Series hosted by Teaching and Learning Support Services at the University of Ottawa. These voices “from the field” shed light on the impact of uncertain times on experiential learning and, collectively, focus on identifying challenges, implementing strategies and good practices, and sharing recommendations moving forward

Dénonciation infirmière et plateformes électroniques : une analyse de contenu du Formulaire de soins sécuritaires de la Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec

Cette étude visait à analyser les dénonciations soumises par des membres du personnel infirmier via une plateforme développée par un syndicat en santé du Québec. Une analyse de contenu de 1118 formulaires nous a permis de saisir la nature des situations dénoncées, d’identifier des stratégies additionnelles de divulgations infirmières et de documenter les réponses administratives. Les dénonciations, issues majoritairement d’infirmiers(ères) autorisés(es) en milieux de soins hospitaliers et de soins de longue durée, concernaient principalement la lourdeur et l’instabilité des conditions de pratique. Le recours au formulaire s’inscrivait dans une démarche de dénonciation plus large motivée par la présence de risques pour les patients et le personnel ainsi qu’une détresse morale. Le recours au temps supplémentaire était la principale réponse administrative aux situations dénoncées. Notre étude suggère que la plateforme répondait partiellement aux besoins des infirmiers(ères) et présentait certaines limites liées à sa conception et à la nature des informations recueillies. Elle souligne également l’importance d’améliorer les canaux de dénonciation interne, indispensables à la résolution de situations problématiques et au maintien de soins sécuritaires

Food and environmental parasitology in Canada:A network for the facilitation of collaborative research

Parasitic diseases are of considerable public health significance in Canada, particularly in rural and remote areas. Food- and water-borne parasites contribute significantly to the overall number of parasitic infections reported in Canada. While data on the incidence of some of these diseases are available, knowledge of the true burden of infection by the causative agents in Canadians is somewhat limited. A number of centers of expertise in Canada study various aspects of parasitology, but few formal societies or networks of parasitologists currently exist in Canada, and previously none focused specifically on food or environmental transmission. The recently established Food and Environmental Parasitology Network (FEPN) brings together Canadian researchers, regulators and public health officials with an active involvement in issues related to these increasingly important fields. The major objectives of the Network include identifying research gaps, facilitating discussion and collaborative research, developing standardized methods, generating data for risk assessments, policies, and guidelines, and providing expert advice and testing in support of outbreak investigations and surveillance studies. Issues considered by the FEPN include contaminated foods and infected food animals, potable and non-potable water, Northern and Aboriginal issues, zoonotic transmission, and epidemiology

IRF2BPL Is Associated with Neurological Phenotypes

Interferon regulatory factor 2 binding protein-like (IRF2BPL) encodes a member of the IRF2BP family of transcriptional regulators. Currently the biological function of this gene is obscure, and the gene has not been associated with a Mendelian disease. Here we describe seven individuals who carry damaging heterozygous variants in IRF2BPL and are affected with neurological symptoms. Five individuals who carry IRF2BPL nonsense variants resulting in a premature stop codon display severe neurodevelopmental regression, hypotonia, progressive ataxia, seizures, and a lack of coordination. Two additional individuals, both with missense variants, display global developmental delay and seizures and a relatively milder phenotype than those with nonsense alleles. The IRF2BPL bioinformatics signature based on population genomics is consistent with a gene that is intolerant to variation. We show that the fruit-fly IRF2BPL ortholog, called pits (protein interacting with Ttk69 and Sin3A), is broadly detected, including in the nervous system. Complete loss of pits is lethal early in development, whereas partial knockdown with RNA interference in neurons leads to neurodegeneration, revealing a requirement for this gene in proper neuronal function and maintenance. The identified IRF2BPL nonsense variants behave as severe loss-of-function alleles in this model organism, and ectopic expression of the missense variants leads to a range of phenotypes. Taken together, our results show that IRF2BPL and pits are required in the nervous system in humans and flies, and their loss leads to a range of neurological phenotypes in both species