Many Questions and a Few Answers: Freedom of Association after Saskatchewan Federation of Labour, Mounted Police Association of Ontario and Meredith

In 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada returned once more to section 2(d) of the Charter (freedom of association). In recognizing a right to strike in Saskatchewan v. Saskatchewan Federation of Labour and striking down the labour relations regime applicable to RCMP officers in Mounted Police Association of Ontario v. Canada, the Court appeared to broaden the scope of the protected right. At the same time, however, the Court in Meredith v. Canada upheld wage restraint legislation as not infringing section 2(d). This article explores these cases and their antecedents, and argues that the Court’s section 2(d) jurisprudence lacks coherence, and that many of the important questions about the scope of section 2(d) remain to be answered

Sun Tanning Behaviors, Health Beliefs, Attitudes and Intentions among College Students

Purpose: Even though it is well known that sun tanning can cause cancer, the behavior is practiced by a significant proportion of the US population, with about 50% of white adolescents and adults engaging in the behavior. This study assessed the sun tanning behaviors and sun tanning health beliefs, attitudes, and intentions among college students at a university in a beach resort town. Methods: Students (n=632) were recruited by email and participated in an electronic survey. All students at the university were invited to participate. Results: Females and those who had higher perceived benefits of tanning, and those who had friends who sun tanned spent more time intentionally sun tanning. Also, an association existed between having a positive attitude toward tan skin and using tanning beds (OR=2.51). Those with intentions to decrease sun tanning were more often female, had higher perceived severity of tanning, and higher selfefficacy of avoiding tanning (OR=2.30). Conclusions: Females may be a prime target population for preventive interventions since they sun tan more often, but also have higher intentions to avoid the behavior. Additionally, the results of this study seem to indicate that females’ behaviors are more predictable according to the Health Belief Model (HBM). Because of this, interventions that seek to address HBM constructs might be more effective for females compared to males

Suicide Ideation and Behavior and ATOD Use Among Bisexual High School Students

Research has indicated that sexual minorities have higher prevalence rates for ATOD use and suicide ideation and behavior compared to heterosexual youth. Yet, most studies to date have combined gay, lesbian, and bisexuals into one category. This study sought to assess the uniqueness of bisexuality to assess the risk of ATOD use and suicide ideation and behavior among bisexual high school students. Data for this study were derived from the 2019 Centers for Disease Control’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Chi-square analysis was conducted to determine the prevalence of ATOD use and suicide ideation and behavior. Logistic regression was then used to estimate the association between ATOD use and suicide ideation and behavior among bisexual adolescents. This study found that ever use an electronic vape product, non-medical use of prescription drugs, and current alcohol and marijuana use were significant predictors for suicide ideation and behavior. Based on our results, we believe that it is important to address the relationship of substance use as a risk factor for suicide and ideation and behavior of bisexual adolescents, as bisexual adolescents may need more emotional support as they come to understand their sexual identity. This article was published Open Access through the CCU Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund. The article was first published in Journal of Substance Use: https://doi.org/10.1080/14659891.2023.226104

Non-medical use of prescription drugs and sexual risk behaviors among depressed adolescents

Non-medical prescription drug abuse is an issue that has plagued adolescents in the United States over the past decade and more. Also, depression is prevalent among our youth with 31% reporting multiple depressive episodes in the past year. As such, the purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) and sexual behaviors among depressed high school students. Data was derived from the 2015 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (n=15,624). This national study is conducted every odd year, and is a representative sample of high school students in the United States. Logistic regression was conducted to determine the relationship between NMUPD and sexual behavior among students who self-reported a depressive episode. The results of this study found that those student who reported NMUPD and multiple depressive episodes in the past year were significantly more likely to have initiated sexual intercourse, have had sex with 4 or more sexual partners, to be currently sexually active, and to have used alcohol or other drugs before their last sexual encounter. The results of this study seems to indicate that high school students who are depressed may self-medicate with narcotic drugs that were not prescribed to them. In turn, as a result of impaired judgment of narcotic drugs, they may engage in risky sexual behaviors. This research supports calls by other researchers to address issues related to NMUPD early in adolescence. Additionally, these results may extend further the need to develop positive mental health campaigns to identify prolonged negative mood states among adolescents

Phosphorylation of MCPH1 isoforms during mitosis followed by isoform‐specific degradation by APC/C‐CDH1

Microcephalin‐1 (MCPH1) exists as 2 isoforms that regulate cyclin‐dependent kinase‐1 activation and chromosome condensation during mitosis, with MCPH1 mutations causing primary microcephaly. MCPH1 is also a tumor suppressor protein, with roles in DNA damage repair/checkpoints. Despite these important roles, there is little information on the cellular regulation of MCPH1. We show that both MCPH1 isoforms are phosphorylated in a cyclin‐dependent kinase‐1–dependent manner in mitosis and identify several novel phosphorylation sites. Upon mitotic exit, MCPH1 isoforms were degraded by the anaphase‐promoting complex/cyclosome–CDH1 E3 ligase complex. Anaphase‐promoting complex/cyclosome–CDH1 target proteins generally have D‐Box or KEN‐Box degron sequences. We found that MCPH1 isoforms are degraded independently, with the long isoform degradation being D‐Box dependent, whereas the short isoform was KEN‐Box dependent. Our research identifies several novel mechanisms regulating MCPH1 and also highlights important issues with several commercial MCPH1 antibodies, with potential relevance to previously published data.—Meyer, S. K., Dunn, M., Vidler, D. S., Porter, A., Blain, P. G., Jowsey, P. A. Phosphorylation of MCPH1 isoforms during mitosis followed by isoform‐specific degradation by APC/C‐CDH1. FASEB J. 33, 2796–2808 (2019). www.fasebj.or

Benefits to Qualitative Data Quality with Multiple Coders: Two Case Studies in Multi-coder Data Analysis

Qualitative research methods contend with debates surrounding subjectivity and bias. Researchers use a variety of techniques to help ensure data trustworthiness. One such technique is to involve multiple coders in data analysis. The deliberative nature of codebook development among multiple coders produces rich data analysis that may not otherwise be achieved with a single (or even two) researcher(s). In this manuscript, we make a plea for researchers and journals to include data analysis procedures and descriptions in published literature. In addition, we illustrate minimal reporting of qualitative data analysis processes through a synthesis of 21 years of agricultural best management practice adoption literature. We present two rural agricultural case studies on multi-coder team codebook development and intercoder reliability processes specific to interviews, focus groups, and content analysis. Overall, we argue that multi-coder teams can improve data quality, and reporting data analysis procedures can mitigate implications of subjectivity in qualitative methods

crisscrossing Science Episode 071: To Infinity and Beyond

In this episode, Mike Crosser (professor of physics at Linfield College) and Chad Tillberg (professor of biology at Linfield College) invite Dr. Chuck Dunn (professor of mathematics at Linfield College) into the studio to talk about infinity. Dunn uses some analogies to describe real mathematical contexts in which infinity comes up

Suppression of piriform cortex activity in rat by corticotropin-releasing factor 1 and serotonin 2A/C receptors

The piriform cortex (PC) is richly innervated by Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and Serotonin (5-HT) containing axons arising from central amygdala and Raphe nucleus. CRFR1 and 5-HT2A/2CRs have been shown to interact in manner where CRFR activation subsequently potentiates the activity of 5-HT2A/2CRs. The purpose of this study was to determine how the activation of CRFR1 and/or 5-HT2Rs modulates PC activity at both the circuit and cellular level. Voltage sensitive dye imaging showed that CRF acting through CRFR1 dampened activation of the layer II of PC and interneurons of endopiriform nucleus. Application of the selective 5-HT2A/CR agonist 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI) following CRFR1 activation potentiated this effect. Blocking the interaction between CRFR1 and 5-HT2R with a Tat-CRFR1-CT peptide abolished this potentiation. Application of forskolin did not mimic CRFR1 activity but instead blocked it, while a protein kinase A antagonist had no effect. However, activation and antagonism of protein kinase C (PKC) either mimicked or blocked CRF modulation respectively. DOI had no effect when applied alone indicating that the prior activation of CRFR1 receptors was critical for DOI to show significant effects similar to CRF. Patch clamp recordings showed that both CRF and DOI reduced the synaptic responsiveness of layer II pyramidal neurons. CRF had highly variable effects on interneurons within layer III, both increasing and decreasing their excitability, but DOI had no effect on the excitability of this group of neurons. These data show that CRF and serotonin, acting through both CRFR1 and 5-HT2A/CRs, reduce the activation of the PC. This modulation may be an important blunting mechanism of stressor behaviours mediated through the olfactory cortex