A Montessori Approach to Workforce Development and Future-Ready Adult Learning

This research explores principles from the Montessori method to inspire a guiding framework that can be employed to enhance the delivery of adult upskilling and re-skilling initiatives. Humanity is witnessing a technological revolution and recovering from the ongoing global pandemic that began in 2020. The effects of COVID-19 extended far beyond physical health, impacting labour market conditions and exacerbating stresses on labour shortages and labour skill gaps. This means that workforce innovation will be critical for economic recovery. Workforce innovation and development involves testing, sharing, and implementing new approaches to employment and training initiatives. More than 100 years ago, amidst the rapid social and economic change that was taking place across Europe, Maria Montessori envisioned a new kind of education that could play a part in a broad social innovation program. She opened the first Casa dei Bambini (Children’s House), aiming for the recovery of an entire community in San Lorenzo, Rome. At the time, San Lorenzo was known as the “shame of Italy”; with the introduction of the Montessori method, it soon became a beacon of hope for the community and the world. The Montessori Method was built on six primary principles: observation; freedom with limits; respect; hands-on learning; independence; and a prepared environment that is designed for children to choose freely from several developmentally appropriate activities. For Montessori, education (which she conceived of as active learning experience in the form of work) was integral to the growth of the child and the formation of a new world. This core philosophy is not restricted to children, however; Montessori’s core principles have been explored in adult learning; as part of designing and delivering healthcare programs for older adults around the world; and in language and social programs for adults at risk of social isolation in Europe. This major research project will focus on exploring how the core principles of the Montessori Method can be applied to support future-ready adult learning to inspire workforce innovation and development in Canada. With a goal of supporting upskilling and re-skilling design innovation, and of prioritizing skills-training and development offerings for groups who face the greatest number of barriers (including racialized women and skilled recent immigrant talent), this study uses a heuristic inquiry approach to explore the question of how employment and skills training programs might learn from, and leverage the core principles of, the Montessori method to respond to and meet the skills gaps and labour shortages in Canada. Through a literature review and Causal Layered Analysis (CLA), this research project offers a Montessori-inspired, principle-focused guide to supporting future-ready adult learning environments

Multi-ancestry genome-wide association analyses improve resolution of genes and pathways influencing lung function and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease risk

Lung-function impairment underlies chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and predicts mortality. In the largest multi-ancestry genome-wide association meta-analysis of lung function to date, comprising 580,869 participants, we identified 1,020 independent association signals implicating 559 genes supported by ≥2 criteria from a systematic variant-to-gene mapping framework. These genes were enriched in 29 pathways. Individual variants showed heterogeneity across ancestries, age and smoking groups, and collectively as a genetic risk score showed strong association with COPD across ancestry groups. We undertook phenome-wide association studies for selected associated variants as well as trait and pathway-specific genetic risk scores to infer possible consequences of intervening in pathways underlying lung function. We highlight new putative causal variants, genes, proteins and pathways, including those targeted by existing drugs. These findings bring us closer to understanding the mechanisms underlying lung function and COPD, and should inform functional genomics experiments and potentially future COPD therapies

Dosage des cyanures dans les amandes amères et les noyaux d’abricot par chromatographie en phase gazeuse à détecteur ionisation de flamme en mode

Introduction : La toxicité des plantes à hétérosides cyanogènes est liée à la libération du cyanure responsable de multiples altérations neurologiques, cardiaques et respiratoires. Les intoxications aux hétérosides cyanogènes, recensées au Centre Antipoison d’Alger, occupent une part non négligeable des intoxications aux plantes (6 %). Le dosage des cyanures constitue une source importante d’informations pour évaluer la toxicité des plantes qui en contiennent. C’est à ce titre que nous avons initié une étude destinée à déterminer les teneurs en cyanure dans les amandes amères et noyaux d’abricot, recueillis dans différentes régions du pays. Objectif : Évaluer les teneurs en cyanure dans des échantillons d’amandes amères et des noyaux d’abricot provenant de différentes régions d’Algérie. Méthode : Analyse des échantillons recueillis en juin et juillet après mise en œuvre d’une méthode de dosage du cyanure par chromatographie en phase gazeuse en mode Head Space à détecteur ionisation de flamme (HS-CPG-FID). Après incubation (tampon phosphate à température ambiante pendant 24 h), le cyanure est libéré par hydrolyse enzymatique endogène. La teneur en cyanure a été établie, en présence de l’acétonitrile utilisé en tant qu’étalon interne, par chromatographie avec une colonne capillaire RTX 624. Résultats : Le taux de cyanure d’hydrogène des échantillons analysés varie de 182 ppm à 4 146 ppm (moyenne = 1 372 ppm) pour les amandes amères. Pour les noyaux d’abricot, les taux sont de 383 ppm à 2 774 ppm (moyenne = 1 533 ppm). Conclusion : À titre indicatif, le nombre pouvant être responsable d’une intoxication mortelle par le cyanure libéré varie de 11 à 21 amandes amères (moyenne = 16) et de 25 à 211 noyaux d’abricot (moyenne = 99)

Stability analysis of jointed rock slopes using geomechanical, kinematical, and limit equilibrium methods: the Chouf Amar career, M'Sila, NE Algeria

Many open-cast mines in Algeria are regularly affected by instabilities that disrupt the exploitation activity, such as Chouf Amar's career where recurrent failures are caused by the combined action of a number of predisposition and triggering factors. I this study we uses a commbined-Geomechanical, Kinematical, numerical and limit equilibrium analysis to evaluate the behaviour of the discontinuous rock masses in open pit mine, and we chooses the Chouf Amar career as a case study. We determines nine main sets of discontinuities in the three main facies of the stone-pit. We proved also that the quarry suffers from various types of failures and that blasting declines the values of safety factor. We find out the causes of the 2009 slip-incident. By this combined approaches we have made it possible to optimize operations and to improve career productivity while ensuring the safety of equipment and personnel

Healthcare needs and health service utilization by Syrian refugee women in Toronto

Abstract Objective Access to healthcare is an important part of the (re)settlement process for Syrian refugees in Canada. There is growing concern about the healthcare needs of the 54,560 Syrian refugees who were admitted to Canada by May 2018, 80% of whom are women and children. We explored the healthcare needs of newcomer Syrian women, their experiences in accessing and using health services, and the factors and conditions that shape whether and how they access and utilize health services in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Method This community-based qualitative descriptive interpretive study was informed by Yang & Hwang (2016) health service utilization framework. Focus group discussions were held with 58 Syrian newcomer women in the GTA. These discussions were conducted in Arabic, audio-recorded with participants’ consent, translated into English and transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Participants’ health concerns included chronic, long-term conditions as well as new and emerging issues. Initial health insurance and coverage were enabling factors to access to services, while language and social disconnection were barriers. Other factors, such as beliefs about naturopathic medicine, settlement in suburban areas with limited public transportation, and lack of linguistically, culturally, and gender-appropriate services negatively affected access to and use of healthcare services. Conclusion Responding to the healthcare needs of Syrian newcomer women in a timely and comprehensive manner requires coordinated, multi-sector initiatives that can address the financial, social, and structural barriers to their access and use of services

Clinical significance of anaplasia in childhood rhabdomyosarcoma

Background: The presence of anaplastic features has been known to correlate with poor clinical outcome in various pediatric malignancies, including Wilms tumor and medulloblastoma but not in rhabdomyosarcoma. Aim: Aim was to study the frequency of anaplasia at presentation in childhood rhabdomyosarcoma and its relationship to clinical and pathological characteristics as well as to outcome. Patients and Methods: Anaplasia was retrospectively assessed in 105 consecutive pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma patients who were registered at the Children’s Cancer Hospital in Egypt (CCHE) during the period from July 2007 till the end of May 2010. Results: Anaplasia was diagnosed in 18 patients (17.1%), focal in 10 (9.5%) and diffuse in 8 (7.6%). The distribution of anaplasia was found to be more common in older patients having age ⩾ 10 years. Also it was more likely to occur in the high risk group and in tumors with unfavorable histology (alveolar subtype), and stage IV. The 3-year failure free survival rates for patients with and without anaplasia were 27.8 ± 10.6% and 53.4 ± 5.8%, respectively (p = 0.014) and the 3-year overall survival rates were 35.3 ± 11.6% and 61 ± 6%, respectively (p = 0.019). Conclusions: The frequency of anaplasia in pediatric patients with rhabdomyosarcoma in our study was 17.1%. The presence of anaplasia had statistically significant worse clinical outcome