Neutrophils cultured ex vivo from CD34+ stem cells are immature and genetically tractable.

BACKGROUND: Neutrophils are granulocytes with essential antimicrobial effector functions and short lifespans. During infection or sterile inflammation, emergency granulopoiesis leads to release of immature neutrophils from the bone marrow, serving to boost circulating neutrophil counts. Steady state and emergency granulopoiesis are incompletely understood, partly due to a lack of genetically amenable models of neutrophil development. METHODS: We optimised a method for ex vivo production of human neutrophils from CD34+ haematopoietic progenitors. Using flow cytometry, we phenotypically compared cultured neutrophils with native neutrophils from donors experiencing emergency granulopoiesis, and steady state neutrophils from non-challenged donors. We carry out functional and proteomic characterisation of cultured neutrophils and establish genome editing of progenitors. RESULTS: We obtain high yields of ex vivo cultured neutrophils, which phenotypically resemble immature neutrophils released into the circulation during emergency granulopoiesis. Cultured neutrophils have similar rates of ROS production and bacterial killing but altered degranulation, cytokine release and antifungal activity compared to mature neutrophils isolated from peripheral blood. These differences are likely due to incomplete synthesis of granule proteins, as demonstrated by proteomic analysis. CONCLUSION: Ex vivo cultured neutrophils are genetically tractable via genome editing of precursors and provide a powerful model system for investigating the properties and behaviour of immature neutrophils.

A profile of urban agricultural growers, organizations, their needs, and challenges in the Northeastern United States.

Urban agriculture is increasingly valued as a strategy for improving quality of life in cities, but urban growers face challenges and often lack coordinated support from governments and the agricultural industry. We surveyed urban growers through an online survey, primarily in the Northeastern United States, to develop a profile of growers and associated organizations, assess the current state of urban agriculture, and determine how universities could help meet their needs. A total of 394 respondents completed the survey and most urban growers were white (non-Hispanic) and younger than 45 years old. Women and men were in almost equal proportion. Urban growers were well-educated, but most did not receive a degree in agriculture. Urban agriculture in our study area was dominated by relatively small non-profit organizations and home and community gardens were the most common types of organizations. Urban agricultural organizations want to improve environmental sustainability and socio-cultural conditions through food access and security, regardless of their tax status. Urban growers face diverse barriers and challenges and the most ubiquitous barriers and challenges reported by respondents were related to availability of land and long-term access in urban areas. Many respondents received low revenue or were operating at a net loss even though they reported diverse income streams. Respondents need a wide range of training, including in traditional agricultural topics as well as financial management and business trainings. Universities can play a key role in promoting urban agriculture by offering training and research. Workforce development is a large priority among universities, so urban growers should regularly be consulted, and the results shared with career and workforce development professionals and researchers in urban areas to identify training and research that meets the needs of stakeholders.

Development of an Abbreviated Model for Predicting Functional Movement Screen Score Within Tactical Populations.

ABSTRACT: Thompson, MB, Johnson, QR, Lindsay, KG, and Dawes, JJ. Development of an abbreviated model for predicting functional movement screen score within tactical populations. J Strength Cond Res 38(3): 607-611, 2024-The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a tool commonly used to identify compensations when performing 7 specific movement patterns. Timely administration of the full FMS is largely dependent on the practitioner's familiarity and experience with the screening battery. When working in populations that are time-poor (i.e., tactical professionals), administration of the full movement pattern battery is not always feasible. The purpose of this study was to determine which, if any, combination of movement patterns that comprise the FMS could be used to predict total score on this screen among first responders. Functional Movement Screen scores for 99 male subjects (mean ± SD; age: 37.55 ± 9.83 years; height: 180.38 ± 6.59 cm; and body mass: 97.87 ± 15.32 kg) and 9 female subjects (age: 33.22 ± 3.99 years; height: 172.11 ± 8.19 cm; and body mass: 83.99 ± 14.09 kg) from a single law enforcement and fire agency were used for this analysis. Subjects performed the full FMS, which consisted of the following movement patterns: deep squat (DS), hurdle step (HS), in-line lunge (ILL), shoulder mobility (SM), active straight leg raise (ASLR), trunk stability push-up (PU), and rotary stability (RS). A stepwise regression was used to determine the best predictors of the FMS 7-pattern model based on the model's R2. Cronbach's alpha and Guttman's lambda-2 were used to determine the reliability of the proposed models. The regression indicated that a 4-pattern model consisting of DS, ILL, SM, and PU was sufficient to predict approximately 84% of the full model (adjusted R2 = 0.84, p ≤ 0.001). This 4-pattern model was shown to be reliable with the 7-pattern model (α = 0.93, λ = 0.93). Using this modified version of the FMS may allow practitioners working in tactical populations a time-efficient method of identifying dysfunctional movement and determine whether the full 7-pattern model of the FMS should be considered.

Measuring moral distress and moral injury: A systematic review and content analysis of existing scales.

BACKGROUND: Moral distress (MD) and moral injury (MI) are related constructs describing the negative consequences of morally challenging stressors. Despite growing support for the clinical relevance of these constructs, ongoing challenges regarding measurement quality risk limiting research and clinical advances. This study summarizes the nature, quality, and utility of existing MD and MI scales, and provides recommendations for future use. METHOD: We identified psychometric studies describing the development or validation of MD or MI scales and extracted information on methodological and psychometric qualities. Content analyses identified specific outcomes measured by each scale. RESULTS: We reviewed 77 studies representing 42 unique scales. The quality of psychometric approaches varied greatly across studies, and most failed to examine convergent and divergent validity. Content analyses indicated most scales measure exposures to potential moral stressors and outcomes together, with relatively few measuring only exposures (n = 3) or outcomes (n = 7). Scales using the term MD typically assess general distress. Scales using the term MI typically assess several specific outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Results show how the terms MD and MI are applied in research. Several scales were identified as appropriate for research and clinical use. Recommendations for the application, development, and validation of MD and MI scales are provided.

Relationships Between Anthropometric Measures and Body Composition With Individual ACFT Event Performance Among Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps Cadets.

ABSTRACT: Thompson, MB, Lawson, DJ, Orr, RM, Lockie, RG, and Dawes, JJ. Relationships between anthropometric measures and body composition with individual ACFT event performance among army reserve officers' training corps cadets. J Strength Cond Res 38(4): 749-754, 2024-The U.S. military commonly uses body composition as an indicator of a soldier's potential to meet the physical demands required of their occupation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether significant relationships existed between select body composition variables and Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) performance among a cohort of university Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) cadets. Twenty-six male (20.4 ± 1.6 years, 81.8 ± 8.5 kg, 178.3 ± 7.8 cm) and 12 female (19.9 ± 1.4 years, 64.2 ± 6.7 kg, 161.9 ± 4.9 cm) cadets voluntarily participated in this study. Body composition was measured using bioelectrical impedance analysis, and ACFT event scores were recorded by the cadre using the U.S. Army standard protocol and provided to the investigators. Pearson's correlations were used to identify relationships between body composition variables and ACFT event performance with an alpha level of p ≤ 0.05. Moderate to strong relationships were observed between total body water, dry lean mass, lean body mass, skeletal muscle mass, body fat mass (FM), and body fat percentage and all event scores for the sample as a whole. Body mass index showed weak to moderate significant positive relationships with hand-release push-up and maximum hexagonal bar deadlift in the sample as a whole. No relationships were observed in the men of this sample. All body composition variables showed moderate, nonsignificant relationships with at least 1 ACFT event within the women of this sample. Considering the findings of this study, a multitude of variables could be useful to assess ROTC cadets as predictors for ACFT performance. Reserve Officers' Training Corps programs should emphasize attaining and maintaining functional lean mass, whereas reducing nonfunctional body mass (i.e., excess FM) among cadets to enhance health and performance across the occupational life span.

Hip resurfacing: case closed? A bibliometric analysis of the past 10 years.

INTRODUCTION: Hip resurfacing (HR) was introduced as a potential alternative to total hip arthroplasty (THA), indicated predominantly for younger, high demand patients. The modern metal-on-metal implant was popularized in the 1990s and early 2000s and promised greater wear resistance. However, its popularity waned due to increased rates of complications related to metal toxicity including pseudo-tumors as well as the recall of many resurfacing implants. The purpose of this study was to conduct a bibliometric analysis and investigate the current trends in hip resurfacing literature. METHODS: Using the keywords "hip resurfacing," publications between 2012 and 2022 were identified on Web of Science Core Collection of Clarivate Analytics. Results were screened for relevance by three independent reviewers using title, abstract, and full text. The retrieved data were evaluated by the bibliometric method. Included articles were imported into CiteSpace 5.7.R1, 64-bit (Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA), VOSviewer 1.6.15 (Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands), and the Online Analysis Platform of Literature Metrology to identify trends in publication. RESULTS: Search terms yielded 1200 results and 724 were included in final analysis. A steady decrease of publications was noted over the past decade with less than 40 articles published in 2020 and 2021. The Journal of Hip Arthroplasty (92), Hip International (74), and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research (54) published the most articles. Authors from the United States and the United Kingdom published the most studies. High-frequency keywords in co-occurrence and co-cited cluster analysis were metal-on-metal, metal ions, wear, pseudo-tumor, and revision, demonstrating that long-term concerns have been the focus of most recent studies. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our bibliometric analysis allowed novel exploration and identification of the current research trends, contributions, and the distribution of publications exploring HR. The understanding of HR and the poor long-term outcomes of some resurfacing implants has improved significantly over the past decade, with the most recent focus on failure rates and long-term complications from metal debris. However, the breadth of literature has steadily declined in the past decade, and ultimately demonstrates the decline of scientific interest and focus on novel areas in hip resurfacing and a potential reached consensus.

Experiences of emotional eating in an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy based weight management intervention (SWiM): A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Emotional eating is a barrier to weight management. Interventions based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) promote the acceptance of uncomfortable feelings, which can reduce the urge to use food as a coping mechanism. We aimed to explore how participants of an ACT-based weight management intervention (WMI) experience emotional eating and relevant intervention content. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured telephone interviews with participants of a digital ACT-based guided self-help WMI. Fifteen participants were purposefully selected to represent a range of demographic characteristics and emotional eating scores. We used reflexive thematic analysis to explore experiences of emotional eating. RESULTS: We generated five themes. Participants improved emotional eating by disconnecting emotions from behaviours though increased self-awareness (theme 1) and by implementing alternative coping strategies, including preparation, substitution, and acceptance (theme 2). Most participants maintained improvements in emotional eating over time but wished for more opportunities to re-engage with intervention content, including more immediate support in triggering situations (theme 3). Participants who struggled to engage with emotional eating related intervention content often displayed an external locus of control over emotional eating triggers (theme 4). The perceived usefulness of the intervention depended on participants' prior experiences of emotional eating, and was thought insufficient for participants with complex emotional experiences (theme 5). DISCUSSION: This ACT-based WMI helped participants with emotional eating by improving self-awareness and teaching alternative coping strategies. Intervention developers may consider adding ongoing forms of intervention that provide both real-time and long-term support. Additionally, a better understanding of how to support people with an external locus of control and people with complex experiences of emotional eating is needed. Future research may explore ways of personalising WMIs based on participants' emotional needs.

Sexes in sync: phenotypic plasticity, sexual selection and phenological synchrony between the sexes in a wild hibernator.

Desynchrony of phenological responses to climate change is a major concern for ecological communities. Potential uncoupling between one of the most fundamental divisions within populations, males and females, has not been well studied. To address this gap, we examined sex-specific plasticity in hibernation phenology in two populations of Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus). We find that both sexes display similar phenological plasticity to spring snowmelt dates in their timing of torpor termination and behavioural emergence from hibernation. As a result of this plasticity, the degree of protandry (i.e. males' emergences from hibernation preceding those of females) did not change significantly over the 27-year study. Earlier male behavioural emergence, relative to females, improved the likelihood of securing a breeding territory and increased annual reproductive success. Sexual selection favouring earlier male emergence from hibernation may maintain protandry in this population, but did not contribute to further advances in male phenology. Together, our results provide evidence that the sexes should remain synchronized, at least in response to the weather variation investigated here, and further support the role of sexual selection in the evolution of protandry in sexually reproducing organisms.

Screening for post-traumatic stress disorder among Latinx immigrant children.

ABSTRACT: Latinx children face psychosocial, linguistic, and economic challenges that put them at an increased risk of developing mental health conditions. Primary care providers should be equipped to recognize the complex mental health needs of this growing population. This article explores some of the barriers to mental health screenings in Latinx children and presents culturally sensitive, validated screening tools for primary care providers.

Moral Distress, Mental Health, and Risk and Resilience Factors Among Military Personnel Deployed to Long-Term Care Facilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Research Protocol and Participation Metrics.

BACKGROUND: The earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada were marked by a significant surge in COVID-19 cases and COVID-19-related deaths among residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs). As part of Canada's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel were mobilized for an initial emergency domestic deployment to the hardest-hit LTCFs (Operation LASER LTCF) to support the remaining civilian staff in ensuring the continued delivery of care to residents. Akin to what was observed following past CAF international humanitarian missions, there was an expected increased risk of exposure to multiple stressors that may be psychologically traumatic and potentially morally injurious in nature (ie, related to core values, eg, witnessing human suffering). Emerging data from health care workers exposed to the unprecedented medical challenges and dilemmas of the early pandemic stages also indicated that such experiences were associated with increased risk of adverse mental health outcomes. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to identify and quantify the individual-, group-, and organizational-level risk and resilience factors associated with moral distress, moral injury, and traditional mental health and well-being outcomes of Operation LASER LTCF CAF personnel. This paper aimed to document the methodology, implementation procedures, and participation metrics. METHODS: A multimethod research initiative was conducted consisting of 2 primary data collection studies (a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews). The quantitative arm was a complete enumeration survey with web-based, self-report questionnaires administered at 3 time points (3, 6, and 12 mo after deployment). The qualitative arm consisted of individual, web-based interviews with a focus on understanding the nuanced lived experiences of individuals participating in the Operation LASER LTCF deployment. RESULTS: CAF personnel deployed to Operation LASER LTCF (N=2595) were invited to participate in the study. Data collection is now complete. Overall, of the 2595 deployed personnel, 1088 (41.93%), 582 (22.43%), and 497 (19.15%) responded to the survey at time point 1 (3 mo), time point 2 (6 mo), and time point 3 (12 mo) after deployment, respectively. The target sample size for the qualitative interviews was set at approximately 50 considering resourcing and data saturation. Interest in participating in qualitative interviews surpassed expectations, with >200 individuals expressing interest; this allowed for purposive sampling across key characteristics, including gender, rank, Operation LASER LTCF role, and province. In total, 53 interviews were conducted. CONCLUSIONS: The data generated through this research have the potential to inform and promote better understanding of the well-being and mental health of Operation LASER LTCF personnel over time; identify general and Operation LASER LTCF-specific risk and protective factors; provide necessary support to the military personnel who served in this mission; and inform preparation and interventions for future missions, especially those more domestic and humanitarian in nature. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/44299.

Distinct neurophysiology during nonword repetition in logopenic and non-fluent variants of primary progressive aphasia.

Overlapping clinical presentations in primary progressive aphasia (PPA) variants present challenges for diagnosis and understanding pathophysiology, particularly in the early stages of the disease when behavioral (speech) symptoms are not clearly evident. Divergent atrophy patterns (temporoparietal degeneration in logopenic variant lvPPA, frontal degeneration in nonfluent variant nfvPPA) can partially account for differential speech production errors in the two groups in the later stages of the disease. While the existing dogma states that neurodegeneration is the root cause of compromised behavior and cortical activity in PPA, the extent to which neurophysiological signatures of speech dysfunction manifest independent of their divergent atrophy patterns remain unknown. We test the hypothesis that nonword deficits in lvPPA and nfvPPA arise from distinct patterns of neural oscillations that are unrelated to atrophy. We use a novel structure-function imaging approach integrating magnetoencephalographic imaging of neural oscillations during a non-word repetition task with voxel-based morphometry-derived measures of gray matter volume to isolate neural oscillation abnormalities independent of atrophy. We find reduced beta band neural activity in left temporal regions associated with the late stages of auditory encoding unique to patients with lvPPA and reduced high-gamma neural activity over left frontal regions associated with the early stages of motor preparation in patients with nfvPPA. Neither of these patterns of reduced cortical oscillations was explained by cortical atrophy in our statistical model. These findings highlight the importance of structure-function imaging in revealing neurophysiological sequelae in early stages of dementia when neither structural atrophy nor behavioral deficits are clinically distinct.

Differences and Relationships Between Push-up and Sit-up Variations Among Male Law Enforcement Cadets.

ABSTRACT: Lopes dos Santos, M, Thompson, M, Dinyer-McNeely, T, Torrence, T, Lockie, RG, Orr, RM, and Dawes, JJ. Differences and relationships between push-up and sit-up variations among male law enforcement cadets. J Strength Cond Res 37(9): 1865-1869, 2023-The purpose of this study was to explore variation-dependent differences in push-up and sit-up tests, as well as to identify the relationships between push-up and sit-up variations commonly performed among tactical personnel. Data from 41 (age = 21.1 ± 1.8 years, body mass = 89.5 ± 15.5 kg) male police cadets from one US-based training academy who performed the standard push-up (PU Standard ), hand-release push-up (PU Hand-release ), standard sit-up (SU Standard ), and hands behind the head sit-up (SU BehindHead ) were examined. The maximum number of repetitions completed for each exercise was used for analyses with paired-samples t tests used to identify significant differences between outcome measures and effect sizes (ES) to determine change in magnitude. A significant difference, with a large ES, was found in the number of repetitions completed between the push-up variations ( p < 0.001, ES = 0.75) and sit-up variations ( p < 0.001, ES = 1.02). Performance in PU Standard was only able to explain 39% of the variation in PU Hand-release ( r = 0.62, r2 = 0.39, p < 0.001), and performance in the SU Standard was only able to explain 29% of the variation in SU BehindHead ( r = 0.54, r2 = 0.29, p < 0.001). The current study suggests differences in performance capabilities may be dependent on the push-up and sit-up variations chosen for testing. Although it is still unclear whether one variation would be a better predictor of police work performance, agencies must give special attention to the overall construct validity of fitness tests for entry and retention of law enforcement officers.

pin2 mutant agravitropic root phenotype is conditional and nutrient-sensitive.

Plants have the capacity to sense and adapt to environmental factors using the phytohormone auxin as a major regulator of tropism and development. Among these responses, gravitropism is essential for plant roots to grow downward in the search for nutrients and water. We discovered a new mutant allele of the auxin efflux transporter PIN2 that revealed that pin2 agravitropic root mutants are conditional and nutrient-sensitive. We describe that nutrient composition of the medium, rather than osmolarity, can revert the agravitropic root phenotype of pin2. Indeed, on phosphorus- and nitrogen-deprived media, the agravitropic root defect was restored independently of primary root growth levels. Slow and fast auxin responses were evaluated using DR5 and R2D2 probes, respectively, and revealed a strong modulation by nutrient composition of the culture medium. We evaluated the role of PIN and AUX auxin transporters and demonstrated that neither PIN3 nor AUX1 are involved in this process. However, we observed the ectopic expression of PIN1 in the epidermis in the pin2 mutant background associated with permissive, but not restrictive, conditions. This ectopic expression was associated with a restoration of the asymmetric accumulation of auxin necessary for the reorientation of the root according to gravity. These observations suggest a strong regulation of auxin distribution by nutrients availability, directly impacting root's ability to drive their gravitropic response.

A Preliminary Comparison of Firefighter Candidates' Biddle Physical Ability Test Performance and Success Based on Training Class Participation.

The Biddle Physical Ability Test (BPAT) was developed to identify candidates who possess the physical ability to become structural firefighters. The test must be completed in ≤ 9:34 min:s before a candidate is admitted to an academy. Some community colleges offer semester-long training classes for candidates. This study analyzed whether candidates who completed a training class could perform the BPAT more effectively. Retrospective analysis of 30 males and 2 females who attempted the BPAT was conducted. BPAT tasks were: dry and charged hose drag; halyard raise, roof walk, and attic crawl; roof ventilation and victim removal; ladder removal and carry; stair climb with hose bundle; crawling search and tower exit; stair climb with air bottles; hose hoist; and return to ground floor with air bottles. Independent samples t-tests or Mann-Whitney U tests (p < 0.05) and effect sizes calculated BPAT time differences between candidates who completed a training class or not. Twenty-nine candidates passed the BPAT; 6 completed a training class. The 3 candidates (2 males, 1 female) who failed did not complete a class. There were no significant between-group differences in BPAT times (p = 0.054-0.829). There were moderate effects for faster roof ventilation and victim removal, ladder removal and carry, and hose hoist times for candidates who attended a class (d = 0.74-0.95). While training classes may not be necessary for all candidates, physically demanding BPAT tasks were finished faster by candidates who completed a class. For candidates who find the BPAT physicality difficult, participation in a task-specific fitness and skills class may prove beneficial.

The Effects of Traditional versus Ability-Based Physical Training on the Health and Fitness of Custody Assistant Recruits.

This study investigated traditional training (TT) versus ability-based training (ABT) in custody assistant recruits. Retrospective analysis was conducted on two recruit classes who completed an 8-week academy. The TT group (18 males, 13 females) followed a physical training model where recruits completed the same exercises with the same intensity; the ABT group (17 males, 12 females) had exercises tailored towards their ability. Pre- and post-academy, recruits were assessed in: body mass; body fat percentage (BF%); resting heart rate (RHR); blood pressure (BP); waist circumference (WC); waist-to-hip ratio (WHR); grip strength; push-ups; sit-ups; YMCA step test recovery HR; 201-m run; and 2.4-km run. Independent samples t-tests evaluated between-class pre-test differences, with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. Paired samples t-tests (p ≤ 0.05) detected within-group training changes. Change scores were calculated for each variable; independent samples t-tests (p ≤ 0.05) compared change scores between groups. The TT group had lower BF%, BP, and WC; and were superior in sit-ups and the 2.4-km run before training. After academy, the TT recruits improved WHR, grip strength, recovery HR, 201-m run, and 2.4-km run, but increased diastolic BP. The ABT recruits decreased BF%, RHR, and WC, and improved push-ups, sit-ups, recovery HR, 201-m run, and the 2.4-km run. ABT recruits had greater positive changes in BF%, RHR, diastolic BP, and sit-ups. TT and ABT recruits generally experienced favorable fitness changes; the degree of positive change tended to be greater for ABT recruits for select tests. Coupled with the diastolic BP increase for TT recruits, this may provide evidence for ABT.

Generational awareness education as a strategy to prepare IPPE and APPE students for the modern workplace.

INTRODUCTION: There is limited literature on generational awareness improving the student-preceptor relationship and student experiences. The primary objectives of this study were to determine the level of generational awareness of pharmacy students and to examine whether didactic instruction on generational diversity leads to student-perceived improvements in learning and student-preceptor relationships. METHODS: This was a longitudinal, quasi-experimental design study, including pharmacy students at two different institutions from May 2019 to May 2020. A generational lecture was delivered to students in pharmacy years 1, 2 and 3 (P1, P2, and P3). Pre-, post-, and follow-up surveys were created and collected from each student cohort. RESULTS: A total of 388 respondents were included in the pre- and post-survey analysis. Overall scores for each question were significantly improved in the post- compared to the pre-period (P < .001). A total of 124 responses were received for the follow-up survey. Seventy-one percent of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that understanding generational differences improved their learning, communication, and professional relationships during their experiential rotations. Majority of respondents (82.3%) agreed or strongly agreed that further education on generational differences should be provided. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that providing education on generational differences to students is beneficial and positively impacts student experiential rotations.

A global meta-analysis reveals higher variation in breeding phenology in urban birds than in their non-urban neighbours.

Cities pose a major ecological challenge for wildlife worldwide. Phenotypic variation, which can result from underlying genetic variation or plasticity, is an important metric to understand eco-evolutionary responses to environmental change. Recent work suggests that urban populations might have higher levels of phenotypic variation than non-urban counterparts. This prediction, however, has never been tested across species nor over a broad geographical range. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis of the avian literature to compare urban versus non-urban means and variation in phenology (i.e. lay date) and reproductive effort (i.e. clutch size, number of fledglings). First, we show that urban populations reproduce earlier and have smaller broods than non-urban conspecifics. Second, we show that urban populations have higher phenotypic variation in laying date than non-urban populations. This result arises from differences between populations within breeding seasons, conceivably due to higher landscape heterogeneity in urban habitats. These findings reveal a novel effect of urbanisation on animal life histories with potential implications for species adaptation to urban environments (which will require further investigation). The higher variation in phenology in birds subjected to urban disturbance could result from plastic responses to a heterogeneous environment, or from higher genetic variation in phenology, possibly linked to higher evolutionary potential.

Conducting research during the COVID-19 pandemic: the Op LASER study. / Mener des recherches au cours de la pandémie de COVID-19 : l'étude sur l'Opération LASER.

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) deployed 2595 regular and reserve force personnel on Operation (Op) LASER, the CAF's mission to provide support to civilian staff at longterm care facilities in Ontario and in the Centres d'hébergement de soins de longue durée in Quebec. An online longitudinal survey and in-depth virtual discussions were conducted by a multidisciplinary team of researchers with complementary expertise. This paper highlights the challenges encountered in conducting this research and their impact on the design and implementation of the study, and provides lessons learned that may be useful to researchers responding to similar public health crises in the future.

There are a number of challenges involved in conducting longitudinal research in an applied military setting during a global public health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic. These challenges include but are not limited to a sudden transition to a distributed remote work environment, tight timelines, the need to obtain approvals from different agencies and departments, having to prioritize multiple study objectives, and survey fatigue. To overcome these challenges in future public health crises, it is important to (1) develop and maintain collaborative networks across government, academia and industry; (2) develop a standard set of pre-deployment demographic and health indicators to establish a baseline; and (3) use mixed methods approaches for a richer understanding of mental health trajectories following stressful events.

La réalisation d'une enquête longitudinale dans un contexte militaire concret pendant une crise mondiale de santé publique, comme la pandémie de COVID-19, vient avec son lot de défis. Parmi ces défis, on peut relever une transition subite vers un environnement de travail à distance, des délais serrés, la nécessité d'obtenir des approbations de différents organismes et ministères, la nécessité de prioriser plusieurs objectifs d'étude et la lassitude à l'égard des enquêtes. Pour relever ces défis au cours des futures crises de santé publique, il sera essentiel : 1) de créer et d'entretenir des réseaux de collaboration qui relieront le gouvernement, le milieu universitaire et les divers secteurs d'activité, 2) de créer un ensemble normalisé d'indicateurs démographiques et sanitaires avant le déploiement, en vue de l'obtention de données de référence et 3) de recourir à des méthodes mixtes pour mieux comprendre les trajectoires en matière de santé mentale à la suite d'événements stressants.

Establishing an Experiential Liaison Position to Increase IPPE and APPE Capacity and Preceptor Satisfaction in the Health System Environment.

Description of the problem: Providing experiential experiences for student pharmacists within health systems can be challenging for schools of pharmacy. Establishing clinical faculty practices within health systems enables schools to increase student placements, however the clinical faculty typically prioritize experiential education within their individual clinical practice and may not be positioned to develop experiential education opportunities across the site. Description of the innovation: A novel clinical faculty position, the experiential liaison (EL), established at the school's largest health system partner to focus on improving the quality and quantity of experiential education across an academic medical center (AMC). Critical analysis: University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science (SSPPS) identified interested preceptors, recognized and coordinated preceptor development, and facilitated development of quality experiential activities within the site through the establishment of the EL position. Since the establishment of the EL position, student placement at the site increased to 34% of SSPPS's experiential placements in 2020. A high number of preceptors answered "strongly agree or agree" to understanding SSPPS's curriculum, expectations from the school, how to utilize assessment tools to measure student performance on rotation, and how to provide feedback to the school. Preceptor development opportunities are routine and effective, and the relationship between the school and hospital is collaborative. Implications: Establishing an experiential liaison clinical faculty position within a health system is a feasible strategy for schools to further increase experiential education placements in health systems.

Academics' Experiences in Veterinary Educational Research: Results of an International Survey.

Research conducted by the veterinary education community is critical to continual improvement of educational outcomes. Additionally, research productivity is one metric in promotion and tenure decisions. We sought to identify challenges encountered or anticipated when undertaking or planning veterinary educational research (VER), to learn how these challenges might be overcome, and to synthesize tips for success from those who have performed VER. A branching survey was developed and deployed along the authors' worldwide veterinary education contacts in a cascading manner. The survey collected quantitative and qualitative information from participants who had performed VER and those who planned to perform VER in the future. The 258 participants represented 41 countries. Of the participants, 204 had performed VER (79%) and 54 planned to in the future (21%). The median time spent teaching was 14 years, and median time performing VER was 5 years. The most commonly reported challenges in performing VER were lack of funding, lack of time, and difficulties encountered when undertaking a study, including data collection, analysis, and publishing. When asked about overcoming the challenges, a major theme emerged around people, who provided expertise and mentoring. The most commonly reported tip for success was collaboration; 73% of experienced researchers reported people as most helpful upon beginning VER. Collaborators provided diverse help with ideas, study design, statistics, and other aspects. These results suggest that institutions can offer support to academics in the form of small grants, protected research time, writing workshops, and mentorship to assist with the production of meaningful VER.