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In 2020, Libraries and Cultural Resources (LCR) at the University of Calgary used Qualtrics XM to design and pilot a point-of-use survey to collect user feedback on the usability of our implementation of Primo, Ex Libris's web-scale discovery service. Over a two-week period, users were presented with the pop-up survey while searching and asked to provide feedback. This article summarizes how we designed and implemented this point-of-use survey and the lessons learned from this project., INTRODUCTION In 2018, Libraries and Cultural Resources (LCR) at the University of Calgary implemented Ex Libris's Primo, a web-scale discovery service. (1) Through an embedded search box on the library [...]

Rapid and precise detection of Chlamydia trachomatis, the leading global cause of sexually transmitted infections (STI), at the point of care (POC) is required for treatment decisions to prevent transmission and sequelae, including pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, tubal factor infertility, and preterm birth. We developed a rapid POC test (POCT), termed LH-POCT, which uses loop-mediated amplification (LAMP) of nucleic acids. We performed a head-to-head comparison with the Cepheid Xpert CT/NG assay using clinician-collected, deidentified paired vaginal samples from a parent study that consecutively enrolled symptomatic and asymptomatic females over 18 years of age from the Ministry of Health and Medical Services Health Centers in Fiji. Samples were processed by the Xpert CT/NG assay and LH-POCT, blinded to the comparator. Discrepant samples were resolved by quantitative PCR. Deidentified clinical data and tests for Trichomonas vaginalis, Candida, and bacterial vaginosis (BV) were provided. There were a total of 353 samples from 327 females. C. trachomatis positivity was 16.7% (59/353), while the prevalence was 16.82% (55/327) after discrepant resolution. Seven discrepant samples resolved to four false negatives, two false positives, and one true positive for the LH-POCT. The sensitivity of the LH-POCT was 93.65% (95% confidence interval [CI], 84.53% to 98.24%), and specificity was 99.31% (95% CI, 97.53% to 99.92%). Discrepant samples clustered among women with vaginal discharge and/or BV. The prototype LH-POCT workflow has excellent performance, meeting many World Health Organization ASSURED criteria for POC tests, including a sample-to-result time of 35 min. Our LH-POCT holds promise for improving clinical practice to prevent and control C. trachomatis STIs in diverse health care settings globally.

Indigenous epistemologies view a person as a whole, interconnected to land, in relationship to others. Knowledge is subjective and collective. However, hegemonic western knowledge created dualism that are perpetuated through western schooling with detrimental effects on Indigenous knowledge systems and livelihood. The dualisms separate mind from body, body from nature, and spirit from matter which led to western schooling practices that support goals of settler colonialism including dispossession of Indigenous peoples from their lands. This article presents theoretical and conceptual discussions, personal reflections, and relationship-building the authors engaged while creating decolonizing and Indigenous syllabi in the fields of environmental studies, philosophy, and mathematics education at the university level. Engaging these processes disrupts the separation created through western dualisms and move toward reconnection as an initial step in creating decolonizing curricula, shifting dominant curricula organized through the logics of settler colonialism, to curricula that envision and support Indigenous nations and sovereignty.

BackgroundMachine learning (ML) provides novel opportunities for human behavior research and clinical translation, yet its application can have noted pitfalls (Bone et al., 2015). In this work, we fastidiously utilize ML to derive autism spectrum disorder (ASD) instrument algorithms in an attempt to improve upon widely used ASD screening and diagnostic tools.MethodsThe data consisted of Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) scores for 1,264 verbal individuals with ASD and 462 verbal individuals with non-ASD developmental or psychiatric disorders, split at age 10. Algorithms were created via a robust ML classifier, support vector machine, while targeting best-estimate clinical diagnosis of ASD versus non-ASD. Parameter settings were tuned in multiple levels of cross-validation.ResultsThe created algorithms were more effective (higher performing) than the current algorithms, were tunable (sensitivity and specificity can be differentially weighted), and were more efficient (achieving near-peak performance with five or fewer codes). Results from ML-based fusion of ADI-R and SRS are reported. We present a screener algorithm for below (above) age 10 that reached 89.2% (86.7%) sensitivity and 59.0% (53.4%) specificity with only five behavioral codes.ConclusionsML is useful for creating robust, customizable instrument algorithms. In a unique dataset comprised of controls with other difficulties, our findings highlight the limitations of current caregiver-report instruments and indicate possible avenues for improving ASD screening and diagnostic tools.

In the spring of2020, as post-secondary institutions and libraries were adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic, Libraries and Cultural Resources at the University of Calgary rapidly implemented Ex Libris' reading list solution Leganto to support the necessary move to online teaching and learning. This article describes the rapid implementation process and changes to our reserve reading list service and policies, reviews the status of the implementation to date and presents key takeaways which will be helpful for other libraries considering implementing an online reading list management system or other systems on a rapid timeline. Overall, rapid implementation allowed us to meet our immediate need to support online teaching and learning; however, long term successful adoption of this tool will require additional configuration, engagement, and support., INTRODUCTION In response to the changes to the post-secondary learning environment due to COVID-19 and to better integrate our course reserve reading list services with our library management system (Ex [...]

Machine learning has immense potential to enhance diagnostic and intervention research in the behavioral sciences, and may be especially useful in investigations involving the highly prevalent and heterogeneous syndrome of autism spectrum disorder. However, use of machine learning in the absence of clinical domain expertise can be tenuous and lead to misinformed conclusions. To illustrate this concern, the current paper critically evaluates and attempts to reproduce results from two studies (Wall et al. in "Transl Psychiatry" 2(4):e100, 2012a; "PloS One" 7(8), 2012b) that claim to drastically reduce time to diagnose autism using machine learning. Our failure to generate comparable findings to those reported by Wall and colleagues using larger and more balanced data underscores several conceptual and methodological problems associated with these studies. We conclude with proposed best-practices when using machine learning in autism research, and highlight some especially promising areas for collaborative work at the intersection of computational and behavioral science.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between prosodic speech cues and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) severity, hypothesizing a mutually interactive relationship between the speech characteristics of the psychologist and the child. The authors objectively quantified acoustic-prosodic cues of the psychologist and of the child with ASD during spontaneous interaction, establishing a methodology for future large-sample analysis. Method: Speech acoustic-prosodic features were semiautomatically derived from segments of semistructured interviews (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, ADOS; Lord, Rutter, DiLavore, & Risi, 1999; Lord et al., 2012) with 28 children who had previously been diagnosed with ASD. Prosody was quantified in terms of intonation, volume, rate, and voice quality. Research hypotheses were tested via correlation as well as hierarchical and predictive regression between ADOS severity and prosodic cues. Results: Automatically extracted speech features demonstrated prosodic characteristics of dyadic interactions. As rated ASD severity increased, both the psychologist and the child demonstrated effects for turn-end pitch slope, and both spoke with atypical voice quality. The psychologist's acoustic cues predicted the child's symptom severity better than did the child's acoustic cues. Conclusion: The psychologist, acting as evaluator and interlocutor, was shown to adjust his or her behavior in predictable ways based on the child's social-communicative impairments. The results support future study of speech prosody of both interaction partners during spontaneous conversation, while using automatic computational methods that allow for scalable analysis on much larger corpora.

Background: Peripartum antibiotics are commonly administered. Little is known of the attitudes of pregnant women toward peripartum antibiotics. Aim: We aimed to assess the awareness of and attitudes toward peripartum antibiotic use in Australian women. Materials and Methods: We surveyed post‐partum women at three hospitals over six months. Women reported if they received antibiotics 48 h either side of delivery and responded to statements assessing attitudes to peripartum antibiotic use. Administered antibiotics were recorded. We reported the proportion receiving antibiotics and the proportion aware of receiving them. Participants responded on five‐point Likert scales and selected side effects of concern. Results: Participants responding were 248 of 299 (83%, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital), 56 of 106 (53%, Caboolture Hospital) and 17 (Redcliffe Hospital, denominator not recorded). Of 183 (57%) receiving antibiotics, 134 (73%) received them pre‐delivery only, 18 (10%) post‐delivery only and 31 (17%) pre‐ and post‐delivery. Pre‐delivery, the most common indication was pre‐incisional prophylaxis for caesarean delivery (93 of 160 responses, 58%). Seventy‐nine (51%, 156 responses) of those receiving pre‐delivery antibiotics were aware. Of 49 women receiving post‐delivery antibiotics, 36 (73%) were aware. Most agreed they were worried that pre‐delivery antibiotics would affect their baby (198, 62%) and 160 (50%) were concerned about effects on their own microbiome. Most (204, 65%) agreed they would rather not take antibiotics while breastfeeding. Conclusion: Many women were unaware of receiving pre‐delivery antibiotics. Most had concerns about side effects. Improved communication regarding peripartum antibiotic use would improve patient‐centred care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Dietary nitrate (NO3−) supplementation increases nitric oxide bioavailability and can enhance exercise performance. We investigated the distribution and metabolic fate of ingested NO3− at rest and during exercise with a focus on skeletal muscle. Methods: In a randomized, crossover study, 10 healthy volunteers consumed 12.8 mmol 15N‐labeled potassium nitrate (K15NO3; NIT) or potassium chloride placebo (PLA). Muscle biopsies were taken at baseline, at 1‐ and 3‐h post‐supplement ingestion, and immediately following the completion of 60 maximal intermittent contractions of the knee extensors. Muscle, plasma, saliva, and urine samples were analyzed using chemiluminescence to determine absolute [NO3−] and [NO2−], and by mass spectrometry to determine the proportion of NO3− and NO2− that was 15N‐labeled. Results: Neither muscle [NO3−] nor [NO2−] were altered by PLA. Following NIT, muscle [NO3−] (but not [NO2−]) was elevated at 1‐h (from ~35 to 147 nmol/g, p < 0.001) and 3‐h, with almost all of the increase being 15N‐labeled. There was a significant reduction in 15N‐labeled muscle [NO3−] from pre‐ to post‐exercise. Relative to PLA, mean muscle torque production was ~7% greater during the first 18 contractions following NIT. This improvement in torque was correlated with the pre‐exercise 15N‐labeled muscle [NO3−] and the magnitude of decline in 15N‐labeled muscle [NO3−] during exercise (r = 0.66 and r = 0.62, respectively; p < 0.01). Conclusion: This study shows, for the first time, that skeletal muscle rapidly takes up dietary NO3−, the elevated muscle [NO3−] following NO3− ingestion declines during exercise, and muscle NO3− dynamics are associated with enhanced torque production during maximal intermittent muscle contractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed 1) to examine the accuracy with which W′ reconstitution (W′REC) is estimated by the W′ balance (W′BAL) models after a 3-min all-out cycling test (3MT), 2) to determine the effects of a 3MT on the power–duration relationship, and 3) to assess whether accounting for changes in the power–duration relationship during exercise improved estimates of W′REC. Methods: The power–duration relationship and the actual and estimated W′REC were determined for 12 data sets extracted from our laboratory database where participants had completed two 3MT separated by 1-min recovery (i.e., control [C-3MT] and fatigued [F-3MT]). Results: Actual W′REC (6.3 ± 1.4 kJ) was significantly overestimated by the W′BAL·ODE (9.8 ± 1.3 kJ; P < 0.001) and the W′BAL·MORTON (16.9 ± 2.6 kJ; P < 0.001) models but was not significantly different to the estimate provided by the W′BAL·INT (7.5 ± 1.5 kJ; P > 0.05) model. End power (EP) was 7% lower in the F-3MT (263 ± 40 W) compared with the C-3MT (282 ± 44 W; P < 0.001), and work done above EP (WEP) was 61% lower in the F-3MT (6.3 ± 1.4 kJ) compared with the C-3MT (16.9 ± 3.2 kJ). The size of the error in the estimated W′REC was correlated with the reduction in WEP for the W′BAL·INT and W′BAL·ODE models (both r > −0.74, P < 0.01) but not the W′BAL·MORTON model (r = −0.18, P > 0.05). Accounting for the changes in the power–duration relationship improved the accuracy of the W′BAL·ODE and W′BAL·MORTON, but they remained significantly different to actual W′REC. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that the power–duration relationship is altered after a 3MT, and accounting for these changes improves the accuracy of the W′BAL·ODE and the W′BAL·MORTON, but not W′BAL·INT models. These results have important implications for the design and use of mathematical models describing the energetics of exercise performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning has immense potential to enhance diagnostic and intervention research in the behavioral sciences, and may be especially useful in investigations involving the highly prevalent and heterogeneous syndrome of autism spectrum disorder. However, use of machine learning in the absence of clinical domain expertise can be tenuous and lead to misinformed conclusions. To illustrate this concern, the current paper critically evaluates and attempts to reproduce results from two studies (Wall et al. in Transl Psychiatry 2(4):e100, 2012a (See CR35); PloS One 7(8), 2012b (See CR34)) that claim to drastically reduce time to diagnose autism using machine learning. Our failure to generate comparable findings to those reported by Wall and colleagues using larger and more balanced data underscores several conceptual and methodological problems associated with these studies. We conclude with proposed best-practices when using machine learning in autism research, and highlight some especially promising areas for collaborative work at the intersection of computational and behavioral science., Author(s): Daniel Bone[sup.1] , Matthew S. Goodwin[sup.2] , Matthew P. Black[sup.3] , Chi-Chun Lee[sup.4] , Kartik Audhkhasi[sup.1] , Shrikanth Narayanan[sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) Signal Analysis & Interpretation Laboratory (SAIL), University [...]

The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of concurrent and independent administration of dietary nitrate (NO3−), administered as NO3–-rich beetroot juice (BR; ~12.4 mmol of NO3−), and N-acetylcysteine (NAC; 70 mg·kg−1) on physiological responses during prolonged exercise and subsequent high-intensity exercise tolerance. Sixteen recreationally active males supplemented with NO3–-depleted beetroot juice (PL) or BR for 6 days and ingested an acute dose of NAC or maltodextrin (MAL) 1 h prior to performing 1 h of heavy-intensity cycling exercise immediately followed by a severe-intensity time-to-exhaustion (TTE) test in four conditions: 1) PL+MAL, 2) PL+NAC, 3) BR+MAL and 4) BR+NAC. Pre-exercise plasma [NO3−] and nitrite ([NO2−]) were elevated following BR+NAC and BR+MAL (both P < 0.01) compared with PL+NAC and PL+MAL; plasma [cysteine] was increased in PL+NAC and BR+NAC (both P < 0.01) compared to PL+MAL. Muscle excitability declined over time during the prolonged cycling bout in all conditions but was better preserved in PL+NAC compared to BR+NAC (P < 0.01) and PL+MAL (P < 0.05). There was no effect of supplementation on subsequent TTE. These findings indicate that co-ingestion of BR and NAC does not appreciably alter physiological responses during prolonged heavy-intensity cycling or enhance subsequent exercise tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between prosodic speech cues and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) severity, hypothesizing a mutually interactive relationship between the speech characteristics of the psychologist and the child. The authors objectively quantified acoustic-prosodic cues of the psychologist and of the child with ASD during spontaneous interaction, establishing a methodology for future large-sample analysis. Method: Speech acoustic-prosodic features were semiautomatically derived from segments of semistructured interviews (Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, ADOS; Lord, Rutter, DiLavore, & Risi, 1999; Lord et al., 2012) with 28 children who had previously been diagnosed with ASD. Prosody was quantified in terms of intonation, volume, rate, and voice quality. Research hypotheses were tested via correlation as well as hierarchical and predictive regression between ADOS severity and prosodic cues. Results: Automatically extracted speech features demonstrated prosodic characteristics of dyadic interactions. As rated ASD severity increased, both the psychologist and the child demonstrated effects for turn-end pitch slope, and both spoke with atypical voice quality. The psychologist's acoustic cues predicted the child's symptom severity better than did the child's acoustic cues. Conclusion: The psychologist, acting as evaluator and interlocutor, was shown to adjust his or her behavior in predictable ways based on the child's social-communicative impairments. The results support future study of speech prosody of both interaction partners during spontaneous conversation, while using automatic computational methods that allow for scalable analysis on much larger corpora. Keywords: autism spectrum disorder, children, prosody, social communication, assessment, dyadic interaction, Human social interaction necessitates that each participant continually perceive, plan, and express multimodal pragmatic and affective cues. Thus, a person's ability to interact effectively may be compromised when there is [...]

Purpose: To investigate whether oxygen-uptake (...) kinetics and simulated 4-km cycling performance are synergistically improved by prior "priming" exercise and an all-out starting strategy. Methods: Nine men completed 4 target work trials (114 ± 17 kJ) to assess ... kinetics and cycling performance in a repeated-measures, crossover experimental design. Trials were initiated with either a 12-s all-out start or a self-selected start and preceded by prior severe-intensity (70%Δ) priming exercise or no priming exercise. Results: The ... mean response time (MRT) was lower (indicative of faster ... kinetics) in the all-out primed condition (20 ± 6 s) than in the all-out unprimed (23 ± 6 s), self-paced-unprimed (42 ± 13 s), and self-paced-primed (42 ± 11 s) trials (P < .05), with the ... MRT also lower in the all-out unprimed than the self-paced unprimed and self-paced primed trials (P < .05). Trial-completion time was shorter (performance was enhanced) in the all-out primed trial (402 ± 14 s) than in the all-out unprimed (408 ± 14 s), self-paced unprimed (411 ± 16 s), and self-paced primed (411 ± 19 s) trials (P < .05), with no differences between the latter 3 trials. Conclusions: The findings from this study suggest that combining severe-intensity priming exercise with a short-duration all-out starting strategy can expedite the adjustment of ... and lower completion time during a cycling performance trial to a greater extent than either intervention administered independently. These results might have implications for optimizing performance in short-duration high-intensity competitive events such as a 4-km cycling time trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of running speed and sex on running economy is unclear and may have been confounded by measurements of oxygen cost that do not account for known differences in substrate metabolism, across a limited range of speeds, and differences in performance standard. Therefore, this study assessed the energy cost of running over a wide range of speeds in high-level and recreational runners to investigate the effect of speed (in absolute and relative terms) and sex (men vs women of equivalent performance standard) on running economy. To determine the energy cost (kcal • kg-1 ⋅ km-1) of submaximal running, speed at lactate turn point (sLTP), and maximal rate of oxygen uptake, 92 healthy runners (high-level men, n = 14; high-level women, n = 10; recreational men, n = 35; recreational women, n = 33) completed a discontinuous incremental treadmill test. There were no sex-specific differences in the energy cost of running for the recreational or high-level runners when compared at absolute or relative running speeds (P > .05). The absolute and relative speed--energy cost relationships for the high-level runners demonstrated a curvilinear U shape with a nadir reflecting the most economical speed at 13 km/h or 70% sLTP. The high-level runners were more economical than the recreational runners at all absolute and relative running speeds (P < .05). These findings demonstrate that there is an optimal speed for economical running, there is no sex-specific difference, and high-level endurance runners exhibit better running economy than recreational endurance runners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While previous research has compared outcomes between living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and deceased donor liver transplantation, evidence is lacking regarding how donation after circulatory death (DCD) vs donation after brain death (DBD) affects this comparison. Using data from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients for adults listed for liver transplant from 2012 to 2018, we compared 5-year patient and graft survival, readmissions, posttransplant chronic kidney disease (CKD), and return to work for 25,151 patients who underwent LDLT (1223 [4.9%]), DCD-LT (1431 [6.4%]), and DBD-LT (22,497 [89.4%]). LDLT recipients were significantly more likely to have a Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score < 15 and to be working prior to transplant (P < 0.001 for both). At 5 years posttransplant, LDLT recipients had significantly more readmissions, but significantly less CKD and better survival than DBD-LT and DCD-LT recipients, as well as significantly better graft survival than DCD-LT recipients (P ≤ 0.01 for all). Significantly more LDLT recipients also returned to work for income (P < 0.01). This study shows a clear advantage of LDLT vs DCD-LT. This information should be weighed in transplantation decisions for patients such as those with low MELD scores who will realistically only be considered for DCD-LT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]