Queen's University Research Articles

Insight into population structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates in the multiethnic province of Alborz, Iran.

Background and Objectives:Genetic diversity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates from tuberculosis patients in the multiethnic province of Alborz, Iran was assessed.Materials and Methods:A total of 17 isolates in the period of 2012–2013 were collected and subjected to a Multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) consisted of 6 variable numbers of tandem repeats (VNTRs) including ETR-A, ETR-B, ETR-C, ElTR-D, ETR-E, ETR-F, 5 Mycobacterial Interspersed Repetitive Units including MIRU10, MIRU16, MIRU26, MIRU39, MIRU40, and 1 Queen University of Belfast locus, QUB11.Results:This classified all isolates into 17 distinct MIRU-VNTR types, a reflection of a highly heterogenic population. Within the 12 used VNTR loci, ten proved highly or moderately discriminant according to the calculated HGDI scores. No cluster of isolates was identified in the study panel, giving a clustering rate of 0%, several events of SVL (N=5) and DVL (N=4) and TVL (N=3) were detected.Conclusion:The greater heterogeneity observed here by MLVA-VNTR analysis is most likely due to limited background data in the study region rather than a genuine more heterogeneous population compared to other provinces of the country.

Veganism: Are future pharmacists ready to provide advice?

IntroductionIn addition to advising about diets, nutritional deficiencies, and supplements, pharmacists should be confident discussing medicine-related issues that may arise from people adopting veganism, including checking about animal-derived pharmaceutical product excipients, formulation processes, and determining whether vegan-friendly alternatives exist. Thus, this study aimed to investigate pharmacy students' knowledge and views about veganism. MethodsGiven veganism's increasing popularity and relevance to pharmacy practice, students enrolled in their last year of the undergraduate master of pharmacy degree program at Queen's University Belfast participated in this voluntary study. The questionnaire was given out at an obligatory workshop (only non-identifiable data were requested). Students were scored on veganism knowledge (22 true/false statements) with other analysis about views being largely descriptive in nature. ResultsNinety-two out of 101 (91.1%) completed the questionnaire. Only one reporting being vegan. Mean knowledge score (possible range of 0–22) was 16.59 (±2.43). Only 37% (34/92) reported feeling confident discussing veganism with patients or other healthcare professionals and 40.2% (37/92) deemed they could establish whether a medical product is vegan-friendly. A minority (4.3%) considered they had received adequate training on veganism. A greater proportion of males than females considered that vegans are too forceful with their beliefs (74.2% vs. 51.7%). ConclusionsThis study presents the first description of pharmacy students' knowledge and opinions on veganism (from a single institution only). The reported gap in educational provision and lack of confidence needs to be investigated and addressed to enhance patient-centered care.

Reactive oxidized nitrogen speciation and partitioning in urban and rural New York State

ABSTRACT This study examined reactive oxidized nitrogen (NOy) speciation and partitioning at one urban site, Queens College (QC) in New York City, and one rural site, Pinnacle State Park (PSP) in Addison, New York (NY) from September 2016 to August 2018 and June 2016 to September 2018, respectively. Oxides of nitrogen (NOx), nitric acid (HNO3), particle nitrate (pNO3), peroxy nitrates (PNs), alkyl nitrates (ANs), and NOy measurements were made at both sites. Across all seasons at QC, the median NOx, HNO3, pNO3, PNs, ANs, and NOy concentrations were 10.99, 0.49, 0.24, 0.62, 0.94, and 13.95 parts per billion (ppb), respectively. All-season median percent contributions of NOx, HNO3, pNO3, PNs, and ANs to the total NOy at QC were 77, 4, 2, 5, and 7%, respectively. Therefore, the sum of the individual NOy species (NOyi ≈ NOx + HNO3 + pNO3 + PNs + ANs) accounted for 95% of the total NOy at QC, which was well within measurement uncertainties. At PSP, the median NOx, HNO3, pNO3, PNs, ANs, and NOy concentrations were 0.65, 0.16, 0.12, 0.13, 0.18, and 1.56 ppb, respectively, over all seasons. The median percent contributions of NOx, HNO3, pNO3, PNs, and ANs to NOy over all seasons at PSP were 42, 10, 8, 9, and 12%, respectively. NOyi comprised 81% of NOy across all seasons at PSP, and deviations from 100% closure were generally within measurement uncertainties. Since both datasets yielded NOy budget closure results that were either fully or largely explained by the measurement uncertainties, the observed NOyi is likely representative of ambient NOy in urban and rural New York. The results have implications for understanding the fate of NOx emissions and their impact on local and regional air quality in urban and rural New York State. Implications: Continuous speciated and total reactive oxidized nitrogen (NOy) measurements were made in urban and rural New York from 2016 to 2018. Different NOy species have contrasting effects on the chemistry that impacts ozone (O3) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) formation and concentrations. Since O3 and PM2.5 are regulated pollutants that have proven difficult to control, the results have implications for current and future air quality policy.

Appraisal of multivariable prognostic models for post-operative liver decompensation following partial hepatectomy: a systematic review

Presenter: Zuhaib Mir MD, MSc | Queen's University Background: Few reports have evaluated prognostic modelling studies of tools used for surgical decision-making. This systematic review aimed to describe and critically appraise studies that have developed or validated multivariable prognostic models for post-operative liver decompensation following partial hepatectomy. Methods: This study was designed using the CHARMS checklist. Following a comprehensive literature search, two reviewers independently screened candidate references for inclusion and abstracted relevant study details. Studies were excluded if their objective was predictor-finding, if they only assessed the prognostic value of a single factor (unless adding to a pre-existing multivariable model), if they had an inapplicable analytic purpose (eg. multivariable modelling not aimed at prognostication, development of novel statistical methods), if their outcome(s) did not include a post-operative liver decompensation event, or if they were a duplicate study not initially screened out. Qualitative assessment was performed using the PROBAST tool. Results: We identified 36 prognostic modelling studies; 25 focused on development only, 3 developed and validated models, and 8 validated pre-existing models. None compared routine use of a prognostic model against standard clinical practice. Most studies used single-institution, retrospective cohort designs, predominantly conducted in Eastern populations. In total, 15 different outcome definitions for post-operative liver decompensation events were used. Statistical concerns surrounding model overfitting, performance assessment, and internal validation led to high risk of bias for all studies. Conclusion: Current prognostic models for post-operative liver decompensation following partial hepatectomy may not be valid for routine clinical use due to design and methodologic concerns. Landmark resources and reporting guidelines such as the TRIPOD statement may assist researchers, and additionally, model impact assessment studies represent opportunities for future research.

The Transcultural Streams of Chinese Canadian Identities by Jessica Tsui-Yan Li

Reviewed by: The Transcultural Streams of Chinese Canadian Identities by Jessica Tsui-Yan Li Jacqueline Ng Jessica Tsui-Yan Li. The Transcultural Streams of Chinese Canadian Identities. Quebec: McGill Queen's University Press, 2019. 204 pp. Images. Notes. Bibliography. Index. $34.95 sc; $110.00 hc. Affirming the momentous impact of Chinese Canadians on socioeconomic power and cultural imprints in Canadian society, The Transcultural Streams of Chinese Canadian Identities, edited by Jessica Tsui-Yan Li, presents a timely, far-reaching book discussing how Chinese Canadians have been undergoing acute challenges of social survival and negotiating their ethnic identities and power relations in Canada over the past decades. The term "Chinese Canadian" refers to anyone of Chinese descent who settles, lives, or works in Canada and has a transcultural and transnational identity. To review the postcolonialist stereotypical definition of Chinese Canadians as immigrants of expatriation or deracination, Transcultural Streams adopts an interdisciplinary approach to study the multiple collective identities of Chinese Canadians, suggesting an imperative need to rethink the identities of Chinese Canadians who are perceived as "socially privileged" in their homeland but are yet devalued or marginalized as the "so-called Other" (6) in Canada. The compelling arguments of this volume are strategically arranged in: Part 1: Revisiting migrant transcultural identities; Part 2: Re-evaluating challenges and struggles of Chinese Canadians; and Part 3: Reshaping and Re-positioning Chinese Canadian identities. This book uses a multidisciplinary, mixed-method approach to explore the intersectionality and heterogeneity of Chinese Canadian identities from the critical lenses of renowned scholars, academic researchers, cultural producers, poets and literary writers who jointly contribute to the "intersectional discourse" in order to highlight the "diversity and fluidity of Chinese Canadian identities in the face of various forms of subjugation and power imbalance" (10). Part 1 (Chapters 1–3) revisits the transcultural identities of Chinese Canadians, mainly those early immigrants from Hong Kong around the late 1960s, from historical, sociocultural, linguistic, and literary perspectives. A dramatic influx of Hong Kong immigrants to Canada resulted mainly because they foresaw political uncertainties in their home country as the handover of Hong Kong's sovereignty was approaching, and their worries about the colony's future was intensified by the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989. These Chinese immigrants, however, were found to have low attachment to Canadian society as they had to endure cultural conflicts and institutional racism in [End Page 135] the new country. They were expected to consistently negotiate their job opportunities, lifestyle, and power relations with local residents. In light of their detachment from the mainstream in Canada, many Hong Kong immigrants decided to remodel their family structure to "astronaut" families (13), with one parent (usually the father) returning to Hong Kong to work and financially support their families, while the mother and the children were left in Canada to receive Western education and maintain their Canadian citizenship. They were perceived by Canadian society simply as Chinese foreigners living in Canada, while in their homeland, "they were considered sojourners, or Huaqiao, Chinese living temporarily outside of China" (175). These Chinese Canadians could hardly find strong roots in their cultural identities when they were exposed to different values, perceptions, traditions, customs, and practices across cultural and national boundaries. Part 2 (Chapters 4–6) re-evaluates the prevailing challenges of Chinese Canadians by articulating their persistent struggles in the social, economic, gender and cultural contexts. Although most Chinese Canadians were reassured that they were not obligated to assimilate into a melting pot, they still encountered tough integration problems during identity transition. Upon their arrival to Canada, many Chinese Canadians, particularly immigrant women, have experienced "downward social and occupational mobility" (102). Regardless of whether most Chinese Canadians were wealthy investors or well-educated professionals in their homeland, they were marginalized with overflowing impediments in the new country including limited employment opportunities, non-recognition of earned qualifications, low household income, language barriers and racial discrimination which have all made it difficult for Chinese Canadians to achieve social engagement and acculturation. They consequently preferred staying within their comfort zone in which they were less likely to experience social isolation, exclusion, and racism. The idealism of preserving dual identities for Chinese Canadians is still a long...

Soul Liberty: The Evolution of Black Religious Politics in Postemancipation Virginia by Nicole Myers Turner

Reviewed by: Soul Liberty: The Evolution of Black Religious Politics in Postemancipation Virginia by Nicole Myers Turner Caroline Grego Soul Liberty: The Evolution of Black Religious Politics in Postemancipation Virginia. By Nicole Myers Turner. (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2020. Pp. xxii, 210. $29.95, ISBN 978-1-4696-5523-9.) In Soul Liberty: The Evolution of Black Religious Politics in Postemancipation Virginia, Nicole Myers Turner turns an incisive eye to the formation of Black political and religious networks from the last years of slavery to the last years of Reconstruction in Virginia. Turner not only surveys an array of sources—from Freedmen’s Bureau records and the minutes of African American Baptist, Zion Union Apostolic, and Episcopal Church conventions to the papers of a Virginia political magnate—but also deploys the mapping software ArcGIS to reveal “how church networks. . . suffused the political culture of black Virginians” (p. xii). Throughout her clearly written, tightly structured monograph, Turner rejects facile depictions of Black Christianity as either “an opiate or an inspiration” (p. 2). Instead, Turner delves into a case study of Petersburg, Virginia, and its adjacent counties to chart the evolution of Black churches and postemancipation political organizing in Black Virginians’ pursuit of “soul liberty,” a seventeenth-century Protestant concept that African Americans adapted for their journeys toward “religious freedom, righteousness, equity, and justice” (p. 2). In chapter 1, “Making a New Religious Freedom,” Turner examines the fraught relationship between formerly enslaved Virginians and the Freedmen’s Bureau as African Americans sought to lay claim to their own churches or negotiate their positions within predominantly white denominations and congregations. Turner argues that in this “first stage of the formation of black religious politics,” African Americans drew strength from an antebellum “religious terrain” (pp. 13, 14). In chapter 2, “Independent Black Church Conventions, 1866–1868,” Turner illustrates how Black Virginians conceptualized their “political rights in terms of religious freedom and independence” as they formed their own church conventions (p. 33). These church conventions, she argues, were “theaters for the construction of black male identity” to prove African Americans’ fitness for citizenship, and they relied on the financial savvy of African American women (p. 43). In chapter 3, “Religion, Race, and Gender at the Congregational Level,” Turner focuses on the congregation of Gilfield Baptist Church. There, she shows how African American churchgoers “helped forge community norms and ideas of gender and sexuality” (p. 57). This process was not simple, though it ultimately settled on “a model of minister-centered leadership” that constructed acceptable norms of family and behavior and isolated Black women from leadership positions (p. 57). Chapter 4, “Theological Education, Race Relations, and Gender, 1875–1882,” examines the purpose of education among African Americans, which frequently adhered to a “Victorian ideal”: on the one hand, education allowed Black men to “distance” themselves “from the limitations of slavery,” and, on the other, education “incorporated producerist, bourgeois values of manhood” for the purposes of uplift (p. 99). In chapter 5, “Politics of Engagement,” Turner dives into the fascinating Readjuster movement, a coalition of white and Black Republicans who successfully passed a number of political reforms in the late 1870s and early 1880s, reminding the reader why Virginia is a valuable case study. Famous Readjuster William Mahone recognized the value of tapping into robust Black church networks to rally support for the Readjusters. [End Page 734] Rather than Black churches being “representations of black political acumen,” they were now “vehicles for participation and self-determination” (p. 143). Here, Turner’s use of mapping to shape the “intellectual architecture” of her argument comes into focus, and she uses Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping to its best advantage (p. xiii). “Politically engaged black churches have a history,” Turner writes with her characteristic clarity, and her book effectively proves why scholars of Black political life should not ignore the complex history of Black churches (p. 144). With three versions of the book—in print, as a verbatim open-access e-book, and as an enhanced open-access e-book with interactive maps—Turner has provided many options for scholars to explore her exciting integration of digital humanities with a traditional monograph. Caroline Grego Queens University of...

A. B. Simpson and the making of the modern Evangelicalism. By Daryn Henry. (Studies in the History of Religion, Series 2, 87.) Pp. xvi + 403 incl. 9 figs and 1 table. London–Montreal & Kingston: McGill–Queen's University Press, 2019. £27.99 (paper). 978 0 7735 5927 1

A. B. Simpson and the making of the modern Evangelicalism. By Daryn Henry. (Studies in the History of Religion, Series 2, 87.) Pp. xvi + 403 incl. 9 figs and 1 table. London–Montreal & Kingston: McGill–Queen's University Press, 2019. £27.99 (paper). 978 0 7735 5927 1 - Volume 72 Issue 1

Movement and Habitat Selection of Eastern Milksnakes (Lampropeltis triangulum) at Intact and Fragmented Sites

Habitat loss and fragmentation are among the greatest threats to wildlife and biodiversity. Reptiles are particularly susceptible to these threats due to high site fidelity, large home ranges, and slow movement rates. To understand behavioral responses of Eastern Milksnakes (Lampropeltis triangulum) to fragmentation, we compared home range size and movement rates between a fragmented habitat and an intact habitat. Additionally, we quantified road avoidance and habitat selection in the fragmented habitat. In 2015 and 2016, we collected 453 locations from 17 individuals from Rouge National Urban Park (RNUP), the fragmented study area, using radio-telemetry. We compared our results to a previous study with 1,001 locations from 30 individuals at Queen's University Biological Station (QUBS), our intact study area, collected from 2003 to 2004. We found that home ranges were smaller, but daily movement rate (DMD) and distance-per-move (DPM) were greater in the fragmented study area. We also observed that road crossings by snakes occurred less than expected, suggesting active avoidance of roads. Milksnakes in the fragmented habitat selected locations with a greater number of cover objects within open patches surrounded by high density vegetation, which is consistent with previous findings from the intact habitat. Our findings suggest that Eastern Milksnakes benefit from heterogeneous microhabitats and an abundance of available anthropogenic or natural cover.

Profiling of Physical Activity, Health Fitness (VO<sub>2max</sub>), Body Composition, and Dietary Intake among Malaysian University Students: A Case Study

The balance of physical activity, fitness and nutrition is important to people's daily lives. The main purpose of this study was to establish profile of physical activity, health fitness (VO2max), body composition, and dietary intake among college students in Malaysia. This cross-sectional study was carried out at the Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), whereby a total of 330 respondents of 1500 undergraduate and postgraduate students. Energy expenditure exercise levels (EEEL) was assessed by using physical activity lifestyle questionnaire (PALQ), health fitness (VO2max) and body composition were examined through Queen's College step test, Heath & Carter method, and skinfold technique, whereas dietary intake was assessed via the administration of Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). According to somatotype anthropo¬metric rating (low = 0.5 - 2.5, moderate = 3 - 5 and high = 5.5 - 7), in Endomorphy 5.17 and 4.83, Mesomorphy 5.12 and 3.15 and Ectomorphy 1.72 and 2.09. BMI for male and female were 24.8 and 22.0 in Malay 24.9 and 22.2, Chinese 23.1 and 20.8, Indian 27.4 and 23.2. Overweight prevalen¬ce was 46.5% men, 17.4% women. %BF in below and above 30 years in male were respectively 17.1±8.2 and 28.9±5.9 and in female 20.89±4.5 and 28.18±6.7. Estimated VO2max was 44.5ml.kg-1.min-1 in male and 34.34ml.kg-1.min-1 in female. Thus, male respondents were more susceptible to diseases and compl¬ications in comparison to females. Therefore, physical activity may need to emphasize the amount, int¬ensity, and activity types for promoting overall public health, not merely exercise time.

World News.

World News.

Edmond Halley's Contributions to Hydrogeology.

Edmond Halley's Contributions to Hydrogeology.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound Use and Monetary Outcomes in a Single-Payer Health Care Setting.

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a widely used diagnostic modality in the emergency physician's tool kit. The effect on health care costs is disputed. This study examined whether POCUS was associated with system-level cost savings. Secondary objectives included adverse patient outcomes and the association between POCUS use and diagnostic costs in specific patient groups. The Point-of-Care Ultrasound Use and Monetary Outcomes study was a single-center prospective observational study. A convenience sample of emergency medicine physicians working from July to October 2019 were included after using POCUS as part of their assessment. The cost of patient investigations was compared with those proposed by a control group of physicians simultaneously on shift, who were blinded to the POCUS findings. Ethical approval was obtained from the Queen's University Health Sciences Research Ethics Board. Fifty patient assessments using POCUS were included. Overall, the median investigation cost in United States dollars in the POCUS group was $102.00 (interquartile range [IQR], $39.80-$167.90) versus $122.40 (IQR, $70.96-$175.60) in controls (P=.08). When stratified by disposition, POCUS use in patients discharged home resulted in a median expenditure of $71.80 (IQR, $36.48-$116.70) versus $122.70 (IQR, $71.18-$183.20; P < .001). Significant cost savings were also found in flank pain presentations (median, $138.90; IQR, $136.60-$186.10; P=.01). There were no differences in the quantity of investigations ordered, the patient emergency department repeated presentation rate, or safety outcomes at 7 days. Point-of-care ultrasound use was not associated with significant cost savings in our overall population. The subgroup analysis revealed significant POCUS-associated cost savings in patients discharged home and those presenting with flank pain. Notably, POCUS was not associated with an increase in adverse patient safety outcomes.

Risk Factors for the Development of Skin Cancers in Patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Introduction: Individuals with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are often immunosuppressed and at increased risk of infection and secondary malignancies. The primary aim of this study was to determine the incidence of skin cancer amongst the CLL population at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC), Ontario, Canada. Secondly, we sought to identify the risk factors associated with the development of skin cancer in CLL patients. Methods: Consecutive patients seen at KHSC with a diagnosis of CLL between 2014 January 1 and 2019 December 31 formed the primary study cohort. KHSC serves a region of ~ 550,000 including a high proportion of older individuals and those living in rural areas. Approval was provided by Queen's University Research Ethics Board. Four independent reviewers conducted retrospective electronic chart review, initially in duplicate with review of any areas of discrepancy to ensure a standardized approach. Data collected included age, sex, CLL date of diagnosis, stage, genetics and treatment; histological diagnoses of other cancers (skin and other), smoking status (ever/never) and date of last follow up or death. The primary outcome was the development of the first skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, melanoma, or sarcoma) confirmed via pathology reports that are available in our local institution. All statistical analysis was performed using SAS Enterprise v. 7.15. Categorical variables were compared using chi-square or Fisher exact tests, medians using Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests, and continuous variables using t-tests. Risk factors for development of skin cancer were assessed using multivarable Cox-proportional hazard models. Results: Of the total cohort of 377 individuals with CLL, 251 (67%) were male. Median age at diagnosis of CLL was 65 years (range 36 - 93 years of age). Median follow-up from the time of CLL diagnosis was 6.5 years (range 0.27 - 30.98). Of these, 80 individuals (21.2%) developed at least one skin cancer after their diagnosis of CLL, with an age-adjusted incidence of 16.96/1000 patient years (95% CI 12.5 - 23). Among the 297 who did not develop skin cancer post-CLL diagnosis, 13 individuals who had documented skin cancer pre-CLL diagnosis only, are included in the non-skin cancer group (Figure 1). Females had a lower incidence of skin cancer compared with males (63 males versus 17 females, p=0.009). There was no difference between the groups based on Rai stage at diagnosis, smoking history, or IGHV /p53 status. Individuals treated with ibrutinib had a lower incidence of skin cancer (3 versus 49, p=0.002). Development of skin cancer was associated with development of other invasive tumours including CLL transformation (p=0.001) (Table 1). Conclusion: Limitations of this study include its small size, and single institution setting. Our data likely reflect a conservative estimate as skin cancers may be diagnosed outside of the institution, and not all CLL is treated at tertiary care centres. Consistent with other studies we found that males with CLL are at increased risk of developing skin cancer, as compared to females. Individuals with CLL and skin cancer were more likely to develop another malignancy or Richter's transformation. The finding of lower incidence of skin cancer with ibrutinib treatment is novel; further investigation in larger populations is needed to determine if it may offer a protective effect. Disclosures Asai: Sanofi Canada: Honoraria, Research Funding; AllerGen NCE: Research Funding; Pfizer: Honoraria, Research Funding; Janssen: Honoraria; Leo Pharma: Honoraria; Eli Lilly: Honoraria; Novartis: Honoraria; Abbvie: Honoraria, Research Funding; Canadian Institutes of Health Research: Research Funding. Hay:Roche: Research Funding; Janssen: Research Funding.

Harvey Alter

ACS NEWS Harvey Alter ShareShare onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InRedditEmail C&EN, 2020, 98 (42), p 36November 2, 2020Cite this:C&EN 98, 42, 36AbstractHarvey Alter, 87, died June 27 in Frederick, Maryland. “Harvey had an eclectic career. Beginning as a bench chemist, he proceeded to R&D management, to tech transfer in the resource-recovery field, and then on to environmental and science policy. For 15 years, he represented various industry groups before the United Nations Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal. He taught at Frederick Community College pro bono for their Institute for Learning in Retirement. He was also an adjunct professor at American University and the University of Maryland University College for about 20 years. Harvey joined ACS in 1951 and served as president of the Chemical Society of Washington in 1972.”—Family of Harvey Alter Most recent title: Manager of environmental and natural resource public policy issues, US Chamber of Commerce Education: BS, chemistry, Queens College, 1952; PhD, physical chemistry, University of Cincinnati, 1957 Survivors:View: PDF | Full Text HTML

The Crucible

The Crucible

Contributors

Previous articleNext article FreeContributorsPDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailQR Code SectionsMoreAbigail Ocobock is assistant professor of sociology at the University of Notre Dame. Her research combines family sociology, institutional sociology, and gender and sexualities studies, with a particular focus on the institutional character of marriage.Natasha Warikoo is professor of sociology at Tufts University and the author of The Diversity Bargain: And Other Dilemmas of Race, Admissions, and Meritocracy at Elite Universities (University of Chicago Press, 2016).Siwei Cheng is assistant professor of sociology at New York University. Her research focuses on social inequality, work and occupations, and quantitative methodology. Her current project employs new analytic approaches to examine the structure of the occupational system.Barum Park is assistant professor of sociology at Cornell University, where he is an affiliate of the Center for the Study of Inequality and the Cornell Population Center. His research interests are in social networks, political sociology, social mobility, and quantitative methods. His current research focuses on political polarization and network segregation in the United States.Hongwei Xu is associate professor of sociology at Queens College, the City University of New York. His research interests include spatial analysis of human behavior and society, social stratification, and disparities in health and health care.Geng Tian is assistant professor of sociology at Peking University. He is a University of Chicago PhD (2015) and is interested in historical sociology of state and empire, social theory, bureaucracy, and sociology of knowledge. He is currently finishing a book on the emergence of social survey of customs and mores in China during the first half of the 20th century.Robert Faris is professor of sociology at the University of California, Davis. He uses social network analysis to investigate how violence, bullying, and related forms of aggression shape social hierarchies.Diane Felmlee is professor of sociology and demography at Pennsylvania State University, with research interests in social networks, social psychology, mathematical sociology, and gender. Her research concerns the interconnections of friendship, peer aggression, online harassment, and close relationships.Cassie McMillan is assistant professor of sociology, criminology, and criminal justice at Northeastern University. Her research applies a social networks perspective to processes related to inequality, adolescent delinquency, and immigration. Previous articleNext article DetailsFiguresReferencesCited by American Journal of Sociology Volume 126, Number 3November 2020 Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/713514 © 2020 by The University of Chicago. All rights reserved.PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

The Crucible

Descending into the depths of Queens College's Rathaus Hall and having to traverse a long hallway to get to its small theater seemed only fitting for a production of The Crucible that would transport me to another world—and yet, both eerily and most likely intentionally, it is a world that is, surprisingly, not much different from our own.The audience's chairs in the black box theater created a semicircle that surrounded and was level with the stage area—from my front-row seat I found myself in close proximity with many of the actors when they took advantage of their full performance space. The setup of the stage area for act 1 was quite stark. On entering the theater, the eye was drawn immediately to the small bed where Betty Parris, played by freshman Charlene Meganauth, slept. Behind her was a wall with just a window and door that would be utilized in all subsequent acts. The minimalism and modernity of the set and props and the subtlety of detail in small things—such as the items on the Proctors' kitchen table, the inquisitors' laptops, and Mary Warren keeping the poppet that would incriminate Elizabeth Proctor in a drawstring bag—reinforced director Paul DeFilippo's clear vision of the play.This college production—whose entire cast, production crew, and director were all students—was set not in Salem 1692 but in 2020, and all of the characters' clothing reflected this, with modern dresses, shirts, and suits; Mary Warren even has a backpack. The production clearly aimed to drive home the point that The Crucible and the events of the Salem Witch Trials maintain relevance in our contemporary world. The scene that most effectively conveyed this was the forest scene between Abigail Williams and John Proctor that Miller added at the end of act 2 after the play's premiere. In this Queens College version, Abigail and John sat at opposite ends of a table and actually FaceTimed each other, a clever contemporary alternative to what was originally intended to be an in-person and secret conversation.The production featured student actors of all skill levels and ages, but it was some of the younger and (according to the short bios in the Playbill) less experienced performers who struck me the most. The incredible interpretation of Abigail Williams by freshman Soraya Mahieddine absolutely chilled me. Her malice did not seem to be that of a young woman scorned by an older man whom she loved—as she can be played. The glint of insanity in her eye and her wily disposition told another story—that of a girl driven over the edge by a society that had been hell-bent on keeping young girls silent and compliant. Mahieddine's performance gave the impression that this madness was present far before she became drunk with the power that her accusations afforded her.The best performance in the show, though closely followed by others, was undoubtedly David Arroyo's interpretation of Deputy-Governor Danforth. He gave the impression of a professional actor with the carefully measured delivery of his lines. While other characters rushed through the dialogue, Arroyo was slow and deliberate, spitting venom in every word and using power when he felt that power must be used. I expected a bit more, though, from the character of John Proctor, played by theater major Kuan Hao Huang. His performance was rife with vigor, but the effect was minimized when he stumbled on and swallowed several of his lines. The weight of Proctor's struggle as he grapples with the implications of what he must do to clear his own name was sadly lost in this portrayal.However, Huang's performance was elevated by other powerful actors, especially those depicting Elizabeth Proctor and Mary Warren. Maria Stathopoulos, a senior studying political science at Queens, gave a haunting performance as Mary Warren. Short in stature, she could have easily been engulfed by the strength of the other characters around her—yet her giant display of Mary's inner turmoil and external torment by the other girls was impossible to ignore. Elizabeth Proctor, played by Michelle Osojnak, was the picture of a woman closed off to a husband she loved but who had been unfaithful to her. Her body language displayed a powerful internal struggle and her diction revealed her wavering emotions between condemning and forgiving him.The modern relevance of the hysteria of the witch hunt was very dramatic during the court scenes. The actors barred off the front rows with wooden racks to make us feel as if we were full witnesses, or even part of a silent but observant contemporary jury that was duly responsible for judging this kind of social hysteria that apparently spans centuries. All in all, I was deeply satisfied that my first live performance of The Crucible drew me so fully into the world of Salem.

Implementation of Competency-Based Medical Education in a Canadian Medical Oncology Training Program: a First Year Retrospective Review.

As part of a university-wide initiative, competency-based medical education (CBME) was implemented in the Medical Oncology training program at Queen's University in July 2017. Stages, entrustable professional activities (EPAs), and required training experiences established by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) national subspecialty committee were adopted. Entrada (Elentra), the electronic portfolio developed at Queen's University, was used for assessment collection. Between July 2017 and December 2018, participating faculty members completed 157 assessments. Eighty-nine percent were EPA assessments with a median of 16 assessments per faculty member (range 1-40). Ninety-five percent of assessments included written "Comments" or "Next steps" with 56% of all assessments including specific or actionable feedback. Discussions between the program director, residents, program administrator, CBME education consultant, and CBME lead led to the identification of 9 lessons learned during implementation. These centered on (1) faculty and resident development and engagement; (2) sharing the work of CBME; (3) collaboration and communication; (4) global assessment; (5) assessment plan challenges; (6) burden of CBME; (7) limitations of e-portfolio; (8) importance of early tracking of resident progress; and (9) culture change. This article describes the experience of the authors and considers strategies that may be helpful to programs implementing CBME in their teaching and learning environment.

Why are smart cities proving to be so hard to deliver?

Why are smart cities proving to be so hard to deliver?

2020 FASEB Science Research Conference on Microbial Glycobiology, July 13-14, 2020.

2020 FASEB Science Research Conference on Microbial Glycobiology, July 13-14, 2020.