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Position statement on artificial intelligence (AI) use in evidence synthesis across Cochrane, the Campbell Collaboration, JBI and the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence 2025
No full textKey messages 1. Evidence synthesists are ultimately responsible for their evidence synthesis, including the decision to use artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, and to ensure adherence to legal and ethical standards. 2. Cochrane, the Campbell Collaboration, JBI and the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence support the aims of the Responsible use of AI in evidence SynthEsis (RAISE) recommendations, which provides a framework for ensuring responsible use of AI and automation across all roles within the evidence synthesis ecosystem. 3. Evidence synthesists developing and publishing syntheses with Cochrane, the Campbell Collaboration, JBI and the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence can use AI and automation as long as they can demonstrate that it will not compromise the methodological rigour or integrity of their synthesis. 4. AI and automation in evidence synthesis should be used with human oversight. 5. Any use of AI or automation that makes or suggests judgements should be fully and transparently reported in the evidence synthesis report. 6. AI tool developers should proactively ensure their AI systems or tools adhere to the RAISE recommendations so we have clear, transparent and publicly available information to inform decisions about whether an AI system or tool could and should be used in evidence synthesis
Discrimination, Mental Health, Help Seeking and Service Utilization Among Black Students in Ontario Schools
No full textIn the present study, I investigated the association between discrimination and the mental health of Black Ontario students in Grades 4 to 12 and explored Black students' use of school-based mental health support and its potential moderating effects. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 646 Black students (mean age = 12.51, SD = 2.34; 52.1% girls, 47.9% boys) drawn from the Health and Peer Relations Study. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, correlations, chi-square tests, and regression analyses. Gender, grade level, and mental health support were examined as moderators of the association between discrimination and mental health outcomes. Results indicated that discrimination was significantly associated with poorer mental health. Girls reported higher scores for emotional problems (70.7%) than boys (29.3%). Despite these challenges, only 16.0 % of Black students reported interest in consulting a school mental health professional in the past year. The most frequently accessed source of support was friends of the same age (girls: 22.3%, boys: 19.4%). Discussing emotional problems was linked to better mental health. These association between discrimination and Black students' mental health highlights an urgent need for culturally responsive, accessible mental health services in schools in Ontario. Policies should address both discrimination and low help-seeking behaviour, particularly among those facing chronic discrimination
Image-guided biopsy of breast lesions—when to use what biopsy technique: the United States and Canadian perspective
No full textExploring parenthood intentions and perceptions of infertility and assisted reproductive technology among 2SLGBTQIA + young adults in Ontario, Canada: a mixed methods study
No full textAbstract Background As Generation Z two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/trans, queer, intersex, asexual and others who identify as part of sexual and gender diverse communities (2SLGBTQIA +) enter adulthood, contemplation of family creation may be challenged by biological and/or social infertility. Despite some advances in societal acceptance of gender and sexual minorities, family planning and reproductive healthcare remain heteronormative. To explore reproductive decision-making and how future families are conceptualized across genders, we evaluated perceptions of Ontario, Canada non-parenting, 2SLGBTQIA + emerging adults. Methods An online survey, designed as mixed-methods with sex-and-gender-based analysis (SGBA +), was used to recruit childless, post-secondary students, aged 18–30 years, in May–October 2022. Survey questions were analyzed by descriptive statistics across gender groups. Open-text responses were analyzed by thematic and content analysis. Results Parenthood intentions, conceptualizations of future family and perceptions of ART were described by 286 2SLGBTQIA + individuals, who were primarily Caucasian, cis women (69.2%), identified as bisexual-pansexual (66.4%), and belonged to Generation Z (85%). Only 33.9% of the sample definitively wanted children, with 33.6% unsure, and 32.5% preferring to remain childless. Themes describing participants’ future family visions included: (i) committed partners are family, (ii) family includes children (subtheme: adoption/fostering as options for family creation), (iii) family values include love and acceptance, (iv) chosen families, and (v) families can be childfree. ART was acceptable in the event of future infertility, with two major themes used to describe perceived barriers to ART: (i) treatment is expensive; and (ii) I may face discrimination due to my gender identity/sexual orientation. Trans men were significantly more worried about healthcare access to have a biological child (86.7%; χ2(3):16.805 p < .001) than other genders. Conclusions 2SLGBTQIA + respondents expanded the rigid, heteronormative nuclear family model to envision families comprised of partners, biological and adoptive/foster children, friends and chosen family. Participants across genders recognized systemic 2SLGBTQIA + discrimination, with transgender/trans respondents particularly concerned about barriers to reproductive healthcare. A better understanding of reproductive decision-making by 2SLGBTQIA + individuals can contribute to more equitable and inclusive ART healthcare
How Therapists-in-Training Experience and Manage Their Therapy-Related Self-Doubts: A Thematic Analysis
No full textOne of the key elements of effective counselling is the mental health of the counsellor.Research has shown that the efficacy of counselling is diminished if the therapist presentsanxiety in their role or lacks confidence in their mastery of counselling skills (Lambert, 1989;Royse-Roskowski, 2010; Tsai, 2015). Therapist factors also contribute to approximately 9% ofthe outcome variance (cf. Wampold & Imel, 2015), which is higher than the variance attributedto the actual treatment used. Therapist feelings of incompetence (FOI) or self-doubt have beenidentified as a potential factor that may impact the therapeutic outcome (Theriault & Gazzola,2009, 2010). Yet, the experience of self-doubt from the therapist-in-training perspectiverequires further investigation. This stage of development is characterized as one that presentsmany challenges through its exposure to novel experiences and changes in identity(Morrissette, 1996; Rønnestad & Skovholt, 2003). In researching self-doubt from theirperspective, I am aiming to reduce its potential negative impacts on client welfare, as well as tobetter support budding therapists and their development. Three research questions haveguided my research: (1) What are the sources of self-doubt in therapists-in-training? (2) How isself-doubt experienced both before, during, and after sessions with clients? And (3) How dotherapists-in-training cope with self-doubt? Using inductive qualitative research methodology,8 therapists-in-training in Ontario participated in semi-structured, 60–75-minute interviews todiscuss their experience of self-doubt. The data was analyzed using Braun and Clark’s (2006,2012) six-step thematic analysis to uncover themes shared by participants to contribute to thecurrent body of literature on the topic. The findings from research question (1) yielded thecreation of 5 main themes and 16 sub-themes and are located within the fourth chapter of thecurrent thesis, which consists of a manuscript prepared to be submitted for publication. Thefindings from research question (2) led to the emergence of 3 main themes and 8 sub-themesand are found within chapter five, along with the findings from research question (3), which ledto the development of 4 main themes and 12 sub-themes
Vers une approche décoloniale de la culture de la pêche à Fort La Pointe de Jérémie en Haïti
No full textCette thèse de maîtrise s'intéresse à la pratique de la pêche à Fort La Pointe de Jérémie dans le contexte de sa rénovation. Cette localité, qui tire son nom des vestiges du fort qu'il abrite, est une petite baie qui se trouve dans la ville de Jérémie. Adoptant une approche théorique décoloniale, elle propose de comprendre comment et par quel processus les populations locales problématisent leur manière d'habiter cette fortification, un lieu pourtant considéré comme abandonné par le discours dominant. Les données de cette étude sont basées sur une ethnographie que j'ai réalisée lors d'un séjour de terrain au Fort. Grâce à une analyse par la méthode de la théorisation ancrée des données d'observation, d'entretien et de documentation, j'ai révélé que la pêche est le pain quotidien et une marque de survie pour les habitants. C'est une pratique culturelle opprimée dans cette fortification qui est devenue une trace-mémoires. Elle évolue dans un contexte d'invisibilisation et d'infériorisation entretenu par les travaux de rénovation/réhabilitation qui visent pourtant à revaloriser le quartier et le Fort. L'intérêt de cette recherche est d'explorer un processus concret d'appropriation et d'investissement des vestiges du passé colonial par la population locale
Investigating the trustworthiness of research evidence used to inform public health policy: a qualitative interview study on the use of predatory journal citations in policy documents
No full textAbstract Evidence-based policymaking has increased policymakers’ capacity to make scientifically informed health policy decisions. However, reaping the benefits of this approach requires avoiding untrustworthy research – potential sources of which are predatory journals. In this study, we sought to understand how research cited in policy documents is sourced and evaluated, and identify factors that may be contributing to the citation of predatory journals or other less trustworthy evidence. To this end, we conducted semi-structured interviews with individuals who have prepared public health policy documents. These interviews were thematically analysed, and five key overarching themes were generated regarding the process of deciding how to develop policy documents (e.g. which individuals to involve) and how this may impact which information is included; obstacles such as limited evidence that may hinder policy document development; and concerns around transparency throughout the development process. Our findings highlight that in many cases, information cited in policy documents is sourced and evaluated with variable rigour. This may contribute to the citation of untrustworthy research in policy documents. Certain steps can be taken to help minimize any potential negative impact of relying on such sources (e.g. improving transparency), but a better understanding of policymakers’ perspectives regarding how taking these steps would impact their decision-making process may be required to ensure successful implementation
Stationarity of the Optimal Enforcement Contract in the Complete Information Case
No full textThis paper examines the stationarity of optimal contracts in infinitely repeated principal–agent relationships under complete information and enforcement constraints. We demonstrate that stationarity emerges as a robust feature of optimal contracts when agent types and actions are fully observable, and contract enforcement is supported by both public remedies and private termination threats. Under complete information, the trade-offs between enforcement costs and relational value become significantly simplified, resulting in stationary outcomes even when enforcement constraints are binding. These findings offer insights into contract design in environments where non-stationary profiles are either impractical or prohibitively costly
Cell-free expression system: a promising platform for bacteriophage production and engineering
No full textAbstract Cell-free expression is a technique used to synthesize proteins without utilising living cells. This technique relies mainly on the cellular machinery —ribosomes, enzymes, and other components — extracted from cells to produce proteins in vitro. Thus far, cell-free expression systems have been used for an array of biologically important purposes, such as studying protein functions and interactions, designing synthetic pathways, and producing novel proteins and enzymes. In this review article, we aim to provide bacteriophage (phage) researchers with an understanding of the cell-free expression process and the potential it holds to accelerate phage production and engineering for phage therapy and other applications. Throughout the review, we summarize the system’s main steps and components, both generally and particularly for the self-assembly and engineering of phages and discuss their potential optimization for better protein and phage production. Cell-free expression systems have the potential to serve as a platform for the biosynthetic production of personalized phage therapeutics. This is an area of in vitro biosynthesis that is becoming increasingly attractive, given the current high interest in phages and their promising potential role in the fight against antimicrobial resistant infections
Becoming Nonreligious in a Contemporary Muslim Majority Context: Exploring the Religion to Nonreligion Transition Among Young Adults in Türki̇ye
No full textThis dissertation investigates how transformations occur from religious to nonreligious identities, practices, and lifestyles among young adults from Turkish Muslim families. It primarily focuses on the life trajectories of young adults raised in Muslim families within Türkiye's Muslim-majority context. The study addresses several sub-questions, including the meaning and manifestation of nonreligious life in a predominantly Muslim environment, the origins, turning points, and factors influencing disengagement from religion, the role of (non)religious socialization in shaping the shift toward nonreligion, and the differences in attitudes and perceptions toward religion, religiosity, and the social environment between religious and nonreligious individuals. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, drawing on 38 semi-structured, in-depth interviews conducted between July 2022 and October 2023 in seven major cities - each representing the most populous city in its respective region of Türkiye (Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Van, Samsun, Gaziantep, and Antalya) - as well as an online survey administered between November 2023 and March 2024 (N = 531).
The dissertation's core contributions focus on four primary observations: a) the classification of religious socialization pathways, b) the identification of key push-and-pull factors in religious exits, c) the conceptualization of "hard" and "easy" exits from religiosity and d) the provision of quantitative data that contextualizes the qualitative findings. The life trajectory interviews reveal a range of push-and-pull factors influencing the move away from religion, including perceived injustice, religious pressure, hypocrisy, doubts about textual authenticity, and epistemic skepticism. Significant pull factors are the formation of new social circles, alternative lifestyles, and rationalist worldviews. This study argues that varied forms of (non)religious socialization - observant, moderate, fuzzy, nonreligious, and adverse - shape transition patterns to nonreligion in Türkiye's Muslim-majority context. Based on these socialization categories, it is argued that early childhood experiences of observant and moderate religious socialization tend to produce "hard exits" from religion due to systematic, structured religious upbringing. In contrast, fuzzy and nonreligious socialization more often facilitate gradual, less conflict-ridden pathways out of religiosity