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Portfolio selection: from under-diversification to concentration
No full textThe two opposing investment strategies, diversification and concentration, have often been directly compared. While there is much less dispute regarding Markowitz’s approach as the benchmark for diversification, the precise meaning of concentration in portfolio selection remains unclear. This paper offers a novel definition of concentration, along with an extreme value theory-based estimator for its implementation. When overlaying the performances derived from diversification (in Markowitz’s sense) and concentration (in our definition), we find an implied risk threshold, at which the two polar investment strategies reconcile—diversification has a higher expected return in situations where risk is below the threshold, while concentration becomes the preferred strategy when the risk exceeds the threshold. Different from the conventional concave shape, the estimated frontier resembles the shape of a seagull, which is piecewise concave. Further, taking the equity premium puzzle as an example, we demonstrate how the family of frontiers nested inbetween the estimated curves can provide new perspectives for research involving market portfolios
Indigenous Knowledge and Role of Indigenous Advisor: Teaching and Learning Centre and Faculties across UPEI Campus
No full textHigh-throughput functional annotation of natural products by integrated activity profiling
No full textDetermining mechanism of action (MOA) is one of the biggest challenges in natural products discovery. Here, we report a comprehensive platform that uses Similarity Network Fusion (SNF) to improve MOA predictions by integrating data from the cytological profiling high-content imaging platform and the gene expression platform Functional Signature Ontology, and pairs these data with untargeted metabolomics analysis for de novo bioactive compound discovery. The predictive value of the integrative approach was assessed using a library of target-annotated small molecules as benchmarks. Using Kolmogorov–Smirnov (KS) tests to compare in-class to out-of-class similarity, we found that SNF retains the ability to identify significant in-class similarity across a diverse set of target classes, and could find target classes not detectable in either platform alone. This confirmed that integration of expression-based and image-based phenotypes can accurately report on MOA. Furthermore, we integrated untargeted metabolomics of complex natural product fractions with the SNF network to map biological signatures to specific metabolites. Three examples are presented where SNF coupled with metabolomics was used to directly functionally characterize natural products and accelerate identification of bioactive metabolites, including the discovery of the azoxy-containing biaryl compounds parkamycins A and B. Our results support SNF integration of multiple phenotypic screening approaches along with untargeted metabolomics as a powerful approach for advancing natural products drug discovery
Transatlantic spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 by wild birds from Europe to North America in 2021
No full textHighly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses of the A/Goose/Guangdong/1/1996 lineage (GsGd), which threaten the health of poultry, wildlife and humans, are spreading across Asia, Europe, Africa and North America but are currently absent from South America and Oceania. In December 2021, H5N1 HPAI viruses were detected in poultry and a free-living gull in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Our phylogenetic analysis showed that these viruses were most closely related to HPAI GsGd viruses circulating in northwestern Europe in spring 2021. Our analysis of wild bird migration suggested that these viruses may have been carried across the Atlantic via Iceland, Greenland/Arctic or pelagic routes. The here documented incursion of HPAI GsGd viruses into North America raises concern for further virus spread across the Americas by wild bird migration.Horizon 2020 Framework Programme DeltafluHorizon 2020 Framework Programme VEOGerman Federal Ministry of Education and Research ‘PREPMEDVET’UK Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)devolved Scottish and Welsh governmentsEmergency Funding of the Canadian Food Inspection and Environment and Climate Change Canada to YBFederal funds from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNational Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Service
Evaluation of ion mobility spectrometry for improving constitutional assignment in natural product mixtures
No full textThe comprehensive chemical characterization of biological samples remains a central challenge in the field of natural products. Conventional workflows using liquid chromatography (LC)-coupled high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS or MS2) allow the detection of relevant small molecules while providing diagnostic fragment ions for their structural assignment. Still, many natural product extracts are of a molecular complexity that challenges the resolving power of modern LC–MS2 pipelines. In this study, we examined the effect of integrating ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) to our LC–MS2 platform for the characterization of natural product mixtures. IMS provides an additional axis of separation in the gas phase as well as experimental collision cross-sectional (CCS) values. We analyzed a mixture of 20 commercial standards at 2 concentration ranges, either solubilized in solvent or spiked into an actinobacterial extract. Data were acquired in positive ion mode using both data-dependent acquisition (DDA) and data-independent acquisition (DIA) MS2 fragmentation approaches and assessed for both chemical coverage and spectral quality. IMS-DIA identified the largest number of standards in the spiked extract at the lower concentration of standards (17), followed by IMS-DDA (10), DDA (8), and DIA (6). In addition, we examined how these data sets performed in the Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS) platform. Overall, integrating IMS increased both metabolite detection and the quality of MS2 spectra, particularly for samples analyzed in DIA mode
Letters to the editor
No full textCOVID-19 pandemic and veterinary telehealth
We would like to share ideas on the publication “Veterinarians’ perceptions of COVID-19 pandemic–related influences on veterinary telehealth and on pet owners’ attitudes toward cats and dogs.”1 Dubin et al concluded that telemedicine use increased during the COVID-19 outbreak, and there was a similar concern of pet owners for SARS-CoV-2 virus transmission from cats versus dogs.1 During the pandemic, telecare became a widely used tool. Availability of communication network and affordability of telecommunication are main concerns for telecare users.2 We agree with the usefulness of a telecare system, but its application in veterinary care might be limited, since a telecare session usually takes time and it might not be appropriate for service to a large group of recipients.3 In addition, users should have a good, safe communication apparatus. There is a report on increased seizure episodes among telecare users.4 Regarding the survey on the concerns of pet owners, the result might vary on the availability of health information regarding COVID-19. Pets as sources of infection have become a widely shared issue on social media. It is also necessary to provide correct updated information. It will be useful for controlling panic of pet owners and the problem of abandoned animals. During the pandemic, abandoned pets become a possible new problem and might affect the pattern of rabies epidemiology, which will become a public health problem.
Canadian Dairy Network for Antimicrobial Stewardship and Resistance (CaDNetASR): An on-farm surveillance system
No full textCanada has implemented on-farm antimicrobial resistance (AMR) surveillance systems for food-producing animals under the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance (CIPARS); however, dairy cattle have not been included in that program yet. The objective of this manuscript was to describe the development and implementation of the Canadian Dairy Network for Antimicrobial Stewardship and Resistance (CaDNetASR). An Expert Panel (EP) of researchers was created to lead the development of the dairy surveillance system. The EP initiated a draft document outlining the essential elements of the surveillance framework. This document was then circulated to a Steering Committee (SC), which provided recommendations used by the EP to finalize the framework. CaDNetASR has the following components: (1) a herd-level antimicrobial use quantification system; (2) annually administered risk factor questionnaires; and (3) methods for herd-level detection of AMR in three sentinel enteric pathogens (generic Escherichia coli, Campylobacter spp., and Salmonella spp.) recovered from pooled fecal samples collected from calves, heifers, cows, and the manure pit. A total of 144 dairy farms were recruited in five Canadian provinces (British-Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Québec, and Nova-Scotia), with the help of local herd veterinarians and regional field workers, and in September 2019, the surveillance system was launched. 97.1 and 94.4% of samples were positive for E. coli, 63.8, and 49.1% of samples were positive for Campylobacter spp., and 5.0 and 7.7% of samples were positive for Salmonella spp., in 2019 and 2020, respectively. E. coli was equally distributed among all sample types. However, it was more likely that Campylobacter spp. were recovered from heifer and cow samples. On the other hand, it was more common to isolate Salmonella spp. from the manure pit compared to samples from calves, heifers, or cows. CaDNetASR will continue sampling until 2022 after which time this system will be integrated into CIPARS. CaDNetASR will provide online access to farmers and veterinarians interested in visualizing benchmarking metrics regarding AMU practices and their relationship to AMR and animal health in dairy herds. This will provide an opportunity to enhance antimicrobial stewardship practices on dairy farms in Canada.Dairy Research Cluster 3 (Dairy Farmers of Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)Public Health Agency of Canad
Separatism and Jihadism: Interaction in the context of terrorist activity
No full textAccording to the well-known concept of consequential waves of terrorism, proposed by American researcher David C. Rapoport, since 1979, the world has encountered a wave of religious terrorism. Religiously motivated terrorists are the most dangerous and cruel terrorists who continue to lead the world. All four terrorist groups responsible for 55 per cent of total deaths in 2019 are jihadists (Global Terrorism Index 2020). The Taliban, Boko Haram, ISIL, and Al-Shabaab all fight for the establishment of their own quasi-state entities within the borders of existent sovereign states. This political objective associates the jihadists with another ideological movement – separatist-terrorists – in Rapoport’s model. Despite apparent distinctions in ideological foundations and political agendas, these two movements are similar in their struggle for self-determination within the borders of sovereign states. In this article, we use data from the Global Terrorism Database to compare how these two ideological movements with similar political objectives influence each other in the area of terrorist activity. Having analysed and reviewed information about 3,617 terrorist organisations that committed at least one terrorist attack from 1970 to 2018, we check how jihadist and separatist-terrorist activities were interrelated and how this interrelation manifested itself in different countries
Tasipimidine, a novel orally administered alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonist, alleviates canine acute anxiety associated with owner departure—A pilot study
No full textSeparation anxiety in dogs is a problematic behavior characterized by anxiety that occurs exclusively in the owner's absence or virtual absence, resulting in owner complaints of destructiveness, excessive vocalization, and elimination in the home. The consequences of separation anxiety may include that the owners surrender their dog to a shelter, or even have the dog euthanized. Adrenergic alpha-2 agonists have been shown to be effective in alleviating acute canine fear-based behavior problems at subsedative doses. In this study, the objective was to assess the efficacy of tasipimidine, a novel orally administered adrenergic alpha-2 agonist, in alleviating acute anxiety associated with owner departure in dogs. Twelve clinically healthy privately-owned dogs with a history of separation anxiety were enrolled in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover clinical field study consisting of three 4-day treatment periods in randomized order each followed by a 3-day washout. In each treatment period a different treatment was administered. The three treatments were: placebo, tasipidimine 10ug/kg and tasipidimine 30 ug/kg, all prepared as an oral solution using the same base. At each of the 4-day treatment period study treatment was administered once daily one hour before owner´s departure. Effects of treatment on signs of separation anxiety were assessed by the owner using video recordings. Owner departure related acute anxiety severity score, dog's alertness, usability of the product and adverse events were recorded. Overall, the results showed a statistically significant treatment effect favoring tasipimidine (P= 0.001). When the doses were separately compared to placebo, the dog owners rated the effect of the study treatment more often positively after administering tasipimidine 30 µg/kg compared to placebo (OR 5.40; 95% CI 1.15-25.2; P = 0.032). A statistically significant reduction with the 30 µg/kg dose was seen in destructive/rearranging behavior (P = 0.006) and vocalization (P = 0.036). Most of the dogs were scored to be fully responsive at all time points (66.7%) and able to stand up and walk normally (91.7%), and none of the dogs was scored to be unresponsive or unable to walk. No serious adverse events were reported. The majority of the owners found the product very easy (75.0%) or easy (15.7%) to use. This was a small, cross-over study with one target to select the clinically most suitable dose. Tasipimidine should be further studied in a larger parallel group study to further evaluate its effect as a treatment option for dogs suffering from separation anxiety.Orion Pharm
Design of a mobile crisis weather app for residents of Prince Edward Island
No full textExtreme weather events including natural disasters pose a growing risk to human individuals and populations worldwide. Crisis informatics, which studies flows of information during crises, has a considerable research gap regarding citizenry, and as a result very little is known about how crisis information is disseminated and propagated through the average citizen. Furthermore, citizen-focused crisis information literature specific to Canada is virtually nonexistent. In order to both understand and utilize this socioecological information, the computer science field interaction design was chosen to create the interface design for a mobile crisis app specific to Prince Edward Island, specifically for who are able to speak and read English though the backgrounds of newcomers are considered. After a full literature review this thesis incorporates the user-centred design cycle and semi-structured interviews to understand the current state of citizen preparation, response, and recovery to extreme weather events. The themes found in the interview study informed the design artifacts created in the analysis stage of the user-centred design process, where user stories were modeled to find the needs and goals of the user base and inform needed functionality, and personas were modeled to further represent the different groups within the target audience. Prototyping began with preliminary sketches modeled after the needed functionalities were drafted, from which scenario-based design was then used to design the majority of the low-fidelity prototype’s interface, where the scenario’s characters are the personas. Upon the completion of the sketch-based low-fidelity prototype, a medium-fidelity prototype was created using the online tool Figma, with minor changes between the designs. For the evaluation phase of the design process, a total of six tasks were chosen for a synchronous, remote, formative user evaluation in which ten participants found usability errors within the current iteration of the design and ranked those errors on a scale of severity. The design process returned to the prototyping phase to correct as many of the usability problems found in the evaluation as possible, prioritizing the most severe problems. The design of this interface and the steps therein contribute to the knowledge of disaster management and crisis informatics as it applies to the residents of Prince Edward Island, and further contributes
to the understanding of crisis informatics in mobile crisis apps and interface design more largely. Through the entire thesis a completion of one cycle of the user centred design process occurred, demonstrating how environmental problems and fields such as crisis informatics can be combined with other fields such as interaction design to create solutions for the ever-worsening problems created by climate change