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Reforming Self-Declaration Property Tax Systems: Illustrations from Rwanda
Full text linkA subset of countries in Africa – such as Rwanda – operate a self-declaration property tax system, under which property owners are obligated to declare their properties and values on an annual basis. While this approach can reduce the government’s administrative burden, it can lead to revenue underperformance and inequity, as many taxpayers either fail to declare or under-declare property values. To help address these challenges, governments can either: (1) strengthen the self-declaration system, through more frequent audits, or the construction of a comparative dataset of property values using computer-assisted mass appraisal (CAMA); or (2) transition towards an administrative assessment system where the government is responsible for identifying and valuing all properties for tax purposes. Each avenue for reform carries different advantages and disadvantages in terms of cost, accuracy, and complexity. The policy option ultimately pursued should reflect the government's political will and financial resources
Metastatic Uveal Melanoma Surveillance: A Delphi Panel Consensus
Full text linkBackground/Objectives: Uveal melanoma is a rare but aggressive intraocular malignancy that metastasizes in up to half of patients, most commonly to the liver, despite effective local treatment. In the absence of robust evidence, there are no standardized guidelines for post-treatment surveillance, resulting in wide variation in imaging modalities, frequency, and duration across physicians and institutions. This study aimed to develop expert consensus recommendations for surveillance strategies in patients with uveal melanoma. Methods: A modified Delphi method was conducted across three iterative survey rounds between September 2024 and February 2025 using an online platform. Panelists included medical oncologists, ocular oncologists, radiologists, and surgical oncologists from North America. A multidisciplinary steering committee developed statements addressing risk-based surveillance using both molecular and clinical prognostic factors, including gene expression profiling (GEP) and PRAME status. Consensus was defined a priori as ≥70% of panelists rating a statement 7–9 on a 9-point Likert scale. Results: Forty-nine experts were invited, and 41 completed at least one survey round. The panel represented 17 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and two Canadian provinces. Twelve statements reached stable consensus, including recommendations for imaging modality, frequency, and duration in intermediate- and high-risk patients. Although there was agreement that low-risk patients warrant surveillance, no consensus was reached on the optimal approach for this group. Conclusions: This is the first study to provide consensus-based guidance incorporating GEP and PRAME status into surveillance recommendations for uveal melanoma, offering a standardized framework to guide clinical practice and future research
Systemic Treatments Impact Bone Quality in a Preclinical Model of Mixed Femoral Metastases
No full textThis version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10439-025-03967-w
Use of this Accepted Version is subject to the publisher’s Accepted Manuscript terms of use https://www.springernature.com/gp/open-research/policies/accepted-manuscript-termsSkeletal metastases disrupt bone remodeling, compromising mechanical integrity and increasing fracture risk. Cancer therapies can further influence bone quality. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of systemic cancer therapies (docetaxel (DTX) and zoledronic acid (ZA)) on bone quality in a preclinical model of mixed femoral metastases. Mixed metastases were induced in 5-6-week-old athymic male rats via intracardiac injection of luciferase-transfected ACE-1 canine prostate cancer cells (day 0). Healthy and inoculated rats were randomly assigned to receive no treatment, DTX (5 mg/kg), or ZA (60 μg/kg) on day 10. Tumor development was confirmed with bioluminescence imaging (day 14 and 21). Animals were euthanized on day 21. Bilateral femora were excised and underwent μCT scanning. Trabecular bone in the left femora was segmented for microstructural analysis. The left distal femora were then cut to 1 cm length and stained with barium sulfate for high-resolution μCT imaging to assess microdamage. The cut femora were then loaded to failure under axial compression. The right femora were processed for histology to evaluate bone histoarchitecture and verify tumor presence. DTX, despite lower bone mineral density, bone volume fraction, and trabecular number, showed reduced microdamage accumulation and improved load to failure in inoculated animals. ZA improved microstructural parameters, reduced damage volume fraction, and enhanced load to failure compared to inoculated untreated animals. These findings highlight the differential impact of cancer therapies on the quality of healthy and metastatic bone. Understanding these effects is essential for optimizing treatment strategies and minimizing skeletal complications secondary to skeletal metastases
Industrial amine blends enable efficient CO electrosynthesis in reactive capture
Full text linkReactive capture of CO2 (RCC) integrates CO2 capture and electrochemical conversion into carbon monoxide (CO), avoiding the energy-intensive CO2 regeneration required in conventional CO2 electrolysis. While single-component amines have been used in prior RCC systems, they suffer from limited CO energy efficiency (<15%) due to sluggish CO2 release. In contrast, the norm in industrial CO2 capture is to blend amines for a favorable combination of absorption rate, CO2 loading capacity, and release energetics. Here, we explore whether blending amines could likewise benefit reactive capture. Using aqueous blends of monoethanolamine (MEA) and methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), we find a strong correlation between bicarbonate concentration in the post-capture solution and CO faradaic efficiency (FE). However, under industrial absorption conditions, the blend with the highest bicarbonate content did not always yield the best CO FE: although MDEA increased bicarbonate concentrations, it also increased the viscosity, hindering CO2 mass transport and increasing cell resistance. These competing effects highlight that, for efficient RCC, the composition must balance CO2 absorption kinetics and capacity for capture, as well as CO2 availability and transport properties for conversion. Screening the performance of binary and commercial amine blends, we find a CO energy efficiency (EE) of 31% at 50 mA cm−2—a 2.4-fold improvement over single-amine systems.We gratefully acknowledge support from Shell Global Solutions International B.V., the Canada Research Chairs Program (CRC-2021-00316), and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) through the Alliance Program and the Discovery Program, as well as Gaussian Inc., Compute Ontario (https://www.computeontario.ca) and the Digital Research Alliance of Canada (https://www.alliancecan.ca). S. S. S. thanks the Government of Ontario for their support through graduate scholarships. Y. C. X. thanks NSERC and Hatch for their support through graduate scholarships
Evaluation of Opioid Prescribing and Use After Discharge in Colorectal Surgery Patients
No full textPharmacy residents have the opportunity to complete a research project during their residency training, which provides them with skills on how to conduct and manage a research project. Projects often represent an area of interest and need that has been recognized by the host institution’s pharmacy department. Projects are presented as a poster at an annual CSHP Ontario Branch Residency Research Night, and many eventually go on to be published in a peer-reviewed journal.Background:
Prescription opioids contribute to the opioid crisis and surgery often initiates opioid exposure. There is limited patient-reported data on postoperative opioid use in colorectal surgery. The “Home to Stay” mobile app was previously developed to support our colorectal surgery patients after discharge and contains questions about their recovery, including opioid use. We sought to evaluate opioid prescribing and use based on prospectively collected data via the app.
Methods:
We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult colorectal surgery patients who were prescribed opioids on discharge and received the Home to Stay mobile app from inception to December 2024. Opioid related data were collected from the mobile app. Patient demographic and clinical information, including opioid discharge prescriptions, were obtained from the electronic medical record. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
Results:
Fifty-five patients were analyzed (median age 41 [IQR 32;55], 54.5% male). Twenty-four hour usage data was reported on an average of 13.8% of days during the reporting period. The most common surgery was ileocolic resection (18.2%), and most had a laparoscopic approach (65.5%). The median hospital length of stay was 5 days [IQR 4;8]. Most patients were prescribed hydromorphone (85.5%). Median hydromorphone milligram equivalents (HME) per prescription was 10 [IQR 10;22] and median HME used per prescription was 0.75 [IQR 0;6.5]. 65.9% of patients reported having remaining tablets. One patient (3.7%) reported disposal of unused opioids.
Conclusion:
In this cohort of colorectal surgery patients, the quantity of opioids prescribed was considerably higher than the patient-reported quantity used. While this study was limited by its sample size, it provides prospective data about opioid use following colorectal surgery and suggests that opioids continue to be overprescribed, and patient-reported safe disposal was low
Invasive Plant Abundance and Spatial Distribution in an Urban Ravine: Vegetation Trends and Management Implications in G. Ross Lord Park, Toronto
No full textUrban ravines in Toronto support urban biodiversity and provide essential ecological and recreational services, but are under ongoing threat from non-native invasive plants (NNIPs). This study provides a localized assessment of invasive species abundance and spatial patterns within a 13.8-ha section of G. Ross Lord Park, where Sanofi conducts ongoing stewardship initiatives. Using 30 Vegetation Sampling Protocol (VSP) plots and a 25 × 25 m presence grid, invasive species were identified, ranked using SER Ontario categories, and analyzed with conditional means, Importance Value Index (IVI), Moran’s I, and Getis-Ord Gi* hotspot mapping. Eight top-priority (Category 1) species were identified as the highest management concern in the woodland areas of the study area. Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) was the most widespread and abundant invasive, with significant hotspots of Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), Norway maple (Acer platanoides), and Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea). Other priority invasives included European euonymus (Euonymus europaeus), Dog-strangling vine (Cynanchum rossicum) and non-native honeysuckles; Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicara tatarica) and Morrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii). Findings from this study provide site-specific guidance for invasive plant management and support ongoing stewardship efforts towards ecological restoration within the park
Regional Economic Assessment of Forest Bioenergy Production Plants as An Alternative to Pulp and Paper Mills
Full text linkThis paper studied the economic potential of converting traditional pulp and paper mills into forest bioenergy plants in northern Ontario, using two Forest Management Units (FMUs) as case studies. Biomass availability, energy generation capacity, and economic performance were assessed by integrating forest harvest data, biomass conversion rates, and provincial input–output (IO) multipliers. Five conversion scenarios were examined, ranging from 100 percent pulp production to 100 percent bioenergy production. Results show that the bioenergy pathway generally generates higher GDP, labor income, and employment compared with the conventional pulp and paper pathway. Kenogami shows consistently greater economic benefits than Lakehead. Overall, the findings suggest that bioenergy development represents a viable economic alternative in biomass-rich regions, while mixed production strategies may be more appropriate in biomass-limited areas. These results provide quantitative evidence to support regionally differentiated bioenergy policy, investment planning, and forest sector transformation strategies in Ontario
Managing Plant Invasion for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Resilience in Toronto's Ravines: A Preliminary Study Assessing Insects Associated with Non-native Purple Loosestrife
Full text linkPurple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is a non-native wetland plant that forms dense stands in Toronto’s ravines. It can reduce native plant diversity but also provides habitat and food for insects, including introduced biological control agents. This preliminary study examined insects associated with L. salicaria at Todmorden Mills and explored how management of this plant might affect urban biodiversity and ecosystem resilience. From 13th June to 5th August 2025, I carried out weekly 30-minute timed surveys on two purple loosestrife patches along fixed transects. All insects found on stems, leaves, and inflorescences were recorded and photographed, and biocontrol beetles and weevils were collected for identification. Insects were grouped as biocontrol agents, herbivores, or pollinators, and Shannon diversity indices were calculated for all species, native species, and potential native herbivores over time.
In total, 51 insect morpho-species from 22 families and 7 orders were recorded on L. salicaria, including the biocontrol agents Galerucella spp. and Nanophyes marmoratus. Native herbivore diversity peaked in late June and early July, while bees such as Bombus impatiens, Ceratina sp., Apis mellifera, and Agapostemon sp. became more common after purple loosestrife began flowering in mid-July. Overall insect diversity increased again in late July when pollinators were included, but diversity of native herbivores alone stayed lower and recovered only slightly by early August. Field observations of larvae, adults, and feeding damage confirmed that Galerucella spp. and N. marmoratus are established and reproducing at Todmorden Mills, but their impact is not sufficient to prevent purple loosestrife from forming dense stands.
These results suggest that managers should remove L. salicaria carefully and at the right time, so that insect communities and biocontrol agents are maintained while native plants are restored. Recommended practices include cutting rather than pulling to reduce soil disturbance, timing removal for early autumn after most insect development is complete but before seed dispersal, and planting native wetland species with similar flowering periods (such as Verbena hastata, Pontederia cordata, Spiraea alba, Lobelia cardinalis, and Lobelia siphilitica). This approach may help shift L. salicaria-dominated areas toward more diverse native plant communities while keeping nectar and habitat resources for insects in Toronto’s urban ravines
Characteristics and Modeling of Agricultural Non-Point Source Pollution in Arid and Semi-Arid Irrigation Areas: A Review
Full text linkArid and semi-arid irrigated areas (ASAIAs) face a complex interplay of water scarcity and agricultural pollution, making accurate non-point source pollution (NPS) modeling and model selection particularly challenging. This review comprehensively evaluates 22 widely used mechanistic and empirical models for their applicability in simulating NPS pollution processes under the unique environmental and anthropogenic conditions of ASAIAs. The review reveals that intensive human intervention fundamentally transforms the hydrological processes in ASAIAs, shifting the modeling paradigm from a “natural precipitation-runoff” pattern to an “artificial water network” pattern that encompasses the entire sequence from water sources - canal systems - croplands - drainage systems - receiving water bodies. This transformed process is further influenced by the extreme boundary conditions characteristic of ASAIAs, particularly the wet-dry cycles driven by intermittent rainfall and high evaporation. While mechanistic models offer strengths in detailed process description, they exhibit significant limitations in capturing irrigation-dominated hydrological processes, salinity dynamics, and engineered drainage systems; mechanistic models such as APEX, PRMS, and SWAT have shown relatively better performance in ASAIAs. In contrast, empirical models are computationally efficient but often oversimplify nonlinear pollution transport processes and fail to adequately represent complex water-soil-plant interactions under extreme climatic variability; empirical models such as AN-Footprint, ECM, and WEC have shown relatively better performance in ASAIAs. In future, model development and refinement should prioritize addressing the extreme boundary conditions in ASAIAs, including natural features such as intermittent rainfall, high evaporation, and flat topography, as well as management-induced dry-wet cycles resulting from irrigation and salt leaching practices. The review proposes mechanistic and empirical model selection tables to guide researchers in choosing context-appropriate tools, thereby reducing model misuse and improving simulation accuracy. These insights contribute to the advancement of NPS pollution modeling and support sustainable water quality management in water-limited agricultural regions.The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the pdf file of the accepted manuscript may differ slightly from what is displayed on the item page. The information in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript reflects the original submission by the author
GPU-native adaptive mesh refinement with application to lattice Boltzmann simulations
No full textAdaptive Mesh Rfinement
(AMR) enables efficient computation of flows by providing high resolution in critical
regions while allowing for coarsening in areas where fine detail is unnecessary. While early AMR software
packages relied solely on CPU parallelization, the widespread adoption of heterogeneous computing systems
has led to GPU-accelerated implementations. In these hybrid approaches, simulation data typically resides on the
GPU, and mesh management and adaptation occur exclusively on the CPU, necessitating frequent data transfers
between them. A more efficient strategy is to adapt and maintain the entire mesh structure exclusively on the
GPU, eliminating these transfers. Because of its inherent parallelism, the Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) has
been widely implemented in hybrid AMR frameworks. This work presents a GPU-native algorithm for AMR
using a block-based forest of octrees approach, implemented in both two and three dimensions as open-source
C+ + / CUDA code. The implementation includes a Lattice Boltzmann solver for weakly compressible flow, though
the underlying grid refinement procedure is compatible with any solver operating on cell-centered block-based
grids. The lid-driven cavity and flow past a square cylinder benchmarks validate the algorithm’s effectiveness
across multiple velocity sets in both single- and double-precision. Tests conducted on consumer and datacentergrade
GPUs demonstrate its versatility across different hardware platforms.
Link to repository: https://github.com/KhodrJ/AGAL.The authors gratefully acknowledge support from the Natural Sciences
and Engineering Research Council of Canada (RGPIN-202203071,
RGPIN-2023-04767), Canadian Microelectronics Corporation
(20254146), and the Digital Research Alliance of Canada (4752). Open
access fees were generously supported by the University of Toronto Libraries
and the Canadian Knowledge Research Network