Mount Saint Vincent University

Abstract Bankruptcy counselling and debtor education (which can now occur online) have been linked to recidivism rates. But there is little research on online service delivery related to credit counselling and little empirical evidence on the effectiveness of short‐duration, online bankruptcy modules or courses. This research commentary explores assumptions surrounding American and Canadian online bankruptcy education models with a focus on factors that might shape the effectiveness of online delivery and improve consumer self‐efficacy to reduce recidivism. After describing both models, the discussion turns to the effectiveness of online delivery models in general, bankrupts assuming responsibility for self‐directed learning, assumptions around both their readiness and motivation for e‐learning, e‐learning under stress, senior e‐learners, and assessing successful online learning. The intent is to stimulate future research on this under‐researched aspect of the insolvency phenomenon.

Arts-based research (ABR) includes research approaches that utilize creative arts, such as photo-taking and film, during various phases of the research process. The dominant paradigm informing ABR draws from features of participatory action research, supporting participants to become active in the research process, engaging critically with research questions. While dominant knowledge systems informing social research paradigms offer a foundation for ABR, they have not historically considered the value of Indigenous knowledge systems (IKS). IKS hold some of the oldest approaches to participatory education, though their benefit and merit has been undervalued and subjected to ongoing erasure. When researchers draw from the philosophical assumptions of IKS, they can expand the boundaries of ABR by incorporating the rigor, strength, and spiritual power of IKS. This integration ensures alignment of ABR with Indigenous worldviews and practices, including relationships that extend beyond humans to include animals, plants, and other beings. This article aims to challenge and demonstrate congruency with the dominant knowledge systems informing ABR, through the lens of an IKS.

Aerobically produced methane (CH4) from plants is influenced by several environmental factors, but wind velocity has yet to be investigated for its potential role in plant-derived CH4 emissions. We tested three wind velocities (0, 6, and 12 km h−1) on a wind-susceptible, Raphanus sativus (radish), and a wind-tolerant, Brassica oleracea var. sabellica (kale) plant species to investigate the effects of wind on plant-derived CH4, and to compare how varying tolerances to wind affect CH4 emissions. We found that wind exposure resulted in a decrease in leaf surface area, root and total dry mass, and an increase in leaf water potential for radish plants, while kale plants were affected minimally by wind. Radish plants emitted more CH4 than kale plants, although the effect of wind velocity on CH4 emissions and several of the measured traits was insignificant. Our study revealed that short-term exposure to lower wind velocities is generally insufficient to induce significant changes in plant growth and functioning. However, we showed that radish plants were more stressed by exposure to wind compared to kale plants, as indicated by lower plant growth and higher CH4 emissions.

Responsive feeding characterised by recognising and appropriately addressing children's hunger and satiety signals, plays a key role in health. Despite children's innate ability to self-regulate food intake, caregivers can override these cues, especially in child care settings. The study determined the effects of a 6-month coaching intervention on the responsive feeding environments of child care centres. CELEBRATE Feeding was a 6-month, coaching, pre-post intervention design conducted in eight child care centres across Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, Canada. Child care centres' feeding environments and educator practices were observed using a modified Environment and Policy Assessment and Observation tool at baseline and follow-up in two rooms per centre (n = 16). Twenty-one responsive feeding components were scored from 0-3 (3 as best practice). The average centre scores were summed for an overall score ranging from 0-63 at each time point. Paired samples t-tests and Wilcoxon signed rank tests were conducted to assess the impact of the intervention on overall rooms' and individual responsive feeding components' scores. There was an increase in scores from baseline (M = 38.16, SD = 6.55) to follow-up (M = 45.75, SD = 5.87), t (15) = 4.91, P < 0.001. All but one score improved, where 3 of the 21 scores were significantly more responsive after the intervention after applying a Bonferroni correction (P < 0.002). The score with the greatest positive change was 'Educators provide gentle comments or nudges towards feeding', with a mean difference of 1.33, P < 0.001. The CELEBRATE Feeding coaching intervention was successful in improving responsive feeding practices and environments in child care settings.

We present a three-dimensional model of the positions of 20 stars in the field of the Cepheid UMi (Polaris) – 18 main sequence stars (spectral types A0–G0 V), the K-giant HD 6319 (K2 III) and Polaris itself (F8 Ib) – which was created using the 3D calculator Desmos 3D, based on the calculated U, V and W components of the full velocity vector of the stars in the Galactic coordinate system. In this paper, stellar radial velocity estimates from Usenko et al. (2023) were used. Two versions of the U, V, and W components were calculated based on Gaia DR3 parallaxes and photometric parallaxes. The resulting 3D image showed that, in both scenarios, 15 main-sequence stars, a K-giant, and Polaris form a noticeable clamp, while three stars (HD 14718, HD 90162, and HD 11696) are located outside of it. HD 14718 and HD 90162 belong to the thick disk, while HD 11696 is a remnant of a possible open cluster in Polaris’s field. The K-giant HD 6319 is located inside the clamp and quite close to the Cepheid, and it is quite possible that this clamp is part of the main component of the probable open cluster Polaris, dissolved in the field of the Cepheid. Using a 3D calculator to construct a spatial image of stars may serve as a good tool for studying the structure and dynamics of open clusters in the future.

<title>Abstract</title> <bold>Purpose</bold> Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) requires symptoms of dementia and accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau in the brain. Molecular imaging of Aβ or tau in AD, though informative, is complicated by the finding that similar changes are found in brains of ~ 30% of cognitively normal older individuals. Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), normally present in low levels in the cerebral cortex, is found in high levels associated with Aβ plaques in AD. When associated with this pathological structure, the biochemical properties of BChE are altered. The aim of the present study was to determine if [ ¹⁸ F]1-Methyl-4-piperidinyl p-fluorobenzoate ([ ¹⁸ F]BMP) can image BChE associated with Aβ in 5XFAD mouse model of AD and distinguish it from its wild-type (WT) counterpart. <bold>Procedures</bold> [ ¹⁸ F]BMP was synthesized and evaluated in wild-type (WT), 5XFAD and BChE knock-out (BChE-KO) mouse models for <italic>in vivo</italic> dynamic PET imaging of BChE. Time-activity curves were generated and [ ¹⁸ F]BMP clearance parameters were determined. Brain, liver and urine homogenates were evaluated for [ ¹⁸ F]BMP and its metabolites. <italic>Ex vivo</italic> autoradiography mapped the distribution of [ ¹⁸ F]BMP brain retention. <bold>Results</bold> <italic>In vivo</italic> PET imaging following injection of [ ¹⁸ F]BMP demonstrated significantly greater brain retention of activity in the 5XFAD mouse model compared to WT, while BChE-KO mice mirrored WT levels. Metabolite analysis confirmed [ ¹⁸ F]BMP was metabolized in the periphery but survived in sufficient quantity to enter the brain. <italic>Ex vivo</italic> autoradiography showed [ ¹⁸ F]BMP retention in the 5XFAD mouse brain where BChE-associated Aβ plaques were prominent. <bold>Conclusions</bold> These results demonstrate that PET imaging of BChE-associated Aβ plaques is feasible, offering an avenue to evaluate role(s) of BChE in AD pathogenesis, progression and complement the existing AD biomarker framework.