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The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need for the identification of new antiviral drug therapies for a variety of diseases. COVID-19 is caused by infection with the human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, while other related human coronaviruses cause diseases ranging from severe respiratory infections to the common cold. We developed a computational approach to identify new antiviral drug targets and repurpose clinically-relevant drug compounds for the treatment of a range of human coronavirus diseases. Our approach is based on graph convolutional networks (GCN) and involves multiscale host-virus interactome analysis coupled to off-target drug predictions. Cell-based experimental assessment reveals several clinically-relevant drug repurposing candidates predicted by the in silico analyses to have antiviral activity against human coronavirus infection. In particular, we identify the MET inhibitor capmatinib as having potent and broad antiviral activity against several coronaviruses in a MET-independent manner, as well as novel roles for host cell proteins such as IRAK1/4 in supporting human coronavirus infection, which can inform further drug discovery studies. We gratefully acknowledge funding that supported this research support from the Ryerson University Faculty of Science (CNA), as well as funding support in the form of a CIFAR Catalyst Grant (JPJ and CNA), an NSERC Alliance Grant (CNA) and the Ryerson COVID-19 SRC Response Fund award (CNA). BW is partly supported by CIFAR AI Chairs Program. This work was also supported by a Mitacs award (BW), the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under a Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant (ER), by the CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar program (JPJ), by the Ontario Early Researcher Awards program (JPJ and CNA), and by the Canada Research Chairs program (JPJ). We also thank Dr. James Rini (University of Toronto) for the kind gift of the 9.8E12 antibody used to detect the 229E Spike protein, and Dr. Scott Gray-Owen (University of Toronto) for the kind gift of the NL63 human coronavirus. Peer reviewed

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in closures of physical-activity-supporting environments, including playgrounds, outdoor recreation facilities (e.g., basketball courts), and community centers, which impacted children’s movement opportunities. This study evaluated changes in Ontario children’s physical activity levels during the COVID-19 pandemic and explored the impact of family sociodemographic markers on children’s activity. Parents (n = 243; Mage= 38.8 years) of children aged 12 and under (n = 408; Mage= 6.7 years) living in Ontario, Canada, completed two online surveys between August and December 2020 (survey 1) and August and December 2021 (survey 2). Generalized linear mixed-effects models were used to estimate changes in the proportion of children who accumulated 60 minutes of physical activity per day pre-lockdown, during lockdown, and post-lockdown in Ontario. Results revealed a significant non-linear trajectory whereby the proportion of children achieving 60 minutes of physical activity per day pre-lockdown (63%) declined during lockdown (21%) and then increased post-lockdown (54%). Changes in the proportion of children engaging in 60 minutes of daily physical activity were moderated by several demographic variables. Efforts are needed to provide parents of young children with a wider variety of resources to ensure children are obtaining sufficient levels of physical activity regardless of the presence of community lockdowns.

Introduction Food allergy affects approximately 7.0% of children worldwide. Children spend most of their waking hours at school, yet, teachers, who have the majority of contact with children during all school day, have variable food allergy-related knowledge. Objective We aimed to identify how Winnipeg-based elementary school teachers manage food allergic reactions in their classrooms and schools. Methods Winnipeg-based public and private school teachers who taught Kindergarten to Grade 6 were recruited via social media and word-of-mouth, and were interviewed virtually consent. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The study followed a pragmatic framework. Data were analysed via thematic analysis. Member checking was done to enhance study rigour. Results We interviewed 16 teachers, who taught primarily public school and between Kindergarten Grade 3. The manuscript presents four identified themes. Theme 1 (“Each classroom is a case-by-case basis”) describes the minimal standardization and inconsistent policies and education between and within schools. Theme 2 (Food allergy-related knowledge, experience and supports shape teachers’ confidence) reflected teachers’ variable confidence/perceived food allergy knowledge. Theme 3 (Food allergy could be a more prominent conversation for teachers to “debunk the myths”) captured the lack of standardized food allergy education for teachers. Theme 4 (Communication between all parties is essential) described how teachers’ reliance on school staff, families and students to effectively communicate. The published paper presents two identified themes. Theme 1 (COVID-19 restrictions made mealtimes more manageable) depicted how pandemic-related restrictions, such as enhanced cleaning, handwashing, and emphasis on no food sharing, were deemed positively influencing food allergy management. Theme 2 (Food allergy management was indirectly adapted to fit changing COVID-19 restrictions) captured how food allergy management had to be adapted to pandemic restrictions. Teachers also had less nursing supports and virtual training. Conclusions Teachers’ food allergy management was informed by their knowledge and lived experience, guided by school policies, and students’ needs. Continuation of pandemic-related restrictions may enhance food allergy management in the classroom. Teachers unanimously wanted further food allergy education and training, and resources to improve communication gaps and language barriers. More training throughout the school year and multimedia resources may be beneficial.

This study explores the experiences of LGBTQ2S+ youth while accessing mental health and substance use care services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a series of facilitated virtual meetings, 33 LGBTQ2S+ youth from across Ontario participated in collaborative activities to identify barriers they have experienced when accessing mental health services, as well as potential solutions to these barriers. Discussions were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The study revealed that LGBTQ2S+ youth disproportionately experience bias, discrimination, and heteronormative assumptions when accessing mental health services, resulting in negative care experiences. Youth also reported insufficient availability of quality care, little continuity in care, and a lack of educated providers capable of effectively addressing the needs of the community. Potential solutions proposed by youth include training resources for providers, LGBTQ2S+ specific care centers, better continuity of care, and assessments to ensure care providers are culturally competent. These results show the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the disparities LGBTQ2S+ youth experience when accessing mental health services and highlight the urgent need to implement policies and programs that will advance the standards of care for LGBTQ2S+ youth.

Persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are found to be at a greater risk for social isolation during COVID-19 pandemic. While existing literature has examined the challenges faced by persons with IDD, there is a dearth of research that addresses the access and usage of digital technologies by persons with IDD as a solution to stay socially connected during the pandemic. This study therefore investigated the access to and use of digital technologies such as the internet in relation to the risk of social isolation experienced by persons with mild intellectual disabilities ID (with or without developmental disabilities) during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Manitoba. Additionally, barriers to the usage of online technology were explored. Data for a sample of 39 adults were collected using an online survey questionnaire, and phone interviews. The key variables in this study are internet use, access to an electronic device, barriers to the internet usage, loneliness, and social isolation. Loneliness was measured using the Revised UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) Loneliness Scale. To measure social isolation, the MSNA-ID (Maastricht Social Network Analysis – Intellectual Disabilities) tool was used. The study utilized both descriptive and inferential analyses to address the research objectives. We found that the majority of the study participants (89.5%), had access to the internet and possessed some form of electronic devices for online connection. The most commonly used devices were smartphones, desktop computers, and tablets. The majority of the study participants (67.6%) who had access to the internet and an electronic device used the internet for social connection during the COVID-19 pandemic. The majority of the study participants (53.8%) perceived that their internet usage made them feel less isolated. The use of the internet was associated with a feeling of less isolation. The results further revealed the most prevalent barriers to the usage of the internet as reported by the study participants. The cost of internet service/equipment (20.6%), having access to the internet elsewhere (17.6%), difficulty in using the internet (14.7%), and safety concerns (14.7%) were the most commonly barriers reported by the study participants.

The distribution and redistribution of household incomes are explored at multiple geographical scales (state, region, county, metropolitan area and electoral district) using several databases compiled by the Central Statistics Office. This work complements an extensive body of published research that has been mostly undertaken at the level of the State without much consideration of trends and patterns at the levels of regions and smaller units. The focus here is primarily on a geographical exploration at different spatial scales of the distribution of incomes and of the factors that have influenced the distributions. International research has concluded that the transition to neoliberal economic strategies in most economically advanced countries over the last forty years was accompanied by an increasing divergence in per capita incomes between regions. In Ireland, however, the impact of neoliberal economic strategies in the context of an exceptionally open economy, was moderated for a period of over twenty years from the mid 1980s by an innovative and dynamic national model of social partnership. Personal and household incomes in Ireland increased significantly over the last 30 years and the overall level of inequality measured across all households in the State decreased, but it is still high in comparison to other EU countries, especially for market-based income. At the regional level, disparities in household incomes have declined but there remain large differences between the Dublin-dominated East region and the strongly rural Border and Midland regions. The transition to lower levels of inequality occurred in phases linked to the trajectory of the national economy. Inter-regional convergence was more likely during periods of significant economic slow-down as in the 1980s and again in the immediate aftermath of the economic and financial crisis in 2008. This particular form of convergence was not due to poorer regions ‘catching up’ with richer regions. It was instead more likely to be associated with a weakening of the stronger regions, while State transfers to low-income households and regions remained more resilient. Over the longer term, the evidence points towards a pattern of convergence between urban and rural areas in average household incomes. The micro-geographical data for 2016 at the level of Electoral Districts provide two important insights that are not apparent from regional data. Firstly, after exclusion of the five largest cities, there is no statistical relationship between median household incomes and the population size of settlements. The relative location of settlements in relation to the larger centres of employment, and especially the extent of commuting, is much more important. Secondly, the 2016 data show that the highest levels of inequality in income distribution profiles occur in both the cities and in some of the poorest rural counties, while the lowest levels are found in counties that experienced the highest levels of population increase over recent decades. The overall distribution map of household incomes is directly influenced by two sets of factors. The first relates to the spatial distributions of employment and earnings in different economic sectors. The second relates to the role of State transfers that provide benefits to a wide range of persons and households. They are especially important for places that may be considered ‘left-behind’ in the overall restructuring of the economy and society. In addition to the direct influences on the geography of incomes levels there are important background factors related especially to demography, education, female participation in the labour force and where households choose to live. The findings from the research have implications for many areas of public policy, most especially in relation to the spatial organisation of economic and social development. These challenges are not unique to Ireland and have contributed to narratives that extend beyond economic considerations to include potential adverse impacts on social cohesion, spatial justice and on basic principles of democracy if the underlying processes are not addressed. The experience from other countries, along with the patterns that remained dominant in Ireland, is that traditional approaches to regional development are no longer adequate. Policies that sought to overcome market failures and that relied on welfare transfers from rich to poor regions did not succeed. Neither did policies that sought to maximise the national economic growth by promoting agglomeration into the largest cities. The more recent focus on place-based development with a more explicit concern for a holistic, human-centred approach informed by principles of spatial justice offers a prospect for a better future in all regions and places. While this research was being undertaken, there were some significant events that may impact on the future geography of incomes in Ireland. These include such international events as the departure of the UK from the EU, the legacy of the COvID 19 pandemic which accelerated a transition to new working arrangements including remote working, and the disruption of the global economy following the Russian invasion of Ukraine with consequent impacts on the costs of living especially for the elderly and those living in some rural areas. In addition, in Ireland there are very significant challenges in relation to the supply and affordability of housing. The critical roles of further and higher education in relation to employment and regional development are being addressed through recent reforms in both sectors, though these need to be linked more strongly to the overall strategy for regional development. Further research is needed to examine in more detail the relationship between the geographical distribution of incomes and commuting, and how it may be impacting on summary measures for rural and urban areas. In addition, a more sophisticated approach to the identification of a multi-level typology of places that includes both urban and rural areas and the linkages between them is urgently required to avoid a risk of over-simplification in the interpretation of the patterns revealed by the data.

Background: Obesity and stress share a complex relationship. It has been found that obesity and stress are constantly influencing each other, sharing a cyclical association. Stress can be caused by psychological, social, or physical determinants. Understanding this relationship is particularly of interest as a high proportion of people in Canada have obesity, and obesity is not only a disease itself but is a risk factor for several other diseases. Objectives: The objectives of this thesis were: 1) To understand the impact of disasters, including pandemics, on obesity and cardiometabolic risk; 2) To describe stress during the COVID-19 pandemic by socioeconomic factors; 3) To determine how early life adversity and obesity impacted stress during the COVID-19 pandemic; 4) To evaluate the association between early life adversity and adulthood obesity, and to determine if this association was mediated by nutrition. Methods: To address objective 1 a systematic review was conducted. For objectives 2-4, data from over 50,000 adults aged 45 and older from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) was used. This study is unique as it is a nationally representative cohort with comprehensive measures of both obesity and stress, including adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), as well as in-depth data from the COVID-19 pandemic. For objective 2, a cross-sectional study was conducted and for objectives 3 and 4, longitudinal studies were conducted. Multivariable Poisson, negative-binomial and multinomial logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations. To address objectives 3 and 4, novel epidemiologic methods were applied, including effect modification, evaluated on the additive and multiplicative scales and mediation evaluated using causal mediation methodologies. Results: Overall the results of these theses studies support a strong bidirectional relationship between stress and obesity This was observed for various stressors at different periods throughout the life course. The systematic review identified that the indirect harms of disasters, including pandemics, have lasting effects on cardiometabolic outcomes, including obesity. Stress experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic varied across several socioeconomic factors, and obesity was associated with stress experienced during the pandemic. Although ACEs did not modify this association, it was found to independently be associated with stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. ACEs were found to be strongly associated with adulthood obesity, but there was no evidence to suggest this was mediated by nutrition in later life. Conclusions: The findings from this thesis confirm that regardless of the type of stress, or the timing of exposure, obesity and stress are strongly associated. Using a life course perspective allows for a comprehensive assessment of potential risk factors of experiences that occur during adulthood, such as disease development or experiences during a stressful event. People are susceptible to worse experiences during adulthood, which may be related to a variety of factors including adversity during childhood, socioeconomic factors or chronic disease. This should be considered when developing prevention strategies and interventions targeting those at the highest risk. Thesis Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Considering the context of functional data analysis, we developed and applied a new Bayesian approach via the Gibbs sampler to select basis functions for a finite representation of functional data. The proposed methodology uses Bernoulli latent variables to assign zero to some of the basis function coefficients with a positive probability. This procedure allows for an adaptive basis selection since it can determine the number of bases and which ones should be selected to represent functional data. Moreover, the proposed procedure measures the uncertainty of the selection process and can be applied to multiple curves simultaneously. The methodology developed can deal with observed curves that may differ due to experimental error and random individual differences between subjects, which one can observe in a real dataset application involving daily numbers of COVID-19 cases in Brazil. Simulation studies show the main properties of the proposed method, such as its accuracy in estimating the coefficients and the strength of the procedure to find the true set of basis functions. Despite having been developed in the context of functional data analysis, we also compared the proposed model via simulation with the well-established LASSO and Bayesian LASSO, which are methods developed for non-functional data.

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a Swiss university course called “Psychology and Migration” had to move online over the Spring semester 2021. In this course, Psychology and Education students learn about the sociocultural considerations of migration, through a theoretical, personal and artistic exploration of the subjective experience of migration, based on performing arts. As part of the main pedagogical strategies, students are invited to collectively create a short theatre play based on some selected literary texts. Under the conditions imposed by the pandemic, puppetry arts were chosen as a new tool for distance-learning. Collaborating with theatre professionals, the students created a short play, and performed it online using sock puppets, image theatre or object theatre. Using data collected during the course (video recordings of online sessions and students’ diaries), this article explores the critical process of reduction and expansion, and the (potentially) productive tensions that the course creates. It analyses two main appropriation modes for course students: in adaptative appropriation, students aim to reduce these tensions by adapting to the perceived expectations of teachers; in transformative appropriation, students creatively use possibilities offered by the course to conduct a personal exploration, integrating theories with their own experiences and questions.

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the public health measures implemented in Manitoba and Ontario during waves 1 and 2 of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted allied health professionals working in primary care settings. This study used a case study methodology to develop four cases, two allied health professionals from Manitoba and two allied health professionals of the same professions from Ontario. Two methods of data collection were used, diary entry and interview. Diary entry data was collected between March 2020 and August 2020. Interviews were conducted in December 2020. This study’s approach to data analysis was to use the framework analysis to apply a conceptual framework, specifically the Roy Adaptation Model. The Roy Adaptation Model encompasses four adaptive modes: role function, interdependence, group identity, and physiological. The results section presents how each of these modes were operationalized for each case. The public health measures affected the role function mode more significantly than the other modes. All participants experienced role disruptions with redeployment and role change with the transition to remote and virtual care. The allied health providers in both provinces experienced role reductions with limitations in their ability to practice their primary role. The implemented COVID-19 public health measures led providers to work within their roles in an adapted capacity during the length of the pandemic. The greatest differences between the experiences of providers in Ontario versus Manitoba was the timeline of events and the response of the provincial governments. This study highlights how macro policies influence the day-to-day of healthcare workers.