Facing soaring food prices and an escalating housing crisis, Quebec student associations are urgently calling on the provincial government to fund internships required for post-secondary training.

Amid rapid global advances and deployment of artificial intelligence technologies, the federal government has invested millions to combine the minds of three existing institutes into one that can keep an eye on potential dangers ahead.

Genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs) allow for the noninvasive evaluation of neuronal activity in vivo, and imaging GECIs in Drosophila has become commonplace for understanding neural functions and connectivity in this system. GECIs can also be used as read-outs for studying sleep in this model organism. Here, we describe a methodology for tracking the activity of neurons in the fly brain using a two-photon (2p) microscopy system. This method can be adapted to perform functional studies of neural activity in Drosophila under both spontaneous and evoked conditions, as well as during spontaneous or induced sleep. We first describe a tethering and surgical procedure that allows survival under the microscopy conditions required for long-term recordings. We then outline the steps and reagents required for optogenetic activation of sleep-promoting neurons while simultaneously recording neural activity from the fly brain. We also describe the procedure for recording from two different locations—namely, the top of the head (e.g., to record mushroom body calyx activity) or the back of the head (e.g., to record central complex activity). We also provide different strategies for recording from GECIs confined to the cell body versus the entire neuron. Finally, we describe the steps required for analyzing the multidimensional data that can be acquired. In all, this protocol shows how to perform calcium imaging experiments in tethered flies, with a focus on acquiring spontaneous and induced sleep data.

Sleep studies in Drosophila melanogaster rely mostly on behavioral read-outs to support molecular or circuit-level investigations in this model. Electrophysiology can provide an additional level of understanding in these studies to, for example, investigate changes in brain activity associated with sleep manipulations. In this protocol, we describe a procedure for performing multichannel local field potential (LFP) recordings in the fruit fly, with a flexible system that can be adapted to different experimental paradigms and situations. The approach uses electrodes containing multiple recording sites (16), allowing the acquisition of large amounts of neuronal activity data from a transect through the brain while flies are still able to sleep. The approach starts by tethering the fly, followed by positioning it on an air-supported ball. A multichannel silicon probe is then inserted laterally into the fly brain via one eye, allowing for recording of electrical signals from the retina through to the central brain. These recordings can be acquired under spontaneous conditions or in the presence of visual stimuli, and the minimal surgery promotes long-term recordings (e.g., overnight). Sleep and wake can be tracked using infrared cameras, which allow for the measurement of locomotive activity as well as microbehaviors such as proboscis extensions during sleep. The protocol has been optimized to promote subject survivability, which is an important factor when performing long-term (~16-h) recordings. The approach described here uses specific recording probes, data acquisition devices, and analysis tools. Although it is expected that some of these items might need to be adapted to the equipment available in different laboratories, the overall aim is to provide an overview on how to record electrical activity across the brain of behaving (and sleeping) flies using this kind of approach and technology.

The Drosophila embryonic central nervous system has been used for decades as a model for understanding the genetic regulation of axon guidance and other aspects of neural development. Foundational studies using antibody staining to examine the embryonic ventral nerve cord in wild-type and mutant animals led to the discovery of evolutionarily conserved genes that regulate fundamental aspects of axon guidance, including midline crossing of axons. The development of the regular, segmentally repeating structure of axon pathways in the ventral nerve cord can illustrate basic principles of axon guidance to beginning students and can also be used by expert researchers to characterize new mutants, detect genetic interactions between known genes, and precisely quantify variations in gene function in engineered mutant lines. Here, we describe a protocol for collecting and fixing Drosophila embryos and visualizing axon pathways in the embryonic ventral nerve cord using immunofluorescence or immunohistochemical staining methods. As embryogenesis in Drosophila takes ~24 h to complete, a 1-d collection yields embryos representing all stages of development from newly fertilized through ready-to-hatch larvae, allowing investigation of multiple developmental events within a single batch of collected embryos. The methods described in this protocol should be accessible to introductory laboratory courses as well as seasoned investigators in established research laboratories.

After more than a century of searching, scientists have discovered a gene in snails that may control asymmetries inside many animals

Former Dawson City Mayor Bill Kendrick has filed his defence against the town's encroachment violation lawsuit.

A man who fled from police, drove onto a walking trail, triggered a shelter-in-place advisory for the Chateau Nova hotel in Yellowknife and subsequently broke into a home was on bail at the time and under house arrest, police say.

The British explorer named dozens of geographical features and sites in the region, ignoring the traditions of the Indigenous peoples who’d lived there for millennia

When the U.S. Army massacred a Lakota village at Blue Water, dozens of plundered artifacts ended up in the Smithsonian. The unraveling of this long-buried atrocity is forging a path toward reconciliation

N.B. Power has won approval to keep charging rates that it increased on customers by an average of 9.25 on April 1, and to repeat the increase next April, with only minor modifications.

Families of Norton Elementary School won’t be seeing their kids return anytime soon. Repairs are going to take longer than expected and students are expected to be back in the school by the start of the next school year.

Interim PC Leader Glen Savoie urged members to find a common purpose rather than blame former leader Blaine Higgs.

Emergency officials said the fire at the Herring Pub and Restaurant on Water Street broke out around 4 p.m. and appears to have started in an air conditioning unit.   

Alheri Bingi moved to Canada from Lagos four years ago. Noticing a lack of representation of her Nigerian culture, Bingi started creating batik textile art using authentic African fabric.

Atlantic salmon returns were at their lowest level ever this year, say researchers, who are nevertheless refusing to give up hope that the population can rebound.

Eight years ago, a woman filed a complaint about two RCMP constables in Moncton. She accused them of having "an improper and racist attitude" and of discriminating against her and her husband during an investigation into a stolen truck and trailer. 

Inflation, an increase to the debt limit, and a series of mega-projects have been focuses of the municipal election in Regina.

The apartment once occupied by the author of Les Miserables is now a museum dedicated to his life and to 19th century Paris

"Since my childhood, I have been anxious about missing out. I remember not wanting to sleep whenever I heard the adults chatting in the night. I wanted to be part of it all. Later on, in high school, I said “yes” to every event and outing, which ended up crashing so many times. I couldn’t choose. I wanted to be there to celebrate all the fun moments but also share all the tears in the low moments," says Ivy. "However, this lifestyle of being afraid of missing out could not continue when I joined missions. I have had to learn how to let go when I miss out on opportunities to create precious memories with family and friends in my home country."

On Day 4 of TeenStreet, over 1,200 runners raised money in the RAG race in order to help teen refugees in Europe and support new TeenStreets around the world.

Canadians hear the Last Post every year during Remembrance Day ceremonies. Warrant Officer Jeremy Maitland breaks down what it takes to play the melody perfectly.

An intimate look at the lessons and legacy of Murray Sinclair, chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and how he changed Canada.

Small businesses are keeping a close eye on the possibility of job action as they stock their shelves for Black Friday and holiday shopping.

Former Ohio state Senator Nina Turner discusses the 2024 elections.

The Town of Kensington, P.E.I., has committed to implementing a new campaign to end gender-based violence.

On a cold, wet and grey November morning, Islanders gathered with umbrellas in hand around the cenotaph in downtown Charlottetown.

StandardAero says new funding from the provincial and federal governments will help expand its Winnipeg operations by training more specialized technicians, managers, support personnel and engineers.

The president of the Canadian Japanese Cultural Centre of Hamilton is Mitchell Akira Kawasaki — an Olympian, judo master, on-call mail carrier and recent recipient of an award from the Japanese government.

Workers in Ontario are owed tens of millions of dollars in unpaid wages that the provincial government has yet to collect from employers, according to internal government records obtained by CBC Toronto.

Ontario's Minister of Education has announced she will audit discretionary spending of all school boards in the province after reports of expensive trips by board officials in recent months.

Hamilton's Santa Claus Parade will take place on the mountain this year, starting on Upper Sherman Road at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Calgary's Cavalry FC could win its first Canadian Premier League championship on Saturday when it takes on Hamilton's Forge FC in front of a home crowd at ATCO field.

There have been three separate reports of pellet gun attacks in the past seven days in Guelph, Ont. Police have made an arrest in one case and continue to investigate the other two.

Bring Back the Maples is a volunteer effort to increase the forest canopy along Woolwich Townships' rural roads.

Host Craig Norris plays a whole bunch of music in this week's show. Hear tunes from Danny Michel, Chastity, Fred Penner, Tragically Hip, Angela Saini, Laila and a lot more.

The Winnipeg Blue Bombers will face the Toronto Argonauts in their fifth straight Grey Cup appearance. The Bombers advanced to the CFL title game after disposing of the Saskatchewan Roughriders 38-22 in the West final Saturday night in Winnipeg.

Officials have issued wind and rainfall warnings for Tuesday night in several regions as another fall storm approaches southwestern B.C.

"It's just like a big blur. It doesn't seem real," says the mother of 16-year-old Kaylie Smith.

Keegan Messing won the men's title at the Canadian figure skating championships on Saturday, all but clinching his berth on the Olympic team for Beijing.

The United States took the lead in the pairs and ice dance on the first day of the Four Continents figure skating championships on Thursday, and Japan's Mai Mihara led the women's event.

Kimberly Murray has opened an uncomfortable and difficult but long overdue conversation about justice for Canada’s "disappeared" residential school children, Indigenous leaders say in response to the special interlocutor's two-volume final report.

The trade war that could stem from U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum is unlikely to affect GDP, freeing the Fed to raise rates at its March 21 meeting.

Nikolaj Ehlers scored the winning goal 1:26 into overtime, and the Winnipeg Jets remained unbeaten this season with a 4-3 win over the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night.

Hired in July by the Seattle Kraken as an assistant coach after two seasons with their AHL affiliate, Jessica Campbell is starting to get to know the team, schedule demands and managing "the vigorous push through it all." It's also about managing the attention as a trailblazer.

Connor McDavid retured from injury — well ahead of schedule. The Oilers captain re-entered the lineup when Edmonton hosted the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday.

Ukraine attacked Moscow on Sunday with at least 34 drones, the biggest drone strike on the Russian capital since the start of the war in 2022, forcing flights to be diverted from three of the city's major airports and injuring at least one person.

U.S. president-elect Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and advised him not to escalate the Ukraine war, a source familiar with the conversation said, but the Kremlin denied the two had spoken.