19614 research outputs found
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Adolescent wilderness therapy: The relationship of client outcomes to reasons for referral, motivation for change, and clinical measures
Full text linkOutdoor behavioral healthcare is a specific model and industry utilizing wilderness therapy (WT), a residential treatment approach comprised of outdoor travel and living for youth experiencing mental health, substance use, and behavioral concerns. We present data from 6417 participants about reasons for referral, admission, and discharge scores from the Youth-Outcome Questionnaire (Y-OQ), youth interest and commitment to treatment, reliable change scores, and the relationship between these variables. One-third of youth entered WT with sub-clinical scores, varying levels of client motivation and voluntariness in relation to clinical outcomes, a diverse range of presenting problems without clear indication of specialized treatment planning, and differing responses to treatment by referral reason. Identifying those not responding to WT and those at risk of deterioration from the time of admission requires further investigation to improve client outcomes for this treatment modality. Recommendations include placing increased importance on accurate and thorough screening and assessment, utilizing baseline and routine outcome monitoring, reducing coercion, and considering specialized intervention.FacultyReviewe
The lived experience of North Park neighbourhood residents as it relates to community planning, social inclusion, and well-being
No full textThis research aims to gather input into the health, wellness, social inclusion and dynamics within Victoria’s North Park, a mixed-used mixed income neighbourhood. Employing a community-based participatory approach in collaboration with the North Park Neighbourhood Association, 19 participants were interviewed. Analysis revealed diverse perceptions of the neighbourhood emphasising the community in a period of transition, competing interpersonal relationships and the impact of policy and bylaws on daily life. Residents expressed frustration with political decision-making processes and tensions between housed and unhoused neighbours and territorial stigma was pervasive. Despite advocacy for inclusivity, exclusionary attitudes persisted. Placemaking was identified as both a barrier and facilitator to community connection and well-being, alongside concerns about ongoing development and gentrification. This research underscores the importance of accessible public spaces and community programming as vital resources for fostering well-being and inclusion through centering community voices in neighbourhood planning. While territorial stigma persists, opportunities for meaningful community engagement offer hope for resilience and connection. Achieving this outcome requires buy-in from both community and local government, and equitable decision-making processes to promote community well-being in dynamic urban environments.Graduat
“Stuff that only mixed-race people would understand”: Community and identity-related experiences in online groups for multiracial people
No full textMultiracial people are a rapidly growing group who may still lack social support from similar others in their offline lives. This study aimed to understand the user experiences in online groups for multiracial individuals. In a cross-sectional online survey, 300 multiracial emerging adults (79% women; mean age = 23; most common ethnic identity components: 86% White/European, 44% Chinese, 17% Japanese, 16% Southeast Asian, and 13% Filipino) answered open-ended questions about their experiences in Facebook groups for multiracial people. Participants described aspects of the groups they liked and disliked most, as well as their identity-related experiences in the groups. We used reflexive thematic analysis to generate four themes within participants responses: (1) online groups as a gateway into connections with other multiracial individuals, (2) deriving a sense of belonging and community, (3) an opportunity for exploration and validation of racial identity, and (4) negative intrusions such as negative content (e.g., trolling, repetitive posting) and racism. For racial and ethnic minorities such as multiracial individuals, Facebook groups provide a space for community-building and identity-related experiences. Although online groups can foster a strong sense of community, validation, and belonging, findings also highlight potential challenges and limitations (e.g., how to delineate group boundaries, difficulty forming close relationships). Online group users and researchers should explore novel ways of maximizing these positive experiences while addressing users' concerns and negative experiences.This work was supported by an Insight Grant to the second author from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (435-2017-0781).FacultyReviewe
The search for young planets with JWST/NIRCam
Full text linkAs part of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Guaranteed Time Observation (GTO) program “Direct Imaging of YSOs” (program ID 1179), I used JWST NIRCam’s direct imaging mode with filters F187N, F200W, F405N, and F410M to perform high contrast observations of the circumstellar structures surrounding the protostar HL Tau. The data reveal the known stellar envelope, outflow cavity, and streamers, but do not detect any companion candidates. I detect scattered light from an in-flowing spiral streamer previously detected in HCO+ by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, and part of the structure connected to the c-shaped outflow cavity. For detection limits in planet mass, I use BEX evolutionary tracks when Mp < 2MJ and AMES-COND evolutionary tracks otherwise, assuming a planet age of 1 Myr (youngest available age). Inside the disk region, due to extended envelope emission, the point-source sensitivities are ∼5 mJy (37 MJ) at 40 au in F187N, and ∼0.37 mJy (5.2 MJ) at 140 au in F405N. Outside the disk region, the deepest limits I can reach are ∼0.01 mJy (0.75 MJ) at a projected separation of ∼525 au.Graduat
Improving the efficacy of common cancer treatments via targeted therapeutics towards the tumour and its microenvironment
No full textCancer is defined as the uncontrolled proliferation of heterogeneous cell cultures in the body that develop abnormalities and mutations, leading to their resistance to many forms of treatment. Left untreated, these abnormal cell growths can lead to detrimental and even fatal complications for patients. Radiation therapy is involved in around 50% of cancer treatment workflows; however, it presents significant recurrence rates and normal tissue toxicity, given the inevitable deposition of the dose to the surrounding healthy tissue. Chemotherapy is another treatment modality with excessive normal tissue toxicity that significantly affects patients’ quality of life. To improve the therapeutic efficacy of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, multiple conjunctive modalities have been proposed, which include the targeting of components of the tumour microenvironment inhibiting tumour spread and anti-therapeutic pathways, increasing the oxygen content within the tumour to revert the hypoxic nature of the malignancy, improving the local dose deposition with metal nanoparticles, and the restriction of the cell cycle within radiosensitive phases. The tumour microenvironment is largely responsible for inhibiting nanoparticle capture within the tumour itself and improving resistance to various forms of cancer therapy. In this review, we discuss the current literature surrounding the administration of molecular and nanoparticle therapeutics, their pharmacokinetics, and contrasting mechanisms of action. The review aims to demonstrate the advancements in the field of conjugated nanomaterials and radiotherapeutics targeting, inhibiting, or bypassing the tumour microenvironment to promote further research that can improve treatment outcomes and toxicity rates.This research was funded by a Nanomedicines Innovation Network (NMIN) Strategic Initiative (SI) grant, 2021-RES-SI-05; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Discovery Grant (DG), RGPIN-2017-04501.FacultyReviewe
The economics of electric vehicles with application to electricity grids
No full textGovernments around the world promote the purchase of electric vehicles (EVs) as part of their climate change strategy, with many committing to EV-only sales of new passenger vehicles by 2035 and complete use of EVs by 2045 (California) or 2050 (e.g., Canada, EU). Rebates (purchase subsidies) are offered to consumers to promote uptake of EVs, and growth in their uptake has been quite strong, although EVs remain a small proportion of registered vehicles. In this study, we first analyze the economics of EV subsidies and then use Canadian electrical generation capacity, EV efficiency data, and distances driven, along with Monte Carlo simulation, to project the increased demands that greater numbers of EVs will place on an electrical grid. We find that the current grid’s capacity will not be adequate to power the anticipated growth in EVs, and major new power plants or hydroelectric dams will need to be constructed. The analysis suggests that Canada might need to build 17 new hydroelectric facilities or 14 additional gas plants, as there is likely to be much resistance to new hydroelectric projects.FacultyReviewe
Promising practices of successful public toilets in small municipalities in British Columbia
Full text linkThis master’s project examines lessons learned by BC municipal planners who have worked on providing public toilets, with a focus on municipalities in BC with populations of 100,000 or fewer. The issue is complex, and no one-size-fits-all solution will work for all municipalities. Providing public toilets has benefits and disadvantages, but the challenges can be overcome through relevant, evidence-based practices. This project recommends six promising practices that municipalities can incorporate to increase their successful provision of public toilets. An increase in the number of safe, clean public toilets available in small BC municipalities will improve access to basic sanitation and increase livability across the province, especially for vulnerable people.Graduat
EONS: A new biogeochemical model of Earth's longterm evolution
Full text linkI present Earth’s Oxygenation and Natural Systematics (EONS): a new, fully coupled biogeochemical model of the atmosphere, ocean, and their interactions with the geosphere, which can reproduce major features of Earth’s evolution fol- lowing the origin of life to the present day. The model includes an interactive biosphere, cycles of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and oxygen, and climate. A nominal model run initialized in the Eoarchean resolves emergent surface oxy- genation, nutrient limitations, and climate feedbacks. The modelled atmosphere oxygenates in stepwise fashion over the course of the Proterozoic; a nearly billion year lag after the evolution of photosynthesis at 3.5 Ga is followed by a great oxi- dation event (GOE) at 2.4 Ga, which appears to be caused by the gradual buildup of organic matter on the continents imposing nutrient limitation on the biosphere by removing key nutrients from the ocean system. The simple climate system shows significant temperature shifts punctuate the oxygenation process, implying that major biological transitions possibly destabilized Earth’s climate. I expand upon this finding by adapting the climate system to include non-linearities such as ice-albedo and supergreenhouse feedbacks in order to investigate potential causes of Paleoproterozoic Snowball Earth events. My preliminary findings suggest that Paleoproterozoic glaciations may have preceded the GOE, and are more likely a result of perturbations to atmospheric CO2 than from declining CH4. This work demonstrates that forward modelling the entirety of Earth’s history with relatively few imposed boundary forcings is feasible, that the Earth system is not at steady state, and that our understanding of coupled C-N-P-O cycling as it functions today can explain much of the Earth’s evolution.Graduat
Paternalism, Capitalism, and Political Suppression: Case Studies of Settler-Colonialism on the Grand River
Full text linkThe Haudenosaunee of the Grand River have received immense attention as objects of study by academics, but agents and systems of colonialism have been overlooked. As such, this thesis applies a settler colonial framework to the Grand River to examine how the interplay between individual settlers, corporations, and the colonial government unfolded. Because the end point of settler colonialism is acquiring Indigenous land, there are often similarities in the process across geographic and temporal boundaries. However, the goal of this thesis is to identify unaccounted structures and processes in order to demonstrate the distinct ways that settler colonialism developed on the Grand River. This is done through two case studies that take place during two different centuries in order to identify the through lines of how settler colonialism operated as both a structure and a process on the Grand River. This thesis focusses on the Grand River Navigation Company of the 1830s, the 1924 coup d’état at the Ohsweken Council House, and the conclusion briefly discusses the 2006 Kanonhstaton land dispute in order to thematically unite the cases. Over the course of three centuries settlers, corporations, and governments used paternalism, capitalism, and political suppression as tools to dispossess the Haudenosaunee.Graduat
Depth dependant dielectric constant and second order response at aqueous interfaces
Full text linkAqueous interfacial environments have unique properties as a result of their inherent anisotropy; however, analysis of interfacial regions remains challenging. Sum-frequency generation measurements can be used for their study, although determining the linear-optical properties, and the molecular electronic structure required for quantitative analysis remains difficult. From classical molecular dynamics simulations we found the orientation distribution to be invariant with increasing surface number density; we can also therefore expect the ordering of cyanophenol to be a result of interfacial water. We describe the necessity of depth dependence to the sum-frequency response by using interfacial structure from classical molecular dynamics. By exploiting symmetry, we can derive linear relationships between elements of the tensor which shed light on future sum-frequency based orientational measurements. The range of possible values for the interfacial hyperpolarizability ratio has been significantly narrowed with the aid of classical molecular dynamics simulations. We also propose a technique for experimentally measuring the hyperpolarizability ratio that has been derived by exploiting the polarisation null angle method. By using Raman spectra derived from interfacial and bulk-phase \textit{ab initio} simulations we conclude there to be little difference in the hyperpolarizability ratio in the interfacial or bulk environments; by comparing with experimental Raman measurements we also report the existence of asymmetric broadening in the C--N mode.Graduate2025-08-1