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Do microaggressions influence cognitive performance of racial minorities?
No full textA Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Clinical Psychology, University of Regina. ix, 80 p.Within the university setting, students from marginalized groups may be more likely to experience microaggressions and associated harmful effects than their White counterparts. This study investigated whether experiencing a racial microaggression hinders performance on a cognitive task among racialized students. Undergraduate students (n = 256) completed a demographic survey and then were randomly assigned to a racial microaggression or control condition in which they watched a video explaining a cognitive task (i.e., mental rotation), completed a mental rotation task, and completed ethnic identification, discomfort, and perceived discrimination measures. Racialized students had higher ethnic identification levels than White students. Further, students in the racial microaggression condition had increased discomfort and were more likely to perceive discrimination. Neither mental rotation task reaction time nor accuracy was affected by experiencing a microaggression. This study demonstrates that microaggressions within the classroom are perceived by students and have the potential to impact student well-being.Studentye
Measurement of the pion exclusive electro-production cross-section in the E12-19-006 experiment in Hall-C at Jefferson Lab
No full textA Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Physics, University of Regina. xl, 246 p.One of the most effective methods for exploring the transition from hadronic de-
grees of freedom to quark-gluon degrees of freedom in Quantum Chromodynamics
(QCD) is through the investigation of \exclusive" pion and kaon electro-production
reactions at various Q2 and -t values. The E12-19-006 experiment is conducted
within the confines of experimental Hall C at the Thomas Jefferson National Accel-
erator Facility, USA, for such studies. The primary aim of the experiment is to first
enhance our comprehension of the pion electro-production cross-section and its form
factor at Q2 = 0.38 and 0.42 GeV2. This is the first run period of the E12-19-006
experiment which ran in summer 2019.
A more profound understanding of the pion electro-production reaction, 1H(e,e'π+)n,
at low Q2 is deemed essential to employ this electro-production reaction (an indirect
technique) for the high Q2 studies, thereby delving deeper into the realm of QCD.
Consequently, this dissertation presents a thorough analysis of the experimental data
acquired in the first run period of the E12-19-006 experiment.
In pursuit of precision, a series of systematic studies (target boiling correction
study, the elastic reaction cross-section measurements, study for determining vari-
ous kinematics offsets, etc.) are conducted to discern the accuracy of the analyzed
data, a prerequisite for the use of Rosenbluth separation technique to separate the
pion electro-production cross-section terms in t bins. The separated pion electro-
production cross-section through the Rosenbluth separation technique is then used
to extract the pion electromagnetic form factor.
In this dissertation, the pion electro-production cross-section is carefully dissected
into its four constituent components: longitudinal (L), transverse (σT ), longitudinal-
transverse (σLT ), and transverse-transverse (σTT ), using the full version of Rosenbluth
separation technique for the Q2 = 0.38 GeV2. The technique is simultaneously fitted
to the unseparated pion electro-production cross-sections at the three values of polar-
ization of the virtual photon (ϵ), i.e., ϵ = 0.286, 0.629 and 0.781. An iterative process
is applied to refine the parameters of the model cross-sections until the yield ratio
of experimental and Monte Carlo simulation converges. In this study, 21 iterations
are conducted to refine the model cross-section parameters. The final pion electro-
production cross-section terms are then determined for 7 t bins using the optimized
parameters of the model cross-sections.Studentye
Evaluating the effectiveness of analogies in an infographic on low-dose radiation
No full textA Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Public Policy, University of Regina. xii, 129 p.The aim of this research is to address misconceptions about Low Dose Radiation (LDR) by using
analogies. The nuclear industry has shown that trust is asymmetrical, meaning it is easily lost and
hard to regain. This was evident in Saskatchewan, where a public inquiry in 2008 revealed a
significant lack of trust. Conversely, Saskatchewan possesses one of the largest uranium reserves
globally, offering a carbon-neutral energy source. Additionally, it is increasingly cost-effective in
the context of carbon pricing, making it an appealing option to fulfill the province’s energy and
carbon objectives while ensuring energy security.
The choice of analogies is based on their proven effectiveness as a teaching tool over time. This
study aims to evaluate the impact of a brief training program, delivered through infographics, on
the public’s perception of LDR. The effectiveness of this infographic was assessed by comparing
it with another that presented LDR information differently, focusing on protocols and safety
regulations in hospitals and nuclear power plants. Additionally, the training included an
infographic that outlined basic benefits of LDR, such as its use in diagnosis and therapy, and
highlighted scientific sources.
The methodology employed involved focus groups, which were conducted in three provinces:
Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Ontario. Respondents were divided into three focus groups, with
approximately eight individuals per infographic. With two infographics in total, this amounted to
about 48 participants per province, culminating in a total sample size of 150 people across the
three provinces.
A Small Modular Reactor, known as an SMR, represents a compact version of traditional nuclear
reactors and is engineered for simplified and adaptable installation due to its reduced size and
power output.
For the data analysis 4 outcome variables were created to make an SPSS binary logistic
regression to assess the possibilities to generate positive LDR perceptions; the possibilities to
generate positive LDR perceptions and/or concluding that LDR outweigh the risk; the
possibilities to generate positive LDR perceptions and/or having positive SMR support; and the
4th variable was the generation of positive SMR support after accessing the infographic.
For the qualitative analysis the responses of the open-ended questions pre-infographic, and the
learning and concerns post-infographic were reviewed.
This research indicates that females may have a more positive attitude towards LDR when
presented with Infographic 2, which details protocols and safety rules in hospitals and nuclear
power plants. Conversely, males may feel more secure when exposed to Infographic 1, which
utilized analogies. Notably, in Saskatchewan, Infographic 1 effectively garnered positive support
for SMRs among females. Age consistently emerged as an independent variable that negatively
affected the outcome variables most of the time. Meanwhile, income and education levels had a
minimal impact on these outcomes.
Keywords: LDR positive perceptions, LDR misperceptions, positive SMR support, climate
change solution, trust in scientists, benefits from LDR, teaching protocols and rules, teaching
analogies.Studentye
Associations Between Personality and Mental Health Among Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cadets
No full textAbstractRoyal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) report frequent exposures to diverse potentially psychological traumatic events (PPTEs) that can lead to symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health disorders. Personality traits may partially inform the substantial mental health challenges reported by serving RCMP. The current study examines associations between HEXACO personality factor and facet-level dimensions and mental health disorders of RCMP cadets starting the Cadet Training Program (CTP). RCMP cadets (n = 772) starting the CTP self-reported sociodemographics, personality, and mental health disorder symptoms. Emotionality was associated with MDD, GAD, and SAD (AORs ranged from 6.23 to 10.22). Extraversion and Agreeableness were inversely associated with MDD, GAD, and SAD (AORs ranged from 0.0159 to 0.43), whereas Openness to Experience was inversely associated with SAD (AOR = 0.36). Several facet-level personality dimensions were associated with mental health disorders. Inconsistent differences were observed between men and women for relationships between personality factors, facets, and positive screenings for mental disorders. The relationship patterns allude to possible risk and resilience factors associated with personality factors and facets. Early training, interventions, and resources tailored to cadet personality factors and facets might reduce risk and bolster mental health resilience.The RCMP Study is supported by the RCMP, the Government
of Canada, and the Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Prepar-
edness. T. O. Afifi is supported by a Tier I Canada Research Chair in
Childhood Adversity and Resilience
Northern social work practice: three months of discovery at Yukon Health and Social Services
No full textA Practicum Report Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Social Work, University of Regina. 76 p.This report outlines my MSW practicum experiences in working in Whitehorse Yukon in Health and Social Services for three months during the Summer of 2018. Yukon Health and Social Services serves clients in a variety of capacities including the Income Support Unit. I worked in the Income Support Unit for eight weeks on a full-time basis while completing the remaining four weeks formulating a project looking at ways to incorporate the voices of individuals with lived experience in service delivery, program development, and policy. I wanted to gain an appreciation and understanding of how Cognitive Behavioral techniques can be used to assist individuals who are struggling with economic insecurity to obtain meaningful employment, cope with life stressors, and manage stress in a variety of ways. A key component of my practicum also involved formulating a report which includes tangible recommendations on how individuals with lived experience could be represented in Northern Health and Social Services in actionable ways. As this area of practice is not well represented in the Yukon, I wanted to shed light on ways in which individuals with lived experience could be represented in meaningful ways within existing systems. This project allowed me the ability to have discussions with leaders in a variety of Health and Social Services programs to gain valuable insight into how this objective could be achieved in different ways. The use of Appreciative Inquiry as a model gave me a greater understanding of the importance of using a model to map out ways in which recommendations could be realized, deciphered, and implemented.Studentye
Evaluating the before operational stress program: comparing in-person and virtual delivery.
No full textPublic safety personnel (PSP) are at increased risk for posttraumatic stress injuries (PTSI). Before Operational Stress (BOS) is a mental health program for PSP with preliminary support mitigating PTSI. The current study compared the effectiveness of delivering BOS in-person by a registered clinician (i.e., Intensive) to virtually delivery by a trained clinician (i.e., Classroom).Canadian PSP completed the Intensive ( = 118; 61.9% male) or Classroom ( = 149; 50.3% male) program, with self-report surveys at pre-, post-, 1 month, and 4 months follow-ups.Multilevel modelling evidenced comparable reductions in anxiety ( < 0.05, ES = 0.21) and emotional regulation difficulties (s < 0.05, ESs = 0.20, 0.25) over time with no significant difference between modalities. Participants discussed benefits of the delivery modality they received.The results support virtual delivery of the BOS program (Classroom) as an accessible mental health training option for PSP, producing effects comparable to in-person delivery by clinicians.This study has received funding from Wounded Warriors Canada to support program evaluation research, and from the Public Health Agency of Canada to support analysis and publication
The polyketide pathway in sporopollenin biosynthesis is specific to land plants (Embryophyta)
No full textBackground and Aims: Sporopollenin (SP) is a complex biopolymer in the outer wall of spores and pollen and provides protection from environmental stresses. Its extraordinary chemical resistance, especially to acetolysis, was widely used to identify SP in biological specimens. This broad definition of SP led to claims for its widespread occurrence among diverse embryophyte and non-embryophyte taxa. We previously proposed a biochemical definition that can be used to distinguish genuine SP from other chemically resistant cell wall materials. The definition was centred on ASCL (Anther-Specific Chalcone synthase-Like), an embryophyte-specific enzyme of the polyketide pathway that provides precursors for SP biosynthesis. Herein, we examine the evolution and distribution of all five enzymes (CYP703A, CYP704B, ACOS, ASCL and TKPR) of the polyketide pathway and propose a new, more comprehensive definition of SP.
Methods: We performed BLASTp searches, phylogenetic tree construction, protein modeling and sequence analysis to determine the presence or absence of ACOS and TKPR in embryophytes and streptophytic algae.
Key Results: We found evidence that all five enzymes of the polyketide pathway evolved from ancestral enzymes of primary metabolism and ACOS, ASCL and TKPR were co-selected during evolution. The dosage of all five genes has been subjected to strict evolutionary control and, in some taxa, synteny has provided a selective advantage. All five enzymes are present in embryophytes but absent in green algae, indicating that the polyketide pathway and therefore SP is embryophyte-specific.
Conclusions: The addition of the polyketide pathway in the definition of genuine SP will allow separation of SP from algaenans and other chemically resistant ‘SP-like’ algal spore wall substances. This study further signifies SP as an evolutionary innovation unique to the embryophyte lineage and encourages research on possible evolutionary relationship between algal spore wall ‘SP-like materials’ and embryophyte SP.
Competing Interest Statement
The authors have declared no competing interest.This work was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery grant [RGPIN-2018-04286 to D.-Y.S.). D.K.S. was supported in part by University of Regina Graduate Scholarships
Trouble with the curve: the 90–9-1 rule to measure volitional participation inequalities among Royal Canadian Mounted Police cadets during training
No full textObjective: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Study includes longitudinal multimodal assessments of RCMP cadets from pre-training (i.e., starting the Cadet Training Program [CTP]) to post-deployment and for five years thereafter. The data allow for investigating the multidimensionality of volitional participation in digital health data collection frameworks within serial data collection platforms and the impact of participation inequalities by classifying cadets using the 90–9-1 rule. By classifying cadets as Lurkers, Contributors, and Superusers formally described by the 90–9-1 rule, where 90% of actors do not participate, 9% seldom contribute, and 1% contribute substantially allows for the assessing of relationships between participation inequalities in self-monitoring behaviors as well as whether mental health disorder symptoms at pre-training (i.e., starting the CTP) were associated with subsequent participation.
Methods: Participants were asked to complete a Full Assessment prior to their training at CTP, as well as short daily surveys throughout their training. Participation frequency was described using a process where participants were rank ordered by the number of daily surveys completed and classified into one of three categories. Full assessment surveys completed prior to their training at CTP included screening tools for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), major depressive disorder (MDD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcohol use disorder (AUD), and panic disorder (PD). The Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to assess differences in participation rates between mental health disorder symptom screening groups for each measure at pre-training, and Spearman’s Rho was used to test for associations amongst self-reported Full Assessment screening tool responses and the number of daily surveys completed during CTP.
Results: There were 18557 daily survey records collected from 772 participants. The rank-ordering of cadets by the number of daily surveys completed produced three categories in line with the 90–9-1 rule: Superusers who were the top 1% of cadets (n=8) and produced 6.4% of all recordings; Contributors who were the next 9% of cadets (n=68) and produced 49.2% of the recordings; and Lurkers who were the next 90% of cadets (n=695) and produced 44.4% of daily survey recordings. Lurkers had the largest proportion of positive screens for self-reported mental health disorders at pre-training.
Conclusion: The creation of highly individualized, population-based mental health injury programs has been limited by an incomplete understanding of the causal relationships between protective factors and mental health. Disproportionate rates of disengagement from persons who screen positive for mental health disorders further compounds the difficulty in understanding the relationships between training programs and mental health. The current results suggest persons with mental health challenges may be less likely to engage in some forms of proactive mental health training. The current results also provide useful information about participation, adherence, and engagement that can be used to inform evidence-based paradigm shifts in health-related data collection in occupational populations.The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The RCMP Study is funded by support from the RCMP, the Government of Canada, and the Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. L. M. Lix is supported by a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Methods for Electronic Health Data Quality. T. O. Afifi is supported by a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Childhood Adversity and Resilience. S. H. Stewart is supported by a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Addictions and Mental Health. The development, analyses, and distribution of the current article was made possible by a generous and much-appreciated grant from the Medavie Foundation
Trust-aware virtual network embedding algorithms for wireless sensor networks
No full textA Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Electronic Systems Engineering, University of Regina. xxi, 196 p.Network virtualization (NV) in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) enables the utilization
of their shared sensing capabilities. Efficient assignment of WSN resources
to maximize the infrastructure provider’s revenue can be achieved by virtual network
embedding (VNE) while considering the quality of information (QoI), quality of service
(QoS), and wireless interference handling constraints. Improving the acceptance
rate of VNE is essential because the more the virtual network requests (VNRs) can
be mapped onto the substrate network, the more revenue they will generate for the
infrastructure provider. However, the shared and complex nature of VNE exposes
WSNs to security risks. In this thesis, we apply security constraints and address the
trust-aware VNE problem with different algorithms to maximize the VNR acceptance
rate while minimizing the cost for WSNs. This research includes four main objectives.
In the first objective, we develop a novel centralized trust-aware virtual wireless sensor
network (TA-VWSN) algorithm to improve QoI, QoS, and security and enhance
the average network throughput, measurement error efficiency, and processing time
when the trust attributes are assigned, making the VNE algorithm more practical.
Since centralized algorithms suffer from scalability issues, in the second objective, we
design a novel distributed trust-aware virtual wireless sensor networks (DTA-VWSN)
algorithm by using multiagent systems (MAS) to scale these algorithms to network
size. Our heuristic TA-VWSN and DTA-VWSN algorithms achieve a high-quality
sub-optimal solution in a real-time manner, enabling us to investigate the tradeoff
between solution quality and search time. However, the heuristic algorithms use manual
embedding rules, which are incompatible with actual VNE situations. Therefore
in the third objective, we develop a novel reinforcement learning-based (RL-based)
trust-aware virtual wireless sensor network (RLT-VWSN) algorithm by employing
a policy network and extracting attributes of the substrate nodes to get the mapping
probability of each one. This algorithm is superior to heuristic algorithms in
terms of VNR acceptance rate and cost. In the fourth objective, our first approach
addresses node failures during mapping with a pioneering heuristic— the survivable
trust-aware virtual wireless sensor networks (STA-VWSN) algorithm. It employs a
failure recovery procedure, prioritizing nodes based on the technique for order of preference
by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) method. In the second approach, we
enhance WSN substrate resilience against individual node and link failures through
the development of the survivable and trust-aware reinforcement learning-based virtual
network embedding for WSNs (SRLT-VWSN) algorithm. Utilizing the deep
Q-Learning (DQL) method, this algorithm ensures end-to-end failure recovery and
improves physical resource utilization intelligently.Studentye
Mathematical modeling and simulation of the performance of potassium glycinate in CO2 absorption in a packed-bed absorption column
No full textA Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Applied Science in Process Systems Engineering, University of Regina. xv, 217 p.The aim of this research undertaking was to develop a mathematical model
representation for the capture of CO2 using potassium glycinate as the absorption solvent. To
this end, the study was subdivided into three major parts each designed to generate the requisite
data for the subsequent stage. The three major parts of the study included the development of
industrial process simulation to ascertain the emission data and characteristics of flue gas
emanating from different industrial processes.
The main processes under study were, Power Generation with particular emphasis on
the Combined Cycle Gas Turbine setup, Natural Gas Pre-treatment, where the simulations were
developed for gas dehydration, chilling and Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) recovery, and the Acid
Gas Removal (AGR) Modules, Cement Manufacturing with emphasis on the Pyroprocessing
stage and finally Iron and Steel Production, where simulations were built for such production
stages as the Raw material Sintering, Pelletization, Coke Production, Pig Iron Production, and
the Basic Oxygen Furnace setup. The emission data from each of these process industries were
collected and used for the sizing of an absorption tower which then became the basis for the
hydrodynamic solution. The Absorber model developed in Aspen Hysys based on the flowrates
and CO2 partial pressures in each flue gas stream served as the template to generating a
Computer Aided Design (CAD) version of the column as a flow channel facilitating the process
of resolving the hydrodynamic solution.
In the second section of the study, the hydrodynamic solution of the absorption model
was solved based on the physicochemical properties of potassium glycinate particularly density
and viscosity at 6M and 60 ºC after a thorough assessment of the flow behaviour dynamics of
the solvent was performed and the results was contrasted with MEA which is the bench mark
solvent in CO2 post combustion capture.
The final phase of the study investigated the mass transfer with reaction aspect of the
interaction of CO2 and potassium glycinate at varying CO2 concentrations to understand its
impact on capture processes. The solution; based on a stated rate expression;
−2 = 7.5 × 10−1 (−6.7×102 ) 0.11 2 1.14
reveal that the reaction rate of CO2 increases from 0.0022 kg/m³·s at 5% CO2 to 0.0027
kg/m³·s at 10% CO2, stabilizes at 0.0026 kg/m³·s at 15% CO2, and remains constant at 0.0027
kg/m³·s from 20% CO2 onwards. In contrast, potassium glycinate's reaction rate increases from
0.0058 kg/m³·s at 5% CO2 to 0.0068 kg/m³·s at 10% CO2, remains steady at 0.0068 kg/m³·s up
to 20% CO2, and slightly rises to 0.0069 kg/m³·s at 30% and 40% CO2. The initial rise in CO2
reaction rates suggests enhanced efficiency with increasing CO2 concentration, while the
plateau indicates a saturation point. Potassium glycinate shows improved absorption capacity
and reaction efficiency up to a steady state, with minimal gains at higher concentrations. These
trends imply that potassium glycinate remains effective across a broad range of CO2
concentrations, crucial for optimizing CO2 capture systems.Studentye