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Alerting the nation to famine: The role of the media in exposing Canadians to the Ethiopian famine of 1984
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 Arts in History, University of Regina. iv, 54 p.This thesis explores the coverage by English language media in Canada, specifically that of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the Globe and Mail, and Maclean’s, of the Ethiopian Famine of 1984, and how that coverage generated considerable interest among the Canadian public, including among members of the Canadian government. The CBC’s reporting of the famine in its evening news on 1 November 1984 galvanized many Canadians. Even newly elected Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney, and his Secretary of State for External Affairs, Joe Clark, have admitted to being influenced by the reports of the famine on the CBC. Earlier reporting on the developing humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia, particularly by the Globe and Mail and Maclean’s, months, or even years before the CBC’s startling images, did not generate the same degree of interest or impact as the CBC did on that fall evening. Televised media generated interest in the crisis that print media simply could not match. However, this thesis shows that the Globe and Mail, a daily newspaper based in Toronto whose masthead describes itself as Canada’s national newspaper, and Maclean’s, which claims to be Canada’s Weekly Newsmagazine, both provided more detailed coverage of the crisis than television could. Maclean’s, moreover, understood the value of imagery in its coverage of the famine, and its increased space permitted it to engage in the transmission of differing perspectives on what was happening in Ethiopia. In the case of all three mediums, each moved on after several months of intense coverage of the famine, as new stories emerged. The public, it seems, similarly lost interest in the famine, suggesting that the media’s portrayal of the famine first alerted the nation to the Ethiopian crisis, became a key factor in mobilizing aid to Ethiopia and as the media’s interest waned, the public also lost interest in what was happening in the African nation.Studentye
Task-oriented exercise effects on walking and corticospinal excitability in multiple sclerosis: protocol for a randomized controlled trial
No full textBackground
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that disrupts walking function and results in other debilitating symptoms. This study compares the effects of ‘task-oriented exercise’ against ‘generalized resistance and aerobic exercise’ and a ‘stretching control’ on walking and CNS function in people with MS (PwMS). We hypothesize that task-oriented exercise will enhance walking speed and related neural changes to a greater extent than other exercise approaches.
Methods
This study is a single-blinded, three-arm randomized controlled trial conducted in Saskatchewan, Canada. Eligible participants are those older than 18 years of age with a diagnosis of MS and an expanded Patient-Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) score between 3 (‘gait disability’) and 6 (‘bilateral support’). Exercise interventions are delivered for 12 weeks (3 × 60-min per week) in-person under the supervision of a qualified exercise professional. Interventions differ in exercise approach, such that task-oriented exercise involves weight-bearing, walking-specific activities, while generalized resistance and aerobic exercise uses seated machine-based resistance training of major upper and lower body muscle groups and recumbent cycling, and the stretching control exercise involves seated flexibility and relaxation activities. Participants are allocated to interventions using blocked randomization that stratifies by PDDS (mild: 3–4; moderate: 5–6). Assessments are conducted at baseline, post-intervention, and at a six-week retention time point. The primary and secondary outcome measures are the Timed 25-Foot Walk Test and corticospinal excitability for the tibialis anterior muscles determined using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), respectively. Tertiary outcomes include assessments of balance, additional TMS measures, blood biomarkers of neural health and inflammation, and measures of cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness.
Discussion
A paradigm shift in MS healthcare towards the use of “exercise as medicine” was recently proposed to improve outcomes and alleviate the economic burden of MS. Findings will support this shift by informing the development of specialized exercise programming that targets walking and changes in corticospinal excitability in PwMS.
Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05496881, Registered August 11, 2022. https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05496881. Protocol amendment number: 01; Issue date: August 1, 2023; Primary reason for amendment: Expand eligibility to include people with all forms of MS rather than progressive forms of MS only.This study is supported by funding from the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (reference #6116, 111 Research Dr #204, Saskatoon, SK S7N 3R2, [email protected]). The study sponsor completed an independent peer-review but had no other role in role in study design or manuscript preparation
Metal culvert renewal prioritization framework development: A study for Saskatchewan Highways
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 Industrial Systems Engineering, University of Regina. xii, 118 p.Saskatchewan comprises over 250,000 km (160,000 mi) of roads, the highest length of road surface compared to any other Canadian province. Along these roads, over 26,500 culverts have been installed for passaging water flow. Some of which have been installed over a century ago with no recorded installation dates. The failure of culverts, caused by a wide range of factors such as environmental, structural, or material failures, can result in sudden and catastrophic consequences, leading to injuries or loss of life. Additionally, damaged culverts can negatively impact water quality by causing erosion and scour, as well as impeding the passage of aquatic species between their habitats upstream and downstream. Thus, timely replacement of culverts can play a crucial role in minimizing such damages.
This study evaluates three methods, namely, ordinal logistic regression, artificial neural network, and Fuzzy Inference System, for the prioritization of culverts for renewal. Specifically, the approach presented in this research is developed for metal pipe materials, which are extensively used in culvert installations. Using the condition of 1,000 metal culverts located along Saskatchewan highways, the three methods were employed to rank their condition and determine their renewal time. The evaluation of model performance was conducted using a range of established metrics including the area under the ROC (Receiver Operating characteristic) curve, percentage of correct predictions (PCP), confusion matrix, accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. The results of the study indicate that the artificial neural network optimized by genetic algorithm outperforms the other two methods, providing the most effective approach for culvert renewal prioritization.
Keywords: Culvert renewal; Ordinal Logistic Regression; Artificial Neural Network; Fuzzy Inference System.Studentye
Examining the impact of gender-based microagressions and institutional betrayal on women holding multiple marginalized statuses
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 Clinical Psychology, University of Regina. ix, 205 p.Microaggression refers to subtle, often indirect, discriminatory behavior committed
against members of marginalized groups. The subtle nature of microaggressions can
often make them seem innocuous, however, they can have a determinantal impact on
those who experience them. Women are a marginalized group who experience
microaggressions on the basis of gender, rooted in sexism. Further, many women hold
multiple marginalized statuses based on their race, sexuality, disability, age, religion,
body size, or socioeconomic status. As such, they may also experience microaggressions
based on these intersectional identities. While microaggressions in themselves have been
shown to be negatively related to mental health, it has been suggested that how that
initial microaggression is responded to by an institution can cause the mental health
impact to be exacerbated through institutional betrayal (i.e., the failure of an institution
to proactively prevent harm, or to be supportive following harm). Further, if institutions
can respond with courage and support, the impact of a microaggression might also be
changed. Despite the potentially dangerous impact of microaggressions, no research, to
my knowledge, has experimentally investigated the impact of a microaggression directly
after it was perpetrated. The study utilized a mixed-methods approach and investigated
the impact of a single gender-based microaggression with institutional betrayal or
support on state affect in women. Further, the impact of holding multiple marginalized
statuses was investigated. The study took place via Zoom, and participants completed an
unobtrusive measure of state mood directly before and after a male confederate
perpetrated a microaggression consistent with sexual objectification. The experimenter
then responded to said microaggression with institutional support or institutional
betrayal. Once participants recompleted the mood measure, they were asked to complete
a number of questionnaires focused on past experiences of gender-based discrimination
and mental health symptoms and they were asked to respond to qualitative questions
regarding their experience of the microaggression. Results showed that women in the
institutional betrayal condition had a decrease in negative mood after experiencing the
microaggression and women in the institutional support condition had an increase in
negative mood after experiencing the microaggression. Furthermore, regardless of
condition all women showed an increase in positive mood. Future directions and
implications are discussed.Studentye
Saturated–Unsaturated behaviour of compacted clays
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 Environmental Systems Engineering, University of Regina. xiv, 228 p.Clayey soils are often compacted for geotechnical and geo-environmental construction
such as hydraulic dams, road embankments, tailings containment facilities, and municipal
landfills. Post construction, these earthworks are exposed to variations in seasonal weather
and extreme climatic events (drought, flood, and freezing), contaminations (deicing salts,
ion-rich slurries, and toxic leachates), and applied stresses (self-weight, vehicular traffic,
and heavy equipment), thereby affecting the integrity of civil infrastructures. The
geotechnical behavior (flow through, volume change, and shear strength) is governed by
soil composition and compaction, soil-water-electrolyte mechanisms, soil-atmosphere
interactions, and field conditions. This research focused on developing a clear
understanding of saturated–unsaturated behavior of compacted clays. For this purpose, a
representative clayey soil possessing a moderate water adsorption capacity (liquid limit of
29% and plastic limit of 15%) was characterized to provide baseline geotechnical
properties. This material was classified as lean clay according to the Unified Soil
Classification System. Field behavior was simulated using regional climatic conditions and
environmental loading along with test results.
The compacted clay was found to have an air entry value of 700 kPa and a residual
suction value of 5 × 104 kPa along with s-shaped swell-shrink curve for dry of optimum
and j-shaped for wet of optimum. At optimum, osmotic suction was operative within the
70-100% saturation range and showed a j-shaped swell-shrink curve for deionized water
and a cascading j-shaped curve for concentrated brine. The transient swelling potential
exhibited s-shaped curves irrespective of the degree of compaction and the type of pore
fluids. Likewise, the hydraulic and thermal properties of the soil were found to be governed
by net water flux and air temperature. Based on the coupled hydraulic-thermal model, the
active depth of soil was found to be about 4 m for degree of saturation and 3 m for heat
flux. Furthermore, slope stability investigations showed that the environmental loading and
soil properties were effectively captured but construction practices and site geology were
only partly incorporated.
The main innovative contributions are the development of the following: (i)
simplified approach for volumetric constitutive relationships using soil suction and applied
stress through normalized void ratio; (ii) soil-water-electrolyte framework to capture the
effect of soil contaminations; (iii) coupled hydraulic-thermal model to predict the soil
behavior under extreme climatic conditions; and (iv) systematic design approach for
selecting the most stable geometry. The findings and the contributions of this research are
useful for better design, effective construction, and long-term performance of earth
structures.Studentye
Treating comorbid insomnia in patients receiving transdiagnostic Internet-delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for anxiety and depression: A randomized controlled trial
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 Clinical Psychology, University of Regina. x, 152 p.Studies have demonstrated that transdiagnostic Internet-delivered Cognitive Behavioural
Therapy (ICBT) programs for patients experiencing anxiety and depression can produce
large improvements in symptoms. Comorbid insomnia is common among individuals
seeking treatment for anxiety and depression, yet transdiagnostic ICBT programs rarely
target insomnia and many ICBT patients report that symptoms of insomnia remain after
treatment. The current trial was designed to explore the value of including a brief
intervention for insomnia alongside an existing transdiagnostic program (Wellbeing
Course). A new insomnia intervention was developed using a patient-oriented approach
to maximize ease-of-understanding and overall acceptability to patients. Patients were
randomly assigned to receive either the standard Wellbeing Course (n = 75) or the newly
developed Sleep-Enhanced program (n = 142). The Standard Wellbeing program
included basic sleep hygiene advice. The Sleep-Enhanced program included
psychoeducation about insomnia and a brief introduction to sleep restriction and stimulus
control, which are two key behavioural components of cognitive behavioural therapy for
insomnia. Patients assigned to the Sleep-Enhanced program reported larger reductions in
insomnia than patients in the Standard Wellbeing control condition (Cohen’s d = 0.67; p
= 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences between the Standard
Wellbeing Course and the Sleep-Enhanced program in terms of course completion rate (χ
2(1) = 0.653; p = 0.419) or mean reduction in symptoms of generalized anxiety (F(1, 135) =
1.10; p = 0.296) or major depression (F(1, 139) = 3.62; p = 0.059) symptoms. Patients who
received the sleep-enhanced program who more frequently adhered to sleep restriction
guidelines reported greater reductions in insomnia symptoms during the program (p =
0.031). Patient-reported adherence to stimulus control instructions was not associated
with symptom change (p = 0.836). Patients reported several factors impacted their sleep
during the program, the most commonly reported being anxiety (n = 98/128; 77%), care
responsibilities (n = 75/128; 59%), and interruptions such as being woken by
noises/external factors (n = 71/128; 55%). The trial results demonstrate that including a
brief intervention targeting insomnia can be beneficial for many patients seeking
treatment primarily for symptoms related to anxiety and depression, while maintaining
the effectiveness of the program for reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.Studentye
Exploring grief among Canadian Indigenous women who have experienced perinatal loss: Interactions with the healthcare system
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 Education in Educational Psychology, University of Regina. viii, 103 p.This study aimed to understand the experiences of Canadian Indigenous women who experienced perinatal loss and how their interactions with the healthcare system impacted their healing process. Perinatal loss can lead to unacknowledged grief, and the lack of specialized support within the healthcare system often leaves women to grieve alone. Women from low income families are more vulnerable to pregnancy loss, adding to the stressors that this population already endures. A qualitative approach was used to interview four women and two healthcare workers about their experiences receiving and providing care for perinatal loss. The findings highlighted the importance of acknowledging and validating perinatal loss as a legitimate reason to grieve, ensuring a supportive environment through adequate communication and resources, providing quality care that is attentive, genuine, and compassionate, and offering education on pregnancy loss and the grief that follows.
Keywords: perinatal loss, grief, Indigenous women, healthcareStudentye
Impact of an online discussion forum on self-guided internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for Canadian public safety personnel: A randomized trial
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 Clinical Psychology, University of Regina. xiii, 318 p.First responders and other public safety personnel (PSP) are at elevated risk of
experiencing potentially psychologically traumatic events, mental disorders, and barriers
to accessing mental healthcare. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT)
is an effective and accessible treatment for various common mental disorders. Therapistguided
ICBT is more effective than self-guided ICBT, but self-guided ICBT is easier to
implement on a large scale. Designing self-guided ICBT to be more engaging for users
has been recommended to improve engagement and outcomes. One way to engage users
is to provide them with access to an online discussion forum. Self-guided ICBT
interventions that have included online discussion forums have demonstrated excellent
treatment outcomes, comparable to those of guided ICBT, but there is a need for research
experimentally testing the impact of adding online discussion forums. The current study
objectives were to evaluate a transdiagnostic, self-guided ICBT program tailored for PSP,
explore whether a therapist-moderated online discussion forum impacts outcomes, and
analyze participant feedback to inform future efforts to implement forums in ICBT.
The current study consisted of a randomized trial (n = 107) with two conditions,
both of which involved an 8-week, transdiagnostic self-guided ICBT course tailored for
Canadian PSP. In one condition, but not the other, the ICBT course included a therapistmoderated
online discussion forum. We administered several self-report measures during
eligibility screening and at 8 and 20 weeks post-enrollment. Primary outcomes included
changes in symptoms of major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and
posttraumatic stress disorder. Secondary outcomes included treatment satisfaction,
treatment engagement, patient-program alliance, and changes in health service use,
resilience, and subjective wellbeing. We compared treatment outcomes across the two
conditions using multilevel modeling. We used qualitative analyses to further examine
written comments related to treatment satisfaction and participants’ experiences with the
online discussion forum. Across conditions, most participants accessed at least four of
the five lessons of the ICBT course (n = 59, 55.1%) and completed post-treatment
questionnaires at 8 weeks (n = 83, 77.5%) and 20 weeks post-enrollment (n = 73,
68.2%). Participants in both conditions who reported clinically significant symptoms at
pre-treatment reported large and statistically significant reductions in symptoms (ps
0.97). Participants also evidenced good treatment satisfaction and
engagement. There was no evidence of group differences on any treatment outcomes,
and most outcomes were comparable to those of therapist-guided ICBT tailored for PSP.
However, 30.0% of prospective participants in the present study either failed to access
the ICBT course or withdrew from the study, compared with only 5.7% for therapistguided
ICBT. Participants created only nine posts in the online discussion forum.
Qualitative analyses revealed that the forum had both strengths (e.g., it helped some
participants feel less alone) and limitations (e.g., some participants disliked the relatively
low level of activity). The current results support continued research on and
implementation of self-guided ICBT for PSP and other groups. Results also suggest a
need for further research to determine how online discussion forums should be structured
and implemented in self-guided ICBT and to clarify their impact on outcomes.Studentye
Saskatchewan Aboriginal Storytelling 2023
No full textElder Jane Carriere is Métis and Cree, was born in Sturgeon Landing-Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation and was raised in Cumberland House Cree Nation. She is a retired nurse, entertainer, beader, and is a great story teller
Role of physiologically relevant hypoxia in neural stem and progenitor cell proliferation, migration and differentiation into oligodendrocytes
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 Biology, University of Regina. xiii, 138 p.Stem cells are undifferentiated cells, defined by their capability to self-renew and differentiate to give rise to different cells of the body. Neural stem and progenitor cells are a type of multipotent stem cell capable of giving rise to the cells of the mature central nervous system (CNS): neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. The mechanism by which various factors influence stem fate is of wide interest, as these cells play a key role in development, and have a potential role in repair of CNS injury. I investigated the role of physiologically relevant hypoxic levels as a driving force for the proliferation and differentiation of Neural Stem and Progenitor Cells (NSPCs) into Oligodendrocytes (OLs) as well as increased migration. In most research, cells are cultured at 21% O2, which is significantly higher than what these cells, and other cells of the CNS, are typically exposed to. Physioxia is what could be considered low concentrations of O2 in the external environment, but normal in the body. The O2 level in the human body is tightly regulated; particularly low levels of O2 may positively aid in NSPC differentiation through the regulation of certain genes. One mechanism that may aid in the differentiation process is the involvement of transcription factors that are sensitive to changes in O2 levels. Hypoxic Inducible Factor (HIF) is a transcription factor that plays an integral role in the detection of hypoxia and can induce changes in genes responsible for vascular growth (vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)), cell migration (matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2)) or A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombosponfin motifs 1 (ADAMTS-1)) and cell differentiation (platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)).
This study demonstrates that a low O2 environment can be confirmed through the
upregulation of HIF-1a at low levels of physiologically relevant oxygen levels. Furthermore, the upregulation of VEGF at different O2 concentrations alludes to NSPC proliferation, especially at 5% O2. MMP2 upregulation showed that migration of the OL lineage cells is highest at 5% O2. Lastly, differentiation of NSPCs to OPCs seemed to increase when exposed to low levels of O2 and was the highest at 5% O2. Moderate levels of physiologically relevant oxygen levels such as 5% seem to have the optimal effect on NSPC proliferation, differentiation, and migration as gene expression for several of the gene is highest at that O2 concentration.Studentye