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Motor Network Organization in Frontal Lobe Epilepsy
No full textFrontal lobe epilepsy (FLE) is a seizure disorder that commonly coincides with functional motor deficits. While the source of these deficits is unknown, it is postulated that repeated seizure activity within the frontal lobe might impact the proximate motor network. To examine this hypothesis, motor networks were compared between participants with right FLE, left FLE, and controls using two methods. The first was a task-based fMRI study of brain activation during simple and complex motor tasks, and the second was a resting-state fMRI study of motor network connectivity. Both studies revealed motor network disturbances in participants with FLE, disturbances that were more pronounced in participants with higher seizure burden factors. These results show that motor networks are altered in FLE. In the future, motor fMRI studies may help identify the locations of seizure foci, predict post-surgical motor deficits, and ultimately improve the quality of life of patients with FLE
Anxiety and Social Skills in Children with High Intellectual Ability and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
No full textThe current study investigated the relationship between anxiety and social skills in high intelligent (HI) children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) aged 8 to 11 years old. Fifteen HI children with ADHD (twice-exceptional) were matched one-to-one on age to children with HI (FSIQ ≥ 120), those with ADHD-C (average intelligence), and typically-developing children. Overall, results indicated no significant differences between self-reported anxiety and social skills; however, ADHD parent-reports of anxiety were significantly higher than typical parent-reports of anxiety. Twice-exceptional self-reports and HI self-reports were significantly lower than their parent’s reports of anxiety. For social skill abilities, twice-exceptional self-reports were significantly higher than their parents’ reports. It was also determined that anxiety was a significant predictor of twice-exceptional children’s social skills. Results of this study suggest that additional research should focus on HI as a possible risk factor for the development of anxiety and poor social skills in children with ADHD
Impact and Utility of the Alberta Narratives Project
No full textAlberta’s economy heavily relies on the traditional extraction of fossil fuels, which makes discussing their role in anthropogenic climate change intensely polarizing. The Alberta Narratives Project (ANP) represents the work of Alberta environmental non-government organizations to create a narrative connection between the general public, science, and policy makers. My Capstone aims to answer how effective the language and delivery of the ANP were at creating positive discussions surrounding energy, behaviour change (on the individual level), and overall environmental impact. Interviews provided the basis for an online survey of 365 individuals. Participants found their communications capacities increased and felt confident talking about climate change and energy in Alberta. However, participants also felt unsupported by their employers and facilitators, particularly with respect to follow-up. The ANP created more confident, informed climate science communicators close to the project, but to reach the public with the ANP, ENGOs need to offer more long-term support
Embedded 3D Printing of Strain Sensors for Adaptive Soft Robotic Grippers
No full textWhile soft grippers are easy to fabricate due to their simplicity, integrating sensors into them adds a layer of complexity to the manufacturing process. The widely used material for building soft robotic grippers is Ecoflex™ 00-30 (Smooth-On, Inc., USA), which is a commercially available platinum-catalyzed silicone elastomer known for its high elasticity, low modulus, and biocompatibility. If a method can be developed to embed sensors within the Ecoflex™™ matrix, it could revolutionize the field of robotics, opening new possibilities of fabricating soft robotic grippers quicker and more efficiently. This thesis introduces a method for printing sensors directly inside Ecoflex™, significantly simplifying the process of fabricating soft grippers with embedded sensors. By reducing the number of fabrication steps, this approach decreases production time and cuts the need for creating a separate mold for the conductive electrodes. In this method, a conductive pattern is directly 3D printed onto the Ecoflex™ substrate using a technique known as direct ink writing (DIW). The conductive ink used in this process was developed to ensure proper network formation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) within the PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane, Sylgard™ 184, Dow Inc., USA) matrix. A synthesis protocol was followed to achieve this, resulting in inks with mechanical and electrical properties that favor strain sensing. Several conductive inks were formulated with 4, 6, and 8 wt.% of MWCNTs in PDMS. These formulations were rigorously tested to evaluate their performance. And the 6 wt% ink was found to have a low Young's modulus of 0.5388 ± 0.0009 MPa and low resistance of 1.962 ± 0.019 kΩ, making it ideal for strain sensing. The rheological properties of the ink were analyzed to ensure smooth and precise printing of conductive electrodes within an Ecoflex™ bath. The 6 wt.% ink showed shear-thinning behavior, with viscosity decreasing from 10.5 million to ~2,200 mPa·s between 0.01 and 100 s⁻¹ shear rates, which indicates the smooth extrudability of the ink. The flow initiation point was 196.8 Pa, which is low enough to enable ink deposition at lower dispensing pressures but high enough to ensure structural retention post-extrusion. The ink also showed gel-like behavior (G′ > G″), confirming the printed shape retention property and providing support to the embedded 3D structures. Using this ink, the printing parameters such as dispensing pressure and printing speed that enabled printing fine lines using a 21G (514 µm ID) nozzle were found to be 55 kPa and 50 mm/min, respectively. Strain sensors with both straight and serpentine designs were printed, and their electrical performance was studied. In addition to sensor fabrication, a feedback loop that integrates the pneumatic dispenser and the sensor was developed to confirm the functionality of the printed sensor. The feedback loop was designed to shut the compressed air dispenser off when the gripper has gripped the object perfectly. The embedded printed sensor was found to be functional and was calibrated to hold objects successfully
The Identification and Characterization of Tanycyte Stem Cells
No full textThe formation of the brain is perhaps one of the most remarkable processes in biology, and at its core, is orchestrated by neural progenitors that give rise to a wide array of cell types in a precise, temporally coordinated manner. A century-long effort to characterize these neural progenitor cells, from early histological studies to current single-cell transcriptional profiling, has converged on a model of neurodevelopment based largely on processes occurring in the embryonic cortex thought to be broadly applicable across the brain. This model states that neuroepithelial cells (NEPs) lining the early neural tube eventually transition into radial glial cells (RGCs) within the nascent ventricular zone, which then give rise to nearly all the neurons and macroglia in the brain. However, the hypothalamus is an evolutionarily ancient brain region with a characteristic nuclear organization and striking environmental sensitivity, which are features that may not be accounted for in the present cortex-focused model. Here, I study whether the hypothalamus employs unique developmental programs. In particular, I ask whether tanycytes, a radial glia-like population with diverse metabolic functions and putative postnatal neural stem capacity, reside along the embryonic hypothalamic third ventricle (3V) and contribute to regional hypothalamic neurogenesis and gliogenesis in a manner that is sensitive to the maternal environment. Morphological, spatial, and transcriptomic analyses of hypothalamic ventricular cells revealed a novel population of NEP-derived, caudally located, tanycyte-like progenitors that formed a parallel lineage to hypothalamic RGCs; based on transcriptional similarities to postnatal tanycytes, we termed these cells tanycyte stem cells (TSCs). Comparisons of TSC and lamprey ependymoglia gene expression signatures suggested that the TSC lineage is evolutionarily conserved from a common vertebrate ancestor. Lineage tracing and diphtheria toxin-mediated ablation of a Troy-expressing subpopulation of TSCs revealed that these cells are necessary to give rise to neurons and glia in the mammillary region of the hypothalamus. Finally, these TSCs were robustly sensitive to maternal metabolic state, modulating neurogenic output in response to a maternal high-fat diet challenge in mice, and mounting a similar response in humans based on single-nucleus RNA sequencing data of human fetal hypothalamic tissue derived from either lean or obese pregnancies. Together, this work identifies the functional role of a novel region-specific, non-RGC progenitor population, and raises new concepts about neural progenitor heterogeneity, evolution, and therapeutic relevance
Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Anatomy Course for Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Residents
No full textA modular musculoskeletal ultrasound anatomy course for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residents integrating anatomy review, didactic teaching, and clinically relevant ultrasound applications.These modules comprise a comprehensive Musculoskeletal (MSK) Ultrasound Anatomy Course developed for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) residents. The course consists of 12 modular units (9 modules currently available, 3 modules in development) that integrate anatomy review, didactic instruction, and clinically relevant ultrasound applications. Materials are designed using established medical education principles and emphasize standardized, anatomy-based learning to support foundational MSK ultrasound skill development.
Originally developed in 2023, Version 4 (October 2025) has been fully revised to promote sharing. It is licensed under the Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license, which permits sharing of the course modules with attribution, for non-commercial use, and without modification. The course is intended to support blended learning models, including independent study and facilitated hands-on teaching sessions, and may be adapted for local educational contexts.
This resource is part of an ongoing quality improvement (QI) initiative evaluating the feasibility, engagement, and perceived educational value of a standardized MSK ultrasound anatomy curriculum in PM&R residency programs. Users are encouraged to complete the brief surveys embedded within the modules, as this feedback is essential to guide iterative refinement and support broader dissemination. This resource is shared to promote accessibility, consistency, and collaboration in MSK ultrasound education within physiatry training programs
Evaluating Care Complexity in Inflammatory Arthritis – A Population-Based Approach using CART Analysis to Examine Healthcare Utilization
No full textAutoimmune inflammatory arthritis is one of the most prevalent chronic health conditions in Canada, affecting approximately 3% of the population. Common inflammatory arthritis conditions include rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Individuals with inflammatory arthritis often experience high care complexity, characterized by multiple comorbidities, polypharmacy, social factors, and diverse healthcare needs, which can influence patterns of healthcare utilization. The aim of this study is to identify care complexity factors predictive of high healthcare utilization, including physician and emergency department (ED) visits, among adults with inflammatory arthritis in Alberta. We identified individuals diagnosed with RA, PsA, or AS using a validated administrative case definition. Sociodemographic and disease-related factors contributing to care complexity were described for each cohort, including age, sex, place of residence, socioeconomic status (SES), comorbidities, disease type, medication use, and opioid and glucocorticoid dispensations. Classification and regression tree (CART) models were developed to identify combinations of these care complexity characteristics that were predictive of high healthcare utilization. The study included 13,170 individuals. Care complexity varied across disease cohorts: older age, rural residence, multimorbidity, and glucocorticoid use were most common among people with RA; low SES was most prevalent in PsA; and opioid use was highest in AS. Polypharmacy, the presence of anxiety, older age, urban residence, and having PsA were predictive of high physician visits while polypharmacy, rural residence, and having RA or AS were predictive of high ED visits. These findings highlight distinct patterns of healthcare utilization driven by specific care complexity factors, offering insight into patient stratification and potential targets for interventions to optimize care delivery in inflammatory arthritis. However, the models were not fully able to capture or predict all aspects of complexity, underscoring the need for additional data and/or methods to more fully understand care complexity in inflammatory arthritis. Advancing this work could lead to more accurate prediction, better personalized care, and ultimately, improved health outcomes
Experimental and Low-Order Numerical Study of Flapping-Wing Turbine Performance and Leading-Edge Vortex Dynamics
No full textFlapping-wing turbines (FWTs) – oscillating wings rather than radial rotors – represent an innovative clean renewable source and have shown competitive power extraction efficiencies relative to conventional rotary turbines, as demonstrated in literature with high-fidelity simulations and limited experiments on physical prototypes. Although interest in FWTs is growing, design optimization, adaptability and reliability have proven difficult for field implementation due to the high-order parameter design space that defines interactions between aerodynamics, wing motion, and energy extraction. Current engineering design approaches involve extensive computer simulations coupled with optimization solvers or trial-and-error experiments which are both time and resource intensive tools. The motivation for the current work was to provide insights into two key questions that an Engineer would need to consider for designing a FWT system: (i) Can high performance be achieved under attached flow conditions? and (ii) If separation and formation of a Leading Edge Vortex (LEV) can't be avoided, how does synchronization between the LEV and motion kinematics influence efficiency? Low order numerical simulations, along with a water channel experimental setup were used to investigate these questions. A discrete vortex method based on a Leading Edge Suction Parameter (LESP), developed previously in literature, was used to predict aerodynamic forces on the foil. Results from the LESP-Modulated Discrete-Vortex Method (LDVM) indicate that, if maintained, attached flow conditions achieve the highest predicted cycle average efficiency of 49%, outperforming cases with LEVs present. If separation and a LEV can't be avoided, experimental results, using a custom setup equipped with synchronized high precision force measurements along with streaked particle imaging for observing Leading Edge Vortex (LEV) evolution, highlight the importance of LEV synchronization. Instantaneous force trends were linked to the position of the LEV node, defined as the central point of the LEV core about which the flow circulates, relative to the foil geometry. Within a constant blockage parameter space, synchronization of LEV evolution led to a maximum efficiency of 29%. LEVs were found to have the biggest impact on both the pitch and heave degrees of freedom after crossing the pivot point at the quarter cycle, with overall performance most sensitive to the LEV shedding time
Viscosity Solution Theory for Mean Field Stochastic Controls and Feynman-Kac Representation for Nonlinear Time-dependent Schrödinger Equations
No full textMean field (McKean–Vlasov) control problems model strategic decision-making in large pop-ulations of (approximately) symmetric agents interacting through an aggregate, or the so called mean field term. The dependence on the population measure in both the state dy-namics and the objective naturally leads to infinite-dimensional formulations. As in finite- dimensional cases, the associated Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equations typically do not admit classical solutions, making viscosity solutions a natural and powerful framework. In the first part of this thesis, we explore the theory of viscosity solutions for mean field control problems. In the second part, we study a novel Feynman–Kac representation. Traditionally, Feyn-man–Kac formulas connect parabolic partial differential equations (PDEs) with stochastic differential equations (SDEs). We extend this connection to Schrödinger-type equations, which are prototypical non-parabolic PDEs, and demonstrate how this approach facilitates efficient simulation of high-dimensional PDEs
Assessment of Various Natural Pozzolans, Recycled Glass Powder, and Reclaimed Fly Ash as Supplementary Cementitious Materials for Concrete Mixtures
No full textThe increasing demand for reducing the CO2 emissions associated with Portland cement production in the concrete industry has increased the need for the use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) to partially replace the Portland cement. Such a demand, in addition to the decline in the availability of Class F fly ash, necessitates exploring alternative SCMs. This study aimed to fill this gap by assessing the performance of different natural pozzolans and industrial wastes/by-products as SCMs for concrete mixtures. The SCMs included a medium- and a high-grade metakaolin (MMK and HMK), diatomaceous earth (DE), pumice, wollastonite, recycled glass powder (RGP), and reclaimed fly ash (RFA), all sourced from North America. The research first explored the effect of these SCMs in cement paste and mortar, when used at 20% by weight of cement, with DE at 10%. The rheology and heat of reaction were measured in cement paste, and the flow table and compressive strength were assessed in mortar. Reactivity of these SCMs was also tested according to RILEM TC 267-TRM. The SCMs that met the threshold for the 7-day heat release and bound water content were then used in concrete at the same content as that used in cement paste and mortar. The concretes were tested for fresh properties, compressive strength, and durability parameters, including depth of water penetration, water sorptivity, chloride penetrability, and bulk and surface electrical resistivity. The results showed that the selected natural pozzolans (MMK, HMK, and DE) had similar or improved compressive strengths over the reference concrete with no SCMs at all testing ages (3 to 91 days), however, they reduced the workability of the concrete. Concretes with these natural pozzolans also had the highest resistance to water and chloride penetration out of all the concretes tested, indicating improved durability. Concretes with RFA and RGP had reduced early-age strength, however, achieved comparable late-age strengths to the reference concrete and the concrete containing Class F fly ash, with improved or similar workability to the reference concrete. The concrete with RGP did not perform as well as the concretes with the natural pozzolans, however, it provided enhanced strength and durability compared to the concretes with RFA and Class F fly ash. The findings from this research contribute to a deeper understanding of the effectiveness of these SCMs across various applications in the concrete industry