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The Kids are Happier: An Inclusive, Strengths-Based Approach to Supporting Relationship-Building and Focus for Early Elementary Students
No full textPublic schools in Canada provide an ideal setting to observe the country’s inherent diversity, which can significantly influence various aspects of functioning, including social relationships and academic focus for learning among elementary students. This thesis examines the impact of moderate-to-high physical activity (MHPA) bouts on social relationships and academic focus with grade one students within a public elementary school classroom. This thesis describes case study research designed to investigate how MHPA bouts influence elementary student social interactions and focus for academic tasks in an elementary classroom, and whether physical activity serves as a positive factor for students’ social and physical development. Using a qualitative case study design, this research integrated data from student focus groups, classroom observations, and discussions with the teacher. All data were analyzed and triangulated in the development of themes, subthemes, findings, and recommendations for teaching practice and educational policy Key findings demonstrate that incorporating MHPA bouts in early elementary classrooms can enhance students’ focus for learning and improve social dynamics for all students, including those who are typically developing and those who are more active or vocal than their peers. Study results highlight the importance of integrating physical activity into classroom teaching strategies, not only to promote physical health but also to support students’ social well-being and academic focus. The study concludes with recommendations for incorporating structured MHPA into early elementary classrooms and suggests directions for future research to further explore the impact of MHPA on early years and upper elementary students
Fire and Stone: A Typological Study of Burned Rock Features and Their Role in Holocene Land Use at the Junction Site (DkPi-2)
No full textThroughout the Holocene, stone features described as burned-rock features (BRF) by archaeologists represented essential practices in the lifeways of past peoples as they served as cooking elements, heated homes, and were used for ceremonial purposes (Thoms 2017). Archaeologically, BRF are identified by dense concentrations of fire broken rock (FBR), which are stones that have been intentionally heated, resulting in discoloration, and fragmentation (Thoms 2017). Despite a lack of meaningful interpretation of BRF function in the past, contemporary research has demonstrated the immense analytical value of BRF. For example, Thoms (2003, 2009) proposes a model which assesses the role of BRF in land use intensification, suggesting that population pressures are the prime mover for intensification. In this thesis, I test the applicability of this model for the Northwestern Plains using data from the Junction Site (DkPi-2) near Fort Macleod, Alberta, to
determine if land-use intensification can be observed through changes in BRF form and function. Ultimately, the applicability of this model is tested through the analysis of BRF assemblages from the Junction Site and the examination of regionally specific pressures that occurred during the Holocene on the Northwestern Plains. This analysis shows that land-use intensification can be observed on a small-scale during the Old Women’s Phase on the Northwestern Plains and provides an important first step in facilitating such analysis through the creation of a series of archaeological expectations of BRF types which should be present in the archaeological record of the Northwestern Plains. At the same time, this study highlights several unresolved issues that will need to be addressed before meaningful analysis of BRF can proceed. Limiting factors in this analysis include the duration of occupation represented at the Junction site, current data collection standards for fire-broken rock, and a lack of consistent terminology for BRF
Echoes of Becoming
No full textEchoes of Becoming is a creative research project that examines the evolving nature of identity through the research-creation methodology. It draws on my personal experience of moving from Iran to Canada, narrating the process of undergoing an identity crisis and gradually healing through accepting my internal and external changes. This research engages with the transformations that happen within one’s sense of self over time. In this context, I explore the experience of self-change within the idea of becoming, viewing life as an ongoing cycle of transformation and understanding identity as a significant part of this continuous process. Throughout this research, I examine various aspects that contribute to the formation of identity and influence its evolution. I focus on the impact of places as our living environments, and the relationships with those around us, as central elements through which we understand and define ourselves. Additionally, I trace subtle and gradual shifts over time, paying attention to how daily repetitions reflect and shape our changing selves. The main body of this research is a sculptural artwork consisting of eighty ceramic rabbit figures painted with sunflower shadows. These elements refer to the two places I have lived in recent years and highlight the shifts in my identity, my relationships to places, and my connections with others. The repetition of both the rabbit forms and the sunflower paintings also suggests the unnoticed changes that occur within everyday repetition. Echoes of Becoming fosters a deeper understanding of our lived experiences and celebrates the joy of who we have become
Evaluating Stretch-Shortening Cycle Function in Athletes After ACL Reconstruction Using a Repeat Hop Test
No full textThe purpose of this thesis was to evaluate the influence of external task constraints on repeat hop testing (RHT) performance, neuromuscular control, and interlimb force-time asymmetry in athletes following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). The first study compared three methods for estimating landing velocity during RHT kinetic analysis against traditional temporal methods such as flight time. The results demonstrated that kinetic outcomes were highly sensitive to the method used, with methods based on flight time and spring mechanics demonstrating practical utility. The second study investigated the influence of two separate verbal cues: “hop fast” (FAST) and “hop high and fast” (HIGH) on unilateral RHT kinetics, kinematics, and muscle activity in ACLR and healthy athletes. ACLR limbs exhibited reduced hop heights and reactive strength index (jump height/ground contact time) during the HIGH condition relative to non-injured contralateral and healthy control limbs, but not during the FAST condition. It was also observed that isometric knee extensor strength, but not quadriceps muscle activity, demonstrated a strong positive relationship with RSI during the HIGH condition. The third study examined eccentric and concentric impulse asymmetries during unilateral and bilateral variations of RHT and the countermovement jump (CMJ). ACLR athletes demonstrated greater concentric impulse asymmetry across all conditions, with strong inter-task correlations only the ACLR group. In contrast, elevated eccentric impulse asymmetry was observed during all tasks except the bilateral CMJ, but with moderate inter-task correlations only in the ACLR group. In summary, these findings provide evidence that RHT is sensitive to ACLR-related neuromuscular deficits and may be an appropriate addition to comprehensive testing batteries used to inform return to sport decisions in ACLR athletes
UV-A LED Driven Photocatalytic Degradation of Sulfolane Using GCN/ZnO-Cu Nanocomposites
No full textSulfolane, commonly used as a solvent in gas sweetening and various industrial application, has been identified as an industrial contaminant of emerging concern (CEC). The release of sulfolane into the environmental system and water bodies poses an increasing ecological and public health challenge due to its resistance to natural degradation and persistence in humans and animals. This research investigates the photocatalytic degradation of sulfolane using graphitic carbon nitride (GCN)/zinc oxide-copper (ZnO-Cu) nanocomposite under UV-A LED (360nm) irradiation. The nanocomposite photocatalysts used for sulfolane degradation were synthesized using a facile method. After the synthesis, different characterization techniques such as energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were conducted. These characterization techniques were employed to examine the composition, chemical structure morphology and optoelectric properties of the synthesized photocatalysts. The band gap energies were estimated using UV-Vis DRS and Tauc plots analysis. Among the synthesized photocatalysts, GCN/2ZnO-Cu3% was the best-performing photocatalyst leading to greater than 80% degradation of sulfolane in 360 minutes. The effect of light sources was also investigated by comparing the UV-A LED (360 nm) to a visible light LED (450 nm) using the best-performing photocatalyst. It was observed that the UV-A LED was better than the visible light LEDs which had no impact on sulfolane degradation. Reactive Oxygen species (ROS) experiment was conducted to identify the dominant oxidative species involved in the degradation process. Hydroxyl radicals (HO·) were found to be the dominant species responsible for the degradation of sulfolane, providing insight into the underlying photocatalytic mechanism
A theory of change for patient-initiated follow-up care in rheumatoid arthritis
No full textAbstract Background Timely, high-quality care is critical to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management. In Alberta, thousands of individuals with RA are waiting for care due to the resource-intensive nature of lifelong follow-ups and rheumatologist shortages. With 20–50% of routine follow-ups not leading to treatment changes or raising new concerns, many appointments may be avoidable if care were restructured. Patient-initiated models extend rheumatologist follow-up intervals beyond 12 months where appropriate, which can reduce inefficiencies and improve care access. To address provincial RA care challenges, we co-developed a theory of change (TOC) for patient-initiated follow-up care. Methods A TOC serves to define health services interventions and their intended impact prior to implementation testing. We worked with 35 healthcare leaders, implementation experts, and patient partners to co-develop a TOC for patient-initiated RA follow-up care. During the scoping phase, we held discussions with healthcare leaders and reviewed evidence on patient-initiated follow-up models to assess their implementation potential. During the development phase, we drafted a TOC map using scoping phase findings and clinical and patient expertise. During the refinement phase, feedback was collected to optimize the TOC. Meetings were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using deductive qualitative content analysis alongside anonymous poll results and informal feedback to guide TOC refinement. Results The scoping phase identified challenges in RA care, including long waitlists and unnecessary appointments, which patient-initiated follow-up models have the potential to address. TOC discussions highlighted two intended impacts: (1) efficient and effective care for patients when needed, and (2) a sustainable model for RA care. Feedback in the refinement phase covered 4 topics: (1) preference for an interdisciplinary flare clinic, (2) patient selection, (3) patient education, and (4) patient monitoring. Tools and strategies were co-developed with partners to support patients (e.g., decision tool for patient-provider discussions) and the health system (e.g., monthly meetings to monitor burden). The final TOC for patient-initiated follow-up in RA details the care pathway, key resources and considerations, and evaluation outcomes. Conclusions A patient-centered, context-specific patient-initiated RA follow-up care model was co-developed with patient and healthcare partners. An implementation pilot will test its ability to address RA care challenges. Clinical trial registration Not applicable
The Material Mind
No full textThe Material Mind puts the issue of understanding how the mind fits into the natural order into broad perspective, linking the question of causal efficacy of cognitive properties and events with issues of their reducibility, the reality of causal powers, and with a relevant concept of emergence.
The idea that persons or animals possess properties of two types, physical and mental, or psychological and cognitive, inevitably raises the question of how such cognitive properties can be causally efficacious, with respect to other cognitive, physiological, or physical properties, of the person herself or her environment.
People, though composed exclusively of atoms like any other material object, have emergent properties that none of those components possess. Among them are cognitive properties. These properties give a person the power to cause both cognitive and physiological events and processes. The Material Mind defends a version of reductionist materialism. It modifies the conceptual framework of the debate by situating psychological and physiological properties of persons within a hierarchy of levels of reality.
The Material Mind develops a concept of reduction that is compatible both with scientific change and with the possibility of multiple reduction bases. It shows that cognitive and other higher-level properties can be construed as causal powers, develops a concept of emergence compatible with reduction, and shows that the integration of the mind into a scientific conception of the world does not deprive mental properties and events of causal efficacy. The book defends the possibility of downward causation of physiological effects by cognitive causes, by questioning the justification of both the principle of the causal closure of the physical domain and the principle of causal-explanatory exclusion
Identifying Graft Versus Host and Graft Versus Leukemia Allo-Immune Reaction After Stem Cell Transplantation
No full textAllogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) is a curative therapy for hematological malignancies. Two major allo-immune reactions take place in the recipient after HCT: the beneficial graft versus leukemia (GvL) wherein the donor immune cells identify and eradicate the leukemic cells of the recipient and the graft versus host (GvH) where the donor immune cells react against the normal cells of the host causing a debilitating illness called graft versus host disease (GvHD). The primary objective of this doctoral research was to distinguish between GvH and GvL allo-immune reactions by meticulously profiling the immune recovery at multiple time points post-HCT. Immune reconstitution in both adult and pediatric HCT recipients was evaluated at the transcriptomic level via gene expression profiling of 579 immunity-related genes using NanoString technology and at the cellular level through flow cytometric analysis of cell subset counts. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HCT recipients were analyzed at Day14, Day28, Day56, and Day84 posttransplant. An immune signature characterized by higher counts of T cells and overexpressed T cell-related genes, was identified in patients who developed acute GvHD grades 2-4 as early as Day14 posttransplant. The gene expression signature showing overexpressed T cell related genes especially CD161 expressing cytotoxic T cells was validated in an independent validation cohort. T cell counts and related transcriptomes were notably higher in cytomegalovirus (CMV) seropositive donor and recipient (D+R+) patients compared to other serostatus groups. The recovery pattern was similar in both adult and pediatric patients. The influence of CMV D+R+ on T cell reconstitution was not significant at early time points (Day 28) but became evident at 2 and 3 months post-transplant. Signatures indicating a lack of GvL response were observed at 3 months (Day 84) post-transplant characterized by downregulated expression of CD8 Tcell genes, including TIGIT and EOMES in patients at high risk of relapse. While this study succeeded in partially differentiating GvH and GvL allo-immune reactions through temporal and differential T cell gene expression profiling, further comprehensive transcriptomic analysis in larger cohorts is essential for a complete understanding of the separation between GvH and GvL
The Role of Strategic Problem Identification and Formulation in Creating and Sustaining Competitive Advantage
No full textUncovering and addressing shifts in customers’ needs in response to economic, political, social, and technological disruption is a proven strategy to create and sustain competitive advantage. However, as the energy practice director for a Canadian professional IT services firm, I discovered cognitive biases and organization structure impediments undermine customers’ ability to articulate what they needed. For the same reasons, we also struggled to prioritize those market opportunities offering the greatest potential value ex ante. This thesis outlines my journey as a practitioner-scholar to address this problem-of-practice: how do firms reliably identify new sources of competitive advantage ex ante during periods of higher environmental turbulence?Practitioner-scholars are uniquely positioned to address the problem-of-practice and bridge the rigor-relevance gap. My thesis consists of three papers that present the results of my abductive research process and outlines my practitioner-scholar research framework. The first paper kicks off my abductive research process where I examine, through a single case-study, how CSL Limited identified and captured new sources of competitive advantage ahead of larger rivals. Drawing on the problem-solving perspective, I posit CSL’s focus on identifying and resolving strategic problems acted as the catalyst to identify and capture new sources of competitive advantage. Then, I propose a business-problem typology and portfolio approach to illustrate how managers may apply these learnings. The second paper is the next step in my abductive research process. I create a conceptual model and hypotheses to deductively test the relationship between customer-problem-formulation-by-the-sale-function and new product development (NPD) performance. NPD is risky and managers are interested in contextual specific factors that both increase mean level returns with lower associated variability (narrower dispersion of returns) to optimize the risk-reward trade-off. Applying the multiplicative heteroscedasticity estimation methodology, I find increasing stakeholder engagement and during periods of higher environmental turbulence increase NPD mean-level returns and lowers associated variability. The third paper presents my practitioner-scholar research framework, contributions, and path forward to drive my research and address the problem of practice as a practitioner-scholar
Engineering Design Automation via Imitation Learning and Reinforcement Learning
No full textReinforcement Learning (RL) has achieved notable success in robotics and gaming, yet its application to automating engineering design faces significant challenges, including slow training times and poor generalization. Traditional RL methods require exploring millions of design states, which is computationally expensive, especially when dealing with complex physics models. In contrast, behavioral cloning, which enables RL agents to mimic human designers based on their decision data, presents a more resource-efficient alternative. This thesis investigates the use of both RL and imitation learning to automate engineering design, using aircraft design as a surrogate task to model engineering design. We evaluate the performance of a behavioral cloning agent trained on human design decision data, employing recurrent neural networks such as GRU, LSTM, and simple-RNN. We define a metric Q-score, which quantifies design quality on a scale between 0 and 1, with higher values indicating better design quality. Our findings demonstrate that the GRU architecture outperforms both LSTM and simple-RNN in terms of accuracy, achieving a Q-score of 0.8 after training on a relatively small dataset. The GRU model strikes an optimal balance between accuracy, simplicity, and computational efficiency, making it particularly suitable for surrogate design tasks like aircraft design optimization. Additionally, we assess the performance of RL agents, specifically Proximal Policy Optimization and Advantage Actor-Critic ,in the same design task. Both RL approaches achieved higher Q-scores (up to 0.99) but incurred significant computational costs and required extensive training time. In contrast, behavioral cloning provided a faster, more computationally efficient approach, though its performance was constrained by the availability of labeled human decision data. The results suggest that while RL methods excel in exploration and optimization, imitation learning offers a faster and more resource-efficient solution, albeit with reduced exploration and adaptability