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Glucose Signaling in Naked Mole-rats during Hypoxia
No full textIn hypoxic conditions, glucose metabolism plays an essential role in energy production in most mammals, as many tissues shift toward anaerobic glycolysis to meet cellular energy demands. However, some hypoxia-tolerant species maintain partial aerobic metabolism or utilize alternative metabolic pathways to sustain ATP production. Of particular interest are mechanisms that regulate metabolic rate and energy balance, as hypoxia suppresses aerobic pathways, potentially leading to cell death in hypoxia-intolerant species. Naked mole-rats (NMRs, Heterocephalus glaber) are among the most hypoxia-tolerant mammals and significantly suppress their metabolic rate under hypoxic conditions. NMRs also switch from primarily lipid-based metabolism during normoxia to carbohydrate-based metabolism during hypoxia. Despite their exceptional hypoxia tolerance, how NMRs regulate glucose metabolism and energy balance across developmental stages remains unclear. It is also unknown whether adult NMRs retain neotenic traits that contribute to their hypoxia tolerance, suggesting a potential evolutionary adaptation. The goal of my thesis is to examines how different developmental stages of NMRs regulate their metabolic rate and glucose metabolism in normoxia and hypoxia. We hypothesize that NMRs exhibit abnormal glucose metabolism regulation that varies across developmental stages and caste roles within the colony, influencing their ability to conserve energy under hypoxia. We predict that all groups of NMRs will suppress their metabolic rate and downregulate glucose metabolism pathways to conserve energy, with this suppression being more pronounced in younger animals. To address these questions, newborns, juveniles, and adults (subordinates and queens) were exposed to normoxia (21% O₂) or acute hypoxia (7%, 5%, or 3% O₂) to measure metabolic rate, body temperature, and blood glucose levels. Glucose, insulin, and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) were administered to assess glucose handling in NMRs during normoxia and sever acute hypoxia (3% O2). Molecular analysis focused on normoxia and severe hypoxia (3% O₂) to examine blood lactate levels, glycolytic enzyme activity, glycogen metabolism, gluconeogenesis, IGF signaling, and glucose transporter expression.
Our findings reveal several novel insights into NMR glucose metabolism:
1) All age groups reduce metabolic rate and body temperature across all hypoxia levels. Subordinates and juveniles primarily metabolize lipids in normoxia but switch to carbohydrates in hypoxia, whereas queens rely on carbohydrate metabolism under all conditions.
2) Blood glucose increases in hypoxia across all groups but with differing thresholds. Blood glucose rises in moderate hypoxia for queens and pups but only in severe hypoxia for subordinates and juveniles. While glucose tolerance remains similar across groups in normoxia, clearance times following a bolus glucose challenge are 2-3 times longer in juveniles and subordinates than in queens or pups under hypoxia. Administration of insulin or IGF-1 lower blood glucose in subordinates in all conditions, but only IGF-1 impacts blood glucose in hypoxic queens.
3) Blood lactate accumulation and anaerobic pathways show tissue-specific adaptations. Hypoxia elevates blood lactate levels in all groups, reflecting increased anaerobic metabolism. Gene and protein analyses reveal that subordinates and juveniles enhance glucose mobilization for energy, while queens prioritize ATP conservation for prolonged hypoxic survival.
Overall, these findings highlight metabolic adaptations across tissues, developmental stages, and castes in NMRs, enabling their survival in hypoxia. Subordinates and juveniles exhibit metabolic flexibility, supporting their energy-intensive roles in tunneling, foraging, and caretaking. In contrast, queens prioritize ATP conservation to sustain reproduction. These caste- and age-specific strategies optimize survival and efficiency within the colony, reinforcing the exceptional hypoxia tolerance and resilience of NMRs
FSL Teacher Education - Naviguer ensemble sur la marée montante
No full textDans le paysage éducatif, nous vivons une marée montante - une pénurie croissante d’enseignant.e.s qualifié.e.s en français langue seconde (FLS). Comme des vagues qui s’amoncellent à l’horizon, le problème s’intensifie depuis des années, érodant les fondements d’un enseignement solide de la langue française dans les écoles. Les facultés d’éducation et les conseils scolaires sont appelés à s’unir, à répondre à la vague et à construire des fondations solides pour affronter la tempête. Notre réponse collective a commencé par deux événements, au cours desquels les parties prenantes se sont réunies pour explorer la manière dont nous pourrions relever ce défi. Notre question directrice : Comment pouvons-nous renforcer la formation et la rétention des enseignant.e.s de FLS ? Alors que nous nous plongeons dans la conversation, deux points d’ancrage puissants ont émergé du courant : le mentorat et les relations. Ces thèmes constituent un terrain stable sous des eaux mouvantes, soutenant à la fois l’apprentissage et la réussite à long terme des enseignant.e.s du FLS. Mais tous les aspects de notre programme de FSL Teacher Education n’ont pas été accueillis avec la même clarté. Parmi les vagues d’idées, trois domaines sont apparus comme des points méritant un dialogue engagé : CECR/Formation des correcteurs DELF, exigences des cours de français, et le test de compétence en français. Plutôt que d’aplanir nos divergences de points de vue, notre objectif est de surfer sur les vagues ensemble, en utilisant notre engagement commun en faveur du mentorat et des relations comme une boussole qui peut nous guider à travers les eaux agitées. En explorant comment nous comprenons ces domaines différemment - et où nous nous alignons - nous pouvons commencer à co-créer une direction commune. Et maintenant, où allons-nous ? La marée est en train de changer, et avec elle, l’occasion de façonner le rivage de la préparation des enseignant.e.s du FLS. Nos prochaines étapes ne consisteront pas à contrôler les vagues, mais à apprendre à les naviguer ensemble en construisant une vision commune; en tirant parti des valeurs communes comme point d’ancrage du mentorat; et en créant une culture de dialogue continu.FSL Challenge (Ministère des collèges et universités de l'Ontario
Quand l’IA s’immisce dans les élections : Quatre actions à mettre en oeuvre pour protéger l’intégrité des élections et défendre la démocratie
No full textLes technologies influencent depuis longtemps les élections, tant positivement que négativement, en façonnant leurs résultats et la qualité du débat public les entourant. Par exemple, Internet permet à la population de se mobiliser plus efficacement que jamais, lui donnant un outil pour défendre des idées et des causes précises. Néanmoins, Internet est également un redoutable canal de désinformation.
L’essor de l’intelligence artificielle (IA) s’accompagne de nouvelles menaces importantes, notamment la multiplication des vidéos hypertruquées, la hausse des risques liés à la cybersécurité, l’émergence d’agents manipulateurs persuasifs ou, encore, la prolifération des données synthétiques et des faux comptes. Dans un même temps, l’IA s’avère un outil puissant qu’utilisent les partis politiques pour communiquer avec l’électorat, influencer l’opinion publique et façonner les flux d’information. En exploitant les tendances électorales existantes, l’IA pourrait profondément remodeler les processus démocratiques et avoir un impact sur les résultats électoraux. Cependant, sans mesures proactives, l’IA pourrait exacerber des tendances inquiétantes comme la polarisation politique et la perte de confiance envers la démocratie.
Les gouvernements doivent agir de manière décisive à l’égard de l’IA, en particulier en cette période où, dans les démocraties du monde, les élections font face à des attaques et à des défis croissants. En agissant sur plusieurs fronts, ils soutiendront les systèmes démocratiques, renforceront la confiance de la population et assureront que l’IA soit utilisée d’une manière qui permet de protéger l’intégrité des élections.Ce projet a été rendu possible par le soutien du Fonds de recherche du Québec ; du CEIMIA ; de la Chaire Canada-CIFAR en IA et droits de la personne, Mila ; de la Chaire de recherche de l’Université d’Ottawa en technologie et société, ainsi qu’avec l’aide de la Délégation du Québec à Rome et de la SIOI pour l’organisation logistique de la retraite
"And Woman's Heart Hath Left a Trace": The Romantic Woman's Elegy as Affective History
No full textMy project addresses the paucity of criticism on the Romantic woman's elegy and demonstrates that women poets from this era create their own tradition by adapting the classical elegy to reflect their own emphasis on sympathy and community. I draw from the historiographical theories of Mark Salber Phillips to illustrate that the elegies of Romantic women poets may be considered as miniature histories because of their immersion in the quotidian rather than in the idealized classical past. Their elegies may be read as histories in the same way that obituaries are read, according to Phillips, as a valid historiographical genre (On Historical Distance 19). Phillips articulates four ways of mediating the past: formal, affective, ethical, and critical distance. Throughout the thesis I am guided by Celeste Schenck's observation that the female elegy is "a poem of connectedness" (15); therefore, I emphasize the affective dimension of each Romantic woman's elegy. I refer to the historiographical theorists of each woman's era as they are discussed by Phillips, in order to show the historical relevance of these poets' works. My first chapter involves the critical distance yet affective proximity between Phillis Wheatley, Anna Laetitia Barbauld, and their moral exemplars, showing that the women poets' detached perspective is reminiscent of the histories of David Hume and Edward Gibbon. Chapter 2 demonstrates that Mary Robinson and Charlotte Smith are nearer to their subject than were their predecessors; Robinson and Smith resemble the historian James Mackintosh in that they are transitional between the age of abstraction and that of imagination. In Chapter 3, I consider Helen Maria Williams, Felicia Hemans, and Letitia Elizabeth Landon as enablers of sympathy through the monument and suggest that their imaginative approaches are redolent of the historiographical theories of Godwin, Scott, and Wordsworth. Chapter 4 explores the affective response to the death of Princess Charlotte and her child through analysis of the elegies of Barbauld, Hemans, and Landon, together with references to Robert Southey's elegy to the princess. These elegies assess historical distance in contrasting ways. Finally, Barbauld, Hemans, and Landon are invoked yet again in Chapter 5 to stress these elegists' sense of community rather than competition with other women poets. My analysis of all these poems is meant to exhibit the distinctiveness of Romantic women's elegies and to indicate that they fill a literary niche
La prise en charge d'un(e) adolescent(e) atteint(e) d'un trouble des conduites alimentaires : une analyse critique de l'expérience des parents
No full textLa prise en charge d'un(e) adolescent(e) atteint(e) d'un trouble des conduites alimentaires (ci-après : TCA) constitue une épreuve complexe et multidimensionnelle pour les parents, appelés à jouer un rôle central dans un contexte marqué par la complexité clinique, l'exigence des soins et les attentes institutionnelles. Cette thèse doctorale vise à comprendre l'expérience des parents investis dans le soutien de leur adolescent(e) atteint(e) d'un TCA, en portant une attention particulière aux dynamiques genrées qui structurent les pratiques de soins.
Mobilisant une perspective poststructuraliste inspirée de Foucault et Donzelot, cette recherche interroge les dynamiques de pouvoir, de normalisation et de contrôle qui traversent le quotidien de ces parents et la manière dont celles-ci façonnent leur rôle et leur subjectivité.
L'étude s'appuie sur une approche qualitative de type analyse phénoménologique interprétative. Quinze entretiens semi-dirigés ont été menés auprès de parents (principalement des mères), recrutés en communauté et via les réseaux sociaux, en collaboration avec deux organismes régionaux. L'analyse a permis d'identifier cinq thèmes principaux, soit 1) la complexité des TCA; 2) l'impact de la maladie sur les parents; 3) les différences dans les pratiques de soins entre les mères et les pères; 4) les failles de l'appareil psychiatrique; et 5) le soutien aux parents.
Les résultats révèlent un processus de responsabilisation parentale qui invisibilise leur détresse, tout en les intégrant à un système de soins qui tend à les professionnaliser sans reconnaissance adéquate. Cette recherche invite à une réflexion critique sur les dispositifs en santé mentale, en valorisant l'expertise des parents et en appelant à des pratiques davantage sensibles à leur réalité. Elle propose enfin des pistes concrètes pour un soutien structuré, afin de prévenir l'épuisement parental et renforcer les capacités de soin des familles
Examining the “Black Box” of Spirituality in Ontario Advance Care Planning Resources: A Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis
No full textThis thesis responds to a two-fold problem observed in the literature regarding spirituality and bioethics: that spirituality in Advance Care Planning (ACP) has been inadequately explored in the Ontario context, and that any comprehensive examination of the multidimensional and complex “black box” of spirituality in ACP must also address the interwoven themes of death and values, as well as the undercurrents of conflict in bioethics regarding spirituality’s inclusion. This thesis responds to this problem by examining the Advance Care Planning Ontario (ACPO) website utilizing a Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis (MCDA) approach rooted in the paradigm of Critical Discourse Analysis/Critical Discourse Studies (CDA/CDS) focusing on the main research question: how is spirituality situated in resources found on the ACPO website? This study was undertaken in two parts: first, an analysis of the website using MCDA tools of inquiry inspired by Machin and Mayr (2023); and second, a coding process using Braun and Clarke’s (2022) reflexive thematic analysis focusing on both discourses related to spirituality, death, and values; and also the ideological assumptions observed in these discourses. Findings suggest spirituality being situated peripherally and vaguely with little articulation of its diversity. Additionally, a discourse of immanence regarding spirituality, values, and death was observed with a focus on physical aspects of ACP with little opportunity for engagement on transcendent spiritual themes in decision-making. Ideological assumptions observed impacting spirituality’s situatedness included secular, instrumental, rational, utilitarian, individualistic, and medical-legal assumptions—leanings that may exclude diverse ways of knowing and limit inclusion of diverse spiritualities in ACP. Future recommendations include a central and integral role of spirituality in all its diversity, a fuller acceptance of multidimensional aspects of death and dying central to many spiritualities, and the development of opportunities for spiritually integrated value reflection in ACP processes that invite deeper reflection regarding transcendent themes
Putting Numbers to Words: Measuring the Readability of Court and Administrative Tribunal Decisions in Canada
No full textThis inter-disciplinary law and linguistics dissertation empirically examines the quantitative readability levels of Canadian court and administrative tribunal decisions. It provides current, detailed, and relevant analyses about the extents to which readers of different education levels are likely to understand these adjudicative decisions.
The project makes two original contributions to our knowledge about readability levels of adjudicative decisions. First, it uses linguistic information drawn from recent Canadian decision texts that were scored for readability by human expert raters to create a new law-specific readability formula. Second, it applies the new readability formula to thousands of Canadian decisions from different court levels, authors, legal subject areas, and specialized contexts, in order to assess, compare, and analyze the readability levels of these decisions.
The analyses within this dissertation demonstrate that, with very few exceptions, Canadian judges and administrative tribunal members are writing decisions that cannot easily be understood by large segments of the Canadian population – likely numbering in the millions of people. This research suggests that these authors need to do more, or different, work in order to make their decisions more understandable to the people who may be interested in, or who are affected by, their decisions.
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Cette thèse interdisciplinaire en droit et en linguistique examine empiriquement les niveaux quantitatifs de lisibilité des décisions des tribunaux judiciaires et administratifs canadiens. Elle fournit des analyses actuelles, détaillées et pertinentes qui nous permettent de savoir si les lecteurs de différents niveaux d'éducation sont susceptibles de comprendre ces décisions judiciaires.
La thèse apporte deux contributions originales à nos connaissances sur les niveaux de lisibilité des décisions. Premièrement, la thèse utilise des informations linguistiques tirées de textes de décisions canadiennes récentes dont la lisibilité a été évaluée par des évaluateurs experts humains, afin de créer une nouvelle formule de lisibilité spécifique au droit. Deuxièmement, elle applique la nouvelle formule de lisibilité à des milliers de décisions canadiennes provenant de différents niveaux de tribunaux, d'auteurs, de domaines juridiques et de contextes spécialisés, afin d'évaluer, de comparer et d'analyser les niveaux de lisibilité de ces décisions.
Les analyses effectuées dans le cadre de cette thèse démontrent qu'à quelques exceptions près, les juges et les membres des tribunaux administratifs canadiens rédigent des décisions qui ne sont pas facilement compréhensibles pour de nombreux Canadiens - probablement des millions de personnes. Cette recherche suggère que ces auteurs doivent travailler davantage, ou différemment, afin de rendre leurs décisions plus compréhensibles pour les personnes qui peuvent être intéressées ou affectées par leurs décisions
"You Don't Know Me": Polite Racism, Cultural Capital, and Afro-Caribbean Identity in Multicultural Canada
No full textThis thesis examines identity formation and mobilization of social and cultural capital among first- and second-generation Haitian and Jamaican communities in Canada. Drawing on critical race theory, intersectionality, and sociological theories of cultural capital, it integrates Tara J. Yosso's model of community cultural wealth with the concepts of polite racism, racial ignominy, and duplicity of consciousness. These concepts articulate how subtle yet systemic racial exclusion - particularly in education and the labour market - undermines Afro-Caribbean cultural assets while upholding a veneer of multicultural inclusivity.
The research reconceptualizes Blackness in Canada as a dynamic and contested identity, shaped by both historical legacies and contemporary systemic barriers. Through focus groups and in-depth interviews with Haitian and Jamaican participants in the Ottawa-Gatineau region, the thesis explores how cultural capital is leveraged to assert identity, resist stereotypes, and negotiate belonging across generations. Key findings demonstrate that cultural and social capital are not merely tools of social mobility but also sites of resistance and self-definition. First- and second-generation participants differ in their navigation of identity, highlighting a generational negotiation between cultural retention and adaptation, often under the pressure of systemic expectations. This negotiation is captured through the concept of duplicity of consciousness, which describes the lived tension between authenticity and assimilation in racialized contexts. The implications extend beyond academia, offering concrete policy recommendations for Canadian educational institutions and labour markets to better recognize and support the cultural wealth of Afro-Caribbean communities. In doing so, this research advances a more inclusive understanding of Blackness and multiculturalism in Canada
Immune checkpoint inhibitors and the pediatric rheumatologist: a pediatric needs assessment
No full textAbstract Background The use of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy is increasing in pediatric oncology. ICIs can cause rheumatic-immune related adverse events (Rh-irAEs) such as inflammatory arthritis and myositis. Few case reports detail Rh-irAEs and their management in the pediatric population. Our objective was to assess the familiarity of pediatric rheumatologists (PRs) worldwide with Rh-irAEs, gauge confidence in managing these conditions, and identify knowledge gaps to guide future educational efforts. Methods We circulated an online survey to 2084 PRs via the “Dr. Peter Dent Pediatric Rheumatology Bulletin Board.” Responses were collected from June 2024 to September 2024. We collected data on practitioner demographics, knowledge of ICIs and Rh-irAEs, confidence in managing Rh-irAEs, and preferred educational resources. Results Sixty-nine participants responded, of which 55 (80%) were PRs from academic centers. Despite global distribution, 56 (81%) responses came from North America. Thirty-four (49%) respondents were not aware of ICIs and their related mechanisms, indications, and side effects, and 40 (58%) were not familiar with irAEs. Fifty-five (80%) had never managed a patient with Rh-irAEs. Among those who had (14/69, 21%), the median number of cases managed was 2.0 (IQR 0.0). Thirty-nine respondents were “not confident at all” managing Rh-irAEs, 34 were “not confident at all” managing pre-existing autoimmune diseases (PAD) in ICI users, and 46 were “not confident at all” advising oncology colleagues on initiating or discontinuing ICIs in the context of Rh-irAEs or pre-existing autoimmune diseases (PAD). No respondents felt “completely confident” managing these conditions. Participants identified knowledge gaps in long-term management, acute management, and recognition and diagnosis. Forty-three indicated the need for pediatric-specific clinical guidelines. Of the 14 respondents with clinical experience treating Rh-irAEs, treatment varied, with 4 using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, 3 using prednisone, and 4 combining prednisone with methotrexate. Long-term management also varied, with 5 using methotrexate, and 3 using tumor necrosis factor inhibitors. Conclusions Significant knowledge gaps and a lack of confidence exist among PRs managing ICI-related Rh-irAEs. As ICI use increases in pediatric oncology, PRs’ exposure to Rh-irAEs will follow. Targeted educational programs and clinical guidelines may be valuable to address these gaps
Automated Segmentation of Left Ventricle Myocardium on 82Rb PET
No full textCoronary artery disease (CAD) is a common type of heart disease, and leading cause of death worldwide. It can be reliably diagnosed and prognosed using myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) by effective modelling of Myocardial Blood Flow (MBF) with Cardiac Positron Emission Tomography (PET) (1,2). The accurate quantification of MBF is made possible with accurate upstream image processing and in particular the localization and segmentation of the left ventricle. Moreover, accurate quantification of MBF is essential for diagnosis of coronary artery disease to guide optimal treatment. In this thesis, we develop an automated segmentation method for the left ventricle (LV) myocardium.
Our research relies on 3D static volumes of relative myocardial perfusion images from the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI). We established ground truth manual segmentations using a semi-automatic process across multiple software. With these annotations, we were able to build and train a neural network that automatically outputs segmentations of the LV for perfusion PET images.
Left ventricle myocardium segmentation can improve the reproducibility of PET MBF quantification, which will in return improve the diagnosis of CAD