17876 research outputs found
Sort by
Impact of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure on Cognition and Inflammation in Aging Male and Female Rats: A Longitudinal Approach
Get PDFPrenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is a serious global health concern that can have long-lasting
detrimental effects on the developing brain and behaviour. However, less is known about the
effects of PAE as an individual ages into middle and old age. Here, we investigate the long-term
effects of PAE on cognitive functioning, immune system dysregulation, and neuroinflammation
in aging rats with a focus on sex-specific differences. Using a well-established rat model of PAE,
spatial learning and memory, recognition memory, serum cytokine levels and Iba-1 cell
expression in the dentate gyrus (DG) were assessed at two different time points in the same
animals: 6 months (6M) and 12 months (12M) of age. Key findings indicated that PAE leads to
cognitive domain-specific impairments, with more pronounced deficits observed in recognition
memory. These impairments in recognition memory were exacerbated with age and were more
prominent in females. PAE animals also displayed altered immune profiles, characterized by
lower levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-10, and IL-13), suggesting chronic lowgrade
inflammation with decreased healing and protection. Notably, these alternations in
immune profiles were more pronounced in PAE females, indicating more vulnerability to
immune dysregulation. Furthermore, neuroinflammation was assessed by examining microglia
cells in the DG; results showed an increase in expression but only in the PAE females. Overall,
this research underscores the complex interplay between PAE, aging, cognition, and immune
dysregulation. Our findings suggest that PAE accelerates aging profiles, leading to earlier onset
of cognitive impairments and heightened inflammation, particularly in females. These insights
are crucial for developing targeted interventions to help mitigate the long-term adverse effects of
PAE and help improve the quality of life for individuals affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorders (FASDs)
Moving forward: Perspectives of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities regarding the effectiveness of Individual Support Plans
Get PDFAn Individual Support Plan (ISP) is a comprehensive document that outlines a person’s goals, describes the desired support for goal achievement, and tracks the progress or changes in pursuing these goals (Herps et al., 2016). This research explored the perspectives of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) on the effectiveness of the current ISP framework. Seven adults with an IDD participated in semi-structured interviews to share their opinions, knowledge, and understanding of several aspects of their ISP and the current framework. The interview process was designed for inclusivity by tailoring it to the participant's unique needs and communication preferences. These adaptations were analyzed in the form of a Process Analysis. Further, the Process Analysis encouraged reflection on the current discourse surrounding goals, forcing one to appreciate a more rationalized notion of goals, by considering the incorporation of emotions and narratives. The shared diverse perspectives from the interview will significantly inform agencies of practical ways to enhance the ISP framework in various aspects, including goal setting and achievement, comprehension of ISPs, and access frequency. The participants' perceptions highlighted the need for an individualized approach to developing and maintaining ISPs. Their unique responses also prompted a reconsideration of the conceptualization of goals and ISPs, shifting from a structured approach to an emergent process
Scoping Review of Environmental and Sustainability Education in Teacher Education: Historical Context of Research and Preliminary Results
Get PDFThe paper is a collection of data preserved from original research on a scoping review for ESE-TE. The original research in tables and figures have been preserved for a historical context. The original paper was presented at two conferences: World Environmental Education Congress (WEEC) and Environmental Education SIG of the American Educational Research Association (AERA) by the two leading authors (Douglas D Karrow and Susan Maureen Docherty-Skippen). The third Author (Rob Blom) summarised the document and added relevant details such as a preface and a preamble. Rob and Doug will be published in the International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education (IJSHE) in the special issue Making an Impact – UN Sustainable Development Goals and university performance.To identify the international trends in environmental and sustainability education in teacher education (ESE-TE) research, we (Doug and Susan) report research from a scoping literature review. Different from international literature reviews in ESE that have examined policy issues, sustainability pedagogies, and how ESE is embedded in TE curriculum, our study focuses on all aspects of ESE relevant to TE. We screened 2,142 research articles spanning over five decades and 81 countries. Of the 788 articles deemed eligible (i.e., English-language, peer-reviewed, pre-service/in-service teacher education that explicitly mentioned ESE-TE research), data from 637 studies have been included in this study. Our research analysis included quantifying the geographic, temporal, and methodological trends, and a qualitative exploration of the research problems/context themes. While 82% of the research articles we examined were empirical, the most prevalent problems investigated across all of the studies centred on the themes of TE commonplaces (34%), competencies and literacy (20%), and awareness (16%). While no definite conclusions may be drawn until the complete data set has been analysed (a forthcoming paper), preliminary findings suggest a disparity of ESE-TE research in Asia, South and Central America, and Africa. Preliminary results also suggest that more research in the context of TE praxis is needed
Eclipse viewing glasses, 2024
Get PDFThe Niagara Region preemptively declared a state of emergency for the eclipse on April 8, 2024. Niagara Falls is a popular tourist destination that was in the path of totality and over a million visitors were anticipated for the eclipse. There were concerns that the large number of visitors could overwhelm traffic, emergency services, and cellphone networks. By declaring a state of emergency these potential problems could be addressed quickly and efficiently. In the end over 200,000 people came to Niagara to view the eclipse, just a fraction of the number anticipated.Two pairs of eclipse viewing glasses from Niagara Region, for use on the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse. The glasses are attached to an information sheet about how to use the glasses and a warning about the potential eye damage that can occur if the sun is viewed without protective glasses
Full plate ambrotype of Niagara Falls, n.d.
Get PDFOne ambrotype framed in a case. The ambrotype features two women, a man and a dog standing on the Canadian shore with the American Falls in the background
mKdV Loop Travelling Waves and Interactions of Loop Solitons
Get PDFThe modified Korteweg-de Vries (mKdV) equation is an integrable nonlinear
evolution equation
which has applications in modeling various physical phenomena.
It also describes the curvature of curve which undergoes
a certain non-stretching geometrical evolution in the Euclidean plane.
This curve motion finds applications in various areas, such as
describing the dynamics of inelastic rope, modeling the evolution
of the boundary of vortex patch (swirling region) in thin,
sheet-like layer of incompressible fluid, and understanding the behavior of
electrons quantized in thin-layered materials by studying the
boundaries of electron cloud densities under strong electromagnetic fields.
This study focuses on mKdV curve motions called loop solutions.
One class arises from
soliton, heavy-tail (rational), and periodic solutions of the mKdV equation.
These loop solutions exhibit intriguing symmetrical shapes:
the soliton and heavy-tail cases describe a single loop which is open,
and asymptotically straight or circular, respectively;
the periodic case describes both open and closed loops which can have multiple crossings.
Additionally,
a class of colliding loop solutions are obtained from
the 2-soliton solution of the mKdV equation.
The collisions show interesting interaction patterns.
A summary of different types of patterns will be given by
categorizing the various shapes that occur during the interaction,
which depend on the speed ratio of the initial two loops.
Analytical and numerical methods are employed to determine
the loop solutions for both classes,
as well as the conditions determining interaction type in the case of collision.
These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the mKdV equation and solitons
A Novel DDoS Detection and Multi-Class Classification Method: A Graph Convolutional Network Approach
Get PDFDistributed Denial of Service (DDoS) is an attack that overwhelms the cyber critical infrastructure system with malicious packets causing it to become unresponsive, which precludes legitimate users from accessing the target system. This work leverages a deep learning method known as Graph Convolutional Network (GCN) to empower DDoS detection systems. The proposed GCN model consists of three hidden layers, each with 128 neurons. Considering the Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity CIC-IDS 2017 dataset, the proposed model achieves an overall accuracy of 99.95%, along with a value of 99.95% for each of the precision, recall, and F1-score metrics for the binary DDoS classification problem. For the multi-class DDoS classification problem, the model scores an overall accuracy of 98.94% and precision, recall, and F1-score values of over 93% for all classes. These results support the use of the proposed GCN DDoS detection method in practice
The Fear Enjoyment Hypothesis: Psychopathic Traits and Invincibility
Get PDFThe main objective of this study was to examine whether invincibility mediates the relationship between psychopathic traits and fear enjoyment. Brock University undergraduate student participants (N = 81) viewed either a neutral video or a video intended to decrease feelings of invincibility and then played a horror game in Virtual Reality. Participants rated the videogame on a list of adjectives which captured fear and exciting affective appraisals. As expected, psychopathic traits were associated with lower fear scores and higher excitement scores. The video condition was not a significant predictor of mediation in the initial model. However, in the control condition the relationship between psychopathy and fear enjoyment was replicated, when each condition was examined separately. More specifically, psychopathic traits were related to a less negative and more positive perception of their emotional state. When participants’ feelings of invincibility were manipulated, this relationship was no longer significant suggesting that feelings of invincibility may be important in being able to enjoy fear-inducing stimuli. These findings align with the Fear Enjoyment Hypothesis (FEH). Future research could investigate invincibility as a mediator with a larger sample size
Enabling the uptake of pedagogical innovations in physical education: The role of social media
Get PDFDespite the development of many promising innovations in physical education (PE), their lack of sustained use by teachers often stems from inadequate access to effective professional development (PD). Social media has the potential to serve as a platform for accessible,
self-driven PD, supporting teachers’ ongoing learning about pedagogical innovations. The purpose of this research is to investigate the role that social media has played in enabling teachers’ uptake and sustained use of the pedagogical innovation Meaningful PE. The research is grounded in Wenger's (1998) social learning theory, which positions learning as a social process occurring through active engagement and participation within a Community of Practice (CoP).
Qualitative data were gathered from six teachers through individual semi-structured interviews. The findings reveal that social media served as a catalyst for continuous learning and reflection among PE teachers, and facilitated their uptake of Meaningful PE. The presence of experts and peers on social media platforms provided a dynamic environment for professional learning, growth, collaboration, and innovation. The formation of a CoP consisting of researchers, practitioners, and teachers on social media significantly influenced the teachers’ sustained implementation of Meaningful PE. By engaging in discussions, sharing experiences, and collaborating online, teachers were able to maintain their implementation of Meaningful PE. This collaborative, reflective, and sustainable environment aligns with the essential characteristics of effective PD, recognizing teachers as active participants within a supportive social context.
Overall, this research provides evidence of the role that social media can play in supporting teachers’ uptake and sustained implementation of pedagogical innovations. Implications are considered for PD programs and their providers
Inclusive Education in Ghana: Challenges and Lessons from Canada
Get PDFThis Major Research Paper (MRP) adopted the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach to examine the evolution and current state of inclusive education in Ghana and Canada (Ontario), with an emphasis on challenges and lessons learned. The movement towards inclusive education began in Ghana in 1936, with separate schools for disabled children. However, challenges remain, such as geographic disparities, prohibitive costs, and a lack of teacher understanding. Inclusive education has evolved over the last 50 years in Canada, thanks to legislative advancements such as the 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedoms and provincial acts. Key findings show that Ontario is significantly ahead of the curve when it comes to implementing inclusive education, thanks to diverse provincial approaches and effective strategies. Despite challenges in both countries, Canada's lack of a unified national policy contrasts with Ghana's policy, which is riddled with problems, limiting its effectiveness. Discrimination against disabled children is less prevalent in Ontario than in Ghana, where negative attitudes prevent inclusion. Financial constraints are a common barrier, with Ontario’s lessons pointing to a comprehensive framework that combines Universal Design for Learning and Differentiated Instruction to address financial concerns while also improving inclusive practices. Challenges for teachers and principals in both systems highlight the importance of teacher preparation and school leadership in implementing successful inclusive education policies. Lessons from Ontario focus on strategies for incorporating inclusive education principles into teacher training programs and increasing principal accountability, emphasizing the importance of professional development and leadership in fostering inclusive practices. Drawing lessons from Ontario, the findings highlight the need for a comprehensive national policy in Ghana that addresses financial constraints while promoting teacher and principal preparation to improve inclusive education outcomes