17876 research outputs found
Sort by
Why Skate Uphill? A Biomechanical Analysis of the Effect of Incline on Forward Skating Mechanics
Full text linkThe purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of surface incline on lower body kinematics and kinetics during forward skating at a constant speed on a skating treadmill. Fourteen male, competitive hockey players were recruited to participate (mean age: 23 2 yrs). An ABA, within-subject, quasi-experimental design was conducted to compare skating mechanics between four (A) baseline incline conditions (2 deg incline) and three (B) experimental incline conditions (6, 9, 12 deg inclines). An XSENS Awinda (XSENS Technologies, Enschede, The Netherlands) IMU sensor system and XSENSOR X4 (XSENSOR Technology Corporation, Calgary, Canada) pressure insoles were used to collect kinematic and kinetic data concurrently. Repeated measures ANOVAs across the repeated baseline incline conditions revealed no significant differences in any of the kinematic or kinetic variables, providing confidence that any changes in skating mechanics could potentially be a result of the increased incline conditions. Repeated measures ANOVAs revealed significant differences in stride length (m), stride rate (strides/s), support and recovery times (s), hip and knee flexion at weight acceptance (deg), maximum ankle dorsiflexion (deg), peak hip and knee flexion and extension angular velocities (rad/s), peak push-off force (N) and impulse (Ns) between the baseline incline condition and each of the experimental incline conditions (p<0.05). Further, repeated measures ANOVAs also revealed significant differences in stride rate (strides/s), support time (s), peak hip and knee flexion angular velocities (rad/s) and impulse (Ns) across each of the experimental incline conditions (p<0.05). This suggested that not only the incline but also the magnitude of incline has the potential to elicit different mechanical changes. These findings provide support for the manipulation of treadmill surface incline as a biomechanical stimulus to elicit changes in skating mechanics
Developing an adaptive movement program for older, disabled adults experiencing dementia: An instrumental case study
No full textThe overarching research question of this study was “What inclusive practices should be followed for authentic engagement with disability communities within the process of program development?”
The sub-questions relating to this main question are: (1) What are effective consulting strategies in the development of a program for disabled people experiencing dementia? (2) Who should be involved in the consultation process? (3) What types of training and background knowledge must be included for safe and meaningful program development? (4) What processes must be included for safe and meaningful program development? (5) What is an optimal critical path and timeline for safe and meaningful program development?
Using an instrumental case study approach with a focus on process analysis, guided by critical disability studies and critical gerontology orientations, and operating from a constructivist epistemology, I gathered data from three sources: 1) retrospective fieldwork notes; 2) public domain materials; and 3) interviews with seven informants, one coordinator of an association for community living, two parents of aging disabled adult children, two workers, and two student volunteers. I then engaged in inductive analyses of these three data sets using the existential categories of people, places, objects and happenings for the first level of analysis, followed by comparative analyses for patterns across data sets as a second level of analysis, followed by the generation of themes from the patterns, guided by the theoretical frameworks of critical disability studies and critical gerontology. The themes generated were (1) now or never, (2) relationality, (3) vibe, (4) ongoing consultation, (5) patience, (6) good volunteers make a difference, (7) prepare for hard conversations, (8) the importance of professional competence, (9) be open-minded, (10) commitment to values, (11) normalize socializing and fun, and (12) emotional investment.
The themes generated from the process analysis then informed the design of the critical path and the recommendations for other organizations who are interested in designing and developing programs for disabled older adults and disabled older adults experiencing dementia. The recommendations may also be relevant for non-disabled older adults and non-disabled older adults experiencing dementia
Spiritual Pathways Connecting Socioeconomic Position and Adolescent Risk-Taking Behaviour: A Person-Centered Approach
Full text linkAbstract
Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) and risk-taking behaviour are both involved in etiological pathways contributing to persistent child health inequities. Addressing these inequities through the provision of tangible resources remains challenging. One emergent response has been growing recognition of the importance of “intangible resources” as a means of addressing health inequalities. One such resource with ancient roots but contemporary potential is enhanced connections in life that are consistent with a healthy spirituality. However, while several studies have explored children’s spirituality as an intangible health asset, person-centred insights remain limited. Moreover, the specific interplay among children’s SES, spirituality and substance use as an important health outcome has yet to be examined.
Objectives: 1) Using person-centred analytical approaches, to group children into distinct classes based on common expressions of spirituality; 2) to describe these classes of children's spirituality based on gender, race, SES and ethnicity; and 3) to explore how spiritual classes moderate or mediate the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and risk-taking behaviours, as one exploration of a potential etiological pathway.
Methods: The study base was the 2022-23 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study in Canada, involving a nationally representative sample of 23,203 children. Latent class analysis was used to identify spirituality classes, and multinomial logistic regression assessed sociodemographic influences on class membership. Mediation and moderation analyses were conducted using Bayesian multilevel models to explore the spirituality role in the relationship between SES and substance use risk behaviour.
Results: Six spiritual classes were identified: “High Spirituality” (32.8%), “High Spirituality, Moderate Transcendent” (19.1%), “High Spirituality, Low Transcendent” (22.7%), “Moderate Spirituality” (3.9%), “Low Transcendent, High Others” (18.5%), and “Low Spirituality” (3.0%). There was ethnic variation in class membership, and as well lower odds of belonging to high-spirituality classes associated with increasing age and lower relative family affluence. Substance use rates varied by age, mental health status, ethnicity, migration status, and rural/urban residence across all gender groups. High spirituality profiles mediated the relationship between SES and substance use, with indirect effects estimated at 84% for cisgender girls (IRR = 0.55, 95% CI: 0.37–0.87) and 98% for cisgender boys (IRR = 0.57, 95% CI: 0.37–0.84). In addition, high affluence did not protect against substance use among cisgender boys with low spirituality.
Conclusion: This thesis contributes person-centred insights to the study of adolescent spiritual health. It reaffirms the foundational role of socioeconomic status (SES) in shaping child health outcomes shaped by substance use risk behaviours and then positions spirituality as a complementary intangible asset that can be leveraged to reduce substance use among children.
Keywords: Children’s spirituality, Person-centred insights, Risk taking behaviour, Socioeconomic status, Substance us
Extent and Acceptability of AI Use in Postsecondary Education: Evidence from a Global Survey of Students
Full text linkPresentation delivered at the Annual Digital Pedagogies Institute (2025). Delivered Online.This presentation reports findings from a global survey (n = 988) that investigated postsecondary students’ perceptions of acceptable uses of artificial intelligence (AI) in academic settings. Drawing on responses from participants in 39 countries, the study analyzed acceptability across 22 specific AI use cases, such as composing emails, research reports, teaching materials, and performing data analysis. Statistical analysis revealed that while gender had limited influence, significant differences existed between undergraduate and graduate students, with the latter showing greater acceptance of AI-assisted academic tasks. The study recorded a notable rise in AI usage among students from 73.1% in 2023 to 93.7% in early 2025. The authors argue that broad AI policies risk overlooking key contextual distinctions and call for more differentiated guidelines based on students' academic level. The results support the development of targeted institutional policies that reflect the diversity of student perspectives and usage patterns
Mental Toughness in Sport: Empirical Distinctiveness and Relationships with Risk-taking and Pain Experiences in Athletes.
Full text linkMental Toughness (MT) is a term typically used to describe the determination and focus of athletes who often thrive or produce clutch performances in pressurized situations (Bédard Thom et al., 2021; Gucciardi, 2017; Jones et al., 2002; Hardy et al., 2014). Despite widespread interest in this concept (Gucciardi et al., 2020), research has tended to focus on the performance enhancing and thriving aspects of MT while only limited research has attended to potentially maladaptive aspects and outcomes (Cowden et al., 2021; Kerr & Stirling, 2017). The purpose of this dissertation was to 1) contribute to the conceptual clarity of MT in athletes, 2) increase knowledge of the relationship between MT and risk-taking by looking at specific types of risk-taking behaviours in sport, and 3) examine and explore relationships between MT, physical endurance, and pain experiences in athletes. The results of this dissertation supported the distinctiveness of MT via the Mental Toughness Index (Gucciardi et al., 2015) in competitive athletes (study 1). Study 2 suggested that when MT is assessed via the MTI, it is not predictive of risk-taking attitudes or behaviours that have the potential to be maladaptive in sport (i.e., competing with pain or injury). Lastly, the results of study 3 built on the equivocal findings reported in previous work (Crust & Clough, 2005; Jones, 2020) evidencing non-significant relationships among MT, physical endurance, pain coping, and pain intensity, suggesting that that these relationships are nuanced and conditional. Future research is recommended to focus on the potential of MT’s additivity with other concepts (e.g., Grit), investigating MT’s association with different kinds of risk-taking (i.e., positive, negative) behaviours over time, and examining MT’s relationship with pain by incorporating self-referenced goals and/or different pain manipulations (e.g., cold pain tolerance, DOMS pain intensity; Whitton et al., 2021), as well as a general recommendation for experimental and longitudinal designs when possible. 202
Plant virus detection and diversity in a mixed tree fruit orchard determined through metagenomic-based analysis of honeybee (Apis mellifera) collected samples
Full text linkiruses pose a significant threat to agricultural production, especially in long-lived fruit orchards where profitability of individual plants can take years to achieve. Over time, fruit trees can accumulate various viruses, leading to complex mixed infections. Furthermore, emerging viruses can create epidemics causing significant losses. Effective monitoring approaches can reduce these impacts through management practices. Pollination is an essential aspect of fruit production, and pollen can also be a major transmission route for plant viruses. Honeybees (Apis mellifera) collect pollen and nectar from multiple plant individuals, and commercial honeybee pollination services are routinely used in tree fruit production systems. Applying genomics-based sequencing technologies on bees and bee-collected plant material can allow for the detection of plant viruses from multiple individuals in a wide area. Using RNA extracted from bee-related samples, plant virus diversity was profiled at Agriculture and Agrifood Canada (AAFC) Jordan Farm; a long-term mixed tree fruit production orchard in Jordan, Ontario, containing tree fruit species including apricots (Prunus armeniaca), cherries (Prunus avium), peaches (Prunus persica), and apples (Malus domestica). Genomics-based sequencing on bees and bee-related plant material collected during peak bloom periods for each plant species revealed 21 viral species. Cherry virus A (CVA), prune dwarf virus (PDV), and prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) were the most frequently detected viruses, identified in all samples and time points. The nucleotide sequence diversity of the coat protein regions of CVA, PDV, and PNRSV was further analyzed through pairwise comparisons and phylogeny, demonstrating a large diversity of viral sequences in this system. The results of this project indicate that bee-mediated area- wide metagenomics-based virus monitoring can be applied to allow for site-specific or regional pathogen profiling and more targeted and informed management approaches
Steamboat “Caroline” Account book, 1834-1836
Full text linkAfter Williams Lyon Mackenzie’s failed rebellion in Upper Canada in December of 1837, he retreated with some of his supporters to Navy Island in the Niagara River. The American steamboat Caroline was used to provide supplies to Mackenzie and his followers on the island. When the British authorities became aware of this situation, they seized the boat, which was docked at Schlosser’s Wharf on the American shore. A scuffle ensued in which American Amos Durfee was killed. The Caroline was then released from its moorings, set on fire, and drifted downstream before sinking. Many Americans viewed the incident as a violation of their sovereignty. Tensions between the United States and England were already strained over a boundary dispute between Maine and New Brunswick, and the situation with the Caroline further escalated the tension.An account book for the American steamboat Caroline. The title page reads “Steam Boat Caroline belonging to Duncan McFarland, Port Robinson. 1st trip to Buffalo 22nd June 1834”. The book contains 164 pages and includes cash paid for expenses such as wood; lockage; food; Cooper; Blacksmith; fare for railroad; and repairs. Some of the pages are blank. Other pages contain accounts for individuals including Herman Wilcox; Charles Walton; James Ballentine; Louis Beat; Taylor Lee; Joshua Thumons; James P. Provoost; Pratt Gailor Co.; Bradley & Co.; William Hepburn; J.G. McCormick; T. Brundage; Bush & Shepherd; Daniel Moody; Henry Wysoon; Matheson [?] Mason; John Emery; Peter Burger; E.W. Stevenson; J.H. Lacy; S. Cary; N. Walker; William H. Berret; Gipson Grason; B. Sherwood; H. Bond; John Jones; Charles Clark; John B. Miller; William Duff; James Macklem; Theo. Brundidge; Dilly Coleman; James Martin; J.M. Jackson; David Graybill; Arden Weller; Jos. Quincy; Henry Bond; Jessie Lacey; James Keefer; George Rykirk & Co.; C. Brown; Edward Emery; Capt. James Balintine; Robert Goldie; John Huggan; Thomas Merritt; David Reid; John Donaldson; and William H. Merritt.
The last two pages of the book contain copies of three letters written by Duncan McFarland. Two of the letters are dated at Port Robinson, June 16,1835. The first letter is addressed to Capt. Brundage and concerns fares for passengers and luggage, and coordinating payments with other Captains when necessary. The second letter is addressed to Captain Balintine and asks whether the person who handles the bar on the steamboat [K?] sets a good table for gentlemen and keeps good order about the bar, and allows no drunkenness on board the boat.
The third letter is dated at Port Robinson, March 17, 1836, and reads “agreeable to a letter forwarded from [Sh? Dutcher] by Mr. H. Merritt for our advice we agree that it is best to submit the lawsuit pending between us the subscribers and the above company to arbitration[?].
The Utilization of Carbene Catalysis and Different Synthetic Strategies for Sydnone Construction
Full text linkHere, the synthesis of benzoin was conducted using carbene precatalyst bis(amino)cyclopropenylidene (BAC-H) with multiple different bases that are used in literature. It was determined that the combination of bases sodium hydride and KHMDS provided moderate yields of benzoin. Further optimization studies were then commenced to increase the yield followed by the investigation of the scope. Further, different catalytic strategies for the cyclization of sydnones were also investigated including the utilization of the Vilsmeier –Haak reagent and triphenylphosphine oxide to provide fast reactions and excellent yields. Both of these catalytic methods were optimized, and broad substrate scopes were demonstrated in high yields. These findings are supported by DFT studies and the calculations of the procedure’s green metrics
An Examination of the Evolution of The Vertical Mosaic through the Lens of Whiteness Theory: Ethnic Socioeconomic Disparities Among White European Immigrants in Canada
Full text linkThe idealized notion of Canadian society as classless fails to recognize the diverse experiences and inequalities faced by various groups, an image that sociologist John Porter, in fact, challenged through his ground breaking study. This Major Research Paper (MRP) focuses on the vertical mosaic debate in Canada and situates this debate within the context of Whiteness theory. The Vertical Mosaic, the 1965 book authored by Porter from which the passage quoted above was taken, analyzed how class and power dynamics produced and sustained ethnic inequality in Canada during the middle third of the twentieth century. Since the publication of John Porter’s seminal book, generations of scholarship have been published on the persistence of ethnic inequality in Canada. In this project, I examine the experiences of European immigrants amid the evolution of whiteness and racialization in Canada. I aim to critically analyze how the evolution of whiteness in Canada has influenced changes in the vertical mosaic and the socioeconomic plight of European immigrants and BIPOC groups
The CrISIS of Ludic Terrorism: Videogaming Exploited as a Means of Islamists’ Radicalization, Recruitment and Propaganda
No full textAbstract
“Ludic terrorism” is a game-mediated phenomenon whereby videogaming, i.e., designing, modifying, playing and exploiting gaming-adjacent platforms, is exploited at the service of Islamist terrorist and white supremacist causes. In this PhD dissertation, I examine the scope of ludic terrorism in the available gaming ecosystem, what has driven extremists to use these outlets, what gaming features have been utilized, for what purposes and how. I specifically look at how the exploitation of videogaming by terrorists has been tailored toward propagating their causes and radicalizing vulnerable individuals. I conduct this interdisciplinary game study, incorporating the psychology of behavior, geopolitical examination of the contexts (Islamic, ethnic clashes and the US’s invasion of the Middle East) in discourse analysis, and semiotics of the embedded ideological and gamic elements. I begin by exploring why individuals need to be members of something bigger than themselves, what renders them vulnerable to persuasion and how their need for meaning-making in life can be satisfied by joining communities, organizations and hubs. Scanning the online ecosystem of gaming and gaming-adjacent platforms, I proceed to study how digital gaming outlets have been used as “hotbeds of radicalization” for white supremacists and what results one can draw regarding potential radicalization, propaganda and recruitment. Next, I study Salil-Al-Sawarim (SaS), a modified version of GTA V by ISIS or its sympathizers. Building on Ian Bogost’s concept of “procedural rhetoric” to examine the rules and mechanics of the game, I observe how these features may persuasively facilitate radicalization or propaganda. Moreover, to unveil the embedded messages of propaganda, I review in-game elements such as words, cutscenes, colours, etymological undertones, the Quranic verses involved and other relevant items. This semiotic study is also a discursive reading of Islamist ideology along with the aftermath of the US invasion of the Middle East and its “War on Terror” discourse being retaliated by ISIS. I conclude that, although videogames are effective cultural artifacts for communication and message conveyance, their functionality in recruiting for ideological extremist groups is either not data-driven or should be approached as a more complex phenomenon.
Keywords: videogaming, Islamists, white supremacy, radicalization, propaganda, ISI