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Pre-Implementation Assessment of a Sexual Health eClinic in Canadian Oncology Care
No full textSexual dysfunction is a prevalent and often under-addressed concern among prostate cancer survivors, significantly affecting quality of life for patients and their partners. The True North Sexual Health and Rehabilitation eClinic (SHAReClinic) is a virtual, biopsychosocial intervention developed to improve access to sexual health support for prostate cancer survivors and their partners. This study used a qualitative descriptive design to examine barriers and facilitators influencing the integration of SHAReClinic into oncology care across nine Canadian health care centres. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 knowledge users, including health care providers and institutional leaders. Data were analyzed using a hybrid deductive–inductive thematic approach guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) 2.0. Participants described SHAReClinic as a much-needed resource, particularly in the absence of standardized sexual health pathways in oncology care. The virtual format was seen as accessible and well suited to addressing sensitive topics. However, limited funding, lack of institutional support, and workflow integration challenges emerged as primary barriers to implementation. Findings offer practical, theory-informed guidance for integrating SHAReClinic into oncology care and highlight key considerations for developing sustainable and scalable survivorship care models.Other UBCNon UBCReviewedFacult
Seismic performance of wood light-frame buildings incorporating a new type of midply shear wall system
No full textThe full abstract for this thesis is available in the body of the thesis, and will be available when the embargo expires.Forestry, Faculty ofGraduat
Assessing the safety and efficacy of PODO83 and PODO447-ADC as cancer therapeutics
No full textAlthough advances in the field have improved understanding of cancer diagnosis and treatment, the disease still remains one of the leading causes of death globally. While some cancers are susceptible to conventional treatment options, others relapse or metastasize and lead to patient mortality, highlighting the need to identify and target novel biomarkers for improved patient outcomes. One potential target is podocalyxin, a CD34-related sialomucin that is overexpressed in a variety of cancer cell types including breast, lung, and pancreatic cancer. Previous works have confirmed a correlation between high podocalyxin expression and poor patient survival, and our lab has further demonstrated that podocalyxin is implicated in tumor progression and metastasis. Knowing this, our lab has previously developed two podocalyxin-targeting antibodies, PODO83 and PODO447, to effectively target podocalyxin expressing tumors. The PODO83 antibody binds to the core protein of the podocalyxin protein while PODO447 binds a tumor-specific glycoepitope exhibited by podocalyxin-expressing cancers. This project evaluates the therapeutic activity of these antibodies using immune deficient and immune competent mouse models. Here, we demonstrate that PODO83 can operate as an unconjugated monoclonal antibody to effectively block primary tumor growth and peripheral metastases in various human cancers. We use a chimeric human-mouse podocalyxin transgenic mouse model to demonstrate that PODO83 treatment does not induce toxicity in healthy tissue. While the unconjugated PODO447 antibody does not exert any inhibitory or toxic effects on its own, as an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) PODO447 can be used as a targeting arm in a Vedotin antibody-drug conjugate to eliminate cancer cells. The work presented in this thesis has the potential to improve cancer patient outcomes by providing a novel targeted therapy for podocalyxin-expressing primary tumors and metastasis.Medicine, Faculty ofMedical Genetics, Department ofGraduat
Video Summary of Identity and Survival in the Multimedia Art of Street-Involved Youth
No full textThis video is based on the following scholarly article: Hardwick, J. (2017). Identity and Survival in the Multimedia Art of Street-Involved Youth. Jeunesse: Young People, Texts, Cultures 9(1), 82-100. This graduate student work is a product of a collaboration between the Making Research Accessible initiative (MRAi), researchers, Dr. Heather O’Brien, and the students of Lib559 at UBC. This student work has been reviewed by the lead author of the original item. Revisions provided by the lead author have been incorporated into the student work with support from the UBC Learning Exchange and members of the MRAi. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student research project/report and is not an official document of UBC.Arts, Faculty ofInformation, School ofUnreviewedGraduat
Search for supersymmetry in final states with missing transverse momentum and charm-tagged jets using 139 fb−1 of proton-proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector
No full textThe paper presents a search for supersymmetric particles produced in protonproton collisions at √
s = 13 TeV and decaying into final states with missing transverse
momentum and jets originating from charm quarks. The data were taken with the ATLAS
detector at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN from 2015 to 2018 and correspond to an
integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1
. No significant excess of events over the expected Standard
Model background expectation is observed in optimized signal regions, and limits are set
on the production cross-sections of the supersymmetric particles. Pair production of charm
squarks or top squarks, each decaying into a charm quark and the lightest supersymmetric
particle χ˜
0
1
, is excluded at 95% confidence level for squarks with masses up to 900 GeV for
scenarios where the mass of χ˜
0
1
is below 50 GeV. Additionally, the production of leptoquarks
with masses up to 900 GeV is excluded for the scenario where up-type leptoquarks decay
into a charm quark and a neutrino. Model-independent limits on cross-sections and event
yields for processes beyond the Standard Model are also reported.Science, Faculty ofTRIUMFNon UBCPhysics and Astronomy, Department ofReviewedFacultyResearche
Functionality of urban soil blends : soil aggregation, carbon storage and water dynamics across vegetation types
No full textUrbanization and limited supply of natural soils have led to widespread use of human-made soils in urban landscapes. In Canada, soil blends composed primarily of sands and compost are now commonly used as growing media throughout cities and are codified in the Canadian Landscape Standard. In Vancouver, about 40 percent of land is pervious surface. As land is developed or redeveloped, soil blends are increasingly replacing existing topsoil in these areas. Consequently, their impact on urban vegetation, including trees, will be significant, particularly as cities face extreme precipitation and drought events due to climate change. However, urban soil blends have received limited research attention. Although they are essentially structureless at installation due to mechanized screening of the components, little is known about their ability to develop soil aggregates, accumulate carbon over time, and maintain balanced water dynamics across vegetation types. These characteristics are closely linked to key soil physical properties, which we assessed through soil sampling and measurements of in situ saturated hydraulic conductivity and soil depth at 88 sites on the University of British Columbia campus that had been redeveloped with soil blends over the last 30 years. Sites were vegetated with one of four landscape types: grass, trees with grass, shrubs, or trees with shrubs. Analyses included aggregate size, carbon content, particle size distribution and plant-available water. Soils under grass, whether alone or with trees, were shallower (averaging 23 cm) than under non-grass landscapes, while soils under trees with shrubs had the deepest average depth at 42 cm. Soil aggregate mean weight diameter was overall low, but greater in older soils, which were also relatively finer textured. This suggests that the differences in aggregation were primarily due to changes in the specifications of the soil blends over time, with newer soils containing higher sand content and fewer fine particles. Nevertheless, total soil carbon content was similar, regardless of soil age. All soils had very high saturated hydraulic conductivity but low plant available water, likely due to extremely high sand contents. These findings highlight soil blend limitations and inform urban soil management to enhance vegetation and ecosystem services.Forestry, Faculty ofGraduat
Understanding Secondary Fragmentation Characteristics in Cave Mining : A Simulation-Based Analysis of Impact and Compression-Induced Breakage
No full textThis study investigates the characteristics of secondary fragmentation and fines generation in cave mining through DEM simulations. The objective is not to develop a tool for accurately estimating fragmentation observed at drawpoints. Instead, the research focuses on an improved understanding of the impact of critical parameters (tensile strength, damping coefficients, and micro-defects) on secondary fragmentation characteristics. Attempting to predict outcomes without first comprehending the underlying mechanisms risks oversimplifying complex mine-scale conditions. The analysis shows that tensile failure is the dominant mechanism governing fragmentation. Size-distribution curves of fragmented blocks under impact breakage demonstrate a concave-up exponential relationship between percentage mass passing at 1/10th of the original size (t10) and kinetic energy. Furthermore, the analysis of compression-induced breakage highlights the significant role of tensile strength and micro-defects in determining the extent of fragmentation under different conditions. By better understanding these underlying mechanisms, the research establishes a solid foundation for predicting fines generation and ultimately enhancing decision making and operational strategies in mining.Applied Science, Faculty ofMining Engineering, Keevil Institute ofReviewedFacultyResearche
Current Antimicrobial Susceptibility Trends and Clinical Outcomes of Typhoidal Salmonella in a Large Health Authority in British Columbia, Canada
No full textBackground: From 2018 to 2021, travel-related extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Salmonella Typhi was identified in Ontario, Canada. Opportunities remain to characterize typhoidal Salmonella antimicrobial susceptibility trends (including multi-drug resistance phenotypes; MDR) within a large health authority in British Columbia, Canada. Methods: This retrospective study included patients with Salmonella Typhi or Paratyphi A, B or C bacteremia identified at Fraser Health regional microbiology laboratory from 2018 to 2024. The primary outcome was the proportion of cases with MDR and XDR typhoidal Salmonella. Secondary outcomes included annual antimicrobial susceptibility for ampicillin, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, ertapenem, meropenem and azithromycin. Clinical outcomes included hospitalization length, and 30-day mortality, clinical cure and infection relapse. Results: Among 271 patients, most were previously healthy and recently travelled. There were extended spectrum beta-lactamase (1.1%) and MDR (1.5%) typhoidal Salmonella, with no XDR cases observed. In 2024, ciprofloxacin resistance was 96% while susceptibility rates were high for other studied antimicrobials. Within 30 days, no deaths were reported; however, six patients (3%) had infection relapse. Conclusions: Currently, in British Columbia, MDR typhoidal Salmonella remains rare. Empiric ciprofloxacin should be avoided due to persistently high resistance rates. With ongoing travel patterns, it is beneficial for institutions to continue typhoidal Salmonella antimicrobial susceptibility surveillance, and travelers should seek pre-travel health assessments.Medicine, Faculty ofNon UBCPathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department ofReviewedFacultyResearche
Renewing for the Future
No full textVancouver’s rising land values and rapid redevelopment are displacing artists and creative communities, eroding the city’s cultural fabric. As cultural spaces are increasingly sacrificed to market-driven development, opportunities for artistic production and public engagement diminish, leaving a gap in the urban landscape. This thesis asserts that cultural spaces should be recognized as essential public infrastructure rather than exclusive, profit-driven assets.
This project proposes the adaptive reuse of the ICBC Headquarters in North Vancouver, a soon-to-be-demolished building that was originally developed with little consideration for its urban context. By transforming the site into a mixed-use, transit-oriented cultural hub, the design seeks to reintegrate art and creative production into the public realm. Spatial strategies will focus on dissolving architectural and urban barriers, fostering accessibility, and creating an inclusive environment for artists and the community. The intervention will reconnect the building to its surroundings while establishing a new model for sustainable cultural infrastructure—one that values artistic expression as a vital component of a dynamic, resilient, and equitable city.Applied Science, Faculty ofArchitecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA), School ofUnreviewedGraduat
Neurological Outcome of Spinal Hemangioblastomas : An International Observational Multicenter Study About 35 Surgical Cases
No full textIntroduction: Hemangioblastomas (HBs) are benign, highly vascular tumors that can be found intracranially or in the spinal region, representing around 2–15% of primary intramedullary tumors. They can occur sporadically or in association with Von Hipple–Lindau (VHL) disease. Despite recent of advancement of nonsurgical treatments, complete surgical resection remains the gold standard of care for the spinal HBs. Materials and Methods: We conducted an international multicenter retrospective analysis of adult patients surgically treated for spinal HBs in four European referral centers between January 2000 and September 2024, with a minimum post-operative follow-up duration of 6 months. Patients’ sex and age at surgical intervention, clinical presentation, and duration symptoms prior to clinical diagnosis were identified. The pre- and post-operative neurological status at 1 and 6 months and at the last visit was assessed using the modified McCormick score (MCS). The extent of surgical resection was divided into gross total resection (GTR) and subtotal resection (STR). Finally, post-operative complications were inspected as well, namely cerebrospinal fluid leaks, infections, hemorrhages and post-operative spinal stability. Results: A total of 35 patients were included in the cohort, with an age median of 52 years (34.5–60) and a slight male predominance (21/35, i.e., 60%). The median follow-up period was 37.5 months (12–75). More than half were located in the cervical region, making it the most common (54.3%). Syrinxes were observed in 23 cases (72%), and HBs were more commonly intramedullary (80%). GTR was achievable in around 88% of cases. Post-operative complications were observed in nine patients (25.7%). Nearly half of patients were discharged into rehabilitations centers (48.5%). Tumor recurrence was seen in 10.3% only. At the last follow-up, an excellent overall post-operative neurological status (positive ∆ McCormick) was observed in most of patients (88%) and was found to be associated with a relatively younger age group. Tumor location and presence of syrinxes did not show any statistical significance regarding clinical outcome. In patients having benefited from intra-operative monitoring, only D-wave changes showed statistical significance regarding post-operative outcome (p < 0.05). Conclusions: A large majority of patients operated for a spinal HB demonstrated favorable outcome after surgery, with unchanged or improved neurological status. Advanced age could have an impact on the post-operative neurological outcome. Other factors such as tumor size, location, and the presence of syrinx did not seem to significantly impact the neurological outcome. Finally, the surgery of these vascular lesions with no possibility of debulking or piece-meal removal and requiring “en bloc” resection is technically demanding and should be performed by experienced teams in spine and spinal cord surgery only.Medicine, Faculty ofNon UBCPathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department ofReviewedFacultyResearche