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The Role of Culture and Religion in Shaping Property and Inheritance Laws in Afghanistan: A Historical Analysis
No full textThis research explores the evolution of property rights in Afghanistan, highlighting the constant tension between modernization efforts and the influence of Sharia law and tribal customs. Examining four broad political periods – Monarchy, Soviet occupation, Civil War/Taliban regime, and post-2001 U.S. intervention – the research reveals how political shifts and foreign interventions have attempted to shape land ownership and inheritance laws. During the Monarchy, a dual system of Pashtunwali and Hanafi Sharia governed property rights, with jirgas (tribal councils) playing a crucial role in resolving land disputes. King Amanullah’s ambitious reforms in the 1920s, aiming to establish a modern legal system, encountered strong resistance rooted in the cultural clash between modernization and traditional values, both in the realms of property and societal reform. The Soviet occupation witnessed the imposition of radical land reforms that, while promoting equality, triggered a cultural backlash that fueled the mujahideen resistance. The Taliban regime imposed a strict interpretation of Sharia law, blended with customary practices, leading to discriminatory policies, particularly against women. The post-2001 era saw the introduction of constitutional reforms that were meant protect private property and women's rights. However, the enduring power of legal pluralism– in this case, the interplay between state law, Sharia, and customary or tribal law – continues to challenge the implementation of these reforms
COVID-19 in Rural Ontario Communities: Exploring Women’s Mental Health During a Pandemic
No full textPurpose: Socio-demographic inequities in mental health were magnified by COVID-19, with women experiencing greater household burden with less support in Canada and globally. While some health patterns during COVID-19 have been observed globally, there is a research gap in rural mental health during COVID-19 in Canada. We hypothesize there is a disparity in mental health decline during COVID-19 between men and women. Methods: In rural Ontario, mental health was measured through a survey of approximately 18,000 individuals living in seven counties. In 2021, survey respondents were asked to rate their mental health prior to and during COVID-19. Women reported poorer mental health during COVID-19 in comparison to men when tested via chi-squared tests, odds ratios, and percentage change. Responses to survey questions regarding social, financial, and mental health support were then evaluated. Findings: We found significant disparities in mental health ratings before and during COVID-19 between men and women. Women reported poorer mental health, increased substance use, and increased worry about social, financial, and community stressors. Respondents who self-identified as a woman were associated with poorer mental health outcomes. Conclusions: Interventions should be specific to geographic communities as well as individual needs (e.g., additional financial and childcare support). Rural communities need to be considered as independent geographies rather than as one geography (i.e., urban vs. rural)
SIU-ICUD: Localized Prostate Cancer: Pathological Factors That Influence Outcomes and Management
Get PDFBackground/Objectives: Pathological factors are integral in the risk stratification and management of localized prostate cancer. In recent years, there has been an upsurge of studies that uncovered novel approaches and have refined prognostic factors for prostate cancer in needle biopsy and radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens. Methods: We conducted a review of literature and summarized the significant recent updates on pathological factors for localized prostate cancer. Results: Innovative factors derived from the traditional Gleason grading, such as the extent of Gleason pattern 4 and presence of cribriform pattern are now recognized to significantly improve discrimination of outcome. The components and rules of Gleason grading themselves underwent modifications, and the subsequent prognostic grouping of the different grades (Grade group) have resulted in enhanced stratification of behavior more meaningful in management decision. The approaches for grade reporting in systematic or targeted needle biopsies and in RP with multifocal cancers are also being optimized. Newer tumor growth pattern-based factors such as intraductal carcinoma and atypical intraductal proliferation can have ramifications in management, especially in the background of low to intermediate risk prostate cancers. Gleason grade considerations in the different post-treatment settings and for de novo and residual prostate cancers with varying treatment effects have also been explicated. Likewise, the application of more traditional factors in tumor extent and perineural invasion in biopsy, or positive surgical margin in RP, have also evolved. Conclusions: Some of these newer pathological factors are now officially recommended in standardized pathology reporting protocols and are applied in the management decision for localized prostate cancer
Fidelity Assessment Tool for a Dementia Carers’ Group-Psychotherapy Intervention
No full textContext: The systematic evaluation of a practitioner’s adherence to and competence in delivering psychotherapeutic interventions can be complex. This study describes the development of a fidelity assessment tool for the Reitman Centre CARERS Program (RCCP), a carer group-psychotherapy intervention with multiple didactic and clinical components. The tool’s value in informing psychotherapy training and best practices for practitioners from diverse professional settings is examined. Methods: The RCCP Fidelity Assessment Tool (RCCP-FAT) was developed following an iterative process of item writing and checking. Seven components of the RCCP—Group Structure, Dementia Education, Problem-Solving Techniques, Therapeutic Simulation, Vertical Cohesion, Horizontal Cohesion, and Overall Global Rating—were assessed, with three to eight items, and a “global score” assigned to each. Fifteen trained raters were paired up to rate 36 RCCP sessions using the RCCP-FAT. Rater agreement, correlation between itemized and global scores, and correlation between global ratings and RCCP participants’ satisfaction were calculated. Results: A total of 1188 RCCP-FAT items were rated by each of the two rater groups. Rater agreement was calculated to be 54.3% (κ = 0.32; 95% CI, 0.02681–0.3729). A positive correlation was found between the itemized and global scoring for four RCCP components evaluated (R = 0.833 to 0.929; p < 0.01). The global score and the participants’ satisfaction with “Simulation” was also positively correlated (R = 0.626, p < 0.01). Conclusions: The study provided evidence for fair rater agreement for all RCCP-FAT assessment items. More importantly, the process of developing the tool systematically crystallized the clinical elements of the RCCP and helped to standardize the training methods by creating a framework for providing feedback to learners that matches the items on the RCCP-FAT. The use of the RCCP-FAT to guide the training and mentoring of incoming group leaders is essential in the scaling and dissemination of a complex training method like the RCCP to ensure fidelity to the original evidence-based intervention
School-Based Physical Activity Levels and Quality of Physical Education Participation Experiences of Children with Physical and Sensory Disabilities Living in British Columbia, Canada
Get PDFThis mixed-methods study examined school-based physical activity (PA) and the quality of physical education (PE) experiences for children with physical or sensory disabilities. The participants included 10 children (4 girls, 6 boys) with a mean age of 10 years, 5 of whom had sensory disabilities, and 5 of whom had physical disabilities. PA was measured using accelerometry over a 7-day period. Semi-structured interviews explored the children’s experiences in PE classes. Interview data were deductively coded using the Quality Participation Framework to identify examples of autonomy, belongingness, challenge, engagement, mastery, and meaning. On average, children engaged in 17 min per day (standard deviation (SD) = 16) of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) during school, and 5 min of MVPA (SD = 6) during PE classes. Most children did not meet the provincial policy of 30 min per day of school-based MVPA. Children reported both positive and negative examples of autonomy, belongingness, challenge, engagement, and mastery, and positive experiences of meaning. Overall, children with physical or sensory disabilities accumulate minimal MVPA during school and have mixed-quality participation experiences in PE. These insights can guide efforts to enhance both the quantity of school-based MVPA and the quality of participation in PE for children with disabilities
Synergistic impact of Cu and Support Materials in Ni-based Catalysts for Glycerol Hydrogenolysis to 1,2-Propanediol
Get PDFSelective hydrogenolysis of glycerol to 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PD) represents an essential evaluating process for the valorization of glycerol. In this research, a series of Ni- and Ni-Cu-based catalysts supported on SiO2, SiO2-Al2O3, and TiO2, were prepared via the sequential wetness impregnation approach and evaluated for their performance in glycerol hydrogenolysis. The results indicated that the 25Ni-10Cu/TiO2 catalyst exhibited strong catalytic efficiency in glycerol hydrogenolysis, showing 72.9% conversion of glycerol and 85.8% selectivity to 1,2-propanediol (62.5% yield) after 24 h reaction time. This enhanced performance is attributed to the optimal balance and synergy between the acidity of the support and the active metal sites, promoting both dehydration and hydrogenation reactions. The presence of Cu in the catalyst system was found to significantly enhance glycerol hydrogenolysis while inhibiting unwanted side reactions. In contrast, monometallic Ni/SiO2 demonstrated the lowest conversion of glycerol (33.8%) at 24h, while bimetallic Ni-Cu/SiO2 and Ni-Cu/SiO2-Al2O3 catalysts exhibited high activity, with glycerol conversion rates exceeding 91%. These findings demonstrate that incorporation of Ni with Cu is essential for optimizing both catalytic efficiency and selectivity, particularly when combined with supports like TiO2.The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the pdf file of the accepted manuscript may differ slightly from what is displayed on the item page. The information in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript reflects the original submission by the author
Rapid In Vivo Screening of Monoclonal Antibody Cocktails Using Hydrodynamic Delivery of DNA-Encoded Modified Antibodies
Get PDFBackground: Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are potent treatment options for infectious diseases. The rapid isolation and in vivo validation of therapeutic mAb candidates, including mAb cocktails, are essential to combat novel or rapidly mutating pathogens. The rapid selection and production of mAb candidates in sufficient amount and quality for preclinical studies are a major limiting step in the mAb development pipeline. Methods: Here, we developed a method to facilitate the screening of therapeutic mAbs in mouse models. Four conventional mAbs were transformed into single-chain variable fragments fused to the fragment crystallizable (Fc) region of a human IgG1 (scFv-IgG). These scFv-IgG were expressed individually or as a cocktail in vitro and in mice following transfection or hydrodynamic delivery of the corresponding plasmids. Results: This method induced high expression of all scFv-IgG and provided protection in two murine infection models. Conclusions: This study highlights the benefits of this approach for the rapid, low-cost screening of therapeutic mAb candidates
Side-Illuminating Optical Fiber for High-Power-Density-Mediated Intraluminal Photoacoustic Imaging
Get PDFIntraluminal photoacoustic (PA) imaging has the potential for providing physiological and functional information in wide-ranging clinical applications. Along with endoluminal ultrasound transducers, these applications require compact light delivery devices which can deliver high-energy ns-pulsed laser to the target region. In this work, we describe the design, method of fabrication and characterization of a new compact, side-fire optical fiber that can deliver high-energy laser pulses for PA imaging. Side-fire illuminators were fabricated using UV laser ablation to create windows on the side of a 1.5 mm diameter single core, multi-mode optical fiber with a reflective silver coating and a beveled end. Devices with 10 mm, 20 mm, and 30 mm window lengths were fabricated and their beam profiles characterized. Elongated side-fire fibers with −6 dB beam size up to 30.79 mm × 5.5 mm were developed. A side-fire to total output ratio of up to 0.69 and a side fire efficiency of up to 40%, relative to a standard front-fire fiber, were achieved. We evaluated the effects of high-energy ns-pulsed light propagation on the fiber by coupling the fiber to 18 mJ or 100 MW/cm2 (at 750 nm) beam from a Q-switched laser. The PA imaging with the fiber was demonstrated by detecting India ink targets embedded in chicken breast tissue over the full length of a 20 mm illumination window and over a 100° angle and by visualizing in vivo the rat ear vasculature
Computational Aeroacoustic Predictions of the 30P30N High-Lift Airfoil using RANS Simulations
Get PDFA series of two-dimensional Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations are conducted on the McDonnell Douglas 30P30N high-lift airfoil placed inside a hard-wall wind tunnel to predict the Kevlar wall angle of attack correction required for the University of Toronto Hybrid Anechoic Wind Tunnel (HAWT), and to evaluate the accuracy of RANS simulations in predicting the acoustic signature of high-lift devices during the landing phase.
The dissertation begins with an extensive steady RANS study conducted at a Reynolds number of and a freestream Mach number of . Using the - SST turbulence model, mean surface pressure results are validated at angles and via comparisons with data collected from other research institutions. In all, the results align with the University of Toronto HAWT when a correction is applied to account for the Kevlar wall deflections, which subsequently modify the wind tunnel flow conditions.
To assess its noise prediction capabilities, an unsteady RANS (uRANS) simulation of the model at is performed using identical flow conditions as the steady RANS cases. The application of density dilatation iso-contours, surface pressure spectra comparisons, frequency-wavenumber analyses, and an empirical cavity mode prediction model successfully confirm the solver's ability to capture near-field tonal content, including Rossiter cavity modes in the slat and low-frequency acoustic waves traveling between high-lift coves.
Lastly, time-averaged turbulent kinetic energy and velocity field uRANS data are used as input for Amiet’s analytical noise prediction models. The computed sound levels compared with experimental data demonstrate that this procedure is an effective means to predict far-field broadband content measured relative to mid-chord, with a deviation of 2.M.A.S
Communication is Key: A Qualitative Study on the Experience of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) Communication for Patients with Advanced Cancer
Get PDFCanada’s legalization of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD) offered a new end-of-life option. Yet, clinical communication guidelines are not evidence-based and patient conversations throughout the MAiD process with healthcare providers and family/friends remain unknown. This study aimed to better understand the patient experience of MAiD communication, and the nature of these conversations. Twenty patients with advanced cancer from a Canadian comprehensive cancer centre participated via semi-structured interviews. Transcripts were analyzed using constructivist grounded theory methodology. The core category “Experiencing the complexities and ambiguities of MAiD communication” symbolizes its dynamic and uncertain nature, where patients are questioning and planning MAiD conversations. The experience is detailed across four subcategories representing the Four W’s: WHAT are the end-of-life options, WHO to discuss MAiD with, WHEN are MAiD conversations initiated, and WHY discuss a patient’s reasons for MAiD. The theory can help inform future MAiD communication protocols and support optimal end-of-life care for patients.M.Sc