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Exploring Electrical Injury Survivors’ and Caregivers’ Experience with Recovery
Full text linkThis thesis explores the complex recovery experiences of electrical injury (EI) survivors and their caregivers, emphasizing the distinct physical, neurological, and psychosocial challenges they face. Through a scoping review and qualitative study, the research identified gaps in existing EI rehabilitation, particularly the underrepresentation of psychosocial support and the role of social networks. Findings highlight that while interdisciplinary models have been applied in other rehabilitation contexts, they remain limited in EI recovery, leaving survivors and caregivers to navigate multifaceted barriers independently. Caregivers, often burdened by emotional and physical demands, face unique challenges that intensify their caregiving roles. The findings of the present study suggest the need for structured, multidisciplinary approaches that integrate peer support and family-centered care to enhance long-term recovery outcomes. This work contributes to the field by offering insights into the lived experiences of EI survivors and informing the development of holistic, EI-specific rehabilitation interventions.M.Sc
Comparative Analysis of Outcomes in Adult Spinal Deformity Patients with Proximal Junctional Kyphosis or Failure Initially Fused to Upper Versus Lower Thoracic Spine
Full text linkBackground: Patients with proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) or failure (PJF) may demonstrate disparate outcomes and recovery when fused to the upper (UT) versus lower (LT) thoracic spine. Few studies have distinguished the reoperation and recovery abilities of patients with PJK or PJF when fused to the upper (UT) versus lower (LT) thoracic spine. Methods: Adult spine deformity patients ≥ 18 yrs with preoperative and 5-year (5Y) data fused to the sacrum/pelvis were included. The rates of PJK, PJK revision, and radiographic PJF were compared between patients with upper instrumented vertebra (UIV) in the upper thoracic spine (UT; T1-T7) and lower thoracic spine (LT; T8-L1). Mean differences were assessed via analyses of covariance, factoring in any differences between cohorts at baseline and any use of PJF prophylaxis. Backstep logistic regressions assessed predictors of achieving Smith et al.’s Best Clinical Outcomes (BCOs) and complications, controlling for similar covariates. Results: A total of 232 ASD patients were included (64.2 ± 10.2 years, 78% female); 36.3% were UT and 63.7% were LT. Postoperatively, the rates of PJK for UT were lower than LT at 1Y (34.6 vs. 50.4%, p = 0.024), 2Y (29.5 vs. 49.6% (p = 0.003), and 5Y (48.7 vs. 62.8%, p = 0.048), with comparable rates of PJF. In total, 4.0% of UT patients underwent subsequent reoperation, compared to 13.0% of LT patients (p = 0.025). A total of 6.0% of patients had recurrent PJK, and 3.9% had recurrent PJF (both p > 0.05). After reoperation, UT patients reported higher rates of improvement in the minimum clinically important difference for ODI by 2Y (p = 0.007) and last follow-up (p < 0.001). While adjusted regression revealed that, for UT patients, the minimization of construct extension was predictive of achieving BCOs by last follow-up (model p < 0.001), no such relationship was identified in LT patients. Conclusions: Patients initially fused to the lower thoracic spine demonstrate an increased incidence of PJK and lower rates of disability improvement, but are at a lessened risk of neurologic complications if reoperation is required
Detection of polymorphisms in the prion-like protein Doppel (PRND) gene in Jeju black cattle
Full text linkPrion protein (PrP) plays a central role in bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Given the structural and biological similarity to PrP, recent research has focused on Doppel (Dpl) protein, which is encoded by the prion-like protein Doppel (PRND) gene. In this study, we characterized the PRND genetic polymorphism in 100 Jeju black cattle, a native Korean breed. We predicted the potential effect of non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the Dpl protein function using three in silico tools: SIFT, PANTHER and PolyPhen-2. Finally, we performed a comparative analysis of the genotype distribution of c.395A>G (Q132R) between German BSE-infected cattle and Korean healthy cattle to assess the BSE susceptibility of Korean cattle. We found eight SNPs, including three novel SNPs c.-7C>T, c.172G>A (A58T), and c.537+83C>T. Only c.172G>A was predicted by SIFT to exert a deleterious effect. According to the comparative analysis, Holstein and Jeju black cattle exhibited a higher potential risk for BSE. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the genetic characteristics of the PRND gene in Jeju black cattle.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
Lost Institutional Memory and Policy Advice: The Royal Society of Arts on the Circular Economy Through the Centuries
Full text linkCircular economy theorists and advocates typically describe traditional market economies as linear “take, make, use and dispose” systems. Various policy interventions, from green taxes to extended producer responsibility, are therefore deemed essential to ensure the systematic (re)introduction of residuals, secondary materials and components in manufacturing activities. By contrast, many nineteenth- and early twentieth-century writers documented how the profit motive, long-distance trade and actors now largely absent from present-day circularity discussions (e.g., waste dealers and brokers) spontaneously created ever more value out of the recovery of residuals and waste. These opposite assessments and underlying perspectives are perhaps best illustrated in the nineteenth classical liberal and early twenty-first century interventionist writings on circularity of Fellows, members and collaborators of the near tricentennial British Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce. This article summarizes their respective contributions and compares their stance on market institutions, design, intermediaries, extended producer responsibility and long-distance trade. Some hypotheses as to the sources of their analytical discrepancies and current beliefs on resource recovery are then discussed in more detail. A final suggestion is made that, if the analysis offered by early contributors is more correct, then perhaps the most important step towards greater circularity is regulatory reform (or deregulation) that would facilitate the spontaneous recovery of residuals and their processing in the most suitable, if sometimes more distant, locations
FRAMED: Understanding the Gap Between the Perceptions and Reality of Immigrant Crime
Full text linkIn Canada, public perceptions of immigrant criminality frequently deviate from reality. Sensationalized reporting and fear-based discourse reinforce historical myths linking immigration and crime even though there is evidence indicating immigrants commit less crimes than non-immigrant Canadians. This project looks at political discourse, media content and historical policies to investigate how biased reporting influences immigration discourse and policy
Implications of environmental changes for penis development in highly vulnerable phally polymorphic Vertigo species
Full text linkIn populations of phally polymorphic hermaphroditic species, two or three phallial morphs coexist, distinguished by the development of the penis. This study aimed to track changes in the frequency of these morphs over time and across sharp seasonal transitions in temperate climates, focusing on land snails. Additionally, it assessed whether shell dimensions differ among the phallial morphs. The study species were Vertigo moulinsiana (Dupuy, 1849) and Vertigo angustior Jeffreys, 1830, members of the Vertiginidae family, predominantly found in Europe. Both species are threatened with extinction and listed in Annex II of the EU Habitat Directive. According to the IUCN, V. angustior is classified as Near Threatened, and V. moulinsiana as Vulnerable.
Findings reveal species-specific responses to seasonal changes. The proportions of phallial morphs varied over time, with euphallics consistently being a minority in both species. No significant differences in shell size were found among phallial morph types, although shell size varied significantly between seasons. This variability likely reflects local environmental conditions. The observed shifts in phallial morph frequency and shell size may influence the genetic diversity and reproductive traits in these species. These findings underscore the importance of further research, particularly in the context of climate change and habitat deterioration.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
Latent stress response in translocated eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) in the Gulf of St. Lawrence
Full text linkMovement of animals between habitats, whether natural or human-driven, can expose them to environmental stressors that impact their physiology and survival. In aquaculture, understanding these stress responses is critical to improving production practices. The cultivation of eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica (Gmelin, 1791)) in Atlantic Canada depends largely on stock transfers from natural collection sites to grow-out sites. However, significant mortality has been reported in the year following translocation. We investigated stress factors associated with oyster transfers from New Brunswick to the Magdalen Islands. Mortality was assessed in relation to transport conditions and physiological indicators (gaping behavior, condition index, and energy reserves). We found no direct effect of transport conditions on post-transfer mortality. However, oysters transported in June without temperature control experienced ~ 50% winter mortality and consistently low glycogen levels (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
Thermochemical Interconnectivities of Active Sites on Metal Oxides and their Catalytic Consequences in C−O Formation and C−H Scission Chemistry
Full text linkSurfaces of transition metal oxides consist of metal cations (Mn+) and oxygen anions (O2−), each with distinct catalytic functions—the coordinated protons on lattice O-atoms act as Brønsted acid sites (H+), the coordinatively unsaturated cationic metal centers function as Lewis acid sites (Mδ+−Oδ−), and the anionic lattice O-atoms serve as redox sites (O*). These active sites coexist and collectively catalyze both parallel and sequential reactions during the upgrading of light alkanols and alkanes into value-added chemicals, yet their intrinsic thermochemical and electronic interconnectivities, along with the resulting kinetic correlations of reactions that they catalyze, have not been quantitatively examined and established. In this thesis, alkanol dehydration (DEH) and oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH), the two primary reaction pathways during alkanol conversions, together with alkane ODH, are utilized as model reactions in combined kinetic assessments, chemical titrations, spectroscopic interrogations, theoretical calculations, and thermochemical analysis, to investigate the thermochemical and electronic interconnectivities between two Brønsted sites, redox and Brønsted sites, redox and Lewis sites, and two redox sites. We establish their interconnectivities using a library of structured and unstructured model catalysts, including Brønsted acidic tungsten-based polyoxometalate acid clusters (POM), Brønsted acidic and redox active molybdenum-based POM clusters, and Lewis acidic and redox active CoyMoOx oxides, where their electronic structures are systematically perturbed by either introducing counter cations (e.g., Na+, K+, Cu2+, Mg2+, or Al3+) into POM clusters, varying the Co-to-Mo atomic ratio (y, 0−1) of CoyMoOx oxides, or adjusting oxygen chemical potentials on their surfaces during catalysis by changing oxidant identity (O2 or CO2). Mechanistically, alkanol DEH, encompassing both intermolecular and intramolecular pathways, occurs via the transfer of a bound proton from catalytic surfaces to adsorbed alkanol species at Brønsted sites or of a negatively charged ⊝OH group from adsorbed alkanol species to Lewis acid centers (Mδ+) in Lewis acid-base pairs to evolve their respective transition states. Concurrently, alkanol and alkane ODH requires the transfer of an H-atom, equivalent to the transfer of a proton and an electron together, from reactant fragments to reductive O-centers to evolve their transition states. These distinct thermochemical events establish the deprotonation energy (DPE) of Brønsted sites, the electron affinity (EA) of Lewis sites, and the H-atom addition energy (HAE) of redox sites as kinetic descriptors of Brønsted acid, Lewis acid, and redox site catalyzed reactions. The shared proton transfer step, occurred in opposite directions at redox and Brønsted acid chemistry, results in negative correlations between HAE and DPE, whereas the shared electron transfer step, occurred in the same direction at redox and Lewis acid chemistry, results in positive correlations between HAE and −EA. These thermochemical correlations lead to contrasting kinetic correlations in activation enthalpies for redox and Brønsted acid catalysis and for redox and Lewis acid catalysis on bifunctional metal oxides, within a thermochemical-kinetic framework, derived from transition state theory and Born-Haber thermochemical cycle. Electron donation from counter cations into Brønsted acidic POM clusters modulates the electrostatic interactions between the remaining protons and conjugate POM anions, thereby altering the DPE values, while that from departing O-atoms into the metal centers of Co0.5MoOx catalysts, i.e., the formation of O-vacancies, affects the electronic structures of these catalysts, thereby influencing the HAE values of adjacent redox active O-atoms. These modulations underscore the electronic correlations between two Brønsted sites, and two redox sites on the same catalytic surface, respectively. The fundamental knowledge regarding the interconnectivities among diverse active sites on transition metal oxide surfaces, in terms of their thermochemical, electronic, and kinetic properties, provides a framework for rationalizing turnover rate couplings in acid and redox catalysis. This insight could also guide the design of catalysts with multiple catalytic functions, with active sites at atomistic proximity from each other, for optimizing reaction rates and product distributions.Ph.D
Mutually Sustaining: Open Access Initiatives and the Graduate Student Library Assistant Experience
Full text linkPoster presentation at the Academic Libraries Toronto Conference 2025.Institutional Repositories (IRs), library Journal Publishing Systems (JPS), and Open Access (OA) environmental outreach campaigns all contribute to sustainability – and graduate students do too. This academic poster presents the unique role of Graduate Student Library Assistants (GSLAs), whose shorter-term roles sustain longer-term successes.
Explored through the lens of GSLAs in the Scholarly Communications and Copyright Office (SCCO) at the University of Toronto Libraries (UTL), this poster reflects on the experiences of supporting three concurrent open access initiatives. First, this poster frames successes in supporting the migration of the Institutional Repository (TSpace) to Scholaris infrastructure. Scholaris being a new national shared repository service facilitating open discovery, sharing, and preservation of Canadian scholarship. Second, it maps a maintenance project with the Journal Production Services. Supporting 90+ academic journals rebuilding or launching across the pandemic. Third, it scans participation in the Open Climate Campaign, “Paper Pledge for the Planet.” A campaign centering the making climate change research articles available in IRs.
There are particular benefits to engaging in multiple projects simultaneously. The poster examines how the projects undertaken relate to both environmental sustainability and the sustaining of scholarly communication services supporting open access. It recognizes how graduate students integrate themselves to contribute to organizational sustainability. It reflects on how the variety in project topic and size sustains internal and student interests.
Learning Outcomes: 1. Identify how IRs, OJS, and OA campaigns can contribute to both environmental and organizational sustainability. 2. Discover ways the Scholarly Communications and Copyright Office at UTL champions open access initiatives. 3. Understand the role of graduate students in sustaining open access research projects. 4. Evaluate how engaging multiple open access projects successfully contributes to sustained interests and morale
Search for Vector-like Quarks in the All-hadronic Decay Channel using the ATLAS Detector
Full text linkA search is made for a vector-like top quark partner T decaying hadronically to a Standard Model top quark and a Higgs boson in TeV proton-proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb collected by the ATLAS detector.
The decaying and are reconstructed as large-radius jets.
Candidate Higgs bosons, top quarks, and associated -hadrons are identified using tagging algorithms.
No significant excess is observed above the Standard Model background.
Limits are set on the production cross-section of a singlet quark at 95\% confidence level, depending on the mass of the quark, , and its coupling strength to Standard Model particles, .
In the considered mass range between 1.0 and 2.3 TeV, the upper limit on allowed coupling values increases with ,
up to TeV at .Ph.D