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Evaluation of Visual Function, Eye-Hand Coordination and Motor Ability in Typically Developing Children
No full textMany aspects of a child’s development contribute to thriving in everyday activities. For example, motor ability and visual function play a crucial role impacting social, physical and emotional development. While it is expected that better visual function would be associated with better motor performance, this association has not been directly assessed in school-aged, typically developing children. Thus, this study aims to characterize the visual function, motor ability, and hand-eye coordination in a typically developing cohort of children and to determine if there is any association between measures of visual function and motor performance.
A cohort of 35 children aged 7-14 years (9.7 SD 2.1 years, 19 males) were tested during a one-time visit which included three standardized clinical tests, an assessment of vision and binocular function, and an experimental hand-eye coordination task. The clinical tests consisted of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC-2) to assess overall motor development with subtests including fine and gross motor skills, the Beery Butkenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Beery-VMI) to assess visuomotor integration, and the Test of Word Reading Efficiency – 2nd Edition (TOWRE-2) to assess reading and pronunciation ability. The optometric assessment included visual acuity, stereoacuity, fixation disparity, phoria, fusional vergence, vergence facility, accommodative facility, and amplitude of accommodation. Eye-hand coordination was assessed using eye tracking and hand motion tracking while children performed a bead threading task.
Results from the optometric tests fell within expected ranges with the exception of vergence facility (13.5 SD 3.9) and binocular accommodative facility (9.2 SD 3.1). Performance on the TOWRE-2 subtests and the Beery-VMI aligned with the expected norms as well. The overall score for the MABC-2 was within the expected range (8.9 SD 2.1), however the manual dexterity subtest fell below the expected range (7.8 SD 2.8). A correlation analysis was performed revealing a relationship between the total MABC-2 score and vergence facility (ρ = -0.38, p = 0.04, 95% CI -0.65, -0.02) as well as accommodative facility (r = -0.48, p = 0.007, 95% CI -0.71, -0.05). The MABC-2 manual dexterity subtest score was associated with accommodative facility (r = -0.38 p = 0.037, 95% CI -0.71, -0.05). In addition, the amplitude of accommodation was associated with three kinematic measures from the bead threading task: the grasping interval (ρ = 0.63, p = <.001, 95% CI 0.35, 0.81), bead threading interval (ρ = 0.38, p = 0.041, 95% CI 0.02, 0.65), and total movement time (ρ = 0.42, p = 0.021, 95% CI 0.07, 0.67).
The findings from this study provide preliminary information about visual and motor function measures obtained from the same cohort of typically developing children. In contrast to the hypothesis, a negative moderate association was found between the MABC scores and accommodative and vergence facility. Similarly, the association between accommodation amplitude and bead threading task measures was in the opposite direction to the hypothesis. A larger study is necessary to determine whether the associations found in this small cohort are reliable. An important contribution of this study is the creation of a normative database that includes both the visual and motor scores. These normative values will be used when comparing the performance of children with a coordination disorder in a subsequent study
Optimizing Healthcare Delivery for Infectious Disease Testing
No full textEarly detection of infectious diseases and isolation of the infected individuals are paramount for disease spread and controlling epidemics or pandemics. This can be achieved by timely testing of individuals at risk as part of secondary preventive care. Given the known effectiveness of screening and testing in the propagation of infectious diseases, testing operations should be planned and managed effectively. This thesis presents a series of novel mathematical models to optimize healthcare delivery for testing operations by addressing the unique characteristics of specific infectious diseases. The research focuses on two key applications: COVID-19 testing centers and MRSA surveillance testing protocols.
The first problem focuses on determining the locations and capacities of COVID-19 specimen collection centers to efficiently improve accessibility to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing during surges in testing demand. We develop a two-echelon multi-period location and capacity allocation model that determines the optimal number and locations of pop-up testing centers, capacities of the existing centers as well as assignments of demand regions to these centers, and centers to labs. The objective is to minimize the total number of delayed appointments and specimens subject to budget, capacity, and turnaround time constraints, which will in turn improve the accessibility to testing. We apply our model to a case study for locating COVID-19 testing centers in the Region of Waterloo, Canada using data from the Ontario Ministry of Health, public health databases, and medical literature. We also test the performance of the model under uncertain demand and analyze its outputs under various scenarios. Our analyses provide practical insights to the public health decision-makers on the timing of capacity expansions and the locations for the new pop-up centers. According to our results, the optimal strategy is to dynamically expand the existing specimen collection center capacities and prevent bottlenecks by locating pop-up facilities. The optimal locations of pop-ups are among the densely populated areas that are in proximity to the lab and a subset of those locations are selected with the changes in demand.
The second problem addresses surveillance protocols for hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant \textit{Staphylococcus} aureus (MRSA). Roommates of nosocomial MRSA cases have a high risk of MRSA acquisition. Following infection prevention and control guidelines, these individuals are isolated and undergo surveillance testing. However, the optimal post-exposure surveillance testing and isolation strategies for contacts of index MRSA cases are unknown. We develop a Markov decision process (MDP) model to optimize the testing decisions for individuals exposed to MRSA cases in hospitals to minimize loss of quality-adjusted life years and number of MRSA colonizations. We solve the model optimally using data from clinical literature and conduct sensitivity analyses on key parameters, including disutility values and disease parameters, such as prevalence and transmission probability. The optimal testing decisions recommend varying both the frequency and timing of tests based on initial test results and room configurations. Although implementing these optimal testing decisions may present challenges due to their complexity, they offer valuable insights for improving MRSA management in healthcare facilities, potentially leading to better health outcomes and cost savings compared to current guidelines and practices. We evaluate and compare the performances of various practical MRSA testing protocols, including different testing schedules and modalities using the proposed modeling framework enabling us to incorporate the test sensitivities on different days. We suggest alternative testing protocols with close-to-optimal
performance that balances cost-effectiveness with clinical efficacy, aligned with decision-makers' objectives. Furthermore, the model's applicability extends beyond MRSA to other hospital-acquired infections with similar surveillance testing protocols, demonstrating its potential for infection prevention and control strategies.
The proposed MDP model helps identify the gap between optimal testing decisions, current practices, and alternative testing protocols. While it is effective for small and medium-sized hospitals, its scalability could be limited for larger institutions. To address this limitation, we propose a hybrid framework that integrates a Hidden Markov Model (HMM) with a discrete-event simulation (DES). The HMM mimics MRSA transmission and progression dynamics within isolated rooms, while the DES implements alternative testing protocols and reports related performance metrics. This hybrid framework provides computational efficiency for evaluating testing strategies in large healthcare settings. By incorporating varying test sensitivities for culture and PCR tests across different days, the proposed framework enables the evaluation of diverse MRSA surveillance testing protocols using hospital data and clinical literature. Furthermore, this approach allows us to address controversial policy questions related to MRSA testing strategies, such as the marginal benefit of day 0 testing, the ideal timing for initial and follow-up testing, and the most effective test modalities. Our analyses also identify the most effective testing protocols under specific parameter settings, which is particularly valuable given the significant variation in MRSA testing protocols across regions and institutions. By addressing these variations, the hybrid framework becomes a valuable tool for enhancing MRSA surveillance and supporting evidence-based decision-making in healthcare settings
Quadratic Forms over Global Fields
No full textThis thesis is structured in two parts. The first part explores certain binary quadratic forms over the polynomial ring . We derive explicit formulas for the number of representations of a polynomial and estimate their moments in two asymptotic scenarios: the large finite field limit, where the field size grows with fixed polynomial degree , and the large degree limit, where the degree increases while remains fixed. In the former, we employ a Dirichlet series framework to extract asymptotic behavior, while in the latter, we apply a refined partitioning of the space of polynomials of fixed degree to obtain sharp asymptotic estimates. The second part investigates the representation of integers as sums of an even number of triangular numbers. Using the Hardy–Littlewood circle method, we sum the associated singular series and establish its convergence to the Eisenstein component of the expressions obtained using the theory of modular forms, which are expressed in terms of generalized divisor functions
Preserving and Generalizing χ-boundedness
No full textThe notion of χ-boundedness, introduced by Gyárfás in the mid-1980s, captures when, for every induced subgraph of a graph, large chromatic number can occur only due to the presence of a sufficiently large complete subgraph. The study of χ-boundedness is a central topic in graph theory. Understanding which hereditary classes of graphs are χ-bounded is of particular importance for advancing our understanding of how restrictions on the induced subgraphs of a graph affect both its global structure and key parameters such as the clique number and the independence number.
Which classes of graphs are χ-bounded? A method that has been used to prove that a class C of graphs is χ-bounded proceeds as follows: we prove that C can be obtained by applying operations that preserve χ-boundedness to already χ-bounded classes. This approach gives rise to the following question: which operations preserve χ-boundedness?
Given k graphs G₁,…,Gₖ, their intersection is the graph (∩{i∈[k]}V(Gᵢ), ∩{i∈[k]}E(Gᵢ)). Given k graph classes G₁,…,Gₖ, we call the class {G : ∀i∈[k], ∃Gᵢ∈Gᵢ such that G = G₁ ∩ ⋯ ∩ Gₖ} the graph-intersection of G₁,…,Gₖ. In the mid-1980s, in his seminal paper “Problems from the world surrounding perfect graphs”, Gyárfás observed that, due to early results of Asplund and Grünbaum, and Burling, graph-intersection does not preserve χ-boundedness in general, and he raised some questions regarding the interplay between graph-intersection and χ-boundedness. This topic has not received much attention since then. In this thesis, we formalize and explore the connection between the operation of graph-intersection and χ-boundedness.
Let r ≥ 2 be an integer. We denote by Kᵣ the complete graph on r vertices. The Kᵣ-free chromatic number of a graph G, denoted by χᵣ(G), is the minimum size of a partition of V(G) into sets each of which induces a Kᵣ-free graph. Generalizing χ-boundedness, we say that a class C of graphs is χᵣ-bounded if there exists a function f:ℕ→ℕ such that for every G∈C and every induced subgraph G′ of G, we have χᵣ(G′) ≤ f(ω(G′)), where ω(G′) denotes the clique number of G′. We study the induced subgraphs of graphs with large Kᵣ-free chromatic number.
Finally, we introduce the fractional Kᵣ-free chromatic number, and for every r ≥ 2 we construct K_{r+1}-free intersection graphs of straight-line segments in the plane with arbitrarily large fractional Kᵣ-free chromatic number
Books as Weapons? Identifying Strategies of the New Right's Literature Policy
No full textThis thesis examines the literature policy of the German New Right with a particular focus on its literary strategies of canonization, appropriation and instrumentalization. Building on theoretical discussions of cultural hegemony and intellectualization, it analyzes how new right publishers and networks, especially Antaios and Jungeuropa, mobilize literature as a medium of ideological dissemination and cultural positioning. Through paratexts, publisher programs, podcasts and reviews, the thesis explores how the New Right constructs narratives of belonging, frames the state as an adversary, and cultivates a discourse of resistance. Exemplifying case studies highlight the dual role of explicitly new right texts and works originally published outside new right contexts, which are discursively reinterpreted and integrated into a new right literary canon. Special attention is given to Antaios’ canonization project “Hundert Jahre, hundert Romane”, which exemplifies the New Right’s efforts to establish cultural authority by appropriating both ‘high’ and popular literature. The thesis demonstrates how the New Right uses and frames literature (and language) to negotiate cultural authority as well as advance its political goals and it considers potential counter-strategies
On Token Movement Problems
No full textClassically, the study of computational problems has been primarily focused on what we call a static model of the world. Specifically, given a fixed unchanging input instance, e.g., a graph, the usual goal is to compute a fixed subset of vertices or edges that minimizes or maximizes some objective function. In addition to unchanging instances, the static model ignores the potential existence of prior (partially feasible) solutions as well as the costs associated with materializing a new (more optimal) one. These limitations become more apparent when one considers the dynamic model of the world in which we sometimes seek efficient transformations of a given system from some state to another. Upgrading public transport lines is a typical example of this since a reasonable strategy is expected to minimize criteria such as cost, environmental impact, and disruption time. It is therefore crucial for a corresponding computational problem to have knowledge of the current state of the system so as to seek a new, more desirable state, while minimizing the number of required "changes'' (and the number of undesired changes).
Solution discovery and reconfiguration problems constitute two possible ways of addressing such computational problems arising in our dynamic model of the world, and they are the main topics of this thesis. Both problems model system states as configurations, such as sets of tokens placed on one of vertices or edges of a graph. Under our solution discovery problems, we start with an initial graph configuration and seek to transform it into any final configuration that satisfies a desired property (such as forming a shortest path) and where each vertex contains at most one token, using at most a given budget of token slides along graph edges. In the reconfiguration problems we study, both the initial and target configurations are specified, and we must determine whether one can be transformed into the other within a given budget of token multi-slides, where a token moves along a path of vertices with no other tokens. These token movements capture real-world constraints where changes must be local, that is, prohibiting arbitrary relocation, as seen in applications ranging from robot motion planning to quantum circuit compilation.
This thesis contributes to the computational complexity landscape for these transformation problems. For solution discovery problems where the target property is to form a matching, vertex/edge cut, or shortest path, we show that even though these properties are efficiently computable in the static setting, their transformation variants are NP-hard. Similarly, our reconfiguration problems are NP-hard regardless of whether tokens are distinguishable or indistinguishable. This necessitates a parameterized complexity approach, which provides a more refined analysis by developing (fixed-parameter tractable) algorithms whose running times are exponential only in carefully chosen parameters, which are typically small in practice, while remaining polynomial in the input size. Under parameterized complexity, we investigate these transformation problems, including solution discovery problems for polynomial-time solvable properties (matching, vertex/edge cut, shortest path) and NP-hard properties (independent set, dominating set, vertex cover), under the fundamental parameters of number of tokens k and transformation budget b. Additionally, we examine how certain structural parameters affect the parameterized complexity; particularly, we analyze the independent set, dominating set, and vertex cover solution discovery variants with respect to the parameter pathwidth.
Beyond fixed-parameter tractability, we investigate the kernelization complexity of the studied solution discovery problems to understand the limits of preprocessing. Kernelization provides a mathematical framework for analyzing data reduction, asking whether large instances of a problem can be efficiently compressed to equivalent instances whose size depends only on the parameter. A polynomial kernel exists when instances of a problem can be reduced to a size that is at most polynomial in the parameter, indicating that effective preprocessing is possible. For problems that we prove admit fixed-parameter tractable algorithms, we employ advanced techniques to establish upper and lower kernel bounds. Our analysis extends to combined parameters, such as examining how the pathwidth structural parameter interacts with the transformation budget to affect preprocessing possibilities.
Finally, we transcend individual problem analysis through meta-theorems that characterize entire families of solution discovery problems using descriptive complexity. Rather than proving similar results repeatedly for each graph property, we investigate general theorems for all solution discovery problems whose target properties are definable in logic, particularly first-order (FO) or the more expressive monadic second-order (MSO) logic. We prove that MSO solution discovery is fixed-parameter tractable when parameterized by the structural parameter neighborhood diversity, exploiting vertex type equivalences to reduce the search space. Conversely, we demonstrate that even FO solution discovery is hard classically and under parameterized complexity assumptions for several natural structural parameters including twin cover, modulator to stars, and modulator to paths numbers. Through these results, we delineate precise boundaries within a well-studied hierarchy of structural parameters, establishing where in the hierarchy meta-tractability results are possible
The C117D and C145D Variants Elucidate Oxidation-Induced Functional and Conformational Changes in the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease
No full textThe main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is essential for viral replication. Its proteolytic mechanism relies on a catalytic dyad formed by the C145 and H41 residues. Recent studies have focused on understanding how Mpro defends itself against oxidative stress as the C145 side chain is susceptible to oxidative damage, which can irreversibly inactivate the enzyme.
Oxidative conditions, such as those induced by the immune response, are known to trigger structural changes in Mpro, including the formation of a disulfide bond between C145 and the proximal C117, as well as a shift toward an inactive, monomeric state. It has been proposed that non-catalytic cysteines may act as redox-sensitive switches, or as oxidative sinks that reduce harmful oxidants before reaching the catalytic C145.
In this study, functional assays (kinetic analysis and thermal shift assays) combined with structural methods (small-angle X-ray scattering and X-ray crystallography) reveal that mimicking oxidation at C117 via a C117D point mutation drives Mpro toward an inactive monomeric conformation. This transition involves changes in the substrate-binding pocket, rigidification of the dimerization domain, and increased disorder at the N-and C-termini. In contrast, a C145D mutation, designed to mimic oxidation at the catalytic residue, had no impact on the enzyme’s conformation or oligomeric state.
These findings present the first solved structure of the monomeric form of Mpro and reveal a novel role for C117 as a redox sensor that mediates oxidative regulation of the protease’s structure and function
Exploring the Relationship between Concrete and Mycelium Through an Integrated Design Methodology
No full textIn 2023, the built environment sector was labelled the largest global emitter of greenhouse gases, prompting an increased effort to reduce its embodied carbon. While research in sustainable, low-carbon materials has proved an excellent method to define where we have failed in material use and what we might use in the future, a discussion blending the two is underdeveloped and worthy of further exploration. Also lacking is the number of materials that exist in the grey area between sustainable and structural, with one quality seemingly favoured over the other. It is in this area of architecture that the greatest green impact will be felt, as it then competes with the three largest carbon emitters – concrete, steel and aluminum. This thesis takes concrete, the largest emitter, and contrasts it with mycelium-based composites, an innovative biomaterial whose potential has been constrained by studying it in isolation (solely observing mycelium with its substrate). By comparing them, we stay grounded in the current state of material in architecture and its impact on the planet. By combining them, we have an opportunity to blend their individual properties to offer new applications not previously available to either material.
An integrated design methodology was created to guide the design process through a holistic framework, considering as many factors as possible to use concrete as a means to strengthen mycelium-based composites, and to reach a design proposal for a product that combines the materials in a way that is both practical and sustainable. This inspired a series of material experiments that explored the surface and form bonding capabilities of the materials, as well as how mycelium-based composites paired with deconstructed concrete (cement and recycled concrete aggregate). These experiments then tested for their acoustic properties and compressive strength. Throughout this process, the working methodology was constantly cross-checked with Jason F. McLennan’s six principles of sustainable design as well as proposed sustainable policies to ensure the final product maintained its integrity as a sustainable material. The work culminated in a design proposal for a recycled concrete acoustic masonry unit with a mycelium-based composite infill
A Political Ecology of Wellbeing: The role of civil society organizations in supporting communities with limited access to water, sanitation, and hygiene in Brazil
No full textSafe access to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) is key to human health and wellbeing. When populations lack or have limited access to WASH, they are at risk of contracting infectious diseases, suffering dehydration and malnutrition, developing musculoskeletal diseases, experiencing gender-based violence and conflict, and facing challenges to access other social determinants of health, such as health care and education. Regardless, billions of people lack access to safe WASH globally, mainly in low- and lower-middle income countries (LMICs). Nonetheless, historically marginalized groups in high income countries (HICs) and upper-middle income countries (UMICs) still face challenges to access WASH despite available financial and natural resources. In Brazil, the country with the largest supply of freshwater water and the 9th biggest economy in the world, 32 million people lack access to safe water and 89 million, to safe sanitation.
The COVID-19 pandemic shone a spotlight on the role of civil society organizations (CSOs) in creating and implementing solutions to access WASH as a way to halt the spread of the disease and offer relief aid to low-income communities that had their livelihoods affected by lockdowns and social distancing measures. Among other initiatives, CSOs around the world donated water and hand sanitizers, constructed communal wells and portable handwashing stations, and raised awareness about proper hygiene habits. Nevertheless, little is known about the way these organizations address WASH inequities, especially in UMICs, and how they support health equity-promoting practices in general.
The overall purpose of this research is to examine the role of civil society organizations in promoting solutions to water, sanitation, and hygiene inequities in Brazil. The specific research objectives are: 1) to describe barriers and facilitators in access to water, sanitation, and hygiene in low-income communities in Brazil, 2) to explore the impacts of water, sanitation, and hygiene inequities on the wellbeing of low-income communities in Brazil through political ecology of health, and 3) to investigate solutions to water, sanitation, and hygiene inequities implemented by civil society organizations in low-income communities in Brazil.
Using an integrated knowledge translation (IKT) approach to research and informed by political ecology of health, I conducted a multisite case study in three municipalities in the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro (MRRJ), whose populations experience varying levels of access to WASH and support from CSOs. I interviewed leaders from local CSOs (n = 7) and led focus groups with residents of low-income communities (n = 24) in each municipality. Additionally, I visited the headquarters of partner CSOs, a local water treatment station, other affected communities, and attended meetings with local municipal governments. Interviews and focus groups were recorded and transcribed verbatim, translated from Portuguese to English, and analyzed through thematic analysis on NVivo.
The results revealed common barriers in access to WASH in all communities, including frequent and long-lasting water shortages, contaminated drinking water, absence of sewage collection and treatment, and complications from severe weather events. WASH inequities affect several dimensions of participants’ wellbeing but most importantly, emotional health and sense of dignity, as they compared their living conditions to that of residents in other neighbourhoods as a consequence of persisting structural inequities. Finally, solutions to WASH inequities differ according to the level of resources and expertise offered by partner CSOs, revealing geographical inequities in access to funding and manpower between organizations located in the state capital and those in peripheral municipalities.
This research makes contributions to the political ecology of health framework by proposing a political ecology of wellbeing through the contextual understanding of “wellbeing” and how WASH access affects low-income communities beyond physical and mental health. Additionally, this research advances the understanding of the complex role of local CSOs as intermediaries between decisionmakers, academics, and marginalized communities, capable of communicating the needs and wants of populations in a concise and representative manner and facilitating both short- and long-term equity-promoting action. Finally, this research contributes to the body of work on WASH inequities in HICs and UMICs, advancing the notion that certain marginalized populations are rendered invisible by global WASH data that ignores nuanced local inequities, such as the frequency and quality of WASH services.
In conclusion, CSOs in Brazil promote short-term infrastructural WASH solutions, promote critically reflective dialogue about the distribution of environmental and social determinants of health and wellbeing, and act as intermediaries between powerful actors who decide what happens in the territory, e.g., local politicians, criminal groups, and WASH companies. CSO work can be scaled up if responsible authorities recognize their role as knowledge brokers and design policies considering context-specific needs and challenges for each community, while also supporting civil society organizations’ services to promote autonomy and agency among marginalized groups in the long term
Fluctuation-induced order and thermal transport in frustrated quantum magnets
No full textOrder-by-disorder is a mechanism of "fluctuation-induced" ordering that occurs in many frustrated magnetic systems where magnetic moments, or spins, are subject to competing interactions. So far, this phenomenon has been discussed in systems where the quantum ground state is not a "classical" product state. In such a case, both thermal and quantum fluctuations act to lift the accidental classical degeneracy, raising the question of whether one mechanism of order-by-disorder is possible without the other.
In this thesis, we present results exposing a novel route to order-by-disorder, one without quantum zero-point fluctuations, in the ferromagnetic pyrochlore Heisenberg model with the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interaction as the leading perturbation. We show that any collinear ferromagnetic state is an exact eigenstate even in the presence of the anisotropic DM interaction, while thermal fluctuations give rise to a preferred magnetization direction. Using linear spin wave theory, we find that the anisotropy appears at lowest order as a sub-leading term in the low-temperature expansion of the free energy. Our results thus show that the phenomenon of thermal order-by-disorder can, in principle, occur even in the absence of quantum zero-point fluctuations driving quantum order-by-disorder. By extending our calculations to non-linear spin wave theory, we find that the ferromagnetic ground state becomes unstable for a spin-1/2 system when the DM interaction is large.
Next, we ask the question of how to adequately characterize order-by-disorder in real materials, and how to distinguish it from conventional energetic ordering. Currently, the only clear and universal signature that has been proposed is a characteristic temperature dependence of the fluctuation-induced pseudo-Goldstone gap. Thus far, this temperature dependence of the pseudo-Goldstone gap has only been characterized in the classical limit. Here, we use non-linear spin wave theory to characterize the pseudo-Goldstone gap in quantum magnets at low temperature, to leading order in 1/S. Using exact sum-rules for the magnon spectral functions, we find that the gap exhibits a distinct power-law temperature dependence. We examine the implications of our results for several candidate materials.
The final part of this thesis examines the thermodynamic and transport properties of the ferromagnetic pyrochlore Lu₂V₂O₇. Over the last decade, there has been immense interest in magnetic materials that host topologically non-trivial excitations. In ordered magnetic insulators, features analogous to those of topological insulators and semimetals can arise in the magnon band structure, and the associated Berry phases can manifest in observable heat and spin transport phenomena. This was unambiguously observed in Lu₂V₂O₇ in the form of a magnon thermal Hall signal, and proposed to arise from the DM interaction. A precise value of the DM interaction is not known, as the values obtained from fitting both thermal transport and inelastic neutron scattering data, as well as from density functional theory, are all mutually inconsistent. Motivated by this, we investigate the effect of additional symmetry allowed perturbations to the spin Hamiltonian of Lu₂V₂O₇ in an attempt to reconcile the different experimental probes of this material. We find that the thermal transport and neutron scattering measurements are consistent with the addition of a small second-nearest-neighbour DM interaction to the model. Conversely, we argue that existing specific heat measurements are inconsistent with neutron scattering experiments and cannot be reconciled with any additional exchange couplings to the bilinear spin-model in the perturbative regime. Our results motivate future thermal transport and specific heat measurements of this material