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The Influence of Indigenous Women in Canadian Government and Politics
No full textAlthough this research is on-going, it attempts to draw conclusions to various critical questions regarding the desire of Indigenous women to join and participate in electoral politics. In trying to understand the challenges Indigenous women experience during their work in politics as well as the types of policies they push to implement and influence, we can perhaps better examine and address the types of issues Indigenous women and their communities face. The colonial project continues to oppress Indigenous communities and nations across Canada. While there has been a large increase in research involving Indigenous-settler relations, awareness of the colonial project and its strategies against Indigenous people continues to be dismissed as a historical event. However, it is critical to understand the past, analyze historical movements, and work towards repairing the harm these events have caused and continue to cause to Indigenous peoples. During the 2015 federal elections, many speculated that Indigenous women were encouraged to join politics due to the Liberal Party's "reconciliation agenda" under Justin Trudeau. This research examines whether this is true or what the underlying reasons Indigenous women consider when joining electoral politics in Canada
AI-Powered Classroom Monitoring
No full textIn the evolving landscape of education, the role of technology, specifically artificial intelligence (AI), has become increasingly significant. Our project, "AI-Powered Classroom Monitoring," seeks to extend conventional teaching methodologies by introducing an AI-based system to monitor and analyze student engagement in real-time. Building upon the existing "In-Class Student Emotion and Engagement Detection System (iSEEDS)" developed by Vishnumolakala et al., we enhance it with advanced features like head pose estimation and statistical report generation, focusing on creating an inclusive and equitable educational environment
A long way to go till 30 by 30? - An analysis of Canada's legal marine protection
No full text['UNSDG 14: Life Below Water (https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal14)']Viable, Healthy and Safe CommunitiesThis literature review examines Canada's current legal ocean conservation measures. I argue that to reclaim its role as global leader in ocean protection and reach the United Nations newly set 30 by 30 goal[1], Canada must improve its marine laws and policies. It should foster cooperation between stakeholders and enhance protection through legal personhood of marine ecosystems. Being the country with the longest coastline in the world, Canada would have a great opportunity to give special weight to the ocean in its legal marine protection. However, after assessing existing legislation and conducting literature reviews on challenges and opportunities for legal ocean protection in Canada, focusing on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), the research revealed that MPAs that are considered strongly protected make up only 0.4% of Canada's oceans. Reasons for that are adverse interests and the resistance of a strong fishing industry, division of powers issues and problems in the designation and enforcement measures of MPAs. While Canada is doing rather well in passing legislation, it is often left behind other countries with respect to the effectiveness of their implementation. The main reasons for that are the misalignment of policies and missing coordination of responsible actors. Nevertheless, in light of the dire state that our oceans are in, the inability of international law to fix these problems alone and the importance of healthy oceans for humanity, a global leader is urgently needed. [1] https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog/2021/07/a-new-global-framework-for-managing-nature-through-2030-1st-detailed-draft-agreement-debut
Case Report: Unusual Clinical Response to Trastuzumab and Pertuzumab in Metastatic Her-2 low breast cancer
No full textBackground: HER2-low breast cancer represents a biologically distinct subset of breast cancer currently underserved by targeted therapies. In this case report, we describe the clinical course of a patient with metastatic HER2-low breast cancer who exhibited an exceptional response to first-line combination therapy with Pertuzumab, Trastuzumab and Paclitaxel. Case: A 32 year old female with a history of stage III HER2 positive breast cancer, previously treated with neoadjuvant HER2 targeted therapy and chemotherapy, presented with progressive disease involving liver, lung, bone and brain metastases. Due to urgent need to start treatment she was treated with Her-2 targeted therapy based on her original biopsy. Subsequent biopsies from the metastatic disease in liver showed that patient had Her-2-low disease. Her liver function tests normalized after 1 cycle of treatment. After three cycles of treatment, the patient demonstrated a marked reduction in tumor burden as assessed by radiologic imaging and reported a significant improvement in her quality of life, with minimal adverse events. Discussion: Tumor heterogeneity, which can lead to variations in HER2 expression across different metastatic sites, presents a significant challenge in predicting treatment responses. This case highlights the importance of integrating clinical judgement with pathological findings when tailoring treatment. This case highlights potential benefit of Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab in Her-2-low tumors. Conclusion: Pertuzumab and Trastuzumab are not established as standard of care treatments for HER2-low breast cancer; this case suggests potential role in metastatic disease. Further research is necessary to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying this subgroup and optimize therapeutic strategies
Exploring Novel SPEEDY-CDK Interactions: Expanding the Cell Cycle Regulatory Network
No full textThe intricate regulation of the cell cycle is crucial for normal cellular function, with dysregulation often leading to diseases such as cancer. While cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are well-established regulators of cell cycle progression, the SPEEDY/RINGO family has emerged as an atypical activator of CDKs. To date, interactions have been identified only between a few SPEEDY proteins and CDK1/CDK2. However, the CDK family comprises more than 20 members, while the SPEEDY family includes nearly a dozen members, most of which remain unstudied. This study aims to elucidate the interactions between different SPEEDY family members and CDKs using an integrated bioinformatics and experimental approach. We employ protein-protein docking simulations and interface analysis to predict potential binding pairs. To validate our computational predictions, we perform biochemical testing including pull-down assays and co-expression studies. Furthermore, we use Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) to quantitatively measure the thermodynamic properties of these interactions, including binding affinity, stoichiometry, and enthalpy. Our findings reveal novel potential binding pairs between SPEEDY and CDK family members, highlighting the functional role of underexplored SPEEDY family members in cell cycle regulation. This comprehensive approach provides new perspectives on the complex interplay between these families in cell cycle control. Our results offer valuable insights into cell cycle regulation mechanisms and potentially uncover new drug targets for cancer therapeutics
Analysis of Windsor-Essex County senior fitness and social programs.
No full textViable, Healthy and Safe CommunitiesI am investigating how to build a successful fitness and social program for long-term physical and emotional stability for seniors' overall health in Windsor-Essex County. By analyzing Windsor-Essex County fitness and social programs using the demographics of seniors ages 50+, I compared each program based on financial cost, a number of days the program offers, a variety of the program, group size per class, social-emotional aspects. I interviewed ten female and ten males from each program to get their personal feedback. As a result of this research, I was able to better understand what is currently being offered and what can still be improved in senior fitness and social programs. Business Pitch: Based off my research, I have created a start-up program called WE get ACTIVE. The main objective is to offer a financially affordable fitness program to seniors. The program is designed to get seniors active. By creating a welcoming environment, seniors can take part in a group activity that not only improves their physical health but also their emotional health. The program will launch May 1stat the Holiday Inn on Huron Church road with the first class being an aqua fit and coffee social. The test run will continue for six weeks
1- Effect of Work From Home: model on SE
No full textThis poster focuses on the pros and cons of working from home for both employees and the companies. Then suggests some practical solutions handle and reduce the negative side effects of remote work. In addition, interviews with two experts in the industry are shared, which shows how they have experienced it first-hand. In the end, it concluded that companies should support both remote and in-person working styles for their employees to enhance their productivity
Impact of Clinical Trial Navigators on Clinical Trial Accrual through Multidisciplinary Case Conferences: A Pre- & Post-Implementation Study
No full textClinical trial accrual improves cancer outcomes but remains limited due to systemic barriers, with only ~3% of adult cancer patients participating. Integrating Clinical Trial Navigators (CTNs) into Multidisciplinary Case Conferences (MCCs) has demonstrated potential to enhance trial discussions, increase referrals, and streamline enrollment. This study evaluates the impact of CTNs on trial accrual, implementation effectiveness, and workflow optimization. We hypothesize that CTN integration into MCCs will increase referral and accrual rates while improving clinical trial integration efficiency. This hybrid effectiveness-implementation study focuses on breast, glioblastoma, and colorectal cancers at the Windsor Cancer Centre. Baseline referral and enrollment rates are established through observational chart reviews, while CTNs use updated Master Lists and the “Look Up Trials†app during MCCs to identify trial options. Surveys and structured interviews with MCC participants provide qualitative feedback on barriers and facilitators. Data are analyzed using descriptive statistics for quantitative measures and thematic analysis for qualitative responses. Although research ethics delays have postponed final results, anticipated outcomes from prior studies include a 25% referral rate and an 8% accrual rate among 168 patients and 60 physicians. Secondary outcomes target iterative process improvements and evaluate the app's effectiveness in streamlining trial matching. Preliminary feedback suggests potential for enhanced physician satisfaction and optimized workflows. Integrating CTNs into MCCs shows promise in improving clinical trial referrals and accruals while reducing physician burden. Future research should explore scalability across additional cancer types and healthcare systems to further enhance clinical trial engagement and oncology care delivery
Drug Discovery: Towards the Synthesis of Novel CDK2-Spy1 Inhibitors
Get PDFAs vital regulatory proteins in the cell cycle, cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and cyclins ensure normal cell division and growth by monitoring check points in the cell cycle. CDKs are inactive on its own, but when a cyclin binds to CDK the activated CDK-Cyclin complexes then carry out their role as cell cycle regulators. Unregulated CDK-Cyclin complexes cause cells to grow and divide at a premature stage, and that can lead to uncontrolled cell growth. Existing treatments such as CKI (cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor) therapy have cytotoxicity issues because of their inability to differentiate cancer cells from healthy cells, resulting in unwanted side effects. Our collaborators in the Porter Lab have identified a new target: CDK2-Spy1 complex. Spy proteins are alternative activators to CDKs in cancer cells, but not in healthy cells, making them an ideal therapeutic target. Notably, the Spy1 gene is among the top 50 genes associated with carcinoma, yet the CDK2-Spy1 complex has never been selectively targeted before in terms of CKI therapy. We therefore aim to synthesize molecules that selectively target CDK2-Spy1 complexes to develop a chemotherapy that has minimal cytotoxicity issues. In this presentation I will discuss our current progress towards small molecule inhibitors that show promising selectivity for CDK2-Spy1 complexes based on computational studies. Our synthetic routes and the analytical techniques employed to characterise these compounds will be described