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Development and analysis of microbridge resonators for reduced pull-in voltage and preserved resonant frequency
No full textThis study presents a novel design methodology for microbridge resonators aimed at reducing pull-in voltage while maintaining resonant frequency. Previous studies have primarily focused on adjusting resonator plate geometry, modifying anchor conditions, or altering material properties to control pull-in voltage. In contrast, this work introduces the ratio of the bottom electrode length to the microbridge length as a critical and tunable design parameter, which has remained unexplored in previous studies. An analytical model is developed to capture the effects of this ratio, and its predictions are validated through finite element analysis. To demonstrate the concept, two microbridges are designed and fabricated with bottom electrode lengths of 42 and 82 μm, corresponding to 35 % and 68 % of the microbridge length, respectively. All other design parameters, such as plate thickness, material properties and cavity height, are kept constant to enable a fair comparison. Electrical characterizations confirm that increasing the bottom electrode-to-microbridge length ratio effectively lowers the pull-in voltage without degrading resonator performance. Results show a 16 % reduction in pull-in voltage when the bottom electrode length is 68 % of the microbridge length, demonstrating the feasibility and advantages of the proposed methodology over existing techniques
Telling the Stories of the Chatham Coloured All-Stars: Online and in the Community
No full textTelling the Stories of the Chatham Coloured All-Stars: Online and in the Community” In this presentation, we will discuss what we’ve come to call The Harding Project, a multi-year, university and community partnership that sought to preserve and share the stories of Wilfred “Boomer” Harding and the 1934 Chatham Coloured All-Stars. We will illustrate our work collecting oral histories, creating digital resources, and developing community-based public history initiatives. We will also talk about the new projects in development
Supporting Internationally Educated Nurses Through Effective Preceptorship: A Canadian Perspective
No full textBackground: Canada's healthcare system has historically relied on internationally educated nurses (IENs) to address persistent nursing shortages. In 2022, IENs comprised 64% of the net increase in registered nurse supply, with 23,256 internationally educated registered nurses representing 10.2% of the total Canadian RN workforce. Purpose: This manuscript examines the historical contributions of IENs to Canadian healthcare, analyzes contemporary integration challenges, and presents evidence-based strategies for developing effective preceptorship programs to support IEN workplace integration and retention. Methods: A literature review was conducted examining international and Canadian research on IEN experiences, integration challenges, and preceptorship models, supplemented by historical analysis of IEN contributions to Canadian nursing from colonial times to 2024. Key Findings: IENs face multifaceted integration challenges including language and communication barriers, unfamiliarity with Canadian workplace culture and professional practice standards, experiences of racism and discrimination, and various personal and systemic obstacles. Effective preceptorship requires comprehensive, culturally responsive approaches that extend beyond traditional orientation programs designed for domestically educated nurses. Conclusions: Successful IEN integration demands coordinated efforts from clinical educators, employers, educational institutions, and policymakers to develop evidence-informed preceptorship programs. These programs must address clinical competencies while incorporating cultural humility, extended mentorship, organizational support, and systemic inclusion strategies. Investment in comprehensive preceptorship is essential for maximizing IEN contributions to Canadian healthcare while promoting retention and quality patient care
Understanding the Binding and Structures in Model Complexes of Polypeptides and Cofactors
No full textCompetitive binding between metal cofactors and functional groups of polypeptides results in a diversity of structures and chemistries in metalloproteins. Herein, we examined elements of this competitive binding using [metal-(auxiliary ligand)-(peptide)] complexes, where the metal-(auxiliary ligand) combinations are CuII(terpy)2+, CoIII(salen)+, and FeIII(salen)+ and the peptides are either the dipeptide arginine-tyrosine (RY) or the tripeptide arginine-tyrosine-glycine (RYG). Structural diversity was established and substantiated via tandem mass spectrometry, with and without peptide derivatization and substitution. All the complexes dissociated to give high abundances of the peptide radical cations, but the structures of these ions differ depending on the composition of the preceding metal complex. Density functional theory calculations provided insights into different binding modes within the complexes and also provided details of the mechanisms by which different [RY]•+ and [RYG]•+ ions fragment. Infrared multiple-photon dissociation spectroscopy established that [Cu-(terpy)-RYG]2+ is bound through the carboxylate group, but calculations showed that it can convert to the phenolate-bound structure under a low-energy barrier. Despite the variety and apparent complexity in binding, the overall chemistry could be characterized using intrinsic acid-base chemistry and the concept of hard/soft Lewis acids/bases. The resulting complex structures were experimentally probed and were found to be in accordance with predictions. For the complexes, the drive toward energy minimization can take several pathways that involve multiple functional groups, thereby leading to a rich chemistry.Department of Science and Technology of Shandong ProvinceResearch Grants Council, University Grants Committee (Award: 17303821, 17304919)Radboud UniversiteitUniversity of WindsorShandong UniversityNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of CanadaAlliance de recherche num?rique du CanadaNederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoe
Inequitable access to PrEP among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in Canada: A network analysis of social indicators
No full textThis paper examines demographic, structural, and syndemic variables to map facilitators and barriers to accessing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) in the three largest cities in Canada, Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal. Focusing on factors in the later stages of the PrEP cascade, this study first performed a logistic regression analysis and reports adjusted odds ratios, then entered statistically significant social indicators into a network analysis to profile the interrelated and sometimes mutually reinforcing social conditions that shape inequitable access to PrEP among Canadian GBM. Barriers to accessing a gay-friendly health care provider (HCP) and financial barriers remain primary nodes associated with inequitable PrEP access. These two nodes are, in turn, linked to other social indicators: experiencing stigma from an HCP, being less likely to be out to an HCP (most common among bisexual and queer men), and not being able to find an HCP accepting of their sexuality (most common among Indigenous, Black, and some other GBM of colour). The cost of PrEP was also a barrier, especially for less educated and un- or under-employed GBM, as well as newcomers to Canada, who more often lacked insurance for medications. These findings point toward the importance of having a primary HCP and finding an HCP who is culturally competent regarding the sexualities of gay and bisexual men, queer and trans people. These barriers may also explain other social inequities experienced by Black, Indigenous, and other GBM of colour, and by people who do not have health insurance that covers all or most of the cost of PrEP. This pattern of inequitable access to PrEP points toward the urgency of providing universal access without financial barriers (currently available in some Canadian provinces but not others) and supporting access points with a reputation for welcoming GBM in their full diversity
Adaptive NKG2C+ NK cells in cytomegalovirus seropositive individuals predominantly lack NKR‐P1A receptor expression
No full textThe impact of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in shaping natural killer (NK) cell receptor (NKR) repertoire highlights the importance of NKRs in immunity against CMV. NKR‐P1A (CD161) is an inhibitory NKR, whose expression is lost during CMV infection, but its role in NK cell responses during CMV infection is not known. Here, we show selective expansion of adaptive NKG2C + NK cells lacking NKR‐P1A receptor (NKR‐P1A ‒ ) due to their increased activation and proliferation compared with NKR‐P1A + NK cells in CMV‐infected individuals. In vitro stimulation of PBMCs showed similar inherent proliferative capacity in both NKR‐P1A + versus NKR‐P1A ‒ NK cells in steady state and upregulation, but not loss of NKR‐P1A receptor expression, in sorted NK cells. Furthermore, CMV infection induced differential gene expression profiles in NKR‐P1A + versus NKR‐P1A ‒ NK cells, and only NKR‐P1A ‒ NK cells exhibited transcriptome signatures associated with adaptive NK cells in CMV‐infected individuals. This study further highlights the impact of CMV infection in shaping NK cell receptor repertoire and exclusion of NK cells that express the NKR‐P1A receptor from the adaptive NKG2C + NK cell population that expands during CMV infection.Windsor Cancer Centre Foundation (Award: Seeds4Hope Grant
Adverse childhood experiences, attachments in childhood and adulthood, and psychological wellbeing in adulthood
No full textMaltreatment in childhood can have a significant impact on psychological wellbeing later in life. Prior research has investigated the relationships between child maltreatment, and attachment, and psychological functioning. Correlations have been found between child abuse and insecure attachment styles in childhood (parent-child relationships) and adulthood (romantic relationships), and between insecure attachment styles and psychological functioning. The goal of the present study is to assess the incremental validity of indices of child maltreatment as well as parental attachment in childhood and romantic attachment in adulthood in models predicting types of psychopathology in adulthood. Participants recruited from a university student population completed questionnaires online assessing their history of adverse childhood experiences, attachment styles (with parents as a child and in current romantic relationships), and measures of psychological wellbeing (including self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder). It was anticipated that child maltreatment as well as attachment styles (in childhood and adulthood in separate models) would account for unique variance in the indices of psychological wellbeing. Correlational analyses and a series of hierarchical multiple regression models were used to test hypotheses. Findings add to theoretical understanding of these variables as roles in psychological wellbeing among university students and also have potential implications for intervention work with those with histories of childhood maltreatment, insecure attachment styles, and current psychopathology
Life-Value Ethics and Disability
No full textLife-grounded ethics aims to ground the basis for value in life. In order for a universal application of an ethical code to be possible, it ought to be grounded in the needs that are required for life itself, whether the needs are those of human beings, other animals, or the environment. However, while life-grounded ethics takes a wide approach to satisfying those needs, and allows for the independence and diversity of all cultures and backgrounds, often the conception of a good life is bound up with ideas of meaningful work that tend to limit contribution to labour. The concept of contribution being linked exclusively to work denies those who are unable to work from being seen as contributors in their communities, and thus fails to recognize that they too can lead a good life. A life-grounded approach, which broadens the conception of what counts as contribution, cannot only remove the stigma from those who may be unable to work, but can help to break down the barriers that prevent people with disabilities from participating in their communities. This approach acknowledges that the ways in which those with disabilities are active in their communities will depend on their own experiences, and that meeting the specific avenues through which they access life-needs will take equal consideration. Keywords: life-value, disability, contribution, interdisciplinar
The German Expressionist Movement Through The Lens of Fritz Lang's "Metropolis"
Get PDFMy project aims to analyze how German Expressionism is present in Fritz Lang's seminal film "Metropolis"