USURJ: University of Saskatchewan Undergraduate Research Journal
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Evaluation of a Novel Push Task for Shoulder Function Assessment in Breast Cancer Survivors After Reconstructive Surgery
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College of Kinesiology Research Theme: Human Performance
On average, over 80 Canadian women are diagnosed with breast cancer every day. Treatment is often followed by reconstructive surgeries, which can lead to longer-term musculoskeletal issues. Research has shown that survivors elicit unique upper body muscle activations and kinematics. Typically, ergonomics-related functional tasks are used to assess women who have undergone reconstructive surgery, but lifting is often the only loaded task. A novel functional push task has been developed by the authors, and this study aimed to evaluate this task in comparison to a standard overhead lift in breast cancer survivors. Ten women (Age: 35-68 years), who had previously undergone breast reconstruction surgery more than six months ago and experienced no shoulder pain, were analyzed from a larger dataset. Participants completed a Work-Related and Functional Tasks protocol, which included the standard overhead lift task and the novel horizontal push task from a seated position. Electromyography (EMG) data from the infraspinatus and pectoralis major muscles were recorded from both the dominant and non-dominant arms, along with 3D kinematics of the humerus. Applied force from the push was recorded using a handheld dynamometer. EMG expressed as a percent of maximum voluntary contraction was calculated along with the co-contraction index (CCI) between the muscles. Humeral elevation and rotation were calculated. CCI, EMG and humeral rotation were compared between the lift and push at similar elevation levels using a repeated measures ANOVA with task and arm as factors. The relationships between the variables and load were explored with correlations. Humeral rotation was found to be significantly different (p<0.05) between the tasks, with more internal rotation in the push. CCI were similar between tasks, but absolute muscle activity for both muscles was significantly higher (p<0.05) in the lift task. No between-arm (dominance) effects were observed. CCI, EMG and kinematics were not correlated with load in either the push or the lift tasks. This exploratory study found that the addition of the loaded push task could be valuable, as it resulted in different kinematic and muscle activation patterns in comparison to the lift. Future work will include other breast cancer survivors who do experience pain and comparisons between participants with different surgery types
Nasal Assimilation Counterfeeding and Allomorphy in Haitian: Nothing Is Still Something!
No full textInternational audienceAbstract Haitian presents a case of optional regressive nasal assimilation: /fami/ [fãmi] ‘family’. Vowels may optionally become nasal preceding a nasal consonant (VN). Curiously, this process systematically underapplies in the VN sequences corresponding to Vowel-Rhotic-Nasal sequences in French (VRN): [ʃãm] chambre ‘room’ vs. [ʃam] charme ‘charm’. Haitian is also famous for its non-optimizing phonologically conditioned allomorph selection, handled in previous analyses as an anti-markedness effect (Klein 2003) or as a morphologically specified vocabulary insertion (Bonet, Lloret, and Mascaró 2007): [tɛ-a] ‘the land’ vs. [ʃat-la] ‘the cat’. The Strict CV reanalysis of Haitian proposed here simplifies the phonological analysis of the language by eliminating both the counterfeeding and the allomorphy. In our analysis, etymological VRN and VR# have a different synchronic description; VRNs contain no underlying R, though VR#s do. Although VRNs have no underlying rhotic, they crucially do contain an empty CV. This empty syllable structure disrupts the locality between the nasal assimilation’s trigger and its target, generating the counterfeeding: /ʃam/ = [ʃãm] ‘room’ vs. /ʃaCVm/ = [ʃam] *[ʃãm] ‘charm’. On this view, the counterfeeding receives exactly the same explanation as the blocking in words like /palVmis/ [palmis] *[pãlmis] ‘palm tree’. This accounts for the counterfeeding. Turning to the allomorphy, only VR#s present synchronic R-zero alternations: [tɛ] ‘land’ vs. [ãteʀe] ‘to bury’. This synchronic alternation is explained as a contextual phonological condition on R (it must be prevocalic) and the underlying shape of the definite article (it begins with a floating consonant). The interplay between these factors generates the surface phenomenon without any allomorphy at all. Instead, it proposes a phonological solution for the surface variation in articles based on a single underlying form (see Nikiema 1999)
Perceptions of Canadian radiology residents regarding competence by design: A Western Canadian survey
Full text linkPurpose: This study sought to evaluate the perceptions of Canadian Radiology residents on Competence by Design (CBD) and to identify areas in which further information and guidance is required.Methods: Radiology residents at five Western Canadian Radiology programs were eligible to participate in this online survey. The survey contained an assortment of question formats, including 5-point Likert-scale responses, multiple-choice questions, and free-text response. The questions assessed understanding of resident perspectives on feedback and coaching, learning and gaps in knowledge, and quality of training and preparedness within the CBD model.Results: Twenty-one residents from each of the five radiology residency programs and across each year of training participated in the survey. The majority of residents reported they disagreed (43%) or strongly disagreed (19%) that the CBD model will be more beneficial compared to the traditional training model. 90% reported their overall perspective of CBD as indifferent or negative. Entrustable professional activities (EPAs), milestones and promotions decisions and committee review were the top 3 areas residents required further information on. Residents identified timely and direct feedback as a positive aspect of CBD but expressed concern over time management within the new curriculum.Conclusion: This study identified specific areas of concern that may contribute to the overall negative or indifferent perception towards CBD by residents. Addressing resident concerns and gaps in knowledge during the early stages of CBD implementation may encourage long-term engagement and provide an opportunity to address the overall negative or indifferent perception of CBD
Artwork: "Our Prairie Skyline" and "The Unaccompanied Violin"
No full textAs an undergraduate student studying Interactive Systems Design, my work explores a variety of mediums – in which a focus on the creative aspect of perspective is carried throughout my work. With my complementary interests in art and technology, I have a preference and aptitude for experimenting with graphic design, digital illustration, and photography, as well as finding ways to work with a combination of these mediums in my projects.
The first work I have submitted is titled "Our Prairie Skyline," a digital print I created using Adobe Photoshop. I created this piece as a part of the ART 136 Digital and Integrated Practice Foundations course, in which the work features a selection of my Saskatchewan sky snapshots in a digitally edited composite. This piece was also showcased at the Gordon Snelgrove Gallery in March 2023 as a part of the Indigenous Student Achievement Pathways (ISAP) Exhibition.
The second work I have submitted is titled "The Unaccompanied Violin", which is a 22" x 30" graphite pencil drawing I also created as a part of the ART 136 course. After creating the piece, I later created an accompanying ekphrastic poem for the drawing as part of the ENG 120 Introduction to Creative Writing course. This piece was also showcased at the Gordon Snelgrove Gallery in March 2023 as a part of the Indigenous Student Achievement Pathways (ISAP) Exhibition. 
Sur le théorème de Foiaş and Stratila
No full textInternational audienceWe extend the Foiaş and Stratila theorem to the case of -functions whose spectral measure is continuous and concentrated on an independent Helson set, and to ergodic actions of locally compact second countable abelian groups. We first prove it for functions satisfying Carleman's condition for the Hamburger moment problem, without the assumption that the spectral measure is supported by a Helson set. Then we show independently that the spectral projector associated with a Helson set preserves each space, with an appropriate bound of the corresponding norm.Nous étendons le théorème de Foiaş et Stratila au cas des fonctions dont la mesure spectrale est continue et concentrée sur un ensemble de Helson indépendant, et aux actions ergodiques des groupes abéliens localement compacts dénombrables à l4infini. Nous le prouvons d'abord pour les fonctions satisfaisant la condition de Carleman pour le problème des moments de Hamburger, sans l'hypothèse que la mesure spectrale est supportée par un ensemble de Helson. Ensuite, nous montrons indépendamment que le projecteur spectral associé à un ensemble de Helson préserve chaque espace , avec une majoration suffisante de la norme correspondante
Dear Incomprehension: On American Speculative Fiction
No full textInternational audienceA poetic meditation on the challenges and pleasures of contemporary speculative fictionWinner of the Elizabeth Agree Prize in American Literary StudiesDear Incomprehension: On American Speculative Fiction is a thought-provoking exploration of the fascinating field of contemporary speculative fiction, a genre that transcends boundaries and encompasses science fiction, fabulist tales, modern fairy tales, and experimental narratives that challenge the very essence of storytelling and reading.Written as a philosophical essay that mirrors the unorthodox nature of the texts it analyzes, Dear Incomprehension examines American works that defy traditional narrative devices such as plot, character, logic, and even legibility. Drawing on a number of philosophical theories, among them object-oriented ontology and speculative realism, Vanderhaeghe argues that these unconventional works resist the standard tools of criticism, demanding instead a novel perspective and approach.An in-depth resource for scholars and students of contemporary literature, philosophy, and digital literary studies, Dear Incomprehension offers a fresh framework for analyzing experimental fiction and alternative modes of meaning-making. It is a must-read for those seeking to grasp the complexities and nuances of American experimental and speculative fiction
Solution explosive plate pour l'équation complexe de Ginzburg Landau
No full textInternational audienceIn this paper, we consider the complex Ginzburg Landau equation where β, δ, α are in . The study aims to investigate the finite time blowup phenomenon. In particular, for fixed β P R, the existence of finite time blowup solutions for an arbitrary large |δ| is still unknown. Especially, Popp et al [24] formally conjectured that there is no blowup (collapse) in such case. In this work, considered as a breakthrough, we give a counter example to this conjecture. We show the existence of blowup solutions in one dimension with δ arbitrarily given and β " 0. The novelty is based on two main contributions: an investigation of a new blowup scaling (flat blowup regime) and a suitable modulation
Transgender and Gender Diverse Healthcare in Canada: An Analysis of the Canadian Health System
Full text linkTransgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals have been found to be disproportionately exposed to prejudice within the Canadian healthcare system. This paper analyzes Canadian studies conducted throughout the past decade with themes pertaining to gender-diverse issues in healthcare. This analysis found that a lack of TGD-specific healthcare education, as well as discrimination towards TGD individuals within the healthcare system, act as barriers to health-seeking behaviours in TGD persons. A lack of nation-wide standardization in policies and services offered to TGD patients, particularly in gender-affirming care, also acts as a barrier to proper treatment of TGD patients. Implementing federal policies specific to gender-diverse needs may aid in standardizing and normalizing the treatment of TGD patients. In addition, mandating TGD-specific education in medical schooling could also act to improve TGD healthcare in Canada
Anti-Racist Lesson Plan: How to Teach about Canadian Residential Schools in the Early Years
No full textThis paper delves into a personal exploration of race, identity, and experience in the University of Saskatchewan’s Anti-Racist Education Mentorship (AEM) Project. I recount my process of learning about racism, its ramifications in society, and my conclusion that racism is taught and passed down generationally. I define anti-racism and emphasize the importance of anti-racist education when pursuing racial justice. I detail my experience creating an anti-racist lesson plan about residential schools in Canada and delivering my lesson plan to grade 2/3 students in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. I reflect on this teaching experience, students\u27 engagement, and understanding of anti-racism concepts, and I stress the importance of age-appropriate discussions surrounding racism. My experience delivering an anti-racist lesson to grade 2/3 students disrupts the status quo by challenging the conventional belief that early elementary students are not mature enough to discuss experiences of racism