Laurentian University

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    3855 research outputs found

    The experiences of intrapartum nurses in a northeastern Ontario, Canada setting in providing labour support

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    A qualitative, interpretive descriptive study, using a symbolic interactionism theoretical framework, was conducted to explore the experiences of intrapartum nurses in a Northeastern Ontario, Canadian hospital and the meaning they place on providing labour support. There is substantial literature that supports the many benefits of labour support provided by intrapartum nurses. Throughout the intrapartum experience, the nurse influences, creates, and shapes the meaning and understanding of the labour experience. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight registered nurse participants recruited from a hospital. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed for themes. The following five themes emerged from the data: Enhancing the birthing experience of women through labour support, birthing technology and medical paradigm, birthing environment that influences the intrapartum nursing care, interprofessional collaborative relationships and intrapartum specialists. The findings suggest that intrapartum nurses have been drawn away from providing labour support and have become preoccupied with managing technology and competing priorities for their time and attention. Barriers and challenges in the experience of nurses providing labour support were identified. Suggestions for nursing practice include the importance of continuing education for labour support techniques and tools. Training is important for all nurses who practice in hospitals where less labour support may be offered due to high intervention rates. Competence validation would include creating a certification for labour support that is both theoretical and a simulated experience

    The impacts for social workers of providing social work services in rural northeastern Ontario communities.

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    The purpose of this study is to explore the personal and professional experiences of rural social workers. This is a qualitative study with a constructivist grounded theory lens. This study utilizes a sample of four participants. The participants work in the social work field and live in northeastern Ontario rural communities. Data was collected by audio-taped individual semi-structured interviews and subsequent member checking. The question explored is, how do rural social workers experience rural social work practice? Results of the study reveal that rural social workers experience both challenges and strengths within their professional and personal lives. Three themes related to rural social work emerged through data analysis. The themes include rural social workers as unprepared for their work environments, rural social workers as having multiple roles and the strengths and challenges rural social workers face. This research provides insight into the experiences of rural social workers and recommendations for how to better prepare rural social workers. The study further provides information related to implications for social work education, social work practice and implications for future research. The implications for social work education include a recommendation that social work students be provided with a broad range of training in all areas, including rural social work practice. The implications for social work practice include that we must encourage and maintain social workers who demonstrate an interest in rural social work. Lastly, future research could be done regarding supervision and rural social workers.Master of Social Work (MSW

    The ecology of lakes and rivers in the southern boreal shield: water quality, community structure, and cumulative effects

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    Cumulative effects are the collective ecological effects of multiple human activities. Cumulative effects assessment (CEA) is concerned with quantifying effects of natural environmental factors and human activities. CEA has not lived up to its promise as a precautionary instrument for sustainability, in part because our knowledge of stressors and their effects is elementary; monitoring systems (needed to characterize ecological condition and how it changes over time) are insufficient; and numerical methods for associating stressors and effects, and for forecasting development outcomes, are lacking. This thesis reviews the environmental appraisal literature to synthesize CEA’s theoretical underpinnings, articulate its impediments, and establish that ecological monitoring and modelling activities are critical to success. Three research chapters overcome several scientific barriers to effective CEA. Data from spatial and temporal surveys of lake and stream water chemistry and benthic community structure are used to evaluate candidate monitoring indicators, identify minimally impacted reference waterbodies, characterize baseline water quality and biological condition, and quantify cumulative effects of land use and natural environmental variation (spatial survey: 107 lakes and 112 streams sampled in 2012 or 2013; temporal survey: 19 lakes sampled between 1993 and 2016). The research was conducted in Canada’s Muskoka River Watershed, a 5660 km2 area of Precambrian Shield that drains to Lake Huron. This area’s combination of extensive remaining natural areas and pervasive human influence makes it ideal for studying cumulative effects. It is also characterized by many lakes and their connecting stream and river channels, which integrate effects of stressors in their catchments and constitute logical focal points for CEA. Moreover, the local planning authority (District Municipality of Muskoka) is striving to implement CEA and establish a cumulative effects monitoring program centered on water as its foremost resource; therefore, practical applications of the research have, been identified. Universal numerical methods, which are transferrable to other study areas, are used. Random forest models (an extension of the algorithm used to produce classification or regression trees) are shown to model the singular and collective effects of land-use and natural factors on water chemistry and benthic community structure, and to quantify the sensitivities, and identify the important drivers of various chemical and biological indicators of aquatic ecosystem condition. Partial dependencies from the random forests (i.e., the mean predicted values of a given indicator that occurred across the observed range of a selected predictor) are paired with TITAN (Threshold Indicator Taxa Analysis) to investigate biological and chemical “onset-of-effect” thresholds along gradients of human development. Declining calcium concentrations and amphipod abundances are demonstrated in lakes, and generalized linear models forecast an average 57% decrease in the abundances of these animals to occur by the time lakewater calcium concentrations reach expected minima. As its key findings, the thesis highlights sensitive indicators that should be included in a cumulative effects monitoring program, and are to be preferred when forecasting outcomes of changed land-use or environmental attributes. Empirical breakpoints, where effects of stressor exposures become detectable, are also identified. These thresholds can be used to distinguish reference and impacted conditions, so that normal indicator ranges and associated assessment criteria (important CEA precursors) can be objectively derived. In addition, the potential severity of cumulative effects is exemplified by marked declines in the abundances of lake dwelling amphipods, which could propagate through food webs to substantially alter soft-water Boreal ecosystems

    Molecular techniques for the identification of freshwater fish species for environmental monitoring programs

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    Reliable species identification methods are important for industrial environmental monitoring programs. Probe based real-time PCR (qPCR) provides an accurate, cost-effective and high-throughput method for species identification. Here we present the development and validation of species-specific primers and probe for the identification of eight freshwater fish species. The development of a fully automated species-decoder algorithm allowed for target species identification with 100% accuracy while completely removing any false-positive detection of non-target species. Furthermore, the probe-based qPCR technique utilized in this study is substantially more cost-effective and time efficient than DNA barcoding and morphological identification methods. The qPCR assays were also highly sensitive and accurately detected target species from collected environmental DNA (eDNA) samples. In summary, probe-based multiplex qPCR assays provide a rapid and accurate method for freshwater fish species identification and the methodology established in this study can be utilized for various other species identification initiatives

    Enhanced access to anthropogenic food waste is related to hyperglycemia in raccoons (Procyon lotor)

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    Urban landscapes have well-known effects on wildlife populations. Many species of urban wildlife feed on anthropogenic food wastes, and little is known regarding the sub-lethal physiological consequences of this novel diet. We use samples from three populations of raccoons to test the hypothesis that access to anthropogenic food waste will lead to elevated body mass, blood glucose and serum leptin. Each population varied in their presumed access to food waste. We found that raccoons from the site with the highest presumed access to food waste were significantly heavier and had significantly higher levels of glycated serum protein (GSP, a marker of elevated blood glucose). In addition, GSP concentration was positively related to body mass. No significant differences in serum leptin were detected, nor was serum leptin related to body mass. Urban diets may have significant physiological consequences for urban wildlife related to glucose metabolism. Further research will be needed to determine the evolutionary consequences of the novel urban diet, and whether adaptation is occurring

    Multiple mineralization events in the Zacatecas Ag-Pb-Zn-Cu-Au District, and their relationship to the tectonomagmatic evolution of the Mesa Central, Mexico

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    Mineralization in the Zacatecas district is polymetallic (Ag, Zn, Pb, Cu, and Au) and occurs as skarn-type and epithermal veins formed in different metallogenetic stages. The oldest mineralization in the district is skarn-type, Curich with lesser Zn-Pb-Ag, and is considered to be close in age to felsic dikes and plugs dated at ~51 Ma. Epithermal mineralization occurs in both low- and intermediate-sulfidation styles. Intermediate-sulfidation veins (the Veta Grande, Mala Noche, El Bote, and La Cantera veins) are polymetallic, Ag-rich, hosted in ESE- to SE-striking structures, and were formed at ~42 Ma (adularia 40Ar/39Ar isochron age from Veta Grande of 42.36 ± 0.18 Ma; 2, MSWD = 0.76). Low-sulfidation Au-(Ag) mineralization occurs in the N–S-trending El Orito vein system, which yielded an adularia 40Ar/39Ar isochron age of 29.19 ± 0.20 Ma (2, MSWD = 1.8). These ages and the differences in structural orientation indicate that the two styles of epithermal mineralization are temporally and tectonically unrelated. The mineral paragenesis of the Mala Noche deposit consists of early skarn-type Cu mineralization overprinted by later epithermal Pb-Zn-Ag veins. Skarn-type minerals include relicts of prograde silicate minerals (diopside, hedenbergite, and garnet), retrograde silicate minerals (ilvaite, grunerite, stilpnomelane, epidote, clinochlore), and ore minerals (chalcopyrite, pyrite, sphalerite, galena, magnetite, wolframite, and minor bismuthinite). Epithermal mineralization is characterized by layered to vuggy quartz veins and breccias, with phyllic wallrock alteration (quartz, sericite-illite). The veins consist of quartz, calcite, dolomite, and ankerite with variable amounts of base metal sulfides (sphalerite, galena, pyrite, minor chalcopyrite, and rare acanthite and stromeyerite). The Veta Grande epithermal mineralization was emplaced in two main stages of Ag-rich quartz veining, with narrow selvedges of phyllic (quartz-sericite) wallrock alteration. Stage I consist of quartz, calcite, and minor adularia intergrown with pyrite, followed by sphalerite, galena, and lesser chalcopyrite, acanthite, pyrargyrite, and jamesonite. Stage II mineral paragenesis is similar to stage I but is characterized by amethystine quartz and contains less abundant sulfide minerals. The ore mineral paragenesis of the El Compas vein, within the El Orito System, consists of quartz, adularia, calcite, and chalcedony with minor pyrite, followed by rare aguilarite, naumannite, electrum, and native gold. The skarn-type and intermediate-sulfidation mineralization is coeval with Eocene subduction-related magmatism in the Zacatecas area, which is constrained by zircon U-Pb ages for igneous rocks between 51–42 Ma. The emplacement of these magmas was controlled by the same regional-scale, ESE- to SE-trending, transtensional structures that controlled the skarn-type and intermediatesulfidation deposits. This mineralization is thus interpreted to be related to the last stages of subduction volcanism in central Mexico, under transtensional stress conditions. In contrast, no nearby magmatism is clearly related to the Oligocene low-sulfidation system. However, its age and structural orientation (N–S), combined with a regional change in magma composition from Eocene calc-alkaline to Oligocene bimodal volcanism in central Mexico, suggest that the low-sulfidation mineralization is related to post-subduction continental extension processes, reflecting the beginning of Basin and Range tectoni

    Retour de mission : évaluation des besoins des militaires canadiens souffrant de BSO

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    Depuis des milliers d’années, les hommes font la guerre; celle-ci s’est transformée selon les aléas techniques et politiques de l’évolution de la société. Aujourd’hui, les militaires canadiens participent à plusieurs missions, dans le cadre de ses diverses alliances et pour diverses raisons : maintien de la paix, protection du pays, des valeurs, etc. La guerre engendre des conséquences physiques importantes, mais il en est aussi d’ordre psychologiques. Ces conséquences psychologiques se nomment blessure de stress opérationnel (BSO). Notre recherche de type qualitatif consiste à identifier, du point de vue du service social et au-delà des services et programmes déjà mis en places par les Forces armées canadiennes (FAC), les besoins des militaires souffrant de blessure de stress opérationnel au retour de missions, ainsi que les besoins spécifiques des familles de ces militaires. La population type de notre recherche est composée de militaires canadiens qui ont été déployés dans le cadre de missions étrangères et qui ont souffert ou qui souffrent d’une BSO. Notre échantillon est composé de neuf militaires; cinq hommes actifs, une femme active et trois vétérans, huit vivaient en couple, tous âgés de quarante à cinquante ans, tous bilingues et tous membres du rang (non commissionné). La collecte de données a procédé à partir d’entrevue semi-dirigée appelée aussi semi-structurée. Les données de cette recherche montrent qu’il y a plusieurs dimensions des programmes d’aide et de soutien qui doivent être améliorés de manière à permettre aux Forces armée canadienne de répondre plus adéquatement aux besoins spécifiques des militaires souffrants de BSO au retour d’une mission, ainsi qu’aux besoins de leurs familles, et ce, au-delà des améliorations que les FAC ont déjà apportés aux programmes lors de ces dernières années.Maîtrise en Service Socia

    Strontium isotope stratigraphy of the platreef at Turfspruit, Northern Limb, Bushveld Igneous Complex

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    The origin of the Platreef in the Northern Limb of the Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC) and its correlation as the stratigraphic equivalent of the Merensky Reef in the Eastern and Western limbs has been long debated. Strontium isotope stratigraphy across the Platreef was completed on drillcore from the Turfspruit farm to test a possible correlation with the Merensky Reef. The results show a significant 87Sr/86Sri shift from ~0.7060 to 0.7090 through the mineralized section of the Upper Platreef, which decreases to 0.7074 and then increases again and stabilize at ~0.708 in the Main Zone. This matches the isotopic shift previously documented through the Merensky and Bastard Cyclic units in the Eastern and Western limbs of the BIC. This coincident shift in 87Sr/86Sri is substantive evidence to confirm that the mineralized intervals in the Upper Platreef are the stratigraphic equivalent to the Merensky and Bastard Cyclic units. This thesis also documents the presence of micro-cycles within magmatic units (up to 350 cycles identified through 215 meters). Working hypotheses linking the micro-cycles to thickness of mineralization are suggested. Testing those hypotheses are outside of the main scope of this study and are suggested for future work

    La pensée critique expliquée par des didacticiennes et des didacticiens de l’enseignement supérieur

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    La couverture du livre.Le développement de la pensée critique des étudiantes et des étudiants est aujourd’hui une nécessité pour les universités et les instituts de formation supérieure du XXIe siècle. Ce XXIe siècle, en effet, est caractérisé par la surabondance des informations, la rapidité des changements, la complexification de la vie en société et la mouvance des savoirs et des connaissances. Les enseignantes et enseignants des universités et des instituts de formation supérieure, dans ce contexte, mettent en place un ensemble de dispositifs et de stratégies pour développer la pensée critique des étudiantes et des étudiants. Toutefois, l’état de la recherche en pédagogie supérieure révèle que peu d’étudiantes et d’étudiants pensent de façon critique à la fin de leur formation universitaire. Cet ouvrage collectif présente un ensemble d’études (empiriques et théoriques) innovantes relatives à la pensée critique et à son développement dans le contexte de la formation universitaire et professionnelle

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