3855 research outputs found
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Retrofitting for a sustainable future: transforming existing homes into sustainable assets
No full textThe climate crisis poses an imminent
threat to the planet standing as one of the
most pressing challenges of our time. With
the built environment contributing 40% of
the overall carbon emissions in the world,
retrofitting existing homes emerges as
an essential strategy for addressing the
urgent need to reduce carbon emissions.
In the retrofit of these homes, prioritizing
the sustainable addition of secondary
dwelling units gives a twofold solution:
it reduces the carbon footprint through
sustainable retrofits to the existing home
while also producing low-cost, low-
carbon rental options that increase the
density of the neighbourhoods, ultimately
creating a more inclusive and sustainable
environment. This leads to the question,
how can the integration of sustainable
retrofits, to existing single-family homes
in Sudbury, improve the current housing
stock while creating affordable rental
options to densify these neighbourhoods?Master of Architecture (M.Arch
Les mécanismes d’occultation de la violence conjugale: analyse de leurs déploiements en contexte d’intervention à la protection de la jeunesse au Québec.
No full textCette étude explore quels sont les mécanismes d’occultation de la violence conjugale (OVC)
employés par les intervenant.es en protection de la jeunesse au Québec et documente si la
formation au modèle Protection des enfants en contexte de violence conjugale (PEVC) permet
d’atténuer leurs utilisations. L’analyse comparative des données (avant, après) la formation a été
réalisée auprès de 71 participant.es provenant de trois régions (Capitale Nationale, Estrie,
Outaouais). Les données furent analysées au regard du cadre théorique de Patrizia Romito (2018),
qui s’intéresse aux mécanismes par lesquels la violence conjugale est occultée des discours et
pratiques via différentes tactiques (ex.: euphémisation) et stratégies (ex.: légitimation).
Globalement, les résultats démontrent une diminution de l’utilisation des mécanismes d’OVC
passant de 83% avant la formation à 18% après celle-ci. Ces résultats suggèrent que ces
mécanismes d’OVC sont amplement véhiculés par les participant.es, mais que le modèle PEVC
permet de freiner leurs utilisations.Maîtrise (M.S.S.) en Service socia
Everything old is new again: a new model for memory care villages in downtown Lindsay, Ontario, to reduce the effects of dementia
No full textAs of 2023 statistics, a person develops
dementia every three seconds worldwide.
Research in neurology, gerontology, and
medicine has revealed numerous factors in
the built environment that lead to an increased
likelihood of developing dementia, yet this
research is often not leveraged enough
by architects. This thesis offers a design
framework developed from multidisciplinary
research and evidence-based principles to
propose a model for long-term care facilities
that productively counters the physical and
emotional factors that accelerate residents’
cognitive decline.
The mid-sized town of Lindsay, in southern
Ontario, was selected as the site for the
design of a dementia village, due to its
ageing population and the lack of suitable
long-term care facilities. Focusing on
the downtown site of the historic mill, the
architecture, urban design, and wayfinding
foster direct community integration, promote
intergenerational relationships, and facilitate
social interactions that improve the quality of
life of residents and the larger community.Master of Architecture (M.Arch
Apricity: embracing winter placemaking to revitalize downtown Sudbury
No full textMuch of the urban settlement design in Northern cities is based on Southern
design principles, disregarding unique climatic conditions induced by
winter, thereby creating inactive public spaces during colder seasons,
which also last longer and amplify the issue. Informed by the Liveable
Winter Cities movement and placemaking theory, this thesis leverages the
specific winter activation of the public realm as a strategy for revitalizing
downtown Sudbury. A current lack of urban winter liveability is attributed
to the failure of public policy and its encouragement of winter design.
The importance of movement, activity and identity in the public realm
is demonstrated through the proposal of increased urban connectivity.
Guided by winter design principles, the proposed interventions at multiple
scales utilize wayfinding techniques to link activated winter programming
across the downtown and contribute to a healthier, more socially and
physically active community supporting a winter lifestyle.Master of Architecture (M.Arch
The expression and function of nAChRs in human T cells
No full textNicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are known to modulate immune responses, but their
specific role in human T cells remains poorly understood. This thesis project aimed to investigate
the expression, regulation, and functional roles of nAChRs in human T cells to shed light on the
underlying mechanisms of nAChR-mediated immune regulation. Our study utilized two T cell
lines, CCRF-CEM and Jurkat, which express various nAChR subunits, including ⍺7, ⍺9, ⍺10,
and dup⍺7. The expression of these subunits was characterized using quantitative PCR. Notably,
48-hr mitogen-induced activation of Jurkat cells induced dynamic changes in nAChR subunit
gene expression, including the upregulation of dup⍺7 and downregulation of ⍺7, ⍺9, and α10.
Pharmacological studies using several nAChR ligands revealed differential effects on cytokine
production in Jurkat cells. The ⍺7-selective antagonist, ArIB, hindered the mitogen-induced
release of IL-2 and TNF-⍺, suggesting that ⍺7 nAChR inhibition may suppress T cell-mediated
immune responses. Overall, this thesis advances the current understanding of nAChR expression
and function in human T cells and underscores the complex and cell type-dependent nature of
nAChR signaling. These findings provide a foundation for further research into the role of
nAChRs in the immune system and potential therapeutic interventions for immune-related
disorders
Exploring the role of social workers in the motor vehicle accident sector within Ontario
Get PDFThis study aims to explore the experiences and challenges of social workers in the motor vehicle accident (MVA) sector, specifically focusing on the factors contributing to burnout. The primary research questions are: What are the key stressors social workers face in this sector? How do individual and systemic factors interact to influence their experiences of burnout? A qualitative approach was employed, utilizing semi-structured interviews with five social workers actively engaged in the MVA sector in the capacity as a social worker registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. Thematic analysis was used to identify recurring themes and patterns within the data, allowing for an in-depth understanding of participants' experiences. Key findings indicate that social workers face significant barriers such as high caseloads, emotional strain from traumatic client interactions, and inadequate organizational support. Ethical dilemmas, particularly related to client confidentiality and resource allocation, were also prevalent. Participants highlighted a lack of coping resources and support networks as exacerbating factors in their work environment. The findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to support social workers in the MVA sector, including enhanced training on coping strategies and organizational policies that prioritize mental health and well being. These insights have implications for practice and policy, suggesting that organizations should adopt a more systemic approach to address the complex factors contributing to burnout.
The literature on social workers’ roles in the motor vehicle accident (MVA) sector is scarce. This qualitative study contributes to the literature by examining the impact of working in the front lines of the motor vehicle accident (MVA) sector as a social worker and learning more about the components of the systems that the MVA field includes (ie the insurance system in Ontario). Five participants working in the MVA sector as social workers registered with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers shared insights into some of the barriers and ethical dilemmas faced in this field, in hopes of providing change-makers with the knowledge to improve front-line practice with MVA. Additionally, this research provides insight for front-line workers to approach their work within this field differently to prevent or minimize the impacts of burnout
Exploring food insecurity’s impact on eating behaviours in Canada’s younger populations: an integrative review
Get PDFBackground: Food insecurity, characterized by inadequate access to sufficient and nutritious food, poses significant challenges in Canada. Despite efforts to address this issue, food insecurity remains prevalent, particularly among younger populations. It has been linked to adverse health outcomes and altered eating behaviour.
Purpose: This research aims to explore the impact of food insecurity on eating behaviours among Canada's younger populations over the past five years, focusing on the a) empirical relationships between food insecurity and eating behaviours and b) the gaps and limitations in the research.
Method: Whittemore and Knafl's integrative review methodology will be utilized to conduct a comprehensive synthesis of empirical studies, including quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods and gray literature, to understand the multifaceted relationship between food insecurity and eating behaviours. The Social Ecological Model will be used to understand the individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and policy impacts.
Discussion: The results of this review have the potential to inform policies and interventions aimed at addressing food insecurity and improving eating behaviours among Canadian children, adolescents and young adults. Identifying the research gaps will also allow us to guide future research prioritization in the country
Global path planning algorithm design using Deep Q-Networks and grid maps constructed from KML data for autonomous vehicles
No full textIn modern autonomous vehicle algorithms, deep learning plays a vital role by enabling vehicles to process and interpret tremendous data, allowing for accurate decision-making and safe navigation in complex environments. Path planning is a crucial step during decision-making since it controls how vehicles navigate on the road. It includes two parts: global path planning, which considers the entire environment for a long-term route, and local path planning, which focuses on immediate surroundings for real-time navigation and obstacle avoidance. To achieve both environmental and economic benefits, it is essential to improve the efficiency and accuracy of the path planning algorithm. In this research, the primary goal is to improve global path planning by including fuel cost factors for autonomous vehicles. The algorithm used in this thesis is Deep Q-Network (i.e., using deep learning to implement Q-learning) with a modified reward function and a grid map environment model. The model includes speed limits, traffic lights, and four-way stop signs on the road to produce different travel time for different paths. By considering global path planning on the grid maps extracted and preprocessed from KML data, the new path planning design outputs effective results. These results show that the algorithm considers fuel cost factors, whereas the traditional A* algorithm only looks for the shortest distance. This study demonstrates DQN’s ability to find the optimal path on a real-life structured traffic road network while considering factors to minimize fuel consumption. While this research offers a novel method to use KML data for deep reinforcement learning, there remains significant scope for further investigation and refinement
Theta and alpha brain wave alterations and solar weather: a correlational and experimental analysis
No full textThis thesis, "Examining the Impact of Simulated and Natural Solar Weather on Cerebral Dynamics: An Electroencephalographic Analysis," investigates the influence of geomagnetic activity on human brain function using electroencephalography (EEG). The research aims to fill certain gaps in understanding the effects of geomagnetic fields on human cognitive processes and brain dynamics. The study is structured in two main experimental phases. The first phase examines the relationship between natural geomagnetic disturbances and alpha and theta brain wave activity. Using a sample of 238 subjects, the study correlates EEG data with the Kp index, a measure of geomagnetic activity, recorded 20 days prior to EEG measurements. Results indicate significant correlations between elevated geomagnetic activity and changes in alpha and theta wave patterns, suggesting a potential intrinsic responsiveness of the human brain to solar activity. The second phase involves a controlled experiment where subjects are exposed to simulated geomagnetic storms. This phase aims to replicate and extend the findings of the first phase by directly manipulating geomagnetic conditions in a laboratory setting. The study details the experimental design, EEG data collection, and statistical analysis methods used to isolate the effects of simulated geomagnetic disturbances on brain activity. Preliminary results support the hypothesis that geomagnetic storms influence alpha and theta oscillations, reinforcing the findings from natural observation. Overall, this thesis contributes to a deeper understanding of how solar weather impacts human cerebral dynamics, with implications for both cognitive neuroscience and space weather research. The findings suggest that geomagnetic activity could play a previously underappreciated role in modulating brain function, highlighting the need for further research in this interdisciplinary field
Examining the interplay between cancer, chemotherapy, and skeletal muscle
No full textSkeletal muscle is a particularly vulnerable tissue in cancer, as it experiences both cancer- induced wasting and chemotherapy-induced toxicity. Doxorubicin is a commonly used chemotherapy that can accumulate within skeletal muscle and impair nitric oxide formation and amino acid homeostasis, critical regulators of skeletal muscle health. Exercise may be a potential countermeasure against these negative effects. In addition to this, very little is known about how Doxorubicin impacts muscle when a tumour is present within the system. The purpose of this thesis was to investigate the role of exercise as a countermeasure to Doxorubicin-induced muscle toxicity, as well as the combined effects of a breast cancer model and Doxorubicin on skeletal muscle. This thesis is separated into five studies. Studies 1 and 2 investigated exercise or electrical stimulation on skeletal muscle amino acids, nitric oxide, and drug accumulation following Doxorubicin administration. Studies 3 and 4 investigated the combined effects of breast cancer tumour growth and Doxorubicin administration on skeletal muscle and tumour nitric oxide and drug accumulation, and skeletal muscle, hepatic, neoplastic, and cardiac amino acid pools. Study 5 is a review on skeletal muscle amino acids during cancer cachexia. Study 1 concluded that multiple bouts of whole-body exercise are likely required to reduce intramuscular drug accumulation (p<0.05), but the exercise was unable to restore Doxorubicin- induced reductions in nitric oxide formation (p>0.05). Glutamate was depleted by Doxorubicin (p<0.05) and further reduced across all exercise groups (p<0.05). The essential amino acids were also depleted by exercise (p<0.05), highlighting the need for nutritional support when performing exercise following chemotherapy. Study 2 used isolated electrical stimulation of the hindlimb muscles as an alternative to the vigorous exercise used in study 1. Electrical stimulation did not increase or decrease skeletal muscle Doxorubicin, nitric oxide, or amino acid profiles (p>0.05). Study 3 quantified changes in skeletal muscle and tumour drug accumulation and nitric oxide following 21, 24, or 28 days of tumour growth with or without Doxorubicin administration. Doxorubicin accumulated equally within muscle both with or without a tumour present. However, Doxorubicinol, a toxic metabolite of the drug, was elevated in muscles of tumour-bearing animals only (p<0.05). Nitric oxide within the muscle did not change throughout tumour growth or Doxorubicin administration. However, tumour nitric oxide was 15-fold higher at day 21 when compared to day 24 or 28 (p<0.05). Study 4 profiled skeletal muscle, cardiac, hepatic, and tumour amino acid profiles during tumour growth with or without Doxorubicin. Doxorubicin had minimal independent or additive effects on any amino acids. Tumour growth resulted in depleted skeletal muscle glutamate and aspartate (p<0.05) and increased proline (p<0.05). Tumour growth increased liver aspartate (p<0.05) and decreased cardiac glutamate (p<0.05). Interestingly, despite these widespread changes in many tissues, tumour amino acids remained remarkably stable throughout growth (p>0.05), with only some changes following Doxorubicin administration. Study 5 determined that our understanding of amino acids in cancer cachexia is significantly limited by the heterogeneous methods used to study this and a general lack of human data in the area