3855 research outputs found
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Know thyself: cultivating sustainable mental health through architecture-mediated meditation
No full textThe healthcare system is under immense strain due to the growing demand for the treatment of illnesses. The origins of many chronic diseases can be traced to chronic stress induced by the increasing environmental stimuli in today’s world. A significant health determinant relates to an individual’s capacity to manage chronic stress. Recent interest in mindfulness-based interventions has shown clear benefits in alleviating symptoms associated with stress-related conditions in clinical settings. Furthermore, mindfulness-based interventions can also serve as a means to develop strategies that enhance stress management skills and foster resilience against illness in non-clinical contexts. Despite the expanding research field, contemporary formal venues for mindfulness-based education are scarce, and traditional options are often inaccessible due to their remote locations. Consequently, the design proposal of this thesis aims to create a space that facilitates more accessible mindfulness-based education. The proposed mindfulness-based educational centre in Sudbury, Ontario, will primarily support healthcare professionals and post-secondary students, as these groups have been identified as particularly vulnerable to chronic stress resulting from their work and academic responsibilities
The Åkulla volcanic-hosted Au-Te deposit, Skellefte District, Sweden : characterization of host rocks, alteration and mineralization
No full textThe Åkulla Au-Te deposit is located in the Skellefte District (SD), Northern Sweden, a worldclass mineral district with abundant volcanic massive sulphide (VMS) deposits. The Åkulla Au-Te deposit is one of 4 active mines in SD. The deposit has produced and currently contains 11.8 Mt of ore grading 4.1 g/t Au, 7.7 g/t Ag, 150.0 g/t Te, 89.7 g/t Bi and 1.0 wt% S since production started in 2012. The Åkulla Au-Te deposit is hosted by an upward-pointing, irregular lens shaped body of strongly altered coherent dacites, andesites and breccias, oriented sub-parallel to the steeply dipping volcanic strata. The hydrothermal alteration is strongly zoned with a quartztopaz±sericite±andalusite core, surrounded by sericite-quartz ± chlorite ± andalusite ± base metal sulfide association with minor occurrences of corundum in sericite-chlorite rock, followed outwards by sericite ± andalusite ± base metal sulfides and chlorite ±base metal sulfides associations. The outer sulfide-bearing alteration zones continue to surface to the small Åkulla Östra semi-massive VMS deposit, which was mined as an open pit. The mineralization and host rocks have been metamorphosed to upper greenschist facies and are flattered and elongated subparallel to the D2 foliation and lineation, indicating their formation pre-deformation. The Åkulla Au-Te deposit differs from other VMS deposits in SD by being sulphide poor (<3%), and native gold and telluride enriched.
The four main breccia facies that host the deposit formed through synvolcanic quench brecciation and subsequent synvolcanic hydrothermal brecciation. The occurrence and variations of quartz and topaz alteration within coherent units, breccia clasts and matrices indicate that the rocks were altered before and during brecciation. The near vertical orientation of the graded beds in mass flow deposits is a product of block rotation during synvolcanic extension and subsequent deformation (Paper I). Alteration mineral- and elemental-zoning show a strong correlation. Au and Te enrichments are found in almost every alteration zone. However, the quartz and topaz dominant core is strongly depleted in major, chalcophile and some HFS elements, but enriched in Si, Ag, Bi, Sb and Mo. Corundum occurrences correlate with Si depletion and Al, Ti, Zr, Nb enrichment. Above and irregularly surrounding the central core, a zone of Fe, S, Cu, Zn, Ni and Pb enrichment occurs (Paper III). This distinct pattern reflects a systematic change in the bulk composition of the host rocks due to interaction with a hot and acidic fluid in the core, to progressively lower temperatures and reduced acidity fluids towards the margins. Hydrothermal alteration conditions based on an interpreted synvolcanic formation of topaz and corundum (Paper II) in addition to the elemental zoning suggest a core of relatively low pH (2-4) and temperatures ≥400°C, decreasing to around 375°C in the corundum bearing zone to an outer, near neutral pH and lower temperature (<250°C) zone (Paper II-III).
The Åkulla Au-Te deposit is interpreted as a synvolcanic magmatic-hydrothermal deposit that formed at or near the seafloor. The relationship between brecciation and alteration, the abundance of F-rich topaz, the zonation of alteration minerals and elements suggest that an acidic, high temperature, F-rich fluid most likely of magmatic-hydrothermal origin was responsible for the brecciation, alteration and mineralization. The Åkulla Au-Te deposit represents a magmatic end-member style of VMS deposit in the SD. The distinct hydrothermal alteration conditions and mineralization styles at the Åkulla Au-Te deposit have implications for exploration models in the SD and other VMS districts.Boliden Mine
Understanding the systematic barriers faced by parents struggling with substance addiction
No full textParental substance addiction, particularly in the context of Canada’s ongoing overdose crisis, presents significant challenges for families. This thesis explores the systemic barriers faced by parents and pregnant people, who struggle with substance addiction, with a specific focus on the impacts of stigma, service inaccessibility, and intergenerational trauma. Using a meta-ethnographic approach, 15 qualitative studies were analyzed to synthesize common themes regarding the lived experiences of parents navigating addiction and social services. In addition, an autoethnographic component drew on the researcher’s experience as a caseworker in an outreach program supporting pregnant and parenting clients struggling with the impacts of current or historical addiction. The findings revealed that stigma and isolation intersect with barriers related to healthcare, child welfare involvement, and lack of culturally relevant or geographically accessible services. This is especially true for Indigenous parents and those in rural communities. Despite these challenges, many parents demonstrated resilience, commitment to recovery, and parenting strengths that are often overlooked in professional policy and practice. The thesis highlights the need for wrap-around, harm-reduction-based services tailored to the unique needs of parents, and pregnant people who struggle with substance addiction. From these findings, the implications for social work practice include the importance of nonjudgmental, culturally safe, and accessible service delivery that centers client empowerment and recognizes the structural roots of addiction
Stories of resilience honouring my ancestors and traditional lands
No full textThis thesis explores the resilience of my ancestors, focusing on storytelling as an act of cultural preservation and resistance. It examines how family and ancestral narratives serve as vital data, revealing insights into Algonquin history, ancestral lands, and the impacts of colonization within traditional Algonquin Anishinaabe territory.
At its core, this study asks:
How does storytelling function as a decolonizing research method that preserves Algonquin history, strengthens cultural identity, and fosters resilience through connections to land and ancestors?
The primary objective is to demonstrate how storytelling decolonizes research methodologies while deepening the understanding of Algonquin identity, culture, and resilience. This research, grounded in Indigenous storytelling and decolonizing frameworks, uncovers recurring themes of resilience, including textiles and crafts as survival tools, waterways as protective pathways, women’s strength, and the significance of traditional transportation. By drawing on intergenerational stories, maps, archival materials, and cultural teachings, this study emphasizes the interconnectedness of land, family, and identity. Despite the absence of traditional interviews, this strengths-based approach highlights valuable insights into the resilience of the Algonquin people and their enduring connections to land and culture.
This study explores key themes presented in Chapter 4 (Stories of the Algonquin Peoples), Chapter 5 (Stories of the Land and Water), and Chapter 6 (Stories of My Grandmothers), leading to the identification of five key findings:
1. Survival as Tradition: Resilience
2. Textiles and Crafts as Resilience
3. Waterways and Traditional Transportation
4. Resilience and the Impacts of Colonization
5. The Strength of Indigenous Women
Together, these findings illuminate the role of storytelling in strengthening personal and collective identity, deepening connections to land and kin, and resisting colonial erasure. As a decolonizing research approach, storytelling offers a means of reclaiming Indigenous knowledge and ensuring its transmission for future generations
Roots of a resilient city: a bio-based manufacturing and agricultural research innovation center for the city of Owen Sound
No full textIn an era where the climate crisis becomes increasingly more urgent, It is important for architects to recognize their role in shaping a sustainable future. Our current models are accelerating global carbon emissions, contributing significantly to worsening climate effects. This thesis turns to an analysis of material systems, understanding how the past histories of extraction, manufacturing, and production have contributed to unsuitable growth. This thesis proposes a framework to counteract these issues with local biogenic supply chains. The City of Owen Sound is used as a model for this analysis, using local plant based materials from surrounding farming regions to inform a sustainable manufacturing facility within the city’s shifting port Industries
Structural evolution and controls on gold mineralization at the Great Bear deposit, Red Lake, Ontario
No full textThe Great Bear property is located 25 km south of the productive Red Lake gold camp in the Archean Superior craton, Ontario. It hosts the 6.6 Moz structurally-controlled Great Bear gold deposit. The property is bisected by the NW-striking LP deformation zone, which straddles a ca. 2710.2 ± 1.2 Ma northern felsic domain and a southern mafic domain of unknown age. The LP deformation zone is a ~3.5 km wide high-strain zone, characterized by a NW-striking, steeply NE-dipping foliation, transposed isoclinal folds, and a steeply to moderately NE-plunging mineral stretching lineation. Late Z-shaped folds strike E-W and are associated with steeply dipping dextral shear bands. These structures formed during a long-lived dextral transpression event, which began after 2710.2 ± 1.2 Ma and continued post-2692.4 ± 4.5 Ma. Gold-bearing veins are invariably folded and transposed parallel to the foliation, indicating that the deposit formed prior to this transpression event
Multi/dimensional: a multidimensional study investigating the ways in which queer history and queer spatial theory can support a queer architectural language that aims at emerging from the underground scene
No full textQueer spatial theory alludes to the ways in which queer members have historically been othered in a multitude of settings, which has led to their erasure in architectural writings and publications over the past few decades. As queer members become more and more widely accepted in mainstream media, a plethora of queer texts and theories have been published. This has led to an overbearing amount of definitions and analogies between queer and non-queer architecture. The fluid and ever-changing nature of the queer community is reflected in queer theory, either presenting new ideas of antiquing others. This thesis evaluates various theoretical avenues with the intent of emerging a new architectural language that responds to the wants and needs of the community.
With a significant lack of queer spaces in the small Northern city of Greater Sudbury, Ontario, it is important for this thesis to address the community of the city, and the need for an accepting space dedicated to them. Following a thorough investigation on queer history and spatial theory, this research will support the design of a welcoming and inclusive architectural atmosphere. The supporting inquiry on graphic design and colour theory, will provide an in-depth understanding on how these spaces can lead to a welcoming, safe environment in which queer history is celebrated
Examining the impact of two patient navigation models within a social prescribing program on self-reported health service utilization and health-related quality of life
No full textBackground: Social prescribing programs have shown promise for addressing the healthcare system fragmentation and the negative impact of certain social determinants of health. They entail primary care providers referring patients with unmet health or social needs to community resources, a process that is mediated by a lay navigator, who assists patients in identifying barriers and facilitating access to the appropriate resources. Although Ontario 211 and the Access to Resources in the Community (ARC) intervention both utilize lay navigators to assist their patients, the former provides informational services to its patients, whereas the latter offers more comprehensive and reoccurring support to patients.
Study Objective: This study compared the impact of both navigation models within a social prescribing program setting on patient self-reported health service utilization and health-related quality of life.
Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted using data collected in 2018/19 during the randomized control trial (RCT) comparing ARC and Ontario 211 navigation. Three hundred and twenty-six patients were enrolled in the study, and 237 patients completed the post-intervention questionnaire. Participants were adults who had identified an unmet health or social need and frequented a primary care provider. Health service utilization outcomes included the number of emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations, while the health-related quality of life was assessed with the validated Veterans RAND 12 questionnaire. Unadjusted and adjusted regression analyses were conducted to compare outcomes between both navigation models, controlling for socio-demographic characteristics.
Results: Although none of the results reached statistical significance, participants assigned to the ARC navigation intervention had an apparent higher odds of ED visits and modestly improved physical quality of life yet had relatively similar odds of hospitalization and improvement in mental quality of life compared to those in the Ontario 211 arm.
Conclusion: Despite not demonstrating statistically significant associations, the results provide insight into the emerging field of social prescribing in Canada. In today’s political and economic landscape, with a healthcare system focused on addressing social determinants of health, there remains an ongoing need for innovative evaluations of preventative interventions. While effects may not always be observed immediately, as in these findings, with continued research, social prescribing programs show potential for leading the way to equitable care.Ontario Graduate Scholarship
Circulating tumor DNA as a biomarker to detect minimal residual disease for colorectal and breast cancer
No full textMinimal residual disease (MRD) is a key contributor to cancer recurrence, often escaping detection by conventional imaging and biomarker techniques. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), a component of cell-free DNA shed by tumor cells into the bloodstream, has emerged as a promising biomarker for the non-invasive detection and monitoring of MRD in solid tumors. This review critically examines current evidence on the application of ctDNA for MRD detection in colorectal cancer (CRC) and breast cancer, two of the most common malignancies worldwide. It compares ctDNA detection platforms, including digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) and next-generation sequencing (NGS), emphasizing differences in sensitivity, specificity, and clinical relevance. The review also discusses the use of tumor-informed versus untargeted ctDNA assays and highlights key biomarkers such as KRAS, BRAF, TP53, and PIK3CA. Although ctDNA holds substantial potential to enhance surveillance strategies, challenges such as assay variability and tumor heterogeneity must be addressed to enable broader clinical implementation
Bridging the gap: designing a supplementary hub to support schools and rural communities; a case for Hanover, Ontario
No full textDue to economic constraints, many rural communities, such as Grey-Bruce County in Southern Ontario, face challenges in balancing educational needs with community functions. A novel approach will emerge to design a new building typology in response to the growing needs within these communities. Consequently, this thesis aims to supplement existing rural schools with community resources to create a ‘Supplementary Community Hub’ that catalyzes collaboration, fosters vitality, develops social cohesion, and improves healthy lifestyles. Hanover, Ontario, serves as a textbook case where school spaces are at capacity, and municipal resources are limited. Grounded in the intersection of placemaking principles and the theory of social cohesion, while being informed by the local understanding of place, the ‘Supplementary Community Hub’ has an opportunity to respond to current infrastructure more sustainably and economically. This research will offer an architectural framework to reconceptualize a community-centric hub design that will support the school and broader community by establishing partnerships and amalgamating resources