30921 research outputs found
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Reimagining supervised visitation centre: framework for strengthening parent-child relationships
No full textMany families today face significant challenges in maintaining healthy and consistent parent-child relationships, particularly in situations involving custody disputes, family separation, or supervised visitation mandates. These circumstances often increase emotional stress for both parents and children, highlighting the need for thoughtfully designed spaces that can mitigate these challenges and foster positive interactions. This practicum focuses on the design of a supervised visitation centre, a space that facilitates safe and supportive interactions between families navigating challenging circumstances. The project integrates the concept of mise-en-scène to craft an immersive environment where the spatial elements actively contribute to fostering comfort, engagement, and emotional security for both children and adults. The incorporation of diverse design approaches, including themed visitation rooms, ensures the centre's adaptability to a variety of ages, personality types, and emotional needs. Rooted in Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), the design emphasizes the creation of an environment that supports positive developmental interactions. Recognizing the importance of a close parent-child relationship, the centre is designed to strengthen emotional bonds by providing opportunities for guided interactions. This concept informs the spatial and functional organization of the centre, emphasizing opportunities for guided growth through collaborative experiences between non-custodial parents and children. With a variety of spaces, the centre seeks to serve as a model for effective visitation facilities that prioritize emotional well-being, developmental progress, and the nurturing of strong family connections.February 202
Enhancing transformer oil dissolved gas analysis using deep learning and ensemble classification
No full textPower transformers are critical assets in the power system, and routine condition
assessment of them is necessary to ensure reliable and cost-effective energy trans-
mission. As a transformer operates, thermal and electrical stresses degrade its
electrical insulation and remaining lifespan, and these degradation processes pro-
duce gas compounds that are dissolved in its insulating oil. Dissolved gas analysis
(DGA) assesses a transformer’s condition by measuring these gasses, and numerous
interpretation techniques exist based on physical mechanisms and experimental
data to determine the associated faults that caused the gassing. Artificial neural net-
works (ANN) are a deep learning topology, which is a type of artificial intelligence
(AI). ANNs are proven to be useful tools for determining complex relationships
in data — particularly for classification purposes — and lend themselves suitable
for DGA interpretation. Due to the dependence of AI models on their provided
datasets, uncertainty regarding their accuracies when predicting new assessments
is expected. This thesis explores the use of ANNs to interpret DGA for improved
certainty in fault classification, and postulates that the existing DGA interpretation
methods encode relationships that are not easily learned by ANNs. This work
proposes a methodology that combines select methods (e.g., Duval’s Triangle 1,
Duval’s Pentagon 1, and IEC Ratios) as input features along with a structure that
also learns novel gassing-fault relationships in an attempt to improve performance
and trust with DGA interpretation. Three models with varied input features are
optimized with respect to their hidden-layer dimensions and training parameters,
and are evaluated using repeated random subsampling with K-fold validation. The
results from this work demonstrate that using ANN’s for DGA interpretation offers
improvements over conventional methods — notably in low-temperature fault classification —
and shows the best-performing model for the given dataset is achieved
when industry methods along with gassing data are used as input features. Where
the existing industry methods can conflict on assessments or provide unreliable
results, the proposed models can offer a more compelling diagnosis of a transformer
fault, and ultimately empower the asset’s owner to optimize its lifecycle.May 202
Examining the adaptation of dance for people with Neurodevelopmental Disability: A multiple-methods approach
No full textDance has an ableist history that has defined who is a dancer, what dance looks like, and how dance is taught and performed. Dance can also enhance and promote physical and social development for persons with neurodevelopmental disability (NDD) when it is adapted to the capabilities of the individual dancer. However, dance educators are not required to complete training on adapting movement for persons who live with NDD, nor how to create inclusive and adaptive dance environments. I used a multiple methods approach to gain a deeper understanding of how adaptive dance programming and environments may impact dancers who live with NDD (dancers) and to make recommendations for practice. This thesis includes three linked studies. The first study examined the literature specific to adults who live with NDD to determine the characteristics of, and common instructional strategies used in, dance interventions. The study synthesizes the outcome measures used and considers the relationship between outcomes and the characteristics of the dance interventions. The second study considers the perspectives of dancers through semi-structured interviews to better understand both the perspectives and experiences of dancers in dance. The third study used a Hybrid-Delphi technique to gather expert community, dance, and rehabilitation perspectives on adapting dance and dance environments to formulate a set of prioritized recommendations for dance educators.The results of these studies are organized in a manuscript-style thesis. The results of the first study indicated that literature often focuses on reducing or changing of the behaviours and ‘symptoms’ related to NDD. The findings indicated that details of how dance interventions were adapted to dancers’ functional levels and the specific details of interventions were scarce. In the second study the dancers shared that they gained a sense of purpose and belonging, as well as and interpersonal skills that apply to daily life when holistic approaches to dance instruction were used. The third study resulted in the formulation of a comprehensive list of recommendations that prioritizes the perspectives of the dancers and applies to a variety of movement settings. Based on these findings future research will evaluate the dissemination of the findings in the dance community broadly.Susan Bell Wright Award for research in developmental disabilities (University of Manitoba)May 202
“We need to fight and have a battle every day!": queer perceptions of peacebuilding and activism in Bosnia and Herzegovina
No full textThis research uses critical qualitative methods to discuss the untold stories of LGBTQIA+ Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs in Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) after the Bosnian war in 1995. The qualitative research aims to examine the impacts of the violent conflict on queer individuals, as well as explore their experiences of peace activism and coping with homophobia in a country where queer communities face a heightened risk of homophobia. The data were analyzed using a set of procedures including description, coding, and interpretation of transcripts and field notes.
Direct and indirect violence, along with discriminatory policies and practices, have led to a resurgence of conflict and violence against queer people in BiH. This study investigated queer people’s perceptions and experiences of peacebuilding in BiH and the political queer presence there after the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA). It also explored the activism strategies of queer Bosniaks/Serbs/Croats residing in BiH, which they employ as part of a collective movement to improve the conditions of community members’ conditions to help them cope with violence directed at queer people.
The research findings showed that there are interrelated everyday violent acts that disrupt queer people’s way of living. The current structural issues that impact them range from the constitution, Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA), and Two Schools Under One Roof policy to intergenerational trauma that prevent people from reconciling and coexisting in an already dysfunctional system that was created by the DPA in post-accord BiH. The research findings also suggest that the political institutions supported by the international community have institutionalized ethnosectarian politics and divisions in BiH, which puts everyone, specifically queer people, in danger of everyday homophobia violence.October 202
Re-naturalizing the Norquay Channel: a strategy to improve water quality
No full textSouthern Manitoba used to contain multiple marsh and bog wetlands. The wetlands were drained during the early 20th Century to increase the amount of arable land and attract more people to the province. These wetlands provided critical ecological functions such as flood mitigation, water filtration, and increased biodiversity. Since artificial waterways drained the wetlands, the surface water quality of the receiving waterbodies has suffered, with Lake Winnipeg taking the brunt of it. Two research questions drive this practicum: how can we, as landscape architects, integrate ecologically functioning wetlands into major tributaries of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers to improve their water quality? Given its physio-geographical specifics, what form might these take within the Red River Valley? In response to the prior questions, a constructed wetland design was proposed along a portion of the Norquay Channel. The agricultural landscape of the Red River Valley creates different various constraints for the design. The design includes important characteristics of natural wetlands, such as gentle slopes to facilitate the growth of wetland vegetation and a sediment deposition pond, all while working within a compact space to minimize the amount of agricultural land affected. Since the impact of the individual design site on improving Lake Winnipeg’s water quality would be limited, a more significant regional intervention is needed and proposed. Other fourth and fifth-order waterways, similar to that of the Norquay Channel, are proposed for similar interventions. Complete data from 2022 for surface water quality and water flow are used to estimate the impact of the individual design site on the nutrient loading of subsequent waterways. Two leading nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus, could potentially be reduced within the wetlands by 46 to 56% and 70 to 89%, respectively.October 202
COVID-19 VACCINE HESITANCY TRENDS AMONG CANADIAN HEALTHCARE WORKERS
No full textThe novel coronavirus has been responsible for over 6 million deaths in the three years
since the pandemic began. As vaccination efforts began in December of 2020, a wave of
misinformation curtailed efforts to vaccine eligible adults across the globe, with healthcare
workers not being immune to being influenced in this way. COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among
Canadian healthcare workers remains a poorly studied area. This systematic review aims to
investigate what findings exists in the literature at present, and identify avenues for future
research into strategies to combat this. A systematic literature review was conducted into existing
publications using publicly available databases for article selection. Studies were systematically
screened using the Covidence review platform and extracted data were analyzed in Microsoft
Excel and International Business Machines’ Statistical Product and Service Solutions. Results
identified a disparity between physician and nursing vaccine uptake rates as well as a dearth of
information regarding physician assistant vaccine hesitancy. Male sex, age over 50 years old and
employment in rehabilitation centres were all correlated with increased rates of vaccine
acceptance. Potential areas of future research can help to highlight and test strategies to mitigate
healthcare worker vaccine hesitancy which can be used to encourage improved uptake in future
health crises
Genres as perspectives
No full textGenre serves an important function for agents involved in artistic practices. Not only do genres serve as a pre-evaluative lens for the works, but genres also play an important role in interpretation and evaluation of artworks. This project will provide a survey of the current literature on genre as well as evaluate each view for adequacy. I will argue that none of the views in the literature can meet my criteria for a genre’s adequacy. As an alternative, I will provide a novel conception of genre: genres as perspectives. On my view I argue that genres are modes of interpretation adopted by agents who engage in artistic practice. This view is motivated by my intuitions about genres can do, rather than solely what genres are.February 202
Statistical analysis of the importance of course prerequisites
No full textThis thesis explores the importance of prerequisite courses on future performance, exclusively using the available transcript data at the University of Manitoba. Our analysis is based on data from Fall 2009 to Winter 2018, including information about students who took STAT 3400 (Introduction to Probability II), along with all grades for all student attempts in this course and the relevant prerequisite information. Specifically, we are interested in the relevance of specific prerequisites on the grade outcomes in STAT 3400, a core course in the Statistics program.
Beginning with an exploratory analysis of the provided data to determine any challenges presented in this categorical data. We aim to take a technically sound approach by exploring different transformations of the data, groupings, and models. We explore existing structures of categorical models and methodologies to gain better insights into our data. In doing so, we demonstrate how our sequential logistic regression model is parallel to the multinomial logistic regression model, but offers different interpretations and naturally follows the order of these categories.- Children's Aid Foundation of Canada (Ilan Levy Post-Graduate Scholarship)
- Future's Forward (Advancing Futures Bursary)October 202
Creating a home: enhancing the quality of life for Alzheimer’s residents in Manitoba long-term care facilities
No full textAlzheimer’s disease has had, and continues to have, a vast and significant impact on the aging population in Canada. The disease is one of the most challenging and common neurodegenerative disorders in society. My practicum focuses on addressing several key concerns in long-term care facilities that may be implemented to improve the quality of life for someone living with Alzheimer’s disease. The transition into a long-term care facility can be difficult due to the unfamiliar environment. To alleviate this stress, this practicum summarizes key factors that impact an individual’s quality of life. It explores how wandering can be viewed as a positive behaviour rather than a negative action. Additionally, it proposes design strategies to encourage socialization among residents, and enhance wayfinding within the interior environment. After reviewing various literature, visiting existing long-term care facilities, and volunteering with the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba, the goal of this practicum is to gather insights, practices, and activities that currently or could better facilitate a sense of safety, belonging, and independence for residents. This practicum aims to provide practical advice for future designers designing long-term care facilities in Manitoba for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease.February 202
Examining psychosocial pathways to explain the link between breastfeeding practices and child behaviour in a longitudinal cohort
No full textObjective
Breastfeeding is associated with reduced postpartum depression, stronger parent-child relationships, and fewer behavioral disorders in early childhood. We tested the mediating roles of postpartum depression and parent-child relationship in the association between breastfeeding practices and child behavior.
Study design
We used standardized questionnaire data from a subset of the CHILD Cohort Study (n = 1,573) to measure postpartum depression at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years, parent-child relationship 1 year and 2 years, and child behavior at 5 years using the Child Behavior Checklist (range 0-100). Breastfeeding practices were measured at 3 months (none, partial, some expressed, all direct at the breast), 6 months (none, partial, exclusive), 12 months, and 24 months (no, yes). Confounders included birth factors, maternal characteristics, and socioeconomic status.
Results
Breast milk feeding at 3 or 6 months was associated with − 1.13 (95% CI: -2.19-0.07) to -2.14 (95% CI: -3.46, -0.81) lower (better) child behavior scores. Reduced postpartum depression at 6 months mediated between 11.5% and 16.6% of the relationship between exclusive breast milk feeding at 3 months and better child behavior scores. Together, reduced postpartum depression at 1 year and reduced parent-child dysfunction at 2 years mediated between 21.9% and 32.1% of the relationship between breastfeeding at 12 months and better child behavior scores.
Conclusion
Postpartum depression and parent-child relationship quality partially mediate the relationship between breastfeeding practices and child behavior. Breastfeeding, as well as efforts to support parental mental health and parent-child relationships, may help to improve child behavior