30921 research outputs found
Sort by
A statistical and actuarial investigation of flood insurance in Canada
No full textAs global climate change deepens, extreme weather events, including both the frequency and severity of extreme precipitations are increasing. Currently, as a flood- prone country, Canada faces significant potential losses from flood risk. Over the past decade, the frequency and severity of natural disasters have increased, leading to a sharp rise in climate-related losses. In this thesis, we analyze the correlation between precipitation and different lines of business (personal property, commercial property, auto property) in the insurance industry. Additionally, time series regression models and ARIMA models are applied to analyze and predict the trends of the total claims count and the total incurred claims.October 202
Understanding the right to education under the Hukou system in China: from a human rights perspective
Get PDFThis paper critically examines the Chinese Hukou system’s impact on children’s right to education within the framework of international human rights law. Despite reforms, the Hukou system continues to create significant disparities in educational opportunities among children with different Hukou status, leading to widespread socio-economic inequalities. From a human rights perspective, this study explores how the right to education is violated through an analysis of the interconnectedness of education, housing, and family rights within the Hukou system, and proposes policy recommendations to enhance educational access for all children in China.October 202
Mixed-Grass Prairie Field Restoration: How long does it really take?
Get PDFThis thesis explores the success of mixed-grass prairie field restoration efforts in Grassland National Park, SK (GNP) by analyzing the progress of several fields over time; Laouenan 2001, Belzas 2003 and Gergovia 2005, relative to GNP’s target endpoints. The surrounding vegetation is dominated by native grasses. In addition, I ran a space for time analysis on the Gergovia fields, where measured data from 2021 for fields of varying seeding, years was substituted for time. This allowed me to use data collected from the newer monitoring protocol to track changes in vegetation over time. Cover estimates of bare ground, litter, native herbaceous were tested against target endpoints chosen by GNP to reflect that of native prairie, extrapolated from Thorpe (2007), in order to determine if a field is considered restored. Based on the findings of this study we can conclude that GNP’s fields that met targets for bare ground took an average of 10 years to match that of native prairie. In all GNP’s fields the bare ground target took the longest to be met, with one field failing to meet the target 13 years after seeding. Furthermore, at GNP, native grasses took an average of 5 years to establish and reach the target endpoint. Litter in all fields were found to exceed that of Native prairie, indicating a need for a prescribed burn or other management strategies. The endpoint target not met (exceeding the target) 10 years post-seeding was non-native species which could be reduced using a prescribed burn. This study underscores the importance of comprehensive monitoring protocols, field initiation and seed mix documentation for evaluating restoration success accurately. Overall, the findings affirm the effectiveness of GNP's restoration efforts and emphasize the need for further research into species composition and diversity to fully meet the SER (2004) criteria of a restoration project, which includes the reparation of ecosystem processes, productivity and services, and the re-establishment of the pre-existing biotic integrity in terms of species composition and community structure (SER 2004)
Demonstration of magnetically silent optically pumped magnetometers for the TUCAN electric dipole moment experiment
Get PDFAbstract We report the performance of a magnetically silent optically pumped cesium magnetometer with a statistical sensitivity of 3.5 pT/ Hz at 1 Hz and a stability of 90 fT over 150 s of measurement. Optical pumping with coherent, linearly-polarized, resonant light leads to a relatively long-lived polarized ground state of the cesium vapour contained in a measurement cell. The state precesses at its Larmor frequency in the magnetic field to be measured. Nonlinear magneto-optical rotation then leads to the rotation of the plane of polarization of a linearly polarized probe laser beam. The rotation angle is modulated at twice the Larmor frequency. A measurement of this frequency constitutes an absolute measurement of the magnetic field magnitude. Featuring purely optical operation, non-magnetic construction, low noise floor, and high stability, this sensor will be used for the upcoming TUCAN electric dipole moment experiment and other highly sensitive magnetic applications. Novel aspects of the system include commercial construction and the ability to operate up to 24 sensors on a single probe laser diode
Obstetric violence and complications of childbirth in healthcare facilities in Uttar Pradesh, India: contextualizing institutional birth experiences and practices towards dignity
Get PDFMaternal, newborn, and child mortality and morbidity are declining globally with persisting regional disparities in survival. India accounts for a high burden of maternal and child deaths with the highest perinatal and early child mortality rates in Uttar Pradesh (UP). Decreasing mortality rates in India have been largely attributed to increased facility-based delivery. The rapid rise of facility deliveries worldwide, however, has revealed poor quality of care and widespread mistreatment of women during childbirth, particularly among marginalized, subaltern women. Obstetric violence is significantly associated with maternal complications, suffering, and trauma.
Using a critical theory lens and ethnographic approach, this study examined the structural context and dynamics of obstetric violence and complications of childbirth – postpartum haemorrhage, birth asphyxia, and anemia – in public hospitals and community health centres in two districts in UP. The study drew on datasets from a larger hospital ethnography evaluation of a maternal and newborn initiative in UP. Multistage analyses of direct patient case observations, interviews, and hospital records data were centred on birth stories of twenty-two women patients to understand experiences and interactions of institutional actors.
Obstetric and epistemic violence were pervasive across the continuum of intrapartum and immediate postpartum care including: physical/verbal abuse; neglect; erasure; non-consented interventions; and substandard care. Obstetric violence and birth complications were deeply entangled in complex assemblages of birth. Social and biomedical processes underlying obstetric care within contexts of scarcity contributed to systems of dysfunction and precarity. Violence emerged as relational and structured harms, mediated by biomedicalized, gendered, classed relations of power, synergistic with caste, religion, and age. Violence functioned as reproductive governance through routine disciplining, force, and coercion that were normalized within institutional cultures. Birthing women and healthcare providers negotiated hierarchical, hegemonic systems of institutional birth, facing various forms of othering and inhumane conditions of birth.
Study findings point to a pressing need to reform the structural and relational contexts in which institutional birth violence and inadequate maternal and newborn care thrive. Actionable change requires: attention to robust governance and accountability structures; ethical engagement with frontline providers; and inclusion of birthing women’s knowledge towards birth justice and dignity.February 202
Treatment engagement with geriatric psychiatry and geropsychology hospital services: patient perspectives, psychoeducational pamphlet development, and patient feedback
No full textMany Canadians, and older adults especially, do not seek mental health services when they need them. Older adults seeking mental health services face numerous psychological, social, and structural barriers. Not only are older adults less likely to utilize mental health services, but they are also less likely to accept and engage in offered interventions. Raue and Sirey (2011) proposed a theoretical treatment engagement model for older adults with steps including identifying mental health problems, referral to specialty care, and involvement in treatment. The overarching goal of this dissertation was to explore how engaged older adults felt during the process of referral to and treatment within specialty geriatric mental health services, to identify ways this process could have been improved, and to use the suggestions made by persons with lived experience to develop a brief method of enhancing treatment engagement. In Study 1, I conducted interviews with 13 individuals 65+ with depression, anxiety, and/or stress, who had been recently referred to specialty geriatric mental health services regarding how engaged they felt during this process and how engagement could have been improved. I analyzed the data using the framework analytic method and found four main themes of background factors, modifiable individual factors, social influences on treatment engagement, and opportunities for improvement. These themes supported and expanded Raue and Sirey’s model to emphasize the role of mental health literacy, nuance concerning treatment preferences, and the dynamic and social aspects of the engagement process. Participants identified a number of opportunities to enhance engagement by improving mental health literacy. In Study 2, I employed a logic model to guide the development of a psychoeducational pamphlet for older adults referred to hospital-based geriatric mental health services. The pamphlet’s content was guided by Raue and Sirey’s treatment engagement model, interviews from Study 1, and psychoeducational resource recommendations. Finally, to ensure that patients’ needs and preferences were accurately translated into practice, Study 3 aimed to gather feedback from patients on this newly created pamphlet. In this third study, I conducted interviews (n=12) to explore patient feedback on the novel psychoeducational pamphlet and ways it may be improved. Using the framework analytic method, I coded themes of understandability, presentation, and accessibility of the pamphlet as well as themes related to overall usefulness and background factors influencing the perception of the pamphlet. Participants noted opportunities to improve the pamphlet’s content and visual presentation. Notably, participants expressed positive reactions to the pamphlet while highlighting their preference that primary care providers share this information. Overall, findings from this research provide important and additive insight on treatment engagement in older adults and ways to improve this as expressed by individuals with lived experience.University of Manitoba Fellowship, Victoria General Hospital Foundation Research Operating GrantOctober 202
Areas of consensus on unwarranted and warranted transfers between nursing homes and emergency care facilities in Norway: a Delphi study
No full textBackground
Transferring residents from nursing homes (NHs) to emergency care facilities (ECFs) is often questioned as many are terminally ill and have access to onsite care. While some NH to ECF transfers have merit, avoiding other transfers may benefit residents and reduce healthcare system costs and provider burden. Despite many years of research in this area, differentiating warranted (i.e., appropriate) from unwarranted NH to ECF transfers remains challenging. In this article, we report consensus on warranted and unwarranted NH to ECF transfers scenarios.
Methods
A Delphi study was used to identify consensus regarding warranted and unwarranted NH to ECF transfers. Delphi participants included nurses (RNs) and medical doctors (MDs) from NHs, out-of-hours primary care clinics (OOHs), and hospital-based emergency departments. A list of 12 scenarios and 11 medical conditions was generated from the existing literature on causes and medical conditions leading to transfers, and pilot tested and refined prior to conducting the study. Three Delphi rounds were conducted, and data were analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistics.
Results
Seventy-nine experts consented to participate, of whom 56 (71%) completed all three Delphi rounds. Participants reached high or very high consensus on when to not transfer residents, except for scenarios regarding delirium, where only moderate consensus was attained. Conversely, except when pain relieving surgery was required, participants reached low agreement on scenarios depicting warranted NH to ECF transfers. Consensus opinions differ significantly between health professionals, participant gender, and rurality, for seven of the 23 transfer scenarios and medical conditions.
Conclusions
Transfers from nursing homes to emergency care facilities can be defined as warranted, discretionary, and unwarranted. These categories are based on the areas of consensus found in this Delphi study and are intended to operationalize the terms warranted and unwarranted transfers between nursing homes and emergency care facilities
Chemical sanitizer’s effectiveness to eliminate wet multispecies Shiga toxigenic Escherichia coli (STEC) biofilms in the meat industry
No full textIntroduction: Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are prominent foodborne pathogens known for their ability to form robust biofilms on food contact surfaces, contributing to contamination risks in food processing environments. The objective of the present research investigation was to evaluate the susceptibility of seven STEC strains to different sanitizers in planktonic conditions. Further, the efficacy of sanitizers against STEC single and multispecies biofilms (with lactic acid bacteria and spoilage bacteria) under varying temperatures and surface conditions will be assessed.
Methods: The first study examined their responses in planktonic form, single-species, and multispecies biofilms (T1: Carnobacterium piscicola + Lactobacillus bulgaricus, T2: Comamonas koreensis + Raoultella terrigena, T3: Pseudomonas aeruginosa + C. koreensis) cultured in 96-well microplates at 10°C and 25°C, using sanitizers such as Quats, Shypo, SHyd, HyP, and PAA. The second study assessed biocide effectiveness against mature biofilms on polyurethane (TPU) or stainless steel (SS) surfaces at 10°C and 25°C under 60-90% RH, following a standardized cleaning regimen involving detergent application, optional scrubbing, rinsing, and subsequent biocide treatment.
Results: The first study found that planktonic cells and single-species biofilms in microplates were highly susceptible to sanitizers, particularly Lactobacillus and Carnobacterium. O157 strains showed resistance to sodium hypochlorite at 25°C (P < 0.05), with PAA demonstrating the highest efficacy in single-species biofilms, followed by Quats, HyP, SHyd, and Shypo (P < 0.05). Multispecies biofilms in microplates were more resistant, especially to SHyd, followed by Quats, HyP, Shypo, and BioDestroy®. In the second study, a triple interaction between mechanical removal, biofilm age, and sanitizer significantly influenced the reduction of O157 on TPU and SS surfaces regardless of the cleaning condition and temperature at 6 and 30 days (P < 0.01). Quats, Shypo, HyP, and SHyd showed reduced effectiveness without prior scrubbing (P < 0.001), whereas BioDestroy® was highly effective, especially on poorly cleaned surfaces. Biofilms aged 6 and 30 days demonstrated greater tolerance to sanitizers compared to 60-day-old biofilms (P < 0.001). Among the T1, T2, and T3 combinations, T2 exhibited the highest resistance to biocides, while O157 within T3 and T1 were more susceptible (P < 0.001). Surfaces not mechanically cleaned achieved a complete reduction of T2+O157 and T3+O157 with Quats and HyP, although survival was observed upon enrichment.
Conclusion: This research reveals the intricate interplay of temperature variations, microbial interactions, and effective cleaning protocols in evaluating sanitizer efficacy against STEC within diverse biofilm contexts across food processing surfaces. The findings offer practical strategies for enhancing bacterial control measures in food safety protocols.October 202
Lost childhood: the neglected archaeology of children in Iran
No full textThis thesis explores the underrepresentation of children in Iranian archaeology, particularly within the framework of North American scholarship. It aims to shed light on the reasons behind the neglect of children's contributions in ancient societies and examines the cultural, social, and academic biases that have contributed to this oversight. Through a comprehensive scoping review of both Iranian and North American archaeological literature, the research identifies key gaps in the study of children, highlighting the dominant focus on monumental architecture and male-centric narratives. This neglect not only limits our understanding of ancient societies but also perpetuates a biased view of the past.
By integrating feminist and decolonizing methodologies, this thesis advocates for a more inclusive approach that recognizes the significant roles children played in shaping ancient Iranian societies. The study further discusses how incorporating child-centered perspectives can enrich archaeological narratives, leading to a deeper and more nuanced interpretation of Iran’s cultural heritage. Furthermore, it emphasizes how children, as active agents, contributed to the transmission of knowledge, innovation, and social structures within their communities.
This research emphasizes the need for greater engagement by both Iranian and North American archaeologists in the study of children, arguing that such efforts will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of historical and prehistorical communities. By addressing these gaps and biases, the research underscores the potential of child-focused archaeology to reveal new insights into the social, cultural, and economic dynamics of past societies in Iran and beyond.October 202
Seismic performance of circular GFRP-RC bridge columns under simulated seismic loading including torsion
No full textReinforced concrete (RC) bridge columns often encounter combinations of loads including flexural, axial, shear, and torsional forces during seismic events, especially in the presence of geometric irregularities such as skewed or curved bridges, unequal spans, or varying column heights. Fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) reinforcement offers a durable alternative to traditional steel bars in aggressive environments, given its corrosion resistance. Recent research has focused on the seismic behaviour of FRP-RC columns. Yet, existing seismic provisions for FRP-RC columns lean on modified steel-RC column models, overlooking the distinct behaviour of FRP-RC columns, particularly under varying concrete strength and combined loading, leading to suboptimal designs.
This study experimentally and numerically investigated the seismic behaviour of circular glass FRP (GFRP)-RC columns. Fourteen large-scale GFRP-RC column-footing connections were constructed and tested under concurrent axial loading and quasi-static cyclic lateral drift reversals, inducing additional torsional effects. The effects of reinforcement type, torsion-to-bending moment ratio, transverse reinforcement ratio and configuration, longitudinal reinforcement ratio, and concrete compressive strength were investigated. The numerical phase involved constructing and validating a nonlinear finite-element model against experimental results, followed by a comprehensive parametric study using the validated models.
The results showed that, with the same reinforcement ratio, the addition of torsion to cyclic bending and shear significantly altered the behaviour of the GFRP-RC columns in terms of mode of failure, drift capacity and stiffness degradation. Increasing transverse reinforcement ratio mitigated core damage and sustained torsion-induced tensile stresses. Adopting a spiral pitch equal to one-sixth of the effective core diameter of the column improved peak lateral load, torque, drift, and twist capacities.
The use of GFRP discrete hoops with a lap splice length of 60 times hoop bar diameter is not recommended for columns subjected to seismic loading including torsional effects. Increasing the longitudinal reinforcement ratio enhanced lateral load, drift, and twist capacities. Furthermore, the validity of the North American design provisions predicting the torsional strength of GFRP-RC members subjected to combined seismic loading were examined. A change in the GFRP tensile stress limits provided in these provisions were proposed, which resulted in better predictions for the torque capacity of the tested columns.October 202