30921 research outputs found
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A UHF RFID system for measuring dc magnetic field on HVdc transmission lines
No full textHigh-voltage direct current (HVdc) transmission lines are gaining more attention as an integral
part of modern power system networks. Monitoring the dc current is important for
metering and development of dynamic line rating control schemes. However, this has been
a challenging task and there is a need for wireless sensing methods with high accuracy and
dynamic range. Conventional methods require direct contact with the high-voltage conductors
and utilize bulky and complex equipment. In this thesis, an ultra high frequency
(UHF) radio frequency identification (RFID) based sensor is introduced for monitoring the
dc current of an HVdc transmission line. The sensor is comprised of a passive RFID tag
with a custom designed antenna, integrated with a Hall effect magnetic field device and an
RF power harvesting unit. The dc current is measured by monitoring the dc magnetic field
around the conductor using the Hall effect device. The internal memory of the RFID tag is
encoded with the magnetic field data. The RFID tag enables remote wireless interrogation
using a conventional RFID reader. The advantage of this approach is that the sensor does
not require batteries and does not need additional maintenance during its lifetime. This is
an important feature in a high voltage environment where any maintenance requires either
an outage or special equipment.In this thesis, the detailed design of the RFID tag is presented, including the antenna
design and measurements for both the RFID tag and the RF harvesting section, the microcontroller
interfacing design and testing, the magnetic field sensor calibration and the RF
power harvesting section. The UHF RFID-based magnetic field sensor was fabricated and
tested in a laboratory experimental setup.
In the experiment, a 40mm diameter aluminum conductor, typically used in 500 kV
HVdc transmission lines to carry dc current of up to 1200 A, is used to conduct dc current
tests for the fabricated sensor. The sensor was attached to the conductor such that the Hall
effect device was 30mm from its surface. A dc current in the range of 100 – 1200A was
measured with an accuracy of better than 10% for a reader-to-sensor distance of 1 m.February 202
Infusion parameters, safety, and practical guidance for the manual administration of subcutaneous immunoglobulin 20% (Ig20Gly)
No full textAbstract Primary immunodeficiency diseases (PIDs), also referred to as inborn errors of immunity, constitute a group of genetic conditions that affect the immune system. The current standard of care for patients with PIDs is lifelong immunoglobulin replacement therapy, delivered by intravenous (IVIG) or subcutaneous (SCIG) infusion. Immune globulin subcutaneous (human) 20% solution stabilized with glycine (Ig20Gly) is indicated as a replacement therapy for PIDs in adults and children of any age in Europe and in patients aged 2 years and above in the USA. Typically, Ig20Gly is administered using an infusion pump; however, delivery of Ig20Gly by manual administration has recently been approved in Europe. Practical recommendations on the use of Ig20Gly manual administration are lacking; this review therefore aims to provide guidance for use of this method of administration. Additionally, we summarize the infusion parameters, safety, patient-reported outcomes, and economic benefits associated with Ig20Gly manual administration. Manual administration of Ig20Gly was shown to permit faster rates of infusion than administration via infusion pump. Patients typically infused at two or fewer infusion sites with manual administration of Ig20Gly. Safety and tolerability profiles were similar for Ig20Gly manual administration and administration by infusion pump. Overall, there were comparable levels of patient satisfaction with manual administration and infusion pump, with patient preference deemed to be a key determinator of success for either method of administration. Economic studies identified cost savings for the healthcare system through manual administration compared with IVIG or SCIG infusion by infusion pump because of the reduced equipment costs and nurse support. For infusion of Ig20Gly by manual administration, a syringe and butterfly needle are used; patients are advised to start infusion at 1–2 mL/min to prevent discomfort. Overall, manual administration of Ig20Gly offers an effective and well-tolerated alternative to administration by infusion pump
Energy Density of Capelin (Mallotus villosus) and Sand lance (Ammodytes americanus and Ammodytes dubius) during the summer in Coastal Newfoundland
No full textSpawning capelin (Mallotus villosus) and non-spawning Atlantic sand lance (Ammodytes americanus, A. dubius) adults and juveniles are important forage fish species in coastal Newfoundland during July and August when high abundances of top predators rely on them as critical energy sources. To determine whether these prey types differ in their energy content, and interannual changes in quality, samples of each prey type were collected during July-August 2020 and 2023. Bomb calorimetry was used to measure whole-body dry energy density (kJ/dry g) and calculate wet energy density (kJ/wet g) and water content. Although sand lance are at the peak of their annual lipid cycle and capelin are at their minimum during the summer, adult female sand lance had lower dry energy density (mean of both years ± SE, 20.7 ± 0.11 kJ/dry g) than all capelin sex and maturity categories, and wet energy densities (4.4 ± 0.09 kJ/g) did not differ from capelin. Within
capelin, wet and dry energy densities did not differ among gravid females, spent females and males, which contrasts previous findings from before the capelin population in Newfoundland collapsed. Within sand lance, juvenile dry energy density (20.8 ± 0.14 kJ/g) did not differ from adult females. Juvenile sand lance wet energy density was the only prey type that varied interannually, where energy density in 2020 was higher (5.3 ± 0.15 kJ/g), but this is thought to be because the samples were more dried out before collection. Overall, our findings indicate that although sand lance adults and juveniles are similar in wet energy densities to capelin, their lower wet mass per fish would result in a higher number of sand lance needed to reach a fixed energy content per meal. Other factors, including abundance and distribution of each species, also impact foraging costs and must be paired with energy densities to estimate prey type quality
A scoping review on the associations between early childhood caries and sustainable cities and communities using the sustainable development goal 11 framework
No full textBackground
Early childhood caries (ECC) is a multifactorial disease in which environmental factors could play a role. The purpose of this scoping review was to map the published literature that assessed the association between the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, which tried to make cities and human settlements safe, inclusive, resilient and sustainable, and ECC.
Methods
This scoping review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. In July 2023, a search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus using tailored search terms related to housing, urbanization, waste management practices, and ECC. Studies that solely examined ECC prevalence without reference to SDG11 goals were excluded. Of those that met the inclusion criteria, a summary highlighting the countries and regions where the studies were conducted, the study designs employed, and the findings were done. In addition, the studies were also linked to relevant SDG11 targets.
Results
Ten studies met the inclusion criteria with none from the African Region. Six studies assessed the association between housing and ECC, with findings suggesting that children whose parents owned a house had lower ECC prevalence and severity. Other house related parameters explored were size, number of rooms, cost and building materials used. The only study on the relationship between the prevalence of ECC and waste management modalities at the household showed no statistically significant association. Five studies identified a relationship between urbanization and ECC (urbanization, size, and remoteness of the residential) with results suggesting that there was no significant link between ECC and urbanization in high-income countries contrary to observations in low and middle-income countries. No study assessed the relationship between living in slums, natural disasters and ECC. We identified links between ECC and SDG11.1 and SDG 11.3. The analysis of the findings suggests a plausible link between ECC and SDG11C (Supporting least developed countries to build resilient buildings).
Conclusion
There are few studies identifying links between ECC and SDG11, with the findings suggesting the possible differences in the impact of urbanization on ECC by country income-level and home ownership as a protective factor from ECC. Further research is needed to explore measures of sustainable cities and their links with ECC within the context of the SDG11
The truth is . . . we are residents of Tivoli: a linguistic exploration of identity presentation and negotiation in the intersubjective space of a truth commission
No full textThis is a study of the discourse structures of the first six resident witnesses in a truth commission that had garnered national and international attention, this is, the West Kingston Commission of Enquiry in Jamaica (also known as the Tivoli Enquiry). The truth commission was intended to explore what unfolded in a bloody attempt to arrest an alleged area leader of the Tivoli Gardens community. Within the framework of intersubjectivity, the study explores resident witnesses’ presentation of self, their community and their story amidst generally negative perceptions of garrison communities, more specifically the Tivoli Gardens community. These are communities constructed to serve political interests, and are arguably sustained through criminal operations (McGreal 2011; Jaffe 2012; Edmonds 2016). The challenge is escalated when resident witnesses’ cross-examining counsels include attorneys representing the police and the military, who for one, invaded their community on the day in question, and two, are the forces that oppose anti-governmental constructs inherent in garrison communities, such as Tivoli Gardens (Jaffe 2012). For this reason, of great interest within the entire speech situation are the segments in which the resident witnesses are cross-examined by the attorneys representing these entities. This study provides a detailed description of the residents’ representation of self, including how they manage and negotiate their identity amidst opposition. It also foregrounds the usefulness of context in the sense-making process of verbal and non-verbal utterances, and therefore shows and incorporates context in its multi-varied forms. I analyze the discourse, using tools within Dell Hymes’s (1972) speaking grid that allow me to dissect the context accordingly and reveal the communicative patterns in the data as identity is negotiated. I find that linguistic resources of labeling, narrativization, epistemic positioning and evidentials prove useful in co-constructing and strategizing identity formation. Additionally, an intersubjective approach reveals how the intersubjective ‘other’ can index interactants’ identity even in the physical absence of that ‘other’, and in so doing discloses other underlying complex social identities that precede but are relevant to the discourse.May 202
Robust approaches to image reconstruction and image quality analysis in breast microwave sensing
No full textMicrowave-based breast imaging is a developing technique that has demonstrated potential as a method for breast cancer detection. The modality interrogates the breast tissues using low-power non-ionizing microwave radiation and relies on a contrast in the dielectric properties of malignant and healthy breast tissues. Research into this field has been motivated by the low cost and small size of microwave hardware, the large contrast in the dielectric properties of malignant and healthy tissues, and the favourable safety profile of non-ionizing microwave imaging. The modality has the potential to be used for screening in remote and under-serviced communities due to these factors. Two major challenges limit breast microwave imaging. Existing estimates of the diagnostic performance, particularly the diagnostic specificity, are relatively poor due to a lack of accurate image reconstruction algorithms. Additionally, image quality analysis has been limited to evaluations of image contrast and localization error that rely on single-pixel intensities. The lack of informative measures of image quality has limited the development of robust image reconstruction methods in the field of research. This thesis addresses these two challenges through the development of a novel image reconstruction method capable of enhanced physics modelling and through the development of methods, metrics, and specialized phantoms for image quality analysis. Enhanced physics modelling improves the physics model used to reconstruct an image and was observed to improve image accuracy and diagnostic accuracy. The standardized methods, metrics, and phantoms developed for image quality analysis were used to compare various breast microwave imaging systems and image reconstruction methods.Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. 501100000038. Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship-Doctoral. CGSD3 - 547670 - 2020.
CancerCare Manitoba Foundation.
University of Manitoba.October 202
RASOI: interior design approach to cultural revitalization through food sovereignty
No full textThis document examines food sovereignty though an interior design lens in the province of Manitoba, Canada, by way of RASOI, a community food center located at 814 Main Street in Point Douglas, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The design framework for the community center is based on contemporary design theories and concepts that address the issue of food sovereignty. These issues is informed by writers and theorists including Nettie Wiebe, Kevin Wipf, Pat Vanderkooy, Valerie Tarasuk, Carolyn Dimitri, Stephen Penner, and Dawn Morrison. Additionally, patterns of production and consumption of foodways are explored to further understanding of Point Douglas journey towards food sovereignty. To guide the design of the community center, the focus is on Canadian Indigenous, contemporary Western, and Kashmiri foodways. Each contributes something different: traditional Indigenous culinary values informed by Jaime Cidro and Tabitha Martens; new urban farming technologies in the case of Western foodways from Sarvenaz Pakravan; and insertion of the author’s Kashmiri culture for comparison.
RAOSI focuses on providing equitable opportunities to Point Douglas through production spaces centered around indoor urban agriculture. The design of spaces for food distribution furthers food sovereignty and community connection through activities that gather, teach, and strengthen traditional Canadian Indigenous food knowledge.
The convergence of traditional Canadian Indigenous, Western, and Kashmiri customs is fostered through the theories and concepts of third space by Homi K Bhabha, transculturation by, by Mary Louise Pratt, Two-eyed Seeing by Elder Albert Marshall, and lastly Nicole Bell and Robin Wall Kimmerer’s analysis of Bimaadiziwin. Additionally, sustainable strategies from Janine Benyus’s description of biomimicry and Graeme Brooker and Sally Stone’s discussion of adaptive reuse influence the sustainable design strategies within the building to blend Indigenous values and Western technologies.
These theories and concepts are implemented through spatial design implications with architectural elements including form, hydroponic farming systems, open circulation, natural lighting, local material specification, and narrative.October 202
"Ogitchidaa", an Indigenous perspective on research sovereignty in Canada: Anishinaabe, Nēhinan (Cree), Saulteaux and Red River Métis voices from Manitoba and Saskatchewan
No full textThere are many barriers Indigenous people and communities experience when trying to conduct research and access data that is about them. As Indigenous people work towards sovereignty in their governance and economics, having sovereignty in data and research is increasingly important as research and data are important for decision-making, funding, and policy development. Identifying what barriers exist, why they exist, and how Indigenous people can be supported to overcome them is how to achieve Indigenous Research Sovereignty. Individual Semi-structured interviews and a group discussion with Indigenous academics, students, community members, and those involved with Indigenous organizations was the qualitative (Western) method used to better understand the needs Indigenous communities have around data and research. Through Two-Eyed Seeing, Western Methods were informed by Indigenous methods of storytelling, testimonials, personal reflections, narratives, envisioning, and sharing circles to reflect the Indigenous focus of this research and ensure knowledge shared is presented appropriately. The barriers to Indigenous Research Sovereignty identified are hesitation and mistrust that stem from past experiences with research and ongoing impacts of colonialism; power dynamics and vulnerability; differing worldviews and research approaches; misunderstanding and miscommunication; pan-indigenizing and lack of representation; institutional barriers and systemic oppression; the reality that Indigenous needs around health and wellbeing are not being met; and, how there are not enough opportunities or resources for Indigenous people to conduct research. Supports to Indigenous Research Sovereignty are following Data Sovereignty and research principles; awareness, education, and training; inclusion, indigenization, and decolonization of institutions; celebrating cultural diversity; inclusion of culture and protocol in research; the use of Indigenous and community-led research; the recognition of Indigenous resurgence and promotion of Indigenous sovereignty; and the development of partnerships between allies, institutions, and communities. Truth and reconciliation are support for Indigenous Research Sovereignty because it is about supporting Indigenous people and addressing the barriers they face, by understanding the truths behind them. Indigenous people must be the ones leading the way for research and sovereignty, and they must be the ones who determine how they want to be included in colonial spaces.Mitacs Accelerate Fellowship (2020-2021)
Clayton Riddell Faculty of Environment, Earth and Resources Graduate Entrance Scholarship (University of Manitoba, 2020)February 202
An Indigenous-informed scoping review study methodology: advancing the science of scoping reviews
No full textBackground
Historically, Indigenous voices have been silent in health research, reflective of colonial academic institutions that privilege Western ways of knowing. However, Indigenous methodologies and methods with an emphasis on the active involvement of Indigenous peoples and centering Indigenous voices are gaining traction in health education and research. In this paper, we map each phase of our scoping review process and weave Indigenous research methodologies into Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) framework for conducting scoping reviews.
Methods
Guided by an advisory circle consisting of Indigenous Knowledge Keepers and allied scholars, we utilized both Indigenous and Western methods to conduct a scoping review. As such, a circle of Knowledge Keepers provided guidance and informed our work, while our methods of searching and scoping the literature remained consistent with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. In keeping with an Indigenous methodology, the scoping review protocol was not registered allowing for an organic development of the research process.
Results
We built upon Arksey and O’Malley’s 5-stages and added an additional 3 steps for a combined 8-stage model to guide our research: (1) Exploration and Listening, (2) Doing the Groundwork, (3) Identifying and Refining the Research Question, (4) Identifying Relevant Studies, (5) Study Selection, (6) Mapping Data, (7) Collating, Summarizing and Synthesizing the Data, and lastly, (8) Sharing and Making Meaning. Engagement and listening, corresponding to Arksey and O’Malley (2005)’s optional “consultation stage,” was embedded throughout, but with greater intensity in stages 1 and 8.
Conclusion
An Indigenous approach to conducting a scoping review includes forming a team with a wide array of experience in both Indigenous and Western methodologies, meaningful Indigenous representation, and inclusion of Indigenous perspectives to shape the analysis and presentation of findings. Engaging Indigenous peoples throughout the entire research process, listening, and including Indigenous voices and perspectives is vital in reconciliation research, producing both credible and useable information for both Indigenous communities and academia. Our Indigenous methodology for conducting a scoping review can serve as a valuable framework for summarizing Indigenous health-related research
Gender portrayal in popular music videos: a comparative analysis of India and Canada
Get PDFPopular culture is a powerful form of public pedagogy (Giroux, 2004a; 2004b). That is, people learn from pop culture even when they think they are just being “entertained.” Considering the prevalence of media in the current context, popular culture may serve as a more influential pedagogue than official curricula or teachers (Moore, 2014). Grounded in feminist and queer media literacies, this study used critical content analysis and QSs to analyse popular music videos from Canada and India. The analysis considered: a) the ways that gender is constructed through popular music videos in two distinct contexts; b) the potential messages about gender communicated in music videos; and c) the way popular music videos could be used in formal classroom spaces to ground broader conversations about gender. The critical content analysis and qualitative survey revealed the presence of gender stereotypes and heteronormative representations within most character relationships with power lying in the hands of male characters. This research created a Basic Inclusivity Audit Survey (B.I.A.S) to observe and practice gender-based analysis of media texts for further discussions on the portrayal of gender in Media.May 202