30921 research outputs found
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Private in public: reimagining spatial design in a physically distanced world
No full textIn March 2020, the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) was officially declared a global pandemic. Within a span of 2 years, the pandemic resulted in over 6 million documented deaths and triggered large-scale economic crises as well as social upheaval. Reactive measures such as national lockdowns, isolation and quarantine procedures, and physical distancing practices were instituted for the benefit of public health and safety. However, minimal consideration was given to the psychological impact this break in human connection would cause. As COVID-19 has receded to an endemic and public spaces have reopened, the central concern of this practicum is the redesign of performance interiors to observe suggested public health guidelines and establish a standard for safe socialization in a post-COVID world. This will take the form of a post-pandemic theatre centre – a redesign of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre in the Exchange District of Winnipeg. In this practicum, I explore lessons from past and present pandemics, the evolutional journey of performing arts typologies, and theories of Proxemics and Effective Capacity to inform the user capacity, spatial organization, furniture selection, and ventilation and sanitation systems of the theatre centre.October 202
Chinatown: identity revitalization for Winnipeg chinatown through placemaking and cultural vitality.
No full textThis practicum aims to re-envision Winnipeg Chinatown through identity revitalization and placemaking. The design research focuses on re-envisioning Chinatown to celebrate the history and culture of Chinese Winnipeggers while embracing Canada’s diverse mosaic. Through placemaking, the study seeks to redefine Chinatown as a distinct character district within Winnipeg’s Downtown CentureVenture area and propose a series of landscape framework and design intentions to the revive urban decay around the King Street and Pacific Avenue axis.May 202
Physician Assistants in Rural Emergency Medicine: A Literature Review
No full textIntroduction: Physician assistants (PAs) work as extensions of the supervising physician(s) to make decisions regarding the designation of tasks and encounters. They commonly see the same patient acuity mixture as the physician and work across different medical disciplines, notably the emergency department. No current review explores the collection of research on PAs working in rural emergency departments (EDs) within North America.
Objective: This review will examine the role of PAs in rural EDs within North America. With this, decisions surrounding the expansion of the PA profession can be evidence-based and consistent with best practices. This paper will determine the areas of research surrounding the role of PAs in rural EDs that have been concentrated on and identify gaps in the research, as well as identify outcomes resulting from PA practice in this setting.
Methods: A literature search using Embase and Ovid-MEDLINE databases was performed using key terms pertaining to physician assistants working in rural emergency departments. Nine articles were found to meet the inclusion criteria and were analyzed for this review.
Results: Nine studies explored different aspects of PA roles and practice in rural EDs across North America. Three themes around PA roles, level of autonomy and outcomes are used to describe the nature of PA practice in rural EDs. The findings suggest that rural ED PAs provide care to a wide variety of patient presentations with varying levels of autonomy. Although the PA role appears to largely be accepted and commonly has positive effects on the ED, more research needs to be done in this area.
Conclusions: These findings suggest key factors that require future research in both Canada and the United States. For this relatively novel profession in Canada to grow into a staple in the current health system, primary research on PAs working in settings such as rural emergency departments should be prioritized
Access to health knowledge for health equality: a multi-phase review focused on disability-health
No full textBackground
The existing evidence base indicates increased interest in knowledge translation (KT), or, the dissemination of research to ensure uptake and impact. Given this definition, this study aimed to review existing scholarship on knowledge translation (KT) of health research to people living with disabilities (PLWD), and assess the current state of accessibility of health knowledge for people living with disabilities.
Methods
Given existing heterogeneity in literature as well as a number of varying definitions for both disability and knowledge translation, a reflexive, three-phase approach was utilized to improve methodological soundness. Phase I recognizes that existing review-style studies have been conducted on disability-KT. An existing systematic review on KT specific to the field of rehabilitation and physical medicine was analyzed to assess potential best practices towards inclusivity and accessibility for people living with disability. Phase II used the Center on Knowledge Translation for Disability and Rehabilitation Research (KTDRR) database as an information-source with high-specificity to disability-health KT. Phase III sought to rapidly assess the current landscape of systematic reviews relevant to disability-health KT, with four systematic reviews meeting the inclusion criteria across Cochrane, Psycinfo, CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE.
Results
The current landscape of disability-health KT is primarily targeted at health professionals who serve PLWD. PLWD are included in KT, mostly as key informants, or as study participants in KT-studies designed as health interventions. Multiple systematic reviews on disability-health KT exist, presenting vastly different foci which prevent assessment of best practices.
Conclusions
KT efforts are abundant and can be seen across health research related to disabilities, generating considerable literature and systematic reviews. With regards to meeting the public health objective of equalizing and enhancing access to health knowledge, future knowledge translation efforts intending to provide PLWD with up-to-date health research can be of significant value.Key messages
- Knowledge translation emerges as the most prominently used terminology to describe research dissemination; yet, its use in a search strategy often identifies studies in which people living with disabilities as sources of knowledge as opposed to recipients of knowledge
- Intentional strategies to provide equitable access to health information for people living with disabilities can be multi-phase and highly complex if the study is not structured as a health intervention
- The existing landscape of systematic review on disability-KT may emphasize evaluation of the effectiveness of KT; future studies on best practices for equitable access to health research can be of significant valu
Understanding the Mental Health of Canadian Physician Assistant Students
No full textThe mental health of medical students has been well studied, revealing significant rates of anxiety, depression, and burnout. Despite the similarities in training, limited research has been done to understand the mental health of Physician Assistant (PA) students. This study investigates the mental health of first- and second-year PA students across Canadian training programs. Eligible students at the three Canadian PA programs received a recruitment email providing a link to a confidential survey hosted on REDCap. Participants provided non-identifying demographic information and completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screener (GAD-7), and the Maslach Burnout Inventory General Student version (MBI-GS(S)). Additional questions covered previous mental health history and coping styles. Seventy-three students completed the survey (response rate of 43.4%). One-third had seen a health professional in the past 12 months for mental health. Depression, anxiety, and burnout symptoms were prevalent. GAD-7 varied significantly between schools (higher at University of Manitoba vs McMaster University), and marginally between academic year (higher in first years). Positive correlations were found among PHQ-9, GAD-7, and burnout subscales. Maladaptive coping mechanisms were associated with higher anxiety, depression, and burnout, while adaptive coping positively correlated with PE burnout subscale. No significant differences in PHQ-9 or MBI-GS(S) were found between academic years or programs. As the PA profession continues to expand in Canada, understanding the prevalence of anxiety, depression and burnout is crucial. Improving PA student mental health should be a priority for education programs to promote a healthy workforce and develop a foundation for further research
Final Design Report for a STEM Exhibit about Green Aviation Fuel Alternatives for the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada
No full textThe Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada (RAMWC) along with industry partners EnviroTREC and WestCaRD, identified the need for a STEM based exhibit focused on sustainable aviation fuels. This initiative aligns with the global shift towards environmentally friendly energy sources, transitioning from convectional fuels like gasoline and kerosene to potential greener alternatives including lithium-ion batteries, biofuel, and liquid hydrogen. Through an interactive, STEM based exhibit, visitors will have the opportunity to learn about these fuel options and their underlying concepts.
To ensure a successful exhibit design, several technical specifications and constraints were outlined prior to developing a solution. These included size and accessibility dimensions, performance requirements, inclusion of tactile components, and a significant “wow” factor. These predefined objectives guided the development of the design solution, which is composed of three distinct components that make up the entire exhibit: a historical timeline, a specific energy station, and a CO2 emissions station, each incorporating STEM principles through visual and hands-on experiences. The timeline provides a rich history about the evolution of aviation fuels. For the specific energy station, it allows visitors to gauge the specific energy of different aviation fuels by propelling planes along a track. The emissions station offers an interactive demonstration of CO2 output of various aviation fuels, enabling visitors to visualize and compare emissions through a fog display.
The prototype of the conceptual solution was tested against the established specifications to ensure the creation of a successful design. The dimensions of the prototype were tested for public accessibility and passed. Additionally, the exhibit’s content was evaluated for understandability, targeting various comprehension levels to ensure that the STEM principles are clear to the visitors. Using a text scoring system, the prototype achieved a 6th grade reading level of comprehension. “Wow” factor and user friendliness of tactile components were assessed via survey with museum visitors. The feedback indicated that while the exhibit’s design was easy to use and engaging, it could benefit from additional elements to truly inspire and captivate visitors.
Following evaluation of the prototype, several enhancements were proposed to the RAMWC that could improve the exhibit’s design. Replacing the chalkboard with a smart touchscreen board would allow for unlimited storage of visitors’ ideas on green aviation fuel, which can also be shared as a display when the screen is idle. Additionally, the exhibit could be optimized for efficiency through changes that include adopting a modular design for easy updates, incorporating a drainage at the emissions station to eliminate mold risk, and utilizing materials that are both lightweight and robust. To improve accessibility, incorporating auditory or tactile feedback would assist those who are visually impaired, and incorporating QR codes could deepen the educational experience.
The RAMWC exhibit represents a dynamic fusion of education and innovation, igniting curiosity and fostering learning about sustainable aviation fuels
Location of open conductor faults on LCC-HVdc transmission systems
No full textHigh voltage direct current (HVdc) transmission systems are widely used for bulk energy transmission over large distances and the impact of short circuit faults on dc lines in these systems have been extensively studied. However, a type of fault that has hitherto not widely been investigated is the open circuiting of a conductor, as its occurrence is relatively rare. None of the available literature provides a reasonable discussion on the impact of HVdc open conductor faults on an HVdc system. Using electromagnetic transient (EMT) simulations, this study addresses the void in HVdc fault analysis by giving useful insight into the impact of HVdc open conductor faults on current and voltage transients and their potential impact on the converter operation.
A modified empirical arc model with arc length dynamics is developed to model the series open air arc resulting from conductor breaking. The model is implemented as a custom component in the PSCAD simulation platform for conducting simulation studies. Due to the lack of experimental data for HVdc open circuiting faults, the fault induced transients in terminal voltages and currents are studied considering reasonable ranges of arc parameters.
Using an EMT model of a point-to-point LCC-HVdc system, the study shows that the dc line overvoltage is highest on the rectifier side and occurs for a conductor break close to the rectifier end. This study also shows that the breaking of conductors generates significant voltage and current travelling waves, which are sufficient to successfully apply the conventional travelling waves-based fault location algorithms to locate HVdc open conductor faults.
After evaluating the applicability of the travelling waves-based fault location technique, the achievable accuracy of estimating the location of pole to ground and open conductor faults are evaluated. An improved algorithm is introduced to locate both types of faults with an overall accuracy of ±375 m which is specific to the 1400 km long, bipolar HVdc test system presented in this study. Finally, the impact of analog to digital conversion (ADC) associated with digital implementation of HVdc fault locator on the accuracy of predicting the open conductor fault location is analyzed.February 202
Indicators of peace: in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada “it depends who you are:” an exploratory case study of the saliency of quantitative positive peace measures
No full textWinnipeg is a city regarded in Canada as the city in the middle. It is, in fact, geographically at the heart of the North American Continent. It is also situated currently as a city of prevalent racism and injustice. It is also a city where there is consistent and prevalent peace work as well. It would seem Winnipeg is a city divided. Winnipeg served for thousands of years as a place for Indigenous Nations to gather, trade, and share culture. The decades and centuries that followed first contact replaced these systems with infrastructures and cultures of oppression and violence, exacting painful tolls on Indigenous Peoples and people of colour more generally. Over the last century, however, there have been social, economic, and political shifts in the city toward accepting and embracing the cultural differences it once demonized, effectively beginning the process of erecting shared cultures of peace. The purpose of the exploratory research in this study is to gauge the relative levels of positive peace or social justice in Winnipeg. To accomplish this, I drew four salient quantitative indicators from the proventive critical positive peace assessment known as the peace poles, to test their viability. To serve as a counterweight and balance to test of the measure’s saliency, representatives from four Winnipeg social organizations were undertaken to explore their ideas about positive peace in Winnipeg as the city in the middle. These four organizational representatives come from a few of the most systemically engaged organizations in the city. In this research I explored the ways in which these persons and organizations engaged in the city regarding peace, while afterward running the numbers derived from the peace poles assessment published in the Palgrave Handbook of Positive Peace in 2022. These positive peace metrics—connectivity, political voice, the gini index, and sense of belonging—only further grounded and supported the themes discovered in the interviews.May 202
An observational netnography study of post-pandemic anti-Asian racism
Get PDFSince the outbreak of Covid-19, anti-Asian racist sentiment has spread on social media (Martin & Yoon, 2021). The present study investigates how social media may play a role in fighting against anti-Asian racism. This qualitative research utilized AsianCrit (Kiang, 2016) as the theoretical framework. Public data were collected from major social media platforms—Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. This research applied netnography analysis (Kozinets, 2015), thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2019), and critical discourse analysis (Fairclough, 1995) techniques to collect, interpret, and discuss the data. The findings reveal that the responses on social media platforms were diverse, ranging from heartfelt expressions of support to critical discussions about systemic issues, and that supportive posts outweighed the non-supportive and neutral posts. Social media played a crucial role in amplifying the voices of those advocating against Asian hate, fostering community, and raising awareness about the issue. However, posts on these platforms showcased the challenges of addressing such complex and deeply rooted societal problems. Data analysis confirmed that hatred towards Asians is not just a product of the pandemic; it is in part the result of systemic bias and the influence of White supremacy. The researcher concludes that to address the issue of hatred towards Asians, it is crucial to educate the general public about Asian history, not only at the societal level, but most importantly, early on with students during their K-12 education.October 202
Wildlife and Waste Interactions Project at the Assiniboine Park Zoo
Get PDFThis report explores the interactions between wildlife and waste at the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg, Manitoba, using a comprehensive project management plan. The introduction in Chapter 1 details the critical need for improved waste management to mitigate its effects on biodiversity loss and contributions to climate change. The following three chapters illustrate the deliverables produced by this project: the Integrated Project Plan (Chapter 2), Communication Outreach (Chapter 3), and the main component of this project, the Wildlife and Waste Interactions Project report (Chapter 4). The Integrated Project Plan covers the essential project management aspects, such as the project charter and scope, used to carry out the entire project. Chapter 3 details how communication outreach was implemented to raise awareness about the project going on at the zoo and engage a broader audience. Finally, Chapter 4 presents the final project report submitted to the Assiniboine Park Zoo. This report provides insights into wildlife and waste interactions at the zoo based on trail camera data and field observations. It offers practical recommendations based on the results from the study, aimed at improving waste management practices, reducing wildlife attraction to waste, and suggests future studies to enhance waste management efforts further. The last chapter critically reflects on the practicum, discussing learning outcomes and insights gained from the project’s execution and completion. In summary, this document used a project management approach to implement a study highlighting the unique relationship between wildlife and waste.Manitoba Wildlife Federation, Project Learning Tree CanadaOctober 202