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Echoes Of Reform: The Excellent Care For All Act And Psychiatric Patient Advocacy In Ontario
No full textThe passage of the Excellent Care for All Act (ECFAA) in June 2010 marked a significant juncture for healthcare reform in Ontario, aiming to enhance standards, optimize resources, and reduce costs across hospitals. One significant responsibility mandated under ECFAA was the requirement for a Patient Declarations of Values (PDoVs). This study delves into the foundational underpinnings of the PDoV development process, drawing from Mad Studies theory and the contemporary landscape of patient advocacy. I examine the integration of patient embodied knowledge in these PDoVs, while simultaneously identifying conspicuous absences by unpacking the assumptions within "patient engagement" and its role in shaping the medico-legal discourse surrounding patient rights within the psychiatric milieu. This study reveals challenges for advocacy within psychiatric settings and underscores the importance of revitalizing praxis for capacity building in community activism in order to shape the future landscape of mental healthcare provision and the safeguarding of patient rights
Effects And Interactions Of Antibiotic, Butyrate, And Temperature On Sailfin Molly (Poecilia Latipinna) Metabolism And Gut Microbiota
No full textUnderstanding the complex interactions between environmental factors, dietary supplements, and microbiome dynamics is crucial for optimizing fish health and growth, particularly in aquaculture settings. This study examines the effects of antibiotic, butyrate, and temperature treatments on the metabolism and gut microbiota of sailfin molly (Poecilia latipinna) alone and in combination. The results indicate that butyrate successfully restored the growth rates due to antibiotic exposure but had little effect when supplied to controls. Interestingly, while elevated temperature has been shown to promote growth through increased metabolic rates growth was not observed, possibly due to stress. Notably, there was a decrease in diversity in the microbiome because of antibiotic treatment. Further, both antibiotics and increased temperature lead to a decrease in the predicted functional capabilities of bacteria related to metabolism and health pathways after using PICRUSt analyses. While butyrate ameliorated the impacts on growth and metabolism caused by antibiotics, the microbiome was mostly unaffected, indicating that butyrate exerts its effects through the host directly. These findings suggest that butyrate could mitigate some negative impacts of antibiotics on fish growth and gut health as well as highlight some of the concerning effects of increasing environmental temperatures and antibiotic use. These insights may help develop strategies in fish population management and aquaculture practices, particularly those involving antibiotics and butyrate supplementation
Implementation of a Neural Network-Based ASIC Chip for Mobile DNA Devices
No full textPortable DNA sequencing, particularly using nanopore technology, has the potential to revolutionize genomics by making it accessible in a wide range of environments. However, current state-of-the-art devices face significant challenges due to the lack of integrated bioinformatics processing capabilities. This research addresses these challenges by developing specialized System-on-Chip (SoC) architectures designed for real-time bioinformatics analysis, integrating both a machine learning (ML)-based basecalling accelerator and an Edit Distance (ED) accelerator for sequence comparison.
The proposed SoC architecture, based on an open-source RISC-V core, features hardware accelerators tailored for the computational demands of nanopore DNA sequencing. Performance evaluation was conducted in two stages: first through FPGA prototyping, followed by integration into a fabricated SoC. The FPGA prototyping demonstrated nearly 2,000x speedup for ML-based basecalling compared to a standalone RISC-V core, while maintaining an accuracy rate of 83.7%. It also showed an 11.5x and 1.2x energy efficiency improvement over x86 CPUs and high-end GPUs, respectively. The ED accelerator for sequence comparison achieved a
538x boost in energy efficiency compared to commercial CPUs.
The fabricated SoC, implemented in a 22-nm CMOS process, successfully demonstrated the feasibility of integrating advanced bioinformatics tasks into a single, power-efficient chip. Evaluation of the fabricated SoC confirmed its capability for real-time, mobile DNA sequencing with high accuracy, reduced power consumption, and significantly improved processing speed, all while reducing dependency on external computational devices. This research represents a significant step towards realizing a fully integrated, stand-alone DNA sequencing solution, capable of performing comprehensive bioinformatics analyses in real time
Integrated Analog Readout Array and Digital Backend for Mobile DNA Sequencing
No full textDNA, a fundamental biomolecule, contains the genetic code that governs the development, functioning, and reproduction of all living organisms. It is composed of smaller molecular units called nucleotides. The process of determining the specific sequence of these nucleotides is known as DNA sequencing. An innovative approach to this is nanopore-based DNA sequencing. Unlike many other methods, nanopore sequencing detects DNA molecules directly, rather than relying on secondary phenomena, and can do so in real-time as the molecules pass through the device. This technology holds the potential to significantly democratize DNA sequencing, which could revolutionize medical diagnostics and personalized medicine, ultimately improving the lives of billions. This report focuses on optimizing the performance and cost-efficiency of nanopore-based sequencing, particularly by exploring the opportunities for implementing low-cost, integrated analog front-end arrays and application-specific accelerated digital back-end systems.
This thesis presents three iterative versions of a digital readout integrated circuit (DROIC), each enhancing throughput density through architectural and circuit-level advancements. The first version (DROICv1) employs a discrete-time (DT) amplifier with in-pixel successive approximation ADCs. The second version (DROICv2) increases throughput density using column-based ADCs. The third version incorporates an asynchronous reset amplifier, further enhancing throughput density by reducing amplifier noise.
To validate the system's functionality, the thesis demonstrates biological ion-channel and solid-state nanopore measurements. It also introduces methods for post-processing the chip to enable on-chip sensors. Finally, a RISC-V-based digital basecaller is presented, optimizing the speed and energy efficiency of the digital backend
Partisan Politics and the Road to Plutocracy
No full textAs billionaires dance in the halls of the second Trump administration, it’s haunting how well Plutarch’s two-thousand-year-old words describe the state of American politics. It’s a barren landscape of plutocratic insatiability.
How did it get this way?
One way to tell the story is to look at the battle between the ruling class and everyone else — a battle which elites are obviously winning. But another way to understand the struggle is to look at the war between factions of the ruling class — a battle that plays out largely within partisan politics.
On this partisan front, the historical backdrop is that for forty years, Republicans have been playing a political shell game. As Jay Michaelson puts it, Republicans “appear populist … but act plutocrat”. What’s disorienting is that this shell game has worked. Although Republicans have historically governed for the benefit of the rich, they have recently rebranded themselves (successfully, it seems) as the party of the working class.
Is this new Republican messaging sincere? Or is it gaslighting? Well, Trump’s billionaire-stacked administration is quickly answering the question for us. However, this essay is not primarily about Trump, nor is it focused on the future. Instead, it’s a journey into how the partisan politics of the past have shaped the American plutocracy of today.
The essay consists of a deep dive into the realm of US state politics. The story will be simple and repetitive. Across states, I will measure the degree to which Republicans control each state’s legislature. Then I will observe, in a statistical sense, the policies and social outcomes that follow. That’s it. Of course, I’ll add commentary along the way. But the goal is to let the evidence speak for itself. And what leaps from the data is this: Republican control of state legislatures is systematically associated with the rich being (and becoming) richer. In short, American plutocracy seems to be a quintessentially Republican affair.
And that’s not all.
As we journey into the depths of US state politics, the plot will thicken. We’ll find striking partisan differences in the language used in state bills. We’ll see the many ways that Republicans help the rich and hurt workers. We’ll see the impact partisan politics have on the population as they work longer hours with less security. We’ll see the toll that Republican control takes on human welfare. And we’ll study the ways that Republicans gain power, despite enacting policies that are self-evidently bad for the majority. And we’ll reflect on the reasons that plutocracy can become self-reinforcing.
Think of the evidence that follows as a case study in how the machinery of democracy can be used to benefit the few and harm the many. It’s a warning from the past about tactics that will no doubt be intensified by Trump and his posse of plutocrats
Securing Multi-Layer Federated Learning: Detecting and Mitigating Adversarial Attacks
No full textWithin the realm of federated learning (FL), adversarial entities can poison models, slowing down or destroying the FL training process. Therefore, attack prevention and mitigation are crucial for FL. Real-world scenarios may necessitate additional separation or abstraction between clients and servers. When considering multi-layer FL systems, which contain edge server layers, the structural differences warrant new strategies to handle adversaries. While existing works primarily address attack prevention and mitigation in conventional two-layer FL systems, research on attack prevention and mitigation in multi-layer federated learning systems remains limited. This thesis aims to address this gap by investigating the defense strategies in a multi-layered FL system. We propose new methods for anomaly detection and removal of attackers/adversarial entities from training in a multi-layer FL system. First, we train a variational autoencoder (VAE) using the model updates collected from the edge servers. This allows the VAE to discern between benign and adversarial model updates. Following that, we deploy the VAE to detect which edge servers at the cohort level contain malicious clients. Subsequently, we devise two malicious client exclusion strategies: the scoring-based method, which applies a score for each client based upon its appearances within cohorts labeled as benign or malicious, and the Bayesian-based method, which uses Bayesian inference to predict if a specific client is malicious based on the statistical performance of the autoencoder. Both approaches are aimed at mitigating potential harm caused by malicious clients during model training. The experimental results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed methods over previous works for traditional FL mitigation under a variety of scenarios
The Effects Of Age And Distraction On Interlimb Synchronization Of The Center Of Pressure
No full textOlder adults experience increased fall risk, which may be influenced by distractibility. This study examines the effects of cognitive distractions on interlimb synchronization and balance in young and older adults. Participants performed quiet standing trials on separate force plates under eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions, with and without cognitive distraction (counting by ones, backward by sevens). Interlimb synchrony was assessed using cross-correlation (CCF) of center of pressure (COP) movements, while root mean square (RMS) sway and mean sway velocity (MSV) were also analyzed. It was hypothesized that cognitive distractions would reduce synchrony, particularly in older adults. Results showed no significant differences in CCF or RMS across groups or conditions, but MSV varied significantly across conditions. These findings suggest that while cognitive distractions affect postural sway velocity, they do not significantly impact synchrony or RMS under these conditions. This study enhances our understanding of balance-cognition interactions in aging
Understanding Bumble Bee Community Changes And Floral Use In Southern Ontario.
No full textMultiple wild bee species, including bumble bees, are in global decline due to habitat loss, reduced floral resources, and competition with managed honey bees. Monitoring previously surveyed sites is essential to assess ongoing impacts on bumble bee populations and identify trends over time. This research revisited areas in southern Ontario to examine changes in bumble bee abundance, diversity, and floral use (Chapter 1) and explored potential competition for floral resources between bumble bees and honey bees (Chapter 2). Results indicate that while some bumble bee species have increased over the last 50 years, many have declined, leading to an overall loss of diversity. Findings also reveal significant niche overlap between bumble bees and honey bees, suggesting competition for floral resources. This work informs conservation strategies, identifies species requiring focused efforts, and emphasizes the importance of maintaining diverse floral resources to support bumble bee populations
The Avestan Xvarənah-: A Chronology of Proposed Origins and Meanings of the Pan-Iranian Concept
No full textThe origins and meanings of the mysterious Avestan xvarənah- have captured the minds of Iranicist scholars for many years. Though commonly defined as ‘glory, splendour’ by those interested in translating the content of the Avesta, the primary meaning of xvarənah- has been thoroughly debated. This paper chronologically outlines significant claims regarding the etymological development of xvarənah-, the evidence provided for and against them, and the methods the researchers used to develop their theories. This paper also highlights doubts scholars have had toward xvarənah- as a word originating in Avestan. Av. xvarənah- does not adhere to Avestan sound changes brought on by the RUKI sound law of the satem Indo-European languages. The identification of xvarənah- as an outlier in Avestan phonological rules illustrates the potential for xvarənah- to have be considered a loan word adapted into Avestan some time after the split of the common Proto-Iranian language. Both linguistic and historical evidence will be drawn upon to demonstrate not only potential primary meanings but the relation Avestan xvarənah- has to the way in which its cognates are used across various other Iranian cultures as well as the ties it has as a religious concept to those described in the Vedic texts of the early Aryan peoples of India
Searching for Belonging and Living with Saudade: Emotional Geographies of Brazilian LGBTQ+ Migration to Canada
No full textMany LGBTQ+ Brazilians drastically remap their lives by emigrating to Canada, having often been denied place-making and the safe (re)production of their queer identities in their homelands. This research traces such northern geopolitical migration trajectories and seeks to understand them at the intersection of queer and emotional geographies. Particular attention is directed to interpreting the feeling of saudade, a cultural emotion specific to the Lusophone sphere. Drawing upon 14 semi-structured interviews, a focus group, and 29 photographs of objects that symbolize saudade, I operationalize the multi-scalar relations between the queer Brazilian body and the home, the nation, and transnational flows. The findings of this research outline those relationships, highlight spatially contingent and transforming othering processes, and explores the emotional processes that lead to a queer Brazilian diasporic identity of in-betweenness, physically in Canada, but oriented towards queer Brazil