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The Most Important Thing in IPV Right Now : The Intersection of Intimate Partner Violence and Brain Injury
Get PDFThe intersection of intimate partner violence (IPV) and brain injury (BI) has been almost entirely overlooked in research, practice, and policy, despite the known risks associated with the two conditions. Individually, IPV and BI are associated with elevated rates of unemployment, poverty, and homelessness, as well as increased mental health challenges. These social determinants of health, employment status, and income impact women’s wellbeing through access to safe accommodations, food security, and (dis)ability supports. These determinants are also related to an increased likelihood of experiencing addictions, mental health challenges, and physical danger, potentially leaving women vulnerable to ongoing violence. This qualitative study sought to explore the complex interconnections between work environments and the needs of women survivors of IPV-related BI (IPV-BI). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty-four stakeholder participants from four groups: women survivors, executive director/program managers, direct service providers, and employer/union representatives. The overarching goal of this project was to provide in-depth information about the intersection between IPV and BI, and the implications for women’s employment. The research provided an opportunity for women survivors to share their lived experiences of employment within the context of their exposure to IPV and BI, amplifying their voices through a participatory model of qualitative research. The study was informed by Critical Disability Theory, Intersectionality, and the author’s own theoretical advancement of the Considered Inclusive Framework. The work concludes with a discussion of the findings, including the extraordinary complexity within the intersection of IPV-BI itself, the impact of a socially derived culture of shame and stigma that shapes the experience of IPV-BI, and the recognition/consideration of the complex layers of power that survivors are exposed to, both structural and individual. A significant and serious gap in awareness, knowledge, and understanding of IPV-BI, combined with an underfunded support system, is also discussed. Recommendations for practice and future research are presented, and the unique role of social work is considered in the context of moving toward an integrated response
The Wilderness Which Never Was: A History of the Białowieża Forest 1850–1947
No full textLocated on both sides of the Polish-Belarusian border in north-eastern Poland, the Białowieża forest is the largest remaining remnant of the vast primeval forest that once covered most of Europe. It is also home to Europe’s biggest land animal—the European bison. Over the past century Polish governments, as well as modern-day Polish and European environmental groups, have promoted the forest as the “last European wilderness.” Even today, the public regularly protests and decries news of human encroachment on the forest. Yet in reality, the Białowieża forest has been exploited and studied by humans for centuries, making it one of the best-known places on earth. Despite clear evidence of human intrusion into Białowieża through successive political regimes and both world wars, the myth of a wild Białowieża nevertheless persists in Poland and Europe. This dissertation explores the history behind the myth of the wild forest as well as the myth-making process. Based on extensive research using archival material and published primary and secondary sources, this dissertation asks where the myth of a wild Białowieża came from and why it emerged, and explores how this myth shaped the history of the forest from the second half of the 19th century through to the first half of the 20th century. This dissertation argues that the myth was powerful enough to dictate various government policies related to the forest and ultimately to determine the fate of the forest itself
RETURNING TO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOLLOWING INJURY: EXPLORING PSYCHOLOGICAL READINESS IN MIDDLE-AGED ADULTS
No full textPrevious researchers have focused on a variety of psychological aspects of injury rehabilitation in the context of returning to competitive sport (Ardern et al., 2016; Donald, 2019; Podlog et al., 2022; Webster et al., 2018). Return to sport decisions have been largely based on physical assessment and functional ability tests with little focus on psychological elements of recovery (Podlog et al., 2015). The existing literature on psychological readiness (PR) to return to sport has grown in recent years, primarily exploring the experiences of young adult athletes aged 18-30 (Podlog et al., 2022). There has been no previous research exploring the experiences of PR in physically active middle-aged adults who have sustained an injury, and the process of their return to physical activity (PA).
The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the experiences of PR in injured middle-aged adults who are looking to, or who have returned to PA. Self-determination theory (SDT; Ryan & Deci, 2000) was used as the theoretical framework to assess the role of basic psychological needs in this process. Eight middle-aged participants aged 43-62 (n=4 males; n=4 females) were interviewed about their experiences with injury rehabilitation and PR. PR was described by participants as involving patience, acceptance, and resilience. Reflexive thematic analysis produced three overarching PR themes: life experience, mind-body dichotomy, and personal responsibility. The need for autonomy and competence satisfaction were identified as the most prominent and influential to their perceptions of PR. The findings may be useful to healthcare providers regarding important considerations when assessing and treating injured middle-aged adults. This exploratory study provided exposure to an under-represented population within the literature, specifically relating to PR, emphasizing the acknowledgement and need of research on injury rehabilitation in middle-aged adults
Multiscale Modelling of Brain Networks and the Analysis of Dynamic Processes in Neurodegenerative Disorders
Get PDFThe complex nature of the human brain, with its intricate organic structure and multiscale spatio-temporal characteristics ranging from synapses to the entire brain, presents a major obstacle in brain modelling. Capturing this complexity poses a significant challenge for researchers. The complex interplay of coupled multiphysics and biochemical activities within this intricate system shapes the brain\u27s capacity, functioning within a structure-function relationship that necessitates a specific mathematical framework. Advanced mathematical modelling approaches that incorporate the coupling of brain networks and the analysis of dynamic processes are essential for advancing therapeutic strategies aimed at treating neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs), which afflict millions of individuals worldwide.
This thesis aims to develop novel multiscale brain network models to investigate the properties of biological processes spanning multiple spatial and temporal scales, potentially offering new insights into the fundamental aspects of brain networks in healthy and diseased states. Among various factors, our particular attention is devoted to brain electrical activity, which serves as a significant characteristic of NDDs such as Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD), cortical spreading depression (CSD), and Parkinson\u27s disease (PD).
Our analysis starts with a focus on large-scale brain network models within the context of AD and PD. Importantly, AD is characterized by pathological accumulations of amyloid-beta plaques () and neurofibrillary tangles (). Specifically, the propagation of intracellular calcium () signalling within non-neuronal cells, such as astrocytes, has an impact on the tripartite synapse propagation in neuronal cells, leading to synaptic failure and neuronal death. To gain insights into the pathogenesis of AD, particularly the role of astrocytes in the presence of misfolded proteins ( and ), we propose an improved large-scale brain network model. This model incorporates the concept of astrocytic clearance, which aids in the fragmentation and elimination of toxic . We obtained the data from the Human Connectome Project (HCP) and proposed a hybrid multiscale modelling strategy based on a large-scale brain network model. Furthermore, PD is characterized by involuntary or uncontrolled movements such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulties with balance and coordination. In our study, we have developed a small-scale brain network model that aims to shed light on the intricate dynamics of PD and its impact on the brain. Within the context of PD, we have explored the optimization of deep brain stimulation (DBS) procedures, a well-established neuromodulation technique for managing PD symptoms. By leveraging data from the HCP, we propose a closed-loop DBS approach based on a brain network model.
Additionally, CSD is characterized by a slowly propagating wave that disrupts the brain\u27s homeostasis, leading to a temporary impairment in the normal functioning of neurons. In this thesis, our focus is to model the propagation of CSD in the brain using two different approaches found in the literature. Firstly, we employ a simplified model consisting of six coupled equations of the reaction-diffusion type in two spatial dimensions. Secondly, we utilize a more complex one-dimensional neuronal model that incorporates ionic currents and ionic pumps. Furthermore, we have developed a comprehensive coupled neuronal-glial model to investigate the impact of temperature on the activation and inactivation of ionic channels, specifically focusing on their influence on calcium-mediated exosomal dynamics in PD and AD. This model specifically examines controlled therapeutic exosomal release by evaluating the modulated release rate and the concentration of released exosomes. Importantly, it considers the temperature threshold dependence on dynamics by incorporating cold-sensing neurons. The outcomes of our investigation highlight the significant role played by and voltage-gated channels in determining temperature-dependent activation and inactivation at various threshold levels.
Notably, the primary objective of this thesis is to develop multiscale deterministic and stochastic models that can capture the overall trends and average behaviour of the system, providing insights into the mechanisms underlying these diseases. The etiology of AD can be described as a multi-state disease process utilizing the approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) method. In this context, we employ ADNI data from 2-year visits for AD patients and apply this method to investigate the interplay between and levels at different stages of disease development. Astrocytes play a crucial role in NDDs as they secrete neurotrophins, regulate synaptogenesis, facilitate the formation of neural networks, and influence synaptic plasticity underlying learning, memory, and disease progression. Thus, we employ strong and weak astrocyte effect models on dynamics to explore the biological mechanisms within the central nervous system. In this regard, we analyze ADNI data for concentration and fit it to the developed stochastic models using the ABC technique, allowing us to refine and validate the model based on clinical data.
It is expected that the coupled multiscale models developed in this thesis will provide novel insight into disease origin and progression and a better understanding of the key mechanisms underlying the dynamics of the pathological brain
Structural and Functional Analysis of the Putatively Virulent Gene Products Tde1414, Tde1511, and Tde2714 from the Oral Pathogen Treponema denticola
Get PDFPeriodontitis is a destructive polymicrobial disease of the teeth and gums characterized by dental plaque biofilms on the tooth surface, severe inflammation of surrounding gum tissues, and the resorption of alveolar bone. Discussed as one of the most prevalent conditions plaguing humankind, increased clinical parameters of periodontitis is associated with the increased presence of three bacteria known as the “red complex”: Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola. Various transcriptomic and proteomic studies of T. denticola when incorporated into mature biofilms have illuminated key gene targets the bacterium may use as virulence factors to aid in pathogenesis. Of the identified gene targets, Tde1414, Tde1511, and Tde2714 were further investigated on their roles to promote infection. Understanding the biological processes in which these proteins function will unveil a deeper mechanistic understanding to infection. We have used bioinformatics, biochemical processes, and structural characterization methods to evaluate structural and functional hypotheses for these targets. Our characterization has provided insight into what we have hypothesized to be important biological contributions that may contribute to keystone biological processes for T. denticola and as such, may provide details to exploit for therapeutic design
Grief Amidst the Guns: Death in the Canadian Expeditionary Force on the Western Front
No full textThis dissertation examines how Canadian soldiers of the First World War dealt with death on the Western Front. Members of the Canadian Expeditionary Force risked death, witnessed it and lived alongside it while serving in the trenches. Circumstances of death in the frontlines differed from those in civilian life; death of the very young by disease was replaced by violent death of adult men. Even conflicts of the preceding fifty years provided little indication of what soldiers would face during the First World War. Canada’s death rate during the First World War was nearly three times that of the South African War and the vast majority of those deaths were due to enemy action. This dissertation argues that the scale and violence of death on the Western Front pushed soldiers to develop multiple means of coping and grieving. Reactions varied; emotional reserve, sadness, communal grieving and gravesite rituals appear in men’s writings alongside anger and dark humour in response to the deaths of comrades. Even as the Western Front presented new and challenging circumstances, the men of the Canadian Expeditionary Force often turned to and adapted their civilian death customs to manage their emotions and experiences with the dead
The Prevalence and Consequences of Gender-based Violence Among Trans and Non-Binary University Students in Ontario
Get PDFCommunity studies documenting gender-based violence (GBV) experienced by trans and non-binary (TNB) people often find differences in prevalence across TNB subgroups. Studies of TNB university students tend to treat them as a homogenous group, thus gender differences in terms of subgroups are unknown. Using data collected from TNB Ontario university students, I examined the prevalence and impacts of GBV across three TNB subgroups (trans man spectrum, trans women spectrum, and gender queer/non-binary). Specifically, reflecting subtle and overt forms of GBV, among each subgroup I explored the frequency of trans environmental microaggressions, trans interpersonal microaggressions, and victimization, and their relationship with positive mental health, psychological distress, perceived stress, and campus belonging. Trans man spectrum students reported experiencing both microaggression types significantly more frequently than the trans woman spectrum. No other differences in prevalence were found. Consistent with minority stress theory, at all levels of analysis statistically significant relationships between GBV forms and wellbeing outcomes, with one exception, were in expected direction, suggesting that experiences of GBV are associated with poorer wellbeing outcomes. Exploratory and explanatory analyses suggest that GBV can negatively impact students’ wellbeing, but these impacts are not identical across TNB subgroups. This study highlights the importance of considering TNB students as a heterogeneous group when examining GBV and its consequences. Implications for policy, practice, and the training of social work students are offered
Investigating the Use of Voluntary Furloughs to Reduce Labour Costs: The Effect on Employee Effort
Get PDFTo quickly reduce costs in response to external shocks, firms often implement voluntary furloughs. In a voluntary furlough, employees decide whether to accept a reduction in their pay with a corresponding reduction in work hours. Despite the prevalence of voluntary furloughs in practice, it remains an empirical question how employees will respond to this cost reduction practice. The purpose of my dissertation is to investigate how the implementation of a voluntary furlough affects the subsequent effort of employees who volunteer and those who do not volunteer for a furlough.
I address my research question using two experiments where I manipulate the type of furlough implemented (voluntary, mandatory, or no furlough) and, within the voluntary furlough condition, I measure employees’ decision to volunteer or not volunteer and the motive underlying this decision. Consistent with my expectations, I observe that the effect of a voluntary furlough on employees’ subsequent effort depends on their motives for volunteering. Employees who have altruistic motives for volunteering do not change their effort significantly following the furlough period, but employees who do not have altruistic motives for volunteering (i.e., have only egoistic motives) significantly increase their effort following the furlough period. I also observe, consistent with my expectations, that employees who choose not to volunteer increase their subsequent effort.
My dissertation contributes to the literature that investigates the consequences of labour cost reduction in the workplace. In contrast to the prior research, which has studied the effects of mandatory reduction strategies, my research provides insights into how employees respond to a voluntary furlough. I provide initial evidence that employees’ reactions to a voluntary furlough depend on their decision to volunteer or not volunteer, as well as the motives underlying this decision
Rates and patterns of permafrost thaw induced landcover change at Scotty Creek, Canada
Get PDFIn the peatland-dominated regions of discontinuous permafrost in northwestern Canada, permafrost thaw is altering landscapes at rates without precedent in the historical record. The present study uses a combination of remote sensing and ground based methods to examine the rates and patterns of permafrost thaw and how such thaw is changing the form and function of the landscape. The area within a 4 km2 area of interest underlain by permafrost decreased from 51% in 1977 to 43% in 2010, and to 40% in 2018, indicating an increase in the permafrost thaw rate from 0.24% yr-1 between 1977 and 2010, and 0.43% yr-1 between 2010 and 2018. Between 1977 and 2018, the permafrost-free terrain expanded by a factor of 1.25. The average expansion of all individual wetlands over the same period ranged between 0.30 and 1.33. The total permafrost terrain contracted by a factor of 0.8 between 1977 and 2018, while estimates of the average shrinkage factor of all individual plateaus ranged between 0.54 and 0.79. Wetland coalescence and plateau fragmentation processes complicated the computation of the average expansion and contraction factors. Measurements made along transects since 2011 indicated a persistent lowering of the permafrost table (vertical thaw), simultaneous recession of plateau edges (horizontal thaw), widespread development of talik, and preferential permafrost thaw driven by local site factors. Between 2011 and 2021, the average thaw below transects varied from 2.8 to 12.3 cm yr-1. The transect measurements also indicated that as the width of plateaus decreased due to thaw, the average rate of thaw increased. Geophysical measurements below an intensively studied plateau indicated that it lost 13% of its permafrost volume between 2010 and 2019. This thaw was equally driven by horizontal displacement of the plateau edge and by upward-displacement of the base of permafrost. The downward-directed thaw as indicated by the displacement of the permafrost table accounted for a slightly lower fraction