bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social return on investment at Inspirations Studio
Authors: Meinhard Agnes , Butty Christina , Morin Theresa
Published: May 2021

Inspirations Studio is a “micro-business incubator for low income women who have been impacted by poverty, homelessness, trauma and mental health issues (About Us, n.d).” The Toronto nonprofit social enterprise helps its members ‘learn pottery and business skills so that they can earn income’ (About Us, n.d). The women members are self-employed, operating independent micro-businesses; at the studio they learn to make pottery and to run a business, sell the pottery they make, and use the income from the sales to better their lives. Although the women retain most of the earnings from the sale of their Inpirations-made pottery, they also pay the studio a fee for use of its facilities and clay materials. Because it is business with a social purpose – to teach disadvantaged women to make and sell pottery and by so doing, enhance their well-being, and commercial - to create and sell quality products – it is considered to be a social enterprise.
A recent case study of the organization found that, for a relatively low budget operation, Inspirations Studio generates enough benefits to its stakeholders to make it well worth the investment in the social enterprise (Meinhard, Lok & O’Connor, 2014). The case study used a systems-analytic, value-proposition framework to identify the elements and relationships necessary to create and deliver value to the stakeholders of the organization.
Keywords: CVSS, Centre for Voluntary Sector Studies, Working Paper Series, TRSM, Ted Rogers School of Management
Detailed Modeling of a Novel Photovoltaic Thermal Cascade Heat Pump Domestic Water Heating System
Authors: Fine J. P. , Friedman J. , Dworkin Seth
Published: May 2021

A domestic water heating system that combines photovoltaic thermal (PVT) solar collectors with two heat pumps, in a novel cascade arrangement, is presented and analyzed in this paper. The goal of this analysis is to determine and compare the annual thermal energy output of the PVT cascade heat pump system with an evacuated tube and simultaneous consumption PVT single heat pump water heating system. The computational technique that was
developed to analyze the PVT cascade heat pump system, which determines solar panel energy outputs, and heat pump operating characteristics, is described in detail. Case study simulation results are also presented, which include transient power output profiles, temperature profiles, and yearly energy output results. Hourly weather data, including air dry-bulb temperatures and solar flux values, from locations with a range of climates was used in these simulations. The results of this study show that the PVT cascade heat pump system has an annual thermal energy output improvement over the evacuated tube heating system ranging from 37% to 68%, depending on the selected simulation location.
Ethnic Retail Neighbourhoods: Place Making and Branding
Authors: Schmiz Antonie , Zhuang Zhixi Cecilia
Published: May 2021

Introduction
Urban areas continue to be attractive destinations for migrants. In these urban areas, migrants use their ethnic networks to ease the settlement process and often form residential hubs. The creation of these residential hubs is frequently followed by ethnic retail agglomerations. Many cities, in turn, regard their increasing ethno-cultural diversity as an opportunity for branding.
Local news poverty in Canadian communities: presentation to the House of Commons Heritage Committee
Authors: Lindgren April , Hodson Jaigris , Corbett Jon
Published: May 2021

This is an updated version of the brief submitted to the House of Commons Heritage Committee on Oct. 6, 2016 as part of the committee’s study on Communities and Local Media.

Residents of Canada’s largest municipalities can obtain news from multiple sources, but it’s a different story elsewhere in the country. People who live in smaller cities and towns, suburban communities and rural areas have fewer options to begin with, and in recent years their choices have become even more limited. Traditional news outlets have been hit by cutbacks, consolidations and closures, while digital first news sites often struggle to stay afloat.

Does any of this matter? The answer is “yes,” according to a report by the U.S.-based Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities in a Democracy. The commission’s report concluded that information is “as vital to the healthy functioning of communities as clean air, safe streets, good schools, and public health (Knight Commission, 2009, xiii).” It went on to argue that in addition to helping communities develop a sense of connectedness, access to information is essential in terms of holding public officials to account and making it possible for community members to work together to solve problems.

While local journalism is the subject of increasingly intensive scrutiny by scholars in the United States – Duke University’s Philip Napoli, for instance, is launching a project that will investigate the state of local news in 100 U.S. communities (Napoli, 2016) - there is much we don’t know about the Canadian situation and the extent to which the critical information needs of rural areas, towns and smaller cities in particular are being addressed. As Carleton University professor Dwayne Winseck warned committee members during his testimony earlier this year, there are “severe” shortages of information on changes to the media landscape overall. Moreover, he cautioned, there are “a lot of opinions and little data to act upon” (Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage 2016, 5)
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High Frequency Ultrasound in Monitoring Suitability for Transplantation
Authors: Vlad R. M. , Czarnota G. J. , Giles A. , Sherar Michael D. , Hunt J. W. , Kolios Michael C.
Published: May 2021

Currently there are no validated clinical methods to assess liver preservation injury. In this work we use high frequency ultrasound integrated backscatter (HFUIB) to assess liver damage in different experimental models of liver ischemia. The ultimate goal of this work is to provide a non-invasive tool to assess organ suitability for transplantation. To examine the effects of liver ischemia at different temperatures, livers from Wistar rats are surgically excised, immersed in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and stored at 4 and 20°C for 24h. To mimic organ preservation, livers are excised, flushed with University of Wisconsin (UW) solution and stored at 4°C for 24h. Preservation injury is simulated by not flushing livers with UW solution. Ultrasound images and corresponding radio frequency data are collected over the ischemic periods. No significant increase in HFUIB is measured for the livers prepared using standard preservation conditions. For all other ischemia models, the HFUIB increases by 4-9 dBr demonstrating kinetics dependent on storage conditions. HFUIB increase is associated with liver tissue injury. The results provide a possible framework for using high frequency imaging to non-invasively assess liver preservation injury.
Child and Youth Care Practitioners Contributions to Evidence-based Practice in Group Care
Authors: Stuart Carol , Sanders Larry
Published: May 2021

The primary goal of this project was to establish what exists in the education and training of entry-level child and youth care (CYC) practitioners in Ontario regarding evidence-based competencies focusing on mental health issues. To determine how CYC practice and evidence-based treatment and practices are related the project examined what competencies are required in CYC practice, what competencies are required in CYC practice specific to mental health practice, and how college and university education programs are training CYC practitioners to implement evidence-based practices. Additionally the project provided forums for educators and mental health providers to discuss their impressions, ideas and beliefs as to what future strategies are required to ensure that CYC education and practices are evolving to include the skills necessary to implement evidence-based treatments and practices (EBT and EBP).
Child and Youth Care Practitioners Contributions to Evidence-based Practice in Group Care
Authors: Stuart Carol , Sanders Larry
Published: May 2021

Child and Youth Care Practitioners Contributions to Evidence-based Practice in Group Care
Executive functions and parenting stress in mothers with problematic substance use
Authors: Ingram Victoria
Published: May 2021

A growing body of research has shown that executive functions play an important role in effective and sensitive parenting. No studies have examined this relation in mothers with problematic substance use, who may be at particular risk given biological, psychological, and contextual risks that may undermine executive functions and increase parenting stress. The
purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between three executive functions and parenting stress. Sixty-five mothers attending substance use treatment completed tasks assessing updating, inhibition, and shifting executive functions and questionnaires assessing parenting stress, reflecting both relational and household chaos definitions of the construct. Controlling for SES and age of youngest child, lower performance on both inhibition and updating tasks was associated with increased parenting stress, when a relational definition was employed. However, no significant relations were found between executive functions and household chaos definitions of parenting stress, after depression and SES were controlled for. These preliminary results suggest a role for executive functions in parenting stress in mothers with problematic substance use, but highlight the importance of considering the type of executive function assessed and the definition of parenting stress employed. Directions for future research and clinical implications are discussed.
New Insights into High Frequency Ultrasonic Tissue Scattering
Authors: Kolios Michael C. , Czarnota Gregory J
Published: May 2021

New Insights into High Frequency Ultrasonic Tissue Scattering
L’appartenance entrecroisée à l’héritage historique et au pluralisme contemporain chez des étudiants franco-ontariens
Authors: Jean-Pierre Johanne
Published: May 2021

Cet article s’appuie sur les données d’une étude qualitative effectuée de janvier à juin 2014 auprès d’étudiants collégiaux et universitaires franco-ontariens. Des entretiens semi-structurés ont été effectués auprès de 18 étudiants et étudiantes pour explorer les enjeux linguistiques qui se manifestent durant leurs parcours postsecondaires. Selon les modalités d’appartenance définies par Breton (1994), l’analyse démontre qu’une majorité d’étudiants rapportent avoir un sentiment d’appartenance à un héritage culturel franco-ontarien tout en mobilisant un répertoire culturel qui englobe la culture, l’histoire et le territoire. De plus, dans le cadre de cette étude, une nouvelle dimension de l’appartenance émerge : l’affirmation d’une francophonie contemporaine plurielle. Cette étude démontre le développement d’une appartenance entrecroisée qui comprend à la fois l’appartenance à l’héritage d’une communauté francophone historique et l'appartenance à une communauté franco-ontarienne contemporaine plurielle qui comprend des jeunes francophones d’origines ethniques et raciales diverses. This article explores data drawn from a qualitative study conducted between January and June 2014 with Franco-Ontarian college and university students. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 participants to explore their postsecondary pathways and linguistic issues. Using Breton’s (1994) modalities of belonging, this analysis reveals that a majority of participants are attached to a Franco-Ontarian cultural heritage and that they mobilize a cultural repertoire which includes culture, history and territory. In addition, a new dimension of belonging emerges from the data with the affirmation of a plural contemporary francophone community. This study illustrates the development of an intertwined sense of belonging to an historical francophone community heritage and a contemporary diverse Franco-Ontarian community which includes young Francophones from various ethnic and racial backgrounds.
The role of social capital: bridging, bonding or both?
Authors: Foster Mary K. , Meinhard Agnes G. , Berger Ida
Published: May 2021

[First paragraph of Introduction] : Nonprofit scholars have investigated several theoretical avenues in their search for an understanding of the role of nonprofit organizations in society. Some discussions have concentrated on the economic role of nonprofit organizations focusing on contribution to GDP (Stewart, 1996, Weisbrod, 1998), job growth (Hall & Banting, 2000), and the labour force value of volunteer work (Day & Devlin, 1996; Duchesne, 1989). Other discussions have considered the role from the perspective of contribution to society in terms of social service provision, and recreational and cultural enrichments beyond what can be provided by the for profit or government sectors (Hall & Banting, 2000, Kramer, 2000, Salamon & Anheier, 1998). Yet, a third scholarly focus has been to investigate the role of voluntary organizations in developing and maintaining social capital. With the publication of Putnam’s (2000) book, Bowling Alone, this concept has become the topic of increasing academic discourse, because of the connection that he makes between voluntary associations, social capital and economic development. Indeed, Putnam (1993, 1995) and Fukuyama (1995) conclude that social capital is a precondition for economic prosperity.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the role of voluntary organizations as bridgers and bonders in society and the implications of this role in social and economic development.
Keywords: CVSS, Centre for Voluntary Sector Studies, Working Paper Series, TRSM, Ted Rogers School of Management
Is it the “outstanding universal value" of heritage really global? : Measuring reputation using social media
Authors: Monteiro Vasco , Painho Marco , de Noronha Vaz Eric
Published: May 2021

Web 2.0 and social media play an important role nowadays in our society, not only from a user perspective, but also on an academic perspective. The data and information production based on the user-generated content is an important source to conduct scientific studies, specially the new geospatial information that exists due to the widespread of technological devices that capture the geospatial data. The main objective of this research is to assess if we can measure the brand awareness, with a focus in the reputation component, using geospatial user-generated content with an approach as a geographic problem. In this paper is identified the main research question and objectives, the methodological approach and the expected results regarding this Doctorate Thesis in Information Management.

Keywords: geographic information, social media, web 2.0, citizen sensing, ambient information systems, GIS, world heritage, brand awareness, reputation
Foreign Direct Investment and Customs Union: Incentives for Multilateral Tariff Cooperation over Free Trade
Authors: Yildiz Halis
Published: May 2021

We examine the implications of a customs union (CU) on the pattern of tariffs, welfare and the prospects for free trade when the nonmember firm has an incentive to engage in foreign direct investment (FDI). First we show that upon the formation of a bilateral CU, the non-member firm has greater incentives to engage in FDI. However, when FDI becomes a feasible entry option for the nonmember firm under a CU, member countries have incentives to strategically induce export over FDI by lowering their joint external tariff. When fixed set-up cost of FDI is sufficiently low, this tariff falls below Kemp-Wan tariff and CU leads to a Pareto improvement relative to no agreement. Moreover, using an infinite repetition of the one-shot tariff game under a CU, we show that FDI incentive of the nonmember firm makes the member countries (nonmember country) more (less) willing to cooperate multilaterally over free trade.

Keywords: Customs Union, Foreign Direct Investment, Multilateral Tariff Cooperation
The Promise of Pragmatism: Richard Rorty and Business Ethics
Authors: Pouryousefi Sareh , Freeman R. Edward
Published: May 2021

Pragmatists believe that philosophical inquiry must engage closely with practice in order to be useful, and that practice serves as a source of social norms. As a growing alternative to the analytic and continental philosophical traditions, pragmatism is well suited for research in business ethics, but its role remains underappreciated. This article focuses on Richard Rorty, a key figure in the pragmatist tradition. We read Rorty as a source of insight about the ethical and political nature of business practice in contemporary global markets, focusing specifically on his views about moral sentiments, agency, and democratic deliberation. Importantly for business ethicists, Rorty’s approach sets in stark relief our moral responsibility as useful, practical thinkers in addressing the societal challenges of our time. We use “modern slavery” as an empirical context to highlight the relevance of Rorty’s approach to business ethics. Keywords: deliberation
Self-management experiences among men and women with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a qualitative analysis
Authors: Mathew Rebecca , Gucciardi Enza , De Melo Margaret , Barata Paula
Published: May 2021

Background: The purpose of this study is to better understand differences in diabetes self-management,
specifically needs, barriers and challenges among men and women living with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
Methods: 35 participants were recruited from a diabetes education center (DEC) in Toronto, Canada. Five focus
groups and nine individual interviews were conducted to explore men and women's diabetes self-management
experiences.
Results: The average age of participants was 57 years and just over half (51.4%) were female. Analyses revealed five
themes: disclosure and identity as a person living with diabetes; self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG); diet
struggles across varying contexts; utilization of diabetes resources; and social support. Women disclosed their
diabetes more readily and integrated management into their daily lives, whereas men were more reluctant to tell
friends and family about their diabetes and were less observant of self-management practices in social settings.
Men focused on practical aspects of SMBG and experimented with various aspects of management to reduce
reliance on medications whereas women focused on affective components of SMBG. Women restricted foods from
their diets perceived as prohibited whereas many men moderated their intake of perceived unhealthy foods, except
in social situations. Women used socially interactive resources, like education classes and support groups whereas
men relied more on self-directed learning but also described wanting more guidance to help navigate the
healthcare system. Finally, men and women reported wanting physician support for both affective and practical
aspects of self-management.
Conclusions: Our findings highlight the differences in needs and challenges of diabetes self-management among
men and women, which may inform gender-sensitive diabetes, care, counseling and support.
Charity Auctions on the Internet: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Chua Clare , Berger Ida
Published: May 2021

The purpose of this study is to explore the value of conducting auctions on-line as a method of raising funds for charity organizations. We review the relevant literature on auctions, in both on-line and live formats and find that there remain numerous unanswered questions for charities considering this funding mechanism. In this exploratory study we collect and compare bid and selling information from eBay’s standard and charity sites and conclude, surprisingly, that the auction clearing prices for comparable items are higher on the non-charity site.

Keywords: CVSS, Centre for Voluntary Sector Studies, Working Paper Series,TRSM, Ted Rogers School of Management

Citation:
Interpreting the city: Portrayals of place in a Toronto-area ethnic newspaper
Authors: Lindgren April
Published: May 2021

This study investigates the sense of place portrayed in Ming Pao, a Chinese-language daily newspaper published in the Greater Toronto Area (gta). Mapping and content analysis of local news stories and photographs show that while the newspaper provides more coverage of the Chinese community than the mainstream media, there is an overwhelming emphasis on homeland news and a relatively limited range and amount of local news coverage. These findings, combined with the newspaper’s preoccupation with crime and lack of representation of other ethnic groups in a metropolitan area of unparalleled diversity, result in a portrait of the gta that is incomplete and potentially misleading.
The impact of cognitive restructuring and self-compassion strategies on negative body image among women with higher body weight: an experimental investigation
Authors: David Lauren Alysha
Published: May 2021

Individuals with higher body weight are at a greater risk of having negative body image (Friedman & Brownell, 1995). Yet current body image interventions, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), are largely tested with individuals with normal weight or individuals with eating disorders. Furthermore, cognitive restructuring, one of the key components of CBT for body image (Alleva et al., 2015), relies on the assumption that negative cognitions or appraisals regarding the body are unbalanced or distorted in some way. However, people with higher body weight are 50% more likely to experience major discrimination based on their weight status and thus may possess some “evidence” from lived experience of weight bias that would lend support to their negative body-related thoughts (Puhl & Brownell, 2001; 2006). The use of compassion-focused approaches might be particularly helpful in overcoming these obstacles. Self-compassion refers to the capacity for mindfully reflecting on one’s own perceived flaws, mistakes, or wrongdoings with kindness and with an appreciation for the inherent imperfection in everyone (Neff, 2013). The present study tested the impact of various thinking strategies for managing negative body image in women with higher body weight after getting on the scale, a commonly distressing body image trigger (Ogden & Evans, 1996). Participants (N = 79) were recruited from the community and screened for moderate body dissatisfaction. They were randomly assigned to receive a single training session in cognitive restructuring (CR), self-compassion (SC), or distraction (Control) strategies after being weighed. Participants in all three of the groups reported improvements in body dissatisfaction and negative affect immediately following the training. Relative to those in the Control group, those participants who received training in CR or SC strategies reported greater improvements in body image, body image flexibility, self-compassion, and cognitive distortions one week after the training. These findings suggest that CR and SC strategies may be helpful in improving the distress associated with being weighed among women with higher body weight. The results may have broader implications for the development of psychosocial interventions focused on improving body image among these individuals.
The Segmentation of Academic Labour
Authors: Bauder Harald
Published: May 2021

Academia increasingly faces pressures of corporatization and flexibilization. Of particular concern is the segmentation of academic labour into stable tenured or tenure-track professors and “flexible” sessional and adjunct faculty. In this paper, I review evidence of the segmentation of the Canadian academic labour market, examine the conditions that permit segmentation to exist, discuss why academic geographers in both segments comply with a segmented labour market and, finally, propose potential strategies to address the issue of segmentation.
Geospatial tools : for the visualization and analysis of local news distribution
Authors: Rinner Claus , Komaromy Andrew , Lindgren April
Published: May 2021

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) enable the integration, mapping, and analysis of data across numerous domains. It has been estimated that 80 per cent of all data collected by governments and businesses contain geographic references, and the news media are no exception. We will explain how we conceptualize news items as spatial data points and illustrate how GIS can be used to manage and analyze them using a sample of geographic references from local news items published in the Toronto Star newspaper. The analysis makes use of cartographic mapping for visual analysis of local news distribution and geospatial tools for quantitative–statistical analysis of emerging patterns. The objective of this paper is to illustrate how computer-based mapping tools can be used to analyze the geographic distribution of news in order to identify concentrations and gaps in local news coverage within a given area and thus better understand issues and trends in local news reporting.

Keywords : geographic distribution, GIS, local news, spatial point pattern analysis
Strategic Outsourcing under Economies of Scale
Authors: Chen Yutian , Sen Debapriya
Published: May 2021

Economies
of scale in upstream production can lead both disintegrated downstream firm as well as its vertically integrated rival to outsource
offshore for intermediate goods, even if offshore production has moderate
cost disadvantage compared to in-house production of
the vertically integrated firm.
Strategic Outsourcing under Economies of Scale
Authors: Chen Yutian , Sen Debapriya
Published: May 2021

Strategic Outsourcing under Economies of Scale
The Use of Virtual Human Factors Tools in Industry – A Workshop Investigation
Authors: Perez Jorge , Neumann Patrick
Published: May 2021

This report presents the views of participants in a series of workshops on Human Factors (HF) in virtual production planning. The participants, ergonomists and engineers from both public and private sectors, were presented with 6 different Virtual Human Factors (VHF) tools: Discrete Event Simulation, Predetermined Motion Time Systems, Complex and Simple Digital Human Models, Virtual Reality and SIMTER . Comments expressed by participants were recorded on digital audio tapes and by note takers and questionnaires were handed out. Eight main characteristics were identified as influencing factors for the use of VHF tools: cost, time, training, difficulty of use, reliability, graphics, flexibility and usefulness. Other findings included a need to modify report layouts and improvement recommendations particular to each tool. The findings in this report present the initial steps of an ongoing research program with the aim of developing improved approaches to using simulation to integrate human factors proactively into the early stages of a work system design.
GIS-Anwendungen im Internet
Authors: Fitzke Jens , Rinner Claus , Schmidt Dirk
Published: May 2021

This paper gives an overview of GIS applications on the Internet starting with an introductory scenario. The technical background of Internet GIS is examined from three perspectives: the browser-centered view, the Internet-enabled GIS view, and the component view. Subsequently, a consistent terminology for the classification of Internet GIS applications, according to the services they offer, is proposed as a base for further discussion. The individual service components can be interpreted as functional modules of different application types. The paper concludes with outlines of future technical advances and possible resulting consequences for GIS experts, users and the GIS market on the way into the next millenium.
Critical Practice of Grant Application and Administration
Authors: Bauder Harald , Belina Bernd , Butz David , Gedalof Ze'ef , Lagendijk Arnoud , Mudu Pierpaolo , Schuurman Nadine , Wilson David
Published: May 2021

Researchers experience increasing pressures to connect with bodies that finance their projects. In this climate, critical scholars face many obstacles as they seek to navigate the treacherous waters of securing external funds. To debate these challenges, the ACME Editorial Collective organized a panel for the 2009 Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers in Las Vegas. This intervention represents a follow-up discussion and collective writing process among some of the panelists and members of the audience who attended the panel. Below, we examine the neoliberalization of the current funding systems, discuss the implications for research practice, and make suggestions for critical engagement and transformation. Our suggestions, however, will not be easy to implement, as we can infer from the experience of the radical scholars of the post-1968 generation whose ascension into the upper echelons of North American and European university systems was also associated with the neoliberalization of the funding systems. This intervention represents a modest contribution in the tradition of critical research practice of creating the possibilities for progressive change.
Closing the Loop: Corporate Links to the Voluntary Sector
Authors: Meinhard Agnes , Foster Mary , Berger Ida
Published: May 2021

This paper brings together findings from three separate investigations to provide a deeper understanding of the changing roles of the government, for-profit and nonprofit sectors in ensuring civil society. The first study, based on a survey of 645 nonprofit organizations from across Canada, revealed a nonprofit sector changing to meet the challenges of the times, despite a general pessimism among leaders of nonprofit organizations as to their future (Meinhard & Foster, 2003a & b). The second, based on interviews with 20 Government of Ontario officials with links to the nonprofit sector, demonstrated how civil servants struggled to help nonprofit organizations adjust to the new policies and also encouraged them to form partnerships with the for-profit sector (Meinhard & Foster, 2003c). The research reported in this paper, based on interviews with 17 senior officers of Ontario-based corporations active in philanthropy, focuses on the corporations and probes more deeply in to the myriad of ways they are getting involved in their communities as socially responsible corporate citizens. The findings from the corporate interviews are compared and melded with those from previous interviews with government officials and nonprofit organizations to provide a three-dimensional perspective of the direction in which Canadian civil society may be moving.
Keywords: CVSS, Centre for Voluntary Sector Studies, Working Paper Series,TRSM, Ted Rogers School of Management
Commercial ventures in nonprofit organizations: strategic change or natural evolution?
Authors: Meinhard Agnes G. , Moher Louise , Foster Mary K. , Fitzrandolph Susan
Published: May 2021

This paper investigates the change processes involved in establishing commercial ventures as revenue generating alternatives in eleven nonprofit organizations, and reports on factors contributing to their success. The eleven cases studied illustrate that the establishment of commercial ventures in nonprofit organizations may result from either deliberate planning or following emergent opportunities. Regardless of whether change was emergent or deliberate, successful organizations were ones that did not try to radically change their paradigms. Their ventures were either merely an extension of existing physical or human resources, or entwined with their mission very early in their life cycle. The unsuccessful and struggling ventures, however, were the result of intended, deliberately planned change strategies that failed because the ventures failed to mesh with the organization’s paradigm.

Keywords: CVSS, Centre for Voluntary Sector Studies, Working Paper Series,TRSM, Ted Rogers School of Management

Citation:
Examining the influence of treatment preferences on attrition, adherence and outcomes: a protocol for a two-stage
partially randomized trial
Authors: Sidani Souraya , Fox Mary , Streiner David L. , Miranda Joyal , Fredericks Suzanne , Epstein Dana R.
Published: May 2021

Background: Empirical evidence pertaining to the influence of treatment preferences on attrition, adherence and outcomes in intervention evaluation trials is inconsistent. The inconsistency can be explained by the method used for allocating treatment and measuring preferences. The current methodological study is designed to address these factors by implementing the two-stage partially randomized or preference trial design, and administering a validated measure to assess participants’ preferences for the treatments under evaluation. It aims to compare attrition, adherence and outcomes for participants allocated randomly or by preference to treatment. The study is in its final stages of data collection; its protocol is presented in this paper. 

Methods/Design: A partially randomized clinical or preference trial is used. Eligible participants are randomized to two trial arms. First is the random arm involving random assignment to treatments, and second is the preference arm involving allocation to the chosen treatment. Participants with chronic insomnia are targeted. Two behavioral treatments are offered, stimulus control therapy and sleep restriction therapy, in the same format (small group) and dose (two sessions given over a 4-week period). A participant log is used to collect data on attrition. Adherence is evaluated in terms of exposure and enactment of treatment. Sleep-related outcomes (sleep parameters and perceived insomnia severity) are measured at pretest, posttest, 6 and 12 month follow-up. Treatment preferences, adherence and outcomes are assessed with reliable and valid measures. 

Discussion: The advantages and limitations of the preference trial design are highlighted. The challenges in implementing the trial are discussed relative to the distribution of participants in the groups defined by treatment received and method of treatment allocation. 

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Registry NCT02513017
The Construction of national identity in Germany: "Migration Background" as a political and scientific category
Authors: Scherr Albert
Published: May 2021

Migration has far-reaching effects on the construction of national identity. It can lead to established concepts of national identity and societal affiliation being questioned. In this working paper, it will be demonstrated on the basis of the contemporary German situation that the recognition of Germany as an immigration society does not come along with an overall recognition of migrants as equal members of society. Indeed it is still not sufficient to possess German citizenship to be accepted as a full member of society. It can be proven, that the distinction between "ordinary Germans" and "Germans with migration background" plays an important role in designating allegedly different elements of society. The paper discusses how the social sciences are involved in the process, which makes this differentiation appear plausible and acceptable.

Keywords: Germany, immigration, construction of a national identity, societal affiliation discrimination, social and scientific categories
Defining the Engine Design Process
Authors: Salustri Filippo A.
Published: May 2021

Shortening design lead times while maintaining product quality requires careful planning of the design process. This paper describes a technique used at a major automobile manufacturer to create a simple, flexible process to do just that for their engine design group. The design organization's communications infrastructure was tailored to assure that design information was reliably transmitted through the organization. The mechanism used to achieve this accounts for (a) both component and system perspectives, and (b) the unpredictable nature of the flow of design information by treating unpredictability as an acceptable, even desirable, state of affairs.
Raman spectroscopy of monosodium urate crystals: A novel tool for non-invasive gout diagnosis
Authors: Bilwani Faizan
Published: May 2021

Gout is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis. It results in the deposition of monosodium urate crystals (MSU) at the surface of a joint or the articular cartilage. The gold standard for gout diagnosis is synovial fluid (SF) analysis which requires aspiration of the fluid and subsequent analysis by polarized light microscopy (PLM). This has poor reproducibility, is invasive and requires trained personal to perform the analysis. Raman spectroscopy (RS) has the potential to be a non-invasive diagnostic tool that can detect the presence of MSU crystals. The purpose of the research was to determine whether Raman spectroscopy applied onto the surface of a joint could detect MSU crystals through the skin. Two clinical studies were conducted, entitled the Pilot study (Pilot) and the sons of gout study (SOG). Pilot (n=20) considered ten clinically diagnosed gout sufferers and ten clinically diagnosed Osteoarthritis (OA) patients that acted as control. SOG (n=25) considered nine asymptomatic patients where gout was confirmed by clinicians at time of experiment by ultrasound, and 16 Non-Gouty patients, which did not show any signs of gout. An algorithm was implemented in Matlab® 2016 that removed background florescence, performed denoising and identified the presence or absence of MSU peaks. The comparisons were made against Raman peaks that are known to relate to MSU according to the literature. Three peak combinations, entitled C1, C2 and C3 were evaluated based on their resulting sensitivities and specificities for both studies. C1 was chosen as it provided the highest sensitivity for both studies. Pilot was found to have a sensitivity and specificity of 0.8 and 0.7, respectively. SOG had a sensitivity and specificity of 1 and 0.5, respectively. The results indicated that RS diagnosis is able to achieve good to high sensitivity comparable to other gout detection techniques but a moderate to good specificity. The results also show that RS is fully capable of detecting MSU crystals in-vivo, but results in a high number of false positives, 2 for Pilot and 7 for SOG. However, the false positives in Pilot may be attributed to the control subjects suffering from osteoarthritis, which can be a precursor of gout, and the false positives in the SOG study may be a result of ultrasound (US) being used as the confirmatory diagnostic technique that RS is being compared to. US is known to have sensitivity as low as 0.22 and is operator-dependent. Larger population studies are needed to confirm the ability of RS as a diagnostic tool for detecting gout.
Afros, activism,and affinity: the politicization of black natural hair, racism and a sense of belonging in the Greater Toronto area
Authors: Homer Jasmine
Published: May 2021

This research study explores the natural hair textures of six Black/mixed-race women as a symbol of activism in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), where natural Black hair continues to be discriminated against in public and private spheres. While all six women experienced racism in the GTA, intergenerational knowledge from family played a larger role in shaping their negative perceptions of their own hair, and how members of the dominant group may perceive their hair. Their experiences were assessed alongside their opinions on Canada’s well-known Multiculturalism Act (1982, c.24) which seeks to preserve and enhance multiculturalism. While all six women believe that cultural celebrations (e.g. Caribana, Taste of the Danforth, etc.) are a demonstration of The Act in play, they all find that The Act is ineffective in bridging the gap between ideology and practice, and therefore does not facilitate social inclusion between members of the dominant group and racialized ‘Others’.

Key Words: Racism in Toronto; Natural Hair; Activism; Multiculturalism Act; Social Inclusion
Niche employment or occupational segmentation? Immigrant women working in the settlement sector in Germany and Canada
Authors: Jayaraman Sita , Bauder Harald
Published: May 2021

Much of the research on the settlement sector focuses on the impact of settlement programs on the integration of immigrants. The settlement sector as a field of employment for immigrant women is still an emerging field for research. This working paper examines the experiences of immigrant women working in the settlement sector and compares Germany with Canada in this respect. The central thesis is that immigrant women working in this sector experience occupational segmentation based on their gender, race, and immigration status. Our research findings support this thesis,
suggesting that the settlement sector is a deeply segmented labour market where, on the one hand, language and cultural competencies facilitate the employment of racialized immigrant women, while on the other hand, the positions these women occupy are characterized by precarious working conditions with limited opportunities for professional growth. These similar labour market outcomes occur in Germany and Canada, despite the rather different structures of the settlement sector in the two countries.

Keywords: immigrant women, labour market experiences, settlement services, occupational segmentation
The Effect of Volume Fraction on the Backscatter from Nucleated Cells at High Frequencies
Authors: Baddour Ralph E. , Kolios Michael C.
Published: May 2021

Small variations in scatterer volume fraction, which can result from changes in tissue microstructure due to cancer therapies or organ preservation, may have a significant impact on ultrasound backscatter. Although the effect of volume fraction has been studied for non-biological scatterers and red blood cells, this study addresses the case of nucleated cells. Suspensions with volume fractions up to 70% of acute myeloid leukemia cells were insonified with broadband 20 MHz and 40 MHz pulses. The resultant average normalized backscatter intensities plotted as a function of volume fraction demonstrated a better agreement with the Yagi-Nakayama continuum scattering theory rather than the Mo-Cobbold particle scattering model (using hard sphere packing). Normalized backscatter increased with cell volume fraction up to a maximum value, occurring between 20 and 30% volume fraction, varying with frequency and then decreased with further increases in volume fraction. This result may have implications in the development of new quantitative, ultrasound-based tissue characterization techniques.
Optimal Fixed Bed Reactor Network Configuration for the Efficient Recycling of CO2 into Methanol
Authors: Elkamel Ali , Zahedi Gholam Reza , Marton Chris , Lohi Ali
Published: May 2021

An optimal design strategy of a network of fixed bed reactors for Methanol Production (MP) is proposed in this study. Both methanol production and profit spanning a production period of eight years have been set as objective functions to find the optimal production network. The conservation of mass and energy laws on a heterogeneous model of a single industrial methanol reactor was first developed. The model was solved numerically and was validated with industrial plant data. Different reactor network arrangements were then simulated in order to find an optimal superstructure. It was found that a structure of four reactors (two in series in parallel with another two in series) provide maximum production rate. The application of the more realistic objective function of profit showed that a configuration of two parallel reactors is the best configuration. This optimal structure produces 92 tons/day more methanol than a single reactor.
National drought plan of the Republic of Moldova
Authors: Cazac Valeriu , Daradur Mihail
Published: May 2021

This National Drought Plan (NDP) is a product of the collaborative efforts between the United Nation Convention
to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the State Hydrometeorological Service of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural
Development and Environment of the Republic of Moldova and the Research and Project Center “Eco Logistica”.
The Diverse City: Can you read all about it in ethnic newspapers?
Authors: Lindgren April
Published: May 2021

The ethnic diversity in Canadian cities has been accompanied by rapid growth in the number of ethnocultural newspapers serving immigrant, ethnic and racialized communities. What role do these newspapers play in shaping how different groups see each other? This study examines how three ethnic newspapers published in the Greater Toronto Area portray residents other than their target audiences. Data are presented on the extent to which other groups are covered in the news and the nature of that news coverage. The results suggest that the Korean, Russian and Punjabi-language publications examined in the study paint only a limited picture of diversity in one of the world’s most diverse metropolitan areas. In the case of the Korean-language newspaper, there is also some limited evidence of stereotyping of the Black community. Suggestions are offered on how ethnic news outlets with small editorial teams and limited financial resources can introduce greater diversity into their news reporting without compromising coverage of their own communities. Training options and strategies to help address challenges associated with reporting on diversity are also outlined.
Characterization and Classification Using Autoregressive Modeling and Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Farnoud Noushin R. , Kolios Michael C.
Published: May 2021

This research explores the possibility of monitoring
apoptosis and classifying clusters of apoptotic cells based on
the changes in ultrasound backscatter signals from the tissues.
The backscatter from normal and apoptotic cells, using a high
frequency ultrasound instrument are modeled through an
Autoregressive (AR) modeling technique. The proper model
order is calculated by tracking the error criteria in the
reconstruction of the original signal. The AR model
coefficients, which are assumed to contain the main statistical
features of the signal, are passed as the input to Linear and
Nonlinear machine classifiers (Fisher Linear Discriminant,
Conditional Gaussian Classifier, Naive Bayes Classifier and
Neural Networks with nonlinear activation functions). In
addition, an adaptive signal segmentation method ,(Least
Squares Lattice Filter) is used to differentiate the data from
layers of different cell types into stationary parts ready for
modeling and classification.
Keywords: Apoptosis, Ultrasound Backscatter
When an inefficient firm makes higher profit than its efficient rival
Authors: Sen Debapriya , Stamatopoulos Giorgos
Published: May 2021

This paper considers a Cournot duopoly game with endogenous organization structures. There are two firms A and B who compete in the retail market, where A is more efficient than B. Prior to competition in the retail stage, firms simultaneously choose their organization structures which can be either ‘centralized’ (one central unit chooses quantity to maximize firm’s profit) or ‘decentralized’ (the retail unit chooses quantity to maximize firm’s revenue while the production unit supplies the required quantity). Identifying the (unique)Nash Equilibrium for every retail-stage subgame, we show that the reduced form game of organization choices is a potential game. The main result is that with endogenous organization structures, situations could arise where the less efficient firm B obtains a higher profit than its more efficient rival A.
Report: Covering disadvantaged neighbourhoods
Authors: Lindgren April
Published: May 2021

Residents of Toronto's poorest neighbourhoods sometimes accuse the media of only reporting bad news. Is this true? And if it is true, does this matter? A new study in the Canadian Journal of Urban Research analyzes the impact local news coverage has on 13 troubled communities where social services are inadequate and poverty is rising.
Technological determinism in Canadian telecommunications: Telidon technology, industry and government.
Authors: Gillies Donald J.
Published: May 2021

This paper looks at the notion of technological determinism as popularly used by government and industry to generate acceptance of and demand for innovation and its products. In particular, it considers how the rhetorical surround of the research, development and marketing of Telidon may be seen as technological determinism shaping communications policy.