bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Overview of Literature on RMC and Applications to Tanzania
Authors: Wilson-Mitchell Karline , Eustace Lucia , Robinson Jamie , Shemdoe Aloisia , Simba Stephano
Published: July 2021

Respectful maternity care research in Tanzania continues to increase. This is an overview of the literature summarizing research based on the domains which comprise this quality of care indicator, ranging from exploratory and descriptive to quantitative measurements of birth perinatal outcomes when respectful interventions are made. The domains of respectful care are reflected in the seven Universal Rights of Childbearing Women but go further to implicate facility administrators and policy makers to provide supportive infrastructure to allay disrespect and abuse.

The research methodologies continue to be problematic and several ethical cautions restrict how much control is possible. Similarly, the barriers to collecting accurate accounts in qualitative studies of disrespect require astute interviewing and observation techniques. The participatory community-based and the critical sociology and human rights frameworks appear to provide a good basis for both researcher and participants to identify problems and determine possible solutions to the multiple factors that contribute to disrespect and abuse. The work-life conditions of midwives in the Global South are plagued with poor infrastructure and significantly low resources which deters respectful care while decreasing retention of workers. Researchers and policy-makers have addressed disrespectful care by building human resource capacity, by strengthening professional organizations and by educating midwives in low-resource countries. Furthermore, researchers encourage midwives not only to acquire attitudinal change and to adopt respectful maternity care skills, but also to emerge as leaders and change agents.

Safe methods for conducting care while addressing low resources, skilled management of conflict and creative innovations to engage the community are all interventions that are being considered for quality improvement research. Tanzania is poised to evaluate the outcomes of education workshops that address all seven domains of respectful care.
A systematic review of the effectiveness of advanced practice nurses in long-term care
Authors: DiCenso Alba
Published: July 2021

To report quantitative evidence of the effectiveness of advanced practice nursing roles, clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners, in meeting the healthcare needs of older adults living in long-term care residential settings. Although studies have examined the effectiveness of advanced practice nurses in this setting, a systematic review of this evidence has not been conducted. Quantitative systematic review. Twelve electronic databases were searched (1966-2010); leaders in the field were contacted; and personal files, reference lists, pertinent journals, and websites were searched for prospective studies with a comparison group. Studies that met inclusion criteria were reviewed for quality, using a modified version of the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organisation of Care Review Group risk of bias assessment criteria. Four prospective studies conducted in the USA and reported in 15 papers were included. Long-term care settings with advanced practice nurses had lower rates of depression, urinary incontinence, pressure ulcers, restraint use, and aggressive behaviours; more residents who experienced improvements in meeting personal goals; and family members who expressed more satisfaction with medical services. Advanced practice nurses are associated with improvements in several measures of health status and behaviours of older adults in long-term care settings and in family satisfaction. Further exploration is needed to determine the effect of advanced practice nurses on health services use; resident satisfaction with care and quality of life; and the skills, quality of care, and job satisfaction of healthcare staff.
Study of the formation of 3-D titania nanofibrous structure by MHz femtosecond laser in ambient air
Authors: Tavangar Amirhossein , Tan Bo , Venkatakrishnan Krishnan
Published: July 2021

In this study, we describe the formation mechanism of web-like three-dimensional (3-D) titania nanofibrous structures during femtosecond laser ablation of titanium (Ti) targets in the presence of background air. First, we demonstrate the mechanism of ablation of Ti targets by multiple femtosecond laser pulses at ambient air in an explicit analytical form. The formulas for evaporation rates and the number of ablated particles, which is analogous to the deposition rate of the synthesized nanofibers, for the ablation by a single pulse and multiple pulses as a function of laser parameters, background gas, and material properties are predicted and compared to experimental results. Afterwards, the formation of nanofibrous structures is demonstrated by applying an existing simplified kinetic model to Ti targets and ambient conditions. The predicted theory provides nanofiber diameter dependency with the combination of laser parameters, target properties, and ambient gas characteristics. Experimental studies are then performed on titania nanofibrous structures synthesized by laser ablation of Ti targets using MHz repletion-rate femtosecond laser at ambient air. The models' predictions are then compared with the experimental results, where nanostructures with different morphologies are manufactured by altering laser parameters. Our results indicate that femtosecond laser ablation of Ti targets at air background yields crystalline titania nanostructures. The formation of crystalline titania nanostructures is preceded b thermal mechanism of nucleation and growth. The results point out that laser pulse repetition and dwell time can control the density, size, and pore size of the engineered nanofibrous structure. As the deposition rate of nanostructures is analogous to the ablation rate of the target, higher density of nanofibrous structure is seen at greater laser fluences. The predicted theory can be applied to predict ablation mechanism and nanofiber formation of different materials.
Facilitators and barriers of heart surgery discharge: patients’ and nurses’ narrative accounts
Authors: Lapum Jennifer L. , Fredericks Suzanne , Liu Linda , Yau Terrence M. , Retta Bruktawit , Jones Vaska M. , Hume Sarah
Published: July 2021

Background: Optimal patient recovery from open-heart surgery relies on effective discharge planning and education. However, the nature of the discharge experience has not been clearly described.
Objective: The study purpose is to explore patients’ and nurses’ narrative accounts of the facilitators and barriers of heart surgery discharge.
Methods: A qualitative study was employed using a narrative methodology that elicited and analyzed stories. This research was conducted in a large, urban hospital in Ontario, Canada. A total of 17 patients and nurses were recruited. Five female and 5 male patients were recruited from a preoperative clinic. Ages ranged from 37 to 80 years. Seven nurses were recruited from inpatient cardiovascular units. They had 2 to 19 years of cardiovascular nursing experience. Semistructured, narrative-based interviews were conducted. Two interviews were conducted with each patient at 1 week after discharge and at 4 to 6 weeks. One interview was conducted with each nurse.

Results: Findings indicate that although the preoperative period was identified as an effective time for discharge preparation, the patient’s cognitive capacity was limited during the postoperative phase of surgery. Both nurses and patients also found that insufficient time impeded the discharge process and limited individualized discussions. The structured and standardized delivery of discharge information affected patients’ capacity to apply it to the particularities in their own lives and homes. The fostering of therapeutic relationships created a space where patients felt comfortable sharing their concerns and nurses learned more about patients and thus could better tailor the discharge approach.

Conclusions: Study recommendations include group and scenario-based education in which patients and nurses brainstorm about how to apply the discharge information to the particularities of patients’ lives and homes. Provision of support needs to be bolstered during the home period, where patients have timely opportunities to discuss their concerns and questions with practitioners or possibly peers.
Towards an Automatic Ice Navigation Support System in the Arctic Sea
Authors: Liu Xintao , Sattar Shahram , Li Songnian
Published: July 2021

Conventional ice navigation in the sea is manually operated by well-trained navigators, whose experiences are heavily relied upon to guarantee the ship’s safety. Despite the increasingly available ice data and information, little has been done to develop an automatic ice navigation support system to better guide ships in the sea. In this study, using the vector-formatted ice data and navigation codes in northern regions, we calculate ice numeral and divide sea area into two parts: continuous navigable area and the counterpart numerous separate unnavigable area. We generate Voronoi Diagrams for the obstacle areas and build a road network-like graph for connections in the sea. Based on such a network, we design and develop a geographic information system (GIS) package to automatically compute the safest-and-shortest routes for different types of ships between origin and destination (OD) pairs. A visibility tool, Isovist, is also implemented to help automatically identify safe navigable areas in emergency situations. The developed GIS package is shared online as an open source project called NavSpace, available for validation and extension, e.g., indoor navigation service. This work would promote the development of ice navigation support system and potentially enhance the safety of ice navigation in the Arctic sea.
Urgency is a non-monotonic function of pulse rate
Authors: Russo Frank , Jones Jeffery A
Published: July 2021

Magnitude estimation was used to assess the experience of urgency in pulse-train stimuli (pulsed white noise) ranging from 3.13 to200 Hz. At low pulse rates, pulses were easily resolved. At high pulse rates pulses fused together leading to a tonal sensation with a clear pitch level. Urgency ratings followed a nonmonotonic (polynomial) function with local maxima at 17.68 and 200 Hz. The same stimuli were also used in response time and pitch scaling experiments. Response times were negatively correlated with urgency ratings. Pitch scaling results indicated that urgency of pulse trains is mediated by the perceptual constructs of speed and pitch.
Resident and family perceptions of the nurse practitioner role in long term care settings: a qualitative descriptive study
Authors: Ploeg Jenny , Kaasalainen Sharon , McAiney Carrie , Martin-Misener Ruth , Donald Faith , Wickson-Griffiths Abigail , Carter Nancy , Sangster-Gormley Esther , Martin Lori Schindel , Brazil Kevin , Taniguchi Alan
Published: July 2021

Background
Research evidence supports the positive impact on resident outcomes of nurse practitioners (NPs) working in long term care (LTC) homes. There are few studies that report the perceptions of residents and family members about the role of the NP in these settings. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of residents and family members regarding the role of the NP in LTC homes.

Methods
The study applied a qualitative descriptive approach. In-depth individual and focus group interviews were conducted with 35 residents and family members from four LTC settings that employed a NP. Conventional content analysis was used to identify themes and sub-themes.

Results
Two major themes were identified: NPs were seen as providing resident and family-centred care and as providing enhanced quality of care. NPs established caring relationships with residents and families, providing both informational and emotional support, as well as facilitating their participation in decision making. Residents and families perceived the NP as improving availability and timeliness of care and helping to prevent unnecessary hospitalization.

Conclusions
The perceptions of residents and family members of the NP role in LTC are consistent with the concepts of person-centred and relationship-centred care. The relationships NPs develop with residents and families are a central means through which enhanced quality of care occurs. Given the limited use of NPs in LTC settings, there is an opportunity for health care policy and decision makers to address service inadequacies through strategic deployment of NPs in LTC settings. NPs can use their expert knowledge and skill to assist residents and families to make informed choices regarding their health care and maintain a positive care experience
Influence of Pressure on Near Nozzle Flow Field and Soot Formation in Laminar Co-Flow Diffusion Flames
Authors: Mansouria A. , Eaves N.A. , Thomson M.J. Thomson , Dworkin Seth
Published: July 2021

Soot formation from combustion devices, which tend to operate at high pressure, is a health and environmental concern, thus investigating the effect of pressure on soot formation is important. While most fundamental studies have utilized the coflow laminar diffusion flame configuration to study the effect of pressure on soot, there is a lack of investigations into the effect of pressure on the flow field of diffusion flames and the resultant influence on soot formation. A recent work has
displayed that recirculation zones can form along the centreline of atmospheric pressure diffusion flames. This present work seeks to investigate whether these zones can form due to higher pressure as well, which has never been explored
experimentally or numerically.
The CoFlame code, which models co-flow laminar, sooting, diffusion flames, is validated for the prediction of recirculation zones using experimental flow field data for a set of atmospheric pressure flames. The code is subsequently utilized to
model ethane-air diffusion flames from 2 to 33 atm. Above 10 atm, recirculation zones are predicted to form. The reason for the formation of the zones is determined to be due to increasing shear between the air and fuel steams, with the
air stream having higher velocities in the vicinity of the fuel tube tip than the fuel stream. This increase in shear is shown to be the cause of the recirculation zones formed in previously investigated atmospheric flames as well. Finally, the
recirculation zone is determined as a probable cause of the experimentally observed formation of a large mass of soot covering the entire fuel tube exit for an ethane diffusion flame at 36.5 atm. Previously, no adequate explanation for
the formation of the large mass of soot existed.
Geometric Calibration and Radiometric Correction of LiDAR Data and Their Impact on the Quality of Derived Products
Authors: Habib Ayman F. , Kersting Ana P. , Abdelrahman Ahmed , Yan Wai Yeung
Published: July 2021

LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) systems are capable of providing 3D positional and spectral information (in the utilized spectrum range) of the mapped surface. Due to systematic errors in the system parameters and measurements, LiDAR systems require geometric calibration and radiometric correction of the intensity data in order to maximize the benefit from the collected positional and spectral information. This paper presents a practical approach for the geometric calibration of LiDAR systems and radiometric correction of collected intensity data while investigating their impact on the quality of the derived products. The proposed approach includes the use of a quasi-rigorous geometric calibration and the radar equation for the radiometric correction of intensity data. The proposed quasi-rigorous calibration procedure requires time-tagged point cloud and trajectory position data, which are available to most of the data users. The paper presents a methodology for evaluating the impact of the geometric calibration on the relative and absolute accuracy of the LiDAR point cloud. Furthermore, the impact of the geometric calibration and radiometric correction on land cover classification accuracy is investigated. The feasibility of the proposed methods and their impact on the derived products are demonstrated through experimental results using real data.
Group Size, Coordination, and the Effectiveness of Punishment in the Voluntary Contributions Mechanism: An Experimental Investigation
Authors: Xu Bin , Cadsby C. Bram , Fan Liangcong , Song Fei
Published: July 2021

We examine the effectiveness of the individual-punishment mechanism in larger groups, comparing groups of four to groups of 40 participants. We find that the individual punishment mechanism is remarkably robust when the marginal per capita return (MPCR), i.e. the return to each participant from each dollar that is contributed, is held constant. Moreover, the efficiency gains from the punishment mechanism are significantly higher in the 40-participant than in the four-participant treatment. This is true despite the coordination problems inherent in an institution relying on decentralized individual punishment decisions in the context of a larger group. It reflects increased per capita expenditures on punishment that offset the greater coordination difficulties in the larger group. However, if the marginal group return (MGR), i.e. the return to the entire group of participants, stays constant, resulting in an MPCR that shrinks with group size, no such offset occurs and punishment loses much but not all of its effectiveness at encouraging voluntary contributions to a public good. Efficiency is not significantly different from the small-group treatment.
Utility Assessment of a Map-Based Online Geo-Collaboration Tool
Authors: Sidlar Chris , Rinner Claus
Published: July 2021

Spatial group decision-making processes often include both informal and analytical components. Discussions among stakeholders or planning experts are an example of an informal component. When participants discuss spatial planning projects they typically express concerns and comments by pointing to places on a map. The Argumentation Map model provides a conceptual basis for collaborative tools that enable explicit linkages of arguments to the places to which they refer. These tools allow for the input of explicitly geo-referenced arguments as well as the visual access to arguments through a map interface. In this paper, we will review previous utility studies in geo-collaboration and evaluate a case study of a Web-based Argumentation Map application. The case study was conducted in the summer of2005 when student participants discussed planning issues on the University of Toronto St. George campus. During a one-week unmoderated discussion phase, 11 participants wrote 60 comments on issues such as safety, facilities, parking, and building aesthetics. By measuring the participants’ use of geographic references, we draw conclusions on how well the software tool supported the potential of the underlying concept. This research aims to contribute to a scientific approach to geo-collaboration in which the engineering of novel spatial decision support methods is complemented by a critical assessment of their utility in controlled, realistic experiments.
Building a Policy-Oriented Research Partnership for Knowledge Mobilization and Knowledge Transfer: The Case of the Canadian Metropolis Project
Authors: Shields John , Evans Bryan
Published: July 2021

The aim of this paper is to examine government–university–community partnerships for knowledge mobilization (KM) and knowledge transfer (KT) in the area of immigration and settlement research using the illustrative case of the Canadian Metropolis Project. The Metropolis Project in Canada began in 1995 with the goal of enhancing policy-oriented research capacity for immigration and settlement and developing ways to better use this research in government decision-making. Core funding for this partnership was provided jointly by Citizenship Immigration Canada (CIC), a department of the Government of Canada and the primary social science granting agency, the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). As of 2012, and subsequent to three successful funding phases, the decision was made to end government and SSHRC core funding for this initiative, however, other non-governmental funding avenues are being explored. The longevity of this partnership and the conclusion of this specific initiative present an opportunity to reflect critically on the nature of such partnerships. This paper is an attempt to identify some of the key themes, issues and challenges related to research partnerships, KM and KT. Also, with the aid of an illustrative case, it aims to specify some of the possibilities and limitations of this kind of policy relevant knowledge mobilization. Special consideration will be placed on the context in which the demand for knowledge mobilization and knowledge transfer has emerged. This examination has considerable international relevance as the Canadian Metropolis Project offers the leading example of a research partnership in the field of immigration and settlement.
Effects of Machine Tool Spindle Decay on the Stability Lobe Diagram: An Analytical-Experimental Study
Authors: Gaber Omar , Hashemi Seyed Mohammad
Published: July 2021

An analytical-experimental investigation of machine tool spindle decay and its effects of the system’s stability lobe diagram (SLD) is presented. A dynamic stiffness matrix (DSM)model for the vibration analysis of the OKADA VM500 machine spindle is developed and is validated against Finite Element Analysis (FEA).The model is then refined to incorporate flexibility of the system’s bearings, originally modeled as simply supported boundary conditions, where the bearings are modeled as linear spring elements.The system fundamental frequency obtained from the modal analysis carried on an experimental setup is then used to calibrate the DSM model by tuning the springs’ constants. The resulting natural frequency is also used to determine the 2D stability lobes diagram (SLD) for said spindle. Exploiting the presented approach and calibrated DSM model it is shown that a hypothetical 10% change in the natural frequency would result in a significant shift in the SLD of the spindle system, which should be taken into consideration to ensure chatter-free machining over the spindle’s life cycle.
Vasculotide, an Angiopoietin-1 mimetic, reduces acute skin ionizing radiation damage in a preclinical mouse model
Authors: Korpela Elina , Yohan Darren , Chin Lee CL , Kim Anthony , Huang Xiaoyong , Sade Shachar , Van Slyke Paul , Dumont Daniel J , Liu Stanley K
Published: July 2021

Background
Most cancer patients are treated with radiotherapy, but the treatment can also damage the surrounding normal tissue. Acute skin damage from cancer radiotherapy diminishes patients’ quality of life, yet effective biological interventions for this damage are lacking. Protecting microvascular endothelial cells from irradiation-induced perturbations is emerging as a targeted damage-reduction strategy. Since Angiopoetin-1 signaling through the Tie2 receptor on endothelial cells opposes microvascular perturbations in other disease contexts, we used a preclinical Angiopoietin-1 mimic called Vasculotide to investigate its effect on skin radiation toxicity using a preclinical model.

Methods
Athymic mice were treated intraperitoneally with saline or Vasculotide and their flank skin was irradiated with a single large dose of ionizing radiation. Acute cutaneous damage and wound healing were evaluated by clinical skin grading, histology and immunostaining. Diffuse reflectance optical spectroscopy, myeloperoxidase-dependent bioluminescence imaging of neutrophils and a serum cytokine array were used to assess inflammation. Microvascular endothelial cell response to radiation was tested with in vitro clonogenic and Matrigel tubule formation assays. Tumour xenograft growth delay experiments were also performed. Appreciable differences between treatment groups were assessed mainly using parametric and non-parametric statistical tests comparing areas under curves, followed by post-hoc comparisons.

Results
In vivo, different schedules of Vasculotide treatment reduced the size of the irradiation-induced wound. Although skin damage scores remained similar on individual days, Vasculotide administered post irradiation resulted in less skin damage overall. Vasculotide alleviated irradiation-induced inflammation in the form of reduced levels of oxygenated hemoglobin, myeloperoxidase bioluminescence and chemokine MIP-2. Surprisingly, Vasculotide-treated animals also had higher microvascular endothelial cell density in wound granulation tissue. In vitro, Vasculotide enhanced the survival and function of irradiated endothelial cells.

Conclusions
Vasculotide administration reduces acute skin radiation damage in mice, and may do so by affecting several biological processes. This radiation protection approach may have clinical impact for cancer radiotherapy patients by reducing the severity of their acute skin radiation damage.
Innovative initiatives in control education at Ryerson Polytechnic University. Fuzzy-logic control of the 3D-helicopter simulator
Authors: Zywno M S , Pereira D
Published: July 2021

This paper describes one of projects undertaken at Ryerson Polytechnic University to integrate emerging trends in control engineering into the undergraduate curriculum. An intelligent control scheme based on fuzzy-logic, and developed for an experimental setup, is discussed. The process is a highly coupled 8th-order, multi-input multi-output, 3 degrees-of-freedom simulator of a helicopter. Currently the setup is used to develop control strategies for undergraduate thesis students. Eventually, the process will also be accessible to students remotely over the World Wide Web. The controller performance with the fuzzy-logic control (FLC) is benchmarked against that of a conventional controller. The simulations show that the system performance under FLC does not deteriorate away from the equilibrium point and remains comparable with, or superior to, the performance under the linear control, over the whole range of operating conditions of this setup.
Privacy-Enhanced and Multifunctional Health Data Aggregation under Differential Privacy Guarantees
Authors: Ren Hao , Li Hongwei , Liang Xiaohui , He Shibo , Dai Yuanshun , Zhao Lian
Published: July 2021

With the rapid growth of the health data scale, the limited storage and computation resources of wireless body area sensor networks (WBANs) is becoming a barrier to their development. Therefore, outsourcing the encrypted health data to the cloud has been an appealing strategy. However, date aggregation will become difficult. Some recently-proposed schemes try to address this problem. However, there are still some functions and privacy issues that are not discussed. In this paper, we propose a privacy-enhanced and multifunctional health data aggregation scheme (PMHA-DP) under differential privacy. Specifically, we achieve a new aggregation function, weighted average (WAAS), and design a privacy-enhanced aggregation scheme (PAAS) to protect the aggregated data from cloud servers. Besides, a histogram aggregation scheme with high accuracy is proposed. PMHA-DP supports fault tolerance while preserving data privacy. The performance evaluation shows that the proposal leads to less communication overhead than the existing one.
Special issue editorial: earth observation and geoinformation technologies for sustainable development
Authors: Arsanjani Jamal Jokar , de Noronha Vaz Eric
Published: July 2021

This editorial presents an introduction to fourteen papers published in the Special Issue of Earth Observation and Geoinformation Technologies for Sustainable Development in the Sustainability journal.
Women, smartphones and the workplace: pragmatic realities and performative identities
Authors: Crowe Rachel , Middleton Catherine A.
Published: July 2021

This paper explores the ways that a sample of professional women use smartphones to manage their
personal activities and work responsibilities. It reveals a number of specific, mindful practices used to
convey and enable accessibility, professionalism and responsiveness to colleagues and clients, showing how smartphones are used to shape and maintain professional identities. At the same time, women also choose to set boundaries to ensure that the immediacy enabled by their smartphones does not encroach upon their personal relationships in undesirable or unpredictable ways, and to allow them to choose when to engage with work while outside the office. The paper reveals the nuances of smartphone use in this group of women, demonstrating various approaches to managing a potentially disruptive communications device to professional and personal advantage
Arctic Ecological Classifications Derived from Vegetation Community and Satellite Spectral Data
Authors: Atkinson David M. , Treitz Paul
Published: July 2021

As a result of the warming observed at high latitudes, there is significant potential for the balance of ecosystem processes to change, i.e., the balance between carbon sequestration and respiration may be altered, giving rise to the release of soil carbon through elevated ecosystem respiration. Gross ecosystem productivity and ecosystem respiration vary in relation to the pattern of vegetation community type and associated biophysical traits (e.g., percent cover, biomass, chlorophyll concentration, etc.). In an arctic environment where vegetation is highly variable across the landscape, the use of high spatial resolution imagery can assist in discerning complex patterns of vegetation and biophysical variables. The research presented here examines the relationship between ecological and spectral variables in order to generate an ecologically meaningful vegetation classification from high spatial resolution remote sensing data. Our methodology integrates ordination and image classifications techniques for two non-overlapping Arctic sites across a 5° latitudinal gradient (approximately 70° to 75°N). Ordination techniques were applied to determine the arrangement of sample sites, in relation to environmental variables, followed by cluster analysis to create ecological classes. The derived classes were then used to classify high spatial resolution IKONOS multispectral data. The results demonstrate moderate levels of success. Classifications had overall accuracies between 69%–79% and Kappa values of 0.54–0.69. Vegetation classes were generally distinct at each site with the exception of sedge wetlands. Based on the results presented here, the combination of ecological and remote sensing techniques can produce classifications that have ecological meaning and are spectrally separable in an arctic environment. These classification schemes are critical for modeling ecosystem processes.
On the use of photoacoustics to detect red blood cell aggregation
Authors: Kolios Michael
Published: July 2021

The feasibility of detecting red blood cell (RBC) aggregation with photoacoustics (PAs) was investigated theoretically and experimentally using human and porcine RBCs. The theoretical PA signals and spectra generated from such samples were examined for several hematocrit levels and aggregates sizes. The effect of a finite transducer bandwidth on the received PA signal was also examined. The simulation results suggest that the dominant frequency of the PA signals from non-aggregated RBCs decreases towards clinical frequency ranges as the aggregate size increases. The experimentally measured mean spectral power increased by ~6 dB for the largest aggregate compared to the non-aggregated samples. Such results confirm the theoretical predictions and illustrate the potential of using PA imaging for detecting RBC aggregation.
The Story of Vibe Magazine’s TLC Cover: How it Helps to Explain Race, Representation and Resistance from Journalism’s Hip-hop Generation
Authors: Srivastava Vinita
Published: July 2021

This paper is a case study of one Vibe magazine cover. The examination of this cover, which depicts multiplatinum girl band TLC, serves to provide an analytical framework that posits Vibe magazine as a vehicle for disrupting mainstream press visual narratives about African Americans in general and black youth in particular. However, this oppositional reading requires an analysis of not just the cultural artifact, but also a discussion of audience reception as well as the intentions of the media makers. While some have argued that one cannot battle stereotypes from within mainstream media these media makers were able to circulate new ideas and images. Vibe reproduced patriarchal imagery of African American women, yet conversations with media makers indicate a conscious desire to disrupt such images. For this discussion, I draw on my larger analysis of early Vibe magazine covers as well as interviews with Vibe’s founders and current media workers. Discussed here are motivations of the cover makers but also the cover image as a cultural artifact. One of the top fifty magazines in the U.S. in the 90’s, Vibe helped to catapult hip-hop culture into the mainstream. The paper contextualizes Vibe within journalistic and political history, and critical race communication theories
Extracellular excystation and development of Cryptosporidium: tracing the fate of oocysts within Pseudomonas aquatic biofilm systems
Authors: Koh Wan , Thompson Andrew , Edwards Hanna , Monis Paul , Clode Peta L
Published: July 2021

Background
Aquatic biofilms often serve as environmental reservoirs for microorganisms and provide them with a nutrient-rich growth environment under harsh conditions. With regard to Cryptosporidium, biofilms can serve as environmental reservoirs for oocysts, but may also support the growth of additional Cryptosporidium stages.

Results
Here we used confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and flow cytometry to identify and describe various Cryptosporidium developmental stages present within aquatic biofilm systems, and to directly compare these to stages produced in cell culture. We also show that Cryptosporidium has the ability to form a parasitophorous vacuole independently, in a host-free biofilm environment, potentially allowing them to complete an extracellular life cycle. Correlative data from confocal and SEM imaging of the same cells confirmed that the observed developmental stages (including trophozoites, meronts, and merozoites) were Cryptosporidium. These microscopy observations were further supported by flow cytometric analyses, where excysted oocyst populations were detected in 1, 3 and 6 day-old Cryptosporidium-exposed biofilms, but not in biofilm-free controls.

Conclusions
These observations not only highlight the risk that aquatic biofilms pose in regards to Cryptosporidium outbreaks from water distribution systems, but further indicate that even simple biofilms are able to stimulate oocyst excystation and support the extracellular multiplication and development of Cryptosporidium within aquatic environments.
Trying to Smart-In-Up and Cleanup Our Act by Linking Regional Growth Planning, Brownfields Remediation, and Urban Infill in Southern Ontario Cities
Authors: De Sousa Christopher
Published: July 2021

The reuse of brownfields as locations for urban intensification has become a core strategy in government sustainability efforts aimed at remediating pollution, curbing sprawl and prioritizing renewal, regeneration, and retrofitting. In Ontario, Canada’s most populous, industrialized, and brownfield-laden province, a suite of progressive policies and programs have been introduced to not only facilitate the assessment and remediation of the brownfields supply, but to also steer development demand away from peripheral greenfields and towards urban brownfields in a manner that considers a wider regional perspective. This article examines the character and extent of brownfields infill development that has taken place in three Ontario cities (Toronto, Waterloo, and Kingston) since the provincial policy shift in the early 2000s. Using property assessment data and cleanup records, the research finds that redevelopment activity has been extensive in both scale and character, particularly in Toronto where the real estate market has been strong. While the results are promising in terms of government efforts to promote smarter growth that builds “in and up” instead of out, they also reveal that government could be doing more to facilitate redevelopment and influence its sustainability character, particularly in weaker markets.
Governing through community-based research: Lessons from the Canadian HIV research sector
Authors: Myersb Ted
Published: July 2021

The “general public” and specific “communities” are increasingly being integrated into scientific decision-making. This shift emphasizes “scientific citizenship” and collaboration between interdisciplinary scientists, lay people, and multi-sector stakeholders (universities, healthcare, and government). The objective of this paper is to problematize these developments through a theoretically informed reading of empirical data that describes the consequences of bringing together actors in the Canadian HIV community-based research (CBR) movement. Drawing on Foucauldian “governmentality” the complex inner workings of the impetus to conduct collaborative research are explored. The analysis offered surfaces the ways in which a formalized approach to CBR, as promoted through state funding mechanisms, determines the structure and limits of engagement while simultaneously reinforcing the need for finer grained knowledge about marginalized communities. Here, discourses about risk merge with notions of “scientific citizenship” to implicate both researchers and communities in a process of governance.
Governing through community-based research: Lessons from the Canadian HIV research sector
Authors: Guta Adrian , Strike Carol , Flicker Sarah , Murray Stuart J , Upshur Ross , Myers Ted
Published: July 2021

The “general public” and specific “communities” are increasingly being integrated into scientific decision-making. This shift emphasizes “scientific citizenship” and collaboration between interdisciplinary scientists, lay people, and multi-sector stakeholders (universities, healthcare, and government). The objective of this paper is to problematize these developments through a theoretically informed reading of empirical data that describes the consequences of bringing together actors in the Canadian HIV community-based research (CBR) movement. Drawing on Foucauldian “governmentality” the complex inner workings of the impetus to conduct collaborative research are explored. The analysis offered surfaces the ways in which a formalized approach to CBR, as promoted through state funding mechanisms, determines the structure and limits of engagement while simultaneously reinforcing the need for finer grained knowledge about marginalized communities. Here, discourses about risk merge with notions of “scientific citizenship” to implicate both researchers and communities in a process of governance.
The bromodomain-containing protein Ibd1 links multiple chromatin-related protein complexes to highly expressed genes in Tetrahymena thermophila
Authors: Saettone Alejandro , Garg Jyoti , Lambert Jean-Philippe , Nabeel-Shah Syed , Ponce Marcelo , Burtch Alyson , Mudalige Cristina , Gingras Anne-Claude , Pearlman Ronald E. , Fillingham Jeffrey
Published: July 2021

Background: The chromatin remodelers of the SWI/SNF family are critical transcriptional regulators. Recognition of lysine acetylation through a bromodomain (BRD) component is key to SWI/SNF function; in most eukaryotes, this function is attributed to SNF2/Brg1.
Results: Using affinity purification coupled to mass spectrometry (AP–MS) we identified members of a SWI/SNF complex (SWI/SNFTt) in Tetrahymena thermophila. SWI/SNFTt is composed of 11 proteins, Snf5Tt, Swi1Tt, Swi3Tt, Snf12Tt, Brg1Tt, two proteins with potential chromatin-interacting domains and four proteins without orthologs to SWI/SNF proteins in yeast or mammals. SWI/SNFTt subunits localize exclusively to the transcriptionally active macronucleus during growth and development, consistent with a role in transcription. While Tetrahymena Brg1 does not contain a BRD, our AP–MS results identified a BRD-containing SWI/SNFTt component, Ibd1 that associates with SWI/SNFTt during growth but not development. AP–MS analysis of epitope-tagged Ibd1 revealed it to be a subunit of several additional protein complexes, including putative SWRTt, and SAGATt complexes as well as a putative H3K4-specific histone methyl transferase complex. Recombinant Ibd1 recognizes acetyl-lysine marks on histones correlated with active transcription. Consistent with our AP–MS and histone array data suggesting a role in regulation of gene expression, ChIP-Seq analysis of Ibd1 indicated that it primarily binds near promoters and within gene bodies of highly expressed genes during growth.
Conclusions: Our results suggest that through recognizing specific histones marks, Ibd1 targets active chromatin regions of highly expressed genes in Tetrahymena where it subsequently might coordinate the recruitment of several chromatin-remodeling complexes to regulate the transcriptional landscape of vegetatively growing Tetrahymena cells.
A Geographic Visualization Approach to Multi-Criteria Evaluation of Urban Quality of Life
Authors: Rinner Claus
Published: July 2021

This paper proposes to use principles of geographic visualization in conjunction with multi‐criteria evaluation methods to support expert‐level spatial decision‐making. Interactive maps can be combined with analytical tools to explore various settings of multi‐criteria evaluation parameters that define different decision‐making strategies. In a case study, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is used to calculate composite measures of urban quality of life (QoL) for neighbourhoods in Toronto. The AHP allows for an interactive exploration of decision‐making strategies, while offering a view on spatial patterns in the evaluation results. In particular, an interactive blending between a classical and a contemporary QoL model is supported. This feature is used in a pilot study to assess the usefulness of geographic visualization in urban QoL evaluation. Three user interviews provide positive feedback on the utility and usability of the tool that was operated by the investigator.
Estimation of Distribution Algorithm for Resource Allocation in Green Cooperative Cognitive Radio Sensor Networks
Authors: Naeem Muhammad , Pareek Udit , Lee Daniel C. , Anpalagan Alagan
Published: July 2021

Due to the rapid increase in the usage and demand of wireless sensor networks (WSN), the limited frequency spectrum available for WSN applications will be extremely crowded in the near future. More sensor devices also mean more recharging/replacement of batteries, which will cause significant impact on the global carbon footprint. In this paper, we propose a relay-assisted cognitive radio sensor network (CRSN) that allocates communication resources in an environmentally friendly manner. We use shared band amplify and forward relaying for cooperative communication in the proposed CRSN. We present a multi-objective optimization architecture for resource allocation in a green cooperative cognitive radio sensor network (GC-CRSN). The proposed multi-objective framework jointly performs relay assignment and power allocation in GC-CRSN, while optimizing two conflicting objectives. The first objective is to maximize the total throughput, and the second objective is to minimize the total transmission power of CRSN. The proposed relay assignment and power allocation problem is a non-convex mixed-integer non-linear optimization problem (NC-MINLP), which is generally non-deterministic polynomial-time (NP)-hard. We introduce a hybrid heuristic algorithm for this problem. The hybrid heuristic includes an estimation-of-distribution algorithm (EDA) for performing power allocation and iterative greedy schemes for constraint satisfaction and relay assignment. We analyze the throughput and power consumption tradeoff in GC-CRSN. A detailed analysis of the performance of the proposed algorithm is presented with the simulation results.
Human Factors: Spanning the Gap between OM & HRM
Authors: Neumann Patrick , Dul Jan
Published: July 2021

Purpose: This paper examines the claim that the application of human factors (HF) knowledge can improve both human well-being and operations system performance.

Methodology: A systematic review was conducted using a general and two specialist databases to identify empirical studies addressing both human effects and operations system effects in examining manufacturing operations system design aspects.

Findings: We found 45 empirical studies addressing both the human effects and system effects of operations system (re)design. Of those studies providing clear directional effects, 95% showed a convergence between human effects and system effects (+,+ or -,- ), 5% showed a divergence of human and system effects (+,- or -,+). System effects included quality, productivity, implementation performance of new technologies, and also more ‘intangible’ effects in terms of improved communication and co-operation. Human effects included employee health, attitudes, physical workload, and ‘quality of working life’.

Research limitations/implications: Future research should attend to both human and system outcomes in trying to determine optimal configurations for operations systems as this appears to be a complex relationship with potential long-term impact on operational performance.

Practical implications: The application of HF in operations system design can support improvement in both employee well-being and system performance in a number of manufacturing domains.

Originality/value: This paper outlines and documents a research and practice gap between the fields of HF and OM research that has not been previously discussed in the management literature. This gap may be inhibiting the design of operations systems with superior long term performance.
Breast cancer screening disparities among immigrant women by world region of origin: a population-based study in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Vahabi Mandana , Lofters Aisha , Kumar Matthew , Glazier Richard H.
Published: July 2021

Background

Breast cancer is one of the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in Canada. Screening is the most promising approach in identification and treatment of the disease at early stage of its development. Research shows higher rate of breast cancer mortality among ethno-racial immigrant women despite their lower incidence which suggests disparities in mammography screening. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of appropriate mammography screening among immigrant and native borne women and determine predicators of low mammography screening.

Methods

We conducted secondary data analyses on Ontario linked social and health databases to determine the proportion of women who were screened during the two- year period of 2010-2012 among 1.4 million screening-eligible women living in urban centres in Ontario. We used multivariate Poisson regression to adjust for various socio-demographic, health care-related and migration related variables.

Results

64 % of eligible women were appropriately screened. Screening rates were lowest among new and recent immigrants compared to referent group (Canadian-born women and immigrant who arrived before 1985) (Adjusted Rate Ratio (ARR) (0.87, 95 % CI 0.85 -0.88 for new immigrants and 0.90, 95 % CI 0.89-0.91 for recent immigrants. Factors that were associated with lower rates of screening included living in low- income neighborhoods, having a male physician, having internationally- trained physician and not being enrolled in primary care patient enrolment models. Those not enrolled were 22 % less likely to be screened compared to those who were (ARR 0.78, 95 % CI 0.77-0.79).

Conclusion

To enhance immigrant women screening rates efforts should made to increase their access to primary care patient enrolment models and preferably female health professionals. Support should be provided to interventions that address screening barriers like language, acculturation limitations and knowledge deficit. Health professionals need to be educated and take an active role in offering screening guidelines during health encounters.