Digital Commons Network^™

Validation Study On The Differentiation Of Human Periodontal Ligament Cells In The Presence Of Cementum Protein 1 And Periostin, Deborah A. O'Reilly

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Existing research alludes to the fact that human periodontal ligament cells differentiate into an ossifying phenotype in response to differential gene expression during orthodontic tooth movement. The purpose of this research was to validate the differentiation of human periodontal ligament cells of young individuals in the presence of specific proteins and stimuli (cementum protein, periostin and osteogenic media), which mimic the environment of the periodontal ligament. Another objective was to assess the differential gene expression within these cells under the same conditions. A protocol was developed to provide a collagen-protein scaffold on which human periodontal ligament cells were maintained for …

Video Conferencing With Residents And Families For Care Planning During Covid-19: Experiences In Canadian Long-Term Care, Denise Connelly, Melissa Hay, Anna Garnett, Lillian Hung, Marie Lee Yous, Cherie Furlan-Craievich, Shannon Snelgrove, Melissa Babcock, Jacqueline Ripley, Nancy Snobelen, Harrison Gao, Ruthie Zhuang, Pam Hamilton, Cathy Sturdy-Smith, Maureen O'Connell

Physical Therapy Publications

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Government-mandated health and safety restrictions to mitigate the effects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) intensified challenges in caring for older adults in long-term care (LTC) without family/care partners. This article describes the experiences of a multidisciplinary research team in implementing an evidence-based intervention for family-centered, team-based, virtual care planning-PIECESTM approach-into clinical practice. We highlight challenges and considerations for implementation science to support care practices for older adults in LTC, their families, and the workforce. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A qualitative descriptive design was used. Data included meetings with LTC directors and Registered Practical Nurses (i.e., licensed nurse …

Families' Experiences In The Virtual Hanen More Than Words Program During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lauren Denusik, Michelle Servais, Danielle Glista, Kathryn Hatherly, Sheila Moodie, Janis Oram Cardy, Elaine Weitzman, Bj Cunningham

PRECISe Preschool Speech and Language Publications

Abstract

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic required most pediatric rehabilitation programs to shift to a virtual delivery format without the benefits of evidence to support this transition. Our study explored families' experiences participating virtually in More Than Words, a program for parents of autistic children, with the goal of generating new evidence to inform both virtual service delivery and program development.

Method: Twenty-one families who recently completed a virtual More Than Words program participated in a semistructured interview. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed in NVivo using a top-down deductive approach that referenced a modified Dynamic Knowledge Transfer Capacity model. …

From Micro To Macro: Examining Potential Microbiome Mediated Influences On Human Growth And Health Outcomes Through Breastfeeding And Antibiotic Exposures, Nicole K. Phillips

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Human microbiome research has rapidly developed over the past two decades yet absent from most research is the composition and dynamics of microbiomes within human populations. Given the limitations in longitudinal studies which requires decades of repeated microbe taxonomic testing of a population sample, an alternative option is to examine microbiomes and their influences via proxies using pre-existing health datasets. This research demonstrates preliminary associations between presumed disrupted and supportive microbiomes dynamics proxied by antibiotic and breastmilk exposure respectively. Using health record data across the life span from approximately 500,000 U.K. participants, this research demonstrates variable altered growth and health …

In Vitro Corrosion And Biocompatibility Behavior Of Cocrmo Alloy Manufactured By Laser Powder Bed Fusion Parallel And Perpendicular To The Build Direction, Masoud Atapour, Saber Sanaei, Zheng Wei, Mohammadali Sheikholeslam, Jeffrey D. Henderson, Ubong Eduok, Yara K. Hosein, David W. Holdsworth, Yolanda S. Hedberg, Hamid Reza Ghorbani

Chemistry Publications

Biomedical cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloys (CoCrMo) are frequently used for orthopedic implant and dental materials exposed to mechanical stressors, such as wear and cyclic load. Due to the high demand for customizable implant shapes, these alloys are increasingly manufactured by additive manufacturing methods such as laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). LPBF results in different microstructures and surface roughness as a function of the building direction. This study investigated the corrosion resistance, bioactivity, biocompatibility, and microstructure of LPBF CoCrMo (low carbon content, heat-treated) in the XY (perpendicular) and XZ (parallel) plane of the building direction for as-printed (as-received) and abraded surfaces. A distinct …

Effect Of Amino Acids On The Corrosion And Metal Release From Copper And Stainless Steel, Alyssa Vander Zee, Lila Laundry-Mottiar, Saman Nikpour, Sina Matin, Jeffrey D. Henderson, Ubong Eduok, Jonas F. Hedberg, Dmitrij Zagidulin, Mark C. Biesinger, James J. Noel, Yolanda S. Hedberg

Chemistry Publications

Copper (Cu) and stainless steel 316 L are widely used for biomedical applications, such as intrauterine devices and orthopedic/dental implants. Amino acids are abundantly present in biological environments. We investigated the influence of select amino acids on the corrosion of Cu under naturally aerated and deaerated conditions using a phosphate-free buffer. Amino acids increased the corrosion of Cu under both aeration conditions at pH 7.4. Cu release was also significantly (up to 18-fold) increased in the presence of amino acids, investigated at pH 7.4 and 37 °C for 24 h under naturally aerated conditions. Speciation modelling predicted a generally increased …

Secretion Of Salivary Proteins And Their Interactions, Karla Tonelli Bicalho Crosara

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Saliva’s clinical application for disease diagnosis and monitoring is limited by incomplete knowledge of salivary protein interactions, the effect of stimulation on the salivary proteome, and if these factors impact protein identification. This thesis expands knowledge of the salivary interactome and effects of stimulation intensity and duration on parotid saliva’s proteome. First, previous in vitro studies identified 43 proteins in the histatin 1-protein network and demonstrated histatin 1’s increased stability in whole saliva when interacting with amylase. We hypothesized that protein-protein-interaction databases could enlarge the histatin 1-protein network. A comprehensive histatin 1-protein network was created using STRING database, merging previous …

Social Determinants Of Access To Primary Care In Canada, Feben W. Alemu

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Despite the promise of universal care, many Canadians report having unmet healthcare needs. We conducted two studies: (1) a systematic review of studies on social determinants of health (SDH) and unmet need; and (2) a secondary analysis using the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) to investigate the association of SDH and (2a) self-reported unmet need and (2b) having a family physician. The review (n=40) found a positive association between unmet need and lower income, mental health and chronic conditions, and negative association with older age, better perceived health and having a family physician. The CLSA analysis found the odds …

Maternal Immune Activation And Adolescent Alcohol Exposure Increase Alcohol Drinking And Disrupt Cortical-Striatal-Hippocampal Oscillations In Adult Offspring, Angela M. Henricks, Emily D.K. Sullivan, Lucas L. Dwiel, Judy Y. Li, Diana J. Wallin, Jibran Y. Khokhar, Wilder T. Doucette

Neuroscience Institute Publications

Maternal immune activation (MIA) is strongly associated with an increased risk of developing mental illness in adulthood, which often co-occurs with alcohol misuse. The current study aimed to begin to determine whether MIA, combined with adolescent alcohol exposure (AE), could be used as a model with which we could study the neurobiological mechanisms behind such co-occurring disorders. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with polyI:C or saline on gestational day 15. Half of the offspring were given continuous access to alcohol during adolescence, leading to four experimental groups: controls, MIA, AE, and Dual (MIA + AE). We then evaluated whether MIA …

Mechanical Evaluation Of Gyroid Structures To Combat Orthopaedic Implant Infections, Sydney Hitchon

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Treatment of infected orthopaedic implants often require two separate surgeries to clear the infection and install a replacement implant. Current antimicrobial drug delivery methods are inefficient, and each additional surgery increases the physiologic burden on patients, with an increased risk of infection, decreased range of motion and longer recovery times. Porous orthopaedic implants, with adequate strength for permanent implantation and the ability to house and elude more efficient antibiotic delivery systems, could result in a single surgery to treat orthopaedic infections. Therefore, finite element models of porous gyroid structures at different porosities were developed and compared with experimental results. Discrepancies …

Hyperexcitable And Immature-Like Neuronal Activity In The Auditory Cortex Of Adult Rats Lacking The Language-Linked Cntnap2 Gene., Kaela E Scott, Rajkamalpreet S Mann, Ashley L Schormans, Susanne Schmid, Brian L Allman

Anatomy and Cell Biology Publications

The contactin-associated protein-like 2 gene, CNTNAP2, is a highly penetrant risk gene thought to play a role in the genetic etiology of language-related disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder and developmental language disorder. Despite its candidacy for influencing language development, few preclinical studies have examined the role of CNTNAP2 in auditory processing. Using in vivo and in vitro electrophysiological recordings in a rat model with translational validity, we report that a loss of the Cntnap2 gene function caused immature-like cortical evoked potentials, delayed multiunit response latencies to acoustic stimuli, impaired temporal processing, and led to a pattern of hyperexcitability in …

Highlighting The Mechanistic Relationship Between Perinatal Depression And Preeclampsia: A Scoping Review, Mei Yuan, Samantha Bedell, Barbra De Vrijer, Genevieve Eastabrook, Jefferson C. Frisbee, Stephanie J. Frisbee

Obstetrics & Gynaecology Publications

Background: Although there is scientific literature supporting an association between depression and preeclampsia (PE), little is known about the underlying mechanistic pathways that may explain these observed associations. Thus, this study aimed to outline the relationship between depression and PE, and to highlight the underlying cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors that are common to both. Methods: A scoping review of the literature was conducted in Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science. Results: From 706 articles initially identified, 23 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Although some studies reported a positive association between PE and postpartum …

Determination Of The Protective Capacity Of Hand Wraps In Combat Athletes Using Force Analysis, Eva M. Gusnowski

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Upper extremity injuries are common in combat athletes, and are highest in the hand/wrist. Although protective hand gear is used, there is a paucity of research investigating its effectiveness. This study addressed this knowledge gap by measuring the level of force transmitted to the hand during striking using two types of hand wraps. This prospective cross over study included six combat athletes. A load cell was placed over the proximal phalanges/metacarpophalangeal joints and was used to measure sustained peak force during striking while covered with either standard linear or gel-reinforced hand wraps and boxing gloves. The gel reinforced wraps consistently …

Anatomical And Functional Lung Imaging With Volumetric Computed Tomography In Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer, Heather Young

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most diagnosed cancers in Canada, and the leading cause of cancer deaths. A significant challenge in treating NSCLC is balancing aggressive treatment with the potentially severe side effects. In radiation therapy, the management of respiratory motion and the risks of radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) pose significant challenges. 4-dimensional computed tomography (4D-CT) is an important part of motion management, but images often suffer from motion-induced artifacts. Volumetric CT scanners with wide axial field-of-view (aFOV) may reduce these artifacts and present an opportunity to advance CT-based functional lung imaging.

Chapter 2 presents a …

Teaching Psychology In V2: To Stream Or Not To Stream, That Is The Question, Andrew L. Vincent Mr.

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

University education has historically occurred in face-to-face settings such as the traditional campus lecture hall. However, university teaching has increasingly been instructed online, especially since the recent lockdowns that took place during the COVID19 pandemic. During the pandemic period, many post-secondary institutions took to online teaching formats which often included asynchronous lessons provided by pre-recorded video or synchronous lessons conducted over video conferencing software. Unfortunately, online courses potentially limit the amount of communication possible between student and professor and therefore the engagement between the two may have been limited. Due to this, concerns have been expressed that students may feel …

The Effects Of Gases From Food Waste On Human Health: A Systematic Review, Paulina Rudziak

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Food waste is an everyday activity in many developed countries; however, the risks from emissions are either not acknowledged or poorly regulated in many food waste plants worldwide. The literature lacks a systematic review that gives a thorough overview of the effects of food waste emissions on human health, directly affecting physiology and indirectly affecting human health through environmental health effects. The aim of this study is to address this gap to support decision-makers in public health when inspecting food waste facilities and the surrounding areas. To inform this systematic review, the four databases, Web of Science, OVID, EMBASE, and …

Exploring Digital Transformation In Dentistry At The Ssmd Dental Clinic, Aliaa Abdelmeguid

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Digital transformation in healthcare includes an array of digital technologies that are rapidly transforming every domain of healthcare. Digital transformation has had a massive influence on Dentistry as common practices in the field continue to shift from traditional methods to digitally backed processes. This impacts not only dental practices but also dental education required to train dentists for a digital future. Regardless of this impact, adopting digital tools and techniques in healthcare practice and in education remains a significant challenge to accomplish successfully. This research aims to explore and tackle the barriers of adopting Intraoral Cameras within the SSMD Clinics …

Electrochemical Deposition Of Calcium Phosphate-Based Coatings Onto Porous Ti Using Organic Phosphorus Sources, Clement Lee

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The study and commercialization of calcium phosphate (Ca-P) coatings has occurred for several decades. However, this has typically involved the use of hydroxyapatite. This thesis presents the synthesis of different Ca-P-based coatings that has not been studied. Anodic oxidation was employed to create a porous Ti substrate, while pulsed electrochemical deposition was used to deposit the coating onto the Ti. The first coating synthesized was a calcium phosphoserine (Ca-pSer) complex, which contained two different morphologies: a flower-like structure at low deposition time and a unique cubic morphology at higher deposition times. Next, an amorphous calcium phosphate coating was synthesized and …

Essays On Industrial Organization And Health Economics, Cecilia S. Diaz Campo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

My thesis consists of three chapters studying the impact of health insurance design and public health policy on consumers’ health and health care utilization, welfare, and costs.

Chapter 2 studies an overlooked dynamic incentive that encourages health care utilization, which I term \textit{dynamic moral hazard}. Typical health plans feature high deductibles and caps on consumers' out-of-pocket spending, which generate nonlinear pricing. These nonlinearities, coupled with the uncertainty intrinsic to future health care demand, encourage consumers to increase spending since current utilization lowers future expected prices. Standard models study health care utilization decisions through the lens of annual models, which abstract …

Extrinsic And Intrinsic Factors Influencing Homeostasis And Repair In Oral Tissues, Georgia Nikoloudaki

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The oral tissues, including gingiva and buccal mucosa, heal rapidly with minimal scar formation. Although in the oral cavity, the palatal mucosa is associated with excessive scarring in response to injury. In this thesis, first, I investigated the complex relationship between cells and their microenvironment using wound healing models in which extracellular matrix composition and mechanical stiffness affect cellular responses during acute wound repair. I also determined how intrinsic differences of cells recruited during healing contribute to wound resolution.

In Chapter 2, I first investigated cell-extrinsic factors, specifically the influence of the pro-fibrotic matricellular protein periostin on palatal healing. Using …

Lessons From The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amy Kwon

BMessays 2022

No abstract provided.

Biomechanical Investigation Of Complete And Partial Medial Collateral Ligament Injuries, Callahan Doughty

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The medial collateral ligament (MCL) is composed of two major components: the deep MCL (dMCL) and superficial MCL (sMCL). Recent indications have raised questions as to the validity of previous descriptions of the MCL’s role in knee stability. Despite the relative likelihood of partial injuries to the sMCL, as opposed to complete tears, the impact of these injuries remains largely misunderstood. This thesis set out to (1) interpret the roles of the sMCL and dMCL; and (2) investigate the effect of partial sMCL injuries on knee stability.

A joint motion simulator was used to determine the role of the dMCL …

Dental Health In The Aqllakuna From Farfán (Peru): A New Perspective On An Inca Female Institution (Ca. 1470-1532 A.D.) Using Micro-Ct And Histological Analysis, Émy Roberge

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This research aims to explore the lifeways of an underrepresented subgroup of females while reducing the use of destructive methods in bioarchaeology. The excavation of Farfán on the North Coast of Peru revealed a rare aqlla cemetery from the Late Horizon (1470-1532 A.D.). The aqlla was an Inca religious institution where young females were sequestered to brew chicha and weave in their aqllawasi. According to ethnohistorical sources, these “Chosen Women” were expected to represent a homogenous and advantaged subset of the population. This hypothesis is assessed by comparing their dental lesions to the general population using macroscopy, micro-CT, and …

Evaluating The Utility Of S100a7 In Identifying Oral Dysplastic Lesions That Will Progress To Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Jeff Soparlo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Title: Evaluating the utility of S100A7 in identifying oral dysplastic lesions that will progress to oral squamous cell carcinoma Introduction: Recently, S100A7 has been shown to be a potential useful marker for identifying oral lesions at risk of transformation from dysplasia to squamous cell carcinoma. Our hypothesis is that high S100A7 protein expression predicts the transformation of oral epithelial dysplasia to malignancy. The objective of our study is to semi-quantitatively evaluate the level of S100A7 expression in dysplastic lesions which have transformed into oral squamous cell carcinoma using immunohistochemistry, and correlate these results with other methods of analysis including the …

A Molecular Dynamics Study Of Polymer Chains In Shear Flows And Nanocomposites, Venkat Bala

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

In this work we study single chain polymers in shear flows and nanocomposite polymer melts extensively through the use of large scale molecular dynamics simulations through LAMMPS. In the single polymer chain shear flow study, we use the Lattice Boltzmann method to simulate fluid dynamics and also include thermal noise as per the \emph{fluctuation-dissipation} theorem in the system. When simulating the nanocomposite polymer melts, we simply use a Langevin thermostat to mimic a heat bath. In the single polymer in shear flow study we investigated the margination of a single chain towards solid surfaces and how strongly the shear flow …

O-Glcnacylation And Regulation Of Galectin-3 In Extraembryonic Endoderm Differentiation, Mohamed I. Gatie, Danielle M. Spice, Amritpal Garha, Adam Mctague, Mariam Ahmer, Alexander V. Timoshenko, Gregory M. Kelly

Paediatrics Publications

The regulation of proteins through the addition and removal of O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) plays a role in many signaling events, specifically in stem cell pluripo-tency and the regulation of differentiation. However, these post-translational modifications have not been explored in extraembryonic endoderm (XEN) differentiation. Of the plethora of proteins regulated through O-GlcNAc, we explored galectin-3 as a candidate protein known to have various intracellular and extracellular functions. Based on other studies, we predicted a reduction in global O-GlcNAcylation levels and a distinct galectin expression profile in XEN cells relative to embryonic stem (ES) cells. By conducting dot blot analysis, XEN cells …

Oral Health Inequality In Canada, The United States And United Kingdom, Malini Chari, Vahid Ravaghi, Wael Sabbah, Noha Gomaa, Sonica Singhal, Carlos Quiñonez

Paediatrics Publications

The objective of this study was to quantify the magnitude of absolute and relative oral health inequality in countries with similar socio-political environments, but differing oral health care systems such as Canada, the United States (US), and the United Kingdom (UK), in the first decade of the new millennium. Clinical oral health data were obtained from the Canadian Health Measures Survey 2007–2009, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2008, and the Adult Dental Health Survey 2009, for Canada, the US and UK, respectively. The slope index of inequality (SII) and relative index of inequality (RII) were used to quantify …

The Impacts Of Researcher Attire On Participant Performance In Psychological Experiments, Jesse S. Basi

Undergraduate Honours Theses

While authority has been extensively studied by psychological researchers, there is a clear gap in the literature examining how authority works within research itself. Specifically, the current study examines how the attire of researchers affects participants’ obedience to their directives and participant perceptions of the researcher. The final sample of participants in the current study included 49 people, ages 17-54 years. Participants were shown a video of a researcher explaining the current study, with the researcher wearing either casual clothing, formal wear, or a white lab coat uniform. The researcher asked participants to give maximum effort on a series of …

Early Biological Response Of Articular Cartilage To Hemiarthroplasty Wear, Debora Rossetti

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Hemiarthroplasties typically result in accelerated wear of the preserved side of the joint, resulting in suboptimal clinical outcomes and limited longevity. This in vitro study investigated the effects of hemiarthroplasty implant curvature on the early biological response of articular cartilage measured by proteoglycan release, histology, and surface morphology. Cartilage from boar radiocarpal joints were worn by metal pins of varying radii of curvature (RoC) using a pin-on-plate wear simulator. Histology and proteoglycan assays showed no significant differences between RoC treatment groups, and proteoglycan assays showed increased proteoglycan release 72 hours after wear testing in worn cartilage specimens compared to control …

Spin And Distortion In Surgical Trials, Andrea Mataruga

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Research problem: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are essential; however, their validity can be threatened through distortion or spin. This study quantifies publication bias and distorted outcome reporting.

Methodology: All surgical RCTs registered on ClinicalTrials.gov from 1997-2017 were identified and a sample was obtained through random and intentional selection. Failure to publish (proportion of studies that remain unpublished), outcome distortion (changing intended outcomes), and spin (distorted presentation) were explored. Comparisons were made for positive versus negative studies and for high-income (HICs) versus low-middle income countries (LMICs).

Results: In total, 13,761 RCTs were registered (median enrollment size = 96, 94% from …