Digital Commons Network^™

“We’Re Here, We’Re Queer, And We’Re Not Going Away” Student Policies And Lgbtq+ Students’ Experiences On Canadian Christian Campuses, Angela E. Gallo

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Research highlights that Christian campuses are often unwelcoming and hostile spaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other gender and sexually diverse (LGBTQ+) students. Yet, research, including emerging Canadian research, often overlooks how institutional policies shape LGBTQ+ students’ experiences. Further, little attention is given to the affirming experiences LGBTQ+ students encounter on Christian campuses. Through a collective case study of two Canadian Christian universities involving document analysis and interviews, I explored the discourses that school policies constructed concerning gender and sexuality, LGBTQ+ students’ experiences of exclusion and affirmation, and how policy, alongside other factors, shapes their experiences and well-being. …

Technology-Enhanced Professional Development For Early Literacy: A Comparative Study Of Online Teacher Learning Models In Kenya, Constanza Uribe-Banda

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Growing recognition of early literacy as essential for lifelong learning, along with evidence that teachers’ mastery of foundational literacy instruction influences student outcomes (Darling-Hammond et al., 2017; UNESCO, 2020), has led to increased investment in teacher professional development. Despite these efforts, many educators face significant challenges in accessing high-quality training, particularly in resource-constrained settings where geographical barriers and limited institutional support persist. This is especially true in rural Kenyan communities, where teachers often work in under-resourced schools with unreliable electricity and internet connectivity yet bear responsibility for laying critical literacy foundations. The present study examines the potential to deliver effective …

Negotiated Cultural Identity And Belonging Of Self-Identified Indo-Guyanese Immigrant Women, Neta (Goomatee) Deonarain-Gear

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This dissertation examines how young, self-identified Indo-Guyanese women who immigrated to Southwestern Ontario in the 1970s negotiate cultural identity and belonging. Utilizing a bio-ethnographic bricolage narrative methodology, the study explores the impact of postcolonial diaspora and social displacement on these women’s experiences within the "third space" or borderlands. Grounded in relativist ontology and constructivist epistemology, storytelling serves as the primary data collection method through a critical theory lens. Interviews with 12 participants were analyzed thematically and reflexively, revealing how participants construct meaning and navigate cultural identities. The analysis, conducted through feminist, decolonial, and trauma-informed perspectives, offers insights into "psychological homelessness" …

Neighbourhood Resilience Planning With Renters In Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Anna Do

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This sequential mixed-methods study demonstrates the co-production of knowledge between academic researchers and local communities. Guided by the resilience planning framework, the study engaged 48 renters from the Beasley neighbourhood of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada in identifying stressful and supportive locations using a participatory mapping tool called the “Place Report.” A total of 74 Place Reports were submitted, with most reporting supportive places in or near Beasley. Thematic analysis revealed three overarching domains, and 13 themes related to the use and function of these locations. Places pertaining to food, housing, and physical activity emerged as the most frequently discussed topics. The …

Legislating Trans Lives: An Archival Analysis On Trans Canadian Rights, Charlie E. C. Davis

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Previous research has outlined trans histories within the United States and Europe, illustrating historic transphobia, oppression and the origins of gender identity clinics. This type of historical literature is limited in the Canadian context, with more contemporary research demonstrating that trans people experience significant barriers to accessing healthcare, aversive health outcomes, and high rates of discrimination. Trans activists and advocates have always been and continue to resist these oppressive systems and have worked to improve the social and physical wellbeing of trans people in Canada. Utilizing archival data of trans activism and community mobilizing, I sought to address the gap …

Re-Imagining Care For Aging Disabled Adults, Caitlin L. Tizzard

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In Ontario, the landscape of aging is shaped by ageist and ableist ideologies that view older disabled adults through the lens of decline and dependency. Much of the current discourse on aging focuses on reforming long-term care (LTC), reinforcing institutional and carceral responses both within policy and academic imagination. This qualitative study takes a different approach by asking participants how care for aging disabled adults can be reimagined beyond institutionalization. Grounded in intersectional feminist, disability justice and abolitionist praxis, and using a critical transformative paradigm, this research employed Appreciative Inquiry across three focus groups with four participants engaged in aging-related …

Exploring Laurier Health Sciences Students’ Knowledge Of Lgbtq+ Health, Grace Emma Henry, Todd Coleman

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In all health-related fields, the need for well-informed, holistic healthcare providers is paramount. For the heathcare field to be impactful in positive ways, providers should emerge from multifaceted academic backgrounds, equipped with an array of knowledge and skills to address the complex needs of different patients. Central to this is the idea that all aspects of an individual's identity and the intersectionality of these identities should be considered when providing care. Intersectionality recognizes that various social and personal identities, such as race, gender, sexuality, and socioeconomic status, intersect to shape individual experiences and health outcomes (Kelly et al., 2022).

Lesbian, …

A Pilot Study Examining Children’S Evaluations And Reasoning About Concealment And Instrumental Forms Of Antisocial Lying, Noah Battaglia

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Children as young as 4 years of age judge self-benefitting lies (i.e., antisocial lying) as wrong. Although this has traditionally been interpreted as evidence that young children view honesty as a moral obligation, contemporary moral development theory and research suggests that right/wrong judgments fail to capture important aspects of children’s social cognition. Research from a perspective known as social domain theory (Smetana et al., 2014; Turiel, 1983) has shown that children’s understanding of morality (i.e., norms concerning others’ rights and wellbeing) is distinct from their understanding of other types of socially unacceptable behaviour. While children judge many social events as …

How The Story Of Jesus Is Aiding This Generation Of Ucc Clergy To Make Sense Of Their Vocation In A Secular Age, Sheila Macdonald Macgregor, Sheila G. Macgregor Rev.

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This dissertation, an exercise in practical theology, undertakes two tasks. First, it explores the Christology of fourteen active United Church of Canada (UCC) clergy trained and/or ordained/commissioned in the first two decades of the twenty-first century. Secondly, given that their training, and the first years of their ministries, have taken place against a background of overwhelming secularism and unprecedented church decline, it also examines how their understanding of Jesus Christ and his story are aiding them to make sense of their vocation in a secular age. Charles Taylor’s 2007 magnum opus, A Secular Age provides the backdrop for this study. …

Immune Pathway Modulation In Melanoma Using Chitosan Nanoparticle-Mediated Dsrna Delivery, Bethel C. Iwuji

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by abnormal and uncontrolled cell division, which typically results in the formation of tumours. Even with advances in treatments, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death globally. Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer which is highly malignant, develops in the pigment-producing cells of the skin, melanocytes, and in the late stages of the disease poses a significant challenge for therapeutic intervention due to its multidrug resistance. The innate immune system is the first line of defence against invading pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, and fungi, and can recognize and destroy …

The Influence Of Self-Efficacy On Support Provision In People With Low Self-Esteem, Daniella Rinaldo

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

People with lower self-esteem (LSEs) tend to underestimate their capabilities and are reluctant to provide support to close others. The literature has primarily focused on how self-esteem affects individuals as support recipients. However, less is known regarding how to improve LSEs’ reluctance and perceived capabilities as support providers. The present research examines how LSEs could be led to be more willing to provide support to a close other through enhancing their support self-efficacy. I also examined whether LSEs (vs higher self-esteem; HSEs) differ in their abilities and perceptions of the support they provide. I hypothesized that encouraging LSEs to see …

An Antiviral Response Induced By Dsrna Against Vesicular Stomatitis Virus And Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus In Bovine Turbinate Cells, Carly Au

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Canada is one of the largest beef exporters in the world. Viruses like vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) can negatively impact the cattle industry, and a prophylactic treatment is needed to protect against these viruses. Viruses produce long (L)dsRNA (>30-40bp) during replication that is not found in healthy cells. As such, the innate antiviral immune response, including the RNA interference (dsRNAi) pathway, are stimulated by viral LdsRNA. When low concentrations of LdsRNA are present, the RNAi pathway is triggered resulting in the degradation of viral mRNA of matching sequence, halting specific viral protein production. …

Inductions Of Long-Term Potentiation With Biomimetic Electromagnetic Fields In Primary Neurons, Cooper E. Kansala

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Endogenous brain rhythms guide neural communication and plasticity, raising the question of whether weak, temporally structured electromagnetic fields (EMFs) that mimic these rhythms can modulate neuronal activity in a targeted, biomimetic manner. This thesis investigates whether patterned EMFs designed to reflect the temporal structure of hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) are more effective at inducing neural plasticity than conventional sinusoidal fields or no stimulation at all. Cortical neurons cultured from postnatal rats were exposed to patterned EMFs for 30 minutes and assessed across three distinct experimental domains. In Chapter 2, microelectrode array (MEA) recordings revealed that the LTP-patterned field significantly increased …

Nature For All? Assessing Equitable Public Access To National Urban Parks In Canada: A Comparative Analysis, Andrew Tenute

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

The number of health challenges is rising both globally and in Canada. Research consistently shows that time spent in nature can mitigate some of these health challenges, offering significant mental, physical, and well-being benefits. Parks and protected areas in Canada, including the expansion of the National Urban Park (NUP) program by Parks Canada, provide valuable opportunities for nature-based engagement. However, access to these spaces is unjust, as many individuals face structural, intrapersonal, and interpersonal constraints. While prior studies have explored the motivations and well-being outcomes of women and Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) individuals, there remains a limited …

Feeling Blue: The Effects Of Blue Light Exposure On Reproduction And Physiology In Drosophila Melanogaster, Laura Hampel

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Blue light, the wavelengths ranging from ~400-500 nm, is emitted from the sun and more recently, by artificial lights including those in technology. In humans, prolonged exposure to blue light has been consistently linked to circadian rhythm disruption and retinal damage, and has also been associated with changes in neurodegeneration, aging, mortality, and oxidative stress in model organisms. This thesis explores the multifaceted effects of blue light exposure through two independent but complementary approaches. An initial rapid review of the current state of knowledge on blue light induced oxidative stress in humans was conducted. This revealed that the most studied …

Geographies Of Trauma And Healing: Resistance, Resilience, ‘Ustawi Wa’, And The Lived Experiences Of African Women Refugees From The Ehagl Region In Canada, Rosemary Njeri Kimani-Dupuis Dr., Rosemary Kimani-Dupuis

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This dissertation explores the lived experiences of African women refugees from the East and Horn of Africa and Great Lakes (EHAGL) region resettled in Ontario, Canada, with particular focus on the complex intersections of trauma, resilience, and healing within global refugee governance. It asks: How do the gendered and spatial dynamics of refugee protection and Canadian settlement systems sustain structural violence against African women refugees, and how do their transnational experiences challenge and reshape dominant frameworks of care, well-being, and institutional response?

Through a multi-scalar analysis—macro (legal governance frameworks), meso (institutional actors), and micro (women’s narratives)—the study explores how trauma …

The Experiences Of Mothering With An Intimate Partner Violence-Related Brain Injury, Emily L. Sebben Miss

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

One in three Canadian women will experience intimate partner violence (IPV) in their lifetime, and 75% of them have a probable brain injury (BI) (Haag et al., 2022). Despite the recent growth of IPV-BI research, many survivors remain undiagnosed and many aspects remain unexplored. The experiences of being a mother with an IPV-related BI has been left untold. These gaps leave frontline workers with little guidance in supporting survivors who are specifically mothers. This research reports on a qualitative study exploring the lived experiences of mothering with an IPV-BI. The study uses a constructivist worldview and hermeneutic phenomenology to amplify …

The Complex Development Of Psoralen-Interstrand Crosslink Resistance In Escherichia Coli Requires Acrr Inactivation, Retention Of A MarboxSequence, And One 3 Of Three Mara, Soxs, Or Rob Global Regulators, Travis K. Worley, Ayah H. Asal, Lo Cooper, Charmain T. Courcelle, Justin C. Courcelle

Biology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Crosslinking agents, such as psoralen and UVA radiation, can be effectively used as antimicrobials and for treating several dysplastic conditions in humans, including some cancers. Yet, both cancer cells and bacteria can become resistant to these compounds, making it important to understand how resistance develops. Recently, several mutants were isolated that developed high-levels of resistance to these compounds through upregulation of components of the AcrAB-TolC-efflux pump. Here, we characterized these mutants and found that resistance specifically requires inactivating mutations of the acrR transcriptional repressor which also retain the marbox sequence found within this coding region. In addition, the …

How Can University-Community Partnerships Strengthen Food Literacy To Improve Food Access And Food System Resilience In Rhode Island?, Jocelyn Furtado

Student Publications

Nearly two out of every five households in Rhode Island experience difficulties accessing adequate and nutritious food, falling into the category of food insecure. While it is not the responsibility of a sole organization to reverse this complex systemic issue, collaborative efforts are a step toward combating food insecurity and systems resilience through improving food literacy. When accomplished within a community, adequate food literacy can combat food insecurity. To the same effect, food insecurity may cause a lack of food literacy.

To hone in on the relationship of food literacy as it relates to food insecurity and food systems resilience, …

Readiness For Hospital Discharge - Adult Short Form - Arabic Translation, Marianne E. Weiss

RHDS

The Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale, and Post-Discharge Coping Difficulty Scale were developed by Dr. Marianne Weiss to measure nurse-sensitive discharge care processes and patient outcomes. Three versions of the scales were developed concurrently for different patient populations – Adult medical-surgical patients, Parents of hospitalized children, and Postpartum Patient mothers (see Weiss & Piacentine, 2006, Weiss et al., 2007, and Bobay et al., 2018 for description of the development and initial testing). Additional scales and information about translation rights are located at Marquette Nursing.

PERMISSION TO USE

The Readiness for Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge …

Tickborne Illness, Children's Mercy Kansas City

Clinical Pathways

No abstract provided.

Correction: Genetic Landscape Of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy In Hong Kong Chinese Population, Derek P H Lee, Ye Cao, Lilei Zhang

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2025.1583838.].

Refining The Interpretation Of Variants Of Uncertain Significance In Hereditary Cancer Screening Through Integrated Rna Sequencing, Youbao Sha, J Bryce Ortiz, Sara L Bristow, Kate Loranger, Linyan Meng, Xiaonan Zhao, Fan Xia, Sheetal Parmar, Adam C Elnaggar, Wenbo Xu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Although up to 25% of germline variants are predicted to affect splicing, most are classified as variants of uncertain significance (VUS) because of the limited understanding of their functional consequences. Here, we investigated the impact of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data on the ability to resolve splicing-related VUS.

Methods: Patients with VUS predicted to alter splicing identified through commercial hereditary cancer testing between October 2021 to July 2023 were included. RNA-seq was used to compare splicing patterns between patient blood samples and normal controls. VUS reclassification rates were calculated.

Results: In total, 411 VUS in 52 genes predicted to affect …

Refining The Interpretation Of Variants Of Uncertain Significance In Hereditary Cancer Screening Through Integrated Rna Sequencing, Youbao Sha, J Bryce Ortiz, Sara L Bristow, Kate Loranger, Linyan Meng, Xiaonan Zhao, Fan Xia, Sheetal Parmar, Adam C Elnaggar, Wenbo Xu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: Although up to 25% of germline variants are predicted to affect splicing, most are classified as variants of uncertain significance (VUS) because of the limited understanding of their functional consequences. Here, we investigated the impact of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data on the ability to resolve splicing-related VUS.

Methods: Patients with VUS predicted to alter splicing identified through commercial hereditary cancer testing between October 2021 to July 2023 were included. RNA-seq was used to compare splicing patterns between patient blood samples and normal controls. VUS reclassification rates were calculated.

Results: In total, 411 VUS in 52 genes predicted to affect …

Food Resource Efficiency Decision Support Hub: Consumer Survey Report, Tracey O'Connor, Mina Sadeghzadeh, Julia Lessa Feitosa Virgolino, Jennifer Attard

Publications

FRED is focused on informing policy on food waste prevention using a total food system sustainability approach.

Consumers sit at a critical point of food value networks as the decision-makers about food purchasing, household storage and management, and (non-)consumption. It was critical therefore to understand the consumer context, their concerns and needs regarding the food system, and their food purchasing and waste attitudes and behaviours.

Mixed-Methods Evaluation And Behavior Change Interventions To Improve Hand Hygiene Resources And Practices Among Healthcare Workers In Polyclinics And Health Centers In Belize, 2023, Anh N Ly, Kelsey Mcdavid, Christina Craig, Rosalva Blanco, Vickie Romero, Melissa Diaz-Musa, Francis Morey, Russell Manzanero, Gerhaldine Morazan, Makenzie Towery, Anna Impellitteri, Matthew Lozier, Kristy O Murray

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Hand hygiene (HH) is an effective public health measure to prevent the spread of infections in healthcare settings. A previous study in Belize showed gaps in HH practices in hospitals and large polyclinics; however, there are limited national data assessing access to and use of HH resources in smaller outpatient primary care facilities, especially in rural areas.

Methods: In February 2023, facility assessments were conducted at 26 health centers and polyclinics in Belize to assess the availability of HH resources. Of these, 12 pilot healthcare facilities (HCF) were selected for additional evaluation, which included observation of HH practices, hand …

Heterologous Prime-Pull Mucosal Vaccination With An Adjuvanted Rbd Vaccine Elicits Robust Iga Production And Protects Against Sars-Cov-2, Allyson H Hirsch, Calder R Ellsworth, William A Lewis, Ryan Craig, Amy E Meyer, Jonatan Maldonado, Frania Ramirez Lopez, Syamala Rani Thimmiraju, James B Mclachlan, Xuebin Qin, Nicholas J Maness, Jeroen Pollet, Ulrich Strych, Maria Elena Bottazzi, Peter J Hotez, Lisa A Morici

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Despite the efficacy of approved severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines in preventing severe disease and death, breakthrough infections continue to occur in vaccinated individuals, contributing to further viral mutation and spread. These limitations may be attributable to the poor induction of mucosal immunity by parenteral vaccination. Mucosal adjuvants, such as T-vant, can enhance vaccine-induced immune responses through the generation of antigen-specific antibodies and T cells in the respiratory tract. In this study, we evaluated the protective efficacy of adjuvanted SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) subunit vaccines administered by homologous and heterologous routes. Immunized mice were challenged with …

Novel Sex Work Anti-Discrimination Protections, Chi Adanna Mgbako, Christine Eldabh, Katie Falk, Emma Pennie

Faculty Scholarship

Sex workers throughout the world experience ubiquitous and acute discrimination in every facet of their lives due to deeprooted stigma. Societal fear and hatred of sex workers often lead to their exclusion from healthcare services, financial institutions, and accessible housing, as well as their marginalization by the carceral state, family law systems, media, and politicians. Between 2022 and 2024, the Australian jurisdictions of the Northern Territory, Queensland, and Victoria passed groundbreaking legislation codifying novel anti-discrimination protections for sex workers. These laws are the first in the world to explicitly protect sex workers against discrimination in accommodation, employment, government services, and …

Isapa 2025: Program Guide, Catherine Carty, Gerard Masdeu Yelamos

Publications

ISAPA 2025 is a landmark international event that brings together global leaders, researchers, practitioners, and advocates in Adapted Physical Activity to ignite systemic change under the unifying theme “Shifting the Dial: From Awareness to Transformation.” Hosted in Kerry, Ireland, under the patronage of UNESCO, the symposium integrates five major events into one dynamic platform.

The program reflects IFAPA’s mission to advance inclusion, research, professional excellence, and international cooperation, while also contributing meaningfully to the implementation of global frameworks such as the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris 2024 Call …

Real-World Experiences With Vmat2 Inhibitors In Pediatric Hyperkinetic Movement Disorders, Sujal Manohar, Jennifer Jacobe, Rebecca Berger, Joseph Jankovic, Mariam Hull

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) inhibitors are often prescribed for the treatment of hyperkinetic movement disorders such as tics, stereotypy, tardive dyskinesia and chorea. These dopamine depleters have been FDA approved in adults for the treatment of chorea in Huntington's disease and tardive dyskinesia. Use of VMAT2 inhibitors in pediatric hyperkinetic movement disorders, however, is limited due to lack of pediatric FDA approval. We review the real-world prescribing practices and patient experiences with VMAT2 inhibitors in children.

Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients treated with VMAT2 inhibitors at a pediatric movement disorders clinic from 2011 to …