Digital Commons Network^™

Immigrants’ Political Participation In Canada, Hongshu Wang

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Study Canadian immigrants’ likelihood of voting and participating in noninstitutional political activities

C-Dem 2023 Partners' Meeting May 5 Powerpoint Presentation, Consortium On Electoral Democracy

Meeting Notes

No abstract provided.

Corrosion Of Copper Alloys - Case Study, Hossein Amiriyarahmadi, Ali Ebrahimzadeh Pilehrood, Ghazal Shafiee, Mercy Ajayi

Corrosion Research

Corrosion of copper is a significant issue in many industries, and understanding its mechanisms is crucial in mitigating its effects. In this study, we investigated the corrosion of copper on our campus by examining door plates, pipes, and fittings. Our findings indicate that cuprite is the initial corrosion product that forms on copper surfaces. Furthermore, we observed bluish-green products on the door plates, which confirm patination on the copper surface due to atmospheric exposure.

We also explored the occurrence of galvanic corrosion on a steel door at the screws and near the junction of the plate and the door. However, …

Study On Integration Of Fastapi And Machine Learning For Continuous Authentication Of Behavioral Biometrics, Priya Bansal

Inspiring Minds – A Digital Collection of Western’s Graduate Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

Financial Wellbeing Of Working Canadians, Michael Ritacco

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

The National Payroll Institute (NPI) conducts an annual survey to measure the financial situation of their members. Using this data, the Financial Wellness Lab (FWL) then analyzes and applies advanced machine learning techniques to gain meaningful insights on the respondents. Of the many areas the FWL investigates regarding this data, the primary focus is identifying similar groups of individuals (clusters), and how these groups differ from one another. Aspects such as financial residency, savings, spending, and debt all play an important role in differentiating between these groups, and also play a role in financial wellbeing. Since this survey has been …

Fluid Inclusion Analysis Of Halite: A Snapshot Of The Cambrian Explosion, Amy R.A. Lefebvre

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

This research focused on obtaining a brief overview of information preserved within evaporite samples formed during the Early Cambrian. With the help of halite screening methods, fluid and gas analysis, through a micro thermometer and mass spectrometer, respectively, as well as trace element analysis conducted by Act Labs, results reflecting Earth's climate over 500 million years ago were obtained. These indicated the approximate weather conditions, and atmospheric composition, during this time period, within an intracontinental dessert location. Specifically, these results reflects a global warming period, with daily variations. Although much more research is needed in order to validate this summer's …

Uncovering The Mysteries Of Retention Ponds: Comparing The Abundance And Type Of Microplastics In Storm Water Ponds In London Ontario, Natalie Rose Minda

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Microplastics are plastics <5 mm (Liu, 2019; Arthur et al., 2009). They are created in two ways: Intentionally or from the fragmentation of larger pieces of plastic (National Ocean Service, 2021). They can negatively impact human, wildlife and ecosystem health in many ways depending on the exposure, type, size, and shape of the microplastic (Campanale, 2020). Retention ponds are often created in neighborhoods to collect water in order to prevent flooding. They also often serve as habitat for wildlife. Sediment samples were collected in two ponds in London Ontario both dredged in 2016. Samples were processed in the lab and further analyzed under the microscope to isolate the microplastics. Results have not been determined yet, but the abundance and type of microplastic varies in both ponds. Plastic pollution in retention ponds should be considered more, as it poses a threat to human and ecosystem health.

Intracranial Eeg Patient Analysis: Seizure Reduction In Refractory Epilepsy Following Depth Electrode Insertion, Shreyashish Roy-Chowdhury

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Rationale: The implantation effect describes an immediate reduction in seizure frequency following the insertion of intracranial electrodes. There is limited information regarding which patients will experience a reduction of seizures and the reason for the implantation effect. This study focuses on describing predictor factors for the reduction in seizure frequency in patients with medically resistant epilepsy implanted with depth electrodes.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 89 patients who underwent intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) monitoring with depth electrodes. Sixty-five of these patients had no subsequent therapeutic interventions and had a 3-6 month follow-up. Patients were grouped as either responders …

Return To Physical Activity Post-Total Knee Arthroplasty And Total Hip Arthroplasty, Bob T. Gao, Ashley Lowndes, Denise M. Connelly

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

No abstract provided.

Screen-Viewing Among Young Children In Childcare: An Updated Systematic Review, Leann Blake

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Screen-viewing is one of the main forms of sedentary activity in which young children engage (De Decker et al., 2013). Despite health risks of sedentary behaviour in the early years being well documented (Statistics Canada, 2019), there remains a lack of research focusing on sedentary activities within the context of childcare settings in which children participate. The purpose of the current systematic review is to update and expand on Vanderloo’s (2014) systematic review and provide a synthesis of all relevant research on the levels of screen-viewing among young children (0-5 years) attending childcare (i.e., centre-and home-based childcare). In addition, this …

Research Output For Usri, Malak Sadek

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

My project is a systematic review on Neural Representations of Stimulus Category Membership Across Modalities.The review is about neural evidence for categorical perception (equivalently, dimensional modulation, perceptual warping, or representational change) induced by artificial category learning.

Osteoarthritis In Early To Middle Epipalaeolithic, Aasiyah Sheri Ms

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

The study of human remains allows insight into the past. Studying an individual's bones and any diseases or abnormalities that may present themselves allows archaeologists to construct an image of what life might have been like for the individual. How old they were when they died, the type of work they did, and their overall health are all factors that can tell us a great deal about a person.

Fungal Co-Pathogenicity On Panax Quinquefolius, Andrea Ong

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is a perennial crop commonly grown for its medicinal properties. Ginseng replant disease (GRD) is a condition that prevents the re-cultivation of ginseng in previous ginseng gardens and is normally associated with extensive root rot caused by the fungus Ilyonectria mors-panacis. My project aims to investigate the relationship common GRD fungal pathogens and their pathogenicity on 1 year old ginseng seedlings.

A Bacterial Microbiome Analysis Of Solarized Ginseng Garden Soils, Anka Colo

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is a highly valued perennial crop grown for its roots during a four-year cultivation cycle. American ginseng is subject to ginseng replant disease (GRD) in which severe root rot develops in newly planted ginseng grown in a former ginseng garden. A common strategy to mitigating GRD is not available and techniques such as fumigation, fungicides, and biocontrol are ineffective, banned, or are slowly being phased out. Alternatively, soil solarization is a pre-plant technique used to treat soil to reduce disease inoculum and alter soil microbiomes. In summer 2019, a six-week soil solarization experiment was …

The Shadow Pandemic: A Systematic Review On The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Children And Adolescents Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder., Nasong A. Luginaah

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

No abstract provided.

Characteristics Of Those Who Identify As ‘Incels’, Amelia Hamilton

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

‘Incels’ are an online community of single men who endorse toxic worldviews about women stemming from their dissatisfaction with singlehood. Approximately 50 deaths have been tied to the incel community. Incels have been identified as an emerging domestic terrorism threat in Canada, the US and UK. Yet, little is known about the characteristics of this community, the potential level of threat, or what we can do to prevent this threat from escalating. In an online study of 1714 single individuals, we examined what personality traits are associated with one’s identification as an incel. Participants completed a survey consisting of various …

Using Stable-Isotopes To Determine The Effects Of Land-Use Change On Carbon Storage, Morgan Basile

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Over the last century, there has been drastic conversion of natural vegetation to agriculture. The decomposition of plant tissue is transformed into soil organic matter that is rich in carbon and stored within soil aggregates. This research examines the effects of land-use change on carbon storage by using stable-isotopes of organic matter. The stable-isotopes of organic matter within aggregates will be used to quantify the amount of carbon that has been added to the soil after a change in land-use (e.g. restoration of agricultural land to grassland).

Screening For The Effects Of Signalling Types In Fruitless Containing Neuron Affecting Social Space And Climbing, Khadijat Oluwakemi Mosuro

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Knockdown of neurotransmitter signalling types in the Fruitless neuron to see how they affect social space and climbing in the Drosophila melanogaster

Optimizing Ipsc Differentiation With Machine Learning, Apple Geng

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

No abstract provided.

Tca Fabrication Devices, Brendan R. Difabio

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Twisted coil actuators are a recent technology that has different properties from popular actuators used today. Being so new, there is still much to learn about these actuators. This project aims to create devices that can be used to make the fabrication process simple and repeatable.

The Effect Of Leverage On Credit Default Swaps, Xiling Lai

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

The research investigates the effect of leverage on the pricing of Credit Default Swaps (CDS) and focuses on key sectors of the economy: Technology, Financials, Consumer Staples and Industrials. CDS are financial instruments that were developed a few decades ago and have become more widely used in financial markets for hedging credit exposures. Given their prevalence in financial markets, it is important to understand how CDS spreads change when reference entities modify their capital structure.

In the regression analysis, the level of CDS spread is used as dependent variable, and the standardized relative leverage is used as independent variable. My …

Assessing The Role Of Integrins In Contact Guidance By Substratum Topography, Robin S. Hong

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

In this project, the effect of blocking integrin subunits on contact guidance of human periodontal ligament fibroblasts were assessed. Imaging was gathered through Timelapse imaging of live cells as well as immunohistochemistry of fixed cells at designated timepoints.

Examining The Effect Of Knocking Down Dopamine Receptors In Fruitless Sexually Dimorphic Neurons On Social Spacing, Avneet A. Sahota

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Social behaviour is an individual's response to others within a group. From humans to mice to even fruit flies, social behaviour involves interactions with others and their ability to exchange information. Social spacing is a type of social behaviour which measures the distance between two organisms. It is a balance of attractive and repulsive cues which are influenced by genetics and by the external environment. However, individuals with disorders such as autism spectrum or Williams syndrome display abnormal social spacing as they are unable to understand social and non-social cues. Also, dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is a contributing factor …

Meteorite Investigation And Classification, Olivia N. Benest

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Several meteorites arrive on Earth every day, but only a small percentage of them are found. They are easiest to spot on deserts or frozen ice. Western has a large number of unclassified meteorites found in the Northwest Africa (NWA) and Oman deserts. These meteorites include chondrites, achondrites, irons, and even Lunar and Martian meteorites. Classifying a meteorite requires detailed examination by optical microscopy, as well as micro X-ray diffraction (µXRD), and Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA), to observe their mineralogy (metal, oxide, sulfide, and silicate mineral phases), textures (e.g. chondrules, CAIs) and composition, in order to classify their petrologic type …

Category Learning - Studies In Mood Induction And Neural Representations Across Modalities, Raha Afkhami Nemati

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

In this powerpoint presentation, I discuss the two projects I worked on this summer: study focusing on how mood induction impacts categorization and a systematic review on stimulus categories across modalities. Throughout the presentation, I show the work I have done this past year, this summer and what I plan to continue with over the year. I discuss the papers, applications and criteria used throughout.

Development Of High-Resolution Meteor Spectra Analysis, Zhangqing Yang

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Meteoroids are often billions of years old and as they ablate and ionize in the atmosphere, they give off light leaving us clues to the history of our solar system. In addition, their presence imposes serious risks to our equipment and astronauts in space. My research deals with analyzing High-Resolution Meteor Spectra, which are obtained by separating the light Meteors give off through a Diffraction Grating. Firstly, as the Meteor’s speed during ablation affects its spectrum, the position, speed, and trajectory of 40 well-tracked Meteors (picked from over 500) were determined using the programs Metal and Mirfit. Then, the spectra …

The Effect Of Dopamine On The Behavioral Response To Isolation In Drosophila Melanogaster, Micah R. Evans

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Social behavior is exhibited based on a response to other individuals and involves the integration of external cues from surrounding organisms. A complete lack of interaction with others can profoundly affect social behavior in a variety of species. An example of the effect of social isolation can be seen in the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) when observing the social behavior of social space, which is the preferred distance between neighbours. Isolated flies have increased social space and settle further apart from one another compared to flies that are group-housed.

What modulates this behavioral response to the social environment in fruit …

An Analysis Of Ground Stone Celts On The Late Woodland Middle Ontario Iroquoian Dorchester Village Site (Afhg-24), Patrick J. Seddon

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

A comprehensive analysis of ground stone celts on the Late Woodland Middle Ontario Iroquoian Dorchester Village Site (AfHg-24). Metric and non-metric traits of the celts were analyzed to gain a better understanding of ground stone tools and their uses. A greater understanding of site formation processes and the development of Late Woodland Iroquoian villages may be attained through the creation of typologies, and an analysis of tool metrics, manufacturing and use wear traits, non-chert detritus produced through manufacture, and intra-site spatial data.

Investigating The Biological Function Of Female-Specific Fruitless Transcripts, Liam Mcfarlane

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

In Drosophila, the fruitless (fru) gene encodes an array of alternatively spliced transcription factors, some of which are sex-specifically spliced. The male-specific transcript (fru^M) has been previously determined to be involved in male courtship behaviours. The female counterpart (fru^F) however, has been assumed to have no function due to the incorporation of a stop codon near the 5' end of the transcript. Interestingly, RNAseq data shows that expression levels of fru^F in females exceeds that of fru^M in males in the brain and thoracoabdominal ganglion, bringing to …

A Review Of Accessibility And Return To Sport (Covid-19) Policy In Provincial And Territorial Sport Organizations Across Canada, Elias Boussoulas

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Issues with lack of accessibility in sport for those with both physical and mental disabilities have been prevalent throughout Canada. In order to understand and address these concerns, we must first review the provincial and territorial sport structure as well as accessibility policy in each provincial/territorial sport organization across Canada.

As a result of COVID-19, many provincial and territorial sport organizations found challenges in returning to play successfully while following provincial and territorial phased plans.The setbacks and restrictions put in place created a difficult environment for organizations to return to play, and without a sport-specific Return to Sport plan many …