Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Scrna Seq Analysis Of Ebv+ Associated Gastric Cancer, Eric Wang

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

No abstract provided.

Understanding Physician Engagement With Ontario Health Teams, Atharv Joshi

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

This summer, I worked on gathering existing literature on physician engagement in primary care. This literature was further developed into a research brief which is intended to be used with the Ontario Health Teams to explore ways to engage physicians in their roles especially with patients to improve patient outcomes, patient safety and provider satisfaction. Physician engagement evaluation is still limited which is why the research brief was able to provide a starting point for existing gaps that need to be further analyzed.

Development Of The Hafie Questionnaire - A Focus Group Based Study, Selina Liao

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

This research poster describes the development of a hearing aid questionnaire that is designed to facilitate pre-fitting hearing aid selection. Through the use of focus groups, feedback and suggestions were given to improve the hearing aid.

The Effects Of Estrogen In The Glucoregulatory Response To Exercise In Type 1 Diabetes, Mitchell James Sammut

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Regular exercise has shown to benefit the health of individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). However, a barrier to regular exercise for this population is the fear of low blood glucose (BG) levels, also known as hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia can result in short and long-term side-effects, such as recurring loss of consciousness or in severe cases death.

In non-diabetics, sex-related differences in fuel selection during exercise are well established. Women shift towards using fats as fuel whereas men rely mostly on sugars (i.e., carbohydrates) for energy production. Exercise during the luteal phase of the female menstrual cycle, where estrogen levels …

Using Social Media As A Recruitment Tool In Qualitative Research, Erica Lo

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Social media is an overlooked tool in qualitative health research due to limited methodological guidance in literature. While internet methods have been proven useful throughout many disciplines, using social media in research without literature support can lead to unforeseen practical and ethical problems. But, as researchers develop guidelines and publish their findings on the effectiveness of social media, these barriers can be overcome. This poster summarizes the process of using social media as a recruitment tool and the applications of this procedure through the results of Project Echo.

Development Of A Low Field Mri-Based Approach For Observation Of Water Penetration Into Clay: Preliminary Results, Shivam Gupta

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are considered one of the most efficient and non-invasive methods of observing water content in permeable substances. MRI can visualize and quantify the movement of water in real time. In this study, MRI was used to observe the water penetration through clay. Furthermore, MRI can acquire three-dimensional data due to its radio-frequency signals from any orientation. The contrast of the images produced by MRI is a display of the fluid concentration. As such, any change in the contrast intensity is interpreted as a regional change in the concentration of fluid. This report summarizes the preliminary results …

Exploring Leisure, Social Participation In Older Adults, Zahra Fatina

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Older adults often face challenges in meaningful occupations in their neighbourhoods, often tied to place-based barriers and changes including neighbourhood decline or gentrification. The objectives of this study are to draw on findings from an ethnographic study exploring older adults’ lives in their neighbourhoods, in order to contextually situate the diverse experiences of older adults as they engage in community occupations, focusing on social participation and leisure. We employed an ethnographic methodology with 38 older adults living in two neighbourhoods in a mid-sized Canadian city. Participants engaged in narrative interviews, photo elicitation interviews, go-along interviews, and activity-space mapping with follow-up …

Simulating 129-Xe Hyperpolarization, Jacob F. Abiad

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Hyperpolarized 129-Xe is an important resource in many fields of medical physics and MRI research. The physics of the efficient production of hyperpolarized 129-Xe is therefore equally worth investigation. The main process of hyperpolarizing 129-Xe is Spin Exchange Optical Pumping (SEOP) and is dependent on several physical factors that can be difficult to constantly change in a lab setting. Physical modelling of 129-Xe hyperpolarization allows for the more efficient testing of hyperpolarization physics in a wide array of experimental setups to better determine the optimal values for hyperpolarization. This research project attempted to create a working model for 129-Xe hyperpolarization …

Exploring The Environmental Factors That Shape The Experiences Of Risk For Older Adults, Bernice Chung

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

When a young adult wants to go mountain climbing, rarely do people think it is “too dangerous”. The same cannot be said for older adults. Although life frequently involves risk-taking, older adults are too often positioned as ‘at risk’ and therefore, in need of protection. The problem lies in the way risk is conceptualized as an individually located phenomenon. This narrow view negates the environmental factors that exist outside the control of older adults and that shape risk in older adulthood. I wanted to address this gap, so my research explored the environmental factors that shape experiences of risk for …

Exploring Sensory Phenotypes In Autistic Children And Children With Adhd, Anahid Pourtousi

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Autistic children and children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often experience sensory processing difficulties, which are highly heterogeneous. Researchers have identified sensory phenotypes that co-occur within autistic individuals. However, sensory phenotypes have not been examined in children with ADHD. The aim of this research is to identify whether these sensory phenotypes exist in children with ADHD, and whether these phenotypes are similar to those observed in autism. A secondary aim of this study is to determine whether these sensory phenotypes are related to autism, ADHD, and obsessive-compulsive (OCD) traits. Short Sensory Profile data from 495 autistic children and 461 children with …

Gender-Based Violence Survey, Alyssa J. Madhani

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

My research output shows the theoretical and practical skills gained from this internship. It also showcases some of the key learning from the survey- recognizing critical expertise in gender-based violence work.

Adolescent Girls Physical Activity Engagement And Body Image Development, Vanessa Coulbeck

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

This summer I looked more into adolescent girls’ physical activity engagement and its’ relationship to weight-based teasing. This topic intrigued me because from my own sport experiences, I saw first-hand how compared to boys, adolescent girls dis-engage from sport and exercise at a disproportionately higher rate and are at higher risk for body shame and self-objectification. This gender inequity in sport and physical activity is first observed in adolescence and tracks well into adulthood. The purpose of this summer's research activities examined how self-compassion and weight-related teasing relate to self-conscious emotions and sport and physical activity participation.

An Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of Exercise Training-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation To Improve Aerobic Fitness, Rojin Gharaezibaei

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

On intake to exercise-training based cardiac rehabilitation, an incremental CPET is performed to identify V̇O2peak and establish baseline exercise capacity. In individuals who provide a symptom-free and maximal effort, V̇O2peak provides a reasonable estimate of the maximal ability of the body to take up, transport, and utilize O2 and the ceiling of aerobic capacity. However, in those unaccustomed to exhaustive exercise, such an effort is challenging to obtain. In clinical atmospheres, CPET testing is commonly symptom-limited due to breathlessness and fatigue. Thus, many patients voluntarily terminate exercise before reaching their maximal physiological limit of O2 delivery and utilization. As a …

Investigating Gene-Environment Interaction In A Double-Hit Model For Autism Spectrum Disorder, Melvin Maroon

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

With the exponential advancements seen in the field of sequencing technology, the science community has come to identify hundreds of potential genetic risk factors for neuropsychiatric disorders. Despite our knowledge that such risk factors exist, we have yet to understand their specific influences on the behavioral profile of an individual. In addition, maternal infection during pregnancy can have longstanding detrimental outcomes on a child’s development. This is especially impactful with the present threat of viral infection during the pandemic. Our study aims to understand the influence of a specific genetic and environmental factor on a preclinical rodent model’s behavioral development. …

Point Substitutions In G Protein-Coupled Receptors, Jessica Brown

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are proteins that are important in physiological regulatory processes within the body, and for this reason are important drug targets. When bound to an agonist, such as neurotransmitters or hormones, the receptor adopts an active state to allow these biochemical pathways to occur. However, mutations can arise within the receptor that affect its ability to bind its agonist. This natural variation found within the genome can make it difficult to design pharmaceuticals to target the receptors.

To see the effects of these point substitutions on agonist-induced receptor activation, mutations were made within a negative allosteric site …

Falls In Mid-Life: A Scoping Literature Review, Nicole Struthers

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

As the global aging population continues to grow, falls and fall-related injuries (FRIs) exert growing pressure on healthcare systems. Falls have been well studied regarding children (0-19 years) and older adults (65+ years). However, falls in mid-life (40-64 years) have not been studied as extensively. This scoping literature review on mid-life falls was conducted with the goal of answering two questions: what is known from the literature about the characteristics of falls occurring in mid-life, and how do falls in mid-life relate to experiences of falling over the lifespan, particularly falls later in life. A six-stage framework for conducting a …

Discovering The Brain Activation Patterns Associated With Somatosensory Stimulation In The Lower Extremity In Healthy Adults At Rest: Preliminary Results For A Systematic Review, Siying Luan

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Stroke, which is the leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of death in adults in North America, burdens millions of people as they age. When people experience the long-lasting consequences of stroke, such as limited mobility, the rehabilitation process becomes critical. The mechanism behind walking is supported by a complex system, the somatosensory nervous system. This system transmits information that is essential for one to complete daily tasks, which means the relationship between the somatosensory system and walking is critical to understand for future innovative rehabilitation interventions. Thus, we are investigating the brain activation patterns associated with …

Development Of A Low-Cost Algometer, Thomas D. Naish, Ana Luisa Trejos, Dave M. Walton

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Many people suffer from chronic pain, the reasons for which are not always well understood. Algometers are instruments that can help clinicians understand the nature of pain by determining the force at which pain becomes noticeable or unbearable. Algometers can also be used to determine the effects that external influences can have on pain tolerance in healthy people.

The goal of this project was to develop an algometer that can measure the normal range of pain thresholds and tolerances of most patients, which ranges up to 35 lbs. Also, the result needed to be accurate to about 1% and made …

Bridging The Gap Between Muscle And Bone: Examining Tendon Identity And Development, Amel Sassi

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Tendons are fibrous connective tissues that connect skeletal muscle to bone. Functioning primarily to facilitate locomotion, these tissues are rich with collagen and other minor collagens and proteoglycans. Nevertheless, with over 4000 tendons in the human body, the molecular pathways that define different tendons remain largely unknown. As such, the clear distinction between tendon identity, particularly at the genetic level has yet to be fully established. Similarly, molecular pathways involved in tendon developments remain to be fully elucidated. Despite the important role of tendons in motor coordination and posture, a number of areas in tendon development and identity have yet …

Global Impact Of Social Determinants On Access To Childhood Hearing Healthcare: A Scoping Review, Bahar Rafinejad-Farahani

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

No abstract provided.

Investigating Adherence To Screening Guidelines For Cardiometabolic Disease In Persons With Spinal Cord Injury At The Parkwood Institute Outpatient Clinic, Luxshmi Nageswaran

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) are at an increased risk of developing cardiometabolic disease (CMD) and related complications. To address this, the Paralyzed Veterans of America released a set of clinical practice guidelines with screening recommendations for CMD risk factors such as dyslipidemia, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes.

Clinical data indicated that 25 patients out of a total of 48 (52%) are at an increased risk of developing cardiometabolic disease, as defined as having three or more risk factors present. In addition, a review of 30 intake forms from the Parkwood Institute Outpatient Clinic showed that hypertension and weight screenings …

Ccn1 Levels In Duchenne Modelled Mice, Sami Berihun

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

No abstract provided.

The Parallel Pandemic: A Systematic Review On The Effects Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Eating Disorders And Ocd In Children And Adolescents, Nasong A. Luginaah

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

In January 2021, Covid-19 had already been diagnosed in over 100 million individuals¹. Due to the high degree of infectivity, many countries all over the globe attempted to counter the virus by instituting nation-wide lockdowns. The effects of the lockdowns resulting from the Covid-19 Pandemic on the mental health of children and adolescents have drawn a lot of public health attention with many calling for an increased in the understanding of the potential effects the youth of today may have to endure. Two specific mental health illnesses have seemingly worsened are OCD and eating disorders.

Characterizing The Heterogeneity Of Adult-Onset Leukoencephalopathy With Axonal Spheroids: A Digital Spatial Profiling Study, Peter Liu

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Adult-onset leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids (ALAS) is a group of hereditary, progressive, neurodegenerative disorders involving primarily the central nervous system white matter (WM). ALAS is characterized by patchy, asymmetrical myelin loss and axonal destruction in the WM, predominantly involving the frontoparietal regions. However, the asymmetrical and heterogenous involvement of different brain regions remains poorly characterized.

In this study, digital spatial profiling was performed to investigate the region-specific expressions of 60 proteins. Conventional immunohistochemistry methods was used validate intrepretation of probes. Using a high-plex and high-throughput method, we provide evidence of regional heterogeneity in ALAS, particularly involving key markers of microglia …

Homeless Population Enumeration, Ji-Soo Jennifer Choi

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

There is currently very limited information on homeless population including, population size, demographic, geological location, and such; these are all vital information that are required to create resources and supports that helps to meet the needs of homeless population (Forchuk, 2021). Dr. Richard Booth’s ongoing research on homeless population enumeration aims to generate accurate quantitative representation of the homelessness incidence. It will be undertaking the form of a scoping review by reviewing relevant literatures to explore and synthesize various enumeration processes and conceptualization of construct of ‘homelessness’.

Liam Briggs 2021 Usri - Audio Testing Device, Liam Briggs

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Portable and cost-effective hearing testing device with a UI that can be accessed on a remote web server.

Using Qualitative Methods To Examine Influences On Active School Travel And Children’S Health, Sheena Ye

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Over the last year, three major tools were developed to examine key influences on AST and children’s health and well-being. These tools included two pilot surveys - one for parents and one for children from grades four to eight located in South Western Ontario. The third tool was a comprehensive travel diary for the child survey takers to fill out after completing their initial children’s pilot survey. Over the last four months, these tools were tested in order to collect feedback from volunteers recruited in South Western Ontario. The goal of the pilot testing of these tools was to determine …

The Right To Repair: (Re)Building A Better Future, Jumana Labib

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

The goal of this research project was to take a multi-faceted, interdisciplinary approach to research and examine the Right to Repair movement’s progress, current repair practices, impediments, and imperatives, and the various large-scale implications (environmental, economic, social, etc.) stemming from diminished consumer freedom as a result of increased corporate greed and lack of governmental regulations with regards to repair and the environment. This poster exhibits the highlights of my general research project on the Right to Repair movement over the course of this four month internship, and aims to disseminate information about the movement to the wider public in an …

Presentation On Peer Mentorship, Chris W. Ruffell

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

According to Statistics Canada, over 2.1 million students enrolled in Canadian public universities and colleges for the 2017/2018 academic year (Stat Can, 2020). From a global perspective, this number is astronomical. Reports indicate that during this same time period, Canada was the most educated country in the world, with over 56-percent of adults aged 25-64 having been educated at the post-secondary level (CNBC, 2018). This, of course, is a great achievement for Canada, however one unfortunate biproduct of having such a large population of enrolled students is that the number of students who do not reach graduation is also relatively …

Filling The Gap: Development Of Best Practice Guidelines To Support Speech-Language Pathologists Working With Autistic Clients, Lauren Choi

Undergraduate Student Research Internships Conference

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are among the most important clinicians involved in providing assessment and therapy services for autistic children. Yet, a study found that 60% of graduate students in speech-language pathology only had one week of coursework that focused on autism. Our project aims to address this gap, by working with SLPs working in the community to create a best-practice-guidelines web-based tool SLPs can use to supplement their learning and inform their decision-making when assessing and providing support for autistic individuals. We used three phases to incorporate research and expert opinions to answer the question “What are considered best-practices when …