Waterloo Research

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Motor unit characteristics after targeted muscle reinnervation
(Public Library of Science, 2016-02-22) Kapelner, Tamas; Jiang, Ning; Holobar, Ales; Vujaklija, Ivan; Roche, Aidan D.; Farina, Dario; Aszmann, Oskar C.
Targeted muscle reinnervation (TMR) is a surgical procedure used to redirect nerves originally controlling muscles of the amputated limb into remaining muscles above the amputation, to treat phantom limb pain and facilitate prosthetic control. While this procedure effectively establishes robust prosthetic control, there is little knowledge on the behavior and characteristics of the reinnervated motor units. In this study we compared the m. pectoralis of five TMR patients to nine able-bodied controls with respect to motor unit action potential (MUAP) characteristics. We recorded and decomposed high-density surface EMG signals into individual spike trains of motor unit action potentials. In the TMR patients the MUAP surface area normalized to the electrode grid surface (0.25 ± 0.17 and 0.81 ± 0.46, p < 0.001) and the MUAP duration (10.92 ± 3.89 ms and 14.03 ± 3.91 ms, p < 0.01) were smaller for the TMR group than for the controls. The mean MUAP amplitude (0.19 ± 0.11 mV and 0.14 ± 0.06 mV, p = 0.07) was not significantly different between the two groups. Finally, we observed that MUAP surface representation in TMR generally overlapped, and the surface occupied by motor units corresponding to only one motor task was on average smaller than 12% of the electrode surface. These results suggest that smaller MUAP surface areas in TMR patients do not necessarily facilitate prosthetic control due to a high degree of overlap between these areas, and a neural information—based control could lead to improved performance. Based on the results we also infer that the size of the motor units after reinnervation is influenced by the size of the innervating motor neuron.
Effect of copper and zinc on the single molecule self-affinity of Alzheimer's amyloid-β peptides
(Public Library of Science, 2016-01-25) Hane, Francis T.; Hayes, Reid; Lee, Brenda Y.; Leonenko, Zoya
The presence of trace concentrations of metallic ions, such as copper and zinc, has previously been shown to drastically increase the aggregation rate and neurotoxicity of amyloid-β (Aβ), the peptide implicated in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The mechanism of why copper and zinc accelerate Aβ aggregation is poorly understood. In this work, we use single molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) to probe the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters (dissociation constant, Kd, kinetic dissociation rate, koff, and free energy, ΔG) of the dissociation of an Aβ dimer, the amyloid species which initiates the amyloid cascade. Our results show that nanomolar concentrations of copper do not change the single molecule affinity of Aβ to another Aβ peptide in a statistically significant way, while nanomolar concentrations of zinc decrease the affinity of Aβ-Aβ by an order of magnitude. This suggests that the binding of zinc ion to Aβ may interfere with the binding of Aβ-Aβ, leading to a lower self-affinity.
Bridging organizations drive effective governance outcomes for conservation of Indonesia's marine systems
(Public Library of Science, 2016-01-21) Berdej, Samantha M.; Armitage, Derek R.
This study empirically investigates the influence of bridging organizations on governance outcomes for marine conservation in Indonesia. Conservation challenges require ways of governing that are collaborative and adaptive across boundaries, and where conservation actions are better coordinated, information flows improved, and knowledge better integrated and mobilized. We combine quantitative social network analysis and qualitative data to analyze bridging organizations and their networks, and to understand their contributions and constraints in two case studies in Bali, Indonesia. The analysis shows 1) bridging organizations help to navigate the ‘messiness’ inherent in conservation settings by compensating for sparse linkages, 2) the particular structure and function of bridging organizations influence governing processes (i.e., collaboration, knowledge sharing) and subsequent conservation outcomes, 3) ‘bridging’ is accomplished using different strategies and platforms for collaboration and social learning, and 4) bridging organizations enhance flexibility to adjust to changing marine conservation contexts and needs. Understanding the organizations that occupy bridging positions, and how they utilize their positionality in a governance network is emerging as an important determinant of successful conservation outcomes. Our findings contribute to a relatively new body of literature on bridging organizations in marine conservation contexts, and add needed empirical investigation into their value to governance and conservation in Coral Triangle nations and beyond.
Freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease: An overload problem?
(Public Library of Science, 2015-12-17) Beck, Eric N.; Martens, Kaylena A. Ehgoetz; Almeida, Quincy J.
Freezing of gait (FOG) is arguably the most severe symptom associated with Parkinson's disease (PD), and often occurs while performing dual tasks or approaching narrowed and cluttered spaces. While it is well known that visual cues alleviate FOG, it is not clear if this effect may be the result of cognitive or sensorimotor mechanisms. Nevertheless, the role of vision may be a critical link that might allow us to disentangle this question. Gaze behaviour has yet to be carefully investigated while freezers approach narrow spaces, thus the overall objective of this study was to explore the interaction between cognitive and sensory-perceptual influences on FOG. In experiment #1, if cognitive load is the underlying factor leading to FOG, then one might expect that a dual-task would elicit FOG episodes even in the presence of visual cues, since the load on attention would interfere with utilization of visual cues. Alternatively, if visual cues alleviate gait despite performance of a dual-task, then it may be more probable that sensory mechanisms are at play. In compliment to this, the aim of experiment#2 was to further challenge the sensory systems, by removing vision of the lower-limbs and thereby forcing participants to rely on other forms of sensory feedback rather than vision while walking toward the narrow space. Spatiotemporal aspects of gait, percentage of gaze fixation frequency and duration, as well as skin conductance levels were measured in freezers and non-freezers across both experiments. Results from experiment#1 indicated that although freezers and non-freezers both walked with worse gait while performing the dual-task, in freezers, gait was relieved by visual cues regardless of whether the cognitive demands of the dual-task were present. At baseline and while dual-tasking, freezers demonstrated a gaze behaviour that neglected the doorway and instead focused primarily on the pathway, a strategy that non-freezers adopted only when performing the dual-task. Interestingly, with the combination of visual cues and dual-task, freezers increased the frequency and duration of fixations toward the doorway, compared to non-freezers. These results suggest that although increasing demand on attention does significantly deteriorate gait in freezers, an increase in cognitive demand is not exclusively responsible for freezing (since visual cues were able to overcome any interference elicited by the dual-task). When vision of the lower limbs was removed in experiment#2, only the freezers' gait was affected. However, when visual cues were present, freezers' gait improved regardless of the dual-task. This gait behaviour was accompanied by greater amount of time spent looking at the visual cues irrespective of the dual-task. Since removing vision of the lower-limbs hindered gait even under low attentional demand, restricted sensory feedback may be an important factor to the mechanisms underlying FOG.
Compensated row-column ultrasound imaging system using Fisher Tippett multilayered conditional random field model
(Public Library of Science, 2015-12-11) Daya, Ibrahim Ben; Chen, Albert I. H.; Shafiee, Mohammad Javad; Wong, Alexander; Yeow, John T. W.
3-D ultrasound imaging offers unique opportunities in the field of non destructive testing that cannot be easily found in A-mode and B-mode images. To acquire a 3-D ultrasound image without a mechanically moving transducer, a 2-D array can be used. The row column technique is preferred over a fully addressed 2-D array as it requires a significantly lower number of interconnections. Recent advances in 3-D row-column ultrasound imaging systems were largely focused on sensor design. However, these imaging systems face three intrinsic challenges that cannot be addressed by improving sensor design alone: speckle noise, sparsity of data in the imaged volume, and the spatially dependent point spread function of the imaging system. In this paper, we propose a compensated row-column ultrasound image reconstruction system using Fisher-Tippett multilayered conditional random field model. Tests carried out on both simulated and real row-column ultrasound images show the effectiveness of our proposed system as opposed to other published systems. Visual assessment of the results show our proposed system’s potential at preserving detail and reducing speckle. Quantitative analysis shows that our proposed system outperforms previously published systems when evaluated with metrics such as Peak Signal to Noise Ratio, Coefficient of Correlation, and Effective Number of Looks. These results show the potential of our proposed system as an effective tool for enhancing 3-D row-column imaging.
Developing persuasive health messages for a behaviour-change-support-system that promotes physical activity
(Sage Journals, 2017-05-15) Rezai, Leila; Bassett-Gunter, Rebecca; Burns, Catherine
This paper describes the first of three experiments conducted to investigate the efficacy of a proposed persuasive mHealth messaging intervention that motivates individuals to become more physically active. In order to develop a set of persuasive health messages that can be used in the principal experiment, which examines a particular message-tailoring strategy, we conducted an online survey through Amazon Mechanical Turk. In this online study participants rated a series of health messages to indicate each message’s level of persuasiveness, as well as the message’s focus. This study was essential, as disagreements exist on how to frame persuasive health messages in the context of promoting physical activity. Among the proposed 57 messages, 14 messages rated as the most persuasive were selected for the principal experiment.
Trust in Autonomous Vehicles: The case of Tesla Autopilot and Summon
(2017-10-05) Dikmen, Murat Burns, Catherine
Autonomous driving is on the horizon. Vehicles with partially automated driving capabilities are already in the market. Before the widespread adoption however, human factors issues in the automated driving context need to be addressed. One of the key components of this is how much drivers trust in automated driving systems and how they calibrate their trust and reliance based on their experience. In this paper, we report the results of a survey conducted with Tesla drivers about their experiences with two advanced driver assistance systems, Autopilot and Summon. We found that drivers have high levels of trust in Autopilot and Summon. Trust decreased with age for Autopilot but not for Summon. Drivers who experienced unexpected behaviors from their vehicles reported lower levels of trust in Autopilot. Over time, trust in these systems increased regardless of experience. Additionally, trust was correlated with several attitudinal and behavioral factors such as frequency of use, self-rated knowledge about these systems, and ease of learning. These findings highlight the importance of trust in real world use of autonomous cars. Also, the results suggest that previous
Predictability of decaying stratified turbulence
(AIP Publishing, 2024-06-14) Diaz, Martín F.; Waite, Michael L.
Predictability of geophysical fluid dynamics at various scales remains a crucial challenge for accurate weather and climate forecasting. Following the pioneering framework established by Lorenz, numerous studies on homogeneous and isotropic turbulence have demonstrated that flows characterized by diverse scales may exhibit limited predictability. This limitation arises from the inevitable amplification of errors in the initial conditions from small scales to larger scales, even if the initial error is confined to small scales. This research investigates the predictability of freely decaying homogeneous stratified turbulence, which serves as a representative model for small-scale geophysical turbulence where rotational effects are negligible. Direct numerical simulations are employed to assess predictability by analyzing the growth of errors introduced in pairs of simulations with near-identical initial conditions; errors are modeled as the difference field of the pair. Previous studies have established a connection between the finite range of predictability and the slope of the kinetic energy spectrum. In the context of stratified turbulence, the shape of the energy spectrum exhibits a dependence on the buoyancy Reynolds number (Reb), particularly at lower values of Reb. This work conducts a comparative analysis of both the energy spectra and the error growth behavior across different regimes of stratified turbulence, encompassing a range of Reb values from O(1) to O(10)⁠. The sensitivity of the obtained results to the introduced error is investigated. Modifying the geometrical shape of the error (spherical vs cylindrical complement) and the cutoff wavenumber while maintaining the initial error kinetic energy did not significantly alter the error dynamics. The results are robust to variations in the method of error introduction.
Wearable-sensor-based classification models of faller status in older adults
(Public Library of Science, 2016-04-07) Howcroft, Jennifer; Lemaire, Edward D.; Kofman, Jonathan
Wearable sensors have potential for quantitative, gait-based, point-of-care fall risk assessment that can be easily and quickly implemented in clinical-care and older-adult living environments. This investigation generated models for wearable-sensor based fall-risk classification in older adults and identified the optimal sensor type, location, combination, and modelling method; for walking with and without a cognitive load task. A convenience sample of 100 older individuals (75.5 ± 6.7 years; 76 non-fallers, 24 fallers based on 6 month retrospective fall occurrence) walked 7.62 m under single-task and dual-task conditions while wearing pressure-sensing insoles and tri-axial accelerometers at the head, pelvis, and left and right shanks. Participants also completed the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale, Community Health Activities Model Program for Seniors questionnaire, six minute walk test, and ranked their fear of falling. Fall risk classification models were assessed for all sensor combinations and three model types: multi-layer perceptron neural network, naïve Bayesian, and support vector machine. The best performing model was a multi-layer perceptron neural network with input parameters from pressure-sensing insoles and head, pelvis, and left shank accelerometers (accuracy = 84%, F1 score = 0.600, MCC score = 0.521). Head sensor-based models had the best performance of the single-sensor models for single-task gait assessment. Single-task gait assessment models outperformed models based on dual-task walking or clinical assessment data. Support vector machines and neural networks were the best modelling technique for fall risk classification. Fall risk classification models developed for point-of-care environments should be developed using support vector machines and neural networks, with a multi-sensor single-task gait assessment.
Attentional effects on phenomenological appearance: How they change with task instructions and measurement methods
(Public Library of Science, 2016-03-29) Anderson, Britt
It has been reported that exogenous cues accentuate contrast appearance. The empirical finding is controversial because non-veridical perception challenges the idea that attention prioritizes processing resources to make perception better, and because philosophers have used the finding to challenge representational accounts of mental experience. The present experiments confirm that when evaluated with comparison paradigms exogenous cues increase the apparent contrast. In addition, contrast appearance was also changed by simply changing the purpose of the secondary task. When comparison and discrimination reports were combined in a single experiment there was a behavioral disassociation: contrast enhanced for comparison responses, but did not change for discrimination judgments, even when participants made both types of judgement for a single stimulus. That a single object can have multiple simultaneous appearances leads inescapably to the conclusion that our unitary mental experience is illusory.
Atheists and agnostics are more reflective than religious believers: Four empirical studies and a meta-analysis
(Public Library of Science, 2016-04-07) Pennycook, Gordon; Ross, Robert M.; Koehler, Derek J.; Fugelsang, Jonathan A.
Individual differences in the mere willingness to think analytically has been shown to predict religious disbelief. Recently, however, it has been argued that analytic thinkers are not actually less religious; rather, the putative association may be a result of religiosity typically being measured after analytic thinking (an order effect). In light of this possibility, we report four studies in which a negative correlation between religious belief and performance on analytic thinking measures is found when religious belief is measured in a separate session. We also performed a meta-analysis on all previously published studies on the topic along with our four new studies (N = 15,078, k = 31), focusing specifically on the association between performance on the Cognitive Reflection Test (the most widely used individual difference measure of analytic thinking) and religious belief. This meta-analysis revealed an overall negative correlation (r) of -.18, 95% Cl [-.21, -.16]. Although this correlation is modest, self-identified atheists (N = 133) scored 18.7% higher than religiously affiliated individuals (N = 597) on a composite measure of analytic thinking administered across our four new studies (d = .72). Our results indicate that the association between analytic thinking and religious disbelief is not caused by a simple order effect. There is good evidence that atheists and agnostics are more reflective than religious believers.
Impact of dissolved oxygen during UV-irradiation on the chemical composition and function of CHO cell culture media
(Public Library of Science, 2016-03-14) Meunier, Sarah M.; Todorovic, Biljana; Dare, Emma V.; Begum, Afroza; Guillemette, Simon; Wenger, Andrew; Saxena, Priyanka; Campbell, J. Larry; Sasges, Michael; Aucoin, Marc G.
Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation is advantageous as a sterilization technique in the biopharmaceutical industry since it is capable of targeting non-enveloped viruses that are typically challenging to destroy, as well as smaller viruses that can be difficult to remove via conventional separation techniques. In this work, we investigated the influence of oxygen in the media during UV irradiation and characterized the effect on chemical composition using NMR and LC-MS, as well as the ability of the irradiated media to support cell culture. Chemically defined Chinese hamster ovary cell growth media was irradiated at high fluences in a continuous-flow UV reactor. UV-irradiation caused the depletion of pyridoxamine, pyridoxine, pyruvate, riboflavin, tryptophan, and tyrosine; and accumulation of acetate, formate, kynurenine, lumichrome, and sarcosine. Pyridoxamine was the only compound to undergo complete degradation within the fluences considered; complete depletion of pyridoxamine was observed at 200 mJ/cm2. Although in both oxygen- and nitrogen-saturated media, the cell culture performance was affected at fluences above 200 mJ/cm2, there was less of an impact on cell culture performance in the nitrogen-saturated media. Based on these results, minimization of oxygen in cell culture media prior to UV treatment is recommended to minimize the negative impact on sensitive media.
Optimizing semantic pointer representations for symbol-like processing in spiking neural networks
(Public Library of Science, 2016-02-22) Gosmann, Jan; Eliasmith, Chris
The Semantic Pointer Architecture (SPA) is a proposal of specifying the computations and architectural elements needed to account for cognitive functions. By means of the Neural Engineering Framework (NEF) this proposal can be realized in a spiking neural network. However, in any such network each SPA transformation will accumulate noise. By increasing the accuracy of common SPA operations, the overall network performance can be increased considerably. As well, the representations in such networks present a trade-off between being able to represent all possible values and being only able to represent the most likely values, but with high accuracy. We derive a heuristic to find the near-optimal point in this trade-off. This allows us to improve the accuracy of common SPA operations by up to 25 times. Ultimately, it allows for a reduction of neuron number and a more efficient use of both traditional and neuromorphic hardware, which we demonstrate here.
Kinetic energy cascade in stably stratified open-channel flows
(Cambridge University Press, 2021-08-26) Atoufi, Amir; Scott, K. Andrea; Waite, Michael L.
In this paper, the kinetic energy cascade in stably stratified open-channel flows is investigated. A mathematical framework to incorporate vertical scales into the conventional kinetic energy spectrum and its budget is introduced. This framework defines kinetic energy density in horizontal spectral and vertical scale space. The energy cascade is studied by analysing the evolution of kinetic energy density. It is shown that energetic streamwise scales (𝜆𝑥) become larger with increasing vertical scale. For the strongest stratification, for which the turbulence becomes intermittent, the energetic streamwise scales are suppressed, and energy density resides in 𝜆𝑥 of the size of the domain. It is shown that, in an unstratified case, vertical scales of the size comparable to the height of the logarithmic layer connect viscous regions to the outer layer. By contrast, in stratified cases, such a connection is not observed. Moreover, it is shown that nonlinear transfer for streamwise scales is dominated by in-plane triad interactions and inter-plane transfer is more active in transferring energy density among small vertical scales of the size comparable to the height of viscous sublayer. The vertical scales of size comparable to the height of the viscous sublayer and buffer layer are the most active scales in the viscous term and the production term in the energy density budget, respectively.
Understanding vaccine hesitancy in Canada: Results of a consultation study by the Canadian Immunization Research Network
(Public Library of Science, 2016-06-03) Dube, Eve; Gagnon, Dominique; Ouakki, Manale; Bettinger, Julia A.; Guay, Maryse; Halperin, Scott; Wilson, Kumanan; Graham, Janice; Witteman, Holly O.; MacDonald, Shannon; Fisher, William; Monnais, Laurence; Tran, Dat; Gagneur, Arnaud; Guichon, Juliet; Saini, Vineet; Heffernan, Jane M.; Meyer, Samantha; Driedger, S. Michelle; Greenberg, Joshua; MacDougall, Heather; Canadian Immunization Research Network
"Vaccine hesitancy" is a concept now frequently used in vaccination discourse. The increased popularity of this concept in both academic and public health circles is challenging previously held perspectives that individual vaccination attitudes and behaviours are a simple dichotomy of accept or reject. A consultation study was designed to assess the opinions of experts and health professionals concerning the definition, scope, and cause of vaccine hesitancy in Canada. We sent online surveys to two panels (1- vaccination experts and 2- front-line vaccine providers). Two questionnaires were completed by each panel, with data from the first questionnaire informing the development of questions for the second. Our participants defined vaccine hesitancy as an attitude (doubts, concerns) as well as a behaviour (refusing some / many vaccines, delaying vaccination). Our findings also indicate that both vaccine experts and front-line vaccine providers have the perception that vaccine rates have been declining and consider vaccine hesitancy an important issue to address in Canada. Diffusion of negative information online and lack of knowledge about vaccines were identified as the key causes of vaccine hesitancy by the participants. A common understanding of vaccine hesitancy among researchers, public health experts, policymakers and health care providers will better guide interventions that can more effectively address vaccine hesitancy within Canada.
Knowledge, perceptions and attitudes toward chronic pain and its management: A cross-sectional survey of frontline pharmacists in Ontario, Canada
(Public Library of Science, 2016-06-07) Patel, Tejal; Chang, Feng; Mohammed, Heba Tallah; Raman-Wilms, Lalitha; Jurcic, Jane; Khan, Ayesha; Sproule, Beth
The treatment of chronic pain consumes a significant share of primary care. Community and family health team pharmacists frequently see patients with chronic pain, thus have the opportunity to improve their care. To assess the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of Ontario pharmacists, we invited 5,324 Ontario pharmacists, to participate in an online survey we developed using Qualtrics. The 31-question survey gathered demographic information, assessed pharmacists’ knowledge of three chronic pain conditions; chronic lower back pain (CLBP, eight true/false statements); chronic headache disorder (CHD, eight true/false statements) and painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN, seven true/false statements), and their attitudes toward and perceptions of patients with these conditions, and knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of opioids in pain management. We received 688 responses (12.9%) and 392 pharmacists completed the survey. The mean age of respondents was 48.5 years and 48.5% were male. More than 50% of respondents were in practice for more than 20 years and 58.7% worked 25–40 hours per week. The mean knowledge scores were 4.5/8, 5.5/8, and 5.3/8 for CBLP, CHD, and PDN respectively. While 95% of respondents were aware of the increasing death rates due to opioid use, only half were familiar with the Canadian guideline for safe opioid prescribing for non-cancer use. Responses were compared based on gender, time in practice and location of practice. Pharmacists with more than ten years of experience scored significantly higher than those with less experience. Fewer differences were found in comparisons of gender and location of practice. Safe and effective care of chronic pain patients, particularly with opioids, will require additional pharmacist education.
Rumen and cecum microbiomes in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) are changed in response to a licehn diet and may affect enteric methane emissions
(Public Library of Science, 2016-05-09) Salgado-Flores, Alejandro; Hagen, Live H.; Ishaq, Suzanne L.; Zamanzadeh, Mirzaman; Wright, Andre-Denis G.; Pope, Phillip B.; Sundset, Monica A.
Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) are large Holarctic herbivores whose heterogeneous diet has led to the development of a unique gastrointestinal microbiota, essential for the digestions of arctic flora, which may include a large proportion of lichens during winter. Lichens are rich in plant secondary metabolites, which may affect members of the gut microbial consortium, such as the methane-producing methanogenic archaea. Little is known about the effect of lichen consumption on the rumen and cecum microbiotas and how this may affect methanogenesis in reindeer. Here, we examined the effects of dietary lichens on the reindeer gut microbiota, especially methanogens. Samples from the rumen and cecum were collected from two groups of reindeer, fed either lichens (Ld: n=4), or a standard pelleted feed (Pd: n=3). Microbial densities (methanogens, bacteria and protozoa) were quantified using quantitative real-time PCR and methanogen and bacterial diversities were determined by 454 pyrosequencing of the 16S rRNA genes. In general, the density of methanogens were not significantly affected (p>0.05) by the intake of lichens. Methanobrevibacter constituted the main archaeal genus (>95% of reads), with Mbr. thaueri CW as the dominant species in both groups of reindeer. Bacteria belonging to the uncharacterized Ruminococcaceae and the genus Prevotella were the dominant phylotypes in the rumen and cecum, in both diets (ranging between 16-38% total sequences). Bacteria belonging to the genus Ruminococcus (3.5% to 0.6%; p=0.001) and uncharacterized phylotypes within the order Bacteroidales (8.4% to 1.3%; p=0.027), were significantly decreased in the ruman of lichen-fed reindeer, but not in the cecum (p=0.2 and p=0.087, respectively). UniFranc-based analyses showed archaeal and bacterial libraries were significantly different between diets, in both the cecum and the rumen (vegan::Adonis: pseudo-F<0.05). Based upon previous literature, we suggest that the altered methanogen and bacterial profiles may account for expected lower methane emissions from lichen-fed reindeer.
The health and well-being of older adults with Dual Sensory Impairment (DSI) in four countries
(Public Library of Science, 2016-05-05) Guthrie, Dawn M.; Declercq, Anja; Finne-Soveri, Harriet; Fries, Brant E.; Hirdes, John P.
Objectives Dual sensory impairment (DSI) is a combination of vision and hearing impairments that represents a unique disability affecting all aspects of a person's life. The rates of DSI are expected to increase due to population aging, yet little i known about DSI among older adults (65+). The prevalence of DSI and client characteristics were examined among two groups, namely, older adults receiving home care services or those residing in a long-term care (LTC) facility in four countries (Canada, US, Finland, Belgium). Methods Existing data, using an interRAI assessment, were analyzed to compare older adults with DSI to all others across demographic characteristics, functional and psychosocial outcomes. Results In home care, the prevalence of DSI across the four countries ranged from 13.4% to 24.6%; in LTC facilities, it ranged from 9.7% to 33.9%. Clients with DSI were more likely to be 85+, have moderate/severe cognitive impairment, impairments in activities of daily living, and have communication difficulties. Among residents of LTC facilities, individuals with DSI were more likely to be 85+ and more likely have a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Having DSI increased the likelihood of depression in both care settings, but after adjusting for other factors, it remained significant only in the home care sample. Conclusions While the prevalence of DSI cross nationally is similar to that of other illnesses such as diabetes, depression, and Alzheimer's disease, we have a limited understanding of its affects among older adults. Raising awareness of this unique disability is imperative to insure that individuals receive the necessary rehabilitation and supportive services to improve their level of independence and quality of life.
Effects of culture and gender on judgments of intent and responsibility
(Public Library of Science, 2016-04-28) Plaks, Jason E.; Fortune, Jennifer L.; Liang, Lindie H.; Robinson, Jeffrey S.
Do different cultures hold different views of intentionality? In four studies, participants read scenarios in which the actor's distal intent (a focus on a broader goal) and proximal intent (a focus on the mechanics of the act) were manipulated. In Studies 1-2, when distal intent was more prominent in the actor's mind, North Americans rated the actor more responsible than did Chinese and South Asian participants. When proximal intent was more prominent, Chinese and South Asian participants, if anything, rated the actor more responsible. In Studies 3-4, when distal intent was more prominent, male Americans rated the actor more responsible than did female Americans. When proximal intent was more prominent, females rated the actor more responsible. The authors discuss these findings in relation to the literatures on moral reasoning and cultural psychology.
Making sure things really add up: Ways to assess research impact responsibly
(Canadian Association of Research Administrators, 2024-05-13) Bredahl, Laura Megan; Milligan, Ian; Chambers, Thane; Conte, Erica
University administrators love the numbers. The idea of having data to measure, compare, support decision making, and to understand initiatives and invested resources is something we strive for. The idea of using bibliometric data to assess research and benchmark institutional success/lack of success has been a long-standing modus operandi in academic institutions. However, when this type of analysis is done, it often feels like it’s missing something. The data doesn’t always appear to accurately reflect what we know is happening at our institutions, and the impacts that are observed both in our communities and across research disciplines. In this interactive session, we will explore how responsible ways of measuring research, that include quantitative and qualitative assessments and choosing the right indicators, can provide more meaningful data. Through this and thoughtful reflection on the challenges of measuring impacts at large institutions we can more fully reveal the stories of the research being done at our institutions. The session organizers include librarians and research offices, representing the collaborative approach we believe is necessary for institutions to meet these challenges. We will discuss initiatives at Canadian institutions that advocate for the responsible use of research impact metrics. And with the audience, we will explore ways in which these types of assessments can be used at other institutions to change what and how things are measured around research so that more accurate, more holistic, and more meaningful data can be gathered.

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