Recherche uO, le dépôt numérique de l'Université d'Ottawa, réunit le matériel de recherche et d'enseignement créé par notre communauté universitaire et nos partenaires. Le savoir de l'Université est ainsi disponible à long terme et en accès libre, ce qui lui procure de la visibilité et facilite sa diffusion.
Communautés dans DSpace
Sélectionner une communauté pour parcourir les collections sous-jacentes.
Nouveaux dépôts
Type d'Item : Item , “Patient” and “Client”: A Study of Terminology in Health Professions, and the Case of Massage Therapy in Ontario(Université d'Ottawa | University of Ottawa, 2026-07-10) Fleming, Arlene; McMurtry, AngusThis study examines how language used to describe recipients of care shapes power, professional identity, and healthcare relationships within Ontario’s regulated health professions. It is guided by two research questions: (1) How do regulatory documents across Ontario’s health professions use the terms “patient” and “client,” and what do these uses reveal about power dynamics, professional identities, and healthcare relationships? and (2) How are “patient” and “client” used in documents from the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario, and in public college program descriptions of massage therapy, and what does this usage suggest about the professional identity and positioning of massage therapy within Ontario’s healthcare system? Poststructuralist and feminist poststructuralist theory (Belsey, 1997, 2002a, 2002b; Foucault, 2003a, 2003b, 2004, 2008, 2013), as well as critical discourse analysis (Fairclough, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2023) were employed to frame the study and help interpret data. Data was collected between May and July of 2025 and included regulatory documents from 26 colleges representing 27 regulated health professions, with one college counted twice because it governs two professions. Of these, 19 used “patient” exclusively, 4 used “client” exclusively, and 4 used both on their homepages. Massage therapy stood out: the regulatory college used “client” exclusively, while public‑college program pages showed mixed usage. Findings include "client" being utilized by health professions where the majority of practitioners are female, and health professions that do not generally receive public funding. The study considers the potential effects of everyday terminology choices within healthcare, care relationships, and how professions are seen within Ontario's healthcare system.Type d'Item : Item , Music Reading and Beginner Piano Students: An Examination of Piano Teaching Resources, Music Reading Teaching Strategies and Piano Teacher Perceptions(Université d'Ottawa | University of Ottawa, 2026-07-10) DiCienzo, Alessandra; Prevost, RoxaneThroughout my piano teaching career of more than twenty five years, I have taught hundreds of young beginners to read music. Music reading, defined as the process of decoding the symbols of staff notation through the use of a musical instrument (Gudmundsdottir, 2010), is a fundamental skill for pianists; yet achieving a high level of proficiency remains elusive for many students. For young beginners, the development of music reading skills is a central focus of instruction. Both novice and experienced teachers rely heavily on beginner piano method books as their primary resource for teaching music reading, and many consult piano pedagogy texts for additional strategies. However, limited research has examined the effectiveness of these materials. This gap is concerning, given that strong music reading skills enable students to learn new repertoire more efficiently, support the development of sight reading ability, and facilitate collaborative music making (Fourie, 2004; Zhukov, 2014). Through the lens of social constructivism (Vygotsky, 1978), this mixed methods research project examines beginner piano music reading across three interconnected contexts. First, it includes an analysis of beginner piano method books to identify the music reading concepts and strategies they present. Second, it explores piano teachers’ perceptions of beginner music reading instruction in order to determine which strategies are most commonly employed in practice. Third, it investigates whether, and in what ways, Communities of Practice; groups of people who share a common practice and interact on a regular basis to share knowledge (Wenger, 2006), support teachers in their work with beginner music reading instruction. To address these inquiries, I review relevant studies and piano pedagogy textbooks to catalogue established music reading strategies; survey more than 200 teachers to gather insights on method book use and sight reading practices; conduct four focus groups to uncover common instructional approaches; and facilitate two additional focus groups with Music for Young Children® to determine how Communities of Musical Practice (CoMP) contribute to professional support in the area of music reading. The study demonstrates that existing music reading resources, namely beginner piano method books and piano pedagogy textbooks, are insufficient in providing comprehensive and pedagogically sound strategies for teaching beginner students. The literature strongly supports beginning music reading instruction with a sound before sign approach and reinforcing reading development through aural and rhythmic activities, improvisation, composition, and transposition. Yet these elements are inconsistently represented, and in many cases entirely absent, from current instructional materials. Survey findings indicate that while teachers are generally satisfied with beginner method books, they readily acknowledge their limitations and frequently rely on supplementary materials to address gaps. Focus group discussions further reveal that teachers employ a wide range of strategies and resources to meet individual student needs, most often using method books grounded in an eclectic reading approach. The CoMP focus groups highlight the substantial personal and professional benefits of participating in collaborative learning communities. Teachers reported that CoMP involvement enhances their pedagogical creativity, expands their repertoire of music reading strategies, and provides essential emotional and instructional support. Collectively, these findings point to a clear need for improved, research‑aligned instructional materials and underscore the value of CoMP in strengthening music reading pedagogy for beginner piano students. Music reading instruction for young beginners can be significantly strengthened through the integration of research supported teaching strategies into instructional materials. The field of piano pedagogy must advocate for approaches that align with current music reading research and ensure that these strategies are embedded directly within music reading resources. In parallel, the profession should promote the CoMP framework as a means of supporting independent piano teachers, many of whom work in isolation and benefit greatly from collaborative learning environments. Strengthening both pedagogical resources and professional networks is essential for improving the quality and effectiveness of music reading instruction in early piano education. Keywords: Music reading, beginner piano, beginner piano method books, sight reading, music reading teaching strategies, piano pedagogy, communities of musical practice, communities of practice, Music for Young Children®.Type d'Item : Item , Aerobic Exercise for People with Advanced Multiple Sclerosis: Challenges to Prescription and Considerations for Intervention Development(Université d'Ottawa | University of Ottawa, 2026-07-10) Canlas, Kayleigh; Pilutti, LaraExercise is an important component of comprehensive disease management in multiple sclerosis (MS); however, existing evidence is largely derived from individuals with mild-to-moderate disability. Consequently, the role of exercise for people with advanced MS (i.e., wheelchair users) is not well understood, limiting the development of evidence-based exercise recommendations for this MS subgroup. This thesis addressed these gaps through two complementary studies. The first study examined the relationships between commonly used exercise intensity indicators (i.e., heart rate [HR], work rate [WR], and rating of perceived exertion [RPE]), as well as the agreement between age-predicted and measured maximal HR during an incremental exercise test in people with advanced MS. Results indicate that WR correlated strongly with RPE (ρ = 0.53; p < 0.001) and moderately with HR (ρ = 0.34; p < 0.001), while HR and RPE were not correlated (ρ = 0.10; p = 0.23). Age-predicted and measured maximal HR showed poor agreement using equations derived from non-clinical populations (bias = 40–45 bpm), but strong agreement with an equation derived from a cardiac population taking beta-blockers (bias = 2 bpm). These findings suggest that exercise intensity prescription in advanced MS should use multiple indicators, given the lack of consistent relationships between commonly used intensity measures. Additionally, standard approaches to exercise prescription may overestimate maximal HR, highlighting the need for disability-specific strategies. The second study presents a protocol to evaluate the feasibility of a 12-week aerobic exercise training intervention for people with advanced MS. Feasibility of the intervention will be assessed across domains including process, resources, management, safety, acceptability, and outcomes. Findings will inform a future large-scale trial aimed at evaluating the efficacy of aerobic exercise training. Collectively, this thesis advances understanding of exercise prescription and intervention design for people with advanced MS. This work may support the development of evidence-based exercise guidelines for this MS subgroup, with potential to increase exercise engagement and improve health outcomes.Type d'Item : Item , Innovative Strategies for Enhancing Oncolytic Virus Therapy: From Delivery to Selective Translational Regulation(Université d'Ottawa | University of Ottawa, 2026-07-10) Said, Aida; Alain, Tommy; Cote, MarcelineOncolytic viruses (OVs) are emerging as a promising therapeutic approach with the ability to achieve direct tumour cell death and the induction of antitumour immunity. Nevertheless, their clinical application is hampered by several obstacles, including inefficient delivery to solid tumours and the complex antiviral environment within infected cells that restricts protein production. This thesis focuses on these issues by investigating both the physical delivery of OVs and the translational mechanisms that govern gene expression during viral infection. First, we showed that needle-free injection (NFI) is a feasible and efficient technique for intratumoural injection of OVs, which enhances the distribution of viruses in tumours more efficiently than needle injection, without the loss of infectivity or therapeutic action. These results underscore the need to maximize delivery systems to promote viral propagation in solid tumours. Second, we examined how the antiviral state impacts transgene expression from OVs. Using an oncolytic herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) platform, we showed that standard transgene mRNAs are inefficiently translated during infection. By incorporating a viral 5′ leader sequence into the transgene cassette, we significantly enhanced protein production and improved antitumour efficacy in vivo, demonstrating that adaptation to the host translational environment is critical for maximizing therapeutic output. Finally, using RNA sequencing and ribosome profiling, we characterized the translational landscape of glioblastoma cells during infection with the oncolytic Maraba virus MG1. Despite global suppression of protein synthesis, a subset of host mRNAs exhibited increased translational efficiency independent of transcript abundance, revealing a marked uncoupling between transcription and translation. We identified a purine-rich cis-regulatory element within the 5′ untranslated regions of some of the transcripts that promotes selective translation under antiviral stress conditions. Functional studies demonstrate that this R-motif enhances translation and regulates expression of genes such as GLDC, which acts as a host restriction factor limiting viral spread. Collectively, this work establishes translation as a critical regulatory layer shaping the outcome of oncolytic virotherapy. By integrating delivery optimization with mechanistic insights into translational control, this thesis provides a framework for improving OV design through both enhanced tumour targeting and sustained protein expression in the antiviral environment. These findings have broad implications for the development of more effective oncolytic viruses and other gene-based therapeutic platforms.Type d'Item : Item , Lipid-Dependent Modulation of Desensitization in Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channels(Université d'Ottawa | University of Ottawa, 2026-07-09) Hussein, Toka; Baenziger, John EdwardPentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) are central to fast synaptic communication in the nervous system. Upon agonist binding, these receptors open an ion-conducting pore across the postsynaptic membrane, allowing selective ions to flow down their electrochemical gradient into the cell, and prolonged exposure to agonist drives the channels into a non-conducting desensitized state. While agonist binding initiates channel opening, the agonist-induced response can be influenced by various exogenous and endogenous compounds, including the lipids in the cell membrane. Although the lipid sensitivity of the prototypic pLGIC, the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) from Torpedo, is well characterized, the lipid sensitivities of other pLGICs, including the prokaryotic ELIC, have only recently gained considerable interest. Structural studies have identified a putative inner-leaflet lipid pocket in ELIC, shaped by a Trp-Arg-Pro (W-R-P) motif. Compelling evidence suggests that binding of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) or phosphatidylglycerol (PG) to this site leads to slower rates of ELIC desensitization, likely by influencing the dynamics or position of the outermost transmembrane helix, M4. This motif is conserved in anion-selective pLGICs and in GLIC, raising the question of whether it plays a conserved functional role. Using site-directed mutagenesis and two-electrode voltage clamp (TEVC) electrophysiology, I probed the role of the W-R-P motif in ELIC and tested whether this lipid site plays a conserved functional role across pLGICs. I show that the W-R-P pocket plays different roles in modulating desensitization across pLGICs. Mutations to W-R-P pocket residues and to regions of M4 affect desensitization rates in both ELIC and the α1 glycine receptor (GlyR) but have no measurable effect in GLIC. ELIC also tolerates a broader range of M4 mutations than GlyR or GLIC. The phenotypes observed correlates with the density of aromatic interactions at the M4-M1/M3 interface, which is sparse in ELIC but extensive in α1 GlyR and GLIC. Focusing on ELIC, I then show that the strength of interactions at the M4-M1/M3 interface modulates the rate of desensitization. Eliminating the Trp224-Arg301 cation-π interaction accelerates desensitization, while reversing or substituting this interaction with a potential salt bridge restores slow desensitization. Strengthening M4-M1/M3 interactions through three aromatic substitutions partially restores slow-desensitizing phenotypes. My data identify three distinct interactions and/or features of the M4-M1/M3 interface that contribute to slow desensitization in ELIC including the Trp224-Arg301 cation-π interaction, an interaction between W220 on M1 and S271 on M3, and the Pro305 kink on M4. Collectively, my data shows that the W-R-P pocket plays different roles in shaping desensitization across pLGICs, and that the strength of interactions at the M4-M1/M3 interface modulate the rate of ELIC desensitization. These findings support a model in which lipid binding at the W-R-P pocket modulates ELIC desensitization through its effects on M4 structure or dynamics, while the broader architecture of the M4-M1/M3 interface determines whether this mechanism applies in other pLGICs.