Stroke and Aphasia in Canada

As is the case in many areas of the world, aphasia treatment is far from being a priority within the Canadian healthcare system. This poster represents one part of a larger initiative planned to begin addressing the challenges of aphasia intervention and developing aphasia research capacity in Canada by aligning with the stroke community. While the presentation will focus on the Canadian experience in the area of stroke and aphasia, we hope to stimulate an international exchange of views

The Psychosocial Work Environment, Employee Mental Health and Organizational Interventions: Improving Research and Practice by Taking a Multilevel Approach

Although there have been several calls for incorporating multiple levels of analysis in employee health and wellbeing research, studies examining the interplay between individual, workgroup, organizational and broader societal factors in relation to employee mental health outcomes remain an exception rather than the norm. At the same time, organizational intervention research and practice also tends to be limited by a single-level focus, omitting potentially important influences at multiple levels of analysis. The aims of this conceptual paper are to help progress our understanding of work-related determinants of employee mental health by: (i) providing a rationale for routine multilevel assessment of the psychosocial work environment; (ii) discussing how a multilevel perspective can improve related organizational interventions and (iii) highlighting key theoretical and methodological considerations relevant to these aims. We present five recommendations for future research, relating to using appropriate multilevel research designs, justifying group level constructs, developing group-level measures, expanding investigations to the organizational level, and developing multilevel approaches to intervention design, implementation and evaluation

Women Will Rise! Recalling the Working Women’s Charter.

Editors Marie Russell and the late Gay Simpkin set out to share knowledge about the late 1970s campaign for the Working Women’s Charter with a younger generation. Their book provides interesting insights into the history of both the trade union movement and the struggle for women’s rights in Aotearoa/ New Zealand. The Charter was a set of sixteen demands aimed at redressing the inequity and oppression women faced in the workplace and beyond, like “a bill of rights for working women” (21). Its clauses ranged from demands for equality and an end to all discrimination, to access to childcare and reproductive rights. The first five chapters are largely focused on the efforts to win support for it within the labour movement

A problem-structuring model for analyzing transportation–environment relationships

This is the post-print version of the final paper published in European Journal of Operational Research. The published article is available from the link below. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. Copyright @ 2009 Elsevier B.V.This study discusses a decision support framework that guides policy makers in their strategic transportation related decisions by using multi-methodology. For this purpose, a methodology for analyzing the effects of transportation policies on environment, society, economy, and energy is proposed. In the proposed methodology, a three-stage problem structuring model is developed. Initially, experts’ opinions are structured by using a cognitive map to determine the relationships between transportation and environmental concepts. Then a structural equation model (SEM) is constructed, based on the cognitive map, to quantify the relations among external transportation and environmental factors. Finally the results of the SEM model are used to evaluate the consequences of possible policies via scenario analysis. In this paper a pilot study that covers only one module of the whole framework, namely transportation–environment interaction module, is conducted to present the applicability and usefulness of the methodology. This pilot study also reveals the impacts of transportation policies on the environment. To achieve a sustainable transportation system, the extent of the relationships between transportation and the environment must be considered. The World Development Indicators developed by the World Bank are used for this purpose

On the Edge: a study of Spanish colonisation fleets to the West Pacific and archaeological assemblages from the Solomon Islands

This thesis explores Spanish colonisation through the provisioning of colonisation fleets to the West Pacific during the 16th to early 17th Centuries. Historical research focussed on fleets departing from the Americas, namely, those of Álvaro de Saavedra Cerón, Ruy López de Villalobos, Miguel López de Legazpi, Alvaro de Mendaña y Neira and Pedro Fernández de Quirós. The provisions recorded for each fleet were identified, allowing insights into provisioning patterns over time. The fleets were also placed in a colonisation model, allowing insights into these patterns, along with historical research. Research indicates that a generic provisioning pattern existed: local items (in close proximity to point of departure/provisioning) were generally sourced, unless the provisions were of poor quality, unavailable and/or the items were desired because their value was partially or wholly dependent on non-local origin and/or sourcing. The gathering of local resources was dependent on a number of factors including cultural preference, function, cost, production and distribution. The analysis of archaeological assemblages from Graciosa Bay and Pamua, Solomon Islands, was also undertaken, both sites associated with Mendaña’s second voyage to the region, c. 1595-1596. Research focussed on the ceramic component to gain insights into pottery production and distribution in the Viceroyalty of Peru and material culture at the close of the 16th Century. A ceramic attribute database collated finds from both sites, providing an updated range and description of pottery types and counts, and site plans were collated to better understand pottery distribution. Vessel forms and ceramic provenance were determined through typological, petrological and geochemical studies (instrumental neutron activation analyses), along with U-Pb dating of detrital zircons. Ceramics were variously provenanced to Peru, Panama, Spain, Thailand and China. The provenance results support the notion that the Pamua assemblage originally formed part of Mendaña’s fleet assemblage, and contribute to the chemical and petrological profiles of ceramics from colonial Peru and Panama, Spain and Thailand. The identification of Peruvian-made ceramics indicates distribution of colonial Peruvian-made vessels in Ecuador and Panama, evidence of the wide-ranging trade networks operating in the Americas during the late 16th Century, of which the Viceroyalty of Peru was an integral part. The provenance results also indicate that provisioned ceramics were available locally due to production in the area and trade. Ceramic selection appears to have relied upon ceramic production and distribution and its relationship to trade and cost, as well as cultural preference. By examining provisioning both historically and archaeologically, insights are thus gained into not only what was taken, but also into the society that provisioned them

On the Edge: a study of Spanish colonisation fleets to the West Pacific and archaeological assemblages from the Solomon Islands

This thesis explores Spanish colonisation through the provisioning of colonisation fleets to the West Pacific during the 16th to early 17th Centuries. Historical research focussed on fleets departing from the Americas, namely, those of Álvaro de Saavedra Cerón, Ruy López de Villalobos, Miguel López de Legazpi, Alvaro de Mendaña y Neira and Pedro Fernández de Quirós. The provisions recorded for each fleet were identified, allowing insights into provisioning patterns over time. The fleets were also placed in a colonisation model, allowing insights into these patterns, along with historical research. Research indicates that a generic provisioning pattern existed: local items (in close proximity to point of departure/provisioning) were generally sourced, unless the provisions were of poor quality, unavailable and/or the items were desired because their value was partially or wholly dependent on non-local origin and/or sourcing. The gathering of local resources was dependent on a number of factors including cultural preference, function, cost, production and distribution. The analysis of archaeological assemblages from Graciosa Bay and Pamua, Solomon Islands, was also undertaken, both sites associated with Mendaña’s second voyage to the region, c. 1595-1596. Research focussed on the ceramic component to gain insights into pottery production and distribution in the Viceroyalty of Peru and material culture at the close of the 16th Century. A ceramic attribute database collated finds from both sites, providing an updated range and description of pottery types and counts, and site plans were collated to better understand pottery distribution. Vessel forms and ceramic provenance were determined through typological, petrological and geochemical studies (instrumental neutron activation analyses), along with U-Pb dating of detrital zircons. Ceramics were variously provenanced to Peru, Panama, Spain, Thailand and China. The provenance results support the notion that the Pamua assemblage originally formed part of Mendaña’s fleet assemblage, and contribute to the chemical and petrological profiles of ceramics from colonial Peru and Panama, Spain and Thailand. The identification of Peruvian-made ceramics indicates distribution of colonial Peruvian-made vessels in Ecuador and Panama, evidence of the wide-ranging trade networks operating in the Americas during the late 16th Century, of which the Viceroyalty of Peru was an integral part. The provenance results also indicate that provisioned ceramics were available locally due to production in the area and trade. Ceramic selection appears to have relied upon ceramic production and distribution and its relationship to trade and cost, as well as cultural preference. By examining provisioning both historically and archaeologically, insights are thus gained into not only what was taken, but also into the society that provisioned them

What do People Value when they Negotiate? Mapping the Domain of Subjective Value in Negotiation

Four studies provide support for the development and validation of a framework for understanding the range of social psychological outcomes valued subjectively as consequences of negotiations. Study 1 inductively elicited and coded elements of subjective value among students, community members, and negotiation practitioners, revealing 20 categories that negotiation theorists in Study 2 sorted to reveal four underlying dimensions: Feelings about Instrumental Outcomes, the Self, Process, and Relationship. Study 3 proposed a new Subjective Value Inventory (SVI) questionnaire and confirmed its 4-factor structure, and Study 4 presents convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity data for this SVI. Results suggest the SVI is a promising tool to systematize and encourage research on the subjective outcomes of negotiation

First Year at University: Perceptions and Experiences of Students

This study was initiated by concerns in the literature over freshman students and by the need to know more about students' perceptions of their university experience. In 1984, all 937 first-year students in the Faculties of Arts, Business, Education, Engineering, and Science who had come directly to the University of Alberta from high school were asked about their university experiences and the transition from high school. Family members, the University's reputation, and the University's proximity exerted the greatest influence upon the decision to attend. Preparation for an interesting career, obtaining a well-paying job, and learning about topics of special interest were the most important goals associated with their programs. Students considered that they were best prepared in reading skills, listening skills, and taking notes, and least well prepared in budgeting time, library skills, and study skills. Most assessed that they were working considerably harder than at high school, and many said that high school had not adequately prepared them for university. The greatest need to adjust occurred in amount of work, stress, difficulty of work, and methods of instruction. Students varied considerably in the extent to which their expectations were met and the time taken to feel "at ease."Cette étude est née d'une part, des préoccupations soulevées dans les publications sur les étudiants nouvellement inscrits à l'université et d'autre part, de la nécessité de mieux connaître leur perception sur leur expérience universitaire. En 1984, tous les étudiants de première année des Facultés des Arts, du Commerce, de l'Education, de l'Ingénierie et des Sciences venant des écoles secondaires pour entrer directement à l'Université de l'Alberta ont été interrogés sur la transition de l'école secondaire et sur leur expérience universitaire. Ce sont les membres de la famille, la réputation de l'Université et sa proximité qui ont exercé la plus grande influence sur leur décision de s'inscrire. La préparation d'une carrière intéressante, l'obtention d'un travail bien rémunéré et la connaissance de sujets présentant un intérêt particulier ont été les principaux facteurs qui ont déterminé leur choix de programme. Les étudiants ont considéré qu'ils avaient bien été préparés dans leur compétence à lire, écouter, et prendre des notes, et moins bien préparés dans leur compétence à gérer leur temps, étudier et se servir de la bibliothèque. La plupart ont considéré qu'ils travaillaient plus fort qu'à l'école secondaire et que celle-ci ne les avait pas préparés de façon adéquate à l'univer-sité. Le plus grand besoin auquel les étudiants ont dû s'ajuster, c'est au montant de travail, à sa difficulté, au stress et aux méthodes d'enseignement. Les étudiants variaient considérablement dans leurs réponses sur la satisfaction de leur attente et sur le temps nécessaire pour qu'ils se sentent à l'aise

Written information about individual medicines for consumers.

Medicines are the most common intervention in most health services. As with all treatments, those taking medicines need sufficient information: to enable them to take and use the medicines effectively, to understand the potential harms and benefits, and to allow them to make an informed decision about taking them. Written medicines information, such as a leaflet or provided via the Internet, is an intervention that may meet these purposes