Wellness Study: Functional Visual Outcomes in Eye Disease Patients following the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused delays in health services and medical appointments, affecting approximately one in three Canadian adults. Elderly eye disease patients experienced delays in treatment for eye conditions including cataracts, glaucoma, and retinal diseases. The impact of these delays on functional visual outcomes and general health rating of elderly patients is not well understood. As part of the Wellness Study, we aimed to investigate the pandemic-related impacts on functional vision and general health rating in an elderly eye patient population in London, Ontario

Examining CBT with Music as an Early Psychosis Intervention: A Critical Review of the Literature

This critical literature review investigates the use of music therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy-based treatments for use in early psychosis intervention with adolescents and young adults. It examines the format of cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp), music therapy, and cognitive behavioral music therapy (CBMT) treatments and the effectiveness of the treatments in reducing symptoms of psychosis. The literature reviewed consists of peer-reviewed journals, books, essays, and research studies that address the theory, structure, application, and outcomes of treatment for psychosis in first-episode cases. The literature is organized by introducing the presentation of first-episode psychosis, then by review of CBTp, music therapy, and CBMT treatments. The discussion addresses the strengths and weaknesses of the literature and calls for further research to expand the potential for a composite early intervention CBMT treatment for psychosis in first-episode patients

NMR study of paramagnetic nano-checkerboard superlattices

With the ubiquity of electronic devices, finding ways to improve quality or fabrication methods of components is an important area of study. This dissertation looks at two sets of materials that may be used to address this need. The first is a series of disordered perovskites of the form Nd⅔xLi3 xTiO3. These materials are notable for the way the lithium becomes spontaneously patterned during synthesis into square planar regions, the dimensions of which are only dependent upon the initial concentration of lithium. Through the use of point-charge calculations, the paramagnetic and first-order quadrupole interaction tensors for each of the 28 unique lithium sites of the x = 0.083 concentration were calculated and used to accurately simulate the experimental spectra. From this, it was observed that the 28 crystallographically distinct sites present in that particular concentration could be grouped into three sets based on the principal values of the paramagnetic interaction tensors. Qualitative analysis of spectra from the other concentrations suggests that this grouping holds for other concentrations, with only the relative number of sites in each group changing. Additionally, jump dynamics were incorporated into the simulations of one of the sites in order to explain the broadening that occurs at lower temperatures.;The second study included in this dissertation is focused on lithium in a pair of high-dielectric microwave ceramics, Ca(Li1/3Nb 2/3)O3 and (Ca2/3La1/3)(Li1/3 Nb2/3)O3. Experimental results are reported for the temperature-dependence of both the spin-lattice relaxation rate and the isotropic chemical shift for each material. For both samples, the isotropic shift was linear with temperature, with the isotropic shift of Ca(Li 1/3Nb2/3)O3 having a stronger temperature dependence (3.53 Hz??K-1 compared to 2.65 Hz??K -1). The spin-lattice relaxation rates of both samples follow an Arrhenius relationship with temperature, with Ca(Li1/3Nb 2/3)O3 sample having an activation energy of 5.08 kJ ?? (mol ?? K)-1 and (Ca2/3La1/3)(Li 1/3Nb2/3)O3 having an activation energy of 2.21kJ ?? (mol ?? K)-1. In addition to the lithium study, there were also spectra acquired that observed the niobium nucleus in each material, which has a noticeably more complex spectrum. For the (Ca2/3 La1/3)(Li1/3Nb2/3)O3 sample, a double-quantum satellite-transition magic angle spinning pulse sequence was used to determine the isotropic chemical shift as well as the quadrupole product of each of the five resolved sites

Continuous saline bladder irrigation for two hours following transurethral resection of bladder tumors in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer does not prevent recurrence or progression compared with intravesical Mitomycin-C.

BackgroundIntravesical Mitomycin-C (MMC) following transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT), while efficacious, is associated with side effects and poor utilization. Continuous saline bladder irrigation (CSBI) has been examined as an alternative. In this study we sought to compare the rates of recurrence and/or progression in patients with NMIBC who were treated with either MMC or CSBI after TURBT.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed records of patients with NMIBC at our institution in 2012-2015. Perioperative use of MMC (40 mg in 20 mL), CSBI (two hours), or neither were recorded. Primary outcome was time to recurrence or progression. Descriptive statistics, chi-squared analysis, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and Cox multivariable regression analyses were performed.Results205 patients met inclusion criteria. Forty-five (22.0%) patients received CSBI, 71 (34.6%) received MMC, and 89 (43.4%) received no perioperative therapy. On survival analysis, MMC was associated with improved DFS compared with CSBI (p = 0.001) and no treatment (p = 0.0009). On multivariable analysis, high risk disease was associated with increased risk of recurrence or progression (HR 2.77, 95% CI: 1.28-6.01), whereas adjuvant therapy (HR 0.35, 95% CI: 0.20-0.59) and MMC (HR 0.43, 95% CI: 0.25-0.75) were associated with decreased risk.ConclusionsPostoperative MMC was associated with improved DFS compared with CSBI and no treatment. The DFS benefit seen with CSBI in other studies may be limited to patients receiving prolonged irrigation. New intravesical agents being evaluated may consider saline as a control given our data demonstrating that short-term CSBI is not superior to TURBT alone

Evaluating the Diversification Strategy of a Semi-State Company in a Declining Market: A Case Study of An Post

This case study evaluated the diversification strategy of a semi-state company, An Post, operating in a declining market. The objective of this research was to evaluate the process by which diversification may take place. A qualitative methodology, using a phenomological and interpretivist approach was taken. Three in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior managers within An Post. This data was complemented with a review of a range of contextual documentary sources. The results of these interviews were then analysed through thematic reduction to ascertain the key issues within the organisation relating to the diversification process. The postal market is regulated, and An Post, as a former monopoly, is subject to a number of controls on its dominant market position. This dominance, and regulation, comes largely from the provision of the loss-making Universal Service Obligation (USO) by the company. In order to continue funding the USO, An Post is engaging in a number of different diversifications, through innovation, partnerships and acquisitions. The company is attempting to lower costs, drive efficiencies and increase revenues in the core mails business. However, mail is still a declining market and these measures can only bring limited benefits. The company does not have an explicit diversification strategy. Management, however, are aware of the need for them to discover new revenue streams which can be used by the organisation to fund the USO. Subsidiaries of An Post are generally run autonomously. Air Business, one of the company’s largest subsidiaries, is largely run by local management, with An Post maintaining oversight through the Board. This is mainly due to the perceived culture within An Post as not being conducive to growth and entrepreneurship. The success of these subsidiaries, and the revenue they generate, has allowed the company to achieve its aim of cross-subsidisation. The commercialisation of the Group as a whole, and growing importance of subsidiaries as a proportion of turnover, has changed the nature of An Post over the last decade; the company is less dependent on mails revenue for overall growth. The utilisation of autonomous subsidiaries has created the means for the organisation to achieve more dynamic growth without affecting the core business. Through this growth, whether it comes from related or unrelated diversification, expansion or innovation, the company can maintain the USO without requiring a government subvention. The lack of a formal strategy does not preclude an organisation from being successful in achieving its goals. In the case of An Post, the lack of a strategy to diversify has not been an impediment to successful diversification. However, where diversification has been undertaken, more emphasis should be placed on evaluation of the factors which led to success. The case of Air Business suggests gaining market share should be the priority in any diversification