Auditory-Motor Adaptation to Frequency-Altered Auditory Feedback Occurs When Participants Ignore Feedback

Background Auditory feedback is important for accurate control of voice fundamental frequency (F0). The purpose of this study was to address whether task instructions could influence the compensatory responding and sensorimotor adaptation that has been previously found when participants are presented with a series of frequency-altered feedback (FAF) trials. Trained singers and musically untrained participants (nonsingers) were informed that their auditory feedback would be manipulated in pitch while they sang the target vowel [/ɑ /]. Participants were instructed to either ‘compensate’ for, or ‘ignore’ the changes in auditory feedback. Whole utterance auditory feedback manipulations were either gradually presented (‘ramp’) in -2 cent increments down to -100 cents (1 semitone) or were suddenly (’constant‘) shifted down by 1 semitone. Results Results indicated that singers and nonsingers could not suppress their compensatory responses to FAF, nor could they reduce the sensorimotor adaptation observed during both the ramp and constant FAF trials. Conclusions Compared to previous research, these data suggest that musical training is effective in suppressing compensatory responses only when FAF occurs after vocal onset (500-2500 ms). Moreover, our data suggest that compensation and adaptation are automatic and are influenced little by conscious control

Transforming Public Libraries as Spaces of Refuge & Resiliency During Climate Crisis: Toronto Public Library Youth and Staff Perspectives

As climate change progresses and environmental degradation threatens life on earth, public libraries have the potential and obligation to transform their roles to become a true place of refuge and resiliency for their communities. This can be accomplished through a dramatic change in their vision, to include: focusing heavily on their environmental responsibility to their communities, enhancing environmental literacy education, furthering environmentally-friendly organizational practices, and creating solid community networks to manage climate emergencies which will result in more resilient communities. As a Toronto Public Library employee for over eight years, my own experiences and reflections are discussed. Interviews were conducted with four children who frequent the Toronto Public Library Jane Sheppard branch and one Toronto Public Library Librarian. As one of the leading public library systems in the world, the Toronto Public Library has the capacity to become a prime example of developing their branches successfully to be hubs of the community providing refuge and resiliency during climate crisis

The palaeontology of Ediacaran Avalonia: new insights using morphometrics and multivariate statistical analyses

The Avalonian Ediacaran fossil assemblage of Newfoundland, Canada contains abundant fossils with a wide range of morphologies and preservational styles. Quantitative morphological and statistical analysis in Ediacaran fossil assemblages has recently been used to recognize natural morphological groupings, providing evidence for variability within and between taxa. This approach is first used herein to test the grouping of the serially arranged, millimeterscale chambered organism known as Palaeopascichnus. The combined morphometric and statistical analytical approach was applied to collected specimens from Ferryland, and demonstrates constrained, discrete growth patterns. The same technique was used to compare fossil palaeopascichnids with extant Protista, which has supported the protistan affinity for the hitherto enigmatic palaeopascichnids. This thesis also statistically investigates an Ediacaran taxonomic dispute known as the Beothukis/Culmofrons problem. The two taxa (Beothukis mistakensis and Culmofrons plumosa) were established separately, but were later synonymized. To determine the validity of this taxonomic reassignment, this thesis investigates the clustering of specimens based on their morphology and morphometrics and assesses the validity of certain taxonomic characters within the specimen dataset. These findings validate the original genus-level differentiation of Beothukis and Culmofrons, while also showing evidence for previously unrecognized variation within the genus Beothukis. Overall, this technique has led to the finding that more morphotypes may exist within the Ediacaran biota than originally thought, and proves the utility of detailed statistical and morphological analysis in determining morphological diversity and disparity

Gregory Hawco, percussion

Gregory Hawco, percussionGismonti, Egberto written as Gismonti Egbort

Gregory Hawco, percussion

Gregory Hawco, percussionGismonti, Egberto written as Gismonti Egbort

Development of educational resources regarding Lewy body dementia for nurses in long-term care

Background: Due to an aging population, rates of dementia are rising in Canada increasing the incidence of Lewy body dementia. To provide quality care to individuals with this disease, nursing staff need to be aware of evidence-based practices to ensure resident-centered care. Within Eastern Health, nursing staff in long-term care are well versed in dementia care, but there is no training specific to Lewy body dementia. Purpose: To develop educational resources related to nursing care of individuals with Lewy body dementia, to be used by nursing staff in long-term care settings to enhance resident-centered care. Methods: 1) An integrative literature review was conducted to assess relevant evidence-based information related to the nursing care of individuals with Lewy body dementia; 2) Key stakeholders, both locally and provincially, were consulted to determine relevant strategies and perspectives on nursing care of individuals with Lewy body dementia; 3) Educational resources related to Lewy body dementia were developed for nursing staff in long-term care. Results: The findings from the literature review and the consultation process guided the development of a presentation and resource manual for nursing staff in long-term care focusing specifically on Lewy body dementia. Conclusion: The proposed educational resources regarding Lewy body dementia will address the lack of awareness regarding LBD among nursing staff in LTC to improve quality of care and positively influence quality of life for residents with LBD

Relationship of neurite architecture to brain activity during task-based fMRI

Functional MRI (fMRI) has been widely used to examine changes in neuronal activity during cognitive tasks. Commonly used measures of gray matter macrostructure (e.g., cortical thickness, surface area, volume) do not consistently appear to serve as structural correlates of brain function. In contrast, gray matter microstructure, measured using neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI), enables the estimation of indices of neurite density (neurite density index; NDI) and organization (orientation dispersion index; ODI) in gray matter. Our study explored the relationship among neurite architecture, BOLD (blood-oxygen-level-dependent) fMRI, and cognition, using a large sample (n = 750) of young adults of the human connectome project (HCP) and two tasks that index more cortical (working memory) and more subcortical (emotion processing) targeting of brain functions. Using NODDI, fMRI, structural MRI and task performance data, hierarchical regression analyses revealed that higher working memory- and emotion processing-evoked BOLD activity was related to lower ODI in the right DLPFC, and lower ODI and NDI values in the right and left amygdala, respectively. Common measures of brain macrostructure (i.e., DLPFC thickness/surface area and amygdala volume) did not explain any additional variance (beyond neurite architecture) in BOLD activity. A moderating effect of neurite architecture on the relationship between emotion processing task-evoked BOLD response and performance was observed. Our findings provide evidence that neuro-/social-affective cognition-related BOLD activity is partially driven by the local neurite organization and density with direct impact on emotion processing. In vivo gray matter microstructure represents a new target of investigation providing strong potential for clinical translation

The cobalt cycle in the Tropical Pacific Ocean

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution February 2017Although over a dozen elements are needed to support phytoplankton growth, only a few are considered to be growth-limiting. As the central atom in vitamin B12, cobalt is crucial for metabolism, but its status as a limiting nutrient is uncertain. This thesis investigates the geochemical controls on oceanic cobalt scarcity and their biological consequences. Analysis of over 1000 samples collected in the Tropical Pacific Ocean reveals a dissolved cobalt distribution that is strongly coupled to dissolved oxygen, with peak concentrations where oxygen is lowest. Large cobalt plumes within anoxic waters are maintained by three processes: 1) a cobalt supply from organic matter remineralization, 2) an amplified sedimentary source from oxygen-depleted coastlines, and 3) low-oxygen inhibition of manganese oxidation, which scavenges cobalt from the water column. Rates of scavenging are calculated from a global synthesis of recent GEOTRACES data and agree with cobalt accumulation rates in pelagic sediments. Because both sources and sinks are tied to the extent of oxygen minimum zones, oceanic cobalt inventories are likely dynamic on the span of decades. Despite extremely low cobalt in the South Pacific gyre, the cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus thrives. Minimum cobalt and iron requirements of a Prochlorococcus strain isolated from the Equatorial Pacific are quantified. Cobalt quotas are related to demand for ribonucleotide reductase and methionine synthase enzymes, which catalyze critical steps in DNA and protein biosynthesis, respectively. Compared to other cyanobacteria, a streamlined metal physiology makes Prochlorococcus susceptible to competitive inhibition of cobalt uptake by low levels of zinc. Although phytoplankton in the Equatorial Pacific are subject to chronic iron-limitation, widespread cobalt scarcity and vulnerability to zinc inhibition observed in culture imply that wild Prochlorococcus are not far from a cobalt-limitation threshold.I am lucky to have benefitted from major financial support of the Saito Lab by the National Science Foundation and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Specifically, National Science Foundation grants for the Center for Microbial Oceanography Research and Education (CMORE, DBI-0424599), GEOTRACES Pacific and Artic projects (OCE-1233261 and OCE- 1540254), and OCE-1220484 funded my thesis work. National Science Foundation grants OCE- 1031271 and OCE-1337780 and Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation grants 3782 and 3934 to the Saito lab also provided instrumentation and funded field expeditions that enabled this work

Reevaluación crítica del holotipo de Beothukis mistakensis, único organismo rangeomorfo excepcionalmente preservado en Mistaken Point, Terranova, Canadá

The holotype of Beothukis mistakensis in Mistaken Point, Newfoundland, is the only currently known specimen that can be definitely placed within the species. Morphological differences between the holotype of B. mistakensis and the well-constrained species plumosa suggest that the two are not congeneric and Culmofrons plumosa should be retained as a valid taxon as originally established.El holotipo de Beothukis mistakensis en Mistaken Point, Terranova, es el único ejemplar actualmente conocido que puede ser colocado definitivamente dentro de la especie. Las diferencias morfológicas entre el holotipo de B. mistakensis y la especie plumosa sugieren que ambas no son congéneres y que Culmofrons plumosa debería conservarse como un taxón válido tal como se estableció originalmente