The Masked Ones

In Julia Yi’s short story, we follow a young woman on a harrowing journey after an apocalyptic event has left the earth transformed. She roams from house to house searching for food with only her “companion” and a hatchet at her side until she meets a young boy. Julia’s story was written for Travis Tanner’s English class, Language of Fiction, fall 2014

The septin cytoskeleton facilitates membrane retraction during motility and blebbing.

Increasing evidence supports a critical role for the septin cytoskeleton at the plasma membrane during physiological processes including motility, formation of dendritic spines or cilia, and phagocytosis. We sought to determine how septins regulate the plasma membrane, focusing on this cytoskeletal element's role during effective amoeboid motility. Surprisingly, septins play a reactive rather than proactive role, as demonstrated during the response to increasing hydrostatic pressure and subsequent regulatory volume decrease. In these settings, septins were required for rapid cortical contraction, and SEPT6-GFP was recruited into filaments and circular patches during global cortical contraction and also specifically during actin filament depletion. Recruitment of septins was also evident during excessive blebbing initiated by blocking membrane trafficking with a dynamin inhibitor, providing further evidence that septins are recruited to facilitate retraction of membranes during dynamic shape change. This function of septins in assembling on an unstable cortex and retracting aberrantly protruding membranes explains the excessive blebbing and protrusion observed in septin-deficient T cells

Portals to the Past: The Queen’s Visit and the Daycare Exhibits

Our project theme is designed to highlight Sheridan\u27s growing reputation within the community. This project features two stories: the Queen\u27s visit and the daycare at the Trafalgar campus. Sheridan is more than just a school; it boasts a thriving reputation as a renowned and artistic institution with exceptional students and alumni. Its nationwide notoriety demonstrates the school\u27s commitment to community engagement. Sheridan is not just situated in Oakville; it actively contributes to the development of the Oakville community, focusing on nurturing the area\u27s youth. Our first story about the daycare illustrates the vital role this institution plays in the education of children in our community. Striving for change and investing in the future of the youth is crucial, and Sheridan takes a hands-on approach to these goals. It offers a progressive educational experience and has been a mainstay for decades. Our second project documents Queen Elizabeth II\u27s visit on October 10th, 2002. This monumental event elevated Sheridan\u27s reputation and was an honour for the entire community. The Queen\u27s visit showcased Sheridan\u27s excellence and commitment to providing top-quality education, instilling pride in everyone associated with the institution. Additionally, the visit reinforced the strong relationship between Sheridan and the community, emphasizing the school\u27s role as a cultural and educational hub in the region. In summary, our project encapsulates the essence of Sheridan\u27s reputation and its deep connections to the community. We hope it inspires others to join us in our pursuit of excellence and progress

THE STATE OF LITERACY IN SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY

The purpose of these two studies was to examine the state of pre-service and in-service literacy training, self-efficacy, and clinical practice of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and speech-language pathology programs in the United States. Study one analyzed course descriptions and available syllabi from a sample of 50 accredited graduate programs and examined the likelihood of offering literacy coursework in relation to geographical region, Carnegie Classification, or U.S. News & World Report ranking. About one-half of the programs (n = 28) offered a dedicated literacy course or a course that embedded literacy. None of the variables significantly predicted the probability of having literacy courses. However, an R1 or R2 Carnegie Classification was associated with a higher odds ratio of offering literacy courses compared to not having those classifications. Dedicated literacy courses were at least 60% more likely to include literacy assessment or intervention than literacy-embedded courses. Study two was a survey of a nationwide U.S. sample of 444 SLPs. Approximately half (n = 225) of respondents reported taking either a dedicated or embedded literacy course. Only 8.05% felt that their graduate programs prepared them well or very well to assess and treat written language. Approximately 80% of respondents reported receiving in-service literacy training. School-based SLPs reported spending significantly less time on written language intervention than non-school-based SLPs (p < .001), a difference not found with spoken language. School-based SLPs had significantly lower rates of agreement regarding their roles with literacy compared to non-school based SLPs (p < .001). There were significantly lower rates of self-efficacy in addressing written versus spoken language (p < .001). Having received in-service literacy training significantly predicted clinical time spent on written language (p < .05), self-efficacy in assessing and treating written language (p < .05), and the extent of beliefs regarding their roles with literacy (p < .01): effects that pre-service training did not have. In summary, there continues to be a significant need for increased pre-service and in-service trainings in literacy and to investigate reasons for differences in literacy practices and beliefs between school-based and non-school-based SLPs.Doctor of Philosoph

The indirect effects of trait anxiety on drug use via emotion dysregulation in a low-income sample

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Substance Use & Misuse on 2020 Mar 18, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/10826084.2020.1741631.Background: Research has demonstrated consistent associations between anxiety and illicit drug use. However, few studies to date have examined the shared risk factors that may contribute to this common comorbidity. Therefore, the current investigation tested the indirect effect of trait anxiety on drug use disorder symptoms via emotion dysregulation, a widely recognized transdiagnostic risk factor found to be relevant across both anxiety and illicit drug use. Method: The sample was comprised of 241 adults (Mage = 50.56, SDage = 5.90; 76.8% Black) recruited from a community center serving low-income and homeless individuals. Results: Consistent with our hypothesis, structural equation modeling demonstrated an indirect effect of trait anxiety on drug use disorder symptoms through emotion dysregulation. Conclusions: The current findings show initial support for emotion dysregulation as an explanatory vulnerability factor indirectly underlying the relationship between anxiety and drug use