P15. Employing students' multilingualism and language diversity in teaching and learning

Before our innovative clinical skills session ‘Interpreting in Consultations’, we conducted an annual survey of languages spoken by students on admission, in 2006, 2007 and 2008. Froma response rate of 94% we noted that 28% of students are advanced/fluent speakers of language(s) other than English and a total of 48 languages are spoken.The session, ‘Interpreting in Consultations’, involves first and second year students who speak the same language other than English, role-playing an ‘interpreted’ consultation.Feedback from tutors and students following the session shows that using different languages serves multiple, valuable purposes, highlighting:• issues encountered with interpreters• challenges of ‘medical’ language• difficulties in transmitting a patient centred approach• how linguistic and cultural sensitivities are lost in translation.Student linguistic diversity is considerable and not used to its full potential: the single clinical skills session we report suggests there is much more to be gained. The education we design and delivermay fail to recognise what patient-centred-ness means in different languages and cultures.Future research should: consider how to make best use of multiculturalism and linguistic diversity; explore how students’ awareness of, and competence in, different languages and culturescan be developed and maintained

Starving Cancer from the Inside and Outside: Nutrient Stress in Combination with Autophagy Inhibition to Kill Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC)

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide, with a 5- year survival rate of less than 5 percent. Given the current lack of effective therapeutic options, novel strategies for treatment of this disease are urgently required. Most PDAC tumors acquire mutations that result in constitutive activation of the GTPase KRAS, which promotes mitogen- activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling and tumor development. Notably, KRAS-driven PDACs often exhibit increased dependence on autophagy, the process by which cells degrade internal components to mobilize energy stores. When faced with cellular stress, such as nutrient or growth factor deprivation, tumor growth may initially slow in response to decreasing supplies of growth factors and cytokines. Under these conditions, the induction of autophagy can enable continued tumor growth even in the presence of nutrient stress, and PDAC cells have been demonstrated to upregulate autophagy to maintain pro-tumorigenic growth. Therefore, we posited that nutrient restriction in combination with autophagy inhibition would synergistically disrupt aberrant metabolic pathways and more effectively stunt PDAC tumor progression. To determine the impact of transient autophagy inhibition, the aminoquinoline chloroquine (CQ, the only FDA- approved autophagy inhibitor) was selected. The combination of CQ and nutrient stress elicited a compounding effect on cellular proliferation in both murine and human-derived PDAC cells in vitro, demonstrating the potential efficacy of CQ and nutrient stress as an adjuvant therapy for PDAC. Next, the mechanistic impact of permanent autophagy inhibition was explored, in order to identify secondary metabolic alterations arising in response to autophagy ablation. Using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, a key gene in autophagic induction, autophagy related 5 (Atg5) was deleted in a murine-derived KRAS-mutant PDAC cell line (Panc02) rendering them autophagy- deficient (Atg5-/-) PDAC cell line. To understand the effect of systemic nutrient deprivation and autophagy deficiency, these Atg5 wildtype and knockout cells were used in an in vivo model in which animals were prescribed a control or calorie restricted diet. Upon intrapancreatic injection in a syngeneic C57BL/6 model, the complete loss of autophagy in Atg-/- cells resulted in reduced tumor growth relative to control (Atg5+/+) cells. However, no differences in growth were observed in vitro under standard growth conditions or in combination with nutrient stress, indicating the cells with permanent autophagy deficiency have reprogrammed to grow in an autophagy- independent manner. Thus, our findings reveal a potential synergism between autophagy inhibition and nutrient stress, and also caution against suppressing autophagy completely and/or permanently due to the potential for pro-survival cellular adaptation to occur.Bachelor of Scienc

Using cGANs for Anomaly Detection: Identifying Astronomical Anomalies in JWST NIRcam Imaging

We present a proof of concept for mining JWST imaging data for anomalous galaxy populations using a conditional Generative Adversarial Network (cGAN). We train our model to predict long wavelength NIRcam fluxes (LW: F277W, F356W, F444W between 2.4 to 5.0\mu m) from short wavelength fluxes (SW: F115W, F150W, F200W between 0.6 to 2.3\mu m) in approximately 2000 galaxies. We test the cGAN on a population of 37 Extremely Red Objects (EROs) discovered by the CEERS JWST Team arXiv:2305.14418. Despite their red long wavelength colours, the EROs have blue short wavelength colours (F150W \- F200W equivalently 0 mag) indicative of bimodal SEDs. Surprisingly, given their unusual SEDs, we find that the cGAN accurately predicts the LW NIRcam fluxes of the EROs. However, it fails to predict LW fluxes for other rare astronomical objects, such as a merger between two galaxies, suggesting that the cGAN can be used to detect some anomaliesComment: 4 pages, 1 figure with 5 sub-figures. Submitted, accepted and awaiting publication in AAS Journal

Older Adults Living with Cancer: Supportive Care Needs and Utilization of Peer Support Services

BACKGROUND: Cancer is primarily a disease of older adults with sixty percent of all incidences occurring in individuals 65 years and over. Coping with cancer may entail additional challenges for older adults due to co-morbidities, declining mobility, reduced social networks and ageism. To date, the majority of research examining supportive care needs has focused on younger women with breast cancer. Little attention has been paid to older adults’ experience with cancer, particularly with respect to psychosocial support. PURPOSE: The aims of the present studies were twofold: (1) to learn more about peer support services in Ontario, specifically: the type and location of available programs; extent of utilization by older adults; and factors that might facilitate or inhibit use by older adults; and (2) to gain a better understanding of the experiences and challenges facing older adults living with cancer, strategies and resources used to meet these challenges, unmet support related needs, as well as awareness of support services, principally peer support. METHODS: First, peer support services in Ontario were identified through an environmental scan. Subsequently, interviews were conducted with 24 key contacts from a purposeful sample (based on type and geographic location) of 30 of these groups. Next, surveys were administered to participants (n=220) and facilitators (n=39) from these groups to establish a profile of current peer support users and deliverers, and examine the extent to which older adults (age ≥ 65) utilized these services. Finally, a preliminary, in-depth, qualitative exploration from the perspective of older adults living with cancer was conducted through a focus group (n=6) and interviews with 20 older adults. RESULTS: The environmental scan yielded a total of 177 peer support cancer programs across Ontario; predominately group-based (93%). Most were located in urban centers. Few programs targeted colon cancer. In the 30 groups examined, breast and prostate cancer were the most common focus (60%). Group facilitators were primarily female (75%) and most had personally experienced cancer (77%). The male facilitators were older (p <.05) and most likely to lead the prostate groups. None of the programs systematically collected client information. Clients ranged in age from 25 to 91 years (mean = 64 ± 10.7). Many were long-term cancer survivors (average five years post diagnosis). Overall, less than half the clients were aged 65 or older. Clients over age 65 were predominately men (86%; p <.001) with prostate cancer. Almost 70% of program directors and over 90% of facilitators were unaware most individuals with cancer are over the age of 65. Interview participants were recruited primarily through the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS). Not surprisingly, 46% had participated in peer support. Older adults identified several challenges with respect to physical functioning, sexuality, emotional distress, and obtaining information. Participants utilized a variety of resources to meet informational and emotional challenges including, the Internet and the support of family and friends. Accessing routine follow-up care after the transition from ‘patient’ to ‘survivor’ was a significant unmet need. CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the premise that cancer peer support services may be under-utilized by older adults, particularly older women. The reasons for these findings remain unclear although ageism may be a factor. Due to the reliance on a convenience sample, qualitative findings that older adults were generally able to meet their supportive care needs cannot be generalized to all older adults living with cancer. Large organizations such as the CCS need to begin systematically collecting demographic and other information on clientele to enhance program planning and delivery. Further research studies on older adults living with cancer are needed to examine their supportive care needs

Disruption of microorganisms due to agitation in slurries of fine particles

Bibliography: pages 149-155.This dissertation presents the results of an investigation into the disruption of microorganisms when agitated in slurries of fine particles in a stirred tank. The most widely used industrial process involving agitation of microorganisms in slurries of particles in stirred tanks is the biooxidation process. Mixed cultures of thiobacilli are used in stirred tank reactors for the biooxidation of sulphide minerals. In addition to operating conditions, the efficiency of biotechnological processes is dependent on the growth and metabolism of the microorganisms. The microorganisms are sensitive to the hydrodynamic conditions generated in the processes. In response to adverse hydrodynamic conditions there may be changes in the growth rate of the microorganisms, the nutrient uptake rate, the product formation rate and morphology of the microorganisms. Under extreme conditions cell damage and disruption may ensue. The presence of particulates in bioprocesses, in the form of solid substrates or support systems for attached growth, further complicate the hydrodynamic conditions. The knowledge of the effect of particulates on microorganisms is an important priority

Characterisation of the first p-type Segmented Inverted-coaxial Germanium Detector, SIGMA

The Segmented Inverted-coaxial GerMAnium (SIGMA) detector is a large volume High Purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma-ray detector that aims to demonstrate superior en- ergy and position resolution over other large volume segmented germanium detectors. The SIGMA prototype detector is the first p-type detector of its kind to be produced. Due to the low noise of the point contact, the SIGMA detector can provide excellent energy resolution and, through the use of Pulse Shape Analysis (PSA), excellent po- sition resolution. Accurate and precise energy and position determination are the key factors in effective gamma-ray tracking making SIGMA particularly suited for use at Radioactive Ion Beam (RIB) experiments such as DESPEC. The SIGMA prototype detector has been characterised and tested at the Univer- sity of Liverpool. SIGMA showed excellent energy resolution with the point contact achieving 0.89 keV at 122 keV and 2.21 keV at 1332 keV and a relative efficiency of 40.9%. A collimated beam of 241Am and 137Cs gamma rays were scanned across the detector in 1 mm steps to investigate the crystal size, structure and position and the active area of the individual segments. The 241Am data was used to produce a risetime matrix displaying the change in drift time across the front face of the crystal. The detector was also operated alongside BGO detectors in coincidence mode and data acquired using the 137Cs beam to investigate pulse shape behaviour in the crystal at a range of positions. The pulses from all functioning segments were collected, includ- ing both real charge and image charge pulses, and used to produce an average response from each segment for individual x-y-z locations in the crystal. The average pulses were compared to investigate the position response of the detector. A measurable difference in pulse shape was seen in multiple segments for a separation of as little as 2 mm in one dimension