Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Striatum-Mediated Deficits In Stimulus-Response Learning And Decision-Making In Ocd, Nole M. Hiebert, Marc R. Lawrence, Hooman Ganjavi, Mark Watling, Adrian M. Owen, Ken N. Seergobin, Penny A. Macdonald

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

© Copyright © 2020 Hiebert, Lawrence, Ganjavi, Watling, Owen, Seergobin and MacDonald. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a prevalent psychiatric disorder characterized by obsessions and compulsions. Studies investigating symptomatology and cognitive deficits in OCD frequently implicate the striatum. The aim of this study was to explore striatum-mediated cognitive deficits in patients with OCD as they complete a stimulus-response learning task previously shown to differentially rely on the dorsal (DS) and ventral striatum (VS). We hypothesized that patients with OCD will show both impaired decision-making and learning, coupled with reduced task-relevant activity in DS and VS, respectively, compared to healthy controls. …

Hippocampal Subfields Revealed Through Unfolding And Unsupervised Clustering Of Laminar And Morphological Features In 3d Bigbrain, J. Dekraker, J. C. Lau, K. M. Ferko, A. R. Khan, S. Köhler

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

© 2019 Elsevier Inc. The internal structure of the human hippocampus is challenging to map using histology or neuroimaging due to its complex archicortical folding. Here, we aimed to overcome this challenge using a unique combination of three methods. First, we leveraged a histological dataset with unprecedented 3D coverage, BigBrain. Second, we imposed a computational unfolding framework that respects the topological continuity of hippocampal subfields, which are traditionally defined by laminar composition. Third, we adapted neocortical parcellation techniques to map the hippocampus with respect to not only laminar but also morphological features. Unsupervised clustering of these features revealed subdivisions that …

The Relationship Between Theory Of Mind And Executive Function: Are They Two Facets Of The Same Process Or Two Distinct Processes?, Isu Cho

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation examines the relationship between Theory of Mind (ToM) and Executive Function (EF). There has been debate on whether ToM and EF are two facets of the same process or are two distinct processes. Distinguishing between these possibilities empirically is challenging because the two abilities have similar developmental timetables and ToM tasks typically place high demands on EF, with the consequence that ToM and EF performance measures may be artificially correlated. Three experiments explored the nature of this relationship. Experiments 1 and 2 tested whether socio-cultural factors known to influence individual differences in EF (i.e., bilingualism, country-of-origin) extend to …

A Visual Analytics System For Making Sense Of Real-Time Twitter Streams, Amir Haghighatimaleki

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Through social media platforms, massive amounts of data are being produced. Twitter, as one such platform, enables users to post “tweets” on an unprecedented scale. Once analyzed by machine learning (ML) techniques and in aggregate, Twitter data can be an invaluable resource for gaining insight. However, when applied to real-time data streams, due to covariate shifts in the data (i.e., changes in the distributions of the inputs of ML algorithms), existing ML approaches result in different types of biases and provide uncertain outputs. This thesis describes a visual analytics system (i.e., a tool that combines data visualization, human-data interaction, and …

Ottawa Should Ditch F-35, Buy Better-Suited Super Hornets For Rcaf, Erika Simpson

Political Science Publications

The article discusses the Canadian government's consideration of replacing its aging CF-18 fleet with new fighter jets, evaluating options such as Lockheed Martin's F-35 and Boeing's Super Hornet. The F-35 is criticized for being a single-engine aircraft, which poses risks for Arctic patrols and has faced issues with reliability, maintenance, and cost. In contrast, the Super Hornet is presented as a more suitable option due to its twin-engine design, economic benefits, and better alignment with Canada's defense needs. The article advocates for the purchase of the Super Hornet, highlighting its advantages in terms of maintenance cost savings and economic benefits …

Saccade Latency Provides Evidence For Reduced Face Inversion Effects With Higher Autism Traits, Robin Laycock, Kylie Wood, Andrea Wright, Sheila G. Crewther, Melvyn A. Goodale

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

© Copyright © 2020 Laycock, Wood, Wright, Crewther and Goodale. Individuals on the autism spectrum are reported to show impairments in the processing of social information, including aspects of eye-movements towards faces. Abnormalities in basic-level visual processing are also reported. In the current study, we sought to determine if the latency of saccades made towards social targets (faces) in a natural scene as opposed to inanimate targets (cars) would be related to sub-clinical autism traits (ATs) in individuals drawn from a neurotypical population. The effect of stimulus inversion was also examined given that difficulties with processing inverted faces are thought …

The Experiential Learning Connections Between University And Community: Recent Ontario Experience, Emmanuel Asafo-Adjei

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Experiential Learning (EL), including a range of pedagogical approaches such as co-ops and community service learning, connect the university and its external community. Universities are considering such approaches to meet a number of needs and priorities both on and off-campus. As it unfolds rapidly at the present time, EL becomes the connection between the university and the community beyond its gates, both locally and more extensively. However, university-community or so-called town-gown (TG) connections traditionally focus on research and/or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This thesis focuses on the teaching and learning connections, especially in Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences …

We Lost The Security Council Vote In 21 Seconds. Now What?, Erika Simpson

Political Science Publications

The articles reflects on Canada's recent bid for a seat on the UN Security Council, highlighting Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's approach and the international community's response. It critiques Trudeau's diplomatic pause regarding U.S. President Donald Trump and argues that Canada's loss of the seat was due to perceived hesitation and lack of assertiveness on global issues like COVID-19, inclusion, and nuclear proliferation. The piece advocates for Canada to increase its international development aid, bolster peacekeeping efforts, and take a stronger stance on disarmament to enhance its global influence and reputation.

Ethnoprimatology And Nature-Based Tourism: An Exploration Of Macaque Ecology And Behaviour At The Sepilok Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Center In Sabah, Malaysia, Lauren J. Gilhooly

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A rise in tourism revenue worldwide has included an increase in the number of travellers seeking experiences with the natural world. Commonly referred to as ecotourists, these visitors typically hail from Western countries and favour locations that allow them to connect with nature in ways that they consider sustainable and ethical. However well-meaning, these ecotourist ventures are complex because, while tourism revenue may help protect fragile ecosystems, an increase in tourists can expose local fauna to potentially deadly diseases.

Primates are a salient example of this double-edged sword because they are a popular attraction among travellers, meaning they may …

Putting 'Dopamine Overdose' To The Test: A Psychopharmacological Investigation In Parkinson's Disease And Healthy Volunteers, Andrew Vo

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Dopaminergic therapy prescribed to address motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is done at the expense of some cognition functions. It has been hypothesized that whether a given function is improved or impaired by medication depends on the baseline dopamine levels within underlying brain regions. Areas most affected by PD and severely dopamine depleted are predicted to benefit from dopaminergic therapy. Regions with less dopamine deficiency are predicted to worsen from excessive dopamine stimulation. This theoretical framework is known as the dopamine overdose hypothesis. The central aim of this thesis was to critically test the straightforward predictions put forward by …

Newcomer Integration Programs And London, Ontario’S Diversity Agenda: Views From Within And Without, Jutta Zeller-Beier

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

London, Ontario presents itself as a multicultural city with a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion. My thesis examines London’s diversity agenda through the everyday practices of the work of immigrant integration which are situated against the historical trajectory of Canada and Ontario’s immigration policies. Based on personal interviews, participation in events hosted by immigrant-serving organizations, and visits to related offices at City Hall, my research investigates the framework applied to realize the social inclusion of immigrants in London. A look at the work of governing and the impact of neoliberal policies shows that responsibility for successful integration falls on …

Appendix A: Interview Guide With Privacy-Related Questions (Full Version), Anabel Quan-Haase, Dennis Ho

FIMS Publications

Interview Guide: Networked individualism, East York Project

2020-2 Botswana's Fiscal Policy, Monetary Policy, And Exchange Rate Policy: Three Instruments And Three Targets?, J Clark Leith

Department of Economics Research Reports

No abstract provided.

2020-1 Distributional Effects Of Flooding, With An Application To A Major Urban Area, James B. Davies, Samantha L. Black

Department of Economics Research Reports

No abstract provided.

2020-4 The Category Of Node-And-Choice Extensive-Form Games, Peter A. Streufert

Department of Economics Research Reports

This paper develops the category NCG. Its objects are node-and-choice games, which include essentially all extensive-form games. Its morphisms allow arbitrary transformations of a game's nodes, choices, and players, as well as monotonic transformations of the utility functions of the game's players. Among the morphisms are subgame inclusions. Several characterizations and numerous properties of the isomorphisms are derived. Also, the game-theoretic concepts of no-absentmindedness, perfect-information, and (pure-strategy) Nash-equilibrium are shown to be isomorphically invariant. Finally, full subcategories are defined for choice-sequence games and choice-set games, and relationships among these two subcategories and NCG itself are expressed and derived via isomorphic …

2020-5 European Puts, Credit Protection, And Endogenous Default, Jorge Cruz Lopez, Alfredo Ibanez

Department of Economics Research Reports

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Resting-State Functional Connectivity In Marmosets With Tracer-Based Cellular Connectivity, Yuki Hori, David J. Schaeffer, Kyle M. Gilbert, Lauren K. Hayrynen, Justine C. Cléry, Joseph S. Gati, Ravi S. Menon, Stefan Everling

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

© 2019 Elsevier Inc. Resting-state functional MRI (RS-fMRI) is widely used to assess how strongly different brain areas are connected. However, this connection obtained by RS-fMRI, which is called functional connectivity (FC), simply refers to the correlation of blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signals across time it has yet to be quantified how accurately FC reflects cellular connectivity (CC). In this study, we elucidated this relationship using RS-fMRI and quantitative tracer data in marmosets. In addition, we also elucidated the effects of distance between two brain regions on the relationship between FC and CC across seed region. To calculate FC, we …

Depressogenic Self-Schemas Are Associated With Smaller Regional Grey Matter Volume In Never-Depressed Preadolescents, Pan Liu, Matthew R.J. Vandemeer, Marc F. Joanisse, Deanna M. Barch, David J.A. Dozois, Elizabeth P. Hayden

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

© 2020 The Author(s) Self-referential processing (i.e., self-schemas that guide processing of self-descriptive information) emerges early in youth, with deeper encoding of negative self-descriptors and/or shallower encoding of positive self-descriptors causally linked to depression. However, the relationship between depressogenic self-schemas and brain structure is unclear. We investigated associations between self-schemas and regional grey matter volume (GMV) in 84 never-depressed preadolescents oversampled for depression risk based on maternal depression history. Self-schemas were assessed using a Self-Referent Encoding Task (SRET) and regional GMV was indexed via voxel-based morphometry analysis of structural magnetic resonance imaging data. Youths’ positive self-schemas were associated with greater …

Social Symptoms Of Parkinson's Disease, Margaret T.M. Prenger, Racheal Madray, Kathryne Van Hedger, Mimma Anello, Penny A. Macdonald

Brain and Mind Institute Researchers' Publications

© 2020 Margaret T. M. Prenger et al. Parkinson's disease (PD) is typically well recognized by its characteristic motor symptoms (e.g., bradykinesia, rigidity, and tremor). The cognitive symptoms of PD are increasingly being acknowledged by clinicians and researchers alike. However, PD also involves a host of emotional and communicative changes which can cause major disruptions to social functioning. These incude problems producing emotional facial expressions (i.e., facial masking) and emotional speech (i.e., dysarthria), as well as difficulties recognizing the verbal and nonverbal emotional cues of others. These social symptoms of PD can result in severe negative social consequences, including stigma, …

2020-1 The Millennials' Transition From School-To-Work, Audra J. Bowlus, Yuet-Yee Linda Wong

Centre for Human Capital and Productivity. CHCP Working Papers

No abstract provided.

2020-3 Optimal Contracting With Altruistic Agents: A Structural Model Of Medicare Payments For Dialysis Drugs, Martin Gaynor, Nirav Mehta, Seth Richards-Shubik

Centre for Human Capital and Productivity. CHCP Working Papers

We study physician agency and optimal payment policy in the context of an expensive medication used in dialysis care. Using Medicare claims data we estimate a structural model of treatment decisions, in which physicians differ in their altruism and marginal costs, and this heterogeneity is unobservable to the government. In a novel application of nonlinear pricing methods, we theoretically characterize the optimal unrestricted contract in this screening environment with multidimensional heterogeneity. We combine these results with the estimated model to construct the optimal contract and simulate counterfactual outcomes. The optimal contract is a flexible fee-for-service contract, which pays for reported …

2020-7 Marriage, Children, And Labor Supply: Beliefs And Outcomes, Yifan Gong, Todd Stinebrickner, Ralph Stinebrickner

Centre for Human Capital and Productivity. CHCP Working Papers

No abstract provided.

2020-6 The Eitc And Maternal Time Use: More Time Working And Less Time With Kids?, Jacob Bastian, Lance Lochner

Centre for Human Capital and Productivity. CHCP Working Papers

No abstract provided.

2020-8 Perceived And Actual Option Values Of College Enrollment, Yifan Gong, Todd Stinebrickner, Ralph Stinebrickner

Centre for Human Capital and Productivity. CHCP Working Papers

No abstract provided.

2020-9 Self-Employment And Development, Juan Herreno, Sergio Ocampo

Centre for Human Capital and Productivity. CHCP Working Papers

No abstract provided.

Female Social Entrepreneurship In Sport, In The African Context: Systemic Review, Denise Kamyuka

Africa Western Collaborations Day 2020 Abstracts

No abstract provided.

L'École Ivoirienne: Taux De Réussite Ou Formation De Qualité?, Seydou Ouattara

Africa Western Collaborations Day 2020 Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Place Of Hope Or Despair? Investigating Social Mobility In Harare's Informal Settlements, Senanu Kwasi Kutor

Africa Western Collaborations Day 2020 Abstracts

No abstract provided.

This Is A Good Place To Live! Narratives And Counternarratives On Territorial Stigmatization In Harare's Informal Settlements, Elmond Bandauko

Africa Western Collaborations Day 2020 Abstracts

No abstract provided.

Hiv Prevention Among Heterosexual Blackmen In Ontario: The Need To Revisit Provincial Policy, Roger Antabe Western University, London Ontario, Erica Lawson, Winston Husbands, Josephine Wong, Godwin Arku, Isaac Luginaah

Africa Western Collaborations Day 2020 Abstracts

No abstract provided.