Scholarship @ UWindsor

Scholarship @ UWindsor is the institutional repository of the University of Windsor (UWindsor), showcasing and preserving the UWindsor community’s scholarly outputs, as well as items from the Leddy Library’s Archives & Special Collections. Its mission is to disseminate and preserve knowledge created or housed at the University of Windsor.

Contact scholarship@uwindsor.ca for more information.

Communities in Scholarship @ UWindsor

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Conferences and Conference Proceedings 3167
Papers, presentations and abstracts of conferences held at the University of Windsor, in person and virtually.
Digitized Local Collections 1552
Digitized local items from the collections of the Leddy Library, University of Windsor, and community partners.
Faculties, Departments and Research Units 3179
Open Access Faculty publications, reports and working papers from academic departments at the University of Windsor.
Theses, Dissertations, and Major Papers 9577
Formal graduate original research from the University of Windsor's Masters and Doctoral programs.

Recent Submissions

Access status: Open Access ,
Realization of Modified Electrical Equivalent of Memristor-Based Pavlov’s Associative Learning to Avoid Training Fallacies
(MDPI, 2025-02-04) Mehta, Ankit a Send mail to Mehta A. ; Ahmadi, Arash b Send mail to Ahmadi A. ; Ahmadi, Majid a Send mail to Ahmadi M.
Biological systems learn from past experiences by establishing relationships between two simultaneously occurring events, a phenomenon known as associative learning. This concept has promising applications in modern AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning). To leverage it effectively, a precise electrical model that can simulate associative learning observed in biological systems is essential. The paper focuses on modeling Pavlov’s famous experiment related to the drooling of dogs at the sound of bell after associating the food with the bell during training. The study addresses limitations in existing circuit designs that fail to accurately replicate associative learning in dogs, particularly when the sequence of food and bell signals deviates from a specific pattern. We propose a novel design using a few CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) transistors and memristor models that produces an output corresponding to the dogs drooling only when food and bell signals are associated, mirroring real-life training conditions. The results section first discusses simulations using the standard TiO2 (Titanium Oxide) memristor model, followed by experimental results obtained from a classical memristor emulator. Both simulation and experimental findings confirm the effectiveness of the circuit designs.
Access status: Open Access ,
“From an HCV and HIV point of view, it's been remarkable”: A qualitative study about using prescribed safer supply to support people who use drugs along the HIV and HCV prevention and treatment cascades in Ontario, Canada
(John Wiley & Sons Ltd., 2025-08-25) Guta, Adrian; Rudzinski, Katherine; Gagnon, Marilou; Schmidt, Rose A.; Kolla, Gillian; German, Danielle; Kryszajtys, David; Perri, Melissa; Sereda, Andrea; Sterling-Murphy, Christopher; Strike, Carol
Despite advances in HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, people who use drugs (PWUD) face significant barriers along prevention and treatment cascades. Safer supply programmes (SSPs) providing prescribed pharmaceutical alternatives to the unregulated drug supply may create opportunities for enhanced healthcare engagement and person-centred care. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study examining four SSPs in Ontario, Canada between February and October 2021. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 52 patients and 21 providers (including physicians, registered nurse practitioners, nurses and allied health professionals). Interviews explored experiences with safer supply and HIV/HCV care. Analysis used thematic techniques guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Results: SSPs supported HIV/HCV care by first addressing patients’ substance use needs, which created subsequent opportunities for building trust for broader health engagement. Providers identified the safer supply model as giving PWUD something they wanted, which then opened opportunities to discuss HIV, HCV, and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections. SSPs provided opportunities to support patients with HIV and HCV testing and treatment initiation, and safer supply medications were bundled with HIV and HCV medications to support adherence. Non-punitive approaches helped overcome previous negative healthcare experiences by prioritizing patient autonomy. Implementation challenges included balancing flexible, patient-directed care with programme requirements and coordinating comprehensive services around individual needs. Conclusions: SSPs may improve HIV/HCV care delivery for PWUD by building services around their priorities and lived realities. The integration of safer supply with HIV/HCV care through daily dispensing and wraparound services showed promise for engaging people previously disconnected from care. While findings suggested improved treatment outcomes, limitations included data collection during COVID-19, limited representation of some populations and a focus on opioid-only programmes. Research examining long-term outcomes and programme sustainability is needed as SSPs face growing scrutiny and closure in Canada.
Access status: Open Access ,
Production of Exopolysaccharides Through Fermentation of Secondary Whey with Kefir Grains
(MDPI, 2025-04-04) Hernández-Martínez, Aidalú; Jiménez-Pérez, Carlos; Cruz-Guerrero, Alma; Trant, John F.; Alatorre-Santamaría, Sergio
The cheese industry produces millions of tons of lactose-rich whey yearly, of which 50% is discharged into water and soil, leading to significant environmental challenges. In Mexico, cheese whey is repurposed for traditional cheese production. However, another by-product named secondary whey (SW) remains. This study focused on the production of exopolysaccharides (EPSs) via SW fermentation of kefir grains, yielding 632.6 ± 30.8 mg/L of a freeze-dried solid, and the carbohydrate-to-protein ratio stood at 2.89, corresponding to the bound EPS protein content. Through the analysis of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra, it was determined that EPSs were successfully produced, as a signal was observed between 1200 and 1000 cm−1, characteristic of the glycosidic bonds in polysaccharides.
Access status: Open Access ,
The impact of wearing a heart rate monitoring wristband on museum visitors’ memory and emotions: a randomized controlled trial
(Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH, 2025-05-13) Vasta, Nicola; Andrao, Margherita; Treccani, Barbara; Isaia, Denis; Mulatti, Claudio
Advances in technology have enabled museum curators to employ equipment that can measure visitors’ physiological responses, offering a means to monitor these responses, while, at the same time, potentially engaging visitors. However, it is unclear whether these devices genuinely promote a positive experience or, conversely, are perceived as intrusive monitoring tools. Following traditional theories linking physiological responses, emotions and memory, we tested whether wearing a heart rate monitoring wristband during a temporary art exhibition could affect visitors’ emotions and if emotional changes due to this manipulation could, in turn, affect the long-term memory of the artworks. Our findings show that using such a device heightened pleasant emotions experienced by visitors and improved their memory of the exhibit. These effects were still present even after six days from the visit. Moreover, we found that providing fake feedback concerning the emotions experienced in a specific room increased visitors’ memory of artworks within that room. Our results are encouraging regarding the use of these technologies in museum exhibitions and bring evidence that they can enhance visitors' experiences, regardless of their accuracy.
Access status: Open Access ,
Navigating fragmented services: a gender-based violence (GBV) critical feminist analysis of women’s experiences engaging with health and social supports in three Canadian cities
(BioMed Central Ltd, 2025-03-31) Rudzinski, Katherine; Hudspith, Lara F.; Guta, Adrian; Comber, Scott; Dewar, Linda; Leiper, Wendy; Hawkins, Kim; Laforet, Lady; Mangat, Rajwant Raji; Long, Phoebe M.
Gender-based violence (GBV) remains a pervasive public health crisis with devastating impacts on women’s health and well-being. Women experiencing GBV face considerable barriers accessing appropriate and timely health and social services. This study explored women’s experiences with health and social services in three Canadian cities to understand critical challenges and strengths in service provision for women experiencing GBV. Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with self-identifying women (n = 21) who had accessed health or social care services and with service providers (n = 25) in three Canadian cities between February 2021 and November 2022. Women’s interviews focused on experiences engaging with services including what worked well, the challenges they faced, and their recommendations to enhance service delivery to women experiencing violence. Staff interviews focused on their experiences of providing services within their organization, and the strengths and challenges in providing services to women within their community. Data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis with a gender-based violence critical feminist lens. Results: We organized the findings into three interrelated themes. First our results show how the systems within which health and social services are organized, are not designed to meet women’s complex needs, with rigid structures, siloed services, and stigmatizing cultures creating significant barriers. Second, the data illustrate how service providers support and empower women through practices such as providing key information, assisting with administrative tasks, offering material resources, and addressing discrimination through advocacy and accompaniment. Third, our findings demonstrate how building an effective working relationship characterized by trust, non-judgment, and collaboration is crucial for service engagement and women’s overall well-being. Conclusions: Findings illuminate critical public health challenges as women navigate fragmented services across multiple and siloed systems not designed to meet their complex needs. There is an urgent need for systemic change to create more integrated, responsive support systems for women experiencing GBV. This includes addressing underlying structures perpetuating gender inequities and violence. Facilitating safe access to holistic services that consider women’s preferences is crucial. Effective working relationships built on trust, respect, and power-sharing are key to supporting women’s agency and addressing their interconnected needs.