identifier: u2: Mathematical and Computational Sciences

title: Effective dimensionality control in quantitative finance and insurance

contributor:
Liu, Kai (author)
(Thesis advisor)
(Supervisory Committee Member)
(Examination Committee Member)

abstract:
It is well-known that dimension reduction techniques such as the Brownian bridge, principal
component analysis, linear transformation could increase the efficiency of Quasi-Monte
Carlo (QMC) methods. Caflisch et al. (1997), who introduced two notions of effective
dimension known as superposition dimension and truncation dimension, in part explain
the overwhelming success of these methods for high-dimensional finance applications.
By exploiting dimension reduction in QMC, we propose a new measure of effective dimension which we denote as the delta dimension. Unlike the previously proposed effective
dimensions, it is easy to compute delta dimension, including its dimension distribution. We
also propose a new dimension reduction technique known as the directional control (DC)
method. By assigning appropriately the direction of importance of the given function, the
proposed DC method optimally determines the generating matrix used to simulate the
Brownian paths. Because of the flexibility of our proposed method, it can be shown that
many of the existing dimension reduction methods are special cases of our proposed DC
method. Furthermore, considering the functions with multiple discontinuities or differentiabilities, we propose a severity measure that allows us to identify the relative importance
of the various sub-functions, which allows us to dynamically construct the optimal path
generation method.
By exploiting dimension reduction techniques in portfolio of insurance contracts, we propose a real-time evaluation model, i.e. Green-mesh, to select smaller number of synthetic
representative points. We show that our pre-computed values could be recycled for evaluating incoming contracts. Unlike the general machine learning method, our green-mesh
real-time evaluation model only takes a little computing at time 0, and achieves much
higher accuracy.
By exploiting dimension reduction techniques in portfolio selection, we propose an Effective Portfolio (EP) model to select smaller number of stocks in portfolio selection and
uniquely determine the weights of selected stocks. We propose so called effective portfoiv
lio. We show that only certain portion of stocks dominant the whole market in which we
define the number of effective stocks as EPD. Unlike randomly selected stocks, our EPD
is a counting random variable with corresponding probability mass function, and it can be
shown that a better portfolio alpha and beta trade-off based on a sophisticated strategy
could be achieved via dimension reduction.


title: Directional control of generating Brownian path under quasi Monte Carlo

type: Text Dissertation/Thesis

format: electronic application/pdf

abstract:
Quasi-Monte Carlo (QMC) methods are playing an increasingly important role in computational finance. This is attributed to the increased complexity of the derivative securities
and the sophistication of the financial models. Simple closed-form solutions for the finance
applications typically do not exist and hence numerical methods need to be used to approximate their solutions. QMC method has been proposed as an alternative method to Monte
Carlo (MC) method to accomplish this objective. Unlike MC methods, the efficiency of
QMC-based methods is highly dependent on the dimensionality of the problems. In particular, numerous researches have documented, under the Black-Scholes models, the critical
role of the generating matrix for simulating the Brownian paths. Numerical results support
the notion that generating matrix that reduces the effective dimension of the underlying
problems is able to increase the efficiency of QMC. Consequently, dimension reduction
methods such as principal component analysis, Brownian bridge, Linear Transformation
and Orthogonal Transformation have been proposed to further enhance QMC. Motivated
by these results, we first propose a new measure to quantify the effective dimension. We
then propose a new dimension reduction method which we refer as the directional method
(DC). The proposed DC method has the advantage that it depends explicitly on the given
function of interest. Furthermore, by assigning appropriately the direction of importance
of the given function, the proposed method optimally determines the generating matrix
used to simulate the Brownian paths. Because of the flexibility of our proposed method,
it can be shown that many of the existing dimension reduction methods are special cases
of our proposed DC methods. Finally, many numerical examples are provided to support
the competitive efficiency of the proposed method.


title: Program outcomes of a voluntary Johne's Disease control program with a focus on adherence to management plan recommendations and veterinary communication skills

contributor: McKenna, Shawn (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Keefe, Greg (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Shaw, Darcy (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Vanleeuwen, John (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: McClure, J (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Sanderson, Lauranne (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Orsel, Karin (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Ritter, Caroline (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Shaw, Darcy (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Vanleeuwen, John (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Heider, Luke (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 333 application/pdf

abstract: The Atlantic Johne’s Disease Initiative (AJDI) was a voluntary Johne’s disease (JD) control program with the goal of reducing the prevalence and impact of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) infection in dairy cattle in Atlantic Canada. The aim of this research was to enhance JD prevention and management. The AJDI was launched in 2011 as a 3-year risk assessment-based program. Four hundred and sixty-three of the region's 664 herds (70%) enrolled in the AJDI. Environmental cultures (EC) were conducted annually for AJDI herds. The overall herd apparent prevalence of MAP infection was 26.5%. The mean apparent within-herd prevalence of MAP infection for the 42 EC-positive herds which conducted cow-level testing was 5.5%. Evaluation of factors associated with MAP infection revealed that herd risk of being EC-positive was significantly higher as the number of lactating cows, the number of bull calves, and the percentage of pneumonia in heifers increased. The herd risk was also significantly higher if the herd planned to purchase cattle in the next year and if the herd had more than 5% mortality in heifers that were one to four months of age. Furthermore, the herd risk was significantly higher in summer and was significantly higher if the herd was in Newfoundland and Labrador but significantly lower if the herd was in Nova Scotia. In this study, 894 RAMPs were conducted by AJDI-certified veterinarians on 457 dairy herds. JD risk assessment indicated that on average, existing management practices had moderate potential to spread MAP between and within farms. After one year of participation in the AJDI, JD risk assessment showed improvements in management practices that were statistically significant. However, producers’ self-assessed adherence rating indicated fair adherence to first RAMPs and certified veterinarians’ adherence rating indicated slight adherence. RAMP-specific satisfaction was high among 133 AJDI producers surveyed using a satisfaction questionnaire. This study used theory of planned behaviour framework to design a questionnaire to elicit and measure behavioural intent of cow managers. A total of 68 cow managers completed in-person questionnaires from June 2012 to September 2013. On average, cow managers had moderate positive intent to utilize strategies to prevent and control JD. Strengthening either behavioural beliefs or control beliefs towards JD were associated with increased likelihood that cow managers intended to utilize strategies to prevent and control JD. A communication training workshop was developed as an intervention to support the AJDI. Seventeen food animal production medicine (FAPM) veterinarians and three FAPM senior veterinary students participated in a pre-post intervention design. Study results showed that prior to training, communication skills of participants had significant limitations, including skill deficits in communication tasks associated with adherence to veterinary recommendations. Communication skills of participants significantly improved with the training provided. Rater training and experience was important to facilitate fair assessment of communication skills. This research, through evaluation of the AJDI, exploration of factors potentially affecting adherence to JD control measures, and implementation of communication skills training and assessment for FAPM veterinarians, offered new information to assist in JD prevention and control.


title: Clinical utility of exercise testing and high-sensitivity cardiac Troponin I in early diagnosis of arrythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy in apparently healthy Boxer dogs

contributor: Clancey, Noel (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Bernard, Paul (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Creighton, Cate (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Côté, Etienne (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Clancey, Noel (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Raab, Oriana (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Bernard, Paul (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 105 application/pdf

abstract:
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is a primary myocardial disease recognized in dogs and humans. It is characterized by fibrofatty replacement of right ventricular myocardium, and less frequently, of the interventricular septum, left ventricular and atrial myocardium. Boxer dogs have a genetic predisposition for ARVC. Family history of the disease, documentation of ventricular arrhythmias (premature ventricular complexes, PVCs), history of syncope, or exercise intolerance are important clinical data to guide the diagnosis in affected dogs. In dogs with a lack of clinical signs (apparently healthy dogs), the electrocardiographic finding of ventricular arrhythmias is a major means of suspecting a diagnosis of ARVC antemortem. Of concern, however, is that the earliest latent stage of ARVC is characterized by normal electrocardiographic findings with undetectable structural heart disease but a risk for sudden cardiac death. The identification of this subclinical population of Boxer dogs having latent disease is challenging but important for prognosis and monitoring recommendations and in selection of breeding animals. Therefore, testing that can unmask ventricular arrhythmias or increase blood levels of biomarkers of myocardial injury in subclinical Boxer dogs may be beneficial in guiding monitoring and treatment recommendations. In the present study, we 1) investigated the effects of exercise testing (ExT) on the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias in apparently healthy Boxer dogs; 2) performed an analytical and clinical comparison between point-of-care (POC) cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and high-sensitivity cTnI (hs-cTnI) assays; and 3) investigated whether an association could be demonstrated between ventricular arrhythmias, cTnI concentration ([cTnI]), and genetic mutation status in these Boxer dogs. One hundred and fifty-eight client-owned Boxer dogs were screened to select a population of apparently healthy dogs. Of these, 30 dogs completed the study.
This study showed that the effects of ExT on number and complexity of ventricular arrhythmias are inconsistent in apparently healthy Boxer dogs. However, in many dogs, PVCs were clustered around exercising (median, 33.3% of total daily PVCs occurring in the peri-exercise period). The results of this study demonstrated that the two cTnI assays cannot be used interchangeably, the hs-cTnI assay may be a more sensitive and specific test that the POC assay, and [cTnI] measured by either assay does not differ in dogs with and without the striatin mutation that has been associated with ARVC in some Boxer dogs. Furthermore, the results of this study suggest that the exercise-associated increase in [cTnI] and number of PVCs may be a manifestation of increased propensity to the development of the ARVC phenotype in Boxer dogs. Dogs’ recent exercise history should be considered when measuring [cTnI] and when quantitating PVCs via 24 h at-home electrocardiogram (Holter monitor). Long-term follow up of these Boxer dogs may provide further evidence in support of our hypotheses and overall conclusion, which could be a focus for future studies.


title: Optimization of marine microbe encapsulation and subsequent in-situ incubation

contributor: Bate, Luis (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Ahmadi, Ali (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Haltli, Bradley (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Martin, Chelsea (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Spears, Jonathan (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Kerr, Russel (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Ahmadi, Ali (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Kamunde, Collins (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 137 application/pdf

abstract:
While microfluidic encapsulation of bacteria has been previously performed with species commonly manipulated within the laboratory such as E. coli, the encapsulation process has not been previously utilized for marine bacterial species which may be more sensitive to manipulation. Thus, the encapsulation process was optimized to ensure that the viability of marine bacteria was not adversely impacted. The process for the encapsulation of bacteria involved injecting bacterial cells suspended in agarose (termed the encapsulation matrix) through a cross-flow microfluidic chip using mineral oil to form microbeads. The process was optimized using three representative bacteria isolated from temperate, intertidal marine sediment collected in Prince Edward Island: Marinomonas polaris, Psychrobacter aquimaris, and Bacillus licheniformis. In addition to assessing cell viability before and after the encapsulation process, the effect of temperature as well as the effect of the encapsulating matrix on cell viability were assessed independently to determine optimal encapsulation parameters. It was determined that the encapsulation process did not have an adverse effect on mesophilic bacteria although psychrophilic bacteria were less tolerant to the encapsulation process due to the high temperature required. Consequently, a lowered encapsulating temperature, achieved using low gelling temperature agarose, significantly improved viability of psychrophilic species. While the addition of nutrients to the encapsulation matrix had some beneficial effects, temperature was deemed the most significant parameter in the improvement of bacterial viability during encapsulation.
Following the optimization of marine microbe encapsulation, a suitable growth chamber (i.e. MD Pod) to incubate the microbeads was developed. Three different designs were developed: drop-shaped, cylindrical, and flexible. Each design was tested to ensure the use of biocompatible materials and to ensure sterility during incubation.
Additionally, each design was optimized to allow for simple assembly in the field and potential for miniaturization to facilitate use in a wide array of environment types (i.e. sediment, sponges, corals, etc.). The MD Pod designs were also compared to dialysis cassettes, a commercially available device that may be used for in-situ incubation of microbeads. Modifications to the dialysis cassette which increased its suitability for in-situ incubations were also assessed. While the MD Pods offer the greatest potential in terms of use in variable environments and thus continue to be further developed, the reliability and accessibility of a modified dialysis cassette allowed for its use in further development of a new cultivation technique.
Following testing of various incubation chambers, it was determined that the most suitable chamber was a dialysis cassette sealed with additional steel clamps. This design was then utilized for the in-situ incubation of mixed marine sediment samples within the environment. Sediment samples were collected and processed, the concentration of sediment bacteria within each sample was determined, and sediment bacteria were encapsulated within agarose microbeads. The microbead suspension was then loaded into the incubation chamber and placed back in the same environment from which the sediment sample was collected and allowed to incubate for a week. Upon retrieval from the environment, microbead suspensions were unloaded and analyzed. Marine sediment samples from the in-situ incubation were assessed for abundance, viability and diversity and compared to traditional plating cultivation techniques. Based upon preliminary results, it was determined that the use of microencapsulation followed by in-situ incubation allows for the isolation of distinct bacterial taxa compared to previous methods indicating that this cultivation technique will be beneficial in the isolation of new taxa which may be explored for novel natural products.


title: Interactions of copper with temperature and oxygen depletion stress on reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis in heart mitochondria

contributor: Stevens, Don (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Greenwood, Spencer (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Sweeney-Nixon, Marva (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: van den Heuvel, Michael (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Pichaud, Nicholas (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Wang, Yanwen (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: van den Heuvel, Michael (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 337 application/pdf

abstract:
Mitochondria are a common target of multiple abiotic stressors that alter reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism. Thus, assessing the effects of multiple stressors on mitochondrial ROS metabolism can be used to integrate the interactions and effects of combined exposure to stressors in aquatic ectotherms. The overarching aim of this thesis was to probe the interactions of copper (Cu) with temperature rise and oxygen depletion stress on ROS homeostasis in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) heart mitochondria. First, the interactions of Cu and temperature on mitochondrial ROS (as H2O2) emission were examined and it was found that Cu modulated H2O2 emission differently depending on temperature and substrate type. Notably, the magnitude of the stimulatory and inhibitory effects of Cu varied with temperature (11 > 23 > 4 oC) during succinate oxidation while H2O2 emission in mitochondria oxidizing glutamate-malate was not altered by temperature rise. In addition, the site-specific capacities of H2O2 emission were: complex III outer ubiquinone binding site (site IIIQo) > complex II flavin site (site IIF) ≥ complex I flavin site (site IF). Surprisingly, experiments revealed the absence of succinate-driven ROS production from complex I ubiquinone-binding site (site IQ) by reverse electron transport (RET).
Second, effects of thermal stress and Cu on H2O2 scavenging systems and mitochondrial ROS consumption capacity were investigated. Results indicated that the glutathione (GSH)-dependent peroxidase pathway is the predominant H2O2 scavenging system while catalase played negligible role. The effect of thermal stress depended on substrate wherein temperature rise suppressed the rate of H2O2 consumption during oxidation of glutamate-malate or succinate but not palmitoylcarnitine. Notably, Cu intensified the temperature-induced suppression of H2O2 consumption.
Third, assessment of how anoxia-reoxygenation and Cu influence mitochondrial H2O2 emission showed that anoxia-reoxygenation suppressed H2O2 emission regardless of the duration of anoxia and substrate type by increasing activities of antioxidant enzymes and suppressing ROS production from QH2/Q isopotential sites. Moreover, anoxia-reoxygenation attenuated or intensified the effect of Cu depending on the redox site and duration of anoxia exposure. Lastly, given that fatty acids are the preferred metabolic substrate in the heart with significant contributions from carbohydrates, the rates of H2O2 emission and effects of Cu in heart mitochondria oxidizing a fatty acid substrate or pyruvate was examined. Results indicated that heart mitochondrial preference of fatty acids to carbohydrates due to high energy yield likely comes with greater propensity for ROS formation and oxidative damage to the heart. The intensity and patterns of Cu effects varying depending on the metabolic fuel being oxidized. Altogether, this research improves our knowledge of the interactions and effects of Cu with thermal stress and anoxia in fish heart and established that changes in mitochondrial ROS metabolism serves as an important marker that can integrate and be used to assess the effects of multiple stressors in aquatic organisms.


title: Effect of environmental stress on reactive oxygen species metabolism and oxidative stress response in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

contributor: Morash, Andrea (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Fast, Mark (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 362 application/pdf

abstract: Aquatic organisms are exposed to different environmental stressors including temperature variations, low dissolved oxygen and metals pollution that may cause physiological perturbation attributed to altered mitochondrial function and dysregulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism. Therefore, it is important to understand how these stressors act and interact to disrupt ROS homeostasis leading to oxidative stress. The study investigated the effects of temperature, anoxia-reoxygenation and cadmium (Cd) on rainbow trout (O. mykiss) liver mitochondrial ROS (as hydrogen peroxide, H2O2) production and consumption under different bioenergetic states. The overall hypothesis was that temperature, anoxia-reoxygenation and Cd will stimulate ROS emission and that the combined effect of Cd and temperature or anoxia-reoxygenation will heighten the individual stressor effects. The first study investigated the effect of temperature and Cd on H2O2 emission and consumption in liver mitochondria and showed that temperature and Cd acted cooperatively to increase the rate of H2O2 emission. In addition, Cd imposed different H2O2 emission response patterns depending on the concentration and substrate. Cd evoked a graded H2O2 emission response that plateaued at 5 μM for mitochondria oxidizing glutamate-malate but a biphasic concentration-response with a spike in H2O2 emission at 1 μM Cd followed by a gradual diminution at higher Cd concentration during succinate oxidation. The biphasic H2O2 emission response observed in mitochondria oxidizing succinate was due primarily to site IIF while the saturable graded H2O2 emission in mitochondria oxidizing glutamate-malate was consistent with the effect of Cd on site IF. However, Cd and temperature did not affect the kinetics of mitochondrial H2O2 consumption irrespective of the bioenergetic state. The second study investigated the biotic and abiotic factors that affect mitochondrial H2O2 emission and showed that optimization of assay conditions is critical for quantitation of maximal H2O2 emission. Moreover, the study showed that NADPH oxidase 4 is a major source of H2O2 emission in unenergized mitochondria. The third study showed that anoxia-reoxygenation attenuated H2O2 emission while Cd evoked monotonic responses for glutamate-malate and palmitoylcarnitine-malate, but evoked a biphasic response for succinate oxidizing mitochondria. Anoxia-reoxygenation more severely inhibited mitochondrial respiration with palmitoylcarnitine-malate compared with succinate or glutamate-malate. The effect of anoxia-reoxygenation and Cd on site-specific H2O2 emission depended on substrate and site. Contrary to the expectation, anoxia-reoxygenation blunted the effect of Cd on mitochondria site-specific H2O2 emission. The fourth study investigated the effect of Cd and anoxia-reoxygenation on mitochondria H2O2 emission during glycerol 3-phosphate (G3P) oxidation and showed that Cd evoked a low concentration stimulatory-high concentration inhibitory pattern of H2O2 emission that was blunted by anoxia-reoxygenation. The study showed that mitochondrial glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase activity was very low and that state 2 and state 3 respiration during oxidation of G3P was also low. Overall, the research unveiled the mechanisms by which temperature, anoxia-reoxygenation and Cd disrupt mitochondrial ROS metabolism, and increased the understanding of how these stressors cause oxidative stress.


title: Molecular orientation and dynamics of flexible polymers in strongly deforming flow fields

contributor:
Kilfoil, Maria (author)
(Thesis advisor)
(Supervisory Committee Member)
(Examination Committee Member)

abstract: A method of spatially resolved magnetic resonance spectroscopy has been developed to allow studies of order and dynamics in complex fluids having transverse relaxation times on the order of tens of milliseconds, studies which were otherwise not possible using existing techniques. The model of Doi and Edwards is a microscopic description for stress transmission in concentrated polymer solutions and melts under deformation. Central to the Doi-Edwards model is the dependence of the stress on bond orientational order of the chain segments. Different elements of the segmental alignment tensor for a polymer melt under strong shearing flow are measured here using localized deuterium NMR spectroscopy on a 61 OK molecular weight poly (dimethyl siloxane) melt in a concentric cylinder Couette rheometric cell. This approach provides a new means of testing the Doi-Edwards model and its refinements, in the important regime far from equilibrium where the entangled polymers exhibit nonlinear viscoelastic behaviour. -- The same rheo-NMR methodology is also used to test predictions of the model of Leslie and Ericksen which describes director dynamics in semi-flexible rod-like polymers subjected to viscous stresses. Director dynamics are studied in a lyotropic liquid crystal polymer PBLG (300K) in a highly ordered, nematic phase in a planar extensional flow around a stagnation point. In addition, bulk 2H NMR studies are carried out on PBLG under shear, in concentric cylinder Couette and cone and plate rheometric cells. Magnetic alignment (equivalent to the dynamic Freedericksz transition) is investigated in all three cells following deformation. Values are obtained for the Leslie viscosity coefficients a2 and a3, scaled by the diamagnetic susceptibility. Possible development of mesoscale structure under shear is discussed.


title: The epidemiology of canine Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in Atlantic Canada

contributor: Stull, Jason (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Evason, Michelle (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Saab, Matthew (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: McDuffee, Laurie (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: McClure, J. Trenton (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Stull, Jason (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Pye, Charlotte (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Doyle, Aimie (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 185 application/pdf

abstract:
The main aim of this thesis was to provide a better understanding of the epidemiology of canine Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in Atlantic Canada. The patient characteristics, regional distribution, and trends in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of this pathogen, as well as the risk factors associated with methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) were investigated.
Patient data and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of clinical canine S. pseudintermedius specimens submitted for culture to a regional veterinary diagnostic laboratory from 2008 to 2018 were extracted. The patient characteristics, regional distribution, and AMR profiles of these isolates were described in Chapter 2. Over the eleven-year study period, a total of 3530 clinical S. pseudintermedius isolates from dogs were identified, with 3039 and 491 of the isolates confirmed as methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MSSP) and MRSP, respectively. Over the study period, the annual number of MRSP positive samples was shown to increase, with the majority (97.1%) of isolates being identified by the Atlantic Veterinary College Diagnostic Services Bacteriology Laboratory (AVC-DSBL) after 2011. Resistance of MRSP isolates to non-β-lactam antimicrobials ranged from 1.1% to 60.2%, the highest being to erythromycin (60.2%), clindamycin (58.2%), and antimicrobials of the fluoroquinolone class (56.9 – 57.7%). Resistance of MRSP to the fluoroquinolones, marbofloxacin and enrofloxacin, increased in the last six-years of the study period, while a decrease in trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole resistance was noted in the last eight-years of the study period. Resistance of MSSP isolates to non-β-lactam antimicrobials remained below 10% (0.2 – 8.5%) for the study period, the highest being to doxycycline (8.5%), enrofloxacin (8.3%), and erythromycin (7.5%). Resistance to amikacin and rifampin remained below 2% for both MRSP and MSSP isolates. For MSSP isolates, penicillin and ampicillin resistance was 61.4%, but resistance remained below 1.5% to amoxicillin-clavulanate and all cephalosporins tested. MRSP isolates were over represented in dogs older than 7 years of age and weighing more than 30 kg, accounting for 46.2% and 33.6% of all isolates, respectively. Of all S. pseudintermedius isolates, MRSP was most commonly cultured from skin (50.1%) and ear (22.2%) samples, with the majority being submitted to the laboratory from private veterinary clinics across Atlantic Canada (83.9%). This study confirms that over the past decade, MRSP has emerged as and continues to be an important canine pathogen in Atlantic Canada. Compared to other parts of the world, MRSP isolated from dogs in this region, are less resistant to non-β-lactam antimicrobials. However, high levels of multi-drug resistance (MDR) were reported, highlighting the importance of current and future efforts aimed to prevent and control MRSP infections as well as to reduce the risk of further resistance of S. pseudintermedius in Atlantic Canada.
In Chapter 3, risk factors associated with the detection of MRSP among S. pseudintermedius isolated from clinical canine specimens were investigated, and AMR trends for MRSP and MSSP reported. Between 2008 and 2018, 13.9% of all clinical S. pseudintermedius isolates (n = 3530) were confirmed as MRSP, with an increase in the proportion of MRSP being observed over the study duration (P < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression identified breed size (P = 0.031), sample site (P < 0.001), patient province of residence (P = 0.002), and year of sample submission (P < 0.001) as significant risk factors associated with a clinical canine S. pseudintermedius isolate being MRSP. An isolate was more likely to be MRSP if the patient resided in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) (odds ratio (OR) = 2.12) or Nova Scotia (NS) (OR = 1.52), as compared to New Brunswick (NB) and if the culture sample was submitted to the AVC-DSBL in the year 2017 (OR = 1.68) (compared to 2011). Over the study period, MRSP isolates demonstrated a significant change in resistance to enrofloxacin (P = 0.036) and decreased resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (P < 0.001). Increased resistance was observed in MSSP isolates to enrofloxacin (P < 0.001), chloramphenicol (P < 0.001), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (P = 0.023), as well as a decrease in resistance to the penicillins (P < 0.001). The risk factors for MRSP identified in this study may help clinicians in Atlantic Canada determine dogs at risk, allowing early recognition and implementation of appropriate hospital infection prevention measures. S. pseudintermedius isolated from dogs in Atlantic Canada have become increasingly resistant to several antimicrobials commonly recommended for use by veterinarians, emphasizing the importance of effective infection control practices and antimicrobial stewardship and surveillance programs.


title: The impact of silver-coating of a urinary catheter on bacterial adherence, biofilm formation, bacteriuria, positive culture, UTI, and the association of urovirulence factors with biofilm formation in escherichia coli

contributor:
Ogilvie, Adam (author)
Brisson, Dr. B.A. (Thesis advisor)
(Supervisory Committee Member)
(Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 174 application/pdf

abstract:
Catheter-associated bacteriuria (CAB) and urinary tract infection (CAUTI)
are important clinical problems in catheterized humans and dogs. A variety of
methods to reduce CAB and CAUTI have been investigated, and in humans,
silver coating of urinary catheters has been shown to reduce CAB and CAUTI in
randomized prospective clinical trials. The objectives of the studies reported in
this thesis are to evaluate adherence of clinical isolates of E. coli to a silver
coated urinary catheter, evaluate the potential association of E. coli urovirulence
factors to E. coli biofilm formation in vitro, and assess the efficacy of the silver
coated urinary catheter in canine patients in a randomized clinical trial.
Clinical isolates of E. coli were incubated with silver coated and standard
(uncoated) urinary catheters. Significantly fewer bacteria were adhered to the
silver coated urinary catheter at 24, 48, and 72 hours of incubation, and following
subjective analysis using SEM analysis. Clinical isolates of E. coli were
investigated for the presence of urovirulence factors and the association between
these urovirulence factors and biofilm formation in vitro. Prevalence of
urovirulence factors were similar to what has been reported, and cnf1 was
associated with biofilm formation. A prospective, randomized, controlled clinical
trial was performed to assess the ability of silver coated urinary catheters to
reduce CAB and CAUTI in hospitalized dogs requiring catheterization.
Catheterized dogs were assessed for bacteriuria, positive culture, and urinary
tract infections following catheterization. No significant differences were noted
between groups in regard to CAB, CAUTI, and positive culture incidence in the
two groups.
We have shown that clinical E. coli isolates adhered less to a silver coated
urinary catheter compared to a non-silver coated urinary catheter in vitro, and
that cnf1 is associated with in vitro biofilm formation. We were unable to detect a
significant difference in CAUTI or CAB in hospitalized dogs, most likely due to
low study numbers. Further clinical studies are required to determine the utility of
these catheters in hospitalized patients.


title: Investigations on the treatment and diagnosis of metastrongyloid infections in dogs and cats

contributor: Kibenge, Frederick (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Tasker, Andrew (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Martinson, Shannon (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: McClure, J.T. (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Conboy, Gary (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Greenwood, Spencer (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Buote, Melanie (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Jones, Megan (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Tasker, Andrew (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Smith, Todd (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 324 application/pdf

abstract:
Canine and feline metastrongyloids (lungworms) play an important role in respiratory diseases that affect domestic dogs, cats, and other wild canids and felids throughout the world, that are caused by metastrongyloid nematodes such as Angiostrongylus vasorum, Crenosoma vulpis, Filaroides hirthi, and Oslerus osleri in canids and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Oslerus rostratus, and Troglostrongylus spp. in felids. Dogs and cats become infected by ingestion of infective third-stage larvae (L3) in the tissues of intermediate hosts (gastropods) or paratenic hosts (mice, birds, reptiles, and rodents).
The first objective of this study was to determine anthelmintic efficacy against metastrongyloid L3 using an in vitro larval motility assay to evaluate the potential of the drugs to be used as a preventative treatment. The study evaluated six anthelmintics (eprinomectin, ivermectin, milbemycin oxime, moxidectin, selamectin, and fenbendazole) on the motility of L3 of C. vulpis, A. vasorum, and A. abstrusus. The study showed that drug concentration estimates corresponding to a 50% larval mortality (M-50) identified that C. vulpis was the most sensitive species to the anthelmintics tested, while A. vasorum was insusceptible to all anthelmintics tested, except for selamectin at high drug concentrations. A. abstrusus was most susceptible to moxidectin and selamectin.
For objective two, the published molecular methods (PCR primer sets and assays and DNA sequencing) were evaluated for the detection of first-stage larvae (L1) of metastrongyloids to be used as a complementary test to confirm the morphological diagnosis. Diagnosis depends on finding L1 in the feces of an infected animal by using Baermann method and larvae were then examined microscopically based on morphological features of the caudal end. From January 2017 to August 2020, a total of 119 fecal samples from different sources, including scat samples, hospital cases, and lab referred cases, were examined using centrifugal fecal flotation and Baermann techniques. Thirty-nine out of 119 fecal samples were Baermann positive and were subjected to PCR and DNA sequencing of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene, the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene, or the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2). Twenty-one of the Baermann positive samples were identified morphologically when 101 scat samples were screened. These included Crenosoma vulpis (19), Angiostrongylus vasorum (1), Uncinaria stenocephala (1). Eighteen of the Baermann positive samples were from the Clinical Diagnostic Parasitology laboratory, including 13 from dogs (C. vulpis 8; A. vasorum 4; Parelaphostrongylus odocoilei 1), four were from cats (A. abstrusus 3; O. rostratus 1), and one was from a black bear (Crenosoma sp.). Successful confirmation of lungworm species was determined by sequencing of PCR products in 25 of the 39 cases. Importantly, the presence of A. vasorum was first confirmed in a scat sample from Montague, PEI in this study. These molecular methods were used successfully in other three distinct studies (1) clinical crenosomosis in a black bear (Ursus americanus). The larvae recovered from feces of a black bear cub were identified morphologically as Crenosoma sp. and the tentative diagnosis was as C. petrowi based on length measurements. The molecular results of larval sequences using SSU rRNA gene, the two LSU rRNA gene regions share high similarity with Crenosoma mephiditis based on three gene regions. By conducting a phylogenetic tree, Crenosoma sp. forms a sister-group association with Crenosoma mephiditis. (2) clinical co-parasitic infections in a cat imported from Thailand. Morphological examination of cat feces revealed Mammomonogamus sp. eggs, Spirometra sp. eggs, Cystoisospora felis oocysts, and unknown first-stage nematode larvae. By using partial SSU rRNA gene sequence, L1 was found to be 99.6-99.9% identical to Oslerus rostratus. (3) the finding of spurious larval nematodes in a dog. Morphological identification of the dog feces revealed finding of Giardia duodenalis cysts and nematode larvae L1. The morphology of larvae was similar to Angiostrongylus vasorum. Tentative morphological identification of the larvae recovered from this dog was Parelaphostrongylus sp. if the dog had the opportunity to ingest deer feces. Molecular analysis confirmed the morphological identification to genus and was able to identify the larvae to species. The partial LSU rRNA gene region from the larvae shared 100% identity with Parelaphostrongylus odocoilei.
The impact of freezing on the survival and retention of infectivity of metastrongyloid first-stage larvae was investigated during this study. The third objective of the study was to test the susceptibility of the L1 of Filaroides martis, Oslerus rostratus, Skrjabingylus nasicola, and Troglostrongylus wilsoni to survive freezing and their subsequent ability to be infectious to a gastropod host (Limax maximus). As a result, L1 of F. martis, O. rostratus, S. nasicola, and T. wilsoni were detected alive, and these larvae were found to be able to infect gastropods successfully. Additionally, the study explored the unique feature of spontaneous L3 shedding of various metastrongyloids that has been reported previously in several studies. The study aimed to test the spontaneous larval shedding of the two species that infect mustelids, Filaroides martis and Skrjabingylus nasicola, by experimental infection of naïve laboratory raised slugs (L. maximus) and examined the feces twice a week by modified Baermann to detect L3. After three months of the study, the results showed no L3 were detected from the feces of slugs for both species such that the feature of spontaneous shedding may not apply to all lungworms.


title: Understanding topographic, nutrient management, and weather controls on nitrogen and phosphorous losses from a Prince Edward Island potato crop

contributor: Acharya, Bishnu (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Peters, Wayne (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Farooque, Aitazaz (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Peters, Wayne (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Acharya, Bishnu (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Burton, David (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Cheema, Mumtaz (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Ahmadi, Ali (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 132 application/pdf

abstract: The influence of topography, nutrient management strategies, and weather events on nitrogen, phosphorus, and select greenhouse gas (GHG) loss pathways from a potato (Solanum tuberosum) field in Prince Edward Island, Canada were evaluated in this study. Nitrate (NO3-) movement with soil water was measured using porous suction cup lysimeters. NO3- and phosphorus (P) movement with surface water flow was sampled using constructed runoff collectors. Nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2) flux from the soil surface was measured using static chambers. The split application, biochar amended application and slow-release application treatments were effective in reducing leaching compared to the traditional application treatment. Leaching in the moderate and steep topographies was just as important as the flat topography. Surface water contamination was not significantly influenced by topography or nutrient treatment, but events were largely controlled by a hard surface crust formed from lack of precipitation. Precipitation and nutrient treatment controlled N2O, CH4, and CO2 flux throughout the growing season. Topographic redistribution of soil nutrients and water over time throughout the field influenced the pattern of cumulative losses as well as crop yield.


title: Modeling sea lice dispersal from salmon farms in the Broughton Archipelago, British Columbia, Canada

contributor: Vanderstichel, Raphael (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Hurnik, Dan (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Fast, Mark (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Adams, Tom (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Saksida, Sonja Maria (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Grant, Jon (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Fast, Mark (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Gardner, Ian (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 245 application/pdf

abstract:
Salmon farming has sustainability challenges, mainly due to issues associated with disease and parasite management. Arguably, the largest of these challenges is that of sea lice control. Here we present results from a sea lice dispersal study, which simulated larvae releases from 20 salmon farms in the Broughton Archipelago, British Columbia, Canada. This was done utilizing a coupled biological and physical model for a time period of wild salmon smolt out-migrations (March - July), simulating the physical conditions of 2009. The output from the physical model was then used as input for a particle-tracking model. Each of the 20 salmon farms simulated a release of 50 particles every hour, on the hour, for 129 days. The particles were also assigned a biological model, mimicking “pre-parasitic” nauplii maturing into parasitic copepods. Both time and the temperature each particle encountered impacted the maturation rate, and both time and the salinity each particle encountered impacted the survival of the particle.

The output from the coupled simulation was used to:
i. Quantify the infestation pressure each farm exerted on each other farm and on itself (self-infestation) (chapter 3)
ii. Build a connectivity network among the farms (chapter 3)
iii. Define the role each farm played in the network (chapter 3)
iv. Explore temporal variability in connectivity (chapter 4)
v. Quantify which environmental drivers were responsible for the emergent patterns seen in the connectivity (chapter 4)
vi. Attempt ground-truthing using real sea lice abundance data collected by the veterinarians in the BA over 13 years (chapter 5)

From this analysis, several key patterns emerged. The underlying pattern of connectivity showed certain clusters of farms strongly connected via biologically-modeled particles. There were also some farms that had, overall, low connectivity to all other farms, and thus their locations would be ideal candidates for siting future farm locations. Additionally, there was high temporal variability in the farm connectivity, with overall low connectivity for the study period, interrupted with pulses of high connectivity. These pulses coincided with warming events. Thus, it would be ideal to manage the farms with a plan for these spikes in connectivity. Furthermore, the sea lice larvae’s survival was supressed throughout the simulation period due to an event typical of spring in the BA where the snowmelt from the surrounding mountains deluge the fjords of the BA (known as a freshet). The fresh, cold water of the freshet acts as a natural sea lice control aid, and highlights the risks associated with the possible lessening of the freshet due to climate change. Finally, we found support for the simulation’s patterns in the observed sea lice abundance data set. The clustering in the observed data set was similar to the highly connected farms in the simulated data set. The similarities provided some confidence in the reliability of the simulation and thus the management recommendations that emerged from the analysis.

The methodology employed here could be widely applicable to many epidemiological questions around marine disease dispersal pathways, and thus may be of interest to a wider audience than aquaculture and coastal managers.


title: Unlearning Qallunaat ways: Self-reflection and transformation while working in Nunavut

contributor: McAuley, Alexander (MEd Project Advisor)

format: electronic 182 application/pdf

abstract:
The purpose of this thesis is to explore my personal journey of transformation as it took
place while working with Inuit educational leaders and youth in Nunavut from 2011 to
2015. Using autoethnography, I provide a background to who I was before working with
Inuit, and then go on to explore how I learned about the history of education in Nunavut,
about the process of colonization, and the emotions felt as I struggled to come to terms
with my privilege as a white, middle-class Canadian and descendant of European
settlers while working within an Indigenous context. I conclude by sharing the
importance of building relationships as a way of healing and moving forward with a
goal of becoming an ally and trying to do my small part in the reconciliation process.


title: Knowledge, attitudes and influencers of pet-owners surrounding antimicrobials and antimicrobial stewardship in North America

contributor: Stull, Jason (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Weese, Scott (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: McClure, J. Trenton (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Ogilvie, Adam (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Côté, Etienne (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Pye, Charlotte (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Stull, Jason (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 159 application/pdf

abstract:
The primary aim of this research project was to establish the current knowledge, attitudes and influencers (KAI) of North American pet-owners with respect to antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) and resistance (AMR). A secondary aim was to utilise a novel survey technique to identify what aspects of antimicrobial drug prescriptions petowners view as important for their animal. The project was divided into two parts, which are described in the two chapters below.
Chapter 2 explores the KAIs of North American dog-owners. Three populations were surveyed via an online questionnaire: dog-owners in the United States, dog-owners in Canada, and dog-owners recruited via educational social media (ESM). A novel study methodology (conjoint analysis) determined to what extent specific features (cost, method of administration, and importance in human medicine) influenced dog-owner decision-making when selecting between two antimicrobials. We determined that cost had the largest influence on a dog-owner’s choice between two (otherwise similar) antimicrobials, accounting for 47% of the decision-making preference. Method of administration accounted for 31%, and drug importance in human medicine had the smallest influence (22%). All groups preferred low-cost medications that were administered once by injection. Canadian and US participants were more likely to prefer drugs that were “very important” in human medicine whereas ESM participants preferred drugs that were “not important.”
In the descriptive (KAI) analyses, dog-owners were asked a series of closed-ended Likert questions. The majority (86%) of participants considered AMR to be important. In contrast, only 29% of dog-owners reported that antimicrobial use (AMU) in pets posed a risk to humans. This study determined that the dog-owners surveyed prioritise cost over all other features when their pets are prescribed an antimicrobial, despite considering AMR important.
Chapter 3 describes cat-owner understanding and priorities when their pet is prescribed an antimicrobial drug. Cat-owners were recruited and surveyed in the same manner as dog owners in chapter 2. Conjoint analysis was used to calculate what proportion each of the three features (cost, dosing frequency, and importance in human medicine) of a prescription influenced cat-owner preferences when choosing between antimicrobials for their cat. Method of administration (38%) and cost (37%) had a similar weight in owner decision-making. Drug importance in human medicine had the smallest impact on the decision-making process (25%). The most desirable drugs were low-cost, single injection medications that were “very important” in human medicine for the US and Canadian groups. Conjoint analysis for the ESM group was not available. Analysis of cat-owners’ KAIs revealed that 86% reported AMR to be important in human medicine. However, only 28% stated that AMU in pets may be a risk to humans. This study demonstrates that North American cat-owners are equally concerned by cost and ease of drug administration. Cat-owners appear to have low levels of understanding of AMR in pets and view it as lower priority when their animal is prescribed an antimicrobial medication.
Our work indicates knowledge of AMR in human and veterinary medicine is limited. Education and inclusion of pet-owners is likely to be an important component of future AMS efforts.


title: Critical illness and rurality: Interfacility transfers to urban centres and the impact on rural families

contributor:
Burns, Margie (author)
(Thesis advisor)
(Supervisory Committee Member)
(Examination Committee Member)

abstract: A relative’s critical illness is an intensely stressful time for family members. In the past, it was generally assumed that family members were relatively unaffected by a relative’s admission to an intensive care unit. However, there has been increasing understanding and concern in the healthcare community that family members experience negative, long-term psychological, emotional, physical and financial consequences from this experience. In addition to these noted negative consequences, it has been suggested that the unique context of rural family members of critically ill patients may result in additional burdens. In rural areas, a critically ill patient’s healthcare needs at times exceed the service capacity of the local hospital, thereby necessitating an interfacility transfer of the patient to a distant urban centre for advanced critical care services. To date, the rural family member’s experience of this phenomenon is poorly understood, specifically within the context of North America. The purpose of this study was to gain an increased understanding of the meaning of the lived experiences for rural family members whose relative undergoes an interfacility transfer to an urban tertiary centre for advanced critical care services. Munhall’s method of interpretive phenomenology was used to guide this study. Purposive sampling strategies resulted in the recruitment of 11 participants who experienced this phenomenon. Data analysis revealed the common themes of a longing for home, a sacrifice of self, and a persistent need to be close to the critically ill patient. Unique, context-specific meanings were also revealed by analyzing data through the lenses of the four life-worlds: corporeality, relationality, spatiality, and temporality. These meanings included a sense of vulnerability in the urban centre, a reluctance to communicate with urban healthcare providers, a loss of connection to both the critically ill relative and other family members, and a need to maintain responsibilities at home while in the urban centre. Through this study, nurses may better understand the multiple possible, context-specific meanings of this experience for rural family members thereby enhancing the individualized nursing care of these family members. Specifically, rural nurses may advocate for family members to be provided telephone contact details of the transport team or be permitted to accompany their relative during transfer to maintain a sense of closeness during transport. Urban nurses may appreciate the uniqueness of both rurality as culture and the loss of supports experienced by family members during this event and, thus, offer additional supports to rural family members. This improved understanding is specifically important for urban and rural critical care nurses who are in a key position to implement interventions to mitigate additive burdens experienced by rural family members.


title: Factors influencing change in the Prince Edward Island lobster fishery

contributor: Carroll, Tim (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Randall, Jim (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: James, Melissa (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 162 application/pdf

abstract:
The Report of the Maritime Lobster Panel, released in November of 2013, made 33 recommendations to improve the Prince Edward Island (PEI) lobster fishery that some claimed was structured to underperform and be dysfunctional. Among the recommendations made by the panel was for all Maritime lobster fishers to work together to collect a levy for information gathering and generic lobster promotion.
In 2014, island lobster fishers petitioned the Prince Edward Island Marketing Council to hold a plebiscite under the Natural Products Marketing Act (NPMA) on the formation of a commodity board for lobster harvesters. In 2015, when the ballots were counted, there was enough support for Council to recommend the formation of a marketing board to the Lieutenant Governor in Council (LGiC). Cabinet approval was given and the Lobster Fishers of Prince Edward Island (LFPEI) Commodity Board was established.
This study found that although Island fishers were represented under the Prince Edward Island Fishermen’s Association, since the organization spoke for all fishers, it did not adequately relect their unique interests. Since a commodity board would collect a levy from all fishers based on the actual weight of lobsters landed, this was seen as a fairer way to fund an organization. Island lobster fishers were at a disadvantage on prices, compared with fishers in neighbouring provinces, because of their reluctance to discontinue harvesting the smaller canner lobsters. There was an assumption that higher transportation costs to the mainland also negatively impacted Island lobster prices and that therefore they were at a disadvantage by being further from major markets and international airports. Even though the PEI industry was highly competitive, the 2013 strike made the fishers realize that they supported each other much more so than lobster fishers on the mainland who were unable to form their own provincial organizations.
The Board has given the fishers a united voice and the levy has provided a source of funds to gather market information which had been sorely lacking. The development and refining of a marketing plan by the Board during its first few years has given lobster fishers a window to delve more into the marketing and promotion side of the business. The Board also gives fishers an opportunity to cooperate with the Lobster Council of Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada on regulatory changes and other industry issues.


title: Barriers and enablers to implementing and adhering to the healthy eating guidelines for PEI Early Years Centres

contributor: Taylor, Jennifer (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: MacLellan, Debbie (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Rossiter, Misty (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Taylor, Jennifer (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: MacLellan, Debbie (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Mann, Linda (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Ross, Joel (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 101 application/pdf

abstract:
The importance of the early years on forming positive health behaviors and nutrition relationships has been well established. Many children spend a considerable amount of their day in child care at Early Years Centres. Implementing Healthy Eating Guidelines in Early Years Centres is an important way to promote nutrition and create healthy eating environments for young children. In April 2012, Healthy Eating Guidelines were implemented in all Early Years Centres across Prince Edward Island. Since that time no Island-wide evaluation has occurred to examine the impact of these guidelines. The purpose of this study is to understand the barriers and enablers of the Healthy Eating Guidelines from the perspective of key stakeholders in Early Years Centres on PEI.

All 47 Early Years Centres on PEI were invited to participate in the study. Focus groups and interviews were held with four participant groups—centre directors (n= 13), early childhood educators (n= 4), cooks (n= 3), and parents (n= 7). Participants were recruited primarily through the centre director as well as through word of mouth. Data was collected on the understanding of the Guidelines as well as the barriers and enablers to fully implementing or adhering to the Health Eating Guidelines for Early Years Centres. The focus group data analysis method described by Kreuger was used.

Six themes describing the barriers to implementation and adherence of the Healthy Eating Guidelines emerged from the data: High cost of healthy, food preferences of children and staff, lack of support for the Guidelines, lack of communication about the Guidelines, attitudes and beliefs of staff and parents, and lack of skills of centre staff. Five enablers for the Guidelines emerged: Governmental assistance, centre buy-in, parental and community support, training, and food education tools. Participants identified a limited support structure that enabled them to use the Guidelines. Recommendations from this study include: Providing Early Years Centres with a better support system including access to a registered dietitian, creating open communication with centres to increase Guideline awareness and knowledge, and increasing nutrition education and training for centre staff and children. Support is required to enable PEI Early Years Centres to effectively use and adhere to the Healthy Eating Guidelines.

The Guidelines provide Island children a positive eating environment and the opportunity to learn and to develop healthy eating behaviours. Fostering healthful nutrition and behaviours in the early years can positively impact children’s futures and their long-term health and wellbeing.


title: The journey to fatherhood following an experience of infertility

contributor: Foley, Vicki (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Campbell, Alyson (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Burns, Margie (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 191 application/pdf

abstract: Fathers who endure infertility are an important part of the family unit and require support. Despite this awareness, there is a limited understanding of fathers’ lived experience during the perinatal period following infertility. The purpose of this descriptive, phenomenological study was to explore fathers’ lived experiences throughout the perinatal period following an experience of infertility. Colaizzi’s (1978) method guided this study. After obtaining ethics approval, a purposive sample of 8 fathers who met the eligibility criteria were recruited. Informed, written consent was obtained from all participants. One-on-one interviews were held in person, by telephone, and via virtual platforms. The audio-taped interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Colaizzi’s method. Seven themes uncovered the lived experience of fathers. They included a) The Journey: A Long Winding Road, b) Roles and Responsibilities: The Supporter, c) Support: The Often-Forgotten Parent, d) Challenges/Hurdles: Bumps on the Road, e) So Many Feelings: The Rollercoaster, f) Coping: Living on the Road, and g) Reflection: An Unforgotten Journey. Fathers shared their experiences of a long journey and how bumps along the road marked their journeys. Their journeys were essential parts of their lives that they continued to remember years later. They shed light on how important it is to involve them in the perinatal process to facilitate positive experiences and overall family health. They also demonstrated an ongoing need for research that involves fathers and the development of programming to help them through the perinatal period following an experience of infertility.


title: Predisposing, precipitating, perpetuating, and protective factors related to distress in family members of children with cancer: A systematic review

contributor: Stacey, Dawn (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Macartney, Gail (Supervisory Committee Member)

abstract:
Background
This systematic review aimed to identify factors related to psychological distress in family
members of pediatric cancer patients on active treatment.
Methods
Search strategies were entered into six academic databases. Randomized, nonrandomized,
quantitative descriptive and mixed method studies, examining factors related to psychological
distress in the population of study were included. Identified factors were coded as per the 4P’s of
case formulation.
Results
59 studies were included. Parental factors identified: 24 predisposing factors; 12 precipitating
factors; 35 perpetuating factors; and six protective factors. Sibling factors identified: five
predisposing factors; one precipitating factor; 14 perpetuating factors; and two protective factors.
A text-based, narrative synthesis and tabular summaries are presented.
Discussion
Findings can support the: (1) recognition of distress exhibited in family members; and (2) the
timing of interventions specific to the chronological manifestations of distress. Assessment of
risk of bias was not done.
Other
International Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) registration number
CRD42018109802. No sources of funding to declare.


title: The pain is far from over: Exploring the experiences of parents and adolescents following discharge after inpatient surgery

contributor: Chartrand, Julie (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Harrison, Denise (Examination Committee Member)

abstract:
Background: Pain management is a major issue in post-operative care. Little is known
about the pain management experiences of parents and adolescents following discharge
from inpatient surgery. Studies examining pain outcomes following day surgery suggest
that children often experience severe pain and parents are challenged in providing pain
care.
Objective: To explore the pain management experiences of parents and adolescents
following discharge from hospital after inpatient surgery.
Results: Thematic analysis found that parents and adolescents were challenged in
providing pain care. School return was more difficult than anticipated yet parents and
adolescents were unsure how to navigate pain at school. Discharge education focused on
analgesic management, leaving participants to discover non-pharmacological strategies
on their own.
Conclusions: Recovery from post-operative pain following inpatient surgery is
challenging; nurses and healthcare professionals need to better prepare parents and
adolescents to meet pain care needs following discharge.


title: Bacterial identification and antimicrobial resistance trends in farmed salmonids in Atlantic Canada

contributor: Davidson, Jeffrey (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Gardner, Ian A. (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Groman, David (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Saksida, Sonja (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Jia, Beibei (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Thakur, Krishna K. (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Saksida, Sonja (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Ojha, Shivani (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Saab, Matthew E. (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 144 application/pdf

abstract:
Bacterial disease is one of the leading causes of significant economic losses in farmed salmonid aquaculture worldwide. Early detection of bacterial disease can hasten intervention, minimizing farmed salmonid losses. The occurrence of bacterial infection in farmed salmonids has necessitated the use of antimicrobials, which is associated with the risk of antimicrobial resistance. There is a dearth of comprehensive studies on antimicrobial resistance in salmonid aquaculture, especially in Atlantic Canada. This thesis conducted a descriptive study on the frequency of bacterial isolates and antimicrobial resistance profiles of salmonid samples submitted to the Atlantic Veterinary College, Aquatic Diagnostic Services Bacteriology Laboratory (AVC ADSBL) from 2000 to 2021, which is documented in chapter 2. The most prevalent pathogens detected in the cases of samples submitted within the study period were Yersinia ruckeri type 1 (5.54%, n = 127), Renibacterium salmoninarum (2.10%, n = 48), Aeromonas salmonicida (atypical) (1.66%, n = 38), and Pseudomonas fluorescens (1.22%, n = 28). Most bacterial isolates tested for antimicrobial susceptibility (n = 918) showed resistance to florfenicol, oxytetracycline, ormetoprimsulfadimethoxine, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, ampicillin, but not enrofloxacin. This thesis also developed and validated a novel main spectral profile (MSP) to identify Y. ruckeri rapidly and accurately from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) (chapter 3). The analytical sensitivity of MALDI-TOF MS using the developed MSP to identify a validation set comprised of 29 Y. ruckeri isolates was 86.2%. This thesis provided valuable information on temporal trends of commonly cultured salmonid pathogens in Atlantic Canada and described their antimicrobial susceptibility profiles. These findings may influence fish veterinarians in antimicrobial selection to treat bacterial diseases of salmonids. In addition, the developed MSP has supplemented the MSPs of other Y. ruckeri in the
MALDI-TOF MS reference library to facilitate the early detection of Y. ruckeri from Atlantic salmon samples submitted for bacteriology. The developed MSP can be shared with many aquatic laboratories around the world.


identifier: u2: Applied Communication, Leadership and Culture

title: Perceptions of policy capacity: A case study of the Prince Edward Island public service using theory and practice

contributor: Shields, John (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Johns, Carolyn (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Rasmussen, Ken (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic application/pdf

abstract:
This study explores Prince Edward Island (PEI) provincial public servants’ perceptions of policy
capacity using interviews with deputy ministers, directors, and managers and a survey administered to all
public servants at one department. As a practicing public servant in Canada’s smallest province, PEI, with
a population of 152,021 and a provincial civil service made up of 2,174 staff members, in this study I
bring an emic or inside-government perspective to the study of policy capacity and show the benefits of
adopting a single case study approach as opposed to a comparative method. The research questions
which drove this study were: (1) What are PEI public servants’ perceptions of the general nature of
policy processes and policy work in PEI and why? (2) How have PEI public servants constructed
analytical, operational, and political policy capacity at the systemic, organizational, and individual
levels? (3) What have PEI public servants observed in practice regarding analytical, operational, and
political policy capacity at the systemic, organizational, and individual levels? and (4) What are PEI
public servants’ recommendations for improving policy capacity and why?This study represents the first time that Government of PEI policy capacity has been subject to
rigorous, scholarly inquiry as well as the first time that a practicing public administrator has adopted an
explicitly emic or insider-approach to study policy capacity. This study therefore provides a blueprint for
public administrators in other Canadian jurisdictions to study policy capacity, and fills a gap in
knowledge of provincial government policy capacity in PEI. Inductive analysis resulted in the
development of the islandness of public policy concept, policy leadership theory, the policy-driven
organization concept, and recommendations for sub-national governments to improve policy capacity.
Deductive analysis using a nested theoretical model of policy capacity resulted in empirical findings
related to the Government of PEI’s analytical, operational, and political capacity at the individual,
organizational, and systemic levels.
First, the study’s focus on Government of PEI policy capacity heeds policy scholars who have
noted that there are gaps in knowledge about how sub-national provincial governments in Canada view
policy work and policy capacity. The literature review showed that similar studies of a provincial
government’s policy capacity and policy work have been completed in British Columbia, Saskatchewan,
and Quebec but not in PEI. Second, the study found that Government of PEI policy capacity is impacted
by the smallness, isolation, reduced physical distance, and reduced anonymity associated with islandness;
this has implications in terms of how policy processes and policy work unfolds in government. Third,
historical and current austerity practices and discourses have resulted in challenges for the development of
effective provincial public policy in this jurisdiction.
Finally, grounded in the practice-based experiences of public servants, this study makes several
recommendations for sub-national provincial governments to consider to improve policymaking abilities
and policy work. For academics, this study recommends that future research continues to develop theories
and empirical typologies of policy work which are applicable to both policy analysts and non-policy staff.
Doing so will expand and deepen knowledge on the complex web of bureaucratic policy work which is
required to develop public policy.


title: Through the eyes of "The Guardian" newspaper : Securitization and humanitarian discourses and the arrival of Hungarian (1956-1957) and Kosovar refugees (1999) on Prince Edward Island, Canada

contributor:
Cameron, Bobby Thomas Robert (author)
(Thesis advisor)
(Supervisory Committee Member)
(Examination Committee Member)

abstract:
This study was conceptualized from the author‟s experiences while he was completing the
Canada Exchanges with the Mediterranean: Migration Experiences and their impact on
Nationalism, Trans-nationalism and Identity (CEMMENTI) exchange with the University of
Malta in 2008. While completing the program, the author was enrolled in a Contemporary
Migrations course through the European Research and Documentation Centre and also
volunteered at Marsa Open Refugee Centre. The powerful role that the media has in shaping the
opinions Maltese have towards refugees was identified in the Migrations course and also through
the author‟s personal experiences at Marsa Centre. Based on this premise that the media has a
role in affecting the reception experiences of refugees, this research examines sets of articles
from Prince Edward Island‟s The Guardian newspaper which focused on refugee arrivals during
the 1950s, 1980s, and 1990s. The 1950s articles demonstrate that the arrival of Hungarian
refugees to the Island was welcomed by residents. This is contrasted by the 1990s articles which
demonstrate that apprehension existed among residents impending the arrival of Kosovar
refugees to the Island. The articles from the 1980s discuss two discourses: a discourse which
securitizes refugees and a discourse which reaffirms humanitarianism among residents of the
host community.


title: Bovine viral diarrhoea testing and vaccination on smallholder dairy farms in Kenya

contributor: Gitau, George (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: McKenna, Shawn (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Heider, Luke (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Rodriguez, Juan Carlos (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: John, Emily (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Windeyer, Claire (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Vanleeuwen, John (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Crane, Bronwyn (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Ayalew, Lisanework (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 335 application/pdf

abstract:
Smallholder dairy (SHD) farming is a critical sector supporting many households’ income in rural Kenya. The SHD farmers are faced with numerous challenges that impair the optimal performance of their dairy cattle. Among these challenges are the poor state of infectious disease diagnosis and prevention, such as Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus (BVDV), and the low awareness of the potential benefits of vaccination commonly used in high-income countries. The aims of this research on SHD farms in Kenya were: 1) to evaluate the possible cross-reactivity between Classical Swine Fever Virus (CSFV) testing
with BVDV testing using both antibody and antigen Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays (ELISA); 2) to determine associations between vaccination status for a multivalent BVDV vaccine and disease occurrence in a cohort study; 3) to determine associations between vaccination status for a multivalent BVDV vaccine and disease occurrence in a randomized controlled trial (RCT); and 4) to determine antibody titer response variability from BVDV vaccination when given to cows under different planes of nutrition, management, and body condition score (BCS). For objective 1, a cross-sectional study was based on a single visit to farms to collect serum samples and other descriptive farm and animal information. IDEXX ELISA testing for BVDV antigen (Ag) and antibody (Ab) was conducted on 320 dairy cows’ and heifers’ serum samples, with CSFV Ag and Ab being tested on a subset of 133 and 74 serum samples, respectively. The CSFV testing was based on BVDV test results and the availability of enough sample volume from cattle on farms that kept pigs. For the 74 Ab tests, 40 (54.0%) were BVDV Ab positive, while 63 (85.1%) were CSFV Ab positive. Of the 40 BVDV Ab-positive samples, 36 cattle (90.0%) tested positive for CSFV Ab. However, of the 34 BVDV Ab negative samples, 27 (79.4%) were CSFV Ab test positive. For the 133 Ag tests, 125 (94.0%) were BVDV Ag positive, while 2 (1.5%) samples were CSFV Ag positive. None of the eight BVDV Ag negative samples was positive for CSFV Ag and only two (1.6%) of the 125 BVDV Ag positive samples were positive for CSFV Ag. For objective 2, a retrospective cohort study compared 226 cows and 85 heifers vaccinated with a single multivalent modified live vaccine, including BVDV, against 215 cows and 60 heifers in the non-vaccinated cohort. One year after vaccination, during a follow-up visit, we recorded reported disease outcomes, and farm and animal factors during the previous year. Mixed multivariable logistic and Poisson regression modeling was used for the heifers and cows, respectively, to determine factors associated with the reported disease, allowing the control for other factors when exploring vaccine associations. There was significantly lower reported pneumonia, diarrhea, and overall disease for both cows and heifers in the vaccinated cohort. For the cows, poor appetite, tick-borne diseases, and uterine diseases were significantly lower in the vaccinated versus unvaccinated cohort. For the final cow model, factors associated with the disease count included: feeding grass weeds (Incidence risk ratio (IRR)=1.294); having more than two diseases in the farm (IRR=1.415); above 3rd parity (IRR =1.134); milking mastitis cow last (IRR=0.669); herd size (IRR=1.796); only one breeding to conception (IRR =0.778); Body Condition Score (BCS) above 2.25 (IRR=0.813); and an interaction between vaccination status and pregnancy checking practice. Cows in farms that did not do pregnancy checking had more reported disease counts for the unvaccinated cohorts than cows in the vaccinated cohort while there was no difference for farms that did pregnancy checking. In the final heifer mixed effects logistic model, factors associated with disease likelihood in the last year included: age of female farmer (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.23); farm size over 2 acres (OR=0.13); Napier grass height fed in the dry season (OR=6.51); loss of a vaccinated cow in the farm (OR=8.91); concrete floor in the stall (OR=0.02); buying replacement heifers (OR=3.26); vaccination status (OR=0.11) and heifers over 30 months (OR=6.11). Higher categories of BCS, 2.25 – 2.75 (OR=4.00) and above 3 (OR=10.77) had higher OR compared to BCS of 2 and lower. For objective 3, a randomized controlled trial recruited a total of 384 cows on 292 SHFs and 352 heifers on 290 SHFs, all randomly selected. On the first farm visit, using a questionnaire and animal examinations, baseline level information of current disease and reported diseases in the last 12 months were collected, along with other cow- and farm-level management and production data. With random block allocation, 185 cows and 172 heifers were injected with a single dose of multivalent modified live vaccine, including BVDV (Pyramid® FP 5; Boehringer Ltd.), while 199 cows and 180 heifers were injected with a placebo. After one year, a return visit to the farms recorded the same data for time-varying variables. The vaccine is against four pathogens: bovine viral diarrhea virus, bovine herpesvirus type 1, bovine respiratory syncytial virus, and parainfluenza virus type 3. Mixed effects multivariable logistic and Poisson regression modeling were used for the heifers and cows, respectively, to determine factors associated with the reported disease in the last 12 months. There was an overall reduction in reported disease occurrence in the vaccinated group during the second visit compared to the first visit, in both cows and heifers. The specific reported disease conditions that were reduced in the vaccinated group included: pneumonia, diarrhoea, anorexia, and uterine disease. For both the cows and heifers, there was a significant reduction in reported disease count and likelihood, respectively, in the last 12 months for the vaccinated group versus the placebo group on the second visit, while adjusting for the reported disease counts and likelihood on the first visit. In the final cow model, the following factors were associated with reported disease counts in the last 12 months: farms that bought in-calf replacement heifers (IRR= 0.80); farms having more than three acres of land (IRR= 0.81); farms which had more diseases in calves (IRR= 1.32); cows that had been bred within the last 12 months (IRR= 1.43) and cow’s weight in kilograms (IRR=1.001). For categorical variables, there were higher disease counts for cows on farms which had reported one case of mastitis prior to the study (IRR=1.27) and those that reported two or more cases of mastitis (IRR=1.50) compared with cows on farms that did not report any case of mastitis. There were higher counts of
reported diseases in cows on farms using different towels for udder cleaning (IRR=1.00) and farms that did not use udder cleaning towels (IRR=1.31) than in farms using a single udder cleaning towel. The cow mixed multivariable model also had four significant interactions between the following variables: 1) household income dependency on dairy above 50% and number of cows; 2) farms feeding maize silage and cow pregnancy status; 3) number of farms feeding extra supplement post-calving and cow body condition score (BCS) and 4) visit number with intervention group. In the final heifer model, higher likelihood of disease within the last 12 months was associated with: farms feeding grass silage (OR=3.27); buying replacement heifers (OR=2.45); heifers over two years during the visit (OR=2.16); heifers on farms that fed at least 4 kg colostrum to calves within the first 12 hours of life (OR=0.30) and heifers that had been bred within the last 12 months (OR=0.31). Ayrshire and other breeds had OR=1.88 and 0.45, respectively, compared to Holstein heifers. There were two significant interactions in the heifer model: 1) number of diseases in cows for the last one year, and season during the visit; and 2) visit number and intervention group. For objective 4, we evaluated the variability in antibody response in 128 cows and 109 heifers, all non-pregnant, after a single modified live vaccine injection, including BVDV (Pyramid® FP 5; Boehringer Ltd.). The ELISA tests before and four weeks after vaccination determined pre- and post-vaccine sample-to-positive (S/P) ratios for BVDV antibody levels. A questionnaire and animal examination were used to collect information on animal health status, management practices, and reported disease outcomes for the last 12 months. Multivariable linear regression analysis modeling was used to determine factors associated with the change in antibody levels. Before vaccination, 40.6% and 7.3% of cows and heifers tested positive for BVDV antibodies (S/P ratio > 0.3), respectively. The mean increase in S/P ratio post-vaccination was 0.476 and 0.804 for cows and heifers, respectively. In the final cow model, the factors associated with the change in BVDV antibody S/P ratios included: body condition score (BCS) (Coefficient = 0.132); feeding protein supplements (Coefficient = -0.170); post-partum disease (Coefficient = -0.137); abnormal physical exam findings (Coefficient = -0.160) and BVDV antibody test status on visit one (Coefficient = -0.507). There was a significant three-way interaction between days in milk (DIM), age, and post-calving supplementation. For heifers, factors associated with the change in BVDV antibody S/P ratios included: heifer numbers (Coefficient= -0.059); acaricide application (Coefficient=0.13); number of people living on farm (Coefficient=-0.053); and BVDV antibody test status on visit one (Coefficient=-0.574). There was a significant interaction between BCS and raising one’s replacement heifers for the heifer model. Management type was also a significant categorical factor for both the heifers and cows. Zero-grazed cows had better antibody response compared to mixed management farms and communal grazing farms (Coefficient=-0.137 and -0.124, respectively), and for the heifers, the coefficients were -0.33 and -0.34, respectively. We recommend the planning vaccination against BVDV when cattle have a BCS between 2 to 2.75. Generally, the results indicated substantial cross-reactivity of the two Ab ELISA tests (BVDV and CSFV) or reactivity with some other protein in the samples that led to the positive Ab test results, and only limited evidence for cross-reactivity of the two Ag ELISA tests (BVDV and CSFV). The multivalent vaccine, including the ML BVDV component, was beneficial in reducing reported diseases in both cows and heifers after one year’s follow-up, while controlling for other farm-level and animal-level factors. The benefit of vaccination was evident in both the retrospective cohort and randomized controlled trial. The BVDV antibody response to vaccination varied with the current health status of animals, nutritional status, and BCS of both cows and heifers, as well as other farm management factors. Our research supports the recommendation of a multivalent vaccination that includes a BVDV component to cattle within the SHD sector of Kenya. We also recommend planning multivalent ML vaccination, including BVDV, to non-pregnant cows and heifers who are not sick and have a BCS of 2 to 2.75 for best immune response.


title: Faculty Engagement in Co-op Competency-Based Learning

subject:
Education
Educational Leadership
Educational Methods
Higher Education
Higher Education and Teaching

abstract: competency-based learning

abstract: cooperative education

abstract: vocational education

abstract: college teachers

abstract: The objective of this research study was for the university to benefit from an enhanced educational and learning-based co-op program that is in alignment with its strategic vision. The Co-Op department would be better equipped to facilitate programs that maximize student learning and be in a position to communicate the educational value of co-op and its significance to institutional plans. Finally, my hope for the research was to engage and inspire Co-Op faculty at KPU to make enhancements to the program that enabled student learning and program growth and considered the supports and resources they require to feel engaged. The question this raised for the KPU Co-Op program was: How can the Centre for Cooperative Education and Career Services engage Co-Op faculty in contributing to the long-term success of a competency-based learning model in Cooperative Education at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU)?

abstract: Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Leadership, Royal Roads University, Victoria, B.C.


title: Not on My Main Street: Zoning Marijuana Prohibition and the municipal theatre of the War on Drugs

type: Text thesis

contributor: Kwantlen Polytechnic University Criminology department (Degree granting institution)

rights: This thesis may be printed or downloaded for non-commercial research and scholarly purposes. Copyright remains with the author

abstract: This thesis examined the development and application of urban bylaws, in this case the City of Delta’s, which regulate properties commonly hosting growing operations or laboratories producing and handling federally-listed controlled substances such as marijuana. The project was largely exploratory and involved qualitative examination public documents such as council meetings, reports, memos and correspondence regarding Delta’s Zoning Bylaw and Controlled Substance Property Bylaw—which control how land and property are used in the municipality and impose punitive sanctions on owners and renters who infract on these regulations. Prohibitionist bylaws such as these can have disruptive consequences on the national legalization of marijuana due to these bylaws de facto continuing prohibition on the local level. The project uncovered justifications behind the ordinance—both formal and informal—and found a legal ecosystem of related municipal ordinances interacting with the (specifically those involved with medical marijuana dispensaries and production facilities), potential overlaps between bylaws as a result of higher-level changes in law as well as legal and economic consequences—such as creating favourable conditions for large agribusiness. Keywords:

abstract: cannabis

abstract: medicinal cannabis

abstract: zoning

abstract: municipal bylaws

abstract: legal ecosystem

abstract: dispensaries

abstract: agribusiness

abstract: War on Drugs

abstract: legalization

abstract: city council

abstract: justification

abstract: ideology


title: The Impact of Gender and Diversity, Creating Inclusion in the College Environment Facilitator Training and Implementation on Faculty in BC South Coast Post Secondary Institutions

type: thesis Text

subject:
Curriculum and Instruction
Education
Higher Education and Teaching

abstract: multicultural education

abstract: discrimination in higher education

abstract: affirmative action programs

abstract:
This thesis is a qualitative study of the experience of nine facilitators using Gender And Diversity, Creating Inclusion In The College Environment curriculum in BC south coast post secondary institutions. This self-selected group of nine instructors from various post-secondary institution participated voluntarily in an interview process intended to elicit information about their experiences as they implemented this curriculum. In addition, I examined the background events and climates that led these instructors to integrate elements of the curriculum into their instructional practice as they work towards creatinginclusion.

Analysis of the interview data reveals the complexity of the facilitators' interactions within the contexts of their post secondary communities. This thesis reinforces previous literature that states that change happens slowly and that it takes the personal, lived experiences of each individual to make small, incremental steps towards change within our larger social structures, particularly in post-secondary education. I began this research with the intent to hear and transmit the ever -changing story of inclusion in the college context. This thesis gives voice to these experiences so that others may access them.

abstract: This thesis was submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in the Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C.

abstract: This work may not be reproduced in whole or in part, by photocopy or other means, without the permission of the author.

abstract: Peer reviewed


title: Between Legitimate Refugees and Deportable Subjects: (In)admissibility in Canadian Immigration Law

contributor: Kwantlen Polytechnic University Criminology Department (Degree granting institution)

format: electronic electronic

rights: This thesis may be printed or downloaded for non-commercial research and scholarly purposes. Copyright remains with the author.

abstract: While legal discourse commonly interprets ‘admissibility’ as ‘inadmissibility’ within Canadian immigration law and policy, this research explores ‘admissibility’ as a concept of its own and how it is implemented through Canadian immigration practice. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act provides concrete terms in which individuals are deemed inadmissible to Canada, however the same cannot be said for an individual being found admissible and nowhere in the Act is admission to the Canadian state guaranteed simply from not meeting such terms. This depicts a disparity between an individual being found not to be inadmissible and actually being admissible to Canada – underscoring the importance to examining how ‘admissibility’ is determined, in addition to ‘inadmissibility’, within the field of immigration. Specifically, this project addresses the following research question: How is admissibility constructed and framed within Canadian immigration law and policy? Two case studies – 1) The security certificate mechanism and 2) Canada’s recent response to the Syrian refugee crisis – of opposing immigration objectives – determining individuals to be inadmissible and admissible, respectively – are analyzed, though it is important to recognize that the construction of admissibility takes place through a variety of sites and processes, most of which are less public than the two cases. To gain an informed understanding of admissibility, this project employed a multi-phase research process that collected data from three sources: 1) Access to Information data from governmental bodies, 2) Open source data from online government websites, and 3) Data from interviews conducted with practitioners in the field of immigration law. Admissibility emerges as a fluid construct that is framed and circumscribed by ‘security’ – and due to its political nature, the terms surrounding the admissibility of a non-Canadian citizen is susceptible to influence, suggesting multiple ways or “points of admissibility” in which an individual’s admissibility can be constructed. Additionally, I provide a detailed review on my experience with the Access to Information process.

abstract: immigration law

abstract: refugee policy

abstract: security certificates

abstract: Syrian refugee crisis

abstract: construction of non-citizens

abstract: admissibility

abstract: inadmissibility

abstract: security

abstract: politicization of immigration

abstract: Access to Information


title: Proportional Manipulation of Produced Words Tests the Distinctiveness and Strength Accounts of the Production Effect

contributor: Kwantlen Polytechnic University Psychology department (Degree granting institution)

subject: Cognitive Psychology

abstract: production effect

abstract: memory

abstract: distinctiveness

abstract: strength

abstract: proportions

abstract: The production effect occurs when producing items enhances memory relative to reading items silently. Although the most common mode of production used in research has been “reading aloud”, singing, mouthing, whispering, writing, typing, and spelling out also produce a memory advantage. Distinctiveness and strength of encoding have both been offered as explanations for the memory enhancement. Production, relative to silent reading, makes items distinctive and therefore, memorable. Production increases memory traces at encoding (strength). Two experiments (N = 272) tested the distinctiveness and strength accounts by manipulating the proportion of words produced at study. Experiment 1 involved the production method of reading aloud in a classroom setting. Experiment 2 involved the production method of writing, tested in a classroom setting, small groups, and individuals. Our results were consistent with both accounts; however, neither account can explain our full data pattern.

abstract: Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the PSYC 5001 (Honours Thesis I) and PSYC 5010 (Honours Thesis II) courses.


title: Breaking the Line

subject:
Educational Methods
Higher Education
Other Education
Poetry

abstract: Literary metissage

abstract: hybrid text

abstract: teaching writing

abstract: literacy

abstract: arts-based

abstract: poetry

abstract: autoethnography

abstract: discourse studies

abstract: As a mode of academic discourse, poetry offers pathways that lead to new and diverse ways of understanding. However, in my experiences as a learner and as an Instructional Associate at the Learning Centre at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU), I have found that poetry is not being utilized to its fullest capacity in the teaching of writing and in the exploration of language. The following thesis-performance hybrid is intended to illustrate the value of poetry as an approach to teaching writing and as an academic discourse, demonstrated largely through the medium of poetry itself. The technique of métissage has been selected to enhance the performative elements by intertwining life writing, various forms and types of poetry and significant citations from the literature. The life writing in the following text adopts conventions of autoethnography and biography, while the poetry reflects aspects of poetic inquiry. Through embracing a hybrid approach, which fuses various types of texts, the work explores the value in the greater use of poetry and the greater use of hybrid texts and forms of written assignments in the practice of teaching writing. This thesis-performance hybrid seeks to embody the very concepts being explored within it.

abstract: Vincent, A. R. (2015). Breaking the line. University of British Columbia. Retrieved from https://open.library.ubc.ca/cIRcle/collections/24/items/1.0165775 (Original work published 2015)

abstract: Peer reviewed