title: Applying an experiential learning cycle to inform a deeper understanding of teaching and learning in a changing Canadian community college

contributor: MacDonald, Ron (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Doiron, Ray (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Favaro, Basil (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: MacDonald, Ron (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Doiron, Ray (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Favaro, Basil (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Goddard, Timothy (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Russell, Tom (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 238 application/pdf

abstract:
The traditional, direct-from-high-school demographic is shifting to a greater mix of part-time learners, international students, and credential finishers in Canadian community colleges. This study explores how the learning lives of six faculty members and five mature students could help post-secondary administrators better understand experiential learning during a time of unprecedented change. Employing an applied phenomenological orientation, face-to-face workshops, faculty and student interviews, and online journaling were facilitated. These discussions and reflections were examined through the lens of an experiential learning model. This multi-dimensional approach enabled participants to share their experiences, observations, and feelings. In doing so, participants’ “everyday” learning lives, which are often assumed to be non-influential, led the process of more profoundly understanding personalized ownership of learning.

The research question for this study was: To what extent can an experiential learning cycle inform a deeper understanding of teaching and learning for faculty and students in a changing Canadian post-secondary education environment? Barriers to adult education, learning cycles, learning communities, constructed learning, types of students and teachers, and self-study were examined. Transcript analysis software was used to analyze approximately 420 pages of semi-structured interview recordings and reflective, online journals. This resulted in the creation of 50 thematic code sets comprised of 417 codes. A framework emerged to interpret meaning associated with personalized ownership of learning.

The data informed five calls for action. These focused on further implementing the model, helping administrators better understand experiential learning, ending labelling of non-traditional students, in-service opportunities for faculty, and growth of professional learning communities. This study celebrates how learning belongs to the individual, because when a student learns, new personalized knowledge is different than that of the teacher. Ultimately, this study establishes new opportunities for professional development as the learning lives of students and faculty intersect in a changing community college environment.


title: Analysis of structural proteins of Atlantic Salmon Bafinivirus - a coronavirus of fish

type: Text Dissertation/Thesis

contributor: Kibenge, Fred (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Ross, Joel (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Conboy, Gary (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Rodriguez, Juan Carlos (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Fast, Mark (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Kibenge, Fred (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Ross, Joel (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Conboy, Gary (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 93 application/pdf

abstract:
Atlantic Salmon Bafinivirus (ASBV) is a recently discovered coronavirus of fish, isolated from farmed Atlantic salmon. The ASBV genome, similarly to other bafiniviruses, has 4 major open reading frames (ORFs): replicase polyprotein (pp1a/1b), spike (S), membrane (M), and nucleocapsid (N) proteins. Genome sequence analysis of ASBV revealed a putative sixth protein, a 110 amino-acid polypeptide, which most likely
corresponds to the envelope (E) protein in coronaviruses of the subfamily Coronavirinae.
The main objective of this research was to investigate viral replication and viral genome composition of ASBV. The aims of this research were to characterize the replication kinetics of ASBV, to investigate ASBV receptor binding by partially characterizing the S1 subunit of the S protein, and to investigate transcription studies of a
putative Envelope “E” gene of ASBV. This research was undertaken to advance our understanding of molecular interactions between ASBV and host cells.
Viral replication of ASBV was monitored in KF1 and CHSE-214 fish cell lines using detection of cytopathogenic effects (CPE) and indirect immunofluorescence. CPE was noted in infected KF1 cells, however, was not noted in CHSE-214 cells. Immunofluorescence experiments showed strong fluorescence in the cytoplasm of KF1 cells and weaker fluorescence in CHSE-214 cells, suggesting that the virus is able to affect both KF1 and CHSE-214 cells.
Partial characterization of the S1 subunit of the S protein of ASBV was attempted to determine the location of the receptor binding domain within the S1 subunit of ASBV. Due to the inability to produce concentrated pure proteins from ASBV S protein gene constructs for use in binding assays, this objective was not achieved.
Transcription studies of the ASBV putative “E” gene resulted in preliminary data which may support the existence of an ASBV “E” gene, however at this time it isn’t possible to conclude whether the putative ASBV “E” gene is in fact an envelope protein or homologue. At this time, more in depth research on this topic is suggested in order to further elucidate the role of the putative ASBV “E” gene.
As ASBV is a recently isolated virus, there are a number of specific research questions that currently remain unanswered. An overarching conclusion to this research is the difficulty of characterization of novel fish viruses, and the need for additional research.


title: Investigation into various risk factors associated with surgical site infection in large animals.

contributor: Muckle, Catherine (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Hurnik, Daniel (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Sanchez, Javier (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: McDuffee, Laurie (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Costa, Marcio (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: MacMillan, Kathleen (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Doyle, Aimie (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Heider, Luke (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Muckle, Anne (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 255 application/pdf

abstract:
This research comprised four studies aiming to contribute to our knowledge regarding factors associated with an increased risk of developing surgical site infection (SSI) in the large animal clinical setting.

The first study of this thesis reported the prevalence of MRSA in hospitalized horses in a referral hospital in Atlantic Canada and describes the use of surveillance and whole genome sequencing to follow an outbreak of MRSA in this veterinary teaching hospital. This was the first report of MRSA ST398 t011 in horses in North America and intercontinental spread from Europe to North America via veterinary personnel was likely the cause of the reported MRSA outbreak. This highlights that aside from animal movement, movement of veterinary personnel can pose a risk for transmission of MRSA to horses from one geographical region to another.

The second study determined the incidence of glove perforation in large animal surgery based on water leak test (WLT) and electroconductivity testing (ECT) and identified risk factors for glove perforation. Glove perforation rates in large animal surgery appear to be comparable to those in human and in small animal studies, and ECT was more sensitive than WLT in detecting glove perforations. Factors that increase the odds of glove perforation included the duration a glove was worn, invasiveness of the procedure, and role of the wearer in the surgical procedure.

The third study compared the ability of four surgical hand preparation techniques to reduce total aerobic bacterial counts on equine surgeon’s hands. While all four hand preparation techniques evaluated in this study were effective based on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Tentative Final Monograph (ASTM E-1115), use of a sole alcohol based agent was less effective than chlorhexidine (CHx) containing products providing evidence that use of CHx still has value for preparation of equine surgeon’s hands. However, the use of a brush scrub technique with CHx showed no benefit compared to rub techniques in reducing bacterial counts.

The last study’s objective was to describe the change of microbiota on human hands during the process of hand antisepsis and surgery, and similarly, the change in microbiota of the horses’ skin over the course of surgical antisepsis and surgery. Preliminary results of this study did not identify significant changes in microbiota composition from before to after antiseptic preparation of both human and equine skin samples. Further sample processing and analysis needs to be carried out before conclusions from this study can be drawn but quantification of bacterial numbers and assessment of viability remain major challenges with next generation sequencing approaches and may warrant combined approaches of culture-dependent and independent methodologies for a more complete assessment of the effect of antiseptic methods and their efficacy.

These studies demonstrated that investigation of factors that influence SSI in large animal surgery require a comprehensive approach and are partly limited by low surgical case load and the multifactorial nature of the etiology of SSI. This work did fill gaps in knowledge about factors that had been previously described in other species to influence the rate of SSI.


title: Pioneers in aging: Voices of women age 85 and older aging in place in rural communities

contributor: Townsend, Liz (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Moffatt, Lyndsay (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Montelpare, William (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Lees, Jessie (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Townsend, Liz (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Moffatt, Lyndsay (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Weeks, Lori (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Montelpare, William (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Lees, Jessie (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Krautwurst, Udo (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Caissie, Linda (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 263 application/pdf

abstract: This study, “Pioneers in Aging”, advances our understanding of the realities of older women aging in place through an exploration of the real lives of women age 85 and older who reside in rural communities. Critical social theory, enhanced with a feminist gerontological perspective, guided this qualitative study and addressed the following four questions: 1) What are the lived realities of women age 85 and older living in rural communities? 2) How do social structures and government policies influence these women’s daily lives? 3) How do women 85 and older educate themselves about aging and living in rural communities? and 4) How do women 85 and older share their knowledge and mentor others? Using face-to-face, in-depth, semi-structured interviews, and Photovoice, a participatory research and critical thinking method that invite participants to share their knowledge, I drew upon the real-life experiences of 10 women in the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island. The participants discussed and interpreted their photographs individually and in groups, and shared their perspectives with each other, the public, and policy makers, through a knowledge-sharing open house. Using an inductive approach, assisted with NVivo Pro 11 software, themes were identified and coded. A feminist gerontological framework helped to reveal the participants’ daily life realities in light of the current social structures and government programs available to support them to age in place. Findings here illustrate what influences older women as they age in place and the contributions those women may continue to make as they age, even into their nineties. Close analysis of the data indicates that the key influences, which may enable or challenge daily life for aging in place, are a set of interacting forces that include: the women’s own agency; their social involvement; their informal support networks; their access to affordable housing and transportation; and financial security. Findings also reveal that not all older women fit the stereotypical view of frail, vulnerable, and dependent victims who are a burden on society. Instead, analysis here revealed how they are, and can be, active contributors, both within and beyond their immediate communities. The results of this study increase the visibility of women living in the upper limits of longevity, the old-old pioneers in aging, and advance our knowledge about older women. They compel us to recognize that the population of older women is not homogeneous, and to design systems that will meet expressed needs. Participants in this study asked for supports that would enable them to continue to contribute to their communities and maintain agency, rather than assume their dependence. These findings ask us to look carefully at the interacting forces that influence older women’s options for aging in place, to honour the contributions that old-old women make to their communities and families, and to recognize their individuality.


title: Everyone goes home: Exploring the implicit learning of critical incidents in the volunteer fire service

contributor: Goddard, Timothy (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Critchley, Kim (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Goddard, Timothy (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Critchley, Kim (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Thorne, Carolyn (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Hickey, Jason (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 202 application/pdf

abstract: Volunteer firefighters make up approximately 85% of the fire service in Canada (Haynes, 2016) and almost the entire fire service on Prince Edward Island. As a result of this voluntary service, many firefighters are exposed to traumatic events and critical incidents, which may lead to poor mental health outcomes. Training and education in the area of critical incidents was shown to be lacking in a sample of 100 volunteer firefighters on PEI, with 67.6% indicating they have never been educated on mental health issues in the fire service (Brazil, 2017). Through a social constructionist theoretical lens, this study describes how volunteer firefighters informally learn and socially construct critical incidents and how to manage them. The findings suggest that there is a traditional culture into which firefighters are socialized and that the cultural values and norms that are implicitly learned lend to the informal learning pertaining to critical incidents. What is most notable about this study is that the traditional hyper-masculine fire service culture was found to be evolving, including the social constructs that contribute to its institutionalization. As such, firefighters are undergoing an informal re-education pertaining to critical incidents and mental health, which bodes well for the introduction of psychoeducation within the fire service.


title: Climate change and human security in small island developing states: The case of Papua New Guinea and its UN-REDD/REDD+ Program

contributor: Randall, James (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Srebrnik, Henry (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Bouchard, Christian (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Campanaro, Richard (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 214 application/pdf

abstract:
The current era of human activity has seen the rise of global environmental change (GEC) and its related hazards including climate change, biodiversity loss, ozone depletion, ecosystem and land degradation. These processes are a developing threat to the human security and the economic and islandness of small island developing states, especially due to the threat multiplier nature of climate change.
In the context of the South Pacific, scholars have viewed the convergence of these GEC influenced hazards as evoking a coastal and water level effect with damaging socioeconomic and environmental consequences. Here securitization theory is applied to yield insight into the re-conceptualization of climate change as a security threat. Utilizing securitization theory to assess climate change as a human security threat, it is demonstrated that although it currently poses a limited existential threat for small island developing states, climate change may impact the economic and political stability necessary for effective governance in small island states.
Although it does not fit neatly into the description of a SIDS, Papua New Guinea, as a case study, encapsulates the convergence of climate change mitigation and adaptation policy as a deterrent to counter and reduce human insecurity. It is home to 6-7 percent of the world’s biodiversity, with over 80 percent of the populace relying on staple crops such as taro and copra for economic trade. The linchpin of PNG’s strategy to counter climate change is the UN-REDD+ program which initially ensures a process of multilevel stakeholder engagement in climate change mitigation and adaptation. Success in this strategy could mean increased human security (food and environmental security). Examination of the implementation of the program and its impact of islandness on the land tenure, ownership, and effective governance in PNG is studied.


title: Immunological responses in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) to co-infections with sea lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis)

contributor: Speare, David (Supervisory Committee Member)

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

contributor: Dalvin, Sussie (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Kibenge, Frederick (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Buote, Melanie (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Fast, Mark (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Martin, Chelsea (Examination Committee Member)

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

format: electronic 139 application/pdf

abstract: Intensive fish farming at aquaculture sites is reaching maximum exploitation of the environment, providing suitable conditions for simultaneous infections to occur in wild and farm systems. A major parasitic contributor that is negatively impacting the health of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is the salmon louse, Lepeophtheirus salmonis. This thesis aimed to determine the pathogenic effects of several co-infection models with a concurrent L. salmonis infection by evaluating responses of host immune gene transcription identified by RT-qPCR. The first study investigated winter ulcer disease; a cold-water disease of salmonids caused by Moritella viscosa. When co-infected with L. salmonis at high lice loads, mortalities were significantly higher and skin lesions were more severe than in a single infection with M. viscosa or co-infections with lower lice loads. Evidence of osmoregulatory stress from increased potassium levels and significant up-regulation in genes associated with wound healing and humoral responses in skin was also prevalent in co-infected fish with high lice loads, suggesting that co-infection may have a significant impact on the ability of lesions to resolve, leading to increased mortality. The second study investigated functional feeds, which are an alternative anti-louse management strategy. Atlantic salmon were co-infected with L. salmonis and a high virulent isolate of infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAv). Fish were administered one of four functional diets with varying EPA/DHA levels; a control feed with a low EPA/DHA mix of 0.3% (Ctrl), an EPA/DHA enriched diet (1.0%) with pro-inflammatory supplementation (FA+I), an EPA/DHA enriched diet (1.0%) with anti-inflammatory supplementation (FA-I), and a low EPA/DHA feed (0.3%) with an immunostimulant added (Ctrl + IS). Fish fed fatty acid enriched (FA+I, FA-I) feeds had significantly lower lice abundance during single infection and lower survival during co-infections, suggesting the improved anti-parasitic responses may not be effective in a co-infection model. Reverse transcription qPCR was used to assess immune gene transcription modulation in the head kidney between single and co-infected fish fed functional diets. Pro-inflammatory and antiviral genes associated with the interferon system were modulated following co-infection with ISAv in all functional diets but the immunostimulated diet, while several genes accounted for high lice and high viral loads in diets FA+I and Ctrl + IS. The results generated from this thesis contribute to the growing body of knowledge of understanding fish immune responses during co-infections and developing alternative strategies, such as functional diets, for managing pathogenic outbreaks at farm sites.


title: SPARTECA, PICTA, and the WTO: How the Pacific Island States are Impacted by Free Trade Agreements

contributor: Jia, George (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Stevens, Jason (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Ozkok, Zeynep (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 121 application/pdf

abstract:
This study examines the relationship of trade integration to economic growth. The study encompasses two preferential trade agreements (PTAs), the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA) and the South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Co-operation Agreement (SPARTECA) plus, the World Trade Organization (WTO) from the perspective of regional economic growth for the small island developing states of the Pacific (Pacific SIDS).

In a regression model with a large dataset covering thirteen small island developing states of the Pacific from 1970 to 2010, this study finds evidence to suggest a positive influence on growth for the trade agreement PICTA; in comparison to a non-discriminating trading environment, i.e., membership in the WTO.

This thesis argues against the conventional wisdom that “free or freer trade fosters economic growth” in all states (Williamson 1998). We contend that “free” trade fosters economic growth and that “freer” trade, as represented with higher levels of openness, could foster negative growth for the Pacific SIDS. We assert that a positive influence of free trade policies upon growth may be conditional to the level of openness the small island states’ domestic markets can tolerate.

The evidence found in this study supports the existence of a unique international trading environment for the small developing island states, i.e., the Pacific islands and the discussion surrounding the suggested-possible concept of diminishing returns in trade.


title: Visual cueing: Does it produce an acute improvement in turning in a Parkinsonian sample?

contributor: Johnston, Adam (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Godbout, Andrew (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Cinelli, Michael (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Reed-Jones, Rebecca (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Johnston, Adam (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Godbout, Andrew (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Cinelli, Michael (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Quijon, Pedro (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 127 application/pdf

abstract:
Anticipatory eye movement promotes cranio-caudal sequencing during walking turns, reducing the risk of falls. Individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) have difficulty producing anticipatory eye movements which may limit cranio-caudal rotation sequencing during turning. Visual cues have the potential to promote anticipatory eye movement and cranio-caudal sequencing by guiding the eyes into the turn. The purpose of this study was to examine if discrete external visual cues could train anticipatory eye movement and cranio-caudal rotations during walking turns. We hypothesized that visual cues would have limited effects on a sample of neurotypical young adults (NYA), but would improve anticipatory eye movement and cranio-caudal sequencing in a sample group with PD.

10 NYA (20-30 years) and 6 PD (45-75 years; Hoehn and Yahr 1-3) completed three blocks of walking trials with a 90-degree left turn. Trials were blocked by visual condition: non-cued baseline turns (5 trials), visually cued turns (10 trials), and non-cued retention turns (5 trials). A Delsys Trigno (Delsys, Boston, MA) captured horizontal saccades at 1024 Hz via electrooculography (EOG). Two Optotrak cameras (Northern Digital Inc., ON, Canada) captured head, trunk, pelvis and feet kinematics at 120 Hz. Timing of segment rotation with respect to ipsilateral foot contact (IFC1) prior to the turn was calculated using angular displacement and velocity about the vertical axis.

As expected, NYA produced typical cranio-caudal rotation sequences during baseline walking turns. Eyes led (407 ms prior to IFC1), followed by the head (99 ms prior to IFC1), and trunk (151 ms after IFC 1). Onset time between adjacent segments was significantly different (p = 0.018 and p = 0.021 respectively). Effects of visual cuesin NYA were minimal with some coupling of the eyes and head occurring (210 ms and 237 ms prior to IFC1) due to requirements to follow visual targets on approach to the turn. Trunk segment rotation remained significantly later (p = 0.001; 149 ms after IFC1). In contrast, PD produced no anticipatory eye or segment movement in baseline trials. Head rotation began 57 ms after IFC1 followed by the eyes and trunk (97ms and 323 ms after IFC1) with no significant differences between segments. However, following visual cue training (during retention trials), PD produced cranio-caudal rotation with anticipatory eyes movement at 161 ms prior to IFC1, followed by the head 106 ms prior to IFC1 and trunk 289 ms after IFC1 with a significant difference between head and trunk segments (p=0.048).

Results suggest discrete external visual cues during walking turns assist PD in producing cranio-caudal rotation sequencing in trials following visual cue training. Interestingly, when visual cues are present, greater coupling between the eyes and head occur with the head often leading eye movement. Therefore, appearance of visual targets and instructions to follow visual targets are critical to consider when evaluating their use for turning movements. These findings provide an interesting starting point for the use of visual cues to specifically promote cranio-caudal segment coordination during walking
turns to reduce risk of falls.


title: Assessing the unique healthcare needs of refugee and asylum seeking women in Canada

contributor:
Callbeck, Jonna R. (author)
MacQuarrie, Colleen (Thesis advisor)
(Supervisory Committee Member)
(Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 47 application/pdf

abstract: Armed conflict, political unrest, and global warming have caused an influx of migration in the 21st century. Migration creates vulnerability as people are separated from their social networks, resources, homes, and culture. Women make up half of the population of displaced person worldwide and are at a heightened risk of experiencing isolation, gender discrimination, physical violence, sexual violence, hunger, and lack of medical care throughout the entirety of the migration process. This paper looks to illuminate the hardships of refugee and asylum seeking women, how these experiences translate into unique healthcare needs, and the barriers that these women face to receive quality and accessible healthcare after arriving in Canada.


title: A peacebuilding approach to the African American experience: Good kids in mad cities

contributor:
Burton Bravo, Tracy N. (author)
Coll, Dorely (Thesis advisor)
(Supervisory Committee Member)
(Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 37 application/pdf

abstract: This paper analyzes the African American Experience through peace theory – more specifically through the concepts of positive and negative peace, and structural and personal violence – to later compare the results to African American artist Kendrick Lamar’s leitmotiv poem of his 2015 album To Pimp A Butterfly


title: Biological diversity, phylogenetic novelty, and chemical screening of bacteria isolated from marine sponges, seawater, and sediment

contributor: Tasker, Andrew (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Hartwig, Sunny (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Hurta, Robert (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Haltli, Brad (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Kerr, Russell (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Bate, Luis (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Kerr, Russell (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Hurta, Robert (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Johnson, John (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 310 application/pdf

abstract:
Historically, marine sponges have been of major interest to scientists for two often interrelated reasons: they are prolific sources of pharmacologically relevant natural products, and they are rich reservoirs of abundant and diverse microbiota. For this work, specimens of the bacteriosponges Verongula gigantea, Aplysina fistularis, Xestospongia muta, and Ectyoplasia ferox were collected off the west coast of San Salvador, The Bahamas. Samples of surrounding seawater and sediment were collected as well, for comparison. In many cases, symbiotic microbes are suspected of being the ‘true producers’ of natural products, rather than the invertebrate host. For this reason, a diverse bacterial library was cultivated from sponges that are known to contain a high abundance of microbes and bioactive metabolites.

Overall, 902 bacterial colonies were isolated, followed by their dereplication and phylogenetic analysis. As a result, a bacterial library consisting of 107 species (OTUs) were isolated and comprised of members of four phyla (Actinobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria), 18 families, and at least 29 genera. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the majority of bacterial isolates clustered with other marine-derived bacteria, including one putative invertebrate-specific clade (ISC) within Bacteroidetes. Also, numerous putatively novel bacteria were identified, and efforts were directed towards formally characterizing six of these isolates via polyphasic analysis as one novel family, two novel genera, and three novel species.

Based on these cultivation studies, statistical analysis revealed that the bacterial communities derived from sediment and seawater were the most diverse, followed by the sponges V. gigantea and A. fistularis, and lastly X. muta and E. ferox. The communities cultivated from the sponge relatives V. gigantea and A. fistularis were more similar to each other than to other communities, yet they exhibited distinct bacterial signatures. Conversely, X. muta and E. ferox communities were the least diverse and displayed extensive taxonomic overlaps with bacterial populations derived from seawater and sediment, and thus were not significantly distinctive.

A common feature of natural products isolated from marine sponges is the presence of a bromine functional group, often implicated as being responsible for accompanying bioactivities. A PCR screening method designed to probe for flavin-dependent halogenases was employed to identify key genes involved in the biosynthesis of halogenated metabolites. Partial sequences were amplified in sponge-derived Rhodococcus and Streptomyces species; however, halometabolites were not identified in the respective bacterial cultures. Nonetheless, several putatively novel and other known natural products were produced in bacterial cultures, many of which exhibited antibacterial properties. Although environmental bacteria are challenging to cultivate in the laboratory, sponges will likely remain excellent starting points to culture the “unculturable” for drug discovery. This research supports the notion that bacterial cultivation from sponges should remain a pathway for future natural product discovery.


title: Engaging the disengaged: A shop teacher’s reflection on project authenticity

contributor: McAuley, Alexander (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Moffatt, Lyndsay (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: McAuley, Alexander (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Moffatt, Lyndsay (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: MacDonald, Ron (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Watt, Bonita (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 158 application/pdf

abstract: This autoethnographic study examines an experiment with project authenticity completed with high school students seven times over an eight-year period. These projects involved the building of full-sized homes by grades 10 through 12 students, within a standard carpentry curriculum on the site of a conventional high school within the province of Prince Edward Island. Prior construction course projects consisted of small storage barns. Prefabricating and placing four-bedroom homes to the national building code represented a significant departure from the status quo and considerable risk on many levels. This cottage course as it became known enhanced student engagement and drew a balanced demographic of students into a carpentry program that had become skewed towards the lower academic levels in terms of class composition; all levels became engaged with the construction process. The experiment came at excessive personal cost to myself and was ultimately terminated. The search for a comparable replacement course led to a series of reflections on the multitude of factors that influence student engagement and program success in a shop class setting.


title: A next-generation sequencing approach for the simultaneous detection of plant viruses for plant quarantine testing

contributor: Xu, Huimin (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Martin, Chelsea (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Wang, Yingwei (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Fast, Mark (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Xu, Huimin (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Martin, Chelsea (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Hale, Lawrence (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 126 application/pdf

abstract:
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most important vegetable crops in the world and plays a vital role in human nutrition and food security. However, potato crops have been known to be infected by at least 40 viruses and 2 viroids contributing to reduced yields. The detection of viruses and viroids is limited from a diagnostic perspective as there are very few validated procedures that exist. Globalization of agriculture has meant that crop plants are now grown further from their centres of origin and far from the pathogens that had co-evolved with them. Crops introduced to a new area may be poorly equipped to resists pathogenic organisms that are already resident. Similarly, increased trade leads to the potential of introducing pathogenic organisms that may not be endemic to a particular region leading to outbreaks having the potential for extreme economic consequences.

The Potato Post-Entry Quarantine (PPEQ) program implemented by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) was established under the Plant Protection Act to prevent the introduction of economically devastating foreign plant diseases into Canada. The PPEQ program allows the Canadian potato industry to obtain disease-free germplasm from other countries to meet international demands for the production of seed, table, or processing potatoes. The diagnostic methods employed in the current PPEQ program are time-consuming and rely on both traditional and modern techniques. Many of these techniques are only specific for single viral targets having weak specificity and sensitivity. Recently, next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms have been widely accepted as high-throughput, unbiased technologies that have attractive features in the field of plant diagnostics. NGS has opened the door to very sensitive and specific testing with the opportunity to detect multiple pathogens in a single sample.

In this study, various RNA extraction methods were evaluated to acquire high quality non-fragmented RNA. Integrity values ranging from 7-9 were obtained using the PureLink Total RNA Mini kit and lysis buffer (Thermo Scientific, Waltham, USA). Using this method for RNA extraction, the application of NGS was explored to determine if plant pathogenic viral genomes could be generated de novo via a bioinformatic pathway when mapped to the whole host genome without a priori knowledge of their presence. Intended potato tuber imports intercepted from Bangladesh showed that viral contigs from multiple mixed infections of Potato aucuba mosaic virus (PAMV), Potato virus Y (PVY), Potato virus X (PVX), Potato virus S (PVS), Potato virus M (PVM), Potato leaf roll virus (PLRV), and Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) could be detected simultaneously with high specificity. Similarly, NGS was successfully applied to determine the causal agents of unknown etiology in tomato (S. lycopersicum) without a priori knowledge of their existence in the sample and confirmed the first report of Southern tomato virus (STV) in Canada. This NGS protocol will aid in the diagnosis of pathogens that were otherwise unable to be tested for within the current PPEQ program as well as identify unknown agents from other samples allowing for the development of new routine diagnostic assays and timely epidemiological and eradication strategies to be performed.


title: Evaluating the role of SOX11 and combined SOX4/SOX11 genes in kidney development

contributor: Arsenault, Michel (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Greenwood, Spencer (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Kerr, Russ (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Arsenault, Michel (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Wright, Glenda (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Gill, Daphne (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 95 application/pdf

abstract:
The mammalian kidney is an essential organ for the maintenance of body homeostasis by controlling water and salt balance and excreting waste products. Nephrons are the functional units of the kidney and are found within the medulla and cortex. Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) are the most common cause of childhood end-stage renal disease. Wilms’ tumor is one form of CAKUT and inactivating or loss of function mutations in the WT1 gene are found in ~15% of cases of Wilms’ tumor. Members of the Sry-Related HMG Box-C (SoxC) subfamily of genes are the transcriptional target of WT1 during kidney development including Sox4 and the closely-related Sox11. SoxC genes play overlapping and essential roles in controlling progenitor cell fate during organogenesis in vivo. Previous research has demonstrated that genetic in vivo ablation of Sox4 in murine nephron progenitor cells (NPC) results in an end-stage renal failure by five months of age. NPC are a mesenchymal cell population which has self-renewal and self-differentiation capacity, and formation of NPC is one of the earliest stage of nephrogenesis. The combined role of Sox4 and Sox11 has not been previously studied in NPC. The focus of this research was to investigate the role of Sox11 alone, and combined Sox4 and Sox11 function during kidney development in vivo using conditional Sox11 and Sox4/Sox11 knockout mouse models. Sox11 deletion in the NPC had no apparent effect and mice were healthy at ten
months of age when the long-term study was terminated. Remarkably loss of both Sox4 and Sox11 resulted in a very severe renal phenotype. These mice died on post-natal day one due to renal failure, characterized by widespread cystic renal dysplasia. Therefore, this work demonstrated a novel, crucial role of combined Sox4 and Sox11 in the developing kidney. This research lays the foundation for future work that will provide critical new insights into the pathological, cellular, and molecular mechanisms underlying congenital renal malformations.


title: A transient wave of cellular senescence impacts muscle fibre size following myotrauma

contributor: Johnston, Adam (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Ross, Joel (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Wang, Yanwen (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Johnston, Adam (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Ross, Joel (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Wang, Yanwen (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Krause, Matthew (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Linkletter, Barry (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 88 application/pdf

abstract:
Satellite cells drive skeletal muscle regeneration in response to injury, a process regulated by factors released into the local muscle environment. However, the cellular sources of this trophic support are poorly defined. In this regard, recent work on skin and liver repair has revealed a surprising supportive role for cells termed “senescent cells” which are commonly associated with aging and pathology. However, the role of senescence in skeletal muscle repair is currently unknown. The PURPOSE of this study was to determine the presence and contribution of senescent cells in skeletal muscle repair following acute injury. METHODS: The tibialis anterior (TA) of 8-week-old C57BL/6 mice was injured with cardiotoxin (CTX) and collected 5, 7, 10, 14, and 21 days post-injury for histological/ immunohistochemical (IHC) and gene expression analyses. To examine the function of senescent cells during muscle repair, mice were treated with a senolytic compound (ABT-263) following injury to selectively ablate senescent cells. RESULTS: Senescent cell number (as revealed using the senescence associated beta-galactosidase (SA-b-Gal) assay increased significantly following injury (p £ 0.05) and returned to baseline by day-21 post-injury, a time-course that is coincident with the muscle repair process. In agreement with this, qPCR analysis of putative senescence pathways including p16INK4A, p21 and p53 as well as factors commonly secreted by senescent cells such as Il-8, Il-1a, Il-1b and Mmp13 were significantly
upregulated in injured compared to uninjured tissue (p £ 0.05). IHC analysis demonstrated that at five days post-injury, 23.3 ± 10.4% of senescent cells were positive for macrophage marker F4/80, 5.8 ± 1.6% were CD31 positive; an endothelial cell marker, and 9.2 ± 4.2% were positive for progenitor cell marker twist2; while at 10 days post-injury, 49.2 ± 8.6% of senescent cells were F4/80 positive, 35.7 ± 1.4% CD31 positive, and 21.5 ± 0.7% twist2 positive. Senolytic treatment was effective at removing senescent cells as a significant 38% reduction in the number of SA-b-Gal positive cells was observed (p £ 0.05). Phenotypically, this translated into 25% reduction in the crosssectional area (CSA) and a 12% decrease in myonuclei per fibre (p £ 0.05). CONCLUSION: Senescent cells are a newly identified component of the muscle repair environment which influences skeletal muscle repair potentially through regulating satellite cell function.


title: Establishing the test retest reliability of contralateral auditory suppression of Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions in a cohort of healthy individuals

contributor: Mahawattage, Indika Pradeepa Kumari Gunasena (author)

contributor: Reed-Jones, Rebecca (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Godbout, Andrew (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Montelpare, William (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Reed-Jones, Rebecca (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Godbout, Andrew (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Killan, Ted (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Quijon, Pedro (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 98 application/pdf

abstract:
In clinical practice, Transient Evoked Otoacoustic Emissions (TEOAE) are used to assess hearing impairments in several cohorts. The TEOAE can be evoked in healthy cochlea by presenting a brief auditory stimulus in the form of a series of clicks. Similarly, TEOAE signals can be suppressed in the ipsilateral ear by presenting an alternative sound to the contralateral ear through stimulation of either the medial olivo-cochlear (MOC) reflex or acoustic reflex (AR). The suppression effect results from either due to attenuation of the otoacoustic emissions generation through the activation of MOC reflex or due to the obliteration of their transmission by the activation of middle ear muscle reflex (acoustic reflex).

In individuals that suffer from brain injury, such as a concussion, the neuronal pathways that enable CASTEOAE may be disturbed which in turn will restrict the ability to generate TEOAEs and to invoke the contralateral suppression effect. Moreover, since a person performing the test cannot manipulate TEOAE signals, the technique could provide an objective measure of concussion status and severity.

The following study was designed to measure the test-retest reliability of the CASTEOAE as a first step in establishing the CASTEOAE phenomenon as an evaluation tool for concussion assessment. A convenience sample of 30 healthy individuals, 16-50 years of age completed the CASTEOAE test on two separate occasions, using a 14-day between test interval. The MOC reflex was activated using broadband noise of 60 dB SPL while the Acoustic Reflex was elicited by presenting a broadband noise of 80 dB SPL to the contralateral ear. The OAE amplitudes were recorded across 5 half octave bands in
each ear. The test-retest reliability was estimated with the intraclass correlation coefficient procedure using a one-way random effects model for n=30, k (trials)=2. Confidence intervals for the Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICCs) and measures of homogeneity of variance were also calculated for each condition.

The reliability estimates for CASTEOAE test scores were calculated for TEOAE scores with and without contralateral suppression (Primary measures) of the MOC reflex and separately for the acoustic reflex. The ICCs of the total OAE responses for both MOC reflex and acoustic reflex demonstrated as high as 0.9 in both ears and the ICCs of the fractional octave band for the MOC reflex ranged from 0.6 (left ear @1000 Hz) to 0.95 (right ear @ 4000 Hz), and 0.75 (left ear @1000 Hz) to 0.97 (right ear @ 4000 Hz) for the AR. This data suggests that the MOC and AR reflexes were each significantly repeatable upon test and retest in the sample. In addition, CASTEOAE suppression of the acoustic reflex was greater than MOC reflex suppression; and each participant showed unique TEOAE distribution pattern across the 5 half octave frequency bands, which were consistent over time. The results support the use of the CASTEOAE test as a reliable non-invasive approach to evaluate the functional status of the auditory efferent system and its neural connections with the rest of the brain and the use of this stable and objective measure as a clinical tool to assess a concussion injury.


title: Providing access to quality primary education: A stepping-stone to resolving all global challenges

contributor:
Wagemakers, Rosa (author)
Moran, James (Thesis advisor)
(Supervisory Committee Member)
(Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 50 application/pdf

abstract: This paper reviewed the various international conventions, declarations and agreements relating to the topic of children and their right to quality education. These documents were used as a foundation for researching the potential causes of why it has become a major challenge for numerous countries around the world to ensure that each child has access to and receives a quality primary education. The final portion of this paper examines what types of action and progress are being made by the leaders in this field, but also highlights what still needs to be done. To demonstrate the harsh reality, the Syrian Arab Republic was used as a reference point throughout the analysis section of this paper. The Syrian Arab Republic provides an extreme case as it is experiencing major conflict, lacks resources and a stable government, and it is a developing nation. Ultimately the paper will look towards the future in suggesting that radical change can assist in helping countries to make access to quality education their top priority.


title: Autonomic dysreflexia prevention: A medical electronic application

contributor:
Dougan, Jocelyn S. (author)
Bryanton, Janet (Thesis advisor)
Reed-Jones, Rebecca (Thesis advisor)
(Supervisory Committee Member)
(Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 45 application/pdf

abstract: person with a spinal cord injury is at a high risk for a potentially life-threatening complication called Autonomic dysreflexia (AD). Autonomic dysreflexia is the body’s reaction to a stimulus below the level of the spinal cord injury. It is often associated with high blood pressure, low heart rate, sweating, goosebumps, and spasms. There is limited research conducted on electronic medical devices used to prevent AD. The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of wearable health devices that are used to prevent or diagnose health conditions and to investigate any devices used specifically for the prevention of autonomic dysreflexia in individuals with a spinal cord injury and it also will justify the importance of the development of a smartphone application to track, monitor, and prevent the incidence of autonomic dysreflexia.


title: Autonomous cell-based LiFePO4 battery management system for solar photovoltaic applications

contributor: Acharya, Bishnu (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Hall, Matt (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Swingler, Andrew (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Acharya, Bishnu (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Hall, Matthew (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Merabet, Adel (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Hsiao, Amy (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 177 application/pdf

abstract:
This thesis documents the development of a novel lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery management system (BMS) intended for solar photovoltaic power system applications. While lead-acid battery systems are often implemented without a BMS, lithium-based battery systems require a BMS to provide two critical functions: cell protection and balance. The proposed innovative BMS approach aims to enable lithium batteries to be installed in low-voltage autonomous building blocks and treated much like traditional lead-acid battery banks connected in series and parallel configurations. Particular attention is paid to realizing a lithium-based approach that implements a low-cost, highcurrent protection mechanism and emulates the natural energy-dissipating balancing behaviour of unmanaged lead-acid based cells. Initially, cell characterization results are presented for eight series connected 3.2 V LFP cells with a capacity of 3.7 Ah. Testing investigated imbalance up to 20% of cell capacity within the 24 V string and compared resultant reduced string capacity to charge time, required balance power, and charging effectiveness (time and capacity) under different external setpoints. Practical setpoint limitations for low voltage cut-off, constant current/constant voltage (CC/CV), and power specification for the dissipative element of the BMS are explored. Subsequently, a novel BMS architecture was proposed, simulated, built, verified, and tested. The BMS implements a noncommunicating and heat dissipating cell balance
architecture combined with a low-cost fuse-based cell protection mechanism. Both computer modelling and experimental testing of a 24 V nominal series string of LFP cells with a balance power curve emulating lead-acid battery self-balancing behavior to a maximum power of ~0.5 W per cell shows tolerance for greater than 50% single-cell imbalance (demonstrated to be the most difficult situation to manage on charge), charging at 1.85 A CC per cell, and 27.2 V CV (3.4 V per cell). On-demand cell protection using the cell’s own discharge capability to blow its own high-current fuse and disconnect the battery from the rest of the pack is demonstrated to be effective. However, this protection approach comes at the expense of some battery capacity (60 mAh per parallel cell) that is required to be available to blow the fuse in a low voltage disconnect condition. The novel BMS system concept is ultimately prototyped in the context of a full-scale 6 V nominal, 220 Ah (2S59P layout of 3.8 Ah/12.16 Wh 26650 LFP cells) battery in the GC- 2 form factor providing a functional initial prototype at a commercially viable scale.


title: Assessment of the effects of agricultural pesticide Chlorpyrifos on American Lobster larvae (Homarus americanus)

contributor: van den Heuvel, Michael (Thesis advisor)

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

contributor: Daoud, Dounia (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Clark, Fraser (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Greenwood, Spencer (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Kamunde, Collins (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Bernard, Paul (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Greenwood, Spencer (Examination Committee Member)

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

contributor: Daoud, Dounia (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 148 application/pdf

abstract: Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate that is currently used to reduce arthropod pests. Coastal marine ecosystems may be exposed to agricultural pesticides via adsorption to agricultural soil runoff or as spray drift. Sublethal effects of pesticide exposure can impact the health and survival of economically important non-target species such as the American lobster (Homarus americanus). Using acute exposures in seawater (28 PSU), the 24 h and 48 h median lethal concentrations of chlorpyrifos were established for stage IV H. americanus (1.56 μg/L and 1.33 μg/L respectively). Exposure to sublethal concentrations allowed the measurement of movement, acetylcholinesterase activity, intermoult period, specific growth rate, and moult increment. Movement patterns were assessed to establish a 24 and 48 h median inhibition concentration for cessation of normal movement (0.98 and 0.66 μg/L respectively). Acetylcholinesterase activity was found to be inhibited in lobsters sampled immediately post-exposure to 0.50, 0.57, and 0.82 μg/L chlorpyrifos but activity was recovered after a period in clean seawater (9 to 15 d). Sublethal growth effects were an increased intermoult period, decreased specific growth rate, and decreased moult increment after 48 h exposure to an environmentally relevant chlorpyrifos concentration (0.82 μg/L). Gene expression changes of H. americanus stage IV larvae were analyzed to understand the physiological mechanisms affected by exposure to sublethal chlorpyrifos concentrations. After 48 h of exposure, surviving lobsters were processed for Illumina RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Genes of interest with significant changes using RNA-seq were verified using reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Analysis of RNA-seq and the confirmation of gene expression patterns via RT-qPCR results found significant changes to expression of genes related to stress response (glutathione peroxidase 3 and heat shock protein 60), hypoxia response (hairy, astakine 2, hemocyanin), moulting (cytochrome P450 307a1-like and chitinase), and immunity (astakine 2). Changes to gene expression were most notable in lobsters exposed to 0.57 μg/L chlorpyrifos. The current study suggests that H. americanus stage IV larvae were marginally less sensitive to chlorpyrifos compared to other decapods and that acute lethality of H. americanus larvae is not likely to occur with chlorpyrifos concentrations previously reported from aquatic environments but physiological effects to growth, movement, and gene expression were observed at sublethal concentrations.


title: Application of biochar for efficient municipal wastewater treatment

contributor: Peters, Wayne (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Zaman, Qamar (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Farooque, Aitazaz (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Peters, Wayne (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Zaman, Qamar (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Abbey, Lord (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 117 application/pdf

abstract:
A more circular and therefore more sustainable economy requires us to value our waste. Something like wastewater can be an unconventional source of nutrients, energy, and water. Thus, far from being something to discard or ignore, wastewater can be a resource option. Similarly, biochar is the solid by-product of pyrolysis and its cascading use can offset the cost of the process. A wide variety of research on biochar has highlighted its ability to absorb/adsorb nutrients, metals, and complex compounds; filter suspended solids; enhance microorganisms’ growth; retain water and nutrients as well as increase
carbon content of soil. The thesis analyzes the effect of biochar in two biological treatment processes, activated sludge for municipal wastewater and anaerobic digestion for sludge at Charlottetown Pollution Control Plant located in the province of Prince Edward Island, Canada. The analysis is carried out using Response Surface Methodology for varied size and dose of two types of carbon, namely biochar from wood pallets and non-treated activated carbon (AC) sourced from Sigma Aldrich Inc. A higher COD removal efficiency of above 80%, 82% and 88% in the retention time of 1, 4 and 24 hours respectively is achieved in the region of lower size and higher dose for AC. Whereas, for similar condition and variations the reactor fed with biochar achieved COD removal efficiency of 60, 78 and 69 for hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 1, 4 and 24 hours, respectively. The study showed that the addition of AC and biochar improves the settleability of the sludge. However, the improvement was found to depend on carbon size and dose, irrespective of the carbon type use. A sludge volume index (SVI) as low as 37.33 was obtained with biochar. The response surface analysis showed that minimum SVI could be achieved with small size and higher dose of carbon material. It was also found that the use of carbon in anaerobic digestion has significant effect on the biogas yield and the quality of the biosolids. However, the study can only be a qualitative indication of AC and biochar effect in anaerobic digestion. There are far too many
interaction and lurking effects caused due to addition of biochar and AC which in return effects the biogas yield and nutrient content of bio-solids. Moreover, biochar addition was found to be better than AC in anaerobic systems. This study has showed that types of biochar has significant impact on the biological systems in the wastewater treatment process and could be a viable way for valorization of wastewater. In addition, sustainable biochar systems are an attractive approach for carbon sequestration and total waste management cycle.


title: Design and studies of fluorescence emitter dendrimers and star-shaped macromolecules capped with pyrene

contributor: Abd-El-Aziz, Alaa (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Bissessur, Rabin (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Wagner, Brian (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Abd-El-Aziz, Alaa (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Bissessur, Rabin (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Wagner, Brian (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Acharya, Bishnu (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Quijon, Pedro (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 105 application/pdf

abstract: Dendrimers and star-polymers have attracted considerable attention among scientists and researchers since they were discovered in the 1980s. In chemistry, organometallic dendrimers and star-polymers have contributed to the development of several fields such as catalysis, chemical sensor's, and biomaterials. This project presents the design of new organoiron dendrimers and star-polymers capped with pyrene moieties. The presence of g6-chloroarene-e- cyclopentadienyl iron moieties in the structures of the primary materials can enhance nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions because of the strong electron-withdrawing ability of the cationic cyclopentadienyl iron complexes. The synthesis of three different compounds containing i76-chloroarene-n5- cyclopentadienyl iron moieties with first and second-generation dendrimers and star-polymers capped with pyrene moieties were illustrated and examined. In addition, the products of the different experiments were characterized by using various spectroscopic techniques such as ATR-FTIR (IR), 11-1-NMR, 13C-NMR. The thermal stability of these complexes presented unique properties when tested by TGA in the range of (280-500°C). Cyclic voltammetry was used to study the reduction of the iron centers in both dendrimers and star-polymers, which showed redox activity due to the presence of the iron centers. The fluorescence properties were studied after pyrene moieties were added to the all complexes periphery.


title: Stories of change in men who were violent and abusive to their partners: A collaborative narrative inquiry [Unpublished]

contributor:
Takano, Y. (author)
(Thesis advisor)
(Supervisory Committee Member)
(Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic application/pdf


title: The experience of entrepreneurial exit: An exploratory study of average micro and small business owners

contributor:
Pauley, M. (author)
(Thesis advisor)
(Supervisory Committee Member)
(Examination Committee Member)


title: Evolving perspectives on urban wildlife and their implications for policy-making in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

contributor: Silva-Opps, Marina (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Baldacchino, Godfrey (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Peach Brown, Carolyn (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Silva-Opps, Marina (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Baldacchino, Godfrey (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Peach Brown, Carolyn (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Lapping, Mark (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 348 application/pdf

abstract:
This research explores how apparent challenges to good urban wildlife conservation and management in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada are shaped by the phenomenon of islandness. The work focuses on a Foucauldian case study of Charlottetown in the context of Prince Edward Island. It includes a narrow theoretical comparison between Charlottetown and Denver, Colorado, to bring islandness into
clearer view. The case study describes some distinct ways of human thought about and behavior towards wild nonhumans that influence wildlife governance in Charlottetown: using, getting rid of, helping, learning about, and being humane towards wild nonhumans. The Denver parallel brings to the fore the question of whether any level of government on Prince Edward Island holds wildlife in the public trust. Overall, the
research suggests that the resolution of human-human conflicts about wild nonhumans and human-wildlife conflicts in Charlottetown should involve informal public trust managers on Prince Edward Island.


title: Resilience and capacity in small island jurisdictions: a case study of adaptation for climate change on Prince Edward Island

contributor: Bardati, Darren (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Farbotko, Carol (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 171 application/pdf

abstract:
The purpose of this case study was to examine the constraints and opportunities that those involved in policy creation in Prince Edward Island perceive as enhancing or impeding their ability to implement climate change adaptation policy, specifically land-use policies that could assist communities in
preparing for the impacts resulting from sea-level rise. Twenty-six key informants were questioned using an open-ended semi-structured interview guide. Specific objectives that were addressed in the questionnaire included: gaining an understanding of key informants’ perceptions of risk and the
importance of adaptation; providing insights into the adaptive capacity of select communities on PEI by examining past, present and future adaptation strategies; investigating issues of sub-national jurisdiction and governance to determine who is responsible for implementing adaptation strategies in
island communities; and determining whether aspects of islandness (resulting from operating in a small island environment) influence adaptive capacity by presenting constraints or opportunities for adaptation. The interview results were transcribed verbatim and analysed using qualitative techniques,
specifically framework analysis. Themes, concepts, and results are discussed using the theoretical framework of resilience thinking and using relevant island studies literature. Data analysis yielded two conceptual models that explain the interactions between common responses for barriers and
opportunities for the creation of a land use policy for sea-level rise (SLR). One model demonstrates why there is an absence of land use policy for SLR while the other suggests how to utilise strengths and opportunities to move forward with the creation of a land use policy for SLR. The thesis concludes with
a summary of recommendations for how to move forward with land use policy for sea-level rise.


title: Out of the box: Queerying identity development for sexual and gender minority youth in Prince Edward Island

contributor: Goddard, Tim (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Phillips, Nia (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Wiebe, Sean (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Goddard, Tim (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Phillips, Nia (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Wiebe, Sean (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Fitzgerald, Anne-Marie (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Grace, Andre (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 180 application/pdf

abstract: In this dissertation, I set out to answer two research questions, “How do sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth in Prince Edward Island understand their gender and sexual identities during mid-adolescence?” and, “How does identifying as an SGM youth impact their day-to-day experiences in their schools, communities, and families?” I performed a qualitative case study using two research methods, interviews and journaling, to find out more about four SGM youth, Avery, Finn, Isabelle, and Mikey. This study is not retrospective. Participants in this study are youth who are presently undergoing identity formation and trying to understand their SGM identities. The participant case studies present the experiences and understandings of youth coming to understand their gender identities and sexualities. The findings reveal that identity formation and development is not a linear process, not easily fitting into the traditional milestone or stage models. In reality, the identity formation process for sexual and gender minority youth is complex, and sometimes there is no discernable end-point where identity labels are settled upon. The cases show, in part, the complexities of queer identity formation, exploration, and development during mid-adolescence. The participants’ stories show the impact that their identities have had on their family relationships, their schooling experiences, their mental health, and for some, the navigation of the healthcare system. Avery, Finn, Isabelle, and Mikey’s stories highlight various issues present in the school system, including the lack of (a) inclusive curriculum, (b) comprehensive sexual health programs, (c) supportive educators who step in and step up, and (d) gender and sexuality alliances. Their stories show that when facing a lack of quality sexuality education youth turn to the internet and social media to find information about identity formation and development. Their stories reveal that some experience support and acceptance by their peers, friends, families, and guardians, but that they can also experience rejection and intolerance.


title: More than sun and pineapples: A look into the culture of astronomical sciences in Hawai'i

contributor: Miller, Tess (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Mitchell, Jean (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Krautwurst, Udo (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Sammler, Katherine (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 169 application/pdf

abstract: “More than Sun and Pineapples: A Look into the Culture of Astronomical Sciences in Hawai’i” is a thesis for the Master of Arts Island Studies program at the University of Prince Edward Island. Hawai’i is known for being a favourite tourist destination where visitors can experience beaches, fresh pineapples, and nightly luaus; but the islands are much more than that. Past the beaches, sits the tallest peak of the Hawaiian archipelago: Maunakea. Maunakea is currently home to thirteen telescopes with the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) being the proposed fourteenth. With this mountain at the center, astronomy seems to be an integral part of the Hawaiian community and culture. Many observatories, museums, organizations, and societies share the common goal of educating the public and sharing their love for astronomy. Why is astronomy such an important part of the culture? Does it have to do with the Indigenous Hawaiians past as navigators, wayfinders, and early astronomers? How are the relationships between Hawaiians and Westerners navigated within the community? In this thesis, I reflect on the data collected from my Hawai’i research trip in November 2018, where I interviewed nine participants about their experiences within the astronomy community. This thesis has three main chapters: Onto-epistemological Divides, Power and Relationships, and Astronomy Culture and Community. Through these chapters, I explore different ways of knowing, science versus culture, power dynamics, the Self/Other dichotomy, opinions on the TMT, education, and how astronomy is woven into the culture on the Big Island of Hawai’i.


title: Molecular investigation of larval development and metamorphosis in the American Lobster, Homarus americanus

contributor: Greenwood, Spencer (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Greenwood, Spencer (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Cawthorn, Rick (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Kibenge, Fred (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Fast, Mark (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Wang, Yingwei (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 150 application/pdf

abstract:
The American lobster, Homarus americanus, is a marine decapod crustacean that
occurs naturally in the coastal waters o f eastern North America. High concentrations of
lobster in the Gulf of Maine to the Gulf of St. Lawrence support a significant fishing
industry in Atlantic Canada and the northeastern United States. A hard exoskeleton
covers and protects H. americanus, which they periodically moult to facilitate growth. H.
americanus has a complex life history, including a pelagic larval phase and a benthic
adult phase. The larval phase is divided into three morphologically distinct stages,
followed by metamorphosis to the postlarval phase. Larvae must moult to progress
through each developmental stage. Previous studies have described several
morphological, physiological, biochemical and behavioural changes associated with
moult, growth and development o f H. americanus. However, the mechanisms that
regulate these changes are not fully elucidated. This was the first study to use a 14,592 feature, spotted oligonucleotide microarray, to investigate global gene expression changes during H. americanus larval
development. Public molecular databases were used to functionally annotate -40% o f
the EST sequences. A reference design was used to compare stage specific gene
expression profiles of larvae and postlarvae from two year classes. A two-way ANOVA
was used to determine significant differences in gene expression levels among the stages
and year classes. This study found that the expression of 1,851 genes was significantly
different among larval stages, although 771 genes had significant interaction between
year classes and larval stages. Among the differentially expressed genes, functional
annotations indicated that several genes were involved with the immune system, energy regulation and development. Ten target genes of interest were selected, based on functional annotations, for expression verification using a complementary measurement method, reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Genes
with functional annotations related to immunity, energy regulation, gene expression,
translation and neural or basement membrane remodeling were selected. Two
Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinases, Argonaute 2, Ecdysone inducible protein 75 and
Procollagen-lysine 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 3, were significantly different (P <
0.05) genes of interest among stages when assayed using RT-qPCR. These genes are
involved with processes that may greatly impact development such as, translation
regulation, gene expression, morphological development and energy metabolism.
With increasing interest in the sustainability of the American lobster fishery, this
study has provided an important foundation for future investigations of processes
regarding signaling, morphological re-modeling, energy metabolism, and the immune
system as they pertain to larval development. Understanding the mechanisms that
regulate larval development may give insight into the effects factors such as climate
change and anthropomorphic environmental impacts have on early life stages of H.
americanus.


title: Time to do what now? The estimated effect of reallocating time between sedentary behaviours on health behaviours

contributor: Gottschall-Pass, Kathy (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Chaput, Jean-Philipe (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Saunders, Travis (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Saunders, Travis (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Gottschall-Pass, Kathy (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Chaput, Jean-Philipe (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Senechal, Martin (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Linkletter, Barry (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 153 application/pdf

abstract:
There is much evidence to suggest the negative impacts that sedentary behaviour (SB) can have on one’s health. What is less known is the specific effects of individual SBs. There is evidence to suggest that screen based SBs are adversely associated with physical health and that non screen based SBs may have beneficial associations with health. Using data collected by the Comprehensive School of Health Research Group (CSHR) as part of the SHAPES – PEI project, students self-reported the amount of time they spent participating in the following five sedentary behaviours: watching/streaming
TV/movies, playing computer/video games, talking on the phone, surfing the internet, and reading for fun. The objective of this thesis was to estimate the impact of reallocating one sedentary behaviour with another on ten health outcomes: moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), strength training frequency, flexibility training frequency, body mass index (BMI), perception of being overweight or underweight, fruit and vegetable consumption, salt and sugary snack consumption (SSS), sugar sweetened beverage consumption(SSB), and fast food frequency using an Isotemporal Substitution
Method (ISM). Data for this questionnaire were collected during the 2014/2015 academic year. A total of 5621 children and youth (49% males) in grades 5 – 12 across Prince Edward Island (PEI) completed the questionnaire.

Six of the above health outcomes did not meet the assumption of linearity for the ISM and as a result were dropped from future analysis. Results from the ISM indicated that replacing TV, computer/video games, internet, and reading for fun with talking on the phone was consistently associated with decreased likelihood of being physically inactive. Replacing screen based SBs, talking on the phone, and reading for fun resulted in similar reductions in the likelihood of not meting strength training guidelines. Replacing TV and computer/video games with internet, talking on the phone, and reading
resulted in a decrease in the likelihood of living with overweight/obesity with the detrimental association of TV watching being significantly driven by females. Computer/video game had the most detrimental association on perceiving oneself as underweight when replacing all other SBs; significant findings were driven by female participants exclusively. Internet had the most detrimental impact on perceiving oneself as overweight when replacing all other SBs. When examining sexes separately, TV use had a detrimental associated with perceiving oneself as overweight for females, but not for males. Computer/video game use had a detrimental associated with perceiving oneself as overweight for males, but not females. Our results suggest that replacing screen-based SBs with non-screen-based SBs have a neutral or beneficial association with physical activity and weight status. These findings also highlight that the impact of SB varies depending on the specific behaviour being performed and across sexes. Future research should 1) examine the impact of multiple types of non-screen based SB and screen based SB on different lifestyle behaviours; 2) look at the specific content being viewed when performing these activities (i.e. educational or leisure); and 3) look at the determinants of SB on males and females separately.


title: Food literacy and food security among university students: a pilot study assessing the impact of a university foods course

contributor: Taylor, Jennifer (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Montelpare, William (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Rossiter, Misty (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Taylor, Jennifer (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Montelpare, William (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Rossiter, Misty (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: McKenna, Mary (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 167 application/pdf

abstract:
Although foods courses are commonly included in undergraduate dietetic programs, few studies have assessed the impact of these courses on student’s food literacy levels. Further, although there is evidence that university students are at increased risk of food insecurity, we know little about how food insecurity levels may change over the academic year or the relationship between food insecurity and food literacy. The objective of this pilot study was to develop a tool to measure food literacy, assess the impact of a university foods course on food literacy and assess the associations between food literacy, food security and barriers/enablers to food literacy. An online questionnaire was developed and piloted among 60 university students at two time periods (approximately three months apart). Students taking the foods course were found to have higher scores for the food literacy subscale confidence in food preparation and storage both prior to and upon completion of the course when compared to students in a non-foods course. However, no differences were found between other food literacy measures over the three month study period. Key barriers/enablers to food literacy include time, interest, confidence, skill, self-efficacy, participation in the foods course, age, gender, distance to the grocery store, means of transportation and access to equipment. Approximately 56% of students were found to be food insecure, with no differences in food insecurity over time. No associations were found between food
literacy and food insecurity scores, supporting previous literature suggesting that food insecurity is primarily impacted by income rather than knowledge or skills. Food literacy and food security levels should be confirmed in a larger sample of university students.


title: The threat of antibiotic resistance on global health

contributor:
McDermott, Emma (author)
Murray, Christina (Thesis advisor)
Moran, James (Thesis advisor)
(Supervisory Committee Member)
(Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 55 application/pdf

abstract: One of the largest public health risks currently facing the world is antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance is when bacteria develop a resistance against antibiotics that could previously have been used to treat them. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) predicts that by 2050 an estimated 2.4 million deaths, in North America, Australia, and Europe alone, will be due to drug-resistant infections. Humans have become increasingly dependent on the success of antibiotics at treating bacterial infections, and therefore the looming threat of resistance is a critical global threat. This mini-thesis project is a part of UPEI’s Master in Global Affairs program in partnership with the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Spain. It will use a multi-disciplinary approach to examine the threat antibiotic resistance poses on global health. Topics considered will include the causes of antibiotic resistance, the effects of widespread antibiotic resistance on social, economic, and political factors, and current global preventative actions/programs. Antibiotic resistance is a major emerging health risk, and the extent of its impact is underappreciated in the global community.


title: Fusions of horizons: The meaning of community-based learning for Kenyan university students

contributor: Guo, Linyuan (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Weeks, Lori (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Goddard, Timothy (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Guo, Linyuan (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Weeks, Lori (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Goddard, Timothy (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: McAuley, Alexander (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Cress, Christine (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 233 application/pdf

abstract:
The purpose of this study is to explore the meaning of community-based learning (CBL) to Kenyan university students and how the Kenyan context shaped and influenced students’ CBL experiences. Using hermeneutics as the theoretical and methodological framework, this study collected data through in-depth research conversations with six participants as they shared their experiences of CBL with various types of human service organizations throughout the country. This dissertation follows the suggested components for dissertation with published materials as specified in the UPEI Faculty of Education
Ph.D. Handbook (page. 29-30). The main components include introductory chapter, two published manuscripts (literature review and research methodology), two manuscripts submitted for publication (research findings), concluding chapter and appendices. Each of the four papers included in this dissertation articulates a focused aspect of this research. The first paper looks at key CBL literature from Africa, along with examining the historical and cultural context that impacts CBL in Kenya, the second focuses on hermeneutics as philosophy and an interpretive research methodology for international research, the third presents initial findings elicited from the first-person perspectives of Kenyan students who had recently completed their CBL placement with a variety of human service organizations, and the fourth and final paper explores the meaning of CBL to Kenyan university students using the lenses of critical CBL, the pedagogy of discomfort and transformative learning theory. Together, the four papers present a deeper understanding of Kenyan students’ experiences and advances knowledge of the complexity of community-engaged practice and research in Kenya, adding to the global perspective of current CBL research and literature.


title: Monitoring nutrient-induced hypoxia and its effect on the invertebrate community in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada

contributor: van den Heuvel, Michael (Thesis advisor)

contributor: Giberson, Donna (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Teather, Kevin (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Samis, Karen (Supervisory Committee Member)

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

contributor: Courtenay, Simon (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Teather, Kevin (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Davidson, Jeffrey (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Redden, Anna (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Quijon, Pedro (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 201 application/pdf

relation: Species list of invertebrate species in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada--https://data.upei.ca/islandora/object/researchdata:626--researchdata:626

abstract:
Nutrient-induced impacts (eutrophication) in estuaries and coastal systems pose one of the greatest threats to aquatic ecosystem health. Given the economic, cultural and ecosystem importance of coastal systems, factors negatively impacting them have been a subject of study for decades. However, objective methods for quantifying the cumulative effects of nutrients have been elusive and, to date, inconsistent among studies and regions. This dissertation is composed of four data chapters of novel research to address the measurement and biological impacts of dissolved oxygen using high frequency data loggers at multiple estuaries and at a regional scale. The hypothesis tested in Chapter 2 was that high frequency dissolved oxygen measurements are an effective tool for discriminating between trophic status of estuaries of the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada. This was examined by determining whether the amount of dissolved oxygen was predicted by nutrient loading and water residence time. Using six months of raw
dissolved oxygen data from 15 southern Gulf of St. Lawrence estuaries, metrics were created that reflect symptoms of eutrophication and then analyzed using multivariate techniques. Ultimately, these metrics proved effective at discriminating between habitat type (algae or seagrass dominated) and were correlated with nitrate-N and water residence time. While dissolved oxygen measured in the upper estuary was successful at discriminating among estuaries it was unclear if those measurements are indicative of impacts at other spatial scales, leading to the second chapter. The primary hypothesis tested in Chapter 3 was that dissolved oxygen parameters in the upper estuary would relate to the severity of hypoxia on a larger spatial scale in the estuary. To examine the effect of spatial scale, dissolved oxygen was monitored along the salinity gradient from the upper estuary to the outer estuary, i.e. where the estuary entered a bay or the Northumberland Strait. In general, the upper estuary experienced symptoms of eutrophication earlier and sustained them longer than farther out the estuary, although impacts were observed farther out the estuary at the most impacted estuaries. Temperature and tidal amplitude were hypothesized to influence dissolved oxygen within an estuary, but only temperature had a significant effect and only in the upper estuary. The hypothesis tested in Chapter 4 was that invertebrate communities in the upper estuary would be affected by both hypoxia and the dominant vegetation there. Specifically, this study examined the influence of fine-scale dissolved oxygen on the invertebrate community in Ulva spp. and Zostera marina habitat. The invertebrate community was distinct between vegetation types and, in general, communities were more similar within than among estuaries. The exception was if the community had recently been exposed to sustained hypoxia/anoxia in the 48 hours prior to sampling. Communities affected by hypoxia were more similar to each other, regardless of site, and were differentiated from other communities by a higher proportion of hypoxia tolerant animals, e.g. some bivalves and gastropods, and a lower proportion of crustaceans. During field work for Chapter 4 it was observed that amphipods tended to swim throughout the water column during periods of hypoxia/anoxia and it was hypothesized that they may be using surface floating algal mats as refugia. Thus, the hypothesis tested in Chapter 5 was that invertebrate communities would differ between floating and submerged mats of Ulva spp.. Ultimately, floating mat communities were found to be distinct from submerged mats, mostly due to a greater occurrence of rare species. An
increase in the proportion of epibenthic invertebrates on floating mats, relative to submerged mats, immediately following hypoxia supported the initial hypothesis. The primary implication was that some epibenthic invertebrates are capable of escaping hypoxia/anoxia through rafting and that they can potentially repopulate impacted areas through the same mechanism. The overall objective of this dissertation was to develop
scientifically sound methods for monitoring eutrophication. Ultimately, hourly measurements of dissolved oxygen in the upper estuary proved more sensitive, and less labour intensive, compared to monitoring macroinvertebrate communities and to many other methodologies used to assess eutrophication found in the literature. Refining nutrient loading, external and internal, and water residence time models used in this study should improve the relationship between predictor variables and dissolved oxygen in the upper estuary and at other spatial scales.


title: Studies on natural products from select woody plants

contributor: Kirby, Christopher (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Hurta, Robert (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: McCallum, Jason (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Kirby, Christopher (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Martin, Chelsea (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 199 application/pdf

abstract:
Nannyberry is a plant species located in the northeastern USA and in southern Canada ranging from New Brunswick to southeastern Saskatchewan. The possible anti-cancer potential of nannyberry fruits has not been previously studied. Phytochemical profiling of the nannyberry extract identified 3 biflavonoids, amentoflavone, robustaflavone and hinokiflavone, not previously documented in this fruit. The nannyberry extract was shown (using Alamar Blue) to be cytotoxic to androgen-sensitive LNCaP prostate cancer cells at dosages as low as 6.25 μg/mL with no apparent cytotoxicity to androgenrefractory PC3 cells. Nannyberry’s effect on LNCaP cells was further investigated to determine possible mechanisms involved whereby LNCaP cell proliferation ability was inhibited. Nannyberry extract treatment of LNCaP cells showed statistically significant, dose dependent reductions in cell viability. Protein expression levels of key proliferation linked activities were assessed. Western blot analysis of polyamine biosynthesis & catabolism linked proteins revealed a significant decrease in ornithine decarboxylase & S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, antizyme & spermine spermidine Nacetyltransferase protein expression levels with an increase in polyamine oxidase protein expression levels. A significant decrease in ribonucleotide reductase protein expression levels also occurred in response to nannyberry extract. Nannyberry extract was also shown to affect the expression of key proteins in many cellular signaling pathways including the MAPK , PI3K-Akt, NFκB and AP1 pathways. Additionally, nannyberry extract has been shown to cause significant changes in protein expression levels of key proteins associated with apoptosis including changes in caspase 8 and caspase 3
expression. Nannyberry extract is therefore able to affect the proliferation of LNCaP prostate cancer cells in vitro by altering the expression of key proliferation-linked activities and alters the expression of key apoptosis-linked proteins. These novel results suggest that nannyberry fruits may prove to be effective chemoprotective and /or chemopreventative agents against human prostate cancer.


title: The Successful Transitions Initiative: Youth Skills Development Programming and How At-risk High School Participants Report Impact to Academic Success and Dropout Outcomes

contributor: Campbell, Barbara (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: MacLellan, Debbie (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Montelpare, William (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Campbell, Barbara (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: MacLellan, Debbie (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Moran, James (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Linkletter, Barry (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 137 application/pdf

abstract: People who fail to attain a high school education face a multitude of risk factors associated with health, employment, crime, substance abuse, and their personal lives. The Successful Transitions Initiative on Prince Edward Island, a unique program targeting youth at-risk of dropping out of high school, teaches the youth basic skills in hopes of improving their academic outcomes. Skills development programs with similar mandates and curriculum are growing in popularity across Canada. It is important that the impact of these programs be understood to ensure they are affecting the participants positively and to improve program delivery. A case study was completed to understand the impact of the Successful Transitions Initiative. Pre and post-test survey data and post intervention focus group data were analysed to measure the 2017 Successful Transitions Initiative participant-reported outcomes of the program. The participants reported improved communication skills, pride and a sense of accomplishment, higher levels of selfconfidence, self-actualization, internal locus of control, increased school engagement, and newly formed positive relationships. The Successful Transitions Initiative case study also revealed trends that support a relationship between the magnitude and the longevity of the effect. Limitations of this study unearthed recommendations for future research designs and methods.


title: A serological survey and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit of Ringed seals (Nattiit) in Frobisher Bay, Nunavut

contributor: Daoust, Pierre-Yves (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Jones, Megan (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Martinson, Shannon (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Kutz, Susan (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Kibenge, Fred (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Raab, Oriana (Supervisory Committee Member)

contributor: Jones, Megan (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Daoust, Pierre-Yves (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Rodriguez, Juan Carlos (Examination Committee Member)

contributor: Raab, Oriana (Examination Committee Member)

format: electronic 113 application/pdf

abstract:
Ringed seals, or nattiit in Inuktitut, continue to provide as a food staple for Nunavummiut, and the need for monitoring the health of the seal remains important. Seals in other regions, such as nattiit in the Baltic Sea, Hawaiian Monk seals, and California sea lions have been negatively impacted by disease-causing pathogens, making serosurveys important for monitoring seal health. Additionally, nattiit have been known to contribute high heavy metal content for Nunavik Inuit based on frequency of consumption. This leads to the question: are nattiit safe to eat based on pathogens and heavy metals? This thesis will frame the project around Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, which is Inuit knowledge surrounding the nattiq (ringed seals singular), including seal health, and changes in abundance over time.

A serological survey was conducted on 55 nattiit for five pathogens: Brucella canis and abortus, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, Leptospira interrogans, and Toxoplasma gondii. A digestion assay was used to test tongue and diaphragm samples for Trichinella larvae. Interviews were conducted with nine Local Knowledge Holders (LKH) to gather concerns about nattiq health, research interests and Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit. The interviews were based on nine semi-structured open-ended questions centred on nattiq health and food practices. Six main themes were identified from the interviews: age
preference, seal abundance, illness in seals, methods of inspection, eating seal, and harp seals.

All but two seals were deemed safe for consumption by the hunters. Thirty seals were young-of-the-year, 10 were juvenile (over one-year-old), 11 were adults, and four were of unknown age. Twenty-six seals were female, 21 were male, and eight were of unknown sex. All tested seals were negative for Brucella canis, and 20.5% (nine of 44) were seropositive for B. abortus. Of 52 seals tested for Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae (21%) were seropositive. All tested seals were negative for Leptospira interrogans serovars Canicola and Hardjo, with 61.5% (27 of 44) positive for serovar Bratislava, 4.5% (two of 44) for serovar Grippotyphosa, 90.9% (40 of 44) for serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae, and 22.7% (ten of 44) for serovar Pomona . The seroprevalence for Toxoplasma gondii was 9.8% (five of 51). All tested samples were negative for Trichinella. There were no significant associations between age classes and
seroprevalence for all of the serological results. The only significant association between sex and seroprevalence was for Erysipelothrix (males > females); all others had no significant associations. Based on the serological results and digestion assay, this research did not identify any major health concerns for harvested nattiit or Inuit who continue to harvest them. Further testing to verify presence of all four pathogens detected from the serological results would be needed to identify risks and confirm which pathogens are actually present in the harvested nattiit of Frobisher Bay. Additionally, the results of this
study are applicable to only the harvested nattiit population of Frobisher Bay.