identifier: Stokes, William <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Stokes=3AWilliam=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Incidence and outcomes of Staphylococcus aureus Bacteriuria: a population-based study.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Background
Our objective was to describe S. aureus bacteriuria (SABU) at a population-based level and determine patient characteristics associated with S. aureus bacteremia (SAB).
Methods
A retrospective study was performed using electronic databases. All urine cultures positive for S. aureus between 2010-2013 within the Calgary Health Zone were included. Patient characteristics were compared among patients with and without SAB and risk factors identified using multiple logistic regression modelling.
Results
A total of 2540 urine cultures positive for S. aureus from 2054 patients were analyzed. The incidence of SABU was greatest amongst geriatric males with multiple comorbidities. 175 (6.9%) of the cohort had SAB. Those with concurrent SAB were more likely to be hospitalized, male, have a recent urinary procedure, have pure S. aureus culture in urine and have laboratory findings suggesting systemic infection. In-hospital mortality in patients with SABU and SABU + SAB was 9.2% and 17.5%, respectively. Patients with SABU detected ≥48 hours before SAB had the highest risk of death.
Conclusions
Less than 7% of patients with SABU have or will develop SAB. Characteristics associated with SABU were identified that established higher risk for systemic infection. Investigating SABU patients with these characteristics for systemic infection is warranted since a delay in diagnosis is associated with increased mortality.


identifier: Saha, Diponkar <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Saha=3ADiponkar=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Numerical modelling of submarine landslide impact on offshore free-spanning pipelines.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

type: Thesis NonPeerReviewed

abstract:
Offshore pipelines are one of the most efficient and reliable modes of transportation of oil and gas. In shallow water conditions, the common practice is to bury the pipeline through trenching and backfilling. However, in deep water environments, pipeline burial through trenching is not very practical or cost-effective; therefore, the pipelines are often laid on the seafloor. Depending upon topography and seafloor environments, sections of as-laid (or surface-laid) pipelines might transform into the free-spanning pipeline. The suspended section of the pipeline might experience the impact of submarine landslides those frequently occur in continental slopes. The impact of debris flow, which originates from submarine landslides and travels in the downslope direction at high speed, might cause severe damage and even break out of these pipelines.
Quantifying the impact forces on free-spanning pipeline sections is one of the key requirements in the design. In the present study, debris flow impact is numerically modelled using two software packages: (i) Abaqus finite element (FE) and (ii) ANSYS CFX based on a Computation Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach. Implementing appropriate models for soil and water together with new approaches for modeling pipe–soil–water interface behaviour, the process of impact, including soft clay flow around the pipe, is successfully simulated using the above-mentioned approaches. Overall, the modelling of this large deformation process is computationally expensive. However, the CFD approach in ANSYS CFX is more computationally efficient than the Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) approach in Abaqus FE software. The role of free-water suction in the channel behind the pipe, the effects of seabed shear strength and gap between pipeline and seabed on drag force are investigated. The drag force depends on not only the shear strength of the debris but also soil flow mechanisms around the pipe, which is influenced by the gap and seabed shear strength.


identifier: Martin, Craig Titus <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Martin=3ACraig_Titus=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Investigation on the transient added mass of sheet ice.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The experimental study investigates the transient added mass of model ice floes accelerated horizontally along the free surface. The models were accelerated by one of two means: (1) a mass and pulley system to apply a step-wise force, and (2) a spring-powered cannon to apply an impulsive impact force. The kinematics of the models were obtained using high-speed image tracking and an accelerometer sensor. For the step force experiment, four ice shapes consisting of a disk and three irregular circumscribed polygons were tested at three levels of applied load. Equivalent added mass was calculated by applying Newton's Second Law. For the impulsive impact experiment, only the disk was tested using three impact velocities. Conservation of Momentum was used to estimate the mass of the fluid accelerated with the model. Frequency domain calculations were also completed using panel-method based software for comparison of the results.


identifier: Dinesh, O. Chandani <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Dinesh=3AO=2E_Chandani=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Arginine metabolism and creatine biosynthesis in Yucatan miniature piglets.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Creatine and creatine phosphate are amino acid-derived compounds that are necessary to meet short-term energy requirements. Creatine is a potent neuromodulator such that it is critical for neurological development in neonates. Neonates receive creatine in mother's milk. However, up to 77% of the daily creatine requirement must be synthesized endogenously. Creatine synthesis involves the conversion of arginine to guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) via L-arginine:glycine amidinotransferase (AGAT). The subsequent conversion of GAA to creatine requires methionine and guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase (GAMT). Following preterm birth, total parenteral nutrition (PN) is often required as a means of nutritional support. However, creatine is not a component of pediatric PN. In this situation, the entire creatine requirement must be met by de novo synthesis which consequently must create considerable demand for the amino acid precursors. Poor arginine status is common in neonates during PN, and this may compromise optimal creatine accretion. In this thesis, the capacity of the neonatal piglet to synthesize creatine was addressed, particularly when dietary creatine was not supplied. The data from first experiment demonstrated that PN support with creatine led to greater creatine concentrations in plasma and tissues, suggesting that neonates receiving PN may not be able to sustain optimal creatine accretion. The second major objective of this thesis was to investigate whether the low creatine accretion in piglets fed creatine-free diets was due to limited enzyme capacity or limited substrate availability. Using a multiple isotope tracer method, we determined that inadequate dietary arginine and methionine, not enzyme capacity, limits GAA and creatine biosynthesis. Lastly, because we measured high AGAT activity in kidney and pancreas, we investigated how the plasma concentrations of precursor amino acids (arginine/citrulline) and creatine affected the release of GAA and creatine from these organs as well as from the intestine. We determined both arginine and citrulline can provide precursors for renal GAA synthesis. However, in the pancreas and intestine, citrulline cannot provide arginine to serve as a precursor for GAA. Overall, the results of this thesis clearly demonstrate that dietary concentrations of arginine and methionine are important mediators of creatine synthesis; the absence of dietary creatine, such as during PN feeding, must be taken into consideration when determining dietary requirements of neonates.


identifier: Pallegar, Nikitha K. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Pallegar=3ANikitha_K=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2018) Regulation of breast cancer biomarkers by intrinsic and extrinsic factors.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Cancer metastases are accountable for almost 90% of all human cancer-related deaths including breast cancer (BC). BC is the most common cancer among Canadian women, with one in four women diagnosed per year. BC is a heterogenous disease and is broadly classified into Luminal A (estrogen/progesterone receptor (ER/PR)⁺), Luminal B (ER/PR⁺ and human epidermal growth receptor 2⁺ (HER2⁺)), HER2⁺, and triple negative breast cancer (TNBC, ER-/PR-/HER2⁻). BC heterogeneity and progression are primarily dependent on intrinsic factors such as genetic or epigenetic changes to genes that regulate cell growth and proliferation. In addition, extrinsic factors such as, the extracellular matrix and adipocytes in the surrounding microenvironment contribute to cancer progression and initiation of metastasis. Therefore, the main aim of this thesis was to analyze the contribution of some of the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that regulate BC progression. One known intrinsic factor is CD24; a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored surface glycoprotein that can regulate proliferation and apoptosis of various cell types. Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs), which can initiate tumor formation, maintain tumor heterogeneity, have high invasive properties, and favor metastasis, have low CD24 expression. Moreover, drug treatment of TNBC tumors can cause a switch from CD24⁺ to CD24⁻ and vice versa exhibiting differential drug resistance in these patients. In order to better understand the role of CD24, I first analyzed the CD24 gene, and found that the sequence of the mature peptide, but not the genomic structure is conserved over 200 million years. Next, I studied the regulation of CD24 expression by the oncogenic Ras pathway and found that Ras is essential for suppression of CD24 surface expression. Extrinsic factors, such as adipocytes, can also contribute to BC progression and metastasis. To study this, I developed a 3-dimensional co-culture system to mimic the in vivo interactions between BC cells and adipocytes. I found that adipocytes promote a mesenchymal-to-epithelial-like transition in BC cells suggesting that secondary tumour formation might be promoted by adipocytes. Overall, these data will aid in understanding the intrinsic and extrinsic factors that should be considered in the future development of combination drug treatments to successfully cure BC.


identifier: Rottenecker, Benedikt <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Rottenecker=3ABenedikt=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Time and succession: Plotinus' conception of time as a cosmological principle in Ennead III.7.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
This thesis argues that Plotinus differentiates between time, which he identifies
with the dispersive contemplation of Soul, and temporality, which is the ontological
structure of sensible Nature. In the refutation of his predecessors, Plotinus
shows why this distinction must be upheld: first, it ensures the conceptual consistency
of the theory of time by taking into consideration that time must be prior to
motion; second, the distinction between time and temporality ensures the ontological
unity of time by removing time from the realm of dispersed phenomena and
giving it the status of a principle of temporal phenomenality.
Because time thereby mediates between the creative Soul and created phenomena,
it takes on a vital role in the continuity of the emanation, the procession
of Being. By relating the higher creative part and the lower created part of Soul
time sits at the node of Soul‘s twofoldness and thereby ensures a continuous emanation
of sensible Nature from the higher principles.


identifier: Karim, Md Mostafijul <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Karim=3AMd_Mostafijul=3A=3A.html>   (2019) A mathematical model for fractured reservoirs using anomalous diffusion and multi-continuum approach.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: An accurate analysis of the characteristic behavior of a fractured reservoir is challenging due to the complex reservoir formation; furthermore, the irregular flow patterns in the discrete domains add to the computational complicacy. The study aims to develop a mathematical model for the fractured reservoir through the utilization of the anomalous diffusion approach and the multi-continuum approach. Firstly, the study reviews both the concepts in details to make a better understanding of the limitations, formulations and the application criteria. A comparative study is done to determine the relative impacts of two approaches in the reservoir at different flow periods. Consequently, a linear model is developed for the reservoir flow towards a hydraulically fractured horizontal well at the transient condition. The derivation considers a modified tri-linear model with different arrangements of the matrix and fractures. The solution is derived in the Laplace domain, and numerically it is inverted to the real-time domain by the Stehfest algorithm. The study shows that the continuum-based approaches differ for the different fracture network, inter-flow condition, continuum-number, and the interface transfer function whereas the anomalous diffusion approach captures the heterogeneity of the reservoir by the fractional time or space derivative. The evidence from the comparative study suggests that a combination of the continuum approach and the anomalous diffusion is recommended as an alternative approach for the modelling of fluid flow in a fractured reservoir. In the developed model, the influence of the super-diffusion in the hydraulic fracture is remarkable as it alters the pressure response during the whole life of the reservoir. However, the sub-diffusion impact increases with the time and is significant at the late stage. The study also shows that Macro-fracture permeability regulates the pressure drop in the reservoir as it is the primary conduit in the inner reservoir. The combination of the approaches and the logical distribution of the flow conditions are shown as the better alternative to the conventional method.


identifier: Senadeera, Prageeth <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Senadeera=3APrageeth=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Sensitivity analysis of a state space fish stock assessment model compared to conventional approaches.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Surplus production models provide simple analytical methods of assessing ﬁsh populations by taking the annual biomass, the growth rate and the carrying capacity into account. However, these simple models may not adequately reﬂect ﬁsh stock dynamics that can be substantially more complex with age and length speciﬁc birth, growth, and death processes at play. To account for this, process errors can be included in the production model in a state-space modelling framework, which is used frequently in ecological modelling in recent years. In this study, we compare the sensitivity of estimators of state-space and conventional non-linear production models (without process errors) using both the traditional case deletion diagnostic method and the local inﬂuence analysis method introduced by R.D. Cook, 1986 [12]. We apply these diagnostics to diﬀerent ﬁsh stocks to assess how estimated parameters respond to small perturbations of the data.


identifier: Clarke, Courtney <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Clarke=3ACourtney=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Investigating the use of restorative justice circle process in individualized education plan meetings.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Parent satisfaction with Individualized Education Plan meetings varies widely. To improve parent satisfaction, the literature recommends improving parent involvement. Restorative justice circle process seeks to accomplish this by emphasising the value of individuals. Though circle process has been used in education, to my knowledge, it has not been used with parent-teacher conferences. During this study, restorative justice circle process was implemented in an IEP meeting and data was gathered before, during and after this meeting through semi-structured interviews. The focus of this research was parental perspective relating to this new approach to school-parent collaboration. It was determined that circle process allowed the creation of a space where relationship bonds were strengthened, power sharing occurred, and true collaboration was possible between parents and school staff.


identifier: Nugent, Jenese Meloney <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Nugent=3AJenese_Meloney=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Examining factors related to diagnostic outcomes in shortness of breath patients with prescribed inhaler medications.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Over 10% of deaths are attributed to lung disease. Of these, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD) are of significant global health concern. They are the two main obstructive airway diseases (OADs) associated with shortness of breath (SOB) symptoms and accounting for over 70% of patients presenting to the family physician (FPs) or requiring breathing relief. Underdiagnoses or over-diagnosis of asthma and COPD are common in SOB patients. Recent studies have reported these as widespread misdiagnoses in family practice. Many patients with SOB symptoms presenting to their FPs are often treated with inhaled medications and sometimes without proper diagnostic workup. Pulmonary function testing (PFT) along with physical examination and patient history are recommended by the international guidelines including the Canadian Thoracic Society guideline to objectively assist in the diagnosis, differentiation, and categorization of those with OADs for proper management.
The primary objectives of this thesis are: 1) to examine care-gap in physician-diagnosed asthma and COPD in family practice (Study 1 in Chapter 3), and 2) to delineate factors associated with increased risk of spirometrically-derived diagnosis of asthma, COPD, and the overlap syndrome or ACOS in community patients with SOB symptoms and prescribed inhalers from FPs using pulmonary function testing (PFT) (Study #2 in Chapter 4). Understanding care gaps in clinical and individual patient’s factors which are associated with a proper diagnosis or misdiagnosis of asthma and COPD in SOB patients will help FPs improve the treatment and management of community patients with SOB symptoms.


identifier: Wicks, Heidi <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Wicks=3AHeidi=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Melt.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

title: Melt

abstract:
Melt shifts between two girls who come of age together during two economically
turbulent times - the late ‘90s and present-day - in St. John's, Newfoundland. The women
navigate break-ups, tanning beds, spray tans, drifting desires, at least one kid with a raisin up his nose, drunken dancing, infidelity, death, sex in Middle Cove, job loss at the CBC and love loss at the Avalon Mall. Through the pockets of their maddening but beloved city, their friendships and relationships are tested, but their brazen humour and deep-rooted friendship helps them ice-pick through the winter sludge and spring muck and get them through until it’s summer once more.


identifier: Lavers, Laura <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Lavers=3ALaura=3A=3A.html>   (2018) Improving prostate cancer survivorship: building community partnerships through physical activity.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Background: Physical activity (PA) has been shown to improve prostate cancer
survivors physical functioning and quality of life (QoL). Purpose: To investigate the
impact of a community-based PA program on the QoL, fitness, fatigue, strength, and
physical functioning of prostate cancer survivors, with a secondary purpose to examine
the program’s feasibility and sustainability. Methods: PROFit, a 12-week communitybased,
supervised PA program was developed by reviewing the current PA and cancer
literature, and through establishing partnerships with a cancer care program, community
fitness facility, and university. Specifically, 15 prostate cancer survivors and their
partners (N=4) were recruited to take part in the PA program, which consisted of strength
(i.e., circuit training) and aerobic training. Survivors QoL, fatigue, prostate cancer
specific symptoms, physical functioning, and PA levels were assessed at baseline, six and
12-weeks. Program attendance and cost were recorded to determine feasibility and
sustainability. Satisfaction surveys were administered to participants and partners at six
and 12-weeks. Results: One-way repeated measures analysis of variance found
significant increases in lower body strength across all time points and flexibility from
baseline to 12 weeks. No significant improvements were found in upper body strength,
agility, aerobic fitness, weekly moderate-vigorous PA, QoL, and fatigue; however, nonsignificant
increases in participant upper body strength, weekly moderate-vigorous PA,
and agility were noted. Participants and partners reported a high level of satisfaction with
the program, and program attendance and intervention costs were satisfactory.
Conclusion: The PROFit program had a positive impact on prostate cancer survivorship.
Due to the lack of evidence surrounding community-based PA programs in prostate
cancer survivors, the PROFit program delivers valuable insight into the collaboration
between hospitals, universities and community centers to provide prostate cancer
survivors with a resource for improving survivorship (i.e., QoL, physical functioning)
following treatment.


identifier: Mick, Erin <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Mick=3AErin=3A=3A.html>   (2019) "As if she had been actually born free": understanding manumission, self-purchase, and freedom in 19th century Bermuda.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Despite its significant role since the early 17th century as a maritime center of the Atlantic economy, Bermuda and its role in the slave trade, particularly in the illicit slave trade after 1807, have been left largely unexplored by historians of enslavement. Those few histories, and historic travel accounts, which do focus on Bermuda tend to associate its small size, maritime economy, relatively low reported rate of severe physical punishment of slaves, and the rough parity of white and black demography, with a benign or mitigated reality of enslavement compared to other areas of the slaveholding world.
After cataloguing and analyzing documents from the Colonial Secretary’s Books of Miscellany, held by the Bermuda National Archives, the volume of manumission and self-purchase records alone could easily make for an argument that bolsters the previous historiography of benignity. However, through discussing a number of case studies drawn from the Books of Miscellany, new perspectives on 19th century understandings of freedom and slavery bubble to the surface. This thesis aims to broach the topics of manumission, self-purchase, and slave-owner negotiation in an effort to reveal the sheer complexity of how freedom was understood, used, negotiated, upheld, withheld, and performed by Bermudians, both black and white, both slave and free, in the final three decades leading up to Emancipation in 1834.


identifier: Eledi, Seth Bomangsaan <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Eledi=3ASeth_Bomangsaan=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Examining policy implementation gaps in source water protection in Newfoundland and Labrador.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Source water protection (SWP) has gained importance in the literature related to water resources, with the general knowledge that drinking water sources can be more easily, economically and safely guarded from pollution through SWP than by remedying water sources after they have been contaminated. In addition to the actions of citizens, SWP requires policy commitments from government including regulatory activity. However, results of prior studies have suggested that gaps exist between policy and regulations and the reality of practices in communities of rural Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). Previous studies suggest that these gaps are due to the limitations in various kinds capacity at both local and provincial levels but suggest that further research is needed to better understand these limitations within the NL context.
This research sought to identify the key factors in the context of NL that deter implementation of SWP measures and to explore options for addressing these factors. In particular barriers to implementation were examined using a four part capacity framework, including: institutional, technical/human, financial and social capacities. Data collection methods included document review, reanalysis of survey data and telephone interviews across six case study communities with varied levels of compliance to SWP policies and regulations. Data analysis was done through categorization and coding using Nvivo software followed by pattern analysis.
As suggested in past research, areas of concern identified in this study include monitoring activities within protected water supply areas, uncertified drinking water operators, and limited watershed planning, because of limitations in local government’s ability to implement their SWP responsibilities under provincial regulations and policy. The study found deficiencies in all four capacity categories and contributes to enhancing the understanding of these challenges within SWP policy implementation and drinking water management in rural NL. Finally, the study’s recommendation for addressing implementation gaps in SWP policy and regulations in NL include: adequate financial support for SWP; expanded communication, education and awareness initiatives; increased community involvement and participation and collaboration among the various actors involved, and strengthening monitoring and enforcement efforts.


identifier: Marrah, Aimen <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Marrah=3AAimen=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Simulating of erosion modeling using ANSYS fluid dynamics.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The micromechanical process of solid particle erosion can be affected by a number of factors, including impact angle, flow geometry, and particle size and shape. Erosion can also be affected by fluid properties, flow conditions, and the material comprising the impact surface. Of these several different potential impacting factors, the most critical ones for initiating erosion are particle size and matter, carrier phase viscosity, pipe diameter, velocity, and total flow rate of the second phase. Three turbulence models which are heavily dependent on flow velocities and fluid properties in their environment are k-epsilon (k-ε), k-omega (k-ω) and The Shear Stress Transport Model (sst). More extreme erosion generally occurs in gas-solid flow for geometries which experience rapid alterations in flow direction (e.g., in valves and tees) because of unstable flow and local turbulence. The present study provides results from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations that feature dilute water-solid flows in complex pipelines, highlighting the dynamic behavior displayed by the flows’ entrained solid particles. Specifically, the impact of fluid velocities in relation to erosion location is tested on sand particles measuring 10, 70, 100 and 200 microns. For the CFD analysis testing, liquid velocities of 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 m/s are applied. The difference is evident between velocities of 20 m/s and 40 m/s, giving an erosion rate of 1.73 x10⁻⁴ kg/m².s and 2.11x10⁻³ kg/m².s, respectively, when the particle solid is 200


identifier: Larivee, Patrice <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Larivee=3APatrice=3A=3A.html>   (2019) On being two-spirited in Eeyou Istchee.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

title: On being two-spirited in Eeyou Istchee

abstract:
Two-Spirited people were traditionally considered gifted individuals among the First
Nations of Canada and held respectful positions within their society. Colonization and the
introduction of religious doctrines caused a paradigm shift of their traditional beliefs,
especially in regard to sexual orientation and gender identity. Little is known about the
Two-Spirited people still living in reservations and the challenges they face in their life
journey. This phenomenological study explored the lived experience of being a Two-
Spirited person in the actual Cree communities of James Bay, Quebec. Giorgi’s (1985)
method was used to identify significant themes arising from the collected narratives of ten
participants. Data analysis revealed a migratory path divided in four themes: (1) I Am
Different, (2) It Was War, (3) I Had to Run Away, and (4) I Wanted to Go Home. The
findings can inform health care service providers and program developers on the unique
challenges facing Two-Spirited individuals in order to adapt their professional practice
and propose interventions that are culturally congruent.


identifier: Grüll, Marc <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Gr=FCll=3AMarc=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Transcriptomic studies of the bacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Rhodobacter capsulatus is a purple, non-sulfur alpha-proteobacterium that is studied for different aspects of physiology and its ability to produce the bacteriophage like particle called gene transfer agent (RcGTA). These particles are capable of transferring ~4 kb of random host DNA to other R. capsulatus through a process analogous to transduction. The genes that encode the RcGTA particles are located in a region of ~15 kb called the RcGTA structural gene cluster. The exact regulatory mechanisms involved in the production of RcGTA remain elusive. I investigated the regulation of GTA regulatory genes on a global scale using next generation sequencing methods. I performed investigations to analyse small RNA (sRNA) sequences genome-wide using RNA sequencing. I compared an R. capsulatus wild-type strain to a ctrA null mutant due to previous studies that suggested the global response regulator CtrA might controll a sRNA that regulates RcGTA gene expression. Using the latest bioinformatic approach, 422 putative sRNAs were detected in R. capsulatus during early stationary phase. To get a more detailed insight into the expression of the RcGTA structural gene cluster I performed total RNA sequencing on a RcGTA overproducer mutant strain of R. capsulatus. The previously developed differential RNA sequencing (dRNA-seq) protocol, which can distinguish between primary and processed transcripts, has been modified to identify transcription start sites (TSS) and to predict transcription termination sites (TTS). The combination of total RNA and 5’ -3’ specific sequencing data allowed for the prediction of transcriptional units and to analyze operon complexity in R. capsulatus. The analysis revealed a complex operon architecture, similar to other bacterial species, with operons having multiple TSS and TTS, genomic regions of high transcriptional activity and novel transcripts. Finally, to gain further insight into how RcGTA-associated genes affect each other, I performed qPCR experiments on eight RcGTA-associated genes within and outside of the RcGTA structural gene cluster and within five different R. capsulatus mutant strains. The results indicate that the absence of any one of the known and putative GTA regulators investigated can have effects on the transcription of GTA loci.


identifier: Messer, Sarah <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Messer=3ASarah=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Kant's substance, ether, and moving forces of matter.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: I will examine Kant's argument that, as a necessary condition of possible experience of the constantly changing physical world, there must be something which is always in existence of which all substances and changes are merely determinations. I will first examine Kant's writings on substance in the first analogy of experience form Critique of Pure Reason. I will then examine interaction in the third analogy, the Metaphysical Foundations of Natural Science, and Physical Geography. Then, I will examine Kant's conception of ether in Opus Postumum showing that it should be understood as the always persisting material that Kant has in mind when he writes about substance and interaction. Expanding on his conceptions of substance and community in the Critique of Pure Reason, I will argue that Kant's ether proofs are a necessary addition to his Analogies of Experience in the Critique of Pure Reason.


identifier: Kamil, Mohammad Zaid <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Kamil=3AMohammad_Zaid=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Dynamic risk assessment of process facilities using advanced probabilistic approaches.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
A process accident can escalate into a chain of accidents, given the degree of congestion
and complex arrangement of process equipment and pipelines. To prevent a chain of
accidents, (called the domino effect), detailed assessments of risk and appropriate safety
measures are required. The present study investigates available techniques and develops
an integrated method to analyze evolving process accident scenarios, including the domino
effect. The work presented here comprises two main contributions: a) a predictive model
for process accident analysis using imprecise and incomplete information, and b) a
predictive model to assess the risk profile of domino effect occurrence. A brief description
of each is presented below.
In recent years the Bayesian network (BN) has been used to model accident causation and
its evolution. Though widely used, conventional BN suffers from two major uncertainties,
data and model uncertainties. The former deals with the used of evidence theory while the
latter uses canonical probabilistic models.
High interdependencies of chemical infrastructure makes it prone to the domino effect.
This demands an advanced approach to monitor and manage the risk posed by the domino
effect is much needed. Given the dynamic nature of the domino effect, the monitoring and
modelling methods need to be continuous time-dependent. A Generalized Stochastic Petrinet
(GSPN) framework was chosen to model the domino effect. It enables modelling of an
accident propagation pattern as the domino effect. It also enables probability analysis to
estimate risk profile, which is of vital importance to design effective safety measures.


identifier: Proudfoot, Beatrice <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Proudfoot=3ABeatrice=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Integrating benthic habitat mapping and seascape ecology into marine conservation prioritization.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Advances in seafloor mapping have allowed for the production of fine-scale seafloor landscape (i.e., benthoscape) maps that are analogous to terrestrial land cover maps, providing the foundation for assessing the spatial configuration of seafloor habitat patches. While many species rely on large, well-connected patches for foraging and migration, variability in patch size and configuration can be difficult to incorporate into Marine Protected Area (MPA) design. In this thesis, I developed a novel method that considers the spatial arrangement of benthic habitat patches in MPA design. I applied the approach to the Eastport MPA and surrounding region in Newfoundland, Canada by first quantifying the composition and configuration of the benthoscape using multibeam echosounder, seafloor video surveys, and patch size and connectivity metrics. Using a reserve design algorithm, I then compared outputs that included and excluded the prioritization of benthoscape connectivity. The approach presented in this thesis results in the preferential selection of large patches within the home-range of a given species, which can be important for reducing fragmentation in conservation prioritization solutions and better supporting species and ecological processes. This approach offers potential benefits for the conservation of coastal and marine regions by increasing our understanding of how we can incorporate broad scale patterns into on-the-ground conservation decision making.


identifier: Devine, Brynn M. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Devine=3ABrynn_M=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Ecological biogeography of deap-sea fishes within eastern Canadian and Arctic frontier areas.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The lack of deep-sea sampling – particularly through in-situ observations - limits our understanding of factors that influence deep-sea fish distributions and the relative importance of different habitats in the deep ocean. Through five research cruises sampling multiple marine ecoregions, data presented in this dissertation offer novel insight into benthic and mesopelagic fish assemblages in the Northwest Atlantic and Canadian Arctic, improving knowledge of fish distributions and their environmental drivers. Over 200 hrs of baited camera video footage were analyzed from remote regions in the eastern Canadian Arctic to detect significant differences in fish and invertebrate assemblages among regions. Patterns were attributed to variations in depth and temperature, and validated the utility of using baited cameras to detect the presence of benthic taxa when deployed over fine-grain sediments, requiring fewer deployments compared to fishing gear. These videos yielded the first fisheries-independent estimates of Greenland shark local abundances in Arctic waters, visually identifying 142 individuals and exploring potential extrapolated densities using an established theoretical abundance model. Remotely-operated vehicle transects along the Flemish Cap and Orphan Seamount covering a distance of 55 km documented over 6,900 fish-habitat observations, comprising at least 45 taxa. Fishes were not randomly distributed, with unique assemblages defined by depth zones and particular complex physical and biological habitats. In the pelagos, fish assemblages are largely shaped by changes in hydrography and large-scale oceanographic features. Examination of over 6,000 fishes collected from mid-water trawls along transects through anti-cyclonic eddies in the North Atlantic eddy field revealed distinct assemblages inside eddy waters, as well as significant differences between upper- and mid-mesopelagic sampled depths. Together these results contribute new data on fish distributions and habitat associations in three remote, understudied deep environments.


identifier: Bamdad, Hanieh <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Bamdad=3AHanieh=3A=3A.html>   (2019) A theoretical and experimental study on biochar as an adsorbent for removal of acid gases (CO₂ and H₂S).  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Biochar, a carbon-rich material that is obtained from forestry wood residues through thermochemical conversion in the absence of oxygen (i.e. pyrolysis), is a potential alternative to commercial adsorbents for acid gas treatment. Acid gases (CO₂ and H₂S) are present in landfill gases, fossil fuel gases, and mining operations. These gases must be treated to improve environmental safety and limit operational issues such as pipeline corrosion. Common processes for removal of acidic gases from landfill, flue, and natural gas streams include amine absorption processes, which are energy and space intensive due to required regeneration, and solid adsorbents (which can be costly to produce and dispose of). In this work, CO₂ adsorption using biochar as a solid adsorbent was investigated. Use of biochar as an adsorbent for acid gas removal is relatively novel. The specific objectives included; characterize the biochar structure (i.e. chemical, physical, and morphological) through a series of analyses; determine the operating conditions for obtaining maximum adsorption capacity; modify the biochar surface to determine impact on adsorption; and develop a molecular model to simulate the adsorption process to determine if it can be used as a tool in experimental design. Chapter one gives an overview of the conceptual framework of acid gas purification and outlines the objectives, the scopes, and the significance of this study along with a summary of the thesis chapters. Chapter two provides a literature review to identify different types of biochar production methods, reaction conditions (e.g. temperature and residence time), and woody biomass as one of possible feedstock materials. The biochar was compared with commercial adsorbents and the results indicated biochar could be used as a feasible alternative to activated carbon as it is environmentally friendly and a low-cost adsorbent. In addition, the impact of production conditions on biochar properties were investigated and it was found that carbon, hydrogen content, and surface area were significantly affected by pyrolytic temperature. The reported isotherms in the literature were compared and the Freundlich isotherm was the best fit with the biochar. The application of molecular modeling to describe adsorption process and different simulation methods were studied. The biochar for this research was produced from three different woody biomasses: softwood (sawdust and bark (Balsam fir)) and hardwood (Ash wood) through fast pyrolysis at 400-500⁰C and then compared in terms of chemical and physical properties in chapter three. Chapter four looks at the impact of three operating conditions, temperature, inlet feed flow rate, and CO₂ concentration, on biochar adsorption capacity and the interaction of these parameters were evaluated using response surface methodology. The operating conditions for maximizing CO₂ uptake were determined and the Freundlich isotherm best represented the equilibrium adsorption and the pseudo first-order was selected as a kinetic model. Thermodynamic analysis indicated the adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic. Further, we found that biochar derived from “waste” materials had better adsorption capacity relative to commercial zeolite. Chapter five describes chemical modification of the biochar using two novel methods of amine functionalization and the maximum adsorption capacity was measured at the conditions obtained in chapter four. The results indicated functionalization decreased the pore volume, surface area, and subsequently the adsorption capacity of the biochar. In order to enhance capacity, the biochars (unmodified and chemically modified) were thermally activated via air diluted with nitrogen at a moderate 560⁰C. Some nitrogen functionality retained in the biochar structure even after activation. The synthesized N-enriched biochar followed by thermal activation was found to have much higher adsorption capacity as compared with commercially available activated carbon (Norit CA1) and recent carbon based adsorbents in the literature. Chapter six is dedicated to molecular modeling and linking the experimental results with simulations. The effect of various functional groups on adsorption of CO₂/H₂S on biochar surface was investigated. It was found that the presence of functional groups promotes CO₂ adsorption on the surface with exothermic adsorption energy. As expected, the DFT calculations showed amine functional groups enhanced CO₂ adsorption with more exothermic adsorption likely because of stronger bonding compared to other functional groups. The thermodynamic outcomes (Enthalpy and Gibbs free energy) validated that the affinity of the chars for CO₂ is on the same order of magnitude as H₂S. The simulated thermodynamic parameters and IR vibrational frequencies were calculated and both showed reasonable agreement with experimental results (chapter four and five). The results of this study would be helpful for developing future work, on the scale-up of the adsorption system, further modification of the biochar, CO₂ sequestration, regeneration, and atomic-level design of carbon surfaces.


identifier: Butler, Lesley Victoria <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Butler=3ALesley_Victoria=3A=3A.html>   (2018) "People make films about themselves": race, identity, and (re)writing history in Julie Dash's Illusions (1983) and Daughters Of The Dust (1991).  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
This thesis explores how history is (re)written alongside representations of race,
place, and the “self” in Julie Dash's films Illusions (1983) and Daughters of the Dust
(1991). Although Dash was the first Black American female filmmaker to have a feature
film released theatrically in the United States, her work is often left out of traditional
narratives of film history, signaling the continuation of racism and sexism in the
mainstream film industry. Through a close analysis of Dash’s films, and her role in the
Black independent film movement, I argue that Dash’s narrative approach creatively
blends history, myth, and auto/biography, and thus works to reimagine, redefine, and
rewrite the history of Black Americans. In an attempt to reinscribe Dash as a significant
figure in U.S. history, this thesis puts Dash’s work in conversation with writers and
thinkers from such fields as film studies, literature, and Black geographies, allowing for
an interdisciplinary analysis of race, place, and Black feminist subjectivity in Dash's
pivotal films.


identifier: Ball, Jillian Diane <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Ball=3AJillian_Diane=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Teacher readiness: teacher attitudes, opinions and perspectives towards facilitating positive mental health in the classroom.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Teachers require the skills and knowledge to recognize signs and symptoms of mental health problems, have knowledge about referral to appropriate services, and know how to support mental health in their classrooms. This mixed methods study examined teachers’ perceptions of the need for mental health training, provided an opportunity to engage in a Mental Health Literacy (MHL) institute, assessed teachers’ knowledge of mental health before and after engaging in the MHL institute, and allowed teachers to provide recommendations surrounding future mental health training. In this study, 136 teachers responded to the pre-test (with 116 teachers responding to all of the pre-test questions), 79 teachers requested to be added to the online institute, 36 teachers completed the post-test, and 23 teachers were able to be matched as completing the pre- and post-test. Of these 23 participants (19 were female, 3 male, and 1 chose not to identify), 10 identified as graduate students, and 13 as undergraduates. The participants engaged in an online MHL institute and completed a pre- and post-test surrounding their mental health knowledge, attitudes, and concerns. Compared with initial pre-test data, results demonstrated improvements in teacher knowledge, attitudes concerning mental health, and teacher efficacy. The findings of this study suggest that the participants recognize the need for mental health education but do not feel adequately prepared to recognize mental health problems or feel knowledgeable in how to support students with mental health concerns. Teachers in this study revealed the need for professional development addressing effective strategies, coping tools, and resources.


identifier: Chireh, Vincent Kuuteryiri <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Chireh=3AVincent_Kuuteryiri=3A=3A.html>   (2018) Exploring a regional approach in drinking water management in the Strait of Belle Isle, Newfoundland and Labrador.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Multiple community collaboration to manage water supply systems among rural
communities is fast gaining prominence in rural development literature. It is increasingly difficult
for individual communities to provide safe and clean drinking water to their residents due to
challenges such as the lack of human and financial capacity, degrading water infrastructure, and
high capital investment cost for water infrastructure. This situation could be worsened by
challenges typical of rural areas such as declining, aging populations, and the lack of economies
of scale. Using a case study approach, my research looks at the prospects in adopting a regional
approach to manage water supply systems, particularly with the Newfoundland and Labrador
context. A regional approach is defined in this research as any form of collaboration or partnership
motivated by common interests, needs or challenges, and permissible by geography to share water
supply systems among neighboring communities to ensure clean and safe water supply. This study
was situated in the Strait of Belle Isle region in the Great Northern Peninsula in Newfoundland.
The study reveals some potentials in the case study region such as sufficient headwaters, the
existence of clusters of communities, existing service-sharing initiatives, and the strong social
capital that can support a regional water management approach. When these potentials are
explored, a regional water system could help address the many water challenges in the region.
However, there are noteworthy factors that could impede its implementation: the impacts of place-based
dynamics, human and financial capacities, administrative disparities between various scales
of communities, and the need for upper-level government’s support. Moreover, the findings
illustrate that water researchers, governments, and communities need to consider and make
provisions to incorporate these conditions when developing water policies that fully realize the
benefits of a regional water management approach.


identifier: Williams, Duncan <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Williams=3ADuncan=3A=3A.html>   (2019) 'A large house on the downs': household archaeology and middle-class gentility in early 19th-century Ferryland, Newfoundland.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: This thesis uses a household-based archaeological approach to examine changing settlement patterns and lifeways associated with a period of crucial change on Newfoundland’s southern Avalon Peninsula – namely the first half of the 19th century. The period witnessed a significant increase in permanent residents (including a large influx of Irish Catholic immigrants), the downfall of the migratory fishery (and resulting shift to a family-based resident fishery), and radical political/governmental changes associated with increased colonial autonomy. As part of these developments, a new middle class emerged composed mainly of prosperous fishermen and individuals involved in local government. A micro-historical approach is used to analyze a single household assemblage in Ferryland, thus shedding light on the development of a resident ‘outport gentry’ and changing use of the landscape in this important rural centre. Though likely initially built by a member of Ferryland’s elite (Vice-Admiralty Judge William Carter), the major occupation of the structure, as seen archaeologically, appears to be represented by the tenancies of two upper middle-class families. Comparative analysis places this household and its social landscape in the broader community of Ferryland, as well as emergent upper middle-class society in North America.


identifier: Jahan, Labiba Nusrat <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Jahan=3ALabiba_Nusrat=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Improved averaging-based finite-difference schemes for the convection-diffusion equation.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Convection and diffusion have significant effect on reservoir flow systems. To represent the reservoir properly, these effects are encountered in models of reservoir engineering. Many researchers have worked on the convection-diffusion equations. Barakat and Clark considered a diffusion equation in 1966 and proposed a new explicit finite-difference scheme which gives a better result with less error using an averaging of two lower-order schemes. Bokhari and Islam extended this work to solve convection-diffusion equations and claimed to get the accuracy of


identifier: Porter, Trinalynn <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Porter=3ATrinalynn=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Synthetic social movement theory: opportunities to strengthen the NL environmental movement.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.


identifier: González, Esteban Ricalde <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Gonz=E1lez=3AEsteban_Ricalde=3A=3A.html>   (2019) A genetic programming system with an epigenetic mechanism for traffic signal control.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Traffic congestion is an increasing problem in most cities around the world. It
impacts businesses as well as commuters, small cities and large ones in developing
as well as developed economies. One approach to decrease urban traffic congestion
is to optimize the traffic signal behaviour in order to be adaptive to changes in the
traffic conditions. From the perspective of intelligent transportation systems, this
optimization problem is called the traffic signal control problem and is considered
a large combinatorial problem with high complexity and uncertainty.
A novel approach to the traffic signal control problem is proposed in this thesis.
The approach includes a new mechanism for Genetic Programming inspired by
Epigenetics. Epigenetic mechanisms play an important role in biological processes
such as phenotype differentiation, memory consolidation within generations and
environmentally induced epigenetic modification of behaviour. These properties
lead us to consider the implementation of epigenetic mechanisms as a way to
improve the performance of Evolutionary Algorithms in solution to real-world
problems with dynamic environmental changes, such as the traffic control signal
problem.
The epigenetic mechanism proposed was evaluated in four traffic scenarios with
different properties and traffic conditions using two microscopic simulators. The
results of these experiments indicate that Genetic Programming was able to generate
competitive actuated traffic signal controllers for all the scenarios tested.
Furthermore, the use of the epigenetic mechanism improved the performance of
Genetic Programming in all the scenarios. The evolved controllers adapt to modifications
in the traffic density and require less monitoring and less human interaction
than other solutions because they dynamically adjust the signal behaviour
depending on the local traffic conditions at each intersection.


identifier: Margoutidis, Georgios <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Margoutidis=3AGeorgios=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Mechanochemical transformations of α-chitin.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Comprising 20–30% of the shells of crustaceans, α-chitin has been shown to provide a wide range of valuable products such as therapeutic substances, platform molecules and functional materials. However, the polysaccharide’s crystallinity has been poorly studied, and this has limited its widespread utilization thus far.
Filling that research gap, this thesis reports a new mechanochemical method of ball milling which amorphizes α-chitin in a controlled way. Using powder XRD to measure the polysaccharide’s crystallinity index (CrI%), a low balls-to-chitin (BtC) steel system was found to reduce CrI by an average of 6.0 units in regular milling times with good precision (±2.5 CrI units). That data set was correlated for the first time with FT-IR intensity ratios showing an unaffected degree of acetylation (DA), a steady decrease of glycosidic linkage content and α-chitin’s characteristic amide I split. The behaviour of the latter was rationalized as an experimental indicator for the weakening of the polysaccharide’s intermolecular hydrogen bonding network which is hypothesized to arise from the distribution of the average collision force within the nanofibril structure.
The combination of increased collision frequency along with the presence of a solid acid catalyst (kaolinite) provided optimum mechanochemical conditions for efficient conversion of α-chitin into water-soluble products. The latter were analysed with a MALDI-TOF-MS method developed in Memorial University revealing oligomers of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (NAG) with degrees of polymerization (DP) of 1 to 5. The monomer and dimer reached yields of 5.1 and 3.9 wt.%, respectively, within 6 h, which compare well with yields of glucose and cellobiose from literature for cellulose ball milling. The products of this solvent-free oligomerization process were complemented by colorimetric approximations of reducing ends as well as size exclusion chromatography observations. This analysis is expected to stimulate future research for the sustainable production of these likely biologically active chitooligosaccharides.
In parallel, the inevitable fraction of higher MW chitin resulting from the ball milling process has been shown to conveniently solubilize in cold NaOH. An optimum concentration of 19 wt.% of the alkali was found to dissolve ~5 wt.% high MW/crystallinity α-chitin via a freeze-thaw process at −28°C and give films of acceptable mechanical properties after a simple casting treatment with HCl. Practically, this method avoids some of the disadvantages of organic-salt-solution solvents like the need for a costly recycling/purification treatment, their life cycle issues, the high temperatures, and the long stirring times. At the same time, it can quickly create homogeneous solutions of predictable viscosities in the 1–10 wt.% range allowing for more efficient and controlled chitin deacetylation.


identifier: Flemmer, Robert T. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Flemmer=3ARobert_T=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2019) The anti-apoptotic role of Mcl-1 during early nervous system development.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Developmental neurogenesis, the formation of neurons in utero, is tightly regulated by apoptosis, a form of programmed cell death. The pro-survival protein Mcl-1 has been shown to be important for the survival of the developing nervous system through its ability to inhibit apoptosis. This dependency is poorly understood. Moreover, how Mcl-1 inhibits apoptosis in the developing nervous system is unknown. Here, conditional ablation of mcl-1 in the murine developing nervous system (Mcl-1 CKO) resulted in widespread death throughout the developing nervous system. Mcl-1 CKOs showed a progression of apoptosis that mirrors the progression of differentiation in the brainstem and spinal cord. Apoptosis was rescued by co-deleting pro-apoptotic Bax in Mcl-1 CKO mice, demonstrating that Mcl-1 promotes cell survival by blocking the activation of Bax. This work is the first to demonstrate widespread dependency on Mcl-1 during early nervous system development.


identifier: Al-Darabsah, Isam <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Al-Darabsah=3AIsam=3A=3A.html>   (2018) Time delayed models in population biology and epidemiology.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
In this dissertation, we focus on the development and analysis of time-delayed mathematical models to represent real world applications in biology and epidemiology, especially then analyze the models using various theorems and methods in the literature, such as, the comparison principle and the method of fluctuations, to study qualitative features of the models including existence and uniqueness of solutions, boundedness, steady states, persistence, local, and global stability, with respect to the adult/basic reproduction number Ra/R₀, which is a key threshold parameter.
Firstly, we discuss ecological models in Chapters 2-4. In Chapter 2, we derive a single species-fish model with three stages: juveniles, small adults and large adults with two harvesting strategies depending on the size and maturity. We study the population extinction and persistence with respect to Ra and find that the over-harvesting of large matured fish after a certain age can lead to population extinction under certain circumstances. Numerically, we investigate the influence of harvesting functions and discuss the optimal harvesting rates. In Chapter 3, we develop a model for the growth of sea lice with three stages such that the development age for non-infectious larvae to develop into infectious larvae relates to the size of adult population size. As a beginning, we describe the nonlinear dynamics by a system of partial differential equations, then, we transformed it into a system of delay differential equations with constant delay by using the method of characteristics and an appropriate change of variables. We address the system threshold dynamics for the established model with respect to the adult reproduction number, including the global stability of the trivial steady state, persistence, and global attractivity of a coexistence unique positive steady state. As a case study, we provide some numerical simulation results using Lepeophtheirus salmonis growth parameters. To explore the biological control of sea lice using one of their predators, "cleaner fish", we propose a model with predator-prey interaction at the adult level of sea lice in Chapter 4. Mathematically, we address threshold dynamics with respect to the adult reproduction number for sea lice Rs and the net reproductive number of cleaner fish Rf, including the global stability of the trivial steady state with Rs < 1, global attractivity of the predator-free equilibrium point when Rs > 1 and Rf < 1, persistence and coexistence of a unique positive steady state when Rs > 1 and Rf > 1. Furthermore, we discuss the local stability of the positive equilibrium point and investigate the Hopf bifurcation. Numerically, we compare between two cleaner fish species, goldsinny and ballan wrasse, as a case study.
For epidemiological models, in Chapter 5, we propose an SEIRD model for Ebola disease transmission that incorporates both the transmission of infection between the living humans and from the infected corpses to the living individuals, with a constant latent period. Through mathematical analysis, we prove the globally stability of the disease-free and a unique endemic equilibria with respect to R₀. Moreover, we find that the long latent period or low transmission rate from infectious corpses may reduce the spread of Ebola. In Chapters 6, we consider the influence of seasonal fluctuations on disease transmission and develop a periodic infectious disease model where asymptomatic carriers are potential sources for disease transmission. We consider a general nonlinear incidence rate function with the asymptomatic carriage and latent periods. We implement a case study regarding the meningococcal meningitis disease transmission in Dori, Burkina Faso. Our numerical simulation indicates an irregular pattern of epidemics varying in size and duration, which is consistent with the reported data in Burkina Faso from 1940 to 2014.
In summery, in population growth models, we find that the basic reproduction ratio depends on maturation time, indicating that this key parameter can play an important role in population extinction and persistence. In disease transmission model, we understand that latent period can play a positive role in eliminating or slowing a disease spread.


identifier: Beaton, Adam G. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Beaton=3AAdam_G=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Optimization and evaluation of the performance of thin-film molecularly imprinted polymers for the analysis of cotinine in fluids from human subjects.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are cross-linked synthetic polymers that can selectively take up target analytes from a solution. They are often used in bulk format for solid phase extraction and HPLC. In this work, the main goal was to develop MIPs in a thin-film format for direct analysis of analyte species by desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (DESI-MS). A cotinine template was used with methacrylic acid (MAA) monomer and ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EDGMA) cross-linker to synthesize these MIPs. Cotinine is the primary metabolite of nicotine and was chosen as the template due to its high concentration in biological fluids from smokers and non-smokers. Optimization of the ratios of polymer components (template:monomer:cross-linker) and porogen was completed using a modified Box-Behnken experimental design. Each composition tested was assessed for polymer robustness, imprinting factor and sorption capacity. The optimal molar ratio was 1:2:22.5 (template:monomer:cross-linker), with 239 μL porogen added for each 0.02 mol of template. Template removal from the MIP was studied and reduced from 2 h to 100 min. For optimal analyte uptake, MIPs were placed for 90 min in samples buffered at pH 7.0. Cotinine was quantified in extracts using GC-MS. Myosmine, B-nicotyrine, 1-phenyl-3-pyrazolidinone and nicotine-N-oxide were used as pseudo-templates to overcome template bleed were studied but with little success due to the lack of uptake by these pseudo-templates. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the MIPs were porous and up to approximately 0.05 μm in diameter. Cotinine calibration curves for human urine spiked with cotinine gave results of R²=0.6 with n=2. Testing with saliva samples did not produce any promising results. Proof of principle was demonstrated for detection of cotinine using MIPs with DESI-MS.


identifier: Newman, Alexander W <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Newman=3AAlexander_W=3A=3A.html>   (2018) Seasonal and spatial variation in the chemical character of dissolved organic matter within a small boreal forest watershed.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a significant carbon reservoir and component of the terrestrial-to-aquatic flux (Qualls et al., 1991). The terrestrial-to-aquatic carbon flux, a relatively new addition to global carbon models, is currently estimated to transfer a total of 1.7 petagrams (Pg) carbon (C) yr⁻¹ globally (IPCC, 2013). Terrestrially derived DOM has been identified as a significant pool of organic matter in the aquatic environment. However, the quantity and chemical composition of DOM transferred, as well as the mechanisms driving its transfer, are less understood. This thesis focuses on expanding our knowledge of the processing DOM undergoes as it is transferred from terrestrial-to-aquatic environments by: 1) developing a standardized extraction methodology that can yield representative eluates when applied to sourced samples from throughout the terrestrial-to-aquatic interface and 2) applying the designed methodology to conduct a year long study of DOM quantity and composition in the terrestrial-to-aquatic interface in a boreal forest watershed. Experimental results suggest that although solid phase extraction with a divinyl benzene sorbent (SPE-PPL) yields high extraction efficiencies when applied to DOM, it is subject to selectivity. Extractions performed at high loading volumes were found to select against O-alkyl DOM hydrogen constituents, additionally all SPE-PPL experiments were found to select against nitrogenous DOM components. However, by considering proper extraction parameters, SPE-PPL can produce bulk representative eluates for nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis from land positions spanning the terrestrial-to-aquatic interface. Results from the field study revealed that DOM transferred from terrestrial-to-aquatic land positions in a boreal forest watershed is both temporally and regionally variable, however, proximity immediately downstream of ponds appeared to be a major hydrologic control, while seasonal variation in hydrologic flow paths may represent another control in boreal forest watersheds. Dissolved organic matter chemical composition and quantity in traditional boreal forest streams related to shifts in the hydraulic flow path of the watershed, indicated by changes in riverine DOM chemical composition that correlated to seasonal wet and dry periods. Increases in both dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration and the presence of O-alkyl DOM hydrogen functionalities in the stream indicated a shift from groundwater sources during the dry period to soil water sources during the wet period. Conversely streams downslope of ponds seemed to be buffered against shifts in DOM chemical composition associated with changes in hydrologic flow paths. Dissolved organic matter chemical composition of streams downslope of ponds were relatively constant throughout the year resembling the characterization of pond outflows, even during periods of high hydraulic conductivity, via additions of autochthonous DOM produced in the pond. These additions of autochthonous DOM are negligible in streams not downslope of ponds. Further application of this approach during key periods of DOM export, such as spring snowmelt and fall rain periods may prove help to reveal the processes controlling the terrestrial-to-aquatic carbon flux in boreal forest landscapes.


identifier: Chehoudi, Rafaa <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Chehoudi=3ARafaa=3A=3A.html>   (2019) The variation in women's political representation in national parliaments across the MENA region from 2000 to 2017.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: This thesis seeks to determine what accounts for the variation in women’s representation in national parliaments across the Middle East North African region (MENA region) between 2000 and 2017. The thesis scrutinizes the political, socioeconomic and cultural factors that may have an impact on the proportion of parliamentary seats held by women in the region. This is conducted, first, by (1) examining the literature about women’s representation in politics; (2) identifying possible factors that may play a role in the variation in women’s representation across the MENA region; and finally (3) assessing the impact of these factors on women’s representation through multivariate regression analysis. This is largely because gender inequality in political representation across the MENA region has received very little attention. This study underlines that the ideal conditions for a high women’s political representation across the MENA region are a proportional representation (PR) electoral system, higher level of democracy, earlier suffrage, higher level of women’s labor force participation and less dependence on religion as a source of laws and attitudes.


identifier: Rowsell, Mandy <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Rowsell=3AMandy=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Masculinity in the contemporary Newfoundland novel.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Challenges to conventional understandings of gender have garnered increased visibility in recent years, as people reconsider the stereotypes of masculinity and femininity they are often expected to uphold. However, contemporary global shifts in economics and politics have also encouraged defensive celebrations of past iterations of hegemonic manhood. Because the novel form plays an especially important role in reproducing and moreover constructing gender and national identities it provides an excellent lens through which to view shifts in both. Focusing on literary fiction published between 1993 and 2014, this thesis argues that figurations of masculinity in contemporary novels imagining Newfoundland respond to the pressures of globalization, but also signal a localized return to the objectives of the Newfoundland cultural renaissance of the 1960s and ‘70s. Renewed fears in recent decades that Newfoundland’s purportedly distinct culture and identity are under threat have inspired a nostalgic promotion of anachronistic gender identities.
Using theories of masculinity developed by Michael Kimmel, David Savran, Jack Halberstam, Judith Butler, and others, I identify and contextualize four different, yet related, approaches to masculinity in recent Newfoundland fiction. The first chapter of this dissertation looks at Patrick Kavanagh’s Gaff Topsails (1996), Michael Crummey’s Galore (2009), and Paul Bowdring’s The Strangers’ Gallery (2013). This set of novels endorses patrilineal traditions, overtly connecting the survival of Newfoundland’s national identity to father-figures. Chapter 2 examines how E. Annie Proulx’s The Shipping News (1993), Michael Winter’s Minister Without Portfolio (2013), and Crummey’s Sweetland (2014) suggest that men living in present-day Newfoundland can only prove and maintain their manhood by returning to rural spaces, namely the Newfoundland outport. The third chapter, which analyzes Edward Riche’s Rare Birds (1997), Jamie Fitzpatrick’s You Could Believe in Nothing (2011), and Joel Thomas Hynes’s Down to the Dirt (2004), argues that there is no solution for the problems that face contemporary Newfoundland men. These three novels adopt a despairing view of male Newfoundlanders as wounded victims, and suggest masculinity on the island is in crisis. Chapter 4 considers Michael Winter’s This All Happened (2000), Kathleen Winter’s Annabel (2010), and Jessica Grant’s Come, Thou Tortoise (2009). It concludes that these books attempt to offer more nuanced versions of Newfoundland masculinity, in part through their presentations of queer and intersex characters. However, this grouping of novels also suggests that Newfoundland cannot provide space for the successful expression of alternate masculine identities. This thesis attests that the contemporary Newfoundland novel defines successful masculinity as the exclusive purview of white, heterosexual, working-class, rural-dwelling fathers. The dissertation also concludes that Newfoundland fiction sees threats to the hegemonic conception of manhood it valourises as dangerous to the island’s own supposedly unique wider cultural identity.


identifier: Alford, Norma <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Alford=3ANorma=3A=3A.html>   (2019) The rough food mystique: the evolution of Newfoundland food culture, 1945-1975.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: The food culture of Newfoundland plays an important role in the daily life of its citizens. It helps instruct processes for celebrations, life cycle rituals and social gatherings. Food becomes imbued with a sense of culture and nationalistic pride. The foundations of Newfoundland’s food culture were based on themes of preservation, adoption and adaptation. These themes, along with the food they created, carried through into the twentieth century. As social, economic and political changes altered the social structure and outlook for many Newfoundlanders after Confederation, many sought symbolic means to connect with an idealized past and romantic view of life. Newfoundland food culture solidified around foods of necessity to create traditions infused with patriotism and nostalgia.


identifier: Sanchini, Laura Marie Andrea <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Sanchini=3ALaura_Marie_Andrea=3A=3A.html>   (2018) "We are the rug hooking capital of the world": understanding Chéticamp rugs (1927-2017).  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
This thesis is the story of how utilitarian material culture was transformed into a cottage industry, and eventually into high art. Chéticamp rug hooking is an artistic practice, one wrapped up in issues of taste, creativity, class and economics. Rug hooking in Chéticamp rose to prominence in the first half of the 20th century when Lillian Burke, a visiting American artist, set up a rug hooking cottage industry in the area. She altered the tradition to suit the tastes of wealthy patrons, who began buying the rugs to outfit their homes. This thesis examines design in rug hooking focusing on Chéticamp-style rugs. Captured within design aesthetics is what the rugs mean to both those who make and consume them. For tourists, the rugs are symbols of a perceived anti-modernism. Through the purchase of a hooked rug, they are able to bring home material reminders of their moment of experience with rural Nova Scotia. For rug hookers, rugs are a symbol of economic need, but also agency and the ability to overcome depressed rural economic conditions. Rug hooking was a way to have a reliable income in an area where much of the labour is dependent on unstable sources, such as natural resources (fishing, lumber, agriculture etc.). This also meant that rug hooking is closely tied to notions of poverty.
The motif-index developed for this thesis by examining several hundred hooked rugs demonstrates that consistent structural elements such as motifs are dependent on context. When used in a comparative manner, it also helps illustrate how often those creating hooked rug designs, whether they were sold commercially as patterns or designs to be used as part of a cottage industry, were sharing and borrowing design ideas throughout North America. The motif-index is a typology and a tool that enables discussion by standardizing language and terminology which allows for comparative examination of hooked rugs from across a variety of traditions.


identifier: Jiang, Bojian <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Jiang=3ABojian=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Dynamic modeling, simulation and data logging of a hybrid power system for a remote house in Qinghai Province in China.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Hybrid power systems include both renewable and traditional energy. In China, some rural areas not connected to the grid are more suitable for isolated hybrid power systems than grid extension, because of lack of roads and infrastructures. Government’s policies have largely boosted the development of renewable energy, making the hybrid power system more affordable for those areas.
In this research, the system is firstly sized for optimum net present cost using HOMER according to given weather data and generated hourly load data. Then, the transient stability of the designed system is checked through the dynamic modeling and simulation in Simulink based on each component’s dynamic equations and control system. Designed control systems, which keep the stable operation of the designed system, include a supervisory controller, MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracker), inverter controller and so on. Due to nonlinear and time variant load, the controller of the DC voltage regulator is designed based on a robust control method. A data logger with web transfer is then designed to monitor an isolated PV system. Sensor data are collected by Arduino boards and transferred to Thingspeak web server by the python program on PC. The collected data is downloaded and analyzed on MATLAB to analyze the system operation. Therefore, this thesis presents system sizing, dynamic modeling and its simulation results, a data logging system with data visualization on a web server and lab test results.


identifier: Foster, Samantha <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Foster=3ASamantha=3A=3A.html>   (2019) The influence of a cancer diagnosis on an individual's mental health: a retrospective Canadian cohort study.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Rationale: There is currently little literature available that discusses the link between
cancer and mental illness outside of the diagnosis of depression.
Objective: The primary objective of this thesis project is to assess the impact of a cancer
diagnosis on indicaors of an individual’s mental health, that is, the diagnoses of mental
health disorders, the use of psychotropic drugs, and/or a referral to a mental health
specialist after index diagnosis for cancer.
Hypothesis: It is hypothesized that there will be an increase in both the diagnosis of mental
illness and the use of psychotropic drugs following a diagnosis of cancer.
Method: The study was conducted using the Canadian Primary Care Sentinel Surveillance
(CPCSSN) database. The electronic medical records of patients with incident cancer
diagnoses, i.e. diagnosed within the past three years, were identified. Those cases were
then followed for a year, examined for mental health condition diagnoses and prescription
of psychoactive drugs, and compared to a cancer-free, matched cohort.
Results: It was found that oncology patients were twice as likely to have a subsequent
mental illness indicator in the year after diagnosis (OR=2.05, 95% CI=1.68-2.50, p=0.001).
The type of cancer did not appear to have an impact on whether or not the patient would
experience a mental illness indicator (χ²=0.074, p=0.626). It did, however, impact the type
of mental illness diagnosed (χ²=40.522, p<0.001) and the type of psychoactive drug
prescribed (χ²=30.679, p<0.001).
Conclusion: Implications of this study encourage the promotion of screening for mental
illness in oncology patients.


identifier: Xu, Xiaolin <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Xu=3AXiaolin=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Exploring the intersection of teachers' negotiation of personal identities, professional identities, and culture expectations.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Teacher education and professional development programs need to help
teachers develop integrated professional identities (Alsup, 2005). This study identified
discourses that are important to teachers’ identity development, including teachers’
personal identities, professional identities, and cultural expectations of teachers. From
a holistic view of teacher identities, this study explored how teachers negotiate the
multiple discourses that they engage in by adopting arts-based research practices,
including drawing, film elicitation, and narrative inquiry. Six pre-service and six
experienced teachers were invited to draw a teacher image, to review school movies,
and to recount lived experiences about negotiating personal and professional identities.
This study suggests that teachers experience tensions between the dominant discourses
of teaching and their personal beliefs and lived experiences. Teachers perform their
personal identities to meet cultural and institutional expectations, but at the same time
demonstrate a desire to resist or challenge those expectations that conflict with their
personal beliefs. This study encourages teachers to learn to respect their personal selves
and to question traditional assumptions about teachers instead of passively accepting
them. This study suggests that teacher education and professional development
programs need to pay more attention to the interrelationship between teachers’ personal
and professional identities and to how teachers negotiate their personal traits and beliefs
and the authoritative discourses of teaching. Moreover, this study suggests that arts-based
research practices can be incorporated into teacher education programs to help
access the emotional struggles that teachers may have and to provide teachers with
opportunities to examine both cultural representations of teachers and their personal
beliefs about teaching.


identifier: Robinson, Curtis B. <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Robinson=3ACurtis_B=2E=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Ethnic elites, propaganda, recruiting and intelligence in German-Canadian Ontario, 1914-1918.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
This case study provides the basis for a potential linking of the work of Marxist
intelligence historians and the disciples of the insecurity state thesis. The rise of
“Reasoning otherwise” as described by Ian McKay, refers to the erosion of the liberal
order on the part of Canadian socialists in the early part of the twentieth century. This
process was speeded up in direct response to the wartime economy which through state
intervention also saw the undermining of the liberal principles of free market economics
and manpower management. The rise of the insecurity state was part of the state’s move
away from the foundational liberal order. Ultimately the insecurity state’s existence
depended upon the growth of industrial capitalism in Canada and directly related to the
evolution in reasoning otherwise. It was in the heavily populated and ethnically diverse
urban centres where state fears about the growth of unions and the spread of communist
revolutionary ideas, as well as other causes of civil unrest, originated. It was these areas
that warranted, in the eyes of the Department of Militia and Defence, the deployment of
intelligence officers, watchers, and infiltrators. In parts of Canada where industrialization
had not produced the same social tensions, there was less need to develop a new level of
security. Berlin, Ontario, within Military District 1, a centre of German settlement for the
previous century, was not a large industrial centre and therefore, had not evolved to the
same level of class or ethnic diversity and segregation. Here the insecurity state had yet to
develop as a mechanism of social control in response to industrial urbanization, and the
war as it had in Toronto or Military District 2 more generally. The small scale of Berlin,
with community organizations, well established local leaders and emphasis on municipal
power as a means of negotiating the individual and the collective, proved a sufficiently
coherent basis for intelligence gathering. Here, there was no the need to take the drastic
wartime measures in the name of security required in Toronto and Winnipeg and
Montreal.


identifier: Phan, Hieu Chi <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Phan=3AHieu_Chi=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Development of novel methods for municipal water main infrastructure integrity management.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Water Distribution Network (WDN) is an important component of municipal infrastructure. Many municipal water distribution systems are exposed to harsh environment and subjected to corrosion with age. Many of the water mains in North America are close to or have exceeded their design life and are experiencing a number of issues associated with leaks and breakage of the water mains. Maintaining structural integrity of the water infrastructure with the limited municipal budget has been a challenge. Under this circumstance, the municipalities are focusing on prioritizing their infrastructure for maintenance with optimum utilization of the resources. In this regard, an effective method for prioritizing is required for optimally maintaining the infrastructure integrity. The proposed research focuses on developing risk/reliability based prioritizing methods for water main infrastructure maintenance.
Historic water main break data (i.e. number of breaks per km) is often used to identify breakage patterns in the attempts to reliability assessments of deteriorating water mains. This statistical modelling approach is unable to identify the failure mechanism and have limited use. Physical/mechanistic models are therefore desired for better understanding of the failure mechanisms and reliability assessment of WDN. In the proposed research, mechanics-based model is developed for the reliability assessment of water mains. Existing models for remaining strength assessment of the deteriorating pipelines are first examined to develop improved models. Pipe stress analysis is then performed for the reliability assessment of the pipes based on a stochastic analysis using Monte Carlo simulation.
For prioritizing water mains, system reliability and risk assessment methods are employed. For small WDN, the system failure of the pipeline network is modeled using Fault-Tree Analysis (FTA). The FTA is however tedious for large complex network. For large WDN, a complex network analysis method is employed to determine the potential of network disconnection due to water main break. Algebraic Connectivity (AC) of a complex network analysis is found to effectively represent the robustness and redundancy of WDN. The fluctuation in AC due to water main break could be used to assess the criticality of each pipe segment to the overall structure of the network. The AC then used as a part of overall consequence of the network due to water main breaks. A Fuzzy Inference System is proposed to combine network consequence with other consequence for risk assessment of complex WDN.
In summary, a novel risk/reliability-based method for maintenance of water distribution system is developed in this thesis. In developing this method, mechanics-based failure is considered for reliability assessment and AC from graph theory is used for the consequence assessment of water main break on the overall network. A framework is developed for risk assessment considering the reliability and various consequences.


identifier: Sadatcharam, Kamaleswaran <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Sadatcharam=3AKamaleswaran=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Assessing potential applications of multi-coil and multi-frequency electromagnetic induction sensors for agricultural soils in western Newfoundland.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Ground-based electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensors play a significant role in shallow soil characterization in precision agriculture. Two different types of EMI sensors were used in this study: (i) a multi-coil and (ii) a multi-frequency. The potential applications of both EMI sensors have been assessed through two different studies at the Pynn’s Brook Research Station, Pasadena, western Newfoundland. One study was on the development of relationships between apparent electrical conductivity (ECₐ) and soil properties, using geostatistical and multivariate statistical approaches, and the second study investigated the depth sensitivity (DS) of multi-coil and multi-frequency EMI sensors using small buried targets of known properties in shallow soils. Soil properties, such as sand, silt, soil moisture content (SMC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), and pore water electrical conductivity (ECw), were identified as significantly influenced soil properties on ECₐ measurements. The multi-frequency EMI sensor is more reliable on ECₐ variability for wet soils than dry soils and it could explore deeper soil compared to the multi-coil sensor. The second study revealed that the multi-coil EMI sensor was a more accurate and suitable sensor to detect small metallic targets in the shallow soils than the multi-frequency EMI sensor. Finally, I concluded that the multi-coil EMI sensor is a more appropriate compared to the multi-frequency sensor, to investigate depth sensitivity (DS) analysis as well as the spatiotemporal variability of ECₐ as a proxy of soil properties in shallow (agricultural) soils in western Newfoundland.


identifier: Hurley, Laura <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Hurley=3ALaura=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Barriers and facilitators to access and care in services for children with autism spectrum disorder in Newfoundland.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: This thesis uses thematic analysis and a Complex Cultural Nesting theory to assess the perspectives of parents of children with autism spectrum disorder as well as the service providers as they try to navigate through the healthcare and education system in Newfoundland, Canada. These journeys were explored through interviews with a range of participants in a one to one setting, thus providing rich and specific experiential data. The main barriers discovered were frustrations in the diagnostic process, difficulty accessing and understanding services within the healthcare and education systems, and struggles with the applied behavioural analysis therapy. Main facilitators included having a knowledgeable and supportive family physician, family support, and service provider communication and collaboration. Major recommendations focus on increasing the number of experienced providers in the province and increasing specific autism training for service providers (in the healthcare and education system).


identifier: Kaur, Gagandeep <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/Kaur=3AGagandeep=3A=3A.html>   (2019) Parenteral betaine as a strategy to prevent fatty liver and improve docosahexaenoic acid and arachidonic acid distribution in parenterally fed neonatal piglets.  Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract: Parenterally fed infants carry the risk of developing fatty liver. Hepatic fat is removed by very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) secretion, which requires sufficient phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis. PC synthesis depends on choline (CDP-choline pathway) or methionine (PEMT pathway). The PEMT pathway is more important in infants because its PC is rich in DHA and AA, which are used for brain development. Methionine supplementation may enhance PC synthesis but can cause hyperhomocysteinemia. However, betaine could enhance PC synthesis by sparing choline as well as by converting homocysteine to methionine. The objective of this thesis was to assess the effects of parenteral betaine, methionine or its combination on fatty liver and brain DHA/AA. The hepatic lipid parameters were unaltered, but betaine supplementation improved DHA, AA and saturated fatty acids incorporation in brain phospholipids, suggesting that betaine can be used as a novel parenteral nutrition ingredient to improve brain DHA and AA status.


identifier: MacKenzie, Adrian <https://research.library.mun.ca/view/creator_az/MacKenzie=3AAdrian=3A=3A.html>   (2019) The importance of division of work and clinical focus in health human resources planning: a dynamic, multi-professional, needs-based simulation model.  Doctoral (PhD) thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

abstract:
Background: Comprehensive health human resources (HHR) planning is essential for addressing population health needs and meeting other common health care system objectives. For reasons that remain unclear, conceptually invalid approaches to HHR planning remain commonplace in Canada and other countries. The overarching aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of using a dynamic, multi-professional, needs-based simulation model to inform HHR planning in Nova Scotia.
Objectives: 1) Estimate the supply of and requirements for physicians, nurses, social workers, and psychologists to address anxiety and depression among school-aged children in Nova Scotia through 2032; and 2) Identify technical and political factors affecting the choice of HHR planning models in Nova Scotia.
Methods: A dynamic, multi-professional, needs-based simulation model was used to achieve the first objective. A series of key informant interviews with HHR planners from different Nova Scotia stakeholder groups was conducted to address the second objective.
Results: Simulation modeling suggests Nova Scotia currently lacks the number and mix of HHR required to address anxiety and depression among its school-aged children, and that this problem will worsen without intervention. Examples of policy interventions with the potential to address simulated HHR gaps are provided. The most important factor identified as affecting the choice of HHR planning model in Nova Scotia was the buy-in of key stakeholder groups. Other factors identified as particularly important in determining this choice were the model’s balance between comprehensiveness and complexity, the political and technical capacity of individuals and organizations responsible for HHR planning, and concerns regarding the availability of appropriate planning data to populate the model.
Conclusion: Use of this model to inform HHR planning in Nova Scotia is feasible with appropriate engagement of key stakeholders. The structure and presentation of the model are viewed by HHR planners in the province as being suited to facilitating such engagement. Coordinated investments are needed to ensure adequate planning capacity among the individuals and organizations responsible for HHR planning in Nova Scotia, and the availability of adequate data to inform HHR and health system planning.