Thompson Rivers University
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Response of River Discharge due to Forest Disturbance
No full textIn this research project, we analyzed the effects of forest disturbance on the discharge of fourth order rivers within the associated watershed. The changing climate (i.e., unpredictable precipitation patterns and fluctuating temperatures), anthropogenic landscape disturbances (i.e., industrial forestry practices, mines) and stochastic natural disturbances (i.e., landslides, forest fires) all have differing effects that may result in a shift in the magnitude and timing of discharge in rivers. Shifts in the magnitude and timing of discharge may result in an increase of drought and/or flood events that effect aquatic and riparian ecosystems as well as water management in terms of use and allocation.
The discharge of six fourth order rivers within Interior British Columbia (Chilcotin, Chilko, Mesilinka, Nation, Osilinka, and Spius) were analyzed with frequency analyses to understand trends in discharge and with modified Double Mass Curves to understand if shifts in discharge could be attributed to forest disturbance when removing the effects of climate.The rivers within the same principle drainage area showed similar trends in discharge magnitude and timing when analyzed with frequency analyses and 50% of rivers, not associated by principle drainage area, portrayed shifts in discharge not attributed to climate when analyzed with modified Double Mass Curves. Understanding what land use and/or landscape disturbance may be the cause of a shift in discharge can build on the knowledge used to manage watersheds to protect integral ecosystems and water utilization
Interaction Study Between Benzimidazole Fungicides and β-Cyclodextrin by Affinity Capillary Electrophoresis
No full textMost fungicides are dissolved in an aqueous medium for the purpose of increased biological activity. However, benzimidazole fungicides such as carbendazim, fuberidazole, and thiabendazole are mainly limited in their usage by not being very soluble in water. β-cyclodextrin is a large glucose polymer with a hydrophobic interior and a hydrophilic exterior. As such, β-cyclodextrin can form guest-host complexes with many molecules. This complex has the possibility of being more water soluble than the original molecules by themselves. β-cyclodextrin is a molecule that can form a complex with the benzimidazole fungicides. Therefore, complexation of the benzimidazole fungicides with β-cyclodextrin may be able to increase the water solubility, which could increase their fungicide action. The analytical technique that was used to determine the interactions of these molecules is affinity capillary electrophoresis. The expected outcomes are the binding constants of carbendazim, fuberidazole, and thiabendazole with β-cyclodextrin. The stability of the complex and the solubility of the fungicide in the presence of β-cyclodextrin can be determined with the help of the calculated binding constant
The Impact of Exogenous Ketone Salt Supplementation on Oxygen Uptake Kinetics During Heavy Intensity Exercise
No full textExogenous ketone supplementation and inducing dietary ketosis is a popular strategy suggested to improve performance. However, exogenous ketone salt supplementation has been shown to decrease performance, but mechanisms have not been examined. We aimed to examine whether supplementing with exogenous ketone salts alters heavy exercise domain oxygen uptake kinetics compared to an isocaloric carbohydrate supplementation. Participants completed a ramp incremental test on a cycle ergometer to determine VO2max, ventilatory threshold (VT), and respiratory compensation (RC) point. An intensity of 33% of the difference between VT and RC was calculated for subsequent trials. On 4 separate days, participants ingested either a ketone salt or carbohydrate drink ~30-minutes before testing. This was followed by a brief warm-up (5-minutes: 50W), then the exercise immediately transitioned to the heavy-intensity exercise domain for 8-minutes before returning to 50W. Each trial was mono-exponentially fit and the time-constant of the primary component (t), baseline and amplitude of the VO2 response was determined. Participants exhibited similar baselines (p=0.56) and amplitudes (p = 0.70) across conditions. This preliminary data did show slower kinetics, under the ketone condition, but this did not reach significance (41.1 ± 12.7 vs. 32.5 ± 21.2, p = 0.17). These data suggest that metabolic efficiency is similar and that ketone salt supplementation does not improve the transition from one metabolic rate to another during exercise. In conclusion, these preliminary data suggest that ketone salt supplementation may not be ideal in those seeking to improve intense exercise performance
The Impact of High Intensity Exercise on Carotid Artery Longitudinal Kinetics
No full textLongitudinal kinetics (LOKI) describe the bidirectional movement of the inner lining of arteries. With each cardiac cycle an anterograde movement occurs in early systole, followed by a retrograde movement later in systole and a second anterograde movement in diastole. Prostaglandins are powerful local vasodilators and availability is reduced with ibuprofen (IBU) administration. Our aim was to determine the impact of high intensity cycling exercise and concurrent prostaglandin inhibition on longitudinal displacement. A ramp incremental test on a cycle ergometer was used to determine VO2max, ventilatory threshold (VT) and respiratory compensation (RC) points of participants. An intensity of 33% of the difference between VT and RC was calculated for subsequent trials. On two separate days, participants either ingested IBU or echinacea (control) two hours before testing. Testing began with a 5-minute warm-up immediately followed by 45 minutes of the high-intensity exercise. Three 5-s ultrasound video clips of the carotid artery were obtained immediately before, after and 45 minutes after testing. We used speckle tracking software to analyze longitudinal movement of 4-10 cardiac cycles. A 2-way RM-ANOVA was used to assess differences between conditions at the various time-points. There was no significant difference between conditions, but exercise reduced LOKI immediately and 45 minutes after testing (Pre: 11.8 ± 3.2 Post I: 9.3 ± 1.7, Post 45: 9.4 ± 2.2, p \u3c 0.01). This suggests that complex interactions between sympathetic nervous activity, shear and cardiac dynamics alter longitudinal movements; however, more comprehensive analyses of anterograde and retrograde movements need to be assessed
Peter Pan: The Boy Who Tried to Grow Up
Get PDFThe research presented on Peter Pan offers and introspective look into one of the key elements of children\u27s literature. Maturation. Children\u27s literature often tries to express societal expectations of children as it relates to the process of maturation; however, if this is true, how is Peter Pan relatable? How can Peter experience maturation when he is encapsulated in a perineal state of childhood? These questions were the basis for the research, and they are the questions that will be answered throughout the presentation.
On this surface this story seems to be about a child who will never grow up; however, the evidence through close textual analysis suggests that Peter, although unable to grow up in physical stature, does experience emotional maturation. Although Peter feels as though he is in control of his maturation process by rejecting the idea of entering into adulthood, the research shows that Peter may in fact long to grow old. This is a story of self-realization. This story is relevant to our own human experience because it is a creative outlet that simultaneously allows children to reconcile with their anxieties about not being able to control their aging process, while also giving adults the ability to examine their anxieties of never fully maturing
Grizzly Bear Behavioural Changes in Response to Sudden Fish Decline in an Interior Salmon System
No full textLandlocked kokanee salmon are an important food source for grizzly bears in the Lardeau River Valley. A local bear-viewing company has been collecting citizen-science data on grizzly bear sightings since 2012. Following a catastrophic decline in kokanee numbers, bear activity in the valley has changed in space and time. In this study I combine kokanee enumeration data collected by the provincial government and bear sighting data collected by citizen scientists in order to evaluate the impacts of a changing salmon population on bear activity and behaviour. I found that, while grizzly bears have the dietary plasticity to change their habits in the short-term, their predator-prey relationship with salmon is important for continued success in the Lardeau River Valley. The results of this study are relevant given ongoing climate change and salmonid crashes within grizzly bear range
Effect of Sports Training on Visual Processing in Peri-hand Space
No full textThe area immediately surrounding the hand has been shown to give rise to alterations in visual perception. This area is referred to as peri-hand space. When viewing objects in this area, studies have shown that people are slower to look away from objects and faster to detect new objects compared to objects that are not in peri-hand space. Studies have shown that practice with visuomotor skills enables the brain to become more plastic and strengthens the brain areas used, such as: the optic nerve, motor cortex, parietal cortex, superior frontal gyrus, posterior cingulate cortex, and the postcentral gyrus. As such, we hypothesize that athletes will have greater visual processing alterations when viewing objects in peri-hand space compared to non-athletes, due to the refinement of the previously mentioned brain areas that results from extended practice.
We will test this by having a group of athletes and a group of non-athletes perform a visual search task where they have to identify a target image amongst an array of distractor images while wearing an eyetracker. We expect that athletes will be quicker to react to objects presented in their peri-hand space, that they will take longer overall to complete the task, and that they will be more accurate than the control group. If we find significant results, this will provide insight into how visuomotor experience might alter visual processing near the hand
How Canadian Healthcare Holds Compared to the Best in the World
No full textCanadians have been proud of their healthcare for a long time. They see it as a part of the Canadian identity and put it on the top of the priority list. The problem is that the healthcare that we get is often near the bottom in terms of services for the price paid when compared to many other countries. Canada does not cover prescription drugs with a pharmacare, nor does it have dental or other comprehensive coverage like others. In fact, Canada is the only country with universal healthcare that does not have universal drug coverage. In this presentation I will draw on literature to go over the strengths and weaknesses of Canadian healthcare, and use world indicators to compare it to other countries like the UK and France. Through a policy analysis and an examination of some comparative ideas such as preventative healthcare versus reactive care, the argument will be made that Canada can do more with the money that is currently spent on healthcare
Physical Activity & The Sustainable Development Goals: A Public Health Approach Towards Advancing the Power of Movement
Get PDFWith the worldwide rise in noncommunicable disease, physical inactivity, obesity, and the global presence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), health and sport science practitioners must be able to address each of these health domains while considering frameworks for the most urgent health and human development priorities in a sustainable manner. The sector of sport for development, which uses physical activity, sport, and game-based programming to address specific development and peace initiatives to empower individuals and communities, is one such approach that practitioners can employ to address such challenges. During the 2000-2015 era of the United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the sport for development sector used sport to address several MDGs, contributing most significantly towards improving HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes, and behavior changes. Practitioners are still using sport to address the 2015-2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This article explores case studies of 17 sport for development initiatives that are meeting key targets for each of the 17 SDGs. Furthermore, it provides recommendations for how to further advance sport for development’s contributions. By synthesizing cost effective analyses and discussing key components to further the sport for development field, this article maps a way forward to advance sport for development as a cost-effective and viable tool for addressing the SDGs, reducing the effects of unresolved ACEs, and promoting physical activity to help individuals and communities lead healthy, empowered lives
