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Method Development to Determine Indicator Analytes for Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Surface Waters Including Biosolid Leachates
No full textThe land application of biosolids is an emerging field of study, but it is controversial amongst researchers. This is primarily due to concerns about the environmental impact of potential contaminants in biosolids. The risk of contamination is notably a local issue in the Thompson-Nicola region (BC Ministry of Environment 2016). One class of contaminants of concern that have been shown to leach from biosolids is Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCP) (Hydromantis 2009). The goal of this project is to develop a method to determine three PPCP analytes in aqueous samples so that it could be applied to surface waters and biosolid leachates. Development of a method at TRU would allow these samples to be investigated locally. The analytes chosen for screening were triclocarban, triclosan, and naproxen as they are good indicators of the presence of PPCP in environmental samples. The instrumentation used was High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) paired with Diode Array Detection (DAD). Numerous variations of solid phase extraction (SPE) were investigated in order to improve detection limits. The optimum SPE technique was coupled with HPLC-DAD, and applied to spiked and unspiked water samples
Characterization of the Antimicrobial Secondary Metabolites Produced by the Cave-Dwelling \u3ci\u3eStreptomyces\u3c/i\u3e ICC1 Strain
No full textThe progression of antibiotic resistant microorganisms has greatly hindered today’s antimicrobial agents that were once revolutionary developments. No longer a battle mankind can win with commercially available pharmaceutical antibiotics, the microbial products from various organisms are being extensively studied for potentially better and more effective antimicrobial properties to be used as an alternative. This study examines the secondary metabolites produced by the cave-dwelling Streptomyces ICC1 strain which exhibits these desired antimicrobial properties against strains of laboratory and multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli and laboratory and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
Following optimization methods, the Streptomyces ICC1 strain was grown at a temperature of 15°C in nutrient broth culture on an orbital shaking incubator at 150rpm. The Streptomyces ICC1 broth culture consistently displayed a brown pigmentation after five days of incubation, indicative of secondary metabolite production. Bioassays were performed via the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method after extraction of the secondary metabolites, with organic solvents and water, to determine the relative polarity/hydrophilicity of the antimicrobial compound(s). Bioactivity was consistently observed in the organic layer of diethyl ether-water extractions and the aqueous layer of octanol-water extractions. In future work, the bioactive secondary metabolites will be separated via high performance liquid chromatography, and structurally analyzed via 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry
Urbanization: A Penalty or Gain for Wild Birds? A Study on the Phenological Differences in Rural and Urban Mountain Chickadees
No full textMountain chickadees naturally nest in secondary cavities found in coniferous forests throughout North-America. However, they will also readily nest in artificial nest boxes often found in urban environments. During breeding season, caterpillars comprise about 80-90% of the mountain chickadee diet. Yet, this crucial food source has a short peak in abundance of only a few weeks after bud burst. Therefore, chickadees must use predictive cues to time their reproductive cycles so that caterpillars occur at a peak abundance when nestlings have the highest demand for food. However, if the cues occur earlier in the year than the climate variables that determine the peak in food abundance, it will lead to a phenological mismatch. Meteorological differences advance and prolong the growing season in urban habitats compared to nearby rural areas. Therefore, urban birds may reproduce earlier, and more frequently than rural birds. Data was collected from 10 rural and 15 urban nests around Kamloops. Mixed models will be created with the data collected, allowing us to compare the two environments. Thus, determining if urbanization alters the timing of caterpillar abundance and if caterpillar abundance drives the reproductive timing of mountain chickadees. For this study, we expect to see that the chickadees time their laying so that hatching coincides with peak food supply. However, we expect to see an overlap of peak food abundances in the two habitats. Therefore, we predict that there will not be a significant difference in the timing of reproduction between birds nesting in rural versus urban habitats
Development and Application of a Software Tool/Package for Pan-genomic Analysis
No full textContinuing scientific progress in genetics allows us to better understand how structural variations in an organism’s gene content can lead to diversity within a species. By analyzing the sum of the genes for an entire species, we can construct a pan-genome for the species. The pan-genome of a species is the set of all genes present in all sub-species of a species. A pan-genome consists of the core genome, which represents the genes present in all sub-species of a species, and a variable genome, which refers to genes not present in all sub-species of a species. Micropan is an R package designed for the study of microbial pan-genomics. The genomes of prokaryotes (microbes) are relatively simple, leading to relatively simple construction of their pan-genome. However, plant genomes are highly repetitive and complex in comparison, and there is no general tool/package developed for pan-genome construction for plants. Due to the computational requirements of constructing such a pan-genome, the tool/package required needs to be more efficient and robust than Micropan. The objective of this project is to use Micropan as a guide to develop a pan-genome construction pipeline for single chromosome genomes. The design of this pipeline will allow it to adapt to different selections of gene annotation and ortholog clustering methods. With a more efficient and robust tool/package constructed, future research can discover how to extend it to multiple chromosome genomes
Evil Gods in the Evening: A Novel Excerpt
No full textA reading of the first 40 pages of the novel, Evil Gods in the Evening . This creative writing piece is a comedy-horror that follows the hapless Sydney and enigmatic Everett as the pair unravel a mystery that has apocalyptic implications:
When an enthusiastic but wildly under-qualified young man realizes that preventing an evil God from unleashing an apocalypse is no job for an amateur, he enlists the aid of a deeply competent yet decidedly reluctant expert to help him. The pair must overcome everything from an inconsiderate cabal to a self-important CEO if they want to stop the evil God from unleashing an evening that never ends
Place Playing a Part: Environmental Consciousness in Adventure Tourism
No full textThis presentation explores the points of intersection and relationship between adventure tourism and environmentalism. Adventure tourism relies upon and capitalizes on nature; however, often the associated activities and the means to access nature have negative environmental consequences. Based on the idea that experiences in nature can be a catalyst to protecting it, the research considers how we might participate in outdoor activities and adventure tourism in a way that fosters the creation of an environmentally conscious society. Evidence suggests a strong sense of place can enable place-protective behaviour. Therefore, this project asks if a sense of place can be developed amongst tourists to promote pro-environmental behaviour. Six individuals who participated in outdoor activities while travelling were interviewed to understand if these experiences created a sense of place and contributed to their environmental identity. Using an interpretive hermeneutic approach, a framework is created that tour operators can incorporate into their practices to help foster sustainable and pro-environmental behaviour from guests. Conclusions are drawn from an interdisciplinary approach that is derived from a holistic background which seeks information from both a tourism management and environmental perspective
Mingling with Nature
No full textThis presentation looks at how mental health can be improved through our interaction, or mingling , with nature. In the form of a creative non-fiction essay, it examines how humans have not yet adapted to urban environments and can seek mental restoration through experience and knowledge of natural environments
Answering the call: A scoping review investigating Indigenization of Canadian nursing schools
Get PDFBackground: Within nursing curricula, there are rarely mandatory courses that address the unique health needs and history of the Indigenous population (CINA, 2012; Rozendo, Salas, & Cameron, 2017). Both Western and Indigenous knowledge are essential components of nursing practice, yet often only the former is present within nursing education (Bearskin et al., 2016; Pijl-Zieber & Hagen, 2011 & Zeran, 2016). The availability of Indigenous knowledge in nursing schools supports an environment of culturally safe care, influencing nursing students who learn and practice in traditional Indigenous lands (Rozendo et al., 2017 & CINA 2009). To examine further these claims, a scoping review was used to inquire about the breadth and depth of research within a Canadian context. The research question: what is the extent of research evidence informing how Indigenous knowledge in classroom or clinical settings impacts the learning of BScN students? This question was addressed through the objective: map out literature regarding Indigenous knowledge in nursing education to understand contextual factors involved with the integration of Indigenous knowledge in nursing. Methods: A scoping review as per Arksey and O’Malley (2005) was used to assess the level of integration and implications regarding the integration of an Indigenous knowledge-based course in BScN education within Canadian nursing schools. Articles were analyzed using the Aboriginal Nurses Association of Canada (ANAC)’s (2009) Cultural Competency and Cultural Safety for First Nations, Inuit and Metis Students framework to address the extent that research articles have addressed incorporating Indigenization. Conclusions: This scoping review helps to inform the Indigenization agenda in nursing stemming from the TRC’s (2012) Call to Action. Four common themes were found, including: the importance of Indigenous voices, Indigenous and Western intersectionality, the lived experience of Indigeneity, as well as barriers to Indigenizing nursing education. Currently a dearth of evidence exists on Indigenization within Canadian nursing curricula and more research needs to be directed to understanding how nursing students engage with Indigenous knowledge
