Thompson Rivers University
Digital Commons @ TRU Library (Thompson Rivers University)Not a member yet
1287 research outputs found
Sort by
Poster Drop-off
No full textPoster presenters are asked to drop off their posters no later than 10:00 am on Friday March 23, and are strongly encouraged to bring their posters the afternoon of Thursday March 22. No need to bring clips, tape, etc. - just bring your poster, and we\u27ll handle the rest for you
Registration and Late Poster Drop-off
No full textPoster presenters who were not able to drop off their posters on Thursday March 22 are asked to have their posters at the House of Learning by 10am.
Presenters who have already dropped off their posters: please check in at the Registration Table when you arrive, before heading to your poster. You\u27ll be given your name tag, print program, and conference certificate.
If you are just wanting to ATTEND the conference as an audience member, and are not scheduled to present your work, then there is no need to register; you\u27re welcome to just drop by
Seasonal Variation of Antimutagenic Effects in \u3cem\u3eArtemisia tridentata\u3c/em\u3e
No full textRecently, there has been more investigation and scientific studies in the medicinal properties of plants as an alternative to antibiotics and other antimicrobial drugs. The genus Artemisia has been used traditionally by Native Americans or First Nations people as an anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, analgesic, gastrointestinal or immunostimulatory treatment to cure several afflictions. In addition, it is being known that extracts from these plants have modest antimutagenic effects; e.g. Artemisia campestris var. glutinosa Gay ex Bess or Artemisia herba-alba Asso (Asteraceae) have certain biological active compounds that are highly effective in reducing the mutagenicity caused by the indirect mutagen benzo[a]pyrene.
The antimutagenic effect of A. campestris oil is due to some major compounds as α-pinene, limonene, p-cymene, α-terpinene and myrcene, whereas the antimutagenic properties of A. herba-alba may be associated mainly to pinocarvone, α-copaene and limonene.
However, not all species have been investigated, and it is not known if all species belonging to Artemisia genus have the same antimutagenic properties. For that reason, I will carry out an investigation to test whether or not one species of this genus (Artemisia tridentata) have the same antimutagenic effects.
Artemisia tridentata, commonly called big sagebrush, has shown to respond differently to herbivory and volatile communication depending on the season of the year. Previous research claims there exists a seasonal variation of the monoterpenoid content in this plant and, moreover, the arthropod diversity and abundance on big sagebrush also differ seasonally. This evidence suggests that this plant undergoes various changes at the phytochemical and physical level during the year. Taking all of this into consideration, I am going to compare the antimutagenic activity of aerial parts of Artemisia tridentata throughout the seasons of the year.
The methodology will be the following; Firstly, the methanol extraction of aerial parts of Artemisia tridentata will be carried out. Then, this extract will be tested on histidine dependent Salmonella typhimurium strains via the Ames test. The mutagenic capacity will be evaluated in relation to the number of colonies capable of growing in his- plates. This procedure will be repeated for every season of the year. Lastly, the results of all extractions will be compared, and conclusions will be drawn. Hopefully, I can shed some light on the possible phytochemical changes this plant endures
An OER to Facilitate Reuse of Learning Activity Designs
No full textDespite the increased ease of access and availability of open educational resources, actual efficient reuse of learning objects, learning resources and learning designs is still described as “a Holy Grail within e-learning” (Wills & Pegler, 2016). Current resources aimed at increasing blended learning and the use of technology in the classroom focus on detailing best practices and describing pedagogies and activity types by their characteristics. They also commonly provide examples at the course level but it may be difficult for a novice or even an experienced educator to see how these patterns/ideas could be transferred to their own context. These are useful resources as starting points but do not provide much guidance or time-saving strategies. This session will introduce an open repository of successful learning activities, including examples to be remixed, reused and reshared. Learning activities are categorized by type (online discussion, group project, blog post, etc.), learning outcome level (according to Bloom’s taxonomy) and discipline to facilitate reuse by faculty, instructional designers and educational technologists. This results in a resource that can be searched according to widely known fields. For example, the resource can be searched for discussion activities appropriate for comprehension, analysis or synthesis. Participants will view the resource and be provided with access and instructions to contribute their own learning activities as well. Wills, S. and Pengler, C. (2016). A deeper understanding of reuse: Learning designs, activities, resources and their contexts. Journal of Interactive Media in Education, 2016(1), 1-11. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5334/jime.40
Universal Design of Learning: A Model for Inclusion in Higher Education
No full textThis session will begin with an Overview of Universal Design for Learning UDL, a research-based set of principles (multiple means of engagement, representation, action and expression) that guide curriculum development and pedagogical practices that make learning accessible to learners with diverse characteristics (e.g., cognitive, cultural, linguistic) and needs. Through concrete examples, we will continue with an exploration of practical ideas and strategies to promote accessible learning environments guided by UDL in undergraduate and graduate courses. This exploration will cover considerations for syllabi design, classroom activities, and assessment strategies. Examples from three graduate courses include: •Multiple means of engagement: small group work, gallery walk, in-class collaborative activity using Google docs. •Multiple means of representation: dancing statistics, open coding jelly beans video, other videos, caption for audios and videos, research provocations seminars, Moodle platform, dramatic representation, photo-voice, and journaling •Multiple means of action and expression: Online discussion forums, index cards for silent participation, Be the Expert peer assessment, oral presentations, synchronous and asynchronous online video conferences, introduction through personal video, introduction through a poem, monologue or photo essay. The session will close with an interactive, facilitated, critical discussion on opportunities and challenges for the implementation of UDL in higher education. Participants will be able to participate actively by asking questions and providing insights into shared resources for implementing UDL as an inclusive model for learning in higher education
Bridging the Grade 12 - Year 1 Gap
No full textThe world of education is constantly changing. In British Columbia there is a re-designed K-12 curriculum, a new Graduation Program, and new provincial assessments. Are we as a university ready for the students emerging from these changes and are they ready for us? This panel discussion will involve partners from K-12 and TRU faculty involved with learning and teaching. The discussion will revolve around two parts: firstly the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and learning expectations that graduating students will be carrying with them into first year and beyond; and secondly the pedagogical, curricular, and structural changes TRU needs to consider to meet the needs of these learners. These two parts need to be connected together by both the K-12 and higher education sectors in order to provide a seamless education system that supports success for all learners
Challenges Faced by Indigenous Nursing Students - Learning About Their Experience at Thompson Rivers University School of Nursing, British Columbia, Canada.
No full textBackground and Purpose: Past research shows the attrition rates of Indigenous students in the post-secondary system remains disproportionately higher than that of non-Indigenous students. The purpose of this research study is to gain insights into the lived experiences of Indigenous nursing students at Thompson Rivers University. Secondly, it is to identify the major challenges and barriers which prevent Indigenous students from excelling academically, and as leaders within the program.
Methodology: An interpretive research approach is used to explore the aims and is suitable for small-scale qualitative studies. Data collection methods are semi-structured face to face interviews and a socio-demographic questionnaire that provides opportunity to describe their experiences and express more detailed contextual information.
Findings: Preliminary research findings will inform understanding of contextual factors including financial issues, social isolation, racism, cultural and familial responsibilities of Indigenous students.
Conclusions: Preliminary research findings inform the advancement of the nursing curriculum and faculty, through use of the students’ voices through an Indigenous lens. Indigenous ways of knowing and being are integral to ensure cultural safety, wellbeing, and ultimately lead to retention and success of Indigenous nursing students.
Keywords: Indigenous, nursing education, student
City vs Country, Which is Better for Your Mental Health: An Analysis of the Stigma Surrounding Mental Illness in Canada\u27s Rural Urban Fringe
No full textMental health is a subject urban residents are familiar with, which leads to many services being readily available to those who seek help. This, however, is not the case with residents located in the rural-urban fringe. Not only do fringe communities have limited access to health services, but they associate mental illness with negative stigmas, which interestingly has a greater influence on men than women. One would assume the rural-urban fringe experiences greater levels of depression and anxiety because of this, ultimately leading to greater suicide rates. Our principle conclusion is that although suicide is more probable for people in rural communities, depression, and anxiety are more prominent in urban areas. This poster attempts to analyze why suicide rates are greater in the fringe, despite more reports of mental illness in urban centers. We suspect the powerful stigmas surrounding mental health stem from rural residents\u27 perceptions of how society should be, specifically regarding the image of a rural man. Methods to compare the areas of interest included literature reviews including Census Canada, and case studies. Finally, we offer suggestions to counter these stigmas and reduce mental Illness in both rural and urban areas of Canada
Optimizing the Production of Antimicrobial Secondary Metabolites Produced by the Cave-Dwelling \u3cem\u3eStreptomyces\u3c/em\u3e S1 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 S1 strain which exhibit these desired antimicrobial properties against strains of multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
The Streptomyces S1 strain was grown at a temperature of 15°C in both agar and broth cultures of R2A, Hickey Tresnar, and nutrient media. In an attempt to optimize their growth conditions and their production of secondary metabolites, the strain was subjected to ten different fermentation broths. Producing a characteristic brown pigment in only 72 hours with a considerable growth rate, the cave dwellers seemed to favour a simple nutrient broth media. Testing against both laboratory and drug-resistant strains of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, bioactivity was analysed on a regular schedule through agar-plug assay, agar-well assay, and/or Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion over a one month period. Antimicrobial activity was observed in as little as 24 hours against the target-organism bacterial lawns after incubating at 15°C or 37°C. Upon presence of bioactivity, protein extractions were performed and analysed through 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study of the Binding Interaction between b-Cyclodextrin and Thiabendazole: A Supramolecular Inclusion Complex
No full textCyclodextrins (CyD’s) are toroidal-shaped macrocyclic polymers with a hydrophobic cavity that can form complexes with other molecules in a host-guest type relationship. The use of CyD’s with guest molecules such as benzimidazoles could have strong applications in drug transportation, and consequently play an important role in the medical field. Thiabendazole (TBZ), one such benzimidazole derivative, is a fungicide with a broad spectrum of applications. It has been shown to be an effective antifungal against both pathogenic and saprophytic fungi. Thiabendazole must first be absorbed and circulated, and as such, it is typically dissolved in water prior to application. However, it has a low solubility in water, which limits its fungicide activity. The ability of cyclodextrins to encapsulate thiabendazole represent a solution to this problem, as the binding will lead to a higher solubility. Hence beta-cyclodextrin could potentially be used as a molecular vehicle, to transport thiabendazole more efficiently.
In order to study the strength of the interaction between beta-cyclodextrin and thisbendazole, NMR chemical shift titrations have been carried out. NMR is a powerful technique that can be used to measure the apparent binding constant (Ka). Ka has been determined in this project for the inclusion complex b-cyclodextrin (b-CyD)/TBZ with the Rose-Drago Method in organic solvent