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Alternative metastrongyloid parasite transmission routes from gastropods to definitive hosts
No full textParasites within the superfamily Metastrongyloidea are bursate nematodes that infect various mammals. Generally, members of this superfamily are found within the lungs of their definitive host; however, some can be found in the pulmonary artery and right heart, meningeal tissues, skeletal muscles, or sinuses. Infections caused by metastrongyloids are significant in both human and veterinary medicine, where the effects on the host can range from subclinical infections to sudden death. Most metastrongyloid parasites incorporate a gastropod intermediate host in their life cycle. Transmission between hosts represents critical stages of the parasite’s life cycle. The first aim of this thesis was to determine the infectivity and retention of infectivity of gastropod-shed Angiostrongylus vasorum and Crenosoma vulpis L3 in dogs. Two “seed” dogs were exposed to 100 L3 each, resulting in patent infections. L1 collected
from the seed dogs were used to infect naïve laboratory-raised Limax maximus slugs. Larval shedding was induced by anesthetizing the slugs in soda water and transferring them into warm (45 oC) tap water. Four naïve dogs were exposed to 100 gastropod-shed A. vasorum and C. vulpis L3, each stored for 0, 2, 4, and 8 weeks. All four exposures to shed L3 resulted in patent infections. The second aim was to evaluate the terrestrial gastropod fauna on PEI by (1) estimating gastropod population dynamics (species abundance and richness), (2) identifying which gastropod species were commonly infected with metastrongyloid parasites, (3) determining the prevalence, intensity, and metastrongyloid species found within terrestrial gastropods, and (4) identifying temporal trends of metastrongyloid parasites in gastropods on PEI. Terrestrial gastropods were collected and identified from 6 sites on PEI during the summer of 2018 and 5 in 2019. Metastrongyloid L3 were collected from gastropod tissues using artificial digestion. Larvae were identified using DNA sequencing following PCR using species-specific primers. A total of 964 terrestrial gastropods were collected. Eight gastropod species were identified, with the majority identified as Arion fasciatus-complex (67.01%) and Oxyloma decampi (18.5%). Three gastropod species were found to have metastrongyloid infections: A. fasciatus-complex, Cepaea hortensis, and Deroceras laeve. Metastrongyloids were found in 5.9% of collected gastropods. Metastrongyloid species identified included C. vulpis (81.2%), Filaroides martis (12.5%), and Protostrongylus boughtoni (12.5%), with one coinfection of C. vulpis and F. martis noted. July and August were noted to have the highest average L3/gastropod in 2018 and 2019, respectively. A novel finding of infections of F. martis and P. boughtoni in Arion fasciatus-complex slugs was noted in this study. The final aim was to assess the survival and decay rate of metastrongyloid L3 within a decomposing gastropod intermediate host. Four experiments were undertaken to further understand the survival and rate of decay of A. vasorum and C. vulpis L3, either as co-infections or as mono-infections. Experiments 1 and 2 used artificial digestion on dead L. maximus slugs co-infected with A. vasorum and C. vulpis weekly for 4- and 6-weeks, respectively. Experiments 3 and 4 also used artificial digestion on dead L. maximus slugs infected with C. vulpis 3 days/week for 4 weeks. Deceased L. maximus were stored in an environmental chamber set to 16 oC and 75% relative humidity (RH) for experiments 1-3 and at ambient room conditions (22 oC and 68% RH) during experiment 4. Third-stage larval migration into the environment was also assessed by a modified Baermann examination. Third-stage larval survival times in decomposing gastropods were assessed in two successive experiments. In the first and second experiments, 16 and 60 dead slugs were left to decompose at 16 oC and 75% RH, respectively. Four slugs were artificially digested every week in experiment 1, whereas 10 slugs were digested at time-0 and 10 slugs/week thereafter for experiment 2. To assess the rate of decay (loss) of L3, two subsequent experiments (3 & 4) were conducted at 16 oC and 75% RH and 22 oC and 68% RH, respectively. Fifteen slugs were artificially digested at time 0 and then 5 slugs 3 days/week. Living L3 were recovered up to three weeks post-mortem during all four experiments, with survival time exponentially decreasing and a maximum measured survival time of 6 weeks post-mortem. Migration of living L3 from the gastropod into the environment was low, with median counts of 12.5 L3 or less
Characteristics of immunisation support programmes in Canada: a scoping review and environmental scan
No full textObjective To identify, characterise and map the existing knowledge about programmes that provide immunisation support to Canadians and barriers and facilitators to their delivery.
Design Scoping review and environmental scan.
Introduction Vaccine hesitancy may be associated with unmet support needs of individuals. Immunisation support programmes that provide multicomponent approaches can improve vaccine confidence and equitable access.
Inclusion criteria Canadian programmes that focus on providing information about immunisation for the general public, but excluding articles targeting health professionals. The primary concept involves mapping the characteristics of programmes and our secondary concept examines barriers and facilitators to programme delivery.
Methods The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology guided this review, reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews. A search strategy was developed and translated for six databases in November 2021 (updated October 2022). Unpublished literature was identified through the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health Grey Matters checklist and other relevant sources. Stakeholders (n=124) from Canadian regional health authorities were also contacted by email for publicly accessible information. Two independent raters screened and extracted data from identified material. Results are presented in tabular form.
Results The search strategy and environmental scan resulted in 15 287 sources. A total of 161 full-text sources were reviewed after applying eligibility criteria, resulting in 50 articles. Programmes were delivered in multiple Canadian provinces, focusing on various vaccine types. All programmes aimed to increase vaccine uptake and were mostly provided in person. Multidisciplinary delivery teams based on collaborations among multiple entities were credited as a facilitator to programme delivery across settings. Limitations on programme resources, attitudes of programme staff and participants, and systems organisation were identified as barriers to delivery.
Conclusions This review highlighted characteristics of immunisation support programmes across various settings and described multiple facilitators and barriers. These findings can inform future interventions that aim to support Canadians in making decisions about immunisation.Public Health Agency of Canad
Development of foam-based support material for coaxial bioprinting of ionically crosslinking bioinks
No full textIn this study, a foam-based method is developed for three-dimensional coaxial bioprinting of ionically crosslinking bioinks. This method introduces the crosslinker to the bioink in calcium chloride-albumin foam which eliminates the need for multiple crosslinking steps and offers an excellent control over the crosslinking rate and the diameter of the hollow fibers. The effects of the foam and alginate flow rates were investigated on the outer diameter and the wall thickness of the hollow fibers. Various structures were 3D printed and characterized by printability number and the method showed an excellent layer adhesion among printed layers. The effects of foam composition and the alginate concentration on the mechanical properties were assessed through breaking strain and filament collapse tests to determine the optimum composition for hollow fiber fabrication. The hollow fiber composed of 2% (w/v) sodium alginate that is crosslinked with a foam made of 1.07% (w/v) albumin and 1.07% (w/v) calcium chloride showed superior mechanical properties. Furthermore, the viability of co-incubation with Neuro-2a cells over seven days was investigated and no significant negative effect of the used concentrations of albumin and calcium chloride was observed on the viability of the cells.National Sciences and Research Council of CanadaCanada Foundation for Innovatio
The TraumaClinic model of EMDR basic training in Brazil: A country case study for in-person and online training
No full textThis article utilizes a country case study design to describe the implementation of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy training in Brazil. The primary focus is on the methodology, adaptations, adjustments, and cultural considerations necessary to incorporate in-person and virtual training in this country. Additionally, the article will explore the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic to address National Government Guidance related to social distancing. This guidance required adjustments to training delivery, clinical and self-practice, clinical supervision, and consultation. Finally, the article outlines the advantages and disadvantages of implementing EMDR therapy training in Brazil, expanding to how models of good practice could be implemented in other countries, such as Angola and Mozambique, to include cultural adaptation, sensitivity, and replication
Paramedic supportive discharge programmes to improve health system efficiency and patient outcomes: a scoping review protocol
No full textIntroduction Discharging older adults with frailty home from the emergency department (ED) poses unique challenges due to multiple interacting physical and social problems. Paramedic supportive discharge services help overcome these challenges by adding in-home assessment and/or interventions. Our objective is to describe existing paramedic programmes designed to support discharge from the ED or hospital to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions. A comprehensive description of paramedic supportive discharge services will be conducted by mapping the literature to describe: (1) why such programmes are needed; (2) who is being targeted, making referrals and delivering the services and (3) what assessments and interventions are offered.
Methods and analysis We will include studies that focus on expanded paramedic roles (community paramedicine) and extended scope postdischarge from the ED or hospital. All study designs will be included with no limit by language. We will include peer-reviewed articles and preprints and a targeted search of grey literature from January 2000 to June 2022. The proposed scoping review will be conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. We will use a search strategy designed by a health science librarian to search MEDLINE All (Ovid), CINAHL Full Text (EBSCO), Embase (Elsevier) and Scopus (Elsevier) for eligible studies from 2000 to present. Two independent reviewers will conduct screening and full-text review. Data extraction will be conducted by one reviewer and verified by another. We will report our findings descriptively by charting trends in the research.
Ethics and dissemination Research ethics review is not required as this is a scoping review comprised published studies. The results of this research will be published in a manuscript and presented at national and international geriatric and emergency medicine conferences. This research will inform future implementation studies on community paramedic supportive discharge services
Long-read sequencing reveals the shell microbiome of apparently healthy American lobsters Homarus americanus from Atlantic Canada
No full textThe shell microbial community of lobsters—a key factor in the development of epizootic shell disease (ESD)—is still insufficiently researched in Atlantic Canada and many knowledge gaps remain. This study aimed to establish a baseline description and analysis of the shell microbiome of apparently healthy lobsters from four locations in the region. More than 180 lobster shell swab samples were collected from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island (PEI). PacBio long-read 16S rDNA sequencing and bioinformatic analyses in QIIME2 identified the shell-associated bacteria. The shell microbiome of healthy lobsters consisted mainly of the bacterial classes Gammaproteobacteria, Saprospiria, Verrucomicrobiae, Alphaproteobacteria, Flavobacteriia, Acidimicrobiia and Planctomycetia. The microbial composition differed regionally and seasonally, with some classes showing decreased or increased relative abundances in the PEI samples as well as in the winter and spring samples in Nova Scotia. The core shell microbiome included potentially pathogenic as well as beneficial bacterial taxa, of which some were present only in certain regions. Bacterial taxa that have previously been associated with ESD were present on healthy lobsters in Atlantic Canada, but their frequency differed by location, sampling time, and moult stage. This study indicated that geographical and seasonal factors influenced the shell microbiome of apparently healthy lobsters more than host factors such as sex, size, and moult stage. Our results provide valuable reference microbial data from lobsters in a disease-free state.OFI Phase-2 One Ocean Health GrantAtlantic Veterinary College Research Fun
ChemEscape: Redox and thermodynamics─puzzling out key concepts in general chemistry
No full textGamification of learning in chemistry education is a growing field. Chemistry themed escape room activities, incorporating course learning objectives into puzzle solution, have become a popular tool allowing for students to apply course knowledge in novel settings. Escape room activities, like their public counterparts, provide subtle guidance to students through the introduction of clues and hints within the game. However, many students are met with mild frustration at the lack of direct questioning leading to time-restraints in puzzle solution. Here, we introduce a new series of ChemEscape Battle Box puzzles focusing on chemical equilibria, redox chemistry, and thermodynamics. By incorporating guiding, exam-style questioning into the puzzle we found students were more readily able to solve the puzzles within and related them back to course learning objectives
Wheat straw‐derived bio‐based hydroponic polyurethane foams for plant growth
No full textAgricultural waste is a renewable and sustainable resource that can be used as an alternative to petroleum for the production of chemicals and materials. In this study, liquefied wheat straw was used as bio-polyols to prepare bio-based hydroponic polyurethane (BHPU) foams. The effects of foam preparation variables, such as surfactants, catalysts, blowing agents and types of petroleum-based polyols (PPG 400 and/or VORANOL 280) on the properties of BHPU foam were investigated through single-factor experiments. Response surface methodology was applied to optimize the foam formula. The prepared BHPU foams with 40–50% (w/w) bio-polyols had an open cell content of 70–96%, a water absorption capacity of 594–1085% (w/w) and a water absorption time of 6–140 s. The potential of using the prepared BHPU foam as a plant growing medium was evaluated via mechanical testing, cell morphology, thermal stability, UV weathering testing and Phaseolus vulgaris (Linn.) cultivar Prelude and Glycine max (Linn.) Merr. seed germination tests. The wheat straw-derived BHPU foams demonstrated potential as a plant growth medium in horticulture
Human first, chronically ill second: the lived experience of self-management for people in Prince Edward Island living with chronic respiratory disease
No full textHorse housing on Prince Edward Island, Canada: Attitudes and experiences related to keeping horses outdoors and in groups
No full textLimited research has assessed the “human dimension” of horse care. The aims of this study were to (1) understand horse owner attitudes toward horse welfare when kept outdoors versus indoors and in groups versus individually, (2) compare horse owner attitudes toward horse welfare with the ways in which they house their horses, and (3) explore horse owner reasons for and challenges with their horses’ housing. Seventy-six horse owners in Prince Edward Island, Canada completed a questionnaire. Non-parametric tests and quantitative content analysis were used for data analysis. Consistent with the way horses were kept, most (82–96%) owners agreed that horses’ physical health, mental well-being, and natural living were better when kept outdoors and in groups. Fewer (64–68%) participants agreed that the horses’ standard of care was better when kept outdoors or in groups. Results show associations between owners whose attitudes suggest indoor and/or individual housing is better for horse welfare and keeping their horses indoors part-time and/or individually. Two overarching themes were developed from owners’ responses regarding their reasons and challenges related to the ways in which horses were housed: horse-centered and owner-centered care. The results indicate that horse owners’ choices about their horses’ housing correspond to beliefs about improved horse welfare.Canadian Agriculture Partnership (Surveillance and Emergency Management Sub-program)Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre at the University of Prince Edward IslandSocial Sciences and Humanities Research Council Graduate ScholarshipCanadian Foundation for Innovatio