IslandScholar
Not a member yet
16367 research outputs found
Sort by
Vulnerability to interrogative suggestibility from negative life events: A comparison of separated asylum-seeking youth and age-matched peers
No full textThe consistency of young asylum-seeker's verbal testimony is often critical in determining the outcome of their claims. It is well established that an interviewee may change their answers to appease an interviewer or in response to suggestions. Experiencing adversity during childhood may increase vulnerability in such interview situations. Here, the vulnerability to interview pressure of asylum-seeking youth separated from their caregivers as minors was compared with age-matched peers. Thirty participants (16–23 years) completed the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale (GSS2, measures of negative life events (NLEs) and non-verbal cognitive functioning measures. Vulnerability to interrogative suggestibility, non-verbal cognitive functioning and number of NLEs was compared between two groups. This preliminary data showed asylum-seeking youth as significantly more vulnerable to Shift; changes in response to interviewer feedback. NLEs and lower non-verbal cognitive functioning were significantly more common among the separated youth increasing vulnerability to Shift. The implications are discussed
Toward envisioning and implementing just transitions to a post-carbon society in Canada: Knowledge synthesis grant: living within the Earth’s carrying capacity. Final report
No full textInvestigations on the treatment and diagnosis of metastrongyloid infections in dogs and cats
No full textCanine and feline metastrongyloids (lungworms) play an important role in respiratory diseases that affect domestic dogs, cats, and other wild canids and felids throughout the world, that are caused by metastrongyloid nematodes such as Angiostrongylus vasorum, Crenosoma vulpis, Filaroides hirthi, and Oslerus osleri in canids and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Oslerus rostratus, and Troglostrongylus spp. in felids. Dogs and cats become infected by ingestion of infective third-stage larvae (L3) in the tissues of intermediate hosts (gastropods) or paratenic hosts (mice, birds, reptiles, and rodents).
The first objective of this study was to determine anthelmintic efficacy against metastrongyloid L3 using an in vitro larval motility assay to evaluate the potential of the drugs to be used as a preventative treatment. The study evaluated six anthelmintics (eprinomectin, ivermectin, milbemycin oxime, moxidectin, selamectin, and fenbendazole) on the motility of L3 of C. vulpis, A. vasorum, and A. abstrusus. The study showed that drug concentration estimates corresponding to a 50% larval mortality (M-50) identified that C. vulpis was the most sensitive species to the anthelmintics tested, while A. vasorum was insusceptible to all anthelmintics tested, except for selamectin at high drug concentrations. A. abstrusus was most susceptible to moxidectin and selamectin.
For objective two, the published molecular methods (PCR primer sets and assays and DNA sequencing) were evaluated for the detection of first-stage larvae (L1) of metastrongyloids to be used as a complementary test to confirm the morphological diagnosis. Diagnosis depends on finding L1 in the feces of an infected animal by using Baermann method and larvae were then examined microscopically based on morphological features of the caudal end. From January 2017 to August 2020, a total of 119 fecal samples from different sources, including scat samples, hospital cases, and lab referred cases, were examined using centrifugal fecal flotation and Baermann techniques. Thirty-nine out of 119 fecal samples were Baermann positive and were subjected to PCR and DNA sequencing of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene, the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene, or the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS2). Twenty-one of the Baermann positive samples were identified morphologically when 101 scat samples were screened. These included Crenosoma vulpis (19), Angiostrongylus vasorum (1), Uncinaria stenocephala (1). Eighteen of the Baermann positive samples were from the Clinical Diagnostic Parasitology laboratory, including 13 from dogs (C. vulpis 8; A. vasorum 4; Parelaphostrongylus odocoilei 1), four were from cats (A. abstrusus 3; O. rostratus 1), and one was from a black bear (Crenosoma sp.). Successful confirmation of lungworm species was determined by sequencing of PCR products in 25 of the 39 cases. Importantly, the presence of A. vasorum was first confirmed in a scat sample from Montague, PEI in this study. These molecular methods were used successfully in other three distinct studies (1) clinical crenosomosis in a black bear (Ursus americanus). The larvae recovered from feces of a black bear cub were identified morphologically as Crenosoma sp. and the tentative diagnosis was as C. petrowi based on length measurements. The molecular results of larval sequences using SSU rRNA gene, the two LSU rRNA gene regions share high similarity with Crenosoma mephiditis based on three gene regions. By conducting a phylogenetic tree, Crenosoma sp. forms a sister-group association with Crenosoma mephiditis. (2) clinical co-parasitic infections in a cat imported from Thailand. Morphological examination of cat feces revealed Mammomonogamus sp. eggs, Spirometra sp. eggs, Cystoisospora felis oocysts, and unknown first-stage nematode larvae. By using partial SSU rRNA gene sequence, L1 was found to be 99.6-99.9% identical to Oslerus rostratus. (3) the finding of spurious larval nematodes in a dog. Morphological identification of the dog feces revealed finding of Giardia duodenalis cysts and nematode larvae L1. The morphology of larvae was similar to Angiostrongylus vasorum. Tentative morphological identification of the larvae recovered from this dog was Parelaphostrongylus sp. if the dog had the opportunity to ingest deer feces. Molecular analysis confirmed the morphological identification to genus and was able to identify the larvae to species. The partial LSU rRNA gene region from the larvae shared 100% identity with Parelaphostrongylus odocoilei.
The impact of freezing on the survival and retention of infectivity of metastrongyloid first-stage larvae was investigated during this study. The third objective of the study was to test the susceptibility of the L1 of Filaroides martis, Oslerus rostratus, Skrjabingylus nasicola, and Troglostrongylus wilsoni to survive freezing and their subsequent ability to be infectious to a gastropod host (Limax maximus). As a result, L1 of F. martis, O. rostratus, S. nasicola, and T. wilsoni were detected alive, and these larvae were found to be able to infect gastropods successfully. Additionally, the study explored the unique feature of spontaneous L3 shedding of various metastrongyloids that has been reported previously in several studies. The study aimed to test the spontaneous larval shedding of the two species that infect mustelids, Filaroides martis and Skrjabingylus nasicola, by experimental infection of naïve laboratory raised slugs (L. maximus) and examined the feces twice a week by modified Baermann to detect L3. After three months of the study, the results showed no L3 were detected from the feces of slugs for both species such that the feature of spontaneous shedding may not apply to all lungworms
Phylogeography of betanodavirus genotypes circulating in Tunisian aquaculture sites, 2012-2019
No full textThe purpose of this study was to determine the phylogenetic relationships among the primary betanodavirus strains circulating in Tunisian coastal waters. A survey was conducted to investigate nodavirus infections at 15 European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax and gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata farming sites located along the northern and eastern coasts of Tunisia. The primary objective of the study was to create epidemiological awareness of these infections by determining phylogenetic relationships between the main betanodavirus strains circulating during the period 2012-2019, using RNA1 and/or RNA2 genome segments. Approximately 40% (118 of 294) tissue pools tested were positive for betanodavirus. Positive pools were distributed across all of the sampling sites. While fish mortalities were always correlated with the presence of virus in sea bass, a severe outbreak was also identified in sea bream larvae in 2019. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that almost all Tunisian strains from both sea bass and sea bream irrespective of outbreaks clustered within the RGNNV genotype. It is noteworthy that samples collected during the 2019 outbreak from sea bream contained both RNA1 and RNA2 fragments belonging to the RGNNV and SJNNV genotype, respectively, an indication of viral genome reassortment. To our knowledge, this is the first report of reassortant betanodavirus in Tunisia.National Academy of Science (NAS)USAID PEER program Cycle
Engineering Mechanics: Statics
No full textIntroduction to engineering mechanics: statics, for those who love to learn. Concepts include: particles and rigid body equilibrium equations, distributed loads, shear and moment diagrams, trusses, method of joints and sections, & inertia
Export marketing in higher education: an international comparison
No full textPurpose
How higher education institutions (HEIs) approach the recruitment of international students is an area of global interest (James-MacEachern, 2018, Ross et al., 2013), but there is limited focus on how institutions in different parts of the world approach international student recruitment as an export marketing orientation (EMO). The purpose of this paper is to examine the similarities and differences of export marketing orientation amongst three higher education institutions.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses export marketing concepts to compare three universities from Canada, Hong Kong and the UK to explore how institutions use international student recruitment as export marketing in international markets.
Findings
The study finds a number of similarities and differences in how HEIs react and respond to market and global environments, and responses impact the level of EMO. It argues that institutions rely differently on export marketing in their approach international students and highlights the need to understand how various factors such as national policy and institutional strategy impacts institutional adoption of an EMO in higher education.
Originality/value
By comparing HEIs from different parts of the world, this paper shows differences in export marketing orientation that are shaped by national policy frameworks and organizational culture. This is the first time three institutions from Canada, Hong Kong and the UK have been compared for EMO, and this study provides new insights into the factors that contribute or hinder EMO for HEIs
The poisoning effect of sintering dust on V 2 O 5 –WO 3 /TiO 2 catalyst for NO x removal in iron ore sintering flue gas
No full textNOx from iron ore sintering flue gas can be removed by selective catalytic reduction (SCR) over V2O5–WO3/TiO2 (VWTi) catalyst. In this work, the poisoning effects of K2SO4 and CaSO4 on the VWTi catalyst were investigated. The SCR activities and physicochemical properties of the fresh and poisoned catalysts were characterized. The results confirmed the deactivation of the poisoned catalysts, and the SCR activity decreased with increasing the concentration of the doped poisoning precursors. This reduced SCR activity could be related to the decreased reducibility of vanadium species and lower content of surface chemisorbed oxygen. Characterization of the poisoned catalysts showed migration of V 2p3/2 towards lower binding energy, reduced amount of NH3 desorption, and elimination of V=O stretching vibration bond, which could be attributed to the extension of V=O bond, consequently leading to the formation of –V–O–Ca/K bonds. A possible poisoning mechanism of the VWTi catalyst was proposed and discussed
Evaluation of a laparoscopic abdominal simulator assessment to test readiness for laparoscopic ovariectomy in live dogs
No full textObjective
To predict readiness for laparoscopic ovariectomy of live dogs on the basis of performance on a high-fidelity laparoscopic abdominal simulator and to determine interrater reliability of the assessment.
Study design
Experimental study.
Sample population
Seventeen fourth-year veterinary students.
Methods
After a standardized laparoscopic training course, each participant performed a laparoscopic ovariectomy with a simulator. This performance was scored in real time by two evaluators using a rubric. Participants achieving a score of 112 of 160 performed a laparoscopic ovariectomy in a live dog, supervised by an instructor in the room. Two evaluators scored video recordings of each procedure using the rubric. Participants' opinions about the simulator were collected with a survey.
Results
All participants scored above the threshold (range, 126-151) and successfully completed laparoscopic ovariectomy in a live dog, with an average of 10 of 17 participants requiring verbal guidance and 5 of 17 participants requiring intervention from the instructor. Interrater concordance was excellent for the rubrics used to score performance on the simulator (R = 0.91) and in vivo (R = 0.81). All participants agreed that the simulator should be used to assess trainee readiness prior to surgery in a live dog.
Conclusion
Participants achieving a score of at least 126 of 160 on the simulator were able to perform a laparoscopic ovariectomy in a live dog under supervision. The scoring system for the simulator had excellent interrater concordance.
Clinical significance
This simulator and scoring system can be used in laparoscopic training programs to assess readiness for progression to the operative setting
Strategies for culturally responsive assessment adopted by educators in Inuit Nunangat
No full textThe education systems of Inuit Nunangat (the four regions of the Canadian Arctic that are the traditional homes of Inuit) have undergone significant change and continue to experience transitions in terms of purpose, curriculum, administration, and control. A key part of this transition is ensuring that the assessment of student learning is culturally responsive. Hence, the purpose of this study was to explore Inuit educators’ culturally responsive assessment practices. Five case studies were conducted in four regions of Inuit Nunangat (Nunatsiavut, Nunavik, Nunavut, and Inuvialuit) which resulted in a sample of 180 participants. In-depth interviews and focus groups were held with teachers, students, administrators, and Elders. Data were synthesized and resulted in themes related to the challenges and achievements in developing assessment practices that were grounded in Inuit culture, values, and worldview. We conclude recommending that more support and attention are needed to focus on developing culturally responsive assessment tools and understanding the impact of such tools on student success and engagement.ArcticNet (2015
Communities first: Reflections on engaging with Indigenous communities as a foundation for Ph.D. studies
No full textReflections and learnings from a graduate-level independent study course on community-based participatory research with urban Aboriginal community organizations