MacEwan Open Journals (MacEwan University)
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Stabilized Liposomes Transdermal Patch for Loaded Antioxidants Skin Therapy
No full textIn the body, skin acts as protective barrier insulating organs from physical, chemical or biological damage. Skin aging triggered by sun’s ultraviolet rays, and pollution decrease its protective barrier and physiological functional properties. The cosmetic industry and dermatologist hunt for effective therapeutic technologies to slow skin aging. Skin anti aging therapy include the radiofrequency technology that use the thermal energy application onto the skin to induce dermal and epidermal remodeling, which triggers regeneration. This is an expensive therapeutic technology, and there still remains the use of anti-aging products with antioxidants, which protect the skin from free radical that induce skin aging. Numerous antioxidants exist, —e.g. retinol, lecithin, — however there remains a challenge to deliver these compounds the epidermis to afford skin protection. In addition, antioxidants are environmentally unstable, and lose their potency with exposure. As such, approach to mitigate the instability and a delivery vehicle is the use of liposome technology. Liposome is a microsphere with an aqueous center and a lipid exterior, a dual structure that affords skin penetration. As a proof concept, we have developed polyhydroxylated fatty acid (polyol) liposome and used it to encapsulate a model antiaging agent. The polylol liposomes was compared with lecithin based liposomes for controlled release on the anti-aging agent. Towards a fabrication of a dermatologist usable device, we have demonstrated a prototype voltage responsive biobased transdermal patch impregnated with antioxidant loaded liposomes, with controlled release of the antiaging agent triggered by disruption of the liposomes by a mild voltage application.
Discipline: Chemistry
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Samuel Mug
Diabetes Among the Iroquois: A Legacy of Colonization
No full textDigital Story presented as part of the Interdisciplinary Dialogue Student Learning Symposium.
 
Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) chemosensory detection ability for copper nanoparticles
No full textMetal nanoparticles (NP) have become increasingly prevalent in aquatic environments that receive effluents containing metal nanoparticles. Copper NPs are of specific interest for this study and have exhibited toxic effects for many different organisms. This study aims to identify if rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) can detect copper NPs at first exposure to IC20 concentrations and what their response will be in a flow-through choice maze. A statistically significant avoidance response to copper NPs was observed. These findings indicate that rainbow trout can detect and avoid copper NPs at IC20 concentrations upon first exposure.
*Indicates presente
Glucose Tolerance is Unchanged During Acute Normobaric Hypoxia
No full textBlood glucose regulation is critical to support metabolism, particularly in contexts of metabolic stressors (e.g., high altitude). Data regarding insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in hypoxia are scant and inconclusive. We aimed to characterize the interactive effects of acute normobaric hypoxia and glucose regulation following an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) compared to normoxia. Following 12 hours of fasting on two separate days, 28 healthy participants (21.8±0.3 yrs; BMI 22.8±0.48 kg/m2; 16 females) were randomly exposed to either normoxia (FIO2 0.21) or hypoxia (FIO2 0.148) in a normobaric hypoxia chamber. Blood glucose was tested from finger capillary samples via glucometer and sterile lancets. Following a 10-min baseline in normoxia or hypoxia, participants consumed an OGTT (75g, 300ml) and blood glucose was sampled every 10-min for 80-min. Peripheral oxygen saturation was lower at baseline in hypoxia (88.6±0.7 vs. 96.8±0.41%; P<0.0001), but fasted blood glucose was not different between trials (hypoxia=4.86±0.07 vs. normoxia=4.80±0.08 mmol/L; P=0.47). Blood glucose responses following OGTT were compared between oxygen conditions using a two-factor repeated measures ANOVA (2FRM-ANOVA; factors = oxygen condition x time) and area under the curve (AUC; paired t-test). Blood glucose responses were not different between trials (2FRM-ANOVA interaction, P=0.765; AUC normoxia vs. hypoxia, P=0.227). We conclude that glucose tolerance is unchanged with acute normobaric hypoxia, likely protecting the metabolic rate of organs that do not require insulin for uptake or storage (e.g., brain) during hypoxic stress. Funding Sources: NSERC Discovery, MRU Faculty of Science and Technolog
Electrochromic opal-structure polymer sysem tactile E-skin sensor
No full textWe developed a versatile, highly sensitive and wearable skin-like sensor with electrochromic color-changing system to measure the human (or pets and livestock)’s heart and pulse as well as the fast response for clinic metabolites from sweat. The transduction system of the e-skin sensor will be based on color and capacitance changes of the tailor-made molecule receptor integrated in the sensor. These dual transduction mechanism of the sensing elements are based on integration of opal polymer nanostructures (hollow nanogels), which diffract different wavelength of light based on Braggs diffraction. The opal polymer structures will also be redox responsive and as such capacitance and impedance changes of the sensor will also be investigated using PalmSense 4 potentiostat. The range of characterization techniques such as SEM, TEM and Raman spectroscopy also applied to fabricate the surface morphology.
*Indicates presenter
 
The Effect of Pace on the Performance of the Closers in the Kentucky Derby
No full textThe Kentucky Derby is the longest held sporting event in America, and is often referred to as “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports.” In horse racing, the closers or the horses that are coming from the back of the pack excite most viewers. This study attempts to establish the effect of early speed to the performance of closers in the Kentucky Derby based from Kentucky Derby races from 1933 to 2017. The study is designed such that effect of pace is isolated from other factors of the race and is analyzed through different linear models. The results of the study are also used to emphasize the greatness of the late Secretariat, who is considered as one of the greatest horse that ever lived
Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) chemosensory detection ability for copper nanoparticles
No full textMetal nanoparticles (NP) have become increasingly prevalent in aquatic environments that receive effluents containing metal nanoparticles. Copper NPs are of specific interest for this study and have exhibited toxic effects for many different organisms. This study aims to identify if rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) can detect copper NPs at first exposure to IC20 concentrations and what their response will be in a flow-through choice maze. A statistically significant avoidance response to copper NPs was observed. These findings indicate that rainbow trout can detect and avoid copper NPs at IC20 concentrations upon first exposure.
*Indicates presente
Quantification of Tissue Specific Expression of ABC type B transporters in Eschscholzia californica
No full textAdenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are a diverse superfamily of transmembrane proteins found in all eukaryotes. These proteins couple the hydrolysis of ATP to the transport of a wide variety of substrates across cellular membranes. In plants, ABC type B (ABCB) transporters have been shown to be involved in the transport of both growth regulators (auxin) and secondary metabolites. Plant secondary metabolism refers to the vast array of small molecules being produced, but not directly required for plant growth and development. However, secondary metabolites have been shown to play important roles in plant defense, such as in deterring herbivory or resistance to pathogens. It has been shown that transport between cell types is necessary in the biosynthesis of many of these metabolites and that ABC transporters play a necessary role in this trafficking. Eschscholzia californica, or the California poppy, accumulates alkaloids within specialized cells within roots. Our lab previously identified EcABCB1, a transporter involved in the transport of these alkaloids. In this project, using the recently-released draft genome of E. californica, we have identified seven additional putative ABCB transporters (ABCB2-7). Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), we will quantify their expression profiles in a tissue-specific manner. These results will then be used to draw inferences of the function of each candidate gene, based on comparative analysis of expression profiles of ABCB homologs in Arabidopsis thaliana. Preliminary data shows that EcABCB1 is expressed in both roots and stems, whereas EcABCB2 is expressed ubiquitously across all tissues. This may indicate that EcABCB2 may be involved in the transport a growth factor such as auxin, which is a metabolite necessary for growth across all organs. In order to obtain a better understanding of the biochemistry of plants and the synthesis of their alkaloids, the transporters required for this synthesis must be characterized.
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Foraminifera: a tool for elucidating past and recent climate change in marine Arctic Canada
No full textOver the past decades, polar regions such as the Canadian Arctic Archipelago have experienced pronounced changes associated with climate warming (e.g., decreased sea ice extent and thickness). Such relatively recent environmental shifts have motivated research regarding past climate variability to understand how polar marine environments respond to changing conditions, for example glacial to interglacial transitions. This presentation outlines ongoing research that is part of a larger project (funded by ArcticNet and NSERC) focussed on the palaeoclimatology, palaeoceanography and deglacial histories of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. In particular, the use of foraminifera (benthics and planktonics) is highlighted as a proxy for reconstructing past environmental conditions via assemblage and geochemical (δ13C and δ18O) analyses, including water temperatures, sea ice conditions, and ecosystem productivity, in the eastern (Lancaster Sound/Baffin Bay) and western (M’Clure Strait) entrances to the historical Northwest Passage. To allow for accurate interpretations of past environments, ongoing work also focusses on foraminiferal distribution in surface (modern) sediments in relation to measured oceanographic parameters (temperature, salinity, sea ice) as a baseline for paleo-interpretations. Preliminary results from foraminiferal surface sediment calibrations, along with the taxonomic issues associated with some important indicator taxa will be discussed.
*Indicates presente
Are Poor Readers Impaired at Music Processing?
No full textMusic perception and reading rely on similar auditory processing skills such as the ability to detect small changes in speech sounds and music notes. Although there has been extensive research on the association between music and reading, there is less consistent research regarding children with poor reading skills. Dyslexia is a learning disorder where a child has difficulties with reading that is not due to poor learning environments or low intelligence. Interestingly, children with dyslexia have been found to have deficits in music perception tasks. However, there is conflicting research on whether music perception deficits in children with dyslexia are timing-specific or more general. The current study examined the relationship between music perception and reading in 6- to 10-year-old children. Poor readers were compared to age-matched, as well as reading-matched typically developing children. We expected the typically developing children to outperform the poor readers on all areas of the music perception tasks (e.g., melody, tuning, accent, speed). Additionally, we expected these associations would remain even after controlling for general cognitive ability, music training, and personality. In contradiction to our hypothesis, our results revealed that there were no significant differences between the 22 poor readers and their controls. A possible explanation for these results is that once possible confounds (e.g., general demographics) are controlled for, there may be no significant differences between poor readers and typically-developing children on music perception tasks.
Discipline: Psychology (Honours)
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Kathleen Corrigal