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Preferential expansion of NK cells lacking NKR-P1A (CD161) receptor expression during human cytomegalovirus infection
No full textInternational agricultural workers (IAWs) are vital to Canada's agricultural sector and economy, yet their healthcare rights remain precarious. Despite contributing to health insurance during their employment, many IAWs lose access to healthcare when they become critically ill due to systemic barriers. The problem lies in the lack of clarity over jurisdiction: IAWs are brought in through a federal program, but healthcare delivery falls under provincial authority. This gap underscores an urgent need for policy reform to guarantee continuity of healthcare access for IAWs. Our project advocates for a policy that provides critically ill IAWs access to their insurance. Using the EPIC method, we contacted eight government officials, engaging six in meaningful discussions, with one committing to support our proposed policy. These involved officials whose party was familiar with our agenda but also those who were not. We presented our proposal that indicated how providing healthcare would not financially strain Canada's healthcare system. Furthermore, ensuring healthcare access for IAWs aligns with Canada's core values of equity and compassion. These efforts were supported by collaborations with community leaders to gain insights into the lived experiences of IAWs and to broaden our support network. Due to the nature of advocacy, this process remains ongoing until the goal of policy change has been achieved. This work underscoreNatural killer (NK) cells are essential for immunity against human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). NK cell receptors (NKR) play a key role in anti-HCMV responses, and HCMV infection selectively shapes the NKR repertoire. NKR-P1A (CD161) is an inhibitory receptor, whose expression is lost during HCMV infection, but its role in NK cell responses during HCMV infection is not known. We analyzed peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy individuals and hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients with latent and active HCMV infections, respectively, to assess the impact of NKR-P1A on NK cell function. Our findings reveal a significant increase in NKR-P1A-NK cells, particularly in clonally expanded NKG2C+ and CD57+ memory NK cells, but not in NKG2C‒ or CD16+ subsets. A larger proportion of NKR-P1A‒ NK cells from HCMV-infected individuals exhibited an activated (granzyme B+) and proliferating (Ki-67+) phenotype compared to NKR-P1A+ NK cells. However, NK cells maintained their ability to activate and proliferate in response to in vitro stimulation regardless of NKR-P1A expression. Additionally, HCMV infection did not impair cytokine-induced NKR-P1A upregulation. Analysis of publicly available single-cell RNA sequencing datasets showed that only NKR-P1A‒ NK cells in HCMV-seropositive individuals exhibited transcriptomic signatures associated with adaptive NK cells that expand during HCMV infection. These findings suggest that lower activation and proliferation of NKR-P1A+ NK cells contribute to the accumulation of NKR-P1A-NK cells, highlighting the inhibitory role of NKR-P1A during HCMV infection and further demonstrating how HCMV shapes the NK cell repertoire's the importance of structured, empathetic advocacy in addressing systemic inequities. By combining targeted outreach to policymakers with community-driven insights, our research presents a replicable model for achieving impactful and sustainable policy change in support of vulnerable populations
The Poetry Café: An On-line Writing Workshop for Refugee and Newcomer Youth
Full text linkThe objective of this paper is to discuss the use of cross-disciplinary partnerships to design and implement a creative writing workshop for English-language learners (ELLs) in an online setting. The methodology utilized collaborative, cross-disciplinary feedback and revision cycles to identify key areas of consideration in facilitating the workshop. The findings revealed cultural and grammatical considerations, emotional nuance considerations, idiomatic language considerations, and internal translation and time considerations in the creative writing process for ELLs. In addition, a reflection, after the completion of the workshop, revealed that while the curriculum successfully implemented three scholarly fields of knowledge, the advances made by this cross-disciplinary partnership hit substantial obstacles when delivered over a virtual platform
Dehumanization and Genocide: the Beginning of the State
No full text['United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (https://www.un.org/development/desa/indigenouspeoples/declaration-on-the-rights-of-indigenous-peoples.html)']Viable, Healthy and Safe CommunitiesAlthough this research is on-going, it attempts to draw a conclusion on various critical questions regarding the desire of Indigenous women to join and participate in politics. It is important to understand the challenges Indigenous women fight to be in politics and the types of policies they push to implement. By doing so, we can examine the types of issues pertaining mostly to Indigenous women and their communities, and seek to address them. Although there has been an exponential increase in research on Indigenous topics, awareness of the colonial project and its implemented strategies against Indigenous people continues to be dismissed as a historical event. However, it is critical to understand the past, analyze historical movements, and work towards repairing the damage these events caused to Indigenous people. The colonial project continues to oppress Indigenous communities and people across Canada. This paper examines three distinct tools used by the British government to colonize and exterminate or assimilate Indigenous communities to European culture. As such, the presentation will be broken down into three main sections: Geography, Institutions, and Laws and Policies. First, it discusses the strategic geographical manipulation in the past as an asset to their advantage. Immediately following this are the current geographical challenges forced on numerous Indigenous communities like the water crisis and their access to basic needs. Secondly, the presentation will review the use of institutions like the Residential 'School' System for mass genocide of both the Indigenous culture and the children. This will be followed by the current effects of these institutions and the recent discoveries of unmarked grave sites at previous Residential 'Schools' locations. Thirdly, this presentation will explore the various policies and laws constricting Indigenous nations and people from resisting colonization and from protecting their communities. Following these historical policies will be a brief review of the abuse of the Federal government's fiduciary duty to Indigenous people and various limitations of Indigenous Constitutional and Charter rights. At the end of the presentation, the conclusion is presented as a summary of findings detailing key information throughout the presentation and lastly, an opening to further questions from the audience. The key terms in this presentation are Indigenous, colonialism, dehumanization, decolonization, land, Canada, and communities
Falling off the Agenda: Pandemic Planning and How Windsor-Essex Performs in Provincial Comparison
No full textIn the fall of 2020, we undertook Mitacs funded research with the intention of creating a knowledge base of best practices for the design and implementation of emergency plans for local government. To do so we employed a mixed methods approach examining municipal emergency planning documents in place prior to the Covid-19 pandemic to assesses their effectiveness in dealing with the specific Covid-19 situation. Ultimately, we ended up assessing Ontario's governmental institutions and organizations and noting where their failings and successes were in comparison to the prior SARS Commission pandemic planning indicators. While we went into our research focussed on the municipal level of public health organization, we couldn't escape how interconnected our Canadian political and administrative systems were with authority distributed through federal, provincial and local levels of influence. Primary focus will revolve around Ontario's public health organization acknowledging that there are currently thirty-four public health units in Ontario: twenty of which are independent of local municipal government; seven which are regional health departments; and seven which are health units tied in to single-tier or other municipal administration. This presentation will summarize our basic research findings and employ a local lens to showcase how Windsor-Essex preparedness and current pandemic response measures up respective to the provincial average
Outcomes and Characteristics of COVID-19 Patients Admitted to Windsor Regional Hospital and Post COVID-19 Sequelae: A Single Institution Experience
No full text['UNSDG 3: Good Health and Well-being (https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal3)']Viable, Healthy and Safe CommunitiesIn December 2019, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged as a novel coronavirus that resulted as the causative agent for the viral illness known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The first known cases of COVID-19 in Windsor-Essex County were identified in March 2020; since then, there have been over 49,000 cases of COVID-19. Forty unique patient factors will be assessed to explain the characteristics correlated with local patient outcomes of COVID-19. The purpose of this study is to identify the characteristics of the patients with COVID-19 presenting or admitted to the Windsor Regional Hospital between February 15, 2020 and February 14, 2021. The specific aims of this study will be to conduct a retrospective chart review to evaluate over 40 patient factors associated with poor prognosis or greater risk of mortality that include COVID-19 symptomatology, treatment history, and comorbidities as well as any additional patients to be admitted to Windsor Regional Hospital during the one-year period. We will also look at the outcome of cancer patients who were treated for Covid infection during this period. The results of this study will serve as an evidence-based source to inform clinicians at Windsor Regional Hospital to predict the likely prognosis of the disease in patients based on their characteristics. The next steps of this study will incorporate AI machine learning to analyze the data for prognostic trends that may aid clinicians at Windsor Regional Hospital in predicting the outcomes for not only COVID-19 but the implications of Post COVID Condition (PCC)
Quantifying the Relative Importance of Boat Wakes in Fetch-Limited Environments
No full text['UNSDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation (https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal6)', 'UNSDG 14: Life Below Water (https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal14)']Viable, Healthy and Safe CommunitiesWind waves and wind-generated currents are known to contribute to shoreline change, but there is increasing evidence that vessel-generated waves (i.e., boat wakes) can cause erosion in fetch-limited environments and narrow waterways. Depending on vessel type and speed of operation boat wakes can resuspend sediment leading to shoreline erosion, habitat loss, degradation of water quality and damage to shoreline infrastructure. The number of cottages and recreational boats on inland lakes has been steadily increasing in Ontario in recent decades, which has resulted in a growing awareness of boat wake impacts and the need for research focused on their impact to shorelines. The Muskoka Lakes region (Lake Joseph, Lake Rosseau, and Lake Muskoka) is known as Canadian Cottage Country, with approximately 7,000 cottages along 480 km of shoreline. The impact of boat wakes on shoreline morphology, habitat, and infrastructure has resulted in the establishment of advocacy groups such as Safe Quiet Lakes and the need for additional data on the potential impacts of boat wakes to inform new and amended vessel restrictions and local education programs in the region and across Ontario. Using low-cost wave and water level sensors developed and built at the University of Windsor, the purpose of this study is to assess the erosive potential of boat wakes relative to wind waves at ten sites across Lakes Joseph, Rosseau, and Muskoka. These sites represent a range of different shoreline types, orientations, wave fetch lengths and vessel activity, to allow for a lake-wide assessment of the relative importance of boat wakes and wind waves to the shoreline. Results collected from the regular ice-free cottage season of 2022 (June - October) will be used for community education, inform coastal management and policy reform, and the assessment of additional monitoring needed on boat wake impacts on Ontario's inland lakes
Octaboraneyl bis(diphosphine)nickel(II)-hydride complexes: exploiting phosphine ligand lability for hydride transfer
No full textChemists are fascinated by the connectivity of atoms. As synthetic chemists, we place focus on joining atoms in new ways to create molecules that display useful and interesting behaviours. Our research begins with ligand design - a central tenet of synthetic chemistry. A ligand makes chemical bonds to a metal atom, creating a unique environment for the metal and supporting it throughout a particular chemical reaction. Simple modification of a specific ligand can lead to major differences in reactivity at the metal atom. Herein, we describe the divergent reactivity of two bis(diphosphine)nickel(II) complexes with pendant boranes in the secondary coordination sphere, [Ni(H)(P2BR4)2]+ (R = Cy or Mes; Mes = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl). Divergent reactivity of the cyclohexyl analogue toward the [NAD]+ model, 3-acetyl-N-benzylpyridinium ([BNAcP]Br), is underscored. While [Ni(H)(P2BCy4)2]+ undergoes rapid hydride transfer, the related "all-alkyl" species [Ni(H)(dnppe)2]+ [dnppe = 1,2-bis(di-n-propylphosphino)ethane] and adduct [Ni(H)(P2BCy4)2(DMAP)8]+ (DMAP = 4-N,N-dimethylaminopyridine) exhibit no such reactivity. This borane appended nickel(II) hydride provides future opportunities for the design of [Ni(H)(diphosphine)2]+ reagents for productive and unique hydride transfer. As well, the ligand lability of P2BCy4 is underscored as an important step for successful hydride transfer. This work represents an important foray into the area of ligand design by modification of the secondary coordination sphere
“Recognize Me”: An Analysis of Transgender Media Representation
Full text linkThe representation of transgender people in popular media has been overwhelmingly problematic. Historical representations of transgender characters in fictional television have featured stereotypical and negative portrayals that do not accurately reflect the real experiences of transgender people. Both the quantity and quality of transgender representation across all forms of media is an issue. This research examines two popular television shows that feature transgender characters. Using a mix methods approach of Content Analysis and Critical Discourse Analysis, the first four seasons of Orange is the New Black and The Fosters are examined. This research seeks to examine how the fictional transgender characters are constructed through their interaction with other characters and their place in the storyline. Of particular interest are the ways in which the transgender character is treated by others, the topic of conversations when the transgender characters are discussed, and whether they are victims of physical or psychological violence. This research found that the improvement of representation in these shows is indicative of a trend towards more positive representation. The characters of Cole, Sophia, and Aaron are represented in some positive ways; however, it is noteworthy that all three continue to uphold the gender binary. Although there are still improvements that need to be made towards fair and complex representation, these characters’ signal a step in the right direction
